The Shepherds of Arcadia (The Pattern Volume 2 Serialization Part 2)

By Elijah Stephens

During an attempt to find the cause behind sleep paralysis and alien abductions, a Black Ops team uncovers an ultra-terrestrial (transdimensional) race of beings holding the secret to the liberation of humanity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elijah Stephens
• Release date: Jan 7, 2015

Book preview

PART TWO

THE SHEPHERDS OF ARCADIA

* * * * *

Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own thoughts, unguarded. Buddha

* * * * *

Agent 26 sat in the passenger’s seat of the Federal sedan, following the other security vehicle specialized in courting ambassadors to the United Nations building for keynote addresses. He ran his fingers through his military haircut, and with bright blue eyes watched erratic drivers with adequate paranoia.

Their assignment was to protect the family of a Russian diplomat who was surrounded by controversy on all sides, with death threats equal to the number of legitimate contracts that had been put out on his life. He was already getting ready for his appearance, but to be safe, his wife and daughter were arriving separately.

Drake admired the tenacity of someone willing to stand against the status quo of corruption in a place like the return of the Soviet Empire, though it was something entirely different to carry the fear that comes with danger directed towards loved ones. The strongest enemies were those who had the courage to leave the innocent out of business matters, it was the cowards who sought to use devotion as a way of revealing weakness in someone who endangered their power.

The kind of men who would be trying to take the diplomat’s life would be the rare breed who saw no limitation to what they would trample, regardless of the obstruction. The contract is over ten million, said the driver with a glazed look, despite the thick Sunglasses he wore to hide his expression. We should have a police escort instead of trying to slip the family in like this.

It’s probably a corporate hit, they’re the only ones who would put such an offer on the open market.

He agreed. A government ordered takedown would be clean and likely a result of Spetsnaz and their brutal professionalism. They also wouldn’t be telegraphing the coming apocalypse.

You think we’re being setup? Drake asked him.

No, we’re just the only thing standing in the way of a massive payoff.

Every target we protect is swimming in death threats. That’s the entire point.

Of course, but whoever ordered this wants it to be loud and messy. Spies would poison his takeout dinner and be done with it, an article in newspapers about a natural end.

Stay close, you’re drifting, said Agent 26 after