Genomorph

Chapter 54

CHAPTER 54

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2005
0600 EST

Sunday had passed pleasantly for everyone, especially it seemed for Brandi and Melissa, who had frequently disappeared to their room ‘to take a nap’. Susan suspected that the changes in Melissa were beginning to increase her sex drive as well. Brandi even commented once about them behaving like two newlyweds on their honeymoon.

Early Monday morning, Amanda and Admiral Hammerstein left for Washington and a meeting with the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Martin Moeller. Amanda was surprised when Gretchen insisted on driving them; the young woman frequently acted as chauffeur for Amanda, but was unusually insistent, saying she had to go with them. When Amanda asked her why, Gretchen lifted her chin and gave Amanda a look of fierce determination.

“I love this country too,” she said. Amanda handed her the keys.

Chief of Naval Operations Martin Moeller was not pleased as his old friend and Amanda entered his office in the Pentagon. He had been receiving some disturbing reports about the Commander of Naval Special Warfare, and there was talk from some sectors that he was somehow involved with the incident at UCLA a few days earlier. It did not help matters that Hammerstein had not been seen or heard from since that incident. When Hammerstein called and insisted they had to speak, the CNO had been reluctant but finally agreed. His aide, Lieutenant Abby Stewart, sat with them in the Admiral’s office and took notes on the meeting.

A little over an hour later, when Hammerstein and Amanda had told him their incredible story, he was certain that the whisperings he had been hearing were true; his old friend had gone off the deep end.

“Mike, this is just crazy,” Moeller said. “You have to give me something more than a wild story like this. Where’s your proof?”

“We are taking steps to secure the evidence,” Hammerstein said. He did not mention the evidence that had already been gathered by CTAG, and would not until they could be sure that Moeller had not been compromised.

“While we don’t have hard evidence of the plot, we do have proof of the existence of the alien technology,” Amanda said. She took a strange looking device from her bag and set it on the desk before Admiral Moeller.

“What exactly is this?” Moeller asked as he picked up the optical programming device.

“You don’t need to concern yourself with that, sir,” Lieutenant Stewart said as she rose from her chair, a small automatic pistol in her hand. “Mrs. Breton and Admiral Hammerstein are traitors and will be dealt with accordingly.”

“Lieutenant, what the hell are you doing!”

“Shut up,” Stewart snapped, moving so she could cover all three of them, her back to the office door. “As soon as I make a phone call, we’ll get you straightened out. You won’t even remember they were here. If any of you try anything, I will kill you.”

“What about me?” a voice asked from behind her. Stewart turned to face the newcomer but was stopped as a heavy vase smashed over her head. She dropped the gun and crumpled to the floor.

Gretchen stood in the doorway, having slipped in from the outer office where she had been eavesdropping on the meeting. She looked at Amanda sheepishly, her face reddening.

“Forgive me, Mrs. Breton,” she said. “Brandi asked me to watch out for you.”

Admiral Moeller reached for his phone to call for security, but Hammerstein stopped him.

“We don’t know how many of them can be trusted,” he said. “They could all have been subverted.”

“Stewart was one of those sleepers?” Moeller asked. He watched, stunned, as Gretchen and Hammerstein placed the young Lieutenant back in her chair and began tying her up with a lamp cord.

“No,” Amanda said. “She was most likely programmed as a watcher for you, to guard against anyone like us contacting you. You are the sleeper, Admiral.”

“That’s preposterous!”

“How long has Stewart been your aide, about a year?” Hammerstein asked
.
“Yes, since I took this post.”

“She was likely compromised shortly after that, if not before,” Amanda said. “Undoubtedly, she is the one who placed the sleeper programming in you.”

“I would know if I were one of them,” Moeller protested, but his voice held no conviction.

“How?” Hammerstein barked. “Dammit, Marty, get your head out of your ass. We let these people have free reign for years, and now we’re paying the price for it. I hope to God we’re not too late. At least, she was stopped before she made that call.”

“Yes, that will give us time to spread the word,” Amanda said. “I was careless here; I should have considered the possibility they would have watchdogs in place. The others we need to contact will have them too.”

“You can’t anticipate everything, Amanda,” Hammerstein said.

Amanda gave him an odd look, and then shook her head, “Perhaps not. What disturbs me most is what she said, that Admiral Moeller would not remember we were here after she made her phone call.”

“Do you think they can activate their sleepers over the phone?” Moeller asked.

Amanda shook her head, “Activation would not have caused you to forget our presence. No, I am afraid they have a way to alter the programming over the phone, using sound the same way the optical device uses light.”

“If they could program people over the phone, wouldn’t they have reached everyone they wanted long ago?” Moeller asked. He was thinking again, and getting angry, which was a good sign.

“It may be that they can only use that method to update someone who has already been programmed,” Amanda said.

Hammerstein’s eyes widened, “Susan ....”

Amanda nodded. “If she contacts them after she is activated, they could undo Ryan’s safeguards. She would be under their control, just like the Lieutenant.”

*****

“More coffee, Mom?” Brandi asked. With Gretchen away for the day, she had taken over kitchen duties.

“Yes, thank you, dear,” Susan replied. “That was an excellent brunch by the way. Were you always such a good cook?”

Brandi nodded as she poured the coffee, “When I was a kid, I used to help Mom in the kitchen a lot, and of course Dad taught me the manly art of grilling.”

“Well, I do remember your skill with a grill,” Susan said, smiling. “That barbecue you had after you were released from the hospital was fantastic. There you were in a wheelchair with one arm in a cast, and you still chased away everyone that tried to help.”

“Talking to the grill master is allowed,” Brandi said seriously. “Telling him how to grill, that is a not.”

“Brandi, I know I’ve asked this before, but are you really happy now? This has nothing to do with what you told me Friday night; I just want to be sure. If a way was found to restore you, would you truly choose to remain as you are?”

“Mom, I…” Brandi started. As Susan watched, it was almost as if she could see her shifting gears. When she continued speaking, Susan knew it was the fragment of her that was still Brandon that was doing the talking.

“Susan, the answer is yes; I am happy, and I would choose to stay Brandi. Are there things about me I would change if I could? Of course there are, but who can really say truthfully there isn’t something about themselves they would change if they could.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, it’s just that I still feel ….”

“You are not responsible for what happened,” Brandi interrupted.

“I just want you to have a normal life,” Susan said.

“What’s normal?” Brandi asked. “Susan, for sixteen years I jumped out of aircraft, swam miles underwater or did any number of other things that many people do for recreation, but I used them as a means to get someplace to gather information or blow things up or kill the bad guys. What was abnormal to me was the two years I was stuck in a body that couldn’t do any of that. The fact is that I was born to do this, and even without this body and all its abilities, I was damn good at it.”

Susan smiled. “I’m very glad to hear that.”

“Well, I should get these dishes cleaned up and then go wake up sleepy head.” Brandi smiled. She gathered up their plates and took them into the kitchen. She was just loading them into the dishwasher when she heard Susan cry out.

“Mom, are you all right?” she asked as she rushed back into the dining room. Susan was picking herself up from the floor, a shocked look on her face.

“I’ve just been activated,” she said as Brandi helped her to her feet. “I’m supposed to call in immediately to receive instructions.”

“Are you all right?” Brandi asked again, her face clouding with concern.

“Yes and no,” Susan said. “I feel very different. It’s hard to explain. I feel a very strong need to obey the instructions to call in. I can feel thoughts forcing their way into my mind, and I don’t like them; they’re not mine, but they feel like my thoughts. I know that sounds odd.”

Brandi squeezed her hand gently and shook her head, “Not to me.”

“I had better call,” Susan said. “If I delay too long, they may become suspicious.”

“I’ll get Melissa ready,” Brandi said, heading for the foyer and the stairs.

Susan left the dining room and went into the parlor to use the phone there. She dialed the number that was implanted in her mind and waited for someone to answer.

She never heard a voice, just a series of rapid fire tones that caused her grip on the receiver to tighten. She tried to lower the phone, but found she was unable to move, unable to do anything but listen. She felt her ability to resist the programming being stripped away, and then, seconds later, she wondered why she was trying to resist at all. After all, the organization was right; they were much better suited to run the nation than those currently in power, and she deserved to be a part of the new order.

It took only a few seconds for the programming update to download into Susan’s mind. After the tones faded, she hung up the phone. She had just turned to leave the parlor when the phone rang.

“Hello?” she answered and listened as Amanda spoke hurriedly about what they had learned.

“I’m glad you called Amanda,” Susan said. “They haven’t activated me as yet, but when they do, I’ll have Brandi make the call for instructions; they will be unlikely to have any affect on her.”

Susan listened once more as Amanda updated her on their progress, an unpleasant smile crossing her face.

“I’m pleased you’re making progress. I’ll make sure the girls know.”

Hanging up the phone, Susan returned to the foyer and waited. A few minutes later, Brandi and Melissa came down the stairs.

“Amanda called right after I got the instructions,” Susan said. “She wanted us to know things are going well. I told her about the activation signal and my instructions.”

“So what are they planning,” Brandi asked.

“In a few minutes, a small team will breach the fence on the far side of the estate,” Susan said. “They expect you and the SEALs to investigate when the alarm sounds. While you’re gone, I’m to take Melissa to a car waiting a mile down the road.”

“Pretty much what I expected,” Brandi said. She walked over and wrapped her arms around Susan.

“Please be careful, Mom.”

“I will, darling,” Susan said. “And don’t you worry; we’ll see each other soon.”

*****

A mile away from the estate, Mercer and Mitchell waited in the surveillance van, listening to the reports as a small tactical team entered the estate grounds. They had not been told they were a diversion, or that they were facing an entire platoon of Navy SEALs in addition to the girl. To make certain they would provide a sufficient diversion, the team had been programmed with one of the Forerunner devices; they would fight to the last man.

“We have a car approaching,” a voice called over the radio. Moments later, a black Lincoln pulled to a stop and Susan got out, a small revolver in her hand. She motioned towards the passenger seat with the pistol, and Melissa exited the vehicle and was immediately grabbed by two agents and dragged into the van.

“Get us out of here,” Mercer called to the driver after Susan had climbed in with them. The van sped away from the scene.

“You had no problems?” Mercer asked.

“None.” Susan smiled. “You do however. The Genomorph anticipated this move. That geek Ryan tried to screw with my head, but it didn’t work. She thinks I am still her mommy, and that this is all part of the plan.”

“Susan, what are you doing!” Melissa shouted, struggling against the agents holding her. Mitchell drew a collapsible baton from his belt and snapped it out, striking Melissa a sharp blow across the ear. She cried out in pain and shrank back, grasping the side of her face as she cried.

“That was just a love tap, sweetheart,” Mitchell said. “You open your mouth again, and I will really hit you.”

Melissa remained silent, but continued to glare through her tears as Susan told them the entire plan.

“The Genomorph wants you to demand her surrender; she wants you to take her into the lab,” Susan explained. “Once she’s down there, the SEALs will assault the surface to draw the security force out, and then she will break free and disable the uplink from inside.”

“What about her?” Mercer asked, gesturing to Melissa. “Doesn’t she care about what we might do to this one?”

Susan smiled maliciously. “Melissa is almost as resilient as the Genomorph now. During your failed attempt in Los Angeles, she was badly wounded and the Genomorph bonded with her, saturating her body with nano-cyborgs to save her life. Right now, she is being transformed into a physical twin of the Genomorph.”

“So there will be two Genomorphs?” Mercer asked, clearly excited by the possibility.

“No,” Susan said, shaking her head. “Melissa will look like her, and she will have a superior human body, but the more drastic changes can’t be made without the GMU.”

“Do you know the details of the SEAL assault?” Mitchell asked, steering them back towards what he considered paramount. They could talk about scientific matters later.

“Not entirely,” Susan said. “I do know they are parachuting in, and I know their landing zone coordinates.”

Mitchell smiled, “We’ll have to arrange a proper reception.”

*****

Brandi surveyed the aftermath of the assault with Matt; six mercenaries lay dead just inside the estate grounds. They had put up a determined fight, but they had been sorely outgunned and outclassed.

“What a waste,” Brandi said. “They just threw these fools away.”

“We had them,” Matt said. “Why didn’t they surrender?”

“Maybe they couldn’t,” Brandi said. “Maybe they used one of those optical devices and turned them into a suicide squad.”

Matt shook his head sadly, “Well, we should probably go check on Melissa and Susan.”

“They’re miles away from here,” Brandi said. She looked at Matt and struggled to hold in her tears. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“You can do it,” Matt told her. “You can do it for her. I’ll make the call and get the aircraft made ready. They’ll have it prepped in under two hours.”

The pretty blonde nodded. Time was of the essence now; the woman she loved was in the clutches of a vile group of men, and the sooner the plan was in motion, the better she would feel.

~ Hold on love, ~ she thought, trying to send all the comfort and encouragement she could through the empathic link they now shared. ~ We’re coming; just hold on. ~

They were walking back to the house when she started giggling, and then outright laughing. Matt stopped and looked at her, and when she finally got her laughter under control she explained.

“I just realized today is Halloween,” she said. “Matt, there’s one more thing you haven’t been told about the plan. When you hear it you’ll understand why it’s so appropriate this is all happening today.”