Shenandoah Surprise - Formerly "Toobin' Down The River"

[MarauderTDL]

Okay!

So...I'm interested to hear reactions from readers so far. For those of you who remember the original Toobin' and now have been reading the updated version, what do you think? Good, bad, indifferent? Feedback is always appreciated.

TDL

[Firewall]

You'll definitely hear from me this weekend once I get to sit down and read it. It's been years since I've read Toobin' so you'll have to fill me in the changes (once it's complete and you can apply spoiler tags)

[Raso719]

I've definitely been enjoying it. I did me my favorite scene, where one of the girls holds back her shrinkgasm to increase the potency of the shrinking, but there's so much new stuff I can't really complain!

I hope we get to see more ladies shrinkgasming down to nothing (or suuuuuper microscopic at least!)

Out of curiosity, will this be part of the same universe as Always Follow the Directions?

[Firewall]

I finally caught up, TDL!

I definitely look forward to what you have cooking for this story next and as I said, I would love to compare it to the original.

[MarauderTDL]

Chapter Twelve: The Facility

When Bio-SciTech first arrived in the quiet town of Shenandoah, the people were surprised that such a company would choose to set up operations so far from a city where most businesses larger than a Burger King or Dunkin’ Doughnuts preferred to operate. In fact, the company’s arrival garnered many curious individuals passing by their offices in downtown Shenandoah, only a block from Town Hall in a building that sat vacant for several years. Beneath the company name, emblazoned in neon blue on the front of the building, it read: ‘Biological Advances for the Future’. The building, and the small staff that occupied the two-story building, were of course for show. The president, Margaret Zamerii, was really an agent from Global Resources Unlimited playing the part when dealing with the community and local officials. As far as they were concerned, Ms. Zamerii was in charge of a satellite facility of the main company located in upper New York. In fact, what no one outside of Bio-SciTech knew was that the real operations were being run from an abandoned farm on the outskirts of town, just south of the Shenandoah Speedway, a popular weekend attraction for all ages. Although considered to be a risky decision, having the facility located so close to a local attraction that garnered so much attention, it was reasoned that since their research would be conducted in an underground facility, no one would think to give any real attention to the abandoned farm. As for the occasional individual who might decide to snoop around, well that’s one aspect of the drug they were working on that could be used to great effect.

As the beat-up Ford F-150 pulled into the long driveway leading to the abandoned farm house, John opened the back window and leaned up to call out to his partner. “Sorry you had to sit in the back. There’s just no room up here for three people, much less for the little ladies you’re watching over.”

Alex grimaced as they hit another rut in the road leading to the facility, bouncing him and the women contained in the stasis bubbles around. He tried to keep them secure and as comfortable as possible, but the overgrown road was filled with potholes and washed out portions in keeping with the farm house’s abandoned appearance. Their cries could be heard as muffled squeals every time the truck bottomed out, although for him, it felt like the truck was lacking in any suspension at all.

“Someone had to do it,” he responded stoically. Under his breath, he whispered, “Better me than you.”

It was almost six o’clock and while the sun was still shining brightly, it was clear that it was getting late in the evening. Off in the distance, Alex could hear the sounds of engines roaring over at the Speedway a few miles away, but he tuned them out as the truck finally pierced the thick foliage and arrived at their destination.

The Anderson farmhouse was a classic, rural two-story home with a wide porch on the front of the house. At one time, it might have been considered very nice, framed by the mountains in the west with the sun shining down through the trees. However, time and the elements had not been kind to the old home, leaving the roof to sag above the second floor and an enormous hole in the right side of the house where an enormous oak tree fell over several years ago, smashing into one of the bedrooms upstairs before crushing the back porch. The front door hung askew and the bay window in the front living room was smashed out, possibly by looters from years ago who attempted to steal whatever was left inside. As the truck approached, the tires finally came into contact with weed-infested gravel from the old roundabout driveway that once served the Anderson family when they lived there. However, the house had been abandoned for over a decade, the family a victim to changing times and financial debt that forced them to sell the land and move away. Unfortunately, due to the economy at the time, the land sat vacant until Global Resources Unlimited decided that it would serve as an excellent site for Bio-SciTech’s operations. Located near the Shenandoah River, as well as the local railway, it allowed for the clandestine delivery of much of the equipment necessary to set up operations. As for building the underground facility, no one questioned construction equipment parked on the property, at least so long as a few palms were greased at Town Hall and the local Police Department to look the other way, and the sounds the equipment made were drowned out by the passing traffic via the railroad or by use late at night. In all, the construction took less than a year of round-the-clock work to complete, save for weekends when the nearby Speedway was packed with racing fans. The facility even made use of the old barn to serve as the entry into the facility, leaving the dilapidated farm house to serve as a distraction.

Pulling around to the left side of the house, the driver pressed the security access on the console and the doors to the barn swung open. As they approached, the barn floor slowly dropped and sloped downward and they descended into a garage filled with several vehicles including a brand new Ford Excursion, a Toyota Tundra and a Jeep Wrangler.

“Of all the vehicles they could have sent to get us, we had to ride back here in this piece of crap? What about one of those,” Alex demanded as he pointed to the Excursion. “That would have been far more comfortable.”

As the pickup came to a halt, the barn doors closed and the floor slowly rose back up to seal them in with a loud boom. As the natural light dimmed, fluorescent lights kicked in and illuminated the garage in excruciating detail. Raising a hand to block the light while his eyes adjusted, Alex stood up and reached down to collect the two stasis bubbles beside him while John exited the passenger side of the truck along with their driver, who nodded to John and quickly disappeared through a security door.

“Couldn’t be helped,” John said with a casual shrug as he slung his weapon over his shoulder and reached over the side of the truck bed to secure Alex’s gear. “The Excursion is too large and obvious and would attract too much attention at this time of day. The Tundra is mine, so there’s no chance I’d be taking it out in the field, and the Jeep isn’t ours. It’s actually the vehicle those girls used when they arrived at the river.”

Stepping down from the bed, Alex cast a glance over at the vehicle. “Why bring it here? I thought they were going to tow it to a local impound yard until the tests were completed and the women were released?”

“Seems the local impound yard was full,” John pointed out. “There was an unusual number of cars left at the Speedway the last few days and they couldn’t drop it off like they intended. Doesn’t matter anyway,” he said with a shrug. “In a few days, it’ll be gone.”

Something in the manner in which John commented didn’t sound right to Alex, who had doubts about John’s truthfulness. However, for now, he said nothing as he reached out to take his gear from John before following him as they headed to the door leading to the lower levels. As they approached, John pulled out a key card from around his neck and swiped it through a card reader mounted into the wall. For a moment, a red light lit up, only to change to green and beep pleasantly with a pronounced click. John reached out and pushed on the door, indicating that Alex should proceed.

“After you, partner,” he said with a grin. “Seeing as you’ve got your hands full at the moment.”

As Alex stepped through, John followed and they were engulfed in darkness momentarily before a bright light illuminated the hallway, focused directly on them. From out of the darkness a voice demanded, “State your names and security access, please!”

“Carlton, John S., access Delta-Tango seven, seven, Alpha, niner.” Glancing over at Alex, John smiled. “Your turn.”

“Sharp, Alexander M., access Epsilon-Zebra eight, four, Charlie, zero.”

“Security codes recognized,” they heard the voice reply. “Welcome back, gentlemen, and congratulations.”

A door on the far side of the hall opened up and they walked through into a sterile, white room where two of the laboratory research assistants waited patiently as they came through and approached a metal table.

“Please deposit the stasis bubbles on the table, Agent Sharp. The lab assistants will take the subjects below for their initial processing and examinations,” the voice continued.

“With all due respect,” Alex began as he gently set the stasis bubbles on the table. “Someone needs to examine one of the women immediately. It appears that her exposure to the Gamma variant has resulted in some unexpected and serious complications. She may be having an allergic…”

“Thank you, Agent Sharp,” the voice interrupted him. “I’m sure the researchers will look into this matter immediately. For the time being, please report to the medical wing for your requisite after-action examination.”

Watching the two assistants carry the stasis bubbles out of the room, Alex fought the impulse to go after them, realizing that to do so would only cause trouble. For now, he knew he had to comply and turned to follow John to another door.

“Are you nuts,” John asked, pushing him up against the side of the hallway. “Seriously, you realize that was Director Melendez, right?”

Alex blinked in surprise. “Wait, what? Why would the director involve himself in…?”

“Because he always does that,” John replied quickly, breathing heavily before grabbing Alex’s arm and leading him down the hallway to the locker rooms. “It’s his way, boy. And your little stunt with telling him what needs to be done with that woman isn’t going to help you. The researchers always inspect the test subjects after their arrival. It’s standard procedure, remember? They’ll be checked out, sanitized and issued a general-issue uniform while they’re here. As for that third girl…they’ll make notes about her condition, mark my words. Her situation will definitely get the attention of the researchers.”

“That may be true, but will it be in time? You saw her condition,” Alex said as they entered the locker room, just as sterile as the previous one. As they stripped down to their underwear and reached for a white bodysuit, he added, “In the initial briefing, nothing was said about us using variants that would shrink anyone smaller than three inches! For God sake, John! You saw her! She’s not even an inch tall now! Something is definitely wrong and they need to do something about it before it’s too late!”

Faster than he expected, John turned on him and pinned him to a locker with his hands gripping his bodysuit. “You don’t think I realize that?”

Refusing to back down, Alex stared back at him. “I think you do, but I wonder if you care!”

“I don’t care,” John spat back at him. “I care about being paid, nothing else! I don’t have the knowledge or the ability to affect any kind of change to anything that happens to the subjects we’re tasked with acquiring so they can study the drug’s effects. My job is simple: exposure and acquisition, nothing more! I don’t have some degree in bio-molecular chemistry or whatever science they use to cook up this stuff. What I do have is the ability to perform reconnaissance and tracking to acquire subjects for them to study, and that’s what I do! You’re digging yourself into a hole you won’t be able to get out of, boy. Director Melendez doesn’t like people who ask questions. He expects us to do our jobs and nothing else.”

Alex frowned and pushed John away. “That’s not the way he reacted when I pointed out the lack of information regarding Alpha and Beta reactions earlier today.”

“That’s because it was useful to the mission,” John pointed out. “Trying to tell him or the researchers how to do their jobs once those girls are in their care isn’t. They know what they need to do, and they don’t need some punk kid who thinks he’s the conscience of the king.”

“If you think quoting Shakespeare is going to impress me, John, you’re mistaken. I’m doing what is right! If we’re supposed to ensure that those girls go free with no memory of what happened to them, how are we going to do that if one of them dies? If she shrinks too small because of something the researchers didn’t expect, or from an error caused by Gamma that no one picked up on before it was used, how is the company going to be able to convince the public or the government that the drug is the key to helping humanity, hmm? Like any drug, the only way to get support from the public is to show that it works…consistently! If this kind of mistake happens more than the researchers anticipate, it could ruin the company before they get approval for the drug’s use. Do you want that?”

“Again, Mr. Sharp demonstrates why I hired him in the first place,” they heard a familiar voice call out from the darkened side of the room.

John and Alex both turned in surprise to find Director Melendez standing in the doorway at the far end of the room, watching them intently. Realizing he’d been standing there long enough to overhear their conversation, the two backed away from each other and stood at attention as the director approached.

“My apologies, sir,” John offered first. “Alex and I…well, we…”

“You see different approaches to the same situation, Mr. Carlton,” Director Melendez finished for him.

“Yes sir.”

“Mr. Carlton, you have been with us far longer than Mr. Sharp, so I understand how jaded you’ve become about the individuals we are tasked with acquiring to test this drug. You are correct, your job is simple: to expose and acquire subjects whom we can study to ensure the drug works as it is supposed to do.” John relaxed slightly before the director continued. “However, Mr. Sharp’s fresh perspective allows him to see a bigger picture, a picture that is far-reaching and will allow us to overcome hurdles that could delay Sizeol’s introduction.”

Placing a hand on Alex’s shoulder, Director Melendez nodded approvingly. “You are wise to be concerned about the girl whose exposure has resulted in unexpected complications. I can assure you that I’ve already spoke to the researchers and asked them to document everything they can before aborting her stay with us.”

Alex looked at Melendez in confusion. “Sir?”

“Sadly, I’d hoped to have three subjects to study, but we can’t endanger the life of this young woman in the hopes that her condition will improve on its own. No, we’ll use the antidote on her and begin the necessary steps to cover her memories of the last day. Of course, we’ll induce a temporary coma to ensure she’ll rejoin the other two when their study is complete.”

Relief washed over Alex as he heard the director’s words, but as he was about to say something, he heard his grandfather’s voice. He’s lying, son. You can hear it in his tone. He’s not going to do any of what he just told you.

“Mr. Sharp?”

Blinking, Alex realized Director Melendez was watching him. “Ah, I’m sorry sir. I guess I was surprised that you would come in here to tell me that. It’s good to hear. She appears to have gone through a lot these last few hours.”

Richard smiled warmly. “Of course. You’ve certainly demonstrated an ability to empathize with your targets. Mr. Carlton here prefers to focus on the mission above all else, while you keep an eye on how it can affect those we’re working with. Whether you believe it or not, your opposing viewpoints do more to complement one another than to conflict. John keeps his focus on completing the task, while you want to ensure we don’t overlook how this process will impact those we acquire as test subjects. I understand our methods aren’t completely above-board, but…”

“…they’re necessary, I get it,” Alex said, surprising the director by his response. “Like you said before, if the work we’re doing here were to get out prematurely, it would be misunderstood and that would make our job harder to complete.”

Nodding in appreciation, Director Melendez clapped Alex on the shoulder. “Absolutely! I’m pleased to see you understand.”

“Yes sir. So, we still have to have our medical examinations, correct?”

Melendez nodded his head. “You’re right. Doctor Samara is waiting in Examination Room One for you. Go ahead, I need to speak with Mr. Carlton.”

Alex turned and pulled something out of his body armor before heading out the door to the examination rooms. Once gone, Director Melendez turned to Carlton and frowned. “He is right, you know. We can’t afford to screw this up.”

“You’re not going to do anything for that girl, are you sir?”

A smile spread across Melendez’s face. “Oh, we’ll do all we can for her, but sadly, it will be too late. The effects of Gamma were simply too fast and we didn’t get to her in time. Alex will believe that and we’ll move on. He may have a conscience, but in spite of his obvious intelligence, I fail to see in him the ability to question our goals.”

“But you complimented him, sir. I don’t understand why…”

“He’s young, Mr. Carlton,” the director said calmly. “He’s lived a significant portion of his life alone, oblivious to the deceptions of real life. For now, I think we can continue to keep him in the dark about our true goals. If, in time, he becomes aware of the truth and chooses to do the right thing,” Director Melendez shrugged casually. “There’s nothing to say that he couldn’t become an unwilling participant in our study program at some point. All it would take is to slip him a placebo injection of the antidote, followed by an accidental exposure to one of the more potent variants, and his last days would be spent providing us data on the drug before we got rid of him.”

John leaned up against one of the lockers, still bearing the fresh, first coat of paint from the initial construction of the facility. “I’m loathe to admit this, but the kid has talent. Some of the shots he pulled off today…I can’t figure out how he did them. The one that separated the tubes and allowed him to expose that woman to Gamma…that was a piece of work, even if it did damage the tubes.”

“Whether he realized it or not, his actions were exactly what we needed to happen,” Melendez said, crossing his arms and nodding thoughtfully. “Be careful, Mr. Carlton. He may surpass you if you’re not careful.”

John laughed derisively. “Yeah, right!”

“I’m serious, John,” the director said, clapping him on the shoulder as he turned to walk out of the room. As he disappeared into the darkened hallway, John heard him call out, “If I were a betting man, and you two were going up against one another…I’d bet it all on him.”


Entering the medical wing, Alex paused outside of Examination Room One and quickly slipped the bag containing the cell phone, identification and engagement ring for the three women into a hip pocket before opening the door and going inside. Waiting for him was one of the junior laboratory assistants, Tina LeFay. He’d seen her on several occasions since his arrival months ago, but they rarely had a chance to talk, given their differing fields of work.

“Tina! I’m sorry, I was told that Doctor Samara would be checking me out for my after-action examination.” Seeing her expression, Alex asked, “Is something wrong?”

Tina LeFay was a young woman in her early twenties, shy, wearing a thin pair of glasses to help her see, although it didn’t hurt her attractiveness. In fact, Alex considered asking her out on a few occasions, but he never worked up the courage. Reaching up to brush a long lock of honey-brown hair from her face, Alex could see she’d been crying.

“Hey! Are you all right? What’s wrong?”

Tina sniffed and tried to look away, but she finally admitted in a demure voice, “Doctor Lithe is gone.”

Confused, Alex asked, “What do you mean? Did she leave the facility?”

“No,” Tina replied softly. “I mean, she’s gone, as in shrunk out of existence!”

“What? C’mon, you’re pulling my leg, right? Doctor Lithe is the lead researcher here. Are you saying there was an accident? You’re all inoculated with the antidote to avoid accidental exposure in the lab.”

“No.” Tina’s eyes filled with tears as she whispered, “Director Melendez killed her! He walked right up to her in the main research lab while she was going over data on the newest variants, grabbed her by the front of her lab coat, and threw her into one of the testing chambers. We all watched as he exposed her to several variants one after another in sufficient quantities that her inoculation was insufficient to keep her from shrinking! She just…dwindled away to nothing as the drug forced her into a sort of sexual arousal overload that she never recovered from. When she was gone, the director just opened the chamber, reached in and took her ID badge and tossed it to Mr. Quisley to deactivate.”

Stunned by this revelation, Alex leaned back, his eyes wide. “Why? What did she do that caused him to do that?”

Tina shook her head. “I’m not sure. Something about an accident with Tracker Four, I think.”

Tracker Four…Alex remembered meeting him a few times during orientation. He’d been brought on shortly before Alex was recruited and was considered to be a match for Alex’s skill with sniper rifles and long-distance shooting. Although they’d had several friendly contests, neither of them managed to come out the clear winner. He’d learned the reason he’d been bumped up in the rotation for field work was due to Tracker Four injuring himself and needing to recuperate. Otherwise, he would have remained in training and not gone on today’s mission. However, if something happened to him that involved Doctor Lithe…

“And you say the director exposed her to several variants of the drug to shrink her?”

Tina nodded again before covering her face and weeping. “I’m so scared! I never imagined that Director Melendez would be capable of doing something like that, to anyone. Now, I’m scared that I’ll make some mistake that he’ll punish me for by shrinking me too!”

Although Alex didn’t want to believe what he was hearing, it made sense when combined with what John admitted to him about taking out anyone along the river who might have discovered what they were doing. It was unlikely that John would do something like that if he thought he might get in trouble should his actions were discovered. However, if Director Melendez had no reservations against shrinking a senior member of the research team, in full view of her associates, it only confirmed what he feared. John’s actions weren’t performed of his own doing…Director Melendez must have authorized the elimination of any potential threats to their secrecy, a task which John obviously had no qualms carrying out.

This can’t continue…

“Tina, what happened to Doctor Samara?”

“I told her that I would perform your examination,” Tina admitted. “I gave her the idea that I thought you were cute and I wanted to have the chance to examine you so I could ask you out. She bought it and gave me access.”

For a moment, Alex considered the situation before leaning forward and reaching out to Tina to touch her arms. Tina gasped and looked up at him in alarm. “No, no, it’s okay. Listen to me, Tina. You need to get out of here, right now. Don’t tell anyone, don’t say anything. Leave everything behind and get out of the facility.”

“I can’t!” Tina’s eyes were wide with terror now. “Don’t you realize? They tagged us all! Even you! During our initial screenings at orientation, everyone receives an injection that they tell you is meant to expose you to the drug in its most mild form so you can acclimate yourself to the antidote. The truth is that they injected you, me, every one with a microchip to track you no matter where you go! If I leave, they’ll find me and probably shrink me out of existence to keep me from divulging anything!”

“There must be a way to remove it,” Alex said.

“If you try, they would know it,” Tina admitted to him. “They track all the microchips and if one doesn’t move over a thirty-minute period, they check to see where you are. Obviously, if you’re at home, they wouldn’t be concerned. They’d see you returning here for your next assignment and know you’re still carrying it. However, if I remove it, they’d know something was up, for both of us.”

“There’s got to be a way,” Alex persisted. “If we don’t get rid of these things, all they’d have to do is find out where we were and then take us out. Tell me, do the subjects captured for testing receive these microchips?”

Tina shook her head. “There’s no point. After the studies are completed, they usually get rid of the subjects by shrinking them.”

Alex felt a cold dread wash over him. “What did you say?”

Seeing his reaction, Tina stammered, “D-didn’t you know? They instruct us to dispose of the test subjects after we’re finished with our examinations.”

“How many subjects have you and the other researchers ‘disposed of’ so far?”

“Twenty,” she admitted in shame. “We’d taken to doing it in their sleep so they shrank away peacefully.”

Alex sat back in shock. “Dear God.” After a few moments, he managed to recover. “Tina, I need your help.”

“To do what,” she asked. “Alex, if we’re caught doing something we shouldn’t, they won’t hesitate to shrink us both.”

“I know that,” he replied. “However, neither of us can keep doing this. Not when we know the truth now. First, I need you to remove the microchip from both of us. I’ll find a way to plant them on someone else. That should give us a little bit of time to get out of here.”

“Eventually, they’ll figure it out,” Tina said fearfully. “If they notice two signals in close proximity to each other for a long period, it will raise red flags and they’ll check it out.”

“How long,” he asked, a plan forming in his mind.

“An hour, two at the most,” she replied.

“All right, this is what we’ll do, but I need some information…”


Michelle banged on the side of her inflatable prison and shouted as loud as she could, “Let me out of here, you bastards!”

Since their capture, Michelle tried in vain to find a way out of her containment, but at her present size, she was simply too weak to do anything to the surface of the bubble she was trapped inside. Even if the walls were made of tissue paper, she doubted she was strong enough to get through it. In spite of being made of a malleable latex, the skin was just too thick for her to tear or rip.

What frustrated her more was the fact that she had no idea where they were going. After one of the men who captured her tossed her in this bubble, she’d felt them moving, felt what to her was a tremendous bouncing and jostling around for what seemed to be an hour or more. When the bouncing stopped, one of the men grabbed the bubbles she, Sarah and Beth were trapped in and carried them until they entered a darkened place. However, the thick, translucent surface of the bubble made it impossible for her to see anything. Even the sounds and voices coming from outside the bubble were hard to make out, sounding muffled and more of a garbled collection of sound rather than specific words.

After a little while, and more movement with no idea where they were going, she felt the bubble come to rest on a hard surface, surrounded by bright lights that made her squint. Seeing movement above her, Michelle waited until she saw something coming close, and screamed as a gigantic metal instrument pierced the side of the bubble. For a brief moment, her brain told her to run, but before she could act, a hand covered in a blue nitrile surgical glove reached down to grab her.

“Let me go,” she cried out, ignoring the fact that her high-pitched voice probably sounded silly. Glancing up, she gasped as she saw several individuals, all wearing surgical masks as they surrounded her. Suddenly, the reality of her situation came crashing down on her and Michelle pleaded, “Please…let us go. I just want to go home.”

At that moment, Michelle felt the tingling that she thought had long since ended grip her body again. “No! Please, not again! Nooo!”

The individual gripping her let go and Michelle collapsed to the surface of a metal table. There, observed by several laboratory researchers, she felt her body dwindle a little further until the sensations faded, leaving her exhausted and numb. As she lay on the table, one of the researchers reached out to gently lay her out straight before placing a measuring tape next to her.

“Subject appears to have reached the standard height of three inches tall.”

“About time,” a male researcher commented to her left. “I thought the Trackers were supposed to bring them in after they’d completed their reductions?”

“Maybe they were close enough that they felt acquisition was warranted,” another researcher, an Asian female commented. “You heard about the third one?”

“Three quarters of an inch tall? Hell yeah! That’s incredible! Word has it that she was subjected to a dose of Gamma, and the effects only took about two hours to reach full effect.”

“Don’t sound so happy,” the Asian woman chided the male researcher. “Word has it that she won’t last the night. Director Melendez has instructed us to make regular observations as long as possible, even when she goes microscopic.”

“Damn,” the male researcher swore. “They said Gamma was stable. It was supposed to be the next standard variant.”

“Guess not,” another woman, a darkly-tanned woman in her early forties commented. “Either that or we received a bad batch from the main processing facility. That’s why the director wants as much data on subject number three before she expires. They’ve already taken blood samples, although there’s not much to go on, given how small she was to begin with.”

It was clear from what these researchers were saying that they were talking about Beth. The realization that what was happening to her was deliberate, and that they refused to do anything to save her, was simply too much for Michelle to endure and she rolled over on her side and curled into a ball, sobbing as she realized Beth was going to die.

“Ma’am, the subject…”

“Don’t,” the Asian woman said softly. “She probably heard everything we said and is a friend of Subject three. Leave her alone. She and Subject two will survive, so we can do further tests later, after she’s had a chance to deal with this. Just…put her in her cell and we’ll pick up on the examination tomorrow. Besides, it’s getting late.”

Michelle barely felt the gloved hand that reached down and gently wrapped around her tiny body to lift her off the table. Nor did she bother to watch as they carried her out of the room and down a long sterile hallway to another room, this one larger than the first, filled with all manner of machines that, at her current size, made noises loud enough that she had to cover her ears. Finally, she heard the squealing sound of metal sliding on metal and felt herself being deposited on a smooth, flat surface before the metal sound could be heard again, followed by a latch being closed. After a few minutes, the lights in the room outside her containment cell dimmed and most of the machines quieted down, lessening the noise Michelle heard. After a little while, she finally rolled over and sat up, sniffing deeply to clear her nose as she wiped away her tears, but more kept coming as she sat, numb to her surroundings.

“We’re all going to die here,” she whispered out loud.

“I’d be lying if I tried to convince you otherwise,” she heard a male voice call out to her from nearby.

Gasping at the sound of a voice that sounded normal to her, Michelle blinked and looked around. The entire time she listened to the researchers, their voices sounded deeper in pitch, although still easily discernable. However, the voice she heard was as clear and normal as she was used to prior to what happened to her and her friends.

Unsure who spoke, she called out, “H-hello?”

“Over here,” she heard the voice coming from her right. As Michelle glanced over her shoulder, she saw an indistinct figure standing next to a translucent wall, similar to the one from her containment bubble. She rose up and slowly made her way over to the wall, taking in the confines of her cell.

At three inches tall, according to the size the researchers said she now was, her cell couldn’t have been more than twelve inches tall by twelve inches across and twelve inches deep. On one side, a water bottle, similar to one used for animals like mice and hamsters, was attached to the side of her cell, low enough that she could reach it to drink or perhaps even bathe if she wanted to. Beside it, a small tray half her size was attached to the wall, filled with what looked like giant doughnuts, until she realized that they must be Cherrios or some similar breakfast cereal. Off in a corner, with a small privacy shade, sat a makeshift toilet, although she couldn’t see any plumbing, so she guessed that it was changed out periodically. Lastly, a miniature cot, large enough that it appeared to be a queen-sized bed to her, sat against the back wall with a plain, white piece of fabric obviously intended to be a blanket, resting on top with a small pillow.

“I’m guessing you’re taking in your accommodations, huh,” the male voice inquired. “I did the same thing when I first arrived. I can tell you, they’re not the Ritz Carlton by any means. I’d complain to management…but they’re not answering my calls.”

Slowly walking over to the wall, Michelle pressed her hand against the surface and gasped as the figure on the other side did likewise. Through the wall, she could feel his warmth, and it helped to know someone was there for her.

“I’ve been in worse places,” Michelle tried to joke, but she sighed and let her hand drop to her side. “Who am I kidding? This is a nightmare. I can’t think of a worse place right now.”

“You can’t give up,” the voice said firmly. “C’mon! You’re the first person I’ve been able to talk to in almost a month. Please don’t give up on me!”

Michelle gasped. “You’ve been here a month?”

“At least a month,” the voice confirmed. “My name is Thomas Michaels, but my friends used to call me ‘Bear’.”

“I’m Michelle…Michelle Swann.”

“Swan, like the bird? Sounds lovely.”

Michelle ducked her head at the compliment. “No, not like the bird.”

“Probably just as beautiful though, am I right?”

Feeling her face flush, Michelle said, “How can you act like this?”

“Like what?”

“We’re prisoners! We’re shrunk and according to the researchers it’s only a matter of time before we’re useless to them and they kill us. I heard them say that they shrink their subjects in their sleep so they don’t know they’re being eliminated.”

“Don’t think like that, Michelle,” she heard Thomas say firmly and somehow, it made her feel better for someone to say her name. “Those bastards have caged me for a month now and I keep hoping that somehow we’ll be able to get out of here and escape.”

“Escape to where? Thomas, we’re…well I’m three inches tall, and even if we did escape, where would we go? I have no idea where they took us. We don’t know where we are or where we’d go. How would we survive?”

“Michelle, if it’s away from here, I’d take it, no matter where we went. You’re right. I’ve heard them talk about shrinking me out of existence several times. I think they do it just to mess with me, but eventually, if I don’t find a way out of here, they’ll do it. I don’t want that to happen.”

“So what do we do?”

“We keep trying to find a way out of here,” Thomas said defiantly. “My friend, John Ogart, he managed to find a way out of his cell. Unfortunately, he fell and hurt himself and couldn’t get out of the way of one of the researchers.”

Michelle gasped. “You mean…?”

“Yeah. They stepped on him. There was nothing I could do and when the researchers discovered what happened, there wasn’t anything they could do either.”

“How many of you were there?”

“Well, John, Robert and I decided to take a tubing trip down the river…”

Michelle gasped. “So did we! My friends, Sarah and Beth, and I spoke with a Mr….”

“Shackleton? Oh God, he told you where to go too? Dammit! That old bastard must be in league with these creeps, sending unsuspecting people down the river to be shrunk and used as lab rats for an experiment.”

“He tricked you too?”

“Yeah. Told us that he’d pick us up at the bridge just past the Grove Hill Boat Ramp, except before we even got there we were shrunk so small…”

“…that no one could see you from inside your tubes?”

“Shit, these guys have this down to a system,” Thomas said as he sat down next to the wall. “Just send unsuspecting tubers to a certain place, let them think everything is going to be fine and then shrink them and pick them up when no one is the wiser.”

“They picked us up just past the boat ramp, next to the falls. At first, we thought we were going to go over, but it turns out that was where we were captured. They let our last tube go over the side of the falls, I guess to make it look like someone lost their tube. No one would think to search for us now.”

She could see Thomas nod his head through the translucent wall. “Yeah, that’s what we thought too. No bodies, no evidence of foul-play, no reason to search for missing persons.”

“H-how long have you been missing,” she asked softly, leaning up against the wall to get as close to Thomas as possible.

“It’s hard to say,” Thomas admitted. “They don’t give me anything to write with and the surface of the walls doesn’t lend to making marks, so I can only guess between six to eight weeks. John, Robert and I attended West Virginia University and we were checking out the area for some sites to explore and a decent patch of river to tube down back in early May.”

“Wait,” Michelle gasped. “I heard about you! You and your friends were reported missing over a month ago. They never found your car, but they did have pictures you uploaded to Facebook just prior to getting out on the river!”

“Yeah, I guess that was the best idea we had before going down the river. Bobbie, my other friend, he was the one who did it. In the end, they shrank him during one of their tests and he just kept shrinking until he disappeared. I don’t know if they intended it or if it was an accident. There was a lot of commotion the last day he was alive. I could hear his voice through the floor above me and I could see him getting smaller as he lay there. No one came to help him.”

“I’m sorry,” Michelle said softly. “Right now my friend Beth is shrinking more than what they did to me or my other friend Sarah. Before they split us up, she was less than an inch tall. I overheard the people examining me say that they didn’t expect her to live much longer.”

For a few moments, Thomas said nothing, but finally he whispered, “I’m sorry to say, but she doesn’t have long if she’s already that small. Whatever that stuff is that they used to shrink us, once a subject passes the three-inch threshold, whatever it is just seems to keep working until they disappear. I’m told it’s not painful, but you lose all control and just dwindle away to nothing.”

“How do you know all this,” Michelle asked.

“I’ve been here for at least a month, remember? I’ve heard more conversations between the researchers than I care to remember. They don’t care what we overhear. As far as they’re concerned, we won’t be able to tell anyone anyway, so they just keep blathering away.” Thomas sighed heavily. “From what I know, this stuff they use is called Sizeol. It’s a drug, a very powerful and very versatile drug. They’ve managed to develop at least half a dozen variants of the original formula, which they call Alpha. They use letters to denote the variants: Beta, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Gamma…”

Michelle gasped. “They mentioned Gamma! They said that was what Beth was exposed to!” She heard him groan softly. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Gamma is one of the newest variants, and one of the ones they thought was stable. However, the researchers over the last week or two have debated some side effects that they’re still trying to work out. In some cases, they found that the shrinking is accelerated, but it doesn’t always stop at the pre-determined size of three inches.”

“What’s so important about three inches,” Michelle demanded. “Apparently I had one last episode when I arrived and shrank to three inches and the researchers who examined me were pleased when it happened.”

“Because it’s part of their plan,” Thomas said.

Over the next half hour, he explained everything he’d learned listening to the researchers. The drug was part of a larger plan to use it for population control, and ultimately, control over governments across the globe. Their current plan was to improve the drug to accelerate the shrinking process, intensify the experience so as to incapacitate anyone affected, and to stabilize the effects to become permanent once the drug was used.

Horrified by what Thomas revealed, Michelle asked, “So you’re saying all this is a means to control the country?”

Thomas’ shadow shrugged. “The country? It sounds like they’re aiming for the entire planet. I know it sounds like some crazy, mad scientist conspiracy idea, but they’re serious about this! The director of this facility, Melendez is his name, the guy walked into this lab earlier today, grabbed the lead researcher and flung her into one of the testing chambers. Once he sealed her inside, he used several variants on her and shrank her away to nothing in less than ten minutes time.” Michelle gasped in disbelief as Thomas continued. “This guy is a loose cannon who gets his jollies controlling everyone around him. The entire lab is terrified of him. At least one researcher, a young woman, ran out of the lab after he was gone. I couldn’t see how it happened, but from what the other researchers said after Melendez was gone, this Doctor Lithe rolled around in a drug-induced sexual arousal that she never came out of the entire time. She begged him to stop, but he just kept shrinking her until she was gone, then he reached in, casually grabbed her ID card and told the head of security to terminate her access, just like that. He may not show it, but he’s insane with power.”

“And you’re saying they want to use this drug on everyone else?”

“Look, I’m…well, I guess I was a senior about to graduate with a degree in political science and I’ve studied the various forms of government. What these people are suggesting sounds very much like an oligarchy. There would be a small group of people who would remain unaffected by the drug, as well as some of their followers who would protect them and enforce their will on the…well, for lack of a better term…the little people. They would control everything, and with this drug, no one would be able to oppose them. Those who would be spared from being shrunk would live in fear of having the drug used on them if they got out of line.”

“Sounds more like a totalitarian regime to me,” Michelle said. “They’d control everyone with the fear of the drug.” For a moment, she thought before asking, “So why all the different variants? You said Alpha was the original drug, but now you’re talking about ones like Gamma…”

“And Hotel, and India. I’ve even heard talk of a prototype being worked on in their production facility called Juliet. That one is the newest one and no one knows how powerful it really is. There’s only been one time I heard them talk about it and it worked so fast, they didn’t have time to administer the antidote.”

“Wait…there’s an antidote?!? So you’re saying there’s a way we could return to normal?”

“It’s possible,” Thomas conceded. “Although I have no idea where they keep it. The drug is produced here in the facility, and stored in special containment canisters in the lower levels. Only a few of the personnel have access to those levels, so I have no idea how we would get to it.”

“If there’s an antidote, then we’ve got a chance, Thomas! You talked about escaping and I’m all for it, but when we do, we need to find a way to locate where they store that stuff and find that antidote. After that, we’ll get out of here.”

A noise from out in the lab caught their attention and Thomas whispered, “Quick! Hide in your bed and pretend to be sleeping! If they see you up, there’s no telling what they might do!”

Quickly, Michelle hurried over to the cot in the back of the cell and jumped in, throwing the blanket over her and rolling over so her back was turned to the opening of the cage. As she listened, she heard footsteps coming in their direction and she tensed as she heard voices followed by the sound of her cage being opened. Michelle’s heartbeat raced as she feared what one of the researchers might try to do to her. Shivering in fear, she heard what sounded like footsteps coming closer and at the last moment, she felt a hand on her shoulder and she screamed.

“Michelle, it’s me! Sarah!”

Looking up, Michelle found herself staring at her friend, who apparently had undergone another loss of height just as she did earlier. Leaping up, she wrapped her arms around Sarah and hugged her tightly, crying in relief as Sarah hugged her back.

“Sssh, sssh, it’s okay. I’m okay,” Sarah said, rubbing Michelle’s back to help soothe her shivering.

“H-how did you get here? Did another one of the researchers bring you to lock you away with me?”

Sarah shook her head and grinned. “Nope! It seems we’ve got help on the inside.”

Michelle turned to the front of the cage where she saw a young woman’s face. “Don’t just stand there gawking! Hurry! We have to get out of here immediately!”

Hurrying to the front, they stopped as the woman deposited two bodysuits in front of them. “I suggest you change into these before we go any further. Those rags you’re wearing don’t look comfortable.”

“You think,” Michelle snapped at her. “You and your…whoever you are, did this to us!”

“Michelle,” Sarah said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Tina is here to help us! She and another one of the people here are going to get us out, so cut her some slack, okay?”

“Where’s Beth,” Michelle demanded to know, but Sarah shook her head.

“I don’t know. After we arrived, they split us up. Beth was being taken somewhere for observation. They seemed very interested in her condition.”

“They’re not interested in her, they’re interested in what the drug is doing to her,” Michelle snapped, casting a dirty look at Tina as she grabbed the bodysuit and proceeded to slip into it under the piece of fabric she’d been wearing. “They want to see how she reacts as she shrinks to microscopic size and dies.”

Sarah followed Michelle’s actions and slipped on the bodysuit, ultimately tossing the piece of fabric from her old clothes aside once she slipped the suit over her shoulders. “Wow! This fits like a glove. I wish I had one of these to wear back at school!”

“Forget about that right now,” Michelle growled, finally looking up at Tina in anger. “So what’s your part in all this? Did you finally grow a conscience after killing all those other people you shrank?”

“Michelle,” she heard Thomas call out. “Tina was the one who ran out of the lab earlier today after Doctor Lithe was…eliminated.”

Tina looked down in shame. “Doctor Lithe…Carol…was my friend. We were recruited at the same time, but Carol was smarter than I was and rose up to become the lead researcher of the facility. At first, I was uncertain about what we were doing, but Carol convinced me to stay, but later on as I learned more, I realized that once I was recruited, there was no way for me to leave. No one leaves the company voluntarily. We’re basically slaves here. Most of us live nearby in the town of Shenandoah under aliases so no one truly knows who we are.”

“Wow, that sounds like slavery to me,” Michelle replied sarcastically.

Tina sighed in frustration before responding in a hushed voice, “You don’t understand! If they suspect us of doing what I’m doing now, they make us disappear…literally! What happened to Carol today was an example of what happens to any of us if we don’t do our jobs. The only difference was that she never saw it coming! She thought her position protected her from Director Melendez’s punishment.”

Suddenly, Michelle had a completely different view of Tina and those who were working in the facility, but she still wasn’t completely convinced. “He can’t possibly expect you to do the research you’re doing on this drug under these conditions. Fearful of being shrunk for mistakes? For failing to do what they want? How could anyone work that way?”

“Most of us don’t know,” Tina whispered wide-eyed. “Carol told me a month ago when we were in town at a bar having drinks. Apparently, liquor loosened her up more than she intended and she admitted the truth to me. The next day, she came to me and begged me never to reveal that I knew the truth or we’d both disappear. According to her, the director keeps tabs on our work and periodically conducts reviews on our performance. Those who regularly fail to work to expectations are approached by Security and escorted to speak with the Director. After that, they’re never heard from again! Their apartments are cleaned out, their belongings removed, all trace of their employment is deleted. It was only today, when he openly and deliberately shrank Carol in front of all of us that the others began to consider what was really happening. After the director left the lab, I ran out because I was so terrified that I went into the restrooms and screamed. I can’t keep doing this! One day, Security is going to come for me, and I don’t want that to happen.”

Suddenly, the full horror of what was going on in this place hit Michelle in the face and she stared up at Tina in shock. She could see the young woman’s hands shaking and the fear that must have been consuming her for weeks. “Look, I’m sorry for what I said to you. Thank you for doing this for us, but if you’re so afraid of being shrunk, why would you help us now? Once they discover what you’re doing, they’ll find you and do it anyway.”

“Part of me realizes that,” Tina admitted. “But I can’t keep doing this! One of the Trackers is actually helping me. He’s looking for your friend, as well as doing something I suggested to help give us time. For now, we need to leave! We’re going to meet upstairs in the garage and get out of here before we’re discovered. Luckily, it’s late in the evening and most of the staff has left for the day.”

“What about Security,” Thomas said, standing at the edge of his open cell. “They roam the facility constantly. If they see you, won’t they be suspicious?”

Tina shook her head. “Actually, Alex is dealing with that right now.” Lifting up one of the stasis bubble containers, she said, “Jump in. This is probably the easiest way to transport you without raising any suspicion.”

“You’re going to just walk out with us in that,” Sarah finally spoke up. When Tina nodded, she added, “What good is escaping this facility going to do us if we’re still shrunk?”

“Believe me,” Tina said confidently. “Alex is way ahead of you on that. C’mon!”

[sumuderguy2]

If it wasn't for TDL and Steve Colburn there would never have been the Minimizer and Sumguy...

[MarauderTDL]

Chapter Thirteen: Breakout

Unlike the Medical Wing, which was regularly lit with bright, clinically sterile white lighting, the Security wing was illuminated by cool, blue light that lined the corners of the ceiling, giving a look that was almost Tron-like, set against the sleek, polished, black walls. Alex strode down the hallway nonchalantly, his camouflage equipment stowed in a black duffel bag in one hand, while his sniper rifle and associated gear were carefully stored in a heavy-duty container in the other. Turning a corner, he glanced up to see one of the security guards approaching, wearing the standard security body armor emblazoned with the BST logo across the front. Alex nodded as they came closer, and although the guard looked up at him, he barely acknowledged him as he passed by. Not that Alex took any offense to this. Trackers were considered part of the Security section and, during down times, would regularly provide relief for guards who were on leave or off the rotation. Unfortunately, despite this fact, Trackers were regularly snubbed by the general security contingency for being considered the ‘elite’ members of the department. Perhaps they took offense to being constantly reminded of the Trackers and the skills they possessed that regular security personnel were not trained in. Whatever the reason, it formed a wedge between the two groups that Director Melendez never chose to address.

Following the path he took on a regular basis, Alex continued on until he reached the locker rooms where members of the Security department dressed and outfitted themselves before and after duty. Passing several rows of lockers, he made his way down to the last row on the left until he reached his locker, spinning the dial just as he did every day since orientation.

“There he is,” Alex heard John Carlton’s voice echo from the communal showers at the back of the locker room. “Damn, boy, it certainly took you long enough to finish your examination. What took you so long? Did the lab tech find anything wrong?”

“Yeah, she found I was suffering from having to listen to you all the time,” Alex fired back, making sure to keep his voice light-hearted enough that John considered it a joke, which he did.

Chuckling as he exited the showers and walked across the tile floor to his locker across from Alex’s, he opened it up and reached in to pull out a cigar and toss it to Alex. “Here you go, champ! For a job well done, and your very first successful tag ‘n grab.”

“I wasn’t aware we celebrated this kind of thing,” Alex replied as he held the thick cigar in his hands, unsure what to do with it.

“Of course we do,” John said with a beaming smile. Sitting down on the bench with the towel still wrapped around his waist, he said, “When I was in the military, my CO made it a point to initiate new members of the platoon by celebrating their achievements. He felt it helped create a bond between him and the men, so they worked better as a unit.”

“And you think by offering me a cigar, it will improve our working relationship, is that it?”

“Not just any cigar, boy,” John replied seriously, pointing at the cigar in Alex’s hand. “That is a Hammer & Sickle Tradicion Serie Churchill. One of the finest cigars released this year. There are few better cigars than a Churchill, and believe me, I know.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Alex said, not convinced, but not wanting to set John off at this point. “You don’t expect me to light it up here, do you?”

“Of course not,” John exclaimed with a smile as he rose and tossed the towel over the door of his locker. Reaching in, he grabbed a pair of briefs and slipped them on. “I was thinking maybe we could go down to the bar in Luray. You know, grab a couple of steaks, like I mentioned earlier, get some beers, and maybe even pick up a couple of ladies while we’re there. We should celebrate, you know? You did an outstanding job out there today, even if you did get riled up about those ladies.”

“Shouldn’t I be,” Alex responded quietly, keeping his anger in check as he set the cigar aside. “John, one of those girls probably isn’t going to survive.”

At the mention of the woman Alex dosed with Gamma, John’s smile faded a little. “There’s nothing to do about that, boy. Word has it that a tainted batch of Gamma made it through QC with stronger effects than intended. Director Melendez assures me that everything is being done to help her, but they’re not hopeful that she’ll pull through.”

“And I’m supposed to celebrate as if nothing happened? John, say what you want, but if she dies, that’s on me. I pulled the trigger. I may not have intended to harm her, but if she dies, I’m responsible.”

“Didn’t your grandfather teach you that sometimes things don’t go as planned?”

Memories of the day his grandfather died came back and Alex had to fight to keep from showing to John that it got to him. “Yeah…yeah, he did.”

“Well there you go,” John said, slipping a t-shirt over his head before reaching for a pair of blue jeans. “Look, they’ve got her over in the ICU wing of the Medical Department and they’re doing everything they can to save her. In the meantime, why don’t we go out for steaks and beers, my treat? We can light up our cigars and give a toast hoping for her recovery, what do you say?”

Sighing heavily, Alex rose and set the cigar in his locker before reaching back to remove the breastplate of his body armor. Reaching over, he clapped John on his back. “All right. Look, I’ve still got to take a shower, drop off my armor at the armory and fill out my after-action report. Why don’t you go ahead and find the place and I’ll text you for directions when I’m getting ready to head out. I promise, I’ll be done in under two hours, sound good?”

“Sounds like a plan, boy. Don’t take too long though. Or else I may find some company and start without you.”

Alex laughed as John finished pulling up his cowboy boots and grabbing his bomber jacket. Slipping his sunglasses on, John grabbed his keys, shut his locker, and nodded in Alex’s direction. “See you soon, partner.”

Glancing at John’s back as he slipped his jacket on, Alex smiled knowingly and whispered to himself as he discarded the cigar in his locker, “Yeah, you wish.”

Knowing that he couldn’t try to leave immediately in case John came back, Alex stripped out of his clothes and stepped into the showers to quickly lather up and wash off the dirty and grime from being outside all day long. When he was satisfied he’d waited long enough, he grabbed his towel, dried off as thoroughly as he could and got dressed. Unlike John though, Alex preferred a more rugged style which included thick denim jeans, well-worn over the last few years, a short-sleeved cotton shirt, and hiking boots, also well-worn. Tossing the rest of his uniform into the locker, he bent down to pick up the duffel bag and carrying case, shut the locker behind him, and walked out of the locker room. Glancing in both directions, Alex strode down the hallway to Mr. Quisley’s office and knocked.

“Come in,” he heard a voice from inside call out.

Heeding the voice’s command, Alex opened the door and stepped inside to find Mr. Quisley seated at his desk at the far side of the room, the lights turned down low as he stared intently at the computer screen off to his right. Glancing up as Alex entered, he blinked several times before smiling.

“Well, well, Agent Sharp, what brings you here? I thought you’d be heading out for the day.”

Setting his duffel bag and carrying case at the door, Alex stepped forward before saying, “Yes sir, actually I was, but I wanted to ask you something before I left…just to be sure I wasn’t breaking any protocols.”

“Sounds serious,” Mr. Quisley commented, indicating to the rickety chair on the opposite side of his rectangular desk. “Please, sit down.”

Taking his cue, Alex sat down, glancing at his superior’s desk and the piles of reports that covered his desk. “Seems you’ve got a lot on your plate, sir.”

David Quisley chuckled as he nodded in agreement. “The price you pay for promotion, son. Believe me, the higher up the ladder you climb, the less you find yourself doing what you love.” Seeing Alex’s confusion, he added, “I loved being a tracker when I was younger, but I found as I became good at it, my superiors rewarded me with promotions that kept me from doing what I enjoyed until now…I’m just good at pushing papers, I’m afraid.” Sighing deeply, he said, “So what can I do for you?”

“Well sir,” Alex began. “Mr. Carlton, John, invited me to go out with him to celebrate our efforts today.”

“That’s very nice of him,” Quisley remarked. “I wonder if he’s trying to smooth over some of those rough patches between the two of you? I heard you both had a disagreement over the company’s methods while in the field.”

“He told you that,” Alex asked.

Quisley nodded. “It got back to us. Director Melendez pointed out that you and John are polar opposites of each other. He’s in this for the money, while you’ve shown a desire to do what is best for the company and those we’re testing the drug on.”

“It only makes sense, sir,” Alex commented. “If we make a mistake, like what happened with the girl I tagged with Gamma today, it could have repercussions.”

“You’re right,” Quisley agreed. “That’s why we’re doing everything we can for her. We’re hopeful she’ll pull through…”

“I heard she might not survive the night, sir.”

“Who told you that,” he demanded angrily, before settling down and saying, “It’s touch and go right now. She had an allergic reaction to the drug and we were studying why it affected her like it did, but the researchers tell me the antidote is working as intended.”

Based on what Tina LeFay informed him, Alex knew the Security Chief was lying to him, but he didn’t react. Instead, he said, “Well, anyway, John said he wanted to take me out for drinks and dinner at one of the bars in Luray. I just wanted to be sure that after-hour fraternization was permitted.”

Quisley nodded with a smile. “Absolutely, son. I think that’s good of John to offer to do that…”

“One of the lab technicians also commented that she might go as well. Would that present a problem? She indicated she was attracted to me and…well…”

“I see your concerns,” Quisley said thoughtfully. “Well, seeing as you and the technician don’t have regular contact with each other on a daily basis, I don’t see how spending time outside of the facility would be an issue, so long as you avoid discussing any company business that is.”

“Oh, absolutely sir,” Alex assured him as he stood up, only to trip and fall against the desk, sending several stacks of files crashing to the floor. “Ah dammit! I’m sorry about that, sir.” Reaching down, he attempted to help in retrieving the files, but Quisley stopped him as he quickly scooped them up. Once finished, he placed them back on the desk and smiled.

“No harm, no foul, son. Enjoy yourself. You’ve earned a chance to relax and have some fun.”

“Thank you, sir,” Alex said, backing up and retrieving his duffle bag and carrying case. “I told John I’d meet him in about an hour or so. I should be going.”

“You do that. Good night, son.”

Gathering his things, Alex exited Quisley’s office and turned down the hall to the elevators. As he reached the door and punched the call button, he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out the ID badge, only to slip it back in as he heard someone passing nearby. As the doors opened, he stepped in and punched a button before stepping back. The elevator door quietly closed and he felt the car move. Glancing up at the indicator, he saw it going down until he heard the soft indicator announce his arrival. Stepping out of the elevator, he was surprised by the nearly absolute silence of the hall. Like the Security Wing, this hall was dark, with polished black walls, except that instead of blue lighting in the corners of the ceiling, there was a strange amethyst glow that illuminated the hall. Suddenly, a message echoed from down the hallway.

“Doctor Mansfield, report to Production Storage Level Two.”

Production Storage…Alex felt a surge of fear as he realized what it could mean! He’d wondered where the drug was produced, but if the announcement had anything to do with what he feared, he’d discovered how they had access to the drug so readily! They must be producing it on-site! But how?

Realizing that any attempt to sneak around in this area would be impossible, Alex found what appeared to be a storage room and quietly stored his gear before closing the door and continuing down the hall. What seemed odd was the fact that there was no one walking the halls, no sign of activity except a faint vibration in the floor that he could feel even through his boots. Checking the walls for any indication of where to go, he spotted a small placard that indicated that the Intensive Care Unit for Investigative Research was down the hall to his left, while Production and Storage was to the right.

ICU! That’s where they said they took the girl!

Hurrying down the hallway, Alex came to the T-junction and glanced around the corner in both directions. Seeing no one, he turned left and headed toward the ICU until he came to a windowless metal door with a sign that read: ICU – ID Badge required for entry.

Slipping his hand into his pocket, Alex withdrew the badge he’d palmed while in Security Chief Quisley’s office and glanced at the photo. The image of Doctor Lithe stared back at him and he held the badge up to the scanner next to the door.

This had better work, or I’m screwed, he thought as the red beam read the bar code beneath Doctor Lithe’s photograph. A female computerized voice sounded from above, momentarily surprising him. “Security identification recognized. Welcome Doctor Lithe.”

The door opened and slid to the right, allowing him entrance. With a sigh of relief, he stepped inside, only to stop as he found himself in a strange featureless room with a computer at a solitary station. Unsure how to proceed, he sat down and punched a button, only to hear a soft beep of protest.

“Please enter your identification authority, please.”

Fumbling with the badge, Alex slipped it into a slot set into the table and waited as the computer beeped and responded, “Welcome Doctor Lithe. Please select your request from the menu.”

1. Production Status
2. Sample Request
3. Production Facility Access – Level 7 or Above Only
4. Product Specifications
5. Investigative Research Facility Access – Level 6 or Above Only
6. Investigative Research – ICU Wing

As quickly as he could, Alex scanned each option, starting with Production Status. Luckily, his grandfather helped him develop the ability to scan information quickly to find pertinent information without wasting time reading the entire text. While not speed-reading per se, it was the next best thing and it only confirmed his worst fears as he glanced at the data in the system. According to what he read, there was a production facility on site and they were producing the drug, in quantities that chilled him to the bone. To reduce the possibility of human error as well as the chance accidental exposure, most of the production was done via computerized machinery. Only a small contingent of a dozen individuals had access or could affect changes to the system. Based on the data listed, it appeared that there were currently sufficient quantities of each variant on site, stored in gigantic vats, to affect the entire city of New York, and there were indications that a proposed test was scheduled for one of the Boroughs in four weeks!

Further scans of the data showed that a new variant: Juliet, was being tested, with indications that it would merge Alpha with any of the other variants, while making it possible to initiate the shrinking effect at a specific time, such as while the target was asleep! Based on the data, it appeared that the company was fast-tracking this variant for what they termed as ‘covert operations’.

Feeling sick to his stomach, Alex continued to scan the data before reaching into his pocket and removing a flash drive Tina gave him. Slipping it into a data port, he pulled up a request to transfer data, only to receive a warning.

“Data transfer is strictly prohibited. Access restricted to Level 7 and above. Please provide your identification or security measures will be activated.”

Fumbling with Doctor Lithe’s badge, he slipped it into the slot again and waited until the computer beeped again. “Identification accepted, Doctor Lithe. Transfer in progress.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Alex continued scanning the files while the transfer was underway, although he kept glancing at the Sample Request option.

Son, what are you doing? You don’t have time to fool around, he heard his grandfather say.

If Juliet can do what it says it can do, I need proof! The only way to stop this is to be able to show that this exists, Alex argued.

Who would you tell? Someone in government? Someone who could be made to disappear? They’d stop you before that evidence ever got out to the public.

I have to try! Dammit, Grandpa, I’m guilty of being a part of this! I have to do something to stop it!

When his grandfather’s voice didn’t speak, Alex took it as a sign and quickly punched in his request. To his amazement, he found that the system readily accepted it.

Request for Juliet approved, Doctor Lithe. Please access Prep Site Four inventory. Sample will be available in one hour.

Prep Site Four? John told him that Prep Site Four was decommissioned over a month ago, but then he noticed that Juliet’s initial testing date matched the time when Prep Site Four was shut down. Coincidence? Alex doubted it. Perhaps that’s what they wanted him and others to think so none of the trackers would stumble upon any evidence of the new drug being developed. If that’s where he had to go to receive the sample, maybe Prep Site Four was more than what he was made to believe.

Glancing at the download status, he saw he only had forty percent and the system indicated another five minutes before it would finish. Scanning the information for the ICU Wing, he found files mentioning a patient recently brought in for observation. Checking the data, he punched in a request for access and watched the wall to his left pull back to reveal a door that slid to the side, granting him access. Hurrying over, he found himself in a room similar to that of a standard hospital emergency room, although the three alcoves where patients would normally be seen were sealed behind glass doors. Two of the alcoves were empty, but one was lit with a small, round container similar to a petri-dish set on a table as cameras mounted in the ceiling focused down on a tiny object inside.

It’s her!

Alex felt his heart pounding as he quickly scanned Doctor Lithe’s ID card and stepped inside the alcove. Looking down at the poor woman, Alex could see she was even smaller than earlier when he’d last seen her after he and John captured her and her friends. Now one half-inch tall, she was still unconscious, lying with a tiny strip of gauze to act as a cover for her body and keep her in place. A quick check of the stats on a nearby computer confirmed the drug was still in her system, slowly compressing her body to an even smaller size. Based on projections listed, she only had hours left before she would be too small to be visible to the naked eye. Alex cursed softly only to blink as he realized…

The antidote!

If he could get her to Prep Site Four, there was still cartridges of each variant, as well as the antidote, stored away! If he got her there in time, maybe he could save her! Looking around, he found the top to the petri-dish and slipped it in place before removing it from the table. Seeing that the gauze helped to keep her from moving, he chanced slipping the container into his breast pocket and quickly heading out of the ICU room. Returning to the computer, he heard a soft ping and saw that the download was completed. Pulling the flash drive from the slot, he closed the door to the ICU room, watching the door disappear into the wall again. Checking the computer, he called up the information on the Production Facility and discovered it was on the opposite side of the hall that he’d come down.

Son, don’t even think about it…


Sealing the door behind him, Alex hurried down the hallway as quickly, yet as quietly as he could. Coming to the T-junction leading back to the elevator, he looked at his watch. It had been over half an hour since he left Tina to go collect the other two women and hide out until he arrived. He knew he had to hurry because his luck would only hold for so long. Between his plan with John, as well as stealing Doctor Lithe’s ID, it was only a matter of time before something went wrong.

Which is why this is a bad idea, son, his grandfather’s voice sounded in his mind. Get the hell out of here!

“Not yet, Grandpa,” he whispered. “One last thing to do.”

Hurrying over to the door where he left his equipment, he reached into his carrying case and pulled out a rectangular block and a small timer. Closing the door, he hurried down the hall to the Production Facility and scanned the ID badge again before quietly slipping inside. The room he entered appeared to be a monitoring station with a row of computers set against the wall overlooking an enormous room filled with computerized equipment. Computer-controlled arms carefully injected chemicals into vials before sending them down a conveyor to another series of stations where they were checked, sorted, capped and processed. Behind them, Alex could see more stations, all working at full capacity. A glance at the computer screens showed that this was where the drug was being produced, while off to the right, large vats that looked like miniature water towers, contained the drug in its many variants.

This is a bad idea, son.

Ignoring the voice in his head, Alex opened a door to the right, only to be assaulted by the noise produced by the machinery below. Quickly, he hurried across a cat-walk to the first of almost a dozen vats. Upon inspection, he confirmed that these were the holding tanks for the drug before it was formed into capsules for individual use. Based on what he read, the company was storing the drug here until final approval to move forward with extensive testing. If he could cause an explosion that would set off a chain-reaction in the production facility, he could destroy the drug entirely. According to the data, the drug in its solid form was inert, only working when it was released into the air in aerosolized form. However, in its liquid form, the drug was highly combustible and could result in an explosion if exposed to a spark…like that from a detonator?

As part of his standard equipment in the field, Alex’s backpack was filled with standard supplies for being out in the wild during assignments. However, in addition to survival gear, the company felt that other items would sometimes be required, including explosives consisting several detonators and a block of Composition 4 about the size of a chocolate bar, only twice as thick. Pulling out the rectangular block, Alex unwrapped the C-4 explosive charge and took a deep breath. There was no going back once this was done. In his other hand, he held one of the timers, which he’d set for thirty minutes. That should give him and the others enough time to get out in time before the charge went off. Breaking the charge in half, he molded the two pieces into round balls before pressing the timer into the first one. Flipping the switch to turn it on, Alex reached around the corner of one of the vats to press the charge against the skin of the metal containment vessel. When he was done, he pressed the button and heard a soft beep before pressing the button on his watch to start the timer. After checking to see that his work was complete, Alex hurried back to the monitoring station and opened the door, only to be confronted by a member of security.

“Hey! What are you doing here?”

Maybe he recognized Alex, maybe the guard simply never expected to find someone in here who didn’t belong. Whatever the reason, his delay was costly as Alex sprang at him and kicked his legs out from under him. The guard dropped his weapon as he fell, grappling with Alex to try to get the upper hand. However, Alex had been trained, by both his grandfather and the company, to subdue an opponent. Before the guard knew what he was doing, Alex got behind the guard, locked his legs around his waist and wrapped his arms around his neck, slowly choking him. To his credit, the guard tried to fight back, but his efforts only served to speed his way to unconsciousness as the blood flow to his brain was cut off. In less than a minute, his struggles lessened and he collapsed to the floor.

“Sorry buddy,” Alex whispered as he released him and got to his feet, moving over to pick up the guard’s weapon. Opening the door, he checked the hall to find it empty and slipped out, leaving the guard behind.


“Where is this guy,” Sarah demanded for the third time in the last five minutes.

Huddled in a darkened corner of the hallway leading to the garage, Tina LeFay looked down at her watch to confirm the time. Whispering to avoid any chance of detection, she said, “Look, he told me he had to go find your friend! Now give him some slack! I don’t even know how he’s going to do that. The ICU Wing is half-a-dozen levels below the main wing, and it can only be accessed with the proper security clearance. I’m a Level 4, and I would only be permitted access to that level if accompanied by someone of Director Melendez or Security Chief Quisley’s security level.”

“Are you saying he’s going to try to sneak into the ICU,” Michelle asked as she huddled next to Thomas Michaels within the stasis bubble. “Oh God, I hope this guy can do it, but this sounds like some Mission Impossible-level stuff.”

“You’re not that far off,” Tina confirmed, glancing back and forth to ensure no one was coming. “If I hadn’t helped him by removing his tracking chip, he might have been caught already. Although he mentioned wanting to use it for some purpose. I’ve got to say, what he lacks in knowledge, he makes up for in raw courage.”

“Or stupidity,” Thomas suggested. “If he gets caught, we’ll be next, and I doubt they’d look kindly at an escape attempt.”

“We don’t have a choice, Thomas,” Michelle said softly. “If we stay, like you said, it’s only a matter of time before they get rid of us all. I don’t know about you, but while the shrinking process feels good, I’ve got no desire to remain this way, or worse yet, have them use it to shrink me any further.”

“Like they did to Beth,” Sarah said remorsefully.

Michelle bowed her head as she whispered, “Yeah…”

A few moments later, everyone heard the sound of a door nearby closing and another opening. Tina gasped as tried to hide deeper in the darkened corner of the hallway, but there was nowhere to go! Shivering in fear, she clutched the stasis bubble as she hissed softly, “If the guards find me, I’m going to toss the stasis containment bubble where they won’t see you. You’ll have to crawl out and get to a ventilation grate or something to keep them from getting you.”

Suddenly, the doorway behind her burst open and Alex appeared, moving at a rapid walk, carrying a duffel bag and a carrying case. Spotting Tina, he said, “No time to talk, we need to go…now!”

Nodding in understanding, Tina followed behind him as he entered the garage and slowed as he spotted two guards at the exit ramp leading outside. Whispering softly, he said, “Quick! Put the stasis bubble in my duffel bag. Hurry!”

Realizing how important the next few minutes were, Michelle, Sarah and Thomas huddled together in the near-darkness of Alex’s duffel bag as he and Tina walked toward the guards. They could hear Alex whisper, “Here, take the duffel and then hold my hand. If they think we’re together, we might have a chance.”

“Agent Sharp,” one of the guards called out to him with a smile. “My, my…going out on a date are we?”

“Agent Carlton offered to buy me dinner and some drinks down in Luray tonight for a job well done. Ms. LeFay is joining me. She and I…well, you know…”

The guard chuckled good-naturedly. “Yeah, I get it. Look what’s in the bag? You know we have to follow protocol and check any equipment that goes out of the facility.”

“I get it,” Alex said, setting the duffel bag on the ground and kneeling down to set the heavy-duty carrying case on his knee as he opened it.

The lead guard whistled softly. “Is that what I think it is?”

“That depends on what you think it is, Barnes,” Alex said with a smile on his face.

“That’s a M24 Sniper Rifle, isn’t it? Standard military-grade, right?”

“You’ve got it. Effective range out to eight-hundred meters, although with the terrain around here, the best I can do is probably a couple hundred meters at best. The foliage and terrain make it impossible for a straight shot.”

“What caliber does this thing fire,” the other guard asked, curious now. “Let me guess…7.62 millimeter, right?”

“Absolutely,” Alex confirmed. “Although what they had me and John doing today required specialized ammunition. I got permission from the director to take it home and clean it up to remove the residue, then I’ll take it out and practice over the weekend. After today’s successful operation, we won’t be needed until next week.”

“Huh, lucky you,” Barnes replied. “We’re stuck here all weekend long.”

“Sorry to hear that,” Alex said, his tone completely honest. “Look, I hate to cut this short, but John is waiting and I don’t want him reneging on his agreement to buy the steaks. I haven’t had a New York strip in months.”

The sound of him closing the carrying case came through the thick material of the duffel bag, as well as the guard’s response. “Sorry, but we still need to inspect the bag.”

Sarah, Michelle and Thomas all gasped softly and tried to find somewhere to hide, but they all knew if the guards checked the bag, there would be nowhere they could go. As the guard began to open the bag, Alex reached over and said, “If you must know, I’m taking my body armor home.” He unzipped the top of the bag and reached inside to pull out one of the carbon-fiber panels for his bodysuit. “I’ve been having trouble adjusting to the new design and wanted to see if I could get used to it over the weekend. They only just had me try it out today and I chafed so badly, I’m raw down there, you know?”

Barnes chuckled. “Kinda makes it tough to have fun after dinner, am I right?”

“Ha-ha, yeah, absolutely,” Alex replied. “If it’s all the same to you guys, I’d appreciate it if you kept this quiet. I’m supposed to leave my gear here, but I can’t bear the thought of dealing with this body armor if I can’t get used to it before the next operation. Between the mud and the humidity, it’s killing me.”

After a brief pause, Barnes nodded, “All right, we’ve got you covered. Do me a favor though?”

Alex turned to him. “Yeah, what do you need?”

“Can you bring me back one of those New York strips from the bar, make it medium with a baked potato? The commissary food is disgusting.”

“Sounds good to me,” Alex replied. Glancing over at his partner, he asked, “What about you, Richter? You want me to bring you back one too?”

“That would be fantastic,” Richter responded. “Medium-well, baked potato loaded, okay?”

“Gotcha both. I can’t guarantee it won’t be till late, but I’ll get them for you, all right?”

As he zipped the bag closed, Michelle, Sarah and Thomas all breathed a sigh of relief. They felt the bag being lifted up as Alex and Tina walked past the guards and approached the vehicles parked at the base of the ramp.

“Oh, oh,” Alex whispered to Tina. “I’d hoped they would have left the F-150, but it appears the only vehicle we can use is this one.”

Seeing that the doors were removed, Alex watched as Tina jumped into the passenger seat before coming around the back side to set the duffel bag and case in the back seat. Climbing into the driver’s seat, he groaned.

“What’s the problem with this vehicle," Tina asked him softly.

Finding the keys still in the ignition, Alex turned it and the engine roared to life as he admitted, “I never learned how to drive a manual.”

Hearing the sound of the motor, Michelle sat up in the bag and cried out, “Hey! This is my car! It’s a Jeep Wrangler, isn’t it?”

“Quiet,” Alex hissed softly. “They’re still nearby and could hear you!”

Pushing down on the clutch and slipping the gear shift into Reverse, Alex slowly pulled out and turned the wheel before straightening out and slipping it into First. As the gears protested his attempt, Michelle called out, “Hey! Be careful! I had the transmission rebuilt last year!”

With the guards watching, Alex gently eased into First gear and turned to go up the ramp to the surface. As they reached the top, the barn doors swung open and they exited out into the twilight as Alex pressed down on the clutch and slipped into Second gear with another screech.

“Jesus,” Michelle called out from the bag. “You’re going to ruin my car!”

[MarauderTDL]

Chapter Fourteen: Escape

“That’s right…now press down on the clutch as you come to a stop…press down, press down!”

The engine shuddered and stalled as the Wrangler came to an abrupt stop just before the turn in the road. Michelle, now sitting in Tina’s lap, cursed again as Alex reset the gear shift to First gear and started the car again.

“God-dammit, you idiot,” Michelle shouted at the top of her miniature lungs, her voice sounding like a high-pitched child. “You’re going to ruin my car if you keep doing that!”

“Look,” Alex snapped as the engine roared to life again and he let up on the clutch. “When I was growing up, my grandfather taught me to drive an automatic, not a manual! Who in their right mind does that, anyway?”

Michelle crossed her arms and glared up at him. “Uh, me for one, and millions of others across the country, for your information! I swear, if you’ve ruined the transmission, when I get back to normal, I’m going to sue you!”

“Once this is all over with, you’re welcome to do so,” Alex fired back. “In the meantime, I seriously doubt you could drive this car and we’ve got to get out of here…fast!”

“I could drive,” Tina volunteered, much to the surprise of Alex and Michelle. Seeing their expressions, she shrugged. “I haven’t driven a manual in a few years, but I think I might do better than Alex has, and besides, you can direct me where we need to go.”

Nodding in agreement, Alex stopped the car and hopped out. “Switch with me, but once you’re in the driver’s seat, gun the motor and get us the hell out of here!”

Tina slipped into the driver’s seat, clipped her belt on, and hit First gear with the roar of the motor. Michelle hooted as they took off. “Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!”

As they picked up speed, Tina glanced over at Alex. “Why do we need to get out of here so fast? What were you doing back there? We were getting worried when you were taking so long.” Seeing the expressions on Michelle, Sarah and Thomas’ faces, she amended, “Well, I was getting worried.”

“Were you aware they were producing the Sizeol drug on-site?” Seeing Tina’s expression, Alex’s eyes widened. “You did know!”

“Of course I did,” she said, turning left at his direction. Down-shifting and punching the gas, she said, “Carol, Doctor Lithe, told me about it during one of our…times together. She said that the company invested a lot of time and resources to make this location the hub for creation and distribution. They felt that being out here in the middle of nowhere…” Seeing Alex’s annoyed expression, she cringed. “Sorry, her words, not mine. Anyway, they felt having it out here would avoid any suspicions. Everything is automated and the energy requirements were tied to the local power lines that run along the railroad tracks. No one would suspect the power consumption. At least, that’s what she told me.”

“Well, I discovered the production facility, and in about twenty minutes, it’s not going to exist.”

This comment drew surprised looks from Sarah, Michelle and Thomas. “But if you destroy it, how are we ever going to return to normal,” Sarah asked, sitting on top of Alex’s duffel bag.

“You’re just going to leave us stuck like this,” Thomas said accusatorily. “We can’t survive this way!”

“Relax,” Alex assured them all. “That’s where we’re going right now. There are several sites in a twenty-mile diameter of this region, mainly located near the river. At each site, the company stored caches of the drug, along with the antidote. Once we get to Prep Site Four, we’ll get what we need for you all, head back to my place, and use it to return you all back to normal.”

“What about Beth,” Sarah asked quietly. “Did you find her? Is she…”

Seeing Sarah’s concerned expression, Alex shook his head. “No, she’s fine.” Reaching into his breast pocket, he carefully withdrew the petri-dish containing their friend. Carefully setting it on his thigh, he let them all gather around her.

“Oh God, she’s even smaller than before,” Sarah gasped. “Why didn’t you give her the antidote already? If she keeps shrinking, she’ll disappear entirely!”

“I didn’t give it to her because I didn’t have any on me,” Alex replied angrily. “Contrary to what you might think, I don’t go walking around with the stuff in my hip pocket! They only authorize me to requisition enough whenever I go out on a patrol, and today was my first time.”

“Oh great,” Thomas said, rolling his eyes. “A rookie. No wonder you were duped into joining them.”

Alex glared at the tiny man. “Hey! I didn’t get duped.” He paused for a moment before amending, “Okay, I got duped, but you should be thankful that I realized my mistake so soon or you three and your friend would be poked and prodded until the research team back there was finished and got rid of you.”

“He’s got a point,” Michelle said reluctantly.

Thomas blinked in surprise. “You’re defending him? He’s the one who shrank you all!”

“We’re not defending him,” Sarah said, coming to Michelle’s defense.

“And I don’t need defending,” Alex countered. “Once this is all over, I’ll turn myself in to the authorities.”

“You can’t do that,” Thomas said, although he seemed to regret saying it. “You realize that you’ve painted a target on your back? They’re going to come after you, after all of us.”

Alex shook his head and smiled, “Not in about fifteen minutes, they’re not.”


Director Melendez sat in his office, going over reports from the day’s activities. In the background, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C Minor filled the room with familiar yet stirring chords of music he’d enjoyed for years. The music helped him to concentrate on the task at hand as he prepared for a meeting with the G.R.U. executive board on Monday, as they reviewed Bio-SciTech’s success in developing and refining the Sizeol drug, as well as the field operations used for acquiring test subjects. He hoped to have the researchers’ initial results from the three women brought in late this afternoon, but given the third woman’s condition, he was forced to wait until tomorrow when they would see how she fared as well as her long-term prognosis. In the meantime, his notes needed to be completed and saved before he left for New York in the morning.

Through the soaring tones of the woodwinds, the director heard an insistent beeping from his intercom. Tapping a key to pause the music, he reached over and pulled up a video image of the Production Storage supervisor, as well as Mr. Quisley, both of them appearing very concerned.

“Supervisor Markison, I hope you have a good reason for interrupting my work. I have much to accomplish before my departure tomorrow afternoon.”

“Well sir,” Markison began. “I think you might want to push up that departure.”

Irritated by his cryptic meaning, Melendez arched an eyebrow as he asked, “Pray tell me why I would need to do that?”

Now it was Mr. Quisley’s turn to speak up. “Sir, Supervisor Markison is correct. He called me down to the Product Storage Wing after one of his men discovered a security guard lying unconscious in the Monitoring Station. You need to evacuate immediately. We all do. According to the guard, an unauthorized individual gained access into the facility and caught him by surprise as he was performing his rounds.”

“Do we know who the intruder was,” Melendez asked.

Quisley nodded. “I’ve got a pretty good idea, sir. According to the logs, the badge for Doctor Lithe was used to gain access, not only to the Production Storage Wing, but also to the ICU Wing on the same level, where the woman exposed to Gamma was taken for observation earlier."

Irritation creased the director’s brow as he hissed, “I ordered you to deactivate her badge after I dealt with Lithe! Why was her badge still active?”

“Because I saw no immediate need to worry about it at the time, sir,” Quisley said. “The badge was in my office, lying on the desk in front of me. I fully intended to deactivate the card before the end of the day, but someone got to it first.”

“Dammit Quisley, I told you…”

“It was Alex Sharp, sir,” Quisley interrupted the director. “He came into my office to ask me a question and while there, he fooled me into thinking he’d tripped, knocking over some files. While I was distracted, he grabbed the card and made off with it before I realized what he’d done. It’s clear someone was helping him because he couldn’t have known I had the badge without someone else telling him. He used it to get inside the ICU as well as Production Storage, since Doctor Lithe had access to both sections. We discovered the woman missing, and according to Supervisor Markison, Alex planted enough C-4 explosives on one of the holding tanks for the Sizeol variants that when it explodes, it could rupture the tanks and fill the facility with enough of the drug in aerosolized form that no amount of antidote would be sufficient to keep everyone exposed from being miniaturized out of existence. He’s turned the holding tanks into a fucking bomb!”

For the first time that he could remember, Director Melendez felt fear as he demanded to know, “How long do we have?”

“Seven, maybe eight minutes,” Supervisor Markison said. “It’s possible that I can remove the device, but if I’m wrong, the force of the blast might be sufficient enough to rupture the tanks. Everyone should be evacuated immediately!”

With several keystrokes to save his data and send it to a secured source, Melendez said, “Do it!” Rising from his chair and heading for a hidden elevator in the back of his office, he called out, “In the meantime, make every effort to deactivate the explosive! We can’t afford to lose this facility! I’ll be on the surface awaiting your response!”


Quisley heard the connection cut out and he turned to Production Supervisor Markison. “Can we disable the explosive in time?”

Markison, clearly wanting to flee, answered, “I don’t know! I’ve never dealt with explosives before. For all I know, it could go off when I try to deactivate it!”

“If we don’t, Director Melendez will make sure that we don’t survive, even if we make it to the surface,” Quisley replied. “Now I suggest we try, but in the meantime, set off the alarm and get everyone else out of here!”

Nodding, Markison punched in his security code and set off the alarm. A loud blaring siren sounded, echoing throughout the Production area. Those few workers who heard it immediately sprinted for the evacuation elevators while Quisley and Markison hurried out of the Monitoring Station to the holding tanks where the bomb was located.

The guard standing at the railing shook his head. “It’s no good, sir! It’s magnetized and I can’t budge it! Whoever set it in place put it where I can’t easily get to it. There’s no way I can see what I’m doing to try and stop it!”

“How long until it blows,” Quisley asked.

“Four minutes at best. The timer’s countdown changes tone the closer it gets to zero.”

“Will it be enough to blow the tanks?”

The guard shrugged. “I don’t know! Ask him.”

Turning to the Supervisor Markison, he repeated the question. “Well? Will it?”

“There’s a chance the tanks will survive the blast. I can’t be sure,” he said. “They were originally designed to handle the enormous pressure from storing the drug until it was needed for processing. Agent Sharp can’t possibly know whether it would work or not. I’m guessing he thought an explosion would rupture the tanks, or at least cause enough chaos to cause a panic.”

“If the tanks rupture, will the drug escape out into the surrounding environment,” Quisley asked.

Markison shook his head. “Possibly, but it wouldn’t have to. If the drug escapes the tanks, it would flood the facility, shrinking anyone inside. After that, the drug would eventually find its way into the water table and into the river. At that point, there’s no telling the ecological damage it would do, to anything it comes into contact with.”

“Why would Agent Sharp do this? It doesn’t make sense. If he’s gone rogue and wanted to destroy us, surely he wouldn’t do something as stupid as polluting the surrounding area. It would cause an environmental disaster that would devastate everything for miles in all directions. That doesn’t sound like something he would do, given his background.”

“If that bomb goes off and ruptures the tanks, it wouldn’t reach the water table,” Markison stated. “One spark would be enough to cause an explosion large enough to destroy this facility, while consuming the drug. In its aerosolized form, the drug is highly flammable in large quantities, that’s why it was proposed to introduce it in small doses rather than as a large-scale effect.”

“Two minutes,” the guard reminded them as Markison reached up to feel for the explosive charge.

Markison was sweating profusely, and not from the heat coming up from the production floor below. Stepping up onto the second bar of the railing, his hand came into contact with the shaped charge. “I feel it!”

“Well rip it off of there,” Quisley shouted as he looked at his watch. “Sixty seconds!”

Hearing the increasing pinging noise from the detonator, Supervisor Markison grabbed the charge and pulled, feeling it slowly give way in his hand as he slipped off the railing to crash onto the catwalk, the charge still in his hand. Sitting up, he opened his hand to see the charge, the detonator embedded in the plastic explosive with the timer counting down to zero. Not knowing what he was doing, but aware that doing nothing would mean their deaths, Markison grabbed the detonator and yanked it out of the explosive with only five seconds to spare. As the countdown reached zero, the detonator flashed red repeatedly only to shut off as it completed its intended function.

Quisley and the guard stared at him, their hearts in their throats as the timer went off without an explosion. As they realized they were saved, they started laughing, clapping each other on the back. However, amidst their celebration, the sound of another countdown rose in volume, loud enough to be heard over the hisses and clacks of machinery below. Feeling a sense of dread, Quisley followed the sound and instead of looking up, where the first charge was found, he looked down, just beneath the catwalk, between two of the tanks. There, hidden just under one of the connecting struts, the other half of the C-4 explosive that Alex used was affixed to the tank, with a second detonator deeply embedded in the explosive. His eyes widened in realization as the timer reached zero, just as he cursed out loud.

“Oh shi-…”


On the back end of Mill Road closest to Shenandoah River Road, Director Melendez and a group of twenty security personnel waited and watched as personnel from the facility poured out of the barn entrance. One group was already fleeing down the gravel driveway to the main road, while the majority of the facility’s personnel congregated just outside the main house or were milling about the front lawn, unsure of the emergency or what to do. Glancing down at his watch, the director turned to one of the guards.

“Once we receive word tha-…”

Deep beneath their feet, a tremendous explosion could be heard, followed by several successive detonations that rocked the surrounding terrain. Melendez and the security personnel were thrown to the ground as the Anderson home collapsed in on itself. Seconds later, a fireball erupted from the entrance leading down into the facility, shooting up into the air to ignite surrounding trees. Personnel still coming out of the barn were engulfed by the explosion, but they were mercifully spared the agony of a fiery death as the ground beneath their feet collapsed, taking them and anyone standing near the main house down into a pit that swallowed up everything in a fifty yard diameter. What parts of the ground didn’t fall into the pit, sunk into a bowl that rapidly poured anything loose into the hole, including personnel who were trying to flee. Another explosion shook the ground and as Melendez watched in awe, a plume of thick mist shot into the air, slowly settling in a cloud that descended to fill the bowl before rolling up and over the lip to flow across the front yard like a gigantic multi-colored wave, washing over several personnel who inexplicably convulsed and shrank before his very eyes. In a matter of seconds, they were gone, leaving only their clothes and personal effects behind as their screams were cut off almost as quickly as they started. Those personnel who were already running for the main road were spared, but those behind them who chose to walk weren’t so fortunate. Close to a dozen researchers, seeing the rainbow-colored plume washing over the grass screamed and tried to run but they were too slow. Like their colleagues, they were engulfed by the mist and dwindled down, their horrified cries filling the night air as they shrank out of sight. Luckily, a faint breeze slowed the mist, pushing it back before it could reach the huddled, lucky few who ran from the beginning, as well as the security contingent surrounding Director Melendez.

Staring in disbelief, Melendez turned to one of the security guards. “Give me your comm-link!”

Dutifully handing it to the director, the guard stepped aside as Melendez continued to watch as the ground surrounding the former Anderson home collapsed again. “Security Chief Quisley, are you there?”

Silence.

“Production Supervisor Markison, are you there?”

More silence.

Director Melendez growled softly and ripped the link out of his ear and threw it back at the security guard. “Get me Agent Carlton immediately!”

One of the guards nodded. “Yes sir!”


Sitting with his heels kicked up on an empty chair, John Carlton was already on his second beer, fully intending to put away a few more before the night was over. Smiling at the cute, young waitress taking orders across the room, he caught her eye and winked, causing her to smile back before another customer got her attention. They’d already talked about the possibility of heading back to her place after her shift ended for a good time. Of course, John still had a few ampules of the drug in his breast pocket, and he was looking forward to a night of sexual experimentation. He figured that by using the drug, he could get her to perform for him, until she was too small to be of any use. Then he’d use one of the stronger variants to finish her off and watch her shrink down to microscopic size. After all, he couldn’t risk the chance that she might tell someone of her experience, now could he?

Sighing from boredom, John checked his watch again before lifting his mug to his lips. The boy is late, he thought to himself. I told him to meet me here after he was released. That was almost an hour ago.

Feeling his cell phone vibrating against his chest, John reached into his vest pocket and pulled out his phone. The number on the screen was blocked, but John was fairly certain he knew who was on the other end. Punching the ‘Accept’ button, he raised the phone to his ear.

“Carlton here, go ahead.”

“Mr. Carlton,” he heard Director Melendez’s voice on the other end, and he didn’t sound pleased. “I take it you’re in your favorite watering hole in Luray, eyeing another young lady you intend to bed before shrinking her when the night is through?”

How the hell did he know, John thought. “Well, uh…”

“Never mind,” Director Melendez snarled and now John knew something was up. “As of this moment, your leave is rescinded.”

“I don’t understand, sir,” John said, pulling his feet off the chair and sitting up. “What’s going on?”

“What’s going on is that your partner managed to detonate an explosive device in the Production Storage area, igniting the drug and completely destroying the facility!”

John’s eyes widened in shock, but before he could speak, the director asked, “What I need to know right now is whether Mr. Sharp is there with you.”

“Uh, no sir. He and I were supposed to hook up for drinks and steaks after we were cleared to be released. The last I saw of him, he was in the security locker room after his examination. We talked of meeting here and celebrating his first successful mission.”

“Obviously he agreed to that so you wouldn’t think anything was out of the ordinary,” Melendez responded, his voice low and dangerous. “Agent Sharp’s microchip is currently pinging from your location. I would guess he somehow learned about them, found a way to extract it, and planted it on you to throw us off.”

“He mentioned bringing someone, but I didn’t learn whom he was referring to.”

“We have an idea of who his accomplice is,” the director said. “It’s likely that she helped him remove it and placed it on you to avoid being tracked.”

“How bad is it, sir?”

“Total,” Melendez said flatly. “I watched the explosion rip the ground apart and collapse the house into a hole fifty yards in diameter. Most of the personnel were either engulfed by the explosion or shrunk when the holding tanks ruptured and spewed a mixture of the variants into the air around the hole.”

“Holy shit,” John whispered in awe. “I had no idea he was capable of anything like that.”

“Which is why you’re still alive, Mr. Carlton,” the director snarled. “You realize what I want you to do?”

“I think I’d be a fool to pretend otherwise, sir.”

“That’s why I hired you,” Melendez said. “The facility is a total loss, whatever wasn’t destroyed by the explosion can’t be accessed due to possible contamination. I’ve already been in touch with G.R.U. They’re currently mobilizing a team to cordon off the area and should be here before dawn to begin the cleanup. Mainly, they’re going to make sure the drug was vaporized and won’t leech into the water table and surrounding area. With the Shenandoah River so close, it would become a disaster if it wasn’t burned off in the explosion. After that, we’ll release a press statement about an unforeseen explosion at a testing site.”

“In the meantime,” Melendez’s voice took on a menacing tone. “You are to collect your gear and meet up with our security contingent at Prep Site Three. I need you to inform them of what to expect when they assault Agent Sharp’s home.”

John blinked in surprise. “Wait, you don’t want me to go in with them?”

“No, John,” Melendez said firmly. “Their purpose is to soften him up. You recall when we first recruited him, how he set traps along the perimeter of his land? I expect he still has those in place.”

“Based on what I know of them, I could easily help them avoid the traps, sir.”

“No,” Melendez repeated. “Your job is to assess their initial assault. They’ll be going in with body cameras so we can get as much data as possible. However, I fully expect them to fail, so what they learn will be of use for you and the main assault team. If they manage to succeed, then you’re off the hook.”

“How many men do you intend to send in, sir?”

“I’ve managed to spare six men for the task.”

“That won’t be enough, sir,” John stated flatly. “As much as I hate to say it, Alex is good. He’ll tear through them.”

“I’m counting on it, John,” Director Melendez said without hesitation. “They’re meant as the first wave, to see what he can do. With any luck, he rescued the three women you both captured today, so that will slow him down. By sending these men in, he’ll think we failed and won’t expect the second wave.”

“I’m confused, sir. If you could only manage six men for the assault, why hold me back to be part of the second wave? I can take him.”

John could hear the smile in the director’s voice as he said, “Mr. Carlton, your ego is bigger than the money we pay you, despite your experience. If you go in with the first wave and he manages to take you down, the second group won’t stand a chance. No, like I said, the first group will act as our scouts to give us an idea of what you’ll be up against with the second wave. Besides, the team from G.R.U. is more experienced than our own. As much as I hate to admit it, our security is little better than mall cops. That’s why you’ll be leading a twelve-man team to finish him off.”

Uncertain, John asked, “You don’t want me to bring him in?”

In a voice that barely contained his fury, Director Melendez said, “I want you to eliminate that son-of-a-bitch, Mr. Carlton! I want you to kill him and anyone he managed to take with him. Make them suffer, do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal, sir.”

“Don’t fail me, John,” Melendez hissed. “I already made the mistake of letting this boy fool us. Don’t make me regret putting you in charge of dealing with this problem.”

“You won’t be, sir. By tomorrow, Alex will regret his decision. I’ll see to it personally.”


As they made their way up the darkened Route 340 heading north, a massive explosion thundered across the valley, as a fireball lit the sky and briefly illuminated the skyline to the south. Even at their size, Sarah, Michelle and Thomas could see the explosion and gasped.

“What the hell was that,” Thomas called out over his shoulder as he and Michelle held onto each other to avoid falling off the top of Alex’s duffel bag.

Glancing over his shoulder, Alex smiled knowingly. “Uh, that was a parting gift I left for my former boss and the rest of the personnel at the facility. I guess, you could call it my letter of resignation.”

Michelle turned at stared up at him in disbelief. “Wait, are you saying you blew up the facility?”

“Actually, yes,” Alex admitted. “Once I decided that I was going to get you all out, I knew I couldn’t just leave and let them continue doing what they’d planned. I had to find a way to put the facility out of commission permanently, and hopefully take out as many of them as possible.”

Tina gasped, “Alex! I had friends amongst the researchers. Most of us were part of a post-graduate group out of M.I.T.!”

“I’m sorry, Tina,” Alex said, seeing the shock in her eyes. “I didn’t have a choice! If I didn’t do something to stop them, what do you think they’d be doing next week? They’d find another gullible kid who didn’t realize what he was getting into. They’d tell him the same lies they fed me; that it was all a government-sanctioned project, and he’d be out in the field before the end of summer doing to others what they had me do to them.” He looked at Sarah, Michelle and Thomas in shame. “Without someone to stop them, they’d continue and more innocent victims would disappear, subjects for their tests. I couldn’t do that!”

It was Sarah who leapt across the gap between the duffel bag and the central console to walk over to Alex’s leg and stare up at him. “Is that what they told you?”

Even in the dimming light, she could see the regret on his face as he ducked his head and looked away. “They told me it was a government project, meant to help with population control and food shortages, amongst other things. The director promised me that I was doing a service for my country. That someday, when the drug helped people have a better life, they’d thank me for what I did. Now, I think he used that to make me believe I was doing something honorable, like my grandfather when he was in the service. I bought it hook, line, and sinker.” Alex sighed deeply. “They said no one would get hurt, and I was dumb enough to believe them…until my partner revealed that he was eliminating people along the river ahead of us who might find out what we were doing.” Sarah and Michelle both gasped in shock, while Thomas frowned. “He used a different variant of the drug to shrink them…except it was stronger, worked faster, and it didn’t stop until they…”

He paused and looked out the side of the car, feeling the wind rushing past them before continuing. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice cracking enough that even Tina glanced over to see a tear rolling down his cheek. “Ever since I was eight, I wanted to make my parents proud, but they died in a car accident when I was in third grade. My grandfather came and brought me here to Central Virginia and raised me. He taught me how to shoot bows and firearms, he showed me how to live off the land, to appreciate everything around me…but the one thing he never got a chance to do was show me how to interact with others. We’d go into town every now and then, but it wasn’t the same. Out here in the country, there weren’t a lot of people my age to get to know. I think he knew that, but before he got the chance to help me find ways to make friends, he became sick with cancer.”

“In the end, he made arrangements to ensure I’d be taken care of, financially mostly. He deeded his home and property, as well as leaving everything else, to me. The law said I could legally live on my own at sixteen. Shortly after my birthday, he died, and I was alone again. I spent the next four years by myself, never feeling comfortable going into town. In fact, I had to force myself to go just to get groceries, and even then, I never felt like I belonged. I tried to work through my issues by helping at a bar, but that didn’t go well either.”

“When Director Melendez came to me late last year, he made me believe that I’d be making a difference; that I would be able to contribute to society. The bastard used my grandfather’s memory to make me think I was doing something important. I was a fool.”

Now the bravado he’d tried to build up as a shield came crashing down as he admitted, “There was this couple…they were fishing along the shoreline,” he glanced back at Sarah and Michelle. “It was a little while before I separated your river tubes to drug your friend. My partner, John...” Alex’s face betrayed his shame as he stammered, “I-I can’t get the image of their…all that was left were their clothes lying on the shoreline! John…he just…”

Sarah looked up at the young man who was responsible for their condition, saw the regret in his eyes, heard the pain in his voice, and she realized that he was as much of a victim as they were. With that understanding, Sarah slowly walked up and lay her tiny hands on his arm, causing him to look down at her in confusion.

In a soft voice, spoken loud enough so he could hear her, she said, “I forgive you.”

Alex shook his head in disbelief. “N-no, don’t you understand? I-I don’t deserve it. Not after what I did to you!”

“Sarah, what are you doing,” Michelle asked as she jumped over to join her friend.

“Can’t you see he’s in pain,” Sarah said, pointing up at Alex, who looked away in shame.

“He could be lying just to make us feel sorry for him,” Michelle argued.

Sarah rolled her eyes. “For God’s sake, Michelle, for someone who claims to be good at reading people, you suck at it right now!”

“And how would you know,” Michelle fired back.

“Do you remember when I told you about Brad? When he got hurt?” Michelle nodded slowly, not sure where Sarah was going with this, but willing to wait and see. “Well what I didn’t tell you was how rough it was while he was injured. There were times when he said things that weren’t very nice. In the end, he broke down and apologized to me for how badly he’d behaved. I forgave him because I realized what he’d been going through.” She pointed up at Alex as she said, “That’s what he’s going through right now! He’s in pain, he’s ashamed and what he needs right now is someone who can look him in the eye and forgive him for his mistakes. Now I don’t know about you, but I’m willing to do that!”

“Why?” Confused, Michelle looked up at Alex, who lowered his gaze and hung his head. “After everything he’s done to us, why should we forgive him?”

It was Thomas who spoke up, much to Michelle’s surprise as he placed his hands on her shoulders. “Because he realized what he was doing was wrong, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it right. Look, I’ve been stuck this way for over a month. I know he didn’t do this to me, so I’m certainly not going to blame him. However, think about it for a second. He just helped us escape, but he could have left us all there and gone on his way. Instead, he risked everything to help us, placing his own life on the line to stop what they’ve been doing to others. Michelle, we’re not the first ones to have this done to us.”

“Actually, you’re about the tenth or eleventh group, really,” Tina admitted softly before turning her eyes back to the darkened road.

Squeezing Michelle’s shoulders as the significance of their situation sank in, Thomas saw her expression soften. “Don’t you realize? We’re the lucky ones! If Alex hadn’t seen the error of his ways, someone with a conscience who couldn’t just leave us to our fates, we’d be as good as dead. Hell, to be honest, I’m willing to thank him simply for blowing up the facility.”

Seeing Tina’s expression, Thomas added, “Hey, those researcher friends of yours were well aware of what was going on, and so were you. You saw me sitting in the cage for weeks, all alone. You never did anything for me, but I understand that you helped him in getting us out, so I can forgive you too. As for your friends, well…they made their choice.”

Tina nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. Look, I’m sorry too. It wasn’t until Director Melendez shrank Carol in front of us that I realized exactly what I’d gotten myself into. I was so in awe of the technology they developed to accomplish the miniaturization process, I never stopped to think of what it was doing to the people they captured, including you. However, I should have known what I was doing was wrong even before then. When this is all over, if Alex is going to turn himself in, I’ll go with him. Our joint testimony will be more believable than just his alone.”

“For now, can we just focus on getting that antidote and using it to return us to normal,” Michelle asked. “And we’ve got to hurry or Beth won’t make it. How is she doing?” At Michelle’s inquiry, Alex removed the petri-dish holding Beth from his pocket again and set it down so they could look. Michelle gasped and said, “She looks like she’s gotten smaller! How much further is this Prep Site you were talking about?”

Glancing at the mile marker along the side of the road, Alex said, “We’ve got about three more miles to go before the turn-off. Prep Site Four is located just north of the Newport Reservoir. Once we pass it, there’s a gravel road on the right that bears off into the woods. The Prep Site is located on a rise overlooking the river.”

Pressing a hand against the lid of the petri-dish, Sarah whispered softly, “Hang on, Beth.”

Michelle and Sarah held each other as Thomas stood behind them. Looking up at Alex, he asked, “After we get to the Prep Site, what then?”

“Prep Site Four is a decommissioned stock-pile they used for the drug. I intend to take as much as I can with us and use the antidote on you all when we get back to my house. Hopefully, there’ll be ammunition and supplies that we can take with us as well.”

Michelle blinked in confusion before asking, “Wait, why would we need ammunition?”

“You won’t,” Alex stated matter-of-factly. “I will. There’s little chance that the C-4 I planted in the Production Storage Area took out everyone. It’s likely that some of them escaped, so any of the security force members will probably form a team. Once we get to my house, I’ll make preparations for when they come after us. My partner, John Carlton, will probably lead them. He left the facility before us, so he would be sent to track us down, which he’d gladly do, seeing as I just eliminated his source of income.”

“So you’re going to wait for him at your house? That doesn’t sound very smart.”

Alex smiled as he put the car back in gear and accelerated back onto the road. “You don’t think I let anyone come on my property uninvited, do you? I have some surprises set out, but eventually they might make it inside, so I have to prepare.”

“I don’t understand,” Sarah said. “We could keep driving, find somewhere to hide that isn’t so obvious.”

“Any ideas,” Alex asked. “We can’t go to your families’ homes. That would put them in danger, not to mention it would be tough to explain to them about everything that happened, right?”

“He’s got a point there,” Michelle admitted. “’Hi mom and dad! Sorry to barge in, don’t worry about the fact that we’re tiny.’ Yeah…not a good idea.”

“Why not go to the police,” Sarah asked. “Surely we could show them everything…”

“Because if Director Melendez is as cunning as I think he is, he’ll have bribed the local law enforcement agencies in the area,” Alex stated confidently.

“What makes you say that,” Thomas asked, now interested to hear what Alex had to suggest.

“Something about the way Sheriff McDougal was acting just prior to Director Melendez’s visit to my house last year when he recruited me. He seemed…preoccupied, and yet he took the time to check up on me several times prior to the director’s arrival. Usually, I wouldn’t see him for months, but he stopped by my house three times in two weeks just before Director Melendez arrived. Not to mention, he told the director where to find me, despite the fact that I made it clear that I never wanted uninvited guests. He gave them my location anyway. That either means he was compromised, or he was in trouble. Either way, I don’t think we could trust him to help us.”

Five minutes later, they passed the sign for the Newport Reservoir and Alex pointed off to the right. “That’s it, that’s it! Turn here, Tina!”

Down-shifting, Tina yanked on the wheel and pulled off the road onto a gravel strip that would have been difficult to see even in the daytime. As she moved forward, tree limbs slapped the sides of the Wrangler, brushing the canopy above them.

“Either they deliberately wanted this road hidden, or they haven’t had anyone out this way to cut back the underbrush in a long time,” Tina commented as she slowly made her way deeper into the forest.

Turning on the flood lights, she barely managed to avoid a downed tree trunk which would have surely jammed into the undercarriage of the vehicle. After a few minutes of careful maneuvering, they finally approached a small building that appeared to have been abandoned for a long time. In the darkness, it was nearly invisible, even with the Jeep’s floodlights illuminating it. The entire front of the cabin was overgrown with weeds and fallen trees to hide its existence, even from close scrutiny.

“This can’t be the place,” Tina said as they came to a stop and got out. Sarah, Michelle and Thomas managed to climb up onto the dashboard to get a view and Thomas nodded in agreement.

“This place looks like an old cabin from the last century,” he said, shaking his head. “You’re telling me this is where they stored the drug and other equipment?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Alex said as he hopped out of the Wrangler and walked over to the ramshackle building. Pushing on the rotting wooden door, everyone was surprised by the sight of a metal one behind it, lit with an electronic lock and a keypad. “Let’s hope they didn’t have time to lock me out of the system.”

Tapping in a six-digit code, the door beeped twice and the lock released to reveal a staircase leading down into the ground beneath the cabin. Alex quickly hurried down and after several minutes, returned with a large metal case with warning stickers all over it. Setting it in the back trunk bed, he went back down the stairs, this time returning with green metal boxes that rattled as he walked.

“What are those,” Tina asked as he gently set them in a corner.

“Ammunition,” Alex stated before going back down yet again. He repeated this several times, finally returning with two rifles and an assortment of handguns which he stored in the back.

“That’s a lot of firepower for one man,” Thomas commented as Alex closed the rear door and came around the front.

“At your current size, Thomas, I’m afraid they’d be a little unwieldy for you to handle.”

“Not after you return us to normal, they won’t,” he said plainly.

Alex shook his head. “No, there’s no telling how long it will take for the antidote to return you to normal. Besides, this isn’t your fight.”

“Like hell it isn’t,” Thomas replied defiantly. “Look, I was shrunk, poked, prodded and bled until I thought I’d pass out. I was their guinea pig for a month so don’t tell me this isn’t my fight. I want some payback!”

“Do you even know how to fire a weapon, Tom? Have you ever held a rifle in your hand, much less pulled the trigger?” Alex studied him for a moment before shaking his head. “No, I can see it in your eyes. You’ve never handled a weapon before in your life, and the only thing you’d do is endanger the rest of us by trying to be a hero.”

“Isn’t that what you’re trying to do,” Thomas said bluntly.

Alex shook his head slowly. “I’m no hero. I let myself believe I could be, but it isn’t about that now. I need these weapons because I can’t afford to be loading ammunition in the middle of a fire-fight.”

“I know how to fire a weapon,” Michelle spoke up. “My father taught me when I was young. If you won’t let us fight, at least let us have something to protect ourselves with.”

“Okay, fine,” Alex relented. “But we’ll work that out back at my house. For now, we need to get going. They’ll probably check all the Prep Sites before coming for us and we still have a way to go.” Reaching into a bag, he pulled out a hand grenade and pulled the pin. Motioning to Tina, he said, “Let’s go.”

As she started the Jeep and pulled around, Alex hopped into his seat and tossed the grenade into the doorway, hearing it clatter down the stairs as he indicated they should leave. Tina gunned the engine and headed out as a flash and a loud boom shook the air behind them, followed by several additional explosions that ignited the foliage that engulfed the old cabin. Once they returned to the main road, Alex gave Tina directions and they sped off into the night.

[MarauderTDL]

Chapter Fifteen: Home and Heart

It was well past midnight when Alex indicated to Tina to turn off on a side road buried deep in the forest up in the foothills of the surrounding mountains. Far below in the valley, they could see the lights from Luray illuminating the landscape, but they were miles away at this point. Their trip took them to the outskirts of Luray before Alex had Tina turn off on Route 675 heading to the northwest. Ahead of them, the view was filled with the ever-increasing sight of the foothills and thick, lush forests of the Shenandoah National Park. Passing by a sign, Tina looked over at Alex, whose gaze was fixed on the road ahead of them.

“You realize we’re heading into National Park land, right? How can you have property here?”

Alex smiled at her. “My grandparents owned land that goes back for a couple hundred years, passed down through our family. The law stated that as long as the house they built didn’t significantly alter the topography of the surrounding land, there are no limitations on what they could build. There are a few other families who have done the same thing.”

Soon, they arrived at the gravel road leading up to his house, but Alex stopped her before she pulled in. “Wait.”

Hopping out, Alex disappeared into a stand of nearby trees before returning a moment later and jumping back into the Jeep, waking their three slumbering passengers. “All right, go, but be quick about it.”

Unsure what he meant, Tina turned the wheel and quickly accelerated up the gravel road. After several winding loops up the side of the mountain, they finally arrived at Alex’s house, illuminated in soft green light.

“Are we there yet,” Sarah asked, yawning and stretching atop the duffel bag in the back seat.

“I hope so,” Michelle said as she eased herself out of Thomas’ embrace as he slowly woke up. “C’mon, sleepy-head, we’re here.”

Alex turned to Tina. “Take them inside, but when you approach the door, there is a keypad to the left of the door. Key in zero-six-zero-eight into the pad before you open the door, understood?”

Nodding, Tina turned to the others and had them hold on while she lifted the duffel bag out of the back seat before turning to Alex, who was already walking around to the back side of the house with several ammunition cases and one of the guns from the trunk slung over his shoulder. “Hey! What are you doing?”

“Go ahead,” Alex told her. “I need to get things set up, but I’ll join you in a minute.”

Following his instructions, Tina carried the duffel bag with her three tiny companions up to the door. Seeing the keypad, she typed in the code and heard three distinct clicks before the front door slowly swung open. As she stepped inside, the lights slowly increased in intensity, illuminating the living room and the surrounding area.

“Wow,” Michelle gasped in amazement as Tina placed the duffel bag on the couch. “This is the kind of home I’d love to own. It’s so…”

“Natural?” Michelle turned at Thomas’ comment and nodded.

“Look there,” she pointed at the fireplace. “God, that’s not brick! It’s stone! Those pieces are fit so tightly, I can’t see any mortar holding it together! That’s amazing!”

“Look at that dreamcatcher,” Sarah said, pointing up at the seemingly gigantic dreamcatcher hanging above the fireplace. “Oh my God, that’s beautiful!”

“My grandparents preferred to avoid using anything that they couldn’t find in the surrounding area,” Alex said as he appeared in the kitchen, sliding the back door closed and locking it behind him. “I wouldn’t go so far as to call them environmentalists, so much as they wanted to respect what the land had to offer before messing it up with anything artificial. I think it has to do with our Native American heritage. Grandpa told me he and my grandmother built the fireplace themselves, stone by stone. In the entire time since he brought me here, it’s never failed me. As for the dreamcatcher, that was made by my grandmother before she died.”

“It’s beautiful,” Sarah whispered softly. “I wish I could find one like that.”

“Tina, would you close the door please?”

As Tina shut the door, she heard the three clicks again. Turning to Alex, she said, “For someone who respects the environment, you seem to have some modern amenities installed.”

Alex shrugged as he carried the metal case he’d taken from Prep Site Four down the hallway and set it by a door. “Maybe it’s because of my difficulty in trusting people,” they heard his voice as he returned to the living room. “I had security measures installed after Grandpa died. After all, I was by myself, and there were times when I was out and about for a while.”

“So when are you going to return us to normal,” Sarah asked quietly.

“Right now, as a matter of fact,” Alex said, turning into the kitchen to grab two large plastic containers with lids. Walking over to the couch, he sat down and cleared the coffee table before setting down a bandolier filled with ampules of different colored liquids, ranging from royal blue to amethyst to one that was colorless.

“Each variant of the drug is a different color,” he explained. “Each one affects the tar-,” he paused for a moment to look at Sarah, Michelle and Thomas before apologizing. “Sorry. The effects of each variant are different, which is why they color-code them so no mistake is made, either in selection or usage. The clear ampules contain the antidote.”

“The variants are Alpha, which is the primer, and then go Beta, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Gamma, Hotel, India, and Juliet.” Alex pointed them all out, ending with the single ampule of the Juliet variant, which was completely devoid of any color, appearing completely black. He pulled that one out and slipped it into a pocket in his shirt.

“What are those two,” Michelle asked, seeing two sets of ampules set aside from the others, one a vibrant crimson color, and the other a brilliant, almost glowing purple.

“Those two are Delta and Foxtrot,” Alex stated, causing Tina to gasp audibly.

“You need to destroy those, right now!”

“Why?”

“Delta kills male targets, and Foxtrot, well for women, it’s okay, but for men, they don’t stop shrinking. That’s why they were discontinued. They’re unstable. You don’t want to risk having them around.”

“We’ll worry about that later,” Alex said, removing two antidote ampules from their cushioned holes. “First things first.”

Gently slipping the petri-dish holding Beth out of his breast pocket, Alex flipped the lid of one of the plastic containers upside down before placing the dish on top of it. Opening the dish, he snapped the tiny glass cap off the ampule and set it next to Beth before taking the plastic container and setting it on top of the lid, sealing it before getting up and walking off.

For several moments, nothing happened. It was Sarah who gasped and pointed, “Look! There!”

Wisps of vapor seeped out of the ampule, turning into a white mist that slowly filled the container. As they watched, the mist washed over the petri-dish, covering Beth until they couldn’t see her any longer. Within a minute, the entire container was filled with the mist.

“That’s how it works,” Tina said, catching their attention. “The drug vaporizes into a gaseous mist that settles onto the…individual…affected. Depending on the variant, the person begins to shrink until the full effects are realized. As for the antidote, well that’s a little different.”

“How does it work at all,” Michelle asked. “I mean, look at us! We’re what, three inches tall?” When Tina nodded, Michelle continued, “So where did the rest of us go? I mean, before all this, I was five feet, nine inches tall. So where did all that mass go?”

“You really want to know,” Tina asked in amazement as they all nodded. “Okay, well, the simplest way to explain it is that the drug forces a compression of your molecules to a smaller size over a gradual period of time. You’re not really losing mass, so much as it’s being compacted.”

“That can’t be true,” Thomas objected. “If that were the case, we’d be as heavy as we were at our original size. Each of us weighs less than a pound, so it had to go somewhere.”

Tina shrugged. “Well Doctor Lithe…Carol…hypothesized that as you’re shrinking, your body was actually shedding layers of yourselves, like an onion, both internally and externally. She thought that the drug forced the ‘layers’ inside you to the surface of your skin where it evaporated.”

“So if we ‘shed’ layers of ourselves when we shrank, how will we gain back those layers when the antidote returns us to normal,” Sarah asked.

“Doctor Lithe suggested that it has something to do with your need to eat.” Seeing everyone’s confused expressions, Tina said, “Once you start growing, you’ll find yourselves becoming incredibly hungry, like ravenously hungry. You’ll need to eat immediately, and you’ll need to keep eating until you’re almost back to normal. Carol explained this as your body using the food as fuel to rebuild your bodies back to your original size. It’s the only thing that explained why any individual who was given the antidote immediately needed to eat.”

Thomas looked up at her in confusion. “Wait, are you saying one of the people captured before us was given the antidote?” Tina nodded. “But you said that no one else escaped, so what happened to them?”

Now Tina appeared uncomfortable as she admitted, “They were denied anything to eat during the process. At first, they regained some of their size, but eventually they stopped growing and…”

Thomas saw her reluctance. “And? And what?”

It was Alex who answered him, returning from the kitchen with a tray brimming with breads, cheeses and meats. “Their bodies fed on the only source of food available…themselves.”

Sarah and Michelle both gasped in horror while Thomas turned noticeably pale and sat down on the table next to the container holding Beth. “Dear God,” he whispered.

Tina turned to Alex in shock. “H-how did you…”

“I read it in the journal notes in the ICU Wing where I found Beth,” he said, carefully setting the tray down beside Thomas before sitting on the end of the couch. “I’m a quick reader. I realized that we’ll need to keep a close eye on your friend.”

“B-but if she doesn’t wake up and the antidote starts to make her grow,” Sarah began.

Alex nodded. “If she doesn’t wake up in time, her body will consume itself and she’ll die. I know. For the three of you, we can prepare and you’ll be fine, but for her, there was no choice. Either I use the antidote now to stop her shrinking, or she’ll die. At this point, there are risks either way. This way, she has a chance. Once she wakes, we can make sure she eats and her body will adjust. If she doesn’t…” Alex shook his head and stood up with fists clenched. “Tina, keep an eye on them for me. I need to check the perimeter to ensure my traps are in place. Whatever you do, do not roam around the house.”

Before she could reply, Alex slipped out the back door and was gone, leaving Tina to watch over her shrunken charges. Sarah and Michelle joined Thomas as they sat beside the container to keep watch over Beth, leaving Tina to watch over all of them.


Outside, Alex stepped off the stairs leading from the deck and passed by the pond as he headed up the hill toward the forest. “God, I really screwed this up,” he said to himself as he found the path leading deeper into the trees and followed it to the first trap along the perimeter.

Alex, blaming yourself isn’t going to deal with this situation, he heard his grandfather say. Remember what I taught you. You need to clear your mind of any distractions, especially if the company is sending people after you and those people. You’re the only one who can stop them now.

“I can’t do this,” Alex whispered out loud. “I’m guessing as I go along, Grandpa. I have no idea how many people they’re going to send after us. I wasn’t even thinking about what would happen after I set the bomb. Maybe I was hoping it would take everyone out and I wouldn’t have to worry about anything.”

You know it isn’t that simple, Norman said. You know John is coming after you, if no one else. He’s a company man, if for no other reason than the money they pay him, he’ll come after you. You ruined a good thing for him.

“He’s a psychopath,” Alex hissed, scanning the path for the indentation that revealed the first of many traps he’d laid out throughout the terrain surrounding the house. Moving on to the next trap, he said, “He’s admitted to killing people for the pleasure of it. The bastard enjoys watching people shrink out of existence because it gets him going. What kind of a person does that?”

What kind of a person talks to his deceased grandfather like he was alive and standing right next to him, Alex heard his grandfather say. Son, you’ve got to find the courage to let go. You’ve used me as a crutch ever since you found me sitting in that chair in the cave. You’re not talking with me, you’re talking with yourself! All this time, you’ve been holding yourself back from your true potential. You took that job, not because you needed the money, but because you were afraid of being alone.

“That’s not true,” Alex said, feeling the fear crawling up his limbs as he staggered against a nearby tree.

Stop lying to yourself, son! You admitted to those people in the house that you’re afraid! Fear has consumed you all these years: fear of losing people, fear of being alone, fear that no one would accept you for who you are…most importantly, you’re afraid of what you could do if you admitted that your skills have surpassed those of your grandfather and you can take these people that Director Melendez is sending your way!

“You’re right,” Alex admitted, pounding his fist against the bark of the tree. “I’m afraid. I’m afraid I’ll lose control and like it! I don’t want to be that kind of person!”

How could someone who stood up to a corrupt company that is creating a drug to enslave people be evil? You say you’re not a hero…I think maybe you’re afraid to admit that you could be one. You’re afraid you’ll fail these people.

“Yes!”

Then run away, boy, Alex heard, only it wasn’t his grandfather’s voice he heard…it was John Carlton’s. Admit you’re a coward and you made a mistake. Disappear into the woods and let them take those people back. In time, maybe they’ll forget all about you as they return to doing what they were doing before you had your flash of heroism. Or maybe they’ll always be looking for you for what you did and you’ll never know peace again. They’ll burn your grandparents’ house to the ground, destroy everything they built.

“No!”

Then decide, boy! Run away, or take a stand. But don’t use your grandfather or me as an excuse. Grow up and be the man he knew you could be.


Half an hour later, Alex returned to the house through the front door, surprising everyone. Seeing their expressions, he apologized. “Sorry, I’ve been so used to coming and going alone that I didn’t realize…anyway, the traps are set and the sensors are in place. If anyone gets within a mile of the house, I’ll know about it.”

Seeing that Sarah, Michelle and Thomas were still sitting on the table next to the plastic container, he asked, “How’s she doing? Any change?”

“I-I think so,” Michelle said quietly, turning to look at her friend inside the container. “The mist faded about ten minutes ago and she appears to be bigger, but seeing as she was fairly small to begin with, I’m not sure.”

Sarah gasped and reached out to grab Michelle’s hand. “Look! Look!”

Everyone, including Tina and Alex, turned to watch the tiny speck lying in the middle of the petri-dish slowly grow until Beth doubled in size. A few moments later, her body grew again and Sarah looked up at Alex.

“Can you open the container so we can go in and check on her?”

Taking care not to jostle the container, Alex opened it and removed the top so Sarah, Michelle and Thomas could step up and crowd around the petri-dish. By now, Beth was an inch tall and her eyes moved before her eyelids opened. Gasping aloud, she sat up, the sticky gel coating releasing her.

Looking up, she yelped before recognizing her friends as she said, “Oh my God! What happened to me?”

“No time for that, Beth,” Michelle said, turning around to grab a piece of cheese the size of her hand that Alex held out to her. “Here, eat this! Don’t argue, just eat!”

Despite Michelle’s insistence, Beth needed little prodding as she tore into the cheese and rapidly consumed the morsel. “More please? I’m starving!”

For the next fifteen minutes, everyone watched as Beth rapidly outgrew the petri-dish and sat on top of a pillow as her friends continued passing her food to eat. As they watched, Beth grew taller than they were until they were forced to look up at her! By this time, the plate that Alex filled with food was almost empty and he excused himself to fix another plate.

“Who is that,” Beth asked, wolfing down another square of venison jerky as she pointed at Alex standing in the kitchen. “He’s cute.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Careful, honey. He’s also the one who shrank you.”

“What?” Beth dropped the jerky until she felt another pang of hunger grip her stomach, forcing her to continue eating as she felt another growth spurt cause her to grow until she was almost twelve inches tall. “You’re telling me he’s the reason why I shrank to a tiny speck?”

Looking down at her friends, she saw them both nod, but Michelle managed to say, “He’s sorry for what he did! Beth, he was the one who got you out! You were shrinking so small that if he didn’t get us out and expose you to the antidote, you wouldn’t have lasted the night. Another couple of hours and you would have shrunk to microscopic size and we would have lost you.”

“Well what about you two, and him,” Beth pointed at Thomas, who was returning with another square of cheese. “Has he given you the antidote yet?”

“He didn’t have time,” Thomas said. “His first concern was making sure the antidote was working and seeing to it that you had enough food to eat.”

“Yeah, what is it with me being so hungry? I feel like I’ve stuffed my face but I’m still famished.”

“The hunger will continue until you’re more than half your original height, then the hunger will start to fade as your body focuses on returning you to normal,” Tina spoke up for the first time since Beth awoke.

Beth turned to Tina. “And who are you?”

“I’m…someone who helped Alex get you out of that facility,” Tina said, avoiding any mention of her role there.

“Facility,” Beth glanced down at Sarah and Michelle who appeared to be getting smaller at her feet. “What is she talking about?”

“What do you remember,” Michelle called up to Beth.

Shrugging as she gulped down another piece of cheese, Beth said, “Well, I remember the sensations gripping my body, the clothes I was wearing were becoming looser with each passing minute, my head was pounding and lastly, I felt like I was floating on a cloud until I woke up here.” Seeing everyone’s expressions, she said, “What? What happened?”

“You were so small, we could barely see you,” Sarah said, now having to speak up so Beth could hear her. “If you kept shrinking, you would have gone microscopic and died.”

Seeing Alex approaching with another plate of food, Beth stood up on the table, now reaching up to his waist as she demanded, “What the hell did you do to me?”

Setting the plate down next to her, Alex sat down on the other side of the couch from her. “My partner and I were tasked with shrinking you and your friends down and bringing you to our facility where you would be examined, tested upon and then released after several days.”

“Bullshit,” Thomas immediately said, but Alex raised his hands.

“Look, I told you! That’s what they told me, and at the time, I didn’t have any reason to doubt them. It was only later that I found out the truth!”

Placing her hands on her hips, only to realize she was standing naked on the table, Beth raised her hands to cover her breasts and her privates as she said, “Well could you at least grab me something to cover myself? I don’t want to walk around naked for you to see!”

Disappearing down the hallway, Alex returned with a thick, blue body towel which Beth immediately grabbed from his hands and wrapped around her body to hide her nakedness. After he sat back down, she glared at him. “So what went wrong?”

“Excuse me,” Alex asked, confused.

“What went wrong,” Beth repeated. “Obviously something went wrong or you wouldn’t be so concerned about what happened to me, right?”

“Apparently, you were having an allergic reaction to the drug variant I used on you,” Alex said. “Based on what I was told, the drug was supposed to accelerate your shrinking to catch up with your friends, and then you all would shrink down to three inches tall. The only problem was, you kept shrinking past three inches and you fell into a coma. I was told everything would be fine, but based on things that I’d already witnessed, I began to realize that I was being lied to.”

“So what you’re saying is that you grew a conscience and realized how much of an asshole you’d been and decided to finally do the right thing, am I right,” Beth asked, sitting down on the edge of the table, glaring at Alex as she reached for another square of jerky. “You put me and my friends through hell, and…what? Are we supposed to thank you now? You bastard! You did this to us and now what are we going to do?”

“I’m trying to help,” Alex replied, his voice getting louder as he glared back at her. “Look, I could have left you back there! You, for sure, would have been dead by the end of the night, and your friends likely wouldn’t last the week! I had misgivings almost from the beginning but they assured me that this was a government project and that everything would be all right. What I didn’t know was that Bio-SciTech is a shell company, used to test this drug for use on people across the country, maybe even the entire world! Yes, I had a moment of clarity where I realized I was wrong, and I made the choice to atone for what I did! Why can’t you accept that?”

“Because you were stupid enough to let them fool you with some fancy story,” Beth fired back, her legs dangling over the end of the table, now more than halfway down to the floor as she consumed more of the plate of food. “Just…just go away! Go away and leave me alone!”

Stung by her accusations, Alex stood up and walked toward the front door. Opening it up, he glanced back over at Beth and in an emotionally-charged voice said, “I put my neck on the line to get you all out of there, knowing that if I failed, I would have joined you. Now I’m putting everything else on the line, knowing that they’re coming to try and get you and your friends. If I succeed, I’ll surrender to the authorities, but if I fail, they’ll kill me and take you all back. They’ll shrink you again, and this time, there won’t be anyone to save you. Either way, my life is over! I would have thought that would be enough to prove to you how much I regret what I did to you.”

Turning away, Alex slammed the door behind him, leaving everyone to stare after him in shocked silence. Even Beth, stunned by his admission, looked down and closed her eyes, still feeling the pangs of hunger, but for the moment, she ignored them. Hopping off the table, she walked around the couch and glanced down the hallway. “Does anyone know where the bathroom is? My bladder feels like I’m going to explode.”

Tina shook her head. “Alex told us not to go exploring around the house.”

“Well I need to pee, so I’ve got to find a bathroom,” Beth said as she walked down the hallway.

Beth could hear Tina’s voice as well as what sounded like high-pitched squeaks that she realized must be Sarah or Michelle, but she ignored them as she felt her bladder protest again. Hurrying down the hall, she checked several rooms now that she could reach the door handles. Pulling down to open the doors, she checked each room, but moved on until she finally found a bathroom on the far side of the house. As she entered, the light came on automatically.

“About time,” she whispered, hurrying over to the toilet and dropping her towel to climb up on the seat. Once she positioned herself properly, she relaxed her muscles and felt relief as she emptied her bladder, keeping a firm grip on the edge of the seat to avoid falling in. By now, she was the size of a pre-kindergarten toddler and still growing fast enough to feel the changes. Once she was finished, she stood up, walked along the rim to pull the handle to flush the toilet, then hopped down to walk back over to the towel and wrap it around her shoulders.

It was then that she glanced up to see a picture frame sitting on the edge of the bathroom counter. In the picture, she noticed a young kid who was probably Alex, maybe ten or eleven years old, with an older man, most likely his grandfather, standing next to him as they smiled at the camera, holding up a string of fish. Turning her head, she saw another picture, this one again of the kid, now a little older, and his grandfather, standing at a workbench, as the older man was showing the boy something. The boy was standing intently, watching his grandfather carefully, and Beth could see a smile on his face. Curious, Beth walked out of the bathroom and found a set of stairs leading up to the second floor. Still feeling the tingling as her body grew further, Beth took the steps one at a time and climbed up to the second floor, looking back and forth until she decided to head toward the back of the house. At the far corner, she came to a door that was ajar and pushing on it, she walked inside, gasping as a light in the ceiling came on automatically at her presence.

“Wow. I guess this guy doesn’t like to fumble around in the dark for light switches.”

The bedroom was large enough for a king-size bed, but a twin bed sat in one corner by the windows instead, looking like it hadn’t been slept in for a long time. The sheets were carefully tucked in, the pillows laid at the head of the bed carefully, but she noticed the tops of the sheets were covered in a thick film of dust. Against one wall, an old desk with a rolling top cover pulled halfway down, rested next to a pile of clothes and an old stereo record player with cassette tape and AM/FM radio capability sat on an equally aged wooden stand with faded speakers beneath it. Glancing at the tape in the cassette deck, Beth was surprised by what she found.

“Journey, huh? Damn, this guy’s taste in music is from the last century,” she said, slipping the cassette back in the door and closing it.
Walking around the room, she found bookshelves full of hardbound books, some she recognized as notable works of fiction, while other titles were more obscure. In a corner with a reading lamp beside it, sat an old stuffed recliner with several books sitting on a small table beside it. From outside in the hallway, she heard voices from downstairs, followed by footsteps thundering up the stairs until their reached the room she was in. The door opened and Alex stared down at her in anger.

“What the hell are you doing?!? Get out of here! How dare you poke around in my house! What gives you the right…?”

“I was looking for a bathroom so I could pee, all right,” Beth snapped at him, but as she tried to go around him, she squealed as he lifted her up by the towel and deposited her in the recliner, leaning down at her angrily.

“You used the one downstairs,” he stated definitively. “I saw the light in the window above the toilet while I was outside. You weren’t looking for the bathroom, you were exploring. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t go poking around where you don’t belong!”

“You brought me here,” Beth snapped back at him. “It’s not like I had a choice!”

“Would you rather I left you back at the facility,” he asked.

“I’d rather you left all three of us alone and never bothered us to begin with! All our stuff is gone, we have no clothes, nothing! For all I know, you’re going to keep us here!”

“I told you, they’re going to send people after us,” Alex shouted at her. “The last thing I need is some stupid woman messing around my house while I’m trying to find a way to keep them from killing all of us!”

“Just let us go! Have Tina take us to our parents…”

“They know who you are,” Alex shouted at her, silencing her protests as her eyes widened at this revelation. “They knew when you and your friends bought food and drinks from Shackleton! Your credit cards, your licenses, everything was recorded and they know who you are! If I dropped you off, they’d come after you and kill you…” His voice grew quiet as he turned away. “…and your parents.”

Beth looked up at Alex, shaking in terror at this revelation. As she sat there, Alex shook his head and turned around to kick the nearby speaker, shattering the front cover panel. “Don’t you get it? I’m trying to save you, but the only way I can do that is to stop them from getting to you!” Seeing her stunned expression, Alex swore and looked away. “I can’t change what I did! I wish I could, but the moment you entered that convenience store, you were marked. That’s what they do. Shackleton’s store is set off the beaten path to find people who become targets. You and your friends may have been the first I targeted, but there were trackers before me who captured others.”

Collapsing to his knees in the middle of the floor, Alex hung his head. “I can’t let this happen. I have to do what I can to stop them. I have to make this right!”

“They’ll kill you,” Beth said quietly, staring back at him differently now. “You know that, don’t you? If they know who we are, they won’t stop coming.”

“If there’s no one left to send, then they’ll stop, or better yet, when they realize that it isn’t worth the price they’ll pay, they’ll move on. I’m betting I can last long enough to make them stop.”

“How can you believe that,” Beth asked incredulously.

Alex looked up at her with a look on conviction in his eyes. “Because this is my land, and I refuse to let them win!”

“But they’ll just shrink us again,” she said, leaning forward and watching Alex intently. “One shot and we’ll all shrink down again. After all, that’s what you did to us before, right?”

Alex chuckled and shook his head. “Not with the antidote in your bloodstream, they can’t. Right now, your body has enough of the antidote coursing through you that they’d have to hit you with multiple rounds before it would take hold. Essentially, you’re immune, and we’ve got more of the antidote downstairs. With Tina’s help, your friends are being returned to normal right now. Soon, they’ll be immune too.”

“What about you,” she asked.

“That’s the funniest part,” he said. “They give me a dose of the antidote every day, once when I come on duty, and again afterwards, just to be sure. Of course, I missed getting the dose this evening in order to get all of you out. The one from this morning should last me a little while longer, and then I’ll take another dose just to be sure.” For the first time, she saw him smile and it made her feel strange.

Looking down at the floor, she saw her legs reached further than before and the recliner felt…smaller…if that were possible at the moment. Nodding, she raised her head to stare him in the eyes. “Okay. I’m…sorry I invaded your privacy. I shouldn’t have gone snooping around.”

Staring back at her, Beth felt the intensity of his gaze soften as he nodded once. “A strange house, strange circumstances, I guess I shouldn’t have expected you to just sit on the living room couch and twiddle your thumbs, now should I?” Reaching out a hand, he said, “C’mon. Let’s go back and see how your friends are doing. If they react to the antidote as well as you have, you all should be back to normal size in a couple of hours.”

For a moment, Beth hesitated, the size of Alex’s outstretched hand still enormous compared to her own, but for some reason that she couldn’t explain, it didn’t bother her. Slipping her child-like hand inside his, she felt him gently squeeze it as he helped her stand. As they walked out of the room, Beth looked over at him.

“Is that your bedroom?”

“What? Oh, no. Actually, it was my grandfather’s bedroom, until he died and then I kinda used it as a place to meditate and remember him by.”

“What was he like,” she asked as they slowly made their way down the stairs, Alex taking care not to go too fast for her as she took each step.

“He served in the Marines for years,” Alex said. “Sniper, tracker, military intelligence. I guess he inspired me to want to emulate him, but I never had the courage to enlist in the service. The thought of being around so many people terrified me, so instead, I took to being a scout and tracker here in the Shenandoah Valley. Sometimes the guides from the National Park would come to me when they had people who got lost up in the foothills and mountains, especially in late fall and winter.”

“Search and rescue,” Beth commented. “That’s a noble thing to do, so why did you get caught up with these people?”

Stopping on the landing, Alex sat down on the top step and Beth followed suit. By this time, she could stretch her legs out and touch the top of the next step down and the towel began to slide up her legs, almost to her knees. Keeping her eyes on Alex, she waited until he responded.

“Maybe I got too good, I guess. With all the times the National Park Service needed my help, they realized they needed someone on duty to do what I’d been doing for free, except they wouldn’t consider me due to my age and lack of…real-life experience, as they called it. Occasionally, they’d call on me, but after one full season and no calls, I realized they didn’t need me anymore, so I moved on to try and find something else to do. For a while, I was a…what do they call them?”

Beth smiled and leaned over. “Describe it for me, maybe I can help.” Shrugging, he described his work at the bar and Beth’s eyes lit up. “You became a bouncer? Seriously?”

“Is that what they call it? I never knew. Anyway, for a while, I helped out, but after a misunderstanding they let me go, so I was on my own again. That was about the time that Director Melendez came to recruit me. He talked it up so I thought I was going to make a difference and do something that would help the country. Turns out he’s a great liar. They kept me in the dark about the real responsibilities until about a week ago when they told me. John made it sound like everything was above the board and no one would get hurt. It was bullshit.”

Standing up, Alex reached out for her hand, which she slipped into his willingly. Feeling her squeeze his hand, Alex looked down at her and saw her smile up at him, causing him to smile in return.

“You’re going to be okay, Alex,” Beth said as they descended to the first floor.

“We’ll see,” he responded softly as they entered the living room to find Tina sitting on the edge of the couch. Sitting inside a second, larger plastic container were Sarah, Michelle and Thomas with another ampule of the antidote slowly filling the closed container with white mist that swirled about their feet. “So, how long have them been in there?”

“About ten minutes,” Tina responded. “Just before you started shouting, so they didn’t hear a word.”

“Thanks for that,” Alex said to her. “It probably wouldn’t go over well if they found out I was yelling at their friend.”

“It’s okay, Alex,” Beth said, squeezing his hand again. “It was my fault. I deserved it.”

Taking a chance, Alex gently squeezed her hand in return. “No, no you didn’t. If you want, you can roam around the house, just do me a favor and don’t go downstairs, all right?”

“You could show me,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes.

“I uh…I don’t know,” he began, but Tina pulled him aside to whisper in his ear.

“Look, you’re obviously new to the dating scene, so I’m going to spell it out for you…in spite of your earlier words, she’s into you, so go ahead and show her whatever is downstairs. You told me to keep them inside the container until the mist settles and then they’ll need to eat, so they won’t come looking for you for a while, I can guarantee it.”

“You’re awful trusting that I wouldn’t do anything I shouldn’t,” Alex said.

Tina smiled and shook her head. “Alex, from everything I’ve seen, you’re what some ladies would call a real gentleman. I’ve no doubt you’re not going to do anything stupid, so go on. Show her what’s downstairs and relax. That’s how you form relationships.”

“I suck at that,” he whispered.

“I know,” Tina smiled back at him. “Consider this practice, now go. I know where you keep your food and I’ll prep some for them to eat when they get out.”

Stepping back over to Beth, Alex said, “Tina says they’ll still be in the container for a little while, and then they’ll be famished as their bodies start to grow. If you still want to know what’s downstairs, I could show you.”

Beth raised her head and smiled at him, nodding as she grabbed a handful of meats and cheeses. “Okay. Lead on.”

Walking back the way they came, Alex took her toward the back of the house then turned left past the stairs and opened a door that Beth hadn’t noticed before. Beside it sat the metal container holding more of the drug, which he reached down and picked up. Stairs at the top disappeared into blackness as Alex reached out to offer his other hand.

“I know this sounds silly, but do you trust me?”

Thinking for a moment, Beth nodded. “I suppose. Maybe I’m just being naïve, but you seem like a nice enough guuuuy!”

To her surprise, Alex reached down, slipped his arm under her thighs and lifted her into the air until she was staring directly at him, rather than up at him. “What are you doing? I can walk down.”

Flipping the switch by the door, the stairs were illuminated, revealing them to be steeper and narrower than the ones leading upstairs.

“Oh, uh, maybe it isn’t such a bad idea for you to carry me…I suppose.”

Slowly making his way down the stairs, Alex glanced over at her as Beth watched his footsteps, yelping softly as his foot missed a step and caught the one below it. Beth reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, much to their mutual surprise. Alex smiled and apologized before continuing down, but Beth didn’t let go of his neck, leaning against his shoulder as they made their way down the rest of the way.

“You could have warned me you were a klutz,” she accused him playfully, punching him on the shoulder before smiling. “Not exactly the way to impress a girl, you know.”

“Was I doing that?”

“Doing what?”

“Impressing you,” he asked with the barest hint of a smile. “Not like I was trying or anything.”

Beth shook her head and a grin split her face as she rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Oh!”

To her surprise, Beth noticed the carcasses hanging from the rafters, the smell of curing meat now filling her nostrils and the chill of the air making her tighten the towel around her shoulders. “I didn’t notice how cold it is down here.”

“We’re about fifteen feet below the surface,” he said as they walked in-between two rows of meat. “I hunt for venison periodically so I have extra provisions during the winter. Sometimes I can’t make it down to Luray and the local grocery store, so I stock up what I can down here.”

“Makes sense,” Beth said.

“But that’s not all that’s down here,” he continued, walking around the corner and pushing on one of the wall panels.

To Beth’s surprise, the panel slid to the right and disappeared, revealing yet another set of stairs that ended at a wall. Heading down, he reached the landing, turned, and continued down to a door that Beth now could see. When they arrived, Alex set the metal container down, punched in his code and the door swung open, revealing a sight that made Beth’s eyes widen.

“Whoa! I-Is this…? It’s a cave!”

Alex chuckled. “Yes, it’s a cave, all right. My grandparents found it when they were building the house. My grandfather told me how he decided to use it for his personal use and when he passed, I continued using it as well.”

After grabbing the container, he entered the cave and bent down to let Beth walk around on her own, after which he closed the door behind them and set the container in the back by his desk. Upon his return, he saw Beth watching him carefully. After a moment, she regained another few inches, making her over three feet tall and reaching almost up to his waist. The towel now served as a dress, covering her shoulders and down to her knees as she held the two ends together with her left hand as she reached up to slip her right hand in Alex’s.

“Show me,” she said quietly.

Over the course of the next half hour, Alex showed Beth everything about the cave, told her its history and let her walk around to take in its beauty. He showed her the alcove he used to display his grandfather’s Marine dress uniform, filled with all the medals and bars showing various tours of duty. Some, Beth recognized from her own father’s tours of duty and they slipped into an easy conversation that military families were used to: tours of duty, places they moved to, people and events their military parents encountered. Soon, they were laughing about things they never realized they had in common, such as familiarity with firearms, similar philosophical views of military and political topics that normally would have made other people run for the hills…or bore them to tears.

“I’m sorry your father let his career ruin his marriage,” Alex said. “That’s rough on everyone, I guess.”

“It is,” Beth agreed as they sat beside each other in two depressions formed in the wall big enough for both of them to use for seats. “But it’s not just his fault. Mom’s just as guilty, caught up in her governmental work. Neither of them seemed concerned about how it was hurting me or my sisters.”

“You have sisters?” Beth nodded with a smile at his honest curiosity. “How many?”

“Just two,” she confirmed. “They’re both older than I am. Mary and Tanya took the news better than I did, I suppose. Tanya has her own family, or at least she will as soon as she has her baby, which should be any day now.” Sighing, Beth said, “I hope I get to see them.”

“You will,” Alex said confidently. “I promise.”

Beth smiled and ducked her head. “You know, I think I believe you. I don’t know why, given what you did to us to begin with, but now…”

Their eyes locked and Beth felt her heart beating faster as she looked up at Alex. Somehow, he must have sensed something as well as he blinked and swallowed nervously. “I-I don’t…I mean…Beth, I don’t know…”

Despite being smaller, Beth refused to let the moment go as she stood up, dropping the towel to reveal her voluptuous breasts. “I can’t explain it, but right now, all I want you to do is kiss me.”

Taking his lead from her, Alex leaned forward and felt her small but luscious lips press against his. Beth moaned softly as she kissed him in return, lifting a tiny, slender hand up to press against his cheek.

“This is crazy,” she whispered.

“A-are you sure…I mean…”

“Alex, don’t worry about it, just kiss me again.”

To his credit, Alex complied, this time reaching out to gently wrap his arms around her and pull her against his chest. Beth yelped for a moment before giggling and cupping his face with her tiny hands, smiling up at him as she softly whispered, “You better not die, Alex. Or else I’ll kill you.”

Alex stared at her in surprise, seeing her smile and they both laughed before embracing each other. “I’ll do my best, now that I have a good reason to live.” Staring at her, he said, “But I can’t figure out why you’d forgive me so easily.”

Relaxing in his arms, Beth said, “I’ve spent the last four years at college wasting my time worrying about what I was going to do upon graduation. However, one thing I managed to learn very quickly was how to read people. I don’t know, call it an unrealized gift, but somehow I just knew. The more I heard you speak, the more I realized you’re not to blame for what happened. You’re just a pawn, used by someone above you, convinced you were doing a noble deed, only to figure out you were wrong. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still upset at you for the fact that I almost died, but I realize now that it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know.”

“Maybe, if we get out of this, we could try out the drug…maybe experience it together?”

Beth hesitated for a moment before answering. “Well, the effects certainly do wonders for a person’s sex life, but are you sure you’d want to experience that? What if something went wrong?”

Alex shrugged as he glanced over at the metal container sitting by his computer desk. “We’d have the antidote nearby. There are ways to ensure we’d have access to it.”

The look on Beth’s face was one of astonishment. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but that sounds like a very tempting offer.” She raised a finger and poked his chest. “On one condition, though.”

“What’s that,” he asked, intrigued by her suggestion.

“You have to beat these guys you say are coming to take us out. If you can do that,” she smiled suggestively. “Then maybe we could explore a few different options. After all, you have that big case of variants, right?”

“Not all of them are safe,” he warned, but she nodded.

“I realize that. We could get rid of the ones that are dangerous and then maybe experiment with the other ones together.”

“Sounds like a fun idea,” he said, leaning down to kiss her again, causing her to moan softly as she wrapped her shrunken arms around his neck.

“Oh! I almost forgot,” Alex said, pulling away, much to Beth’s disappointment.

She watched as he hurried over to his desk, pulled his chair out and sat down. Reaching into his breast pocket, he removed what appeared to be a flash drive, which he stuck into a port next to his monitor. With a soft click, the computer screen flickered and Alex pulled his keyboard over to begin typing. As Beth approached, he reached down to help her up as she sat in his lap, watching what he was doing.

“What is all this,” she asked, watching him click from one screen to another.

“I may not be very good at making friends, but one thing my grandfather showed me was how to hack into computer systems. With this flash drive that Tina gave me, I’ve got access into Bio-SciTech’s systems.”

“But you blew up the facility,” Beth said in confusion. “What good would it do you now?”

“The facility was only one part of their company,” Alex replied, scrolling through various screens and selecting files Beth couldn’t recognized. “With this flash drive, I can access any systems related to it. In fact, I think I’ve managed to tie into their main archive. However, I don’t have long before they realize there’s been a data breach, so I have to work fast.”

“Doing what,” Beth asked, barely able to keep up with his keystrokes and movement from one screen to another. Suddenly, a still image appeared on the screen of the girls in a convenience store making a purchase. Recognizing Shackleton’s convenience store she said, “Hey, that was taken from yesterday. How did he…”

“I told you,” Alex said. “Old man Shackleton was working for the company. That’s how they got information on all of you. I managed to locate his IP address and get into the system through his computer.” Over the span of ten minutes, Alex performed a series of searches resulting in over a dozen files popping up. One by one, he gathered them all together before typing in another series of commands and watching the files disappear one by one.

“As of now, all information regarding you and your friends is officially purged from their system. There’s no way they can track you or threaten your families, although I wouldn’t want to be old man Shackleton when they find out I hacked his terminal to gain access.”

Beth stared up at him in amazement. “You did all that so fast!”

“It wasn’t hard to do once I knew where to look,” Alex said, shrugging his shoulders. “Hello, what’s this?” Clicking on another file marked Variants, he scanned the data before coming to a final file marked Juliet. Opening it, he scanned through the pages faster than Beth could follow until his eyes widened and he cursed. “Oh shit!”

“What’s wrong?”

Backing up a page, Alex scrolled to a paragraph. “See this?” Beth nodded. “It’s the technical information regarding Juliet, the company’s newest variant! According to this, they were working on a variant to make all the previous ones obsolete! They’d been focusing on the India variant, which means that they didn’t have time for extensive tests of Juliet, but this one email from the Production department is disturbing.”

To: Director Richard Melendez – Bio-SciTech Operations Executive
From: Jermaine Bastion – Lead R&D Specialist, Production
Re: Juliet Variant Breakthrough

06/16/2015

Sir,

Excellent news! We’ve done it! The newly-developed Juliet variant succeeds in merging Alpha’s baseline characteristics with those found in key aspects of previous variants, eliminating the need for two doses to initiate the desired miniaturization effect. In addition, we managed to lock down the critical aspect of target reduction to the desired height within a timeframe of under sixty seconds! The secondary effect of sexual arousal, deemed acceptable in previous variants, has been nullified, removing the troublesome issue found in most of the earlier variants. At present, the only negative aspect we have determined is based on temperature, specifically where Juliet can be easily rendered into a gaseous form when exposed to temperatures of thirty-two degrees Celsius or higher. While this eliminates the ability to aerosolize the drug at higher temperatures, the gaseous form is still highly potent and just as effective in close-quarters exposure. The other specialists agree this would not preclude Juliet’s use except in regions of extraordinarily high temperatures.

At this time, we only have data from a single test performed in the lab, but all indications show that this variant meets all the requirements set down by G.R.U.’s testing board and could be exactly what they are looking for to move forward with Project Lilliput. Currently, we have only been able to produce a small number of ampules of the Juliet variant, due to the rare compounds needed for its creation. As a result, we have forwarded them to Prep Site Four for storage until receiving confirmation of further tests.

J. Bastion – R&D


Seeing Beth’s confusion, Alex pulled out the black ampule from his breast pocket. “This is what they’re talking about! According to this, there are some more in the metal case. They were packed away with other variants at Prep Site Four. If it does what that specialist claims, then it’s exactly what they’ve been trying to come up with. I’m not sure what Project Lilliput is, but it doesn’t matter.”

“Why not,” Beth asked. “What’s so important about it?”

“With Juliet, they could use it to shrink people so quickly, no one would know what was happening until after it did its job.” He slipped the ampule back in his pocket. “According to this email, the production team created and managed to test a stable version just before I initiated the explosion, which means that when I blew the facility, they lost everything! If they manage to find this, they’ll put it into mass production. I can’t allow them to do that.”

Performing another search, Alex delved into the system and came up with more information. “According to this, Director Melendez never got a chance to read this email. That means he has no idea that Juliet exists, much less what it can do! I have to make sure he doesn’t see that email or he’ll suspect I have the ampules and send even more people to get it.”

After a few moments, an alarm sounded, filling the cavern with a distinctive sound. Alex glanced at a notification popping up on his screen and swore out loud.

“What? What is it,” she asked, looking up at the computer monitors.

“We’ve got company. Six intruders, according to the perimeter sensors,” Alex said, pointing at several blips on the screen. “It looks like they’re testing the perimeter to the north, behind us in the forest, and to the east, coming up the driveway from the main road.” Tapping a few commands into the system, he clicked on the ‘Execute’ command and reached down to grab her hand. “It’s time, Beth. We’ve got to go!”

[MarauderTDL]

Chapter Sixteen: It Begins…

Hurrying back upstairs, Alex and Beth found the others were out of the container and had regained some of their height. Tina turned at their arrival and gasped as she indicated toward the alert sound coming from the speakers all around them.

“Is this really necessary? I get the feeling like we’re on the bridge of the Enterprise!”

“It got your attention, didn’t it,” Alex said as he reached over to a remote set into a slot in the wall and punched a button. In moments, the familiar yet irritating sound died down and the others lowered their hands from their ears.

“Besides,” Alex added. “I hate that sound. I prefer sitting out on the porch and listening to the sounds of nature, so that screeching noise has always been enough to warn me when I’ve got unwanted visitors.”

“You’re telling us that was a siren to warn of intruders,” Thomas asked, now standing a foot and a half tall as he reached for another piece of cheese. “It sounded cool to me, but after the third of fourth time at that volume, it got old quick.”

“Which is why I use it,” Alex said, opening up a closet at the corner of the hallway to pull out a wicked-looking compound bow, painted in a matte-black color. Reaching in again, he removed a quiver of black, metallic arrows with deadly sharp heads on them as Sarah and Michelle stared in awe.

“You’re going to use those?” When Alex nodded, Michelle asked incredulously, “How in the world could you possibly hit anything out there? It’s pitch black!”

“That’s the point,” Alex said, pulling out a small canister and removing the top. Setting it on a nearby table, he scooped out a handful of what looked like dark clay or mud. Smearing it across his face, cheeks and even his forehead, Alex’s appearance darkened, adding to the fact that he now had on the black body armor he wore earlier in the day. The panels pushed out against the fabric, giving him a more stocky appearance, but it was clear he was preparing for a fight.

“Look, I have sensors all over my property and I just got warning that there’s movement coming from the backside of the house, as well as up the driveway. I need you all to stay here, turn off the lights, and don’t make any noise.”

“But what if one of those people you said were coming manages to get inside,” Sarah asked, now concerned. The bodysuit she put on back at the facility was straining as her body continued to grow, the fabric now tight against her shoulders and thighs as she was now slightly over a foot tall.

“They won’t,” Alex said confidently. “If they do, I’ve obviously failed in doing my job. Now I’m telling you, don’t make any noise. Hide behind the couch,” he reached up and dimmed the lights. “Keep eating, but if you run out, don’t worry about getting more for now. Once I take care of these six men, I’ll be back.”

“Wait, how do you know there are six people,” Tina asked, still seated on the couch as Sarah, Michelle and Thomas gathered around her.

Alex smiled as he adjusted the bow and headed for the door. Glancing at Beth he smiled. “I have my ways. Now stay here, I’ll be back.”


Making his way through the thick foliage of the mountainous terrain above the Sharp property, Scout One and two members of his squad slipped silently through the darkened forest. Off to the southwest, he saw the faint outline of clouds rolling in above the mountains in the distance, momentarily illuminated as flashes of lightning lit the sky, followed by the low rumble of thunder rolling across the valley. Pausing, he could feel a change in the air as the pressure dropped rapidly, the temperature feeling noticeably cooler to signal the approaching storm. As if to confirm that, another flash of lightning lit the sky, followed by more thunder, this time closer.

“Scout One, this is Hunter, sit-rep.” John Carlton’s voice sounded in the scout’s ear.

Reaching up, Scout One tapped the comm-link and whispered, “Scout One, here. Target is in sight, Hunter. They obviously realize we’re here.”

“Explain,” Hunter demanded.

“Lights in the house just went dark. No sign of movement, but it’s obvious they’re aware we’re here.”

“Be careful, Scout One,” Hunter warned quietly as another flash illuminated the landscape, closer than before. “This kid isn’t fooling around. He’s trying to be a hero, but he’s not stupid. Maintain contact with your team and make sure…”

A scream suddenly broke the quiet of the forest, echoing through the moonless night as Scout One looked off to his left to where the other half of his squad was tasked with coming up the driveway from the main road. A moment later, another rumble of thunder sounded in the sky, as off in the distance, Scout One could hear another sound, this one more welcome than some might think…rain.

“Scouts, sound off,” Scout One requested as he knelt behind a large tree, watching the terrain surrounding the house carefully as another flash of lightning gave him much needed illumination.

“Scout Two, to your right, thirty yards, approaching the side of the house, sir.”

“Scout Three, on your left, forty yards. No movement detected. Moving up.”

“Scout Five and Six, sir. We’re coming up the hillside by the driveway. Avoiding the gravel and keeping to the edge of the forest.”

Realizing Scout Four hadn’t checked in, Scout One called out, “Scout Four, what’s your situation?”

Silence.

“Scout Four, respond!”

Silence.

“Scout Five and Six…”

“Here, sir,” Scout Six responded. “We just found Scout Four. He’s dead.”

“How?”

“It appears he stepped into a pit trap and impaled his foot, sir.”

Confused, Scout One asked, “What killed him?”

After a moment, Scout Six came back, “An arrow, sir. Black as pitch. It’s metallic…military-grade. When Scout Four stepped in the trap, his cry probably gave his position away.”

Fear crawled up Scout One’s spine as another flash of lightning, followed by a crash of thunder almost immediately after it, boomed overhead. After a few moments, the patter of rain began to sound, rapidly coming his way as the rain struck the leaves and echoed through the darkness. “Hunter, did you copy that last transmission?”

“I heard, Scout One,” Hunter responded calmly. “I’m not surprised. That kid talked about being a proficient bow-hunter. I never realized he could target in the dark. That’s…”

“Impressive,” Scout One managed to say as the rain finally caught up with him, soaking him in a matter of seconds as the forest was now deluged by the storm. “One good thing though…with the rain, it will make it harder for him to hear us.”

“Don’t get cocky, Scout One,” Hunter warned. “Advance and tighten the perimeter. Force him to fall back.”

“Understood. Scout Team, advance on the target. Watch your flanks.”


Scout Five and Six caught sight of each other on either side of the driveway and nodded as they resumed their approach. Scout Six glanced back at the corpse of Scout Four, still kneeling in position where he fell into the trap, the arrow embedded deep in his chest. Scout Six felt a shiver of fear, but shook it away as she turned her focus on the house up the incline. In the darkness, she could see the lightning reflect off the bay window on the left side closest to them. Through the rain, she thought she detected movement along the side of the house, but after halting and watching, she realized it was nothing. This only helped to heighten her anxiety as she crept forward.

Why the hell didn’t they give us night-vision goggles? Even in this weather, it would help!

Glancing forward, she noticed that she couldn’t see Scout Five, even though she couldn’t have been more than twenty yards ahead of her. Reaching up, she touched the comm-link at her ear. “Scout Five, move up and cover that shed off to the side.”

Silence.

The hairs on the back of her neck rose as she keyed the channel again. “Scout Five…respond!”

Movement!

Scout Six gasped as she turned to her left, only to see a shadow appear from out of the darkness. She lifted her firearm, but before she could pull the trigger, the gun was swept from her grasp even as she felt something shatter against the side of her face. Falling to the mud-soaked ground, she looked around, but whatever or whoever struck her was gone, leaving her panting in fear as she scrambled for her weapon.

“Scout One! Movement over here! Scout Five is non-responsive! I…what the hell?”

A shiver ran up her spine and Scout Six gasped as she raised a gloved hand, only to watch as it flopped over and fell to the ground, revealing her right hand slowly dwindling inside her uniform. Looking down, she watched her rifle slip out of her grip as her left hand also shrank, unable to hold on as the weapon clattered to the wet ground.

“No,” she cried out loud before fumbling through several pockets on the outside of her body armor, searching for the antidote they normally carried, only to discover that there was none! In their haste, none of the team thought to stock up on the antidote before heading out, never expecting that their target would use the drug again them!

The heavy rain washed over her, weighing her uniform and armor down as her reduction made them feel heavier and more cumbersome with each passing second. Reaching up, even as her uniform ballooned around her, Scout Six managed to key the transmit button on her comm-link. “I-I’m hit! Goddammit! H-He’s using the d-drug on us!” She moaned as the drug’s sensations coursed through her trembling, dwindling body. “God, it’s working so fast! What the hell! S-Someone…help me! Please!”

With each word, her voice rose in pitch, almost child-like as she collapsed to the ground, still shrinking as the comm-link became too large to fit in her ear and slipped out to tumble to the ground beside her. Crying out, she managed one final scream before her head disappeared down into her uniform. As her cries grew quieter, the body armor collapsed in on itself and her uniform appeared to deflate like a balloon, pulling out of her heavy-duty boots and sagging to the ground, seemingly empty.

Stepping from the shadow of the trees, Alex looked down at the intruder’s uniform and equipment and frowned. “They weren’t kidding when they said Foxtrot worked fast.”

He hated having to use the drug, but in this situation, he didn’t have much of a choice. In the darkness, he could use his bow, but he only had a limited number of arrows, and he was sure that this group wouldn’t be the last the company sent their way. Glancing down at the uniform, he shook his head. Foxtrot was discontinued for one specific reason…yes, it did what it was supposed to do, quickly in fact, but it went too far. The goal was reduction to three inches, a standard the company set long ago, but Foxtrot didn’t stop there…it kept going until the victim went microscopic, the first one to go so far. Somehow, according to the data he pulled on the variants he’d not been briefed on in his initial orientation, the effects for Foxtrot were temporary…at least for female subjects. In time, they all regained some of their height as their bodies grew back to the three inches originally intended for the drug. Unfortunately, this was not the case for male subjects. According to the data Alex saw, all male subjects suffered an irreversible reduction to microscopic size and, to current date, no male subject had ever recovered. Perhaps this woman would be lucky and grow back to three inches quickly, but whatever happened, she was effectively out of the picture, like her partner, Scout Five, whose uniform and armor lay in a disheveled pile just out of sight ahead of him.

“Scout Six, come in! Scout Five, respond!”

Leaning down, Alex picked up the comm-link and slipped it into his ear. In a soft, menacing voice, he said, “I’m sorry, Scout One. They’re not available to take your call. They had a little run-in with one of the company’s less successful variants.”

“Sharp? You bastard! What did you do? Answer me!”

“I gave them exactly what the company gave to all those people they ever abducted. The only difference is that I didn’t kill them.”

“You’re taking this very personal, Sharp. You were well paid for your services.”

“I was lied to, manipulated,” Alex responded in a low, dangerous tone. “I don’t take kindly to that, and I certainly don’t respond well to people trying to kill me.”

Hearing movement off to one side, Alex slipped back into the trees and disappeared moments before Scout Three appeared from the far side of the forest near the driveway.

“Scout One, Scout Three here.”

“Go ahead, Scout Three.”

“No joy. He’s gone. I can see…dear God.” Scout Three moved forward, keeping an eye on the trees on the other side of the gravel driveway. “It’s true, sir. I’m standing over Scout Six’s uniform and weapon. She’s completely gone. He’s got access to variants of the drug, possibly even the discontinued stuff. I can see Scout Five’s uniform ahead of me. She’s gone too!”

“Dammit!”

Over the frequency Scout One heard Hunter call out, “All remaining units, fall back. I repeat, fall back. Change to frequency Delta and confirm on secondary channel.”

With the rain coming down hard and the thunder booming above him, Scout Three didn’t quite make out everything Hunter said. It didn’t help that he had feelings for Scout Five and wanted payback. With his night vision reduced to barely twenty yards ahead of him, Scout Three kept still, quietly searching for any movement. A flash of lightning tore through the sky, momentarily illuminating the trees to the left of the driveway, revealing a shape that disappeared after the second flash.

“Contact! I have the target in my sights,” Scout Three called out as he moved forward, raising his weapon as he rushed the spot where he saw the figure.

“Scout Three,” he heard over his comm-link. “…back! Do…, repeat, do not …-sue!”

Perhaps he didn’t hear the order, the lightning drowning out the command as he leapt over a fallen tree and glanced back and forth for another sighting. Maybe he was upset that his colleagues had been taken down so easily by a kid barely out of high school that he refused to accept the truth. Seeing movement off to his right, he swung his weapon and fired off a three-round burst, the sound echoing off the hills as he moved forward. Seeing another shadow, he turned and fired again, only to feel the impact of an arrow that pierced his body armor, splitting the panel in two and impaling him against a pine tree, the arrow head coming out the back of his armor and burying deep into the trunk. In shock, he dropped his rifle, staring down at the arrow before looking up to see Alex standing before him.

“Traitor,” he managed to say, spitting a mixture of saliva and blood as he felt his heart pounding in his chest.

Alex, soaked in rainwater, shook his head and frowned. “I’m no traitor. I never signed up for this.”

“You won’t win,” Scout Three said, his voice growing weaker as he felt his heartbeat slow. “The company…it’s too powerful…for you to…stop…them.” With his final word, Scout Three exhaled and slumped down, still pinned to the tree as his head fell to rest on his chest.

“It’s not about winning,” Alex whispered as Scout Three slowly slid forward, sliding off the arrow to collapse lifeless on the ground. “It’s about doing the right thing.”


Inside the house, Beth and the others huddled near Tina, who had them all hide on the floor, using the long, curved couch to block them from view out the bay window, while the other portion of the couch hid them from view out the back. Beth and Sarah hugged Tina, who whispered soft encouragement to them, while Michelle and Thomas sat nearby, holding each other.

By now, Beth was four feet tall, the tallest except for Tina, and she shivered as the towel she’d been using became less and less effective in covering her growing body. Sarah, Michelle and Thomas were quickly discovering that the bodysuits they’d been issued back at the facility were rapidly losing their elasticity with each inch they recovered. In fact, Thomas, now a little over three feet tall, found that the top of his uniform split as his shoulders expanded, tearing a loose seam until it split all the way down to his waist. Sarah and Michelle, nearly two and a half feet tall, were still able to wear the bodysuits, but it was clear that they wouldn’t last much longer as they felt the seams digging into their skin.

Almost an hour passed since Alex went outside, and Beth worried with every minute that went by that he wouldn’t return. It was strange how she could feel such concern for someone who, less than a day ago, set out to subject her and her friends to top-secret corporate acts of kidnapping, enslavement and unlawful experimentation, masquerading as a secret government project. Perhaps it was his innocence and his dedication to atoning for his actions, or maybe it was because of his shared outrage for what the company was doing and what their past actions did to others. Or maybe…just maybe…it was because he actually cared for Beth and wanted to prove to her that he wasn’t the terrible man she thought him to be.

Beth, how can you possibly have feelings for him? You realize what he did to you?

He didn’t mean it, she said to herself. He was lied to.

And yet he believed that somehow shrinking people and kidnapping them against their will was all right, because the ‘government’ said so? Girl, there’s gullible and then there’s stupid.

He’s not stupid, she thought, realizing she was defending him! He’s not a bad guy, maybe a little naïve due to living alone up here by himself, he was just…misguided! And yet he’s willing to defend us. He didn’t have to. He could have just turned his back on everything that was happening and left us to our fates.

Out in the darkness, amidst the thunder and lightning, they heard sounds of gunfire, followed by raised voices. Another round of gunfire sounded, and it was Beth who gasped and peaked her head over top of the couch to see if she could detect any movement outside the bay window.

“Beth,” Michelle called out to her in a hushed voice. “What are you doing? Get down!”

Despite her desire to find out what was happening, Beth complied and sat down, her back against the side of the couch as she drew her knees up to her chest and bowed her head, silently hoping that Alex was all right. In the darkness, she felt her body expanding even larger as the antidote continued to reverse the drug’s effects. In a way, it felt stranger to see everything returning to what she once considered to be normal.

Tina saw her expression and smiled as she asked, “How are you feeling?”

Shrugging, Beth replied, “I don’t know how to describe it. I know I’m growing back to my original size, but a part of me still feels like I’ve lost something special. I can’t really explain why.”

“Are you saying you like being small,” Tina asked in a curious tone, almost as if she were interested in knowing what it was like. “I may only be a junior researcher, but I can tell you that the drug was never intended to harm anyone. It was originally designed to mimic the effects created by an energy weapon designed by a Japanese scientist several decades ago. According to some of the notes I read during my time at the facility, the Japanese government once entertained the idea of miniaturizing their entire population to better utilize their island-nation’s limited resources.”

“That’s a silly idea,” Beth argued. “Shrinking the population of an entire nation would make them an easier target from a neighboring country seeking to conquer them.”

Tina nodded. “Actually, the Japanese government eventually came to the same conclusion, but not before they commissioned a scientific committee to look into the possibility of whether it could be done or not. Before the government cancelled the idea, one scientist, a Doctor Torunaga, discovered the means to miniaturize living beings safely and return them to normal. In fact, even after the idea was scrapped, he proposed turning his discovery into a weapon that could be used against an aggressor nation.”

“So what stopped him,” Beth asked, feeling the towel sliding up her bare legs another inch or two. “It sounds like he was brilliant enough to come up with an idea that no one could mount a defense against. I mean, equip a company of infantrymen with weapons like those and it would leave the enemy combatants helplessly shrunk and unable to operate their war machines or fire their weapons. It sounds like it could actually be used to stop wars rather than start them.”

“Well, there was an accident,” Tina said reluctantly. “When the government discovered that he was still pursuing the idea after they ordered it stopped, a military unit was sent to shut him down. At one point, Torunaga and his assistants resisted the military and a stray shot damaged the containment vessel of the machine he created.” Tina hesitated for a moment before continuing. “His wife, who was helping him in his research, was caught in the wake of the energy’s release and she was miniaturized until she disappeared.”

“Oh my God,” Beth whispered in shock. “That…that’s horrible.”

“According to the records, Torunaga went insane, turning a prototype weapon on everyone around him, including his own people. A number of them were shrunk before they managed to subdue him and take him away. Torunaga’s work was destroyed and he was banished from Japan, stripped of his family’s lands and wealth. He was ostracized from the scientific community and disappeared for a time.”

Still confused, Beth asked, “If the drug is based off his research, how did they manage to find it? If the Japanese government destroyed everything…”

“Because Torunaga is one of the board members of Global Resources Unlimited. It’s a huge international technology and resource acquisition corporation out of New York. Bio-SciTech is one of many subsidiaries. He somehow got the attention of powerful people who thought his research had merit and they gave him financial backing to re-create his work.”

Thomas, who along with Sarah and Michelle who had been listening in, asked, “Wait, you’re telling us that the company you were working for is dealing with miniaturization technology that was banned in Japan decades ago, and no one has gotten wind of this?”

“I guess times changed and the views of those in power in Japan eventually saw Torunaga’s discoveries as being useful,” Tina shrugged. “Not to mention, you’re also talking about a powerful corporation, capable of influencing the views of people around the world. I mean, just accept reality…all you have to do is grease the palms of the right people in the right places in government, make sure certain information is withheld from people who might question what is being done, and anything could be turned into a weapon these days.”

“But miniaturization technology,” Michelle responded with a look of disbelief on her face. “That’s not something you keep under wraps for long. Eventually, it gets out.”

“Like how it got out that Sizeol was being produced and tested out here in Central Virginia,” Tina asked seriously. “Michelle, they’ve been doing it now for almost five years! They only moved the production facility here once the drug was considered viable enough for mass-production. They couldn’t afford an accident in the middle of a metropolitan city where people would be affected and they couldn’t keep the truth from getting out. That’s what Bio-SciTech was for, as a cover.”

“And something like what Alex did back there at the facility…” Sarah piped up, causing Tina to nod in agreement.

“That would have resulted in hundreds, possibly even thousands dead or shrunk, and there would have been no amount of money or control that would have been able to keep it all a secret. But out here…Bio-SciTech is probably being scrubbed from ever website on the planet, and a story is being created to explain what happened, suggesting that a chemical failure resulted in the destruction of the company’s main production facility. Nothing will be mentioned of what they were creating, the names of the people who were killed will be redacted, and their families will be quietly paid money to never speak of it again. Anyone who survived…well, I hope they kept running after the explosion, because I doubt that G.R.U.’s board will be happy with this.”

“For a researcher, you seem to be very comfortable with all this,” Michelle said suggestively. “Maybe too comfortable. How do you know all this information? I doubt that the company would allow you to snoop through their records and learn all this stuff. Wouldn’t that information be restricted under some sort of high-level security?”

For a moment, the look on Tina’s face appeared that she was considering what to say, but finally she sighed and nodded. “You’re right. I guess I let my guard down and revealed too much. After all this time of dealing with Torunaga and his damned creation, I’ve become invested in helping to stop him and those who support him.”

Now confused, Beth looked at Tina differently. “Uh, you make it sound like you’re not some junior researcher at all.”

“That’s because I’m not,” Tina confirmed as her demeanor changed. No longer did she look like a tiny, scared junior researcher. Now, she looked to be older, more confident as she said, “My real name is Christine Michaels. I work for an agency that is currently involved in dealing with Doctor Torunaga and his creation. We’re a quasi-government agency that is privately funded in order to keep us off the radar of government officials who would try to interfere with our work. As for myself, I’ve been dealing with Doctor Torunaga and the grief he’s caused for over ten years now, since I was one of his victims back in 2002.”

“Wait,” Sarah said, holding up a hand that grew larger before her eyes. “Since 2002? What happened back then?”

Christine proceeded to give them an extremely abbreviated accounting of her experience with Doctor Torunaga and the subsequent events that led to others attacking his island research laboratory in the Hebrides Island chain off the United Kingdom. They learned of his creation of energy weapons that miniaturized people, how Christine and her friends stumbled upon the island and paid the price for that discovery.

“I was the lucky one,” Christine sniffed in amusement. “If you could actually call it that at the time. Torunaga’s invention, the weapon I mentioned?” The girls and Thomas all nodded. “Well, back then they were very effective. Except they didn’t react very well when used on men. Us girls, well we were shrunk down to about three inches tall. I managed to escape, but I was shrunk. Eventually, the agency found a way to return me to normal, but my husband and I decided to help the agency fight what Torunaga and G.R.U. have been doing.”

“You’re like some secret agent,” Beth asked, impressed by Christine’s ability to appear younger than she must have been. “How old are you, anyway?”

Christine raised an eyebrow at her. “Beth, you know that’s rude to ask a women her age.” A smile tugged at the side of her face. “I’m thirty-three. I was about your age when I had my run-in with Torunaga’s men and believe me, you girls got the better end of the deal. When I was shrunk there was no arousing sensations that came along with the reduction. Somehow, the transition from energy-based matter reduction to chemically-induced shrinking causes a stimulation of certain nerve endings that result in increased sexual urges. Even Thomas and his friends felt it when they were shrunk.” The girls turned to Thomas in time to see him blush. Christine smiled. “There’s no need to be embarrassed, Thomas. Although I’m sure you’d prefer not to admit it openly. Tell you what, when we get out of here, you and Michelle can discuss it in private.”

Michelle did a double-take at Christine’s suggestion before turning to Thomas and seeing him shrug. After a moment, she relaxed and gave him a tiny nod and a smile.

Before anyone could say more, the front door opened and in stumbled Alex, carrying several weapons slung over his shoulder and his bow in his right hand. In the darkness, they could see him soaking wet from the rain that continued outside, pouring so hard that they could hear it hitting the roof above them. Beth, seeing him alive, felt a momentary flutter as she hurried over and turned on a lamp on the table closest to the front door. However, as the light illuminated Alex, her happiness turned to horror as she realized that not everything dripping on the hardwood floor was rain water.

“Oh my God! Alex?”

The others turned as Alex slumped to his knees, the weapons clattering on the floor as Beth reached out to grab him as he fell back. Christine took charge, pushing the others out of the way as she knelt beside him, inspecting his outfit and body armor until she found it…a bullet hole that managed to slip between two panels high up on his right shoulder.

“Bullet hole,” she said clinically, pushing the armor aside to get a better look. “Looks like it went completely through your shoulder. You’re lucky it didn’t shatter your collarbone. What happened?”

“I was baiting one of the…scouts to…follow me into the trees where the combination of the rain, darkness and trees would make it harder for him to…see me before I snuck up on him. Turns out…I didn’t expect one of the bullets to ricochet off the tree and through my shoulder.”

“As I said,” Christine pointed out. “You’re lucky it didn’t hit anything vital.”

“…feels like it,” Alex managed to say as he struggled against the pain. Raising his other arm toward the kitchen, he said, “Cabinet…to the…right of the sink…top shelf…first aid kit.”

“Beth,” Christine said, pulling her attention from gazing down at Alex. “You’re the tallest of your friends. I need you to get that first aid kit. Alex is bleeding out and I need to find a way to stop it and get him bandaged up. He may have driven them off for now, but they’ll be back.”

Alex looked up at Christine curiously. “You’re not…acting like a junior researcher, Tina.”

Smiling back down at him while Beth hurried to the kitchen, Christine admitted, “That’s because I’m not. I’ll tell you all about it later on, but for now, you’re losing a lot of blood.”

Pointing over to the fireplace, Alex managed to say, “Wood…out back, right when you look to your left. Start a fire.”

Christine looked down at him and cocked her head before her eyes widened, as if knowing what he was suggesting. “Alex, are you sure you want to do that?”

Struggling to stay awake, Alex nodded, “It’s the…only way!”

Beth looked down at Alex as she returned with the first aid kit and then back up at Christine. “W-what is it? What’s he suggesting?”

As Thomas came back inside with an armful of wood, Christine said, “He’s suggesting that I cauterize the wound.”

“What? Alex, are you crazy?”

Reaching out to grasp her hand, Alex squeezed it as tight as he could. “No other choice. I need to go back outside. They’ll be back.”

“You can’t fight like this,” Beth argued. “W-We could get in the Wrangler…they won’t know we left.”

“They will know, Beth, and the first thing they’ll do is cut off all the roads leading out of here, if they haven’t already done so,” Alex countered. Looking over at Thomas, who returned with the wood, he said, “Go ahead and put it in. There’s tinder to the left of the mantle. The fire should start quickly since the wood’s been drying all year long.”

Thomas nodded and got to work starting the fire while Christine tried to staunch the wound. “Dammit,” she cursed as more blood seeped through the gauze. “They must have nicked an artery. You’re bleeding pretty badly.”

“Just get me on my feet,” Alex hissed in pain. Outside, the storm continued, lightning flashing and thunder rumbling across the mountains. Glancing out the door, Alex said, “I took down…four of them before the other two backed off, but there’ll be more. Probably within the hour.”

“How did you take down four people in the dark,” Thomas asked him. “We heard the gunshots, but you didn’t have any weapons other than the bow when you left.”

Alex smiled gamely and nodded. “My grandfather taught me to shoot day or night. The trick with night shooting is to let your opponent make enough noise so you can…ugh…know where they are. Once you’re close enough, even the outline of a shadow is enough to target for a shot.”

With the fire crackling it the fireplace, Alex motioned to an iron bar propped up to the side. “Move the embers around and set the bar into the hottest part. Leave it there for a couple of minutes.”

“So you used your bow to shoot four people,” Beth asked, visibly impressed.

Alex shook his head and grimaced, letting out a harsh breath as he exhaled from the pain. “No…uh, I…used one of the variants on two of them.”

Sarah gasped. “You shrank them? Alex, why?”

“I didn’t kill them, if that’s what you’re thinking. The Foxtrot variant is a fast-acting version, subtle on the arousing aspects, but very efficient in shrinking a target. All I had to do was break an ampule against their skin and the drug did the rest. Luckily, it seems they didn’t expect me to try that, so neither of them were inoculated with the antidote. I doubt I’ll get the chance with the next group though.”

“That was a pretty bold move there, kiddo,” Christine said as she held a compress against his shoulder to slow the bleeding. “Close quarters, in the dark, it required you to move fast and stay quiet.”

“It’s what my grandfather taught me,” he replied, gazing out the front door to see the ghostly image of his grandfather nodding back at him appreciatively. “After all, this is our land,” Alex hissed in pain. “No one comes on my property and threaten my friends.”

“So we’re your friends now, hmm,” she smiled back at him. “Well at least we’re not your enemies.”

Alex ducked his head. “I haven’t had many friends, not in a long time. I never had the chance.”

“Or perhaps you’ve never taken a chance to develop them,” Christine chided him gently. “You have to take a chance, go out and get to know people. Friends don’t fall in your lap.”

“If we survive this, I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, keeping his voice low so no one else could hear. Looking up at Christine, he said, “I don’t know how long I can hold them off if they come at us all at once. I’ve got traps laid around the property, as well as some weapons I set up earlier, but…”

“Let’s just worry about this injury first, okay,” Christine said gently, although inside she knew what Alex was trying to say. Things were going to get very bad, very quickly. “Thomas, hold up that iron rod.” She nodded as she saw the end glowing a bright orange. “Good, bring it over here.” Looking back down at Alex, she grabbed a towel. “Open your mouth, Alex and bite down.” As he complied, she whispered, “You’re sure you want to do this?”

Alex nodded and clamped down on the towel as Thomas carefully brought the rod over, the end glowing brightly as the heat seared the air. Looking up at Christine, he mouthed the words, Do it.

Pulling the compress off, the blood started flowing again, but only until Christine brought the rod down to press against the hole. Immediately, as the super-heated metal came into contact with Alex’s skin, the sound of sizzling flesh could be heard as the room filled with an unmistakable odor. Alex’s head snapped back and he clenched his eyes shut as he bit the towel, screaming in horrendous agony. As Christine held the glowing iron steady, Thomas pressed down on Alex’s opposite shoulder in an attempt to keep him from thrashing. Despite his attempts to hold still, Alex convulsed and his legs struck the hardwood floor. Hearing his screams, Beth dropped to the floor nearby, covering her face. Sarah rushed over to her and hugged her tightly.

“It’s okay, Beth. He’s going to be okay!” Michelle hesitated for a moment, but a look from Sarah made her hurry over to wrap her arms around Beth.

“She’s right, Beth. Alex will be okay. Just hang in there.”

His screams seemed to go on forever, and tears streaked down the sides of his face as Alex endured the pain. In his mind, he heard his grandfather’s voice. Breathe, son, don’t hold it in. Breathe! That’s it.

After what felt like an eternity, Christine carefully pulled the rod away and handed it to a stunned and ash-faced Thomas who took the rod back over to the fireplace and set it inside. The smell of seared flesh filled the air and, in spite of herself, Christine had to turn away for a moment to take a breath of air before looking back. The hole in Alex’s shoulder was cauterized, the burnt and blackened skin successfully sealed to stop the bleeding, but she worried whether it would hold.

“Alex,” she whispered as he writhed on the floor. “The wound is sealed, but if you go back out there, you might tear it open again and bleed out. I’m going to bandage both sides and wrap it, but if you move too much, the wound may tear open again.”

Spitting the towel out, Alex sucked in gasps of air before nodding, his face was deathly pale. Despite shivering in pain, his eyes were clear and he appeared coherent. “Understood. I’ll try not to do anything stupid.”

“Too late,” Christine said, trying to inject some humor into the situation.

Hearing him speak, Beth rose and hurried over to him, her eyes brimming with tears. “Damn you for getting hurt,” she whispered. “You’re no good if you can’t fight back.”

Seeing the concern in her eyes, Alex smiled. “Glad to know I’m good for something.”

Choking back the tears, Beth laughed softly and said softly, “Don’t die on me.”

“That’s the general plan,” he said as she and Christine helped him slowly sit up. By now, Beth was over five feet tall and almost back to her normal size. As if noticing this, Alex motioned to the second floor. “You and your friends should go upstairs…second room on the right. That used to be my grandparent’s bedroom. My grandmother’s clothes are still hanging up in the closet on the left. Grandpa couldn’t bear to put them away after she died. They’re a little out of style, but they may fit you all by now. Thomas, my grandfather’s clothes may fit you. Closet on the right side.”

As Michelle, Sarah and Thomas headed upstairs, Thomas stopped and turned back. “Alex…I just wanted to say…” They looked at each other for a moment. Thomas ducked his head. “Well…I…”

“I know, Thomas,” Alex said in return. “It’s okay. Thanks.”

Nodding, Thomas turned and headed upstairs after the girls, while Christine and Beth helped him to his feet. “You should go upstairs and get dressed too,” Alex said, staring down at Beth with a smile. “Not to say that I don’t like the look, but…”

Realizing she’d dropped her towel, Beth gasped and blushed before looking up at him. “I hate you…” Alex blinked before Beth reached up and pulled him down to kiss him. “…for making me care about you.”

Rushing off, Alex turned to Christine, who shook her head and smiled. “Guess you made a friend, huh? Seriously, Alex, that wound isn’t going to hold if you do a lot out there.”

“Luckily, it isn’t the arm I draw my bow with,” he said, taking a deep breath.

“Be careful,” she said quietly.

“I’ll try,” he said, glancing up to the second floor where Beth was looking down at him, fear for him in her eyes. “I think I might have a reason to be.” Pressing a hand against his shoulder, he nodded once and turned to grab his bow and one of the rifles. “Take this,” he said, tossing the rifle to Christine. “It might come in handy.”

[MarauderTDL]

Chapter Seventeen: Final Confrontation

It was past midnight by the time Scout One and Two returned to the staging area, soaked to the bone and hanging their heads in defeat as they entered the tent where John Carlton and Director Melendez were conferring around a lit table with a topographical map of the area. At their arrival, both men looked up and although Director Melendez quickly looked away in disgust, John walked over and clapped them on the shoulders.

“You did your best,” he said firmly before stepping back. “Report.”

“That kid…he was playing with us,” Scout One replied. “We’d barely gotten into position when he took Scout Four down. Scouts Five and Six were neutralized shortly after that, and Scout Three…” He shook his head. “We don’t know. We heard several rounds of gunfire as we were retreating, but Jorgesson didn’t return to the rally point before we headed back, so he’s probably gone too.”

“This is a twenty-two year old boy, we’re talking about,” Director Melendez snarled as he paced the far end of the table. “How could he manage to do this?”

“Because it’s his home, Director,” John said pointedly, making Scout One think that there had been a previous conversation regarding this subject prior to their arrival. “I told you, he’s had years to prepare to defend his property as he sees fit, and his grandfather obviously didn’t let him sit on his ass playing video games in his youth. Bow shooting in the middle of the night, during a thunderstorm? Close quarters combat? Sniper training? This isn’t your usual lifestyle for a kid growing up.” A roll of thunder seemed to accentuate his argument. “We’re not dealing with a kid, sir. Right now, we’re dealing with a young man, who was trained in guerilla warfare by his grandfather, who served in the United States Marines. I did some checking. Norman Sharp: a decorated Marine with a long service history spanning from Vietnam to Desert Storm. Hand-to-hand combat, guerilla warfare, urban pacification, sniper training of the highest level, military intelligence, reconnaissance. Colonel Sharp not only experienced that, he obviously trained Alex in much of it as well! If you’d done more than a cursory background check on him, you might have learned this, but by your own admission, you went with information from the local sheriff, who said he was a skilled tracker in the backwoods of the Shenandoah. You thought you had yourself some hayseed hick whom you could fool with your sophistication and charm. You knew about his grandfather, but assumed that his grandson would fall in line simply by honoring his grandfather’s service, rather than considering that maybe he passed some of that training on to his grandson before he died. Well guess what? We’re the ones who got fucked, Director! That boy is a weapon, in the element he’s most comfortable in, his own backyard!”

Crossing his arms against his chest, John continued. “Yeah, he’s been secluded from society, which made him appear to be what you thought he was, but it’s clear he’s much more than that. If I’m right, he’s a lot more dedicated to doing the right thing that either of us ever thought. We thought he would accept doing what we told him to do, even after he saw how questionable it was, but we were wrong, Director.”

“I’m glad to hear that you’re including yourself in this assessment, John,” Director Melendez said in a carefully restrained voice. “Because if you’d avoided telling him about your escapades along the riverbank, shrinking individuals for fun, we could have avoided this.”

“I was following protocol and you know it,” John fired back. “And whether I told him or not, he would have guessed it sooner or later anyway.”

“Better later than sooner,” Melendez said, his voice rising in volume. “It would have given us time to deal with him before he did something as destructive as…oh, I don’t know…BLOWING UP THE ENTIRE DAMNED FACILITY!!!”

John stood his ground, refusing to back down as he responded, “So what would you like to do, Director? Should I prepare myself to be eliminated like you did to Doctor Lithe?” Seeing the director flinch, John smiled. “Yeah, I heard about that. Seems you let your temper get the better of you, which was why, when Alex was going for his after-mission examination, he met up with one of the junior researchers who witnessed what you did to the poor doctor. Is it any wonder that she was seen leaving the facility with him just before it blew up?”

“You think she said something to him that made him turn on us,” Melendez asked, his temper cooling as he considered this information.

“It makes sense,” John said, never losing his composure. “On my way over here, I managed to pull up the security feed from the facility. It’s a good thing we transmit continually to the backup server at the building near Town Hall, or I’d be completely in the dark about what happened. This Tina LeFay managed to meet with Alex during his after-mission examination. They spoke for several minutes, although I don’t know what they spoke about. Afterward, she went and released the women we captured, as well as the sole remaining survivor of the previous group we caught last month. While she was taking them to the garage to hide and wait for him, Alex went below. He spoke to Quisley, managed to steal Doctor Lithe’s access card, and used it to go to the lower levels where he found the girl we brought in who was expected to shrink away. While he was in the ICU wing, he apparently downloaded information on a flash drive before heading to the Production wing. He accessed further data, planted the bombs, fought with the guard, and escaped with Ms. LeFay and the others.”

“It sounds like maybe Ms. LeFay wasn’t what she appeared to be,” Melendez thought out loud.

John shook his head. “I thought the same thing. After the incident with the doctor, she ran out of the lab, but I couldn’t determine where she went. She disappeared for over an hour before reappearing in the lab where she collected data before leaving again, meeting up with Alex later on. She was the one who gave him the flash drive, which tells me she was more than just a junior researcher, although I couldn’t find out what. She witnessed you tossing Doctor Lithe’s access card to Quisley before she ran out of the lab, so she knew he had it, but she didn’t have access to his office.”

“It’s a pity Quisley didn’t survive the explosion,” Melendez said, although it was clear he had no sorrow for Quisley’s death.

“Regardless, Alex learned enough to choose to turn on us,” John said. “And now we have a trained, dangerous opponent we need to eliminate.”

“Do we know what he took from Prep Site Four before blowing it up?”

John shook his head. “Prep Site Four was recently decommissioned, but still considered viable for storage purposes. Unfortunately, we didn’t have surveillance of the area, so there’s no knowing what he took. Based on Scout Six’s response for help, it’s clear he did take some of the drug stored there, but we don’t know how much, or which variants, so we’re dealing with the clear possibility that he could use it again.”

“That won’t be a problem,” the director said. “The team that’s arriving shortly have been inoculated to be sure his little trick won’t work again. However, we have no definitive information of what equipment he took with him.”

“Ammunition, probably some of the firearms stored there,” John said without missing a beat. “It’s the first thing any soldier would do. The hand grenade was meant to deny us any further use of that site. What about the other three sites?”

Melendez frowned. “Prep Sites One and Two were decommissioned before Three and Four were even set up. There’s nothing there. Site Three is the only one left, and we were instructed to remove everything left in it.”

“So G.R.U. is pulling the plug on us,” John asked.

Melendez nodded, although he wasn’t happy with the decision. “We were working on a new variant that I was supposed to receive notification about prior to the accident. Unfortunately, our servers are down, so I can’t tell if there was any news, and everything from the Production wing was lost. No one got out of that part of the facility before it blew. Everything that can be salvaged is being removed now. Before daybreak, we’re expected to finish and report to G.R.U. headquarters for a debriefing.”

John shook his head. “What’s this we stuff? Don’t look at me, ‘cause I’m not going.”

“Mr. Carlton…”

“No!” John snapped. “My job is to capture or kill Alex and the others and destroy any evidence of our involvement. That’s what I’m going to do, and then I’m going to disappear, but not at the whim of some G.R.U. administrator who decides that I’m expendable. You can report to G.R.U. headquarters all you like, but I know what will happen if I go. I’m a contractor, not an employee, I don’t answer to them.”

“You answer to me, Mr. Carlton, and you’ll do as you’re told.”

“Then kill me now,” John said, spreading his arms wide. “Go on, do it! Then you can deal with Alex Sharp yourself, and good luck with that. You need me, Dick. You need me to clean up the mess that’s left of this situation. Alex and the others he escaped with are loose ends, and I’ll take care of them, but I refuse to become the loose end that G.R.U. deals with afterwards. After I’m done, I’m gone.”

Director Melendez stared at him thoughtfully for several moments before nodding. “Very well. But I will need absolute confirmation that no one survives, do you understand? Alex Sharp, Tina LeFay, and all the test subjects must be eliminated.” Sticking his hand out, he waited for Mr. Carlton’s response.

“Deal,” John said with a smile, reaching out to grip Richard’s hand. “I’ve got a score to settle with the kid and it will be my pleasure to take him down.”

Outside, several vehicles came to a stop and doors could be heard opening. “It sounds like G.R.U.’s tactical squad has arrived,” John commented. “I assume they were already brought up to speed on the way?”

Director Melendez nodded as he released John’s hand. “They’ll be assaulting the Sharp property. You are welcome to join them…”

“Uh, uh,” John said, shaking his head. “I’m taking my boys,” he pointed at Scout One and Two. “We’ll work in tandem with the G.R.U. thugs, but I won’t work under them.”

“You still don’t trust them, do you?”

“I never did,” John admitted. “G.R.U. does what is in the best interests of G.R.U., and right now, that is completely different from what’s best for anyone left from Bio-SciTech. You and I both know that anyone not of the research division won’t be allowed to live.” He shrugged as he reached down to grab his favorite hat and slip it back on his head. “We’re all disposable now, Director.” Pointing at Richard, he added with a grin, “Even you.”

As Carlton turned and exited the tent with Scout One and Two, they passed the assembled members of the G.R.U. task force. Clad in matte-black body armor, the twelve-member squad didn’t bother to acknowledge him or his men as he approached the squad leader.

“You’re the one in charge of this group, am I correct,” John asked.

Turning around, the leader glanced at him with disdain before nodding. In a deep voice, he replied, “That’s correct. Captain Bonnier. I assume you’re all that’s left of the security contingent for BST?”

“’Fraid so. Boy caught us with our pants down.”

“Why am I not surprised,” the tall, ebony-skinned man said in disgust. “You got lazy.”

“Hey!” John stepped forward until he was nose-to-nose with the captain. “Don’t lump me in with these rent-a-cops your people saddled us with. It was your bosses who decided that professionals weren’t needed to avoid raising suspicions out here in Hickville. As for me…I’m the best tracker and sniper you’ve got, and don’t try to tell me you’ve got either in your group. None of them are carrying the right gear.”

Captain Bonnier lifted an eyebrow in amusement. “So you’re going to sit back and take him out from a distance? As for tracking, there’s no need. We know where to find him. All that’s needed is to take him out.” Smirking, he added, “Given your history, I would have thought you would want to take him down up close and personal after what he did.”

“Oh, I intend to,” John said, not backing down. “The boy betrayed us, betrayed me. Maybe I won’t take him down from a distance, but I can tell you that you won’t do any better than the first group did.”

“You think so? Then why the desire to go solo? Why not join us and help take him out?”

John smiled, a cruel, sinister grin. “Oh no. You’re on your own, Captain. I’ll wait for you to exhaust yourself in a futile effort before doing what you’ll fail to do. Me and my people,” Carlton inclined his head in the direction of the remaining two members of his squad. “We’ll get the job done, but by all means feel free to take the lead.”

Bonnier chuckled softly. “You think you’re better than us?” Sniffing derisively, he continued, “What makes you think I’d want to soil myself with your filth? So long as you don’t get in our way, we’ll be fine.”

“I’m serious, Captain,” John said, staring Bonnier in the eyes. “You’re out of your league. The boy is going to chew your team up and spit them back out. If you want to deal with the others, that’s fine with me, but in the end, no one touches the kid but me.”

Bonnier stared back at him, neither man flinching as they assessed each other. Finally, Bonnier nodded. “He gave you and your people a black eye and a bloody nose; makes sense you’d want to pay him back for that. All right, Carlton. He’s all yours.”

As the captain turned away, John called out to him, “So you know, he’s packing the drug. You understand what that means?”

“We’re already inoculated, Mr. Carlton,” the captain replied dismissively. “I’m hoping he tries though, just to see his face when it doesn’t work.”

Carlton smiled as he turned away. “Good luck up there, Captain. You’re gonna need it.”


Reaching into his pocket, Alex pulled out the portable sensor display and checked the readings. So far, none of the sensors showed movement along the perimeter, but he knew it was only a matter of time before John and his men returned. He was under no illusions that he’d managed to beat them after one encounter. He remembered his grandfather’s stories of his experiences in Vietnam, how the enemy would send scouts to test the defenses of an American base before sending in waves of troops to overwhelm the position. Alex knew that there would be more…he just hoped he’d planned sufficiently to weather the storm, both literally and figuratively.

Another rumble of thunder sounded above, followed by several flashes of lightning along the ridgeline. Off to the north, he heard the increasing trickle of water that was running down the mountainside, washing mud and debris with it. A flicker on the screen showed that one of the sensors to the northwest was failing, probably exposed by the runoff, causing it to malfunction. Under better circumstances, he’d check it out and reset it, but there wasn’t time. He’d just have to hope that no one exploited that area or he’d be in trouble.

Glancing over his shoulder, Alex could still make out the outline of the house in the distance. Checking his surroundings, he doubled back to a small patch of grass and moss covered in rocks. Pushing the rocks aside, he reached down and pulled the patch up, revealing a cache of 9mm armor-piercing ammunition and a Sig Sauer P220 with a silencer already attached. Pulling out the Sig, he checked the slide, making sure it was functioning properly before chambering a round and setting it back in the ground. After tossing a few rocks on top for show, he moved on to the next site. He repeated this several times, checking each weapon he’d stashed away, coming full-circle before returning to a stand of trees twenty yards away from the front of the house. There, he lifted up the Gladius .308 rifle and tested the bolt-action before slipping a magazine into the bottom of the rifle. Hearing the satisfying ‘click’, he nodded and slung the rifle over his left shoulder, taking care not to stress his wound. Reaching down for his bow, Alex paused as his hand quivered. Letting out a slow, calming breath, he squeezed his hand and grabbed the bow.

In the back of his mind, he heard his grandfather. Son, you’ve done all you can do. You’ve prepared everything you can. You’re ready for this.

“You think so,” Alex whispered out loud, his body shaking. “I don’t feel ready.”

You’re just experiencing nerves, son. Every soldier goes through this before a battle.

“The difference is, I’m not a soldier, Grandpa. I never was! You taught me, you trained me, because it was all you knew, all you could think of doing to give me something to focus on besides how alone I was.”

You’re scared?

“Hell yes! I’m terrified!”

Good. Because I’d be afraid for you if you weren’t. You didn’t ask for this, but you accepted it. Now you have to remember what I taught you. Use it! Because you can be sure that whoever they’re sending your way…they’re going to use their training to try and kill you.

“What if I screw up? They’re all depending on me in there.”

Then don’t screw up. You care for that girl?

“I-I think so…yes.”

Good answer. Now hold onto that, son. That is going to keep you going when you’re tired, when you’re in pain, when your body wants to quit on you. She needs you. They all do. So when you think you can’t give anything else, you dig deep and you keep fighting. If you don’t, there’s no one else to protect her or any of them, and you know what they’ll do to them, don’t you?

“Yes.”

The remote on his hip vibrated and Alex reached down to see that there was movement along the northern ridge. The sensors he embedded in the ground amongst the trees registered three targets, but before he could move, he noticed two more appearing along the western ridge, four coming from the east up the main drive, and three more from the south directly behind him. For a moment, several more blips appeared toward the northwest, but they faded as they approached the sensor grid that was washed out by the storm.

Kneeling down, Alex bowed his head. “God, grant me the strength to defeat my enemies and protect my friends. Guide me and protect me as I defend those who cannot fight for themselves. Let me be their shield from those who would do them harm. I surrender myself to you, Lord. I do not ask to live. It is Your will that decides if I live or die, but if I am to die, let it be done saving them. Amen.”

Taking a calming breath, Alex rose to his feet and gripped his bow in his right hand. With a final glance at the sensor, he stuffed it into a pocket at his side and sprinted off with barely a sound.


Captain Bonnier tapped the comm-link in his ear and whispered, “All points, sound off.”

“Northern ridge, check.”

“Western flank, check.”

“Southern point, check.”

“Eastern rise, che-…wait!”

KA-THOOOM!

Through the rain-soaked night, a bright flash lit the sky to the east as Bonnier turned his attention. Over the comm, he could hear screaming. “Mines! The son-of-a-bitch laid mines in the gravel! Carson and Briar are gone! The Prowler went up in flames, sir!”

Myers turned to his captain. “Where the hell does a kid gain access to mines?”

“His grandfather,” Bonnier growled. “I’m betting those mines have been there a long time. Probably set to go off if anything crosses over them that isn’t allowed to pass.” Tapping his comm, Bonnier called out, “Jenkins, Yaeger, push Prowler One up the road! If there are any other mines, it will set them off before doing any damage to Prowler Two!”

“Copy that, sir,” Jenkins replied.

“He’s drawn first blood,” Bonnier said in admiration. “Not bad, kid. Not bad.”


On the western ridge, Samuels and Archer felt a vibration through the rock as they climbed up the face of the mountain. Even with the thunder and lightning, they still heard the explosion and saw the sky to the east light up. Listening to the comms, they heard Captain Bonnier’s commands. Catching his partner’s attention, Samuels motioned to the top of the rise. Archer nodded and scaled the remaining ten feet before scanning their surroundings.

“Clear.”

Reaching up, Samuels gripped Archer’s arm and felt his partner pull him the rest of the way. "Thanks. Now let’s get a move on. I don’t want the rest of the squad to have all the fun.”

“If that’s what you call it,” Archer replied, removing the harness and dropping it to the ground as he adjusted his pack. “This guy appears to mean business.”

Samuels chuckled as he dropped his harness and raised his rifle. “Yeah right. He’s a wanna-be. Probably living off stories his grandfa-…”

A soft whizzing sound filled the air, followed immediately by the crack of the bullet’s exit from the Gladius’ muzzle. The .308 bullet tore a chunk from Samuels’ neck before he could finish, the astonishment on his face evident before he fell backward over the edge to drop fifty feet to the rocks below. Archer ducked and took shelter behind a boulder as another round took out a chunk of rock near his head.

“Contact! Contact! Samuels is down! I repeat, Samuels is down! Western ridge!”


Through the thunder and lightning, Patterson, Wright and Thompson heard the report echo down the mountain moments before hearing Archer’s call over the comm-link.

“Jesus,” Wright hissed as she turned to the others. “This guy is playing for keeps!”

“Then I say we hit him hard,” Thompson said, glancing at Patterson, who nodded in agreement. “He can’t be everywhere at once.”

“He doesn’t have to be,” Wright whispered as they continued their ascent. “If he’s prepped the surrounding terrain, we could be walking into anything. Prowler One found that out.”

“That’s a chance we’ll have to take,” Patterson replied, adjusting his Steyr AUG.

As they continued, they could hear the smattering of weapons-fire off to the west, but nothing significant. Coming over a bluff, Thompson caught sight of the house. “There it is! Let’s go!”

Wright saw something in the light of a flash of lightning and tried to call out. “Thompson, wait!”

It was too late. Thompson’s boot caught the trip-wire set across the length of the bluff. As his foot got tangled up in the wire, the others heard a series of pops as flashes appeared along the ground. The flashes, actually charges set into the ground, pulverized the surrounding rock and loosened boulders the size of beach balls. With the rain-soaked ground breaking apart, more rock shifted and the bluff collapsed under Thompson’s feet. Wright had enough time to look up and see him flying back over her head before a wall of rock slammed into her. Patterson, ten feet behind her, watched as she screamed and was buried, only to feel a boulder slam into his body armor, crushing the wind from his chest as he felt himself thrown down the hill. Whether by dumb luck or random chance, he landed in a culvert and rolled under a lip moments before the avalanche poured down the mountain-side, taking Thompson and Wright with it.

“Patterson to…” He coughed, his chest screaming in pain. “Southern flank…Thompson and Wright…I think they’re gone. Charges caused an avalanche. Can’t move.”


“Bonnier here, son. What’s your position?”

“Don’t know,” Patterson replied weakly, the rocks still shifting above his head. “I’m buried.”

Cursing softly, Bonnier responded, “We’ll send help. Hold on.”

“That’s six operatives this kid has already taken out, sir,” Myers replied, visibly impressed. “Should we call for back-up?”

“No,” Bonnier snarled. “I’m not about to admit that one young man can stop us. We’re trained for this!”

“But we’re fighting on his land, sir. He knows this area better than we do, and he’s obviously set up traps to stop anyone from getting to the house.”

Over the comm-link, Bonnier heard Carlton’s voice softly whisper. “I warned you, Captain. This boy is playing for keeps. He knows he can’t be everywhere at once, so he’s depending on our unfamiliarity with the terrain and his use of traps to take out as many as possible. That little trick with the avalanche, I could have told you he was going to use that. He’s using the terrain as a weapon against you.” Off to the east, more gunfire could be heard, except this time, it was directed toward the house. “Sounds like your people in the Prowler managed to break through. I’d suggest you help them out.”


Jenkins and Yaeger managed to use the burning hulk of Prowler One to reach the top of the rise. Ahead of them, they saw the corpse of Scout Four still kneeling where he’d fallen earlier, as well as the rain-soaked body armor and uniforms of Scouts Five and Six. As they came into sight of the house, armor-piercing rounds smashed into the bullet-proof windshield, barely keeping the rounds from penetrating into the cabin.

“Gunfire, we’re taking gunfire on the rise,” Yaeger shouted over the comm. “Request back-up, repeat, request bac-…”

The windshield collapsed under the repeated barrage of armor-piercing rounds and the shards exploded into the truck, blinding Yaeger as Jenkins opened the door and leapt out. Landing on the muddy embankment, he rose up to level his Steyr AUG in the direction of the gunfire and pulled the trigger. A barrage of bullets tore up the ground, shredding the wooden pillar holding up the right side of the front porch. The pillar buckled and collapsed, smashing the glass of the bay window, but Jenkins continued to fire, tracers following after a dark form that retreated around the back of the house. Turning his attention back to the truck’s cabin, he looked inside to find Yaeger clutching his neck, glass embedded in his throat as he struggled to breathe.

“Man down! Man down! Yaeger’s hit!”


Taking courage at the sound of weapons fire near the house, Archer rose up from his shelter and sprinted forward, catching sight of a figure moving around the side of the house. Hearing Jenkins’ cry over the comm-link, he knew it must be their target and he unloaded with a full barrage that tore a line of bullet holes into the oak siding. Without pausing, he detached the spent magazine and slammed in another one before unleashing another barrage. In his haste, Archer failed to track his target while loading, only to find himself face-to-face with Alex as he pulled a machete from his hip and swung with all his might, the razor-sharp edge biting into Archer’s weapon. Pulling back, it was ripped from his grasp, but not before pulling him forward. Alex swung the machete down, burying it into his shoulder. Archer screamed in agony, but only long enough for Alex to wrench the blade back, and separate his head from his shoulders. The lifeless body toppled over and rolled several yards before coming to rest beside his head.


Rushing forward as the fighting grew louder, Bonnier heard the gunfire and witnessed the brief yet bloody confrontation between Alex and Archer. Seeing the young man take his man down, Bonnier roared in anger, taking several shots as Alex fell back, stumbling away from Bonnier’s assault.

“Jenkins, he’s coming your way!”

Turning to his men, Bonnier called out, “Myers, flares, now!”

At his captain’s command, Myers fired several flares into the air. Even with the light rain that was still coming down, the flares illuminated the ground surrounding the house. With the added light, Jenkins, still by the Prowler, saw Alex coming around the house and leveled his Steyr AUG, stitching the ground with bullets as Alex dove out of the way before rising to his feet, his bow in hand. Undeterred, Jenkins continued firing as Alex pulled back on his bow, the line growing taunt as he sighted down the arrowhead and released it.

The arrow, black as pitch, flew straight and true, piercing the door’s glass and burying itself so deeply that the razor-sharp head emerged on other side beneath Jenkins’ armpit. The arrow slammed into him with enough force that he was thrown back against the central pillar of the truck, his weapon tumbling from deadened hands. In shock, Jenkins stared at the young man who locked eyes with him and watched as he collapsed beside the truck.

POW! POW! POW!

Three shots whipped Alex around and he staggered as he felt white-hot pain blossom in his left arm and thigh. As he hit the ground, he looked up to see Yaeger, his neck awash in blood from the severed artery in his neck, tumble out of the truck on the passenger side, dead before he hit the ground. Unable to feel his left hand, Alex got to his feet as he heard movement coming around the side of the house. He knew it had to be the three men from the north, so he stumbled away, fighting to keep on his feet.


Bonnier raised his hand to halt his men as they approached the back end of the house on the left side. He could still see Archer’s decapitated body, as well as the burning hulk of Prowler One halfway up the driveway. With his weapon at the ready, he turned to Myer and Roberts to have them hold and drop to a defensive position as he keyed his comm. “All units, respond!”

“Patterson…southern flank, sir. Still can’t move.”

“W-Wright…here, s-sir. I’m a mess. My legs…I can’t feel my legs.”

Bonnier waited for anyone else to respond, but he heard nothing. Twelve men. He’d started with twelve men, and now he was down to three, not counting Patterson and Wright, who were effectively out of the fight.

“I told you he would put up a fight, Captain,” Carlton’s voice came over the link. “Gotta admit, he’s doing one helluva job.”

“You’re one to talk, mercenary scum,” Bonnier snarled. “You deliberately held back to let us soften him up, so you can go in for the kill?”

“Sounds about right,” Carlton replied, a smile in his voice. “Captain, I told you before, he’s mine…but feel free to throw yourselves into the meat grinder that he’s prepared for you. I’m sure he’s probably set up the ground around the front and back porches with mines as well, ready to go off when you try to enter.”

“How would you know,” Bonnier growled menacingly.

“Because it’s what I would do,” Carlton responded dispassionately. “Alex was taught by a retired Marine colonel, with several decades of experience. Do you honestly think he never considered this possibility? He’s waiting for you to come after him, and you’re just itching to do it, to avenge your fallen team members.”

Bonnier peered around the side of the house, taking in the sight of the surrounding terrain. Prowler Two, with Jenkins’ and Myers’ bodies on either side, sat twenty yards from the ruined porch. Glancing off to his right, he saw the edge of the southern hillside where Patterson and Wright lay amongst the rocks along with their two slain teammates. Blowing so hard, his nostrils flared out, Bonnier key the receiver and responded, “He’s all yours, Carlton. Make him suffer.”

Turning to his two remaining members, he signaled to fall back, even as Carlton’s voice came back. “It will be my pleasure, Captain.”


To the northwest, John Carlton rose up from the fallen tree he’d used as a bench to watch Bonnier and his squad in their failed attempt to attack Alex’s home. Beside him, leaning against trees as they watched the spectacle, Scouts One and Two nodded as they enjoyed seeing the professionals G.R.U. sent get chewed up and spat back out like garbage.

“Serves them right,” Scout Two muttered in disgust. “They thought they were so bad. I’d love to watch as they try to explain how they got mauled by a boy.”

To his surprise, John Carlton reached out and grabbed Scout Two by the front of his body armor and pulled him close. “You see, that’s the same attitude that cost Captain Bonnier nine of his people. In fact, as I recall, you and Scout One lost four of our own, so that means, so far, one young man has managed to maim, cripple or kill thirteen men and women who were supposedly professional soldiers. Now tell me exactly how that stands up to one young man who was trained by a retired U.S. Marine, hmm?”

John pulled Scout Two so close that they were nose-to-nose. “You know, I could put a bullet in your skull right now, and I’d probably be just as well off.” Glancing over at the house, John noticed the flares landing on the roof, their heat burning into the wooden surface. “Now we’re going to go down there and you two are going to eliminate the researcher and those girls and the boy we captured. I, on the other hand, am going to deal with our turn-coat, and when we’re done, we’re going to return to the staging area with our heads held high. This way, we don’t wind up being a part of the survivors that get eliminated when G.R.U. makes this little fiasco disappear, understood?”

Scout Two nodded carefully, his eyes wide as John released him to step slowly back. Scout One also nodded before glancing at the house. “What about the fires? The flares appear to be burning into the roof.”

“Does it matter,” John asked casually. “Once everyone’s dead, the fire will take care of the bodies. No need for us to worry about them, right?”

Nodding in agreement, Scout One and Two fell in behind John as they made their way down the trail until they arrived near the back of the house. Bonnier and his two remaining men were already falling back to the north and there didn’t appear to be any sign of Alex as they came around to the front of the house.

“Spread out,” John ordered them as he looked down to see a trail of blood leading up the stairs to the front door.

“What about the explosives you told Captain Bonnier about,” Scout One asked, eyeing the ground near the ruined front porch.

Carlton chuckled as he shook his head. “It was a bluff,” he admitted. “Alex would never have set explosives this close to his grandfather’s house.” Glancing up at the front door, John nodded to himself as he whispered, “All right, Alex. Time to pay the piper.”


Throughout the fire-fight, Sarah, Michelle and Thomas hid upstairs, while Beth and Christine watched from the living room. All around them, explosions, weapons fire, even what sounded like an avalanche, shook the house, eliciting periodic cries of fear from Sarah and Michelle while Christine hugged Beth as she covered her face and wept. They heard voices, sometimes so close that they feared that Alex failed and they were about to storm the house. Christine kept the rifle next to her, prepared to use it if she had to.

When Jenkins and Yaeger fired their weapons and took out the pillar holding up the side of the front porch, Christine pulled Beth back towards the stairs leading up to the second floor to avoid any stray bullets or the shattered glass from the bay window. At one point, the sky lit up with a bright red glow, illuminating the front yard enough that Beth could see the ruined Prowler with the shattered windshield. The entire time, Beth was oblivious to the fact that she had returned to normal size. The clothes she picked from Alex’s grandmother’s wardrobe fit her well enough, mainly because she’d chosen loose garments intended for summertime, so she never realized she was back to her five foot, six inch height until she saw herself in the mirror mounted on the wall in the bedroom. Even Sarah, Michelle and Thomas were well on their way back to normal size, but no one worried about this as the gun fire echoed outside.

“Where is he,” Beth whispered, shaking visibly as Christine hugged her and rubbed her shoulder.

“He’ll be okay, Beth,” Christine repeated over and over to her, but with every gunshot, every explosion, she worried that Alex wasn’t coming back. So it came as a relief as the front door burst open and Alex staggered inside, only to collapse against the side of the couch, a red smear staining the fabric as he slid to the floor.

“Alex!”

Beth broke free from Christine’s grasp and rushed over to his side, gasping in horror at his wounds. A gunshot pierced his left thigh, the skin torn and bleeding when he tried to move, while blood poured freely down his left arm. His body armor was shredded in multiple spots and several panels were missing. As Beth reached down to cradle him in her arms, Alex pulled away despite her attempts to hold him.

“N-no time,” he managed in a stammering whisper. “No time! Y-You’ve got to go! Th-they’re coming!”

“Who’s coming,” Christine asked while the others watched from upstairs.

“I couldn’t stop them all,” Alex said, wincing from the pain. “Three, maybe four more are left. I’m sorry.” He looked up at Beth and whispered again, “I-I’m sorry.”

Clap, clap, clap, clap.

The applause sounded even before John Carlton entered the front door, flanked by Scouts One and Two. Sarah, Michelle and Thomas backed away from the railing, trying to hide, while Christine and Beth pulled Alex away, but John raised his weapon and shook his head. “Now, now, that’s not nice, ladies. After all, young Alex here has had a busy night, haven’t you, Alex?” Stepping forward, he came to the edge of the couch, just out of Alex’s reach as he smiled down at him. “Honestly, boy, I have to hand it to you. Thirteen men and women in one night. Damn! That’s impressive, even in my book.”

From the second floor, Thomas sniffed the air and smelled something burning. Glancing down the hall to the door leading to Norman Sharp’s old room, he saw a glowing red light flare before hearing the sound of fire crackling. Moments later, he, Sarah and Michelle noticed a glowing hole forming in the ceiling near the fireplace and another hole near the front door.

Unaware of what was happening, Alex pushed to a sitting position as he glared up at John. “So you decided to let them do your dirty work, and now you’ll come in and kill us all?”

“That’s the general idea,” John said with a wicked smile. “I’d thought about shrinking the girls and returning them to Director Melendez, but he’s fine with us simply killing you all and calling it a night. After all, we’ve had enough excitement for one night, wouldn’t you say?”

Shaking his head in disappointment, John added, “You know, Alex…you cost me the best job I’ve had in years. After my time in the service, I planned on kicking back and taking it easy, but when Director Melendez and his G.R.U. buddies came calling, how could I refuse? The pay was phenomenal, the hours were easy, and the perks were so enjoyable.”

“I’m sure they were,” Alex replied, quivering in pain. “I’m sure you relished watching those poor people shrink for your twisted amusement. Most of them never even knew what was happening, did they? I bet it made you feel oh so powerful…like some vengeful god, huh? What was it, John? Did you lose something? Someone? Did you get so wrapped up in your time in the service that you lost your humanity?”

For the first time, John reacted in a manner Alex never expected as he almost looked…sad?

“You have no idea, boy. All those years, they take a lot out of you. Your granddaddy may have told you all about his days in the service, but I’ll guarantee you that he didn’t tell you everything. He never told you about the things he had to do, orders he had to follow, no matter the cost.” The fire in the far room was growing, consuming more and more of the books collecting on the bookshelves, the papers in the desk, the old recliner. Soon, the fire grew loud enough for Sarah, Michelle and Thomas to hear.

John continued. “You worshipped him, didn’t you? He took care of you for how long, hmm? Seven? Eight years? In all that time, did he ever tell you of the horrors he endured? The friends he buried, the family members who didn’t understand what he sacrificed for them, only to be told it wasn’t good enough?”

The snap and crackle of the fire upstairs grew louder and the two holes in the ceiling finally opened up as embers rained down into the living room, igniting the couch and pieces of furniture. Pieces of flaming debris rained down on Scout Two and he screamed as the flames ignited his uniform, turning him into a living torch. As Scout One turned to help him, Alex sprang forward despite his injuries, bringing his hands together into a clenched fist that smashed into John’s chin, snapping his head back. As the fire upstairs finally burst through the doorway, the heat ignited the railing, sending the fire creeping along the wood to spread up the walls and onto the smoking floors.

“Run,” Thomas cried out as he pushed Sarah and Michelle toward the stairway. “Get out of here, now!”

Down in the living room, Scout Two continued to flail around, despite Scout One’s help. Even though she hated taking advantage of their situation, Christine raised the rifle she’d carefully concealed behind the couch and fired off two rounds, striking Scout One directly in the chest with enough force to slam him against the wall, knocking him out cold, while the second shot caught Scout Two under the chin, dropping him to the floor dead. As she swung around to fire at John, he saw her movement and snapped out a kick that sent the rifle flying across the room into the kitchen. Before she could react, he kicked her again, this time snapping her head around to drop her unconscious to the floor.

Reaching for his belt, John pulled out his old service weapon, only to find Alex had closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around John’s chest and flinging him over the backside of the couch between the living room and the kitchen. Despite the pain, Alex leapt after him, snapping out a kick that stunned John and sent him stumbling back into the fireplace, flinging the still-glowing rod that sat in the fire across the room to embed itself in the wall, starting up yet another fire.

Seeing this, Alex turned to Thomas and the girls. “Get Christine and get out of here, now!”

“Alex, what are you doing,” Beth called out as a portion of the roof came down between them, revealing more of the roof aflame as the fire raged.

Turning to her, he stared, his eyes locked with hers as he shook his head. “Go!”

Before Beth could protest, John got to his feet and roared as he tackled Alex and rained blow after blow down upon him. Raising his arms, Alex tried to deflect most of the punches, but not all of them. Beth moved to come around to help Alex, but Thomas caught her in his arms. “What are you doing? Thomas, please! Help Alex! Thomas, stop!”

Despite her protests, Thomas shoved her into Sarah and Michelle’s arms. “Get her out of here, now!” As the girls rushed her screaming out of the burning house, Thomas ran over to Christine and lifted her into his arms. Although he wasn’t quite fully restored to his normal height, he was able to carry her with little effort. Reaching the doorway, he turned back to see Alex and John, grappling with each other, the older man forcing Alex back as the fire consumed more and more of the house. He glanced over at the fireplace to watch as the heat ignited the massive dreamcatcher hanging on the mantle. As it burst into flames, he saw shards of crystal explode and fly in all directions, the heated pieces starting new fires wherever they landed. Soon, the entire front of the house was engulfed in flames and Thomas watched as a portion of the roof collapsed onto the back porch, forming a massive wall of fire that blocked any escape through the kitchen. With the fire building, Thomas was forced to sprint out the front door, even as more debris came crashing down.

Outside, Michelle was already jumping into the Wrangler and starting the engine, even as Sarah wrestled with Beth, who continued to fight with her, straining to go back inside to help Alex.

“Let me go,” she screamed. “We have to help him!”

“There’s nothing you can do,” Thomas said, carrying Christine over to set her in the front passenger seat of the Wrangler. “The house is coming down around them. You can’t help him!”

Despite his words, Beth refused to listen as she smacked Sarah aside and bolted for the front door. Sarah and Michelle both screamed for her to come back, but she refused, leaping over a pile of burning wreckage to find John and Alex, locked in a fight to the end. John’s face was bloodied and bruised, but it was clear that Alex was losing, his left arm hanging at his side as he struggled to block John’s punches with his injured right arm. As if sensing his weakness, John’s hand shot forward and he pressed his thumb against the wound in Alex’s shoulder, causing him to scream in pain.

“No!”

John turned at the sound of Beth’s scream and smiled as he sneered at Alex, who struggled to remain on his feet. “Well, I’m impressed, boy. You shrink this lady and her friends, put her through an unimaginable experience, and somehow she’s got a thing for you.”

“Let him go,” Beth pleaded as the fire spread throughout the upper floor, consuming the oak walls and ceiling.

With a twisted grin on his face, John shoved Alex to the floor and turned towards Beth. “Sweetheart, you don’t get it, do you? You’re dead. Your friends are dead, all of you! Before morning, the fucking company will have people crawling all over this tract of land. Every bullet, every gun, every piece of equipment will be gone! There’ll be no sign of anyone, not you, not any of the agents Alex managed to take down. Everything will be swept clean and left for authorities to wonder what happened.”

“You’re a monster,” Beth cried as she backed away, flinching at a fallen timber that had collapsed on one of John’s colleagues.

John shrugged and smiled as he lifted his service weapon and leveled it at her. “I’m just doing a job, girl. The company paid me well, and I intend to show them that I’m not expendable, unlike you and your boyfriend.”

From behind him, John heard a throaty growl and turned to find Alex barreling into him, knocking the weapon from his hands as he landed multiple blows. Most of them did nothing, striking the Kevlar vest that protected John’s chest, but while they failed to do any significant damage, the force Alex delivered was enough to push John back. A solid roundhouse snapped John’s head around and he stumbled back, tripping over the side of an end table. However, even as Alex moved forward to strike again, John recovered, bracing on the floor as he snapped a kick that lifted Alex off his feet and sent him tumbling over the couch to crash to the floor.

Rising to his feet, John glared at his protégé. “Damn, boy! You’re one tough son-of-a-bitch, aren’t you?” Spitting out a wad of blood, John came around the couch and reached down to pick Alex off the floor. One punch, two punches, a third, John rained blows upon Alex’s body and face. “It doesn’t matter,” he said as Alex stumbled back against the small set of stairs that separated the living room from the kitchen area. “This is just fun for me, as well as some payback for all the trouble you caused. We could have been a helluva good team, Alex. Pity you let morality get in the way.”
Alex pushed off the floor, ignoring the embers that floated down from the ceiling, searing his skin. Blood dripped from the sides of his lips and one eye was closed, swollen and bruised. John smiled and nodded in admiration. “Good. I hate an opponent who just lies down and dies.”

Reaching to his hip, John pulled his Ka-bar combat knife and swung it at Alex, the blade practically whistling as it cut through the air. Alex backed away, raising his fists although his left arm trembled from the wound in his shoulder. As Beth watched from across the room, the two men stalked each other, even as the house around them was rapidly turning into a blast furnace. John made the first move, slashing downward from right to left, forcing Alex back, but he refused to let up, coming at Alex again and again. Alex’s face could have been molded from stone, revealing no emotion as his gaze fixed on John, watching his movements, reading his expressions.

Watch his feet, son, Alex heard his grandfather’s voice in his head. Remember what I taught you. His feet will tell you everything you need to know to defeat him.

John turned his shoulders, the combat knife in his right hand, weaving back and forth like a serpent, seeking to strike. Alex’s eyes remained fixed on John’s feet, noting his movements as he stepped forward, planting his right foot before thrusting the knife for Alex’s mid-section. Another step, this time with his feet planted squarely and John slashed for Alex’s chest, but he backed away. A thrust to his heart, only this time John hadn’t repositioned his feet, and Alex saw an opening as his left arm knocked the knife away. Unfortunately, while successful in blocking the attack, the impact wrenched his shoulder, opening up the wound Christine cauterized earlier. A brief grunt of pain escaped his lips even as he felt blood trickling down his arm, which grew numb and dropped to his side. John smiled, pressing his advantage and it was clear to Beth that Alex was tiring. Exhausted, Alex dropped his guard, barely able to avoid a thrust that sliced into his ruined vest, cutting deep into the fabric. As he turned his body, his leg collapsed and he went sprawling across the floor, much to John’s delight. He stood over his foe, completely oblivious to the inferno around them as he gloated.

“I win, Alex! You’ve lost everything! Your house, your friends, your life! Was it worth it? Did it make you feel like you made a noble sacrifice? In the end, it doesn’t matter!”

Rearing back, John roared as he brought the knife down to plunge into Alex’s chest, only to see movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning, John’s eyes widened in surprise as he saw Beth swinging the glowing iron bar from the fireplace which she’d pried from the wall. The orange glow of the metal illuminated his face as the bar first connected with John’s hand, the ringing of the combat knife sounding out as it flew from his hands to clatter down the hallway. The force of the blow crushed his wrist, while the searing heat burned deeply into his arm. Collapsing to the floor, John screamed in pain, only to look upon in horror as Beth brought the bar down once more, the glowing metal crushing into his skull, setting what little hair he still had aflame as he collapsed at her feet, his eyes staring lifeless as his last breath escaped his lips.

Beth looked down at him, a mixture of disgust and horror at what she had done. Turning away, she hurried over to Alex, only to trip and fall. Staring down, she saw a dark stain spread against his chest and she pressed her hand against his shirt, feeling a cool, dampness spreading through the fabric. She shook her head as Alex looked up at her.

“No, no, no, no! Stay with me, Alex! Please! Don’t go,” she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks, even as the intense heat from the fire evaporated them before they reached her chin.

Alex reached up a quivering hand to touch her face and smiled as he whispered, “You came back.”

“You promised me you wouldn’t die,” she said, leaning down to kiss him as tears spilled on his cheeks.

“I wish…I could have kept my promise,” he said, feeling a tingling sensation running down his back and out to his extremities. “You need to go.”

Beth shook her head. “No! This is where I need to be.”

Alex closed his eyes for a moment and a single tear trickled out of his bloodshot eyes. As Beth held him amidst the raging fire that consumed the house, Alex looked out the front door and saw something he never thought he would ever see. In disbelief, Alex whispered, “Grandpa.”

Framed by the burning threshold of the front door, he saw his grandparents standing there, hand in hand, smiling back at him. Even as he felt the flames burning his skin, he could hear their voices calling out to him. Alex, it’s time to let go.

Gazing up at Beth, he smiled and whispered as she looked confused, “Everything will be okay.”


Outside, Sarah was screaming and it took everything Thomas had to restrain her from running back into the burning house after Beth. Michelle managed to find the keys to the Wrangler and fired the engine, throwing gravel in all directions as she spun the wheel and came to a stop beside Thomas and Sarah.

“Get in! The house is going up!”

“We can’t leave her,” Sarah screamed, her voice so hoarse that she could barely speak. “Michelle! Please don’t leave her!”

By now, the flames were shattering windows and consuming the wood frame from the inside out. For a moment, Michelle could look into the house and she thought she saw Beth on the floor, holding Alex in her arms, but another piece of the roof came down and they disappeared as the flaming debris obscured them from sight. She’d known Beth almost as long as she’d known Sarah, but in that moment, Michelle felt a piece of her soul crying out as she was forced to admit the truth. “S-she’s gone, Sarah,” Michelle managed to say in a choked voice. “We have to go!”

As if to confirm her statement, they all heard sirens in the distance. Looking down the mountainside into the valley, they could see flashing red lights coming up the road from Luray. Michelle was right. If they didn’t leave now, they’d never be able to explain what happened. No one would believe them. Thomas got Sarah in the back before he hopped in next to her. Seeing Christine beginning to stir, Michelle took a final, deep breath, squeezed her eyes shut and whispered, “Goodbye Beth. I’m sorry!”

Punching the gas, the Wrangler fishtailed in the gravel before the back tires gained traction and they shot forward, passing Prowler Two and the flaming wreckage of Prowler One. A part of her waited for that moment where an explosion would consume the Jeep, but no explosion occurred and they finally reached the bottom of the hill where the driveway met the road. By now, the sirens were closer, so Michelle gunned the motor and turned in the opposite direction, keeping the lights off until she was confident that they wouldn’t be seen from behind. Heading off down the road, Sarah and Thomas glanced over their shoulders at the flames that lit the top of the mountain, turning the sky a faint orange amidst the dark blue with twinkling stars as the storm had now passed. As Christine came to, she blinked and glanced around, seeing who she was with. Meeting Michelle’s gaze and seeing the look in her eye, Christine whispered softly, “Beth? Alex?”

It took everything in her for Michelle not to lose it there. She gripped the steering wheel, bowed her head slightly and shook it once before fixing her eyes on the road. Christine gasped softly but said nothing, although the look on her face showed how Beth’s death shocked her. Michelle continued to drive on Route 730 west until they finally reached Interstate 81. Turning south, she continued until they reached New Market, where they decided to stop for the night at a Quality Inn. Sarah and Christine took one room, while Thomas and Michelle took the adjoining one. A few quiet minutes passed before Michelle and Thomas began to hear Sarah sobbing in the next suite, while Christine attempted to console her. Swearing, Michelle got up and walked outside as Thomas rushed out after her.

“Hey! Michelle, where are you going?”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, trying to escape his grasp, but failing until she felt his arms hold her and she collapsed in his embrace, sobbing almost as much as Sarah was. “I left her behind!”

“There was nothing you could do,” Thomas said, hugging her tightly as she rested her head on his shoulder. “You saw what happened. She rushed in to save him. The fire was just too intense.” Heaving a heavy sigh, he bowed his head, pressing against hers. “Why did she go back in there?”

“She loved him,” Michelle whispered softly. “Something about him…I think I understand why she felt that way. In spite of everything he did to us, he sacrificed everything for us. I don’t know. There are some things women like to see in a man: nobility, courage, strength?”

“If that’s the case, then I know I don’t measure up against him,” Thomas admitted.

Feeling him relax in resignation, Michelle reached up to touch his cheek. “It isn’t a contest, Thomas. Besides, you have qualities in you that make you attractive.” She smiled shyly and ducked her head as she added, “To me.”

A gentle smile spread across his lips as Thomas smiled back at her. Touching his forehead to hers, he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly. “You really think so?”

Michelle nodded as a smile appeared. “I was thinking. I know you’ll have to adjust to returning to your life and see where you stand back at college. Maybe, once you sort things out, we might possibly see how things go between us?”

“What exactly did you have in mind?”

“Well, I’m graduating in a week or so, but I don’t have a job right now. I thought maybe, if you wouldn’t mind a roommate, maybe we could find a place and see where things lead.”

Leaning in, Thomas whispered in her ear, “Why don’t we see where things lead right now?” Seeing her alarmed expression, he said, “Sorry, what I meant was…ah hell…” He leaned down and kissed her, much to Michelle’s surprise.

For a moment, she resisted, the events of the night still fresh, but as she felt his lips press against hers, her body relaxed and gradually, the nightmare of what happened faded until she found herself kissing him back. With a smile, she nodded and followed him back into the suite, locking the door and turning off the lights as they climbed into bed together, neither one wanting anything more than the reassuring feel of each other’s embrace next to them.

[MarauderTDL]

Chapter Eighteen: Picking up the pieces

When they awoke the next morning, Thomas and Michelle found an attraction between them that didn’t require sex. After relieving himself, Thomas slipped out of his clothes and stepped into the shower, only to feel Michelle’s gentle touch as she slipped in behind him. After a brief period of intimacy, they bathed and got out. After drying off and getting dressed, they knocked on the next door suite and waited until Sarah came to the door, bleary-eyed and confused.

“Did either of you see Christine this morning?”

Both of them shook their heads and Sarah went back inside to discover a note lying on the table between the two beds.

Sarah, Michelle and Thomas,

I’m sorry to leave without saying goodbye, but rest assured that the Agency will be watching out for you to ensure you all are safe. With regard to any property you’ve lost, you will be discreetly reimbursed.

I wish there was something I could say or do to take away the pain of Beth’s passing. She was a brave woman to run back into that house to try and save Alex. Both of them are heroes and the Agency will do everything to ensure their sacrifices were not in vain. As you can imagine, we have been dealing with the turmoil caused by Doctor Torunaga and his inventions for some time. Hopefully, one day, the pain and suffering he and his associates have caused can be brought to an end.

Thomas, I’ve been informed that your college studies will be reinstated where they left off prior to your unfortunate experience, and you will receive all assistance to catch up and complete your degree. Efforts are being made to reach out to the families of your friends. Given the rather unusual circumstances dealing with their deaths, some details will be kept confidential. We hope you will understand the need for this.

In the meantime, I wish you all well. I truly wish there was a way I could ease your sorrow. Please be safe, and we’ll be in touch.

Christine

“I suppose this is the best we could expect,” Sarah said before setting the letter back on the counter. “If the Agency works through anonymity, we can’t expect them to reveal who they are. I’m just thankful we can recover what we lost.

Michelle sat on the edge of the bed. “What we’ve lost? Sarah, Beth is dead. How do we explain that to her parents or her friends at school? They’re going to think we did something to her, since we were last seen together, and since we can’t prove to them what happened.” She raised her hands for a moment before dropping them in her lap and hanging her head. “I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

Thomas sat beside her and pulled her close. “I’d like to think that Christine will take care of that as well, since there’s no possible way we could explain what happened to us. Imagine what it’ll be like for me. I’ve been missing for almost two months and as for John and Robert, there’s nothing I could say that anyone would ever believe.”

“So what do we do now,” Sarah asked quietly.

“First thing we do is find a place to eat,” Thomas said. “Don’t tell me you two aren’t starving too. I kept worrying that we didn’t eat enough for the antidote’s requirements, but apparently it was enough, but my stomach feels like it’s touching my spine.”

Michelle nodded. “Me too.” She looked over at Sarah, who reluctantly nodded.

“Under the circumstances, I’m surprised I’m hungry, but you’re right, but how are we going to pay for it?”

“The same way we paid for the rooms,” Michelle said as she rose up and slipped Christine’s note in the pocket of her jean skirt. “When we started down the river, I left my wallet in the glove compartment and locked it up along with my keys.”

“Then how did you manage to start the car,” Thomas asked as they left the room and closed the door.

“Spare,” Michelle replied. “I always keep a backup in a magnetic case under the back fender.”


An hour later, they were seated at a local diner, the table near to overflowing with pancakes, sausages, hash-browns and scrambled eggs. As they wolfed down the food, Thomas glanced up at a flat-screen television mounted in the corner.

“Excuse me, waitress?” The server looked in his direction with a questioning look on her face. “Could you turn up the volume please?”

Curious at what caught his attention, Sarah and Michelle turned to see a news reporter standing along the side of a road with emergency vehicles parked and a large plume of smoke slowly rising up above some trees as the reporter detailed the events:

“…sources believe that the home of retired Marine Colonel Norman Sharp and his grandson, Alexander Sharp, was struck by lightning during last night’s powerful thunderstorm which moved through the area before midnight. Sadly, at least one body was discovered inside, although due to the fact that the house was constructed primarily of oak, the fire burned hot enough that experts believe what little remains were discovered, may never be accurately identified, even with DNA records. However, local residents believe that these are likely the remains of Alexander Sharp, who lived by himself since the death of his grandfather, almost six years ago.”

To their shock, an image of the house appeared on screen. What they saw made them all gasp. There was little left of the beautiful home. The second floor was completely gutted, with only the walls on either side barely standing as the rest of the roof had collapsed inside. The fireplace that Alex spoke of his grandparents constructing amazingly enough survived the devastation, but there was little else that wasn’t destroyed. Even the first floor, from the living room, back to the kitchen and then most of the central area was completely gone, with only a quarter of the left side still remaining. Video showed firemen spraying hoses on the fiery remains as smoke rose up into the mountain air.

The reporter continued. “Unconfirmed reports of gunfire and explosions before and during the thunderstorm were reported, but so far, Luray Sheriff Daniel McDougal has been unable to confirm those reports."

Video of an elderly man, well into his seventies, appeared on screen. Dressed in a sheriff’s uniform and sporting a signature sheriff’s hat, the man appeared stoic as he responded to questions.

“What I can tell you is that Alex…well, he was a respectable young man who made his grandfather proud. I’m sorry to hear that he died.” Sheriff McDougal bowed his head for a moment to collect himself. “I uh, I can tell you that he did possess firearms, and it is quite possible that what was heard by some people in the area was the ammunition stored in the house exploding as the fire exceeded temperatures that even normal ammunition lockers are designed to protect against. We uh, we did find…I’m…I’m sorry. I-I can’t do this right now.”

The old man turned from the reporters and walked away, his head bowed as he was clearly distraught. As the video ended, the reporter continued.

“The house was constructed by Mr. and Mrs. Norman and Catherine Sharp over twenty-five years ago. What made it unique was that it was one of only a handful of homes built in the National Shenandoah Park area, based on a federal law allowing owners of land in the park to build homes if the land was in their possession prior to the establishment of the National Park authority. Records show that the Sharp estate has been in the family for over two hundred years, making it a rare sight here in the mountain range. The home was constructed almost exclusively of oak found in the surrounding area, receiving praise by some environmentalists for the fact that its impact was so insignificant that it was hailed as an example of sound environmental stewardship. Unfortunately, it was this same construction that likely resulted in the swift and almost complete devastation of the home, as the wood was not treated, and was seasoned enough that the lightning strike sparked a fire that quickly destroyed the home.”

“Norman and Catherine Sharp lived here for a short time before Catherine died from a tragic hiking accident while walking the trails above her home. Norman Sharp continued to live there and would bring his grandson to live with him after the death of Alex’s parents in an automobile accident in June of 2002 that claimed their lives, and the life of their unborn daughter.”

Sarah and Michelle both gasped at this news and looked at each other, not realizing just how sad Alex’s life had been. The news report added:

“Orphaned, Alex Sharp would come to live with his grandfather, who raised him alone. The two were regulars in the town of Luray when they would come down to buy groceries once a week, but Alex was rarely seen elsewhere. In September of 2009, after a short bout with lung cancer, Norman Sharp passed away, leaving Alex Sharp, then sixteen years old, as the heir to the Sharp estate. According to Virginia law, Alex was old enough to live on his own. Since that time, Alex Sharp was rarely seen in public, causing some to consider him Luray’s Hermit on the Hill, but for a short time, he attempted to acclimate to society by working in a local bar, keeping drunk and disorderly patrons from causing trouble. However, after an incident that threatened to turn into a lawsuit against the bar, Alex and the owner parted ways and Mr. Sharp returned to his home to live alone.”

The reporter reappeared with the smoking remains of the home in the background.

“Local officials report that the destruction to the home was complete, although the foundation was found to still be sound in spite of the heat of the fire. They estimate that it will take a few days to finish their investigation, at which time the estate will enter into the trust of Luray County government until legal authorities can determine if any heirs remain to take possession of the land. This is Cameron Roberts, WLRY Fox 12 reporting, back to you in the studio.”

As the news report ended, the waitress changed the channel as everyone seated around the table stared down in silence. Sarah, seated on the outside edge of the booth, didn’t look well as she quickly rose to her feet. “I think I’m gonna be sick,” she said, running for the bathroom.

Michelle and Thomas sat staring at each other, their food no longer as appealing as it was minutes before. Sighing, Michelle covered her face. Suddenly, everything Michelle and Thomas discussed the previous evening seemed inconsequential. Sighing, she whispered, “Maybe I should go home to mom and dad’s place for a while.”

“What happened to you coming to stay with me,” Thomas asked. “My apartment is big enough for both of us. I really don’t want to live there by myself.” Seeing her indecision, he pressed gently. “Were you serious about what we discussed last night? After graduation, you said you don’t have any plans. Why don’t we see if things could work out between us?”

“I-I don’t know,” Michelle stammered softly. “Last night it sounded so good, but being reminded of what happened, it sounds so selfish after losing Beth.”

Reaching over to place his hand over hers, he asked gently, “Do you think Beth would want you to be miserable?”

Michelle’s eyes glittered with unshed tears. She bowed her head before shaking it. “No, she wouldn’t want that at all. She’d want all of us to be happy.”

“So take a chance with me and honor Beth,” he said, squeezing her hand. “Look, I know this is crazy. We just met, and yet we’ve just shared an incredibly crazy experience that no one else, other than Sarah, could accept. It’s clear we’ve got something together, so why not see where it goes? At least you’d have a place to live until you find something, and if things between us don’t work out…” He looked disappointed in even bringing it up. “Well, at least we tried, right?”

In spite of her wanting to say no, Michelle couldn’t help but smile. “You’re taking a big risk on a girl you’ve only met one day ago.”

“So take the risk with me,” Thomas fired back, surprising her with his response. “This is me! I take chances, I want to live for today. We just got a really gut-wrenching reality-check that we can’t expect tomorrow. I’m not saying we live it up and go wild and crazy, but I don’t know about you, but this just…” The excitement in his eyes was palpable. “It feels right! And I want to share it with you! What do you say?”

Staring at his hand, Michelle couldn’t help but grin as she slipped her hand in his. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Thomas smiled back at her.

“Okay!” Glancing over her shoulder, Michelle saw Sarah exit the restroom and walk back to the table. “Hey, are you going to be all right?”

As she sat down, Sarah nodded. “Yeah, I probably ate more than I should have. Combined with that news report, I just felt sick.”

“You’re not pregnant, are you? Before we came out here, you and Brad…”

Sarah blinked in surprise. “What? No! Oh God, no. We both made sure we wouldn’t get pregnant before the wedding. I’ve been on the pill for the last few months.” Seeing Michelle and Thomas holding hands, she couldn’t help but smile. “So am I guessing this is going to turn into a serious relationship?”

Thomas smiled as Michelle looked at him and grinned. “We’re gonna see. Since Thomas still has to go back to college and finish his degree, we decided to move in together and see where things go.”

“That’s great,” Sarah exclaimed before reality set in. “Oh, I guess we should find a way to talk with Mr. and Mrs. Ensley.” Seeing Thomas’ confusion, she added, “Beth’s parents. They live in Annapolis, Maryland, close to where we grew up.”

Michelle’s expression darkened. “I just don’t know how to tell them she’s gone.”

“We’ll figure that out on the way,” Thomas said. “C’mon, let’s get you girls back to school.”

[MarauderTDL]

Chapter Nineteen: Consequences

Two Weeks Later

Director Richard Melendez, former Operations Executive of Bio-SciTech, nervously paced the meeting room of the G.R.U. Executive Building. Since the revelation of Bio-SciTech and the destruction of the production facility and the Sizeol drug, he’d fought for an opportunity to explain the situation and plead the board for the chance to rebuild. Up to this point, all his requests for a meeting were denied ‘Pending Further Review’ so he was told.

Since the night of the explosion and the assault on Agent Sharp’s home, Director Melendez was moved from one location to another, never staying long enough to determine what occurred from the assault until he arrived in New York the day before yesterday. At that point, all information regarding that night’s events were made clear to him. The facility was completely destroyed. The explosion caused by Alex Sharp, while never intended to completely destroy the facility, caused a fail-safe detonation of a device even Director Melendez was unaware of. It wasn’t the explosion of the Sizeol drug containment towers that sealed the fate of everyone unable to escape the drug’s reach, it was a secondary explosion that tore through the superstructure of the facility, one level at a time, collapsing everything in on itself like a flattening stack of pancakes. Starting with the upper levels and working its way down, the weight of the upper levels served to destroy anything of value in the lower levels which hadn’t been destroyed in the initial blast. As for survivors, the destruction of the containment towers sealed their fates the moment the drug’s variants mixed together, turning into a toxic, size-reducing soup from which there was no escape. Even if someone did survive the reduction to microscopic size, no one would ever know. All data, files, emails, schematics, and formulas were wiped clean to avoid anyone being able to download information from the remains. As far as the public knew, Bio-SciTech was researching live-saving cancer treatments and an explosion in their power grid resulted in a catastrophic failure that cost the lives of fifty souls. Never mind that the real death toll was closer to two hundred between researchers, production, development, security and operations staff.

As for those who assaulted Alex Sharp’s home, there were no survivors, not even John Carlton. The complete destruction of Mr. Sharp’s home left them no real clue as to what happened in those final hours except from the testimony of Captain Bonnier and the four surviving members of his team, one of which would never fully recover the use of her legs. According to Bonnier, Carlton took over the assault and, with his last two men, stormed the house. Bonnier also admitted that the flares used to illuminate the surrounding terrain were the cause of the fire that consumed the house. While this may have been a positive result, it also muddied the details of what happened at the end, leaving them with no clear-cut idea of what occurred between Alex and John. Bonnier and his men reported hearing gunshots, but beyond that, nothing. With fire and rescue personnel arriving to put out the fire that consumed the house, they were forced to evacuate to avoid detection. What made matters worse was that Alex Sharp managed to hack into the Bio-SciTech database and purge all references to the three women and the surviving man who were captured. All personal and biological data was gone, including the photos initially taken from Shackleton’s convenience store providing them with names and addresses.

Taking a deep breath, Director Melendez closed his eyes and slowly exhaled as he considered his situation. The complete loss of the facility and staff was something he doubted he could simply explain away. Alex Sharp was his call, his decision. John Carlton was right. If he’d dug a little deeper, rather than relying on Sheriff McDougal’s biased assessment of the young man, he would have discovered more to Alex than he realized. In hindsight, he knew he would never have approached Sharp given his grandfather’s background. As a contractor for limited usage, he might have proven invaluable, but as a full-fledged security operative, he was simple too unstable to be relied upon…and yet this unstable operative managed to bring Bio-SciTech, one of G.R.U.’s most effective research and development wings, to its knees.

Sighing again, he pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt a migraine building. For now, he had to be careful because his standing within the corporation, his very existence, stood on the edge of a knife. The only questions to ask were…who was holding the knife, and how would they react to his report?

“Director Melendez?”

Turning, Richard found himself staring at Thomas Hendricks, the co-founder and current CEO of Global Resources Unlimited. He felt a momentary sense of awe, only to realize that Hendricks rarely involved himself in the day-to-day operations of G.R.U. and its subsidiaries.

"Chairman Hendricks, sir…I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” Melendez said carefully. “It’s an honor, sir.”

Hendricks smiled as he reached out and shook Director Melendez’s hand. In spite of the eyepatch covering his ruined left eye, Thomas Hendricks conveyed an air of calm reserve. Releasing his hand, Hendricks indicated to the door behind them. “Please, this way. We have much to talk about.”

Stepping through the door, Melendez followed Chairman Hendricks as he said, “As I’m sure you understand, the loss of the Bio-SciTech facility was a serious blow to our operations. Currently, we are at an impasse. Up to now, we were waiting to see the results of the newest variants that your research and development teams were coming up with. The aerosolized version of the drug was found to be much more effective than the injected version, which we’ve only been able to produce is limited quantities due to the rarity of specific compounds that are found only in the injectable version. However, the Sizeol drug proved to be much more versatile in its development and allowed for rapid adjustments to correct flaws in the drug’s design. Sadly, the injectable version, which we named Ambrosia, has limitations which have left us debating how to proceed.”

At the end of the hallway, they came to a doorway with no visible handle. Hendricks withdrew a keycard from his pocket and slipped it into a slot on the wall. In a firm voice he spoke his full name, “Hendricks, Thomas J.”

As the doors opened, Melendez found himself in a beautifully decorated room, filled with a décor in keeping with a more Oriental style. Along each wall, small tables with bonsai trees of varying shapes and sizes stood, with tools on platters beside them. At the front of the room, an executive conference table with twelve chairs, filled the center of the room. It was then that he noticed another person in the room, Doctor Matsuro Torunaga! Seated at the head of the table, he inclined his head as they stepped forward.

Melendez immediately bowed. “Torunaga hakase, o ai dekite kōeidesu!” (Doctor Torunaga, it is a profound honor to meet you!)

Hendricks chuckled softly as Torunaga raised an eyebrow in amusement. “Anata wa watashi o sonkei shiyou to shimasu, soredemo anata no haji wa aratte inai inu no yō ni kono hey o mitashimasu!” (You seek to honor me, and yet your shame fills this room like an unwashed dog.)

The shock on Melendez’s face was immediate. “Sit down,” Torunaga commanded him. “We have much to discuss!”

Bowing in response, Melendez waited for Hendricks to take his seat before sitting across from Doctor Torunaga.

“Mr. Hendricks informs me that the facility in Shenandoah was a complete loss, is this correct?”

“It is, sir,” Melendez replied.

Torunaga raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. “You do not elaborate?”

“To do so would be a waste of time. There was nothing which could be salvaged.”

“So Mr. Hendricks informs me,” Torunaga stated. “How is it that our facility, which was completely unknown by our adversaries, was destroyed?”

“Because that information was not correct, sir,” Melendez replied, feeling a bead of sweat forming on his temple as Hendricks’ expression turned dark.

“You’re suggesting that our security procedures and protocols were insufficient to keep our operations from their detection, Director Melendez? I must say, they have proven to be troublesome at times, but thus far, they have never managed to directly sabotage our operations.”

“This time, they did, Chairman,” Melendez replied carefully. “As I learned after our facility’s destruction, one of the research scientists, known as Tina LeFay, managed to convince a newly activated Tracker agent to not only betray the trust he was given, but in doing so, he planted a device which triggered an explosion of the Sizeol containment vessels. The resulting mixture of the variants miniaturized every member of the facility caught in the resulting cloud to sub-atomic size, and the subsequent fireball from the explosion triggered the fail-safe device to explode.”

“That is perhaps the most detailed account of what happened that I have heard up till now,” Torunaga stated. “This researcher, Tina LeFay…she was a spy?”

“That is correct, sir,” Melendez confirmed. “The pool of researchers we were pulling from M.I.T. was compromised and this person, posing as Tina LeFay, was selected as one of the random candidates we brought on to assist in the biological and chemical analysis division. Essentially, she was a sleeper-agent, biding her time until she found someone she felt she could corrupt, in this case, Agent Alex Sharp.”

“I see,” Torunaga replied cryptically. “If I may inquire, who chose Mr. Sharp for the Tracker program?”

“I am responsible for his acquisition, sir,” Melendez admitted without hesitation. “All information pointed to him being an easily malleable young man who would follow directions and perform his duties as a target acquisition specialist without question.”

“And yet, on his first day after training, he is susceptible to betraying us? This is not a good sign, Director Melendez,” Torunaga stated.

“Mistakes were made, sir,” Melendez admitted immediately. “His handler, the senior acquisition specialist, John Carlton, allowed him to perform his duties without supervision. Mr. Carlton chose to instead scout ahead and take out any individuals whom he felt would pose a threat to our operations.”

“Meaning he was using the drug for his own amusement, shrinking anyone he found, is this correct,” Torunaga inquired.

“And what has become of Mr. Carlton?”

“By all accounts, sir, he was last seen entering the Sharp home to confront Agent Sharp directly. Captain Bonnier of the G.R.U. security forces reported that he never came out.”

“I see.”

“If I may, Doctor Torunaga,” Hendricks interjected. “Director, why was Agent Carlton using the drug on targets not deemed candidates for testing? Would it not have made more sense to target anyone found on the river, rather than waiting for multiple individuals to appear?”

Melendez nodded. “That concern was raised, sir. However, it was determined by the research department that single individuals would not allow for testing which would reveal relevant data which could be cross-referenced.”

“In other words, shrinking multiple targets at the same time meant the Sizeol’s effectiveness could be viewed as the effects took hold in more than one subject, correct, Director?”

“That is correct, Chairman,” Melendez replied. “Single targets would take time to match up data points from other subjects.”

“But again, why was Agent Carlton using the drug on targets who would not be used in testing? It would appear to me to be very wasteful. Not to mention, Agent Carlton actually enjoyed shrinking targets and watching them struggle and ultimately suffer. In fact, he deliberately used variants that had stronger effects so he could watch them dwindle away, is that not correct?”

Melendez nodded, knowing this did not reflect well on him. “That is correct, sir.”

“And you allowed this?”

Melendez paused for a moment before replying. “I felt it was the course of action which would better allow him to release his demons without directly affecting the task at hand. Part of the acquisition phase required we do so without anyone witnessing what we were doing. In eliminating potential threats to our security, it was believed that we would maintain the integrity of the project.”

“By whom?”

“I beg your pardon, sir?”

“Who made this determination,” Hendricks inquired. “Was it you?”

“Myself and the Chief of Security, Mr. Quisley, believed this to be the wisest course of action.”

“I see.”

“Director,” Torunaga asked. “What would you say was the moment where things began to…spiral out of control? What caused it to occur?”

“Based on the data I have, I would believe we encountered problems when Agent Sharp’s sense of honor and decency clashed with Agent Carlton’s belief that eliminating potential security threats was justifiable outside the bounds of reason.”

“In other words,” Chairman Hendricks said. “You’re saying that Agent Carlton’s enjoyment of taking out individuals whom he viewed as security threats conflicted with Agent Sharp’s worldview that what Agent Carlton was doing was cruel and unnecessary, am I correct in that assumption?”

“That would be a fair assessment, Chairman.”

“Was Agent Sharp the type of individual we should have recruited, Director?”

Melendez thought for a moment before answering. “Agent Sharp’s abilities were far superior to those of Agent Carlton. His marksmanship was amazingly accurate. His tracking and reconnaissance capabilities were on par with many armed forces regulars, even some of their veterans. His use of force was judicious and measured. He followed orders and performed his duties without question.”

“Until he was confronted by the agent posing as Tina LeFay,” Hendricks asked.

“That is correct, Chairman.”

“Do you believe, had Agent Sharp not encountered the questionable actions of Agent Carlton, that he may not have been susceptible to the influences of Ms. LeFay?”

For this answer, Melendez had to think for a moment, but when he responded, he did so without hesitation. “It is my assessment that Agent Sharp would not have succumbed to her influence, seeing what he was doing as a necessary and positive act for future worldwide benefit. It was only as a result of viewing how Agent Carlton took pleasure in eliminating security threats, that Agent Sharp’s resolve slipped, leaving him susceptible.”

Hendricks nodded thoughtfully before asking. “Tell me, do we know whether Agent Sharp, Ms. LeFay and the test subjects he was attempting to free survived the fire that destroyed his home?”

“We have no evidence one way or the other, Chairman Hendricks,” Melendez admitted. “However, according to Captain Bonnier’s testimony, he and his remaining men did not see anyone come out of the house.”

“But Captain Bonnier and his men were unable to view the front of the home, and by the time they were in position as they were extracting their two wounded comrades, the house was fully engulfed in flames.”

“That is true, Chairman.”

“According to reports from local sources, remains were discovered, but they believe they will be unable to properly identify to whom they belong, is that correct?”

“That is my understanding as well, Chairman.”

“So it is possible that someone may have escaped.”

“It is possible, sir.”

“And the cache of Sizeol from Prep Site Four, the one that Agent Sharp raided and destroyed before returning home, do we know how much, if any, he took with him?”

“Unfortunately, our backup server at the Bio-SciTech offices near the Shenandoah Town Hall were never connected to the Prep Sites for recording entry into the location. Only the primary server…”

“The ones that were destroyed in the facility,” Hendricks interrupted for clarification.

“That is correct, sir. Only the primary would have recorded that entry activity, as well as anything that may have been removed from the site.”

“And yet he saw fit to destroy the site,” Torunaga inquired.

“That is correct, sir. It is possible that he did so out of disgust for what he viewed the drug as being capable of doing, based on Agent Carlton’s earlier actions.”

“So we don’t know if he took any of the drug with him.” Hendricks leaned back for a moment. “We don’t know if he managed to use the antidote to restore those people he freed. We don’t know if he or anyone else perished in the fire.” For a moment, the room was silent and Director Melendez felt a chill run down his spine.

“Tell me, Director,” Torunaga asked. “There was a vehicle used in the escape, correct?”

“That is correct, sir.”

“Where is it?”

“Sir?”

“Where is the vehicle? I believe one of the surviving guards, before we dispensed with him, admitted to seeing a…Jeep Wrangler…leaving the facility with what appeared to be two individuals who matched the descriptions of Agent Sharp and Tina LeFay. Where is this vehicle?”

“I don’t know, sir.”

“You don’t know?” The question was asked innocently enough, but Melendez felt a bead of sweat trickling down the side of his face at the Doctor’s response.

“Director, it would seem to me that we have a problem. This Jeep Wrangler, which we know was used by Agent Sharp and Tina LeFay to escape, probably with the four subjects as well, left the facility, which was destroyed as a result of Agent Sharp’s use of C-4 to detonate the containment vessels. Everything we invested in, time, energy, resources, lives, years of research and development, all lost. All irretrievable. The party responsible may have taken an unknown quantity of the drug when he and the others escaped, which means that he may have been able to restore them with the antidote.”

“Now they are witnesses to our operation and what we have been doing all this time. The drug is proof of our objectives, and it may be in the hands of Agent Sharp, of those who escaped the fire. According to all sources, only two vehicles were found at the Sharp estate, the two Prowler vehicles used by Captain Bonnier’s men. The Jeep Wrangler was gone, and we have no information on who owned the vehicle, its general color or design. We are left with a problem that someone may have in their possession an unknown quantity of Sizeol, the last remaining quantity of a product that was nearly refined to perfection for our intended goal. Project Lilliput cannot go forward as planned without it!”

Hearing Doctor Torunaga speak as long as he did, and with that much passion truly terrified Director Melendez, as he had never heard him speak more than a few sentences at any one time. As the doctor sat back down, Chairman Hendricks leaned forward and brought his hands together. “Director, we have a problem. The Sizeol aerosolized version of the drug was going to be our choice for Project Lilliput. We’d intended to speak with the United Nations by the end of the year with plans to set it in motion, but given this unforeseen catastrophe, we are left with only the Ambrosia injectable drug. It is not as reliable in its effects and it will take time for us to go through the trials that Sizeol had already passed with flying colors before we can move forward. This means a loss of projected revenue and prestige. There are members of the world council who wanted to move forward on Project Lilliput as soon as possible. Now, we will have to delay those plans, quite possibly for several years at least.”

“I see how my failure has caused significant damage to G.R.U.’s reputation,” Melendez replied in a quiet, contrite voice as he rose up and bowed. He also knew what it would likely mean for him as well. “I have brought dishonor to this company and to you both. I offer my resignation and accept whatever punishment you deem necessary.”

Hendricks turned to look at Doctor Torunaga, who sat in quiet contemplation for several moments before replying, “That will not be necessary, Director.”

Raising his head, Director Melendez glanced between Chairman Hendricks and Doctor Torunaga. “I…don’t understand. I failed the company. My actions…”

“Are your own, Director Melendez,” Torunaga said. Rising up, he locked eyes with the Director and bowed. “Anata wa anata no haji o ukeiremasu, sore way oi kotodesu. Wastashi wa, ayamachi o kurikaesu hito yori mo, ayamachi kara manabu hito no kata ga sukidesu.” (You accept your shame, that is good. I prefer those who learn from their mistakes, not those who repeat them.)

In that moment, Director Melendez felt a wave of relief roll over him as he bowed again. “Hai! Watashi wa yori ōkina zen ni tsukaemasu.” (I serve the greater good.)

“I do not blame you for actions you could not anticipate or stop those you had no ability to influence. The vehicle and Agent Sharp’s theft of the drug were not your fault. As for the rest, I see the wisdom in why you chose to allow Agent Carlton to act as he did. Admittedly, Agent Sharp appears to have been an excellent soldier, but his loyalties were never given time to solidify. Sadly, we will never know whether he may have served us well. Based on the description of the battle and Agent Sharp’s defense of his home, I am inclined to believe he sacrificed himself to save those he set free. In that, I honor him as well for his dedication to his convictions. Now please, leave me. I require rest.”

Director Melendez bowed once more and Chairman Hendricks bowed as well before Torunaga turned and exited the room through another door. As he watched him depart, Chairman Hendricks walked over and shook Director Melendez’s hand.

“I have to say, Richard, that could have gone differently, but you handled yourself with poise and didn’t shy away from being honest regarding your administration. Doctor Torunaga admires that.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Suddenly, Chairman Hendricks’ expression turned dark. “To be honest, I was ready to add you to the group of people who survived the facility’s destruction to become test subjects for Ambrosia, but when Doctor Torunaga makes a decision, I won’t contradict him. You’re lucky, Richard. You pushed all the right buttons: honor, dedication, accepting your mistakes and taking one for the company. All very nice and exactly what the good doctor likes to hear, but let me be clear about one thing…your decision to bring a loose cannon like Sharp on board was what cost us billions and set us back at least several years. We’ve been fighting to stay one step ahead of our adversaries who want to see us destroyed and our goals stopped. We cannot afford any screw-ups like this again, do you understand me?”

“Crystal clear, sir. I won’t make that mistake again.”

Hendricks stepped forward until he was nose-to-nose with Melendez. “Make any further mistakes, and I’ll introduce you to Ambrosia personally. Now get out of here. We’ll contact you when we’re ready to put you back to work.”

“Understood sir.” Turning, Melendez exited the room, heading for the elevators.

Breathing heavily, Hendricks frowned as he stood watching the doors close behind Melendez.

“He understands how precarious his position is,” Doctor Torunaga’s voice sounded behind him.

“He knows not to screw up again, if that’s what you mean, sir.”

“Hmmm. There was a time when a servant would cut off a finger to show he understood his failure and that he would not do so again.”

“I thought that was only with the Yakuza,” Hendricks stated. “Besides, it seems like a wasteful practice. Cut off enough fingers, and a person is incapable of performing the tasks for which he is needed.”

Torunaga grunted in affirmation. “At that point, he is handed a knife for a completely different reason, one for which there is no second chance.”

“Is it possible to recreate the formula for Sizeol, or are we left with having to move forward with Ambrosia,” Hendricks asked.

“I will look into my records and see if any information remains regarding the original formula.”

“Understood, Doctor. Good day to you.”

“Hai, and you, Chairman Hendricks.”

[MarauderTDL]

For the record, I always envisioned Doctor Torunaga as being played by the actor who was the Chronicler / WIzard from the original Conan the Barbarian, if that helps anyone in properly hearing his voice or seeing him portrayed. *wink*

[MarauderTDL]

Chapter Twenty: Revelations

Late January 2016
Six months later
Outer Banks, North Carolina

Sarah opened her eyes and stretched luxuriously, feeling the silky sheets sliding across her bare legs as she listened to the waves off in the distance, rolling up on the shoreline. In the kitchen of their rental home, she could hear Brad moving about as the scent of sweet cinnamon rolls and omelets filled the air, making her mouth water at the smells. Slipping out from beneath the sheets, Sarah slipped on her red satin gown, put on her slippers and quietly made her way out to dining room table where Brad had two place settings prepared with a steaming mug of hot cocoa waiting for her. Reaching out, she grasped the warm mug and breathed in the chocolatey scent, closing her eyes and moaning softly.

“Mmmmm, oh sweetheart, you know just what I was wishing for.”

Brad looked over his broad shoulder and smiled. “Well, Mrs. Michaels, if I haven’t learned what warms you on a cold, January morning by now, I should be ashamed of myself.”

Sarah giggled softly. “You mean besides you and me beneath the sheets?”

Brad’s grin grew longer. “Well…there’s time for that afterward if you want.”

Moaning seductively, Sarah sipped her cocoa. “Sounds wonderful.” Glancing over at the couch in the living room, she noticed a package wrapped in silvery-white paper with a small box topped with a folded note. “”That’s odd.”

“What’s that, sweetheart,” Brad called out as he was finishing up the omelets and pulling the cinnamon rolls out of the oven.

“I thought your mom and dad said they’d send all the wedding gifts to our house in Chesapeake. Where did this one come from?” Sarah rose and walked over to sit down by the box.

Setting two plates on the dining table, Brad walked over to stand by the couch, looking down at her as she reached for the note. “I don’t know. We did arrive late last night and neither of us bothered to spend any time checking out the house before we went to bed.”

Smiling up at him seductively, Sarah purred, “That’s true. We certainly had other things on our mind for our wedding night, didn’t we?”

Brad shrugged. “Maybe it’s something special that mom and dad wanted us to have. What does the note say?”

Reaching out, Sarah plucked the folded note from atop the small box and opened it to see the handwriting was a beautiful cursive, clearly written by a woman, and somehow familiar to Sarah as she read what it said. Handing the note to Brad, she carefully opened the tiny box and pulled out something wrapped in bubble-wrap. As he read what the note said, Brad heard her gasp and saw her face turn white.

“It can’t be!” Turning to look up at Brad, she held up a single glass ampule filled with a clear liquid.

Unable to believe it himself, Brad read the note:

Does this look familiar to anyone? You know where to find us. - B

“No! It can’t be,” Brad said, shaking his head. “It’s got to be a trick! Those bastards found out where we live and they’re trying to trick us…” He saw the look on Sarah’s face. “Sweetheart, no! You can’t believe…it’s been six months! You all saw what happened!”

Before she could respond, they both heard Sarah’s phone ringing in the bedroom and she rushed down the hall to scoop it up from the dresser where she placed it the night before. Seeing who was calling, she immediately answered. “Michelle?”

“Sarah?” Michelle’s voice on the other end of the line was frantic. “Did you…a package…did you get a package?”

“You got one too? We just saw it,” Sarah replied. “Oh my God, Michelle! It’s her!”

“That’s impossible,” Michelle argued. “We all saw it!”

“I know! Brad said that too, but if it is…we’ve got to go back.”

“Meet us at your house in Chesapeake in an hour,” Michelle said. “We’ll drive up together and find out.”

Sarah nodded. “All right, we’re on our way!” Ending the call, she turned to Brad. “Honey, we’ve got to go!”

“Go where? Back to Luray?” Sarah nodded, but Brad stepped forward to grip her hand as she was reaching for her blue jeans. “Sarah, sweetheart…STOP!” The tone of his voice caught her attention and she looked up into his eyes, seeing a mixture of fear and confusion reflecting back at her. “Think about what you want to do! It’s been over six months since everything that happened. If Beth were alive, why would she send us such a cryptic message? Why would she wait until now to contact us, and do it in such a mysterious way? It has to be those people from that G.R.U. corporation. They must have discovered who we were and are setting a trap for us.”

Sarah returned his gaze with a certainty that surprised her newlywed husband. “Don’t you think I’ve considered that,” she asked him. “Don’t you think, for the last six months I’ve been secretly afraid that one day we’d wake up and find ourselves shrunk and imprisoned again, or maybe they’d catch us unaware at a moment where no one would notice we were gone? Sweetheart, it’s been six months! If they intended to come after us, why would they wait so long, only to trick us into returning to where we last saw them? If they knew, they wouldn’t bother. No! It has to be her, and I need to see for myself. So please, as my husband, trust in me this one time.”

“If it’s her, why did she wait so long to reach out to us?”

“I don’t know,” Sarah replied to him, picking her blue jeans up off the floor where they’d been tossed the previous night when they arrived. “But we need to go and find out. Michelle and Thomas are meeting us at our house and we’ll go together. It’ll only take four hours to get there. It’s eleven in the morning, we can get there before four o’clock. Please!”

The look on Sarah’s face was one of concern. If this was a trick, and the company was waiting for them, they were walking into a trap…but if it was who they thought it was…who they prayed it was…Brad felt a thrill of excitement for the possibility. “All right, all right, we’re going.”


Leaving the rental home behind, Sarah and Brad hurried back home to find Michelle and Thomas waiting for them in the driveway as they pulled in. Hopping out of their car, they climbed into the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Thomas quickly exited the cul-de-sac, heading for the Interstate. After the events of their ordeal, Michelle decided it would be safer to get rid of the Wrangler, in case Bio-SciTech somehow figured out what car they used.

“Do you remember how to get there,” Sarah asked as Thomas headed for Interstate 64.

Thomas glanced over his shoulder with a look that let her know he was offended at the implication. “Of course I remember! Besides, I put the directions into the navigational system when Michelle told me where we were going. We’ll be there in about four hours.” Looking over at his fiancée, Thomas asked, “Are you sure about this? Do I need to call someone so they know where we’re going?”

Michelle reached into her purse and pulled out the ampule that they were all so familiar with. “It came in an envelope from Luray with a note that appeared to be in her handwriting.”

“I don’t understand,” Brad said from the back seat. “Why would she wait six months before contacting us? She must have known how devastated we were, thinking she was dead.”

“I don’t know,” Sarah said. “But I don’t care! It’s got to be her! She’s inviting us to come find her and that’s what we’ve got to do!”

The next four hours passed by fast, with them all talking about what happened and what they remembered. Brad listened intently, even though he’d heard them talk about it dozens of times in private since their return. It seems every time, he found yet another question to ask about their ordeal.

“So tell me,” he asked as Sarah leaned against his chest. “This shrinking process…you said it felt good.”

Michelle chuckled in the front passenger seat. “Oh Brad, good doesn’t even begin to describe those sensations. Sarah, do you remember when we realized what was happening and we watched each other shrinking down? The sight of you slipping out of your bikini… God! It felt like…well, it felt better than good.”

“Oh come on,” Brad demanded. “You can’t do that! You can’t make it sound like it was the greatest thing ever and then just say ‘It was better than good’. Seriously, admit it. How did it feel?”

“You’re never gonna get a straight answer, Brad,” Thomas said from the driver’s seat. “They’ll dance around it for hours but you’ll never get them to admit it. Although I have to admit,” pointing at Michelle, “You almost admitted it one night when we came home from having a few too many drinks to celebrate me getting my degree.”

“Oh God,” Michelle covered her face. “You’re going to bring that up again?”

“Come on, honey,” Thomas said with a huge grin on his face. “You were so hot and bothered that you actually described it in detail before demanding that I make you feel that way again.”

Sarah couldn’t help but ask. “And did he?”

Michelle smiled like the Cheshire cat and nodded emphatically, causing everyone in the car to laugh out loud, much to Thomas’ embarrassment.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, laugh at the guy who had to compete with a silly drug that got his fiancée horny as she dwindled down to a tiny little thing.”

“Hardly silly, sweetheart,” Michelle said, reaching over to stroke his shoulder. “Besides, the difference between you and that drug was that I could have you over and over again and not worry about shrinking out of existence.”

Sarah and Brad smiled at their friends’ intimacy, only to be surprised as Thomas asked them, “Well what about you two?”

“Huh,” Brad asked in surprise.

“Come on! If you had the chance, would you want to try it?”

Brad glanced from his fiancée to Thomas and then Michelle. “That’s not fair! You guys all experienced it, so you know what happens. I’ve got no idea, so how could I know?”

“Oh believe me, sweetheart,” Sarah said, wrapping an arm around his waist and hugging him tightly. “You’d enjoy it.”

Nodding, Brad finally said, “Okay, complete honesty here… If you were presented with the opportunity to experience it again, would you?”

The car grew silent as Sarah, Michelle and Thomas all considered Brad’s question. After a few moments, Michelle spoke up as she softly said, “Yes, but only if Thomas did it with me. I wouldn’t want to be a play toy, I’d want to experience it with him. Honestly, there were a few times I wondered what sex would be like while shrunk. The drug aroused us the smaller we became, but what would it feel like to make love while we were shrinking? Would it feel as good, or better? I think I’d like to know, but again…only if Thomas wanted to as well.”

Without missing a beat, Thomas nodded. “You heard the lady. Besides, it doesn’t matter how tall we are, so long as we’re together.” Michelle smiled and reached over to stroke his arm.

“Guess who’s getting some tonight, regardless?”

Sarah and Brad laughed at how easily their friends loved each other. Reaching out to squeeze his hand, Sarah said, “You know…when I was little…I mean, when I was younger, I dreamed of being tiny amongst a sea of balloons. At the time, it was just a fantasy, but if it were possible, I think I’d love to do that…if my husband would join me, that is.”

Shaking his head, Brad admitted, “When have I ever been able to say ‘No’ to you, sweetheart? If it were possible, I’d do it in a minute.”


The miles passed quickly and after the long journey, Thomas started up Route 675 outside of Luray, following the road he and the others remembered so vividly. Of course, back then it was the middle of summer with clear roads and bright green, leafy trees all around them. Now, the roads were packed with snow and the trees were bare except for the pine trees that lined the highway. Luckily, the Grand Cherokee handled the snow and slush without a problem and they made their way up the mountain to the spot where a gravel driveway appeared on the left side of the road. Mounted on a thick wooden pole to the right of the driveway was an ornate wooden mailbox with names stenciled on a placard mounted on top of the box: Donald and Melissa Fencer.

Everyone looked at each other and the mood, which had been happy and filled with excitement, suddenly felt like the balloon had just popped. Thomas looked at Michelle and Michelle looked at Sarah, but it was Brad who finally said, “Come on, gang! We came all this way. The least we could do is find out what’s up there, right?”

After a moment, Thomas nodded. “All right, everybody. Here we go.”

Turning off onto the gravel, Thomas carefully made his way up the winding, snow-packed road, remembering the two armored SUVs that Alex managed to take out with explosives. However, nothing happened as they slowly made their way up. Before they reached the summit, they saw smoke rising up into the clear blue sky and Sarah gripped Brad’s arm in excitement as they finally reached the top and saw it.

The two-story oak house was exactly as it appeared over six months ago, including the bay window and the rock chimney. Off to the right, a shed, somewhat larger than the previous one, was open with two cars inside, a silver 2016 Toyota Tundra and a Jeep Wrangler. Michelle’s eyes widened as she suddenly realized…

“T-that’s…that’s my Jeep! Sarah! That’s my Jeep! Look!”

Thomas came to a stop and Michelle jumped out of the car and ran over to the shed, her heart beating so fast she thought she would pass out. Sitting beside the brand new Toyota Tundra was the bright orange Jeep Wrangler that she owned for four years before she and Thomas decided it would be best to get rid of it…just in case. Walking up to the back end, she ran her hand over the back fender, before reaching underneath to find a magnetic case with a spare key inside. Turning it over, she covered her mouth in shock at the sight of the key, etched with her name along the top.

“It’s my Jeep,” she shouted, hugging Sarah and laughing as they hurried back out front to show Thomas and Brad. “Look! This is the spare key I always kept under the back fender!”

“Well I would hope so,” they heard someone call out from the front door. “But it’s extremely rude to take someone’s property without asking.”

Stepping outside, Alexander Mitchell Sharp, now sporting a thick, brown beard and mustache, walked to the edge of the porch with the aid of a cane. “It only seemed right that we buy it back, seeing as you didn’t want it anymore. Besides, it gave me an excuse to learn how to drive a stick-shift.”

Thomas parked the car off to the side by the other cars before he and Brad joined Michelle and Sarah at the foot of the stairs leading up to the porch and stared up at Alex in astonishment. The beard and moustache clearly added some character to his appearance, not to mention the few extra pounds he’d put on since they last saw him. Gone was the black uniform and body armor he wore six months ago. In its place, Alex wore a thick, long-sleeved, red and black, checkered-flannel shirt, faded blue jeans, and dark brown hiking boots. To everyone except Brad, he appeared much more relaxed than they remembered him, leaning slightly on the thick cane to avoid putting weight on his left leg, which was encased in a thin exoskeleton frame.

Seeing their stares, he looked down and smiled. “You like it?” He tapped the cane against the chilled metal. “A reminder of my foolishness. The doctors say there’s a chance I might walk without it one day, but for now, I won’t be breaking any records for long-distance hikes.”

Seeing them smile back at him, he waved them up. “Come on. It’s getting cold and a storm is supposed to blow through tonight. Let’s get you inside and get some food in you. I figure you’ve been driving non-stop to get here, the least I can do is fix you dinner.”

“Alex,” Sarah asked excitedly. “Where is she? Where’s Beth?”

Staring back at Sarah with an expression that was impossible to read, he said, “Come on.”

Sarah and Michelle hurried after him, with Thomas and Brad following behind. As they entered the house, they were stunned as they felt like they’d been transported back in time six months ago. For the most part, the house looked exactly as it did before the fire that burned it to the ground. The main difference was that the couch was brand new, and instead of being white, it was more of a taupe color to better match the natural interior. The bay window was the same, but as Thomas looked closer, he noticed triple-paned glass, better for keeping the cold outside during the winter. As before with the old house, there were few lights in the living room, although Alex obviously made a minor concession with two ceiling fans hanging on either end of the room, helping to circulate the interior air, while a three-light system was mounted on the bottom of the fans for lighting.

Turning her attention to the stone chimney, Michelle was struck at how it appeared. “You saved it? I would have thought the fire would have…”

“It did,” Alex said, knowing what she was indicating. “Well, that’s not completely true. The fire couldn’t bring it down, but the fire department did, few days after the fire. They felt, for safety reasons, that it would be best to bring it down. However, when I found out what they did, I was so pissed off that I made them return each and every stone so I could rebuild it just the same as it was before. It took me a month, but I got it right. It required a structural engineer to come out to certify that it was safe, but I did it…with a little help from some friends, who will remain nameless for now.”

Gazing up at the mantle, Sarah gasped as she saw the dreamcatcher that she remembered being hung there before the fire. “How did the dreamcatcher survive the fire,” she asked. “Surely it would have been destroyed?”

Smiling at his little secret, Alex grinned as he gestured to the couch. “Please, everyone be seated. I know you came here for answers, and I promise that I'll give them to you…”

“Alex!” Sarah interrupted him impatiently. “Where…is…Beth,” she demanded to know.

At that moment, the sound of a flushing toilet sounded down the hallway and a door opened to reveal a lovely, and heavily pregnant Beth, waddling toward them. “For heaven’s sake, can’t a pregnant woman go pee without everyone losing their minds?”

Sarah and Michelle both squealed in surprise and happiness as they leapt off the couch and ran over to hug their expecting friend, gently touching her swollen belly as they helped her over to sit in the middle of the couch, with Beth and Michelle seated on other side of her. Before they could ask any questions, Beth looked over at Sarah with a disappointed look on her face.

“You lied!”

Blinking in confusion, Sarah looked over at Michelle, who shrugged before Beth broke out in a huge grin. “For all those times you talked about Brad and you having a baby and how wonderful it would be, you forgot to mention that I would have to run to the bathroom every five minutes.”

The girls all laughed as they touched Beth’s belly and marveled at her size. Alex, catching the attention of Brad and Thomas, indicated toward the kitchen. As they followed him, he said, “They’ll be going at it, asking her all sorts of baby questions for at least a few minutes, so we’ve got time to prepare some food and drinks before we all sit down and talk about what happened.”

While it was clear that Thomas wanted to know, Brad caught his attention and pointed toward the glass-faced cupboard doors where plates and cups were stored. “That’s a nice design you’ve got there.”

Taking Brad’s hint, Thomas asked as he pulled out glasses for everyone, “Did you do that yourself?”

Seeing what he was indicating, Alex laughed out loud. “Are you kidding? Glass-etching isn’t a skill I’ve learned. As we were rebuilding, I asked Beth what she wanted, and I hired some contractors to give it to her. They did a great job.”

“Rebuilding this place had to cost a fortune,” Brad said in awe, noting the smooth, granite floor they were walking on as Thomas filled the glasses with apple cider stored in the refrigerator. “Even out here in Luray, it must have been expensive.”

Alex smiled and shook his head. “You know…for years, I never worried about money. Grandpa loved the house he and Grandma built, so we never bothered to upgrade it…except the basement. Anyway, after the fire, I had all that money…from my grandparents, my mom and dad, as well as the settlement I received for the lawsuit from their deaths. For the first time, I actually spent money…not like going to the store for groceries. I’d done that. I mean, digging deep and spending money on something expensive that you really want.”

“Did it feel good,” Thomas asked. “What I mean to say is, after all that time of just living in their home without really making it your own, how did it feel to rebuild it the way you wanted?”

Setting the knives aside that he was using to slice pieces of ham and roast, Alex thought for a moment. “You know what? It wasn’t until Beth and I started looking over the blueprints Grandpa left me that I saw some things that I wanted to improve, so I did. In a way, I hope my grandparents would approve of what I changed.”

“Such as?” Brad leaned back against the marble-top island set in the middle of the kitchen.

“Well the ventilation sucked, for one thing. Even Grandpa complained that the house was always too hot in the summer and cold enough to make his bones ache in the winter. Truth be told, I understand what he meant about that last part.” Alex reached down to rub his left thigh. “You saw the ceiling fans in the living room. I had one installed in every bedroom in the house. As for the plumbing, well it was twenty-five years out of date, so we took care of that. Beth has been enjoying the Jacuzzi on the back deck lately. She says it makes the babies settle down when they’re restless.”

Brad did a double-take. “Wait, you said ‘babies’? As in more than one?”

Alex smiled even as he looked confused. “Yeah, what’s wrong with that?”

Thomas punched Brad’s shoulder as he asked, “How many?”

“Oh! Only two. She was shocked when we learned she was carrying twins, although lately, they’ve been getting active. The doctors say she’s due in two months, but she’s hoping to go full-term and birth naturally here at the house. We’ll see, but the birthing center is only a half an hour away.”

“You’re awfully calm for being a first-time dad,” Brad remarked. “Aren’t you nervous?”

Laughing out loud, Alex leaned against the island as he admitted, “I’m terrified! I never dreamed of something as wonderful as this, and yet, at the same time, I’m completely clueless.”

“For a guy who took on a dozen trained mercenaries and kicked their asses…” Thomas began, but Alex interrupted him.

“Oh no, there are moments where I would take the dozen mercenaries!” His seriousness changed into a thoughtful smile. “But seeing how happy Beth is, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Thomas and Brad both smiled and raised their glasses of cider toward him as Brad said seriously, “Here’s to happiness, guys.”


After a few minutes, the guys exited the kitchen with plates piled with slices of ham, roast, and cheeses, as well as flatbread to make sandwiches. Brad carried a tray with glasses of cider and distributed them to everyone. With Sarah and Michelle flanking Beth, Thomas sat beside Michelle where the couch curved in, while Brad sat beside Sarah. As for Alex, he took a seat in an oversized recliner that allowed him to prop up his injured leg. Once everyone was comfortable and got some food, Alex looked at Beth.

“Well, you were the one who sent them the note. Do you want to start, or should I?”

Cradling her enormous belly which poked out from under her sweater and sweat pants, Beth admitted, “I guess I could start, although if the babies start acting up, he’ll have to take over.”

“You said you were six months along?”

Beth nodded at Sarah. “And I feel like a balloon,” she admitted as her long auburn hair, practically glowing from her condition, slipped over her shoulder. “I make sure to blame Alex at least once a day…and then he reminds me how it was my fault.”

Alex chuckled softly as he raised a hand to hide his smile amidst his beard and mustache.

“If you’re six months along, that would mean…”

Beth raised a finger to admonish Michelle. “Ah, ah! I’m telling this story, so sit back and relax.”

Six months prior

All around them, the fire raged, but Beth refused to abandon Alex as she held him in her arms. “No, no, no, no! Stay with me, Alex! Please! Don’t go,” she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks, even as the heat intensified around them.

Looking up at her, Alex smiled as he said, “You came back.”

“You promised me you wouldn’t die,” she said, leaning down to kiss him as tears spilled on his cheeks.

“I wish…I could have kept my promise,” he said, feeling a tingling sensation running down his back and out to his extremities. “You need to go.”

Beth shook her head, unaware that the stain on Alex’s shirt now stained her own, pressing against her flesh and making her tingle. “This is where I need to be. I won’t leave you!”

Gazing up at Beth, he smiled and she looked confused as he whispered, “Everything will be okay.”

As she watched, Alex seemed to feel lighter in her arms and she gasped as she watched him slowly dwindle down, his clothes growing looser. “Alex! What’s happening?”

A spasm jolted Alex back to consciousness and he stared around them as more of the roof came down, engulfing the living room and setting the couch ablaze. “We need to get out of here,” he said, even as he continued to shrink.

“The front door is blocked,” Beth said, feeling the heat from the flames.

“Not that way,” he said, pointing a dwindling finger down the hallway, which was still largely untouched. “Downstairs.”

“Alex, what are you talking about?”

“The cave! If we make it to the cave, we can hide there!”

Outside, they could hear Sarah and Michelle screaming for them, but Alex shook his head as she started to move toward the front door. Suddenly, a loud crack sounded above them and a significant portion of the ceiling caved in, sending portions of the roof as the rafters tumbling down in a fiery inferno that blocked the doorway in the wall of flame and searing heat. Backing away, Beth felt a tug and turned to see Alex, now less than five feet tall, pulling on her shirt, which she noticed felt looser.

“Beth! We have to go,” he said, pulling her toward the hallway, only to collapse in pain as his left leg buckled.

Reaching out, she scooped him up and hurried to the door leading into the basement as smoke poured from the rooms above, filling the nearby rooms with thick, black smoke that caused her to cough. In between coughs, she reached out to pull open the doorway to find herself staring down into the darkened stairwell. Trying the light switch, she found it wouldn’t come on.

“The electrical lines…*cough*…are probably melted,” Alex managed to say as Beth found him becoming lighter with each passing second.

“You’re shrinking so fast,” Beth gasped. “Alex, what’s happening?”

“No time to waste,” he said, coughing again. “Hurry! You’re beginning to shrink too! We don’t have a lot of time!”

Behind her, Beth heard another loud roar and she looked up to scream as the second floor ceiling and much of the walls were engulfed in flames. Flaming debris rained down, burning holes in her clothes and she heard a groan, only to look up and see a patch of night sky through a hole in the roof.

“Hurry, Beth, hurry,” Alex cried, his voice getting higher in pitch as he was now under four feet tall.

Stepping down the first few steps, Beth heard another loud roar, and the door was slammed shut, casting her into almost complete blackness, except for small, piercing bits of light that shown through the bottom of the door.

“The roof probably collapsed and blocked the door,” Alex said. “Beth, we don’t have time to waste. Please! If you don’t hurry, we won’t make it!”

Holding Alex against her chest, Beth reached out with her free hand and grasped the railing as she carefully made her way down the stairs. With each step, she could feel the railing expanding against her hand, forcing her to hurry as she stumbled down to the bottom and pushed the doorway into the basement open.

“There’s a flashlight hanging on the table to your left,” Alex said and Beth reached out blindly in the darkness, smelling smoke and hearing the roar fire above her as she cast about for the flashlight. Finally, she found it, but as she clicked on the button, she realized that she was now shrinking faster, her skirt loosening around her waist.

“Alex, what are we going to do? We can’t stay here!”

“The cave,” he said, coughing again as he was now under three feet tall and shrinking even faster. “But first, grab one of those carcasses and toss it down the stairwell!”

“Why?”

“For food,” he said as his black pants finally slipped off his legs, revealing the bloody mess that was his left thigh. Even as Beth gasped at the sight, he said, “Don’t worry about it for now. Set me down and toss the carcass down the stairwell!”

Beth did as she was told, lifting the carcass that was now as big as she was, down the stairwell leading to the cave. As it reached the bottom, she lifted Alex back up, grabbed the flashlight and hurried down the next flight of stairs as she heard a boom coming from above them.

A blinding light illuminated the stairwell above them and Alex shouted, “Run! The door gave way and the fire will suck out all the air! Go!”

Her heart pounded as she felt her shrinking feet stumble down the stairs, feeling Alex continue to shrink in her arms as she reached the landing and turned to see the carcass lying by the door leading into the cave. As she looked up, she saw a wall of flame engulf the room above them and slam the door shut. Not wanting to delay, she continued down and by the time she reached the bottom, Alex was barely two feet tall, and she was perhaps twice his size.

“What do we do now,” she said as she trembled in fear. “We’re shrinking, we’re trapped…”

“We’re…not trapped,” Alex managed to say. “The keypad…you need to punch in the six-digit code that unlocks the door. Zero-Six-Zero-Eight-Zero-Two.”

With the keypad now at eye-level, Beth quickly punched in the sequence, but got the numbers mixed up. Feeling herself shrink again, she watched as the keypad rose up above her head.

“No! Oh God, no!”

“Hurry, Beth,” Alex whispered.

“I’m trying! Oh God, stop me from shrinking!” The keypad rose up higher, almost beyond her ability to reach. Standing on her toes, Beth punched in the code: Zero-Six-Zero-Eight-Zero-Two.

Click!

Squealing for joy, Beth pushed on the door and it slid open as she put Alex down inside the entry of the cave and then struggled to pull the carcass inside. Once it was in, she pushed on the door and watched as it shut behind her with a loud boom and a series of clicks indicating it was sealed.

Turning around, she ran over to Alex, who was still shrinking, now under a foot tall, even as she was rapidly catching up with him. She slipped her arm under his and carried him into the next room where his desk and computer were before stumbling to the cold floor to gasp for breath.

“We made it! Alex…we made it,” she said, panting in exhaustion. Hearing no response, she looked over at him. “Alex?”

By now, Alex’s miniaturization had stabilized at three inches, while Beth was still just over a foot tall. She cast off the last of her clothes and stumbled over to his side, seeing that his eyes were closed.

“Alex, we’re here! We made it.”

There was no response from him, no sign that he heard her, and Beth worried as she touched his forehead, felt for him breathing, even checked for a pulse.

“Alex?”

Above her, Beth could hear noises, although the loud booms and crashes now sounded like distant thunder overhead. However, she quickly ignored that as she looked back at the man she sacrificed everything for.

“Alex, answer me!”

A sliver of fear formed in his chest as she called out to him gently, “Alex?” Her lip trembled as she whispered, “Don’t go. Please don’t go! I love you! Don’t leave me now!”

Sobbing, she reached out and smacked him across the face, and in that instant, Alex took an enormous breath as his eyes shot open.

“Alex? Alex, can you hear me?”

With his head lolling from one side to the other, Alex whispered, “Water.”

“I-I don’t know…I mean…do we have any water down here?”

“Far…side…back corner…small pool.”

Despite being naked, Beth sprinted across the cavern floor until she reached the pool Alex spoke of. Although now, at her current size of less than six inches, the small pool he referred to looked like a small swimming pool. With nothing to hold the water in but her hands, she cupped them together and carefully made her way back to where Alex lay.

“Alex, I’ve got water. You need to drink this,” she whispered softly.

Hearing her voice, Alex tried to lean forward, but he was too weak, so she tried funneling it into his mouth. Ultimately, while she splashed most of it on his face, he managed to drink enough to cough and roll over on his right side, the water droplets dripping off his face.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

“Alex, what happened to us? Why did we shrink? I thought the antidote you gave me was supposed to inoculate me from shrinking again?”

Rolling over to lay on his back, Alex took a deep breath and whispered, “Juliet.”

“Juliet? What does that mean,” she asked as he began to fade on her. “No, Alex, you need to stay awake! Talk to me. What does Juliet do?”

“It’s the Sizeol variant they discovered just before I…blew up the facility,” he said softly. “I had the test ampule in my breast pocket. When you fell on top of me…you must have shattered it and the drug touched our skin when you pressed against me. Juliet was actually the variant they always wanted. It doesn’t need a primer to work, it was designed to shrink targets rapidly, which is why we shrank as quickly as we did. According to the data, it can work even if a target has already been inoculated.”

By then, Beth dwindled the last few inches until she was slightly smaller than he was. Looking around the cave, she realized how very small they’d become. “W-what are we going to do? Without the antidote, we’re stuck like this.”

Glancing over his shoulder, Alex pointed over toward the massive metal case sitting next to his now equally gigantic desk. “It’s in the case…the problem is, I don’t know how we’re going to get it open. It was sealed with metal clamps…and even at normal size, they were tight and hard to open easily.”

“So we’re stuck this way?”

Alex took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “I’m afraid so.”

Kneeling down beside him, Beth bowed her head for a moment, her eyes closed as she considered their situation. To Alex’s surprise, she sat down beside him and gently lay her head on his chest. “So long as I’m with you, I don’t care.”

“Don’t say that,” Alex shook his head and turned away. “You didn’t ask for this.”

“No,” she whispered as she leaned up to gently kiss his lips. “I chose this.”

[MarauderTDL]

Present

“So how long were you two down there, and how did you get out,” Sarah asked as Beth finished describing their survival.

Beth and Alex looked at each other before Alex shrugged. “We don’t know. Several days to a week, at least. It couldn’t have been that much longer than that, but we didn’t have a clock to check the time.”

“So I’m guessing you two decided to find ways to pass the time,” Michelle suggested with a smile.

The couple laughed, but it was Beth who answered. “Not at first. Once Alex was feeling better, we walked the cave. Being so small, it was huge and it took us a while to check it out. Interestingly enough, we discovered there were some smaller pockets and caves further back in the walls leading up in the hills. We couldn’t explore too far because we didn’t have the means to see in the dark, and we didn’t want to chance stumbling into something unexpectedly.”

“So when did you two…”

Beth smiled and placed a hand on her belly. “It was a few days or so. We’d run about the cave, just fooling around and laughing when Alex stumbled and fell. His leg had been giving him problems since we arrived, but it was strange. The pain would come and go, sometimes making it hard for him to walk, but later it would be fine. I helped him up and we made our way back to where my clothes were piled and we lay down so I could take a look at his leg.” Beth ducked her head. “Alex was very sweet. Since we made it to the cave, he didn’t try to take advantage of our situation. He gave me space and wouldn’t try to look at me when I was using the water in the pool to bathe…although he occasionally would glance in my direction.”

Alex’s face turned red at the mention and Brad reached out to clap him lightly on the shoulder. “It’s okay, Alex. We’re guys and we like to look. The difference between when the ladies find it ‘sweet’ and ‘creepy’ is who is doing the looking, and for how long.”

“He didn’t stare,” Beth said in his defense. “Much. But to be honest, the longer we were down there, the more I wanted him to look at me.”

She rose up and walked over to the recliner. Given how large it was, she was able to slide in beside him and lean against his shoulder as she lifted his hand to rest on her belly. “On the third night as we were going to sleep, I decided I had to know if he felt the same for me as I felt for him. I crept over the fold in my shorts that acted as a wall between us, slipped up beside him and lay down. Of course, I’d deliberately left the strips of fabric I was using as clothes behind. Alex was so surprised that he kept looking away until I finally pulled him on top of me and kissed him. That seemed to get through to him and we…” She shrugged and smiled as the others realized what she meant.

“So how did you get out,” Brad asked, taking a sip of his cider. “You said the door sealed shut after you got inside.”

“Well,” Alex began. “By what felt like the fifth day, we woke up to vibrations that shook the floor. Of course, they weren’t really anything major, but given how small we were, they didn’t have to be. After a while, the vibrations stopped and we eventually heard a loud banging on the door. After an hour or so, it opened up on its own. It turns out our mutual friend Christine sent some friends to see if we managed to make it down to the cave.”

Beth nodded as she took up the story. “It was so funny. There were three women, dressed in some sort of black tactical bodysuits, and they were all our size! Imagine a doorway that is meant for regular-sized people opens up, only to have these three tiny women appear. We thought we were hallucinating at first, but once they saw us, they came over and told us that they came to find us.”

“Did they say who they were, who they were working for? Anything?” Thomas’ question was reflected in everyone’s eyes as they all nodded in agreement.

Beth raised her hands and shrugged. “We didn’t bother to ask, and they never told us. They gave us clothes to wear, helped Alex since his leg was bothering him some more, and an hour later, we were being brought up from the cave to the surface. Alex didn’t take it well at first.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” he confirmed, taking a sip from his drink. “It was heartbreaking to see what the fire did to the house. The back deck survived mostly, except from some warped boards. The pond in the back was filled with debris. Everything from the living room, back through the kitchen, and up into the second floor through most of the bedrooms was completely gone. The roof was destroyed and only about six or seven feet of the walls on either end of the house remained. I mentioned about the fireplace?” Everyone nodded. “Well, when I saw what was done, I was furious. I demanded to know who was responsible, but I was assured that everything would be all right.”

Beth patted his hand gently. “We were taken in a black SUV to a facility, don’t ask us where, because at our size, we had no idea where we were. The three women helped us adjust while we were checked out, examined and taken care of. However, Alex was the one who took a bad turn.” Beth squeezed Alex’s hand while he looked away, clearly distraught.

“What happened,” Sarah asked softly.

“It seems that when the Juliet variant started shrinking us, the bullets that Alex received in his shoulder and thigh were pushed out of his body. Given everything else he endured, this went unnoticed, and while the injury to his shoulder healed up nicely, the injury to his leg didn’t do as well.”

“What Beth means to say is that when the bullet was ejected from my body, it did some damage going out,” Alex said. “When it entered my body, it hit bone, broke the bone, and was deformed from the impact. As my body expelled it, the deformed bullet messed up some nerves.” He indicated to the metal framing around his leg. “Despite everything they did for me, the damage was severe enough that my leg weakened and I had trouble using it. The muscles atrophied and the nerves had trouble responding to my brain.” As everyone listened, he said, “You have to understand, this was while we were still shrunk. This group that Christine and her friends were a part of were able to counteract the drug’s effects and return us to normal, but they didn’t know what to do to help me regain my mobility. Ever since then, I’ve been seeing a regular doctor, under the cover story that my injury was from military service overseas. The group was able to pull some strings to make sure that story held up to scrutiny.”

“Wait a second,” Michelle said, sitting forward as she raised a hand. “You’re saying this was the group Christine said she was a part of?” Beth and Alex both nodded. “So they knew about shrinking, G.R.U. and everything else?” Beth and Alex nodded again. “They had the technology to return you to normal size?” Again, they nodded, now smiling at her befuddlement. “Why didn’t they just use the antidote you had from the metal case you had in the cave?”

“Because…,” Alex seemed to enjoy this part. “We never told them about it, and for some reason, neither did Christine. Either she assumed that the case was lost in the fire…or…she never bothered to tell her superiors about it.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Michelle argued. “That drug is incredibly dangerous! In the wrong hands, it could cause a lot of problems.”

“True,” Alex agreed with her. “However, no one realizes that the case survived. Either Bio-SciTech never learned that I stole it and thought I’d destroyed it along with everything else at Prep Site Four, or they believed it was destroyed in the fire along with us. As for Christine’s group, either they think it was destroyed too, or they were never informed that I had possession of it.”

“Wait,” Thomas sat up now, clearly concerned. “You’re telling us that you still have the metal case full of that drug?”

Smiling, Alex said, “Yes, and no.”

“Wait, which is it?”

“Actually,” Beth said with a knowing smile. “Those packages you and Michelle received contain an ample supply of the drug.”

Brad was the one who figured it out first. “Wait…you gave us the drug?”

Michelle looked shocked. “Are you kidding me? Have you forgotten what this stuff did to us? What we went through?”

Beth smiled. “Of anyone, you would think I would be the one most aware. So no, I haven’t forgotten,” she said, gently rubbing her belly. “What you fail to realize is that this stuff isn’t all that bad.”

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this from you, of all people,” Sarah said in disbelief. “Beth, you nearly died from the stuff!”

“No, I nearly died from an allergic reaction from the combination of variants that didn’t react well with my system.” Seeing her best friends’ reactions, she sat up. “Oh come on, girls! It’s incredible! Imagine going from having absolutely no libido whatsoever, to being so horny that the only way to satisfy that desire is to have your lover make love to you…while you’re shrinking!”

It suddenly dawned on them as Sarah exclaimed, “You’ve been taking the drug since you were rescued!” Seeing Beth’s expression as she smiled, Sarah gasped, “Oh my God! Beth! Why?”

“Because…as I said…it’s incredible,” Beth replied. “Look, when Alex stole this stuff, he also had the database for the drug and all its variants. Ever since we returned to normal, he looked through it and determined which variants were safe to use, and which ones were dangerous and should be destroyed. What we gave you are one hundred ampules of the drug in all the various variants that are safe to use, as well as the antidote. This way, you can use them whenever you wish, and be able to return to normal.”

“Wait a second,” Brad said, getting everyone’s attention. “I hate to be the one to take their side, but what were we talking about while we were driving up here?” Turning to his wife, he said, “Honey, you told us all in the car if you had the opportunity to use the drug, you’d do it. So did Michelle and Thomas. So what changed? Why are you so upset?”

Sarah stared down at the floor and shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. Maybe I never believed that it could happen. Maybe I was just indulging in a fantasy.”

Beth reached out to pat Sarah’s hand. “No need to fantasize, sweetheart. With what we gave you, it can be a reality. All you have to do is follow the directions and you’ll be fine.”

“What about you, Michelle,” Alex asked. “Did you say you would use it if you could?” Michelle nodded slightly. “Well, we gift-wrapped your opportunity…all you have to do is accept it.”

“Are you sure,” Michelle asked Beth. “Are you absolutely sure nothing could go wrong? You remember what happened on the river?”

“Michelle,” Beth said reassuringly. “It’s okay. Alex and I have done it at least a dozen times. Believe me, it never gets old.”

Seeing everyone staring at her, Michelle said, “What are you all looking at me for?”

Beth smiled. “You always were the defacto leader of us back at college, girl. Maybe they’re looking at you to see if you’re willing to take the risk.”

Michelle considered the package sitting in the living room of their apartment, feeling a strange thrill at the thought of experiencing that sensation once again. Except this time, with the man she loved, and without fear of becoming a lab experiment. Finally, she looked at Thomas, who nodded back at her encouragingly. Satisfied that he was in agreement, Michelle capitulated and said, “Okay! We’ll use it. Is there anything you two need to warn us about before we do though?”

Alex looked over at Beth, who beamed a great smile. “Well…I’d suggest you make sure you take a couple of days off the first time you use it and…” Beth looked down at her belly as if hinting something. “We can’t confirm this ourselves, but based on what happened to me, I’d suggest you plan on letting Thomas provide for your family.”

Michelle stared at Beth in disbelief. “Wait, are you suggesting…are you telling us that the drug increases fertility?”

“Pretty sure,” Beth said with a smile. “We’re almost positive that I conceived down in the cave.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Sarah turned to Brad. “We always wanted to have a big family!”

“Wait,” Alex interrupted them, shuffling over to a nightstand where he pulled out a plastic bag. Walking over to Sarah, he smiled as he said, “I’m sorry I didn’t think to give this to you sooner.”

Sarah reached up and took the plastic bag from his hands. To her amazement, she felt her heart skip a beat as she recognized what was inside!

“My ring! Brad! He found my ring!”

Inside the bag was the engagement ring Brad gave her, as well as her driver’s license and her old smart phone. Alex smiled as he confessed, “Back when John and I first captured you past Grove Hill, I took this out of the river tube. I’d promised myself that I would return it to you, but I never got the chance…until now.”

With tears in her eyes, Sarah reached up and hugged Alex. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I thought it was lost with everything else that day.”

Brad reached out to shake his hand. “Thank you. Sarah was devastated when she thought it was lost, but she didn’t want me to spend money on another one.”

“I can understand that,” Alex said, smiling back at Beth, who reached up to touch the engagement ring hanging around her neck, since her pregnancy made her fingers swell. “Seeing as we missed the wedding, it’s the least we could do.”

The conversation continued for a little while before Thomas finally changed the topic by asking, “Hey, Alex, what gives with the family name out on the front mailbox? It said ‘Donald and Melissa Fencer’. Who are they?”

“They’re us,” Alex confirmed. Seeing Thomas’ confusion, he said, “Look, everything you saw on the news reported that I perished here from a lightning strike that burned down the house. That narrative was put out by Christine and the agency she works for to cover everything that happened. If you go back and look at all the footage, you’ll notice that the two SUVs that were used in the assault the night before were missing. That’s because the agency got rid of them. In fact, they swept the entire area around the house, after I warned them about a few traps that hadn’t been tripped, and they removed all traces of the battle. There were no shell casings, no bodies, no weapons, no clothing, nothing remained to suggest that anything other than the lighting strike occurred.”

“You see,” Beth picked up for him. “Once Christine and the agency found us, they knew that we needed to be protected from anyone who might come searching for Alex. He told us that he wiped Bio-SciTech’s database, so we three were safe, but they knew where Alex lived and what he looked like, so when Alex said he wanted to rebuild the house, the agency agreed, so long as we submitted to having our identities changed and all our personal information erased and replaced as Mr. and Mrs. Donald and Melissa Fencer, distant relatives of Alex Sharp. This way, we could continue to keep the land and rebuild the house. Since no one from the company survived the battle, there is no one who can attest to what the house looked like, or what the interior was like.”

“So you’re basically hiding in plain sight,” Brad stated and Alex nodded in agreement.

“It’s a risk,” Alex acknowledged, “but it’s a risk we’re willing to take. Not to mention, Christine promised that they’d check up on us once a month. However, I had to agree to a little project for them.”

“Project,” Thomas asked. “Like what? Becoming the new river monitor for the Shenandoah?”

For once, it was Alex’s turn to look surprised as Thomas stared at him. “What? What did I say?”

“Actually,” Alex began. “You’re exactly right. The Virginia State Water Authority, as a result of a helpful suggestion by an individual who will remain nameless…”

Thomas leaned over and whispered in Michelle’s ear, “Christine.”

“…has determined that Mr. Donald Fencer, who has a Master’s Degree in Wildlife Resources Management…”

“He’s very proud of that degree,” Beth said to everyone’s amusement, causing Alex to give her a stern, yet amused look.

“…will conduct regular inspections of the Shenandoah River from the headwaters north of the town of Luray, all the way down past the dam near Grove Hill, and continuing to the town of Shenandoah itself. In addition, I’ll be tasked with doing regular groundwater testing as well as cataloguing any deviations in wildlife populations over the next five years.”

“In other words,” Beth said. “He’s going to be paid by the state to do what he enjoyed doing all along. He’ll be out in the field during the days, and will be home in time for dinner every night.”

“And sometimes, I bring dinner home with me, literally.”

“He’s allowed to hunt while in the field, so he brings home deer at least once a month. He’s filled the cellar with plenty of meat for the winter,” Beth confirmed.

A few hours later, with it dark outside and snow falling, Beth excused herself, asking Sarah to come with her as she waddled down the hall, up the stairs and into the master bedroom. There, hanging on the wall above the bed, was a beautiful dreamcatcher, similar to the one she remembered hanging over the fireplace before the fire.

“I know everyone will be staying the night until the storm passes, but I wanted to take the time to give you this before I forgot. Alex tells me I’ve been suffering from maternity brain lately, you know, that thing where pregnant women are forgetful a lot?” She and Sarah giggled as she gently pulled the dreamcatcher off the wall. “When we returned to normal and started seeing what was left from the fire, Alex was sad to find that most mementos of his family were gone. There’s a blue ribbon he keeps down in the cave by his computer, but not much else. So, once I began showing signs of pregnancy, I decided to develop a hobby to keep me busy while I ballooned with the twins. This was the very first one that I did, based off the one Alex’s grandmother created years ago.”

Sarah reached out and gazed at the pattern woven into the wooden circle. Amongst the gossamer-like threads, tiny colored glass beads encircled a large amber jewel in the center, representing the planets of the solar system, while feathers and wooden beads hung from leather straps on either side of the loop.

“It’s beautiful,” Sarah gasped as she admired it. “But if it’s based on the one his grandmother made, shouldn’t you let him keep this?”

Beth smiled and gently declined as Sarah tried to give it back. “She made two of them. The first was destroyed, but the second one hangs over his desk in the cave. No, I made this one for you and Brad. I’m working on another one for Michelle and Thomas for their wedding present.”

“Thank you,” Sarah whispered before hugging Beth and feeling the twins kicking. “Oh my goodness!”

Beth smiled. “You think they’re active now? Give them a while, they’ll be doing somersaults.” The two women laughed as Sarah placed her hand on Beth’s belly and felt the two babies moving. “Actually, there is one other thing I wanted to give you.”

“Beth, you don’t have to, really,” Sarah protested as Beth turned around and opened a dresser drawer to pull out a bag.

“I managed to find a place in Luray that carries your favorite.”

In Beth’s hand was an enormous bag of pretzel rods, the very same kind she bought the day they went tubing. For something so trivial, the bag brought back memories and Sarah sniffed as she hugged her friend again. “I thought I’d lost you,” she whispered softly.

“I know,” Beth replied. “Christine told us what you and Michelle said and did for me at graduation.”

“I’m sorry you couldn’t get your degree,” Sarah said.

Beth shook her head. “I’m not. Like I told Michelle, it was just a humanities studies degree anyway. I don’t need it now. Besides, I’m happy knowing that I’m going to be a mom, and I have a loving husband.”

“Husband?” Sarah blinked in confusion. “When did you get married?”

Beth cringed for a moment. “Oh yeah, sorry about that, pregnancy brain. After we returned to normal, Christine explained the restrictions we’d be forced to follow. All of our information was sealed. Our tax records, driver’s license, social security numbers, bank accounts, everything. We were officially declared dead. However, to help with our new identities, we went to the Justice of the Peace in Luray. We were officially married on Friday, August 7th of last year. My maiden name was listed as Melissa Hamilton, but now I’m Melissa Fencer.”

“That’s going to take some getting used to,” Sarah admitted.

Beth shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. Any time you come to visit, I’ll always be Beth, just Beth Sharp, unofficially of course.”


Eventually, Beth retired for the evening, the babies simply wore her out. After a while, Sarah and Michelle also went to bed, with Brad and Thomas promising to join them soon. They followed Alex out to the front porch to sit down and watch the snow falling across the valley. It was so peaceful, not a car or plane to be heard, nothing to break the silence that lay over the mountainside.

“This is amazing,” Brad commented, taking a sip of his cider. “I’ll admit, Sarah and I love our house near the beach in Chesapeake, but if we had the option, this would be a great second home.”

Alex chuckled at Brad’s comment, leaning forward to adjust the bracing which encased his leg. “You’re all welcome to come and visit any time. We have plenty of room. I’d like to think that Grandma and Grandpa built this place for children. There’s certainly everything we could wish for: paths to hike, streams to fish and play in. The wildlife isn’t afraid to come down and visit now that the house is finished.”

“I was going to ask about that,” Thomas said thoughtfully. “How in the world did you manage to get the house rebuilt so fast? I know we weren’t here long, but I’d swear that it looks almost exactly like it did the last time, barring the upgrades you pointed out, of course.”

Alex smiled as he thought back. “Once Christine’s associates found us, there were discussions on what to do. Obviously, we knew too much to be able to risk G.R.U. and Bio-SciTech discovering that we survived. Our survival was covered up…certain individuals convinced to make it look as if we perished that night.” Seeing the two men’s expectant looks, Alex added, “Which isn’t to say that they didn’t try to come around, but luckily our new identities held up to scrutiny and they’ve not been back since.”

“And the house…?” Thomas asked again.

With a shrug, Alex said, “Grandpa left blueprints down in the cave on his computer, and since the foundation survived the fire intact, all the builders needed to do was begin construction. They managed to finish in just under four months, thanks to the weather cooperating. The furniture we got moved in just before Christmas and by New Year’s, you couldn’t tell that there was ever a fire here.”

Looking out across the valley, Alex sighed in contentment. “When my Grandpa brought me up here, I thought I’d lost everything.” Smiling as he tilted his glass to finish his drink, Alex said, “I can’t imagine living anywhere else now.”

A few minutes later, Brad and Thomas excused themselves to go to bed. Alex bid them good night, choosing to remain outside. As the snow continued to fall, he silently stared out into the wintry night, able to see just to the tree line out past the car shed, and down into the valley until the darkness and snow obscured the view. A faint glow illuminated the valley, cast by the lights from the houses and businesses far below, which lit the sky enough to see the landscape around him. Off toward the gravel driveway leading down to the main highway below, Alex caught movement and froze, waiting as a shadow moved slowly, passing from one tree to the next like a silent ghost. As it passed within twenty yards of the house, the shadow resolved into a camouflaged figure who paused and turned his head. Two pale, green eyes stared back at him from night-vision goggles as the sentinel raised a hand and moved on, quietly disappearing into the dark.

Alex nodded to himself as he relaxed. Christine’s associates. They promised him and his family protection from any reprisals from Bio-SciTech and G.R.U. in return for his vigilance over the river and surrounding land. It was a fair deal, one he intended to honor. This visitation was simply a reminder: We’ve got your back.

Rising to his feet, Alex stretched, grabbed his glass and turned to head back inside, except he sensed something. Turning, he found himself staring at the ghostly figure of his grandfather. As Alex felt a momentary jolt of surprise, Norman Sharp leaned against the railing by the front steps, a smile on his face.

Surprised to see me, son? The ghostly figure’s voice whispered on the wind.

“I suppose you could say that,” Alex replied softly, the tension fading. “It’s been awhile. I thought maybe we said our goodbyes that night when the house burned down.”

Norman chuckled, the sound echoing. In a way we did, but that doesn’t mean your grandmother or I went away. This is our land after all. Even if you’re forced to conceal who you are from others to protect your family, you can’t hide who you are from us.

“So…what? Are you and grandma haunting the place?”

Norman laughed, a sound Alex couldn’t remember hearing for a long time, but it brought a smile to his face. Still not sure if we’re figments of your imagination or ghostly apparitions? Seeing his grandson hesitate, Norman smiled. You’re not crazy, son. Never were. Maybe it’s our heritage that allowed us to come back. Regardless, we won’t haunt you; maybe look out for you, but nothing more. I just came back to let you know…we’re both very proud of what you did and what you’ve become.

Hearing those words coming from his grandfather, Alex sighed and bowed his head. “Thank you.”

Your friends, they’re the ones you saved that day?

“Yes.”

His grandfather nodded respectfully. I’m glad. You and your wife need friends, even if you have to keep secret who you are. Turning away, Norman walked down the stairs, across the snow-covered gravel driveway without leaving a mark. As he reached the tree line, he turned back to face Alex, who watched him from the porch. You take care of your family, son. You’re a good man, and I know you’ll raise those kids right.

Alex watched as the spectral image of his grandfather faded into the blowing snow until he disappeared. It was several minutes before Alex turned his gaze away from the trees, feeling a sense of completion. All he ever wanted to do was make his grandfather proud. For a time, he feared he’d failed, but hearing his grandfather speak those words; it was like a weight was lifted from his shoulders.

“I will, thanks to you,” Alex whispered softly.

Finally, he went inside, locking the door and setting the alarms before going upstairs. In the master bedroom, Beth was nestled in the enormous bed, blankets covering her and the babies from the cold. Stripping to his briefs, Alex slipped under the covers and reached an arm out to hug his wife to his side.

“Mmmm, it’s about time you came to bed. The babies missed you,” Beth whispered softly.

“Oh they did, did they?” He leaned down to kiss her neck, causing Beth to giggle. “What about you?”

Beth’s eyes opened slowly, staring up at him lovingly. “I don’t miss you because I know you’re always here with me. But I do miss feeling you next to me, just to keep me warm.”

“Just to keep you warm, hmmm? Nothing else?”

Beth’s smile widened. “Well…maybe something more. Hopefully after the babies are born, we can have some play time again.”

“It’s going to be tough, you know,” he reminded her. “If the babies need you and we’re shrunk, it still takes time to grow enough for you to take care of them. We may have to wait.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Beth said wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him against her belly. “In the meantime…”

Alex nodded and reached down to run his hands over Beth’s belly, producing a moan as she stretched in arousal and kissed him softly on the lips. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

THE END

[MarauderTDL]

And there you have it!

Shenandoah Surprise, the revised version of the original "Toobin' Down the River"!

I'd actually finished re-writing this story about three years ago (you can thank Covid for me having the time to do it) and I'd originally intended to turn it into an offering on Amazon Kindle, but I never got around to learning how to publish, so I sat on it. Eventually, I decided to just post it here so you all could enjoy it.

Seriously though...I've been good about asking for feedback, but if you've gotten to this point, it means you've read the entire story. So come on...I'd really like to know your feedback, and don't just say "It was great!" If you read the original Toobin', how did you compare it to the original (besides the obvious fact that it was longer)? Did you enjoy the character development? Were there things that you felt needed more work? I know we're not talking New York Times Bestseller list, but let me know.

To give you some backstory on how I decided to revise it, I wanted the story to take the original version, and put it into a bigger story about a young man attempting to overcome a personal loss that left him disconnected from society and how he overcame it. Granted, I put him into the obvious hero role, with a backstory that made him out to be really good, if socially awkward. Alex's introduction with his grandfather was deliberately supposed to tug on the heartstrings. It allowed me to set Alex up for his hero's journey. Next, I took the original three women: Beth, Michelle and Sarah, with the original story, and fleshed it out so that there was more to enjoy. John Carlton...he was fairly easy...the bad guy everyone wanted to hate.

When I originally wrote this story, it didn't have a connection to the rest of what I like to call the SWU (Shrinking Women Universe). However, over time, I decided that I wanted there to be a strong connection, not only to other stories I wrote, but also to Minimizer's Tales of Miniaturization. Some of you probably even caught the references I added: Christine Michaels (Tina LeFay) was the female character from an earlier story I wrote "For the Love of a Woman" which was also where I introduced the characters of Doctor Torunaga and Thomas Hendricks. That story also linked directly to Minimizer's Tales of Miniaturization. In essence, Shenandoah Surprise became the way that I was able to expand upon my stories connecting with Minimizer's stories in such a way that if we ever wanted to, we could continue to write more stories with these ones becoming the foundation for the series.

In the end, I hope that you enjoyed this revised version. Please feel free to comment. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to respond.

MarauderTDL signing off.

[Raso719]

I'm super thrilled you shared this! I feel like this was a way less fetishy take on the original, and I totally dig that from a creative perspective.

Do you think this also ties into Always Follow the Directions? If there were direct connections I must've missed them.