Thank you Elon Musk!! The Fourth Book of the "Roman Lee Series" titled "Line Break" will hit online stores late in 2017.

THE ROMAN LEE SERIES

 

"LINE BREAK"

 

 

The Fourth in the Roman Lee Series

"Line Break"

LOOK FOR IT IN LATE 2017 !!!
...

Detective Roman Lee with his partner Lonnie Temple and Dr. Marlene Scott of Memorial Hospital uncover a conspiracy to conceal a sabotaged neurological procedure physically linking the first human brain with an AI implanted computer.
John Bentley is losing time. Minutes have turned to hours. Waking up in the middle of a vacant lot several weeks ago was just the beginning.
His wife Trina flips on their bedroom light horrified to see her husband of ten years caked in dirt and what appears to be human blood. Flashing lights soon illuminate their modest home. A thunderous knock on the door rattles windows. Her husband John Bentley may have now lost more than fleeting moments of his memory.

The Roman Lee Series "Crimson Rows" South American Assassin.......

THE ROMAN LEE SERIES

 

"CRIMSON ROWS"

 

 

Thirty-two

10:00AM

The peeling green paint dipped beneath the murky surface of the Amazon river.  Each of the morning passengers causing the wooden craft to noticeably rock as they boarded.  Critical gear stored in dark waterproof bags dropped into a storage compartment while weaponry remained with their owners.  Diego had noticed a large cache stored in Gulka’s Mercedes when the trunk lid had been opened.  It looked as though he could arm an assault team given a moment’s notice.

He was offered an older AK47 along with an extra clip of ammunition.  Looking a bit tentative he was given a crash course introduction to it.  Target practice included a capybara that had the misfortune of swimming near some taller weeds on the opposite side of the river.  Diego was surprised how little kickback there was from the rifle becoming fairly adjusted to its recoil.  Satisfied that the tattered carcass was no longer moving he popped out the cartridge while the remnants of smoke crept out of the barrel.  Inspecting the remaining contents of the extended clip he pushed it back into place with a confident click. 

Their guide an older looking South American had deep lines running across his forehead.  An intense expression of concern occupied his face as he looked over the passengers seemed it might carve another. A brief heated exchange between Diego’s boss and the man was brought to immediate resolution when a sizeable roll of U.S. currency was displayed.   

The boats motor started after a few attempts.  Billowing out bluish white exhaust fumes mixing with droplets of black river water as the propellers blades rotated under the surface.  The unique odor of it could not be duplicated anywhere else in the world.  Slowly they pulled away from the muddy clay colored bank out into the current of earths most unforgiving waterway.

Twenty minutes on the surface of it was plenty enough time to demonstrate the dangers of the Amazon having picked up an unwelcomed passenger. Watching his boss check the satellite phone for battery life Diego felt his own device in his shorts pocket deciding to take it out one last time before any hint of a signal vanished.  Logging into Facebook his charlatan profile of Barry appeared.  He had forgotten the banking information of his latest victim having written it down back in his flat. He needed to know if the funds from his fraudulent check deposit were available.  His mark, a single mother of three had foolishly disclosed her account number and logins for her financial institution’s online banking.  Quickly switching back and forth between apps he pasted the necessary information finally pressing submit.  Logging in successfully he quickly went to the balance screen looking at the transaction history.  The funds available were just under twenty thousand dollars.  His Facebook messenger indicated he had a private message.  Opening it he saw that she informed him that fifteen hundred dollars had been withdrawn to cover her rent and groceries for the children.  Smiling to himself he quickly replied that was fine and would see her at the airport tomorrow.  She was a life saver otherwise he would have been stuck in British Columbia yet another night.  Diego quickly as fast as his thumbs would work began setting up withdrawals to his Bitcoin accounts.  Satisfied with his work he deleted the Facebook account and opened up the Internet currency app.  Pending deposits appeared for the next day increasing his already sizeable balance.  The spoils of an accomplished thief.

As Diego returned the smartphone back into his pocket a voice in a matter of fact tone called his name.  It was heard just over the sound of the boats motor.  Sitting across from him was his boss who was holding out a 9mm Beretta pulling back the slide putting a round in the chamber.  He was pointing the weapon at his eye level only a few feet away.  A sunken feeling overwhelmed him along with panic but he didn’t show it.  He was debating whether or not to bail out into the water but he could not swim.  As his brain was processing another alternative scenario Marko Gulka said his name once more.

“Diego”

The Russian, expressionless as they locked in a stare broke the stalemate by looking up drawing Diego’s attention above his head.  Slowly he tilted back to an awaiting multi tan colored Bushmaster.  The viper was swaying over the edge of the aluminum roof in a threatening display ready to strike at any moment.  A woosh of air suddenly was felt that had been preceded by a metallic glimmer.  The machete slicing the reptile in two sending the venomous portion onto the deck writhing in its death throes among spattered blood.  A heavy heel of a black boot belonging to one of Gulkas hired mercs swiftly dispatched any remaining danger crushing its head.  The pistol was lowered and returned to its proper place.

Holding his arm tightly they were approached by their even more concerned looking South American guide.  Obvious edema was evident as the comparison between the man’s limbs said it all.  He had been bitten by the viper.  The effects of the venom’s toxin now coursing through his veins expedited by a rapid beating heart filled with panic and adrenaline.  Shaking violently, pain had gripped his entire body as he sat down screaming in agonizing terror.  They were at least a hundred miles from the nearest hospital with the critical antivenom and that was starting back from the dock.  Now further up the river they would have to turn around now if the man were to have a fighting chance at life.

Diego got up from his seat looking back where moments earlier the same assassin had its heat sensing pits filled to max capacity of another human target.  Walking over to the man he knelt down and asked his name.  Fighting back tears he answered between gritted teeth.

“Alberto”

“Is there anything we can do to help?”

“Hospital….medicine..”

Alberto their only source of navigation and the boats captain was now suffering the full effects of the fatal injection.  Slumping over falling to the deck he began convulsing.  Uncontrollable spasms soon followed suit as white froth leaked out the side of an open mouth.

Two sets of muscular arms reached down picking up the Bushmaster’s only fatality of the morning casually tossing him overboard and into the murky depths of the black water.  Diego watched as they continued up the vast waterway while the lifeless body floated away carried by the force of the river’s current.  The engine suddenly powered down as Marko Gulka retrieved the satellite phone.  The research facility was not on any map and they needed the coordinates.  He was calling Jaxon Lathos but not before he instructed Diego to take control of the boat in his thick Russian accent.

“Diego, now you see why you are here.  Flying drone to facility should have idea where it is”

The river began to narrow ahead with an obvious fork and a decision to make.  Pressing send the satellite phone acquired a faint signal that rang intermittently with static.



The Roman Lee Series "Crimson Rows" ..... Donation does not always imply consent....

THE ROMAN LEE SERIES

 

"CRIMSON ROWS"

 

 

Thirty

8:00AM

 Her senses were grasping for information as she recognized consciousness since fainting.  Attempting to make out any objects in the lightless void were useless.  Relying entirely on  auditory clues she listened intently thinking that there might be another person close in proximity.  Gathering courage Brandi Jones finally spoke out.

“Hello?  Anyone there?”

“Help.”

The reply was weak, barely audible, almost a hoarse whisper.

“Where are we?”

“I…I don’t know”

“Can you move?”

“I’m strapped down.   

“How about you?”

Brandi felt like she was vertical and possibly ambulatory but found out quickly enough that she was also restrained.  Stranger was the sensation in her arm which had been previously penetrated with a needle at the plasma center.  It felt like something was in it again.

“I can’t move either.  How long have you been here?”

“Days I think.  A week maybe.  It’s so hard to tell. I only see him when he changes the bags.”

“Who? What bags?”

“The ones they fill with our blood.  I know because it’s the only time the lights come on is when they switch them out or clean.”

“How many are here?”

“You and I now.  I don’t know what happened to the others.  There used to be more.”

The sound of a light switch clicking on brought immediate temporary blindness as Brandi desperately tried to adjust her eyes so she could see her captor. Her head down staring at the floor she watched a pair of white shoes with dark green hospital smocks move toward the voice that she had been speaking to.  No words were exchanged between them.  Able to see a little better she focused on the individual who had just finished his task of replacing bags but appeared he was not taking any more blood for some reason.

Walking toward Brandi while pushing a cart he stopped in front of her.  He looked to be in his forties having longer dark hair mixed with some white.  His olive skinned complexion had few wrinkles.  Thinly built she guessed his height to be well over six feet tall.  Looking over at her arm she was horrified to see a needle connected to a tube that filled a once clear plastic bag with her blood.  Just like at the blood drive he switched out the bag this time she was being given an IV of something through yet another needle in her hand.  Brandi watched as the man affixed a label with a bar code on her bag scanning it with a device then used his smartphone to send some information.  The bags were placed in a small cooler.

She was scared, angry and never felt more alone in her entire life.  Brandi Jones demanded answers.  Her voice quivered at first but then picked up with a heated tempo.

“Everyone will be looking for me.  It won’t take them long you know.  They will check my cell phone and ping the towers, go through my texts.  You’re screwed you might as well let me go now.  Blind fold me and drop me off somewhere and I won’t say a word.”

The man spoke with an accent that sounded foreign maybe Pakistani.  She had heard it only one other time in one of her classes.  It was very distinct.

“My dear, we have planned for this.  Do you think we go to this length only to be caught?”

“Let’s not forget the GPS in my car asshole.”

“Look around you.  The room is soundproof and ventilated.  You could scream until you were what do they say hoarse and yet still no one hear either of you.”

The man across the room from Brandi spoke up angrily.

“Didn’t prevent one of us from getting away though did it you bastard.”

“That, I’m sorry to say was a mistake and won’t be repeated but even more unfortunate for him because he is no longer with us.”

“You killed him?”

“Actually, he did that to himself by not looking before crossing the road.”

Scanning the room Brandi tried to absorb as much information as she possibly could before it went dark.  There was one entrance and it looked to be a solid door with a couple of locks.  No windows were visible so he might be telling the truth about them being underground. 

“When I get out of here I’m going to stick this needle through your eye socket!”

Brandi Jones squirmed fiercely against her restraints at every angle available desperately trying to free herself or at least an arm.  Opening her eyes she went quiet as he was now less than a foot away from her face.  Trespassing into her personal space she was instantly enraged that he could move about freely.

“There is no need for violence.  Neither of you are being harmed.”

“So, being held against our will while you drain us of our blood is not harming us?”

Leaning closer now she realized there was no compassion or empathy to be found in the dark eyes of their captor.  That assessment was clearly validated as he spoke before walking out with a pint- sized bag of crimson fluid residing in the cooler.

“I could make it so much more uncomfortable for you.”

Stopping at the door he turned slowly glaring at Brandi.  Taking his index finger on his free hand the light switch descended to the off position plunging the room once more into empty darkness.