Chapter 1

Chapter 1

         The wind howled outside the house. Snow fell in sheets, a white monsoon. The house could only be seen from a few feet away. When the weather was clear, it stood out. It was the only building for miles around. There were no lines or cables anywhere to be seen. Aside from being the only structure to break the desolation, the house was quite plain. A single story, no decorations, nothing to distinguish it from any other family home save its location.

         From within, a different howling emerged. The latest tracks from some recent German metal band sounded from a very nice entertainment system. While it looked state of the art, it was perhaps unique in its lack of any brand markings. There was no sign of who designed, built or marketed it. Next to that was a widescreen TV again, state of the art, but unmarked. A laptop lay on a table again, devoid of any brand logos.

         The only light within the house came from candles spread about the tables and torches mounted along the walls. They cast flickering shadows over everything in the house. It was strange to look at a house lit by torch and candle full of all the modern convieninces, including electric lighting. When a track on the stereo came to the end, sometimes the hum of a generator could be heard from below.

         There was only a single occupant in the entertainment room. He sat in a comfortable chair. A fine crystal glass full of a clear amber liquid was in his left hand. No bottle was in sight. Next to the chair was a small table which held an unmarked speakerphone. Under a corner of the phone was an envelope marked "TOP SECRET: For the eyes of Vincent Neill Only". Peeking out from beneath the envelope was a first class airline ticket from Whitehorse to Washinton DC dated for October 23, 2031. As Vincent sipped the strong drink, he read the letter held in his right hand. Like the house surrounding him, Vincent apeared to be nothing out of the ordinary at first glance. He was of medium height and build with light brown hair. His face was plain and undistinguished. The only remarkable features were his eyes. Where most people looked at the world from behind green or brown or blue rings, each of his sockets were filled by pools of mercury. No sclera or pupil could be seen.

         Just as the music ceased, a shrill ring cut through the storm outside. Vincent reached out and turned the phone to speaker mode. In a dull but strangly unslurred voice he demanded, "What?"

         "Vincent? It's Grace. I'm guessing you got the same message I did." The soft, voice sang out. It was a voice you'd expect to sing the Ave Maria.

         Vincent sat for a moment, as if he had lost the skill of conversation. Finally he said, "Someone broke him out. After all this time. Shouldn't he be in his seventies by now?"

         "Actually, he's about 78. Thing is, he hasn't changed a bit since he was imprisoned. What does that tell you?"

         "You mean he's got one lodged, like us? Lord help us."

         "So, are you coming back? You and I are the only ones left who faced him before. We're the only ones who will remember what he is capable of."

         "I don't know. It's been a long time..."

         "How long will it take for you to accept that what happened wasn't your fault. Vincent, nothing you did could have stopped Blackrazor from killing Jennie. Sitting in the arctic avoiding human contact isn't going to bring her back. It's about time you came out of seclusion. Hell, you've been gone so long people have forgotten what you look like. You could take General Armageddon by surprise when he sees you. Besides, I'm getting lonely. It's been what, thirty five years since we took him down and you vanished Vincent? Jennie was my only blood relative..." Vincent blanched at that statement, but Grace continued. "...but you were just like family when the pair of you were dating. I've been alive as long as you have, dealing with the same anger and guilt. Damnit, now he's on the loose again. I need you! We've got to make sure no one else has to go through what we went through!"

         Another long pause, then Vincent finally spoke, although in barely a whisper. "All right, I'll leave my retirement. For you. And for Jennie. Not for them. The military never did anything for us.

         "Fine. Just get here in one peice. I'll meet you at the airport. You should recognize me. I haven't changed any more than you have, I'll bet."

         "Won't that get the top brass annoyed?"

         "Screw 'em. It isn't everyday I get to have a reunion with some one I haven't seen for this long. I get first priority."

         "All right. Do you need the flight number?"

         "No, I had one of my people arrange the flight. I'm making sure no one gets to you before I do. I'm not having any brainwashing done unless I get to do it. Come on, laugh. Or at least smile. Geeze, I can hear you frown over the phone. I've got a lot of work to do on you. See you in a week." With that the phone clicked to a dial tone.

         Vincent got up and pulled the ticket, envelope, and a set of travel documents that were hidden by the phone. He put all the papers in the envelope and walked to the door. Wearing nothing more than jeans and a white shirt, he opened the door and stood looking at the white landscape. Then a pale violet glow surrounded him, and he stepped out into the snow. He closed the door, and raised his arm. From his finger tips a beam of purple light glided to the door. The door wavered and oozed into a seamless part of the wall. Then Vincent's feet left the ground and he flew into the storm.

The story continues in "Chapter 2"