William Grant is an archeologist on a search to find the first pharaoh, Menes. His search tests his faith in ways he never thought possible.

Chloe eventually helps Charlie to work out a possible solution to his conundrum of making his science available without weaponising it.

Ward of the State
(pilot episode)
Copyright 2021 by Heather Rose Brown

In a near-future world not too different from our own, homelessness has become a hot topic. Citizens are demanding *something* has to be done about it. This is the start of a story about what happens when drastic plans created by poorly informed but enthusiastic committees are put into action.

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“Say cheese!” The photographer says as the nine of us all pull wide, happy grins- and no one's grin is wider or happier than the bride's. I smile as the tall, handsome groom approaches... and kisses the woman stood six feet to my left.

7

Some people say, 'the best-laid plans etc' often come to nothing. That was what happened to our intention to get our hair and nails done before our date with my father. Instead of a new hairstyle, we had to settle for a new outfit apiece.

The next morning and all dressed up in our new glad rags, we took an earlyish morning train from Leeds to Harrogate. This was well before the allotted time for my encounter and gave us a chance to wander around the town. I’d never appreciated the architecture of the town before but it was quite impressive. Most of the town had escaped the ravages of the 1960’s concrete brutalism that passed for good design at the time. This was a marked contrast to many of our towns and cities.

Luke pulls up in front of the Courtyard to pick Mrs. Bounty up. He had received a text message from her. He spots Gina Bounty walking out to his car. He gets out and opens the passenger back door for her.

Gina spots Luke Winter holding open the passenger door of his black Mercedes-Benz S-Class for her. He was also one of her father’s agents that operated out of Washington D.C. and an amateur race car driver as well. Before he came to work for her father, he uses to be a Lt. Commander in the United States Navy.

“Long time, no see, Luke.” Gina likes Luke a lot.

At first I thought he was another handsome customer. You know the kind - a cocktail of rugged and kempt in skinny jeans and a loose knit sweater. His eyes twinkled, and he smiled a shy smile. A girl could fall hard if she wasn’t careful.

“Emily, right?”

Realisation landed with a proverbial slap. I knew him. More than that, he was a remnant of a life gone by. Different names, different faces, among other things.

“Drew?”

Of all the coffee shops, on all the west coast, he stepped into mine.

6

Charlie manages to complete the basic construction of his space craft and it ready for the inaugral flight.

Charlie leaves the UQ (United Queendom) and goes to ground amidst the Mc Murdo desert valleys in Antarctica.

“Clara? What… What are you doing here?”

“Doh! Looking, for you silly.”

I was suddenly lost for words. All the things I’d planned to say when we met again went down the drain in a flash.

“Cat got your tongue?”

Charlie and Chloe finally decide to leave the United Queendom and seek a new life elsewhere. This chapter describes their first steps towards this goal.

Chapter 12 And then You Will Rise…

To say the video was a hit was an understatement. The ‘Osaka Bananas’ were written on a lot of lists for when public shows would be opening again. Once we got out from the virus we all had secure futures for a while to come.