Agatha Christie. It's a name synonymous with mystery.
But this isn't really a mystery novel.
It's much more of an action-filled spy novel, with a mystery serving as a minor plot element.
And that's a very good thing, in my opinion.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Book 34 of 52: "They Came to Baghdad" by Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie. It's a name synonymous with mystery.
But this isn't really a mystery novel.
It's much more of an action-filled spy novel, with a mystery serving as a minor plot element.
And that's a very good thing, in my opinion.
Friday, August 28, 2015
[Retrieval] "Perfectly secure."
"Perfectly contained. It's completely secure."
The man that some called Hatchet waited, drumming his fingers on the table. His suit was crisp and freshly ironed, and his bland features wore a look of barely contained boredom. His fit body aside, the man looked totally unremarkable. No one would ever pick him out of a crowd.
"We've set up dozens of redundant protocols," the scientist across the table tried again. "Forget Fort Knox. This is definitely the most secure installation in the country."
"It's true," his colleague chimed in, looking as anxious as his fellow. "The entry procedures include a half dozen different checkpoints. Nothing comes in without our knowledge."
Hatchet waited another beat for the silence to build before he asked his question. "And things going out?"
The two scientists exchanged a look. "Out?" one of them repeated blankly. "Nothing goes out."
The man that some called Hatchet waited, drumming his fingers on the table. His suit was crisp and freshly ironed, and his bland features wore a look of barely contained boredom. His fit body aside, the man looked totally unremarkable. No one would ever pick him out of a crowd.
"We've set up dozens of redundant protocols," the scientist across the table tried again. "Forget Fort Knox. This is definitely the most secure installation in the country."
"It's true," his colleague chimed in, looking as anxious as his fellow. "The entry procedures include a half dozen different checkpoints. Nothing comes in without our knowledge."
Hatchet waited another beat for the silence to build before he asked his question. "And things going out?"
The two scientists exchanged a look. "Out?" one of them repeated blankly. "Nothing goes out."
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Danni California, Part 27
Continued from Part 26, here.
Start the story here.
Start the story here.
* * *
The metal grappling hook sailed out, trailing rope behind it as it flew away from the building. I stared after it, feeling the rope flying out through my fingers and watching the little black dot zoom away.
It landed on the closest nearby building, and I heard a clink as it hit. I waited a moment, feeling the rope drop to slackness, and then carefully gave the line in my hands a gentle tug.
For a heart-stopping second, it slid loosely, suggesting that the grappling hook had failed to catch on a target. But then, just as I cursed and prepared myself to haul it in for another throw, I felt the line suddenly flex with tension.
It landed on the closest nearby building, and I heard a clink as it hit. I waited a moment, feeling the rope drop to slackness, and then carefully gave the line in my hands a gentle tug.
For a heart-stopping second, it slid loosely, suggesting that the grappling hook had failed to catch on a target. But then, just as I cursed and prepared myself to haul it in for another throw, I felt the line suddenly flex with tension.
Monday, August 24, 2015
Book 33 of 52: "Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt" by Michael Lewis
Back to non-fiction - and one of my favorite topics, finance! I've heard a lot of critical acclaim for Flash Boys, which seeks to take on and explain the mystery and complexity behind high-frequency trading, or HFT.
What is HFT? In short, it's the stock trading strategy of racing the market, finding out when a large order is going to be placed, snapping up all of those stocks before the large order can go through, and then selling them to that purchaser for a profit.
It's a bit like seeing a lot of customers at a lemonade stand on a hot day, cutting to the front of the line, buying ALL the lemonade, and then turning around and selling it to the customers for a higher price.
Seems wrong? I agree! As do many people in this book...
Friday, August 21, 2015
[Retrieval] Meeting the Fence
Normally, the man they called Broiler preferred to take his time. He liked to listen to his victim's screams, savoring how they slowly realized that they wouldn't escape, that they'd die with him. He'd only been a bruiser when they threw him behind bars, but he soon found his place on the inside - and he commanded far more respect here than he ever did out on the street.
Broiler liked to savor his jobs. But today, he moved with uncharacteristic swiftness.
Freddy lay quietly in his bunk, but Broiler didn't doubt that the little ferret of a man had his ears peeled. He was fresh meat, after all. He surely expected to be roughed over. For all Broiler knew, the man might be concealing a blade or shiv under that thin blanket.
Broiler, however, had the advantage of weight - and surprise. Before Freddy could even speak out, the electrical cord in the big man's hands looped around his throat and drew tight.
Broiler leaned down on the body as it jerked and thrashed, sawing back and forth with his hands. It didn't take long before the smaller man's movements ceased.
Still, the bigger bruiser flipped the corpse over, waiting for several minutes to ensure that no life remained. He'd been given triple his usual rate for this job, and he wasn't going to let anything foul it up. Only once he was completely certain that Freddy was dead did he stand up and leave the cell.
Broiler liked to savor his jobs. But today, he moved with uncharacteristic swiftness.
Freddy lay quietly in his bunk, but Broiler didn't doubt that the little ferret of a man had his ears peeled. He was fresh meat, after all. He surely expected to be roughed over. For all Broiler knew, the man might be concealing a blade or shiv under that thin blanket.
Broiler, however, had the advantage of weight - and surprise. Before Freddy could even speak out, the electrical cord in the big man's hands looped around his throat and drew tight.
Broiler leaned down on the body as it jerked and thrashed, sawing back and forth with his hands. It didn't take long before the smaller man's movements ceased.
Still, the bigger bruiser flipped the corpse over, waiting for several minutes to ensure that no life remained. He'd been given triple his usual rate for this job, and he wasn't going to let anything foul it up. Only once he was completely certain that Freddy was dead did he stand up and leave the cell.
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Danni California, Part 26
Continued from Part 25, here.
Start the story here.
Start the story here.
* * *
Both Jenny and Old Hillpaw audibly gasped. "What?" they both stammered out in unison, staring at the man in black.
Jasper couldn't help grinning at the stunned looks on his audience's faces. "Wait," he said, glancing back down at the pages in front of him.
"It will make more sense soon."
Jasper couldn't help grinning at the stunned looks on his audience's faces. "Wait," he said, glancing back down at the pages in front of him.
"It will make more sense soon."
Monday, August 17, 2015
Book 32 of 52: "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams
Yes, it's a series. I'm counting it as one book.
If you haven't heard of this famous series by Douglas Adams, you're missing out on a massive trove of English comedy mixed with science fiction. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is a series that spans five novels, a couple of short stories, and even has a movie about it!
If you haven't heard of this famous series by Douglas Adams, you're missing out on a massive trove of English comedy mixed with science fiction. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is a series that spans five novels, a couple of short stories, and even has a movie about it!
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