Atomic Sunrise: Prologue
- 1 -
Gina’s white hair shone in the moonlight streaming from between the night clouds, and she was plainly visible on the large overhanging tree branch. That wasn’t what concerned her at the moment, though. What concerned the hunter was the arrow she had just released from her crossbow and whether it would strike between the eyes or higher up in the third eye of its intended victim. She tracked its downward progress intently.
Gina was hoping for in the eye after what the mutant with the lumpy skin and long claws had done to her thigh just moments before. Her ascent up the tree wasn't quick enough to have kept the sharp claws from slicing open one thigh in parallel rows, ripping through the worn, soft leather material of her pants. It had taken an immense effort to continue the climb up the smooth trunk of the tree using the tiny, retractable barbs on her hands until she’d reached the first set of branches. Now she watched with revengeful glee as the sharp arrow pierced the mutant in his good—not as creepy?—eye, instead of the one that kept going crazy and rotating in all directions. The sound of the penetration was sickening and juicy. His screams could be heard over the other battles taking place, but the pained sound didn’t last long.
Her dark blue eyes flashed with anger in the moonlight. “Serves you right, you…!” And Gina followed with a string of choice and descriptive swear words directed at the now expired mutant. Her leg throbbed and the blood continued to ooze out, dripping rhythmically to the ground below her.
* * * * * * *
Gina was hoping for in the eye after what the mutant with the lumpy skin and long claws had done to her thigh just moments before. Her ascent up the tree wasn't quick enough to have kept the sharp claws from slicing open one thigh in parallel rows, ripping through the worn, soft leather material of her pants. It had taken an immense effort to continue the climb up the smooth trunk of the tree using the tiny, retractable barbs on her hands until she’d reached the first set of branches. Now she watched with revengeful glee as the sharp arrow pierced the mutant in his good—not as creepy?—eye, instead of the one that kept going crazy and rotating in all directions. The sound of the penetration was sickening and juicy. His screams could be heard over the other battles taking place, but the pained sound didn’t last long.
Her dark blue eyes flashed with anger in the moonlight. “Serves you right, you…!” And Gina followed with a string of choice and descriptive swear words directed at the now expired mutant. Her leg throbbed and the blood continued to ooze out, dripping rhythmically to the ground below her.
* * * * * * *
On the ground the bottom of Sophie’s heavy boot had just made bloody contact with a man’s face, his nose pulverizing under the impact. Sophie blinked her own blood out of one eye but didn’t risk taking the time or concentration to wipe it away to clear her vision. She tossed her head to one side to dislodge her long, straight, red hair from the sticky blood. Without stopping she continued to kick, one leg after the other, in rapid succession, driving the man backward.
Her damn gun lay useless somewhere in the bushes where it had been knocked out of her hand a few moments ago. Sophie was angry at her attacker for having messed with her gun and with herself for allowing it to happen. Suddenly the man’s tentacled arm arced down and swept Sophie off her feet. She landed hard on the ground, but the jolt was tempered by her mutated skeletal reinforcement. The tentacle wrapped tightly around her ankles and began to lift the redhead upside down, dragging her through the dirt in the process.
Through the darkness a sharp, short sword swept downward and relieved the man of his mutated “arm”. Alec grinned, his feline fangs gleaming in the partial moonlight. Blood squirted out of the stump in a fountain as Sophie fell hard to the ground.
“Thanks, I needed more gore all over me, cat boy!” she exclaimed, rolling away from the bleeding, howling man who was now lunging after her with screams of agony and anger.
“Yeah, well at least I wasn’t the one hanging upside down, Miss Great Leader!” Alec shouted back as he pivoted and swung again with his sword at the one-eyed mutant hurtling himself back at Alec.
"I had it handled!" Sophie called out.
"Oh yeah, I could see that!" Alec agreed with sarcasm.
Sinewy muscles rippled under the white fur spotted with black and brown as Alec battled for his life along with his friends and team members.
* * * * * * *
Her damn gun lay useless somewhere in the bushes where it had been knocked out of her hand a few moments ago. Sophie was angry at her attacker for having messed with her gun and with herself for allowing it to happen. Suddenly the man’s tentacled arm arced down and swept Sophie off her feet. She landed hard on the ground, but the jolt was tempered by her mutated skeletal reinforcement. The tentacle wrapped tightly around her ankles and began to lift the redhead upside down, dragging her through the dirt in the process.
Through the darkness a sharp, short sword swept downward and relieved the man of his mutated “arm”. Alec grinned, his feline fangs gleaming in the partial moonlight. Blood squirted out of the stump in a fountain as Sophie fell hard to the ground.
“Thanks, I needed more gore all over me, cat boy!” she exclaimed, rolling away from the bleeding, howling man who was now lunging after her with screams of agony and anger.
“Yeah, well at least I wasn’t the one hanging upside down, Miss Great Leader!” Alec shouted back as he pivoted and swung again with his sword at the one-eyed mutant hurtling himself back at Alec.
"I had it handled!" Sophie called out.
"Oh yeah, I could see that!" Alec agreed with sarcasm.
Sinewy muscles rippled under the white fur spotted with black and brown as Alec battled for his life along with his friends and team members.
* * * * * * *
“Razor! Another one…behind you!” Gina shouted from her perch in the tree. She loaded another arrow in the crossbow, ready to help.
The young black man kicked hard backwards using his hold on his current opponent's throat for balance. It was risky taking his full attention away from the mutant with three arms, but he didn’t want to be taken from behind. His boot struck the ribs of the one sneaking up behind him. The loud cracking of bones could be heard as well as the sound of a body hitting a tree.
Razor brought his knee up and the head in his hands down, then twisted the neck for the final kill. The sharp cracking sound distracted Razor for a moment and as the one body was falling, he felt the other wrap powerful arms around his chest and begin to squeeze. His vision began to swim in and out .
In the tree Gina couldn’t get a good shot at the mutant now attempting to crush Razor. She swore again.
Suddenly Razor threw his hard, shaved head backwards with his ending breaths and the hold loosened.
“Bad idea, cretin!” he growled and went in with his poisonous fangs exposed and delivered a lethal bite to the mutant’s neck. “Done playing around now!” he hissed, watching the other clutch his neck as the quick acting poison burned its way through the mutant's veins.
Turning he spotted Gina, her long white hair shining in the dark night, in the tree. “Thanks for the warning…he would’ve had me otherwise!”
Gina raised her crossbow in victorious reply, then both turned their attention to their team mates.
* * * * * * *
The young black man kicked hard backwards using his hold on his current opponent's throat for balance. It was risky taking his full attention away from the mutant with three arms, but he didn’t want to be taken from behind. His boot struck the ribs of the one sneaking up behind him. The loud cracking of bones could be heard as well as the sound of a body hitting a tree.
Razor brought his knee up and the head in his hands down, then twisted the neck for the final kill. The sharp cracking sound distracted Razor for a moment and as the one body was falling, he felt the other wrap powerful arms around his chest and begin to squeeze. His vision began to swim in and out .
In the tree Gina couldn’t get a good shot at the mutant now attempting to crush Razor. She swore again.
Suddenly Razor threw his hard, shaved head backwards with his ending breaths and the hold loosened.
“Bad idea, cretin!” he growled and went in with his poisonous fangs exposed and delivered a lethal bite to the mutant’s neck. “Done playing around now!” he hissed, watching the other clutch his neck as the quick acting poison burned its way through the mutant's veins.
Turning he spotted Gina, her long white hair shining in the dark night, in the tree. “Thanks for the warning…he would’ve had me otherwise!”
Gina raised her crossbow in victorious reply, then both turned their attention to their team mates.
* * * * * * *
Alec gave a final swing and decapitated his one-eyed opponent with a wild, echoing roar. The head flew end over end and thudded into a tree before dropping to the ground. The spurting blood mixed with the dirt and summer grasses.
“Sorry, loser!” he growled. “Maybe if you’d have had two eyes…”
* * * * *
“Sophie!” Razor yelled as he began moving toward the young woman.
“Kinda busy!” Sophie shouted back and shot a final round of punches at the one armed…tentacleless… whatever…mutant. “Finish him off, Bojan! Now it’s your turn!”
* * * * *
A massive black shape leaped snarling out of mottled shadows, finally allowed to participate in the fight. A pointed and muscular blue-black wolf muzzle clamped down with knife-like teeth and tore violently through the throat of the one who had been hurting his mistress. Bojan sat on his haunches afterward and howled, the sound echoing in the now still night.
Finally the mutants who’d attacked without warning and surprised the team in the middle of the warm night were dead.
“Sorry, loser!” he growled. “Maybe if you’d have had two eyes…”
* * * * *
“Sophie!” Razor yelled as he began moving toward the young woman.
“Kinda busy!” Sophie shouted back and shot a final round of punches at the one armed…tentacleless… whatever…mutant. “Finish him off, Bojan! Now it’s your turn!”
* * * * *
A massive black shape leaped snarling out of mottled shadows, finally allowed to participate in the fight. A pointed and muscular blue-black wolf muzzle clamped down with knife-like teeth and tore violently through the throat of the one who had been hurting his mistress. Bojan sat on his haunches afterward and howled, the sound echoing in the now still night.
Finally the mutants who’d attacked without warning and surprised the team in the middle of the warm night were dead.
- 2 -
Gina hung from the tree branch. Her pointed ears were twitching as she gauged the drop and released her hold, somersaulting down and landing in a rolling fall. Rising to her feet she put as little weight on her injured leg as possible and limped over to her friends. She held one hand over the blood flow.
Alec squatted down and, with a fur covered hand, wiped the darkening blood off his sword in the grass. He rose, examining the sharp blade in the bright moonlight. The clouds had moved on across the night sky.
Razor stood with his hands on his knees trying to make his lungs work properly again and spitting out the drops of poison that remained on his fangs.
Sophie stalked over and angrily pushed aside the grasses surrounding the camp aside until she found her gun. After checking it over carefully, she returned it to its rightful place in her thigh holster.
“Damn mutant gang!” she grumbled in annoyance.
The others were silent as they all observed the carnage at their feet and around them.
“Oh well, their fault…not our problem they’re dead,” Alec remarked with a shrug. “We didn’t ask them to attack."
Alec squatted down and, with a fur covered hand, wiped the darkening blood off his sword in the grass. He rose, examining the sharp blade in the bright moonlight. The clouds had moved on across the night sky.
Razor stood with his hands on his knees trying to make his lungs work properly again and spitting out the drops of poison that remained on his fangs.
Sophie stalked over and angrily pushed aside the grasses surrounding the camp aside until she found her gun. After checking it over carefully, she returned it to its rightful place in her thigh holster.
“Damn mutant gang!” she grumbled in annoyance.
The others were silent as they all observed the carnage at their feet and around them.
“Oh well, their fault…not our problem they’re dead,” Alec remarked with a shrug. “We didn’t ask them to attack."
Just as Razor was about to suggest they drag the bodies away, the quiet hum of a familiar--to the team anyway--fusion-powered motorcycle drew their attention to the west, where the small road they were camped next to met the main highway. Shortly, Claire pulled up with an abrupt stop that almost threw her forward. Her gold skin reflected the moon’s light as she took in the scene around the peaceful camp she had left earlier, her gold eyes growing wide with horror.
“What the hell happened here?” she exclaimed, staring from one person to the next, especially at their torn and dirty clothing. “I heard Bojan howling up a storm a few minutes ago and tried to hurry.”
Claire looked over at the black wolf sniffing around the dead bodies and growling menacingly deep in his throat.
“Bojan!” Sophie said sharply. “Get away, boy…stay away from those.” The wolf trotted somewhat reluctantly over to his mistress, his nose wrinkling with the scent of so much blood.
Alec, Gina, and Razor gathered closer around the motorcycle with Claire and Sophie. Their camp was ruined now, really…none of them would be able to sleep here.
“They attacked out of nowhere,” Sophie began to explain.
“Well, not out of nowhere,” Alec interjected. “They had to have come from somewhere, we just didn’t see or hear them until it was too late.”
Sophie glared at the young man who was part human and part large feline. “Shut up, Alec,” she said crossly. “You know what I meant. They attacked for no reason.”
“Did they, Sophie?” asked Claire slowly, removing a bundle wrapped in heavy cloth from the saddle pack on her bike. “I was delayed…I would have been back sooner. Maybe they were looking for this. Maybe our “friend” wanted it back after he gave it to me.”
Sophie’s eyes grew wide. “You got it then?” She accepted the bundle in both hands while everyone examined it with their eyes.
Claire nodded “No thanks to you, though…next time try not to alienate the only person who has what we need,” she said half teasingly and half serious. Sophie had issues with her temper now and then, and it was usually Claire who smoothed things over.
Razor chuckled, Alec grinned, and even Gina smirked a little as Sophie had the decency to blush slightly. “He wasn’t being cooperative enough,” Sophie defended herself with a small shrug. "I didn't hurt him that much...really."
“Five minutes really isn’t long enough to know that!” Claire exclaimed, then grinned. “But we’ve got it now and all it cost was a little flirting, some eyelash flutters, and my pheromones. He was putty in my hands after that,” she declared matter-of-factly. "Although now he's probably pissed as hell."
“Come on, let’s get out of here,” Sophie suddenly said, looking around her suspiciously. “Gina, find us a new camp, would you?”
Claire put up a hand, her gold fingers long and slender, and swung a leg off the bike. She was tall, like Sophie, and slender. She'd seen the condition of Gina's leg. "Not until I've checked you all over and patched up any injuries," she insisted, becoming the doctor once again.
“What the hell happened here?” she exclaimed, staring from one person to the next, especially at their torn and dirty clothing. “I heard Bojan howling up a storm a few minutes ago and tried to hurry.”
Claire looked over at the black wolf sniffing around the dead bodies and growling menacingly deep in his throat.
“Bojan!” Sophie said sharply. “Get away, boy…stay away from those.” The wolf trotted somewhat reluctantly over to his mistress, his nose wrinkling with the scent of so much blood.
Alec, Gina, and Razor gathered closer around the motorcycle with Claire and Sophie. Their camp was ruined now, really…none of them would be able to sleep here.
“They attacked out of nowhere,” Sophie began to explain.
“Well, not out of nowhere,” Alec interjected. “They had to have come from somewhere, we just didn’t see or hear them until it was too late.”
Sophie glared at the young man who was part human and part large feline. “Shut up, Alec,” she said crossly. “You know what I meant. They attacked for no reason.”
“Did they, Sophie?” asked Claire slowly, removing a bundle wrapped in heavy cloth from the saddle pack on her bike. “I was delayed…I would have been back sooner. Maybe they were looking for this. Maybe our “friend” wanted it back after he gave it to me.”
Sophie’s eyes grew wide. “You got it then?” She accepted the bundle in both hands while everyone examined it with their eyes.
Claire nodded “No thanks to you, though…next time try not to alienate the only person who has what we need,” she said half teasingly and half serious. Sophie had issues with her temper now and then, and it was usually Claire who smoothed things over.
Razor chuckled, Alec grinned, and even Gina smirked a little as Sophie had the decency to blush slightly. “He wasn’t being cooperative enough,” Sophie defended herself with a small shrug. "I didn't hurt him that much...really."
“Five minutes really isn’t long enough to know that!” Claire exclaimed, then grinned. “But we’ve got it now and all it cost was a little flirting, some eyelash flutters, and my pheromones. He was putty in my hands after that,” she declared matter-of-factly. "Although now he's probably pissed as hell."
“Come on, let’s get out of here,” Sophie suddenly said, looking around her suspiciously. “Gina, find us a new camp, would you?”
Claire put up a hand, her gold fingers long and slender, and swung a leg off the bike. She was tall, like Sophie, and slender. She'd seen the condition of Gina's leg. "Not until I've checked you all over and patched up any injuries," she insisted, becoming the doctor once again.
- 3 -
[The next morning]
The sunrise flowed pink, purple, and orange over the horizon as the team began to stir in their makeshift camp that Gina had found the night before. Except for Alec, who lay with his fur-covered arm over his eyes, the others readied themselves and packed up the motorcycles for the trip home. Sophie called for Bojan. The now-white wolf leaped from the bushes carrying his breakfast--a juicy, plump rabbit--in his mouth and plopped down to eat hungrily.
"Bojan's white...it must be day," came the muffled voice of Alec who was finally waking up.
Razor walked by and kicked his friend and team mate in the leg. "If you'd get up and help us get ready, that fact might not come as such a surprise," he commented.
"Hrmph, a cat's gotta sleep, man...I'm more of a night person anyway," Alec retorted, but he sat up and stretched this way and that until finally he rose agilely to his feet.
Gina laughed, a light musical sound that seemed to resonate harmoniously with the rising dawn. "That's not what you say when there's work to be done at night, Alec," the white-haired hunter teased.
Alec said nothing but suddenly sprang at Gina with a roar. She shrieked involuntarily and reacted instinctively by jumping and grabbing onto a branch of a nearby tree. She yelped as pain shot through her injured leg. She scowled as Alec laughed and walked calmly off while her hand barbs stuck to the branch. "That wasn't funny!" she yelled after him.
"Actually, it was damn funny," Alec replied over his shoulder with a grin.
He winked at Sophie as he passed her packing up her bike. The valuable item retrieved last night was tucked in the bottom of her saddle bags, still wrapped up securely.
Sophie shook her head admonishingly at Alec. “Hey, don’t go too near Bo…,” she began to warn him, but it was too late.
Still half a sleep the half snow leopard, half human hybrid walked too close to Bojan who was busily chewing up the raw rabbit. Seemingly lost in his meal, the huge wolf nonetheless was quite aware of what was going on around him…especially anyone coming near his kill. He sprang to his feet and gave a low growl as Alec passed too close, breathing his hot breath on the man’s ankle. Alec yelped in surprise but also dove to one side and away from the white wolf. He tripped over a log and fell on his butt. Bojan lay contentedly back down on his stomach and returned to crunching his meal.
Claire glanced up curiously at the sound of a yell ready to help if someone was injured. When she saw that Alec seemed in one piece--albeit on the ground, the golden skinned doctor went back to checking her medical supplies.
“Ha ha!” came Gina’s voice across the way as she dropped from the tree. “Now that was funny!”
“Alright, you two, give it a rest,” Sophie demanded as she tried to hide a smile. “We have to get a move on.”
Alec's tormenting was just part of the bargain and usually it was taken in good fun, although he could strike at the truth sometimes.
It wasn’t long before the team was under way—with Bojan in the sidecar on Sophie’s bike—riding through the early morning with the ruined sights, strange sounds, and different smells of a world after the apocalypse streaming past them. The former interstate they traveled on only had minor damage, but it was dangerous enough that the bikes traveled slow and close together. They were two days away from their destination of home, so long as nothing happened along the way.
The sunrise flowed pink, purple, and orange over the horizon as the team began to stir in their makeshift camp that Gina had found the night before. Except for Alec, who lay with his fur-covered arm over his eyes, the others readied themselves and packed up the motorcycles for the trip home. Sophie called for Bojan. The now-white wolf leaped from the bushes carrying his breakfast--a juicy, plump rabbit--in his mouth and plopped down to eat hungrily.
"Bojan's white...it must be day," came the muffled voice of Alec who was finally waking up.
Razor walked by and kicked his friend and team mate in the leg. "If you'd get up and help us get ready, that fact might not come as such a surprise," he commented.
"Hrmph, a cat's gotta sleep, man...I'm more of a night person anyway," Alec retorted, but he sat up and stretched this way and that until finally he rose agilely to his feet.
Gina laughed, a light musical sound that seemed to resonate harmoniously with the rising dawn. "That's not what you say when there's work to be done at night, Alec," the white-haired hunter teased.
Alec said nothing but suddenly sprang at Gina with a roar. She shrieked involuntarily and reacted instinctively by jumping and grabbing onto a branch of a nearby tree. She yelped as pain shot through her injured leg. She scowled as Alec laughed and walked calmly off while her hand barbs stuck to the branch. "That wasn't funny!" she yelled after him.
"Actually, it was damn funny," Alec replied over his shoulder with a grin.
He winked at Sophie as he passed her packing up her bike. The valuable item retrieved last night was tucked in the bottom of her saddle bags, still wrapped up securely.
Sophie shook her head admonishingly at Alec. “Hey, don’t go too near Bo…,” she began to warn him, but it was too late.
Still half a sleep the half snow leopard, half human hybrid walked too close to Bojan who was busily chewing up the raw rabbit. Seemingly lost in his meal, the huge wolf nonetheless was quite aware of what was going on around him…especially anyone coming near his kill. He sprang to his feet and gave a low growl as Alec passed too close, breathing his hot breath on the man’s ankle. Alec yelped in surprise but also dove to one side and away from the white wolf. He tripped over a log and fell on his butt. Bojan lay contentedly back down on his stomach and returned to crunching his meal.
Claire glanced up curiously at the sound of a yell ready to help if someone was injured. When she saw that Alec seemed in one piece--albeit on the ground, the golden skinned doctor went back to checking her medical supplies.
“Ha ha!” came Gina’s voice across the way as she dropped from the tree. “Now that was funny!”
“Alright, you two, give it a rest,” Sophie demanded as she tried to hide a smile. “We have to get a move on.”
Alec's tormenting was just part of the bargain and usually it was taken in good fun, although he could strike at the truth sometimes.
It wasn’t long before the team was under way—with Bojan in the sidecar on Sophie’s bike—riding through the early morning with the ruined sights, strange sounds, and different smells of a world after the apocalypse streaming past them. The former interstate they traveled on only had minor damage, but it was dangerous enough that the bikes traveled slow and close together. They were two days away from their destination of home, so long as nothing happened along the way.
- 4 -
[Morning – Two days later]
The cracks on the mountain road grew wider and longer with every passing year, but not at such a rate as to prevent the fusion-powered motorcycles now traveling along it to have any trouble. The summer grasses and weeds were fully sprouted now, poking up from the ground between the cracks and bouncing back when they were run over by the bikes’ tires.
It was early still, the sun was barely half way to being overhead, when the riders approached a mass of bushes flanked by two large trees that seemed to bend inwards and meet at the top, their leaves tangling in with each other. Bojan leaped out of the sidecar and disappeared into the trees along side the mountain road.
Alec and Razor rode closest to the bushes. Without getting off his bike, Razor reached in and found the concealed lever that resembled a piece of a branch—it was only upon closer inspection that it was obvious the “branch” was man made. The young black man pulled on the lever and the bushes swung inward to reveal a dark opening. Sophie, Gina, and Claire rode their bikes forward and began the climb up the hidden road. Alec motioned Razor to go ahead of him, while the feline-human hybrid activated the closing of the bushes. The bikes hummed up the slope, the land on either side dropping off into small valleys filled with trees, then over an empty area of land to a heavy bridge that traversed a large river. Sophie rode first into the large cave that housed the main entrance to Department-7.
Sophie lay her palm flat against the handprint on the screen mounted into the cave wall. Although they couldn’t see the hidden cameras and scanners, the five of them knew they were being recorded and scanned by security. It was when the huge metal doors-- camouflaged with stone that matched the cave—slid open that they knew they’d been recognized and marked as being returned from their latest mission. Inside it was a completely different and advanced world than the one they’d just ridden through—a world of metal, concrete, computers, electricity, and knowledge. A world of the more-advanced past hidden from the primitive present for its own good—or so the directors of Department-7 truly believed.
The team of Department-7 agents gave their bikes over to the mechanics, two men dressed in faded blue jumpsuits, and parted ways. Sophie, Alec, Razor, Gina, and Claire would meet later for their debriefing and next mission.
The cracks on the mountain road grew wider and longer with every passing year, but not at such a rate as to prevent the fusion-powered motorcycles now traveling along it to have any trouble. The summer grasses and weeds were fully sprouted now, poking up from the ground between the cracks and bouncing back when they were run over by the bikes’ tires.
It was early still, the sun was barely half way to being overhead, when the riders approached a mass of bushes flanked by two large trees that seemed to bend inwards and meet at the top, their leaves tangling in with each other. Bojan leaped out of the sidecar and disappeared into the trees along side the mountain road.
Alec and Razor rode closest to the bushes. Without getting off his bike, Razor reached in and found the concealed lever that resembled a piece of a branch—it was only upon closer inspection that it was obvious the “branch” was man made. The young black man pulled on the lever and the bushes swung inward to reveal a dark opening. Sophie, Gina, and Claire rode their bikes forward and began the climb up the hidden road. Alec motioned Razor to go ahead of him, while the feline-human hybrid activated the closing of the bushes. The bikes hummed up the slope, the land on either side dropping off into small valleys filled with trees, then over an empty area of land to a heavy bridge that traversed a large river. Sophie rode first into the large cave that housed the main entrance to Department-7.
Sophie lay her palm flat against the handprint on the screen mounted into the cave wall. Although they couldn’t see the hidden cameras and scanners, the five of them knew they were being recorded and scanned by security. It was when the huge metal doors-- camouflaged with stone that matched the cave—slid open that they knew they’d been recognized and marked as being returned from their latest mission. Inside it was a completely different and advanced world than the one they’d just ridden through—a world of metal, concrete, computers, electricity, and knowledge. A world of the more-advanced past hidden from the primitive present for its own good—or so the directors of Department-7 truly believed.
The team of Department-7 agents gave their bikes over to the mechanics, two men dressed in faded blue jumpsuits, and parted ways. Sophie, Alec, Razor, Gina, and Claire would meet later for their debriefing and next mission.
- 5 -
[A couple of hours later]
Closing the door to her small apartment behind her, Sophie finished pulling on her lightweight denim jacket. Although certainly not new—very few clothes were these days, unless they were handmade—the jacket was clean, a far cry from the clothes the redhead had brought home with her and dropped off at the laundry. With her straight hair pulled back into a long ponytail, Sophie herself was cleaner now as well. She checked the catch on her gun holster then smoothed down her jacket.
As she glanced down the hallway leading to a single door, the twenty-five year old young woman grinned. She detoured down the hall to the door with the red light blinking above. She lay her palm on the handprint screen in the wall. The door unlatched and slid open, then another door beyond that opened outward. Sophie could see outside, into the pine trees that grew tall and thick on the deserted mountain. On the outside of the second door there was a recreation of the side of the mountain, effectively hiding the door from discovery.
Except for one person…or wolf, rather…who knew just where to sit to trigger the light from green to red when he wished to come inside. An indicator light also went on in Sophie's small apartment and in the main computer room. There was usually someone who noticed when the huge wolf had returned home.
“Hi, Bojan! Good boy!” Sophie said happily, ushering the white, furry wolf inside and closing both doors behind them. She knelt down on one knee to pet and ruffle the big wolf’s fur. Bojan gave a low, throaty growl of pleasure.
“C’mon, then, boy,” Sophie said, standing and patting her thigh as she headed back to the main corridor. “Meeting time soon, but first…I’m starving. What say we stop by the café for some food?”
Bojan yipped and bounded ahead of her, making the few people in the corridor jump to one side. But they were used to the white, and sometimes black, wolf and merely greeted Sophie. The wolf and his mistress exited the corridor onto a more open walkway that overlooked a large courtyard many levels down below. The seventh floor walkway which they were currently on extended all the way around with various corridors leading back into the facility hidden within the mountain. Other hallways led off those corridors in a sort of organized maze.
There were seven levels of these corridors surrounding the courtyard below—which technically was far underground—containing offices, labs, living spaces, and other areas necessary for the efficient running of Department-7. The facility meant to hold 3000 people would never have survived had that many stayed. The food and supplies would have run out well before now, even with their ability to renew and create more. For thirty years after the apocalypse, the underground and mountain facility had remained secluded, but eventually the inhabitants were forced to emerge. Upon re-opening of the facility thirty years ago, many who had not been vital to the running of Department-7 had been sent out and set up in small towns and cities all over the area and beyond, as agents and regular citizens who were bound to the secret existence of their original home.
As of now, including the agents who lived here but often weren’t around, the massive research facility that was Department-7 only housed about 200 people plus the worker androids, and thus the facility seemed deserted at times.
Sophie and Bojan reached the lower level and stepped out of the elevator. Their destination, one of the cafes that fed the people, was nearly empty. Entering through the arched doorway, Sophie slid into a yellow plastic chair at a corner table while her wolf sat politely next to her. His ears flicked and twisted as he took in the familiar sounds and sights around him.
Closing the door to her small apartment behind her, Sophie finished pulling on her lightweight denim jacket. Although certainly not new—very few clothes were these days, unless they were handmade—the jacket was clean, a far cry from the clothes the redhead had brought home with her and dropped off at the laundry. With her straight hair pulled back into a long ponytail, Sophie herself was cleaner now as well. She checked the catch on her gun holster then smoothed down her jacket.
As she glanced down the hallway leading to a single door, the twenty-five year old young woman grinned. She detoured down the hall to the door with the red light blinking above. She lay her palm on the handprint screen in the wall. The door unlatched and slid open, then another door beyond that opened outward. Sophie could see outside, into the pine trees that grew tall and thick on the deserted mountain. On the outside of the second door there was a recreation of the side of the mountain, effectively hiding the door from discovery.
Except for one person…or wolf, rather…who knew just where to sit to trigger the light from green to red when he wished to come inside. An indicator light also went on in Sophie's small apartment and in the main computer room. There was usually someone who noticed when the huge wolf had returned home.
“Hi, Bojan! Good boy!” Sophie said happily, ushering the white, furry wolf inside and closing both doors behind them. She knelt down on one knee to pet and ruffle the big wolf’s fur. Bojan gave a low, throaty growl of pleasure.
“C’mon, then, boy,” Sophie said, standing and patting her thigh as she headed back to the main corridor. “Meeting time soon, but first…I’m starving. What say we stop by the café for some food?”
Bojan yipped and bounded ahead of her, making the few people in the corridor jump to one side. But they were used to the white, and sometimes black, wolf and merely greeted Sophie. The wolf and his mistress exited the corridor onto a more open walkway that overlooked a large courtyard many levels down below. The seventh floor walkway which they were currently on extended all the way around with various corridors leading back into the facility hidden within the mountain. Other hallways led off those corridors in a sort of organized maze.
There were seven levels of these corridors surrounding the courtyard below—which technically was far underground—containing offices, labs, living spaces, and other areas necessary for the efficient running of Department-7. The facility meant to hold 3000 people would never have survived had that many stayed. The food and supplies would have run out well before now, even with their ability to renew and create more. For thirty years after the apocalypse, the underground and mountain facility had remained secluded, but eventually the inhabitants were forced to emerge. Upon re-opening of the facility thirty years ago, many who had not been vital to the running of Department-7 had been sent out and set up in small towns and cities all over the area and beyond, as agents and regular citizens who were bound to the secret existence of their original home.
As of now, including the agents who lived here but often weren’t around, the massive research facility that was Department-7 only housed about 200 people plus the worker androids, and thus the facility seemed deserted at times.
Sophie and Bojan reached the lower level and stepped out of the elevator. Their destination, one of the cafes that fed the people, was nearly empty. Entering through the arched doorway, Sophie slid into a yellow plastic chair at a corner table while her wolf sat politely next to her. His ears flicked and twisted as he took in the familiar sounds and sights around him.
- 6 -
Claire stood on tiptoes at a well-worn but clean counter in the medical supplies lab. Even at her height she had a hard time reaching the top shelf. But she didn’t feel like retrieving the step-stool that had been moved across the room. A technician had already taken the used medical containers for sterilization before they would be reused.
“Ommph,” she grunted as her long, golden fingers barely clasped around the small canister of artificial blood.
Open before her on the counter was the medical equipment she took with her on missions—the hand held medical scanner, the small trauma pack that was the size of an old world, large paperback book, and the backpack which held the surgical kit, as well as the items she was replacing.
After storing the artificial blood canister in the trauma pack, she ran the small computer through its various programs just like she did religiously after every mission. She chewed on her bottom lip, biting on the dark gold streak until the computer verified that it was working properly.
“Now…,” she murmured softly checking through the backpack’s storage pockets. “Antiradition serum, check…antivenom, check…coagulant, che…oops, nope, need more of that, as usual,” Claire said to herself, shaking her head.
She found three refilled tubes and an order informing whomever would be looking at it that more was being created. Debating back and forth for a moment, Claire took two of the tubes. Those on her team seemed to take a lot of beatings and required emergency blood clotting more often than not, she thought shaking her head. Once all her supplies were packed up and ready to go again, Claire stored them in her locker and twisted the key in the lock. She replaced the lanyard and key, along with her Department-7 ID badge, around her neck.
“That’s it then…all set for the next one,” she announced to the empty supply room, then walked out into the main medical lab straightening out her well-used white lab coat over her clean, dark green pants and brown top. One of the older doctors in the facility, and her mentor, Dr. Corwin, sat staring at the computer screen reading over her initial hasty notes on the latest mission.
“Ah, there you are, Claire. Exciting end to the latest mission I see,” Dr. Corwin said with a mixture of concern and interest as he swiveled around in the chair.
Claire ran a golden hand through her dark brown and blond streaked hair. She nodded and leaned against the exam table, leaning back on her hands. “Well, I missed the actual fight…but was in time for the patching up.”
The older doctor nodded. “Well, Dr. Desmarais,” he said with a wink. “That’s the best time for you to arrive, I’d say. You’d be no good to anyone if you got hurt, right?”
Claire nodded in resignation. Her strengths did not lend themselves to the fighting part of missions, but more in diplomacy, although she could defend herself if necessary. And even though it was important that she be available to actually do the doctoring, the young woman sometimes felt guilty for not helping out more. “I suppose…yes, you’re right…,” she said, trailing off on the often discussed matter.
“Ommph,” she grunted as her long, golden fingers barely clasped around the small canister of artificial blood.
Open before her on the counter was the medical equipment she took with her on missions—the hand held medical scanner, the small trauma pack that was the size of an old world, large paperback book, and the backpack which held the surgical kit, as well as the items she was replacing.
After storing the artificial blood canister in the trauma pack, she ran the small computer through its various programs just like she did religiously after every mission. She chewed on her bottom lip, biting on the dark gold streak until the computer verified that it was working properly.
“Now…,” she murmured softly checking through the backpack’s storage pockets. “Antiradition serum, check…antivenom, check…coagulant, che…oops, nope, need more of that, as usual,” Claire said to herself, shaking her head.
She found three refilled tubes and an order informing whomever would be looking at it that more was being created. Debating back and forth for a moment, Claire took two of the tubes. Those on her team seemed to take a lot of beatings and required emergency blood clotting more often than not, she thought shaking her head. Once all her supplies were packed up and ready to go again, Claire stored them in her locker and twisted the key in the lock. She replaced the lanyard and key, along with her Department-7 ID badge, around her neck.
“That’s it then…all set for the next one,” she announced to the empty supply room, then walked out into the main medical lab straightening out her well-used white lab coat over her clean, dark green pants and brown top. One of the older doctors in the facility, and her mentor, Dr. Corwin, sat staring at the computer screen reading over her initial hasty notes on the latest mission.
“Ah, there you are, Claire. Exciting end to the latest mission I see,” Dr. Corwin said with a mixture of concern and interest as he swiveled around in the chair.
Claire ran a golden hand through her dark brown and blond streaked hair. She nodded and leaned against the exam table, leaning back on her hands. “Well, I missed the actual fight…but was in time for the patching up.”
The older doctor nodded. “Well, Dr. Desmarais,” he said with a wink. “That’s the best time for you to arrive, I’d say. You’d be no good to anyone if you got hurt, right?”
Claire nodded in resignation. Her strengths did not lend themselves to the fighting part of missions, but more in diplomacy, although she could defend herself if necessary. And even though it was important that she be available to actually do the doctoring, the young woman sometimes felt guilty for not helping out more. “I suppose…yes, you’re right…,” she said, trailing off on the often discussed matter.
- 7 -
Gina clung to the wall of the hydroponics lab. The barbs on her the palms of her hands and bottom of her bare feet secreted a transparent adhesive as they retracted and extended with her movements up the wall. With her knees bent out slightly to the sides she looked like a frog walking up the wall, which never failed to amuse Alec. Her small, thin frame helped her move easily up and down almost any surface.
“You could have waited until I brought the ladder,” her father said, his voice floating up to her from the ground. The Asian head of the team dedicated to not only producing food for the facility but also keeping alive pure plant genes for the “future” shook his head.
“Where’s the fun in that!” Gina called cheerfully down, her mutated, pointed ears sticking out from her pulled back white hair. She laughed. “Besides, I don’t think it would have reached this high up.”
“Still, there’s no sense in risking your life for a bird, dear,” her father, Dr. Wynn, rebuked mildly. He ran a hand through his short, coarse, black hair. He had to at least attempt to keep his daughter safe, regardless of the fact she’d do what she wanted anyway.
And, as was her way, Gina happily ignored the attempt to get her to conform to the “normal” way of doing things and reached one hand out slowly toward the trapped bird. The small, scared creature had flown in when another team had returned before them. Somehow it had made its panicked way down from the cave entrance to the hydroponics lab on the second level. Dr. Wynn had seen it injure itself and alight high up near the ceiling on a beam. Gina, of course, had been instantly concerned when she’d heard and had rushed into action.
Once she’d “encouraged” the bird to allow her to grasp it gently, Gina tucked the little creature into a large pocket on her borrowed vest and closed the flap. Backing down the wall, feet and hands coordinating expertly, she leaped the last few yards by withdrawing the barbs on her feet first, then her hands.
“Okay, Dad,” Gina said, scooping the bird out and shaking off the vest one arm at a time, then cupping the bird so it was nearly hidden in her hands. “I’ve got it…I’ll drop him, or her, by the medlab on my way to the debriefing. Maybe Claire is still there.”
“I’m sure she will be thrilled,” Dr. Wynn remarked raising his thinning eyebrows over his almond-shaped eyes.
Gina smiled and kissed her father on the cheek…only the shape of their eyes showing any resemblance to the other. “She won’t mind. A quick exam and patch up, then some rest, and it'll be ready to fly again soon. Bye, Dad!”
The white haired hunter slipped out of the hydroponics lab and headed over to medical.
“You could have waited until I brought the ladder,” her father said, his voice floating up to her from the ground. The Asian head of the team dedicated to not only producing food for the facility but also keeping alive pure plant genes for the “future” shook his head.
“Where’s the fun in that!” Gina called cheerfully down, her mutated, pointed ears sticking out from her pulled back white hair. She laughed. “Besides, I don’t think it would have reached this high up.”
“Still, there’s no sense in risking your life for a bird, dear,” her father, Dr. Wynn, rebuked mildly. He ran a hand through his short, coarse, black hair. He had to at least attempt to keep his daughter safe, regardless of the fact she’d do what she wanted anyway.
And, as was her way, Gina happily ignored the attempt to get her to conform to the “normal” way of doing things and reached one hand out slowly toward the trapped bird. The small, scared creature had flown in when another team had returned before them. Somehow it had made its panicked way down from the cave entrance to the hydroponics lab on the second level. Dr. Wynn had seen it injure itself and alight high up near the ceiling on a beam. Gina, of course, had been instantly concerned when she’d heard and had rushed into action.
Once she’d “encouraged” the bird to allow her to grasp it gently, Gina tucked the little creature into a large pocket on her borrowed vest and closed the flap. Backing down the wall, feet and hands coordinating expertly, she leaped the last few yards by withdrawing the barbs on her feet first, then her hands.
“Okay, Dad,” Gina said, scooping the bird out and shaking off the vest one arm at a time, then cupping the bird so it was nearly hidden in her hands. “I’ve got it…I’ll drop him, or her, by the medlab on my way to the debriefing. Maybe Claire is still there.”
“I’m sure she will be thrilled,” Dr. Wynn remarked raising his thinning eyebrows over his almond-shaped eyes.
Gina smiled and kissed her father on the cheek…only the shape of their eyes showing any resemblance to the other. “She won’t mind. A quick exam and patch up, then some rest, and it'll be ready to fly again soon. Bye, Dad!”
The white haired hunter slipped out of the hydroponics lab and headed over to medical.
- 8 -
Razor flexed his ever-growing biceps in the gym mirror, the tattooed chain of designs around each one moving up and down. He studied his muscles critically in the sparse lighting, not for their looks but for their size and potential power to protect himself and others--as he hadn't been able to do when a teenager. The young black man didn’t purposely think about his past—indeed he made the effort not to--, but now and then it came unbidden into his mind.
He’d only been a teenager when he arrived at Department-7, and an average built one at that. Certainly he had been in no condition to protect his father from death down in Blue Mesa; but Razor still carried the guilt deep down of the horrific attack. Even worse, had also been his inability to help his older brother while they’d been on a mission a few years later—about five years ago now. His mother swore she didn’t blame him, but Razor thought how could she not. Razor now made it his goal to be as powerful as he possibly could be…whether it be through his physical strength or his skill in fighting.
“Stop it,” he warned himself, speaking aloud in the empty gym. Looking into his own eyes, he shook his head. “You’re not weak anymore…no one’s ever gonna die again.” As he spoke his venomous fangs were reflected back at him in the mirror. He bared them and hissed, a sound that he made without conscious thought or effort.
Razor glanced away from himself and toward the entrance as several other people began to file in. He was able to push the past from his mind with the distraction. The tall, young man quickly grabbed up his towel to leave and headed for the stairs for a last burst of exercise up to his apartment to shower and change clothes for the meeting.
* * * * *
A loud snore filled the meeting room. Alec gave a grunt, flicked his tongue out between his lips, then tried to turn first one way then another to get more comfortable in the chair. Finally his body came to rest with his head lolling over the back of the chair and his legs sprawled out in front of him in a V-shape. His long whiskers wiggled as he smacked his lips together several times.
Finally his mouth fell open, revealing his sharp fangs, as another loud snore burst out in the otherwise silent room.
He’d only been a teenager when he arrived at Department-7, and an average built one at that. Certainly he had been in no condition to protect his father from death down in Blue Mesa; but Razor still carried the guilt deep down of the horrific attack. Even worse, had also been his inability to help his older brother while they’d been on a mission a few years later—about five years ago now. His mother swore she didn’t blame him, but Razor thought how could she not. Razor now made it his goal to be as powerful as he possibly could be…whether it be through his physical strength or his skill in fighting.
“Stop it,” he warned himself, speaking aloud in the empty gym. Looking into his own eyes, he shook his head. “You’re not weak anymore…no one’s ever gonna die again.” As he spoke his venomous fangs were reflected back at him in the mirror. He bared them and hissed, a sound that he made without conscious thought or effort.
Razor glanced away from himself and toward the entrance as several other people began to file in. He was able to push the past from his mind with the distraction. The tall, young man quickly grabbed up his towel to leave and headed for the stairs for a last burst of exercise up to his apartment to shower and change clothes for the meeting.
* * * * *
A loud snore filled the meeting room. Alec gave a grunt, flicked his tongue out between his lips, then tried to turn first one way then another to get more comfortable in the chair. Finally his body came to rest with his head lolling over the back of the chair and his legs sprawled out in front of him in a V-shape. His long whiskers wiggled as he smacked his lips together several times.
Finally his mouth fell open, revealing his sharp fangs, as another loud snore burst out in the otherwise silent room.
- 9 -
Gina, Claire, and Sophie stepped out of the elevator together after having met up at the café where Sophie had heard all about the great bird rescue and subsequent turning over to Dr. Corwin for examination. Dr. Corwin had also checked over all their injuries that Claire had taken care of in the field and had pronounced them on the way to healing nicely.
Now, ahead of them, Bojan padded along, his claws clicking on the floor, alert even in the familiar surroundings.
Up ahead Razor stepped out from the door to the stairwell that connected the seven levels, hidden away behind the walls. He leaned casually against the wall and waited for the three women to reach him: Sophie, tall, slim, and athletic, and mostly serious; Claire, also tall and slender but more flowing and elegant in a way, her compassion showing as she listened to the other two; and Gina, shorter, almost tiny, and petite, always seeming cheerful and having a good time.
Bojan gave a friendly growl and rose up on his hind legs to put his white paws on Razor’s shoulders.
“Hey, boy!” the young black man said, rubbing the wolf’s ears and head. Then he waved a hand in front of his face and grimaced. “Damn, wolf! That’s some bad breath you got there.”
Razor turned to Sophie as Bojan dropped back down to all fours. “You been feeding him those onion rings again?” he asked with a grin.
Sophie shrugged innocently. “Maybe,” she admitted. “He likes them…how can I resist that face?”
She smiled at her wolf, who gave a little hop on his front legs at her attention. Sophie swore the white wolf seemed to smile at her as if they were conspirators. “See, he knows what I’m talking about…look how he’s almost smiling.”
The four began to walk together. Razor greeted Claire and Gina as Bojan loped ahead and reached the door to the meeting room first. The large wolf rose on his hind legs, stretching his body up and pressed a paw on the screen with the handprint. The door slid open with a hiss. The four young people behind the white wolf laughed.
“I think he likes opening the doors,” Gina said with a grin. "It's weird how he knows how to do it."
"I think it's weird that security actually programmed his paw print into the system," Razor countered.
Sophie nodded and smiled at Gina but also peered at Bojan as he padded into the room, all but ignoring the humans behind him. She knew he was smarter than the average wolf…whatever that was these days…but there was more to the animal than he let on, Sophie was sure of it. The others mostly laughed at her when she tried to suggest her theory, but she knew they could see a larger intelligence in Bojan—the only difference being they didn’t subscribe human intelligence and ideas to the wolf.
“Oh now there’s a scary sight,” Claire remarked as they entered the room.
A beige carpet, somewhat worn although clean, ran wall to wall while supporting an oval table and chairs—all from the old world, from the Department 7 that used to exist. The walls were a nondescript, calming off-white and a large screen was mounted into the wall. Appearances could be deceiving, though. The simplicity was marred only by the man who resembled a human snow leopard sprawled out in one of the chairs.
“I didn’t know his mouth was so big,” Razor added, tilting his head to one side to take in the whole opening as a loud snore erupted from Alec’s mouth.
Not trying to be particularly quiet, the four team members arranged themselves around the table laughing good-naturedly at the fifth member. Sophie plopped down, leaned back and drew her legs up to the chair next to her, crossing her legs at the ankles. Claire eased herself gently into another chair, folding her hands and supporting her chin with her elbows on the table. Razor sat heavily and leaned his arms on the heavy table, while Gina walked in near silence and stopped behind Alec.
“Oh, come on, Razor, everyone knows Alec has a big mouth,” Gina said, tickling his furry forehead as she found her own chair and curled herself into it. She tossed her white ponytail with a shake of her head so it lay down her back.
Alec snorted and wiggled his large, triangular nose and whiskers.
“We should probably wake him,” Claire suggested. “Mr. Drake won’t be pleased to find him like that.”
“Now that would be funny to see and hear,” Gina said with a devilish grin.
As leader Sophie gave Gina a slightly reproachful look for wanting a fellow team member to get in trouble. But before Sophie could make a remark a sharply taloned hand shot out and grabbed hold of Gina’s long hair.
The pointed eared girl gasped in surprise. She turned to find Alec grinning at her through half closed but alert eyes.
“Watch yourself, my young sticky handed hunter, I’ve got plenty on you to counteract any trouble I might get into. You’ll want to protect me and keep me safe, I think,” Alec teased as he sat up straight and blinked.
“Oh…don’t you wish. No one would believe you anyway,” Gina said and pulled her hair from the man’s grasp. She tried to frown sternly but failed.
Everyone at the table burst out laughing until Claire began to shush them by waving one hand. “The door!” she hissed. “Mr. Drake’s here.”.
Now, ahead of them, Bojan padded along, his claws clicking on the floor, alert even in the familiar surroundings.
Up ahead Razor stepped out from the door to the stairwell that connected the seven levels, hidden away behind the walls. He leaned casually against the wall and waited for the three women to reach him: Sophie, tall, slim, and athletic, and mostly serious; Claire, also tall and slender but more flowing and elegant in a way, her compassion showing as she listened to the other two; and Gina, shorter, almost tiny, and petite, always seeming cheerful and having a good time.
Bojan gave a friendly growl and rose up on his hind legs to put his white paws on Razor’s shoulders.
“Hey, boy!” the young black man said, rubbing the wolf’s ears and head. Then he waved a hand in front of his face and grimaced. “Damn, wolf! That’s some bad breath you got there.”
Razor turned to Sophie as Bojan dropped back down to all fours. “You been feeding him those onion rings again?” he asked with a grin.
Sophie shrugged innocently. “Maybe,” she admitted. “He likes them…how can I resist that face?”
She smiled at her wolf, who gave a little hop on his front legs at her attention. Sophie swore the white wolf seemed to smile at her as if they were conspirators. “See, he knows what I’m talking about…look how he’s almost smiling.”
The four began to walk together. Razor greeted Claire and Gina as Bojan loped ahead and reached the door to the meeting room first. The large wolf rose on his hind legs, stretching his body up and pressed a paw on the screen with the handprint. The door slid open with a hiss. The four young people behind the white wolf laughed.
“I think he likes opening the doors,” Gina said with a grin. "It's weird how he knows how to do it."
"I think it's weird that security actually programmed his paw print into the system," Razor countered.
Sophie nodded and smiled at Gina but also peered at Bojan as he padded into the room, all but ignoring the humans behind him. She knew he was smarter than the average wolf…whatever that was these days…but there was more to the animal than he let on, Sophie was sure of it. The others mostly laughed at her when she tried to suggest her theory, but she knew they could see a larger intelligence in Bojan—the only difference being they didn’t subscribe human intelligence and ideas to the wolf.
“Oh now there’s a scary sight,” Claire remarked as they entered the room.
A beige carpet, somewhat worn although clean, ran wall to wall while supporting an oval table and chairs—all from the old world, from the Department 7 that used to exist. The walls were a nondescript, calming off-white and a large screen was mounted into the wall. Appearances could be deceiving, though. The simplicity was marred only by the man who resembled a human snow leopard sprawled out in one of the chairs.
“I didn’t know his mouth was so big,” Razor added, tilting his head to one side to take in the whole opening as a loud snore erupted from Alec’s mouth.
Not trying to be particularly quiet, the four team members arranged themselves around the table laughing good-naturedly at the fifth member. Sophie plopped down, leaned back and drew her legs up to the chair next to her, crossing her legs at the ankles. Claire eased herself gently into another chair, folding her hands and supporting her chin with her elbows on the table. Razor sat heavily and leaned his arms on the heavy table, while Gina walked in near silence and stopped behind Alec.
“Oh, come on, Razor, everyone knows Alec has a big mouth,” Gina said, tickling his furry forehead as she found her own chair and curled herself into it. She tossed her white ponytail with a shake of her head so it lay down her back.
Alec snorted and wiggled his large, triangular nose and whiskers.
“We should probably wake him,” Claire suggested. “Mr. Drake won’t be pleased to find him like that.”
“Now that would be funny to see and hear,” Gina said with a devilish grin.
As leader Sophie gave Gina a slightly reproachful look for wanting a fellow team member to get in trouble. But before Sophie could make a remark a sharply taloned hand shot out and grabbed hold of Gina’s long hair.
The pointed eared girl gasped in surprise. She turned to find Alec grinning at her through half closed but alert eyes.
“Watch yourself, my young sticky handed hunter, I’ve got plenty on you to counteract any trouble I might get into. You’ll want to protect me and keep me safe, I think,” Alec teased as he sat up straight and blinked.
“Oh…don’t you wish. No one would believe you anyway,” Gina said and pulled her hair from the man’s grasp. She tried to frown sternly but failed.
Everyone at the table burst out laughing until Claire began to shush them by waving one hand. “The door!” she hissed. “Mr. Drake’s here.”.
-10-
Conner Drake--somewhere in his 80s and head administrator of Department-7--entered the meeting room for Team Wolf's debriefing and found his twenty-five year old daughter and her team of friends sitting attentively at the oval table.
They were ready for the meeting, or so it seemed at first glance. But Conner could see Sophie glaring threateningly at Alec, who was attempting to refrain from bursting out laughing. The young man's whiskers were twitching. Gina was staring innocently away from the others; while Claire, her chin in her hands, looked at them all pleadingly yet resignedly. Even Bojan was staring off into the distance, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth as if in his own wolf world. Razor was the only one of the young people who even remotely appeared interested in Conner's arrival.
Back in the old world Conner had been a computer scientist and programmer, when, at age 24, the world he knew had ended with a literal bang. Or more accurately many bangs along with deadly explosions. Luckily, he and his father had been vacationing in what had been the state of Colorado and had been able to reach the hidden mountain vault of Department-7. From shock at the massive losses in his life and the world, to reluctant acceptance of the situation, to becoming an agent, to taking over command, Conner had found his health changed for the better from the brief amount of radiation exposure he’d suffered. His immune system had mutated into being capable of fighting off many poisons, diseases, radiation sickness, and apparently slowing the effects of aging.
“Good morning, everyone,” Conner Drake said briskly. He strode to the head of the table and waited with his palms pressed down onto the table's worn but polished surface. There was much to talk about, and he still had other duties and teams to deal with.
Bojan lifted his head, retrieved his tongue, and sat up straight next to Sophie’s chair. He gave a sharp yip.
In short order all eyes were on Mr. Drake, and the team replied with their own good mornings. Even Alec was alert and awake. Sophie nodded to her father, his white hair, beard, and mustache groomed and well-maintained. Then there was an expectant silence in the room.
“Team Wolf, your mission was a success,” he announced formally. “The object you retrieved was exactly what we thought it would be...and held a great deal of information for our research department. They will compile and store for future reference what they find.”
Sophie, Razor, Claire, Alex, and Gina all murmured variations of “good job” to each other, and Conner allowed them a moment. Then he cleared his throat.
The head administrator lifted up a panel embedded into the table. He flipped it completely backwards and a keyboard rose up with the motion. The older man leaned over began to type quickly. Originally, Department-7 had been a highly advanced government facility with various agendas and had been built to be fully self-sustaining under its mountain. All of the systems, including the computers, had been kept running and maintained through the advanced fusion-powered systems of the previously advanced world. Department-7 attempted to keep those outside of the mountain facility—including the power organizations—in the dark as to the technological amenities they possessed. Of course “attempted” didn't mean “successful.”
As the lights in the meeting room dimmed, the screen on the wall came to life.
“I love this part,” Alec whispered loudly, drawing a shushing sound from Sophie.”What? It's like a movie of sorts,” Alec finished with a grin.
Alec was a big fan of the silver discs that contained various forms of entertainment from the old world, and he spent a great deal of his free time observing what life was life before the apocalypse.
“Shh!” Gina also scolded. “Be respectful.”
“Are you quite done, Mr. Myrrdin?” Mr. Drake asked calmly.
Alec gulped and refused to look at Sophie or the others. He had the decency to be slightly embarrassed. His whiskers drooped a little, and Alec gave Mr. Drake his full attention.
Although he kept his face neutral, Conner gave the snow leopard man a quick wink. Despite their youth and sometimes slight irreverence, his daughter's team was the old man's favorite even if he would never admit it. The young people were well trained and usually got the job done.
“Now for your next mission...,” he said simply and images flowed across the screen on the wall.
They were ready for the meeting, or so it seemed at first glance. But Conner could see Sophie glaring threateningly at Alec, who was attempting to refrain from bursting out laughing. The young man's whiskers were twitching. Gina was staring innocently away from the others; while Claire, her chin in her hands, looked at them all pleadingly yet resignedly. Even Bojan was staring off into the distance, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth as if in his own wolf world. Razor was the only one of the young people who even remotely appeared interested in Conner's arrival.
Back in the old world Conner had been a computer scientist and programmer, when, at age 24, the world he knew had ended with a literal bang. Or more accurately many bangs along with deadly explosions. Luckily, he and his father had been vacationing in what had been the state of Colorado and had been able to reach the hidden mountain vault of Department-7. From shock at the massive losses in his life and the world, to reluctant acceptance of the situation, to becoming an agent, to taking over command, Conner had found his health changed for the better from the brief amount of radiation exposure he’d suffered. His immune system had mutated into being capable of fighting off many poisons, diseases, radiation sickness, and apparently slowing the effects of aging.
“Good morning, everyone,” Conner Drake said briskly. He strode to the head of the table and waited with his palms pressed down onto the table's worn but polished surface. There was much to talk about, and he still had other duties and teams to deal with.
Bojan lifted his head, retrieved his tongue, and sat up straight next to Sophie’s chair. He gave a sharp yip.
In short order all eyes were on Mr. Drake, and the team replied with their own good mornings. Even Alec was alert and awake. Sophie nodded to her father, his white hair, beard, and mustache groomed and well-maintained. Then there was an expectant silence in the room.
“Team Wolf, your mission was a success,” he announced formally. “The object you retrieved was exactly what we thought it would be...and held a great deal of information for our research department. They will compile and store for future reference what they find.”
Sophie, Razor, Claire, Alex, and Gina all murmured variations of “good job” to each other, and Conner allowed them a moment. Then he cleared his throat.
The head administrator lifted up a panel embedded into the table. He flipped it completely backwards and a keyboard rose up with the motion. The older man leaned over began to type quickly. Originally, Department-7 had been a highly advanced government facility with various agendas and had been built to be fully self-sustaining under its mountain. All of the systems, including the computers, had been kept running and maintained through the advanced fusion-powered systems of the previously advanced world. Department-7 attempted to keep those outside of the mountain facility—including the power organizations—in the dark as to the technological amenities they possessed. Of course “attempted” didn't mean “successful.”
As the lights in the meeting room dimmed, the screen on the wall came to life.
“I love this part,” Alec whispered loudly, drawing a shushing sound from Sophie.”What? It's like a movie of sorts,” Alec finished with a grin.
Alec was a big fan of the silver discs that contained various forms of entertainment from the old world, and he spent a great deal of his free time observing what life was life before the apocalypse.
“Shh!” Gina also scolded. “Be respectful.”
“Are you quite done, Mr. Myrrdin?” Mr. Drake asked calmly.
Alec gulped and refused to look at Sophie or the others. He had the decency to be slightly embarrassed. His whiskers drooped a little, and Alec gave Mr. Drake his full attention.
Although he kept his face neutral, Conner gave the snow leopard man a quick wink. Despite their youth and sometimes slight irreverence, his daughter's team was the old man's favorite even if he would never admit it. The young people were well trained and usually got the job done.
“Now for your next mission...,” he said simply and images flowed across the screen on the wall.