Storms: Gemini Series, #2

By Don McAuley

Dr Carla Richards is an astrophysicist striving to impress in a male world. Approached by the government to conduct a covert operation, she sees a speedy route for promotion. 

Her search reveals more than expected. A government secret they’ll do anything to protect. A secret connected to the past, but is effecting the future. A secret connected to the increasingly violent weather threatening to destroy the world. 

Storms is the second short story of the Gemini series and reveals an unexpected ally for Dr Richards in the race to avert the approaching catastrophe. An ally who knows what actually happened on the moon years ago. 

To fully enjoy the Gemini series, they should be read in the following order: 
Moon 
Storms 
Ancient 
Pyramid 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Don McAuley
• Release date: Jul 20, 2016
• ISBN: 9781536587869

Book preview

STORMS

Gemini Series – Book 2

1

By

DON McAULEY

Cover Design by http://www.StunningBookCovers.com

Copyright © 2015 DON McAULEY

Published By: DON McAULEY

Table of Contents

Title Page

Front Matter

Connect with Don

Book Description

STORMS - The Book

Further Books

About Don

No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places and events are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. In other words, nothing is to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

© 2015 DON McAULEY

All rights reserved.

Published by: DON McAULEY

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Book Description

Dr Carla Richards is an astrophysicist striving to impress in a male world. Approached by the government to conduct a covert operation, she sees a speedy route for promotion.

Her search reveals more than expected. A government secret they’ll do anything to protect. A secret connected to the past, but is effecting the future. A secret connected to the increasingly violent weather threatening to destroy the world.

Storms is the second short story of the Gemini series and reveals an unexpected ally for Dr Richards in the race to avert the approaching catastrophe. An ally who knows what actually happened on the moon years ago.

STORMS

Two hundred miles above Earth, the Space Shuttle Poseidon went quiet.

Soundless in the void.

A ghost.

The video and audio feeds went dead as the shuttle raced through time and space. Then there was movement. Just one. The slow extension of the payload bay arm stretching into the dark abyss of space.

The metal hand hovered there only for an instant before opening, releasing the LRP-2 satellite on its two-day journey to the moon.

Then it went quiet again.

Waiting.

Listening.

For a satellite that didn’t officially exist.

*

The wipers struggled against overwhelming odds to clear the rain when the headlights dazzled her view.

Shit.

She’d drifted too far to the middle of the road. Yanking the wheel and hitting the brakes, Carla tried to steer back to safety, but the tires gave up trying to stick to the road. Half expecting the other car to slam into her, she gripped the wheel, bracing for the impact and even had time to wonder how badly it would hurt.

The headlights swung across the interior of her car, momentarily blinding her before disappearing from view as her car spun around and bumped off into the dirt verge. The car jerked to a halt, facing the wrong way. Her arms shook on the wheel and her heart raced. Her adrenaline had kicked in.

As she relaxed her grip, her cold and clammy right palm nearly slipped off the gear shift as she placed the car in park. That was too close.

The other car pulled over and a short, round, figure struggled to get his arms in a lightweight raincoat. Holding the front of the coat together, he ran across the road towards her.

No, it couldn’t be, she muttered to herself.

As if spinning off the road wasn’t bad enough, recognizing the driver you almost hit was embarrassing to the extreme. She wound down the window as he approached.

Jesus Christ, what were you doing in the middle of the road? You nearly ran me off! He paused, recognition setting in. Oh, you’re Dr Richards aren’t you?

Hi, Frank. I’m sorry if I scared you. I must have lost concentration for a moment. Are you okay?

His mouth stretch up in a semblance of a smile, but quickly lost its ability to stay there. I’m fine. I was worried about you, seeing you spin. I keep telling them these night shifts mess with people’s lives. It’s not natural. I said maintenance is strictly a day job and if they didn’t like it, they could shove it.

That’s probably true, Frank.

Shall I get a tow truck?