The Deadly Seeker Returns
Humanoid from the Planet Venus
by
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Chico State Park Park Ranger Cal Evans drove through the shadowy moonless night along La Palma Avenue toward the gate leading into the Nature Conservancy and on to Chico State Park. The headlights of his black Ford F-150 truck flashed across the gray chain link gate at the end of the dark asphalt road. Cal hit the brakes as the light revealed one corner of the gate, twisted and bent. He shook his head, wondering what happened. Leaving the engine running, he stepped into the light beam that bathed the steel gate in a dim light. From his pocket, he pulled a bunch of keys and edged toward the padlock on the gate's right side. As he reached for the lock, he noticed it was twisted, broken, then a deep growl filled the night beyond the fence. “What?” the young man yelled, was that a cat? He whirled, backed away from the gate, staring into the inky darkness. No, flashed through his mind, not a mountain lion. Something else? The tall thin ranger rushed back to his pickup, Stumbled against the door as he opened it, strapped on his .38 caliber service revolver, picked up his Maglite, and crept back to the gate, glancing from side to side. What kind of an animal would make that sound? A tiger got loose from the LA zoo a few weeks ago, but they shot that one. Did another one escape? There's no place here for one to get loose. He flashed the strong beam along the gravel road past the gate, then swept it over the bare sandy plain leading down to the river. His dark brown eyes swept across the shrubs and dwarfed trees beyond the sand. A few cottontail rabbits scurried out of the light. Never heard a sound like that. He shivered, a chill prickled his skin. What's happening to me? The young man pulled the broken lock loose and swung the twisted gate open. Who, what broke it? Someone's vehicle? I'll find out at park headquarters. He sprinted back to the vehicle, drove through the opening, and parked. Pulling his gun from the holster, he closed the bent gate and turned toward the truck. The meaty growl reverberated in the thick darkness beyond him. The young ranger swung his revolver and flashed the light beam into the Conservancy. “Where are you?” Nothing. He pointed the light eastward toward the river canyon and the entrance for wild animals into the state park from the Conservancy. The hazy forms of tall oak trees and twisted bamboo stocks danced into view. He shivered. Nothing. I'll report the sound when I get to the station. He turned back toward the pickup when he heard the noise behind him, a sloshing sound like something walking through water. Cal whirled. The flashlight beam caught a movement, a shadowy form. It seemed to appear as a dark form only to disappear in the darkness. The ranger flashed his light back and forth trying to locate the dark shape. Am I seeing things? The growl, like that of a great ape, erupted closer. Cal jumped, pointing the beam at the sound, it caught a tall ebony creature with a thick humanoid body, covered with a stringy substance. Long limbs hung down along its sides, each hand or paw tipped with steel-like claws that flashed in the bright light. The ranger raised his revolver as a strange fear slid up from a knot in his gut and lodged in his throat. His mouth twisted in fear. He gagged. “Hold it, who or whatever you are. Get your hands up, this is government property. Come closer so I can see who you are.” The creature sloshed towards him, its long limbs hanging motionless at its sides. Deep yellow eyes, like those of an immense leopard, filled a slick black helmet-shaped head. “No you don't,” Cal yelled. “Hold it right there.” He leveled his pistol at the tall threatening creature . The pizza that Cal had eaten earlier churned in his stomach amid the flow of acid. I can't believe this, flashed through his mind. Just a few moments ago I was sitting in Ogle's Pizza Parlor drinking a beer. The dark humanoid beast never faltered a step, but moved even faster towards him. Then Cal noticed the eyes of the beast in front of him. As he stared at them he felt a strange hypnotic pull. He struggled against the force, shaking his head. Something is wrong here. This can't be happening to me. The young ranger's thoughts cleared as the creature's large round eyes glanced away from him toward the lights of the pickup. “Stay back,” Cal yelled. He fired a shot in the air hoping to scare the creature away. It never hesitated, sloshing closer. Cal lowered the gun barrel and pulling the trigger, firing several shots into the body of the beast. “Stay back.” He fired again, emptying the revolver. Where are you, Brad, when I need you? He searched his pockets for additional shells. The strange creature hesitated a moment as a clear liquid seeped from the bullet holes. It raised one paw and covered the wounds for a second, stilling the flow, then stepped closer to Cal. Cal stared in disbelief at what he saw. His mouth gagged open as he turned to yell, but no words came from his hollow mouth as his eyes widened until they hurt. He gradually lowered his revolver as the yellow orbs pulled his brain away. The park ranger stood dazed, his mind elsewhere. The tall creature, dripping with moisture, rushed the final steps toward the young man. Its right paw reached behind Cal's head and jerked it forward as the other paw sizzled on the young man's face and smothered him in a watery death.
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About the Book
The Deadly Seeker Returns is a fast action sci fi novel sequel of The Deadly Seeker where a biochemical humanoid robot ravished the ranches of Idaho and Montana seeking a Venusian child abducted by a Soviet space probe. The novel takes the next step beyond the probe that infuriated the Venusians enough to send a space craft to Earth manned by a Deadly Seeker. The Deadly Seeker Returns follows a rebellion within the under surface community on the planet Venus by a group of biochemical robots where one escapes in a spaceship and crashes into Earth on California’s Saddleback Mountain. The rebellious creature goes on a killing spree, terrorizing the county, as it sets up beacons to guide his followers to Earth. After the humanoid beast hideously kills his brother, State Park Ranger Brad Evans and a member of his staff, Ranger Julie Adams, resolve to avenge his death. Brad is motivated by his mentor, a university professor, and his mother’s silver medallion found on his dead brother. Heeding kind words of his mentor, Brad turns remorse and anger into willpower and determination. Brad and Julie follow a trail of killings that takes them through the cities, foothills, canyons, and mountains of Orange County California, discovering romance along the way. With the help of a pudgy deputy, an Air Force colonel, and the U.S. Forest Service, they corner the creature in a fiery battle on a remote tree covered mountain top. The significance of the medallion and the motivation of his mentor lead Brad toward the annihilation of the Deadly Seeker and further his closeness to and affection for Julie.
About the Author
Bert Millspaugh has been a successful writer for over 45 years. He has written numerous outdoor and travel articles for regional and national magazines and is the author of two novels, The Deadly Seeker, Humanoid from the Planet Venus, and The Mystical Vortex, Gateway to another Dimension. He is an accomplished photographer with scenic photos presented in his travel articles. Mr. Millspaugh has a B. A. degree in Technical Communications from a California University. Born in the woods in the State of Idaho, he lived and worked in the logging industry, farming community, and ranch country before military service. Mr. Millspaugh served four years in the U. S. Navy during the Korean War as Petty Officer Electronics. Following the war, he worked 35 years for Douglas Aircraft and Northrop Corporation as an engineering administrator on contracts with the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force. He was a range master for a local gun club and awarded several proficiency medals by the National Rifle Association. He led Scouting expeditions to the summits of several mountains including Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in continental USA. During that time, he spent many weekends with his wife and family in the desert and mountains of California, Nevada, and Arizona researching and photographing for his articles. The Deadly Seeker Returns takes place in Orange County California where Mr. Millspaugh hiked through the hills and canyons and along the Santa Ana River in his research for the novel. Mr. Millspaugh's Naval service, his work with the military, and his knowledge of the outdoors aided in the writing of this novel. Following retirement, he traveled the United States with his wife, Barbara, in their motorhome. Presently, he is writing a fourth novel on his military experience with a minesweeper squadron during the Korean War.