by Sarah Noffke
Mika nodded, approving of this approach. He then smiled to himself. Finally he was that much closer to creating the ability of teleportation. It wouldn’t be long now. He’d been able to successfully create so many various psychic abilities and superpowers, but teleportation had always been an ultimate goal. As a Dream Traveler, Mika had been granted the gift of telekinesis. However, as a venture capitalist he’d been able to manufacture many other gifts for himself. Science made anything possible.
He turned before the door at the end of the hall opened, having heard someone approaching due to his heightened sense of hearing. It was one of the powers he’d engineered in the lab of Olento Research and given to himself. One of many. Grant pulled the metal door open, striding through it at once. He was a tall man, who still wore his black hair in the same flattop as he had since age nine. This wasn’t a man who favored change or saw much reason for it.
Mika knew there were only two reasons that Grant, his director of security, would be making a personal appearance to see him. The younger man stopped two feet from Mika and Drake and saluted. Some things never died, and for Grant showing respect to his superior was one of them.
“One of the subjects from Project Canis Lupus has been spotted. It was in Salt Lake City,” Grant said, referring to the werewolf who had been spotted in the alleyway rummaging through trashcans.
Mika stroked his black goatee, his mind working. “It must be Kaleb Magner. That’s his hometown. He’s returned to probably prowl on his once familiar life,” he said, knowing the details of all twelve subjects by memory. Mika had handpicked all of these men based on who he thought would qualify and make the best assassins, once changed and retrained, of course. His mission to create werewolves was one based on curiosity, but to fund it he had to rely on investors, and they always wanted something in return. In this case, weapons they could employ if necessary. Initially Mika had thought he could rely on his other company, Parantaa Research, to fund his obsession with creating real monsters, but the project had proven too costly. And in truth, what was the point in having werewolves and not putting them to use as assassins.
“I want surveillance on Kaleb’s old residence, employment, and friends and family. He’s going to slip up and when he does, we’re bringing him back in,” Mika finished, his voice firm and his words full of authority.
A cough rattled out of Drake’s mouth. “Sir, if I may…” he said, waiting for permission. He’d spoken out of turn only once with Mika. No one ever did it a second time with him.
Mika turned to the older man, seeming to look down at him although they were the same height. “What?” And the one word was full of irritation. He had never liked Drake, but he was the best at what he did and so he tolerated the man.
“If we’re aware of this spotting, then I presume that the Lucidite Institute is as well. Are you… I mean, shouldn’t we… I’m just thinking that we need to be ready for their intervention here. I only have limited insights on that organization, but from my time with them, I know they are fixers. They, like you, are powerful Dream Travelers, and they take it upon themselves to help or intervene in strange cases. A loose werewolf definitely qualifies as that,” Drake said, having hesitated many times as he watched Mika’s eyes tighten.
“It sounds like you hold a great deal of respect for these people or otherwise why would you even offer such a warning,” Mika said, and the tone in his voice was full of disapproval.
“No… I mean, yes, how could I not. It was the research that I stole from the Lucidites that made Project Canis Lupus possible. I’ve been inside the Institute, and it is a masterpiece of technology and resources,” Drake finished, his thick German accent making some of the words hard to decipher. But the sudden flare of heat on Mika’s face made him suck in a breath and rush into another set of sentences. “The Institute is nothing compared to Olento Research, and honestly the two are as different as any organizations could be. And although I trust your power in resolving this, I only think that being aware—”
“Silence,” Mika said, cutting Drake off. “I’ve heard enough.” He then turned to Grant. “Proceed with surveillance. And we aren’t going to waste extra efforts looking out for a two-bit society that might try and beat us at catching our subject. Kaleb belongs to me and I have every inclination that soon he’ll be imprisoned at our new lab facility,” Mika said, and he turned and marched down the brand new hallway of Olento Research.
Chapter Five
“Animals are used for testing in order to advance technology. What we create will be far more important than the lives of simple primates and rodents.”
- Olento Research Employee Manual
The pages of the book that appeared like an ancient text were thick and frayed in places. This leather-bound book had belonged to Adelaide’s father. He’d given the four-by-six-inch book to her before his death, saying it contained everything he knew about this world. She thought the book ought to have been bigger, since she was certain her father knew more than any human in history about this world. It did have a two-inch spine, which made it thicker than most books, but still she couldn’t fathom that all her father’s secrets could be contained in such a small volume.
Later she realized that although the book was little, there was a magic to it. For starters, it represented her father in every way. Ren Lewis was an efficient man who never wasted his time with the obvious or already known. And the book reflected that. There wasn’t anything in the book that was old news to Adelaide. He didn’t waste pages talking about science or religion or philosophy that was documented elsewhere. From what Adelaide had discerned, reading through the book, it was filled with things no one knew. Ideas no one had ever heard of before. It was all new information, and yet, Ren had simply documented that which he’d learned observing the world. Sometimes there were words of wisdom that spoke to her, reminding her of things she already knew, but they were never said in familiar ways. They were said in her father’s voice, which was unique.
She flipped to a new page and smiled at one of the adages that spoke to her.
“If you can’t find a solution, then you’ve fucked up. There is always an answer. It’s you who are the problem, so fix your thinking and the remedy will present itself.”
Those words simultaneously made Adelaide warm with sentimental feelings and lost with despair. Again the book seemed to know what pages to supply to her. It had been like that since she opened the book. Whatever the problem she was facing, the book seemed to know which page to show to her; she merely had to flip it open at random. She’d tried starting on the first page, but the pages seemed to change. Maybe it was the ache from loss that was making her lose her mind, she thought as she flipped through page after page. And still, no matter how much of the book she read, the answer to the werewolf case wouldn’t present itself. But even her father had once told her, “Every solution can be found in a book.”
She thumbed to the next page and her eyes randomly stopped on a set of words. The entire book was a mess of handwritten lines, with notes scattered everywhere in the margins.
“The greatest asset, besides a brilliant mind and great looks, is an accomplice.”
That line struck her as strange. Ren Lewis wasn’t a team player. He was a leader who spent the better part of two decades championing the strategic department for the Lucidite Institute. However, now that she thought about it, his best friend had been Trey Underwood, the Head Official for the Lucidites. He’d once remarked to her that they offset each other enough because Trey was a humanitarian, whereas Ren was a strategist.
The swooshing sound of the stainless steel door sliding back into the recesses made Adelaide startle. She’d been so lost in thought that she’d forgotten she was in the main conference room of the strategic department, which was usually quiet at this early hour. Through the glass walls that partially enclosed the conference room she spied Trent Reynolds, the new head of the strategic department. Her father had appointed him a year
before his death. Trent was an odd sort to be seen as a leader since he was so casual in manner, but that’s probably because she’d been used to her father’s formal deportment. Behind Trent a woman with short blonde hair, flipped out at the ends, strolled. Adelaide didn’t recognize her, but new agents were always being recruited.
Adelaide slapped Ren’s book shut when Trent came around the glass partitions and stopped just in front of the conference room table. His black dreadlocks hung loose today, obscuring one eye. In the dim blue light of the room, the whites of his eyes were the only thing that stuck out, especially against his dark skin.
“I’d like you to meet someone, Adelaide,” Trent said, presenting the woman beside him. She was wearing entirely too much makeup and a skirt that was almost too short to classify as such.
“This is Agent Rox Spear. She works for the FBI, but she now also works for the Lucidites. I’ve just recruited her,” Trent said.
The woman, who had manicured nails painted in a gross shade of pink, extended a hand to Adelaide.
“Don’t care,” Adelaide said, pushing up to a standing position. Maybe she could get some work done in her room, which was on another level in the Lucidite Institute.
Trent, who was used to Adelaide’s bad attitude and knew she’d inherited it from her father, shook his head.
“You should care, because I’ve assigned Rox to work the werewolf case. She’s your new partner,” he said.
Chapter Six
“Seeing the future can offer us great opportunities, but better yet, it allows us to stop great tragedies.”
- Lucidite Employee Manual
“I knew this was going to happen,” Adelaide said, letting out a sigh. “Trent, you’ve lost your fucking mind.”
He shook his head, his dreads swaying with the movement. Then he held up his hand to stop Adelaide, who was on her way out of the conference room. “Now just hear me out, would you?”
“Not if you’re going to say dumb shit,” Adelaide said, her eyes now on the girl who obviously was looking for attention based on her low-cut shirt.
“Adelaide, I realize that the werewolf case is a challenging one and since it’s your first level five case, I think that working with someone might help. And Rox is a FBI agent, which means she’ll have specialized knowledge on these men because in one capacity or another they’ve been in the government systems. Military, law enforcement, correctional institutions,” Trent said.
“I don’t need no help, but that’s what you’re trying to say without saying it,” she said, her cockney accent always stronger when she was mad.
Trent let out a long breath. “I’m saying that I think this case is complex and so I’ve brought in outside resources to give us a bit of insight.”
“The fucking FBI though? You’ve got to be kidding. Aren’t they just a crap organization that sucks up too much government funding?” Adelaide said and this produced a laugh from Rox.
“You’re not completely wrong with your take on the FBI,” she said to Adelaide, a wide smile on her pink lips.
“Oh and fuck me, she’s an American. You want me to work with a bloody American?” Adelaide said to Trent.
He released a minute smile. “I’m American, Addy.”
“I overlook that most days,” she said to him.
Rox gave her a sweet, consoling smile. “I get that this is your case and you’re against the idea of having a partner, but I actually have been working this case at the FBI. I think combining efforts makes a lot more sense,” Rox said. And to Adelaide’s horror she sounded like she was trying to be nice. But when people tried to be nice, it just meant they were faking it.
“Are you a Middling?” Adelaide said to the woman, referring to the race opposite of the Dream Travelers who had no abilities. Middlings couldn’t dream travel while sleeping and were absent of psychic powers. They were usually the ones the Dream Travelers were saving from tragedies they brought on themselves.
Rox gawked at her in disgust. “Hell no. I’m a pure-blooded Dream Traveler with incredible skills.”
“And modest too,” Adelaide said, tying her freckled arms across her chest.
“Well, I might be new to this Lucidites thing,” Rox said, throwing her hand out to indicate the Institute. “However, I’m a Dream Traveler who has covert information about this case based on my FBI experience. I’ve been working high-level cases since I started there.”
“The Lucidites are an elite society of Dream Travelers. If you’ve been working for the FBI then it’s because Trey Underwood, our head official, didn’t see you fit to be one of us,” Adelaide said, never worried about how offensive she could be.
The other girl drew in a long breath and batted her fake eyelashes at Adelaide. “So as soon as you’re done berating me then I say we get started reviewing the case files,” Rox said, her voice casual.
“See, I knew this was a good match. You girls will find a way to work together and then solve this case,” Trent said, placing a hand on Rox’s shoulder. “Welcome to the Lucidite Institute and welcome aboard.”
Rox tucked her chin into her shoulder and smiled at Trent, showing a mouth of perfectly straight white teeth. “Thanks so much. Glad to be here,” she said.
“He’s gay and married, so don’t think you can sleep your way to the top here,” Adelaide said, her head fuming with anger. How dare Trent randomly assign her a partner? Her father never had a partner. And then his words from the book rang clear in her mind.
“The greatest asset, besides a brilliant mind and great looks, is an accomplice.”
Adelaide slammed a palm to her forehead. Fuck, how the hell is all this happening? she thought, just as Trent left the room.
“So Addy, can I see the files?” Rox said.
“Call me Ms. Lewis,” she said, pulling out the chair she’d been occupying and throwing herself into it. “And what kind of name is Rox?”
“What kind of name is Adelaide? Sounds like a little girl’s name,” Rox said, the politeness in her voice gone. Now that Trent had disappeared, the real bitch was roaring her angry blonde head.
“Yep, I’m a little girl who can make you stand on your bloody head so long that you fucking starve to death,” Adelaide said. She never disclosed to anyone, especially an enemy, that she also had the gift of telepathy linked to touch. That was in her private arsenal.
“Oh good, you have a slightly useful skill. Mind control is a little boring though. Not much use in combat,” Rox said, regarding her pink fingernails like the current conversation was beneath her.
“Why fight when I can make you off yourself?” Adelaide said, not liking that this girl was actually irritating her.
“Some fights can’t be avoided, Adds. And some minds can be locked down against mind control,” Rox said.
“Yes, but not brains that have been exposed to too much hair dye, Blondie,” Adelaide said.
“So do you want to know what my Dream Traveler gift is?” Rox said.
“Oh, you only have the one?” Adelaide said with a mock frown. “That’s kind of sad.”
Rox only smiled in reply.
“Is it that you’re a super bitch, like more so than most American girls?” Adelaide said.
“Well, maybe it’s considered two, they’re kind of paired. In a fight, I can’t be hurt, or not easily. You couldn’t make me off myself because my skin is super resistant and even if I am hurt by an enormous force, which is what it would take, then I have the power of regenerative healing. That’s how I survive most assaults without issue,” she said.
“Then it appears I’ll have to kill you by using my skill of hypnosis, which will make you lose your mind and then your head explodes,” Adelaide said. That was actually one of her father’s skills, but she knew she had the capacity to learn it. Now she just had to try.
Chapter Seven
“Employees should remember at all times that subjects are experiments first, everything else last.”<
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- Olento Research Employee Manual
Whatever was in the tiny, white oblong pills Zephyr swallowed an hour earlier wasn’t taking the beast out of him. He knew that, even though he wasn’t changed into a werewolf. Always he felt the creature within him, like it was a voice in his head constantly bantering with his own. It spoke its unhealthy desires, always hungry for meat. Always hungry to run. Always craving the company of the pack. He was in charge most of the time, telling the beast to shut up and get the fuck out of his head. The beast only growled in reply to that. However, every week when the werewolf came out, he was powerless to its desires. All its cravings took over and usually they were fulfilled, the hunger and need for speed. But Zephyr was working on a way to cage the beast for good on those nights. He was doing that by taking every prescription medicine he could get his hands on. He had to be careful, though, since he didn’t want to get caught. So he only took a few pills at a time from the pharmacy where he worked as a security guard. He stole pills that he didn’t know what they were intended for, but knew that it was worth the risk to take them if they undid whatever they’d done to him in that lab. Yes, he could have looked up the medications, but that’s what the old Zephyr would have done. He would have been resourceful. This Zephyr didn’t care anymore.
Now he lay on his sofa, one leg hanging off, one arm draped over the side. He’d tried to pull his limbs back onto the couch, but he then realized he didn’t have control over them due to the drugs he’d swallowed. Maybe it was a muscle relaxer or a sedative of some sort. Maybe he could take it right before the “change” and make the beast sleep rather than prowl the streets. He didn’t like what the animal thought while it lusted for meat. And so far he’d been lucky that the wolf only went after small animals, but soon Zephyr knew he’d move on to bigger and better feasts. The taste of the man’s flesh that he attacked when he escaped from the lab still made him salivate. There was nothing that made the wolf happier than a mammal’s blood.