Is it Friday again already? The calendar says it is, and here we all STILL ARE. 😶 At last, there are some lights at the end of the tunnel that hopefully don't herald another oncoming train, and Colorado is scheduled to dip its toes into the "re-opening" pool starting next week.

But that's next week. As promised, here's a third excerpt from INVERSION to brighten your weekend - and this one should help ease the minds of those of you worried about a certain character after the end of Continuum.😇

Caveat 1: Spoilers for CONTINUUM follow. *FOR SERIOUS ALSO THIS TIME.* If you haven't finished reading it yet, bookmark this post for later.

Caveat 2: Editing is still ongoing. A few words will likely change before release.

With that, enjoy!

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Debris particles hung in the air on a twisting wind, and the ground rattled every other second from the tumbling of distant and not-so-distant buildings. An unidentified roar throbbed beneath it all like the slow heartbeat of Tartarus rising.

The smoke had grown so thick Grant could barely see across the street, so he switched to hybrid infrared. Faint and weakening heat signatures dotted the landscape—the dead or dying. One shape, however, still burned brightly—more brightly than a healthy Asterion, in fact. The Human girl.

“She’s across the street and twenty-two degrees to the east. I’m going to make a run for her, and I need you two to provide cover fire.”

Ava scoffed. “I’ve got all the cover fire you need. Joaquim, go with him.”

“Fine. Let’s move—now!”

Grant sprinted out into the haze, keeping his focus on his target, not searching around for looming Rasu bipedals or swooping vessels. The sound of collapsing buildings and distant screams in every direction was the worst thing he’d heard since a lost battle seven hundred thousand years ago, and he swiftly shut down the resurgent memory.

An explosion a few dozen meters away roiled the street beneath his feet, and he hurtled forward, throwing his arms out to brace himself. He crashed hard on the sidewalk, sending jarring pain shooting up his left arm into his shoulder.

“Get up, man.” Joaquim crawled toward him, blood trickling out of one ear.

Grant nodded weakly and checked his location. He’d landed almost on top of the heat signature, and he killed the infrared as he scrambled over to the young woman.

Marlee’s eyes were closed, one arm was pinned at an ugly angle under her body and blood had pooled beneath her, but a quick scan detected a pulse and a strong heartbeat. He’d figure out what injuries might be patchable later, somewhere safer. Hopefully such a place existed.

He wound his arms underneath her and lifted her up, ignoring the protestations in his shoulder. Her head lolled against his chest, and a nonsensical murmur escaped her lips.

He peered across the street and spent two seconds evaluating the return trip.

Joaquim leveled his weapon to the left, then swept it to the right. “I’ve got our backs. Let’s run for it.”

***

Originally posted on Facebook.