Sons of Abraham: J-17's Trial Read Online Free Page B

normal appearance.
    “Filthy Cyber!” Lord Elsmere spat. “Why do you dishonor my home by bringing this vulgar THING with you? I should have him melted down as we speak.”
    Agent Calloway watched the man’s hands, waiting for him to reach for the small panel on the right arm of the red glass throne. A wave of relief came over him as the man simply folded his hands over his knee, the look of disgust still locked upon his narrow face.
    “According to my scan,” MA Joseph stated, ignoring the threat. “Two of these girls are not of consenting age. To refer to them as your mates is to say that you have sexual relations with them. By common law, the act is deemed illegal. Tell me, Ira and Zulanna, has Lord Elsmere engaged you sexually in any way?”
    Lord Elsmere laughed, his hands breaking wide to each side before clapping against the plush seats. There was something foul about the man’s smile, Calloway noted, like watching fabric being pulled over a metal frame. Faint bumps could be seen under the man’s taut skin, in areas where no cheekbone or other protruding bone structure would be. He was starting to ponder if the man had a skin condition. It wasn’t uncommon on terraformed planets, such as Parasus. Usually, such conditions were found in the first generation, shortly after the planet was deemed habitable. Parasus, however, was over a hundred years old and shouldn’t have been subject to such issues.
    “I do not touch them,” Elsmere laughed. “At least not yet. They will spend many years in training before that day will come. I rather enjoy the wait, like a dog anticipating a meal. I almost need a handkerchief around my neck to mop up my saliva.”
    The remark was made towards Calloway, the lord’s eyes fixated upon the agent from Earth. At this point, Nathan had caught on that the man was simply trying to provoke him though he wasn’t certain if it was Nathan’s presence that was making him carry on so rabidly. As he’d witnessed a few times prior, people of importance went out of their way to make the work of Earth representatives difficult, especially when Cyber’s were involved.
    “I understand what you say,” Joseph replied in a monotone voice. “However, I am required to hear it from their voices, not yours. Perhaps, if you would give the girls some privacy, we would be able to resolve the matter more quickly?”
    It was all Nathan could do not to yell ‘damn’ as the uncomfortable tide shifted in the MA’s favor. This would not be the first, nor the fifth time that the MA pissed off a dignitary in Calloway’s presence. The investigator wished on several occasions that he could be the full-time partner to the MA, if for nothing more than to watch him make powerful people squirm.
    “That won’t be necessary,” Ira spoke up, stepping forward from the other two. “I assure you that Lord Elsmere has been nothing but a gentleman with my younger sister and me. Your concerns are appreciated, but unnecessary military advisor Joseph.”
    Halfway through the response, the MA’s plain eyes took the mirror-coated form once more, scanning the young woman as she spoke.
    Scanning: Pulse normal. Breathing normal. Subject is telling the truth.
    “See, all good,” Agent Calloway offered. “Lord Elsmere, if I could just receive your formal complaint, we can be on our way.”
    The light-haired lord sighed, snapping his finger before shifting in his seat. The nasty little man from earlier shuffled to Agent Calloway, handing him a data stick. The Agent inserted the strip into his pad and waited for the information to transfer. He didn’t look at the little man, patiently waiting for the return of his data stick, opting to yank it from his device and drop the data stick from his outstretched hand. Nathan hadn’t bothered to see if Terrance’s hands were anywhere near his when he let it go. Quite frankly, he didn’t care if it hit the special tile in between them and shattered into a dozen pieces.
    The