Cryo Knight: Lords of Valeria

Awakening

My friends, welcome to my next book. This novel is complete and I have been working hard on it for the last year and a half. 

I'll be launching the audiobook soon and sharing it chapter by chapter - for free. To get that sign up at www.tejjohnson.com/cryoknight 

This book will be available to purchase on Amazon from April 27th. 


Get strapped in for the adventure to begin!


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AWAKENING

Christian gasped, sucking in air for the first time in years. He staggered forward; his feet slipped on the slick surface of the cryo-pod but he was saved from falling by two guards. For a moment he thought they were going to shove him back into the cryo-chamber. But instead he hung there, limply supported by their arms. Steam hissed around him. He shivered, soaking wet from the drained freezing fluid. One of the guards spoke, repeating something over and over.

He clenched his fists. He was a soldier, not a criminal, despite how they might treat him.

Slowly the world came into focus.

"Just breathe," the guard said. "In and out. That's it, buddy, look at me."

The guard's meaty face lifted into a smile. "There you go big guy. You there? Good. Welcome to the year 2155. You have been defrosted after exactly two years. You have one hundred days left until your trial and your bail has just been posted. Congrats."

The guard's breath reeked of tobacco. Christian tried to reply, but his lips could barely move. His teeth chattered so hard they felt like they might smash their way out of his mouth. Thoughts came to him in a jumble, one over another as his brain slowly spluttered to life.

I've been in cryo for two years. But I have no-one. Who posted bail for me?

The other guard gestured to a wheelchair, with thick blankets folded over the seat. Christian straightened his back and managed to stand on his own two feet.

"I can walk."

The guard shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Christian stepped off the wet cryo-pod platform and his bare feet met the metal grate-floor of the jail. Through the gaps of the floor-grating he could see thousands of criminal cryo-pods glowing a faint blue as they fell away into the distance below. The air was thick with steam and smelled of freezing fluid.

The second guard placed a thick blanket over his shoulders, as though Christian were a prize-fighter.

In some ways he was. He doubted they had anyone else like him in here.

Decorated soldier and disgraced murderer. That was him. Or so they claimed.

Christian clenched his jaw to stop his teeth from chattering and slowly made his legs move forward, step by step. His brain warmed with questions as he managed to hobble his way towards his temporary freedom.