Brian-Bigelow: New from Merita King

Bygora Vandos ~ Sinclair V-Log LB734/A

Sam Sinclair didn’t usually play the role of detective. His job was just to chase and catch a specific target and deliver them into the hands of the Inter Galactic Law Enforcement Agency, so when his boss offered him an undercover job, he was only too happy to accept.

Together with his new partner Ren, Sam begins the slow process of investigating the secluded and secretive Calmarin Research Station. Although set up to apparently investigate the cause of dying trees in the locale, rumours run rife among the local people about what really goes on there. What Sam and Ren discover after weeks of carefully working their way in, is one of the most terrible crimes against humanity that either of them have ever encountered and both vow to do their utmost to bring it to an end.

Sam finds many allies amongst the local people but with his cover blown and Ren taken prisoner, he no longer knows who can be trusted. As the job reaches its explosive climax and the personal cost to Sam takes its toll, the shocking truth finally comes out.

Introduction to The Sinclair V-Logs

The Sinclair V-Logs is a series of personal video logs, made by Sam Sinclair, Freelance Law Enforcer with the Inter-Galactic Law Enforcement Agency. In his own words, Sam recounts the more memorable of his experiences during his twenty years working for the Agency. He shares his adventures with honesty and humour, and as he becomes comfortable telling his story, we learn more about the man himself. Despite the dangers of his profession, Sam is sensitive and dedicated to maintaining his own code of standards.

This second volume in the Sinclair V-Logs series sees Sam journey to Deligon 2, far across the galaxy. Sent on an undercover mission to investigate the Calmarin Research Station, he and his new partner soon discover something that endangers not only their own lives, but those of everyone on the planet.

Come, share the journey with Sam Sinclair.

Excerpt from Bygora Vandos – Sinclair V-Log LB734/A

Thirty minutes later I was kitted up and had received a huge welcome from Essy, involving lots of face licking and belly rubs and both of us were standing outside Spurrell’s office. I raised my hand to knock but a thought raced through my mind and I looked at Essy.

“I need you to obey me without question tonight baby,” I sent her the thought and she looked up at me, her eyes focussed in that way I had come to recognise as understanding. “I will ask you to do some things that are a little different from our normal work but I need you to trust me and obey.” We locked eyes and I knew she understood and I breathed a sigh of relief as I knocked on Spurrell’s door.

“Come in Joss,” he said as he stepped aside. “Thanks once again for coming in at such short notice.”

“No problem,” I replied. “What’s the panic? You said there was an accident?”

“Yes, one of our latest umm, patients went a bit crazy and injured a couple of our security guys. It started a bit of a riot and we had to lock the place down to contain it.”

“Oh I see. Are the guys okay?”

“Yeah, they’ll live. They’re in the infirmary now. It took several guys to hold the patient down so we could get some sedative into him. He’s calm now.”

“Where would you like me to begin my patrol Sir?”

“If you go and relax for a while and maybe begin at eight? Is that okay with you?”

“Of course Boss.”

“Thanks. You’ll be starting with the patient’s cubicles tonight so report there for duty at eight okay?”

“Yes Sir,” I nodded and turned to leave, Essy at my heels as always. I raced back to the staff accommodation and went into the same room I had used the week before. First, I called Marlo and asked if Ren had got home okay. His reply chilled me to the bone.

“He never arrived home Joss. We’re worried sick.”

“Oh shit no,” I said as I remembered my conversation with Spurrell just minutes before. “I think they have him prisoner here. Oh fuck I have to get him out of here.”

“What can we do?”

“Get to the tunnels as quick as you can and wait for my call. I’m going to call in the troops now, which will mean we have two hours until the shit hits the fan.”

“Okay, I’ll round everyone up and we’ll be there within the hour. Be safe buddy.”

I then called the troops, gave them the details, and heard the siren going off in the background as I spoke with their commander.

“We’ll be with you in two hours Joss. Just hold on. We’ll have you both out of there, I promise.”

Another call to Kobey sent him into a panic, which did not surprise me knowing his obsession with schedules. He rose to the occasion though and said he would do what he could with the guards he had on duty and promised the troops would not encounter any problems when they arrived. The next two hours dragged by, the slowest two hours of my entire life and I spent every minute worrying for Ren. Eventually I couldn’t stand it any longer and reported for duty fifteen minutes early. Spurrell was in the patient cubicle when I arrived and smiled when he saw me enter.

“Hello there Joss, nice to see you eager for work tonight. Come and meet the source of all our problems.”

I sent a thought to Essy as I walked to the end of the narrow corridor lined with patient cubicles.

“Be ready girl, watch my back.” She slowed her pace a tiny bit and fell into line behind me. I reached the cubicle at the end of the corridor and slowly turned to look through the glass partition wall. He was hunched on the floor, one knee drawn up, his head resting in his hand. Bloodied scraps of cloth dotted around the small cubicle explained why he was shirtless, the bruises already forming over his chest and shoulders telling me of a severe beating.

I leapt forward and banged on the glass.

“Ren, buddy. What the fuck? Why is he being held here? He’s my friend, he works here. I don’t understand. What the fuck is going on?” I yelled at Spurrell, who took a step back from my angry onslaught. I heard growls from behind me and turned to see Essy holding off an approaching lab guy who wielded a huge injector. Instinct drove my hand to my tranquiliser pistol, hidden beneath my jacket and shot Spurrell at point blank range. He was unconscious within twenty seconds and I turned back to see how Essy was doing. The lab guy was retreating towards the door at the far end. He didn’t make it; the sedative dart ensuring he was out cold before he was halfway there. I turned back to Ren, who was almost unconscious in his prison.

“I’ll be back for you buddy, I promise.” I called Essy and together, we raced out into the corridor.

About Merita King

Merita King has loved the science fiction and fantasy genre in both books and movies since she was a young child. She has been greatly inspired by years of watching movies and reading books and has wanted to make a contribution to this genre for many years. Her stories all contain a spiritual thread as she believes that spirituality is universal and crosses all boundaries. She believes that the creative process is largely intuitive and can be very effectively blocked by too much pre-planning. “Plot lines, characters and events all come to me intuitively,” she says, “and this makes the act of writing a constant pleasure.” She is a psychic medium and lives alone in Hampshire, UK.