Page 47 of Centurion

“Dad would be relieved. At least then, he’d know where you were at all times,” David said as he walked into the room. “I have libations.” He handed Gabby a drink and then put the tray down and fished another ice cube from the ice maker. His wife loved her wine cold. He placed it into Anna’s wine glass and handed it to her, taking a kiss for his effort.

“Why the sudden change of heart?” He turned to look at his daughter.

Gabby drew a deep breath. “It was pointed out to me that I hesitate to take the shot. Not all the time, but it’s true, I want to make absolutely sure.” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and seemed to search for the right words. “I’ve been thinking about that and some other things with a new perspective, or rather a shift in how I look at life, my life specifically. It’s time I started living the life I want to lead instead of the life I think everyone else needs me to lead.”

Anna caught her breath. “Gabby,” she whispered. That was all she’d ever wanted for her daughter, and it had been the one thing Gabby couldn’t seem to do.

“Don’t cry, Mom.” Gabby shook her head. “I’ll walk out the door.”

David picked up his drink and put his arm around her, and Anna leaned into him. “To Gabby. May she find happiness in any direction she chooses to go as long as it’s the way she chooses for herself.”

Anna watched as Gabby’s eyes teared up. “Thank you, Daddy.” She took a sip of her drink.

Anna glanced up at her husband and, for a second, could have sworn he was misting up. But then again, it could have been her.

“Is that fresh bread I smell?” David went over to the oven. “Oh, you do spoil me.”

Anna chuckled and replied, “Of course, I do. It’s my job.”

“What do you think you’d like to do at Guardian?” He glanced at his daughter as he asked the question. Gabby blinked and snapped her gaze to Anna, who took a sip of her properly cooled wine. She winked at her daughter and caught the blush that rose to her cheeks. As Gabby and David talked, she relaxed. Anna took another sip and silently thanked the stars above her daughter and husband had seemed to find common ground. Hopefully, the tug and pull between them would lessen. She smiled as she turned to finish getting the meal together.

CHAPTER 19

Jason King looked at his family as they sat around the conference table. “What do we have?”

Jewell answered first. She was on the computer screen and one of two who was not physically present. “Cyrus and I have gone over satellite images. With the declared builds in Russia, I don’t think people were looking for more launch sites. We found five possible launch locations: two on the east side of Russia, two on the Latvia border, and one on the border of China to the south. All of these sites have been built within the last six to nine months.”

“So, only five missiles?” Fury asked from the other screen. “What are the targets?”

“From what we’re getting from the book Con has outlined, there should be ten targets. The east and west coasts of the United States. One over Europe, which incidentally, to our scientists’ calculations, would take out Eastern Russia, including the capital city. One over Australia, one over the Middle East, and one over the capital of China. There’s mention of future strikes as needed.” Jacob read the information before looking up. “A massive electromagnetic pulse from high-altitude nuclearexplosions in these locations would wipe out electronic systems almost worldwide.”

“Yeah, not only that, but taking out the electronic systems would cause an immediate power outage, all digital transactions would be halted, and an event like this would plunge the global economy into one hell of a mess,” Jewell added.

“And the schematics?” Jason asked.

“Are legitimate,” Tori answered. “I’ve been working with the CIA and scientific community. They’ve stated if these platforms are made and launched on missiles, they’re capable of launching a nuclear payload and detonating it in a high-atmosphere release.”

Archangel typed something as he asked, “What about smaller explosions? The necessity for massive explosions limits the players, and as you said, with that type of detonation, the Russian capital would be taken out. What happens if the strikes are smaller?”

He saw a lot of frowns and scurrying going on. “Got it,” Tori said and looked across the table at him. “From a smaller detonation, the results could be a shower of high-energy electrons that, when on the ground, can take out electronic systems, but as far as size, think the city, not a nation.”

“The cities targeted, according to the book, are New York, Tokyo, London, Singapore, and Hong Kong,” Jewell said.

“All financial hubs,” Fury said. “Abrasha is planning on taking out the financial hubs? But to what end?”

“That is what we need to find out. Jewell, all this goes to Saint via Con.”

“I’m feeling usurped.” Jewell chuckled.

“Nobody is better than you, Button.” Fury’s voice softened as he talked to his sister.

“Aww … remind me to send you some chocolate,” Jewell said as she typed.

“Alpha. I need ten teams. Two teams to each site inside Russia.”

Tori leaned forward. “That could be considered an act of aggression.”

“Not if they don’t know we’re there,” Fury made the counterpoint.

---