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  With that done Drake took the wheel and promptly shut down the van's link to the global net. Sure there was still the transponder, but that would only be activated after their ride was reported stolen. This gave them a few hours before they would have to ditch, and hopefully in those few hours they would have what they needed.

  "Cop sitting behind us." Jenny watched Drake's hands clench and unclench on the wheel. "Lights aren't on." She saw him relax visibly.

  When they started moving again Drake grimaced, "I can't punch through government chatter or the local nets without leaving a blazing beacon anyone could see from orbit, sorry."

  Jenny laughed while arranging her hair. "Guess we go about it the old fashioned way hm?"

  "Guess so." Shelly agreed, though with a touch of resentment. "I liked being able to get in or out anywhere at a whim though."

  While he continued driving Drake smirked, "I thought you liked a challenge. Using me to sledgehammer my way through security doesn't seem that hard. Just think of this as a feather in your cap. If they've pegged us as something to keep an eye out for that means they think you're too good at what you do to be left alone."

  "Well when you put it that way.." Shelly trailed off, but seemed a little happier for the exchange.

  From: Col. Starbride, Elly

  To: Pvt. Kamio, Sara

  Subject: Smokescreen

  Your intelligence and probable movements concerning Subject #45100R since his escape has proven accurate so far. I am having you transferred to my command where your experience with this man will prove better use than the think tanks have. Unfortunately after his escape from local forces by as-yetunknown means he hasn't resurfaced. Under advice that you had given on the subject's habits I have taken a look at the case file they had opened on him concerning stolen items from a local museum. On a hunch I had my own teams search the place and discovered several fakes, all having been placed there the night that our target was caught.

  The items we found forgeries of are:

  A Mk II Holocube reportedly containing a copy of Chun Lau’s mind.

  The last surviving node of the Deep Six super-cluster.

  An A34 Centurion interface.

  Other than their possible worth on the black market I personally cannot see any connections, however you have proven, repeatedly, your ability at guessing motives and direction. We're running leads to see who might have contracted persons matching our target and the other two suspects. Hopefully, if this is just a way of scarring up money instead of something deeper, we might be able to outflank him.

  They had a time getting everything together, but thankfully when they had been caught it had been during the tail end of the run, after the important pieces had been swapped out. Actually they had been caught because of personal greed on Drake's part. Granted Shelly could be considered to have egged him into it she always wanted that extra little bit if she thought they could get away with it.

  He didn't blame her for it really, that's just part of how she was wired. Jenny, possibly, could have been the voice of reason, but she was always the one to want to try new things. So that left him as the voice of reason and caution in this little trio. Drake wondered which of the Gods were laughing hardest at that joke. Not that it mattered in the end, not really.

  From: Col. Starbride, Elly

  To: Gen. Picard, David Stern

  Subject: Regarding Project Shifter

  I understand your concern, Sir, about my command's ability to keep track of any further experiments done in light of Subject #45100R. I can only stress that had

  we been better equipped during the retrieval phase of Mana Burn we would not be in our current situation. Also given that I have been assigned several officers to observe and record as well as several security teams that specialize in containing singular individuals I feel that leaving Project Shifter under my command would not pose any undue risks.

  For the record I will point out that other than #45100R my team has produced or enhanced roughly 83% of the armed service's specialist beings, so I have experience in dealing not only with their creation and training, but how to handle instances where they may eventually become a danger, either by mental instability or aggression.

  In this light I ask that any and all files concerning the multidimensional being, referred to in civilian police reports forwarded to your desk as 'Jenny'. While the samples we had acquired will provide both a physical and astral duplicate of the subject I feel that the picture my command has of her capabilities is incomplete, and thus continuing with the duplication process could result in another rouge that will need to be neutralized rather than a viable asset.

  Col. Elly Starbride

  They had many calls to make, favors to call in, people to bribe, and all that. In the end they would have the parts shipped to a somewhat plush hotel room. Granted Drake would have liked to go somewhat cheaper, but as Shelly saw it anyone looking for them would be busy looking through storage containers people used as makeshift homes, cheap motels, and other decidedly dirty and squalled places. "What better place to hide when they're stomping through garbage than in plush comfort?"

  Drake couldn't argue with the logic there. As he looked at the things they had been caught, and nearly jailed, for having stolen he considered telling the truth. There was no buyer, and the pay-out that they had already gotten was from reserves he had stolen from a bank account that officially didn't exist. He wasn't supposed to do this, not because he was on any sort of mission or anything, but every time he drew against this near bottomless resource it was logged, and they could make a map of where that money went before it was cashed out in hard currency.

  He thought better of that while he was out buying the dozens of little things that would be needed to splice their finds together. He would, eventually, but right now was not the time. It hurt him to lie to either of them, but especially to Shelly. She had taken him in while he was still literally fighting to keep the streets from swallowing him after he had escaped that first time. He owed her the truth once there was a little breathing room, but not now.

  Nobody questioned the things he had bought, or why he paid in cash rather than credits. After all anyone that wanted to build, or upgrade, a home media system would have to buy these things. Shelly helped him with the bags when he came back, and together they started hooking everything in. Why they did this here, rather than wait for the fictitious buyer was explained away as wanting to check to make sure they hadn't stolen fakes, and that everything was in good condition.

  Soon. Soon I'll see if this dead psychic lady can tell me what the hell they did. Drake plugged himself into the system and went rigid. None would hear or see their conversation. He might not make it out of the system, Deep Six had always been temperamental, but nothing since the System Restriction act would have been capable of rebuilding the lady's memories and personality from the cube they had taken.

  Risks always had to be taken where the rewards were worthwhile.

  When he woke it was still dark, but the clock in his implants told him that almost a day had passed. Shelly was there when he woke, and she seemed concerned he had been out so long, especially since all he had supposedly done was buzz the system to make sure everything was in good order. Drake waved her off with a complaint that Deep Six had made things difficult, but if it hadn't he would have suspected it was either a fake, or neutered to current accepted system limits

  Jenny was out sniffing for news instead of her since she passed for human, no matter what she really might be, and therefore would have attracted less notice than Shelly slithering out and about. True there was a reasonable sized lamia community here, but they were still rare enough that most people took notice when one passed through.

  With everything verified it was time to pack up and, once Jenny was back, find safer ground. Drake would spin them a story about hearing whispers through Deep Six of their buyer having been arrested and beyond their help. They would argue, as his thinking went, but they would agree tha
t the best thing they could do now was flee to less violate shores. He didn't like the idea of leaving via Jenny's unique skills yet again, but taking time out on a tropical island or some other suitably idyllic spot while the local heat died down was infinitely better than running and being scared.

  She told me if I wanted to keep my aura from collapse I would have to give up my way of life. Bollocks that. Everyone goes out one way or another. I'm not giving up my fun for a few extra years.

  When they piled in their recently stolen ride Shelly caressed the jewels and baubles of state she had stolen in their last mad run through realities. "Hey Drake, how do I look? Drake laughed at the sight of Shelly wearing what would have been the Elvin queen's jewelry. His laughter lasted long after they shifted.

  From: Gen. Picard, David Stern

  To: Col. Starbride, Elly

  Subject: Re: Shifter Project

  After a comprehensive review of both your department’s as well as your personal records we have found, outstanding issues concerning Former Sergeant Julian Fawkes (subject #45100R) aside, I have been authorized to grant you continued and uncontested command of Project Gholem resources with the following terms.

  You are to give, in addition to the official weekly summary reports, detailed accounting for each department starting with those that have the most contact with test subjects. Given the containment requirements for your proposed project we understandably have concern over how the sympathies of your handling crews lay.

  Instead of the overlay methods used in the majority of your subjects we want you to go with an accelerated growth cloning regime for this subject. While we are fully aware of the risks and historical shortcomings of cloned samples it will provide us with an opportunity to further study these traits in a subject made cooperative by flash conditioning and a re-tooled genome to give us a less aggressive subject. If this first generation clone proves inadequate you will at least have data to further refine the traits you wish to implant, or possibly make a second generation clone to provide further refinements. Authorization for this has been granted, signed, filed both with Central and a hard copy that rests in my personal files.

  I wish you the best of luck and though I am one of those that raised objections at your continued command I will not make undue difficulties in your operation. We serve the same cause, and I only hope that the hoped for ends have justified the means.

  General David Stern Picard

  BLUE SHADOWS

  "Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” - Helen Keller

  Date: 12 May

  Mood: Thoughtful

  Ours was something of a new settlement, but I thought that the split from Morrison was a good idea. It wasn't all that far from there, less than a day from city center to city center, and many of the farms between there and here, including mine, didn't even have to move. Which, on reflection, was probably a major reason I was given such rough treatment in the debate when I sided with those wanting the community to spread out?

  Tonight was my night for the week helping with Border Patrol, and so far it had been the same as it was for the past six months, so for the sake of brevity I shall summarize.

  Billy and I typically took what was left of the old highway down to the edge of the new settlements and, with the help of other teams, went door to door. Normally this amounted to going door to door asking if everything is all right or if they had seen anything out of the ordinary. By that time it was mostly a formality as the refugees from the raiding out west had either settled or passed us by, and we were deep inside New Confederacy territory.

  Much as I disliked the general attitudes of many of the Southern Revivalists, they protect their own. As a brief aside, I wonder how they managed to stay in power. Did racism not die out as a political platform in my grandfather’s time? With the Lee administration and the Humanists in power in all four subsets of the senate I suppose not. While I didn't like some of their policies I was not about to abandon my family's farm, or Billy for that matter.

  The first time I went on night watch was the worst. We were still finding Ferals from the last brushfire spat between us, the Northern Alliance and whichever ally nations could be sucked in. The people that lost out worst were those who had been abandoned very young and left to grow without any contact from other humans. Poor souls. Try keeping that thought in your mind with one at your thought clawing and snarling like a half-starved jackal.

  Standing orders were to try capturing them, and where possible we did try. The problem was in most cases we simply cannot risk it, given how rare antibiotics have become and how long it takes to get to a decent hospital. Its messy business when one of them has to be put down and God forgive me for what I have done. I shall speak no more of this.

  Aside from Ferals were the more usual creatures one found in the more rural places. Wild dogs, cats, the occasional ‘yote and on three different occasions I saw an exotic. Thankfully most flee when people would get close, but I had almost been made a meal by one of the great cats. Couldn't say that was fun, and always grateful I only had scars to show for the encounter instead of missing limbs. As I consolation my father had gotten a new rug.

  New settlers were still coming in, though nowhere near as many as in the first few months. Still, that's the point of these patrols, to check to see if everyone in a given place is who they say they are, to find anyone who's just arrived and hasn't registered with Housing, and to give everyone living here a sense that they can sleep at night. I suppose that made us police officers in a way. However, we never had badges, or in most cases guns, though every team was required have one.

  Regardless, serving with them made me feel good about myself; despite the fact my left arm was still in a sling from the last runner we had. Carelessness on my part really, and I was lucky his aim was off since I'm sure he was aiming for my head. I was even luckier that Billy was there.

  For those that are unaware Billy was one of those oddities formally referred to as a Genetically Modified and Enhanced Human, or informally at least here where I was raised, as gholem, or many of the more common slurs which will not be repeated here. While not beautiful in the classical sense, her features and general build do lend a certain charm. Then again I might have been a bit predisposed on the matter, and took her differences in stride.

  Once Patrol was done it was almost sunrise. Sadly these all night runs threw my sleep patterns off, which was the reason one would find me awake writing both my official entries for work as well as in this journal. I could not express how badly I wished I was as sound a sleeper as Billy was, but to each their own patterns.

  Almost time to let the chickens loose and milk the cow. Didn't want to, and even though I was well aware Billy could do the work in my stead, I didn't want to get in the habit of her doing in my place. Moreover, not all of the animals were kindly disposed to her. Perhaps I would write more after I finished with the morning chores. More likely I would end up taking another nap Moments such as these made me envy that Billy could get by on three hours of sleep.

  Date: 12 May

  Mood: Grief

  OK, the fence was repaired and my chores for the day seemed done. That was never really the case, as something else always either needed to be fixed, animals that could use this or that, or something that could be worked on. Still, my workload for the day was as done as it would have gotten with the sun down. It took talent to write while walking, or in my case frequent stops to pen my thoughts down. Said 'walk' consisted of pacing an eightacre lot there were plenty of opportunity for thoughts on all manner of subject.

  It wouldn't do to have only the exciting bits of one's life put down if it had no context. Yes yes picture shows and plays could be found by the cart or truck full that did exactly that. Such has never been my way, and I apologize if that was expected.

 
Where was I? Oh yes. Out for a walk on my property.

  Naturally I wasn't alone, while I didn't exactly fear Ferals, four legged or otherwise, encroaching I wasn't going to act a complete fool in the dark. So while I walked, my two dogs roamed roughly along the same path. They were well trained and stayed fairly close to me, so I feel secure enough to relax. Pity really, because fatigue caught up with me, and I skirted the land of Nod, quite content in the warm night and what I presumed to be the safety of my own property. So when it attacked my first, and only, warning had been the sounds of both of my dogs made when they laid into the intruder.

  Both were rather large, and would have been considered mongrel by any standard, and each weighed easily over a hundred pounds. Even so both were tossed about like a child's stuffed animals. All I could tell was the approximate shape, roughly humanoid and approximately a head taller than me, and the one and only clear glimpse I got before I turned to run was it tossing Cholo away.

  Right then I had hidden in the cattle barn and. Deus... if it herd half as well as I could then it should have been able to find me by the sound of my heartbeat. Maybe the noises the animals made masked mine, I hoped so anyway.

  Three hours after I'd taken my walk I finally return to find my home as I'd left it. Billy taking her nap, the radio emanating soft static due to curfew. I know it happened, no dream feels that real, plus I was still in my work clothes.

  Morning

  Dogs covered but left unburied, taking the horse in town to get Michael to look at the bodies before I bury them. For once I took Billy's suggestion and took the shotgun with me.

  Michael finished looking them over and is talking with Billy while I take my turn digging the grave. Hard, but not nearly as hard as it would've been had we not had rain a few days back. I loved both of them, raised them, and in return they've helped keep watch over me and mine. I'm only thankful that whoever, or whatever did this wasn't' the sort to stop to 'play' with its prey.