Project Threshold: Finale: Project Threshold, #4

By Craig Crawford

Greed releases something without compassion or care. Its sole purpose is to cleanse the Earth of humans. Starting in Canada, it destroys everyone it crosses paths with, making its way to bigger settlements. Weapons won't kill it and the only group who might be able to save humanity is Project Threshold.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Red Cape Publishing
• Release date: Dec 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223565123

Book preview

Project Threshold

The Finale

Craig Crawford

Copyright 2023 for Red Cape Publishing

Cover artwork by Red Cape Graphic Design

www.redcapepublishing.com

First Edition Published 2023 by Red Cape Publishing

The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Acknowledgements

To Judith Whetstine—she indoctrinated me into horror in all its forms, and we’ve shared that in books, movies and more.  Thanks Mom—I’m better for it. 

Red Cape: For jumping in on these stories and getting excited enough to see them into publishing.  This kind of support from a great indie press is beyond words. Never ending thanks! 

The Dread Machine—made this real by loving the first story and suggesting I write more.  Much appreciated. 

Deidre Owen from Mannison Press: for your amazing creativity.  Between the P/T logo and the hotspots map, you just keep adding to the fun. 

Ron Linson from Mannison Press: For your pep talks and ideas and fleshing out all the possibilities to run with it. And co-authoring a P/T story we have yet to use. 

Shelby Herig for being my biggest Project Threshold fan  

Jeff Hess—insights, ideas and just being the rudder to keep steering me forward. 

Luana G: Thanks for your Latin assistance and being a sounding board for everything from BIO’s to background. And for encouraging another writer even when he was sure his website was trying to kill his sanity. 

And finally to my family who get excited during my victories and support me when I fail.  They’re good peeps. 

Makur J for helping with everything from websites to cheering me on during ups and downs. A good friend.

Shattiq Part One: Reunion – A Project-Threshold Story

The C-17 crossed the border into Canada heading for Alaska.

Berger’s team flew straight out of Chicago after waiting an hour for a connecting flight shuttling Kurt Brodenstein and Cassidy Garret to them. Talise and her team rode aboard another C-17; all of them bound for Fairbanks.

Bunched a third of the way back from the cockpit, long empty rows emphasized their isolation. Berger sat across from Jacks and Jessie, Pendelhaven on his left. Cowler sat on his right. She hadn’t said a word since getting on the plane, but she eyed Kurt and Cass, separated by four seats. All of them anxiously waited for more info from Command.

Berger checked his watch, counting another hour before landing. His ribs still hurt every time he turned or twisted. The docs confirmed two cracked ribs and gave him a chest wrap. His throat felt raw like jogging on a winter day but drinking tea with honey on the way out helped.

He looked over at Kurt, his big frame fidgeting in his seat. They’d traded nods and ‘hellos’ boarding, but no small talk. Kurt had never been a huge talker and he hated Alaska. Kurt, Berger tried. How are you holding up? 

The stubble on Kurt looked days old, his short hair unkept. We were working when we got the call. People kept running into goddamn frog humanoids coming out of the Susquehanna near Rockville. I’m not disappointed about it because I wasn’t about to go scuba diving with the things. 

It drew a chuckle out of Cass, sitting next to him. She had long, curly, dirty blond hair, and Berger couldn’t remember ever seeing her without it tied back in a ponytail. She looked tired too. Kurt doesn’t believe in swimming with monsters, she told him. 

It coaxed a chuckle out of Berger too. He doesn’t believe in a lot of things. 

Fuck you both. I about got sucked down into the depths by a goddamn sea monster and you know it. And no, I don’t want to go where we’re heading either, but it beats the shit out of the water. 

We were in Chicago—some damned thing living inside a mirror, Berger said, wincing as he shifted. Not just a spirit, but some kind of entity. It got hold of my gun. Would have killed me if I hadn’t been wearing the Spiderweave.

Well, that’s different, Cass said. We always seem to get stuck with the physical monsters. 

How are you, Cass? Berger asked. I don’t think we’ve crossed paths since . . . the conference in Minneapolis. 

Yeah. Henry likes his little business retreats, doesn’t he? I think he got all of his professional training out of some Human Resources manual. She elbowed Kurt. He doesn’t like those either. 

Who’s your new recruit? Kurt asked.

This is Cowler. She helped us out with the last case. She’s a psychic too. Berger wondered how fast Kurt and Cass would pick up on her. They were both what the supernatural world liked to call Sensitives; Kurt the stronger of the two. Kurt’s history dropped down a dark hole; Cass’s was only slightly better. It’s part of why Threshold recruited them. Meet Kurt and Cass, he said to her. They’re the only two-person team in Threshold. 

Cowler nodded. Why?

Because they seem to be able to handle just about everything all by themselves. 

We test all the crazy gear Henry throws at us—he’s R and D. Actually, Cass amended, there’s three of us, but that’s a long story we don’t have time for. 

You brought the big guy, Berger affirmed. 

Sounds like we’re going to need him, Kurt said. Did you get any more intel on this shit than we have? 

Not much: Riker’s team and two squads are MIA and something is moving through the Alaskan wilds, chewing up villages and small towns. It’s all we’ve gotten so far. 

Figures, Kurt said. Didn’t they have GPS units on them? 

Berger laughed again. You aren’t the only ones who don’t follow orders. Riker kept complaining about how the units continually died in places with heavy electromagnetics. McCoy’s never did work right, and they kept losing or breaking them until Command threw its hands up and surrendered. Kind of like someone else I know. This earned him a finger gesture. 

Riker, Kurt stated, but he only shook his head and stared at his boots. 

Yeah, Berger said. "I saw her last year. Command sent us and them to Hawaii. Some serpent thing inhabiting a lake. I’m surprised they didn’t call you