Life-After (28 page)

I could see pieces of the puzzle swirling around inside my mind, but the picture still was not clear. Clara’s focus was on me. I was sure she had heard Flag’s story before, but it was if she was waiting for a specific point of it. It reminded me of the look she gave me as we exited the elevator. There was something important to the story that she was worried would affect me.

“
Not all twelve points were within Alliance military control so General Nathan Davalos gave the order to secure the closest one.” Flag continued. “My father was tasked to go with them and assist in securing the area and if possible containing the energy source. Alpha Factor was the team assigned to provide security. Your mother and father was part of that team.”

“
What?” I shouted. “That’s impossible!”

Yet another variation on what had happened to my parents. I turned and began to pace back and forth trying desperately to just accept what I was being told, at least for the moment. Flag and Clara just watched me. It was if they were contemplating what I would do next. I wanted to hear the rest of Flag’s story. I took in a deep breath in an attempt to re-calm myself and looked back towards Flag.

“
I’m sorry.” I said as calmly as possible. “Please continue.”

“
The military scientific research division was working on shield technology and my father was given a device that would erect a shield around the energy source to contain it. This was to not only allow them to study it in a protective shell, but to hide its energy signature from the Federation. My father, a team of Alliance scientists and Alpha Factor arrived at the location and began their mission.

They were able to secure the location and my father activated the shield. It was at that point we lost all commutations with them. The military received word of a massive explosion at the location. Our satellite images confirmed the blast. It was believed at first it was a Federation attack. That was until my team received the data on the blast. It did not match any of the known weaponry used by the Alliance or the Federation. It was clear by the energy signature that the blast was an explosion of life energy.”

I wanted to ask the obvious question. Nowhere had Flag mentioned my name or even that my parents had a child. I turned to Clara looking in her eyes searching to see if what Flag had just said was the reason for her concern. Her expression was still the same. Seeing that told me that I had not reached that point of the story yet. There was more to come.

“
I asked that I be allowed to travel with the recovery team. Because of my knowledge of my father’s work was allowed to go.” Flag continued. “The Alliance secured a parameter around the blast zone. Reports indicated there were very low levels of radiation, harmless to humans. As the helicopter arrived at the site I was amazed and shocked at the size of the blast. It had caused a massive crater. Sadly, at that point I knew no one would have survived.

We landed and the team from Beta Factor secured the location. My team began our search and soon discovered human remains. They were unidentifiable, burned to a crisp and in pieces. I feared we would not be able to find enough remains for a burial. Then one of the scientists picked up something that I believed was impossible, life signs.”

When Flag mentioned the charged remains I at first believed they were of my parents. I thought that perhaps they placed me in the Alliance school to protect me while they served the military. That was until Flag said they discovered life signs. At that point I knew what they had found.

“
The life signs were coming from the bottom of the crater.” Flag continued. “We also found strong life energy readings coming from the same location. Once approved by the military we traveled over a mile down to the bottom. It was there that we found what we first believed was a tear in space. It was also where we found the only two survivors of the blast, Lieutenants Alexander and Martha Hayden.”

“
Hayden…?” I asked. “Was that my mother’s maiden name?”

Clara squeezed my arm. For the first time I saw a hint of a change in Flag’s expression. I knew then that Hayden was not my mother’s maiden name. Flag knew I had questions, but he just continued his story.

“
The military pulled us out taking your mother and father to a secure location.” Flag continued. “Over the next few months we found enough remains to identify the remaining members of the team including my father. It was decided to build around the anomaly before further testing would be done. Preliminary reports showed the tear was not expanding and it seemed to pose no further danger.

At this time it was discovered the Federation military had been conducting research on life energy. The project was being run by Kanak’s son, Ravi. I was given access to all of my father’s work and was to head up the newly created Awakened Project to counter the Federations work when Dedrick Theed defected from the Federation.

Theed provided the Alliance government with extensive information on the Federation life energy studies including the fact that Ravi Sarin was being held against his will. Theed was given lead over the Awakened Project and I was ordered to assist him.”

All I wanted to hear about was what happened to my mother and father. The anger and energy within was building up again. It took everything I had not to scream out to him. I felt as if I was losing control. I am sure both Flag and Chase knew this. Chase held onto me tighter while Flag pretended to ignore it.

“
Naxum Mountain was named as such because of my father, Naxum Flag.” Flag continued. “The entire mountain was manmade and built around and on top of the anomaly in order to study it. The twenty seventh floor of this facility is where the tear still lies, but before I talk about that I know, David, you want the answers to what happened to your family.

Both your mother and father were exposed to the energy that escaped from the tear. We believe when my father attempted to generate a shield around the energy it interacted with the energy from the shield. This caused an explosion and opened a tear in space or as I believe a gateway.

This was when the Awakened Project and Project Gateway intertwined. With the data my father received from Kanak’s transmission we confirmed the dormant life energy existing within human beings, but it did not stop there. Life energy was also found in all living organisms in one form or another. The planet itself had life energy coursing through it. Within the tear we also found massive amounts of life energy. It flowed from one end, our planet, to another end. Because of this we called it, The Life stream.”

Everything felt as if it was coming together but at a snail’s pace. Flag’s story had almost all the elements from what I had heard and seen before. Thinking on that opened a new thought in my head. One that I had never considered until Flag mentioned the gateway. Flag picked up on my thinking. It was as if he could read my thoughts and was pleased I had opened a new train of thinking. His smile returned and he nodded at me before continuing.

“
The Alliance military asked my team to continue work on the anomaly while Theed’s team continued working with your parents and The Awakened Project.” Flag continued. “I kept close tabs on Theed’s research and was there when Theed make his discovery.

Your parents were kept in a form a stasis while tests were conducted on them. Theed theorized that the exposure to the life energy interacted with their brainwave activity. When we found them they were unconscious and their clothing had burned off of their skin. They were unconscious but unhurt. It was truly astonishing.

Theed removed your parents from their stasis. As they awoke our scans showed the life energy within their body was growing. We attempted to put them back in stasis but we could not. Their eyes opened with a glow of bright white light. Even I could do nothing but stand in amazement by this. Then the glow faded and their eyes returned to normal. Your mother and father asked what had happened not remembering anything.”

It would make sense that my abilities would have come from my parents, but not in the manner Flag described. I could not help but wonder why would I have seen and been told so many different versions of history. There were only a few possibilities I could think of. I believed Flag theorized one of those possibilities was correct.

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The Alliance military knew it was behind in the race for awakened life energy.” Flag continued. “Your parents were debriefed and volunteered to continue the testing on them. My team and I continued studying the anomaly, but I could not keep away from Theed’s work.

Three months later during normal testing you father’s energy levels spiked. An aura of light surrounded your father’s body. Beneath his skin glowed, we soon discovered it was hardening. The skin itself remained the same texture and structure, but became impenetrable. In addition to that it was discovered that any possible injury to his body would almost immediately repair itself.

This brought testing on him to a halt which angered the Alliance command. They wanted your father’s ability to be transferred to other soldiers. The Awakened Project turned into a super solider program and they were willing to do anything in order to awaken abilities in others.”

Hearing about my father and what he went through made me proud of him. I always hoped there was an honorable reason he had left me behind. Perhaps I wanted to believe a story where he was forced to give me away in order to protect me. But there was more Flag had to tell me and I feared my positive outlook towards my father would soon be shattered.

“
You father agreed to continue testing, but it was useless.” Flag continued. “The military’s strongest devices could not penetrate his skin and scans were now useless on him. They turned to your mother. That unsettled your father, but he understood she was also a decorated soldier and member of Alpha Factor and she agreed to be tested on. That was until what Theed discovered within her.

She was pregnant. You mother was unaware. She stated she had not been with your father for several weeks. Theed believed it was possible that it was the exposure to life energy that created the life inside her. At that point your mother wanted to end all testing done to her, but Theed refused. He sedated her and continued his scans. I told him he should report this to command, but he told me your mother’s body was changing and he feared soon he would not be able to continue his research on her.”

I could hardly stand. Clara held me close to her and whispered into my ear. I could not make out what she said to me. All I could think about was the fact that I may not have even been human. That I was some alien life form created from an anomaly. It was something I did not want to accept.

“
No, this can’t be true.” I said. “I’m human. I know I’m human.”

“
I know you are you, David.” Flag said. “Please, let me finish. I was beginning to have reservations about how we were conducting our research. I believed we could continue without harming your mother or the life inside of her. I should have spoken to command about my concerns but I told your father instead.

When I told him the glow in his eyes returned. This time it wasn’t a soft white, but a deep crimson red. He was enraged and demanded to know where your mother was. I told him and in a flash of light he disappeared from sight.

Seconds later as I ran towards the laboratory the security alarm sounded. Troops were all converging on the laboratory. I could hear men screaming and gun fire ahead of me. When I reached the laboratory doors I saw your father inside. He was tearing men apart like pieces of paper. Their weapons could do nothing to him. Your mother lied on an examination table still strapped in screaming at him.”

It was the same as I felt when angered. The red energy, the rage, I always believed the Federation was my enemy. In the end it was the Alliance who betrayed my family.

“
I entered the lab just as your father released your mother.” Flag continued. “He turned to me. His eyes had returned to normal. He told me he could not let his wife and unborn child be experimented on. Then he asked me to take your mother and hide her from the military.

He knew as well as I that they could not stay together. I knew my time with the Alliance military was over and so I took a copy of Theed’s research and my own notes. You mother begged your father to come with us, but she too knew that was not possible. Your father led us out of Naxum Mountain and covered our escape. As we drove away there was a massive explosion. I knew what your father had done. He sacrificed himself so we could escape.”

“
So my mother lived?” I asked. “What happened to her?”

A somber look came over Flag’s face. I knew immediately that my mother was dead. I fell to my knees staring blankly ahead. Clara wrapped her arms around me, but I could barely feel her. Flag walked over to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

“
We escaped to a neutral country and eight months later you were born.” Flag continued. “After your birth your mother became ill. I had procured some scientific equipment and was able to confirm the life energy within your mother was gone. It appeared that her life energy had transferred to you and when you were born she was left drained. Her body could not handle the loss and began to shut down. Two weeks later she was dead.”

My father sacrificed his life to save mine and my mothers. My birth was the cause of my mother’s death. All this and I still did not know who I really was and why everything was happening to me. I rose to my feet and looked directly at Flag. I had nothing left. I had to know why.

“
What is happening to me?” I asked. “Why is Richard doing this?”