Savage Bay by Christopher Forrest Read Free Book Online Page B

“Congratulations. And welcome to Titan Six.”
    “Thank you, sir,” said Pyro. “It’s an honor.”
    “Now, I’m sure you’re familiar with all the rumors about the Armory. And with the barroom tales of biological and technological enhancements given to Titan Six team members.”
    Pyro nodded his head and swallowed hard. “I have. There are a lot of wild stories making the rounds.”
    “I’ve heard those stories too,” said Hawkeye. “Super-steroids, performance-enhancing drugs, secret advanced weapons — I’ve heard them all.”
    Pyro nodded, waiting expectantly.
    “None of them are true,” said Hawkeye.
    Disappointment spread across Pyro’s face.         
    Hawkeye grinned. “The reality of it is even more incredible than the rumors. The Enhanced Warrior Program is much more advanced than most people suspect. After today, there will be no going back. Once you have joined Titan Six, you will never be the same again. Are you prepared for that?”
    Pyro grinned back. “You know I am,” he said. “Bring it on.”
    “Okay then. Let’s get started.”
    Hawkeye led Pyro into the Armory, past research labs and testing facilities to an area that resembled a treatment room in a hospital. A chair in the center of the room reminded Pyro of a dentist’s chair. It was surrounded by a plethora of strange-looking devices and equipment, like the medical center on a starship in a sci-fi movie.
    “Hello, Hawkeye,” said a woman who entered the room behind them. She was in her thirties, with long, dark hair and Asian features.
    “Hello, Doc,” said Hawkeye. He turned to Pyro.
    “This is Dr. Grace Nguyen. She’s in charge of the Armory. And the Enhanced Warrior Program.”
    “Ma’am,” said Pyro.
    “We’re on a tight timeline,” Nguyen said. “Titan Six deploys in just a few hours. Usually this process takes ten days. We’re going to have to cut a few corners to get you ready.”
    “I understand,” said Pyro.
    “No, you don’t,” said Nguyen. “But you will. I don’t have the time to give you a proper orientation on the enhancements you’re going to receive. So we’ll just cover the basics. Then, when this operation is complete, you’ll return to the Armory to complete the program. Understood?”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “Okay then, soldier. Remove your clothing and sit in that chair.”
    Pyro stripped down to his briefs and lay back in the reclining chair. Grace attached an array of sensors and EKG leads to his body. A monitor on the wall displayed his heart rate, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, and a whole list of of other numbers and symbols that Pyro didn’t understand.
    “Do you know anything about nanotechnology?” asked Grace.
    “Uh, not much. Mmm, no. Put me down for no. Nothing, actually.”
    “Nanotechnology essentially involves shrinking technology down to the size of molecules,” said Nguyen. “We can now create tiny machines the size of individual molecules. These nanobots can do all sorts of tasks. They can build things out of individual atoms, they can repair biological cells, and they can communicate information.”
    “Microscopic machines,” said Pyro. “What will they think of next.”
    “In the Enhanced Warrior Program, we have developed nanobots the size of red blood cells that can travel inside the human bloodstream. We’re going to deploy several million nanobots in your body.”
    Nguyen held up a syringe. “They’re all in here. Millions of nanobots so small that I can inject them into your bloodstream with this syringe. Its called the BioMEMS system, or Biological Micro Electronic Mechanical Systems. These nanobots will essentially create programmable blood inside your body. They can fight pathogens and harmful chemicals. They can repair your cells at the molecular level. And they are a thousand times more effective than your own red blood cells at delivering oxygen and nutrients to the cells in your body. With these in your system, you’ll be