C James

I can't comment on the speculation, but I can give the next chapter title; its called Whitsundays

I really don't know why y'all think that J/S is such a bad guy... Maybe he's just protective of his buisness ventures? Maybe he and Eric need to have more drunken chats? To clear the air?

Sorry, I missed the chapter announcement so I'm late... Glad to see that everything seems to be back on track.... I'm wondering if Andrew will ask Jamie about Toronto. Maybe there are some nerves there? They haven't met in person after all.

You make him sound so evil!

I recall one hotel in Lisbon a few years ago... Talk about elevators! I'm used to doorless elevators but that one took the cake. It was about the size of a phone booth. Actually, smaller. It rattled and clanked, and the fact there was no door meant you had to keep well clear of that one side. Hauling luggage in it was darn near impossible. I ended up stuffing the suitcases in on the floor and sitting on top of them. Lol. Generally, unless I have a reason I can't, I stay in bed&breakfast type places well outiside of the cities when I'm in Europe, or for that matter anywhere overseas. The lower cost (often far, far lower) usually more than pays for my car rental, and I get to stay in the country rather than the city (I'm not fond of cities as a rule). Even in a city, I stay the heck away from big chain hotels. They usually cost the earth and you can't much difference in ';em from one country to the other. One of my favorite small hotels was in Pisa; it's gone now, and I miss it. It was within eighty feet of the base of the leaning tower, perfect location. It was also 1/4 the price of a big hotel, and it even had parking (Finding accommodations with parking is often a headache in Europe).

Ack, you're right! I just felt that when Cody was describing Jonathon's eyes, and that they didn't sparkle, he was comparing them to Jacob's but that isn't in the text. What? Me, speculate? Okay, hrmmm. My impression of Julie was not that she was plain, but that the "every girl" referred to her personality. Jonathon, on the other hand, did come across as plain. However, if indeed they are similar, I'd say "Siblings", which will cause holy hell when Julie finds out that Cody and Jonathon are no longer together, especially if it was Cody who cut it off. I know Jonathon's words seemed pretty final, but I get the impression that he's prone to such outbursts.

Well, I suppose we could go talk about your unrivaled prowess with cliffhangers there, if you prefer?

Good call; yes, the Toowoomba facility, and the desert compound as well, were absent. There wasn't much new from them for this chapter, so I just skipped them for this chapter. Yep, Instinct is getting more involved. Thank you VERY much for pointing out the typo! That helps me, becuase I can fix it for the nex site update (in fact, I fixed the site copy on my HD as soon as I saw your post). Please, everyone, never feel shy about pointing out my goofs and typos; I like to be able to correct them, so that helps both me, and any future readers. Also, any form of criticism is very much welcomed. That helps me too. So, if there's anything in the story (or any of my stories) that you don't like, please speak up, either here or privately, whichever you prefer.

YES! Here we have another acknowledgment of Shadowgod's skill at Cliffhangers! All jokes aside, yes you're right, a chapter cannot be rushed. I've tried that a time or two and regretted it. I'm just glad that Shadowgod is writing again, and if we have to wait between chapters, we have to wait. Although, I will, as a beta reader, say this; y'all should see the wicked, diabolical cliffhanger he has in Ch 9 of DnCW; Whew, it's a doozie! He's truly the :king:

Who? Me? Exactly! It was just a little tense! Besides, I posted it on Christmas Eve... Surely, if I was ever inclined to use cliffhangers, i wouldn't do so at Christmas. I most certainly do agree that Ch 19 was not a cliffhanger!!!!

Egads, we agree on something! Yes, I totally agree, and of course, LiS is a must-read anyway, but fasten your seatbelts and hold on tight when you get to LiS 26: WOW! There's a reason that it's known as the Mother of All Cliffhangers. If he doesn't do it weekly, it means he will be leaving us royally hanging for longer between chapters.

I can't comment on the speculation, other than to say WOW! Thanks!! The Scar's car; it'e mentioned way back when Dimitri first arrived in Australia that he's left it in long-term parking. I don't say explicitly beyond that, but given that detail we can assume it is either owned or leased. And what? Ciffhangers? I never use those! I had fun with the scar's lines; he loves irony, so double entendres seemed a natural for him. I really thought the question at the end "What could Jerry do?" was very reassuring. After all, it's not like he's all that bad a guy. What's the worst he could do? And yes, that line about Eric being picked on but no one was buying... Yep, I immediately thought of me in this forum when I wrote that. And Echidna! You can't give spoilers; you're the fanatically anti-spoiler Echidna!! Come now, surely you must see the need to make a pincushion of yourself for this? Okay, now, a serious note on The Scar. The Scar isn't perfect; he's got weaknesses and failings, just lile anyone else. And yes, Vladimer is driving him crazy. So, for many reasons, he will make mistakes. Whether they will be consequential or not, though, is anyone's guess. BTW, yes, we now know where Instinct got its name; Eric's uncanny instinct regarding people. He's disliked Jerry from the day they met, even before the shopping trip. However, it only works once he gets to know a person. That's why he didn't beg Charity (the blackmailing girl) and that';s why it took him a while to be sure about Jerry, and longer still to bring the issue up again. . I think Eric and Jerry had fun drinking together. I should get them together more often, don't you think?

Hrmmm, Somehow I doubt that the troubles are over. A lul, perhaps? One thing I have to say; you've done a brilliant job of conveying who and what "the family" is, without actually saying it. IMHO, that gives the story a much truer feel.

Awww, I have no idea why you don't believe me? He's evil, I tell you, evil! BTW, why do you always obfuscate his name? Is ti something to do with never speaking the devil's name?

Shadowgod certainly made an attempt in DnCW2! And how could y'all doubt sweet, innocent, quiet me?

Chapter 25, fact finding, is up. The first thing I want to mention is a goof on my part: The chapter title, on the chapter page itself, says Chapter 24, Fact Finding. I'll fix that and it will be replaced when I upload next week's chapter.

Ahh, but now we know that Damon won't just vanish from the story! And we only know this becuase Shadowgod said so!! Ahh, Cody descibed Jonathon and JAcob's eyes, in a way that struck me as if he was comparing the two, and hoolding up Jacob's as an ideal... That IMHO would NOT be an "unhappy ending" story (depending on what you do to Cody in DnCW, that is) becuase there is more to the story. It might make a good short story, but is there enough there of a serial? Another factor IMHO is that short stories are far more "forgiving" of less than happy endings, becuase the reader does not have the same level of emotional commitment as they would to a serial which they may have followed for months. I give all my short stories happy endings, but many don't, and that works well too IMHO. Like I say, it depends on the story. I'm sure as heck no fan of serials where you slog through 30 chapters to get the protagonist and his lover interest together at last, only to have the love interest die in some random, meaningless, unforshadowed fashion at the end. I've seen this enough that I usually peek at the final page of a serial before I begin to read a completed story. That's just my personal tastes, and others surely vary, but that's what dictate my reading choices. Another way to deal with Jacob and Cody, if you feel inclined, is via flashbacks or character recollections in DnCW.

Hrmmm, What is so suspicious about wearing sunglasses? Why do y'all think I'm hiding something?

A few years ago, I saw, not sure where (Vegas, maybe?) a near life-size reproduction of Michaelangelo's "David". However, there was a difference; this statue had acquired a rather poorly done loincloth. In fact, it was a big one, more like a pair of boardies. No bulge at all, either. However, much to my shock, the statue was still utterly shirtless! Have they no decency? I mean, allowing upper male nudity (from the waist up) in art! Shocking, I say, shocking! They haven't gotten around to banning that quite yet, I suppose. Ok, seriously, this A&F incident is nuts. However, I have on observation; there were two photois cited, and we've all seen the male one; it's everywhere in the press. However, I note that we havn't seen the fmale one (At least i haven't). Why isn't that being broadcast? My unsubstantiated hunch is that it's becuase that one is likely more provocative than the male one and they cited both just to have greater grounds. Just my wild guess, but crazy regardless.

Only sometimes. About half the time, they are the obvious choice. But really, all my chapter titles fit... Remember "The Kiss?" well, it was a kiss, and in Rome, yet! Heh, BTW, when I was there a couple of months ago (after that chapter had been written and posted) I sought out that very spot in Piazza Navona. The fountain, unfortunatly for me, is under renovations so surrounded in scaffolding, but it was fin to stand on that spot. I hadn't been there in ten years, and I was happy that there was, indeed, a small hotel in the od the ajoining buildings. Just a typical Rome dozen-room hotel, a small entry door and a tiny lobby, but it fit the story ok (even if the hotel was much smaller than I'd envisioned). I had no idea if there was really one there when i wrote "the Kiss". BTW, the numbering system they use for the few similar places I've stayed in Rome is the first diget is the floor number, and the second the room number. The layout is often just a single staircase, with a few rooms (sometimes just two or three) in each floor. That's how you have a hotel in a slice of building that might only be twenty feet wide. Anyway, I try and make about half my chapter names the obvious choice. The other half? Well, they fit, after you have read the chapter. Or at least I hope so. Not that I'd ever intentionally mislead, of course. I also don't see what everyone is so worried about.. Jerry just wants to buy Eric a few drinks. Eric will like that, and Jerry will like that. Who knows, maybe they will become friends?

The unmitigated gall! A goat, with sunglasses, and a quiet and shy lurker, and Shadowgod has the nerve to say it's not a reference to me? And then ya'll are going to make me sound like an egomaniac for even saying this, aren't you? I'm so picked on... Too bad you didn't post these chapters in 2007: Saul would have been my pick for "antagonist of the year". As it is, I shall have to... wait. Each other's OMG!!! SPOILER!!! SPOILER!!! SPOILER!!!!! Echidna, this is a clear case of the author saying what WILL happen. I think Shadowgod needs a POINTED reminder of your anti-spoiler spines! That would depend on the story. To me personally, I don't like unhappy endings, so it would depend. Oh come on! The magazine allusion is one he admits to, but not the stuffed and mounted sunglasses-wearing goat? Thge sheer gall!!! And of course, I'd be honored to see an Instinct concert if you chose to use it. I got that impression too. However, one thing is clearer now: I wondered, then, why Cody didn't tell JAcob that a PI was after him. Now, it becomes clear; The PI was after JAcob in large part becuase of the "locker room incident" and Cody still has enormous guilt. So, Cody was unwilling to broach the subject. That's my guess anyway.

Dirt? Tuesday? Aww, come now, your majesty, surely you aren't tired of your royal weekend already? Totally agreed; I'd say a very large chance, in fact. Unless, of course, we all rally behind Shadowgod, and support him in the defense of his title!

Just thought I'd halp make things a bit clearer.

I don't think I've ever dreamed of snakes... There was one time, last summer, when I opened my front door and a rattlesnake was on the other side, and I nearly stepped on it, but that wasn't a dream, and it didn't give me any nightmares (Rattlers are common hereabouts). Anyway, the best way to move a rattler is to pin its head, and then just pick it up and move it with one hand right behind the neck. I try and avoid moving venomous snakes this way but its an easy way to move king snakes into my woodpile (I like them near the house; they keep the rats ant rattlers away). Now you know what to do the next time you have a dream.

ROFL!! Ok, here's the title of the coming chapter: Fact Finding.