Friday, July 9, 2004

   In the Shadow of the Dragon: Part 2
Here it is at last, the second chapter of my story. Looking at it now I realized what I have done, there are a lot more chapters to go. Sorry for making you wait. Here it is.

In the Shadow of the Dragon: Part 2

"There were trading for what?!", Cyrus said with a tinge of suprise. "Military secrets it looks like", Zeke said from the passenger seat "It'll take me a few hours to decrypt and sort it all out, but I can do it". Streetlights and buildings whizzed by as the sped along in their 1967 Mercury Cougar. Slowing down and turning into a dark alley, they crept up to the dingy roll-up door of an abandoned building in the old business district. An electronic device in the car signaled for the door to open automatically. As the car came to a stop, the lights in their sanctuary came to life. Hanging lamps revealed gunlockers, workbenches, computer desks, and various training equipment. The large space in between the small islands of light were filled with an overwhelming dark. It was only temporary, but it was home for now. As they got out, they were drowned in bright halogen lights that illuminated the car from above. "Fortunes in government funding, and you make this place look like the fuckin' Batcave", Ezekial Stryke said with a crooked smile on his face. "What, I like it. Besides, you know how hilarious it is making the government lackeys do it this way? By now they've gotta think I'm friggin' nuts." "You are nuts. Go ahead and get some rest, this'll take me a while to figure out", he indicated, holding up the briefcase with the laptop inside. Seems like a good idea. Zeke sat down at his computer. The monitor was obscenely large, at least three feet tall by Cyrus' quick measurements. Plugging it into the smaller computer, an endless array of computer jargin scrolled down the screen. "I still don't see why you need that gross display of capitalism." Cyrus said as he sat down at his workbench and began dismantling his guns. "And the expresso machine/ciggarette dispensor is oh so conservative?", exclaimed Zeke, computer light reflecting off of his ice blue eyes. "Shut it. I need that stuff to survive, heaven forbid you have a day without playing Everquest", sneered Cyrus jokingly. "Ha Ha", he said unenthusiastically. After cleaning, reassembling, and reloading his guns, Cyrus wandered upstairs to his bedroom, the ticking of computer keys floating in the background. He fell into a deep uncomfortable sleep, plagued with the usual nightmares. God he hated to sleep. "YES!" He awoke to a cry of victory from Zeke below. "Jesus Christ on a pogo stick what time is it", he grumbled to himself. He struggled out of bed as he groped in the darkness for his cigarettes. The large digital clock on his nightstand read 4:17. Lighting a cigarette, he walked to to the edge of the room and looked down into their hideout. The innerwalls of the building had been knocked down in order to make it one big open space. Looking down from the third floor was a definite strategic advantage. Peering down, barechested, wearing black pajama bottoms, the light from his cancer stick illuminated his stern, youthful face. "Whatcha got", Cyrus called down to Zeke who was deep in thought. "I'm still trying to comprehend it all. We may have stumbled on to something very serious here." "I'll be right down." Cyrus slipped on some black cargo pants , shoes, and a red and black short sleeve button up shirt. "Ow", as he headed for the door, he bumped his head into one of the many .45 pistols hung from his ceiling on strings. When he got to bottom floor he walked strait for the kitchennette, and started to make breakfast. "This is amazing Cyrus. Human expierimentation. Apparently, through a series of painful, not to mention horrible operations and mental reprogramming, they can unlock hidden capabilities within the human mind.", Zeke said with traces of disbelief in his voice. "Is that so", paying half attention. He was more worried about the bacon and eggs he was making. "Come check this out", cigarette smoke and coffee steam obscuring his face. Taking the eggs off the heat, he sauntered over to the screen and looked for himself. "Telekinesis, pyrokinesis, mind control, what the hell !", Cyrus said generally suprised. "Somewhere along the line a scientist named Dr. Felix Faust figured out a way to make some kind of psychic super-soldier. Holy shit imagine if Domigues had gotten ahold of that." "Tell me about it." "They've even got successful test subject footage, here." A grainy camera shot popped up on the screen. A man in OD green military fatigues was standing in front of livestock with his hand stretched out. In an instant the animals caught fire and began scrambling around the room. "Dear God", said Cyrus eyes wide with fright. "The procedure is sometimes known to cause severe psychosis and paranoia. The man on the screen laughed with a maniacal grin on his face. "This is heavy. I think we better get this to the higher ups in the Pentagon before..... He could hear trucks pulling up outside the building. Numerous booted feet pounded the ground outside. Morning was just now creeping through the cracks in the old painted over windows of the building. Without cue Zeke brought up the security cameras on screen. "We've got company", he said dryly. Four vans waited outside. At least twelve heavily armed men in full tactical armor took up positions at the entrances. "More on the roof", Ezekial said pulling his gun out of a drawer. "Its too early for this shit." Cyrus grabbed his guns off the workbench and hurried to his room upstairs.

There it was, hope you like it. I hate to leave you hanging like that. I didn't want to make the post too long. If it's any consolation I'm already working on the Third chapter. It's like 4 in the fuckin' morning and I have to leave for MetroCon in Tampa at 8. I'll probably post it when I get back. Thanks for reading it.

Cyrus Azrael Kane
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