by C. C. Bolick
“Do you know anything about this disaster?”
“A man from Golvern wanted to cause a war on Earth and destroy this planet. He held me hostage on an island, but he’s not a threat anymore.”
“Regina,” came a familiar voice.
“Mama?” I sat up and pulled the sheet to my chin.
Her shape took form a few feet from the end of the bed.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“You need to get out of bed and get dressed. The meeting will start soon.”
Travis sat up and looked straight at her. “Good morning, Rosanna.”
I turned to him in shock. “You can see her?”
He nodded. “When I was in the coma, she visited me in my head. I guess that’s why I can see her now.”
“That’s crazy. I thought with my power I was the only one who could see her.”
“Looks like we have something in common.” He bent down to kiss me.
Mama cleared her throat. “I thought you were a nice boy.”
Travis pulled away, leaving me breathless. “I was until you reminded me I’m an agent. I kept my cool, stayed alive, and found a way back to Rena without my powers thanks to you.”
“You can thank me later. Donald’s stepping off the elevator as we speak.”
* * * * *
Dad didn’t say a word about Travis being in my room. He waited in the hall as we got dressed and led us to the large conference room where Sylvia always held her morning meetings.
The lobby outside the conference room held dozens of people. Agents in black, Sylvia, Senator McCall, along with several people in hunter green uniforms. One person stood out from the crowd, a woman in a sapphire blue dress that seemed to flow and shimmer with a mind of its own. Because of the number of people, her long train was arranged pooled around her feet. A silver crown sat atop her head with glittering stones.
This had to be Van’s queen.
Several people in green uniforms stood close to her. Tyler stood to her left and a man I’d never seen to her right. Charlene stood a few feet away, gun close at her side. Was this the same gun she shot me with?
Charlene wore the same green uniform. With a shake of her head, I got a better look at the man she talked with, who stood behind her. He wore a solid black outfit similar to what Van had worn. A few steps more and I realized this man had a face like Travis and the same hair but older. Everything except the green eyes.
I leaned close to Travis. “Is that?”
“My father. I haven’t had a chance to tell you the story yet, but that’s him.”
“I don’t think you’ll have the chance now,” I said. “Sylvia told me about this meeting for a trade agreement. She said be ready for anything.”
He gripped my hand. “Whatever you hear, everything I did was to get back to you.”
“I haven’t heard anything and you’re already apologizing? That doesn’t sound good,” I teased. Nothing was intruding on the happiness I felt with Travis.
Near the entrance to the conference room, Dad stopped next to Sylvia and Senator McCall. She looked my way and moved to the center of the crowd.
“If everyone will move inside and take a seat, we’ll begin.”
Before anyone could move, Van appeared next to her. In his outstretched hands was a laser. Several agents drew their guns as he walked toward Travis’s father. Sylvia watched but didn’t reach for her weapon.
My stomach churned. Van had threatened to kill Travis’s dad if he ever found him. Would he pull the trigger now?
Travis jumped in Van’s path and held up his hands. “You want to kill him, right? This was all a setup. Getting me without my powers so I can’t stop you.”
“He didn’t take your powers,” Travis’s dad said.
I shivered. Even his voice reminded me of Travis.
Van moved forward and Travis reached for the laser. His dad pushed Travis out of the way. “This isn’t your fight. Never stand between me and a laser.”
“I have my orders,” Van said.
“Your queen ordered you to kill him?” Travis yelled.
I put a hand on Van’s arm. “You don’t want to do this. I saw how you struggled with this order.”
Van shrugged my hand away, his focus entirely on Travis as he gripped the laser. His voice filled with emotion. “She would if it meant saving lives. If killing one person will save your planet, don’t you think it’s a worthy trade, even if the decision seems impossible?”
“Killing is killing,” Travis said. “There’s always another way.”
“Not this time. I’m sorry.” Van turned the laser toward me and fired.
I watched in horror as the red beam surrounded me. For the briefest of seconds, my body hummed and my skin felt as if it was ripped from my bones.
Then darkness.
* * * * *
Travis
I watched, rigid with shock, as the red beam hit Rena and her body disintegrated before my eyes.
In agony, I fell to my knees.
Rena was gone.
Cries of anger and shock came from around the room, along with the rustle of more guns being drawn. Agents held guns in the faces of guards in green, who in return aimed their lasers at agents.
I threw my hands over my face and yelled, “Rosanna.” She appeared at my side, her ghost image flickering like a fading light.
“Where is she?” I asked, not caring if the entire room thought I’d lost my mind. Dad put a hand on my shoulder, but I shoved him away.
Rosanna disappeared.
In front of me, Van still held the laser. I wanted to jump up and tear him apart. My knees felt like they were glued to the floor. The shock was too new, too raw.
Instead of him, I focused on the person taking shape beside where Rena had stood. “Is she…?” Unable to say the word, my throat clenched.
“Yes,” Rosanna said. “But she’s still with us. It will take time for Regina to communicate. She’s still in shock.”
“Where is she?” I asked.
“In the darkness.”
The queen appeared beside me and knelt. “I’ve lived this nightmare a thousand times. A disaster with only one point of convergence—two orbs of light in the darkness. We needed Rena free to reach her full potential.”
“Free?” I wanted to choke the queen, but my hands wouldn’t move. “You did this on purpose?”
“In twenty-four hours, both of our planets will be destroyed.” Tears filled her eyes. “A star will explode. Rena and her mother are the only ones with the power to save us all.”
Save. Us. All.
But not her.
They killed Rena to save our planet and theirs. We had twenty-four hours to save billions of lives. It was the type of work this agency was built for.
But not me. If anyone expected me to play nice from this moment on, they were fooling themselves. They could save the world. My agent days were over.
In less than twenty-four hours, my powers would return. Then I would show the queen what forgiveness would cost her.
* * * * *
Please look for Fear Tomorrow in April of 2020.
* * * * *
If you enjoyed this book, please tell a friend. Also, please consider leaving a review on Amazon and Goodreads. It would mean a great deal to me. Thanks in advance.
Here are my links – feel free to reach out anytime!
Website:
https://www.ccbolick.com
Sign up for a free book!
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/CCBolick
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ccbolick
Check out my other books on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/C-C-Bolick/e/B01LZLRR5G
Acknowledgements
Thanks to:
Everyone who has read this book. Please feel free to contact me anytime with your feedback since I love to hear from readers. And please take a moment to leave an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads.
I do read these and I appreciate the time and effort that goes into each one of them.
The people who read my stories in pieces and offer suggestions: Larry, Barbara, Cindy, Robin, Jennifer, and Pete. I’m thrilled to be part of this great circle of writers.
Christie for pointing out the issues I didn’t see and for looking after Travis. He’s a great guy and I’m glad someone has his back.
Fiona for another wonderful cover I love.
My family for encouraging me to do what I love and not having me committed. I’ve got to live in the story to make it real and sometimes they’re baffled at how that works.
About the Author
C.C. Bolick grew up in south Alabama, where she’s happy to still reside. She’s an engineer by day and a writer by night—too bad she could never do one without the other.
Camping, fishing… she loves the outdoors and the warm Alabama weather. For years she thought up stories to write and finally started putting them on paper back in 2006. If you hear her talking with no one to answer, don’t think she’s crazy. Since talking through her stories works best, a library is her worst place to write… even though it’s her favorite!
C.C. loves to mix sci-fi and paranormal—throw in a little romance and adventure and you’ve got her kind of story. She’s written a dozen books including the Leftover Girl series, The Agency series, and The Fear Chronicles.
Please visit her website at www.ccbolick.com for updates on future releases.
