Novels by Manuel Sterling

The press conference was a masterclass in corporate theater. Zen stood on the podium at the future site of Skyline, the skeletal framework of the unfinished building rising behind him like the bones of a slumbering giant. Construction equipment gleamed in the afternoon sun, workers in Mega-branded safety gear positioned strategically in the background.Camera flashes punctuated his arrival as journalists frantically took notes. The city's most prominent business reporters had rushed to the site following Mega's cryptic announcement of "significant developments regarding the Skyline project."Zen adjusted the microphone, his expression betraying nothing of the calculated vengeance driving his actions. Sinclair stood to the side, scanning the crowd with practiced vigilance, while Keisha managed the press at the perimeter."Good afternoon," Zen began, his voice carrying across the assembled media with commanding precision. "Thank you for joining us on such short notice. Today marks a sig

Night had fallen across the city as Zen sat alone in his office, the only illumination coming from his desk lamp and the soft glow of his computer screen. The Rossi loan documents were spread before him, each page meticulously annotated with his observations. The evidence was damning—predatory terms, hidden clauses, and what appeared to be deliberate manipulation of financial projections to ensure default.Mrs. Rossi had overplayed her hand, and now Zen had everything he needed to take control of the Skyline project.A soft ping from his security system alerted him to movement in the outer office. Zen glanced at his watch—11:47 PM. The cleaning staff had already finished hours ago, and his assistant had left shortly after six.He wasn't expecting anyone.With calmness, Zen closed the folder containing the loan documents and slid it into his desk drawer. He then pressed a concealed button beneath his desk, activating the silent recording system he'd installed for exactly this type of s

The Skyline project dominated the horizon, its partially completed towers rising like monoliths against the afternoon sky. Construction cranes swung in choreographed precision, while teams of workers navigated the massive structure with efficiency. Despite being 15 percent complete, the development already commanded attention—a testament to Tom's architectural vision and business ambition.Zen stood at the edge of the site, ostensibly reviewing progress reports while actually conducting a far more strategic assessment. Following Wilson's revelations about the underground infrastructure connections, a personal inspection had become necessary."The north tower foundation is proceeding ahead of schedule," James Wilson explained as they walked the perimeter. "Structural integrity tests exceeded specifications by twelve percent.""And the sublevel excavation?" Zen asked, his attention focused on the massive pit that would eventually become the project's underground parking and service are

Back in Zen’s Home country, after the whole heat has died down.Evelyn Rossi's office occupied the entire top floor of the Rossi Enterprises headquarters, a testament to both her inflated sense of importance and desperate need for the appearance of power. Floor-to-ceiling windows provided a 360-degree view of the city, including—Zen noted with satisfaction—a perfect sightline to the Skyline project rising in the distance. A project she'd foolishly leveraged her company to infiltrate."Mr. Diel," she greeted as he was ushered in by her assistant. Her voice carried the brittle warmth of someone trying to mask anxiety behind social pleasantries. "What an unexpected pleasure. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me."Zen moved into the spacious office with confident strides, each step calculated to remind her who truly held power in this room. He didn't wait for her invitation before settling comfortably in the chair opposite her desk."Avoiding you, Evelyn? Quite the contrary. I've

The yacht cut through darkening waters, its engines humming at three-quarter power as it navigated away from Saint-Malo's harbor. Security personnel had settled into cruising positions—two on the aft deck, one on the forward observation point, and two inside the main cabin with Zharkov and Nia. The remaining guards were likely positioned on the bridge and in the engine room, maintaining operational security throughout the vessel.Zen and Henri remained concealed near the outer deck storage compartments, using the shadows cast by the yacht's exterior lighting to avoid detection. The increasing distance from shore worked in their favor—intervention from harbor authorities becoming less likely with each passing minute."Approaching optimal position," Henri noted quietly, checking the GPS coordinates on his tactical device. "Five minutes to designated extraction point."Zen nodded. They had identified a stretch of water approximately three nautical miles from shore—far enough to avoid imm

Saint-Malo's ancient granite walls rose against the darkening sky, silhouetted by the setting sun as it dipped into the English Channel. The medieval fortifications had withstood centuries of sieges and storms, but now they served as mere backdrop to a far more immediate conflict. NiaZen studied the waterfront property through high-powered binoculars, his position on a neighboring rooftop offering optimal surveillance while maintaining adequate distance. The target—a modernist villa constructed with obvious disregard for the historic surroundings—sat directly on the water, complete with private dock where a sleek yacht waited, engines idling."Preparations for immediate departure," he noted, observing increased activity around the vessel. "Security detail?"Beside him, Henri adjusted his own observation equipment. "Eight visible. Professionally positioned. Two on the main approach, two patrolling the perimeter, four on the property itself.""Armed?""Concealed, but evident from their

The processing continued through the evening with professional efficiency that impressed even Liam's analytical mind. Every former slave was documented, medically examined, and provided with immediate necessities. The operation moved like clockwork."Someone's been planning this for a long time," Anna observed, watching medical teams treat injuries with supplies that seemed specifically chosen for the conditions they were encountering."Months, probably," Samson agreed. "This isn't improvised humanitarian response. This is coordinated extraction."The cat masked man moved through the operation with quiet authority, checking on various aspects of the evacuation without appearing to be in charge. But Miko noticed how personnel deferred to his guidance and how efficiently tasks were completed after he made suggestions.Professional rescue teams had established a temporary medical station where Anna worked alongside trained doctors to treat the most seriously injured evacuees. The equipme

The cat masked man moved like death itself.The remaining karkub stood no chance. They were fast, predatory creatures with multiple limbs and burning intelligence, but they moved like statues compared to the masked fighter. Each strike was perfectly placed, each movement calculated for maximum effect with minimum effort.Within moments, every karkub in the portal chamber was dead. Not defeated - completely eliminated, their essence scattered like smoke in the wind.The regular wraiths that had been stationed throughout the complex fared no better. Miko caught glimpses of the masked man's work as he moved through the tunnel systems - scorch marks where creatures had been eliminated, cleared passages where guards had simply vanished."How is he doing that?" Garcia asked, watching the systematic elimination of enemies that had been overwhelming them minutes before."I don't know," Anna replied, still working to heal the injured team members. "But whatever he is, he's not just human."The

What happened next wasn't a fight. It was an execution.The cat masked man moved with the ultimate of the ultimate precision that made the awakened wraiths' enhanced speed look clumsy. Where Miko's element marriage was raw power wrapped in hungry darkness, this stranger fought with clinical efficiency that operated beyond normal reality.The karkub died first. They were fast, multi-limbed predators with burning intelligence, but they moved like statues compared to the masked fighter. Each strike was perfectly placed, each movement calculated for maximum effect with minimum effort."Impossible," the first awakened wraith breathed, backing away as karkub fell around it like wheat before a scythe. "No human moves like that.""Who said I was human?" the masked man replied conversationally.His voice was calm, like he was discussing the weather rather than eliminating creatures that had been overwhelming trained students seconds before. Whatever power he possessed operated by rules that di

Miko stared at the cat masked man, black flames still flickering around his body from the element marriage. His recognition of the underground fighter from the Blanche guild hung in the air, but before anyone could respond, the situation deteriorated rapidly.The wraith he'd hit to reveal the illusion wasn't finished. As its phantom form dissolved completely, something much worse became clear. The overwhelming force of dozens of awakened wraiths hadn't just been reduced to eight.It had been reduced to two.Only two real awakened wraiths remained in the portal chamber, and the moment the illusions completely faded, everything changed. These weren't just elite soldiers - they radiated power that made the air itself feel heavy and dangerous.The other creatures that had appeared to be awakened wraiths were revealed as something entirely different. Twisted, multi-limbed monsters with too many teeth and burning eyes that moved like predatory pack animals rather than soldiers."Karkub," Dr

The battle was going badly.What had started as a coordinated assault was turning into a desperate fight for survival. The awakened wraiths moved like a professional army, coordinating attacks and defensive positions with military precision that caught the team completely off guard."How are there so many of them?" Cabin shouted, his earth barriers crumbling under sustained assault from multiple directions.Miko counted at least forty awakened wraiths visible in the portal chamber alone, with more streaming in from other parts of the complex. The intelligence and coordination they displayed was far beyond anything he'd expected from Abyssal creatures.Across the cavern, he could see his other teammates struggling just as badly. Only Samson, Liam, Akiya, and Garcia seemed to be putting up decent fights against their opponents. Everyone else was being pushed back or barely holding defensive positions.Anna was doing her best to coordinate slave evacuations while under constant pressure

Midnight came too fast.Miko lay on his thin sleeping mat, listening to the sounds of exhausted slaves trying to rest despite knowing what was coming. The dormitory was never truly quiet - too many people breathing, shifting, occasionally crying out from nightmares. But tonight felt different. There was an electric tension in the air that had nothing to do with the control collars."Everyone ready?" he whispered into the darkness.Quiet confirmations came from around the sleeping area. Dr. Chen and her resistance contacts had spent the evening passing coded messages to key personnel. It wasn't the coordinated assault they'd originally planned, but it would have to do."Remember," Miko continued, his voice barely audible, "we hit multiple targets simultaneously. Maximum chaos, minimum coordination time for their response."The plan was simple because it had to be. Complicated strategies required time they didn't have and communication networks they couldn't establish without detection.