The Flash Point Project

The Flash Point Project

Book 1

By

R.A. Rios

Copyright © 2017 by R.A. Rios

All Rights Reserved

Revision 2020

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 How it All Began

Chapter 2 A Whole New World

Chapter 3 Regrets

Chapter 4 Safety at Last

Chapter 5 What Have I Become

Chapter 6 Who's There

Chapter 7 Government Conspiracy

Chapter 8 What Really is the Flash Point Project

Chapter 9 Level Seventeen

Chapter 10 The Dream-Scape Adventure

Chapter 11 The Cure

Chapter 12 Leveling the Odds

Chapter 13 RUN

Chapter 14 I'll Be Back

Chapter 15 The 89th Floor

Synopsis

CHAPTER 1

How it all began

As he slowly closed the door behind him he held onto the door knob half waiting for her to pull it back. After what seemed like the longest pause he made his way down the hallway toward the waiting elevator.

You see it had been such a wonderful day, just the two of them. Looking at her he could not help but gaze deeply into her striking baby blue green eyes. Pulling her in close he held her for the longest time taking her all in as he began to feel overwhelmed by her amazing beauty. Later that day as they walked hand in hand through the Mall, he felt compelled to express his love for her. With a faraway look in his eyes he began to tell her how lucky he was to have found her and to have her in his life and how he could never ever have even prayed for a better wife. To end such a wonderful day he even offered to make her dinner. But it was then while clearing the table that he decided to surprise her.

So it was in an apprehensive voice that he decided to unveil his surprise.

You know honey…I was thinking (he smiles) that maybe we could…take a little vacation, do something different, what do you think?

Looking up she utters in an excited voice!

That would be wonderful, what did you have in mind?

Sheepishly he fiddles with his fingers as he searches his heart and mind looking for just the right words.

Well…I was thinking of something different, something really out of the ordinary…what do you think honey would you like that?

Now he could see her excitement as she sat at the edge of her seat, yes her excitement is very evident…now’s the time to spring his surprise on her!

Wow that sounds so exciting, (with a great big smile she continues) where did you want to do this?

Stammering just a little he now unveils his thrilling news.

Well I was thinking…maybe we could take a trip in the…the Dream-Scape Lab!

Then suddenly without provocation she jumped up like a women possessed as she started yelling and screaming, catching him totally off guard.

"NO, she screamed…NO, NO, NO!!!

(Shaking her head and waving her arms wildly)

"I will not have any part of this and neither will you!

With a surprised look on his face, she could read him like a book.

And you had better not do it either, I mean it or I will really be mad, do you hear me?"

(Waving her finger in his face angrily)

But, but, but honey

DON’T BUT HONEY ME MISTER, what you want to do is dangerous and you know it…I’m putting my foot down! NO, NO! NO!!!

(Again she shakes her head and waves her hands and arms into the air angrily)

Oh he could really sense her fear for that experimental lab, seeing that her outburst was totally out of character, so he held his tongue and didn’t say a single word.

With that, as suddenly as the outburst began there was complete silence as she started to sob breathlessly.

Feeling heavyhearted due to the pain he has caused her, he fell to his knees beside her.

Looking down at me she glared at my face as if searching for an answer or something. But at this point he was unwilling to carry this argument any further, so he stood up…then taking her by the hand they made their way over to the bedroom to sleep. He knew that she was right, but a part of him really wanted to do it anyway, he was torn between his love for her and this strong desire to satisfy his own personal curiosity.

So it was, later that night that his sleep was so disturbed by anxious anticipation! He tossed and turned only half asleep as he leapt in and out of consciousness. The hours ticked by then throwing fear and all sensibility to the wind he decided to ignore her warnings. Now fully awake he looked over at his loving wife as she slept somberly. Then as he sat there on the edge of the bed his mind was drawn back to the fight that they had, had only a few hours ago.

Still with a sense of wreak less determination he headed for the front door more determined than before. Closing the front door quietly behind him he walked stealthily toward the elevator.

As he walked down the hallway he felt riddled with guilt…suddenly a song from a long time ago came to mind.

(Another Day in Paradise)

So he began to sing this song as he waited for the elevator.

Once on the elevator he searched for the number of the level leading to his destination.

He sensed the gentle but decisive movements of the elevator as it moved effortlessly towards its destination as it slides past level after level until it finally slows, finally coming to a complete stop. Once again a sense of guilt overcomes him for wanting to do this even after she warned him not to do it, yes this has him deeply troubled but still he press’s on.

He notices that his hands have started to sweat as perspiration slowly slides down his spine causing the hair on his back to stand on end. He stops for a moment while standing there to wipe his hands on his pants right before he step out of the elevator. Upon entering level seventeen, where the Dream-Scape Lab is located, he paused but for a moment more contemplating all the pros and cons and again he recalled her fear of this place, the reason for their argument.

Stepping into the hallway he takes a long deep breath…suddenly feeling empowered he started to strut all the while singing loudly this song…

(His version of Little Child Running Wild)

(We now watch as he continues into the Dream-Scape Lab as if there was this unfolding driving force within him pushing him to move forward in his quest…YES, there was no stopping him NOW!)

Upon entering the room we watch as he slowly walks past the receptionist desk then through the double doors on the left into the lab area with its many rooms and many centrifuge type coffins.

We watch as he sits at a terminal and begins to type in his destination, then suddenly he stops and looks back toward the doorway for a brief moment thinking that she might be standing right there behind him… he stands there looking behind him just before hitting the enter button on the keyboard terminal.

Then with time running out he quickly rushes over to the large centrifuge coffin and crawls inside. Now seconds tick by quickly as he lays there stiff as a board…not a hair out of place with his hands folded across his abdomen. Only then does he take a long deep breath and holds it as lights start to flash and alarms go off around the room. Then slowly the coffin door begins to close over him and a phobia of being entombed ultimately starts to overwhelm him. All the while he held his breath as he listens for the sound of the coffin door locking above him…sealing him in.

It’s too late now to go back or to even change his mind!

Great expectations and fear began to build within him all at the same time as the sirens suddenly seemed to blare even louder! His heart began pounding excitedly in anticipation for what would soon follow.

He could feel the adrenaline rush starting to surge through his veins and arteries as his heart beats vigorously as if…it were trying to escape through his now heaving chest. At that very moment…all of his senses are heightened. There seems to be a sense of higher consciousness and it continues to build, all in his eagerness for what would appear next!

Suddenly out of the blue for a single brief instant, there is this supersonic rush of air as a barrage of images began shooting past his mind faster than a fraction of a second. At that very moment in his mind’s eye there appeared a rainbow of colors blues, reds, yellows, purples, greens and oranges yes…like a vortex spinning out of control sucking up a lifetime of mental pictures…all in that one brief second!

Then all of a sudden everything comes to an abrupt stop, but his mind is still spinning out of control as if he had just come off one of those centrifuge carnival rides. He now finds himself sitting there, on the ground! It takes a moment for his mind to catch up but as he sits there he senses the warm soft dirt beneath him, blinking his eyes he takes a deep breath as he tries to swallow…at first he can’t help but wonder.

Is this it, is this…the beginning, he asks himself?

A feeling of euphoria starts to overwhelm him…as he feels giddy all over with excitement! Eventually he starts to slide his hands slowly across the warm soft earth below his body. Then gradually he grabs two hands full of the rich red dirt beneath him, just so that he can acknowledge…that this was real! He can’t help but notice that the weather feels tropical and pure and clean, a feeling that he had never felt before.

Rising up from off the ground he at first feels a little unstable as all his senses seem to be a little dull. But as he begins to acclimate to this new environment he eagerly wants to start exploring his surroundings.

Standing there motionless at first, he sees…absolutely no one. In fact, all that surrounds him seems to be hushed…but the majestic beauty here is so surreal! Yes it is true…everything looks so vibrant and alive and the colors of the plants and flowers are so unbelievably pristine. It is all so breathtaking that he can’t even begin to describe it.

He stretches his arms heavenward as if to shout out praise to the Creator of heaven and earth but alas not a word escapes his lips, you see at first he finds it difficult to even speak. Then he closes his eyes and takes in another long deep breath and he lets it out gradually. Immediately he notices that his body feels different, not the same somehow. He looks at his hands once again then puts them across his chest, puzzled at first because he just can’t explain it. At the same time he senses that the air feels extraordinarily thick and heavily laden with moisture.

How strange! he tells himself.

Although the humidity seems to be much more than tropical, however it smells unusually clean and pure.

He bellows, I have never breathed in oxygen like this before!

Looking up at the sky he is totally dumbfounded at what he now witnesses…it’s unbelievable but the sky is thick with birds of all sorts, big and small, all colors and species flying together…as one large flock.

Looking beyond the birds to the heavens above he is taken back by what he doesn’t see. There is no direct sun light or blue sky…only these thick cumulus clouds covering the length and breadth of the heavens above as they seem to be spread out for miles and miles as far as the eye can see.

He is reminded of the heavy overcast of clouds blocking out the sky and sun such as on a warm sweltering day in the tropics just before the monsoon rains. Still, it is different from anything he has ever seen or experienced before. Overcome at first by what he is seeing he reasons that this world must be under a huge canopy from the heavens above which would account for the heavy moisture sodden air and the verdant green heavily overgrown vegetation.

Filled with joy he begins to sing his heart out…

(His version of Feeling Good)

Suddenly his attention is drawn to the right as he now detects unfamiliar animal sounds not too far off in the distance. His excitement continues to build as he focuses his attention in the direction of those sounds.

You see, up until now he has not moved a single step in any direction since he arrived. Looking ahead once again he sees a fairly low hill that can be used as a vantage point to get his bearings. But as he attempts to walk he falls to his hands and knees. Strange, but his legs seem weak and a little wobbly, he tries to stand once more but again he falls to the ground this time on all fours.

He now starts to panic as we watch him struggle to get up yet a third time, it’s difficult for him to take that first step but like a small child he carefully plants one foot before another. After walking a little distance further he hastens his stride as he acclimatizes to this new environment.

(We watch him struggle to stand and walk but he is determined even if he has to crawl up that hill on all fours)

Eventually he slowly starts to regain his strength as he does his best to get to the top of the hill. Struggling on all fours at times he finally reaches the top. His breathing is now labored as he strains to breath in this heavy atmosphere. With each breath that he takes…he feels different. He can’t explain it, but as he allows this air to fill his lungs he embraces it with each and every breath.

While becoming accustomed to this new air he finally starts to feel invigorated. In fact his body seems to be reacting to it like a new drug, a very good drug! Yet he is aware that all the muscles in his whole body are on fire as they begin to feel super charged. His mind is now so very clear and alert and all his senses are heightened unlike anything he could ever have imagined.

Strange, how at first it was so difficult just to move about slowly…but now, well…he feels simply amazing! If truth be told, he has never felt this good in all his life. Still somewhat perplexed he really doesn’t understand it!

Now as he stands there on top of this hill he pauses for the longest time, amazed and bewildered all at the same time as he attempts to take it all in. Once again he takes in a slow deep breath allowing this super charged oxygen to fill his lungs. It’s all too wonderful and amazing all at the same time, he just can’t believe how clean and refreshing this air is and how strong his body continues to feel.

Looking back before the explosion, the air pollution was so bad that it was almost unsuitable for man or beast alike. But now, here, in this place…well he can sense whatever it is that’s running through his veins and into every fiber of his body is definitely the cause of his increased vitality.

This is unreal, for even in his youth he never felt this good! All his attention is now drawn to what lies before him. From this vantage point he looks out over all the surrounding landscape and he still can’t believe it! Why, he can actually see clearly for miles, his vision seems to be at least ten times better than twenty-twenty. Yes, he can’t help but take it all in as he gazes at the sheer enormity of it all, this place is totally incomprehensible.

At this time he does a three hundred and sixty degree turn, before him lay valleys and marshes, dry rocky grasslands, forests and mountains. He can make out small springs, tributaries and creeks that are snaking their way into a large river and a dense jungle that lay at the foot of low lying mountains. There is a large river that is running inward through the mountains in between two gorges lined with amazing outcropping of trees and vegetation.

How unreal he shouts, the colors are so vibrant and this place looks so healthy I could never, ever have even imagined such a place! But there is one thing that he does not notice and that’s what he came here to see! What he is ultimately looking for. He tells himself that it must be at the entrance of that mountain range down below.

He reasons within himself…

That is the direction I must go!

While standing there taking in this whole new world, he says in an undertone.

Ever since I was a small child I have always wanted to be an adventurer, to go on a quest that could change the world…or at least one that would change my life!

As he stood there on top of that hill peering down on the valley below he knew then and there that it was really happening. Ahead of him lay a vast marshland…filled with a large variety of overgrown vegetation of all kinds. Why, the absolute magnitude and size of the plant life and diversity of plants and trees as well as vegetables and fruit trees of all kinds growing along its banks all mixed together…is simply stupendous.

Still from what he could make out, there are so many plants and flowers that he has never even seen before. And the sheer size of all those lush green leaves and vibrant colored flowers and plants are much more than he could ever have imagined. Yes, the mere size and variety of these plants would cause a botanist to salivate.

Beyond that he now can see a large diversity of animal life all feasting on this beautiful over grown vegetation…all together both domestic and wild animals together side by side.

Smiling to himself he mumbles…

She told me not to come, but I wish she could see what I’m seeing now!

Everything is so pristine, so beautiful, so imposing and so perfect! Yes…it is all totally untouched by the hand of man! Toward the east in the distance he sees what looks like a sea of tall swaying grass touched by a gentle breeze causing it to dance magically across the land.

Looking beyond the fields of tall grass he notices the absence of tall mountains. However, what does lie before him is just an open range or valley as far as he can see. In fact the only mountain ranges that he does see are the ones where the river flows through the gorge. It is incredible how these mountains are not huge and they have no snow capped peaks but they seem to run the length and breadth of the world, like the Great Wall of China.

Proceeding down the hill he soon comes across a small babbling brook, kneeling down he takes a drink.

WOW, I have never tasted anything so delicious and refreshing! The water is so clean that it actually tastes sweet!

Looking at his reflection in the water he says softly…

You made it Tom, yeah you really made it!

Yes, my name is Tom and