The Planck Factor - Chapter 28

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Jessica

I stared at Liz in disbelief. “You must be joking, right? Tell me you’re joking. I mean you can’t possibly be serious. No way, no way. You can’t be serious!” The more I spoke, the faster my words came and the more hysterical I sounded.

Liz wouldn’t return my look. She propped her elbows on the table and kneaded her temples with both hands. “None of this is my idea, Jess. I don’t like it any more than you do. I haven’t liked any of this.” Her voice dripped with disgust.

“Oh, yeah. Well, I’ve been enjoying it even less, okay? So you and your goddamned federal government can just kiss my ass!”

Liz stopped kneading long enough to venture a look my way. Her eyes were tired, pleading with me for understanding. “It’s your government, too, Jessica. And this catastrophe could kill hundreds of millions of innocent people.”

“Hundreds of millions?”

Liz leaned toward me. “Would you believe entire countries?”

I was silent for a beat. “What kind of catastrophe could do that?”