Protector:the awakening [prologue]

[werewolf]

[march 1980]

" I'll kill every freakin' one a' you, if you come at me again!" Ben yelled, his green eyes livid with rage.He braced himself for the fight he knew was coming.Adrenaline surged through his veins.He was surrounded by guards wearing helmets and padded armor. They wielded stun sticks resembling cattle prods.Ben was outnumbered twenty to one. They were taking no chances.
Standing six foot four Benjamin Cord had the muscular build of the full back he'd been in high school.His short chestnut colored hair was unruly.Thick stubble climbed his square jaw.Ben's once tanned skin had grown paler due to lack of sunlight in this prison like subterranean lab.They used to let him go to the surface for health reasons. Not since his last escape attempt when they'd killed his friend Vic.it was now deemed too risky.He promised himself he would make it riskier to keep him here.....
Ben glared about at them angrily, constantly shifting his stance to avoid the stun sticks with which the guards repeatedly tried to knock him out.All he wore was a sleeveless navy blue tight fitting unitard, zipped up the front resembling a diver's wet suit.The number 7908 was emblazoned on several patches on his chest and shoulders. There was no name tag.They used only the number never his name.Ben stood barefoot on the cold concrete floor. He waited for them teeth gritted, sweat gleaming on his face.
"Cease engaging him."ordered the voice over the head set the guards leader wore.Despite the situation the disembodied voice was calm.The speaker, Walter Ratlinger, stared out through the one way glass into the larger room beyond."l want subject 7908 dealt with immediately."The volume in his voice increased by a notch.The window was at second floor level, with no direct access from the room below, which could be sealed off by a steel door.in front of Ratlinger was a console filled with toggle switches, buttons, meters and small monitor screens.
"Tell your men to pull back."Ratlinger commanded via the headset he wore.The leader of the guards below nodded.He waved his men aside.
"Yes sir."the officer in charge responded."Withdraw....move...move...move!"he barked.They began to pull back as ordered.
Ratlinger observed the scene from above, dispassionately.A wiry man of middle height, he had pale skin and thinning brown hair that was starting to go gray.His features were rather sharp, his gray eyes cold and hard. His white lab coat covered a non descript gray suit, though he'd removed his tie.A clip on name tag with his photo hung from his right breast pocket.Walter adjusted the glasses on his thin high bridged nose, his gaze scanning the clipboard he held.
"Next one o' you zaps me gets a broken neck!"Ben growled spitting the words."l don't wanna' hurt anybody...but l will if l have to!"
"Don't listen to him!"Shouted the officer, who hung back, while the others formed a cordon just beyond Ben's immediate reach, to prevent him from following them through the door."Move!"
As the guards sought to withdraw, Ben tried to follow them. Turning, one of them attempted to distract him with a prod from his stun stick.Moving instinctively, Ben grasped the stave, with alarming speed.The guard was too startled to react in time. in one fluid motion Ben pulled the man towards him then lifted him high above his head.
Several other guards rushed at Cord to rescue their comrade.Ben hurled the man at the others, bowling them over like proverbial ten pins.Three more hurried to the aide of their fallen companions.Ben leaped forward felling them with a single roundhouse blow.A fourth received a kick to the abdomen and doubled over in agony, collapsing to the floor semiconscious. Blood dribbled from his open mouth.Ben clutched a fifth by the throat, easily lifting him with one arm and casting him forcefully into the nearest wall.
Those who fell remained on the floor, some groaning and clearly injured, others unconscious.Another just barely dodged Ben's fist, which impacted the wall, leaving a small crater behind. Cement dust hung in the air.
"Hurry!"Ratlinger ordered his voice harsh and cold."We're about to release the gas..."
"What about my men?"protested the officer at the risk of being disciplined himself.
"You have your orders.Get those who can move out of there.Leave the rest.We'll retrieve them later."Ratlinger replied heatedly, annoyed at having his authority questioned."I'm in charge here until General Corben returns.The gas is non lethal. Your men will be taken to the infirmary as soon as specimen 7908 has been subdued."
"Yes sir" the officer answered in a disappointed tone, his expression bitter. Freakin' bastard, he thought. He hated taking orders from a civilian, even if Ratlinger was the head of the scientific team.The officer gestured for those still on their feet to follow him.They did as they were ordered with a few regretful backward glances, uncertain all their comrades were still alive.
The officer hung back to let his men pass through the door ahead of him. He refused to loose any more of them.Despite the damage he'd done the officer felt sorry for Cord, who'd been an army Ranger before they began to experiment on him But the man dared not admit that sympathy or who knew what they'd do to him?
Ben ran at the officer, desperate not to be left behind to the gas.He tripped slightly over a couple of the fallen men.Off balance it gave the officer a chance to jab Ben with one of the stun sticks. Ben grimaced in pain, stepping back a step.Most men would've been rolling on the floor moaning.But it was just enough time for the officer to make it through the door....barely.
The door clanked shut, echoing in the big concrete room.Ben rammed into it full force with his shoulder.The visibly crumpled inward,leaving a large irregular dent.The door shuddered but held.
Furious, Ben pounded at the riveted portal, his blows continuing to echo ominously.Each prodigious blow left deeper dents but still the door failed to give way.....

[to be continued]

[John Reid]

Cool. Keep it up.

KH

[werewolf]

"Release the gas!" scowled Ratlinger at his companion, who sat before the control panel.The other man's name tag read:James Worthington.He was a bit heavier than Ratlinger and several years younger.He had blue eyes behind his glasses and close cropped sandy colored hair. His suit, beneath the lab coat was blue and he still wore his tie.
Worthington flipped the switch, with a frown.lmmediately, steam like gas flooded into the room below, from jets along the wall at about four feet above the floor."There....satisfied now, Walter?" he folded his armswith a disapproving expression."lt wasn't necessary to gas him.He can't escape. He'll tire himself out soon enough."
Ratlinger flicked a disgusted look at Worthington."And how do you think we'd extract those men or get him back to his cell?"
"Come on, Walter! He's not an animal.He won't harm them further.He knows he can't escape again."Worthington sighed, shaking his head. "lt's impossible."
"ls it?" Ratlinger's brow furrowed."You know that for a fact, do you, James? What to you think he'd do to anyone we sent back in were that door opened?He's desperate. Desperate men do...desperate things.How many could punch holes in that wall, James?Or put dents in titanium steel?" Ratlinger hissed in exasperation at what he perceived as his colleague's nieve' biases."How much have you enhanced his strength and endurance?Threefold?Fivefold? More?He was already strong before due to that genetic anomaly of his.That's why you chose him.He is your project James."
"lt's true that his myofibrular tissue is unique. So is his ratio of muscle to body fat.But it's his resistance to disease....the speed at which he heals that was crucial.That was what signaled his usefulness to us. He could never have survived the process without it."Worthington expounded more to himself than to Ratlinger."We've never found another specimen like him before. lf l didn't know better l'de swear he was already geneticly enhanced at birth or via his ancestry. But that's impossible. No one knew enough in those days. We scarcely do."
"You don't have to remind me. l approved his....entrance into the program.But it was a mistake to enhance him physicly before his mental conditioning was completed. lt should've been handled more subtly.You tried to force him too early in the training process. That sort of training is a delicate matter. l'm a geneticist not a psychiatrist and even l know that."Ratlinger stated in a clinical manner."Now that he's been physicly enhanced pain and deprivation are less effective tools than they might've been.You ordered him to kill his friend, then told him we had done it because he refused to. That was what really set him off. What the hell did you think he'd do?lt was way too soon.To use him now we'd have to virtually lobotomize him !lt should've been left to the psyche department.You don't start of with a sledgehammer to the skull..."
"What choice did l have?"Worthington waved his hands defensively."Those were my orders.The higher ups wanted proof that he'd follow any order, no matter what it was. l didn't like it either . But there was nothing else l could do. They refused to bother with the mental conditioning unless they were sure my process worked on him. There were so many failures before."
"They're short sighted fools."Ratlinger snapped in derision. Worthington had clearly hit a nerve."Our problem with specimen 7908 is that he's been indoctrinated since childhood with an impractical outmoded ethical code, first by his family and then by the military.He's strong willed. So, the training stuck.lf we could raise someone like him from birth...educate him properly...who knows what could be accomplished?" There was a fantatical gleam in his eyes as Ratlinger spoke.He barely glanced at Worthington.The concept chilled James.Someone as strong as leutenat Cord without a conscience. What made it worse was the knowledge that that was precisely what his superiors wanted.
"They want results now, Walter, not in a generation."Worthington rolled his eyes ."We can't grow clones overnight in testtubes like in the comic books.They'll all be dead before your super clones are available...if they ever are."
"The fools deserve to be dead now!"Ratlinger hissed in disgust."But he's not our only test subject, even if he is your baby..."
"He's still our best shot!"James insisted."Some of the others maybe stronger.But they're uncontrollable...completely irrational.They can't function on their own.They're as much a danger to us as anyone else.They're also too deformed to blend in outside as he could."
"His ability to ...blend in as you put it makes him a danger in his own way.And his ability to think for himself is the main problem. He's too independent...too rebellious.You'll never break him now without killing him. That's one reason they're winding down the program.7908 was indeed our last best hope.But we failed with him...like all the others. All that's salvadgible noware his physical abilities...if we do as l wanted to."
"They're pulling the plug?"Worthington sounded shocked and disappointed. He ignored the reference to Ratlinger's dream project which their superiors had turned down."We're so close! l know we are..."
"Did you expect them to keep pouring money down the hole forever?"Ratlinger shrugged regretfully."There hasn't been one unqualified success in over twenty years.They almost shut us down after the scandal over MK ULTRA blew up five years ago.They've been hiding our funding but with this recession it's getting harder to do.The elections coming up in November.They want this place shut down by then.With Mount Saint Helens rumbling it's been decided to evacuate sooner rather than later. We're too close if that thing really goes off..."
"l just never thought they'd give up on us."Worthington sighed in resignation."l came here fresh out of college.Are they going to terminate him? terminate all of them?"
"Of course."Ratlinger replied. "They're a security risk....failed experiments the public can never know about.We'd be crucified if what we've done here ever got out.They can't be set free. What else can they do with them?"
"Couldn't they be stored in the stasis pods? shipped to the new facility in California?What else are those door things for now that the space program's in mothballs?"James snorted in frustration, seeing his life's work thrown away.
"l agree."Walter admitted."lt is wastefull to just destroy them. They cost too much.But it's not up to me. l may head the science department here. But l have no control over the funding or which projects get greenlighted or shut down. lf l did my own would have gone forward. l only make recommenations which they are free to ignore as the bastards so often do."
"How long do we have?"Worthington paled, swallowing hard.
"l'm not sure."Ratlinger answered in a bored tone, already thinking of other things."As fast as we can make the transfer to the new facility. A month or two l'de say."Walter glanced into the next room and shook his head sadly.He noticed that Ben was still standing, though clearly weakening."Hard to believe he's still on his feet..."Ratlinger added dryly.
Below them Ben gasped for air, clutching desperately at his chest and throat. Finally, he sank to his knees coughing and choking.He resisted the effects of the gas with every fiber of his being.lt was no use.Ben was loosing the battle and he knew it. ln seconds he would be unconscious.
"door you!"he snarled, looking up at the window above him, bitterness etched on his face."You stole my life!Killed poor Vic 'cause l wouldn't do it for you....l swear l'll make you pay!"Then , he could speak no more.Summoning his last bit of strength, Ben stood, if shakilly. Racing towards the window he launched himself at it.
Worthington almost fell backwards jumping out of his chair.Even Ratlinger stepped back a few steps, startled but trying not to show it. Ben struck the glass full on, though not at his top speed due to his weakened state. The rattling noise was deafening.
The glass didn't shatter completely,though fine cracks radiated outwards, from the point of impact, like a giant spider's web.Once the vibration ceased the cracking process continued. lt sounded like ice splintering. Both men held their breaths in nervous anticipation.
Ben's stamina spent he slid down the wall, teeth gritted, eyes tightly shut. He landed in a crumpled heap at the base of the wall, his fingers clenching and unclenching convulsively. Bfore long he stopped moving at all, save for the slight hint of breathing.About him the guards he'd faught lay sprawled unconsciouss. Tiny pieces of glass, like a fine translucent dust, rained down around him.
"He almost broke through!" Worthinton gasped, his eyes wide, heart pumping wildly.Sweat ran down his forhead. "l though it was unbreakable..."
"Nothing is totally unbreakable."Ratlinger commented dryly."l suppose we should've lowered the security shield....l didn't expect him to be able to try that. You might want to switch on the vacuums now to collect the gas before the window shatters entirely. We didn't bring gas masks."
Ratlinger glanced at his watch. "lmpressive. He held out ten minutes. Anyone else would've been out in two minutes...three at most."
Worthington stared at his colleague in disbelief, mingled with horror at Ratlinger's attitude. Ben seemed far more human than Ratlinger at that moment.

[to be continued.]

[John Reid]

Cool. Love it. I know you haven't read Blackmage's book "Elite Forces Division" but it too involves the government experimenting to create super-soldiers and there is potential for a cross-over if either or both of you are so inclined. Of course since this book is loosely connected to your other two it might be best to refrain from too many cross-overs.
Just my two cents
KH

[The Muse]

I need to drag blackmage in here to read this...I think he would enjoy it.

[werewolf]

MAY 18, 1980 [Sunday, 8:30 am]

"Do you have everything ,Jim? They told us not to take too long.You know how hard it was to get permission to come back here like this.They want this place sealed off as soon as possible.The mountain's quiet for now.But you never know how long we have."Gabriel Prescott's eyes darted about nervously.He wasn't in his accustomed lab coat as they weren't working on the lab here.lt had been shut down several weeks before.The base had been closed save for a skeleton staff, mainly a handful of guards in the garage.They were even now loading up the trucks to leave.
"l'm almost ready, Gabe."Worthington responded to his increasingly distracted assistant."l had to get these notes They're crucial to my research.P.R.O.P.H.E.T. may be winding down.But this has been my life's work since college.The military might've lost interest.But l haven't.My work could still help muscular distropy patientsd....the elderly....if it gets a chance.What's in these notebooks is key to that."
"l understand, Jim."Prescott replied."That's why l agreed to come up here with you.But why didn't you take these before?"
"You know me, Gabe.l'm the model for the absent minded professor.l'm so terminally disorganized. l was sure l had everything until l'de unpacked at the new facility. l was talking to Dirkfeld and wanted to show him my notes only to realize l couldn't find these.After searching all day l realized that l must've left the door notebooks here by accident."Worthington shook his head in self deprecation."l'm such a scatterbrain."
"You really are hopeless at times, Jim."Prescott chuckled good naturedly."You need a god door baby sitter."Gabriel was a tall spare young man, a few years younger than Worthington.They had been friends since College.Prescott had a patch of auburn hair and a mustache that needed trimming.Laughlines radiated from around his haezel eyes."You should be carefull what you tell Dirkfeld. He's got some nutty ideas. He's virtually into eugenics with his racist attitudes.Besides, he talks too much."
"Oh, he's harmless." Worthington waved his friend away dismissively."Got a chip on his shoulder...maybe a bit of an inferiority complex. He tries to cover it up with all that talk but just draws attention to it.He can be a little intolerant at times.But he's got a good mind."
"lf you say so."Prescott responded skepticly."His list of prejudices could fill one of these notebooks. l'de just be carefull if l were you."

Worthington didn't answer, appearing distracted.His gaze was far away.
"Did you hear me, Jim? Are you OK?" Gabe noticed his friend's odd mood.
"What?"Worthington looked up as though startled back to wakefulness.
"Oh....oh, yes. l'm fine. Just thinking. That's all."
Suddenly, they both felt a massive jolt. Everything began to shake, as a mighty shudder ran through the concrete walls and ceilings around them.The pair glanced about nervously.Cracks became visible and cement dust dropped on them from above.The lights flickered and an alarm sounded.Booted feet echoed in the hall.
"What the hell was that?"Prescott gulped uneasily."An earthquake? Why didn't we hear anything?"
"lt's got to be St. Helens."Worthington concluded."We knew it would blow sooner or later.l'de hoped it would be later.l thought l'de have a chance to finish when she calmed down for awhile.Guess l was wrong.Won't be the first time....but it probably will be the last. Sorry, l got you into this , Gabe."
"l volunteered, remember? You got me through college....got me this job.l owe you, Jim."Prescott patted his friend on the shoulder.

[John Reid]

Mt. St. Helens, I'd almost forgotten about that. I remember watching it on the news. The date and place did not connect with me until you included it in your tale just now. Great idea to write it into your tale. Real world events always give an air of realism to any story. Very professionally written as always. Looking forward to more.
KH

[The Muse]

im VERY intrigued. Looking forward to more....

[werewolf]

l haven't decided wether to include this prologue in the novel though l like it. l'm not certain if it reveals too much or just enough. But l like the writing l did on it itself.When completed the prologue almost stands on it's own if only as set up for the rest.While there are no costumes involved it is my ode to the superhero genre'.l'm aware that it's roots show. Hopefully, l did it well enough to be more than a derivative pastiche'.The character has the potential for sequals but so far l haven't found the right plot beyond the one novel.l left a number of threads dangling for future stories though so who knows when the right plot will present itself?

[John Reid]

The Super-Soldier theme has been used frequently in comics but rarely in novels. The only one I can think of was "Cyborg" by Mark Caidin which was the inspiration for the tv series "The Six Million Dollar Man" in the 70's. The chief difference was in the book he could not see out of his bionic eye, it was a camera instead.
KH

[The Muse]

werewolf i think you should keep going with this...its not so much a prologue as a first or first and second chapter.

[werewolf]

One of the guards appeared in the doorway, a stunned look on his face."We gotta' go doc!" he yelled at Worthington."The siesmographs'r goin' crazy!The lockdown's started.We've only got a few minutes until this place is sealed. The ash cloud'll be here in less than half an hour.lt'll be a miracle if we make it out at all."
"We'll meet you in a minute."Worthington motioned at the guard.The man hurried back towards the garage.
"Take this."Worthington said sadly, shoving the thick notebook into Gabriel's hand, trying to ignore his friend's incomprehension."l'm staying, Gabe. There's something l've got to finish here.
But l want my work to continue.You'll do that for me won't you?"
"Of course"Gabe answered baffled."But why can't you do it?"
"There's no time to explain fully."Worthington shook his head."l have a chance to correct a mistake l made. l let my curiousity and ambition get the better of my conscience. l can't live with the memory of what we did here....monstrous things.l can potentially right one of those wrongs....preserve my greatest work.So, l'm going to try to, whether l succeed or not."
"What are you talking about?"Prescott stared at his friend dumbfounded."You're not making any sence."
"7908 is still alive, Gabe."Worthington stated with quiet urgency, avoiding his assistant's surprised gaze. "l substituted the drug they used to terminate him last month. l revived him that night....put him in one of the stasis pods on the lower levels.The generators should keep the capsule running for months if l can funnel enough of the base's emergency power to it.But someone's got to stay to do it, once the lock down ends.l won't ask anyone else to make the sacrifice. So, it's up to me.l've been studying the schematics for two weeks.That's the real reason l'm here. l left this notebook on purpose to provide me an excuse to come back.Once the eruption's over hopefully the weather will clear the solar panels before the feul gives out.lt's a slim chance. But l've got to try."
"That's insane , Jim!"Prescott paled, gesticulating vehemently."lt'll never work! You
ll die for nothing...."
"Not for nothing, Gabe."Worthington stated with determination. "We took men's lives away to experiment on them....turned them into...God knows what.Cord is different.We changed him...stole his old life from him.But he could still blend in out there again...build a new life...if given the chance.l've got to give it to him if l can to expiate my own sin.l chose him for this. l owe him.It wasn't the enhancement that failed.They wanted a killer robot not an enhanced man.His will, his moral code proved too strong for those bastards.So, they ordered him terminated with the rest."
"Come on , doc! What'r you waiten' for?"The guard peeked back into the doorway, his voice and expression full of urgency.
"Alright, Leutenant Harmon."Prescott called out. "l...we're coming." he eyed Worthington sadly but with resignation and headed for the door to follow the guard."Goodbye, Jim.l'll do my best with your....legacy."
"l know you will, Gabe."Worthington waved at him."Get going! The ash cloud won't wait."
*******************************************************************************
The truck pulled out of the base's main entrance onto it's private service road, clattering noisily along the unpaved path.Prescott glanced back with regret as the massive doors descended for the final time.They resembled moss covered stone on the outside, virtually indistinguishable from the natural rock around them.They hid the entrance well, as they'd been designed to do, especially once the tire tracks eroded or were covered over.
Prescott's eyes were glued to the doors as they receeded on the road behind the truck, his friend now trapped in the empty base. Gabe's guilt ate at him. He should never have let Jim talk him into it.lf need be he aught to have had the guards drag him out, for his own good.
Of course Jim promised to leave via one of the service shafts after the eruption ceased and he'd done what he came to do.But Gabe senced that that had just been a ruse for his benefit, so he would leave.
Off to the southwest the black column of ash rose high into the morning sky, spreading ominously towards them above the canopy of the trees.Far too soon it would blot out the sun.
Gabe had expected the roar to be thunderous.But the silence was deafening. They had a long drive on some tortuous winding roads.At the speed the ash cloud was rolling towards them there was no guaraunty they would make it out themselves. Maybe Jim had the better shot after all.....

[John Reid]

Love it. I'm hooked. Can't wait for the next installment.
KH

[The Muse]

I agree!!!! *all bouncy in anticipation!*

[werewolf]

CHAPTER 1:"The Hatch" [ Teusday, Sept. 6,2011]

The late morning sun beamed down from a brilliant sky of cyan blue.lt was unusually bright for the often cloudy northwest.There were only a few whispy clouds high up and the dawn mists had already burned away.The growing heat of the day was alleviated by a cool gentle breeze from Walupt Lake.
lt whispered through the thick stands of fir and pine along the ridges.Shadows cast by the giant trees offered welcome relief from the sun which gleamed off the snow capped peaks all around.To the northwest the small lake glistened.lt was a gorgeous late summer day,though the hint of autumn was already in the air.
Four figures trudged along the widest path between the towering trees, towards a hill in a clearing just ahead. Two were male the others female.Three were in their early twenties, one a few years older.All wore shorts and hiking boots and carried backpacks.
"Why'd you choose this trail, Dwayne?" the younger of the girls asked.She was taller than the other girl, her skin lighter.She was blond and blue eyed whereas her companion was black haired with eyes of a golden honey brown beneath long dark lashes.The shorter girl was naturally tan.She wore a light bluebutton down blouse and cut off denims.The blond's hair was pulled back in a pony tail, a sweat band around her forhead.She wore a green tee shirt tucked into khaki shorts that showed off her long shapely legs.
"l was listening to Dr. Prentiss.He described hiking in this area when he was younger. lt sounded like a good spot.Besides, the sky resort's only a few miles north of here." Dwayne replied.The elder of the two boys he had curly light brown hair and several days fashionable stubble on his chin.His tee shirt was pale blue beneath a green and brown flannel shirt, which was rolled up at the elbows.He, too, had khaki shorts and white socks to mid calf.Wire rimmed glasses rested upon his log thin nose, half concealing his blue eyes.He held a rough hewn walking stick in one hand.
"You must've been taking notes."The dark haired girl laughed."l've heard Gabe talk about this area for years. But l'de never have found my way out here based on what he said.His directions were always kind of vague to me"
"lt wasn't hard, Dr. Morgan....not with a decent map and the gps on Diane's phone."Dwayne blushed slightly.
"l guess you're right."The darker girl shrugged."l just never thought to come here.l like to sky.But it's out of season for that and it's quite a hike to the Goat rocks to reach the resort anyway.l've never understood why this area's so special to Gabe.Whenever l ask him he clambs up fast."
"l thought Doc Prentiss told you everything, Kris."chuckled the younger boy.His lesser height and smooth rounded face made him appear younger than he was.He'd tried to grow a mustache to allay that impression but it barely showed to his chagrin.His straight black hair hund in bangs over his forhead. He squinted, shielding his brown eyes from the sun.
The tan tee shirt he wore was at least a size too big for him and was not tucked in.His shorts were a green camouflage pattern.He strained uncomfortably beneath the weight of a back bigger than those of his companions who had jokingly chided him for over packing.
"Everyone's got their secrets."Kris observed. "Even Gabe. l don't pry into his affairs....well, l try not to.How much further is it?"She eyed Dwayne a bit impatiently."We should start thinking about where to make camp."
"Did we have to carry everything to see this...what'd you say it was, Dwayne?"The shorter boy grumbled.
"Stop complaining, Kevin."admonished the blond girl."You haven't stopped grousing since we left Seattle.You knew we planned to hike out here.We could've gone white water rafting closer to town.But you didn't want to.We never forced you ...or your sister to come alongOf course we're thrilled she was able to come."Diane's expression belied her words.She gazed at Kristina with ill concealed jealousy and resentment.
"lt was nice of you all to invite me."Kris interjected politely."l don't see much of Kevin since he started college.He rarely brings any of his friends home to Emerson."
"Not you too, sis..."Kevin whined petulantly.
"Cut the cryen' Kevy"chortled Dwayne."Diane , you sister and l are tired of hearen' it. We didn't kidnap yuh."
"Shut up, Dwayne!"Kevin snapped sullenly. He stared resentfully at his companions, feeling that they had all ganged up on him."What the hell would l have done in town while you guys were out here? Emerson doesn't even have it's own movie theater.The wi fi's so bad l can barely get online up here.There's nothin' decent on tv 'cause it's a weekday. Mom and Dad think cable n' satellite are a waste of money.They only baught that digital converter 'cause they had to.l can't even go to the local bar.They know l'm not 21 yet there."
"Oh come on, Kev..."Kristina laughed."l've got satellite at my place.We're not totally cut off from the 21st century.l've got a digital phone and a laptop.We're catching up .....slowly."she nudged her brother gently.
Keven shot his sister an annoyed look then turned back to Dwayne. "So.... what is it we just all had to check out?"
"There was something glinting, like glass or polished metal in the distance.l want to see what it is." Dwayne answered.
"l wonder what it could be way out here?"Diane asked, blinking as she shielded her eyes from the sun.
"There's not supposed to be anything for miles."Kristina noted." l can't imagine what it could possibly be."
"Who cares?"Kevin mumbled.
"We do."Diane and Dwayne said in unison.Kevin and Kristina exchanged disgusted glances.
"Alright."Kevin frowned."l give in."
"Let's get this over with so that we can make camp."Kristina piped in, hoping to take some of the pressure off her younger brother."lt's been a long walk.l'm tired.l haven't hiked this far since l was a kid. We've been at it since before dawn and it's nearly noon. l wouldn't mind a lunch break myself."
"Let's just find out what it was l saw flasing up there.Then we can set up camp and have lunch."Dwayne suggested, moving closer to Kristina, clearly eager to please.Diane frowned and looked away. Dwayne failed to notice, all of his attention on Kris.But Kristina noticed.So did Kevin. He frowned too.
"lt's pretty remote for our camp."Kevin sighed."Who knows what's in those friggen' woods?"
"There's nothing out here but chipmunks, squirrels, birds and maybe a few deer."Diane laughed mockingly."You're not afraid of Bambi are you?"
"You didn't see that video where the deer attacked that guy did you?"Kevin corrected her, hurt by her quickness to make fun of him."Bambi...or his dad can do a lot of damage if he wants to.This ain't a cartoon, Diane. Don't forget there could be bears, wolves...mountain lions..."
"lf we run into a bear, Kev it won't matter whether we're in camp or hiking.Them's the risks."Dwayne commented sage like.
"Oh that's comforting."Kevin retorted. "Thank you so very much , Dwayne."
Dwayne rolled his eyes in exasperation and ignored Kevin.Diane did much the same. Kris felt for her brother's predicament but knew that there was nothing she could say that would help.This was his battle not hers no matter how protective she might feel.
At the top of the hill they again saw the flash of light on a ridge above them.But this time they were close enough to see what it was....a solar panel.Below it, atop the hill itself they saw what appeared to be a circular hunk of metal painted green gray,though the paint was badly peeling...the lid of some kind of hatch.....
lt was thick with rist beneath the paint, especially the wheel that closed it off.The wheel had been exposed longest to the elements. Brambles and weeds grew over parts of the lid and it's concrete base, obscuring it somewhat.Most of the base was buried in the soil, some of which appeared to be volcanic ash.Something, perhaps a recent storm had dislodged a little of the dirt, ash and plants that had hidden the hatch for who knew how many years....

[John Reid]

Cool. Well written as usual. I always admired your ability to turn a descriptive phrase. The suspense builds.

KH

[werewolf]

l'm debating ideas for a sequel.Ben was coerced into working for the government but l'm not sure where his abilities fit in.My first guess would be some sort of Special forces thing like the Navy Seals or Delta Force [or a fictionalized equivalent]. But as to an objective to propel the plot l have failed to come up with anything satisfying.The character seems to demand further adventures and there are any number of dangling plot threads that could be woven in yet so far no primary one.Obviously, he needs to meet new allies and face new enemies [l don't want bring his clone back too fast.]But both allies and enemies need contrasting and complimentary abilities.l don't yet know which ones.Since his abilities are strengthbased his foe might be more mental in nature even psychic perhaps. But something like an android or cyborg can't be ruled out either to test him against.l'm assuming there have been further US ENHANCEMENT programs post 1980 and doubtless others by both our allies and rivals like Russia and China. Nazi leftovers or revivals are possible too. The reptiloid shapeshifters will show up again too though l don't know when or how.Their origin needs exploration as does whoever created Ben's line.He will probably discover or regain his ancestor's ability to see through the shapeshifters illusions, making his death critical for them. He'll probably think he's hallucinating at first and others are liable to dismiss what he sees.Possibly he'll face what appear to be middle eastern terrorists only to discover they [or at least the leader] are not even human.But l still have no plot to put it all into.The 'terrorists' need not be middle eastern of course. Their nationality or organization matter less than their being dupes or merely disguises of the shapeshifters.l guees the latter might be after the biological agent they believed to have been developed in the base where Ben was found.My suspicion is that it was intended for use against them though they lied about it to their human surrogate in the first novel.l perceive a sort of Order vs,Chaos theme in which neither side is entirely good nor evil.But it's all still pretty nebulous.Maybe once l'm done with PAYMENT IN KIND [my 17th century revenge tale involving the witch hunts] l'll be ready to tackle it.

[werewolf]

After listening to the Coast to Coast AM radio show last night l did a bit of research on DARPA [the defence department's advanced projects unit] and discovered that they're trying to create almost exactly what l described even to the estimates of strength etc.Some of it is via advanced suits or armoured exoskeletons but other progects involve steroid like drugs, genetic alteration, cross species admixtures etc.Not that l invented any of that.But it's still eery to read them actually doing it.lf they're admitting now to starting such experiments doubtless they are notably further along than we'll ever be told.The conspiracy side of it involves the suppression or subversion of the subject's conscience.All the stuff about desease immunity and fast healing and pain suppression were there too.The guest on the radio show, being into a Biblical worldview is also convinced of the use of reverse engineering of advanced ancient technology etc which l also used.