Enhanced

by Ben Brown

  “We want you and your team to shut them all down. I know this is a big thing to ask of you. There are no medals at the end of this and most likely, no one will ever know of your sacrifice. I ask you this as someone who hopes for a better day. If you refuse, I will not ask again and you will all be free to go.”

  Zac looked at Martinez and the others. He knew their answer without needing to ask. He held Lea’s hand as she whispered, “Let’s see this through to the end.”

  Zac stood and looked directly at the TV.

  “Madam President, we are at your disposal. Just give us the word.”

  Jacobson started to whoop and clap; the rest of the room followed suit. The image on the screen raised her hand and the room fell silent.

  “That’s good to hear, and I expected no less. We should have the exact location of the first cell in the next day or so, at which point you and your team will be sent to neutralize them. You will have full access to whatever you need; the Aurora has been placed on standby, ready for your departure. Major Chelsea Brown will liaison with you for all your needs concerning the Air Force.

  “Until then, rest well and prepare yourselves.”

  Martinez stood and cleared his throat.

  “Madam President, as you know, this victory wasn’t ours alone. The locals in the area helped a great deal. Without them, we wouldn’t have succeeded.”

  The president nodded and said, “Go on, Mr. Martinez. You clearly have something on your mind.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I do. It’s the hospital that treated us; it’s terribly under-equipped. If you could see your way clear to helping them, it might help repay our debt.”

  “Consider it done. It will be the best equipped hospital in the region by the time we’ve finished with it.” Martinez smiled as he sat back in his seat.

  “Now, once again, I thank you. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

  With that, the TV shut down.

  The room was abuzz as they all talked about what was to come.

  Zac and Lea returned to their quarters after enjoying something to eat with their companions. Much of the discussion during the meal had revolved around what the future had in store for them all. These thoughts still filled Zac’s head as he and the woman he loved settle down in front of the TV that night.

  Zac stretched out at the end of a large leather couch, Lea’s head upon his lap. He stroked her hair as they both settled in to watch Conan; even though Lea couldn’t see the show, she still enjoyed the banter between Conan and his guests. However, within minutes Zac could hear her gentle snores as she dozed. She snuggled her head deeper into his lap as she let out a contented groan.

  He looked at her and considered all that had happened to them over the past months. He remembered the meek man he used to be and wondered how he had ever managed without her in his life. He thought of everyone who had died, but also of those they had saved. How many more people would need to die before he could be sure the world would be safe?

  A raucous bout of laughter erupted from the TV, grabbing his attention again. He began to smile at the antics unfolding on the screen. Conan was dancing across the stage, tugging at his hips with imaginary string.

  Zac began to laugh. Life elsewhere in the world went on completely unaware of their struggles; it comforted him knowing that. He reached for the TV remote and lowered the sound a little, and then relaxed to enjoy the show.

  Epilogue

  Zac and Lea strolled through Central Park, savoring the simple joy given by a beautiful day. Zac raised his face to the sky and closed his eyes. The sun beat down on his face as he inhaled the heady smell of fresh grass. The park was truly an oasis in the middle of a hectic and chaotic city. His hand gripped Lea’s a little tighter as he felt a wave of happiness wash over him. This was what life was about — enjoying the company of the woman you loved on a perfect day in New York.

  He opened his eyes and saw a gaggle of women pushing prams; they were laughing and cooing at their bundles of joy as they paraded them around for all to see. He looked at the faces of the proud mums; they looked full of hope and expectation for the future. The children they pushed could one day be doctors, scientists, or even president. He envied them their naivety and optimism; he hoped one day he and Lea could share in that joy.

  His eyes moved from one face to another, then his gaze stopped on a tired looking woman with a battered and dirty pram. She was straggling along behind the others; it seemed as if they didn’t know she was there.

  He looked at her more closely, then he realized she didn’t look tired, but ill. She looked like someone fighting a losing battle with cancer or some other insidious disease. He suddenly became aware that she was returning his gaze. Her eyes looked pained, as if they had seen things that no one should.

  As these thoughts passed through his head she began to slump to the ground. He moved quickly to catch her before she hit the pavement. Within a second she lay cradled in his arms, struggling for air. He looked franticly around for Lea, but she was nowhere in sight. The woman’s boney hand reached for his face, he looked at her again; she was trying to speak. He lowered his ear to her mouth.

  “I’m not strong enough to carry my burden,” she whispered in a weak voice. “It’s evil, I can’t love it. The child is — unclean — an abomination.” She began to weep. “You must stop it — you must kill it.”

  Zac stared at the woman, totally shocked by her words. His eyes once again hunted for Lea in the crowds, then the woman grabbed his face with both hands. “Zac, only you can stop it — only you hold the key to undo all the harm it will inflict on the world. Kill it, before it kills us all.”

  She shuddered and drew her last breath.

  Zac was trembling; how did she know him? What was she talking about? Clearly she was insane. Then he remembered — the woman was pushing a pram. He lowered her to the ground and stood, his gaze fixed on the pram. He could feel a powerful presence emanating from it — why hadn’t he felt it earlier? With his heart pounding, he moved closer and peered in at its passenger.

  The thing that stared up at him looked like something from a horror movie. It offended all of his senses, but he couldn’t look away. He felt paralyzed. He tried to move but couldn’t. He started to struggle for air — he was suffocating and there was nothing he could do to stop it!

  Zac sat bolt upright, bathed in sweat and gasping for air. The remote fell from his hand and clattered to the floor. It came to rest pointing at the TV; suddenly the volume increased, waking Lea with a start.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked sleepily.

  Zac took several seconds to gain his composure; the dream had been truly terrifying. “I’m okay, it was just a bad dream,” he said through tremulous lips.

  She laid her head on his lap once more. “You’ve been through a lot,” she yawned. “It’s most likely your subconscious try to vent some demons.”

  “You’re probably right. I’ll have a chat with Doc about it in the morning.” He fumbled for the remote and switched off the TV.

  As the room became dark and silent he considered what the dream had meant. Maybe Lea was right. Maybe it was the way his mind was dealing with all the death and pain he had seen. He hoped that was all it was, but he had an uneasy feeling there was more to it than just a bad dream.

  He looked at his watch, then gently moved Lea from his lap. He knew he wasn’t going to sleep; he had too many thoughts racing through his mind. He headed to the kitchen to make a cup of tea.

  Thank You

  If you enjoyed this book, it would be fabulous if you could leave a brief review where you obtained it. Readers trust other readers, and the number of positive reviews has a huge impact on sales.

  If you’re on Facebook or other social sites, and liked the book, perhaps you could recommend it to your friends there as well. Again, thank you so much. You are my marketing team!

  -Ben

  Writing and posting reviews is easy:

  You don’t have to be a professional writer
or particularly verbose. Reviews by “real people” are what most readers are seeking. Just tell them, in your own words, what you thought of the book. If you can put into words “why” you liked the book you can also add that information.

  Don’t give away the ending. Most people hate “spoilers” (although there are a few who actually look for them).

  Then give it a rating (usually 1 to 5 “stars”), a title, if needed, and click on the appropriate button (on Amazon, that would be the “preview” button, followed by the “publish” button if you like what you’ve done).

  That’s all there is to it. You’re now a seasoned reviewer.

  About the Author

  Ben Brown was born in Reading, England. He struggled through school academically. Diagnosed with dyslexia meant being removed from class to attend ‘remedial” lessons. Ben did not enjoy reading and writing, and left school early to work with his father as a builder. It wasn’t until his mid-twenties that Ben persisted in teaching himself to read — and finally read his first novel.

  Ben emigrated to Perth, Western Australia in 1990 where he now lives with his wife Michelle and two teenage children, Chelsea and Zac.

  He planned his first novel each day while working as a bricklayer, to pass the hours. His love of scientific facts, futuristic possibilities, and fast-paced action infects his plots and writing style.