Bianca J. Cook

Facing The Board Captain Derikon stepped past the edge of the conference room partition and stopped squarely before the center table. Her hands rested against the fabric of her camouflage trousers as she locked her gaze directly across the polished wood. Behind the central desk sat a line of officers in full uniform, backed by … Read more

A Sudden Halt On The Tarmac Tires skidded against the sunlit concrete as a black sedan jerked to an abrupt stop outside the flight hangar. A female officer in combat fatigues raised a flat palm, motioning for the approaching personnel to stay back. Before the dust settled, a senior officer in dress blues stepped out … Read more

Two Arrows In The Post Two feathered shafts slammed into the wooden porch beam inches from the rider’s chest. The horse tossed its head, hooves scraping the dry dust before settling beneath the porch roof. The mounted man gripped the reins tight, his knuckles whitening as he glared upward under the brim of his slouch … Read more

Led Into The Long Chamber Two armed guards held her elbows, guiding her battered combat boots across the polished grey tiles. Dust clung to the seams of her camouflage trousers, and dark streaks smeared across her forehead down to an open cut above her brow. She did not resist the grip on her sleeves. Step … Read more

A Tangled Leg by the Gate The woman stopped on the gravel track and stared at the metal gate where a striped emu chick fluttered against the lower wire. Its right leg remained wedged between the twisted mesh and the post. An adult emu stood only inches away, its neck arched high while its dark … Read more

A Sudden Ambush On The Sidewalk A crumpled brown paper sack flew out of the open car window and slammed into the sidewalk right beside the elderly man’s boots. Food wrappers, empty soda cups, and greasy takeout napkins exploded across the concrete, tumbling against his brown leather shoes. The red convertible sped forward a few … Read more

An Uninvited Disruption at the Podium A man in a dark grey suit lunges out from the aisle of folding chairs, throwing his arms forward as his voice echoes across the hall. He covers the open floor in wide strides toward the elevated stage where an Air Force officer stands behind a wooden lectern. The … Read more

A Public Challenge In The Ballroom The decorated officer crossed his arms and tilted his chin toward the woman in the red dress. He offered a dismissive grin as he gestured across the crowded military reception. His voice carried over the murmuring crowd, questioning the coordinate expert standing nearby. He glanced pointedly at the dark … Read more

A Blocked Entrance The security guard pressed his palm flat against the older man’s worn brown jacket, nudging him back toward the sliding glass doors. His uniform stood out sharply against the polished marble floor of the hotel entrance. “You can’t come in looking like that,” the guard said, pointing a finger toward the street … Read more

Stopped at the Glass Door A security guard pressed his open palm flat against the glass door, blocking a woman from entering the building. She held a beige registration folder against her chest, her dark hair pulled tightly into a neat bun. Through the transparent partition, naval personnel in pristine white uniforms gathered around long … Read more

A Stuck Wheel In The Asphalt The small rubber caster ground into a jagged crack in the asphalt, stopping the rusty cart dead in its tracks. The eighty-nine-year-old vendor leaned his entire chest into the metal handlebar, his knuckles whitening through his worn gloves as his boots slid on the damp street. A teenage boy … Read more

A Sudden Confrontation in the Aisle The flight attendant thrust out her right palm, blocking the narrow walkway between the front rows. An elderly man in a faded blue work jacket paused, clutching a worn cloth strap over his shoulder. His knuckles pressed against the paper slip resting between his fingers. “Sir, stop right there,” … Read more