The Eagle's Revenge

By Gibson Morales

The Anunnaki have defeated humanity. And they want the Eagle’s head...

Humanity’s final push against the Anunnaki has failed, forcing Earth’s militaries to surrender. Still recovering from her last mission, the Eagle is shocked to learn that the Anunnaki will only accept peace in exchange for her life.

When the Eagle’s handler reveals one final mission to save America, she knows she has no choice but to accept. But it’s clear he has ulterior motives.

If the Eagle wants to free the United States from Anunnaki occupation, she will have to battle ruthless human mercenaries, capture two of the Anunnaki’s most important leaders, and find the man responsible for killing her son.

The Eagle's Revenge is a sequel to The Eagle’s Last Stand and a prequel novella in The Aldrinverse, a YA sci-fi series full of compelling characters, engaging action, and intense adventures.

Pick up The Eagle's Revenge now and discover America’s fate!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gibson Morales
• Release date: Feb 14, 2018
• ISBN: 9781943575220

Gibson Morales

Gibson Morales is the author of the young adult novels, The Deadliest Earthling and The Boy Who Wields Thunder. He publishes these under his imprint, Mo Bros Books, which he formed with his brother and writer Vicente. Gibson graduated from USC and lives in Los Angeles. When not writing, Gibson enjoys boxing, most things geek-related, traveling, and computer science.

Book preview

1

J esus Christ on a stick! You're alive .

Dagos recognized Commander Ham's voice and looked to the hospital room's door. There he was, smiling, arms crossed, looking the same as ever. Yet so much had changed since they'd first met.

I'm glad you're alright, Ham said in a low voice as he strode over to the bed, a bouquet of recovery roses in his right hand. How are you feeling?

Awful, Dagos admitted. Her whole body was stiff as a brick and aching. Her leg was spiking with pain.

I heard you don't want Orun to heal it.

Yeah, Dagos said, cringing at a pain in her chest. Where are we?

Ham nodded knowingly and placed the bouquet on her bedside dresser. Secure military outpost in New Mexico.

There's a table, she said wryly, referring to the one the nurses brought in to hold the massive amounts of get well flowers, cards, and gifts. Being Earth's hero earned you certain perks like that.

As your commander, maybe I think mine's more important, he said, patting the bouquet.

He let the words hang in the air. The stagnant hospital lights carved an ominous expression on his face.

Dagos's eyes flicked to the arresting sound of footsteps from the hall.

An older black woman in a gray blouse and pumps entered, looking neither happy nor unhappy.

Senator Blake, Commander Ham nodded.

Hamilton, she said then fixated on Dagos. I was wondering if I could have a word alone with Amelia.

Certainly, I was just telling her she better let us fix her leg. Military is the one institution that can force you to fight.

The senator simply waited for him to walk out then closed the door.

It probably doesn't mean much coming from me, she started, pulling up a seat for herself by the bed, but I'm happy to see you survived.

Why wouldn't it mean much? Dagos asked.

Well, I know you probably think I'm just another two-faced politician. And I was for a lot of my life.

What changed?

Besides the alien invasion? Blake laughed. This war opened my eyes to the stupidity of the games we politicians play.

Dagos wasn't sure which was worse—that the senator was lying and expected her to believe this or was telling the truth and had required a nearly apocalyptic war to develop some empathy.

Anyways, I came here to inform you that the Fleet Admiral is no longer with us.

Dagos tried speaking, but felt light-headed. The death of the Navy's top commander suggested a major military defeat had occurred. Possibly something big enough to turn the tide of the war. On a personal level, she'd liked John. He was a good man. Always willing to hear other ideas and give you the time of day most men of his position would not.

What does it mean? Dagos finally managed.

It means we need a new Fleet Admiral. The president wants you.

Dagos swallowed dryly. She'd fought against the worst of humanity, watched her friends perish in battle, been trapped in Anunnaki prisons. Yet the notion of herself as one of the highest laws in the land terrified her more than all of those experiences. She just couldn't imagine herself with that much power. That much responsibility over so many lives. Not as weak as she felt right now.

It's his call, isn't it? Dagos asked. It was the right question but worded the wrong way.

Ultimately, it's yours.

What Dagos really meant was the president got to make the call despite what his advisors and other politicians suggested. If there were enough people who didn't want Dagos as the Fleet Admiral, accepting the position would be like walking into the lion's den.

I'll need time, of course.

Of course, from the senator, making a look that asked, A lady as deadly as yourself needs time to think about this?

With that the senator rose. Rather than give her the satisfaction of that last word, Dagos pushed the subject. If I accepted, you do understand I wouldn't be going on any more missions?

Oh, I think we'd be alright without you on the field.

Dagos was too weary to distinguish whether that was sarcasm. Instead, she grunted for the senator to continue.

I thought you knew. The war is over, Blake said, folding her hands over her waist.

Dagos's blood froze and she bit her lip. Why the hell hadn't Ham told her?

She drew a deep breath but could barely bring herself to speak. Did we win?

No.

2

Athin Anunnaki glider craft swept across the sky and out of sight .

All around the streets, people were going about their business as usual. No one paid the alien ship any attention. It was a figment of her imagination.

Dagos looked at a trio of women in their early twenties, sporting skimpy tank tops as they snapped selfies.

Hey, she cried. Didn't you see that?

One shot her a deflective look. The other two ignored her as they walked past.

She waved her hands at a middle-aged couple. Get out of here. The Anunnaki are coming.

They raised their eyebrows at her and laughed. Why didn't they believe her?

I'm the Eagle, she hollered to the other pedestrians. You need to listen to me.

They ignored her, though. Typical New Yorkers. Gritting her teeth, she ran into the street. A rush of taxis began honking, cabbies cursing at her.

I'm paying for this, a man in the backseat of an UBER shouted.

Don't you recognize me? she asked to no one as she gazed at the sea of annoyed drivers. Yet in the window of a pizza cafe, she didn't see the famous Eagle, she saw a homeless woman with a sign on his chest that read THE END IS NIGH.

Something moved in the corner of her eye. A pack of dogs barreled up Broadway, filling in the gaps between traffic. Sun glinted off their bodies. Dagos cursed. These were no dogs. They were sirrush. Anunnaki weapons that were closer to mechanized lions than man's best friend.

Get out of the road, a teenage driver with a shaved head said, tossing an empty coffee cup at her.

The Anunnaki, she hissed, pointing at the onrushing pack of sirrush.

Anunnaki? the teenager said skeptically. Lady, we got the Army and the Navy surrounding Manhattan. The snakers ain't getting anywhere near this city.

An old man laughed on the sidewalk and threw his hands up. Does she think the Anunnaki can get past the aircraft carriers and subs in the Atlantic?

Or the missile silos up north? someone shouted from a second-story apartment window.

Yeah and the Eagle's gonna keep us safe, said a little girl peeking her head out of a Camry's backseat window even as the sirrush closed in.

The whine of an Anunnaki pulse surge drew her back into the horrors of combat, and she pivoted to see an Anunnaki Ravager streaking overhead. A typical Anunnaki fighter ship, it resembled a spread eagle, only with the head aimed forward. The resemblance disturbed Dagos because she was the Eagle. It was her symbol, not the Anunnaki's.

A few feet away the Camry's back window exploded. Dagos's stomach bottomed out, and she rushed over instinctively.

Another pulse surge whistled. The resonance blast shook the air an inch in front of her face and knocked out the street light with a clink followed by a metallic groan as it tipped over.

The screaming began like that.

Go! Get inside! she cried, waving the cars on frantically.

Chaos erupted all over the sidewalks as the sirrush pounced on people, smashed through tobacco shop doors. A taxi swerved onto the pavement, mowing down a sirrush and two teenagers.

A car horn bombarded her ears. Every muscle clenched as a cab sped at her. Time slowed to a slug's pace. She willed her body to get out of its path. She was too slow. Twenty feet. Ten feet. Five feet.

Suddenly, the cab swerved out of the way, just missing her.

Above, windows shattered like nothing. Shards began raining down.

Two Anunnaki Ravagers hovered overhead, unleashing pulse surges into the high rises on either side of the street. Someone jumped out of their bedroom.

Dagos turned away but discovered only more carnage.

A red-headed reporter in a pretty purple dress was batting away sirrush with her microphone from the top of a news van. The cameraman lay mangled on the hood, his camera still resting on his chest.

A gun. She needed a gun. Despite all the people, she didn't see a single police officer. They must've still been at the island's perimeters, thinking they were keeping the Anunnaki out the old-fashioned way. Thinking that if life in Manhattan went on as usual, everything happening outside didn't matter.

The fwoot-fwoot-fwoot and roar of a helicopter engine filled her with hope. With a deafening hiss, a pair of Hellfire missiles sliced through the air. An apartment on the next block exploded. But so did one of the Ravager ships. Flame and smoke belched off the ship, cutting it off from view.

As a machine gun hummed, tracer rounds chewed at the Ravager. It was all but destroyed. Yet she couldn't celebrate the minor victory because, slowly, it leaned to one side and drifted into a nearby building. The collision unleashed a cloud of thick dark smoke and ash that spread like a wasting disease. Debris crashed to the street, smashing through windshields and people's skulls.

The other Anunnaki vessel plowed through the haze hugging the high-rises and disappeared behind an apartment complex on the corner.

Worse than any of this, Dagos realized something. A horrifying thought that began eating her