Chapter 1 Oakland, California February 2006 Traffic was light in the Oakland foothills, Nicholas La Cour thought as he drove his car up Skyline Boulevard. He checked his watch. It was a little past midnight. He glanced ahead, and his eyes caught the vibrant lights of the City of Oakland looming out before him. The […]

Elenia During my short twenty-three years of life, I had seen a lot of luxury, but now I just wanted to stop and stare with my mouth open. Everything was so perfect. From the topiary bushes to the cobblestone paths leading to the main entrance stairs. I was told to go through the wide glass […]

Prologue FIRST ORDERS We are all the walking wounded. Some scars are just more visible than others. Mine are the inside kind: unhealed, pink, festering. Outwardly, I’m still a perfect specimen. That’s why I was chosen for Missions. “Cadet Davenport . . . it’s time.” The voice came from the generically pretty assistant, standing in […]

CHAPTER ONE The snow storm’s intensity had peaked, waves of snow rushing against my car as I drove down Highway 43 to my small hometown of Starling. The storm should have been at the height of my concerns, but the dread sitting heavy in my chest was mostly due to the fanatical ramblings of my […]