Machine Messiah Chronicles : Project Apex

Chapter 9 House Of Cards

On that night, Joe raced home pushing his muscle car past the speed limit and somehow he managed to arrive at his residence without any incident. When he got inside the house his wife, Laciana was already packed and ready to go. Like a kid of school, Kyle ran and leaped into his father's arms. He gave him a big hug. "Dad, you're alright!" Joe placed his arms around Kyle and kissed him on his forehead before picking up his son and spinning him around pretending that his boy could fly.

It was a game that they always like to play together and one in which always made Kyle happy when he was feeling down. He finally took the time set his son down and looked up at his wife. He gave her a lopsided smile. Joe kneeled down in front of his son. "Of course, I'm alright but I want you to know right now that whatever happens, your mother and I will always love you and be with you. Here." Joe placed his hand on Kyle's heart. Kyle nodded in understanding. "I know."

"It's time to go." Joe grabbed his suitcase that Laciana had packed with all of his scientific works and clothing then as he looked up, she planted a kiss on his lips. He was surprised by the action but understood, it's importance in that exact moment. They quickly bounded towards the door with Joe leading the way when he suddenly stopped in his tracks. It was too late. His acute hearing picked up the sound of a low humming noise outside their home.

Laciana and Kyle's heads whipped around as they heard the sound of machinery outside. They locked eyes with Joe, who was frozen in place with his hand hovering over the doorknob. Fear pulsed through their veins as they realized what was happening.

The reality of the situation hit them all at once as they saw the dozen Alpha squad android foot soldiers surrounding their home, trapping them inside. Joe held Laciana and Kyle tightly, a sense of hopelessness settling over them all. Laciana's eyes filled with tears as she knelt down to Kyle's level and kissed him on both cheeks.

"I love you so much," she whispered, her voice breaking. She brushed her fingers through his hair and cupped his face in her hands. "Mom? Dad?" Kyle's voice trembled as he saw the sadness etched on his parents' faces.

Joe's heart ached as he looked at his son. "I'm so sorry, Kyle. This is all my fault." His voice was thick with emotion, and tears streamed down his face despite his efforts to hold them back.

Laciana shook her head fiercely, her own tears falling. "No, Joe. This isn't just your fault. We all made mistakes." She took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice. "But we're here now, as a family. And I love you all dearly, with all of my heart."

They all stood there, holding each other tightly, the sound of the machinery outside growing louder and louder. The weight of the situation was crushing, but they were determined to face it together as a family.

Laciana's grip on Joe's hand tightened as they braced themselves for the worst. Suddenly, their world was shattered by a blinding light and a deafening explosion. They were thrown to the ground as their home was decimated by a barrage of missiles.

In the aftermath, Laciana and Joe were nowhere to be found. It was assumed that they had perished in the explosion, and after sifting through the rubble their bodies were finally recovered. His clothing was mostly torn from the explosion and also burned but the child was breathing.

As for the boy's parents, there was negative life signs coming from them. For the Alpha squad it was mission accomplished. Their team leader contacted the command center. The only survivor was their son, Kyle.

The Alpha squad arrived on the scene with a team of soldiers, ready to execute their mission. They carefully sifted through the rubble and found Kyle, barely clinging to life. His clothing was torn and burned, and his body was bruised and broken.

As the Alpha squad prepared to take him away, Kyle's eyes flickered open. He looked up at the soldiers with a mix of fear and confusion. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

One of the soldiers replied coldly, "Your parents are dead. We're taking you into custody."

Kyle's heart sank as the reality of the situation set in. His parents were gone, and he was alone. But he refused to show any weakness in front of the soldiers. "Why are you doing this?" he asked, his voice shaking with anger.

The soldier shrugged. "Orders are orders. We don't question them."

Kyle gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He wouldn't let them see him break. "Fine," he said, his voice cold and defiant. "But just know this: I will never forget what you've done here today. And one day, I will make you pay for it."

Kyle then passed out. One of the soldier's chuckled in amusement.

"We've got the boy and his parents have been terminated. We're bringing in the boy now." He carried the boy and placed the child in the back of the medical truck. Four soldiers climbed in the back with the subject who was strapped down with a sedation mask over his nose and mouth.

The truck flew up into the sky as it headed to the command center where, Don Lexington was practically salivating at the prospect of finally staring into the face of a human being unlike any other on the planet Earth. This was his moment to celebrate his victory and what a sweet one it was for him.

Joe and Laciana body were collected by a special cleaner who specialized in dealing with situations like this on a regular basis. His name Earl Flint. Earl was the man who was paid to clean up after the mess of the most powerful man on the planet. Don Lexington.

Earl remembered how earlier that morning, his eyes narrowed as he counted the stacks of cash on the table in front of him. It was a small fortune, but it was worth it to work for the most powerful man on the planet. Don Lexington III was not someone you wanted to cross, and Earl knew that better than anyone.

He had done some questionable jobs for Don in the past, but this one was particularly unsettling. The fact that he was transporting bodies, and not just any bodies, the bodies of Joe and Laciana, made him shiver. But he pushed those thoughts aside, reminding himself of the large sum of money he was being paid to do this.

The couple were placed in the back of his large truck. Each one was on a stretcher. The truck drove then soared above the clouds, heading for a dumping ground to drop the bodies in. As he took the truck through the empty vastness of space, heading towards a disposal station on the moon, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. So, he decided to peek in the back.

As the truck continued on its path, something miraculous happened. Joe's finger moved again, and this time it was more pronounced. Laciana's body also showed signs of life, as her chest slowly rose and fell with each breath. Earl couldn't believe what he was seeing, and he put the truck on auto-flight.

He walked cautiously towards the back of the truck, revealing the two bodies lying on the stretchers. To his amazement, Joe's eyes opened, and he looked up at Earl with a mixture of confusion and wonder. "What... what happened?" he managed to whisper, his voice hoarse from the explosion.

Earl could barely contain his excitement as he helped Joe sit up. "You were in an explosion," he explained, his voice trembling with amazement. "But you're alive. Both of you are alive."

As Joe's mind began to clear, he realized the gravity of what Earl was saying. He looked over at Laciana's still form, hoping beyond hope that she would also awaken. And then, as if on cue, Laciana's eyes fluttered open, and she let out a small gasp.

For a moment, the three of them just stared at each other, their minds struggling to comprehend the impossible. And then, a surge of energy coursed through their bodies, and they knew that they had been given a second chance at life. They hugged each other tightly, tears streaming down their faces as they reveled in the joy of being alive.

Earl's mind raced with possibilities, but one thing was for sure, he was in deep trouble. He couldn't afford to make an enemy out of Don Lexington III, but he also couldn't live with himself if he turned a blind eye to this. The fate of Joe and Laciana was now in his hands, and the weight of that responsibility was crushing.