Imperfect Deception (eBook)

Ronald Morrison (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2024 | 1. Auflage
400 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-9913524-1-3 (ISBN)

Infos

Devastated by his wife's mysterious death and frustrated by the official investigation's lack of progress, physics graduate student Nick Price partners with three friends to find the truth. When their efforts attract unwanted attention from malevolent forces determined to protect an ancient secret, they embark on a death-defying quest across Northern Europe, racing for the survival of all of humanity. A thrilling adventure of science fiction and magic, 'The Imperfect Deception' blends advanced physics with well-documented ancient witchcraft, while raising thought-provoking questions about the future of artificial intelligence, the relationship between magic and science, and the nature of reality.

Ronald W. Morrison was born in Chicago. After graduating from college, he became a U. S. Navy pilot. Later, he worked in the defense industry building flight simulators before becoming a consulting scientist and engineer for defense and intelligence organizations. He holds a PhD in information technology, specializing in biologically inspired artificial intelligence techniques. He currently resides in northern Virginia.

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Graduate student Nick Price's peaceful life is shattered by an inexplicable event that critically injures his wife, Erin. The official investigation has gone cold. Frustrated and distraught, Nick decides that he needs to discover the truth. He enlists help from Marty, a friend and talented mathematician, and Jason, a co-worker in the quantum physics laboratory. Molly, a mysterious woman and experienced hacker who claims to be an old friend of Nick's wife, approaches Nick and offers to help. As the group searches for clues about the event that killed Erin, they discover puzzling paths leading to both quantum physics and Nordic witchcraft. Expanding the search for additional clues launches Nick and Molly on a whirlwind international quest, immediately attracting the attention of malevolent forces determined to stop them. When a seemingly unrelated threat emerges and endangers the entire planet, global panic ensues. During the chaos, Nick's group uncloaks an ancient secret that ties all the pieces together. But just knowing the secret isn't enough. Survival of all humanity hangs in the balance as Nick's team must overcome opposition from enemies with unimaginable powers. A thrilling adventure of science fiction and magic, The Imperfect Deception blends advanced physics with well-documented ancient witchcraft, while raising thought-provoking questions about the future of artificial intelligence, the relationship between magic and science, and the nature of reality.

Textauszug

CHAPTER 1

June 25th, Fairfax, Virginia

“Watch out. It’s slippery and there’s broken glass,” Erin Price warned an elderly shopper as a teenaged store employee arrived to clean up the puddle of olive oil and sharp green shards.

“Sorry about this,” said Erin as she turned to the teenager. “Can you reach another one for me, please?” Why do they always put whatever I need on the top shelf?

“Thanks,” she said, as he handed her a new bottle. “Really sorry for the mess.”

She placed a few more items in her cart and glanced at her watch. Only three hours before Nick would be home. She wanted everything to be perfect tonight. She smiled, once again deciding that marrying him was her best decision ever. The last six months had been wonderful.

I just hope he isn’t late again.

Erin’s favorite checkout clerk looked up as she reached the register.

“Hi,” the woman said cheerfully. “You don’t usually shop this time of the week. Having company?”

“No,” said Erin. “Dinner with my husband for a change.”

“Is he working nights?”

“Recently, yes. He’s back in graduate school and spends his evenings at the university lab. Tonight’s our six-month anniversary, and I’m preparing his favorite dinner.”

“Didn’t you two meet in college?”

“No. We met at a bookstore and started chatting over a cup of coffee. Nearly five hours later, at closing time, we had to be chased out, having discussed everything from astrophysics to medieval Europe.”

“Ha! Good conversation on a first date? I don’t believe it.”

“Nick’s well-read and an unusually good listener. I was enchanted, but I surprised everyone, especially myself, when I agreed to marry him a month later.”

“Wow. Proposed so soon? An impetuous fella, huh?”

“No. I think it was his first impulsive life decision. His next one was spending his savings on a wonderful honeymoon in China.”

“Ah. It’s grand to be in love,” the clerk said as she handed over the last bagged items.

Erin grinned, nodding. “Yes, it is. Thanks. Have a great day.”

Leaving the parking lot, she turned on the radio and sang along, ignoring the amused glances from other drivers. About halfway home, a favorite song came on. Cranking up the volume, she belted out the lyrics.

Suddenly, she was blinded by a dazzling flash of pure white light, and she was flying and tumbling. Something hit her head. Then everything went black.

***

“Damn. Not again!” Nick shouted as the traffic on the Beltway slowed. He turned on the radio in time to catch the 9:15 p.m. traffic report. An accident with injuries was blocking Arlington Blvd. in both directions, closing the westbound Beltway exit, and slowing traffic halfway to Maryland. Nick glanced at the flowers on the front seat, remembering Erin’s explicit request for him to be on time tonight. He was sure she was planning something special, but he hadn’t given any hint that he had remembered their anniversary, hoping to surprise her. Instead, now he would disappoint her with his customary tardiness, thanks to the unpredictable D.C. traffic.

Frustrated, he grabbed his phone to call her, then discovered that, as usual, he’d forgotten to turn it back on after his meeting. Security at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency prohibited personal electronic devices in its workspaces. When the phone booted, there was an hour-old voicemail, but it wasn’t from Erin.

A female voice said, “This message is for Mr. Nicholas Price. This is Officer Cole of the Fairfax County Police. Please call me at the following number as soon as you receive . . .”

Chest tightening, Nick called and identified himself.

“Yes, Mr. Price. This is about your wife, Erin.”

Nick held his breath.

“She’s been in an automobile accident and was taken to Fairfax Hospital. If you go there now, they’ll be expecting you.”

“I’m on my way,” he said, gripping the steering wheel tightly, anxiety rising.

Detouring around the closed Beltway exit took another twenty minutes before Nick arrived at the sprawling medical complex, the largest in the densely-packed cluster of suburbs on the Virginia side of the Washington–Baltimore metropolitan area. After almost missing the turn for the emergency entrance, he followed the bright signs to the parking lot and seized the last empty space in the far corner.

He sprinted the three hundred yards to the automatic doors in under forty seconds, then stopped inside at the security desk. Panting, and pushing his hair out of his eyes, he handed the guard his driver’s license. “My name is Nick Price. My wife was in an accident.”

The guard handed him a visitor’s badge. As he hunted for an empty chair in the crowded waiting area, a tall woman in a tan business suit approached him. She escorted him to a small, windowless room, furnished with a round table, a box of tissues, a wastebasket, and four orange plastic chairs. It smelled of disinfectant. A young man in blue scrubs and a female police officer joined them.

Blue scrubs spoke first. “Mr. Price. I’m Dr. Henderson. Please sit down.”

Nick made no move to sit, so the doctor continued.

“Your wife was brought to the emergency room with severe head injuries. I’m so sorry. There is no easy way to tell you this. We did everything possible, but she never regained consciousness and passed away a half-hour ago.”

Nick collapsed into a chair and put his face in his hands. He struggled to breathe. When he looked up, his voice broke as he said, “Where is she? Can I see her?”

The police officer’s eyes narrowed as she studied Nick. Apparently sensing no risk, she nodded to the doctor, who said, “Yes, but I want to caution you. She was very badly injured. Please follow me.”

They proceeded a short distance down the hall. The doctor asked Nick to wait for a moment before inviting him into a small, brightly lit room. A police photographer and a hospital technician stood next to a gurney covered by a white sheet.

The doctor started to delicately peel back the covering, revealing a glimpse of Erin’s blonde hair, which was matted with blood over the partially crushed skull.

“No. Stop.” Nick barely choked out the words. “I don’t want to remember her like this. Please, put the sheet back.”

Nick edged closer to the gurney and gently placed his hand on Erin’s covered shoulder. A brief shiver gripped him.

“Erin. I love you, and I’ll always love you.” His eyes were squeezed tight. After a brief pause, he took a deep breath, then turned and left the room.

The officer escorted him toward the lobby. The photographer followed close behind, whispering to the officer. The officer turned to Nick and asked, “Are you up to identifying her using pictures? We have some that might work.”

Embarrassed about his earlier queasiness, Nick nodded, but his throat tightened. His hand trembled as he accepted an iPad from the photographer. As Nick looked at the first picture, he was relieved to see that the skilled photographer had managed to shoot from angles that showed no injuries. Erin appeared to be taking a nap but was disheveled and a bit dirty, as if she’d been working in the garden.

Nick confirmed it was her, pushed the iPad away and closed his eyes. Recovering his composure, he asked, “Was anyone else hurt?”

“No, it was a single-car accident,” said the officer. “The 911 caller said she hit a tree.”

Nick frowned. “She’s a very careful driver. What happened?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe she swerved to miss something . . . or there could have been a problem with the car. A crash reconstruction unit is on the scene. They’ve been there for a while and probably will be for at least another hour or two. They’ll figure it out.”

Nick shook his head. “If she hit a tree, how did she get those terrible head injuries? Didn’t the airbag go off?”

“The 911 caller said she was thrown from the car.”

“That’s impossible,” said Nick, his voice rising. “She always wears her seatbelt.”

“Sorry. That’s all I know,” said the officer.

“Was the accident eastbound on Arlington Blvd.?” asked Nick.

The surprised officer nodded, casting a puzzled look at Nick.

“I heard the traffic report,” said Nick, answering the unspoken question. “I’ll head over there now.”

The woman in the business suit held up her hand. “I still have some documents for you to sign.”

“Paperwork can wait,” said Nick with a decisive shake of his head. “I’ll be back. What I’ve heard makes no sense. I’m going to find out what happened to my wife.” He stood and strode out purposefully, allowing no opportunity for objection.

***

The site was only two miles from the hospital, but the road closure made the drive take almost fifteen minutes. As Nick approached the accident scene, he saw Erin’s red Honda, its front crushed against a mature oak tree. The area had a surreal appearance, lit by bright white floodlights augmented with dazzling color from the flashing lights of Fairfax County emergency vehicles. The eastbound lanes of Arlington Blvd. were blocked, and police had traffic sharing the westbound side. Nick turned right...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 23.12.2024
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Science Fiction
• ISBN-13: 979-8-9913524-1-3 / 9798991352413