Nerds in Force

by D. R. Grady

  Coming Fall 2022

  Unedited

  Nerds in Paradise

  Chapter 1

  The flag opened a small, discreet window. A gentle notification that someone had downloaded information. A quick click on the small window offered more details.

  Alarm sliced through veins pounded with adrenaline. No, surely not.

  Additional study revealed many of the officers had had their correspondence breached.

  A jab of a button and a man wearing an identical uniform entered the room. His rank showed that of a captain.

  “Did you get notified?”

  “I just got it.”

  “Will this cause trouble?”

  “It could. The good news is we should be able to accomplish our goal before they’ve found anything incriminating.”

  Not entirely reassuring. “What if they stumble onto our plan?” A question that could cause very restless nights.

  He took a deep breath, but didn’t appear to frantically think or look for an escape. He thought things through, viewing them from all levels, looking for the best path.

  “A possibility.”

  Well then the best recourse opened wide. “Then we neutralize the threat?”

  “I believe so. Do you know where it’s located?”

  “On a private island.” The coordinates weren’t hard to find on the map tacked to a wall nearby. A decisive tap and he nodded. “This should be easy enough.”

  “How are you going to make it look like an accident?”

  “Boats sink all the time. It’s common. Unfortunately their hull ran afoul of a rock and sank.” His charming face showed proper grief at such a terrible occurrence.”

  “You’ll make it happen?”

  “Before they ever arrive on the island. A tragedy of course.”

  “Very good. Thank you.”

  He left after detailing his plans.

  Once that was taken care of they should be in the clear. These plans had been in the making for years. Things were far too close now to hit any snags. Measures would be taken to see the culmination of all these years of hard work and effort.

  There was too much at stake to lose now.

  I wonder if my associate also needs to go?

  §

  The fierce wind pummeled the side of the speedboat Eric Monnette had selected from the options at the dock. Rain blew sideways and crept under his collar and slashed across his face and the windshield. Massive waves made this excursion equivalent to an amusement park ride.

  Wild dips, unexpected aerials, and treacherous crests made this trip a challenge. As one would expect while in a sea-craft during a hurricane. Or a tropical storm attempting to be a hurricane.

  An enthusiastic gust of wind splattered rain across his face and the boat windshield. Eric eased off the throttle. He neared a particularly tricky part of the ocean. On the northeast side of Toliliel, the island of his birth, lay a swath sunken islands that created shallow water and crags of rock that could prove disastrous to anyone unfamiliar with this sector of ocean.

  The waves formed gigantic barrels that no surfer would survive. In his fast boat, Eric was confident. He’d grown up here and knew these waters. He’d also received a stellar education from Uncle Sam while in the Navy and came out on the other side as a SEAL. This didn’t daunt him.

  He wished he had a few of his teammates with him, but a SEAL got the job done and Eric, while retired, could do no less. Besides, the woman he sought, Riley D’Arpino, was worth his efforts. He’d only met her once but what he’d garnered from their one meeting had intrigued him.

  Riley and her commanding officers whose name he had not been able to learn, had been assigned a leg of research on the same project that he and his sister and others in the house he shared with them needed to know. He didn’t have specifics as to what Riley and her fellow officer were researching but those at the house had concluded they should join forces.

  A giant swell tipped the boat but Eric corrected with ease and rode out a few waves so massive that any dry part of him ceased to be. He’d been wet before. Had slogged through much worse conditions than these. He kept moving forward.

  That’s what a SEAL, even a retired one, did. He purposely didn’t think of the shoulder injury that took him right out of the military and his SEAL career. The scars told a story that he wasn’t interested in hearing.

  Right now he needed to locate Riley and her CO and see if they could get off the island he thought they might be on. Whether she and the other officer had actually holed up there remained speculation but as it was the only Intel he had, he would check here first.

  A few islands scattered this area and the one he thought might contain Riley and the man with her couldn’t boast to being the largest. Several other islands here did contain a building of sorts, but if Riley and her boss were conducting computer research they needed reliable internet.

  That ruled out at least two of the other islands. They were too far from civilization to merit any sort of signal. At least he hoped. Eric had learned early on to not rule something out until all evidence proved it to be the best option.

  Thus, he powered forward through waves not fit for an ocean liner and set his jaw. He’d find these two people. Even if he had to navigate a small boat through hurricane conditions.

  Don’t try this at home.

  The old joke from his SEAL days didn’t cheer him up as much as he’d hoped but it did loosen the largest muscle in his jaw. That should help deter the headache trying to make itself known.

  Through the sideways rain, he detected a landmass. Eric checked his dials and coordinates. A few corrections later and the land mass he actually wanted showed dark against the moody backdrop of the storm. Alert to the rocks that jutted from the water here he eased back even more on the throttle.

  The storm’s cacophony made it impossible for him to hear anything else. He did monitor the intensity of the storm. If it got much worse he’d have to hole up. Only a moron would be out in a true hurricane. This tropical storm hadn’t reached the actual levels yet but it could.

  He ran the boat right up to the dock and brightened at the sight of a sturdy looking boathouse. That meant he could run the boat inside and hopefully it would be protected. It didn’t take long to secure the boat and the door leading from the boathouse before he stepped onto the dock.

  A random splash of water across his face and with adrenaline slashing through his veins, Eric skipped back. Not the most graceful attempt but he slammed against the boathouse wall. The ensuing swell blasted across the dock, soaking everything in its path. It threatened to sweep him into the angry sea but his back firmly pressed against the wall kept him on the dock. Not that he didn’t know what to do, but he’d rather not take a swim this afternoon.

  The sun hadn’t gone down, but obviously the light had been diminished by the storm clouds. It would soon give way to the night though so he didn’t have a lot of time. He waited for a lull in the swells before he made a run for the land.

  Eric kept low so as not to call attention to himself. The cottage facing the sea had large windows. They were not boarded up.

  This made him duck down even further. His heart finally sank. He took a closer look. No, that was definitely the reflection of light off glass.

  No one from around here would neglect to board up windows in a storm like this. Debris could cause far too much trouble and if water got inside…wind followed and you could kiss the building goodbye. The destruction potential alone made boarding up windows a priority.

  If Riley and her commander hadn’t taken the time to do so most likely meant they weren’t here. His heart sank.

  A familiar whine made Eric’s decision. That meant this storm had just escalated to a hurricane. He didn’t have long to sprint to the cottage, board the windows and get inside.

  The new fury of the storm beat at his back as he raced up the beach to the cottage. He found the boards for the windows exactly where they should be.

&n
bsp; His heart hung a little heavy. If they were here, then Riley and company were not.

  It took way longer than it should have to jam the boards in place and make certain they weren’t going anywhere without his consent. The wind grabbed at the hammer and slashed enough water across his face to blind him.

  I’m out of practice.

  Eric kept on task. Finally, he finished the windows and used the code given to him to gain entrance into the cottage. When his eyes finally adjusted to the dim interior, they landed on the dull handgun pointed with steady ease right at him.

  About the Author

  D.R. Grady is the author of over twenty-five clean romance novels. She lives with her husband near Hershey, PA and adores chocolate, laughing, collecting bags, books, and shoes. Oh, and writing clean stories that resonate with others.

  Please visit her website for more information.

  http://www.drgradybooks.com

  Other Works by D.R. Grady

  The Morrison Family Series:

  The Nerd and the Marine — A self-proclaimed nerd takes in a deployed Marine’s dog.

  The Corpsman and the Nerd — He has her son and her dog, but he wants her heart.

  The Nerd and the SEAL — A Navy SEAL and doctor have both met their career goals. Can they now meet their romantic ones?

  The Nerd’s Pocket Pets — A pediatrician is attracted to his new physician assistant but he’s confused as to why her lab coat pockets wriggle.

  Shadows and Spice — A legendary secret operative comes home to protect his family. She becomes a threat to his heart.

  Macy’s Parade — Her dream of becoming a veterinarian is hindered by him and his four kids.

  Bad Nerd Rising — She’s a nerd in nerd’s clothing, easily identifiable, so why is a prince attracted to her?

  Bad Nerd Falling — Can this nerd manage to hold on to her super-soldier?

  Nerds on Fire — A lonely nurse practitioner and a neurosurgeon join forces to discover who is harassing her.

  Nerds Unite — How does a woman juggle a new job, a new bff, and an old stalker?

  The Trouble with Nerds — They’re circling each other, trying to meet in the middle until a new threat sends them in a different direction.

  The Nerd Who Spied Me — They’re confident in their secret operative abilities, but maybe not so much in their relationship goals.

  Baking with Nerds — With his baggage and her new business they don’t have time to fall in love. Or do they?

  Nerds in Harmony — This musician isn’t about to let duty get in the way of love.

  Nerds in Danger — It’d be mighty helpful if they knew the identity of the enemy gunning for them.

  The Me Series:

  Treasure Me — A biology teacher goes undercover to find her sister’s murderer.

  Save Me — He keeps her safe from an ex-boyfriend who wants to kill her.

  Trust Me — With a pending divorce neither wants and a stalker, they soon realize they’re not playing a game, they are the game.

  Heal Me — Discovering the identity of a serial rapist doesn’t allow them much time to fall in love.

  Love Me — A nerd falls for a mini Amazon.

  The Seeking Series:

  Seeking: Warrior King — Can Crown Princess Raene and Aasguard Vidar the Loyal possibly break the age-old traditions that bind them and choose their heart’s desire?

  Seeking: Maiden Queen — They are thrust into a life neither envisioned, but that they must accept, or others will die.

  Seeking: Warrior Mate — These two Aasguard warriors are fighting a mutual attraction.

  Seeking: Fellow Warrior — These treasure hunters can't be together because of her clamoring warrior instincts.

  The Dragon Chronicles:

  The Dragon Chronicles: Learning — What if the maiden is the dragon? Lindy is about to find out with the unwelcome help of the most exasperating man on earth.

  The Dragon Chronicles: Shifting — Hugh doesn’t mind that Keely can’t shift, but his pack sure does. Can this healer meet the challenge to claim her mate?

  The Dragon Chronicles: Healing — Healers Ewain and Marissa play at getting along. Then the enemy targets Marissa and suddenly they don’t have time to make war on each other.

  Please visit my website for more information on these stories.

  http://www.drgradybooks.com

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are all products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Known locales are also used fictitiously.

  If you enjoy this book, please buy a copy for someone else to enjoy. Please do not download or buy this from anywhere except where the story is offered legitimately. All rights reserved - including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  Copyright 2021 by D.R. Grady

  Smashwords Edition

  Please Note: While I had help with this story from several knowledgeable sources, there are still likely mistakes on my part. Authors also like to stretch and change things to make their story work. So this book does not necessarily reflect reality. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.