FRANKLY, I'M A BLUNT GUY. SOME EVEN CALL ME A CURMUDGEON. WHATEVER THE HELL THAT IS.

In my world, the twenty-fourth century, things rarely happen like they're supposed to. Like running into devious booby-traps or predatory alien parasites. Here, for better or worse, global government is a fact, lunar mining a reality, alien contact and conflict a commonplace, and where brokered certified mercenaries fill the societal role of "extraordinary facilitators."

I, Ian Gregory, am a former United Earth Force Marine master sergeant and certified second-class mercenary. On my honorable discharge, I took a flyer with a corporate outfit and succeeded hugely. First, I got a gene splice, then gained the ability to mind speak. Those abilities catapulted me into a series of adventures that included navigating a Super Raptor interceptor. I finally ended up with a promotion as a U.N.-Geneva ambassador—to an alien planet. Yeah, things rarely happen like they're supposed to.

This volume is the second of a new sci-fi fiction series. For those not familiar with my others, peek inside and find others that include time travel, paranormal archaeology, and age-old rivalries between occult societies.