The Silver Ninja: Indoctrination

Special thanks:

To beta readers: Christine, Kelly, Sarah, and Wayne for providing feedback on such short notice.

To Victoria for linking me to the Snowflake Method.

To Andy, Scott, David, Matthew, Michael, My family, and Zoe for supporting my books.

And to Chrysti who continually encourages me to become a better writer.

One more thank you to Randy Ingermanson for creating the Snowflake Method.

Foreword

Hi.

Have you ever followed your passion only to fail horribly at it? I have.

The book you have now is my first attempt at following my dreams. I wanted to create a female superhero that could stand toe to toe with Batman and crack jokes with Spider-man. Unfortunately, like most of us who try new things, the story I wrote didn’t live up to the one in my head.

If you’ve read the reviews for this book, they aren’t great.

I tried my hardest to make this book into a masterpiece. I couldn’t. I was too new, too inexperienced. The reviews I read were brutal and honest, but I’m thankful to have received them. Their feedback let me know that I needed to hone my craft and fix my structure.

But in order to do this, I had to make the most difficult decision of them all . . .

I had to start from scratch. Therefore, I removed this book and The Silver Ninja from series canon. It sucked, but the plot and characters were not what I envisioned.

Then I practiced my craft. I wrote at work, four in the morning, on the train, before bed, during lunch, and even on vacation. I read books on craft, sought a mentor for structure, and practiced, practiced, practiced.

From this, I created The Silver Ninja: A Bitter Winter, the official start of The Silver Ninja series. I am extremely proud of this accomplishment and I think you’ll like the new direction. I’m also looking forward to hearing from you, the reader. I’d love to know what you think about the new Cindy.

If you want a preview of the changes I’ve made, head to the back of this book.

Even though A Bitter Winter is my new flagship, I will always have a soft spot for my first two babies. Flawed as they are, they helped me become a better writer. I hope you will follow me on my journey to turn this unknown heroine into a national icon.

Thank you.

Wilmar Luna

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1: Old Wounds

Chapter 2: The Invisible Soldier

Chapter 3: Love’s Anathema

Chapter 4: Family Vacation

Chapter 5: Beauty and the Geek

Chapter 6: I Spy

Chapter 7: Catch 22

Chapter 8: Plan B

Chapter 9: Search and Seizure

Chapter 10: A Personal Struggle

Chapter 11: Test Trial

Chapter 12: No Good Deed

Chapter 13: Indoctrination

Chapter 14: Artificial Alliance

Chapter 15: Fire in Her Eyes

Chapter 16: Selfish Love

Chapter 17: Project Sapphire

Chapter 18: Prisoner

Chapter 19: Pyrrhic Victory

Chapter 20: Bittersweet

Chapter 21: The Ultimate Fling

Chapter 22: A Perfect Plan

Chapter 23: Air Rescue

Chapter 24: Super Strength

Chapter 25: Settle The Score

Chapter 26: Into The fire

Chapter 27: Titan Slayer

Chapter 28: Undying Spirit

Chapter 29: Cestus Dei

Chapter 30: I Love You

Epilogue

Special Thanks

Connect With The Author

INTRODUCTION

Marsden, Alexis St. Pierre said to the new recruit, grateful to give her eyes a rest from the glare of her computer screen. The young woman stood by Alexis’s office door, her hair in a tight ponytail, arms curled around a folder pressed against her chest. There was not a wrinkle around Marsden’s eyes or the hard lines of disillusionment. Alexis could practically smell the warm plastic from the freshly laminated ID card.

Yes ma’am?

Alexis spread out a pile of photos on her bare desk like a deck of playing cards. She pointed to a photo of a woman, whose skin was made entirely of mercury, slicing a tank with a beam of energy.

What do we know about the Silver Ninja?

Marsden smiled broadly at the mention of the Silver Ninja. Tales of how she stood defiantly, alone, against a high-tech army, lit the internet on fire. Once the army was defeated, the woman mysteriously vanished and was never heard from again. The people whispered her name and aimed their cellphones at the sky every day, waiting to capture that one heroic moment where she swings above their heads and the sunlight glints off her reflective body.

Gosh, um. She’s a real life super heroine. She saved New York City, what more is there to say?

Alexis rolled her tongue on the inside of her bottom lip. Wipe that smile off your face.

Sorry. Marsden straightened her back and assumed a more appropriate posture for a woman that wanted to scrape off the newbie shine.

Tell me what the media doesn’t know.

Marsden pushed a curl of hair away from her brow and cleared her throat. "Well, we don’t have any direct evidence, but our Intel suggests that she may have assassinated Senator Albright and Starlight Industries CEO, Joseph Van Eisler.

It’s unconfirmed, but she may have been employed by the First Continental army. I’m not sure; I still need to analyze the data you recovered.

Alexis sat silently, tapping her pen on the glossy mahogany desk. Marsden shifted uncomfortably.

That’s what I thought. Remember, assassins aren’t heroes.

Marsden crossed her arms. So what does that make you, Ma’am?

Alexis shot a glare that shriveled the recruit down to a withered flower. An employee.

Marsden bent the corners of her folders. Can I ask you a question, Ma’am?

Alexis leaned back in her chair and nodded.

Why are you obsessing over a one-hit wonder woman? She’s a hero, not a threat.

A grim-faced expression fell over Alexis, ice-cold and passionless. She killed my father.

Marsden covered her mouth, but Alexis didn’t seem to care. To her, the answer was simple. Death was a routine part of her job, and her father was an unfortunate casualty of it. Marsden would someday have to learn this distant and emotionless way of thinking. If not, the lives of many operatives or even whole countries could be lost by placing too much value on an individual life. A lesson Alexis learned all too well, overseas.

I apologize, Marsden said.

Why do you think they’re transferring me to New York? I’ll give you a clue, I didn’t put in for vacation.

Wait. Your father was the CEO of First Continental? I thought your surname was St. Pierre?

St. Pierre is my married name. Raymond Levreux was my father.

Marsden’s mouth fell agape.

Alexis carelessly tossed her pen on the desk. Are you more surprised that I’m married or that my father was on the most wanted list?

Marsden shook her head and looked around the room as if searching for an answer hidden on a post it note.

The leather, swivel chair creaked under Alexis’s shifting weight. Answer.

Well, you never talked about your family. So I just assumed you were single because— Marsden’s voice dropped, but her jaw was still moving. Empty vowels filled the void with random stutters.

Alexis let out a deep sigh. Marsden wasn’t about to tell her anything she hadn’t heard a million times before. I have to leave.

You’re a hardass, Marsden blurted. Ma’am.

Alexis tilted her head and rolled her tongue around the inside of her cheek. She scooped up the photos of the Silver Ninja, and saw the recruit inching towards the exit.

Freeze, Alexis said.

She did.

Alexis pointed at the recruit. I like you.

Alexis packed the photos and a laptop into a worn carrying case. The fresh aroma of leather had dissipated from the case ages ago. She slung the strap across her shoulder and walked up to Marsden with slow, methodical footsteps. The rookie swallowed loudly.

Let me give you a word of advice. If you want to work here, don’t let people like me intimidate you. It’s an old boys’ club, and they’re going to do everything in their power to make you feel like you don’t know what you’re talking about. So win them over with Intel and shove it up their ass.

Marsden nodded. Thank you. She looked at the folders and realized she had crumpled them.

There’s a hard drive on my desk that contains surveillance footage of Jonas Ames. I want you to forward it to the guys upstairs. The op is a go whether they like it or not.

Alexis turned to walk away but Marsden stopped her. I don’t understand.

Like I said, I didn’t put in for vacation.

Alexis left the rookie behind. She approached a security door and swiped her weathered ID card one last time. The stems of her heels clacked on the marble floor and sent echoes to the ceiling of the main atrium. She brushed a hand over the wall emblem of the Central Intelligence Agency and pushed through the revolving exit doors. She dug into her pocket and pulled out a picture of Cindy Ames hugging her husband, Jonas. Alexis gripped the photo so tightly her hand shook.

I’ll be seeing you soon. She crushed the picture in her palm and threw it away.

CHAPTER 1:

Old Wounds

Cindy Ames stared into the reflective, dark lens that had watched her for an unknown amount of time. She couldn’t figure out how a camera was installed without her or her neighbor noticing. Then again, this was New York City. People painted like gold statues or a man pretending to be Superman never caught anyone’s attention. Installing a camera wouldn’t be any different. The device blended perfectly amongst the security alarm wiring and motion activated lights.

Her eyes followed the camera’s line of sight and stopped at the front door. The windows could clearly be seen along with the shower curtains in the bathroom and the nightstand beside her bed. Cindy made a mental note to nail down the blinds, even though she would have preferred to just spin the house one hundred and eighty degrees.

Cindy jammed a screwdriver into the metal fastener and twisted a screw loose. She leaned away from the camera to avoid an explosion that never happened. One down, three more to go. Beads of sweat spilled over her brow and trickled into the corners of her eyes. She swiped her sleeve across her forehead and cautiously removed the second screw.

A sudden vibration made her scrape the screwdriver alongside the camera. She ducked and covered her head waiting for the booby trap to go off. Nothing happened. She clutched her chest and took a deep breath before pulling out her vibrating phone.

[Time: 2:15pm | Temp: 88°F | Caller: Mom]

Hey, Ma. She cradled the phone under her neck and stuck the screwdriver back into the star-shaped hole.

What are you up to?

Cindy turned her head and checked the streets to see if any suspicious cars were lurking about. Just doing some yard work.

Shouldn’t Jonas be doing that?

What is this the forties? I can do it myself.

Cindy tried to bend the camera forward, but the mount resisted and jammed back into the wall. It seemed that there were still two screws attached to the bottom of the plate.

Well, I just wanted to tell you that your favorite author is visiting New York in a few days, her mother said.

The screwdriver nearly slipped out of her fingers. Are you serious? Zoë Markham is coming to town?

Uh huh.

Tell me, everything.

I saw it on Impress News. She’s visiting all the bookstores in the city this week. I think Litbug’s is her first stop but I don’t remember.

That’s so cool. Cindy wrenched another screw out with a delighted smile on her face. I loved her book -Headcase. I wish she would write a sequel. Cindy loved how her mother always kept an eye out for things that interested her. Yet, a gut feeling told her that mom had a hidden agenda.

So the real reason why I called.

I knew it, Cindy said.

Now I don’t want you to overreact. It’s not that serious, Mom said.

Me, overreact? Never.

Well, your father and I are worried about the two of you. I haven’t been able to get a hold of your sister for a few hours now.

Cindy removed the final screw and carefully pried the surveillance device away from the house. The unhinged camera mount groaned loudly before it snapped off the wall. No explosion, no alarm, no sudden attack from secret agents. She smirked and bounced the camera in her hand.

We’re fine, Mom. Her phone’s probably dead. Is it something you need help with? I’ll come over if you need me to.

Um, it’s just for your sister. Don’t ask me about what because it’s private.

What? I know everything. I’m the world’s greatest detective.

Her mom chuckled. No, you’re the world’s greatest busybody. Mind your business. Your father and I agreed not to discuss it.

I’m not worried. The truth will come to me. Mwa ha ha.

Are you done?

Cindy cleared her throat. Yes, Ma’am. Sorry.

I swear you act like you’re ten sometimes.

Thank you.

Cindy crossed the empty street and went back inside her house. Anyway, maybe she’s just busy.

Cindy’s relaxed her shoulders and allowed her limbs to hang loose. Home, sweet home. The sunlight filtered through the peach curtains and illuminated the entire room. The warm colors and quiet hum of the air conditioning created the cozy feeling of a quiet suburban home. Possessing the camera made her feel like she had an edge over her stalkers. She walked past the leaning recliner that had a sprout of Jonas’s black hair poking up around the back cushion. His eyes were fixed on a laptop that rested on his legs, fingers madly typing away on the keys.

Cindy walked up to the air conditioner and untucked her shirt. The cool air from the AC blew under the blouse. The sweat on her skin evaporated from her lower back and left a refreshing chill. She then blocked the ventilation with her body and waited patiently for the bubble of humidity to build up around Jonas. Cindy couldn’t hide the grin that started forming on her lips.

He looked up from his computer and smirked. I was wondering why it got hot all of a sudden.

Hang on a sec, Mom. She walked over to Jonas and dropped the camera onto his lap. I brought something for you. She leaned in and gave him a kiss hello.

We’re still talking about the camera, right?

She rolled her eyes. This is going to sound weird, but can you put something on the windows so people can’t see into our house? I think the neighbors have seen us naked.

Really? He scratched his head. I’ll bring something home from the lab.

A distant and electronic hello? Hello? repeated from Cindy’s phone.

Who’s that? Jonas asked.

It’s my mom. She took her phone over to the bedroom. The wetness in her clothes and the damp stench of sweat made her cringe. A warm shower sounded wonderful right about now.

Sorry, I’m back, Cindy said.

Someone saw you two—

Ma, Ma, it was nothing. Don’t worry about it. Was there anything else you wanted to ask me about? I need to shower.

Well, your father and I were thinking of going to see a play and then going to the Empire State Building on July 4th. Do you think it’ll be safe?

Absolutely. You guys go, have fun, and enjoy the show.

Okay, good. The last thing we need is your father going . . .

Her mother’s voice droned on and on into typical chatter. As much as she loved her mom, there were more important things on her mind. One, figuring out what to do with the camera. Two, figuring out why Jonas hasn’t been intimate for months.

Mom, I hate to interrupt you, but I need to get in the shower.

Okay, honey. Tell Jadie to call me. Love you.

I will. Love you too, bye.

Cindy threw her clothes on the floor in a messy heap and conveniently missed the open laundry basket right next to her. Her feet stepped onto the cold, tiled floor of the shower chamber. The shower had been one of Jonas’s earliest prototypes before he started designing weapons. Unfortunately, a plumbing company beat him to the patent. Rather than having a traditional shower head, there were squares strategically placed in an arc, embedded in the ceiling of the shower. Additional squares lined the walls and floor of the shower aimed at the center. She pressed the user presets button on the waterproof liquid crystal display and selected Cindy. The number shot up to ninety nine degrees Fahrenheit and blasted her with a wall of water that put a smile on her face.

Steam rose from the floor along with thoughts of the past that crept into her moment of solace. Cindy’s smile washed away with the sweat and grime on her skin. The aroma of body wash and shampoo had temporarily distracted her from the third thing that plagued her mind. The nightmare she couldn’t escape. A dream so disturbing, she’s kept it a secret from everyone, including her husband.

It was a nightmare of bullet ridden corpses, walls smeared with blood, and bodies split in two by a sword of light. In her dream, she surveys a ruined Times Square in search of the murderer. There’s a shard of broken glass jutting out from a collapsed skyscraper and she sees a woman in the reflection. It’s a female with glowing blue eyes and metallic silver skin. She glances to her left and right, but she’s alone in the desolate, post-apocalyptic street. When she stares back at the fragmented window, it shows Cindy’s face covered in blood.

Every night the memories wake her in a cold sweat. Every night she quietly sobs herself back to sleep.

Cindy gently tapped her cheek and snapped herself back to reality. She yelled over the high pressured waterfalls and said, You know my favorite author is going to be in town this week. Do you want to come with me to go see her?

Gotcha, he replied.

Cindy tilted her head, confused. It was a yes or no question.

I don’t know.

Cindy scrunched her eyebrows together. Did you find out anything about the camera? The water continued to rain over her. Steam fogged up the mirror and the frosted glass shower door. Still no reply from her husband. Jonas?

What?

Did you find out anything about the camera? again no reply. Cindy pressed the off button on the touch screen LCD and pushed away the water from her eyes. She wrapped a towel around her torso and ignored the chill from her sopping hair. Cindy walked across the living room and left dark wet footprints on the carpet floor.

Jonas had his hand to his chin and right beside him was the surveillance camera she brought him. He looked up from his laptop. You’re done showering already?

You weren’t answering me. She tilted her head and kept her tone soft. Did you look at the camera?

No.

How come?

He started tapping his finger on the plastic surface of the laptop. The dull, repetitive thud was never a good sign.

Because it’s not going to tell me why the CIA is spying on us. He slammed the laptop shut and threw it on the couch. It bounced off the back cushion and settled precariously over the edge. He put his hand back on his chin and fumed into his knuckles.

Whoa. Cindy walked up to him and massaged his shoulder with one hand. Why so melodramatic? she joked.

Melodramatic? he gave her a confused look and went back to scowling on his hand. You know what, Michael just told me?

When did you talk to Michael?

While you were in the shower, I was instant messaging with him.

What did he say?

He slipped out of Cindy’s hand and waved her off. Nothing. Nothing. He leaned forward and rested his head on his hands. I can’t deal with this right now.

Cindy wasn’t sure what to make of his atypical behavior. Jonas was always the calm and levelheaded one, in contrast to herself. It suited his nature for tinkering and building things. To see him in such a random fury, so suddenly, so extreme, it could have only meant one thing.

Let me put some clothes on and we’ll talk. Okay? Cindy said.

I don’t want to talk.

Cindy ignored his response and walked over to the bedroom. A sudden panic gripped her chest and squeezed tight. It couldn’t be what she thought it was, but what else could Michael have said? He had been Jonas's best friend and co-worker for many years, until the incident at Lucent Labs (the R&D company Jonas owns) ended their friendship. If Michael said what she thinks he said, it wouldn’t be long before Jonas would come looking for her.

She threw on an old v-neck and whatever jeans she could find then walked back to the living room. The recliner was empty; Jonas had moved to the kitchen. He held a pitcher with lemon wedges in it and poured himself a glass of water. He quickly downed the glass and refilled it again.

That’s my workout water, buddy, she said with a grin.

It’s good. He stared at her and drank the water down to half.

Jonas seemed fine, but over time the slouched posture and defeated gaze in his eyes settled back in. It was as if an invisible weight were pressing down on his shoulders. She knew this, because her shoulders had become huge from carrying that same weight.

Cindy walked up to Jonas and scratched his cheek. The prickly stubble jabbed her fingers like petting a hedgehog.

You need to shave.

He let out an empty chuckle. I know, I know.

She pulled him into a hug. What’s the matter?

I feel heavy. Like, something bad is going to happen.

What do you mean?

He set his half empty glass and pitcher on the granite counter. A small robot appeared with little claw arms and took the pitcher away. Another invention, one that Cindy hated. Every time she would cut up carrots or cucumbers for dinner, the robot would come out and steal all the ingredients behind her back. The counter would be left spotless and Cindy would be left fuming.

It bothers me that my inventions were used when Raymond attacked the city. It bothers me that the CIA is spying on us and we don’t know why. But what bothers me the most is what Michael just told me. What he said brought back all the bad memories that I’m trying to forget.

Jonas pulled away and Cindy’s gaze followed him. A sharp sting radiated from the back of her throat like someone snapping her neck with a rubber band. What did he say?

He apologized to me. Jonas stood by the kitchen entryway with his back turned to Cindy. He told me that Raymond had promised him my job. All he had to do was finish programming project: Sapphire. I just, I thought I could trust him. Michael’s gone behind my back so many times now. He didn’t even have the guts to talk to me in person.

Cindy deeply sighed. It wasn’t what she thought after all. Well, that’s not too bad. At least he apologized.

Don’t try to distract me— he stared off into a corner. —you know what you did.

A morbid chill sent pins and needles down her spine. She dropped her head and twisted her toe into the linoleum floor.

You mean when I kissed, Michael?

Yeah. He turned to his side and looked at her. The light of the room illuminated one half of Jonas's face and brought out the gold flecks in his brown eyes. The other half lived in shadow. I love you more than anything in the whole world, but you broke our trust.

She was tired of discussing this issue. It always led to them sleeping in separate rooms at the end of the night.

I don’t know how many times I can say I’m sorry. I understand why you’re still upset, but you know the suit affected my ability to make rational decisions. You’re the one who built it, Cindy said.

The suit only affected inhibitions, Cindy. He pointed to his temple. Subliminally, you wanted to do it. That’s the way the suit worked. Just because you wouldn’t have done it without the suit doesn’t make me feel better.

A heavy silence sat between them and made itself comfortable. The kiss with Michael was burned into her memories and resurfaced in the ethereal form nightmares every time she went to bed. She remembered Michael’s hand on her chest, their lips locked, the feeling of having dominance over him. At the end of the nightmare, Jonas bursts through the door and throws a glass beaker at her head. She wakes up before it hits her, but the feeling of shame and disgust never leaves.

The nanosuit brought out the worst in her: an assassin, a cheater, a person she didn’t recognize. That’s why Cindy hasn’t worn the suit since after the First Continental uprising. She didn’t know if she could trust herself.

I don’t know how to cope with it, Jonas said. How would you feel if I kissed your sister and told you that I wasn’t in control because I was drunk? Wouldn’t that make you wonder if I had feelings for Jadie?

His words lit the fuse to her explosive temper, but it wasn’t directed towards her husband. All he did was peel back the skin, in order to reveal the raw underbelly of the truth. She was angry at herself and her own inability to resist the influences of the suit.

You know, I didn’t ask to become super powered. I was quite content being a gymnastics teacher and running my gym, she said.

What are you saying? It’s my fault that you fused with my top secret military project?

No, I’m saying you never should have created it in the first place.

You had no business being in the lab! Jonas pointed at the door. It’s because of you someone planted that camera outside.

Jonas's phone rang from the couch and defused the ticking time bomb that was about to blow up between them. Cindy swallowed her temper, which went down with the grace of a spiked ball. She grabbed his phone and accidentally caught a glimpse of the caller ID.

Ameera Shudun? The name was unfamiliar.

He waved his hand and trivialized her name. She’s a new hire, he said, the anger gradually disappeared from his voice.

Cindy pulled the phone to her chest and arched an eyebrow. She?

Nothing to be jealous about. The phone continued to ring.

He held out his palm and Cindy handed it to him.

Hi, Ameera. You’re locked out of the lab? I’m kind of in the middle of something; could you call Dr. Carmack instead? You don’t have his number? Okay, I’ll text it over. Thanks, I’ll talk to you soon, bye. Jonas hung up the phone and quickly texted the number before throwing it back on the couch. He looked at Cindy whose arms were crossed tight around her chest. She’s new in town. Came from out of the country.

Mm-hmm. I get it. It’s your way of getting back at me. She scowled at him, but then a huge smile appeared on her face.

Aha. He chuckled. You almost had me there.

It was a small thing, but his small laugh made her happy. Secretly, her heart was pounding at the thought of him working with some other woman. The issue wasn’t Ameera. The issue was Jonas and his total lack of desire to touch or even look at his wife. Obviously there were bigger things to worry about, Cindy recognized that. But what would be the point if her husband leaves the bed cold at night? Or worse, if he was no longer there.

She bit the inside of her cheek and suppressed the jealousy from escaping.

Let’s not talk about the past, right now, Cindy said. What are we going to do about the CIA? We know they’re the ones that installed the camera.

Jonas let out a pained sigh. Cindy, that’s just going to stress me out even more.

I know, but we have to talk about this. We don’t know what they want or why they’ve been watching us.

If they wanted the Silver Ninja, they could have nabbed you by now.

She put her hands on her hips. Maybe they want you.

Jonas shook his head.

Cindy paced around the living room and made exaggerated hand gestures. Okay, hypothetically. Let’s say they know my sister is the Ruby Ninja and that Michael is your second in command. Best thing we could do is leave town for a few weeks and come up with a plan.

Why not plan at home?

Cindy put her hands back on her hips and shifted her weight to one side.

Sorry, dumb question, he said.

You know, sometimes you’re so smart, that you’re dumb, she said