Winds of Time - Bruce Alan Humphrey (hardest books to read TXT) 📗

of being invisible walking into a crowded room. In addition, once in the form of another person he could even sound like him.
Rising out of his seat, Tarl walked to the far end of the table and stood. The doctors and Fitzhugh watched as he closed his eyes and relaxed his body.
Breaking Tarl’s concentration Dr. Ruer spoke up. “Hold it a second.” Looking at Fitzhugh he said, “I think we should give his new abilities the ultimate test.”
“Good point.” Fitzhugh reaches down and touches a button on the intercom next to his arm on the table. A soft feminine voice emanates from it, “Yes Mr. Fitzhugh?”
“Kareen will you please come in here, I need your opinion on something.”
“Yes sir. I'll be right in.”
“Now Mr. Cray, see if you can fool her.”
Tarl looked at Fitzhugh and smiled.
Again, he calms himself and concentrates.
The door slides open and, Kareen Loi, a woman in her mid-twenties steps into the room. She has a sweet lovely face with a petite and very shapely figure.
“Yes Mr. Fitzhu . . .” her voice trails off when she sees the man at the end of the table. A smile blossoms on her face turning it into a vision of magnificent splendor.
“Roger!”
Kareen sprints to Tarl her feet barely touching the ground long enough to push her onward. Jumping into his arms, she forces her lips onto his kissing him passionately. Fitzhugh and the doctor’s smile both for Tarl’s success in the transformation and the kiss he is receiving. Tarl tries to return the compliment as best he can but Kareen begins to notice something. It is not Roger. She stops suddenly and looks into Tarl’s eyes. They are brown instead of blue. Instantly she releases him and drops to the floor. She stares intently at the man she thought was her fiancée', “Roger is that you?” She says uneasily staring intensely into his eyes.
“No Kareen, it’s Tarl,” Fitzhugh informs her.
“Tarl?” Kareen says demonstratively.
She stares at Tarl with unbelieving eyes. He smiles with the sort of grin that has a tinge of mischief in it. Before Dr. Ruer can stop her Kareen lunges forward. Tarl tries to cover up but he's not quite quick enough. Kareen’s fist meets his body just below the breastbone. Tarl’s brown eyes widen to their extreme limit before closing. He doubles over due to the stunning effect of the hit, almost kneeling to the floor before regaining his strength. Still holding his mid-section, he looks up at her in amazement. How can a girl so petite hit so hard?
“Kareen!” Fitzhugh says loudly, “Kareen calm down please.” The two doctors holding her remove their grip as she calms. She breathes hard from the anger within her. Fire still burned in her eyes. Only after she hears Fitzhugh telling her to calm down does it diminish? Tarl hastily retreated into his former self. Kareen’s turns quickly to face her boss with an angry stare. Without hesitation, he holds up his hand to stifle her next comment. He stands in a gesture of respect for her, “I'm sorry I tested you in this way Kareen, but we had to make sure Tarl’s abilities were absolute. Please forgive me.”
Looking at Tarl again, who is still trying to recover, she begins to understand his reasoning. Straightening her clothes Kareen quickly inhales and lets the air slowly escape to relax her then brushes off some imaginary lint for a distraction. She looks at Fitzhugh. Holding one hand in the other, she lays them across her lap and says in a subdued voice, “Yes sir.”
“You may go now and thank you.”
She turns to leave. As she does, Tarl voices his astonishment,
“How can a woman so little pack that kind of a punch?”
Upon that comment, Kareen turns as she walks toward the door and smiles at him as if to say, “That'll teach ya.”
Evidently, the punch gave Tarl a bit of amnesia. As soon as it cleared, he would have remembered that Fitzhugh trained Kareen in martial arts. And knowing his pension for excellence it stands to reason she would be the best.
“Well now that we know you have an exceptional ability we will continue.”
Tarl sits in his chair, still trying to shake the effects of the hit, as do the doctors. Not one for procrastinating Fitzhugh proceeds with the briefing, "Next, your transportation.” Interest peaked Tarl raises his eyebrows. In order to move from place to place in the time allotted he will need something that is fast.
“You will be using a new prototype the men and women in the tech lab have just finished.”
“How fast is it?” Tarl asks.
“I have the specifications here on the table.” Fitzhugh pulls a sheet of paper from under the others in front of him and hands it to Dr. Ruer who gives it to Tarl. Having read it previously, he continues, “Top speed is five hundred miles an hour.”
“What's going to protect me from the observation screens of the warring sectors?”
“If you'll read further you will see that it has an exceptional stealth capability.” Tarl reads while his boss talks.
“It is invisible when in operation. The propulsion system is a secret even to me but I am told it is utterly silent and cool.”
“Cool?” Tarl glances up and says inquisitively.
“Yes, which means to say there is no hot exhaust for a missile to lock on in the unlikely event of detection and that can't happen unless you, for some inexplicable reason, forget to turn the stealth device on. However since it is undetectable there was no need for offensive or defensive weapons. It was designed specifically for concealment.”
Fitzhugh adds a little emphasis onto his next remark to Tarl,
“Once you have begun your mission with the help of this Tedis and your transmutation ability Mr. Cray, you will be invisible.”
Tarl looks up from his reading to look at Fitzhugh. Amazement shines from his face, amazement, and confidence.


Chapter Two


Fitzhugh, a man of deep thoughts and grandiose ambitions sat alone in his office after the meeting with his top agent. Three years of meticulous planning went into his scheme. The assembling of the doctors, the advance agents sent into the sectors, the corrupting of subordinates, all had gone according to schedule. Now the ultimate test was at hand. Cray’s mission would tell him if his takeover of the sectors would succeed. Absentmindedly he twirled an A.I.M. pen in his fingers. A writing tool used to write on the screen of his Artificial Intelligence Machine. He thought of all the variables in his plan. Fitzhugh wondered if his operatives in the Northeast and Mid-west would hold to their bargains of backing him as president of the newly formed government. Or if his association with the King Palei in the west would hold. He had promised the king he could rule directly beneath his presidency. He would deal with the Palei’s brutal attitudes later. A reoccurring thought entered his head, the reason he wanted to rule. Anger caused him to put pressure on the pen between his fingers. The encasing plastic cracked under his strength. He would rule as his father had. Use an iron fist behind a veil of compassion. Use power to create a legacy and build a nation to greatness. His father had tried before the nation disintegrated but the last president executed him for his efforts. Fallon then erased all of his contributions from history. Fitzhugh would restore his father’s dreams and once again make the nation great.

Tarl walked to the tech hanger at the far end of the complex. Informed and supplied for the mission he could now focus on his objectives. The first of the sectors is one of two that were relatively peaceful. He should have no problems there. Transmutation may not be needed. It is the last sector where he must be careful. Mr. Fitzhugh said his operatives were in place in the command structure. He must make contact with them without delay.

Since his arrival, the complex had become alive with activity. Technicians, scientists, and general lab personnel stroll or walk quickly past him. It took Tarl several minutes and turns into different corridors to reach the hanger. Its white double doors swing freely as people entered and exited. He wastes no time in pushing open the door.
The hanger is huge, large enough to house an old style stadium within its confines. Corrugated steel sheaths the walls. An intricate structure of steel beams over head keeps the earth from burying the occupants. Experimental Tedis’ dot the hanger floor; however, he is here for one in particular. Standing just inside the entrance he scans the interior looking for his objective. A booming voice speaks from his right, “Hey you!”
Tarl turns to see a man in navy blue overalls, white shirt and tie with a hard hat in his hand.
“Put this on.” Tossing it to Tarl, he walks away. Tarl catches it but tucks it under his arm instead of wearing it. Scanning the interior his eyes settle on four or five lab jacketed gentlemen in the far right corner. They are standing next to a Tedis that could be his to use. Tarl makes strong strides almost trotting to the corner. Maneuvering around the tail of a strange looking airplane the Tedis comes into full view. It is metallic, almost silvery in color. A small canopy encompasses the front third the remainder is metal. There are no engines visible, but there are tail fins for stability in flight.
One of the men speaks, “Tarl Cray?”
“Yes,” Tarl affirms.
“My name is John.”
“Just John?” Tarl asks as he shakes his extended hand.
“For now that's all you need to know,” he answers with a smile.
“Yes sir!” Tarl says with a smile of anticipation. “What's this?”
“This is our latest creation. It has no name but its official designation prototype A51.” John goes on to introduce the three men who were standing next to the Tedis.
“This is Bob, Jim, and Pete.”
The men smile at Tarl in acknowledgment of his presence. To which Tarl returns the compliment. John moves to the point quickly. He presses a small panel that is only an outline in the skin of the Tedis, next to the canopy. A section just large enough for a person to crawl through slides upward. John invites Tarl, “Step in.”
Tarl steps through the opening and into the Tedis. It is small, just enough room for two seats and the control panel in front of them. Tarl sits in the seat farthest from the door. John climbs in and sits in the vacant chair and begins the explanation of the controls, “Now if you'll notice these controls are set up to make this Tedis as simple to operate as an old fashioned car.” Reaching up John pushes a button that closes the door. It slides shut silently. He then motions the men in the hanger to back away.
“First thing to do is establish a voice activation print.,” he tells Tarl, “Now when I push