It was like the people who'd built Goldbody's estate for him lopped off the entire top of Pete's Peak. There was, like, a mile by half mile flat surface up there, a surface half taken up now by the mammoth structure that was the Skymaster casino. Claudia dropped Adam down in the area of the plateau where Goldbody's helicopters and shuttles landed. Adam climbed out of his Stargod with the same controlled confidence the President used when he disembarked from Air Force One. Someone walked up to greet him.

​     "Adam?" Bill Cathers exclaimed, grabbing Adam's hand and shaking it violently. "How the hell are you, pal?"

     "I'm doing great, Bill. How's the oil business?"

     "As long as there's oil to be found anywhere on Earth, I'm a billionaire. So..." He slapped Adam on the shoulder as they walked towards the casino. "We're going into space, huh?"

     "That's the story." 

     "I've wanted to ever since I was a boy."

     "Well, it looks like you're finally going to get the chance."

                                               CONTINUE