Cassidy Jones and the Seventh Attendant (Cassidy Jones Adventures, Book Three)

Table of Contents

Prologue

One

What Now?

Two

Boys Will Be Boys

Three

Daddy’s Home

Four

Like Father, Like Son

Five

Betrayal

Six

Riley and Her Bounty Hunters

Seven

The Mummy

Eight

Ambush

Nine

Failed Mission

Ten

It’s Alive!

Eleven

Worlds Colliding

Twelve

Duplicity

Thirteen

Henchman For Hire

Fourteen

Busted

Fifteen

Chad The Cad

Sixteen

Cat And Mouse

Seventeen

Champions And Cowards

Eighteen

Dire Miscalculation

Nineteen

Wrath

Twenty

Release The Beast

Twenty-One

Rescue

Twenty-Two

Exposed

Twenty-Three

What Fate Awaits

Twenty-Four

Eyes Wide Open

Twenty-Five

Magical

Acknowledgements

Praise for Elise Stokes

Cassidy Jones and Vulcan’s Gift

“Imaginative!—Modern!—Unpredictable! Riddled with delightful characters, magical adventure and a captivating plot, Stokes again captures young reader’s attention with another dangerous, action-packed adventure…”

— Gail Welborn, Examiner.com

“As in her first book, Elise Stokes proves herself to be a master of suspense for tweens and teens with her ability to unfold a mystery with shocking twists and unexpected turns, all the while entertaining the reader with story lines of high school drama, relationships and pending romance…”

— Stephanie Laymon, Five Alarm Book Reviews

“Elise Stokes has done it again…This is by far turning out to be one of the most amazing and well-written, middle grade to young adult series I have ever read…This book has it all, wild adventure, non-stop action, hilarious banter, family value and love, teenage angst, and excitement at every turn…simply stunning and beyond superb!”

–– Kitty Bullard, Great Minds Think Aloud

“(Elise Stokes) imagination for thinking up a superb plot is better than most and packaged air-tight, and colorful, bigger-than-life characters are becoming her trademark…”

— Michelle Isenhoff, Bookworm Blather

“This book was just as exciting as the last…events are fast-paced and high energy. I wouldn't change a thing with the ending. This book is highly recommended…”

— Krystal Larson, Live To Read

“Cassidy is too much for one book to handle. Stokes had to unleash her again for a second book. If you thought she and her friends took you on a wild ride before, you have no idea what you are in for when you crack open Vulcan’s Gift…”

— Amy Eye, The Eyes for Editing

Praise for Elise Stokes

Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula

“Brimful of danger, secrets, a bit of romance and fun, this debut author’s entertaining plot and well-drawn characters not only is all it promises to be, but will leave readers looking for more…Highly recommended!”

— Gail Welborn, Examiner.com

“I was hooked from the beginning…The plot was generally original, the climax was pretty epic, and the story had some complex concepts that were explained incredibly well. Not only that, but Stokes painted vivid pictures in my mind with her fantastic use of imagery…”

— Gabbi, Book Breather

“Everything about this book sucked me in completely…nail-biting action scenes kept the story flowing at a perfect pace, pulling me along on the roller-coaster ride that was Cassidy's life. She was a complete kick-butt heroine who pulled out an arsenal of moves and weapons…”

— Kristin, Better Read Than Dead

“I was absolutely intrigued from the very beginning of this story and simply could not put the book down…Elise Stokes ranks up there with other YA masterminds! This is a definite must-read book!”

— Kitty Bullard, Great Minds Think Aloud

“Can I vote now for a movie on this series? With the adventure, the mystery and Cassidy’s super powers, Elise Stokes has delivered everything that a young reader could hope for…”

— Stephanie Laymon, Five Alarm Book Reviews

“Man, did I love this story… I liked stepping out of the love triangle of a lot of books these days and even giving the vampires and werewolves a break. Just a great, fun story.”

— Cheryl, Lady Techie’s Book Musings

E L I S E   S T O K E S

BOOK THREE

Name, characters, places, and incidences portrayed in this book

are fictitious. Similarities to a real person, alive or deceased,

locales, establishments, or events are coincidental and not

intended by the author.

Copyright © 2013 by Elise Stokes

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or

distributed in print or electronic form without permission from

the  publisher.

JACE Publishing LLC,

15600 NE 8th St., Suite B1, 287,

Bellevue, Washington 98008

Edited by William Greenleaf, Greenleaf Literary Services

Cover art by Kelly Carter, Mad Spider Studio

Cover design and layout by David C. Cassidy (c) 2013,

davidccassidy.com

ISBN: 978-0-9881851-1-1

For my awesome father, Peter

Prologue

Arthur King Jr. slouched against the concrete wall and tore another page from the Bible in his hand. It had been slipped through the tray slot in the steel door that morning, a gift from a well-meaning prison guard who hoped the message inside would reform Arthur.

“Fat chance of
that
!” Arthur announced loudly to no one in particular, since he was alone in the prison cell, which was a quarter of the size of the walk-in closet at his Seattle home. In fact, the dingy mattress on which his backside was now parked filled half the concrete floor.

“Okay, fellas,” he addressed the prison guards who might be listening on the other side of the door. Or maybe they weren’t—Arthur really didn’t care. “Enough with the
hot box
already,” he blathered as he carefully folded the thin paper into an airplane. “Learned my lesson real good. The décor alone is punishment.”

He glanced up from his creation to look for a target. The tiny space boasted a stained white toilet, a wall sink, a barred window near the ceiling, and cream-painted walls. Arthur actually didn’t mind the blandness of his surroundings. He liked being the only source of color, which he was, in his bright orange jumpsuit.

“Tell your
colleague
that I’m
sorry
for biting his hand,” he rambled on, referring to the prison guard he had sunk his teeth into when the man had ordered him to stop griping about the food and move along in the cafeteria line. The assault had landed Arthur in solitary confinement for five days. He was on day two.

Arthur narrowed his eyes on the toilet bowl and took aim. “I promise to be a good boy and eat all of my peas.” He launched the airplane, which hit the toilet rim and joined the other planes that had missed the mark on the floor.

Arthur spat a furious cuss word and savagely ripped another sheet from the Bible. “I’m bored, bored, bored, BORED!” he shouted like a petulant child, meticulously folding another plane. “Come on, this is prison! Where’s the action?”

As if a prayer had been answered—not that Arthur King Jr. prayed—the alarm sounded.

Arthur straightened up on the mattress. Shouts, screams, and cheers could be heard under the blare of the alarm. When the unmistakable rapid pops from automatic weapons added to the commotion, Arthur eagerly jumped to his feet.

“Yeah, this is more like it,” he whooped, pumping his small fist in the air. Gleeful, he listened as the violent ruckus came closer, feeling apprehension only when the screaming and gunfire entered his corridor.

Arthur backed up against the concrete wall and covered his ears, wishing he had been satisfied with
bored
.

The corridor fell silent. Arthur lowered his hands and listened. Footsteps echoed; heels clicked against the concrete. The commotion in the distance again sounded like a battlefield.

The clicking stopped outside his cell door.

“Arthur,” a woman’s voice sang from the other side, “stay clear of the door.”

BANG!