Beads of sweat poured down the front of Seth’s brow. His teeth were clenched and his hands gripped the arms of the chair. His eyes were as wide as saucers. Wrapped around his head were bandages. The front had a large dried spot where the blood had clotted then dried. From the center of the bandage wires protruded.
Standing around him was Vern, and General Harrington. The General watched with growing skepticism.
“How do you know he’s doing anything, let alone changing the weather someplace?” he asked.
“Simple General, we put the image of the target into his mind. We are controlling the stimulus to his brain, guiding him…and his power to do our bidding,” Vern explained.
“What’s the target?” the General asked.
 “Our stubborn NSA agent…Miss Jordan,” Vern smiled. “I thought I would save you the bother of sending out teams to eliminate her.”
“And how do you monitor your success?” he asked.
“Being as this is an initial test, it will be random. We will have to send a team in to check after,” Vern explained.
The General said nothing and turned his attention back to Seth. He was covered in sweat his body shaking. Walking around him, the General reached into this jacket and produced an envelope.
“Can you change the target? We would like to see something a little more in the lines of what we need…not wiping out a thousand people to get one,” the General said handing Vern the envelope.
Opening it, Vern looked at the contents, then up at the General. Walking over he handed the paper to a technician.
“This is no problem General,” Vern added.
The technician took the information and relayed it into the computers, which were linked to Seth’s brain.
           
    Spray flung over the bow as the hydrofoil chopped through the waves. Behind them the massive twister socked into the water and continued it’s pursuit. Glancing over her shoulder Olivia watched the monster grow closer. The boat was going as fast as it could, there would be no more speed. Her only hope would be once it was nearly upon them, to veer off changing direction in hopes that Seth wouldn’t be able to do the same quickly.
“We’re not going to outrun it!” Austin yelled from the lower deck.
The twister grew closer and closer with each passing second. Olivia watched her hand ready to spin the wheel changing direction. Suddenly, it was like someone had turned off a light switch. The twister evaporated before their eyes spilling tons of water and debris.
“What in the hell?” Austin yelled.
Olivia slowed the boat, the hydrofoil sliding back beneath the water. Moments later, they came to stop. Even Olivia was shocked at what she just witnessed.
“Was that…” Austin began to say.
“I think so…I think that was Seth’s creation,” she said looking out over the water.
They brought the boat back to the docks; they were in a shambles. The devastation was vast; yachts were smashed together, some thrown up onto shore. Others were reduced to floating debris. Even bodies floated amongst the carnage. Olivia turned the boat around, there was no place to dock, and they would have to go farther South.
“How much fuel this thing got?” he asked.
“Enough”
“Where we heading?” he asked.
“Any dock we can find, we need to plan our incursion into CNS,” she added, her face showing the rage she was feeling.
Austin said nothing he knew that look. When she got something stuck in her mind, she never let go.
 
    Joe Schuman swerved the car nearly colliding with another as he drove down the interstate. On the seat next to him was his laptop computer, the satellite computer hookup showing the current weather conditions across the whole planet. The computer suddenly beeped loudly and the computer program centered in on the location of the alarm.
Bringing the car to a screeching halt he leaned over keying in information. Two lines suddenly appeared on the screen. One was horizontal, the other vertical, they moved steadily across it then slowly coming together. Then a round circle appeared showing the location of the intersection.
“Got you, you bastard!”
By nightfall he pulled into the small town of Fort Myers. The place seemed desolate compared to the other towns he had just driven through. Driving around he looked for someplace to stay. A motel sign glowed in the distance, a portion of the sign was burned out and it occasionally sputtered and blinked. Pulling in, the lot was empty, there was one other car parked. At first the thought gave him a chill, then he remembered that it was still off-season, the winter crowd would be coming down soon. The front office was dark, glancing at his watch it was going on 10 p.m.
Ringing the doorbell he waited then knocked on the front glass. Moments later the light came on, an elderly gentleman walked out tightening the belt on his robe. Opening the door he frowned at him.
“You know how late it is?” he muttered clearly irritated.
“Yes, I’m sorry for disturbing you. I do need a room for the night…actually a couple of nights,” Joe added.
The man stared at him for a moment then turned opening the door further. He then went behind the counter putting a small clipboard and a pen up.
“Fill that out. How long did you say you wanted to stay?” the man asked.
“Three days should do,” Joe said filling out the form.
“That’s $120 plus tax,” the man said looking at him the frown still clear on his face.
Joe paid the bill, the man handed him the key and he went back out to his car to grab his gear. If he had turned around to look, he would have noticed the man staring intently at him. Joe began to put his equipment on the roof the car when the old man came out his hands tucked in his pockets.
“What is all that stuff?” he asked him.
“I’m a meteorologist,” Joe said continuing to unpack.
“Oh, one of those weather nuts. You guys can’t predict the weather if your life depended on it,” the old man grumbled.
“We occasionally make mistakes,” Joe said ignoring his insult.
“You can’t predict shit! If you could a lot of people wouldn’t have died today a little North of us when that twister struck,” the old man snapped.
“Like I said, it’s not an absolute science…mistakes are made,” Joe added.
“Tell that to the dead,” the man grumbled.
“Know anything about the weather?” Joe asked.
“Just what you screw ups show on television,” the man barked.
“What if I told you that someone created that twister?” Joe added.
The man drew back his face showing instantaneous concern, which Joe noticed. He then regained his composure.
“You’ve been reading too many of those weird books or something,” the man said forcing a smile.
“Humor me…what if I’m not?”
“Look it’s late…and I want to get back to bed,” the old man shrugged him off, then turned heading back to the office.
Joe watched him for a moment then resumed his unpacking. If he had continued to watch him he would have seen the old man close the blind on the door…then pick up the telephone.
 
    Olivia rented another car; they then headed back to Fort Myers. Austin wanted a closer look at the CNS Corporation. The car they rented was midsize and had more room than her sports car. A rain shower had passed leaving everything glistening wet. Turning onto a side road she slowed the car.
“There it is,” she said looking out the front window.
“Big place,” Austin mumbled.
“The fence is electrified, there were dogs along with security cameras and most likely infrared detection devices. Oh, and the top of the fence is wrapped in razor wire as you can probably tell from the bandage on my shoulder.”
“Tight as hell,” he said drawing up his night vision binoculars.
“And I bet it’s even tighter now that I’ve been there twice,” she said.
“A sewer system going in?” he asked.
“Not big enough to get us through.”
“Then the only way is to get over the fence again,” he said continuing to stare at the gate. Then something caught his eye.
Walking outside the fence was a man, in his hand he held something waving it back and forth. Turning the man stared at the building beyond the fence. Austin watched him; he had long hair tied back in a ponytail, and full goatee beard with glasses. The man looked like a reject from the 1960’s.
“Who is he?” Olivia said squinting to see.
“Don’t know, nobody I recognize. He’s paying a lot of attention to that building though and I bet those cameras have him too,” Austin added.
“The man must be looking to get killed,” she said pulling the transmission into drive.
“Oh boy, here we go! Don’t tell me we’re going to play Good Samaritan?” Austin asked.
“Either that or he’s going to get killed,” she said moving the car closer.
“So what? Let the stupid idiot get killed! Jeez Olivia…you have changed a lot in the last week.”
“Not really, just don’t like seeing these bastards get away with anything. There’s been enough people hurt…or killed. Why give them another?” She said drawing closer to him.
From inside flood lights burst on bathing the whole outer gate in brilliant light.
A siren began to wail and two headlights could be seen coming swiftly down the drive to the front gate. Joe froze, the light bathing him. Instinctively he turned and began running in the opposite direction. Olivia pressed hard on the accelerator bringing the car up to him. She then put her window down.
“Whoever the hell you are…if you want to live get the hell in!” she yelled.
Joe stopped when she yelled. His gaze then turned to the front gate were the vehicle was coming through in pursuit. Sizing his options up he didn’t have much choice. Opening the back door he dove in. Olivia floored the car screeching around the corner.
Joe sat up closing the door. He then looked at Olivia and Austin in the front seat.
“Who are you two?” he asked.
“We’re the people who just saved your ass from getting shot…or worse,” Austin said looking over his shoulder.
“Now who are you?” Olivia asked.
“Joe…Joe Schuman. I’m from the meteorological institute out west,” he said nervously.
“Well Joe Schuman, what in the hell were you nosing around the CNS Corporation for?” Austin asked.
“First off…who are you people? Information goes both ways here,” he asked.
“We’re nobody you need to concern yourself with,” Austin said turning to look at him.
“No way…don’t buy it! You people FBI?” he asked.
“Let’s just say we’re concerned citizens,” Austin grinned. “So…either you come clean or I’ll beat it out of you,” he said his grin becoming more broad.
Olivia watched Joe in the rearview mirror. His mannerisms told her he was sincere; he was scared that was easy to see. He also didn’t have anything to do with CNS Corporation.
“OK, look you spill the beans for us…then we’ll tell you who we are…I promise,” Olivia said speaking up.
Joe looked at her eyes in the mirror then back at Austin who still grinned. Shifting in the seat he glanced out the window.
“How do I know I can trust either of you?” he said.
“You don’t, but then again you are in our car…we could just deposit you alongside the road someplace. Nobody would ever find you either,” Austin began to laugh.
“Come on Austin, cut the scare crap. Can’t you see he’s just about ready to shit himself now?” Olivia glanced in the mirror again. “So? You going to tell us?”
“I’ve been monitoring some pretty wild weather and Earth changes in the last few days. Some…well some were so dramatic that they defy all reason,” he began to say.
“Like weather appearing out of nowhere…then disappearing just as fast?” Olivia asked.
  “How…how did you know?” Joe looked at her amazed.
“Just continue,” she said.
“Well, I finally found a way to track them or at least I think I did. Anyway, the epicenter points to somewhere here in Fort Myers. I’ve been walking around the city with this ion analyzer.”
“What does that tell you?” Austin asked looking at the unit he held up.
“It tells me when there is an overabundance of ionic energy in the air. Usually that means twisters or bad electrical storms. But I’ve also found that it works well for any other type of weather phenomena. There was that twister today…”
“We know, we saw it up close,” Austin said.
“So, what’s your story?” Joe asked.
“We kind of just fell into it…there is a company called Central Nerve Systems, they’re the ones behind this,” Olivia explained.
“I knew it was man made! I just knew it!” he said excitedly.
“What you don’t know is there is a hell of a lot of government people involved,” Olivia added.
“Like what? The FBI?” Joe frowned.
“Yes…like the FBI…CIA…and some military people I assume,” she nodded.
“Well we need to get this out to the media, blow the top right off this! If it can make the evening news…you might be able to shut it down,” Joe added.
“Nice thought Bozo. But you don’t know how the government works. They may close things down on the outside…but they dive deeper once it’s under cover,” Austin explained.
“So what in the hell can we do?” Joe looked nervously at them.
“We need to take them out,” Olivia added.
“Come on…you’re bullshitting me…right?”
Silence filled the car. Joe groaned in dissatisfaction, he was involved now just by association.
“Where are you staying?” Olivia asked.
“A motel just on the outskirts, it’s not too far from here.”
They drove to the motel then making sure no one saw them, slipped inside. Joe turned on the light…Olivia went over and turned it off.
“Believe me, they have people watching,” she said.
“Jesus…what do you expect to do here?” Joe whispered.
“CNS has three people whom I don’t want to see get hurt. We need to get in and get them out before we bring in other agency,” she added.
“And how are you two going to do that?” Joe looked nervously at them.
“We’re going to find a way in, that is of course…that they’re even being held there,” Austin added.
“Where else would they be?” Joe said flopping down in a chair.
“There is a place in the Keys…another research lab where they could have taken them,” Olivia explained.
“So which place are you going after?” he asked.
“CNS Corporation’s main building. We have to start someplace, their place in the keys is going to be more difficult to get into,” Olivia said peeking out the corner of the curtain.
“I was thinking about that,” Austin began to say. “We need to find a way to neutralize that main power unit again.”
“What about going in the same way I did before?” she asked.
“Forget it, they’ll have that aspect covered…and it wouldn’t surprise me if they also found a way to protect or reroute the power systems to prevent you from doing what you did before,” Austin said shaking his head 
“Than how else can we take down that whole power grid?” Olivia whispered.
“I didn’t want to mention this…because it’s going to be both our asses on the line if we use it,” he said shaking his head.
“What?” Olivia asked taking notice.
“EMP, I doubt that their systems are shielded from it,” he said looking up at her.
“Come on guys! You’re talking the same EMP that a nuclear weapon creates? What are you going to use a backpack nuke or something?” Joe asked shocked.
“No stupid, electromagnetic pulse weapons come in more forms than a nuke,” Austin replied.
“How can we get one?” Olivia said her interest peaked.
“Where did you get the rest of this stuff? Do you think your source would have access?” Austin asked.
“I doubt it, I asked for some of the projectile grenades and he couldn’t come up with them,” she shook her head.
“Ask, we have nothing to loose,” Austin said.
“My God people! What are you talking about here? There is more at stake than just this corporation!” Joe added.
“He’s right you know,” Olivia turned to Austin.
“That’s the price.”
“How much to you think it will effect?” she asked.
“If we use it on the companies grounds…I’d say it would blanket at least one or two square miles,” Austin shrugged.
Olivia nodded then grabbed her purse and slipped out the door. She headed down the side of the motel to the public telephone. There she reached into her purse she pulled out a round device, which she put over the transmitting portion of the telephone. That wouldn’t permit a trace to lock onto where she was. Dialing the number she had before, she waited…and waited. Finally the telephone picked up.
“What do you want?” the gruff voice spoke.
“I need a particular item,” she said softly.
“What?” the voice asked.
“I need TK300 EMP device,” she whispered.
“You’re joking?” the gruff voice said surprised.
“No…and I need it yesterday,” she added.
There was a long pause, for a minute she thought that maybe the line had been tapped and that she was talking to someone who was stalling her until they could trace the connection. Then the gruff voice spoke…only much lower.
“You got the money? We’re talking big bucks here too…” he asked.
“Whatever you’re looking for if you can get it,” she added.
Again a long pause.
“Name a place…with code,” the voice said.
“5w Fort Myers mall…tomorrow night. You be there and I’ll be waiting,” she said then hung up.
Turning she looked out where the street lamps illuminated the area. She half expected to see movement, someone watching in the shadows. They could be there, she knew that all too well. Instead though, she walked casually back to the room. Knocking on the door she whispered to Austin on the other side. When he opened the door he stood there his gun drawn.
“So?” he asked.
“Tomorrow night,” she said sitting down. “Either of you hungry?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” Joe smiled.
“Let’s go get something to eat,” she said getting up.
“We really shouldn’t be going anywhere, if we’re seen,” Austin said stopping them.
“It’s late, who’s going to be up looking for us at this hour?” Joe asked.
“They will be, you can bet on that,” Olivia asked. “One of us should at least go to a grocery store and get some stuff.”
“I’ll do it,” Joe added.
“Sorry, but you wouldn’t know if someone was tailing you unless they tapped you on the shoulder,” Austin said slipping his pistol back in its holster. “I’ll go.”
“Oh great! I can just see what we’re going to eat…potato chips and beer,” Olivia grinned.
“You didn’t mind it when we were in the Congo.”
“Considering we didn’t have a choice,” she quickly responded.
“What do you want?” he said sighing.
“Some fruit, grapes, oranges that sort of thing. Make one of those salads at the salad bar,” she motioned with her hands the size of salad she wanted. “Make sure you add some cheese bits too.”
“Would you like me to go and pick the lettuce by hand?” he said leaning towards her irritated.
“Would you really?” she smiled.
“Hey, could I get one of those ham and cheese deli sandwiches? Oh and a box of fig Newton’s!” Joe added.
“See…see what you started? I should sit my ass right back down here and let you both starve!” he snapped heading for the door. “You’ll get what I get you.”
Olivia was laughing as the door closed. She loved irritating him. Joe looked nervously at her; it was obvious that Austin intimidated him.
Austin drove cautiously around looking for the grocery store. Olivia never told him where it was. Glancing in the rearview mirror he thought he saw an outline of a car in the distant shadows.
He was getting jumpy.
  Making sure he kept track of his route he finally came to a 24-hour grocery store. As he got out of the car he glanced around him. A little voice inside him screamed trouble. Something wasn’t right he was sure of that. The streetlights cast eerie shadows, the light robbing him of his precious night vision. The air was humid, heavy and he hated it. It reminded him of Vietnam.
Entering the store there were a few people milling about. For the most part the store was empty. People cleaned and stocked shelves for the next day. Nobody took notice as he entered and it gave him a slight sense of ease. Grabbing a basket he moved down the isles grabbing what he wanted first. Fortunately, the salad bar was closed, chuckling, he decided to buy everything she needed to make her own…including a bowl. Moving from isle to isle he quickly filled the basket. He wasn’t the type to linger very long.
Rounding an isle his attention was drawn to the huge front windows. Outside was a mass of flashing lights. There were Police everywhere including a Swat team shrouded in black and carrying fully automatic weapons. They were talking with one of the clerks who conveniently pointed in his direction.
There was no doubt that they were after him.
Dropping the basket he drew both pistols from beneath his light coat. Moving quickly to the back of the store he headed for the meat room. From there he hoped that he could find an exit out the back. He would have to steal a car from there. The meat room was bathed in darkness as he entered. Moving around he finally found the rear exit. The door was an emergency exit, before he realized what he did he pushed the lever opening it. Instantly an alarm sounded, the exit sign flashing over his head.
“Damn it!” he cursed, then dashed out the door.
No sooner had the door closed bathing him in darkness than a pinpoint of red light gleamed on his chest. He swiveled fast his body tumbling off the loading dock onto the hard ground below. The sound of the bullet hitting the wall behind him told him there were sharpshooters hidden somewhere in the darkness.
The fall knocked the wind out of him and he gasped trying to regain his breath. Forcing himself to his feet he kept low and dashed behind a tractor-trailer. Flashing lights shone in the distance coming closer, he needed to find a way out.
Grabbing the tire chocks beneath the trailers tires he pulled them out, then moved cautiously to the cab. Picking the lock, he opened the door then proceeded to bypass the truck’s starter. Within moments the engine roared to life and he released the airbrakes and slipped the gearshift forward. The truck jerked a few times then surged out from its parking spot.
There was a sudden loud crack against the passenger windshield. Another bullet had come through hitting the top of the passenger seat. Austin gave the truck as much power as he could swinging around the side of the supermarket. Coming towards him were police cars their lights flashing…he didn’t stop.
The front of the truck slammed into them pushing them aside with the force of a flyswatter to a fly. Their metal crinkled and bent as they were thrown aside. As he drove away he could hear the zinging impacts of bullets hitting all around him. More patrol cars gave pursuit their sirens blaring along with their lights. Austin swung the truck from side to side keeping them behind him. A few times he collided and they quickly withdrew. He needed to get rid of them, ditch the truck and make his way back on foot. Getting rid of the truck wasn’t going to be easy. You couldn’t just hide it anywhere and police cars moved a lot faster. He knew they would keep pestering him like a horsefly would buzz around a person’s head. He could swat them…but never get rid of them all, he was running out of options. Turning the rig up onto the interstate he pressed his foot hard on the accelerator and slipped through the gears. Police cars swarmed all around him, some taking potshots. He swung the truck from side to side keeping their aim at bay.
Suddenly from the darkness in front of him he watched something emerge into the glow of his headlights. Sweeping at him low was an Army attack helicopter armed to the teeth.
“Jesus” he breathed watching it scream overhead.
There was no escaping now. Taking the next exit he ran the truck through its gears slowing it as much as possible. Ahead of him was the tollgate for the causeway out to Sanibel Island. The toll collector sat reading a magazine when he looked up to see a mass of flashing lights…and a large tractor trailer bearing down on him. Dashing out the side of the booth he narrowly escaped when Austin’s truck slammed into it smashing the small booth to pieces. One police car took the debris across the hood shattering the windshield and disabling them from the chase.
As Austin raced along the causeway he glanced nervously out the top of the window. That helicopter was out there somewhere. At any moment it could appear its .50 caliber machineguns ripping apart the cab. Glancing into the rearview mirror he noticed that most of the Police cars were behind him, not trying to pass on the sides. Taking both feet he slammed them down hard on the brakes.
There was a squeal of tires as the tractor and the trailer’s brakes locked. The momentum swung the trailer, jack knifing it in the middle of the road causing chaos. Police cars swerved to avoid the collision slamming into one another and the truck. Austin knew at that moment the truck was beyond the point of no return. There would be no way of correcting the trailer…especially going faster than 80 mph.
Suddenly, there was a jarring impact as one of the Police cruisers slammed into the rear of the trailer just forward of the rear wheels, wedging itself deeply beneath. Then there was a sickening groan; Austin looked out the side window at the trailer. The dual set of rear tires buckled, the axles snapping not able to handle the sideways slide of the trailer. The rear of the trailer hit the road and began to flip forward from the sheer momentum. Austin gripped the wheel; it was useless the front wheels had no effect. He watched as the guardrail quickly loomed up. The tractor’s front wheel hit smashing upwards shattering the fiberglass fender and hood. The whole truck continued to slide ripping hundreds of feet of guardrail.
There was no stopping it.
The tractor plunged off the side of the causeway, the wedged Police cruiser slamming up against the guardrail supports. What was left of the rear trailer axles ground into the side of the police car holding it firm. Austin yelled as the cab slammed into the water shattering the forward window.
Tons of water surged in.
 
    Olivia glanced nervously at her watch. Austin was taking longer than he should have, something had gone wrong.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door.
Olivia jumped up her pistol drawn. Joe bounded to his feet alarmed by her actions.
“What if it’s just Austin?” he asked.
“Forget it, my gut tells me something happened. Quick, get behind me,” she said.
Joe drew up close behind her as she moved quickly towards the door. She didn’t wait; she fired directly through the door. Grabbing Joe she forced him to the floor as a hail of gunfire tore through the front door and window. Glass flew and splinters of wood showered down upon them.
Olivia grabbed a small bag they brought in with them. Inside she pulled out two small canisters. Popping the tabs she tossed them through the broken window. Instantly billows of dense white smoke poured out.
Again there was a hail of gunfire.
Grabbing Joe by the collar she dragged him behind her through the now shattered doorway. She couldn’t see a foot in front of her…but then again…neither could their attackers. Moving steadily down the side of the outside wall she bumped into something. She didn’t wait to find out what it was and opened fire. There was a thud, moments later she crawled over a dead body.
Joe was terrified beyond belief, if Olivia wasn’t dragging him; fear would have rooted him where he knelt.
Feeling her way along the wall the smoke began to clear. They were at the corner of the motel. Glancing behind, she heard cries then gunfire through the thick smoke. Forcing Joe in front of her, they disappeared into the night.