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Unknown Apprentice, Rewritten
Posted By: apache119<apache119@hotmail.com>
Date: 27 September 2003, 10:58 PM
Read/Post Comments
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authors note: this story has changed alot since my last posting of it. I wanted to submit an updated version. It tells more about Evans situation and how it all got started. I even added another chapter. Enjoy!
Unknown Apprentice
By J.W. Train
Chapter 1
Running
The year 2234, January 27, 4:52 P.M
Evan crept quietly through the half opened doorway on the second floor of his house, towards the man crouching on his bedroom floor. He had seen this man before at a park in New Churchill. The man had seemed friendly enough then. That was until he broke into Evan's house and ransacked through all of Evans belongings. There were two things that Evan could do. First, he could blindside the man and throw him to the floor, or he could ask the man who he was and why he was there. Before Evan could decide, the man saw him. Evan was so startled that he instinctively kicked the man in the chin, nearly shoving it through his skull. Evan turned and ran, not thinking of the condition of the man he had just injured or how he was going to get away, but what the man wanted and why he would risk getting caught by an ex-Special Forces just to get it.
You see, Evan was a lot more than just an ex-Special Forces, he was a failed Bio-Soldier, the next breed of genetically enhanced super soldiers. Of course, not many people knew this. This project was a highly classified attempt to strengthen the USA's defenses against radical terrorist groups. With many factors compiled together, the government decided that Evan would not be useful in battle. Unfortunately, Evans body did not accept the chemical modifications. The government, code named BASE sent him to a rehabilitation outlet on Whidbey Island, Washington with hopes of Evans body finally accepting the changes. While Evan was there, scientists ran many extensive tests and came up with a cure for his incompatibility. The scientists did not tell BASE that he was fixed. The scientists at Whidbey Island were not in favor of genetically changing humans. They hoped for Evan to turn on the government. The scientist sent Evan back to his modification laboratory in Nevada. When they found out that he had broken out, they compiled all of Evans background history and test readings in one very secure location deep within the Whidbey Island outlet.
Nevada was the sight of Evans creation. He was kidnapped at the age of 17. His parents were murdered the same year. He was then subjected to rigorous tests of physical and mental capabilities. At the time of the tests, Evan was the perfect match for the task at hand. He was admitted to the Human Augmentation program. For the next ten years, Evan lived alone in countless labs. Test after test reeked havoc on Evans mental status. He slowly withered away into a useless soldier. What Evan needed was freedom. He broke out of his modification laboratory on the day of January 23 and took up a new alias as a Richard Cooper. This was enough to fool the everyday public but not the highly trained military. They were after him the day he broke out.
Chapter 2
Secret Information
Evan new he was in danger of being captured. He just didn't think they would be looking for him this quickly. After all, he was a failed experiment. How important could he be? Evan already knew the answer to this question. On January 23, when Evan had broken out, he had taken some very valuable information from the database of the main security outpost. It had something to do with another out of control human associated with an augmenting experiment. Evan didn't quite understand it all but the one part he did understand mentioned something about how the human was designed to correct another fatal mistake.
Evan wondered what this mistake was and if it had anything to do with him. Evan also was an augmented human. If the other super soldier had found out some more undisclosed information though, Evan thought he might like to meet him. Evan turned around and headed back to his house hoping to find an identity chip embedded somewhere in the robbers body. That was the way it was in Evans time. Everybody had to know who you were. You couldn't trust anybody. Not even your own mom.
There had been a few cases of identity theft involving women that disposed of the real mother and took care of the child. The court had no tolerance for this. Thus requiring everyone to conceal an identity chip somewhere on his or her body. Evan ascended the stairs that led to the second floor. He hoped that he had permanently paralyzed or injured the man so he wouldn't have to deal with him again.
The body wasn't there. Evan couldn't believe his eyes. Usually one punch in the stomach from Evan would kill a man. This guy had survived a swift kick in the chin. The only kind of person who could survive that kind of a beating would of had to have the same super strength as Evan. Was this guy Biogenetically altered also? If so, Evan knew he would have to be a lot more careful because his kind of people were out looking for him. Evan rounded up all of his important belongings. He was preparing for a long trip away from the safe city of Zaphina. While Evan was on the street, he called for a taxi to take him to the Old Nevada City, which is where Evan thought was the location of his underground modification laboratory. He was going to find out a little bit more on the mysterious man that invaded his house.
Chapter 3
Unexpected Arrival
January 28, 2234
Evan expected to get out of the cab quite a ways away from the lab. The taxi driver thought Evan was crazy for getting out in the middle of nowhere. He didn't know anything about where Evan was going or who he was, so he kindly took his pay and drove of into Old Nevada City.
He slumped low in the bushes half-expecting to see a military helicopter deploying troops to his location. There was no such thing in sight. Evan gave a sigh of relief as he crawled on his knees toward the entrance to the underground laboratory. This was going to be a lot easier than he'd thought.
Evan quickly darted toward the partially hidden tunnel and slid open the air locked gate with a quick push of his arm. "Is anybody home?" Evan murmured to himself as he slid down the piercing white hall cautiously on the look out for cameras or armed personnel. As if in the blink of an eye a door opened and a senior looking officer with an M-16 assault rifle stepped into the hall not expecting the welcome he was about to receive. In pure instinct Evan slid his hand around the officers neck and twisted. The body fell limp in his massive hands. He quietly slid the body into an empty room under an unoccupied desk. Evan knew that he could overtake this place with pure strength. He didn't take the gun. ''Don't go telling anybody about me''. Evan said in a sarcastic tone as he exited the room.
Evan resumed his search for the main security outpost, the same one he previously barrowed some info from. He peeked his head around a corner and concluded that the hallway was clear. With deafening steps he strolled down the hall not caring what officers might notice a very large strong man walking defiantly down their walkway. Almost on queue a squadron of 25 heavily armed marines turned the corner and saw their target.
Evan dodged around a nearby corner as a few bullets nearly missed his head. ''That was close''. He said to himself. Then came the squadrons reply. ''Sir, come out now. You are the property of the United States Government. You will not be penalized for your actions if you desist of the killing and injuring of the United State's citizens and come back into our custody.'' Evan didn't even give a second thought to these remarks. Besides, he hadn't killed any civilians. Evan could sense the marines moving closer to the corner where he lay shielded from their bullets. He knew their little speech was just a distraction. He decided that he would take them by surprise. Evan jumped out from behind the corner and made a swift uppercut into the nose of the first and bravest officer. The marine's body fell silently to the ground as his M-16 glided into the hands of Evan.
The hall erupted in a spray of three-inch armor piercing bullets. Most found their targets and some whizzed by the heads of the soldiers. The M-16 ran out of ammo, Evan let go and it slowly dropped to the ground. He watched the soldiers bleed to death from wounds that were no longer healable. The soldiers were all going to die. Evan was surprised that this facility was using obsolete weaponry. They really should have kept up with the times. Nowadays the government was testing such weapons as the M-24, the updated version. In fact this new gun was already in use by the Elite Special Ops. Evan had eliminated the first challenge of infiltrating the modification laboratory, and that was to dispose of any major threats to the operation.
Chapter 4
Finding Answers
The door unlocked with a pressurized hiss as Evan stepped into the main security outpost. This room consisted of one main plasma-projecting screen and a holographic image bank, along with many state of the art information specialization computers. These were specifically designed to hold vast amounts of data and nothing else.
Evan picked the nearest one and got to work on hacking the mainframe. The best thing about being biogenetically altered is that they download all there is to know about the world into your cortical stack, which is a device implanted in your spine that can store great amounts of information. The cortical stack can also be used to redeem a person's life when they're dead. The person's memories, which are downloaded in the cortical stack, can be uploaded into a new body. You can even have your old body cloned for future use. One thing that happened to be downloaded into Evans brain is how to hack a computer. It turns out that certainly would come in handy.
Evan searched all of the encryptions for any hint about another human augmentation program taking place in this facility. And there it was. It was called project cipher and there was something Evan noticed about its purpose. It was designed to destroy Richard cooper, or Evan himself. It all came together now in Evans mind. The man was not in his house to find something important; he was simply waiting for a good chance to take out Evan. No wonder he didn't die when Evan delivered that devastating kick to his jaw. No normal human could have survived that. The man was a created assassin designed for one purpose. That purpose was to search and destroy.
By the time that Evan infiltrated the facility and completed his task, the security level was risen to the absolute highest. There were squadrons just like the one Evan fought earlier stationed on the surface around the perimeter of the complex. Ensuring that no imposter would exit the facility outside of a body bag. That might have worked for a normal human but for Evan, it would be a piece of cake.
The modification lab echoed with sounds of pain and suffering as Evan picked of the rest of the soldiers that were not informed of the great threat lurking in their complex. After the building was empty from any life at all, Evan made his way to the main door from which he came through in the beginning. He peeked his head through to see if the door was being guarded. He couldn't believe his eyes. There were at least ten greatly numbered squadrons of soldiers of all types, some with heavy artillery like S2-47 Rocket Projectile Launchers. That artillery would take a while to get by. Evan had to find an alternate mode of escape. With one swift motion Evan closed the door for good, jamming the hinges to an inoperable position. He wanted to make sure the soldiers didn't sneak up from behind him.
Evan darted down the hall looking for the transportation corridor. When he found it he kicked the door in. It fell to the neatly polished tile floor with a deafening thud. He made his way to the aircraft, and made a slight grin to what lay before his eyes. There were helicopters, fighter jets, and the newest addition to the military combat force, the 47-K delta zero Strike Fighter, which was a vertical take of plane that was equipped with two hydrogen bombs, the smaller equivalent to the earlier version, yet it still created the same destruction. It also had two 50-caliber chain guns with explosive rounds. Evan knew that he wouldn't be able to get out of this place with anything less so he hopped into the cockpit and strapped himself in for an exciting thrill ride of revenge.
Private First Class Chris Sabian
Outside The Nevada Modification Laboratory
"Sir, Request permission to patrol the transportation bay. He might be trying to fly out of here."
"Permission granted Sabian. Now get a move on it.''
''Yes sir, will do sir.'' Chris Sabian walked down the side of the perimeter that was outlined for him and the rest of the Squadrons to guard against the attacks of the invader.
He knew that him and the rest of the soldiers weren't allowed to know anything else except for their mission objectives, But This mission really bugged him, and he wanted to know more. "How did he get past our forces on the inside? There must have been at least 30 or 40 soldiers in their!'' Sabian muttered to himself as he moved along the specified area. Then he noticed something strange. It was like the humming sound that a hummingbird makes during flight. "How could there be a hummingbird in the middle of Nevada." Just as he pondered that thought a small stealth aircraft equipped with heavy artillery rose in front of him into the stale thick air, and at the controls was Evan.
Chapter 5
Backlash
Chris Sabian was ripped to shreds as millions of explosive rounds detonated in and within the vicinity of his frail, powerless body. ''First resistance terminated.'' Evan was satisfied at the result of this short burst of ammunition. The stealth fighter pushed onward past the putrid remains of Private First Class Chris Sabian. "Jenkins, What the hell just happened over there? Send a squadron to check it out on the double. Move!''
''Yes sir, will do sir. Soldiers! Get ready to role!'' the ground rumbled as a squadron of soldiers walked closer than ever to their demise. Their only defense was the S2-K7 Rocket projectile launchers strapped to the artillery specialist's sides.
Evans hands couldn't be pulled of the trigger even if he wanted them to. He wanted to take full revenge against the monsters that did the changes to his body. It didn't matter if they were soldier or government official; they were all one in the same to Evan. He wanted his old life back. At least, he wished he could remember it. Countless soldiers dropped to the ground, decapitated as they lay. Evan wanted to take out the heavy artillery before they got their chance to let loose some explosive projectile's.
''Pablo! Set cover over the ridge. Take him out!'' Pablo was one of the artillery specialists. He knew exactly what to do with whatever the military gave him. He was going to take this guy out if it was the last thing he did. Pablo set up cover over the ridge where he would have a minimal amount of shielding from the vicious onslaught of the man in the jet. He thought a little cover was better than no cover. Pablo readied the rocket launcher on his shoulder and slid a highly explosive projectile down the front shaft of the gun.
From what Evan could see, the squadron of soldiers must have been eliminated. ''Time to pull out''. Evan gripped the controls and eased the jet forward.
''Fire!'' Pablo let loose one of the missiles and watched it glide swiftly past the left wing of the stealth fighter, Clipping the wing as it flew. ''Crap, What the hell was that. The left stabilizer is out, I'm going to have to take this thing down.'' Evan wasn't done with his mission yet. He armed one of the hydrogen bombs, pressed the red button, and reaped havoc on the experimental modification laboratory. The pressure packed ground imploded as mass amounts of explosives detonated underground, brought there by the pure weight of the bombs that were let loose by the fighter. Pablo died in the explosion.
The destruction from the bombs was unimaginable. This land would not be inhabitable for many years to come. Evan had not used heavy artillery to take out an enemy before, just brute force. This weapon had worked very well. Now Evan was hooked on mass destruction.
''The jet is useless. I will just have to go out the way I came in''. Evan hoped earlier that he would be able to keep the jet. After all, it would have been a very useful weapon in his strive for revenge. Evan lowered the jet to the ground, grabbed his bags, and calmly strode towards the distant road where he had been dropped of by a taxi merely an hour before. Evan took out his cell phone and called the taxi company. He was glad that he had swiped his phone and put it in his bag as he ran out of his house towards the taxicab. The taxi was on its way and Evan sat on the ground waiting for his calm escape. He was going to Whidbey Island where he could destroy all the information about his past and present once and for all.
Chapter 6
Clean slate
Just the same as last time, Evan paid the cabby, took his bags, and strode without care right to the front doors of the Whidbey Island facility. He set his bags down and disabled the camera placed near the door. To Evans surprise this facility was not militarized on the outside. It had no gun turrets or soldiers patrolling the area. He hoped it would be just the same inside. Evan kicked the door in and stood to watch as dozens of scientists scurried down the dark hallway. For some reason the power was shut of at the moment, leaving the building in complete darkness. Evans eyes had a night vision capability; he activated this option and walked down the hall as if it still was in light.
There were many doors of to the left and right. Evan opened them with silent fingers and swept the rooms for the information. He continued his search else ware in the building after his first attempts at a finding came up inconclusive. Evan descended the stairs to a location deeper within the complex. So far no resistance had been found. Evan assumed it would be the same throughout all parts of this operation. The only thing Evan wasn't ready for was a five-person team of elite special forces waiting for him in the basement of the complex. They were trained to kill and bred to put up a good fight.
When Evan was five steps from the bottom of the stairs, he knew that he wasn't alone. The soldiers knew too. Evan jumped to the bottom and ran for cover with bullets whizzing past his head. The weapons arsenal that Evan had at his hands wasn't that great, a .25 caliber pistol and five percussion grenades. The grenades alone would severely damage the building, let alone the soldiers. The soldiers moved closer to the wall yet still far enough away to maintain a safe distance.
Evan chucked a grenade around the corner and saw it roll back between his feet. These particular grenades had a seven second fuse, four of those seconds was already wasted. There was just enough time for Evan to chuck it back to the soldiers and take cover. He picked it up in his right hand, came out form the protection of the wall, and threw it as hard as he could into the chest of the closest soldier. That grenade alone took three soldiers off the worries of Evan.
Uncovered and vulnerable, Evan charged forward with his pistol directed at the throat of a soldier. He fired three rounds and then three more into the other soldier. The bodies dropped and joined their fellow dead officers. Evan leaned against a wall to reload. The hardest part of this battle was over. In a way he felt sorry for the soldiers and how they would not be going home to their families or friends tonight. Evan was not a savage killer unless he had to or if the problem with the person got entwined with his personal life. Evan dismissed he reminiscing and stepped into the underground heart of the building. It was a vault that had to contain the info that Evan sought after.
He sifted through the endless containers and came to one that looked freshly placed. It was fairly clean unlike the rest of the containers that were covered in sheets of dust. Evan shuddered at the thought of knowing his past. He opened the container anyway and picked through the papers one by one. The first few were about the recent tests on Evan but as Evan dug deeper he found his school records and his entire life story. Evan never knew what happened to his parents. What he was reading now just fueled him with more anger against BASE. The letter read:
The newest member to our Augmenting program is Evan Leer. He was apprehended at his parent's house in Nebraska. Sad to say, his parents were killed on sight. I've told Alaster before that that action is not necessary. He dismisses my talk as mere conversation, although I am glad to say that Evan has proven to be perfect criteria for this program. He has passed every test given to him so far. We have high hopes for him. Even though this technology is still experimental after one previous augment, we are moving along as planned. I hope you provide this program with enough funds to get it finished and started again in case that is needed.
Sincerely,
Surgeon General Ron Howard
The intended recipients name was scratched out. Evan lashed out in anger. "They killed my parents! Damn them! Ill kill them all a thousand times!" in anger Evan placed an armed grenade inside the vault, shut the door and watched through the blast proof glass as the name Evan Leer was erased from existence. With the explosion over, Evan decided to pack up and leave in search for the missing augment that was found in Evans house. Evan walked up to the top floor of the building, grabbed his bags, and sat down into the taxi that he had kept on call outside during the whole fight.
He told the taxi driver that he wanted to go back to Nevada, where Evan suspected that the man that was found in his house was in hiding. After all, Nevada in these times was far away from any main outlet of civilization, a great place for base facilities and people in hiding to go. Evan had to get rid of the guy, just to tie up loose ends and to release some of his building aggression. The taxi crawled to a stop in front of the closest Nevada hotel. Evan paid the cabby and congratulated him for a day of hard work escorting Evan around the country. He would start his search in the morning. First Evan felt he had to get some rest.
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