Determinant -Guardians of Vesturon [3]
DETERMINANT
A. M. HARGROVE
BOOK 3
THE GUARDIANS OF VESTURON
DETERMINANT
BOOK 3: THE GUARDIANS OF VESTURON
Published by A. M. Hargrove at Smashwords
Copyright 2012 A. M. Hargrove
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Digital edition produced by Maureen Cutajar
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to my family ( Henry, T.A.C and McIntyre) and friends for all their support and contributions to this latest addition to The Guardians of Vesturon. I’d also like to thank all the
Determinant
Beta Readers—Terri, Midu, Lissa, and Becky for their awesome contributions in this whole process. I couldn’t have done it without you!
I’d also like to thank my son T.A.C for his ingenious idea for the character of Tak. This requires a bit of explaining. Tak was originally named Tak Herdekian. My son wanted to be named for a villain so I decided to grant him his wish. He and I sat down one night and he came up with the name “Herdekian.” When the story began evolving and the character Tak Herdekian developed, I discovered he could not be put to rest with this one book, for he had his own complicated story to tell. In fact, I decided that his species, The Praestani, deserved a book of their own (or perhaps even a series). I also realized that this spin-off would have to be written in the adult genre, since Tak, whom I have since renamed as Jurek Herdekian, is the ultimate bad boy and will play by no one’s rules (but perhaps his own)!
And finally, I’d like to thank my editor, Jennifer Nunez for her patience, skills and all the hours she spent with me on the phone!
I hope you enjoy
DETERMINANT.....
For more information about A. M. Hargrove and her upcoming book releases,
please visit her at:
www.facebook.com/guardiansofvesturon
You can contact her at
[email protected]
Table of Contents
The six men moved through the city streets in a triangular formation. Not a single soul paid them a bit of attention. Dressed unusually, even for a large metropolis such as Atlanta, they were donned in snug black leather pants, black vests and wore unusual criss-crossing bands on their bare chests. They looked like a scene from a fantasy movie. Their bare arms were heavily tattooed and their hands were covered in black gloves. However, the few that glanced their way didn’t notice any of that. Utilizing an advanced form of technology, unknown to humans, the men had altered their appearance and speech. To anyone watching, they appeared as six jean-clad men in their late teens—college students perhaps, out for a night of fun.
Conversation between them was minimal. The language they spoke, while it sounded like English to any human within hearing distance, was most definitely not. It was a guttural mix of sound that didn’t exist on Earth.
The men were tall and self-assured. Their eyes were an unusual color—a blend of lavender and indigo with flecks of silver. No one stopped to look at them long enough to notice, and if they had, all they would have seen would have been six pairs of brown eyes. The men weren’t exactly handsome, but they were nonetheless impressive, with their rugged features. Power, strength, and fearlessness emanated from them.
Never hesitant in their steps, they moved along in an unhurried, but purposeful manner toward their destination, as if they had been there dozens of times before. The leader directed them not with speech, but by the movement of his head. They carried no weapons that one could see, but they were most definitely armed. A single glance from one of them could annihilate an entire city. Not only were they their own deadly weapons, they also possessed strength, unknown to humans, and powers that would be considered impossible by any human standard.
The group separated as they neared their destination. To avoid suspicion, they would access the building using two different entrances. Once inside, they would reconvene near their goal.
Minutes later, the façade of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came into view. Three of the men entered through the main doors and the other three went in through a side entrance. It was late evening when the premises would be mostly vacated, except for essential personnel, so it would be unlikely anyone would interfere. That wasn’t much of a concern for the men. Interfering humans were quickly indisposed by a few simple tricks. Locked doors and high security areas didn’t pose a problem either. It would be a simple task to retrieve what they came for and they would be gone in a moment, leaving no trace of their break-in.
They moved as a group of six again and traveled through the maze of corridors as if they had done this daily. It was a surprise to them when the figure of a young woman came into view, for most employees should have vacated the premises by now. What surprised the leader even more was her proficiency at mind communication, which was an impossibility for humans. He knew with certainty she was otherworldly, but from where, he could not discern. Her pale eyes intrigued him and he experienced the briefest feeling of regret for what he was about to do. He forced himself to shove that thought out of his mind, as the choice was not his to make. His family would die if he weren’t successful in this mission.
His fleeting encounter with her ended as quickly as it had begun and he was on his way to completing his task at hand. He moved through the secure area and headed for the cryogenic containment section where the
variola major
specimens were located. He gathered the most deadly of them with efficiency and replaced them with the
influenza
specimens given to him by the lab director he had so eloquently threatened. Moments later, his group was back on the streets of Atlanta, putting into motion stage two of their mission.
This phase would be completed rapidly. Entering various locations, they would spread the virus. He was glad his species was immune to this deadly disease. Humans had eradicated this illness in the 1970’s and had ceased vaccinating against it. Since he had stolen most of the viable strains, the feasibility of recreating a vaccine was nonexistent. The disease would spread rapidly and a pandemic would ensue. Once again, he felt the brief pangs of his actions, but pushed the thoughts out of his head. His family was more important to him than a group of unknown humans, no matter the number of casualties.
The virus needed to be spread quickly. Infected aerosols would be the most rapid mode of transmission, so the mercenaries released some of the virus into the ventilation system in the building before he exited. His group then proceeded to enter a few of the dorms on the Emory University campus to repeat their actions. The summer session was ending and the students exposed would shortly be traveling home before the fall semester would begin. This would give the disease a wide and various possibility of dissemination. His goal was to have an epidemic in place before he left Earth.
The men visited the most populated buildings in the city and lastly they arrived at Hartsfield International Airport. This was the ultimate place for disease transmission. With travelers moving around from plane to plane, and country to country, it wouldn’t take long for this illness to manifest itself worldwide.
January St. Davis
The fever consumed me. I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles were white and close to bursting through my skin. I was wracked with chills, which I thought odd. How could I be freezing and burning up at the same time? I had never been sick a day in my life, not a cold, strep throat, nothing. Payback was hell and I was living through it now, literally burning in it. What a way to make up for eighteen years of health.
I must have contracted the flu. I had worked with the influenza virus all summer at my internship with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. My eight-week program had ended and I was on my way back to Cullowhee, North Carolina to resume my fall semester at Western Carolina University where I would start my junior year.
The fever had begun last night. I felt flushed and went to bed thinking it would be gone in the morning. I forced myself to pack up my scant belongings and dragged my achy body to the car for the drive home. It was just past noon when I left. I had anticipated arriving by four as it was about a three and a half hour drive.
I hadn’t been in the car for thirty minutes when everything went south.
What in the world is wrong with me?
The chills hit first. Then I was alternately burning up and shivering violently. It was hard to keep my car in the lane with my uncontrollable shaking.
The headache turned into a crushing vise. My head was piercing with pain. It started inching its way down my neck and into my back. My stomach rolled with nausea. I finally pulled off the road into a rest area. I fumbled around in my purse, hoping to land on some Tylenol but came up empty handed. Leaning my head against the steering wheel, I dozed.
I opened my eyes to the darkness of the night.
Geez, how long did I sleep?
My eyes tried to focus on my watch but my vision was blurred.
Did I sleep or pass out?
My goal was Cullowhee, so I pulled the car back on the road, heading in that direction.
God, please let me make it home.
My vision was deteriorating. I could barely discern the trees as I passed them. Even though it was dark, I shouldn’t have trouble seeing the trees. I knew I was very ill and my heart skipped a beat as I wondered what was wrong with me. I began to worry in earnest about whether I could make it back to Cullowhee.
Oh God, what am I going to do? I don’t know if I can keep driving!
I didn’t have a choice. I was in the middle of nowhere, Timbuktu if you will. There wasn’t a hospital or motel anywhere near me. I pushed on, praying I would make it back safely.
The chills and fever continued. I was using my air conditioner and heater back to back. I realized I was becoming disoriented and dizzy. I knew I should stop but I forced myself to continue driving. I was trembling, whether it was from fear or the chills from fever, I didn’t know. The road began to move, like a wave. I made several turns and the fisting of my stomach made me aware I was hopelessly lost.
Where am I? None of this looks familiar!
I stopped my car.
