Cougar's Roar
Page 27
“Some of its mines, most of it is Lion’s,” I reply.
Dena stares at Carrie’s belly, it is obvious to all. Carrie looks at her questioningly as she speaks. “What is it Lieutenant Smith, ma’am?”
“Your baby… He’s reading my mind.”
Carrie looks at her small baby bump and rubs it lightly. “Yes, Cougar says he does that.”
“He’s going to be incredibly powerful. He already is,” Dena says. She looks up from Carrie’s belly. “He will need his grandmother,” she smiles as the weight of her words hit me.
Carrie smiles and nods at Dena as she answers, “I agree.”
“She’s with the Wolves, wherever they are at,” I reply. I look at Carrie and touch her side, just above her hip. “Honey, I want us to schedule our wedding, next Saturday.”
Carrie beams as her eyes close slowly and she places her right hand on mine. “I don’t have anything planned.” She looks at Dena. “Ma’am, would you be able to come to it? I know it would be awkward, but you mean so much to our family.”
I can feel Dena’s pain as she shakes her head slowly. “No, I’m sorry, I can’t. I’m working on a project for O2. Thank you for the offer though. Congratulations on the marriage and the pregnancy. You two will make incredible parents and are both so very lucky.” Dena nods as she forces a smile and looks back at the transport. She turns back to me, snaps to attention, and salutes. “Sir, I will take my leave of you, and head home.”
I return her salute. “Thank you for everything, Lieutenant Smith.”
Chapter 60
Victoria Martin—Geelong, Australia
Late January
I sit up in the dark, the dream… The horrible dream. My sheets are wet, from sweat and fear. The images of catching the girls, the cheerleaders. They tease, taunt, and bully me endlessly. My race, my hair, my weight, differs from theirs. They were teasing me, they were assaulting me like they do every day in school.
I twist and place my feet on the ground, my sleeping shorts slide off of my hips. I stand in the dark and pull them up, they slide down again. I hold them up as I shuffle to my bathroom. Why do my shorts no longer fit?
I flip the light switch on and the light sears my eyes. My vision adjusts. What did I just see in my eyes, blood? I look closer, the outer rims of my irises are red. My eyes do not hurt… What is going on?
I check myself. I am changed, my chest is firmer, my hips are more pronounced, my legs are tighter, toned. The fat on my midsection is greatly reduced. I step on the bathroom scale and look down; a tuft of my hair falls to the ground. I didn’t need to oil my hair. It isn’t dry… Why is it falling out? The scale confirms my thoughts. I have lost weight. Overnight, I seem to have lost almost thirteen and a half kilos.
I look back to the mirror, at myself. My black skin seems shinier, healthier than it was when I went to bed. Still, in my mind, the dream burns. Images of catching the cheerleaders who were running from me. They would fall, they would die. While I chased them, I would constantly see the red hourglass. It was everywhere. The red hourglass…. The small black spider with the red hourglass on her back. The spider seemed to love me, it seemed to drive me further in my pursuit of the cheerleaders. It was proud of me as they all died by my hand… Am I going insane? What the hell is happening to me?
Nonhumans
(In Order of Power)
Psychokinetics
Lion—Malcolm Davante—Born in Atlanta Georgia, son of Demetri and Caroline Davante. Malcolm is insecure in his position as the world’s most powerful Psychokinetic. Instead of confronting the forces that are pushing to eliminate the Psychokinetics, Lion would prefer to hide behind his position and guards at the Davante mansion.
Tiger—Ivan Bol’shoy—Born in Russia. Ivan was one of the original test subjects of Dr. Victor Popov. At Dr. Popov’s death, Tiger was given the last vial of hormone. He was instructed by Jenna Andrev to give it whomever he feels can fight the Timere.
Falcon—Tina Johansson—Originally hired by Demetri and Caroline Davante to train their son Malcolm (Lion). Falcon becomes Lions right hand. She is terrified of Lion and acts in his defense only because she fears him.
Mountain Lion—Cougar Reed—Born near the Wisconsin Illinois base. Mountain Lion is abducted by Resistance forces during their failed ground assault of the WI/IL base. He is raised in Prague, Czech Republic, and betrays the Resistance force at his first opportunity. At the age of eighteen he enlists in the Alliance with the goal of killing all of the Timere and to win the war because of the wrongs committed against him.
Hyena—Kevin Newsell—Born in Alberta, Canada. Hyena finds refuge under Lions protection. His laugh and cockiness try even the calmest soul.
Cheetah—Dena Smith—Born in Beloit, Wisconsin. Cheetah is a friend of Mountain Lions during his childhood years. After Mountain Lions abduction, Cheetah sets her sights on a career in the Alliance. She enlists and quickly gets promoted to Sergeant. During an assassination attempt on Admiral Abraham, Cheetah displays her lethality with her weapon of choice, a razor sharp Kastane sword. Cheetah interrogates Mountain Lion after his surrender to Alliance forces at the Wisconsin Illinois base.
Owl—Jeni Constance—Born in Louisiana. Owl is accompanied by her companion, a barred owl named Mr. Beauregard. Owl exudes wisdom and she is devoted to the cause of defending Psychokinetics. Owl has the innate ability to locate Timere.
Dove—Mary Degrass—Born in San Francisco, California. Doves appearance changes when her powers awaken. Her white hair, sapphire blue eyes, and white clothing make her impossible to miss. Dove is an empath. She has the power to remove emotional pain from people, either selectively, or thru an “empathic wave.”
Timere
Taipan—Reginald Jones—Born in Australia. Taipan is another ‘student’ of Dr. Victor Popov. Taipan hid the effects that the hormone was having on him. Now his black eyes, and bald head, give away his identity. Taipan is the head of the Resistance group “Envenom” whose goal is world domination. Taipans favorite method of killing is to induce hallucinations, especially for people to see him as a giant taipan snake. He then is able to force the victim to kill themselves.
Funnel Web (Spider)—Feng Chu—Funnel Web is a classmate of Mountain Lions at Prague and is the antagonist during Mountain Lions time in Prague. Eventually he becomes a Captain with the Resistance and is second in command of Prague’s Secret Forces.
Asian Hornet—No name, or birthplace is ever mentioned for Asian Hornet. She is a follower of Taipan and becomes second in command of Envenom.
Piranha—The Piranha are a group of Timere who align themselves with Taipan. They each favor hand held hooks that they use to disembowel and dismember their prey.
Volker Gerdt—Timere teacher at Prague base. Gerdt is not attached to an animal. Gerdt detests Mountain Lion and is striving to kill the boy.
Humans of Interest
Victor Popov—Genetic research scientist and chief researcher at the Centre of Genetic Research, Moscow. Dr. Popov discovers the hormone that creates Psychokinetics and accidentally creates the Timere. Through various means Popov’s hormone is distributed throughout the world, propagating the species.
Jenna Andrev—Assistant to Dr. Popov, Jenna understands the psyche of Psychokinetics and Timere. Her research focuses on their animal attachments.
Gabrielle Detches—Answers to Vlad Mikhailov at Prague. Gabrielle assumes the role of Cougar Reeds foster mother. She loves him as a son and pushes him to succeed as best she can.
Admiral Calvin Abraham—Leader of Atlanta base, Admiral Abrahams life is saved by Sergeant Dena Smith (Cheetah).
Admiral Valvadore (Val) Cummings—Leader of Wisconsin Illinois base. Admiral Cummings life is saved by the Resistance traitor Cougar Reed (Mountain Lion). Admiral Cummings takes to Reed and guides him through his enlistment and training. Admiral Cummings eventu
ally places Reed in the Special Operations department.
Sergeant Kal Slowiski—Admiral Cummings personal assistant. Sergeant Cummings is fearless and quickly grows fond of the young Resistance traitor Cougar Reed.
Sergeant Carrie Montclair—assigned to assist in Cougar Reeds “reintroduction” at Wisconsin Illinois base.
Rank Structure
Resistance
Alliance
U.S.
Private
Private
Private
Private First Class
Private First Class
Private First Class
Junior Sergeant
Corporal
Corporal
Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant
Senior Sergeant
Sergeant First Class
Sergeant First Class
Starshina
Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
Praporshchik
StarshyPraporshchik
Command Sergeant Major
Command Sergeant Major
Junior Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
Senior Lieutenant
Captain
Captain
Captain
Major
Major
Major
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
Colonel
Colonel
Colonel
Major General
Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Lieutenant General
Major General
Major General
Colonel General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
General
General
High Commander
Admiral
General Of The Army