Cannibal Reign by Thomas Koloniar Page A

save. Beyond that, this seems like an entirely worthwhile endeavor to me, considering what’s to come. And you seem to me a capable group of men.”
    Ulrich exchanged glances with the others, none of them exactly disagreeing with Michael’s observation about Forrest, though they had not considered the point before. Forrest had always been their leader, and soldiers weren’t generally in the business of questioning their officers’ motivations, though Special Forces operatives were typically allowed a higher level of input than members of the regular rank and file.
    “How about you?” Forrest asked Veronica. “What do you think?”
    “You know,” Michael said, “I’m not sure she’s entirely capable of offering an unbiased opinion where you’re concerned. She’s attracted to you.”
    “Michael!” Veronica nearly shouted. “That’s not funny!”
    “I think thou dost protest too much. Are you going to deny there’s chemistry between the two of you? If you are, then there’s really no sense in my being a part of this equation . . . is there?”
    She sat staring at him, her eyes angry and embarrassed. The other men stifled grins.
    Forrest, however, admired Michael for bringing it out into the open. It forced them to acknowledge a reality that had been an eight hundred pound gorilla in the room.
    “It’s not anything to be ashamed of,” Michael said easily. “Nor is it something to be denied. Not if we’re considering living among these men and so many others in such a confined space for such an extended period of time. Because now we’re getting into your area of study, and you understand the social dynamics involved here even better than I.”
    She crossed her arms, painfully aware that her body language, as usual, was confirming what Michael already knew. “This could have waited,” she said thinly.
    “I don’t think so,” Forrest butted in. “Not from Mike’s point of view, it couldn’t.” He turned his attention to Michael. “I think Veronica’s one of the most attractive women I’ve ever seen,” he admitted. “It’s why I told her about our little project here. But the truth is that she reminds me of the way my wife Monica used to be. So do I enjoy her company? Absolutely. Is it my intention to try and steal her away from you? No. And for the record, I don’t feel that I could if I tried.”
    Veronica realized that this was very probably only the beginning of the gender dilemmas they would all be facing if they chose to continue with this attempt. Women were going to be commoditized the world over; there would be no forestalling that phenomenon after the asteroid hit. Females enjoyed parity with males only as a result of law and order, and while this concept was fascinating to her from a sociological perspective, as a woman she was frightened by it. This was not some collegiate hypothetical case study. Humanity was on the very brink of being thrust into a world where the strong would hold absolute dominion over the weak.
    “May I assume that I’m to have at least some say over who I do and do not choose to be with?” she said, looking between the two of them.
    Forrest grinned. “I was merely stating my opinion.”
    “Well, for everyone’s general knowledge here,” she said, looking at all the men, “I love Michael and—unlike most men —I’m quite capable of controlling myself, even if I happen to find someone other than my mate attractive. So to answer the question, yes, there is chemistry between Jack and I, but it’s not an issue for me. Nor do I believe it will be for him.”
    “Well, I have a more important question for you,” Kane said to her.
    She looked at him. “Yes?”
    “Do you have a sister?”
    Everyone laughed.
    “I do,” she said, smiling, “but I’m sorry. She’s married with two kids and lives on the East Coast. Now, if no one minds, I’d like to clean up before we turn in. Is there hot water in the shower room?”
    “Yes,” Ulrich said.