New Arizona – January 10, 2501
Larna stepped through the blue and white light in the Time Portal gateway, on to the metal ramp that led down from the metal grid-pattern framework of the Portal. As soon as she had cleared the light, it disappeared behind her, filling in the hole that had been created in the fabric of time. Larna immediately found herself being hugged long and hard by a flame haired woman dressed in a plain white dress with a white lab coat over the top. This woman was just slightly taller than Larna at six feet exactly. Her figure was just as stunning though. She had the look of a young Nicole Kidman. Larna broke out of the hug.
“Sis, you were the last person I expected to find greeting me.”
Lauren Delaney—Larna’s half sister on her father’s side—simply hugged Larna harder than before. Larna looked around the SAT Lab that she found herself in. The SAT Lab was the main research facility for the future, post-nuclear-holocaust world. They conducted experiments on space travel, time travel, as well as developing new technology for use in the present time. Larna had been the first to go back in time—therefore the time crew had monitored her very closely. Lauren Delaney had built her own Time Portal, so that she could go back in time to kill Larna’s grandmother in some sort of revenge for Larna taking her father away. However, when she saw that it was not Larna who had taken her father from her, she changed her view of her sister. They were now very close—as sisters should be. The last time Larna had seen her sister was at the missile site. She had left her outside the control centre. The man in the white lab coat, standing beside the Portal control panel, moved into Larna’s view. Professor Steinbeck was the researcher in charge of the time travel unit of the laboratory. His balding grey hair symbolised his sixty-five Erayears age. He had a white moustache, with glasses of a circular design. Larna glanced down at Lauren, who was still hugging the life out of her.
“Did I do something to deserve this attention Prof?”
“You came back.” Steinbeck said simply.
“Yeah I did. And, the last person I expected to greet me was my sister. What’s she doing here?”
Steinbeck walked to the foot of the ramp that led down from the Portal framework. Larna, who was still unable to move because of Lauren’s grip, was forced to stay where she was.
Larna glanced down at her sister in a—when are you going to let me go—expression. Lauren had no intention of letting her sister go. She had done that before. That time she thought that she would never see her sister again. The last thing that Lauren wanted to do this time was to let her go.
“When you didn’t come through the Portal with me when the nuclear explosion happened, I thought that you’d been killed or something.”
The Time Portal was activated by a large nuclear explosion—it would have scrambled the STC (Space Time Co-Ordinate) number programmed into the machine—so as a fail safe when the gateway detected a large electricity or nuclear source it activated the Portal to bring the time traveller right back to the original gateway, or one in the same time. Because Lauren had been right near the centre of the first nuclear explosion on American soil in the year 2000, the Portal had sent her back through the SAT Lab’s Portal. The Loretis guards had abducted Larna before the Portal had had time to sweep her back to this year. Larna pushed Lauren away, wanting to give herself some breathing space. Steinbeck spoke before Larna had the chance to.
“We were quite surprised when Lauren came through on her own. The last we had seen of her was in the hospital. Lauren seemed very upset when you didn’t come through—it took us a couple of weeks to calm her down, but she would not leave. I ended up hiring her as my assistant. She’s a very intelligent young woman.”
“Things went a little crazy in the missile site.” Larna said as she moved down the ramp, “Three guys came through some sort of universal Vortex. They took me to a planet where they had complete control over the inhabitants. I helped two of the inhabitants escape the planet. Liam came after us.”
Steinbeck’s face went as white as a sheet when he heard that name. Lauren, who had been listening intently to the story, saw the pale expression on her boss’s face.
“There’s no need to worry, he’s not about. He’s gone to some other planet with his wife. The Loretis changed him completely. He didn’t have that homicidal streak in his soul. Get this, he even helped me.” Larna said with a smile.
“That’s definitely a change.” Steinbeck said shaking his head.
“Listen,” Larna said, looking around the Laboratory, “Is there any chance that I could get some food? I’m starving.”
“Oh where are my manners?” Steinbeck said, waving Larna towards the exit, “Let’s go to my quarters and we can have something there. Lauren can come with us.”
The three of them walked to the exit of the Time Portal room. Larna was looking forward to having some food—her stomach felt so empty; it was like she had not eaten for days. Lauren held on to Larna’s arm as tight as she could. She did not want to let her sister go for an instant.
They did not reach Steinbeck’s quarters. Tom Aspel caught them up before they got half way. Larna’s expression was one of disappointed—she wondered what he was doing here. Tom glanced at Lauren with the same puppy love expression that he had had on Freedom, when he had first met her. Larna glanced at Lauren, who seemed to be slightly embarrassed by the look that Tom had given her. Could it be that her sister was falling for Tom Aspel—now that Tom was single, he was certainly a good catch. He was in his late forties with thinning brown hair, slim build and hazel eyes. He stood about the same height as Lauren. Even though the age difference was over double, Lauren would still have a good life with Tom—Larna suddenly realised what that meant—Shadow, Lauren’s daughter, was also Tom’s daughter. That was something the futuristic black witch never saw in her visions. Tom quickly turned his attention to Larna.
“I came as soon as I was told that you had returned. I’ve got an assignment for you.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Larna growled.
“You remember Luther Santos don’t you?” Tom asked.
Larna tried to remember the name. She had met a lot of people in her twenty-one Erayear lifetime. Santos had been a drug dealer that Tom had sent her to talk with—just before she encountered Shadow for the first time. Santos had been sent to Bostary—what had happened—had he escaped and threatened to kill her. Larna nodded her head in answer to Tom’s question. Tom then continued.
“Well, the police who had interviewed him have finally come up with the name of his boss. At first we could not believe the name that was drawn up, but then a new drug hit the streets with some devastating effects. The drug is called Hare. We’ve had ten Hare related deaths in the past two days, so we need you to go track down the main man selling the drugs. A man by the name of Doctor Black.”
“What is Hare?” Larna asked.
She had never heard of it before—even from her time on the streets.
“It’s a new drug standing for Hallucinogen Arousing Real Emotions. The thing is, you take it a couple of times, then you’re forced into taking it for the rest of your life because it turns into a very strong depressant.”
“Where did this Black come from? I can’t remember him from the Underworld.” Larna asked confused.
“Doctor Black used to work on the Freedom Orbital Space Station hospital and teaching college!” Steinbeck stated firmly, “What makes you think that he’s connected with this new drug?”
“Maybe because he was developing something along those lines during his time in the Space Station.” Larna stated firmly. “I had a chat with the nurses working there. Doctor Black was thrown off the station for his illegal tests on some of the patients.” Larna finished.
“Well, he’s now one of the richest bastards in the underworld. The underworld has its own currency now. He invented it. He’s the bank, the bank manager, as well as the main currency owner. He can get anything that he wants, mostly from the black market.”
“We used to have some form of currency when I was in the underworld, but nothing solid.” Larna stated, backing Tom up.
“I’ve set up a contact for you Larna. He’s going to meet you in one hour outside the New York section.”
“That’s a bad idea.” Larna said shaking her head, “If you want me to go after Black, then I’m better going about it using my old contacts. If they still exist.”
“Fine. When you find the good Doctor, we want you to talk him out of selling the stuff.”
Larna was shaking her head when a Time Lab Technician came racing up to Steinbeck at great speed. Suddenly the Thala on Larna’s wrist started sending out a continuous beeping noise in her subconscious. Her time travelling aid, The Time, History And Location Analyser, Thala for short, surgically attached to her left wrist, accesses the Factual Historical Information (FHI) Implants that have been surgically attached to the inside of her skull. Those Implants give Larna every single piece of data concerning people, places and events going right back to 1980. Thought processes operate the Thala and the responses are given to Larna in her subconscious thanks to a modified FHI Implant. It gives her information, maps, as well as giving her a scan of the immediate area surrounding her if she requires it. The only sign that Larna is using her aid, is when it appears on her wrist. It appears when Larna activates the operations function. When it is activated the Thala loses the power to keep the invisibility shield in operation, as it is at all other times, so no one can see the technology on her arm. This time she did not have to activate it, the technician told the whole group what the problem was.
“There has been a change in the time line—a Paradox Quake at a rate of Force Four is predicted to ripple through this time slot in approximately five hours. According to the History Computer four people have disappeared from it’s records. And two have appeared. It appears that a Doctor Black and his nurse, Saffron Starr, travel back in time to sell the Hare drug. This drug kills four people at least.”
Tom gave Larna a meaningful glance. Larna did not have to wait to be told. She ran off down the corridor to the nearest Transportation platform as quickly as she could. Tom inched closer to Lauren, who looked upset that her sister was going away again.
“Don’t worry about her Lauren, Larna can take care of herself. Listen, why don’t you come back to my apartment, we can have some dinner. Get to know each other a little better.”
Lauren nodded her head in agreement—she would like that. Tom was extremely happy that Lauren had agreed. They walked down the corridor together. Steinbeck smiled as he watched the two of them disappear, before he turned to his technician.
“Let’s get to the History computer. We will need to pinpoint the exact time Doctor Black appears in the past, so that we can inform Ms Fox.”
The Professor quickly paced away towards the History Computer block, followed closely by the technician.
The tall, well built, coloured man standing behind the counter of his shop, could not believe his eyes when the door to his building was pulled open. It was not the fact that such a gorgeous woman like Larna was walking into the place—it was just the fact that she was the last person he thought that he would ever see.
“Well, what is this?” he asked with a large grin on his face, “I’ve got a ghost walking into my shop.”
Larna paced up to the counter, then placed her hands down on it so that she stood right in front of the big guy.
“How are you doing Lynx?” Larna asked in a sweet tone of voice.
“I’ve got the feeling that I was doing fine until you walked in. Whatever you’ve come back from the dead for, I cannot help you.”
“I’m as real as you Lynx.” Larna stated firmly.
“That’s impossible. You were sent into Bostary according to the underworld news network.
The cops definitely caught you when they destroyed the Revheads. I know one of them survived to tell the story. So, either you’re a ghost, or worse, you’re a blue coat.”
“I never made it to Bostary, thank god, otherwise I think I would’ve been a ghost. I’m definitely not a cop though either. I was just doing a job. When the Revheads were finished, I had to find employment from some place.” Larna said with a constant smile on her face. “Now, are you going to accept my money for the information that I want, or will I have to go and pay someone else for it.”
Lynx looked down at the underworld credits that Larna was holding in her hand. Sure, she had been a very rich asset in the underworld a couple of years ago, but since that time she had not been seen in the New York section of New Arizona. Lynx was curious as to what it was she wanted.
“What kind of information are you looking for?”
“I need to have a word with the new boss. Black.”
“Oh, you’ve got to be crazy!” Lynx yelled, violently shaking his head in disbelief. “The Doc is a very dangerous man to mess around with.”
“I need a job.” Larna stated factually, “He sounds like the ideal man to go see about one. So, are you going to take me to see him, or am I going to have to find him myself.”
Lynx stared at the credits that Larna was waving in front of his nose. They were like a carrot in front of a donkey—drawing him out of his cautious shell inch by inch. Finally, he nodded his head slowly. It was suicide, but at least it was not him committing it—Lynx thought as he started to gather his things together. If Larna wanted to mess with the Doc, then who was he to argue—Lynx said to himself as he walked to the door of his shop. Larna followed closely behind him.
Lynx showed Larna down a dark, damp alleyway with as much attraction as a mouldy piece of bread. This was nothing new to Larna however; these alleyways had been her home for at least five Erayears of her life. She knew the New York Section of New Arizona like the back of her hand. New Arizona has been designed so that the old cities of the old USA have been replicated. It looks just like a miniature map of the old USA. Far above the tops of the building a Protection Field blocked out the harmful ultra- violet rays from the sun which had scorched the rest of the Sector. Under the field all weather condition were replicated—climate controlled—so that it did not feel too uncomfortable to live there. Unfortunately, climate control was not afforded to the New York area. For some strange reason, this section had been allowed to develop its own informal structure. The police very rarely came down into this section of the complex—she should have got back here when the assassination went wrong, but she was forced into reporting back to the Revheads. The alleyway led from the crime-free zone on to Broadway. The site of all the gambling casino’s, nightclubs and brothels housing the pleasure nymphs. A person could get whatever they wanted from this place—sex, drugs, banned house music, beer—anything that could erode the civil structure in the rest of the complex. Lynx looked nervous as he came out on to Broadway. When Larna followed him out of the alley, she saw why. Two gangs were having one hell of a street battle. Each one wanting to gain power, position, territory from the other. At the moment it was a stalemate. Each group was beating the crap out of the other, without getting anywhere. Larna found it quite amusing, but also quite assuring. She turned to Lynx with a broad smile on her face.
“It’s good to be home.” she said in a sheepish tone.
Lynx did not reply he was too nervous to speak. Then, suddenly, as if a switch had been flipped off, the fighting stopped. Now, we are in trouble—Larna thought to herself when the gangs turned their attention towards Lynx first, then her. Larna could see Lynx taking in a number of very deep breaths, trying to regain what little composure he had left in his body. Larna then saw trouble. The second gang leader looked familiar—this was the gang she had met just before she found the slaughterhouse of The Violator, Jade. She had rushed to help two officers who had been attacked by Jade. If the gang saw that she had helped the Blue Coats—as the police were called in this section—then this could get very tricky indeed. Sure, she could handle at least ten guys in a fight situation, but a hundred was even out of her capability. That was out of everyone’s capability, except maybe a whole army.
The two gang leaders both came to stand right in front of Lynx, blocking his way to the club entrance. The rest of the gangs went around behind Larna, blocking the retreat option.
“We don’t often see the Civo here in Zarrland.” one of the rather large leaders said.
This one had spiked up hair—much like a punk rocker. The other was a skinhead, but without the Nazi signs—that was long forgotten by these people. Lynx turned to glance at Larna before he replied.
“I was bringing this lady to see the Doc.”
The two-gang leaders both looked at Larna with complete lust on their faces. Larna Fox was twenty-one Erayears old, or one hundred and forty-nine Chronoyears. She was five feet eleven inches tall, nine stone with hazel eyes and auburn coloured hair, which had a white streak running right down the middle. With measurements of 36B-24-35 she had the body of a top model of the nineties. She also had the looks, ones closely resembling the actress Hudson Leick, to match her body. On her right side of her neck she had a tattoo of the Chinese for Eternal Devotion, in honour and memory of her late husband. On her right bicep she had got a tattoo of a Fox. On her left buttock was a tattoo of a black rose wrapped around a dagger, signifying her assassin background.
Larna was the master of six Martial Arts. Savate was an old French form of martial arts. It was based on hand and foot fighting and was recognised by it’s flamboyant kicking techniques. Pencak Silat was the National fighting art of the old Indonesia. Moves were based on the evasion and warding off of attacks. The offensive moves were all geared to getting the opponent off balance. Taijutsu was an unarmed form of combat, the forerunner to the old Judo technique. Ninjitsu, the art of invisibility, was the techniques of the ninja. They involved the use of dirks, darts, daggers, throwing stars, smoke bombs and various poisons. Capoeria was an old Brazilian form of combat in which the foot was considered the strongest weapon and the head the weakest point. This art aimed to bring these two into contact by using various kicks, somersaults and handsprings. Her gymnastic training as a younger woman had been moulded into a tool to help with this art. Kenpo, also known as Fist used Linear and circular movements combined into major and minor moves with flow constantly. This was a very flexible form of martial arts. Larna was wearing a pair of black fishnet stockings, with a very close tight pattern, which made her legs look even sexier than they were without them. On top of them going around her waist was a small, tight figure-hugging black leather mini-skirt which, at about eight inches long, just covered her buttocks. On the top was a black leather shirt over a black lace bra. This shirt was tucked into the mini-skirt. Her jacket was a black leather motorbike jacket with matching black leather motorbike boots on her feet. The boots had got a number of buckles on the side and came right up to about half way up her shinbone. Her long hair hung loosely down her back. Around her neck she had a gold chain with a cross on the end. The cross hangs down to lie just in-between her breasts. It was her mother’s necklace and Larna was never without it. On her right wrist she had the wrist part of a pair of handcuffs that they use in the present day. Her father gave it to her when she was young. She used to keep it in a box until she killed her foster father, now she wore it constantly to keep reminding herself of her past. Her face had just the right amount of make-up. Her eyes were surrounded by a dark eyeshade and her lips were a bright red with a black surround.
Larna’s appearance covered up her deadly sting in the tail perfectly, giving Larna the only thing that she needed—a slight advantage. The skinhead gang leader started shaking his head.
“That ain’t no lady.” he said when he recognised Larna, “That’s the assassin known as The Fox.”
“She’s dead you moron.” the punk leader snapped immediately, “When the Revheads were blown to pieces, she was captured by the Blue Coats. I heard that she had been executed with a deadly poison.”
“Does it look like I’m dead?” Larna asked, raising her eyebrows, not believing that they were talking as if she was not even there.
“If you ain’t dead, then you must have done a deal with the Blue Coats.”
The gangs all moved in closer to the pair of them. Lynx looked around at all the men surrounding them. Larna did not take her eyes of the punk leader. He was starting to feel uncomfortable by the look Larna was giving him. He knew all about her reputation. Larna then glanced to the skin- head leader.
“Listen pal,” she said to the punk leader as she brushed passed Lynx, who had started to quake in his boots now, “It’s not me who made the deal with the Blue Coats. You remember meeting me in the warehouse a couple of Chronoyears ago?” Larna asked the skin-head leader, “Well, when you saw those Blue Coats coming closer you certainly took off quickly—as if you were afraid to be seen talking with the infamous Fox.” Larna now turned back to the punk leader, “Surely, you have realised why they are trying to force you out of this territory. It’s so that the Blue Coats can have access down that alleyway. Think about that.”
The punk leader did not think. He just grabbed hold of the skinhead’s jacket. That was the cue for everyone else to start fighting again. Larna immediately grabbed Lynx’s arm, dragging him away from the gangs to the club entrance. Lynx looked at her with complete astonishment on his face.
“How did you know that they were working for the police?”
“I didn’t. I don’t think that they are.” Larna admitted, “I remembered those two gangs. They’ve been fighting for Chronoyears—all it needed was the trigger to get them started again. Come on, introduce me to Black before they figure out I tricked them.”
They both entered the club—Lynx now had admiration on his face, even though he still felt that introducing Fox—the Blue Turncoat—to the Doc—the new leader of the Underworld—was going to cause extreme problems.
A mad doctor escapes from Bostary and goes back in time. He takes with him a lethal highly addictive drug that once started, must be taken otherwise the high emotions that it creates can turn into ones, which kill.