Hey all! Long time no read! And write! AND EVERYTHING! As promised, here is the newest chapter. It's short, and filler, but I hope to get back to the groove in two weeks. I hope you enjoy this little taste, and even some of the head nods to the original Alien film!

Please excuse any grammatical errors, seeing as how I literally threw this together an hour ago! LOL


THE ENEMY'S HEART

Unknown Territories

COMPONENT:

THREE

"Amazing…" murmured Lance Henson in the backseat of the massive, military grade black Suburban that sped almost dangerously down the dirt road beyond the fenced gate and its patrol that it had just passed with ease.

"Sir?" replied a camo-wearing militant up front who looked back at the doctor through the rear view mirror.

Lance never looked at the militant, but answered all the same while flipping through the journal he'd acquired from Margaret Woods, "The information here is absolutely amazing."

The man up front shifted his eyes towards the other behind the wheel. "I take it you got what you were looking for?"

"So much more, Lieutenant," replied the prominent member of Home Light's Intelligence Division. "So much more."

As the car approached an enormous hangar within the Nevada base, the structure's entry doors pull back – allowing the vehicle passage. Skidding to a halt, Lance was out of the truck before it came to a final rest, and walked towards the far end of the wall where a set of elevator doors waited; completely and entirely ignoring the aggressive, military presence that filled the hangar around him. Pressing his palms against a mechanical scan pad, a blue light glows around his flesh and beeps before the doors open and the scientist steps in.

"Further authorization required," cooed a robotic but surprisingly sensual feminine voice from the overhead speakers.

In monotonous boredom, Henson sighed yet spoke clearly. "Home Light Intelligence Officer: Dr. Lance C. Henson. ID: 578473 Alpha Cassius Demeter."

The mechanisms quieted for a moment before coming to life with a soft hum as Lance felt his stomach drop slightly – an indication that they'd already begun their descent. "Authorization recognized. Welcome back, Dr. Henson…"

"Good to be back, Helen."

"I've missed you greatly," the voice offered earnestly.

Henson couldn't help the smirk. "There are plenty of other brilliant minds here to keep you company, my dear."

"None like you, Lance. None like you." Helen (or its technical name H-LIIN) was the automated system software and artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant for the secretive organization. Her acronyms were short for: "Home Light Internal Intelligence Neo". She'd been operable for the past seven years without any issues – and somehow developed a form of personality depending on which high ranking agent she worked with. For Lance, she was often a combination of an equal scientific partner, a comforting friend, and sometimes even a hint of a flirtatious lover. There were often moments the Doctor had to convince himself that she was just a machine operating by her advanced function in a way that she studied would make her masters comfortable…Other times, he found it hard to disbelieve that she didn't mean what she said. H-LIIN was, after all, an ever learning artificial intelligence who had come to learn those who used her in practically every way. Technology was evolving – growing. Lance didn't have any disbelief that someday that technology would gain flesh and limbs and walk among them – impossible to be differentiated from true humans. Androids. Already there was work being done on advanced systems that would cater to human needs on space crafts – taking care of them in virtually every way: from steering the ship, to initiating security, to even providing food. One of these machineries in the works was called "MU/TH/UR" or, ironically, "MOTHER".

One day, technology would walk among them, as them. Lance could only pray that it would not become a threat like these aliens already proved to be…though somehow he knew it would…they all did – and yet they would never stop giving technology the power to someday overpower mankind.

The elevator came to rest on the -3rd floor of the Home Light compound, and the doors opened to the labs of his division. Subordinate scientists practically bowed in reverence of the younger doctor as he passed them by, signing clipboards and handheld devices as he hobbled along to his own personal lab down the hall. "Lance?" called Helen over the speakers – causing some of the scientists to wince. Needless to say, not everyone liked how informal the A.I. was with the doctor. For a brief moment, Lance thought he understood Alexa Woods' plight in regards to her relationship with the beast-like hunter…Odd…

"Yes, darling?" answered Henson with a crooked smirk – knowing how uncomfortable it made some of his equals, and impressed his subordinates.

"The Home Light Divisions Committee is gathering. They'll be summoning you soon."

"No bother," stated Lance as he walked into his lab and rustled through some files and rolled up schematics located in a large cabinet. He motioned for a young intern named Billy Wench to approach with the transport cart. Wench rushed over and helped the doctor load up his findings onto the cart. "I'm already headed that way."

"I'll tell them."

"Good girl. They wanted answers about what happened in New Zealand. I think it's about time I tell them everything-," his eyes shifted to the journal still within his hand, though now it was filled with multi colored paper strips throughout almost its entirety. "-and more…"

To Be Continued…


Here goes Lance causing more problems. I never expected this character to be so problematic when I first created him. In fact, the original plan was to kill HIM and keep Dubois alive. CRAZY RIGHT?! But I guess keeping Lance alive was a good idea because it adds a certain devious air to the story and its future from a scientific standpoint. I wonder just where this story is heading?!