The Keystroke Killer

by Melissa Caudle

  Eli checked the panel on the cryochamber. “Deedra, silence the alert.”

  “That is against protocol during a crisis situation.”

  “Deedra, silence alarm. Authorization: Victor-Victor-two-eleven-zero-nine.”

  The alarm ended and gave way to the hum of the warp drive engine.

  “There is a malfunction isolated on the deck of the cryochamber.”

  “Deedra, send the tech bots to fix it.”

  Seven chrome tech bots, about the size of a fourteen-pound house cat, disengaged from their docking ports and floated to the computer panel between the Captain’s cryochamber and another chamber identified for Major Drax ‘Spinner’ Angela. Each tech bot, in a Transformer manner, materialized several specific tools as they hovered over the panel. No two had the same tool. The bots isolated the malfunction and using a coded alien language, they communicated and proceeded with the repairs.

  Eli removed the visor from around the Captain’s face allowing him to focus. “Take your time.” His voice calm and steady assisted the Captain to remain focused on recovery. “Your core body temperature still has to rise several degrees. Take it easy.”

  “How’s my ship?” The Captain moaned followed by several shallow raspy breaths.

  “Our ship is doing fine, nothing unusual to report. Well, other than the Reborn process starting sooner than expected, we harrowingly escaped an asteroid, almost got wiped out by Haley’s comet and I got to have my first encounter with the reptilians.”

  “Not funny. Remind me to volunteer to stay awake the entire trip back to earth. I don’t care how old I get.”

  “Sir, we’re not going back.”

  “How’s the crew?” The Captain shook as if a victim of Anthrax.

  “You’re the first to be Reborn.” Another cryochamber blew sending Eli scurrying to it.

  “You’re trained for this, aren’t you?” The Captain hurled until he dried heaved.

  “I got this. Now, be still. Let me assist our mission control specialist.”

  Commander Jager Rogers III experienced the same symptoms as his Captain; but less severe due to his faster recovery from cryo-sleep. “Get me out of these restraints.”

  Eli looked dismayed. He realized he had to respond to his superior officer’s command, but in doing so would put Rogers at risk. He stood over him as he adjusted the control panel of the cryochamber.

  “Now!” Rogers wheeled his authority as the Mission Control Specialist. “Release me.” He continued to claw at the safety restraints.

  “Rogers.” Eli’s voice remained calm and authoritative. “Give it more time. You can’t fight your way out of this one.”

  “You either let me out of these restraints, or… or…”

  “You need time. Your brain hasn’t even thawed. I’ll do you a favor after all these years on ice. I’ll remove Spidey from your face.”

  The third cryochamber erupted ejecting Major Drax ‘Spinner’ Angela against the deck.

  Eli lunged toward him. “Shit! That wasn’t supposed to happen.”

  “I was a medic before I was Captain. You can’t help him.”

  Eli bolted for the Captain’s restraints and released him to his wobbly and feeble legs as he supported his brother and dragged him to Drax. “Get the medical kit. Stat!”

  “Yes, Captain.” Eli bolted for the medical kit fastened to the wall by the door, grabbed it and scrambled back to the Captain. As he reached him, the Captain collapsed.

  “Deedra, what is the medical condition of Major Angela?”

  “The carbon based human form who is referred to as Drax has a ruptured spleen. He requires immediate medical assistance.”

  “No shit! Deedra.” Eli fumbled to open the medical kit and located a vial of morphine.

  “I’m sorry Eli. I didn’t understand your request.”

  Rogers struggled to free himself. “Deedra, get me out of these restraints.” His tone authoritative in nature.

  “I’m sorry Commander. You’re not authorized to give me that order.”

  “Damn it Deedra. What good is an A.I. that doesn’t obey orders?”

  “I am more than capable of serving your needs Commander. You have ten more minutes before I release you from your chamber. May I suggest you activate SO-LAR?”

  Eli heeded the advice. “Deedra, activate the emergency medical robot on the cryochamber deck.”

  A panel door slid open and revealed SO-LAR, a very humanlike androgynous medical robot, dressed in a tight fitting white legging uniform similar to the others. Her skin pale, her eyes violet, and she sported short cropped blonde hair made her appear almost human. SO-LAR leaped three feet into the air and landed by Drax. “Transport Major Angela to the medical bay.”

  A blue shimmering light encapsulated Drax as he faded.

  “Please step away from the carbon form you call Captain, hence I may attend to his medical needs.”

  “Great news.”

  Rogers thrashed to escape. “SO-LAR release me from my restraints.”

  “I am sorry Commander Rogers. You require more time in your chamber. Please be patient as the Reborn process completes.”

  Eli approached Rogers. “After twelve years on ice, you’re still as demanding as ever. Glad to hear that.”

  “Fuck you.”

  The fifth cryochamber exploded expelling purple fumes and a gradient of reds to violet transitioning to white. Chief Petty Officer, Rae Blythe Helene, safe from the explosion on space ice landed steadfast onto her feet as her six-degree black belt proved beneficial. She looked around and assessed the cryo-deck environment and her shipmates. “Stats!”

  Eli stepped backward. “Bridge crew are close to finishing the reborn stage. Eight minutes and twenty seconds until complete. You appear to be ready for action.”

  “I was born ready.” Rae stood proud and strong.

  SO-LAR assisted the Captain to sit upright. “What went wrong?”

  “Tech bots are addressing the malfunction.”

  Another cryochamber blew.

  ***

  Matthew lay in his bed with the blackout curtains drawn. It has been two weeks since Blaze Angela, a doppelgänger of his sister vanished. He believed he was responsible because her deceased boyfriend hired him to protect her. After the terrorist explosion at Dr. Judas Greenberg’s house, Matthew had mixed emotions from what he learned from Deedra that fateful day and isolated himself.

  Kelly Corbin, a glamorous transgendered woman, looked radiant in her fifties style green and white polka dot dress and green heels as she bounced in holding a glass of orange juice, a bottle of vitamins and a piece of toast. “Good morning Matthew.” She placed the items on the nightstand. “Enough of this. No matter what happened, your life must go on. You’re not responsible for your sister’s death, but you can catch those sick bastards. Frankly my darling, you can’t do that by lying in this dark room.” She opened the curtains to the bright sun.

  He rolled over and pulled the covers over his eyes. “Leave me alone. Go away.”

  “Not an option. You have two choices. You can either get out of the bed and come to the living room; or, I’ll get a bucket of ice water and pour it on you.”

  “Give me five more minutes.”

  “Nope, ice bucket challenge it is.”

  “All right already.” He struggled to sit on the side of his bed. “I’m getting up. Don’t take this as me liking it.”

  “Glad to have you back in the world of the living.”

  A knock on the front door surprised Matthew. “I’m not expecting anyone. Hell, I wasn’t even expecting you.”

  “Don’t bother getting it. I will.” She pranced to the front door and opened it.

  Dr. Elizabeth Wright, a friend and a forensic psychologist assigned to the FBI serial killer task force, wore an elegant purple bodycon dress and matching pumps. She greeted Kelly. “Good morning. Came to offer support. He’s been through hell the last couple of weeks. How’s our patient?”

  “I think
he needs his head examined. He still refuses to go see a doctor.”

  “He should be grateful you’re an emergency care nurse. We need to take charge and get him to a hospital. He’s getting worse.”

  “I agree.”

  “I’m right here. I can hear both of you.” Matthew pulled his jeans to his waist.

  Liz took one look at the bruise and bump on his head. “You can’t put off going to the doctor. You really took a blow in that explosion. How’s your memory today?”

  He tilted his head. His micro expression told his response.

  Kelly grabbed a small duffel bag from the closet. “Okay, that’s it. If you won’t listen to any of your friends, then listen to an emergency care nurse. I’ve seen people die from lesser concussions. So, do I call nine, one, one? Or, will you willingly let me take you to the hospital?”

  “As a psychologist, I could legally have you placed in care for a psychiatric workup. You appear suicidal. You’re slowly killing yourself.”

  Matthew winced in pain and rubbed his head above the contusion. “Okay, girls. I’ll go.” His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he collapsed.

  ***

  Dr. Angela, Dr. Langford and newly confirmed Dr. Priscilla Gentry, the volunteer who escorted Dr. Angela to the podium last March at the 2058 Global Dimension Conference, focused on the research monitor. The 3D image of the inner workings of Project Dimension loomed over them.

  Dr. Gentry released a grin of confidence toward Dr. Angela. “I was astonished when you accepted my call.”

  “Don’t be surprised. If I had no intention of hiring you, I would not have given you my card.”

  Dr. Langford exhaled. “Dr. Gentry, do you mind giving us the room?”

  Dr. Angela looked at him. “That won’t be necessary. She may be new to the research development team, but she has full access to your research. She brings a lot to the table and I can’t afford to keep secrets from her to get Project Dimension working.”

  Dr. Langford raised his brows. “Was it worth it?”

  “I had to. One life wasn’t worth millions.”

  “Blaze was your daughter. You used this on her. And for what? Money? Do you realize that you won’t see either of your children again?”

  Dr. Gentry crossed her arms. “Doctors, can we focus on Project Dimension?” Her statement was unnoticed by the others.

  “Drax accepted that mission over joining me to run my company. I don’t know where he got that sense of adventure. I think it was ludicrous for him to volunteer for a one way trip to colonize a planet we don’t know will be suitable to sustain life. I only have myself to blame. I financed those damn starships.”

  “Have you told him about Blaze?”

  “Exactly what am I supposed to say? Unless he has the SNP-IT-6/11 gene, he won’t remember that she ever existed.”

  “I have his DNA at the genome bank. I could run it. At least you’ll know whether to tell your son.”

  “Do that. Now, let’s focus on getting Blaze back from the fourth dimension or at least open a fissure in the time-space continuum. If there’s a way in, there’s a way out. I’m positive of that.”

  “Our research would be accelerated if we had Dr. Greenberg or Professor Faust back on board. Any way you could bury the hatchet in order to save millions of people?”

  ***

  The private Learjet flew across the cloudless blue sky as if to announce a special couple.

  Debra gazed out the window. “The city is beautiful from above.” Debra adjusted her position; a red flush exploded on her cheeks as she gazed toward her fiancé, the debonair oral surgeon, Dr. Frank Franklin.

  “Only the best for the future Mrs. Dr. Frank Franklin.” His eyes softened into hers.

  “Is this yours or did you charter it for us to jet off to get married?”

  “None of the two. It’s yours. My wedding present to you. Do you like it?”

  “I can’t afford it. I’m a private investigator.”

  “In five hours, forty-three minutes and twelve seconds you’ll have more money than you can spend. I come from royalty. No prenup in place. What is mine is yours, for better or evil, richer or richer.”

  “Don’t you mean for better or worse, richer or poorer?”

  “No, I meant every word. Take me like I am or not at all. There can be no judgment about who or what I am. Promise me that.”

  “I will. Now, tell me about this plane of mine.”

  “For a cool thirty-one million, this is the most luxurious manufactured by Bombardier Learjet. Rather than metal, she’s primarily made of composite material which makes it more durable and lighter with a long-range cruising speed. You better start thinking of the perfect name for her.”

  “I thought you only named boats and cars.”

  “Not when they cost this much.”

  “Got it. Do you have anything in mind?”

  “I do, but I don’t think you’ll like it.”

  “Try me.”

  “I named my first boat Open Wide as a statement of my profession. So, I think we should name this beauty Wide Open.”

  “I love it. Let’s get a bottle of champagne and toast to the Wide Open and friendly skies.”

  As if on cue, the private flight attendant brought two Waterford crystal stems filled with bubbling Don Perigone Champaign. “Champaign for the wedding couple?” She handed them the glasses.

  “To the future Mrs. Franklin.”

  “I’ll drink to that.”

  The glasses tinged the perfect crystal sound. They locked arms like lovers to drink the bubbly and sipped their celebratory cocktail.

  “I have one more surprise for you.”

  “You must tell me.” Her expression filled with excitement.

  “When we land, my mother is meeting us. We’re going to sail on her yacht. She can’t wait to meet the woman who stole my heart. She plans on preparing her favorite meal for us.”

  “I have to admit. I’m a little nervous to meet royalty. I don’t even know how to curtsey. Let’s turn the jet around.”

  “Ease up. She married into royalty.”

  “You never told me that. When you told me you had royal blood, I thought like twelve generations back or some distant cousin.”

  “I wanted you to fall in love with me, not a prince.”

  Stunned, Debra took a deep breath. “You’re a prince? Why? How?”

  “For a private investigator, you don’t know much about me.”

  “I have never needed or wanted to investigate you. You’re the most romantic, caring and giving man I know. That’s who I fell in love with. Not a prince. Oh my God, that means I have to meet the king too.”

  “Only if you visit the royal grave at the family church. When I was five, he secretly left my mother for a younger servant. Because of our laws, he couldn’t divorce her. After two years into his fling, he had a heart attack. My mother, the Queen, became Biechtenburia’s sole Monarch and I’m next in line to become King upon her death.”

  “You’re shitting me, right?”

  “Not at all.”

  “I don’t get it. Your last name is Franklin. That doesn’t sound like a future king’s last name.”

  “Franklin is part of my first name. When I left for the states, I assumed an identity to escape being recognized. I wanted to be an oral surgeon, not run a country. My real name is Prince Hans-Franklin Josef the Fourth, Crown Prince of Biechtenburia. You’ll be granted a Duchess title upon marriage.

  ***

  Red Lettenberg, the Mind’s Eye serial killer, shackled and handcuffed shuffled his final steps to the execution chamber at Angola State Penitentiary. Escorted by two military style guards, he had no fear. The larger guard snickered. “Any last famous words, before you fry?”

  “I’ll always have the last word. I’m coming back from my grave.”

  “In your dreams.”

  “I will be reborn! Now that you understand me, I’m coming for you both first.” Red projected his mind to
theirs. The guards stopped in their tracks and grabbed their heads as their eyes bulged.

  “See boys, your fun starts now. And, I’m not even dead, yet.”

  TO BE CONTINUED…

  NEVER STOP RUNNING

  EXCERPT

  ISBN-10: 1721550917

  Waking up from an eight month coma, Jackie cannot remember anything about her life suffering from Retrograde amnesia. David, her husband, convinces her to seek the help of a hypnotherapist only to remember her past lives. Her journey is a mental time travel across the ages with a psychological twist. Based on a real-life story. A must read novel.

  TOHONO

  Chapter Four Excerpt

  “You ready Jackie?” Dr. Grayson settled into his chair.

  “As ready as I ever will be.”

  “You know the drill. Each time you’re hypnotized, you’re able to go into a trance easier. You’re a pro now.”

  “Let’s do it.”

  Dr. Grayson pressed the record button on the camera’s remote. “Remember, you can return to your safe place any time. Now, breathe slowly in and out.”

  Jackie adjusted her position and sunk deep into the couch. Her breath slowed.

  Dr. Grayson allowed several minutes for Jackie to find her safe place. He watched her eye movement and her body language. “Breathe. Think about your safe place. Tell me where you are.” His voice adagio.

  “It’s a beautiful place. I’m at the beach. The waves are rushing in. Seagulls are flying overhead. I’m sitting in the sand.”

  “Sitting in the sand?”

  “Yes. Looking at the water. It’s a peaceful place. Everything is calm.”

  “I want you to look up into the sky, find a cloud and sit on it. Tell me when you get there.”

  “…It’s like sitting on a pillow.”

  “It’s very comfortable, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Anytime you get scared, I want you to remember this moment. You are safe, comfortable and secure.”

  Jackie took a deep breath and any stress that remained vanished.

  “I want you to travel along this cloud. Go backward and forward through your life and find a point of entry.”