Intruders (A Jordan Quest FBI Thriller Book 1)
Page 27
Channeler would remain his and his alone.
He had already deployed it against them.
They just didn’t know it yet.
This was how it had to be. There was no other way. Besides Alma, there had been only one other love in his life Merrick had treasured; his daughter, Paige, who had been ripped from their lives in the cruelest way a daughter could be wrenched away from two loving parents.
With Alma and Paige dead, Merrick was utterly alone at a time in his life when he should have been celebrating his personal and professional success surrounded by the family he so loved. Instead he had become emotionally obliterated. Nothing mattered anymore, not even his esteemed reputation or his Top-Secret clearance. There were no rules left worth abiding by, no achievements worth a damn, no allegiances worth honoring.
All that remained was an unquenchable desire to find and destroy whoever had managed to pump the vitality out of him and leave in its place untenable bitterness and racking pain.
The white cotton Tommy Bahama shirt, gaily flowered with pale yellow hibiscus and red ohia, had proven to be an ideal choice to wear on this sunny Southern California day. The fit was comfortable and loose and nicely concealed the Beretta pistol he had taken from dead Dan’s glove box between his waistband and the small of his back. The store clerk had paired the shirt with stylish white slacks and a canvas belt, tan leather Rockport’s, and a palm braid Fedora. All had been excellent choices. The cushioned soles of the shoes silenced Merrick’s footfall as he walked past the RV. He’d left the Fedora on the front seat of the truck. The thought of burning the top of his head under the hot sun was preferable to the embarrassment of having to huff and puff his way along the beach chasing after the hat should a sudden gust of wind blow it off his head. He liked his new look so much that he wore the clothes out of the store. He bundled his stodgy old apparel into the shopping bag and tossed them in the trunk of the Suburban.
Merrick examined himself once more in the window of the RV. He had always been physically weak man, preferring the development of his mind to that of his body. But strength (or even the Beretta for that matter) would not be required for him to find peace. He possessed two far deadlier assets, both of which he could bank on to obtain the justice he sought: the genius of his mind, and Project Channeler.
He trailed his fingers alongside the RV. The dusty vehicle shuddered under the energy of his touch. The mountain bikes shook and clattered against one another in the rack.
In the short time since he had arrived at Laguna Beach the parking lot had already reached its full capacity. The main entrance had been closed. Latecomers were being redirected to overflow lots across the street and down the road. Along the beach, volleyballs were being served high and spiked hard into the soft sand by well-tanned, rambunctious teens. Melanoma-conscious seniors lounged under blue canvas canopies, protected from the wrinkle-inducing UV rays of the sun. Some talked while others read or listened to music. Seagulls glided inches above the gently rolling Pacific in search of food that ventured fatally close to the surface of the water.
It seemed to Merrick that the police presence was unusually high for this relatively early hour of the day. Officers strolled along the beach and engaged the public in polite conversation. Down the beach from the volleyball game a well–muscled cop with movie-star good looks straddled his bicycle and leaned over the handlebars, chatting up three beautiful young women. The cop laughed and shifted his weight purposefully from side to side, his powerfully-defined arms and legs flexing impressively. Merrick recognized the girls as the travelers in the atmosphere-defiling Winnebago.
Purchasing an ice cream cone from a vendor, Merrick walked along the beach and sat on a bench situated near the water’s edge. From the shore to the horizon the glittering rays of the sun sparkled on the ocean like the camera flashes of celebrity–seeking paparazzi.
Finishing the tasty treat, Merrick touched the metal band on his wrist. The energy field became visible. The band began to change color, first to blue, then yellow, finally rose-red. Activating the brain-neural interface supercharged his body. He submitted to its power, closed his eyes, and watched the blackness in front of them melt away. His mind no longer a blind and barren landscape, Merrick observed with clarity the multidimensional images Channeler provided to him.
He paused before venturing further, testing the mindscape as a wild animal might call upon its trusted olfactory senses to reveal the presence of a hidden predator.
Merrick telepathically sought out the neuro-signature of his trial subject and observed his location in his mind.
A large building… a warehouse perhaps.
Banks of broken windows…
An obscenity-scarred wall...
The rank smell of burnt machine oil.
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WHAT FANS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE
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“What a great story and I love Jordan’s character. Every chapter had me on the edge of my seat and rushing to pick this up again and again. Looking forward to reading the next book.”
“Amazing first novel. Intruders absolutely lived up to the promise of the prequel. It was faced-paced with lots of plot twists and turns. It really made me want to keep reading. Jordan is a very likeable main character and I can see great possibilities as the series progresses. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series!”
“Was anxious to read (Intruders) after reading the prequel and I was not disappointed.” Loved the character of Jordan Quest, loved the pace and it was truly a great story. I look forward to the next book.”
“I really liked the setting for the series and the main character. The prequel set the stage for the next books to come. It was a real page turner that held my interest and I could tell right away that I would be anticipating each new book in the series. Jordan had many skills and I can see endless possibilities going forward!”
“Incredible read! Would highly recommend! Incredible! Absolutely loved this prequel! Hoping there are more Jordan Quest books! Could not put this one down!”
“Ready to read! I am anxiously awaiting this book to come out in soft or hard copy. I know it's going to be amazing from the description. Gary Winston Brown is an imaginative and talented writer!”
“Really enjoyed this book. Very well written. Lots of mystery and thrilling events. Not my usual reading material but I loved it. Would recommend to anyone looking for suspense reading.”
“Fabulous! I could not put this down. Fabulous storyline. Very engaging.”
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THE JORDAN QUEST SERIES
JORDAN QUEST – Book 0, Series Prequel
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INTRUDERS – Book # 1
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THE SIN KEEPER – Book # 2
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NEW JORDAN QUEST THRILLERS
COMING IN 2018/2019!
MR. GRIMM
NINE LIVES
THE MURDER GENE
ABOUT GARY WINSTON BROWN
Gary is the author of the popular thriller series, JORDAN QUEST. His numerous influences and favorite authors include Dean Koontz, James Patterson, Lee Child, Catherine Coulter, J.D. Robb, Sandra Brown, Kay Hooper and Iris Johansen.
Gary is married and lives outside Toronto, Canada.
Visit the author’s website at GaryWinstonBrown.com for more information.
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The Jordan Quest thrillers are best described as tightly-written, fast-paced, page-turning suspense mixed with witty-dialogue and high-octane action/adventure. If you like reading stories featuring a tough-as-nails female protagonist (and bad guys you’ll love to hate) you’re sure to enjoy all the books in the series.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As always, for my beautiful wife, Fiona.
ILYBBOBKS
COPYRIGHT & AUTHOR’S NOTE
COPYRIGHT
Copyright © 2018 Gary Winston Brown. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, cloned, stored in or introduced into any information storage or retrieval system, in any form, or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical without the express written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, contact the publisher at the website below:
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AUTHOR’S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents – and their usage for storytelling purposes – are crafted for the singular purpose of fictional entertainment and no absolute truths shall be derived from the information contained within. Locales, businesses, companies, events, government institutions, law enforcement agencies and private institutions are used for atmospheric, entertainment and fictional purposes only. Furthermore, any resemblance or reference to persons living or dead is used fictitiously for atmospheric, entertainment and fictional purposes.