by Avell Kro
"Dr. Caiaphas"
Dr. Caiaphas turned to Randal. The two men shook hands. What always startled Randal about
Warren Caiaphas was his Alopecia, rather it was the terrible matted wig he chose to wear to cover
his complete lack of hair. Initially you would notice that he had no eyebrows but that old hairpiece
drew your eyes to it quickly.
Gerrard ran out onto the patio with a model airship. “Look what Uncle Randal bought me on his
trip. He said he flew on one just like it back from England.”
Dr. Caiaphas smiled at the boy, “would you like to travel on an airship one day?”
“Oh, yes.”
Randall again bent down to eye level with Gerrard and then looked up at Dr. Caiaphas. “The
Doctor is a good friend of mine and Ms. Meadows, he has come to meet with you and ask if you
would like to attend his special school.”
"But I like it here," the youth cried.
“Of course, you do but this is a very special school that very few are admitted to and if you want to have a house like this someday or perhaps your own air ships you need to go to school.”
“But Ms. Meadow teaches me reading and maths,” argued Gerrard.
“I am a different type of teacher. I can teach you how to do tricks. Would you like to see one?” asked
Caiaphas.
“Oh, yes please,”
“Go grab a stone from the path and bring it here,”
The boy ran out on the garden path searching for the perfect stone then after picking a few up and
droping them he ran back to Caiaphas with the stone he selected. Caiaphas took the stone, is was
smooth, flat and grey in color, he held it out.
“Are you going to make it disappear?” asked Gerrard.
“No, you are going to make it change color.” suggested Caiaphas closing his hand around the stone.
“Gerrard, clasp my hand with both of yours and hold it really tight so you know that the stone can’t
get away.”
Gerrard grabbed his hand, “your hand is cold, Mister.”
“Now Gerrard close your eyes and envision a color, only one color. I want you to think very hard
and send that color right down your hands into mine. Don’t tell me the color.”
Gerrard squeezed his eyes closed as if his squeezing would pass the thoughts through to the stone
faster.
Caiaphas looked and smiled at Randal as the boy concentrated. “Excellent, you can stop now.”
The Doctor opened his hand, the stone was as green as the grass in the garden.
“Oh, boy that is a cracker of a trick. Can you teach me how to do that?”
“Gerrard, you did it. I only helped boost your innate powers.” The Doctor explained.
The young boy looked confused.
“Here, you keep the stone. When fall begins you can come to my school and I wil personally
instruct you how to do that and many more things you can’t learn from Ms. Meadows.”
“Thank you, sir” Gerrard grabbed the stone and ran back into the house.
“Let's walk, Randall.” The two men strolled the gravel path of the expansive gardens. Not as grand
as Versailles but for America this was a palace garden. As they walked the Doctor and Strathmore
spoke.
“The boy is quite talented, with training he will be like nothing this world or others have ever
seen,” stated Caiaphas.
“Doctor, I was thinking when the boy goes to Italy to study with you, I might come and spend time with the others?” asked Strathmore.
“What is your interest in meeting with others, I am the leader of our Cabal. You have the ear of the
Master,” said the Doctor.
“Well, it’s just that I haven’t met the others.”
“Randal, this is how secret organizations work. In secret, far from the public eye and apart from
each other to protect the Cabal.” Caiaphas stopped and turned to Randall with a smile and leaned
to look him in the eye. “Are you lonely, do you need companionship?”
“Well, I had been spending quite some time with Angelica, helping with her plans. When the boy
leaves, it will be very quiet around here.” Caiaphas took Randall’s hands and gave them a shake of
confidence. Randall thought, the boy is right his hands are cold. “All in good time, Randall.
Before we worry about you meeting the others, let’s discuss how we settled up in London. I
checked and from what I gather Angelica never made it to the ship or Nova Scotia,” directed the
Doctor.
“Hmm, I suspect the Necronists never let her out of London alive. but I will keep an ear to the
ground. She may still show up, she is very resourceful” Strathmore suggested.
“and the business with the Moyas?” pressed Caiaphas.
“All of the coroner’s inquests are resolved and the documents that Angelica forced the Moya's and
Chilton to sign are in place. I expect the biggest stink to come from my partners at Chilton, Chilton,
Owens, and Strathmore will be about the Trustee not being in the home office. If the documents
see their way into court they will stand up to any scrutiny. I am the Trustee and you are the boy’s
ward, as planned if Angelica was unable to make it back to the States.”
“She understood the risks s to exact her revenge and now she has it, all of them dead and none the
wiser. What else ...” said Caiaphas, who seemed displeased by something. Randall could tell by his
curt speech and the ploy where he expected Randall to guess what he wanted to speak about. He
wasn’t really in the mood; his sleep was still off and the last week had been quite stressful.
“Doctor as far as my observation, all has gone according to plan, Angelica obtained her revenge
and the certainty that her son, now in your care, would inherit his grandfather’s fortune.
“The gold,” stated the Doctor continuing his inquest.
Strathmore couldn’t believe his ears. Between the two of them they had just gained control of the
entire Moya fortune worth over seven million pounds. from what Strathmore knew of the Doctor
he had no want for money, how could that small amount of gold make a difference. “The gold was
stolen from the smelter before I could move it”.
“Find out who is responsible. We can’t have people thinking they can steal from us.”
Randall’s patience was all but gone. “The purpose of the heist was to cover up the search for
copies of the revised will & testament”.
“True, in part is was but the fact is someone has stolen from us, Randall.” declared the Doctor raising his voice.
“Well the thieves did not believe they were stealing from you. They don’t even know you exist. At
best, they thought they were stealing from Angelica,” Randall explained.
“All the same, find out who is responsible. I don’t like loose ends and I had a purpose for that gold.”
* * *
11:40 PM Rose's Apartments
Rose slipped in and out of sleep. Out again, this time realizing this wasn’t a dream but someone at
her door. “One tick” She fumbled for the matchbox on her nightstand and struck a matchstick. She
lit the lamp and replaced the wind glass once the wick had caught flame. After her eyes adjusted
she made her way to the door and looked through the portal.
She hadn’t seen this face in years. Putting the lamp on a shelf she worked the latches and locks to
open the door.
“Violet?”
“Hello, Rose,”
“What are you doing here?” Rose asked.
”I had nowhere to go. I left Chester after Pa passe
d and I’ve been on my own, well sort of,” Violet
looked down at the baby in her arms.
“This is your niece Rosie. Rosie, this is your auntie Rose” Rose tried to recollect the last time she
saw her sister it was when Rose left for the convent, ten years ago and her sister was a little eight-
year-old girl.
“Come in, please come in. How did you find me?”
“You were back in the papers again, and this time I was in London. I just asked around Bethnal
Green, I’ve been in London nearly two years.” Violet reported as she did the mental calculation of
the time. Since she was a little girl, you could tell when she was racking her brain, she would look
up for the answer, as if it was on the ceiling or in the sky.
“I’ve been living on the streets and when I read about you in the papers, I just thought I would
come see you and ask if you might be able to help me and Rosie.”
“Oh Violet, come in, you are welcome to stay here. It’s not much but, of course, you can stay. Here,
let me see that little girl.” Rose took the sleeping baby in her arms and looked at its precious face.
Even being out on the street the child looked peaceful while sleeping. “Close up the door and have a
seat, are you hungry? I have some bread an apple it’s all I have but your welcome to it.”
“Ta, Sis, that would be most kind of you.”
Rose handed Rosie back to Violet and took the few paces to her kitchenette. She reached into the breadbox for the loaf of bread and cut a few slices, and with the same knife she cut up the apple.
That was all the food she had. Placing it on a plate she brought it over to Violet and set it on the
small table beside the ratty chair. “Let me take her,” admiring the little one, Rose placed her niece on
the bed behind the partition. When she returned, her sister had shoved a whole slice of bread into
her mouth and was trying to choke it down.
“Violet, I am so happy you came here. It’s is so fortunate that you found me. I must let you know
that the work I have been doing does not make ends meet and this apartment…” Rose stopped
herself. She didn’t need to burden her sister with the fact of not having any money being two
months arrears on rent and a pending eviction. “You are welcome to stay for as long as you want,
and I recently had some good news. It looks like I am going to work with the Police Department so
we may be able to put more food on the table and find lodging better suited for the three of us.”
“Violet began to cry, “I would really like that.”
The Alchemists Book One of the Guild Chronicles
Get the next book
What has Sister Rose Caldwell been up to the past two years?
New Job - New House - New Enemies
Rose, Violet, and little Rosie have been settling into fancy new digs in upscale Paddington. While
remodeling a haunted house into a new reliquary and studio arcana is fun, one needs to take a
break occasionally. Of course, the White Witch of London’s idea of a break is figuring out the
identity of her mysterious benefactor and racing off to hunt a Mesopotamian Demon who has
ignited the storm of the century.
Things get really weird when the quirky recluse, Preston Gilchrist shows up on her doorstep after
three years living as a shut in. Leaving Gilchrist Manor initiates an adventure that crosses the
globe in an old airship piloted by the famous Vanderbilt, Valkyrie Reidun Falk, with stops in Berlin,
Constantinople, and Königsberg. Rose and her friend Preston search for his long-lost love, Lorelei
Traube, the Alchemist responsible for inventing the Crucible process. Along the way their paths
cross with actual historical characters - Sir James Maxwell and Thomas Edison, as well as
mythological creatures and characters.
Good thing Rose came along as Prussian commandos, and an ancient order of Wizards are all
trying to get their hands on Lorelei. When the truth comes out about Lorelei’s mysterious project
and what is really at the heart of it, Rose requires her collection of gadgets and supernatural
powers along with the ancient wisdom of Preston’s alter ego Azul to save humanity.
Sit back and enjoy a supernatural thriller set in a believable, yet fantastic alternative Steampunk
history. Fol owing the prequel, The Alchemists is the first book in the Guild Chronicles Series.
The series includes:
Prequel: The Untold Tales of Dolly Williamson
The Alchemists
The Necronists
The Mechanists Spring 2018
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Click Here to Get Future Book Launch Dates
Thank You
If you enjoyed this tale please take the time to leave a review. Reviews help other like minded
readers to find stories.
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About the Author
JM Bannon is the author of the Guild Chronicles. When not writing, the time is spent reading or
walking the grounds of the sanitarium, where on a clear day you can see all the way to Prague
Castle.
Feel free to reach out by email. All correspondence is reviewed by the staff of the Brookhaven
Sanitarium and will be answered by J M Bannon or Doctor Gustav Kreppelin the resident Physician
at Brookhaven.
If you too have witnessed strange events occurring in the Non-Newtonian Universe and would like
to help others understand it’s true reality, write JM and learn how you can contribute as an
advanced reader or co-writer in the NNU.
Learn More:
https://cuxllc.lpages.co/jmbannon/
[email protected]
Also by J M Bannon
The Alchemist US
The Alchemists Other Countries
The Necronists US
The Necronists Other Countries
The Mechanists 2018
NEW ENEMIES
A Discordant Earth Prequel
Melony Paradise
Credits & Copyright
Alpha Reader/Editor: Danielle Romo
Cover by: Clarissa Yeo of YoclaDesigns
New Enemies
A Discordant Earth Prequel
Copyright © 2017 Melony Paradise
www.melonyparadise.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the
products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual
persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical
methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
Be sure to check out therest of the series:
Find all my books at my Amazon page.
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And my other series,
Vamp Tales
Dedication
Thank you to my amazing sister for being my sounding board, first reader and editor, and for
being so supportive. I am so happy we are taking this journey together.
A huge thank you to my husband for supporting me through this wild ride. Love you, babe!
Chapter 1
March 20, 2020
“You can’t go, Bas. We need you.” Judith whined as four-year-old Jordan clung to her leg while
peeking around the corner of the kitchen island.
“I have to go, Mom.
” Bas dropped his head into his hands, elbows planted on the tabletop. “It’s a
draft, they’ll come get me if I don’t show up.”
“No!” She slapped her hand down on the laminate countertop. “You will not leave us, Sebastian
David Roberts! Jordy and I need you. He’s only four, he needs his brother.”
Bas stood, taking two halting steps towards his only family. “I’m sorry, Mom. I’ve got no choice.”
“Your father would’ve never left us!”
As if he’d been smacked on the cheek, Bas balked, his face flushed with anger. “Do you mean
Jordy’s asshole father who left before he was born, or my father, who died in a bar brawl?” He
scoffed. “He left us too, Mom. He practically lived at that bar!”
Jordan’s squalling cries were muffled as he buried his face in his mother’s long, patchwork skirt,
his scruff of jet-black hair sticking up in ten different directions. Bas scrubbed his hand through
his own shaggy, out-of-control black mop, squeezing his indigo eyes closed and biting his tongue .
Nothing I can say will make this better…
Large, bright blue eyes pinned him in place as his haggard mother sniffled, pulling herself back
together. “Fine. Go. We don’t need you. Jim will be here.”
With a sigh, Bas grabbed his backpack from the table, tossing it over his shoulder. “Whatever, Mom.
Run to another useless jackass. I hope, for Jordy’s sake, this guy sticks around for a while.”
“He’l stay with us. We can count on him to take care of us, even with his bad heart.”
“Yeah, well, he better live until I get back.”
“You come back to us, Bas.” Judith left her spot behind the island, dragging Jordan along beside her.
“We love you, baby. Please, don’t die out there.”
“Wuv joo, Bas,” little Jordy muttered around a drool-covered finger.
***
The over-sized, green army jacket hung from Bas’ shoulders, nearly reaching the holey knees of his faded black jeans. He yanked on his pants leg to get it unstuck from the top of his scuffed biker
boot as he walked at a brisk pace past dilapidated houses on his way to the local park.