Outskirts Press, INC.

The Fate of the World Rests on Their Shoulders

In the future, medical science has perfected the process of rebuilding a mortally-wounded person using organs and limbs created using their own DNA. The military version of the process results in "Reclaimed" personnel that are bigger, faster and stronger than regular, or non-reclaimed, personnel. The 419th Combined Assault Unit of the United States Marine Corps consists of both regular and reclaimed Marines, male and female. The 419th CAU is commanded by reclaimed Major John Coles and his second-in-command, reclaimed Captain Jeri Blake. The commander of the 3rd Element of the 117th Armored Cavalry Regiment attached to the 419th is Captain Samantha "Sam" Carpenter, a regular Marine. The 419th will soon be tested to their limits with the most important mission of their lives...the preservation of the human race. A Chinese research team created a genetically-engineered warrior which was faster and stronger than reclaimed personnel in the hopes of removing the human element in battle. However, its savagery and aggressiveness made it impossible to control. After a disastrous battle on a tiny Pacific island called Lanzhou, which resulted in the loss of nearly 3,000 U.S. Marines and Chinese troops and the ultimate destruction of the creatures; it was mandated by the U.N. that no genetic bio-weapon research was ever to be allowed again. Jeri's reclamation was a result of her involvement in that horrific engagement. Three years later, the Vietnamese decide to ignore this mandate and recreate the beasts to sell them as breeders to whomever could afford to pay their price. Because the U.S. and Chinese had battled these creatures before, they are again tasked with destroying this unspeakable menace to humankind. As second-in-command of the 419th, Jeri must once again face the monsters which caused her reclamation. Her previous nightmarish encounter with them has her facing her own personal demons of near-paralyzing fear and doubts concerning her abilities to perform her duties as a Marine commander.

Suddenly a terrifying screech echoed through the darkness. Although frightened half out of her wits, Jeri’s training took over and she dove to the ground.With a quick roll she came back to her feet behind a large tree as she barked into her mike. “Tam! Tam! What the hell was that? Did you see it?” “OH, MY GOD! MICHAEL!” Jeri almost jumped out of her boots when the roar of an automatic weapon shattered the darkness. She spun in the direction of the shots. Her skin began to crawl when she heard the same screech again. But this time it was followed by a scream that turned her blood to ice water. Jeri started running toward her friend. “TAM! I’M ON MY WAY,TAM! HANG ON, BABE! I’M ON MY WAY!” Jeri crashed headlong through the jungle as she heard Michael calling for her over the radio. It took her less than 30 seconds to get to the spot where Tamara should’ve been. She dropped to one knee and swung her rifle in an arc, but there was no threat to shoot and no sign of her friend. A heartbeat later she heard Michael’s voice in her helmet speaker. “Jeri, do you see her?” he asked breathlessly. “Negative, Michael! She’s not here!” “I’m movin’ up! Hold your fire!” “Copy!” she replied as she lowered the muzzle of her weapon. A moment later she heard footsteps and her friend burst through the trees off to her right. She made sure that he recognized her before she stood up. “She should be right here!” He started looking around frantically as he cupped the tiny mike in front of his lips.“Tam, come back to me, babe! Tell me where you’re at!” The two Marines listened for a reply, but all they heard was silence.