Chapter 1: A Dark Place

Carver's head was pounding. It was the kind of headache that echoed in the cranium. He tried to move but he could feel the straps keeping him on the table. The room was dark except for an odd glow that Carver noticed but could not pinpoint. The last thing he remembers was that last dive for Stanton Scientific. They had discovered Geminum, a new radioactive element within the sea floor and needed a top diver to retrieve a sample. A simple enough mission, especially with next generation sea exploration technology and a backer with deep pockets. Unfortunately, Carver's partner, Jamon Ramirez, wasn't as competent crane operator as Carver was a diver. He tried to place the crane exactly where Carver was drilling instead of beside him and caused a serious rupture in the retrieval module. The resulting effect didn't seem serious at first but a day later the explosion not only destroyed the module but caused Carver to be bathed in an unknown radiation. He remembered being engulfed in a wave of heat and then a strange feeling, like having seltzer bubbles forced into every pore of his body. The bubbles grabbed him and then the shockwave knocked him out. It was probably best that Carver was knocked unconcious otherwise the pain would have been excruciating. He felt some of it before passing out but was spared the bulk of it. Carver's room seemed to have a dark, dreamy tone. He was getting hungry but still had an odd feeling all over his body, like his skin had turned to sandpaper. Carver