Sunday Snippet: Not Gonna Happen

Whew. It's been a week, right? I finished up several projects and got a couple of new ones lined up. My workload is changing in a lot of ways and I'm happily adapting to the new lineup. Change is good, even when you (meaning me) don't like it. At least that's what I've discovered lately.

Had a very solid week of television viewing. I have something of a pattern and I watch shows on a bit of a schedule. This week everything kind of seemed to speed along.

I ended up getting in three Snoopy in Space: The Search for Life. I'm enjoying the second season of this show. The episodes are pretty short and fun to watch.

Finished up the Queens of Mystery second part and thoroughly enjoyed the episode. I'm a little frustrated by the overarching mystery of Mattie's mom but I'm very willing to give this show a lot of leeway.

Watched three episodes of Silent Witness. The second two-parter ended up being pretty enjoyable. I like the vibe of having the forensic science mixed in with the pathology. After fifteen seasons, it's probably past time to introduce that into the mix.

Enjoyed two more Classic Who episodes. I actually kind of like the format for this season with Six being on trial. It's a nice change of pace and something a little different from the norm.

Caught two more episodes of The Muppets. Weirdly, the show really started to gel for me in the last couple of episodes. It's more inclusive and somewhat similar to the older format. And it's fun.

Watched two more episodes of The Alaska Triangle. I'm very much into the unknown mysteries that haven't been discovered there yet. Dinosaurs, UFOs, weird paranormal encounters. This show has everything.

I'm loving Harrow. I got two more episodes watched and the walls are kind of closing in on the bigger arc of who killed Robert Quinn. I'm kind of excited to see where it ends up.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice and the characters said good-bye to David. It's about halfway through the seventh season and I'm interested in what will follow and what the fallout will be.

Enjoyed two more MasterClass lessons with Es Devlin. She discussed mazes and patterns and the audience and both classes were very interesting. If nothing else, she's given me a new way of looking at projects and I'm here for that.

Got two episodes of Paranoid in and, wow, things are heating up. This is a very twisty and turny mystery and I like how things are playing out. I also love that the three leads are kind of a total mess but still get the job done.

Caught two episodes of Classic Rugrats. While none were my faves, they were great to watch as I'd kind of forgotten them. Nice to be reminded.

Watched two episodes of Chicago Med and I really, really don't like the COO person. As a foil for Sharon, I get the need to have her but, yikes, she's awful, terrible, and rage inducing.

Enjoyed two bonus episodes of The Brokenwood Mysteries. A behind-the-scenes short and an interview with the two leads. I finished out everything that's currently available and I'll have to find a new show to start this week to go along with Queens of Mystery.

Got the first of a two-part Blue Heelers watched. I have a sneaky feeling this might be Wayne's swan song. The episode ended up being better than I expected. Can't wait to finish it next week.

Star Trek: Discovery once again kind of blew my mind. I love the interaction with Spock and Michael. The same goes for Michael and Ash. Actually, all the relationships on this show are amazing. Seriously, amazing.

That's pretty much it for this week's update. Tonight's post is from Not Gonna Happen, a novella that puts my main characters in a tricky situation when they have an unknown entity on their trail.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Gina Ames and Tuck Danvers sign up for a weekend of hunting for an urban legend. When their other team members start dropping, one by one, they take off for the safety of the city. Too bad the concrete and steel can't protect them from what follows them home.

And a preview snippet…

Gina's leg jackhammered under the table and her fingers beat a rapid staccato on the seat. Tuck slid his gaze to the window, gauging how much longer they should wait before they headed for Jake and Marley's. If they didn't go soon, Gina might bounce right out of the booth.

"I gotta pee. Coffee went right through me." She scooted off the bench. "We're outta here as soon as I'm done. Mr. Creepy or no Mr. Creepy." She didn't wait for a reply.

Tuck grunted. "Your call, I guess." Not that he minded—hell, he couldn't take any more inactivity either.

Energy burned through his system and needed an outlet.

She took less than three minutes and Tuck paid the tab with two twenties. Shirl deserved a fat tip for keeping them in food and coffee for two hours.

Gina grabbed her jacket. "Sorry, that was a bitch move, but I can't sit anymore. I gotta do something." Her free hand balled into a fist.

Tuck lifted his chin. "Yeah, I get it." His gaze scanned the buildings across the street. "It's all clear for now. Let's go." He led the way to the exit, giving Shirl a wave before pushing the door open.

The early dawn light fingered through the trees, casting shadows on the sidewalk. Gina stuck close to his side when they crossed the road and started up the block. Jake and Marley had a two-floor condo with a finished basement in a complex several blocks up the street. With luck, they'd get there unscathed.

Gina tugged on his belt loop. "Front or back?"

Good question. If they walked in the front door, they'd stay straight at the corner. If they wanted to enter through the back, they'd turn right and cut down the alleyway. The street-side entrance would leave them less exposed, but the rear gave them some protection if they had to take cover.

He nudged her shoulder. "Back. We'll have less room to maneuver but—"

She finished his statement. "We've got more protection if shit goes sideways."

He nodded. "Right."

Halfway up the block, they dashed across four lanes and ducked into the narrow passage between the condo units and an apartment building. Dumpsters nestled between the garages on the condo side and a waste management truck made its way slowly along the asphalt. Tuck estimated they'd have enough time to get inside Jake and Marley's unit before the vehicle stopped to get their trash.

Gina paused with the key in her hand and rested her head on the door. "Not sure I can do this, Tuck." Her fingers trembled.

He gently took the key, slid it home, and twisted the knob. "We can and will. For Jake and Marley." He pushed the steel door inward, grabbed Gina's hand, and stepped inside their friends' home.

Gina exhaled slowly then let out a gasp. "Son of a bitch."

His gaze snapped to where she pointed and his gut twisted. "Well … that explains it."

I love the dynamic between Tuck and Gina. They've got a dangerous road to travel and they'll have to rely on each other to stay alive.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!         

Skye