Since I was on medical leave, the metal surface of my desk was empty except for a single piece of paper, a notification that I was due at the range to requalify. Perfect.
I didn’t feel like driving to the west mesa and the outdoor range. I settled for the private indoor range that had a deal with APD. Back to the Lamborghini. Estevan gave me a “what the fuck?” look, but I didn’t respond. We drove back uptown.
When I reached the range, I just had to flash my badge at the hard-bitten woman with too-bright, dyed-red hair who sat behind the counter. She had a pistol on each hip, a package of Nicorette gum on the counter in front of her, and an open can of Red Bull. I hoped I hadn’t just seen Sam in thirty years. The woman waved me back to the range.
I hung a target and sent it whirring to the far end of the range, slid in a clip, and settled the earmuffs over my ears. I raised the gun, took aim, and started shooting. I emptied the clip and brought the target back. There was a reasonably close grouping (mostly) in the center of the silhouette’s body mass.
I hung a new target, reloaded my clip, and went again. This time I didn’t just bang away. I paused before each shot.
Kenntnis was functionally gone. Bang. Who knew how long the shattered creature would clothe itself in a people-suit? Bang. I was still the head of Lumina. Bang. I was still the paladin. Bang. The gates were closed. Bang. There were still Old Ones, or rather more Old Ones. Bang. They would try to reopen the gates, or at least tear holes in our universe. Bang. I had people who knew the truth, supported me, and had been inoculated. Bang. How could I use them effectively, in ways that would counter the Old Ones? Bang.
I slowly lowered the gun onto the divider in front of me. I was the paladin. I was the head of Lumina. I had people. How could I best use them?
It really was all up to me.
CODA
It was surprisingly heavy, and while the exterior was smooth, the turns that cradled his fingers were rough enough to help the hand keep its grip.
Make more of these? How the fuck am I going to make more of these? I don’t know what this is. I don’t care if we hired ten thousand scientists. They’re not going to know what it is either. I just wanted to study it. I can’t reproduce it. He’s smoking crack.
But it’d be kinda cool. He said anybody Eddie knew. Guys he’d met at conferences, people he played World of Warcraft with.
Professors. People he’d gone to school with. Hello. I am authorized to offer you a job with Lumina Enterprises at triple your last salary. We will relocate you and even buy you a house. Why, you ask? Because you are being recruited to study an ancient, alien artifact. Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to make more of these artifacts that will be used to protect the world. Who will carry it, you ask? Oh, don’t worry about that. Those people are being located and recruited even as we speak. You just focus on your job.
How cool would that be?
There was a soft throat clearing from behind him.
“Eddie, the sword stays with me.”
* * *
Travel around the world rescuing eggheads, and attacking Old Ones? He was forty-three years old, for crap’s sake. He’d left the army when he was twenty-five.
Richard did say they were also going to recruit and train. Weber thought he’d rather do that, and not take part in the run-around-the-world part of the plan. Sam wanted to shoot things. Fine, let her go. He’d shot enough things.
But Cross was going to be looking for more paladins. And the other monsters weren’t going to like that. They’d try to kill those people, just like they were going to try to kill Richard. And suddenly Weber remembered a little boy whom he and Richard had rescued out of one of those dimensions. With so many monsters in the world, there were going to be a lot more kids disappearing, and he just wasn’t going to let that happen.
Suddenly he felt better. This was no different than the work he’d been doing. The perps were tougher and the stakes higher, but it was still about preserving and protecting … just on a global scale.
“Did I mention, you’re going to be in charge?”
Looked like he and the FBI Scoobies needed to get in a huddle.
* * *
They were going to be spending more money than the GDP of many small countries. When Dagmar had pointed that out, he’d said, “Make more money.” She almost got mad, except he spun around the notepad and showed her his ideas. If Kenzo hadn’t signed off she would have thought he was crazy. Now they were going to undertake the largest privately funded space project ever.
Then he ended it with the news that Peter and the kids were on their way.
“Don’t get a divorce yet.”
* * *
Track them, was the order. After all, Grenier was the best person to spot Old One activity because he’d helped organize and abet their incursions for years.
“And then what?”
“We shut them down.”
Simple, matter-of-fact.
Apparently a response team was being organized to then deal with these hot spots. Grenier pointed out that he’d need a staff to sift through news reports and rumors and stories to find the places where reality was being torn apart.
Already in the works. The fourth floor was his. Grenier could hire his own researchers, and it would be up to him to teach them what to look for. Once he’d established his team he would be allowed to live in the Lumina building.
Grenier was on board with the plan.
“Welcome back to the human side of the equation,” Richard said.
* * *
“What am I doing?” Pamela asked.
“I’m going to teach you how to shoot.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re not going to just watch any longer. We’re going to fight. And there’s nobody I’d rather have covering my back than you.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Iwant to thank my amazing writers group, Critical Mass, who every month helps me to become a better writer. So, thanks to Daniel Abraham, Terry England, Emily Mah, George R. R. Martin, Victor Milan, Walter Jon Williams, Steve Stirling, Ian Tregillis, and Sage Walker.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melinda Snodgrass has written multiple novels and screenplays, and worked extensively in Hollywood. She is best known for her work on Star Trek: The Next Generation—her episode ‘Measure of a Man’ was nominated for the Writer’s Guild Award in Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series. She has also worked on numerous other shows, including The Profilers, Sliders and Seaquest DSV. She coedits the Wild Cards series with George R.R. Martin, and has recently turned in her Wild Cards screenplay to Universal Pictures, for which she would also be Executive Producer. Melinda is the author of The Edge series, and the forthcoming Imperials series for Titan Books. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
ALSO AVAILABLE FROM TITAN BOOKS
THE EDGE OF REASON
MELINDA SNODGRASS
A contemporary fantasy series that explores the tensions between science and rationality, religion and superstition.
Richard Oort is a cop. He’s also the last Paladin: a reluctant hero, fated to defend the world against demonic forces that threaten to plunge us into another Dark Age. Richard is on patrol one night when he leaps to the defense of a terrified young woman fleeing something impossible: beings that can only be described as monsters. Beings that can only have been created by magic. But in saving the beautiful Rhianna, he gets drawn into the machinations of a mysterious billionaire who just might be Prometheus and Lucifer. And who claims to be waging a millennia-old war on the side of reason and light, defending humanity from others of his kind who want nothing more than to see us destroy ourselves with superstition, religion, darkness, fear.
But when Richard discovers he’s a Paladin — product of a genetic fluke that enables him to wield Lucifer’s sword — he becomes a central figure in the battle between Light and Darkness. But is he strong enough to bear the burden?
TITANBOOKS.COM
PRAISE FOR THE EDGE O
F REASON
“If H.P. Lovecraft and H. L. Mencken had ever collaborated, they might have come up with something like The Edge of Reason. This one will delight thinkers—and outrage true believers—of all stripes.” George R. R. Martin
“[A] gritty narrative of a war between light and dark… Balanc[es] a harsh critique of organized religion with touches of humor and a good-hearted priest who grounds his faith in the Golden Rule…” Publishers Weekly
“Peopled with a richly drawn cast of characters… the story is a big, complex and ambitious tale that rarely rests and demands the reader’s full attention. Thee ideas are provocative, strongly so… Readers looking for a thoughtful, action-packed and fascinating story, this one is for you. Strongly recommended.” SF Revu
“Interesting religious arguments aside Snodgrass crafted a tightly paced supernatural thriller that manages to stay interesting and thrilling from beginning to end.” King of the Nerds
‘I really enjoyed this book. It’s thought-provoking and certainly memorable, with an intriguing concept and a cast of characters begging for further exploration. I’d love to see more of this world.” Green Man Review
TITANBOOKS.COM
The Edge of Ruin Page 32