Free TW12 The Six-Gun Solution NEW by Simon Hawke

far greater than normal for people in his time. And he did not know why or how. It had unhinged him. Then, when he encountered the notorious Sophia Falco, alias The Falcon, one of the leaders of the crosstime terrorists known as the Timekeepers, she had recognized him for what he was, seduced him and recruited him into the organization. She took him to the future with her, where she had further poisoned his mind against his father and obtained a biochip for him. Drakov was then given the benefits of an implant education through computer downloads directly to his brain. Already born with an amazing intellectual capacity, the implant programming had turned him into a genius. An insane genius. And when he found out the true story of who his father was and how he came to be, the hate he felt for Moses Forester completely overwhelmed him. He embarked upon a course that not even the Timekeepers would have dared to contemplate.
    What Drakov sought was nothing less than the complete destruction of the future, a savage revenge against his father and the world and time he came from. His goal was to bring about a massive temporal disruption that would result in a timestream split, the ultimate temporal disaster.
    He had at first allied himself with the Timekeepers and eventually became one of their leaders, but after the Timekeepers were defeated, Drakov managed to escape into the past and continue with his mad plan of revenge. With his own expertise and the assistance of the infamous Dr. Moreau, Drakov had created the hominoids, genetically engineered and biologically modified humans, some appearing normal in every respect, others mutated into frightful creatures, all with an unswerving loyalty toward him, obedient to his every command. His crowning touch had been to replicate himself, to create a series of clones that he had planted throughout time, in the care of devoted hominoid parents, children that at a certain stage of their development would be programmed with his own mental engrams, so that they would all be the same in every last respect. They would all share his memories and his feelings, his experiences and his warped personality. They were surrogates of himself that he could send out against his father's agents.
    “Priest is right," said Forrester. "We can't overlook the possibility that Drakov might have been responsible for those Observers deaths. In which case, your covers will be blown the moment you arrive, because he knows you."
    “I can anticipate you, sir.” said Lucas. "I'd be against our going in for any cosmetic surgery on this mission. Either way, if it's Drakov or the Network, our being recognized would help draw them into the open. And Scott shouldn't be the only one to bear the risk."
    “All right," said Forrester. "It's your call. I want the three of you to report for mission programming immediately. And then take the rest of tonight to come up with a mission plan. I want you to present it to me by 0900 tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll have Operations select a backup team and I'll alert Colonel Cooper to stand by with a Ranger strike team, just in case you encounter the S.O.G. in force."
    He turned to Neilson.” And you get a good night's sleep," he said, "then clock back to Tombstone first thing in the morning. Make sure you arrive soon enough after your departure so that you won't arouse any suspicion."
    "Yes, sir."
    “That will be all, people. Dismissed."
     
     
    As Neilson checked into some transient quarters to wash up and get some rest, the others proceeded down to Archives Section and the Mission Programming labs, where they reclined on contoured couches while the technicians pulled the necessary data files, accessed their cerebral implants and programmed them with all the information they would require on their mission, everything that was known about the time sector they would be departing to, as well as the pivotal events and characters in the scenario. They then repaired to the First