Eternal Elements: Chapter 1

May 5 2010, 6:27 PM USA

Driving without direction, with nothing but the rushing wind surrounding her, where even thoughts couldn’t catch up to her. It was sunny even though it was already early evening in this remote region in Pittsburg California. Cameron Hunter had just pulled up her roaring motorcycle onto a lonely desert road leading her into nothingness, just the way she liked it. Today however, she would not be so lucky, she had already noticed it before but hadn’t paid it any attention until now.

She was seemingly being followed by an armoured black van, judging from the way the black metal was being reflected by the sun this van had never seen a desert road before. She looked in her rear view mirror and saw that it suddenly accelerated and overtook her like a speeding bullet, just barely missing her as it made a sharp turn forcing her to hit her breaks.

It didn’t take much to piss Cameron off, and one little obnoxious cop who felt important did nothing for her already sour mood, which lets face it, she always had anyway. For a second she thought about driving into the desert and laughing her ass off as the van tried to keep up with her, but decided that Wednesday was still too early in the week to get into this much trouble.

Clearly annoyed Cameron turned the engine off and got off her bike, but made no effort to leave her precious baby alone. “Look, I wasn’t driving too fast or anything like that, so what’s with this action movie pullover?”

She removed her helm and revealed her wild shoulder length hair, that had been coloured so often that she always had an everlasting blue shade that covered her currently black hair. Most women would kill for Cameron’s high cheek bones and sultry lips, or in this day and age, just pay a fine amount of money to achieve her natural look. Her hazel eyes were locked onto the backseat door of the black van that had just swung open.

“I’m terribly sorry for the inconvenience.” Dressed in all black a tall man stepped out of the backseat of the armoured van.

On this particular hot sunny evening he couldn’t look more out of place with his long leather coat, matching pants and heavy boots. “I’m not from the police or anything like that, I’m just already a little behind on schedule you see and… I just really needed to talk to you as soon as possible.”

Cameron leaned against the side of her motor. “Okay, I’ve heard weirder pick up lines before, unfortunately.”

Cameron made sure the zipper from her tight motorcycle suit was completely closed. It already revealed her curves a little too well, no need to show him her cleavage she thought to herself, since he wasn’t from the police she didn’t think she needed to use her finer assets to get out of this one.

“So, what do you want from me then?” Cameron placed her hands on her hips.

He nervously played with his fingers and seemed very unsure of himself. He looked like a tough guy, his long leather coat still couldn’t hide his broad shoulders and matching strong jaw line that usually goes with that look. His short black hair was overly styled and his light brown eyes expressed little desire to be here, in fact, he looked like he would rather be anywhere but here. Even though he was wearing imposing clothes that made him seem even taller than he already was he paced around like a scared little girl. Guys like that with nothing but a tough exterior were definitely not her type.

“My apologies, my name is Neo, and I have a job to offer you.”

Cameron raised an eyebrow. “You sure you have the right person? I’m not interested in joining a Matrix fan club.”

Neo immediately seemed confused and pulled some papers out of the backseat of the van, in his hurry he dropped several documents that read ‘Classified Information,’ he quickly skimmed some pages. “You’re Cameron Hunter aren’t you? If I’ve been following the wrong person… that would be bad.”

“Yeah, I’m Cam all right, how the hell do you know who I am? No, forget that, what about that job, no skip that as well, following me? Just, what the hell?” His twitchy appearance made her feel uneasy. Cameron knew from experience that he was the type of guy you needed to watch out for the most.

Neo seemed to have noticed Cameron’s unease as well as he stopped flickering through his papers. “This is very awkward, I admit.” Neo inched forward. “But what if I told you that you were destined for greatness, chosen as it were to protect the world, to fight for good-“

“-Okay, that’s it, I’m getting the hell outta here.” Cameron had heard all she needed to hear, she was about the put on her helm again when Neo grabbed her arm.

His panic was growing, he couldn’t allow her to leave. “No wait! Forget that, forget everything I just said. I’m new at this, and in a hurry, and I really just need you to come with me.”

Cameron pulled her arm away from him and resisted the urge to punch him in his face. “Yes, that’s far less creepy. Look pal, your serial killing hooker pick up lines need some work.”

Cameron turned her motor back on, the engine seemed to roar in approval as it came to live again. “I’ll give you some good advice though, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from me.”

She gave him one last deadly ‘don’t mess with me’ look before she drove off, leaving nothing but dust and skid marks behind.
Neo was left standing there, as he watched Cameron’s silhouette disappear in the distance. “Well, that could have been worse… I think.”


May 5 2010 8:39 PM USA: California

The sun was just about to disappear behind a distant skyscraper when Neo got out of his van and looked up at an apartment block that had definitely seen better days. The first thing he noticed was an enormous hole right under Cameron’s residence, his worst fears seemed about to come true, he could only hope he wasn’t too late.

Cameron had just put on some more comfortable training clothes, simple jogging pants and matching top. She pulled her hair back as she walked up to her window and gazed at her reflection. Even though she was still in her mid twenties she had a somewhat rugged face, but you could still see her beauty underneath it all. Her fitness clothes showed off her toned body that she had attained through her tomboyish lifestyle even more. It had always kept her busy, doing something rather than nothing.

Without even knowing what she was thinking about she suddenly noticed a familiar black van parked right before the entrance of her building. There was no mistake, a van like that wouldn’t be seen in a neighbourhood like this for longer than fifteen minutes before the most eager thug had stolen it. Before Cameron could even look worried the power went out. As her eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness she quickly sorted out her thoughts. Was that weird guy she had met before really seriously targeting her? She didn’t expect something like this, not to her anyway.
Without making a sound she walked towards her kitchen and grabbed a knife from one of her kitchen drawers, this would be the first time she would actually use one of them. The razor sharp steel cutting knife was still stainless after all the years she had owned it.

Again, without making a sound, she walked back to her living room, almost stealth like. She kept her eyes focused on her front door, and even when she heard a faint scrapping sound coming from the apartment underneath her she didn’t flinch. She knew nobody was living there at the moment. Several agonising moments went by where nothing but the sound of the scrapping noises coming from below her could be heard. When they suddenly stopped she couldn’t help but inspect her mold invested tapestry. At nearly the exact same moment a gigantic metal structure breached through her living room floor. She was knocked down accompanied by bits and pieces of tapestry and cheap wooden layers of veneer.
Her eyes were still rolling in her head as she tried to see what had caused this much damage. Before her a ghost had clawed its way into her living room, a big metal ghost.

The metal ghost had no face, its crystal like metal that covered almost every inch of its cold body was so clean it almost appeared to be see-through. Where its head should have been a blue orb was hovering on the spot, protected by a peculiar looking helmet. Even though it had no facial features it still acted as if it could see her, and it spoke without needing a mouth to do so.

“Wire has located primary target,” it said in a humming metal voice that fitted its cold body. “Mission to kill Cameron Hunter initiated.”

Cameron had no time to even begin to understand the emotions that were coursing through her body; panic, fear, disbelief, they all muddled her mind. When she saw its sharp metal claw reach out to her the most important emotion took over, the basic instinct to survive. She rolled sideways, and for a second she thought she had avoided its grasp, but its claw immediately changed direction with uncanny agility. It grabbed her by her ankle and threw her out of her window like she was made out of air.

For the first time since living in this weathered down apartment Cameron was glad she had such a tiny balcony. It hurt like hell when her back was smashed against the balustrade which almost made her lose consciousness. She welcomed the pain because it meant she wasn’t laying on the pavement three stories down like a flat pancake. Cameron was a tough girl, but even she couldn’t handle being treated like a rag doll by an seven foot tall robot.

Without giving her any time to recover it stepped on her small balcony and picked her up again. The grip from its metal claw was so strong it almost snapped her neck in half, it was ready to toss her over her balcony like a piece of garbage. If she wouldn’t do something now it would be the end of her.

Without knowing if it would work on a robot she threw her legs over its arm and forced down with all her strength, trying to get it out of balance. Relieved and surprised she saw that it worked. They both fell backwards at the same time, Wire’s metal head protection was momentarily opened by the sudden impact. Hoping she had found some sort of weakness she pressed her hands on the ground and kicked it in its… well, orb.

It started shaking uncontrollably like it was having an enormous meltdown, its blue light went out and it stopped moving.
Cameron knew that this was maybe her only chance, she picked herself up from the floor and ran towards her front door.

Before she had even reached the door handle wires shot all around her strapping her down in mere seconds. Wire was already active again and was now pulling her in, like it had caught a really big fish.

She couldn’t move a muscle, she couldn’t defend herself, or even scream. Ironically this would actually have been the first time in her life she would have called out for help. Just when that horrible notion filled her mind her door was blasted out of its hinges by a massive purple energy beam. Behind it Neo was standing in her doorway.

His nervous appearance from before was nowhere to be seen as he raised his hands. “Get away from her!”

Another purple energy blast followed from the palms of his hands that knocked Wire against the wall, causing the light from its orb to deactivate itself again.

Cameron looked terrified like she had just survived a plane crash. “What’s going on?”

Her clothes were shredded, her hair was an even bigger mess than usual and she had cuts and bruises all over her body.

Neo reached out his hand for Cameron to grab it. “No time to explain now, let’s go.”

He didn’t have to repeat that twice, she looked at the inoperative robot one final time before she ran out of her apartment.

“What is with you and all that noise, I told you to keep your music down!” Her nosy ‘so saggy she could wipe the floor with her blubber’ neighbour peered her long nose behind her door.

“Just stay the hell inside saggy troll!” Cameron yelled at her as she ran past her alongside Neo, running for the elevator. “And stop bringing all these boys in you…” Cameron couldn’t catch the last thing she said as she passed a corner, but she had a good idea.

Cameron nearly ran into the elevator door as she started pressing the ‘down’ button repeatedly, as if that would turn up the elevator sooner.

Neo looked behind him to see if the robot was already following them again. “That will take too long, we need to get out of here faster.”

“The stairs!” Cameron immediately stopped pressing the ‘down’ button and ran towards a door opposite the elevator door, even though it wasn’t locked she rammed her whole body against it in her hurry to leave.

She jumped down the stairs missing a few steps which almost made her smash her head against the nearest wall, she didn’t care, she just wanted to get out of there.

Cameron kicked down the door leading into the main hall, they stormed in the direction of the double glass door leading outside.
Just as they headed for the entrance door wires ruptured from the walls alongside them, closing them in completely. They spun around them and Cameron and Neo had no choice but to stand back to back as the wires kept coming closer.
Neo spread out his arms and another purple energy wave followed that kept the wires from engulfing them entirely. His hands started to shake wildly, he let out a huge wail as he forced the wires back against the wall.

As on cue Wire broke through the ceiling and landed right behind them, its wires slithered back right away, back to its owner.
Neo tried to blast Wire again, but the robot was prepared this time, its blue orb fired a laser beam that penetrated Neo’s wave. It felt like she was being hit by a warm gush of wind that was so strong that it launched them both backwards, right through the glass front door.
Neo tried to help Cameron to her feet, but she was already up again, albeit even more bruised and cut up them before. The pain from being hurled through yet another glass surface was intense, but there was another time to cry over the pain and worry about internal bleeding. Right now they needed to keep moving.

They started to run for Neo’s van and a second laser beam just barely missed them, taking out a brick wall from a neighbouring building. Neo didn’t waste any time leaving, he had already turned on the ignition before Cameron had even slammed the van door shut. He drove away so fast that the tires from his van grated in protest.

Wire jumped through the front door like an elegant cat hunting its helpless prey. Once again its wires were released and attached themselves to the surrounding buildings. Wire started pursuing them, swinging from building to building like it was the amazing Spiderman. 
Neo cursed under his breath when he saw Wire getting alarmingly close, he had to take the offensive.

He swiftly turned the van 180 degrees, while smoke surrounded the van from the sudden change of direction the front lights from the van opened up and revealed microscopic missiles. They spurted out of the van lights like someone had popped a cork from a fine champagne bottle. It looked as if at exactly that same moment Wire was hit by the missiles, that seemed to have travelled at the speed of light. The only thing that was left behind was a dark cloud of smoke and the resonance of metal objects hitting the dirty streets. Neo turned the van around and kept driving without looking back.

He pressed a button on something that looked like a mobile phone and an agitated voice belonging to a woman could be heard. “Yes, this is Alice.”

“I need a cleanup team here, ASAP,” Neo said calmly.

“Did you make a mess again Neo?” The voice responding didn’t sound surprised in the slightest.

“No more than usual.” Neo made a sharp turn and drove up a lonely highway road.

“Well Neo, I’m a little busy myself right now, but I’ll see what I can do.” For a second only load banging noises and a blaring siren like sound could be heard. “That’s the place were miss Hunter lives?”

“Correct, I owe you one Alice.” Neo pressed another button and the connection was broken between him, and the voice called Alice.

Neo let out a sigh and glanced at Cameron, who was staring out of the window, like she was in a deep trance state.

She slowly turned her head, her eyes focused again and she slowly opened her mouth: “Who the fuck are you?!”