Breaking Time Read online

  The police cars from both ahead of the escaping van and from behind quickly closed in. Several boxed in the van on all sides, slowly forcing the van toward the shoulder of the highway.

  “And you can now see them forcing him over to the side of the freeway, where they will apprehend and take all the fugitives back into custody. Again, let me remind you, that man we believe to be driving this stolen police van is considered armed and extremely dangerous. He is wanted for murdering and seriously injuring several highly trained and well-armed police officers. The LAPD is not taking this arrest lightly. They have assistance from the California Highway Patrol, state marshals, and it is believed even the FBI is involved. My source tells me that all officers and agents involved have been informed of the danger and taken extra precautions. There may be an exchange of firearms, but the police will do everything they can to keep nearby civilians safe, including blocking off access to the freeway until this man and the other fugitives have been safely taken into custody.”

  Several more patrol cars pulled up alongside the others. They forced the stolen van over another lane. At the same time, they slowed him down. They blocked him on every side: front, rear, left, and right. More police cars surrounded from a safer but nearby distance. FBI and SWAT vans joined in as well. More police helicopters hovered overhead, with both snipers and spotlights trained on the stolen van.

  “The main fugitive who appears to be the leader of the others was arrested earlier tonight for four counts of adult kidnapping, one count of murder, at least three counts of animal cruelty, and two counts of illegal human experimentation. We still don’t have a confirmed identity for this man, but you should be seeing the police photo of the man in question on your screen now. If you have any information regarding this man’s identity, home address, place of work, or any other information at all, please call the Los Angeles Police Department at the number on your screen.”

  The cops coordinated their efforts flawlessly. The stolen van came to a complete stop along the empty shoulder of the closed off freeway.

  This was it. The moment of truth. No one acted hastily. Caution, strategy, careful calculated moves. That’s what they needed for such a dangerous and powerful man.

  Dawn’s testimony claimed that his mind control seemed to require direct eye contact. Every officer and agent on site was told to take the “mind control” claim with extreme credibility. The surveillance footage back at the station confirmed everything. With nothing more than eye contact and a few carefully chosen words, he made fellow officers see each other as lethal enemies. They opened fire on each other without hesitation or delay. The surviving officers, after the mysterious man had left, were confused beyond all reason. They remembered everything. They knew the officers they were shooting at were friends and co-workers. But something overpowered them. Something made them want to shoot at each other. Need to shoot at each other. As if their own lives depended on it.

  And after the first few bullets started flying, all their lives actually did depend on it…

  But the crisis was over now. All the officers and detectives at the scene were either dead, rushed to the hospital, or disarmed and put under strict surveillance. These new officers and agents, now on scene on the highway, were nervous and frightened, sure – but they were also focused, determined, “a little” angry, and a lot better prepared.

  This would not be a repeat of the police station massacre.

  If the mysterious man didn’t come quietly and peacefully, snipers high above in helicopters – safe from his mind control’s influence – were authorized to shoot to kill, if necessary. Every officer and agent there wanted to personally blow his brains out – you mess with one of their own, you mess with them all. But they were not above the law. If possible – and that was a big “if” – he had to be taken in alive, for due process, appear before a judge, and get the death sentence through the justice system. Not even the best lawyer in the world could save him now.

  The van door opened – on the driver’s side.

  Police officers ducked behind their car doors, guns aimed forward, shouting, “Down on the ground, get down on the ground! Keep your hands up, face away, lay flat on the ground!”

  No chances. Everyone avoided direct eye contact. They kept a safe distance away. Countless guns all aimed at that one spot right now. Other nearby officers watched their partners, ready to disarm them with a second’s notice, just in case the mysterious man somehow controlled them again.

  A man stepped out of the stolen police van, hands in the air. “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” He got down on his knees and then laid flat on the pavement.

  The man… was short, had curly red hair, and wore pair of jeans, faded t-shirt, and an LA Dodgers cap.

  “I’m sorry!” he shouted. “Please don’t shoot!”

  It wasn’t their man.

  Some members of the SWAT team approached the side of the van and cautiously – but quickly – opened the door and looked inside. Empty. No other fugitives.

  “It’s empty!”

  Other officers arrested, handcuffed, and took the red-haired Dodgers fan aside. Meanwhile the SWAT team searched the van for explosives or other threats.

  “Please,” said the Dodgers fan to the arresting officer. “I don’t know what came over me. I was just getting a Slurpee from the 7-Eleven and this guy in a suit came up to me and told me to take the van outside and drive it to Bakersfield. Then he and his buddies took my SUV – and he took my Slurpee!”

  The officers sighed. “Alright,” said one of them. “We’re gonna need a description of your vehicle and its tag plate number.”

  Mastermind slurped up the last of his Slurpee as he casually drove south on that same freeway. In the front passenger seat beside him was Shadow, who at this moment, was inspecting her razor-sharp nails.

  In the back, Doctor Troyd sat with the other five criminals.

  “So, uh, where we going, exactly?” asked the big black guy.

  Doctor Troyd didn’t respond.

  At first the big guy just thought he was being ignored. But then he noticed Doctor Troyd seemed unaware he even said anything. “Hey,” said the big guy again. “Hey, I’m talking to you!”

  Doctor Troyd noticed him talking. He started signing something. Pointed to his ear.

  “I think he’s deaf,” said the ugly butch woman. “That’s what happens when you make a deal with the devil.”

  “Say what?”

  “How else you explain that man’s powers?” she snorted.

  “I dunno. Magic?” shrugged the big guy.

  “It’s witchcraft, I tell ya!” said the white trash guy.

  “Whatever it is,” said the gang member, “we’re way in over our heads now.”

  “You think he wants to kill us?” asked the prostitute.

  “Shh!” said the big guy. “He can hear you!”

  “He doesn’t want to kill you,” Shadow chimed in from the front seat. “He’s gonna make you reborn… like me.”

  “Say what?” said the big guy.

  Shadow turned around and smiled. Her cat-like eyes practically glowing at them. Her whiskers, pointed-tip cat ears, the smooth even layer of black fur all over her body. Her paw-like hands. She held her long tail across her chest. “You’re gonna love it.”

  Somewhere in Orange County, they pulled into an empty parking lot outside a large office building.

  It was the middle of the night. Cold, quiet, all alone. The parking lot lights illuminated the scene. And on the six story office building, in shining letters, glowed the sign “BioGen Industries.”

  Mastermind parked their stolen SUV near the building’s entrance. He looked back at the others and told them all to stay here. Then he looked to Doctor Troyd and motioned for them to continue.

  The scientist and the super villain stepped outside onto the quiet pavement. They approached the door. It required a keycard swipe to gain access.

  “You’re sure your card still works?” Mastermind
signed to Doctor Troyd.

  “Yes,” he replied. “It worked earlier this morning when I picked up the solution.”

  Doctor Troyd pulled out his wallet and retrieved the keycard. BioGen Industries had hired him numerous times for consulting and research. The company worked on a variety of unique and interesting projects – and his, shall we say, “gray zone ethics” were perfect for the job. So he had a temporary, but long-term access card.

  He had come up with the formula for the BioGen-X solution. But it was this company that actually manufactured it. The company authorized the manufacturing of this “product” – provided they could keep and use it for themselves.

  Mastermind had no association with the company. What they planned to do with it, if anything, was a bit of a mystery. But it didn’t matter. Mastermind’s plan would be done long before they could do anything about it.

  Doctor Troyd swiped his card. The door buzzed and opened.

  Mastermind and Doctor Troyd went inside.

  Past the lobby, up the elevator, and down the hall – and they arrived at Doctor Troyd’s part-time lab. Several more liters of the glowing green chemical waited for them there in the dark.

  Troyd switched on the lights.

  Mastermind walked in, looking around at all the machines and chemical components in the lab. Fascinating. He grabbed a glass container of the glowing green chemical and held it in his hand. He stared deeply into the thick green goo inside. This was his answer. This was his tool. This was how he planned to take over the world.

  “Beautiful.” He turned to Doctor Troyd and signed, “You over-nighted a sample of this to New York like I told you, right?”

  Doctor Troyd nodded his head yes, rolling his eyes. He wasn’t an idiot. He didn’t forget the plan.

  “Excellent,” signed Mastermind. “And tonight’s subjects?”

  “Over here,” Doctor Troyd replied. He went over to a large refrigerator nearby. But this was no ordinary refrigerator. It wasn’t used for holding snacks or drinks. He opened it.

  Blood samples.

  Dozens of small vials, each containing individual blood samples of various animals from around the world. Kept cold and preserved in this special refrigerator.

  Mastermind walked over. He looked at his options – nearly fifty unique vials to choose from. He hand-picked one, and then another, and then another. He searched through them and found another he liked. Considered a few, moved on, picked a different vial from among them.

  He finished with ten vials. Doctor Troyd grabbed a padded case to hold and carry them. Mastermind carefully placed the samples inside the case, closed it up, and carried it out.

  The glass cylinder of green chemical in one hand – and the metal case containing nearly a dozen different blood samples in the other.

  A moment later, they were back outside in the empty parking lot. Mastermind summoned everyone out of the van – and told them to line up in front of him.

  He looked back at the building behind him. Security cameras were positioned above the door. He made sure he, and his new recruits, were being recorded.

  “Shadow,” he said, “hold this.” He handed her the case with the ten blood samples. Doctor Troyd stood at Mastermind’s other side, holding the BioGen-X solution and handful of syringes.

  Standing before them were the five criminals Mastermind had selected for his own purposes. “You,” he said to all of them, “are about to be made new. You will embrace your new lives, all of you, and swear loyalty and life-long service to me. You will worship me as your master. You will obey every command. You will be extensions of my will. And in return, I will give you power. Power like you’ve never known or dreamed of. Power that, under my command, will be used to reshape the face of the world.”

  “An’ why should we serve you?” demanded the prostitute.

  He stepped closer to her. Their eyes locked intensely. “Take off all your clothes, right now.”

  She did. The other four watched and stared in both horror and amazement. They had seen the incredible power he had over the police officers at the station. They all came along willingly – at least, it felt that way – but they all started to have a nervous gut feeling.

  “Pleasure me,” he told her.

  She unzipped his pants and gently reached inside.

  The suddenly others felt awkward and uncomfortable. Well, most of them. The young gang member thought it was hot. But no one moved. They didn’t say a word. Of course – only a moment ago, he had told them to line up and wait in place. Maybe they were too terrified to speak. This woman, a young and somewhat beautiful prostitute, asked a simple and justified question. And now he demonstrated his power over her.

  The same power he probably had over all of them.

  She began sucking on his dick. As an experienced hooker, she was quite skilled at this. Normally she’d only do this for money, but for some reason, right now, she felt this irresistible urge to give him one for free. She wanted to serve him. She desired to pleasure him right now, even with all the others watching.

  But he had had enough. He pulled on the back of her hair and tossed her away. “That’s enough,” he said. He quickly zipped up his pants. “I haven’t decided if you’re worthy to do that to me yet.”

  She sat naked on the pavement, confused and hurt.

  “Stand up,” he told her. They were still making eye contact. She obeyed. “For you… hmm…” He tried imagining what new form he wanted for her. He walked over to Shadow who held the case of specimen samples. He looked at the ten vials, all labeled, and made a decision. He picked it out and held it in his hand.

  “Yes,” he said. “I think this will be fitting.”

  Doctor Troyd opened the glass cylinder, exposing the green chemical to the open air. He seemed nervous. He clearly did not want any of it to accidentally spill on him.

  Mastermind took a fresh syringe and filled it with the BioGen-X. As soon as he did, Doctor Troyd sealed up the cylinder again.

  Mastermind stepped up to the naked prostitute. He held her arm.

  “W-What’re ya doing ta me? Stop. Don’t!”

  He injected her.

  “What was that?” she demanded.

  “Your destiny,” he said.

  Then he reloaded the syringe with the vial sample he had selected. It didn’t look like normal blood. It was… thicker, gooier, slimier… A brownish-yellow color. Not quite normal.

  “Now hold still,” he told her. She couldn’t resist him. He injected the strange substance into her blood. It started tingling immediately.

  She looked at him, searching for mercy or pity in his eyes. She found none. “What was that?” she pleaded.

  “A combination of a few different species. A little cocktail mix I had ordered up for fun, a little experiment.”

  She looked at him with disbelief.

  “Mostly Arion subfuscus, Tandonia budapestensis, Ariolimax columbianus, and a few others.”

  “What?”

  “Slugs, my dear. A beautiful variety of slimy, sticky, disgusting slugs. Just like you.”

  Her mouth fell open in shock. She had never been so insulted – and she had heard a lot of insults. People judged her and criticized her because of her “work” – but she didn’t choose this life! She fell on hard times, it was just supposed to be temporary, but it was a hard business to get out of. People looked at what she did for a living and judged her as if that’s all she ever was or ever would be. But she was more than that. She was a person. Her own life. Her own dreams. Her own fears.

  And now… what was happening to her?

  She looked at Shadow. A human-cat girl. Shadow said they’d all be reborn, like her. Mastermind said they’d all be made new. She felt a tingling sensation expand throughout her body. What was happening? She felt… strange. Different inside. Like her guts and internal organs were all shifting around.

  “Slugs?” her voice broke.

  “BioGen-X is still an experimental solution,” he said, almost as i
f he enjoyed that fact. “We’re still learning exactly how far the mutations go. When Shadow here was injected, I really wasn’t sure what it’d do to her. It might’ve turned her completely into a cat – or it might’ve simply made her a little hairier. But, as you can see, I’m quite proud of my work.”

  The prostitute’s skin started to look really moist and slick. And it began turning into a brownish-yellow color.

  “Honestly,” said Mastermind, “you may not be able to stand, or even have legs, in a moment or two. Slugs are invertebrates. No skeletons. No arms or legs, either.”

  “You son of a bitch!”

  “NO!” shouted Mastermind. “You are the scum here, the slimy betrayer! You use men for your own pleasure and gain. You are worthless!”

  Unfortunately they were making eye contact when he said that. He was clearly angry. It wasn’t a command. More of a statement. But she took it as a command. She lowered her head. She began to feel very worthless. More than she ever had in her entire life.

  Then a slick layer of green slime spread across her body. It started in spots, but soon circulated all over, eventually covering every inch of exposed flesh. At the same time, all of her body hair, include on her head, retreated into her skin and disappeared entirely. Her entire body became smoother, softer, rounder… Still humanoid, but slightly less defined.

  Her legs grew weak.

  Gravity suddenly felt so hard.

  Her body started to lose form. She began melting into a puddle of slimy ooze at her feet. At least, where her feet used to be. She was now just a blob at her base. A green, slimy blob with brown spots. And she sank lower and lower into it.

  And as she sank, she looked up at her master, and said, “Fuck you.”

  A second later, her entire body collapsed into a pile of slime. A morphing, formless mass of goo and stickiness, dripping in slime, neither human nor slug.