Countdown to Dawn by Brett Hoeppner

Author:Brett Hoeppner [Hoeppner, Brett]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Brett Hoeppner
Published: 2021-09-20T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 8

Full Circle

Grayson removed a bright, handheld flashlight from his back pocket and shined it into the vast, pitch-black basement. The sizable room was a dank graveyard of discarded prosthetic limbs. All generations of Bio-Yomi appendages along with their dented and cracked cases littered the floor and filled shelves that lined the walls.

As he shuffled through the limbs like a ball-pit, his flashlight picked up a glint from a pile in the middle of the room. He approached it and saw a long, bloody, steel screw poking out of a pile of limbs. Grabbing the screw, he lifted it out of the pile, and realized that it was attached to a prosthetic leg. The leg began to whir and rotate as if it were trying to screw into something. Spooked by the sudden sound and movement, Grayson tossed it aside into another pile and shined his light around the room.

At the back of the basement, against a wall, was a workbench with an enormous, carbon fiber case sitting atop it. Grayson waded through piles of junk until he reached the table and gazed upon the case.

He brushed off a layer of dust with his hand and shined his flashlight on the lid.

It read:

Project SF: Left

Property of Bio-Yomi

Authorization: K.N.

Underneath the text was a red Torii gate that sparkled under the bright beam of the flashlight. Grayson popped the catches around the case, breaking the airtight seal, and cautiously lifted the lid.

A dull, blue glow emanated from the case and illuminated its contents as Grayson released the hinged lid. Inside, he gazed upon a gargantuan steel left arm, identical to Steel Fist’s right arm. Grayson removed a handwritten letter from the case and read it to himself with the help of his flashlight.

Steel Fist has exceeded an output of 120% in his current configuration.

I’m afraid adding an additional “Fist” could result in a detonation

of the last complete biomagnetic energy source we have left.

Since reverse engineering the source is too dangerous,

it is impossible to increase output to safe levels

despite the reduced size of this prototype.

I am requesting it be decommissioned.

-Head of Bio-Yomi R&D

Sebastion Borka

Grayson raised his prosthetic hand, held it between himself and the steel fist, and turned it back to front, inspecting it.

“If anything can vaporize a human down to his last hair, it’s this damn thing. We might actually have a shot at this,” he mumbled to himself as he closed the lid on the case and sealed it shut.

He pocketed his flashlight, heaved the case onto the ground and extended a carry handle, enabling him to pull it like a suitcase. As he took a step forward, he noticed a small flame burning in a shadowy corner of the basement. Coming from the direction of the tiny fire, a muffled cough echoed through the darkness.

“Someone else down here?” asked a raspy voice that sounded like it was talking into a bucket.

Grayson slowly placed his right hand on the pistol grip of the M4 slung across his chest and pointed it from his hip toward the flame, flicking the safety off with his thumb.

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