Targeting the Telomeres
A Thriller
R. N. Shapiro
ADVANCE READER COPY-NOT FOR SALE
SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL EDITING
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Copyright © 2018 by R. N. Shapiro
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. If any element or character in this novel resembles any place or person, it is purely coincidental.
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This stand alone novel is book two in
The Telomere Series and
follows the author’s gold award winning and # 1 best selling suspense thriller Taming the Telomeres
Reviews
Five Stars
Targeting the Telomeres is the sequel to the author's debut novel in the same series, the acclaimed Taming the Telomeres. In the latest installment, Amanda Michaels is thrust into a dangerous web of intrigue, political artifice, and corporate expropriation when her family is unable to shake the pitfalls of her father's telomere discovery….The dialogue feels authentic and Amanda is a fabulous heroine, working with and against a whole cast of supporting characters that enhance and drive an already great plot…. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an awesome series that doesn't hold back as a thriller, fueled by an intelligent and articulate plot that feels like it could have been written to play out on the big screen.
—-Reviewed By Jamie Michele for Readers’ Favorite
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Five Stars
Richard Shapiro provides a wonderful entertainment for fans of action-packed, cunningly plotted thrillers with great settings. Amanda Michaels didn’t think her summer vacation would be eventful, but then with her family being targeted by powerful enemies bent on stealing her father’s work, she is pulled into a whirlwind of action….I just became a fan of Richard Shapiro’s writing, thanks to the masterful handling of plot and characters in this novel….The prose is crisp and it has descriptions of scenes, characters, and places that leave vivid images in the minds of readers and dialogues that help to build plot. The author is a master at creating surprising turns and exciting moments throughout the narrative. Targeting the Telomeres: A Thriller is engaging, a novel with a huge conflict and strong elements of sci-fi. One of those stories I read straight through the night.
—Reviewed By Romuald Dzemo for Readers’ Favorite
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Five Stars
The plot is fast moving and the conflict kept me totally engaged. There are no dull moments… the tension is superb, especially when Amanda and her ally enter China. I literally have no fingernails left. The ending was explosive and definitely not what I was expecting. The author is a true master of weaving elements of a suspense novel together and has provided a truly unforgettable story. I hope there is a sequel!
---Lesley Jones, Readers’ Favorite Editorial Review
Tel·o·mere: [Pronunciation: “tee-low-meer” or “tell-uh-meer”]
Noun; A compound structure at the end of a chromosome. Controls cell life. And death.
Three American scientists share the Nobel Prize for solving a puzzle involving cell biology, discovering the enzyme that influences cell telomeres, the protective tip of chromosomes that get shorter each time a cell divides, controlling cell life and death.
Hackers aligned with China hack BBS servers, where secret US biological telomere researcher Ron Michaels has proved longer telomeres may extend human cell life.
A Hemispheres Airways commuter jet mysteriously crashes, killing all aboard including researcher Ron Michaels & his wife, leaving one survivor: his 18 year old daughter Amanda Michaels.
Major US news media leak claims the US gov’t paid $200 Million to Hemispheres Airways to thwart investigation of the Hemispheres jet crash.
For Terri, Rachel, and Dillon.
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Contents
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Part I
1. Gag Reflex
2. Separate Teams
3. Houseguest
4. Newseum
5. Videoconference
6. FBI Visit
7. Embassy
8. Anonymous
9. Becca’s
10. Meeting Stein
11. The Note
12. Franklin’s Pitch
13. Internship
14. Lucent’s View
15. Falling Man
16. Liza
17. Dirty Dozen
19. Jonathan
20. Presentations
21. Distortion
22. Crossroads Trot
23. A Weakness
24. The Spokes
25. A Request
26. RICO
27. Bandaged
28. Vwd
29. Laptop
Part II
30. Randi’s Help
31. Presser
32. Shock Value
33. Going Viral
34. Jogger Down
35. Junior crush
36. Walston
37. Diversity
38. Loco Liaison
39. Zukoff Plans
40. For Charity
41. Blame Game
42. Dex
43. LuLiXi
44. Conflict Check
45. Birdie
46. Angie Decides
47. Parade Route
48. The Axing
49. Terrible Thud
Part III
50. Mobilization
51. Done?
52. Flash Drives
53. TeloGurl 13
54. The Hunt
55. Lab List
56. Accosted
57. Bad Blood
58. Chinese worm
59. Homicide
60. Farmer Vance
61. Pale Moon
62. Uncle Phil
63. Convincing
64. Ocean City
65. French Side
66. Hopeless Place
67. Survey
68. Cross-train
69. Pure Genius
70. Tracking Ryan
71. Dropped
72. South Beach
73. Logistix
74. Doppelganger
75. Just Dance
76. Sit Tight
77. Exiting
78. Manassas Regional
79. Sherwood
80. Cheating
81. Ferry
82. Backtracking
83. Hard Way
84. Fly List
85. Sleeper
86. Harbor Rat
87. Checkers
88. Vested
89. Iridescent
90. Intercept
91. Familiar Voice
92. An Ling
93. Lifeline
94. Joyless Ride
95. Casing
96. Reunion
97. Balcony
98. Fire & Rescue
99. Nabbed
100. Plus One
101. Next Move
102. Summit Interruptus
103. Back Channels
104. Cyberspace
105. Bargaining Chips
106. Birdman
107. Urgent Meeting
108. Holding Pattern
109. Single Digits
110. Higher Authorities
111. Results
112. Somalia Sunset
113. Side Project
114. Ramshackle
115. Nature Park
116. Exfiltration
About the Author
Also by R. N. Shapiro
Acknowledgments
The author thanks the NSA, CIA, and the FBI for background information, John and Chris for tactical information, Dillon for neuroscience and situation ideas, Mary for her editing, Claudia Sperl of Labelschmiede.com for cover art, and for those of you that offered suggestions.
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Present Tense Note:
This novel utilizes literary present tense rather than historical simple past tense, and this is done, or was done, depending on your perspective, knowingly.
Prologue
Sleeper
Lying on the cramped, lower bunk of the sleeper car, she feels with her fingertips along the thin foam-rubber pad masquerading as a mattress. There it is. She tugs on the lower portion of her backpack hiding the loaded pistol with the customized silencer, nestling what constitutes all her belongings in the crook of her right arm.
She thinks, all I wanted was to get some of my memory back from before the crash. Not this.
The bullet train hurtling northbound towards Beijing at 180 miles per hour suddenly lurches, causing a metallic screech that soon fades.
Amanda thinks for a moment about a family photo. Of her dad, her, and her mom, sitting on the front porch of the house they lived in before the crash. The one she hopes to recall, that her Uncle Andy showed her. She mentally photoshops her baby brother Justin in too. Nothing can stop fantasies no one else can see.
If my plan fails, I won’t have to worry anymore, Amanda decides. Because I’ll be dead.
Part 1
Chapter 1
Gag Reflex
Part I
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Washington, D.C.
Monday morning
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The TV in the background startles FBI counter-intelligence agent Steven Solarez during his early morning ritual of checking the weather on his tablet, sending a swig of burning hot French roast coffee everywhere.
Holy crap, he thinks, listening to the reporter on CNT.
"According to the Washington Observer, over 200 million dollars was transferred from the U.S. government to a Hemispheres Airlines bank account, effectively funding most of the death claims for the victims of Flight 310, which left D.C. for New York City and crashed in Quarryville, Pennsylvania about two years ago. Official sources with the Department of Justice are strenuously denying this claim."
Solarez feels his cell phone vibrating on his waist, slides it off its holster, and reads the incoming text message.
Emergency meeting @ 8:30 AM with Director. Confirm.
Once the proverbial cat is out of the bag, can you ever shove it back in? This is bad, for sure. But he didn't hear any details of why the money was paid to the airline, so maybe whoever leaked it doesn't have the whole story. Maybe.
He texts his confirmation to his assistant, Dean, then decides to add more.
Find Amanda Michaels now. Tell her not to talk to the reporters. Put an agent on her 24/7.
He smiles, knowing she stands far from helpless now. It was a prophetic move on his part to give her training at Quantico once school let out, virtually the same program a field agent undergoes. Weapons, hand-to-hand combat, and evasive driving techniques. He had to pull a lot of strings for approval, but given the secret research role her father, Ron Michaels, was undertaking, it made sense.
Next, he calls Andy Michaels and braces himself for an onslaught from the high-profile trial attorney.
"I just heard the report on the radio. Do you know what this’ll do to my law practice? My reputation? Do you?" Andy says with a panicky voice as soon as he answers, mentally cataloging every material possession in his Georgetown home and imagining his lucrative Georgetown practice going right down the rat hole.
"Careful, this isn’t a secure line. Yeah, I get how serious this is."
"How about my clients who settled their cases? What if someone decides I knew everything..."
Solarez interrupts him. "Stop! We need to talk in person. You did nothing wrong, so don't start panicking. We’re putting protection on Amanda immediately. No one talks to any reporters until we have a solid response plan, hopefully around noon."
"What am I supposed to tell my partners and my staff?"
"Tell them you can't comment now, but you’ll issue a statement soon."
"Are you kidding? I can't say that."
"You can't tell them anything until you look into the allegations. Better?"
Andy contemplates this a few seconds. “No. Completely unconvincing." He tries to come up with a logical explanation, but the more he thinks about it, the more furious and anxious he gets. He was never comfortable with the confidential information the DOJ lawyer had shared with him—that the U.S. did indeed pay the $200 million. His clients trusted him when he recommended they settle their wrongful death claims. Sure, they all were awarded major settlements, but that was before he learned of the secret government payout to the airline. He realized then if anything about sabotage leaked later on, there would be hell to pay.
"What about the press when they start calling?"
"Same thing.”
“Can you call Stein at the Department of Justice to confirm everything is still okay? He assured me all my settlements were legal."
"I'll talk to him."
"My head is ready to explode."
"Tell you what, I have a meeting with the FBI director this morning, but when I’m done I’ll call you.”
Andy isn't listening. He’s still thinking about the news story. Whoever leaked it must have an agenda. Why would the Chinese leak it and risk exposing their sabotage of the aircraft? Makes no sense. Maybe a disgruntled FBI or CIA employee? It's possible, but who, and what was their motive?
"We’ll work this out," Solarez promises, but Andy has major doubts. What is it they say about hiding the truth? It usually floats back up to the surface, no matter how hard you try to weigh it down.
Chapter 2
Separate Teams
Langley-CIA HQ
Monday afternoon
"Chuck, good to see you."
Walter Zukoff firmly shakes CIA Director Charles Isaacson's hand. Built on a medium, stocky frame, Zukoff carries at least 15-20 extra pounds that he stopped worrying about long ago. Too much work and much less exercise means his belt buckle now angles downward under the extension of his belly.
"Always a pleasure, Z," Isaacson replies, using Zukoff's nickname reserved for friends. They both sit down at a small round table deep inside CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Contrasted with Zukoff, Chuck Isaacson exercises religiously in his fully-equipped home gym to retain his trim frame.
"The president signed off on the directive." Isaacson continues, tapping a document on the table, then offering it to Zukoff to verify for himself. Sliding his glasses out of his sports jacket pocket, he reads it over and looks up.
"You weren't expecting otherwise, were you?"
"Not at all. In an off-the-books meeting I had with him and his national security team, he literally mentioned the ‘Manhattan Project’ in discussing our work. He said something like ‘this does not have the urgency of that project, but in terms of long-term implications, this work could be more important because it would affect not tens of thousands, but potentially millions.’ Not sure I agree with him, but it certainly added some gravity to the assignment."
Zukoff directs the biological research division of the CIA at a classified facility in a rural area of Maryland, affectionately called Sherwood Forest by those who know it exists. Locals realize it’s some kind of government base, but they have no idea it’s the headquarters for the development of biological weapons. Anthrax, chemical weapons, ricin, radioactive compounds for weaponry, basically anything outside of regular firearms or classic ammunitions.