It's Author Fun: February 2014

Dual Lives

02/25/2014 Writing Practice

Her leg's feel heavy as she climbs the stairs to her apartment. Juggling a back-pack, brief case and a box of her own collected evidence she manages to get the keys out of her pocket and place them in the door. That's odd... I was sure I locked this when I left today. I must need to sleep more than I thought.

Christine pushes the door open, sets the box on the coffee table. Slinging her brief case and back pack down on the couch she collapses next to them.

Reviewing the day in her mind she retraces her steps.

She arrived at the crime scene and her SO had been giving her a hard time for being around at all. The case is personal, you shouldn't be here. But no one grudged her for wanting to be involved. But there was something the SAC said that bothered her. Or... it was he didn't say. He seemed to be holding back on her.

"How's the investigation going?" she'd asked.

He had the faintest bit of pause when he saw her approach. Then when he answered her his face twitched involuntarily, the same way it usually did when he was trying to bluff her at poker.That was before he became too good for that because the Special Agent in Charge. "We've got our best people working on it. Why don't you go home and get some rest. It's been a tough week for you."

She nodded and faked a faint smile, she'd go home. She'd just take the long way home, right through the middle of the investigation unit to glance at their findings "on the way to her office", she'd told someone who asked.

On the way home she stopped by the crime scene again. Yellow tape was gone, people were going about their business as usual. They had no idea that her best friend and lover had been taken from this very spot. That her life had been crashed to a halt in one moment.

She went over every moment of the traffic cam footage in her mind. Retraced every step the investigators took to collect the evidence. Something wasn't right. That was three weeks ago. Tire marks on the street where they'd taken off too quickly and spun the tires. She retraced the grass, the sidewalk, the gutter. Clean. Well actually it was disgusting, full of hastily discarded chewing gum and other nastiness, but it was clean of evidence. Wait...

There's a glimmer of something coming out of the drain. Drain! Yes! They missed the drain! She took out her flash light and peered down into the mess. There was a ring down there. She pulled it out using some floss, paper clip, and a letherman she always kept handy.

Now she's back at home. She uses the rest of her will to force herself off the couch. Her legs ache. The world spins for a moment; she looses her balance. She regains. I've got to get more sleep. She reaches the kitchen and takes a cup from the shelf. Fills it with ice water from the refrigerator. Then something gave her pause.

She turned around and noticed a glass on the counter in the drying rack. She'd done dishes this morning and left the kitchen spotless... hadn't she? Christine put her glass down and pulled her Beretta from the holster instead.

Turning around and taking the hallway first she cleared each room. Then she noticed the guest room door was slightly ajar. They hadn't used the guest room since they'd moved in. In fact he'd insisted on keeping the door closed and vents closed to save on electricity.

"No need to warm or cool a space we're not using. That's just a waste of money." he'd said.

She pushed it slightly with her foot. The door moved quietly back against the wall. Everything looked right. Nothing out of place. Bed made. Once she'd cleared the whole house she sat back down on the couch, replacing her side arm with the glass of ice water again.

You're losing it Christine. You forgot you used a glass and forgot to lock the door. That's all. Nothing else. Maybe you do need some more sleep.

With that the pushed her stuff onto the floor, wrapped herself in the light blanket they kept on the back of the couch for just such a nap and fell asleep.

----

----

He hadn't expected her home so soon. He didn't have time to put that glass away. He didn't want to close the door all the way either because she'd hear it. Hiding in the hall he'd managed to get out without her seeing, closing the front door behind him as the noise from ice hitting her glass covered the soft sound of the front door latching closed.

That was close...

I'll have to be more careful. Mitchel would let her in soon. He'd tell her what was happening. But only after he'd figured out a plan. Something that would keep her safe. His own apartment was the perfect place to hide, because it's the last place they'd expect him to go. But it's not a long term solution...

*****
FBI Research = Wikipedia

Rank structure

The following is a complete listing of the rank structure found within the FBI:^[45]

Field Agents
- New Agent Trainee (until graduation from Quantico)
- Special Agent
- Senior Resident Agent (non-supervisory, in a Resident Agency (satellite office))
- Supervisory Senior Resident Agent (only applies in Resident Agency offices)
- Supervisory Special Agent
- Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge (ASAC)
- Special Agent-in-Charge (SAC)
FBI Management
- Unit Chief
- Section Chief
- Deputy Assistant Director
- Assistant Director
- Associate Executive Assistant Director
- Executive Assistant Director
- Associate Deputy Director
- Deputy Director
- Director

******

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this. I'd love to make a community with this project. If you would like to add, comment on, critique, or otherwise participate... that would be great! Please include any information about yourself, your blog/wesbite/amazon author page that you want to share with the community also.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I may also have received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” A Big Thank You to Michael Hyatt for helping us Bloggers with these new legal disclosure requirements.

Time Passed

02/23/2014 Writing Practice

Ash woke up to the soft whiz of the cabinet door opening beside him. Food is served. Breakfast, by the smell of it. He had only two ways to keep track of time. An enclosed room with no windows or natural light prevents any external data. Time runs together without a point of reference. Ash had two. The type of food being served. And his internal body clock which has been regulated for decades now.

Slight nail marks on the box.

******

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this. I'd love to make a community with this project. If you would like to add, comment on, critique, or otherwise participate... that would be great! Please include any information about yourself, your blog/wesbite/amazon author page that you want to share with the community also.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I may also have received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” A Big Thank You to Michael Hyatt for helping us Bloggers with these new legal disclosure requirements.

Fresh and Startling and Intriguing

02/15/2014 Writing Quote

I liked this quote. From the introduction to “Ender's Game” By Orson Scott Card:

“I felt a strong desire to write stories that would do for others what Asimov’s story had done for me. In other genres, that desire is usually expressed by producing thinly veiled rewrites of the great work: Tolkien’s disciples far too often simply rewrite Tolkien, for example. In Science Fiction, however, the whole point is that the ideas are fresh and startling and intriguing: you imitate the great ones, not by rewriting their stories, but rather by creating stories that are just as startling and new.”

Restless... wrecked for the ordinary.

02/14/2014 Writing Practice

Restless. That's the only way to describe the atmosphere. When Ash walked into the small church only two months before it had been a small community baptist church. 150 members. The board had been the same for 15 years. They'd gone through two pastors in that time.

150 members typically meant 75 of them showed up on a regular basis, and the other 75 showed up periodically throughout the year. Many of those worked the oil fields, which meant they'd only be in town 1 of four weeks a month. But those were often the biggest givers, because they made so much money.

Things had plodded along nicely in this small town. Burger Texas. Their claim to fame was that they were the origin of the modern Hamburger. Of course, no body knew if this was true or not, but they liked to make a big deal of it, and it brought in tourists every so often who may be visiting nearby Amarillo.

"There he is..." someone whispered.

Ash walked into Mac Harpers Drug Store. Mac's doubled as one of the towns two cafe's, the other run by Mac's brother. It also served a real old fashioned Ice Cream Parlor and Soda Fountain Counter. One of the few original remaining in the country. It had been started by Mac's great grandfather 126 years ago in this very store.

"Well hey there Mr Ash. What can we get for you?" Mac flashed his super friendly cheesy smile.

"Well Mac. I think I'll take one of those amazing double cheeseburgers you are so famous for, a MacCola."

"Coming right up!" Mac turned and started throwing things onto the grill. While the meat was grilling Mac took a glass from the counter and put some ice inside. Poured a thick black syrup onto the ice, then filled the glass with soda water. Stirring it with a long thin spoon he then handed it to Ash and turned back to the grill.

Ash couldn't help feel for these people. All their lives they'd been in this small town, unaware and unaffected by most of the 20th and 21st century. Sure modern life has pushed though in terms of modern plumbing, electricity, and half the people in town had a smart phone. They'd even got their first traffic light two years ago. Of course most people just drive around the block to avoid it.

But there was a stirring now. The young people especially, and some of the more spiritually sensitive adults, had been growing restless. Same 'ol Same 'ol wasn't going to cut it anymore. Ever since Ash walked up to a little girl in a wheel chair after a church service and caused the biggest commotion this town had ever seen.

That was two months ago. His interaction with her was quite calm actually. No loud voice, no fan fare. He simply kneeled down to talk to this precious girl of 11 years old and asked her name. She has cerebral palsy and has very little speech. Her body sitting awkwardly in the wheel chair, no control over her limbs. But she manages to get out the name Ana.

Ash asks: "Ana... would you like to walk?" Her parents were so surprised by the suggestion they didn't have time to be angry. Her mom looked like she was about to say something but words never escaped her lips. Ana nodded her head, Ash took her by the hand, and she stood up as though she'd never been the slightest bit broken at all. Her limbs filled out, her hands straightened.

Ash and Ana walked outside together leaving the wheel chair behind. Ana looked at the world with wonder and amazement. She turned to Ash and hugged him, then ran out into the grass field nearby. The one used for Church picnic and sports events. By now the entire church was gathered to watch her. Some smiled, others pondering, and a few looked very concerned.

One deacon looked particularly upset and worried. Ash over heard him say "What kind of demonic trickery is this?"

When she returned to her parents, who were both overjoyed, looking at her with wonder, Ana asked "Where did that man go?"

When everyone turned around he was gone. Well... he wasn't exactly gone. Ash was nearby watching the commotion with his own sort of wonder. What just happened? He wasn't sure himself. He saw her. He felt this feeling of compassion and pity rise within. He nearly broke into tears seeing her. He loved her more than he'd loved anyone for that few moments. The rest of the world nearly disappeared. He heard the words to speak to her inside of him.

It was as though it wasn't him speaking. Rather, he was repeating what he heard.

Now two months later, nothing else amazing had happened. At least not in terms of miracles. He explained to the pastor and the church board that he didn't know what had happened, or how more specifically how. He just knew it did. They questioned his honesty and motives. When they found nothing they asked him to stick around awhile.

So he got a place at the one hotel in town and stuck around.

But the town had been wrecked for the ordinary. What was next? That was the question on everyones mind?

******

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this. I'd love to make a community with this project. If you would like to add, comment on, critique, or otherwise participate... that would be great! Please include any information about yourself, your blog/wesbite/amazon author page that you want to share with the community also.

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Any work not otherwise attributed is Copy Right Darrell G. Wolfe

All Rights Reserved © Darrell G. Wolfe

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I may also have received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” A Big Thank You to Michael Hyatt for helping us Bloggers with these new legal disclosure requirements.

Images

Whisps of images pass before him. It started Yesterday. One here or there. At first they seemed like shadows, mere plays of light on highly reflective walls.
Now they are taking form. High tech place.
Whatever these holograph's are supposed to be they were odd. Some were starting to resemble people. Others animals. Still not clear enough to make out exactly.
*****
Do you suppose it's working?
He's reacting to something.
What's wrong with the implant?
We have images... but we're not seeing whatever it is he is

******

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this. I'd love to make a community with this project. If you would like to add, comment on, critique, or otherwise participate... that would be great! Please include any information about yourself, your blog/wesbite/amazon author page that you want to share with the community also.

It's Author Fun By @DarrellWolfe

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Any work not otherwise attributed is Copy Right Darrell G. Wolfe

All Rights Reserved © Darrell G. Wolfe

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I may also have received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” A Big Thank You to Michael Hyatt for helping us Bloggers with these new legal disclosure requirements.

Cold

02/11/2014 Writing Practice

The ground is wet. Cold drizzle surrounds everything. Droplets of water blanket the car. So he opens the door and sits down to start the engine. He loves this weather. There is something about cold that makes him feel very present and alive. He turns on the wipers to clean the window and the water doesn't leave, it doesn't move. "It can't be THAT cold out here can it?" Sure enough. Those droplets are ice. Should have left a few minutes earlier today.

****

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this. I'd love to make a community with this project. If you would like to add, comment on, critique, or otherwise participate... that would be great! Please include any information about yourself, your blog/wesbite/amazon author page that you want to share with the community also.

It's Author Fun By @DarrellWolfe

To Subscribe to the RSS: Click Here

For Non-Fiction writing by Darrell G. Wolfe: Click Here

Any work not otherwise attributed is Copy Right Darrell G. Wolfe

All Rights Reserved © Darrell G. Wolfe

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I may also have received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” A Big Thank You to Michael Hyatt for helping us Bloggers with these new legal disclosure requirements.

36 Hours

2014/02/03 Writing Practice

The iPod only had two songs loaded. One said "Instruction", the other said "Listen". So Ash placed the ear buds in his ears and pressed play.

"Greetings Capt Ashmun. No doubt you have many questions. Sadly you may not ever find the answers to all of them. However if you cooperate in this little experiment I can assure you that you will be returned to your old life, you are under no immediate physical danger. You won't recall volunteering for this assignment, an unfortunate side effect of the mind wipe procedure. All you have to do is listen to the next track. This room is a verbal room, so if you need to use the facilities simply say so, and the rooms AI will produce that for you. If you would like a bed, say so as well. Meals will be served three times a day. The track you are about to listen to will play for 36 hours. After which time you will be free to go. Thank you for your participation in this process. And now, let us begin..."

*(Maybe he's in here for 5 days... maybe there is no track, because he could choose not to put it in, probably would choose that. So maybe the iPod is ONLY instructions. The sound is coming from the room itself.)

With that, there is a soft click and a slurry of sound comes from the iPod matching the sound that was playing from the roof. It was quite relaxing. Ash walked the perimeter of the room once more checking for any possible sign of escape. Thinking through the instructions is he called out-loud, "Bed", and a portion of the wall came undone through a small seam, a flat surface the size of a double bed came out of the wall, the top of the surface seemed to be made of memory foam. A small box opened just above holding a blanket and pillow.

(*They probably didn't leave in on the floor if there was a bed. In first setting have him on this bed, and it retracts when he gets up. He can't get it back until it's explained HOW to access the rooms features. Room ends up having a star trek feel? Food Replicators, things being beamed in? That could be cheesy or cool, depending on how you write it... )

Ash didn't take long to catch on, he said out loud "Exit", nothing happened.

"Now, Now Capt Ashmun, you know the rules, 36 hours..." came a voice from the speakers above.