Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Xen Episode Two
    Xen Episode Two
    Xen Episode Two
    Ebook105 pages1 hour

    Xen Episode Two

    By Odette C. Bell

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Something is going on, and Xen is determined to find out what it is.

    She will not let the memory of her commander die. Not now, not ever.

    As the mysteries and danger mount, Xen is forced to fight. Unluckily for others, that’s exactly what she was born to do....

    Irreverent, action-packed, and fast-paced, Xen is sure to please fans of Odette C. Bell’s Axira and Zero.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOdette C. Bell
    Release dateOct 20, 2015
    Xen Episode Two

    Read more from Odette C. Bell

    Related to Xen Episode Two

    Related ebooks

    Science Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Performance

      Nov 10, 2022

      “Wait here,” the guard said as he shut the door behind him, leaving me by myself. The floor inside the lab was polished, and the air smelled of disinfectant, and yet the room felt unclean. Leaves shook on a tree outside the window, making shadows on

      18 min read

    • Article

      Storyteller

      Nov 4, 2021

      Storyteller
      11 min read

    • Article

      Dampening

      May 10, 2022

      When I first met Inspector Daria Hunt, I wanted to kill her. Not there and then; I wanted to take as long as possible over it, maximizing the pain whilst leaving her with no hope of survival. Images of horrific injuries leapt into my mind, a catalog

      16 min read

    • Article

      Prey

      Mar 10, 2024

      As I drove slowly toward the mob of angry protestors and my meeting with 200, I thought of 199. The ashes of a once hard man, staring at me with wide eyes that pleaded for hope like a dog begging for treats. I’d somehow found a way to give him that h

      41 min read

    • Article

      The Penalty

      Nov 5, 2020

      The Penalty
      8 min read

    • Article

      Prey

      May 10, 2021

      As I drove slowly towards the mob of angry protestors and my meeting with 200, I thought of 199. The ashes of a once hard man, staring at me with wide eyes that pleaded for hope like a dog begging for treats. I’d somehow found a way to give him that

      41 min read

    • Article

      One Word: Striking

      Jun 26, 2019

      One Word: Striking
      4 min read

    • Article

      Bound

      Apr 10, 2022

      I came fully awake as I sat up and cracked my head on the thwart of my upturned canoe. The pain cleared my head. I felt under my bedroll for my knife, hoping I hadn’t made enough noise to attract the attention of whatever—whoever?—had waked me. I did

      17 min read

    • Article

      Tuesday’s Children

      Dec 3, 2020

      Mrs Grimes hesitated in the doorway. She glanced nervously at the man in the dark suit, then at Andrew Caufield, who was one of her Year 6 students. He looked at her imploringly. ‘We wouldn’t usually leave a pupil alone in these circumstances, Mr Ste

      7 min read

    • Article

      Conveyor

      Jul 10, 2023

      I’m sitting upright in a chair in a bright, white room that makes me think of a clinic. I don’t know where I am nor how I got here. Two people, strangers, stand in front of me. One is wearing a pale blue uniform with a yellow badge on his chest. He s

      9 min read

    • Article

      Judges

      Mar 10, 2024

      The doctors assured me the shrapnel in my leg would do no further harm if they “let sleeping dogs lie,” or at least less harm than trying to take it out would cause. “Hey,” I asked them. “What if it decides to cut its way out all on its own?” My grea

      12 min read

    • Article

      Acceptance

      Jul 10, 2022

      October is the rainiest month of the year, the most unbearable month of the year. It is unbearable for those who need to leave the house to go to the bank, the market, the bakery. I had to go to the bank, to the market, the bakery. And I didn’t have

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Memento

      Jan 16, 2022

      In the middle of the night, after a particularly tough day of interrogations in a Beijing security facility, the artist and dissident Ai Weiwei began to write what would become 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrow: A memoir. His tough, implacable interrogat

      4 min read

    • Article

      The Night Wand

      Oct 15, 2021

      The Night Wand
      5 min read

    • Article

      You Talkin’ To Me?

      Dec 9, 2021

      You Talkin’ To Me?
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Room Above

      Sep 10, 2021

      For a moment, he had no thoughts. Just…observations… A blue hole. No – a window… Crystalline sky swelling through a big square gap in the otherwise plain white wall. He blinked. Was that sky out there? What was in here? Where was ‘here’? He blinked s

      29 min read

    • Article

      Ben Marcus

      Jun 15, 2018

      My wife, Gin, once knocked gently on my head, as if it were a door. “Hello,” she kept saying. “Hello. Who’s in there?” She and our therapist, Dr. Sherby, laughed a little about this, so I did, too. What fun. Keep knocking on my head like that, like i

      23 min read

    • Article

      Prohibition

      Sep 10, 2021

      It had been ten days since my last fix. I knew what I was going to do was wrong, but unless you knew the yearning that your body exerts, the internal pull which strangles your very soul into submission, then you cannot judge me. Yes, it was wrong. Ye

      15 min read

    • Article

      Me & Davey Waters

      Jan 15, 2023

      Me & Davey Waters
      4 min read

    • Article

      Hidden Heroes

      Jun 1, 2020

      ‘You complete me,” he murmurs, his eyes focused on the steaming shoulder of lamb I’ve prepared and placed before him. It oozes juices, issuing the scent of garlic-infused lusciousness the way that only roast lamb can. Is it just the lamb that complet

      5 min read

    • Article

      Good Guysfinish Last

      Oct 6, 2020

      Good Guysfinish Last
      3 min read

    • Article

      L’homme Du Café

      Nov 10, 2021

      L’homme Du Café
      6 min read

    • Article

      Is That A Sword?!

      Sep 29, 2022

      Is That A Sword?!
      5 min read

    • Article

      Wow, What A Day

      Aug 6, 2020

      Wow, What A Day
      10 min read

    • Article

      No One Lives Here

      Mar 29, 2021

      FROM ISSUE #49: SURVIVAL STORIES GENEVIEVE ANNA TYRRELL is a visual artist and creative writer. She earned her BS in Electronic Media and Film at Towson University and her MFA in creative writing at the University of Central Florida. Her writing has

      8 min read

    • Article

      We Don't Talk About That Here

      Nov 4, 2021

      We Don't Talk About That Here
      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Xen Episode Two

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Xen Episode Two - Odette C. Bell

      All characters in this publication are fictitious, any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

      Xen

      Episode Two

      Copyright © 2015 Odette C Bell

      Cover art stock photos: Blonde woman in black blazer © alexannabuts, Clouds atmosphere from space © 1xpert Licensed from Depositphotos.

      www.odettecbell.com

      XEN

      EPISODE TWO

      Chapter 1

      Miguel Rodriguez

      We reached the station.

      My ribs were still bruised, and I was sporting a heck of a black eye.

      I didn't care.

      I wanted to know what in the name of God was going on here.

      Those guys who'd attacked our car... they weren't normal. Christ, by no stretch of the imagination were they normal. That guy on the motorbike had flipped over our goddamn car and landed on the hood. This was like something out of an action film, not real life.

      Jenny had been taken to a holding cell, while the soldier had been taken to the nearest hospital, under guard, of course.

      Me, despite my bruises, I sat at my desk staring out the window.

      My mind kept jerking from thought to thought. I couldn't concentrate. I was so pumped full of adrenaline it felt as if I'd have a heart attack.

      With a wince and a sigh, I shifted back in my seat, the plastic back hard against my tensed shoulders and neck.

      My brow was covered in sweat, and I wanted nothing more than to shower and get my injuries seen to.

      But what I wanted most of all was to find out what the hell was going on.

      I shifted to my feet, the legs of my chair squeaking over the floor. Locking a hand on my ribs and stifling a groan, I straightened, stretched out my shoulders and neck, and walked for the cells.

      Jenny would have been taken to an interview office by now. I didn't care what strings I had to pull, I wanted to be in on that interview.

      I didn't get the chance. Just as I walked into the corridor, I saw a sight I wasn't expecting.

      The guy from this morning – the 6'5 brick shed of a man who'd walked into Jenny's without knocking.

      He was dressed in suit pants and a white shirt, his jacket tucked neatly over his arm. That was the only neat thing about him. Despite his age, he looked like a seasoned warrior. His face was littered with scars, his gaze as cold as steel.

      What the— I began as he marched my way.

      … And right past me.

      I turned to see the Chief bristling behind me. She took a sharp breath as the man stopped in front of her. I received your call barely five minutes ago. I didn't expect you'd be here so soon.

      This is a serious matter. We need to sort out this mess. My people have already secured the prisoner at the hospital. I request use of an interview room. I will question the witness myself.

      What the hell was going on here? I stared at the Chief in disbelief.

      She held her own, but I could tell from one look at her creased brow and flat lips that she was pissed.

      Certainly. I'll arrange a room and have the prisoner taken there.

      She's not a prisoner, the man corrected immediately. She's a witness.

      The Chief's brow twitched, but she didn't say anything.

      Who the hell did this guy think he was? He couldn't waltz in here and dictate the terms of this case.

      A second later, I got my answer.

      The Army are taking this matter seriously, and I can assure you we will sort it out, he said.

      … Indeed, the Chief managed.

      She looked up and made eye contact with me briefly.

      I couldn't hide my surprise. So this guy was from the army, so what? He had no jurisdiction here. None. Zip.

      But if that was the case, what the hell was the Chief doing letting him pass? She was a bruiser, and held onto cases like a bulldog.

      The Chief muttered at the man to follow, and they both walked past me.

      Unashamedly, I gawked at them.

      Briefly, the guy made eye contact with me. Then he turned and walked away.

      I wanted to follow. I couldn't.

      So I stood there and swore under my breath instead.

      …

      Xen

      I was taken to a room. I expected to be questioned by detectives, maybe even Rodriguez.

      Instead, I came face-to-face with Adam.

      He stood there as I was led in and the door was closed.

      I watched him carefully, not saying a word, ready for anything.

      He did not attack me, though. Instead he took a loud resounding breath that echoed around the cramped room. I heard what happened. I'm here to smooth it over.

      I didn't respond. Instead I looked past him, staring at the cameras lodged into the corners of the walls.

      Adam followed my gaze and shrugged. I'm using dampening technology. I told them to turn the cameras off, but just in case, I'm blocking them anyway. No one will be able to see us or hear us.

      Very well. Then I am prepared to accept your surrender. I turned to him and flattened a hand on my stomach.

      I was not ill. I was accessing my EL. If needs be, I would whip it out and force it to solidify into a duer-eni blade. One strong enough to cut through every known substance in the universe, let alone flesh.

      Adam watched me warily, then he shook his head. There's no need for that, Xen. I didn't attack you.

      I do not believe you.

      Xen, I had nothing to do with this. Now just take a seat and listen to me. Please.

      Never blinking, I sat. So did he.

      Why did you send those modified soldiers to attack me? I asked directly.

      How could you even think I could do something like that? We were crew mates. I thought that meant something to your people? Adam stared at me expressively.

      I shifted back, eyes drawing wide.

      Loyalty to your crew is what keeps a Peacekeeper going, isn't it? He shifted forward, planting one large hand on the table as his shoulders creaked.

      I didn't respond.

      I had nothing to do with this. He removed his hand and stabbed a finger at the table instead. He'd left a sweaty hand print.

      Somebody did, I finally used my voice. Somebody sent those soldiers after me. They were riddled with enhancement devices, Adam.

      He shifted back, his jaw twitching.

      They were not simple home invaders. I have nothing of worth in my house. I am not important. There is no reason for soldiers like that to go after me. Unless, it was my turn to lean forward in my chair and lock my gaze on him, someone told them who I really am.

      At first Adam didn't react. Instead he sat there, tension in his shoulders and chest, back ramrod straight.

      You are the only one who knows who I really am. Therefore, you sent them.

      Wrong.

      "There is no flaw in my logic. You

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1