The Remote Traveler (The Remote Series Book 1)

by Finian Blake

  “Pauline you seem to have all of the qualifications that the agency finds useful. I will have someone from personnel talk to you. I would like you to remember that part of the truce is that all future action is off the table. Do not even look for my party. I am leaving the agency to personally take charge of the project and I believe that you would not like a rematch.”

  “You have my word.” Pauline was relieved she had literally dodged the bullet once again. As she stepped out in the hall she noticed a folded body bag leaning against the wall. Harry called her escort over.

  “This lady is US Marshal Victoria Strong. She will take you to personnel and then act as your body guard for the month while your home is put back in order. She has a new boyfriend that she will be away from while this project closes so don’t pull any tricks like you did on Felix.” Pauline decided to show Victoria who was boss.

  Pauline grabbed her by the arm and said, “Let’s go Vicki.” Victoria stood like a pillar shaking off Pauline’s grip and grabbing her by the nape of the neck. Pauline was shocked to find that Victoria was not just toned, but rock solid and capable of a vise like grip.

  “The name is Victoria or Marshal Strong. I will be making all of the calls. You will be doing what I tell you to do when I tell you to do it, and without delay.” Pauline was astounded by the woman’s strength.

  Cherry had made up a US Marshal’s ID for Victoria to be sure that Pauline would cooperate and Harry cleared it with the Marshal’s office. “I will say hello to your dad when I see him.” Harry pointed to the body bag, “This will not be necessary at this time.”

  “Where was she going to take me?” Pauline called over her shoulder as Victoria dragged her down the hall with unrelenting force.

  “That you will never know, but since you are walking, we will be going to personnel.”

  “And if I wasn’t walking?”

  Harry answered her question with a question, “Would it make any difference?” Pauline shivered at the way Harry put the question. She understood what had been planned and she did not like the idea of becoming part of some building’s foundation. When Pauline was half way down the hall Harry called out, “Oh, Marshal Strong please don’t forget the cavity search.” Pauline tried to spin around, but Victoria had a vise like grip on the nape of her neck not caring if Pauline stumbled or not.

  The last flight heading to London would leave in an hour. Harry made the trip in thirty minutes with a helicopter taking him to Dulles. Landing behind a 777 he was escorted to his seat in first class, firmly believing that he was going to enjoy working for the Inn. Victoria had given him a hint of what her father was planning while they were waiting for Pauline and he was particularly happy with the idea that he could turn down assignments. Harry was given a note: ENJOY THE TRIP, it was signed Lynn. Harry was served a drink and a selection of appetizers while waiting for the plane to leave. The overnight flight was a breeze, and Harry deeply appreciated the lay flat seats. Upon landing, he was greeted by Scott at the door of the aircraft and escorted to an MI helicopter. Harry was at the Inn by ten finding that Seraphina was waiting for him in the honeymoon cottage.

  “I wonder if Nadia has room at Four Diamonds. I’m sick of working for the government,” Harry sighed.

  “Where would you work?” Sera asked innocently.

  “Since you’re here I was thinking of the UK.”

  “I was hoping that you would say that. You had all of the signs. Nadia has one open slot on her crew and Ted approved. He likes your work. Dad said that you would be asking.”

  “Dad…?”

  “Alex adopted me. After the last mission, he said that you would probably quit. Nadia is his daughter too. Alex asked her to hire you, if you requested it and you just did.”

  “Why did you choose the name Seraphina?”

  “I didn’t Sarah suggested it and I liked the name. Come on, I promised Lynn that I would bring you down to her office.” Sera found Susan, Anna, Nadia and Suki talking to Lynn.

  “Sera I am glad you could make it. We were discussing Sarah’s will.”

  “What does that have to do with me?”

  “She left the Studio to Nina, Irina, Filipa, Lilia, Victoria and Cherry, with Cherry and Victoria holding thirty percent each.”

  “That makes sense. What has this to do with me?”

  “Sarah left you her ten shares of the Inn. The question is why? Anna backs her request, but the rest of the board members must decide if we will honor her will. Everything regarding the partnership is verbal Sarah told Layla about her wish.”

  “Then there was nothing in writing? I guess that you will make up your mind in time. Who owns the Inn?”

  “The board does, Sarah had ten percent.”

  “Other than her casual wish, what makes you think that was what Sarah really intended?”

  “How was your name selected?” Lynn needed more information.

  Sera shrugged, “Sarah picked it out.” There were quiet looks between the board members Lynn finally broke the silence.

  “I ask the board to affirm that Sarah’s decision be adopted.” Susan and Suki voted their affirmation. “Then it is approved. Seraphina is a ten percent holder. We will announce the will at the pub tonight.” Sera looked at Anna.

  “What difference does my name make?”

  “Seraphina was Sarah’s original name. She received her share from Terri. Between all of us, words are important.”

  “Why did you have me bring Harry?”

  Lynn said, “Nadia wanted Harry here.”

  Nadia took a while to study Harry.

  “Harry, are you really quitting the CIA?”

  “Yes, I find that I can’t carry out their decisions blindly anymore so I will be looking for a job.”

  “Tom is the head of our US division and Ted is the head of our UK division. What would your choice be? We know what Sera’s choice would be, but what is your choice?”

  Harry said, “I would like to work here, but there is a problem with my nationality.”

  “We can work with that issue. We haven’t filled Alex’s old position. So how would you like to be our confidential courier? Alex and Anna can coach you on the details. I will put Cherry to work on your new identity she is taking over that portion of Sarah’s operation.”

  As everybody filed out of the room, Lynn and Susan stopped Sera.

  “Everybody on the board has a responsibility. What area would you like to address?”

  “My parents run an Inn in Cherbourg, and I believe that I could make a real contribution.”

  “You want my job,” Lynn laughed.

  “No you run the whole thing and nobody concentrates on the Inn. I want to run the Inn for you as a serious business.” Lynn and Susan looked at each other. Sera had a point.

  Lynn took the lead, “Alright put a plan together and we will look it over. Cherry will be taking over Sarah’s flat. We can put you in our guest house until more permanent arrangements can be made. Layla and Edward will be going home in a few days. The question is will you and Harry share accommodations?”

  Sera smiled, “I believe that we will be sharing.”

  “Then let Harry know.” Sera ran out of the room.

  Alex, Anna and Lynn watched Sera run down the hall. Lynn stepped in her daughter’s office followed by Anna and Alex.

  “Lynn, we wanted to let you know that you were brilliant.”

  “Is that the way that mom would have done it?”

  “I don’t know what she would have done, but what you and Susan did was spot on. You are in charge now, so you need to run things your way.” Alex and Anna smiled warmly.

  Anna sat on the corner of Lynn’s desk, “We wanted you to know that this is your show all the way. If you want advice we will be happy to give it to you, but we are all proud of the job that you have done. Alex has one more thing to say.”

  “It is more of a question,” Alex started. “Your mother Lynn put you in charge, but did you want to be in charge?”


  Lynn thought for a minute, “Yes, I do want to do this.”

  “You do it well.” Lynn handed her daughter a pair of grey metal spurs. “You have earned your spurs. You don’t like jewelry so I had them made out of titanium.” Both Lynn’s laughed with the others at the symbolism.

  Edward and Layla were still discussing their experience with Susan in her office. They realized that the first shared dream was a glimpse into the future, but not an absolute prediction. The experience was almost identical to the dream and yet with little differences. Something akin to an audition scene since with the main idea was there but it was not yet an edited version since certain plot elements had not yet been added. The remote viewing was done in real time and was dead on. Lynn, Anna and Alex found them talking in Susan’s office, discussing the possibilities of peeking in on board rooms to gain insider information. Susan was excited at the prospect of gaining the edge.

  “With a peek here and there we could pull off some huge gains.”

  “Hey you two, I don’t think that it would be right to use your gift to do raids like this.” Alex was hesitant about the intrusion not wanting Edward to misuse his gift.

  Layla gave Alex a friendly shove, “Why not, the boards use insider information to ace out investors. How many times have the investors been left holding the bag while the board cashed in and bailed out? The name of the game is buy low and sell high. The CEOs and the rest of the board always lines up at the trough ahead of the other investors. We would only be taking a place at the front of the line. If they were kiting the stock we would know when to jump, but we would have no hand in creating the situation.”

  “It would only be a matter of self-defense,” Susan added. “Otherwise we would be putting our money up just like everyone else. I would pull the money from several accounts spreading it over several transactions and use a different combination each time, so that there would be no repeats or patterns. You know. We would cheat the cheaters.”

  Layla continued to sell her point, “We could show some huge gains with a little information.”

  Susan acknowledged the expertise of Alex, Anna and Lynn, “We were just discussing the possibilities of getting some help from Edward and Layla. What is your opinion?”

  “Those bastards would steal from you in a heartbeat, so personally I have no problem with it. I came in for another purpose.” Alex moved right to the reason for his visit. “Susan you said that I was worth one hundred eighty million. I would like to divide one hundred fifty million between my fifteen children. I believe that would leave me with thirty million.” Susan was all business while Edward and Layla sat back in stunned silence.

  “That would be ten million each and I have all of the accounts.” Susan said cautiously realizing that she was one of the recipients. “I could just switch names on some of the investments without actually converting them to cash. When would you like to do this?”

  “Start now and finish as soon as practical.”

  “Susan I would like to do the same thing.” Anna said after waiting until Alex was finished.

  “Anna, that would leave you about fifty-five million in the bank. The total transfer between you and dad would be twenty million for each person. It will take me six months to complete. There are only fourteen children including Sera what about the fifteenth share?”

  “We would like to treat Layla as a regular daughter and not a daughter in law in this transaction.”

  “Why…?”

  “Layla has earned her own standing,” Anna said firmly. “Alex and I will still have eighty-five million left to see us through our final years and we want our family to start enjoying the benefits of their inheritance before we die,” Anna answered, “and if it is not enough we will just borrow from our children.”

  “Are you sure that you can trust your children,” Susan asked in a mocked sarcastic tone as she made notes watching Alex and Anna scowl as they placed their hands on their hips. Susan made notes for a few more minutes, laid her pen down carefully asking her final question. “Do the usual commissions apply?” Everybody in the office burst out laughing.

  DISCLAIMER

  This is a fictional work. As a fictional work certain situations mentioned in this book may bear a resemblance to real life situations. The author claims no participation in or direct knowledge of any illegal events described in this book. To the best of the author’s knowledge the countries, companies, organizations, agencies, and persons described in this book have not participated in and have no knowledge of any of the events described in this book.

  FINIAN BLAKE

  THE MERCURY AUTHORITY SERIES

  BOOK ONE: CONVOLUTED JOURNEY

  An expert in deniability, Hermes receives contracts to deliver arms and restricted technology to groups that the government cannot authorize. He assumes the name Noah Body. Once he receives his assignment he is on his own. Noah must make the deliveries with minimal official help. Using various identities, he moves around the world making friends and enemies, while trying to complete his contracts using resources from his shadowy past in order to succeed.

  BOOK TWO: COMMANDEERED

  Hermes assumes the name Adam Furst. He has promised his new wife Terri that he will go straight. Noah has invested his profits from an unauthorized arms deal in an exclusive hide away run by a former British Agent named Susan. Life is promising and their investments are paying off, however after two years his former employer ‘Mercury’ wants him to run a load of arms to Afghanistan. A threat to Susan and Noah’s wife Terri tests his intention to start a different life.

  BOOK THREE: MERCURY DESCENDING

  Hermes assumes the name Alexander Chalenger. He is told by Mercury that he must clean up some problems from his last mission. As he prepares to take on this task a voice from his distant past causes him to reflect on his origins. He finds that he must deal with his past life before he can clean up his errors.

  THE REMOTE TRAVELER SERIES

  BOOK ONE: THE REMOTE TRAVELER

  Edward Chalenger is the primary subject for a remote viewing project with little chance of success. When the project succeeds beyond expectations it is realized that no secret is safe from his view and a sweeper team is dispatched to eliminate everybody involved causing Edward to use his new to protect his family.

  BOOK TWO: THE SWEEPER FILE

  Senator Marvin Belight decides to examine ‘The Sweeper File’ knowing that he may be mentioned in blackmail evidence contained in it. He gets a member of the justice department to look into the file covertly putting the Chalenger family in jeopardy once again. Edward Chalenger and his wife Layla must use their new found talents to save their family once again.

  BOOK THREE: ECHO

  Four Diamonds Security has just launched its new computer security division ending up with a no bid contract with the NSA to back up sensitive data. All of its competitors will go to extreme lengths to make sure that they fail their test. “All is fair in love and business”.

  BOOK FOUR : ARTEMIS

  Built as a black ops ship from the keel up the ARTEMIS receives its first assignment before she finishes her sea trials. Her crew must stop a revolution in a small Islamic country. In the process they discover a hub for a worldwide human trafficking operation. Critical decisions will put the whole Four Diamonds organizations at risk.