Virtually Timeless

by Casi McLean

  High-Tech Crime Solvers

  Virtually Timeless

  USA Today

  Bestselling Author

  Casi McLean

  From USA Today Bestselling Author, Casi McLean, comes a gripping techno-thriller, part of a multi-author series tied together by an interlocking cast of characters, all centered around the fantastic new promise of high technology and the endless possibilities for crime that technology offers, in a world where getting away with murder can be not only plausible, but easy…if you just know how.

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  Praise for her Work:

  “Oh, So Good! What a book! I could not put this one down and had to read it in one sitting. The espionage and intrigue kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the characters and chemistry and The Who concept of Deep State is so scary and you can’t help but believe that it’s a little bit true. You wrote a really great book Ms. McLean! I can’t wait for the next book in this series.” —Carolyn

  “Intrigue, NCIS, and a ghost! …A wildly entertaining story if your reading passion is a great mystery, hot romance, and government intrigue of the sneakiest kind. Five stars awarded for Reign of Fire, and well deserved” — Susan Ricci, Author

  “For the love of Family… Ms. McClean writes a compelling and engaging tale. Her characters are well drawn and it’s crystal clear as to the roles they play. Her dialogue is witty, in-depth, romantic, and suspenseful. Furthermore, she engages in the spiritual world with love, protection, and strength.” — Stephanie N.

  “A face paced mystery thriller… I could feel the cool March breeze on my face, smell the cherry blossoms, and relate to the adrenaline shooting through the heroes’ veins. Anyone who reads this story will want to continue to see what ungodly secrets our new heroic team discovers about our government. I, for one, will be cheering them on throughout the series!” — Aaron Paul Lazar, Author

  Mystery, Murder, Intrigue… Edgy. Leave on the edge of your seat story. Full of intrigue. Suspense and wonder what will happen next. Definitely a page turner I didn’t want to put down. I definitely recommend this book.” —Kathy Smith

  “This book has it all…sweet romance, thriller, paranormal, great story and character development. I look forward to the continuing story line.” —Julie A Sherman

  “An Adrenaline-filled rollercoaster ride of deceit, murder, traitors at the highest government levels, and newfound love…The supernatural element added to the story and I read this in one sitting. I will definitely be reading more this author.” — Kindle Customer

  Dedication

  According to the World Health Organization, malnutrition is the gravest single threat to global public health. Globally, it contributes to 45 percent of deaths of children aged under 5 years. Virtually Timeless is dedicated to those children and the millions of people worldwide who suffer in silence from undiagnosed and misdiagnosed diseases.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Epilogue

  About this Book

  About High-Tech Crime Solvers

  About the Author

  Acknowledgment

  A Note to the Reader

  Also by Casi McLean

  Lake Lanier Mysteries

  Beneath The Lake

  Beyond The Mist

  Between The Shadows

  Deep State Mysteries

  Reign of Fire

  Virtually Timeless©2020 Casi McLean

  Chapter 1

  The first scream, masked by the splashing streams of Indian Lake Creek tumbling over rocky falls, sounded like an injured animal. A bobcat perhaps, calling her mate? Noah dismissed the squeal and continued his hike through the autumn-swept forest. The second scream spiked his pulse and his medical instinct snapped to alert. The eerie cry sent a chill down his spine, causing tiny hairs on the back of his neck to rise. Definitely human, and female, the shriek shattered the silence with piercing terror.

  Darting through the woods toward her wails, he took care to stay on what paths he could, making as little noise approaching as possible. Whatever––or whoever––caused the victim’s cries might mean danger for Noah as well as the girl. Wild animals often attacked when injured. He challenged his memory to recall what potentially dangerous creatures inhabited the New England and Hudson Valley forests.

  Slowing his pace as the creekbank came into view, he edged closer. Hearing the girl’s muffled anguish, he nixed the animal idea, envisioning instead a hand covering her mouth. Thrashing sounds against the ground told him she struggled to escape. Noah slid behind a mass of dense foliage then craned his neck to see around the trunk of a red oak tree.

  A stocky man with dirty-blond hair flaring beneath a navy-blue baseball cap sat over the girl’s thighs. His back to Noah, the man leaned forward, causing his slate-gray sweatshirt to ride upward enough to reveal a gun stuffed into the waistband of his blue jeans. He angled his head then puffed a breathy whisper into her face.

  With a sour expression pinching her nose and lips, the young woman jerked and twisted her face away from his.

  “You’re a feisty little bitch. I’ll give you that.” The thug forced her wrists against the dirt then, placing a knee on her forearm, he grabbed a fistful of her T-shirt at the neck and yanked until the fabric ripped, exposing a bare breast.

  “Stop. Let… go... of… me.” Kicking and squirming, she twisted her torso, lunging her body to force him off balance, but her waning strength couldn’t counter his weight. The man easily dominated her frail frame and laughed at her feeble attempts.

  Believing the girl had little chance of survival if the guy pulled his gun, Noah had to act now. Any chance he had of helping her escape—of saving her life—had to occur now, while the thug was distracted. What could he do to stop the assault…maybe catch the assailant off guard? Adrenaline feeding his emotion, he aimed his gaze along the shoreline searching for something––anything he could use to overtake the man. Seeing nothing helpful, aside from a few rocks, he stiffened as a shot of adrenaline slithered around his spine, tightening the knot already coiled in his stomach. On impulse, he shoved aside branches, shooting through the brush onto the creekbank then dashed toward the skirmish.

  When the girl caught a glimpse of him sprinting forward, her eyes went wide.

  With reckless abandon, he dove onto the man’s back… snatched the gun then rolled on his side and snapped up on one knee. He pointed the firearm with a firm arm in a stance he’d only seen on television. Feeling like a character on NCIS, he shouted a command. “Get the hell off of her.” Hands locked on the gun with a death grip, he slowly stood.

  Immediately, the man raised his hands in the air, straightened his back, then stepped to the side. “No need to get excited, buddy.”

  Noah hitched the gun slightly to his right, indicating a clearing to which the man responded by taking se
veral steps backward. God, what the hell should he do now? He’d never so much as held a gun before, let alone threatened a man’s life. The Hippocratic Oath he vowed shot through his spinning thoughts… First, do no harm.

  Gun aimed at the attacker, he glanced at the girl and briefly assessed the extent of her injuries. A bloody lip… an oozing gash on the side of her left eye… and a few contusions on her shoulder and neck.

  Drawing her elbows inside the ripped shirt, she shifted around the torn side to her back then slid her arms into the sleeves.

  Hmm, smart. Noah turned his head to check on the man then returned his gaze to the woman. “Are you okay?”

  She stood, quickly inspecting herself. “I think so.” After brushing the dirt from her clothes, she shifted her gaze back to Noah.

  He cocked his head toward her attacker. “Do you know this guy?”

  She shot a glance in the man’s direction then shook her head.

  Noah dug into his pocket for his phone. After hiking this property off and on for the last twenty-four hours, he knew cell service was spotty. Clicking his smartphone open, he touched the screen, pressed 911, then held the device to his ear.

  “No need to call the cops, man.” The culprit frowned and slightly lowered his hands as he took a step forward.

  “Don’t even think of it.” Noah flicked the gun tip, motioning for the man to back off. When the phone call failed, he feigned a connection. He had no intention of letting a criminal know how vulnerable he was. “Yes. This is Doctor Noah Monaco. I’d like to report an…incident. I was walking my property and came across a fella attacking a young woman. I’m holding him at gunpoint…about a mile off route seven north of Sharon. 5720… toward the rear of the property by the Indian Lake Creek. Thank you.” He lifted his gaze to meet the thug. “You might as well have a seat. We have a few minutes before the police arrive.”

  The man huffed. “I’m good. If you’d let me explain––”

  “I’m not interested in your explanation. Save that for the police.” Taking sidelong glances toward the victim, he held the gun firmly aimed. Something about this woman intrigued him. Her jeans hung loose on her slight frame, and her T-shirt now draped off one shoulder, swallowed her. Tousled locks of long blonde hair caught glints of sunlight that almost sparkled when she moved. Her face, though pretty, was drawn and her blank expressions puzzled Noah. Did she not understand the situation? He softened his tone. “Your forehead and lip are bleeding.”

  Again, she offered him a blank stare. Her hand shot to her head. Touching the gash, she winced then dropped her hand and stared at the blood on her palm.

  “I’m a doctor. If it’s okay with you, I’ll take a look at your injury.” He watched her expression closely. The normal reaction he expected never surfaced. Perhaps the incident traumatized her more than she let on?

  “Did you shoot me?” Taking a few steps backward, she glared at Noah.

  “No. I would never… that man attacked you.” He pointed toward the clearing. “I heard your screams and came to your rescue. I can only imagine what that creep had in mind, but––” He stopped mid-sentence and observed her movements.

  Keeping her eyes fixed on Noah, she turned her head, shot a quick glance then returned her stare. “What man?”

  Snapping a gaze to his right, he followed the direction of his outstretched arm…his hand still clutching the gun aimed at the criminal. But the man had vanished. Damn. Noah was so distracted by the young woman’s wounds, he didn’t notice the man disappear into the forest. Should he follow him or tend to the woman? Even if he caught up to the thug, what would he do? Shoot him? No. To hell with the criminal. The girl needed Noah’s help. Dropping his arm, he returned his gaze to the woman just in time to see her disappear into the woods.

  What the hell was going on? Concerned about her wounds, Noah took off after her. After stuffing his phone into his back-left pocket, he shoved the gun into the right then picked up speed. He could hear her footsteps crackling through the underbrush and saw an occasional flash of her blonde hair as she whipped back and forth between the trees. When she chose the mountain trail over the creek, he quietly cussed himself for letting up on his treadmill workouts. For such a frail-looking girl, her energy surprised him.

  At the top of the trail, the pathway split. She veered left and he followed suit, sprinting where he could to catch up. Gaze fixed on her, Noah strode forward… until his feet met only air. The force behind his pace propelled him forward… rolling… spinning… colliding with everything in his path until his head hit the side of a tree. The sunshine dimmed to tiny pinholes of light… then faded into a black abyss.

  Chapter 2

  Sydney Monaco paced in front of her office desk. Something was wrong––dead wrong. More than twenty-four hours had elapsed since she heard from her brother, and Noah never went radio silent unless he had a damn good reason. A surge of heat flushed into her cheeks, sending icy hot prickles needling down her neck. Slamming her hand against the back of a client chair, she pushed it aside, snatched her smartphone from her inbox and marched toward the door. She knew her twin and, after leaving numerous messages on his phone, she refused to ignore this sense of impending doom that had loomed over her since yesterday.

  When the elevator doors opened, she stepped inside then tapped the previously saved number for Delta Airlines. By the time she slid into the seat of her Lexus LC, she had reservations on the next flight to Hartford BDL with a rental car waiting. Having no time to pack, she was thankful she kept an emergency carryon in her trunk crammed with several days’ worth of versatile clothes and accessories. A private detective never knew when she’d need to leave town at a moment’s notice. After starting the ignition, she popped her phone into the cradle then pressed voice command. “Call Luke.”

  Siri replied, “Calling Luke.”

  “Good morning, boss.” The man’s cheery voice broke the silence. “The Chambers case is on your desk. Do you want me to follow up on the background checks or start the interviews?”

  “Both.” She paused for a beat. “In fact, I want you to take the lead on this case.”

  “Oooookay.” A pause left the line silent for a few moments. “What’s up, Syd? I’ve been working with you too long to skim over that tone in your voice. How can I help?”

  “Just do what you do best, Luke. I’m on my way to the airport.”

  “I guess that means you still haven’t heard from Noah.”

  “Call it twin intuition. I’m really worried.” Her hand shook as she adjusted the rearview mirror. Glancing at the reflection of the backup camera she slid the car into reverse and pulled out of her parking spot. “I can’t shake the feeling something’s very wrong.”

  “Then go. Forward business calls to my cell and don’t worry about anything here. I’ve got your back.”

  “Thanks. Hopefully, I’m over-reacting. I’ll let you know when I’ll be back as soon as I find Noah. I can’t imagine being gone more than a few days. If you need me––”

  “I won’t. But I’ll check in with updates. Be careful, Syd.”

  “Will do. Thanks, Luke.” She clicked End then pulled onto the road. Tempted to call her friend, Julie Crenshaw, as a backup, she stifled the thought. Not many understood the twin connection. The possibility she overreacted weaved in and out of her thoughts, but her gut rarely misguided her. She’d have plenty of time to pull Jules into the situation once she had the facts.

  Typical of Atlanta, traffic gridlocked. She decided to take surface streets. Even so, she’d have to rush through the airport to catch her flight. Known for being the busiest passenger airport in the world, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International constantly bustled with activity and knowing the lay of the land only made the ordeal slightly less annoying. At least by using the International lot, Syd could park close to the shuttle stop for a quick ride to the terminal, hit the kiosk to check in, then breeze through airport security via her TSA precheck. But she still had to rush to catch the next plan
e-train to concourse B then beelined to gate three.

  Barely making the flight, she flagged the attendant to wait and drew in a deep breath as he closed the door behind her. “Thanks,” she whispered, offering an apologetic smile, then made her way down the aisle toward her assigned seat, not acknowledging what she knew were annoyed stares. She snatched her laptop from her bag then sat and shoved her carryon under the seat in front. After fastening her safety belt, she closed her eyes, and tilted her head against the seatback to relax the tension clenching her neck and shoulders.

  As the jet released the ramp, the A321 jerked. Sydney lifted the shade and peered outside, thankful she snagged a window seat for the two-hour-and-fifteen-minute flight. As the plane taxied toward the runway, her thoughts turned to her brother. Noah, where the hell are you? The engines roared as they fought the gravity drag. Sydney challenged her shoulder muscles to release tension with the familiar liftoff pressure. Gazing mindlessly out the window, she watched cars and trucks speeding along the highways shrink to the size of matchbox toys… and eventually to tiny ants.

  Scenarios swirling, her thoughts retraced the last few days. Discovering a long-lost aunt––Becky, their mother’s black sheep sister––had the twins sifting through memories for any trace of the woman’s existence. Having come up empty-handed, Syd agreed her connections would allow her to research the woman thoroughly, while Noah flew to Connecticut to take a look at the property the twins inherited.