We Shadow the Stars (The Lost Defiants Book 1) by Yolonda Kay

Author:Yolonda Kay [Kay, Yolonda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Story Spark Media
Published: 2024-08-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

The dread that the unknown voice stirred to life deep inside of me made me freeze in place. Kade’s fists balled, his jaw twitching. Our gaze held each other’s for a heartbeat, then we slowly turned toward the voice, only to find an empty doorway.

“I mean, you can try it,” the voice continued. “But there's already been broadcasts about the unauthorized use of the Transporter. Which means they’re probably on their way here now, looking for you. If I were you, which I'm glad I'm not, I'd let Max show you a good place to hide until things calm down a bit and it’s safe to sneak you back.”

“And who, exactly, is Max?” Kade asked, his voice steely calm.

“That would be me.”

A young man slid into view. He was much smaller than Kade. Smaller, even, than Caleb. His light-brown hair flopped over his forehead, and gigantic glasses magnified his green eyes. Slender and short, he didn’t seem to be afraid of us. He came closer, pushing his specs back onto the bridge of his nose.

Though Kade’s stance became rigid at the sight of the long white lab coat over the young man’s shoulders, the dark jeans he had, paired with a bright-orange shirt, made me wonder if he might be as harmless as the Defiants.

The colors certainly weren’t standard for any career on the social suitability scale in Hegiralon City, or anywhere in the fringes of Climoflyer-1. But maybe here, in this Otherworld, the requirements weren’t as strict.

Given his glasses, I guessed Max didn’t have advanced Oputech. Maybe he didn’t have any advanced tech, only the standard apps given to all Genoborgs. Whatever was given to him during the design process must’ve glitched out.

“I meant it, you know. The warning is out, and everyone is going to be looking for you two in a matter of minutes. Hegiralon City sent out an alert about illegal Transporter use. They have deployed the retrievers from Climoflyer-1. So if you'd like to escape a treason charge, I suggest you come with me.”

Kade and I shared a weighted look.

“Why would we trust you?” Kade's muscled back became tight, his jaw clenched, waiting to pounce at the slightest sign of danger.

“Because you have no one else to trust. It's the Technocracy’s forces or me. And if you're a defective design, as I can clearly see that you are, I expect you'll take pretty much any option that's not them. No Glitcher would be stupid enough to choose them.”

“How do you know about flawed designs?” I blurted.

“Because, sweetie, I am one.” He pointed toward his leg device, a twin of Kade's.

“You… But you work here?” My throat swelled.

“I do,” Max replied.

A defective not imprisoned but employed? The notion sent a ripple of shock through my body, heightening all my senses.

The room and everything in it became more distinctive: the faint hum of the curved computer monitors on each table, the click of the clock on the wall inching closer to ten, the rise and fall of my chest—and Kade’s.

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