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  CROW'S GAMBIT

  SYLPHAN REVELATIONS BOOK 1

  P.A. Tebbe

  Published by P.A. Tebbe, 2020.

  Crow’s Gambit

  Copyright © 2020 by P.A. Tebbe

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by an electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  First Edition

  ISBN 978-1-7345940-0-3 (Epub)

  ISBN 978-1-7345940-1-0 (Paperback)

  http://26milesofbooks.com

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Chapter 1 | TEN YEARS POST NET-DAY

  Chapter 2 | TWENTY YEARS POST NET-DAY

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  JOIN THE MAILING LIST

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  I WOULD LIKE TO THANK everyone who helped make this project a reality. A special thank you to my initial supporters and fellow authors who kept the project alive.

  Thank you to my editors, Katrina Diaz Arnold and the staff at Real Indie Author, for putting me on the right path.

  Thank you to my family for their patience and support during all the NanoWriMos, Inkshares Contests, and writing deadlines.

  Thank you to libraries and the librarians who work there for keeping people reading.

  Chapter 1

  TEN YEARS POST NET-DAY

  CASSIE WASN’T TRYING to cause the destruction of humanity, but the FBI sure seemed to think so. The Sylph spheres in orbit hadn’t even bothered to attack her small drone. If the aliens weren’t bothered by it why should the FBI be such jerks about her short flight? The drone was little more than some foam wings and a battery powered motor. It didn’t even have fancy sensors. Just a simple radio-controlled interface and a small camera.

  “You understand how serious this is?” the FBI agent asked her grandfather.

  He had arrived soon after the highway patrol had knocked on their door. There had been several calls to them about a young girl almost causing several accidents on a busy highway. Once they found the drone’s wreckage it was easy to put the pieces together. Using highway security footage and visual recognition they had quickly tracked her down.

  “Of course, I understand,” her grandfather huffed back. “I remember Net-Day. I lost more friends than I can count. And family.” His face started to redden. “Have you seen a Sylph weapon in action? I have.”

  The discovery mankind was not alone in the universe was initially anticlimactic. The small alien spheres started slipping quietly into orbit without anyone noticing. Nobody knew where they came from. There were no little green men, giant flying saucers, or ‘Take us to your leader’ requests.

  By the time the world’s governments and scientists admitted the spheres were real they had already formed a thin shell around the planet. When they started making more room by vaporizing the world’s satellites was when the public truly started to pay attention.

  Media and scientists started referring to them as ‘the Sylph’—spirits of the air. Of course, no one knew what their true names were. They had never tried to communicate.

  “Try not to get excited Mr. McIntyre.” The agent made a few entries on his tablet. He turned to look down as Cassie. “Let me make sure I understand everything. You’re his granddaughter and you’re thirteen?”

  “Yes,” Cassie’s voice was barely audible.

  “And you built the drone? Without any help?”

  She wrung her hands. “Yes,” she finally whispered. She had wanted to impress her grandfather by proving she could design and build a plane just like he had with NASA.

  “It’s not illegal to build a drone,” her grandfather protested.

  “That’s a matter for the courts to decide.” The agent consulted his tablet again. “However, flying it is definitely illegal. And I think the homeowner you dropped it on might have a few additional things to say about it.”

  Eager to see if it would fly, Cassie had ditched school and snuck it out of the workshop while her grandfather was running errands. She took it to an empty field and carefully pitched it into the air. Everything had initially gone well.

  The drone had a light construction and the winds were too high for it. She had quickly started to lose control. Caught by the gusts, it was propelled across a highway and into an adjoining neighborhood. She ran to try and catch it, dodging traffic and honking cars as she sprinted across the highway. It was no use though. Once out of range of the weak radio controller the small craft was at the mercy of the winds. It crashed onto some unsuspecting suburbanite’s patio.

  “I don’t believe anyone was hurt though,” her grandfather reasoned with the agent.

  “The dog did seem a little traumatized,” Cassie muttered.

  Her grandfather shot her a scolding glance.

  “The homeowner thought the Sylph were attacking his house. Does your granddaughter understand what it would mean if that had been true? The anti-flight laws are in place to protect everyone.”

  Of course, I understand. Everybody knew the Sylph would destroy anything that got more than a handful of feet off the ground. It had only taken them a day to destroy everything that flew on Net-Day. But she had flown the drone without it being destroyed, hadn’t she?

  “I will be sure to review the matter with her.” Cassie’s grandfather placed an arm around her shoulders.

  The FBI agent looked from one to the other of them. He shook his head as he turned to leave. “You might also consider investing in a lock for that workroom.”

  While it was technically a federal offense, the case got remanded to the local authorities due to Cassie’s age and the lack of damage. In the end she only received a sentence of probation. Her grandfather, however, had been charged with felony endangerment for supplying the workshop to build the drone without enough supervision. Cassie had never felt more guilt, shame, and relief than the day in court when Grandpa had finally avoided jail time and had been sentenced to only a fine and probation.

  When they got home, she had barely been able to look him in the eye while he lectured her on keeping things from him, running into traffic, and putting others at risk. He had announced she was grounded for a month and sent her to her room to wor
k on homework. However, over the next month she saw him repeatedly watching the video footage from the drone, as if he were studying it. At the end of the month, he sat her down.

  “You understand why this was so serious? If the Sylph had noticed your flight, people could have been hurt. The next time they attack none of us may survive.”

  Cassie nodded and continued to study the floor in front of her.

  “Who taught you to fly a drone like that?”

  “No one,” she answered truthfully. “It just seemed like that’s how it should work.”

  “And how did it feel to fly it?”

  “Wonderful!” She exclaimed without thinking. With her foot, she traced out circles on the floor for several seconds. “I mean, it was all right, I guess.”

  He cocked his head sideways. “Right. You’re going to do it again the first chance you get, aren’t you?”

  Cassie remained silent.

  “Well, I’m not surprised. It’s in your blood.” He indicated she should sit down next to him. “I used to design aircraft and both your parents were pilots. Still, it won’t do either of us any good to get arrested again.”

  “I understand.” She laid her head against his shoulder.

  “Which is why we’ll be using virtual simulators to teach you to fly.”

  “Really?” Cassie had hopped up onto her knees. “You’re going to teach me to fly?”

  “On simulators, yes.” He wrapped one arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “Knowledge is power. Never forget that. We give the Sylph more power by forgetting things.”

  Chapter 2

  TWENTY YEARS POST NET-DAY

  THE SENATOR CAUTIOUSLY took a sip from her cup. The tea was hot to the point of scalding. Just how she liked it. There were half a dozen critical things on her agenda for tomorrow that she still needed to prepare for.

  Contrary to what her staff suggested, sleep was not currently one of those items. Coffee would help her focus, but when she finally got home, that level of caffeine would keep her from resting.

  There had been a time when she could have gone several days without sleep, keeping her body going with stimulant pills and energy drinks. These days, she couldn’t manage several all-nighters in a row anymore—no matter the caffeine intake. They said working in Washington would age you faster. Maybe she was getting old.

  A knock on the door broke her reverie. She set the cup down. Wiping the tired expression from her face and replacing it with a well-practiced look of seriousness, she straightened her posture. “Come in.”

  The door cracked open and her assistant stuck his head in. Inwardly, she smiled. He was always up before her and always went to bed after her. Yet he never complained and never appeared disheveled. She wondered if that was just youth or there was some secret he could share with her.

  “The lieutenant is here, senator.”

  “Wonderful. And I’ve repeatedly asked you to call me Tish.”

  “Yes, senator.”

  She sighed. “What’s on the agenda for tomorrow, Vivek?”

  “You have a hearing on implant cyber security in the morning. The bone growth company is on the docket for the afternoon. Oh, representatives from the New Bovine company would also like a minute of your time.”

  “New Bovine? What does the vat meat industry want?”

  Her assistant consulted his pad for a moment. “As far I can tell, nothing in particular. I would assume you are just up in the rotation for some ass kissing.” The young man tapped on the pad for a moment. “Apparently Senator Johnson suggested they meet with you to discuss Chinese infringement of their patented DNA profiles.”

  “Of course, he did. Remind me to thank him appropriately for that, Vivek.”

  “I’ll pencil in a session of sarcastic ridicule for the senator. The lieutenant, ma’am?”

  “Yes.” She waved her permission as she took a last sip of her rapidly cooling tea. “Thank you, Vivek.”

  A slender young man in a perfectly starched and pressed Navy uniform entered and stood before her, at ease.

  “Senator Winthrop, Lieutenant Sanchez.”

  “Thank you, Vivek.” Her assistant pulled the door shut behind him and she motioned the man toward a seat while she got a fresh cup of tea. “Please sit lieutenant. Would you like some tea? Coffee?”

  “No ma’am. Thank you.”

  She studied him while she sipped her tea. In turn the young man glanced around her office. His eyes settled on the framed photo on her desk. It was a picture of her when she was much younger, before Net-Day, and in the Air Force. Flying jets had been her dream since she was six.

  “That photo was taken twenty years ago. Just before Net-Day.”

  After graduating from the Air Force Academy, she had been assigned to one of the new F-40 Medusas. The systems on it had been so advanced you needed an engineering degree just to read the flight manual. Her Medusa had felt like an extension of her body and soul. It wasn’t quite the same with her current office, but the work was important.

  “You’re curious about something, lieutenant?” She sat back down at her desk.

  “No ma’am. It’s just, I knew you had served, but I didn’t realize you had combat experience.”

  She grunted. “Twenty-two combat missions actually. That plane got me home safely every time ... but one.”

  “Net-Day?”

  “Yes.” She sipped her tea slowly. “I was flying cover for a Special Operations team protecting a village. Where or from who doesn’t matter now. The Sylph had already taken out most of our satellites and had started targeting aircrafts. One by one, I watched my drone contingent get vaporized.”

  “So, your mission was unsuccessful?”

  “Not at all. I was able to target the approaching rebels before the Sylph hit my Medusa. The AI was barely able to eject me in time.” Setting her tea down she clasped her hands together on the desk. “I’m sorry you had to come all this way so late. This meeting could have been done by secure connection you know.”

  “The admiral felt his message best conveyed in person, Senator Winthrop.”

  “I’m sure.” She spread her hands, palm up. “Well, let’s get to it. What wisdom does Admiral Forrest wish to share?”

  The side of the man’s mouth twitched slightly at her sarcastic tone.

  She made a mental note of the reaction.

  His eyes glanced quickly around the room again. “Is this room secure, senator?”

  She raised her eyebrows and leaned forward slightly.

  “No offense, ma’am, but the matter is sensitive.”

  “Very well lieutenant.”

  Pressing a control on her desk, the security protocols for her office were activated. Metal composite shutters slid shut across the windows with a click and low hiss. She knew systems embedded around the room were now putting out even more jamming signals which would interfere with recording devices both inside and outside the room. All connections to the outside world were effectively severed.

  “You may speak freely. What’s on the admiral’s mind?”

  “Ma’am, the Joint Chiefs would like me to express their continued concern at involving Mr. Darrow with Project Icarus.”

  “The Joint Chiefs or one in particular?”

  He nodded slightly but didn’t reply.

  “I’m aware of the Joint Chiefs concerns with Mr. Darrow, lieutenant. Do you have any information to add to the discussion or were you just sent to keep me from getting sleep?”

  “We haven’t received an update on the project in quite some time. There is a concern that the capabilities of Crow Research aren’t up to the challenge.”

  She frowned. “We’ve been through this before. Crow Research is one of the top contractors to industry and government. Besides, who can we say is fully qualified to study the mind and tactics of an alien species? One we’ve never even been able to communicate with.”

  “Perhaps. Nonetheless, the admiral wanted me to ask you to again reconsider some of the
other options available. There are some fine corporate and academic research labs that may be able to help. Perhaps the DARPA-S group or even the Naval Research Laboratory?”

  “We both know the DARPA-S research group was formed with the specific mandate to develop weapons to use against the Sylph or at least find a way to communicate with them. While they had made some great advances in technology, their success regarding the Sylph was less than impressive.”

  Of course, she thought, success is hard when there is no way to attack the Sylph in orbit and they never respond to any form of communication.

  After two decades of work, the politicians had started to question the usefulness of DARPA-S and their funding had slowly been funneled to other critical needs. Under the current administration, they were a shell of their former self.

  “The suggestion of the Naval Research Lab isn’t a new one,” she observed. However, it hasn’t been made so blatantly before. The admiral had to know she wouldn’t agree to put the project under his direct control, so why was he pushing it?

  Standing, she went around the desk and stood over the young lieutenant, arms crossed. The young man pressed himself back in the chair involuntarily.

  “Get to the actual point, lieutenant.”

  “If news of the project got out there would be repercussions, both with our allies and the public. Not to mention what could happen at the United Nations.”

  “We all understand the political risks. However, Project Icarus could give us tactical and strategic advantages over our enemies.” And if Tish had her way, release from Sylph confinement.

  “Frankly, there is a concern Crow Research is a security risk.” He straightened his back more, making his chin jut out slightly.

  “Their facilities and personnel have been fully vetted by both the FBI and the NSA.” She continued to press in on his personal space. For all his projected self-confidence he was still inexperienced in political combat techniques. He grew visibly uncomfortable under her glare. Slowly his body seemed to wilt and roll in on itself.

  “Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear, senator.” He licked his dry lips and swallowed before continuing. “Our concern isn’t with Crow Research but its CEO, Peter Darrow.”