Fire in Flight
My debut novel, Fire in Flight is a dystopian mystery set in the bayside city of New Harbor.
Book 1 of The Rare Souls Trilogy
“This world was one of vigilantes and unseen justice, after all.”
New Harbor is a city that praises itself on being the world’s first “utopia,” and Matt Ellis wants nothing to do with it. When his sister gets a promotion at Streak Corporation, the world’s best defense contractor, Matt follows her to the bayside city to reluctantly start a new life. But in cities like New Harbor, reality is often too good to be true.
After a sniper attacks the affiliates of Streak Corporation in the dead of night, Matt suits up as a masked vigilante to confront this city’s deadliest secrets, and to put an end to “New Harbor’s Reaper.”
Releasing in May 2026
Read the Prologue and the first scene of Chapter 1 below!
Prologue
Darkness often harbored tragedies.
The murky streets of New Harbor welcomed the darkness, however. There was always room for sins and scandals in a city masquerading as a utopia. And the moon was the only witness to it all.
Beyond the fog stood the sniper upon the rooftops of southern Canton, masked in the moonlit night. The black-clad figure had their sights on a slow car several blocks down. They kneeled along the edge, then aligned their sleek rifle.
No one would suspect a thing, yet everyone would hear the sirens.
The gray vehicle rode along the bay at a leisurely pace. In the driver’s seat sat a man in his late thirties. He grew a beard along his square jaw, and crow’s feet wrinkles pinched his eyes. He stared ahead smugly. Beside him sat a woman in her early twenties. She released her blond hair from a braid, letting it fall against her pale shoulders.
“The moon is gorgeous tonight,” the woman said.
The man chuckled. “Reminds me of someone I know.” He rested his arm over the open car window and flicked his cigar.
The woman raised her brow and glanced his way. “Now, who would that be?”
The man smirked. He drove forward slowly and met her gaze. “I could be looking at her right now.”
“Oh.” The woman stared ahead and breathed in deeply.
The man returned the cigarette to his lips. He breathed in the smoke, then blew out smoothly.
“Is this why you offered to drive me home tonight?” she asked.
The man shrugged. “Well—”
“Noah,” she sighed. The man straightened at the mention of his name.
“Come on, Kylie.”
“You know I’m engaged.”
“Do I know?” he remarked. “I never see you wearing a ring around the office.”
“I guess I should start wearing it, then.” She met his eyes again. “But some secrets are better left in the dark. Are they not?”
The corner of Noah’s lip lifted slightly. “I see what game you’re playing here.”
“Do you?” she said. “And what game are you playing?”
The man laughed again. “Find out, will you?” he teased. “I did something that’ll earn me a whole lotta money.”
“Oh, really?” she replied sarcastically. She leaned back against the seat and stared ahead. “Does this have anything to do with your private session with Jason Streak?”
Noah took one hand off the wheel and rubbed his thumb against his index finger. “I’m making all the money off that man. Just wait and see,” he explained. “He gave me some confidential info about Streak Corp. And I sold the files to an associate of Sal-Tech. But don’t be too worried. Mr. Streak can still benefit from this, too.”
“And…? What’s so confidential?”
“Look, I intend on keeping it confidential for now,” Noah emphasized. “It’s secrets regarding illegal weapons used during the war with Optyma. Can’t say what, but…” He lowered his voice, moving his hand back to the wheel. “Sal-Tech paid big money for the files. And if this info gets out, we can manipulate the story. We’ll keep ruining the reputation of those Optyman refugees. I’m sure Jason Streak wouldn’t mind in the long run. He’d probably give me a raise—”
Kylie scoffed, “And why are you telling me this?”
“You’re still new, Kylie. Young blood,” he said with a smirk. “You’ve been a manager for a couple of months now. But me? I’ve been in Streak’s business for years. I know how it all goes down. So, I’m gonna offer you a proposal.”
“A proposal,” she muttered. “How ironic.”
“Hey, now, come on,” Noah said. “You join me, Kylie, and we can run off with the money together. You and me, alone. We’re talking millions at stake here. Between Streak Corp, Sal-Tech, and the Optymans, we’ll be winning in the end.”
Kylie huffed, “That is one hell of an offer.”
Noah drove ahead, and his eyes flashed to her thighs under her tight black dress. She turned her gaze to him, and he shifted his attention to the road.
“Well?” he continued. “What do you say? I’ve had my eyes on you since the day you joined the team.”
“I know.”
“And?” The man was desperate to reel her in. He didn’t want to be alone in this endeavor—this scandal to earn millions of dollars from the leading weapons manufacturer in the world—and he wanted a partner.
“Sounds incredible. You’d turn my life around,” Kylie yawned. “But I’d have to decline.”
Noah’s smile dropped. “Seriously?”
Kylie grinned. “I have dreams, Noah. I don’t want money. I want someone to give me my dream. But until you find someone who can give you what you need, you’ll never be satisfied.”
Noah inhaled sharply. “No offense, honey, but your man doesn’t have what I have. I can buy you your dream. Just watch—”
A sudden gunshot ripped through the air, and a heavy bullet struck the front left tire of the car. Noah gripped the wheel as he lost control of the swerving vehicle. Kylie reached for her seatbelt. The car skidded into a dim streetlight, and airbags sprang out from the wheel, crushing Noah.
He shoved the door open as he gasped for breath, then crawled out of the car. He blew the smoke away from his face, turning to see the wreckage.
“Kylie?” he choked out.
“I’m fine,” she coughed back in the passenger seat.
Noah shifted his gaze to the flat tire beside him. “What the hell—”
Another shot rang through the air. A bullet struck Noah’s right shoulder, and he fell back onto the hood of his car. His head slammed against the metal, and he slumped to the pavement.
“Noah!” Kylie shrieked. She threw herself out of the car and ran to his side. She kneeled beside him, reaching for his shoulder. Blood dripped across her bare hands.
Noah shuddered and stared up at the rooftops. “Someone’s there,” he stuttered. He tried to lift his arm, but his shoulder sagged.
Kylie faced the structures across the street. Upon the nearest rooftop stood a slim figure cloaked in black attire. Hooded and masked, with a rifle strapped across their back, the sniper stepped away. A spiraling wind stormed the area, and Kylie caught her breath as her hair flew all around her. She let go of Noah, shielding herself from the sudden gust.
She opened her eyes and saw the sniper had disappeared. The mysterious shooter delved deeper into the city, vanishing with the wind.
Chapter 1 (Excerpt)
Matthew Ellis was just another victim of a fancy thing called “fate.” Change was his nemesis, and insomnia his malaise.
The masked vigilante stared out at the vast city of Miami from a rooftop, succumbing to the never-ending clutches of fate. Nothing could hinder his drive to do the right thing, even if this ironic action made a change in the world around him.
On this night, the streets remained quiet near the outskirts of the urban area. The local bar hosted people of all kinds, from lonely loiterers to passionate partygoers. Matt had his eyes set on one individual—the solitary stalker. The man waited outside the bar, smoking a joint with his car parked across the road. Reminiscent of a predator hunting its prey, the smoker watched the crowds of people enter and leave the bar.
Matt had searched for this man’s whereabouts over the past three months, tracking him relentlessly to every corner of the city.
The smoker was a serial killer notorious for kidnapping drunk individuals who needed a ride home. He would often prowl around the local bars and offer a ride to anyone in need. The authorities hardly investigated the matter, but for Matt, this man had been his mission for the past ninety days.
Tonight was the night his oppression would end.
Matt grabbed a pole attached to the building and slid down. He landed lightly on his feet, crouching to stay out of sight. His outfit matched the tone of the night—pitch black with a mask and a hood covering his face and hair. Usually, he would wear an orange shirt underneath his jacket, but tonight was different. He opted for a stealthy guise for this mission.
A lone woman exited the bar and stumbled slightly on her heels. Exhausted, she looked for a nearby taxi to take her home. Matt watched quietly from across the street, noticing the smoker had put his joint out. The stalker approached the woman casually. He gave her a friendly wave, introduced himself, and gestured to his vehicle. The woman insisted she needed no help, but the man continued to prod her.
As the smoker was distracted, Matt darted across the street. He pulled out a knife attached to his belt, flicked a switch that ignited the blade with fire, and sliced the car tires. In a flash, Matt disappeared behind the other side of the bar.
The woman finally caved and followed the man to his car. From her perspective, this was just a generous offer. The man opened the passenger door for the woman, and she crawled in. He then strolled toward his side of the vehicle and slid onto his seat. He started the engine, but as he did, all the air in the tires escaped.
While the man raged within seconds, Matt sprinted toward the vehicle. He ran to the driver’s side of the car, smashed his fist through the window, and grabbed the man by the back of the head. The woman screamed and tried to escape the car but quickly found the door’s inner handles were missing.
Matt forced the serial killer’s forehead against the dashboard—
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The unconscious predator slumped forward against the wheel. Matt dusted his gloves off, then walked around the car to open the passenger door for the woman. She pushed herself out, trembling as she backed away.
“What the hell?” she screamed, gasping for air.
“Go inside and find security,” Matt ordered. He pointed toward the bar’s entrance.
“Who was that?” she demanded, still in shock.
“Herman Wild. Serial killer.” He turned to look at the unconscious man. “Now, go.”
“Wait, but who are you?”
“Go.”
The woman fell speechless and nodded. She backed away slowly, then ran into the bar. Meanwhile, Matt approached his target. He whipped a thick string from his pocket, tying the man’s wrists behind his back and fastening his ankles together. He slammed the driver’s door shut, then disappeared into the alley.
Matt climbed one of the buildings and returned to his perch on the rooftop. He stared at the clouded moon, noting the lack of stars through the hazy sky. His anonymous identity was all a part of his role as a vigilante. None of the people he saved, nor the authorities, would know who he was. And he preferred to stay that way.
To be the anonymous hero of the state.
Tonight would be his last time overseeing the streets of Miami, however, and no one needed to know he was leaving. He could only hope he made a visible mark on this place.
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