Chapter 1
The first instinct is to run. . .
the second is to fight. . .
and then there is. . .
…The Third Alternative
by
K.A. Bigelow
Synopsis:
“A boy’s been kidnapped and Mr. Hughes wants you to find him. The woman brushed some imaginary crumbs from her jacket, “The child’s father is overseas on assignment and we feel responsible. We think he’s been taken into the city.” The ends of her lips curled up as she slipped the knife in, “We would appreciate it if you brought this one back alive.” It was her way of showing who was in charge, the way she kept score.
“The Third Alternative” is a nightmare vision of a city driven into poverty by a global pandemic and collapse of the world’s economies. Violence and theft are a way of life in the city and kidnapping had become the new growth industry. John Munro’ was been hired by an executive to find a boy kidnapped from their corporate retreat. Munro knows the city and the gangs, but given execs indifference to the plight of the others, it seems strange an exec cares about retrieving a mentally handicapped child. There were just too many unanswered questions; like why take the boy up to a corporate retreat instead of some nursing facility? Did the gang know the boy was there? How? Was the boy the target or just a bonus to go along with the silverware?
The last child Munro tried to find, died a horrible death. The exec wants this one brought back alive, but with no ransom demands, no leads and too many people wanting to see the kid dead, Munro knows if he doesn’t get a break soon, this child will die too and there won’t be a thing he can do to stop it.
