by Simon Rose
“This is unbelievable,” said Max.
“Really?” said Evans, with a smirk. “I prefer to see it as simply efficient. There was another very promising candidate back then. I knew Kane before Dr. Kovac arrived in the country and started working with him. Kane first killed someone with his psychic powers at a playground when he was in elementary school.”
Max tried hard not to shudder. Kane had told him about the playground incident when he’d first encountered him at the waterfront. More recently Max had seen something similar in his own mind. He was now convinced that he’d experienced visions of the event that had taken place at the playground years earlier.
“It was viewed as a tragic accident by the teachers and other witnesses but I suspected that it was more than that. I had Kane watched as he grew up, to determine if and when there were further manifestations of his abilities. He showed great promise and I informed Dr. Kovac about Kane as soon as the psychics operation began. Kane was immediately recruited for Project Mindstorm, but disappeared after the operation closed and we later learned that he’d had amnesia for years. He wandered around the country, most of the time as a homeless drifter, unaware of his true identity. We were lucky to find him.”
“You found him?” said Max, fearing the worst.
“Yes, and now we’re helping him to retrieve his memories. It won’t be long before he fully regains his powers so that the full potential of Project Mindstorm can finally be realized. I’m well aware of Kane’s capabilities based on how he was back then. His powers today could be unstoppable, once he’s completely recovered. I’m sure that Kane will be delighted to meet you, Max.”
She stood up from her desk and went over to the door, gesturing for Max to follow her. When they stepped out into the hallway, the presence of two armed security guards reminded Max that it was futile to attempt an escape.
Chapter Nineteen
The Puppet Master
MAX PASSED SEVERAL more armed guards at what appeared to be key points as Evans led him along the corridor. By now Max strongly suspected that the facility was located deep underground.
“Dr. Kovac never really recovered from the operation closing down in 1995,” said Evans, as they walked. “He’d been so close to a major breakthrough with Project Mindstorm and was very bitter that he’d never been allowed to finish his work. Not long after the events at the waterfront he became sick. The government and the military protected him and kept him out of the public eye but he never worked again. He steadily grew weaker, and as brilliant as Dr. Kovac was, he couldn’t defeat his final illness. Yet before he died we were able to collect the essence of Dr. Kovac’s thoughts and preserve his knowledge.”
“I don’t understand,” said Max.
Evans smiled at him as they stopped at the door where a guard was stationed. He stepped to one side as Evans reached into her pocket and pulled out a plastic card. She then slid the card along a slot on the wall beside the doorframe.
“Let me show you something,” said Evans.
She opened the door and Max followed her into a medium-sized room. To Max’s surprise the room contained hardly any equipment and was largely empty. On the far wall, there were three consoles with attached computer terminals. There were simple office chairs in front of two of the consoles, but the middle one was equipped with a more luxurious high-backed leather chair. The room had no windows and there were no additional doors.
“It’s all stored in here,” she explained. “Dr. Kovac’s no longer alive, of course, but we can access his thoughts, memories, and most importantly the scientific knowledge related to Project Mindstorm that he was never able to use.”
“What does that mean?” asked Max.
He accompanied Evans as she walked across to the consoles, stopping in front of the one in the centre, which had scores of switches, buttons, and dials. Evans sat down in the high-backed chair.
“I can tap into what was once in Dr. Kovac’s mind and find information that’s been critical to the success of the operation. It doesn’t work for just anyone. I’m familiar with much of the research but this has helped me to fill in the gaps and surmount the challenges when I simply couldn’t get a procedure to work. Some of the records were also either lost or misplaced when the waterfront operation ended. With Dr. Kovac’s continuing help, I’ve been able to move beyond what any of us could ever have imagined.”
“So you can connect with all the research and ideas that were in his brain before he died?” said Max. “That’s incredible.”
“It’s not that precise. Unfortunately, I witnessed some of the sadder parts of Dr. Kovac’s memories sometimes, including the time that his nephew was killed in the car accident. Still, the scientific information I’ve extracted has been invaluable. Project Mindstorm has continued and now is almost completed.”
The computer attached to the console looked perfectly ordinary. There were a number of wires and cables leading from the computer to a pair of black headphones. They looked similar to ones Max sometimes used when he and his friends played video games. However, both sides of the headphones had six short narrow attachments surrounding the outer edge, each with a soft pad on the end.
Evans turned on the computer, and once it had started up she entered a security code. She then opened a folder labelled KPM that contained hundreds of individually numbered files. Evans clicked on the first file. She then made a few adjustments to the console’s switches and dials, pressed several buttons, and put on the headphones. Max was startled as the small attachments sprang to life and attached themselves to the sides of the doctor’s head.
“This is how the memories in Kovac Project Mindstorm, or KPM, are accessed,” she explained. “The headphones shut out any outside noise but these little pads allow you to watch someone else’s memories like a movie playing in your head. I just open one of the files on the computer. It then sends you into a light trance, almost like a coma since your heart rate and everything else is slowed so much, but I’m never under for that long since I only access limited memories from the program. I’m not interested in studying every aspect of the good doctor’s life, after all.”
She briefly closed her eyes but was interrupted by an announcement from the overhead speaker.
“Dr. Evans? We’re ready in here.”
“Thank you, Huxley. I’ll be right there.”
Evans took off the headphones and laid them on the console.
“Come with me, Max. There’s something else I’d like you to see.”
MAX ACCOMPANIED EVANS as she left the room. A little further along the corridor was another door, once again protected by an armed guard standing nearby. As he approached the doorway, Max was filled with an almost overwhelming sense of foreboding. Disjointed images of just about every encounter he’d ever had with Kane flashed across his mind, from the time outside the coffee shop to the interrogation at the police station, the meetings at the waterfront, Kane’s attacks at Max’s house and later at David Dexter’s home too.
Evans’ voice brought him back to reality with a jolt.
“Here we are,” she said, smiling as she opened the door.
Evans ushered Max into a small room that had a wide window on one wall. The window overlooked the room next door and Max realized that it was a two-way mirror, like the one he’d seen at the police station. In the adjoining room, Max immediately recognized Kane. His shoulder-length dirty blonde hair was swept back from his face, the deep scar running along his right cheek and neck. He was wearing a plain white tee shirt and blue jeans, similar to when Max had met him during the interview at the police station.
Kane was talking with a middle-aged, balding man wearing a white lab coat. They were facing three TV screens mounted on the wall. Once they’d finished their conversation Kane sat down on the room’s only chair while the other man used a remote to activate the screens. Evans didn’t notice when Max shuddered as Kane briefly glanced over at the mirror before returning his gaze to the TV screens. They were showing views
from what appeared to be CCTV cameras positioned on one of the streets in the city’s downtown core. Max noted that it was night and wondered how long he’d been held captive since Drake had injected him with the needle outside the park.
“His abilities are remarkable,” Evans began. “When I worked with him years ago, he wasn’t much more than a teenager. He could read people’s minds and kill them with a single thought. He’d induce heart attacks, strokes, whatever he needed to do, and it always looked like death as a result of natural causes. Dr. Kovac had intended to conduct some experiments when he travelled abroad, visiting conferences. He planned to take Kane with him sometimes, with Kane posing as his son. Kane was going to secretly assassinate selected individuals during those trips.”
Max recalled the details of the sudden and unexpected deaths of people in different parts of the world in some the material he’d seen at Carrington’s office. There had been politicians and business leaders in North and South America, Australia, Russia, and in various European countries, as well as nuclear scientists working in the Middle East. According to the information that Carrington had been studying, all of them had died of natural causes, despite previously enjoying perfect health. Carrington’s attempts to find a link between the deaths had been a major part of his investigation.
“Dr. Kovac knew what Kane was capable of and was making plans for the future,” Evans continued. “Either with the government or most likely with a private backer, before that detective ruined everything. But it seems that things were merely postponed. Since we reconnected with Kane, I’ve almost been able to realize his full potential. Now he’s not only able to enter someone else’s thoughts. He can do it from a considerable distance and take over their whole body, either forcing them to harm themselves or using them as a means to hurt others.”
“Like a puppet,” said Max.
Evans smiled.
“Yes, I suppose that would be a good analogy. Anyway, you can see for yourself.”
She walked over to the wall on the right side of the mirror and pressed an intercom button.
“Whenever you’re ready, Dr. Huxley.”
The man in the lab coat simply nodded and used the remote again. The views from the cameras were adjusted slightly so that one TV showed the traffic on the street, another the sidewalk, and the third one a wide view of the whole scene.
“This is how we’ve been testing Kane’s ability to control people at a distance. Eventually we’re hopeful he’ll be able to tap into drones and cameras in other countries, manipulating people to kill others and really to do anything we want.”
Max swallowed hard.
“Is that even possible?”
“Yes, it looks that way. The tests have been every encouraging.”
Max watched the scene unfolding on the screens. At the intersection, the traffic lights changed to red and the vehicles all slowed down and came to a stop. Then to Max’s horror one of the cars suddenly increased speed as if the driver were trying to run the stoplight. As it did so a young woman in her early twenties stepped out of the crowd on the sidewalk and into the street, right into the path of the oncoming car. There was a sickening thud as the car hit her and sent the woman flying up into the air then crashing down onto the surface of the road. The car screeched to a halt as chaos ensued on the street. The middle-aged man driving the car got out, looking more confused than shocked that he’d possibly killed someone.
“Is she dead?” asked Max.
“No idea,” said Evans, with a shrug. “Although judging by the speed at which the car hit her, I’d assume so.”
“You don’t even care, do you?”
“Not really, it’s just another test to determine Kane’s ability.”
“And what just happened?”
“This was the final stage of some experiments we’ve been running,” Evans explained. “Kane’s been able to control people and even kill them at close range but we’ve been testing his powers at long distance. We had some success in our attempts at controlling people using security cameras like this but hadn’t tried to kill anyone, until now.”
“So Kane caused this to happen, with the car and that young woman?”
“Yes, Kane took control of the driver’s mind, forcing him to speed up at just the right time. The driver will simply recall it, if he remembers at all, as blacking out. The police may prosecute the driver but that’s not our concern. This was very encouraging as it showed how Kane could take control of two people almost simultaneously. Normally he can only manipulate one person at a time for a short while. He took over the man in the car then switched long enough to control the woman to force her to step out into the road. By the time either of them realized what was happening it was too late. And this was just a simple car accident in a crowded city that no one would ever think was suspicious. Imagine what we’ll be able to do with political leaders or people that control weapons systems. Kane’s rapidly improving and may soon be able to control perhaps hundreds of people at a time. There are other potential scenarios too. Back when we were at the waterfront Kane was also beginning to reach out with his mind, connect with others that share his abilities, giving us the potential to create an army of people like him. Imagine the possibilities!”
Max was speechless. Through the mirror, he watched Huxley walk over and turn off the TV monitor then lead Kane out of the room.
“Come along, Max,” said Evans. “I’m sure Kane will be delighted to make your acquaintance.”
Chapter Twenty
Broken Memories
MAX WAS TERRIFIED at the prospect of meeting Kane face-to-face, certain that he’d recognize him. Even if Kane still had remnants of amnesia and seemed to be totally forgetful, Max knew that like him, Kane was able to transcend all the changes in the timelines, or at least he’d done so in the past. Max knew that Deanna’s battle with Kane, presuming it had still happened at some point previously, as well as the accident at the waterfront lab, had caused him serious injuries. However, Max was well aware of Kane’s power and strongly suspected that he’d eventually remember Max and be determined to kill him.
“Kane usually takes some time to recover after those kinds of tests,” said Evans, as they approached another door. “It takes a lot out of him so we let him rest and monitor his vital signs.”
As they drew closer to the door, Max thought about the time outside the coffee shop when he’d accidentally bumped into Kane and made him drop his phone in the original timeline. Why had that particular incident just popped into his head at random? Was it possible that Kane was thinking about that too?
Evans stopped when they reached the door and ushered Max into the room. This one resembled a hospital, with three beds and a range of medical equipment, including monitors attached to wires and cables. Kane was sitting sideways on one of the beds as Huxley applied some tape to attach a thin cable to Kane’s forearm.
“Hello, Kane,” said Evans, smiling. “We watched the latest test just now. It seemed to go very well.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” said Kane. “I was quite pleased with my performance today.”
“It’s one of the best ones so far,” added Huxley.
He made some adjustments to the nearest monitor then scribbled a short note on his clipboard.
Kane looked at Max curiously.
“Who’s this?”
“This is Max Garrison,” Evans replied. “I had him brought here so that we could ask him some questions. He and his friend have been paying a little too much attention to our operation.”
“Like that guy with the conspiracy theory website?” asked Huxley. “Has he been dealt with now?”
“Yes, he won’t cause us any more trouble, but this might be more serious. Both the kids’ mothers were part of Dr. Kovac’s original experiment. I thought we ought to bring him in and see what he really knows about all this.”
“Where’s his friend?” said Huxley.
“Connor and Drake haven’t managed to locate her yet,” Evans r
eplied. “But she can’t hide forever.”
To Max’s alarm, Kane leaned forward, an expression of deep concentration on his face.
“You seem so familiar,” said Kane, his pale, piercing blue eyes carefully examining Max’s features. “I’m sure I know you from somewhere. Have we met before? Why can’t I remember, Doctor Evans?”
Evans smiled.
“Your mind’s still very confused, Kane. I’m sure you’ll still have similar thoughts for some time yet. Why don’t you rest for a while? You know how these sessions always tire you.”
“But I feel fine,” said Kane. “I feel like I’m almost my old self again. I’m just not fully in control of all my memories. It’s still all so confusing.”
“I’m sure it’ll all become clear in good time, Kane. Now why don’t you get some rest?”
“Just a couple of hours or so,” said Huxley. “By then we’ll have the test results. Now if you’ll just lay down so I can hook you up to the other monitor.”
Kane didn’t say anything but lay down, keeping his eyes on Max.
“Let me know when you have those results,” said Evans, turning to leave.
She grabbed Max by the upper arm and led him from the room. Max could feel Kane’s eyes staring at his back. Had he remembered something? Once he and Evans began walking along the hallway Max discovered that Kane wasn’t the only thing he had to worry about.
“I must confess, Max,” Evans began, “I wasn’t completely honest with Kane back there, although I couldn’t really have answered him truthfully.”