A Covenant with Death: The Peacock Trilogy - Book 3 Read Online Free Page A

redheaded bitch jotted down notes. This irritated Ammad. A man of Pendleton’s stature protected and aided by a woman —unfathomable. But, he wouldn’t have to put up with these infidels much longer. The First Citizen had relaxed his vigilance since his mentor, Milton Rogers, died. Ammad smirked.
    He won’t know what’s coming until it’s too late.

Chapter 3
    After a long day of meetings, a cool shower refreshed Laverna. Her disease hadn’t hindered her ability to keep fit and give sound advice to Arthur on things she could recall. She worked out with the team her daughter Connor assigned to protect the First Citizen—Peacock’s old team of Shin Mao Ming, Sharesca Baidya, (nicknamed Cher), and Klaus Bruegman. Five times in an average week, Laverna played Peacock again hiding her pain and puffing through the full unit training exercise.
    This, however, wasn’t an average week. Tomorrow, she and Arthur would head to Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska to christen the third Bering Sea Cargo Bridge. The oceans were pristine to the eye. To pollute them as they were recovering would be criminal. Moving cargo across the strait by truck linked together most of the world. This final bridge guaranteed cargo ships would never again sail the Pacific.
    She grabbed a towel and slipped into bed next to Arthur. He caressed her as she satisfied him. Her mind and body pleasured him with energy and drive equal to her best years. She understood from the Bible that sex was a gift from God to mankind and was to be enjoyed by husband and wife. She had confessed to God all her many indiscretions and been forgiven.
    Arthur nuzzled her close afterward, running his fingers along the scarred ruts lining her cheeks—compliments of Beatrice Kolb.
    “Now tell me what vision you saw this time,” he said.
    “My gut tells me I saw an angel.”
    “That’s what you said the last four times.”
    “I don’t remember those times. I wish...”
    A sigh escaped her lips.
    “All right now,” he whispered. “Whatever you’ve seen or heard has hit spot on . I think you hallucinate. And because you’re brilliant, you’ve been right. So speak to me my oracle.”
    “The angel said, ‘God commands you to warn your husband his rule is ending. He is to follow God’s instruction and ready true believers for the Lord’s return.’”
    “Ouch!” Arthur’s face reddened. He shot up straight. “I know you want me to step down. But I’d be a lunatic to off and declared the end of the world. I couldn’t pull it off. It’s a huge undertaking to even identify true believers .”
    “Not for you. You reorganized the whole world with lightning speed.”
    Her husband’s shoulders drooped. “I’ll have to think on this. Right now all I can visualize is walking through complex after complex with a sign reading, ‘Repent! The End Is Near!’ Maybe I should grow a beard and wear a goatskin tunic. I’m not prepared for the task.”
    Laverna wrung her hands. “I’m frightened. I feel so inadequate, and I don’t trust myself with the way my brain functions. But I believe I’m speaking the truth.”
    “I love you, but I don’t trust this vision.” He stroked her hand, and her neck relaxed. “The first time you came to me, you told me to evacuate parts of Boston and New York and move the residents inland. I refused until our own oceanographers explained the science to me.”
    She chuckled. “I get so confused. I know the rising oceans flooded the coast, but I didn’t know I warned you it would happen.”
    “That’s the thing. You never give me details. Maybe that’s how God tests my faith. Until I learned differently, my best scientists thought dikes were the answer. Dikes would have been a disaster. So how do I accomplish this noble task?”
    “Nano 7,” Laverna said, brushing her hair back from her eyes. All citizens wore a thin wristband used for incoming transmissions. Selective executive levels accessed outgoing lines for Realm purposes only. A