Excerpt from DEFROSTED by Dr. Cristina LePort:
Chapter 1: the entity
TWO HUNDRED YEARS LATER
Alaska, 7/13/2220
Dr. Ralph Clifford could already taste the liquor. He looked at the frosted, cone-shaped glass inside the synthesizing-bar and anticipated the pleasant buzz that would pervade his brain like a fog and bury the annoying warning signals. A gin Martini beat dying any time. As if he had a choice. For the past few weeks, the thought of death and dying kept on resurfacing in his mind with increasing and ominous frequency.
This was new to him. During his 95 years of life, using his medical knowledge, he had challenged death often by the use of uppers and downers. The guilt of using drugs while occupying a high-ranking political office had worn thin a long time ago. He had the right to do what he did. How could drugs be legal and tolerated for the general public, but lethal for a political career, despite the stress of carrying on such a profession? How in the hell was he supposed to cope with his everyday challenges of pleasing his superiors while keeping his subordinates on track? The thrill he experienced waking up alive after a drug stupor, the charge of energy animating his body and whipping his mind into euphoria, had helped him many times to overcome the stress and disappointments peppering his life. He had never considered death a reality to fear. Until now.
His life had been a progression of steps amassing and expanding his power, culminating a few years ago in his promotion to Chief Medical Officer of the Northern Region. It hadn’t been easy. He still remembered the shameful anger from pinching his nose and kissing the necessary higher-up asses. Pride washed over him as he recalled all the backs he had forced into bending submission—all to use as steps for his ascent. At last, he was in a position to get credit for some of the great social achievements developed by suckers under his control. He needed recognition of his life’s work. He had to come up with something that would force admiration and worship out of every human around him. Procure him fame, fortune, and perhaps even the Brain-Refurbishing prize.
He couldn’t wait to see the tri-dimensional copy of his own brain. He would download all his brain’s content into it, like into a computer’s hardware, and save it. Later, the information would be transferred little by little into his own cloned and transplanted brain—the path to immortality. That was his ultimate life’s goal.
But someone was after his job. A low-life bastard was plotting to screw him, blasting Clifford’s lifelong goal forever out of his reach. Clifford’s life would lose its purpose. His past steps wouldn’t look like achievements any longer. Heck, he didn’t have the luxury of carrying some other profession that scored concrete achievements such as machines, constructions, or pharmaceuticals. Politicians dealt with people. The rule was to eat or being eaten. So far, he had been able to remain alive and on top.
But, like a reverse domino, as soon as the final goal disappeared from his reach, all the steps he had taken in the past would tumble, making his life a flat, barren path. The goal had justified the means. No goal, no means. Everything seemed worthless. Clifford feared he might not be able to fabricate fog dense enough before the thought of death turned into desire. Like that night two weeks ago. A close call.
He glanced at his blue uniform and pulled on the sleeves to straighten the decorative pair of golden stripes. Soon, it’ll be time for the stupid ceremony. He reached inside his breast pocket and felt a small cylinder-shaped object. A chill went through his spine.
The plop of an olive and a soft beeping sound prompted him to redirect his hand, this time to grab the now-ready cocktail. He took a gulp and let the gin permeate his palate and infuse his nose with pungent vapor. Perfect. He pursed his lips, considering the effect. A second sip went to silence the voice inside his head compelling him to forget all about the contents of his breast pocket. A third mouthful followed. After consuming half his drink, he was able to peek inside his pocket.
The injector was just as he had left it. He counted the red marks, even if he already knew that the vial was filled up to nine. Nine doses of the most powerful combination of stimulants known to man.
The tenth one he had used that night two weeks ago. His thumb had lingered on the diffusion button. He had vowed to keep his finger in position until the injector had unloaded the entire vial contents into his jugular vein. The drugs would have sent his heart into ventricular-fibrillation arrest. Anger and pain would have vanished once and for all into the black hole of non-existence. But something had made him release the pressure after only one dose.
He smiled. The drugs must’ve helped him think straight. Maybe there was a way to protect his career from destruction. His sixty-plus years of painfully finagling his way up to a well-deserved power position didn’t have to turn into rubbish. That was when his steady hand had slipped the vial with the remaining nine doses into his uniform’s pocket. He had forced the event out of his mind ever since. Until now.
Clifford’s eyes wandered over the green and gray outline of the Talkeetna Mountains, background to the 270-acre Independence Mine Park. He surveyed the 600-plus people gathered around a circle of dust and dying grass centered by an ancient heap of wood. The remains of the 20th century historic gold mine, the heart of the park, awaited its destiny.
Soon the old shack would be sacrificed to the overflowing population’s housing needs and relegated to a holographichalls-only experience. But something next to the old mine shack drew Clifford’s attention.
From DEFROSTED by by Dr. Cristina LePort. Copyright © 2026 by the author
A Frightening Vision of the Future, And an Electrifying New Thriller, from the Acclaimed Author of Dissection and Change of Heart
Dr. Cristina LePort raises the bar with Defrosted, a captivating fusion of science, medicine, and political intrigue that redefines the boundaries of the thriller genre.
Two centuries into the future, cryogenically preserved scientist Dr. Peter Royce and his wife, Monica, awaken to a dystopian world where human worth is dictated by social utility and freedom is a distant memory. A devastating biological entity, known as mitocancer, looms as a global threat, and Peter must uncover the truth of his past to save humanity's future.
From the icy wilderness of Alaska to the corridors of power in a reimagined Washington, D.C., Defrosted explores the clash of high—tech medical breakthroughs and ethical dilemmas. As power plays escalate and secrets unravel, Peter, Monica, and a cast of vividly drawn characters are thrust into a battle for survival that questions the very essence of humanity.
Science Fiction | Thriller Political | Thriller Medical [ Bancroft Press, On Sale: June 2, 2026, Hardcover, ISBN: 9781610886178 / ]
Dr. Cristina LePort, an accomplished cardiologist and author, captivates readers with her medical thrillers that merge her rich medical background with gripping narratives.
Born in Bologna, Italy, and now based in Southern California, Cristina's novels, including "Dissection" and "Change of Heart," offer a unique blend of suspense, medical insight, and ethical exploration.
Her journey from Italy to the U.S. and transition from medicine to writing highlights her resilience, intellectual curiosity, and dedication to storytelling.
Cristina's work stands at the crossroads of medicine and literature, engaging readers with tales that resonate with authenticity and depth.
No comments posted.
© 2003-2026