By Liza O’Connor
Spark’s blank check
Carte Blanche…the term was first used in 1793.
According to Webster the definition depends upon if you say it in French or English. Blank check means a signed check with the amount left unspecified. Carte Blanche means complete freedom of action or control.
But my character Logan has a slightly different twist on the word, and I’m not going to argue with him because he’s pissed off right now. Being American, he says ‘Blank Check’ but his meaning is closer to Carte Blanche. Logan is angry that Sparks can spend the Corps money where he likes, while Logan is held to a very tight budget.
But is he being fair about his use of the word, even using the French definition?
I don’t think so. Sparks simply gave Daniel the amount allotted for housing SkyRyders during an emergency. Therefore, he acted within the rules triggering neither a blank check nor carte blanche.
Logan has suffered the pain of being stationed at a small satellite fort that no one wishes to finance. But since the fort was destroyed the day before, he needs to let it go and stop being angry at Jack when the fellow is just doing his job. And honestly, that isn’t even what’s bothering him. Alisha is flirting with Jack and that has nothing to do with checks either in French or English.
Alisha Kane, the Corps’ best flyer, is promoted to colonel, in charge of teaching the Corp’s SkyRyders her extraordinary flying maneuvers. The man she loves, Logan, continues to place the Corps first and insists they both remain focused on their work. For Alisha, this means ferreting out the best flyers in a Corps that has systematically forced great flyers into mediocrity. Logan focuses on learning Alisha’s flying techniques so that he can become the hero the East Coast desperately needs. The result includes fractured ribs and broken hearts, but through it all they never relinquish their love of the Corps.
Excerpt from Scavenger Falters by Liza O’Connor
Instead of replying to Logan’s rant, Alisha ran to her room and grabbed her flight suit. When she returned to the kitchen, Jack was shaking her gramp’s hand. “Thank you for the breakfast, sir, it was delicious. I’ll have to figure out more reasons to visit you in the mornings, bringing Alisha with me, of course.”
“Try to keep in mind that Daniel is on a food budget,” Logan warned.
“Which reminds me.” Jack pulled out a deposit slip. “I had this sent directly to your bank account this morning, sir. I hope that more than covers the costs you’ve incurred boarding these two fine soldiers.”
Alisha moved close to her gramps and read the slip of paper in his hands.
“This is too much!” he insisted.
“That’s the standard cost of housing officers during an emergency,” Jack assured him.
Alisha kissed her gramps on his cheek. “You see. It really does pay to let muddy, stinky Ryders into your home.”
She was glad he was so well rewarded for his efforts. “I gotta go now. The general does not like to be kept waiting,” she explained and walked out of the house, not even acknowledging Colonel Logan. He didn’t deserve acknowledgment after his hateful comment about her catcher.
* * * *
Logan fought to contain and conceal the anger he felt. It was bad enough that Sparkes had seduced Alisha, but now he wanted to seduce Daniel as well?
He had rightfully challenged Sparkes’ intention to visit often. While Logan had ensured the Corps reinstated Daniel’s pension, that didn’t give Jack the right to consume it in high food bills. Yet when Logan mentioned it to Jack, the arrogant bastard simply presented a deposit slip, showing how generous he could be with the Corps’ money.
That really pissed off Logan. His budget was so damned tight he couldn’t buy sufficient blankets for his squad, and yet evidently the Corps had given Jack a blank checkbook to use as he wished.
Thus, Jack left a hero who had saved the catcher, saved the budget, and somehow he’d even got credit for saving Alisha, while Logan’s part in her life had disappeared from her memory. She hadn’t even said goodbye when she left. She had kissed Daniel, but never once glanced in his direction.
SALES LINKS
The SkyRyder’s Series, Book 2 – Scavenger Falters – AMAZON
The SkyRyder’s Series, Book 1 – Scavenger’s Mission – AMAZON
About the Author
Liza O’Connor lives in Denville, NJ with her dog Jess. They hike in fabulous woods every day, rain or shine, sleet or snow. Having an adventurous nature, she learned to fly small Cessnas in NJ, hang-glide in New Zealand, kayak in Pennsylvania, ski in New York, scuba dive with great white sharks in Australia, dig up dinosaur bones in Montana, sky dive in Indiana, and raft a class four river in Tasmania. She’s an avid gardener, amateur photographer, and dabbler in watercolors and graphic arts. Yet through her entire life, her first love has and always will be writing novels.
OTHER BOOKS BY LIZA O’CONNOR
SCIENCE FICTION
The Multiverse Series – Sci-Fi Soap Opera with humor, romance, and science
Artificial Intelligence Series -Sci-Fi/Romance
The SkyRyders Series – Sci-Fi Romance
Scavenger Falters-releasing Dec 30th 2016
Scavenger Vanishes-coming 2017
Click here For ALL Novels by Liza
Social Networks
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Thanks for having me over!
Liza!
I loved this book. It really keeps the story moving forward and amps up the danger!
Thanks for stopping by, Melissa!
Liked the excerpt. Tweeted.
Thank you.
Thank you Daryl!
I enjoyed the excerpt. Sounds exciting.