Publisher's Synopsis
From Key West is born this series of novels by local Key West writer Joe D. Wells.
The Last Ruble - Part I - A Story is Born offers Adventure - Death - Loyalty - Treasure - Romance - Tragedy - Travel to Paris - U.S. - Luxembourg
Vladimir is involuntarily chosen to help save a kingdom by smuggling a child who holds the secret from Russia to the U.S. Losing his family. He is forced to endure death and destruction of his world and the world around him. He has vowed to return for his lost family, no matter the cost. But first he must learn to survive himself.
Jack is a struggling off Wall Street Investment banker who, perhaps, lets his greed get the best of him, when he is caught up in the search for Vladimir and the child he protects. How far will Jack go for the gold. Both men live in different times of the same century. Their life's long journey beings here. Their faiths are sealed. Just a matter of time. But first both must pay their dues. With some being at an extremely high cost. You will travel around the world and through time on the many adventures of two unlikely heroes.
Chapter 5 .....I said loudly. "I will be out in a minute." It happened again. I finished and as I turned to walk out, the door slammed into me again. I pushed back as hard as I could, when I heard a reply. "Oh, my nose, I think he broke my nose." I walked out and said. "Do that again and I will break more than your nose." Then at that moment, I felt a sharp pain in my left kidney and dropped to one knee. I had been punched hard. I heard a second voice from behind me. "We do the breaking around here, American." I tried to get up, but a fist hit me in the middle of my back, and then the voice of the man hitting me said. "You stay down, American. This is our club." In pain I asked. "Who are you guys and why are you doing this? I am just here to party a little." This time I did not try to move, but looked back under my body to see where the second guy was standing; the floor was nasty and slippery. Looking up, the first guy was still holding his nose. He looked down at me and said. "We are your worst nightmare, American."
Chapter 10 ..... Approaching was the railroad refueling station, and then they saw what was causing the smell. The train depot sat next to the railroad tracks; the village was behind it. From their high vantage point, Vladimir and Viktor began to see burning piles of ash in front of homes and store fronts. They looked at one another; they were still trying to confirm what they knew they were seeing. Then as the depot approached, their imaginations were confirmed. The piles of smoldering ash were bodies. On the porch lay what looked like a father, wife and a child. They could not tell if the child was a boy or girl. They saw the remains of a charcoaled chair with the depot master still at his post in the chair. They could tell he was old; he was hunched over and burnt to a crisp, still wearing what was left of his train station hat. Viktor spoke first, again. "We're not at war. Who could have done this?" "I'm not sure," Vladimir said, "But they are leaving no witnesses."
Joe discusses some edit he has made to this book. To view on Youtube, please copy and paste this URL into a new window - http: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=flDt2ZaiRkE