CHAPTER 50
There was an inquest, of course, and by that I mean the one in Heidi’s office. Paul dropped me a word after we had returned from the mountains, and I was relieved to hear that two women I had grown to feel a deep affection for were out of the firing line. It wouldn’t be the last time we lost a girl, by far, but at least that time we had someone to blame, blame properly, rather than a family member.

Enough on that subject. Old wounds still hurt, hurt even more, when they are opened again.

---

For 35yrs the border between the Human Empire and Gorgonzola Empire as remained mostly peaceful. The citizens for the Human Empire of this border region are loyal to the last man, woman, and child to the Empire. It was on one of these worlds that gave birth to a legend. The world of Apollo 6 is one of the harshest worlds within the Empire. One so harsh that only it could claim to be the birth world of James J. Owens, the most feared of Death Dealers. A world that is even now poised to give birth to a new legendary warrior. One who shall be baptized in the blood of the Empire’s enemies. Robert Wolff youngest great grandchild of James Owens’ sister Cecilia Owens.

---

CHAPTER 49
I understood her sudden stop, so I left it there. As long as she could make it, I would be more than satisfied. I started the usual process of checking for any new gear we would need, such as boots, and ran the idea past Nita. She was in a dark mood when we met up at Tesco’s, as I took a break in their store café.

“Heidi is furious, Deb. Absolutely livid, and I think she is looking for a disciplinary against the lazy cow”

Selina looks at Debbie when she and her guest come walking into the house. They had come in through the back door instead of the front door.

“We got a problem, Debbie. Jack activated his emergency beacon.” Selina was standing in front of the big-screen television in the kitchen.
It was flashing red and showing a wolf head on the screen. There was a laser keyboard on the marble countertop and Selina was trying to zoom in on his location.

“Are you sure it's Jack’s beacon, Selina?” Debbie and Cheshire run over to stand next to her.

Peter to Penelope

By Alison Mary Murdoch

Edited by Kelly Blake

A Twist of Fate…

Being the Duty Paramedic at a highway station 12 miles North of our regional hospital, I received an emergency call.

"A boy injured in a fall from a trail bike...”

Protected
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Mommy was always very protective of me. She would say: “I worry about you being bullied because you are so small. Five foot three and 115 pounds is really a bit small, even for a girl. With your lack of muscle and your delicate, even feminine appearance you are a target for mean boys.”

Sitting Pretty
Lynda Shermer

I was earning a little extra pocket money by babysitting. These particular fraternal twins responded best, it seems, to the supposed extra authority of a male.

Beth and Sam were fraternal, but still quite similar.

The second time I sat, they had been messing about in the kitchen, and had two glasses. One held grape juice, the other pink lemonade.

Beth drank the grape juice, and Sam the pink lemonade, and for the rest of the evening, they pretended to be each other.

Chapter 3

Deniability
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

The Oval Office seemed somehow smaller than she imagined. The curved corner-less walls gave it a surprisingly warm feel – it was after all, the shape of a womb. The color was apricot – warm and sweet. The trim was matt white – clean and tidy. There was a lounge area that looked softer than soft. But at the windows was the business end – the empty desk.

They remained standing as the President entered. He took his seat and did not invite them to sit, so they remained standing.

Surprise! Have some Min, on the house.

CHAPTER 48
Three days after that, on a rest day from work, there was a hammering at the back door. When I looked through the spyhole, Sparky was standing outside in the light rain that had made the last few days a miserable experience. I quickly unlocked everything and waved him into the warmth of the kitchen, but before I could offer him a cuppa he was holding up a hand for silence.

“You got a number for that copper of yours, Debbie?”

“Paul? Yes. What’s up, love?”

---

Total number of drivers 40. Number of company teams 10. Number of tracks 20. Number of countries 12. Time frame 6 months. Number of Fallen Angels hooked on speed 2. The McGuire sisters are and they’re out for blood in the newly founded International Stockcar Racing Association. After two years driving the Formula One circuit Professional Drivers Roberta Bobbie McGuire and her sister Elisabeth ‘Beth’ McGuire have made real names for themselves. The two young ladies took the world by storm in their first year by placing 3rd and 4th in the Championship points race. Now their plans and dreams of starting in the International Stockcar Association have come to fruition. The Fury twins plan to prove to the world they belong in Stockcar Racing. And they don’t care who they have to put into the wall to bring home the inaugural championship.

Mouse checks into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. She informed her Aunt Anika that she was going to spend two nights in Atlantic City. She had booked a suite in the South Tower Apollo Ocean suite, which gave her a nice view of the ocean.

She walks over towards the huge window and moves the curtain aside to look out towards the ocean. She loved how clear the day was and spotted people out on the water, enjoying their sailboats and such.

---

Chapter 10   Kate and Ben's Wedding

Decisions
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

He wanted to be angry, but whatever she had done to him seemed to make that impossible. He felt not only weak, but devoid of energy, and placid too. He knew that he should not be, but he seemed in a word: Incapable.

Compared to her, he was. She was a brilliant surgeon. He had been nothing; a sales representative for a medical supply company. A charmer. A rake. But that seemed so long ago.

Just before Sara boards the yacht, she stops and yells up towards the deck “ahoy! Permission to come abroad?”

Ralph was checking the deck out when he heard a female voice. He had seen white smoke down on the pier and that had piqued his attention. He looks down and spots a young, short black hair woman wearing some sort of form-fitting bodysuit.

“Who are you and why are you here?” He walks down towards the deck.

“I’m Sara Jefferson and I have a message for Casey Hollander and her wife, from her uncle Bounty.” Sara tries to breathe easy with her broken ribs.

Ikaika looks at Lien “Lien, go and tell your aunts to pack a bag. Your mom just texts me and she wants all of us to go to the airport and come to the States.”

“Mom, text us?” Lien looks at her father.

“Yep, she texts us and said she loves you. She wants everyone to pack a suitcase and head to the airfield.” Ikaika knew Lien missed her mother.

Tizzy always made it a policy to say good night to her. She also promises to keep in touch with Lien.

“Who’s going to take care of Simba and Shur-Khan while we are gone?” Lien was curious about that.

Groaning in abject humiliation, 'Nessa peeled her sheer cotton panties down to her knees, revealing her sleek, naked bottom-cheeks to her step-father. She wept in undisguised shame, tears glistening on her cheeks like liquid diamonds. She hated being spanked like a naughty little girl, it was degrading beyond all description –

Especially since she'd been born a boy.