Fifteen Minutes of Fame

She paused. ‘I can’t put it out of my mind just like that. I’m afraid it’s going to start me down a slippery slope. What if some new enemy comes along after the Vaughns are destroyed? I’ll run to you for help. What if I don’t like the sideways glance someone is giving me in the office? I’ll run to you for help. Power is addictive, and I’m not sure I have the courage to quit once I’m hooked. So it’s best not to open that door to begin with.’ There was a wistful look in her eyes. ‘Dad always taught me to be content with our lot. Greed is an insatiable monster, he said. Once you let it in, it won’t be happy unless you’ve fed it everything, including your soul.’ A hush fell over the lounge after she finished. Austyn looked at her, unblinking. He’d always known Kira had a good head on her shoulders, but today he realised what an understatement that was. Growing up in the kind of environment he had, he’d seen more than his fair share of folks who spent their entire lives chasing after power.