"Can't breathe. Need air." I cough frantically trying to breathe as the room fills with smoke and gas from small metal canisters thrown into the room.
I'm struggling to maintain consciousness slowly suffocating on the second floor in the Masquerade, a fetish night club. Several heavily armed men in combat fatigues wearing high tech, night vision, goggles and gas masks wade through the thick smoke and gas towards me lying on the ground choking. This definitely isn't my lucky day. My situation is getting worse by the fucking minute. Thoughts, lots of thoughts traverse my clouded head.
Was I set up? By who? James Coldburn? Rhonda? That's impossible. Would she set me up after fucking me senseless with her strap on? Why? There's nothing to gain; wasn't time to set me up. Or, did she?" I ponder gasping for air before blacking out.
"Wake up, Kira, fight; resist." I hear my internal computer voice say to me. "The primary mission has been compromised and is now being aborted. Your target is now aware of your intentions. We're awaiting new directives from your superior Walter Stonehenge.
"Initiate emergency manual system override." I command my internal computer. "Restore full human control." I direct to my internal computer slipping into a deep unconscious state from chemicals being injected into my veins.
"Affirmative, Kira." My internal computer responds shutting down all operation and restoring total control to me - not that it'll benefit me in my unconscious coma like state.
I'm waking up, kinda woozy; feel like I'm hung over. No telling how long I was unconscious. I'm restrained, figures as much; being transported in the back of an SUV escorted by several other SUV's down the interstate. I'm guessing it's past midnight, no way of knowing for sure.
"Where am I? Where are y'all taking me and why?" I mumble incoherently under my breath slowly becoming more conscious of my immediate surroundings.
"Sedate her fucking ass again until we get to Las Vegas." I hear James Coldburn order from the front seat as a needle pierces my neck quickly sedating me once again.
When I awaken again, we're pulling into a secured underground facility driving downward into a darkened parking garage sparsely illuminated. This time I play it smart pretending to still be sedated. Ahead of us I see my midnight blue Lamborghini Diablo being parked as we continue further downward into the underground facility. I recognize this place. It's the Hades Tower (Human Altered DNA Engineering Systems). I've no idea why I am back here, more importantly, why my target I was suppose to eliminate has brought me here. Things are getting weird, really weird. My head hurts. This isn't part of my primary mission; definitely not making any sort of sense to me right now either.
The SUV's escorting us break away taking a different direction; must've been four or five of them. We're stopping. Minutes later some men open the back door of the SUV drag me from the back seat. Two men in black suits throw my arms over their shoulders and carry me towards sliding glass doors into a lobby area. I don't remember this area of the facility. I'm confused, my memory is blank. I remember this place vaguely, but only leaving it on my mission.
Ushered past a reception area where heavily armed security guards scramble to life, I'm escorted to the lower levels via elevator. Dozens of floors down the elevator stops. I'm escorted past a security desk where James Coldburn checks in, down a long concrete stairway where we pass another security check point, and then down a long maze of wide open hallways. I gaze through glass windows at dozens of people working as we pass by. At the far end of the main hallway, I am escorted into a spacious office room dimly lit.
Upon entering the office, my restraints are chained to a huge metal O ring located in the floor in front of Walter Stonehenge's desk. I watch perplexed as my target James Coldburn walks in the office behind me and stands to the right of Walter Stonehenge sitting behind his desk with his legs propped up on the desk; crossed. There is a long period of deafening silence before Walter Stonehenge lights a cigar. Neither James Coldburn nor Walter Stonehenge take their curious eyes off me. I can sense tension in the room, lots of tension. I try to raise my restrained arms up to activate my internal computer breaking the deafening silence. Soon as I do, the chains tighten removing slack from the chains. Bad idea.
"Your computer has been temporarily shut down, Kira. You can't escape." Walter says correcting his posture puffing on his imported cigar.
"What the fuck is going on here, Walter?" I demand snatching at my restraints once again feeling them tightening the slack. "I was given orders to eliminate James Coldburn. Now, I find out he's working for you. What kinda bullshit is this?"
"You catch on quick, don't you? Walter snaps back watching me snatch at the chains being be met with the same results as before. "Should I wait until you're kissing the floor with your ass in the air like a bitch?" Walter chuckles standing up. "James give me a status report on your mission objectives.
"Sir, my primary mission of destroying Kira's former life by assuming it through deception was completely successful. The divorce and legal issues are finalized. Undermining your competitor's government funded research facility by stealing all remaining research has gone virtually undetected. Bankrupting your competitor was successful as well. All available funds have been transferred to your bank accounts. Your competitor's research company can be taken over at any time." James reports obediently smiling sarcastically at me with his hands crossed behind his back.
"Excellent!" Walter exclaims. "Soon we'll monopolize the human genetics research sector in the field of medical science. No one can stop us now." Walter elaborates placing an affirmative hand on James's shoulder in praise for a job well done.
Listening closely I trying to digest what I'm hearing; I'm confused. I think about pulling at the chains once more, but give up on the idea altogether. There's no point in resisting if it isn't gonna yield beneficial results. I survey the room weighing my options. Nothing, escape now is impossible.
"This is the most preposterous story I have ever heard fabricated outta lies, nothing but lies!" I shout venting my anger. "James Coldburn has been working for you the whole time. What about my mission to eliminate him?" I question furiously.
"I'd suggest you shut up and listen. You're the one who's memory was wiped clean." Walter says walking towards me after putting his cigar out. "I'm not done destroying your life, yet.
"Timeout. Let the delusional fucker talk. Maybe I can get an idea of what's really going on." I think silently calming myself to put the puzzle pieces together.
"Destroying your life and robbing you blind has made me a fucking fortune. All your research in human cloning I stole from you along with my research in altered human DNA will help me monopolize the medical science field for years to come without any competition." Walter explains smiling.
"Are you crazy? I'm no scientist. You gave me directives to eliminate James Coldburn." I protest trying not to be so temperamental.
"I can tell you're confused. I'll simplify it for you. You're the real Jason James Coldburn. I used the human cloning research I stole from you. I sent a clone of you to assume your former life, utterly destroy it, and to steal your remaining research. I used my research to genetically alter and enhance your DNA. Right now, you are just a transvestite, but eventually you are gonna be a woman. Brilliant, wouldn't you say?" Walter enlightens me explaining the bigger picture of what's really going on. "I sent you to track down your own clone as trial test."
"Do you think it was a coincidence you were able to access the computer files in my office with your fingerprints, Kira? I know you seen the bank accounts being depleted and being transferred from one account to another." James interrupts coldly before Walter stops him.
"That's enough, James. You and the rest of the men wait outside. I can handle things from here." Walter instructs as everyone vacates the room. "Kira, and I need to have a private talk."
"Yes, sir, Mr. Stonehenge." James replies as he and the rest of the guards leave the room.
Silence fills the room again. I pull at the chains binding me one more time knowing the results. With a firm hand, Walter lifts my chin so that I'm looking him in the eyes as the chains pull me a closer to the floor. Walter is almost a foot taller than I am and clearly in a position of control. His dark blue eyes meet my green eyes without a hint of emotion in them. If my feet weren't chained to the ground, I'd have brought him down to my size with my knee.
Snatching my head away defiantly from Walter's hand, I resist instinctively only to have the shit slapped outta me with the back of Walter's right hand and then by his left hand in succession. Traces of blood ooze from my lips and nose; my face turns flush red from the stinging sensation I feel. It's everything I can do to maintain what little self control I have.
