JOY RIDE (SHINY SIDE UP)

By MIKE RION

"Have I missed anything?" Is the thought that keeps ricocheting around inside his tortured brain trying its best to gum up the works, but he must keep his wits about him for just a little while longer. Fact is that smuggling dangerous, explosive and forbidden contraband into a crowded public venue breaks nearly every rule in the book; that very same book they will undoubtedly throw at him, if he is found out too soon. Of course, once he pushes that button, they will want to do even worse things to him, but by then it will be too late and his own worries will be at an end. After that, there is little doubt that he will be branded a terrorist of the worst ilk, in perpetuity. The year is 2037 and Mike Harrison is frantic with worry. He has been up most of the night dealing with last minute preparations; not that he sleeps much anyway. He's been involved with this latest project for over 3 weeks now, beginning not long after he received the dreadful news. It isn't that he minds the extra effort, but he does wish the odds were more in his favor. It isn't enough to discourage him from making the attempt, though. As time passes, he keeps going over and over things, in his mind. His treasured 52 Jaguar XK120 sits before him now, in all its pristine magnificence. Now, all he has to do is sneak it past the inspectors at the entry gate. As he stands with trepidation next to his classic beauty, awaiting his turn, he surveys its sleek shape and feline grace. It is certainly aptly named. His relationship with the automobile stretches back nearly 85 years and it has weathered the ages better than he. Its destruction, at his very own hand, would have been unthinkable only weeks earlier, but now appears eminent. There can be no turning back from this point forward. The die has unfortunately been cast long ago, by fate. There is just so much a man can take and they have pushed him far beyond his limit, long ago now. It is time to put up, or shut up. He is set to make the kind of statement that will be heard far and wide, all across the Midwest and perhaps even the nation. But even he cannot foresee the full impact of his planned deed; an impact that will eventually be felt, not just across the nation, but the entire planet and even the Universe, as he takes one last joyride in his beloved Jaguar roadster.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1520816847
• ISBN13: 9781520816845
• Release Date: June 2017
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 419 Pages
• Weight: 1.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.1" x 6.0"