War Rages in Ukraine. Another has been started, some might say continued, in the Middle East. The Doomsday Clock is now 85 seconds to midnight. Old Timer is the only one still alive that knows the real time on that clock is 26 minutes to midnight. When he was young he made certain of it. Assassins aren’t supposed to live into their sixties. Perhaps he lived so long because he is more than an assassin?
You have to be able to compartmentalize reality when you walk in the darkness that surrounds us all. Holier than thou people decry people like him as horrible monsters, or worse. Odd since they can sit next to him in a diner and have a pleasant conversation. Odder still knowing they are usually the first ones to send him into the dark to do what he does. Because of him you never heard about the weapons grade whooping cough that was immune to all known treatments. There are just a lot of theories about how a building became a charred hole in the ground one day.
In the 1990s IT geeks could travel the country, world really, and just like Asian tourists, they were ignored. Nobody questioned their presence or gave them a second thought. You could hide in plain sight if you could code.
Deep into the Ukraine war Putin woke up one morning and found out he’d been screwed. Doesn’t know who. Doesn’t know how. Just has that walking funny feeling that it happened.
Old Timer doesn’t know it yet, but our story starts there. Hear his confession and the stories of his life as he takes what could be his final walk in the darkness.
When people pass judgment they deny polar opposite realities exist at the same time in the same space. Polio is viewed as an evil deadly scourge yet today we use it to kill cancer cells. Look it up. Bleach can both kill a human and sterilize a toilet. Today’s boogeyman is who you send to kill tomorrow’s monster.
In January of 1992 Old Timer was that boogeyman. The story simply couldn’t be told until now.
What goes up doesn't always come down.
Slava Ukraini! Heroiam slava!
bon appétit
Reviews
War is scary enough, the possibility of nuclear war is terrifying.
It's a work of fiction, but it reminds us that the crooked timber of humanity is on full slanted display through the current climate of world affairs.
The author aims to inform us through bone chilling narrative and harrowing facts.
These events have lived rent free in my mind long after I've finished, and I remain haunted by his description of the strategies and tactics employed during the course of this book.
The best word to describe this was eye-opening. You won't soon forget it and you will wonder what else has been swept under the rug.
Texas Book Nook
"Twenty of Two - The Infamous They” is a daunting novel in size, but it really is fascinating and entertaining in equal measures.
The story is fast paced and quickly engaging – we are a bit in the past, but not to distant that you don't understand the landscape or time. We are however deeply into Ukraine and wars and politics so if you are not as familiar with those things, it will take a bit for you to understand.
The author does a great job of really delving into political and historical themes and really making the reader contemplate what has happen and even what could happen.
We are given such believable characters, moments, and settings all heightened by the way the author shared the descriptions and kept the pacing steady.
Uncover some government and political secrets and be fascinated along the way.
The Indie Express
An incredibly different kind of from not so distant history story where the narrative is layered and the escalation is convincingly done.
The author writes knowledgably about the place and time.
Plot, characters, and circumstances all worked. Excellent suspense thriller.
This novel puts forth a scenario that is very believable. It really makes you contemplate what the government hides and what major things we never know about.
Novel News Network
Unseen forces hold sway in this arresting political thriller. The author makes the most of his knowledge and passion for the subject by presenting a credible, thought-provoking scenario with real history to back it up.
This is written in an engaging fast paced style. It proved to be compelling, drawing readers in with vivid descriptions and clear explanations while keeping readers on their toes.
On A Reading Bender
Copyright © 2013 Roland Hughes. All rights reserved.