by Ellie J Duck
Paranormal Division
Book One: Awakening
Ellie J Duck
Paranormal Division: Awakening Copyright © 2018 by Ellie J Duck. All Rights Reserved.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
Cover designed by Ellie J Duck in conjunction with Gerilyn Marin
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Ellie J Duck
Printed in Australia
First Printing: Dec 2018
Fluffy Duck Books
ISBN- 9781790682072
For Mum and Dad,
for their endless love, encouragement and support.
Acknowledgements
This would never have been possible without the support my family, my loving partner, and my friends within the writing community. A special thank you goes out to Nicholas Chelsom, for supporting me every step of the way in all the little moments when giving up seems easier. Without you, I’m sure there would be no me, so from the very bottom of my heart, thank you. An enormous thank you is extended to my mum, Lyn Duck, for the support and the grueling edits and rereads and endless rewrites she insisted on to bring this book up to where it ought to be. Thank you for all the time and effort, and for listening to me ramble on about my writing for hours on end. An additional cry of gratitude goes out to my dad, Evan Duck, for cheering me on, reminding me that I’ve got this, and submitting himself to hours of boredom when Mum’s rereads for me prevented them from achieving certain activities in a timely fashion. An extra big thank you goes out to Lauren Nye, whose enthusiastic alpha-reading got me over the line on actually hitting that publish button this year. And finally, to my fellow authors, Gerilyn Marin and Melody Campbell, who have helped me and guided me to becoming a better author, and a better person. I’d be lost without the two of you.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
About the Author
Chapter One
Trouble. I’d found it again. Found it and landed in the office of my Commanding Officer. I wonder if my father has been notified, and I cringe at the thought of him knowing that some of the skills he’d taught me had come in handy last night.
Not that I was admitting anything. It was time to blow this place, anyway. I’d turned eighteen today and just as soon as I could, I’d be out of here to join up with the army. That had to be better than this farce of a school where my father had dropped me off ten years ago so that he could return to active duty.
Dad’s the best in the business as far as assassination goes. I’m handy, too, because he’s been pushing me since the day I learned to walk, to do better; to be better; to serve my country in the best possible way. And that was going to be achieved by defending the American people and the US of A. As such, having the Major running this dismal school inform Dad about my latest activities was not ideal. I could just imagine that Dad would fly home and become involved in kidnapping a certain blond-haired solider-boy by the name of James Winters, who would never be seen or heard from again.
The sound of combat boots in the hallway outside the office draws my attention and I close my eyes, heightening my ability to hear what the pair of heavy-footed men are discussing.
“Special Agent Summers, I’m not sure I understand your presence here. I’m currently in the process of dealing with a student who has broken several school rules. If you’d just wait outside for a few minutes, I’ll be able to assist you with whatever you need,” Major Deans says. Ordinarily, Deans is the big shot around this place. He’s the one in charge and no-one else outranks him. His exasperated tone tells me that Agent Summers outranks him, so he’s suddenly not so sure of his footing.
“My understanding is that the student in question is Anna Cane, daughter of Special Agent, Magnus Cane,” Summers replies mildly. I roll my eyes at the idea of another solider trying to recruit me to whatever team he’s in charge of, all because he thinks I have as much potential as my Dad.
He’s right to think so, and the minute I get out of this godforsaken place I’ll be doing just that. But I’m so not in the mood to deal with another hopeful agent trying to sweet-talk me into joining some team unless it’s a Special Forces assassination team. It’s not that I’m ungrateful for their offers, it’s all about the way they react when they see me.
“That’s correct,” Deans confirms begrudgingly. “Accused of assaulting one student and suspected of assaulting another.”
“What did they do to Miss Cane?” Summers asks.
A small smile slips across my face at the amusement in his voice. Maybe he won’t be as straight-laced as the others who’ve come to see me before him.
“My understanding is that Miss Cane was in a relationship with Mr Winters and became enraged when she learned Mr Winters has been dallying with a Miss Kelly on the side,” Deans says. He sounds positively awkward discussing such things. He no doubt considers them to be utter rot and I chuckle to myself over the idea of Major Deans ever looking at a woman with desire in his eyes.
“Sounds to me as though the pair are lucky, she didn’t do anything worse,” Summers replies. My eyebrows rise at the fact he still sounds amused and now maybe just a little bit proud.
“I suspect they are both realizing that this morning,” Deans says. I smirk when I hear the pride in his voice, too. Unlike all the others who’ve come over recent years to get a look at Special Agent Cane’s daughter, Deans is rather fond of me. I suspect that Kelly and Winters will both be suffering some vague punishments for their actions in addition to what I’ve done to them.
“What do you plan to do with Miss Cane?” Summers asks. They’re just outside the door now and I listen harder, wanting to know the answer to that myself.
“To be completely honest, I have no idea. She’s eighteen today and I have no doubt that if I try to throw the book at her, she’ll demand her discharge papers and leave the school before she can be properly recruited,” Deans answers. He sounds frustrated, clearly knowing me better than I thought he did.
“Well, I might be able to help out there,” Summers offers. I’m not sure I like how pleased he sounds.
“You’re here about her?” Deans asks. I hear the way the footsteps that had been coming closer suddenly stop, no doubt as he turns to face this Agent Summers.
“I am. I expect she’ll be more than interested in my offer.” He sounds smug, as though I’ve already accepted the job on whatever team he wants to offer me, and I open my eyes slowly, feeling annoyed already. I mean, it’s flattering and all, but just once it’d be nice if, instead of sounding so self-assured that I’ll accept their offers before they’ve even met me, they could discuss the idea with me first.
“Well, more power to you, Agent Summers. You’re not the first agent I’ve had turn up here over th
e years with an offer for Miss Cane. Since she turned sixteen, she’s had folks showing up and begging her to join their team. So far, she’s turned them all down,” Deans says.
I cross my arms over my chest, glancing down at the uniform I’ve been wearing since I outgrew diapers. Snug fitting black t-shirt, khaki army pants, combat boots, and my Dad’s old army-issue black wristwatch. I wonder what this Agent Summers will make of me. He can’t tell much while I’m sitting, but if he’s come all this way, he will have read my file.
He’ll no doubt know that I’m five-foot-eight, whip thin and wiry. I wonder what he’ll make of the long dirty-blonde hair I wear pulled back in a bun every day, and my always-narrowed green eyes. Will he be impressed by the muscles I’ve honed over the years? Or will he be like most army officials and only see a teenage girl in army gear? More than once these agents that come to see me decide I’m not what they’re looking for when they get an eyeful of the very vague dip in my waist and the fact that I’m not some female terminator ready to tear people apart with my bare hands.
They come in here expecting a younger, female version of my father, and let me tell you, I am most certainly not that. Dad is six-foot-five and so awesomely built that he comes through most doors sideways. More than once he’s been compared to a bear; huge, hulking, and unpredictable. When they lay eyes on me, they see me as slight and dainty by comparison. And that’s around the time they make an offer they know I’m likely to refuse and go on their way. Others decide they might test my potential, but most just go quietly.
The door clicks open and I hold perfectly still, not bothering to turn around even though curiosity has its claws in me, making me itch to see this newest agent who thinks maybe I’m what he’s looking for. I don’t allow myself a glance, not wanting to give away the fact that I’ve been eavesdropping on their conversation. Although, if Deans knows me at all he will know that I have been listening.
“Miss Cane, this is Special Agent Greg Summers,” Deans begins without preamble. He rounds his desk and lowers himself into his chair while, next to me, a second chair groans as the agent takes a seat.
I glance to my left and fill my gaze with the sight of Agent Summers. He’s not at all what I was expecting. I was expecting some behemoth of a man with more muscles than brains, but that’s not what I see. This guy looks like a regular soccer-dad. He’s built; muscled the way every army guy is muscled, but he’s not the meat-head I was expecting. His hair is shorn short and the stubble left after his buzz cut is dark brown. His eyes are blue, and they assess me just the same way mine assess him. I can see in his eyes that he’s killed people, but there is something about him that I like. I think it’s the soccer-dad vibe I’m getting from him. For the first time in years, I feel like I’m meeting an agent who cares less about snagging a new and somewhat talented agent for his team, and more about how I’ll fit with his team and whether I’ll be happy with them.
I also get the feeling he’s not just here because he’s interested in my lineage, which is a first for me. Dressed in a suit rather than a uniform like mine, he looks respectable and authoritative. He’s at least in his forties if the crow’s feet around his eyes are any indication, but he still looks capable of badly maiming a person with his bare hands.
“Summers, this is Anna Cane.” Deans makes the introductions, oblivious to the fact that we’re both assessing each other with intense curiosity. When neither of us says anything, Deans begins to look awkward. I fight the urge to smirk as his hands twitch to straighten the cup of coffee on his desk.
“Miss Cane, I suspect you know why you’re here?” he says when Summers and I still don’t speak. I drag my eyes away from the Special Agent to stare at the Major before he can berate me for being disrespectful.
“Because you know it’s my birthday and wanted to personally wish me all the best?” I ask sarcastically. I refuse to admit to anything regarding Kelly or Winters. I could be mistaken, but I’m almost certain I hear Summers snort with amusement.
“What you did to Mr Winters and Miss Kelly was inexcusable, Miss Cane,” Deans admonishes. He crosses his arms over his ripped chest, looking very imposing. He’s clearly not as amused by me as Summers appears to be.
“Did something happen to them?” I ask innocently. Does he think me such a rookie that I’d walk into that one?
“I’m not playing this game with you today, Miss Cane. I expect that if I attempt to punish you for what you did, you’ll be discharging from the school, am I correct?” he asks. His eyes narrow as he watches me, waiting for a show of weakness or some twitch of nervousness at being locked in the room with the Major and the Special Agent.
“I can’t say I know anything about what happened to Kelly or Winters, outside of rumor of course, but I can assure you that I am on my way out of this place today,” I reply evenly.
“Don’t bother denying it about Winters, he’s been questioned and is adamant that you attacked him,” Deans says.
“Wasn’t he punched in the face?” I ask, still not admitting anything.
“You know very well that he was.”
“Then it stands to reason that he might be concussed and falsely remembering his attack?” I point out. “Has a medical exam been performed to ensure his coherence?”
Deans narrows his eyes further, while next to me Summers begins to cough in a vain attempt to hide his chuckling.
“It has, in fact, and I’m assured he is of sound health and mind.”
“Why would I attack my own boyfriend, Major Deans?” I ask, feigning innocence.
“Why do you do many of the things you do, Miss Cane?” he retorts. Clearly, he’s accustomed to my shenanigans.
“I’m a very expressive person, Major Deans,” I concede, a grin twitching at the corners of my mouth.
“I’m aware,” the Major replies dryly. “I imagine that in the time it’s taken for me to collect Agent Summers from the reception desk, you’ve filled out your discharge papers to leave the school?”
“I had some free time.” I shrug and fish the papers out of my pocket.
He softens. “Anna, I do hope you’re not leaving school just because of what happened between James Winters and Sarah Kelly,” Deans says. He earns himself a glare at the mention of their betrayal. “Your education and smooth transition into the army is important. I don’t want to see you mess it up just because these fools have aggravated you.”
“I can assure you, Major Deans, these forms have been filled out for weeks now. It’s no secret I meant to leave the day I turned eighteen. And that day has finally come. You don’t need to pretend you’re sad to see me go. We both know you’ll be relieved when you no longer have to hold those long-distance phone conversations with my father about my behavior when it deviates from your restrictive curriculum,” I reply. A smile comes to my face knowing that I need not pretend I had anything to do with what happened last night because he can’t touch me anymore.
“I’m afraid that while it will be a relief, it’s one I won’t get to enjoy until tomorrow. You might technically be eighteen, but I’ll be drawn and quartered before I let you leave here without notifying your father of your decision. I won’t have him tracking me down if something happens to you,” Major Deans says. He reaches for the phone on his desk, beginning to dial the number to put him in contact with my father, wherever he is in some distant country. He checks in with me every month, but that’s usually all he can spare.
“Miss Cane?” Agent Summers draws my attention while Major Deans is distracted.
“You have an offer for me, Agent Summers?” I ask. I’m not in the mood to listen to some big opening statement or boring spiel about whatever bullshit team he leads.
“I do. I head up an extremely elite team and I feel certain your skills will be of use to us. The assignment can be as long or as short as you like but given your background and your unique skill-set, I’m very interested in having you meet the other four members of my team,” Summers says. He grins at my direct ap
proach, revealing a pair of dimples in his cheeks that would’ve broken hearts twenty years ago. Even now they are mildly endearing, and I feel my interest begin to grow.
“This elite team of yours, what is it that they do?” I ask seriously.
“We track down the bad guys and eliminate them, Cane,” he answers bluntly. “We’re a no-nonsense team; the ones who step in during cases where the perpetrator in question has taken human life and means to continue doing so. There are some more specifics to the team that I can’t divulge to you until you have the proper clearance, but I can assure you this is the team you want to be on. I know your father personally. In fact, I trained with him when we both joined up, and I’ve been keeping an eye on you from afar over the years when he’s out of the country.”
“You’ve read my file, I take it?” I ask, wondering if he knows about the misdemeanors in my past that have caused more than a few agents to balk at taking me on as a recruit.
“Cover to cover,” he assures me. “My team isn’t so big on the normal rules that apply in your run-of-the-mill Special Forces team, Anna. I’m not trying to hem you into anything here, but you’ve made it clear that you’re out of this place today. I’d be willing to bet your intention is to head to the base across the city and sign yourself up. You’ll graduate top of your training classes and be handed through the system because not everyone can advance a skill-set like yours. Maybe my team isn’t for you, but before you write me off, at least give us a shot. It took the system a long time and a few huge mistakes before they put your father on the same kind of team as the one that I run, and I don’t want to see you having to suffer the same mistakes and disappointments that Magnus did.”
“So, you want me to leave here with you, with absolutely no evidence that you know my Dad, to join a team you can’t tell me about because it’s above my clearance level, and because you’re not the average type of team. No offence, but you’re not really inspiring a lot of confidence, Agent Summers.” I’m skeptical that his offer is what I’m looking for in a task force and a little reluctant to go anywhere with him, even if I do kind of like the guy.