Hell's Canopy Read online

  Chapter 3 Gone with the wind

  Present day-Spain, Ibiza

  Nick was jet skiing across the waves at a good 23 knots with the water and wind whipping in his face. He looked like he was getting a back rub with the way he was smiling from ear to ear. Nothing could be better than seeing all his close buddies ride jet skis in the sun with him, especially since he kept small circle of friends and usually isolated himself with his work. That week had been a hard one since he lost his girl to her boss of all people. Backstabbing bitch he thought to himself but he never trusted her anyways and in retrospection they really didn’t make a good match so he brushed any anger off his chest. Despite the petty thought he had a huge grin on his face as he looked back because he met this beautiful girl at the hotel with the motivation of his friends. She had long black flowing hair that embraced her face highlighting her beautiful eyes and smile. Nick couldn’t understand how he got her to come along but he went for it. It was like the girl from his dreams he laughed. Earlier Nick saw her by the pool of the hotel and she caught him looking at her as he shied away from her gazed embarrassed at his obvious attraction to her. She was just so beautiful he just kept smiling at her. Later she was gone from his gaze and he couldn’t find her until a tap on his shoulder revealed she had snuck behind them. He offered to buy her lunch by the pool and they hit it off from there. He could tell that she was not a regular girl, she was special. They talked incessantly and he could tell she was a smart independent individual. The tension between them was mounting and he realized she was somebody he wanted in his life yet he pushed the thought out of his mind and just went to have fun.

  The sun captured the horizon with a sparkling ocean as the background. It beckoned Nick and his friends to jump in and have fun. They grabbed their things and plotted a romantic route for the group to ride revealing the beautiful coast. So everybody rallied and decided to bring their gorgeous companions along for a fun filled day. His friends ran to the jet ski shack to rent out a couple of the jet skiis Nick was happy that he changed his isolationist method of dealing with stress. Usually he was a private person and only made small attempts at the bare minimum of being socially active in order not to be a total recluse. Elizabeth and her laugh reminded him the joy of making others happy.

  The jet skis handled very well and provided another way to look at the coast and enjoy Ibiza. The sun was falling over the mountains now dimming the light. Yet the beaches still looked amazing. They were finished with their ride. Life was nice but all of sudden the sky started turning gray. Clouds that seemed far away at first had crawled in and started blocking the fading sun. The sky boomed with thunder and lightning. The crack of thunder loomed in the bellies of Nick and his friends as they were just finishing their jet ski ride. The four couples scurried in disarray at first. They couldn’t remember which way they had come from because it had turned very dark. Nick shouted for everyone to follow him back since he could just make out the buildings from where they departed.. Nick headed away towards the dock. His date Elizabeth Monterro was waving them in with a flare she had found in a side compartment. Unfortunately, the lightning storm approaching was already bombarding the area Nick was speeding into. He slowed the engine then tried to turn as a lightning bolt struck his jet ski. Miraculously, Nick saw the light and grabbed his date covering her with his body as they jumped from the jet ski as the lightning bolt hit him. A wave of color flooded his vision then it faded to black as he became unconscious. Elizabeth grabbed him held tight then one of his friends grabbed her arm and towed them to safety before the jet ski exploded.

  Nick woke up a couple days later in the hospital to a bright beautiful day in Miami-beach. Confusion and disorientation assaulted his brain as he tried to piece together what was going on. The bright day was only shaded with tall palms towering above Nick. He managed to maintain a strong pace as he limped along the road towards the parking lot. After he got in his mustang he started to relax as his music came on and the amazing a/c soothed the heat of summer away. The disorientation melted away as he started driving back home against his doctor’s wishes. Still Nick passed all the cognitive and response tests so they let him go. Nick thought back to the doctor who spoke with him before he left, “A coma is a very serious brain trauma. I know you are young but still I would like you to come back for a check-up I was reading weird wavelengths on your brain scan.” Nick looked down and nodded, “Alright doc. I appreciate it but where is my family and friends?” Nick asked with a pained look as he listened for a good answer. “Well you had quite a lot of visitors and the family we contacted said that you should stay in the hospital longer. Alas, they figured you wouldn’t stay so they stayed home to avoid an argument. So they want you to come to their house but relax and take it easy do not fluster yourself.” “Cool thanks I guess.” What he didn’t know was that the doctor made a phone call once he turned the corner and whispered what had happened to Nick to someone very interested on his situation. Nick tossed the conversation out of his memory and enjoyed the beautiful Miami skyline.

  Nick was a good kid his whole life. He was an only child whose needs were all met. His parents worked diligently and were religious in their own way. The time he had to himself he met with other kids and played in the neighborhood but he still felt lonely in a crowd of people. So eventually he turned to himself for entertainment. Then he started rebelling in high school and college. After he got in some trouble he realized he had to stop playing around. In college the selfish rebel character died because he had understood success took an attitude change. He learned early on to rely on anybody else was weakness. To trust anybody would open you to be hurt. So Nick stayed sucker free and maintained a normal social life on the outside made friends had girlfriends, but at night he became something else. His way of letting loose was through nonviolent crime probably because he knew he could get away with it. Since he was studying criminal psychology and tactics for finding and arresting them he knew all the tricks and pitfalls. Eventually he started working for an internet security firm in a managerial role making an adequate salary. On the other side he had created another circle of friends all who were heavily involved in crime and loved fast money. In fact he created a whole different personality, which miraculously had not consumed him.

  Eventually, he started a marijuana grow house on the side. Once he was able he paid people to maintain his illegal enterprises in such a way that by the time he graduated he was a successful black market man as they called him. He did not understand his antisocial behavior but it brought him to life during the monotony of the regular rate race. Yet he still considered himself a good guy he didn’t like what he did and he tried not to hurt anybody but the pull of the excitement and fast money was too tempting. He did it because he could, for the thrill of it which even he knew was classic case of narcissism. He was getting close now he could tell from the nice houses and luxurious well manicured lawns that his old home was just around the block.

  A beautiful home appeared in view shining with its new paint and freshly cut lawn. When nick pulled up to his house he quickly turned off the car and grabbed his things in one quick motion. He knocked on the door squinting his eyes as the reflection from the setting sun. His parents were up waiting and they greeted him with a cajoling series of hugs each tighter then the next. “Relax alright you might just hug me back into oblivion. Just kidding I missed you guys too. I had the craziest dreams while I was unconscious but I felt your presence. But where is patsy?” His father smiled and pointed, “He’s in the back. Beware he is probably going to go nuts when he sees you so prepare to be trampled since it looks like you lost some weight.”

  Their backyard was a shaded paradise. With gazebos flanking both sides of a bean shaped pool with jacuzzi. The trees covered the area with a fair amount of shade and there was still room for enough grass and space for a trampoline and room for soccer game. His dad had worked hard as a lawyer losing a lot of time with his family so he could have a nice hou
se which was fine for him.

  A tall fat golden retriever ran and jumped on Nick at the sight of him grinning and wagging his tail, Patsy was Nick’s dog. He named him Patsy since he blamed him for everything when they were together. When he was a puppy, disaster followed the duo wherever they went. They have been each other’s best friend ever since. Nick saw Patsy run under the willow on the high point of the backyard then Patsy ran enthusiastically back towards Nick beckoning him to play with a ball he picked up in his mouth. Nick smiled and laughed while he threw the ball with his dog, no he was his friend. After awhile he felt tired and left to rest in his favorite spot in the backyard his hammock. Nick felt at home in his hammock which cradled him and teased his mind away from the events of the past two weeks. Slowly he rocked to sleep as the sun fell.

  The next morning he awoke to nature’s alarm which was the sound of birds. The blue jays dotted the trees and provided a wake up call. The morning was beautiful as the sun peeked over the horizon steadily lighting up the trees. A breeze blew the smell of jasmine over him as he smirked he got up slowly. When he started walking towards the house he lost his breath. For a second it seemed as if he was stunned and not in control of his body. He crumpled to the ground. He closed his eyes and images streamed across his vision. The images burned yet he could not open his eyes. His back was arched in tension and arms were tightly closed wrapping himself. An image of a boat no a cruise ship in a tropical beach on fire with a cloud of smoke with the name Intuition melting off the side. Then a cloud of green gas burst from the bowels of the ship with a large explosion. Then fire streaked through his body. The pain ceased for a moment as he saw through first person himself standing on a sandy hill then a bearded man came to him with an extremely long sniper rifle and said, “Don’t Polo Nick, these things always work themself out the easy part is done now comes the hard part as you americans say it will be just like a park in the walk.” It came out in broken English yet understandable.

  This whole horrifying experience lasted only thirty seconds. He got up despite the aches and pains. Shock could barely describe what he was feeling because it was a fear that racked his body then just as violently as it hit him it left. A feeling of peaceful warmth spread through every limb to every finger and toe. Then he woke up in a cold sweat and awoke to reality he hoped. The dreams were so real that he had trouble distinguishing. He looked down and saw a piece of his shirt was torn. He took in a deep breath then he just sat on the edge of the bed and went inside himself with a blank look on his face and began to eat breakfast. It was still quiet in the house and nobody had woken up this Saturday morning from last night’s celebrations. He ate the bland cereal and cleaned the bowl. Nick was a robot feeling like cold hard metal. He couldn’t feel or process anything it seemed like curiosity flooded his brain yet he could still see clearly and his observation skills were growing yet it was like so much information was thrown at him at one time his brain wanted to handle all of it at the same time leaving him with a headache. The only thing Nick could do was head straight to the office and search through the internet for the ship Intuition.

  Chap 4 The Search

  His parents came in as they were making their own breakfast and asked what he was doing up so early with a look of concerned confusion. He explained he was having bad dreams that kept him up and he just wanted to do some research. “Nick if there is anything you want to talk about please lean on me, use me I’m right here.” “Don’t worry dad I will. Oh by the way Im going back to my apartment today okay so I won’t overstay my welcome haha.” His father smiled and laughed without detecting the hint of sarcasm as he left the room and nodded. Nick loved his parents but he understood that they would never understand him or his mind so he kept them at a healthy distance. They would not talk for days or weeks even. He experienced so much conflict with them and within himself as well. He just chose to separate himself from them.

  Soon he found something that looked just like the ship from his dreams. After miserable unproductive hours of searching the wrong forums and historical databases he found it. But it wasn’t an old ship or a private one it was a cruise liner that was being developed with the latest technology. It employed advanced Magneto-hydrodynamic engines which used the seawater as the fuel by breaking down the chemical components it needs for energy. It also revolutionized cruise industry by utilizing part of the ship for oceanographic research in a variety of functions. It was a scientific/vacation cruise. The maiden voyage was only a couple days away. The ship looked almost exactly like the one from his dream. This fact startled him at first and then it set ablaze to his curiosity. How did he know this ship and why the heck was he having these dreams torment his conscious after the crazy incident in spain? Images and visions assaulted his conscious what was going on with his brain.

  Questions filled his mind like ants in an anthill. They swarmed over him making him forget about lunch. He took a break and went for a jog. “Come on Pasty lets get the hell out here my damn head is driving me crazy again.” He said this as he grabbed Patsy’s leash even though he didn’t use it because Patsy was well behaved it was just in case, but he hated making him wear it. The sun was nice out and the breeze made it easy to keep running. Nick tried to focus on his pace or the beautiful girls smiling at him but he couldn’t keep his mind from thinking. The thoughts and flashes of memories he didn’t know kept flooding his mind. Then he didn’t know whether this was all connected.” He finished a crisp three miles in thirty minutes. He was still in shape as he smiled to himself with self -satisfaction.

  The shower soothed him with cold water. His mind was at ease for the first time since his resurrection as his family called it jokingly. The sun shone through the window with a bright gold hugh that lit up little dust and steam in the air. He studied the dust for a moment getting lost in his stare he felt himself slipping, almost melting away into his conscious. Then he opened his eyes to a bright ocean and bright white sand yet there were burning papers floating about him. It was as if it were snowing burning papers all about him. He could barely make out the picture of a person walking through a heat wave. He could almost make out the person he knew it was a girl at the very least. Then the girl was next to him with a gun pointed at his head click..boom.

  “Nick are you in there. Nick hellloooooo!” Nick rose quickly with a momentarily blinding pain that assaulted his head. He noticed he was sitting in the bathtub not standing. Nick grabbed his head and shut his eyes closed, “What the hell is happening to me ahhh just keep it together.” Then he told his dad, “Just tell the man to go away I’m busy.” “Huh how’d u know someone was here for you son? You couldn’t have seen from the window anyways just get dressed quickly its no big deal. Yet, it was a big deal, Nick was still reeling from the dream and then his sudden wave of mind reading or future telling or guessing only put a bigger question mark on his forehead.

  He threw on some clothes and slowly walked down the stairs into the dimly lit living room. The man was sitting sipping tea his mom no doubt had forced upon with overwhelming politeness. His mom always said you could judge a person on how they drink tea or even if they drank tea and she stood by her pseudo-psychological evaluation. Funny thing is she is always right. He stood up and offered his hand, “Hello, my name is Mr. Swordson I work for an agency that works for different governments, we track and analyze different events that involve international incidents to help diplomatic channels as well as to help individual people. I’m only here to ask you a few question about what happened to you in Spain and to make sure you were well treated etc.” Nick sat with a puzzled look on his face allowing his guest to know his confusion. Then he leaned forward and the puzzled look subsided into cooperation. “Sure Ill dance. Alright, so I was well taken care of I imagine since I am alive. Surprisingly there was no trouble with the medical emergency. They handled me well and there was no problem with the local authorities. The jet ski rental place even gave me a coupon so any time I decide to go back there I got a free rid
e. Now we did away with the bullshit. What do you really want? Why are you really here?” Nick decided a confrontational strategy would garner the best results but no truth or change came from the man in fact his body language and disposition didn’t even change an inch.

  “Sir I am only here to record, observe and make better. Have you been experiencing any side effects from the trauma, such as memory loss, motor function loss, headaches etc.?” Nick was beside himself with anger but he played along due to his growing curiosity. “Well I appreciate the immense concern for my well being from our beloved government but no. I have not experienced anything like that. Thank you for your time but I must be on my way.” The man smirked then with a curt nod he grabbed his belongings and was out the door and around the corner before Nick could even absorb what just happened. He called over Patsy and sat with him on his couch petting him while contemplating everything all these weird pieces in the puzzle. He closed his eyes determined not to think or dream a thing for the next hour just sleep.

  The same man from the suspicious interview was in his car making a phone call. “You got it boss. He’s definitely seen or experienced something. I don’t think it was full conversion though his chi was all over the place and he is experiencing severe inner conflict he is lost like a puppy trying to find his way home yet he is deciding between two houses which look the same. Anything specific would care to address?” “Just make sure he is taken care of and have the team watching his moves Prometheus may try to make a move on the target. If Nick is on edge he is going to make a move soon and it will take us closer to where we need to be. Soon we will activate our wild card in order to protect our engineer.” “Yes sir right away sir.” The man drove on faster now with determination to finally bring the end of a timeless mistake.

  Chap.5 Friends in low places.

  “Jim! Jim are you here I was told by your secretary...” Nick stumbled as he almost tripped on his old college buddy since he was under the table in a forest of wires and computer hardware. “Ohhh my God is that Nick Adamson? How the hell are you little magician. I haven’t seen you for ages.” Nick grabbed Jim’s hand and gave a hearty hand shake and man hug. They looked each other up and down and then Nick took in a panoramic view of the room he was now standing in. The room was a symphony of medical scanners and advanced computers beeping at their own rhythmic pace. As well as an MRI scanner that seemed it was from a sci-fi movie. “It seems like you have been a busy, busy bee. What is all this stuff for I thought you were working to become a medical doctor?” “Well I handled that already but it was no fun so I turned to technology as well. So here is an office or lab rather where I am combining the most advanced technology with medicine. Here we are converting medical scans into projection ready data. I have created software that works to predict certain patterns based on the data given. These patterns extrapolate conclusions based on data the trick is giving it so much data that it will make correct prediction. This is where the AI comes in.”

  “An AI dammit Jim you are the magician. You did well for yourself Im truly proud not surprised though. But the main reason I am here is to ask for your help. I was involved in a lightning strike recently which left me in a coma.” “Holy shit bro, ouch. Really epic though what are you superman. I wish I could help you but how besides buying some more of your amazing weed hahah you still moving that?” Nick laughed and smirked as he remembered that Jim had a knack for taking a serious situation and making it light hearted. “Yeah I got people for that now but what I need is your professional opinion. I have been having these crazy indescribable dreams. They seem real because one of them actually have a real world object in them. Problem is I don’t have any conscious way that I could have known. Its like I can’t tell when I’m dreaming and what is reality. I wake up in positions and places I wasn’t in before. Little things seem different I don’t know what or where they are but I know in my heart its different. I think I am having a brain meltdown.” “Well that sounds great, just kidding damn bro that sucks. Alright, well you could be my first patient lets’ find out what is making pain in your brain.”

  After twenty excruciating minutes of waiting in his over colored office waiting room Jim beckoned him in. The lab/office was dark now with some floor lights providing a safe pathway to the scanner. Jim asked him to connect some wires to his head and wrists. Nick laid down in what could possibly be the most advanced scanner in the world. Luckily he had geniuses in his circle that could help him out with his random needs. He laid down and tried to remain still. The machine purred on and hummed into action. Lasers and scanners were buzzing about him when a screen appeared and started showing images. He was prompted to look only at these random images and absorb them. They flashed before his eyes some fast and some were slow. “What is family? What is love? What is hate?” A computer like voice uttered these questions then it said on the screen, “Think but do not answer!” Random questions were asked more images were shown. These sent wave patterns coursing into the machine after his brain reacted to each of these stimulations.

  After a marathon of random questions and images Nick was released from his metal prison. “Wow that was interesting.” Nick said with a tired look as he rubbed his neck and temples. “Yea Becky, the AI, was asking some weird questions but the readings and your brain wave output was even more interesting it was amazing because I have literally never seen this before and Nick I’ve seen a lot. Now come here.” Jim rushed over and grabbed another chair in what seemed to be a small studio booth of technology. “Let me show you something while becky works. This here is a regular brain or as regular as they get. You the hotspots of action for example the electric activity in this section represents motor movement that section represents emotion over here and over finally is a commonly inactive spot. Here many neurons are in a state of rest waiting for their next assignment. Now look at your brain and tell me what you see different.”

  Nick looked at the screen the regular brain looked like weather radar readout. It had a couple splashes of red, green and yellow. Then his brain scan was coming up. Jim explained, “I am going to show you your brain activity parallel with the images being shown and questions being asked. It came up like a slide show. At first there were a couple splashes of color. Then as the images came on the picture exploded with color. Red and green were a wave that inundated his brain. A look of shock came over Jim and Nicks face. The picture kept flowing with intense color when the questioning section started the colors faded and changed their pattern. What was once inconsistent color wave output became a series of activity that moved all throughout the brain finishing with the most activity ever recorded in parts of the brain that have not been mapped or understood by modern science.

  Nick jumped up and shouted, “What the fuck, what the fuck is that. I mean really I thought I was good what the hell is happening in my brain. Who the hell am I if I don’t even know what my brain is doing.” Jim walked over and told him to chill, “Listen this ain’t the way to deal with this we have to contemplate this the right way.” Five minutes later they were on the roof of the small office building smoking a joint that Bob Marley would have been proud of.

  “Okay so we know two things. First the lightning strike is the root cause of this incident. Second thing is that you have been experiencing cognitive disruption both on a conscious and unconscious level. Now we see the different activity that has been going on in your brain maybe we can pin the catalyst. Didn’t you have any scans done in the hospital either way I doubt they would be able to have picked this up because it is on a different brain wave frequency. That is what is most interesting that this wave length isn’t like other people in fact the instruments were just reading heavy distortion until Becky compensated.” Nick thought for a moment about how the doctor had asked to do further tests even though everything was reading normal. In fact it was not reading normal but why did he keep that to himself. “Look Jim I appreciate your help I can’t ask any more of you. There is just too many variables and a lot of
things are looking weirder by the minute.” Jim looked at his hands looked around his office and smiled at Jim, “ Everything happens for a reason buddy and you got my help whether you want it or not now lets get some damn food buddy I got the munchies.” Nick smiled and chuckled, remembering how much he missed his friend and replied, “Great but I have to link up with somebody else after and pick up some equipment just in case I just have this weird feeling.”

  After they finished eating a delicious meal all on Nick since he insisted. They slurped down the hundred year old wine from France and dried their face on their shirt almost synchronously. Laughing and smirking as they left the fancy ornately decorated restaurant. “Ahh I love acting like a regular joe in those stuffy uptight restaurants, just gives me that warm feeling inside hahaha anyways look so I have to go to a very heated spot so understand there is risk of loss of freedom where you trod young man. So if you want I’ll just take you home or your car whichever.” Jim replied enthusiastically, “Shoot this just gets even more interesting. hell yea Im down as long as you let me smoke on the way.”

  The duo was driving around the city in what seemed like a random direction. Nick was driving through tunnels down one way roads and through isolated areas then he stopped at a gas station and checked under the car and got back in the car and sped up. “Ok was that like some counter-surveillance shit?’ “Yes you can never be too careful!” Unfortunately, Nick was instinctually tense and paranoid even if he was not headed to one of his grow-ops he still drove in a sporadic pattern in order to throw off the tail if there was one.

  Finally, they pulled up to an old worn out building in the industrial section of town. The night was chilly and the sky was clear except for a couple of clouds blocking the moonlight periodically. Nick walked down one of the alleyways next to the building towards a pair of trash cans. Jim was curious but remained silent in anxious anticipation. Nick kicked one trash can to the side then lifted up some trash bags revealing a well hidden keypad. He dialed some numbers and a clicking sound came from within the structure. Nick walked to the corner and tapped a brick then pressed it deep in its place and stood back as a door opened. They walked into a cage and Nick opened the lock then waved to the camera checking for the response up down the camera went in response.

  They walked down a cramped dark hallway that felt humid and stuffy. When they reached the end there was a metal door with no handle. Jim wore an amused and curious look on his face as he saw Nick tap a spot on the floor to open the metal door. Inside the dark room were several monitors and a luxurious leather chair which held the firm buttocks of Nick’s assistant. Ms. Anna Hathaway was a tall fit dark blonde example of perfection. Jim couldn’t keep his mouth closed in shock since he was expecting some mean looking big ex-convict, yet a beautiful graceful woman sat there smiling.

  “Hey Nicky what brings you down here at this time, come to check on your babies? And whose your friend?” she said the friend part with a certain distaste as she looked upon Jim’s unkempt appearance. She got up and gracefully strolled towards Nick as she gave him a more than friendly hug. “MMh hello Ani. Jim meet Ms. Hathaway the best farmer I know. This is my good friend Jim Ani I hope I didn’t startle you by bringing him along.” As Nick said that she put back a small MP5 sub-machine gun with silencer into a part in the desk they all smiled in a causal manner brushing it off. Ani Hathaway was a med student once upon a time in a different life. She stopped her pursuit of a doctor’s title after finding out that medicine was just about numbers and money. She just wanted to help people and had been very smart and good at what she did especially since her family was full of doctors. She had a mean twist of elegant class mixed with dangerous don’t give a fuck attitude. Her mom had passed away earlier from cancer “He is a good friend from college. He is an electrical engineer/ neuroscientist/ computer engineer. Actually, I don’t something that you are not good at hahaha, but he has helped me a lot with a couple problems I have been having. So he is riding with me. How are the babies by the way?” Nick walked towards some of the monitors and was examining numbers and data.

  “Well the new babies are coming along strong and fine the cross breeding worked and we should have an advanced hybrid soon.” Then Ani sat down and pressed a button and the wall to their right separated slowly to reveal a thick glass window which in turn revealed a huge room. Jim’s jaw couldn’t drop any further or it would have fallen off due to the sight before him. Nick stood taller and smiled before this beautiful sight. What lay beyond the glass was an industrial warehouse full of tall marijuana trees on hydroponic rows terraced to form a jungle. The rows were stacked diagonally with some rows planted with upside down indica plants. There were trees in every stage of development and the “babies” as they were called placed in a separate room on the right. It was his commercial grow house he said. He walked in and went to one of the taller trees and picked off one of the hanging buds. He came back and presented a red and yellow bud the size of a baby’s leg to Jim. Jim was astonished and looked confused with happiness and he looked around and gave Nick a bear hug and laughed long and heartily.

  Nick was laughing as Jim did what he does best and rolled the perfect joints. Nick reached into the safe grabbed some cash and his glock 9 with extended clip and looked behind him said, “Shit can’t be too careful.” He would come to thank himself for having made that decision and laugh at how prophetic simple words can be. He grabbed his things and threw them in the backpack hugged Ani and mumbled good bye Ms. Hathaway. They marched briskly down the hallway. Stepped out and headed back to the car.

  The night was giving way to morning light and the air was nice and crisp. They rounded the corner of the alley and were halfway to the car before Nick stopped short immediately then leaned down to tie his shoe. “Jim come here dammit, slowly.” When Jim got close Nick whispered, “Ok look you see the van behind the car a block. Well its been following me and I don’t think they got friendly intentions so walk slowly to the car and relax but just be ready and use this if you have to.” Nick handed over another pistol minus the extended clip. They got in the car and Nick started to turn the key nothing happened. Dead silence after a small click. Nick could feel his heart drop into his stomach as his body was preparing for fight or flight mode. He could feel the adrenaline rush into his body as everything became sharper he grabbed his backpack and rush out of the car yelling follow me to Jim. The once silent van revved up and was closing the distance. Nick popped the gas tank open as they jumped out of the car. When Jim was rounding the corner Nick said, “13 51 is the code hurry up and close your ears.” Nick waited for the menacing van to get close then he grabbed the gun out of the backpack and emptied the clip into the gas tank and watched his favorite car blew up.

  The explosion threw him back a little bit and the van was slowed down couple yards from his car. As the van slowed the back doors flew open and a blur of metal and black clothed men before the van even came to a complete stop. The men opened up with a fierce volley of bullets. Nick instinctively took cover and returned fire from behind the smoky wreck that was his car. He was able to wound one of the attackers but they had got into positions where they could flank them so their time was running short. Nick took a deep breath and closed his eyes, calm started to seep in every cell of his body he felt at peace in control then he opened his eyes. He stood and slowly walked towards the center of the alleyway miraculously dodging their bullets with his timing. He brought the pistols up and shot methodically one two three...in seconds three of the attackers were killed effortlessly yet more kept coming from another van that had been around the corner. He was momentarily shocked at his gaul. He just killed three people and shot with perfect aim its like he knew exactly what time they would be moving and where the enemies bullets would go. He ran back towards Jim hoping the door was open.Screech from tires could be heard from around the corner as Nick grabbed one last glance before running towards safety and saw another huge black SUV barreling down the road.

 
Ms. Hathaway was watching the events unfold from the cameras surrounding the warehouse. As she was watching she opened the main lock via remote so they could run in and then she started setting the booby traps. Although confusion racked her brain she still responded effortlessly and without hesitation. Jim and Nick ran through the door hitting the ground as they got in partly because they stumbled on each other and partly because of the flying bullets ricocheting around them. When they were inside behind the huge metal door they grinned with self-satisfaction and let loose a light chuckle. “Come on over here hurry up they were doing some weird stuff on the other side of the building. I think we should get out of here.” Jim nodded enthusiastically in agreement, “Yea I second that motion so let’s get moving.”

  Nick grabbed more money from the safe then started running towards the main weed room. “We are going to have to destroy it you know,” he looked around and said goodbye. They started to walk out when a huge explosion rocked them back. The van had driven through far wall leaving a gaping hole. Behind that they could see fire and another fire and smoke billowing in. “Hurry this way. Their impeccable timing has me curious as to how they followed me. Look run through there Jim and start the car.” Nick said this as he handed him the keys and surveyed the room. Ani led him through a tunnel under a table. They shuffled through and after Nick gave it about one minute he pressed the button. He crawled out through the tunnel feeling strangely relieved.

 

 

 

 

 

  Chap. 6 New horizons

  By the time he exited the tunnel into the morning light shining through the garage he felt reborn. The smoke from the fire he set billowed into the sky leaving the whole block enough smoke to stay as high as the sun. Jim already had the car started and Nick hopped in and sped away keeping a vigilant eye on the rearview mirror the whole time. “Okay whenever you feel like telling me what the hell is going on go for it because I am more lost then a retard in a porn store.” “Shit if I know, but I can tell u I’ma get some answers. I always hated mysteries.” Nick thought about all the events leading up to this and how his little house of cards stood up to the chaos life brings. People could make all the plans they can but life has a way of steering you on a path that you have to constantly adapt to. No matter what Nick grew to learn it doesn’t matter what happens as long as you learn from your mistakes and jump up when you fall down.

  They decided to go to Ani’s house first since its location is more isolated and Nick wanted them to get somewhere safe so they could figure what was happening. They were winding through the city’s outskirts on old highway 934. Nick was reclined thinking intensely with his eyebrows furrowed focus on the events as he drove. Nick felt as if he was looking at a mountain from the clouds up and he couldn’t see the base. The man that visited the other was no doubt apart of this but Nick couldn’t piece together how he was connected. Then he remembered his parents. They could be in danger or have some information that could help them but he most certainly knew if those people were after could find him there they could find him anywhere. He hit the brakes immediately making a u-turn and sped up rapidly towards his home.

  “I have to head home and talk to my parents asked if anything weird has happened to them, or worse I may have to protect them so you two can stay here if you want or come with me. Look its up to you. Honestly I want you to stay back forget about this whole damn thing,” he said with a shrug. “This isn’t your fight but I can’t lie and say I wouldn’t mind if you two came.” He looked at both of with a smile of unconditional love and respect for them.

  “Look they made this personal. My office just got burned and you lost your favorite car ‘cause you had to blow it up to push back the attackers. You know Im in Nicky!” She cocked the mp5 and smiled playfully. “I’m with you bro. Besides look at her I have never seen anything sexier than this violent sexy model you got in the back. For real life is so boring I spent years in classrooms and old smelling offices. What’s life if you can’t live with your friends right.” Nick smiled saw Ani blushing. He kept driving faster now and with more energy in his heart something he thought he could call hope. Deep down he knew somehow the incident earlier had to be the cause of these past events. He didn’t know how he knew to jump off the jet ski but he just had a strong feeling deep in his gut that wrenched him out of the seat while saving the girl’s life as well as they hit the water in their dry suits and life vest. The dreams he was having started to seem like the least of his problems now.

  As he got back home he saw his parents outside talking with the neighbor. They seem distressed more then usual. “ What happened?” Nick yelled as he got in the driveway. “Nothing but we just can’t find Patsy.” His mother said. “Right but that’s what Im telling you he walked off into this Suv. A suv came round the block while I was taking out the trash and I saw Patsy just jump on into the suv,” his neighbor said with a pleading tone. “When was this?” Nick demanded from the neighbor with a look of trust and belief which encouraged him further to remember further details. The Man driving the car yelled in a different language outside his window and they left.” Nick looked by the road and saw screech marks. This part of the growing puzzle really made no sense. He just couldn’t see why would the men want his dog.

  They eventually went back in the house and enjoyed a quiet dinner. Jim and Ani helped clean the dishes in the kitchen while Nick sat in the room talking with his parents. They were conversing about nothing so it probably meant they were trying to distract him from the gnawing feeling in his belly. Soon his parents went to bed after offering their hospitality and being quite gracious to Jim and Ani. Everybody was laughing and cracking some jokes before they went bed. A great ending to a horrible day Nick thought as he showered and got ready for bed. The night clouds gave way to a rainy stormy night. The lightning webbed across the night sky temporarily lighting up the streets below. He grabbed his pistol and he knew Ani was probably holding the mp5 tighter then a newborn baby. He laughed at himself out of stress and overwhelming fatigue. He couldn’t help but smile as he looked at all the different kinds of friends he has. Then he smiled bigger as he realized they were all a reflection of pieces of who he was. He had amazing people in his life and he constantly isolated himself due to a fear of something he did not know yet. He shook his head throwing the thoughts away and focused on more recent matters. He made sure that all the doors were locked and that there were no random cars or vans outside he just couldn’t blow up two perfectly working cars in one day.

 

  Chap. 7 New tricks for an old dog

  The men put the dog in the crate and pushed the trolley down the long dark hallway. The lights that frequently dotted the hallway flickered sometimes as they passed by showing signs of aging and long use. The men stopped at what appeared to be a huge bunker door. They entered numbers into a telephone and waited. The operator on the other line answered and they spoke the code then stood back and waited. The door slid open from all angles. The once solid looking bunker door broke opened like a pizza or pie divided into slices revealing layers of thick space worthy steel. The men pushed the crate through the gaping opening and proceeded down a spiral walkway lit from the floor up. The incline did nothing to wobble the crate because a magnetic force took hold of the crew and was steadily and safely moving them down the walkway at a brisk pace. Once they reached the bottom the magnetic force released and they began walking towards a room in front of them. The door slid open and revealed others working in lab coats and goggles covering most of their bodies.

  One of the scientists motioned the men towards him and the table. They opened the crate and placed the dog onto the table. Then the table’s metal surface began to fold and fall into the shape of a bath as the dog stand in it. A watery and gelatin substance began filling the tub. A group of wires were attached to the dog and a helmet was brought over. In seconds the dog was completely submerged and held in place. “Th
e sun is now within range and our signal strength is reading high. It is now or never!” The scientist from the other side yelled over a table of computers. The other scientist nodded and pressed a couple buttons. The energy it would take to complete the transfer was three times what New York City uses in a year. The servers and electronics were compressed into luminescent cells which carried the codes and functions into microscopic cells. The codes could convert bio signals from the brains of any species and store the brain codes in a frequency that was retained in the sun’s electromagnetic field. This enabled people to copy their personhood and put it in another body or animal while retaining their memories and experiences. So this means they can change bodies when they needed to or store their conscience into a series of electromagnetic fields.

  The constructionists found that this technique could also be perfected enough to teach others a lifetime’s worth of knowledge in seconds so it helped spread and make their race the smartest they could be. The machine started buzzing to life and the lights of energy could be seen going through the fiber optic cables and the translucent gel came to life with energy as the transfer began.

  The dog closed its eyes and minutes later the transfer of consciousness was complete. In the corner of the room steam blew out in a small cloud hissing. The lights on the floor revealed a pathway leading up to a coffin looking box. The box seized the pathway and started moving towards the center of the room. The men in the coats pressed more buttons and watched in an anxiety. The dark gave way to more light and shed light on the coffin that held the being that was being brought to life. The seal on the pod opened up slowly and as the hissing smoke escaped the person sat up quickly. He seemed to be human and was holding his hands over his eyes. The person looked around and started coughing loudly. “Get him secured and everything he needs,” two men rushed over with a robe and shots to help the being wake up and scanners to make sure it was alright.

  In twenty minutes Paticlus Medling or “Patsy” was standing tall in his new suit in a luxurious room they called the suite. The agency had been operating under Paticlus and his team for centuries. They utilized covert means to subdue most of Merlin’s or whatever name he was using at the time. It was usually a group of individuals from a soldier's way of life and with nothing to lose. The agency employed all kinds of people by the time the 21st century came around like doctors, politicians, and military leaders even criminals at some points. They were loyal men who lived for the mission and that mission was to protect earth or at least that is what they were led to believe.

  He opened the curtains to reveal a panorama of a warehouse sized cavernous interior underground. There were small buildings erected and buildings built into the walls and stone of the cavern. Men were scrambling all about there even was a hangar that led to a large runway. He could see a small hydroponic station that looked like some of the plants from his home which succeeded the genetic structure of any plant found on earth. It was a beehive of activity but he knew that the real work had to be done by his hands soon. He had been with Nick for so long they were like family. He knew Nick better than he knew himself. Being a dog was not as hard of a switch that he thought. After taking the assignment from his commander first he held a pit of anxiety and trepidation about the posting but he knew it was time to clean up the mistake they made. Still he couldn’t help but be a little angry that the agency could not pick up the only engineer with the power to stop this madness without incident. The failure at the industrial warehouse by miami river would be discussed with the agency members. Still they kept the enemy at bay. They needed to find out how their enemy was finding the target with such ease the only way would be if they had access to the Constructionist method of pinging. The constructionist found that if you can send a strong enough signal on the right frequency you could find a person based upon their specific brain pattern. The hard part was getting the brain pattern since earth did not have such technology yet. “ So then how did you do it Merlin or whatever name you go by these days. Ill find you yet.”