Near Future 1: Awakening Read Free Page A

me."
    Ted was very reluctant to leave him, but he loved his niece too and he saw the wisdom of it. "Ok," he said quietly, "Wait here and I will be back as soon as I can."
    Sam was nearly overcome with his grief. But thinking about the days leading up to the attack, he knew that Anne had known something. She sometimes had visions of the future, and she had been very quiet about that lately. Now he knew that her tender touch from the days before had been her way of telling him good-bye. And throwing herself across Julie like that. He knew exactly what she had done. She had given herself up so that Julie would have a chance to live. Oh my love, I know what you did. And you knew that I would do everything in my power to see that we find a treatment for Julie. And I will, no matter what it takes. I so vow!  
    But he knew there was more required. And I will also do whatever it takes to destroy those responsible for doing this to you and Julie. Despite the way I know you would feel about me going after revenge, you know they have to be stopped, and I will see that it is done. I so vow!
    When he uttered the second vow, he felt something lock into place. It was like a mantle had been placed on his shoulders, he had accepted it, and it had been acknowledged. Just for a moment, he felt the presence of his wife, giving him a sad smile. He felt her love settle on him, making the burden at least a little lighter.
    When he returned, Ted pulled his brother close and told him, his distress obvious. "I will tell you the truth. None of the doctors expect that Julie will ever awaken. But I believe that somehow we will find a way to treat her and she will recover."
    "I know, my brother. Tell me what you know about nanites."
    Ted looked at his brother in surprise, but he immediately nodded. "As you know, nanites are tiny machines that can be programmed to do specific tasks within the human body. They look very promising for medical treatments, however, the technology even today is still in its very infancy. It will take a lot more study and there will be a lot we will have to figure out. It will take a long time."
    Sam looked at his brother and Ted knew that look. "I don't care how long it takes or how much it costs. Our company has more resources than anyone else in the world, so if anyone can do it, we can find a way to make it work." His words had a final ring to them that Ted felt to his core.
    Life would be changed for the two brothers from that moment on. Sam would work many hours a day toward finding a treatment for Julie, so much so that he virtually became a recluse and let his brother run the company. Ted helped him as much as he could, and was always there to comfort his brother. Sam also worked tirelessly toward his goal to get revenge on the Organization, and the ones who did this to his family. He used his company's many resources, both monetary and political, to work toward that end. He looked forward to the day when he would find success in both endeavors. The first one, the treatment for his daughter, was finally getting closer.

CHAPTER TWO
    Miranda

    Almost 2 years later
    #
    Due to the work in search of a treatment for his daughter, Doctor Sam Randolph had developed many new procedures to use in the treatment of head injuries. In a special wing of the hospital where his work was being spearheaded, a girl somewhere around the age of eighteen awakened from a coma. As she opened her eyes, the nurse assigned to her rushed excitedly into the room. She said quietly to the girl, "Wait, the doctor is on his way!"  
    A doctor dressed in a white coat quickly made it to her room, gently speaking to her, "I am Doctor Ted. Can you tell me how you are feeling?"
    The girl was slow to respond and said, "My head hurts!" She struggled a moment and then said, "Where am I?"
    Doctor Ted continued to speak softly. "You were injured in an automobile accident and you are in the hospital. You have been in a coma for nearly two years. Do you remember