Awakening: Parables From The Apocalypse - Dystopian Fiction by Norman Christof Page A

detecting us.  The security forces have equipment and training to find us.  At some point that boat will be declared missing, and there’ll be some sort of search.  If they find it without you and Leekasha on board it will look pretty suspicious.  I haven’t remained hidden all this time to blow it now.  Not now that I’ve finally brought one of you back.”
    “Wow, you’re a real buzzkill.  So glad to be back in the land of the living.  A drink or two won’t hurt anyone. C’mon, have a little fun.  I’ve been dead for six years, I’m entitled to celebrate.”
     
    Christa grabbed him by the arm.
    “Easy honey, no need to get rough.  If you want some of me, I won’t play hard to get.  I promise.” Andreas grinned.
    Christa tried talking directly inside his head with no effect.  Apparently he was able to block her out now.
    “Look,” she said.  “I brought you out from under the drug, and I can put you back under.” She was hoping he didn’t catch her in that lie.  “I have a place we need to get back to.  It’s safe there.  We can have a closer look at both of you and plan our next steps.  It would be incredibly stupid to take risks at this point.”
    She pulled his arm in her direction, but he just yanked it away.
    “You’re bluffing.  There’s no way you’d put me back if what you say is true.  I’m going for that drink, and maybe a little something else.  You and the mute one over there can go and do whatever.  I’ll see you later.”
     
    Andreas turned and headed in the opposite direction towards the main road.
    “Damn it!” Christa whispered under her breath.  She headed off after Andreas, and Leekasha followed like a lost puppy.
     

Just One
    “Dr. Montgomery, I hope I’m not interrupting anything important here,” Chaz said.
    Judith Montgomery looked up from her desk to see Chaz standing in her office doorway. “Well, Colonel, it looks like you’re well on the road to recovery.  I’d say it was nice to see you up and about on your own, but that would be a lie. It’s been a few years, but I’m still a little pissed that you nearly had me killed rescuing that demon child.  The thought of you lying in a coma did my heart some good.  I actually believed that karma was real.”
    “So now we’re believing in the metaphysical are we, Doctor?  That seems a little out of your area of expertise.  Are there lab tests for karma?”  Chaz smiled and stepped further into the office.  “Don’t bother answering that.  We’ll just let real life play out and see whether it does or not.  You may not be fully aware, but I’m actually more than just up and about.  I’ve been recalled into active duty.”
    Judith pushed her chair back from her desk.  “Really?  Now what, pray tell, could the military have in mind for an old war dinosaur like yourself?  You do realize that the war is over.  There’s no need for men like you any longer.  Science was what finally won the war you military thugs couldn’t finish.  This is a country on the rise again, and it’s all thanks to science and technology.”
    “It’s interesting you should bring that up, Doc.  I’ve had a taste of your new world order so to speak, and to be honest I’m not so sure.  Sure, it’s sweet tasting on the first bite, what with all these domesticated zombies doing all the grunt work for you.  I have to wonder though what the aftertaste will be like when those dogs break their chains.  I bet that’s gonna sting like hell.  Then where will you turn to solve your problems?  What will your science get you then?  You’re going to need a big stick to keep those dogs at bay.”
    Judith looked down, shaking her head.  “What is it you want here, Colonel?  Surely it can’t just be to annoy me with your fanciful notions of a future where you’re relevant again?  There’s nothing I can tell you about Christa, or the Pacize drug.  It’s all classified information.”
    “Oh, I’ve