Chapter 3

“Archetype Research & Military Security, this is Lilly, How may I help you.”

“Lilly, hey, it’s Ben. Listen I need you to tell Mr. Richards that I will be in a little late, family emergency. I’ll be in before the 11:30 with the Hanzo group.”

“Are you kidding me, the old man is going to have a fit.”

“Have you seen him yet, is he already on the war path.”

“No, I haven’t seen him, but his door is locked, which means he is pissed about something. I’m sorry but I don’t want to put myself in front of the firing squad this early. You’ll have to just bite that bullet when you get here.”

“Lilly please, come one. Remember when I covered for you because you got drunk at the Forbes banquet and couldn’t get up for work in time. And I’ll owe you one on top of that.”

“I knew you were going to hold on to that…fine I’ll let him know. Where are you anyway?”

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll be in as soon as I can though. And Lilly.”

“What?”

“You’re the best! See you later.”

“Yea, yea. Just get here soon.”

Thinking to herself that she needs to stop drinking, she hung up the phone and let out a nervous sigh. She fixed her hair in the computer screen in front of her and stood up. As she walked towards a large black door she smoothed out her dress and cursed Bens’ name the whole way there. Holding her breath she quietly tapped at the door.

“Um…Mr. Richards.”

She pressed her ear against the door and listened for any sort of movement or sound. For two minutes she stood there motionless, silently hoping that he would get up and walk out of his office on his own accord. Working up a bit more nerve she tapped at the door again with her fingernail just a little louder.

“Mr. Richards…I have an important message for you from Ben. He said he….”

The door flew open suddenly and knocked her to the ground. From the floor she looked up and saw a very upset looking Mr. Richards looking down on her.
Immediately she got up and dusted herself off. Trying to keep and very calm and professional face she turned towards Mr. Richards.
“Excuse me sir, good morning.”

Disregarding the fact that he had just knocked his secretary to the ground, Richards responded to Lilly in a very aggravated voice.

“Now Lilly, might I ask you why you felt it necessary to wake me from my very much need sleep.”

“I…um...I…have a message for you from Ben sir.”

Richards took a quick glance around the room. Realizing that his assistant Ben wasn’t there, he turned back to Lilly with a displeased look chiseled into his already stone face.

“Where Is Benjamin?

“That’s just it sir, I don’t know where he is exactly, he called and asked me to tell you he would be late.”

“He asked you to wake me up and tell me something that I would have already gathered on my own.”

“I’m sorry sir, I…I didn’t know you were sleeping, I just…”

“Don’t worry about it Lilly, by now I realize you can’t help but be a disappointment. Have today’s schedule on my desk within the hour. Also I need a fresh suit ready for me before the Hanzo meeting. I am going to meet with the good Dr. Coues. When I return I expect all of the tasks I have given you to be completed. “

He quickly looked her up and down and then let out a very unimpressed sigh as he walked past her. Before he left the room he turned back toward her.

“And Lilly, one more thing, wipe those silly tears from your eyes. I don’t want your running makeup to displease my guest.”

“…yes sir.”

As she watched the door close behind him she let herself fall to the floor. Not being able to hold it in any longer she released a well of tears. She held herself and sobbed quietly.


Ethan placed his clipboard on the table in front of him. He then pushed a button on a box which was on the wall next to the window. He leaned forward and began speaking into the intercom.

“Good morning Kaz, how are you today, fine I hope. If you would get ready for me, we will be starting with a stress test this morning. The doctor and I will be done shortly. Hopefully it won’t be so bad today. I know last time you were pushed kind of hard. You know how the doctor gets sometime.”

As Ethan released the intercom button he felt a cold breath on the back of his neck.

“Tell me Ethan, how is it that I get exactly.”

Biting his own tongue, Ethan turned around slowly only to find himself at a very uncomfortable distance to Dr. Coeus. He took a quick step back and cleared his throat.

“Doctor…I only meant that you are dedicated to your work and refuse to stop until you achieve desired results. A very admiral quality sir that I hope to instill in myself while working with you.”

“Very well Ethan. Now once you have removed yourself from my buttocks I want you to go administer theophylline, isobutylmethylxanthine, rolipram, and caffeine into the subject. Once you have completed this, escort him to the test chamber then meet me in the observation room.”

“Yes doctor.”

As Coeus watched his test subject intently Ethan walked past him and to the chemical table. Placing several vials and syringes onto a cart, Ethan left the lab and headed down the hall towards the observation room. Coeus stroked his chin and lost himself in thought. Staring in quiet amazement at his latest plaything, he allowed a smile to creep across his face. A serpentine tongue licked thin dry lips as he imagined the potential of his experiment. He inhaled deeply and composed himself. He quietly left the lab and headed for the observation room.
Ethan waved a security card in front of a glowing panel on a door marked subject holding 1. The door slid open and he pushed his cart into the room. He stopped right behind Kaz who was changing into a black spandex body suit in which he wore for the purpose of Coues’ regular testing. Kaz looked down at the cart Ethan was pushing and then back up to Ethan.

“What’s all that for?”

Ethan smiled at Kaz while measuring chemicals and filling syringes.
“These are called phosphodiesterase inhibitors.”

“Phospho what? “

“Phosphodiesterase inhibitors, they are going to block the slow wave frequencies in your cells and hopefully cause membrane hyperpolarization. We are hoping that it will increase your output.”

Kaz stared at Ethan blankly with mouth agape. He started looking around the room thinking maybe Ethan was talking to someone else who knew what he was talking about.

“I have no Idea what you just said to me, just tell me one thing, is it safe?”

“Well, um…I don’t know, but that’s the exciting part right?”

“You’re kidding right.”

“Of course…for the most part. Anyway give me your arm. We don’t want to keep the doctor waiting too long. This should be the only test for today because the doctor is very busy, meetings and all that. Hold still.”

Ethan emptied several syringes into Kaz’s arm. The two then left the room and began heading toward the test chamber. They arrived at a large lead door with caution and warning signs all over it. Even though this was not his first time here, Kaz took a deep breath and sighed nervously. Ethan entered several numbers into the panel on the door. The door slowly opened and revealed a room with lead walls, floor, and ceiling. The only area that was free of lead was a window made of a modified glass fiber reinforced polymer. From behind the window Ethan and Kaz could see Dr. Coeus and another man standing in the observation room. Ethan and Kaz entered the room. Kaz stopped in the very center of the room on a small circular platform. Ethan stood at the door and opened a control panel against the wall on the inside of the chamber. He flipped a few switches and the room began to shake. Four holes opened on the floor around Kaz. From each hole rose a tesla coil. Ethan then pulled another lever and the platform on which Kaz stood lowered slightly. Inside this depression; braces fastened themselves onto Kaz’s legs. Ethan looked Kaz in the eyes and tried to smile sympathetically.

“Hopefully this will be over soon buddy.”

“Thanks E. Okay, let’s get started.”

Ethan nodded his head and exited the test chamber. The door shut behind him. He entered the observation chamber where the Dr. Coeus and a guest were waiting for him. Coeus turned toward Ethan and looked at him sternly.

“It is about time. Had you kept our guest waiting any longer I would have been very displeased. At any rate we are ready to begin.”

Coeus turned to his guest.

“Mr. Richards this is my assistant Ethan Masters. Ethan, this is Gregory Richards, you however will address him as Mr. Richards. Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, if you would be so kind Ethan to set the coils at 15 megawatts each with the apropos amperage.”

Ethan stood dazed for a moment. He couldn’t believe what Coeus was asking him to do. He hesitated for a moment but was reminded his place with a cold glance by the doctor. He quietly set the machine to the specified settings. He mumbled a quite prayer to himself as he turned the machine on. His prayers were soon drowned out by the screams coming from the test chamber.

Chapter 2

Outside of a wrecked farm house, two women stood side by side gazing down the one dirt road leading toward town.

"He's late again."

Alex laboriously declared to her sister Emma. Without turning, Emma replied very calmly.

"He will be here, Just relax."

"Please don't tell me to relax! We've been standing out in the middle of bum fuck nowhere for at least two hours! I'm cold, tired, hungry, and I think I might have gotten malaria from one of the thousand mosquitoes that have been chewing on my ass!"

"Your starting to harsh my mellow here. Look we have fresh air, pretty stars, and peace and quite, what more can you ask for after a job."

"Oh I don't know; food, a shower, bug spray, stop me anytime."

Emma reached into her pocket to take out a pack of cigarettes and handed them to her sister. Alex shot her a very dirty look.

"I thought you quit! You've been holding out on me!"

"I did quit. I just bring them along to shut you up."

"Bitch!"

Alex took a cigarette out of the pack and placed in between her lips. She patted her pockets down hoping to find a lighter.

"Hey Em, you got a light."

"No."

"Then why give me smokes!"

Emma rolled her eyes and let out a frustrated breath. From where she stood she looked around the area. With luck she spotted a lighter on top of a dresser which was now on top of one the the now deceased shadow figures.

"Bingo."

She raised her hand toward the lighter. AS she opened her palm, the lighter flew toward her. She caught it and handed it to her sister.

"Here."

"Thanks sweeeetie."

"Please don't mention it."

Alex lit her cigarette and put the lighter in her pocket. She watched the end of the cigarette flare in a bright orange glow as she took a drag. She inhaled deeply and then exhaled in complete satisfaction.

"This is exactly what I needed. I'm still gonna kill Ben for having us wait so long."

"Speak of the devil."

Emma nudged her sister and pointed down the road at a pair of headlights moving in there direction. A s the light got closer, they could make out the figure of a young man with long hair tied in a ponytail whipping in the wind. After a minute a candy apple red 1960 Cadillac Convertible with white walls parked in front of the two girls. From behind the wheel a smiling face was waiting to greet them.

"What up G's!"

Both the girls hung their head in devastating shame. Emma hopped in the back seat while Alex walked around the front of the car and jumped into the passenger seat. Still grinning, Ben turned to Alex.

"Yo, ain't this a fly ride ma?"

Reaching her limit with nonsense, Alex slapped him in the back of his head so hard he hit the steering wheel.

"Damn it Ben, your a short skinny Jew from Florida, your not from the streets of anywhere, so if you don't cut the bullshit and get us home, I'm going to blast a hole in your chest the size of a beach ball!"

"Okay, okay."

Rubbing his forehead, Ben shifted the car into drive. Emma lied across the back seat and laughed to herself as they drove back down the road.

"I'm so late. Dr. Coeus is going to kill me."

A very short and equally round man in a lab coat rushed down the hall as fast as his little legs could take him. He turned left, then right, then left again. He finally stopped at a dead end. He rubbed his head in frustration.

"Why the hell do all these halls look the same, and would it be to much to ask to have a map or gps or something. I'm so late."

He turned around just to be met with more white walls, white ceilings, and tiled white floors. The place looked disturbingly sterile. After another ten minutes of walking, jogging, and what at least he would call running, he finally found where he was going. Slowly he opened the door half way and stuck his head in. He let out a sigh of relief.

"I guess I wasn't late after all."

With a content smile on his face, he opened the door all the way. Before he entered the lab he brushed down his coat and straightened his tie. Still feeling a little tense he decided to stretch a little to loosen up before what he was sure would be a stressful day. As he took a step back he bumped into someone standing behind him. Startled halfway out of his skin he let out a very effeminate shriek. Shaking from head to toe he turned around only to be met with a cold unsettling face.

"D..D..Dr. Coeus! Forgive me, I had no idea that you were standing there. I was just..."

AS he was trying to explain himself, he lost his train of thought and began to trail off when he noticed an unusually red tint around the doctors lips and an equally red streak coming from the corner of his mouth. Realizing what his fumbling assistant was looking at, Coeus reached into his coat and took out a handkerchief. As he patted the corner of his mouth, he stared coldly as his assistant.

"Ethan...your late."

His eastern European accent only added to the sinister demeanor of Dr. Coeus.

"Dr. Coeus I'm so sorry, I got lost and I.."

"If your late again I will see that your terminated...from this position. Now prepare the specimen for examination whilst I...freshen up."

"Yes Doctor."

Ethan swallowed hard and felt a chill run through him. He watched the doctor walk down the hall and into the restroom. He let out a heavy sigh. Slapping his cheeks to compose himself, he entered the lab. On the way in he flipped a few switches against a wall. Bright spotlights turned on above a counter lined with an array of cutting instruments, glass tubes and beakers of all sizes, and an impressive collection of chemicals both powdered and liquid. The last switch illuminated a room adjacent to the lab. Ethan picked up a clipboard and a pen and walked over to a large glass window which overlooked the room next door. He looked at his watch and then began jotting notes as he watched form above at a young man in the room below him who was rising from bed.

Chapter 1

"Sir, the lights are out and no movement is detected. Permission to begin operation."

"Proceed."

Soundless feet rushed across empty farmland under the shadow of a cloudy night sky. Just as they are swift, they are silent. Three figures surround a small two story house set in the middle of what used to be thriving grassland. Yards off a fourth figure surveyed the area from atop an abandoned barn. As he studied the land, the house, and his team, he attached a scope to his modified .50 caliber M107, an anti material rifle commonly used against armored vehicles.

"Shadow 1 in position."

"Shadow 2 in position."

"Shadow 3 in position."

"Shadow 4 in position,all clear, begin mission."

Simultaneously the three shadow figures on the ground entered the house. One proceeded through the front door while the other two entered through the back door. The shadow figures swept through the first floor quietly, carefully checking every corner and possible hiding spot. They all met at the bottom of the staircase leading to the second floor. With an exchange of hand gestures they signaled to one another that the first floor had been checked and cleared. Slowly they proceeded upstairs to continue their search. Carefully they began their sweep of the second floor with far more discretion that they had given the floor below them. The three shadows ended their search in the master bedroom. With no sign of life detected a shadow figure raised his hand to the communicator around his neck.

"This is Shadow one. Search complete. No tangos in sight. Commencing withdra...."

Before Shadow one could finish his sentence a powerful force ravaged the second floor sending the shadow figures through the walls and onto the ground outside. The Shadow figure positioned on top of the barn quickly readied his rifle and scanned the area. He spotted the figure of a woman walking out of what was left of the house.

"This is Shadow four. Tango spotted. Taking shot."

Shadow four fixed his cross hairs on the woman's face and fired a round without hesitation. Through an intense muzzle flash a bullet flew from his weapon and created a sound that tore through the night like cannon fire. The bullet raced across the field in an instant and found itself face to face with its intended target. the two met with an incredible explosion. Dust and smoke swirled violently, blanketing the area. Shadow four patiently watched through the scope to confirm a kill. As the dust settled and the smoke began to subside a cold chill ran down the agent's back as if being stroked by death himself. From the other side of his lens he peered deep into the untouched eyes of his target. The cold blue eyes leering back at him pierced deeper that any bullet he had ever fired. Forcing himself to move, he slowly began to stand and felt hands firmly gripping both the back of his head and jaw. The last thing he saw was another woman who was standing behind him.

Miles away in a dark office a laptop was being closed by a pair of old hands. From behind an antique desk of walnut stood a suited man. He walked away form his desk and to the window on the other side of the room. He stood fixed for a moment. Staring at the city far below him. His eyes moved form one end of the landscape the the next. Inhaling deeply he began looking at his own reflection. He shook his head in disappointment and let out a sigh. He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a sleek black cell phone with a sort of futuristic design. He pressed a button and then raised the phone to his ear.

"I just received the video feed from your clearly botched attempt to do what I asked. I am very disappointed and beginning to wonder if I hired the wrong man for the job!"

From the other side on the line a low whisper gave a very uninterested reply.

"I was watching too. You withheld information on the targets and my men were ill prepared. Whats more they obviously knew we were coming. Either their psychic too or you and your people have an information leak."

In a more irritated voice the old man gave a sharp reply.

"I you are implying that I tipped them off or that I am incapable on controlling my people I swear I'll..."

The old man was cut off by a voice that was now cold and sinister.

"You'll do nothing, and if you try to threaten me again you'll be nothing. Now find the leak and handle your people. By the way, my rates just increased. I'll be in touch."

The old man swallowed a lump in his throat as he lowered the phone and placed it back in his pocket. He looked into his own eyes for moment before returning to his desk. He plops down in an executive leather chair. He rolled closer to the desk and reached for the bottom drawer and produced a 62 year old bottle of the Dalmore, and expensive scotch which taste remarkably like a cup of warm Colombian coffee and milk. He pours himself a glass and drains it in one gulp, completely disregarding the taste and experience of such a fine liquor. After 3 more shots he sits back in the chair and allowed himself to fade into sleep.

Intro Necessary

Hi. I'm Jason and welcome to Calamity. Now I don't mean that it's complete chaos here but hopefully there will be a bit of fun to be had. So to get down to business, Calamity is a story that I just started writing as a hobby. It started as a joke but then I kind of got into it. I'm no writer, journalist, author or what have you, but I found that I do enjoy it. So Calamity is a fictional story set in present day settings. Its got a lot of cloak and dagger type stuff, you know military conspiracies and what not, also there are people with powers. It all boils down to a fight to save humanity...but from what. You'll have to read it to find out more. So I am releasing 1 chapter every week. So if you find your self interested don't forget to tune in every, lets say Friday. I think that's when I will post a chapter here. If you cant wait, because you like it so much of course, I will also have chapters on facebook, those go up on Thursday. Any way I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. Oh and please feel free to leave any kind of feed back, like the story or not feedback helps me make it better. Thank again and enjoy!