GALAXY AT WAR - Book 2 - Probing Anthera

CHAPTER FOURTEEN - September 2172 - Earth / Moon - 2 days to go

...Earth...

Suzanne's phone rang. She walked into the lounge, dressed only in two towels. One on her head, the other wrapped around her body. Her wet legs shone in the natural light radiating from the window.

"TV on. Answer phone. Sound only," said Suzanne. The TV screen lit up and showed the callers identity.

"Hello, Frank," said Suzanne.

"Hello, Suzanne. Why no picture?"

"I'm wearing a towel, Frank."

"Oh, come on, Suzie. Let me see."

"No, Frank. I'm back with Steve. Do you have the information I requested?"

"All business then," Frank's voice turned serious.

"I'm afraid so, Frank. Sorry."

"Okay then. There was never any meeting planned, or attended, on Tuesday the twenty-second. Whoever sent her that message intended her demise."

"Very interesting. Thanks."

"You're very welcome, Suzie. There was one more thing I've been told to ask you."

"Yes."

"If you find out who wrote that letter, we expect you to pass it on."

"I don't know, Frank."

"Please don't make me threaten you," there was no mistaking the threatening tone in his voice.

"Okay, I'll give you the name if I find out who it was."

"Bye, Suzie. Just one peak, please," his voice was back to playful again.

"Bye, Frank."

The connection ended. Suzanne wandered to the sofa, thinking about the call. If Roxanne was setup then they intended to kill her. Who could possibly want to do that? She sighed. Just about anyone who met her. But who would go through with it?

The doorbell rang. Suzanne got up and walked to the front door. She looked at the screen and saw a white male roughly her height. He had brown eyes and black hair. Suzanne was also impressed by the smart but casual way he was dressed. She didn't recognize him.

"Hello," said Suzanne.

"Oh, err, hello. My name's Ben. Ben Baines. We talked a couple of days ago."

"Come in, Mr Baines," said Suzanne. Then she said the password. "Back to work." Her front door swung open, allowing Ben inside.

"Thank you, Miss Cox. Thank you for doing this for me."

"As you can see, I'm not appropriately dressed. Please take a seat in the lounge, I'll be with you shortly," she closed the front door. "Can I get you a drink while you wait?"

"Err... no, no I'll be fine, thanks."

"Okay. See you in a few minutes," Suzanne left the lounge.

Ben walked around her lounge and saw a photo of Suzanne and Steve enjoying the sunshine on a beach. Nice body, he thought as he looked at her yellow, two-piece bikini.

He saw some awards which had been placed in frames and hung above the fireplace. He looked closer and saw that one was a Pulitzer prize. She must have worked in America at some point then, he thought. There were also some from her younger days. A first place for running at a school sports day.

He noticed a picture that had the whole of World News' employees grouped together. He read the sign at the bottom, 'April 7th 2167'. He saw Roxanne, not looking towards the camera, but at Suzanne who was to her right and several people away.