Dr. Osteen finally broke the silence. “I know, I know. I’m the last person you expected to see. But if you don’t get me up there now, Delta will find me and skin me alive.”
Director Nova said, “we’ve already been infiltrated by one of your own. Beta pretended to be our ally and then stabbed us in the back. So, you can understand my reluctance to believe anything you say.”
Osteen said, “look, I’m not turning all goody two-shoes here. I’m still out for me. I don’t care if BADGE wins or all the good little people are safe, I just care if I’m safe. I’m not coming to you with any hidden agenda. But I’m coming to you with information you won’t find in a million years. Now, either you believe me, or you let Delta smoke me and lose your last chance.”
Prime Minister Shizue had her people pull Osteen to the side so she could speak. “Look, Director, I have no more reason to trust this monster than you. However, I had a young man with telepathic powers scan Dr. Osteen. We found no lie in him. As far as he’s concerned, he’s telling the truth.”
General Nova said, “we do need information.”
Director Nova pointed at Gar. “Go get Craig and bring him up here.”
“Sure thing.” Gar ran off.
Nova then said, “Strange Quark!”
In a blue flash, Quark appeared with a bottle of brandy up to his mouth. He swallowed and said, “what’s up?”
“I need you to zap Dr. Osteen from Onnotangu to us, right here.”
“Oh, sure. First...” Quark snapped his fingers, and a bucket appeared next to him.
EB asked, “what’s that for?”
“You’ll see.” Quark smiled and then snapped his fingers again.
In a great flash of blue light, Dr. Osteen appeared right next to Quark with a briefcase clutched in his cuffed hands. He was confused for a second and then turned green, bent over, and hurled into the bucket.
“Ew,” was EB’s answer to that.
Nova said. “Thanks, Quark. You can get back to work.”
Quark said. “I’m helping fight these augments in Africa. They are...different. So strong.”
“Do what you can.” Nova said and Quark vanished away.
Osteen staggered back up and wiped his mouth. “That was horrible.”
“Teleportation at that distance in an instant will cause some discomfort.” Director Nova casually stated.
Osteen gave him a stinky look, knowing that was planned. “Fine, you had your fun. Are you going to listen to me?”
Nova pulled out his gun, but merely held it at his side. “Sure. I hope, for your sake, you have something worth listening to.”
“I do. No need to flash the weapons. Here,” Osteen shoved the briefcase at Chase. “I printed off as much as I could. Couldn’t risk downloading it to anything, they might hack it and delete the files. These people have incredible control over things. Anyway, those files are full of data that scared the crap outta me.”
Chase plopped the case on a table and opened it. She pulled out the paperwork. “It’s all calculations and graphs. This is complicated.”
“Of course it is, idiot. That’s some high-level science work.”
Chase held out her hand as a blade appeared. “Want to call me names again?”
“Look. Here’s the deal. I helped develop the augmentation program for the World Corps. In fact, I crafted the idea before I met them. Delta had research they already completed that I combined with mine and together we could perfect the augmentation. Using morphonic inclined people, we could...”
Director Nova interrupted, “we know how it worked. You kidnapped people who could harness morphons for powers, modified them, and turned them into living weapons.”
“Yeah, that’s the gist of it.” Osteen stated, seemingly uncaring that he had just admitted to mass murder. “Anyway, things were going pretty good. The augments were what they wanted. I had achieved my goals, and I was about to be richer than Midas.”
Chase asked, “so...why turn against them? Sounds like you were sitting pretty.”
“Gamma asked me to do some digging. I thought it would be fun hacking into the files they didn’t want me to see. But what I found scared me to death. Delta gave me instructions to include certain coding into the augmented DNA. I couldn’t understand it at the time and didn’t think to question it. When I looked into his files, I discovered the dirty truth. The augments are merely a part of a larger plot. They can absorb morphon energy and are continually growing stronger. Delta has a plan to use them to craft something horrible.”
Chase pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to Nova. “I think I found what you’re talking about.”
Both Nova’s looked at the paper. “Neutral Morphon Core?”
Osteen explained, “as much as black is the combination of all visible colors, this Neutral Core is the combination of all frequencies of morphons. This core would be weak to none, strong against all. It will be able to nullify all others, making it completely resistant. Whatever used this would be unstoppable.”
Nova asked, “so, why would this worry you? Your boss would become supreme.”
“Sounds pretty cool, and I was okay with that. But then I found his master plan. His ultimate phase of all of this isn’t crafting the core, it’s eradicating all life on Earth. He means to exterminate every living thing on this planet. I do not know why, but I know I have given him the power to do this. I don’t want to die.”
“So, you’re just here to save your sorry hide.” EB muttered.
“Yeah, so?” Osteen retorted.
General Nova said, “this is exactly what Drochah wanted all along. Creating a supreme being of power and then using this planet as his base for the next Legion. I did not realize how close he was to that goal. We are on the cusp of extinction.”
“We have to stop him.” EB said.
“That is obvious.” Director Nova replied.
Osteen smiled, “that is where I come in. I have an idea that just might work. My anti-morphon technology could be changed to weaken a foe who is using a neutral core. But I need the labs and tech to craft these weapons.”
“We are not creating hero murdering guns!” Chase stated.
“Look, I don’t want to vaporize heroes. My anti-morphon guns wouldn’t be able to harm a neutral hero like that, anyway. He will be too powerful. But, I can use the same tech to build something new. Unless you still don’t trust me. In that case, we’re all doomed.”
“I don’t trust you,” Director Nova said. “But we have little choice but to work with you.”
“Good. Just point me to the lab and...”
“Not so fast.”
Just then, Gar came in with Craig. “Found him in the arboretum.”
“I want to help.” Craig said.
“Good, I have a job for you. Take our friend here and watch him like a hawk. We’ve sent all our agents and heroes down to stop the augments mass assassinations. You, and a team of our scientists, will work with him. If he steps one foot out of line, you’re ordered to take him down.”
Craig looked at Osteen and his face changed, his eye twitched and he balled one hand into a tight fist. “This...this...JACKASS! What...he...he is the one who...”
“We know who he is. Contain your rage, he just might be our only hope right now.” Director Nova said.
Osteen smiled, “oh, if it isn’t pretty boy. I see you’re still sporting some of my special enhancements.”
Craig grabbed him by his collar and pulled him nose to nose. “If you want to see any of my enhancements in action, just push me one inch. I dare you.”
“Enough.” Nova said. “Take him to the lab. I’ll inform Dr. Henderson to get a staff ready for you. And, remember, Osteen, you’re guilty of so many crimes, firing you into the sun is fully permitted to me.”
“You’re kidding...right? He’s kidding?” Osteen was shoved along.
“Move!” Craig forced him into the lift.
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