{fb1000000the volume on her Mini-TV, when she recognises a face on the screen. By the time she can hear what is being said, the picture is showing something else, in another story.
{fb1904000"Shit! That's the second time this week"{fb1000000, she says, angrily pulling harder at the string.
For almost a minute she stares at the contents of the parcel as they fall out on the floor. {fb1904000"What the hell's going on?"{fb1000000 she says out loud in disbelief. {fb1904000"What the hell is going on?"{fb1000000
She jumps to her feet and drops the uniform on the floor. (Also enclosed with the uniform are photographs, medals, keys, a diary, a security pass, a swipe card and lots of gold). Wide-eyed she grabs her coat and hurries out into the cold still air, slamming the door behind her.
The city comes alive at night and she certainly doesn't want to be alone on this particular night. Pulling a packet of 'Pharaoh' cigarettes from her pocket, she lights one. Stopping under a street-light to inhale the smoke and the days events.
As the rain begins to fall she turns into a bar and orders a beer. There's a fight in the corner about a pool game, but she doesn't notice. Sinking back into her seat she lights another cigarette and closes her eyes.
{fb1904000"Why the hell did I have to find out like this?"{fb1000000 she says under her breath.
{fb1007000
Chapter 2
{fb1000000
The laser-fire comes thick and fast, but it's no match for Space Admiral 'Killer' McGraph. She dodges everything they can throw at her and returns it with her secret weapon - the ingenious Blast-O-Matic, nick-named 'The Sponge' as it absorbs the electrical current outside the ship, provided by enemy fire, and reflect it back at the attackers. Ingenious. Killed by their own guns! Kerr Pow...
At 6am sharp each day McGraph is woken by the loudest alarm in the city. The Cowling Factory hooter which blasts out a few hundred yards from her home, calling the city 'sheep' to slaughter. Each morning she wakes with a start and a throbbing head because of this 'personal' alarm. Today is different. Today she wakes at Noon under a pile of coats on Bombers floor. She raises her head, squinting with one eye at the Mini-TV.
{fb1904000"It's him again!"{fb1000000 she shrieks.
Bomber appears in the doorway with a frying pan in his hand and an apron tied around his middle.
{fb1904000"You want eggs?"{fb1000000 he says.
Quickly McGraph sits up and focuses on the small screen before her, listening intensely to what 'John Hudson' - Head of Subdivision is explaining.
{fb1000000"...so you see it's only a matter of time before the terrorists realise their only option is to release the prisoners and surrender. Then we'll torture and kill them"{fb1000000, he says under his breath. {fb1904000"So, all you thugs out there take note!"{fb1000000 he says pointing towards the camera.
{fb1904000"Such a nice man"{fb1000000 says Bomber sarcastically as he enters the room with two plates. He places one in front of McGraph and sits at the small table with the other. {fb1904000"You sure were out of it last night!"{fb1000000 he says laughing and eating at the same time. {fb1904000"What was all that shit you were telling me about your father being dead and coming back to haunt you?"{fb1000000
McGraph put her head in her hands and rocked forward, her hair dipping in the greasy food in front of her. She looks at the plate, then looks towards Bomber.
{fb1904000"Take this crap away, I need a cigarette before I can eat".{fb1000000
Raising herself slowly on her elbows she stumbles over to the sink and looks at herself in the cracked dirty mirror.
{fb1904000'My god girl, you've come a long way'{fb1000000 she thinks, brushing her unwashed hair out of her eyes. {fb1904000"Got any hot water?"{fb1000000 she says. {fb1904000"I've not had a shower for days."{fb1000000
After a twenty minute spell in the bathroom McGraph came out looking hardly any different, except her forehead shone a little from the vigorous manner which she indulged in everything - washing included. She was now however smiling and feeling much better inside, as well on the outside. She'd put her old clothes back on though, complete with oil stains from 'fixing' her car. The stain blended in with the camouflage of her dungarees and it didn't seem to matter to her, so why should it bother anyone else?
Bomber thought how pretty her reflection looked in the mirror, but looked away when she caught him watching. If only she would make any effort, he thought - a little make-up, feminine clothes and a different approach to life. Maybe, just maybe they could have a life together again, but that didn't seem possible at the moment. Not after that disaster five years ago. For god's sake she'd only just begun to talk to him again,
