Winning Choice: “Neither of you should have these formulas. Even if it means nobody new can benefit from them, they’re too dangerous to leave free. I’m destroying them right here and now.”
Author Note: I split this chapter up, so this is the first section, and then 19-2 follows up next.
I'm also trying to get better at replying to comments and questions people have, so if you have ideas or thoughts about the story, post them! And have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday!
Recap: Mandeville gave Brandon some background on the genetic formula and nanobots that give him his powers, but the building was approaching along with two gigantic creatures that are apparently the result of someone other than Mandeville using the formula! Mandeville asked Brandon to help him and his team escape with the latest version of the formula so it wouldn’t fall into the government’s hands.
Mandeville’s jaw drops, but I ignore him and leap across the parking bay to one of the vans. Driving my fists through its rear doors, I spread my arms wide. The van is heavily reinforced, armor plated and solid, but tears apart with a horrendous metallic screech. Inside are piles of gear and electronics, and right in the center are two round, metallic tanks. They’re about two feet tall and seated into a large device that hums and hisses and appears to be keeping the tanks cold.
Were keeping them cold, I should say. I grab the whole apparatus and yank it from the van. People scatter and I hear the engines of several other vans start up. In one heave I smash the tanks into the floor of the garage, cracking them into a dozen twisted pieces. Pink goo splatters out of the tanks, bubbling and steaming as it flows across the dirty floor. It must need to be kept cold, and is boiling away outside of the tanks.
Mandeville runs for one of the vans, probably fearing for his own skin. People like him are usually only brave when they’re in control. Grabbing another van, I tear off the doors and smash the tanks inside that one as well. And a third. I’m moving so quickly people are still struggling to react.
I smash a fourth van, hoping I can get them all before they can get out onto the street or the FBI storms into the building.
I turn towards the fifth van and Mandeville is standing in front of me with a small device in his hand. “I can’t let you do this,” he tells me, and switches it on.
My world explodes into agony. My body burns. From my skin clear through to my bones, everything feels white hot, jagged, and excruciating. I’m on my knees, but don’t remember falling down. My vision is muddy and dark, and my ears howl. I’m screaming, I realize, and force myself to stop.
I try to stand, but merely fall over onto my side. The cool garage floor doesn’t help, and the touch of it feels like knives. Mandeville stands over me, watching.
“The nanobots in your body are not perfect. This signal sends them out of control. It’s a backup plan I’d hoped never to use,” he says.
I try to reach for him, but only manage to crawl a few inches closer. He steps away, staying out of reach.
“Surprising,” he says. “I didn’t expect the reaction to be this severe. But it will fade when we get out of range.” A loud series of crashes comes from deep inside the building, like the whole place is being demolished. “Unfortunately, since the government didn’t have any of our nanobots, these abominations heading our way were created with just the formula and this device won’t work on them.”
I try to stand and my legs will only twitch. Everything is spinning agony.
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry, Brandon,” Mandeville says, and turns back to the vans. “They’re coming in the front,” he shouts. He yells something else to his team but I can’t make it out. My world is pain and at this moment, right here and now, I know why some people choose to die to escape their pain. But I still have to find Nicole, and I can’t let these maniacs continue using the formula.
But as much as I want that, all I can do is lie here on the floor, writhing in agony, unable to even stand. Tyler says something in my ear, asking what’s happening, but I can only moan in reply. Behind me I hear someone in the vans shout to open the garage doors.
In front of me the walls explode.
I see why Tyler called it a giant. It’s easily eight feet tall and seems almost as wide. More than just a large man, every muscle in its body is inflated almost grotesquely. Yet it moves smoothly, deliberately, and unwaveringly. The same way you can look at a cheetah move and tell that it is fast, you look at this thing and you can tell it is strong. Hideously strong. It just punched through a wall to get into the bay. It would make Andre the Giant look like Andre the Elf.
It’s wearing tight fitting military pants and a shirt, but no shoes or gloves. And no mask. The intensity on its face is clear and it searches around the room for something, and even through my pain I know what that is.
It sees me and its eyes widen. The ground shakes as it strides my way. Trying to get up once more, I only manage to flip over onto my back. My arms are jelly, twitching and spasming like they’re getting electric shocks. My vision blurs and goes dark.
(to be continued...)
(This is only the first part of the chapter so no choice this time around, but possibly the biggest one of the book is coming up next!)
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Power Shift (Book 1)
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