"No James, here, let me show you how it's done." Henry lined up his golf ball on the tee and pulled back the club. It hit the ball with a thwack. The ball flew up and over the green rolling turf. It landed after a couple descending bounces."It's a little bit different watching you do it than actually swinging the club," Jack said."That may be true, but a lot of deals are done on the golf course. You need to be able to keep up with these guys. So, put your back into it and hit that ball."Jack set the next ball down on the tee."There now relax, bend down, then pull back and just think like you're tossing the ball out into the great unknown.""That just sounds so easy," Jack mumbled."Don't get terse. Just hit the thing."Jack swung back the club, lined up the shot, and then whacked it hard. Turf and the tee flew. The ball actually flew this time, but only about a meter and to the left.Henry tilted his head to the side. "Well, at least it's an improvement. I think you just ne
Jack fought off the biggest feeling of deja vu he had ever had. He stood with grips, Politions, and consultants milling around him underneath the stage of the International Congress Combouya. This was his big debate, the final one before the election. He nervously twisted his ring about his finger as he fought a bout of nausea.Alexandra put a hand on his arm. "You don't look well."Henry squeezed his other shoulder with a hand. "Just remember your talking points and smile. It's almost your turn."They led him to the line of candidates taking the spiral staircase upward. They released him and at the same time both said, "Good luck.""We're counting on you to win this," Henry added.Jack smiled back at them through gritted teeth. He followed the candidate ahead of him one step at a time until it opened up on the stage. The circular stage was surrounded at its edge with podiums. He smiled and waved from his podium while the others sat their spouses in the first row of seating before
Jack woke in his own king-sized bed with a nasty hangover. The pink-haired woman and redhead lay naked across the bed. He realized he was unclothed as well and quickly donned a bathrobe. The night was a blur in his mind. He was pretty sure they had slipped something in his drink. He'd remembered seeing Henry and Alexandra in some compromising positions. He wished he could burn those memories out of his mind.At one point, he remembered fending off Alexandra and had instead picked the lesser of the two evils. He ended up sleeping with these two girls instead. He wasn't proud, nor happy about it, but it was better than sleeping with a woman that looked like the woman he loved.He showered the sweat and other dried fluids off of him, wanting to scrape the stench of the previous night away. He slipped out of the bathroom. The two women still lay passed out on his bed. He went to the kitchen where his cook sat grilling up a meal. To his surprise, Alexandra and Henry sat at the table drink
The crowd was smaller than when Henry was elected and there was no big throne to cart Jack around when the final results were announced, but it was still exciting and loud. They sat at tables in his mansion with live coverage plastered all around the walls in the room behind the foyer and the outdoor pool area just on the other side.When the announcement finally hit, Jack couldn't help but be excited. The air buzzed with it. The roar of the crowd surged through him. Deep down he still felt lonely, but on the surface he drank in the praise and tried to fill the emptiness. Henry sat to his right and Zeven to the left. They were the first ones to pull him into a hug. Alexandra was next. She held him a little longer than he felt comfortable."Congratulations," she purred in his ear over the noise."Thank you," he pushed away from the hug and went to shake some hands with the campaign team. His team had been much smaller than that of Henry's, but many of them were the same people.Afte
Jack turned another page of the bill in front of him with a flick of his fingers. He blinked his eyes tight to try and relieve the strain from the screen, then rubbed at them when that failed. His cuff buzzed. He twisted it to read the message.It was a text from Dyna that read "Dinner tonight?"Jack frowned. He had been trying to do his best to stay away from her as Henry suggested, but it was hard coming up with excuses to dodge her invitations. He let the message sit while he continued reading through the bill.Most of the bills trying to get passed were vetoed just because they were so complex that most of the Representatives didn't feel comfortable passing them. For instance, this one would allow a human to purchase health care from a hybrid company, but it also allowed pods to use more power, let corporations lower wages, and let insurance companies increase minimum deductions. So, for one good thing that could be had, numerous bad things would get passed along with it. The Re
"I really don't like you seeing her," Henry grumbled.Jack stood with his hands on his hips in Henry's office. "I don't really think you get a choice in the matter. Besides, aren't you always telling me to network?""Yes, but she's a wild card.""A very rich wild card. I thought you were okay with this?""I never said I was okay with it. I said I would have to make some changes with it." Henry sat back in his chair."Well then make your changes. Put me down for two for the Christmas party tonight.""Why do I have to put you down for it? She's hosting it, isn't she?""I don't want someone to see that as an opening to fill.""Fine." Henry gave a violent flick and Jack assumed the change had been made. "But I want you to be careful. If you let her get too close..." His eyes ran to Jack's ears and he felt like Henry was looking right into him. Jack brushed the notion away."Don't worry. I will make sure it doesn't affect my work."Henry looked as if he would say something else, b
Jack opened his eyes. The biome he stood in was covered in snow. The last time he had seen snow was the first time he held Alex in his arms overnight. That pang hit his stomach again. He fixed his frown into a smile and looked at the scene. Lights hung across the top arch. Trees dotted the open area lit in colorful lights and sparkling garland. People milled about in coats and hats as they headed toward a giant glasshouse. It was truly a winter wonderland, but all Jack could do was think of the base where he had left Alex."Do you like it?" Dyna asked.Jack smiled. "Of course I do.""Have you ever seen snow before?"Jack thought it an odd question but then realized that most people in the Undersea hadn't. He shook his head."It's great. You can make snowmen out of it and throw snowballs, just like they do in the movies.""Really?" Jack did his best to fake interest."You've seen this before, haven't you?""Not this one. Show me.""You're a hard one to surprise." She grabbed hi
"Come on, you can do it!" Alex held Brooke's hand as she breathed hard.Tom held her other hand. "Come on, honey. One more big push."Brooke's grunts turned to a guttural scream as she pushed hard. The nurse caught the baby as it slid free. Crying filled the room as the newborn was shocked with sudden brightness from the overhead lights."It's a healthy baby girl," the nurse said and set the baby down on Brooke's stomach. "Would you like to do the honors?"Tom accepted the special scissors and clamped the umbilical cord."Let me get her all cleaned up for you. I'll be right back." The nurse took the newborn and disappeared behind the curtain."Good job! She's beautiful," Alex said and squeezed Brooke's hand.Brooke's brow beaded with sweat. Her nightgown was soaked through, but even so, she glowed. Tom glowed, too, for that matter. She'd never seen him look so happy. She knew she had made the right decision all that time ago.When the nurse returned, she gave the newborn over t