What a joke. Marcus had pictured a different future on Exilon 5 to the one Harvey Buchanan had in mind. Instead of doing great things, Harvey thought pairing him with an Indigene would be a good idea.
Fucking bottom feeders.
Their first meeting had been in the middle of nowhere, when Ollie and Harvey had introduced him to the fuckers. The second had been just an hour ago, different meeting location, same middle of nowhere. The tall freaks and their shining devil eyes watched him like he was their next fucking meal.
What had happened to the pecking order on this planet? Since when did people trust the Indigenes?
But cool-as-a-cucumber Harvey had divided up the groups of humans and Indigenes and paired Marcus up with a male Indigene called Clement, who had the freakiest blue eyes he’d ever seen.
Harvey’s earlier warning that he owned Marcus rattled around his head.
Looks like you got me, you dipshit.
Ollie Patterson had gathered their group to discuss the meeting he’d just had with Bill Taggart. Harvey stood by his side.
‘I demanded weapons—to defend our construction sites,’ said Ollie, glancing at Harvey. ‘But Taggart said no.’
That didn’t surprise Marcus. People like Taggart were no different to those who ran the factions back home. They liked power too much to just give it away.
Harvey instructed the new human-Indigene pairings to monitor all activity in the region.
‘If those GS 100 or Taggart sneezes, I want to know about it,’ said Patterson.
Harvey nodded. It was subtle, but the nod told Marcus that Harvey controlled things, not Patterson.
Marcus watched him, the man who did Harvey’s bidding. He couldn’t be sure what Ollie got out of the arrangement. Harvey was easier to read. A man who rivalled Gaetano Agostini’s ambitions should never be crossed.
Patterson recounted other details of his meeting with Taggart. It sounded like a chat about nothing. But as he stood there, Marcus knew now would not be the best time to break off on his own. A few days on Exilon 5, that’s all he’d had. He knew nothing about the planet other than what Harvey and Ollie had shown him. But one thing was clear: The wrong people ruled.
That didn’t mean no place existed for a man like Marcus Murphy. He would prove to Harvey he could toe the line just like everyone else, even if that meant working with a bottom feeder.
Marcus’ day would come.
The meeting disbanded and Marcus began his surveillance with Clement. He perched on a rock that formed part of the boundary line and observed the landscape with a pair of magnifying glasses. The area included the GS 100 caves. Clement stood still and listened.
Marcus shivered at the creepiness of his “partner”, who’d said nothing more than yes to Marcus when he’d asked, ‘Should we go over there?’
Not much had been happening around the caves until an hour ago, when three freaks dressed in white, hooded cloaks had emerged from a cave his glasses couldn’t reach. Clement had confirmed it. The trio moved fast to the environ.
Clement pointed in the distance. ‘Over there.’
Marcus readjusted the magnification and saw four new entities slumped in hover chairs being escorted by another three of the GS.
‘This is ridiculous,’ said Marcus. Clement didn’t respond. ‘I mean, look at them. They’re like two hundred years old. A ten-year-old girl could take them out.’
Clement made a noise.
‘What?’
‘You humans are too linear in your thinking.’
He spoke in a cold tone that made Marcus shiver.
‘Linear, how?’
‘You look at the outside and see weakness. Their strength lies in their mind.’
Marcus didn’t get his point. ‘So? If the body dies, the mind dies with it.’
Clement waved his hand. ‘Again, you only see what’s on the outside.’
Marcus put the magnification glasses down and looked at Clement.
He kept a safe distance between him and the blue-eyed weirdo, who had shifted closer to him. ‘Okay, I’ll play. What do you see?’
The Indigene looked into the distance. ‘I can’t read them. Their minds are closed off. That means they can hide their true intentions.’
‘So? I can’t read your mind. Doesn’t mean I’m weak.’
Clement smirked at Marcus. ‘You humans are weak. I could access your mind if I wanted. I know what you’re thinking.’
Marcus panicked and thought of something boring. ‘Fuck off out of there. My thoughts are none of your business.’
The Indigene levelled a glare that unsettled him. ‘You believe you’re destined for greater things. You despise, yet admire, the human called Harvey and you’re wary of the other one called Patterson.’
‘So? You don’t have to be a mind reader to get that vibe. We humans call it instinct.’
Clement sneered. ‘But you have one thing going for you.’
Marcus folded his arms. ‘What’s that?’
‘You’re afraid.’
Marcus laughed. ‘Fear? And they call you super humans?’ He blew out a breath. ‘More like imposters. I’m not afraid of anything.’
‘Healthy fear keeps you from making stupid choices. To say nothing scares you reveals your stupidity.’
Marcus was close enough to hit Clement, but his fear kept his clenched fists by his side.
‘I can see it in your eyes,’ said the Indigene. ‘Hold on to that fear, because you’ll regret the day you fight me.’
‘I wasn’t going to do anything, bottom feeder.’
He pretended not to care, but he could feel Clement crawling around inside his head.
He uncrossed his arms and slipped on his glasses again. He’d had enough of Clement’s mind games. He watched the able-bodied GS and those in hover chairs disappear from view inside the environ. He removed the glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
This was just like working with Enzo Agostini all over again, sent to do recon on properties and people. Except Marcus had been able to stand the humans he’d worked alongside.
This Indigene, not so much.
‘The feeling’s mutual,’ said Clement.
Marcus cursed. ‘Now you can read my mind?’
‘Only when your guard is down.’
Marcus raised the drawbridge in his mind. ‘Why are we even here, for fuck’s sake?’
Surely Harvey and Ollie had a better use for him than to do these crap jobs.
‘To keep an eye on the new species.’
‘Why are you here? I thought you hated humans.’
Clement stared at Marcus. His bright, blue eyes shone under the moonlight. ‘To keep an eye on you. We have our own reasons for agreeing to this alliance.’
‘Then why am I here?’
‘To keep an eye on me.’ Clement looked off into the distance. Marcus wondered what he looked at. ‘Do you wish to know what Buchanan and Patterson think of you?’
Marcus already had an idea. ‘Not really.’
‘Patterson doesn’t even know who you are. You’re a faceless individual in a sea of ordinary. A nobody. You’re not even on his radar.’
Marcus seethed at hearing that. The last time someone had called him a nobody, he had blasted him with a Buzz Gun.
‘Harvey is keen to control you. He knows you’re itching to break away but you can’t. He has plans.’
‘Plans?’
‘To take over the ITF building and become the new power in this land. Patterson doesn’t know. When the time comes, only a few will matter to him. You’re not one of those few.’
Marcus paced. ‘Fuck! And you got that all from his mind?’
‘No. I overheard them talking to others on their communication devices.’ Clement smirked. ‘But I could be wrong. Harvey is familiar with our abilities. He could have planted the idea in my head.’
Marcus was sick of people using him for their own gains. ‘Well, whatever the truth is, I won’t be anyone’s puppet.’
Clement shrugged. ‘You could go along with his plans or you could help me and, in the process, achieve something I know you want.’
‘And what the fuck’s that?’
‘To become like me.’
Marcus laughed. ‘I don’t know what you’ve been snorting but that’s the last thing I want. Read my mind.’
He pulled up the memory of him torturing three Indigenes in an abandoned warehouse.
Clement didn’t react. ‘Not like me, exactly. You want power, to become untouchable. I can help you get it.’
‘How?’
Clement had to be lying.
‘Help our side to gain the advantage here. We want rid of the GS humans and the treaty. The humans don’t want to share power with us, so we’ll take it. Help us to get all three.’
The idea intrigued him.
‘Untouchable, how?’
‘As in, physically stronger—’ Marcus made a face. ‘—than the humans who command you.’
The idea made Marcus smile. ‘What do I need to do?’
Clement stared into the distant landscape. ‘Fill Harvey and Patterson’s heads with lies. Start with the ones I’m about to feed you.’