Metamorphs 2, page 1
Metamorphs 2: Ripple Effect
Metamorphs, Volume 2
Yuri Jean-Baptiste
Published by Yuri Jean-Baptiste, 2019.
While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
METAMORPHS 2: RIPPLE EFFECT
First edition. April 6, 2019.
Copyright © 2019 Yuri Jean-Baptiste.
ISBN: 978-1386312413
Written by Yuri Jean-Baptiste.
Also by Yuri Jean-Baptiste
Lightforge
Lightforge: A Light in the Darkness
Metamorphs
Metamorphs: Return of the Legion
Metamorphs 2: Ripple Effect
Metamorphs 3: Fallout
Metamorphs Four: War of the Deus
WarloX
WarloX: Child of Destiny
WarloX: Child of Darkness
WarloX: Child of Madness
Standalone
WarloX: Child of Madness
Watch for more at Yuri Jean-Baptiste’s site.
To God, above all else, and my incredibly supportive wife. Thank you to my awesome beta readers who have to suffer through the process alongside me. Thank you to my family and friends, as well as the little metamorphs in my life. The journey has just begun...
Thank you so much for taking the time to read Metamorphs: Ripple Effect, the second in my four-part series! I hope you enjoy the adventure and are looking forward to returning to this fantastic world! Please make sure that you check out the other books in the series and leave a review on your favorite e-book retailer as it will help bring more fans to the world of Metamorphs! Don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter to get access to your FREE copy of the prequel! Thank you all again, and see you at the finish line!
-Yuri Jean-Baptiste
Newsletter link: YJBLiterary
E-book retailer link: Books2Read
Table of Contents
Part One: Changes
Prologue: 1986
Chapter 1: Uninvited Guests
Chapter 2: A New Teammate
Chapter 3: Fractured
Chapter 4: Friends in Low Places
Interlude: 1988
Chapter 5: An Unlikely Alliance
Part Two: Demons
Interlude: 1998
Chapter 6: Mysterious Contact
Chapter 7: A New Rival
Chapter 8: Secondary
Chapter 9: Winter Secrets
Chapter 10: The Fall Ball
Chapter 11: Home for the Holidays
Interlude: 2009
Chapter 12: The Phone Call
Part Three: Prophecies
Chapter 13: The Search for Dan
Chapter 14: The Boy Who Became a Devil
Interlude: 2011
Chapter 15: Into the Darkness
Chapter 16: The Fallen Prophet
Chapter 17: An Uncertain Future
Epilogue
Part One: Changes
Prologue: 1986
Ensign William Hurley marched through the long white corridors of the massive building alongside his long-time friend and fellow crewmate, Paul Logan. He tried not to let the gravity of the moment overwhelm him and forced down the bile that was fighting to escape his gullet. He had been on enough tours during his time in the Navy that moments like this shouldn’t have been an issue, however, this was no ordinary meeting. And this was no ordinary place.
Hurley had no idea why they had been chosen for this briefing tonight. It may have been due to their exemplary service and bravery during the last battle, when they finally managed to take down that super-powered psycho. Perhaps it was because of their experience working alongside the genetically enhanced individuals, or G.E.I.s for short. They were, after all, two of the few people in the military who had signed their lives away in order to learn the truth about these freaks. Despite these thoughts, Hurley knew the real reason deep inside.
They were the ones who had found the body.
They were one of a handful who knew the truth. And that meant one of two things: either a promotion was waiting behind that door up ahead...or the two men would never be heard from again.
The Secret Service officer finished escorting them down the hallway before opening the door and ushering the two men in. The Oval Office was much smaller than Hurley had imagined, surprisingly cozy for holding the most powerful man in the world. President Ronald Reagan stared up at his guests from the other side of the impressive mahogany desk and nodded curtly to his security staff.
“Leave us. Gentlemen, have a seat,” he said, gesturing to the chairs before him. The two ensigns saluted before sitting down as instructed.
“At ease, boys. Let’s make this brief,” President Reagan began. “I’m sure you two are already curious as to why you’re both here, but before we get into any of the nitty-gritty, I need to know a few things. First, has the evidence been destroyed, both physically and electronically?”
“Absolutely, Mr. President! As per the instructions of Admiral Beckett, we supervised the full system wipe-down of any information regarding the metamorph species, as well as anything that could be related or linked to it. We also personally eliminated all physical files or materials related to Operation Deus, sir! As far as the general public will know, this event was an unfortunate result of a nuclear accident due to a power plant malfunction,” Ensign Logan replied.
Hurley noted that his friend failed to mention the part where they “escorted” any military witnesses to the specialty detention centers, wherein they would be undergoing the process of the Witness Protection Program. As for the locals, those poor souls would never be heard from again.
“Well done. Now, what about the treaty? Has that been completed and signed?”
“Yes, Mr. President. All four remaining members of The Magnificent Seven have signed the treaty and are currently undergoing a full background erasure. Soon, they will be just another face in the crowd, indistinguishable from John and Jane Doe. They have agreed to remain in anonymity, although The Academy will continue their workings. Last I heard, Nova would be taking over the reins,” Hurley stated.
The President waved the last comment aside. “Good. Better him than the other one. That’s fine, there’s not much we can do to stop them anyway. Even if we knew where The Academy was, it would be suicide trying to shut it down. Especially after...” The three men briefly paused, trying to repress the memories of last month’s battle. Shaking his head clear, the President leaned forward, his voice barely above a whisper. “Lastly...what about the body?”
Hurley swallowed hard. This was the part he was afraid of. “Ensign Logan and I spotted it several days following the aftermath of Chernobyl. While sifting through the wreckage, we were able to locate and identify the body of the subject. It’s really him, sir. It’s—!”
“Easy there, sailor,” President Reagan warned, holding up his hand. He spun his finger in a circle before tapping his ear. They were being recorded. Ensign Hurley nodded in understanding. “Where is the body now, and does anyone else know about this?”
“After we notified the Admiral, the body was placed in a containment vessel and shipped to Area 51 for further evaluation. Last we heard, between the serums and freezing process, it should be preserved for years to come. It’s being studied as we speak,” Paul answered.
“Fantastic. Just to be clear, the G.E.I.s can’t know about this. Ever. Other than you two and Admiral Beckett, is there anyone else who knows about this finding?”
“No, Mr. President, there were no other witnesses,” said Hurley, his throat suddenly dry.
“Excellent,” the President replied with a smile. He folded his hands together, glancing between the two men before him. “Ordinarily, this would be the time when I would recommend...reassignment going forward. However, after talking with the Admiral, I have something much better in mind. Tell me something, gentlemen, have you two ever heard of The Carcerem?”
Ensign Hurley glanced toward his friend, his eyes widening in disbelief. Their lives were about to get a lot more interesting.
Chapter 1: Uninvited Guests
Glancing back at Tristan, Gabriel Jackson looked tired, his muscles beginning to shake from the effort. Fear gripped his heart, and for the first time in his young life, he doubted his own strength.
“Sorry, Trist...I wish I could’ve...done more...”
There was a flash of blinding light, and Gabriel felt his sand wall come crashing down around them, his body taking the full force of the combined powers.
“Noooo!” Tristan screamed from behind him, but his voice was drowned out by the explosion. Gabriel felt the flames of Firestarter singe the hairs on his head and the sharp blades of Shadow slice across his sides. Crystal’s shards cut across his skin like knives, and the cold chill of Vamp’s ice wave wrapped around his body. Muscles tore and bones shattered while Gabriel’s body was thrown back like a ragdoll. He knew he was dying before his head hit the ground, unable to actually feel the cold surface beneath him. He watched the ceiling fall apart, a large chunk headed straight down upon his body.
Ag, this can’t be it...
Gabriel shot up, his chest heaving and face drenched in sweat. Pain shot through his left side and right arm at the movement, and he immediately fell back onto his bed, trying his best to muffle the sound of pain that escaped his throat. He didn’t w
Taking a deep breath to compose himself, Gabriel gingerly sat back up before sliding off his top bunk. He landed silently beside the still-snoring body of Malcolm Campbell, his teammate and one of his best friends at the Academy. The Jamaican teen was a heavy sleeper, and Gabriel didn’t think there was much he could do short of marching a parade through their room to wake him from his slumber. Nevertheless, Gabriel made sure to quietly tiptoe past the boy and his neighboring classmates on his way out of the large wooden cabin.
The boys had been sleeping in the single-story cabin for nearly two months now, the second-year class separated by gender. The structure was impressive in size, and the set-up was just as accommodating as their rooms back at the Academy. They slept in a large room with enough bunks to hold thirty. There were the usual communal showers and stalls, and the cabin came equipped with a massive living area. The girls’ cabin was several yards away, across a small stream which separated the two shelters and was accessible by a stone bridge in between. There was a mess hall further south of them, where they had their meals and held events. It would seem that the students had everything they could want here. Still, it wasn’t home.
Gabriel shut the door behind him and stepped out onto the dew-filled grass, his eyes surveying the serene surroundings before him. Nani Isle was as breathtaking as the name would suggest. Hawaiian for “beautiful”, the small, tropical paradise was a few hundred miles from New Pararaiha, where the Academy was located. It was a tradition that the rising second-years spend their summer on the vacation island while still learning to hone their powers, and with all the construction still being done to rebuild the school grounds, it was perfect timing for the students to make their way over to Nani. At the time, it had been a rather somber boat ride to the island, the students just having buried some of their fallen classmates, but eventually, they were able to find their happiness again upon landing on the pristine paradise. For the most part, anyway.
Try as he might, Gabriel still struggled to come to grips with the events of the past year. First, there was the matter of adjusting to his new life at the Academy, leaving behind the only friend and home he had ever known in South Africa. Upon arriving, he immediately fell into a heated rivalry with one of his classmates, Tristan Davids, the legacy grandchild of the school’s founder and a boy who had no powers of his own. Their rivalry only intensified once they became team leaders, challenging one another for supremacy both in the classroom and with the school-sanctioned sport, the Battledome. Eventually, Team Jackson would fall at the hands of Team Davids in humiliating fashion, setting the record for fastest defeat.
Gabriel didn’t have much time to dwell in self-pity, however, before the Academy was attacked by a group of metamorph terrorists known as The Legion. Gabriel had no idea what they had been after, but the group left only death and destruction in their wake. They had been aided by one of the students at the school, Christian Josephs, Tristan’s best friend and teammate. Gabriel had done all he could to stop them, including laying down his own life to save his former rival, but it hadn’t been enough. At least, he hadn’t been enough.
It would seem that fate was not without a sense of irony, as Tristan rose from the ashes, rescuing Gabriel and the school from defeat. He had discovered his powers at death’s door, and the results were well worth the wait. As much as it pained Gabriel to admit, he had never seen a metamorph of Tristan’s power level in his life, his classmate easily taking down no less than five Power 6 metamorphs in under ten minutes. And all Gabriel could do was watch.
The sun had fully risen at this point, and Gabriel decided to take a short jog around the property to clear his head. It would be good for him, and besides, he could use the cardio. He had barely been able to exercise since the attack on the school due to his body recovering. Along with the multiple broken bones throughout his body, severe lacerations, and second-degree burns, Gabriel’s heart had stopped, which was the major concern of the school’s medical staff. He had spent nearly a week in the ICU, floating in one of their recovery tanks, before being deemed stable. They had told him that he could resume light activity in a month and was lucky to be alive.
By the time Gabriel had finished a lap around the complex, he wondered what their definition of lucky was. His legs were killing him, and he thought his chest was about to explode. Still, it was nice to finally be able to do more than just stroll along the beach. The living quarters were abuzz with activity and the voices of students when he neared the cabins. He tried his best to not appear as wiped as he felt, although his right arm and left side still felt like hot knives were jamming through. The doctors had said due to the severity of his injuries, they were required to place metallic implants along his shoulder and ribs. Although he would be fully functional, there would be times when they reminded him of his narrow escape from death.
Malcolm was the first to greet him, his friend leaving the cabin alongside Brandon Lestian, another member of Team Jackson. Brandon had been letting his hair grow, following Gabriel’s lead, and the Irish teen’s shaggy mane was getting past his shoulders. He said it helped him feel more connected to his beast form, whatever that meant.
“What’s good, Gabe? Just the man we were comin’ to find! We’re about to head to the beach and get a light training session in with Sofi. You down?” Malcolm asked. Sofi De Rossi was the last member to join Gabriel’s team and had been taking over Gabriel’s duties since his recovery. The raven-haired beauty had been invaluable in stepping up to the task of temporary leadership, and her light-hearted spirit had helped Gabriel immensely during these last few frustrating weeks.
“I may skip today, bru. Not feeling too good at the moment, but as soon as it passes I’ll join you!” Gabriel said, trying to sound optimistic.
“No worries, my boy! As soon as you’re feeling better, you let us know! We miss ya out there, man. It’s just not the same without you pushin’ us!” Brandon replied with a smile.
As they walked away, Gabriel felt the knot in the pit of his stomach tighten. He hoped the boys hadn’t seen how his hands shook thinking about using his powers. He had been having difficulty summoning up his abilities as of late, unable to harness the rage from within that he used to fuel his powers. Whenever he tried to really utilize them, his mind seemed to drift back to that night, his focus lost within a memory loop of pain and defeat. As a result, his sand manipulation had been uncharacteristically unpredictable. The doctors had mentioned that with time his PTSD would lessen, but until then, he tried his best to keep this side of him hidden from his friends. He didn’t need them looking at him any differently.
Gabriel heard the sound of footsteps running in his direction and glanced back in time to watch Sofi run past him, a smile flashing across her face.
“Can’t wait till you return, my liege!” she called back before joining the others. Gabriel smiled at the comment. She knew how much he hated it when she used those terms. He wasn’t their boss, just the team leader. Still, she was the only one who could get under his skin and still make him smile.
Seeing Sofi caused the knot to loosen within his stomach, and he found his eyes lingering upon her a little too long. Gabriel shook his head, snapping himself out of it. Ag, man, don’t do that to yourself. She’s your teammate, that’s all.
Gabriel started to turn around to head back into the cabin when a light in the sky caught his eye from afar, suddenly appearing just over the horizon. Jislaaik, that is a bright star! Gabriel thought, shielding his eyes from the glow. The bulb was unusually low to the earth and seemed to grow larger with each passing second. From what he could tell, it appeared to be getting brighter and looked to be heading in their direction. The sea beneath the object parted along the surface, waves forming on either side from the energy emanating from it.
