Chapter

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1

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Into The Kennel

"When I think about Greatness, I think about accomplishment, I think that greatness is something people use to meet there goals in life. Greatness is when you prove people wrong by doing things they said you couldn't do"

~Unknown Writer

Agent James Lawson sighed impatiently as the elevator slowly groaned down to his desired floor. He was tense, his superiors had personally requested him to go through this mission on his own, due to his various experience in the Chronological Exploration and Bio-chemical and scientific warfare and soldiers. He didn't really have a problem with this mission, until he knew what it entailed him.

He groaned, "My God…a whole century and they didn't fix the goddamn elevator!" he cursed. He couldn't believe that in 2113, with all of the advanced technology in the universe, or any universe for that matter, and they couldn't make the lift go any faster. After WWIII and the New World War going on with the Alien race and interplanetary terrorists about 80 years ago, the U.S believed that they should "up the Ante." Since then, the planet Earth has become the most tech forward in the U.G.U., or United Galaxies of the Universe.

James leaned against the metal wall as a soft version of Scodal's "Hammer Head Blues" played through the overhead speakers. He checked his wristwatch; he was early, as they'd told him to be. Something had the agency spooked, terrorist were speaking of using chronologic tech to "unleash the downfall of the planet." He didn't know nor did he care, he had his orders.

Pick up the subjects and deliver them to the G9 Corp. James thought, He just hoped that it would be as easy as they said it would be.

Just then the elevator groaned to a stop, made a solid ding, and, just to taunt him, the doors slowly creeped open. He rushed through and took his badge out of his front pocket, held it up to the small black ball next to the steel doors, it scanned his ID with a brief yellow light. The doors wooshed open to reveal a large underground facility full of working scientists and others, typing on large computer screens. In the center was a holographic projection of a full scale war. James stared, mesmerized by the explosions, bullets, all surrounding a large light in the sky.

"Ah, Agent Lawson! You're here early," a kind voice rang out over the rest of the white noise.

Slightly startled James turned briskly. "Oh, hello Doctor Lee." He remembered Dr. Phillip Lee, the famous scientist that perfected time travel and created the ultimate soldiers. He was a dangerous and very smart man, but it really didn't show, He was skinny, had a mop of black hair and glasses. "Yeah, I am, but it is nice to see you again...boss," James said, his familiar crooked smile popping up.

"Yes well, I know this isn't a social visit, I hear you're here for my 'kids.'" James saw Dr. Lee make a face when he said it. He knew those soldiers of his give him a hard time, but he loved them like his own. Lee walked off. "This way," he called; James followed. They passed by some busy looking guys in white coats as they went.

They stopped at a door that read "OBSERVATION" and went inside; it was a small room, with a large window looking into a larger room, an interrogation room - the window was a two-way mirror - and on the other side were five young men and women, lounging around and looking bored.

They couldn't be any older than 25, maybe younger, James thought. "Are these they ones, they're a little young to be killing machines, don't you think Lee?" He said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Lee just smiled. "Don't let that fool you," he explained, "About seventy years ago, fifty soldiers volunteered to under go a new bio-chemical enhancement for Project SYNCLARE. These were the only five to survive the intense treatment." As if on cue, the one kid in the center looked up right at James; he backed up, scared. His eyes were inhuman, inverted, the white of them were pitch black, while his pupils glowed white. "Mac, our first success, he prefers to use nothing but the blade. When we first started, we were a special group, going back to points of history, shifting, changing things as the government saw fit. Mac was responsible for President Nixon's 'resignation.'

Lee saw James staring into Mac's eyes. As everyone did, he looked back at Mac, who lowered his head and said something that sounded like, "We're being watched," but Lee ignored it and went on:

"Next, is her," he pointed to a redhead in a green army jacket, "Frankie. An experienced marksmen, never missed a shot...well…just one."

James turned to the man. "One?"

When he asked, Lee sighed. "We sent her in to try and change a major death in history…the JFK Assassination."

James looked shocked. "What…?"

Lee coughed, "This was when she was new, she swore she could do it: her mission was to kill Harvey lee Oswald…"

James thought for a minute. "The two-shot conspiracy. She missed her shot?" He asked; Lee simply nodded. James looked back to the window, Frankie's eyes were fixated on Lee, one changed colors constantly before stopping on grey.

"She wanted to go back but the machine couldn't handle it, she vowed to never miss again." She looked down, her shoulders sagged, ashamed. "Next is Goo…"

James held back a laugh. "G-Goo?" He managed.

"Yes, that is what she prefers to be called. She is our professional spy: quick, stealthy, and fluent in over fifteen-hundred languages. She is responsible for the previous two World Wars, many Revolutions, and a few officials being overthrown." Goo, a dark skinned girl with pig-tails, had a special set of eyes, one was blue, the other red, as if she had a twin, an evil twin. "Those two are Terrence and Bloo - both really special cases, I'm sure they'll tell you at some point."

James looked confused. "You don't know?"

Lee shrugged. "Nope."

The two men were just staring at each other, James couldn't see their eyes. Just then a loud laugh sounded, "Hello, Mr. Lawson, did you enjoy Doc's story?"

Lee sighed again and pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, are you ready to meet your assignment, James?"

He just stared as Dr. Lee left the room and went down the hall to the next door; James followed and reached for the knob, but Lee stopped him. "Uh...I'd like to remind you they are a bit touchy when it comes to...well a lot of things, so try and keep calm, and no sudden moves," Lee warned. "Alright?"

He opened the door and all eyes went to James, Mac tossed a knife in the air, it lodged itself into the steel ceiling. "Hey Doc, I see you brought a friend," Frankie said quietly. Mac's eyes Glowed for a second before he stood up.

James gulped. Yeah, easy, he thought.