Dreamland 12 - Black Wolf by Dale Brown

Author:Dale Brown [Brown, Dale]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2011-01-14T19:19:50+00:00

33

Washington suburbs

The Nationals took it hard, losing 7–2. They were never really in the game, getting clobbered with a five-run first inning.

Just as well, thought Zen as he drove home. He didn’t have to invest much emotion in the game, only to see them lose. And Senator Dirks was an admirable guest, insisting on paying for the food and the single beer Zen allowed himself at the games when he had to drive home.

All the lights were on in the house as he drove up. That was unusual. Breanna generally holed up in bed the nights he was out at games, either with work or with a book or a movie. Usually he found her out like a light, her computer or Kindle lying next to her.

Maybe she wants to apologize, he thought. Or maybe she just left the lights on.

The smell of coffee as he rolled himself up the ramp from the garage tipped him off that it was probably none of the above. And sure enough, she was sitting in the kitchen, frowning at a laptop.

“Hey,” he said, coming in. “We lost.”

“So I heard.”

“Check the scores?”

“I wanted to see what kind of mood you’d be in.”

He laughed. “Nah. You can’t really expect the Nats to win. So when they lose, it doesn’t really bother me. Someday, maybe.”

He couldn’t quite read her expression. Was she working? She was using the family laptop, so he thought not.

“Checking the news?” he asked.

“The weather. My flight schedule has been changed. I’m leaving in the morning.”

“Oh. OK.”

“I talked to Caroline. She’ll be here right after class. From what I understand, she’s very excited about going to Prague.”

“I told you she would be.”

“I also spoke to General Magnus today,” said Breanna.

“How is he?”

“He’s going to Prague, too.”

“Really? Suddenly, it’s the cool place to be.”

“He wants to show off the Tigershark to the Germans and the English. He thinks he can sell it as a next-generation NATO fighter.”

“Tigershark?”

“Don’t play dumb with me.”

“Hey, being dumb is something I don’t have to pretend to be.” Zen popped the top on a Rogue Porter—he could tell he needed something substantial.

“You set this up, didn’t you?” said Breanna. “So I’d come with you.”

“Honey, I have no idea what you’re talking about. The Tigershark—it’s a dead deal. You can’t even get it past your own Air Force brass. Manned interceptors have no future in the Air Force. It’s not what I want, but—”

Breanna got up from the table and stormed away.

“Hey—what’s up?” asked Zen. “I didn’t talk to Magnus. Is that what you think?”

The Tigershark had been to air shows before. It was just a coincidence.

He glanced at his watch, wondering if it was too late to call Magnus and see if there was something else involved.

More than likely, not.

Quarter past eleven. Far too late to call. Too late, really, to do anything but drink his beer.

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