Project Zodiac: The 13th Sign

Project: Zodiac (The 13th Sign) synopsis #2 dated 6/12/07


1941-46

During the second world war, with the Nazis’ increased use of occult and supernatural means to gain the advantage and win, the Allies- primarily US and UK- set about genetically engineering a task force capable of combating any supernatural threat.
Twelve volunteers were selected from various branches of the Armed Forces, going through a selection process which eventually culminated in each subject being selected for their astrological birth sign.
Due to the early, untested nature of the science of genetic modification, the lack of results caused the project- now dubbed Project: Zodiac- to be abandoned, finally closed down a year to the day after Hitler’s suicide. The twelve subjects were discharged from service and lived normal lives- some marrying and having children. The final nail in the coffin (no pun intended) is when project leader Professor Lloyd-Turner is mysteriously murdered in Whitehall, London.

1999-2000

It is the turn of the new millennium, 53 years after Project: Zodiac was terminated, and in unified Germany, Nazi sympathisers and fanatics are waging a secret war with the West, masked as a terrorist organisation known as Die Kollaborative.
Whilst on an infiltration mission conducted by US Marines, Lt. Reece Connors  is abducted and his strike team are slaughtered. Whilst attempting to escape, Reece discovers he has heightened senses, strength and agility <LEO> -and an innate survival instinct- and with these abilities he is able to flee to the UK, hunted every step of the way by DK.
Whilst hiding in London he is drawn into an Holistic and Mystic shop run by Claire Lewis, a young woman who has better than average ability to work magicks for real <VIRGO>.
She explains to him what she has “seen” of their origin of their abilities, the fact she is the third in a line of mystic women, her grandmother and mother also having the “touch”- this alludes to the crone/mother/maiden triumvirate of Wiccan belief and ties in with Virgo being the maiden- and explains to Reece that she knew of his coming to her.
She also tells of eleven others, all bearing similar “touches”, and how she knows she has to make contact with them, as “their fate is that of the entire cosmos, and to protect the earth mother from the demon master race that would subjugate all the races of man and beast”.
With every step of the way dogged by Die Kollaborative, and working towards a deadline of the end of the year they attempt to make contact and enlist the help of as many of these other people as possible.
In Ireland they meet Niamh Danann, a remarkable young woman who can breathe underwater as well as any fish can <PISCES>.
In France they contact Pierre Chevalier, an Olympic-trained archer disqualified due to his ability giving the appearance of drug use <SAGITTARIUS> and looking to restore his name.
Dividing their efforts, Reece and Claire travel to the US in search of Anthony MacMillan, a college football player in Utah nicknamed “the Ram” due to his abilities of strengthened neck muscle and skull, combined with agility making him the best blocking tackle on the circuit <ARIES>.
Niamh and Pierre trace Colette Franck <LIBRA> to Koln, Germany, where she disappeared. Die Kollaborative have her, due to her abilities and her Jewish heritage, and the two seek to break her free. Exceptionally skilled with hand weapons- particularly the sword- she aids Niamh and Pierre in escaping DK’s clutches with the use of her ability to balance powers between the group and they swim to safety via the Rhine in to Holland. During this escape they discover Colette is also blind.
Claire has a vision showing that DK are planning to open a portal to Hell in London at the Greenwich Observatory, being where all clocks take their time from, to bring forth an army of demons (dressed as Nazi soldiers). This is set for midnight on December 31st 1999.
Time is running out, and the two groups arrange to meet in London to face the danger, at Claire’s urging. Niamh is unsure as to what she can do to help and requires Pierre and Colette to teach her combat skills that focus on the strength of her abilities.
Reece meanwhile, is spotted by the military and arrested whilst Claire and Ant go on to London.
He is questioned about the death of his squad, court-martialled and imprisoned for desertion. He is rescued in the night by four individuals displaying similar abilities. They reveal themselves to be Matthew Carroletti, a young man who has a toughened, possibly bullet proof skin <CANCER>,  Tyson Hernandez, a man who has incredible strength (and tattoos of horns on his shorn head?) <TAURUS>, and Edward and Lucy Slater, twins who have accelerated speed and strength, but only when in close proximity to each other <GEMINI>. The further apart they are, the weaker they become. They also feel and know what the other feels and knows.
This third team breaks Reece out of the brig and gets him to an underground location where he meets Dr. Hammond who is now in charge of Project: Zodiac.
Hammond explains to Reece about the project, how it carried on in secret after being shut down, and about how the results didn’t surface until three generations later (in most cases). With his heightened intellect <CAPRICORN>, he has managed to continue research and gathered together Carroletti, Hernandez and the Slater twins, and overseen their training, preparing them to be the task force that is still needed to combat Die Kollaborative.
Reece then explains about Claire and her visions. Hammond sends the five to London to join with the rest of the group, transported by Hammond’s son, Julian who although only ten, has the ability to transport (to bear) objects through water- even the minute amounts of water found in the air <AQUARIUS>.
The Signs, as Hammond has dubbed them, greet each other in London and begin to plan how they will stop DK from achieving their goal. This is interrupted as DK operatives launch an attack on Westminster designed to draw out the Signs.
The Signs rush to meet this attack, falling into the trap laid by DK as a monstrous demon creature engages them. They draw it into a disused warehouse to minimise civilian casualties, but they prove to be unused to their new roles as a team of heroes fighting demons, and in it’s dying throes the demon brings down the warehouse around them.
In the aftermath of the destruction of the warehouse some children who were watching come to investigate the rubble. One of the children, Amy Brooks, finds a hand thrusting out of the dust and bricks. She calls to her friends and they help uncover an unconscious Reece. A noise from the other side of the warehouse signals Carroletti getting up, his skin protecting him from the majority of the wreckage. Reece comes around and they set about unearthing the other Signs. when the team find Ed and Lucy, they discover Lucy is dead, and Ed is dying. The team are inconsolable, and turn to leave. A shout from the children pulls the team around to see Amy with her hands on Lucy, and a glow surrounding them. Lucy is being healed by Amy <OPHIUCHUS, the 13th Sign>. As Lucy is revived, so to is Ed as their strength together grows.
New Years’ Eve at Greenwich Observatory and members of the public mix with celebrities and TV crews for the start of the New Millennium. In amongst the crowd are the Signs, keeping watch on where DK are and where the exits are to get the public out.
As midnight looms a man steps up to the podium (he is the man who originally murdered Lloyd-Turner, and hasn’t aged at all)  and proclaims that everyone is to bear witness to the dawn of  a New World Era where the pure will be masters and the impure will be food. Demons and DK members start herding the crowds into the main room- barring all doors and exits. The leader opens a portal at midnight which a monstrous demon starts to enter from. The Signs reveal themselves and do battle with the demons and DK, with Claire and Reece finally sending the Leader into the pit and sealing it. The demons vanish and human DK members are arrested.
 

                                       ENDING #1 (FOR LIMITED SERIES)
The general public, in disbelief, are allowed to escape and the US and UK governments recognise the Signs as the worlds’ ONLY occult and supernatural peacekeeping task force- Project: Zodiac is re-instated and the Signs prepare to face up to their next threat, wherever it may come from!


                                       ENDING #2 (FOR ONGOING SERIES)
As the portal seals, the Signs are caught in a whiplash, catapulting them forward to 2007, ready to face the supernatural terrorist threats in current times, whilst coming to terms with missing out on the last seven years.