Reckless Beauty: Powerful Minds, #2

By Lloyd G Miller

Reckless Beauty is Book 2 in the Powerful Minds series and a sequel to Reckless Brilliance.  George Horton is enjoying his senior year of high school when one of his friends, Tony Tan Lim, that he met in El Paso while he was on the run, is kidnapped. George helps identify the Mexican gang that kidnapped Tony and eventually sneaks across the border to rescue him.

After a tragic accident, George and his father decide to take a vacation to California. On the way, they are detoured and their car breaks down.  They are helped by a beautiful woman and her daughter who aggressively pursue George and his father romantically. George expects some kind of trap or attempt to get information but the intentions of the women are far different. These women are members of a secret organization, The Sisterhood, and are not to be trifled with. George manages to enrage the daughter and ends up stranded in the Mojave Desert with nothing but a blanket and a sword. He has to use all of his wits and acquired memories to survive until he is rescued.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lloyd G Miller
• Release date: Apr 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224154432

Lloyd G Miller

Lloyd G. Miller is a successful engineer (US patents #6,491,773 and #8,042,594) who started writing as a hobby two decades ago. After writing several novels and spending years refining them, he decided to try publishing. After studying about ebook publishing through a middleman such as Smashwords, he concluded to try that approach, starting with Cloned Memories. He lives in Bountiful, Utah where most of the story takes place. In 2014, a publisher, Savant Books and Publishing, called and said that they wanted to publish Cloned Memories based on an earlier version that he had sent them. The chief editor was very enthusiastic. Lloyd was asked to immediately pull the book off of Smashwords. After signing the contract, he discovered that the owner wanted him to change the plot by one third because it had been earlier published by Smashwords. Lloyd disagreed with this logic and the contract was voided. Lloyd made extensive changes to Cloned Memories and renamed it Reckless Brilliance. In 2017, he decided to return to Smashwords with The Computer Who Loved me. This novel should be much easier to market.

Book preview

RECKLESS BEAUTY

Book 2 of Powerful Minds

Lloyd G. Miller

––––––––

Copyright Lloyd G. Miller

2019

Contents

Chapter 1 - Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

Chapter 2 - Homecoming

Chapter 3 – Keeping a Promise

Chapter 4 - Pariah

Chapter 5 – Home Invasion

Chapter 6 - Case Solved

Chapter 7 – The Best Laid Plans

Chapter 8 – Returning Heroes

Chapter 9 - Smashed Records

Chapter 10 – Biker Babe

Chapter 11 – Unexpected Friendship

Chapter 12 – Heart Ache

Chapter 13 – To the Beach

Chapter 14 – Unexpected Help

Chapter 15 – How to Kiss

Chapter 16 – Shoot And Swim

Chapter 17 - Earning Their Keep

Chapter 18 – A Firm Lead

Chapter 19 – How to Impress Daddy

Chapter 20 – A Woman Scorned

Chapter 21 – Get Help

Chapter 22 – Tastes Like Chicken

Chapter 23 – Hard Day’s Search

Chapter 24 – It’s A Bird. It’s A Plane. It’s Babette

Chapter 25 – Dreams

Chapter 26 – Beloved Sisters

Chapter 27 – The Runaway

Chapter 28 – The Ride Home

About the Author

Other Novels by Lloyd G. Miller

Chapter 1 - Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

Margaret sat on her bed, holding the framed picture of George and her at the Spring Dance. She had been crying again. George had been the perfect guy for her, physically, intellectually, socially and chemically. She had been attracted to him since the fifth grade. Of course, George had no interest in girls back then. When he finally did, it was for girls with olive complexions and long black hair. Where did he get that? Finally, she had caught a break when they were 15. George needed her. He needed someone smart that he could trust and he knew that Margaret was intelligent and he had faith in her. He let Margaret in on his memory stealing (he called it acquiring) technology.

Margaret had then manipulated George into playing a fictional role. In this role, he liked Margaret and found her attractive. Like a movie actor who falls in love with the leading lady, George had fallen for her. It had been wonderful until Margaret, frustrated that George would not reveal details of his abduction, cleverly stole his memories, including all those that he had stolen from others. Margaret had feared that she had destroyed George’s love for her through her impulsive and reckless action. However, her ruse had been so effective that George had not even figured out that she had acquired his memories until she used them to save his life. And then, instead of rebuking her for her reckless actions, he apologized to her for making her deceit necessary. Somehow, he still loved her.

The problem was that now Margaret knew too much about George. She literally knew him inside and out. She had watched him grow up, observing him from the outside, and now she knew all of his experiences and even his thoughts. George had been transformed from the boy she loved into a little brother whose diapers she had changed. She loved him like the brother that she never had (curse her mother’s low fertility) but could never have him as a husband, a lover.

Margaret used to be able to lose herself in her studies but now, thanks to all of the acquired memories, which included those from two women and six men, most of whom were highly educated, she knew more than all of her teachers combined. She did not even need to study. She had to find an outlet for her pent up energy and emotion. The problem was that she was still only seventeen and had very conservative and strict parents. She would think of something. She always did.

Something else was eating at Margaret. To rescue George from his second set of abductors, she had to kill the men, shoot them dead. Immediately after doing so, she had felt so sick about it that she puked her guts out; at least that is how it felt at the time. Strangely, she found herself looking back on the experience as a whole with positive feelings: pleasure, satisfaction, fulfillment, excitement. Was that because of the memories of six men in her mind or was it just who she was? Had she been a GI Jane masquerading as a Barbie? She thought about the first time that George had taken her to the safe house in Magna. That was before acquiring the male memories, and yet she had been truly excited, especially about all of the weapons. Maybe she should consider a career in the FBI or CIA. Through the memories of Cleave Burningham and others, she had all of the training and spoke several key languages fluently.

After two weeks of football practice, Coach Reid asked George to meet with him in his office after practice. George sat on a hard wooden chair while his coach shuffled through papers on his desk. Finally, Reid looked up and addressed George. I have serious concerns about our team this year. I have the best quarterback in the state and no one, I mean no one, for him to throw to. Ironically, the second-best quarterback that I will have ever been able to coach has moved into our district and wants to play for us. George knew about Gary Royce.  He was an Air Force brat that had lived all over. Rumor had it that when his father was transferred to Hill Air Force base that his family moved to northern Bountiful so that he could play for the famous Coach Reid who had taken a kid off of the street and turned him into one of the best high school quarterbacks in the country. Although George gave his coach little credit for his football skills, he did respect Coach Reid for recognizing talent and making the most of it. Many coaches would not have even let him play. Royce was good and if this had been the pros, either George or Royce would have been traded for some good receivers. What did a coach do with two excellent quarterbacks and no receivers?

Last year you said that you were no prima donna and were willing to play any position. I’m going to hold you to that promise. You know how to catch the ball. Heck, you caught over a dozen interceptions last year. Imagine if the quarterback were actually trying to throw the ball to you. With your height and athleticism, you should be able to out-jump most cornerbacks. And I've noticed that you keep getting faster. You may even become a deep threat. So what do you say to playing receiver instead of quarterback?

Sure, Coach, whatever will help us win.

Chapter 2 - Homecoming

As George showered after practice, his mind was not on football. His sister, his only sibling, was coming home. She had been serving a church mission in France and was flying home tomorrow. George could hardly wait. When Stephanie left home with a track scholarship to Stanford University over five years ago, George was still a young boy. Now he was almost a man, well more than almost a man inside, but Stephanie would not know that. He was going to blow her away by speaking to her in fluent French. She wouldn’t see that one coming. Growing up, George had idolized his sister. She was smart, beautiful and talented. She got straight A’s in school and everybody seemed to love her. She had even been elected homecoming queen. Track was not available as a girl’s high school sport when Stephanie attended Viewmont, but she was probably the fastest girl in the state of Utah. It only took one sprint for the coaches at Stanford to recognize her talent and offer her a full athletic scholarship.

The next day the Horton family stood holding a large Welcome home Sister Horton sign waiting to be stretched out when Stephanie deplaned. No Jetway would be used with this flight and the small family wilted in the blistering heat radiating off of the tarmac. Finally, the Boeing 707 aircraft taxied up to its loading spot and stopped. Portable stairs were wheeled up to the side of the fuselage and a door opened. Stephanie was one of the last of the passengers to exit the plane. George rapidly snapped photographs as she waved and then descended the stairs. His parents struggled to maintain control of the stretched out banner as a light breeze almost wrest it from their grasp. It was typical of a Latter-day Saint family welcoming home a returning missionary, except perhaps for the small size of the family.

George’s parents had each come from large, happy families and had wanted a large family of their own. When Stephanie was conceived and born without a hitch within the first year of the union, the couple appeared to be well on their way to reaching their cherished goal. Then a series of miscarriages gradually dampened the couple’s enthusiasm but not their love. Finally, after years of trying for additional children, a pregnancy went full term, and George was born. Vernon Horton told his wife that they should count their blessing and not keep trying for more children. It is enough, he told his cherished wife. Stephanie had been the beloved daughter that any parents would be thrilled to have, and in the last two years, George had enough adventures and accolades for a half dozen sons.

As hugs and greetings were exchanged, the family of four felt complete and at peace. Later that evening the family met with the stake president, and a formal release was extended to Stephanie. That was good because a dozen young men were waiting for an opportunity to ask her out on a date. Her mother had made sure that the boys who went to high school with Stephanie knew that she would be home and available. Of course, she did not talk to the boys directly, but she did pass hints to their mothers.

When they got home, the first thing that Stephanie wanted to do was to go running. Do you want some company? asked George.

Sure little brother. Can I keep calling you that now that you are taller than me?

Sure, Sis. As a young child, George could not say sister but he could say sis and the nickname stuck. The siblings quickly changed into running attire and headed out the door.

One of the hardest parts of my mission was all of the sitting and the flight home was the worst. Fortunately, my last area was a bike area, so I am not totally out of shape. I can’t believe that my little brother is playing football. Dad sent me newspaper clippings about your games. Margaret sent me photos that she took. She is a very good photographer. And the play that you were in! When did you learn to sing? Stephanie was one of those talkers who seemed to not even need to take a breath when she was talking. After she left home, things got very quiet. George had missed her terribly that first year that she was gone. It had been so silent in the house. She had stayed in California continuously, without coming home to live during the summer. It was so good to have her home.

George realized that his sister was actually waiting for a response to her question. What could he tell her? He and his father agreed that Stephanie should not be apprised of their secret. George had been anticipating questions that would be hard to truthfully answer. He did not want to lie to his sister. The only time that he had ever lied was when he had been abducted by two highly trained enemy agents. His life had been on the line. In the end, lying had only worked as a stall tactic. His girlfriend, Margaret, had finally rescued him, killing his captors in the process.

Well, it’s sort of hard to explain. You know that I have always been smart. I just had frustratingly disappointing recall. It takes the fun out of learning new things when you quickly forget them. George explained to his sister some of the memory techniques that he had learned first from Cleave Burningham and then from Pavel Chernoff, two of the men from whom he had acquired memories. To his surprise, Stephanie was buying it. Of course, George had been so honest and open as a boy that his sister would believe almost anything that he told her.

And guess what. I have even learned how to speak French. George initiated a lengthy conversation in French. Finally, they returned to English.

Your French is amazing, but what is weird is that you speak it with a slight accent but not an American accent. I have heard similar accents in the French of eastern Europeans. By now, the runners were on the track at Viewmont High School. Well, little brother. You have kept up with me amazingly well, but it is time for me to turn up the speed. Stephanie started sprinting. George kept right up with her. They were running too hard to speak, but Stephanie looked over at George in shock. At Stanford University, only male members of the track team could keep up with her. None of the girls could. She did lose a few races, but losing was not a common thing for her. After several high-speed laps, Stephanie slowed to a comfortable jogging speed so that they could talk.

George, I know that I am not in top form, but I am still very fast. I got the impression that you could have easily taken the lead and maintained it indefinitely. I guess that I should not be surprised, we do have the same parents, and men tend to be faster than women. But none of the newspaper clippings said anything about you being fast.

I wasn’t fast at first. The potential was there, but I never ran much and didn’t expect to be fast. I got faster as the season went on, but I disguised it. That is part of how I got so many interceptions when I played safety on defense. I let the receiver and the quarterback think that I had been beaten and after the ball was in the air, I closed the gap. I guess that I will have to abandon that ploy this season. Coach Reid asked me to play receiver instead of quarterback. It is hard to disguise your speed when you are a receiver.

Why would a coach ask the best quarterback in the state to play a different position?

We only had a few decent receivers last year. They all graduated or moved. A really good quarterback moved into the school district. We should make a great team. It’s okay. I can already catch, and from playing safety, I know routes. I'm big enough to play tight end and fast enough to play wide receiver.

Speaking of size, you are huge. What are you, six-three and one-ninety or more?

That sounds about right.

Don’t even think about commenting on my size. I know. All that French cooking has put some weight on me.

Sis, you have never looked more beautiful. I may start charging admission for guys to just come see you.

When did you get the silver tongue? Mom says that half the girls your age in Bountiful are after you.

Oh, Sis, you know how Mom exaggerates. It can’t be more than 45 percent. George smiled at his sister. It was so good to have her home.

That night, family dinner lasted for over two hours as Stephanie told experiences from her mission. Some were so spiritual that they were all in tears. Other stories were funny and had them almost falling off their chairs. Although it was rather low humor, George’s favorite story was the one about flatulence. Some of the French food gave Stephanie intense gas. She was always able to hold it in while they were in people’s homes, but the second that the door was closed behind her, Stephanie would release so that she would be ready for the next appointment. It was a delicate balancing act. In one area, she and her companion had a car to aid in their proselytizing. After one long appointment, Stephanie cut loose with a noisy release. She and Sister Bell got into their car with Stephanie driving. Sister Bell, who normally was long-suffering, finally commented, Sister Horton, that really stinks! After another couple of bocks, Sister Bell repeated the line with greater emphasis. After a few more bocks, in a very exasperated voice, Sister Bell said, Sister Horton, that really, really smells!

Sister Bell, I haven’t done anything since we got in the car. Maybe you stepped in something. It was dark, and the dome light was burned out. Sister Bell swept her right hand across the bottom of her left shoe and came up with an unpleasant handful of dog poo. Sister Bell never commented on Stephanie’s flatulence again.

The following evening George had a date with Margaret. He would rather have stayed home with Stephanie, but the date had been planned weeks before, and Margaret would not go out with George very often, partly because of family rules against going steady in high school and partly because after stealing George’s memories there wasn't much to talk about. After a movie and pizza, they sat across from each other at a small table. Margaret took each of George’s hands in hers. George, I have chased you half my life and was thrilled when I finally caught you. If only I had not stolen your memories! I love you but more like a brother, not that I ever had a brother, but I think that this is how it would feel. It just doesn’t make sense for us to date anymore. I know that we each thought about getting married someday, but it just wouldn’t work. I’m sorry, I ruined everything.

You didn’t ruin everything. You did save my life, and I don’t see how you could have pulled that off without Cleave’s memories. Our romance was just collateral damage. I have seen this coming. It will take me a while to readjust my feelings, but I do want to still be friends. After all, I may need you to rescue me again. Who knows?

Chapter 3 – Keeping a Promise

In El Paso, Vicky Lee sat at a desk in the bedroom that Master Lim had assigned to her. To her amazement, Master Lim had welcomed her with open arms and great enthusiasm. He treated her like a beloved daughter, showering her with gifts and affection. Vicky completed a letter that she was writing to the Davis County Clipper, a small Utah newspaper with an office in Bountiful, the home of her beloved George. She had requested in the letter a subscription to the Clipper and inquired about the possibility of buying past issues. She included a money order in the envelope, stipulating that any excess funds should be applied to future purchases.

Among Master Lim’s gifts to her was a 1963 Plymouth Valiant with a push-button automatic transmission. Vicky drove in the Valiant to a Piggly Wiggly grocery store and shoved the envelope through the slot of the federal mailbox in front of the store. She drove around for an hour, exploring her new home. A sign, created by attaching raised metal letters to a brick wall, caught her attention. It said, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Below that it said, El Paso First Ward. She didn’t know much about George’s faith but found the term ward humorous. It sounded like a hospital wing. She memorized the address and continued her explorations.

The next day was Sunday. Vicky put on a dress and after breakfast drove to the church. She parked across the street so that she could watch people arrive. There was a small trickle of people entering the building until it got close to 9 AM when a steady stream walked through the doors. The women were dressed in modest dresses and the men were dressed in suits and ties or just slacks and ties with white being the predominant shirt color, especially for the teenage boys. Not seeing anyone too weird or threatening looking, she worked up the nerve to enter the building. An older man standing at a door to the chapel recognized her as someone new and warmly greeted her. He was soon joined by two women in their early twenties who wore nametags. The nametags bore the name of the church, and the taller woman’s badge said Sister Allen, and the much shorter woman’s nametag said Sister Moreno. They introduced themselves and asked Vicky if she would like to sit with them.

Once seated, Vicky began to look around. The room was not ornate. It lacked any crucifixes, statues or artwork of any kind. There was a raised area in the front with a few seats and a podium. The women sitting next to her explained that this meeting was the opening exercises for Sunday school and that the main worship service, sacrament meeting, was held in the afternoon.

George closed up at the mortuary and headed to Reams grocery store to buy milk as requested by his mother. As he hustled down a row towards the dairy section, he stopped dead in his tracks. At the end of the aisle, Dorothy Burningham, the widow of Cleave Burningham, George’s third acquisition, pushed a shopping cart. George had absorbed Cleave’s memories over a year ago, shortly after turning 16. Cleave was probably the most influential of his six acquisitions, the term acquisition being a euphemism that George used to describe taking a copy of another’s memories by injecting a few cc’s of their cranial fluid into his cranium. It was the ultimate invasion of privacy, but when he was a foolish 16-year-old trying to shortcut the learning process, it seemed like a good idea. George not only acquired all of the memories, including very personal ones but also feelings and attitudes. As he looked at this 68-year old woman, she transformed before his eyes into a bride of 20. George felt a yearning for her like for a long lost love. He had been careful to take care of Cleave’s secret assets, his personal safe houses, but he had given little thought to the family that he left behind.

The following day was a Saturday and after mowing the lawn and doing other family chores, George drove to Cleave’s neighborhood and slowly cruised by his house. The yard and home looked to be in good condition, but to his horror, Dorothy was trying to start the lawnmower. George pulled over and approached Mrs. Burningham. Sister Burningham, you shouldn’t have to do that. Let me mow the lawn for you. She stopped her tugging on the starter cord and looked up at George.

I’m sorry, young man, I don’t recognize you. Do I know you?

"Not really, but I knew of and greatly admired your late husband. He continues