{"id":8015,"date":"2020-12-14T10:28:48","date_gmt":"2020-12-14T16:28:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.logikalsolutions.com\/wordpress\/?p=4190"},"modified":"2020-12-14T10:28:48","modified_gmt":"2020-12-14T16:28:48","slug":"zero-day-rising","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interestingauthors.com\/blog\/uncategorized\/zero-day-rising\/","title":{"rendered":"Zero-Day Rising"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The BetterWorld Trilogy, Book 3<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

Science fiction (Cyberpunk) \/ Techno-thriller<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Date Published: <\/b><\/span>Oct. 1, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

Publisher: See Sharp Press<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"photo<\/a><\/div>\n

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In Zero-Day Rising, the third book of the BetterWorld trilogy, Kiyoko is
\ntired of hiding and grieving, and has decided to strike back. In the first
\nvolume of the critically acclaimed BetterWorld cyberpunk trilogy, Kiyoko’s
\nolder sister Waylee and their hacktivist friends exposed a conspiracy
\nbetween MediaCorp and U.S. President Rand to control the flow of information
\nand run the world on behalf of a cabal of billionaires. In volume two,
\nWaylee faced life imprisonment, while Kiyoko and her friends were hunted by
\na team of ruthless mercenaries. In Zero-Day Rising, Kiyoko resolves to free
\nher sister and bring down President Rand and MediaCorp. However, MediaCorp
\nunleashes its ultimate plan: direct mind control with cerebral implants. Can
\nKiyoko and Waylee’s team stop them? Can they penetrate MediaCorp’s networks
\nand end the company’s grip over humanity? All while eluding the biggest
\nmanhunt in history, in a country where everyone and everything is under
\nsurveillance?<\/span><\/p>\n

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Excerpt<\/strong><\/p>\n

The\u00a0Fin and Tonic<\/em>, a 42-foot fishing boat they\u2019d chartered with cryptocurrency, bounced into the furious black sky, then smashed down again with a crash. Kiyoko gripped the arms of her tightened-down swivel chair, and fought not to throw up or scream in terror. Battered by wind and rain, the clear tarp around the bridge fluttered violently, threatening to rip from its fasteners and fly away.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuite da squall, ain\u2019t it,\u201d the captain said, gripping the steering wheel from the center chair, struggling to keep the boat angled against the white-capped waves. If they swung parallel to the waves, he\u2019d explained, they could capsize, and if they drove straight into them, they might bury the bow.<\/p>\n

The captain was old, with leathery dark skin and thinning gray curls beneath a Miami Dolphins \/ Super Bowl Champions cap.\u00a0\u201cDon\u2019t normally go out in weather like this,\u201d he said, \u201c\u2019specially after dark.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was Pel\u2019s idea, so no one would see them. \u201cWe have faith in you,\u201d Kiyoko told the captain. According to his Comnet site, he\u2019d been piloting boats for decades.<\/p>\n

Gripping the other passenger chair on the bridge deck, Nicolas stared into his augmented reality glasses, verifying their course and monitoring the VHF radio for Coast Guard patrols. Pel had lessened that worry by calling in a fake tip about drug smuggling into Biscayne Bay, well to the south.<\/p>\n

Pel, Charles, and Alzira were below in the cabin, along with their bags of gear. The boat didn\u2019t have a satcom so there wasn\u2019t much they could do until they reached the mainland.<\/p>\n

Another rise. Kiyoko\u2019s muscles tensed in anticipation. The boat plunged down, leaving her stomach behind.<\/p>\n

They smacked bottom with a shudder. Water crashed over the bow and splashed against the tarp. Despite the scopo patch behind her left ear, she almost retched.<\/p>\n

Please O Mazu, O Poseidon, grant us safe passage.<\/em>\u00a0Kiyoko had given up on the gods after what happened in S\u00e3o Paulo, but this was a good time for a truce.<\/p>\n

The captain tacked to stay on course.\u00a0\u201c\u2019Taint the first time someone paid me to sneak across the water,\u201d he said. \u201cBut first time I been dumb enough to do it in a storm.\u201d<\/p>\n

And they were only an hour out of port. It would have been a four-hour trip in calm seas, the captain had said. But in this weather? They\u2019d be lucky to arrive at all.<\/p>\n

No lights on the horizon or in the air. Not that Kiyoko could see far through the storm. The radar display on the console screen showed some white triangles on the perimeter, embedded in wide bands of green, yellow, and red.<\/p>\n

Kiyoko pointed at the screen.\u00a0\u201cWhat are those triangles?\u201d she asked. They had small alphanumeric codes to the side.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t touch nothin\u2019,\u201d the captain growled. \u201cFreighters, tankers, not to worry,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Another rise and fall. A loud thump came from the cabin below.\u00a0What was that?<\/em><\/p>\n

Someone shouted, the voice carrying above the dueling wind and engines. Sounded like Charles, cursing.<\/p>\n

Kiyoko turned to Nicolas.\u00a0\u201cWhat is it? What happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nicolas spoke quietly into his wraparound mic, then turned toward her.\u00a0\u201cCharles wants to know why there aren\u2019t any seatbelts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nicolas shrugged.\u00a0\u201cProbably. He\u2019d be screaming if he broke something.\u201d<\/p>\n

The waves diminished as they neared the Florida coast, although the rain didn\u2019t let up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWesterly winds workin\u2019 in our favor now,\u201d the captain said.<\/p>\n

Kiyoko checked her comlink. They were two hours behind schedule.\u00a0\u201cCan we go faster then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d The captain pushed the dual throttle forward. They picked up speed.<\/p>\n

It was hard to see much through the sheets of rain, but a glow appeared along the horizon, brightest to the south. Ahead, a light swept across the sky every ten seconds or so.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that a lighthouse?\u201d Kiyoko asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYep,\u201d the captain said. \u201cThat\u2019s the Jupiter Lighthouse. That\u2019s where we headed. I got a GPS navigator but I like t\u2019 see where I goin\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kiyoko didn\u2019t see any other boats, nor anything on the radar display. No Comnet signal, but they were still miles from the coast, with heavy rain in between. She hoped M-pat was still waiting for them and hadn\u2019t given up, or been accosted by police.<\/p>\n

The waves picked up as they approached the inlet, rocking the boat up and down, left and right.<\/p>\n

Sweat dripped down the captain\u2019s cheeks as he stared ahead, gripping the wheel. \u201cHate these shoals.\u201d<\/p>\n

They roared between two rock jetties, then the waves died. The captain slowed the boat and it seemed to sag with relief.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome to the United States,\u201d Kiyoko told Nicolas in quiet Portuguese.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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About the Author<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

T. C. (Ted) Weber has pursued writing since childhood, and learned
\nfilmmaking and screenwriting in college, along with a little bit of physics.
\nHis first published novel was a near-future cyberpunk thriller titled Sleep
\nState Interrupt (See Sharp Press). It was a finalist for the 2017 Compton
\nCrook award for best first science fiction, fantasy, or horror novel. The
\nfirst sequel, The Wrath of Leviathan, was published in 2018, and the final
\nbook, Zero-Day Rising, just came out in October, 2020. He has other books on
\nthe way as well. He is a member of Poets & Writers and the Maryland
\nWriters Association. By day, Mr. Weber works as a climate adaptation
\nanalyst, and has had a number of scientific papers and book chapters
\npublished. He lives in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife Karen. He enjoys
\ntraveling and has visited all seven continents.\u00a0 For book samples,
\nshort stories, and more, visit
\nhttps:\/\/www.tcweber.com\/<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Contact Links<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Website<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Facebook<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Twitter: @savethereefs<\/span><\/p>\n

Goodreads<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Blog (publisher\u2019s)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Instagram<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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Purchase Links<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Amazon<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Barnes and Noble<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

IPG<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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a Rafflecopter giveaway<\/a>
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