Read An Armageddon Duology for Free Online

to his head. “This is going to explode.”
    Yi Ling felt her stomach churn.
    After a silent moment, the old man replaced his glasses and patted her on the back. “This is incredible work. I’m going straight to Richards with this, getting this off my plate as fast as possible. We’ll see how the bigwigs are going to handle it. I need you to prepare a presentation. I’m going to put you as point. This is going to bring in all the agencies and spooks. Governments are going to freak out, especially the US. We’re looking at a game-changer here.”
    The slight Asian woman trembled with excitement. “Yes, sir. Immediately.”
    The old man stared grimly forward. “You might just have uncovered the biggest financial cybercrime in history.”

6
    Formative Years
    “ J en , what the hell is your son doing at my computer?”
    The black hair of a young boy popped up from behind a monitor, his eyes wide behind oversized glasses. Several books were positioned around him on the desk, and his hand clutched a computer mouse in an iron grip.
    A red-faced man stood in the doorway to the home office, his teeth bared, high-end casual clothing draping an athletic form. A woman rushed past him into the room, placing herself between the boy and the man, hands up as if to ward off a blow.
    “Now, Richard, he just wanted to try some programming. It’s for his class presentation.” She smiled wildly. “His will be so much better than all the other children’s! He’s a genius, you know!”
    “A genius. Am I hearing this right?” He stepped into the room deliberately. The woman’s smile faded. “Your second-grade brat is fucking up my workstation for a goddamned school project? I have trades on that machine, client information, our taxes! Important documents! Where do you think all this comes from, lady?” He gestured dramatically around the room. “Your nice clothes? Your car? That bitch therapist? Or those ritzy lunches you have with your girlfriends?”
    Her shoulders slumped and she backed away from him. ‘Richard, it’s only—”
    “How many times have we talked about this? I don’t know what his father let him get away with, but the little prince has got to learn the rules around here! My desk and my things are off limits! They're not toys! Do you understand that, kid?”
    “He is doing serious work, Richard!” The wild smile returned. “See? He wants to be like you. He’s got your books out and he’s learning to write those programs like you do! I’m so proud of him!”
    “So you’re defending him in spite of what I just said?”
    “Yes?” she said, her face falling.
    Richard lurched forward, left arm whipping across his body to backhand Jenny across the face. Her head snapped back with a crunch, and she dropped to the ground, catching herself on her palms.
    “Mom!” The boy leapt up from the chair, then froze. Without turning his face away from his mother, his wide eyes darted toward the broad shape in the middle of the room. He began to shake.
    Richard stared down at the crumpled form of the woman, drops of blood falling to the floor from the back of her hand, the overturned palm already filled like a bowl with a thick, crimson fluid. The anger drained from his face.
    “Fuck!” he said, turning to the boy. “This is your fault, you know, you little brat. I don’t want to see you touching anything of mine again without my permission, or I’ll beat the shit out of you, too.” He spun and stormed out of the room. “I won’t be back till late. Try to clean that mess up.”
    There was a jangle of keys and then a door slam. The house fell silent.
    “Mom,” said the boy again, moving away from the desk. His hands reached out hesitantly toward her.
    “No, no!” she said loudly, keeping her face angled away from him, her voice distorted, mouth full. “It’s okay, pooh-bear. Don’t come closer. Mommy’s okay.”
    “Mom, your nose—”
    The woman tried to stand, swayed and steadied herself on a chair