by Craig Gaydas
“Human genome experimenting?” My confusion trumped my suspicion.
“In 2021 a company called Synthicon Labs developed a research project designed to cure autism. Their first attempt at singling out the gene and eradicating it failed miserably. The gene was different with each patient. The company experimented with identical twins who were autistic and it was discovered that the gene was different even in the case of patients who were related.” Sam stopped and studied me.
“What's wrong?” I asked.
“Am I keeping you awake? You look bored.”
I rolled my eyes and made a circling motion with my hand. Get on with it.
“You never had any patience, Nathan. Anyway, one of the scientists decided to create a test tube baby using DNA from autistic parents.”
My eyes widened. “How would that help?”
Sam tugged on the other earring. “Well, since the DNA strand differed between patients perhaps they could somehow 'water down' the affliction, perhaps removing it altogether.”
“I get the feeling that it didn't go according to plan,” I muttered.
Sam shook his head. “In fact, quite the opposite happened. The DNA of the offspring carried an autistic gene. But the baby also carried something else.”
“And that was?” I asked.
Sam looked nervously at the door before answering. “When the baby reached puberty he began to exhibit unusual signs.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “At the age of ten he was confronted by three older boys in school. There had been a history of bullying between them.” Sam paused as he recalled the event. “They attacked him.”
Because of my intellectual ability I was often in advanced classes or sometimes found studying with older students. Before that day in the cave I actually qualified for college level engineering courses even though I was only sixteen. This drew the ire of other students who ridiculed me or in the case of Bradley Davis, physically beat me. I found myself empathizing with the subject of Sam's story.
Sam continued. “It was an unfortunate event.”
“Was he hurt badly?” I interjected.
Sam let out a dry chuckle. “He came out unscathed.” He paused. “The older boys, however, were not so lucky. Two of them were killed.”
“Oh my God,” I gasped.
Sam shook his head slowly and let out another dry chuckle which made me uncomfortable. I wasn't sure whether it was from the story itself or the way he reacted. “The boy never touched any of them. One minute the three older boys were taunting him, one even knocked the books from his hands, and the next minute two of them were dead and the third was against the far hallway wall unconscious.” Sam looked down before adding. “The kid who knocked the books from his hands was actually the lucky one. He survived.”
“How did it happen?” I devoured his words like they were slices of pizza.
“I wasn't there,” Sam replied. “I was in college wrapping up my Bachelors in biology, but from what I read the boy attacked him with his mind.”
I curled my lip in disbelief. “His mind?”
Sam nodded. “I never got the whole story because the scientists grabbed him and whisked him away to a private lab somewhere. Rumor has it though, that the boy eventually made his way up the ranks at Synthicon, eventually becoming President or CEO or some junk.”
“What do they have to do with the Ascended?”
“I guess I should go into more detail.” Sam closed his eyes briefly as he stroked his goatee. “Synthicon continued to experiment with autism. However their focus switched from curing it to replicating the case of the boy. By 2025 they gave birth to twenty five test subjects. Seventeen were male and eight were female and all of them exhibited similar qualities to the first boy. The company housed and schooled the subjects in secrecy in a remote location near Boulder, Colorado. In the year 2030 NASA encountered the Consortium during a flyover of the moon Europa. In 2035 the Consortium officially welcomed Earth into their ranks. The United Nations became the official diplomatic liaison between Caelum and Earth. Synthicon's funds started to dry up and they decided to clone current test subjects in order to save time. In 2040 they had two hundred test subjects and the company decided to end the project. The test subjects rebelled the following year and took over the company. With Synthicon under their control they spoke out against the Consortium and forged a business partnership with NASA, who was split off from the Federal Government years prior and became a private business.”
“I have a feeling this story is not going to end well,” I lamented.
Sam continued without responding. “With the cash flow of NASA, Synthicon continued cloning. Meanwhile NASA was contracted by the military to build space vessels embedded with heavy weaponry. When NASA asked why, the Government's reasoning was National Defense.”
“Isn't it always?” I retorted.
“By 2049 NASA had built eighteen warships. Synthicon had cloned over 1000 test subjects.”
I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach and a sandy taste in my mouth. I had a feeling I knew where this would lead.
Sam nodded when he saw my expression. “That's right. The original autistic test subject had been leading the company and declared war on the Consortium.”
“Why?” I croaked.
“Well, apparently Synthicon discovered the worm hole located inside the Richat Structure. They claimed that they discovered time travel and that the Consortium had been using the worm hole in an effort to manipulate Earth's history. This, of course, soured relations between Caelum and Earth. There was a lot of teeth-gnashing and foot-stomping in the international community. Some governments chose to join Synthicon and others sided with the Consortium. Because of NASA's fruitful relationship with Synthicon, they continued manufacturing warships. Synthicon, on the other hand, was working the other side of the coin.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“The Ascended slowly took over the planet, converting the governments that sided with the Consortium over to their side. So you see, Nathan, the Ascended are superhuman. That was the name they gave themselves, because they were so disgusted with the human race's alliance with the Consortium. They believed that humans were mongrels and they were the evolved version of man.”
“That's mighty cocky of them,” I quipped. “So what happened?”
Sam once again looked at the door nervously, as if he was afraid one of them might step through at any moment.
“By 2053, the Ascended went to war. Most humans joined them, those that didn't were offered a chance to leave the planet. Those that didn't were arrested and quarantined. The Consortium was taken by surprise and their base on Mars was destroyed. Their Defense Fleet was forced to retreat to Jupiter. By 2055 we had defense outposts on the moon and Mars. Eventually, though, the Consortium Royal Command rallied the Defense Fleet as well as some other alien forces we were unaware of to their cause. Our bases were destroyed and we were beaten back to Earth. These defeats are what brings me here today.”
I studied his face, no longer doubting that this was my friend from the past. Sorrow rimmed his eyes when he told his story and I realized he spoke the truth. So many unanswered questions remained that I barely knew where to start.
“How do you fit into all this?”
“At first I was thrilled of an alien encounter. The fact that we came to a point where we could have an intergalactic partnership with an advanced civilization excited me.”
“So why are you here?” I prodded.
“I was hired by Synthicon as a biological engineer,” he said at once. “I helped design the cloning process.” He stood up and paced the room like a cat. “When I learned that the Consortium was possibly manipulating our timeline I immediately thought back to that day in the cave. The police never found you but you never came out of the cave, Nathan.” The pitch in his voice became higher, another trait that future Sam and past Sam shared. It happened when he became overly emotional. That was when I saw the tear linger at the corner of his eye. “I bega
n to suspect alien abduction, as crazy as it sounded. I found myself wondering if the Consortium abducted you.” He flicked the tear aside and locked eyes with me. “I guess it wasn't crazy after all.”
A few tense moments of silence passed between us. I was the one who finally broke it. “It was Solomon Corvus, wasn't it?”
Sam tugged at his earring. “I'm sorry?”
“The boy who killed those kids, the one who eventually took over Synthicon, it was Solomon Corvus, wasn't it?”
Sam lowered his head but remained silent. I took his silence as an affirmation.
“Why would you align yourself with him?”
“We were both smart kids, ahead of our class in school. However, I always knew you were smarter than me.” He turned toward the door and let his hand rest on the handle. “Not about this, though. You're on the wrong side.”
“Oh really?” Anger took over when I remembered Calypso's crimes. “Do you want to know a something about your new friends?” I balled my fists in fury.
Sam shook his head and opened the door. “You are my friend, Nathan. They are not my friends, only tools needed to complete the mission. The Consortium is not what you think they are.”
I clenched my teeth, barely controlling my anger. “Oh? What are they, Sam?”
“The bad guys.”
I frowned. “I refuse to believe that.”
His disappointment was apparent. “It's nice to see you again, Nathan.” He turned and left.
Corvus
Claw uttered a low, throaty growl and turned toward the time hole. Corvus followed his gaze and noticed that someone, or something, was coming through. With nervous anticipation his Lumagom guards raised their weapons. Whatever was about to step through wasn't very big, only about a foot high.
Corvus turned to the closest guard. Their ship stood just up the ridge to the east, about a quarter mile away. “Take someone with you and get back to the ship. Focus the scanners on the time hole. We will deal with whatever comes through.”
The guard nodded and motioned for the closest soldier to follow. That left Corvus with two armed guards and Claw. More than enough to take out whatever happened to come through the portal. As if in agreement, Claw let out another growl.
The form in the portal materialized and out sauntered a large cat, a Maine Coon to be exact. It was dull yellow in color and extremely furry—fluffy would have been an accurate description. Claw let out another growl which caused the cat to pause and sit on its haunches. It turned its head, and with folded ears surveyed the area, ignoring Claw's growls of protest.
“Well what do we have here?” Corvus asked. The guards lowered their weapons and approached the animal.
Corvus moved towards the cat and it let out a purr. That was when he noticed the animal's left eye. It was not an eye at all, but rather a solid piece of tinted glass. Startled, Corvus took a step back and the cat opened its mouth. Instead of a meow, purr or any other such feline sound a voice came from the beast. A human voice.
“Please identify yourself.”
Corvus chuckled. The animal must be another of Sam's toys. “My name is Solomon Corvus of the Ascended.” He took a step forward. “Who am I speaking with?”
The voice on the other end chuckled. “Wow, this is actually our lucky day! They said you would be miles away by now and this mission would be a waste.”
The guards were busy examining the cat, apparently more interested in its technology than its message. In a sense of irony Claw refused to approach the cat, but it was the wolf's demeanor that unsettled him. Claw remained close to the ground with his nose twitching, as if he were trying to catch the scent of the cat. He thought the appearance of the cat was a godsend—another weapon to use in the fight against the Consortium. The voice coming from the cat, however, had raised his suspicions.
“And what mission is that?” Corvus asked.
“Assassination,” the voice replied. Suddenly the cat's mouth widened and its eyes changed colors. They became red like blood.
Corvus dove head first away from the cat. The guards, unfortunately didn't have time to react. The cat exploded in an eruption of white light. Corvus planted his face to the ground, tasting dry, desert soil as he attempted to shield his eyes. After a moment passed he stood up and brushed himself off. Claw was untouched; fortunately he sensed the danger surrounding the cat and stayed far enough away to avoid damage. The same thing couldn't be said for his guards. There was nothing left of them but smoldering shoes. As for the cat, there was no sign of it at all. The only thing left behind was a charred circle with bits of smoldering fur.
“Very interesting,” he muttered flatly. Despite its attempt to kill him, Corvus admired the technology. It made a useful assassination tool and he made a mental note to ask Sam about it when he returned.
The sound of his communicator snapped him from his trance. With a frown, he reached down and unclipped it from his belt. When he grabbed it, he noticed his tunic was singed around the edges, still smoldering. He batted at the flames mindlessly and lifted the communicator to his lips.
“What is it?” he barked.
“Is everything okay?” It was Sam. “We were on our way to base and Calypso detected strange readings from the Richat Structure. Did something happen at the portal?”
“Something came through,” Corvus replied.
“Reinforcements?” Sam asked.
“Not really.” Corvus let out a dry cough and dirt fell from his lips. He swatted at the last of the flames with a grimace. “It was a cat.”
“A cat?” Confusion marked Sam's voice. “What the hell does that mean?”
Corvus ignored the question. “Two of the Lumagom are dead. I'm afraid the enemy will be coming through the portal soon. Do you have the Cartographer?”
“Yes.”
“What about the Consortium?”
“A Defense Fleet contingent is heading your way,” Sam replied. “The rest of the fleet is outside Earth's orbit, apparently waiting for word from the group in New York.”
“Good,” Corvus sneered. “Let them wait. We will rendezvous on Xajax. Stop for nothing or no one, is that understood?”
“Acknowledged.”
Corvus severed the connection and clipped the communicator to his belt. Claw chuffed behind him.
“Don't worry, boy. You will get your chance to spill Consortium blood soon enough.”
A rifle lay near the charred ground where the cat once stood. Corvus reached down and picked it up. The weapon was intact with not so much as a scratch on its surface. Pointing the weapon toward the sky, he fired. The weapon functioned normally. With a smile, he admired the ingenuity of their weapon. The cat had to have been engineered by Sam's people. Whoever sent it must have stolen it or worse, commandeered Sam's lab. Corvus wondered if it was the Consortium or someone else who tried to assassinate him. He had many enemies in the future.
“Some people are just jealous of my intelligence and ambition,” he muttered to Claw and strapped the rifle to his back.
The wolf growled in response and padded off toward the ship.
Redemption
Days passed since Sam's visit but I had eventually lost track of time. The only person to enter my room had been a five foot tall turtle-looking creature who served me stale bread and warm water twice a day without a word. The first time he brought my tray I couldn't tear my eyes from his hands. Four fingers, thicker than plump sausages and scaly like a fish, adorned each hand. When he dropped the tray in front of me, I grimaced at the sight of him. For days, I thought of him as nothing more than a servant until one day he came in with a rifle strapped to his back. That day he licked his leathery lips and locked on me with his soulless black eyes. I recalled almost soiling myself in fear, assuming it was my time to die. My fear proved unfounded. He merely dropped another tray of bread and water at my feet and left.
I stared at the crusty bread and found myself longing for even a scrap of recycled Sustanant pizza. My eyes drifted from the
bread toward the lone window in the room. It was circular, about three feet in diameter and allowed me to watch the planets and stars as they passed by slowly, like the days. Sometimes the ship would pass close enough to a planet for me to make out distinguishing features. Occasionally it would be a dead planet like Mars, others had land, clouds, water and even mountains that reached the sky. We passed planets that were red, green, blue and even purple. As time passed, I rarely glanced out the window and only with passing interest as my thoughts turned to my friends. Were they still alive? What had happened on Earth? Too many questions churned through my mind.
I choked down the bread between sips of tepid water. Once I swallowed all I could muster, I crawled into bed and fingered the bracelet fastened around my wrist. How did you get yourself into this mess, Nathan? I should have been playing Call of Duty or World of Warcraft like the other kids in my school. Maybe if I was a less of a nerd and more of an average teenager, I would have never been in that cave. I wouldn't be aboard this ship, prisoner to a misguided psychopath.
There was a knock at the door but it sounded a million miles away. Calypso walked in and I rolled my eyes. I had just about enough of his delusions, his plans and his company. My hands fell to my sides in frustration and that was when I felt something in my pocket. When my hand located the object my fingers wrapped around it. My heart leapt into my throat when I realized what it was—one of the stun grenades Wraith handed me back on Earth. I completely forgot about them. As I sat up in bed I locked eyes with him and gripped the weapon tightly.
“Have you had time to think about what I said?” he asked, but his eyes revealed it to be a rhetorical question. It seemed he knew my response before I even uttered it.
“I think you are a deluded lunatic,” I spat, my hand tightening around the grenade, gaining inner strength with each passing moment. From what Wraith told me all I had to do was toss the grenade toward my intended target and stand back. My only concern was whether the door was locked, but when I looked past him it was slightly ajar. There would never be a better opportunity. I had no real plan of escape, I just hoped the grenades bought me enough time to form one.
