“I’ll be there.”
“Irving knows you will, because he knows that you are the greatest.”
Stella hung up, put the phone away and happily munched through a pastrami on rye.
“Are you going to eat those strawberries?” asked Stella.
“Yes.”
“Can I have them?”
“I said I was going to eat them,” said Linda.
“Rock, paper, scissors for them?”
“Alright,” agreed Linda. “One, two, three… how come you always win?”
As Stella finished off the last of the fruit, a slightly chubby man with salt and pepper hair and a mustache stepped up to the table. He looked familiar, but Stella couldn’t quite place him.
“Phil!” shouted Skygirl, jumping up and giving the man a hug. “All American Girl, it’s Phil.”
“Um,” said Stella, standing up and shaking the man’s hand. “Oh yeah, I remember you. CPDRT, right?”
“Imagine how warm and fuzzy your recognition makes me feel,” said Phil, drolly.
“Oh. I guess you’re still mad about the Whitaker Building.”
Phil unexpectedly smiled.
“Actually, I have to thank you for that one. You see, I’m retired. I picked up my last paycheck the day before the invasion. I agreed to stay on to help with the cleanup from that, but that radioactive mess fell right in Henderson’s lap. Henderson, who stole my lunches for years even though I had my name on them. Henderson, who banged my wife at last year’s Christmas party. Henderson...”
“So, you’re welcome,” said Stella.
Phil smiled again.
“So what are you doing now that you’re retired?”
“Talk radio,” said Phil. “Blitz McCann is moving to the west coast and I’m taking over for him.”
“You’re not going to keep with his anti-superhero campaign are you?”
“What do you think,” said Phil smiling. Then he turned and walked down the street. Stella thought she heard him whistling.
“He does have a lovely radio voice,” said Skygirl.
“Whatever,” said Stella. “So what are you doing the rest of the afternoon?”
“Linda has a job interview for a secretarial position.”
“You’re rich. Why do you… why does Linda need a job?”
“It’s part of my secret identity.” Linda mouthed the last two words.
Stella just rolled her eyes and finished her lunch.
* * * * *
Smithson Building Penthouse Apartment;
Wabash Avenue;
Stella landed on her balcony and stepped inside her bedroom. Peeling off her uniform, she slipped into a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt. She made her way to the kitchen and got a soda out of the refrigerator. After opening it, she pressed the button next to the flashing light on the new answering machine and plopped down onto the couch.
“You have two new messages. First unheard message.”
“Stella, it’s your mother. Good news. I’m coming to visit.”
“Wonderful,” said Stella, sarcastically.
“I won’t stay long—probably no more than a month.”
“Heaven help me,” said Stella. “No, seriously. Anybody in heaven…”
“See you soon, dear. Kisses. Oh, and Theo says hello. Bye.”
“Second unheard message.”
“Skygirl, baby. Listen, you need to get yourself a new cell phone. It’s only a matter of time until Stella finds out about this if we keep using a land line.”
“Irving?”
“Skygirl, you will not regret signing with Irving. You are going to go places, my half-alien sex goddess, and Irving is going 28% of those places with you. Irving has the skills you need when you’re at number 54 on the New York Times list of superheroes and you’re a chosen alternate for the Justice Brigade.”
“No way,” said Stella.
“I’ve got all our accounts set up, just like you wanted. Fifty percent of proceeds go to the Skygirl charities, forty percent to you, and ten percent goes to Linda Ford, um, whoever that person um, is. Now the first issue of Skygirl Magazine hits the stores in sixty days.”
“No fricking way,” said Stella.
“But Irving is not done, my super-sonic high-flying lovely, no he is not. How do these three words sound—Skygirl: The Movie?”
“No fricking way!” shouted Stella, crushing the can in her fist and spraying soda all over herself and the living room.
The End
About the Author
Wesley Allison is a teacher and author living in Henderson, Nevada with his wife Victoria and his two grown children Becky and John. For more information about the author and upcoming books, visit http://wesleyallison.com.
Books by Wesley Allison
Look for them wherever fine ebooks are sold. Select titles are also available in traditional paper formats at the City of Amathar Blog and by special order from your favorite bookseller.
Princess of Amathar
Transported to the artificial world of Ecos, Earth man Alexander Ashton struggles to understand the society of his new friends the Amatharians. As he does so, he finds himself falling in love with their princess and being thrust into a millennium-long war with their mortal foes the reptilian Zoasians. Princess of Amathar is a sword-swinging novel of high adventure.
His Robot Girlfriend
Mike Smith's life was crap, living all alone, years after his wife had died and his children had grown up and moved away. Then he saw the commercial for the Daffodil. Far more than other robots, the Daffodil could become anything and everything he wanted it to be. Mike's life is about to change.
His Robot Wife
In His Robot Wife, the novella-length sequel to His Robot Girlfriend, it is the year 2037 and Mike has been married to his robot wife, Patience, for five years. Troubles are on the horizon though. Prop 22 promises to annul marriages between humans and robots. And Patience hasn’t quite been herself. Is there something wrong, or does she just need a software upgrade?
Eaglethorpe Buxton and the Elven Princess
Eaglethorpe Buxton, famed adventurer and story-teller, friend to those in need of a friend and guardian to those in need of a guardian. He is a liar and braggart, not to be trusted, especially around pies. Who are we to believe? Buxton himself leads us through his world as he comes to the aid of… a poor orphan? An elven princess? Who can guess with Eaglethorpe himself telling the tale?
Eaglethorpe Buxton and the Sorceress
Eaglethorpe Buxton, famed adventurer and story-teller is back, this time to put on a play about a sorceress. When the sorceress, subject of his play arrives with fire in her eyes, Eaglethorpe must pretend to be his good friend Ellwood. Will he pull off this charade and survive? And what happens when the real Ellwood shows up? One can never tell, especially when Eaglethorpe tells the story.
Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 0: Brechalon
Brechalon is the novella-length prequel to The Voyage of the Minotaur and the books which follow in the story of Senta and the Steel Dragon. Meet the people who will change a world-- the Dechantagnes, wealthy siblings from a disgraced aristocratic family who plot their revenge; the imprisoned sorceress Zurfina; and Senta, the orphan girl who will one day rise to great fame and power.
Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 1: The Voyage of the Minotaur
In a world of steam power and rifles, where magic has not yet been forgotten, an expedition sets out to establish a colony in a lost world. The Voyage of the Minotaur is a story of adventure and magic, religion and prejudice, steam engines and dinosaurs, angels and lizardmen, machine guns and wizards, sorceresses, bustles and corsets, steam-powered computers, hot air balloons, and dragons.
Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 2: The Dark and Forbidding Land
Two years have passed since Senta, the sorceress Zurfina, and Bessemer the steel dragon arrived in the strange land of Birmisia. Now it is up to the settlers to build a home in this dark and forbidding land
, ruled by terrifying dinosaurs and strange lizardmen. Ten year old Senta must discover which is the greater threat, a would-be wizard or the ever-increasing presence of the tyrannosaurus.
Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 3: The Drache Girl
More than three years have passed since the colonists arrived in Birmisia, and Port Dechantagne is a thriving colony, with the railway line almost complete. Twelve year old sorceress's apprentice Senta Bly, Police Constable Saba Colbshallow, and former maid Yuah Dechantagne must deal with wizards, prejudice, steam carriages, boys riding dinosaurs, and the mysterious activities of the lizardmen.
Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 4: The Young Sorceress
Everyone in Port Dechantagne seems to have an agenda of their own, from mysterious sorceress Zurfina, to agents from the enemy nation of Freedonia, to the kings and witchdoctors of the mysterious lizardmen. On the eve of her fifteenth birthday, sorceress’s apprentice Senta finds herself being pulled first one way and then the other. Will she actually have to split herself into four in order to deal with all her responsibilities?
Senta and the Steel Dragon Book 5: The Two Dragons
War has come the Birmisia. The newly settled colonists contemplate war on two fronts. The mysterious lizardmen from far away Tsahloose, led by their monstrous dragon god, threaten from the south. And from across the sea, the totalitarian kingdom of Freedonia threatens to invade their world with wizards and steam-powered war machines. Can even 17 year old Senta and her mistress Zurfina the Magnificent stop them? Find out in the thrilling conclusion to the Senta and the Steel Dragon Series.
Tesla’s Stepdaughters
In a world where men are almost extinct, someone is trying to kill history's greatest rock & roll band. Science Police Agent John Andrews must negotiate a complicated relationship with Ep!phanee, the band's lead singer; drummer Ruth De Molay, bassist Steffie Sin, and the redheaded clone lead guitarist Penny Dreadful, as he protects them and tries to discover who wants to kill the Ladybugs.
Women of Power
The life of a superhero is tough. All American Girl fights supervillains, alien invaders, and terrorists as she tries to get product endorsements and a magazine deal. That's nothing compared to her private life though. She's only just broken up with her super boyfriend Perihelion when he's scooped up by Omega Woman, and now rival Skygirl has moved into her territory.
Blood Trade
Vegas is going to hell-- literally. Werewolves run through the streets and the vampires are taking over. Former army ranger/Goth tattoo model/private eye Xochitl McKenna doesn't like it either, especially when it comes between her and her clients. But are the vampires and werewolves the greatest threat, or is it something or someone much closer to her? Warning: Adult Content.
Astrid Maxxim and her Amazing Hoverbike
From the 180,000 acre campus of Maxxim Industries, fourteen year old girl genius and inventor Astrid Maxxim works alongside her father, Dr. Roger Maxxim, on projects to make the world a better place. Her latest invention is a flying scooter—the hoverbike. Is it the target of an international spy ring, or are they after secret Project RG-7, or Astrid herself?
Women of Power Page 12