A.P.E.S.

It was a hot and humid night in the Florida Everglades. The frogs sang their nightly song while crickets danced and chirping in the background. The moon was full and the heavens was lit up sparkling with bright stars. There was a 12-foot alligator swimming his way through the warm water looking for its next meal. He was a quiet hunter able to stay in one spot and wait hoping his prey would come down to the water’s edge for a drink. With just his eyes and nose above the water, the alligator watched as a huge swamp pig crept down for its nightly drink. Slowly without making a sound, the alligator pushed himself off. He hadn’t eaten in over two weeks and the pig would make the perfect meal.
Using only his tail, he steered his way closer to his unsuspecting prey. It stepped down into the water and took a quick taste. It was cool and delicious. The pig bent down and started lapping quickly at the water. He know it was dangerous here and one of the big things might be there in any minute. So he drank fast, hoping he wouldn't be interrupted.
Slowly using just his tail, the alligator inched toward the pig. He had to be careful. Any sudden splash or noise would alert the pig to his presence, and it could bolt away. As the moved in closer, he could smell the scent of the pig. Right now it had no fear, it was just thirsty and content just to get its fill of fresh water.
Foot by foot, inch by inch the alligator moved in. Its heart was pumping blood giving it strength to strike when the time was right. The pigs scent filled alligators nose driving it crazy with hunger. Then suddenly the pig felt something and it jerked its head up out of the water. At that moment, the alligator leaped up out of the water and snapped its jaws closed on the pig. It squealed in fright as it was pulled into the water and the alligator started its roll. The taste of its blood drove the alligator on as it rolled and drown the pig. Once its dinner was dead, the alligator took it out into the water where it planned to hide the body for a late night dinner. 
After hiding the pig, the alligator came back up to relax. It thought it might catch a few fish while it waited for the pig to ripen. Suddenly there was a big flash in the sky. The alligator gazed up and saw a small bright ball hurtling down out of the stars towards him. Diving down, the alligator sped out of the way trying to keep from being hit by the falling fireball. With a great boom it crashed into the water leaving a smoking trail behind it. Spilling back to the surface, the alligator watch the glowing ball from a distance. The water bubbled and boiled as a noxious smell seeped out and filled the air. Disgusted by curious, the alligator moved in to investigate the glowing thing in the water. This was his territory, his hunting ground. He wanted to make sure whatever the ball was, it wasn't a threat to his feeding ground. 
Diving down, it swam deep to the bottom and circled the small ball of light. The alligator gazed at it as he swam by. It throbbed with an almost hypnotic light. He thought it was beautiful, not like something to eat. Something different. Something he had to touch. 
Swimming closer, the alligator made a closer pass. The ball was making a strange humming noise. The alligator could clearly hear it. It was like it was calling out to him. Begging to be touched and held. Unable to resist any longer, he swam over and nudged it with his nose. The sound his nose made contact, the alligators mind exploded. The ball cracked open and something spilled out and flowed into the nearest living creature, the Alligator.

On the bottom of the river, the alligator thrashed and spun as it fought for control of its own body and mind. Primal instinct fought back as the invader made connections one by one on all of the alligator synoptic and major systems. With each second, the alligator's fight became weaker and weaker. Soon the only thing left of the gator was its dark primal hunting instinct, and the invader already had plenty of that.
[I am free!] 


It was late in the afternoon in the small town of Arondale, New York when two men dressed in army fatigues entered the PMC bank and got in the withdrawal line. There were three others before them in line, so they waited looking nervously around. In the front sitting at a desk, a bored looking guard leafed through a Sports Illustrated magazine as he watched people go in and out of the bank. The first fatigued man looked at his friend and nodded to the guard. The second man slowly stepped out of line and walked to the table where all the banking forms were kept. He pulled out a deposit slip then looked toward the guard as he started filling it out. With a nod he let his friend know he was ready.
At that moment, four other fatigued men pushed their way into the back and pulled their weapons. The fatigued man in the front of the line leaped up on the counter and slammed his hands together causing a small sonic boom which rattled the windows and everyone in the bank.
"Everyone down on the floor! This is a robbery."
The fatigued man by the guard, sent a level one ice blast at the guard, chilling him to a temperature that knocked him out. Then he hurried to the door as the other went behind the counter and started gathering money.
"Anyone move and I'll shake this bank until it collapses!"
"Two minutes!" yelled the man at the door. "The quake will have the cops here in less than five minutes."
"Who cares about cops." laughed one man as he stuffed his bag from a tellers money draw. "We have you two here if they show up. You can take down any cops that show up."
"It's not cops we should worry about." the first man said. "One minute and we're out of here."
Grabbing the last hand full of money, they all jumped up over the counter and ran for the door. Once outside, a van pulled up and they all jumped in and took off into the city.
From the bank, they jumped on the freeway and headed down three exits to the Toddlan exit where they took a right and jumped of the freeway. Toddlan was a quiet little one horse town with gas station, a fix it shop and quaint main street with dress shops antique shops and a barber and a hair dresser salon. Other then that, it was all homes and farms and country roads. 
In the van they were all slapping each other on the back with congratulation for a good job. Everyone except the two with augmented abilities. These two weren't sure they had made a clean getaway. Neither of them had seen any sign of pursuit, but the robbery had gone too smooth. It had been to easy and that made them both nervous.
As they pulled up to the small farm house where they had done all the planning, everyone climbed out of the van carried the bags into the house.
"WE DID IT!!" Carl Roberson said as he high fived Art Tucker. "That was so easy, we should've hit another one while we were out."
"How much do you think we got?" Pete McNair asked. He grabbed a bag and poured the money out on the table. Wrapped stacks of hundred dollar bills poured out and spilled on to the floor. Art did a dance around the table. He had never seen so much money in his life.
"Settle down." Louis Linder shouted. "This ain't over yet. We can still be tracked."
"By who?" Art laughed. "No one saw a thing. We got away clean!"
"I wouldn't say that." said a voice from the living room. Grabbing their guns, the five turned to find a tall red haired man standing at the door dressed all in black ACU pants and a black t-shirt with a two inch web nylon belt to hold various pieces of equipment. He had black combat boots and a black beret with two gauntlets strapped to his wrist.
"Who are you?" Carl asked as he held his gun on him.
"I'm here to bring you in." the man said with a smile. "You didn't really think you could just walk into a bank and take what you want, did you?"
"Who is this joker?"Art asked.
"He's Strikeforce." Louis said holding out his vibrating hands. "I hear you're suppose to be tough. But are you tough enough to take on all of us? I'm pretty tough myself, so is Coldfront there."
"And who are you?" Strikeforce asked. He folded his arms impatiently.
"I'm called Quake." he said. "I'm the one that is gonna take down the mighty Strikeforce."
Strikeforce laughed at that statement. 
"I guess you're going to get your chance. But before you do, I have to inform you that you're all under arrest. You all have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held against you. You the the right to an attorney. If you can't afford one, which I doubt you can, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these right?" 
"I'm sure you do." Strikeforce laughed. He took off his beret and placed it in his belt and looked at Quake. "Anytime you're ready."

"Kill him!"
The three combat fatigued men pulled semi automatic Mac 10's and unloaded at Strikeforce. The bullets ripped in hitting him in his chest and bounced off as if they had been fired at steel armor. Strikeforce raised a gloved hand and reached to his side and took an 8 inch long metal baton from his belt. With a quick flip, it extended out to 2 feet and he was ready to fight. 
Leaping forward, He swung out batting the gun from one man's hand as he kicked out and at the gunman next to him. Swinging around, Strikeforce grabbed a third man and threw him back out through a window. The two fatigued men left looked at their two downed comrades and knew they were useless in this fight. They dropped their guns and ran for the door.
"Come back here!!" Quake yelled.
"Let them go." Coldfront said with a smile. "We can take him."
Coldfront raised his hands and summoned his icy energy to his fist. As he moved toward Strikeforce, he sent a blast of ice at him. Strikeforce raised his arm letting the blast hit his gauntlets and bounce off. It sent a freezing chill up his arm. As Strikeforce shook it off, Quake hit him with a wave of heavy vibrations. As the pulsating tremors hit him, Strikeforce was forced down off his feet. He could feel every inch of his massive body shake with tremendous force. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself up to his knees. He open his eyes and saw Coldfront advancing from the other side with his glowing hands reaching for him. Strikeforce struggled to get to his feet, but the shuddering quakes pounding his were too strong. He knew he would eventually get up, but he wasn't sure if he could do it before Coldfront reached him.
"We got him!!" Coldfront said. "Hold him for just another second and I'll send his organs into the deep freeze."
Strikeforce could feel his frigid aura as Coldfront moved closer. He tried again to move but the vibrations kept him pinned down on his knees. Coldfront cackled as he reached down for him.
"I could use a hand here!" he yelled as he lifted his head. Suddenly a shadow stepped out of the wall and grabbed Coldfront's hand. He took the hand forced it back and away from Strikeforce.
"Sorry Boss." Shade said as he hovered in the air holding Coldfront. "I was kinda busy for a moment outside wrapped up your throw away's."
Coldfront fought and struggled to free himself from the iron grip of the shadow man holding on to him. He twisted and tried to kick out at Shade trying to shake himself loose, but it was impossible. Seeing Coldfront in trouble, Quake sent out a wave of vibrations at Shade hoping to disrupt his ghost like molecules and break his partner free. The second Strikeforce felt the gravity wave lift off his body, he reached out and grabbed a chair and threw it at Quake. As the chair hit him, Quake was knocked back and slammed into the wall. With astonishing speed, Strikeforce was up and on the augmented bank robber. One lite punch was all it took to incapacitate the gravity master and knock him out. With Quake down, Strikeforce turned to Shade and Coldfront. Shade had pulled him up to a level position so they faced each other. Coldfront grabbed onto him sending wave a icy power into the Shadow Augment.
Shade shivered then started to laugh as he absorbed the cold.
"Do you really think your cold can affect me?" Shade said pulling him closer to him.
I travel through the absolute cold of shadow everyday and you actually think your chill will bother me."
"Don't do it." Strikeforce said as he came over. "Just give him to me. That's an order."
"Yes sir." Shade passed Coldfront off to his leader. "Your going to jail instead of into my shadows."
Strikeforce to him and held him high off the ground with one arm.
"You don't scare me!" Coldfront shouted. "I can live in absolute zero. Your shadows are nothing."
Shade stopped and turned around staring at Coldfront with blazing blue eyes. He reached out and floated towards the insufferable thief.
"Let's see how cold your heart really is." Shade said as he placed his hand on Coldfront's bare arm. Suddenly all the warmth in his body was gone and Coldfront screamed out as his mind slipped down into the dark cold abyss that was the world of shadows. He heard the screams of the tortured souls and the horrifying beast that lived in the shadow world. Coldfront had been scared many times in his life, but there had never been fear like this before. As he opened his eyes, something came sliding towards him through the clouds of darkness. It was long with a body like a snake only much bigger. It had legs with long talons that looked strong enough to tear apart a concrete bunker and a face one could only imagine in their most horrible dreams. As saliva dropped from deadly fangs, the shadow creature lurched forward at Coldfront. He screamed and reared back trying to get away from the dark monster. He closer his eyes just as it opened its mouth to chomp down on him.
"Still think my shadows are nothing?"
Coldfront opened his eyes and looked up into Shade's shining eyes. He was back in the cabin with Shade and Strikeforce shaking in fear.
"W, was that real?" he asked as Strikeforce dropped him on the floor. Shade took out a pair of special handcuffs Mandriod had created for use on Augments and snapped them around Coldfront's wrist. Then touched a button on his belt to activate them.
"Just be glad all you got was a taste of shadow." Shade said as he hauled Coldfront up on his feet and pushed him towards the cabin door. 
"Our job here is done." Strikeforce said as he carried Quake's unconscious form out and dropped him next to Coldfront. "A Defender pick up team will be here for these two. I signaled the Sheriff for the others."
"Do we wait?" Shade asked.
"No." He dropped Quake's unconscious form out next to Coldfront and the others. "I have a Defender's pick up team on route. These two are going straight to lock down at Fort Niagara. The Sheriff is on his way for the others. You can head on back and get started on your mission report. I'll wait here just in case they have another Augment hiding out somewhere around here."
"Are you sure?" Shade asked. "I can stay and keep you company. The reports can wait."
"No, you go on and head back." Strikeforce tapped the communicator on his belt. "Mission control will be waiting, eager for that report that report. We don't want to disappoint them."
"OK." Shade stepped away from Strikeforce and lifted himself up into the air. "I guess I will see you back at the base. Be careful."
As Strikeforce watched Shade speed away, he smiled remembering the first time he had met him. A few years ago while stationed in New Mexico, Captain Shamus T. O'Muirus just back from a tour in Afghanistan, walked into the officers club of Fort Clinton. He was exhausted from the long trip home. It had been a hard tour. He couldn't get the memories of battle out of his mind. He saw friends and comrades die right in front of his face. Every night when he closed his eyes he had nightmares. Nightmares and memories of death and war. His most vivid dream, the one that always woke him up scream was about a small Afghani village. Shamus and a squad of Rangers has entered the village on a mission to rescue two men that had been taken hostage by Al Fahad, a group of radical fighters from up north in the Kasian mountains. There had been an intelligence report saying that the men were being held in a small house on the north end of Aswan. His orders were to take the village and get the hostages home. But the intelligence report that gave them the location was two days old. Shamus knew there was a chance that they had been moved, but his orders were to take the village anyway. They spent the night preparing. They crept in through the hills and by midnight they were just outside of the village ready to go.
At midnight, Shamus checked his watch, then gazed through the night vision glasses at a young boy as he came running out of the village towards their hiding place. As he came close to them, Sgt Ramos jumped up and grabbed him and pulled him down. As he sat there with a knife at his throat, the boy whispered one word. 

"Batman."
"You must be Robin." Shamus said. "Where are  they? Are they still here?"
"Yes." The boy said. "House at end."
Shamus looked down the road at the row of small huts. Three men patrolled the street outside of the house. Shamus pointed to the left then the right signaling his men to move out. Pvts Fischer and Jones  went left keeping low to the ground while Pvt Connor and Kent went to the right moving towards the front of the house. Faris, Banks and Carol were already stationed on the roofs across from the suspect house. They were to be their sniper support. Pvts Waters and Floyd were going in with Shamus. As Shamus and his men checked their gear and got ready to move out, the boy pulled a gun from under his shirt and clicked off its safety.
"I think five in house." He said. "More outside watch house. I go in first."
"No." Shamus said as he got up. "You stay here. We'll take  care of this ourselves. When you hear the shooting start, run. I don't want you getting mixed up and this."
"Me stay." He said. "Help you get to America."
"Go home kid." Shamus said. "You've done all you can. Go home and be safe."
"That." He pointed to a house down the road. It was burned out and in ruins. "That is home. No home no more."
Shamus looked at the burned ruins of his house. He was sorry but there wasn't anything he could to to help the boy. In a few he would be onto a new assignment who knows where. He couldn't do anything to help him. Shamuus reached into his pocket and took out a roll of Afghani bills pushed it at the boy.
"That this. Now go."
The boy thanked him then ran off and into the ruined village. Shamus stood and signaled his men to move out. With a flash of his flashlight he signaled the snipers to take out the men in the streets. One, two, three, whispered shots and the street was clear. With a wave, they were on their way down and into the village. One man watched the left as another watched the right with Shamus in the middle. As they passed the third house, an Afghani came out of an alley with his gun raised shoot. With the speed  of an assassin, a knife flew from Pvt Waters and went straight into the forehead of the Afghani. As they moved on getting closer to their target, three more Afghani's came out of the dark firing Russian AK-47's. Waters opened fire on then taking out two while Floyd kept watch on their rear guard. With all the gun fire out in the street, Shamus knew their cover was blown. Signaling the snipers to open fire on anything that moved, Shamus pushed on to his target house. Just as they reached the house before the target, an Afghani jumped of at them throwing two grenades right in front of them.
"Grenade!!" Shamus dived to the side behind a burned out truck just as they blow up. As they exploded, Shamus lifted his head to see a group of Afghanis charging out at them. As he got back on his feet he lifted his gun and opened fire sending a stream of lead out into the street. With the street clear, Shamus thought they hd a chance to get to the house to free the hostage.
"Faris, Banks." He shouted int the radio. "This is our chance. Get in there and get the hostages out."
"Its to late." Someone said over the radio. "Fischer and Jones are dead. The targets are not, I repeat. They are not in the house."
"Damn the CIA and there fucked up Intell." Sent as he slammed his fist down on the hood of the car leaving a huge dent. "Everybody abort. This mission is FUBAR. Bank's, radio for someone to pick us up at the rendezvous point."
"I can't Sir." Banks sent. "Faris and Jones are down and  the radio has been hit. I'm pinned down out here with no way to make it out."
"Calm down solider." Shamus said. "I'm coming in to get you."
"No Captain." He said. "Its to late for me. Please tell my family I love them."
Thats when the radio went dead. Shamus looked over to Sgt Ramos. They were the last to men in their squad and it wasn't  looking  good. Shamus wasn't worried about himself, has skin was bullet proof but Sgt Ramos wasn't as strong as he was.
"Sargent." Shamus said as he reloaded his gun. "This is it. Its only you and me. I can get us out of here but you have to stay on my six at all times. Do you understand?"
"No." Ramos said with a nervous. "But I'll trust you. Lets go."
As they stood up, they saw  three groups of Afghani's firing on them. One group to the left and and another firing from behind an old Toyota with a third shooting from up on the roofs.
Shamus and Ramos stepped out and sent a blast of gun fire all around them. Then Shams grabbed the old truck and threw to at the Afghani solider that were firing from the roofs. 
"Now! Shamus shouted. "Move out!!"
With Ramos right behind him, Shamus took off running out of the village while firing at anyone either of the saw popping out from cover. At the edge of town, they saw and old school bus. Safety would be right beyond that they thought. But as the got closer, Shamus someone throw something into the bus.
"Get down!!"
That was his last memory until he woke up in a MASH unit all alone. For week after week the dreams would wake him up shaking and sweating. The marines head sent him to therapy which calmed his trouble conscious but, it didn't stop the dreams. It just slowed them down so he didn't have them as often. It was in therapy that Shamus met Jefferson Patrick Reed, also known as Shade. Jefferson had issues in the army too but he was very loyal and looking for a way to serve that didn't have all the stiff rules and regulations. 
Like Shamus , Jefferson had abilities that he wanted kept quiet. Things he could do that wasn't exactly normal. Abilities the Army thought just might be useful. It was in therapy that Shamus first met Jefferson. Together with 6 other men they talked about their experiences in war. They all had horrendous experiences while serving the United States. Experiences that made them perfect for Project A.P.E.S.

                                              Advanced Protection Enforcement Squad.

Project A.P.E.S. is an advanced project run by all five branches of the United States military with the Army in command. Each branch of the services could have no more than two representatives active at any time. A.P.E.S. was created to combat a number of individuals and groups with unique and special abilities. Shamus O'Muirs was the first and the commander under General Franklin R Danzig. who answers to the only the President or his Chief of staff. Shamus specialty was ordnance, command and hand to hand combat. His near invulnerable skin, his speed, strength and endurance made him a natural for the post. Not to mention his patriotism and knowledge of tactics and battle strategy. Shamus had graduated among the first in his class at West Point with the rank of second lieutenant. He quickly rose in rank by way of his courage, strength and intelligence. Over the years he fought in many campaigns proving his dedication, confidence and heroics.
Jefferson Reed was the Army's second representative. Jefferson more of  hot head then Shamus. He loved action and was always the one that ran first into battle. He was good hearted and a very loyal friend. Jefferson's specialty was stealth. If there was a shadow, Jefferson could penetrate it. He could cloak himself and others in a shadow that no light could penetrate or he could make himself intangible leaving only a shadow visible.Jefferson tried to hide abilities from the Army and his friends but a drunken night at Kandahar airfield blew his secret right out of the water.
After that, Jefferson was transferred to a secret base somewhere in New Mexico where the army put him through a year lon
g testing program. They wanted to know exactly what he could do and how dangerous he was.  And that was where Shamus met his first member of the A.P.E.S project.












New story, stay tuned.