Investigations require you to check back with your sources once in a while... ----- Chapter 24: Gone and Dead I logged on and checked; I had a secured e-mail waiting. I pulled it up onscreen. The message decoded just as though Manuel had sent it… but it wasn't from Mannie at all. That was so close to impossible that for a moment I couldn't do anything except gape. Then I reread the signature at the bottom, and understood. * * * Mentor (or should I say, Jason?): I'm sorry to tell you [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 23
August 6, 2014 By Leave a Comment
I'm pretty sure this is the shortest chapter in the book. ---- Chapter 23: Remembering Old Times "Okay, Jason, what've you got?" That was Renee, straight to the point. "A whole lot. But first, come here; there's someone I want you to meet." She followed me to the living room. Verne rose from the red chair, bowed as I introduced them. "Renee Reisman, Verne Domingo." She didn't shake hands. "Jason, we've had our eye on this man for some time. I'd like to know just what his [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 22
August 4, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Jason's got some information gathering to do... Chapter 22: Three Conversations, One Problem I got back to my house, opened the door, and went to the kitchen. A few minutes later, sandwich and soda next to me, I booted up my terminal program. I needed to contact "Manuel Garcia O'Kelly Davis." Manuel was actually a fairly high-placed military intelligence analyst. I thought he was Air Force, but there was no way to be sure. I sent him a secured e-mail, asking for a conference. He agreed, and we [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 21
July 30, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Jason has some personal issues to deal with... ----- Chapter 21: Admissions and Evidence The door opened. "Jason!" Sylvie said, looking surprised. "Hi, Syl. Can I come in?" "Sure. Watch out for the books on the floor, I'm rearranging the library." I stepped in. I noticed again the odd, warm smell of her house; the dusty, comfortable scent of old books blended with a faint tinge of kitchen spices and old-fashioned perfume, a smell that didn't fit someone as young and gorgeous [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 20
July 28, 2014 By Leave a Comment
So, Renee had given him a creepy crime to think about... ----- Chapter 20: An Unusual Consultant Red liquid swirled warmly in the crystal glass, throwing off crimson highlights. Verne Domingo sipped. I swallowed some of my ginger ale, noticing how little I was affected these days by the knowledge that Verne was drinking blood. "Why doesn't it clot?" I asked idly. "Heparin, my friend. A standard anticoagulant." "Doesn't that give you any problems?" His warm chuckle rolled out. "Not in the [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 19
July 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Well, Jason had had some disturbing news earlier... Chapter 19: Blood and Moonlight When I can't talk and can't act and can't work… I drive. I cruised down the various highways—the Northway, then part of the Thruway, 787, back to I-90—the windows wide open and the wind roaring at sixty-five. Even so, I barely felt any cooler; for sheer miserable muggy heat, it's hard to beat the worst summer days of Albany, New York, and its environs, which unfortunately include Morgantown. It was days like this that made [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 18
July 21, 2014 By Leave a Comment
We start a new section of the book with another brand-new chapter! Part III: Photo Finish August, 1999 Chapter 18: Action and Reaction "But I thought we would be seeing The Thirteenth Floor tomorrow night," Syl said. I winced. Truth be told, I'd forgotten all about our movie plans in the past few weeks, and Verne had made an appointment – after hours, naturally – to discuss several interesting opportunities he was looking into. Given the situation with Verne, I hadn't yet let Syl [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 17
July 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Jason had another client we'd met... Chapter 17: Laughing Assassin I really don't like this one. I'd done plenty of work for the police, and other people. I may not have been very old, but I'd already done everything from enhance photos and research prior art on patents to, well, finding out that vampires were real. Sometimes you get feelings about things, and right now, I had a very strong, very bad feeling about the job I was doing for Xavier Ross. Not that I felt there was anything wrong [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 16
July 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Well, it's time for the wrap-up on that little adventure... Chapter 16: The Only Thing He Has To Fear… "How did you find me?" Verne and I were comfortably seated in his study. He smiled slightly. "I have always known roughly where Carmichael lived, just as he always knew where I lived. Once I arrived in the general area, it was simple to sense your presence and follow it." "Thanks." "No need to thank me, Jason. It was my fault entirely that you were involved. I should have realized that once he [ Continue reading... ]
Paradigms Lost: Chapter 15
July 9, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Jason had found himself in something of a pickle, because drug barons don't like the word "no"... Chapter 15: Enter Freely and Of Your Own Will "Ten o'clock," Carmichael said. "Jeez, will you look at that stuff come down!" Even as worried as I was, I had to admit it was an impressive storm. Gusts of gale-force winds battered the house, blue-white lightning shattered the night, torrents of rain came down so heavily that they obscured our sight of the front gate, even with all the lights of the [ Continue reading... ]
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