Defenders of Shadow and Light: Ghost Thief

by Jason Levine

  “Perhaps, but I’ve got other concerns at the moment,” Sean said.

  “What do you mean?” Murray asked.

  “Sampson Technologies. They captured the Dark One. They used him to make the goo that gave Brawn and Eddie their powers. I would like to know just why they were working with the General. Were they his pawns? Or is there something more going on? And just what do they know about people with special abilities?”

  “What can we do to get answers?” Murray asked.

  “That depends,” Sean said, a smile widening on his face. “How do you feel about a break-in?”

  Epilogue I

  The office door opened and the nervous worker walked in. The room was so dark that he could barely make out his surroundings. Dark figures seemed to loom just out of view, hidden by the shadows. Every click of his shoes hitting the hardwood floor reverberated throughout the room. His boss was seated in a big chair, facing a large tinted window. The wide, high back of the plush leather chair conspired with the dark room to ensure that the boss was completely hidden from view.

  “Well?” he asked, his voice shattering the room’s silence.

  “The General was defeated, sir. Details are still sketchy, but we believe that he is dead.”

  “Good riddance. He served his purpose and long ago turned into a nuisance and a distraction. He almost single-handedly derailed all we’ve worked towards. I trust we have enough stock at the secondary facility to continue?”

  “Yes, sir. Phase 2 is right on track.”

  “Good,” the boss said, chuckling to himself. “Now the real fun begins.”

  Epilogue II

  The military base, once buzzing with activity and grand schemes, now lay silent save for the pounding rain. The courtyard, earlier the site of dozens of men cheering on their leader, had just a bare few signs of having been populated recently. The dirt turned to mud in the deluge and the mud was swallowed up by a growing network of puddles. Torrents of water poured down upon the broken wooden stage. A pool gathered near a toppled over chair–one of the few remnants of the base’s recent occupation. A line of water ran from the chair, along the length of the stage, and into a hole smashed into the wooden floor. Under the stage, in the dark, wet night, the only sounds came from the water.

  He awoke. He was confused. He didn’t know where he was, but he was sure that something was wrong. He knew that he wasn’t himself. Not completely, at least. He tried to move and found that he was small. Smaller than he should be. He had no arms or legs. Just a long body.

  Perhaps he should have felt panic, but he had long ago learned the value of remaining calm. He pushed his body forward. It was difficult at first, but he was determined. He would not relent. Someone had wronged him. He knew that much. He emerged from under the stage and made his way across the courtyard. Through the puddles and the mud, he slithered. The rain pelted his slick skin, but he kept moving on. Soon he was beyond the walls of the base.

  His resolve grew with every inch he moved. He began to remember. He had once held power. Great power. People followed his every word. He made his enemies serve him. Worship him. He was brought low. Nearly destroyed. But he survived. He would always survive. And, given time, he would grow powerful again. He knew who was responsible for hurting him. He would have his revenge. In time, his enemies would see the folly of their ways. Everyone would eventually bow to the General.

  Acknowledgments and Dedication

  This novel could not have taken place without the help of many people. First off, thank you to my beta readers: Laura Bartell, Greg DiFalco, Christina Gleason, John Glenn, Lisa Popp, and Christine Prush. A huge thank you to Doug Flint for designing such a wonderful cover for this book. To my wife, Beth, thanks for beta reading and putting up with my many late writing nights. I would also like to express my appreciation to my family (Beth, Noah, and Jacob) for not rolling their eyes when I incessantly and excitedly talked about how the story was progressing.

  My biggest thanks, though, go to my son Jacob for inspiring this story to begin with. Due to a rejection back in college, I had stopped writing for quite awhile. In February of 2016, Jacob told me that he was writing (and illustrating) a book of his own. He inspired me and I decided to write again.

  I began with a short story to ease into it, but once I opened the writing doors, the story flooded out. My “short story” turned into the novel you now hold in your hands.

  Jacob also served as my “alpha tester.” I’d read the story to him as I was writing it. His excitement over the unfolding tale and desire to know more–including getting frustrated with me for claiming that telling him would be spoilers–spurred me to keep writing when I might otherwise have slacked off.

  Thank you for inspiring me, Jacob. Never stop writing, never stop reading, and always be your amazing creative self.

  Jacob’s drawing of Murray–included because I promised that he could illustrate my book.

  About The Author

  This is the section where Jason describes himself in the third person as if someone else is doing the writing. This can be difficult as he isn’t always comfortable touting his merits, but here goes nothing.

  Jason Levine is a web developer by day and web developer/blogger/writer/cook/photographer by night. He’s also a full time husband to Beth and father to Noah and Jacob. Jason is a self-described geek who is interested in all things technology, even if monetary realities don’t allow him to buy all the newest cool toys. He’s also a kid at heart and will happily get down and dirty playing with his kids or sit on the couch with them watching cartoons. (One of the perks of fatherhood: You get to play with toys and watch cartoons and pretend it’s for them!)

  You can find Jason on Twitter at @TechyDad or on his blog at http://www.TechyDad.com/. If you like this book, please send him a message letting him know.

  (Writing about yourself in the third person is really weird.)