New Dominion: The Judas Files, #2

By C.G. Harris

Ghostly brawls, voodoo magic and a manhunt for a power-hungry dead guy. 

 

Underworld double agent Gabe Gantry can't stop screwing up. And why can't he have a cool Topside superpower like his partner Alex?

 

Trying to commit covert good deeds from inside Hell is a devilishly tricky balancing act and the scales have just tipped.

 

Being a secret agent in the Underworld is never simple, but a gig that doesn't involve preventing the next apocalypse is suspiciously non-Satanic. But Gabe knows better. There has to be a catch.

 

All he has to do is uncover the truth, fend off murderous ghosts, save a young genius and do it all without colossal screw ups or giving away his secret. No problem!

 

If you like snarky characters, and dark humor, then you'll love New Dominion,  the second book in the action-packed supernatural Judas Files urban fantasy series by C.G. Harris. (Think Dresden Files against the backdrop of Hell). Series now complete!

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hot Chocolate Press
• Release date: May 8, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393386544

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

E rrand boys. I tugged at the collar of my shirt, trying to loosen the noose-tight tie around my neck. We work for the most terrifying agency in the world ... underworld … and now we’re Topside playing the part of overdressed mailmen.

Speak for yourself. Alex smoothed her tailored black jacket and sleek pants then shifted her briefcase from one hand to the other. I make this look good.

I couldn’t argue, but I wouldn’t let her know that. Even without the hair? I pointed to the auburn wig she used to camouflage her Ty-D-Bol blue-colored locks.

She narrowed her eyes at me and glanced at the suit I had chosen for the occasion. At least I didn’t come dressed as a pallbearer at a gangster’s funeral.

What’s wrong with what I have on? I peered down at my ensemble, brushing off the collar.

Double breasted pinstripes went out in the 1920s. All you’re missing is the fedora.

The classics never go out of style.

A 67’ Camaro is a classic. You look like a pimp for a geriatric home.

I shot her a glare in place of a witty comeback. A sure sign I didn’t have one. The awkward silence stretched as we scrutinized the tiny, boring office we waited in. Desk, filing cabinet, drooping ficus in the corner that hadn’t seen a drop of water since the last ice age.

So, what’s in that fancy briefcase? I couldn’t take it anymore. If I had to endure one more moment of silence, I would dive out the seven-story window and take the ficus with me.

I have no idea. She held the case up and looked it over.

You didn’t even check it out? I asked. It could be anything. A bomb, an envelope full of money, or puppies.

Puppies? She rolled her eyes. Nothing is ticking—or barking. And it’s locked. I already tried.

I started to suggest a more aggressive investigative tactic, but I was cut short when the office door opened. A man walked in wearing a bright smile and casual dress, making our monkey suits appear even more out of place.

He seemed to be in his mid-forties with salt and pepper hair. Clean, but not slicked back and spit shined like your typical CEO executive. This guy looked like your buddy next door. He had his sleeves rolled up and collar loose, ready to lend a hand to whatever job needed doing. I adjusted my tie again, suddenly feeling suffocated.

Nicholas Powel. He reached out to shake our hands, meeting our gaze with infectious enthusiasm.

I’m Gabe Gantry, and this is my associate, Alexandrea Neveu.

Alex’s sudden glare made me grin. She hated it when I used her full name.

Please, call me Alex.

Alex, it is. Nick hurried around to the other side of a desk littered with papers, files, and coffee mugs. Please forgive my mess. I was here pretty late last night working on some last-minute requests from the DEA.

I raised an eyebrow. Alex and I had been briefed about some sort of medical tech Nick had in the works, but that’s all we knew. Considering we were sent up to play the part of an advanced, ultra-secure research firm, vague details didn’t feel like enough to sell it. Then again, when you took your marching orders from a lion- headed demon, you didn’t ask too many questions either.

The Nine, a name we locals crafted in an attempt to warm up Hell’s PR problems, wasn’t at the end of any rainbow, but after forty years, I still managed to carve out a cozy armpit to exist in. That was, until Judas Iscariot recruited me into his agency. He was in the business of delivering disasters, death, and destruction to those living Topside. Imagine my surprise when he also informed me that I would be moonlighting as a wrench in the operation. He wanted me to work as a double agent, to find and stop the worst disasters from ever happening.

I couldn’t tell anyone about my gold star position, of course. That would be too easy. I reached into my pocket and fingered the single denarius that bonded me to Judas and his calling. Betray the secret, and it would suck my soul into an abyss that made Hell seem like a preschool with extra finger paints. It made the daily grind a challenge, and not knowing what my grubby little hands were into was never a good start.

The DEA, they can be real sticklers, can’t they? My ridiculous ploy to tease out more information drew a sideways glare from Alex. Her eyes practically screamed the adage about ignorance and bliss.

Nick let out a cynical laugh and nodded as he shuffled through his papers and stacked them in messy piles all over his desk. He glanced up at us again, and the manic smile on his face was so big I had to fight taking a step back.

I suppose there’s no harm in telling you. Everyone will know soon enough. He straightened and looked around the room as if eavesdroppers hid inside the tiny office somewhere. They approved our treatments this morning, on a preliminary basis anyway. They are still awaiting the clinical trials from your firm, of course.

He glanced down at the briefcase Alex held in her hand. She had her hand clutched around the handle, leaning into Nick’s every word. So much for the whole ignorance and bliss thing. She stared at him, her brows knitted in concentration and confusion.

After an awkward pause, she snapped out of it. Yes. Of course. I’m sorry. She handed him the case. I think this should be everything. Why don’t you check while we’re still here?

I grinned at her, and she shot me a quick glare, all but daring me to say something. I knew she was just as curious.

Nick flopped the case over onto the smallest stack of papers on his desk. After fumbling with the code, the top popped open. With a single hand, Nick retrieved a fat envelope full of paperwork as though it were a priceless Fabergé egg. He turned it over in his hands, his smile never losing an ounce of its feverish delight.

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you delivering this data in person. When you’re dealing with something this ground-breaking, security is so important. Allowing any of this to leak onto the internet could be catastrophic.

We understand completely. Alex shot him a rueful smile. Our firm is all about discretion, and we will always do our best to meet your needs. She pointed at the case. We also backed up the data to a portable drive, per your request. Everything was done on isolated servers of cour—

Alex cut off as Nick pulled something else from the briefcase. An odd-looking little doll about the size of a Christmas tree ornament. It seemed to be made of wrapped twine with old nails stuck in for arms and legs. The weird little thing had a rough face drawn onto its round head, two dots for eyes, and a curved line for a smile. It looked so creepy. I was glad Nick had the mini monster in his hand rather than mine.

I can’t believe you remembered. He let out a chuckle.

This time Alex’s eyebrows shot up, but Nick didn’t notice. He already had the phone in his hand, dialing a four-digit extension.

Ryan, would you mind coming in here for a moment?

This is perfect. Nick caressed the strange, little figure.

Alex stared at him as if she was watching someone chew glass. I almost snorted with laughter.

The door to Nick’s office opened without a knock, and in stepped a young Japanese looking man with short, black hair. A thin beard highlighted his chin, and he wore a red polo shirt with beige slacks. Despite being neat, everything seemed a little off somehow.

Gabe, Alex, I would like you to meet Ryan. He is the true hero behind everything here.

Ryan did not move from the doorway. He just stood there, hands clasped, his gaze diverted to the ground, rocking back and forth. He glanced up, never really meeting our eyes, offered a smile, then peered at the floor again.

Have you seen my glasses? Ryan squinted without ever looking around. I can’t find my glasses. I need my glasses to see.

Nick let out a little chuckle. I’ll help you find your glasses in a few minutes. Look at what these nice people brought for you.

Ryan’s eyes shot up to the figure in Nick’s hand, and a grin grew across his face. He walked over, plucked the doll out of Nick’s palm, then stepped back to examine every inch, as if the little doll were the most complex item he had ever seen.

Ryan rushed over to Alex, quick as a cat, pinning her arms to her sides in a hug, then he hurried over to do the same to me. I went to hug him back, but Ryan managed to duck my embrace and scurried back to the door.

Thank you, both. This is nice. I need to find my glasses.

Ryan disappeared into the hall, leaving Alex and me to gape at the open doorway in bewilderment.

Nick let us rest in our incomprehension for a moment before he answered the obvious question. Ryan is autistic. He is also a mathematical savant in the areas of robotics and bioengineering. Out here, he has trouble with the simplest of tasks—like finding his glasses. Nick chuckled. But put him in a lab, and that young man can work miracles the likes this world has never seen.

You have got to be kidding, I said, then caught myself. I mean, no disrespect intended, I just ...

It’s all right. Nick chuckled again. Savants like him sometimes attain an ability to hyper focus on specific things. We’ve been lucky enough to employ him here where he was needed most. Without Ryan, we would have never achieved the feat that will change our world.

And what feat is that? The words escaped my lips before I realized I had asked the question.

Alex shot me another of her trademark glares before turning a smile to Nick. She opened her mouth to cover my blunder, but before she could get anything out, Nick blurted, Developing the cure for cancer, of course.

CHAPTER TWO

D id you say, ‘cure cancer?’ I’m sure Nick had keyed in on the word cancer, but for me, the operative word happened to be cure. I was supposed to be in the business of discovering and stopping horrific plots against humanity. What was I going to do with this?

I’m surprised your firm didn’t fill you in on the details. Nick lost some of his smile, and a glint of suspicion narrowed his eyes.

We have been assigned to you exclusively. Alex’s face was a mask of pure professionalism. In cases such as these, we are given few details. For security reasons, it is up to the client to determine how much or how little to divulge about the project. Although it is helpful for us to maintain at least a basic working knowledge, so we can better serve your needs. She took a step forward and raised a no-nonsense eyebrow. It seemed even she wondered why The Judas Agency would act as Mother Teresa to humanity.

Nick paused for a second, then regained his grin. Of course. Secrecy is such a concern. I am not sure how much we even explained to your firm. Nick sat back in the chair behind his desk and motioned for the two of us to sit in the chairs opposite him. They weren’t fancy, but something told me this explanation might be worth sitting down for.

Our company name, MiRACL, stands for Micro-Robotic Advanced Cure Leaders. We develop many things in the medical community, such as prosthetic control assistants, and we made revolutionary changes in vision and hearing augmentation. Our biggest breakthrough, however, is in the field of nanotechnology.

Nick sat forward in his chair, leaning on his desk, the excitement plain on his face.

We developed a strain of programmable nano-bots small enough to be injected into a human’s bloodstream. Once inside, they are able to target and destroy individual cancer cells without damaging the cells around them, therefore eradicating the disease.

Nick let that bomb drop as we stared at him in stunned silence. Alex sat mouth agape, shaking her head, while I only managed to blink several times as I processed the information.

I had died in 1988. The pinnacle of technological achievement at the time was a watch calculator and MTV. Sure, news of some advancements had trickled down to The Nine over the years. Free music on something called the intra web and magic phones you could use anywhere, but this? Even Buck Rogers had never thought of injecting robots into your body. The idea was just ... ludicrous.

More than six hundred thousand people will die of cancer in the U.S. alone this year, Nick continued. We have the technology to save almost every one of them.

How did you ... Alex began to say then stopped herself. Never mind. We will be here all day with that question. I’ll just say your achievement is nothing short of miraculous.

Nick nodded his head. And it’s all thanks to the gentleman you met a moment ago.

Realization dawned on me again. Ryan, the autistic guy who couldn’t find his glasses, figured out how to do this?

Nick let out a laugh, no doubt enjoying every moment of our astonishment. I’m sorry but seeing that expression never gets old.

I peered over at Alex, and she looked every bit as dumbfounded as I felt. A talking walrus would have been less surprising.

Ryan does not know it, but he will go down in history as one of the most important and influential people the world has ever known. And we have just scratched the surface of what Ryan may develop. Cancer is only the beginning. Nano medical technology could cure everything from diabetes to the common cold. Sickness, mental illness, even aging might someday be a thing of the past. All thanks to Ryan and that beautiful brain of his.

I shifted my gaze back and forth from Nick to Alex. This sounds like a really good thing. I couldn’t help but draw out my words into a long, baffled sentence. You’ll be able to end so much unneeded suffering and death.

The statement should have been a celebration, but no matter how hard I tried, my words came out sounding wary and apprehensive. Nothing made sense. Why would The Judas Agency send us up here to help this man? Worse, what if we were here to sabotage his work? True panic began to ricochet in my brain, and I struggled to keep my outward appearance under control. I could not allow anything to happen to Nick, Ryan, or his company. This was too important. They weren’t going to cause a catastrophe. Nick and his company were going to right a centuries old plague to humanity.

I can tell you that Gabe and I are very excited to be a part of this. Alex stood up and reached out to shake Nick’s hand again. You can depend on our complete discretion.

Nick stood as well. I hope so. Your firm has an incredible reputation. I hope you live up to the price.

This time Alex chuckled. I assure you, no other firm can produce the same caliber of research or secrecy. We pride ourselves on not only being the top of our field, but so far above the rest, we literally stand alone.

Alex glanced down at me and nodded toward the door. I still hadn’t gotten out of my chair. I managed to gather my legs and stood in a rush.

Yes, thank you for letting us be a part of your ...

I hesitated, not knowing what to call it, then said, MiRACL.

Nick smiled and nodded. I am excited to see this through together. He handed her the now empty briefcase.

Alex headed for the exit. I followed close behind but stopped before we got to the door.

Tell Ryan it was nice to meet him as well. Should we bring him something next time?

It’s not necessary, but he has an affinity for old, rough, or homemade things. That little figure was perfect.

I nodded, still wondering who or why anyone would add that to the delivery, not that anything in this mission was adding up.

Got it. Thanks for your time, and I’m sure we will see you soon.

CHAPTER THREE

I just don’t understand. I stepped out of the elevator that wasn’t an elevator, but a breakneck nauseator used to travel back and forth between Topside and The Underworld. The device was called an Envisage Splice, and it had a creative sense of humor when it dumped its passengers out at various locations in the living world. At least Splice-Vader always brought us back down to the Judas Agency in The Nine, even if I was ready to hurl on my shoes. Seems like we’re helping Nick and his company do something ... you know ... I stopped short of using the G word.

Something what? she asked.

I leaned in and whispered. Something good.

She looked surprised. I hadn’t thought of that.

Really? My eyebrows went up. You didn’t wonder ...

She smacked my arm and rolled her eyes. Of course, I thought about it. But then I remembered the moral policy of the Judas Agency is none of our damn business. If Sabnack assigned us to go Topside and deliver a 2Pac CD to the head of the KKK, then the Grand Dragon will be beat boxing by sundown.

I twitched. I’m sure that made some sense to you, but when I was alive, a CD was an investment opportunity and a two pack was a very disappointing quantity of beer. Please try to keep your pop culture references to the pre-nineteen-eighties.

Alex rolled her eyes. Never mind. Point is, we were told to deliver that case to Nick, and we did. Alex peeled off her wig and shook out her blue hair, somehow making it look like a beautician had tousled her long, silky locks into perfection. "Would you rather torture kittens or rough up little old ladies? Be glad we get to do something good and stop complaining."

I cringed, and my eyes shot up and down the hallway as she drew out the word good. I didn’t have an aversion to being a do-gooder. Far from it. My rather discreet job description even demanded it. But announcing the G word among the halls of the Judas Agency was something akin to reciting filthy limericks at the Vatican. It just wasn’t right.

Of course not. And I am glad, but I can’t help but wonder if there is another angle–

Alex rounded on me and put a finger in my face, stopping me in my tracks. Not again. Do not start overthinking, scheming, or coming up with reasons to screw up this assignment. She lowered her voice to a hissing whisper, but somehow it still felt like she was yelling at me. You may have gotten away with that last stunt, but I am not going to gamble my job every time you get a little tingle of doubt. This place is the only thing standing between me and the frozen, psychotic wasteland waiting outside those doors. I, for one, am willing to do about anything to keep it that way.

She lowered her finger and poked me in the chest as if to punctuate the point.

If you don’t have the stomach for this job, fine, but don’t drag me down with you.

Alex glared at me for a moment longer, then turned to resume our march toward the locker rooms.

You realize I still call those psychotic wastelands home.

Yeah, well, you’re psychotic, so it fits.

I blinked. That’s something coming from a tattooed bombshell with blue hair. Now I feel special.

You’re some kind of special, all right. Look, all I’m saying is we have a nice thing here. It’s not perfect but ... you know ... we’re in Hell, so let’s make the best of an imperfect situation. I hate doing bad things. Let’s enjoy helping a good guy this once.

She paused outside the doors to her locker room and turned to look at me. As I peered back at her, I couldn’t help but wonder why Judas had chosen me as one of his thirty double agents. Why not Alex? She was at least as moral as I was, and Alex had a lot more skill in the espionage department. Why did I have to be the one to sneak around and lie to all my friends?

Hello?

I blinked as Alex snapped her fingers in front of my face.

Have you heard a word I said?

I nodded, although I had zoned out on the last few minutes of her speech. Relax, don’t screw things up ... See, I listened.

Alex stood there for a minute then rolled her eyes again. So glad I wasted my breath.

She turned and went to head through the door, but I reached out to grab her shoulder and stop her.

"Look, I’m still new to all of this. And I

Reviews for New Dominion

[TK Audiobook Fan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great Narration to pair with a great story teller. One of my favorites I have listened too on SCRIBD, and I have had many favorites.