Freak of Nature - By Julia Crane Page 0,41
sterile lab, there wasn’t a white wall to be seen. Lots of browns, greens, and maroon. Abstract paintings hung strategically on the walls, and a large, fanciful vase of wildflowers sat on the reception table in front of the main doors. As they approached, a curvy blonde woman rose from behind the reception desk and smiled. “Good morning. They are waiting inside.”
“Thanks, Gracie.”
Harrington led the way and continued through a set of massive wooden double doors and into a large conference room. There were several men and women sitting behind a long table, backs straight and all eyes solely on Kaitlyn as she entered. Many were dressed in military uniforms. Kaitlyn’s computer scanned each for identification: High-ranking officials from three different branches. Army, Navy and Air Force. ‘Caution’ flashed on her internal screen. Thanks computers, she thought, slightly annoyed. I’m well aware the situation is problematic.
She felt oddly detached from herself. She had to accept her new fate. Whatever was in store for her, she could handle. She would handle. After all, she had been programmed and prepared extensively for this day. Her eyes strayed to Lucas and she knew she was only trying to fool herself. She really didn’t want to leave. His eyes met hers and her heart sank.
Harrington approached the head of the table and Kaitlyn stood off to the side with Lucas to the left of her. She felt calmer by his presence. She was surprised to see that Professor Adams was not in the room.
Mr. Harrington took to the podium. “Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with great pride that I would like to introduce to you, Kaitlyn. The first true cyborg of our time. Her skills surpass even the most seasoned solider, and with more training, she will only get better. Human nature and technology have collided, and as you can see, the outcome is spectacular. Where others have failed, we have surpassed even our own highest expectations.”
A murmur of approval went around the table.
“Kaitlyn, come up here.”
Kaitlyn moved without thinking and made her way to Harrington’s side. Everyone was staring at her, looking her up and down from head to toe. Even though she was used to being on display, for some reason the people that were looking at her now made her skin crawl.
An old man with four stars on his collar, and a scowl on his face spoke from the middle of the table. He had an arrow head patch on his right sleeve, which her scan identified as JSOC. She guessed a former Delta Force commander. “Forgive me for not taking your word, Harrington. Are we going to see her in action?”
“Of course. We’ve put together a short film for you.”
With the click of a button on the podium, the lights dimmed and a screen scrolled down on the right wall. Curious, Kaitlyn turned to watch along with her prospective owners.
The film started out in the combat room. Kaitlyn easily flipped Jeff over her shoulder, slamming him to the ground. At six-foot-two, he had been six inches taller than her and outweighed her by almost one-hundred pounds. The man struggled to get back to his feet, and with one swift kick, Kaitlyn swiped his knee cap, bringing him to his knees. The man howled in pain and swung blindly, but Kaitlyn easily blocked the blow. Like an animal, Kaitlyn circled her prey. In the blink of an eye, her arms were wrapped around his neck, and he went slack. Unconscious.
Live Fire flashed across the screen, and then there was Kaitlyn, sprinting through the woods, weaponless. Suddenly, she dropped flat to the ground as a bullet whizzed past. She crawled into the brush. Within seconds, she located the target, waited until they were on top of her, sprung to her feet, and engaged. In the blink of an eye she had the shooter’s gun in her own hands and pressed against his temple before he knew what happened. The man smirked and raised his hands. Kaitlyn lowered the gun.
It cut to Kaitlyn at the shooting range. Fifty-five meters flashed across the screen. Kaitlyn held a pistol and fired off shots, first using only her right hand, and then the left. The target came forward and showed a small, tight circle on the forehead of the silhouette.
Someone muttered, “Impossible.” Several heads turned her way. She was surprised to feel a flush of pleasure from their awe.
There were a few more brief scenes showcasing her skills, and then the room went dark briefly before