Defective: A Sebastian O'Reilly Thriller (The Sebastian O'Reilly Chronicles) by Mr Kent Oliver Burt (Author) I had the idea for a story about returning home, a prodigal son story, ever since I was young. In 2000, I had just taken a key, senior management role with a small, startup IT company in Edmonton, 5000 kilometers away from home, when I got the call that Dad was sick, probably dying. The mood of the story, the background, the ideas for many of the characters, came out of that "hardest thing, I'll ever do," trip back home. I decided to push all the characters to their limits, stress them until they found out which of them was defective. I also wanted to write about "bad" people for a change. Are you Defective? Will my story blow your mind? "Defective," Sebastian declared. "The word conjures up images of something not made right, something that breaks before it's time. Defective, that's what I've always been. I'm not sure when I started to take pride in being defective, but I know it was so long ago, I can barely remember," he continued calmly. "My family and friends, colleagues and lovers would be surprised to hear me call myself defective." Meaghan nodded her head almost as if to agree with him, and then looked at him in that clinical, seemingly interested and yet completely detached, way that so many had looked at him before. A small smile touched the corners of his hazel brown eyes, eyes with a hint of cerulean blue. A blue that had its roots in a genetic defect that caused cerulean cataracts, but which was often misinterpreted as a sparkle by those who got close enough to look into the depths of what could only be madness in those eyes. "Go on, please," she said in that bland way that always made Sebastian want to strangle her. Feeling himself getting agitated at the thought, he called upon more pleasant images, memories of times past, when he was free or at least unshackled. Perhaps out of boredom, or maybe to draw her out of her obvious, disinterest he rattled his chains. The chains that bound his feet and hands, the chains that kept him a safe regulation 10 feet away from her. Meaghan barely looked up, which appeared to arouse in him a mixture of amusement and anger. Now there was a perceptible smirk on his face, a smirk that belied the true animal danger lurking underneath. His predatory instincts kicked in as he realized that his attempt at intimidation wasn't working, and just as suddenly he decided to change his tactics. She seems distracted, possibly bothered about something he, thought. Intriguing. "Meaghan," he said, now the picture of perfect calm. "You know, I've been in many difficult situations and have experienced a vastly complex life. If there's anything you want to talk about, just say so." As if waking from a dream, Meaghan laughed softly. "Sebastian, you're not going to catch me off guard that easily remember I'm the one that had you locked up in the first place." Anger reared up in him almost instantly, as he lost all semblance of sanity. He thrust himself towards her with great force, all his weight against the cold, hard steel of his chains bringing him up short with a rattle and crash. His outburst had startled Meaghan, even though she was expecting it. She flinched involuntarily. A uniformed guard stood close by. He was your garden-variety prison guard, mostly bored, often looking for entertainment at the prisoners and their visitors expense. He looked their way and smiled. And did nothing. He enjoyed the game Sebastian and Meaghan couldn't seem to resist playing. Sebastian let out a cry of pain, a scream of frustration as his wrists and ankles began bleeding from the impact of cold merciless steel against soft human flesh. He woke with a start, his head popping upright, causing a sharp pain to run down his neck and back, his mind reeling from the images in his head. Where am I. Read Defective to find out more.