Red Mist: Episode 5, Season 2: Phantom: The Red Mist Series, #5

By R T Green

Two women... two enemies. One deadly terror threat. One jealous sister.
One true love.
What could possibly go wrong?

An MI6 shadow assassin and a beautiful terrorist are thrown together in the midst of a terror threat, the like of which London has never seen before.

This is 'Phantom', the fifth episode of the Red Mist series, and the first in Season 2.

Heading into the stars in pursuit of the evil queen, Madeline and Zana are truly alone. But not for long. A new, even more potent enemy poses an unexpected and deadly threat, and they are forced to confront a reality already twisted to breaking point.

Then, when the unthinkable happens, life and death take on a whole new meaning.

Travel with Madeline and Zana as they follow a life-threatening, perilous road, taking them to a place neither believes can exist.

Killing someone isn't meant to be this hard. Neither is falling in love.

"Romantic Suspense at its finest"

Imagine a TV drama with eight episodes over two seasons, telling a complete story, and bringing you a host of unexpected twists and turns along the way.
Red Mist is that gripping serialized drama, in book form. It will keep you page-turning, and episode reading!
(Each episode is its own story, but very much leads into the next one... so to get the full effect please do read the volumes in order!)

Do check out the Red Mist series, and everything else we do, on the rtgreen website.

And enjoy!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wise Owl
• Release date: Apr 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215982037

R T Green

The RTG mission in life is simple... to not be like everyone else! ‘Going Green’ has taken on a new meaning, in the book world at least. Whilst we applaud the original meaning (ebooks are a perfect way to promote that) we also try to present a different angle to it. The tendency these days is that if you don’t look and read like everyone else, you don’t sell books. Maybe there’s some truth in that, but we simply don’t do it. The RTG books have been described as a ‘breath of fresh literary air’, and, by those discovering us for the first time, ‘unexpectedly good’. We know many readers prefer the same-old same old, and that’s fine. It’s just not what you get from the RTG stable. Those who know about such things said it would take five years to become a proficient author... I scoffed at that. They were wise. It took six. It’s one reason why even today we remodel existing books, and will always do so. Right from the early years the stories were always good, but were put into words less well than they could have been! These days we have several series and a few standalones, the hit Daisy series most popular amongst them. In everything we do, the same provisos apply – Never the same book twice. If we can’t think up a good story, it doesn’t get written. The RTG brand is about exciting and twisty plots, a fast pace which doesn’t waste words, and endearing (sometimes slightly crazy) characters. We can never please everyone, but it works for us, and, it seems, for those who appreciate our work. Enjoy! Richard, Ann and the RTG crew

Book preview

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Season 2

Episode 5: PHANTOM

R T Green

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Other books...

Red Mist: Season 1:

Episode 1: Falling

Episode 2: Phoenix

Episode 3: Phoenix

Episode 4: Fearless

Season 2:

Episode 6: Desperation

Episode 7: Unbreakable

Episode 8: Evermore

The Daisy Morrow Series:

The first one – The Root of All Evil

The second one – The Strange Case of the Exploding Dolly-trolley

The third one – A Very Unexpected African Adventure

The fourth one – Pirates of Great Yarmouth: Curse of the Crimson Heart

The fifth one: The Terrifying Tale of the Homesick Scarecrow

The sixth one – Call of Duty: The Wiltingham Enigma

The seventh one – Christmas in the Manor Born

The eighth one – The Shanghai Shadow

The ninth one – Some Like it Tepid

The tenth one – Waltzing Matilda

The eleventh one – The Wiltingham Incident

The twelfth one – The Pointed Finger

The thirteenth one – Here Comes Santa Claus!

The fourteenth one – The Witch of Scraggy Bottom

The Throwback Prequel – When Daisy Met Aidan

The Box Set – books 1-3

The Second Box Set – books 4-6 plus The Prequel

The Third Box Set – books 7-9

The Sandie Shaw series:

Book 1 – Murder at the Green Mill

Book 2 – Christmas in Chicago is Murder

Book 3 – An American in Windsor

Book 4 – Springtime in Chicago

Book 5 – Murder on the Miami Express

Book 6 – The Family

Book 7 – Murder Most Olympic

Book 8 – Two Sisters, One Ghost

The first box set – books 1-3

The second box set – books 4-6

The Starstruck Series -

Starstruck: Somewhere to call Home

Starstruck: The Prequel

(Time to say Goodbye)

Starstruck: The Disappearance of Becca

Starstruck: The Rock

Starstruck: Ghosts, Ghouls and Evil Spirits

Starstruck: The Combo – books 1-3

The Raven Series –

Raven: No Angel!

Raven: Unstoppable

Raven: Black Rose

Raven: The Combo – books 1-3

Somewhere Only She Knows

Timeless

Ballistic

Cry of an Angel

The Hand of Time

Elsie: Mean Street

Wisp

Copyright © 2023 R T Green

All rights reserved.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COME AND JOIN US

INTRODUCTION

How Season 1 ended...

INFINITY

And now, Season 2...

Episode 5: ‘Phantom’

A New Dawn

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

London, England, the same day...

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Endgame

Chapter 42

AND DO COME AND JOIN US

The RTG Brand

COME AND JOIN US

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Join our mail list and grab it all for free.

We really do appreciate every single one of you,

so there’s always a freebie or two coming along,

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INTRODUCTION

Red Mist end pic copy.jpg

THIS IS SEASON 2, EPISODE 5 of the Red Mist story, the first episode of Season 2. Told in eight episodes over two seasons, it follows the heart-wrenching journey of discovery of two lost souls, who could not be further apart when it comes to sides of the tracks.

Red Mist is romantic suspense at its finest, blended with espionage and a little sci-fi to keep you guessing what might possibly happen next. But at its heart, it is the emotional love story of two people who, if they had not found each other, would have remained lost forever.

We’ve written it as a chronological serial series. Imagine a TV drama, with eight episodes over two seasons that combine to tell the whole story, bringing you a host of unexpected twists and turns along the way.

Red Mist is that gripping serial drama, in book form. It will keep you page-turning, and episode-reading!

To get the full experience, please do binge the episodes in order!

Enjoy!

Richard, Ann, and the RTG crew

How Season 1 ended...

SHE’D TAKEN AWAY THE power of speech, again. That was an insignificant speck of nothing compared to what she’d actually just said.

She was about to take away everything.

Utter disbelief thrashed a head that could take no more into shreds of despair. I sucked in a deep breath, a vain attempt to calm my shock. Somehow I found words, spluttering them out inanely. ‘After all this... after all we’ve been through you’re just going to fly away from me?’

‘Please don’t make this harder than it is.’

My stomach was doing somersaults, my head a pressure cooker of confusion. Lisa was dead, we’d all escaped with our lives by a thread, and now I was losing the woman I love? I tried to keep the anguish and anger out of my voice, but stood no chance. ‘Harder? So if I’d just said Ok, see you then, it would have been easy?’

She stared at me, unmoving, silent. I watched two tears roll down her cheeks, and saw her lower lip begin to tremble. I knew then she was going through hell. My anger melted away. I pulled her close, feeling her arms wrap around me like she never wanted to let go.

She whispered into my ear. ‘It has to be this way, Madeline.’

My shaking hands caressed her cheeks. I looked straight into her sad eyes. ‘No, Zana. What has to be is you and me, together.’

She eased my hands away and shook her head. ‘Please sit down, Madeline.’

I did as she asked, slumping into the co-pilot’s chair. I wasn’t getting through to her. In my mind I could see images of her disappearing, forever. I had to make them go away before they broke me in two. ‘Tell me what this is about, Zana.’

She took my hand. ‘Some time ago I swore to myself I would never take another Calanduran life. Today I did, because there was no choice. If I hadn’t he would have taken yours. Now I have no choice but to take another. Your planet is safe from my sister’s evil, but if I do not end her life she will forever spread her menace through the galaxy. I cannot let that happen, so I must pursue her until it is done.’

I could understand her words. More than she realised. ‘Zana, let me tell you something. A few days ago you begged me not to be the bait on the hook. Even though it was something I had to do, I never told you the main reason. Yes, of course saving the girls was crucial, but mostly it was the hope it would lead me to Tiri. So I could kill her.’

‘I think perhaps I knew that, Madeline.’

‘But I failed, didn’t I? Now she’s flown away, thinking she’s out of my reach. If you take me with you then she’s not escaped my grasp, and I can make it right... and then you don’t have to be the one to kill your own sister.’

Still she was shaking her head. ‘You don’t understand, Madeline. I can follow her radiation trail, but the speeds of both our craft are the same. I cannot catch up with her. Even if I could, my craft has no weapons. My only hope is to follow her until she reaches another planet, and then look her in the eyes as I take her life.’

‘So it might be a while. I don’t care.’

‘Madeline... it is likely to be many years. Your home and your life is here. In truth, it may be that I never return to Earth.’

‘Oh.’ I felt my head lower, not able to stop it. ‘I didn’t realise that.’

We walked hand in hand back through the trees. The guys were standing in a group, looking a little lost after all the insane activity. The girls were gone, just one chopper sitting waiting on the lawn with its rotor-blades spinning.

‘We were just about to come and find you,’ said Coop.

‘No need now,’ I said.

‘Just been talking to Scott. He wants us back in London, making a full report and explaining why our very expensive van is a pile of scrap.’

‘That one’s easy,’ grinned Shirl. ‘It’s because you’re a facking useless driver!’

‘I could put you on report, agent,’ he laughed.

I saw Zana’s eyes drop to the ground. ‘You’ll have to go back without me,’ she said quietly.

‘Zana?’ Miles frowned.

‘I’m going after my sister. She cannot be allowed to continue destroying people’s lives.’

Coop looked at me with raised eyebrows. He knew what I was going to say before I’d uttered a word.

‘On that score I’m sorry guys, but DIAL is also going to have to try and get by without me. I’m going too.’

Shirl looked devastated. ‘But... how long will you be gone?’

I hugged her tight. ‘No idea. We might never be back, Shirl.’

She wiped away a tear. ‘I’ll miss you, so much. And I’m jealous, you lucky sods. Two lovebirds on an epic mission, chasing the Borg queen across the galaxy... how facking romantic is that?’

I laughed, but then noticed Coop had turned away. ‘Hey boss... I have to do this.’

He pulled me into him. ‘I know, hun. Just kinda got used to having you both around, you know?’

‘Got used to being around, Coop. I’ll really miss you.’

‘Just be safe, okay? You ain’t got me to watch your back anymore, Maddy.’

I pushed him away and grinned deliberately. ‘And that’s the last time you’ll call me Maddy!’

Miles and Zana were locked in a tight hug. ‘Hey, Miles. Save a bit of her for me.’

He broke away, tears in his eyes. I just had to give him a hug too. ‘Just look after the old Jamaican for me, promise?’

‘Hey...’ Coop retorted, finding a smile.

‘I will,’ said Miles. ‘It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it.’

The chopper pilot was gesticulating out of the cockpit window. It was time for the guys to leave. Darkness was fast approaching, and in one way I was glad it was.

Saying goodbye to people who had become dear to me was getting harder by the second.

Zana and I stood hand-in-hand, watching as our friends ran to the chopper and climbed inside. Three hands waved a last goodbye to us, and two hands waved one back.

Coop couldn’t tear his eyes away from the window. As the chopper rose into the air he watched the two people he’d done all he could to keep safe dwindle to tiny specks.

He smiled to himself, memories flooding back of the times they’d spent together. He’d given Zana the codename Red Mist when it had all started, what seemed like a lifetime ago.

It had been an appropriate tag back then, when he’d believed she was one of the bad guys. Then she’d proved him wrong. And so had Madeline. When she and Zana first met, both were lost souls, neither believing they possessed a heart.

How things change.

Miles’s face appeared beside him. ‘You think we’ll ever see them again, Coop?’

He shook his head. Back on Dawson’s Hill, when Madeline had killed Carl because she thought he’d ended Zana’s life, he’d let her go, and told her to run. As he’d watched her disappear from his sight, shattered and heartbroken, something in the back of his mind had told him they would meet again.

This time he didn’t think they ever would.

INFINITY

MY BODY SEEMED TO WANT to flatten into the seat as Zana pointed the shuttle’s nose into the dark-blue sky and we blasted into the upper atmosphere in minutes.

Then the acceleration slowed. She smiled across to me. ‘So what do you think?’

‘Wow...’ I could hardly speak, gazing through the bridge windows at the curve of the Earth below us. Right at that moment it was the most incredible sight I’d ever seen.

I got the feeling it might not top the list for too long.

‘Look ahead,’ said Zana.

I dragged my eyes away from the sight I might never see again. We’d left the atmosphere, and surrounding us was a kaleidoscope of stars brighter than I could ever have imagined. Billions of pinpricks of white light, so far away yet making me feel like I could reach out and grab them.

‘Glad you came now?’ she smiled, taking my hand.

‘I was glad I came when the hatch door closed.’

‘I’m glad you came too.’

There was one more goodbye I had to make. We were still close enough to Earth for Zana to patch me into the MI6 switchboard. After a bit of persuasion they put me through to the DIAL offices. Duncan Scott thanked us both for what we’d done, the emotion in his voice coming through as clear as his words.

Then he passed me over to my father. I felt so bad for him and Tami... they’d come all the way from Tobago to be with me, but as things had turned out we’d hardly seen each other. They were still at DIAL HQ, waiting for us to return safe.

I felt a little more mistiness welling up as we talked. He understood why he most likely wouldn’t see his daughter again, and so did a devastated Tami.

It was the hardest call I’d ever had to make.

It had to be made. It was the final, emotional closure on my old life.

Four hours later exhaustion overcame us. Zana put the craft on auto-pilot, the trace on Tiri’s radiation signature locked into the navigation computer. We sank into the bunk in her cabin, covered ourselves with the duvet, and shut the universe away.

‘I so want to make love to you,’ she murmured, half-asleep.

‘So do I. But you’d probably insult me by falling asleep halfway through.’

She smiled beautifully and kissed me softly. ‘Yes, I think I would.’

It was never going to happen, not right then. The next day it surely would, the perfect joy we brought to each other shining once more, never to be extinguished again.

A minute later she was asleep. I lay on my back, her head nestled gently on my shoulder, her naked skin warm and so beautiful against my own.

It was the perfect moment to allow a final few tears to fall.

Bitter-sweet tears for Lisa, whose sad warrior life had been brightened by our brief yet meaningful relationship... and who had died comforted by the closeness of hearts we’d shared.

They mingled with perfect tears of utter peace, the ones only true love can bring.

Our journey to this moment had been the rockiest of roads, strewn with hazards only an unstoppable love could cross. There would be more dangers ahead, that much was certain. From now on we would face them as one, an unbreakable force driven by an equally unbreakable bond.

You will perish at our hands, Tiri.

I know you will.

I kissed Zana on her brow, a featherlike kiss that I hoped wouldn’t wake her. I could feel myself drifting away, and just had to tell her silently I loved her one last time before I fell asleep.

In one way I have ended up with nothing. No home or possessions, no money that is any use, no career. None of those things are important, and never will be again.

In the way that really matters, I have everything.

And although our adventures will continue, as my exhausted eyes close so does this season of my life. Cocooned in a silent mist of togetherness and pure love, I have all I need until the day I die.

Perhaps that will be sooner, perhaps later.

Somehow, that doesn’t seem to matter either.

______

And now, Season 2...

Episode 5: ‘Phantom’

A New Dawn

THIS IS THE JOURNAL of Madeline deWinter. That sounds a bit grandiose, especially as I’m not the kind of girl who keeps logs. At least I wasn’t, but for a reason I cannot yet understand, the need to document our epic new journey seems to make this an essential task.

It is likely to be a very personal journal, and yet I already know Zana will read every word, with my full blessing.

THURSDAY 2nd January

AS I MAKE MY FIRST ENTRY, I look with some surprise at the date I have just written. Such was the epic nature of our last forty-eight hours it had escaped my mind that a new year has dawned.

Yet it is perhaps fitting our journey begins at the start of this new year. One that will for sure bring us new experiences, new challenges. New dangers.

One that has already brought me something unexpected.

The shock of my new, harsh reality.

I am trapped.

I cannot escape, not ever. Leaving my prison will mean certain death.

Zana and I are like twins, growing in a mother’s womb. Our mother gives us life, and will nurture us as each day comes to pass. There is no way for either of us to leave our safe, silent haven. Not until she reaches her own safe haven, one that may give us life outside of her.

That day could be many years away.

It is a sobering thought.

Yes, I am trapped. But my prison is a perfect storm of joy and helplessness. Joy because the woman I love is beside me, and for the first time nothing and no one can take away our togetherness.

Helplessness, because if either of us discover our love is not true, there is no option but to remain bonded together... perhaps for eternity.

I am a willing, excited prisoner. Yesterday I made the