Extrications are dangerous, and Two is willing to risk it all to escape the Institute.
Two is an eliminator, a trained assassin. She has one mission—enter the portal, eliminate a rogue general, then activate her microchip to wipe her memory. But she knows a secret that would rock the foundations of the Institute’s training program. Armed with only a tiny dagger, and the truth of their future, she enlists the help of her partner, Four, to escape their fate.
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Extrication
Copyright © 2018 Taryn Jameson and Gabriella Bradley
ISBN: 978-1-4874-2212-7
Cover art by Martine Jardin
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
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Extrication
Veiled Eliminators Book 1
By
Taryn Jameson and Gabriella Bradley
Chapter One
Three loud tolls of the familiar bell echoed throughout the building. God, how she hated that sound. And the annoying male voices of the director, Doctor Schultz, or his partner, the assistant director, Doctor Schmidt, that more than often followed the pings with some kind of proclamation.
This time the announcement interrupted her half-hour allotted library time and reading of Earth’s history. She studied it intensively during her free time, at least, whatever data she had requested access to. They gave approval for most of her requests as it was mainly historical data that interested her. Many of the archives kept in the library were encrypted.
She grimaced and closed the files she had been perusing. She was one of the lucky ones allowed to spend some time in the library in the evenings. Only a few of the trainees had that privilege. If any of the others wanted to read fiction, Schmidt or Schultz would load a book on their tablets. They were allowed one classic book a month.
Restrictions. Rules. There were too many.
“There will be a general assembly in one hour in the auditorium. All recruits are required to attend.” Schultz’s raspy voice grated her nerves.
With a sigh, she shut off the tablet, left the library and headed for her room. If she was not dressed in formal attire, she’d be in trouble. Recruits. Schultz and Schmidt always called them that, or trainees. Two grimaced. None of them were there by choice. They were prisoners. She made her way down the long, stark hallway and slipped into her small room.
The cramped space was much like the hallway. Clinical. The walls were washed a bright white. The floors were made of hard cement tiles. A small metal framed bed took up most of the space, only leaving room for the metal wardrobe that held her issued clothing, and a metal foldout desk she used for studying.
She flopped down on the hard mattress and ran her fingers across the rough wool of her blanket. A flash of memory filled her mind. She wasn’t supposed to have them, but it wasn’t the first time she experienced the recollections. A red knitted blanket, an image of her clutching it. Then her most treasured flashback—she had a name. A real name. And she knew what it was. Starla. It echoed in her thoughts, over and over, through the fragmented images that teased her mind.
Impressions of a man and woman—maybe they were her parents—often accompanied her distorted memories. The woman had long blonde hair, the man’s hair was black and curly, like her own. The images were so fleeting. She wished she could engrave them or turn them into holographs. They had to mean something that had been special in her life before the Institute.
She’d been in the Institute so long, she could hardly recall anything before she was drafted. The doctors had wiped her memories upon arrival, like they did to all new recruits. She’d only been five years old, ripped from the life she’d known since she was born.
Why?
Questions plagued her night and day, ones she didn’t dare voice, along with her disjointed flashbacks. The scientists would do another memory wipe if they knew, and she didn’t want that. Besides the painful procedure, she wanted to retain what she knew, to hold onto what was left of her own personality. She longed to know her roots, to find out about her family and the little girl she used to be, to learn how and why she had ended up in the Institute of Remodification—aptly named so for the secret cybernetic surgeries they performed. On the sign outside the building it said beneath it, in smaller letters, Schultz, Schmidt, and Associates, after its founders and investors.
A ping jolted her from her thoughts, warning her that it was almost time to go to the auditorium. She pushed herself from the bed, glanced up at the annoying camera in the corner near the ceiling, and quickly changed into her formal bodysuit. Like the walls of her room, it was a stark, clinical white, and the stretchy white material fit her like it was painted on. She brushed her fingers through her hair to tidy the dark strands, then headed out into the crowded hallway to join the line of girls making the trek to the auditorium.
The young women that had graduated from the required training program always sat on the first rows. Behind them were the rows of junior trainees, and beyond them, all the staff members, engineers, and technicians. Recruits below age six did not yet attend these assemblies.
She sat on her seat and waited. When all was quiet, Schultz, took the platform, followed by Schmidt. Dressed in a suit and tie, Schultz looked distinguished, almost approachable, until the cold steel of his green, lizard gaze trained on his audience. She shivered. She knew all too well how cruel the director could be.
Schultz adjusted the microphone and began to speak. “After extensive testing, by sending animals through it, the portal that will enable us to travel through time and space in mere seconds has been completed and approved. For now, the portal only works one way. Until the time comes that we can build portals on other worlds, the only way back to Earth is through normal space travel. In light of this, we have so far chosen twelve of you for several off-world assignments. We have not yet experimented with time travel. That is of later concern, a future project.” He pinned the graduates sitting in the front rows with a hard stare. “Subjects Two, Twelve, Twenty-four, Thirty-Three, Thirty-eight, Forty-five, Forty-seven, Fifty-three, Sixty-four, Eighty-one, Ninety-eight, and Ninety-nine have been specifically chosen for these particular missions. You will report to orientation immediately following this assembly to prepare for your departure within the next few weeks.”
His attention returned to the other recruits. “As for the rest of you, this is just an example of what you can accomplish here. The twelve girls we have picked have excelled in their training and were chosen for these first off-world missions. Train. Exercise. Learn. Study. Practice. You, too, will experience adventures you could never imagine in your wildest dreams. Just look at the twelve young women that w
ill now venture to other worlds, visit alien planets. That could be you next, or you, or you.” He pointed at various recruits in the audience.
She released the breath she had been holding. She was Two, one of the first trainees to have graduated with honors, and the second girl to have been enrolled in the Institute by Schultz and Schmidt. Shortly after her arrival, Schultz had wiped her mind and named her Two.
She recalled that episode so well. She’d felt upset, completely bewildered by her strange surroundings, and thought she was in a hospital. When Schultz had taken her to a room filled with instruments and strapped her to a chair, she’d been terrified. Especially when a metal cap descended from the ceiling encasing her skull. She had not cried out or made any sound. Schultz kept complimenting her, how good she was, how brave, and how special. And then sharp objects had penetrated her temples. It had hurt a lot and finally caused tears to escape. Schultz had been angry.
“Soldiers do not cry.”
At first, there had only been a few trainees. There was One, herself, and some toddlers. She’d not been allowed to play with any of them. One, the first girl that had been obtained by the Institute, had died tragically in a training exercise at the age of eight.
Because Two was so gifted, they had not yet sent her on a mission. Instead, she was allowed to help with the training of the younger recruits. She enjoyed teaching them—it meant she could actually talk to others, even if it was only to give commands, to explain certain strategies and moves. The group she taught were girls ranging from ten to twelve years of age.
Several of her students had gone missing over the last few years. When she’d asked about them, Schultz told her they’d left the Institute, that their progress was not up to par. She knew he’d lied. No one left the Institute. She didn’t dare imagine what had happened to the girls. The truth of it was too horrible to contemplate.
Schultz continued to speak, but his words drifted by her. They made it sound so exciting—to be finally sent out into the world, and now to alien planets. But Two knew it was a one-way street.
Little did the younger ones realize that once they turned eighteen, they would receive an implant. They’d have to sign an agreement to activate the small device just under the skin on the inside of their wrist upon completion of their mission. It will wipe your memory of your target and your assignment, so if you are caught or questioned, you will know nothing. That’s what they were all told.
Two knew differently. A year ago, she’d overheard Schultz and Schmidt talking. If a trainee activated the chip it would send a poison into their bloodstream that would kill them instantly.
None of the girls who had been sent out on prior missions had ever returned. No one questioned this, assuming that once released into society, they would live normal lives and would be called upon for a mission whenever they were needed.
Not that they were allowed to ask questions. If any of them dared, the punishment was harsh. A week or more in solitary, then ordered to do some kind of disgusting work, like cleaning toilets, public areas, or mopping floors until they were allowed to resume their training.
Two sighed. They were finally sending her off to freedom. But what kind of freedom? Alien planets... Her dreams of finding her family were shattered. Sadness filled her. Emotion. She had learned not to cry or show any type of empathy a long time ago. It was forbidden. They had to be brave soldiers, and soldiers don’t cry. Soldiers don’t feel.
Soldiers? They were trained assassins. They were sent out to kill. Deep down, the thought had always horrified her. And now she had to go and apply her skills. Was killing a target really a skill? She supposed it was. If you couldn’t shoot straight, you wouldn’t be able to hit your mark.
After more speeches, they had to, as always, recite the Institute’s motto. She spoke the words automatically.
“We are unique. We are the best. There is no one on Earth like us, and there never will be. We will succeed. We are strong beyond belief. We are the eliminators, and no one can touch us.”
Schultz finally left the podium, and Schmidt dismissed the assembly. Reluctantly, her feet led her to the orientation room.
Carol, Schultz’s personal assistant, approached and stopped her. “Two. Doctor Schultz wants to see you in his office.”
“My name was called. I have to go to orientation.”
“Yes. First, the director would like to speak with you.”
Obey. Never argue. Do not question an order. Two turned and followed Carol to Schultz’s lavish office.
“Two. Take a seat.” The man behind the large glass desk gestured to one of the chairs and with a wave of his hand, dismissed Carol.
“Sir, I’d rather stand, if you don’t mind.”
Schultz pinned her with a stare. “I do mind. Sit.”
Obeying, she sat in the chair he had indicated and clasped her hands in her lap. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No.” Schultz stood and turned his back to her to gaze out of the floor to ceiling windows behind his desk.
Two looked at the snow-capped mountains, the beautiful sunset painting the sky in pastel colors. She often wondered what lay beyond the Alps that surrounded the valley. Sure, she’d seen photos and holographic images. Layers of smog hung over the cities. She wondered if the mountains protected their little world from the tainted air because the sky above them was clear on sunny days.
The world out there beyond the mountains was heavily overpopulated. Hunger was a plague among the poor. Many of them lived on the city streets, homeless, always scrounging for anything edible. And then there were the elite sections where only the rich lived. From what she had learned, when the girls were sent out on a mission, they would have to adapt to whatever environment they were placed in. The girls were taught all the languages of the world, as well as alien languages. They were trained to adapt to any city, any world, and any situation.
“Doctor Schultz?”
He turned to face her. The man hadn’t aged a day since she’d first met him. His hair was still dark, his skin smooth and unwrinkled. His body displayed the hardness of youth and vitality. He wasn’t unpleasant to look at but for the edge of cruelty that lurked in his small, calculating green eyes and the twisted curve of his lips.
Schultz and Schmidt had invented a serum that rejuvenated them by thirty years. It kept them young and vital. Four times a year they injected themselves. The serum had made them the wealthiest men on the planet. Of course, only the very rich could afford the treatments that were administered in a clinic not far from the Institute.
Whenever they trained on the vast property surrounding the clinic, Two had sometimes gazed at the beautiful, friendly looking building with its lovely grounds and gardens. More than often, expensive-looking vehicles drove onto its grounds. Schultz and Schmidt also performed plastic surgery in the clinic. It was called Schultz and Schmidt’s Sanctuary of Rejuvenation.
Schultz shot her a penetrating look. It made her want to squirm. Damn, I wish the man would say something instead of just staring at me.
“I hate to see you go, Two. I am very reluctant to send you on this mission, but you are our best operative, and this is a delicate situation.” He turned his attention to the office door when it opened and shut again. “Schmidt... you have the details of the mission?”
“Of course.” Schmidt settled himself into a chair, then gave her a nod. “Two.” She held her breath as he scrutinized her for a moment, a note of approval lighting his blue eyes. “She is an excellent choice for this exercise.”
Exercise? I am being forced into a deathtrap with a one-way ticket. She sighed.
At least Schmidt was a little easier to deal with. Although the two men had worked together for many years, he lacked the cruel edge that emanated from his partner.
“Sir, may I ask the objective of the mission and to which planet I will be sent?”
“Brevona, in the Omicron Galaxy. Your mission is highly classified and importan
t to Earth’s survival. Do not share any of this with the other trainees.” He placed a tablet on the table and pushed it toward her. “Here are the details of your assignment.”
I’m not allowed to talk to the other girls. How on Earth would I share any of the details? Loser...
Two swiped her finger across the screen scanning through what were mainly photos. No names, no written details. Several of the pictures were of the planet, Brevona, another of a castle and the royal family, then one of a grossly overweight man with greasy hair, wearing a uniform. “The target?”
Schultz walked behind her and rested his hands on the back of her chair to peer over her shoulder, his face uncomfortably close to hers, his breath on her neck.
“That is General Nimera Xalo. He has led his army to revolt against the king and queen and has captured the royal family. They will be executed this week if the maniac is not stopped. The World Leadership Organization has informed us that Nimera is hosting a large party to celebrate his ascension to the throne. Many dignitaries have been invited, including several from Earth. You will infiltrate the celebration and seduce the general.” Schultz lightly caressed her jaw, then withdrew his hand. “Beautiful women are his weakness, and you are the most exquisite and elegant of all my girls.”
I suspect women are your weakness, too, the way you touch me. She wrinkled her nose in disgust at both the idea of seducing the general and the touch of Schultz’s hand.
She shook the revulsion from her body to focus on her assignment. “Sir, isn’t the portal untested on humans? Why not allow me to travel with the Earth delegation to ensure the elimination of my target?”
Schmidt leaned forward and patted her leg. “You have nothing to fear. The portal is stable, and we can promise you that you will reach your point of destination. A return trip is another matter entirely.”
If it hasn’t been tested using humans, how does he know? How does he even know the animals arrived wherever they sent them?
Extrication Page 1