Ch05En: Jane

By William Dickstein

Jane grew up in the Prime Compound, the main base of operations for the Genetic Extremists. She always knew the cult life wasn't for her. When Jane decides to tarry on her one allowed day out in the world, she finds out the past isn't something you can just walk away from - especially for a Chosen with abilities like hers. She'll have to do everything she can to live the life she wants.

• Language: English
• Publisher: William Dickstein
• Release date: Aug 15, 2015

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Ch05en: Jane

By

William Robert Dickstein

SMASHWORDS EDITION

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PUBLISHED BY:

William Robert Dickstein

Ch05en: Jane

Copyright © 2015 by William Robert Dickstein

Thank you for downloading this ebook. It remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed for any commercial or non-commercial use without permission from the author. Quotes used in reviews are the exception. No alteration of content is allowed. If you enjoyed this book, then encourage your friends to download their own copy.

Your support and respect for the property of this author is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

*****

Many thanks to Daio Lamers and Charlie Dickstein, who helped me edit and revise this story. Extra thanks to Daio, who provided all of the beautiful artwork. Also, special thanks to my mom. She thinks my writing is cool.

KEEP READING AFTER THE END FOR A PREVIEW OF CH05EN: EPISODE 3.

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In the not too distant future…

Scientists at the Max Plank Institute for Molecular Genetics will map out a gene given the markers of Ch05En.

The Fate Gene

A latent Ch05En gene destines someone for greatness. Maybe you'll be a rock star, or CEO of a Fortune 500. You might save somebody's life, or give birth to the greatest supporting actress of all time.

Maybe you'll be a superhero.

Those with powers often join the Global Society of Superheroes, known more commonly as the GSS. These people become Capes. They are our protectors in a world of infinite possibilities.

A world where the terrorist organization known as The Aggregate lives to instill fear in the masses.

Welcome to the world of Ch05En.

Where we're one suddenly-activated Fate Gene away from total salvation...

Or complete annihilation.

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Ch05en: Jane

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Open – The Prime Compound

I wasn’t always a muse. For almost two decades, I pretended to be a faithful soldier. Committed to The Cause. Take it from me: The cult life isn’t for everybody. I knew early on that it wasn’t for me. Cults are funny though, in that they manage to keep you around – even when you know they’re no good for you.

The Genetic Purity movement began about four months after the discovery of the Ch05En gene. News of the gene spread from a German science journal all over the globe overnight. Suddenly, people in Nepal knew the dietary habits of four random scientists in Berlin. Kids in California could tell you what brand of lab coats were given out at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, where the gene was mapped and identified. This all happened a decade or so before I was born. But that was all the time it took for new lines to be drawn. The population of people with powers exploded. Chicken and egg debates were all over the news for a few months – whether an upswing of active Ch05En genes caused people to have remarkable abilities, or if our species was simply evolving overall.

I always liked both options.

And somewhere along the way, a man named Ghost Hanger convinced a couple of people to stand near him at a town hall meeting. Then someone put a microphone in front of him while he talked, and sent the clip to a global news network. Some people can speak so passionately that others want to follow them. Ghost can do that. Ghost’s words on global television reached billions. The population of Genetic Extremists went from three to three thousand almost instantaneously. It took Ghost some time to work out the details, but the Prime Compound, where all newcomers to The Cause would have to spend their first year of service, was his first action item.

The Prime Compound is a hard place, designed to weed out anyone who doesn’t fully believe in The Cause. Its words are the first thing you see when you enter, and the last thing you see when you leave:

YOU ARE THE GATEWAY TO PURITY.

Seems almost nice, in a way.

Genetic Extremist doctrine is one that ties genes together with the soul of humanity. Everyone is connected and shares the same soul. Each of us is a drop in the bucket of our species, and we don’t need to feel bad about the things we’ve done, as long as we work towards the betterment of humans overall. This is, of course, done by purifying the gene pool. The purest gene is the Ch05En gene. The more powerful the effect of the gene, the more pure. I have a friend who says that Ghost Hanger took the childhood pissing contest of ‘my dad could beat up your dad’ and made it an entire way of life.

The Prime Compound has had some of the most powerful people on the planet inside of it. All kinds of power have walked away with The Cause in their heads. From political leaders to people who could take a hit from a wrecking ball.

There were three other telepaths in the Prime Compound when I was born. My parent’s had been there almost a year. People in the compounds live in cubicle spaces, where the walls are eight feet by seven feet. Each space is a Booth, each Booth has a number. The smaller the number, the more space a Booth will have. I was conceived in Booth twenty two. I was born in Booth thirteen. Booths are only numbered up to thirty. Each group of Booths has a Boothmaster. The Boothmaster is everything. They are your life coach, and your supervisor. Boothmasters are law. My parents might have trouble getting me to settle down for bed, but when our Boothmaster came around, my head hit the pillow. That’s not to say that they were bad parents, or anything. They were a fine mix of good and bad, like the rest of us. Though, I like my mom better.