by Jaci Wheeler
“Where are you? What happened? You should have come to me, Ari, you know I would have helped you.”
“I know, Cam, but I couldn’t risk it. I don’t have much time to catch you up, so Nix will have to do a majority of that later, but I need your help and I wanted it to come from me.” I take a deep breath and bring the connection forward that we shared in the past to help get me through this.
“The abridged version is that Edward has been using the Academy for his own purposes. There is no connection to the government, Cam; the funding is all obtained through illegal activities. Edward has his hands in everything: drug running, the sex slave trade, guns, insider trading, and list goes on. He knows powerful people in high places and is close to untouchable. There is also a sister organization in Russia but I haven’t been able to pull much on them.”
I can tell that he is hardly processing what I’m telling him. Disbelief is hardly the word, maybe pure and utter horror. Deep down I think he knew Edward couldn’t be trusted, but this? Never did we think he was capable of something like this.
“You have proof to back all of this?” he asks.
“More proof than you could use five times over, Cam. He was using me as his personal assassin for my last year at the Academy. I came across some proof that Nix can fill you in on later and one thing led me to another. He has no clue I’ve been tracking him all this time. When he had me doing side missions I kept proof of it all without his knowledge.”
“That’s my girl.” I can hear his slight chuckle and the pride coming through loud and clear.
“A leopard never loses its spots, right? Anyway, I’ve been monitoring all his accounts for all of his many aliases. Nothing has been safe from me, Cam, and the paper trail is more damning than I can say. After all these years, I’m finally ready and almost able to cripple him and shut it all down.”
“Then what are you waiting for? What do you need me to do?”
“I love your enthusiasm and I am going to need your help, but we must be cautious, Cam. He has more people backing him than you can imagine, so I need to tread lightly. My hacking abilities only go so far so I need someone with some hard intel and resources.”
“C.I.A.?” he asks correctly.
“Yes. Now that I have enough to sink him, that’s exactly our next move. The problem is he has a few in the organization on his payroll, so we have to be very careful. I can’t risk coming there with my son and there is no way for Nix to go undetected.” At his instant silence and then a slight shocked choking sound I chuckle.
“I can hear your thoughts shouting from here. Yes, Cameron, I have a son thanks to the monster. He created a test tube baby from my eggs and was trying to turn him into a weapon like he did me.”
“It’s why you ran,” he barely chokes out.
“Yes, he’s why I ran, and why I won’t risk coming back. He’s worth it, Cam. He’s two now and if I have to choose between keeping him safe and taking down Edward, I will always choose Bastian.”
“Bastian,” he says with awe and reverence in his tone.
“Yes, he’s amazing. You would love him. Anyway, I need you to vet out a contact for me in Langley. He’s high up on the chain of command, and from everything I have been able to dig up he seems legit, but I refuse to give up anything without a proper read on him. It has to be done in person.”
“Agreed. But how? We are all tracked. Even if I could sneak away there’s no way Edward wouldn’t notice me showing up in Virginia, and we can’t risk anyone coming to me.” I’m silent for a moment because I know he’s not going to like what I say next.
“Nix told me you are with Tali now,” I say quietly, which again throws him.
“What does Tali have to do with this?”
“Langley is only four hours from John Hopkins.” I hate how my tone sounds scared and usually I’m never anything but ballsy.
“And?” I hear the skepticism and anger in just the one word and I almost don’t want to proceed…but I must.
“John Hopkins has one of the best burn reconstructive plastic surgeons in the country.”
“No! Absolutely not. How could you even suggest something like this, Aria? To use her like that, no, one hundred percent no. I won’t do it.” I knew he wouldn’t like it but I wasn’t expecting him to flat out refuse.
“I’m sorry to even suggest it, Cam, but Nix and I have gone over it a million times. It’s the only thing that would work. I would never suggest it if we had any other option. Tali is one of my closest friends and I love her. You know I’d never even bring it up if I didn’t have to. Don’t answer me now, just promise you will think about it and talk to Tali. This is time sensitive, so I need your response sooner rather than later. Nix can get a hold of me.”
“Aria, do you know how much you are asking?”
“Yes I do, Cam. I really do, but it’s our only option. Anything else could get back to Edward and blow my cover, and then everything we’ve been fighting for will be for nothing. I have to do this for my son and for all the other lives Edward has destroyed and will continue to destroy. He’s using children as hired guns, Cam. He wants to build his own baby army. It’s sick and he needs to be stopped. I could cripple him, but I need The C.I.A. to really bring him down for good.”
“I’m not agreeing to this; I don’t even think I will tell Tali. But if I do, what exactly are you asking of us?” I sigh in relief.
“All she would need to do is schedule a consult with the doctor there. We aren’t asking her to get the surgery, Cam, but if she could start the process and tell Edward that’s what she’s doing, that would be best. You both would take personal time off for several consult trips, counseling, the surgery itself, and the recovery. This will buy us plenty of time and ways to make drops to the Agent In Charge.” He lets out a harsh breath. As much as it sickens him to admit it, he knows I am right. This is the best cover we could ask for. It buys us plenty of time to get the A.I.C. all the proof and info without any suspicion.
“She wouldn’t have to get the surgery, Cam,” I reiterate. “But she would have to go through with the process until the very end before she backs out so that Edward isn’t aware.”
“She’s perfect just how she is and her confidence is finally back.”
“I know, Cam, I know.”
“Okay I’ll think about it, but I can’t promise you anything, Ari.”
“Thank you, Cam. And either way, I just want you to know that I love you…I miss you everyday, you big lug.”
“I love you too, kid. You keep yourself and that little boy safe, you hear?”
“Always. Bye, Cam.”
“Bye, Princess.”
*** Turn the page for more from Books & Bowties Publishing***
The Curious Tale of Gabrielle
A Gabrielle Novel: Book 1
CHAPTER ONE
Gabrielle sprinted down the cobblestone streets of Envisage with her hand clutched in a tight fist so as not to drop the birthday gift she had received from her father.
The silver coin was smooth in her hand and she nervously rubbed it as she ran. A grin stretched across her young, freckle-spattered face as she kept pace toward her destination. She barely looked aside as she zipped through groups of passersby, almost knocking several over.
Her long, curly red hair whipped around as she turned to yell apologies over her shoulder in afterthought. Any other day, this behavior would've been out of character for the reserved and quiet young lady, but this was no ordinary day. Thirteenth birthdays are rarely ordinary.
Ever since their arrival just three months ago, Gabrielle had spent hour upon hour and day upon day exploring her new town. The twists and turns of the narrow streets, the rolling hills of cobblestone flanked with marble steps, and the warm doorways were quickly becoming familiar to her.
When attempting to convince his young wife, to move to this quiet town, her father had said,
“On the cobbled streets of Envisage, on a cool, sunny day, one could see the world,
if one sought to do so. Envisage is a town that hasn’t been touched by time or burden. All there are happy and all are welcome.”
This was met with a sigh from her mother, who thought of her husband as a dreamer. Gabrielle was much like her father, Peter Wright. Not only was she a dreamer, but with her pale complexion, green eyes, and fiery red hair, her mother often said she was the image of him.
And like him, she was fascinated by this new place with its old streets, ancient buildings, and quiet residents. She missed her home in Texas, but moving to the North was a new adventure.
Her unconfined, curious nature spurred her determination to explore every stone and corner of her new home without fear — except for one building. She couldn’t bring herself to enter the ancient-looking brick shop on the opposite side of town.
Today, however, was different. Today she would explore the one hidden adventure she had yet to conquer.
Gabrielle darted between two elderly women conversing about their day — which must not have been too important, as they stopped to yell at her when she inadvertently bumped one of them.
As she rounded the corner of Bearing Avenue, the shop just at the end of the road came into view. With feet dancing side by side, arms rowing as though she were swimming through the air, and a firm clutch upon her father’s silver coin, Gabrielle mechanically worked her way to the shop.
She came to a halt in the immense shadow of the grand building towering before her. She stood amidst the building’s entrance, studying the structure from the base of the entrance all the way to the cracked shingles that hung from the edge of the roof, admiring its size.
Frost crept around the edges of the large windows. A faint yellow light sifted its way through toys in the window. Gabrielle looked at a small wooden doll in fascination. It's painted on face had faded and one arm was missing. She thought about the little girl that once played with the doll and wondered what other mysteries she would find inside.
The washed-out sign appeared just as aged as the shop’s contents with its missing lettering and worn paint. It failed to indicate what was sold inside.
With the adrenaline subsided, the dull ache reemerged from her ankle, and the sting from her lungs swelled. Once the mystery from the shop was solved, there wouldn't be any more adventures in Envisage.
“Collywobbles!” Gabrielle spoke from the side of her mouth to channel her father and work up the nerve to go inside. It was such a silly word, and she felt a bubble of laughter forming in her stomach.
With a smirk in the same corner of her mouth as her father’s smirk, she took a deep breath and stepped closer to the door. Reaching out her empty hand, she grasped the large brass knob of the front entrance.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
There are so many people that made this book happen. Firstly, to my husband who has always backed me and stood behind everything I do. He has supported me a thousand percent both emotionally and financially to make this book happen.
J.L. Drake, thank you for your friendship and for being my sounding board. I can’t count the number of phone calls of us bouncing off ideas, and story lines. For lending me a bit of your darkness and encouraging mine. You’ve been a fantastic friend and an even better mentor. Nate, Thanks for lending me your wife, our chats help keep me sane, so Joey thanks you as well I’m sure.
Bek, my editor and best friend in this world. Thank you for always being there, always supporting and loving me. For putting up with my horrible grammar and inconsistencies, and fixing them in the most loving way possible.
Nadege, you are so impressive! I love how much you have accomplished in such a short amount of time on this earth. Thank you for using your fantastic skills to make my book look pretty.
To Zach and Layla. I’m so happy I met you both. Some of my best friendship have been made from chance meetings and I’m so glad you both were brought into my life. Thank you for taking me under your wing, I’m going to do my best to make your brand proud! Layla, I’m so freaking glad you are a Ravenclaw! Thank you for using your abilities to bless me! Zach, Thanks for being my Slytherin buddy! I’m sure with Layla’s brains and our cunning we will take over the world one day!
To my fantastic Beta’s! I seriously have the best beta’s ever. You guy’s made this book. I flipped flopped so much and changed it around so many times it became a different book. Thank you for your feedback, and your patience. Katie and Nicole, thank you for letting me nag you all hours of the day and night. Dawn and Kathryn, thanks for your super-fast reading and feedback. Tanyia, you saved me girl! Thank you for your good eye and for being a wonderful proof reader.
To my parents, thank you for helping out with the kids when you could, so that I could go after my dream. Sam, thanks for letting me practice my skills on you! Fighting with you as a kid made me tough. Thank you for teaching me that it’s okay to make boys cry, and not to tuck my fingers in when I punch. (I’m still working on that one.)
Also to those amazing and supportive fellow authors who have lifted my spirits, shared information and built fantastic connections with. Jodi, Amanda, Katy, Shantella, Kayla, Nadege and all the other Amazing authors I’ve had the pleasure to meet thank you for letting me into your club!
Lastly, but most important, thank you to my readers. To those who have followed my journey and continue to support me, as well those who just picked this book up by chance and are giving me a try. Thank you, I appreciate every single reader. Thank you to those who have liked and shared my posts and thank you for every single review.
Those reviews mean more than you know! I wish I could explain the overwhelming support I’ve gotten from friends, family and strangers. It means more than I could ever put into words. To those readers who have come to signings to see me, who have recommended me to friends and family it means so much Thank you!
About the Author
I have been married to my very supportive husband for 8 years and we have two amazing Autistic kids! I always dreamed of being a writer, but life got in the way.
Going through my kids different therapies and special schools and one meeting after the next I needed a way to get away from it all and find my perfect Utopia! This is how the United Series was born. Writing has always been cathartic to me. Who wouldn't want to leave their world for a while and step into a new one?
I have so many stories and characters just waiting to find a place on your shelf! I'm hoping to come out with a few more Trilogies very soon. For Updates and information please go to my webpage at www.jaciwheeler.com
