(Disclaimer: Earth - The New Fight is the intellectual property of Bahran the Big and may be found on EZboard List serve - The following story - "I, Marksmen" is my own written submission to this on-line series.)

Synopsis

Written by Bahran the Big

The year is 2100. Four years ago, 2096, scientists began experimenting on apes making them more human like. The apes grew to powerful for them to control and broke out of their prison. The 'apes' began to destroy homes, business', everything. They ruthlessly murdered all who rebelled against them, and everybody that they didn't kill they enslaved in prison camps. We explained all this as the apes being aliens, refusing to even think they were bred right here on earth. They soon found out that most of the people under 18 were below their standards and killed all of them. The ‘apes’ then found that everybody above 60 was to old and lacked endurance for working long days, so they killed them too. Now, most of the USA and various other countries are enslaved and destroyed, with a few people still left to form rebellions against the behemoths.

I, Marksmen

Written by Lowell Boston

Log Entry - Entry 12: Survival Journal of Dr. Valerie La Salle. Psychological profile: Marcus Wade.

Name: Marcus Wade
Gender: Male.
Age: Unknown, though appearance wise around 36
Country of Origin: Unknown.
Height: 6' 1".
Weight: 188

Appearance: Dark brown eyes with raven dark hair, cut close just above the ears. Marcus exhibits a swimmers or gymnast build with the balanced walk of a practiced martial arts expert. Everything about him seems to be a mixture of feigned casualness and controlled tension, like a coiled spring ready to be tripped. He is rarely seen without his night black Opps Suits - a tight black turtle neck shirt and pants, with its utility belt, a black leather shoulder holsters, gloves and boots.

Marcus Wade - Where to start? Marcus is truly an enigma. In this hellish age we live in that's saying a lot. I'm not sure which is stranger. The way he suddenly appeared in my bedroom
one night moments before four Apes crashed through my roof, or what he did to them. Marcus was surrounded by the brutes. Under my sheets I could smell their sweat, hear the sheer power radiating from their bodies, see the untamed might in their eyes. Marcus killed them all within six seconds. Four expert strokes with that damn sword of his, and there were... chunks of them
all over the floor. He saved me that night - save me for his damn cause, and because of that I've stayed, but more so because I feel that somehow... and this is crazy, that Marcus and I are... connected.

My work in genetic engineering - well my research, was heading in directions to enhance the bioplasmic abilities of the human body. That was before Gen-Mech bought out our lab, and subsequently my research. Ten months later the Apes rose up and wiped out three quarters of this country. God Forgive me, but was my hand involved in this apocalypse?

Marcus says everyone's involved, that the Universe rotates on cause and effect. From here he usually starts to quote Plato and Aristotle, but to be honest I get lost in that dreamy Gaelic voice of his - kind of like the way Russell Crowe sounded in Gladiator (no one probably knows who that is, but I'm an old movie buff).

Speaking of historical figures, perhaps that's the strangest thing about Marcus. Whenever we... or I talk about where he's from, the subject gets changed, but I've seen clues that speak volumes about the man. onlythey make impossible sense - The birthmarks on the back os his hands - the ones that look like the 'Club' and 'Diamond' on a playing card. Then there's the tattoo on his biceps of the 5th Roman Legion (I translated the text myself), or his Katana blade. He seems reluctant to let me get a good look at any of his personal features, but sometimes when he's asleep - especially when it's storming I can hear Marcus having bad dreams. Sometimes he's speaking in latin, others Japanese, and once or twice, in a language I swear I've never heard.

It seems there's scarcely a weapon Marcus doesn't' know about, or how to use. I've seen him shoot an Ape between the eyes at over five hundred yards - with barely a glance. I suppose that's credible if you believe his story about being an NSA agent. But if you ask the man anything about popular culture, or current events from the past hundred years, that rare, confused look comes across his face. He has no idea who Homer Simpson is, but can recite Homer's the Odyssey by heart.

The other weird thing about Marcus is... I don't think he's ever had to use the bathroom. Odd if you consider the fact that he eats like a horse. I've also never seen him bleed, strange too
since I swear I've seen him shot at least a dozen times. He'll sleep for a full twenty four hours and then stay up for four days straight.

Is Marcus Super Human? One would think, except for the fact that he seems immensely afraid of lightning, and for that matter has an extreme dislike for electrical devices. He tends ot keep his distance. I guess that's why he recruited me for his cause. I'm his resident hacker/engineer.

So what's his cause? - To find the others, his so called Marksmen. Once gathered we're to finish the job he started - The Emancipation of the Human Race. We've been on the go for about
six months now, heading for NYC. We travel light. I've my lap top, my ACE kit - Army Corps of Engineers, and food. Marcus has his Katana, the two Colt-45's he keeps holstered on his chest, and the toys he keeps hidden in his utility belt.

Six months without even a sign of the so called others. Marcus tells me to have faith. In this age we live in... that's all I have left.

June 4.
Dr. Valerie La Salle