While writing the current book, planning goes on for my follow-ups. So far I have the basis for 2 more books for Challenger Storm and the first 3 Cipher novels… but frustratingly, nothing still for The Black Wing.

If you’re interested, here’s where the characters are going in the future (in the planned order of their being written). There will be more info as each one is refined, of course.

**The Cipher #1: “Silent Rites”

An origin story, it traces the creation of the Cipher persona.

It begins on the battlefields during the last days of WWI as the Hand of God team discovers the German treasure hoard beneath a field of rose bushes. By the way, I’ve recently discovered the phrase “sub rosa”: it’s “a Latin phrase that means ‘under the rose’ and is used in English to connote secrecy or confidentiality” (from Wikipedia). I can only view this as creative serendipity.

The story picks up in 1932, as the former members find their lives shattered by personal tragedies at the hands of organized crime. Their reunion, the development of the Cipher identity and gear, and their war against a particular crime organization will take up the rest of the book. The villains will be simple gangsters. The more outlandish pulp elements will come later…

**Challenger Storm #2: “Curse of Poseidon” (tentative title)

From freighters to cruise ships, vessels are disappearing in the Aegean sea off the coast of Greece. Locals and fishermen are attributing it to an ancient mythological curse (hence the title).

Of note is the absence of Brock Thurston and “Skids” Gerard (who are shaping up to be a bit too much like Monk and Ham in their friendly feuds). In their place is the first appearance of two new associates: Diana St. Clair, a markswoman and pilot (Annie Oakley in a plane), and Captain Peter Horn, the two-fisted, swashbuckling, and cello-playing captain of the tramp-steamer “Godspeed”… a craft that functions like an ocean-going MARDL base of operations.

**The Cipher #2: “Guns of The Cipher”

It begins as a Japanese businessman disappears during a luxury cruise, leaving his American fiance a prime suspect (this incident was inspired by a true news story from 1931). Before the tale is over, ancient warring societies and black market arms smugglers are revealed to be involved… and a major villain of the MARDL-verse makes his first official appearance. The War Merchant is a mysterious and deadly character who will have his own post in the future.

**Challenger Storm #3: “Master of Decay”

The title refers to another major villain who appears in this tale. A man whose own body generates a deadly flesh-decomposing toxin, he holds a city in his iron grip of blackmail and biological catastrophe!

**The Cipher #3: Trail of the Full Moon Killer” (tentative title)

Ah, the joys of public domain… Thanks to public domain, I can write this story as a kind of sequel to one of my favorite old horror movies, “Dr. X”… a movie reminiscent of the weird-menace pulps. Still “fleshing” out the details (if you’ve seen the movie, you’ll get the pun), so more information will be forthcoming.