CODE X:Episode 1 (7 page)

“Doctor, there has been nothing on Parks.
Every transportation hub was sealed. He’s like a ghost who
disappeared in thin air.”

“It’s obvious he had help. Somebody is
pulling some strings. I can’t go snooping around with Dr. Collins;
she might get suspicious that he's still alive. Redouble your
efforts.”

Henry offers, “I’m using all our connections
in the government. Parks is being treated like a rogue lone wolf.
Trouble is the guy’s got a clean record. They really don’t see him
as a threat, even with the evidence we planted. So, all they have
in place is standard capture protocol.”

Landau shakes his head, “That’s not good
enough.”

Henry continues, “They put out bolos and
notified all departure modes of transportation. He’ll get caught at
an airport or bus station, and, the cops will lock him up on a
traffic stop, but that is all the effort we’ll get from them.”

“We’re going to have to do it all on our
own. Henry, you’ve got all the money you need at your fingertips.
How else can I help you, help me?"

“When Parks was young, he was an up and
coming baseball player, who was cut because he couldn’t hit a curve
ball. He took up Kung Fu, earning a first degree black belt in less
than a year. He won his first three fights in the MMA. Then, his
fiancé was killed while she was on an evening stroll with him. The
press blamed him for not recognizing the danger they were in and
accused him, an experienced fighter who tried to talk his way out
of harm’s way.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Sir, let me finish his background
information.”

Landau nods to continue.

“They sarcastically nicknamed him the Gang
Whisperer. He was not only blamed for her death, but, he blamed
himself right into the nut house rehab for abusing prescribed
drugs. It’s been five years since he last defended himself. He has
no military experience and avoids fighting at all cost. Maybe you
can profile him for me. Suggest a clue as to where he went.”

“I’m transferring ten million dollars into
your security account and there’s more where that came from. You
are on an unlimited budget to find him fast. Use all resources,”
Landau orders.

“We can go subversive, start paying our off
the grid assets. That does mean dealing with my old friends, black
market mercs and worldwide outlaw groups.”

“Fine, fine. You have my full backing. Parks
is worth nothing to me alive, but extremely valuable dead.”

Chapter 20

Parks and Biggins
stand out in a clearing, with backstops appearing back in the brush
in front of a small hill. Silhouettes of people line the back side.
“Okay Parks, time to get you familiar with your lifesaver, weapons
class.”

“I know how to shoot a gun.”

“Wrong answer.” She unslings from her
shoulder a rifle. “This is a HK416 assault rifle specially
developed for Delta Force by German gunsmiths, Heckler and Koch.
Mine is fitted with a noise suppressor or silencer for your info.
When you learn how to use it, you can use any rifle. On my hip I’m
carrying a Sig-Sauer P239 Sub-compact 9mm pistol used by SEAL Team
6. It’s light and accurate.” She takes it out and tosses it to
Parks. He backs away from it and lets it hit the ground.

“Geez. You toss it around like a tennis
ball. What’s wrong with you?”

“That’s your problem that you
will
overcome. The safety was on. Now pick it up like the tool it will
become for you.”

He picks it up and hands it back to her. She
holsters it and hands him her HK. “Fire single shots at the heart
in the first target. Always aim for center mass, take out your
opponent.”

He looks at the gun and flips off the
safety. He fires two shots, and the gun barely makes any noise,
just a soft whoosh of air each time. One hit, one miss.

“Pretty shitty shooting mister. We will
train everyday with both weapons from all angles and positions
until you never miss a shot. Understand?”

“Yeah.”

Now Parks is with Biggins near a hanging
heavy bag. They’re both wearing a light set of workout gloves.

“The first exercise is going to help you get
your foot speed back. You see that rope ladder stretched out on the
ground, you follow my lead. The ladder’s space between each rung is
the perfect size to place your foot in it. It’s plenty of room for
large boots, but running down, placing each foot inside the square
really takes skill. The object is not to touch the ropes or get
your feet tangled up during the drill.”

Biggins starts off with crisscrossing her
feet, really toe-tapping her way down the 50 foot ladder. She did
not touch a rung.

“Your turn.”

Parks starts off making it through the first
two rungs okay. Then his feet get tangled and he stumbles like a
drunk.

“Again.”

He begins all over and makes four rungs
before tripping head over heels.

“Watch me do it right.”

She dances down one end perfectly, then
reverses direction and goes back to the other end in an opposite
crossover position with her feet on each step taken. Perfect
execution of the ladder drill.

“Okay. You practice this drill at least one
hour a day. Now, let’s hit the heavy bag to get your hand speed and
accuracy back.”

“It’s going to take some time; I haven’t
worked out professionally in five years. I’ve done only bike
riding, light stuff.”

In front of the hanging bag, Biggins takes a
few kicks to Parks’ head. He parries her kicks. Then she takes a
few strikes with her hands, again aiming for his head. He makes the
correct defensive moves, stopping her thrusts.

“Let me tell you something before I show it
to you. What you just did was what we in Special Forces call
Kung Fu shit
. What you learned was a martial arts
self-defense, to disable your opponent. Now you are going to learn
offense. A killing offense. The way you were taught, you counter
attack your opponent to disable him. I’m going to teach you how to
counter with kill strikes.”

“There you go with your kill moves again.
You must have a wish to be known as Dr. Death.”

“You have to understand the gang of thugs we
will face. When we have to engage an opponent, you must secure the
situation so we no longer have to worry about them coming back from
a knockout to take us out. Their only objective is to kill you. The
only tap-out option they will get from us that will keep us safe is
when they lay dead at our feet. I do not want to go over this again
with you. This is the last time, do you understand?”

Parks bows his head, scratches the ground
back and forth with his feet, then straightens to give her a
whispered answer, “Understood.”

“I couldn’t hear you. What did you say?”
Biggins yells like a drill sergeant.

“Understood!”

“Come over here and be my standing dummy,
dummy.”

Parks moves over and stands in front of
her.

She grabs him and taps each side of his
neck, “You have two carotid arteries that feed blood to the brain.
Any strike at these babies with force can cause death. Next is the
windpipe, which is the airway for breathing. It is totally
unprotected with thin skin. This is very easy to crush with a
sharp, edge on blow, like this.” She shows a karate chop with the
flat of her hand and turns that into a flattened, knuckle out,
front strike, both demonstrated in slow motion to Parks neck. “If
you have a shot at a windpipe, take it, because your enemy will not
be able to speak or yell. We call it the silencer.”

“Next, you have the spinal cord, which
controls all motor skills for the body. A sharp blow by knuckle
thrust, kick or weapon to the center point in the small of the back
is certain death to your opponent.”

“You’re right. I was never taught to inflict
death only to avoid it. Ours is a sport. You teach to destroy.”

‘Were going to be working out eight hours a
day, you and me. Of course we will alternate speed and strength
with cardio on opposite days.”

“I’m okay with that, kind of bringing me
back to my pro ball days.”

“Now, catch this,” Biggins tosses a round
object to Parks.

He catches it. “Jeez, it’s a hand
grenade!”

“Toss it back. All’s good as long as the pin
stays in.”

Parks gingerly under hands it back to
her.

“This will get your hand speed back real
quick. Hold your hand out in front of you, and then drop the
grenade. Snatch it from falling to the ground by flipping your drop
hand, and pluck it mid-fall. Then you’ll alternate hands and drops
until you tire. Never pull the pin on it, or toss it away fast to
avoid blowing your ass up. Watch the drill.”

Biggins looks like a magician tossing,
catching, alternating hand grabs so fast the grenade seems to stay
in place as if placed on a mid-air table. Then, she pulls the pin,
shows it to him, smiles then tosses it away in the brush, and flips
the grenade into the jungle. The explosion blows a tree up out of
the brush.

“See what I mean,” she turns and is
surprised to see Parks kissing the ground.

“Mother Earths your new girlfriend now?”

He looks up with a slow rise of his head,
“You’re one crazy bitch Biggins.”

She laughs.

Chapter 21

Vicki waits
outside Landau’s office. She wonders why she was summoned for a
meeting. The door opens and Henry stands aside as Landau smiles as
he emerges to greet her. His Headquarters’ office has a huge, wall
size, exotic fish tank which extends beyond the edges of his
oversized desk behind it.

“My dear, come in come in, how are you doing
now?” He motions her towards a chair, where she sits down.

“I’m doing as good as can be expected. It
was comforting having my personal effects with me. But, memories
came with them. The shock has diminished some.”

“How have you found Alomet city? Are the
amenities to your liking?”

“Yes, my apartment is fine. And, it’s very
hard being without Nick. My mind always relives the moments of our
time together. But, I’m coping.”

“My dear Dr. Collins, the reason I asked to
see you, it’s been over three weeks since you arrived, and I must
ask you to please put Mr. Parks’ death behind you. You must start
working again. Life must go on. Immersing yourself in your work
would be the best medicine for you. Perhaps I should put an exotic
fish tank in your apartment. I find them quite soothing and they
help me think through my problems” Landau comes from behind his
desk and moves closer to her, uncomfortably close as far as she’s
concerned.

She stands up to answer him and block his
advance, “They are quite beautiful, but no thanks. You’re right. I
should look to the future. I’m ready to go back to work.”

“Wonderful! Come, come my dear doctor. Let
me show you the greatest project Alomet ever undertook, and, I
might add, it’s all based on your research discoveries.”

“That’s flattering, but I’m sure others
deserve the credit for doing the hard research.”

“We’re very excited. Your premise three
years ago for identifying certain human genes for specific organs
has been verified by our researchers. However, we are still
struggling to apply the results to all individuals. It seems there
are unknown combinations for each individual. The DNA is the same
for all, but, I assume your theory of a billion combinations of
gene molecules appears to be accurate. We just have not been able
to make any progress on advancing to the next stage of
identification.”

“I do have some new ideas on breaking down
and cataloging the gene identifiers I would like to study. I think
the unknown has been staring me in the face as the known for some
time. It is time to start working again.”

“Excellent, let me give you the tour of your
facility.”

Henry opens the door as Vicki and Dr. Landau
exit his office.

Chapter 22

A guard opens the
door for Dr. Landau to enter a building titled Alomet Genetic
Research Center. Vicki and Henry follow him inside. He walks by
another security guard sitting at the front desk.

Dr. Landau opens a door and steps aside for
Vicki to enter first. When she steps into the room, it takes her
breath away for a moment. She’s looking at an immense room,
sparkling from the bright lights that showcase the computer
stations, large wall screen monitors, DNA stations, electron
microscopes, and adjacent clean, two stage glass walled rooms
marked lab station one through lab station ten lining the walls.
Add the busy people in white coats around the room, and you have a
researcher’s dream lab.

Vicki takes a deep breath, then answers,
“Dr. Landau, I must say it is beyond what any scientist could ever
expect. This area is ten times bigger than any lab I’ve been
in.”

Landau smiles from ear to ear, “This is the
heart and soul of the project. This is just a sampling of the staff
under your direction. You are the project director. As you can see,
you can pursue dozens of different solutions of any theory you want
to investigate. And, if you don’t have enough staff and say you
need more investigators, we will immediately expand the
center.”

“I really don’t know what to say.”

“We’ve provided you with a personal
assistant, Candy. She is very understanding of your methods of
research.”

As they walk through the center, nothing but
young, beautiful people works everywhere. Vicki takes notice no one
appears over the age of 35!

Vicki states, “Everyone’s so young.”

“The intensity of this project, the
isolation, we find that only the young can withstand the
rigors.”

She steps out to the center part of the
room, sweeps her arms outward. “The equipment, it’s all state of
the art; prototype designs the leading manufactures asked me to
input on two years ago. It’s no longer theoretical equipment; the
future wish list is in here.” Vicki rushes over to lab station one
and caresses what looks like a special piece of equipment taking
center stage on the counter.