Dark Times

Michael Gerhartz

Description

Relieved for no longer being framed as one of the world’s most wanted terrorists, Natascha has only one wish - to live a normal life with her former bodyguard Nick and their daughter, but her daily routine as part time Marine Biologist for the London aquarium and secretary for an elite security company takes a lethal turn when she takes part in another scientific expedition.

This time, her discoveries do not only lead her into a flooded mine underneath a century old abbey, but also to a decades old secret the clerics don’t want unravelled.

Just when Natascha thinks she is a step ahead of her enemies, she realises that the abbey’s secret is only a small piece in a puzzle orchestrated by criminal masterminds - and that her past has caught up with her.

Determined, Nick and his friends from EuroSec follow her trail from London to the Aegean Sea back to Monaco and the Mediterranean Sea. To rescue Natascha, they have to solve the puzzle fast, or dark times will be ahead of them.

Sujets

• Paperback
• Terrorism
• Human Trafficking
• Page (papier)
• Romance
• Thriller
• Corruption

Informations

• Publié par: Michael Gerhartz
• Date de parution: 01 février 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781999579838
• Langue: English

Extrait

Dark Times
Michael Gerhartz
 
 
 
 
“This is a fantastic book, really well written with some great characters in it. It is properly paced, with plenty of action and suspense that leave you guessing right to the very end. There’s a whole range of emotions in this story and you will struggle to put it down. Highly recommended for fans of thrillers or those who just want a really good story to lose themselves in.” Reader’s Favorite
 
“This is certainly a well-constructed novel with a brilliantly executed plot. I honestly didn’t want to put it down. If you enjoy watching plots and schemes unravel in a character and event-driven plot filled with dark happenings, mystery, and danger, then you will love this.” K.J.Simmil, British bestseller author
 
“The writing style of the author is truly riveting and deserves the fame it got internationally. Dark Times makes you root for the characters, enjoy the plot, live in a world created by Gerhartz and make you curl your toes. It’s the kind of book that you literally want to read in a sitting. This gritty, fast-paced, intelligent thriller is worth every single moment.” Blue Book Review
 
“What I liked about the book was the fact that I couldn’t predict what was coming next; I found this very refreshing. If you like an action-packed story to really get your teeth into, Dark Times is the one for you.” Reader’s Favorite
 

Books in this series by Michael Gerhartz
 
Thin Ice
Dark Times
Dark Times
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without the written permission of the author.
Copyright 2019
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Special thanks to my friend
Sandra for her eyes
and, most importantly,
to Laurén Hardy for all her work and support.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following story is a work of fiction. All characters, organisations and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author ’ s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Cast of principal characters
 
Nick Rehfeld (EuroSec Corporation Team A)
Natascha Rehfeld (marine biologist and secretary at EuroSec Corporation)
 
EuroSec Corporation
Retired Admiral Brian Whittaker (former British Navy)
Retired General Klaus Schwartze (former German Bundeswehr)
 
Operation Control and team leaders EuroSec Corporation
Ariel Rashid (Member of Operation Control and team leader EuroSec Corporation)
Sean MacLeod (former Scotland Yard Inspector)
Jack MacDonald (former British SAS team leader)
Gunnar Eriksson (former instructor of the Norwegian Navy Special Operations Commando)
 
EuroSec Corporation Team A
Shira Hadad (EuroSec Corporation Team A)
Olaf Magnusson (former Norwegian Navy Special Operations Commando)
Ole-Einar Alsgaard (former Norwegian Navy Special Operations Commando)
Rolf Brengmann (former German Kampfschwimmer)
 
American Business Tycoons
Victor Gates (American patient on board the Asklepios )
Walter Leroy “L.J.” Jackson (American oil tycoon)
Samantha Elisabeth Jackson (“L.J.” Jackson’s wife)
 
British Business Tycoons
Sir Samuel Archibald Cunningham (British aristocrat and business tycoon)
Rowan Dean Harrison (heir of British business empire)
Victor Dalton (head of Cunningham’s security, former SAS)
Robert Black (Cunningham’s security, former S014 Royalty Protection Group)
Wayne Shea (Cunningham’s security, former S014 Royalty Protection Group)
Paul Ferguson (Cunningham’s security, former S014 Royalty Protection Group)
 
Asklepios
Dr Sheridan Evans
Dr William Edwards
Lamar Hatcher (male nurse)
Kevin Wilson (male nurse)
Leo Swan (male nurse)
Melissa O’Brian (nurse)
Kurt Morrison (guard)
 

Whitmore Abbey
Abbot Augustinus Hetley
Prior Clemens Finnigan
 
Friends of Natascha Rehfeld
Erika (scientific diver)
Andreas (scientific diver)
Mario (scientific diver)
Mark (forensic scientist)
Nicole (forensic scientist)
 
Supporting characters
Cathy Sheppard
Gordon Ferguson
Jean-Pierre (Canadian scientist)
Kyle McRae (Reporter)
Adriana Gabor ( A-14 )
Lawrence Whittaker (brother of retired Admiral Brian Whittaker)
Charles MacLean (friend of Lawrence Whittaker)
George Davis (Barber)
Alba “Saphir” Casillas (independent escort)
Elena Romanov (Romanian woman)
Monique (French woman)
Freja (Swedish student)
Dragan Jankovic (Slovenian border patrol)
David (teenager at Whitmore Abbey)
Peggy (teenager at Whitmore Abbey)
Iain Walker (Hollywood movie star and owner of Cloud Dancer )
General Rashid (Israeli Mossad)
Chief Inspector William Conolly (Scotland Yard)
Giulio Cardinal Baldacci (President of Governatorate of Vatican City)
Jake (patient on Asklepios)
Amber (young Western European woman)
Colonel George Harris (Regimental Head Quarters Royal Engineers)
Colonel Edward Thompson (Regimental Head Quarters SAS)
Gregor Powell (Intelligence Manager MI5)
 
EuroSec Corporation Team B
Noah Cohen (former Israeli military)
Tamar Peretz (former Israeli military)
 
EuroSec Corporation Team C
Talia Levi (former Israeli military)
Maya Azulay (former Israeli military)
 
British SAS unit
Captain Callum Finlay (British SAS)
Major Alastair Brooks (British SAS)
Sergeant Fergus MacRory (British SAS)
 
British MERT (Medical Emergency Response Team)
Major William McCoy
Captain Kent Wallace
 
HMS Montrose , British Duke class frigate
Dr Crawford
Dr Pitt
Commander Hardy
 
Syrian Fanatics
Moonif Nasser (Elder)
Nizar Algafari
Sami Alnasseri
Tarek Homsi
M,shakour Ahmadi
 
Shadow of the Orient
Prince Tarek bin Mohammed (Arabian playboy and owner of the Shadow of the Orient )
Djamal (captain of the Shadow of the Orient )
Hilal (first mate of the Shadow of the Orient )
Nabil (crew member of the Shadow of the Orient )
Sameh (crew member of the Shadow of the Orient )
Kamal (crew member of the Shadow of the Orient )
Hamit (crew member of the Shadow of the Orient )
Alim (crew member of the Shadow of the Orient )
Prologue
 
Whitmore Abbey, Western England, Great Britain, April 1942
It was just past midnight when seventeen-year-old Gordon and Cathy ran through the cold night as fast as they could. Although not obscured by any clouds, the shine of the moon provided little light, but it did not matter to Gordon. He firmly locked his hand around Cathy’s as he led them along the outside walls of Whitmore Abbey.
He could feel her hand tremble under his grasp, their desperation gliding their steps through the dimly lit trail they followed. They had waited for their chance, Gordon using the time to memorise the route to each detail. The opportunity seemed like it would never arise, but tonight they finally got their chance.
The young couple instinctively ducked as the German fighter bombers flew overhead to raid the nearby mine. The first bombs hit close by, and Gordon’s head snapped back quickly as the abbey began ringing the bells in alert. The two young orphan teenagers knew that this distraction would allow them to sneak out of the abbey unseen, for whatever future may lay ahead of them.
Reaching one of the corners of the wall, Gordon and Cathy pressed themselves against the stones just as another grenade exploded with a thunderous roar in the distance. They could hear the fighter planes up in the sky, but their attack was not matched by any anti-aircraft defences. Gordon remembered that it would take the Royal Air Force at least ten to fifteen minutes before they could pursue the intruders.
Gasping for air, Gordon looked back the way they had come. The teenager’s eyes scanned the wall as far as the darkness would allow, but he did not see any signs that they were followed. Somewhat relieved, he looked at his panting girlfriend. Cathy had her eyes closed and struggled to catch her breath.
“How are you doing?” Gordon whispered as another detonation ripped through the night.
“I’m okay”, Cathy gasped, her hand bracing her belly , “I just need another minute.”
Gordon placed his hand next to hers, and for the first time that night, they both smiled at each other. Cathy was carrying their child, and, being four months pregnant, it would be impossible to hide her condition any longer from the monks and sisters in the abbey. Having spent most of their life behind those walls, they knew that they would never have a chance to be a family and care for their child.