Run With The Hunted, Part 2
by Jennifer R. Donohue
Reviewed by Galen Strickland
Posted November 27, 2024
VIP / Insert Coin To Play / Burned Asset
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The links above are for reasonably priced paperbacks, but e-books are also available from Amazon and other sources, but not Bookshop. The three titles on this page have also been released in a hardcover omnibus [ Bookshop | Amazon ]. Each title, including the ones in Part 1 of the series, have been released at the end of October each year, but in spite of what that brings to mind, none have been related to Halloween, although disguises are used on occasion. I have the seventh story, which came out last month, but have not read it yet.
The author has described the stories as within the cyberpunk sub-genre, but I say just barely. Nothing like you would expect if that term makes you think of William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Neal Stephenson, etc. In spite of not being that heavily "punk," the cyber part fits, mainly relating to the activites of the tech-savvy Bits, who spends most of her time immersed in VR, for both research and infiltration of security systems, as well as games for relaxation. Each story has a different first-person narrator, starting with Bristol, whose only connection to cyber activities are various devices she uses, normally hidden in her jewelry. Bristol is very fashion conscious, fond of parties and swanky social gatherings, including fashion shows, auctions, and gallery openings. VIP, the story least like cyberpunk, begins at a party, where Bristol is approached by a handsome man with a proposal. It seems he may have mistaken Bristol (who on this occasion uses her alias of Madison Calloway) for someone else, perhaps someone she closely resembles. His proposal is just that, an offer of a marriage of convenience, in order for him to access trust fund monies before a certain date.
R. J. Sutter and his brother Gabriel are rodeo bull-riders, and their family runs one of the largest ostrich ranching operations in the world. Bristol was not about to call her fake husband-to-be by his initials, and since the R was for Rafael she calls him Rafe, and his brother Gabe. Dolly, the other member of the team, was well aware of both brothers, two of the highest ranking rodeo stars on the circuit. Only Rafe had recently suffered severe injuries, taking him off the circuit, hence the need for the trust funds. He assures Bristol the marriage can be dissolved quickly without risking the money, and she would be well compensated for the ruse. She insists she must have her bodyguards (Dolly and Bits), and he agrees. The location of the Sutter home and ranch is not mentioned, unless I missed it, but I think it is probably Texas. Not only do the Sutters have a large home, which has been added on to several times, several of the extended family, and friends of family, have built homes nearby, and a few also have smaller ostrich ranches. I won't detail much of the action, except to point out one possible roadblock to a quick marriage, divorce, and getaway, is Rafe's former fiancée, who even though married herself seems to think it inevitable she and Rafe will reunite. Another barrier might be the surprise appearance of an old friend of Bristol's, with the reveal her real name might be Stephanie. Also, the agent introduced in the first story, who is from an unknown group, maybe government, maybe extra-judicial, shows up again, on his own. Maybe not directed to be their by his superiors, perhaps because he is smitten with Bristol (or Chelsea as she introduced herself the first time they met).
So, cyberpunk or not, it is a well written, well paced adventure. Not as dangerous as before, but the potential was there if that agent had been more prepared. I have not revealed his name until now, a name that is obviously another pseudonym: Will Scarlet. We still don't know which agency he works for, although we have seen one of his superiors, who recurs later. All of the novellas are recommended, but be sure to start at the beginning..
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Posted November 27, 2024
Bits is the narrator for this "job," a cross between a VR game and scavenger hunt, which begins in Vegas. The team travels many miles to various locations, following clues Bits collects within her VR helmet. They go as far as Stanford University, in search of the Golden Spike, which commemorated the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. While at the Cantor Arts Museum the team separates when they detect surveillance, realizing the game was a set-up to catch them. Instead of twelve teams vying for the prizes, it seems there is only one other, and that team is working for Will Scarlet.
They do make their escape, and after a few days rest return to Vegas, since that is where Bits determines Will has retreated to. He is either under orders to bring them in, or else he has gone rogue, only interested in Bristol/Chelsea/Madison/Stephanie. In spite of the risks, Bristol has a soft spot for him. Bits infiltrates the security of their location, and Will is captured, taken south into Mexico, and then they use their many contacts to get to Hong Kong, finally to Bristol's (supposedly) secret compound in Morocco, which she has refurbished from an old hotel. They suspect Will has been programmed much like Dolly was when she was part of a secret "super-soldier" Army unit. They hope to deprogram him, as bits had done for Dolly. The next story takes up shortly afterwards..
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Posted November 27, 2024
Dolly narrates this story, but the action is spread across the team, along with some of their allies. Bristol had permanent employees at her compound, including at least three security personnel. In addition, a friend of hers from the first story, and a couple of Dolly's associates help out, one from the second story, the other from the third. The compound was not as secret as Bristol had hoped, for after all, a global-spanning agency they have outwitted at least three times didn't want to give up, and used its considerable resources to track them. At first it seemed they mainly wanted to retrieve Will, but perhaps the trio of women was their main objective.
Dolly was a trained soldier with cybernetic enhancements, but luckily her trigger code had been removed by Bits, so Will's boss is not able to deactivate her. She normally hid her emotions with sarcastic jokes, but it becomes clear Bristol and Bits are her family now, and loved, and since Bristol may love Will, Dolly is intent on retrieving him. She does so with brutal intensity, in spite of numerous gunshots, knife wounds, and cracked ribs. The denouement is a bit too pat, with Will's boss letting them go. Then again, he is unarmed himself, and most of his team are either dead or incapacitated. At the end, I think Bristol stayed in Morocco for a while, but surely will be looking for another hole to hide in, and she and Will may be a couple now, but how he figures into further adventures remains to be seen. Another couple is joined, but how long that will last is also in question. Dolly marries her old Army friend, one who helped them in Morocco, but that was a spur of the moment thing, neither Bristol or Bits invited, or aware of it yet. One of these days, but I don't know when, I will get to the seventh story, The Casino Job. I recommend you catch up on their adventures before the eighth arrives next October (I hope). And hopefully there will be a ninth novella, since I do like symmetry.
Related Link:
Run With The Hunted, Part 1, Novellas 1-3
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