Well, folks, it’s almost time for another issue of Marvellous Adventure. And you know what that means: a sneak peek at the latest Emily Monroe story. The Author was incommunicado for a little while (to do some extra research, he says), but back in April he returned with a short vignette that prepared us for the next part of his chronicles.

But next weekend I promise you’ll be getting more than just a vignette. A gang war rages through Aurora City and if the Whitehawk Legion has any chance of clearing the bad guys off the map for good, it’s going to take a lot of guts, a lot of planning, and the sparkle of a brilliant scheme. Here’s a brief excerpt to whet your appetites…

***

Emily opened the gate of her private elevator and stepped into her penthouse apartments at the very top of Monroe Industries headquarters. The elevator opened in a front room of the suite and she had to go through a second door before getting into the suite proper. When she did she found the lights on and Stephanie Norton sitting on the sofa in her nightdress. A half-empty cup of cold tea sat on the end table.

“It’s Saturday night,” said Emily. “Pretty girls like us should be out dancing.”

Stephanie smiled tiredly. “Maybe even hit the casino.”

“As long as you promise not to punch anyone this time.” Emily dropped her files and valise on the coffee table and dropped herself onto the other end of the sofa.

“I’ll need a new evening dress.”

“You can borrow one of mine.”

That was about as much irony as either of them could muster.

“You know,” said Stephanie after a few minutes, “I haven’t been the most appreciative houseguest.”

“Stephanie—”

“No. Really. You had to drag me in here kicking and screaming, when I should have been more grateful to be somewhere safe. And I still haven’t said thank you.”

Emily didn’t know what to say to that. They sat there in silence, and Emily both hoped and dreaded that soon Stephanie would just say she was going to bed. But instead when she opened her mouth it was to say: “How did your briefing go?”

“It went,” replied Emily. She picked up the file on Hertz and opened it. “But if it’s going to go any further, I have to plan an unplannable heist.”

“Heist? I thought we were fighting the criminals.”

“If I don’t manage to figure out how to steal a boatload of gang money, we’re going to spend the rest of this little war twiddling our thumbs.”

Stephanie slid over to peek at the open file. A grin began to curl her mouth. “Do tell.”

——

Newport was not in the best mood the next morning. “This is what you dragged me out of bed for?”

Emily wasn’t in the best mood either. She and Stephanie had stayed up another three hours scheming like snakes and typing out notes. When they had finally turned in, she found her stomach was desperately attempting to turn itself into a pretzel and refused to let her sleep at all. Still, she thought she probably looked better than Newport, who seemed to be nursing a hangover. Emily felt charitable enough to keep her voice low.

“We both want to do something about the gangs. This is the best opportunity we’ve had in weeks.”

“It’s a cockamamie plan.”

“You know you don’t really believe that.”

“We have orders to believe that.”

“As I recall, we were never actually ordered to do anything.”

“Would you like to confirm that in writing?”

Emily leaned over Newport’s desk. “What I’d like is to bring down a dangerous criminal organization—which is more than you seem willing to do right now. Are you going to prove me right?”

Newport sat up in his chair, plunked the mug of coffee he’d been cradling down on his desk, and bore his bloodshot eyes right into hers. “I hate your guts,” he growled.

“I don’t know what my job around here is, Mr. Newport,” said Emily with a victorious smile, “but I know it isn’t to make you love them.”

***

Look for “A Brilliant Scheme”, the latest Emily Monroe installment in Marvellous Adventure No. 5 — premiering early next Friday (or Saturday) morning. Check the official Facebook page to stay up to date, and catch up on previous issues here.

And don’t forget the motto: Adventure With A Capital A!