Orbital Decay

By A.G. Claymore

A Black Ships Novella
Detective Sergeant Ben Mark's life is falling apart. It's been a long, painful process for years but the pace has just accelerated dramatically. A suicide turns into the case from Hell as Ben realizes that Dr. Mortensen was the victim of foul play.

And he may not be the last.

Ben's own life is in danger as he struggles desperately to uncover what Gaia Biodesign is doing on their orbital lab, and why they are willing to kill to keep it quiet. As he races to uncover the truth, he learns that the entire species may be the next victim.

Just as humanity is finally reaching for the stars, a terrible mistake may knock us back into the Stone Age.
If anyone is left alive...

(approx 18,000 words)

• Language: English
• Publisher: A.G. Claymore
• Release date: Oct 24, 2013
• ISBN: 9781310513022

A.G. Claymore

Andrew is a former analyst specializing in geopolitical affairs and has written for a variety of national and extra-national agencies. He has undergrads in Biology and Engineering and is currently writing in the foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains where he owns an overgrown lawn.

Book preview

ORBITAL DECAY

Smashwords Edition 

Published by A.G. Claymore

Edited by Beryl MacFadyen

Copyright 2012 A.G. Claymore

This is a work of fiction. Names, Characters, Places, Incidents and Brands are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of any products referenced in this work of fiction which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Other Titles By Andrew Glen Claymore:

http://agclaymore.blogspot.ca/p/available-titles.html/

Table of Contents

Last Chance

The Road to Hell

Indicators

No Return

The Face of Death

Descent

Thin Hope

A Pat on the Head

The Roaches Always Survive

From the Author

Last Chance

From: [e-mail]

To: Oversight23@(withheld).gov;

CC: Steering23@(withheld).com

Subject: Progress of Project Chronos - CN223 sample study

            Infection progress on CN223 tissue samples has exceeded all expectations. Retroviral uptake of the targeted sequences has allowed the samples to pass all green line levels for protein generation. It is believed that the phase II Mg phage will now be viable in the host tissues. We strongly recommend that the phase II phage be deployed first on the CN223 samples before moving to live testing.

Our best estimate is for three months to complete the CN223 stage as originally planned. Data from this study will be invaluable as a baseline for the live trials. We cannot stress enough how important it is to complete the full program on the tissue samples before moving to animal testing.

Dr. Sam Mortensen

Gaia Bio Design

23345 W. Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL

Wild Geese

Humboldt Park, Chicago

Ben pulled into his parking spot, easing ahead until the chain-link wall of his storage unit moved. He killed the ignition just as his favorite talk-radio program was being interrupted with an announcement. Must be another ‘wash your hands’ advisory, he thought. He opened the door, just clearing the concrete column, and stepped out with his case files in hand. He sighed. Even a year after the breakup, his loft was still the last place he wanted to be.

He stood there, frowning down at his files. It hadn’t been a very productive afternoon, but there was a lot of that going around lately. Dr. Mortensen’s death was fast turning into a dead end. Turning into – but it had been a mess of contradictions from the start.

His stomach grumbled. He ignored the elevator, heading instead for the fire exit stairs at the back of the subterranean parking structure. He had an empty refrigerator and a massive craving for pollo chon. He jogged up the stairs, shoving the door open with a grin. None of the residents complained about the alarm being broken because it was too convenient.

It had also seemed a little convenient that he had been pulled off the Mortensen case. He had started with a decent list of subjects to interview but had only managed to speak to the first one before the rest began to disappear. It was as if they were dropping off the face of the earth entirely.

He had been sitting at his desk, scratching his head when Captain Walker suddenly dropped into the seat in front of him.

FBI’s got their shorts in a knot. The captain belched, holding a fist to his upper chest with a grimace.

So, tell them to switch to thongs, Ben said irritably, regretting it almost immediately. It wasn’t Walker’s fault that Ben had spent three days chasing ghosts and he certainly wasn’t responsible for the FBI. He grabbed a bottle of antacids from his desk and offered it to his captain.

So let me guess. Ben spoke into the silence as Walker downed a couple of tablets. They’ve got a high-priority op going on and they need us to provide foot soldiers, no questions asked and no back-talk?

Ooh… A few taps to the chest, before Walker snagged Ben’s coffee mug and washed the taste out of his mouth. Something like that. He set the mug down and leaned back in his chair with a sigh. Our unit got tasked and I’m making you our point man.

Cap, I’m in the middle of the case from hell, Ben said, looking over at the case board, and Garcia just cleared that floater they pulled out of the lake…

Garcia never worked for the NSA, Walker cut him off calmly. The bureau always holds their ‘need to know’ bullshit over our heads and I want our guy to be someone with a stronger background than theirs. He stifled another belch, smaller this time. They say an NSA decryption indicated a terrorist cell operating in Chicago.

I haven’t kept up with anyone from Fort Meade. Ben had been let go for looking into intercepts from the Caribbean. Codename stuff, but a codename nobody had ever heard of. It was mundane – resupply requisitions, mostly. The simple fact that the transmissions had even been picked up in the first place was an embarrassment to the government. Ben had ignored orders to file it and leave it alone. Now he was a cop with a sword hanging permanently over his head.

Doesn’t matter. Don’t even mention your past. Walker shrugged. They’re bound to research whoever I give them. Hell, they’ll expect you already. If you go in bragging about your past, they’ll figure you for a bullshitter. He chuckled. If you keep quiet about it and insist you have no current connection with the NSA, they’re bound to wonder if you’re keeping tabs on them for someone.

So you’re putting me on this just to mess with them? Ben aimed an exaggerated glance at the case board. Like I said, Garcia’s free and I’m…

"Wasting