By reader demand, I proudly present a tantalizing follow up to the previous sneak preview of my upcoming mecha/Mil-SF series Combat Frame XSeed.
“The institute is entrusted with caring for the most
extreme cases—those who exhibit disorders not seen in the colonies since before
the Collapse.”
extreme cases—those who exhibit disorders not seen in the colonies since before
the Collapse.”
The doctor’s pedantic voice filtering into his cell roused
Zane from his brooding. He eased himself off his bed’s foam mattress, crept
across the spongy floor, and crouched beside the narrow slit in the padded
steel door.
Zane from his brooding. He eased himself off his bed’s foam mattress, crept
across the spongy floor, and crouched beside the narrow slit in the padded
steel door.
“I see.” The stern male voice kindled dim recollection in
Zane’s mind. “Tell me, Doctor. How do you deal with these prisoners?”
Zane’s mind. “Tell me, Doctor. How do you deal with these prisoners?”
The voices were getting closer, along with the click of
footsteps on the hallway tile. There’s
three of them. Two are about the same weight, wearing men’s dress shoes. One’s
a lot lighter, in boots with raised heels.
footsteps on the hallway tile. There’s
three of them. Two are about the same weight, wearing men’s dress shoes. One’s
a lot lighter, in boots with raised heels.
“We refer to them as patients,”
Zane’s doctor said. “Sadly, the cases in this ward pose a danger to themselves
and others. The best we can do is keep them confined to their rooms.”
Zane’s doctor said. “Sadly, the cases in this ward pose a danger to themselves
and others. The best we can do is keep them confined to their rooms.”
“You mean incarcerated
in their cells,” said a girl whose soft voice took the harsh tone of a
taskmistress. Just hearing her felt like ice water flowing down Zane’s back.
in their cells,” said a girl whose soft voice took the harsh tone of a
taskmistress. Just hearing her felt like ice water flowing down Zane’s back.
“I was speaking to your father, young lady,” the doctor
said. “I’ll thank you not to interrupt.”
said. “I’ll thank you not to interrupt.”
“My responsibilities to the Coalition afford me no time
for children, Doctor,” said the second man, annoyance creeping into his stony
voice.
for children, Doctor,” said the second man, annoyance creeping into his stony
voice.
“I apologize, Director Sanzen. I’d assumed this young
woman was your daughter.”
woman was your daughter.”
Sanzen Kaimora? The
head of the Coalition Security Corps? Zane wondered if he really was
psychotic and the conversation in the hall was just a hallucination. He risked
a peek through the slot in his door.
head of the Coalition Security Corps? Zane wondered if he really was
psychotic and the conversation in the hall was just a hallucination. He risked
a peek through the slot in his door.
Zane already knew the graying, lab coated figure of Cody,
the facility’s head of psychiatry. A tall lean man who, unlike most in the
Coalition, looked used to manual labor, faced the doctor in the middle of the
hall. The only hair on his head was a severe black goatee. The lapel of his
charcoal gray suit bore a gold O’Neill cylinder pin—the emblem of the SOC. Definitely Sanzen. But who’s that with him?
the facility’s head of psychiatry. A tall lean man who, unlike most in the
Coalition, looked used to manual labor, faced the doctor in the middle of the
hall. The only hair on his head was a severe black goatee. The lapel of his
charcoal gray suit bore a gold O’Neill cylinder pin—the emblem of the SOC. Definitely Sanzen. But who’s that with him?
A petite young woman stood behind Sanzen in a matching
skirted suit. Black hair with a deep blue sheen fell past her shoulders to the
small of her back. Dark eyes set in a pale narrow face scanned her surroundings
with the calculation of an artic she-wolf. Her gaze met Zane’s, and he recoiled
from the door.
skirted suit. Black hair with a deep blue sheen fell past her shoulders to the
small of her back. Dark eyes set in a pale narrow face scanned her surroundings
with the calculation of an artic she-wolf. Her gaze met Zane’s, and he recoiled
from the door.
“This is my adjutant Sekaino Megami,” said Sanzen. “She is
here to advise me on my decision.”
here to advise me on my decision.”
“Yes, of course,” the doctor stammered. “As per your
request, I’ve assembled a list of all patients who were originally part of
Block 101. The first of them is right down this hall. His name is Zane
Dellister. He’s been with us for several months.
request, I’ve assembled a list of all patients who were originally part of
Block 101. The first of them is right down this hall. His name is Zane
Dellister. He’s been with us for several months.
“What’s wrong with him?” asked Sanzen.
“Zane developed a strange form of obsessive-compulsive
disorder. Oddly, symptoms manifested after he arrived here in Chicago but
before his unit saw combat. He was arrested in an abandoned warehouse following
a rash of thefts from Seed Corporation. Evidently he’d been building his own
combat frame out of parts stolen from Seed’s factory, the CSC’s own inventory,
and even destroyed enemy units.”
disorder. Oddly, symptoms manifested after he arrived here in Chicago but
before his unit saw combat. He was arrested in an abandoned warehouse following
a rash of thefts from Seed Corporation. Evidently he’d been building his own
combat frame out of parts stolen from Seed’s factory, the CSC’s own inventory,
and even destroyed enemy units.”
“He sounds resourceful,” said Sanzen. “But why wasn’t he
confined to the stockade?”
confined to the stockade?”
“Zane harbors an unhealthy attachment to this Frankenstein
combat frame. He put three security personnel in the infirmary during his
removal from the warehouse. Since then, he’s displayed behavior verging on
dissociative identity disorder.”
combat frame. He put three security personnel in the infirmary during his
removal from the warehouse. Since then, he’s displayed behavior verging on
dissociative identity disorder.”
“Fascinating,” Sanzen said dryly. “Put him down as a
candidate for transfer to Metis, and let’s move on.”
candidate for transfer to Metis, and let’s move on.”
“Who’s next on the list?” asked Megami.
The doctor’s stylus tapped on his tablet’s screen. “That
would be Eiyu Masz, our most violent case. I’d advise caution in…”
would be Eiyu Masz, our most violent case. I’d advise caution in…”
Zane’s manic words drowned out the conversation outside as
the doctor led his esteemed guests farther down the hall. “Did you hear that,
Dead Drop?” he asked his absent combat frame. “Metis—that’s the asteroid they
towed to L5. Turned it into a CSC base when they’d mined it out. They want to
send me back into space. But I’m not going without you!”
the doctor led his esteemed guests farther down the hall. “Did you hear that,
Dead Drop?” he asked his absent combat frame. “Metis—that’s the asteroid they
towed to L5. Turned it into a CSC base when they’d mined it out. They want to
send me back into space. But I’m not going without you!”
A high time preference was among the personality traits that
Cody said aggravated Zane’s dysfunction. That didn’t mean Zane was incapable of
long-term planning. He could be patient when necessary. He just didn’t like it.
Cody said aggravated Zane’s dysfunction. That didn’t mean Zane was incapable of
long-term planning. He could be patient when necessary. He just didn’t like it.
Zane had waited almost a whole hour after Cody, Sanzen,
and Megami had passed back down the hallway and out of the ward to enact the
escape he’d been planning for months. He stood before the mirror embedded in
the wall behind a thick polymer sheet and pulled his light blue pajama shirt up
over his head of buzzed, platinum blond hair. Then he stuffed the shirt down
the drain of the small sink built into a wall recess and opened the taps.
and Megami had passed back down the hallway and out of the ward to enact the
escape he’d been planning for months. He stood before the mirror embedded in
the wall behind a thick polymer sheet and pulled his light blue pajama shirt up
over his head of buzzed, platinum blond hair. Then he stuffed the shirt down
the drain of the small sink built into a wall recess and opened the taps.
His slippers came off next. These he wrapped in plastic
hoarded from weeks’ worth of prepackaged meals and jammed down the tankless
ceramic toilet. The water flow valve was hidden in the white padded wall, so
Zane kept flushing as cold water sloshed onto the floor. He knew security was
watching him over the pinhole cameras installed in his room, and he knew they’d
send orderlies to deal with his misbehavior. In fact, he was counting on it.
hoarded from weeks’ worth of prepackaged meals and jammed down the tankless
ceramic toilet. The water flow valve was hidden in the white padded wall, so
Zane kept flushing as cold water sloshed onto the floor. He knew security was
watching him over the pinhole cameras installed in his room, and he knew they’d
send orderlies to deal with his misbehavior. In fact, he was counting on it.
It didn’t take long for the overflowing fixtures to flood
the small room five centimeters deep. Zane lay face down in the rising water
and held his breath. He was floating, and his lungs starting to burn, before
the heavy door hissed open.
the small room five centimeters deep. Zane lay face down in the rising water
and held his breath. He was floating, and his lungs starting to burn, before
the heavy door hissed open.
“He was like that for five minutes before the second shift
guy came on and saw the monitor,” said a male orderly who burst into the room,
fighting the outflow of water.
guy came on and saw the monitor,” said a male orderly who burst into the room,
fighting the outflow of water.
“Get him up,” said another man behind him. “If he drowns,
it’s our asses on the line!”
it’s our asses on the line!”
Zane pushed up from the flooded floor and drove both feet
into the first orderly’s stomach. The air escaped the man’s lungs in a pained
gasp, and the torrent swirling around his shins assisted in knocking him
backwards into his coworker.
into the first orderly’s stomach. The air escaped the man’s lungs in a pained
gasp, and the torrent swirling around his shins assisted in knocking him
backwards into his coworker.
Drawing a deep sweet breath, Zane sprang to his feet and
rounded on the orderlies who lay in a sodden tangled heap outside. The man on
top struggled to rise, but Zane leapt from the doorway to stomp on his chest,
driving both orderlies back down. He knelt, bounced both men’s heads off the
tile floor, and ripped the security badge from the top man’s white scrubs.
rounded on the orderlies who lay in a sodden tangled heap outside. The man on
top struggled to rise, but Zane leapt from the doorway to stomp on his chest,
driving both orderlies back down. He knelt, bounced both men’s heads off the
tile floor, and ripped the security badge from the top man’s white scrubs.
The exit from the ward lay down the hall to Zane’s left
and around the corner to the right. But the keycard alone wouldn’t get him out.
The exit used an airlock system with two doors and a small booth in-between.
Only one door could be opened at a time, and the whole booth could be remotely
locked down to hold an escapee till security showed up.
and around the corner to the right. But the keycard alone wouldn’t get him out.
The exit used an airlock system with two doors and a small booth in-between.
Only one door could be opened at a time, and the whole booth could be remotely
locked down to hold an escapee till security showed up.
Which Zane was also counting on. He hauled the first
orderly—a pudgy man with short brown hair—off his unconscious counterpart,
bound his hands with his shirt, and stood him up. Zane positioned himself
behind the semiconscious orderly and encircled the man’s neck with the chain
from his extendable badge clip. He held the makeshift garrote closed with one
hand while pushing him forward with the other. The fat man sputtered as they
slogged down the hall.
orderly—a pudgy man with short brown hair—off his unconscious counterpart,
bound his hands with his shirt, and stood him up. Zane positioned himself
behind the semiconscious orderly and encircled the man’s neck with the chain
from his extendable badge clip. He held the makeshift garrote closed with one
hand while pushing him forward with the other. The fat man sputtered as they
slogged down the hall.
When they reached the security door giving on the airlock,
Zane opened it with the orderly’s keycard. A beige steel box waited beyond with
an identical door on the far side—a door that couldn’t open until Zane shut the
one behind him.
Zane opened it with the orderly’s keycard. A beige steel box waited beyond with
an identical door on the far side—a door that couldn’t open until Zane shut the
one behind him.
Security was certainly watching Zane’s every move. They
knew he was in the airlock and that he had a hostage. The smart move would be
to lock down the room when Zane closed the door and wait him out, regardless of
the risk to the hostage. But Zane’s time on earth had acquainted him with a
fundamental difference between himself and other colonists. Socs couldn’t
stomach making hard decisions. Instead, they jumped straight to excessive
force.
knew he was in the airlock and that he had a hostage. The smart move would be
to lock down the room when Zane closed the door and wait him out, regardless of
the risk to the hostage. But Zane’s time on earth had acquainted him with a
fundamental difference between himself and other colonists. Socs couldn’t
stomach making hard decisions. Instead, they jumped straight to excessive
force.
Zane shut the door behind him. He tightened his feebly
struggling hostage’s chain and waited. Sure enough, the facing door slid open
to reveal four guards in dark blue CSC uniforms. They all carried carbon polymer
batons, but they hadn’t taken the time to don riot gear.
struggling hostage’s chain and waited. Sure enough, the facing door slid open
to reveal four guards in dark blue CSC uniforms. They all carried carbon polymer
batons, but they hadn’t taken the time to don riot gear.
Big mistake.
“Release the hostage and get on the floor with your hands
behind your head, now!” barked a security officer with tan skin and a short
crewcut.
behind your head, now!” barked a security officer with tan skin and a short
crewcut.
“I’m crazy-ass spaceman,” cried Zane. “I’ll do what I
want!” He released the chain and kicked the orderly through the door. The
security officers jumped aside, and Zane charged right between them into the
outer hallway, stepping on his former hostage.
want!” He released the chain and kicked the orderly through the door. The
security officers jumped aside, and Zane charged right between them into the
outer hallway, stepping on his former hostage.
The two rearmost guards lunged at him. Zane grabbed the
guard to his right by the wrist, kicked his leg out, and levered him toward his
oncoming friend while prying the baton from his hand. As the second guard
struggled to prop up the first’s dead weight, Zane spun to intercept the two
guards who’d stood near the door but were now charging him. He ducked under a
vicious swing from the guard on his right and drove the butt of his own baton
into the man’s stomach.
guard to his right by the wrist, kicked his leg out, and levered him toward his
oncoming friend while prying the baton from his hand. As the second guard
struggled to prop up the first’s dead weight, Zane spun to intercept the two
guards who’d stood near the door but were now charging him. He ducked under a
vicious swing from the guard on his right and drove the butt of his own baton
into the man’s stomach.
With the man to his right down on all fours struggling to
breathe, Zane launched himself at the guard on his left. His new opponent’s
brown eyes widened, and he froze as Zane’s baton crashed into his temple. He
folded to the ground.
breathe, Zane launched himself at the guard on his left. His new opponent’s
brown eyes widened, and he froze as Zane’s baton crashed into his temple. He
folded to the ground.
The first two guards were back up. The one who still had a
baton brought it down in a whirring arc at Zane’s head. Zane angled his body to
one side, letting the stick blur past and punching his attacker in the throat.
That made three guards writhing on the floor.
baton brought it down in a whirring arc at Zane’s head. Zane angled his body to
one side, letting the stick blur past and punching his attacker in the throat.
That made three guards writhing on the floor.
Zane let the last guard run down the hallway, yelling for
help and took a detour to the right. A short sprint brought him to the
commissary for low-security patients. He rushed through the pajama-clad dinner
crowd, past a wall cluttered with disturbing finger paintings, and into the
steamy, savory-smelling kitchen. The mostly female staff shrieked, and dropped
trays crashed as Zane bolted for the back of the room and plunged down the
trash chute.
help and took a detour to the right. A short sprint brought him to the
commissary for low-security patients. He rushed through the pajama-clad dinner
crowd, past a wall cluttered with disturbing finger paintings, and into the
steamy, savory-smelling kitchen. The mostly female staff shrieked, and dropped
trays crashed as Zane bolted for the back of the room and plunged down the
trash chute.
The dumpster where Zane landed smelled decidedly worse
than the kitchen above, but this air was free. Almost. I just need to cross the yard and get through the fence. Then
I’m out, and no one will keep me from you, Dead Drop!
than the kitchen above, but this air was free. Almost. I just need to cross the yard and get through the fence. Then
I’m out, and no one will keep me from you, Dead Drop!
Zane didn’t bother looking for the baton he’d dropped upon
landing on squishy trash bags and broken down cardboard boxes. He vaulted out
of the reeking metal bin and took off running across the cracked asphalt of a
loading dock. Broken glass stabbed his feet, but he ignored the sting and
fixated on reuniting with this black combat frame.
landing on squishy trash bags and broken down cardboard boxes. He vaulted out
of the reeking metal bin and took off running across the cracked asphalt of a
loading dock. Broken glass stabbed his feet, but he ignored the sting and
fixated on reuniting with this black combat frame.
A wide green lawn sloped down from the low gray building
that housed the institute. The cool grass soothed Zane’s tortured feet as he
ran for the razor wire-topped fence encircling the campus. A pair of wheeled
gates flanked an enclosed guard box thirty meters away. Zane sped up, dashed
across the road leading to the gate, and dove at the box.
that housed the institute. The cool grass soothed Zane’s tortured feet as he
ran for the razor wire-topped fence encircling the campus. A pair of wheeled
gates flanked an enclosed guard box thirty meters away. Zane sped up, dashed
across the road leading to the gate, and dove at the box.
The panicked guard inside shot at the window, sending the
reinforced glass sliding away in a spiderwebbed sheet. Red hot pain engulfed
Zane’s mind as a bullet slammed into his right leg. His momentum carried him
through the broken window and into the screaming guard, who didn’t get off a
second shot before the back of his head collided with the opposite window. He
slumped back into his chair.
reinforced glass sliding away in a spiderwebbed sheet. Red hot pain engulfed
Zane’s mind as a bullet slammed into his right leg. His momentum carried him
through the broken window and into the screaming guard, who didn’t get off a
second shot before the back of his head collided with the opposite window. He
slumped back into his chair.
Breathing like a furnace, Zane hammered the gate button.
More gunshots cracked behind him, and bullets ricocheted off the guard box and
the fence. He ducked out of the box and rushed through the gate. But his
wounded leg betrayed him. Zane stumbled and went rolling the rest of the way
downhill. He splashed down in a drainage ditch at the base of the slope. A
concrete pipe yawned to his left. Without thinking, Zane scrambled into the
filthy darkness.
More gunshots cracked behind him, and bullets ricocheted off the guard box and
the fence. He ducked out of the box and rushed through the gate. But his
wounded leg betrayed him. Zane stumbled and went rolling the rest of the way
downhill. He splashed down in a drainage ditch at the base of the slope. A
concrete pipe yawned to his left. Without thinking, Zane scrambled into the
filthy darkness.
Read the final Combat Frame XSeed preview here.
In the meantime, check out my already completed space adventure-horror series, the Dragon Award-winning Soul Cycle.
This is very intriguing. Everything spawns far more questions than answers.
Never seen any mecha anime (and very little anime in general), but I'm enjoying this.
The vibe I'm getting is Han Solo (not the Soylo version, but from the original movies/The Han Solo Adventures breaking himself out of prison.
Thank you. High praise, indeed.
I have a feeling Zane will be one of this book's breakout characters.
This turned into a Terminator 2 Sarah Conner style breakout very fast. Well played.
Thanks for the compliment! Glad you're enjoying the ride.
Brian,
Well that excerpt is intriguing and raises so many questions. This is going to be a fun book.
xavier
Pretty darned cool. I'm quite looking forward to the whole thing.
Thanks