Orphan X

Acknowledgments

It takes a village to launch a book. To launch a new series, it takes a small municipality. Given that, I’d like to acknowledge:

— Sensei Brian Shiers, for teaching me mixed martial arts. I attained much wisdom on the receiving end of his various choke holds, eye jabs, and leg sweeps. My primary-care physician and I thank you.

— Billy S____, shadow serviceman and master armorer. If ever there’s a man who fills the combat boots, it’s you. Thanks for lending me your brain and your weapons.

— Jeff Polacheck and the delightful Pearl Polacheck, for giving me a behind-the-scenes look at high-altitude living on the Wilshire Corridor. Thanks for braving my questions as I poked around back halls and crawl spaces, figuring out how to build Evan his Fortress of Solitude.

— Geoffrey Baehr, Knower of Arcane and Invasive Technologies. Thanks for teaching Evan how to creep unnoticed through the virtual universe.

— Professor Jordan Peterson of the quoted proverbs. Thanks for giving Mia a road map for how to raise her son and for giving me a road map for how to raise myself.

— Melissa Little, Queen Restorer of Vintage Movie Posters, for showing me the tricks of the trade when it comes to forged art and documents.

— Melissa Hurwitz, M.D., and Bret Nelson, M.D., for patching up my injured characters or permitting them to expire with the dignity of verisimilitude.

— My editor, Keith Kahla of the keen eye and tireless ethic, for helping hammer Evan Smoak into shape. The rest of my team at Minotaur Books — Andrew Martin, Kelley Ragland, Paul Hochman, Jennifer Enderlin, Sally Richardson, Hector DeJean, and Hannah Braaten — for giving him a home.

— Caspian Dennis of the Abner Stein Agency, and Rowland White and his fine team at Michael Joseph/Penguin Group UK for taking care of Orphan X on his OCONUS operations.

— The unimprovable Lisa Erbach Vance, as well as Aaron Priest, John Richmond, and Melissa Edwards of the Aaron Priest Agency.

— My superb crew at Creative Artists Agency — Trevor Astbury, Rob Kenneally, Peter Micelli, and Michelle Weiner for giving Evan a sensational boost.

— Marc H. Glick of Glick & Weintraub and Stephen F. Breimer of Bloom, Hergott, Diemer, et al., who have had my back for two decades and change.

— Philip Eisner, for his writer’s eye and dark sensibilities.

— Dana Kaye, publicist extraordinaire.

— And of course Maureen Sugden, my dream copyeditor.

— Thing One (Simba) and Thing Two (Cairo), who accompany me into every chapter.

— Daughter One and Daughter Two for making me happy to come out of the book every evening.

— And Wife One. For that thumbs-up you flashed on September 26, 2013.