Read Galilee Rising for Free Online

get to the office by seven, meetings, meetings, meetings usually until eight unless I have a gala or party, which is once every two weeks on average. I spend most weekends at the office, and the rest of my free time is devoted to my side project. I haven't been sailing in weeks. Hell, I don't even have time for a quickie. No cute doctors for me.
    I arrive at the mansion at eight after a grueling two hour marketing meeting to find my bland food waiting in the kitchen. Dobbs must have gone to bed early. I scarf the food down right at the counter before going into the living room. A lot of wasted days spent in here watching movies or playing video games with my best friend. Now I just come in here for access to Doris. Tonight is no different. I open the fireplace and step in. The sound of typing echoes up the ramp. Someone's down there. My stomach clenches with fear, and I stop walking. The smart part of my brain knows who it is but the irrational side runs through all the scenarios. Robbers, a villain, even a ghost are possible. Yeah, I'm being ridiculous. I continue down, and sure enough a familiar purple costumed man furiously types on the computer. His back is to me, and if he notices my presence he doesn't let on. "Hello," I say.
    He stops typing but doesn't turn around. "Hello," he says before clacking away again.
    "Did Dobbs let you in?"
    Nightingale doesn't answer for a few seconds, then says, "No."
    "I don't know if I'm really comfortable with you guys popping over whenever you damn well please, especially if I'm not home."
    More silence, then, "Sorry."
    I roll my eyes. Obviously not a conversationalist. "But you're going to do it anyway, aren't you?" I ask, walking over.
    "Yes."
    I wheel the spare computer chair to his side. He glances at me, then back to the monitor with what looks like an essay on it. "What are you doing?" I ask as I sit.
    He quickly looks again. "Updating."
    "I have a guy for that." Lizard, great hacker, lousy hygiene.
    "I'm better."
    I raise an eyebrow. "Finally. A complete sentence. We're making progress." The hero doesn't smile. "So, what have you done to my Doris?"
    "I, uh, uploaded the latest facial and speech recognition software, got it access to the Defense Department's mainframe, and currently am adding additional information to the known criminal files from our old system in Independence."
    "What about The Sims ? Can you put that on there too?" I ask with a smile, which is not returned. Okay, I'm trying but he isn't giving me an inch. Fine. "So, how long are you going to be? I need the computer."
    "Why?"
    "To download porn," I say defensively. "None of your business."
    "I have already reviewed the log, recordings, footage, and reports for the day." He glances at me again. "You are very thorough."
    I'm very pissed is what I am. "You went through my files?"
    "Some. We knew generally who the major criminals in the city were, but we'll review the complete files. I, or one of the others, will come every day to view the day's footage."
    "So, in other words, you're cutting me out of the loop," I spit out.
    "We may need you in emergency situations, but…we're here now. This isn't your burden anymore."
    "My burden ? Helping my city and keeping people safe isn't a burden. Is that what you consider it?"
    The hero hangs his head, I hope from shame. "I-I didn't mean it like that. Of course it isn't. I-I-I just assumed after what transpired last year, and all your sacrifices then and since, you'd desire to be as far from this sort of thing as possible."
    "What thing?"
    "Violence. Danger. Supers."
    "Well, you're being in my house every day kind of makes that hard, huh?" I point out.
    "We will go out of our way to make sure nobody links us together. Measures have already been taken. Perhaps it would be best if you frequented this room as little as possible so as to limit our interactions."
    I fold my arms across my chest. "Now you're telling me where I can and can't go in my own house?"
    "No! No, of