Hunted: The Collapse, #1

By AD Lamar

In the not too distant future, The United States is on the verge of total collapse.  Economic collapse is underway, and violent gangs control major cities.  A new President is elected, and promises to restore things to normal, but some powerful people are bent on stopping him…

 

Damien Webber, a retired Army Ranger, accepts a lucrative contract from a mysterious billionaire, expecting a routine corporate theft. But when the job goes sideways, Damien finds himself hunted across continents, pursued by both lethal criminals and relentless government drones.

 

With the stolen technology poised to unleash chaos, Damien forms an uneasy alliance with an unexpected partner. As they navigate a treacherous landscape of deception and danger, Damien must discern friend from foe in a race against time.

 

In this high-octane technothriller, trust is a rare currency, and the stakes couldn't be higher. Can Damien outwit his enemies and prevent catastrophe before it's too late?

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: AD Lamar
• Release date: Feb 8, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224708482

Book preview

Chapter 1

It was an overcast day in the Chinese city of Changchun. At the University of Technology, a weathered concrete parade square was festooned with banners and flags representing the University Drill team, the War Flag of the People’s Liberation Army, and the national flag of the People’s Republic of China. Several dozen folding chairs were positioned under a wooden three-sided shelter, and all but the front five were filled with officers of the PLA, along with several local members of the Chinese Communist Party.

Two glossy black staff cars silently rolled up to the wooden shelter, and the doors of each opened in unison. Major General Zhang Shizhong allowed his driver to open the door of the expensive Hongqi L5, and stepped out into the cool April weather. The heavy woolen tunic of his uniform was not the only insulation he possessed; he also had a thick belly that protruded in front of him, the product of a lifetime of enjoying the best food that his wealth and influence could afford.

The second vehicle was a standard non-descript black staff car, and the rear door opened as Lieutenant General Ling Qiaoping stepped out. He tapped on the passenger window and nodded at the driver before quickening his pace to catch up to his fatter and slower compatriot, who was waddling to the nearest door of the University building.

Qiaoping was tall and thin and had risen through the ranks through hard work and a little bit of luck. He had no need for the finer things in life, taking pleasure instead from the honor of his work serving the people of China. He quickly outpaced Shizhong and arrived at the door first, turning to stare laconically at the sweaty-faced Staff officer who was doing his best to hide the effort of trying to keep up.

Three days ago, he had received an actual written letter from a senior Party Official, inviting him to a demonstration of a New Technology that would assist the country in defeating their enemies. The four-page letter had been curiously light on details, except for the time and location of the test. Qiaoping was the Quartermaster General of the People’s Army, which put him in charge of observing and testing new equipment for China’s Armed Forces.

Normally, his job was nothing more than rubber-stamping the latest acquisition, and overseeing the many billions of dollars of hardware, weapons, and vehicles forming the vast inventory of his country’s growing military might. A personal invitation was highly irregular, and such a request could only mean that this technology was highly secretive in nature. It was undeniably exciting, and Qiaoping was in a good mood.

Qiaoping waited at the door, turning to acknowledge the other General who was a newly promoted Party member, not a hardened soldier who rose to his position through hard work. He could not openly show his contempt for the man, but he wasn’t about to give him any extra respect either. Shizhong did not even acknowledge his superior as he arrived at the door, already showing several tiny beads of sweat on his forehead.

The door was steel-clad and looked heavy, with not just one but two card scanners and a pair of armed guards posted 24 hours a day. Both Generals retrieved their scan cards and swiped them at the same moment. The darkness inside the building spilled out into the early afternoon light, and the noise of marching University students faded as they entered the complex.

A painfully thin civilian with deep hollows under his eyes and a permanent hunch was waiting to guide the two Generals into the bowels of the University of Technology Research wing, which had been completely isolated from the rest of the campus by several layers of strong security. Qiaoping felt a cold draft of air pass by and suppressed a shudder. This was a sinister place, and he imagined he could feel evil spirits lurking around every poorly lit corner. His initial feeling of delight and anticipation was beginning to sour, but there was nothing to be done about that.

The hunchback said nothing, leading the way through a twist of corridors to another security checkpoint. A floor-to-ceiling wire mesh gate prevented access to what must have been the very center of the wing, and another two guards were positioned there. This time, the civilian himself scanned the card reader, and they proceeded into a hallway that had once been a row of classrooms but was now converted into a poorly ventilated and dimly lit laboratory.

Qiaoping saw everything and remembered nearly every detail. As a young officer 25 years ago, he had honed the skill of observation and could build a detailed map of an interior building from memory even after just one visit. He calculated that they had about one hundred meters of building between themselves and the outside world, a formidable barrier against enemy intrusion.

They walked by four of the doors, the only sound being the wheezing of Shizhong, who was clearly unaccustomed to this much walking. Qiaoping wondered again who had decided to invite this worthless officer, but such decisions were made at a level far beyond even his significant authority. A man such as this was useless as a military officer, but he had access to people who could get things done, fast-track approvals, and money, so his presence here might be even more important than his own.

The hunchback civilian stopped in front of the only door that was currently manned by an armed security officer, who immediately came to attention in the presence of the Generals. The security man stepped back to give access to the card reader, which had a stark red light emanating into the dim glow of the hallway.

Qiaoping felt another breeze on his neck and glanced up to see a ventilation shaft directly above his head. The opening of the shaft was quite large, big enough for a man to fit through. The cover of the shaft was flimsy plastic, basically no barrier at all. He pictured for a second how he would grasp the edges and thrust himself inside, moving through the dark interior to escape the building.

Interesting.

He followed the small group of men through the doorway into what had been a classroom but was now converted into a testing center. As he walked through the doorway, he thought he saw a flash of light from the corner of his vision, and he definitely heard a light buzzing that seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere.

Wires and cables were strewn all over, with cameras and sensors mounted on the counters, walls, and even the ceiling. Several figures were scurrying around, completely covered in white protective suits, and Qiaoping could see that there were radiation hazard symbols on some of the suits and equipment.

Several more strange flashes of light, this time from both of his eyes. He blinked rapidly and saw that Shizhong was rubbing his meaty hands against his eyes vigorously.

The hunchback spoke in a gravelly voice.

Please do not be concerned Generals, the radiation is not dangerous for visitors.

He opened up a plastic case and retrieved several pairs of what appeared to be thick sunglasses, handing them to the two Staff Officers.

You may see flashes of light, that is normal. Harmless stray particles are hitting your optic nerve, but these glasses will block them.

Qiaoping grabbed the offered glasses and put them over his eyes quickly. The assurances of the hunchbacked man were not convincing, and he wanted to get this over as soon as possible. Was radiation usually visible as flashes of light? Qiaoping didn’t think so, because there was radiation all around you, all the time. This must be something entirely different, a form of radiation with unknown effects.

Shizhong evidently felt the same way, for he grabbed the hunchback by the upper arm, and said,

This is taking too long, we need to see a demonstration right away! he exclaimed, but while he said it, he was looking at Qiaoping.

Qiaoping said nothing, but when the hunchback old man turned to look at him, he nodded and gestured his assent.

The hunchback nodded and walked over to a black box that appeared to be surrounded by metal mesh. Qiaoping thought this looked like a Faraday cage, a setup designed to block or reflect radio transmissions and electrical signals. Two switches were flipped up and a small door opened on the front of the box. Inside was a small black device about the size and shape of a cell phone.

When the hunchback donned thick gloves and removed the device, Qiaoping saw that it was in fact a cell phone.

The phone screen was unlit, but Qiaoping knew that some dark and sinister energy was stirring within the innocent-looking device and he felt real fear shudder through him like a wave, as though an evil spirit resided in the small device. He was not a superstitious person like many Chinese, but he knew that there were spirits, both good and bad, all around them. This was definitely a bad spirit, and he wished for the first time that he could have declined the summons or sent someone else in his place. He whispered a soundless prayer in his mind without letting his lips move.

The room was poorly lit, the overhead lights having been removed to access the power cables and provide more electricity. Small pools of dim light revealed that the room contained a few tables, at least two or three computer stations with workers manning them, and a chair bolted to the floor in the center of the space. A shadowy form sat in the chair, all but invisible. It was a person, sitting motionless, but nothing else could be seen.

If it pleases the General, take this in your hands. The hunchbacked scientist was offering the cell phone to General Shizhong, who was sweating even worse despite the cool temperature of the air around them. His eyes bulged from his head, and he had both hands raised in a warding gesture as he shuffled backward.

No! It is not for me, you fool!

His voice pierced through the room, and Qiaoping could see the faces of the half dozen technicians as they turned to watch the new visitors.

This was unacceptable, no officer should ever behave in such a way, particularly a General, and Qiaoping felt anger rise in him at the humiliation of seeing his subordinate shouting at a scientist.

Sir. His voice was sharp and loud, cutting through the murmurs that had started to rise in the room. He carefully kept a neutral expression as he approached the hunchback, holding his hand out. Shizhong avoided his eyes, but Qiaoping could see a smirk across the man’s lips. A better officer would have demanded to place himself in potential danger rather than let his boss be exposed, but there were no better men to be found in this place.

Taking risks was part of his job, and besides, the consequences of injuring or killing a General as part of a test would mean certain execution for every person in the room. It had to be safe, or they would not have brought them to this place.

The cellphone felt perfectly normal, no heavier or lighter than his own, its surface clean and polished as though it had just come from the box. Qiaoping was careful not to push any of the several buttons that stuck out from the sides, instead cautiously cradling the device in his palm.

The hunchback man’s hollow eyes became much wider, and a grin spread across his creased face. Qiaoping saw him nod furtively to Shizhong, whose face was now plastered with a maddening smirk. Did these two know each other already? He had no time to ponder this, for the device that was sitting in his open hand felt like a grenade with the pin pulled out.

Please do not press any of the buttons, General.

That sounded like wise advice, and Qiaoping was already heeding it, holding his hand palm up with the device resting on his palm. The rest of the men in the room stared at him, some of them appearing eager, but some also looked afraid, and that was less encouraging.

It took several minutes for the hunchback to poke around his lair, flipping switches and turning on a few more lights. A small lamp brightened above the chair that was in the center of the room, and now they could see that it was a man, a prisoner, with his hands fastened to the metal chair arms with leather straps. The prisoner looked to be a younger man, perhaps early twenties, dressed in a pale blue jumpsuit that was opened at the front. A nest of wires was attached to small white circles on the man’s bare chest, leading to the only machine in this room that Qiaoping could identify, an EKG.

A white-suited technician shuffled over and plucked the wires from the prisoner’s chest. He then loosened one of the prisoner’s arms, allowing the man some freedom of movement. The prisoner grimaced, and rotated his shoulder, apparently having been restrained for some time. Qiaoping felt some anger rise in him at the thought of mistreatment of a prisoner. No matter what this man had done, keeping him strapped to a chair for hours at a time was barbaric and dishonorable.

Hunchback wasn’t finished handing out cell phones, and he unceremoniously seized the prisoner’s hand, placing another identical device into the man’s palm. The prisoner stared at the black rectangle of glass uncomprehendingly. Qiaoping was equally confused, and he looked again at his own device, expecting something to happen. Nothing did for the moment, but the prisoner did briefly lock eyes with the General. Qiaoping sensed the man’s apprehension and knew in his soul that this man was a political prisoner, not a violent criminal. There were hundreds of thousands of such men and women moldering in camps and buildings all over China, and now Taiwan after the successful invasion the previous year.

General, may you press the button at your pleasure?

A young man with a bunny hood and anti-static suit was standing at his side, pointing at a small button along the top of the cell phone. The tone and language of the request were so polite that it was almost irritating, the type of request that a toddler would make to their father. The young man was clearly afraid of the next steps that needed to be taken. Qiaoping saw that the hunchback scientist was holding the prisoner's hand, pushing the button on the second phone. The tiny screen lit up completely white, and the prisoner stiffened briefly, then relaxed, staring at the device.

Qiaoping did not want to push the button, but his hand moved on its own, tracing up the smooth sides of the device, and sensing the raised edges of the small button.

Stop. He commanded his fingers to pull back. They disobeyed him, and the smooth almost imperceptible feeling of the button moving down transmitted up his index finger.

Qiaoping felt the tension rise in his body, but nothing happened. The screen flared to life, almost painfully bright, but he could still see the rest of the room just as it was, dimly lit, with the half dozen men standing around them. He glanced at the chair, and his blood ran cold.

Weapon!

His brain flashed a warning before his eyes could even detect the threat.

The prisoner was still seated in the chair, but the restraints were gone. Where the cell phone had been a moment earlier, a glittering knife blade protruded from the man’s hand. Qiaoping felt the dump of adrenaline into his body, and his hands came up in a defensive posture. The only object that he had was the cellphone, an object that was clearly useless against a knife. His eyes cast about, and in less than one-tenth of a second, he spotted another identical knife, sitting on a tray within arms reach.

Without hesitation, he reached out and seized it. The critical reasoning parts of his brain, the questioning parts that would have demanded to know why a knife was being displayed so openly in this room, that part was suffocated under a flood of critical stress neurotransmitters. There was no time to think, only time to act.

The prisoner turned his face to Qiaoping, and the confusion of earlier was gone, replaced by a grotesque look of rage. This was the face of a murderer, a man who had killed before and was prepared to kill again.

The prisoner swung his knife hand from the side, and Qiaoping instinctively moved inside the arc of the swing, reaching his left hand out to seize the weapon hand of the enraged prisoner. The blade of his own weapon was pointing outward, ready for a thrust and he acted quickly, plunging the cold steel into the madman’s chest, and twisting the blade to deliver maximum damage. He could feel the bones and sinews crack and separate as the blade delivered a killing blow, likely severing a major artery.

Qiaoping held his enemy’s weapon hand in an iron grip without looking at it, as he had been well trained to do in the Commando Airborne Forces more than two decades ago. When facing an armed attacker, the eyes told you their intention, and he found that he was now staring into the face of a confused young man, not a murderous savage, but a simple ordinary youth with no anger or hatred in his eyes.

Qiaoping pulled his right hand back, expecting to see that he was gripping a cell phone, but the hateful device was missing. A seven-inch blade slid from the prisoner’s chest, and blood began oozing from the open shirt. There was no huge spray of blood, for the poor man’s heart was no longer pumping. The knife blade had a few streaks of blood and some fatty tissue was stuck to the serrated hilt, torn loose as he pulled the blade free.

Qiaoping looked at the arm that he held in a now trembling grip, the same arm that he had seen ready to deliver a murderous blow with a deadly weapon. A black cell phone dropped from the loose fingers, falling to the floor. He stepped back, dropping the limp, lifeless arm. The prisoner slouched in the chair, held in place by the leather straps, which were still as intact as they had been when he had first seen the man.

A tumult of emotions welled up inside him, confusion, fear, and disgust. The hunchback was waving his arms frantically at General Qiaoping, and he was shouting words, but Qiaoping heard nothing. The adrenaline was still surging through him, and his mind was struggling to register the changes in the situation. He could not feel his hands, they had gone completely cold and his muscles were locked into position so tightly that the tendons felt ready to snap.

He looked at Shizhong. Somehow this weak, pathetic excuse for a military officer was completely calm, the smirk subdued but still very present on his hateful face. There must have been something terrifying in Qiaoping’s face even now, for the overweight staff officer shrunk back when Qiaoping stared him down. He forced himself to look around, seeing shocked and terrified faces, but no one else dared to move.

The knife. He still had the knife in his hand, dripping gore and blood all over. He looked at the smeared blade, seeing small reflections of his face in the small parts of the polished blade that were still visible. The prisoner’s face was now completely white, and he was obviously stone dead. Dead by Qiaoping’s hand. Why had he killed him? He struggled to remember the last thing he had seen. The man had been ready to attack, and he had reacted with the finely honed instinct of a well-trained soldier, but what he had seen was a lie, a projection. The cellphone had somehow projected the lie, on top of reality, and it had seemed real enough in the moment. The memory of the man’s face with the murderous intent, the lack of restraints, and the knife overlaid on top of the other cell phone.

A stunning technology indeed. Qiaoping slowly allowed his muscles to relax, and carefully placed the knife onto the tray. The cell phone that he had been holding was nowhere to be seen, but that was alright. He hoped it had fallen to the ground and been broken. It may have been evil, but it was really just a tool. The real evil was inside of him, the ability to casually murder a man with a single knife blow. A light nausea began to turn his stomach, but he knew it would pass. Killing someone was an act that repulsed the body, but with training, you could suppress that physical sensation.

What would never go away was the stain on a man’s soul. Qiaoping knew that he would spend a week praying and fasting for this poor prisoner’s spirit, asking God’s forgiveness. That was for later, but right now it was time to collect his wits and keep his darker thoughts to himself. He straightened and turned, looking at every single person in their eyes, smiling.

Congratulations. The words broke something, a palpable tension that had been suspended like fog. The men relaxed and some of them smiled.

This is a formidable breakthrough. You have done well, and you will be well rewarded for your work. These men, and the ones who employed them were certainly going to be quite wealthy by selling this technology to the government. He imagined them being buried alive in coins. Blood money.

The People’s Republic will use this technology to pursue peace throughout the world, bringing the full benefit of humankind, and most importantly, to the True Chinese people and our allies. He continued to deliberately drone on for several minutes, making his voice a loud buzzing monotone. He was quite talented at speaking but saying nothing at all for it was the job of Generals to give boring speeches. He watched the men in the room losing focus, and he nurtured this, never allowing himself to stop speaking, pulling them off guard with his voice. It was difficult to suppress his emotions under such circumstances, and it was made even more challenging by a headache that seemed to be building behind his eyes.

When he felt the timing was right, he concluded the speech and began to stride from the room, beckoning General Shizhong to follow with a nod. He passed under the vent and felt the light draft move across his neck once again as he turned to the right. No one spoke a word to him as he moved through the building, and he needed no direction or guidance. In 3 minutes and 36 seconds, he was once more outside.

The muted cloudy daylight was painful to his dark-adapted eyes, so he opened a pocket of his dress uniform and removed a pair of sunglasses. He buttoned the pocket once again, patting it once it was closed. He donned the glasses and turned to face General Shizhong, who was trailing at a distance. The fat General looked unsettled, and that was good. Qiaoping had put him off guard, but now it was time to use some flattery.

Shifu, you have used your connections well. He used an honorific normally reserved for a student speaking to a teacher. Shizhong heard this and began to smirk again.

There is some paperwork to be done shortly, but we must purchase this technology immediately. It is worth a trillion yuan for certain, that much I will say.

The mention of money was clearly what this man was waiting for. Qiaoping struggled to contain his disgust at the look of greed on the fat man’s face.

I require something of you, General, and this is important.

The greedy look remained, and Shizhong nodded.

I am at your service, what can I do to expedite this wonderful technology?

Qiaoping paused and stared at him.

This device must remain as secret as humanly possible. No one but us may know of its existence. I will place my own men to guard this wing of the University, but under no circumstances are you to reveal what you have seen here to anyone else, including your own subordinates.

Shizhong stared at his superior officer, the tiny smirk returning.

I imagine that you would not want the details of your actions to be made public, General.

Qiaoping was stunned for a second as the realization crashed over him. This had been a setup from the beginning of course, and any old fool should have been able to see it. Any old fool except himself. They had brought him here, tricked him into killing a man, and now they had some leverage over him. It took all of his considerable self-control to restrain the rage that surged through him. He permitted what he hoped was a sardonic smirk to cross his lips.

Killing a prisoner? Are you planning to report that to someone?

Shizhong looked confused, then a bit angry.

They could not reveal the incident without raising more questions, so they would not. It was an empty threat, but the fact that the threat had been made told Qiaoping that they didn’t trust him. Shizhong may even now be planning how to remove him from his position and take his place. It was possible that a plan was already in the works to make that happen.

Report to me every detail of any tests that have already been made, and any further tests that are planned, General Shizhong, and please have that as quickly as you can. I must make a report to the Chairman himself. He said, throwing in a reminder that he had the ear of the most powerful man in the country, the Chairman of the Party.

A light rain was falling as Qiaoping walked back to the car that was idling in the University Square. The drops of rain on the glossy black paint brought an instant flashback of blood drops glistening on a shiny steel surface. He shuddered as he opened the door and took his place in the back, rubbing his forehead as the headache slowly faded. The driver said nothing, perhaps sensing a change in the General’s mood. He was a well-disciplined and loyal man, a former member of his old squad. Even this man must not be told anything. No one must know about this device, but a process was now in motion that could not be stopped by him alone.

Qiaoping touched the flap of his uniform where he had stored his sunglasses, feeling the shape of the cell phone within. This was not the cellphone that was issued to him by the Army. That device was now sitting on the metal tray that had also contained the knife. The switch had been made during the confusion that followed the prisoner’s gruesome death. The evil device that had altered his reality was now in his possession, and it could stay inside that pocket for now, but something had to be done with it soon. He glanced up to the rearview mirror, catching the eyes of his driver. He nodded without saying anything, and the car began to move.

Chapter 2

Qiaoping returned to his home and discovered that his wife of thirty-six years was out, probably visiting a family member as she often did in the late afternoon. He moved directly to his home office, a room that had once belonged to his only child, the son who had served in the same Regiment that he had once commanded. That son was now somewhere in the United States and had stopped talking to his parents for a few years. He closed and locked the door, and for good measure checked every corner of the room, windows, and fixtures for listening devices or bugs. There was no way to know for sure, but he understood that there was a good chance that they were monitoring him. It would not be long until they discovered that the phones had been switched,