American Mutant Read Free

pants pocket and withdrew his car keys with a shaky hand. “You will take care of it, won’t you? I only have six more payments.”
    Connor laughed, and patted Quenton on the shoulder as he stood up. To Quenton’s horror, he heard his own braying type laughter come from his doppelganger’s mouth.
    “I will take excellent care of your 97 Ford Explorer.”
    “How did.” Quenton stuttered.
    “I have traveled out of body many times. I know everything about you and where you live. You also want what’s right Quenton. You just do not know how to attain it sometimes. We could accomplish quite a lot, if you are willing.”
    “I.I do not know what to say. Your powers are incredible. If you really do mean what you say, I will work with you.”
    “You realize you cannot lie to me or hide anything without me knowing it?” Connor asked.
    Quenton looked down at Hutchison’s shattered body and nodded. “I know.”
    “Good.” When Quenton looked up, Humphrey Bogart looked down at him, wearing the same hat and trench coat he wore in the movie Casablanca. “This looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” Connor added in perfect Bogart voice.
    Quenton laughed uneasily as Connor changed back into Quenton’s form. “Stay here for a half an hour, and I will get you credentials you may use to come and go as you please. I may even be able to get a vehicle assigned to you.”
    Connor changed to his own form and smiled in agreement. “Call me Thomas. I was having a little fun with you before. Your proposal does seem like the best course. I just wanted you to stay out of trouble with your superiors.”
    “Will you be staying here at night?”
    “Yes, although I can protect my body with an impenetrable aura when I leave it, I would just as soon leave it here.”
    “Why do you need to go out at all if you can go anywhere out of body?”
    “Some questions will need to be asked,” Connor replied. “I will need my body if I am to ask the questions, and then gain the answers.”
    Quenton shuddered. “I will be back in less than thirty minutes.”
    “I will be here.”
    Quenton left. Connor began to help the men sent in to subdue him back to consciousness. By the time Quenton returned, his men were on their feet, albeit a bit unsteady. He had brought Connor a suit, shoes, and tie along with the credentials. Connor handed him his Ford keys back, and took the keys Quenton gave him for an agency vehicle. Connor quickly changed into the suit, while Quenton explained the change in plan to his men, who became even more confused. After obtaining directions to his government vehicle, Connor left with a slight wave to Quenton.
    Quenton mopped his brow again as his men gathered around him. Quenton held up his hands, “I know, I know, this must be the weirdest damn thing you all have ever seen. Trust me, it would not be any clearer if you knew everything. Mr. Connor will be back. He is to have full access to the complex until further notice. Is that understood?”
    He received nods of affirmation and then dismissed them. Quenton then called for cleanup. After leaving the room, Quenton went around to another doorway. He entered into a room, which had a two-way mirror, overseeing the killing room he had just left. The blonde haired woman seated in the room, typing furiously into a laptop computer, looked up at the intrusion.

Chapter 3 Karen  
    She stood up to face him as he closed the door behind him. Wearing a clinical white smock over her dress did nothing to hide the attractiveness of the woman. Her long blonde hair lay over her back, held in place with a light blue elastic band. Even in her obvious distress, she managed a very professional stance.
    Karen Blakely had graduated in the top of her class at Harvard Medical School, where Quenton personally recruited her into the NSA. Her research over the past ten years for the National Security Agency had yielded a large volume of work in the area of human behavior modification.