Project Blue Shadow

Rey Lima clenched his teeth. None of the drugs he had taken have given him a high that is considered up there in the firmament of extreme hallucination. His body craves for something that would give him the ultimate kick. He poured a half glass of the clear fluid on clear glass. It glides as it slowly settles in its wide brim. This fluid, which he took from Dr. Molina's office, escaped him for the last 15 years as he tried to find its origin. It is the elusive ether and element 115. He had been thorough in the scope of every military lab there is to confirm its existence. And why would he not look for this ultimate drug when everything started with his own story?

Fifteen years ago, a secret military experiment selected a group of young police for Project Blue Shadow. The project is top-secret, and there are no details given during the briefing. About a hundred men that got selected underwent physical and mental tests, and those that did not pass were quickly eliminated until only five of the men remained. One of the men chosen is Rey Lima.

They said of the three months of training, the goal is to infiltrate a base half a world away. Thus, preparation is crucial as laid-down in the 'Six-Rule approach.' Rule one-make the entry as discreet as possible. Rule Two -make zero noise. Rule Three-act like you are one of the locals and infiltrate them. Rule Four -Kill the top high ranking officials without them knowing how. Rule Five -put the blame on the country's opposition, and Rule Six - casually get out when finished.

The rules seemed easy, and Rey Lima did not mince words when he signed up for it. It excited his adrenaline, and he could feel the urge to execute the plan. But the night before the actual date, they brought the five-person team to a secret location for the final preparation. He couldn't tell the exact place, but they covered their eyes as they helicoptered from the base. They brought the team inside a bustling city as they heard cars and traffic nearby. But he could tell it was not foreign. They offloaded the team on top of a building. Inside, they removed their eye covering andy lined up inside a dark room with a high ceiling. Where are we? He asked himself. They must be in some hospital ward as rows of bed with white linen was placed near them. A fully equipped patient monitoring apparatus was attached to each bed like the one you can see in the intensive care unit. He noticed the wall of the building has a massive door. A voice ordered them to lie down on the individual bed, which they followed. After they lie down on the bed, five men in white robe and face mask went inside the room and attached the monitoring apparatus on their chest, forehead, and arm.

"Do not move!" said the voice.

The rest of the men followed the instruction.

"Good luck on your journey. Remember the Six-Rule Plan."

What plan? Rey asked. Ah yes, the infiltration plan. The time has come. This briefing is all part of the preparation—the journey before going to the other side of the world. The man dressed in a white robe injected a warm fluid into his vein. It gave him a burning feeling in his arm, and the pain was unbearable.

"Do not resist!" said the voice.

F_ck! How can you not resist the pain? He noticed the other men were in similar pain too.

He could see a whitish glow on his vein as the fluid running through it. He felt his arm was burning, and soon the pain was everywhere. What the f_ck is the thing they injected inside me?

"Feel it?" Said the voice.

Yes, go_dam! It feels like acid tearing his inside. Aah, he shouted. But none was coming out of his mouth.

"When the door in front of you opens up, you must run as fast as you could."

How can you even run with the unbearable pain all over? The men in white robes removed the monitoring pad in their bodies and then casually walked out of the room between the two male guards. Soon after, the two guards also went out and locked the room from outside. Rey heard the slow opening of the door in front of them.

"When the door fully opens, you have to run out as fast as you could. But wait for my order."

Rey wanted to do it. But is it part of the plan? Just run away? How stupid can this be? It is not what he wanted. He wanted to go halfway around the world and execute the go_dam plan! But it seems this voice is telling them not so fast.

When the door fully opened, the voice gave his final order.

"Good luck! God bless. Make your country proud. Now run!"

The entire team rose from the bed, and one by one, ran towards the shadows from beyond the open door. Rey flexed his leg, ran the fastest he could muster, and went towards the edge where the door ended. He fell, and he could sense he just dropped from atop a tall building. Death! He shouted. And all he could hope for is pray.

"Wake up, Rey Lima," a soft voice whispered to his ear. It was a nurse. He felt a splitting headache.

"Drink this. For the headache,' said the nurse as she handed him the medicine.

"What happened?" He looked at his arm and body. 

He gestured to the nurse to come near him.

"Where am I?" Rey asked.

"You are here in the infirmary.'

"I am supposed to be halfway around the world."

The nurse just looked at him then walked on.

How can that be? He fell from the top of a tall building. He couldn't be alive!

Then he remembered the nondisclosure agreement. How stupid he is. He cannot share his thoughts. It's part of his signed agreement not to divulge any or part of the project.

A doctor wearing a white robe and carrying a stethoscope came in to examine him.

"Are you okay? Do you feel any headache?"

"No, I am okay," Rey said.

"You said something earlier to the nurse? What is it?"

"Oh, nothing. Just a bit of a headache. Tolerable, really..."

"Okay, you can ask for me if you want some help."

"What's your name, doctor?" Rey asked.

"Doctor Molina. Diego Molina."

"Thank you, doctor."

"Try to think of other things. That can help you relieve some of the headaches. TV helps..."

Doctor Molina opened the TV set then gave the remote control to Rey.

"Okay, thanks, doctor. I will do just that."

When Doctor Molina left the room, Rey flipped through the remote and settled on a channel where a man in a suit is broadcasting the breaking news.

"Kolima Lengoniywe, president of ________ Republic and two of his cabinet ministers were assassinated yesterday afternoon. Initial reports revealed that they were poisoned by an unknown chemical mixed in a bottle of expensive alcohol. The ruling party believed it was the handiwork of the opposition. "

Rey Lima turned the TV off. He felt a shiver down his spine. Did he execute their plan? Were they the ones that killed the president and cabinet minister? He cannot recall anything. Maybe he did, or perhaps he did not. But the body pain and the splitting headache might have been the result of that activity. There's something that doesn't add up. He could be plain crazy as he tried to wrap his head around what project Blue Shadow is all about.