The Project 01 - White Jade

brought to light by the hard sweat of the Chinese who came to the "Golden Mountain" to build a better life for themselves and their families.
    There are many people who helped with ideas and encouragement. My wife, Gayle, who read early drafts and made really good comments and who has to listen to me, again and again ; Frank Macchi, formerly of the SFPD, who told me about the BART airshaft at the end of the Ferry Building pier and some cool stuff about the Chinese Triads in the Bay Area; Greg Skein, former Army Ranger; Glenn Frazier, a Vietnam Vet and neighbor, who ke eps asking for the next book.
    Two New York agents, Emma Sweeney and Matthew Carnicelli, took a lot of their valuable time to look at the book and made excellent comments that have helped me become (I hope) a better writer .
    There are others. Thank you, all of you.

    July, 2011

About the Author

    Alex Lukeman is a former Marine and professional musician. He likes old, fast motorcycles, Barbados rum , playing guitar and reading mysteries and thrillers. He lives in Northern California in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains.

    You can contact Alex through his web site:
    http://www.alexlukeman.org

    B l og: http://www.alexlukeman.blogspot.com

    Turn the page for a preview of THE LANCE , Book Two in the series featuring the Project, Nick and Selena. Book Three, THE SEVENTH PILLAR and Book Four, BLACK HARVEST are also available in print and digital editions. Book Five will be out at the end of 2012.

THE LANCE

    CHAPTER ONE

    Nicholas Carter looked at Elizabeth Harker and thought if there were any elves in the world, they probably looked like her. She was small boned and slim. She had milk white skin and small ears tucked under raven black hair. She had wide, green eyes. She was dressed in a black pants suit and white blouse with a Mao collar. In two years working for her he'd never seen her wear anything but black and white.
    Harker ran the Project, the Presidential Official Joint Exercise in Counter Terrorism. She was Nick's boss. Her boss was the President.
    On Harker's desk were a silver pen, a picture of the Twin Towers burning and a manila folder. The pen had belonged to FDR. The picture was a reminder. The folder was likely going to shape his day. Working for Harker meant he never knew if the day might leave him hanging out on the edge and wondering if he could pull himself back in.
    He heard Harker say, "Someone's thinking about making trouble in the Middle East."
    "Someone's always thinking about making trouble in the Middle East. What's different now?"
    He fumbled in his pocket, found a crumbly antacid tablet and popped it in his mouth. Carter felt the tremor of a headache starting. Harker picked up her silver pen and began tapping it on the polished surface of her desk. Each tap vibrated inside his skull.
    "The President is speaking in Jerusalem on Thursday. We have a source who says there's going to be trouble. He wants a face to face meet."
    Carter tugged on the mutilated lobe of his left ear , where a Chinese bullet had taken off the lobe a few months ago. The bandage was off. It had looked better with it on.
    It was the same ear that itched whenever things were about to get dicey. It itched now. A gift or a curse he'd inherited from his Irish Grandmother, along with dreams he didn't want to have.
    "Have you passed this to Langley? What do they say?"
    "I 'm supposed to back off and leave things up to the 'professionals'." There was an edge to her voice. "Lodge says there's no need for concern."
    Wendell Lodge, Acting Director CIA.
    "He says he and his Israeli counterparts have everything under control."
    "Mossad?"
    "And Shin Bet."
    "What's Shin Bet?" said Selena.
    Selena Connor sat next to Carter on Harker's leather couch. The ceiling lights caught the reddish blond color of her hair and turned her eyes violet. She wore a tan silk outfit and a pale blouse that went with her eyes. She was the first woman Nick had let get close since Megan died. He didn't know where it was going. Or if he wanted it to go anywhere. She was new to the team, which meant she had a lot to learn, which worried the hell out of him.
    Selena brushed a stray wisp of hair from her forehead.
    Harker said, "Shin Bet is Israel's version of the FBI, on steroids. They handle internal security and counter-terrorism. Mossad is foreign intelligence and ops, like MI6 or CIA."
    Carter looked down at his hands and picked at a broken fingernail. "Lodge is a devious bastard and a