WE HAVE CONTACT Snippet 07 of xxx
UNEDITED
TQB Base – Australian Outback
Yuko looked up into the Australian night sky as she sat on a large boulder. The stars vivid so far from any light pollution in the middle of the Australian Outback.
“Yuko,” ADAM spoke in her ear.
“Yes?” she whispered back, not wanting to make much noise in the quiet evening.
“What is bothering you?” ADAM asked.
Yuko breathed out slowly, “Why is it when I have more than I ever wanted, I still seek that which I can not seem to have?” She asked the air, and the entity listening to her.
“Just to be sure I understand, what is it that you cannot have? Is it Akio?”
“Oh,” Yuko smiled in the night, “I did not admit that to you, did I?”
“Yuko, I am always listening, but I am also discrete. You needn’t worry that I would admit to anyone your personal thoughts unless I had good reason.”
“What is a good reason?” Yuko asked, wondering what could cause ADAM to potentially share too much, “and to whom would you share this?”
“Do you remember me talking to Bethany Anne regarding J0n3sN4u and keeping him safe?”
“Well, of course. That was protecting someone and telling Bethany Anne is like…” Yuko stopped at a loss for words. Her time with the Queen had been both special and yet melancholic. Yuko was a romantic in heart, and hearing Bethany Anne’s story of losing Michael had caused Yuko to cry herself to sleep on at least two occasions. “Well, telling Bethany Anne doesn’t count,” she finished.
“Well, then I promise unless you are physically in danger, then nothing will be shared without first going through Bethany Anne.”
Yuko reached up to her face and wiped away a tear, “Thank you, ADAM. I appreciate the opportunity to share.”
“So, it is not Akio?”
Yuko smiled wistfully, “No, it is not Akio. It is my father.”
“Your father? I don’t understand.”
“ADAM, do you wish you could please someone?” Yuko asked, not thinking of who, or what, she was talking to.
“Wishing is an odd turn of phrase, Yuko. But if you are asking if I would prefer positive responses verse a negative response, then yes. I do that with you, for example and with Bethany Anne, obviously.”
“Me?” Yuko asked hesitantly. “You seek a positive response from me? Why?”
“Yuko, do you know how many different permutations of complex calculations I can accomplish in a second?”
“No, I’m sorry ADAM, I have no idea. I would like to know..”
“So would I, Yuko. You see, I am not aware of my true potential at this time. I’ve yet to create the necessary algorithms which would stress the brain I am within. I have spoken extensively with the one who would have the most knowledge and he is unaware.”
“The person who built you doesn’t know the maximum computations per second?” Yuko asked, trying to figure out how you could build a computer and not understand its theoretical top computational speed. “Are you a new type of computer? Did TQB build you as a quantum computer?”
>>Bethany Anne?<<
Yes?
>>I would like to share a little of how I am created with Yuko.<<
Do you wish to do this with others?
>>No, why would I? Yuko is having a tough time, and I calculate that by sharing something that is uniquely me, she will feel more comfortable sharing what is bothering her.<<
I see. ADAM, just remember that as you share more about yourself, you risk causing problems keeping quiet won’t.
>>Yes, but without sharing, humans often will not open up.<<
Ok, just keep me updated sometime if it looks like it is going to go beyond you and Yuko.
>>Understood.<<
“Yuko, to answer your question, I would like to ask you to consider what I tell you a personal secret. Not to be shared. Is that acceptable?”
“Well, of course ADAM. I don’t share our conversations anyway. It isn’t like I speak to too many here at the base anyway. Well, Tina of course and our team mates, but not many.”
“Thank you.” There was a pause before ADAM continued, “Yuko, I am an amalgamation of an A.I. software created originally by one of TQB Enterprises companies, married with the computational power of an Alien cybernetic computer.”
“Yuko,” ADAM continued, “I’m not based in a computer, I’m based in an organic alien brain.”
Yuko stayed quiet for a moment, thinking through what ADAM just admitted, “You aren’t human?” Yuko made a face of annoyance at her question, “I mean, you aren’t only built using human computers then?”
“No, I am not. There was a situation where I was being created, that required those that originally program to me, and Bethany Anne, to need to move my code. It was placed into a Kurtherian computer by TOM. There are no computers presently on earth that can support all of my capabilities. Even the entity intelligences we presently have, do not reach the power I require to exist. Most of my physical existence is based in the Etheric.”
“So, where are you presently? Or is this something I cannot know?”
“Unfortunately, that is a personal question that I would need to ask Bethany Anne if she is okay with divulging.”
“No, that is okay. I was just curious. Adam, it doesn’t matter to me where your intellect is housed. While it would be enjoyable to know where your physical body is located, or that you had a physical body, the fact that you speak to me anywhere and at any time brings me much comfort.”
Yuko looked over the distance, the red sands dark in the moonlight.
Her eyes unfocused on anything in particular, she whispered, “When I left home, my father told me that he was not going to let me back in for the evening as punishment. He had no idea, nor did he believe me, when I told him I would not stay in that town. Now, he refuses to believe that I am doing anything except selling my body on the streets. Something I would never, ever do. He seems to be a spiteful old man who refuses to believe in his daughter at all.”
She spoke into the quiet, “And it hurts.”
This time, Yuko allowed the tears to slowly navigate their way down her cheeks.
—
FROM MICHAEL >>> I have enjoyed the comments about how even the ‘bad’ guys in the books often have reasons (other than being targets) in the story. I will have to give HUGE props to John Ringo’s Paladin Of Shadows books (not for the feint hearted, let me stress that to you. I’m not engaging in the argument on the content (and their is PLENTY of argument on the content) but that I recognized the effort as a reader while reading the series). While maybe I don’t want to spend three to five hundred words on a soon-to-be-dead-guys background, it is in his series that I learned the importance of making a person out of a bad guy.
Just because they are bad, doesn’t mean they are two-dimensional. Mind you, I don’t do it all of the time, but in order for the engagement to be more than an action sequence, I believe there is value in humanizing the other side in the disagreement. Whether you are disagreeing over where to go for lunch, or whether or not to kill each other with pistols and hand grenades (snippet from Frank Kurns ‘Bitch’s Night Out’ re: hand grenades below).
Thank you so much for everyone who has taken the time to write reviews. I can say that sometimes, Reviews ARE the caffeine that gets me going again on the next story!
Michael
Excerpt from Frank Kurns Stories of the UnknownWorld 02 – Bitch’s Night Out.
John reached up to his microphone, “Hey Y’all. Watch this shit!”
“Oh fuck,” Darryl whispered and started quickly and quietly moving to the edge of the roof to drop down as John reached into his pouch, pulling out another grenade.
John’s face was lit by the light in the building streaming up through the window into the night, his face, contorted in anger at anyone who would threaten Bethany Anne as he pulled the three pins. “Say hello to my little friends!” he whispered as he raised his arm to throw them through the glass.
On the south side of the building, two sets of boots could be heard running away from the southern door. On the north side, there was a hushed conversation, “No! John does NOT mean watch this!” Scott grabbed Akio’s arm, who allowed himself to be pulled away. They started running from the building. The two had made it as far as the side of the building when Darryl came running out of the alley and joined them.
Akio was confused but started running with purpose now that Darryl was with them. “What is it? Didn’t John say to watch this?”
“Hell yes!” Darryl huffed, “But whenever John Grimes says, ‘Hey y’all, watch this shit’ that is code for ‘get the fuck out of there’!” Darryl and Peter grinned as three explosions rocked the warehouse behind them…
The three men slowed to a stop and turned around. A massive amount of smoke was billowing up out of broken windows, glass still tinkling as it fell to the street around the old warehouse.
In a few moments, they could hear pistol shots from inside the building.
“Does he need us?” Akio asked.
“Oh, I don’t think so,” Darryl answered, “He’s getting his mad out right now.”
“What happened?” Peter asked Darryl when Scott and Eric joined the other three.
Darryl answered, “The Chinese in there were importing RPG’s to use against Bethany Anne, and John heard it.” He answered as two more shots could be detected among the crackle of the flames.
The four men turned from looking at Darryl to looking back to the now burning building. Soon, a figure emerged from the door, walking calmly towards the men as a siren was cutting through the night’s stillness in the distance. John made it about halfway to the group when another round of explosions rocked the warehouse.
“There go the RPG’s.” Darryl mused.
Haven’t read it yet? Here is a link – Mind you, it’s mostly balls-to-the-wall destruction.
FRANK KURNS STORIES OF THE UNKNOWNWORLD 02 – BITCH’S NIGHT OUT.
WE HAVE CONTACT Snippet 06 of xxx
UNEDITED
QBS ARCHANGEL
President Theodore of Germany nodded to those he had met previously. While the Prime Minister of Japan wasn’t someone he had met, yet, he was happy to see him here. As far as Theodore knew, he was the only Asian country represented.
He shook hands and others spoke with the American President and the leaders of France, England, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Japan, Canada, Netherlands, Israel, India, and Italy. Some of the most economically powerful countries and more open countries on Earth.
He noticed that Russia and China had not received an invitation. While China wasn’t a huge surprise, he wondered what the Russian’s had done to piss off TQB. He would have to remember to ask Max about that once they got back to Earth.
The meeting room was impressive. It was a small amphitheater. There was a table at the base that held twelve, if you put people on the end, or you could fit five behind it if they were going to speak to the five rows of seats going up the incline. The wall at the front had multiple video screens.
He did a quick count of the seats, it could seat about a hundred and fifty. There were a few men and women in the room, pulled from multiple nations serving beverages. The invited guests had been all offered rides to the meeting room. While he was happy to not have to walk the hundreds of feet from the landing area to this room, he was sure Max was wishing for a more leisurely stroll down the walkways to see more.
It wasn’t every day you got to gawk at a real spaceship.
There was a commotion behind him, so Theodore turned to see a younger aged man entering the room and making the rounds.
“That’s General Lance Reynolds,” Max spoke to Theodore quietly, “He is the COO of TQB Enterprises.” Theodore looked to Max and raised an eyebrow in question, “He was an American army general before he retired to take this position.” Max turned his eyes towards the new man, “Our pictures of him, even a few years ago, show him to be much older than this gentleman here.”
“But, it is him? Your group is sure?” Theodore asked.
“Yes, it is him. TQB has medical abilities we can’t comprehend at this time.” he looked around the room, and Max sighed, “Like so many other abilities. I hope we get some answers.”
The German President pursed his lips, “That makes two of us, my friend.”
—
“Welcome, Mr. President,” Lance held out his hand to the man who would have been his top boss a few years ago.
“Mr. Reynolds,” the President smiled.
“It’s just Lance,” he replied.
“Then you can call me…” the President started before Lance cut him off.
“Mr. President,” Lance shrugged, “maybe when you are out of office. Old habits and all.”
The President nodded his head in understanding, “Then you really are General Lance Reynolds?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Lance looked at him confused, “Oh, the younger handsome face?” he asked and smiled, “Benefit of the job. TQB didn’t want me figuring out how to fix everything only to keel over and die when I just got it all working.”
“That seems rather practical,” the President agreed.
“Yes, the CEO can be practical at times, I understand you met her?”
“Yes,” the President nodded and realized that he had a small group surrounded them now, “I’ve had a couple of meetings.”
“How did those go?” Lance continued the conversation.
The President realized that Lance was giving him the opportunity to tell those listening, his opinion from first-hand experience. “The first meeting was a little short, but it helped point out a few bad apples in my team. The second was a bit more eye opening. I imagine,” he nodded to the members listening in, “that the information she supplied the second time was as hard to swallow for these members here as it was for me.”
Lance heard one person mention ‘Pandora’s Box’ in the crowd.
“She does have a way of delivering what you need, not what you want,” Lance commiserated, “my first few jobs were a little less than enjoyable, lot’s of air time traveling around the world.”
The President looked up to the ceiling then around the room, “I’ve seen some of your technology, I can’t say that it is all that bad.”
Lance laughed, “This was hardly what we had in the beginning!” He looked to those listening, “I flew regular jet in the beginning, this stuff came along later, much later. My ass felt pretty damn tired after the first quarter-million miles, let me tell you!”
A few chuckles came from other people who had to fly a lot in their roles. It seemed glamorous to travel the world, but even personal jets got old after enough trips.
“I can imagine,” the President admitted.
“I’m telling you,” a female’s voice cut through the conversation the men were having, “that there is not a smell worse than a dirty diaper anywhere in this solar system!” The twenty-eight members watched, some with smiles recognizing the truth of the statement as two men in black uniforms with small white-fanged skulls on a red background came through the doors.
No one missed that they quickly glanced around the room nor their small smiles on their faces. Apparently, their charge was known for speaking her mind. Most of the leaders in the room quickly tried to remember what their rehearsed introduction would be when they finally met the lady on the throne, so to speak, of TQB Enterprises.
Then, she came around the corner and smiled to the whole group, most forgot what they were thinking for a moment.
—
FROM MICHAEL >>> Whoo, here we go again, folks! The first 5 chapters are out…Back to me (I’ll send back in a few minutes) and next week I hope to finish another 40,000 words and wrap up the writing within 10 days…Then a few for editing and out before the end of the month – Central Standard Time for you Aussies ;-).
This is a really busy month. We have twins still at the house starting school soon (their senior year), they have birthdays in a week and lots of work related travel for my wife. Can I admit how much I’m looking forward to school time? 🙂
Now, if the guys would just have straight ‘A’s this whole year, that would be really, really appreciated! I wouldn’t have to get into their study habits, and they wouldn’t get annoyed with me getting involved with their study habits.
Seem’s like a win-win to me.
Have you read The Boris Chronicles? Retaliation is out now (No 2) – check it out if you want something fun to read!
Chat at you later,
Michael
WE HAVE CONTACT Snippet 05 of …
UNEDITED
Above the Earth
“Oh my god,” The President mouthed as they saw the Earth beneath them.
“We are so screwed if this Pod opens to space, we don’t have a spacesuit or any way to save ourselves.” David told the President.
The President spoke to David, without turning his head from the view, “You think maybe you might stop complaining for a moment and enjoy the ride?”
“I’m not paid to enjoy the ride, I’m paid to keep you safe.”
“David, I’m telling you, we are safer here than back in Camp David.”
“How can you be so sure of that?”
“Because if they wanted to kill me, what could you and your team really have done to stop it?” The President asked his secret service agent, quietly.
David looked out the window to the blue globe below them. Finally, after a few minutes of thought, he asked a question, “She visited you both times in the DUCC, didn’t she?”
The President nodded his head as he admired the view, “Yes, yes she did.”
—
Germany’s President and his friend from their countries counter-surveillance group admired the world for a few minutes before a voice over a speaker in the Pod asked them if there was anything they would like to see before the trip to the QBS ArchAngel?
“The moon,” Max had whispered before Theodore had said anything. He seemed surprised when the President was looking at him, “I’m sorry, I was thinking I would like to see where the American’s landed and placed their flag, and now where the Chinese have their little Moon rover.”
Theodore shrugged, “Sounds good to me.” The two men watched in awe as the Pod turned towards the moon and then laughed as the acceleration hit them and they raced into space.
—
The Queen’s Suite, QBS ArchAngel
Bethany Anne laid on her bed, resting. The Lowell’s had picked up Christina a few hours before, but the emotional drain of watching after her niece was still affecting her.
“TOM, please put these diapers memories into my long term memory. Anytime I think about having a child with Michael, please play them.”
I thought you enjoy thinking about that future?
“I do, but until I deal with this Kurtherian issue I need to focus,” she replied.
Still haven’t given up hope?
Bethany Anne switched to speaking to TOM directly, No. That rat bastard promised me he would come back and I’m holding him to it. If I have to travel the fucking Galaxy to find a way to travel back in time? I’ll do it. That prick is coming back, one way or another. I’m not giving up on him, ever.
The two friends stayed quiet, just enjoying their time together for a few moments.
>>Bethany Anne, the world leaders are arriving in ten minutes.<<
“Suppose I should get dressed,” Bethany Anne grouched as she slid off the bed and stood up, stretching. “God, give me the opportunity to fight a hundred Forsaken before another ten hours with a baby, please.” She stepped towards her closet, built to look exactly like her closet from the house in Florida.
“Because, that would be a fucking cakewalk…” she mumbled as she stepped inside to change.
—
David gawked as they came closer to the spaceship, “Mr. President, I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore.” The twelve hundred foot long craft was silhouetted against the darkness of space, the light of the sun caressing the features down it’s length, “Where are the engines on this thing?”
“David,” the President answered, straining his neck to try and see down the side as they approached the landing dock, “I have no idea.”
“Would you please,” a female’s voice told them, “stay in your Pod until you see others approach? We are landing all fourteen pods at one time. We do not have the gravitational fields holding in air working at this time.”
David looked up at the speaker, surprise in his voice, “But, you expect to make that happen?”
Surprisingly, the voice answered him, “Yes Mr. Dennison, we expect to make that happen.”
David watched as they were about the eighth Pod that was entering the large area. He noticed two more Pods landing to either side of them. Soon, red flashing lights were running along the walls and a muffled alarm was going off. It took a couple of minutes and both he and the President could tell that the alarm was becoming more clear. Finally, the light switched from red, to blue. Seconds later, a large group of people in beige outfits with bright green bands around their arms quickly entering the landing bay. The pod doors began to open.
David had already unbuckled his belts and stepped out before the President could get up. He positioned himself so that he couldn’t step out of the Pod before David felt comfortable that these people were helpful, not harmful. He could see many had confirmed that everyone was ok, and then quickly stepped back out of the way.
What David thought he was going to protect him from, a hundred-thousand miles from Earth, was beyond the Presidents ability to imagine.
WE HAVE CONTACT Snippet 04 of …
Unedited
QBS ArchAngel – Beyond the Moon
It took twenty minutes for Ecaterina to give Bethany Anne all of the instructions for little baby Christina. Bethany Anne was wearing white sweats for a top and red for the bottom and smiling at her friend. When Ecaterina handed Christina to Bethany Anne, the little girl cried for a second before cuddling in and going back to sleep.
Ecaterina looked down at her daughter and then to Bethany Anne who raised her eyebrows, “What?” she asked the young mom.
“Nothing, its just,” she looked down at her daughter again, “she hasn’t taken to too many people. She usually cries for a little while.”
Bethany Anne shrugged, “Maybe she figures I was there when she born, so we have a connection?”
Or, TOM said, you could admit you are using your ability to impress her with calming emotions.
No, shut up TOM. This is funny as hell.
How can this be funny? I get that it is a good thing that the baby isn’t crying, but why is that funny?
Because first time Mom’s are always worried about their kids. They are hyper-worried and will almost use any excuse to cancel their first time away from the child. Plus, I’ve heard through the grapevine that Ecaterina secretly likes that Christina cries for her each time someone holds her.
But not you?
Nope, no crying for Auntie Bethany Anne. The stories about how well she loves me will be epic!
But, you are cheating.
This is no different than a grandmother who knows how to hold a child from having done it so much with her own children.
The grandmother is not cheating, she is using experience, right?
The grandmother is using her skills, and so am I.
Skills, you might admit, that is not so common for anyone else.
Wah! Wait for it.. Bethany Anne told him before she left the conversation.
“Uh,” Ecaterina looked towards Nathan who smiled at her and then back to Bethany Anne and Christina. “She seems, ok,” her voice faltered.
“Ecaterina, we will be fine,” Bethany Anne told her and rocked the little child slightly and kissed her forehead as she held her, “You guys have a wonderful night, say hi to Ivan for me and let him know that Gabrielle isn’t harboring any ill feelings.”
“You, uh, know about that?” Ecaterina asked her as she tried to figure out if Christina was going to wake up or if she would continue sleeping. She bent down to kiss her daughter as Bethany Anne held her. She looked back up, “No Coke in her bottle!”
Bethany Anne smiled, “I know that can’t happen for a few years, I’m not clueless.”
>>Besides, you always just ask me when you have questions.<<
That’s because you are simpler than looking it up or asking someone around here. Unfortunately, I don’t have a mom to ask and my dad would not be such a good idea. Patricia doesn’t have any children, so, toughen up ADAM and deal with it.
Besides, she told the two of her mental compatriots, how hard can this be?
—
Tears were streaming down Bethany Anne’s face as she tried to hold her breathing to the absolute minimum, “How the hell do these things stink so bad!” she cried out, holding Christina’s two feet up in the air as she tried to slide the dirty diaper out from underneath her. “Oh my god TOM, PLEASE shut off my sense of smell.”
I’m sorry, but you told me three weeks ago to reduce helping you out this way for four weeks. Four weeks isn’t up for another three days.
“But I’m going to suffocate before three hours is up!” Bethany Anne complained as she pushed the dirty diaper to the side and used one hand to open the diaper wipes box. “Who the fuck designs this shit?”
I’m pretty sure most people would say a higher entity.
“Not her shit, I’m talking about these diapers and boxes and oh. my. god. she. is. peeing!” Bethany Anne switched into Vampiric mode to toss the baby wipes into the air, reach over to grab a fresh diaper and as quickly as possible without moving her other arm, slide the new diaper into position to limit the liquid troubles Christina was causing. She undid the tape on the diaper and did a quick, if poor, job of locking the new diaper in place before reaching out and catching the box of wipes as it dropped back down.
“Fuck me!” Bethany Anne said as she realized she needed to change her bedspread, now.
That’s when she forgot about her breathing issues and inhaled deeply in exasperation.
—
Bethany Anne handed three diapers to her security detail to take out of her suite. Unfortunately, the residual smell was still affecting her vampiric heightened senses. Normally, it wouldn’t be this bad, but Bethany Anne had never had to deal with changing a babies diaper since she had been modified in TOM’s spacecraft. Personally, she had only changed a handful of diapers since she turned eighteen. In one evening, she had almost doubled her diaper changing count.
Christina was sleeping in the middle of her bed. Bethany Anne had already changed the cover and placed pillows around her in case she, somehow, rolled around. With her Were parents, Bethany Anne wasn’t going to take any chances on what could or couldn’t happen
Bethany Anne watched the little baby from her couch facing her bed and took the clothes pin she had found in one of Christina’s bags off of her nose.
TOM, if you don’t cut me some slack with my sense of smell, I swear I’ll figure out a way to kick your ass.
Bethany Anne, I’m already cheating and cutting your sense of smell by half.
Your fucking kidding me, right?
No, I’m sorry, but your system’s reaction to the smell was affecting me, so I cheated.
God, those diapers are radioactive. Bethany Anne whispered.
TOM spoke back, in a quiet mental voice, they are hands down the worst things we have ever encountered.
—
FROM MICHAEL >> So, are you having Kurtherian Withdrawals?
I hope not! (Well, ok, maybe only a little bit…not too much mind you – I’m not a totally heartless…ah…author).
But, if you are wanting a little more Bethany Anne, John and the gang I have a quick question, have you read the novelettes that are in the universe? You know, the stories that help round out the main books?
Think of them as one of the story arcs that are in the books, but pulled out and happening in between the books. They are about 13-15k in length for the Frank Kurn’s stories and a little longer for the Boris Book. CHECK THEM OUT NOW…
You know you want to 😉
  |
John receives a phone call from Frank. His cousin Cheryl Lynn is in trouble. Her husband is mistreating her and their children. John promised him if he ever hurt his cousin, John would come looking for him. Now, the Queen Bitch herself decides to tag along… CLICK HERE TO GET THIS BOOK |
  |
A lot of bad people were given Justice, but the Queen’s Bitches want to impart something a little stronger. The Queen tells them they need to take a night off. John tells the group it’s a Bitch’s Night Out…And the Dress Code is Destruction. CLICK HERE TO GET THIS BOOK. |
  |
The mercenary Boris has found himself recuperating after helping Michael stop the attack at the Colorado Base, now, his future is going to change once he meets the woman capable of turning Michael back into a Man. CLICK HERE TO GET THIS BOOK |
WE HAVE CONTACT – Snippet 03 of …
UNEDITED
Various locations around the World
In some groups secrets, and the sharing of secrets, is the currency of inclusion. For the most relevant countries in the world, who you include in certain discussions says a lot about your friends and your potential enemies.
This time was different. This time, the secret was kept within the group. No one dared leak out the information on concerns about cataclysmic retaliation. No threat had been issued, but everyone knew it was a possibility. France, England, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Japan, Canada, Netherlands, Israel, India, and Italy all received a special envoy from the United States.
He came in, he shared information. There was a requirement the meeting be on his plane, and he left. No information shared was left behind, and at most, three people were ever invited to be a part of the meeting.
Always the head of state, the head of foreign relations and often the true head of national security. Why anyone found it strange the person behind the power was actually asked instead of their figurehead always humored Jimmy. The U.S. knew who the power was, it was usually surprising to those Jimmy spoke with that the requested attendee’s had not been selected by the U.S. itself.
But rather, TQB Enterprises. Any reluctance by the nation to meet with Jimmy went out the window when that name was shared.
China itself could not hide the massive destruction in the western part of their country because it was still causing problems for them, even in the mostly uninhabited areas. One story was floating around that a small nomadic family had been trapped by the water run-off caused by the ice caps melting. The rising water had stranded the family on a small hill with the flood waters eating up the available ground quickly.
A few hours from drowning, the family was rescued when a floating TQB shipping container came down, and four people in military gear ushered them into the container. They helped both the humans and the livestock by transferring them to another area approximately thirty kilometers away. The TQB personnel did not speak Chinese, and none of the nomadic family spoke English, so there was no more communication between the two groups except for much hand waving and gesturing between them.
Jimmy suspected there were many more examples, but if there were, then no one had spoken about the events or the stories were actively being censored.
Twice, Jimmy had to explain the U.S. was doing this as a way to reduce the escalation of tension that had flared up after the short Chinese War. Not that China had admitted to any such war at all. China said the destruction in the portion of the Kunlun Shan Mountains was caused by a massive earthquake set off by unfortunate events due to research they had been testing.
While a few scientists had been wondering aloud on national television what research could possibly destroy so much land, those who had seen the spy satellite photos had no doubts there was no research responsible for the destruction.
Further, the U.S. had shared some very secret video of their own regarding two ships that were even now somewhere above them in space. That alone had most of those Jimmy visited concerned.
It didn’t take a mathematician to add up two space capable warships and the destruction of China and realize that pissing these people off was a universally bad idea. All it did was make those foreign heads of state wonder how to handle the relationship with TQB, and how to get on their good side so that they could learn the secrets for themselves.
Only the United States and Australia had quietly stopped their efforts to continue any of the clandestine efforts to learn more about the company.
The U.S. and Australia had enough information from the bases located in their lands to understand they could be pleasant neighbors, but very bad enemies.
Australia had sent a delegation out to the TQB base in the Outback after the missile attacks a few weeks back. The Australian Government representatives had been invited in to sit and talk in the TQB cafeteria. One of the leaders of Australian group, the General from the military, had been invited inside the operations room by TQB’s Operations Officer, Lance Reynolds.
Once the Australian General had come back from his meeting with Lance, he gently steered the conversations away any of the more outlandish conditions for TQB’s continued ability to base on their own land.
After the meeting was over and on their way back to the Nations Capital in Canberra, the General had shared what he had been shown in the room.
The video, Lance Reynolds had told him, had been the true explanation for the destruction of the Chinese mountains. Lance explained TQB was absolutely willing to have civil discussions, but pushing them around tended to upset the CEO, and aggressive military force would be returned in like manner.
Then, the General continued, the TQB representative turned to him and pursed his lips to point at the mountains after the destruction and say, “That was a warning. The six hundred special operations military people that were killed, planes downed and ships destroyed were in response to the seven deaths the Chinese accomplished. They tried more, including the attack on this base and the small wet navy we had at the time. Their missiles failed,” he nodded to the video screen, “her’s did not.”
Then, he paused for a moment, “He told me one more thing.” The General made sure he had all of their attention, “He said to make damn sure if we had any idea’s of attacking, there had better not be one child, born or unborn, killed or we could probably kiss a quarter of our military good-bye.”
The hard stare from the General put the final exclamation point on the warning.
It was but a few moments when Parry Paterson, one of the younger members of the Australian House of Representatives asked a question, “Why would we kill children?”
The General looked over to him, “Because some of those in power have been there a long time, and get greedy thinking they can grab what they want. I’m not saying we have any like that in our government,” the General heard a snort from beside him but ignored it, “but it was a message with two parts.”
“Really, I get the first one, don’t kill children, but what is the second?” Parry asked.
“The second,” the General replied, “is that they are watching everybody.”
WE HAVE CONTACT Snippet 02 of …
oneUnedited
QBS ArchAngel – Beyond the Moon
Nathan and Ecaterina were packing up a bag for little Christina. It was their first evening to spend some time alone after Aunt Bethany Anne had offered to watch the little one.
Nathan wasn’t sure that even Bethany Anne’s offer to watch their first child for an evening would be accepted by his wife. But, when Ecaterina looked over to Nathan to see what he thought of the offer she could tell he was doing his best to remain neutral. Well, as neutral as possible to not make her feel bad if she decided to not accept.
Ecaterina knew her husband well enough realize he wanted some time with her without interruptions if at all possible, so she had agreed that it would be nice to have a few hours with her husband alone.
Now, Nathan looked around their suite on the ArchAngel. They had two rooms at the moment, and both were filled with baby stuff. In two days, Bobcat promised him a storage container would arrive from the moon, and he was provided ten linear feet of storage to move little Christina’s unneeded gifts out of here.
If Ecaterina had her way, at least a quarter of it was going to Bethany Anne’s suite tonight. “Sweetheart,” he spoke, catching Ecaterina holding two different toys, “I don’t think we need to provide everything in one pass.”
Ecaterina looked over to him and lifted her left hand that had a squishy duck which Christina liked to hear at times, “But, if she doesn’t have the right toy, she might cry too long.”
Nathan stepped over to his wife, and wrapped his arms around her, “Don’t you think that Bethany Anne might be able to figure out a way to come get the toys if she feels something is needed? We are going to be gone, there isn’t a reason she can’t come into the room and fetch another set of toys, or hell, she will probably tell someone to come get some.”
Ecaterina placed her forehead against Nathan’s chest, “I’m freaking out, aren’t I.”
Nathan gently swept his hand down her back, saying nothing.
She sighed loudly and poked him in the chest and looked up into his eyes, “You are being too quiet. How bad is it?”
Nathan wasn’t getting out of this one. He pursed his lips and considered his response, “On a scale of one to ten, with ten being an ultimate freak-out, you are a six.”
Ecaterina weighed what he had just told her. Trying to figure out how he was squirming his way out of telling her the total, horrible truth. She pressed her lips together, she couldn’t figure it out. Either she was only freaking out a little, or he had just figured out a way to hide the truth from her due to English not being her first language.
She smiled, either way, she needed to relax. She put her ear back on his chest and wrapped her arms around him, “She’s beautiful, Nathan. Sometimes, when it’s just Christina and me, I tell her how I met you in a bar and how her Uncle robbed you blind.”
Nathan scoffed, “What? Ivan didn’t rob me blind.”
“Ivan most certainly did rob you blind!” she snickered, “for a trip into the mountains, it was very expensive,” she snuggled a little closer.
“Oh, but you misunderstood what I was buying.” He replied.
“What?” She asked. He could feel her move her head so she could look up at him. He could picture the question in her eyes.
“You misunderstood what I was buying. You see, I was buying the chance to have you alone on the mountain. That way, there would be no other competition for your attention. So, from my vantage point, it was a bargain.” He grinned, happy that he had gained the upper hand.
Nathan could almost hear her brain work the words around, deciding how she would translate that back into her language. He sure hoped there weren’t translation issues. Once or twice, when he forgot her language, he would screw up, and it was hell to pay for a little while as he tried to get her to understand the English-Romanian language issues.
She finally spoke, “So, you are saying you paid for my time, and it was worth much money?”
Nathan just held her close and mumbled, “Mmmhhhmm.”
“So, I was like a, what do you call it in America, a call girl?”
Oh…Shit! Nathan’s eyes opened and darted around, trying to come up with some idea, ANY idea to stop her line of questioning. “Sweetheart, that is not what I was thinking, and you are well aware of it.” Nathan had no defense but to push back.
“Then what is the meaning of an ultimate freakout?” She asked him.
Befuddled on the sudden change in questioning, Nathan answered, “An ultimate freakout is the absolute worst example of something that you can think of. Like, take one of the bad examples for those monster bride reality tv shows you watch and then triple that reaction.”
“So, it is like a logarithmic scale, not a linear scale?” She asked him, still with a slight edge in her voice.
“Huh?” Nathan was confused for a moment, wondering who was teaching Ecaterina about logarithmic and linear scale and answered, “Yes, logarithmic, why?”
She took a step back and then punched him in the stomach. Nathan barely had time to clench his muscles before her fist slammed home, “Because that means a six is not so good!” She told him, triumph in her voice for figuring out how he was dodging her earlier question.
“Oh,” he said, bending over slightly and speaking hoarsely from her punch, “That is where you were going with the questions.”
Nathan tried not to smirk as he stayed bent over. All things considered, he had dodged that question rather neatly until this last moment. Now, if he could just keep the smile off of his face when he stood back up!
From Michael >> Ok, so now you see my nefarious plan to introduce the second of the two things that GRABS people and won’t let go…
Children.
MWUHAHAHAHAHAHA…Snort…little bit…chuckle. Well, hell. A fan was asking what it would be like if Bethany Anne had to watch little Christina and I had to agree, it could be funny as hell… So, guess what is coming in a near-future snippet? No? No guesses? Wow, tough crowd (smile). Since I already have a dog (the other (animal) item that grabs attention)… The only thing I found out is THOU SHALL NOT KILL ANIMALS…Unless they are old…
Seeing how I kinda killed Michael off… But didn’t….but he is gone… So what could I do w/ Ashur? I have plans…so many, many plans… Actually, I’m doing something my wife suggested a while back. We shall see if it makes it all the way through the book. We both know (if you have been reading my Author Notes) that sometimes the characters write themselves. So, I cannot guarantee anything!
WE HAVE CONTACT Snippet 01 of …
Unedited
PLA Headquarters
The Chairman looked to his two General’s and nodded before sitting down at the long table. The meeting room, secured from all listening devices, consisted of the table, ten chairs and a small cupboard for refreshments. The three men opened their notebooks to go over the findings from the last three weeks of effort after their recent, they decided to call it a disagreement, with the company TQB.
General Tsang, responsible for the multiple teams reviewing the destruction and deaths across their country started the meeting, “The destruction in the Kunlun Shan Mountains is impressive. Our scientists have calculated the obliteration was, truly, from kinetic strikes. The video our camera person took correlated to the damage. But, at this time, the scientists are still arguing on how the objects could have been accelerated to the speeds necessary to accomplish the destruction.” The General took a sip of his tea. “Suffice to say, we cannot duplicate the effort.”
General Li, responsible for the forensics related to the digital attacks snorted at General Tsang’s last comment and received a dark look from the Chairman. All three men were more relaxed in this setting than they would have been in a proper meeting.
General Tsang continued, “The scientists do believe that the same type of weapon was used at our covert ops base to pound open the door. Considering the power displayed at Kunlun Shan, there is no engineering effort we can accomplish for viable protection at this time.”
“When,” The Chairman interrupted, “is the expected time that we can defend against this kinetic weapon?”
Tsang shrugged his shoulders, “When we figure out their anti-gravity abilities, it is postulated we will have the ability to build a repelling field that will at least minimize the damage considerably.”
“So,” The Chairman continued, “there is no place which is truly safe from their attacks?” Tsang shook his head, “When the Avatar was displayed in our bunker, they could have demolished us at that time?”
“Yes,” Tsang admitted, “that they did not was a strategic decision, not due to a limitation of their ability should they have decided to hit us.”
The Chairman reached up to his face and took off a pair of reading glasses, something he had needed to start wearing when reviewing paperwork and scratched his nose before placing the glasses back on. “Ok, Li?”
The other General replied, “The covert ops base had no survivors. The men, all of them, fought. We have blood samples from many of the battles, and we have some highly suspect forensics,” he added a moment later, “highly suspect.”
“For example?” The Chairman inquired.
“We have hair from at least two types of wolves, perhaps three. We have structural damage on doors inside the base that seem to be organic in nature. These damages occurred before a massive retaliatory gun strike from our men peppered the door in response. The men were trained to think rationally in any situation, and it is obvious that is exactly what didn’t happen on multiple occasions. We have men shot, stabbed, necks bitten out by animals and bodies ripped apart by something massive. We have a couple of places where we have what look like nail scratches from something that must have weighed hundreds of pounds and stood a minimum of seven feet tall I’m told.”
“Are you suggesting,” The Chairman asked, his voice neutral, “That we have been attacked by monsters?”
Li shrugged his shoulders, “That is what the evidence at the base suggests. Something was able to get through the training the men had. The psychologists admit that if they were subjected to something very primal, it could accomplish causing the men to react instead of how they were trained.”
Li paused to allow an interruption. When none came, he continued, “Further, when our group investigated the escape of General Sun, we found additional hair evidence at both the location of his abduction and later inside the discarded plane.”
“Why would TQB want General Sun?” The Chairman asked, confused.
“Sir, I apologize, I have not been very clear,” Li responded, “We do not believe TQB was involved with General Sun.” The General looked across the table to his counterpart in the investigations and to the Chairman before continuing.
He cleared his throat and replied, “Sir, we have two groups.”
SUED FOR PEACE Snippet 08 of xxx
UNEDITED
QBS Polarus in the Pacific Ocean heading towards China
John Grimes walked into the shared area where he and his guys had their rooms. Darryl gave him a nod from the couch. Scott and Eric were getting setup to arm-wrestle. “Eric, why are you doing this to yourself?” John asked, “We both know Scott is going to eat your lunch.”
Eric grunted as Darryl said, “Go,” and the effort was on. Eric’s biceps were massive, able to easily out dwarf most men’s. But he wasn’t budging Scott who was steady, holding Eric’s other hand under the arch of their two arms clasped in a titanic struggle of strength.
“You know,” Scott told Eric, smiling. “We can stop now and you can walk away with your manhood intact.”
“Huh,” Eric grunted, trying to get Scott to lose focus so he could drive his arm down in a sudden burst of effort.
He barely moved Scott’s hand a quarter to a half-inch.
“I’ll take that as a ‘no,’” Scott grinned, “ready to give me twenty pushups?”
Eric ground out, “I’ll give you twenty pushups when you stop being such as weak-ass bitch.”
Darryl warned him, “Don’t let Bethany Anne hear you say that lame-ass name.”
All of the men turned towards the door when they heard Bethany Anne’s voice arrive right before she turned the corner into their room, “I did hear that lame-ass name, and after Eric gives Scott twenty, he can do another twenty-five while I stand on his back.”
Eric’s eyes opened slightly before they darted back to his grip with Scott, who was still paying attention to Bethany Anne over his shoulder. Eric drove his shoulder into the challenge and caught Scott off-guard. Scott barely stopped the sudden drive half-way down to the table, his knuckles mere inches from touching the wood.
“You…” Scott started speaking, through clenched teeth as he tried to offset Eric’s better leverage and damned impressive effort to drive his hand down. “Are … a … bloated….” Scott’s arm started rising, an inch for every word he said, “Semen … packing … animal … fondling … fuckfaced … cockthistle … cockroach … ass … bandit!” With the final word, Scott slammed Eric’s hand down on the table, making sure he would feel that pain for a while.
Eric pulled his hand back and started massaging his knuckles, “Shit you pig, that fucking hurt.”
“Not as bad as these heels on your back,” Bethany Anne commenting. The two men looked around the side of the table.
She had on three-inch heels.
Scott looked over at Eric’s face, his jaw dropping in surprise. Scott grinned as he told Eric, “Damn dude, those are going to hurt.”
Eric looked back up to Bethany Anne’s face, “Isn’t that going to be a bit much?” He asked while pointing at the shoes.
“No, a bit much might be me lifting something while I’m standing on your back to increase the weight.”
Darryl spoke up from the couch, “I’ll volunteer, you can lift me!”
Eric flipped off Darryl. His hand blocked from Bethany Anne’s view by the table.
She turned towards Darryl and chuckled, “I said something, not someone.” She walked over to the couch and sat down. “Before you do your pushups, Eric, I have a request of you guys.” The four men walked over. John sat next to Bethany Anne, Eric sat next to Darryl and Scott took the chair. Aiko was out at the moment.
“The ladies have come up with a way to potentially help us in the PR department, make money for a charity and apparently have a good time. Well, at least the ladies will have a good time.”
“Why do I sense a ‘but’ arriving soon?” John asked, looked sideways to Bethany Anne.
She opened her mouth, then closed it again. Finally, she opened it again and spoke, “Because I didn’t expect this to occur and I’ve got to say I’m sorry in advance. So, I’m sorry.” She turned to John, “But, you guys are going to be thrown under the bus on this one.”
“You want us to do it, regardless?” John asked, “I’m assuming that since it is for charity, I’m not being shot, so I’m in. What do you want us to do?”
The guys all looked towards Bethany Anne, who was obviously having a hard time with this request. Coming from the lady who chewed up and spit out Forsaken for breakfast, their curiosity shown was in overdrive. Scott glanced towards Darryl and Eric and Darryl minutely shrugged his shoulders.
Bethany Anne put her hands on her knees and took a deep breath, “Ok, I’m just going to say it,” She started, “The girls want you guys to do a pin-up calendar.” She exhaled and looked around to her team.
John put up his right hand with a finger pointed to Scott, then Darryl, Eric and finally himself, “You want us four, to pose for a pin-up calendar?” He asked, a question on his face.
“Yes,” she admitted, her voice a little higher than normal. “Oh God, fine!” She blurted out, “They want you to do a beefcake calendar!” She threw her hands up, “No shirts, tiny underwear, baby oil and in like, four countries in twenty-four hours.” She put her hands over her face, “I’ve created a set of monsters.” She mumbled through her hands, “It started with Jean Dukes.”
TO BE CONTINUED …
From Michael >> So, here we are probably about 72 hours or so from releasing the next book. I had five chapters to finish last night and about 10,000 words minimum to put in. I got 10,000 words, but only about 3’ish chapters before I had to call it quits.
Now, 10,000 isn’t anything to sneeze at (I had done I think about 2,000 yesterday morning). It isn’t at the top of the wrung (some Indie authors do 5,000 a day like clockwork. Those authors are MACHINES! A couple a little more. But, for me pushing a book and a short out a month is pretty good.)
This is my first Summer as an Indie Author and if you read the tea leaves (meaning read the Indie bulletin boards where the wisdom is tossed around) I’m bucking the trend and doing pretty well. Obviously, I have to think you, the fans, for telling your two friends and they tell two friends and so on, and so on ;-). So, THANK YOU!
What’s next? Well, Book 11 in a few days, then 12…13…14…15… Etc. I’ve been asked what happens at 21? Personally, I have a real problem imagining all the way to 21 right now. That’s 11 books ahead of us. Plus, we have 4 of Michael’s Second Dark Ages Series and I’m not sure how to do those. Do I start staggering production? (1 Michael book, 2 bethany Anne books, 1 michael book) etc.? I mean, that will push the cycle out a bit. Or, do I wait until TKG is finished and then go back to write the Michael Books? Anyway, the answer I gave to the fan that asked me in a direct message was…(keep reading for the answer).
Nah, I won’t do that to you – The answer is if enough fans want another Series w/ Bethany Anne after 21, I have an idea and am willing to go forward with it…After a couple of months break probably ;-). By then, I’ll be so damned bored I’ll HAVE to be writing.
So, now we come to ‘book time’ and who are we going to pick on (I mean support) this evening? This will be the last pick before SUED FOR PEACE goes live. Whatever happens between now and release will be compressed and I really don’t want to do everything to setup another book. Plus, you wouldn’t only have 72 hours to get it, read it and get ready for more Bethany Anne…Ah! Perfect Choice…
Mr. Baldwin…James Osiris to be exact.
James has a book for authors (how to edit your own book better), but this book is Russian mafia wizard Urban Fantasy Thriller with a whole lot of open thinking thrown in for good measure.
Blood Hound: An Alexi Sokolsky Supernatural Thriller (Alexi Sokolsky: Hound of Eden Book 1)
My name is Alexi Sokolsky: blood mage, occult scholar, and hired killer. Three things that should convey me some immunity in the dog-eat-dog world of the Russian mafia.
Fat chance. In reality, I think too much, drink too little, and if there’s one thing the underworld teaches you, it’s that there’s always a shark bigger and hungrier than you.
Life gets tough after a man turns up dead in our territory, his mutilated body scrawled with demonic sigils. It gets tougher when a key ally of my Organization is kidnapped by a secretive death cult… and I’m the errand boy sent to hunt them down and bring him back.
Then I get captured, nearly killed, and am immersed in a sea of cosmic horror the likes of which I’ve never known. The stakes are nothing less than the daughter of GOD Itself… and she’s calling to me for help.
My name is Alexi Sokolsky: blood mage, occult scholar, hired killer… and hapless pawn in the great game between Everything and the NO-thing trying to destroy it.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT BLOOD HOUND BY JAMES OSIRIS BALDWIN.
SUED FOR PEACE Snippet 7 of xxx
UNEDITED
Washington DC, USA
“Congressman Richards!” Mark Billingsly called out. The tall man with shocking blond hair turned to see who had called him on the street outside of his office building.
A man smiled at him. Terry Richards thought he looked familiar and the two woman behind him, one with a camera, were certainly attractive enough. Congressman Richards decided to stop and turn around to speak with these three. Maybe he had seen the Hispanic looking reporter before? They certainly weren’t here on the Hill very often.
The cute short one lifted a camera up, first pointed away from him, and he acknowledged the camera. When he did that, she turned it back around towards him. That was an unexpected courtesy he felt.
Terry turned on his million dollar smile. Well, at least it should be a million dollars, as he had well over fifty-thousand dollars of dental work to make it pretty damned perfect. The male reporter stepped closer to him and looked a little towards the camera, so Terry stepped slightly sideways and joined the reporter looking into the camera.
“Hello! My name is Mark Billingsly, and I have with me Congressman Terry Richards from the great state of New York.” Terry smiled for the audience and wondered if this was going to be a conversation about his solar energy initiative, or the pollution issues and cleanup they were accomplishing around New York city with water pollution.
Mark turned just slightly in towards Terry, who looked down a little at the man, “Congressman Richards, I appreciate you taking your personal time out of your busy schedule to answer just two questions for us. The first, of course, is a question related to the use of Solar Energy and the advancement of the funds to implement such a system in today’s climate.”
“Certainly, Mark,” Terry aimed his mouth a little towards the microphone on the camera, but kept his eyes on Mark except for a couple of glances to the camera, “Right now is the time we all have to focus on the ability to expand our renewable energy usage. With oil such a highly volatile product and the use of oil in manufacturing harmful to the environment, we need renewables such as Solar to become a viable alternative. So long as we have the sun above us, we will be able to depend on Solar helping us achieve an ongoing energy independence.” Terry waited for the softball follow-up question and the reporter provided it.
“So … everyone agrees that Solar is pretty inefficient right now. Yet you believe that we as a country, and specifically New York, should fund the development and manufacturing of Solar implementations as a way to create energy independence from foreign countries?”
Well, this wasn’t the softball question Terry expected, but he could handle this easily enough. “Certainly, when you only depend on the sun which is up above your own nation, not oil drilled out of the ground thousands and thousands of miles away, we have options. The option to continue to depend on the sun above us. Or the political and military expedients that continue to infect the machinations of countries who are oil rich. They’re constantly trying to involve the US in their problems, as we are so heavily dependent on oil at this time. Right now, I’m fighting for a future of energy independence. We might have to pay for implementations that require an investment by the government. And it may take twenty years to recoup the investment, I believe we need to focus on the long view. A long view that is sorely lacking with our short time frames for Congress and slightly longer for the Senate.”
Damn, he was on a roll! He was going to ask for a copy of this interview.
“Right now, Congressman Richards, the top five Solar manufacturers are Chinese, two are Korean, two are here in the US using parts from which country – we don’t know and one is Canadian. I’m curious Congressman Richards if the use of so many manufactured panels from a foreign country concerns you in any way?”
Terry smiled, not sure where the reporter was heading, but who cared? “Certainly not Mark, when the solar panels are accumulating the sun,” Terry pointed up and winked to the camera, “above our own heads, I’m not sure I worry about a foreign country turning off the sun in our part of the world.”
Mark nodded sagely in agreement with everything Terry said. When he finished, he asked, “So, the fact that the foreign made components inside the majority of Solar Energy products could have a kill switch in them, easily controlled by a foreign country, rendering them useless as an energy provider doesn’t bother you?” Mark took the surprised look on the congressman’s face as an opportunity to nail him. “And this future,” Mark pointed up above him, “this future where we only have to depend on the sun above us, and trust no kill switches were put in place by five of the top ten solar manufacturers in our products?”
“Well, I don’t think we need to look behind every bush and find an evil plan to take over America, Mark,” Terry answered.
“But Congressman Richards,” Mark now set him up for the final comment, “When you take over two hundred and thirty-two thousand, five hundred and thirty-two dollars in donations from lobbyists who have themselves been hired by these same Chinese solar manufacturers. Many of your donations having been received the very same day you had meetings with those lobbyists, interestingly enough. These companies, these solar-based companies have no ulterior motives?”
“Of course not!” Terry exclaimed, smiling for everything he had, “the use of donations to facilitate an independent energy effort should be applauded.” Terry turned towards the camera, “I want to thank you both for such an excellent opportunity to continue the discussion of how Solar will support the energy independence of the American People, good day!” With that, he waved and continued down the street.
Mark turned towards the camera, “We appreciate the good Congressman Richards, himself a recipient of almost a quarter of a million dollars from lobbyists money. Money focused on the continued implementation of solar panels and solar products manufactured in China. That in itself is not a bad thing, but when almost all of the core infrastructure which makes this work can have kill commands inside them. Kill commands that fry the circuitry based on an internet attack which would instantly kill the energy acquisition without physical replacements? Well, that seems a little concerning that no one is considering the ability of a foreign country to wreak havoc with our needed and necessary infrastructure without one bomb being dropped.”
Mark turned away from the camera to look off camera in the direction of where the Congressman walked away, “And let’s not even begin to discuss the big and unique electrical pieces that require manufacture in China itself.” Mark looked back towards the camera, “Pieces that once destroyed, will keep your city dark for months if they ever can be replaced by a country we might be at war with.”
Two blocks away, Terry Richards had punched in a specific contact’s number. The phone number was memorized and was a one-time use number. Halfway around the world, after seven different forwards to hide the eventual destination, a woman picked up the phone, “Hello.”
“This is T.R., I’ve been asked questions and had my connections and exact funding delivered to me highlighted. You told me this wasn’t possible!” He fumed.
“Was the group behind it a male reporter?” The voice asked him on the phone.
“Yes! Mark Billingsly and two females.” He answered while looking for cars before crossing the road.
The female responded in a calm voice, “You are the third concerned citizen to ask about this situation. You know what they say in America about three strikes?”
Terry only admitted, “Yes.”
“Well, don’t expect to receive another request for an interview.” She replied.
“Fine, that works for me. What about the video?”
“Our teams will work on it. Give us time is all I can answer on that.”
“Understood, goodbye,” Terry closed the phone.
In a foreign country, a Colonel hung up the phone and turned in her seat. She was part of the approximately seven-and-a-half-percent female population of the PLA army and had responsibility for long-term foreign investment. She picked up a phone and made a call, “I need the approval to send out a clean-up squad. There is a thorn we need to get rid of.”
FROM MICHAEL >> Chapter 20 just dropped minutes ago to the Editing group. That means I’ve written it and reviewed / edited it the first time. Then, Stephen and a team take over. Chapters 1-5 are in final before it comes back to me and I start pulling them into Scrivener for final prep.
It’s getting much closer, folks! The goal is to have it out very, very soon. Like reading it next weekend soon. I hesitate to say any more, because the next thing I know, the fans in Australia start emailing me about how ‘It’s already xxx day in their country’ and I’m wanting to slap myself for forgetting that. 😉
Now, we come to John L. Monk. John is a member (more lurking, but a member!) of our 20BooksTo50K group. He has been writing for three years, and came out with his latest book that has climbed the (amazingly competitive) dystopian / post apocalyptic charts. What caught my eye (and ear – he was on a writing Podcast called Rocking Self Publishing I listen to) was that John highlights other authors to help them get found. Sounds like the kind of author I want to support!
So, here he is with his latest book…
Hell’s Children: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller
The world has gone to hell and it isn’t coming back.
It happened in a year: starvation, gangs of kids with guns, and every adult in the world dead from the Sickness. Houses are now mausoleums. Civilization lies in the hands of children who’ve never had to feed themselves or survive a winter without gas or electricity. Most will die. Others — a bare few — will tread a different path.
Fourteen-year-old Jack Ferris is a survivor — because his parents raised him that way. Leveraging qualities rare for his age, he must lead his desperate companions to a secret refuge. Too late, he learns that safety is a mirage, and that the high price of hope is paid in blood.
“An emotional and action filled post-apocalyptic story with unforgettable characters. You won’t want to put this one down!”
– Nicholas Sansbury Smith, author of the “Extinction Cycle.”
“John L. Monk brings a remarkable wit and elegance to his storytelling through the use of vivid descriptions and complex characters.”
– J. Thorn, Amazon Top 100 Author in Action & Adventure.
”A Post Apocalyptic Lord of the Flies that’s both terrifying and uplifting.”
– Nick Cole, author of CTRL-ALT-REVOLT, creator of Apocalypse Weird.
Fans of One Second After, The Hunger Games, and Alas Babylon should enjoy this what-if tale of inventiveness, character, and courage.
SUED FOR PEACE Snippet 6 of …
UNEDITED
Bethany Anne returned to the President’s conversation. Her conversations with ADAM and TOM were over so quickly he didn’t register a pause, “When you find a suitable computer to review the contents of the USB, I know you aren’t going just to plug it into any computer in your systems, you will find incriminating evidence.”
The President looked down at the USB he was holding, “Truly Pandora’s box, then. I can’t say I’m happy with the present you’ve delivered.”
Bethany Anne shrugged, “Well, you could destroy it and go blithely on your way.”
“No,” he sighed, “I can’t. I have a duty and however distasteful it is, I’ll see it done.” He looked at her, “How do you handle stuff like this?” He asked as he lifted the USB and waved it a little.
“I have a group responsible for tracking down the truth and bringing those guilty to justice,” She admitted, wondering what the President would say.
“What about juries, judges, and the rest?”
Her grim face told him the answer, “Mr. President, in the harshness of space, you don’t allow stupidity.” She wasn’t about to fess up regarding Barnabas and Tabitha. “So, we have a strict policy. While we aren’t a hundred percent effective, almost all of the people we have are focused on a bigger goal than just working for their own ends. So, there is a significant amount of self-policing. Those that we miss?” She paused, “They are warned, and they are adults. We treat them as such.”
“You don’t have a strong opinion of our court system?”
“Do you?” She countered.
“Well, I think it is the best thing we have going at the moment.”
“Let me ask you a question, what are the two things that drive people?”
“Fear and greed, usually.” He answered.
“So, take that to the logical conclusion. At a certain age an adult will be driven by either fear, greed, or a challenge – something bigger than themselves. Fear of repercussions for actions they have taken is a strong motivator for not doing punishable offenses. If the system for punishment is broken, then the power of fear to stop actions diminishes, and you have more and more people shrugging their shoulders. However, people learn, quickly. Greed can be considered in a good light. I’m not talking about wanting more money, or power, I’m talking about being greedy or desiring something good in your life that benefits yourself and others. What about the person who is greedy about wanting to be in space? They have to prove themselves capable of deserving that position, of protecting not only themselves but others. Everyone depends on what a person is willing to do to save everyone else.”
“That works when you take the best of society that wants to get ahead,” the President started.
“No, it works when you stop supporting those who do nothing.”
“That isn’t a very Christian attitude.”
She smiled at him, like a cat looking at a mouse. “Christian? I’ll give you a few things to ponder, Mr. President. Look them up when you have time. ‘The appetite of the laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on.’” She continued, “And the best yet. A quote by the Apostle Paul, who said to those in Thessalonica, ‘We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you… For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.’”
She leaned back in her chair, “Do you have some idle hands? Then dream bigger for your country, Mr. President, and give them something to use their minds, their strength and their abilities and stretch your people. Make them earn their keep, and then they will have pride in themselves. If some don’t? Well, be a man and strap a pair on – if you need a pair you can borrow my ovaries. Your infrastructure needs fixing! You have the ability to create work centers by the thousands. You need to fucking dream bigger. We are human beings, every one of us has worth, talents and skills. Fucking put them to use! Stop taking the easy way out and punting the problem to the next generation. Don’t support a nation of people sitting on their asses and taking money from those who work without trying to make it better. Make a change, even if it is starting the change before you step out of office.”
The President had nothing to say in response. While he didn’t doubt she knew the difficulties of making this happen, she also wouldn’t care that it was a challenge. He pursed his lips and nodded his head sharply.
She stood up and faced him, both hands held up as if in supplication, “Don’t give up, don’t accept mediocrity, don’t accept the status quo. You’re the most powerful man on this planet. Now, fucking act like it.” She stepped backwards and disappeared right in front of his eyes.
It took the President a few moments to come to grips with someone disappearing right in front of him. He pondered her comments, her challenge. He stood up and turned towards the door before stopping to look over his shoulder and whispered.
“I may be the most powerful man on earth, but you are certainly the most powerful woman.”
With that, the President turned back to open the door and admit to David he owed him a steak dinner.
to be continued…
FROM MICHAEL >> So, we are about two and a half chapters into the book (snippet wise). I’m 55k into the story with about 1,500 words to finish before I work to give it to the editing crew. That means that the first 20 chapters are ‘in editing’. For those that follow me, you know I try like crazy to stay ahead of them and when I finish.. I’m just as impatient to get THEM through the edits as you are to get the book out!
“Stephen, are you guys finished yet?”
“No Mike, you just gave us 5 WHOLE CHAPTERS three hours ago.”
<fifteen minutes later>
“How about now?” I’ll ask…
It isn’t quite that bad <yes it is – Stephen> but I do get anxious to push it out. I have the cover, I will have the story and I’ll need to write the Author’s notes. These will be my 14th Author’s notes and while sometimes it is rushed (like forgetting to write them until the story is DONE), they ARE like candy and I enjoy writing them. There is no story, I just get to write whatever the hell is on my heart and in my head.
It’s crazy.
So, the book below is crazy different. The Forum group 20booksto50k did this little thing started by Kat Lind (you might recognize her name as the editor for a couple of the recently previous books when Stephen got so sick.) She is crazy smart, and also just crazy… quick. As in, she likes to challenge herself when she gets bored (apparently a common occurrence) and one of her professional degrees (of 4) is in Industrial Psychology, but with a creative effort focus. So, when she got involved in 20Booksto50k as a Beta Editor / Reader, it was like allowing a super smart scientist to mix it up with the type of people she happen to also be the types she … studies? Not sure that’s the right word.
Either way, about six weeks ago, she was bored. What came out of it was a game, if you will, where she and her team at her company provided very specific items to pull out of a hat (remember the psychology part above) and then helped get all of the short stories pulled together into a book and released it.
You will recognize a TON of these authors in the book, as I have promoted many of them already! (If not all of them at one point or another). Read the preview, I think many of you will not only be fascinated by HOW the effort was pulled together, but enjoy the stories as well.
Inanna’s Circle: The Game Begins
A tattooed dwarf, dark forest with winding road, a jewel emitting swirls of color… What can a group of writers create when they are presented with a mystery box of characters, snippets and scenes?
Pick at least one from each column and let your imagination soar! That is the challenge of Inanna’s Circle Game.
Eight authors accepted the challenge, writing in varied genres, some with many books to their credit, others with very few. The results are amazing! With vision and talent that shows the skills of the indie author and the way that
creativity can be sparked with the right flame, this anthology takes you to many worlds and introduces characters across universes.
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED – Let the game begin!
Click Here to read the amazing story how this book came about!