Chapter 2

"Wake up, Nick!" Trevor yelled as he pounded on the door. "Don't you have someplace to be?" The sounds of panic could be heard from outside the room as Nick frantically attempted to get out of bed and dressed.

After a shower, Nick stared into the mirror as he started tightening his belt. He checked to make sure he didn't look like a guy who had less than four hours of sleep. He slicked his dark blond hair back and splashed some water on his face. His blue eyes did well to hide his fatigue, as they were not bloodshot, nor were his eyelids heavy. His white shirt was free of wrinkles, and his blue jeans were unscratched. He opened the door and tried to leave, but Trevor blocked the front door. "Look, I'm sorry for sneaking off to go to that party, but in my defense, that NPC situation would have been much worse if I wasn't there."

"That's fine and all, but that's not why I'm upset." Trevor replied, trying to keep himself from shouting. "Ever since I accidentally mentioned the NPC's, you started trying to hunt them down."

"They killed Dad! Of course I'm hunting them." Nick barked back, not withholding his urge to yell. "Are you saying that I should just ignore that?"

"First off, the NPC's are just as varied in character as humans." Trevor explained sternly. "Most of them still have a conscience. If you don't acknowledge that, then you are just being a racist murderer. Second, Dad didn't want us to try to fight them. They killed Dad, but that doesn't mean that we need to keep the hostility going. That's why I've been trying to come up with inventions like the Kinetigun."

"That's another thing." Nick huffed. "The Kinetigun is a bad idea. If you want me to take down attacking NPC's without killing them, just invent tranquilizers or something. No wait, they already exist!"

"Some NPC's react badly to sedatives." Trevor continued. "Others won't be affected at all. But a well aimed punch always worked for Dad. At least, that's what he told me. I just made it possible to punch from a safe distance. Besides, the fact that it is gun-shaped alone is very dangerous nowadays. If it caused lasting damage, you would be arrested or worse!"

Nick didn't say anything else. Instead, he just pushed past Trevor and reached for the closet, pulling out his favorite black, hooded sweatshirt.. Before leaving, he had one more question on his mind. "Trevor? How did Dad find out about the NPC's? He told us that they hide from normal people."

"He didn't really explain why or how he knew, but he thought it was best that I knew about them. I just believed it has always been something that you didn't need to know about, especially now that you practically look for them." Trevor took a step away from the door and headed for his own room. "Nick, remember. The Kinetigun isn't for lethal force. If you don't learn that, then I'll have to take it back. I'm going to bed; see you when you get back." Nick left without any further comment.

vvvvvvv

Nick managed to get to class after running from his house to the campus. "Ah, Mr. Garland." the professor chuckled. "You just made it."

"Thank-"

"I didn't finish. You just made it, as soon as all the other students turned their tests in!"

"Oh." Nick didn't know if being late to class was worse than the embarrassment he felt just then. "Sorry. My brother had some important things to talk about, and I lost track of time. Is there a way I can make this test up?"

"Fine." the professor sighed. "But you will have a penalty on your grade. You will take the test next week in room 302 while the rest of us review." Nick hung his head as the other students brushed past him to get to the door. "Mr. Garland."

"Yes, sir?" Nick asked.

"This is the third time you missed a class this semester. Is there a problem going on at home?"

"No." Nick blurted. "I mean, it's just me and my brother, if that's what you're asking. My mom died when I was really young. And my dad died not too long after that. My brother has taken most of the responsibilities while I try to go through college. I'm trying!"

"I don't doubt that. That's why I've decided to give you this second chance. You are one of my best students. Heck, you could definitely ace this class if you could just arrive on time. Keep that in mind. In fact, a man like you could have found a much better job before the war."

"Yes, sir." Nick said with a nod before leaving the classroom. Just outside the room, Chance and the girls were waiting for him. "Oh, hey. Did you all get to your classes on time?"

"I had no problems." Sonia answered. "I'll probably collapse once I get home, but that's not important."

Chance spoke up as soon as Sonia mentioned importance. "What is important is that Carl is still missing. I called his neighbors, his landlady, everyone who would have seen him. I know that whatever that thing was is real, and that it killed Carl!"

"You don't know that." the other girl blurted sheepishly. Judging from her face, she seemed to be incredibly slim, and she always seemed to wear heavy clothing. Today's wardrobe consisted of a long denim skirt and a lime green hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled over her head. "You were just frightened. Just wait. Carl proba-"

"I was not scared, Eunice!" Chance screamed.

"I told you to call me Flo." she quivered, covering her face with her hood. "I hate that dumb name."

"If you don't care about a murderer running rampant on the streets, then I don't give a crap about which name to call you, Eunice!" Chance roared.

"Chance, knock it off." Sonia yelled. "You're causing a scene."

"Actually, he's not causing as big a scene as the news." Nick said as he directed the attention of the others to the video wall.

"This just in. All across the world, rumors have been spreading of monsters attacking. The Crown Prince was found dead in Buckingham Palace with large claw marks on his back. Authorities identified that the cause of death was from something far from human. For more details, select 'Buckingham Palace Prince' on your mobile devices. We will continue to keep watch on these rumors."

"Well?" Chance huffed. "I'm waiting."

"Just a minute." Nick said as he rushed outside and pulled out his phone. He flipped through his contacts in a panic until he found his brother's number. The phone rang once, then twice, then a third time before Trevor answered. "Please tell me you saw the news."

"Who didn't? That report was playing everywhere in the world, not to mention here in the States." Trevor panted. "It's not just the Supreme Kingdom either. Japan, Egypt, and-"

"This is bad. This is very bad!" Nick gasped as he looked around to make sure no one was listening. "This was exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to avoid."

"You know, I have the feeling that this was planned. After all, according to Dad, the NPC's were a failed attempt at creating super soldiers to turn the tide of the third World War. Why did they show up now, years after the war ended?"

"Maybe they were used in the war?" Nick suggested.

"No, there's no way that happened. If the project worked, then there would have been no reason for the United States to bomb Russia to oblivion and the war would haven't ended the way it did." Trevor paused for a moment. "There's someone at the door." After another pause, Trevor spoke up again, this time with panic in his tone. "Do not come home, Nick! You have to-"

"Trevor? Trevor, are you there? Answer me!" Nick screamed into the phone.

"So you must be NIC…" an unfamiliar voice replied.

"Who is this? What did you do to my brother?" Nick snapped.

"Listen closely, Imperfect." The voice sneered. "I am Simeon von Prime, and the human race has reached its peak. The Prince was only the first of many. Humans everywhere will bow to the new dominant species."

"You-You're a-"

"Naturally Perfect Chimera." Simeon answered. "And you are going to fall with the human race. I only give you this warning, as you are still a child; do not try to interfere, or you will die."

"Screw that! I want my brother back!" Nick yelled. "If you don't let him go-"

"You'll what? My master may find you to be a threat, but I am a realist. One child cannot hope to defeat a country. But since you intend to make our victory difficult…" The screech of an animal echoed across the college campus. "Good by, Imperfect."

"What? What did you-" Nick stopped yelling when he saw it; a large gorilla loomed over him with a sledgehammer in his hand. "Oh, no."

"You are NIC?" it laughed. "This will be over quickly."

"Yes, it will" Nick thought to himself as he reached for his Kinetigun. "Wait. I can't use this here. There are too many witnesses! I'll have to find some other way to survive!"