Page 16 of Nikolai
“Can I know what it’s about?The Etruscans again?Another aspect?I’ll buy it the instant it’s out.”
“You don’t have to do that.I’ll gladly give you a signed copy.”
His light blue eyes glowed.“Oh, man.I’d love that.So, what will it be about?”
She waited, looked at him.He didn’t seem to mind the scrutiny.What did she know about him?Well, that her Aunt Caroline, who was no one’s fool, had chosen him to advise the Consulate in a serious manner.He didn’t seem to be wanting for money, so he probably wouldn’t try to sell the idea.
More than all that, though, the impression he gave was that of a serious man.Not a light weight.Not someone who tried to charm his way through life.His entire body language was that of a fully grown man, serious and sober and reliable, unlike so many men who were adults in age but not behavior.
A man’s man.The real deal.She had to curl her hands to keep from touching him.He exerted some kind of force of gravity on her, as if he were a moon.It was hard to keep from leaning into him.Was she being swayed by that?
Whatever.She was going to tell him what her next book was about, whether that was wise or not.And even though her publisher had begged her not to.
“My—my publisher has asked me not to talk about the book.To make sure it has an impact upon publication that hasn’t been spoiled.I’ll have to ask for your discretion.”
He didn’t look offended.“Please don’t worry about that.I spent most of my military career on classified missions that will remain secret till the end of time.My companies—I am a part-owner of Go Solutions and am a part-owner of Black Inc.—are known for being utterly reliable.So, betraying a confidence—particularly one that might harm you?Not going to happen, ever.”
Wow.Part-owner of Black Inc., which was the premier security company in the world.He wouldn’t be tempted by money.Certainly no one could buy him.
And…and she wanted to tell him.There hadn’t been anyone to talk to about it.Aunt Caroline was friendly, but to her, the posting to Naples was a geopolitical consideration.Naples was an important city in the Mediterranean, home to a major naval installation of the Sixth Fleet.Aunt Caroline had no interest whatsoever in the past, let alone the remote past.
The only person she’d communicated with at her publishing house was her editor, who was enthusiastic, but looked and acted as if she were twelve.Parker didn’t know how great a grasp Emily had on history.For her, history started with Obama, when she was eight.
So Parker hadn’t been able to talk it over with anyone.And here was this huge man, who looked like he ate nails for breakfast, but had watchedThe Smiling Peopleagain and again.Who seemed so at ease in the world.Why not?
“Okay.”Parker leaned forward a little and so did he.His shoulders were so broad they blocked her view.But more than that, he exerted a sort of force field around him that pulled her toward him.She had to mentally nail herself to her seat not to tip over into his lap.
Sigh.
It was sort of a pity he was so immensely attractive, so utterly…male.And was so very unobnoxious.She was drowning in her own hormones.
But it also felt right.This beautiful evening, on the gorgeous terrace of a restaurant known for its exquisite food, in a city renowned for its beauty, with an interesting and fascinating man, seemed like the right setting to discuss her project, a project of the heart.
One thing she knew—he would listen carefully and not make fun of her obsessions.Most men she dated would listen to her for about five minutes before launching into long talks about themselves and would find some way to dismiss her passions as unimportant.
Nick was totally focused on her.
She folded her hands in front of her and prepared to essentially make a pitch for her idea, the first time since she pitched it to her agent and her baby editor.Maybe this was a chance to see if it flew with the general public.
“You know those billionaires buying mansions they turn into fortresses in places like New Zealand, preparing for the end of the world?”
His mouth quirked.“I was security consultant for three of them.Two tech bros and a hedge fund owner.The two tech bros basically wanted to make sure their game rooms would work forever, and the hedge fund owner was terrified of what would happen when his money no longer counted in a world brought back to the Dark Ages.He was seriously contemplating fitting his security staff with permanent shock collars.”
Parker’s eyes widened.“Wow.People go a little crazy when their status is threatened, that’s true.Well, all the books say that our modern world could disappear in a second.Technology—whoosh, gone.”
Nick’s head dipped.“Yeah.It could all go south in an instant.A Carrington Event that takes out the electrical grid, for example.It’s estimated that it would take twenty years to get the grid back up and running and, in the meantime, humankind would go feral.Or even a limited nuclear war.Or a new virus a hundred times worse than COVID.Or AI becomes Skynet.Lots of different ways to go.”
“That’s right.So, here’s the thing.Civilization has already been destroyed once—the fall of the Roman Empire.It wasn’t fast, it was slow, but for those who had eyes to see, it was inevitable.The Roman Republic was very stable—politically and economically.It was self-sufficient in food and was defended by a citizen army.Then Rome expanded and became an Empire, with a professional army.But from the Julians—Caesar and his descendants—on, as the Empire was established and started growing, Rome became restless, corrupt.The classes solidified and there was very little movement between them, whereas during the Republic many peasants ascended to what we would call the middle class.That almost stopped completely during the Empire.The bureaucracy became corrupt, inefficient.General health deteriorated.There are estimates that the average life expectancy during the Republic was about fifty-two, which dropped to forty-five during the Empire.And fell to about thirty-five during the Dark Ages.I hope I’m not boring you.”
He covered her hand again and the warmth spread from her hand up her arm.“I am the furthest thing from bored, trust me.”
He looked serious as he said it.Okay.Better than okay, actually.Parker was used to male interest, but it was rarely in what she had to say.She was used to men getting a glazed look in their eyes when she talked about classical history.They would fake interest for a few minutes, their entire attention span, then change the subject.But not Nick.His pale blue eyes were fixed on her, and he was unmistakably engaged in what she was saying.
“From the time of Claudius onward, the fall of Rome was inevitable, it just took another three hundred years.But in the meantime, if you could see the signs, you knew the end was coming.The empire was so large it was almost impossible to manage, and the barbarians along the border were becoming more and more aggressive.It was clear the center couldn’t hold.I’ve combed the literature of the time, and of course nothing could be said in any official documents.Rome was eternal and you would be punished if you said anything to the contrary.But I’ve read a lot of private correspondence that tells me the idea of the Fall of Rome was in the air.So, increasingly, members of the dwindling middle class and of the aristocracy would buy estates far from Rome, often in the warm and fertile lands of the south of Italy and establish a bolt hole in case Rome fell.Often, they would move their entire household, which sometimes comprised hundreds of people.There was a very quiet scramble to get out of Rome, far from its reach, as a survival mechanism.The earliest preppers if you will.It’s estimated fifty thousand aristocrats fled Rome during Caligula’s reign alone.They could feel the craziness in the air.The working title of my book isApocalypse Then.”
Nick’s eyes widened.“That’s—that’s pure genius,” he breathed.“And fascinating.You must write it, and I want the first signed copy.Hot off the press.”
“Done.”She smiled.
