ALTERED STATES - EPISODE 2

Gavin had never met the cyborg before but he seemed to be a comforting sight to all but Plymuth... and somehow it seemed to Gavin that few things in this world were a comforting sight to Plymuth. When the mariner relaxed, however, and tossed their ticket to safety into the cyborg's hands, the Rat hybrid looked around at the others.

"I'll go last," he said, "if anything happens, I can get myself out of here some other way." He then motioned to the injured wolf-man. "Maybe we should get him out of here first," Gavin suggested then turning to Plymuth. "You seem strong," he said, "can you help Tom out of here? Then you, Kitty," he said pointing to the tiger-woman, who he was pleasantly surprised to find did not give him the nervous vibe he had felt before. "I'll be right behind you if anything happens."

Plymuth was about debate with Gavin which of them would be best suited to escape a labyrinth of water ways but when he reminded him that Tom would require some assistance getting up the rope he agreed with the order. Nodding, he glanced over at Kitty, knowing all too well that the tiger-hybrid was probably stronger and a better climber to boot, but she like Tom has sustained an injury that would hinder her movements.

"Well, well, lucky me." Stated Plymuth as he tied his water proof packs and any others to the rope. "Hey, big guy." he shouted, "Pull those up."

Any gear that wasn't stored away in water proof compartments would get wet but it was far easier to haul them up ahead of time rather than make the climb burdened. After the cyborg easily pulled up the packs and dropped the rope back down into the water, Plymuth entered the water with Tom and helped him swim the short distance to the rope. He attempted to give the wolf-hybrid some assistance but it was awkward, fortunately Tom was actually strong enough to pull his own body weight with a single arm. He made his way up, slow and sure and when he was out of the water, the cyborg's powerful mechanical arms began to pull the man up.

"Man's a f***ing elevator." Commented Plymuth as he watched Tom quickly ascend, thanks to assistance of Rarmon.

Next Plymuth climbed up the rope, and when he was in the tunnel, the rope was dropped for Kitty.

"Thanks." Plymuth reluctantly mentioned to Rarmon who was not a fan of anything military.

Kitty heard Rarmon long before she saw him. When her sensitive nose didn’t pick up on anything right away, she wasn’t exactly sure what to think. Deep down she wanted to believe it was the cyborg but without physical proof, it was a little difficult to let her hops go too high. Especially after the echoing of the voices from the radio in Plymuth’s backpack. When the mechanical man finally turned the corner she let out a sigh of relief and gave him a small smile, nodding when he acknowledged all of them.

As Plymuth finally made the decision of how to get the hell out of there, everyone was in agreement and so Kitty stayed next to Tom to help him any way she could. When Gavin volunteered to go last, Kitty furrowed her brows. She wasn’t especially fond of the idea but he did have a valid point as to why he should be the last one.

As Rarmon acted as the brawn for the group, Kitty helped Plymuth get Tom up the rope and on the same level Rarmon was one. Satisfied he was secure and out of harms way, the feline hybrid watched Plymuth scurry up the rope. As the rope came back down for her, she looked over at Gavin and made sure he was good to go before she used her own ability to climb and had Rarmon’s help getting up the rope.

Now that Gavin was the only one left to go, she tapped Rarmon’s shoulder letting him know she was secure and to send the rope down to Gavin. She checked on Tom to make sure he was still doing OK. He was a little pale and his face showed the strain of his injury but all in all he was doing as well as could be expected.

Rarmon caught the rope he told him to tie it off looking around he sighed slightly as there was nothing and tied it around his own waist after all none of them were heavier than his lumbering weight knotting it off round his stomach. The pack was up with a yank from Rarmon he caught the pack placing it down against the wall of the tunnel then he felt some weight put on the end standing on the edge he saw them put Tom onto the rope. He hauled the wolf man up without even letting him touch the wall really as he stretched his arms out drawing the rope in he placed the wolf man down next to the pack.

“Long time no see.” Throwing the rope over he felt it yanked on as Plymuth climbed up with no assistance from him yanking on the rope and the man thanked him. He took little notice as Kitty took to the rope he took the weight as he slowly hauled with her coming over the lip and helping her up the last bit with a hand he chucked the rope down for Gavin waiting for the other to climb up it.

“What we going to do about that walkie talkie call?” It was apparent that Rarmon had heard the call obviously linked into a lot of frequencies with his bursting technology.

“Jack my partner is busy gaining information on the situation of town he should have eyes on if any remote drones are still on their routes over this area but I think the best we will get is a few satellite images.”

Tom, sat leaning against the wall, his strength was returninf slowly, much too slowly he thought. He searched his mind looking for the answer that lay just at the edge of his consciousness. ........ Outside on the surface a clouds drifted across a moonless night sky.

Miles quickly walked up to the mable steps. On both sides were structures of great men at the turn of the century. Alexander the Great stood with a sword drawn and pointing toward Central Park and other structure of Neil Armstrong, his arm extended the moon. Miles climbed the steps and stepped into the city hall. He drew his weapon and turned on the laser beam. In his other hand, he took out the flare and pulled the tab. The bright spark and flash lit up the dark hall. Not a creature stirred as Miles moved forward. He walked and turned left and down another hall until he arrived at what was once large glass doors with only the frame in place. The flare flickered and went out. Miles replaced it with other one and stepped into the room.

Standing in the room were rows and rows of books. Congressional books, history books of the world before. Now centuries old from whatever destroyed earth. Miles sifted through the debris until he came for the lone book that was meant to be a keepsake of the world he knew. It needed to be safeguarded and preserved. Miles broke the glass box and lifted the book out and tucked it under his arm. The flare went out again and as he lit off another one. Something immense and stunk of rotten flesh pushed into him and lifted his tiny frame off the floor.

Miles dropped the flare and book. Swinging his gun toward the beast that grabbed him.



The creature had no face and Miles put a bullett to what he thought was the brains of this thing. He pulled the trigger and watched as the creature dropped him and screamed bloody murder. He slashed out and caught Miles foot. Miles dropped down on the floor and the gun jarred loose from his hands. He was being dragged from the flare and into the darken room. Miles grasped the floor at a chair leg and came up swinging. A swing to the left and back to the right. Miles stabbed the creature hard and finished with a upper cut, using the chair leg as a club.

The creature fell backwards and out a window...dying on a sidewalk. Miles grabbed his gun,and congressional book and fed into the streets. Whatever it was...Miles decided this wasn't a place to venture after dark. Hew looked at his watch and knew he wasn't getting back to space craft before duxk and knew he would have to find a place to hide until morning.

Searching his GPS device, he put in the coordinates for the National Guard Armory, First National Bank and the Jailhouse. Whichever came up first...he was hightailing to...walking back toward his craft, he felt the presence looming from behind the darkness.

Walking down the middle of Lexington avenue in Manhattan. Miles passed several apartment buildings and store fronts. On all the structures tall weeds grew and stingy vines hung down from the trees growing within the tall structures and buildings. Some structures had collasped in place. Other buildings, the face of the building had collasped leaving dangling wires and structural materials suspended in the air. Openess bared dark spaces behind the vines. Large holes staggered across the streets, where chunks of building fell, leaving craters in its place. In other areas, sink holes exposed the sewers and large storm drains down below the streets.

Miles's stomach growled...as he peeked down into one of the exposed manholes and heard a pitter patter sound down inside one of the storm drains.

"Food..." he said outloud, and was on his mind.

If he survived the night he would investigate that sound in the morning.

Miles flipped the GPS switch to quarter mile radius, narrowing the search on the GPS device to get the Coordinates: 40°44′28″N 73°59′1″W from the satellite buzzing the earth.




He walked down the avenue and turned west on east 26th. There in front of him was the 69th Regiment Armory. The old Army National Guard armory was the first armory built in New York City that unmodeled like a medieval fortress. The large metal gates were fortified and rusty. He searched the wall to see if it was possible to scale it before pulling out his weapon. Not a chance...broken glass lined the top edge as a deterrent.

And whoever was the last one to leave, locked the doors with a thick heavy chain that slipped through the handles of both gates and was locked. It meant either to keep people out or keep something inside from getting out...whatever the case, Miles had little choice to decide a new course of action as the sun settled in the west. The skies became dark overheard. He took his weapon and aimed at the thick rusty iron doors. The blast sparked a fine blue flame and cut through it in seconds.


He pushed with all his might and the gate creaked open enough for Miles to slip inside the grounds. Pushing again, he shut the metal gate and dropped the sliding lock into place.







Turning around, he stood and looked at the entrance to the armory building, 69th Regiment Infantry compound which housed several buildings were still standing. Miles strolled down the Frontage Road and looked up and down the street. He felt safe as darkness fell and stepped into a building which said Mess Hall above its doors.