HOW TO  KILL SOMEONE..

Don't ask me, I am just a writer and anyway from what I understand it (killing), is still both illegal and immoral to do that.

Now for a trained assassin the wrongs and the immorals do not come into play here... but I believe money does. 

Killing anyone is crossing that line and not something I would ever contemplate. Writing about someone that does kill people while the subject matter walks a line, one tries to do so without glamorizing the act of killing.
I don't believe that having an in depth view of a man that would do this immoral action though either, as being wrong or immoral, after-all what I am trying to do is tell a story.

Jack Stryker a man with a secret, who balances his two sides, his two lives on a tightrope of suspense and reason. He is after-all is some sense a good guy as well, ridding the world of people that kill and maim for profit. Doing what the regular law enforcement agencies cannot do as they are bound by the laws they serve to protect.Yes he is also above the law but free to act without the constraints that the law provides to protect people..

He fills in the spaces between what is right and what is wrong.

What do you think?  

New Jersey.

The story of Jack Striker and his hidden life as a highly trained assassin.
He lives his normal life just outside of a small town near Newark, New jersey.
Why do I place him there?
Mainly to give the character diversity.
He was born in England, grew up in Toronto, Canada, and now lives just outside of Nutley New Jersey. His work takes him all over the world.
As a writer I am familiar with all the many areas Jack has lived and worked in.
Interested in reading more...
A Man with a Secret will soon be published as an eBook...  along with the first of several sequels..
Soon..

The Company

A Man with a Secret

Chapter a preview

Jack’s cell phone was buzzing as it sat on the car seat beside him, as he was driving home.  

He looked down at it and could see that Penny was calling him. He was particular about rules and safety, so he carefully slowed down and looked for a place to pull over. Most people would just answer the phone, but not Jack. He saw a parking spot and pulled over, stopped and put the car into park. She had left a message that she was going to be late getting home. “Okay” he said, “fine I guess it’s whatever’s in the fridge for me for supper tonight."

Then just as he was about to drive off, his phone rang again, it was The Company. “Darn” he said “what now.” An encrypted message was texted to him.

“Oh and I thought I was going to have a normal night off tonight.”

He pulled out his small laptop from his attaché case and logged in. The encrypted message was there as well and using an unlocking code he decoded the message. It instructed him that he was working tonight. Details would follow, but that he was needed for a special job. 

“It’s always special” he said and "lately I seem to be working more than others are.”

“Bet I am going out of town as well,” he mused. “I think I need to have a serious talk with these guys about losing a few hours or maybe even working on a casual basis.”

Jack was 55 and he felt that he should be doing a less, a lot less. Yes he was probably fitter than anyone half his age, and he had far more experience in the field than anyone else had. But there was more to life than this and it was all different now, not like it used to be in the good old days. No, he needed a change and he was thinking about retiring soon. He had worked for The Company for a good many years and while he was still very good at what he did for them, there does come a time, when one needs to seriously think about retiring. He had thought he could do something similar, but on his own. He had the money and the means to do that.

A few moments later along came another encrypted message on his lap top screen.

Destination: Mexico City.  

Duration: two days.

Target: XXXXXXXX

Contact: Eduardo

It was always the same. The target was never known until almost immediately before he had to take action. The contact was always one name and someone he never really knew.

In the old days, he had been involved in planning and in a lot of the strategy, the timing and the place, the weapon choice even. 

Now he was just the trigger.

He had argued that of course, that he could be allowed into more of what was happening. But that never worked and just fell on deaf ears. The planning now was done by someone else and it might be with a group of people who have never ever been in the field or seen any action at all.  

“Okay” he thought, "just this one last time and then I make my case to them." 

“Shit” he said, “I had better call Penny and let her know I am working late and yes oh man, I even have to tell her that I am going out of town, yes yet again.”

He hurriedly called Penny but could not get through to her, so he left a standard message, explaining that he had to go out of town. He also told her that he was not happy with the arrangement, which was true. He closed by telling her how much he loved her and that he would make it to her with something special.

He then drove out to Teterboro airport in New Jersey which catered more to private planes and made his way across from the main terminal to a large hanger, where a private jet was waiting for him.

He sat in his car for bit a little upset about having to leave without any preparation. Then he opened the driver’s door and started to get out, then changed his mind and got back in again. He picked up his cell phone and dialed the unlisted number of Dan his boss at The Company. 
He got a message to leave a message instead.

“Dan” he said, “I am sort of upset, and you know Dan well I don’t like to work when I upset and I am upset and with you. And now I feel also that you are avoiding me….” 

He paused 

“Are you Dam it all Dan, are you avoiding me?”

“Hey listen man, I am at the airport and looking right at the plane. I can see some Mexican looking guy and I suppose he must be Eduardo. I am upset because of a few things; you know what some of them are and well for me this is not a safe operation, as I know nothing about it.” 

He ended the call but just sat there.

He picked up his cell again and called Dan back leaving another message..

"Okay, Dan this is what I am going to do Dan..... and I want you to call me a.s.a.p., right after you get this message and make it a priority one for me, okay. "

"Have you got that Dan.. this is important... 
if you dont's I may just abort this mission anyway, from here right now, or later even when I get to Mexico, that is if I go.”

He hung up the phone and just sat there brooding. 

He didn't like feeling like this.. he didn't like being upset, but he was upset and anything could happen then.




To be continued...

                                                                       

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,

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The Beginning

A Man with a Secret

The Company

Somewhere in every part of this world, in every country, in every city there is 

Always someone, some organization that sits above the law. They are corrupt beyond 

corruption. 

Some are terrorists in nature, allowing misguided beliefs to destroy for their own objectives. They kill, they maim and cause pain to everyone they touch. Some are involved in human trafficking and prostitution, child porn, drug trafficking and organized crime.

They are all also seemingly unstoppable by any government level of law enforcement. They pay their way out of any situation they get themselves into. They eliminate witnesses that have the potential to put them out of business, they strike fear into anyone that tries to confront them. They control high level judges and government officials and that is something that they take in their ease, in their pocket. They bribe, blackmail and control. It is something we may expect in a third world or developing country, but not in civilized nations.

What if in this world there was an organization that was capable of eradicating such situations, such people, and such organizations?

What if, yes what if there was another organization also above the law that existed, but with a moral duty that was set into its standard of existence. The organization would or could not have any political or policing ties. Within the strategy of this organization would be a standard for decision. Each case would be individually investigated. Cost and danger factors would be taken into account. The organization would be internationally based. A vote would be taken on information available. If a target was deemed in the best interest of everyone to be eliminated, an operative would be sent out to take care of the problem. The hit would be silent, not publicized and certainly no responsibility would be declared about the assassination. It would be a clean, a silent and swift attack.

International Insurance & Fraud Corporation Inc. (I.I.F.C.)

New York, New York (Head Office)

Branch Offices Paris, London, Berlin.

It was started sometime during the cold war. Started in a time when there seemed to be that need. Originally The Company seemed to evolve as a rogue operation in a little known department of the CIA. Deep in the bowels of some think tank and it grew from ideas to ideals of operation. 

The Company was not just started from just thrown about by madmen looking for reason, but by a small group, that then became a growing group of people from all over the civilized world and all fed up with compromise and yes corruption.

The formation of The Company did not happen overnight. It did not just happen. Happen just like that. Sometimes stages developed through a well-timed thought out process, yes embattled with ideals. Other times such creation needed that head bashing struggle to see reason in all of what it could stand for. 

Never-the-less it happened. It exists. Now operating like some well-oiled machine for the termination of problematic concerns it works well within the confines of its own existence. Is it perfect?  Nothing is perfect. Nothing is without struggle when that existence involves the taking of a life. 

The head office is located in New York City in the U.S.A., The Company exists literally deep within the bowels of an insurance company, the (I.I.F.C.) whom own the building. The I.I.F.C. was like some fortress its twin towers reaching high into the New York City skyline with a view of the International Trade Towers in the distance.

The Company itself has no street address, no mail address, no email, no IP address, and no organized open contact. But while it has total ambiguity it also is very real in a way needed. It is situated three stories beneath street level, encased in fiber reinforced high performance resistant concrete and steel, a sub structure designed to soften both explosive blasts and the impact of a falling building.

Access can be gained through the use of three of the twelve elevators in the building. An emergency exit exits through what is known as The Sewer, which is a tunneled passageway literally connecting to the sewer system deep below the streets.

The Company is tied into electronic networks all capable of tapping into communications and visual imagery within the building, the adjoining close circuit camera systems, satellite telecommunications, as well as certain high level law enforcement allies.

I.I.F.C. holds offices on the third and twentieth floors accessed by one high speed dedicated elevator that also feeds The Company down below.

People that work for The Company and I.I.F.C., do so after rigorous screening and personality profiling. The operation being secretive in nature, full clearance is given on a need to know basis, as to the total complexity of the operation. High end security clearance is limited to people that have had ties with other high level security forces. A declaration document is signed by everyone that works for both the Insurance Corporation and The Company which is akin to signing an Official Secrets Act.

Operatives are a mainly field force. Some operatives hold a dual role. In one they are field fraud investigator operatives. In the other role they eliminate threats working as highly trained assassins. Some operatives also work for I.I.F.C. in a real role analyzing data and detecting fraud. They are obliged to take field trips as part of their involvement for further investigations.  This allows them to travel and investigate without suspicion and to carry out their other role as highly trained assassins.

One such Operative is Jack Llewellyn Stryker. 

Jack L. Stryker

Born in Great Britain, Jack had moved to Canada with his parents and brothers at an early age, then after graduated high school, he had felt he needed something special to do, so he returned to England where he joined the Royal Marines with the 3 Commando Brigade in a commando role. He served in many highly sensitive covert missions, including a combat role during the Falklands war. 

He was decorated for bravery and rescue operations several times, but the accolades meant nothing to him as he locked away the medals not wanting to stand out as someone special.

On returning to Canada he again felt lost with no real direction in his life and applied to work in some policing groups. While his applications where being considered he was one day approached by two gentlemen in very plain clothes who then identified themselves as belonging to a world order on peace. He was convinced to travel to New York City where he was introduced to an organization only known as The Company. 

He received further training at The Company, Field Operations Branch. This section of Field Operation has like its parent group no address or listed contact information.  

Here he was subjected to virtual reality physiological training, languages, strength testing, arms and weaponry, jungle fighting, high speed driving, advanced coding. Part of this training took place deep within jungle areas of northern Guatemala.

Jack is happily married to his wife Penny a school teacher. They both live on a small farm property just outside of Nutley, New Jersey. They have two daughters, one of whom (Anne) a homemaker and is married to (William Dozer) a Detective with the New York City Police department and together they also have a daughter, making Jack and his wife grandparents. Jack and Penny’s youngest daughter (Liz) is single and works for the CIA.

Jack is a much respected man with his family, his friends and in his community. But unbeknownst to everyone in his life, his family friends and acquaintances Jack is a Man with a secret.

Jack is a highly trained and skilled assassin. 

******

Publishing, printing, promo....

I never realized how complex it is to both write and to publish a book. Writing the story itself is mind boggling with all the research necessary to get all of the facts and storyline correct. 

People continually ask me that since my book is fictional, "why not make everything up.. I mean your characters are fake... so why not make everything fake as well." My stock answer is always the same... to make the fictional characters appear real, all of the background, the locations, the other people, life in that period of time etc... everything behind the story and the main character must appear to be very real.. or credibility for the main character and the story is lost..

In my story......

A Man With A Secret, the main character is called Jack L. Striker. He was born in England, later moves to Canada with his family where he grows up in Toronto. Jack then returns to England and joins the Royal Marines, involved with 3 commando brigade. He sees a lot of (behind enemy lines) action, then is involved in the Falklands war. Later he returns to Canada, where he meets the woman that will become his wife. 

Jack leads a dual life. Jack L. Striker works for an organization that investigates high level fraud within companies and sometimes problematic countries. This cover job allows him to travel unsuspected to anywhere in the world.

Jack L. Stryker also works for an organization only known as The Company. Here his involvement has him working on sensitive and secret missions as a highly trained specialist, an assassin.

No one in his other life, his wife, his family, his friends and associates, no one knows who Jack really is. 

"A Man With A Secret" will be published as an eBook.

which is so easy to say and somewhat difficult to do, or that is, to get it done the right way. There seem to be challenges at every corner to get all of the technicals aspects of publishing online done the way it should be done.

I plan to also print some books (on real paper). Yes real books. These real books will be used to cover some promotional aspects of the way I plan to market "A Man With A Secret" and to use as giveaways to people that will support my efforts along the way.

There are always costs to me involved and to offset those expenses, I am looking into using a crowdfunding platform, which has become a viable means for many people to get to where they have to get to. Small investments from many people making the whole project work. I believe it is all very possible to accomplish.

I more or less understand the costing for printing a paperback book now. It is fixed to the amount of books you print out. A bigger run costs less per book and so on. Some publishing houses offer art services for covers or dust jackets, etc.

Then there is copy editing and proof reading which is far more involving that just a spell check service. 

Marketing comes in many forms. There are a vast number of outlets that I can use, especially online. It will be important to have as many other writers read my book as possible. Book clubs are important. Book readings invaluable. 

Teasers used online of part of the book to entice that "more" feeling from readers.

And if I choose to use Amazon's Kindle Owners Lending Library, the possibilities are endless for me. 

That aside I would love to take this book onto the streets. Not literally the streets that is, but to promote it by visiting country fairs, shopping malls, use POP displays, trade show events, or anywhere that people gather. 

While it may seem a marketing nightmare, the trick is to give away as many books as possible. I never understood that marketing strategy. It does though work. Pleased readers talk about the book and through word of mouth more learn of it and purchase the book.  The end result will be a book that becomes popular. A popular book sells. A popular book sells itself.

There are three books involved here. There is far too much information as the main character is as complex as the enemies he faces. It is now a trilogy of the story A Man with a Secret I am writing.  

Three books that cover his life and adventures. The first is completed. Book two and three already show a good layout and using a good template, they become easier to create. They are flowing out of my imagination easily. A prequel is in the planning stages that follows the adventures and the life of his father and up to the time he meets Jacks mother and the start of a new family.