EVO Universe 1: The First (15 page)

“I think what I’m about to show you next will answer all of those questions,” Dr. Kumamoto went to his computer hitting a couple of keystrokes to transfer the data to a wide screen on the wall for all to see.

“What we’re looking at are two DNA strands,” Dr. Kumamoto pointed to explaining, “The one on the left is a normal human DNA strand double helix, atoms, etc. The one on the right is your subject’s…it has a quadruple Helix…atoms and various other elements, many that I cannot find
anywhere
on the Periodic table. The nucleotides and chromosomes for the one on the left number in the millions while the one on the right numbers in the trillions maybe ever more. Each one with a possible application; also if we examine the blood itself as you see here comparing it to a regular blood sample.”

The doctor hits a button showing the actual blood itself under a microscope next to normal blood, “The normal one has white blood cells and platelets. While the quadruple helix one has neither white blood cells nor platelets whatsoever, after examining your subject’s blood closer I found that the blood cells themselves possess the properties that make up white blood cells and platelets. It appears her regular red blood cells are serving a multi-functional role of providing oxygen to the body, protecting it from disease, and repairing the body when needed. ”

Mercer and Armitage gave each other blank looks trying to figure out what exactly the doctor just said to them.

“So basically what you’re saying Doc is she’s not human,” Dustin concluded.

“I would have said that if I didn’t see her blood prior to her going to prison,” stated Dr. Kumamoto, “Ms. Dennison apparently was a regular blood donor. The hospital that employed her sent over a bag of her blood they kept in frozen storage. The one you’re viewing on the left.”

“So what you’re saying,” Mark asked trying to get a straight answer that he can understand, “Is that she was
definitely
normal before she went into prison.”

Doctor Kumamoto nodded, “From what I can determine, yes that is correct.”

“So how could she be normal,” Mark pointed to Sophia’s regular blood on the screen, “And then become…
this
while locked up,” motioned to her now altered blood on the screen.

“My only hypothesis is a form of virus,” Doctor Kumamoto shrugged, “possibly mutation, unfortunately I will not know until I have run further tests. Also, if your next question is if I know of any virus like this, my answer to you is no, I don’t know of any virus on Earth that can do anything like this.”

“Thanks doc, let us know if you find anything else that would be useful,” Mark stood there shaking his head while looking at the two samples on the screen in disbelief.

Doctor Kumamoto nodded as he went back to his work, Armitage and Mercer with a handful of files in his grip left to head back upstairs to the main office to figure out their next step with the current information they had gathered.

Dustin sighed, “Well at least we know the answer to what…just not the how.”

“We still need some more what, along with how, who and where,” Mark grumbled.

“By the way,” Dustin quickly changed the subject, “I didn’t know you could lie so well.”

“What are you talking about?” Mark asked oblivious to what his partner was getting at.

“At the prison, you met with Dennison’s parents and told them that she somehow was in contact with, and became a part of a terrorist cell that mounted an attack against the prison and broke her out before her execution,” Dustin smirked, “I’m surprised they bought that shit.”

“What did you want me to tell them Dustin?,” Mark asked defending his position, “That they’re daughter was executed, and then came back to life a superhuman monster, was killed again, and came back an even more powerful superhuman monster that busted out of prison and is now on the loose?”

Dustin shrugged, “Maybe they could have told us something…”

“Those people came to take their daughter home and bury her,” Mark cut him off; “They wouldn’t have a clue as to what happened to her, or how she got that way.”

“Good thing you emphasized to them the importance of not going to the press with this, with the promise that you’d bring their daughter home safe and sound,” Dustin chuckled, “Although you still haven’t told me how you’re gonna pull that off.”

“Do you have
anything
of
worth
to say Dustin?” Mark became irritated.

Dustin ignoring his friend’s usual temper tantrum, thought to himself for a second then remembered, “Got something on the C.O. that was killed.”

“Let’s have it,” Mark stopped in the hallway to listen.

“Turns out our “fallen hero” wasn’t squeaky clean at all,” Dustin rummaged through his files, “He was awarded six citations while working at the Allan B. Polunsky Unit, one of them was for assisting in stopping a prison riot, but he also was charged twice for excessive use of force. Nothing came of those charges; he transferred to Gatesville where he worked shifts between the regular women’s prison and the Mountain View Unit. There he had over four complaints of sexual harassment, none of them proven, one complaint of sexual assault, later dropped, and one complaint of rape which was an ongoing investigation.”

“How was he still working there?” Mark asked dumbfounded

Dustin checked the file again, “He was given desk duty until he was formally charged, but guess who the victim was?”

“Sister Shareef,” Mark snapped his finger.

“Close but no, Rosanna “Bishop” Mendoza, the car thief sharing a cell with Sister Shareef,” Dustin corrected, “She was also the person who filed the sexual assault complaint.”

“She was also friends with Dennison,” Mark added filling in the blanks, “That’s why she singled him out.”

“Also he was called “Big Buck” because he had a huge tattoo on his forearm of a stag mounting…” Dustin laughed preparing to go into detail about the late Wilford’s disturbing tattoo.

“I get the picture Dustin,” Mark waved him off not wishing to hear the rest about a stupid tattoo.

“All of this is gravy,” Dustin got serious again, “If she was “human” we’re no close to finding out what changed her, or how to stop her if it came down to it.”

“What about the assholes in black from the prison?” Mark had not forgotten about them or the incident at the lethal injection room.

Dustin hadn’t either as he screwed up his face looking through his files again, “Stanley Slater former SEAL Team Six Second Lieutenant with an IQ between 130:139, he
is
a special agent under the United States Government but the division he’s under is marked classified; he’s got a “Do Not Approach” in his file.”

“What the…?” Mark responded now baffled at what he was hearing.

Dustin not finished continued, “The toad’s boss, Arthur G. Rosen
is
a Director…there is nothing on him…division is also highly classified under the United States Government, and he also has a “Do Not Approach” in his file.”

“Holy shit,” Mark stood there totally stumped, “They really are the “Men in Black”…who the hell are these guys?”

“I don’t have the foggiest,” Dustin sighed shrugging his shoulders for the umpteenth time, “But I’d love to know why I’m the only one doing the research in regards to this case.”

To which Mark answered while walking away, “Keeps you from surfing for furry porn.”

Dustin stood there in disbelief that he would actually say that, “I…I only did that once!”

“Come on!” Mark barked.

Dustin cursed under his breath while power walking to catch up with Armitage.

As they neared the elevator to head to their temporary office they ran into a young male agent, who was apparently looking for them, “Special Agent in Charge Armitage sir, Executive Assistant Director King wants to speak with you and Special Agent in Charge Mercer ASAP.”

“Why didn’t he just call my cellphone?” Mark asked searching for his phone in his jacket.

“Said he needs you to call him on the secure line,” indicated the young agent.

Mark nodded as the agent walked off; he then turned to Dustin who had his usual annoyed look, ready to spit sarcastic venom, “I wonder what this will be about.”

Armitage does not answer as he walked onto the elevator; Mercer jumped in as well, taking it back up to the office. Inside the office they were borrowing from an agent on maternity leave, an agitated Armitage stabbed away at the telecom in an attempt to set up the secure line.

Dustin stood there watching the train wreck shaking his head, “You forgot your secure line again didn’t you?”

Mark growled jabbing the buttons with his finger as if trying to break it, “No, the stupid friggin thing isn’t working.”

“Move man…move…,” Mercer pushed him out the way, setting up the line, at the prompt he typed in his secure line code before dialing the Executive Assistant Director’s line, “Don’t feel bad my kid taught me how to do mine.”

“Shut up,” Mark snapped back.

Within less than a minute, Executive Assistant Director King’s voice came over the line, “Armitage…Mercer…?”

“What do you want Doug?” Mark said bluntly getting to the point with no mood for B.S.

“Let’s get to the point,” Executive Assistant Director King said dryly, “You came in contact with a Director Arthur Rosen?”

“Let me guess,” Mark leaned deeper into the comlink to speak, “You’re gonna tell us about the “Do Not Approach” hanging out of his ass. Who the hell is he Doug?”

Not very appreciative of Mark cutting him off, he ignored him going on, “That information…”

“Is classified, we know Doug!!” the duo barked into the comlink hoping it gave King an earache.

“Then get this through that one brain you two share,” the Director snapped back, “This guy has the wrath of God Brimstone type protection…do not fuck with him.”

“We’re not handing over this case over to some piece of…!” Mark slammed his fist on the table.

“No one is asking you to,” the Director cut him off with a tone reminding him who he was talking to, “Protection does not mean he can screw with the F.B.I either. This is now a dog race to the rabbit if you know what I mean. If you get to her she’s ours…if you don’t from what I can gather from the ass chewing I got from the top he probably has authorization to arrest and detain…probably even K.O.S…meaning she’ll be his.”

Armitage and Mercer gave each other unsettled looks.

“Look I don’t like this cloak and dagger James Bond shit as much as you do,” King came across with an uneasy voice, “Especially when it’s our own people doing it to us. You got a job to do, whatever resources you need, bring Dennison in, and keep me up to date.”

The Executive Assistant Director hung up on his end, a frustrated Armitage hit the button to hang up on his. A million and one questions were officially now swimming in his head, with no answer in sight.

“Why am I the only one asking the question how the
hell
are we going to bring this chick in
if
we find her?” Dustin let out.

Correction, a million and two.

Mark just stared into space, “Because you’re the only one making sense in this goddamn world.”

A somewhat disturbed look came across Dustin’s face, “That’s not a good thing.”

“No,” Mark huffed, “It isn’t...”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Sophia was not having a very good day, on Charles’s assistance she stayed the night; actually, he threatening to burn the one good pair of pants she had despite her threatening him with bodily harm. He took the couch, and she his bed; even though she was not tired, he reminded her that even Superman slept. It did not make any sense to her, and when he tried to explain it; it still did not make any sense to her; she just decided to humor him and go to sleep because she really did not want to hear about Kryptonian mythology, even though she was kind of living it. It did feel nice to be in a warm soft bed after almost four years on a thin mattress and a harsh spring cot in a near claustrophobic six feet by eight feet cell. Even though it smelled like Charles, she was able to “will” herself to sleep. Maybe because there were not a lot of memories other than parties and the one-day they had Thanksgiving at his apartment.

However in the middle of the night she woke up screaming and broke Charles’s headboard while caving in a part of his wall as she scampered back into it trying to brace herself. Her mental ability apparently also amplified her dreams as the horrible memory of the night Robert was murdered popped out of nowhere on her, it was the look of terror in his face that bothered her, as if he knew he was going to meet a gruesome end. The commotion startled Charles out of his sleep dropping him to the floor; he was not dreaming; his super human best friend was sleeping in his bed.

The next morning, she made breakfast to apologize for it; they agreed that she would go out for the day while Charles went to work as usual so as not to draw suspicion. He would test the blood and DNA samples he took from her; the saliva was easy to take, but her dreadlocks where as dense as steel dulling one his scissors and breaking another. In the end, she had to twist and snap apiece off to give him.