Enhanced

by Ben Brown

  At that moment the boy struck, with more force than Zac had ever felt. The blow hit him in his midsection, sending him flying backwards a good ten feet. Zac smashed into a wall with such force it caused the masonry to crack. He slumped to the floor momentarily, but was back on his feet almost as quick as he landed. He realized that the sensation he had felt wasn’t from the woman, but from this kid — and he was pissed!

  “I’m going to kill you!” the boy screamed.

  He lunged at Zac, launching himself into the air. He began to spin with his legs outstretched, like a tiny demented helicopter, aiming straight for Zac’s neck. Zac ducked and twisted to his left; reaching up, he grabbed his tiny attacker’s left leg and whipped him out of the air. Zac sent him crashing into the side of a nearby dumpster.

  The dumpster rebounded from the impact and slammed into a door, causing the door to splinter. The crazed child landed on the ground, instantly flipped up and back onto his feet. He turned and dropped into a crouch, simultaneously pulling a large automatic pistol from his jacket. He fired four shots at Zac’s face …

  ENHANCED

  By

  Ben Brown

  Random Mouse Publishing

  A Random Mouse eBook

  Published by Random Mouse Publishing

  Copyright 2014 by Ben Brown

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random Mouse Publishing.

  You are granted a non-exclusive license to this work. You may make copies or reformat it for YOUR OWN USE ONLY. You may not resell, trade, nor give this work away.

  Created in Australia

  First Publication: November 2011

  Cover design & composition: Dan Saunders

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters are a product of the imagination of the author and any resemblance to any real person, either living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  I dedicate this book to my beautiful wife, Michelle, and my two wonderful children, Chelsea and Zac. Without their help and support, I would never have been able to complete this book.

  I also dedicate this book in memory of my dad who died in 1998. He was one of the toughest and strongest men I have ever known. I love you dad. This is for you.

  1

  Zac Thomas was oblivious to the crowd that swirled around him. iPod in hand, he charged toward the train station. All he wanted was to catch his train on time. Head down, he didn’t see the woman who slammed into him like the prop forward from his local rugby club.

  Suddenly he was on his back, gasping for air. Dazed and angry he looked up into the face of the person who’d plowed him down.

  “Why don’t you open your fuc …” Zac swallowed his words. The woman bending over him, almost nose to nose, was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

  “Get up!” the vision offered him her hand.

  “Whaa?” Zac fought to regain his breath.

  “I said, get up!”

  Zac clambered to his feet. He didn’t want to appear a wimp to this magnificent creature. Zac dusted himself off as his eyes locked onto her cleavage.

  “I’m sorry I got in your way …”

  “Yeah, yeah, enough of that. Just come with me!”

  Zac laughed. “Sure, but first, how much is it going to cost me?”

  She grabbed him by his collars and pulled his face close to hers. “I need you to come with me right now!”

  “Okay,” he mumbled weakly.

  This was the first time a woman, and a beautiful one at that, had demanded Zac go anywhere, let alone with her.

  “Where are we going?” He was still unsure what was driving him to follow. Was it just that she was stunning? Was that enough to make a bored and lonely man do something dangerous?

  “This way!” She headed off to her right, down a small alleyway. Zac paused for a moment — was he being set up for a mugging? She looked over her shoulder at him. Suddenly his feet were moving, driven on by the slim chance that this could lead to sex with a beautiful stranger. He had read about this kind of thing, women who got their kicks by screwing anonymous men.

  Finally, after weaving through a number of narrow alleyways, she came to a stop.

  Zac was right behind her. He was scared, aroused, but most of all — curious.

  She turned and stared at him.

  She was striking, with a pouting mouth and long, wavy, dark hair that accentuated her deep green eyes.

  Zac’s gaze traced every curve of her body. He imagined his hands caressing her smooth olive skin. She truly was a Mediterranean beauty.

  “Zac, did you hear what I said?” She was obviously annoyed by his lack of attention.

  “Sorry? Wait — how’d you know my name?”

  “My name is Lea and I’ve been watching you for a while. You need to be warned!”

  Zac began to realize that maybe he had made a mistake. “Watching me, why?”

  “You have a unique genetic trait. This trait is highly sought after by some interested parties.”

  As Zac listened with his mouth slightly open, he began to smile. “Who put you up to this? Was it Wayne in accounts? That idiot does stuff like this all the time, but it won’t work on me, I’m afraid …”

  “This isn’t a joke and I’m not going to repeat myself. Just listen or you will get yourself appropriated — or worse.”

  “Appropriated? What in the hell are you talking about? I have to get to work; I don’t have time for this!” She was beginning to worry him. Sure, she was hot, but clearly cracked, not all there.

  “I was like you before I was … well, improved. But not everybody who is in the market for a potential subject is as ethical as my boss,” she continued, ignoring his outburst.

  “That’s it, I’m off. You’re messed up, luv. It was nice meeting you, but I’ve had enough.” Zac turned to walk away, but a hand grabbed his forearm, a very strong hand. When he looked back, it was Lea.

  “You’re coming with me whether you like it or not,” Lea jabbed a needle in his neck. The world around him started to fade as he slumped into her arms.

  2

  As Zac came to, he realized he was no longer in Reading. He also realized he was in trouble. As things came into focus, panic started to grip him. His head was pounding, and his limbs felt like they were made of lead. He was scared, real scared.

  Zac began to think of his favorite TV show, Dexter. He knew what was coming next — a grisly death followed by being chopped up, put into black sacks, and then fed to the fishes.

  As he scanned the room, which was large, white and bare, he thought, No polythene on the walls. Dexter would have covered them. Dexter would have realized it would be too hard to get all the blood off. Maybe I’m not going to be killed. Maybe, this woman was an amateur and didn’t know what she was doing. Maybe I should stop thinking about TV shows and get serious about the situation.

  Zac fought to control the panic which was gripping him. Then he spotted her, Lea — tall, strong, and beautiful. He gawked at her like a horny teenager. Snap out of it you idiot! She stuck a needle in you and brought you to God knows where! She’s probably going to kill you! Zac could hear these words screaming in his head, at exactly that moment she glanced over at him.

  “Finally, you’re awake; you took longer than we expected to come around. Fourteen hours in fact.”

  Fourteen hours! Zac began to panic again as he tried to adjust to the news.

  It was then he noticed a thin man sitting at a desk reading some papers. He looked at Zac as he placed the papers on the desk.

  “Mr. Thomas! At last. I’m pleased to meet you. My name is Dr. Skinner, Dr. Henry Skinner; maybe you have heard of me?”

  “No, should I know you?”

  Zac had, in fact, he
ard of him, but didn’t want to give him that satisfaction. Skinner seemed surprised by Zac’s response.

  The fact was, if you were at all interested in any kind of scientific field, you would have heard of Dr. Henry Skinner. Zac had spent many long and lonely nights on the Internet looking up all sorts of stuff which, in most cases, could be linked back to Dr. Skinner in some way.

  For instance, Dr. Skinner was the first to invent the artificial intelligence that is used in most PC shooter games. He had intended it for intuitive system controls, like traffic lights that control themselves based on traffic volume, but gamers adapted it. Ever since Skinner was a boy, he had been featured in some scientific field or another. At age ten he was the youngest ever student to study Physics at Oxford University, graduating at fourteen. Since then he had changed fields many times, and in every case, had taken the lead in each respective avenue of research.

  Skinner was now in his late seventies, and had become the leader in fields as diverse as Artificial Intelligence, Biomechanics, Genetic Engineering and Robotics. In short, his was the most brilliant mind the world had ever seen. However, in the last few years he had disappeared from the wider scientific community; most people thought this was due to his age. Now Zac could see this wasn’t the case.

  “Well, whether you have heard of me or not is irrelevant at this point. I am here to help you and that’s what matters.” As he spoke, he got out of the chair and approached Zac. He was surprisingly agile for a man of his age.

  He looked much younger than his actual years. His hair was thick and dark, with only a sprinkling of grey. A bushy moustache sat below a rather large and long nose. He was lean, tall and fit. Zac had read a great deal of his work on the Internet over the years, but he’d never seen a photo of the man. The Dr. Skinner who stood before him was nothing like the man he had pictured.

  “No need to be frightened, Mr. Thomas.” Skinner smiled reassuringly.

  “No need to be frightened! Are you insane? I get a needle shoved in my neck, and the next thing I know I’m here with you two lunatics!” Zac was shouting, as he backed away from Skinner.

  Lea stepped forward and said, “Sodium Thiopental, that’s all it was, just an anesthetic. We needed you here, and you were being — difficult.”

  “Sodium Thiopental. That’s a relief. I thought it might be something really dangerous. Now let me the hell out of here!”

  Zac’s panic was rising to fever pitch as the two of them approached him slowly. Both had their hands raised in front of them.

  “I know, I’m sorry, but you were in danger. We needed to get you here fast, and sedating you was the only option.” Lea’s voice was soft and reassuring. Zac calmed a little and stopped backing away. He looked at her, mesmerized by her voice and looks.

  “Why would I be in danger?” he asked.

  It was Dr. Skinner’s turn to reply. “You have a very distinctive set of genetic codes that are in great demand. These codes enable you to …” He paused for a second. “ … do things.”

  “Do things? Like what? Climb tall buildings!” Zac said, sarcastically.

  His anxiety began to rise again. Then it occurred to him that his absence would not go unnoticed.

  “Work will ask after me!” he shouted. “Work will know I’m missing, they’ll call the police.”

  Zac was an only child. His parents had died years earlier. His only friends were people at work, and he rarely socialized after hours — his disappearance could go unnoticed for months. Zac felt a sudden pang of regret that only his employers would miss him.

  Dr. Skinner, without missing a beat, replied. “We have sent them your written resignation via registered mail. Apparently you have been offered a job working on a mine site in Ghana. Shortly after your arrival you will be killed in a tragic accident. Your remains will never be found. One month from now a small memorial service will be held in your honor. Now to your first question; yes, maybe it could make you climb tall buildings and possibly much more.”

  “I feel sick! I’m going to puke!” Zac’s head was spinning again and his legs were starting to give out.

  Lea dashed over and grabbed him.

  “Come over to the chair and sit down. Put your head between your knees, it’ll help.”

  As she spoke, she cut Skinner a dirty look and said, “What have I told you, Doc? Tact, a little tact when you tell someone that everyone thinks they’re missing or dead.”

  Lea’s firm grip lowered Zac into the chair; then she guided his head between his knees.

  Still shaking her head at Skinner, she asked, “Is that helping?”

  “A little,” Zac replied. “But you’re hurting my neck, could you loosen your grip a bit?”

  She let go of his neck instantly.

  “Sorry. I don’t know my own strength sometimes.” Zac could tell she was embarrassed, her voice wavered as she released her grip on him.

  “No worries Lea. Now Doctor, what were you saying before you told me I was dead?”

  Zac’s head was still between his knees. He was trying to sound as in control as he could, or at least as in control as anyone could be in his situation.

  “Where was I?” Skinner pondered. “Ah yes, genetic codes. These particular strands of code are very old. In fact, maybe as few as five thousand people may still have them. Mr. Thomas, you’re one of those people.”

  Skinner turned and approached Zac. Zac’s head was out from between his knees — Skinner had managed to grab his attention. Zac still thought he was insane, but he was intrigued.

  “Go on.”

  “These codes have disappeared in most humans; this may be due to changes in the environment. On the other hand, maybe the rest of us never had the code to start with. The thing is, if the code is restarted, then you are placed significantly in front of the rest of humanity.” Skinner was on a roll now. “I have found a way of activating these codes. I have activated the code in Lea and several other subjects.”

  Zac looked at Lea. She returned his gaze with a reassuring smile. He found himself smiling back. Skinner was still talking and pacing the room, looking at his feet the whole time. Zac zoned out — this was all too weird. He looked away from Lea and stared at his feet.

  Was he still asleep, in some strange dream? His neck hurt from the needle; that certainly seemed real. Lea seemed real, or at least, he hoped she was. Zac looked at her again. She was looking at Skinner. He did seem a bit peculiar. Zac returned his gaze to his feet and grinned. This is a dream, it must be.

  “So in conclusion, Mr. Thomas, when I restart your code, you may find you have increased stamina, strength, agility — in fact, almost anything. The sky’s the limit, really. So, when do you want to start?”

  Zac looked up with a jerk. “Start what?”

  Skinner looked confused. He had just told Zac in detail what his plans were and Zac had been staring at his feet. He could have told him he was going to cut his head off and stick it on a monkey! He had been oblivious to it all.

  “It’s late. Let’s have something to eat and get some rest. We’ll talk again tomorrow,” Lea interrupted.

  “Yes, very well. Tomorrow. I think he is still dazed from the drugs. We will continue this tomorrow then. Good night.” Skinner left the room through a sliding door.

  Zac looked at Lea. She smiled and said, “Come with me, I’ll show you to your room. There’s food there and a shower. You look as if you need both, followed by a warm bed.”

  As she spoke, Zac got to his feet and followed her down a short passageway that led to the sleeping quarters. As they entered the room, he turned to look at her.

  She smiled again and said her goodnights.

  Zac sat on the bed and ate the food, which had been left on a tray for him. Lea had been right, he did need it, and once his belly was full, he headed for the shower.

  As he luxuriated in the hot steamy water that pounded him, he pondered why these people thought he had any special abilities. He felt as far from the stereotypical hero as you c
ould get. Sure, he knew he wasn’t bad looking, but the rest of him was completely unremarkable. His brown eyes traced their way down his lean, soap-covered six-foot frame. His body showed little evidence of muscle, or anything that resembled it.

  He turned off the water, and allowed his eyes to fix on his midsection. Taking a deep breath, he pulled in his stomach. His face turned red as he desperately tried to create a six-pack, or something that resembled one. Finally, he let out a loud sigh and gave up.

  He stepped from the shower and reached for a towel. As he began to dry his thick mop of brown hair, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Suddenly, he felt woefully inadequate. He grinned as a thought popped into his head. If he looked up the word, “average,” in a dictionary, would he see a picture of himself on the page? He shook his head. Those two definitely had it wrong. He wasn’t the guy they were looking for.

  Feeling deflated, he threw the towel to the floor, and headed back towards the bed.

  He stretched out, and stared at the ceiling. Strange thoughts began to plague his mind, thoughts of Lea, mixed with images of Skinner in his white lab coat. Then his mind drifted back over the previous twenty-four hours. He wondered if he was part of some elaborate trick. Finally, he drifted off into a fitful sleep.

  After being unconscious for so long, Zac didn’t really need any rest. He tossed and turned all night, continuously lapsing in and out of sleep. He wasn’t sure what to do. Should he be trying to escape instead of sleeping? The thing was, he didn’t feel as if he was in danger. He knew he should, but he didn’t. Neither Lea nor Dr Skinner seemed to have any real malice or bad intent about them. Both genuinely seemed as if they wanted to help.

  The main reason Zac felt safe was Lea. She soothed him. He felt as if they were the same, and somehow while she was near, she had his back — and he had hers as best he could. It was like family, or something close to family, only more intimate. It was as if they were one person, but in two different bodies. It made no sense, but that’s how it felt. Zac couldn’t understand why he felt like this. He had known her for less than twenty-four hours and in that time she had knocked him down, jammed a needle in his neck, kidnapped him, and locked him away. Nevertheless, he felt there was something there.