{"id":650,"date":"2025-12-02T06:49:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T06:49:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/andrewjharvey.com\/?page_id=650"},"modified":"2025-12-04T08:45:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T08:45:17","slug":"for-the-honor-of-the-agency-1-in-the-honor-trilogy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/andrewjharvey.com\/?page_id=650","title":{"rendered":"For the Honor of the Agency: #1 in the Honor Trilogy by Andrew J. Harvey"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Order from Your Favourite Store<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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For the Honor of the Agency<\/i><\/h1>\n

by<\/h2>\n

Andrew J Harvey<\/h2>\n

Book 1 of
\nThe Honor Trilogy<\/h3>\n
\n

Newly appointed to the Cross-Temporal Empire’s Department of Agriculture and Food, Margaret Peric quickly discovers her role is far more dangerous than she ever imagined. When an ex-employee is nearly killed trying to expose a genetically engineered crop blight, Margaret and her bodyguard, Jade Carvello, uncover a trail of eco-terrorism, corruption\u2014and something far more sinister.
\nWhile Margaret faces bureaucratic sabotage and growing political unrest, Jade’s own investigation leads her into the orbit of Carlos Babineaux\u2014a charming anarchist with a secret agenda and a dangerously kissable French accent. Their relationship threatens both Jade’s mission and her loyalty to the powerful Rucker’s Agency.
\nAs conspiracies unravel across alternate Earths, and a child’s life hangs in the balance, Margaret must defy her own government to protect those she loves, and somehow must track down her missing sister for her mother. Meanwhile, Jade and Carlos risk everything on a river journey through hostile territory, where betrayal could come from either side.
\nFull of action, romance, and political intrigue,\u00a0For the Honor of the Agency<\/span>\u00a0is a thrilling tale of loyalty, love, and survival in a richly imagined multiverse where every choice can shift the fate of empires.<\/p>\n

—————————————<\/h3>\n

REVIEWS<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\n
by Publishers Weekly<\/div>\n
\n

On an alternate Earth, Margaret Peric\u2014the newly appointed Director of Food and Agriculture for the Cross-Temporal Empire\u2014is field agent Markus Ackov\u2019s last hope. He\u2019s been tracking a suspicious crop blight and, despite being shunned by higher-ups, is desperate to share his unsettling discoveries with Margaret. But when he tries to approach her, Markus is brutally attacked, his eight-year-old daughter Jessie in tow, leading Margaret\u2014and her bodyguard, Jade Carvello\u2014to realize that someone intends to keep Markus\u2019s revelation quiet. Jade\u2014an agent of private security firm The Rucker\u2019s Agency\u2014takes it upon herself to find answers. That path leads her to infiltrate the Anarchists, one of many groups \u201cseeking social change\u201d after the recent civil war, in hopes of discovering the truth.<\/p>\n

The stakes are high in this sci-fi thrill ride, as secrets and conspiracies are uncovered and lives are put at risk. While on mission, Jade teams up with one of the Anarchists\u2019 members, Carlos Babineaux, and sparks fly between the two\u2014causing a conflict of interest for the star-crossed lovers. Harvey (author of The Clemhorn Trilogy) weaves together a layered story of intrigue, romance, and political agenda from there, featuring two strong female leads who are intelligent, powerful protagonists\u2014and willing to put everything on the line to protect their loved ones.<\/p>\n

Readers will be entertained by Harvey\u2019s blend of suspense, sci-fi, and dystopia, supplemented by worldbuilding that constructs a believable government and new social order. He is careful to include snippets of history to keep readers abreast of the Cross-Temporal Empire\u2019s formation, and developments like the romance between Jade and Carlos elevate the tension, pitting morality against corruption, love against duty, and sacrifice against survival. Plot twists build a convincing case for a conspiracy with deeper roots than anyone expects, and Harvey leaves readers with both revelations and a dangerous new mission that promises more action in the series\u2019 future.<\/p>\n

Comparable Titles:<\/strong>\u00a0A.G. Riddle\u2019s\u00a0The Extinction Trials<\/em>, Karin Tidbeck\u2019s\u00a0Amatka<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/i>
\nRead the original review<\/a><\/p>\n

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Prologue<\/h2>\n

A century ago, Iapura led 53 survivors through a portal to escape a dying Earth. They had expected to emerge on Alpha Centauri but instead found themselves on an alternate Earth. An Earth where in 1884, Russian and English armies faced off across America\u2019s Great Plains, unprepared for the technological prowess of the conquering Nayarit.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Within six months, the 53 refugees had seized control of the Mainline, and over the next 100 years expanded their empire across the multiverse, eventually including 54 alternate Earths within the Cross-Temporal Empire (C-TE).<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Over the next 90 years, Iapura\u2019s empire expanded steadily across a series of parallel Earths, absorbing and conquering until it included over 53 separate lines Finally, however, with its technology stagnant and its ruling council riven by dissent, the Cross-Temporal Empire descended into five years of civil-war. A civil war that pitched the C-T E\u2019s ruling families against each other in a bitter, internecine feud that almost destroyed it.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Five years later, the Empire struggles to rebuild itself under a new dynasty, the Clemhorns. But now the Empire is under attack from an external enemy \u2013 they just know yet.<\/p>\n

Chapter 1<\/h2>\n

Mainline
\n(Tuesday: New York, Commonwealth of America, Mainline)<\/em><\/h3>\n

\u00a0As the limousine turned into the street, Markus pulled back further into the shadow of the massive oak. A raccoon, disturbed in its feeding, glared at him in warning, while behind it, Central Park drowsed on in the evening\u2019s summer air. Markus risked an anxious glance round the trunk to confirm it was the same vehicle he\u2019d seen leaving the redbrick mansion earlier. There was no mistaking the Rolls, and his breathing quickened, knowing it was almost over.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A tram screeched past, the catenary lines sparking as it turned east toward Lexington Avenue. He watched the Rolls pull into the driveway of the mansion across the street and bent to wake the child curled up at his feet. The sooner he delivered his message, the sooner he\u2019d be able to leave this damn country.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cCome on, Liebchen,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0His daughter roused sleepily. \u201cIs it time to go home, Daddy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cNot quite. We just need to talk to the lady I was telling you about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAll right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0She slipped a trusting hand into his, and he hoisted her up into his arms.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As the two crossed the street, he flicked a nervous glance at the two men loitering on the corner and wondered what they were doing there.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Rolls\u2019 quiet purr had stopped as Markus turned into the mansion\u2019s open gateway. He glanced behind him. The two men were walking purposefully toward them, but the rest of the street was still clear.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A little faster now, but trying not to worry his daughter, he started up the neatly raked driveway, pea-gravel sliding under his boots.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIs that the lady?\u201d his daughter asked, craning her head to look over her shoulder at the tall, statuesque woman with long, raven black hair easing her way out of the Rolls in an elegant, ivory ball gown.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cYes, Liebchen,\u201d he said, placing Jessie back on the ground, wondering as he did so when she had got so heavy.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The scent of gardenias filled the air as he straightened his back and took a deep breath. For the first time, he worried that she, like all the others, might refuse to listen to him. It was too late to worry now, though. \u201cMa\u2019am,\u201d he called. \u201cMiss Peric!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The lady in question looked round, startled to see him, as the other passenger door slammed open and a shorter woman with a bob of dirty-blond hair, dressed in a scarlet tunic and dark-blue trousers, almost fell out of the vehicle.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cStop right there!\u201d the bodyguard commanded; her revolver aimed in his direction.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Markus started to lift his hands but found that his right was still holding his daughter\u2019s. Carefully, he lifted his free hand \u2013 this hadn\u2019t been in the script.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Running footsteps sounded from the gravel behind him. He was turning when something slammed against his spine, driving the air from his lungs, and he toppled forward, face-first into the gravel.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Oh Liebchen, I\u2019m so sorry, was all he had time to think before darkness took him.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Margaret Peric forced her feet back into her stilettos as the Rolls turned onto Fifth Avenue. They were almost home. Through the vehicle\u2019s open window, she could just make out the darker shadows of Central Park\u2019s elm trees in the distance.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0She noticed Jade smiling at her from the other side of the vehicle and grimaced. \u201cBe thankful you get to wear sensible shoes,\u201d she told her bodyguard.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jade sniffed.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A moment later, the Rolls turned through the mansion\u2019s gates, crunching its way up the pea-gravel drive that led to the six-story mansion she presently called home. Jade sneezed as the cloying scent of gardenias filled the vehicle\u2019s interior, and the Rolls eased to a halt at the foot of the mansion\u2019s stairs.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ignoring her bodyguard\u2019s muffled protest, Margaret opened the car door and swung her legs out \u2013 Jade was sometimes over-protective.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cMa\u2019am,\u201d someone called, startling her. \u201cMiss Peric!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Margaret turned and frowned at the sight of the stranger standing in the middle of the drive, clutching the hand of a small girl.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Behind her, she heard Jade\u2019s door slam open. \u201cStop right there!\u201d Jade ordered.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cSoftly,\u201d Margaret warned her, as the stranger lifted his free hand. The child looked as though she was on the verge of bursting into tears.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0And then her attention snapped to the two men running up the drive toward them, gravel crunching under their feet.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cJade \u2013\u201d she said, as she caught sight of the knife one of them was holding, but they had already reached the stranger and she watched horrified as the one with the knife thrust it into the stranger\u2019s back. As he plunged face forward to the ground, the small girl let out a piercing shriek.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Margaret scrabbled in her shoulder-bag for her revolver as one of the men bent over the body. Damn, where was it, she thought, as the second man grabbed the other\u2019s arm and pulled him away, back down the drive. A moment later, both were running for the street.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Margaret was still scrabbling fruitlessly in her bag when she heard a shot and looked across the top of the Rolls to see that Jade had fired her pistol in the air.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cShit,\u201d Jade said, taking off after the two men who had already disappeared around the corner.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Shit indeed, Margaret thought, dumping the contents of her bag onto the back seat to find the revolver. She grabbed it, pulled up her gown and started after Jade.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0She\u2019d only taken three steps when the stiletto heel of her left shoe slid on the gravel and she almost twisted her ankle. With a grimace, she slid her shoes off.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Upon reaching the girl, she crouched next to her, swearing as she saw the handle of the knife protruding from the stranger\u2019s back. \u201cJade,\u201d she called out after her bodyguard. \u201cWe\u2019re going to need a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWhat\u2019s your name, sweetheart?\u201d she asked the child, resting her ear on the stranger\u2019s back. She was almost sure he was still breathing, although his coat made it difficult to be confident.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cJessie,\u201d the girl said. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with Daddy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cYour father\u2019s been stabbed and needs a doctor,\u201d Margaret said, lifting his head carefully to get a hand under his ear to clear his mouth. She wondered if that had been the right thing to tell a child. How was she to know though; it wasn\u2019t as if she\u2019d had much experience with them. Besides, she\u2019d never been one to sugarcoat the truth.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jade appeared beside her. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Margaret jerked her head toward the protruding handle, and Jade let out a muffled oath.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cJames,\u201d Jade called to the house. \u201cPhone for a doctor, then get a couple of people down here. We need to get him inside. And get something to use as a stretcher!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Margaret looked up to see the butler, who had been heading toward them at the run, turn around and head back for the house. \u201cI\u2019m fairly sure he\u2019s still breathing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cGood,\u201d Jade said, nervously looking round. \u201cPerhaps you should take the girl inside?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Margaret frowned but nodded. Although Jade was probably just trying to get her principal out of danger, it made sense to get the girl indoors. Standing up, she brushed the gravel off the bottom of her gown, frowning when she saw the damage. She\u2019d only worn it once!<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cCome on, Jessie,\u201d Margaret said, offering the child her hand. \u201cLet\u2019s go inside and wait for Daddy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jessie looked at her father, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. \u201cWill Daddy be all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m sure he will,\u201d Margaret said, mentally crossing her fingers. \u201cDo you know why Daddy was here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cHe said we were coming to meet you,\u201d Jessie sobbed.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Margaret and Jade shared a puzzled look.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cPerhaps you can tell me what he said while we go inside and wait for him,\u201d Margaret said.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Trustingly, Jessie took her hand. It felt so small resting in hers, Margaret thought. Looking up, she could already see the first of the cavalry starting down the steps toward them. She would have been more comfortable if they were her own staff, but Serge had insisted on her staying at his house while she was in New York, and they seemed efficient enough. The house was certainly cheaper than a hotel or renting her own property. Particularly as she didn\u2019t know how long she\u2019d be staying, or whether she\u2019d even keep the job her cousin had foisted on her.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cCome on,\u201d Margaret said, drawing the child away from her father. Slowly they made their way back up the driveway, with Jessie reluctantly looking back over her shoulder at her father\u2019s limp body as they did so.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cDo you know why your daddy wanted to see me?\u201d Margaret asked, trying to ignore the gravel pinching her bare feet.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jessie shook her head.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cCan I call your mother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jessie shook her head again. \u201cMummy\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cOh.\u201d That was a conversation killer, if ever there was one.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cShe died when I was six,\u201d Jessie added.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAnd how old are you now?\u201d Margaret asked.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cEight,\u201d Jessie announced proudly.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Two of the footmen rushed by; one carrying a couple of rolled up blankets. It was probably a good thing she\u2019d left the fundraiser early. If she\u2019d waited until the event was due to finish most of the staff would have been asleep. The children\u2019s hospital was a good cause, but she hated having to make small talk and she\u2019d cried off as soon as she decently could.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0At the top of the staircase, she paused for a moment to look back to where Jade and the two footmen were sliding the blanket under Jessie\u2019s father. She looked down and noticed Jessie was also staring worriedly at them.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mrs. Mack, the tiny housekeeper, was hovering uncertainly in the doorway. Despite her diminutive size, the housekeeper ruled the domestic staff with a will of pure iron. According to Serge, his father had brought her with him from the Dontfrey Line when he\u2019d returned to the Mainline fifteen years ago. Which sort of made her family, Margaret thought, as she\u2019d lived on Dontfrey herself until a year ago.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cHas someone called the doctor?\u201d Margaret asked.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d the housekeeper said, looking up at her. \u201cJames sent the boy next door for Mr. Castles. And who\u2019s this?\u201d she asked, barely needing to bend her head to place her face at the same level as the child\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThis is Jessie, Mrs. Mack. They\u2019re going to be bringing her father up in a moment, but I need to get out of this dress and find some shoes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cCertainly, ma\u2019am. Will you come with me, Jessie? You can help me get some hot water ready for your father.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jessie nodded solemnly, and confident that she was in safe hands, Margaret started up the stairs to the bedroom. She\u2019d got about halfway up when she remembered what she\u2019d been thinking about in the car on the way back from the fundraiser. \u201cMrs. Mack,\u201d she called, leaning over the balustrade. \u201cHas there been any word from my sister?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cNo, ma\u2019am, nothing from Miss Louise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Margaret frowned. It would be so much easier if her mother could have done the job herself rather than delegating her eldest daughter with the task of tracking down her youngest child. She understood why she couldn\u2019t, with Father\u2019s health being so delicate after his heart attack. But just what did Louise think she was doing walking out on her fianc\u00e9 to traipse all the way to New York? \u201cAll right, let me know if you hear anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cOf course, ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cMa\u2019am!\u201d It was the butler.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cYes, James?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe police are here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0She rolled her eyes \u2013 of course the police were here. \u201cShow them into the front room. I\u2019ll see them in a moment. And ask Jade if she can make herself available.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It didn\u2019t take her long to change into silk pajamas and dressing-gown, and to grab some slippers.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jade was waiting outside the room for her.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cHow is he?\u201d Margaret asked, dropping her voice.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAlive. Mr. Castles was just starting his examination.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThen let\u2019s see what we can do for the gentlemen in blue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The two uniformed representatives of New York\u2019s finest were standing uncomfortably in the center of the room.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cGentlemen, what can I do for you?\u201d Margaret asked politely.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019ve had a report of someone firing a gun,\u201d the senior officer said.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The other, who looked barely old enough to shave, jerked his admiring gaze away from Jade.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0There was a knock, and James stuck his head around the door. \u201cI\u2019m sorry to interrupt, ma\u2019am, but Imperial Security are here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cShow them in,\u201d she said with a sigh. Perhaps she could try to deal with them in bulk.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cMiss Peric,\u201d the Imp-Sec Officer said politely when she was shown into the room. \u201cSpecial Agent Kostello, Imperial Security.\u201d She held her identity card up with the all-seeing eye etched into the mother-of-pearl background in black.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Margaret caught Jade covetously eyeing the Special Agent\u2019s black and silver uniform and turned her attention back to the Special Agent.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI was just passing,\u201d Kostello said, \u201cand I wondered if I could provide any assistance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Just passing \u2013 as if! Imp-Sec had parked themselves outside the house for the first couple of weeks after she took up residence until she\u2019d put her foot down. After a heated conversation with her cousin, they\u2019d compromised, and Imp-Sec had established a control post in an apartment around the corner at 5 E Seventy-Eighth Street. It was 120 yards away, plus stairs, but at least she could now pretend to be a big girl.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThank you, Special Agent Kostello,\u201d Margaret said. \u201cMy bodyguard was forced to discharge her pistol in the air when we witnessed an attempted robbery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The three looked at Jade, who gave a short, decisive nod.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe victim is not known to me,\u201d Margaret continued, \u201cnor to anyone else in this house. At this stage, he is being examined by the doctor. If I subsequently decide that the matter is one that should be drawn to the attention of either the local police, or Imp-Sec, I will ensure this occurs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Special Agent Kostello swallowed whatever she was going to say and pasted a fake smile on her face. \u201cOf course, ma\u2019am. Thank you. Come, gentlemen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The younger police officer opened his mouth to say something, but the senior shook his head at him warningly.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Margaret rang the bell, and James appeared to escort them out of the room.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cSo, let\u2019s see what this was all about,\u201d Margaret said to Jade, when they\u2019d been shown out of the house.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The lobby was deserted, but they followed the sound of talking into the kitchen, where they found the stranger lying facedown on the large wooden kitchen table. The doctor was carefully cutting the fabric of the stranger\u2019s coat back from the knife wound. A strong smell of antiseptic wafted through the air toward Margaret.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0For a moment, she froze, the smell overpowering her. Then the patient lifted his head and Margaret could move again.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cHold still,\u201d the doctor told him curtly.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0She\u2019d only seen her neighbor once, in the distance, but there was no mistaking him. The doctor\u2019s thick, ginger, bushy sideburns stuck straight out from his face like a Cheshire cat\u2019s. The round, wire-rimmed glasses he wore emphasized the similarity.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cYou\u2019re not taking him to the hospital?\u201d Margaret asked, staying outside the door. With four staff, the doctor, and now Jade, all standing around the table, the kitchen looked crowded enough. And there was the fact that the stink of antiseptic brought back too many unpleasant memories.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cNot unless we need to.\u201d The doctor did not bother to look up. \u201cThe knife is too close to the spine. Too much risk the trip might aggravate the wound.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The cloth had been cut through now, and the surgeon peeled back the coat and shirt to expose the knife sticking up from his back. There was a lot less blood than Margaret had expected.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The doctor opened a small tube of ointment, and smeared some onto the skin around the protruding handle before picking up a small portable scanner. The scanner was about the size of a packet of cigarettes and had a wand attached. As he deftly ran the head of the wand over the skin around the wound, he studied the image on the screen.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWell?\u201d Margaret asked impatiently.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mr. Castles ignored her, and she felt a surge of irritation at his manner. He might be good at what he did, and the fact that he owned a house facing onto Central Park showed he probably was, but as the daughter of a Continental Leader she was not used to being ignored.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0After replacing the scanner, Castles checked his watch, then carefully placed one hand on the handle of the knife, and the other on the skin around the wound. \u201cHold your breath,\u201d he told the patient before, in one smooth movement, he pulled the knife free.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0There was a yelp, and as the knife\u2019s blade emerged, Margaret could see it was a single-edged blade about eight inches long. The blade itself was black metal, about three inches wide, with a strip of brass inlaid along its back, and a curved portion cut into the back of the blade near the tip.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Holding the knife up with one hand, the doctor pressed on the wound with a gauze pad as he inspected the blade with the other. \u201cNo nicks,\u201d he said finally, after he\u2019d finished checking it.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWhich means?\u201d Margaret raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cNothing left in the wound.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cMay I?\u201d Jade stepped forward to take the blade before he could place it on the table next to the scanner.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mr. Castles looked surprised, but handed her the knife.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jade inspected it for a moment, then nodded, pleased.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWhat?\u201d Margaret asked.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s a Blacks and Sons\u2019 Bowie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Margaret frowned. Sometimes Jade had a bad habit of simply assuming people could read her mind. \u201cWhich means?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt has a serial number?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAnd that means?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jade sighed. \u201cIt means we can trace the person who bought it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAh.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The doctor ignored the conversation as he removed a short piece of black cable from his bag. He screwed an eyepiece onto one end, smeared the cable with more ointment, then clicked the eyepiece over his glasses and carefully inserted the other end of the cable into the wound.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWell?\u201d Margaret asked after five minutes of watching the good doctor stare into the eyepiece.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Without looking up, the doctor gestured for silence.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Margaret folded her arms, vexed at being ignored. She caught sight of Jade suppressing a grin at her reaction and couldn\u2019t help smiling at herself.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Finally, the doctor removed the cable, stood up and stretched his back carefully. \u201cYou, sir, are a very lucky man. The knife missed all significant organs, and so long as it hasn\u2019t damaged the spine, which it doesn\u2019t appear to have, you should be up on your feet within two days. You\u2019ll need to remain here for a couple of days. I presume that will be all right?\u201d he said, apparently realizing he might have gone just a little too far.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cOh absolutely,\u201d Margaret said dryly. \u201cThe house certainly has enough rooms.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cGood, my nurse will bring the bill when she comes to change the dressing tomorrow morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cOf course,\u201d Margaret said.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cGive me fifteen minutes to glue everything back together and clean up here and I\u2019ll be out of your hair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThank you,\u201d Margaret said, feeling she\u2019d been dismissed, and in her own house too! \u201cI\u2019ll see about getting a room made up for Mr.\u00a0.\u00a0.\u00a0.\u201d she paused, suddenly aware she didn\u2019t know the stranger\u2019s name.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAckov,\u201d the stranger said, turning his head to give her a wan look. \u201cMarkus Ackov. I apologize for any difficulty I may have inadvertently caused you, Miss Peric.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cNo difficulty at all, Mr. Ackov, I\u2019ll see about your room. Your daughter can wait for you there. Is there anyone we should tell where you are?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cNo, no one.\u201d His Serbian accent definitely betrayed his background, even if the name hadn\u2019t. \u201cI have a room booked in the Casuarina Hotel. The key is in my coat pocket.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cJade, perhaps you can send someone round to pick up their belongings?\u201d Margaret suggested. \u201cI need to find Mrs. Mack.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cShe was going to take Jessie to the parlor,\u201d Jade said.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As Jade had suggested, Margaret found Mrs. Mack in the parlor. Jessie had been watching the door and stood up as Margaret came in. \u201cIs Daddy all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cYes, sweetheart. You can see him in a couple of minutes. Mrs. Mack, it appears Jessie\u2019s father will be staying with us for a couple of days. Can you prepare one of the guest bedrooms? Perhaps Jessie would like to help you get it ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cOf course, come on Jessie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0With a sigh, Margaret watched them leave, wondering how long it would be before life would return to normal. She had enough problems at the Department without having to worry about two unexpected guests. The latest figures on the impact of the outbreak of red rust in the wheat crop in the American Midwest were getting steadily worse. If they couldn\u2019t do something about it, they could be facing famine. And just where was Louise?<\/p>\n

Order from Your Favourite Store<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n
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For the Honor of the Agency by Andrew J Harvey Book 1 of The Honor Trilogy Newly appointed to the Cross-Temporal Empire’s Department of Agriculture and Food, Margaret Peric quickly discovers her role is far more dangerous than she ever imagined. When an ex-employee is nearly killed trying to expose a genetically engineered crop blight, … Continue reading For the Honor of the Agency: #1 in the Honor Trilogy by Andrew J. Harvey<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-650","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/andrewjharvey.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/andrewjharvey.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/andrewjharvey.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/andrewjharvey.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/andrewjharvey.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=650"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/andrewjharvey.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/650\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":654,"href":"https:\/\/andrewjharvey.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/650\/revisions\/654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/andrewjharvey.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}