Invisible Death

Blast from the Past

The cave was huge, its stone walls pinpointed by openings, crevices and passageways connecting with the exterior, bringing in fresh air, in a maze only the rats knew how to negotiate, rats not allowed into the main canopied room, the size of many football fields, thanks to the thin stainless steel electrified net covering every natural duct. The many equipment consoles, computer screens, control panels scattered all over the place reminded Oliver of an old TV series, The Time Tunnel, only this gear was state-of-the-art, while the show was quaint by comparison. In the middle of the great cave, the gigantic sensory deprivation tank dwarfed everything else. To Oliver's right, the sensory overload cells blinked and glowed; to his right, hidden cameras constantly monitored the padded cells for containment of subjects. To the back, the greenhouses, with their infrared lamps, were lined with hybrid plants, and cared for by native technicians, proficient both in Western Botanical Science and Chemistry, and in the ancient lore of their forefathers. They could create made-to-order genetically altered Datura stramonium specimens to produce any kind of mental effect, to the tiniest specification.

"I was informed the last subject was successfully acquired, Doctor Harrison." Oliver smiled at the lean man in glasses and lab coat.

"The specimen arrived in perfect condition, thank you very much. It will soon be ready for mind manipulation." Ken Harrison rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"And how do you plan on starting?"

"We will start with sensory deprivation, while the psychosis sets in. Then we will alternate sessions of sensory overload and absolute sensory deprivation until the specimen's mind is blanked out and only raw power remains and can be controlled."

"I understand the other subjects' powers were destroyed together with their minds." Oliver St. Clair smiled sadly. "My son, had he lived, would say their powers went on a fritz."

Harrison cleared his throat, embarrassed at the tycoon's emotional comment. Leslie St. Clair and her mutant son had died in delivery, the child a monster Oliver himself had put to sleep many years ago. "This specimen is unusually strong. That's why I asked for it specifically. It will withstand the cleaning process."

"Or die fighting it."

&&&

The loft's door flew open at the first ring and Connor O'Hare, Ursine feral and telempath, saw three men gathered in the spacious living room of the converted warehouse. Jim Ellison was sitting on the couch's arm while Blair Sandburgh looked out a window. Adam Kane was holding the door and welcoming Connor in, but the telempath felt the chill in the air inside Donna's home, where her ex-fiancée and her present lover couldn't very well see eye to eye.

"Thanks for coming on such a short notice." Adam shook Connor's hand, his own disappearing inside the Ursine's huge paw. "And Alina?"

"She's waiting in the car. I'd like to explain something to you before Alina sets foot in here," answered Connor, entering the room and looking at the three men. He pursed his lips and began. "My wife Alina is a psionic with the gift of psychometria. She absorbs the vibrations left in an object or place by any act of violence."

"I have already explained that to Jim and Blair," Adam cut in, anxious to have the psionic up and running.

"But do you realize Alina is not a media player, Adam?"

"What do you mean?" asked Ellison.

"If there was an act of violence performed in this place, Alina will describe it in great detail. There is no pause, stop, fast forward or rewind to her power." Connor turned to Blair, who faced him with his arms crossed over his chest, his brow lined in concentration. "She has worked with FBI's Missing Persons Unit many times. Sometimes, there is no violence and the person disappeared of his or her own volition. Therefore, there is nothing to report." Connor turned to Adam. "On the other hand, if there was violence, Alina will describe the full extent of the event from the moment it was set in motion to the moment it ended, no matter how intimate, private, shocking or embarrassing. There is no stopping her once she engages her powers." The huge man turned from Adam to Blair and back again. "Are you sure you want her to come in?"