Posts Tagged ‘spy mystery’

Looks like New Zealand is part of US spy network – like it or not

Posted: August 15, 2013 in The Ninth Orphan, The Orphan Trilogy
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In the wake of whistleblower Edward Snowden’s revelations it seems there’s little doubt that New Zealand is part of the US spy network.

Ah well, I guess it had to happen. Down here in God’s Own (New Zealand, or Newzil as we Kiwis call it), buried as we are at the bottom of the world, it’s easy to be lulled into a false sense of security – to believe our isolation protects us from terrorism, Big Brother and snooping spy agencies.

While our Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) refuses to say whether it transmits information from American spy satellites to the US, information leaked by former US National Security Agency contractor Ed (Snowden) suggests our listening stations are indeed  used to collect data from American spy satellites overhead.

Protestors at Waihopai spy base, New Zealand

It was NZ Herald reporter Isaac Davison’s article of August 6 that first got my interest over this whole sorry business. He reported security experts fear GCSB’s Waihopai base (here in NZ) is used to process data from an American mass surveillance program – a program “which is capable of secretly accessing emails, online chats and internet browsing histories from around the world”.

The article quotes computer forensic investigator Daniel Ayers, who founded IT security firm Special Tactics, as saying the leaked documents showed the global scale of the US spy program.

Here’s more from the article:

…New Zealand’s spy bases were already used to collect intelligence from the South Pacific and relay it to Five Eyes intelligence alliance partners – the US, Canada, the UK and Australia. Mr Ayers said the leaked document hinted that New Zealand could be a conduit for data intercepted by US spy satellites.

“Does that red dot on the map signify that Waihopai is being used to ‘downlink’ intercepted data from other countries? If that’s the case, then it’s pretty big news because I don’t think that’s been publicly discussed by the Government. It means our role in this is greater than we knew.”

He said it also raised the possibility that US agencies were intercepting New Zealanders’ communications.

Former GCSB senior adviser Damien Rogers said the revelation that an XKeyscore server was located in New Zealand was not in itself significant. But it prompted questions about where data from the mass surveillance programme went and who had control over it…

For the full article go to: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/privacy/news/article.cfm?c_id=546&objectid=10908642

We raise many of the concerns highlighted by Edward Snowden, and Julian Assange before him, in our conspiracy thriller series The Orphan Trilogy (The Ninth Orphan / The Orphan Factory / The Orphan Uprising). Yesterday’s blog at https://morcanbooksandfilms.com/ highlights some of these.

We set the tone in The Ninth Orphan, book one in the series. Here’s an excerpt from The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1):

“…The emerald green eyes that stared back were full of strength and determination. They were also tinged with sadness – for a life their owner had never experienced.

Studying his reflection in the safety of his hotel room, Nine noticed the mirror had flecks of mold on it as well as fingerprints from other guests.

Lamenting his foiled transaction with the Chinese in Kensington Gardens earlier that morning, he still didn’t know which agency had interfered. It had been a serious setback for his plans. He knew there’d be another opportunity to trade with the Chinese, however.

After he’d given the police the slip at Saint Yeghiche Church, he’d gone to the East End. Then, once satisfied he’d shaken his pursuers, he had checked into this inconspicuous hotel and immediately set about establishing a new identity for himself.

Nine knew, without a shadow of a doubt, the Omega Agency would already know he was in London. He was only too aware Omega had people planted on the inside of all Western intelligence agencies. It was a no-brainer his fellow Omega operatives would be coming for him.

The contents on his flash drive were far too valuable for the agency to give up on.

The fugitive agent reminded himself it was imperative he presented a different face to the world each time he ventured out.

He made a silent vow to make good use of his vast array of disguises. Be like a ghost and they’ll never catch you.“

The Ninth Orphan is available as a trade paperback and kindle ebook via Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

 

P.S.  I liked one wag’s comment on TV last night. He said our GCSB is a misnomer and should be renamed GCBS…and we all know what BS stands for!

Happy reading! –Lance

 

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Pardon whistleblower Ed Snowden? Someone thinks so…and he may have a point!

Posted: August 14, 2013 in The Orphan Trilogy
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In today’s issue of Truthdig.com, columnist Robert Scheer asks “How do you justify criminally charging a government contractor for revealing an alarming truth that the public has every right to know?”

Scheer claims, “That is the contradiction raised by President Obama now that he has, in effect, acknowledged that Edward Snowden was an indispensable whistle-blower who significantly raised public awareness about a government threat to our freedom.”

Scheer says it’s unfortunate the president didn’t have the grace and courage to concede that precise point and remains committed to imprisoning Snowden instead of thanking him for serving the public interest. He reckons WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange nailed it when he (Assange) said, “Today, the president of the United States validated Edward Snowden’s role as a whistleblower by announcing plans to reform America’s global surveillance program”.

                                        

                                               Edward Snowden                                   Julian Assange

Here’s some of the more telling excerpts from Sheer’s Truthdig.com article:

While boasting, “I called for a review of our surveillance programs,” Obama avoided the obvious fact that this review was compelled not by a sudden burst of respect for the safeguards demanded by our Constitution but rather Snowden’s action in making the public cognizant of the astounding breadth and depth of the National Security Agency’s spying program.

Once again, Obama managed to blame not those responsible for government malfeasance, himself included, but instead the rare insiders driven to do their duty to inform the American people. “Unfortunately, rather than an orderly and lawful process to debate these issues and come up with appropriate reforms, repeated leaks of classified information have initiated the debate in a very passionate but not always fully informed way,” he said.

How disingenuous, to put it mildly. Without the leaks, there would be no reforms. We, the voters, couldn’t initiate a debate about the wisdom of this extensive spying because the government officials who authorized it, from the president on down, kept us in the dark.

For Scheer’s full article go to: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/restore_honor_and_pardon_edward_snowden_20130813/

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of Snowden’s actions, or Assange’s for that matter, Scheer does have a point when he asks how Snowden can be condemned for revealing information “the public has every right to know”. But, hey, maybe I’m missing something here?

We’d like to know what you think. Drop a line or leave a message on our blog.

It is a tricky one this ‘freedom of speech vs national security issue’ and I know there’s no simple answer. We raise some of these very issues in our conspiracy thriller series The Orphan Trilogy (The Ninth Orphan / The Orphan Factory / The Orphan Uprising).

           

Here’s some relevant quotes from The Orphan Trilogy:

* “Factual reporting is all too often propaganda designed to provoke certain reactions from the masses.”

* “Each administration sold out on the most lucrative issues – oil, banking, drug trafficking, arms sales.”

* “The Omega Agency had infiltrated the highest ranks of the CIA.”

* “The only salvation for civilization lies in the creation of a world government.”

* “Kentbridge was certain all of the US presidents since JFK had been puppets.”

* “One could place a monkey in the White House Oval Office and everything would run just fine.”

* “Why else do you think we are permanently at war in various regions all over the world?”

* “Why is it the citizens of this country, one of the richest on earth, get poorer each year?”

The Orphan Trilogy box set is available via Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGGM05U/

Happy reading! –Lance

  

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‘The Orphan Uprising’ an explosive conclusion to controversial conspiracy thriller series

Posted: July 25, 2013 in The Orphan Uprising
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Book three in The Orphan Trilogy resumes five years after book one, The Ninth Orphan, ends. It’s an action-packed finale in the life story of Nine, the ninth-born orphan, whose idyllic lifestyle is shattered when his son is abducted by operatives of the Omega Agency, the shadowy organization that once controlled every aspect of his life.

With an average review rating of 5 out of 5 Stars on Amazon, The Orphan Uprising is attracting some stellar comments from reviewers…“A heart tearing, mind splitting, gut churning crusade,” according to Welcome Home Soldier Reviews; “An extreme roller coaster ride of emotions,” says My Scribe World; “Constant action and very fast paced,” according to J.Winstead.

Here’s an excerpt from The Orphan Uprising (The Orphan Trilogy, #3):

Nine studied his opposite closely. For once, he seemed to be telling the truth. He motioned to Naylor to move over. The old man gave up his seat for Nine who resumed reading, scrolling through the file’s contents at the rate of a page a second just as he’d been taught to do as an operative-in-waiting at the Pedemont Orphanage.

With every page, his concern for Francis grew. The document contained a litany of medical horrors that ranged from never-before attempted organ and face transplants to unsanctioned cloning procedures and flat-lining experiments. Medical and scientific text was supported by graphic photographs of subjects – children and teenagers – who had been subjected to these experiments. Some were grotesque in the extreme.

Nine opened the second confidential file. It was headed Medical Laboratory #1 and related to Omega’s secret lab in DRC, or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Scrolling through the pages of this file, the former operative could see it made for equally gruesome reading. If anything, the scientific experiments being conducted at the DRC lab were even more horrific than at the lab in Greenland.

Naylor fidgeted nervously as Nine continued reading. He could imagine what was going through his rogue operative’s mind.

The awful reality of what Francis was going to be subjected to slowly dawned on Nine. It was clear he’d been abducted for some sort of experiment. But what? He looked up at Naylor and pointed his Glock at his head. “Talk old man. And make it good. Tell me why you took my son.” With that, he pulled a mini-digital recording device from his pocket and placed it on the desktop between them. A red light indicated it had been recording all along. “You’ve already hung yourself, so you might as well tell me everything.”

Naylor’s eyes were drawn to the recorder. Tearing his eyes away from the device, he could tell from the expression on Nine’s face that there was murder in his heart. He had to control the sudden pressure in his bladder to prevent himself from pissing where he sat. “I can explain.” He took a deep breath. “You’re the only one of the Pedemont orphans who has a child. Coming from a mixture of your exceptional genes and your wife’s regular genes, Francis has unique DNA. He’s a one-of-a-kind.”

“What will be done to him exactly.”

Naylor hesitated. Nine waved his Glock menacingly, prompting him to continue. “He will assist our cloning program,” Naylor continued. “He’ll undergo a range of tests- -”

“Tests? What tests?” Nine was growing more alarmed by the second.

“I don’t have specifics, but they’ll be scientifically conducted and monitored by Doctor Andrews’ team.”

Nine could feel his disbelief and anger growing in equal measure. He felt like his head was about to explode. Irate beyond words, he jumped to his feet and pistol-whipped Naylor, leaving the old man’s face cut and bloodied. “You bastard!” Nine swore at the Omega boss who now lay groaning on the carpet. “Just what gives you the right to play God with my son?”

As Nine remonstrated with Naylor, he didn’t hear the faint sound of someone behind him until it was too late.

The first that Nine realized something was wrong was when he tried to sit up. He couldn’t. And he had a splitting headache. When he attempted to open his eyes, the light was blinding and everything seemed to be spinning.

As normality slowly returned, Nine realized he was lying on the floor of Naylor’s den. It dawned on him he’d been bushwhacked and he cursed that he hadn’t been more attentive.

The staffer he’d seen outside was now standing alongside Naylor, talking to someone on his cell phone. He was holding Nine’s Glock in his other hand and he surveyed the intruder as he spoke. Naylor was gingerly dabbing at his bloodied face with a tissue.

 “He’s conscious now,” the staffer said into his phone. “Don’t worry, he won’t give us any more trouble.”

“Tell them to get here fast,” Naylor said, glaring at Nine. “I want this son-of-a-bitch in secure confinement at HQ.”

“Get here quick,” the staffer said before ending the call. He turned to Naylor. “They’re only ten minutes away.”

Nine guessed the staffer was referring to reinforcements from Omega. The former operative knew once he was interned at Omega’s underground HQ, he’d never be seen again. And neither would Francis. He realized he had to escape within the next minute or two. How to distract them? A desperate plan came to mind.

Naylor remembered the mini-recorder on the desktop. Its red light indicated it was still recording. He picked up the device and hurled it against a wall, smashing it. 

Nine chuckled. “You realize I’m also wired,” he lied.

Naylor looked down at him, horrified. He hadn’t considered that someone on the outside could have been listening to the conversation these past few minutes. If that was the case, he knew he was finished. Naylor turned to his staffer. “Search him.”

The staffer handed the Glock to Naylor. “Shoot him if he tries anything, sir.”

Naylor trained the Glock on Nine as his staffer bent down to frisk the intruder. That was the opening Nine had been waiting for. He reached up, grabbed the staffer by his ears and pulled his head down. At the same time, he raised his own head sharply off the floor, effectively delivering an old fashioned Liverpool Kiss, or head-butt, knocking the man senseless.

 

To order The Orphan Uprising (The Orphan Trilogy, #3), or view the Amazon reviews, go to:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BFC66DM/

For more about this and other Morcan novels go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/SterlingGateBooks

 

Happy reading! – Lance & James

 

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‘The Orphan Factory’ reveals how 23 Chicago orphans are groomed to become elite spies

Posted: July 24, 2013 in The Orphan Factory
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Book two in The Orphan Trilogy is a prequel to The Ninth Orphan. It’s an epic, atmospheric story that begins with 23 genetically superior orphans being groomed to become elite spies in Chicago’s Pedemont Orphanage and concludes with a political assassination deep in the Amazon jungle.

With an average review rating of 4.7 out of 5 Stars on Amazon, The Orphan Factory is a coming-of-age spy thriller that sets a frenetic pace. Join Nine, the ninth-born orphan, as he flees his Omega Agency masters and goes on the run across America.

As Amazon review site My Scribe World says, “Buckle up for another wild ride in The Orphan Trilogy.”

Here’s an excerpt from The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2):

The special agent reached into his pocket and pulled out a color photograph, which he handed to the orphan. Nine could tell by its faded color it was old. It was a portrait photo of a dark-haired, green-eyed woman. Nine instinctively knew the woman was his mother, and not just because she was wearing the same ruby necklace Kentbridge had given him a few months earlier and which he now wore around his neck. 

“Sebastian,” Kentbridge whispered.

After a moment, Nine tore his eyes away from the woman in the photograph and looked into his mentor’s eyes.

“Sebastian,” Kentbridge repeated, a little louder this time. “That’s your real name. Your mother named you that when you were born.”

Nine suspected Kentbridge was playing mind games with him. He’d expected that as he was aware Omega’s strategy for dealing with any form of internal dissension was to either terminate the subject or else reprogram them. Given he was still alive – and knowing they’d already invested too much in him to kill him – reprogramming him was the only option. Even so, the information he was being given about his past was so arresting he found it impossible to ignore. “Wish I’d never been born,” he cursed absentmindedly as he studied his mother’s image once more.

“You weren’t born,” Kentbridge reminded him. “You were created. There’s a difference.”

Nine thought on that, but no witty reply came to him.

 

“Your life has a purpose, Sebastian,” the special agent continued. “You should be grateful for that, believe me, because most ordinary citizens just drift through life with zero direction.” Kentbridge nodded toward the fishermen beneath the bridge and council workers enjoying a morning tea break beyond them, indicating he considered them ordinary citizens.

Having had a taste of the world beyond the orphanage and Omega, Nine didn’t agree. However, he remained silent.

“I want you to know I take full responsibility for what happened.” Kentbridge said. “I’m not angry at you. I was at the time, but now in the cold light of day I can see what motivated you to bust out of here.”

Nine noticed his master was talking to him for the first time ever like an adult. He didn’t know whether that was part of the reprogramming or whether his bid for freedom had earned him some respect. Whatever the case, gone was the patronizing tone Kentbridge had always used when talking to him and the other orphans.

About time!

Nine gave Kentbridge his full attention.

“I take total responsibility, Sebastian, because in hindsight I can see my mistake. I never told you or the other orphans the purpose of the Omega Agency. Or what we are fighting for.”

What we are fighting for? Nine thought that was obvious. World domination to line the pockets of Naylor and his cronies. 

“It’s not about greed,” Kentbridge said as if reading the orphan’s mind. “We are the resistance. The last bastion of hope for freedom.”

“Then who are the bad guys?” Nine retorted with more than a hint of sarcasm.

“The fascists. They took over this country straight after World War Two. Kennedy was the last president who knew anything about this. All those who followed him have been in kept the dark.”

Kentbridge was certain all of the US presidents since JFK had been puppets. The lack of any real decision-making power presidents had was reflected in a long-running joke within the agency: One could place a monkey in the White House Oval Office and everything would run just fine.

Nine looked skeptical.

“I’m serious,” Kentbridge insisted. “Why else do you think we are permanently at war in various regions all over the world? And why is it the citizens of this country, one of the richest on earth, get poorer each year?”

The special agent had long-since realized America was not the unified country most people thought it was. Due to his position, he was aware of the extremely fragmented, corrupt and sick state of the nation. He also knew that sickness was entirely due to the conflicting agendas of the various shadow organizations that had infiltrated most Government departments and agencies. Within each power group – be it Congress or the Military-Industrial Complex – there were huge divisions as each of the secret factions strived to be top dog. 

Kentbridge explained all this to Nine.

The orphan thought about the Nexus Foundation, and wondered where it fitted in. As long as he could remember, Omega had been fighting or at least competing with Nexus, and he’d always wondered why. Now that Kentbridge was being so open, he decided to ask. “And what about Nexus?”

“Nexus has taken advantage of the malaise that has beset this once great nation. When the Constitution was still respected and followed to the letter, an outfit like Nexus could never have gotten off the ground and there’d be no need for an agency like Omega. Nexus sees us as a threat to its ends and is determined to destroy us, you see.”

Again, Nine wasn’t convinced, and his expression reflected that.

“Think about it, if Omega stood for anything but liberty and the greater good, why would any well-meaning, patriotic group try to prevent us from achieving our goals? I mean, there’s a whole raft of destructive agencies out there Nexus could target. Why pick on us?”

Nine had to admit it was a good question.

 

To order The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2), or view the Amazon reviews, go to: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008M9WWKW/

For more about this and other Morcan novels go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/SterlingGateBooks

 

Happy reading! – Lance & James

 

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‘The Ninth Orphan’ merges fact with fiction…but where does the fiction end and truth begin?

Posted: July 23, 2013 in The Ninth Orphan
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Book one in The Orphan Trilogy explores a plethora of conspiracies involving real organizations like the CIA, NSA, MI6 and the UN, and public figures such as President Obama as well as the Clinton, Marcos and Bush families. It exposes a global agenda designed to keep the power in the hands of a select few.

The novel’s antagonists are members of a shadow government acting above and beyond the likes of the White House, the FBI, the Pentagon and the NSA. Timely considering recent intelligence released by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Could something like this ever take place? Or is it taking place right now?

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In The Ninth Orphan an orphan grows up to become an assassin for a highly secretive organization. When he tries to break free and live a normal life, he is hunted by his mentor and father figure, and by a female orphan he spent his childhood with. On the run, the mysterious man’s life becomes entwined with his beautiful French-African hostage and a shocking past riddled with the darkest of conspiracies is revealed.

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Here’s an excerpt from The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1):

Nine glanced at his reflection in a nearby wall mirror. Perplexed green eyes stared out of a pale, serious face which was framed by dark, curly, slightly longish hair. His was a face that didn’t look lived in.

Handsome in a dangerous sort of way, he had the appearance of a man permanently at war with his inner demons. Despite this, he looked slightly younger than his thirty one years. Only his eyes revealed any sign of his true age; they were haunted – as if they’d witnessed one too many tragedies.

After drying himself, Nine approached the table, selected a scalpel and proceeded to make a three inch incision in the fleshy portion of his left forearm. Although he’d never operated on himself before, the incision was quick and neat. Even so, the blood flowed freely and immediately soaked the towels beneath his arm.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, he cut through the flesh until the scalpel’s wickedly sharp edge came into contact with something metallic. “Got you!” he hissed through clenched teeth. Using a pair of tweezers, he clamped the metallic object and extracted it from his flesh. The blood-stained object, which was almost two inches long, was a miniature tracking device in the form of a microchip.

Placing the device on a towel, he selected a surgical needle and thread, then proceeded to stitch himself up. Nine found this part of the operation even more painful. Sweat rolled down his forehead as he struggled to sew himself up using one hand. Only by jamming his wounded arm between his hip and the table was he able to compensate for not being able to use both hands. Ten long minutes and thirty stitches later, he was done.

As a final act, he bandaged his wound. Limited as he was to using one hand, this took several attempts before he got it right. Nine straightened up and took several deep breaths to fight off the pain and feelings of nausea he was experiencing. He shuddered involuntarily.

Nine was knowledgeable enough about human anatomy and medicine to understand the nerve hypersensitivity he felt was an entirely normal post-surgery symptom.

Despite the pain and light-headedness, he gathered his things – including the tracking device, surgical instruments and bloodstained towels – bundled them into his backpack and checked out of Baguio Mountain Hotel. In the establishment’s car park, he headed toward a rental car and jumped in. After starting the engine, he wrapped the microchip in several sheets of tinfoil before driving off…

…Twenty three red dots flashed at various places on a digital map of the world. The dots represented the locations of the Omega Agency’s field operatives. Carrying out high-level black ops on all seven continents, the twenty three operatives included males and females of almost every race.

The red dots confirmed only two Omega operatives were currently in Asia. Seventeen, a blonde female, had recently landed in Luzon, the main island of the Philippines. Nine’s dot, which only a short time earlier had mysteriously vanished before reappearing, indicated he was also situated on Luzon.

Omega director Andrew Naylor and veteran agent Tommy Kentbridge studied the digital map grimly. Neither looked happy as the two dots in the Philippines rapidly converged.

Physically at least, the two officials were chalk and cheese. Naylor was a short, but dapper man in his late fifties. His skin was badly pock-marked and he had a lazy eye which people found disconcerting as they could never be sure if he was looking at them or someone else. Unfortunately for him, his personality matched his appearance.

Fifty-three-year-old Kentbridge looked like someone who could take control of any situation. At six foot one and with a commanding presence, he quickly earned the respect of all who came into contact with him.

 

An audible groan from Naylor confirmed what Kentbridge already knew. The director was seething at the latest turn of events.

Kentbridge had seen enough. The results of the past few hours had made him sick to his stomach. Hiding his concern, he swiveled his chair and surveyed the Omega Agency’s headquarters. It was a hive of activity as usual. Scientists, IT specialists, political analysts and other high-ranking officials were on duty. Sworn to secrecy, each was the best in his or her chosen field.

Although it looked like the interior of any corporate headquarters, Kentbridge knew appearances in this case were highly deceiving. For a start, these headquarters were located one mile below ground, hidden beneath a long-since abandoned hydro dam in south-west Illinois.

The secret facility was not only off limits to the general public, it was completely off the US Government’s radar. In fact, like everything else connected with Omega, knowledge of its existence was beyond any government.

 

The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy, #1) is a regular visitor to Amazon’s bestseller lists. It’s available as a kindle ebook and trade paperback.

To order this novel, or view the 85 Amazon customer reviews, go to:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

 

Happy reading! – Lance & James

 

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‘The Orphan Trilogy’ a high octane thriller series with an edge

Posted: July 20, 2013 in The Ninth Orphan, The Orphan Factory, The Orphan Trilogy, The Orphan Uprising
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Books 1, 2 and 3 in our conspiracy thriller series The Orphan Trilogy (The Ninth Orphan / The Orphan Factory / The Orphan Uprising) have an average Amazon reviewer rating of 4.6 out of 5 Stars.

Readers seen to like the fact we merge fact with fiction, illuminating shadow organizations rumored to actually exist in our world. The trilogy reveals a shadow government acting above and beyond the likes of the White House, the FBI, the Pentagon and the NSA. It has a poignant, romantic sub-plot.

4 Stars

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056I4FKC

The Ninth Orphan: An orphan grows up to become an assassin for a highly secretive organization. When he tries to break free and live a normal life, he is hunted by his mentor and father figure, and by a female orphan he spent his childhood with. On the run, the mysterious man’s life becomes entwined with his beautiful French-African hostage and a shocking past riddled with the darkest of conspiracies is revealed.             

4.7 Stars

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008M9WWKW/

The Orphan Factory: This coming-of-age spy thriller novel is a prequel to The Ninth Orphan. It’s an epic, atmospheric story that begins with twenty-three genetically superior orphans being groomed to become elite spies in Chicago’s Pedemont Orphanage and concludes with a political assassination deep in the Amazon jungle. Embark on another frenetic journey with Nine, the ninth-born orphan, as he goes on the run across America.                                               

5 Stars

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BFC66DM/

The Orphan Uprising: In this sequel to The Ninth Orphan, Nine’s idyllic lifestyle is shattered when his son Francis is abducted by operatives in the employ of the Omega Agency, the shadowy organization that once controlled every aspect of his life. Desperate to find Francis before Omega can harm him, Nine soon finds he’s up against his fellow orphans – all elite operatives as he once was – who are under orders to kill him on sight. He must call on all his former training and skills.

 4.4 Stars

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGGM05U/

The Orphan Trilogy: This controversial, high-octane thriller series is available via Amazon as a box set (3 books in 1) at a discounted price. It explores a plethora of conspiracies involving real organizations like the CIA, NSA, MI6 and the UN, and public figures such as President Obama, Queen Elizabeth II as well as the Clinton, Marcos and Bush families. The trilogy also contains the kind of intimate character portraits usually associated with psychological thrillers.

 

Happy Reading! — Lance & James

 

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Goodreads members rate ‘The Orphan Trilogy’ the Best Trilogy/Book Series EVER!

Posted: July 5, 2013 in The Ninth Orphan, The Orphan Factory, The Orphan Trilogy, The Orphan Uprising
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Our controversial conspiracy thriller series, The Orphan Trilogy (The Ninth Orphan / The Orphan Factory / The Orphan Uprising), currently tops yet another list on the international literary site Goodreads.com…. This time it’s #1 in the Best Trilogies/Book Series EVER! list.

The Orphan Trilogy a hit with readers.

As per below, The Orphan Trilogy heads off competition from two Harry Potter novels (in 2nd and 3rd place), The Hunger Games (4th) and The Mortal Instruments Boxed Set (5th).

The Orphan Trilogy      Harry Potter and the Deathl...      Harry Potter Boxset (Harry ...     The Hunger Games (The Hunge...     The Mortal Instruments Boxe...

The full list (top 100) is worth a look with works by the likes of C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, Dan Brown and Cassandra Clare represented.

For the full lineup in the ‘Best Trilogies/Book Series EVER!’ list go to: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/10685.Best_Trilogies_Book_Series_EVER_

So what is it about The Orphan Trilogy that resonates with readers? As the authors, it’s hard for James and I to be objective. Maybe Amazon reviewer Historian Remy Benoit hit on it when she said: “This is high action…with enough truth in it to rattle you.”

The Orphan Trilogy certainly merges fact with fiction. Okay, so only half it may be true. But which half? THAT’S THE QUESTION!

Here’s the storyline for this series:

Twenty-three orphans with numbers for names from 1 to 23.
Number Nine wants to escape from ‘the orphanage’.

Meet Number Nine – an orphan, a spy, a lover…a master of disguise, an assassin, a shapeshifter…a freedom fighter, a human chameleon, a reformed contract killer.

He’s all of the above. He’s none of the above.

Nine is enslaved by the Omega Agency, a shadowy organization seeking to create a New World Order. When he tries to break free and live a normal life, Nine is hunted by his mentor and father figure, and by a female orphan he spent his childhood with. On the run, his life becomes entwined with his beautiful French-African hostage and a shocking past is revealed…A past that involves the mysterious Pedemont
Orphanage in Chicago, Illinois.

Standing in the way of Nine’s freedom are his fellow orphans – all elite operatives like himself – who are under orders to terminate him. Nine finds himself in a seemingly infinite maze of cloak and dagger deception. Time and again, he must call on all his advanced training to survive.

But can the ninth-born orphan ever get off the grid? To find out you’ll need to go on a tumultuous journey around the world to such far-flung locations as the Arctic, Asia, Europe, the Amazon, Africa and South
Pacific islands. The frenetic cat-and-mouse chase moves from airports to train stations and hidden torture prisons, taking the reader on a page turning, frightening non-stop action ride into the world of corrupted power that goes beyond conspiracy theories to painful reality.

Fast-paced, totally fresh and original, filled with deep and complex characters, The Orphan Trilogy
is a controversial, high-octane thriller series with an edge. Merging fact with fiction, it illuminates shadow organizations rumored to actually exist in our world. The three novels explore a plethora of conspiracies involving real organizations like the CIA, MI6, and the UN, and public figures such as President Obama, Queen Elizabeth II as well as the Clinton, Marcos and Bush
families.

The Orphan Trilogy exposes a global agenda designed to keep the power in the hands of a select few. Nine’s oppressors are a shadow government acting above and beyond the likes of the White House, the FBI, the Pentagon and the NSA.

One of the Omega Agency’s black ops employs MK-Ultra mind control technology on genetically engineered agents to facilitate the agendas of those in power. When Nine successfully deprograms himself from MK-Ultra, all hell breaks loose. But to gain his freedom he must bust out of the Pedemont Orphanage and break into Omega’s other orphanages and underground medical laboratories around the world. In the process he uncovers chilling scientific experiments taking place on children.

Could something like this ever take place? Or, is it already taking place somewhere in the world right now?

The trilogy also has a poignant, romantic sub-plot. It contains the kind of intimate character portraits usually associated with psychological thrillers.

Book/Film/TV references: The Manchurian Candidate, The Saint, The Da Vinci Code, Bond, Dark Angel, The Jackal, Mission Impossible, Salt, The Pretender, Bourne, The Island, Taken.

This unique, unpredictable and epic spy thriller series covers everything from political assassinations and
suppressed science to young adult romance and accelerated learning techniques.

Buckle up for a nail-biter to the very end.

The Orphan Trilogy (The Ninth Orphan / The Orphan Factory / The Orphan Uprising) is available on kindle via Amazon at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGGM05U/

 

Happy reading! – Lance

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‘The Orphan Trilogy’ – fact or fiction? Maybe whistleblowers Snowden & Assange know the real truth

Posted: June 12, 2013 in The Ninth Orphan, The Orphan Factory, The Orphan Trilogy, The Orphan Uprising
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In writing our conspiracy thriller series The Orphan Trilogy (The Ninth Orphan / The Orphan Factory / The Orphan Uprising) we merged fact with fiction, upsetting more than a few people in the process.

Just how many truths are contained in this controversial series is open to conjecture, but one thing’s for sure: the can of worms opened first by WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange and more recently by Edward Snowden indicates The Orphan Trilogy may be closer to the truth than a lot of people in high places would care to admit.

Edward Snowden…villain or hero?

Snowden, the former defense contractor who blew the whistle on the National Security Agency’s intrusive domestic surveillance program, is – depending on whom you listen to – being hailed as a villain and a hero for exposing the US Government’s contentious spy activities.

In The New Yorker, Jeffrey Toobin condemns Snowden as “a grandiose narcissist who deserves to be in prison”. In the New York Times, David Brooks says, “By deciding to unilaterally leak secret NSA documents, Snowden has betrayed basic levels of trust and cooperation, a respect for institutions and deference to common procedures”.

A polar opposite viewpoint is given by The New Yorker’s John Cassidy who describes Snowden as a hero… “In revealing the colossal scale of the US Government’s eavesdropping on Americans and other people around the world, he has performed a great public service that more than outweighs any breach of trust he may have committed.”

At least 50,000 Americans agree with the “hero” accolade. That’s how many signed a petition that reads: “Edward Snowden is a national hero and should be immediately issued a full, free, and absolute pardon for any crimes he has committed or may have committed related to blowing the whistle on secret NSA surveillance programs.” The petition urges the Obama administration to pardon Snowden.

Many of the concerns Snowden raised before fleeing to Hong Kong, and many of the bombshells Assange dropped before he holed up in the temporary sanctuary of London’s Ecuadorian Embassy, are highlighted in The Orphan Trilogy.

Julian Assange…villain or hero?

Without debating the rights and wrongs of the actions of the likes of Snowden and Assange, we do share many of their concerns about ‘Big Brother’ and the morality of US affairs – both domestic and foreign. These concerns are highlighted in The Orphan Trilogy, which covers the corrupt banking system, Bilderberg, government control of media, MK-Ultra and CIA-sanctioned mind control experiments, and much more!

Ensure you have clearance to read this book!

Perhaps the final word in this debate should go to the man himself. As Edward Snowden explained to The Guardian:

The NSA has built an infrastructure that allows it to intercept almost everything. … If I wanted to see your emails or your wife’s phone, all I have to do is use intercepts. I can get your emails, passwords, phone records, credit cards. I don’t want to live in a society that does these sort of things. … I do not want to live in a world where everything I do and say is recorded.

Related links:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGGM05U/

http://www.youtube.com/user/SterlingGateBooks

Security clearance notwithstanding, I recommend The Orphan Trilogy to you! -Lance

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“The average American doesn’t know about the threats this country is under and how their freedoms are being thwarted.” -Excerpt from book two in The Orphan Trilogy

Posted: June 10, 2013 in The Orphan Factory
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Average Amazon reviewer rating: 4.7 Stars

In The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2) Nine, the ninth-born orphan, is mentored by Tommy Kentbridge, a father figure and special agent with the shadowy Omega Agency.

Here’s an excerpt from The Orphan Factory. In it, Kentbridge tries to convince a young Nine that America’s, and the world’s, very future depends on the establishment of a New World Order…

“It’s not about greed,” Kentbridge said as if reading the orphan’s mind. “We are the resistance. The last bastion of hope for freedom.”

“Then who are the bad guys?” Nine retorted with more than a hint of sarcasm.

“The fascists. They took over this country straight after World War Two. Kennedy was the last president who knew anything about this. All those who followed him have been in kept the dark.”

Kentbridge was certain all of the US presidents since JFK had been puppets. The lack of any real decision-making power presidents had was reflected in a long-running joke within the agency: One could place a monkey in the White House Oval Office and everything would run just fine.

Nine looked skeptical.

“I’m serious,” Kentbridge insisted. “Why else do you think we are permanently at war in various regions all over the world? And why is it the citizens of this country, one of the richest on earth, get poorer each year?”

The special agent had long-since realized America was not the unified country most people thought it was. Due to his position, he was aware of the extremely fragmented, corrupt and sick state of the nation. He also knew that sickness was entirely due to the conflicting agendas of the various shadow organizations that had infiltrated most Government departments and agencies. Within each power group – be it Congress or the Military-Industrial Complex – there were huge divisions as each of the secret factions strived to be top dog.

Kentbridge explained all this to Nine.

The orphan thought about the Nexus Foundation, and wondered where it fitted in. As long as he could remember, Omega had been fighting or at least competing with Nexus, and he’d always wondered why. Now that Kentbridge was being so open, he decided to ask. “And what about Nexus?”

“Nexus has taken advantage of the malaise that has beset this once great nation. When the Constitution was still respected and followed to the letter, an outfit like Nexus could never have gotten off the ground and there’d be no need for an agency like Omega. Nexus sees us as a threat to its ends and is determined to destroy us, you see.”

Again, Nine wasn’t convinced, and his expression reflected that.

“Think about it, if Omega stood for anything but liberty and the greater good, why would any well-meaning, patriotic group try to prevent us from achieving our goals? I mean, there’s a whole raft of destructive agencies out there Nexus could target. Why pick on us?”

Nine had to admit it was a good question.

Kentbridge continued, “It’s because we stand for something legitimate.”

Although the special agent was making some convincing points, Nine still assumed he was lying to him. This has all got to be an attempt to brainwash me to accept Omega’s dark agenda. But he wasn’t entirely correct.

Kentbridge passionately believed that Omega – or the Light, as Naylor sometimes referred to the agency – was America’s, and the world’s, only hope of ever unifying. And unification was the only solution for he was also aware that while the public was dividing and conquering itself by focusing on banal, media-driven conflicts such as Neoconservatives versus Liberals, democracy versus terrorism and the West versus the rest, destructive covert outfits were slowly but surely growing stronger.

The special agent also understood how groups like Nexus fostered and benefited from the climate of fear perpetuated in television broadcasts and newspaper headlines. As long as Americans were consumed by fear of evildoers, whether these be communists, terrorists, religious extremists or any other potential enemy, he knew they would never realize the greatest enemy of all was operating within – within the West, within America, within their own Government.

“Trust me, Sebastian,” Kentbridge said as he stared out across the river. “We are the resistance fighting for the vision of America’s founding fathers.” He suddenly smiled at the orphan. “Why else do you think I made you guys study the Constitution inside out?”

Again, Nine had no answer. Looking at his mother in the photo he still held, he knew he had a lot to think about…

“So Omega is designing a New World Order?” Nine asked as he and Kentbridge waited for traffic lights to change so they could cross a busy street in downtown Chicago. They’d traveled to the city straight from Little Calumet River as the special agent had wanted to spend more time with Nine and make more of an impression on his young mind.

“Yes, but it’s not like it sounds,” Kentbridge said.

The lights changed and the pair crossed the street with other pedestrians.

Kentbridge continued, “There are different types of New World Order scenarios. One would be a world government ruled by a totalitarian regime like the Nazis were working toward. That would obviously be destructive. Another scenario would be one in which a fairer world is created. That’s what we are aiming for. We can unite everybody worldwide and create everlasting peace.”

Nine noticed they were approaching a familiar fountain in a public square. It was very close to where he’d fled from Kentbridge during his escape from the city. The special agent gave no sign that he remembered that escapade.

“Countries, religions, racial disharmony,” Kentbridge continued. “These are the things that have messed up our planet.”

“But surely countries represent different values and belief systems? Can there ever be a single government that unites all these different groups?”

“The only salvation for civilization lies in the creation of a world government,” Kentbridge retorted. “Do you know who said that?”

Nine shook his head, indicating he didn’t.

“Albert Einstein. He warned us decades ago that unless we eventually eradicate countries, new world wars will be inevitable. And before that, centuries earlier, Alexander the Great believed the same thing and was on a mission to conquer and unite the whole world.”

“But if the average citizen knew about our organization, they’d say we are evil, destructive, traitors, elitist and–”

“Correct,” Kentbridge interjected. “But then the average American doesn’t know about the threats this country is under and how their freedoms are being thwarted.”

“Well, if Omega really stands for all things good, what about the killings?” Nine lowered his voice. He knew such topics were not for others’ ears. “I mean, you’ve made it clear we are being trained to kill. Like assassins.” The last word was whispered.

“By all means necessary is our motto,” Kentbridge said ominously. “Small evils are needed in order to fulfill the grand plan of world peace and unification.”

Nine thought about everything his master was telling him. It was a lot to take in. “So what are we orphans then? Mere pawns in Omega’s New World Order agenda?”

“You kids are being molded for greatness. Like members of the Royal Family. They have incredible wealth and opportunities to shape the world, but they also are born into roles they must play out for the sake of tradition. From childhood on they must suffer, and they can never be like others, like ordinary people. You orphans are the same, but I promise you the pay-off for all these struggles will be worth it when you get older. You will do amazing things, Sebastian.”

 

The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2) is coming-of-age spy thriller – an epic, atmospheric story that begins with 23 genetically superior orphans being groomed to become elite spies in Chicago’s Pedemont Orphanage and concludes with a political assassination deep in the Amazon jungle.

This top rated book is available via kindle. Here’s the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008M9WWKW/

 

Happy reading!  –Lance

 

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Reviewer calls The Orphan Factory “a wonderful continuous of book one”

Posted: June 3, 2013 in The Orphan Factory
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Amazon reviewer Lynelle Clark describes our coming-of-age spy thriller, The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2), as “a wonderful continuous of book one” in her 5-star review just posted.

In her review, Lynelle says The Orphan Factory has a ‘well developed plot line with crafty skilled twists to keep you at the edge of your seat”.

Here’s Lynelle’s review for The Orphan Factory:

In Book 2 many questions are answered. Here we are better acquainted with Nine, Seventeen and Tommy Kentridge, the main characters of Book 1 and we learn more about the Omega agency and their quest to a New World Order with the help of 23 created Orphans.

Each uniquely formed for their skills and abilities to become great field operatives or assassins. Clinical and greedy the orphans were formed and prepared for the task. They were seen as science projects and investments and the normal childhood pains were not allowed.

From drugs, to sleep learning, to speed reading (I would have loved to have this ability myself LOL), to fighting martial arts and resuming the identities of others with even greater skill, these children were equipped with one thing in mind and that was to further the members with their dreams of power and more money they could count. Using every thing the authorities have to their disposal.

Nine, our main character rebelled and cleverly escaped. Searching for his independence and freedom. His journey takes us over the states borders to California where he meet up with a girl he was infatuated with. But Helen did not accept him for who he was and at the end this youngster learned early on not to trust any
one.

Meeting interesting characters during this time period of two weeks the story was well written and entertaining. The plans he made to get to California told you why Nine was the best, already a (threat) at the age of twelve.

I loved the way that the authors used the current news of the day to strengthen the plot line, making it more believable and interesting, creating more conspiracy theories. Bill Clinton’s rise to the presidency and how the Agency use it to further their cause. Using the Jonestown Cult story to bring down an ex-operative. All perfectly timed within the story.

The hatred and jealousy that consumed Seventeen from the start and leads her to almost succeed in killing Nine.

I must admit that I became fond of Nine, his strong character superbly developed so that you could be part of his world and his experiences.

Drawn into the secretive world of DNA faltering, power and greed and the extend people in authority would go to acquire even more. Excellent read for all who loves a good spy thriller and I can recommend it for Young Adults as well.

Well developed plot line with crafty skilled twists to keep you at the edge of your seat.

This review can also be viewed at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Orphan-Factory-Trilogy-ebook/product-reviews/B008M9WWKW/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#R28UP9TF9S4UUW

Lynelle’s literary blog site is well worth visiting also – at:  lynelleclarkaspiredwriter.blogspot.com/

Happy reading! –Lance

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