Free Resonance 4th Edits - Bleeding Worlds Bk 3 by Justus R. Stone

minutes, and it had changed every one of them. What would seven years do?
    Adrastia leaned down, pulling two USB sticks from the computer. Once they were free, she started tapping away at the keyboard again.
    “I have the information,” she said. “I’m trying to cover my tracks, so they have a harder time figuring out why we were here.”
    Jason walked back to the railing and looked up to Marie.
    “Anything?”
    She flashed him a thumbs up— All clear.
    He didn’t know how much worth this information of Adrastia’s would be to Fenrir. He was counting more on her followup promise. If that didn’t come through, he’d consider this trip a failure.
    “Do you guys hear that?” Caelum asked.
    Jason looked up, catching dark shapes moving into position above the angled glass roof.
    “Shit!” he cried. “They’re coming through the roof.”
    A soft thump, thump sounded as small packages fell and clung to the glass.
    “Charges! Take cover.”
    They all dove, covering their heads as a series of pops sounded, showering glass down on them.
    Ropes dropped through the holes accompanied by strafing machine gun fire covering the descent of troops.
    Brandt snapped chunks of concrete from the walls, launching them like shotgun sprays toward their attackers.
    Bodies fell from the sky, their descent even and odd because they remained tethered to their ropes. They hit the ground with a combination of a thud and a series of snaps.
    Caelum let a volley of arrows fly from his position on the top level bringing down more soldiers. One of his arrows struck the tail rotor of one of the copters, delivering a satisfying plume of black smoke causing it to veer away from the fight.
    Marie sped up the wall and along the remaining beams of the ceiling, weaving up and over through the shattered panes of glass, slicing through ropes and flesh as she made her way to rendezvous with Jason.
    “Are you done?” Jason asked Adrastia.
    “We’re good.”
    She stood from the computer and shut it down.
    “That was too easy,” Marie said, arriving at Jason’s side.
    “Agreed,” he nodded. “Head up to the roof and get eyes on all sides. We need to start firming up our exit strategy.”
    “But she hasn’t shown up yet,” Marie said.
    Jason nodded grimly. “I know. But it’s too easy to get boxed in here.” He shook his head ruefully. “This is going to get messy.”
    As Marie proceeded to the roof, Adrastia came from behind and gripped his shoulder.
    “We knew this would happen. I’d go so far as to say we counted on it.”
    “I know. But we could only guess how Osiris’ forces would respond. You won’t abandon us, will you?” he asked.
    She shook her head.
    “I told you, I’m on your side. You can count on me.”
    “Good. I don’t know what you’re capable of, so I’ll leave it to your discretion how best to help.”
    A sincere smile touched her lips.
    As she passed, she took his hand and pushed one of the USB drives into his palm.
    “Will I even know what to do with this?” he asked.
    Adrastia shrugged.
    “I guess that depends on how much stock you put in prophesy.”
    Jason looked at the USB drive. Prophesy? It suddenly felt heavier.
    Adrastia didn’t wait for a reply. A scythe materialized in her hand.  
    “I hope this goes well,” she sighed. “I don’t want to destroy another library in Alexandria.”
    She slung the blade over her shoulder nonchalantly and hopped toward the higher levels with balletic grace.
    Marie seemed to materialize from thin air at his side.
    “There’re gunboats in along the shore to the North, three helicopters incoming from the east and I saw some activity in the conference center across the plaza.”
    Jason nodded.
    “Any indication of Anunnaki?”
    “If I had to guess?” Marie shrugged. “Probably the ones in the conference center. I think the first attack was a test. They seem to be keeping the strictly military personnel as a barricade to keep us from running.”
    “Give me