First Mission: E.R.T. Book Two

By Frankie Ingram

Kimani Strait has finally graduated from the Elite Rescue Academy. His first mission is to protect a finacier as he travels to Pluto to join an inclusion bid. Along for the ride are Kyndra, kimani's sister, and Lieutinant Cornwell, a decorated E.R.T. coming off mental health leave.

Their routine babysitting job turns into full chaos when

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sci Fi Babe Creations
• Release date: Aug 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9781734715873

Book preview

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[e-mail] In a war between rival gaming companies two brothers are forces to play dangerous games in a fight for their very minds. Word Count: 84,016 DARKEST GAMES

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CHAPTER ONE

Delia

There were a dozen police cars surrounding the after-hours cafe, all the flashing lights making 3 am look more like noon. When Delia got the call to report to a suspected homicide scene, she thought it was a mistake. She worked Cyber Crime Services, not homicide, and especially not some god-forsaken graveyard shift foolishness. Then she got a priority alert from the captain demanding to be updated as soon as she found something out.

It was enough to banish sleep and get her up and moving. Somehow she'd managed to get dressed and in the car, and to the scene under twenty minutes. Delia wiped crust off the corner of her eyes and stepped gingerly out of her car. She pulled up the crime report on her police-issue tactical glasses, skimming over it as she looked around for her partner.

Cyrus Maak, who was a big bear of a man, stood out from the rest of the crowd. He was almost a full foot taller than her and a good hundred pounds heavier. He was chatting with another detective just outside the entrance to the cafe.

What makes you think this is part of our purview, Cyrus asked one of the detectives, his voice still gravelly from sleep.

The detained suspect is a fugitive on your list, so we were told to call you guys in. Just try not to trample all over my crime scene.

Cyrus nodded gently, because he could be polite even after being awoken in the middle of the night. Delia tapped his shoulder to let him know she was there.

Cyrus looked over and smiled but the arch of his eyebrows told Delia that her appearance surprised him. Her in rush she had left on the sweatpants she used as pajama bottoms and had threw on a cybercrimes t-shirt from the bottom of her drawer so it was wrinkled and smelled a little stale. Delia self-consciously reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear and discovered she still had her headscarf on. She wasn't making the best of a first impression.

Cyrus powered through, Detective Delia Carter this is Detective Andrew Fritz.

Delia recognized the name from the head of the report. He was the first one on scene aka he was in charge. Delia gave him a smile, because even she could fake nice when needed. Detective Fritz, nice to meet you. The report said you had two bodies and one injured, it didn't mention any suspect. So who do you have that is so important I had to miss my beauty sleep for?

Yeah well he's not in the report yet because we have no actual way of proving he did anything but since you guys have been looking for him maybe you can help sort it out. We have inside, Hunter Mathews.

Delia groaned. Its definitely too early for this crap.

Delia, Cyrus chided.

Come on we've been tracking Hunter for months after he allegedly leaked that information about Congressman Daniels and started that firestorm of a corruption scandal investigation. Now they just stumble on him wrapped up in a weird homicide. I knew that man was a ball of trouble waiting to explode all over this city, but boss said we didn't have enough evidence to justify a manhunt.

Not anymore, Fritz replied.

Too little too late, Delia complained.

Well we have him now, Cyrus said. so how about we go see what our boy has been up to.

Working in Cyber Crimes Services often spared Delia from being subjected to violent scenes. A lot of her work was done online or the occasional manhunt. Their suspects didn't often get their hands dirty with something as physical as murder.

Examining a homicide scene at 3 o'clock in the morning was not a place Delia felt comfortable in, but it was her job and she would push through. She would look at a hundred murder victims if she could pin even one of them on Hunter Matthews.

Hunter Mathews had been on Delia's radar for too long, managing to skate on charges more than once. This time she was going to nail him to the wall and finally get a night sleep that wasn't interrupted by fears of what he might do next.

The Lakefront Lunatic was the kind of place that opened after nine pm and attracted a certain type of client. When Delia stepped inside, she noticed the strobe lighting was still reacting to music that had long since been turned down to nothing more than a whisper. It didn't take much looking around to get a feel for what kind of people frequented the establishment.

The decor was very industrial, exposed brick, black metal tables bolted into the floor. There was a wall of liqueur behind the bar that featured a variety of small batch local concoctions, some of the jars didn't even have labels on them, just a name written on the glass with a permanent marker. The appeal was definitely to the survivalist/ prepper crowd.

This newest generation of survivalist weren't as into hunting and guns as their predecessors. They preferred seed vaults and algae vats to prepare a select group for the coming ice age. Others wanted the thirty-year plan for the Mars colony to be cut in half. According to some extremists the water and soil were already polluted beyond repair and the colony was the only hope for humanity's survival, at least their version of what counted as humanity.

When she was in college, Delia would have found herself hanging out with the milder version of preppers. She still kept a to-go bag and a pantry stocked with non-perishables in case something happened. She regularly donated to her favorite private space faring company and was saving up for a seat on a colony ship. Delia wasn't unsympathetic to the root ideals, but as with everything, people took it too far when they started talking about genetic purity and all that nonsense.

A few uniformed officers were milling about in groups. A crime scene tech was taking pictures. They accepted her presence with a nod. Delia made sure she watched every step, not wanting to disrupt anyone else's job, she was clearly the outsider. She had put her tact glasses on record mode so they picked up everything she saw, giving her something to review later. There was no telling what little detail might be important.

Detective Fritz led them into the back room where a large holo-gaming suite took three of the four walls and most of the floor space. There were two booths on opposite sides of the room, space for players to prep before joining the game. The main screen was stuck at a save point and NPCs frozen in place throughout the room, leaving a ghostly glow.

Ah Cyber Crimes, finally, the ME said as he stood up from his perch on a stool. He wouldn't let me move the bodies until you guys got a good look at the gear. He indicated the detective at the back of the room.

Delia found herself struggling to actually look down at the two bodies in the room, so she was more than happy to focus on the second homicide detective. She recognized his face, as one she passed the hallways at the justice center but had no clue as to a name. Before she could introduce herself, Delia saw the cuffed man shrouded in shadow, sitting as far back in the booth as the wall would allow.

Delia could only see half of his face, but it was one she knew well enough. Hunter freaking Mathews, I can't believe this day has finally come. You have no idea how long I've waited to see you in handcuffs. She shook her head.

I'm guessing you know him? the detective said indicating his prisoner.

Hunter Mathews, hacker, thief, general degenerate. Yeah I might know him.

That's slanderous talk, Hunter replied, sitting up. His light blue eyes glowed in the light of the hologram character closest to him.

As he straightened up, Delia realized he was taller than she expected. With pale skin, sharp features, and perfectly white teeth, he looked as classically handsome in person as his profile picture. When Delia's tact glasses scanned his face, they automatically pulled up the person of interest alert for him. Wanted on suspicion of hacking government servers, theft of political funds, and harassment of a political figure. Hunter's arrest could close of a high-profile case.

So Hunter, what made these two unfortunate souls the target of your ire? Cyrus asked.

Delia turned to see that he and Detective Fritz were studying the body closest to the door. All three of them, the two deceased and Hunter, had the same gear on. It was mostly standard holo-game motion capture suits that translated player movement into the game in real time. But Delia noticed the mods that all three of them had along their arms.

I didn't do anything to anybody, Hunter insisted. He tried to stand up but the detective guarding him stood to close to the booth. They are…were my teammates. We were just playing a friendly round of Grave's Endeavor and suddenly they dropped out. I didn't know what happened until I looked around to see them on the ground. I checked for a pulse on both of them and there was nothing.

Delia looked at Hunter, her mouth actually open. The detective nodded as if he understood her surprise. She'd heard a lot of crazy stories from criminals before, but this was by far the stupidest excuse she'd ever heard. "You honestly want due to believe some invisible stranger killed your friends, two feet away from you and you have no clue who or how?

Hunter scratched at his sandy blond hair. Listen I know how crazy it sounds but I'm telling the truth. We were playing the game. I didn't do anything.

I think he might need a psych consult, Delia told her partner.

I would agree with you, the second Detective said, but I pulled the meta data off his implant, he tilted Hunter's head to show the device at the base of his skull. And it does confirm that they were all engaged in the game at the time of death.

Delia narrowed her eyes. She didn't know a lot about the new Jacked-In gaming implants even thought their popularity was on a meteoric rise. It was just new technology she hadn't had the time to really get familiar with. What she did know was that they tracked everything from heart rate, to stress hormones, and pulse while the player was active, supposedly for safety reasons. If Hunter killed two people, the implant should have notes some kind of anomaly in his biorhythms.

How is that possible? Cyrus asked, stroking his chin.

Have no clue, that's why you guys are here.

I'm innocent! Hunter insisted.

Save it. Delia retorted. Why don't you be useful and tell me what those mods are for.

Hunter shrugged. I don't know tucker provided the gear. I just showed up to play.

And you put on modified equipment without asking a single question. I find that hard to believe. Delia said.

She moved closer to Hunter to get a better look. The mod was the size of a large wrist band. It was gray in color and was raised off his suit no more than a few inches. It was small and plain enough to possibly go unnoticed in a crowded game but the rough edges stood out against Hunter's state of the art suit. Delia lifted Hunter's wrist to get a closer look.

There were no buttons, or an interface screen on it, but it was plugged into the suit so whatever it did must of been trigger by something in-game. There was a circular opening, big enough for an ink pen to fit through and a targeting laser on the front. Her tacts told her it was inactive but Delia still resisted the urge to put her face up close to it, just in case.

What exactly killed those two? Delia asked.

The ME looked through his notes. I wasn't allowed to do a through examination but from what I could see they both have small puncture wounds on their chest. Its not from any projectile or weapon I'm familiar with. Then there are the electrical burns around the wound. Whatever it was electrocuted them from the inside.

Hmmm. Delia lifted Hunter's mod to her nose and sniffed. There was a faint ozone smell to the end of it, like the smell of air after a lightning storm. You claim to be innocent, yet you're wearing the likely murder weapon on your wrist.

Hunter snatched his hand away from her. I didn't kill anyone. How stupid do you think I am. Why would I murder my friends then stick around just to get arrested?

I don't know. I also don't understand why you all have the same mods yet only they are dead.

There was a third gamer who was injured and transported to the hospital, Fritz explained.

We need to collect all their gear to see if we can piece together what exactly happened here, Delia said.

And we have to get a copy of the game play off the server to figure out what exactly was going on in this room to start a shootout, Cyrus finished.

That means I'm clear to move the bodies now? the ME asked impatiently.

Yeah just make sure we get every scrape of the gear sent over to Cyber Crime Services, desk 23. Cyrus said, handing over his business card.

I'll personally make sure it gets to you. Detective Fritz said.

Delia nodded her thanks, Now we get to fight over who gets Hunter.

Oh no he is all your problem. Have fun. This is just to weird for my taste, Fritz replied. "Since we arrested him, we'll take him down to central booking then I'm going to get some lunch and pretend I never ran into this foolishness.

Delia glanced at the time. It was already close to 4:30. Since booking Hunter was out of her hands that saved her about an hour, but they still had to talk to the fourth gamer at the hospital. There was no way she was getting back to bed any time that night. Well Hunter I'll be sure to talk to you later, Delia said, actually excited about the prospect.

Can't wait, Hunter replied, his eyes narrowed to angry slits.

#

The fourth gamer, Allison Winters had a minor procedure to remove a projectile from her shoulder but was already sitting up in recovery when Delia and Cyrus got to the hospital. Cyrus downed his second cup of coffee in twenty minutes, only adding to Delia's jealousy as she took the third sip from her cup, even with lots of cream and sugar the stuff tasted like bitter sludge in her mouth and her empty stomach didn't appreciate it at all. Cyrus looked at her sidelong and Delia handed him the cup without thinking twice.

So the game plan is, he asked between big gulps.

Delia rubbed at her tired eyes. She had managed to pull the scarf off her head but her hair was still a mess. She felt like two-day old toast and nothing but sleep and a long shower was going to fix that. I'm too tired and too irritated to play games, I say we go straight up blunt and honest. This girl knows something and I plan to have it out of her in the next twenty minutes in the slim hope that I'll make it back to my bed before sunrise.

Cyrus scrolled through Allison's public file, highlighting what he considered the important bits and forwarding it to Delia. Are you sure you want to antagonize the woman. She's a victim remember.

Delia glanced through the highlighted sections of the file before blinking it off the tacts' HUD. Delia understood enough of who Allison was. A professional who played as hard as she worked. No kids. No husband. Plenty of acquaintances. Smart, pretty, middle class, comfortable with her life. "A victim who at best knows Hunter casually, and at worst is part of his crew. That makes her a questionable person in my book

Delia wished she had all of her tactical gear to give her more of an authoritative air which she suspected Allison would have responded to, instead Delia was going to have to hide behind police jargon and a strong voice. Then a better idea struck her.

Why don't you question her. I think she'd respond quicker if you demanded the answers.

Cyrus frowned. He wasn't in the habit of intimidating women in hospital beds but the early hours of the night required new tactics. Yeah sure why not.

I'll start us off with the good cop routine then you bring the hammer down, Delia said. She gave one final attempt at smoothing her curls into a decent ponytail but the shorter ones in the front immediately popped back out falling across her face. She was a disheveled mess and there was no escaping it.

Cyrus gave her a skeptical look.

I know I look a mess. Lets just get through this.

Delia knocked on the door of the recovery room and stepped in before she heard the reply. The second Allison spotted their jackets she sat up straiter in her bed, pulling her sheet up tighter on her chest with her good arm.

Can I help you, Allison asked.

Ms Wilson we're sorry to bother you but we need to ask you a few questions about the incident at The Lakefront Lunatic tonight. If you don't mind? Delia said.

And you are?

Detective Carter, Delia said showing her badge, And Detective Maak, Cyrus flashed his, Of the Cyber Crimes Services.

Since when does CCS deal with homicides, she asked in a self-righteous tone that made Delia's ire rise.

Since it involves a known hacker and a holo-gaming hub, Delia snapped back. Two seconds in and she'd already ruined her good cop act.

Can you tell us what took place at the cafe, to the best of your recollection? Cyrus asked pulling up a chair, sitting right against the bed.

Delia leaned against the windowsill passively observing.

Allison's eyes darted between Delia and Cyrus. We were playing and then they were dead I didn't see what happened. I didn't even know I was shot IRL until I went to massage my shoulder and my hand came away wet. I may have passed out I don't know, it all happened fast.

And the mods to their equipment? Cyrus asked. They had already looked over Allison's she didn't have any extra gear except the keyboard on her arm.

Allison shook her head, I don't know. They showed up with it. I didn't ask, they didn't tell. How was I supposed to know what it was for? I just don't understand what happened.

And your association with Hunter? How did that come about? Delia cut in.

Well Tucker and I work together. He asked if I wanted to join a team for a Grave's scavenger hunt game there would be six teams competing for a cash prize. I figured it would be a fun thing to do over a couple weekends. Tucker picked the team and tonight was our first meet up. That guy, Hunter was there when I got there. Tucker knew him from somewhere, I don't know.

Delia laughed. As flimsy stories go I have to admit thats not the worse one I heard tonight.

Hey my friends died, I got shot and you come in here to laugh at me! To accuse me of something.

Cyrus patted the air, urging calm, We aren't here to accuse you of a crime we just want to know what went wrong. SO you don't know Hunter, thats fine. Please just tell us what you know about the mods. Cyrus said. That third cup of coffee must have given him the patience Delia couldn't muster up. I've played team games like Grave's Endeavor before, I know to build a team on the fly and work well together you have to build trust fast so there's no way you would have played without learning something about those mods.

Allison sighed, pulling the blankets tighter around her for protection. Tucker and Olympia were beta testers for Jacked-In. They said the moded gloves were part of a thank you gift for agreeing to do a new round of testing for the latest upgrade.

The glove mods and what else? Delia pushed.

Some cheat codes for tracker software that would allow us behind the scenes access to our opponents whereabouts.

So you choose the isolated hub knowing there wouldn't be a moderator there to keep you from testing out your tracking worm. Delia finished for her. But why did your friends open fire on each other?

Tears welled up at the corner of Allison's eyes but she quickly wiped them away. The mods were just supposed to be trackers. You could tag any item in game and track it anywhere in the world, thats it. I don't know how they turned into guns or whatever the heck hit me. Tucker and, Allison's voice cracked. She cleared her throat and shook her head banishing her ghosts. Tucker and Olympia were going to test the range and next thing I knew they were dead. I don't understand what happened. They got the plans from Jacked-In, why don't you talk to them.

Delia stepped forward, grabbing the end of Allison's bed, bumping it just enough to make Allison tense up. I'm still at a lost as to were Hunter figures into this. You say you don't know that you were playing a late night game with a wanted hacker and thief, maybe I believe you maybe not. That still leaves the question as to why Hunter would want to play with you guys anyway.

Allison bright green eyes stared right into Delia, cutting to the core. Listen, as I said earlier I don't know the man. Tucker said Hunter was the expert on the mods. Thats all I know. Honestly when you meet people in a back-hole like the Lunatic you don't ask to many questions. A lot of gamers have extra-circular activities that are less than perfectly legal, that doesn't make them bad people it just makes them survivors.

Delia wanted to argue but Cyrus stood up cutting her off. Its okay Ms Wilson, Cyrus said patting her good arm gently. we'll check out your story and Jacked-In. I'm so sorry for your loss. Allison nodded. Try to get some rest.

Delia tried hard not to roll her eyes. There was a lot of crap flying through the air that night and she was having any of it. Cyrus could pretend to be nice but Delia saw nothing in Allison that deserved that kind of effort. So she stepped out of the room and searched for Jacked-In's address and contact information instead.

Delia had heard about the upstart gaming company but had no experience with their system or their games. She knew they had a patent on a new revolutionary gaming system that truly allowed players to step into the game without the bulky immersion suit or holo gaming hubs.

Delia didn't think an upstart company would be stupid enough to give gamers a obviously dangerous mod but many gamers tweaked the mods past the limits, turning something harmless into a weapon whether by accident or on purpose. With Hunter involved that last was more likely.

Are we going to track down some Jacked-In people? Cyrus asked as he closed the hospital room door behind him.

Delia glanced at the time on HUD. We're still outside of normal business hours. I say we get some sleep and start fresh when normal people are up and about.

Meet you back at the office at 10?

Delia groaned. With travel time and other necessities that would only give her maybe three hours of sleep. Not the best start to what was looking to be a long and trying day. Trying to convince Cyrus of that would be a waste of time so she acquiesced Yeah, yeah fine ten.

CHAPTER TWO

Tyrone

Tyrone pulled into his parent's driveway, scraping his low front end against the broken pavement. His sister's white compact car was the only vehicle in the drive, dad had to be off at work. Tyrone plugged his vehicle's cord into the open socket beside his sister's. He wasn't going to be there long but his car needed all the extra juice it could to get.

Tyrone spotted his little brother, Trevor, working in the garage. Bits agricultural drones hung