AUTHOR'S NOTE: This choice is an extremely important one for Brandon. It may not have as immediate of an impact as some of the other choices, but it will have a huge impact on which options Brandon has in the future. So choose carefully, and if you leave a comment with why you made that choice you will not only have my gratitude but I may dedicate the next chapter to you!
Recap: Brandon broke Mandeville out of prison in Area 51, but Mandeville wanted to destroy the genetic laboratory in the base before leaving. After being shocked at what he found in the lab, Brandon destroyed it and brutally defeated one of the two giants who had been hounding him.
Winning Choice: “You’re right, but I don’t want to play hide and seek in the mountains. Let’s get down to Las Vegas. It’s a longer trip, but it’s too visible for them to attack and we’ll have more resources to work with there.”
I hate Las Vegas, but I have to admit it sure looks beautiful at night. We’re on the roof of the Bellagio, right on the Strip, and lights course and pulse in every direction like the street is alive. There’s an energy here more than electricity. It’s a mix of excitement and endless optimism as people charge back and forth by themselves, in groups, or as part of hopeful couples looking for a different kind of win. That part is intoxicating.
It’s the desperation and excess that I don’t like. I’ve been here only once before, on a weekend vacation with Nicole, and from the moment we touched down at the airport it seemed there was a sense of sadness in the air. People coming to make money, needing a payout, gambling on their last few dollars to turn their life around. Most would end up with nothing. Vegas isn’t about winning; it is about having that chance to dream of winning. For most people, those dreams will never come true.
Nicole and I saw a few shows, had some good food, and went home unimpressed. I never thought I’d be back.
Mandeville sits on the rooftop far behind me, well away from the ledge. He’s been wheezing since we got here, trying to get his breath back since the the trip from Groom Lake. It was dicey racing off the base carrying him, as running isn’t exactly gentle on any passengers I have. We switched to flying as soon as I got clear of the base, but I’m not nearly as fast in the air, and we could see them sending up more helicopters and aircraft behind us to aid in the search. He agreed we needed speed over comfort and held on tight as I took the cross-country route down to Vegas. The rooftop seemed like a quiet spot to regroup and see if we were being followed. Plus, as I mentioned, the view is pretty amazing.
“You going to make it?” I ask Mandeville.
He glares at me and takes a deep breath. “Which answer are you hoping for?” he asks.
I shrug. “I could probably be persuaded either way. I’d hate to haul you all the way here just to have you croak on me. On the other hand, I’m not quite sure what to do with you.”
“How’s he doing?” asks Ryan in my earpiece. I turn away from Mandeville to reply.
“He’ll be fine, just a little ragged. Thanks for guiding me in,” I tell him. They used the tracker in my suit to keep me on course.
“You’re welcome. We’re headed your way finally,” he says. “There’s a train going to Vegas and we have The Wanderer attached. We’ll be at the Union Pacific rail yard in Vegas by morning.”
“I’m not sure I want to stay here that long,” I tell him. “Maybe I should come to you instead.”
“It’s the closest city to Groom Lake, and we’ve got some new info to discuss. Besides, what’s the point of a mobile headquarters if we can’t move it around? It’ll make us harder to track if we do this regularly.”
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Power Play (Book 2)
ActionBrandon Stamp is abducted, experimented on, and given super powers. He discovers he is a pawn in a power struggle between groups who want to use him and his abilities for their own ends. His wife is missing, his friends may be dead, and he is lookin...
