Rogue Watcher: Book 2 of the Second Moon Trilogy

By Jon Fischer

Earth is not the only planet with intelligent human life.

For many millennia, advanced humans from Completed Worlds have monitored the technological development of humans on other less advanced planets across the universe, including Earth.

Each Developing World always has five Watchers from Completed Worlds, who are assigned to live on the planet and monitor its progress. The Watchers work under the strict direction of a Universal MAXIM to anonymously observe and report and never interfere with the native humans.

Earth was Developing at a great pace until a band of Universal terrorists, known as Takers, damaged the Earth with large asteroids, flooding the planet and killing nearly all its population. The largest asteroid in the attack was miraculously caught into the Earth's orbit, becoming a second moon.

Rogue Watcher, the next installment of the Second Moon Trilogy, picks up where Alpine Tide left off. The stakes are higher than ever as eighteen-year-old Miriam Madsen and her fellow survivors face new threats from across the Universe.

To avoid their certain destruction, Watcher 3 of Earth, known locally as Spence, will stop at no length to protect Miriam, the woman he loves--even if it means going rogue.

Explore the Second Moon Trilogy online at www.secondmoontrilogy.com for exclusive content, author commentary, and a sneak peek into the last installment of the trilogy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9798888519783

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Prologue

Marriage and Murder

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

Mayhem and Magic

Chapter 24

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

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Master and Minions

Chapter 66

Chapter 67

Chapter 68

Chapter 69

Chapter 70

Chapter 71

Chapter 72

Chapter 73

Chapter 74

Chapter 75

Chapter 76

Chapter 77

Chapter 78

Chapter 79

Chapter 80

Chapter 81

Chapter 82

Chapter 83

Chapter 84

Chapter 85

Chapter 86

Chapter 87

Chapter 88

Chapter 89

Chapter 90

Chapter 91

Chapter 92

Chapter 93

Chapter 94

Chapter 95

Chapter 96

Chapter 97

Chapter 98

Chapter 99

Chapter 100

Chapter 101

Chapter 102

Chapter 103

Chapter 104

Chapter 105

Chapter 106

About the Author

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Rogue Watcher: Book 2 of the Second Moon Trilogy

Jon Fischer

ISBN 979-8-88851-977-6 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88851-978-3 (Digital)

Copyright © 2023 Jon Fischer

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

For my three children:

Matthew

Evan

Anna

I purposely borrowed the first letter of each of your names to create the name of the fictional second moon in the trilogy, Mea. So whenever I wrote about Mea in the manuscript, I would think about each of you.

I love you each to the moon and back—as well as to the second moon and back!

Prologue

Miriam was behind the wheel of a ruby-red Toyota Corolla, her sister Libby beside her.

Our detour is putting us behind, Lib. We may have to sleep in the car tonight, sorry.

No worries, Lib said, ascribing more attention to her Instagram feed on her iPhone.

I really wanted to see the tops of the Rockies, said Miriam, continuing despite her younger sister's lack of interest. Kansas feels even flatter after this drive.

The two sisters were driving from Kansas to California as Miriam was heading to her freshman year of college at Caltech. Their parents thought it would be good for their two daughters to have some bonding time before they were separated for the school year. Despite Libby's resistance to the trip, she obediently obliged, counting down the days to her flight back home.

It's getting late, Miriam continued, knowing at this point she was talking to herself. Hopefully we can at least see the view from the top before dark. The ranger at the gate said we should still be able to connect back to Interstate 70 through Grand Lake, but it is no shortcut.

They were supposed to be staying at a motel in Eagle, Colorado, that night. The map on Miriam's phone put them there after midnight, however, and she was starting to wonder if she could make it that far on too little sleep. Daylight was starting to fade, and she'd wondered if she'd made a mistake detouring through Rocky Mountain National Park.

At this point, Miriam was slightly annoyed with her sister who had put back in her AirPods and seemed to be content just listening to her music. It was a long drive, and Miriam needed some conversation. Her parents had given her strict instructions to avoid driving after dark and to not overdo it. While she was not a rebellious teenager by any means, she could get a little overzealous when she put her mind to something.

The time display on the dashboard showed nearly 10:00 p.m.

Curious, she thought. How can it still be a bit light outside? It's August—the days should be getting shorter. Oh wait. Duh. We left Central Time. It is really an hour earlier.

Driving up a curvy road with her left hand holding the wheel, she reached over and held the H button near the clock display until it cycled through all twelve digits to the correct number nine. Distracted, she suddenly realized she had veered off the road, right into a row of large rocks designed to prevent cars from parking on the shoulder. She overcorrected, her tires squealed, but fortunately, no other cars were nearby. The steering felt a bit different.

Great, I tried to fix the clock, and now I messed up the alignment, she thought.

Lib, we're almost at the top, she said loud enough for her to break through her sister's private concert.

They approached a large parking lot to the north of them with a couple buildings to the right and the crest of the National Park Service on a monument sign to the left of the entrance. Only a handful of cars remained. Lib, noticing the turn, finally put down her phone, housed in a pink OtterBox case, and said something back.

I'm hungry, she stated.

The two had been very cordial, but a long day in the car had begun to wear them down.

There's a whole bag of snacks in the back seat, babe, Miriam replied.

I'm hungry for something else.

Well, the gift shop here is closed already, Miriam said. I'm kind of bummed, I would have liked to tour inside the visitor's center here. Eleven thousand seven hundred ninety-six feet! Let's hurry and take a quick look while we still have a little light left. She noticed the moon was starting to rise over the peaks to the southeast.

The girls got out of the car and quickly stepped toward the Visitor's Center. They checked the door, just in case; but as expected, it was locked. The hours on the door clearly stated it had closed at 5:00 p.m. that day.

They walked around the building to a patio area facing the steep valley.

Look, a bunch of deer! Libby said with more excitement than she had shown the last couple of hours.

Actually, elk, her older sister corrected her. "Cervus canadensis, to be technical," she said, using the Latin name for the species.

Do you have a quarter on you? asked Libby. I want to try this viewfinder.

Miriam, her clutch in hand, found a coin and handed it to her sister.

It may be too dark to see much, she warned.

Libby excitedly inserted the coin and began to observe the large herd of elk a few hundred yards on the slope below them. Miriam took satisfaction in her sister's newfound excitement. It was bonding time, and they were building memories. Maybe her detour wasn't so bad after all.

Noticing the outside-facing bathrooms were just behind them, Miriam remembered it had been a while, and the large beverage she had purchased in Estes Park had made its way through her system.

Stay right here, she told her sister, whose eyes were still glued to the viewing device. I'm heading to the bathroom and will be right back.

Miriam walked quickly to the door twenty feet behind them, hoping it was open, as her mind had now decided she couldn't wait any longer.

Libby continued to look, not noticing a figure approach her.

That's quite a herd of elk, sweetheart, an older man's voice said.

Libby flinched but kept looking through the finder.

Yeah, they're very majestic… Wish the sun was still up…getting hard to see them, Libby responded, not paying much attention to the park visitor making dialogue.

Mind if I take a look? he said.

Sure, she responded kindly, stepping back.

The man looked through the viewfinder for a couple of seconds and then politely let her have her view back.

Pretty neat, sweetheart, he said. Beautiful animals.

She stepped in again to get one last look, and the stranger awkwardly put his hand on her back, talking about the herd of elk, but then sliding his hand lower until it made her uncomfortable. She flinched.

Leave me alone! Libby said, raising her voice and looking for her sister to come back.

The man backed off.

I'm sorry, sweetheart. Didn't mean to startle you! I'd better be going.

The man walked away. Libby stood frozen.

Did that just happen? she thought. She wanted to scream, but she just stood almost unable to breathe, her chest tightening. Maybe it was just an accident.

She had remembered reading that one of her favorite singers, Taylor Swift, had been to court once accusing a DJ of groping her. She wasn't sure what that meant, but suddenly she felt violated. Had she done something wrong? She began to cry.

Miriam had just returned and noticed her sister upset.

Lib? You, okay?

Libby didn't know how to process what had happened and didn't say anything. Miriam figured it was just a moody teenager moment and put her arm around her. Libby responded back hugging her sister forcefully, to her surprise and her delight. Maybe they were bonding after all!

Yeah, I guess.

Suddenly another man stopped by. He looked as of Hispanic origin with small build with dark hair and a narrow mustache.

Do one of you have a red car? he said with what Miriam assumed was a Mexican accent.

Yes, I do, said Miriam, stepping back, for the first time feeling a little insecure as the sky had just darkened and they were talking to a stranger.

I think you may have a flat tire, he said.

According to her phone, which adjusted automatically to the time zone, it was now about nine thirty. And they had a flat tire. The gentleman had been very kind and had offered to help. He walked over to his car, a white Ford Mustang, and grabbed a tool bag from the trunk. It was completely dark now, and he stepped back into his car to position the headlines toward the flat tire so they could see.

Miriam was certain she could have looked up the instructions of how to change the tire herself, but the stranger had already dived into the good deed. She had an insurance card somewhere in the glovebox but was pretty sure no towing service would get there anytime soon.

Your spare is below the trunk, he said. "Unfortunately, you have it packed all the way arriba, I mean, to the top," he said, looking embarrassed that a Spanish word had slipped out.

The two girls quickly helped move boxes and piles of clothes that they had jammed into the trunk.

Moving somewhere? the man questioned.

Yes, I'm on my way to start college in California, Miriam replied. I guess it was a bad time to jam the trunk full of stuff, she chuckled, carefully trying to place layers of clothing on the plastic crates she had already removed.

Changing a tire was taking a lot longer than they had thought since they basically had to empty out all her belongings.

Where are you from? Libby asked, after having been relatively quiet.

Denver, he said. Not too far.

When all was said and done, the helpful stranger, who they learned was named Pablo, had taken nearly an hour to change the tire but had finally found the right tool to finish. It was getting late, and the parking lot was almost empty.

Finally, Pablo said. Sorry, it took so long. I'm clearly not the best mechanic out there.

Thank you so much, interjected Miriam. We really couldn't have done it without you. She had wondered at one point if she could have done it alone, but ultimately was glad that he was there and was truly gracious.

Just then, a pickup truck with US government plates pulled up and a thirtysomething woman with brown shoulder-length hair and a National Park Service uniform stepped out with a flashlight.

Everything okay here? asked the park ranger.

It is now, Miriam replied. We had a flat tire, and this gentleman here was kind enough to help us out.

That's nice of you, sir, said the woman. Is there anything else I can help you with? The park is closed now, and I'm just making my final rounds.

As long as these girls are safe, I'll be on my way, said Pablo humbly, wiping his dirty hands on an old towel from his tool bag was cleaning things up.

I'm headed to Eagle, Colorado, Miriam asked. We were taking the scenic route and clearly got delayed. How much further until we meet the interstate?

Two, maybe two and a half hours. Another half hour to Eagle after that, the ranger responded. Be careful, some of the roads are windy, and wildlife is around at night.

Will do, said Miriam, giving a glance at Libby, who was looking at her phone. Thanks again so much, Pablo.

My pleasure, he said. Good luck at college! Be safe!

As they each headed to their respective vehicles, Miriam noticed headlights coming up the hillside toward the visitor's center.

Maybe I can follow that car down the mountains, Miriam thought, still somewhat nervous about the drive. She had considered sleeping in her car right there, but the ranger's visit had made her uneasy about doing so. She got into the car quickly, hoping to get started before the coming car passed them on the curve toward the west. But before she had started the engine, the car began to shake violently as if the ground below was sinking.

Libby began to scream. Within a microsecond, it was clear the car's problem was much more than a spare tire. The very ground beneath them was as if it was a tidal wave. Their car was suddenly pushed up into the air, flipped over on its side, and ultimately landed completely upside down.

Lib! Lib! Miriam screamed. The silence of the night was taken over with noise that could only be described as absolutely terrorizing. It was if the heavens had parted, and the earth was crumbling. There was no time for words. It was too loud to hear anyway. Suddenly a white Ford Mustang slammed into the back of their upside-down car.

We need to get out. We need to find shelter, Miriam thought. She quickly grabbed Lib's hand, who was startled, but alert, and they exited through the broken car window.

The blacktop of the parking lot was cracked and ripped apart, and the ground was still shaking.

Pablo! said Miriam, noticing their Good Samaritan with his head on the steering wheel of his car. Her voice didn't carry above the sounds of rocks tumbling down the mountainside below. Miriam swung open the door of his car, worried he was unconscious. To her relief, he quickly reacted; and without a word, he turned off his ignition. Grabbing his unusually large key chain, he followed them toward the nearest structure. Miriam, who had grown up with constant threat of tornadoes, had just incorrectly assumed the bathroom with its pipes and plumbing was the safest place to go. She'd never felt an earthquake before.

The three of them ran into the ladies' room and braced themselves near an inner stall. The walls were shaking, and with horror, they watched the northern wall of the bathroom open up and fall down the mountain slope.

Hold on! Miriam shouted, knowing they couldn't hear her over the loud rumbling, but they quickly took her lead and held on to the pipes of the toilet along the wall. The air pressure changed as if they were in a vacuum as the roof of the building fell, revealing the moonlit sky. All three of them were clenching, waiting for the next crack to send them down the steep western slope. Just when they felt they were doomed and couldn't hold on anymore, as suddenly as it had started, the shaking stopped.

The sounds of avalanches in the distance remained, as well as a car alarm that was going off in the distance.

Miriam couldn't talk; she was in shock, holding on to her sister tightly. They heard the faint sound of a woman screaming over the sound of the car alarm.

It was the voice of the park ranger calling for help. They quickly noticed her near the front door of the visitor's center, where a large piece of the fallen roof had trapped her leg.

Grab that side, said Miriam, finally able to vocalize something as Pablo helped pull a large piece of metal that had pinned the ranger's leg. The three of them loosened it enough that she could slip out.

We're not safe here, the park ranger said. Head away from the building. She got up with a slight limp, fortunate she had not been injured more seriously, and the three of them ran toward the open space in the parking lot.

Duh, thought Miriam. Earthquake, not tornado.

The four of them found an open clearing, making sure nothing was around them waiting for the next aftershock. They scurried across the parking lot, which had been strewn with pieces of asphalt totally dislodged several feet away and a mixture of rock and dirt crevices that they were careful to avoid, not knowing how deep they were.

The shaking began again. This time they were expecting it, but it was less impactful. The park ranger pulled the flashlight from her jacket and shined it toward the visitor's center.

It's gone! she exclaimed.

What's gone? replied Pablo.

The gift shop. It looks like it just slid right off the mountain! she replied moving her flashlight beam to the left revealing that one of the two buildings above the eastern slope was missing, cracks of earth falling over the edge where it had once stood. The shaking stopped again, and things got quiet, other than the frantic bugling of disturbed elk in the distance.

As if the flashlight was a beacon, two more figures stumbled toward them. One of them made Libby cringe backward. The other she hadn't seen before.

What just happened? said a slightly stalky man with jet black hair, wearing a sport coat and tie in a panicked voice. He had noticed the flashlight and assumed the ranger had the answer.

I've never experienced anything like that. I have no idea, said the ranger. The other figure, a man with long gray hair, answered for her.

An earthquake. A monster one. That's what happened. It must have been a 9.0…or more. I've lived in California and have felt a light tremor but have never felt anything like this. Believe me, that was the big one!

Shaking started again, but not as violent as before.

When will this stop? Libby asked, saying something for the first time, but with controlled emotion.

Who knows, sweetheart, said the long-haired man. But we'll get through this. Libby glanced away, not feeling very comforted.

This way, said a voice from behind them. They turned to see another younger man.

You'll be safe over here, follow me!

Without hesitation, they followed the other man who seemed to know where he was going. They headed toward a very large boulder near the back of the parking lot.

Sit here, the younger man said to the small group. This rock is solid and will provide some cover. Miriam hadn't remembered seeing the rock earlier, but it did serve as a stable base that they leaned against as the shakes continued off and on for the next several minutes.

Just when things seemed to settle down, a strong wind battered them and then a sound, even louder than before, that seemed like an explosion. A giant wave smashed against the visitor center, crumbling much of what was left. Water smashed against them, pushing them into the large rock, which had indeed saved them from being swept down to the other side of the summit. Suddenly everything went dark.

Part 1

Marriage and Murder

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Chapter 1

Lib! Please tell me it was just a dream, said Miriam, in a cold sweat.

Are you having that nightmare again? her sister responded, lying by her.

Yes. It's as if I keep reliving that night.

At least you remember it now, Lib reminded her. A couple weeks ago, you didn't even remember anything from the last few months.

I sometimes wish I hadn't gotten my memory back. My amnesia at least made me forget the horror of that night, Miriam said.

I can't blame you. I try to block it out as much as I can, Lib agreed.

Yeah. The worst part is, every time I remember that night, it just reminds me of how much I miss Pablo. He was a good man. Always so kind.

The sisters got somber, thinking of their friend who had been killed nearly a month before. The other survivors of that night were there with them, with one exception. The long-haired man, Landon, whom they had called MacGyver, had died a couple days before Pablo. But they hadn't missed him as much, particularly Libby.

You ready for some breakfast? said the voice of a handsome young man from the kitchen of the Pike's Peak Summit House. It was the voice of William Hansen, the only survivor who hadn't been there with them that dreadful night and whose presence made things much more complicated for Miriam, especially since she had regained her memory. Particularly complicated because she loved the person who had given her memory back to her, even though he was not from her planet.

Chapter 2

Status update, Watcher 3? said a figure in the display of a curious round device that looked like no mobile phone anyone had ever seen on Earth.

The group, including the Pivotal Earthling, have sufficient resources to survive several months, supplementing with various edible marine organisms. Each of them continues to have improved health and the existing shelter has proved very stable, responded a youthful looking man standing on the slope of a mountain.

Very well. We are monitoring any Taker activity, but so far all is quiet. Counselor 9 is reworking plans to visit within the next micron, said the figure in the display. She is anxious to finally meet the newest Watcher celebrity in person,

Watcher 3 of Developing World Eight Twenty-Eight had certainly gained fame among the Completed Worlds for personally capturing a Taker, followed by a very public and lengthy trial. Very lengthy as far as the Universal Disciplinary Tribunal was concerned, but only about a week's worth of time on Earth.

The trial found the defendant, Romano, guilty. Romano, now a Taker, had once been a fellow Watcher and had killed one of their colleagues. The public trial of a Taker was the first of its kind on Ebe-Ten, the Universal capital of Completed Worlds and home of the governing Universal Council. It was like the O. J. Simpson trial of the nineties, but on an intergalactic level.

World Eight Twenty-Eight, or Earth as it was called locally, had been monitored for several thousand years by a group of five Watchers—beings from Completed Worlds assigned to help assure the continued Development of less advanced worlds with high potential. Earth was considered one of these high-potential Developing Worlds, but that status was now a great risk. A Taker had directed three giant asteroids at Earth, with two making impact and the third caught in orbit, creating a second moon. The impact of the two asteroids over the planet's largest bodies of water had essentially wiped out most of the civilization on the planet. Watcher 3 had thwarted the Takers' plan to finish the job and had identified a human on Earth that represented its only hope. She was referred to by the Watchers as the Pivotal Earthling. This Pivotal Earthling was a very intelligent, eighteen-year-old female, named Miriam.

You know I don't care for the political spotlight, said Watcher 3, who was known on Earth as Spence.

You earned it, Watcher 1 responded. Watcher 1 was the lead Watcher and had been watching on ETE for nearly three orbits of Ebe-Ten, or approximately three thousand years on Earth.

I was just doing my job. This planet needs me, Spence said with a sense of duty.

He needed the planet too, more than Watcher 1 could understand. He had turned down other prominent positions that his recent fame had availed him of.

I'm glad you chose to return, his leader said.

Sometimes I almost feel more at home here than Ebe-Ten, said Spence, remembering with a sense of irony how difficult the adjustment to being a Watcher on Earth had originally been. That certainly wasn't the case anymore. And his feelings for the Pivotal Earthling were more than professional.

Just don't get too comfortable with the locals, said Watcher 1. You never know when you will get reassigned.

Don't even joke about reassignment, Watcher 1. I've invested too much to let this planet fail.

The feeling is mutual, the senior Watcher replied. "This is a special planet. That is all for now, I'll check in with you again when we have an update. I'm off to an orientation exercise with our new Watchers 4 and 5. I still need to teach them how to