The complete second trilogy. 3 books. Over 700 pages. Thousands of copies sold. Rath's Trial Rath thought that defeating the Janus Group and stealing back his hard-earned fortune might help ease his guilty conscience. But when he returns to the planet Scapa to find the woman he loves, his past crimes finally catch up to him. And the police aren’t Rath's only concern: someone's put a price on his head. Rath will need to figure out who his new enemy is if he wants to stay alive. His old friend Beauceron can't help him - especially not when Rath's former colleague, Paisen Oryx, is the primary suspect in the detective's latest investigation. The three former allies each work to unravel the truth in a growing conspiracy … but will fate bring them together as friends, or enemies? Rath's Rebellion After he's found guilty of murder, Rath is saved from a death sentence by a mysterious new ally. His newfound friends have a daring plan to rekindle an old revolution, and they want his help. If it all works, Rath could clear his conscience at last, and pay his debt to society. But starting a rebellion will put him squarely in the sights of Beauceron and Paisen as they rush to prevent the looming war. And even Rath's best-laid plans can go astray … Rath's Redemption Rath's short-lived rebellion has gone horribly wrong. The Senate lies shattered, devastated by a surprise attack. The Federacy sits at the mercy of General Yo-Tsai, a brutal dictator who now controls a super-weapon. Above the planet Tarkis, Rath drifts helplessly in orbit, watching as the Jokuan invasion fleet descends on his homeworld. His girlfriend has been captured, he's running out of air, and he's just a single man against an entire army. But he's also the galaxy's most dangerous assassin … and he's very, very pissed.

On the cut-throat streets of Tarkis, orphaned teens like Rath end up jailed … or dead. So when the shadowy Janus Group offers Rath a chance to earn riches beyond his wildest dreams, he seizes it. But the Janus Group is as ruthless as the elite assassins it controls. Rath will have to survive their grueling, off-world training, and fulfill all fifty kills in his contract before a single cent comes his way. And ending so many lives comes with a price Rath can't anticipate. It'll certainly cost him what's left of his innocence. It may well cost him his life.

Just one final target stands between a weary assassin and a life of freedom and wealth. But time is running short: the mark knows that he’s coming, and he’s not the only contractor on the job… Subjects: Sci-Fi / Science Fiction, Thriller, Cyberpunk, Short Story / Short Stories, Free / Freebie, Action / Adventure, Hitman / Assassin / Bounty Hunter

Joanna Dark Never Misses. Neither Should You... ·Founded in 1997, Cold FuZion Studios (CFZ) is an IP Development and Visual Arts & Design Studio that handles many Intellectual Properties as well as their development. Currently, we have studios in New York, Pennsylvania, and California that each operates independently from one another. CFZ excels in the areas of Cinematic & Comic Storyboarding, Character & Concept Designs, Sculpting, Live & 3D Modeling, Photography, Music, Animation (Production and Design), Creative Script Writing, Logo - Graphic & Web Design and Development, Color Rendering, and complete Product Packaging. CFZ’s current client list includes giants such as Microsoft & Lucas Films to Video Game Developers like Activision Inc. No matter the size or budget of the project, Cold FuZion Studios prides itself on delivering a professional product, on time and with competitive biding along with the highest quality possible. ·Eric S. Trautmann is content developer for Microsoft’s Franchise Development Group, where he writes and edits story bibles for a variety of Xbox and PC game properties. He has contributed dialogue and web content for a variety of Microsoft games, including MechWarrior 4: Vengeance, Allegiance, Crimson Skies, and Halo. He is the author of “The Art of Halo: Creating A Digital World” (along with Frank O’Connor) and edited and contributed to theCrimson Skiesfiction anthology (both published by Del Rey). He resides on the Pacific coast of Washington

Rath and Paisen completed all fifty kills in their contracts with the Janus Group. But when they uncovered the criminal organization's darkest secret, the Janus Group unleashed an army of assassins to silence the rogue pair. With help from a former Interstellar Police detective, Rath and Paisen survive - barely. Their plan to attack the Janus Group head-on may be suicide, but in the end, they'll tear the organization to the ground … or die trying.

The Chains of Love are stronger than the Bonds of Revenge Long after the gladiators fought in the Coliseum, ancient evils wander the streets of Rome. Only a few heroes have the power to stop them. Among them, a group of friends whose fate and the gods’ whims have united in immortality. Follow Marcus, Alexander, Samuel, Peter and Raphael as they battle their inner demons and try to save the world and their loved ones at the same time. The Hidden Demon A pariah among paranormals, Peter can touch the dead and read their last thoughts. Once an angel, now a demon, he is only tolerated by most because of his gift. Cursed with the power of influencing every woman or man he touches, Peter has lost any hope to experience true intimacy and companionship. Headstrong and sensual as only werewolves can be, Ophelia is desperately in love with her best friend, Samuel, who is in love with someone else. In the middle of her personal crisis, Rome is taken by storm by the latest archeology discovery, and as a forensic anthropologist, Ophelia is called to shed some light on the remains of a young couple embraced for eternity. Peter is sent to the site to help identify the dead. Amidst Roman villas’ ruins and a mystery that has lasted for two millennia, he meets the striking werewolf, and Ophelia’s exotic beauty and sharp tongue pique his interest immediately. Ophelia, too, is affected by Peter’s magnetism. Despite her heart belonging to someone else, Ophelia feels a pull toward Peter at first sight. An attraction that only grows stronger despite her doubts. Unfortunately, what has started like any other reading for Peter soon becomes a nightmare in which real enemies from several factions want him and Ophelia dead rather than let them discover the truth. Will they survive a manhunt the likes of which Rome has never seen? But most of all, will Peter and Ophelia remain unscathed by the fire of their burning passion? An Immortal Valentine's Day Once a playboy, Alexander Drako is now the happy father of three and eager to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a special party held on Friday night to accommodate his nocturnal vampire friends. Everything is ready except for a small detail. Alexander has forgotten to buy the roses and orchids for his beloved Ravenna. Unable to disappoint her, and accompanied by his loyal friends, Marcus and Samuel, he sets out for Wolf’s Haven, a rehab center for paranormals, hoping to find some flowers left for sale in their greenhouse. After a honeymoon around the world that lasted half a year, Peter and Ophelia have just landed back in Rome. While he would like to relax in their apartment, Ophelia is eager to see her friends. Most of all, she can’t wait to hug Quintilius, her adoptive father. Ophelia’s call reaches Quintilius at Wolf’s Haven, where he’s volunteering, and he rejoices at finally seeing her again. However, he isn’t thrilled to see Peter, the man who stole the heart of his little princess. A sudden crisis at the rehab center forces Quintilius to focus his thoughts and energies on looking for Luisa, a girl who’s run away with a dangerous gang member. By fate’s design, all the friends have reunited at Wolf’s Haven and agreed to help Quintilius in his quest. Will they be able to save the girl and return to their loved ones in time to celebrate Valentine’s Day? Raphael Raphael has nowhere to go, nobody who loves him, and his past has scarred him deeply. A young werewolf on the run, living rough in the catacombs beneath Rome and with nothing else to call his own but his freedom, he desperately tries to elude the Controller whose goal is to send him back to Renegade Youth Shelter and a life of torments. As he lives day by day with the constant threat of being captured, his future looks dark and lonely. That is until a chance meeting with Luisa; a werewolf like him...

Emily is like any other teenage girl. She goes to high school, has a crush on her best friend, Duncan, and is stressed out about college applications. Oh, and one more thing: Emily isn't real. She's actually Nocturne, the leader of a team of super soldiers created by the Janus Project. Genetically engineered. Surgically enhanced. Chemically altered. Psychologically conditioned. Perfect. Driven. Deadly. Emily's cover identity is so convincing that even Emily herself doesn't realize that she's been turned into a human weapon. When a crazed soldier from the rival Ares program comes gunning for her, Emily's perfect life is shattered, and Emily has to fight to discover who--and what--she really is.

Investigating the discovery of a murdered child on a demolition site, pregnant archaeologist Ruth Galloway teams up with Detective Harry Nelson to discern the victim's identity before realizing that she is being targeted by a dangerous assailant.

Strategic orthodoxy is rightly about focus, alignment, and tough choices. Trying to achieve incompatible goals can lead to tensions, contradictions, and loss of advantage. Yet, the rules of competition are changing. There is a select group of companies around the world that have managed to transcend conventional categories and contradictions to develop strategies that deliver competitive advantage and outstanding performance. We call these "Janus strategies", after the Roman god Janus who surveys two or more directions simultaneously. These companies include Toyota, Narayana Health, Singapore Airlines, Apple Inc, and NASA. Based on in-depth case research and decades of development and advisory work with strategists this book outlines how these companies accomplished Janus strategies, while others such as Xerox failed to do so. "Janus Strategy is a gem of a book! It explores one of the eternal challenges in the field of strategy - how to manage dual and often contradictory challenges such as low cost and differentiation or centralisation and decentralisation simultaneously. Building on rigorous research and using a number of inspiring company examples, the book identifies the ingredients that need to be put together to meet this challenge. This superb book is full of fresh ideas and practical advice. It deserves to be widely read and be on the shelf of every senior executive crafting their organisation's strategy."Costas Markides, Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship, Holder of the Robert Bauman Chair in Strategic Leadership, London Business School"I have known and worked with Loizos Heracleous for many years and executive colleagues and corporate students have found his work to be both inspirational and of practical value. I trust readers will find this book equally stimulating."Richard Hill, Director of Learning and Development at Rolls Royce (retired)"If you ever wondered how to pursue promising, though contradicting objectives (efficient operations and high risk innovation for example), this is a book for you. It's both an eye-opener and practical guide helping you to build your own Janus strategy. The stories from companies having done this before, makes it a great read. No doubt you will enjoy it as much as I did."Christian Stadler, Professor of Strategy at WBS and author of Open Strategy, MIT Press"Bringing together a fascinating mix of cases, examples and thinking from refreshingly different areas, Heracleous has created a book that is as intriguing and inspiring as it is pragmatic and timely."Marcus Alexander, Adjunct Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship at London Business School, Non-Executive Director and Strategy Consultant"A Janus himself as a rigorous researcher and inspiring educator at the same time, Loizos Heracleous has provided a much-needed perspective on strategy in his book Janus Strategy. Often managers shy away from trying to resolve paradoxes and conflicts in their business. This book shows us how to welcome and be comfortable with them, and more importantly, how to use them to build competitive advantage." Pinar Ozcan, Professor of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

After solving the environmental problems of the United States, dictator Chairman Rahma must fight off new weapons being deployed by the corporations and deal with unsettling reports of mutants.