Constellation: Nightlife: Constellation, #3

By A.F. Michaels

In the near future, the Magnus family has built its fortunes on revolutionary starship technology, and the patriarch Thomas Magnus plans to escalate his power by running for president. But his arch enemy Alder Cloven has chosen this moment to launch a conspiracy to destroy the Magnus clan. Meanwhile, one daughter struggles to find her place as her addictions spiral out of control while the other falls in love with the son of her family's worst enemy, and the ambitions of their mother leads her to betrayal. 

Episode Three: The Magnus sisters go out on the town, and Thomas begins his campaign for president. But the mystery of Khanya's death is drawing them all deeper into a conspiracy. Download the third episode of this epic series today. 

Constellation is an ongoing series that will be released in five episode installments of 20,000 words each. 

This book contains strong language, violence, and adult situations. Reader discretion is advised.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Platypus Publishing
• Release date: Dec 22, 2015
• ISBN: 9781519943811

Book preview

1.

––––––––

HELENA MAGNUS sat in her bedroom, trying to think what to say to her best friend. After a few minutes, she gave up and said, UBI, call Ruth Davis.

The face of her best friend appeared in a screen on her wall, an icon of Ruth's face wearing oversized sunglasses from her last vacation to the Bahamas. After a few seconds, the real Ruth's face snapped into view. She glared at the camera. Can I help you?

Ruth, I just wanted to say I'm sorry—

Save it. I'm not interested in making you feel better about yourself. You and your husband just screwed my family, and you know it.

Ruth, seriously, I want you to understand. We didn't do this to hurt you. It's just politics. It doesn't have to be personal.

Ruth leaned closer. But you made it personal. You were my best friend.

I'm still your best friend. What goes on between our husbands has nothing to do with us.

Ruth shook her head. Honey, I wish that was true. But you just showed me a side of yourself I didn't know was there. You showed me you're so desperate for power that you'll step on your friends to do it. Don't call me again. UBI, disconnect.

Ruth's screen vanished from the wall.

For a moment, Helena had to consider her words. She knew she hadn't meant to hurt the Davises, but she knew she had. She could have tried harder to stop Thomas from running. But the reality was, Helena did want to win. She wanted to see her husband achieve his dreams. And the thought of becoming First Lady did thrill her. In the end, nothing meant more to her than her own family. Apparently, not even friendship.

Helena slowly got up and walked out of the bedroom into the living room. Thomas sat in one of the two matching chairs in the living room, right where she had left him. He watched a Congressional hearing on tax reform on one half of the screen with the kind of rapt attention she would give to a romantic comedy.

As she settled into the armchair next to Thomas, he asked, How'd it go?

She picked up her knitting needles and yarn, and continued knitting a scarf, a hobby she had picked up while traveling through the European Union. Even worse than I expected.

And that was pretty bad.

Yes, it was. But I don't blame her.

Thomas shot her a glare. I do. Just because we're friends with the governor doesn't mean we're forbidden to enter politics.

It's the timing. I told you to wait until the next election cycle, just as a favor to her.

I'm not getting any younger, Helena. I have to work towards the future of this family, not anyone else's.

She sighed as she waved a hand to fill up her half of the wall with the latest headlines from GNN;  a controversial tax bill on the floor of the Republic of Neptune, a hurricane causing the evacuation of the island of Grenada, and a school teacher arrested for using digital avatars to produce child pornography.

She decided they needed to address the elephant in the room. She set down her knitting. Tom, do you really think the bodyguards are necessary?

Thomas sighed, and turned away from the hearing. His eyes turned to hers, gentle but firm. Sweetie, I just want to protect them.

Well, how long do you plan on keeping them?

He shrugged. Not long. Maybe a month or so, and see what happens.

She shook her head. Well, I admit they seem very capable. I just hope they don't need them.

Helena's side of the wall lit up with new text. She had an alert on UBI to notify her whenever a new article appeared online with Alder Cloven's name mentioned. The system had come up with a match. She swept her hand, causing the article to open.

Oh my God, she whispered. Tom, I think you need to see this.

She swiped to the right, causing the article to dominate the wall. It opened a video, which began to play automatically.

The video showed Alder Cloven standing behind a podium with his wife Tiffany next to him. Both of them had broad smiles on their faces as Alder spoke. Thank you for coming on such short notice, ladies and gentlemen. I know it's late, but I brought you all here today to make an important announcement, perhaps one of the most important announcements I've ever made since the day I said I do to this lovely creature beside me. I have been deeply troubled by recent events. I'm tired of watching this country fall apart. The economy hasn't recovered from the CyberWars, crime is running rampant in the real and digital world, US jobs are being outsourced to other planets, and the fat cats in Washington are just standing idly by doing nothing about it. I can start making changes. Today, I announce my candidacy for president of the United States of America.

As Thomas slowly rose to his feet, his face grew pale. No.

Helena looked up at him. Isn't that a coincidence?

He shook his head. It's not a coincidence. Not only is he announcing his candidacy the day before I was scheduled to, he just used my announcement speech. Word-for-word.

How is that possible?

I told you he was in my office this morning. I knew there was a reason he was there. Somehow, he got access to my information. Thomas clenched his fists. And he's going to be my competition.

He got up and charged out of the room.

* * *

Thomas rushed into his office, seething with rage. He knew Alder had come to his office for some reason, and now he knew what it had been. But Thomas had military-grade security on his UBI connection at the office. He