Tainted Elite

Tainted Elite

By Melissa Grace

Copyright @ 2013 by Melissa Grace

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. Thank you for downloading this ebook. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarities between these characters and a real person are mere coincidence and completely unintentional.

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, unauthorized duplication of the material or artwork herein is prohibited without the written permission of the author. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Warning: This story contains graphic language and sexually explicit material, intended for persons over the age of 18. By downloading and opening this material, you are stating that you are of legal age and that this type of story is legal in the state or country in which you live.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks and a deep appreciation to Vila Design for the incredible cover artwork.

To Wikipedia for providing some helpful information (no matter how accurate), that helped me develop certain parts of this story. This is fiction after all.

To my dedicated beta readers—Kathryn, Tamsin, Wendi, Tammy, and Cheryl. If not for your unwavering support and keen eyes, Tainted Elite could never have made its way into the hands of readers. At least not in any type of polished fashion. I can’t thank you enough.

To my awesome LOW Sisters, from whom I derive much encouragement and inspiration. LFFL

Dedication

To my Heart—also known as my Family. I love you!

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Chapter 1: Present Day – Year 2100

Chapter 2: Birthday Forlorn – Year 2091

Chapter 3: Pisces on the Prowl

Chapter 4: Merciless Executives

Chapter 5: Fuji Bound

Chapter 6: Abducting Abby

Chapter 7: Mission Commence

Chapter 8: A Family Destroyed – Niagara Falls Year 2080

Chapter 9: Forced Elite

Chapter 10: Assassination of Aunt Abby – Day’s Earlier

Chapter 11: Mount Fuji Rescue

Chapter 12: Summit Surprise

Chapter 13: Something Amiss

Chapter 14: Impromptu Visit

Chapter 15: Executive Briefing

Chapter 16: Prep & Reminisce

Chapter 17: Shinobi Acrobats Restaurant

Chapter 18: Kretchtin Leader Revealed

Chapter 19: For the Love of Abby

Chapter 20: Bewildering Truth

Chapter 21: Odious Betrayal

Chapter 22: Ships Ahoy – Destined for Alaska

Chapter 23: Rescue or Bust

Chapter 24: The Confrontation

Chapter 25: Shark Bait

Chapter 26: Transformation Complete

Chapter 27: Finale Together

Other Books by Melissa Grace

About the Author

Chapter 1: Present Day -- Year 2100

Cassaundra knelt in the middle of the massive room; one knee raised an inch above the hard cement floor, the other tucked beneath her torso, padded by her chest. She gripped her bamboo staff in her right hand as it leaned motionless against her slender frame.

Keeping her chin tucked to her chest and her eyes closed, Cassaundra sensed the erratic heartbeats of the Omni-Force ready to attack. Not a drop of sweat escaped her pores as she slowly rose to a standing position and opened her eyes. Her eyes had unique pitch-black enlarged pupils with a hint of metallic sheen. It caused a mirror effect that reflected her surroundings. Ready for combat, she sensed which soldiers would make the first move.

As the first group of Omni-Force charged forward, Cassaundra lifted her staff above her head. As both hands grasped the end of the pole, she swung down hard, crashing it against their protective gear. Her intense blows sent them flying in all directions, some of their limp bodies crashing into the second and third lines of Omni-Force still waiting to ensue. The attack was over in a matter of seconds. Dozens of Omni-Force lay upon the floor, gasping for the air she had robbed them of with her thunderous strikes.

Cassaundra’s eyes transitioned back to their natural color of green. Her long brown hair remained tight in its ponytail, looking as neat as it did before the training session began.

Well done, a voice emanated from up in the balcony. It was her creator.

Cassaundra sighed. Let’s just get this over with.

He motioned impatiently for her to come up to the veranda he stood upon.

Cassaundra loosened her grip on the bamboo staff and proceeded to step over the piles of Omni-Force scattered across the floor. Some were unconscious, others were removing their face shields, still gasping for air and grunting from the pain she had inflicted upon them. In a few days they would be healed and would then prepare for their next encounter. It was their job to make sure the Enhanced-She-Human (ESH) remained at the top of her game—as she always did. It was of the utmost importance that she would be ready for any mission she was sent on, a matter of life and death.

The Omni-Force continued this existence until they were either too old or too broken to sustain this essential duty. At that time they were sent to work within another department of the ELITE (Exclusive Linguistics in Technological Engineering) Corporation. It was the largest most powerful company in the modern world. It secured the reputation that once employed there you would never want to leave—simply because they would never let you go.

Cassaundra walked to the edge of the colossal training room and rested her staff in its place against the weapons board. Using the strength of her hands and arms, she climbed a dangling rope up two stories to the upper tier that would lead her and her creator to the outer examination rooms. As she ascended, her legs remained stretched straight out in front of her, parallel to the floor. Climbing over the rail, she positioned her small frame near her creator, who stood similar in stature. She waited for his next command.

The enormous training center was only a small part of the ELITE Corporation, most of which lay underground. Upon approach, the massive building was typical of most upscale corporations, but once inside, its vast hallways and rooms stretched for miles underground. A select few of its staff members knew of its secret passageways that circumnavigated the facility. The training room alone was spacious enough to host a symphonic orchestra with ample seating for all concertgoers. Unlike a concert, however, the acoustics of this dome-shaped chamber frequently echoed the sounds of broken bones, masculine gasps, clanging protective gear, and clashing weapons. The ceiling, made of strong natural bamboo, included dark wooden beams that lined the contours of its shapely hood. The dark wooden slatted walls artistically showcased the weapons Cassaundra and the Omni-Force used for their battle exercises. From each double-edged sword sharp enough to cut a floating piece of hair in two, to a myriad of hand-crafted Nunchakus, the whole room resembled that of a wooden endoskeleton. Each weapon had its assigned place along the walls, meticulously kept to last through thousands of sparring sessions.

You are inevitably growing stronger each day, Dr. Malek said with his back toward her, his stride quick as he led the way to the outer examination room. He would never miss watching a training session, always looking for a way to improve the almost perfect girl with whom he was so enamored. It was he who had forced her to become the Enhanced-She-Human (ESH) she was today. For her, he was the one who robbed her of her freedom to decide, her freedom of ever going back to the person she had been.

Cassaundra followed close behind Dr. Malek as he led her to the examination room. She looked past him, careful not to stare at the scar on his cheek; the scar she had inflicted. She hopped up on the edge of the examination table designed specifically for her—one that could immobilize her if the need should arise.

In an instant, Cassaundra’s Enhanced-She-Human eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room. The room, so white and sterile, would take the eyes of an Unenhanced-Human (UN-H) several minutes to adjust properly. Cassaundra’s senses were extraordinary.

Dr. Malek smirked as he observed Cassaundra’s pupils dilate to accommodate the intense glow. His eyes were still adjusting. He reached into the pocket of his white lab coat and pulled out his E-Gizbyte to record his notes. His lab coat hung down to his knees, his name embroidered on the right pocket. Cassaundra never saw him wearing anything else.

Dr. Malek returned his E-Gizbyte to his pocket and patted it absent-mindedly.

Cassaundra remained emotionless. Can we get this over with already?

As if he could hear her, Dr. Malek yanked Cassaundra’s black belt from around her hips and tossed it onto the cold marble floor. Then in one motion, he grabbed the top of her white Mooto uniform and yanked it over her head, thus exposing her small muscular stature and athletic bra. His aggressive and abrupt movements were typical. He felt that all his time and effort in altering Cassaundra gave him full rights to violate her very being for the sake of science. He of course did not see it as a violation. For him he was doing her a great service by turning her into a lethal fighting machine. His feelings for her were as close to parental love as he was capable, although he had a muddled and sadistic way of showing it—luckily, never in any sexual manner. Dr. Malek was asexual—more attracted to science than human beings.

Take a deep breath, he commanded as he set his stethoscope against her flawless skin.

Cassaundra complied.

An intense nine-hour session today and not a single sign of fatigue. Dr. Malek moved the stethoscope and pressed it against the other side of her chest.

I would love to choke you with that thing.

Earlier, Cassaundra had been running, climbing and lifting weights before her less than thirty-second sparring session against the Omni-Force. Now her skin looked as though she had just emerged from a tranquil day at the spa—rejuvenated and refreshed. A nine-hour workout was nothing for her. She was the preeminent athlete that ever graced the halls of the ELITE Corporation.

Those Omni-Force never knew what hit them, he snickered.

Cassaundra didn’t flinch.

Simply put, I am a genius, he gloated. None of the other ESHs have even come close to fine-tuning their abilities like you have. He pressed his index finger to his lips and glanced at Cassaundra. Where would this corporation be without me? He didn’t intend for his question to be answered. He already knew the answer whether Cassaundra agreed with him or not.

Cassaundra’s gaze remained fixated on a tiny speck the size of a pinhole on the opposing wall. She wished it would somehow expand so she could step through it and end up in some new dimension. Impossible. She was stuck pacifying her creator.

As one of only two men with Executive status at the ELITE Corporation, Dr. Malek had a lot to lose if he didn’t prove himself more than worthy of his high position within the company. He pressed the stethoscope against her back, again and as usual, overly confident.

Once again, Cassaundra drew in a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

Did you engage your thought transference at any time? Dr. Malek inquired about Cassaundra’s acute E.S.P. He raised the barren skin above his red eye and cocked his head in search of an answer. This time he expected a response.

Only at the beginning of the attack, Dr. Malek. Dr. Jekyll. Are you finished exploiting me?

After all these years, Cassaundra couldn’t get used to the penetrating stare of Dr. Malek’s two different colored eyes. Eerily, one was a bloody-red while the other was a cold-steel-blue. To add to the peculiarity of his appearance, the paleness of his skin looked as though he had bathed in a vat of bleach, dissolving any sign of his epidermal pigment. A condition known as albinism, he seemed almost invisible within the white walls of the sterile examination room—much like a chameleon hiding from its predators.

Another anomalous trait Dr. Malek possessed was his hair, or lack thereof. He couldn’t grow hair anywhere on his body with the exception of the long white eyelashes that protected his eyes. His bald head and missing eyebrows made his age difficult to determine.

Rest up, child. Tomorrow we will test your speed and agility. The door slid shut behind him, leaving her sitting half-naked on the cold examination table.

Do I even get a cigarette? Cassaundra had never known she could be so capable of such abhorrence for another human being. It made her cringe to acknowledge that Dr. Malek was indeed a human being and worse, that he was the closest thing to a father figure she had ever known.

Cassaundra hopped off the examination table and collected her clothing. A night on the town beckoned her. Ready or not ladies, here I come.

***†***

It was close to twenty hundred hours when Cassaundra pulled into her driveway on her vintage BMW HP2 Enduro, which she fondly referred to as Eve. Like her creator had done to her, she too had enhanced Eve. The difference being, she was human—and Eve, well in her eyes, very close to human. Also designed for off-road use, Eve gripped the openly paved roads without resistance. With the tools from her garage and the irrefutable knowledge she gained from the ELITE Corporation, Cassaundra made Eve into an uber-bike—one that could withstand the many dangers she endured. The many dangers her creator—and nemesis, placed her in.

Every part on Eve was bulletproof, including the knobby tar-hugging tires. It encompassed the most advanced technologies the ELITE Corporation had to offer. An intelligent bike, Eve could be ridden only by Cassaundra. If anyone even tried to touch Eve without Cassaundra’s consent, they would receive a jolt of electricity that would send even the muscle-bound Hercules to his knees.

Cassaundra sped through the twists and turns that wound their way up the final approach to her remote home. As she pulled up to the garage the door automatically opened, as if beckoning her inside. Once she pulled in and parked, the garage door shut behind her.

Thanks for the ride, Eve. Cassaundra removed one of her gloves as she leaned forward to pat the side of her motorcycle, as though it were the flank of an overheated race-horse. The curvature of the acrylic tank felt cool against the palm of her hand. Cassaundra had designed and painted, in a light gray, the unique yet understated zodiac symbols along the contours of its darker brushed stainless steel hue. It looked like an industrialized version of the stars in the sky on a clear moonlit night. The design made her think fondly of her mother Shara who loved everything zodiac. It’s how Cassaundra became so fascinated with astrology in the first place.

She continued to slide her hand along Eve’s brown leather seat, around which her legs were straddled. The etched-in zodiac symbols felt like Braille beneath her fingers. Directly beneath her buttocks was her personal zodiac sign—the sign of the world-weary Pisces. Two fish swimming in opposing directions, the sign embraced characteristics of all the other zodiac signs. The symbol itself, twice the size of the other symbols, sat meticulously centered in the middle of her seat, encircled by the other eleven signs of the zodiac.

Cassaundra removed her other glove as she swung her leg over the seat and stood up. She rested the pair of gloves on a nearby shelf in the garage. The garage, unlike most pitted and oil-stained cement floors, was made up of java colored heavy-duty rubber tiles. In the center of the floor was a Pisces symbol with two mermaids replacing the traditional pair of circling fish. From a quick glance it resembled a Yin Yang symbol. It was also the very spot where Cassaundra chose to park Eve. The design, an enlarged replica of the tattoo Cassaundra had at the nape of her neck and usually hidden behind her brown hair, held special meaning for Cassaundra. It was a tattoo her creator not only abhorred, but had once seriously contemplated singeing off with acid.

Cassaundra paused as she reflected on the first time she had seen the mesmerizing symbol. The design felt bizarrely heavy, fashioned in the back of her neck.

Chapter 2: Birthday Forlorn -- Year 2091

It was year 2091 when Cassaundra had gotten the tattoo on the night of her eighteenth birthday. She celebrated the occasion with Tamar, another neophyte ESH. Under the sign of Gemini, Tamar was only second to Cassaundra when it came to strength, precision and grace. She also possessed an impassioned artistic talent that she wasn’t permitted to explore. Allowing Enhanced-She-Humans to indulge in personal hobbies was deemed a waste of time by the ELITE Corporation. An ESHs sole purpose in life was to protect the ELITE Corporation and its staff—nothing more and nothing less.

Tamar thirsted for knowledge and soaked up as much information about any given subject as she could. Just as easily, she would become bored with that subject, and move on to something else she wanted to study. Cassaundra was the only part of Tamar’s life that could retain her ever-changing interest.

As Tamar entered the training hall all eyes turned toward her. Two months shy of turning nineteen, she stood over six feet tall. Not only did her height make her stand out, but so did her confident swagger. She sat down next to Cassaundra and smiled. She always smiled when Cassaundra was near. Ready for the big night? She spoke from the corner of her mouth.

Cassaundra kept her voice soft, barely a whisper. Do you think we can pull this off? Cassaundra felt confident that they could, but still wanted Tamar’s approval.

Absolutely.

They were seated on the floor within a group of other trainees around the sparring mats. They watched on as another neophyte ESH got her ass kicked by a seasoned ESH.

Cassaundra pointed at the pair of sparring ESHs as if she were acknowledging a particular combative move. I can’t wait to see the design you came up with. It is going to look amazing. She glanced sideways at Tamar’s shoulder-length auburn hair. She loved the natural fullness of its curls.

Tamar twirled a curl around her long index finger.

Cassaundra’s only stipulation for the tattoo was that it would have something to do with her zodiac sign—the Pisces. To prepare, Tamar studied the Pisces symbols until she formed her own vivid representation of what the permanent art piece would look like. She felt confident she could produce exactly what Cassaundra wanted. After all, Cassaundra was such an inspiration to her—art flowed through her as naturally as blood through her veins.

I can’t wait to make my mark on you. Tamar leaned in closer, still looking at the sparring match before them. I wish it were already tonight, birthday girl. She grinned.

Cassaundra opposed the urge to tremble. She didn’t face Tamar, but the vividness of Tamar’s hazel eyes filled her mind. Those hazel eyes always gave her a warm feeling. She felt particularly warm at that very moment—seated next to her Gemini companion.

You are sure you want it in the nape of your neck?

Cassaundra gave a slight nod. She rubbed the back of her neck, massaging the area she wanted to be tattooed.

Are you concerned that it may be seen?

Cassaundra wiggled her head from side to side.

Tamar grinned. Defiant little girl, she murmured.

Do you think we were able to collect enough vegetable dye for the ink? The two girls had created the ink from the vegetable pigments they had collected during their meals in the ELITE Corporations dining hall.

There’s plenty, Tamar confirmed. Just don’t forget to bring the vials with you.

A large cheer came from the ESHs watching the fight. The neophyte ESH flipped the seasoned ESH on her head, knocking her out cold.

Tonight it is. Cassaundra barely contained her smile.

They watched as the younger girl dragged the more experienced fighter from the mat. Everyone around the mats raised their hands in hopes to be chosen to fight next.

***†***

::Don’t forget to bring the ink.:: Tamar reminded Cassaundra using her thought transference, careful not to transmit those thoughts to the other ESHs. Tamar and Cassaundra were exceptional at communicating privately through their own personal frequencies, especially late at night when they had fewer distractions and the other ESHs were falling asleep instead of poking around in each other’s thoughts.

::I can’t wait,:: Cassaundra responded. ::This is going to be the best birthday ever.::

The girls were in two different bunks after the mandatory nine-o’clock lights out. Cassaundra could hear the footsteps of one of the security guards marching past the room. It seemed all the other ESHs were fast asleep.

Tamar left first. ::Okay, the coast is clear here. You’ll have three minutes to meet me in the nurse’s office. I’ll have the needles sterilized and ready to go.::

Cassaundra’s heartbeat rocketed.

::Cassaundra.::

::Yes?::

::Be careful!::

Moments later Cassaundra snuck out of the room undetected.

***†***

As Cassaundra entered the nurse’s office, both she and Tamar felt sparks of excitement rushing through their bodies, released as smiles upon their lips. From that exhilarating moment on the consequences of getting caught never crossed their typically hyper-vigilant minds.

The room smelled of sterile bandages and burning candle wax. The only light in the room came from the candle that flickered next to Tamar. She sat on a tall stool, her arms folded over her chest and her feet flat against the sterile floor. Her smile resembled that of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. Her hair glowed red like the Queen of Hearts symbol.

Cassaundra felt the heat burn through her reddened cheeks. She wore the company-issued gray pajamas all ESHs were required to wear to bed—cotton drawstring pants and matching V-neck shirt. The mundane clothing design had been unflattering to both Tamar and Cassaundra, but as their eyes locked over the flickering flame, the choice in apparel became much more appealing.

Are you sure this is what you want? Tamar gripped the needles in her fist, their pointed tips protruding from her grip as she waved them from side to side.

Cassaundra approached Tamar and rested the bottles of ink near the candle flame. The top of Cassaundra’s head barely reached Tamar’s collarbone. Her emerald eyes darkened.

Tamar stood up, stepped behind the stool, and patted the seat. She gripped the needles in her hand so tight her knuckles paled beneath the pressure.

Cassaundra’s body trembled from their closeness. She turned