The Impossible Future: Complete set by Frank Kennedy (mini ebook reader .txt) 📕

‘I feel the Lord!’” He wiped away her tears as they puddled. “You’re the most beautiful chick in this crazy-ass world. From now on, we fight together. We win or we die together. You good with that?”

“Fight? Oh, yeah. I am definitely ready to fight. We’ll never have peace until we kill him.”

They rarely said their former friend’s name in each other’s presence anymore, but Michael heard the fury under her breath, loud and clear. She was as tired of waiting for the Guard to end this madness as he.

“I know you’ve had a long trip, and there’s a shitload we have to talk about but …”

“What is it, sweetie?”

“We may have some hope in that fight of ours. I need to introduce somebody. Could be the ally we’ve been looking for, and turns out, he’s practically a neighbor.”

Michael took her hand and led her to the awaiting company. The man with the white streak in his hair bowed his head as they approached, as if greeting royalty. Smooth, Michael thought.

“Sam, I’d like to introduce you to …”

“Finnegan Moss,” she said, her eyes wide and suspicious.

“You remember,” Finnegan said, extending a hand. “The security conference at the GPM. Four months ago.”

“I remember Pat telling me about you and …” She caught herself. After an awkward silence, “She said you were not known as being approachable, so I didn’t approach.”

“I heard wonderful things about your Chief. My deepest condolences. She was a warrior to the end.”

“And killed while she was helpless, for no cudfrucking reason.”

Michael locked eyes with Finnegan. Had he made a mistake introducing them so soon? Finnegan allayed his fears.

“There’s always a reason, Samantha. We’ll find it. When we do, we’ll use it against these killers and wipe them from the universe.”

Michael saw the surprise in her double take. She turned to him.

“How did you two meet?”

“Long story, babe.”

“A life-changing moment,” Finnegan said.

Sam tugged at Michael’s hand. “Whatever. If you can help us kill James Bouchet, come to dinner. Let’s talk about war.”

14

Pynn compound

Boston Prefecture

 

M ICHAEL MADE THE MISTAKE OF THINKING Sam would be exhausted after the trip. On the contrary, she returned home with a bottomless to-do list plus a fixation on attainable goals and the action steps for achieving them.

During the short flight on Moss’s personal Scram, she caught up on how Finnegan came into Michael’s orbit and the Solomons’ new alliance with his Presidium. Details about the Entilles incident were sparse, which relieved Michael. She insisted on being briefed on their intended steps, interjecting her concerns and how she planned to pressure her own Presidium’s allies. She intended to plan another security conference at the Great Plains Metroplex and expected Finnegan to share the intel from his deep-space surveillance teams.

All business, Michael thought as he watched Sam in action. She wasn’t the peacekeeper of her childhood dreams, but she struck Michael as a defeated general looking for a quick counterattack. Was she trying to channel Pat? How much fuel did she have in reserve?

They returned to her family compound without Moss, who needed to examine “vital” new intel before joining them for dinner. He surprised Michael by so readily accepting Sam’s invitation. During the past week, he always sent an uplift to deliver Michael to the Moss compound. Finnegan seemed more at ease as his sycophants and servants orbited around him.

Sam kept the conversation moving so quickly while returning home that she never said a word about the attack – or what happened before and after. If no one else noticed, Michael did.

Michael couldn’t put it off. After Sam finished making arrangements for the twins, who were expected in a few days, they retired to their master suite for a change into evening clothes. Sam tore off her bodysuit, insisting it be incinerated, and changed into a sequined, violet sari. She poured a glass of wine for herself and a healthy dose of jubriska for Michael.

He was shirtless when she handed him the liquor. He took a long drink and felt the warm comfort settle his nerves. They set their glasses aside and wrapped themselves in each other.

Moments without words followed. Eyes lost in passionate embraces. Lips wandering, hands caressing, tongues twisting.

Michael whispered. “Damn, just when I think I can’t love you any more … come to bed.”

“We will,” she said. “Later. Our guest will be here soon.”

“We got time, babe. A little exercise won’t hurt. Get my speed?”

She buried her lips in him. “You’re a gorgeous man. You know that, right?”

He showed off a massive bicep. “Hey, just doing my thing. Got to please my woman.”

“You don’t have to please me, sweetie. Just knowing you’re here, it keeps me going.”

“Then let’s do one better. Hop in the sack, have an appetizer.”

“Later. I promise.”

She pulled away and refilled her glass. “Another?”

Rock hard and disappointed, Michael nodded. He hoped another jubriska would encourage his penis to relax.

They sat on the edge of the bed and drank in silence.

“So, if we’re not gonna get laid,” he said, “maybe there’s some shit we need to talk about. I can see it in your eyes, Sam. We got to talk about what happened.”

“Do we? Now?”

“Yep. See, you think you’re smart, but you ain’t fooling me. What happened up there changed you. I knew it soon as I kissed you at Hinton. You’re making all these lists, and scheduling these meetings, and you’re gonna have everybody running around in circles. Long as you’re doing that, you keep the rest of it bottled up.”

She nodded with certainty. “Sure am. That’s what any good Chancellor does – stay on task, shove the emotions away, and never show a lick of fear.” She looked around the magnificent suite. “And I’m one of the richest Chancellors