The Antiterrorist: A Jake Corby Sci-Fi Thriller (Mysterious Events Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

She’s tried to cure me of that, explaining that it doesn’t matter what people think of her.
    After my FBI handlers excused themselves, Mary climbed into the bed, knocking my pulse oximeter and setting off a few alarms.
    It was so good to be snuggling with her again. What was it that made me go off on these adventures?
    Mary sighed and pressed her head against my shoulder. “Oh, Jake, what’s wrong with you?”
    “What a coincidence.” I held her tight even though my ribs weren’t happy about it. “I’ve been asking myself that same question. If you don’t know the answer, I don’t think I can figure it out.”
    “You know I’ve never interfered with your obsession with terrorism.”
    “Hey, I thought I asked you not to make fun of my hobbies.”
    She looked up at my face. “Jake, if you’re trying to figure out what’s wrong with you, you might start with your inability to be serious.”
    “You mean like the guy who walks into a bar—”
    “Jake, you really, really don’t need to save the world. You know that, right? Have you thought about what it would be like for me if you were killed?”
    That sobered me up. Of course I’d thought about it.
    “Right,” I said. “If anything happened to you , I wouldn’t be able to go on. I’d just drop out of the world. I’d hole up in a cabin in the woods and have food sent in.” I looked up at the ceiling. “I promise I will try to cut down on the heroics. And I will try to remember this promise even in the heat of the moment.”
    * * *
    They released me from Walter Reed around the time my celebrity status faded. Coincidence? Mary and I hung out in D.C. for two weeks, luxuriating in the Hotel Monaco, doing touristy things, and people-watching in coffee shops. We discussed our plans for having children. We enjoyed long walks in the snow, bundled up in our new down parkas with Mary firmly attached to my arm. Sure, it sounded like a personal-ad cliché, but it felt great.
    The ISS was dying, and the news broadcasts were full of schemes for rescuing Catherine and Ray. The world was now on a first-name basis with the astronauts. The news media had amped up interest with two-hour special reports covering their lives and careers. Since they were most likely headed toward an unpleasant death, I didn’t watch.
    Mary and I were checking out Space Shuttle Enterprise in the Air and Space Museum when I spied Hallstrom striding toward us. Uh-oh. He closed the distance and put on his best politician smile. I guess the FBI had kept tabs on where I was.
    “Jake, look at you. You heal pretty fast.”
    “Well, I get lots of practice.”
    I had to admit, I liked the guy. He wasn’t as phony as he looked. We shook hands.
    After making small talk and gushing over how beautiful Mary looked, he herded us to his favorite coffee shop, the Nonpartisan Cafe.
    We got our drinks and found a table in the back, under a huge black-and-white photo of Eisenhower and Nixon toasting one another with coffee cups. Hallstrom took a bite from his powdered jelly donut.
    “Dane, the deadline’s in two days,” I said. “Do you really have time for schmoozing with ex-FBI consultants?”
    “Here’s the thing, Jake.” He shifted in his seat and glanced at Mary. “We’re stuck. We think we know where that beam came from, but we’ve been scouring the area and coming up empty. I know it’s asking a lot, but it would be great if you could just go there and nose around. Nothing dangerous.”
    I raised my hand as if taking an oath. “I promise, Dane, I’m not as smart as you think I am. Mary will back me up on this.”
    Mary nodded while sipping her coffee, spilling some.
    “Do you know much about Catherine and Ray, the astronauts who are stranded up there?” Hallstrom asked.
    “Oh, no you don’t.” I waggled a finger. “That’s not playing fair, Dane. I know they’re fine people—”
    “Ray Shepard has four kids under the age of ten, and his wife is pregnant.”
    I closed my eyes