Beyond The Limit: A Prequel Story (The Earthburst Saga Book 10) by Craig A. Falconer

Author:Craig A. Falconer [Falconer, Craig A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-04-16T00:00:00+00:00

6

After a room-service dinner, I don’t sleep much.

There are way too many thoughts running through my mind.

I spend some time researching ZolaCore’s corporate rivals and governmental adversaries. To say it’s a controversial company would be like saying my recent bullet delivery was mildly concerning — a gross understatement.

There’s not a lot that I didn’t know before looking it up, since most of this is common knowledge, but the sheer breadth of opposition to theocite mining in particular is all quite new.

All of this only makes me more restless. By the second half of the night I’ve given up on sleep to the extent that daylight comes as a relief, even with the uncertainties that lie ahead.

My driver is waiting for me when I get downstairs five minutes early.

He doesn’t say anything as I step into the car.

There’s some rush-hour traffic today since we’re heading to the facility earlier than we did yesterday, but the volume of cars is nothing compared to the volume of people that greets us at the gate.

Well… greets isn’t exactly the right word.

There are far more protestors than yesterday, with a bulked-up police presence here to keep them under control. Relatively speaking, anyway.

Although no rocks or cans of paint come our way, one section of the crowd does burst through the barrier in front of them when the gate opens. Thankfully the police officers do their jobs, holding off the mob so we can drive through in the short time the gate is open.

“I’ll be here,” my stoic driver says as the car draws to a halt at our destination.

I thank him and step out.

At the facility’s security checkpoint, I take my wallet and phone from my pocket.

“Oh, there’s, uh… there’s something in there that you’ll see on the scanner,” I say, realizing the bullet I’ve brought to show Ray is bound to raise some questions. I just figured that I can’t not tell him about the threat I received. With the risk he’s about to take, he deserves full information.

The same man I saw a few times yesterday, who remains nameless, narrows his eyes.

I gulp as he picks up my wallet and opens the coin pouch, where a cylinder-like shape clearly protrudes.

He lifts out the bullet and holds it out in the air between us.

“Welcome to the club,” he says, putting it back in like it’s nothing. “Credit to you for coming back. They’ve used these intimidation tactics on the rest of us, too — Ray included. Nothing ever comes of it, but the first time is the most jarring. You should definitely write about this in your report. When Ray gets back and the world gets wind of what he’s achieved, these extremists and naysayers are going to look mighty stupid.”

Unsure what to say through my surprise at all of this, I step through the scanner silently and without incident.

I thank the man for handing me my wallet and phone once I’m through.

We walk together towards the hallway, where Ray is once again waiting.

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