ALARM CLOCK DAWN (An Original Novel - Part 9)

The story is really picking up steam now. Yesterday we met Seth Busby, Johann Pfizer's second in command at XenTek. We also learned inside information about XenTek’s top secret project, dubbed Project Phoenix. Today, we’ll learn a little more about Project Phoenix and our protagonist, Adam Harkin, makes another appearance. Adam is returning home from his workday at XenTek, trying his best to make it to his destination before a powerful storm hits the city.

I hope you enjoy today’s episode! I also wanted to take a moment thank talented author, @cristi for the awesome Q&A he did with me last week.

Did you miss Part 8 of Alarm Clock Dawn? If so Click Here to read it.

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“Sir, as you know, the power grid is already stretched well beyond capacity. Taking a single power station offline for even a few hours a day will cause massive blackouts and the price of electricity is sure to skyrocket.”

“Just get it done.” Johann barked.

“Yes, sir. And one more thing, sir. We received a detailed report from SatCom today. The frequency of sightings in the sky are increasing in intensity and seem to be concentrated in the vicinity of the collider. They reported nearly five yesterday alone.”

“Make sure you call our media contacts and do what you normally do—plant a story that explains it away,” Johann instructed.

“Back to Project Phoenix. I want only operatives with advanced military training who have proven they can keep their mouths shut working on this. We will need their expertise and precision to carry this out. I don’t have to tell you how important it is to speak of this to no one. If a single word of this project leaks, I will hold you personally accountable.”

Johann stared directly into Seth’s uneasy eyes. Johann wanted to make it clear that this was a direct threat and one to be taken seriously. Most people were unnerved to simply even be in the same room with him. Johann Pfizer enjoyed absolute power and as the old saying goes, it had corrupted him absolutely.

“Yes, sir,” Seth said as he sat up at attention. “We will need at least one big brain as a member of the crew. Someone who can think on their feet, a person with a deep understanding of technology.”

“Fine, I will leave it up to you to choose. It will be best if it is someone without many ties since they may be lost in the process. Remember, the end justifies the means, Busby. I will expect to be briefed frequently on the progress.”

“I already have the perfect person in mind. Oh and, yes sir, the end justifies the means, sir.” Seth repeated as he quickly, quietly, and very thankfully scurried from the director’s office.

Johann picked up the folder, glanced through the dossier again, and threw it down on the desk with a heavy sigh.

“Let's hope the end justifies the means,” Johann mumbled quietly to himself almost as if in stunned disbelief.

Two years ago, Project Phoenix had been just a long shot. Johann’s ego was inflated a little more each time one of his hunches was correct.

The director of XenTek immediately picked up the phone and hit one of only two buttons on the keypad. “I want the board of directors assembled at once for a briefing of the utmost importance.” Without waiting for a reply, he returned the receiver gently to its cradle.

A long sigh escaped Johann’s lips. He turned and stared out at the dark gray sky just in time to see a bolt of lightning arc across the landscape. Second-thoughts began to settle in on him. Johann made sure his vulnerable moments were always private ones. Project Phoenix was uncharted territory and he felt a foreign flutter of trepidation in his belly. He also instinctively understood the politics of his position, the importance of appearing to always be in control, and with the immense pressure of having to continually outperform quarter after quarter, so he saw no other viable choice but to take this risk.

CHAPTER 4

“Lawrence Street Station. Exit to the left at Lawrence,” said the obnoxiously saccharine prerecorded female voice as the doors of the subway opened with a hiss. Adam jerked as the commotion tore him from his daydream. This was his stop.

“Shit!” He quickly gathered his bag and rushed out of the subway car before the doors slammed shut. He glanced at the clock on the wall and then searched for a break in the shuffling and distracted crowd.

It was already 6:40. He only had another twenty minutes to get home. It was just ten blocks, but now that the storms had gotten worse, he didn’t want to chance venturing outside. Navigating the tunnels wasn’t a direct route, so it took a bit longer.

“Hey there! Hey mister, come here and I’ll tell you your fortune,” said a child of nine or ten who was smiling as he rested his elbows on a makeshift table made of wooden crates. The storms had created many orphans, and these children had to be very creative in how they survived.

“I-i’m sorry but I c-c-c can’t. I’m running—I’m late!” Adam gave his most valiant effort to callously avert his eyes from the needy child.

“This won’t take long, sir. I promise,” the thin, dirty-faced boy told him.

“You don’t have to call me sir. Call me Adam.” He studied the child for a moment. “Have you eaten today?”

The boy’s eyes dropped sadly down to the ground. “No, sir, not today.”

Adam smiled as he unzipped his backpack and pulled out a camouflage-imprinted brown paper bag. “I see a chicken salad sandwich and a bag of chips in your future”.

The boy grinned. “Thank you very much, mister! Just for that, you’ll get your fortune for free!”

To be continued. The next installment of Alarm Clock Dawn will appear at the same time tomorrow.

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Alarm Clock Dawn is the first novel of a trilogy. The sequel entitled, Truth Is Stranger, will be published in the Spring of 2017.

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