The Cross of Mithras Vol. 1: EOD Operation Welcome to Hell (41 page)

When Parker heard her say that, not only was he shocked and speechless, but he also started to cry. La’jyn’eu then looked at him and smiled. Although La’jyn’eu is quite confident in his abilities, no matter what people like Parker thinks about him, he’s not arrogant in any way shape or form. He’s an exceptional individual with the skills to boot. And for people like Parker, it throws them off causing them to think that La’jyn’eu is arrogant.

“If you keep on driving like this you are going to get us pulled over by the police.” Parker said in a calm manner thinking that might reach him.

“Relax. The mafia runs the city. Little John’s father is a mafia boss. And therefore who runs the police?” La’jyn’eu asked.

At one point La’jyn’eu raised his hand and waved at a cop who was sitting in his car. The cop saw him waved (but did not know who it was), and did nothing.

“See Parker… we just passed a cop back there.” La’jyn’eu said in calm confident manner.

“What!?” Parker said trying to find the cop.

“I told you… you need to relax.” La’jyn’eu said.

Finally, much to Parker’s relief (and he somewhat dreaded it) they got pulled over. La’jyn’eu slowed down and gracefully came to a stop. He then looked at Parker and smiled. That made Parker uneasy to see him smiling at him because he didn’t know what he was fixing to do. Parker started to think that maybe he’s crazy enough to kill the cop.

“Gonna a little fast back there weren’t you buddy?” The cop asked La’jyn’eu. When the cop saw him, he recognized him as Little John.

“Oh geez… I didn’t know it was you!” The cop said.

“That’s okay. We’re kind of in a hurry.” La’jyn’eu responded.

“Where are you headed?” The cop asked.

“To the Project 21 HQ. We need to get there like yesterday.”

“Okay. I’ll lead the way.” The cop said.

La’jyn’eu then looked at Parker like, he planned all of that. After the cop passed with his sirens on, it basically told Parker that he was right all along. The mafia is not only running the city, but the police as well. It told him that he is also right when he wishes to join the EOD. To him Project 21 is to blame for allowing the mafia to run the city and the police. And it made him hate the city even more.

“You see Parker… this is far faster than allowing this robot to choose the way. After all… it has to obey the laws.” La’jyn’eu said in a kind way. Parker didn’t say anything. He was under too much stress by him driving at high speeds.

La’jyn’eu then asked the robotic car to play a sample music from each genre in its list. (There was only one type of genre for it to play.) La’jyn’eu kept on asking it to skip to the next song until he got fed up with it.

“What kind of shitty ass music you call this?” La’jyn’eu asked Parker.

“Mine.” Parker said in a rude manner. “It’s called Astro-Rock. It came out in the 2260s.”

“Do these robotic cars have a satellite link up?” La’jyn’eu asked Parker.

“Yes why?” Parker asked out of frustration.

La’jyn’eu then had the robotic car to use the satellite link up to play music samples from different type of genres. He kept on skipping the selections. At one point he said, “Oh god. Skip this shit.” He stopped when he heard heavy metal.

“Oh yeah. This is good adrenaline music.” La’jyn’eu said as he turned up the music. It only annoyed Parker very deeply since he hates that type of music.

“Hey Parker!” Mynik’ny’nuta shouted into Parker’s ear to be heard. “I need to tell you… he’s an adrenaline junkie! But it’s the type of adrenaline… of when someone throws a hand grenade at you!”

“Aw. Don’t listen to her Parker.” La’jyn’eu said turning down the volume so that he could be heard. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She’s going by rumors about me. But I am an adrenaline junkie.” He then turned the volume back up. Parker could see in the eyes of La’jyn’eu that he really loved the adrenaline rush and the song was intensifying it.

“Oh God!” Parker cried out.

Parker just couldn’t wait for his nightmare to be over. It started to remind him of something. It was something that was dark and evil, like it came from a dream. Then it hit him. It reminded him of his dream that he had with Death in it. Now he now knows that he’s dream came true in a metaphorical way. And that only increased his dread in not knowing what will come next.

There were times in which he just sat there screaming out in fear of being involved in a car crash. At one point they came so close of being in a car crash that Parker’s life flashed before his eyes. And it reminded him of why he wants to get away from Roscadia. It told him that it is he’s destiny to join the EOD and nobody can change his mind.

It took them roughly 30 minutes to get to Project 21 HQ. (Normally it would take 90 minutes.) Both the cop and La’jyn’eu slow down as they approached the building. La’jyn’eu came to a stop and turned down the volume. The cop then turned his car around and rolled down his window so that he could talk to La’jyn’eu.

“Little John I didn’t know you like that type of music.” The cop said.

“Here’s something for your troubles.” La’jyn’eu said as he handed the cop some money. What Parker didn’t know was: that it was the money that Little John gave him earlier.

“Why thank you. Thank you very much.” The cop said all smiles.

“Yeah don’t mention it.”

The cop then left and waved at La’jyn’eu as he went by. As the cop was leaving, all three got out of the car. For Parker, he was glad that it was finally over, the music, the speeding, and the stress. But what he didn’t know was that it was about to get worst for him.

  “Hey Parker… pussy-R-U?” La’jyn’eu asked Parker.

“What?”

“Exactly. Now get your ass on the ball. Time is precious.” La’jyn’eu ordered Parker.

“You heard the man.” Mynik’ny’nuta said as she grabbed his collar and forced him into the building. Parker would have gone anyway but, both La’jyn’eu and Mynik’ny’nuta was in a rush for some reason and they won’t mention why.

Parker led them to the cloning facility. Before they got there, La’jyn’eu asked Parker to call ahead and make sure everybody is out of there. La’jyn’eu then asked Parker if there is a cryo-status room nearby. Parker mentioned that there was. Parker knew that if he keeps on ordering people out of a secure room Project 21 is going to get suspicious. But he said nothing about it.

“How long will it take to make a full grown clone of you?” Mynik’ny’nuta asked Parker.

“Why?”

“Just answer the question.” La’jyn’eu snapped back.

“Eight days. You know it won’t work. They have the technology to tell the difference between me and a clone.” Parker added.

“I kind of figure that they did.” La’jyn’eu said.

“Then why do you want to make a clone of me?”

“It’s part of a HIDSO trick.” La’jyn’eu said.

“What kind of trick?”

“You know Parker, its best that you don’t ask. Shut up! Now when will Admiral Lowenthal arrive?” La’jyn’eu asked Parker. La’jyn’eu was starting to get tired of Parker’s constant whining, and so was Mynik’ny’nuta.

“Thursday.”

La’jyn’eu then turned to Mynik’ny’nuta and both of them started to talk in their native tongue. She then looked at Parker like, she felt sorry for him. La’jyn’eu look at Parker and said nothing.

“What? What were the two of you talking about? It’s about me isn’t it?” Parker asked, being deeply concerned for himself.

“Parker… I’m going to tell you this in the most strongest possible since of the words: Mynik’ny’nuta and myself are professionals; we know that we get on your nerves, we will help you to the best of our abilities. And if we have to do anything that is rough and hard for you, we will try our best to lighten the load.” La’jyn’eu said in a calm compassionate way.

“Wait. Now hold on for a minute. What do you mean by ‘rough and hard’? Just what are the two of you going to do to me?”

“Parker… time is critical and we don’t have time standing around here arguing over this. She needs all the time right now to do her job. So please do not disturb her. Do not argue with us further. Help us to do our part so we can help you be with whom you wish. Understand?” La’jyn’eu said.

“Yes.”

“Good. Now Mynik’ny’nuta needs to accelerate the cloning process so that the clone can grow faster. I need help in getting some supplies.”

“And I told you that Project 21…”

“I heard you the first time!” La’jyn’eu snapped back.

“You didn’t let me finished.”

“Parker… you are trying my patience. Now shut up! And do exactly as we say! And not another word from you! Got it? I said GOT IT!?” La’jyn’eu said. He was getting upset with Parker.

“Yeah I got it!”

“Parker, come here. I need to get a sample of your DNA.” Mynik’ny’nuta said. She had him open his mouth as she put a cotton swab in it.

“Lock the door when you leave Parker.” She added.

Parker helped La’jyn’eu to collect the supplies that he needed and put them in the trunk of Parker’s car. Before they were done Mynik’ny’nuta asked Parker to come to her.

“Go. I can finish up here.” La’jyn’eu told him.

When Parker got back to the cloning facility, she was washing her hands.

“What did you wanted?”

“I need a secure incubator to put this clone in.”

“You can store it in here.” Parker said. He tired to show her where but she grabbed his arm.

“Let me rephrase myself. What I meant to say was, show me how to manually put in the storage code for the incubator.” She said letting go of his arm.

“Well I can do that.”

She then reached out and grabbed him by the arm, tighter, this time.

“If you do… Project 21 would know that you did. The buttons have a nano-security device on it. If you touch it… gloves or no gloves… they would have your DNA and therefore know that you did it. That would undermine our plans. My nano-suit will not allow my DNA to be extracted. So I need you to tell me how to manually put in the code.” She said once again letting go of Parker’s arm.

Parker then showed her how to put in the code. She then told him to go out there and tell La’jyn’eu that she’s done, and that she sped up the cloning process by 55%. Parker left and did as she said. Later she came out and they went back to Parker’s house. Once again, La’jyn’eu drove the car, but this time he drove at the speed limit. Much to Parker’s relief, La’jyn’eu listen to smooth jazz. Parker didn’t care too much for the music, but to him it was better than heavy metal. Maybe now both of them can finally give him some peace and quiet. He hoped.

(10)

Wednesday, Admiral Lowenthal just got the message that she’d hoped will never come. She received the message after 18:00 hours: the mayor of Roscadia (including seven bodyguards) was murdered. But that’s not the worst of it. Someone sneaked aboard Starbase 231. They sabotage the sensors. Killed ten crewmembers, and erase the security logs. Maintenance said that they would not be able to have the sensors up and running until Sunday, at the least.

Lowenthal sit back deep within her seat when she heard all of that. Her stomach was starting to turn into a knot with the fear rising within her. She knew that they were dealing with a professional with exceptional skills for them to be able to pull that off. The only group of people with professionals like that is the EOD.

But there is still one thing that troubles her. Either the EOD took the time, money and effort to train this person to a very high degree (a rarity) or they are dealing with someone who is at least 200 years old. There is only two ways that a person could be 200 years old: one; a cyborg and two; a clone. The problem with it being a cyborg is this: all cyborg can be detected on Starbase 231. The problem with it being a clone is this: the EOD has never used them like that before.

Yes of course it is La’jyn’eu who did that. Only two people in all likelihood will be the only ones who will ever know that. Parker’s plan is coming true in ways in which he could never have guess. He feels at peace. The only thing that his plan has done is to slow down the Project 21 investigators and when they are done, they are still going to go after him.

The only good thing that occurred that nobody would know about is this: it created confusion and doubt in the minds of the Task Force ZH-3C members who wanted to go home. They are starting to think that maybe Bryce is right: ‘If you run in the face of evil… you will only bring it home with you. And by doing that… you will dishonor those whom you love.’ For each one of them the death of the mayor, and what happen on Starbase 231, is a rude awaking. Perhaps there is still a chance of hope.

(11)

It was late evening and La’jyn’eu just got back. Parker decided to order out sense La’jyn’eu refused to eat anything that was cooked by Mynik’ny’nuta. Although Parker eat the food that she cooked, and said that it was delicious, La’jyn’eu said that he would rather starve to death than eat her food. He was acting that way out of distrust of her. He actually took the jar of Liquid Death with him when he killed the mayor and sabotage Starbase 231. He hates her because of what she has in her and what she can do to the galaxy.