Broken Glass (Glass Complex Book 1) (39 page)
At last a small squad arrived, escorting Denke’s medic. He quickly confirmed the decision to not stimulate the drugged prisoners. Shortly after, more Castle Guards arrived. Steg took control and directed the arriving officers to move their men into positions outside the dungeons, to protect access to the area. He also requested more men from Denke, to provide stretcher-bearers and security for the prisoners, when they were moved to the Infirmary.
Infirmary doctors and staff arrived in a rush, accompanied by the requested stretcher-bearers. Castlehome Infirmary staff established a triage station, allocating doctors and nurses to the more serious drug victims. The still unconscious Rakyd now had a doctor and two nurses caring for him; they’d set up and were carefully monitoring an intravenous drip. Steg approached the Infirmary doctor.
“What do you think?”
“They’re heavily dosed with a soporific of some kind. Probably delivered in their food. Certainly overdosed. I don’t think the effects will be harmful or long term—it should wear off shortly. I suspect the Alutans used drugs to make life easy.”
“They can be moved?”
“Yes. We’d like to commence moving them to the Infirmary. If you can authorize that?” The doctor thought Steg was a member of the Imperial force.
“It’ll be done. When do you think Rakyd will regain consciousness? I’d like to speak with him.”
“You mean his Excellency, the Earl?”
“My cousin.”
“Oh—sorry, sir. You must be Lord Steg? I apologize for not recognizing you.”
Steg smiled. He was about to move away when Rakyd stirred. He grasped Steg’s wrist. “I don’t believe my eyes,” he whispered.
“You had better, cousin. We don’t want a blind Earl ruling Homeworld.”
Rakyd struggled to sit up and the doctor held him back. “Sir, until you have recovered some energy, please stay where you are.”
“No, let me out of here. You’ve no idea— I am so relieved to be free.”
“Rakyd, take it easy. I’ll brief you.”
Rakyd laid back and closed his eyes. “Steg, I owe you. I think they were planning some form of show trial and execution. It could have been very messy. She’s a barbarian, that woman.”
“Delusional, paranoid, homicidal and narcissistic, is the Complex diagnosis. She may react with a violent counterattack, if she can marshal enough forces. We’ve an Imperial Specials company here, supporting the Castle Guards. I understand that she is cornered.”
“Then she’ll be at her worst. Now tell me, what have you been doing?”
Steg provided only a cursory outline of his activities. With too many listeners, including the two nurses and doctor, he was not prepared to disclose everything in public. He concluded his summary. “We used nominees to take over most of the Alutan merchant fleet. You’ll enjoy meeting them. I persuaded the Specials to help us. The Empire wants Homeworld as a friend, not as an enemy.”
“I sense a lot unsaid.”
“Of course. Now we’re going to move you to the Infirmary, where I’m sure you’ll be both well guarded and well cared for. We’ll debrief in detail, once you have recovered some of your energy and the medics say you’re strong enough.”
Steg watched while the stretcher team departed with his cousin and the doctor and nurse escort, taking him to where he could be monitored and medicated if needed. He then met with Denke, to review status and next steps.
Denke, with his Special Forces, was already heading down to the portal, satisfied the Castle Guard could complete the necessary capture of any stray Alutans. He waited for Steg to join him as the Specials were transitioning through the portal, returning to Jochum II.
“I’ve one concern,” he debriefed. “We got the hard core Alutans, including the Lady Gaetja’s bodyguard. However, neither my men nor your Castle Guards have seen the Lady. She is missing. We checked all the dead and wounded, but nothing. Castlehome and the Glass Complex control are checking all shuttles and star ships on Homeworld. I know the Complex is monitoring all spaceport access ways, and all boarding bays. So, if she’s alive, she can’t get off Homeworld.”
“We must find her. She’s not someone we can permit to wander freely.”
“Agreed. The Dastle Guard is searching; they’re sure to find her. My men are monitoring everyone through the portal; she can’t get out that way, even if she knows the codes. We have an Imperial warrant out for her arrest; it’s been published throughout the Empire.”
“I’ll make sure the Castle Guards and the Complex will continue their search. At least she’s lost her supporters and should be relatively harmless.”
“Like a viper.”
They neared the portal and one of the Specials approached Steg. “Sir, one of the Castle Guard wishes to speak with you—she’s over there.”
Steg turned his head and froze, as recognition dawned. “It’s her, the Lady Gaetja.”
“Careful, de Coeur.”
Steg ignored the warning and the restraining hand. The Lady Gaetja had been the cause of so much pain and so many deaths. He knew the risk but didn’t stop. He walked towards his enemy.
“Steg de Coeur,” she snarled. Steg halted, shocked at the almost physical wave of hatred emanating from the woman. “You may have stopped me this time, but I promised I would have my revenge!”
She raised her fist and too late Steg saw the clenched blaster. He ducked away, too slowly. The sudden flare caught him, blinding him to the shot from Denke. Both he and his attacker sank down to the floor. The Lady Gaetja was dead and Steg was not far from that fate.
Denke bent over and lifted him. “Come on, de Coeur. Step through the portal, quickly now, and we’ll have you patched up in no time.” He half carried him to the portal, assisted by one of his men.
Steg looked at Denke, blinded by the blast and suffering from the intense pain of his injury. The blast had hit and burned across his head. He struggled to stay upright. He could see a blue haze in front of him and he stepped forward into the cold light. Behind him, Denke’s cautionary remark cut off.
“Henry, we’ve searched every possible portal, in current time,” Denke exclaimed with obvious frustration. Denke was making his report after five days of intensive searching for Steg. “We have found no trace of him, none whatsoever.”
“What about ’other times’?”
“Oh we’ve tried some possible past times. We’re not ready to try future times. The task is impossible.” Despair was showing in Denke’s face. “We’ve tried. We’ve tried. We simply can’t find him.”
“Could he survive this long without treatment? Five days?”
“I don’t know. He took a terrible blast in the head. I think he was badly injured.”
“Denke, we have to face the inevitable. You’ve had a large team—fifty people—searching for nearly a week. Reduce it to a smaller team, perhaps six or so. Keep them for as long as you think feasible. Report back to me in a tenday. But you need to face facts—we have lost him.”
Denke dropped his head into his hands. He knew Henry was correct in believing de Coeur was lost somewhere in the portal system. And Denke had no idea how to find him. A small search team was only a token. The facts were obvious to both of them. They were not likely to find Steg with a smaller search team. Denke mourned the loss of his friend.
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About John
I write Science Fiction and Thrillers, plus an occasional short story. In between, I hike, kayak and ski in the High Sierra region of California.
I am seeking pre-publication and indeed, pre-edit, beta readers for my book projects. Interested? Email me – [email protected]
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Books by John Hindmarsh
The following pages describe my books and stories and is current as at December, 2014.
Science Fiction
Glass Complex Trilogy
Book 1: Broken Glass
Book 2: Fracture Lines (target is January, 2015)
Book 3: Diamond Cut (target is December, 2015)
Shen Ark: Departure
Another Universe - Volume 1 (short stories)
Thrillers
The Mark Midway series -
Mark One
Mark Two
Mark Three
Explore further details at http://www.JohnHindmarsh.com
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Mark One
Nine men, ex-military, are on a mission to destroy a genetics laboratory and capture a genetically engineered specimen. They are supported by four rogue CIA agents, who have commandeered a test drone and a missile, at a Marine base. The team attacks the genetics laboratory complex before dawn, during a raging blizzard. Within hours, seven of the men are dead, one is severely wounded, and one barely escapes. The drone with its missile has been destroyed. The next morning the four rogue agents are found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Mark Midway does not know his real parents, nor where and when he was born. Two scientists adopted him when he was a young child and his home since has been a genetic research laboratory.
After the attack, Mark flees the laboratory complex, seeking safety and somewhere he can call home. The FBI is on his case and a mysterious organization offers him its assistance. However, he is at risk. There are unknown killers chasing him and he needs to protect himself and his friends.
Mark needs to survive. All he wants is a normal life.
A fast-moving, finely plotted political thriller that will keep you reading.
****
Mark Two
Cerberus is breeding super soldiers and has penetrated the FBI, DHS, CIA, the US Army, and other government departments. Rogue Cerberus soldiers have killed Agency operatives, deleted FBI records, stolen millions from currency transfers to Istanbul, and are creating even more powerful forces inimical to US law enforcement departments.
Archimedes Schmidt and Special Agent MayAnn Freewell go sailing in the Caribbean and when they meet with a Cerberus informer, a sniper assassinates him. The search for Cerberus escalates and Schmidt is recalled to active service and promoted to General.
MayAnn Freewell and Schmidt are sent to Afghanistan where they enlist the support of Special Forces to arrest a rogue Cerberus MP battalion. Schmidt is shot and survives.
Mark Midway is living in Boston under an assumed name when he is witness to a kidnapping. He shoots and kills the kidnappers and saves their victim, an eighteen-year-old daughter of a billionaire. His life goes downhill from that point: he is attacked, kidnapped, and then held prisoner with a group of Cerberus children.
Schmidt discovers his relationships are not as reliable as he thought, fatally so.
Key people in Cerberus are attacked by Chinese agents tasked with establishing a research laboratory so they can join the race to breed super soldiers.
Mark needs to survive. All he wants is a normal life.
Mark Two continues the page-turning momentum of Mark One; it is a fast-moving, finely plotted thriller that will keep you reading.
****
Mark Three
A young woman escapes from a luxury yacht under attack by Chinese pirates in the Mediterranean. American law enforcement agencies collude and conspire to bring about an end to Cerberus, uncaring who gets in their way. Genetically engineered Mark Midway faces deadly assaults by unknown enemies. A military helicopter is brought down over Washington by a Russian missile and General Archimedes Schmidt is in critical condition.
Mark meets his sister and travels to London to rescue three more genetically engineered children. He finds romance, but he and his companions are under attack in both the US and England. Mark knows only one response - fight back.
Mark needs to survive. All he wants is a normal life.
Mark Three is the third book in the Midway series and continues the page-turning pace and excitement of Mark One and Mark Two.
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Broken Glass
Book 1- Glass Complex Trilogy
Steg de Coeur, his family murdered to further an armed takeover of Homeworld by the House of Aluta, flees to space just ahead of corporate mercenaries and warrants issued for his arrest for treason against the Empire. Adventures follow as his ability to link with computers develops, in emulation of the Acolytes who attend the mysterious Glass Complex of Homeworld. Steg purchases a commission in the Imperial Fleet where he aids in the capture of an alien space ship preying on Imperial shipping lanes. He is court-martialed on trumped-up charges and marooned on Hellfire, a desert planet controlled by the House of Aluta. Steg takes over the computer-based mining equipment and creates havoc, eventually escaping with Milnaret of Fain, a pleasure companion. Duels, deaths, enlistment in Imperial Special Forces, and exploration of ancient portals drives the tension.
