Oak Harbor, WA
Secret Lab Complex
September 28th, 2064 12:45
“So there I was,” Calvin explained, while smiling at the two captains, “Sittin’ in a jail cell way out in San Miguel de Allende, being woke up by this amazingly obnoxious sound exuding from the nostrils of this guy the locals had busted earlier.”
“What’d ya do, Cal?” Hawthorn asked, sitting on the corner of the lab table.
“I kicked him...two times before he stirred...and who do you think finds himself in the same jail cell as me? Tucker Petersen...that’s who.”
The two listened intently to Calvin’s story, “So I asked myself, now how in the hell did Tucker Petersen find me all the way out here in this part of the world?”
“What happened next? How’d he get you out of jail?”
“I asked him how he expected to bail me out if he was in jail himself...he answered me by holding up two sticks of dynamite and answered, who said anything about bailing?”
“Wow! Did he really do it?”
“He really did it...Tucker actually blew a hole in the side of the damn jail...I’ve never seen him do anything as crazy as that...”
“Man...sounds like good times,” Preston laughed.
“Yeah, that was fun alright. Made our escape on a bike we stole from some poor local that was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“I thought you were handcuffed, how’d you do that?”
“It was the next craziest thing I had ever seen Tucker do...he had me clutch and steer while he shifted and did the gas.”
“You got to be kiddin’ me!” Hawthorn said in astonishment.
“Yep, we nearly got ourselves killed by flying bullets from the local police. I’ll bet they needed to change their trousers when they saw Captain Rothschild firing from the Harrier.”
“Tucker sounds like he had all the bases covered alright,” Preston chuckled.
“I know lots of folks say he’s quite an ass, but to be perfectly honest, Tucker is someone you want to have on your side. He comes up with the damnedest ways to get out of a jam. I know he saved my butt more than once collecting this box.”
“Shhh, shhh, shhh,” Preston held his finger against his lips, “Major Griffin, ten-o-clock.”
Calvin turned in his lab stool to greet him, “Major, pleasure to see you.”
Griffin straightened his coat and returned the salute from the two captains, “At ease men. I thought I’d stop by and see how goes the battle with the box.”
“I’ve made some progress alright,” Calvin said, standing to greet the major.
“Well? You going to share?”
Preston went over to the console next to the box on the bench, “Calvin here is being way too modest, sir. He’s got this...”
Calvin bumped into Preston as he took his seat at the keyboard preventing him from saying anything more, “I’ve figured out that this box projects a concentrated flow of signals that are like gamma waves.”
“Calvin, we already know that this box uses gamma waves. Have you figured out how it does it? Can you interface with the thing yet?”
Hawthorn was about to speak up, but Calvin broke in, “I have a limited connection to the box, but we’re still deciphering the code.”
“What seems to be the problem? Is there anything I can get you that would help speed things up?”
“What’s the rush, Major?” Calvin said, swinging around on his lab stool. He placed his hands on his hips and looked into Griffin’s eyes.
“Nothing, really. Just that the Company is anxious to begin manufacturing...”
“Manufacturing for what?”
“They don’t tell us much, but they have moved up the time line...so I ask you again, is there anything you need?”
“I need you to stop bugging us. I’ll report to you once we break the code.”
The two captains were nearly bursting at the seams, and the Major took notice, “I get the feeling you’re holding something back.”
Calvin stood and faced the Major, “They’re not holding anything back...Major. I said I will let you know...”
“Calvin, I know you...spill it...what’s going on?”
“Okay, okay...you got me.”
“I knew it! Now spill it.”
Calvin sat back down and swiveled back around, “It’s my virus. The box is infected with it...I need to clean the code before it can be used...”
“Really...”
“Yep, that’s it.”
The two captains looked at each other and then back to the Major.
“Yes sir, that was it sir...the virus is preventing us from accessing the box successfully,” Preston explained, “The virus is causing a feedback loop, that’s what’s causing the box to glow like it is.”
Griffin looked at each of the men, and then gave a long sigh, “Alright. How long?”
“You gotta give me a few more hours, okay?”
“Alright. I expect a report on my data pad by 1800. I need to report our findings to Nadine by the end of the day.”
“So you’re reporting to Nadine now?”
“Nadine reports to the General and was appointed by the Company...so yes...Nadine is an integral part of the project.”
“Major, you’ll get my report. Now will you please leave us so we can do our jobs?”
“Don’t be late with your report, Jones...I mean it!”
“Don’t worry, Major. I’ll get you the report.”
The Major turned and left through the man trap, leaving the three alone.
Once the door sealed behind Griffin, Preston leaned down with a whisper, “Are you nuts?”
“What?”
“Lying to a superior...you trying to get all of us court-marshaled?”
“Don’t be such a worry wart. I’ll tell him, just not yet.”
“You have full access, Calvin,” Hawthorn argued.
“And you two aren’t going to say one word to the Major either, are you!”
“Well, we can’t, now that you’ve made us co-conspirators to your deception!”
“Relax, guys...haven’t you ever watched Star Trek?”
“Of course we have...”
“Then you’ll understand the ‘Scottie’ principle: only tell them as much as you need to so you look like a miracle worker at the end.”
“Nice...” Hawthorn nodded.
“So, you are going to tell him everything...”
“In the end, yes...just relax already.”
* * *
Whidbey Island Naval Base & Space Port
Oak Harbor, WA
Secret Lab Complex
September 28th, 2064 12:45
“Rhodes!” Nadine shouted, bursting through the lab doors.
The Doctor jumped and dropped the chip he was holding with his forceps, “Jeez, Nadine! Don’t you knock?”
“There’s a break through?”
“Boy, you don’t waste any time do you?”
“Wasting time is a luxury we do not have.”
“Well, I was about to tell you that I’ve succeeded in reproducing the growth enzyme.”
“I feel a...but...coming.” Nadine sneered.
“...but, it had very limited growth life.”
“In other words, Doctor?”
“The chips won’t have as much effectiveness.”
“Limited how?”
“Well, for instance, they won’t be able to reattach spinal cords like the one in Bennie.”
“What else?”
“The effect will only last a few hours before the chip will need a recharge.”
“Cut to the chaise, Doctor,” Nadine demanded. “Will it work or not?”
“Well, yes...it will work...sort of...”
“Why do men always have to talk in riddles? Rhodes, just answer my question. Will this chip be a suitable replacement for the alien tech?”
“Yes.”
“That’s really all I needed to know. Doctor? I want you to pre
p for surgery.”
“Surgery? For who?”
“For our next test subject.”
“I wasn’t aware that there was another test subject.”
“You didn’t need to know until now.”
“You misunderstand my readiness.”
“You just said this would be a suitable replacement chip.”
“Quite right, Madam. However, it’s the only one. Before I can implant this chip to any candidates, I need to make another.”
“How much time do you need to make another?”
“Another twenty-four to thirty-six hours...without breaks.”
“You must use this one. Then make another.”
“Do you know what you’re asking?”
“You don’t know what’s at stake.”
“I fail to understand...”
“That’s what I just said! It’s not your job to understand, Rhodes...your job is to do what I tell you to do.”
“Then there’s the question of the suitable candidate, who I’ve not had the privilege of examining.”
“The subject is going to die in three days.”
“Hmmm, I really need to examine the subject to determine...
Nadine cut the doctor off, “Your job is not to determine anything.” She jabbed a finger into his chest. “You will perform the surgery or I will find someone who will.”
“Okay, ya got me. I’ll prep for the transplant.”
“Good.”
“So, how’s the other half of the project coming?”
“You needn’t concern yourself with that.”
“Well, I am going to need to collaborate with them if you want to be able to program the chips!”
“When the time comes, Doctor...until then...”
“I know, I know. Don’t be concerned.”
“Very good, Doctor. Now carry on.”
Rhodes rolled his eyes as Nadine left the room.
“I saw that!” Nadine snapped as she left the room.
Rhodes simply stood there, shaking his head before heading to the scrub room.
* * *
Whidbey Island Naval Base & Space Port
Oak Harbor, WA
Secret Surgical Complex
September 28th, 2064 14:00
“Fastest prep I’ve ever had to do,” Rhodes muttered.
“What’s that Doctor?” Nadine asked, coming into the surgical theater.
Son-of-a-bitch, Rhodes thought to himself, “What the hell’s she doing in here?”
“Nice to see you too, Doctor,” Nadine answered.
Rhodes, ignoring her response, “Can someone please tell me what she’s doing here?”
“I’m here to observe.”
“I see...is this really necessary?”
“Yes, the Company is requiring it.”
“Okay...if you get a kick out of seeing blood, bone, and brains, then come on in and join the party.”
“I’m going to pretend that I didn’t hear that, Doctor.”
“Well, you can pretend all you want. Won’t change the fact that I said it.”
“Just get on with it, Doctor.”
“Very well,” Rhodes said, holding his hands in the air, “Before we begin, let me go over the procedure. I will be making a one inch incision at the base of the subject’s skull. Once the skin flaps have been pulled back, I will drill into the spinal column for the chip thread to make contact to the base of the brain stem. Once the chip’s growth enzyme has been activated, the chip’s fiber thread will insert into and become one with the subject. If the growth enzyme takes hold it will repair the open incision in a few minutes, leaving a nice neat receptacle for the subject to be connected to the gamma wave amplification projection module... it’s a big “if” that the chip will take hold in this subject as the patient appears to have suffered an undisclosed trauma...”
Nadine furrowed her brow through the mask, “Enough commentary, Doctor...get on with it.”
Rhodes returned a dirty look and then focused on his patient, “Please rotate the subject.”
“Yes, Doctor,” Nurse Rollins nodded.
The bed smoothly turned the patient, exposing the shaved prepped and marked area high on the back of the subjects neck, just below the skull., “Normally, the patient would be awake for this procedure. It should be a quick and fairly easy implant.”
The bed clicked in the inverted position, “Scalpel!” Rhodes requested with open hand, Rollins quickly snapped the blade to him.
He reached down and made the one inch incision. “Retractors!”
Rhodes used the plier-like tool to separate the skin and expose the subject’s spinal column.
“Drill!” Rhodes again asked and was promptly given by Rollins.
He tested the drill, the sterile instrument rewarding his efforts with whirring sounds as the drill came to life.
He placed the drill bit at the predetermined place and depressed the trigger, boring a small hole into the bone. Then he handed the drill back to Rollins.
“Okay. Ms. Rollins, please activate the chip’s enzyme.”
“Yes, Doctor,” She answered.
The chip was plugged into a unit that sent the enzyme programming to the core of the chip. She typed in a codded sequence on the unit’s touch pad. A buzzing sound indicated successful charging. She locked a pair of forceps on the chip and disengaged it from the unit.
“It’s charged with the first growth sequence, Doctor,” Rollins said, handing him the chip.
Rhodes carefully took the forceps from her and examined the small fiber that extended from the end of the chip. He watched as the thread came to life and wiggled about looking for its host.
“Excellent! It’s reacting to the growth enzyme.”
Slowly lowering the chip to the patient’s incision, he inserted the thread into the hole he had drilled. The strand immediately took and entered the subject’s brain. Rhodes smiled as he unclamped the chip to watch it wiggle the rest of the way inside his patient.
“The chip has been successfully implanted,” Rhodes nodded, “Now we wait. Nurse, please remove all of clamps and watch as the wound heals itself.”
Everyone in the operating theater looked on in awe as the skin visibly grew together, leaving only the exposed jack on the base of the subject’s head.
“That’s simply amazing, Doctor,” Nadine said, “You just redeemed yourself.”
“We’re not out of the woods yet. We have to wait for the chip to take complete hold before we can call this a success.”
“How will you know?”
“If this patient hadn’t been injured, we’d know right away. But because of the subject’s injuries, we need to wait and see if the chip can heal them all...the next 24 hours will be the most critical...Nurse, please rotate the patient back around.”
The table smoothly spun the test subject and clicked to its stops, “Doctor, the patient is experiencing an accelerated heart rate!”
“The chip is beginning to take hold, we need to prepare for the seizure phase.”
“Seizure phase?” Nadine asked.
“Yes, I believe in trauma patients the seizure phase is caused by the chip trying to repair damaged brain tissue...how long ago did this patient suffer this trauma.”
“What does it matter, Doctor?”
“It matters on how damaged the brain is. They might not recover if the damage was too severe.”
“Can you recover the chip if it doesn’t take?”
“That remains to be seen. I just don’t have any experience with that scenario.”
Just as Rhodes leaned down to examine the patient, the subjects eyes popped wide open, and let out a blood curdling scream.
* * *
CHAPTER 7
Whidbey Island Naval Base & Space Port
Oak Harbor, WA
Nadine’s Office
September 28th, 2064 20:00
“How’s the test subject, Doctor?” Nadine asked.
“Well, after that little
bout in the surgical room, the subject has fully recovered from the trauma,” Rhodes confidently answered.
“Good work, Rhodes. How soon before we can awaken the subject?”
“Nadine, I know the Company is very interested in this, and with good reason. But, I must insist that you not interfere with the natural recovery process that needs to take place.”
“I wasn’t asking you to wake the subject now; I merely wanted an update to relay to the Company.”
“It’s only been six hours. I said in surgery that the next 24 hours would be the most critical.”
“Yes, but you also were talking about a wounded body. The chip has completely repaired the damage.”
“The brain is still being wired by the chip. No sooner than another 18 to 36 hours.”
“Very well, Doctor,” Nadine smiled out the corner of her mouth, “I’ll leave this up to your judgment then.”
“Thank you,” Rhodes said with a sigh.
“Now, Doctor, I want you to prepare five more chips for implants.”
“Five?”
“Yes, you heard me...five more test subjects.”
“Where’re you stashing these people?”
“My coat pocket,” Nadine mused, “Don’t you worry about that. I will supply you with the candidates.”
“Okay. So, when do I get to collaborate with Jones?”
“Soon enough, Rhodes; give me the five implanted chips first.”
“Alright. I’m on it. I should have them ready for implants before we wake up sleeping beauty here.”
“Great. I’ll have the subjects here before then,” Nadine said, before walking out of the room.
* * *
Whidbey Island Naval Base & Space Port
Oak Harbor, WA
Underground Complex
September 28th, 2064 20:20
Nadine sat at her desk, sealed behind her door and took out her data pad, “Griffin? Nadine... ...I need you to bring me five more test subjects... ...I don’t care where or how you get them... ...yes... ...any means necessary... ...what’s the matter, Major? ... ... ...I see... ...I can assign someone else if you are having a problem with your conscience... ... ...I expect you to fully deliver in the next twenty-four hours... ...yes, that’s right...twenty-four... ...I will be sure to put in a good word for you with the Company... ...you’re welcome, Major...don’t let me down... ...okay, twenty-four hours, that’s all.”
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