A highly classified vaccine. A university professor. A long rumored biological weapon. A Russian stalker. An outbreak of measles. A land in turmoil. An unopened letter. Two men seeking work. A man seeking to understand an eternal struggle.
Addison Deverell has a personal mission in Israel before beginning his official duties at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv. He wants to understand the root cause of the Israel/Palestinian conflict. But he may get more than he had planned when get caught up in an attack that could alter the country forever.
Through a series of seemingly random events that have, in truth, been manipulated, a Palestinian plot to rid Israel of the Jews that call the land home is about to be set into action.
Meanwhile Dr. Janelle Henning is being stalked by a Russian woman desperate to speak with her. Why would a woman she'd never met be desperate to make contact with her? What Janelle learns will change her life and her world forever.
Soon these secrets will bring them together in a way no one would have ever expected and it may cost them everything!
Torn Blood at first appeared to be several random unconnected stories taking place miles apart which at times seemed a little slow, but this is not the case. The various places and stories manage to converge in a believable and exciting story that will keep you engrossed in this thrilling book!
I was provided an ARC of this title through Side Door Communications in exchange for my honest review.
Behind the Book
Since its founding on May 14, 1948, no country has proven more controversial than Israel as headlines, the world over, challenge its rights as a sovereign nation. Why does this tiny nation hold the world’s attention and compel governments around the globe to shun recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s undivided capital?
In his debut novel, Torn Blood (Bo Iti Press, Fall 2013), author David J. Bain probes these questions in a story that asks if justice can prevail for a people maligned and persecuted over the ages because of their birthright.
The Plot
Three weeks before reporting for duty at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Addison Deverell arrives in Israel on a mission—to find the source of the conflict between Arabs and Jews. Bound to an escort by the embassy, he is unable to begin his search as time is running out. Mere days before he must report for duty, Addison is freed from his forced escort as another escort takes his place. Addison issues an ultimatum that, with or without help, he is going into Palestinian territory for answers he can’t find in Israel. As Addison races to uncover the truth that promises to establish a career, he faces danger from those he seeks to understand and finds himself a pawn in an international plot to drive Israel’s Jews into the sea.
Nearly seven thousand miles away in Oregon, Dr. Janelle Henning confronts a secret that threatens to destroy the only family she’s ever known. A search for understanding thrusts her into a world long buried to confront a birthright hidden by the passage of time. Brought together by events, Janelle and Addison discover hidden identities in a relationship they have shared for a lifetime.
About Bo Iti Press
Bo Iti Press, is a newly founded niche publisher focusing on stories about the Jewish experience as well as the rights of Israel as a sovereign nation. It is a Christian publishing company owned by a Gentile believer who is passionate about Israel. The press is based in Jackson, WY.
About the Author
David J. Bain is a novelist focused on writing stories about the Jewish experience and founder of Bo Iti Press. His debut book, Torn Blood, releases in the fall of 2013. Before launching his publishing company, he collaborated on two screenplays made into movies and has been involved in the business world for more than 30 years where his company publishes technical manuals and he wrote the company’s occasional newsletter. David, and his wife, Doris, reside in Oregon. Open to US and Canadian residents only!
Heart of the Country By Rene Gutteridge and John Ward
Sometimes to go forward, you have to go back
Faith has lost herself. Her marriage is seemingly at an end after her husband Luke finds himself caught up in a Ponzi scheme. Her family has been left behind years ago when she traveled to New York City to pursue her dream.
Luke was determined to make his own name in business and not rely on the Carraday family name to do it. But he ignored his own judgment and the advice of his family, risking everything for wealth and prestige.
Sometimes a fairytale romance doesn't end in happily ever after unless you are willing to fight for it. The question is - are Faith and Luke willing to fight for it? Or was their love merely a whirlwind like their romance?
Faith returns to her childhood home, to the father and sister she left behind all those years ago following the tragic death of her mother. As the three rebuild their relationship and deal with the wounds that Faith's absence left healing seems to be within Faith's grasp.
As Luke deals with the fallout of his choices, he turns to his family. He is surprised that not only do they support him publicly but in private as well.
This is a true prodigal son tale as both Faith and Luke return to the families they left behind in the search of their dreams.
Each chapter is told from a different character's viewpoint. First there is Catherine, Faith's mother, her story is told as she is being rushed to the hospital following her accident. Then there is Olivia, Faith's older sister; Luke and Faith.
I liked how in the case of both Luke and Faith their fathers did not speak against them, trying to drive a wedge between them. Which in the case of Faith's father Calvin is really saying something as he had never met his son-in-law.
Calvin's insights into Faith and Luke I think were actually a turning point for Luke and his growth as a person. When Calvin observes that they are both runners, I think it made Luke realize that in order to truly have what he wanted meant he would have to stop running from his mistakes and troubles.
I really liked this book and think that this is a book that will touch the hearts of all who read it.
I was provided a copy of this title by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
About the Book: Faith and Luke Carraday have it all. Faith is a beautiful singer turned socialite while Luke is an up-and-coming businessman. After taking his inheritance from his father’s stable, lucrative business to invest in a successful hedge fund with the Michov Brothers, he’s on the fast track as a rising young executive, and Faith is settling comfortably into her role as his wife.
When rumors of the Michovs’ involvement in a Ponzi scheme reach Faith, she turns to Luke for confirmation, and he assures her that all is well. But when Luke is arrested, Faith can’t understand why he would lie to her, and she runs home to the farm and the family she turned her back on years ago. Meanwhile, Luke is forced to turn to his own family for help as he desperately tries to untangle himself from his mistakes. Can two prodigals return to families they abandoned, and will those families find the grace to forgive and forget? Will a marriage survive betrayal when there is nowhere to run but home? Movie Trailer:
Releasing on DVD December 3, 2013
I was provided an advanced copy of this DVD by Tyndale and I was interested to comparing the movie with the book. Yes, there are differences as there are with all book/movie experiences, but it works and doesn't detract on either format.
Whereas the book starts with Catherine and her awareness of her coming death, the movie starts with Faith and Luke and the ponzi fallout.
The movie is really very well done when compared to the book. The book adds a dimension to the characters by sharing their thoughts and while the movie doesn't do this (sharing the thoughts) it is well portrayed through the actions and small dialog changes so that you still get the same basic feel.
Unlike many family movies you don't come away wondering how Faith and Olivia managed to not kill each other because they so totally hated each. Faith and Olivia have issues but you can tell that they truly care about each other (this is more obvious in the book).
With a December release date this would make a great present to share with your family this upcoming holiday season.
A Christmas Carol 2 The Return of Scrooge
Original Long-lost Manuscript by Charles Dickens Revised by Robert J. Elisberg
Imagine that Charles Dickens had written a follow-up to his ever popular A Christmas Carol? Well, imagine no longer - Robert J. Elisberg claims to have found just such a manuscript lost for years to the publishing world, but no longer.
A Christmas Carol 2 is the seasonal visitation of 3 spirits not to Ebenezer Scrooge but rather to his former clerk Bob Cratchit who took over the business upon Scrooge's death 5 years previous. But Cratchit's generosity has just about run its course as he is about to find out with his unique Christmas visitors - the first of whom is Scrooge himself.
Scrooge has come to inform Bob that he is to expect 3 ghostly spirits who will show him the error of his generous ways. In 5 years following Scrooge's death Bob has managed to bring the counting house to the very verge of bankruptcy and worse he has no idea that he is so close to going over.
Various characters from other works by Dickens take part throughout the book including Oliver Twist, Martin Chuzzlewit, Florence Dombey, Nicholas Nickleby, Little Dorrit, and others. So fans of any of Dickens's work should find it interesting to see how these characters all come together to bring this imaginative work to life. Unlike Scrooge, Cratchit isn't visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, or Yet-To-Come but some of the various characters some of whom are decidedly put out having to be "working" on Christmas.
But through it all Bob Cratchit learns the value of the dollar (or in this case a bank note) and the importance of good business practices. He also learns that charity is important but there are ways to extend the value of that charity.
If you want a short light-hearted fun story be sure to check-out Charles Dickens's long lost A Christmas Carol 2 (which the publisher doesn't guarantee as being written by Dickens).
I was provided a copy of this book in conjunction with this Pump-Up Your Book blog tour in exchange for my honest review.
Book Synopsis:
A Christmas Carol 2: The Return of Scrooge is a continuation of the beloved Christmas tale, that quickly goes flying off in its own comic direction. It begins five years after dear old Ebenezer Scrooge has passed away and left his thriving firm to his former clerk, Bob Cratchit. However, Bob’s overly-generous benevolence with lending and charity-giving has driven the company into the ground, on the verge of bankruptcy. And so the ghost of Scrooge returns one Christmas Eve to teach Cratchit the true meaning of money. Making the swirling journey through Christmases past, present, and yet-to-be all the more of a chaotic ride for Cratchit are the dozens of characters from other Dickens novels woven throughout the story, together for the first time. God bless them, most everyone.
Author Bio:
Robert J. Elisberg has been a commentator and contributor to such publications as the Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles Magazine, C/NET and E! Online, and he served on the editorial board for the Writers Guild of America. He has contributed political writing to the anthology, Clued in on Politics, 3rd edition (CQ Press).
Among his other writing, Elisberg wrote the comic novella, A Christmas Carol 2: The Return of Scrooge, which reached #2 on Amazon’s Hot List for Humor/Parody. His most recent novel is the swashbuckling adventure, The Wild Roses. He co-wrote a book on world travel. Currently, he writes a tech column for the Writers Guild of America, west. He also co-wrote the song, “Just One of the Girls” for the Showtime movie Wharf Rat, and wrote the book for the stage musical Rapunzel!.
Born in Chicago, he attended Northwestern University and received his MFA from UCLA, where he was twice awarded the Lucille Ball Award for comedy screenwriting. Not long afterwards, Elisberg sold his screenplay, Harry Warren of the Mounties. He was on staff of the international animated series, Flute Master, and co-wrote three of the Skateboy films based on it. He also co-wrote the independent film, Yard Sale. Most recently, he wrote an adventure screenplay for Callahan Filmworks.
Perfectly Matched The Blue Willow Brides #3 By Maggie Brendan
Perfectly Matched is the third book in The Blue Willow Brides series. This book follows Anna Olsen as she marries a man whom she has met only in letters when he advertised for a mail-order bride. Leaving the comfort of what she has known behind Anna travels to Denver where she weds Edward Parker.
But can two such different people who don't really know one another truly ever become a harmonious couple? Anna's youthful caring heart is about disrupt Edward's orderly world in a way he never expected. Her exuberant spirit both attracts and distracts him. While his orderly structure annoys Anna especially when it is presented in a list of expected daily duties and chores the moment she enters her new home.
When Anna finds a need in Denver she decides this is the mission that has been given her. But Edward doesn't want any animals in his home much less the entire stray population that roams the city streets. Is there any hope of compromise and a happy understanding?
Perfectly Matched has Anna bringing the ASPCA to Denver as she attempts to be a champion for the abandoned and abused animals of Denver. Along the way she makes friends who help her with her endeavor and she learns the value of give-and-take in marriage.
I have to say what I liked best in Perfectly Matched were some of Anna's antics like playing peeping-tom on the neighbors and her first suggestion for the literary circle's reading selection. Though she's impetuous Anna has a caring heart, and I'm sure when she gets a little age and experience (after all she's 18) she'd be an outstanding person in everything she puts her mind to after giving it careful thought. Edward and Anna need each other to balance one another and to draw out what each lacks in themselves - thus they are Perfectly Matched.
I love the cover of this book with the Blue Willow design in the background and Anna's lacy blouse / dress is so lovely with the Battenberg lace. The cover alone would have convinced me to review this title, if I hadn't read Maggie Brendan's previous Blue Willow Brides title.
There was a little too much intimacy in the book to suit my personal reading preferences so I was a little disappointed in this book. Maybe there should have been a little pre-wedding story before the wedding. I really liked the previous two titles in this series so I was a little surprised with this book.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Available October 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
About the Book:
His life runs like clockwork. Hers is a spontaneous adventure.
But God's timing is always perfect.
Anna Olsen knows it's time to leave her sister's increasingly crowded house and start a life of her own. Following both sisters' examples, she becomes a mail-order bride, and after a short correspondence with clock maker and jeweler Edward Parker, she moves to Denver to become his wife.
Almost immediately it's painfully apparent that Anna and Edward are very different. Anna is a free spirit who would rather be painting and enjoying the company of friends than cleaning house. Edward is a consummate perfectionist who, on their wedding day, hands Anna a list of chores that need to be done around the house daily.
Can this mismatched couple see past their differences to a harmonious future? Or will their disparate passions create obstacles neither is willing to surmount?
Snowflakes Fall byPatricia Maclachlan Illustrations by Steven Kellogg Celebrating the uniqueness of each life Snowflakes Fall is a thoughtfully written book for children. Like each snowflake that falls no two lives are just the same. The seasons of life are seen in snowflakes. Where Spring brings rain, Winter brings snow. Life like the seasons progresses through times of trouble and sorrow and yet there are times of joy and happiness as well. Snowflakes Fall celebrates the joys of knowing life even if it is fleeting like a snowflake falling to the earth. Written in honor of those who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook/Newtown shooting I liked how the book has a trail of snow angels at the end. This book will appeal to children and parents alike and is highly recommended.
I was provided a digital loan of this title in exchange for my review.
Book Summary: In Snowflakes Fall, Newbery Medalist Patricia MacLachlan and award-winning artist Steven Kellogg portray life's natural cycle: its beauty, its joy, and its sorrow. Together, the words and pictures offer the promise of renewal that can be found in our lives-snowflakes fall, and return again as raindrops so that flowers can grow.
MacLachlan and Kellogg, who are longtime friends, were moved to collaborate on a message of hope for children and their families following the tragic events in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012. Kellogg lived in Sandy Hook for thirty-five years-he raised his family there and was an active member of the community. With Snowflakes Fall, they have created a truly inspiring picture book that is both a celebration of life and a tribute to the qualities that make each individual unique.
In honor of the community of Sandy Hook and Newtown, Random House, the publisher of Snowflakes Fall, has made a donation to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund. Random House is also donating 25,000 new books to the national literacy organization First Book in the community's honor and in support of children everywhere.
Today is the third and final day of the CSFF October Blog Tour and Martyr's Fire is the focus of this month's tour. Martyr's Fire is the third book in Sigmund Brouwer's Merlin's Immortals series.
Thomas's quest for answers and truth continues in this third installment in Merlin's Immortals series. As he finds himself even more alone than before - Thomas's makes tentative steps towards God. Could these be the first steps towards true faith in God? To be continued in book 4...
I was provided a copy of this book in conjunction with this CSFF blog tour.
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I am eagerly looking forward to book 4 ~ Blades of Valor scheduled to be released early 2014. Check-out the upcoming cover below and listen to the podcast of Sigmund Brouwer talking about Martyr's Fire.
Lion's Head Deception By Chuck Waldron Sometimes the truth needs to come out no matter what the cost and for Matt Tremaine the cost could be his life. CleanSweep an attempt by the powerful and the rich to clean up the streets of Lion's Head is in fact an agenda. An agenda to rid the world of those deemed less than perfect. But whom will decide what form perfection should follow? What Matt uncovers will destroy his life and the safety he has known in a way that he could never have imagined. He has become the face of Public Enemy #1 in an attempt to silence him. Meanwhile there are those who are attempting to help Matt and expose the truth to the world. But time is counting down and Matt must rely on those that he has befriended some of whom he has never met face-to-face. The Lion's Head Deception will keep you on the edge of suspense and keep you wondering when Matt and those helping him will have their luck run out and they will be yet another imperfection cleaned up by CleanSweep and those who hide in the shadows. This is a fascinating and intriguing book that will make you stop and think. How do our own prejudices color how we see the world we live in and react to those who are different than us? I was provided a copy of this title in conjunction with this Pump Up Your Book blog tour. About the Author:
Chuck Waldron’s latest novel, Lion's Head Deception, is a dystopian story about an investigative blogger who uncovers more than he ever imagines...and has no idea what to do with his discovery.
An investigative blogger uncovers a sinister conspiracy, a billionaire's plan backed by select government officials, designed to exterminate citizens who do not live up to a predetermined screening matrix; under the guise of rioting and a destabilized city, the plan is implemented and the blogger fights not only to discover and reveal the truth, but to survive.
"I grew up," Chuck said, "listening to my grandfather, an Ozark Mountain story teller, spinning tales of the caves on his farm, describing them as hiding places once used by the Jesse & Frank James' gang. It didn't matter if the stories were true or not. Those legends set fire to my imagination, creating images that emerged slowly over the years, finally igniting as my short stories and novels."
Now, thirty-plus short stories and three novels later, ideas keep coming, with more novels under development. Do they share anything in common? Each has its own unique voice and tale to tell, yet, at their heart, his stories tell about the human condition - the good, the bad and the ugly.
As Chuck tells it, "stored images that echo in my writing include train whistles in the night, Norman Rockwell childhood scenes, U.S. Army memories, blue collar jobs, university, a professional career, and finally retirement. Many of my images are drawn from this pool of memories: places visited, sights seen, and people met. The rest I fill in with my imagination: dreams of places yet to be visited, sights yet to be seen, and people yet to meet."
His literary roots were planted in the American Midwest and thrived when transplanted to the rich, cultural soil of Ontario. He and his wife, Suzanne, are now warmed by the sun on Florida’s Treasure Coast.
His latest book is Lion’s Head Deception.
Title: Lion's Head Deception
Author: Chuck Waldron
Publisher: Booklocker
Pages: 318
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1626463689
ISBN-13: 978-1626463684
Purchase at AMAZON
In the prologue, the backdrop for Lion’s Head Deception is set, amongst rioting and unrest in a destabilized city.
Matt Tremain is a shy, private person who discovers a passion for writing blogs—a mission that propels him into investigative reporting. A tipster warns him of a diabolical scheme Matt simply can’t ignore. After the tipster is killed, Matt honors his memory by going forward to investigate the truth behind the conspiracy. He meets a television reporter and a cameraman also investigating the intrigue. Are they potential partners or rivals? A detective offers his assistance, but Matt is unsure of his true motivation. He is equally unsure of the allegiance of those in the top administration of police services. Matt Tremain and his friends are forced to go on the run, evading the newly-formed security teams. They must expose the truth before they are discovered, arrested and perhaps exterminated themselves…
The reader is introduced to Matt Tremain when a test message warns him of impending arrest. The first part of the novel provides an understanding of how he learns about a conspiracy, and the person behind it. A television journalist is investigating the same treachery. Will they be able to join forces? The end of part one introduces a police detective. Will he be friend or foe?
Part two takes place at a private retreat. The antagonist, the scheme’s architect, unveils the complete details of his plan and gets the backing of his three co-conspirators. The location is the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario. It takes place at Lion’s Head and gives the novel the working name.
In an action-packed run to the finish line, will Matt and his partners be able to face the challenges it will take to expose the lies and treachery behind Operation CleanSweep?
First Chapter:
UNEXPECTED EVENTS
“This story just in to our Action 21 News desk . . . police have tentatively identified the person who apparently jumped to his death from the City View Condominium building last night. According to a detective on scene it was Matthew Tremain, popular investigative blogger. No further information is available, but a source did say that Tremain was undergoing treatment for depression.
The suicide count is now up to fifteen, according to reports. Ever since the rioting began and the new regulations have been implemented, it has been difficult to access official records. In other news, there is still no word on the whereabouts of Action 21 Television’s own reporter Susan Payne and her cameraman. Prior to her disappearance Payne was working on a background story regarding Operation CleanSweep and its connections to the rioting.”
He tried to ignore the Looky-loos, gathering faster than fleas eyeballing a dog’s back. Holding his badge up and crouching to step under the crime scene tape, he heaved a sigh. “Detective Carling,” the tone reflected his displeasure. “This had to happen at the end of my shift. There’s a paperwork hurricane heading this way, for sure.”
“It shouldn’t be too bad, suicide for sure. It’s been like this ever since the riots,” the officer holding up the tape replied. “Just this morning—”
Carling stopped him, not wanting to hear the rest. He sniffed the unpleasant, acrid smell, still lingering as reminders of the numerous fires during the week of rioting.
Hearing someone say, “That guy’s straight out of an old black and white movie with that hat,” Carling turned to glare in the direction of the comment and removed his fedora to wipe sweat from his forehead with his shirt sleeve. Stopping to talk briefly with another uniformed officer, he was pointed toward a woman who was trembling, coffee spilling over the rim of the take-out cup in her hand.
He put a hand on her shoulder and gently moved her away as the growing crowd leaned forward as one, trying to hear what was being said. Carling took a deep breath to conceal his irritation.
“I understand you saw the…uh…incident.”
She nodded with a look that could have been a yes or a no.
“Yes, it was an appalling thing to see,” she told him with a shiver.
He opened his notebook, ready to document the interview.
“I didn’t know bodies bounced,” she said and started to cry.
After finishing the interview he noticed a man holding a martini glass, empty except for a green olive nestled in the bottom. He called to a uniformed officer who lifted the tape and ushered the man over to be questioned.
“It’s quite unusual to see a man wearing a smoking jacket to a crime scene,” Carling’s tone implied his curiosity, hiding behind sarcasm. “What did you see?”
“I was sipping a perfectly chilled martini, about to say something to my wife, when I saw something falling past the window. It was most odd. I thought it was a man.” The witness looked down at the empty glass in his hand, as if realizing for the first time it was unfilled. “Like I said, it was most odd. I tell you it unnerved me to the point that my martini glass began shaking.”
Never stirred, Carling couldn’t help thinking.
“It was a man falling past the window, I was certain,” the witness continued. “I had just seen a man flapping his arms almost as if he could fly. When I told my wife she asked me if I was sure. She was quite correct with her question. We do live on the thirty-first floor, after all,” he said and then paused as if reliving the moment. “I thought it had to be my imagination until I saw people running towards our building,” the witness in the smoking jacket gestured toward his condominium.
“I do hope those dreadful riots aren’t starting up again,” the witness murmured as Carling watched him re-join the crowd standing in the smoky air, wrinkling his brow at the police barricades being erected in front of his condominium building. “Something like this just doesn’t’ happen here,” he said to a man next to him.
His fifteen seconds of fame, Carling decided.
“Look at that guy,” the detective heard again. “He has to be a cop with that hat,” an observation repeated to the amusement of the onlookers.
Ever since the rioting my city has had its back broken, it’s gone to hell in a hand basket, and all he can be concerned about is my hat?
***
Two weeks prior Matt had no way of knowing about that newscast in his future. It was almost a normal day, so far.
Matt Tremain didn’t consider himself to be brave, certainly not one of those superheroes having steely resolve in the face of danger. Being short and walking with a limp, he once said he wore a bull’s-eye target on his back when he was in middle school. Picked on and pushed around nearly every day, he finally took a stand to face down two of the largest bullies. He didn’t decide to stand up to them; it was more like he recognized he had no real alternative. He went at them like a pit bull, tenacious and unrelenting. When the fight was over, and the pain gradually subsided, his reputation was reshaped. Even though he lost, people openly admired his tenacity. It didn’t hurt to have a big brain, either.
Now, he would need both of those attributes again when his phone chirped.
Looking down at the text message, Matt felt like he had been hit with a sucker punch to his gut. Before his phone started to vibrate, it had been just a regular day. He later wondered how many people had a record of the exact time and date of such a turning point in their lives.
It was a Thursday morning, his least favorite day of the week, when he walked into Le Rôti Français, a trendy coffee house with a caffeinated menu filling an entire wall.
He tried to ignore the TV mounted high on the wall behind the service counter. Ever since the rioting, there was little news other than continual coverage of the destruction. Action 21 News was the only station back on the air, and they had been airing commercial-free, non-stop updates about the rioting. Many, like Matt, were beginning to feel anaesthetized by the repetitive stories and images.
Walking through the door, Matthew Tremain noticed a woman watching him walk with a slight limp. The limp was evident, but not pronounced. A speed bump in his DNA double helix caused one leg to be a bit shorter than the other. It was that way when he was born, and it was still that way 32 years later. He tried to pretend it didn’t bother him as he glanced over at the woman who wore a sympathetic look on her face. He knew he should be used to pity like that, but it still bothered him, a lot. He pushed his anger aside and walked to the counter.
Running late, and this morning, of all mornings! Fidgeting, he asked himself, why did I have to end up standing behind these two?
CleanSweep! The word came, uninvited, into his mind. When did I first learn about CleanSweep? Tanner’s email! Was it only a few weeks ago now?
He brushed the word, and his growing anxiety, to the side of his thoughts, overhearing the discussion in front of him.
“I'm going to have a latte,” the first young woman said, sounding hesitant.
“Are you sure?” her friend countered. “You were going to try a cappuccino,” she said. “If you aren’t going to have that, why not just get an ex-presso?”
It was all Matt could do not to shout, to tell them there was no ‘x’ in espresso.
CleanSweep! The word clawed at his memory again. He couldn’t get CleanSweep out of his head.
“I want to try something different,” the first woman insisted. “I just can't make up my mind,” she said, sounding pouty. Finally, after what seemed an interminable wait, she said she was ready and pointed in a vague way, “What does a masha…mashia...”
“Machiatto,” the clerk –
Matt had been enjoying the clerk’s annoyance when his phone started to vibrate, his ringtone for an incoming text message followed. Struggling to get it out of his jean’s pocket, he flipped it open to look at the screen, his life-defining moment, time stamped at 9:56 a.m.
It was the warning he’d been hoping he would never get it. Now, as he was reading it, an emotional trap door opened under his feet.
His shock immobilized him as he gripped the phone, his breath and heart rate fast-tracking. Anyone looking would have noticed his eyes widen a bit, a silent primal scream starting from somewhere deep inside as he stared at the screen, not wanting to believe.
ST2MORO@7. GY6. 7FF. 14AA41.
He translated the text-speak in his mind:
ST2MORO@7: same time tomorrow, at seven.
GY6: I’ve got your six.
7FF: seven friends forever.
14AA41: one for all and all for one.
The real message, however, was a hidden numerical code within the code. Three critical numbers were those following the number two. He scanned the message. The first critical number was 7, the next a 6, and the third another 7, SOS on a standard telephone keypad. It meant he was in grave danger; he was being warned.
How long do I have?
The simple code was never intended to be unbreakable, simply enough to frustrate anyone trying to poke around and sniff through e-mail, texts, and chats.
Will it be enough now? Does this give me time to escape?
A voice in his head urged him to run, although running was the worst thing he could do right now. Instead, he walked to the door of the coffee shop without ordering, his thumb clicking two letters in response, CX for “cancelled and going offline.” He pressed the enter key, letting his team know he understood the significance of the danger he was in. They knew he would contact them when it was safe.
Will I ever be safe again? He couldn’t help wondering.
His CX message also triggered a program on his primary computer, and he knew it was already at work eliminating all history of any documents, contacts and communications, along with all traces of his back-up system. His hand went up to his chest, an instinct to make sure he could feel the four media cards hanging on a lanyard under his shirt. Everything was on those media cards.
On the sidewalk he looked around to make sure no one was watching as he pried open the back of the phone, removing the battery and tossing it into a trash receptacle. He used a finger to pry out the SIM card, kneeling to drop it through the slots of a drainage grill. Cyberia warned him his movements could be tracked by the SIM card, even if the phone wasn’t being used.
Is someone watching now? How would I know? He should have been thinking about that before now. He had to be more careful. Looking around again to see if anyone was looking, he let the phone drop, stepping on it hard until the plastic case shattered. Then he kicked the shards off the curb and into the street. He winced at a ticklish sensation—sweat droplets forming on his cheeks, tracing their slow path to his chin. As he walked to the subway entrance, it took all of his self-control not to run. Cyberia had warned him there would be teams of watchers, looking for exactly that type of panic. “Don’t let them see you sweat,” he had said. What Matt knew about the tradecraft of spies and undercover techniques was limited to what he read in books and watched in movies. This wasn’t make-believe though, not a game to be played at.
Will my clumsy effort at tradecraft be enough? Will it keep me alive? Oh, man. I’ve been looking over my shoulder like this ever since CleanSweep put a price on my head.
He did his best to imitate an oyster closing its shell for protection. He wanted to conceal his fear as shoppers and commuters rushed past him like the current in a river flowing around a rock.
“Morning, Buddy.”
Matt’s head snapped up.
“Filthy weather, isn’t it?” A man in a soiled army surplus jacket was standing next to a newspaper kiosk, clapping his gloved hands, his breath steaming. “Especially with all this smoke,” he said as he started coughing, a cough that soon turned to spasms, causing him to pull out a stained handkerchief to press to his lips.
“Morning…,” Matt managed to mutter, forcing himself ignore the man’s dirty rag and turned instead to examine several of the newspapers on display. He started to complain to the news vender, to ask him why he allowed a homeless man to hang around like that. He choked off the words, chiding himself for his lack of compassion. It has to be all this…the stress.
Instead, he tried to look like a man unable to decide on which newspaper to buy.
More importantly, he used the opportunity to look past the display racks, on the alert for anything out of the ordinary—a head turning away too quickly, or someone abruptly stepping back into shadows to avoid detection.
He was sure he read about doing something like that in a spy novel—how to spot if you were being tailed.
He reached for a newspaper, choosing one at random. Starting to sort through coins, he noticed a man across the street. Is he looking directly at me? Yes, straight at me. Matt froze, seeing the man holding his right sleeve up to his mouth.
Oh no, he’s whispering into a microphone!
Matt watched the man cough into the elbow of his coat sleeve, then turn and wave to a passing taxi. Matt let out a long, slow breath. It was nothing. As he exhaled, he did his best to maintain a puzzled look, to appear like he was curious—like a man with no purpose in mind—as he turned around to use a store display window as a mirror. He didn’t see anything suspicious and started walking again.
If I can only get to the subway, blend in at rush hour.
He saw the sign for the subway entrance and pulled his collar up against the falling temperatures. He shivered, knowing it was as much fear as weather, as he felt the first droplets of cold rain splattering against his face.
That’s when he saw them. A sharp pang of fear gripped him, like a lion raking claws across his chest. Two large men were walking towards him. This time, he knew the danger was real. They wore their suits like detectives, each man with dark circles under his eyes, badges of sleeplessness and too much coffee. They were poster boys for the guys he knew were coming for him. It took every ounce of his self-control to look calm. He wanted to run.
It’s hopeless. He was cornered. Oddly, he felt relieved, watching as they drew near. The taller one, the one on the left, pulled his hand out of his coat pocket. He was holding something in his hand, and he began swinging his arm up in a menacing arc. They flashed counterfeit smiles, recognition in their eyes. He flinched; they almost knocked him to the ground as they shouldered by, then he turned to see them shake hands with someone walking to meet them.
“We have a reservation,” he heard one of them say in a voice that hinted at annoyance, “I was just going to call you on my cell.”
Matt left the rest of their words trailing behind, a sensation of intense relief spread over his face as a short, wizened woman carrying a shopping bag gave him a puzzled look.
He pulled his jacket tight as icy pellets started to prick at his face.
Am I shaking from the cold or that near miss? He wanted to laugh at himself. Panic and paranoia were taking over and making him feel and look irrational.
Shaking off his emotions, he began to move. Daggers of ice pellets assaulted him as he fast-walked to the subway entrance. He fished a token from his jeans and pushed through the turnstile. Directional arrows pointed the way to the train platforms where he was greeted by an eclectic perfume of steamy clothes, garlic, and closely packed commuters. Standing on the platform, he felt a gush of wind signal the approaching train, pushing compressed air into the station. The grinding sound of its wheels sang a harsh song of metal on metal, like the gnashing of a giant’s teeth. He waited for it to come to a stop, standing to one side to let passengers disembark. A young woman with a backpack was the last exiting passenger. He darted through the open door and lunged for an empty seat. He waited for the doors to whoosh shut, and silently urged the train to move. When it did, he welcomed the familiar rocking motion, even the scream of the wheels making their ear-piercing racket as the train lurched around another curve.
He started to relax. I’m going to make it.
He looked up at the electronic advertising panels, flat-screen images scrolling around the car. It was a continuous looping picture along with a warning to call 711, the new hotline established for Operation CleanSweep. It was a video showing his own face, staring back at him from the electronic panels ringing the subway car, flashing hi-definition video displays of a wanted man.
Why didn’t Cyberia disable –?
Suddenly, the video images scrambled to snowy static, visual white noise, and went blank. Holding the back of a seat, he pulled himself up as the subway train braked to a stop and the doors began to open.
