Jack And Anna - New Scourge Rising (Epic Literary Universe Series)

Book summary

Jack Hunter and Anna Lenai are enjoying their new life on Earth until they uncover a rogue AI threatening global technology. Their investigation leads them to a suspiciously hostile small town in the Pacific Northwest, where uncovering the truth means facing a deadly conspiracy and battling formidable enemies.

Excerpt from Jack And Anna - New Scourge Rising (Epic Literary Universe Series)

A light snow fell on Ottawa, tiny flakes descending toward the river before a sudden updraft sent them shooting into the sky again. Then they were drifting over the green rooftops of Parliament Hill and the ever-burning Centennial Flame. They crossed Wellington Avenue, fluttering past the newly constructed CSIS Tower. Some of them got stuck to the windows while others rode a gust of wind eastward over the Plaza Bridge.

They swept over the roofs of cars and tickled the noses of pedestrians who huddled up in their thick winter coats as they shuffled past the Chateau Laurier. Some of those poor folks looked downright glum. Even in the middle of the day, the ever-present cloud cover choked the sunlight. Everything was dull and gray. Except for all of those Christmas decorations outside the mall.

The few remaining flakes – those that hadn’t collided with a wall or the sidewalk – drifted over the Byward Market and the many shops that were buzzing with activity on a chilly Monday afternoon. One of them landed on the front window of a tiny bakery on George Street and joined its predecessors in the act of melting and sliding down the pane.

Anna opened the oven, the delicious scent of muffins wafting out. She reached in with her thick, blue mitts and pulled out a tray, turning and setting it down on the long, wooden table that ran through the kitchen. “Okay, I think they turned out nicely.”

She was delighted to see that her creations were the perfect shade of golden yellow. Lumps of reddish fruit protruded from the top of each muffin, most of them half-buried in the dough. She could already tell that Eleanor was intrigued.

The owner of this fine establishment was a short and somewhat plump woman with a dark brown complexion and a streak of purple in her bob of black hair. Eleanor was every bit as adorable as the bakery that she had spent two years transforming into a viable business. Her face was made for smiling. And that little stud in her nose sparkled when it caught the light. “I think you’re right,” she murmured, inspecting every muffin the way a jeweller might examine a diamond.

The kitchen was a long room with a dozen stainless steel appliances surrounding the central table. Multiple ovens, two big refrigerators, a sink, a dishwasher: Eleanor must have spent a fortune getting this place off the ground. As always, the air was quite warm, but Anna knew she would get used to it. Eventually.

Seth was a beaming bundle of pride in the back of her mind. The alien that resided in her cells always got excited about her artistic triumphs. Whether it was painting or cooking, Seth was her biggest cheerleader.

A petite and pale woman in a long, flour-dusted apron, Anna tapped her lips as she considered the muffins. Her red hair was tied up in a short ponytail with thin strands framing her round face. “I hope I used enough sugar. Chala fruit can be sour sometimes.”

“We’ll find out when they’re slightly cooler than radioactive.”

“Did you seriously just compare my muffins to nuclear waste?”

“No,” Eleanor said, glancing at the tray. “I’m reminding you not to touch them yet. Health and safety, darling. My life is very complicated now that I own a business. I woke up one morning, and suddenly, I had all these responsibilities.”

Propping her elbow up on the table, Anna hid a smile behind her hand. “Your compliance with all applicable regulations has been duly noted.”

“Thank you!”

All joking aside, she was eager to try them – just to see if they had turned out as well as she hoped – and the five minutes that it took for them to cool down seemed to stretch on forever. Finally, when it was safe to touch the tray without fear of massive blisterfication, she and Eleanor both took one.

The first bite allayed Anna’s fears; her muffins were sweet and fluffy, and the slight tartness of the chalai provided a wonderful contrast of flavours. She’d had some doubts about incorporating a spongy stone fruit into her recipe, but in the end, it proved to be a resounding success. Seth’s emotions basically amounted to, “I told you so.”

Eleanor closed her eyes, chewing thoroughly. “They taste almost like cranberries,” she said with her mouth full. “And peaches! Anna, your people invented cran-peaches! Where are these things from again?”

“Southern Galusia.”

“Never heard of it.”

“It’s a tropical region on Leyria. Chalai are the distant cousins of peaches. That might explain the flavour.”

The door popped open, and Chloe – their gangly student employee with a pair of oversized glasses that reflected the ceiling lights – poked her head into the kitchen. “Hey, Anna, can you give me a hand out here?”

Untying the strings of her apron, Anna marched to the wall and hung it on a peg. “Be right there!” she yelled, hurrying out to the front room.

Eleanor’s preference for bright, vibrant colours was reflected in her choice of décor. The walls were painted blue with a hot pink streak at shoulder height. The round, white tables were made of glossy plastic, and many people said that they looked like something you would find on a spaceship. Having travelled on actual spaceships, Anna could confirm that their assessment was partly correct. Really, it depended on the ship.

At one point, those tables had been scattered somewhat haphazardly across the tiled floor, but now, they were placed in neat, little rows along each wall, creating more room for people to line up at the counter. And that turned out to be a good idea. The line that Chloe had decided she couldn’t manage on her own stretched almost to the door.

Anna’s first customer was a handsome man with dark skin and a goatee. She rushed to the nearest register, greeting him with a smile. “Welcome to the Mmm-Shop!” she exclaimed. “Your one-stop…shop…” She really should have rehearsed this little speech before trying it on a customer. “For yumminess and poorly worded marketing.”

He laughed.

“What can I get you?”

“Do you have any of those tartberry pies?”

Raising a single finger, Anna grinned and nodded once. “I think we do. Hang on.” She ran to the display case and was dismayed to find that there were no pies. Chloe was supposed to have restocked it, but she had probably been too busy.

“One sec!” she yelled before scurrying back into the kitchen. Eleanor looked up from a bowl of batter, but Anna had no time to explain. She went to the nearest fridge and opened its heavy, steel door, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw three pies on the top shelf.

She was surprised to find so few; they must have sold more than she had realized. Her plan to import ingredients from Leyria was definitely working. People were always eager for a taste of something exotic, and while the two planets were nearly identical in terms of climate, most of Earth’s farmers just didn’t grow chala fruit or tartberries or ice mint.

Grabbing one paper box – she could restock the display case later – she hurried back to the register. The man smiled when she returned, pleased that he hadn’t missed his chance to try one of their delicious desserts. Clearly, word of mouth was spreading.

The next five customers were as easy to please as the first. One woman wanted to pick up the cupcakes she had ordered for her office party. Another was hoping to try some of Eleanor’s famous croissants. Then there was the guy who had stopped in for a cup of tea and a chocolate chip cookie. Anna didn’t know his name, but she recognized his face; he had become one of their regulars.

When the afternoon rush was over, she leaned against the counter, sighing with satisfaction. As cover jobs went, this one wasn’t half bad. Anna was a Justice Keeper, charged with protecting this world from extradimensional threats, but her bosses wanted her to pose as an ordinary citizen. So, when she wasn’t battling aliens, she was here, working in a little bakery that barely managed to compete with the big grocery chains.

The whole thing was Eleanor’s idea; she was one of the few people who knew Anna’s “secret identity,” and she had insisted that Anna needed a boss who wouldn’t fire her for running off to save the world. And really, who could say no after a pitch like that?

“You gonna be okay out here, Chloe?” she asked.

The young woman adjusted her glasses. “I’ll be fine,” she said. “Go work on your latest creation.”

Back in the kitchen, she found her new employer sitting on a wooden stool and thoughtfully contemplating a muffin that she held in one hand. Eleanor almost looked like a marble statue come to life. “You know,” she said. “If we added raspberries, these would be even better.”

Chuckling, Anna sauntered up to the table. “Try it,” she said with a shrug. “I still have some chalai in the fridge.”

“How ‘bout we work on it together?” Eleanor suggested. “I can stop by the grocery store tonight and pick up some raspberries.”

“Sounds fun.”

Anna was about to suggest that they could set aside some time tomorrow morning, but their conversation was cut short when the door opened and Chloe once again poked her head through the crack. “Um, Anna, one of the customers left something for you.” Her fiendish grin made Anna fear that she was about to be the victim of a practical joke. “I think you have a secret admirer.”

Grimacing, Anna pressed the tips of her fingers into her forehead. “Oh no,” she groaned. “Why do people do this?”

She strode out to the front room, mentally rehearsing the firm but diplomatic speech that she used whenever someone – usually a man, but not always – decided that a cute cashier’s smile implied more than just a desire to provide friendly service. Hitting on someone while they were at work was never a good idea.

Of course, there were exceptions…

Her anger vanished when she saw that the flower her admirer had left was a pink cresayli: a blossom that grew only on Leyria and its colony worlds. Which meant one of two things. Either she had a very dedicated stalker, or this wasn’t just a gift from some random customer.

She found a small note on the register, her heart soaring as she unfolded it and read the blocky letters. To the best partner a guy could ask for: I just wanted to say how much I love you and how grateful I am for every day we spend together.

She looked up just in time to see her husband coming through the door and strolling up to the counter with a playful smile. Jack was a positively gorgeous man: tall, lean and toned – with a strong chin and messy, brown hair that gave him a roguish look.

Crossing his arms on the counter, he leaned forward, and she was instantly lost in those magnificent, blue eyes. “So,” he began. “Is there any chance I could take you out to dinner tomorrow night?”

Grabbing a handful of his shirt, she pulled him closer and planted a deep, passionate kiss on his lips. Chloe was smirking in the corner, and she could tell that some of the customers were watching her as well. Well, let them gawk. Anna Lenai loved her partner. They could post it on every news outlet for all she cared.

Finally, with a great deal of reluctance, she ended the kiss. “Yes,” she whispered as his gentle hand caressed her cheek.

“Aww!” Chloe said, hurrying over to join them. “You guys are the cutest! So, what are you celebrating?”

“Hmm?”

“Birthday? Anniversary? What?”

Jack blushed, though Anna couldn’t even begin to guess why he would feel self-conscious over such a simple question. “Just the fact that I love her,” he said sheepishly. “I know it’s silly, but…”

“No,” Anna cut in. “It’s the best reason to celebrate.”