“What is this place?” Jolene asked. “How do you have all this?”
Crow walked over to her and looked down at Mags, smiling with white teeth stark against his skin. Mags looked up at him with her big blue orbs for eyes.
“You have long hair,” the little girl said.
“I do. I’m half Oglala Lakota. That’s Native-American. It’s a part of our culture and tradition to keep our hair long. You have pretty blue eyes,” Crow said.
Mags smiled shyly and hid behind Jolene’s leg.
“I promise once we have what we need, I’ll fill all of you who choose to remain in on what is going on.” He looked directly at Gordon. “Because we are in big trouble. All of us.”
Crow left them alone, his guards following behind him.
“Okay, look, we’re here for now, so I’m getting some food,” Gary said, moving towards the red doors.
Siri gasped as he pushed them open, but the only thing on the other side was a large, well-lit room with rows of tables and chairs, cupboards, refrigerators, and several microwave ovens.
They looked at each other for support, all eyes eventually resting on Jolene. She shrugged and followed Gary, Mags trailing along behind her.
Three hours later, Crow and a few of his guards returned, along with a handful of new faces. He handed each of them back their ID cards and licenses.
“So, as far as we can tell, none of you work for the government or are on any terror watch lists,” he said, grinning. Gordon grunted as Crow handed him back his license and military ID cards.
“I guess you guys have no clue what’s happening out there, so let me first tell you who we are. I know who you are, by your IDs. But please, we are going to all become family here if you stay.” He turned to the young dark-skinned man they’d seen before, whispering in his ear. “My name is Wil Akins. Everyone calls me Crow. Came here by way of Jasper. We got nailed last month. This is Koormadhi Shah. We call him Koor. Like the beer. He’s a high school genius tech nerd. He’s responsible for this place having Internet, electricity, and running water.”
Jolene and her group nodded at Koor, who bowed to each of them formally, then blushed over his dark cheeks and waved shyly.
He was a total geek, Jolene thought. But then again most brainy nerds were.
Crow pointed to a dark-haired man, nicely dressed, attractive. Jolene pegged him for his early 40s. “This is John D’Addato. Yep, the famous novelist, and you guys might be interested to know what his current novel is about. Because it’s coming true right outside these walls. Make sure you get to know John. But watch out ladies, he’s a charmer!”
John blushed. “Hey, everyone. It’s all true. Welcome to our humble abode.”
“This lovely lady is Rosie McGuire. She’s a teacher, so for any kids we get in, she can offer her services.”
Gordon threw shade. “You honestly think we’ll be staying here that long?”
Crow shrugged. “Just saying, she is a teacher.” Rosie grinned and slapped Crow on the back heartily. Jolene got the distinct impression the short, stocky woman in jeans and a hoodie was tough as nails, teacher or not.
“This is Lorinda Johns,” Crow said, as a young, pretty woman a bit older than Jolene waved at the group. “I’m assistant to Congressman Rick Holloman, 23rd district. He’s in—”
“Here I am!” A man entered the room wearing a sweater and jeans. He looked like a Kennedy, clean-cut and all-American, with a touch of grey at the temples. “Congressman Holloman, at your service.” Just like a politician out canvassing for votes, he shook every hand in Jolene’s group, even Mags’. He worked his charm especially hard on Jolene and Siri.
A big, burly young man in a hunting vest and jeans stood in the back, observing. He chewed on a toothpick and wore a baseball cap that said, “Liberals suck.” Crow turned to him and waved him forward.
“This is Dickey Bringiss, our resident hunter and fix-it guy who we can thank for many of our delicious meals. Dickey’s a good guy, once you get to know him.” Crow grinned at Dickey, who smiled back, an easy rapport between them.
“You’ll meet a few others. Right now, they’re running operations. I think maybe it would be great for us all to wear name tags until we get to know each other better,” Crow said.
“I’ll make those up,” Rosie said.
“Thanks, Rosie. So, I guess you all want to know what we know, and we’d like to know what you know. There’s a large conference room in the back we can use. A big table we can sit around and exchange information. Then, I can have Koor show you what’s going on in the world. You’ve been without power, Internet, cell phone access?”
Jolene nodded. “Nothing but the hams.” Once again, she naturally spoke for the group.
“We don’t have cell phones working yet, but Koor is on it. We do have power and we’ve been online for a while, though. There’s a lot to tell.”
“You did all this in a month?” Alex asked, eyes wide.
“No, we’ve been getting this place up and running ever since— Well, let’s get you settled and I’ll do my best to explain,” Crow said.
They followed Crow and his small group through another set of doors, down a long hallway, and towards another set of doors.
“Jesus, how big is this place? And if you’re hiding out here, how could whoever you’re hiding out from not know about this?” Alex asked, looking around in awe.
“I’ll do my best to answer all your questions,” Crow said. “At least, the ones I can answer.”
Brian sidled up to Jolene and leaned close, whispering. “What do you think?”
Jolene shrugged. “I don’t know. They seem okay. But they’re strangers, so there’s that. Let’s just see if what they have to say sounds reasonable or not. They have our guns.”
“Hey, he said we could leave anytime,” Brian said. “That Congressman guy is a sleazeball. Did you see how he was eyeballing you and Siri?”
“Wouldn’t be the first time a fucking sleazebag hit on two hot women,” Jolene deadpanned.
“At least they have Internet access,” Brian said.
“And they didn’t confiscate our tablets. So, it’s not like they’re trying to keep us from the news out there.”
“Wait til you hear about the Crow Seeds,” Brian said, practically salivating.
They entered a large conference room and sat around a massive oak table. The chairs were old metal folding chairs. Jolene saw a large coffee pot on a table in the back. It was full and smelled divine.
“Is that fresh?” she asked Lorinda.
“Yes, I made it while Koor was doing your ID check. Please, help yourself.”
Jolene practically ran to the pot and poured a cup, topping it off with some instant creamer. She hadn’t had a real good cup of coffee in a long time and her body was craving it almost as much as it craved a drink. She took a sip and let out an orgasmic sigh, returning to her seat beside Brian.
“They have coffee,” she said.
Jolene was glad Mags wasn’t there. She felt a gnawing pain in her stomach. They had no idea who these people were, or if they could be trusted. Maybe it was the accumulation of the last few days clouding her brain.
“Your town is one of several in the region, small towns, mostly rural, that were hit,” Crow said. “This was all predicted to happen. They would start out with test sites, see how the experiment progressed, before moving onto bigger cities.”
“Predicted to happen? By whom? And if so, why weren’t we warned about it?” Jolene said, her voice rising.
“I know who,” Brian said. His eyes met Crow’s. “A Crow told him.”
“Wait. I thought you were Crow?” Jolene looked at Wil. “Is that your nickname or something?”
Crow fidgeted in his seat. “No, I am a crow, but not the Crow. It’s kind of complicated, let me explain.”
“Maybe you better tell them about the trains, too,” one of the guards said.
Jolene wasn’t blind to the dark shadow that crossed Cr
ow’s face.
Crow nodded and started to speak when the door burst open and Koor ran into the room, his face red, flushed. “You better come see this,” he said, breathless.
Crow raced out of the room.
Jolene and her group followed Crow and Koor down to the main control room, where the television screens all showed the same breaking news stories. The volume was down. Koor pressed a button and turned it up on all screens simultaneously.
Koor turned to face them. Jolene noticed his lower lip trembled. “They hit Texas and Vegas. Reports coming in of an attack in Europe,” Koor said, his eyes wide and fearful, looking from one person to the next.
“It’s happening. Operation Black Mariah. It’s not just us, guys. It’s global.”
Operation Black Mariah
Wave One
All over the world, from small rural towns to big cities, from Alaska to South Africa, something is happening. Though events differ from place to place, all point to the same chilling outcome: the implementation of a New World Order by the global elite. Their goal—to centralize the world’s power and wealth into their own hands, and to control humanity. But first they need to cull the human population to sustainable levels, and their plans have begun.
Welcome to the world of Marie D. Jones Presents Black Mariah, a harrowing near-future ripped from today’s headlines that dares to look at what might come next. This is a world of conspiracies and cover-ups, of lies and deception, of chaos and confusion, and of small groups of people who realize the only way to survive is to harness the power of the human spirit. To defy and persist. In the wake of the quest for survival, a revolution called “Defiance” is born.
This is a stand-alone story in the Black Mariah Shared World, a collaborative effort by authors from all across the globe whose characters react and respond to the same events, but in their own unique ways. Each story takes the reader on a journey of one of these characters, allowing for multiple perspectives to unfold. The only thing these characters have in common is that they survived Wave One. But will they survive what’s to come?
Experience Season One
Morris, Indiana by Marie D. Jones
El Desaguadero River, Nicaragua by Burke Bryant
Juneau, Alaska by Lindy Ryan
Hanau, Germany by Dorothy Dreyer
Las Vegas by Mercedes M. Yardley
Tandragee, North Ireland by Julieanne Lynch
San Antonio, Texas by Eva Pohler
Victoria West, Northern Cape, South Africa by Monique Snyman
Changi, Singapore by Pearry Teo & Lindy Ryan
Jasper, Indiana by Marie D. Jones
Immerse yourself in the world of Black Mariah and stay up to date on news and announcements at BlackMariahSeries.com.
Acknowledgments
You generally write alone, but getting it out into the world requires a village. I take that back, a continent. I would like to first thank my family. My mom, Milly, instilled in me my creativity and imagination and love of storytelling. My dad, John, instilled in me my love of truth, science, the laws of nature, digging deeper for evidence and proof, and even a good conspiracy theory. My sister and brother, for their sibling support, laughter, and love. My good friends and extended family, making me feel so much less alone in the world. My readers and fans and supporters, for making the hard work and long hours worthwhile.
Two people who have been absolutely instrumental in getting this long-held dream of mine out into the world are Italia Gandolfo, and Lindy Ryan.
Italia Gandolfo has been the driving force of my creative life as my manager and my dear friend. Our journey with this project goes back years, and many ups and downs, joys and disappointments, and, as always with Italia, she never stopped looking, never stopped pushing, never stopped for this dream to be made manifest. This is as much her baby as mine. I love birthing projects with her and look forward to the future more than ever. Thank you, lady! I couldn’t ask for a better manager and fellow warrior sister!
So, Italia calls me, and says “There is someone you need to meet.” And the rest, as they say, is history. That someone is Lindy Ryan, writer and publisher extraordinaire at Black Spot Books, who, despite our never having met before, just clicked with me and my vision for this project. No, not true...she took it and kicked it up so many notches, elevating it into something even I had never dreamed of. I thank her from the bottom of my heart for being a partner in this endeavor, and for her incredible ideas and visions. I know it sounds cliché, but I could not have done this without you...at least not anywhere near this awesome! Thanks to the mighty Cat Lowe and your staff for their support and assistance.
Thanks to the amazing team of writers all over the world that came on board to be a part of this project. I am so honored and indebted, and completely blown away by their creativity and genius! Lindy Ryan, Burke Bryant, Dorothy Dreyer, Mercedes Yardley, Julianne Lynch, Eva Pooler, Pearry Teo, Monique Snyman...this belongs to all of you, too. Words cannot express how thrilled I am to know you and to work alongside you!
And, last, but never least, for he is the reason for all that I do, my son, Max. He is the greatest thing I’ve ever created, the greatest gift I’ve ever been giving. My biggest dreams are for his happiness.
About the Author
Marie D. Jones is the best-selling author of over 30 books, including "PSIence: How New Discoveries In Quantum Physics and New Science May Explain the Existence of Paranormal Phenomena,” heralded as one of the most important books on the paranormal. She co-wrote "Supervolcano: The Catastrophic Event That Changed the Course of Human History," with her father, geophysicist Dr. John Savino, and co-wrote "11:11- The Time Prompt Phenomenon: The Meaning Behind Mysterious Signs, Sequences and Synchronicities," "The Resonance Key: Exploring the Links Between Vibration, Consciousness and the Zero Point Grid," "This Book Is From the Future: A Journey Through Portals, Relativity, Wormholes and Other Adventures in Time Travel," "The Grid: Exploring the Hidden Infrastructure of Reality," and "MIND WARS: A History of Mind Control." Marie recently wrote, "The Disaster Survival Guide," "Celebrity Ghosts and Notorious Hauntings," "Disinformation and You: Identify Propaganda and Manipulation" and “Toxin Nation: The Systematic Poisoning of Our Air, Water, Food, and Products.”
She is also a novelist and wrote the "EKHO - EVIL KID HUNTING ORGANIZATION" middle grade series with her son, Max Jones, based on his spy group, EKHO, in grade school. She is also the author of "The Shapeshifter Stone.” Her horror novel, "The Dim" will be published by Black Spot Books in 2022. She has also written numerous short stories and novellas.
She has an extensive background in journalism, metaphysics, new science, ufology, conspiracy theories, cutting edge science, and the paranormal and has worked as a field investigator for MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) in Los Angeles and San Diego in the 1980s and 1990s and as a researcher/writer for CUFOS, the Center for UFO Studies.
Marie has appeared on the History Channel's "Ancient Aliens" and "Nostradamus Effect" series and served as a special UFO/abduction consultant for the 2009 Universal Pictures promotional campaign for "The Fourth Kind." She has been interviewed on hundreds of radio talk shows all over the world, including Coast To Coast AM, NPR, KPBS Radio, Whitley Strieber’s Dreamland, the X-Zone, and the Shirley MacLaine Show. She has been a staff writer for Intrepid Magazine, Paranoia Magazine, FATE Magazine, and a regular contributor to New Dawn Magazine, Phenomenon, and Atlantis Rising.
She has lectured at major paranormal, new science, and self-empowerment events, including "The Paradigm Symposium," "Beyond Expo," "Maritime Ghost Conference," "Through the Veil," "Queen Mary Weekends," "TAPS Academy Training," "CPAK," and "Darkness Radio Events.”
She is also a screenwriter and producer, with several projects under option for film and television. She sold her romantic comedy "Mistletoe Connections" to Larry Levinson Productions. She recently wrote and co-produced the short films, "KINGS BOULEVARD" for Rockchalk Pictures and "GRADUATION AFTERNOON" for IronTree Films based on the S
tephen King short story for his Dollar Baby program and continues to write and produce indie films.
Her website is www.mariedjones.com
Keep Reading
Season 1, Episode 2
El Desaguadero River, Nicaragua by Burke Bryant
When a member of a private research team deep in the Nicaraguan jungle succumbs to an unknown contaminant, the team is desperate to find help in the razed villages along the El Desaguadero River.
After a team member succumbs to a fatal respiratory infection, Chris Rake is forced to sail his research team upriver through dense Nicaraguan jungle in search of help. Instead of medicine, they find a deserted village still-smoldering from the fire of a mass grave and one survivor: a young blind girl too in shock to explain what’s happened to her people. Down one man and with a vessel unfit for sailing, the team sets out on foot with the girl in tow. A plane crash in the middle of the night sends Chris and his team to investigate another horrific scene where again they find only one survivor—a Nicaraguan woman named Maria.
When a survivor of the blind girl’s village is the next to perish, Chris’s suspicions demand answers. But when Donovan confronts Nadia and demands to know who she is and what she knows, Maria has a question of her own: who is he, and what was he doing so deep in the Nicaraguan jungle?
Read the next episode on Amazon.
Black Mariah: Morris, Indiana (Black Mariah Series, Season 1) Page 10
