Dwayne is standing at the back of the room. His sport coat is too narrow in the shoulders, and his tie is askew.   Standing next to him is Marlene Preen, President of the McLennan County Republican Club.  She wrings her hands and scans the crowd for signs of trouble.   “I’m worried he’s going… Read More

Gonzo Garza reclines in his bed, watching the storm rage outside. The rain falls in heavy curtains, obscuring his view of the Capitol’s pink dome.   Tori Mangonel sits naked on the other side of the bed, facing the wall.  Gonzo stares at her back.   “Where’s your car?” he asks.   Mangonel ignores him… Read More

“Intelligent life – while rare – is always growing and dying across the universe. But, it takes a long time for intelligent life to evolve, and none of the universe’s civilizations have ever existed at the right time and place to receive communications from the other civilizations. Just as a handful of sailors clinging to… Read More

“I’m gonna help you guys out,” Gonzo Garza types. He is responding to a message requesting the Speaker’s financial assistance for a long-shot political project in West Texas. “Go see Trent Thompson in Midland, and follow up with me after you talk to him.”   After he sends his response, Gonzo continues reviewing messages that… Read More

Gonzo waits patiently as the others finish reading Ellie Endsley’s proposal.   “The Speaker would like to stop by while you’re here, El, to thank you for all your hard work on behalf of the state’s independents. But his calendar is very full today, so we’ll just have to see.”   Endsley’s hands are folded… Read More

The lunch hour is just beginning as Gonzo lumbers out of the Sam Houston Building tunnel.   He is tired, hung-over, and he needs to take his pills. As he winds his way through the back halls of the Capitol extension, he stops more than once to catch his breath.   The Interim Committee on… Read More