Welcome to the third serialized installment of J.C. Hutchins' SF thriller 7th Son: Descent (part 1, 2), a novel set in present day featuring human cloning, dangerous technologies, and "beyond Top Secret" government conspiracies .
THE STORY SO FAR: Two weeks after the bizarre murder of the U.S. president, seven strangers were torn from their "normal" lives and brought to a secret government science facility. Despite minor differences in appearance, it was clear they were the same man, with identical childhood memories.
These seven "John Michael Smiths" were unwitting participants in a human cloning experiment. Each man -- carpenter John, demented hacker Kilroy2.0, marine Michael and the others -- were brought here because their creators identified the man behind the president's assassination. It's the man they were cloned from -- the man whose childhood memories they all share -- a ruthless psychopath code-named "John Alpha."

cory, where's the link?
Cory, you are AWESOME for breaking this up into smaller posts. Thank you so much. :)
My google reader thanks you too.
A pretty interesting read thus far. Thanks to Hutchins and Boing for making this available.
One minor critique: Marines do not salute indoors.
Seventh Son is one of my favorite childhood books by Orson Scott Card...
Don't know if the typo is present in the version going to print, but this: "Reality TV, each your heart out." shouldn't be "each".