Enhanced: A YA Sci-fi Thriller

  Enhanced

  J.S. Hudson

  eleven55

  This book is dedicated to the person who has looked for love in all the wrong places.

  God loves you.

  Contents

  1. Basketball

  2. Phone Tag

  3. Waiting Room

  4. Coffee

  5. Lab Rat

  6. Let Down

  7. Parents

  8. Dinner

  9. Plotting

  10. A.C.S.E.S.

  11. All In

  12. Chop Shop

  13. Oh Well

  14. Enhanced

  15. Warming Up

  16. Charm

  17. Not The Same

  18. Stranger

  19. Desperation

  20. Thick Soup

  21. Confrontation

  22. Moving On

  23. Found

  24. A Little Too Much

  25. It Hits The Fan

  26. One Last Shot

  27. All On The Line

  28. A New Beginning

  1

  Basketball

  A bead of sweat dripped down Ashley’s forehead, from her cheek to her jaw line to her chin to the glossy hardwood floor beneath her high top shoes. She squinted from the sting of the settled perspiration and held her eyes closed until the roar from the bleachers faded from her mind. The Sonoma County Raptors’ summer league star lifted her eyes confidently to the hoop for a second free throw.

  Batcha!

  The basketball hit the ground and returned to her hand.

  Batcha!

  Ashley bent her knees, licked the salty droplets on her upper lip, sized up her shot, and extended. Release. Silence. Swish. Nothing but net.

  “She’s so good,” said Jack, and shoveled a handful of popcorn into his mouth from halfway up the bleachers.

  “Yeah, she is,” said Venus; a tall beautiful black girl with a big smile and with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. “Girl’s a natural,” she added, then leaned back next to him and brought a fountain drink straw to her lips, while Jack tossed some more popcorn into his mouth.

  “So where’s Aarav?” asked the girl.

  “You know where.”

  She huffed and shook her head. “He needs to tell his dad somethin’. He’s already spent half the summer in that lab of his.”

  “I know, I mean…” Jack watched some cute girls walk by and forgot what he was about to say.

  “Jack.”

  “Oh yeah,” laughed the dark haired, brown eyed, teenager. “I mean, you can’t get this time back. It’s high school, you only get one shot!”

  As the words left Jack’s mouth, Ashley dropped a three-pointer through the hoop with a swish. The announcer blared Ashley's name, and she waved to her two friends in the stands, who stood and clapped as they had at each of her games that summer.

  Aarav handed his father a soldering iron, a spindle of small gauge solder, and a shallow plastic dish of flux. “I was supposed to be at Ashley’s game thirty minutes ago,” he politely reminded the thin black and gray-haired man sitting next to him. A tiny plume of smoke rose from a microcircuit board into the ventilation fan overhead.

  “I need you here,” said Aarav’s father, Chirangeev, in a thick Indian accent, and with his eyes glued to his microscope. He reached out for the damp sponge Aarav was already offering him.

  “But Father, I specifically scheduled it on our calendar.”

  “The project comes first, Aarav,” said Chirangeev, as he dabbed the tip of the soldering iron in the sponge. Once satisfied with his work, he lifted his head from the microscope and turned in his swivel chair. “When we’re done with this final implant, we’ll have plenty of time and money,” he said, “but now we must work.” The man began to massage his hands as he spoke. “You can bring your friends on vacation with us to India. I’m sure they’d love that.”

  Aarav remained silent, biting his lip out of respect. His father waited a moment, then swiveled back to the workbench in their basement laboratory. “Battery,” he requested .

  “Lithium Ion Polymer?”

  “Yes, Aarav.”

  From his metal stool, the black haired teen shuffled through a parts bin on the table, then looked higher. “It’s in the bin on the shelf above your head.”

  “I know, Aarav.” Chirangeev’s frustration with his son’s comprehension was beginning to show. “Look, if you don’t want to help me, then just leave.” He stretched his arm as high as he could for the part, but it was slightly out of reach.

  “It’s okay father, I’ll get it.” Aarav dismounted his stool but was blocked by an arm in a white lab-coat.

  “Aarav. We are on the verge of a technological breakthrough,” asserted, his father. “It will improve the lives of millions of people!” The fire that had sparked in the man’s eyes faded, and his posture relaxed. “Aarav, listen to me. If you don’t want this… it’s allright. Your mother didn’t want it either.”

  “Father…”

  “No, son.” The man sighed. “You will be a great scientist one day. I have no doubt of that. But the ability to bring the future into the present doesn’t come without sacrifice.” Chirangeev’s aged eyes glazed over. “I’ve been feeling this from you for a while. I can’t make you into something you don’t want to be. If you wish to go with your friends it is your decision. I can finish the project alone.”

  Aarav fully sensed his father’s grief. He knew it would break his father’s heart if he left, though he also knew somehow that if he didn’t walk away then, he might be in that lab for the rest of his life. “I’m sorry,” Aarav said. “But I'm going to leave.” His dad looked away from his son and Aarav turned his back as well, and headed for the stairs to their home.

  “That was supposed to be for both of us,” said Venus.

  “Yeah? Well, popcorn’s kinda my thing,” said Jack, with a smile, and launched another piece toward his mouth.

  The girl crossed her arms “Really? You gonna do me like that?”

  “I’ll do you any way you want,” said Jack.

  “What the…” Venus scowled as much as her pretty face could and rolled her neck as only a girl like her should. “You have lost your mind!” she asserted, and lunged for the striped plastic container in her friend’s hand.

  “Be cool, girl!” Jack cautioned, playfully, as he leaned back continuing to scoop popcorn into his mouth like a chipmunk.

  “Jack, you bettah give me that popcorn,” warned Venus, who had raised up in her seat, and was blocking the view of the adults behind her. Although Jack was completely frustrating, she enjoyed every moment of their flirtatious tug-o-wars, and although he was the kind of guy that could have any girl in their school, Venus was not smitten. She lunged for the half-full container and managed to hook a finger over its plastic lip.

  Jack laughed and tried to tuck the popcorn under his arm, in the process, dragging Venus down onto his lap. “Little close there,” he said, and winked.

  “You wish,” said Venus, and pulled back hard.

  “You want it?” asked Jack, his face daringly close to hers, the tension of their opposing grips bending the container.

  “Yeah,” she breathed, determined. “I want it.”

  “Okay,” said Jack, shrugged his shoulders, and let go. The container whipped over Venus’ head and filled the air with a shower of white and yellow kernels.

  The two friends were into each other. That was plain to see. But what wasn't plain to see, at least not for them, was two of their nemeses classmates passing by on their trek up the bleachers. In fact, the couple had been exchanging foul comments about Jack and Venus the entire way up, and the uncalculated trajectory of the buttery po
pcorn into their hair and faces could be passed off as nothing less than instant karma.

  “Ashley Clayton hits another shot!” shouted the announcer, as the last of the buttery puffs bounced off Todd and Melissa. The crowd exploded in applause. “…and the Raptors extend their lead to fifteen points.”

  When the applause died down, the sound of Jack and Venus laughing was exceeded by Melissa shouting, “Oh… my… God…” She looked in mourning at her nicely buttered shirt, then at Jack and Venus. “Idiots!” she yelled.

  Todd stood briefly with a tiny popcorn pyramid on his head before angrily shaking it off. “Try out for wrestling Colton!” he said, and wiped the remaining popcorn from his shoulder. “I’ll jack you up!”

  “Yeah?” said Jack, smugly. “You might wanna get some Head and Shoulders for that dandruff, bro.”

  Todd glanced at his other shoulder and cleared off another pile of puffs. The blonde, curly-topped, wrestling captain grinned slyly. “First, I ain’t your bro… and second, you better watch your back!”

  “You better watch your back,” repeated Jack, in a silly voice. Todd stepped toward him with a balled fist, but Melissa’s arm was quick to cross his chest. She whispered something in his ear and he stepped back.

  Venus called out to the girl, “Look, Melissa. We’re sorry. It was an accident.”

  Melissa scowled - her sharp painted features peering out from between her parted bleached bangs. “I don’t accept your apology,” she taunted, “and by the way… don’t be mad. It wasn’t just us. The whole school voted for your little sister instead of you.”

  Venus froze. The words had struck a dissonant chord.

  “Say something!” whispered Jack, gently pushing her shoulder.

  “You probably shouldn’t run for school office this year,” added Melissa. “I don’t know if your little heart can take another loss.”

  “Hey!” yelled Jack. “Get back on your broom before I slap you with it. You and Frankenstein!” The put down was childish, but Jack wasn’t playing. He rolled up his sleeves, and there was no question in anyone’s minds, that the Santa Rosa Cardinal’s quarterback had switched to fight mode.”

  “C’mon then!” said Todd, finally pushing past Melissa’s.

  Jack stepped over a seat and around Venus. “Jack, don’t,” she said.

  “It’ll just take a second V,” he replied. Then, the handsome teen noticed a portly man in a dark blue uniform hurrying down the steps beside the announcer booth.

  “Jack… security” cautioned Venus.

  “I know. I see him.”

  Todd happened to notice the guard as well, and backed up reluctantly to his seat… butter and all. “You’re dead, Colton,” he said — extending a pointed finger.

  When the security guard arrived, the four classmates were seated and watching the game. He didn’t say anything, but posted himself at the railing just below them and stared back occasionally with an unintentionally ugly expression.

  “Why’d you get crazy?” asked Venus.

  “Why didn’t you say anything to her?” asked Jack. He waited for her response but found his answer in her eyes. “That really hurt you didn’t it? What Melissa said...”

  “Nah, not really. I’m good.” Venus leaned back in her bleacher chair and took a distracting sip from her soda. “I’m over it,” she added.

  “Yeah?” asked Jack. “Well, you’re smarter than your sister anyway.”

  Venus didn’t reply. Instead, she found Ashley on the court and took another sip, knowing this time, he was the one that was lying.

  Aarav stood in the driveway of his one story suburban home, keys in hand, glancing between his brown hand-me-down Mercedes and the front door he’d just exited. He looked up for divine guidance, clenched his teeth, then shoved the keys into his pocket and walked back into the house. “Father!” he yelled, as he opened the door to their basement laboratory. “Father!”

  Aarav jogged down the steps as he had a thousand times, unconcerned by Chirangeev’s silence, who was typically absorbed in his work. But when he reached the bottom step, he saw an empty swivel chair laying haphazardly on the floor, and behind it; his father.

  Aarav rushed across the room — his world coming unglued piece by piece as he absorbed the sight of the brilliant man incapacitated. “Father,” he cried, and lifted his dad’s head with tears in his eyes. But no response came… no reaction. Arrav reached for his father’s neck to find a pulse and spotted the spilled box of lithium batteries he was asked to reach for.

  Aarav’s eyes shone a brief flash of relief as he found a pulse. Fighting through bitter regret, he placed a rolled towel under the eerily peaceful man’s head and dialed 911. “Help!” he cried into the receiver. “My father needs help!”

  “Dang it, Aarav,” said Jack, as he checked his phone and saw that his last call had been rejected.

  “He’s working. Leave him alone,” said Venus.

  “He should be here,” replied Jack, as he stood and clapped for their team, which had somehow fallen behind by four points. “Let’s go!” he shouted, then sat back down and added, “It’s the last game of Ashley’s summer league.”

  Venus shrugged her shoulders. “Let’s go, Ashley!” she cried through her cupped hands.

  Suddenly, the announcer’s voice rose above the crowd’s support. “Ashley Clayton steals the ball! She’ll go in for an uncontested layup... and that’s eighteen points for the Raptors’ star player.”

  “Woohoooo!” yelled Venus, along with the entire arena, as Jack whistled loudly beside her.

  “Let’s go, Ash!” he said, unable to hear his phone ringing in his pocket.

  “The San Jose Wildcats miss another shot,” blared the announcer. “With the clock ticking down, the Raptors will have one last chance to tie up the game.”

  Venus lifted her phone to her ear and covered her other one with her hand. Then, a look of deep concern appeared on her face.

  “You got this Ash!” yelled Jack, before receiving a nudge to his shoulder. He held up one finger. “Ten seconds,” he mouthed to Venus, and returned his focus to the game. He noticed her leaving, and wondered who was on the other line.

  “Ashley Clayton with the ball…” said the announcer. “Let’s see if she can come up big for the Raptors, one last time.” From down on the court, Ashley only saw three things: the six seconds left on the clock, the basketball hoop, and her good friend Jack - cheering her on from the stands. She was exhausted. Her arms were shiny and fatigued, and her hair was drenched with sweat. But above her lightly freckled cheeks were eyes that burned hot for the win.

  Ashley charged toward the hoop from mid-court and stopped, freezing an opposing player with a quick crossover. She darted to her left and spun off a screen at the three-point line.

  “Four seconds.” She didn’t have a shot.

  The opposing team's star forward had filled the gap where Ashley had fired off two three-pointers earlier. She pump faked.

  “Three seconds.” The defender didn’t bite.

  “Two seconds.” Another pump fake. This time the girl took the bait.

  With one second left, Ashley dribbled once to the side, and launched a high arcing shot from the three-point line. The crowd was silent. The shot looked as if it was going to go in, but nobody knew for sure. Ashley watched, with her hand still extended in the style of her NBA heroes.

  The ball hit the back of the hoop but didn’t go in. Instead, it rattled around and popped back into the air. Then, finally, it dropped through the center of the net.

  The entire arena erupted in deafening fanfare. “The Raptors win the game! The Raptors win the game!” yelled the announcer, as Ashley’s teammates surrounded her and hoisted her onto their shoulders. “Ashley Clayton does it again! Keep your eye on this girl. I'm tellin’ ya, she’s a star!” beamed the announcer.

  Students flooded the court from all sides, but it was Jack, who surprisingly got to Ashley first. He looked up at her, although he was at least a head
taller than any of the girls carrying her. He smiled handsomely. “Give me some,” he said, and reached up. Ashley reached out, and the two wiggled their fingers together as they’d done since elementary school. “Love you!” he said, and stopped to watch her get carried off under a shower of adoration.

  “Love you too!” she yelled back, then turned to shake the hands of those congratulating her.

  Jack reached into his pocket for his phone. “Let’s see what’s up,” he whispered, then saw a missed call from Venus. “Shoot.” He quickly found the nearest exit, and as he left to call Venus, a tall man in a sport coat and blue jeans greeted Ashley at center court.

  “Daddy!” she cried with a big smile, and hopped down from the procession and into his arms. The man leaned from her weight, but straightened up and squeezed his not so little girl.

  “Great game, baby,” he said, kissed her cheek, and lowered her to the floor. “The scouts were here?”

  Ashley nodded, then directed her eyes to the sideline where three men with clipboards waited for their turn to speak to her. “Don’t settle for less than the best,” said the man, as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

  “Course not, Dad,” she responded, just before being interrupted by a half shaven-headed teen in sunglasses. The boy leaned in and kissed her on the lips, causing her to blush. She withdrew, but not from disinterest. “My dad…” she said, drawing the boys attention to the man towering over them.

  “What’s up,” said the youngster, barely acknowledging him.

  “Dad, this is X.O. He’s a super popular DJ.” Ashley noticed her father’s face reddening. “Dad?”