The Second Compound

by Bob Blink

Rick Berkman returned home after learning Jerry, his long time friend and combat buddy, had suddenly disappeared. After weeks of frustrating failure to find a reason, or a clue as to who might be behind the disappearance, Rick learns almost by accident that a hometown friend of Jerry’s had been killed only a week after meeting with him. Convinced the two events must be related somehow, Rick decides to seek out the sister of Jerry’s murdered friend in hopes she might be able to shed light on the mystery. In doing so, he meets Jenny, a beautiful and resourceful young woman, who is trying to understand her brother’s death. Working together, Rick and Jenny begin to learn the secrets linking the two events.Jenny’s brother Sam had been a senior researcher at the University of California at Berkeley where he stumbled across a miraculous new chemical compound representing a major medical breakthrough. The new compound is potentially worth hundreds of millions to any company that can find the means to synthesize it, and the theft of his research might be the ultimate cause of Jerry’s disappearance and Sam’s death.As they continue their search for the people behind the murders, they learn that Sam had hidden the secrets of his discovery for Jenny to find, and they begin to follow the trail to pick up the dispersed clues that Sam had carefully concealed. The trip takes them halfway across the country, including a stop in Jenny’s hometown of Pierre, South Dakota. As they learn more, Sam’s notes tell them of the existence of a second compound, supposedly with abilities even more miraculous than the first.As they begin to unravel the secrets of Sam’s work, their lives are in danger from those who want the secrets for themselves. Trying to find the answers, while avoiding attempts on their lives, brings the two full circle back to Berkeley, where the true plot is revealed.

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 13, 2011

Reviews

[Mark Zodda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good and enjoyable story though the author has a fanciful idea of special operations tactics.