Mars Journey: Call to Action: Book 1: A SciFi Thriller Series
Page 8
“Think I’ll get out today and grab me something from the lunch truck,” he said into the mirror, and let himself smile a little. “Will be good to get out among my people.”
Ignorant bliss. Momentary reprieve, at least.
He walked to the door, released the deadbolt, and stepped outside into the hustle and bustle of a busy office. He was immediately approached by his secretary.
“You have three messages, sir, and the ESA Administration office has been holding on line two for 30 minutes.”
“Thanks, Rebecca. I’m going to have to take those when I get back.”
“But the ESA will be closed by the time you get back…”
“I said hold my calls!” he snapped.
Rebecca sank back, trying to hide her shock.
“Sorry about that, Rebecca. I need to take a walk, grab some lunch, and clear my head. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“No worries, sir. I understand. There is a lot of pressure on you.”
He forced a smile and walked off.
You have no idea what pressure I am under, young lady. I’m just glad you don’t know what is coming, and how little there is we can do about it. Going to forget about this for a minute. Grab a street taco from the lunch truck.
He made it halfway down the hall when he heard Rebecca call after him, “Administrator Johnson! Sir, I know you said to hold your calls… but it’s Ken Solum. He says it’s urgent. I can take a message if you like.”
“No, that’s fine, Rebecca,” he said as he turned back towards her. “I’ll take the call at my desk.”
“Yes, sir.”
Johnson re-entered his office, closed the door behind him, reached for the secure panel switches, and thought, guess I don’t get a momentary reprieve when the very fate of the world is resting on my decisions, and getting to Mars is one of the best shots we have for the survival of the species. How in the hell did it come to this?
Chapter 22
The End Of Book 1… The Epic Journey Continues in Book 2
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Thank you for reading Mars Journey: Call to Action – Book 1. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
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The Mars Journey series will take us from the beginning with the space station disaster that you just read, the effort to get the crew to the launch, the journey through space, and hopefully make it to Mars (it is a long and dangerous mission after all). I look forward to continuing the journey with you.
Ad Mars et Ultra (To Mars and Beyond),
Bill Hargenrader
About the Author
Bill Hargenrader is the bestselling author of the near-future science fiction thriller series - Mars Journey: Call to Action. When Bill was 8 years old, he was wrongfully committed to a mental institution for 3 years for a crime he didn’t commit.
Bill turned to reading Stephen King and the Hardy Boys series as an escape, and when he was 13 he began writing his own stories of heroes fighting villains and overcoming incredible odds. Now Bill is a US Army Veteran, a Fortune 500 cybersecurity and innovation strategist, and a successful entrepreneur. He draws upon his technical expertise and experiential living to bring life to his characters and stories.
Bill has been featured in CIO, the Huffington Post, and the Washington Post. He writes side by side with his wife, author Daniele Hargenrader, and their two cats: Frankie and Kitty. Get timely updates on Bill's books and other projects at http://billhargenrader.com
Table of Contents
Part 1 - T-Minus 7 years
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
T-Minus 6 Years
Chapter 4 - Location: New York City, United States
Chapter 5
T-Minus 3 Years
Chapter 6 - Location: Silicon Valley, United States
Chapter 7
Part 2 - Recruit the Crew
Chapter 8 - Location: Paris, France
Chapter 9
Chapter 10 - Location: Beijing, China
Chapter 11
Chapter 12 - Location: Star City, Near Moscow, Russia
Chapter 13
Part 3 - The Journey Home
Chapter 14 - Location: Silicon Valley, United States
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20 - Location: Northern California Mountain Wilderness, United States
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
About the Author