The Gathering Storm, Part 25

She’d known he was coming—she’d been alerted by phone. But apparently he’d also been warned she was on edge. All for the best, Zoe supposed, as she heard a twig snap in the distance and a youthful, jovial voice calling out amiably, “Fringe, not foe!” as Mad Dash came into sight. The mask he wore—revealing [...]

The Gathering Storm, Part 21

[ - To view a list of all current chapters, click here - ] After the tense visit by Janus’ men, a nearly half-hour-long flogging at Hush-a-Bye’s hands had been very therapeutic, and now—flushed and covered with a sheen of sweat all over his bare, bruised, welted and blood-streaked torso—GoodKnight stood near her. “Ya did [...]

The Gathering Storm, Part 19

[ - To view a list of all current chapters, click here - ] After the latest recruitment dinner with Zoe—and possibly the last, given how much other work there was to do between now and the woman’s graduation deadline—Underworld was relieved to get back the the headquarters. Not only did she dearly want to [...]

The Gathering Storm, Part 17

[ - To view a list of all current chapters, click here - ] Entering Janus’ office, she moved with slow, purposeful steps, like a ballet dancer building up toward some grand maneuver—then she abruptly stopped 12 feet away from the imposing mahogany desk, where Janus sat and Underworld and Crazy Jane stood nearby. Standing [...]

Insanity Peal

The man in the three-piece suit flipped the final page of the file, frowned, looked up at the man with the rumpled slacks, gaudy tie and white physician’s coat, and said, “Arthur, I don’t believe she is insane.” Dr. Arthur Hawkings coughed sharply and briefly, leaving it vague as to whether the cough was coincidence [...]