Forsaken 2027 Read online

  Forsaken 2027

  All of the characters, organisations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The world of Forsaken is imaginary although it touches on the past history of reality.

  Please can you give this new updated version of the book a read. There is loads more happening than in edition 2A

  The complete Book and Forsaken World is Copyright (c) 2018 by Sharon Leslie © (by Obsidian Free Press©).

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Sharon Leslie © or Obsidian Free Press ©

  Unstinting praise is awarded to my beta readers who have helped so much in the development of this story. Especially Mike (see if you can find him in the book) and Troy.

  Also, I want to give a huge thank you to several LitRPG authors whose work has inspired me and their encouragement. See rear of the book for links to some of their work.

  The cover was produced by Paramita Bhattacharjee, at https://www.creativeparamita.com/

  This work is copyrighted by Sharon Leslie ©

  WARNING

  This book contains adult themes and explicit sexual content, including and not only masturbation, male-female relationships and sex. Harem relationships and group sex. Female-female sex both as part of the harem sex and on their own.

  There is offensive language, violence plus blood and gore, all set in a fantasy gaming world.

  This book is not suitable for teenagers or those who are shocked at casual nudity and explicit sex.

  Book edition 3 A

  PLEASE READ THIS

  This version has been fully updated from edition 2A. There are more than 29,000 extra words, an additional third from book edition 2A. All the tables and graphics have been enhanced or replaced. Major editing and layout issues have been solved. Please enjoy this upgraded version and the extended tale of Cain and Toni.

  After you have finished this new edition which hopefully you enjoyed, please can you leave some feedback on Amazon. The feedback helps other readers try a new author.

  To those who had difficulties with the original formatting, we are sorry you did not receive the best the book had to offer, and hope this edition was more to your liking. If you were one of those who had difficulty reading the book previously we would like to send you a free gift, the first ten chapters of Cain and Toni's story in Forsaken 337 BC.

  Please email [email protected] In the subject line please write Forsaken 337BC and we will email you either a MOBI or EBOOK formatted book. Please inform us which you would prefer.

  If you have any problems please email: [email protected]

  Chapter 1

  Anniversary

  Looking at his desktop monitor, the flashing reminder letting everybody know, there was a two minute silence. The anniversary of the World’s Worst Day. The acronym WWD widely used by most people and the media. Cain could hear the bells ringing, it was eleven thirty-seven on Monday, the twentieth of August two thousand and thirty-five. Countries that still had functioning governments, those in the European Conglomerate. The EC is the name given to countries of the former European Union and the Eastern Confederation (former Russian states) that survived the WWD.

  They based the EC in London rather than Brussels as conventional weapons destroyed most Brussels and former European Union buildings. Criminal gangs of various allegiances controlled several arrondissements in Paris. They brought control back to the streets by the new EC army, in two thousand and twenty-seven.

  Rome was still smoking after two low-yield nuclear warheads wiped out over a million people, including the Vatican City. The pope was visiting three South American countries, he now lives in a temporary replica of the Vatican, in Rio de Janeiro.

  Cain had closed his communications with the satellite office in Melbourne, knowing the Australasia and Pacific countries had earlier remembered WWD. He made a mental note to see their service, since he was a student working in Melbourne in his gap year, as a waiter; when everything hit the fan.

  Cain discovered from his own research while doing his various military service roles. There were some identifiable causes plus hundreds of rumours and thousands of conspiracies theories about the events of two thousand and twenty-three. What he was sure of was the WWD happened, it was a disaster for the world.

  The American trade war, started by former President Trump, against not only China but all the world, came at a price. A price long in its germination short in its culmination.

  Failed attempts at getting North Korea to disarm its nuclear weapons was one failure. The beginnings of WWD, began when the San Francisco Bay Area erupted in a huge fireball, destroyed by the only missiles, North Korea fired. Within three hours of that fateful missile strike, the world went mad.

  It was already teetering on the edge of something big because of the trade war. China was suffering from vast internal troubles after the government sent the peoples army to repressed peaceful protests in Hong Kong. As a reprisal, every western country barring Turkey stopped buying goods from them. It compounded Chinas problems as they were recovering from six years of declining harvests and droughts in most of the Asian belt.

  When the dust settled after WWD, most of the large population centres in North America, on the coasts, apart from the new capital Jacksonville disappeared, destroyed. The main centres of population, on the interstate ten route. The myriad of missiles, somehow missed those cities and towns in Florida and Louisiana, fired at America caused widespread destruction.

  North America, was rebuilding, plenty of places in the large inland states less populated areas survived too. Jacksonville had the remaining aircraft carriers, marine corps, army and most of the air force. Huge swaths of land and major cities in Russia and China were beyond recovery. Several large population centres that avoided destruction become independent city-states.

  States such as Macau, Nanjing, Ya’an from China. With those in former Russia, Novosibirsk, Omsk and Krasnodar. Oil rich countries such as Iran, Iraq and all the Gulf states were still burning. A thick plume of pitch-black smoke continued to rise over twenty thousand feet into the air.

  It took over eight years for the world’s weather systems to recover, thankful there was no nuclear winter, but it was a close-run thing. In some of the worst-hit areas, there are storms which whip up the nuclear waste making any attempt at going there suicidal. Even with all the protection and robotics available to the salvage companies. They cannot even operate there, due to the costs involved.

  Cain knew since that day hundreds of incursions into what was Eastern Europe, former Russian states had been taken. Incursions made by former Eastern European and Russian gangs along with ex-military units, acting just like the Vikings of old. Larger cities worked their populations hard, they eventually walled themselves tight. Provided their populations with greater levels of protection.

  The European Conglomerate helped where they could, often sending in special forces and dark operatives around the world. Cain had the privilege and misfortune of doing both. As a dark operative, Cain had access to the wealth of most countries. He created several false identities, beyond their provision. He knew dark operatives didn’t last long. One of his instructors told him to prepare for the worst, so he did. He ensured he could manage if everything went sideways. Which it did, hence the wheelchair and his new legs.

  First Save

  Looking up from his desk on the ninth floor, overlooking central London and the WWD, memorial park, waiting for the release of thousands of white doves. He shook, his breathing increased as memories of his dark
operative service flashed before his eyes. Gripping the desk with his strong hands he tried to control his breathing, forcing his memories down. His hands shook, knuckles turned white from the tension of squeezing so hard, his eyes went out of focus. Cain, lost in the hell of his past, missed watching as they released the doves. They flew in increasing circles, disappearing from view. His eyes seeing a different reality, harrowing scenes of violence, blood and gore.

  Time meant nothing until he blinked, then his body began to relax, first his grip on the desk, Cain took a calming breath before shaking his hands. He gripped so hard he needed to get his blood flowing again. Breathing, sight and circulation back under control, a thin respectable veneer of control. Cain backed out of his desk-space, before wheeling himself towards the elevator. Damn, I wish I charged my legs regularly, this would be much easier, although I would have fallen over during that relapse.

  Eager to leave the office for the diary booked meeting with Marcy, the protection team lead, over from the Paris office. Once again, the elevator took its time, the doors opened, he couldn’t help pause his pushing his eyes fell on Toni at the security desk in the foyer. Everything about Toni drew both his mind and eyes. The shape of her face, the green hue of her eyes, the bound light brown hair. It was just everything about Toni that distracted him. He knew Toni was the complete package, a package he could never tire of, even if it were just looking and caring for her as a brother, not her lover would.

  "Heading out then?" Toni asked, dragging Cain out of the distracting thoughts that had sprung to mind as they always did around her.

  "Yes, sorry miles away, what with the WWD and everything. Sorry that I can’t use you today, but don’t forget to swing by later tomorrow morning," Cain responded, remembering she had asked earlier in the week for a hand with something. He was rather curious what help a disabled man could be although that didn’t stop his dreams fantasising about her. Nor daily distractions when her met or noticed her at work.

  Ever since she moved from the Paris development office, coming to work at the head office in London. Due to her previous security background, Cain had looked again at Toni’s CV. First to see would she be suitable as a protection team member, or even lead one of the protection teams like Marcy. Cain interviewed Toni twice, the first time he had difficulty in keeping his eyes focused on her face. Her eyes drew him in, the deep green held a promise of emeralds.

  He knew spending the interview just gazing into them would be so wrong on many levels. Something just didn’t feel right correct in Toni’s CV, her answers and back history checked out. Cain could not quite put a finger on why he felt the something was wrong. All of Toni’s answers in her CV from her psychometric testing, all were spot on, they came back, with higher scores than even his own. That pleased Cain though he did not understand why, not because she beat his scoring it was a niggle he couldn’t pin down.

  The second time he interviewed Toni was as a follow-up, only after he had John to dig into her background, if she worked as a dark operative like he. John informed Cain that Toni had no quantifiable training or time in the military. He knew from how she talked and moved, checking for dangers that Toni had undertaken protection training somewhere. That intrigued him, enough that he kept finding excuses to see and test her abilities. Even going as far as taking Toni out as his close protection officer when some team leaders came to London.

  Cain knew he should have told HR to let her go, but he liked her company, she was self assured and funny, lies or not she excelled every time he took her out. He couldn’t risk taking Toni today since he had booked a diary meeting with Marcy, the protection team lead from Paris. Although Cain was unsure whether the women knew each other, he didn’t want Toni to know he was investigating the Jason White incident, his disappearance of two years ago. Cain knew from Marcey’s reports, Jason and Toni had been an item before his vanishing act.

  Knowing the meeting fell on the WWD anniversary, they met in the Sherlock Holmes drinking establishment. The team lead, Marcy, was an avid Sherlock fan. Cain liked to keep his team leaders happy. Cain was early as normal and ordered the drinks and food, then sat waiting in his wheelchair reading. Having had picked up one of the many Sherlock Holmes tales, The Adventure of the Cardboard Box. Racking his brains he recalled reading this gristly tale, liking the thought very much of receiving two ears in a jar in a parcel. Having read half of the tale before Marcy appeared, Cain returned the book to its spot by the window.

  I wonder if Toni like Holmes like Marcey does. Cain liked Marcy, one of the few women in this career, she was always focused, dedicated in her role. Knowing she was deadlier than the other protection team leaders, male or female. Her time in the special forces built on her already smart and focused skills, turning her into a protector of renown. Either as a defender of a person of interest or a silent ghost.

  Like everybody, Jason White duped her too. Marcy ended up being hogtied, like all her team members, in the backup’s van. The only person of interest, Jasons's PA, David Harrison was untouched. He had gone on a weeks holiday three days prior Jason going missing. David left SPQR four months after the event. Cain did not know where he was currently.

  Shaking hands was normal for most team leaders, Marcy though based in Paris for almost five years before Cain took his job for the company. Like the French, Marcy greeted people with a hug and either one, two or three kisses. Smiling as Marcy grabbed him then lifted him out of his wheelchair before kissing him three times. Their kisses finished, she dropped him back into his wheels and laughed at the red, white and blue paintwork on the wheelchair frame.

  Over the food they discussed her team build, were there any problems with this current assignment. Marcy team was still the same men from before the Jason White incident. According to the psychology evaluations, they were all holding up. Cain knew she was still searching in her spare time for any leads she could find on Jason White. Marcy’s new person of interest was one of the company accountants, not some odd programmer, her team seemed happy with the outcome.

  The meeting ran its course, finishing earlier than Cain expected. Letting Marcy leave early so she could beat the traffic to the West End where she attended a show before hitting her hotel. Cain knew her flight back to Paris, wasn’t until late in the morning. Using his phone, Cain called the cab company he used because of his access problems when using his wheelchair.

  Cain watched as Marcy walked away from the pub, he could see her checking her surroundings just as he did. Who was standing still longer than normal, who looked like they weren’t paying attention? Checking for marksmen on building ledges, or motorcyclists going slower than they should. Yes, Marcy is deadly, I hope nobody gets in her way. The last time somebody did, didn’t end well for them. Although our company paid for a nice funeral service.

  The buzz of the delivery drones, broke Cain out of his musings as he waited outside on the pavement. He found the drones annoying when they flew low after dropping a delivery off. His phone pinged and vibrated with a message, reading it he knew he’d be working later again.

  The cab arrived as he finished reading the message, he wheeled himself into the vehicles rear, the door closing behind him. Fastening himself in Cain took out his phone and finished the messages, such an easy task. Finishing the messages Cain opened the book he was re-reading, Jamie Hawkes Lost Pirates. Finishing chapter fourteen, Cain read where, a flock of birds took to the sky as Frank climbed the hill near the X on his map. A voice broke into his thoughts,

  "You’re at work Cain, you seem lost in your phone. Another book I’d guess?" said the driver.

  Exiting the rear of the rear of the vehicle and tipping the driver with a rare twenty Euro note, Cain wheeled himself up the ramp and into the foyer. As had been his habit for the last two years he looked around for Toni. He wanted to share with her his reading of the early Sherlock Holmes short story. He knew Toni said she liked to read, having read some of Holmes before when he’d met with other team leads. Cain didn’t see her at
the security desk, deflated he went up to his office.

  Hanging his head, the work message he received after meeting Marcy took longer than he expected.! I finished as he logged out of the system then turned off his terminal. Another long day, made stressful by all the memories the anniversary stirred up. In some ways, it pleased Cain with all the technological advances society had embraced after WWD. One advance was the introduction and wide use of Extended Intelligence (EI). Cain always liked the way the philosopher John WH O’ami made the public realise Artificial Intelligence (AI) did not drive cars, rather that was a job for EI.

  For he said at the AI symposium in twenty twenty-one, as people gathered to see the latest model cars with second generation AI cores. John WH O’ami asked two questions. First, he asked, ‘Does your car drive you where you ask. Does it stop at lights, keep to the speed limits and avoid pedestrians and cyclists.’ Yes, replied all those who listened.

  His final question was ‘Does your car go for a cruise, visit the shops or speed down the lanes. While you sit at home watching a film or sleeping during the night.’ No, was the equivalent reply.

  ‘There you have it, dear people. These wonderful vehicles driven and controlled by EI, not AI.’ Was John WH O’ami’s reply, then walked from the stage, disappearing. Neither seen nor heard from again. His thinking and explanations were the gateways to greater development and use of EIs.

  Every car built after WWD, had EIs installed, even old antique cars had to have EIs fitted and licenced, before being allowed on the roads. They updated large buildings using EIs to control their heating, lighting, water and security. New build homes enjoyed EIs too, saving hundreds of credits for the home owners in running costs.

  Informing the building EI he was signing out and to turn off the lights, leaving his office heading for the elevator. I need to bring in my legs tomorrow, I need to be using them more than I do, they were a gift from John, and I should use them, pressing the button Cain waited for the elevator.