S.W.A.C. II: Excerpt: Chap. 11: “Carnivore”

Kemetic, LLC

The former French surgeon, Dr. Jacques DuCroix, sat casually, drinking orange-sassafras herbal tea, and browsing through Ultra Men’s Health magazine with his ears tuned in to MCPD’s frequency for anything suspicious.

Dr. Payne and Sergio were in the basement level of the two-family flat where Yosul’s loft was located.  The had been working diligently on constructing an operations center.  Truthfully, Dr. Payne had covertly worked on the center nearly three years now with Dr. DuCroix, Sergio, Val, Yosul, Ameer, and Glenn.  The center was now in its final stages.

With the team currently spread out on various missions; the center’s purpose and usefulness were already in need.  Professional, private contractors were hired for construction of specific portions of the center.  The contractors had to sign a Confidentiality Agreement, and Non-Disclosure form prior to the start of any work.  They were videotaped signing the documents, as well as identifying themselves and stating their acknowledgment.   They were also monitored closely by Lost Tribe and via video surveillance.  Dr. Payne could not risk any public leaks about the center.

This center would be the team’s eyes and ears for not only monitoring Midwest City, but also NAF’s entire Central Zone.  Sergio and Yosul had spent many late nights installing miniature, hidden cameras and motion sensors at key locations throughout the city and the structure itself.  Glenn had even managed to plant several in MCPD headquarters but regrettably, none could be activated until the Breaker Box at Kemetic was operational again.

In addition to being able to monitor the city safely from underground, the facility’s location beneath a now burnt-out Kemetic LLC, was perfect.  No one would ever suspect Dr. Payne to return to his home or Kemetic after the attacks each suffered.  The base was so deep below ground that it wouldn’t matter if Midwest City Construction, dug in and built an entirely new building right on top of it.

Dr. Payne, a computer genius, wired The Hive’s circuitry so complex and sophisticated, it would allow him to hack media feeds, corporate databases, financial institutions, educational networks, and low-level political infrastructures—all undetected.  The thought of disrupting live television broadcasts with his own, thrilled him immensely.

This subterranean haven allowed access in and out of Midwest City via an expanding, network of underground tunnels and roads.  It also provided adequate living quarters, a control room, recreational areas, several science and medlabs, and a fully operational ER.  Finally, it was equipped with automotive repair bays, training gyms, an indoor shooting range, hidden, structural defenses, and a hidden aircraft hangar.

Dr. Payne was not the brains of Yosul’s and Lost Tribe’s crusade for nothing.  Dr. Payne had considered everything; Gangland’s downfall, MCPD’s scrutinizing investigation of Glenn, the Lost Tribe-Gangland feud, the attempts on his life, as well as Glenn’s, and finally, the interviews which would eventually exterminate Ghost Squad.  He knew tension between both factions would escalate dramatically, and they’ll be forced to relocate to safer dwellings.  He dubbed this center, The Nucleus.  Just as he had envisioned, it would supply all their needs for everyday living, combating their foes, and more.  Enthusiasm and fervor boiled within his bloodstream as he tooled away anxiously on a control panel.