Zero: “Shadow is on his way to bring you to Graphix. Saw your text about Shadow. Sorry but you are going to work with him whether you like it or not. I won’t change the mission instructions.”
Cristal looked down at her watch. She had been standing outside the Global Nation’s building for thirty minutes.What was taking Kerim so long?
Before she started texting Harry to find out if he had heard from Kerim, she heard an engine roar from a distance. She looked up and saw Kerim, aka Shadow, dressed in a leather jacket and black jeans riding into the Global Nation’s parking lot on his black and yellow Ducati.
He slowed down and stopped his bike in front of her. He removed his black helmet to reveal his dark wavy hair, slicked back against his head. He pushed his sunglasses on top of his head, his grey steel eyes shining against the sunlight.
He waved for her to climb onto his bike and handed her an extra helmet. Really? He wants me to ride that thing? She paused for a moment before placing the helmet on. Kerim motioned with his head for her to climb on. Is he serious? Am I one of his fan girls?
She refused to budge, standing with her arms crossed in front of her.
“Come on, get on,” he said.
Still, she didn’t move.
Finally, he reached out his hand, waiting for her to grab it. She paused for a second, pushed it away, and climbed on the bike by herself.
“Hold tight, Cristal,” he called back to her as he started the engine.
Mmm, I love his sexy accent. She glanced around. Where did that come from? Focus on the mission.
Cristal leaned closer to him but tried not to hold too tight. No need to give him the wrong impression. She closed her eyes as the motorcycle started moving, the sound of the motor roaring underneath her. The bike sped through the streets, but she dared not open her eyes. Her heart was pounding hard; her knees felt weak, and her head was spinning inside the heaviness of the helmet. If I’d known he was going to pick me up on a motorcycle, I could have taken a cab, she thought to herself.
Cristal had never felt comfortable in enclosed places, partly due to her fears of having an asthma attack. As a child, her father had not wanted her to rely on a puffer. Instead, he had trained her to control her breathing when she felt an oncoming attack. Unfortunately, this was hard to do now with a helmet on her head.
After what felt like a roller-coaster ride, she noticed that the engine had stopped and opened her eyes. She took in her surroundings and realized that they were parked in front of Gabriel’s apartment building.
She let go of Kerim and slowly got off the bike. He climbed off and removed his helmet. Her legs felt like rubber bands beneath her. She swayed off balance. Kerim grabbed her by the waist with one arm. She felt her stomach squirm. Get this helmet off. I can’t breathe!
As if hearing her thoughts, Kerim reached over with his other hand, unsnapped the strap under her chin and gently removed the helmet before tying it to his bike. The cool air caressed her cheeks. She took deep breaths, drinking in the oxygen. Kerim’s other arm was still wrapped tight around her waist. Once her head was cleared, she glanced up at him.
This close, she was able to see that his skin was a smooth olive color; his nose perfectly straight and Romanesque, and his grin was mischievous but playful.
She removed his arm off her waist and firmly pushed him aside. He stepped back, letting her pass. She didn’t know why she was so irritated by him being there. Yes, he was extremely attractive but that was a superficial asset. And yet, she always seemed to be drawn to the Christian Bale or Johnny Depp rebellious type of guys. Just like her chocolate ice cream addiction, she knew she had to stay away from bad boys, even if they were delicious desserts. She felt herself blush and hoped Kerim hadn’t noticed.
Do you love shows like J.J. Abrams’ Fringe and read books like Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones?
“Doubt” mashes fringe science, corporate espionage and paranormal encounters to catapult you into an out-of-this-world experience.
At 21 years old, Harry and Cristal are fresh out of university with their PhD’s. Labeled all their lives as being ‘weird’ and ‘geeky’, they find true friendships with other outcasts by playing online virtual reality games.
Harry Doubt, a genius programmer and creator of the popular online game ‘Truth Seekers’, has a personal mission of his own; to find his mother who went mysteriously missing while volunteering on a peacekeeping mission in Palestine. His gaming friends and followers inadvertently join in helping him find her; believing that they are on missions to find out what has happened to their own missing loved ones. During Harry’s missions, Cristal and the team of ‘Truth Seekers’ stumble upon things that make them doubt the reality of their own lives. As they get closer to the truth, they realize that there are spiritual forces among them both good and evil, but in learning this, they activate a chain of events that start the beginning of the ‘end of the world’ as they know it.
Doubt is Book 1 of the Among Us Trilogy. Among Us is a book series which delves into the world of the supernatural and how it intersects with the everyday lives of seemingly ordinary young people as catastrophic events on earth lead to the end of times. Among Us weaves the theme of a young man and woman, who while not fully understanding their ‘abilities’, are drawn together in their desire to find out the truth about the world they live in which is similar to themes used in J.J. Abrams’ TV shows Fringe and Lost.
What readers have to say…
As a big fan of the show Fringe, this book appealed to me tremendously. The writing was well done, and the way the “supernatural” forces were introduced was great.
A good, clean read for any age.
It was an excellent story that I’m sure both adult and teen urban fantasy fans will enjoy. You don’t have to be a gamer or know one to identify with the characters. They’re very well developed and definitely feel like people. I would definitely recommend it to a friend and I’m really looking forward to the second book.
…the novel is written in such a languid style, it moves on effortlessly and absorbs the reader into the story completely. Although the story itself revolves around the online gaming industry, one does not have to have an in depth knowledge as it is ably explained and discussed within the plot line.
OMGosh! I just finished reading “Doubt” INCREDIBLE! I couldn’t put it down.
˃˃˃ >>> Depth and Substance mashed up with Fringe Science. Will entertain young and old alike.
This book is intended for mature young adults and new adults. Ages 16 to 45 +
˃˃˃ >>Inspired by real Truth Seekers Aaron Swartz and Harry Fear
The main character Harry Doubt was inspired by Aaron Swartz, internet prodigy and activist, co-founder of the Creative Commons and Reddit, and Harry Fear, journalist, documentary filmmaker and activist whose coverage of the conflict in the Middle East was seen on UStream by millions of viewers.
Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre - Young Adult, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Thriller
Rating – G
More details about the author
Website http://amongus.ca
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