CHAPTER 1
A Forbidden Control
Deep deep in the jungle far from any people, far from anything, a small lad sat in a serean atmosphere.
No one knew about the place or should have. No one was even suppost to know who or what was being done or made there.
Inside the place was dark and drafty with age. Except the basement. The basement was lit by only the lights of half a dozen large computers. That and a hazed over capsule off in one corner.
A scientist sat at one of the computers programing something into the thing in the capsule.
The thing was something he'd created before but had been put off line. This time he'd make sure that wouldn't happen.
So....... he'd started over.
He was trying to re-program the thing but he couldn't get past the barrier in the memory. He just couldn't understand where the barrier had come from. He had't put it there.
Had someone added it?
He had been able to erase the thing's normal memory, but not THE memory. That and the free thinking emotions that somehow had been put in it. He couldn't get in there and he couldn't understand it.
He worked on it a few moments longer but, it was no use. He couldn't break the barrier.
Sighing in frustration he turned off the computer and saundered over to the capsule the thing was in.
"Why can't I get into your memory?" he asked the thing, even though he knew it couldn't answer, "What did you do to it?"
He wiped away at the haze covering the glass view piece. He looked into it. The thing just floated there in a green liquid, its head down. Its eye piece was black and blank.
This thing had caused so many problems in the past. It had gotten a free will. It had imprisoned its creater to try to get revenge.
It had even once impersonated its creature.
The scientist knew he should have just destroyed it but, he didn't want to. No matter how bad it got. He couldn't destroy it.
"What is it about you that makes me hesitate?" he asked the thing.
It didn't reply. He hadn't expected it to answer anyway. He angrily struck the glass. The force shook the capsule.
The scientist saw it begin to topple and quickly grabbed and righted it before it fell over.
When he was sure it was secure again he turned and began to walk away from it. Then decided something else.
He looked over his shoulder at it one last time. It was secure it didn't fall over. Nothing unusual. As silent as ever. He turned away from it. He sat down at one of the huge computers and rested his forehead on his finger tips. There had to be some way to get through that barrier.
But that wasn't his worst fear at the moment.
He was very worried something else. Tne condition of the thing. It was very unstable. If anyone tampered with it who knew what would happen? Maybe that's why I hid it here in the jungle, he thought, So no one would be able to find it and tamper with it. Namely a certain spiky little........
He broke himself off. He didn't want to think about that!
Maybe I should go for a walk and clear my head, he thought. But when he stood up his gaze fell on the capsule and he was suddenly unsure, or maybe I shouldn't. What if something happens while I'm gone?
Don't be silly, he chided himself, no one's going to find this place. No one even knows you're here!
He still wasn't entirely sure.
The scientist realized he was being silly. Maybe I should take a walk. I'm getting way too paranoid.
Then before he could change his mind he turned and headed up the stairs out of the basement. Once outside he closed the door and tried to lock it even though he knew the lock had rusted off. Finally he gave up and walked away hopeing nothing would happen while he was gone.
It wasn't till awhile later that two kids from Station Square, having nothing to do, found their way to the Mystic Ruins and the scientists lad. They hadn't ment to find it. They had only been exploring when they spotted it througth the trees.
Being kids they were curious and got closer.
They found the place abandonded and thought no one had been there for years. The door was unlocked so they went in. They spotted the stairs and went down to the basement.
"Hey, look!" the older one exclaimed pointing at the walls.
They both saw the half dozen huge computers lined up in a neat row against the left wall.
'They don't look that old," commented the younger of the two, "maybe someone lives here after all."
"Don't be silly," the older kid chided him, "if someone was living here the door would have been locked."
"I don't know," the second kid said, who'd had a glance at the lock, "it looked kinda rusty and........"
The first kid cut him off. "Oh, wow! This is so awesome!," he exclaimed, walking up to a computer and turning it on, "and look they still work!"
The younger kid cast a look in no perticular direction. His eyes centered on a glowing capsule leaning against a wall. "Hey, look at that!" he shouted, pointing.
The first kid looked up from the computer and stared at the capsule saying nothing.
"I wonder what that is. I wonder what's in there."
He walked up to it and rubbed at the haze. He couldn't see inside though.
The first kid had been watching him and knew he was curious. He got an idea. "Let's find out," he suggested.
The younger of the two looked at him. "How?" he implured.
The computer roared to life. "Let's activate it!"
The kid standing by the capsule tried to protest but it was too late. He heard a noise come from the machine and ran away from it.
The older of the two began toying with some of the nobs and buttons on the keyboard. The second watched as all the computers came to life. Their screens blinked on and a loud whirring sound came from each.
He began to get an uneasy feeling.
Suddenly he was startled by what sounded like thunder. He looked toward the capsule and saw some wires had broken off of it. They were being flung around by what seemed like an invisable person. Loud electric sparks shot out of the wires making them look like Fourth of July sparklers.
"Uh, I think maybe we should-," he began but was cut off by a loud explosion.
He looked toward the computer where his friend had been sitting and saw that the one right next to it was short cirkiting.
The thunder sound grew louder.
He looked above himself.
The ceiling was alive with broken live wires! It looked like an indoor lightning storm.
His friend screamed and jumped away from the computer just as the one next to it fell over. The instant it make contact with the first computer it exploded.
"What did you do?!?" the younger kid demanded.
"ME?!" his friend exclaimed in indignation, "YOU'RE the one who wanted to know what was inside that thing!"
"I didn't want you to turn it ON!" the kid screamed. "now look what you've done! If someone does live here he's gonna be so ANGRY!"
The first kid looked toward the capsule. He saw a light on inside and a strange shape in it. He knew better then to go near it again.
"Let's get out of here," he shouted.
His friend nodded and the two bolted out the door. At the bottom of the stairs they both turned around. The last thing they saw before they turned and ran for their lives was the capsule tilt over and shatter causing a fire and a blizzard of sparks.
The frightened kids ran all the way to the train station. They rode all the way back to Station Square with panicked eyes and scared to dearth.
They didn't look back once during the return trip.
The electricity had gone out.
The lab was quiet, save for an occasional buzz whenever another circite would pop. The place was totally dark.
In the far corner, the capsule lay shattered on the floor, the green liquid creeping out of the broken machine and over cold stone like a watery ooze.
The thing still hadn't move. It seemed dead. Then something inside it came to life and its eyes opened.
It slowly pushed itself on its hands and knees and looked around.
It had no idea who it was or where it was. It had no memory whatsoever. Only the feeling that it needed power. Power and revenge.
Revenge on something. But what?
Try as it might it couldn't remember what it wanted revenge for. It didn't matter. The feeling was strong and it gave it strength.
The thing stood and felt drawn to the last computer standing. It stumbled over to it, its hands out stretched, as if it was going to embrase someone.
Its hand rested on the screen and the things red eyes tried to read what it said but drew a blank. Written words were all scrambled. It only knew words spoken. It grew angry anf frustrated.
The with sudden strength and rage it thrust its clawed fingers into the screen.
It began to absorbe the power and energy from the machine. The thing coulds feel it coursing through its body and by the time the machine was totally drained the thing was half crazy.
It laughed a manical laugh and shouted thrusting its arms over its head. "Power! It's all mine now! This world is mine! I am its ruler! I am the ULTIMATE!"
It laughed again, then in a riotess voice, proclaimed so loudly the place shook. "All living things kneel before your master!"