DEATH (The Justice Cycle Book 1) by J Kiefer (best classic books to read TXT) 📗

“What the hell?” Jeremy swore as he grabbed his coat off the chair and ran out the door after him.

By the time he had made it outside and to the walkway, he could just make out Jared racing down the street toward the small gas station on the corner. He took off after him, moving as fast as he could. He watched as Jared reached the intersection and jumped across it in one supernatural leap. Jeremy was nowhere near catching up, and his breath was coming in short gasps.

Shots rang out, shattering the quiet.

No, God, no!

Jeremy redoubled his efforts and pushed himself harder. Just as he reached the intersection, he saw Jared standing stone faced in front of the convenience store. He watched, horrified, as a figure came running out and stumbled right into Jared who was waiting for him directly in front of the door.

The man, if that is what he could be called since he was no more than seventeen, stopped short before he ran directly into him. Jeremy could see that the boy had a gun in his hand and what appeared to be a bag full of cash in the other. Jeremy’s pace had slowed from exhaustion and he gasped for air as he continued toward the inevitable confrontation.

The boy raised the gun and pointed it at Jared who stood staring at him, his sword ablaze. Getting closer, Jeremy could see that the kid in the black hoodie was tall and lanky, his wide-staring eyes wild.

“Don’t do it, kid,” Jeremy said to himself under his breath.

“What do you think you gonna do with that blade against my gun, man? I will cap your ass if you don’t get out of my way,” the kid said. He was trying to be intimidating but his voice cracked.

Jeremy had finally reached the other side of the intersection when Jared stirred. He twirled the glowing sword in one hand and pointed it at the young man. “Dejuan Johnson, you are guilty of the murder of Mary Salisbury,” he said, his voice ethereal and frightening.

Jeremy reached the two combatants just in time to see Jared swing his sword at the boy with lightning-quick speed. Before the sword plunged through the young man, however, it stopped. Jeremy could see the terror on the Dejuan’s face as he stared at the glowing blade that was now touching his chest.

“Jared!” Jeremy shouted. “Stop—he’s just a kid!”

Jared was grimacing and straining in a battle of wills. The boy, seeing his hesitation, raised his gun and fired. Crack! The shot echoed down the street.

The darkness in Jared’s eyes seemed to grow in intensity and the atmosphere around him became palpably dangerous.

“No,” Jeremy whispered as Jared plunged the glowing sword into the young man’s chest.

The boy’s eyes went wide, and his mouth opened but no sound came out. His gun clattered to the pavement at Jared’s feet. Jeremy’s nose was filled with the metallic smell of blood as the boy futilely grasped at the blade in his chest. He continued to watch in horror as the light in the boy’s eyes finally faded and his struggling stopped. He slumped forward toward Jared, driving the sword deeper into his body.

The young man’s head fell forward till it rested on Jared’s shoulder. He carefully withdrew his sword from the boy and gently laid him down on the pavement. He placed a hand over the young man’s lifeless eyes and closed them.

“I tried to stop myself,” Jared said softly. “He shot the clerk during the robbery. I sensed it back in the room and Tzedakah took over.”

All Jeremy could do was stare in dismay at the boy’s lifeless body. He knew that Tzedakah’s judgments were always just, but killing a boy like this seemed wrong to him.

Jeremy’s voice cracked as he said, “He was just a kid.”

“I know. But he murdered the store clerk and he was guilty.”

“Guilty?” Jeremy retorted. “Jared, he was just a kid.”

“I know,” Jared shot back, the darkness in his eyes writhing angrily. “Don’t you think I know that? I tried to stop but when he shot at me, I lost control.”

Jeremy backed away in fright as Jared turned on him, the sword in his hand glowing brightly. “Whoa now, big guy. Just calm down.”

Jared glowered at Jeremy, then turned his anger on the sword. “This is not me at all! I would never kill a kid, no matter what he had done.” He looked up at Jeremy, who was bathed in the sword’s soft blue light. “What kind of monster have I become?”

Jeremy had no answer for him. He just shook his head as he once again looked at the dead boy. He wished he had the right words to say to put Jared’s mind at ease, but all he felt was sick.

The sword flared, and a pulse of blue energy surged out from it, hitting the convenience store. All the electronics sparked and went dark.

Ducking, Jeremy said, “What was that?”

Jared shrugged. “An electromagnetic pulse to knock out the cameras and destroy the recording of us. Come on, we need to go before the police get here.”

With that said, he started walking back the way they had come. Jeremy took one last look at the boy before hurrying after Jared.

When Jeremy finally made it back to the motel, he found his door wide open and Jared sitting just inside the doorway on the floor. His head was back, his eyes closed. He appeared to be sleeping. The sword had returned to the shape of a ring. A faint dark blue band glowing softly on his hand.

Jeremy shut the door and eyed Jared as he moved to sit on the bed. Unsure of what to say, he decided that it was best to let Jared initiate any conversation. It did not take long before he spoke.

“What kind of monster have I become?” he said softly. Even though his eyes were closed, Jared’s face was contorted into an expression pain.

Jeremy sighed. “You are not a