"When dark days come and monsters are at the door, I want you to stand behind Cain Machinovic. He will beat back the beasts, or be destroyed." Cain "The Machine" Machinovic, the man who single-handedly captured the fabled Oliver Alt, returns in this sequel to KILL BY NUMB3RS. He leads a crack FBI team self-dubbed the 7th Circle for the place in Hell that Dante designated for people who harm others. The agents hunt a particular order of psychopathy, serial killers. Top-notch operatives and a state of art computer nicknamed, Sherlock, put them at the top of their field. In a current investigation, they capture, then uncover a Pandora's Box of death when they arrest a man who is playing an online game with other murderers. The group plays a virtual video game, Clan Bean. An offensive game named after the Scottish legend, Sawney Bean, who, along with his incestuous family, murdered and cannibalized 1,000 people in the 15th Century. In real life, virtual life becomes an actuality, and the body count rises. The high-tech chase begins, and the FBI unwittingly expose themselves to the members of the game. No one is more prized than The Machine. This designation brings the meticulous and relentless Cain, directly into the crosshairs of danger. Pitting one incredibly evil group versus The Machine. Some would think it a fair fight. Those who know Cain comprehend that this battle will most likely be the end of Clan Bean. In life, there are at least two sides. Occasionally, one side overwhelms the other. That is when monsters arise and with them, heroes who battle to restore stability." "Using a razor sharp hunting knife, Steve could gut a deer with precision. This bag of human flesh presented little problem. A single black 110-gallon plastic bag did the trick for the butchered body. He taped a smaller plastic bag around the head. Then he used Gorilla Tape to fasten his arms and legs. There were a few final, but necessary, things to resolve. He drove the man's truck into the shrubs. Someone would find it tomorrow. Steve glanced at his watch. The trip to Appalachia National Park would take an hour. One last scan of the vehicle for anything he had left behind, finally, he felt confident. He jammed the accelerator with a roadside rock, popped the thing into gear, and it sent an impressive spray of stones spraying from its tires. "The sun disappeared behind the Blue Ridge Mountains. It would be a long night. He scanned the dead man's identification. It tickled him. His victim's name... Casey Sheehan, so ambiguous. Male or female? He must enjoy every second to savor the task of disposing of Casey. Who could tell when his next opportunity to hunt, would come? He slowed his truck. Exceeding the speed limit on these mountain roads could be treacherous. By midnight, Casey would be in his final resting place. Tomorrow he would sign on to Clan Bean's site and play the game with renewed vigor. Maybe, with this kill he could move up from Grunt to Shaman status, and if he ate some of Casey's flesh and made a video-vine of the act, he might become a warrior troll."
About the Author: Harvey Tate writes to scratch a surreptitious itch. The aspiration of this former high school teacher and administrator is to free his love of words and to calm an introverted soul. Each of his six titles is written in six diverse genres, with a focus on amusing, educating, and stirring the reader at their core. A laugh, a tear, and trip to a thesaurus never hurt anyone. He pledges accuracy and fidelity to the story. He writes because he reads and to continue his life-long journey of determining the why in why not? Harvey was born in Pennsylvania, lived most of his life in Maryland and now resides in Richmond, Virginia. He has a BS in Biological Science and an M.Ed in High School Administration. His Novels: Little Sisters of War (Women's Lacrosse) As The Wind Walks - (Civil War and WWII) Moonlight on the River - (Romance Action) Tentacles of Time - (Science Fiction) Kill by Numb3rs - (Mystery Thriller) Edge of the 7th Circle - (Mystery Thriller Sequel)