They all froze in place again, puzzled at how this man knew so much about them—even their names. This entire situation was just too creepy. If he knew their names, he may have even known that they were wanted by the law for murdering a rival gang member three weeks before. Oh, yes, this strange man would definitely have to be dealt with.
“I will not tell the police about that murder either.” Jack then jokingly laughed. “I won’t mention the drugs, the fires, or even the robberies. No, I will not have to mention any of that stuff to anyone. In fact, no one will have to deal with any of you guys again either,” he said. “You three are just insects to be swatted away like flies.”
“Freak!” Troy yelled, lifted the chain, and charged at Jack again. “I’m going to kill you!”
“Oh really?” Jack touched the band again.
Instantly, the three gang members were jerked off their feet and hovered helplessly in the air about two meters from the ground. They kicked aimlessly and cursed out of fear. These guys did not know what was happening or how. This was like a nightmare or a horror movie. Soon, their curses became whimpers and cries of terror again. For over a minute, they pleaded and struggled until exhaustion set in.
Jack laughed. “I can neutralize gravity if I wish. I can also reverse it too. Watch this.” He then touched the wrist device again. The three gang members suddenly shot up toward the heavens, tumbling and screaming as they went. Jack watched until they were out of view and then he touched the wrist band again, cutting off the power to this fiendish device.
Within moments, the tumbling thugs became visible again. They screamed and kicked until their bodies slammed into the football field—spattering like bugs on the windshield of a speeding car. Then, all was silent.
Diamond Jack was smiling again as he picked up the gravity disk and placed it back under his coat. He’d really had fun these last few moments. In fact, it had been years since he’d had so much joy. As a child, he’d often used a magnifying glass in the summer sun to burn up ants and bugs. Later, as a teenager, he’d placed fogs and mice into home-made contraptions. Even as a young adult, he’d tortured a dog to death. However, in time, that had all become boring too. Fortunately, he now had new toys to play with. He also had new victims too, people this time. The fun was just starting.
***
Jennifer pushed open the door to the private lab and looked in at Steve. He was still seated in the plush recliner and gazing into the unusual book given to him earlier. She smiled and marveled at how much he reminded her of her former husband. Temptation was just a few feet away.
“Well, do you have what I need?” he asked without even turning around.
“Wow, you have good ears. I didn’t even know that you knew I was in the room.” She moved over next to him. “First of all, are you finding anything interesting?”
Steve looked up momentarily and then back down at the velvet- covered book. “This thing is incredible. Each page works like a tiny touch-screen computer monitor. The pictures move like the images on television. The text rearranges itself at just the sweep of my finger. However, none of this is connected to any power source. Dang, it’s like magic.”
“Fiber screens,” she said. “Millions of microscopic memory cells are on each page. Each cell is like a tiny mirror that reflects information from one point to the other. The system works like a billboard on a highway that changes images as you pass. What you’re seeing is just a more advanced version of that. Those ancient aliens found a way of downloading information from the orbs onto these specially made fiber sheets through the use of an advanced type of laser projector. These sheets can then be stored in a binder like pages in a book. It’s easier to organize vast amounts of information that way. We can do that now.”
“So, each page can contain entire volumes of information?”
“Exactly,” Jenny replied. She turned a couple of pages and swiped her hands across the top margin. Instantly, moving images and text scrolled down the page. “Each sheet contains about sixty pages of information. And each video image runs for about a day.”
“No kidding,” Steve said. “Anyway, during the last few hours, I’ve looked at blueprints of an anti-gravity machine, a battery that recharges itself indefinitely, even a fusion engine that runs on anti-matter. At least that’s what I’ve been able to conclude from the numerical language this stuff is encrypted with. All of this information is just on the first page too. It’s no telling what else is in this book.”
“It’s like I said earlier this evening, you’ve only scratched the surface on what we have down here.” She then leaned forward, showing cleavage, hoping that he’d notice. “Lots of things can happen down here too.”
Steve smiled, politely ignoring this blatant flirt. He was determined to say focused. “Most of the things we see in science fiction movies are already here. For years, your agency, the Men in Black, has been sent around to make sure that people who accidently stumble upon secret projects were kept in check. How do you people keep all of this stuff a big secret from people who accidentally stumble across something and have proof? You can’t silence everyone.”
“If there is no physical evidence, ordinary people cannot prove anything,” she said, licking her moist lips in a provocative way. “I can keep secrets too.”
“And if there is physical evidence, what then?” he asked, becoming somewhat annoyed.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “That has never happened before. Now you see why we must stop this maniac before he can do terrible damage to the whole world. That is why we need you so badly.”
“Good answer. Now, I want some more answers.”
“Like what?” she snapped, reluctantly realizing that he’d be a hard one to crack.
“First of all, out of all of the people in this agency, why would Jack Mason target only Neil for public execution? What is this guy’s beef with Neil anyway? Also, why would this guy go rogue? Your agency has been in operation for almost a hundred years, and no one has done this before. What went wrong? Besides, this Jack Mason was reportedly killed three years ago on a mission. Your own department verified it. However, he turned up again alive and enraged. Why?”
Jenny reached into her pocket and retrieved a flash-drive. “Steve, review the information on this thing and all of your questions will be answered.”
“Okay, I’ll get started on this now. I should be finished in about two hours. Then, I’ll get started for my home here in Dallas. I’ve not seen my parents yet. In fact, they don’t even know that I’m in town. I’m not supposed to be here for a couple more days.”
“I understand. I just wanted to let you know that we have a luxury hotel down here. It’s like being at a Hilton.” She turned and started walking toward the door. “By the way, most of the rooms are equipped for two.”
Steve smirked. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now let me get back to work.”
***
Eddie Wexler nervously glanced over at Diamond Jack, who was driving this fancy sports car. His host had removed the alien helmet, and the man’s face appeared ghostly in the pale moonlight that shined through the car’s open window. Being so white and lifeless, the man looked like a corpse that had been drained of blood. The eyes were also shockingly white. However, the most disturbing thing about this mysterious man was in his mouth. The guy’s teeth looked like they were made of stainless steel. This was no normal man. He was some kind of new-wave horror.
“What’s on your mind, kid?” Jack asked, already knowing what this man was thinking.
Eddie swallowed. “Where are we going?”
“What difference does it make? Any place is better than where you were. And I’m not just talking about those thugs back there either. The people around you every day are users.”
“I don’t know how to thank you. Those guys jumped me as I entered into my driveway. They pulled me from my car and—�
�
“Forget them, they are history.” Jack wheeled around another turn in the highway. “The real danger comes from the ones you have yet to meet. However, I’ll protect you. But first, you must do something for me.”
Chapter Three
The following morning, Steve downshifted and gunned his BMW into sparse traffic. This rented vehicle was far better than anything the FBI had ever given him before. The red automobile had trendy hubcaps and chrome bumpers. There was even that fresh smell that all new cars had. Oh yes, he was sporting in style.
He turned onto I-20 and headed toward the city. After spending all night in that top- secret government facility, he’d learned so much about the inner workings and devices within the most mysterious area of the free world. Only God knows what else has been kept from modern man. However, it was time to head home. There were family things to do as well.
He yawned with exhaustion. His eyes were tired and muscles ached. No doubt his parents already had a warm bed ready for him. After all, it had been almost a year since he’d been home.
The cell phone that sat in the passenger’s seat buzzed.
He reached down and picked it up. “Hello?”
“Steve, this is Jenny. I didn’t know if you were up yet, so I took a chance on calling on the cell phone. I started to call your parent’s house first.”
He yawned again and leaned back in his seat. “I’m glad you didn’t because they do not even know that I’m in town yet. I wasn’t supposed to be here for another day. Anyway, I never got to bed last night either. I kept looking at the many blueprints of those alien devices from that magic book. Wow, there was even the design for a machine that regenerates dead or dying brain cells as well as the connecting nerve endings. Also, there was this thing that—”
“Yes, I know. And with you being able to read ancient Egyptian, the encryption language was easy for you to crack. We definitely hired the right man for this job.”
“Maybe so, at least that’s what I’d like to believe.”
“Steve, don’t head home now. A new development has come up. We’re over here in Duncanville at a school stadium. We have a triple homicide that connects directly to Diamond Jack. You did have a chance to review his file, right?”
“I spent two hours last night overlooking everything. This guy’s entire life is a mental picture to me now. I feel like I’ve known this sicko most of my existence.”
“Good, we are really going to need your help. Like I said earlier, we are over here in Duncanville at a place called Old Panther Stadium.”
“I know just where you are. I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.”
***
Far across town in an abandon warehouse, Eddie Wexler walked down a long hallway. The pale interior of this building looked too much like a tomb for his taste. The old General Dynamic’s plant resembled a rotting structure from the outside. The inside, however, had been secretly renovated into an upscale high-tech factory.
Upon arriving in this abandoned complex late the night before, Diamond Jack had taken him through a maze of computers, assembly machines, and electronic gadgets. He’d then been taken to an isolated room and given a set of blueprints that had been written in ancient Egyptian. What a dichotomy, he thought, blueprints of super-advanced machines had been written in a language ten centuries outdated. This did not make any sense. In fact, nothing about his new job made any kind of sense. He’d been instructed to provide a translation of blueprints written in ancient Egyptian back into English. Now, he’d completed the conversion and was ready to get them back to the mysterious man who’d saved his life just a few hours before. Six designs were in the briefcase he carried. However, these things were straight out of science fiction. What in the hell was going on here?
Eddie moved up to the door at the end of the hallway and quickly opened it. He then just stared ahead in total terror at the sight in front of him. “My God!”
Diamond Jack no longer even looked fully human. Dressed only in a T-shirt and faded jeans, his skin was now ashy white and wet with sweat. His eyes also dripped blood that ran down his cheeks like crimson tears. Then, there were those veins that bulged out along both sides of his face like wicked scars. In fact, they pulsed with each heartbeat. The diamond-shaped tattoos only added to his brutish appearance. Finally, those stainless steel teeth put the final touches on this urban freak. The alien helmet around his forehead was vibrating loudly too. “Have you finished with translating those blueprints yet?” he asked without moving. “Time is important.”
Eddie nervously whispered, “What’s wrong with you?”
“Hasn’t anyone ever told you to knock before entering someone’s office?” Jack asked before taking a syringe from his pocket and injecting an orange solution into the veins of his left arm. He then leaned back in his chair and gazed up at the ceiling as saliva seeped out of both corners of his mouth. Next, he completely opened his mouth wide and let out a long moan before speaking again. “Nothing is wrong with me. I’m becoming a better human.”
Eddie was still too stunned to respond. He’d seen drug addicts before; but for some reason, this situation seemed so different. “If it is a bad time, I could come back later,” he nervously said, voice trembling. “Really, I could.”
Diamond Jack continued looking up at the ceiling without uttering a sound. His eyes slowly rolled back into his head until only the white sockets could be seen. He then took one deep breath before speaking again. “I repeat, have you finished translating the blueprints?”
“Yes, it was easy. It took about an hour for each blueprint because of the many detailed parts of these devices, but the translation was easy. My mother is a professor at the University of North Texas, and she teaches ancient Egyptian. It’s like a second language to me.”
Diamond Jack let out another long sigh. “I know, and that is why you were selected. Everything is proceeding according to plan.” His eyes slowly rolled back into their proper position. “There are many more blueprints that I’m going to be giving you to translate from time to time. Once you’ve translated them into English, I’ll be giving them to the mechanical engineers so that they can begin constructing these new devices. That factory below us has all that is needed to build an entirely new generation of weapons.”
Eddie swallowed and walked further into the room. Slowly, he sat in the chair in front of Jack’s desk. He then opened the briefcase and placed the modified blueprints in front of his new boss. “Where did you get the original blueprints from, and how can you be sure that any of this stuff really works?”
Diamond Jack’s mouth suddenly twisted into a vicious frown as he leaned forward. “You ask too many damn questions! All you need to do is translate what is brought here. That is what I’m paying you so much to do, understand!” He then slammed both fists hard on the table. “I said, do you understand!”
Eddie nervously nodded his head. He could see that his mysterious host had quickly become enraged. This guy’s mood could swing back and forth at lightning speed—the mark of a true psychopath. And after already witnessing how easily this man could kill without any remorse, he quickly decided to back off completely. “I’m sorry. I just tend to get too nosy sometimes. Please forgive me.”
Diamond Jack took another long breath. “Be careful of what you say because the life you save may be your own. Now get out of my sight until you are called for again,” he quietly said. “Now move!” he suddenly screamed.
Eddie practically leaped from his chair and headed for the door. Suddenly, he was beginning to fear this man even more than the three thugs who had nearly killed him a few hours before.
Chapter Four
Steve pulled his BMW up next to Central Elementary School and exited the vehicle. Ahead, he could already see a long line of police squad cars parked on both sides of the street. Lights were flashing and radio traffic cluttered the airways. Three ambulances had also pu
lled right out onto the football field at Old Panther Stadium.
He casually exited his car, walked down toward the mounting activity, passing various vehicles. Already, the news media was forming at both ends of the block. This was always a bad thing, he decided. Too many leaks could hamper any kind of investigation. Nothing could screw up police work faster than the media.
“Mr. Miller!” echoed a female voice from a car he’d just passed.
Steve turned around to see Jenny exiting a blue Honda Accord. She was also carrying an electronic tablet. “Okay, what do we have here?” he asked.
“Let me show you,” she said while also directing him toward the frenzied activity on the field. “We have quite a bit of information to work with. Come on, I think you’ll find this very interesting. However, I must warn you that the scene up ahead is pretty messy.”
“That’s part of the job too,” Steve replied. “Let’s get going.”
They both pushed their way through a crowd of officers and detectives until they reached the first of three bodies. This crime scene was indeed graphic. The first body was face- down and literally mashed into the field. The victim’s clothes were bloody, and several of the guy’s ribs poked through his ruptured skin. The man’s skull had split open and brain matter surrounded it to make a grizzly halo. His intestines were also spattered around the body.
Steve looked down at the body without showing any emotion. He’d seen so much over the years that nothing really bothered him anymore. He then looked around the stadium and then up into the morning sky. “So, it looks like they were dropped from an airplane.”
Jenny shook her head. “No, that’s not the case at all.”
Machines of the Gods Page 4