Interview with Dr. Dane Zedek from The Fall of the Midnight Scorpions
Who is your greatest enemy and why?
Executive Director Tanith Vaile tried to use her position to shut down my organization, but she is no longer a threat. Since then, the only real trouble I’ve had is with a former agent of mine, Ro Bernard. I am a little miffed that she managed to escape my prison, but she doesn’t have the resources or influence to truly worry me.
Do you think you can ever reconcile with this enemy?
Considering Executive Director Vaile is dead, I would say reconciliation is out of the question. If Miss Bernard were to come crawling back to me and showed an appropriate amount of contrition, I might consider letting her rejoin the Scorpions. She’d forever be under heavy surveillance, though.
What is your weapon of choice?
Intelligence and information.
What makes you angry?
Insubordination.
What do you think is your enemy’s greatest strength?
Miss Bernard is persistent and can be rather charming when she wants to be, I’ll give her that. She’s like a scrappy little street dog that won’t let go of something once she gets ahold of it.
What do you think is your enemy’s greatest weakness?
That unwillingness to let something go has landed her in trouble before. She would do well to remember her place and realize when her opponent is much more powerful than she is.
Name one person you trust.
I trust no one completely. All my agents watch each other and report back to me with any suspicious activity they might observe. Anything they miss, my security feed usually picks up.
Title: The Fall of the Midnight Scorpions
Author: Thea Landen
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
A year has passed since Ro Bernard escaped from the Midnight Scorpions, a clandestine group of mercenaries that exists in the outside world as little more than myths and rumors. Though haunted by the reprehensible acts she committed and witnessed as a member of the organization, her primary focus is keeping a roof over her head and food on her plate. A chance encounter leads her to Karin Cassels, whose son died in the Scorpions’ underground laboratory. While sharing details about her son’s research, Ro reveals the most disturbing information she has on the group. Their leader, scientist Dane Zedek, has been integrating cybernetic parts with human soldiers in the hopes of building himself a lethal army that will help him achieve even greater political power.
The women hatch a plan to take down the Midnight Scorpions with two ultimate goals: kill Zedek, and rescue Callum, Ro’s lover who was the first of the scientist’s experimental hybrids. For additional assistance, Dr. Cassels directs Ro to Reggie Quinn, a drifter who is no stranger to odd jobs and risky situations. Reggie agrees to join the cause in exchange for a percentage of whatever they loot from the Scorpions’ base.
They embark on an adventure throughout three warring countries to assemble their team and gather the necessary materials for their schemes. Along the way, Ro tries to fight her growing attraction to Reggie, especially as reminders of her unhappy past keep resurfacing. Love and redemption wait for her at the end of her mission to defeat the Midnight Scorpions…assuming she makes it out alive.
Author Bio
Thea Landen lives in New York with her husband and two children. A former educator, she strives to encourage creativity and passion in all those around her, and uses writing to help inspire. Though she reads and writes in nearly all genres, she has a special fondness for science fiction, fantasy, and adventure and anything that pushes the imagination beyond its usual limits. When she’s not writing, or thinking about writing, her hands and mind are occupied by either yarn crafts or role-playing games.
Contact Details:
Email: thealanden@gmail.com
Website: www.thealanden.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thealanden
Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheaLanden
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5782229.Thea_Landen
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00948YAXW
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Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fall-Midnight-Scorpions-Thea-Landen-ebook/dp/B013TDJPO6/
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/the-fall-of-the-midnight-scorpions
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/fall-midnight-scorpions/id1029938451?mt=11
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781771152556
Double Dragon Publishing: http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/single.php?ISBN=1-77115-255-9
Excerpt
“If we could just put the guns down for five minutes, you’ll find out that we’re actually trying to stop some of the shady goings-on that only lead to more fighting and bloodshed,” Ro said. “And we thought you might be able to help.”
Mielle pursed her raspberry lips into a straight line. After another moment of quiet tension, she hooked her foot around a chair behind her and dragged it over to the table. She sat down and crossed her legs and arms without putting the gun away. “I’m listening.”
Reggie holstered his gun and sat down, keeping his hands on the table. Ro did the same, accepting they were the intruders with questionable intentions in this situation. “We’ll try to be brief,” she said. “If you saw combat with the Tektani troops and you keep your eyes and ears open, which I’m sure you do, I’ll assume you’ve heard of a little group called the Midnight Scorpions.”
Mielle snorted and spat on the floor beside her. “Mercenary scum,” she said coldly. “I always said that dealing with them was more trouble than it’s worth.”
“We’d heard you were a woman of great intelligence,” Reggie said.
“The world would be a better place without them,” Ro continued. “So we’re going to see if we can find a way to remove them from this bloody equation that never seems to have a solution.”
“It’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard.” Mielle’s shoulders relaxed, though she kept her pistol gripped in her hand. “But I don’t understand why you came looking for me.”
“After we fight our way through there and eradicate their leader and his favorite minions, we figured we might as well just lay waste to the entire place,” Ro said. “Right, Ted?”
Ted hadn’t moved since his armed companions had taken their seats. Eyes wide, his attention remained focused on his newest acquaintance, specifically on her prominent chest. Ro sighed and shook her head. “Ted!”
Mielle unfolded her arms and leaned forward. Reggie shifted as if to retrieve his weapon again, and Ro hoped another confrontation wasn’t imminent. Rather than brandishing her gun, the Tektani woman simply slid a single finger under Ted’s chin and angled his head until they made eye contact. She stuck her tongue out and made an unpleasant face before letting go of him and settling back in her chair.
Ro let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
“As you seem familiar with my resume, I’ll assume that you want me to handle the destruction of the Scorpions’ hideout,” Mielle said.
“That’s the plan, yes.”
Thanks so much for hosting me today! This interview was a lot of fun!
It’s my pleasure, Thea! Thank you for being a guest!