Thought Changer: The Final Form Series, #1

By J.D. Cavan

The Experiment, and its inventor, hide a dangerous secret. 

Sometimes the worst evils are cloaked in the greatest intentions…

Charlie and his best friend Jack have been surviving in the city's underbelly for as long as they can remember, but when a mysterious invitation offers them a chance to join an exclusive experiment run by a man known only as Mr. Scott, it doesn't take them long to accept. 

Forced to endure a series of bizarrely grueling tests, Charlie soon discovers he's more than a street rat after all. Thought Changers are an elite group of heroes with the power to read psychic patterns of the mind. They save people from disasters of all kinds and decipher and alter thoughts of criminals to stop tragedy in its tracks.

But saving lives isn't all it's cracked up to be. When Charlie becomes captivated by a mysterious runaway girl he soon discovers the sinister secret lurking in the shadows in this new, seemingly perfect world, and his noble mission becomes a battle for survival.

Thought Changer, is book 1 of, The Final Form Series, where incredible powers come with a new phase of human evolution.

What will their final form be…

The Final Form Series:

Book 1 Thought Changer

Book 2 The Serial Seven

Book 3 The 7 House 

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.D. Cavan
• Release date: Oct 2, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386388630

Book preview

Copyright © 2018 by J. D. Cavan

www.JDCavan.com

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by an electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1: The Experiment

Chapter 2: The Black Box

Chapter 3: Blacksmith

Chapter 4: Death Pudding

Chapter 5: The Cell

Chapter 6: The Rule of Thirds

Chapter 7: Random Event Generator

Chapter 8: Thoughtsticks

Chapter 9: The Missions

Chapter 10: Mind Clear

Chapter 11: The Runaway

Chapter 12: The Final Third

Chapter 13: Jack’s Truth

Chapter 14: A Third

Chapter 15: Take Everything From Him

Acknowledgments

Editor: Allison Erin Wright

http://wrightediting.com/

Cover art: Deranged Doctor Design

http://www.derangeddoctordesign.com/

Back Cover Copywriter: Claerie Kavanugh

https://claeriekeditor.wordpress.com/contact/

Presentation Multimedia Inc.

https://www.presentationmultimedia.com/

Special thanks: Aidan, Luca, Bryce and Lila

1

The Experiment

THE BUS ROCKED and bucked as it weaved up the road toward the castle. Charlie could barely breathe under the heavy sack that covered his head. It was completely dark.

It’s been hours already, I’d say, Charlie whispered, struggling to speak through his sack. His body bounced off the side of the seat and he smashed into his friend, Jack, who was sitting next to him. Charlie tried to slow his breathing. And what’s with the guards?

Yeah, and the hoods? I can’t see a thing under this. I don’t get it—I thought this was a choice? said Jack. The engine cranked loudly.

Guess not, Charlie replied. Before the wool sacks, guards carrying nightsticks and wearing black clothing with baseball caps pulled down over their faces had loaded the bus full of kids. Then, one by one, Charlie had watched as the guards had put sacks over their heads before, finally, one had gone over his.

Nothing could be worse than that park we were living in, Jack replied, in a hush.

Don’t jinx us. Things can always get worse, Jack. Charlie knew that was true. His life had been proof of it.

No talking! a guard snapped.

Where are you taking us? Charlie asked her. He felt what must have been the tip of the guard’s hard metal baton press firmly against the side of his head. The guard pulled it away, and he shut his mouth. The guards had told them not to speak or touch their hoods in any way, but Charlie had learned it was always best to test rules—particularly new ones—to see what kind of leeway he had. He could never really tell otherwise.

The bus suddenly stopped and everyone lurched forward. Charlie heard the doors creak open.

Here we go. Jack leaned forward and said to him in a low voice, I think I’m gonna like this Experiment, whatever it’s going to be.

Charlie turned his head slightly and whispered, Me too, and it’s my guess that this Experiment has already started.

*  *  *

THE FLOODLIGHTS WERE so bright that Charlie detected a small tear in the side of his sack. He jumped at the chance to see anything, shifting his head from side to side and squinting one of his eyes until he could barely peek out of the wool sack.

It was late at night but he could see about twenty of the hooded kids standing silently in a line in front of the bus.

Jack, I can see a little out of this, Charlie whispered. He felt the misty air and the wind blowing.

Where are we? Jack asked quietly.

Looks like we’re on a mountain and there’s a giant castle of some kind in front of us, Charlie replied.

The darkly lit stone castle sat off in the distance and Charlie watched as its massive wooden doors cranked open. A dark figure walked out and briskly followed a winding dirt path towards them. Charlie could see it was a man as he moved over the bare landscape that was covered with large, flat stones and a few scraggly looking trees.

The man finally reached them and stopped. Charlie struggled to get a look at him. He was dressed the same as the guards, minus the cap, and appeared many years older.

Thank you for signing up for the Experiment, the man said, his voice deep and growly. The whipping sound of propeller blades caught Charlie’s attention. He craned his neck and could vaguely make out a helicopter transport. It sat in a burnt-out grassy clearing off to one side of the castle.

The Experiment is about to start, so get ready, the gravelly voice shouted. The rotor picked up speed, the wind blew harder, and Charlie could feel the chill of the night. He started shivering. His hood shifted on his head and the tiny hole providing his sight disappeared.

It’s time for you to make a decision and, like all the decisions in this Experiment, it’s an important one, the man called. There’s a large building in front of you. It’s a castle and, if you haven’t already surmised, there’s a helicopter next to it. You have to choose your fate.

The word fate hung in Charlie’s mind as he tried to listen closely.

Which one is it? the man asked. Will it be the castle—or the helicopter? He shouted louder as the helicopter got noisier.

This doesn’t sound so hard, Charlie thought confidently. But then the man went on.

Here’s the catch... you have to make your decision in your mind only. He paused. If that isn’t clear to you and you talk or speak out in any way, you will be disposed of. A boy started crying—one of the other hooded kids, someone Charlie didn’t know.

Keep it together, son, the man said to him. The boy’s whimpering stopped.

Charlie sighed, his thoughts racing. How weird... Make your choice in your mind? Or you’ll be disposed of? That doesn’t make any sense. Charlie felt his heart start to pound.

You have five seconds to make your decision... The man paused. GO! he hollered over the wind and sound of the propeller.

Quickly, Charlie went back and forth in his head. He wondered what Jack would pick, just as Jack was probably wondering about him. Charlie wanted to ask Jack but there was no talking. He fretted about it for one more second and with no time left he picked helicopter in his mind.

Time’s up, the man called out. There was a long pause as the wind continued to whip from the helicopter blades. "For those of you who chose helicopter, you were right. For those who decided on castle, you were right. He heard you. However, for those who were unable to choose—well, I’m sorry—he couldn’t hear you." Rounds of gunfire began out of nowhere and some of the others screamed. Charlie’s heart felt like it exploded through his chest. He clenched his teeth hard.

This can’t be real, he told himself over and over again. He hadn’t seen any guns when they’d gotten on the bus, just the strange-looking nightsticks. Panic rose up inside him. He leaned sideways, feeling for Jack’s body, but it wasn’t there. He wanted to scream out to him, ask if he was okay. But before he could, the man started shouting again.

"Listen up! If you decided on helicopter, you’re going for a ride in the black box. Those of you who went with castle, you’re going to the cell."

Black box—cell? Charlie frantically asked himself, his heart still pounding. Suddenly, he felt one of the guards take hold of his arm and put his wrists in a cuff. He yanked on it with his other hand, but it was locked tightly. What kind of experiment is this? he asked himself.

The hole returned after a few moments, supplying Charlie with momentary vision. He struggled to get a good look and watched as a group of hooded kids, appearing as shadowy figures, sat down on a bench inside the helicopter transport. A steel cable ran through each of their cuffs, attaching them all together.

Charlie’s heart continued to race as he tugged on his cuff again. It dug into his wrist and he winced in pain. The helicopter’s large sliding door slammed shut and he startled. It got completely dark, it smelled musty and damp, and the propeller noise got quieter.

He swayed back and forth as the machine lifted off the ground. The windows were cracked open and the cold night air blew through. The hard metal seat was freezing cold. Charlie only wore a pair of jeans and T-shirt and now wished he had grabbed a sweatshirt out of his duffle before they’d left.

Time seemed to disappear again and it could have been hours or minutes passing. No one spoke a word or made a sound until Charlie mustered the courage to speak up.

Jack, are you here? he said, in a hush. He never would have admitted it, but he was totally freaked out. Grinding sounds came from the rotor’s engine above them. Charlie listened for Jack, but there was no response. His throat closed and his mouth got dry. This will be harder without Jack—much harder, he thought.

An old memory from many years ago flashed in his head, the first time he had met Jack. He had been sick and sleeping under a park bridge when two homeless kids tried to take his boots, coat and some food he had saved. Charlie would have surely died without his boots and coat in the brutal winter cold, but Jack showed up out of the darkness of the night and single-handedly defended him. Jack took a terrible beating before eventually winning and scaring off the kids. He had been near starving to death, so Charlie had fed him. The two had remained unbreakably loyal to each other ever since.

Jack, Charlie said again, and a little louder this time. He felt some desperation creeping in.

I’m right here next to you. Never left your side, pal, Jack replied.

Charlie breathed out deeply. Don’t mess with me, Jack, this Experiment is insane. Do you think they really shot them?

Nah, it’s all fake. But who cares? This is so much better than eating out of garbage cans in Victoria Park—I’m so glad you talked me into this, Jack said.

Charlie and Jack had been living in parks for months before finding out about the Experiment. Charlie had been sleeping under his favorite tree one morning when a small pamphlet seemed to just fall out of the sky and land on his chest. He quickly found Jack and told him about it. All they had to do was show up at the local college and they would get fifty bucks and have to take a test. Jack said no right away—he hated taking tests—but when Charlie convinced him that this test would be more like an experiment they’d be a part of, Jack agreed.

Charlie replied, I’m not so glad I did talk you into this—

Shush, a voice interrupted. They’re clearly not back here, but keep it down or they will be. Charlie searched for her voice. She seemed to be sitting next to Jack.

Who are you? he whispered.

Just call me Blavatsky. She’s my idol, the girl said.

Who? Charlie blurted out.

"Shh! she said again. World traveler and famous female psychic. Look it up." There was pause for a moment, the helicopter’s engine continuing to crank above them.

Alright Blavatsky, do you know what the heck is going on here? Jack asked forcefully.

It’s my opinion that this Experiment is all about mind control and telepathy. That’s why I’m here, she replied.

"If that’s the case,