Free Stone Soldiers: Catching Fire by C. E. Martin Page A

demanded, standing. He felt surprisingly strong- better than he had for weeks. All the heat and exhaustion of Afghanistan's mountains was gone.
    Dr. King pulled another small device from a pocket of his labcoat- a digital recorder. "Black male subject, approximately six feet tall, one hundred sixty pounds has regenerated successfully..."
    Smith looked over at the doctor, then back to the Colonel. "Regenerated?"
    Colonel Kenslir regarded him for several seconds with strange black-green eyes. "You died in Afghanistan, Lt. Commander. Dr. King has successfully resurrected you."
    "No, no," King said, switching off the recorder. "The correct term is regenerated . If he were completely dead, this would not have been possible."
    Smith felt his heart racing and his breathing becoming more difficult. "What is going on here?"
    Dr. King fumbled in a pocket, a look of concern on his face. He pulled out a small syringe and uncapped it with his teeth. "No need to panic, Commander..."
    Smith did feel panicked- he smacked the syringe from the Doctor's hand. "I want some answers!"
    A strong hand grabbed him by the left bicep, and Smith reacted instinctively, pivoting and trying to leg sweep the Colonel who had just grabbed him. But despite years of training in a variety of unarmed techniques, he might as well have kicked a tree. The Colonel's leg did not budge one inch.
    Smith grabbed at the hand holding his upper arm and squeezed. But the hand wasn't like a normal hand. It was flesh, but hard, like leather, unyielding. "Let go of me!"
    Smith struggled more, but could not break the grip on his arm. Then he felt the stab of a needle in his neck. He turned, in time to see Dr. King stepping back, holding an empty syringe.
    "It'll be alright- just relax..." Dr. King said. Smith couldn't hear more as his vision darkened and he passed out as the drugs injected into him took effect.
    ***
     
    "Let's try this again," a stern voice said.
    Daniel Smith awakened again- this time in a comfortable bed. He tried to sit up, but found himself strapped down. He was now in a hospital room. He wondered if he had been dreaming, then saw the same black-green-eyed Colonel watching him.
    "Where am I?" Smith asked, leaning back into his pillow.
    "Dr. King already told you," the Colonel responded. "Florida."
    "Why?"
    "You've been selected for a special program."
    Smith rolled his eyes- he'd heard that before. "Where's my team?"
    "Your team was extracted from Afghanistan with only minor injuries. They have since returned to active duty. Your actions saved their lives."
    Smith still wasn't buying that he'd died. "What day is it?"
    "May 17, 2008."
    Smith swallowed. That was three months later than when he'd been fighting for his and his team's lives. "Was I in a coma?"
    "No, you were dead."
    Smith studied the Colonel's face carefully. The grim-faced man seemed serious. But it just wasn't possible.
    "Is this some kind of psychological test?"
    The Colonel began unstrapping Smith's right wrist. "No. No tests... but you do have a pretty big decision to make."
    Smith pulled his wrist free of the loosened strap and watched the Colonel walk around his bed and begin unfastening his other arm. "Decision? What decision?"
    "We could only revive you for one day. To live longer than that, you'll have to agree to a procedure that will change you considerably."
    "You still expect me to believe that I was dead? That you dipped me in the Fountain of Youth and now everything's okay?"
    "Under other circumstances, we could debrief you and show you a number of things to change your mindset. But you only have a few hours to make up your mind. Time is of the essence."
    The Colonel stepped back from the bed and reached into a pocket of his camouflage pants. "I hope this will convince you."
    With one quick motion, the Colonel opened a large folding blade pocket knife with one hand, then raised it up and lopped of his pinky finger about halfway down its length.
    "What the f-?!" Smith