Luke's Lithium: Carbon Copy Saga, #4

By Terri Talley Venters

Luke's Lithium

What if someone cloned you? And then abducted you twenty five years later? In Luke's Lithium, handsome Luke Allen, a witty, yet shy trust brat, volunteers at the FDNY with his firefighting comrades. Luke has it all, except for love. Abducted by Create Life Technologies, along with 5000 others, Luke learns the shocking truth behind their cloning research and their evil intentions. But the loss of his freedom comes with a silver lining, he falls for beautiful Gretchen, another abducted Create Life Clone. Luke's Lithium is full of surprises, new romances, rescues and a switcheroo. But will Luke and Gretchen ever be free of Create Life?

Luke's Lithium is the much anticipated companion book/spin off of the Carbon Copy Trilogy, written from Luke Allen's point of view. Luke is the twin brother of Lilly Allen, the heroine in the Carbon Copy Trilogy. Luke's story covers the time frame of all three books in the trilogy, Carbon Copy, Tin Roof, and Silver Lining.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Terri Talley Venters
• Release date: Jul 17, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393532217

Terri Talley Venters

Terri Talley Venters, Author of Carbon Copy, Tin Roof, Silver Lining, Luke’s Lithium, Copper Cauldron, Cobalt Cauldron, Calcium Cauldron, Chromium Cauldron, Zirconium Cauldron, Sulfur Springs, Europium Gem Mine, Noah’s Nickel, Manganese Magic, Platinum Princess, Plutonium Princess, Under The Magic, Iron Curtains, Body Of Gold & Elements Of Mystery Terri received her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, and Master’s degree in Taxation from the University of Florida. She is a licensed CPA and a Second Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. She lives on The St. Johns River in Florida, with her husband, Garrison, and their two sons. For more information about Terri’s books, please visit her website  www.ElementsOfMystery.com. Terri is the daughter of Leslie S. Talley, author of Make Old Bones, Bred In The Bone, The Closer The Bone & The Bonnie, Bonnie Bone. For more information about Leslie’s Cozy murder mysteries, please visit her website www.MakeOldBones.com

Book preview

Chapter One

F ire on Wall Street ! Drake said, not quite a scream, but loud enough for every man at the Ground Zero precinct of the FDNY to hear.

Luke raised his head from the five playing cards he held in his hand. Looking at his dark haired, green-eyed best friend and firefighting comrade, he said, Are you shittin’ me? This is the best poker hand I’ve had all morning.

I’m out.

I’m out.

Me, too. The fourth man tossed his cards onto the table with a scowl.

Grinning, Luke scooped up his winnings and kept his cruddy hand of cards face down. I can’t believe they fell for that. Not that he needed the meager twenty bucks in the pot. He was only a month away from cashing in on his multi-million-dollar trust fund his grandfather, Luther Edward Allen, had set up. But the bragging rights of bluffing his buddies to win the game was priceless.

Aren’t you going to show us that ‘great hand’ of yours? Tommy asked.

Nah, man. I’m going to let you douchebags wonder. Luke walked to his locker and donned his fireman protective suite. Kicking off his Nike shoes, he stepped into the oversized pants and secured the suspender straps over each shoulder. After slipping his socked-feet into the black, knee-high boots, he put on the fireproof jacket and hard hat.

Walking to the center of the room, he grabbed the silver pole. Not everyone slid down the cliché pole, but Luke loved the feeling. And not just the tingly one on his groin, but the thrill of saving lives and homes.

His two-year anniversary with the FNDY had just passed. He’d come to NYC to volunteer after 9-11 with his twin sister, Lilly Allen, and her now fiancé, Grier Garrison.

Luke loved volunteering so much he stayed on with the FDNY, in spite of his mother’s, insatiable nagging to ‘get a real job’ and ‘use his college degree’, referring to his B.S. in Criminology from the University of Florida. But his iron clad defense, ‘philanthropy plays a huge role in the Allen Family Dynasty’, always smoldered Charlotte’s fire poker.

Ready to rock n’ roll? Drake asked, stepping up onto the fire truck next to Luke.

Sure as shit. Let’s grab a pint after we put this mother out. Luke smiled, already tasting the cold one.

The fire truck drove four blocks down to Wall Street and stopped at the curb next to a fire hydrant.

Drake looked up five stories. Looks like a small one.

It may be small, but if we don’t get it under control, the whole block could burn to the ground. Luke squinted as the afternoon sun glared in his eye.

Let’s get this party started. Tommy snapped his fingers and unwound the hose from the reel. With the help of two other men, they connected the hose to the fire hydrant.

Stairs or ladder? Drake asked Luke.

Ladder! Called it. Luke jumped on the ladder and turned to Drake to help him up on the ladder with the hose.

Ready to rise, Drake called to Tommy who now controlled the ladder.

The pair rode up in silence while they collected their nerves and steeled their balls for the upcoming testosterone fest.

Luke jumped on the balcony first, followed by Drake and the hose. They busted the sliding glass door with the nozzle of the hose and went inside. The fire was contained to one apartment, but they needed to act fast to keep it from spreading.

Ready? Luke asked as Drake helped him aim the heavy hose.

Luke turned the lever and shot back a foot from the water’s force. Together, they sprayed the interior of the living room until the fire extinguished. Dragging the hose into the bedroom, they put out the rest of the fire. 

The scorched curtains, candles, and rose petals all over the floor pointed to the cause.

Damn candles must’ve gotten out of hand.

Luke looked at his watch, shortly after lunch. Nooner gone bad, real bad. He chuckled over the notion. He and Drake always loved speculating about the situations which caused the fires they extinguished.

Or it went real good, before it went bad. Drake chuckled.

Luke bent at the waist, hands on his knees, laughing hysterically. Oh, my God! he said, crying.

That’s what she said. Drake laughed at his own quip.

Two more firemen, who took the stairs with another hose, came through the front door.

What are you two pansies laughing at? Is the fire out? Are the people out? Tommy asked, looking perturbed at the lack of professionalism.

"It’s about time you dumbasses showed up, after Luke and I put out the fire." Drake’s face grew absurdly serious because he was trying not to laugh.

Luke’s smile and burst of laughter made Drake bust into stitches again. Remind me not to use candles for my next nooner. Luke waved his hand towards the cause of the fire.

Yeah, like you need to light candles to fly solo. Tommy ragged on him, finally smiling once he realized the source of the joke.

Gotta keep the romance alive, man. We’ll be together for a long time. Luke held up his hand and kissed his palm.

Go on and hose off, you two. We’ll meet yous guys at Fraunces Tavern. We need to find you a woman, Luke. Tommy winked.

My chances will increase when you and your ugly mugs get there. Luke nodded and helped Drake with the hose.

"Yeah, yeah, and with pretty-boy Drake about to be engaged, you don’t have to compete with the GQ poster boy," Tommy said.

So what’s the story here? Where’s the owner? Who called it in? Luke asked.

Landlord called. Said the tenant hadn’t been seen in months. Some scientist guy who  worked all the time and travelled to the Keys a lot, Drake said.

The Keys. Luke’d just returned from vacation there. Why did a strange feeling envelop him?

Looking around the apartment, Luke noticed some plaques hung above the desk. Some sort of achievement award.

Create Life Scientist of the Year

Theodore Teddy Toomey

A chill ran down his spine. Grier Garrison ran Create Life. And Luke remembered him mentioning their scientist, Teddy, who left Create Life to work for their competition, Morgan Medical Research.

Chapter Two

Fraunces Tavern, the quintessential pub, was nestled a few blocks away in the heart of the Financial District. Lilly and Luke loved this place because of its long history dating back to the colonial period. Its patriotic décor and excellent food attracted droves of New Yorkers in the months following 9/11, including Luke. It had comforted him, and many others, to come together and drink amongst the portraits of their great country’s founding fathers.

Luke and Drake meandered their way past the high-gloss mahogany bar in search of a vacant, and acceptable, location. They found one with a view of the television and quickly ordered two pints of Guinness to enable their buzzes to catch-up with everyone else’s.

Soul sister, soul sister. Luke’s clever ring tone sang on his cell phone.

Hey, Lil’. S’up? Luke answered, after gulping the rest of his beer.

Luke, I just heard about the fire on Wall Street. You okay? Concern rang in his twin’s tone, but not as loud as her lust for a story to report.

I’m just fine. And a pint or two away from being fantastic. Luke winked at the hot waitress who’d just delivered him another Guinness.

Luke?

I think I’m in love. A beautiful woman just brought me a beer. Luke laughed.

Oh, Luke, you’d love anything with a vagina, let alone one who brings you beer.

Speaking of vaginas, get your royal ass down here. Drake’s here. He’d love news of Britta. And the rest of the gang is coming soon.

If you promise me a story, a sober story for the camera. And meet me first in front of the building where you just put out the fire.

Only if you’re buying afterwards.

Fine.

For everyone. Luke smacked Drake’s arm.

Fine, just let me call my cameraman, Joe.

THIS BREAKING NEWS just in. A fifth floor apartment on Wall Street erupted in flames today. We have one of the brave firemen with us who helped extinguish the fire before it ran rampant downtown. Luke Allen, can you tell us about this fire? Lilly asked and leaned the microphone towards Luke.

We arrived on the scene within minutes of the call. Drake and I came up the fire ladder and entered through the balcony. Luke gestured up towards the balcony and the camera followed. The ladder is the quickest way to extinguish a fire, especially on the higher floors, because it’s time consuming to drag that hose up multiple flights of stairs. The fire started in the bedroom and spread to the living room. But we were able to extinguish it within minutes before it spread any further.

Do you know what caused the fire?

It appears that the fire was caused by candles being lit too close to loose draperies. It’s unfortunate that I see so many fires started this way. He shook his head in frustration.

Do you know anything about the tenant in that apartment? Lilly asked.

Well, that’s the strange thing. The tenant has been missing for a few months. The landlord planned to evict. He told me that the rent was in arrears.

Who was the tenant? Do you know anything about him? she asked.

His name was Teddy, and he used to be an award winning scientist for Create Life, based on the plaque I saw in his apartment, Luke said.

Her eyes grew wide. Like she knew him or of him, not surprising since her fiancé worked there. Luke watched her compose herself.

She continued. Thank you, Luke. This is Lilly Allen reporting for W.A.O.K. news. Thank you and good night. Lilly blew up her bangs after Joe signaled that the camera was off.

You were great, Lil’. Joe smiled.

Luke noticed the look between him and his sister. Joe was in love with her. He wanted to kick the cameraman’s ass, but Lilly loved him, even if she just didn’t know it yet.

Thanks for coming, Joe. She smiled.

Joe kissed her on the cheek and said, Sorry, but I’m due at the station. Bye, Lil’, good to see you again, Luke. He shook Luke’s hand.

Later, dude. Luke watched Joe walk away before he asked Lilly, Did you know Teddy?

Oh, my God. Yes. Teddy left to work for one of Create Life’s competitors. No one’s heard from him in ages, and there’s speculation that Thomas Turner, head of research and development, had him ‘bumped off’ to protect Create Life’s proprietary technology.

Holy shit, Batman. I remember that albino freak, Tom-Tom, from that charity shindig. So if Teddy’s dead, then who started the fire?

And why? Lilly looked at him quizzically.

Luke whistled the eerie Dark Shadows theme song. Their mother loved watching reruns from the sixties, especially the vampire soap opera.

How do you do that whistle?

Talent. Speaking of which, now I gotta go find me a woman to cook me breakfast in bed tomorrow. He braced himself for the inevitable bitch slap from his feminist sister.

You, pig. I’d slap you if I knew you were serious.

Wish I was serious. He sighed and dropped his head in defeat.

You’ll meet someone, Luke. You’re a smart, handsome, sweet, funny man, Lilly said.

He smiled at her words, but said, Nice guys finish last... He snapped his fingers as he sang the lyrics of one of Green Day’s hit songs.

Oh, stop. And don’t forget you’re about to be appallingly rich. Besides, I know the right girl is out there waiting for you. I have a feeling you’ll be meeting her before the new year. Lilly froze and her eyes grew distant, like she got when she had a premonition.

What is it? What do you see? Is she pretty, big boobs, petite? Luke begged for answers.

Lilly shook her head as if to rid herself of her vision. I better go home and get some beauty sleep.

"Oh, yeah, your big brouhaha is tomorrow."

His sister’s eminent leap into stardom happened tomorrow. Her big national interview with Giuliani on live television in Rockefeller Center would make all of the networks beg to put her behind the nightly news desk as an anchorwoman.

Yeah, I forgot to buy you and your buddies beer. Rain check? Lilly asked.

Sure, Lil’. I can go for a pint at Fraunces anytime. Luke grinned and headed back to the bar.

Chapter Three

W atch it asshole, a cabbie yelled at Luke as he crossed Fifth Avenue at the last second.

Looking up, the highest tower of Rockefeller Plaza loomed above Luke. A beacon of hope for many New Yorkers and tourists, but, for Luke, it reminded him of his tardiness to Lilly’s big live television interview with former NYC Mayor, Rudy Giuliani. Not to mention his cluelessness as to how to get to the right studio in the massive underbelly