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  Jonathan smashed through the steel roof of the bus, just behind the driver. The driver screamed—partly for the explosion behind him and partly for the massive creature that had landed directly in front of him. There was no time to hit the brakes, though he tried.

  The bus slammed into Nemesis as soon as he touched down on the pavement. He had seen the bus as he fell, had even landed on his feet, but it didn’t matter. The front of the bus exploded upon impact with the creature. Glass flew everywhere. Metal framing twisted into vile shapes and jagged edges.

  Nemesis held onto the bus, holding him. He was embedded in the huge grill of the machine. “Stop the bus!â€� he bellowed to the driver.

  The driver looked like he might have a heart attack at any moment. He had already tried to hit the brakes, but instead had slipped to the gas pedal when he hit Nemesis.

  “Keep going!â€� Jonathan roared from behind. He tried to get up. The driver watched the battered, bloody young man grab the steering wheel and jam his foot onto the gas pedal. Nemesis watched him, too.

  The bus sped up, the motor howling its indignation through the vibrating sub-frame. Nemesis tried fitfully to extricate himself from the ruined front of the bus. He drew back a thick right arm and plunged it through the metal into the cabin. Thick, bloody fingers burst through, grabbed the steering wheel, then wrenched it from Jonathan’s hands before he could counter.

  The bus careened into several parked cars and lurched to a stop. Inertia carried Jonathan’s unbelted body through the fractured windshield. He landed among the twisted wreckage of parked cars, unconscious.

  HALLOWED_BE_THY_NAME

  30 PREPARATION

  Nemesis pushed with all his might against the twisted wall of metal. Slowly, but surely, the bus rolled backward until he had enough room to remove himself. The impact with the cars had freed him from the bus. Jonathan was nowhere in sight. The dazed bus driver moaned, raising his head from the steering wheel.

  Nemesis gave a final push and stood on his feet. Sirens wailed in the distance. “I don’t have time for all of this—not now.â€� He had to retrieve his mutagen from the vault at Genetic Corp, and dose up. Only then would the Enhancement Serum take a permanent hold.

  Nemesis pushed past the wrecked bus and walked into the street. Traffic remained non-existent here, because of the road blocks already in place further back. He breathed deeply, then took off running down the road toward the Genetic Corp building.

  •••

  Jonathan blinked until the world came into focus again. He felt pain—searing pain coursing white hot through his lower extremities. Oil dripped on his face from a fractured oil pan, belonging to the mangled car sitting on top of him. He smelled gas and realized the danger he was truly in.

  The motor of the vehicle hung mere inches from his face. He barely had room to maneuver his arms, but with effort he managed. Jonathan pushed hard, but in his dazed condition he could not budge the vehicle covering him.

  He stopped, trying to get air, the weight of the car restricting his breathing. Every exhale allowed the vehicle to settle further down on him, like a python strangulating its next meal. Panic issued at the corners of his consciousness, but he fought it back and prayed.

  “Father, I need your help. I can’t do this on my own.â€� He labored to breathe. “I don’t understand why all of this has happened, but I know you’re in control. Please help me to stop Trenton!â€� He breathed again, finishing his prayer in the name of Jesus.

  Jonathan tried to push the car again. The gassy smell grew stronger. How long would it be before it reached something able ignite it? His arms shook violently. He felt muscle fibers tearing away inside his arms. He tried to keep from screaming.

  The mass of twisted metal sitting on top of him moved.

  Emboldened, Jonathan thrust up with his pelvis to aid his beleaguered arms. He groaned, pushing with all the strength he had left. The car overturned, rolling onto its side away from him.

  Jonathan stood on his feet. He became dizzy, almost falling. He felt so exhausted. How long had it been since he’d eaten something? The mutagen had him burning calories on overdrive. He rested his hands on his thighs and panted, trying to catch his breath, hoping to clear his head.

  “Hey, are you all right?â€� a voice called out from the street.

  Jonathan looked over on the other side of the crashed bus to find a truck had stopped. The driver stood next to the dazed bus driver, looking at Jonathan. His gaze fell on the truck itself—a donut delivery truck!

  “Sugar!â€�

  Jonathan staggered over to the truck. “I need to get some food—some sugar—anything.â€�

  “What?â€�

  Jonathan pulled out a wad of cash from his pants. He fumbled with the bills—twenties mostly, then dropped the entire bundle into the man’s hand.

  The man stood there dumbfounded. Jonathan—bloody and battered—made his way to the back of the donut truck and raised the sliding door.

  A wall of gooey sweetness lay before Jonathan. He smiled, almost laughing. “Thank you, Lord Jesus!â€� He snatched an armful of boxes, tore one open, and devoured one after another. He raised one in a toast to the stunned delivery truck driver, then ran down the street toward the Genetic Corp building, mere blocks away.

  •••

  Only a few officers remained on duty at the Genetic Corp building when Michael arrived. “Remember, Jay, you stay with the car. This should be out of the way enough. You won’t be in Trenton’s path, but don’t get out,â€� Michael said.

  “Do you honestly think I want to get anywhere near that thing again? He almost tore my foot off.â€�

  “Point taken,â€� Michael said. “By the way, how’s the pain?â€�

  “It hurts like crazy, but I’ll live until we can get this over with and kill that thing.â€�

  Michael removed a pistol from his holster and handed it to Jay. “Here, take this—just in case.â€�

  Jay looked at it. “Just in case of what—wanting to make him really mad?â€�

  Michael laid the weapon on the front seat. “Okay, but it will make me feel better about you being left here alone.â€�

  He opened the car door and got out. Robert and his men had already begun unloading explosives from their truck, along with the necessary rigging devices, and equipment. Michael examined the building, trying to gauge the work that lay ahead for them.

  Robert walked up beside him. “It’s pretty big, but not too big for what I’ve brought.â€�

  “I’ve already radioed ahead to the officers on duty. They’ll remain until Nemesis enters the building. After that, they know to clear out.â€�

  Robert scratched his five o’ clock shadow and smiled. “Then let’s get started.â€�

  •••

  Nemesis approached the Genetic Corp building cautiously. He might have greater strength and power right now, but he wasn’t going to face off against the police, unprepared for a trap. Fewer policemen stood guard at the building now. Undoubtedly, they had been spread thin by all of his recent activity.

  He knew he could do this one of two ways—direct assault or try to sneak in. He realized the authorities had most likely radioed ahead. He wouldn’t be surprising anybody. His encounter with Jonathan had weakened his reserves again, even with the enhancement onboard. He needed food and rest, but not until he got the mutagen again.

  Whatever he was becoming, he didn’t have any intention of stopping the process. He had become far more powerful than before. Even if he looked like a monster, Trenton wanted the transformation to reach his full potential. Being a mere man held no luster for him now. He would become the pinnacle—a god in flesh.
/>   Nemesis strode through the parking lot littered with police vehicles. He walked right up to the barricades in place before the main entrance to the building. The police officers on duty shuddered at the sight of him. Obviously, they had been expecting the man Trenton Hallowed used to be.

  The policemen aimed their weapons at him. One of the men spoke to him through a megaphone. “Trenton Hallowed, you are ordered to surrender immediately, or we’ll open fire.â€�

  Nemesis laughed. “Take a good look at who you’re threatening, Officer. I’ve been shot dozens of times, tasered, hit by a bus, crashed through buildings, and busted out of a reinforced titanium vault. I’ve faced down an entire SWAT team and destroyed an entire police precinct full of men like yourself.â€� He laughed again. “I think you should surrender. Lay down your guns, and I’ll let you walk away. You can go home to your families tonight, instead of the morgue.â€�

  The police officers looked confused. Some of them were really considering it. The captain had more resolve. He forced his men into action before they could lose their courage. “Fire!â€�

  Twenty officers opened up on Nemesis with nothing more than machine guns. Some of the men screamed furiously, remembering their fellow officers who had died recently at the hands of this monster. They wanted vengeance. A few others among them had tears rolling down their cheeks. They realized they would not return to their wives and children, today.

  The flesh burst open all over Nemesis’s body as bullets tore into him—mosquitoes. He picked up two of the steel barricades setting before him and whipped them in a circle around his body—releasing them toward the officers. The two barricades smashed through the officers, and then through the glass, and steel façade making up the main entrance. Policemen fell like shattered bowling pins. The fight ended that quickly. “I tried to tell you,â€� Nemesis said. He walked toward the destroyed entrance. Bodies, blood, and glass lay everywhere peppered with the spent shell casings from their machine guns. He shook his head at the captain’s body, with his broken megaphone. “You killed them by not listening.â€� Nemesis walked past the carnage into the Genetic Corp building.

  •••

  Michael placed a bundle of explosives against one of the structural supports for the building. He had been working in the basement with Bob, one of Robert’s crew, for the past twenty minutes. Robert had unpacked a stash of C4 that he had gotten his hands on. He had been very hush-hush about where it came from. “Let’s just say, I know people, Officer.â€�

  Considering the situation, Michael had been more than willing to let it slide. His only concern, at this point, was getting this building to come down on top of Trenton Hallowed. With any luck, Jonathan had been successful in delaying Trenton.

  Gunshots popped far away, reverberating through the building to the basement level. Bob looked at Michael. “He’s here,â€� Michael said. “We’ve got to finish the job, fast!â€� He heard a crash from outside.

  “What was that?â€� Bob asked.

  “I don’t know.â€� Michael listened. The machine gun fire had ceased abruptly. “I have a feeling our first line of defense just went down.â€�

  Bob stammered. “There were twenty cops out there with M-16s!â€�

  “I know,â€� Michael said. “Keep working.â€�

  HALLOWED_BE_THY_NAME

  31 DEMOLITION

  Nemesis passed through the lobby where a gala banquet had taken place several nights ago. This was also where he had strung up an entire SWAT unit like macabre marionettes. All had been cleared by now.

  He needed to get to the fourth floor to complete the mutation process. The Generation X Mutagen resided safely in his vault. Nemesis only needed to reach it in order to remain a god, permanently. He started for the stairs, noticing that only partial power had been restored to the building. He laughed to himself. They certainly had not sent very many officers to guard the building.

  Nemesis stopped on the stairs. They had only left twenty men to face down all that he had now become. Something was wrong. He smelled a trap.

  Nemesis ran up the stairs. He stopped at the second floor, turning down the dim corridor. He needed to be sure of something before he finished the last part of his research.

  •••

  Richard and his men had divided up appropriately in order to plant the explosives in the shortest amount of time possible. He had sent them in two man groups throughout the building. The light was sparse inside Genetic Corp, but they each wore headlamps with elastic bands on them.

  Richard worked on the second floor with a slim man known to their crew by the name Trigger. He had received the name due to his penchant for always being on the switch when it came time to blow the charges. “It’s awful hot in here,â€� Trigger complained. He wiped the sweat from his high forehead, then replaced his ball cap.

  Richard finished another charge. “Looks like they’re only running on emergency power here. Air conditioning units must be shut down. The air is stale.â€�

  They heard creaking above them. “We’d better hurry and finish this. We need to get to the others and find out what that noise was.â€�

  Richard finished a charge on another support column. The C4 would allow them to bypass some of the setup work normally done on a job like this. “You know what that noise was. It was that thing coming through the police. Mike said it would go to the fourth floor, looking for some kind of chemical. While it’s busy with that, we blow this place sky high and be done with it.â€�

  Trigger looked around them in the dark. “Can’t be too soon for me.â€� He planted another charge and moved to another support.

  “Don’t worry, Trigger, it doesn’t even know we’re here.â€�

  •••

  Nemesis watched the color monitor. His enhanced bulk took up most of the available space in the security control room. On nearly ten monitors, he watched pairs of men he had never seen before. The men appeared to be placing some sort of explosive charges on the building’s supports.

  He laughed to himself, spotting Detective Stamos among them. The detective had apparently finished with his work in the basement. He and another man walked toward the basement level stairwell, opened the door, and disappeared from the monitor. The pair appeared on another monitor ascending the stairs toward the main level landing.

  Nemesis thought about the situation. The men were working feverishly to plant their charges, evidently hoping to blow him up. He had the opportunity to take the fight to them, but if they blew the charges now, the mutagen would be destroyed.

  He turned, pushing through the door, out into the main corridor. He walked toward his private elevator. The keypad held a faint glow. Nemesis knew it to be the only elevator in the whole building that was wired to the emergency generator. He tried to tap the code sequence into the pad, but his bloated fingers couldn’t manage it.

  Instead, he placed his palms on the elevator doors, pushed, then pulled them apart. The doors groaned, but complied with his great strength. The elevator car lit up beyond. Nemesis ducked his head and pushed his way inside. The maneuver to press the fourth floor button was nearly as difficult as the keypad outside, but he finally got it. The doors closed eagerly, and the elevator began its ascent toward the fourth floor and his mutagen.

  The number four appeared on the level indicator, and the elevator doors opened. He pushed his great body out into the hallway, walking toward the lab. He took notice of the damage inflicted through his fight with the police. The laboratory door had still not been replaced. He walked inside.

  Nemesis spotted the vault in the half light. He smiled at the open vault door. “That little punk actually got it open.â€� He almost laughed when he thought of breaking the boy’s ankle in ord
er to get him to open the vault.

  Nemesis strode to the vault and peered inside. His mutagen canisters remained safe in the rack where he had left them a week ago. No time for formalities, he thought. Nemesis opened the valves wide open on the two canisters. The green fog of Generation X Mutagen filled the confines of the security vault. Nemesis washed in the vapors, breathing deeply.

  The chemical mist penetrated his lungs. Gas exchange took place, allowing the mutagen into his bloodstream and the waiting molecules of Tanner’s Enhancement Serum. The two molecules bonded instantly in Trenton’s blood. The new molecule now began its move, not only through his bloodstream, but into the tissues throughout his body.

  Nemesis slumped to the floor. His body began to convulse again, but this time, he rode the painful waves, a kind of new ecstasy. “No pain, no gain,â€� he muttered through tight lips. His muscles tensed and released. Bulging arms and legs jerked in every direction. He tried not to fight, but Nemesis did notice that something unexpected was taking place.

  He had expected the chemicals to bond in his blood, making his earlier transformation a permanent one, but this was different. His body began to mutate again. The organs felt as though they were bursting within him. The pain became excruciating.

  Nemesis felt overwhelmed by what was happening. He wondered if somehow this new event might very well kill him. Unconsciousness swept over him—his last thought, a firm hope that he would wake again.

  •••

  Nemesis awoke. The pain had turned to something…else. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. He felt strangely numb, but rather than dulled senses, Nemesis suspected that his very nerves had become something new.