Read Vatican Assassin for Free Online Page A
Authors: Mike Luoma
enemy! They’re the enemy! And you’re letting them win!”
Edwards just stares at McEntyre, eyes dead and emotionless.
“C’mon, Marc,” McEntyre pleads again. Edwards calls out to his com.
“Security.”
“Shit. You’re letting them win, Marc,” McEntyre stares at Edwards but points at BC as he turns to go. “You’re selling out Luna, Marc. You’re betraying Meredith and all she stood for.”
An LSC guard enters the office.
“Take Mr. McEntyre to the infirmary and see that one of the meds gives him a sedative so he can sleep tonight. He’s taking his wife’s death very hard,” Edwards says to the guard. Then he turns to McEntyre, “I’m sorry, Daniel. We can discuss this tomorrow. Please?”
McEntyre turns and storms out, the guard on his heels. The other LSC reenters with the requested reports.
What was her name? Nita something or other. Benzyne or something. Bendix! She’s cute. Looks like trouble. I like that. Good trouble.
She tries to both stand at attention in front of Edwards desk and look behind her at the departing commotion .
“Officer Bendix, you’ll pull a muscle if you twist yourself around any more than that.” Edwards says.
BC smiles at her.
She blushes a little as she turns to entirely face Edwards.
“Sorry, sir. Here are the latest reports on the UIN ships, their disposition and their current position. Commander Cushman said to tell you they’ve stopped advancing and are holding position just beyond our more sensitive scanner’s range.”
Edwards takes the report from the LSC and looks it over. He dismisses her with a wave.
“Thanks. Get the door, would you?”
She turns, gives BC a little nod, and leaves, shutting the door behind her. Edwards looks again at the report.
“I don’t know. Maybe they’re not here to do anything but establish a presence...”
“A rather threatening presence, don’t you think? And maybe they’re just waiting to see how you’ll react, governor.”
“Maybe. Hey, look, Father, I’m sorry about Daniel. He’s not himself, what with everything and all. I’m sure he’ll calm down with what the meds give him. I hope it calms him down. I’ve never seen him like that. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, really. He’s just lost his wife. It’s natural for him to lash out in his anger and his pain. The McEntyre’s weren’t catholic?”
“No.” Edwards gives a nervous chuckle, “hmph, as you’ve no doubt figured out by now, we won’t be asking you to do the funeral tomorrow. They’re agnostic. She was agnostic, I mean. He still is, I suppose, but, never mind, I’m babbling. It’s been one hell of a day, if you’ll excuse the “h” word, Father. Let’s hope those ships stay put so we can at least get some rest tonight.”
“I’m afraid I won’t rest too well with them hanging out there waiting to pounce. I’ve been in places the UIN have attacked. I know what they can do. They can be merciless, Mr. Edwards. I don’t think I’ll rest too well with them out there.”
“Sorry, Father. I’ll let you know if there’s any change. And I want you to know, I do appreciate your input about their tactics. But I’ve also learned not to trust either side in this war. You both have your blinders on. And, Father, if I may?”
“What?”
“All that stuff McEntyre was saying about you... was any of it true?”
“Huh. Well, sort of. It was pretty distorted. He may as well have blamed you for killing his wife so you could become governor, then called you a two-bit security hack with no right to govern the moon.”
“Hey!”
“It’s the same sort of distortion, see? I make no secret of the fact I come from the streets. I wasn’t a traditional ‘priest’. I did the Lord’s work in my own way, with a small independent church that joined in the reunification, thereby making me a priest, as all we men and woman of God in each different variation of the faith came to be called. As for the rest, I work for the public
Edwards just stares at McEntyre, eyes dead and emotionless.
“C’mon, Marc,” McEntyre pleads again. Edwards calls out to his com.
“Security.”
“Shit. You’re letting them win, Marc,” McEntyre stares at Edwards but points at BC as he turns to go. “You’re selling out Luna, Marc. You’re betraying Meredith and all she stood for.”
An LSC guard enters the office.
“Take Mr. McEntyre to the infirmary and see that one of the meds gives him a sedative so he can sleep tonight. He’s taking his wife’s death very hard,” Edwards says to the guard. Then he turns to McEntyre, “I’m sorry, Daniel. We can discuss this tomorrow. Please?”
McEntyre turns and storms out, the guard on his heels. The other LSC reenters with the requested reports.
What was her name? Nita something or other. Benzyne or something. Bendix! She’s cute. Looks like trouble. I like that. Good trouble.
She tries to both stand at attention in front of Edwards desk and look behind her at the departing commotion .
“Officer Bendix, you’ll pull a muscle if you twist yourself around any more than that.” Edwards says.
BC smiles at her.
She blushes a little as she turns to entirely face Edwards.
“Sorry, sir. Here are the latest reports on the UIN ships, their disposition and their current position. Commander Cushman said to tell you they’ve stopped advancing and are holding position just beyond our more sensitive scanner’s range.”
Edwards takes the report from the LSC and looks it over. He dismisses her with a wave.
“Thanks. Get the door, would you?”
She turns, gives BC a little nod, and leaves, shutting the door behind her. Edwards looks again at the report.
“I don’t know. Maybe they’re not here to do anything but establish a presence...”
“A rather threatening presence, don’t you think? And maybe they’re just waiting to see how you’ll react, governor.”
“Maybe. Hey, look, Father, I’m sorry about Daniel. He’s not himself, what with everything and all. I’m sure he’ll calm down with what the meds give him. I hope it calms him down. I’ve never seen him like that. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, really. He’s just lost his wife. It’s natural for him to lash out in his anger and his pain. The McEntyre’s weren’t catholic?”
“No.” Edwards gives a nervous chuckle, “hmph, as you’ve no doubt figured out by now, we won’t be asking you to do the funeral tomorrow. They’re agnostic. She was agnostic, I mean. He still is, I suppose, but, never mind, I’m babbling. It’s been one hell of a day, if you’ll excuse the “h” word, Father. Let’s hope those ships stay put so we can at least get some rest tonight.”
“I’m afraid I won’t rest too well with them hanging out there waiting to pounce. I’ve been in places the UIN have attacked. I know what they can do. They can be merciless, Mr. Edwards. I don’t think I’ll rest too well with them out there.”
“Sorry, Father. I’ll let you know if there’s any change. And I want you to know, I do appreciate your input about their tactics. But I’ve also learned not to trust either side in this war. You both have your blinders on. And, Father, if I may?”
“What?”
“All that stuff McEntyre was saying about you... was any of it true?”
“Huh. Well, sort of. It was pretty distorted. He may as well have blamed you for killing his wife so you could become governor, then called you a two-bit security hack with no right to govern the moon.”
“Hey!”
“It’s the same sort of distortion, see? I make no secret of the fact I come from the streets. I wasn’t a traditional ‘priest’. I did the Lord’s work in my own way, with a small independent church that joined in the reunification, thereby making me a priest, as all we men and woman of God in each different variation of the faith came to be called. As for the rest, I work for the public