Read Online Shadow Force 1: the Garden Planet by J.R. O'Neill - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: J.R. O'Neill
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do you think?”
I sat stunned for a moment, as the anger built. “Max that’s the worst most degrading plan I have ever heard! If you think I’m letting Sara or Izzy for that matter take the kind of risks, or be put through the degradation that your plan would surely cause, you’re as sick as Mohammed and his bunch. Do you think these people buy sight unseen, untried! For the love of God, Max what’s the matter with you?”
“I’m in.” Sara said, while looking frail and pale. “There are certainly details to work out, but I too have come to the same conclusion. This mission cannot fail for any reason, least of all personal suffering, the future of the entire galaxy may well depend on our success.”
“I am also in.” Izzy added. “Although that should be obvious or I would not be here, for much the same reasons as Sara’s.”
“Well I am not in!” I said. “This plan dies right now, that’s an order!”
“Jon, we don’t take orders from you.” Sara replied.” We’re on this mission as partners, volunteers. We work together but no one gives orders.”
“You’re all crazy! I’ll give you one hour to change your minds or I’m taking my ship back to Macdill and we’ll let big Ed decide. I’ll be in my cabin when you come to your senses!”
I was standing in the shower, trying to wash away the fear that was turning my insides into an acid factory. It wasn’t fear for me, well maybe it was. But not fear of physical pain, more a fear of mental anguish. There was no way I could again live through what I did when Susan was murdered. It had taken many long and lonely years for me to love again. Something I had only known for sure when Max suggested his asinine plan. Well, actually the plan is not asinine my falling in love was asinine. The plan no doubt was probably our only chance of pulling off the job at hand. We had to get all the deactivation code bearers on Earth at the same time according to Max’s intelligence report. It was just the physical presence, not willingness that would be required to disarm the device.
Still I couldn't balance the scale in my head. In one cup is the future of the galaxy, in the other is Sara... the woman I love. A woman who for all I know has no interest in me, yet when I look at the scale, that one woman outweighs an entire galaxy...
“Jon!” I heard Sara yell.
“Just a minute.” I said. Great! They must have come up with a new plan I thought as I hurriedly threw on a clean flight suit. “Hi.” I greeted her, feeling like a schoolboy on his first date.
“Hi, yourself.” she replied, looking more beautiful than ever. “Are you okay? You look a little flushed.”
“Yeah I’m fine; I just took a hot shower that’s all.” I lied. Inside I was anything but fine. In fact I felt like wrapping my arms around her, telling her that I loved her that I would take care of her, protect and cherish her for the rest of her life. In fact I knew I would. Would she reciprocate? I had no way of knowing. Still I sent up a silent prayer.
“So what have you come up with?”
“We have a solid plan, but we now need you to contribute rather than fight us at every turn so our esteemed leader, lead!”
“Esteemed leader? I thought we were all equals in this?”
“And equals we are, it’s just that you are the master at playing con games. That is what has made you such a success as a bounty hunter. So now we need the details of the con.”
“You’re not going to let me out of this, are you?”
“Not for a minute.” Sara replied with a smile.
“I’ll agree, as long as you agree to not do anything that could jeopardize your safety.”
“Okay I’ll agree to that, but only I can judge what that means.”
I knew I was defeated, so plan I would, I thought as Sara led the way to the bridge.
On arrival my first thought was how lucky I was to be teamed up with this group. My second was how I would use them to accomplish the job assigned. All business now, I
I sat stunned for a moment, as the anger built. “Max that’s the worst most degrading plan I have ever heard! If you think I’m letting Sara or Izzy for that matter take the kind of risks, or be put through the degradation that your plan would surely cause, you’re as sick as Mohammed and his bunch. Do you think these people buy sight unseen, untried! For the love of God, Max what’s the matter with you?”
“I’m in.” Sara said, while looking frail and pale. “There are certainly details to work out, but I too have come to the same conclusion. This mission cannot fail for any reason, least of all personal suffering, the future of the entire galaxy may well depend on our success.”
“I am also in.” Izzy added. “Although that should be obvious or I would not be here, for much the same reasons as Sara’s.”
“Well I am not in!” I said. “This plan dies right now, that’s an order!”
“Jon, we don’t take orders from you.” Sara replied.” We’re on this mission as partners, volunteers. We work together but no one gives orders.”
“You’re all crazy! I’ll give you one hour to change your minds or I’m taking my ship back to Macdill and we’ll let big Ed decide. I’ll be in my cabin when you come to your senses!”
I was standing in the shower, trying to wash away the fear that was turning my insides into an acid factory. It wasn’t fear for me, well maybe it was. But not fear of physical pain, more a fear of mental anguish. There was no way I could again live through what I did when Susan was murdered. It had taken many long and lonely years for me to love again. Something I had only known for sure when Max suggested his asinine plan. Well, actually the plan is not asinine my falling in love was asinine. The plan no doubt was probably our only chance of pulling off the job at hand. We had to get all the deactivation code bearers on Earth at the same time according to Max’s intelligence report. It was just the physical presence, not willingness that would be required to disarm the device.
Still I couldn't balance the scale in my head. In one cup is the future of the galaxy, in the other is Sara... the woman I love. A woman who for all I know has no interest in me, yet when I look at the scale, that one woman outweighs an entire galaxy...
“Jon!” I heard Sara yell.
“Just a minute.” I said. Great! They must have come up with a new plan I thought as I hurriedly threw on a clean flight suit. “Hi.” I greeted her, feeling like a schoolboy on his first date.
“Hi, yourself.” she replied, looking more beautiful than ever. “Are you okay? You look a little flushed.”
“Yeah I’m fine; I just took a hot shower that’s all.” I lied. Inside I was anything but fine. In fact I felt like wrapping my arms around her, telling her that I loved her that I would take care of her, protect and cherish her for the rest of her life. In fact I knew I would. Would she reciprocate? I had no way of knowing. Still I sent up a silent prayer.
“So what have you come up with?”
“We have a solid plan, but we now need you to contribute rather than fight us at every turn so our esteemed leader, lead!”
“Esteemed leader? I thought we were all equals in this?”
“And equals we are, it’s just that you are the master at playing con games. That is what has made you such a success as a bounty hunter. So now we need the details of the con.”
“You’re not going to let me out of this, are you?”
“Not for a minute.” Sara replied with a smile.
“I’ll agree, as long as you agree to not do anything that could jeopardize your safety.”
“Okay I’ll agree to that, but only I can judge what that means.”
I knew I was defeated, so plan I would, I thought as Sara led the way to the bridge.
On arrival my first thought was how lucky I was to be teamed up with this group. My second was how I would use them to accomplish the job assigned. All business now, I
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