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Back The Long Sunset Save as PDF
Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. Prologue
  5. 1.
  6. 2.
  7. 3.
  8. 4.
  9. 5.
  10. 6.
  11. 7.
  12. 8.
  13. 9.
  14. 10.
  15. 11.
  16. 12.
  17. 13.
  18. 14.
  19. 15.
  20. 16.
  21. 17.
  22. 18.
  23. 19.
  24. 20.
  25. 21.
  26. 22.
  27. 23.
  28. 24.
  29. 25.
  30. 26.
  31. 27.
  32. 28.
  33. 29.
  34. 30.
  35. 31.
  36. 32.
  37. 33.
  38. 34.
  39. 35.
  40. 36.
  41. 37.
  42. 38.
  43. 39.
  44. 40.
  45. 41.
  46. 42.
  47. 43.
  48. 44.
  49. Epilogue
  50. About the Author
  51. Copyright

ESTHER WATKINS WINS WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

First Human Champion in 86 Years

First Woman Champion Ever

VIOLENT CRIME RATE IN NAU REACHES

ALL-TIME LOW

Murders Drop First Time Below 1,000 Nationwide

TREES COMING BACK

Reforesting Project Combats Climate Change

Seas Still Rising, But Rate of Increase Finally Slows

SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE RATE

CONTINUES TO IMPROVE

85% of First Marriages Now Last Lifetime

STUDIES SHOW MOST PEOPLE ARE SMARTER

THAN THEY THINK

Authority Figures Create Problems by Showing Us Where We Get Things Wrong

Advice to Parents, Teachers, and Bosses: Emphasize the Positive

MCDERMOTT WINS CONCILIAR PRIZE

British Physicist Claims Physics Award with Humanitarian Application

GEORGE PARRIN DEAD AT 141

Actor Best Known for Role as Albert Einstein

WHITE HOUSE: NO COMMENT ON CENTAURI INITIATIVE

42.

Engage the passions, and no mere argument, however reasonable, can stand.

—Gregory MacAllister, “The Café Across the Street,” Collected Essays, 2251

They took Hutch back to the stock room. Derek asked what had happened. She saw immediately that Ken’s eyes were filled with rage. This was the guy who never got upset. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“They deleted everything,” said Beth.

“The book?”

“Yeah,” said Ken.

Hutch would be able to reconstruct some of her notes, as would the others. But rewriting a book? “I’m sorry, Ken.”

His notebook was on the floor beside his chair. “I can live with it.”

The bags they’d brought out of the Eiferman were scattered around the room. And her commlink was waiting for her.

“So, what happened?” said Derek. “He still talking about prosecution?”

“If we say anything, yes.”

“They won’t bother anybody,” said Derek. “Zhang and whoever else was behind this just want it to go away now. The last thing they’ll want would be media attention.”

•  •  •

None of the others were with Hutch in the shuttle ride down to the DC spaceport. Usually, she would have spent her time reading. She told herself that she didn’t bother because her notebook had been emptied. But the shuttle had a library. So, the reality was that she was too excited, or maybe too annoyed. Her attention was concentrated on finding out whether the transmission had gotten through to her mother.

They were out over the Atlantic, descending through a bright, sunlit morning, when her commlink sounded. It was Tom. “Hi, Hutch,” he said. “Welcome home.”

“Hello, Tom. Good to hear from you.” He sounded less belligerent than he had the last time they’d talked.

“I was glad to see you got home okay. I missed you.”

“I missed you, too, Thomas.”

“I wanted to apologize. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

“It’s okay.”

“I didn’t like having you out of my life. I think that’s what the real problem was.”

“Let it go, Tom. I understand.”

“How are you? Everything all right?”

“I’m good.”