Faceless Fear: Alexander Ranch, #5

By Marla Josephs

Alyssa Wayne woke up with a start. She lay there holding her breath, listening intently to the quiet. After a tense moment, she let out her breath, relaxed, and was just about to turn over when she heard a soft scratching noise. The next sound she heard had her sitting straight up in bed. She was certain it was the click of the front door. She sat paralyzed with fear at the certainty that someone had just entered her apartment. She was equally certain that it wasn't her roommate.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marla Josephs
• Release date: May 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386603634

Marla Josephs

Marla Josephs leads a busy life in Northern California with her husband and children. When everyone in the family isn't working or studying hard they are traveling and playing hard. Now that her kids are older, she is very excited to be able to finally put her writing front and center. She's released 3 books in her Alexander Ranch series. She is working hard on the first installment of a new series as well as book 4 of her popular Alexander Ranch series. Check her out on her new Facebook page or send her a message at [e-mail].

Book preview

Faceless Fear

Alexander Ranch, Volume 5

Marla Josephs

Published by Marla Josephs, 2018.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

FACELESS FEAR

First edition. May 11, 2018.

Copyright © 2018 Marla Josephs.

Written by Marla Josephs.

Also by Marla Josephs

Alexander Ranch

Into Thin Air

Faceless Fear

Under The Shadows

Alexander Ranch

Alexander Security and Investigations

Under Suspicion

Reluctant

Reluctant

Betrayed

Traveling Love

Road Trip

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Also By Marla Josephs

Faceless Fear

Sign up for Marla Josephs's Mailing List

Further Reading: Road Trip

Also By Marla Josephs

Faceless Fear

An Alexander Ranch Matter # 5

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By Marla Josephs

© Tempfield Press and Beverly Fields 2016

Check out more titles by Marla Josephs at:

www.marlajosephs.net

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Chapter 1

Alyssa Wayne woke with a start. She lay there holding her breath, listening intently to the quiet. What had roused her? It must have been a sound. But, she heard nothing. Maybe a car or some other noise outside, she thought relaxing slightly. After another tense moment, she let out her breath, relaxed, and was just about to turn over when she heard a soft scratching noise. She froze again, her body and ears on full alert. Was this the noise that had awakened her? It sounded as though it was coming from the front room down the hall. She lay there, her whole body tense, ears straining to hear. The next sound she heard had her sitting straight up in bed. She was certain it was the click of the front door. The air in the room shifted as it does when a door is opened or closed somewhere in their small apartment. Somehow, she knew it wasn’t her roommate, Joyce, returning home. Even if she were trying to be quiet, there was just something too off about it. She knew without a doubt, someone had just broken into her apartment.

Alyssa was surprised she could hear anything over the pounding of her now galloping heart. She sat paralyzed with fear. The knowledge that her unknown intruder was between her and the only exit had her rooted to the spot in terror.

She swiveled her head around the room looking for something to use as a weapon. There was nothing. She doubted the lotion bottle or book on her nightstand would prove very effective. Her eyes settled on the slivers of light coming through her bedroom window. The window! Her mind worked lightning fast trying to settle on a course of action. Their apartment was on the second floor. With any luck, she could get out the window and hop down to her neighbor’s balcony without breaking her neck. From there she could climb over the balcony and down to the ground. Could she make it to the window and out before her intruder found his way to her room? Her mind raced furiously on. Surely the moment she climbed off the bed the sound would carry and her intruder would be alerted that someone was home. The apartment complex where she lived was so quiet in the dead of night, any soft sounds would carry. She feared that she wouldn’t be able to move fast enough to get out of the window before her intruder took the few steps down the hall to her room. And, if she did somehow make it, how would she get help?

She prayed her neighbor, Dylan, was home. If she didn’t quite make it out of her apartment and to his door, she’d scream her head off in hopes that he or someone would hear her. She was certain she’d heard the low rumble of his television when she’d gone to bed.

A creak in the hall made her decision to move for her. She sprang out of bed and hit the floor running. There was a short pause before the sound of footsteps running down the hall in her direction reached her. A moment of hesitation on her intruder’s part that hopefully bought her some time. She shoved the window open and smashed both fists into the screen. It fell to the balcony below with a loud clank. The footsteps were rapidly coming closer. Her intruder seemed unsure of which bedroom she was in, but he was so close. It would only be mere seconds for him to be upon her now. She barely stopped herself from diving head first out the window in her panic. She’d surely kill herself landing on her neighbor’s balcony head first. In nothing but her nightshirt, she threw her leg over the sill, straddled it, and then hastily pulled her other leg through. Hanging on by her fingers, she hung there for the briefest moment with the window frame tracks biting into her skin before letting go.

It was about a six to eight-foot drop to the balcony. She landed with a painful thud, but remembered to roll with it, hoping to avoid breaking anything. She immediately scrambled back up, ignoring the pain from her legs and ass from the hard landing. She threw herself over the ledge and off the balcony. Limping to her neighbor’s front door, she hurled herself against it and began banging for all she was worth and ringing the bell. A loud curse could be heard coming from her bedroom window above, and then running feet coming from Dylan’s apartment. She glanced up, but the view of her bedroom window was blocked by Dylan’s porch awning. Though she knew that meant her intruder couldn’t see her either, she was too panicked to count this as a good thing. Next, the sound of thundering feet coming down the outside stairs from her apartment could be heard just as the porch light came on and Dylan snatched his door open.

Alyssa? He blinked in sleepy confusion, squinting against the light. Alyssa pushed him out of the way, shoving her way into his apartment. Then she slammed the door behind her before frantically locking and backing away from it.

What’s going on? Dylan asked, becoming immediately alarmed.

There’s someone in my apartment. Alyssa could clearly hear the panic in her voice and so could Dylan. Her words came out in gasps from the exertions of her escape out the window as well as the adrenalin and fear pumping through her veins.

What? Dylan asked, snatching the door open.

No! Don’t open it! she yelled, her distress ratcheting up a notch.

The sound of running feet could be heard as Dylan poked his head out. Luckily, they were fading as the person ran away from the apartment. Moments later, a door slammed and a car was heard speeding away. Dylan re-closed and locked the door before turning to her and pulling her into his arms.

Are you alright? he asked in her ear.

Her head wobbled against his shoulder, Yes. I’m fine. I got out my window before he got to my room.

We need to call the police. He guided her to the couch and lowered them both down on it. He held her a few moments longer before releasing her and standing. I’m just going to get the phone.

She nodded and wiped away the tears that had started to gather in her eyes. She hadn’t realized her eyes were leaking. Dylan was back in a moment with the phone in his hand dialing 911. Alyssa barely registered the conversation Dylan was having with the operator.

No. Not my apartment, the one above me. Someone broke into Alyssa Wayne’s apartment. She’s the daughter of Attorney David Wayne, he was saying. Yes, that Attorney David Wayne.

Dylan sat back down beside her and was now absently rubbing her back with his free hand as he held the phone in the other studying her with a worried expression. He stood abruptly and walked away, but was back handing her a cell phone before she could miss him.

You should call your father, he whispered, covering the phone.

She numbly took the phone and stared at it. He squeezed her shoulder, causing her to look up at him. He nodded at the phone. She couldn’t think. Her dad was on speed dial on her cell. But, she didn’t have her phone and couldn’t remember the number to his cell phone. Then she remembered it was the middle of the night. She only needed to call the private house number. That had been her home phone number the whole time she was growing up. That number she knew. She dialed. After the fifth ring, a sleepy voice answered the phone. It was their maid, Rosalyn.

Rosalyn? This is Alyssa. I need to speak to my dad.

Chapter 2

Babe, are you okay?

Lela came out of her exhaustion induced fugue state at the sound of her boyfriend, Jordan’s, voice.

I’m fine. She tried to sound alert and pulled herself to a seated position on the sofa. Just tired.

Maybe you should just stay in and relax today, he suggested scrutinizing her. She’d dragged herself out of bed this morning just to end up sprawling on the sofa in the family room.

No. I’m up. She swung her legs around, put her feet on the floor, and stood in one swift motion. A wave of dizziness came over her. She swayed, then staggered, then reached out trying to steady herself, and Jordan grabbed her arm.

Lela? he said in alarm.

I’m fine, she said patiently. I just got up too fast.

I think Grace needs to check you out, he stated doubtfully. Grace was Jordan’s sister-in-law and a doctor. She was also a healer, which meant she could heal most injuries or illnesses just by touching someone.

Seriously, Jordan. I’m fine, Lela repeated. I just sat up too abruptly.

You’ve been sleeping a lot lately, even for you. He frowned. And, that’s saying a lot since you’re always tired.

Well, considering Logan has had Shane working me out like crazy since we got back from that case in Costa Rica, how could I not be tired? She asked incredulously. I’m up to five days a week, four hours a day. And, I still have to work. I think that would be enough to wear anyone out. I just need to get used to the schedule and boost my stamina.

So you keep saying, Jordan groused. He lifted her arm and frowned at it pointedly. If you keep coming home with bruises, people are going to start thinking I’m abusing you.

Jordan didn’t like her increasing her martial arts training schedule. And, he nearly hit the roof when she started coming home with small injuries and bruises. But, even he couldn’t argue when his brother, Logan, the head of Alexander Consulting and Investigations, had insisted she needed to step up her training. She’d been attacked, shot, kidnapped, and had numerous other physical altercations since she’d started hanging out and working with them. A few bruises were a small price to pay to be better equipped to protect herself. She wasn’t only up against normals like herself. She encountered other super humans like the Alexanders. 

Though they all hated, to varying degrees, when she called them super humans, they all possessed more than normal human abilities. They all had the abilities of superior hearing, strength, speed, sight, and smell. Aside from that, drainers could drain the life force from living things by simple touch, and healers had the ability to heal. Though they insisted they were just normal people, Lela reserved the right to disagree.

Two hours later, after a couple of cups of coffee, she was feeling fine. It had just taken her a little longer to wake up this morning, she assured herself. So, despite Jordan’s protests, she met Shane at the dojo for a quick workout and was working up a light sweat. Now that she was warmed up, Shane was increasing the force of his attacks. Shane came at her fast as lightning, with a jab, reverse punch, jab, and finished with a haymaker, all of which she parried except for the haymaker. That clipped her in the head as she ducked. Her arms were red and sore from blocking all of his punches and blows.

Good, good! Shane encouraged, stepping back and out of his fighting stance. You’re not getting hit. But at some point, you’re going to have to hit me.

I’m trying! Lela growled, glaring at him in frustration. "And, I am getting hit. You clipped the top of my head with that haymaker."

Aw, babe, don’t get frustrated. He smiled at her now as he tried to soothe her ire. I barely touched you, and you’re doing great.

Shane was half healer. However, being only half healer didn’t seem to lessen his abilities as far as she could tell. He seemed to move just as fast as the others. So, her chances of actually hitting him without him letting her do so were close to nil.

I think we both know if I ever hit you, it’ll be because you let me, she grumbled.

Alright, let’s do this. He turned away and gestured to a few other guys sparring in pairs on the other side of the room. Can you guys help us out?

Sure, Shane, Omar replied jogging over. The others followed. What’s up?

Lela needs some practice with single and multiple attackers, Shane explained. I need you guys to pull your punches, but don’t go easy on her. Come at her hard.

We can do that, Carson grinned.

Just don’t break anything, Shane ordered with a wince, no doubt thinking of having to face Jordan if anything happened to her.

Lela took a step back, looking at Shane in alarm. All of these guys were normals, as far as she could tell. And, she was fairly certain none of them knew about Shane’s abilities. They just all thought he was a superior fighter. While she knew them all by sight, Lela didn’t really know them beyond a few brief conversations and greetings. They all thought she was Shane’s girlfriend. She and Shane, by unspoken agreement, let the assumption stand to prevent her having to endure more than their interested looks and glances. She knew Shane wanted her to feel as comfortable as possible working out in the dojo. So, this seemed the easiest solution considering she was usually the only female unless Daisy joined them.

She’d done some light sparring with multiple attackers before in previous martial arts classes, but not with professionals like these. These were all military or law enforcement men, well trained, and used to using their martial arts skills. And, they were all black belts in something. Lela had seen the way they pounded on each other. She continued her backwards retreat. Shane grabbed her arm before she could try to make a run for it, obviously discerning her thoughts to flee.

How hard exactly do you want us to go on her? Austin asked, looking at her uncertainly.

Take her down. Just don’t hurt her. You know what to do, Shane ordered. Come at her one at a time first. Then, as she gets used to that, come all at once.

Shane! Lela hissed as the men started circling them.

They aren’t going to hurt you, Lela, he soothed, releasing her arm and backing away from her. He had the nerve to grin at her! But, you need the training. You’re in too many dangerous situations. Logan ordered me to get you better prepared, and that’s what I’m going to do. It’ll make me feel better too.

Son of a -

He gave the signal. Before she could finish her protest or flee, Omar’s fist was coming at her. She parried, only to fly right off her feet and onto her ass from a leg sweep. She immediately rolled, missing the kick that was coming at her, and landed on her feet. Another fist came at her. She deflected with a parry grab, locked her attacker’s wrist, got off a kidney jab and kick to the knee, bringing him down before he did a roll and a leg sweep. She was falling face first down to the mat. Crash! She landed in a tiger fall and rolled, but not fast enough. He was straddling her with his fist cocked back before she’d made it over onto her back completely. She deflected his fist, did a grab and pelvic thrust, throwing him off her and over her head. Then she was back on her feet.

That was good! Omar exclaimed as the others murmured their approval and encouragement. The more she was able to deflect their attacks, the more they tested her skill. She’d just ducked a haymaker, grabbed the swinging arm from behind, and did an arm lock around his head that could potentially break his neck, when she caught a kidney and head punch from two different attackers. She twisted, throwing her subdued attacker into them. They laughed and cheered before coming at her all at once. 

The blows didn’t really hurt...too much. Okay, who was she kidding? The guys were pulling their punches, but she definitely hurt. The blow to her head staggered her, but he hadn’t hit her hard enough to drop her or do any real damage. They weren’t wearing any gear, no doubt because Shane wanted this to be as real as possible. He kept sparring equipment to a minimum, saying that she needed to know how to take a punch. And, because she was used to this from her previous martial arts training before meeting up with Shane and the Alexanders, she was hesitant to protest. But, in all of her other classes before, she’d been sparring with competition fighters or plain old regular people learning self-defense. Not that they couldn’t hurt her. But, there were slight differences between those fighters and other dojo’s where you were being trained to fight for your life in any situation, including against multiple attackers.

With Shane, she trained with knives, swords, sticks, staffs, and other weapons. She was even trained to shoot at the gun range, which she took to like a fish to water. Her very first shot was right between the eyes. That had even surprised her. Shane had told her to shoot the 5 on the target. Somehow, squinting through the site, that was the first 5 she’d seen. She hadn’t seen the big orange circle with 5’s on the chest.

However, this new training program that Shane was putting her through was turning out to be much more challenging. She was sparring with lethally trained professionals, which meant they also knew just how hard to hit someone to do minimal or lethal damage. She knew if this was a real combat situation, these guys would have finished her off long ago. But, she also knew that the average Joe or street thug wasn’t likely to fight with their skill. So, her new mantra was, to be the best, you needed to train with the best. Or in her case, get the crap beat out of you by the best.

She dropped Isaac, a 6’2" muscle-packed hulk of a man, and turned to her other three attackers just as Isaac hopped back up on his feet. Another fist came flying. She deflected, landed a jab to the ribs, and stepped behind him using a foot locking technique to take him down, only to be taken down, yet again, by someone else. And this was how it went for the next 30 or 40 minutes.

Lela was surprised at how safe she felt with these deadly men, considering she was getting the shit beat out of her. By the time they were done with her, she had bruises, aches, and pains everywhere. But, honestly, she knew they were too skilled, self-controlled, and self-disciplined to actually hurt her. They’d only used enough force to allow her to get a realistic experience of what an actual attack would be like, and to practice executing her own training. Most of her bruises came from blocking their heavy blows, and from their measured strikes. Still, getting the crap beat out of you was a humbling experience to say the least.

When they’d flipped her, or otherwise taken her down, they’d followed her down to the mat rather than throwing her down like a rag doll. Though it had been quite nerve-wracking, it had been exhilarating and, dare she say, fun? Still, she felt every ache and pain.

You alright? Austin asked, holding a hand out to help her from her prone position on the mat he’d just thrown her down