Read Online Shepherd Moon: Omegaverse: Volume 1 by G.R. Cooper - Free Book Online Page A

blow up an orphanage or something.”
     
    After making his goodbyes, Duncan checked the status of his auction. Nothing new. He pulled the helmet off, put it on the table in front of his couch, then peeled off the haptic gloves and put them inside of the helmet. Then he lay back on the couch, twisted, brought his legs up and stretched out. Staring at the ceiling, but not really seeing the ancient wood beams or exposed ductwork, he began thinking about the day.
    His friends had been right. The immersion was amazing. Especially space flight. Looking around at the stars had taken his breath away. He imagined that once he controlled the ship, instead of just being along for the ride as he’d been in that last mission, he’d really feel like he was piloting a ship through space.
    Duncan willed the auction to be a success. He began to think through the options for the ship he wanted to buy. He configured it and reconfigured it in his mind, trying to think through the options best suited for the plan. At some point, he fell asleep.
     
    He woke, confused. At first he didn’t know where he was or why he woke. He looked. He was on the couch. That solved half the problem. He heard a knock on the door; presumed that solved the second half.
    “Yeah,” he groaned. Louder, “Come in.”
    His couch was against the wall next to the door, and he lay with his feet away from the door. He strained his neck, lifted his chin and looked toward the door as it opened. Anna came through.
    “Sunday brunchday!” she said, then “Did you sleep on the couch?”
    “Yeah.” He sat, rubbing his eyes. “Did we have a date?”
    “Nope!” she said cheerfully, “But I crashed at a friends place downtown last night. Also, I want a mimosa. Also also, you owe me brunch!” She sat, next to him, slipped out of her garish pink plastic flip flops, and folded her legs beneath her.
    “There are at least two things wrong with that,” he said.
    Her eyes rose in mock innocence, “What?”
    “First, you want many more than ‘ a mimosa.’ ’
    She laughed.
    “Second, how do you figure that I owe you brunch? I’m not sure the accounting of our history balances in that direction.”
    She shrugged, kissed him on the cheek.
    “I’m sure there is some karmic imbalance that puts you in my debt.”
    “I see, I see,” he said. “Let me go put on a clean shirt and I’ll try to bring equilibrium to the universe.” He got up, headed toward the bedroom, “How’s the weather?”
    “Perfect! Warm, sunny, breezy,” she said. “Perfect.”
    He opened his closet, pulled off yesterday’s shirt, and grabbed a TShirt. Pulling it on, he dropped out of his jeans, then pulled on a pair of shorts that lay, crumpled, on the floor. He stepped into a pair of flip-flops and walked out of the bedroom. Anna had moved to the bathroom, and was slathering toothpaste onto her finger. She shoved it into her mouth.
    “I’ve got an extra toothbrush,” he said, picking up his own and taking the toothpaste from her. He squeezed out a dollop and began brushing.
    “That’s ok,” she mumbled, then spit into the sink. “This will do.”
    He spit, rinsed and replaced his brush. She kissed him quickly.
    “See? Bad breath all gone!” she laughed. She danced out of the bathroom.
    “Mimosas! Now!” she sang out.
    “All right, all right.” He grabbed his wallet, keys and phone, and opened the front door for her. She sashayed out, smiling coyly, then laughed at herself. He followed, closed and locked his door, then trailed her through the door on the opposite side of the hallway, which lead to the fire exit that crawled down the outside, back of his building.
     
    They reached the bottom of the stairs, then walked the sidewalk between the building and the railroad tracks. At the end of the building, they turned right onto 4th street and walked under the railroad bridge toward the restaurant filled pedestrian mall, two blocks away. Anna moved into Duncan’s right side, away