Ideas Are Bulletproof Novels & Stories

“You think draining my accounts stops it? You think burning one lab kills the idea?” He leans forward—as far as the zip-ties allow. “I’m not the head,” he whispers. “I’m the match. Light me… and the fire spreads.” I feel the chill run down my spine—not fear. Recognition. He’s right. The Clean Slate isn’t one man. It’s a belief. A virus of thought. Cut off one carrier and another steps forward. Burn one lab and another opens. Drain one wallet and another fills. I kneel—eye level with him.

“Ideas like that show initiative, forward thinking. Even if it wasn’t applicable at the time, it still would’ve set you apart.” I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. There was no judgment in his voice, but the weight of my own doubts and how they had held me back hit me hard. “I don’t even know if I kept a copy of it,” I murmured. “The disappointment was…” I trailed off, shaking my head. “I guess I didn’t think it mattered anymore.” Roman didn’t respond right away. Instead, he glanced back down at his iPad, the faint glow illuminating his sharp features. “For future reference,” he said, his voice low, “don’t let anyone undermine your ideas. Especially not yourself.”

“Do not let the crazy fucker get you in his crosshairs. Liborio Bartoli is a better shot than my brother. He has this corridor blocked off and he’s now saying he has the crew and Presley barricaded in the kitchen and unless we all leave, he will continue to shoot every single person who comes down these stairs. He has enough bullets to wipe out our entire team one by one. He also said he has no problem shooting Presley to save her from a lifetime of your abuse.” “He’s insane.” “It would seem so.” “I know a girl he’d be a perfect match for,” the thought of Ramona’s twitchy eye flicked to his mind and he shuddered. “We need to find another way in.” “Is there another way in? Can we find a way t