Out of the Gray by Patricia Gilliam

SPSFC

Aliens, politics, and murder. Only the first one is new. Towards the end of the twenty-fourth century, it is common knowledge aliens have lived on the planet for a long time. The Hannarian royal family has stationed an ambassador to interact with Earth’s governments and to be an official bridge between humans and their race. They also want to assist humanity by offering access to advanced medical, communication, and transportation technologies. This does not ring true with the EIP, the Earth Independence Party. They are aware that Hannarians possess superhuman skills and abilities that they have kept hidden from Earth’s general population. To the people aware of these abilities, the Hannarians seem dangerous to some and downright demonic to others. They fear Hannarians pose a tangible threat to the Earth and every living human on the planet. The organization has spent decades preparing for the perfect opportunity to remove the Ambassador, expose the aliens what they truly are, and finally place themselves on equal footing with their enemies. Alex Verin, son of EIP Congressman Adam Verin, has had a very unexpected day. After chance meetings with the Hannarian Ambassador’s son and later the Ambassador himself, Alex has his beliefs about the Hannarians brought into question. Once at home and milling over what he has learned, Alex tries to figure out what is truth and what isn’t. When a visitor arrives at their home to speak with his father, Alex attempts to find out the man’s identity and why his father is being so secretive about him. While doing so, Alex overhears the man discuss plans to assassinate Hannaria’s Ambassador with his father. Rica Miller, the adopted daughter of Charlie and Rebecca Miller, is leaving Earth. After discovering that she is not human but Hannarian, Rica’s parents decide that relocating to Space Station Destiny would be the best option for her future. As a station engineer, Charlie has made arrangements for his wife and daughter to join him now that construction has entered its final phases. After boarding a transport leaving Baltimore, Rica meets Jernard. He introduces himself as the Hannarian Ambassador and explains he wants to ensure they arrive at Destiny safely out of friendship to Charlie. Rebecca does recognize Jernard, but considering she and Charlie told no one about Rica or that they were leaving, she is hesitant to trust him. How will Alex react to his father’s agreement with a plan to murder someone? Can Rica trust Jernard, and does he hold any answers on what happened to her birth parents? Will the EIP succeed in killing Hannaria’s Ambassador?