The Braddick Chronicles: Whispers and Shadows -Echoes of the line: The Braddick Chronicles, #1

By Dorell Green

The Braddick Chronicles: Shadows and Whispers - Echoes of the Line

 

In the heart of New York City, a detective's personal tragedy propels him into a world of ancient mysteries and dark conspiracies. Detective Sampson Braddick, a seasoned investigator haunted by the murder of his wife, stumbles upon a sinister secret: the Obsidian Order, a shadowy organization manipulating ancient ley lines to unleash unimaginable power.

 

When a series of disappearances in the city align with these mystical energies, Braddick and his partner, the tenacious Detective Gonzalez, follow the trail to Rome. Beneath the Eternal City's ancient churches and forgotten catacombs, they uncover clues pointing to a celestial event that could trigger a catastrophic ritual. With the clock ticking, they must navigate a web of secrets, from the historical echoes of ley lines at Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Giza to the power of mystical artifacts like the Heart of Sanctity and the Key of Shadows.

 

Amidst the danger, Braddick finds unexpected allies in his partner, Detective Maria Gonzalez, and Dr. Emily Stanton, a brilliant historian who brings depth and insight into their quest. Together, they unravel the Obsidian Order's plans, leading to a breathtaking confrontation in the stormy Scottish Highlands, where shadowy figures and ancient powers clash.

 

"The Braddick Chronicles: Shadows and Whispers - Echoes of the Line" is an urban fantasy thriller that weaves modern settings with ancient mysticism. It's a story of loss, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of justice against an organization that transcends time and space. Dive into a narrative rich with historical and mythological connections, high-stakes adventures, and characters driven by deep emotional arcs.

 

Join Detective Sampson Braddick as he battles the darkness within and the shadows that threaten our world. Will he uncover the truth and stop the Obsidian Order before it's too late? The echoes of the line await.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dorell Green
• Release date: May 27, 2024
• ISBN: 9798326856227

Book preview

Contents

Prologue

CHARACTERS

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Chapter 1

Emerging Shadows

Chapter 2

Beneath The Veil

Chapter 3

The Portal's Edge

Chapter 4

The Pattern Emerges

Chapter 5

The Heart's Call

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Chapter 6

New Dawn, Old Shadows

Chapter 7

Guardians Of The Deep

Chapter 8

Echoes Of Rome

Chapter 9

A web of Influence

Chapter 10

The Mountain Challenge

Chapter 11

Unveiling Shadows

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Chapter 12

Echoes Of The Abys

Chapter 13

The Veil Unraveled

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Chapter 14

The Hearts of the Highlands

Chapter 15

The Confrontation

Epilogue

About the author

Dorell Green

Prologue

Hidden and all-powerful, the Obsidian Order has woven itself into the tapestry of history for eons, wielding chaos under the guise of myth."

Veins of ancient power—ley lines—throb with a force as real and visceral as the city's pounding heart, beneath the graffiti-stained streets and amid the clamor of its many lives.

Detective Sampson Braddick stands alone in an empty subway station, the new moon casting a stifling glow over the scene. The pulsating electricity of the metropolis meets ancient spiritual powers, blending old and new. Broken vows and curses seem to reverberate in every whisper of the wind, infusing the air with secrecy.

Braddick plunges deeper into the city's underbelly than ever before, guided only by his gut instincts and a mysterious message from his late wife—a victim of the Order's ruthless goals. Ancient runes and symbols, etched onto the walls and casting a spectral glow, have protected this holy intersection for eons.

In the stillness of the night, a gathering of supernatural entities takes place while the city slumbers above. The ley lines are crucial to the Order's objectives as they seek to manipulate reality and wield immense power. Driven by a desire for revenge and a dedication to protecting the vulnerable, Braddick is resolute in his mission to stop their plans for world dominance.

The final words said by Detective Braddick's wife motivate him to enter the conflict as a champion of justice and a guardian of the delicate spiritual equilibrium. As the sun goes down and the clouds roll in, a struggle rages on for the very essence of New York—and maybe the entire planet. In this tumultuous time, the boundary between valor and lunacy becomes increasingly porous.

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Chapter 1

Emerging Shadows

As daylight dwindled, darkness descended upon New York City, and the usual din faded into stillness. The city's citizens anticipated what would come next amid recent unrest abroad. The once-luminous city now lay in silence. Dense fog shrouded the city, causing the lamps outside to flicker weakly and cast dull pools of light. The once-proud, towering architecture now stood solemn as if witnessing an invisible danger. The city's buildings cast intriguing shapes against the starless night, infusing it with mystery and depth. There was an unusual calm in place of the city's typical bustle. As Braddick drove leisurely past the towering structures, thoughts of the city's visible and hidden electrical wires danced in his head.

These wires made him think of ley lines, believed to be ancient paths of spiritual energy intersecting at the world's pivotal points. Once a skeptic, past events had changed his views. Braddick pondered the possibility of truth in this theory as he drove past the deserted shops and bars. The city's secret nooks and crannies were brimming with untold stories and enigmas, some of which might have touched him in ways he had not yet realized. He was already on edge, and the strange calm in the usually busy metropolis made him even more so.

As he pondered the increased crime, he wandered to a recent evening praying at a rundown church. The congregation's voices had risen in a quiet but powerful prayer for their city's safety and peace, but Braddick had come more out of curiosity than faith. They recited the old hymn, Lead us, O thou great Jehovah, through this desolate land. We are weak, but thou art mighty; hold us with thy powerful hand. Their genuine plea had surprised him, bringing a deep serenity that starkly contrasted with the chaos in his mind.

Resuming his focus on the here and now, his phone abruptly started beeping. Carl Jones, a fellow detective from his precinct, was on the other end. Braddick put the phone on speaker and pressed the call button; he then spoke first.

Carl, have you heard the news from Rome? Braddick asked, his voice tense, This will send shockwaves far beyond Italy. 

Detective Carl Jones's voice cracked over the speakerphone. Do you think the assassination is tied to our case? 

Braddick sighed, gripping the wheel tighter. I can't prove it yet, but my gut says yes. The Order always has a plan, and this feels like a piece of it. The calming effect of the church's prayer lingered in his thoughts, starkly contrasting the turmoil in his mind. 

I don't have the evidence yet, but something tells me it's true. The Order always has a plan, which could be part of it, Braddick said.

The calming effect of the church's prayer lingered in his thoughts. Maybe the old church's faith in prayer had some truth; he might have to depend on it if the depths of the shadows they were chasing were more than he had imagined.

The level of urgency in Braddick's voice was apparent to Jones. This is like the calm before the storm, so stay alert, Braddick, he said. Jones was correct, and Braddick was aware of it. You could say this was the tranquility just before the tempest hit. Braddick was well aware of the Order's ability to achieve anything because of their history of brutality and cunning.

As he drove through the city's shadowy streets, Braddick couldn't help but ponder the future. Would they have enough time to foil The Order's plans? The killing of the first African Pope in history, a man whose visionary peace efforts were cruelly cut short in Rome, seemed to whisper of the turmoil that had rattled the world far beyond its bounds, as the city's restless spirit seemed to echo the whispers.

Pope Peter II was an extraordinary man who became famous for his steadfast support of international reconciliation and peace initiatives. He was noted for his progressive beliefs and deep-rooted faith. Born in Kenya, when global tensions were rising along geopolitical faultlines, Pope Peter II became the first African pope to hold the office.

During his papacy, Pope Peter II pursued several daring and often divisive measures to bring peace to warring nations and foster mutual understanding among believers. He was vested in fostering international unity in areas where violence and war were prevalent.

Tragically, the pontificate of Pope Peter II was severed too soon. An assassin crept into the Saint Peter's Square congregation during a public mass. He got close to the Pope while posing as a Swiss Guard and achieved his goal of silencing a powerful voice. The assassin took his own life before he could be interrogated. Pope Peter II was shot and died while preaching a sermon on world solidarity and unity. It was quickly understood that a radical gang opposed to his progressive views had carried out the targeted assassination, which shocked the world.

The pope's death has created a vacuum worldwide and in the Vatican. In what is known as APE (acute political emergency) cases, Braddick was tasked with investigating the disappearances of multiple prominent figures. Several prominent New Yorkers have been missing for months with no signs of their whereabouts. During his initial investigation, Braddick found a connection between the disappearances and the Obsidian Order. After the assassination of the pope, Braddick became even more certain that the Order was plotting an epic event.

Braddick mentally reviewed all the case details as he drove through the empty streets. He remembered earlier that week's briefing when experts linked the upheaval after the pope died to increased inexplicable occurrences in big cities. He couldn't help but feel that these events were more than coincidences, and New York was no different, all because of the symbols connected to a long-ago prophecy that had been debated in confidential Vatican archives.

The radio blared passages from the Pope's farewell address, a call for global solidarity, as Braddick wound through the empty streets. The Obsidian Order was a secret group he had been battling for a long time. The abduction of prominent New York political figures likely contributed to its return to activity.

Their beginnings were as enigmatic and elusive as the dark corners they used in their operations; they were buried in historical haze. When the Order was founded in the turbulent early 18th century, it was a secret club of influential people who wanted to use espionage and occultism to influence European politics. They had become ingrained in international politics and criminal networks, their influence having grown beyond the ancient continent.

Their emblem, a global map with an obsidian knife over it, stood for their brutal tactics and immense power. Legends claim they were involved in historical turbulence, from plotting the deposal of monarchs to sparking uprisings in distant colonies. But their secretive nature and the terror they inspired in anyone who tried to challenge them were their natural strengths.

As a matter of personal vendetta, the Obsidian Order was more than a matter of professional interest to Braddick. Early in his career, as a naïve detective pushed into a battle he hardly understood, he began to confront them. Their mysterious armor had been pulled back layer by layer in every battle and operation against them, exposing a heart as black and impenetrable as the stone from which they were named.

With their unexpected comeback connected to inexplicable factors, Braddick realized the stakes were at an all-time high. Their actions were more sinister and may have been linked to the mysterious phenomena that had recently emerged in the city, blurring the boundaries between fact and fiction.

Braddick didn't realize the night the Order abducted Mara to stop her investigation would be the saddest night of his life—the night he first encountered the Order's enigmatic trail as a young detective. It was successful. He ignored the growing body count at the hands of the Order for a long time before he finally had to do something about it. Since that fateful night, he has attempted to solve the puzzle, gathering each hint without exception.

As he drove through the empty streets, Braddick's mind raced. Assassinating the pope, a symbol of calm in an otherwise chaotic world, sent a message more than a tragedy. A shiver raced down Braddick's spine as he approached the Dockside Avenue warehouse, and it wasn't just the fall weather. His hand lingered on the ignition key as he hesitated, his mind suddenly consumed by recollections of Mara. He could hear Mara laughing and smiling, which brought light into even the darkest places. Their reasons were murky, but the Obsidian Order had made it personal when they abducted her on a night similar to this. With each haunting sound of the city's long-lost landmarks, he was brought back to the chilling memory of her last moments—her abduction from their house, a victim of a war she had never volunteered to fight.

More than a crushing loss, her passing kindled a fire within him that drove him further into the darkness, where he hoped to exact revenge or at least seek justice. The boundary between the two became increasingly porous as the nights went by. As Braddick neared the Dockside Avenue warehouse, the location of his most recent inquiry, he detected a chilly sensation not caused by the fall weather. In his briefings, Braddick had seen insignia on artifacts in the Vatican's hidden archives.

When he exited his car, he noticed an unusual symbol spray-painted on the warehouse door—a cross encircled in ancient script. The sight surprised him.

Looking over the warehouse's image brought back memories of his previous confrontation with the Order—a night that ended with casualties, one of whom had been too near to his own life.

Braddick muttered, Everything in this city seems to whisper tonight. Detective Myles emerges from the darkness. You hear the city's whispers, too, huh? I thought I was the only one," Detective Myles is an old acquaintance investigating a case nearby.

It seems louder after dusk, Braddick said, turning to face the sound with a subtle smile. Myles, how are you doing?"

Detective Myles, nervously peered