Sullivan Saga 3: Sullivan's Watch Read Online Free Page B

organized force.”
    “I noticed that. They’re like animals on a rampage.”
    “Shock troops.”
    “Exactly.”
    “Well, either way, we’ll be ready for them. All units are on active duty, patrolling the cities, the highways, the countryside. What about defenses for the colonies?”
    Long frowned. “Minimal. The Izumo and the Oberon . I’m keeping all our big ships here at Earth. If this is an invasion, we need to be able to defend ourselves with everything we can muster.”
    Adams sighed. “Alien invasion. I know that was a real concern shortly after hyperspace was discovered and we began spreading out to other star systems. But in all the centuries since then, we haven’t come across a single intelligent species. Where did they come from?”
    “I’ve wondered that. It would have to be a long way off. A civilization like that, capable of building a ship like that, couldn’t stay hidden, and we’ve sent probes through hyperspace to all the nearby star systems we haven’t personally visited.”
    Adams cleared his throat. “My brother was on Mars.”
    “I’m sorry, Will. They did find a handful of….”
    “No, I’ve already checked. He’s not among them.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Thank you. Fortunately, this has kept me pretty busy. I haven’t had time to deal with that just yet.”
    “They’re… they’re recovering the remains from Mars now. If they find him, I’ll let you know immediately so arrangements can be made.”
    “I appreciate that.”
    “I’ll see you at the teleconference with the Assembly. I just hope the bureaucrats aren’t planning anything that’ll interfere with our ability to defend the planet.”
    “Even if they are,” said Adams, “I plan to ignore them. This is bigger than politics. If they don’t give me—and you—carte blanche to defend Earth, I’ll take it anyway.”
    “Whatever you need to do, Will, I’ll back you.”
    “Likewise. Good luck, Admiral.”
    Long smiled. “And you, General.”
     

5
     
    JEFFERSON IVES THOUGHT about Abilene quite a bit. It was on that miserable planet that he’d lost his friends John Takemitsu and Liz Wagner. He’d also been separated from another friend, Frank Allen, and while he knew that Allen had checked in on Silvanus some months later, he didn’t know what had become of him since then.
    It had been difficult to bring the bodies of John and Liz home and make contact with their families. It had been even more difficult to explain to Director Blanco exactly what had happened. Bureau agents had teamed up with the man they were hunting to try and take down the warlord Orion Zednik. Not only that, Zednik had escaped, and Richard Sullivan hadn’t been apprehended either.
    At the time, Ives had agreed with Allen’s decision to help Sullivan take down Zednik and rescue Kate Alexander. Sullivan had promised to turn himself in once that was done. But that had never happened. Ives had heard through Bureau channels that Frank Allen had quit the Bureau. He was also suspected of aiding and abetting Sullivan and may have even been involved in the civil war on Edaline. Ives didn’t doubt it. After Liz Wagner’s death, Allen had become detached. His behavior had grown increasingly irrational.
    As Jeff Ives stood in his apartment looking down at the street below, he thought about his friends, both those who were dead and the one who was missing. Richard Sullivan was still at large. Was Frank with him? Was Frank even alive?
    Ives was about to step away from the window when a surge in the crowd caught his attention. A few dozen people had rounded the corner from the cross street and were running toward his building. As they went, those who had been moving in the opposite direction turned and followed.
    Ives took his handheld out of his pocket, activated the camera and zoomed in on the crowd. There was fear and panic in their eyes.
    The handheld rang, and he switched off the camera to see who was calling. It was the Bureau.
    “Yes?