A Weapon Named Rickey - Season 1, Episode 2

[dodoria21]

?Mark! You still have your crap all over the place down here! Rickey will be home any minute!?

Big Deal, Mark thought as he snorted.

Mark Thompson sighed as he laid in bed. He was sixteen years old and was a junior in high school. He was Rickey?s brother, but it would be hard for anyone to guess that. They didn?t resemble each other much, and their personalities seemed to be polar opposites. While Rickey was nice, humble, and considerate, Mark was crass, arrogant, and selfish. Those negative traits seemed to arise after Mark started high school, where Rickey was pretty popular. He ran for track & field, and no one could think of a bad thing to say about him. Many assumed Mark would be just the same. Mark wasn?t interested in being another Rickey though, and he grew to resent the expectations, and even Rickey himself.

When Rickey came home for the summer after his freshmen year, everyone marveled at how much muscle Rickey was putting on. Mark skulked at it, but also became determined because of it. Mark had developed a certain fixation on muscle as he hit puberty. He enjoyed seeing the athletes around school and the strength they seemed to possess. Also anything on tv, be it movies, tv shows, or even cartoons that featured muscle would excite Mark. When Rickey started packing on the muscle, it was too much for Mark to take, and so he started working out himself. The 5?10? Mark had grown from 130lbs to 160lbs between freshmen and junior years. As he grew bigger and stronger, he became very turned on by himself, which only fueled his arrogance. Many teachers and coaches had approached Mark about joining one of the sports teams, but Mark wasn?t interested in that. He didn?t care about the school or the success of their sports programs. He just wanted muscle and power. His mind was bent on it.

?Mark!!!? a shrill voice rang up the stairs.

?What?!? Mark yelled back.

?Get your ass down here and pick up your things!? Mark?s mom commanded.

?Alright!? Mark snapped.

?And drop that attitude!? his mother warned.

?Whatever,? Mark mumbled.

He got out of bed and walked over to his mirror. He was wearing only a pair of gym shorts. Now that he had muscle, he wanted to show it off all the time. He curled his arms and watched his biceps swell out. The veins had developed very nicely and looked thick as they licked up his arm and across his shoulder. Mark bounced his full pecs and shot a few most muscular poses at himself, seeing the traps bulge out.

?Nice,? Mark commented, ?Bring on Mr. Big Shot Rickey.?

?Mark!!!?

?I?m coming!!!?

Mark thundered down the hall wearing his best grimace on his face.

**********************

Rickey turned the corner and drove up his street. It was the first weekend after school had started. He surprised his parents when he said he was coming home for the weekend. When they asked why he mentioned he forgot some things when he moved into his dorm. He couldn?t tell the truth: that he thought he was completely going out of his mind.

The incident at the gym hadn?t happened again, and the images and thoughts of the cloaked figure subsided some, but Rickey hadn?t relaxed much. He could?ve explained that the strange images were a dream, but he was fairly sure he hadn?t imagined the pain he felt or his muscles bulging. After all, his wife beater proved it happened since it was partially ripped from his muscles growing.

Rickey needed some privacy, and he knew he wasn?t going to get that at school, so the best option was to retreat home and try to recuperate. Probably the hardest part was explaining to his girlfriend, Rachel, that he was cancelling all their plans for the weekend. Rickey knew he needed to get away from everybody though. His odd behavior was already drawing attention, especially from Chris. Until Rickey figured this thing out, he didn?t want others involved.

Rickey pulled into his driveway and got out of his car. He walked in the front door.

?Hello?? he called

?Rickey,? his mom greeted. She came over and gave him a warm hug.

?I was only gone for a week, mom,? Rickey reasoned.

?Mothers are allowed to miss their children even if they are gone for one hour,? his mom retorted.

Rickey smiled.

?Can I get you anything to eat?? his mom offered.

?I?m actually a bit worn out,? Rickey said, ?It was a rough first week. Classes are getting harder.?

?Aw, my poor baby,? his mom cooed, ?You get some rest then.?

Rickey headed up the stairs and towards his room.

?Hey, big shot,? a smug voice said.

Rickey glanced at his brother. ?Hey, Mark.?

Rickey was well aware of the animosity Mark had developed over the years, but he was in no mood to deal with it now.

?Not used to you being back here so soon,? Mark said.

?I forgot some things,? Rickey replied.

?Sure college isn?t finally getting to you?? Mark taunted.

?It?s not,? Rickey sniped.

?Oo, I touched a nerve,? Mark laughed.

Rickey groaned and went into his room. Mark wasn?t ready to let up yet though and followed Rickey.

?What?s the problems facing good ol? Rickey?? Mark asked with a sneer, ?Problems with the girlfriend? Or Chris, the boyfriend??

?Why don?t you get that damn chip off your shoulder and leave me alone?? Rickey snapped.

Mark raised his eyebrows and grinned, ?Are we developing a temper? Not nice guy Rickey?

?Mark, please,? Rickey said. He felt his blood starting to boil. Mark had never gotten under his skin this bad before.

?Don?t think I?ve ever seen you this worked up before,? Mark marveled, ?I didn?t think you ever got worked up.?

?Just leave me alone already!? Rickey yelled.

?Or what?? Mark challenged. He walked over to Rickey and puffed out his chest.

Rickey suddenly laughed, ?It?s not like you can take me.?

?You don?t think so?? Mark said. He tensed his body up and his muscles quivered.

Rickey started feeling a need to answer Mark?s challenge. He always blew Mark off when he got like this in the past. Something was different this time. Rickey knew he was stronger, and it was about time Mark figured that out.

?Back off, boy,? Rickey growled, ?You?ll get yourself hurt.?

Mark finally felt a bit uneasy. Rickey had never acted like this before. After a moment?s pause, Mark decided he can?t back down now.

?Bring it on, bitch,? Mark answered and pushed Rickey back.

In a flash, Rickey spun Mark around. With one leg, Rickey tripped Mark and pushed him down to the floor. Before Mark could recover, Rickey pinned his arm behind his back and stretched his other arm behind his head. Mark gasped. Rickey pinned Mark?s legs down with his own.

?You wanna be a fucking tough guy all the time, don?t you?? Rickey growled, ?Keep it up and someone?s gonna rip you?re fucking arms off!?

Rickey applied more pressure to Mark?s arms. Mark winced in pain.

?Okay!? Mark cried, ?Okay!?

?What, you can?t move?? Rickey taunted, ?I thought you?re a born fighter, Marky. So why don?t you fight back, huh? Fight!?

Mark?s eyes began watering as he felt his arm might break.

?I give up!? Mark gasped, ?Please!!!?

Rickey suddenly became aware he was about to seriously hurt his brother, and he let go. Mark gasped and rolled away, nursing his shoulder.

?Mark?? Rickey began.

?Fuck off,? Mark spat. He got to his feet and stormed to his room, slamming his door on the way in.

Rickey sat down on his bed. His hands were shaking and he began to sweat. He was losing it, and the scariest part was he couldn?t figure out why or what might happen next.

* * * * *

Rachel Bowers carefully measured the compound chemicals into test tubes. She stoppered the tops of them and applied labels to each one before lining them up in a rack. Satisfied, she took the rack of test tubes and placed them in a small cooler. Making sure the lab was cleaned up, Rachel eventually exited, and entered the code to lock the doors tight. As an intern for the head of Chemistry, Rachel was very excited to see the latest round of experiments yield positive results.

It was a Friday evening. Usually, Rachel wouldn?t be in the lab at this time, but she had little else to do now that her boyfriend, Rickey, had cancelled plans without much explanation. Rachel couldn?t help but notice a tone of anxiety in Rickey?s voice over the phone. He insisted that he was fine, so she didn?t push, but she didn?t believe him either. Before heading back to her dorm, she stopped in at Rickey?s dorm and went up to his room. She knocked on the door and in a few seconds, Chris answered it.

?Hey, Rachel,? he greeted, ?Rickey?s not here.?

?I know, he called me,? Rachel answered, ?I was looking for you actually.?

?Oh?okay,? Chris said and stepped aside so Rachel could walk in.

?What?s up?? Chris asked.

?Well, I was hoping you could shed some light on what?s going on with Rickey,? Rachel said, ?He?s been off all week.?

?You?ve seen it too?? Chris asked.

?I take it that means you?re as much in the dark as I am,? Rachel assumed.

?Yeah, I am,? Chris said, ?Rickey keeps insisting he?s fine, but something has him majorly agitated. I?ve never seen him so worked up. He?s always so calm about everything.?

?I know,? Rachel said, ?I figured since you know him better, maybe you had some idea.?

?None,? Chris said, ?I?m actually getting kind of worried about him.?

?Me too,? Rachel said.

She began looking around Rickey?s side of the room. It was unusually unorganized. Rickey wasn?t a neat freak. He was a guy, after all, but he maintained a sort of organized messiness. Now, everything seemed scattered everywhere, as if Rickey wasn?t paying attention to what he was doing with anything. Rachel sighed and began gathering Rickey?s laundry into his basket. As she picked up piles of clothes, she noticed something. She put down the pile she had and fished out a wife beater.

?What do you make of this?? she asked.

She showed Chris the wife beater, and they saw that the shoulder straps were frayed, and tiny rips could be seen all over it. Chris took the wife beater and studied it.

?Very strange,? he commented.

?Why would he have kept something that?s old and ruined?? Rachel asked.

?Maybe it?s a lucky wife beater,? Chris quickly said and tossed it into the laundry basket, ?Well, I don?t want to run you off, but I was about to head out and get some food.?

?No problem,? Rachel said, ?Hopefully when Rickey gets back he?ll be more himself.?

?Hopefully,? Chris blankly answered.

Rachel walked out and closed the door. Chris slowly made his way to Rickey?s laundry basket and pulled the wife beater back out. It looked new enough, so it couldn?t have torn from being old. It almost looks as if?

Impossible, Chris thought, and he tossed the wife beater back down, trying to shake away his absurd assumption.

* * * * *

Richard Burress, the head of chemistry, sat at his desk as the sun set beyond the horizon. His computer beeped to let him know he had received an e-mail. He opened his inbox to see it was from his intern, Rachel. She had sent him her latest results and let him know she placed the test tubes in the cooler. Richard finished reading the e-mail, yet continued to stare at his screen. The ring of his phone shook him out of his daze, and he answered it.

?Professor Burress,? he answered.

?I trust things are moving along smoothly,? a cool voice spoke.

?Mr. Stapleton,? Richard said as he suddenly sat straight up, ?They are, sir.?

?My sources say you are having an intern assist you in some of the experiments?? Mr. Stapleton asked.

?Yes, sir,? Richard replied, ?I assure you there is no risk in that. The work she is doing cannot be tied back to its true intentions.?

?See to it that it doesn?t,? Mr. Stapleton ordered, ?I do not have to remind you how serious this situation could become if the problem is not contained quickly.?

?Yes, sir,? Richard said, ?I understand.?

?Good,? Mr. Stapleton said, ?Keep me apprised of your progress.?

?Yes, sir,? Richard said and hung up. He sighed and put his forehead in his hand.

* * * * *

Mr. Stapleton placed his phone down, then activated a speaker device on his desk.

?Please hold my calls until further notice, Colleen,? he spoke.

?Yes, Mr. Stapleton,? a female voice responded from the speaker.

Mr. Stapleton reached under his desk and pressed a button. The far wall in his large office came to life and a panel rotated to reveal three video monitors. The bottom panel of the wall split apart, and a large computer console came out from the wall. Mr. Stapleton walked over to it and typed a series of commands. The monitors came to life. Mr. Stapleton gripped a microphone on the console and brought it to his mouth.

?Semper Virtus,? he spoke.

The three monitors turned blue and after a moment showed three people: two men and a woman.

?Semper Virtus,? they greeted.

?So far, everything is being handled,? Mr. Stapleton said.

?The containment plan goes forward without interruption?? one man asked. He was Japanese, and wore thin glasses in front of his piercing eyes.

?I have my man working on it,? Mr. Stapleton answered, ?After all these years, I am confident we now have the technology to make it work.?

?And vot guarantees that zis intern will not be a problem?? the other man asked. He was French and spoke with an air of importance.

?Unfortunately, there are no guarantees,? Mr. Stapleton said, ?But I will monitor the situation very closely.

?And the electromagnetic disturbance?? the woman asked in a thick, British accent, ?That is the biggest cause for concern right now.?

?No evidence of a breach has been found,? Mr. Stapleton said, ?Shendi remains where he is, and I promise you we will keep it that way.?

* * * * *

Rickey? Rickey, I need you?

?Pass the potatoes, honey,? Rickey?s mom asked.

Rickey passed her the potatoes as he eagerly ate his chicken.

?So, just here to pick up some things you left behind then?? Rickey?s dad asked.

?Yeah,? Rickey replied, ?Didn?t think I?d need them, but turns out I do.?

Mark snorted as he glared across the table at Rickey.

?How have classes been?? Rickey?s dad asked.

?Fine,? Rickey said.

?Junior year,? his dad said, ?Starting to become crunch time.?

Rickey nodded in response.

Rickey?

?And how?s Rachel doing?? Rickey?s mom asked.

?She?s doing fine,? Rickey said, ?She has an internship in the chem lab this semester.?

?How exciting,? Rickey?s mom said.

?Brewing up something that?ll make you seem not so perfect?? Mark suggested.

?Mark!? his mom scolded.

I need you now? Rickey, come to me?

Rickey tugged at his collar as he focused on his food. He stared intently at his plate as he dug into his potatoes and shoved them in his mouth.

?Are you alright, dear?? his mom asked, ?You seem awfully agitated.?

?I?m fine,? Rickey said automatically.

?Nothing we should know about with school, is there?? his dad asked sternly.

?No,? Rickey answered too quickly, feeling hot.

You can?t ignore me? Rickey?

Rickey started tapping his foot excitedly under the table.

?I think you?re golden boy is cracking a little,? Mark sneered.

?Honey, you?re sweating,? Rickey?s mom said, ?Are you sick??

Rickey?s heart began pounding in his ears. He could barely hear what his family was saying.

?Rickey??

Rickey?

?Maybe you should go lie down??

Wake up, Rickey? Come alive?

?Completely cracking up, I tell you?

?Mark, that?s enough!?

It?s time, Rickey? It?s TIME!

Rickey quickly stood up from the table.

?I just need to go for a walk,? he announced, and quickly exited the kitchen.

?Rickey, are you sure?? his mother called after him.

Rickey quickly got out of the house and started running down the street. His stomach turned over as he felt something welling up inside of him.

There it is? Let it out?

Rickey broke into a full sprint. He had to get away somewhere. Had to outrun this. He turned at the end of the street and ran into some woods. He panted and sweat poured down his face as he stumbled through the trees.

Come to me now, Rickey? Come!

Rickey tripped on some roots and fell to the ground. The pain shot through his whole body. He cried out, his voice echoing among the trees. He got to his knees, and reared back as a shock flew up his spine. He heard a crunch as his bones began elongating. His chest puffed up under his shirt and began stretching it. His forearms grew thick. Upper arms and shoulders bulged out, creating tears along the seams of his shirt and sleeves. Falling to his hands and knees, Rickey felt his back shift around as the muscles stretched and grew. The back of his shirt grew steadily tighter until it could no longer hold and began tearing all over. Rickey felt his shorts grow tight as his quads thickened and rippled. His feet grew too big for his shoes and began bursting out. His calves swelled up, the veins licking up his legs. Rickey began growling. His thoughts swirled into a whirlpool of images. He couldn?t focus on anything. His jaw cracked and re-formed into a solid form of steel. His bloodshot eyes slowly turned a yellow tint with a sharp amber glow. His tattered shirt fell off him and onto the ground. Rickey no longer had thoughts of his own. He did not know himself anymore.

Hello? It?s Shendi, your master? Do you know who I am?

?Yes,? a deep, growly voice answered from Rickey?s mouth.

You know what it is you have to do now?

?Yes, master,? Rickey answered.

Then waste no time, my faithful servant! Go forth!

Rickey squatted down and took off running at blinding speed. His mind was focused on only one thing and that was his destination: Central University.

[michaelv2]

I like how the mystery is building... :-)

[Ender]

Well it sounds like the "Infinite Improbability Drive" is running at full power...

Rickey's girlfriend is somehow connected to what Shendi has done to him and Rickey has been dispatched to deal with her.

And Rickey's younger brother, Mark, is the one person that would welcome what Shendi has done to Rickey follow him willingly.

If their positions were reversed Rickey would fight to save Mark from Shendi's enslavement. Will Mark recognize his attitude in the new Rickey and try to rescue his brother or join him

[philat99]

Very interesting. Looking forward to more!

[silvershadow]

Originally Posted by Ender

Well it sounds like the "Infinite Improbability Drive" is running at full power...

Rickey's girlfriend is somehow connected to what Shendi has done to him and Rickey has been dispatched to deal with her.

And Rickey's younger brother, Mark, is the one person that would welcome what Shendi has done to Rickey follow him willingly.

If their positions were reversed Rickey would fight to save Mark from Shendi's enslavement. Will Mark recognize his attitude in the new Rickey and try to rescue his brother or join him

EEEK you're making me even more on the edge of my seat. This story is so good! I'm not usually into the whole mind control thing but you are right about all these twist and turns. I keep checking to see if there is more.

[dodoria21]

heheh i like that people are liking the twists and turns, and trust me when I say I'm just getting warmed up hahahaha