The Inspector Dalton Files Box Set: Prequel & Books I-III: The Inspector Dalton Files, #100

By Adair Hart

Fantastical cases sometimes need a technological touch.

 

Inspector Dalton Kingston is the most evolved human on Earth. Although he is from another timeline, he brings with him his investigative skills and advanced technology to handle strange cases for the Earth Ward, the nonhuman organization that watches over Earth from the shadows. In this Box Set, he will deal with unexplained regional blackouts, dimensional and timeline invaders, nonhuman politics, and even rogue gods.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Adair Hart
• Release date: Jun 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201813185

Book preview

Contents

Transition - Prequel

Copyright Page

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

Note from the Author

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Books

Otherworld - Book 1

Copyright Page

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

Note from the Author

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Books

Lightville - Book 2

Copyright Page

The Team

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

Note from the Author

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Books

Greekland - Book 3

Copyright Page

The Team

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

Note from the Author

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Books

Title

Copyright © 2020 Adair Hart

All rights are reserved to the author. No part of this e-book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Editing done by Miranda Miller of Editing Realm

Cover done by Tom Edwards

Proofreading done by Alexa

Published by Quantum Edge Publishing

www.AdairHart.com

To get updates on new books and other notifications, sign up for my mailing list at:

www.AdairHart.com/MailingList.aspx

Chapter One

Fighting three or four vampires was one thing; nine was another. Inspector Dalton Kingston was helping Mikhail, an ancient vampire, deal with a rogue group of Blooded vampires. Dalton initially arrived on Earth on January 9, 2013, and it was only a month later that he found himself lending a hand to Mikhail. As the most evolved human on the planet, Dalton’s purpose was to assist where needed.

On his original Earth, vampires were a myth, embellished in stories and folklore, but they were real here. Many different types existed, each with their own strain of Daedrould exotic energy.

Exotic energy was not a new concept for Dalton. A sliver of cosmic energy coursed through him, which gave him an advantage. He called it his Evaran-sense, named after the space-and-time-traveling cosmic being who rescued him from certain death and brought him to Earth.

Dalton’s enhanced senses illuminated an aura around people that told him if they possessed exotic energy, Daedrould or otherwise. It also gave him superior strength and speed relative to a human, but the more important aspect was it allowed him to be aware of his surroundings. He could sense someone’s heartbeat, breathing, and general condition up to fifty feet away. When he focused, everything seemed to slow down.

His senses showed that three Blooded were down the hallway ahead of him and Mikhail and six more on a lower level. Mikhail had planned to take this group down since they trafficked in humans, something that drew attention to the nonhuman world. These vampires did not seem to care about that, a mistake Dalton and Mikhail would correct.

Although most Blooded abided by nonhuman rules set forth by the Earth Ward, the unofficial ruling body on Earth, this group was different. Their whole-body tattoos were a badge of honor, and they dressed in black-and-gold clothing. Their trademark emblem was the golden bandanna that covered the bottom half of their faces. Mikhail had tracked them for a while, but with Dalton’s help, they nailed down a location.

Across the hallway entrance, Mikhail, in his black heavy armor, crouched and peered out. Dalton liked him. With his thick Eastern-European accent and massive size, he was a force to be reckoned with. He wielded a large black shield with a golden design on the front in his left hand and a stun baton in his right. Dalton suspected he was being tested since Mikhail could have done this by himself.

Thanks to some upgrades Dalton received before coming to call this Earth home, he had upgraded his nanotech suit. It currently operated in Scoutspectre mode, named after the space inspector position he held for seventy years, but it had other modes, such as camouflage and casual, that concealed his fair skin well.

A dark-blue mesh under armor covered him from his toes to his neck and formed the first layer. Thin, armored silver pads resided on top of that in various sizes and shapes that segmented the suit. Some pads were larger, like the two on the chest or the ones that covered the quads, while others were smaller, like the ones on the abdomen or the knees. The pads could take a lot of punishment, but they did not fully cover the body, and he was vulnerable between them.

His helmet had three distinct areas. The silver front plate contained a thin, glowing blue slit that covered his eyes and went down over his nose in a T-pattern. Black pads protected the sides, and the top and back were a dark-blue solid piece.

He also carried two weapons. The first was his multipurpose handle, or MH, holstered on his right thigh. The MH had a meshed grip over most of it except near the end where it flattened out. It extended into various utilities, including lethal weapons, but he tried to avoid those situations. He often used it as a stun baton that stored one hundred charges. A light stun consumed one; medium, two; and heavy, three.

The second weapon was his retractable stun gun, or RSG. When activated from his left inner forearm, it formed a blocky, wraparound structure on his right hand with a button on top for his thumb. When he balled his fist and tapped the button, the RSG fired a thin blue beam. The RSG had the same stun levels and usage as the MH.

The RSG covered a lot of situations, but it only had twenty-five charges, so he used it sparingly and only when absolutely required. It also meant that if the RSG was active, the MH either needed to be in his left hand or holstered.

It surprised him that he was allowed to keep it on this Earth, but as he had discovered, alien technology existed in various degrees and stun weapons were common. His was even considered less powerful than the ones he had researched. Still, he relied on it for ranged situations.

As a former Scoutspectre, he often visited places where he could not carry a variety of equipment, and the MH and RSG answered that. The MH also allowed him to connect to systems directly after scanning the port type, and he used it to form useful shapes, such as keys and connectors, when necessary.

So what’s the plan? asked Mikhail.

Dalton nodded. I’m going to rush the three in front of us.

They’ll detect you before you reach them, said Mikhail, looking Dalton over. What if they shoot at you?

Dalton activated his light-blue, semitransparent, rectangular nanoshield from his left forearm. It stood vertically about three feet, with scraper-like endings at the top and bottom. The angled corners made it resemble a widened barrel.

That’s what this is for, he said.

All right, said Mikhail.

We got this, said Dalton.

He pulled out his MH and formed his stun baton. Although he could hit the Blooded from range, he might not get them all, and then it would end up being close range where his stun baton would be better. He charged down the hallway with his shield out and focused. His Evaran-sense made everything around him appear to slow. He relied on that and his speed to close the gap.

The startled vampires focused on him.

Dalton’s ocular implants displayed data labels off to the side in his augmented reality interface, or ARI. It verified what he sensed. The Blooded were weak.

The closest one jumped back and growled. The other two raised their guns.

Dalton slammed into the first vampire, sending it sprawling back into the second. In a continuous motion, he spun and hit the third one on the right with a medium stun.

The Blooded crumpled.

The two others on the left stood and pulled out machetes. The first swung wildly.

Dalton blocked the strike with his shield and raised his arm back. The shield’s bottom scraper pulled the weapon away. Dalton jabbed his stun baton into the attacker’s stomach.

The vampire fell.

The last one tried to slice Dalton’s head off.

He stepped out of range and used his baton to guide the machete past, then slid it up the Blooded’s arm and hit it in the head.

The vampire collapsed.

Mikhail rushed forward. Damn, you’re fast. You didn’t need my help!

Dalton smiled. Your help is always welcome.

Uh-huh.

There’s six more coming up the nearby stairwell. We can use the top of the stairs as a choke point so we only need to deal with two at a time.

Mikhail tilted his head. I sense them too but not that specifically. He rifled through his backpack and tossed a handcuff to Dalton. I wish I had your Evaran-sense.

Dalton had debriefed with the ancient vampires when he first arrived on Earth, and his Evaran-sense had been discussed. To see it in action seemed to impress Mikhail.

They handcuffed the vampires before hustling to the top of the stairwell.

Mikhail motioned to the left. Stay behind that corner and let me be useful. I’ll pull them out of the stairwell and into the open. You can grab them and do your fancy stuff. I’ll smash ’em.

Dalton laughed. My fancy stuff? Bring ’em on.

He enjoyed the heat of the moment. Although he tended to avoid action as a Scoutspectre, it was a good way to release energy.

Mikhail lowered his massive shield in front of him and adopted a defensive stance.

Dalton sensed the Blooded rushing up. Their nervousness suggested they knew they faced something tough. They would know Mikhail as an ancient vampire, but Dalton would be unknown to them. Ancient vampires did not like Blooded ones in general and considered them a rival strain.

Mikhail’s shield held sturdy against a hail of bullets. Some projectiles ricocheted.

Stop shooting, damn it! said one of the vampires.

Two rushed forward with machetes.

Dalton grabbed the first one and threw it to the side. He stunned it, and the vampire stopped moving.

Mikhail bashed the second one back before moving forward and hitting it in the head with his stun baton.

The vampire crumpled.

Mikhail raised his shield and backed up.

Two more Blooded appeared.

Dalton kicked the third one into the fourth.

They sprawled off to the side.

Dalton pointed at them. Get them. I’ll get the last two.

Mikhail yelled as he charged the two who struggled to stand.

Dalton stepped out to the top of the stairwell and looked down at the startled vampires. He jumped down, slammed the fifth one into the wall, and side-kicked another away. As he moved back, the fifth vampire slid to the ground. A tap on the chest, and it stopped moving.

The sixth one used the wall to stand and tried to grab her machete.

Dalton charged over and jabbed his stun baton into her stomach.

She cried out and collapsed.

He hustled up the stairs.

Mikhail dodged machete strikes. He shield-bashed the final vampire and hit it with his stun baton.

Dalton holstered his MH and clapped.

You coulda helped! said Mikhail.

Dalton shrugged. I didn’t think a beefy ancient vampire like yourself needed any.

Mikhail slapped Dalton on the back. You got jokes! I like it.

I’ve been known to crack a few every now and then, said Dalton, grinning. All right, if you can cuff these, I’ll go below and check out the area. I’m sensing something…unusual down there but nothing I can’t handle.

Mikhail nodded. Sounds good. I’ll get an Earth Ward support team in here to pick these assholes up.

If there are captives below, I’ll send ’em up, said Dalton.

Mikhail kicked one of the downed vampires. Time to tie up some bitches.

With the area secured, Dalton descended to the floor below. The dim lighting did no favors to the dirty hallway, but he sensed humans ahead. He was sure it smelled great, but he did not want to lower his helmet to test that. Moans and sighs filled the air. He peered into one room and saw three cages, each with a human inside.

A woman rushed to the bars. Help us, please.

Dalton lowered his faceplate and gagged. The smell was worse than he expected. It was like someone had left rotting meat out for days. Still, he wanted to present a friendly face for her.

I’m here for you, he said.

He emitted a gold beam from his right palm over the lock. The scans showed he could break it by vibrating his nanosuit around his hand, a technique he learned from traveling with Evaran. Although it often used up more energy than it was worth, he had no problem using it now.

The lock crumbled.

She ran out and hugged him.

Dalton sighed. She looked better off than the other two, and he sensed others outside the room. He broke the locks off the other cages and tapped at the side of his helmet.

Mikhail, three humans are coming up, he said.

Got it, said Mikhail. You see that other thing you sensed?

Not yet. Dalton faced the woman and crooked his thumb at the door. Get topside. There’s a big, beefy guy there who will assist you. Yes, he’s a vampire but not like these.

The group hesitated, then rushed out.

Dalton raised his faceplate and continued down the hallway. He saw an unconscious woman, nude from the waist down, in another room, hanging from chains. He had an idea of what happened in there. These Blooded seemed to like to play with their victims. He freed her and laid her on the ground. Once he dealt with the unusual presence, he would get back to her.

The next room had four cages with children inside. He released them and told them to go topside. One hugged him as she cried. A lump formed in his throat as he thought of his daughter. She would have been about the same age, and he wished he could see her again.

The little girl hugging him tight did not want to leave his side, but after he explained he was there for the bad guys and there might be more, she nodded and took off. Dalton updated Mikhail about the situation.

The final room was a kitchen of some type. A table in the middle had a human who appeared to have been carved on for days. Perhaps that was what he had smelled earlier. Dalton’s senses told him the unusual presence was in the area. He was not sure how he missed it initially.

A red light over a sink provided illumination to the rest of the room, and sinks, counters, and several metallic cabinets lined the walls. He sensed the Blooded was in one of the cabinets and raised his right hand to emit a scanning beam that scoured the area. The scan verified the Blooded’s location. Dalton approached the cabinet with his stun baton out.

The cabinet’s doors burst open.

Dalton caught the older vampire by the neck.

It hissed at him, baring its fangs.

Dalton hit it in the groin with his baton.

The vampire grunted and collapsed.

Dalton laid it over his shoulder and looked around. This had been an interesting hunt with Mikhail, and Dalton wondered if they would all be like this. Compared to what he had fought before coming to this Earth, the Blooded were no match. Maybe if they had numbers and used better tactics, they might have stood a chance.

He suspected they were not too bright in the first place to operate this brazenly. He only consumed fourteen energy charges for his weapons and some from his main energy store for the hand vibration. A low-cost fight in that regard for a high yield.

Scene Break

Dalton stood on a metallic-paneled platform that jutted out over the Appalachian Mountains. The platform was the outside part of Lord Noskov’s base. He was a powerful ancient vampire lord and had invited Dalton to stay there while he adjusted to this Earth. Lord Noskov was a close friend of Evaran. Dalton had traveled with him to help with a problem, and after it was done, this was where he ended up.

He appreciated that the Earth Ward took on cases like the one he did yesterday with Mikhail. The Earth Ward was a nonhuman council that represented Earth to the Kreagan Star Empire, the galactic superpower that controlled the region around Earth.

Although they were made up of nonhumans and, for the most part, determined what happened on Earth in secret, they had official recognition by the United Nations as a law enforcement agency. Due to his past as a Scoutspectre, essentially a space inspector, and Evaran’s word, the Earth Ward gave him a similar rank. Evaran formed the Earth Ward to watch over the planet, and Dalton would not let him down.

Dalton looked out at the setting sun. Light rays moved like fingers brushing the tops of trees for one last touch before they disappeared. He loved the smell of the forest and, in general, being back on an Earth that was not a radiated wasteland. His muscles relaxed.

Light footsteps echoed behind Dalton. He glanced back at Jake Melkins, a man in his early twenties with fair skin, an athletic build, and a mop of dark hair. Like Dalton, Jake had been saved by Evaran and lived at the base. Dalton was not sure this would be his permanent residence, but it was a good place to get accustomed to things.

Hey, said Jake.

Dalton nodded. Jake.

Jake chuckled. Mikhail can’t stop talking about how tough and fast you are.

He helped.

Yeah, but he said you didn’t need him. That’s high praise from him, trust me, said Jake, shaking his hand in front of him.

I’ll accept it as such, said Dalton.

Jake nodded as he studied him. Wow, you’re jacked.

In what way?

I meant, like, you know, said Jake. He bent over and growled while flexing.

Dalton laughed.

You look like you could jump right into a fight, said Jake.

Dalton wore square-toed, shiny black boots and beige trousers with pockets. A black belt separated his pants from his loose dark-gray T-shirt, which showed off his athletic physique.

It’s my nanosuit’s default mode, he said. It can change a lot, and I call this casual.

That’s cool. Mikhail mentioned you had other modes, but I’ve only seen this one, said Jake.

Dalton changed into another mode. This is my camouflage mode.

Whoa, now that’s badass!

Dalton focused and switched back to his default mode. He now wore loose black pants that concealed most of his black boots. A black jacket with a dark-gray seam up the middle covered the top, and a dark-gray officer collar wrapped around the neck.

A wide, shield-like patch with a silver outline resided on both upper arms. The right displayed the Earth Ward symbol with some text on it, while the left showed the inspector symbol, which resembled an elegant magnifying glass surrounded by horizontal lines that went to the edge of the patch. Inspector Dalton Kingston sat on the upper-right part of the chest in gold lettering.

The Earth Ward inspector uniform, said Jake.

Dalton smiled. It sure is and what I would wear out and about in an official capacity. The Earth Ward wanted to give me an outfit, but I could replicate it. Plus, I have a light kinetic shield in casual mode.

Wish I had that. Any other modes?

Dalton changed to a different mode. This is my Scoutspectre mode. I only activate it when entering heavy combat, and it’s also the only one that allows me to use my nanoshield.

Wow. That reminds me of what I would see when I lived on a space station, said Jake.

Mikhail said I looked like a futuristic ninja with metal pads.

Jake laughed.

Dalton changed back to his casual outfit in default mode.

I saw your MH on your thighs when in Scoutspectre mode, but where does it go on the others?

Dalton grinned. In my default mode, it’s strapped to my right thigh and I can access it inside my pockets.

Awesome. And your stun gun—sorry, RSG—can form from your right hand. That’s so cool. I also noticed your slicked hair doesn’t move, kinda like Evaran.

Dalton ran a hand over his shaved sides. There isn’t too much to move.

True, said Jake. He furrowed his brow. On a serious note, I bet you’re still getting used to things here, huh?

Dalton smiled. I am, actually. My Earth was nothing like this. Maybe at some point it was but not when I left it.

So I’ve heard. You traveled through several parallel timelines before this one, right?

Dalton nodded. Ten, to be exact.

That’s crazy. And the last one was this timeline where you ran into Evaran.

That was the eleventh. Evaran actually had a summon specifically for me, said Dalton.

He recalled that Evaran’s ship, the Torvatta, issued summons that Evaran and his crew, known as the gang, attended to. One of the summons had been to rescue Dalton. He understood now why the Torvatta issued it. The Torvatta chose him to come to Earth at this point in time and help out. It was also where he received some of his more unique gifts, such as his Evaran-sense and Torvatta-touch.

Jake grinned. "I saw that the Torvatta chose you or something. I guess that’s why you’re here."

It is, and I’m at peace with that, said Dalton, casting a sidelong glance at him. My Earth, before it got nuked, resembled this one but was more advanced. After the war, it was a radiated wasteland with mutants and savage raiders. It’s where I lost my family.

That sucks, said Jake.

Dalton nodded. It’s okay. I know your history and that you’ve also dealt with losing family.

Jake sighed as he looked down. Yeah.

Dalton had been given access to the Torvatta’s knowledge base. One of the most intriguing aspects was when he discovered all of Evaran’s adventures since arriving on Earth a long while back. Jake was the first human Evaran met. Dalton enjoyed watching their first interaction, as Evaran recorded everything.

Jake had been abducted at the age of six and lived on a space station until he was almost twenty-one. He was supposed to become a breeder for the Seceltor Empire, but Evaran changed all that. Jake’s mom had also been abducted and ended up as the main course for a vicious alien race known as the Ogeerians.

Jake looked over at Dalton. I guess we both lost something before coming here.

Dalton laid a hand on his shoulder. We did, but all we can do is look forward. It doesn’t mean we need to forget the past, but we don’t have to let it define us either.

Jake chuckled. You sounded like Evaran just now.

"He is a good influence."

They shared a laugh.

So what’s your plan, then? asked Jake.

Dalton looked out. As you may or may not know, the timelines are still healing from the Mortani, rogue cosmic beings, and what they did. That means all dimensions to Earth, including other parallel timelines, can cross over much easier now. My purpose, at a high level, is to assist in providing stability.

I could see that. The Helians were removed from power last year, and they ran Earth from the shadows for thousands of years. Now we got the Earth Ward running things, and although Evaran created it, it’s not been the smoothest transition. There’s still a lot of issues, and I guess you’ll handle the parallel timeline and dimensional ones.

Dalton nodded. Most likely so. I’ll be dealing with the hardest or most unusual cases. I suspect that not all will deal with dimensions or timelines.

Jake grinned. You’ll be among a select few who could handle those. The Earth Ward is backed up in investigating things, and you were a Scoutspectre. Some type of space detective, right?

Inspector but same concept. I got most of my gifts from the first parallel Earth I visited. That’s where I became a Scoutspectre and eventually commanded fifty others over ten systems.

Jake’s eyes widened. Wow. The cases here will be a little easier, I think.

Perhaps, but I don’t have a highly trained Scoutspectre core to call upon. Also, this Earth’s nonhuman population is powerful, as are various human factions. I might have an edge, but it doesn’t mean the cases I investigate will be easy.

Jake nodded. I got ya. Speaking of edges, you have the mother lode.

Dalton shrugged. It depends on the situation. My nanotech suit in Scoutspectre mode can take some punishment but only to a limit. A machine gun would hurt. My nanoshield is powerful, but it doesn’t cover everything. In default mode, I have a light kinetic shield that would protect me against small arms fire, but as you already probably guessed, anything stronger will break it. My camouflage shielding works great, but anyone with enhanced senses or thermal imaging will see through it.

Those are still nice to have, said Jake. I read you heal fast or something?

I have super cells. They can heal me from most poison or disease as well as wounds but not if my head is missing or there’s a hole in my chest. They came as part of the nanosuit package. Since my skin has been bonded to the suit, the super cells keep everything inside good.

Yeah, but that’s still a much bigger advantage than a normal human. What other abilities do you have? I really wish I didn’t miss your debriefing sessions, but Lord Noskov has kept me busy, and Mikhail seems to be keeping you busy on runs. I don’t want you to feel like I’m interrogating you.

Dalton nodded. It’s all right. I’ve only been here a month, and I’m not going anywhere. For my noncombat abilities, I have Evaran-sense that allows me to detect things and some other enhancements. The Torvatta-touch lets me open and close dimensional portals but with some limitations.

Those are cool names, said Jake.

Yeah, I like them. You’ve already met Evot, my AI that controls my servbots.

She’s cool, said Jake, smiling. I like that she can jump out of your upper arms into a cat or crow form.

Dalton chuckled. She’s actually in crow form now, flying around.

Jake looked out.

I know my abilities seem powerful, but each of them has a weakness as well. However, it’s tactics that makes my abilities strong. Individually, they can be overcome, but it’s much harder to do that when they’re used efficiently. From my experience, the best approach is to avoid combat if possible. Words carry weight and are the preferred solution.

Jake chuckled. I get it. He boxed in the air. Still helps to have your abilities, the MH, and your RSG.

Dalton laughed. Yes, I suppose it does. You carry a stun weapon too. Pistol, I believe.

Yeah, it’s a modified Seceltor blaster.

While Dalton was confident in his abilities and understood them intimately, he also knew how overconfidence could be a liability. He had been in situations where he should have come out on top easily, but it came down to the wire when it should not have.

There had been several harsh lessons in that regard, and he had lost some under his command. He would not take what he possessed for granted and was thankful he had them. It was an advantage he would use to help others.

What do you think about the Wild Haven Institute so far? asked Jake.

Dalton ran a hand over the back of his neck. The Wild Haven Institute was where nonhumans and aliens visited to learn about Earth and how to interact with humanity.

It’s interesting for sure, he said.

Jake smiled. Yeah. Plus, you get to travel up there with Dr. Snowden, Emily, Dr. Bryson, and Karen.

Dalton’s eyes softened. Dr. Snowden and Emily were Evaran’s permanent travel companions, and Dalton had grown close to them. He was glad he got to continue seeing them between their trips. Dr. Bryson was a good friend of Dr. Snowden, and like Dalton, Dr. Bryson had been a temporary traveling companion. Dalton enjoyed comparing notes.

Karen, Dr. Bryson’s fiancèe, seemed resentful that she had been pulled into a situation that required knowledge of the nonhuman world. Dalton suspected she wanted a simpler life.

This is true, he said. I still miss training with Emily in the holo room and having philosophical discussions with Dr. Snowden in the planar cartography lab. I’m just glad I can still interact with them.

Yeah, said Jake. Plus, Evaran and V are around sometimes, so you’ll still get to see them.

Dalton fondly remembered V, Evaran’s trusty mobile artificial intelligence. Dalton had come to view V as family and, by extension, Evaran and the others who traveled with him.

Definitely. I value every moment I breathe, he said.

Jake nodded. I’m with you on that.

Robert, Jake’s dad, called out to them, and they looked back.

Looks like Dad is making burgers again. You in? asked Jake.

Dalton slapped Jake on the back. I wouldn’t dream of missing it. Let’s go.

Chapter Two

Dalton enjoyed the previous day. Not only did he get to help out on a mission, but he ended the day with some burgers, a few shots of bourbon, and relaxing with Jake and Robert on a cloudless night. When he imagined coming to this Earth, those were the type of things he envisioned. Robert was wise and sort of reminded Dalton of Dr. Snowden.

Jake was fun to be around, and he brought energy wherever he was. Dalton had enjoyed hearing about Robert and Jake’s involvement in dealing with a dimensional being, known as an Outsider, that tried to take over Earth but was thwarted by Evaran and the nonhuman community. Dalton felt a kinship with them in that they had a shared bond through Evaran.

The day so far had been peaceful, and it was 1:00 p.m. Dalton had a good breakfast and even got a workout in with Mikhail and Jake. Mikhail sparred some with Dalton, but he was faster than Mikhail. Jake’s jokes lightened the mood, but Dalton sensed something bothered Mikhail. Maybe when he was ready, he would tell Dalton.

The base was much nicer than Dalton thought it would be. Although only one side jutted out over the mountainside, a massive complex rested inside the mountain. Lord Noskov had been a gracious host, and Dalton enjoyed meeting some of the people he had only heard about. They enjoyed hearing about Dalton’s travels as well.

Jake had sent a message to Dalton to come to the command center. He was not sure what was going on, but Jake mentioned it was important. Dalton had been relaxing in his living quarters when Jake contacted him, so he turned on his official suit and exited.

He surveyed the command center when he arrived. An octagonal table resided in the back, and Lord Noskov, Lord Vygon, Mikhail, Robert, and Jake sat around and looked at a holographic projection. Dalton understood the technology was of Seceltor origin since the base was theirs. He found it interesting that humanity was so far behind technologically compared to the nonhuman world. At some point, he suspected it would all balance out.

Lord Noskov reminded Dalton of all the vampire descriptions he had read on his Earth. Lord Noskov had a black suit with a cape that had a red interior. He had pale skin, black eyes, and slicked-back black hair.

Lord Vygon was less pale but wore a suit of black, advanced light armor. He was more personable than Lord Noskov, and Dalton liked Lord Vygon’s fun personality. Mikhail had on his usual black heavy armor, while Jake wore his standard light, padded suit. Robert wore slacks and a shirt, which was a stark contrast to the others.

Dalton! said Lord Vygon, waving Dalton over.

That’s me, said Dalton, smiling as he took a seat.

You’re looking all official, said Mikhail.

Dalton shrugged. It works. I can’t exactly walk around in my Scoutspectre outfit.

Robert laughed. Yeah, that wouldn’t be good.

What’s going on? asked Dalton.

Lord Noskov nodded. Before we begin, I wanted to say we’re impressed by your abilities. You handled the Blooded situation with ease.

Dalton crooked a thumb at Mikhail. I couldn’t have done it without him.

It’s okay, said Lord Noskov, raising a hand. We’re not suggesting that Mikhail underperformed. Although you and Evaran already gave us a rundown of your abilities, it far exceeded what we expected. To that extent, we think you’re ready to try a solo mission. It’s one the Earth Ward has been tracking for a while, and they’ve asked us for help.

Dalton grinned. Sounds good to me.

Lord Noskov nodded. We’re just glad to be in the presence of a cosmic being and a little surprised Evaran allowed it.

I only have a sliver of cosmic energy, said Dalton.

That’s all it takes to be one, said Lord Vygon, smiling.

"I get it. I’m just as surprised as you are, but Evaran is okay with the Torvatta’s decision, as am I. Nonetheless, what’s the case?"

Mikhail chuckled. This one has you written all over it.

Yes, it does, said Lord Vygon. He tapped at the table console.

The projection changed to an overhead view of a city. Green dots flashed in various areas, with data labels hanging off each one.

This is Clarksville, Indiana. It’s not usually a hotbed of unusual activity, but there has been some. Video feeds of retailers seem to have blocks of time missing, as do security cameras from other places.

You don’t think it’s just a random hardware or software issue, I take it, said Dalton.

Lord Vygon shook his head. We don’t. Normally, we would ignore this type of case, but there was a report that a nearby Earth Ward safe house was also hit. More importantly, all our monitoring programs in the local area stopped responding, and our access points are shut down. That simply doesn’t happen.

Dalton rubbed his chin as he studied the projection. Do you mind if Evot has a look?

Please do, said Lord Noskov.

Dalton tapped at his right upper arm. A round disc emerged with a nanoswarm around it.

The disc separated, and the nanoswarm formed a gray cat. It jumped on the table and projected an image of a woman with short red hair, golden eyes, metallic skin, and a silver, one-piece, formfitting outfit. Evot waved at everyone.

She looked at Jake. Are you scanning me?

Jake’s eyes widened. What? No!

The group chuckled.

Evot smiled. I apologize. V told me he had a previous memory of asking you that.

Oh, yeah. U4, V’s previous incarnation, said Jake. He pointed at Evot. I see how it is.

Evot, focus, said Dalton.

Of course, she said. The projection vanished. What did you need?

Scan through all the data from that area using the Earth Ward’s systems, at least until the monitoring ones were erased. Check if there are any patterns that emerge.

I will. She trotted over to a system port on the table and extended a segmented, metallic tendril from her paw. After a moment, she said, There is a time factor present.

Lord Vygon wrinkled his brow. In what way?

The projection changed to show a slow-motion animation of the area as the blackouts occurred. A date-and-time stamp resided in the upper right.

There is a pattern that shows something moving at a typical human pace from place to place. There are groupings by day as well, said Evot.

Dalton rubbed his chin. Since these time stamps are only from a few days ago, whatever is doing this most likely lives in the area. However, without the monitoring systems, we only have the blackouts up to a certain point and within a small region. I bet there’s more if we can tap into the city’s systems.

That is a logical conclusion, said Evot. She sauntered over and merged back into Dalton’s arm.

Mikhail shook his head. I’m not sure how we didn’t see that pattern or those other blackouts before.

Because of the sheer amount of data to go through, not including the ability to recognize patterns at that level, said Lord Vygon, raising a finger. That’s trivial when you have a V or Evot, not so much when it’s us. The Earth Ward only has one division that can do this, and they wouldn’t allocate resources for a case like this or for what they consider a low-priority city like Clarksville.

Jake crooked a thumb at Dalton. But we have him here now.

Dalton nodded. Whatever I can do to help, you’ll have it. Do you have an informant in the area?

We do, said Lord Vygon. We’ve already asked if she’s seen anything, but it’s the usual spotting of the Faith Militia, a few Daedroulds, an Outsider, and a Wildborn.

Do any of them have the ability to do something like this? asked Dalton.

Lord Noskov shook his head. The Faith Militia is a human organization dedicated to the eradication of nonhumans. They aren’t the most tech savvy. Most Daedroulds can’t affect technology like that. An Outsider might, depending on who it is, and the Wildborn could as well, depending on their ability.

Dalton sighed. So it could be any of them.

"Was there anything in the Torvatta’s knowledge base with that ability?" asked Jake.

Checking, said Dalton.

He slid his finger across his left inner forearm and tapped at a few options. A screen popped up in his ARI, and he searched for anything with disruption in it. Although he did not have access to the Torvatta anymore, he had downloaded a lot of information about this time period. There was still much to learn about. The Faith Militia was a good example. He focused on his ARI. One result was found.

Looks like Evaran ran into a Wildborn with the ability to affect technology. He called her a technomancer, said Dalton.

My money is on the Wildborn in that area, then, although how they’re still alive is interesting. That’s a Faith Militia hotbed. Tons of slayers there, said Jake.

Slayers? asked Dalton.

Robert grinned. I can actually answer that one. They’re what the Faith Militia calls their members. They’re not too organized, but they can be quite dangerous. It’s a slang term.

Dalton nodded. Hopefully, I don’t run into them when I go there. I’ll need all the information on the local area before I go.

Lord Vygon eased back into his seat. See? I knew you were the perfect person for this.

I’ll try my best, said Dalton.

I know you will, said Lord Vygon. If you need anything while you’re there, let us know.

Dalton grinned. When do I leave?

Scene Break

Dalton eased back into his chair aboard Jake’s stealthed ship. It was yet another reminder of how much further along the nonhuman world was compared to humanity. Jake’s space-worthy ship would be ridiculed as nothing but a personal transport in an advanced civilization, but it would be groundbreaking if it were ever exposed on Earth. Jake also possessed knowledge that would probably get him killed if not for Lord Vygon’s and Lord Noskov’s protection.

Dalton wore his official outfit, as he did not know what to expect once they landed. He looked out the window as they approached Clarksville. Farm fields with lonely country roads and a smattering of farmhouses dotted the land. He chuckled when he counted a high number of churches. It seemed religion was big in the area.

As they neared the outskirts, he observed more buildings. They flew over a highway, which branched off to busy areas. It reminded him of a river and its tributaries.

Where is this safe house exactly? asked Dalton.

We’re not far now, said Jake. It’s actually a compound in the northwestern area.

How is it kept secret?

Jake laughed. Well, it’s got a fence around the area for one thing. This place also has two guards, and most of the safe house has strong walls and tech. There’s a pad in the back we can land on that looks like a helicopter pad.

Dalton rubbed his chin. So there’s a possibility this person visited a nearby business and, while there, also impacted the safe house’s systems.

That’s what I’m thinking. I mean, right across the street is a big yard and then a retail store. I’m not sure how the Earth Ward’s monitoring programs and access points got wiped, though. That seems crazy. If you check out the store, I guess you can see if maybe the monitoring program is still there but shut down or something.

I agree, said Dalton.

He checked the time. It was almost 5:30 p.m. It felt good to match time with the environment, something that was not a given when he had been a Scoutspectre on other planets.

Jake shook a finger at him. You got your work cut out for you. He reached into a small cubbyhole and pulled out a credit card. If you need money, use this. It’s tied to your bank account that we set up when you arrived and already has funds from the cases you helped with.

Ah, currency. I’ll give the first Earth I traveled to some credit in that department. A cashless society can work, but this Earth has a long way to go. Once matter replicators become common, though…

Yeah, I had to adjust to that too, said Jake.

Dalton studied the landing pad as they approached. Jake was right that the compound was secured. A tall fence surrounded the square area, and a strong gate guarded the only entrance. The lone building in the middle was large, and he wondered how it protected itself from satellites.

Do you think this Faith Militia would attack this place?

Jake shook his head. Slayers don’t really mess with Earth Ward property. They hunt nonhumans out in the wild and don’t want the heat that comes from Earth Ward hunting them.

Doesn’t the Earth Ward hunt slayers due to what they do?

Jake sighed. Unfortunately, the rule of law still applies even to them. There has to be evidence. That’s hard to find when they hit a house of a nonhuman family, slice them up, then leave without a trace.

Dalton’s eyes narrowed. So it’s like a game of cat and mouse.

Yeah, and if they attack a safe house, Earth Ward will have a video feed of it and the surrounding area. Thankfully, whoever attacked the Earth Ward’s digital presence in the city left the safe house alone.

Dalton nodded as the ship landed. There was another fence that surrounded the pad. He thought he saw the fence move up some. Once they exited, Jake walked over to a locked gate and interacted with a nearby console.

The gate unlocked.

Let’s go! said Jake.

Dalton surveyed the environment as they strolled across the yard. The walls were thick, and he spotted a few cameras around the area. There were some windows, but they were high up. One of the armed guards on the roof waved at Jake, who reciprocated. Apparently, the guard expected them.

Jake tapped a door console, which caused a buzzing sound. He opened the nearby door. In we go.

Dalton followed him into a hallway that led to a circular hub. Hallways led off to the right and left, and the one opposite them ended with another door to the outside. In the middle of the hub area was a round enclosure where an armed male guard sat. Multiple screens ringed him, and he nodded as they approached.

Jake crooked a thumb at Dalton. This is Inspector Dalton Kingston. He’s going to be operating out of here for a while. His case and credentials should already be in the system.

The guard stood and pulled out a tablet-like device. He held it in front of Dalton. Go ahead and place your palm on there.

Dalton complied.

The man took the tablet and sat. He tapped at his keyboard and studied the screens. His eyes widened. Wow. He has Tier-1 clearance. He looked at Dalton. You’re an inspector, so I guess that’s to be expected.

Jake chuckled. He’ll need a car while he’s here.

Of course. SUV’s gassed up and ready to go, said the guard. He looked at Dalton. You can use your hand to unlock areas. With your clearance, that’s pretty much…everywhere. He pointed down the right hallway. Your room’s that way, last one on the right. He gestured in the other direction. Kitchen, medbay, and communications room are that way. Any questions, just ask. He extended a hand. I’m Mike.

Dalton shook his hand.

Jake looked around. Well, I better get back. You should have everything you need, and if you don’t, you got Mike.

All right. I appreciate you flying me out, said Dalton.

Jake shook Dalton’s hand. No problem. Good luck and let me know when you’re ready to head back.

Will do.

Jake took off.

Mike peered over the desk. Traveling light?

Food, drink, and a place to rest are all I need, said Dalton.

Damn, son, you’re committed.

I suppose I am, said Dalton. Were you the one who reported the hack?

Yeah, said Mike. Funny thing, none of our connections to the city work right now. We can’t see shit.

That’s odd.

Yeah, tell me about it, but I guess that’s partially why you’re here.

Dalton smiled at him and then went right. Dalton liked the Earth Ward safe house setup. With them sprinkled around major areas, he could see how the Earth Ward was set up to handle cases. Jake had mentioned the Earth Ward did not have the people to deal with its caseload. Dalton suspected that meant they did not have people qualified to do them.

The room he entered was spacious. A bed was lined up against the back. A room to the side served as the bathroom, and he had a media center on the right wall. A desk and laptop sat at the front left corner. It would serve him well for what he needed.

He stepped into the bathroom and studied the enclosed glass-wall shower stall. Although his nanotech suit got rid of any dirt, it still needed to go somewhere. He turned on the shower and stepped inside. A quick rinse and his suit deposited what little grime there was.

After he turned off the shower, his suit vibrated, causing water to fly off. Once he verified his body was dry, he stepped out and dried his head.

He took a seat at the desk and tapped his right arm. Evot jumped out in cat form.

Evot, this facility was reportedly hacked. Verify that, he said.

Of course, said Evot.

She jumped to the laptop and lay on it. A tendril slid out of her back and connected.

Dalton did not worry about logins, as Evot blew right past that. One of the advantages of having an AI. Her only weakness was dealing with more advanced security AIs, which was not something he expected to encounter on Earth, at least not this one. He eased back into his chair, spun around, and put his hands behind his head. With his ARI, he watched as Evot checked out the safe house systems.

Evot flagged some porn sites Mike had looked at.

Dalton raised an eyebrow. Evot…I don’t need to know that.

It might be important. I wasn’t aware human waste could be used like that.

Dalton grimaced. Focus on anything unusual.

Isn’t that unusual?

Dalton sighed. Related to the hacking incident.

Of course.

Dalton chuckled. Evot was originally an enhanced virtual intelligence that served as the servbots’ interface for over seventy years, but Evaran had upgraded her. Evot had a lot to learn, and she was intensely curious. She was now self-aware, and it made her happy to know she was more than what she was created for.

Dalton had come to rely on her, not only as a constant companion but as one of his best friends. She was shackled to him via an augment, but she could put herself into one of the servbots and explore around or form a holo shell to interact with others. Her favorite holo shells seemed to be a cat and a crow for blending in, although she used her human one often as well.

After an hour, Evot said, I found something. When the missing footage occurred at the nearby retailer, the safe house monitoring program lost connection. It assumed it was an attack when it couldn’t restore a connection after ten minutes.

It might have been an attack on the retailer but not the safe house itself.

That’s correct, said Evot. She raised a paw. It would have initiated an alert at the safe house.

I’m thinking Mike isn’t tech savvy.

That is my conclusion as well. I have also verified that the Earth Ward’s monitoring programs are not responding and their access points into other systems were closed.

Great. Dalton stood, and Evot jumped back onto his arm and merged in. Okay. Let’s check out that retailer.

Chapter Three

Dalton drove to the retailer in the black SUV provided by the Earth Ward. Although he knew how to drive, it took him a moment to remember. The last time he had used a vehicle was over eighty years ago on his original Earth.

There was not much to learn about how to steer, brake, and hit the gas, and he had already learned all the driving rules. It was vastly simpler than operating a Scoutspectre space ship. The short trip across the road to the parking lot had been a good test, and he had no issues.

After he parked, he walked to the store’s entrance. The amount of people out and about surprised him, especially since it was getting dark. Sounds of thumping bass filled the air around him. He tracked it to a car blasting some music.

The carefree and casual nature on display made him stop and look around. After fighting everything from five-hundred-pound-plus snake aliens to Blooded vampires, it seemed surreal to see people walking around without a clue as to what was out there. The nonhumans apparently did a good job of keeping things quiet. He continued on to the retailer.

Several young males off to the side of the entrance smoked cigarettes.

One of the fair-skinned boys with cornrows pointed at Dalton. Check this dude out!

The others laughed and slapped hands.

Dalton paused to study them. He nodded and entered the store. This Earth’s culture was different than the one he knew growing up, but he would adjust. The boy’s words seemed mocking. Dalton realized his official outfit did stand out, but his Scoutspectre outfit would probably cause panic. It made sense to use his casual outfit, but he needed his official one if he was there on business. He could have used camouflage mode, but he needed to talk with people inside. Appearing out of nowhere would be as bad as having his Scoutspectre mode on.

As he surveyed the store’s interior, he spotted the customer service desk and approached. There was a line of people who looked miserable. One woman wore shorts that were way too small. Two young females loudly talked and used their phones. A man at the back of the line looked like he was ready to call it a day. Dalton did not plan to wait, so he marched up to the woman behind the counter. The permanent frown on her face indicated she probably hated her job.

He pulled out his badge wallet and flashed his Earth Ward badge. Inspector Dalton Kingston, Earth Ward. I’m here to talk with your loss prevention officer.

The woman scowled. The Earth what now?

People in line groaned.

Law enforcement, said Dalton with a smile.

Her eyes widened. Oh, you’ll want Randy.

Randy it is.

She picked up a phone and dialed. After talking for a brief moment, she hung up. He’s on his way.

Dalton nodded. Thank you.

He passed the people in line, who gave him dirty looks. They seemed to come alive at the thought that he had cut ahead. It would be better to wait somewhere a little less public. He found a somewhat isolated section outside the customer service area.

Ten minutes later, a pudgy, fair-skinned man with a balding head hustled over and extended his hand. Randy Collins, Loss Prevention.

Inspector Dalton Kingston, Earth Ward, he said, returning the handshake.

Randy wrinkled his brow. I can’t say I’m familiar with the Earth Ward.

Enforcement agency approved by the United Nations. Global jurisdiction. It was recently formed, and if you’re unsure, you can call local law enforcement to verify.

Randy nodded. All right, I will. It’s nothing against you personally, but I need to be thorough. I actually have a bud I can call. Excuse me. He pulled out his cell and stepped away.

It would take a while for the Earth Ward to be a common name. Dalton was not sure why they did not use a well-known agency name like the FBI, but apparently, there had been a fight over that.

Randy returned. You learn something new every day. Your group has higher jurisdiction than the FBI! What exactly do you do?

I handle cases of a…classified nature.

And you’re here?

Dalton smiled. I am. Can we talk in your office?

Um, sure, said Randy.

After five minutes, they arrived.

How can I help? asked Randy.

Dalton nodded. Your store had a recent blackout for fifteen minutes three days ago. It also happened two days prior to that.

How could you possibly know that?

I can’t say. However, I do need to take a look at your systems to see the CCTV coverage right up to that point and after.

Randy nodded and sat at a desk with a large monitor. The screen was divided into nine cells, each with a CCTV feed.

Dalton nodded, then cleared his throat. I can take it from here.

Don’t you need me to pull the footage up?

It’s covered.

Randy shrugged.

Dalton reached into his pocket and had his MH form a USB end. He plugged it into the nearby computer tower.

I have connected to their systems, said Evot over local comms.

Dalton nodded.

Randy stared at the screen for a moment, then looked at Dalton. Do you need to sit?

I’m good standing, said Dalton.

He studied his ARI when Evot found the missing footage. The CCTV lines stopped sending data as opposed to sending it, then it being erased. The small database that handled the CCTV feeds also had missing audit records.

Evot had discovered the Earth Ward monitoring program. Its service had been stopped and the startup set to manual as opposed to automatic. She started it back up with no issues and configured the startup. That meant whoever did this had the power to disable the cameras and alter the monitoring program on the server. That must have been what occurred at other places in the area.

I’ve found what I came for, said Dalton.

Randy frowned. But the screen didn’t change. How did you find what you’re looking for?

Dalton smiled. I can’t say.

And you’re really not going to tell me what all this is about? I’m a loss prevention officer, and I think I should know.

Dalton studied him. Evot, pull up Randy Collins’s family on the monitor.

Randy looked around as if expecting to see someone.

The screen changed to show a picture of Randy, his wife, and his son and daughter.

Randy stared.

Now show where Stanley plays baseball and his schedule, said Dalton.

The screen displayed an image of a baseball field on one half and a calendar highlighting when Stanley played on the other.

How…? asked Randy.

Dalton gestured at the monitor. Now show where his wife does her grocery shopping.

The screen showed several places with time stamps, then flipped back to the CCTV feeds.

You just saw how easy it was for me to gather that data, said Dalton.

Yeah.

If anyone found out that you had any information on what I was investigating, you would be associated. If that were to happen, you would become a target.

Randy’s lower lip quivered. And my family would too…

Sadly, yes. I’m telling you this so you understand the severity of what I’m working with and what the Earth Ward works with in general.

I…I understand, said Randy. He crooked his thumb at the monitor. How’d you pull all that up without using a mouse?

Earth Ward tech, said Dalton.

He did not want to explain how the Earth Ward had access to not only satellite imagery but a database with billions of facial images, each linked to a personal file. It seemed crazy to him that the information was collected by companies and sold without user consent.

Apparently, digital privacy was somewhat lax on this Earth. Getting personal data on Randy was a simple query that Evot could handle with ease, then display on the screen. Dalton unplugged his MH and put it back in his pocket.

Randy puffed his cheeks. I’m gonna need to change my pants after this.

Dalton laughed. You seem like a good person who enjoys his family. Keep my visit quiet. It could be dangerous if it were known that you talked to me.

There’s a camera in here, though.

Yes, and it has been altered to show a loop of an empty room while I was here. The looping will end when I leave, said Dalton.

Of course it will, said Randy.

Dalton opened the door.

Randy stood and took a deep breath. I get it.

Good. Now close your eyes for ten seconds.

Huh?

Dalton tilted his head.

All right, said Randy, sighing. He closed his eyes.

Dalton activated his camouflage shielding and exited the room. Randy would probably scour the CCTV feeds and search around, but he would find no trace of the visit. Dalton realized that anyone who saw him at the store might recall some details if asked, but he thought Randy had a grasp on keeping things quiet. Evot had even altered the cameras around the store so it looked like they never visited.

Although the Earth Ward was a legitimate agency, Dalton liked to keep his visits confidential when investigating. He did not lie in mentioning that being associated could have implications. He had seen it occur many times before, but he did not think anything would happen to Randy. It was better to be safe than