Summer Planets by A. T. Nager (great YA SF novel a teenager age 19)

Page 25.

18. Betrayal

Brush wars on Shaula 09?

It dawned on Jared soon enough: there had never been any.

For the second time that night, Jared found himself in the vast expanse of Olympia House, this time more tired, baffled, and frazzled than the first time.

There were no planets in the system Shaula. Perhaps if he searched a more specific index. But how strange. Something was wrong. He knew before the door opened behind him that he had been somehow deceived. Angrily he whirled.

He whirled and faced the drawn guns of several of Mbe’s closest: Perez, Kilmer, others. He backed away. Perez and Kilmer turned to each other. “Who is this?”

“A new delegate maybe,” Perez suggested.

“Maybe Mbe got wise to us,” another scoffed.

Kilmer steeped forward. “This is Fallon, an assistant of Mbe on Bowman’s military attaché staff. We can’t afford to let him walk.”

Jared said: “Don’t do this.”

“Sorry, Fallon, but we have new plans for you.”

“Damn you.”

Kilmer patted Jared on the cheek infuriatingly. “Look, we’re going to let you live. We won’t kill you. We’ll just lock you up for a while until we’re done with our project.”

Jared stared at the man. “What project?”

Kilmer made a foul-looking grin, and Jared knew the answer. They weren’t working for the aliens, to be sure; and they didn’t look like stupid Ankh fanatics; so they must be Raskian agents.

Kilmer snarled in Jared’s face, “Where’s Mbe! Quick!”

Looking into a gun pointed at his face, Jared came to a sudden insight. So this was what Mbe had wanted him to do—to fall into a trap. He had been used as a probing device. Someone had been tracking him all along, since the Assembly, which was why Mbe had been able to reach him in the bar. That was why he’d been sent in Mbe’s car!

Mbe had betrayed him. His boss had sold him down the river, not caring if he lived or died.

To hell with Mbe and this entire show. There was nothing left for him here. Mbe had probably suspected worse…a bomb, or a shooting the way Eystrigg had been killed, in his own car. It was every man for himself now. He threw a quick punch that knocked Kilmer backwards.

“Ho-ho!” Perez said. “Little gravy bird, he’s going crazy.”

Several men wrestled Jared under control. Kilmer rose, holding a gun in one hand and his wounded eye with the other hand.

“Don’t shoot him,” Perez ordered. “Let’s lock him up down deep in case we need him later.”

Kilmer abruptly said, “All right, we’ll put him away for later. We haven’t got time to waste with him now.” He glared at Jared as if to say, we’ll deal with you later.

Something struck Jared on the back of the head and he lost consciousness.

Thank you for reading. If you love it, tell your friends. Please post a favorable review at Amazon, Good Reads, and other online resources. If you want to thank the author, you may also buy a copy for the low price of a cup of coffee. It's called Read-a-Latte: similar (or lower) price as a latte at your favorite coffeeshop, but the book lasts forever while the beverage is quickly gone. Thank you (JTC).

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