Topher Lydon

Good catch, typo on my part. There were a couple of slip ups in this chapter, Doc Got one really quick which makes him awesome. I write fast, too fast at times, and I miss things. (I have no beta reader for this one, so thus my errors, totally me rushing this one out, sorry)

There is a follow up book, dealing with the mess Tarquin has left in his wake. But I assure you, Tarquin gets his in this book. There is a lot of damage he has done. However the next book in the Merrickville stories focuses on Lydia, Axl, Orel and Finn as they work to unscrew the town. And Axl finds the new dude in town to be fascinating... Go Axl, Pizza boys deserve love too! If you're really nice, I can post a scene from an early draft of the book that shows a different and very cathartic version of Tarquin.

i try to avoid exactly specifying... but it's been ten years... so yes they were VERY young, and Tarquin is easily ten to fifteen years older. He was no child when he did this. *IF* Walter, Clovis, or even Jenny-Lynn find out for certain... well read Echo, you'll find out what happens to monsters.

Andrew would kill him, there is a reason Walter says don't tell him. Andrew is... not someone who hesitates on it, not any more. Speaking of which, I finished Carter's Echo yesterday night. I now know what happened to Old man Jensen, and why Andrew is who he is. I will release that after this one, I think. It's.... worth it. i still intend to release Deed after Campaign is done, just to get a bit of something different out. I have three VERY dark books coming in 13 Hearts, Charlie's Been Stolen, and Right-Then... but I want to keep my mornings "Topher's Action adventure time" and keep the midday ones my more Merickville based stories... I have a neat Dieselpunk thing I want to release as well... plus there's Coyote 3, and Watcher's 3 to work on. (I'm mostly writing where the muse takes me lately, I will knuckle down, I am sure, but right now I am on a Merrickville kick and Dark Thriller kind of kick so my focus is there)

The older Generation know what Tarquin Merrick is, but it's for Finn and Orel to fight their battles. They'll step in if they must. I wanted to show the love in the Hickey-Grady family, and how Orel is just as much a part of that messy, chaotic and loving house. now I need to warm up, I am soaked to the skin. Brrrrr

Publishing this one an hour Early, I am on my way to the hospital (Nothing serious just appointments) and not sure when I will be back. Enjoy, and remember STEVE's not in charge, NEVER ever leave him in charge... for the love of... And Orel's found a shared Spirit in Kenny.

Chapter Twenty-One: Indiana Orel and the Sunday Dinner of Doom If Merrick Manor was a vacuum, the Hickey household was a particle accelerator. Orel sat in the passenger seat of the Grady’s tow truck, clutching a small, weathered wooden crate as if it contained the Ark of the Covenant. Inside was a selection of local mineral samples, labeled in his precise script, and a first edition of The Culinary History of the Ottawa Valley. It was a peace offering. Or, as Orel had classified it in h

Well Axl has expressed his... enthusiasm for Geek boys... And I mean, Oliver is just a taller more bookish (if that's possible) Orel.

To quote Timothy Zahn, "My, that was artfully done."

Poor Axl, always the one night stand, never the Bride. And Kyle won't fit in a wood chipper.

by the way, 15 more chapters to go. Easily the largest book I have ever written. I hope it is going well, that people are enjoying, and that it gives a little catharsis in our current times.

Tomorrow: The Prince of the North goes on the offensive. Jacob Carter's turn.

There were, but as my father always said, Keep one in reserve.

Peter warned the SOB not to touch his Nephew.

Morning... hate Fridays.... Vampires at the NHS demanding blood work.

CHAPTER 24- THE BUTCHER'S BILL Location: Rally Point Beta, 800m West of The Manse, Sector 4 Time: 0045 Hours. The Witching Hour. The briefing had taken place two hours prior in the root cellar of an abandoned church. The air had smelled of damp stone and cordite. West had used a piece of charcoal to sketch the Manse’s floorplan on a sheet of plywood—a layout provided from memory by Peter, whose perfect recall of architectural details was now a weapon of war. “Primary objective:

wow, F,M, or K, Merrickville edition.

Just tightened my end... why is it whenever I do this, it always comes out dirty?

not his "only" weapon

Ned's definitely his father's son. This chapter went a long way to show it, smart enough to know that Peter could get out of the Manse, where as Ned couldn't... so the only person who could go get West was Peter. His sacrifice, offer, is strategic, which means you are right, he's playing dumb. A lot of smart kids in the system do the same. It's worked for him so far.

Well Orel's Sausage Delivery Protocol kind of failed, true it was derailed by Tarquin, but Orel is not to be deterred. He is going to get to see Finn naked at some point.

I mean, he's tried... but everyone keeps getting boyfriends before he can get in there... :: sad Axl music here ::

I want to be deflowered boy?