by Justin Sloan
“I’d rather you didn’t. Look, Wearl—”
Something grabbed his arm before he could continue.
A low voice said, “Kalan Grayhewn, you are under arrest for crimes against the Shimmers, their reputation, and their interests. You have agreed to waive a trial, and you are hereby sentenced to the Swarthian Extended Detention Environment for the rest of your natural life.”
Kalan smiled sheepishly to his friends. “Looks like they’re calling their chip in already.”
Mej put a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, Kalan. Thank you for saving us.”
“Anything for family,” he said.
The Shimmers shoved him toward the waiting boat that would take them to the island. He took one last look at his friends before turning and heading toward the ship.
As they walked a Shimmer kept a strong hand on his arm, guiding him and letting him know who was in control. He took a deep breath of the salty sea air, knowing it would be the last free breath he took for a long time, and then he stepped onto the ship.
They led him to a row of seats in the cargo hold, each fitted with metal shackles on the arms and legs, all apparently empty. They shoved him toward one, and he sat down. Cold metal touched his skin as they clicked the shackles into place.
Then he waited.
He had no way of telling how much time had passed in the dim light of the cargo hold, but it felt like hours. He tried to cheer himself with the thought that at least he’d see his mother in SEDE. She’d be disappointed in him—after all, her only wish for him had been that he never go back to that place—but at least they’d be together.
SEDE was the last place in the galaxy he wanted to go, but he didn’t regret what he’d done. He’d upheld the ancient alliance between the Lavkins and the Bandians, he’d protected his new family, and he’d helped his friends survive. If a trip to SEDE was the price for all that, he was willing to pay it.
Suddenly he heard scuffling and voices raised in anger. A familiar voice shouted, “If you don’t get your hands off me, I’ll rip them off and shove them down your throat.”
A moment later, someone landed hard in the seat next to him. He heard the shackles click into place.
“Now you sit there and keep quiet, you psycho!” a Shimmer shouted.
Kalan waited until he was sure the guards were gone, then said, “Hello, Wearl.”
“I’m still mad at you,” she replied quickly, “but that doesn’t mean I’d let them take you to SEDE without me.”
Kalan smiled. “How’d you convince them to bring you along?”
“It was more difficult than I would have thought. First I told them I was the Shimmer who’d escaped with Sslake, but either they didn’t believe me or they didn’t care. Then I gave one of them a pretty good beating. After that, they were a lot more receptive to the idea of locking me up.”
Kalan chuckled. “The guard was right about you being a psycho, but you’re also a good friend.”
“A friend, and perhaps more once we’re in prison together,” she said hopefully. “What’s Sslake going to say about them locking up the guy who broke him out?”
Kalan thought about that. “I don’t think they’ll advertise it to him. And if he asks, they’ll deny it. Unless he wants to come search SEDE, it would be hard for him to prove they’re holding me there.”
“So that’s it, then? You’re going to live the rest of your life in prison?”
He leaned a bit closer to her and spoke softly. “I promised I’d let them take me to SEDE. I never said anything about staying there. How do you feel about helping me plan another prison break?”
Her voice was much cheerier when she answered, “Oh, this is going to be fun.”
EPILOGUE
The Grandeur was returning to Rewot with Lolack. They were followed by Tenowk, the new IAI—or whatever the hell he was—and their army of mechs and cyborgs. As they drew close to the planet, Valerie’s hands clenched and unclenched as she stared at the display.
Not only was it clear a large battle had been fought in their absence, but Kalan had yet to respond to a single message.
“Hailing the Grandeur,” Mej came through on the display. “Is that really you?”
Valerie stood in front of the screen, smiling despite her worry. “It is, and we’ve brought you an army. Also…” She stepped aside to reveal Lolack, who stood with Arlay.
“Brother, you’re alive!” Mej cried, glancing between him and Arlay.
“I am, and...aren’t you going to say anything else here?”
“About the two of you?” Mej grinned. “As long as you’re back, I think we can handle Mother and Father. I didn’t realize that was her before, though. I mean... Oh, it is the same, right? Arlay?”
Arlay laughed. “Yes, it’s the same. Has Lolack been showing up randomly with other blue women?”
“Not a chance,” Lolack said, kissing her on the side of the head—not on a tentacle, at least.
“And Kalan?” Valerie asked, turning back to the camera and looking around anxiously. “Is he available? I really must…” As she spoke, Mej’s expression grew dark. “What is it?”
“Your friend has been taken into the custody of the Shimmers, I’m afraid.” Mej pursed her lips and cast her eyes down. “We would have stopped it if possible, but he insisted on going.”
Valerie turned to Robin, who had an equally perplexed look on her face. This was a conundrum—enemy fleets were coming in, but their close friend had been arrested. If he had insisted on going, was it to save others, or did he have some plan in the works?
The real question now was whether to go after him and rescue him while there was still a chance, or stay here and fight.
Valerie would land first to touch base on what had happened and get the full report on the situation, then figure out what to do next. Either way, she was certain it was going to be a grand adventure full of near-death experiences, squashing of injustice, and general badassery.
The perfect job for the Prime Enforcer, she thought with a grin.
FINIS
Author Notes - Justin Sloan
Written January 30, 2018
Writing this book with PT has probably been the most fun in the series, because we didn’t hold anything back. What we see here is a lot of closure on threads we’ve been setting up since book one. That, and we have dinos, sand worms/snakes, and massive fleet battles (in a sense). Mechs, A.I., and all of those science fiction elements that keep us coming back for more.
What’s next? One more book in this arc! Before the end, Aranaught sent for all of her potential allies, meaning the final book is going to be exciting. And then there was Kalan’s fate. Oh, man, that’s going to mean an interesting book four, right?
On top of that, I’m launching my first pure science fiction series at the end of the month that this book is published (February 2018). It’s called the Biotech Wars, and what I mean by pure is that it doesn’t have actual magical elements—no fantasy. It DOES have genetic engineering of the Bourne Identity type, and has alien tech… but should fall into the science fiction realms. No magic fireballs or any of that.
Thank you so much for sticking with us to this point! We’ll keep writing them if you keep reading them!
Author Notes - PT Hylton
Written January 30, 2018
Thank you for reading Prime Enforcer.
People seem to be having a lot of fun reading the Valerie’s Elites series, but I assure you we’re having even more fun writing it.
Working with Justin on these books has been an experience and a half. He thinks fast, moves fast, and writes fast. And his work ethic is inspiring. He lives on the West Coast, and I live on the East Coast, but somehow he still manages to get a couple thousand words in before I get even get up in the morning—and I’m not a late sleeper.
Prime Enforcer was an especially fun book to write. I’m a big fan of movies like The Seven Samurai, The Magnificent Seven, and The Thirteenth Warrior (our great editor Lyn
ne disagrees with me on this last one, but I stand by it). I love stories of a band of warriors coming together to train and protect a small settlement. Kalan’s story in this book is sort of a tribute to those types of tales.
Thanks once again to Justin, Michael, Craig, Lynne, Steve, the JIT readers, and the whole team at LMBPN Publishing. You folks put the “pro” in prolific.
You’re probably thinking to yourself, “What else are you up to, PT?”
I’m glad you asked.
The sequel to The Savage Earth is finished, and will be hitting virtual shelves in March. I’m very excited about it. My co-author Jonathan Benecke is a genius at crafting intense, pulse-pounding, fun action scenes, and he’s really outdone himself this time, so keep an eye out for that!
And I’m very excited about the fourth Valerie’s Elites book. Justin and I have been talking about this one for a while, and it’s going to be a thrilling and fun culmination of the storylines that have been building in the first three books.
I can’t wait for you to read it. The best is yet to come.
Until then, happy reading!
PT Hylton
Author Notes – Michael Anderle
Written February 6, 2018
First, THANK YOU for not only reading this story, but also these author notes as well!
I am rounding out my final Michael book, where he goes to New York to find Valerie, and see about her coming with him to fight for the Etheric Federation.
You know, the thing she is doing right now in this book?
I don’t think I need a spoiler alert when you are reading the third book in a series that obviously spun out of it. If you haven’t read the eight (8) books about Valerie before his series, feel free to go check it out on Amazon
So, the guys are wrapping this up in one more book, and then they have some of their own series exploding out of the gate soon. Set it up on your calendars to bug the shit out of them (sorry, tap them on the shoulder) about those stories when they come close to releasing!
For myself, as I mentioned above, I’m about to release book 21 of The Kurtherian Gambit series, and book 04 of The Second Dark Ages on February 14th, 2018.
Why both books on that day? Because in a tiny way, the story is about two people who fight for what they believe in and a portion of what they believe in, is each other (everyone now, AWWWWWW.)
Michael believed in Valerie on a small planet called Earth, and now she and her peeps are kicking ass among the stars.
When Valerie and the others decide to put down their weapons and take it easy, we may never know.
THANK YOU ALL for supporting this series, you are the BEST fans ever!
** NOTE **
Sometimes, with life running so damned fast, we miss the truly important times in our friends and collaborators lives. I want to rectify that right now and mention that a new family member was born over the weekend.
Justin and his lovely (and long-suffering, I’m sure) wife Ugulay welcomed Ella Victoria Sloan to our precious little blue planet just two days ago! (Monday, February 5th, 2018.)
That makes five (5) for the Sloan household, and I wish Justin and Ugulay the absolute best and most wonderful family, ever. May she one day look up to her father, and say, “Dad, tell me about Valerie…”
Or better yet, “Dad, I want a sword! Why can’t I have a sword? VALARIE HAS A SWORD!”
Mwuhahahahahaha.
Ad Aeternitatem,
Michael Anderle
Other Books by Justin Sloan
SCIENCE FICTION
RECLAIMING HONOR (Vampires and Werewolves - Kurtherian Gambit Universe)
Justice is Calling
Claimed by Honor
Judgment has Fallen
Angel of Reckoning
Born into Flames
Defending the Lost
Return of Victory
Shadow Corps (Space Opera Fantasy - Seppukarian Universe)
Shadow Corps
Shadow Worlds
Shadow Fleet
War Wolves (Space Opera Fantasy - Seppukarian Universe)
Bring the Thunder
Click Click Boom
Light Em Up
Syndicate Wars (Space Marines and Time Travel - Seppukarian Universe)
First Strike
The Resistance
Fault Line
False Dawn
Empire Rising
FANTASY
The Hidden Magic Chronicles (Epic Fantasy - Kurtherian Gambit Universe)
Shades of Light
Shades of Dark
Shades of Glory
Shades of Justice
FALLS OF REDEMPTION (Epic Fantasy Series)
Land of Gods
Retribution Calls
Tears of Devotion
MODERN NECROMANCY (Supernatural Thriller)
Death Marked
Death Bound
Death Crowned
CURSED NIGHT (Supernatural Thriller with Werewolves and Vampires)
Hounds of God
Hounds of Light
Hounds of Blood (2018)
ALLIE STROM (MG Urban Fantasy Trilogy)
Allie Strom and the Ring of Solomon
Allie Strom and the Sword of the Spirit
Allie Strom and the Tenth Worthy
Other Books by PT Hylton
Click to see PT’s Amazon Author Page
STORMS OF MAGIC (Age of Magic - Kurtherian Gambit Universe)
Storm Raiders
Storm Callers
Storm Breakers
Storm Warrior
The Deadlock Trilogy (Supernatural Suspense)
Regulation 19
A Place Without Shadows
The Broken Clock
Zane Halloway: Assassin for Hire (Sword and Sorcery Fantasy)
The Savage Earth (Dystopian Vampires)
The Deadlock Trilogy (Supernatural Suspense)
Regulation 19
A Place Without Shadows
The Broken Clock
Books by Michael Anderle
For a complete list of Kurtherian Gambit Universe
books please click this link.
Kurtherian Gambit Series Titles Include:
First Arc
Death Becomes Her (01) - Queen Bitch (02) - Love Lost (03) - Bite This (04)
Never Forsaken (05) - Under My Heel (06) - Kneel Or Die (07)
Second Arc
We Will Build (08) - It’s Hell To Choose (09) - Release The Dogs of War (10)
Sued For Peace (11) - We Have Contact (12) - My Ride is a Bitch (13)
Don’t Cross This Line (14)
Third Arc (2017)
Never Submit (15) - Never Surrender (16) - Forever Defend (17)
Might Makes Right (18) - Ahead Full (19) - Capture Death (20)
Life Goes On (21)
The Second Dark Ages
The Dark Messiah (01)
The Darkest Night (02)
Darkest Before The Dawn (03)
*with Ell Leigh Clarke*
The Boris Chronicles
* With Paul C. Middleton *
Evacuation (01)
Retaliation (02)
Revelations (03)
Redemption (04)
Reclaiming Honor
* With JUSTIN SLOAN *
Justice Is Calling (01)
Claimed By Honor (02)
Judgement Has Fallen (03)
Angel of Reckoning (04)
Born Into Flames (05)
Defending The Lost (06)
Saved By Valor (07)
Return of Victory (08)
The Etheric Academy
* With TS PAUL *
ALPHA CLASS (01)
ALPHA CLASS - Engineering (02)
Terry Henry “TH” Walton Chronicles
* With CRAIG MARTELLE *
Nomad Found (01)
Nomad Redeemed (02)
Nomad Unleashed (03)
Nomad Supreme (04)
Nomad’s Fury (05)
&nbs
p; Nomad’s Justice (06)
Nomad Avenged (07)
Nomad Mortis (08)
Nomad’s Force (09)
Nomad’s Galaxy (10)
Trials and Tribulations
* With Natalie Grey *
Risk Be Damned (01)
Damned to Hell (02)
The Age of Magic
The Rise of Magic
* With CM Raymond / LE Barbant *
Restriction (01)
Reawakening (02)
Rebellion (03)
Revolution (04)
Unlawful Passage (05)
Darkness Rises (06)
The Gods Beneath (07)
Reborn (08)
The Hidden Magic Chronicles
* With Justin Sloan *
Shades of Light (01)
Shades of Dark (02)
Shades of Glory (03)
Shades of Justice (04)
Storms of Magic
*With PT Hylton*
Storm Raiders (01)
Storm Callers (02)
Storm Breakers (03)
Storm Warrior (04)
Tales of the Feisty Druid
*With Candy Crum*
The Arcadian Druid (01)
The Undying Illusionist (02)
The Frozen Wasteland (03)