The new Mark 5 i-Scanner has detected something already.’ ‘A transcript Major?’ ‘Better than that General,’ the Major beamed. ‘A conversat...on. Not a long one. Just a snippet really, but a very significant one.’ ‘When?’ the General demanded impatiently. ‘I mean how far in the future? Do we have a date of any sort?’ ‘Hard to be exact General,’ the subordinate hesitated, enjoying the moment of power over a superior officer, short that it would be. ‘It’s early days yet. The techies estimate it to. I stood in the kitchen holding the large envelope. It was Valentine’s Day. If it were a card, who would send me one? My ex-wife certainly wouldn’t. She seemed happy enough with her new husband. The animosity at the time of our divorce had faded. We had become friends again, friends with many shared memories of a marriage between people who should never have been more than friends. I made myself some coffee and sat at the kitchen table looking at the envelope. I felt that it was important and. She felt the perspiration in her arm pits, a drop trickled down her side, then stopped as it encountered her bra. I turned off the highway onto a dirt road to a abandon gas station that I had discovered a long time ago. I pulled into the shady of the old gas station and parked. Let's have a look at you, she heard. Pretty, even beautiful. I like blonds, I said, especially the way you have your hair up. Such a beautiful neck... She flinched as my finger touched her below her left ear, traced her. Another knock."Coming!" I shouted, reaching the hallway.I grabbed the door with a sigh of relief. About to pull it open when Icaught my reflection in the hall mirror. The Alice band!I whipped it out and ran my fingers through my air, tossing the band tothe stairs, as high as it would go. It landed and would hopefully beunseen.I opened the door and was greeted by Kat."Oh, hi Kat," I said casually, even though she could probably see mepanting breathlessly....and that panting was drawing her.