Title:
Intelligenz (The Dark Atlanta Series)
Author:
Lloyd Blake
Genre:
Science Fiction
Atlanta,
Georgia. Something disturbing is happening at one of America's most
successful tech companies. A girl is found dead in her home shower
cubicle. A home linked to the Intelligenz corporation network of
technologically advanced gated communities. This suspicious death, in
a world where everything is scrutinised by the media, sets off
unprecedented interest.
A young rookie journalist, Clara Flockhart, is assigned by her chief editor, Eric Nash, to investigate the strange happenings at the Intelligenz compound. An assignment that will plunge her into the unknown and lead her straight to the man whose company is being rocked by events outside of his control, Brandon Bloomfield.
At the same time, a young college dropout, Karl Jones, has his own suspicions about the recent death and the gated community that has overtaken his neighbourhood. Suspicions that will see him undertake his own exploration of the Intelligenz compound, he calls the fortress.
As the body count climbs and the nanotechnology, Intelligenz has secretly guarded, comes under scrutiny, the mysterious riddle as to what is actually happening deepens.
Is there a saboteur lurking within the corridors of the fastest growing company in America's corporate history? Or does the darkness come from an unlikely source.
A young rookie journalist, Clara Flockhart, is assigned by her chief editor, Eric Nash, to investigate the strange happenings at the Intelligenz compound. An assignment that will plunge her into the unknown and lead her straight to the man whose company is being rocked by events outside of his control, Brandon Bloomfield.
At the same time, a young college dropout, Karl Jones, has his own suspicions about the recent death and the gated community that has overtaken his neighbourhood. Suspicions that will see him undertake his own exploration of the Intelligenz compound, he calls the fortress.
As the body count climbs and the nanotechnology, Intelligenz has secretly guarded, comes under scrutiny, the mysterious riddle as to what is actually happening deepens.
Is there a saboteur lurking within the corridors of the fastest growing company in America's corporate history? Or does the darkness come from an unlikely source.
Excerpt
#2
Clara and Karl
meet and it is here where Clara shockingly discovers all is not as it
seems within the Intelligenz gated community
Examining the guy’s
every move, Clara found it hard to believe he was being serious. He
had come armed with a gun and the rucksack on his back, she knew,
could only be used to carry the small handheld devices that breathed
life into the revolutionary Intelligenz product experience. “So you
came here to ask me if you could borrow some sugar - why are you
here!”
The young man
shot an angry glare at her. “I was chased here!”
Clara’s body
went rigid as the man’s loud voice echoed down the hallway.
He drew in a huge
breath, raising worried watery eyes skyward. “I was running.” He
paused. “Trying to escape from those machines. They were trying to
kill us you know.” His eyes were like saucers, whizzing around the
entire hallway. “This whole damn place is trying to kill us.”
Perplexed by his
words, Clara wondered whether the young man in front of her was
delusional or mad. She eyed him closely. The more she looked beyond
his athletic physique, she saw a frightened young boy. However, the
journalist in her wanted to know why he felt this way. “What do you
mean this whole place is trying to kill us?”
The young man
leant forward, a fearful glint in his eyes. “Open your eyes lady.
Can’t you see what’s going on here.” He raised both hands in
the air. “This whole place - in fact this whole company is fucked
up!”
Clara looked
away, breaking eye contact. It had somewhat thrown her to meet
another person who had doubts about Intelligenz.
The man dropped
his hands down on his knees, rolling his eyes. “I guess you can’t
see it. You’re too wrapped in your own shit, that you can’t see
what’s going on around you. The only thing that concerns you on a
day to day basis, are what colour shoes is going to go with your
nails.”
Shaking her head,
Clara laughed, inwardly offended. “You’re wrong. I’m not some
airhead who doesn’t pay attention to my surroundings. In fact, I
completely understand where you’re coming from.”
“Well
understand this.” The young man pointed a forefinger at her. “I
witnessed murders tonight. Murders, right here in this fucking
fortress.”
The serious look
on the young man’s face sent a shiver down her entire body. Clara
couldn’t quite believe what he had said. “What?”
“I saw a family
of four killed in their house. A house not far from here.”
Clara quickly
moved a hand toward the com-band on her left wrist, discreetly
engaging the record button. She now realised the severity of the
situation. “You say you saw a family killed in their house? When?
When did these murders happen?”
The man glanced
at his com-band. “Like three, four hours ago.”
Clara shook her
head, still unconvinced the man was telling the truth. “How did you
witness this? Did you see who did it?” Before the young man could
even explain, Clara had put two and two together and was glaring at
the gun she held in her hand. Dropping it to the floor, she gasped,
shifting her body away from the silver semi-automatic. “It was
you!”
Furious, Karl
swallowed hard, shaking his head, throwing his arms out. “No Lady!
No! It wasn’t me!”
The young woman
looked fraught with fear as she locked eyes with the gun and Karl
sensed she didn’t trust him at all.
She glared at him
now, blue eyes flittering as if soaking up a disturbing realisation.
Her head was now shaking, covering her face in thinly twisted braids.
“I did nothing!
You must believe me!”
She quickly moved
the stylish braids over her left ear, a stern look highlighting her
defined cheekbones. “If you didn’t, then who did!”
“This place
did!” Karl declared, slamming a fist into the ground. “This piece
of crap you call home killed them!”
The woman gasped
and her face went rigid, mouth agape. Karl sensed his words had cut
her like a knife through flesh. He hoped she no longer viewed him as
a potential murderer.
Her frozen
expression suddenly changed. She looked perplexed. “How?”
Karl glared into
her deep blue eyes. Those eyes that craved answers. He breathed in
and then exhaled. “They were killed in their game simulation room.
They were playing some game in there, like they were in an African
jungle or something, and then out of nowhere, the game turned on
them.” Karl found his heart rate accelerating with every passing
second. “I couldn’t quite believe it myself, but all of a sudden
chimps were attacking the young kids, and before I knew it they were
being eaten by lions - and the parents too.” Reliving the terrible
events, made the shocking reality of what had happened that much
harder to deny. “It was horrible. The worst thing I’ve
ever seen.”
Author Interview:
Can
you tell us about your book, Intelligenz, in 10 words or less?
A
high concept character driven sci/fi thriller. Action packed
extravaganza.
How
long did it take you to write Intelligenz?
It
took me around 18 months to write.
What
was your favorite scene?
There
were many scenes I enjoyed writing, but my favorite scene is when all
the main characters come together in the science lab inside the state
prison. The events that follow in that scene are climactic, tense and
extremely revealing. I liked having all those characters in one place
and shifting from one to the next having to take on all their
character traits in one scene.
If
you could cast anyone to play the main characters who would you
choose?
I’ve
always had certain actors in my head and this is also all on my
website. I’d like Justin Timberlake to play Hector McBride, the
misunderstood yet deadly scientist. I could see Jennifer Lawrence in
the role of the young journalist Clara Flockhart. T.I the rapper
could play Brandon Bloomfield as they are both from Georgia State and
have that southern charm. Kerry Washington would play clinical
psychologist Velma Brown. Karl Jones, the assertive teen could be
played by Michael B Jordan.
What
is currently in your to be read pile?
I
haven’t got round to reading Doctor Sleep by Stephen King. Dark
places by Gillian Flynn is also on that list.
Chocolate
or Vanilla?
It
has got to be chocolate.
The
hunger games or mortal instruments?
The
hunger games for me.
Coffee
of tea?
A
nice cup of tea. I’m from England.
Celebrity
crush?
When
I was growing up it was Brandy the singer. I grew up with her music.
She has such a great voice and is very beautiful.
Chinese
or Italian?
I
really like Italian food.
Ebooks
or hardcopies?
Author
Bio
Lloyd hails from
London, UK, and has always been fascinated by the power of words and
books. As a child he engrossed himself in books, his favourite author
being Roald Dahl. Years later, he was reading his brothers X-men,
Spiderman, and all other super hero comics. Soon after, he would try
his hand at writing short stories, mostly grizzly stories dripping
with horror elements.
It wasn’t until he
was at university studying business and marketing, he decided to
fulfil his lifelong ambition of writing a full length novel. ‘The
fight for Naturah’ was born, a science fiction fantasy epic set in
a parallel universe. The idea for his second novel sprung from the
technological revolution that has immersed our world – what with
social media, the internet, and the proliferation of gadgets and
gizmos to aid our lives. The dark Atlanta series: Intelligenz, is the
first book of an intended series and is a science fiction
psychological thriller that examines the perils of our fascination
with technology. The first book is published through
shiftingpaperpublishing.
Lloyd will soon
start work on the next instalment, so watch this space…
Links
Amazon
Paperback:
http://www.amazon.com/Intelligenz-Dark-Atlanta-Lloyd-Blake/dp/0957394101/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1384451460&sr=1-1&keywords=intelligenz
Amazon
Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/Intelligenz-Lloyd-Blake-ebook/dp/B00BU15JIQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1384451460&sr=1-1&keywords=intelligenz
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