| Supernatural Fiction posted December 22, 2020 | Chapters: |
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The Curse/A Novel of the Breedline series
A chapter in the book THE CURSE
Test Subjects
by scongrove
| Background Thanks for taking the time to read my chapter. It's new, so if you catch mistakes, please let me know. Have a safe & happy holiday! |
So far Drakon—after a sleepless night of searching—had finally stumbled upon some crucial information dealing with the Summit Behavioral Institute. Although he’d dug up a list of patients, it frustrated the hell out of him that there was nothing on a Joseph Harris, or anyone going by that first name.
As he dug deeper, he uncovered something peculiar. He found a file listed as classified. Using his computer geek skills and the Covenant’s decryption software, he broke through the encrypted files and opened them. What he’d managed to come across was completely shocking. The institute was using mental patients as guinea pigs. They were mixing human and animal DNA in the hopes of advancing medical research for a pharmaceutical drug company called (A&E) Adam & Eve Pharmaceuticals.
And then Drakon uncovered financial records. Payments were being made to the institute by A&E and another private facility outside Berkeley, California.
Right after the morning meeting and ensuring Helen had enough backup while she went on a house call in a well-known drug district, Drakon met up with Tim, Roman, and Detectives’ Manuel Sanchez and Frank Perkins to go over what he’d discovered.
“This stuff is classified information,” Drakon started to explain, “and it took me hours to crack through the institute’s encrypted files. A&E and another unknown facility is paying them to experiment on their own patients.”
“Son of a b—” Manuel grumbled under his breath. “Did you manage to get the names of those patients?”
“I printed out the list,” Drakon said, reaching into his back pocket. “These patients are separated from the others.” He handed Manuel a folded piece of paper. “They’re being held in some type of secret ward in the institute.”
“And probably against their will,” Frank piped in.
Drakon nodded. “Most likely.”
“Did you find anything on this Joseph Harris guy?” Manuel asked.
Drakon shook his head. “No, not a damn thing.”
“Well, that’s not surprising.” Manuel sighed. “That would be too easy. Although, the institute could have him listed anonymously.”
“It’s possible,” Drakon replied.
Tim looked between the two detectives and said, “So where do we go from here?”
“Before we do anything, we’ll need a search warrant,” Manuel pointed out, roaming over the names listed on the printout Drakon had given him.
“How long is that going to take?” Roman asked.
“About the same amount of time it will take us to get to the institute,” Manuel replied, focusing on the list.
“How’s that possible?” Roman asked, looking at Manuel, wondering how he was going to get a judge to authorize a warrant that quick.
“Because,” Manuel said, lifting his gaze to meet Roman’s. “One of the patients listed here is Judge Weaver’s granddaughter. She turned up missing a few weeks ago. According to the law, that gives us probable cause.”
Tim grimaced. “My god… how old is this girl?”
“Susan just turned eighteen,” Manuel said. “She had a bright future ahead. She was planning to go to Princeton right after she finished her senior year.”
“Well…” Drakon shrugged. “What are we doing standing around? Time is ticking. Let’s go shut this place down and bring Susan back to her grandmother.”
“Then let’s do it,” Manuel said, tossing the car keys to Frank. “You’re driving, partner.”
The moment Tim, Roman, and Drakon made it to the institute, they parked their SUV alongside Detectives’ Manuel Sanchez and Frank Perkins’s unmarked car, who’d arrived just moments earlier.
“You guys hang back while Frank and I go in,” Manuel said, handing Tim a two-way radio. “We’ll holler if we run into any trouble.”
“Wait,” Roman said. “Didn’t you call in for backup?”
“That’s what you guys are here for,” Frank commented. “Depending on what we’re going up against, and what’s lurking behind those doors, things might get a little ugly if you catch my meaning.”
“He’s right,” Manuel said. “It would be a waste of time calling the precinct for backup. If indeed they’re experimenting with patients, we might encounter something supernatural. And that’s where you guys come in.”
Drakon nodded and Roman said, “We got your back, Detectives.”
“You think we’re enough?” Tim asked. “The Covenant is only a phone call away. I can have Tessa send others?”
“It wouldn’t hurt to give her a call,” Manuel replied. “But for now, keep them on standby. At least they’ll be aware of the situation if things go south.”
Tim held up the handheld transceiver and said, “Keep us informed.”
Manuel dipped his head. “You can count on it.”
As soon as both detectives started for entrance to the institute, Tim quickly phoned Tessa and gave her a heads up. The second he ended the call, he closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead wearily. He was worried Manuel and Frank were getting in way over their heads even though they’ve proved themselves damn capable of getting the job done. Although, this wasn’t just their average criminals they were dealing with. They might very well encounter whatever was being created to profit A&E pharmaceuticals. And he suspected the government also had a hand in this.
“I’m not sure this is such a good idea,” Drakon spoke out, drawing Tim’s attention.
“What do you mean?” Tim said, looking over at Drakon.
“I don’t know.” Drakon shook his head. “After uncovering all that stuff… I have a bad feeling. Are you sure they should be going in alone? I mean… this is some serious shit.”
Tim shrugged. “Did we have a choice?”
“Not really, but when did that ever stop us?”
“You have a point,” Tim said, cocking a brow. “And I have a hunch the government is involved.”
Roman leaned in from the backseat and focused on Drakon. “The government could be the private facility who’s helping fund the institute’s research.”
“Yah,” Drakon agreed, his jaw visibly clenched. “That’s what I was thinking.”
Tim put a restraining hand on Drakon’s arm, worried he’d say screw it and charge into the institute. “Let’s not overreact just yet,” he calmly said. “We’ll give the detectives a few more minutes.” He looked down at his watch. “If we don’t hear anything in the next twenty minutes, we’ll go in.”
As they waited in ready silence, it seemed an hour had passed according to Tim. Although, by his watch, it had only been ten minutes. And he wasn’t the only one edgy and restless. Drakon and Roman were a bundle of nerves.
“How long has it been?” Roman blurted, breaking the silence.
As if on cue, Frank’s voice suddenly came over the two-way radio. “We need backup. Over. I repeat… we need you guys.”
“Shit,” Tim muttered under his breath. He put the handheld transceiver up to his mouth and said, “Copy that, Detective. We’re on our way.”
Tim glanced between Drakon and Roman and said, “Let’s do this.”
“Let’s go kick some ass,” Roman urged, reaching for the door.
“I second that,” Drakon hedged.
The minute everyone piled out of the vehicle, they sprinted double time to institute’s front entrance.
As Drakon burst through the doors first, Tim and Roman charged in behind him. All three came to a screeching halt when they came upon the staff who were all on the floor huddled together in the corner. They looked scared out of their minds.
When they heard screams and gun fire, they shot past everyone and ran down a corridor toward an open door where the sounds were coming from.
They immediately stopped dead in their tracks at the sight before them. There was blood everywhere. It looked like someone painted the walls with it.
“What the hell happened here?” Roman sputtered.
Tim reached for the two-way radio clipped to his belt and pressed the push-to-talk button. “Frank… where the hell are you guys?”
“We’re on the east side of the building,” Frank replied, sounding out of breath. “Come quick and you better get prepared. By that, I mean you better shift.”
Tim blew out a deep breath. “Can you tell me what we’re up against?”
“Hell… it’s hard to describe,” Frank said. “It’s a hybrid wolf of some kind. The damn thing is as big as a house.”
“Ah shit,” Drakon said, rolling his eyes. “Ask him if he has any idea where it’s at.”
Tim nodded at Drakon. “Frank, do you have the subject’s location?”
“It’s on the lower level. We’ve got ourselves barricaded but we’re not sure how long it will last. If this thing figures out where we are, it won’t take much for it to get in.”
“Stay put and give us a few minutes,” Tim said. “We’re headed that way.”
“Copy that,” Frank said. “But it might be a good time to ask Tessa for backup. Jace’s beast might be the only thing that can go toe to toe with this thing.”
“Affirmative,” Tim said. “We’ll contact Tessa. Until then, hang tight.”
To be continued. . .
As he dug deeper, he uncovered something peculiar. He found a file listed as classified. Using his computer geek skills and the Covenant’s decryption software, he broke through the encrypted files and opened them. What he’d managed to come across was completely shocking. The institute was using mental patients as guinea pigs. They were mixing human and animal DNA in the hopes of advancing medical research for a pharmaceutical drug company called (A&E) Adam & Eve Pharmaceuticals.
And then Drakon uncovered financial records. Payments were being made to the institute by A&E and another private facility outside Berkeley, California.
Right after the morning meeting and ensuring Helen had enough backup while she went on a house call in a well-known drug district, Drakon met up with Tim, Roman, and Detectives’ Manuel Sanchez and Frank Perkins to go over what he’d discovered.
“This stuff is classified information,” Drakon started to explain, “and it took me hours to crack through the institute’s encrypted files. A&E and another unknown facility is paying them to experiment on their own patients.”
“Son of a b—” Manuel grumbled under his breath. “Did you manage to get the names of those patients?”
“I printed out the list,” Drakon said, reaching into his back pocket. “These patients are separated from the others.” He handed Manuel a folded piece of paper. “They’re being held in some type of secret ward in the institute.”
“And probably against their will,” Frank piped in.
Drakon nodded. “Most likely.”
“Did you find anything on this Joseph Harris guy?” Manuel asked.
Drakon shook his head. “No, not a damn thing.”
“Well, that’s not surprising.” Manuel sighed. “That would be too easy. Although, the institute could have him listed anonymously.”
“It’s possible,” Drakon replied.
Tim looked between the two detectives and said, “So where do we go from here?”
“Before we do anything, we’ll need a search warrant,” Manuel pointed out, roaming over the names listed on the printout Drakon had given him.
“How long is that going to take?” Roman asked.
“About the same amount of time it will take us to get to the institute,” Manuel replied, focusing on the list.
“How’s that possible?” Roman asked, looking at Manuel, wondering how he was going to get a judge to authorize a warrant that quick.
“Because,” Manuel said, lifting his gaze to meet Roman’s. “One of the patients listed here is Judge Weaver’s granddaughter. She turned up missing a few weeks ago. According to the law, that gives us probable cause.”
Tim grimaced. “My god… how old is this girl?”
“Susan just turned eighteen,” Manuel said. “She had a bright future ahead. She was planning to go to Princeton right after she finished her senior year.”
“Well…” Drakon shrugged. “What are we doing standing around? Time is ticking. Let’s go shut this place down and bring Susan back to her grandmother.”
“Then let’s do it,” Manuel said, tossing the car keys to Frank. “You’re driving, partner.”
The moment Tim, Roman, and Drakon made it to the institute, they parked their SUV alongside Detectives’ Manuel Sanchez and Frank Perkins’s unmarked car, who’d arrived just moments earlier.
“You guys hang back while Frank and I go in,” Manuel said, handing Tim a two-way radio. “We’ll holler if we run into any trouble.”
“Wait,” Roman said. “Didn’t you call in for backup?”
“That’s what you guys are here for,” Frank commented. “Depending on what we’re going up against, and what’s lurking behind those doors, things might get a little ugly if you catch my meaning.”
“He’s right,” Manuel said. “It would be a waste of time calling the precinct for backup. If indeed they’re experimenting with patients, we might encounter something supernatural. And that’s where you guys come in.”
Drakon nodded and Roman said, “We got your back, Detectives.”
“You think we’re enough?” Tim asked. “The Covenant is only a phone call away. I can have Tessa send others?”
“It wouldn’t hurt to give her a call,” Manuel replied. “But for now, keep them on standby. At least they’ll be aware of the situation if things go south.”
Tim held up the handheld transceiver and said, “Keep us informed.”
Manuel dipped his head. “You can count on it.”
As soon as both detectives started for entrance to the institute, Tim quickly phoned Tessa and gave her a heads up. The second he ended the call, he closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead wearily. He was worried Manuel and Frank were getting in way over their heads even though they’ve proved themselves damn capable of getting the job done. Although, this wasn’t just their average criminals they were dealing with. They might very well encounter whatever was being created to profit A&E pharmaceuticals. And he suspected the government also had a hand in this.
“I’m not sure this is such a good idea,” Drakon spoke out, drawing Tim’s attention.
“What do you mean?” Tim said, looking over at Drakon.
“I don’t know.” Drakon shook his head. “After uncovering all that stuff… I have a bad feeling. Are you sure they should be going in alone? I mean… this is some serious shit.”
Tim shrugged. “Did we have a choice?”
“Not really, but when did that ever stop us?”
“You have a point,” Tim said, cocking a brow. “And I have a hunch the government is involved.”
Roman leaned in from the backseat and focused on Drakon. “The government could be the private facility who’s helping fund the institute’s research.”
“Yah,” Drakon agreed, his jaw visibly clenched. “That’s what I was thinking.”
Tim put a restraining hand on Drakon’s arm, worried he’d say screw it and charge into the institute. “Let’s not overreact just yet,” he calmly said. “We’ll give the detectives a few more minutes.” He looked down at his watch. “If we don’t hear anything in the next twenty minutes, we’ll go in.”
As they waited in ready silence, it seemed an hour had passed according to Tim. Although, by his watch, it had only been ten minutes. And he wasn’t the only one edgy and restless. Drakon and Roman were a bundle of nerves.
“How long has it been?” Roman blurted, breaking the silence.
As if on cue, Frank’s voice suddenly came over the two-way radio. “We need backup. Over. I repeat… we need you guys.”
“Shit,” Tim muttered under his breath. He put the handheld transceiver up to his mouth and said, “Copy that, Detective. We’re on our way.”
Tim glanced between Drakon and Roman and said, “Let’s do this.”
“Let’s go kick some ass,” Roman urged, reaching for the door.
“I second that,” Drakon hedged.
The minute everyone piled out of the vehicle, they sprinted double time to institute’s front entrance.
As Drakon burst through the doors first, Tim and Roman charged in behind him. All three came to a screeching halt when they came upon the staff who were all on the floor huddled together in the corner. They looked scared out of their minds.
When they heard screams and gun fire, they shot past everyone and ran down a corridor toward an open door where the sounds were coming from.
They immediately stopped dead in their tracks at the sight before them. There was blood everywhere. It looked like someone painted the walls with it.
“What the hell happened here?” Roman sputtered.
Tim reached for the two-way radio clipped to his belt and pressed the push-to-talk button. “Frank… where the hell are you guys?”
“We’re on the east side of the building,” Frank replied, sounding out of breath. “Come quick and you better get prepared. By that, I mean you better shift.”
Tim blew out a deep breath. “Can you tell me what we’re up against?”
“Hell… it’s hard to describe,” Frank said. “It’s a hybrid wolf of some kind. The damn thing is as big as a house.”
“Ah shit,” Drakon said, rolling his eyes. “Ask him if he has any idea where it’s at.”
Tim nodded at Drakon. “Frank, do you have the subject’s location?”
“It’s on the lower level. We’ve got ourselves barricaded but we’re not sure how long it will last. If this thing figures out where we are, it won’t take much for it to get in.”
“Stay put and give us a few minutes,” Tim said. “We’re headed that way.”
“Copy that,” Frank said. “But it might be a good time to ask Tessa for backup. Jace’s beast might be the only thing that can go toe to toe with this thing.”
“Affirmative,” Tim said. “We’ll contact Tessa. Until then, hang tight.”
To be continued. . .
Book of the Month contest entry
A reference for terms and cast of characters in the chapter, especially for new readers:
BREEDLINE - A species of humans that have the ability to change from human form into wolf form if they are born an identical twin. They are not like the old legend of the Lycanthropy myth. The Breedline species can shift into their wolf at will. The moon has no power over them. They do not pass their ability to other humans. Although they live among humans, their species is secret. In wolf form, they have super-strength, speed, and heightened senses. Compared to humans, Breedlines have tremendous advantages when it comes to health. Their bodies heal fast and are not subject to illness or diseases. The only thing that slows their healing process is silver. It is their kryptonite. Besides old age, a silver bullet to the brain is the only way to kill a Breedline.
All male Breedlines change into their first wolf at the age of eighteen. Female Breedlines do not go through the change until they make love to their Breedline bonded mate.
BREEDLINE COVENANT - The Breedline species must live within the boundaries of their Covenant. There is one in every state. A council governs its laws and oversees the species population.
Drakon Hexus - He is a Breedline species and bonded to Cassie Chamberlain.
Tim Ross - He is a Breedline species and the council head of the California Covenant.
Roman Kincaid - He is an Adalwolf trained in military tactics, hired as a special breed of warriors from Brazil.
Detective Manuel Sanchez - He is a homicide detective at the San Francisco Police Department who late discovers he carries the Breedline genetics. His partner is Detective Frank Perkins. His sister is Lailah.
Detective Frank Perkins - He is Manuel Sanchez's partner and discovers the secret world of the Breedline. Born as a human, Frank pledges his loyalty to the Breedline. Fighting alongside his partner, they take an oath to help the Breedline protect the world from corruption and unknown creatures that prey on the innocent.
Dr. Helen Carrington â?? She is a Breedline species and a physician at the California Bates Hospital for both Breedlines and humans. She later bonds to Alexander Crest.
Tessa Fairchild (a.k.a. the Breedline Queen) - She was born into the human world and later discovers she's a Breedline. Abandoned by her parents, and raised by her aunt and uncle, Tessa has no knowledge of being born a twin. After she meets Jace, they become bonded mates. During her first change into her Breedline wolf, she shifts into the new Breedline queen. She is an inspiring artist.
Jace Chamberlain (a.k.a. the Beast) - He is a Breedline species who later discovers he was born with a curse of the Beast, inherited by the Chiang-Shih demon. His bonded mate is Tessa Fairchild. He's an IT engineer and the lead singer and plays acoustic guitar in the band Chaos.
THE BEAST - It is the second-born son of the Chiang-Shih demon. When provoked into a rage, he will shift into the Beast instead of the Breedline wolf. The Beast is also known as the Great White due to his white fur and enormous, two-footed stature. One bite from the Beast has enough venom to kill the Chiang-Shih demon, leaving the soul of the person the demon possessed unharmed.
Joseph Harris (a.k.a Joseph Parker) - At age five, the moment his father murdered his mother, an evil entity, known as the Shadow, invaded Joseph's body. While his father was sent to prison, he had no other family member to take him in. Living most of his adolescent years in foster care, he is later diagnosed a psychopath with schizophrenia tendencies and sent to a mental institute. With the Shadow's guidance, Joseph convinces his therapists he is completely healed and is later released by the time he reaches adulthood. Now, he is a freelance journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle killing whoever the Shadow picks for his next victim.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. BREEDLINE - A species of humans that have the ability to change from human form into wolf form if they are born an identical twin. They are not like the old legend of the Lycanthropy myth. The Breedline species can shift into their wolf at will. The moon has no power over them. They do not pass their ability to other humans. Although they live among humans, their species is secret. In wolf form, they have super-strength, speed, and heightened senses. Compared to humans, Breedlines have tremendous advantages when it comes to health. Their bodies heal fast and are not subject to illness or diseases. The only thing that slows their healing process is silver. It is their kryptonite. Besides old age, a silver bullet to the brain is the only way to kill a Breedline.
All male Breedlines change into their first wolf at the age of eighteen. Female Breedlines do not go through the change until they make love to their Breedline bonded mate.
BREEDLINE COVENANT - The Breedline species must live within the boundaries of their Covenant. There is one in every state. A council governs its laws and oversees the species population.
Drakon Hexus - He is a Breedline species and bonded to Cassie Chamberlain.
Tim Ross - He is a Breedline species and the council head of the California Covenant.
Roman Kincaid - He is an Adalwolf trained in military tactics, hired as a special breed of warriors from Brazil.
Detective Manuel Sanchez - He is a homicide detective at the San Francisco Police Department who late discovers he carries the Breedline genetics. His partner is Detective Frank Perkins. His sister is Lailah.
Detective Frank Perkins - He is Manuel Sanchez's partner and discovers the secret world of the Breedline. Born as a human, Frank pledges his loyalty to the Breedline. Fighting alongside his partner, they take an oath to help the Breedline protect the world from corruption and unknown creatures that prey on the innocent.
Dr. Helen Carrington â?? She is a Breedline species and a physician at the California Bates Hospital for both Breedlines and humans. She later bonds to Alexander Crest.
Tessa Fairchild (a.k.a. the Breedline Queen) - She was born into the human world and later discovers she's a Breedline. Abandoned by her parents, and raised by her aunt and uncle, Tessa has no knowledge of being born a twin. After she meets Jace, they become bonded mates. During her first change into her Breedline wolf, she shifts into the new Breedline queen. She is an inspiring artist.
Jace Chamberlain (a.k.a. the Beast) - He is a Breedline species who later discovers he was born with a curse of the Beast, inherited by the Chiang-Shih demon. His bonded mate is Tessa Fairchild. He's an IT engineer and the lead singer and plays acoustic guitar in the band Chaos.
THE BEAST - It is the second-born son of the Chiang-Shih demon. When provoked into a rage, he will shift into the Beast instead of the Breedline wolf. The Beast is also known as the Great White due to his white fur and enormous, two-footed stature. One bite from the Beast has enough venom to kill the Chiang-Shih demon, leaving the soul of the person the demon possessed unharmed.
Joseph Harris (a.k.a Joseph Parker) - At age five, the moment his father murdered his mother, an evil entity, known as the Shadow, invaded Joseph's body. While his father was sent to prison, he had no other family member to take him in. Living most of his adolescent years in foster care, he is later diagnosed a psychopath with schizophrenia tendencies and sent to a mental institute. With the Shadow's guidance, Joseph convinces his therapists he is completely healed and is later released by the time he reaches adulthood. Now, he is a freelance journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle killing whoever the Shadow picks for his next victim.
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