The Daemon's Wish

By Chris Wright

The year is 2410. Humanity is living in a golden age, having worked together to stop global warming and bring world peace. Eventually they launched themselves to the stars, colonizing first Mars and then terraforming Europa. Jupiter’s moon is a near Utopia for everyone who lives there, until a series of terrifying murders rock the fabric of society. The Police and their Criminal Profiler Noah Peterson investigate, but things aren’t what they first appear. The Serial Killer leaves no prints, and video surveillance mysteriously malfunctions when they’re near. Who or what is the killer? Supernatural or natural? And does Noah know more than he is saying? A game of cat and mouse ensues, where deep dark secrets are revealed; secrets that ensure that Noah and everyone he knows will never be the same again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ukiyoto
• Release date: Aug 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005978211

Chris Wright

Chris Wright is a young author who enjoys reading and is keen to share this joy with others. He lives in England, but he grew up in a small village in Hampshire. He wants to inspire young readers with his tales of a simpler time, outside among nature.

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The Daemon’s Wish

Chris Wright

Ukiyoto Publishing

All global publishing rights are held by

Ukiyoto Publishing

Published in 2021

Content Copyright © Chris Wright

ISBN 9789354902857

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated, without the publisher’s prior consent, in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published.

www.ukiyoto.com

"A Fantastic Surreal Cyberpunk Thriller"

- C. Digiuseppe

A serial killer in space? Yes please! This was another original and unique idea that I hadn’t quite come across before, and knowing the author from his previous books, I felt that there had to be more to it. I wasn’t disappointed, and a thrilling chase across one of Jupiter’s moons felt scientifically real and also disturbingly accurate.

- Travon

This is a real page turner, and the fast rate at which the story develops was thrilling as well as suspenseful. I found the characters interesting, especially the turmoil the main character feels, and that drew me into the intricate plot. It’s gradually revealed why the murders are taking place, and the author provides an excellent and quite profound explanation at the end, not at all what I was predicting. I have recommended this to others as it was an unexpected gem.

- Life Past Lyme

Dedicated to my beautiful wife Alison, for her support and encouragement through thick and thin, and in loving memory of Jacques. Thank you also to all my earlier supporters who believed in me enough to read my previous work and to all my friends and family.

Prologue

New Varanasi, Europa, 2410

The future was not how many imagined it would be. The early days of the 21st century were full of disasters and hardship, a climate that was rapidly spinning out of control. The predictions were dire, the Earth was going to fail, its dominant species wreaking problem after problem upon it; a series of escalating errors. The next phase for humanity was deemed to be the last it would have, or at the very best be a bleak and torrid existence. But nobody could really predict what was going to happen, and instead of the dystopian and post-nuclear war landscape that everyone was expecting to be their destiny, something entirely different happened. The bleak future became one of hope and sustainability. Mankind eventually managed to reverse the effects of climate change, and it was all through working together. The entire world joined forces, as they put their petty squabbles to one side. Everyone’s existence required it, and finally humanity learnt that together they were stronger. They pooled their resources and cleaned up the world. Plastic filled oceans were cleared through the use of micro-organisms that ate away at the polluting material, and livestock and farms began to be phased out, as meat was now grown in laboratories. Creatures were left to live their own lives, away from the danger of hungry men and women. They were no longer raised for food, instead left to roam wild, as nature intended. Half of the world was given back to nature to allow vast national parks that flora and fauna could thrive in undisturbed. The forests and oceans recovered and eco-systems that were on the precipice of faltering were rejuvenated. The future became the best time to be alive.

The only human weakness that was likely to have any lasting effect on the Earth was the compulsion to procreate. It was a biological urge that was difficult to control, so humanity had to think of new ways of managing their increasing populations. The answer was simple, and one that mankind had strived to achieve for over a century. They had to colonize new worlds. Their strength of unity was then actively engaged in making this tantalizing prospect a reality and less than thirty years later, the first expeditions were sent out to colonize and terraform their neighbor, Mars. More and more people joined in the exciting journey to populate the new world, one that allowed the Earth a little more breathing space, as the global population stabilized to a level that wasn’t harmful to the entire planet. Mars was the most demanding and daring feat mankind had ever undertaken, and the result was a resounding success. It wasn’t long before humans wanted to spread out even further. The next new home was Jupiter’s moon, Europa. It was more challenging than Mars to terraform, but that was half of the appeal; to overcome adversity and allow mankind to thrive.

Europa was the furthest outpost of the human empire, a world of water; after the completion of terraforming had melted the icy surface. They constructed cities that floated effortlessly on the endless sea, each one anchored not by chains, but by a complex set of motors that perfectly worked against the waves and tides. Because of this, despite the cities floating untethered, they never moved, they maintained their position perfectly as they counteracted the ebbs and flows of the alien ocean. There were ninety five cities that populated this new exciting world, sixty five that were constantly bathed in the light of Jupiter that was suspended in the air like a planet sized light bulb and the other thirty dotted around the far side of Europa, cloaked in an eternal darkness. The whole of Europa, despite now having a breathable atmosphere, was surrounded by a membrane that allowed the temperature to be regulated and allow enough warmth to hit the surface evenly so that life could thrive. The entire structure was another engineering marvel and it could shift and move in endless ways, something required particularly for exit and entry to the new world; as gigantic vessels were guided through temporary gaps that allowed them access. Everything was engineered perfectly, and despite a few early setbacks, it was a glorious time for humanity. The architects of these vast colonizing adventures were seeking ever further worlds, which they hoped would be theirs one day; once their technology had caught up with their imagination.

Submersion

Mid-District, New Varanasi

Noah closed the file, careful to make sure that he’d backed it up before he did so. He took a sip from his coffee and lay back on his office chair. He was beginning to get a slight pain above his eye, a tell-tale sign of a possible migraine. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, making sure the air reached fully into his diaphragm; a strange ritual to try and help him mentally relax and try and wish the episode away. It never worked, but he continued to try regardless. One day he might pull it off, he thought, so as long as there was still some hope then he would keep at it.

Hey Sweetheart Said a familiar voice.

It was his girlfriend Tess. He had first met her through his work, a chance encounter that led to a string of dates, and they fell in love quickly, but actually quicker than either of them had realized. Noah was a freelance psychological profiler; he worked for local police as well as the Europan Army. The pay was good, and he was in high demand for his expertise. He’d been called out to a job after a smuggling enterprise was intercepted. People paid money to be stowaways onboard passenger craft from Earth and Mars, hiding in cargo decks; most were criminals on the run from punishment. It was a never ending job for the customs officers, and Tess was one such officer. This team of smugglers were more ruthless than any others they had ever encountered before or since, and after an altercation which caused the death of Tess’s boss, the gang had disappeared back into the night. Tess was there when Noah showed up; as he was helping the police track their whereabouts. They showed him what they knew about the gang’s behavior up until the point of the fatal firefight, little snippets that gave him plenty of leads to follow up on.

She was smitten with him instantly, swooned by his flowing dark hair and his clean-cut dress sense, not to mention his energetic smile. Noah fell for her instantly too, the glow of her olive-skin was radiant and her blue eyes shone out like stars in the night sky against her dark complexion. She was now in between jobs, having quit her job there. After that night she no longer felt safe working in the customs department, and decided to go back and train in another field of work.

Noah was happy to let her stay with him, he asked nothing from her, and gave her all the freedom she needed to train in a new discipline and get back on her own two feet. She’d turned her attention to learning the ancient Earthly art of acupuncture; as there was a high demand for esoteric practices on Europa. She was close to her final exams and would soon be able to practice it legally, thanks to her hard work and dedication.

Did you want any more coffee? She asked him, before noticing his eyes were closed, Oh, are you having another migraine?

Not yet, but its close

I’ll leave you alone then

No, it’s fine; you don’t have to

I don’t want to make it worse She replied concerned; knowing that his episodes could be extremely painful.

I wouldn’t worry about that He said, trying to laugh through the increasing thud developing behind his eyelids, I just had to finish my report about that homicide, the details of that are still stuck in my mind

I hope you help them catch that guy She said, It’s distressing to know there’s someone out there capable of that

Crime on Europa was low by earlier man’s standards. It was mainly petty crime, and assaults occurred here and there, but homicides were getting more frequent; something that weighed heavy on the minds of every Europan. Ninety-percent of murders had been solved and Noah was instrumental in allowing the police to venture down the correct line of inquiry that led to arrests and subsequent convictions.

How’s the studying coming along? Noah asked.

I’m getting there. I have a quick Q and A session with my tutor later this evening, she’ll be able to tell me what I need to focus on to iron out any weaknesses

That’s great, sorry for being a bit distracted with this case

Don’t be silly She said laughing.

She knew how important Noah’s job was; he had absolutely nothing to apologize for. She could see that he was starting to wince a little, a tell-tale sign that the migraine wasn’t going away anytime soon. Noah had been afflicted with migraines all of his life, they were intense and hit him like a bolt of lightning out of a blue sky, often completely disabling him and causing him to cease being able to function on daily tasks. But his migraines were mild compared to his fits of epilepsy. He had been unfortunate to be born with it, his affliction causing his parents confusion when they first witnessed him convulse, just before his body and mind seemed to pause completely. Being diagnosed with Epilepsy came as a shock to them, it was something they knew about, but they just assumed that there were drugs to treat it. No drugs ever seemed to counteract the attacks fully; they would still happen at any time and anywhere. It was something Noah had learned to live with, but he never let it hold him back.

You should lie down again, see if that works Tess said concerned; and not for the first time.

Lying down didn’t really help; it just put him in a more comfortable position and stop him from dropping to the floor with the pain.

Yeah, I think I will He said, as he gingerly got to his feet.

She helped him up gently and held his hand lovingly.

I’ll be okay, you can leave me now He said, as he slowly ambled towards the bedroom and closed it behind him.

She was still concerned, as she didn’t like to see him in pain, but ultimately she knew he would always be okay; his migraines always subsided. She decided to while away an hour or two in front of the television, so made herself a warming cup of coffee imported from Mars; from the Tharsis region. She took the opportunity to catch up on her favorite soap opera, while she let him try to sleep it off.

Noah lay down on the bed, the migraine was setting in fully now and he knew he had no choice but to ride it out; the same way he always had to. It was now starting to affect his vision; the migraine aura always preceded the full crushing pain. There was a disruption in his visual field, flashing lights, patterns zigzagging as if a colony of multi-colored plankton were having a party on his eyeballs. Everything around him was now beginning to flash and flicker, like the room around him was a series of stills jumping in and out of physically experienced time. It was blinding him as it pulsed in and out; which is the point where he always had to finally give up and close his eyes completely. Even with his eyes closed the movie reel of dancing patterns that were so characteristic of the aura he always experienced still sent dizzying flashes into his brain. Then the pain took over, starting above his eye, an undulating thud that felt like it had no beginning or end; a pain so all-encompassing that his conscious mind was now a helpless bystander as the pain crippled any other sensations he had.

Tess had now watched four episodes of her favorite soap, an innocent two hours of non-taxing entertainment about a family who lived at the outer reaches of an Earthly Wildlife Park. The wildlife of Europa was mainly under the sea, other than people’s beloved pets, and a few anomalous creatures that thawed out with the ice, so seeing most of the fauna of Europa was almost a rite of passage and much more difficult than on Earth. It made the sight of Earthly beasts a joy to behold, and it always made Tess envious.

Her attention was suddenly overtaken by a strange sensation; one of unease. She spun her head around, as she sensed someone behind her, but there was nobody there. She jumped up startled, which was when her surroundings began to grow stranger, they were how they usually were, but every step she was taking and every gasp of nervous breath felt too familiar; like she had been in this exact moment before. She was experiencing the most disorientating déjà vu that she’d ever encountered. One confusing footstep after another caused her to panic, this was too familiar, too discombobulating, so much so that her mind was wrapping itself in fear trying to process it. Then, like an imaginary speeding sports car had collided with her, the feeling was completely obliterated. The panic subsided as quickly as it had begun, and she took a deep breath as a wave of relief washed over her.

Okay, that was weird She said, still slightly breathless.

She looked down the corridor to the bedroom to see the door slightly ajar, so strode gently towards it to see how Noah was.

Noah? Are you okay? She asked gently, as she approached.

She still had a tiny sense of unease that was coursing through her, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on, enough to make her heart begin to pound nervously. She reached for the handle and pushed the door open slowly.

Noah?

The bedroom was empty. The curtains were closed and the duvet cover was creased from where he’d been lying down.

Noah? She said, looking around the room worried.

She turned back around, the panic beginning to increase again. It was senseless to panic, but something inside of her wouldn’t let it go. He was probably just in the kitchen; there was no need to be concerned. Upon reaching the kitchen, he was nowhere to be found. Her head spun around once more as she continually called his name. Where had he gone?

Undersea Submersion Adventures, Downtown New Varanasi

Is everything okay? Leah asked.

The gentleman sat down on the opposite side of the desk, looking nervous and agitated. He fiddled with his sleeve as if uncomfortable with where he was. Leah had seen this same behavior before; he was clearly an undersea novice.

Are you okay? She asked.

Yes, I’m just a little, err

Nervous?

Yes, I’ve never done this before He said sheepishly.

Relax, everyone gets a little nervous the first time they take one of these undersea trips She said, as she began to type on her Holo-Computer screen, So, what’s your name?

Darryl. Darryl Marsh

She continued to type away before clicking her way through a few screens.

Okay, so you’re scheduled for the next submersion. We’ve not been as busy today, so you seem to be the only one in that slot. Are you okay with that?

There’s no one else on it? What if something goes wrong? Darryl asked, his face now looking startled.

It’s perfectly safe, besides I would have to go with you. We can’t launch a pod with just one person on board, due to health and safety. Ordinarily I wouldn’t allow it, but as we’ve not been very busy and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change, it shouldn’t be a problem for me to close the shop up briefly

What about those accidents?

He was referring to a series of mishaps from when this new venture was first set up. The submersion pods had cracked under the pressure of the water and sent all the occupants to a watery grave. People rarely thought about that now, apart from those who had a phobia of water and tight spaces; two things it seemed Darryl had. Leah looked over to him, placed her hands calmly on the desk and smiled.

Okay, Mr. Marsh, this is supposed to be a leisurely experience and to be fair, you look terrified. Even right now, you look terrified and you haven’t stepped foot into one of the pods yet. The accidents happened twenty years ago, since then our safety record has been impeccable; but I can understand your reservations. What were you hoping to get out of this?

He took a deep breath and fiddled with his sleeves once more.

I don’t know. I think it’s because I’ve never traveled, I’ve never left the city. I just want something to make me feel like I’ve lived, but I don’t like the thought of getting stuck down there, or worse He explained, showing Leah that his phobia’s ran deeper than most people’s.

Maybe you should try going to another city then, at least you’re not going to be encased in a small pod

How would I travel to another city? Boat? Aircraft? That new submerged tunnel?

Well yes She replied nodding; they were the only three ways to get anywhere, as swimming was out of the question because the water was so salty that direct exposure dried out a human body in ten minutes, leaving a near mummified corpse.

I can’t do any of those Darryl replied nervously.

Why not?

Because a boat might sink, and a plane might crash He snapped back almost angrily.

Leah looked at him slightly bemused. She had met a lot of nervous people in her time, but Darryl seemed to be afraid of almost all transportation.

Well what about the new Tunnel to Oscuro Cruz then? You don’t have to even leave your vehicle for that Leah asked.

The tunnel had only recently been constructed. It was submerged ten meters below the ocean and had only had its official opening ceremony the week before. It was the first of many proposed tunnels, this one of which connected New Varanasi with the closest Night City of Oscuro Cruz, which was 15 miles away. The journey allowed travellers to pass freely after paying a toll and to be able to see some of the unique undersea life as they journeyed between the two cities.

I don’t trust that; it’s only just opened He objected.

They’ve done every risk assessment there is on it, I’m sure it’s perfectly safe. I haven’t had chance to go myself yet, I’m looking forward to it

I’m not risking it, not yet, not until I know it’s one hundred percent safe He said defiantly.

What about a vacation to Mars or Earth? You won’t sink or crash doing that

You don’t know that

She rolled her eyes, frustrated at his lack of courage.

You’re in space, you can’t sink. You could perhaps by a freak accident crash when landing on Mars I guess, but that’s unlikely

You see; it’s dangerous He snapped once more.

She rolled her eyes again, this time it was involuntary; her subconscious was growing tired of this man.

That has never happened, so you would have to be extremely unlucky to crash. The last time a spacecraft crashed was one hundred and fifty years ago She informed him frustrated; although her subconscious was getting even more frustrated, as he really should know all of this.

It doesn’t have to crash to be dangerous, the equipment could fail

That’s never happened

And I could end up floating in space for the rest of my life, getting hungrier and thirstier until I just die

Now her eyes couldn’t stop rolling, they’d taken on a complete life of their own.

It would never happen She retorted, Mr. Marsh, do you want to go in the submersion pod or not?

I don’t think so He replied, as his head dropped like a naughty school child.

Okay, well, in that case, I will cancel your slot, and you are free to, you know, go She said exasperated.

Darryl got to his feet quickly and nodded at her.

Alright, I will go then He said forcefully, with the first hint of confidence that Leah had witnessed from him.

Okay, well, have a good afternoon

He wished her the same back and strode out of the shop looking relieved.

Well, that was an odd one She said to herself, as she duly deleted any reference to Mr. Marsh.

There was a high-pitched bleep and she looked up to see another gentleman had entered the store. He approached her, his infectious smile instantly putting her at ease.

How can I help you Sir? She asked, as she smiled back.

He glanced at the board next to her that displayed the array of experiences they offered. Extremophile tours, underwater sailing on thermal currents; a dozen varieties of experience tailored for either the wildlife enthusiast or the adventure lover. There was even the chance to go searching for the legendary Europan four-tailed Sea Lizard, a strange kind of deep sea amphibian that had only been spotted on a few rare occasions and whose existence was already legendary.

Our most popular tour is the Extremophile tour, which takes us deep towards the sea floor to the volcanic vents that give life to a variety of incredible animals that live under mind-boggling conditions. Life shouldn’t be able to survive there, yet it does She said, as she pointed towards the three-dimensional poster on the board.

The man nodded, still smiling infectiously.

Okay, so you want to go on that?

He nodded once more.

Well, you’re in luck there as we have one ‘scheduled’ to leave shortly. The gentleman who just left was supposed to be on it, but I don’t think the depths of the ocean, or even space for that matter, were for him. I can’t launch it with just one person on board, because of health and safety, so I’d have to join you and close the shop up briefly. If that’s okay of course?

He nodded as he continued to smile, his infectious grin burrowing deep into the center of that part of her brain that registered desire.

Okay, perfect, we just need to sort out the payment; give me a moment She said, as she turned her attention to her computer.

She pressed a few keys, but found that nothing was happening; her screen seemed to be frozen.

Umm, okay, that’s weird She said, as she banged a few more keys to no effect, Okay, no problem, we can sort that out when we get back

She got up from behind her desk and smiled at him.

It must be just a glitch, I’m sure it’ll be fine by the time we get back

She walked towards the entrance and pressed a small button near the main door that caused the glass to flip inside out and be replaced by metal bars. She then strolled passed the gentleman, smiling at him once more and carried on towards a door in the corner of the room as the gentleman eagerly followed. He put a small device he was holding in his hand back into his pocket, and as he did so, Leah’s Holo-Computer appeared to flicker back to life. She opened the door to reveal a corridor with a series of other doors lining each side, all of them lit up by a strip of white lights that worked their way along each wall. She stopped at the third door and inputted a passcode into the keypad that lay on the front of it and the door slid open. She turned back to face the gentleman and smiled.

It’s okay, come on

She ducked inside the door and the gentleman followed quickly. Another brightly lit but smaller corridor led its way to a steel door that was already opening as they made their way closer. Leah stepped through the steel door and her smiling follower did the same. Once through it, the door slid shut and began to seal itself. A chorus of electronic tones and mechanical sounds indicated it was securing them tightly inside. Other than the door, it was made almost entirely of windows that looked out into a circular metal chamber that housed the pod. The glass bottom revealed a ladder-like structure that led down to a metal covering. Leah pressed a button and the pod shuddered as the metal covering began to part; although the pressure from the water rising up was deafening on the outside it was muted on the inside by the thick impenetrable glass that changed it into a gentle low hum. A hissing sound started up as a misty substance began to ooze out of circular tubes above them.

Okay, ready?

The gentleman nodded again; he seemed to be a man of no words.

Have you been down one of these before? She asked, his endearing smile still pressing the desire buttons in her brain.

This time he shook his head.

Well you’re awfully calm, normally people begin to panic. The hissing sound usually sets them off, as they think the pod is leaking water. It’s actually a chemical that stops the bends. As we continue to breathe it, it works its way into our bloodstream through our lungs. Without it, these short journeys would be impossible, and there’s no way we’d ever be able to descend as far as we do, even with this pressurized pod

The pod shuddered again as the water completely engulfed it, briefly bubbling around it. They then began to slowly descend down the ladder-like structure, a ladder that seemed to go on forever into the deep depths of the ocean. It was a calm slow journey down, allowing them plenty of opportunity to view the shoals of alien fish that swum by, with their bio-luminescent beauty pulsating in the dark waters. Europa was home to a plethora of native and unusual species, and some people were happy to stay at this depth for hours; it was the underwater equivalent of bird watching. They continued their descent, as the ocean got darker and the creatures became ever more elaborate with their displays of dazzling chemistry. Leah looked at the gentleman again and smiled, this time noticing that he didn’t seem to be paying any attention to the incredible life that was floating around them as they sank lower and lower.

Are you not interested in the native fish?

He shook his head.

Okay She said, smiling still, but this time nervously, You’re an extremophile lover then are you? That’s what gets you going?

He looked at her, his smile still lingering on his face, now seeming unnatural and far removed from its infectious origins. It was now beginning to seem sinister, an artificial mask of expression, one that had now ceased pressing any buttons of desire and that were now hovering over ones of terror. The creatures around them were all putting on incredible light shows as they lit up the unfathomable darkness of the deep sea, but his eyes never took their gaze off her.

What did you say your name was again? Leah asked, her heart having changed from a flutter to an intense thump of dread.

He never answered; he just continued to look into her eyes, his belying smile plastered menacingly on his face as he crept closer.

What are you doing? Stay back She screamed as the smiling creep got closer.

Footless

Undersea Submersion Adventures, An hour later

Peter pulled up outside the Undersea Submersion Adventures and jumped out. He was the regional manager and routinely dropped into each