Category: Mystery/Suspense Type: Fiction
Pages: 288
Copyright: May 25 2003
Only upon leaving the past behind does
it return to destroy us.
[NOTE: Cover art base artwork inspired by afterdeath's "My Red Run Dream" at Deviantart.com. I do not possess any right to this work and use it respectfully with due credit given to the artist.]
The game has just begun for Dr Penderan Fauste, now a distinguished don of Criminological Studies at Oxford University. His dangerous double life might be the only defence his young protégé Riley Wingate may have against a determined killer - and exposing it will destroy them both.
Excerpt
The CIA Compound is a formidable place to nearly anyone -- doubly so for a young girl of sixteen. Slowly crossing its seal, Riley has the distinct impression that very few have done so before, unless they were a part of a tour. She's not even sure that they give them here, or that they should. With a childish wonder agreeably beneath her station, her eyes take in the firm walls and dozens of corridors leading from the atrium. While she is suddenly reminded of a giant ant farm, the inhabitants of the Compound could hardly be so easily dismissed.
The gentleman at her side, Jonathan Brenner, agent-in-training, seems unnaturally nervous for this particular ... day? Morning? She isn't even sure what time it is -- and that's very unsettling, indeed. He turns to her with a certain sympathy; the fluorescent lighting from overhead lending the whole atmosphere a sterile quality catches suddenly in the ruby pin upon his lapel. Somewhat lovely, cut in a heart-shape. Being that he remains in training, and is not yet officially one of the Suits, he has no rank. But once his programme is completed, the Hearts will welcome him as one of their own. She knows that he is eager -- and also wary.
Being something of an independent operator, Riley longs for that kind of camaraderie or sense of belonging, but it isn't afforded to her. There has been talk of making him her handler, which she would appreciate greatly, but that still doesn't make her a Heart. Or anything, for that matter. Alice, as it would later be explained to her, is a very crucial and powerful role. But the coming months, more than anything, would prove it to be rather lonely as well.
Up to this point, however, Riley knows very little of this; everything having been prior conjecture and rumour. Since Jonathan is in the programme himself, he hasn't access to much yet until he becomes officially instated. And this particular morning, she also has no idea of what any of it means yet.
After catching the glint from his lapel pin, Riley is distracted by her reflection -- from a mirror, set in a decidedly odd place -- as they continue throughout the Compound and its many corridors. Rather, this entire section of it is nothing but peculiar. She catches sight of the name-plate upon her own lapel. 'Alice'. It seems fitting now; she can hardly say who she even is anymore -- and as they near their destination, a large auditorium, she is overcome with a lingering feeling that she isn't soon to find out, either.
Three men are already seated within the front row, another two behind them. The first three are wearing suits and pins like heart upon Jon's, so she assumes them to be affiliated with the Hearts, or even officially so, given their prominent positioning, since she can't see their ranks. The two behind them, however, are different. Both Spades; one of them has a pin opposite the one shaped like a Spade (she assumes, cut in obsidian) which features no numeral, only a letter. 'A'.
She idly wonders what it means as Brenner ushers her toward where they will both be sitting -- halfway up the middle row. She is uneasy, but he settles quickly next to her, though he does not dare take her hand, despite its shaking. (Since he would like to be assigned as her handler, too.)
One man stands before them all at a podium. The half-light of the room’s ambiance is less than adequate for any sort of performance or show. Especially not a lecture, should he expect them to be taking notes. An inactive projector looms from the aisle way. Old. A relic of the room.
"Jon," she whispers in his direction. He leans slightly into her. "My father ... " But her words are halted. Train of thought sufficiently derailed as the gentleman at the head of the room stands a bit taller over them all. Riley tries once more. " ... I agreed that I would do anything to protect my family." Her eyes again drift to their host, and she swallows with sudden difficulty. "But I don't understand. What on earth am I to be doing?"
Jon only raises his finger in silence to his lips, his eyes remaining on hers with friendly warning. She sighs, a bit dejected, thoroughly annoyed, and settles back into her seat. He directs her attention back to the man before the podium.
"Good morning," he begins. Relieving. Prior to his introduction, Riley had lost all sense of time. She shifts a bit nervously in her seat. "You, gathered here," he continues, his words sharp yet smooth. He paces quietly down to the front row, standing before each seated there at any given moment. "You are the answer to our little problem." He pauses, gathering back up his emphasis. "You will find him!" Silence, deafening throughout the room. The reverberations slowly dying. "But, in the meanwhile," his eyes settle upon hers for the moment. "You will find the others."
"Who is 'he'?" She inquires to Brenner, but he only instructs her to remain quiet.
"My dear." The host's eyes lock onto her own. She detects a hint of challenge, but won't let onto it. He folds his hands behind his back and leans toward her. His voice lowers. "You have a question."
"I ... " But her voice is suddenly scarce. His eyes -- cold, steel eyes -- eyes she can't forget. But it couldn't be -- could it? He could not possibly be the one in charge of everything -- of Wonderland? Of the entire Jabberwocky Taskforce. Could he? " ... Dr. Fenton?" she inquires, with only a trace of fear (upon which she silently prides herself.)
He smiles, broadly, and turns to his small entourages, gesturing. Grandly. "I could never be forgotten!" They all laugh as if understanding, but Riley knows -- hopes -- they have no idea. As if afraid to stand out from the crowd, Brenner joins in, though Riley glares.
Within seconds, she stands defiant. "You tried to kill me!" The laughter dies as the silence returns, as suddenly and deafening as before.
"What?" Fenton replies with dramatic shock, though she detects just the hint of mockery. Sarcasm, beneath his words. "Why, dear girl, I saved you." His voice is sharp. Cutting.
"From what?" She folds her arms. Two can play this game.
At first, he is quiet before beginning to pace once again. "From a life of nothing. An existence of the trite and banal. I gifted you the opportunity to be ... astounding."
"I don't want to be astounding," she replies as the men from all around regard her with a sense of puzzlement. She ignores them, her eyes remaining firm on Dr. Fenton.
"You cannot help what you are."
"Oh? You could have helped what you made me." The word sickens her. "Us." Brenner gives a look of pure warning, but Riley continues. "I mean, there ... must be others." She covers her near mistake quickly. Of the things Brenner knows, and that he has told her, there is one that everyone assumes she couldn't possibly -- and that she had sworn to him she would never divulge.
Fenton smiles, his eyes widening. "What a segue." He laughs. "Oh, you may rest assured that there are." They darken as he leans into her, placing a hand upon her shoulder, his voice a low whisper against her ear. The hint of menace. " ... And you're going to find them." He breathes in for a moment, gathering up all of his strength and, it seems, every last bit of air in the room: "Starting with him." And from the look in his eyes, she could tell that he knew that they were both dangerously on the exact same page; that they could be discussing none other than the Hatter.
Willa Goodheart, honest and hard-working white collar worker finds herself connected to a police investigation for a serial killer; and she hasn't a clue why - that is, until she begins digging.
The third book in the funny Silver Sisters Mysteries series. The twins and their 80 year-old mother and uncle get into trouble sleuthing in Sin City.
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