TITAN by Tom Stein

Author:Tom Stein [Stein, Tom]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Titan
Publisher: Tom Stein Books
Published: 2022-01-06T17:28:40+00:00

Weapons

Alex jolted awake as the delivery truck bounced over series of potholes in the road. He’d been lying on the floor in the back of the truck, dozing, as Jesse navigated the decaying city streets. This time, the vehicle had bounced so hard that Alex’s entire body was lifted into the air. For a moment, he thought he was back home again, Levi under his bed, kicking at his fragile old mattress while crying, Earthquake!

Alex sat up and rubbed the back of his head where it had hit the floor. He noticed his earbuds had fallen out of his ears and rolled to the very back of the truck while he had been sleeping. “How much longer?” he called over the murmur of the truck’s stereo.

“Not sure,” Jesse replied from the driver’s seat. “We’re in a holding pattern.”

“… and we’ll work all day, and we’ll drink beer all night, and in the mornin’ we’ll make love in my tractor. ‘Cause it’s Saturday lovin’. I’m Saturday Lovin’. We’re Saturday Lovin’ …”

Alex gritted his teeth. Damn, he hated country music. The truck’s bassless, worn-out speakers didn’t help. How can Jesse stand this?

Before Alex could work up the will to crawl over and grab his earbuds, the song ended. It was promptly replaced with a political ad.

“Seventeen years ago, like a phoenix, the human race rose from the ashes of war and famine and, united, built a better world,” a deep but pleasant voice said triumphantly over an inspiring instrumental track. “Since then, we have enjoyed the longest period of global peace and economic growth in recorded history.

“This has been possible only because of the World Unity and Peace Federation’s promise that every man, woman, and child, no matter their wealth, race, or geography, is guaranteed the same standard of living. But there is one group that has been denied this promise.

“If we want peace to continue, we must welcome the Juggernauts back. They have been punished long enough.” The music began to crescendo. “Yes, we must strive for a future where no one is left behind. For ourselves, for humanity, and for our planet! If we don’t, we are doomed to the ashes once more.” The ad became momentarily silent.

“That is the only way we can ensure our peace lasts,” the voice said softly, as if fighting back tears. “Vote Phillip May for assemblyman. Ensure our flames never again burn out.”

Alex rolled his eyes. Could you try to be a little more dramatic next time? You came off a little flat. The little joy that filled him by making fun of the ad quickly dissipated as he fully considered its content.

Alex picked up his phone and stared down at its black screen. He had already finished going through the Federation’s files earlier that morning. Not only had he found nothing that hinted at where his brother was, what he had discovered—and what it might mean—proved May’s message was nothing but a fantasy. The Federation was too far gone.

Grimly, Alex pulled up the most damning of the documents.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.