HAUNTED
The Chase Ryder Series Book 2
Jo Ho
Copyright ©2017 Jo Ho
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this story are either products of the author’s imagination or are
used fictitiously.
No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Jo Ho.
Book Cover designed by Deranged Doctor Design
Editor Simon Ford
This book is dedicated to all those out there who are in need of family and love.
Keep searching and never give up.
Thank You to
Matt, for being my love and my rock,
Dawn, for keeping me sane,
and
Rich, for the daily laughs and unending support.
Thanks also to my ARC team, many of whom acted as beta readers for this book — you guys are awesome!
Contents
Introduction
1. Prologue
2. Chase
3. Chase
4. Chase
5. Chase
6. Chase
7. The Scientist
8. Sully
9. Sully
10. Sully
11. Sully
12. Chase
13. Chase
14. Chase
15. Chase
16. Sully
17. Sully
18. Sully
19. Chase
20. Chase
21. Sully
22. Sam
23. Sully
24. Chase
25. Sully
26. Sully
27. Sam
28. Chase
30. Chase
31. Chase
32. Chase
33. Chase
34. Chase
35. Sully
36. Sully
37. Sully
38. Chase
39. Chase
40. Chase
41. Chase
42. Chase
43. Chase
44. Sully
45. Sam
46. Sully
47. Chase
48. Bandit
49. Bandit
50. Chase
51. Chase
52. Sully
53. Chase
54. The Scientist
55. The Scientist
56. Sully
57. Sully
58. Sully
59. Chase
60. Sully
61. Sully
62. Chase
63. Sully
64. Chase
65. Bandit
66. Sully
67. Chase
68. Bandit
69. Chase
70. Sully
71. Chase
72. Sully
73. Chase
74. Chase
75. Sully
76. Sully
77. Sully
78. Bandit
79. Sully
80. Chase
81. Chase
82. Chase
83. Xavier
84. Sully
85. Chase
86. Chase
87. Xavier
88. Sully
89. Chase
90. Chase
91. Sully
92. Sully
93. Chase
94. Sully
95. Mr Smith
96. Chase
97. Sully
98. Chase
99. Sully
100. Chase
101. Chase
102. Sully
103. Sully
Continue The Series
HUNTED
We’re not done yet!
What Doesn’t Kill You
Chapter 1
Also by Jo Ho
About the Author
Introduction
When I first came up with the idea for WANTED, it was initially conceived as a stand-alone book. However, when I published it, the emails started coming. Daily, my inbox was hit by fans who wanted more of Chase, Sully, and Bandit’s adventures. You guys couldn’t get enough of them.
And I was thrilled!
I received so many emails from fans that I stopped work on TWISTED, the series I was writing next and decided I would expand this into a trilogy — but only if I could come up with a good enough storyline that would serve these characters we all love.
I spent a few weeks mulling over possibilities in the back of my mind, but it wasn’t until one late-night conversation with my other half, Matt, that an idea really came into play. Suddenly, things just fell into place and I knew where the rest of the trilogy should go.
Loosely inspired by the themes in the second movie of the original Star Wars trilogy, this then is The Empire Strikes Back of the series.
Will Chase, Sully, and Bandit be able to battle their demons and come out the other side?
I guess you’ll have to read the book to find out.
And if you do love the book, please leave a review as it’s the best way to help me to succeed as an indie author.
— Jo
1
Prologue
Acrid smoke filled the air burning the back of his throat and stinging his eyes.
The Scientist swallowed uncomfortably, pressing a tissue against his nose though it offered only the faintest respite. Firefighters littered the devastation before him having battled the blaze long through the night. It had taken a small village to control the fire, and though it would never rage again, there wasn’t much left of Sebastien’s pride and joy.
The roof of the building that was home to Platinum Industries had collapsed and now lay in a pile of rubble. The once spotless glass windows (which Sebastien, ever the neat freak, had cleaned on a weekly basis) had exploded outwards when the temperature had proved too much to bear, showering the ground with their remains. His loafers kicked at a charred shard, the metal glinting in the afternoon sun.
He had warned him, warned Sebastien that pursuing a selfish goal would be the end of him. Science — especially a breakthrough like the one his team had discovered — was meant for the world, not just one man, but as usual, Sebastien did as he wanted… and now the world was paying the price.
Having seen enough, he started moving towards his car. Amongst the fire trucks, police vehicles and corporate cars favored by the executives who formed Sebastien’s legal representatives, The Scientist’s own small hatchback seemed out of place, but he himself did not notice, not having a materialistic bone in his body. It was one of the things Sebastien, who had spent money like it was going out of fashion, liked to mock him for.
Last night, as he was getting ready for bed, he had received news of Sebastien’s demise from his assistant Suzanne. Forever paranoid, Sebastien had his men regularly scouring police networks for news, particularly while they were on the hunt for Alpha. It was because of this that they were able to pick up the news of his death long before the police stepped in. The Scientist had gotten dressed and immediately made his way to Platinum Industries, hoping vainly that he would be able to salvage some of Forbes’ work. Though he himself was never employed there (The Scientist kept his own lab), he had visited a number of times so he knew what to expect. Still, it had hurt to see years of research and the
billions invested into Sebastien’s experiment going up in flames.
Luckily, none of it was his money.
Sebastien had been addicted to fame, luxuriating in the spotlight while The Scientist, a quiet man, was interested in only one thing — to make his mark in history by bringing man the most precious gift of all.
And he was very close to achieving it.
Sebastien’s thugs’ failure to retrieve Alpha was a terrible setback to his work.
Having seen what damage Alpha’s new family had wrecked, The Scientist knew he had to rethink his plan, particularly as he didn’t have vast wealth or cronies of his own to fall back on. Though Sebastien had been funding his secret research, his untimely death ensured his money would now be tied up in legalities. He would have no access to it and as the small-minded bureaucrats holding the public purse had no vision and would deem his work unethical — no matter how important it would be — it meant he could not go that route.
Despite these new setbacks, The Scientist knew this would only be a blip in his plans. Activating his phone, he called up live footage of his lab. The picture was grainy and in black and white, but he could easily make out the large steel tank inside which his experiment grew.
He would wait until his creation was born.
Then nowhere would be safe for Alpha to run.
2
Chase
I stared out over the green horizon wondering how, even after six months of living here at the ranch, I hadn’t tired of the view yet.
Thrushes flew across the early morning sky chirping and singing a song that I had grown accustomed to in my time here. Zeb, Sully’s dad, was quite the bird watcher, and it turns out, so was I. We had spent many evenings on the porch identifying our feathered friends while Bandit tried to memorize them. If you had told me a year ago, back when I had just left home to take my chances on the streets, that this would be my life, I’d have laughed in your face and called the Po Po to come take you away.
But you know what? I was kinda loving it.
I felt a warm breath on the back of my hand and immediately knew Bandit was with me.
“Hey, Buddy.”
He woofed and pawed the ground in his usual greeting to me. Then he took my sleeve in his mouth and started leading me into the kitchen. I laughed.
“Wow, OK. I see we’re hungry this morning.”
He took the iPad that hung around his neck in the pouch Gideon had custom-made for him, set it gently on the ground and proceed to “speak” using the Speak, Spell and Read app I had downloaded for him. Gingerly taking up the modified stylus into his mouth, he tapped out the words while the app spoke them to me.
“I am hungry every morning.”
“We’re so alike,” I said.
“Like peas in a feather.”
“What?” I said, momentarily confused before it sank in. “You mean peas in a pod. The other saying is “bird of a feather.”
Bandit’s mouth fell open as he tried to understand it all. He shook his head, looking perplexed.
“Your sayings are confusing.”
“Yeah. Must be hard trying to remember them all.” I scooped some doggie chow into his bowl and set it before him as I poured myself a giant bowl of cereal.
“Isn’t it time you got a job or something before you eat us out of house and home?” came Sully’s voice from the doorway. He came in, dressed in the jeans and checked flannel shirt that seemed to form the staple of his wardrobe here. I thought it made him look like a hick but Sam seemed to like it, which, I guess was all he cared about.
“You mean, like you?” I shot back, knowing that Sully hadn’t worked since we’d been here. Back in Greenwich, Sully had been a veterinarian, but that was before Bandit and I had turned up on his doorstep and changed his life forever.
“Least I have an expertise,” he replied. “So do I… professional bum,” I retorted. Bandit’s tongue hung out of the corner of his mouth in what I now knew was his way of laughing. We did this kind of thing every day, after all, I’m the girl who calls Bandit “Muttface” as a term of endearment. Sully and I taking shots at each other? This was our version of “good morning”.
Sully poured himself a cup of coffee and sat by the table as Sam came into the room. She was dressed in her Sheriff’s uniform and the ends of her hair were still wet from a recent shower. The two of them had been inseparable since Forbes’ death. It was Sam who had made sure no trace of Bandit was mentioned on the paperwork that was filed. It was because of her that we were safe and together today. She smiled at us over the top of Sully’s head.
“Hey, you two.”
Bandit woofed a greeting as Sam grabbed a donut from the counter and poured coffee into the steel thermos Sully had gotten her as a present. She whistled cheerfully, seemingly super happy. Sam was always chirpy, but she positively glowed this morning. I looked at Sully then back at Sam, staring suspiciously, but Sully flipped open a newspaper, hiding from sight. “Where’s Gideon and Zeb?” Sam asked.
“Gid had to be at work early today, he’s already gone,” I volunteered. “And Zeb’s in the barn, getting things set-up.” Sam looked suddenly disappointed. It wasn’t a big change — she was still smiling — but some of her earlier brightness had faded.
“What’s up?” I asked, wondering what had caused the change in her expression.She didn’t answer straight away but looked at Sully who shook his head in the tiniest of motions.
“Oh, nothing. Just asking.”
If I knew one thing about Sam, it’s that she doesn’t ask anything without a reason. She wasn’t the kind of woman who spoke just to fill in the space (unlike my mom, who would only shut up when she was drunk and passed out on the couch). The hairs raised on the back of my neck and I felt a tingle of apprehension.
“Seriously, something’s up. What is it?” I asked, unable to keep my mouth shut. Sully obviously decided that now wasn’t the time to talk about whatever it was they had to say, as he turned a page on his paper. Apparently, it was a riveting read as he wouldn’t peel his eyes away from it. “Nothing’s up Chase. You don’t have to worry.”
He had always been a terrible liar and this time wasn’t any different. Seeing their expressions, however, I knew I wouldn’t be getting anything out of them. Narrowing my eyes at them, I took my phone out of my pocket. By now, Bandit had woofed down his meal and was circling around me. Whatever was going on with them didn’t seem to have affected him any. I took comfort in that, knowing that if it were terrible news, Bandit would have sensed it. As it was, he was almost tripping me up in his excitement.
“Dude, you need to chill out before you knock me over.” He snorted, correcting me. As if I’d do that. He might not have said those words but I heard it in his response. Sam grabbed a paper towel, dabbing the sugar from her mouth, then hurried out to work.
“Y’all be good now, I’ll see you later.”
“Bye hon,” Sully said. And with that, she was gone. I shot a look at Sully but he couldn’t see my ire behind the newspaper. Annoyed, Bandit and I headed out to the porch where I settled on the swing. Bandit sat on the floor next to me. After everything that’s happened, Sully insisted on getting me a phone even though — outside of the random attack by those soldier types and Forbes — this was literally the safest place on Earth. Here, people didn’t lock their doors. Sometimes, they didn’t even close them. Having lived in NYC for a while, I found this faith in humanity crazy bizarre.
Propping my phone onto a table, I started up a Jeopardy app that we’d discovered a few weeks ago. As soon as I laid my eyes on it, I knew we had to have it. As the intro music sounded, Bandit’s tail swished back and forth across the porch floor in excitement. He set his iPad on the ground and took up the modified stylus into his mouth, primed and ready for action. As the voice of the host of the show, Alex Trebeck, came on, Bandit and I battled each other in what had become our post-breakfast ritual. Despite how it might seem frivolous, this actually served two purposes: one, it was Bandit�
�s most favorite thing in the world to do, and two, it was a way for us to monitor his brain, something which Sully insisted upon as a precaution against future issues.
Though the operation at Platinum Industries had been successful, there wasn’t any precedent for this and Sully did not want any more surprises; the two of us were still haunted by the fits Bandit had previously suffered. Sometimes, I’d wake up in the middle of the night, desperately afraid that Bandit would be dead. Whenever that happened, Bandit would wake too and come lie by my side, putting his head on my chest. He’d chuff at me, letting me know all was OK and I’d stroke him until I finally fell asleep again.