SUED FOR PEACE Snippet 05 of xxx
UNEDITED
Bethany Anne started chuckling, “I was born on this planet with two human parents, if that doesn’t make me human, I’m not sure what would clarify it further.”
“Well, parental names?” He pressed.
She put up a finger, “Mr. President, I do this as a favor, not as an opportunity to play twenty questions.”
“You can forgive me for trying? I do have the responsibility for four hundred million people to look after,”
Bethany Anne’s face sobered, “Mr. President, I’m concerned with the seven and a half billion we have on earth, and those coming after us. My parent’s names aren’t going to accomplish much except provide some annoying researcher further useless information to try and analyze me. If you want my thoughts on something, you can ask.” She pulled a USB memory chip out of her jacket. The President didn’t fail to notice the small pistol and holster she was wearing.
He wasn’t accustomed to having anyone but Secret Service Agents around him with weapons. If any of the guys on the other side of the door knew he was talking with an armed lady just a few feet away, they would be trying to bust down the door to protect him. He smiled.
“This is …” she started before her eyes drew together in confusion, “why are you smiling?”
“I’m just thinking how my protective detail,” he jerked a thumb over his shoulder, “would react if they knew I had an armed person sitting in here with me. It humored me to imagine them trying to bust down the door in frustration.” He smiled at her and chuckled, “Sometimes, it is the little things I think about that bring a smile to my face.” He pointed to his hair on the side of his head, “I wasn’t expecting to go gray quite so fast.”
Bethany Anne put the USB on the table, “Talk to me when you get out of office if I’m still around, and I’ll help you with that.” She slid the USB over to him, “On here are the names of the members in the United States and all of your territories. There are thousands in total, although there are probably no more than a hundred and twenty-five that I would rate as the highest priority to review. Those are tagged.”
>>A hundred and twenty-seven.>>
I know that, ADAM. What have we talked about when being exact with humans?
>>That to always be exact points to you not being human.<<
If an A.I. could sound miffed mentally, ADAM was accomplishing the feat pretty well, she thought. Yes, so while you are an Entity, and you are working to accomplish the most amazing feats ever for me, I need you to understand that if you grease the wheels, it will help reduce trouble. Make sure you update the EVE project for me with that understanding. She thought quickly, except in battle, you don’t fudge anything during battles.
>>I understand and will make the adjustments.<<
The President eyed the USB, “I’m not going to like what is on that, am I?” He reached to take the USB, “Pandora’s box?”
“Some, not all of it. Some of the people on that USB are just family, people who can be used to blackmail other people to get them to do what the Black Cabal need them to do.” When he raised his eyes to her, she explained further, “My name for them.”
He nodded his understanding, “What should I do about General George Thourbourah?”
“Well, his boss is out of the equation and don’t ask about that if you want plausible deniability. He believes I was seriously hurt, but that will go by the wayside the next time I’m photographed.”
“Oh, earlier than that,” he assured her. He shrugged at her raised eyebrow, “We have assets that track all important people. That could mean important for any number of reasons; you just happen to trip a few of them including financial, technological and security.”
ADAM.
>>Yes?<<
Find out how many countries are tracking me, and start placing information that shows me everywhere so that they can never tell what is the right answer.
>>When do you want this to occur?<<
Can you make it happen retroactively so that the information seemed like it happened before this conversation?”
>>Not easily, no. Countries will have a paper trail.<<
Damn. Ok, figure out the countries data feed and start adding additional false positives if you can. I suppose changing their data would flag them you are in the system.
>>Not to mention might be too risky unless you believe this must occur?<<
No, it isn’t that big of a deal. I just didn’t realize I’m on various country’s morning reports, and it bugs the shit out of me.
TOM?
Yes?
What are you working on at the moment?
Still on the gravitic issues with Marcus.
Please add a request to your queue to consider what it would take to change someone to look like me.
I can answer that question already. The Pod doc can’t do it. It works on the person’s DNA, so it isn’t going to change another person to look like you.
But I thought since you can change the structure of the materials in a body, this might be possible?
That was changing the design, not how you look. The Pod Doc hasn’t been setup to change a person.
Wait a minute, TOM – you paused! I sense you thinking about something, fess up.
Well, if a patient is considerably messed up physically or their DNA has been corrupted, the Pod Doc can use a super-set of DNA to try and fix, which would certainly change the person as they heal.
So, it’s feasible?
Yes, but not very recommended.
Ok, I’ll push that idea off to the side.
Are we good?
Yes, sorry. I don’t like being the target, and I figured if there were copies, it would be hard to confirm which version is me.
It would be the version with four huge guards walking around her, he quipped.
Did you just zing me… again? She replied.
Yes and here’s your sign. he told her in a southern drawl.
You ass! She heard his version of a chuckle and then withdraw from their conversation.
That’s another one I owe you, she thought
FROM MICHAEL >> So, 15 chapters out in editing and I’m off to write some more this evening! I thought the comments on the FB group about drinking the big Cokes which included: From Bjorn -“Just give in to your desires. You know you want the Mexican bottle. In can feel it running thought your veins. Drink it and together we can rule the Galaxy!” and from Holly -“Whatever it takes, whatever it takes. Your fans demand it of you…. :)” were hilarious. It doesn’t matter if I have to wear an XXL t-shirt with “Body by Coke” on it just so long as the next book comes out more quickly.
Trust me, I don’t need additional temptation to drink more Coke! (For those that missed it, I admitted to buying the little 8 oz Cokes as a way to help me limit my Coke consumption.)
This Snippets book suggestion comes from a huge F.O.T.S. (Fan of the Series) Lisa Lamb Diggs. Here are her comments!
From Lisa >> I found a new author that may need your assistance. I read his books and I really liked them even though they are a little darker than I like. His name is L. J. Kendall – book “Wild Thing: The Leeth Dossier Vol 1” fans of yours may like the story but I will caution that the story has aspects that I really dislike but is in line with the story being told. As an indie author and self published it kept me engrossed and very few errors that I could see. He has challenged his readers to assist him with corrections and to help out with getting other readers to his books. I know you are trying to help other authors like him so I wanted to bring him to your attention.
Wild Thing (The Leeth Dossier Book 1)
(For a limited time only, at the bargain price of $0.99 for the Kindle edition.)
IN 2036, magic returned to a world which neither needed nor wanted it. Several years later, an unusual young child is acquired by Dr Alex Harmon for his magic research at the Institute for Paranormal Dysfunction. He sets Sara to hunting an imaginary creature, unaware it is both real and far more dangerous than anyone could know.
Sara, too, though, has her own hidden depths.
She’ll need them.
At the Institute she strikes up an unlikely friendship with Godsson, one of the world’s most powerful mages – and an inmate. But when Sara’s unique magic finally unfolds, Dr Harmon discovers the deadly consequences of creating an archetypal Huntress. While from a place far beneath reality, where Godsson helped slay the Enemy of Mankind, some thing, or things, have come hunting. And their first targets are Godsson, and Sara.
SUED FOR PEACE Snippet 04 of xxx
UNEDITED
7 – Days Earlier – Washington, D.C. – USA
It was half an hour past midnight when the President and two of his secret service members walked the distance from the residential wing to the Deep Underground Command Center located adjacent to the West Wing. As they arrived next to a meeting room, two members of his security staff stepped out.
“David, is the other side secured?” He asked the ranking Secret Service agent who just came through the door.
“Yes, I’ve locked the door from the inside and confirmed with both security members on the other door they will be there for the next six hours. There are no personnel authorized to come down from the other entrance.”
“I only need an hour, probably less,” The President told him.
David smiled, “Sir, I doubt you will need more than fifteen minutes. There isn’t anyone who is going to make it through the other doorway, and between myself and Rod here, we swept everything from the other side to this door for everything, organic or electronic. There isn’t any way anyone is going to meet you in there.”
The President pursed his lips, then smiled. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll bet you a dinner I’ll have a meeting.”
David regarded the President for a moment. “Ok, but I want the nicest, best-aged Filet Mignon and a baked potato soaked in butter.” David looked around to make sure the three other Secret Service Agents were listening.
“Agreed,” the President said as he stepped to the door and turned before closing it to look at his men. “Remember, no one enters this door, either, gentlemen.” With that, the President closed the door. Three seconds later, the door opened, and a hand stuck out. Secret Service Agent Mark Tims smiled and put the most recent sports section from the newspaper into the waiting hand. Both the hand and the sports section disappeared and the door shut with a click.
David looked over to Mark, “I give him ten minutes, fifteen on the outside before he admits I’m right.”
Mark looked back then turned to face towards the rest of the room and got into position, “Do you have any idea who he expects to meet?”
“Nope,” David admitted, “Not that it matters. There isn’t any way that someone is going to turn invisible, sneak through the entrance on the other side with our temperature, and movement detectors and bust the lock to get inside that meeting room. Hell will freeze over, first.”
Mark shrugged, “You are probably right. Unless he was meeting the CEO of TQB Enterprises, they probably have some scary techni-shit.”
David snorted, “Like she would want to show up here in the States.”
—
The President sat down in the same chair he had the last time he met this person. That time, like this evening, was off the books, off the record and frankly never happened.
He opened the sports to the second page to see what the latest scores were. He made it to page three when he sensed, rather than heard, someone in the large meeting room with him. He looked up to see her eyeing him, a small smile on her face. She was wearing a pair of dark jeans, a red camisole and a black jacket over it. She didn’t have on any jewelry, but then, she didn’t need any.
The President smiled, “Well, looks like I won the bet.”
“Oh? What bet would that be,” she asked him as she walked over and pulled out the chair on his left to sit facing him.
“Whether I would have a meeting in here or not.” He told her, “Although I’m going to have to play like I lost the bet. At some point, I should throw a fit over how you keep standing me up.” He grinned, “But since these meetings aren’t on the record, how would that work?” The President closed the sports section before asking, “Just curious, how did you get in here?”
Bethany Anne raised an eyebrow, “While it isn’t, say at the level of a national secret, I do have a few important ones.” She grinned, “Maybe someday I’ll take you on a walk that will change your life.”
The President laughed and shook his head, “I’m not sure my wife would like me to take any walk that could change my life. She has told me at least three times every week since I gained office if I decide to run again, she will castrate me, or I’ll be sleeping on the couch for the duration of my time in office.” He sobered, “But if there is a way to get into this area that others can use, I’d be incredibly appreciative if you explained it.”
Bethany Anne shook her head, “There is no way for another person, living; that can enter here using the means I have. Should that change, I will get ahold of you and provide a warning device of some sort to help.”
He shrugged, “Best I’m going to get?” She nodded her answer. “Ok. How about the next item on the agenda. What is this about a real Illuminati?”
Bethany Anne leaned a little forward, “There is an offshoot of the original Illuminati group, a splinter if you will, which was responsible for the attack on our facilities in Colorado and the backpack nuke. They are responsible for many different efforts on our group trying both legal and illegal means to acquire our technology.”
“You know that’s true for damn near any major company in the world and most of the countries, right?” He asked her, wondering how she would answer.
“I’m totally aware of the desires, Mr. President.” Bethany Anne considered how much to share before continuing, “I’m aware of most attacks and plans, most secondary plans and their followups. I’m not trying to upset the world, that is the reason for not using our technology to upset the World’s economies in the first place. However, I’ll not simply stand by and allow attacks to happen. That is not in my nature.”
“A lot of think-tank scientists are trying to figure out what your nature is, exactly.”
“In what way?” She asked.
He paused a moment, “Well, are you human?”
MORE TO COME…
FROM MIKE >> So, I can hear the gnashing of teeth already… DAMN YOU ANDERLE! They say (in my head…it’s these voices, almost like I can hear some of the fans on Amazon and Facebook waiting for the resolution)…the resolution of those who caused the last snippet to occur …But that happens LATER in the book. So, unfortunately I put snippets up in the order of the book, and this book shows it a little out of order (blame the Pepsi)… and the lake of sleep in Vegas due to the beds. I think.
Either way, it’s coming. I joked one time that book 7 should have been named Die…die…die…die…die….and Kneel (instead of Kneel or Die). So far, it doesn’t really look like there is going to be much in the way of kneeling. But, I’m only 1/2 way finished and our death count is only 4 for the enemy right now. I believe it is going to go downhill.
Fast.
So, let’s talk Craig Martelle – An Former-Marine (20+ years), ex-lawyer (business, not criminal…so, no need to hate on him!) big friend of the authors group has a couple of series out. The dude can be righteously funny (a piece of another book I’ve read had me shaking my head…it had to do with dangling participles in Alaska). He gives back to our Indie Author community and is generally just a nice guy. I’m happy to highlight his series that has four books out, with number 5 coming soon so check out this book from Craig and see if you might like it 😉
The Free Trader of Warren Deep (Free Trader Series Book 1)
A Hillcat and his human minions fight to save humanity. Hostile humans and mutant creatures try to keep them from rebuilding society.
Following a civil war on the earth colonized world of Cygnus VII, humanity and its creations rise again. Free Trader Braden and his mindlinked Hillcat determine that their fortune lies to the south, away from what passes for civilization. Braden gathers engineered (mutant) creatures to him for a trip south of the Great Desert where he hopes to find Old Tech that he can trade for untold riches.
The more he learns about the ancients, the more he wants to learn. Along the way, he establishes a new ideal regarding trade and collaboration in an area where trust of strangers is unknown. Braden and his companions find functioning Old Tech that has the potential to change their world for the better or worse, depending on what they decide.
SUED FOR PEACE Snippet 03 of xxx
UNEDITED
Hospet, Karnataka – India
Nikhil Patel stood to the side, watching as the paramedics took the body of one of his researchers out on a stretcher, a white cloth draped over her body.
He had seen her beautiful but dead eyes staring out in anguish on the floor of her lab early this morning. He had rushed to the offices when he got word that the alarms had been tripped.
By Anjali herself, apparently.
Nikhil tried to hold back the tears. Anjali was the devoted wife of a close friend of his. Nikhil had been amazed that Talan had been able to even hold the interest of a woman of her intellect and beauty. Nikhil had asked her about that one time when the three of them were out for drinks. She told him that Talan could make her laugh no matter how bad her day had been.
Now, Nikhil doubted he would be able to stop Talan’s tears, ever.
The police were inside the building, and Nikhil was outside trying to understand the purpose of this attack when he noticed someone pointing up into the sky.
He turned to look up, shading his eyes from the morning sun when he saw small black dots coming down towards them. In a few seconds, he could discern that they were slowing down.
And still coming down right at them.
A few people standing in the parking lot started moving quickly towards the building as they stopped their descent about a hundred feet up and then slowly started to descend onto the parking lot where those people had been standing.
Nikhil’s eyes opened wider when he finally recognized these shapes. These were the famous Pods, the gravitic transportation of Bethany Anne, the CEO of his companies parent company.
The top boss had arrived.
Nikhil unconsciously straightened his jacket as he walked towards the Pods. The first door opened, and a Raven haired beauty and a large white dog got out. She was dressed in black leathers with a jacket that barely concealed her pistols.
She stepped out of the Pod and looked around before all of the Pods but one opened and Nikhil watched as many men and another woman stepped out.
Finally, the last Pod opened, and Nikhil gawked at the biggest man he had ever been near stepped out all in black with many weapons on his body. None of them were concealed. He looked around before offering a hand to the woman inside, and she pulled on his arm to step out.
Nikhil swallowed. Here was his ultimate boss.
He noticed that her people spread out looking for threats and then he found himself inside a circle that included himself and his CEO, who was walking straight at him.
She was wearing a modified suit. The pants were leather, her top some sort of black spandex and he noticed she had pistols on, as well. Covering it up was a nicely tailored dark red jacket.
She held her hand out to him, “Mr. Patel, I’m Bethany Anne.” Nikhil shook her hand, and she turned towards the ambulance, “Is Ms. Anjali inside or in the ambulance?”
“The ambulance, but I’m afraid she was killed.” He told her.
“I know, but I’m going to pay my respects.” She replied. He walked with her as she strode towards the ambulance.
One of the paramedics was about to close the door when he noticed the large group of people coming right at him. He looked around to see if there was another destination before a big black man approached and he stepped back.
The big black guard opened the door for Bethany Anne to step into the ambulance. Nikhil was allowed to step inside with her before her guards blocked anyone from getting closer.
He watched as she reached down to hold the bodies hand through the sheet and pulled the top of the sheet down just enough to see Anjali’s face. He noticed a tear made its way down her face.
Not thinking, Nikhil said into the silence in a near whisper, “She was pregnant, she was going to tell her husband Talan the good news tomorrow when both his and her parents arrived.” He sniffed once and wiped a tear from his own eye, “She loved to read the old stories from other countries, from centuries in our past. If the baby was a boy, she wanted to name him Alexander.” Bethany Anne turned to face him as he finished, “If it was a girl, she would name her Alexandra.”
Nikhil noticed something he would swear was true for the rest of his life.
Her eyes turned red.
She turned back towards Anjali’s body and put her left hand on her forehead, “I swear to you, the sea will run red before I fail to avenge you and your unborn child’s death. Anjali, you have the Queen Bitch’s promise.”
When she looked at Nikhil again, her eyes were normal. “Whatever her salary was Mr. Patel, triple it and create a fund to help children learn to read the classics or whatever they want to read. Name it the Princess Alexandra fund in her unborn daughter’s honor. Then, create another fund and make it ten times her salary and provide monthly payments to her husband.”
She stood up, and Nikhil asked, “Excuse me, but where do you want me to pull the funds to make this happen?”
She turned towards him, vengeance clearly written in her eyes, “For now, from this company. But, I will reimburse it from the accounts of those who stole her life. One way or another. They will pay it all.” With that, she turned away and stepped back out of the ambulance.
—
“She was pregnant, John.” Bethany Anne spoke into the silence inside the Pod. “They fucking killed an unborn child.”
Inside the Pod, where no one in the world could see her unmasked, John Grimes popped the locks on his harness and turned to open his arms as Bethany Anne laid her head against his chest, “A child, John. She never got to tell her own husband. For what?”
He felt her shoulders shake as she cried in muted silence, the two of them flying towards destiny.
—
Ten minutes later, the team was gone. It wasn’t until after they left that he wondered how she was so sure it was a daughter. Two weeks later, he was comforting Talan when Talan happened to mention he was told his wife had been carrying a little girl.
Nikhil felt cold chills run through his body.
>> From Michael – This doesn’t need much setup (as I go into it in the book itself), but here is what I WILL say. Boris is back! Check out the new collaboration between Paul C. Middleton and myself, rocking another short series in the Kurtherian Gambit Universe…A book that reached #1 for Action and Adventure (at least for a little while) and beat Out George R.R. Martin’s shorts ;-).
Evacuation – The Boris Chronicles
The Russian Mercenary known as Boris has always been a conundrum for governments the world over. His visage never changes, his capabilities never understood.
The Russian government gets word he has been killed on a mercenary mission in America, allowing agents to come in and attack the villages Boris has been protecting. Using a fanatical military sub-group in the Russian military, the atrocities start.
The only problem? Boris isn’t dead, and now he has help.
Boris won’t allow his people to go unprotected, and now the Queen Bitch herself has accepted his oath of fealty.
Russia doesn’t have a clue what they have started when this Bear comes back from the Dead.
Get a little more Kurtherian Gambit Universe in your life today by clicking right here!
SUED FOR PEACE – Snippet 02 of xxx
UNEDITED
Space Around Earth
Bethany Anne reviewed to beautiful blue globe beneath her. It was one of the few calming influences to help her ground her emotions.
And TOM, of course.
Bethany Anne, I’m not blocking any emotions. You are handling the residual pain from Michael’s…absence…on your own.
Thank you, TOM. I recognize the aching void, but I can deal with it.
Bethany Anne put her foot up on the little step, made for her, and cupped her chin in her hand and placed her elbow on her leg.
I miss him, TOM, she admitted. Not being able to kill those son-of-a-bitches who desperately needed it was a lot tougher than I thought.
What about Johann?
TOM, what is the first rule of Johann?
That we don’t speak about Johann? TOM replied immediately.
That’s right. We don’t speak about Johann’s specific form of death. To anyone, TOM. That was one individual that wasn’t going to be allowed a painless death.
Is that what Joshua had?
Well, Barnabas took care of that ass. My emotional hands are clean of that one. I didn’t realize Barnabas could place a human into his own nightmare before I tossed him into the Etheric. If I had, I would have had him do it to a lot of people.
Johann?
No, I would have kept him for myself. I just needed to get cleaned up before anyone saw the blood on me.
You ruined another set of clothes.
Worth it.
Bethany Anne and TOM settled into a comfortable silence together before she spoke again.
You know, I understand why Michael put in the strictures. At least with those, you knew the penalties in advance. It also explained why no one wanted to be around him, either.
TOM provided a type of grunt in reply.
>>Bethany Anne, I have an incoming message from Dan Bosse.<<
Switch it to speaker, please.
“Bethany Anne?” Dan’s voice came over the Pod’s speaker, “Are you sitting down?”
“I’m in space, Dan, damned difficult to stand up in a Pod. It’s not like we have a standing version.”
“Yeah, well, you can in the ones we put in the Space Station. But that isn’t why I called.”
“How bad is it?”
“Have you been told?”
“No, but you started with whether I was sitting or not. So, who is it, what are they trying to do, and what do you want to do about it?” she asked him.
“We don’t know who yet, but we have fourteen companies in five different countries that have been attacked, physically broken into by armed forces. We have four casualties including three security guards and one woman in India.”
Bethany Anne’s eyes started glowing red, “Is this the black cabal?”
“No, I doubt it. It’s possible, but I think we have someone bigger.”
“How the hell do you get bigger than those fucks?” She asked, her voice grating into anger.
There was a pause, “Bethany Anne, I think we are being attacked by a nation, this time.”
Bethany Anne switched into Vampiric speed, thinking through the many permutations.
ADAM, find out which companies, run through their video tapes, try to track down their weapons and their operations for anything including numbers on their teams, tactical weapons and gear and what time they went in. Get back to me when you have that information. Also, is there any correlation between the companies?
Dan continued on, not realizing Bethany Anne was already issuing orders to ADAM, “Frank walked in a few minutes ago, he wants to add some stuff. Here he is.”
Bethany Anne could hear Frank clear his voice, “Hey boss, sorry to hear about the attacks. We have a few more items. I’m getting wind of some of the outsourcing companies we are using for materials and manufacturing are getting harassed. I’ve got some in South America and Africa and one in Las Vegas, Nevada.”
“What are they doing?” She asked him.
“I don’t have full details, but at the moment it seems like local crime is doing a protection racket scheme. However, this time, they want both money and the prints for anything they are manufacturing.”
Bethany Anne heard Dan’s voice, “Another vote for nation-state, BA.” Then she heard a female say that the companies lawyer was on the line for Dan, who said he would take the call.
Frank continued, “Well, it would make sense. So, probably a request that is using local assets in the country. They probably pay them to focus their protection on our resources, and give them a spiff or bonus for acquiring technical prints.”
“We need to know who this might be, Frank. Get with Dan and ADAM, I want to know as quickly as we can. Give me the names of those we lost and get with Ecaterina and Cheryl Lynn to provide support to them.”
Frank replied, “Got it, Dan’s back, here he is.”
“Ok, just got off the phone with Jakob Yadav. He has a couple of close friends in the U.N., it seems that some countries are getting pressure from their business groups to refuse to work with us unless we share the technology ‘with the world, for the world.’”
“Any idea who is putting them up to this?” She asked before continuing, “and I don’t believe for a second it’s for the world. Someone is doing a full court press. Could it be the U.S.?”
“I doubt it, the countries that are putting up the requests are either unaligned or have seen a significant amount of investment in the last two to five years from China.”
“Dan, I’m not going to back down. If we are getting attacked by a country, I’ll fight back at the same level. It won’t be my preference, but if I have to go to war, to deliver peace, It will be done.”
“Boss, I’m with you. From a small tarmac in Florida to foreign Galaxies, you got my back, I got yours.”
A small tear escaped Bethany Anne’s eye, “I need the addresses where we lost people, Ashur and Gabrielle’s Team, Dan.” She paused for a moment to look at the beautiful blue ball hanging before her in silence.
“I’m coming down.”
From Michael >> Ok, this book (SUED FOR PEACE) is going to be a little different from my others. Instead of large and varied arcs, we are going to be up close and personal, I think. I say ‘I think’ because I’m about 10,000 words into it, and anything can change.
Like, for instance, me drinking Pepsi. Did you know that Pepsi damn near owns Las Vegas? I can’t get Coke on tap in most of the restaurants and certainly not here in the Palazzo / Venetian area where I’m staying right now. I have to acknowledge that Pepsi has played a good game and provided probably awesome incentives to carry their product IN EVERY DAMNED RESTAURANT.
Those BASTARDS!
So, I’m taking a walk on Ecaterina’s side at the moment and if SUED FOR PEACE is a little off, I’m blaming it on the beverages.
Just saying.
So, one of the ladies (fellow Kurtherian Gambit reader turned writer) in my beta readers group has her own series out. When I did the Readers supporting Military Readers email with 16 books highlighted (See those books on this post here: 16 Awesome Authors Supporting Our Military) she was missing because she went on a mission trip to Uganda. So, I told her to put her book on the sign-up page for the next email.
What I didn’t tell her, was that I would highlight her book in my next snippet. This one right here.
So, shhhhh, if she reads this snippet (instead of writing) she will figure it out 😉
Eclipse of the Warrior: The Interdimensional Saga, Book 1 (The Eclipse Series)
Caught between the forces that be, It’s no place for a human…
Vampires? Fae warriors? Who knew they were real. Somebody must have and they should have let the rest of us know.
While coming out of a movie, I followed agroup of super-hot guys and ended up regretting it. I was pulled into the fightand I don’t know how I did it, but I killed a vampire! Now I’m running for my life.
I’m not supposed to know about their world,being a lowly human and all, but I also shouldn’t have been able to kill a vampire; a ripper is what they call themselves.
Now I have a choice. Well not really. A choice means options and mine are bad or worse. I can die or I can become a hybrid fae. Like I said, not much of a choice, one that sucks actually.
If I choose to become a fae, I have to help them fight the rippers who are kidnapping humans to take back to their planet. Oh, did I mention that they’re all from another dimension? They change humans into hybrid rippers and use them on the front lines of the battle between their two races.
The fae describe them as suicide bombers. Yep. Those are my choices…
Eclipse of the Warrior, the first of the Interdimensional Saga by J.L Hendricks, is a YA sci-fi romance that will have you turning the pages so fast you’ll spin off into another dimension. Clean and humorous with a hint of paranormal and urban fantasy elements this is a story you don’t want to miss!
SUED FOR PEACE – Snippet 01 of xxx
(unedited)
Future
The historian Ahrgri-vactix of the Ristorian Sept looked over his latest entry into his history of the Human Military Power, Queen Bethany Anne. She was a favorite of his, not only was she still alive, but alive long enough that she had made history far into the past, as well as his present.
He was writing up a scene for the issues she had with another world power, but keeping to as much of the truth of the story as he could. Part of his challenge was finding source material to recreate what must have happened on her own planet, so many solar turns in the past.
However, he re-read his most recent entry and decided he liked it.
One of these days, he would have to ask his contact Adam how he knew so much of her history.
He started reading it one more time, and this is what he read.
PLA General Staff Headquarters – Beijing
The Chinese General walked into his meeting room on his way through to the door into his private office. He grasped the handle to open his office door when he suddently stopped He left his right hand on the knob but slowly turned his head back towards the meeting table.
It was black, polished with a high shine and had the symbol for power inlaid in gleaming brass in the center. The table had room for ten to sit around it, with another eight chairs set up around the wall for support personnel.
In the middle of this well protected PLA base, in his own meeting room was a letter. A letter that hadn’t been there when he had left just two hours before.
Certainly not with a sharp knife impaling the letter into the wood between the symbol lines. He let go of the door knob and took the four steps to approach the table. He leaned over to grab the knife.
Which wouldn’t budge.
The General used his left hand for leverage and then pushed and pulled the knife back and forth before he could finally wiggle the knife free. He yanked the knife out and pulled the paper over closer so he could read it.
His lips compressed as he read the words.
“There are two ways to stop my vengeance. You can kill me, or you can sue for peace. But you had better decide soon, or there will be nothing left of your military but machines blackened by fire and people praying for the souls of your dead.”
Sometimes a Quote Needs An Image
backup Readers Helping Readers Third EDITION! Mid Sept, 2016
There is always the next email which might have a book you like. – Michael
The Steel City is in desperate need of a hero.
In Kindle Unlimited.
C.M. Raymond is (apparently) a work of fiction himself, as he hasn’t updated his Author Page (will get right on him to do this!)
Narcel’s enslavers took everything from him: his family, the woman he loves, and his freedom. All he has left is his will to live and a burning hatred for his masters.
In Kindle Unlimited.
Justin Sloan is a video game writer (Game of Thrones; Walking Dead; Michonne, Minecraft: Story Mode), novelist (Allie Strom and the Ring of Solomon; Teddy Bears in Monsterland, Back by Sunrise, Falls of Redemption), podcaster, and screenwriter.
The Toren’s only hope is to navigate through the dangers of the Forest and the Hunters on their heels to safety.
In Kindle Unlimited.
Chrishaun Keller-Hanna writes about monsters, mageira, and general fun times. She’s a former world traveler and currently a host on the Self Publishing Roundtable and Mind da Gap podcasts.
It’s London, but not as you know it. Fae walk the streets, magic rivals technology and a killer is on the loose…
Amy Hopkins is a seven-inch-tall pixie who lives in a toadstool. Her three small minions keep her busy chasing slurns and bandibadgers out of the tiny house and she enjoys getting really, really drunk on dandelion nectar while watching her husband (a very tall gnome) build toadstool extensions and install windows in the surrounding mushrooms.
A Cat and his human minions fight to save humanity.
In Kindle Unlimited.
Craig is a successful author, who has been compared to Andre Norton, David Gemmell, and Larry Niven. He’s taken his more than twenty years of experience in the Marine Corps, his legal education, and his business consulting career to write believable characters living in realistic worlds.
A wannabe private eye with a love of film noir and detective fiction. A rich, attractive femme fatale. A missing husband. A rollicking ride to a dark and daring ending.
Renée Pawlish is the award-winning author of the bestselling Reed Ferguson mystery series, the Dewey Webb mystery series and others.
Renée has been called “a promising new voice to the comic murder mystery genre” and “a powerful storyteller”. Nephilim Genesis of Evil has been compared to Stephen King and Frank Peretti.
Boy and his great-grandma must escape the zombie apocalypse.
E.E. Isherwood has been a storyteller for over 30 years. As a young teen he would create elaborate imaginary worlds as a Dungeon Master for many Dungeons and Dragons adventures. He kept them all in spiral-bound notebooks.
She hunts in the shadows. Killing the monsters of her own race.
In Kindle Unlimited.
I’ve written stories for pleasure since I was in high school. Now that I am fifty years old, I’m going to see if anyone else like my stories.
As a Space Corps agent in the year 2285, Elfrida Goto’s job is to help and protect colonists in space. But when a lethal AI fleet attacks Elfrida’s home base, her mission changes in a hurry. Fighting was never in her job description … but she’ll just have to learn. Fast.
I’m just your average reader who couldn’t find enough great science fiction, so I turned to writing it myself. I live in Tokyo and I spend my days at an office participating, with poorly concealed ambivalence, in the preparations for our planet to be taken over by robots.
Uncovering the secrets concealed below may be the only way for 17-year-old Elaan Woodson to truly be safe from the virus ravaging the world above.
In Kindle Unlimited.
RJ Crayton lives in Maryland with her husband and two children. When she’s not writing, she enjoys eating cupcakes, walking, reading, sewing or watching TV (she’s partial to Star Trek, super hero flicks and gripping dramas).
If she succeeds, she could become far more dangerous than any god – and gods don’t like being challenged.
In Kindle Unlimited.
Heather lives in rural Ontario, Canada raising Summer, Holly, and little Stephen to tell their own stories, cheered on by her biggest fan, her husband Steve.
Sometimes life has a funny way of taking your best-laid plans and turning them on their head.
When Jackson started to see things, that was only the beginning.
In Kindle Unlimited.
Bradford Bates is a full-time author, husband to an incredible wife, and father to three furry rescue dogs
Hunter, Hunted features a tough, spunky heroine, a hot hero, mystery, and adventure.
In Kindle Unlimited.
When Ashley Meira was a little girl, she used to dream about flying with dragons. When she was a teenager, she used to imagine skulking around with vampires.
Urban Fantasy story of Magic and Adventure.
In Kindle Unlimited.
Epic Calling in the The Magi Saga series is a direct result of wanting to continue telling stories I’ve had since a teenager.
Ryan Blackwell thought to escape his magic by burying himself at military college, but things spiral out of control.
When not practicing hobbies which include sailing, constructing medieval armor, and swinging swords at his friends, Kevin McLaughlin can usually be found in his Boston home.
Readers Helping Readers FIRST EDITION! Early July, 2016
There is always the next email which might have a book you like. – Michael
The Steel City is in desperate need of a hero.
In Kindle Unlimited.
C.M. Raymond is (apparently) a work of fiction himself, as he hasn’t updated his Author Page (will get right on him to do this!)
Narcel’s enslavers took everything from him: his family, the woman he loves, and his freedom. All he has left is his will to live and a burning hatred for his masters.
In Kindle Unlimited.
Justin Sloan is a video game writer (Game of Thrones; Walking Dead; Michonne, Minecraft: Story Mode), novelist (Allie Strom and the Ring of Solomon; Teddy Bears in Monsterland, Back by Sunrise, Falls of Redemption), podcaster, and screenwriter.
The Toren’s only hope is to navigate through the dangers of the Forest and the Hunters on their heels to safety.
In Kindle Unlimited.
Chrishaun Keller-Hanna writes about monsters, mageira, and general fun times. She’s a former world traveler and currently a host on the Self Publishing Roundtable and Mind da Gap podcasts.
It’s London, but not as you know it. Fae walk the streets, magic rivals technology and a killer is on the loose…
Amy Hopkins is a seven-inch-tall pixie who lives in a toadstool. Her three small minions keep her busy chasing slurns and bandibadgers out of the tiny house and she enjoys getting really, really drunk on dandelion nectar while watching her husband (a very tall gnome) build toadstool extensions and install windows in the surrounding mushrooms.
A Cat and his human minions fight to save humanity.
In Kindle Unlimited.
Craig is a successful author, who has been compared to Andre Norton, David Gemmell, and Larry Niven. He’s taken his more than twenty years of experience in the Marine Corps, his legal education, and his business consulting career to write believable characters living in realistic worlds.
A wannabe private eye with a love of film noir and detective fiction. A rich, attractive femme fatale. A missing husband. A rollicking ride to a dark and daring ending.
Renée Pawlish is the award-winning author of the bestselling Reed Ferguson mystery series, the Dewey Webb mystery series and others.
Renée has been called “a promising new voice to the comic murder mystery genre” and “a powerful storyteller”. Nephilim Genesis of Evil has been compared to Stephen King and Frank Peretti.
Boy and his great-grandma must escape the zombie apocalypse.
E.E. Isherwood has been a storyteller for over 30 years. As a young teen he would create elaborate imaginary worlds as a Dungeon Master for many Dungeons and Dragons adventures. He kept them all in spiral-bound notebooks.
She hunts in the shadows. Killing the monsters of her own race.
In Kindle Unlimited.
I’ve written stories for pleasure since I was in high school. Now that I am fifty years old, I’m going to see if anyone else like my stories.
As a Space Corps agent in the year 2285, Elfrida Goto’s job is to help and protect colonists in space. But when a lethal AI fleet attacks Elfrida’s home base, her mission changes in a hurry. Fighting was never in her job description … but she’ll just have to learn. Fast.
I’m just your average reader who couldn’t find enough great science fiction, so I turned to writing it myself. I live in Tokyo and I spend my days at an office participating, with poorly concealed ambivalence, in the preparations for our planet to be taken over by robots.
Uncovering the secrets concealed below may be the only way for 17-year-old Elaan Woodson to truly be safe from the virus ravaging the world above.
In Kindle Unlimited.
RJ Crayton lives in Maryland with her husband and two children. When she’s not writing, she enjoys eating cupcakes, walking, reading, sewing or watching TV (she’s partial to Star Trek, super hero flicks and gripping dramas).
If she succeeds, she could become far more dangerous than any god – and gods don’t like being challenged.
In Kindle Unlimited.
Heather lives in rural Ontario, Canada raising Summer, Holly, and little Stephen to tell their own stories, cheered on by her biggest fan, her husband Steve.
Sometimes life has a funny way of taking your best-laid plans and turning them on their head.
When Jackson started to see things, that was only the beginning.
In Kindle Unlimited.
Bradford Bates is a full-time author, husband to an incredible wife, and father to three furry rescue dogs
Hunter, Hunted features a tough, spunky heroine, a hot hero, mystery, and adventure.
In Kindle Unlimited.
When Ashley Meira was a little girl, she used to dream about flying with dragons. When she was a teenager, she used to imagine skulking around with vampires.
Urban Fantasy story of Magic and Adventure.
In Kindle Unlimited.
Epic Calling in the The Magi Saga series is a direct result of wanting to continue telling stories I’ve had since a teenager.
Ryan Blackwell thought to escape his magic by burying himself at military college, but things spiral out of control.
When not practicing hobbies which include sailing, constructing medieval armor, and swinging swords at his friends, Kevin McLaughlin can usually be found in his Boston home.
Wanted: Dead or Alive (Preferably, Drunk)
Just To Be CLEAR – THIS IS A JOKE!
So, I was talking with Author Boyd Craven on FB and was reminded of his effort to ‘kill’ another author in their books (Like I did w/ the street prostitute in Maxwell’s Coffee House in Australia (We Will Build)) – Remember that author? The idea came from Boyd.
Here he is…The bastard!
Snippet FINAL of Release The Dogs of War
Pre-Release version
QBS Polarus – Mid-Atlantic Ocean
Bethany Anne turned toward her suite, “Come on, let’s go to my room.” She grabbed her Coke off of the table as Ashur stood up and followed the two woman into the next suite. Bethany Anne grabbed a coaster from the writing desk to the left of the main door and walked over to her nightstand, dropped the coaster on it, and set her Coke down before getting on her bed.
She looked down at Ashur, who was looking up at her, “Yes, come on up. You better keep your shedding down you four-footed white rug.” Ashur chuffed as he jumped up on her bed and laid down with his head next to her hand and looked up at Bethany Anne, “Yeah.” She lifted her hand so Ashur could move his head underneath it and she dropped it back down to started rubbing Ashur’s ears.
Bethany Anne turned to Tabitha who was staring at the two of them, surprise showing on her face, “What?”
“Do you and Ashur communicate?” Tabitha asked, “I mean. I know he is intelligent, so maybe he just knows a little more than most dogs, but it seems like you two really communicate.”
“What?” Bethany Anne looked down at Ashur, “What kind of female bitches do you like?” Ashur chuffed again, “Seriously?”
“What did he say?” Tabitha asked.
“Well, if I believe this, he said promiscuous ones.” Bethany Anne regarded Ashur further, “You know four-foot, we are going to have to do more testing to see if this is real, or if my mind is playing jokes.” Ashur made a whining sound, “You and me both, needles scare the shit out of me, well they did anyway.” She amended, “I imagine it’s going to be the Pod for you soon.” She rubbed his head hard then reached over and patted him on his side. “Damn, have we been communicating?” She wondered aloud.
Bethany Anne turned to face Tabitha, “Ok, sage of the databases, spill it.”
“Well, you know about the first two attacks on Michael’s house,” she began before Bethany Anne put up a hand.
“Your house now. I get that you don’t want to believe he is gone, but for now, let’s call it your home. I went through this same thing already when he disappeared before. If he should ever make it back, you can give it back to him, ok?” Tabitha nodded her understanding.
“Ok, I told you about the first two attacks. Hirotoshi and Ryu took care of them, and it wasn’t a big deal since they were in charge. This time, I answered the front door, and three guys I encountered were pushy. Something snapped in me, and I left the front door open and told them I didn’t want company, but if they wanted to push it and come in, it would go bad.”
“So, they took you up on your offer. Did they say who they worked for?” Bethany Anne asked.
“No, just that their masters would be there tonight.” Tabitha shrugged, “That was enough to say ‘vampire’ to me. Hirotoshi and Ryu have been kind and only drank from mugs for me. This time, I offered the three men’s necks to the two of them.”
“Did you watch?” Bethany Anne asked.
She made a face, “Yes, I did. I figured if I was in charge of the execution, then I should be willing to witness the deaths.” Tabitha said, “I can’t say I didn’t have a moment in the bathroom re-acquainting myself with lunch, but I felt it needed to be done.” She looked a little green remembering the episode.
“Good, that gives me hope that you have the stomach to do what your anger is driving, Tabitha.” Bethany Anne responded, “As a leader, especially a leader of mine, I expect your best and then I expect you to figure out how to surpass your best. You can’t expect others to do what you can’t do. That means if you decide people need to be killed, you need to be able to kill.”
Tabitha sat quietly, thinking about Bethany Anne’s comments as the woman went on.
“Further, you know all about the intelligence and computers and hacking, and your body is in decent shape, but you are going to have to get into superb condition.”
This time, Tabitha made a small face of disgust. Bethany Anne concealed her humor and continued, “Finally, you will need to learn how to fight and protect yourself. If you don’t, there could be a time when one of those underneath you could use just a little more help. If you can’t do it, they could die, and that is not the kind of leader I allow.”
Bethany Anne watched as the realization of her not wanting to put in the physical effort, and the possible death of one of her guards switched something in her brain, and her lips compressed in determination.
Good girl, you might just make a good leader, she thought.
“Finally, Hirotoshi and Ryu are protecting you under my orders. For you to start taking the fight to others, you will need at least six, perhaps seven. The answer to that I will leave with Akio, and I’ll ask Gabrielle as well.”
“Gabrielle joining me?” Tabitha asked.
“Do you want her to?” Bethany Anne responded.
Tabitha was quiet a moment, “No. I mean, yes I do because it would make me feel more secure. But I would just start relying on her to make everything happen, and I would become the Tabitha I don’t want to be anymore.”
“Which Tabitha is that?” Bethany Anne pushed.
“The weak one.” She replied in a small voice, “The one that wasn’t there to help Michael when he needed it.”
Manufacturing Facility 01 – Asteroid Fields
Jeo came walking towards Bobcat and William, who were both looking at the high ceiling above them, “Pretty impressive, isn’t it!” The two men dropped their gazes and reached out to shake Jeo’s hand, “We used the ideas from the BEAM module for ISS.” He said as he shook both of their hands. “For the Inflatable habitat, the transported compressed air allowed us to fill it up, and the new interlocking modules allow us to lose very little air as people come in and out.”
“I noticed,” Bobcat agreed, “Flying a pod into a double-wide and then spacewalking into the little booth was disconcerting. Hearing the air injected into the tight airlock was a great feeling, let me tell you.”
“Speak for yourself,” William grumped, “You guys need to build a ‘big and tall’ booth,” he growled.
“Shit, lose a few pounds,” Bobcat snickered and popped William in the stomach.
“You think that shit’s funny, just wait until John Grimes has to use it.” William retorted and laughed as he saw Bobcat’s realization, “See! That shit’s not so funny when you wonder what would happen if John got stuck.”
Bobcat looked over to Jeo, “My rotund friend here is right.” Bobcat dodged a playful punch from William, “You are going to have to worry about bigger people. Shit, Scott alone would get stuck because of his shoulders.”
“How many bigger people are there?” Jeo asked. “I mean, I guess I’ve seen the Guards, but …”
“Well, there’s a few of the Guardians that eat a cow for lunch.” William started then shrugged, “A bunch.”
Jeo made a face, “I didn’t want bigger because of the air loss, and another entrance is another potential leak area.”
“I’m sure you will come up with a good solution, I’d recommend roping Adarsh into the mix,” Bobcat allowed. “There is more to him than meets the eye,” He turned towards the main office area and started walking. “I see the gravity measures keep us feeling like we are on earth right now, that’s convenient.” William began to follow.
“And healthy, and a whole lot of other things,” Jeo agreed as he turned to walk with the two men, “We modify the gravity depending on what we want to do, as you would suspect.”
“How is it going on the Angel project?” Bobcat commented, “I’m getting reports via ADAM, but that is a shitload of manufactured parts we are lifting out here for that baby.”
“Hey, we are net positive cash flow.” Jeo responded, “I’ve talked with ADAM as well. The mining processes are netting us a ton of potential income, but getting it into the Earth’s markets without killing the profit options is a little challenging.”
“For whom?” William asked as the men stepped into Jeo’s office and they sat down while Jeo went behind his desk, “ADAM is dealing with that, isn’t he?”
“No,” came a female’s voice from Jeo’s wall. A visual came up of an attractive blond from the waist up, “I am helping Jeo deal with the financial markets.”
“Hello Samantha,” Bobcat answered, “I see you have changed your outfit?”
“I was told to turn into this business avatar for your meeting, yes,” Samantha answered.
Bobcat heard Jeo mutter, “Oh God, no!”
“Well, it’s just the four of us,” Bobcat started before Jeo interrupted him.
“Samantha, please lock all avatar requests down for twelve hours,” Jeo hurriedly instructed.
Samantha turned to Jeo’s location, “I understand the avatar request change, Jeo.”
Bobcat turned towards Jeo, “Why are you so red?” he asked. “You know this isn’t going to work, right?”
Jeo looked back at Bobcat, shocked, “What do you mean this isn’t going to work?” He replied, suddenly more nervous.
William chuckled, “Jeo, Bethany Anne has a handful of people in the group she trusts with her life. There are also people in her group who she trusts to make sure other lives are protected, and Bobcat is at the top. Do you think she would let anyone block Bobcat out of a system?”
“But…but…,” Jeo looked between the two of them, “I’ve made changes to Samantha’s programming.”
“I’m sure you have,” Bobcat agreed, “And every one of them, all changes, in fact, that are made to anything even remotely intelligent go through one of ADAM’s systems.” He shrugged, “So, change her back.”
Jeo looked embarrassed but spoke to the avatar, “Samantha, please change back to your avatar from this morning.”
“I’m sorry Jeo, but I am blocked from accepting avatar changes for another eleven hours and fifty-eight minutes.” The avatar replied.
Jeo looked over to Bobcat and shrugged, “I tried?” He asked.
“I’ll bet,” Bobcat snorted before turning to Samantha. “Samantha, implement this mornings avatar representation per Bobcat vocal approval and Level Five security code Delta Delta Kilo Gamma Three Two.”
Samantha looked towards Bobcat, “I have an approval on Level Five approval Delta Delta Kilo Gamma Three Two. Implementing pre-existing G4 Avatar.”
Samantha switched to an incredibly life-like representation of Gabrielle in black leather with a sword on her back. Her voice even switched over to having a European accent, “Is there anything else you would like me to do, Bobcat?”
“God, now I know why he did it,” William whispered to Bobcat, who nodded his agreement.
Bobcat viewed the avatar for another few seconds before turning back, “Jeo, do you know why I made Samantha switch back?”
“So I could be horribly embarrassed?” He replied, his hand covering his eyes with his fingers split so he could see between them.
“No, so you don’t get an ass kicking from Gabrielle and then from Bethany Anne among others.” He pointed to the avatar, “I’m guessing you are infatuated with Gabrielle, and you think this harmless, however, what you should be thinking is ‘this is creepy’.”
“Creepy? No, I don’t think it’s creepy. So, I’m going to have to go with harmless.” Jeo started before William interrupted his conversation.
“Samantha,” William spoke, “What can you do for me?”
“What would you like me to do for you, William?” Samantha spoke back.
Bobcat pointed to the avatar, “Seriously?”
Jeo was studying the avatar, “Well, to be fair I don’t ’think’ it’s Gabrielle, and I need something.”
“Yeah, you aren’t getting it yet.” Bobcat replied and turned to the wall, “Samantha, Implement Dobby G1.” The avatar on the wall changed to represent a submissive elf slave, in old clothes with a large nose and brown, mottled skin.
“Harry Potter?” Jeo asked, shocked, “You changed my avatar to Harry Potter’s elf?”
“Well,” Bobcat asked, sweeping an arm up to the wall, “Isn’t this what it does for you?”
“Well, of course not!” Jeo exclaimed, “Samantha is not a slave who does … does…,” Jeo stopped for a moment then asked the Avatar, “Samantha, what can you do for me?”
The voice came back as the elf in the movie had, very respectful and full of self-loathing and yet helpful at the same time, “Whatever my master would have me do, Jeo! Please, tell Samantha what you would have me do so I can please you.”
William said into the silence, “If Gabrielle ever learned that there was a virtual Gabrielle, who spoke even remotely like that, she would have your testicles pinned on a wall. That’s if someone who respected Gabrielle didn’t come here first and just cut everything off. Those guys don’t fuck around.”
Jeo nodded his understanding, “Samantha, delete all avatars G1 through G7,” He looked over to Bobcat and flushed again, “In fact, delete all avatars except S1 through S17.”
“I have deleted all avatars in the system, my master.” Samantha/Dobby said.
“Yes,” William agreed, “That other would have gotten you killed,” William assured Jeo.
“You’re intelligent and smart,” Bobcat said, “But you’re also young, dumb and way too far away from most women. Of the avatars you created, Gabrielle and Bethany Anne will be here in the future. Bethany Anne might, just might, have found it foolish but a little funny. I guaran-damn-tee you that the Bitches would not. So, be a little smarter about what you need to do to make your job happen and be very respectful because ADAM is always watching.”
Bobcat exhaled loudly, “Now that we have that bit out of the way, tell me more about Bethany Anne’s ship and how soon we can get it ready with all of the components we are shipping over here.”
QBS Polarus – Mid-Atlantic Ocean
“So,” Bethany Anne asked, “You feel that somehow you are to blame for Michael’s death?”
“He’s not dead,” Tabitha replied a little more strength in her voice.
“Perhaps not,” Bethany Anne agreed, “But perhaps he is. Either way, he isn’t with us, is he?”
“No,” Tabitha agreed.
“So, you are blaming yourself for his absence?” She asked, a second time. Tabitha nodded her head, “And are you blaming me for asking him to go to Colorado to protect the children?”
“No!” Tabitha looked over to Bethany Anne in alarm, “You can’t possibly be in two places at one time and he wanted to help you. It’s just,” Tabitha slumped in her chair, “It’s just that I should have known what was going on. I’ve tracked down some of the players, and they met in South America! Fucking Costa Rica. If I could have found that out, then we would have stopped them cold.”
“We can’t look into everything,” Bethany Anne told Tabitha, in a calm voice, “Even ADAM can’t be in every computer casting about for clues to all the evil in the world.”
Don’t give me any lip, ADAM.
>>I wasn’t going to reply to that comment, Bethany Anne. To accomplish what you ask would give me a headache.<<
“Ok, I understand the logic, but when does the hurting stop?” Tabitha asked.
“When you begin to live life again. For you, I imagine it started when you invited the three thugs into your home to accept their fates.” Bethany Anne replied.
Tabitha thought about it, “Maybe. I’ve been doing something instead of just existing since I made that decision.”
“Do you still want to take the fight to the Forsaken?” Bethany Anne asked.
“Not only the Forsaken, but there are a few other people that need some cleaning up.” Tabitha said, “Some politicians who are not happy with what Michael was doing with Anton’s money.”
“So, we have politicians doing what?” Bethany Anne asked.
“You name it, and we have it in South America,” Tabitha said, dryly. “South America, Central America, and North America.”
“You know, I need to house some reporters and their protection detail, do you have enough room?” Bethany Anne asked.
“Who and how many?” Tabitha asked, “I’m sure I can do it for you. Hell, I meant what I said. You are my Queen, and I will get it done. If we need to build an additional house or buy something. Just tell me what you need accomplished.” Tabitha commented, squaring her shoulders to try and mimic how Gabrielle acted.
“Well, it will be two reporters, a videographer, and two Australian Vampires that proved themselves in the base attack. I’ve changed their nanites to allow them to be out in the sun, but I’m keeping them away from Australia and the reporters need protecting.”
“So, say eight in my group and five in theirs? The house can easily hold that many. Probably more like twenty to twenty-five if they are a little friendly. All of the Elites are sun-safe, right? They don’t need SPF1000 sunscreen?”
Bethany Anne snorted, “SPF1000? No. They are all ‘sun-safe’.
“Hey!” Tabitha jerked upright, “Did you know that all of the Elite aren’t gay?”
Bethany Anne turned her head a little in question, “Yes. Why is that a shock to you?”
“Well, um… I didn’t.” Tabitha admitted, “And so when I got off the phone with you I started undressing and since I thought they were all gay,” Her face flamed red.
“You undressed how much in front of Hirotoshi and Ryu?” Bethany Anne asked.
“Well, not so much when I left as I walked out with nothing but these leather pants on. Then I put my bra and shirt on right in front of them. They didn’t move.” Tabitha stopped and shook her head back and forth a little.
“Well, they moved even less than their usual statue-selves, as if that were a thing.” She continued, “But I noticed just a little bit of facial expression and asked them and they said they weren’t gay.”
“They spoke to you?” Bethany Anne asked.
“Well, they have before, but no. They just shook their head a little when I asked if the Elite were all gay.”
“So, you asked two men to whom you had just flashed your tits if all of the Elite were gay, and they said ‘no.’ Do I have this right?” Bethany Anne asked, smiling.
“Well, yeah,” Tabitha replied, confused.
“But you didn’t think to ask the two in front of you, who had just had an eyeful of Tabitha’s chest if they happened to be gay?” Bethany Anne continued.
“Well, no.” Tabitha made a face, “So I don’t know if they are gay or not.”
“Why does this matter?” Bethany Anne asked.
“I don’t want to be flashing straight guys!” Tabitha roared with alarm to Bethany Anne.
“Tabitha, these men have been around for a long, long time. Assuming they are straight, I imagine they have had their fill of nice racks. Plus, they are the Elite. You could go walking around naked, and you wouldn’t get a rise out of them. NOT,” Bethany Anne put up a finger, “that I want you to test that!”
“I wouldn’t do that!” Tabitha exclaimed, “Oh my God. Walking around naked in front of all the men?”
“If you are on an Op, you might have to change clothes all of the time in front of them, but what’s on the Op, stays on the Op. It’s just another thing you are going to have to learn to get over. But just walking around the house nude is disrespectful whether they are gay or straight.” Bethany Anne finished.
“I’m still trying to get over you telling me not to test getting a rise out of them,” Tabitha responded.
“After my talk with the women a few minutes ago?” Bethany Anne replied, “I’m not sure what I should expect.”
Bethany Anne shook her head as if to shake out a thought that had lodged disobediently between her ears. She got up off of the bed, grabbed her Coke and started walking for the door, “Ok, this is what we are going to need to do before you are allowed to move forward.”
The two ladies left her suite, with Ashur following behind.
Two hours later, Tabitha had sworn allegiance to Bethany Anne with Stephen vouching for her determination and Barnabas confirming she understood the details. Bethany Anne grabbed Ashur, and the three of them walked Etherically to the spaceship still stationed above the earth.
Ashur dropped on the floor in the main hallway as the two women stepped through the door into the medical room.
“Wow,” Tabitha said as she took in the medical pod, “This is it, then?” She walked over to stroke the coffin-like device. “This is what changed Michael so many centuries ago?” She looked up to Bethany Anne, who was studying her, “And you?”
“Yes,” Bethany Anne answered, “And it is going to modify your body a little. Not too much, in the beginning, just getting you prepared with a nanite mix that is going to see what it might need to fix in the future, and perhaps correct a few issues.”
“Um, like what?” Tabitha’s eyes grew a little larger.
“I have no idea,” Bethany Anne replied, “you will have to go into the pod for us to figure that out.”
Tabitha looked back at the pod, “What do I do?”
Bethany Anne clicked a button that lowered a seat from the wall, “Well, you start by placing your clothes here, and I’ll prep the pod. Then, you will lay down, and the pod will close over you. You will go to sleep and wake up when finished.”
“How long were you in it?” Tabitha asked as she slowly pulled off her shoes.
“Somewhere between six and seven months.” Bethany Anne answered while she focused on the Pod controls and what TOM was telling her to do.
“Six or seven…” Tabitha murmured before squaring her shoulders and started working more aggressively on her shoes. She removed her socks and dropped them into the shoes and then took off and folded her shirt and pants, and finally her panties and bra before standing up behind Bethany Anne.
“Kinda cold here,” she admitted.
“What?” Bethany Anne said and turned around to notice the naked Tabitha behind her, “Oh. Here,” she hit a button to open the pod, “jump on in and your cold issue will go away.”
Tabitha noticed a small step, so she placed a foot there and used it to step up and sit on the bed and swing her legs in and then laid down. “Why is my cold issue going to go away?” She asked as the pod closed on her.
“Because,” Bethany Anne said, “I’m about to hit this last button,” she said as she hit the button to start the medical review and Tabitha’s eyes closed. “And you are going to go to sleep like that,” she finished.
Do we have everything going correctly?
Yes, we do.
Great, we will let her cook in here for a couple of hours and come back.
“Ashur?” Bethany Anne spoke as she walked out of the room.
THE BOOK IS WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RELEASE 😉
THE WORLDS FIRST BOOK ENEWSLETTER GIVING KINDLE PAPERWHITES TO READERS FORWARD DEPLOYED IN OUR MILITARY.
FROM MICHAEL >> Something has been on my heart to help. Not just Indie Authors (which still need discoverability), but also Forward Deployed Active Service Military personnel. I’ve figured out a way to do just that, but I need your help, your love of reading can help give away Kindle Paperwhite 3G’s to those serving AND help Indie Authors – but I need you to get behind this if I’m to give away more than (2) (The first on July 4th).
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