Revolution by Paul Palmer-Nelson
Revolution
Paul Palmer Nelson
Copyright 2011 Paul Palmer-Nelson
Praise for Revolution
Richard Perez, 26, Bank Manager, Manchester: Could not put it down, loved it from start to finish. Loved the characters, the technology, the helicopters and all the action, incredible imagination and great descriptive English – Five stars *****!
Shane Witty, 21, Builder, Brighton: Right up my alley, well into Sci-fi and this book didn’t let me down. My favourite parts were all of it really, the action doesn’t stop from chapter one until the end! Really liked the part about the sculptor and the rock! Revolution would make a really good film on a scale of Independence Day in my view
Peter Briggs, 63, Extrusion Engineer, Scunthorpe: Revolution is packed with action starting within the first few pages and keeping it up at an excellent pace through to the end. The storyline is interesting with plenty of imaginative ideas whilst using the Roswell incident to give the story an air of credibility. I was kept interested from the start to the finish, thoroughly enjoyed the story and look forward to Pauls next book. Very well done.
Vlane D’marcus Carter, 35, Author, New York: Really enjoyed it actually, I have to be honest I didn’t think I would! Good storyline, good imagination and an anarchic wit. I think Revolution will do very well, good luck!
Jacob Mcarthur, 16, Student, Lincoln: The thing I liked the most is that it has the potential to become a film. And as I read it I want to keep on reading it because the tension builds up throughout the book leading to the fight at the end. The story is realistic unlike a lot of sci-fi books and the explanation of each of the characters puts an image of what they look like in your head straight away and their personalities. There’s loads of stuff! Loved it, bring on the film!
David Johnson, 50, Rental Executive, Southampton: Wasn’t sure I would like Revolution as science fiction is not my cup of tea at all but I found the storyline very easy to follow and it was hard to put the book down once I’d picked it up. The imagination used in this book is incredible and compellingly realistic. would recommend to anyone!
Chapter One
A vibrant sun rose gently behind the high-rise buildings of inner Budapest, its warm yellow beams skimmed the urban skyline gracefully and ushered in the new day. Pedestrians plodded reluctantly to jobs of all descriptions and a stale aroma of car emissions choked the air. He went unnoticed as he stood by the riverside and looked skywards, two anxious fingers tapped repeatedly on his thigh while the other hand clenched tightly to a fist. He looked entranced by the sky above and took no heed of the mayhem behind.
He turned his head to the city and its buildings while his carefree expression turned to one of concentration and fury. His heart welled up with intense hatred, blocking his clarity with a blanket of rage. He regained composure, turned and walked briskly as the morning traffic shuffled along in one long column. He walked quickly, navigating the gaps in the vehicular centipede and returned glaring looks from curious motorists. Hair closely shaven his features were sharp and his eyes pierced the sky like blades wrought of diamond. He stood out like a gun in a sweet shop as he walked the aged city streets in black boots, combats and padded body armour all concealed by a long black trench coat.
He reached the opposite side and stopped suddenly, pulling his sleeve to reveal a slim metallic wristband, he began to tap on it with lightening speed and precision.
‘Establish a link with the Integral Grid’ a large screen covered the top and displayed computer generated images, peppered with menus and options.
‘Link established’ A robotic voice announced from the device.
‘Computer access track and trace, I want General Hamza’s location to the millimetre’
He waited for a reply and looked up to see a bemused couple looking at him strangely, he fired a look they would never forget and they left him to it. As the couple walked away hurriedly a response came from the device and his full attention was focused once again.
‘General Hamza has been located fourteen hundred metres north east of this location, inside the First National bank of Hungary. Would you like to know his physical status?’
‘No that information will suffice, break link with the grid and switch to standby’
He covered the wristband with his sleeve and continued the mission through the streets of Budapest.
He brought up a satellite image of his surroundings and located the destination visually. His focus was again challenged by another pedestrian waving his hands annoyingly and attempting to grab his attention with a jovial American accent.
‘Excuse me sir do you speak English? You don’t look like you’re from round here! I’m looking for fast food man, fast food! This Hungarian shit tastes like erm, shit! You get me bro?’
He looked up from his communicator again covering it with a sleeve and focused intently on the slightly over-weight annoyance before him.
‘If I were you and thank fuck I’m not, I’d turn around run and never look back’ He responded coldly with a glint of pure evil in his eyes.
The portly American looked bemused for a moment before doing as instructed to the letter.
‘If only you could see inside my mind and knew what I know. If only you could see how pointless and insignificant you all are’ the angry enigma said under his breath and continued the hunt.
His face altered for a second, deep in thought like one who has suddenly remembered something they should not have forgotten. He remembered a time not so long ago when everything seemed ok with the world and happiness was a strong part of his life, he realised his mind was now filled with an unexplainable hatred. He could sense that somewhere subconsciously there was another presence guiding him; he tried to dismiss it as nonsense but failed miserably. He made a mental note about the ease at which his brain could so easily be distracted, he blinked his eyes and concentration took over again. He regained composure for the task in hand blanking his thoughts; face as it was a minute previous.
Tall buildings with a gothic feel loomed overhead and a stench of history was in the air, he could not be certain if it was from past events or his imminent mission but somewhere inside he knew it was the latter. The bank of Hungary stood proud at the end of a westernised street, each side lined with over-familiar fast food outlets and designer boutiques. He neared his destination slowly but methodically, pulled back his sleeve and once again activated his communicator.
‘Computer prepare to activate the TCA Unit I’ll need full power for this and get the particle field on standby, it’s going to be a rough one’ he approached the bank and maintained a look of calm with professional precision.
As he entered he scanned the room like a machine and evaluated his surroundings. It was busy for the time of day but he found his target almost instantly, his focus was now directed towards a wealthy looking Arab surrounded by armed guards. He focused on the ageing man dressed in opulent traditional robes who laughed and joked with an unimpressed cashier. Hamza’s bodyguards suddenly became aware of this strange man in combat apparel who was now approaching slowly, he stopped immediately in front of the Arab and offered his hand in greeting.
‘Mr Hamza I’ve wanted to meet you for a very long time! I’m a great fan of your work, one day the Middle East will be free of western interference. It is an honour’
‘Well thank you young man and who might you be? I didn’t realise I had many western sympathisers!’ Hamza replied with an unfazed laugh and kept calm as he motioned his guards to back away.
‘Gentlemen he’s a friend treat him with respect! You’re not carrying any weapons are you?’ Hamza said as his bodyguards motioned towards the fresh-faced individual now in their company. They frisked him and found no weapons which deepened
‘Now what would you like to discuss my American friend?’
‘Oh nothing I just wanted to meet you sir and what a rewarding experience!’ His response baffled the guards and their superior as the young man stood glaring at them following his reply.
‘Well then I am a busy man and have much to do but thank you very much for your support’
‘No General thank you!’‘ He replied slowly then raised an evil smile like a horror film clown.
Everyone inside was now aware of the young man whose strange behaviour had been an intrigue to the streets of Budapest for the past hour. Hamza looked at his guards who reflected his bemused look and turned his attention again to the man before him. He continued his stare, removed the trench coat and threw it to the ground before announcing another command to his communicator.
‘Activate TCA’
A blue liquid-like substance began to pour out from his large black belt, covering his entire body rapidly. Eventually he looked like a statue of blue mercury, everyone inside the bank froze and suddenly wore a look of fear upon their previously unstressed faces. Suddenly a blinding flash took everyone by surprise and when eyes re-opened the man before them was no more. He now resembled an alien of some kind, perhaps even a robot Hamza thought to himself. If a pin had dropped it would have shattered the eerie silence like a bullet to a window. All eyes were transfixed on the metallic man before them, all traces of humanity had disappeared and his eyes were two black slits upon a dark blue headpiece. The only features that remained were thin, meshed openings on both sides of the face and contours of underlying muscle. The pungent smell of fear was mixed thoroughly with lashings of awe.
The deadly assassin tapped his chest and a metallic ball began to emerge like a raindrop on a puddle. It dropped into his hand and he tapped the now solid object rapidly on a small backlit screen. He threw it softly, letting out a metallic ping as it bounced on the marble floor and rolled directly between Hamza’s trembling legs. The bank erupted in a terrific blast destroying everything nearby instantaneously whilst filling the Budapest skyline with a mushroom cloud to rival
Hiroshima. A perfect sphere of white-hot energy began to get bigger and bigger wiping out building after building, person after innocent person. Tens of thousands died instantly, many more were blinded by the devastating light it created. The city of Budapest was virtually destroyed in a matter of seconds killing hundreds of thousands in its unforgiving wave of destruction.
Some five miles away in a far off suburb of what used to be Budapest the blast could be seen and heard without question and residents rushed out into the streets to see what the commotion was all about. An onlooker pulls a phone from his pocket and begins to film the destruction on the horizon. Shock and fear struck the man like a cavalcade of emotion; he could almost hear the cries of his fellow Hungarians in the middle of this nuclear blast. Stunned, the man continued to film scanning the scene in astonishment and as he filmed he caught a glimpse of something blue flying through the air towards his position.
He lowered the phone for a second to take a look with his own eyes but still couldn’t make it out. He followed the blue object as it fell in an un-orderly fashion surrounded by debris and headed towards his position. He ran for cover underneath a shop canopy as the blast debris got closer and closer, he dropped to his knees and continued filming as it fell toward the ground rapidly. Finally the shockwave hit sending litter and dust skywards, closely followed by chunks of red hot rubble, steel and anything the mind could imagine. He prayed silently as the carnage rained down keeping his phone locked on the object that was getting steadily closer. He zoomed in and focused, it had arms and legs and shakily he followed it down to the ground where it slammed ferociously into a stationary bus causing the fuel tank to explode.
After a few seconds the doomsday downpour had stopped and he moved carefully from under the shop front that had given him shelter. He was fortunate to avoid injury but could hear the cries of his fellow townsfolk who had not been so lucky. Faced with carnage and small fires breaking out everywhere he took no heed, he had to know who or what had fallen from the sky and into the bus. As he approached a blue fist punched through the twisted metal and ripped down through it like paper. He froze now, knowing whatever was emerging from the devastated bus it could not be human. The assassin broke free of the wreckage and walked slowly toward the young man holding his phone with a shaking hand, he tried to run but found he couldn’t move an inch.
Finally the blue menace stood just metres from his captive filmmaker and began to speak in a monotonous robotic voice.
‘This is just the beginning; you are now all witness to the dawn of a new era. I am your future, I am your destiny’ he finished turned suddenly and sped off at incredibly high speed into the back streets leaving a highly populated city in ruins and devastation.