Daisy Lighthouse Ch. 00: Simon Says

"Ever have one of those lives? You know the kind. All of your life nobody ever notices you. Out of shape. Withdrawn due to ridicule. Really smart but yet get treated like an outcast for it. Ugly on the outside but drop dead gorgeous on the inside. I used to be that way. The crazy thing is when you are too intelligent the wrong people take notice. Right out of High School I was approached by a shady group with no name. Just lots of promises and loads of cash. I should have known better. Who would want a frumpy nerd named Delores? Only the freaking Military and their dirty covert dealings. When I turned them down they just put my name on a milk carton. I disappeared from the real world. I should never have sent a thesis on nanotechnology to the University of Massachusetts . They came. I went with them. Not the University mind you. The shadows that intercepted my thesis."

"Where I ended up was a deep cover agency codenamed "OASIIS". Picture Area 51 for clandestine weapons of strategic destruction. Not fighter jets that turn invisible. Although I'm sure those were in fashion at some other facility. Try fighter androids that have the invisible capability. OASIIS wanted to design the perfect subterfuge. Assassins that were so real that it was impossible to tell if it wasn't. My area was Nannite technology. Microscopic antibodies that repair themselves instantaneously. Combine my tech with the scientific know how of two hundred other specialists in various fields and combine forces? You get a killer android with brain patterns of chosen soldiers. Entering their thoughts into our host beauties and sent off to war."

"For the last ten years I've lived this lie of a life. Forced to commit to making these shells of perfection or lose my own life for failing. I wanted to live so I complied. Now I know how the Jews felt in World War Two. Experiments conducting experiments. It would only be a matter of time before the end."

"Luckily we were allowed to make friends to keep our sanity. Myself and the other Scientists managed to form a plan of escape. We knew we were expendable. Therefore we needed to use our combined brain power to sucker punch these bastards. We had the plan worked out until the day of testing came. Our subject "Colonel Simon Campos" was our guinea pig. Of the thirty plus androids he would be the first to enter his brain into the beast. Not his real brain of course. Merely his mapped out neural centers that were fused into the artificial brains of the android replicates. This worked too well."

"Not only did Simon take to the procedure perfectly. He realized its potential. The androids functions covered every possible detail to survive, infiltrate, and assassinate. Its flesh as real as any humans. Its muscles a steel hard polymer that was designed through the use of alien hardware. Yes, aliens from outer space exist. Stop the denial folks. Back engineering scavenged parts from their tech helped OASIIS in manufacturing the android armada we were creating. James Cameron would be proud."

"Simon Campos was a decent guy for a career assassin. Targets warranted only in his mind. I know this because one of our own is a Telepath. He knew what everyone was thinking. The Military was ignorant like that. Regardless Simon always treated us like human beings and less like lab rats. He knew what our fate was. As soon as OASIIS carried out their first mission test we scientists were on the chopping block. They couldn't just let us go. We knew too much. So many good caring people led to unnecessary slaughter. We couldn't let that happen. Therefore we planned. Planned very well. We were going out in style.

With Simon's help.

*

The Adirondack Mountains of Pennsylvania.

2 A.M.

Trucker "Melvin Daltry" steered his Peterbuilt Semi through the encroaching darkness. Added to the blackness of the night air was an untimely fog. So thick that he could barely see the curves. In all reality he should have waited to cross the Mountains in the daylight. Still his employer was riding his ass about reaching his destinations late more often than not.

Bad enough he hadn't slept in fourteen hours without the stress. Thank the good lord for "Monster's" in his cooler. Caffeine was the only thing keeping him coherent. That and the drawls of country singer "Alan Jackson" on his radio. All he knew was that he needed to get over this mountain safely.

Tipping back his can of Green Monster he winced at a loud thump on the roof of his cab. "What the Sam Jesus was that?"

He slowed his momentum to listen for any further noises when he heard his motor loosing power. ""Ahhhhh come on! I can't be late gettin' to Florida. Don't do this too me, Billy Bob."

He patted the dash as if his rig had any chance of replying back. Suddenly, all power faded and he coasted to a halt. Nothing worked, not even his CB radio. He opened his window and chucked the leftovers of his can of Monster out into the ravine below. Sitting lifeless he swallowed hoarsely. From his rearview mirror there wasn't a light anywhere. Even if the fog wasn't there to conceal them. He fidgeted awhile then pulled his cellphone from his belts case opening it up. Dead as a doornail. Seeing that spooked him and he rolled his window back up.

He was afraid to get out of his truck. He told himself he would just sit things out until morning. He settled back on edge from his caffeine high and darted his eyes in all directions. Too eerie for this kind of high he thought. A few heavy breaths later he hears the screeching of his trailer doors open from the back of his rig. That spooked him. All he was hauling was peat moss for a Gardening Center Warehouse. Who the hell would wanna break his seal for dirt?

He picked up a hand held Taser from his glove box then realized that even that had no charge. "Dammit! Why won't they let us carry guns?"

Growling he grabs a large crescent wrench and opens his truck door dropping to the tarmac road. He hesitates listening when he hears light voices both in front of him and behind. Whirling around he turns directly into the most beautiful naked woman he had ever barely seen. "Whooza! What are you doing out here with no clothes Lady?" The black haired woman smiled softly, "Don't be afraid. None of us will harm you."

His eyes bulge when he finally focuses his eyes behind her to see more naked women and men approach to gather around him. Even younger teenagers and children. Unsettling to his nerves that they would be allowed to run nude like some long lost primitive society. He steps back three feet only to bump into a man six feet tall with blond hair. Turning swiftly he rears the wrench into the air in defense. The man merely grins and winks at him. Melvin Daltry then felt the wrench drop from his grasp. His whole body became pleasantly numb. The man before him spoke to Melvin, only without moving his lips. "Remain calm. We only need your vehicle."

The others hear the man's silent command to board the trailer and stay in hiding. As Melvin's eyes caught glimpses of the others walk around him he could only think, "Who are you people? Vampires? Aliens? You aren't gonna probe me are you?"

The blond male communicated his thoughts directly into Melvin. "Yes Melvin. We are aliens. In the morning you will walk to the next town and mumble about your abduction. Little grey men with bulbous heads and black eyes. Believe your story and never think otherwise. Tell them your whole truck was taken aboard the Mothership."

Melvin Daltry's eyes rolled back into his head as the blond man picked up the wrench and tossed it back into the cab. Leaving Melvin standing wavering in his stance the blond man walked back to the trailers tail end. Looking up at the 25 people huddled within he speaks with vocal speech, "Okay, People. Plans going great. I'll drive us out of the mountains safely. Once we reach a safe point we can find some clothing and split up. For now just hold on and be patient. I swear to you that OASIIS and General Hardesty won't know how to find us. Your talents have made sure of that. Now let my talents finish this mission."

With a nod he closes the door to darkness.

Simon Campos strode to the front cab stopping just long enough to pat truck driver Melvin Daltry on the back, "Sorry to do this to you Buddy. Not much choice when the lives of equally good folks are on the line. I hope your life can return to normal. Take care."

With his sensitivity fading Simon hopped up into the rig and closed his eyes. Suddenly, the trucks engine reclaimed the power it once had. Simon's android body linking with the internal brain box of the semi. "That was easy."

With a quick glance at the gears and gauges he understands all functions. With no trouble at all the rig moved on leaving Melvin on the side of the road teetering. Simon's glance back at him in the mirror gave him a conscience, "I can't leave him like this. He might actually be of help."

Powering down Simon sends a message out to Melvin who shakes his head regaining his thoughts and motor skills. "Holy shit what just happened?"

Turning to see his rig he stumbles toward it finding the drivers door open. Looking up into his rig he scowls. It looked vacant. Eventually, he pulls himself up into the rig and shuts the door. Looking over at the passenger seat he frowns as if talking to himself, "Okay. I don't see you. I'm alone in the cab. Just drive. Gotcha!"

Melvin ground gears then put the semi back into motion. Simon Campos merely sat back and let Melvin drive and return to his life. Simon thanked the abilities he had designed into his new body. He now had a Psi talent that could read minds as well as control others thoughts for short periods. With this power he just forced Melvin to forget he ever met his payload of Streakers. Instead of stranding Melvin to live his life a laughing stock, Simon would encourage him mentally to be a better man. Today was Melvin's lucky day.

Thirty miles down the mountain Simon noted a road block of State Police. The Government obviously knew of their escape already. He mentally instructed Melvin to act normal and get them through. He would add mental suggestion to the Officer's checking out the rig. A simple look at the trailer doors by the Officer was sufficient as he yells back, "Just bags of dirt. Let him through."

Simon smirked in thought, "That was easy enough. Now where's the Military? Can't tell me that if they had this road blockade they don't know of the OASIIS incident. Of course it's possible they don't necessarily know of their escape. After all the base was sealed off and flooded with an experimental nerve gas called "Pinch Hitter!"

The gas unfortunately killed everyone inside. There had been no choice in the matter. The safety of these Psientists were top priority over hired guns whose only desire was money and bloodshed. The term "Psientist's" designed for their extraordinary brain capacity. Some had actual telepathic talents. Others with the aid of their specific android bodies could tap into said telepathy. As well as limited telekinesis.

Even the base C.O.'s were as evil as they get. At some point once these Scientists finished their jobs they would have been terminated. Literally! Bad enough their lives were missing ten years due to their confinement in OASIIS. All because they were too special in their prospective fields to let go. Geneticist's. Engineer's. Telepath's. Microtech. etc."

"I'm Simon Campos. Black Ops. Navy Seal. Airborne. Sniper. Things far worse. Still, even I know I'm expendable when the bigwigs think I'm useless. Luckily for me I was one of their prime candidates in the "MAN/ANNdroid" program. My talents as a thorough assassin was invaluable right now. Not so later in life. Befriending these people was the best thing in the world. Now I'm off to begin a new life. I'm no longer this 50 year old dying breed. Now, I'm a calculated 35 year old super stud with enough perks to live forever. I won't age. Only way I would die is if they dropped a bunker buster on my head. You see as the program states, I'm an Android! Artificial lifeform so perfect I'm the next stage in Evolution. I'm human but not. Every fiber of this body is synthetic to the pores. So real it could pass for human. Yet, designed and programed to be killing machines. Onboard computers can link to anywhere and go undetected. No GPS modes for the Government to track us. Removed by a fine man named "Charlie Newborn". He's one of those in the trailer. I feel bad for him but his brainwaves and personality were transferred into the youngest body in the Android bank. The form of a three year old boy. How he must feel must be horrible. Forever trapped as a child. If it were me I would have chosen death by nerve gas. Still he made his decision. "

"There are others in equally nasty predicaments. Take "Hector Ramirez", 37 year old Hispanic Male trapped in the body of a 25 year old Hispanic Goddess. At least he maintained his own race. Others not so lucky. It's going to be a crazy transition but it's life." Simon loses himself to the dawn along the highway. It felt uplifting to be free. Where though does even he go from here?

Melvin Daltry notes a Truck stop and lets Simon realize his hunger. There would be clothing here. T-shirts at the very least. Simon allowed Melvin to pull off and park out of range of any cameras. Once Melvin hops out and heads inside Simon crawls back into Melvin's bunk to find a change of clothing all his own. Melvin was larger in the waist so a belt was necessary. Along with a button down plaid shirt and a Caterpillar ball cap Simon's attire fit his moment. Old tennis shoes would fit snug but at least be presentable. Stepping to the back he opens a single door glaring in. "Give me thirty minutes. I'll gather clothing for you. We need to separate as soon as this trucker reaches the border. Unless some of you want out here. I can't stop you. I won't. You're all free to make your own lives. Just be careful. You all know these bodies better than anyone. Tap into their potential but don't become too obvious. Avoid cameras and anything that creates suspicion. If that becomes impossible act as normal as those around you. Develop new identities. Find ways to create documents of proof as to who you are in this new identity adopted. Choice is yours how you want to live folks. For the safety of everyone involved do not make contact with each other. Forge your own destiny."

The busty brunette that had approached Melvin back on the mountain stepped forward, "I'll get out here. Thank you for everything Simon."

He nods helping her down, "You might wanna get dressed first."

She grins, "I think a trucker would love some company in return for a ride and some personable attentions. I'll be fine." Simon shrugs, "Suit yourself. Take care Tamara."

Another pair follow her out. A man aged to look 35 and a female that passed for 15-16. Simon helped her down as the man joined her on the ground. "Nikki? Jared? Are you certain?"

Nikki speaks up, "Jared needs guidance. He stays with me until I feel he's mature enough to live on his own."

Simon nods, "It's gonna be tough out there Jared. You mind your Teacher there. Fifteen years old in a man's body is gonna take some getting used to."

Nikki hisses back, "Yeah? Try being 40 in a 16 year old girl. Odd jobs the rest of my life." in turn Jared chuckles, "To support me."

Simon puts a hand up, "Stop right there. This is no time for age games. Go live your lives. Stay clean. And, Jared, grow up inside. I realize you're likely the strongest true telepath this world has ever birthed. Don't abuse that. Nor the fact your android body makes you stronger than the average human being."

"I can be a superhero." Jared chuckles.

Another android behind them spouts out, "Yeah? That won't make headlines and get you and Nikki noticed by the Feds."

Jared frowns and shrugs. They were right. They needed to get lost. Very lost.

Carefully the two drop down and sprint away. Breaking into an older model car with ease. Jared killing its alarm before they engaged. Wrong choice. The car had nothing. Must be a local.

Instead they stop a man from the lot in a blue pickup truck, whom Jared psi urges to abandon. The man only caught a glimpse of their nudity before losing all memory. He was told to start walking north and not stop. He would feign amnesia. Jared swiped the man's wallet as Holly grumbled, "I'm driving!" She knew Jared had no license of his own. Even if he could just access the knowledge and the proper rules of the road. Onboard super computers were the best.

One final woman dropped to the concrete. Her body beyond any true vision of perfection. This woman was a Goddess reborn.

"Delores? Sure you don't want to keep going with us?"

"I can do this on my own. Thank you for everything Simon." She hugs the soldier tightly. He sincerely hugged her back.

Even he had to watch her bare bottoms sculpture of Venus wiggle away. Human thought processes stimulated. Looking down at his slacks Simon Campos huffed at the sight.

"What do you know. Even androids get aroused."

Then, he recalled what she used to look like. Sweet woman though.

Delores was on her way home. She had to take her chances.

Several others including Hector Ramirez abandoned the trailer and found likewise transport out of the area. Simon admired their zest for life. Nude as they were they would seek freedom over anything.

Closing the door on the others upon Melvin's return Simon kept his promise and forced Melvin to buy t-shirts all around for the rest. As the zombie like trucker handed everything off he and Simon returned to the cab. Melvin had forgotten everything from his meal until now. With a loud belch he started his truck and the troop carried on. Simon would see them to the Key's.

Florida or bust.

This is their beginning.