The Trust (The Downlode Heroes Book 2)

by Mikey Campling

  “It’s like I said, Thomas—the mind is a complex thing. You might still have some clues buried away in your memories. There might still be some little snippet of information that’ll help us.”

  Thomas looks up sharply. “Help you do what? You said Grimwood’s dead. So what can I tell you? What use will it be to drag everything up again?”

  Stewart keeps his voice level. “That’s an interesting point, Thomas. But we still have some avenues we want to explore. For instance, while we’re sure Grimwood must be dead, we haven’t been able to trace his location in real life. We’ve tried everything we can think of, but every trail leads back to you.”

  Thomas sits up straight, his eyes round with fear. “To me? What do you mean?”

  “Stay calm, Thomas. You’ve misunderstood. You see, as you told us, Grimwood somehow latched onto your avatar when he forced his way into the scenario. So whenever we trace his connection, we keep coming full circle back to you.”

  Thomas stares at the far wall, his expression blank. “I don’t know how he did that. How could I? I figured it was something to do with that mod. And I got that from Scarlett, who turns out to be Eileen Barber.” He looks at Stewart. “Maybe you should ask her about it.”

  Stewart bristles. “That’s not for you to say, Thomas. Eileen has a lot to answer for, but we need to clear up your part in all of this.”

  “Let me ask you something, Stewart. Can I go back home? If I want to go, will you put me on a flight like Marcus?”

  “In the fullness of time, of course, you can go. But for the moment, we’d very much appreciate it if you’d give us your full cooperation, Thomas.”

  “All right. But you’ll never find him. He’s way too smart.”

  Stewart hesitates. “Why do you say that, Thomas? What do you mean?”

  “He told me,” Thomas says. “He told me all about it.” And when he smiles, there’s a cruel curl to his lip and a soulless void in his dark eyes that Stewart immediately recognizes. Because the last time he saw that deathly stare, it was in the jungle. And he had the chance to study that chilling expression through the scope of his rifle, as he looked into the eyes of Jacob Grimwood.

  EPILOGUE

  CURTIS VALCOURT HAS MANY OFFICES around the world, but the one he’s using today, in the Trust’s Seattle headquarters, has a special place in his heart. It was in this office that he first took on the role of vice chairman of the Trust, and it holds an abundance of special memories: small victories mainly, but a good deal of mighty triumphs too.

  Now, he sits back in his leather chair and brushes an imaginary speck of dust from his mahogany desk. His fingers leave a smear on the flawless, polished wood, and he takes a silk handkerchief from his pocket and wipes the imperfection away. He studies the result of his handiwork and then nods in satisfaction. Strictly speaking, the piece is a writing table rather than a mundane desk, built to a design by Chippendale. He had it flown over from England and it gives him a small measure of pleasure every day to reflect that it was made some years before his own country was born. He bought the table in an auction; a successful purchase made all the sweeter by his familiarity with his chief rival in the bidding. The auction was a tortuously drawn out affair, but Curtis never backed down in the face of a challenge, and though he paid much more than the table’s market price, it was worth every cent. Because today, in a matter of moments, the man he beat in the auction will walk into his office.

  There’s a knock on his door, and after waiting the customary five seconds, he calls out, “Come in.”

  His assistant opens the door and ushers his guest inside, and when his visitor enters the room, Curtis stands and plasters a smile on his face. He extends his hand for a shake. “Farlan, thanks for stopping by, have a seat. I’ll have some coffee sent in.”

  Farlan Teller gives him a humorless smile as they shake hands. “No coffee for me thanks. I can’t stay long.”

  “Fair enough. In that case, take a seat and we’ll get down to business.”

  Farlan sits down, and his eyes flick over the writing table. His expression tightens, but he doesn’t say a word.

  Curtis savors the moment and then sits down slowly. Neither man will mention the table, but he can see the spark of indignation in Farlan’s eyes, and it warms his heart. Curtis leans forward, resting his elbows on the polished wood. For a second, he imagines taking out a pair of scissors and jabbing them into the polished mahogany, just to see Farlan’s reaction. But that would be taking things too far. Instead, he adopts a concerned expression and looks Farlan in the eye. “We have an interesting situation developing at Northridge. Are you satisfied with the way it’s playing out?”

  Farlan purses his lips. “It could have been better, but we learned a great deal.”

  “About Grimwood? Or do you refer to something else?”

  “I think you know exactly what I’m referring to,” Farlan says. “Let’s not play games, Curtis. Overall the subjects performed more or less as expected, but there were some individuals who seem to have developed in ways that we didn’t anticipate.”

  Curtis nods wisely. “Perhaps there’s no room in your algorithms for human nature—no formula for the spirit.”

  “There are always random errors in any test,” Farlan says. “But even so, I think we have a few candidates who are going to be interesting. One in particular.”

  “The Settler boy,” Curtis states simply. “Oh, young Hank is going to be interesting all right. I think we can safely say he’s going to be very interesting indeed.”

  Thank You for Reading The Trust

  I really hope you enjoyed the story. I’ve written a short story called CONTINUE? which is set in the Downlode universe, but it’s only available to members of The Awkward Squad (the good folks who receive my newsletter). To get your free story, along with a free starter library of my work, use the link below:

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  Much Appreciated—Your Review

  If you can spare a minute to leave a review for The Trust it will make my day and help me to keep writing. Thank you very much.

  Coming Soon

  The Downlode Heroes Book III

  Due for release in 2017, the next book in this series will see Hank get to grips with life at The Trust. As always, there will be twists and turns to intrigue you, and no doubt there’ll be one or two surprises.

  Fortress Forty-Seven

  This is a working title for a fast-paced adventure I’m working on, and if you enjoyed The Trust, you’ll love this new story. It’s a joint project, written with sci-fi author S.J. Bryant, and it’s got some great characters and lots of action. It uses the conventions of LitRPG, but non-gamers will be able to follow it with no trouble.

  Don’t Miss Out

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  Also by Mikey Campling

  Click here to find all my books on Amazon.com

  Trespass: A Tale of Mystery and Suspense Across Time—The Darkeningstone Book I

  Three stories, separated by five thousand years, united by one deadly secret: Somewhere, sometime, the stone is waiting.

  Trespass combines gritty, edgy modern-day action with a thrilling adventure across time. Discovered over five thousand years ago, the Darkeningstone affects everyone who finds it.

  Jake was too smart to believe the rumours about Scaderstone Pit, but now he’s in more danger than he could ever have imagined.

  In 1939, as World War II looms, the lives of two men will be changed forever.

  Over five thousand years ago, a hermit will keep the stone a secret. But someone is watching him—someone with murder in his heart.

  When it finds you, what will you see when you look into The Darkeningstone?

  Outcast—The Darkeningstone Book II

  3650 BC When Hafoc’s only family, his brother, is taken by the savage tribe known as the Wandrian, he’s determined to rescue
him. But Hafoc is too young to face the Wandrian alone.

  2014 Tom lives a life of quiet, orderly routine. He needs it that way. But when he sees a mysterious stranger, his life begins to unravel. Who is watching him? And why do they seem hell bent on ruining his life?

  2018 Cally is working hard on her studies at university, so when she’s instructed to drop her research, she’s devastated. Will she give in or will she rebel? And who can she trust?

  Scaderstone Pit—The Darkeningstone Book III

  In the year 3550 BC, a woman runs for her life. She must find shelter before nightfall. But why is she so afraid?

  In 1919, the new owners of Scaderstone Rock prepare to open a quarry on the site. But what will they discover? Will the secrets of Scaderstone be unveiled?

  And in the future, what lies in store for Jake? He needs answers. But where can he turn? There is perhaps one person who can help him.

  Scaderstone Pit looks forward into the future and peers even further back into the myths and mysteries of the distant past. But there’s one thing you can be sure of:

  Somewhere, Sometime, The Stone is Whispering.

  Breaking Ground - A Darkeningstone Story

  A bonus story that adds extra detail to the Darkeningstone world but stands alone so it can be read before or after the full-length novels. Breaking Ground is part of the starter library which you can claim for free via mikeycampling.com/freebooks

  After Dark - Thoughtful Horror I

  When another body is discovered - a young woman washed up by the tide - it seems that someone stalks the streets of the nearby town of Whitby, after dark. Someone who preys on young women, and kills them in a very singular manner. And as crowds of Goths arrive to celebrate an annual festival, the scene is set for a gothic tale with a contemporary twist.

  After Dark is a horror story set in modern day Whitby, the town where, according to Stoker, a certain Count came ashore. In recent years, Whitby has held an annual Goth festival, and this surreal event sets the stage for a deliciously dark tale.

  Once in a Blood Moon - Thoughtful Horror II

  England. A quiet stretch of wild countryside. An isolated farmhouse. And an American visitor taking a break from it all. It sounds idyllic, doesn’t it? But on this night, the full moon looms especially large in the sky - a supermoon. And this event just happens to coincide with a lunar eclipse, tinging the moon with red.

  But it’s probably safe to be outside at night. After all, some things only happen once in a blood moon.

  This is a contemporary horror story that will keep you guessing until the end.

  A Dark Assortment - Thoughtful Horror III

  Sometimes that noise you can hear upstairs is just the old floorboards creaking as they settle down for the night. Sometimes. But there’s no need to worry because that face you saw at the window was just a reflection. There’s no one else here. You’re alone. But that’s OK because you’re safe in your bed. And all those things you fear deep down in the dark reaches of your soul…well, they only happen in stories, don’t they? A Dark Assortment is a collection of seventeen stories; a chocolate box of handmade treats. But beware—beneath each richly decorated shell, there’s a seed of delicious darkness.

  The God Machine

  Areva dreams of the day when he will become a Scribe and contribute to The Collective—the tethered souls, connected to the God-Machine. The Scribes write the Universe into existence, and it’s Areva’s destiny to join them. But as his time draws near, he hesitates. Perhaps the God-Machine serves a darker purpose.

  This book is widely available for free.

  CHEATC0DE - The Downlode Heroes Book I

  Play to Win. Play to Survive

  Most people play the game: total immersion VR with full neural sync. But Hank lives it. In Unlimited Combat, he’s one of the best. He makes his own luck. And he plays solo. Until now. When a player offers Hank fame and fortune, it’s too good to pass up. To succeed, Hank must fight harder than ever before, pushing past the game’s safety protocols. His life is on the line, and when he’s captured, he knows he’s in too deep. Can he escape? And who can he trust?

  Join Hank in the game—if you dare.

  The best way to keep up to date with Mikey’s new releases and learn about the regular special offers is to sign up for his newsletter: mikeycampling.com/freebooks

  Connect With the Author

  Thank you for taking the time to read my work—I really hope you enjoyed it.

  I love hearing from readers so there are lots of ways to reach me.

  If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me via authormikeycampling@gmail.com

  You can follow me on Twitter @mikeycampling and I’ll do my best to reply to your mentions.

  I’m also active on other social media and the best place to see all those links is on my website: mikeycampling.com/contact

  About the Author

  Mikey works hard at everything he does. As a teacher, he always went the extra mile to give kids the best start in life that he could. His particular passion was inspiring children to love books, and his lively readings were always popular. His proudest moment was when the parents of a young boy with Asperger’s Syndrome told him that their son was asking for bedtime stories for the first time in his life.

  Today, after a spell as a full-time dad, Mikey writes stories with characters you can believe in, and plots you can sink your teeth into. His style is vivid but never flowery; every word packs a punch. His stories are complex, thought-provoking, atmospheric and grounded in real life.

  Mikey has always read very widely, and his work is just as varied. There are three main strands to Mikey’s work:

  The Downlode Heroes - An ongoing series of fast-paced sci-fi novels with plenty of action and written using USA spellings;

  The Darkeningstone Books - A trilogy of novels plus a novella featuring supernatural suspense across time and set in the UK using British spellings (NB: These novels form an epic tale and are best read as a complete trilogy);

  Thoughtful Horror - Short, dark stories with modern settings and a twist in the tale.

  All Mikey’s works have one thing in common: respect for the reader. As a writer, he takes a professional approach, and he believes very firmly that errors are unacceptable.

  Judge for yourself and start reading for free! Get your free starter library of Mikey’s books at: mikeycampling.com/freebooks

  Copyright

  © 2017 Mikey Campling All rights reserved.

  No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the copyright holder, except as permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.