Paradigms Lost: Chapter 33

Let's get Jason to do some work...       -----     Chapter 33: Who's Your Daddy? The man sitting across from me was small. Oriental, handsome (at least that's what Syl told me later; I'm not much of a judge), average-length hair just a bit shaggy. He was dressed in fairly casual style, but that wasn't much indication of his job or resources; people come to WIS in different guises than their coworkers usually see. "Okay, Mr., um, Xiang—that right?—okay, what can I help you with?" Tai Lee Xiang [ Continue reading... ]

Paradigms Lost: Chapter 33

Jason really should do some work sometimes...     -----     Chapter 33: Who's Your Daddy? The man sitting across from me was small. Oriental, handsome (at least that's what Syl told me later; I'm not much of a judge), average-length hair just a bit shaggy. He was dressed in fairly casual style, but that wasn't much indication of his job or resources; people come to WIS in different guises than their coworkers usually see. "Okay, Mr., um, Xiang—that right?—okay, what can I help you with?" Tai Lee Xiang [ Continue reading... ]

Paradigms Lost: Chapter 32

  Time for a meeting with an old (very old) friend...     -----     Chapter 32: Upgrades and Relationships "I must thank you, Jason," Verne said, surveying the mound of equipment assembled in his dining room. "The advice of an expert is always appreciated." Verne had decided to fully enter the fast-approaching twenty-first century, adding telecommunications and computers to his formidable range of resources. I grinned. "No thanks needed. Advising someone on what to buy is always fun, especially when [ Continue reading... ]

Polychrome: Chapter 12

  If we have Heroes, we must also have Villains, and don't they deserve a bit of screen time?   -----     Chapter 12.   "A True Mortal! That little conniving snip of a Faerie and her father have brought over a True Mortal!" The sky darkened above the Gray Castle as Queen Amanita clenched her fist and muttered a phrase in a language so dark that even Ugu winced. He could understand Amanita's fear; as a Giantess in her origin, she was vastly more bound to Faerie than even he, for the Herkus were mostly [ Continue reading... ]

Paradigms Lost: Chapter 31

  We start the next section with a completely brand-new chapter, never before seen!   -----     Part IV: Viewed in a Harsh Light June, 2000   Chapter 31: Presentations in High Places "This is ridiculous," I said. "Considering that werewolves weren't even seriously considered to exist until a few weeks ago, how exactly would it be 'obvious for anyone skilled in the art' to combine these elements to detect a werewolf?" "Hey, I'm on your side, remember?" my patent attorney, John Huffman, said. "The [ Continue reading... ]

Polychrome: Chapter 11

  Our Hero's got a long way to go before he's ready to go hero-ing...     -----   Chapter 11.   Three blows hammered against my sword, trying to deflect it from its path, and just about succeeding; instead of smashing directly into the Storm Legionnaire currently trying to take my head off, the massive blade glanced off his scaled mail. Even so, the impact was enough to send him spinning away like a pinball. Two more figures were streaking in from both sides, and this guy had delayed me just a [ Continue reading... ]

Paradigms Lost: Chapter 29

  ... and Jason is on his way to save Sylvie...   -----     Chapter 29: Intensive Combat Unit The hospital was quiet; at three-thirty only the emergency crews were around. I parked, checked my gun, and put the viewer on. I looked weird but that didn't worry me; the only thing I was worried about was that the werewolves would be able to hide from anything technology could think up. I didn't believe that… but what if I was wrong? I went in through the side entrance; I got some strange looks but no one got the [ Continue reading... ]

Paradigms Lost: Chapter 28

Jason had been presented with a nasty offer...   -----     Chapter 28: A Nice Evening Drive, With Gunfire "Why the hell not?" I gestured at the ornate gold ring. "Why not, Verne? If he's going to be satisfied with the ring, just give it to him! Then we hit him later." Verne rubbed the ring gently, turning it about his finger and making the ruby send out sparks of crimson. "The reason he would be satisfied with the ring, Jason, is because he knows that I will never remove this ring. Never. I gave my word many, [ Continue reading... ]

Polychrome: Chapter 10

  Well, Our Hero needed a bit of training (or maybe more than a bit...)     -----     Chapter 10.      "So, Captain Thunderstroke –" "Hah!" His laugh was as abrupt as his last name. "Nimbus, please. Or 'sir' when I'm training you. But if the Rainbow Lord has decreed that I, personally, train you, we are equals. Say on, then." I grinned back at him. I was probably going to hate this guy at times during our training, but I kinda liked him already. "How much do you know about the Prophecy? Is [ Continue reading... ]

Paradigms Lost: Chapter 27

  Something bad had happened to Syl...   ------   Chapter 27: Empathy and Electronics "Jason, you need your rest. It's been twenty-seven hours. Go to bed." I was too tired to jump at the sudden voice from a formerly empty space. "Verne, I've got work to do. I'm going to find that bastard and silver him like a goddam mirror. I don't have time to sleep. You heard what Winthrope told me." "About her assistant being found dead? Yes." "Then don't talk to me about sleep. Every hour I sleep could get someone else [ Continue reading... ]