《CyberFall》 Prologue It was a cold day when it happened. The first hints of snow settled on the streets and paved walkways, while families strode through metropolises, shopping for their children and merrily singing songs to one another. The cataclysm that was soon to follow would decimate the city within seconds, none of them any the wiser for what was about to happen. Silver lining¡ªat least their pain would be fleeting. Their end, swift. Minutes later, the first bombs dropped. Mushroom clouds erupted by the hundreds. The sky turned red within hours. Black smoke billowed into the air. People scattered and ran at the sight of them. Those who saw them too late were fortunate; those who saw them early merely delayed the inevitable. Bodies littered the streets in the hundreds of thousands, swept away into the wind as they turned to ash. Tensions had been at their peak for some time before the event occurred. The governing officials had reassured the people that while there were some disagreements happening behind the scenes, the concerns between united countries had been resolved, and many of the first-world countries had come to an agreement. War had been a constant concern as of late, what with the advent of AI technology and weapons becoming more advanced than ever before. More concerning yet, news continued to come to light that the government had considered integrating that very same AI into its combat programs. This information was received poorly. Despite the reassurance of the government, nothing would be the same afterward. Communication crashed, save for the occasional radio. Guilds and groups assembled from what remained of the human race, building small outposts and scavenging for whatever food and water they could find. With the government silenced and the weapons of mass destruction leaving little for them to scavenge from malls, grocery stores, and water plants, the only law remaining was ¡°survival.¡± These groups¡ªwho would later be known as Centurion, Shinsei, and Praetorian¡ªled their followers across the war-torn lands, pillaging and killing whenever it was deemed necessary. Soldiers wearing the colors of other countries met these groups on occasion, firing upon them without mercy. However, with them being in such small numbers, many of the fights came down to skirmishes. Something about that didn¡¯t make sense. Many folks from the groups were unaware of what war was being fought, and without any method to find those answers, they quickly looked to blame the AI that had been in control for the past decade. WorldAI¡ªotherwise known as Wyatt, as the designers had fondly named it¡ªwas the world¡¯s most powerful AI. Designed by Piston Industries Incorporated, it served as the main hub for anything you could ever want. It was integrated into search engines, social applications, telephones, and even household appliances. It was always listening, offering a helping hand whenever the person required it. ¡°The perfect assistant,¡± as the developers had said. Initially, the AI was a point of contention. Journalists claimed that it was spying on its surroundings, recording and filming the individuals who were using it. Reports of suspicious activity littered the internet and other forms of social contact, with many expressing deep concern for their privacy. On the other hand, others stated that AI was the most logical next step, allowing for more convenient and enriched lifestyles. Regardless of what side you fell on, nearly everyone agreed that adjusting to the presence of an ¡°Always On¡± AI would take some time. Within a year¡¯s time, the AI had near full control. It wasn¡¯t long until the existing groups demanded answers for what had happened. They¡¯d killed and fought for what they had¡ªsome of them resorting to cannibalism. The nomadic lifestyle had grown old quickly, and they pined for a life they were forced to leave behind. Under the guidance of Praetorian, a large group of men were led to the front door of the government that had betrayed their trust. It was a grueling three months of walking. Few vehicles worked after the devastation, and without reliable parts or fuel, Praetorian was forced to make the journey on foot. When they arrived, the building had been blown to pieces. What remained, however, was the bunker that the officials had taken refuge in beneath the capital. Fury colored the faces of Praetorian as they combed the bunker for anything useful. Weapons, food, water, and even luxury devices, such as massage chairs and computers, were ripe for the taking. The leader of Praetorian¡ªConrad¡ªencouraged his group to take whatever the officials had. It didn¡¯t take long for the government to plead innocent to what had happened to the world. As they explained it, two neighboring countries had been bickering with one another regarding large scale weaponry. They stepped in to resolve the conflict, seeing that such potential devastation could not go unpunished. Talks went on for months concerning the development of such advanced weaponry. As the country, Benthanam, had explained it, their economy was in danger of crashing. The development of such weapons would be of immense use in ensuring their place among the top, kindly reminding the other united countries what could happen if they did not receive assistance. The government officials found this sickening, and they, along with help from their allies, managed to convince Banthanam to refrain from further development. At least, so they thought. What confused the officials further was that many of the conversations between these countries were rarely remembered the same way by any two people. Despite voice recordings and clear video proof being distributed, each person recalled the discussions differently. Initially, they had chalked the situation up to simple misunderstandings and would work to repair their relationships. However, the anger, especially of Benthanam, only continued to boil over, as the leading government bodies continued to berate one another and make veiled threats. Soon, the other allies were becoming increasingly concerning to deal with. The officials claimed to have tried to do what they could to stop Benthanam and their allies but judging from the destruction and the current state of war, they were unsuccessful. Even now, they weren¡¯t even sure if the other countries involved were still alive and breathing. For all they knew, they were mere craters in the soil now.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Conrad was unconvinced, as were many others from Praetorian. When the government body pleaded to allow them to guide them, Conrad denied them, claiming that he and the other groups that had assembled would be the ones to guide the world from this point forward. He asked about the AI, and what its current state looked like. With apprehension in their steps, the government officials led Conrad and his team to the central control computer where the AI was hosted¡­ --- A gunshot reverberated against the walls. Smoke rose from the barrel of Conrad¡¯s pistol while the old man¡¯s blood pooled on the floor. As the scarlet liquid flowed out of the man¡¯s body, Conrad replayed the darkest moments of his life in his head. Months spent killing, bickering, starving, surviving were finally at an end. He could still hear their screams, their pleas for help, the shriveled up remains of children who¡¯d starved to death and were buried by the desert. His ears were ringing. Screams followed. The denouncing of Conrad¡¯s name filled the air and echoed against the cement walls of the bunker, but he could not hear their words. All he could think about now was the end of one path and the beginning of another. With their leader¡¯s death, the government which had promised protection and safety for centuries was at an end. ¡°Cuff the others,¡± Conrad said, holstering his gun, ¡°lock them in the back room. I¡¯ll deal with them later.¡± ¡°You people are insane!¡± cried Senator Rogenberg. ¡°You can¡¯t do this! Everything we did, we did to protect you! Do you not understand that¡ª¡± His words were cut short by the pistol whip of Conrad¡¯s second-in-command, Charley. ¡°Why don¡¯t you keep that pretty little mouth shut, you fucking pig,¡± Charley hissed. Not another word came out of the official¡¯s mouth. He and the other pampered men and women were roughed up and dragged away to the room with Senator Rogenberg while Conrad watched President Beaufort bleed out. He drew as deep a breath he could and turned to one of his other men. ¡°Did you find the central computer?¡± Conrad asked. The man nodded, standing to the side so Conrad could exit into the hallway. ¡°Down this path, sir. Two rooms down and then take another left.¡± ¡°Very good. Come with me.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± While Conrad made his way to the room, he gestured for others to follow him. The machine was riddled with preventative measures, assuming the documents they excavated had any truth to them. Destroying the god forsaken machine may prove to be more complicated than he imagined. Not that he needed some old piece of paper to tell him what to shoot. Conrad came to the door, four men in tow with assault rifles. Up until now, they had to be careful with what they shot and how often they shot. Bullets were a luxury and a necessity. Today, however, Conrad would make an exception. There could be no better target for their weapons. He pushed open the metallic door, which proved to be much heavier than he anticipated. The door was made from reinforced steel and was several inches thick. The hinges whined as he pushed, and he caressed the wall to his side for the light switch. When he found it, he flicked it up and rows upon rows of florescent lights came to life above them. Towers of metal standing taller than any two men put together were stacked like dominoes beside one another. The hums and clicks of electricity and gears filled the room. He stepped forward, grazing one of the towers to his left, taking in the radiation, the static, the reverberations. A central control unit was stationed at the center of the room. When Conrad approached it, the screen hummed to life and WorldAI appeared on it. The AI¡¯s appearance¡ªwhich bore that of a pale-faced man with swept back black hair and piercing blue eyes¡ªdisturbed him to his core. To think that such a terrible facsimile for the human soul was responsible for the pollution of their air, the death of billions, and the crash of human society as they knew it. So much could have been prevented. So many lives could¡¯ve been saved. His own daughter¡¯s life could¡¯ve been spared. ¡°Hello, User. My name is Wyatt, Central Computer Artificial Intelligence by Piston Industries Incorporated. How may I assist you?¡± the computer said. Conrad felt sick to his stomach. ¡°You can go fuck yourself,¡± he murmured before kicking the metal box with his steel-toed boots. ¡°Such flagrant¡ª¡± The computer continued to talk, but Conrad wasn¡¯t listening. ¡°Men. Today, I give you the greatest pleasure any person who is still alive can receive. I gift you the right to take back your lives. To enact your revenge.¡± He turned back to them, slowly marching his way forward to join them. He stopped in front of them, a vengeful smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. ¡°On my mark, I want you to fire with impunity. Without mercy. Let yourself go and destroy the machine that took everything away from you.¡± ¡°Sir?¡± one man said, his voice tinged with confusion and his pointer finger tapping the guard around the trigger of his weapon. Another man, instead, loaded a fresh magazine into his weapon. ¡°With pleasure.¡± ¡°You are the finest men I have worked alongside with.¡± He looked at each one of them, proud of the force he had built in only a few months. However, they were not just his army or his unit. They were his brothers, his comrades. There were no others he trusted more in his life. If he could not allow them to enforce the law in their name, then no one else deserved that right. ¡°Now let¡¯s put an end to the AI, to the government, the horror, the bull shit.¡± He drew a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s take back our lives.¡± The men nodded and grunted, batting forearm against forearm with one another in a show of camaraderie. Then, Conrad stepped forward and fell into the group alongside them, pulling free the assault rifle that hung from his shoulder. Taking careful aim, the men moved into formation like an oiled machine and waited for their leader¡¯s word. Conrad took to the center of the unit, aiming for the central computer. Sweat drenched his forehead in a sheen. His trigger finger trembled. Not with nervousness or anticipation, but with vengeance. He steadied his breathing, readjusted his grip, then cried out, ¡°Fire!¡± A hail of bullets echoed against the walls. Those who weren¡¯t in the room covered their ears and escaped the terrible noise. Muzzle flashes painted Conrad¡¯s vision, and the men began to holler and scream with each casing that hit the ground. Electricity permeated the air in arcs, and red-hot sparks flew. One by one, the towers lost their power, and the lights flickered before going dark. Stray ammunition crashed through some of the ceiling lights, but it did nothing to impede their aim. When the assault at last ended, the men were panting and grunting. One threw his gun to the side and escaped into the hallway. A sob followed shortly after while another sat down for a smoke. Conrad, on the other hand, thought back to one of his favorite memories of his wife and daughter. They were at the beach, he and his wife enjoying pina coladas while their daughter splashed in the ocean water. His head ached. Their brilliant smiles, their loving embraces, the touch of their skin. God, he missed them. The gun fell out of his grip. ¡°I did it, Jessica, Emilia,¡± he whispered low enough that no one could hear, ¡°I avenged you.¡± Chapter 1 One Hundred and Twenty Years Later Andvari stood huddled behind the corner of a liquor store. Stray droplets of rain pelted his Centurion-issued combat suit and drenched his cloak as he waited under the awning for his source to show. I don¡¯t like this, he thought, tapping his elbow with his arms crossed, he¡¯s late. A streak of lightning arced across the cloudy sky, painting the area in a flash of white. And then the man Andvari was waiting for arrived, standing under the awning across from him. He pulled his hood down, then gestured for Andvari to join him. Andvari glanced to his left, then his right, and walked through the heavy rain to join him. ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± Andvari said as he stood beside the man. ¡°Things came up.¡± The man was older, in his early fifties. Grey flecked his scraggy beard and curled brown hair. He wore an old, tattered cloak over his engineer¡¯s smock and was missing an eye. He sniffed and rubbed his beard. ¡°Do you have the chip?¡± Andvari asked, his patience worn thin. ¡°Aye, I have it.¡± He reached into the pocket of his smock and Andvari stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. ¡°No funny business,¡± Andvari warned as he gestured to the holster compartment of his suit. In the holster was a pistol strong enough to punch holes through steel. An experimental weapon developed by Centurion, only licensed SPECTREs were allowed to carry such weaponry. People like Andvari. ¡°It¡¯s as I said,¡± the man hissed with a hint of nervousness. He carefully plucked a small data chip from his pocket and extended it to his left, toward Andvari. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Andvari pressed a switch on the side of his helmet. His visor lit up and a series of graphs and energy readings appeared on screen. The suit didn¡¯t pick up any anomalies. But Andvari did. ¡°Let me see that,¡± he said before snatching the stick out of the man¡¯s hand. Rotating two of the buttons on his helmet, the visor switched to a visual where he could see a copy of the chip. It was an easy thing to miss, but a groove at the end of the chip didn¡¯t match the one in his banks. Andvari dropped the chip and crunched it with his heel as he pulled the pistol out of his holster. The weapon¡¯s generator hummed to life, and he stepped back with his weapon on the man. ¡°Where¡¯s the real one?¡± The man gasped and held up his hands. ¡°W-What do you mean? That is the real one. You just broke it.¡± ¡°Keep your god damned voice down,¡± Andvari warned. ¡°I wasn¡¯t born yesterday. You switched the chips. Why?¡± The man swallowed. ¡°I¡­ well, that is¡ª¡± The man started, when Andvari heard a click. A split second later, a hole appeared in the man¡¯s remaining good eye, offering a visual out the back of the man¡¯s skull. Andvari spun around to see a man in a trench coat with his weapon on him. ¡°Shit,¡± Andvari hissed as he took cover behind one of the cement walls. Another click followed, and a bullet tore a hole through the support of the awning behind him. The awning crumpled to the ground. ¡°Shit.¡± Company Grade silencer. Designed to make as little noise as possible, undetectable to the average person, and completely untraceable. His attacker had planned to ambush him from the start. ¡°Come out of there so I can put you to bed,¡± the man warned. ¡°I¡¯ll make it quick, I promise. Don¡¯t make me turn this area into a bloodbath.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you come over here instead? This isn¡¯t a great way to make a first impression,¡± Andvari said as he took notice of another awning on the second story beside the man. He pushed the nub on the side of his pistol and turned it to its side to confirm it had switched to Pinpoint Mode. ¡°I¡¯m comfortable where I¡¯m at, thanks.¡± Andvari poked the edge of his visor around the corner, then reeled back when he saw the man adjust his aim. The bullet hit the corner of the wall, creating a perfect hole in the cement. ¡°That¡¯s enough of that,¡± he whispered as he took aim at the awning. One shot and that thing would come crashing down. Several shots in a short period of time and he¡¯d overload the generator that offered extra punch to his ammunition. That was fine. One shot was all he needed. He pulled the trigger, and the windows on the side of his gun lit up. The bullet soared with purpose and struck the support to the awning. Andvari¡¯s attacker gasped and turned. The awning folded in on itself and fell atop him. Now¡¯s my chance! Andvari followed his instincts and sprinted toward the man as the awning tangled him. Holstering his gun, Andvari veered to the side in anticipation and swept at his attacker¡¯s legs just as another bullet left the barrel. The stranger fell with a yelp and Andvari leapt on top of him, pinning his wrist to the ground and batting the gun out of his hand. The weapon slid across the ground through the puddles of water and Andvari swung his hand against the man¡¯s face, knocking him senseless. Pulling the tarp off of him, Andvari gripped him by the collar of his coat and pulled him close. ¡°Who sent you to kill me?¡± The man spit on his visor. ¡°Go fuck yourself,¡± he chuckled. Andvari punched the man square in the nose. He felt it break from the impact and shoved the man back to the ground, where his blood mingled with the rainwater. He moved to pull his weapon free, then hesitated. ¡°Where¡¯s the chip?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡± the man mumbled. Andvari rocked his lower jaw, then unholstered his gun and pressed it against the man¡¯s forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t do it. Now, tell me where the hell the chip is.¡± The man swallowed, then grunted. ¡°The Black Tavern.¡± A bar a few blocks down. Reputed for its hard clientele and high crime rate. There wasn¡¯t a day that went by that there wasn¡¯t someone dying on its corner. ¡°Who?¡± He pressed the gun harder against his skin, and the man groaned. ¡°Who has it?¡± The man sniffed. ¡°Mantis. The guy¡¯s name is Mantis. He¡¯s a real tough fucker, a¡ª¡± ¡°I know who he is. Where is he right now?¡± The man paused. ¡°The Dancing Mermaid.¡± Andvari returned his gun to its holster and rose to his feet. ¡°If I find out you lied to me, I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying, dickwad.¡± Andvari swung his heel against the man¡¯s chin, knocking him over and spilling a couple of teeth from his mouth. The man continued to groan and growl while Andvari walked over to where the attacker¡¯s weapon had flown to. Picking it up, he noticed it was a grade of weapon not unlike his own. Experimental, highly volatile, packaged with a high energy generator. There was no way he got this through normal channels. ¡°I¡¯ll be confiscating this. Hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± Andvari said. ¡°Do I have a choice?¡± he sputtered. ¡°No.¡± Andvari pulled his hood back over his helmet and began to jog. It was only a matter of time until someone came to check out the ruckus, and he wasn¡¯t going to be here when it happened. Under normal circumstances, he would make a call to Centurion Headquarters to have the man imprisoned for questioning. But due to the sensitive nature of the mission, it was absolutely paramount that no one knew about Centurion¡¯s involvement. Such information¡ªin addition to the chip that Andvari was on the hunt for¡ªcould damage Centurion¡¯s reputation beyond repair. He couldn¡¯t allow that to happen. When he fell upon the bar, two men were already standing outside, enjoying a couple of cigarettes. They wore vests over their hairy chests, pointedly jabbing at one another¡¯s mother and girlfriend. Andvari rotated a disc on the side of his helmet, and the thermal vision came online. There were at least a dozen bodies inside the bar. Sneaking by wasn¡¯t going to happen. Not through the front door, anyway. A heat signature was on the roof. It was human-shaped, under the weather. An easy takedown and a clear indicator that there was a scaffold nearby. Considering the potential for error, he took careful steps around the back in hopes that he could get in through the back door. He stopped at the corner, then carefully peered around the bend. One man under an awning, a camera, and a back door. Unlike the man on the roof, however, this one was larger and was a head taller. He would be more difficult to remove. Thankfully, the rain would grant cover.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Glancing behind him, he rotated the disc on the side of his helmet until he came to the Frequency Disruptor¡ªthe FD, for short. If he could locate the correct frequency, he could disable the camera. It would be a temporary measure, as most cameras were designed to adjust, reroute, and reestablish their connection within seconds, but it would give him the time he needed to knock out the man in the corridor and hopefully retrieve his key without arousing any suspicion. He heard a subtle whine down the alleyway. It was now or never. Sprinting down the alley, he withdrew his gun. The man pushed off the wall, threw out his cigarette. As he opened his mouth for help, Andvari whipped the butt of his gun against the man¡¯s temple, sending him to the ground with a thud. ¡°Y-You fuck,¡± the man groaned, his eyes barely open. Andvari kicked him across his face, and the man went silent. He fell to one knee and patted him down for a key. Reaching into his front left pocket, he extracted the slip of plastic and threw the man¡¯s arms over his shoulders. Moving a man of this size would¡¯ve normally been a struggle, but with the help of his C5-Grade suit, moving him was no more difficult than lifting the average man. The heavy man¡¯s feet dragged across the ground and Andvari threw open the top to the garbage container. His breath hitched when he heard the camera whirring back to life. Pouring every ounce of his strength into the maneuver, he shouldered the man into the container shut it. He ran to the door, sliding the card through the reader and mentally preparing himself for anything that might be on the other side. He pushed the door open and quietly shut it behind him just as the camera came back online. ¡°Hey, Fred, what¡ª¡± An older man¡ªwith brimming muscles¡ªwho was leaning against the wall of the corridor on his left started. He barely got the words out before Andvari lunged forward and swiped his gun at him. The man reeled back to evade, lifting the shotgun that¡¯d been hanging from his right hand. Andvari threw the keycard in his face, and he yelped. With him distracted, Andvari swung his left foot against the barrel of the gun, knocking it to the ground. As the man recovered, Andvari closed the distance and pushed the barrel of his pistol against the bottom of the guy¡¯s jaw, cocking his head back. The man¡¯s hands went up. ¡°Not a word,¡± Andvari warned. ¡°Cooperate and I won¡¯t put a bullet in your head.¡± The man smirked. ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± he whispered. ¡°If you could, you would¡¯ve killed me already.¡± The bastard was smarter than he looked. Clicking the generator gauge back, the energy within the weapon began to hum. ¡°You want to test that? I¡¯ve got nothing to lose.¡± It wasn¡¯t true, but none of these lowlifes would know that. ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked after a pause, the corner of his eye twitching. ¡°I want to know where Mantis is. He has something I need.¡± ¡°You and everyone else.¡± He flicked his shaven head to a room on his left. Andvari knew that trick all too well. He wasn¡¯t about to take his eyes off him. ¡°He¡¯s in there, pleasing a few little toys.¡± ¡°Well then, lets go say hi.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you should¡ª¡± Crack! Andvari felt something crack as he whipped his weapon against the person. A low groan escaped his lips as he slumped against the wall, but the signs were obvious. He wouldn¡¯t be coming after him. Once that was settled, he tilted his gun to one side to better observe it. If the shit hit the fan, he¡¯d need something accurate and fast. He flicked the small lever on the side until it switched to Skirmish Mode. It would strike the perfect balance of speed, power, and accuracy without overheating the generator. Moving toward the room the goon informed him of, he paused at the entrance where beads hung from the arch like makeshift curtains. Veering to his right for a better look, he saw that the room was covered in violet neon lights. Curvaceous women danced and moaned in various arrays of dress and undress to the beat of club music, the bass overwhelming the room with an intoxicating blanket that thrummed against the eardrum. ¡°Christie,¡± came Mantis¡¯s familiar voice, ¡°why don¡¯t you come over here and show me what else you can do with those lips?¡± Somewhere to his right. Andvari reached for the disc on the opposite side of his helmet and turned it until the Centurion Sound Modulator¡ªknown as the CFM¡ªcame online. An intricate system, it could detect not only what the sounds were, but predict with high accuracy where they originated. The system wasn¡¯t foolproof, but it was accurate enough to help him plot a plan of attack. Especially if the only male voice in the room belonged to Mantis. ¡°Mantis, dear, you haven¡¯t even finished your drink,¡± a woman in black lingerie and blonde pigtails cooed. Her heels clicked against the tile of the room, and she fell to her knees on a pillow at the center of the room. She crawled forward on all fours and giggled. ¡°Be a good boy and finish your drink. Then maybe I¡¯ll reward you.¡± As Andvari¡¯s helmet recorded the myriad of sounds, the security of the room became clearer. Metal walls installed with compartments of weapons and sex toys. Speakers designed for high bass. A pair of false walls behind Mantis¡¯s voice. Barring the equipment behind the false doors, the visor wasn¡¯t picking up any hums or residual signals that resembled those of cameras or automated weapons. The turrets would still need to be armed. With the occasional stray pistol or rifle within the walls being the exception, the room¡¯s purpose was clear: pleasure. Time to put an end to your evening, Andvari thought, leveling his pistol beside his face. Andvari emerged from the corridor, his gun on the frivolously dressed man known as Mantis. Gasps and squeals filled the room, and Andvari threw his arm to one side. Christie was on her feet in an instant and stumbled backward over a table. ¡°No one moves, no one gets hurt.¡± He flicked his head toward Mantis, gesturing for him to stand. ¡°Who do you think you are, interrupting my personal time with these lovely young ladies?¡± he asked, standing up with both hands raised. The man was garbed in a thick purple robe with black hems and leopard print. He was older, in his late forties. Due to extensive surgery, however, he bore the appearance of a man in his late twenties. The only clear indicator were his deep laugh lines, which looked too pronounced, too concave when one considered how rarely he laughed. ¡°You have something I need,¡± Andvari said, glancing at Christie. Two of the other women were already helping her up. ¡°A chip. You know which one I¡¯m talking about.¡± ¡°A chip?¡± he frowned. Tilting his head to one side, he squinted. ¡°I am most sorry, but you will have to be a bit more, ehm, clear on what chip you are referring to. As I¡¯m certain you are aware, a man of my prestige finds himself in the possession of useful materials and information a daily basis.¡± He smiled. ¡°You can be more specific, yes?¡± Andvari didn¡¯t like this. As far as he was aware, no one was privy to the information. Not yet anyway. Disclosing the information would not only mean admitting what was on it to Mantis, but to the women in the room as well. He wished he could trust them, but if they could so readily offer themselves on a platter to a greasy slimeball like Mantis, then they were just as much of a threat as he was. ¡°Don¡¯t play the fool,¡± Andvari said. ¡°A man like you who who¡¯s in the business of obtaining information he has no right to?¡± He neared the slimy playboy and steadied his aim, keeping a careful eye on the women. Any one of them could jump him, and all it would take is a moment¡¯s hesitation to lose Mantis. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. You know which chip I¡¯m here for. Cough it up and I won¡¯t spray your brains all over the walls for your girls to clean up.¡± ¡°My, my,¡± the man¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°such barbarism. Come now, I¡¯m sure we can come to some sort of an arrangement, can we not?¡± Dealing with his type was a dangerous endeavor. Once you were in, there was no getting out. SPECTRE or not, men like Mantis had a way of worming their way back into your life. Even if you were working under an alias like Andvari was. But without the knowledge of the chip¡¯s location, he wasn¡¯t sure if he had much choice but to go along with it. At least, to gain Mantis¡¯s trust. ¡°You think I won¡¯t kill you?¡± ¡°I do not.¡± Mantis lowered his hairy arms and put them behind his back, smiling with his full set of gold teeth. He shrugged. ¡°For whom else has the information? You must listen to me.¡± Look for a sign. Something. Anything. You can¡¯t work with this man. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°Atta boy, chap.¡± He gestured with his hands for the women to calm down. ¡°Come here, my kittens.¡± ¡°No,¡± Andvari said as he came closer. A few feet were all that separated them now. A shot to most places at this range would kill him. ¡°They stay back.¡± ¡°You heard the man!¡± He playfully shooed away one of the women who were topless. Her eyes were bloodshot and her makeup pale with contrasts of dark. She slinked away like a hungry animal, and the others followed suit. ¡°Stop playing around and tell me what the hell you want.¡± He messed up. His tone was angry, irritated. No doubt his body language reflected that as well. Focus. Don¡¯t lose your concentration. He made to correct his tone when the helmet picked up something. It was subtle, but within one of the walls was another compartment filled with various chips and documents. ¡°Change of plans. Turns out the chip I need is here.¡± Mantis¡¯s eyes widened. Andvari had him on the ropes. ¡°I¡­ do not know what you mean.¡± ¡°Save it.¡± Andvari gestured to the wall two booths down. ¡°Open up the safe.¡± Each booth was separated by silken transparent curtains. They caught the light of the violet LEDs as Mantis shifted uncomfortably and started his way over to the locked safe. A bead of sweat traveled down the side of the man¡¯s head, his lips pursed into a thin line. ¡°You will never get away with this?¡± Mantis hissed as he procured a small keycard from his pocket. ¡°Why don¡¯t we worry about that later, and you can just focus on opening the safe? Come on, hurry up. Or I¡¯ll put a hole in you and that safe. Makes no difference to me if the chip is destroyed.¡± Mantis drew a deep breath, slid his card through the reader beside the compartment, and the cupboard popped open with a hiss. He pulled the drawer open, stopped when he reached inside. ¡°Ah-ah!¡± Andvari said. He flicked his gun to the side. ¡°Move out of the way. I¡¯ll get it myself.¡± Mantis did as he was asked, and Andvari took his spot. He glanced down to see a thin layer of chips in the drawer. Keeping his gun on Mantis, he used his free hand to pull up the image of the chip when he was speaking with his source. ¡°Compare to the chips inside,¡± he told the program. Analyzing, the system responded. While the system did its job, Andvari bobbed his foot while he and Mantis stared one another down. The man had lost all of the gusto he had from earlier, and he delighted in robbing that from one of the more powerful information traders in the city of Bastion. Complete. A visual came up on his visor, indicating which one of the chips inside the drawer was the closest match. Andvari plucked the device from the drawer, examined it against the picture on screen, then slipped it into the socket on his helmet. CENTURION BLUEPRINTS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, the chip read. ¡°Cancel read,¡± Andvari said, and the visor turned blank, putting the chip¡¯s information into a sleep state in his helmet¡¯s system. ¡°A pleasure doing business with you, Mantis.¡± ¡°Just get out of my establishment, you swine,¡± Mantis hissed. ¡°Don¡¯t have to tell me twice.¡± Andvari wasted no time in leaving the room. He was slow and careful so as to prevent Mantis from firing upon him or calling for help, but he was out of the playroom and back in the pouring rain within seconds, chip in hand and mission complete. Chapter 2 The elevator doors whisked open, and Evann stepped out, removing his helmet. The tips of his blonde hair were flecked with beads of sweat and his face pale from the drying perspiration. As he rocked his lower jaw from side to side, he pinched his nose and blew to alleviate the pressure in his ears. It was always like this. As incredible as the power suit was, any extended amount of time in it meant a long, hot shower and a couple of cigarettes upon return. ¡°Still have my report to make,¡± Evann muttered, desperate for the taste of tobacco as he marched through the hall of the executive floor, cracking his neck from side to side. The helmet remained tucked under his arm, chip held securely in place within the gear. He sniffed, then approached the large double doors at the end of the hall, knocking twice. ¡°Enter,¡± a voice with a thick baritone came from within. Evann pushed the door open and shut it behind him. Men and women sat in a half-circle of desks adorned with electronic pads and microphones. The room was without windows to maintain privacy, and the walls were made of a thick steel that could only be punctured by the most powerful of weaponry. The executives were clad in formal wear, bearing piercing eyes and rigid facial structures. They bore into him with their stares, the man at the very back setting his elbows on the desk and crossing his hands. There wasn¡¯t a single person around these tables who was incapable of dismantling departments with a single phrase. Offering a crisp salute, Evann put his free hand behind his back and stood at attention. He chose to stare at the Centurion banner against the wall behind them. It was customary that people in Evann¡¯s position avoid looking into the eyes of one¡¯s superior unless expressly told to do so. A Centurion custom, as he understood it. ¡°What news do you bring, Andvari?¡± the man with the crossed hands asked. Each SPECTRE was expected to take on a codename upon their initiation. Evann had chosen the term, Andvari. ¡°The chip was successfully retrieved,¡± Evann said. ¡°Was the information compromised?¡± ¡°There is no history on file that the chip has been accessed.¡± The man drew a long, sharp breath, slowly nodding. ¡°Set the chip on the table.¡± Evann stepped forward and extracted the chip from his helmet. He observed the chip momentarily before setting it down in front of the man. The president slid the chip closer and picked it up, rotating it in his hand and humming. ¡°You have done well, Andvari. Your contribution is to be commended.¡± These meetings were always a conniving dance of shifting power. Despite his excellent performance and his prestigious position as a SPECTRE, he was still small fry when compared to the suits of Centurion. No amount of combat ability or wit could overthrow the word of Centurion¡¯s executives and its other corporate partners. ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± Evann said, his attention still firmly glued to the banner. In these meetings, it was important he only spoke when spoken to, and that he avoided offering information that wasn¡¯t asked for. ¡°I shall see to it that you receive a bonus for your work,¡± the man continued, pulling his electronic pad closer. Evann glanced down without moving his head, impressed with the speed of the man¡¯s fingers. Rumor had it that he had extensive work done on his hands to improve his speed and dexterity while reducing the strain and fatigue. Evann had his doubts, as the man¡¯s hands displayed no scars or inhuman movements. Then again, cybernetic implants were improving every year. ¡°Return to your quarters and await further instructions. You are dismissed.¡± Evann nodded and exited back through the double doors. He allowed his body to relax and shook his head. I need a smoke. Wiping the sheen of sweat from his forehead, Evann returned to the elevator and took it down to the commons floor. When he stepped out, he took to the hall on his left, evading the security desk and pushing open the door to his quarters. Centurion policy was exceedingly strict about where Evann was allowed to go when wearing his suit. His quarters were a fine place to remove the suit, though it needed to be placed in a special container that ensured the suit was operating at full capacity. After sliding his card through the reader and leaning forward for a retina scan, a chime followed, and the door slid open. ¡°Welcome back, Evann,¡± an electronic female voice said. Evann walked into the room and the door hissed shut behind him. The cigarette was calling his name, but there was still protocol to be followed before he could lounge around. He retrieved his pistol from the holster and switched on the safety to his gun before striding over to the rack of weapons on the wall. He set the gun in a slot that was level to the wall, and a green light came on above it. The light flickered to yellow moments later, indicating that the generator was being charged. While weapons and armor were expected to be placed inside the secured room of the accompanying SPECTRE when not in use, Evann felt naked without his weapon, and so he preferred to keep his weapon where he could see it. Centurion rule dictated that any SPECTRE was allowed their weapon so long as they were present to observe it. He would be in direct violation of Centurion protocol the moment he left the room. Drawing a deep breath, he stepped over to his side where another sliding door was. Beyond this one was the secured room where a cache of weapons and armor suitable to Centurion SPECTREs lay. Any attempt to break in would set off a silent alarm and initiate a secondary set of emergency locks that few had the knowledge to. He slipped his card through the reader and a loud click emanated from within. The door whisked open to reveal a small room with several black crates of weapons and suits with the Centurion logo. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Throwing open the crate to his right, he took off the body suit and carefully placed it inside the grooves next to the helmet. Once he shut the crate, a light came on where the handle was, turning green, then flickering to yellow just as his pistol had. With that out of the way, he exited the room and locked it through use of his card. Striding over to the door to the back porch, he pushed it open and took a seat on one of the luxurious seats Centurion provided to their employees. State of the art stuff, it cushioned the person¡¯s muscles and adjusted specifically for that person¡¯s body type and weight. He sat down, flicked the switch on the side, and let the machine do its work while the rain pattered against the veranda. He retrieved the pack of cigarettes and lighter from the glass table and tapped the packaging until a cigarette fell out. He lit the end, puffed on it, then set the lighter and pack back on the table, blowing a huff of smoke upward and leaning into the chair. The AirVac machine hummed above him, drawing in poisonous fumes and unbreathable air and expelling it back into clean oxygen. It was a miracle of technology and ingenuity, taking what should¡¯ve been an unlivable environment and turning it into something that resembled the world before the Great War. Or, at least, a shell of something resembling the world as it was. AirVac was what kept the world in check, complacent, obedient. It brought about law and order and allowed those at the top to ensure cooperation among the populace. Centurion¡ªalongside its allies, Shinsei and Praetorian¡ªworked to help maintain and balance life in Bastion. If not for their work, there was a good chance Evann would¡¯ve never been born at all, and the entirety of the human race would now be extinct. All because of some A.I. Evann flicked the ash off his cigarette as he mulled over the significance of A.I. from the world as it was. Nowadays, such a concept was expressly illegal and punishable by death. Rumors would float around from time to time that the big three corporations were inventing new methods for how the technology could better assist humanity so as to prevent a repeat of the prior disaster, but such rumors were ill-founded at best. Even if such a method could be found, Conrad¡ªthe late founder of Praetorian, and a hero to Bastion¡ªstood at the center of Bastion, immortalized in bronze as an everlasting reminder not to repeat the past. Taking another puff on his cigarette, the lure vanished. It was always like this. Regardless of the stress he felt, the desire to take more than needed off of the blunt was never appealing to him. A few long drags and he¡¯d be done, oftentimes discarding the remaining half in the tray. He put his cigarette in the ashtray and pressed the full weight of his thumb against it to extinguish the ashes, then flipped the switch off on the chair, then stepped back into his room when he was sure he wouldn¡¯t take any of the smoke in with him. The sofa called to him, but the allure of the shower was stronger. His muscles desperately craved some relaxation and a decent show. Not that there was ever much to watch. Society was still working its way back up to creating entertainment. More people found their fun in building things, playing games, or going out for drinks. Television was a poor imitation of what it used to be, under exceptional scrutiny from the corporations. A strict set of rules had to be followed to end up on television, and even if it managed to get that far, chances were the show would be canceled within a year¡¯s time. Oftentimes, long before that. He slid his finger along the wall where the restroom¡¯s entrance was, and a green light turned on behind the transparent finish. With a hiss, the wall folded itself into a compartment to reveal a sleek room of black marble and glass. Evann undressed and threw his clothes onto the sink to his left. His room was as luxurious as it got, but it was still a studio at best. The restroom¡ªif you could even call it that¡ªwas slick and precise, hidden behind a wall like everything else. That was the theme behind Centurion¡¯s make. If you couldn¡¯t find it, then you knew they were proud of it. The showerhead turned on at his approach, and he stepped over the ledge and into the compartment. A glass sliding door emerged from a slot in the wall, encasing him inside. Hot water drenched his sculpted body, finding its way into the gaps of his hair and skin. The tension left his body in waves, and a satisfied sigh escaped his lips. ¡°Evann. You have a bonus awaiting you from Centurion Corp.,¡± the female voice assigned to his room said. ¡°Ignore,¡± Evann said, washing his hair. ¡°The message is available at your convenience.¡± Centurion had been kind with their bonuses up until now. Perhaps it was an incentive program of sorts or a way to encourage consistent behavior. From what his commander had told him, he displayed exceptional performance during missions, so as long as he was being paid it was all the same to him. ¡°Cancel shower,¡± Evann said. The showerhead responded and the water stopped. With a sigh, he exited and began his usual hygiene routine. As much as he wanted to go back to his home, Centurion had been clear about his need to remain on standby until further notice. Whatever Centurion had cooked up for him was bad. Real bad. It was the third mission in as many days, and each of them was a reconnaissance task. The suits had been tight-lipped for the most part, but from what little he¡¯d heard, someone within was leaking classified information out to the public. ¡°Razor.¡± Moments after his request, a compartment opened up next to the mirror, revealing a razor that cost more than most people made in a month. He retrieved it and set to work on shaving the stubble. Considering Centurion¡¯s inconsistency regarding his dismissal upon capture, he figured each of the chips he¡¯d retrieved up until now were important in different ways. Whether that was weapons, conspiracies, or otherwise, he couldn¡¯t say for sure. Though, whoever was distributing this information knew how to cover their tracks. Centurion was home to some of the best hackers and programmers in all of Bastion. He was no slouch himself, even if his SPECTRE duties often found him in the line of combat more often than not. As far as he understood it, Shinsei and Praetorian weren¡¯t suffering from the same issues. Allegedly. When Evann was done, he shut off the systems through a number of voice commands and slipped into his boxer shorts and a loose-fitting T-shirt. The half-circle sofa was calling his name, and he made no effort to refuse the call. After he retrieved his gun from the charging station on the wall, he jumped over the back and landed on the soft material, clicking on the television for any semblance of entertainment. He stopped when he landed a history channel detailing the events of the Great War, then set his gun on the marble coffee table, making doubly sure that the safety was turned off. He nestled into a comfortable position, and sleep took him shortly after. Chapter 3 Evann awoke with a start, jolting forward when he heard the vibration of his phone on the table. Groaning, he sat up and retrieved the device, turning it over to see a number he didn¡¯t recognize. He raised a brow, dismissed the call, and brought up a separate window on the screen. After sending a text message asking the caller who they are, he tossed the phone onto the leather of the sofa and stood up, stretching his arms above his head. Today was his day off. Well, about as close to a day off as a SPECTRE could get. The truth of the matter was, you could be off duty for the day, but in actuality you were still a hand¡¯s breath away from being called away by Centurion. It was just a fact of the world, and that suited Evann just fine. He¡¯d signed up for it knowing full well what the job would entail. Evann rolled his shoulders and walked over to a section of the room that looked as ordinary as the rest of it. He slid his finger down the sleek design and the compartment inside opened and folded to one side to reveal a walk-in closet. At least, as defined by Evann. As far as he was concerned, if he could fit inside then it was a walk-in closet, definitions be damned. He pushed an empty coat rack to the side, retrieving a thick leather jacket and his carrying vest for his weapon. Well, technically it was a vest, but it was more of a strap that stretched over the shoulder. It was a left restricting fit, and while Evann had no desire to fire without good reason, he almost wanted to let others know that he was carrying. Anyone who knew a fair deal about weapons and how they could be concealed would know he was carrying. The jacket was as comfortable as ever. Featuring a ring around the collar bone, the jacket offered just enough sight that it wasn¡¯t an obstacle while providing a line of defense against shots. Additionally, the inside was padded with state-of-the-art absorption technology, cushioning against high-impact shots. The shots would still hurt like a bitch, but in a favorable scenario, his survival chances were much higher. He didn¡¯t like padding the inside any more than the average person, but with how dangerous Bastion could be, it was always better to be safe than sorry. He threw on a pair of loose-fitting pants and some boots that came up to his knees. He walked up to his bathroom mirror and readjusted his jacket. He fingered his hair in the mirror, then brushed his fingers against face to check for stray hairs. Evann preferred a clean cut. Once, he¡¯d tried the beard. Some women liked to see a full set of whiskers, after all, and he was not the type to shirk away when a woman wanted something. One month was all it took before he shaved it, and he never looked back. How some men could pull it off, he had no idea. Evann liked to believe he was fairly attractive. He sported blonde hair cut into a crew cut and deep green eyes. His jaw was firm and sculpted, his lips thin. A scar was set above his right eyebrow. Initially, he wasn¡¯t a fan of it, but as time went on, he grew to like it¡ªespecially when it had caught the attention of a woman who was just a little too attracted to danger. Many might¡¯ve scoffed at him, but women were no less plentiful in the world now than they were before he was born. Danger may have lurked around every corner of Bastion, but that was no excuse to look like a bum. Evann cricked his neck to one side, then tucked the cuffs of his jacket up until his forearms were exposed. It wasn¡¯t a look he rocked too often, but he was open to trying new things. Once he was satisfied, he grabbed his gun, phone, card and then exited the room. --- Structures that seemed to touch the sky surrounded Evann on his exit out of Centurion HQ. They looked down at him like imposing towers of steel that could crush him at any moment. Around them were grids of street paved by Centurion and the freelancers they hired. Much of the land around Centurion HQ was owned by them, and in a way, they were the law of the land. At least, for the third of Bastion they carried jurisdiction over. Evann watched as men and women dressed in impressive and expensive suits passed him by. Many of them carried briefcases and electronic pads, their stares zeroed in on the big prize at the top of the food chain. The corporate ladder, as Evann understood it, wasn¡¯t all too much different now than it was eighty years ago when the world ended. Since then, humanity had made hundreds of claims expressing their interest and understanding in the human condition and what made living important. It was that very message that Evann believed in when he joined Centurion, and it was that very message that kept him going on days when things were rough. But he wouldn¡¯t turn down a hard drink and some company, either. Evann flashed his civilian¡¯s card across a bus stop and waited. Moments later, the digital reader flashed back at him for the credit amount, asking him to confirm his purchase. He pressed the YES option, then tapped his foot while he waited. A ding followed and an electronic man bowed its appreciation. Taking a spot on the bench, he made up a short tune and clicked his tongue to the rhythm. He could¡¯ve used his SPECTRE¡¯s card for an expedited ride, but he liked to ride with folk he identified with. The people who were on the express rides were usually filled with men in freshly pressed suits with the personality of sand. When his ride came, he waved to the bus driver. Sean wasn¡¯t much of a looker, but what he lacked in looks he made up for in personality. He was a longtime acquaintance of Evann¡¯s, and Evann liked to offer him a few more credits whenever he saw him. Sean nodded as Evann entered, and Evann took a spot a few seats down. He watched the spires of steel pass him by, observing how the landscape steadily changed the farther they got away from Centurion HQ. The buildings were dirtier, muskier, and the citizens dressed more casually. Laughter began to fill the air, and soon Evann saw children playing about. He leaned on his elbow and watched them as he passed by. A satisfied sigh escaped his lips, and soon the bus came to a stop. ¡°Thirty-eighty and Bolero!¡± Sean said. ¡°Awesome,¡± Evann said as he rose to his feet. As he passed Sean by, he slipped a small chip into his hand with a dozen credits on it. ¡°Take it easy, Sean.¡± ¡°You too, Evann.¡± The doors shut behind Evann, and the bus drove away. He was in a seedier area of the city now. Those who lived around here didn¡¯t make much, and usually had to scrap and wheel and deal to just make ends meet. Evann may have lived a more privileged life now, but memories of when he was a youth would often floor back whenever he visited this section. Fond recollections of making trouble for the hungry salesmen brought a smile to his face, their husky arms shaking vulgarities as they made away with a sweet piece of tech under their arms. It was an adrenaline rush, and nowadays he was on good terms with the very people he made so much trouble for. Evann strolled the numerous markets and residential areas, taking note of the kids playing games with decade-old tech and balls that were in dire need of replacement. The ground was still wet with the early morning¡¯s rain, the air humid and dirty. The AirVac machines did what they could to cleanse, purify the air, as well as provide much needed oxygen to the residents, but even they struggled to keep up on occasion. Some days were better than others. Evann stopped in front of a shop he was all too familiar with. Second Life Circuits was a shop owned and operated by Stan. To say that Evann was acquainted with him would¡¯ve been a severe understatement. The two stuck to each other like glue, and in their more dire moments, they could count on one another for advice or even just an ear to vent to. Of anyone Evann knew, Stan was the most reliable and comforting person he¡¯d met, and one of the few childhood friends he was still on familial terms with. Evann smiled, then pushed open the door. An old bell rang above as the door clipped it. A customer¡ªA lankier fellow, tall and without an inch of skin showing¡ªwas speaking with Stan, arms crossed and tone firm. ¡°You¡¯re charging too much for this,¡± the man said. ¡°This model is five years old. I can get a newer model at the junk shop two blocks over for half the price.¡± Stan shrugged. ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re at the wrong shop, then.¡± ¡°Apparently so.¡± The man readjusted his cloak and brushed past Evann on his way out, glancing at him with a discerning eye. Have I met him before? Stan disrupted his thoughts with a hearty, ¡°Evann! Come on in.¡± The door shut behind him and Evann walked up to the counter on his right to greet Stan. He was a hearty man, bore wind swept green hair that fell just below his jawline. It was so dark that one would assume it was black, but under the right lighting, one could tell its true color. Two eyes of teal were set in a face with hard stubble and leathery skin. He crossed his arms as Evann approached, smirking. ¡°Still taking scraps, I see,¡± Evann said. ¡°Beats bein¡¯ under a thumb,¡± Stan jabbed back. ¡°By the way, is that thumb getting heavy? Hear Centurion¡¯s strugglin¡¯ just to keep their secrets, well, secret.¡± ¡°Well, being the efficient dog I am, Centurion¡¯s best interests are still mostly secret. That is, unless you want to tell me something I¡¯m not aware of.¡± ¡°Nahhh,¡± Stan waved his hand, then chuckled. ¡°Closin¡¯ up shop here in a sec if you wanna wait.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pulling in Grade-A clientele, though,¡± Evann said as he leaned one elbow on the counter, ¡°you sure you want to call it quits now? I feel like your number¡¯s coming up any second now.¡± ¡°Eat shit, Evann,¡± he barked, then pressed his tongue against the bottom of his lip. ¡°Man, lemme tell ya. If I see one more of ¡®em, I swear to fuck I¡¯m gonna deck ¡®em one.¡± ¡°Easy there,¡± Evann chuckled, ¡°remember the last time you did that?¡± ¡°Bah! It was worth it to see the bastard¡¯s teeth on the floor. I¡¯d do it again. Add to the collection.¡± If Evann had to pick one person to stand beside him in a fight, it would be Stan. Every other week Evann would hear about how some guy tried to undercut him or how the black market was secretly stealing plans or merchandise from him, and Stan would go out and find the culprit. Win or lose, Stan would make sure the guy responsible would walk away without some of his teeth. He had a thing to punching people straight in the face. ¡°Do you really have to be so violent all the time, though?¡± Evann asked. ¡°It¡¯s a good scare tactic, keeps the cowards at bay. Most of ¡®em are all talk, talk, talk and no action.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t bother me one bit.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your brother doing?¡± ¡°He¡¯s gettin¡¯ by. Medicine¡¯s been tough to get lately, but he¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Do you need any help?¡± Evann asked, already knowing the answer. ¡°Thanks, bud, but no thanks. We don¡¯t take handouts around here.¡± Despite how rough around the edges Stan could be, he met each customer with the goal of selling off his stock. As far as he understood, Stan could barely keep the lights on, let alone pay for his brother¡¯s medicine. They got by, but barely. Evann had offered on countless occasions to help them, but Stan was as stubborn as could be. Unsure if it was pride or otherwise, Evann decided not to pry. ¡°He going to be okay while we¡¯re gone?¡± Evann asked. ¡°Yeah, I got Cecilia lookin¡¯ after him,¡± Stan said as he procured a large red lock box from behind the counter. He dialed a four-digit number onto the front of the box, then pulled it open. ¡°She¡¯s been good to him, so I ain¡¯t worried.¡± Evann hummed in understanding. Cecilia was a lovely woman, motherly and stern. She was one of the few women Evann knew on a regular basis who could give the men a run for their money. She wasn¡¯t strong or particularly tall, but she was witty and clever as hell, and knew her way around dangerous tech. From Evann¡¯s understanding, she was the daughter of an ex-conman, and his unruly behavior bled into her. Minutes passed in silence while Stan counted the chips in his lockbox. He ran each one through a verification kiosk to his right. Each chip was counted, and the funds on them withdrawn to the master chip within the kiosk. Evann waited patiently until an audible sigh escaped Stan¡¯s lips and he retreated into the room behind the counter. A muffled conversation passed, presumably between him and his brother, and a couple minutes later, Stan emerged. ¡°All right, bud, let¡¯s get outta here,¡± Stan said. ¡°You got it.¡± --- Music blared against the walls as Evann and Stan walked into Toxic Nexus, one of their favorite bars. Neon signs, strobe lights, and a high like you wouldn¡¯t believe could all be attained here. Half-naked women sauntered through the joint like they owned the place¡ªand they pretty much did¡ªand men took bets on which of them would last the longest in bed. To date, Evann and Stan knew of no better place a guy could come to and have a good time. Evann took a seat at the bar, Stan sitting on the stool next to him, and their usual bartender, Rio, approached and leaned his hands on the counter. ¡°What I can do you for, gents?¡± he asked. ¡°Give me a Corkscrew,¡± Stan said, ¡°need to feel it today.¡± ¡°Shit, man,¡± Evann chuckled, ¡°this early?¡± ¡°Like I said. I need to feel it.¡± Rio pursed his lips and looked at Evann. ¡°And for you, sir?¡± ¡°Wise Temple for me.¡± ¡°Shit, man, that girly thing?¡± Stan said, nudging him with his elbow. ¡°You gettin¡¯ soft on me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on standby. That thumb you mentioned earlier? Real heavy lately.¡± Stan clicked his tongue knowingly. ¡°You heard the man. Get his pussy drink.¡± Evann chuckled while Rio nodded and turned around to make their drinks. Stan reached into his jacket and procured a lighter and a cigar. Even to this day, Evann couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. Stan just never struck him as the type to enjoy cigars. They were much more potent, bolder. Stan had a cigarette from time to time, but he always preferred the cigar. Then again, maybe it just worked better when he was downing three drinks in conjunction. ¡°How¡¯s life treatin¡¯ you, friend?¡± Stan asked after taking a long drag off his cigar. He blew a big O into the air and leaned one elbow on the bar. Evann flicked his brow. ¡°Just another day in paradise. Centurion¡¯s been cracking down on the black market more than usual.¡± That wasn¡¯t news, but even with Stan he needed to watch what he said. Centurion had eyes and ears everywhere. Besides, if it weren¡¯t them then it¡¯d be one of the other two big corporations running Bastion. ¡°Been on retrieval lately.¡± ¡°Yeah? They teach you how to beg and catch balls, too?¡± Stan chuckled. Evann shrugged. ¡°I mean, at least I¡¯m not scrounging for pennies. I¡¯m taken care of, I get to control my own unit on occasion, and they trust my judgment.¡± ¡°As long as it aligns with theirs, you mean.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I know you¡¯ve had your beef with Centurion, but do you ever think to come back?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Maybe you could work for me.¡± Stan laughed a hearty laugh. ¡°Fat chance, friend. I¡¯m done serving a faceless entity while good people suffer.¡± He gestured to the people around them, and Evann couldn¡¯t help but catch two women littered in tattoos making out in a corner of the bar. ¡°Yeah, real good people,¡± Evann smiled. He was no fool. He knew how Stan meant it. There was a lot of history here, and Evann often reminisced playing in this district with his friends. Most of them had died or moved on by now, but Stan was the one who stayed. They¡¯d had their differences, but Evann struggled to think of what his every day would look like without a good friend like Stan to keep him in check. ¡°Real good people,¡± Stan repeated, taking another puff off his cigar. He blew the smoke up just as Rio returned with two drinks. He set the glasses down in front of them and Stan brought it to his nose. He took a large whiff, then shook his head. ¡°Heaven.¡± A single ball of ice floated in the brown fluid. An orange garnished the lip of the cup while a few thinner slices rest in the alcohol. ¡°Smell that?¡± he said, bringing the glass to Evann¡¯s face. ¡°Now that¡¯s a man¡¯s drink.¡± Evann rolled his eyes and took a drink of his own drink. It was nothing like Stan¡¯s. Whereas Stan¡¯s was hard-hitting and known for putting men on the floor after the second drink, Evann¡¯s had significantly less alcohol and was a bit sweeter. It was scarlet in color and dark enough that you couldn¡¯t see through it to the other side of the glass. The drink was still considered dryer and not at all sweet, but few drinks could hold a candle to the fireball that was the Corkscrew. ¡°Anything else?¡± Rio asked as he procured a glass to the side and wriggled a rag in it. ¡°Nah, you¡¯re good, Rio. Thanks,¡± Evann said. Stan nodded and raised his glass as thanks to Rio. ¡°Perhaps one day you can teach me what it¡¯s like to be a man,¡± Evann said, taking a drink. ¡°I seem to have forgotten.¡± ¡°Ya damn right you have.¡± Stan shook his head and took a swig. He¡¯d nearly drained half the glass already. ¡°Wish you¡¯d just come and work with me. Is where you belong.¡± Evann rolled the ice around in his glass in thought as he observed the ambiance. For as long as he could remember, this bar was always raking in customers. With such a hardass like Rio running the joint, the bar rarely saw problems as well. He watched a larger man in a purple leopard print suit speak softly into a woman¡¯s ear. They¡¯d taken a booth to the left, and she was biting her lower lip and brushing the front of his shirt with her fingers. Evann watched out of the corner of his eye, sipping his drink on occasion and granting Stan the occasional nod. Despite how it appeared, it was the woman who was in control. She¡¯d leave him broke by the end of the day. Evann chuckled. ¡°Somethin¡¯ funny?¡± Stan asked, a brow raised. Stan¡¯s questions came off intimidating, aggressive, provoking. For anyone who knew him, however, they knew Stan was just the jabbing type. He never meant any real harm by his words. ¡°Just life, I suppose,¡± Evann said, downing the bottom half of his drink. Wise Temples weren¡¯t known for their alcoholic content, nor their size. Just a good way to get a buzz and remain coherent. ¡°How¡¯s your brother doing, by the way?¡± Stan calmed and became quiet for a time. ¡°He¡¯s all right.¡± Evann nodded. That was Stan¡¯s way of asking him to mind his own business. So Evann left it alone. ¡°What tech have you been working on lately? See anything pop up in the black market?¡± Stan clicked his tongue. ¡°I tell you, if I had¡­¡± He paused and drummed one hand against the bar. ¡°Bah, a shit ton of credits for every time I found a piece of my hardware in some scrapper¡¯s yard, I¡¯d have enough money to live comfortably for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°You sure that wouldn¡¯t just put you on some list to get mugged?¡± Truth was, very few places were safe in Bastion. Some were safer than others, but one could never be too sure when they¡¯d get mugged or beat up for their chips. For that reason, a good chunk of people walked around in pairs¡ªsometimes more¡ªjust to avoid trouble. Every other person, especially those at the bottom of the city¡¯s structure, was just looking for a fight. It helped distract them from their problems, see something else other than their livelihood go down the drain. ¡°Bring it, I say,¡± Stan said, chuckling. Stan was a special case, though. He enjoyed fights for their own sake. Not as some way to avoid facing reality. ¡°Can always get me some bodyguards.¡± ¡°Not going to work forever,¡± Evann said, chuckling. ¡°Take it from me. I¡¯ve watched plenty of higherups get assassinated under protection.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Feels like the powerful are destined to crumble at some point.¡± Stan snickered. ¡°This is what I mean, bro. You work for one of these places!¡± He downed the remainder of his drink and animatedly pointed down to the bar. His finger nearly slipped off the polished wood. The alcohol was hitting him hard. ¡°And you think just workin¡¯ for them is gonna pay your bills forever and let you live a life of no hardships?¡± He scoffed. ¡°Bro, you need to wake up.¡± Evann didn¡¯t take any offense to what Stan said. Truth was, Stan had gotten the short end of the stick when it came to Centurion. He was a promising enough candidate, and his time working for them was well spent, but it was obvious from the moment he joined that he wasn¡¯t built for such a structured and uptight way of living. Orders had to be followed. There was protocol to obey, rules to abide by. Stan¡¯s scores and general opinion held by his peers continued to dwindle and worsen until he received word that his folks had died. The day was just as fresh in Evann¡¯s memory as if it had happened just yesterday. He¡¯d been standing at Stan¡¯s desk, jokingly jabbing at him and poking fun at his poor results. That was when a call came in for Stan. Both of his parents, while on a trip to a nearby store to research parts for a mechanical arm, had been killed in a shootout. He¡¯d never seen Stan so pale, so quiet, so unsure of himself. Two weeks later, he withdrew the money from his parents¡¯ savings account and opened a shop specializing in tech and hardware upgrades. He put in his two week notice and that was the last Centurion saw of him. ¡°It¡¯s not gonna be that way forever,¡± Stan said just as Rio placed another Corkscrew in front of him. Stan downed half the drink in an instant and rolled his tongue around his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m prepared for that eventuality,¡± Evann said, taking great care not to offend Stan. Stan could get emotional whenever Centurion and alcohol were mixed. Stan¡¯s parents had worked hard to give him a shot at Centurion, and Evann wondered if Stan felt as if he was betraying his parents by throwing in the towel. ¡°All we can do is play the hand we¡¯ve been dealt.¡± ¡°Yeah. I guess so.¡± Silence surrounded them for a time. This was fine, and it happened from time to time. More often than not, he and Stan could come to the bar, shoot some pool, hit on some ladies, and call it a good night. Today, though, Stan seemed preoccupied. As if he wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t quite find the words to do it. Evann knew when he was hiding something, and he knew even better than to prod or poke him about it. If it was important enough, he would come to Evann about it. Eventually. ¡°I told you once already, bucko, leave me alone.¡± A woman¡¯s voice. Evann turned his head to the right to see a group of men crowding a woman. Evann could see why. Her black dress was glittery and formfitting, showing off her generous curves. It cut low on her chest, just above her belly button, drawing Evann¡¯s gaze upward. Long brown hair framed a face with bright blue eyes and round cheeks. Her eyes were thin and sharp, her lips full and red with lipstick. She was drop-dead gorgeous. ¡°Oh, come on, sweetheart, just relax,¡± the biggest guy¡ªwho happened to be at least two heads taller than her and sporting a red bandana around his neck¡ªsaid. ¡°We don¡¯t mean any harm. When¡¯s the last time you had a tussle in bed, anyhow?¡± One of the other guys, a skinnier man, shook his head and scoffed. ¡°Dude, with a bod like that?¡± He frowned as if his friend had said something unequivocally stupid. ¡°She¡¯s getting action every night.¡± He flicked his head toward the girl and leaned against the wall in front of her to block her from escaping. ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± The woman paused. Not good. Denial or affirmation would¡¯ve served her better. She seemed to realize that seconds later when she said, ¡°None of your business.¡± ¡°For real?¡± the skinny guy said, chuckling. ¡°Show¡¯s what I know.¡± ¡°Bet you¡¯re real tense, huh?¡± a third, bigger guy like the first, said. ¡°Clamped up and desperate for action? Why else would you be here, honey?¡± ¡°Let it go,¡± Stan whispered. ¡°Not worth it.¡± Evann couldn¡¯t take his eyes off them. This sort of thing happened all the time, but Rio and the other attendants could do little more than ask them to leave. They weren¡¯t law enforcement, and there wasn¡¯t much of it to be had in the lower districts. To this day, the populace was still complaining about the lack of order and demanded more action. This meant that half the time it was up to the common citizen to resolve issues. ¡°Right,¡± Evann said, trying to break eye contact. Suddenly, one of the men noticed he was looking. It was the largest man he¡¯d originally overheard. ¡°You looking at something, punk?¡± ¡°Maybe I am,¡± Evann shrugged. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at your physique.¡± The man¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just in awe of how nature can stack shit that high.¡± ¡°You shit-eating, piece of¡ª¡± ¡°Dude, let it go,¡± the lanky one said as he moved to stand between him and Evann. ¡°He¡¯s just trying to goad you. Don¡¯t let him do it.¡± Well, at least one of them had some sense in them. ¡°Evann, seriously?¡± Stan whispered. ¡°We doin¡¯ this again?¡± ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t watch them push around a woman like that,¡± he muttered back to him. He knew Stan would enjoy fighting once he got into it, anyway. He always did. That¡¯s just the kind of person Stan was. The stool screeched against the floor as Evann stood up. ¡°Am I wrong, or are you so insecure that the only way you can feel powerful is by targeting women?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of you,¡± the man growled, shoving away the lanky one. The floor practically shook with his approach. He stopped a couple of feet away from him, curling his right hand into a fist. ¡°Gonna give you one chance to take that back you shithead. Walk away.¡± ¡°No,¡± Evann said, staring deep into the man¡¯s eyes. You could tell a lot about a person that way. This man was all talk and no game. ¡°You best back down, chrome dome. I¡¯m not playing around with you. Walk away now, or I will take you down.¡± ¡°Ah, shit,¡± Stan said, putting out his cigar in the nearby dish. ¡°Here we go again.¡± The man chuckled. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try.¡± ¡°Your move, buddy.¡± The man lunged, and Stan stuck his foot out, tripping him. The man toppled over, squealing and rolling over once. He recovered quicker than Evann expected, kneeling on one hand and one knee. ¡°Oh, sorry about that, bro,¡± Stan said, pushing his chair back as he got up. He directed his attention to the remainder of the group¡ªthree other guys¡ªand clicked his tongue repeatedly. ¡°Three suckers and they¡¯re not plastered. What fuckin¡¯ kinda shameful bar fight is this?¡± He shook his head and raised his hands. ¡°Well, come on, nerds.¡± The fight broke out as soon as the sound of breaking glass echoed against the walls. Lumbering toward him like a giant, the heavy man broke a bottle against the edge of the bar counter and reached forward to stab Evann with it. Evann knocked away the bottle with a swift kick from his right leg. Squeals from a party of women on the opposite side sounded as the bottle crashed against the floor, and they ducked for cover. Evann glanced toward them to make sure they were all right, then veered to his right when the giant came at him with a straight left punch. He at least knows how to throw his punches, Evann thought, veering back to his left and smacking the man¡¯s wrist to the right. He delivered one swift blow to his gut, and a groan escaped the man¡¯s lips. One meaty arm swung at Evann as he neared closer, and Evann ducked under it, punching upward into his chin. He felt a bone crack, watching as a tooth flew out of his mouth. Blood poured out of his mouth, and he gagged. Whimpering, the large man shouldered past Evann. Evann spun around to see Stan stuck in a vice grip. He wrestled against the man while another smaller guy pounded him in the stomach. ¡°Hey!¡± Evann said, rushing to the defense of his friend. Just as he had, however, Stan elbowed the man grappling him, then stepped on his toe and flung his head back into the guy¡¯s forehead. The man yelped and reeled back onto a nearby table. The lanky man hissed and spun around, swinging both legs across the ground as Stan and Evann approached. Evann noticed too late, and the lanky guy¡¯s foot caught his heel, sweeping him off his feet. Much the same happened to Stan. Thankfully, due to their extensive training in Centurion, they knew how to break a fall. Evann spun to the side facing the tables and rolled away just as the lanky man was standing up. He dove on top of Stan and began to punch him wildly while Stan kept his forearms up to block the incoming blows. The larger man, seeing that Stan was preoccupied, moved to block Evann from interfering. His face was red and bruised, trickles of blood dripping out of his nose and mouth. Unlike the prior man, however, this guy seemed to have some gusto, some fight in him. The woman he¡¯d stood up to protect watched from a nearby table she¡¯d turned over. Evann glanced at her, and immediately regretted it as the heavy-set man closed the distance eerily quick. He made a wide arc with his meaty fist, and Evann swerved back, catching an imperfection on the floor and stumbling. The man¡¯s fist connected with purpose, and if Evann had maintained his posture, he could¡¯ve easily had his jaw broken, or worse. Evann swung his head to his right with the momentum of the man¡¯s fist. It lessened the pain, but it still hurt like a bitch. Spots of various colors decorated his vision, and as he lost his balance, he fell back in anticipation of a lunge. The man delivered, and Evann granted him a swift kick against his groin as he soared over him and across the floor into another party¡¯s table. ¡°What the hell kinda joint is this?¡± one man screamed as bottles and trays crashed to the floor. Evann spun around onto his hands and knees and shook away what he could of the specks in his vision. He glanced over his shoulder to see Stan and the lanky man were standing up now, and the two were going toe-to-toe boxer-style. As he returned his gaze to the large man ahead of him, he hissed through his teeth and jumped to his feet just as he was charging forward. What the hell is this guy made of? I know made a direct hit against his jewels, and somehow he¡¯s unfazed? ¡°Here!¡± Rio cried, tossing a pool cue at Evann. Evann caught it and jabbed it into the man¡¯s stomach. The man grunted, then grabbed the end and snapped it. ¡°Ah, shit,¡± Evann muttered just as the guy yanked the remaining half of the cue out of his hands using his spare hand and threw the pieces over his shoulder. The party yelped as it hit the ceiling light. Sparks flew and cries of fear filled the air while they vacated out of the corner of Evann¡¯s vision and out the emergency exit. The lumbering giant wiped away the blood on his face with the back of his hand and lurched forward. His brow was greasy and matted with sweat. His nose was fractured in, what had to be, multiple places, and his leather jacket was at least two sizes too small for his girth. After the damage he¡¯d taken, he should¡¯ve been on the floor in tears by now. Especially after the blow to his balls. He¡¯s gotta be high on something or have some sorta implant that¡¯s messing him up, Evann reasoned. It wasn¡¯t implausible. Those down in the lower districts of Bastion struggled to find a life worth living. Drugs were rampant on the streets, and despite the police force claiming it was doing everything in its power to stop them, they had a tendency to look the other way when more apparent cases rose to the surface. On the other hand, implants were expensive and hard to come by. On occasion, one might end up with a neural interface or a program for the right price at the black markets, but doctors who were willing to operate at the risk of being caught by law enforcement were difficult to locate. Even so, Evann was willing to wager this man was operating on such a device; especially since he¡¯d just effortlessly broken a pool cue in half. Drugs were helpful to a point in a fight, but there always came with them some side effects. This man didn¡¯t show any sign of impaired function. Evann hesitated and devoted his entire focus to the man. ¡°Come ¡®ere, you!¡± the man bellowed as he reached forward for a bear hug. Evann hopped backward and reached for a stool to his right. He held it up like he was taming a lion¡ªat least, he assumed this is how carnival tamers controlled the extinct creature¡ªand jabbed it back and forth with both hands. The man grunted and smiled with yellowed, crooked teeth, then grabbed two of the legs. Evann tried to take it back, but the chair barely budged. The man¡¯s smile widened, and he bent the two legs inward, tearing the stool away from Evann¡¯s grip. Yeah, there¡¯s no way in hell this guy isn¡¯t rocking some sort of implant. Evann took one step back, then another. The man took his time in approaching Evann, shaking the chair above his head. This was quickly becoming less of a fight and more of an intimidation tactic. Most implants were located somewhere in the head area. A strong enough charge and you could disable it temporarily. It wasn¡¯t a foolproof solution, as many of the implants had been designed with electrical surges in mind, but if someone was running around with an implant in the lower districts of Bastion, then there was a strong chance it was compromised in some way. Evann hesitated. He could use his gun to bring this to a quick close. The man was dangerous for sure, but this was still just a simple bar fight. No, it was best to do this the old-fashioned way. I need something to disable that implant. An idea occurred. Evann reached for his gun and undid the power cell that connected to the back. It could double as a stun gun if it connected with metal or higher concentrations of iron. He kept the power cell hidden in his hand and waited for the man to approach. ¡°Ruinin¡¯ our good time,¡± the man grunted. His words were sounding less and less human by the minute, and more like a beast that¡¯d been deprived of its next meal. ¡°I¡¯ll break you!¡± The heavy-set man lumbered forward with a wide arcing swing of his right fist. Evann veered to his left, predicted the next swing from the man¡¯s left, then ducked and repositioned to the man¡¯s left, jabbing the power cell¡¯s connectors against the back of the man¡¯s jaw. A quick flash of blue-white light electricity fired from the cell, and with it came the man¡¯s pause. He groaned as a stream of black smoke rose from where the cell had connected, and seconds later, he fell to his knees, then onto his stomach. Evann briefly touched the man¡¯s neck for a pulse, and after confirming that he was still alive, rushed over to where Stan and the lanky man were still having it out. ¡°Ah, fuck this!¡± the skinny coward said, ducking under a swing from Stan and bowing out the front door of the bar. Stan cricked his neck side to side, then pinched the bridge of his nose, blowing out a mix of snot and blood. ¡°I had ¡®im.¡± ¡°Hey, I got you into this mess, the least I could do is help you out of it,¡± Evann said. Stan chuckled. ¡°All good, he was a chump anyway.¡± Rio crossed his arms and shot them a raised brow. ¡°The mess. How do you intend to fix what you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°Put it on my tab,¡± Evann said with a gesture. ¡°I¡¯ll get it to you next week.¡± Rio tapped his elbow and shook his head. ¡°This is the second time this month. We¡¯re only six days in, as you are aware.¡± ¡°I am,¡± Evann nodded with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll add some extra, don¡¯t worry.¡± Rio sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± He rounded the corner of his bar and tended to the mess, apologizing to the remaining patrons in the bar. Rio could¡¯ve made a bigger deal out of this, but he knew just as well as anyone else that if Evann didn¡¯t do this, then someone else would have instead. ¡°Ya know, I think that was just what I needed,¡± Stan exhaled. He glanced at the woman they¡¯d been harassing, then shook his head. ¡°At least the little lady¡¯ll be safe now.¡± He patted Evann on the shoulder and started his way out the bar. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for me to head back. See ya later, bro.¡± The bell chimed with Stan¡¯s departure. Evann thought to approach the lady to make sure she was all right, but she seemed to have a fair head on her shoulders. Instead, Evann started his way out of the bar next, glancing at the power cell. He¡¯d done something he shouldn¡¯t have. There was a chance the cell was damaged. If it was, he¡¯d have to explain that to Centurion, which wouldn¡¯t be a fun conversation considering how difficult these things were to break. Oftentimes, you had to do it intentionally, and without him being on duty, well that just exasperated the problem. He clicked his tongue, but he held no regrets. He waved to the woman on his way out, and as he pushed the door open, he heard the clacking of heels behind him. As something grabbed the bend of his elbow, he looked over his shoulder to find her standing there, eyes wide and blinking. ¡°T-Thank you,¡± she said. A smirk tugged one corner of Evann¡¯s mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± he said as he returned his attention outside. ¡°Wait. Please.¡± Evann paused, turning back around. ¡°What is it?¡± She tilted her head to one side and a gentle hue of pink colored her cheeks. ¡°Well, can I at least buy you a drink?¡± Chapter 4 The scent of manufactured coconut and daffodil permeated the air. Thick with the heat and humidity of passionate sex, Evann shook himself awake and leaned up on his elbows. He rolled his shoulders and blinked rapidly before looking to his right where Chiaki was sleeping. She breathed a drowsy hum while Evann admired the soft curves of her back. The sheets shifted as he maneuvered back against the headboard, revealing Chiaki¡¯s shapely rear. A smirk slowly tugged at the corner of Evann¡¯s mouth, and his manhood responded. Chiaki breathed deep, then looked at him over her left shoulder. She fluttered her eyes, then wiped away the sand that had built up around the corners. ¡°Good morning,¡± Evann said. She returned his growing smile, then turned to her left, allowing her generous bosom to spill forward. Glancing at the mound his shaft was creating under the sheets, she licked her lips and cooed, ¡°Good morning, handsome. Ready for round two?¡± Evann leaned forward to kiss her, stopped short by the buzz of his phone on the bedside table. He looked at it, hesitated, then gave her a peck on the lips before moving the sheets off and throwing his legs over the edge of the bed. ¡°Gotta take this, sweetheart. Just a minute.¡± ¡°What a shame,¡± she said with a pouty lilt to her voice. ¡°Well, I suppose I¡¯ll get ready for work, then.¡± As Evann scrolled through the notifications on his Centurion-issued phone, he looked over his shoulder to see Chiaki¡¯s retreating backside. Hate to see you leave, but love to watch you go. He returned his attention to the phone, noting a single two-word message: ¡®Presence required.¡¯ Centurion¡ªlike many of the corporate entities which controlled Bastion¡ªwas secretive whenever it dealt with Evann. Being a SPECTRE granted him access to a wealth of information normally withheld from the public. Making sure that information didn¡¯t fall into the wrong hands was a task within itself. For that reason, tasks and missions were delivered in person, never over an electronic device. Evann sighed and ran a hand over his hair. The night prior was one he wouldn¡¯t soon forget. They¡¯d spent the rest of the prior night visiting arcades and bars and getting to know one another. One thing led to another, and by the end of the night she invited him back to her apartment. Visages of Chiaki¡¯s smooth skin brushing against him and the sensation of her fingernails digging into his skin resurfaced. Lips so soft they were criminal, a giggle so infectious he couldn¡¯t help but tease it out of her. He could see her gasping for air, her intense blue eyes burying themselves into his make. Chuckling, he shook the thoughts away. Drifting into a sensual daydream could wait for later. He rose from his seat and, after a brief search for his clothes, dressed himself and retrieved his gun from the bedside table. To his relief, the power cell to his gun had lost some of its charge but it was still working. After clicking the cell back into the pocket of the pistol, it responded with an energy charge that read half-full. ¡°Good. Still works,¡± he muttered. The pistol didn¡¯t require a power cell to operate. It bore many of the same characteristics that most small arms did, offering traditional explosive-based propulsion systems and allowing the user to change them as they saw fit. The power cell was useful for adding a bit of oomph to his shots and allowed him to fire the weapon with minimal risk of being heard. So, while it wasn¡¯t necessary that the power cell worked, it sure did help when it did. Evann walked up to the metallic bathroom door, knocking the back of his fist against it. ¡°Chiaki?¡± The sound of running water reverberated against the door, inviting him to sneak in and shower with her. ¡°I¡¯m going to take off.¡± No response. Evann frowned, and as he was about to knock again, the door hissed open slightly, revealing Chiaki¡¯s soaked face. The side of her body was visible, and as Evann¡¯s gaze traveled downward, her curves hypnotized him briefly. ¡°Eyes up here, babe,¡± Chiaki said, smirking. Evann returned her expression. ¡°I¡¯m heading out,¡± Evann said. The longer he stayed, the more likely he was to ignore the call to action from Centurion. That would not be a good look. ¡°Will I see you later tonight?¡± Chiaki said, lowering her voice. ¡°Depends. I¡¯ll let you know later.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me wait too long. I might find someone else.¡± She smacked her lips, then disappeared behind the door as it shut behind her. Evann licked his lips, nodding. ¡°Right,¡± he whispered. He turned on his heel, patting himself down to make sure he had everything he arrived with, then exited her apartment and locked the door behind him. --- Centurion Headquarters was a very different place during the day. Men and women dressed in business suits and skirts strode from room to room and desk to desk at a brisk pace. Fierce determination lit the eyes of many, their sights set on a goal that they may never achieve. This was when the building truly came alive, and when ideas became reality. Evann sifted through the crowd on his way to the elevator, gesturing and waving to familiar faces on the way. He looked out of place in his jacket and pants when compared to the suits around him. While his rank allowed him to get away with breaking the rules from time to time, he had to be careful not to make it a habit. It¡¯d been over a month since the last time he walked around without his suit, so he hoped that would suffice. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Just to be on the safe side, I¡¯d best meet the suits in formal attire. Evann jumped onto the elevator for the highest ranked officials in the building, then slid his card through the reader and pressed the button for his room. There were two others in the elevator with him, and they offered little more than nods and passing glances. The hum of the elevator filled the air, and Evann took a deep breath, hands clasped in his lap. The two men got off on the twentieth floor before the elevator resumed its ascent to his room. Evann strode at a brisk pace, not wanting to be late. Although the message hadn¡¯t indicated a time, it was paramount that you arrived as soon as possible when Centurion made a request. As far as he was concerned, they were counting every single second he spent doing something else. A quick change of clothes later, Evann tucked his gun back into its holster, wearing it under his suit. He never liked the feeling of a tie and collar. It felt too restricting, too uptight. As if at any moment the suit could come alive and kill him to assume his identity. Doing a quick doubletake in the mirror, he nodded and exited his room, then continued his rise to the suite. The elevator dinged after a short trip upwards, the doors sliding open to reveal a woman with fair skin, violet hair, and deep red eyes. She wore a white button-up shirt and blazer. A business skirt accentuated her feminine features, and a red tie with a large golden pin denoted her ranking. She stood at a distance, eyeing at a data pad she has holding in her hand, affording him the chance to depart the elevator and approach to pay proper respect. ¡°Commander Lara,¡± Evann said as he stepped out. He proffered her a crisp salute, then stood at attention, his arms held at his sides. ¡°At ease, SPECTRE Evann,¡± Lara said as she looked up at him. Evann placed his hands behind his back and relaxed his footing. ¡°Has anyone told you why you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°No, ma¡¯am,¡± Evann said, looking straight ahead. When paying proper respects, it was important not to make eye contact with your superior officers unless otherwise specified. ¡°Good. The message sent to you this morning was delivered by me.¡± She turned on her heel and flicked her head down the hallway. ¡°Come with me.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Evann followed her down the corridor, taking note of the perfume she was wearing. It was difficult to describe but carried the aroma of someone in charge. Dark, heavy, intoxicating if one smelled it for too long. It accented her power, despite her being a head shorter than him. As Lara¡¯s heels clicked against the tile, Evann steadied his breathing, following close behind. He¡¯d been through these briefings dozens of times, but each one was just as nerve-racking as the last. The double-edged nature of his job meant no two missions were ever alike. Even if lately they¡¯d all been data retrieval, each group he¡¯d snagged chips from were different and wholly unique. Black market salesmen, prostitutes, con men, murderers, you name it. His mind remained sharp as a result, granting him favorable expressions from his superiors. ¡°In here,¡± Lara said after passing the first three sets of doors. She procured a card from her pocket, sliding it through the reader, then leaning forward for a retinal scan. An LED light above the door¡¯s handle turned green, and a chime followed. The door slid open, and she gestured him inside. ¡°Take a seat.¡± Evann did as he was told, taking a seat in the leather chair in front of her desk. Lara rounded the dark oak desk, then sat down across from him. Unlike Evann¡¯s chair, Lara¡¯s could be adjusted. From how they viewed one another, she sat higher than he did. The tactic¡ªcommonly used to assert dominance¡ªwas one he was intimately familiar with. ¡°You weren¡¯t in your room this morning,¡± Lara said. Evann adjusted his posture. ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡± Lara clasped her hands on top of the desk. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Dealing with personal matters, ma¡¯am.¡± Lara observed him for a time. It was mere seconds, but it was long enough that the woman¡¯s cold gaze and sharp features unnerved him. ¡°I would have preferred if you had slept in your room. As you know, Centurion has been suffering from data breaches.¡± She looked at the data pad to her side, scrolling down the screen. Shortly after, she returned her hands to their prior positions and resumed her stare. ¡°It is fortuitous that the reason I called you here is not for the aforementioned issue.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. That was short-sighted of me.¡± Playing a careful balance between living one¡¯s personal life and accepting responsibility was a tough act. Working for Centurion often meant reading between the lines and understanding implied meaning. While he had not been asked to remain in his room, his jobs had been without end as of late. That was hint enough that he shouldn¡¯t have left the building. ¡°I will work harder to correct this action in the future.¡± ¡°Yes. See to it.¡± Lara leaned back and crossed one length leg over the other. Despite being a woman who sat behind a desk during most hours of the day, Evann could tell from the shape of her calf that she was a woman who sought efficiency in all things. Even herself. He¡¯d never seen the woman in anything less than a suit, but he was willing to wager she handle herself in a fight. No commander reached their rank without extensive training and combat knowledge. ¡°As to the reason for why I called you here today¡­¡± Lara stood and walked to one side of the room where the window was. She stared for a time, then glanced at him. ¡°There have been a number of arms dealers spreading misinformation and classified designs for Centurion-issued weapons.¡± She turned her head and maintained her stare. ¡°We have discovered their hideouts and will be sending you and two other teams down to exterminate them.¡± ¡°Is this an ambush?¡± Evann asked. ¡°Precisely. Each team will be led by a SPECTRE. You will be working alongside SPECTRE Cyrus. While you and Cyrus flank the main force, another team will infiltrate another of their hideouts and retrieve the data.¡± ¡°How many people will I be commanding?¡± ¡°Approximately four soldiers will be in your strike team. We predict that the ambush, as well as the experience offered by you and your men, will be sufficient enough to suppress them.¡± Evann crossed his arms. ¡°You say ¡®suppress,¡¯ but moments ago you said we were eliminating them.¡± Lara nodded. ¡°Semantics. Once the perpetrators have been eliminated, and the weapons retrieved, the mission will be considered a success. Prisoners will not be an acceptable course of action. You are to shoot on sight.¡± Evann frowned but nodded. ¡°What of the third team?¡± ¡°The third team will not be involved in your portion of the mission. Pay them no mind.¡± Evann nodded. Sometimes it was best to refrain from asking too many questions. ¡°When should I be ready?¡± ¡°Tonight, at twenty-two hundred hours. You will await pickup at your room, where we will take you to the landing pads for transport.¡± Lara sat on the corner of her desk, and Evann subtly observed her legs. ¡°Failure is not an option, Evann.¡± Transport units were not a cheap venture. Only the most crucial of missions used them. Weapon dealers were a problem for all three corporations, but this felt overkill. Something about it didn¡¯t sit well with Evann. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°That will be all. Dismissed.¡± Chapter 5 Evann¡ªnow operating under the code name of Andvari¡ªheld to onto a pole fastened to the floor, close to the cockpit. The ship¡ªknown as the CSTU-990¡ªwas state-of-the-art technology, designed specifically for SPECTRE transport and reconnaissance. Such ships were deployed only when the mission was dire, and the room for error non-existent. It was decked out with a flurry of different weapons and tools, including an experimental railgun, a cloaking device, and a radar disruptor. The pilot wore a dark black helmet, carefully maneuvering the vehicle through the rainy darkness of the night with a level of expertise that could only be attained through at least a decade of service. The ship hummed and hissed as Andvari¡¯s men muttered and shifted in their seats to mute beats behind him. They wore suits and helmets similar to his own, although they were a few models behind. That was the nature of being a SPECTRE, after all. Unlike the other soldiers and grunts, SPECTREs were afforded luxuries many of the people working under Centurion weren¡¯t aware existed. Having access to an impressive array of tools was a privilege, however, not a right. If Andvari wanted to maintain his position, such information would remain privy to him and other SPECTREs alone, unless otherwise specified. Andvari pressed a small switch on the side of his helmet, and a three-dimensional map of the surrounding area came over the screen. As the commander had said, the other ship was closing in on a large building located in the slums district of the second layer of Bastion. They were approaching from the other side, their beacon visible only to other CSTU models. It wouldn¡¯t be long now. ¡°Approaching target. Ready for landing in sixty seconds,¡± the co-pilot said. ¡°All right! You heard him!¡± Andvari said. ¡°Stay sharp! Let¡¯s make this quick and simple. We get in, gun them down, and locate the weapons. I will lead the west-side unit, with Lieutenant Barkley as my cover. Be ready to provide suppressing fire, is that understood?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the men recited. ¡°Good! After the first wave is cleared, I will motion for the others to follow. You do not move forward until I give the signal. Is that clear?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± they repeated. ¡°Good!¡± Andvari rotated a small disc on the side of his helmet. The view of the map disappeared, replaced by a timer indicating the time until landing. With forty-five seconds remaining, he picked up a high-powered assault rifle housing an experimental reactor. Checking it for any defects or malfunctions, he clicked a lever on the side, and an LED light came on through the sight indicating the ammo count. It read sixty rounds. Andvari retrieved the handgun in his holster next, checking it just as he did with his rifle. He returned the weapon to its holster, observed the integrity of his suit and a specially made blade attached to the forearm of his suit, then nodded his approval. He glanced over his shoulder to see his men checking their own weaponry, then hit the side of the ship with the bottom of his fist. ¡°All right, men! Out of your seats!¡± Andvari cried. The men threw up their harnesses, and like a well-oiled machine, they leaped out of their seats and rushed to form a line behind Andvari according to the strategy he dictated earlier. With five seconds left before landing, Andvari readied his weapon and waited. The ship came to a stop moments later, the door rising to allow them exit. He clicked on the enhanced night-vision module on his helmet, then rushed forward to hide behind a metal crate up ahead. Glancing over the crate, he saw no other bodies patrolling the building. The men moved with clockwork at Andvari¡¯s signal, the rain offering them noise cover. Lieutenant Barkley kneeled down behind Andvari, and two of the other men took cover behind the crate across from them. Andvari glanced back toward the CSTU-990 just in time to see it taking off. The last man off the ship¡ªthe medic and ammo supplier¡ªtook to the crate across from Andvari and Barkley, carrying several bags and a backpack. He set the bag down, then retrieved a pistol from his holster. ¡°Team Blue, this is SPECTRE Andvari of Team Red,¡± Andvari said, pressing a small button behind his helmet. ¡°Do you read me? Over.¡± Seconds passed. ¡°SPECTRE Cyrus coming in. Read you loud and clear, Team Red. We are in position. Over.¡± ¡°Copy that. On my mark.¡± Andvari gestured to Barkley, and the man retrieved a flashbang from his utility belt. Andvari gestured to his men, then animatedly counted down from three, pulling the pin once the digits reached one. He threw the canister through the closest window, bunkered down, and waited. At any moment now, Cyrus would be throwing his own flashbang from the opposite end, and the fight would be over before it started. Bang! ¡°Go, go, go!¡± Andvari cried as he passed through the gap between the two crates. ¡°What the fuck, man?¡± one guy with a mohawk said as he stumbled out the front door with a pistol in his hand. He waved his hand through the air, gasping as Andvari and Barkley turned their weapons on him. His eyes went wide, and Andvari fired two controlled bursts at him, puncturing his heart and lungs. Andvari glanced down at his weapon, and the count read 54. The helmet returned information about the man he just shot, indicating that his heart had stopped. Three more men with guns emerged from the building, crying all manner of profanities and waving their arms through the air to see. Andvari and Barkley gunned the first two down, the suppressing fire from the other men taking down the others behind them. The goons¡¯ guns discharged as they fell over, and Andvari and Barkley took cover beneath the window he¡¯d broken moments earlier with the flashbang. ¡°What the hell is going on out there?¡± Andvari heard one man with a squirrely voice from inside say. ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere, you stupid fuck!¡± another¡ªthis man was gruffer, angrier¡ªsaid. ¡°Unless you wanna die like those lobotomized shitheads, you¡¯ll stay in here!¡± ¡°Bro, I can¡¯t see anything!¡± ¡°Fuck, man, it¡¯ll wear off, just listen to me!¡± Andvari gestured to his remaining men to stay put. The goons were being more cautious, and they¡¯d need another eye in case more of them poured out of the building from other directions. ¡°There¡¯s shit going on out there on the other side, bro!¡± the squirrely man said. ¡°I know that!¡± the gruff one said. ¡°Hey! Where the hell are you going?¡± ¡°Outta here!¡± Andvari gestured to his men and to Barkley to watch the back. Moments later, a lanky man wearing a wifebeater dashed down the alleyway toward the crates. Andvari watched as two of the men behind the crate, as well as Barkley, shot the man using their pistols. The man gasped and stumbled forward through the pouring rain. ¡°Oh god, no! Fuck! Fuck!¡± the man cried as his blood mingled with the puddles. He reached for the gun tucked into his belt, then was stopped short of doing anything useful when a single bullet penetrated the man¡¯s skull, delivered by Barkley. ¡°Good shit,¡± Barkley said, admiring his own skill. ¡°Focus, Lieutenant,¡± Andvari reprimanded. ¡°You can talk all you want after the operation.¡± Barkley paused. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Gunfire filled the air from the opposite end of the compound. Seeing his opportunity, Andvari glanced over the rim of the window, darting back under when a large man aimed his shotgun toward him. A bang followed, and dozens of pellets pocked the wall from the other side. ¡°Come on out where I can see ya, scumbag!¡± the man said, cocking his weapon. Andvari gestured to Barkley to go around the back for a surprise attack. If the man they¡¯d shot moments ago was able to evade Cyrus¡¯s team, then there had to be a back door. Barkley gave Andvari a quick nod, then briskly made his way under the window, running only once he no longer had any blind spots. Andvari watched him from the window, signaling to his men to hold their position. ¡°Hey, pussy! I¡¯m talking to ya!¡± the gruff man said. ¡°You got my idiot partner, but you¡¯re not gonna get me!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve located a back entrance,¡± Barkley said over the intercom in Andvari¡¯s helmet. ¡°Proceeding forward.¡± Andvari listened, waiting for the man to make his move. ¡°Hah?¡± Andvari didn¡¯t like the sound of that. It sounded curious or planned. Andvari quickly glanced over the rim, noting that the man was looking down the hall to his right with a device in his hand that had a blinking red light. As the realization set in, Andvari¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Abort. Abort, Lieutenant!¡± Andvari cried as he loomed over the edge of the window. He took aim at the man, firing two controlled bursts at him. The bullets soared right through his body, and as the man lumbered backward, he fired his shotgun single-handed at Andvari. Andvari dipped under the safety of the wall once more. A stray pellet made its way through the wall, managing to blow a small chunk off the chin of his helmet and ricochet into the ground next to him. The interface glitched momentarily. ¡°Shit,¡± Andvari hissed. The suit responded to his increased heart rate, sending small amounts of adrenaline through his body. The weapons they were packing couldn¡¯t be civilian grade. Not if it could blow a chunk off of his helmet the way it did. Another shot followed, and as more pellets struck the wall, he heard the man collapse to the floor with a chuckle. An explosion followed a click shortly after. Glass shattered in the distance, and the man¡¯s chuckles elevated to terrible laughter. Andvari shot up, then fired two quick rounds into the man¡¯s head. Rolling to the side, the man¡¯s head bore a sinister smile frozen in time. Andvari leaped over the window and into the building, his assault rifle at the ready. He signaled for his other men to follow, and the sound of footsteps accompanied him. There were three levels to the compound, as far as he could tell. He aimed his rifle up the stairs to his immediate left, grateful that no one was there. Continuing forward, he repeated the action to his left, down the hallway, while gunshots and screams sounded to his right. With caution in his footsteps, Andvari slowly made his way down the hallway, his helmet cooling the air around his head to combat the perspiration he felt. Glass cracked and scratched against the tan tiled floor. He swallowed hard as he approached a branching of paths, taking cover behind the wall to his left. He counted silently to himself, then rounded the corner with his gun held in both hands. Andvari¡¯s breath caught. The room was painted in red viscera. Stray parchments and shreds of black leather and metal pocked the walls in a terrifying disarray. Two large, black spots colored the rim of flanking holes, rubble settled beside the pieces of human that lay before him. Andvari¡¯s ears began to ring. ¡°Team Red, this is SPECTRE Cyrus of Team Blue,¡± Cryus¡¯s voice sounded over the communication line. ¡°Please respond.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°SPECTRE Andvari of Team Red,¡± Andvari said. ¡°Read you loud and clear.¡± ¡°The east has been secured. Moving to basement level.¡± Andvari paused. ¡°Copy that. Moving to second level. Team Red, you are clear to move in.¡± Andvari retreated down the hallway, stopping when he came upon the corpse of the man who¡¯d killed Barkley. He saw the remainder of his team leaping over the windowsill, and into the building. The first man, Corporal Hicks, approached. ¡°SPECTRE Andvari, where¡¯s Lieutenant Barkley?¡± In moments like these, it was unwise to hold on. Time spent mourning over the death of a comrade was time the enemy had to fight back, to take more of their own. The reality of this job was that no one was ever promised tomorrow. Andvari knew this. It was the life of a man who went toe-to-toe in gun fights. The life of a soldier. ¡°He didn¡¯t make it,¡± Andvari said bluntly as he held out his hand. ¡°7.62 magazine.¡± ¡°R-Right,¡± Hicks stammered. He looked over his shoulder and motioned to their medic and supplier, Lars. ¡°Lars! 7.62 magazine!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± He tossed a magazine to Hicks, who handed it to Andvari. Unceremoniously, Andvari unloaded the quarter-full magazine, handed it to Hicks, then inserted the fresh one. ¡°Hicks, you¡¯ll be backing me up for the remainder of the operation.¡± ¡°Understood, sir,¡± he saluted. ¡°I have to admit, I¡¯m a bit nervous. It¡¯s¡­ quiet.¡± Andvari felt nothing. No, it was more accurate to say that right now, he had no room to feel anything. If he didn¡¯t compartmentalize what had happened to Barkley, then he risked falling apart. ¡°Just watch your six and we¡¯ll get through this.¡± Hicks nodded, then double-checked his rifle. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°As for you two, make sure you maintain the perimeter. I want one of you watching that hallway at all times, is that understood?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± they nodded in unison. ¡°Good. And don¡¯t go down there. You don¡¯t want to see what¡¯s at the end of that hall.¡± A brief pause followed, but the remaining men nodded. ¡°Come on, Hicks,¡± Andvari gestured. ¡°Right,¡± Hicks said. Andvari looked up toward the stairs, then slowly began his ascent. Hicks followed close behind, and taking into mind what had happened to Barkley, he kept a weather eye open for any wires or explosives. He licked his lips, rounded the corner and continued upward, gun held in front of him, his heart pounding against his chest. He rounded the corner of the U-shaped stairs, a brief calm sweeping over him when he reached the top. Before him was a room littered with computers and laptops. Wires and antennae were scattered among the floor haphazardly, leading to and from dozens of screens and terminals. Cases of weapons were stacked against the walls, the name buffed out. Anybody with a lick of common sense could tell that it was Centurion¡¯s insignia that had been wiped from the make. ¡°Sir, it doesn¡¯t¡ª¡± Hicks started. Andvari raised his hand in a gesture to silence Hicks. It was quiet, but he could hear something faint. Like typing or tapping. He looked down, now paranoid that at any moment the entire building could come crumbling down. Anything to destroy evidence, he reasoned. As Andvari moved forward, the noise grew louder, albeit barely. He came upon a desk, noting something shaking beneath it. ¡°Get out of there! Move it! Now!¡± he yelled. A man in a white lab coat stumbled out from under the desk, trembling, and with his hands held up. ¡°P-P-Please don¡¯t shoot me! Please! They made me work against my will!¡± Andvari frowned. He knew this man. ¡°Gerald Sims?¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°H¡­ How do you know that name?¡± ¡°No one could forget you,¡± Andvari hissed. Sims had been missing for months. Working as one of the lead developers of Centurion technology, he suddenly disappeared without a trace one day. Wouldn¡¯t you know it, several of the designs he¡¯d worked on also disappeared. ¡°Slimy bastard.¡± ¡°No, please! Really, just hear me out, fuck!¡± The man¡¯s trembling worsened as he repositioned in front of Andvari. ¡°Take the coat off,¡± Andvari growled. It was unlikely the man had any bombs or detonators on him. However, the coat would serve as an easy place to pocket a small firearm. He wasn¡¯t about to take that risk. ¡°Slowly. If you reach for anything, I¡¯ll put a bullet between your eyes.¡± At this range, such a shot would be easy. ¡°Okay, okay, just relax,¡± the scientist said as she carefully removed one sleeve of his coat, then shouldered it off. He put it down in front of him, then pushed it toward Andvari. ¡°Check it,¡± Andvari said, gesturing Hicks toward the coat. Hicks kept his gun in one hand while he slowly unfolded the fabric and checked the pockets. ¡°Just an exactopad. Nothing concerning.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The entire time Andvari spoke, he kept his gaze on Gerald. Under the coat, he wore a simple black T-shirt that smelled like it hadn¡¯t been cleaned in weeks. He put his hands on the back of his head, his breath hitching. ¡°Tell me what you¡¯ve been doing here. I want to hear all of it.¡± Gerald visibly swallowed. ¡°I was kidnapped a few months ago by a group of people who called themselves the Black Eels. T-They told me that if I provided them schematics for tracking devices, and gave them shipping information regarding weapons, then they would release me.¡± He drew a deep breath. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not what h-happened, though. After I told them that I would help them, they released me, and I went back to Centurion. I told them where to find the weapons, which crates to look for, the time, everything.¡± Gerald sighed. ¡°After two weeks, they kidnapped me again. This time, they said they had no intention of releasing me until they attained a special black box with some encrypted information on it.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I had no idea what they were talking about, so they beat me and threatened my life. I¡¯ve been working with them ever since.¡± Andvari frowned. Something about the story didn¡¯t add up. ¡°How did you gain access to shipping information?¡± Gerald returned the expression and looked him dead in the eyes. ¡°W-What do you mean?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t born yesterday. Your clearance did not give you access to that information.¡± His trigger finger itched, and the visceral image of his comrade splattered all over the walls resurfaced momentarily. ¡°That information is held only by the higherups and those who are shipping them. Simply asking about it would have been enough to put you on a watch list. There¡¯s something you¡¯re not telling me.¡± ¡°I did have access to the information! I always have!¡± Gerald protested. He¡¯d heard enough. Andvari stepped forward and struck the man against the side of the head. Gerald crumpled to the floor unconscious, and Andvari breathed a deep sigh before holstering his weapon. ¡°You doing all right, sir?¡± Hicks asked as he stood closer beside him. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Confiscate the crates and anything else that looks important in here. I want this place stripped and its contents examined and sent to our data encryptors.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°And take this bastard into custody. I want to make sure he is thoroughly questioned.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s done.¡± Andvari and Hicks saluted to one another, and Andvari descended the stairs back down to the main floor. The second team had made its way over, and Cyrus¡ªdressed in a similar black SPECTRE armor suit of his own¡ªwas having a conversation with a few of the men from each team. Andvari went to join them, and Cyrus offered a salute. ¡°What¡¯d ya find up there, eh?¡± Cyrus asked. ¡°The weapon crates and trackers,¡± Andvari said simply. ¡°How did your team do?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still working on the basement level. There are some intricate fucking tunnels down there. One of the men moved aside a rack to find an old hole. Looked to me like it¡¯d been blown apart years ago. We still got no idea what¡¯s inside, but the tunnel runs deep.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Andvari said. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s how they were transporting the goods.¡± ¡°Sounds likely, but I¡¯m not gonna assume shit ¡®til I¡¯ve had my men do a thorough run of them. Got two down there as we speak.¡± ¡°Any casualties?¡± Cyrus shook his head. ¡°No, we got damn lucky. I got one guy who was injured, but he¡¯ll live. He¡¯s checkin¡¯ out the tunnels with one of my demolition experts right now. Beyond that, it was a clean run.¡± He relaxed his grip on his assault rifle and held it at his side. Then he gestured to a corner of the room. ¡°Can I have a word? Privately.¡± Andvari nodded and followed the SPECTRE to a corner where no one could hear them. ¡°Does this mission strike you as¡­ kinda fucking odd?¡± Cyrus asked. ¡°This operation was way too quick, way too clean for my liking. They send two SPECTREs for a simple cache of weapons and trackers?¡± He shook his head. ¡°They didn¡¯t need SPECTREs for this. They coulda sent out any five guys to take this out. This looks more like a simple gang hideout. Fuckers barely know how to fire a gun.¡± Andvari leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. ¡°I had similar thoughts.¡± He looked out the window to his left. Many of their men were checking to see if any of the culprits were still alive. Seems there were at least a couple still breathing. A gunshot followed. ¡°This mission veered too close to simple and straightforward for my liking. A waste of SPECTRE expertise. What did the defense look like on your end?¡± ¡°Practically nonexistent,¡± Cyrus scoffed. ¡°Two guys walking around with their thumbs up their ass. Morons barely finished aiming their weapons by the time they were gunned down. They didn¡¯t even fall to their knees or get on the ground when the flashbang went off. Novice behavior.¡± Andvari hummed and thought. While the tunnel could provide some insight as to why the mission had proven to be on the simpler side, he wagered there wasn¡¯t going to be much more found than a series of caves leading out a trapdoor somewhere. Besides, if the weapons or trackers were so important, why had such a small group been assigned to protect them? Why had no bothered to escape out the hole with any of the stolen goods? ¡°The worst part was the fucking bomb,¡± Cyrus continued, clicking his tongue. ¡°I¡¯ve got Sergeant Waters checkin¡¯ for any other explosives in the area, but she hasn¡¯t found shit.¡± He scoffed. ¡°I swear to fuck, if that backdoor bomb was the only one, I¡¯m gonna have a word with the higherups.¡± ¡°Commander Lara is in charge of this mission,¡± Andvari said, looking at Cyrus and pushing away from the wall. ¡°Are you questioning her authority?¡± he smirked. Cyrus chuckled. ¡°Dude, I don¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass who¡¯s in charge of this. This is a waste of SPECTRE resources, SPECTRE time. You said it yourself. She can spit on me for all I care, I want an explanation for this. They made it sound like these bastards were specialists. They¡¯re goons, for fuck¡¯s sake!¡± Andvari made a gesture with his hand for Cyrus to quiet down. Cyrus sighed and lowered his voice. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel the same way?¡± Yes, he did. Not one hint of anything about the mission made a lick of sense. The bomb at the backdoor had made for a nasty surprise, but explosives could be assembled by half the residents of Bastion. Hell, if you knew where to ask, you could buy the bombs outright from a supplier. The presence of an explosive was not reason enough to consider these men a threat to Centurion security. ¡°I¡¯m curious to know what weapons are in those crates,¡± Andvari said. ¡°As am I,¡± Cyrus glanced toward the stairs. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go take a look.¡± Andvari shook his head. ¡°Take Sergeant Waters with you. Just in case.¡± Cyrus nodded and walked away, leaving Andvari to his thoughts. Commander Lara had been exceptionally clear about this mission and its importance, but it felt as if someone was pulling the wool over his eyes. He leaped over the windowsill and approached his medic, who was checking one of the criminals for a pulse. ¡°How does it look?¡± Andvari asked, eager for more information. ¡°Dead. Most of them are. We have a few breathing, though. What should we do with them?¡± Andvari hesitated. ¡°Our orders were to shoot to kill. If there are any survivors, then they are to be eliminated.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Lars said, ¡°but why? That doesn¡¯t make any sense. Wouldn¡¯t we want to know where their suppliers are, or who they¡¯re working for?¡± Andvari crossed his arms. He shared Lars¡¯s sentiment, but as a soldier, you didn¡¯t question authority. ¡°Corporal Lars, are you questioning a direct order?¡± ¡°N-No, sir.¡± ¡°If there are any survivors, kill them.¡± Lars swallowed and nodded. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Several gunshots followed, most of them from outside the compound. Blood mixed with the rainwater while the grunts and murmurs of his men filled the air. Conversation carried on between some of the men, muffled by the intensifying rain. He hoped the rain might help dull his thinking, but instead it just created echoes within his mind. After a time, he returned to the compound and walked up the stairs to see Cyrus, Hicks, and Waters searching each of the crates. Andvari clicked a switch on the side of his helmet, and a grainy image of Lara came up on the visor. ¡°Commander Lara. Our mission was a success. We had one casualty.¡± ¡°Excellent work, SPECTRE. What of the culprits?¡± Lara asked. ¡°The survivors are being executed, per the mission¡¯s parameters. They had a hostage, one Gerald Sims. We¡¯re taking him into¡ª¡± ¡°Kill him.¡± Andvari paused. ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± Cyrus frowned and tapped the button on the side of his helmet. His image came on screen next, his face illuminated by the lights in his helmet. ¡°As I expressed before, there are to be no survivors. No prisoners. Execute Gerald Sims.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, he was a hostage. Anyone who saw him could¡ª¡± ¡°I will not repeat myself again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Gerald cried as he attempted to escape his bindings. Seemed Cyrus and the others had bound his wrists together, and Hicks was keeping him under control. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me! I haven¡¯t done anything! I¡¯ve killed no one!¡± ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± Cyrus hissed as he retrieved a handgun from his holster and shot the man in the temple. Gerald fell to his side with a look of frozen terror, blood and brain matter spilling onto the floor. Cyrus holstered his gun and shook his head. ¡°Gerald Sims is dead,¡± Andvari said. ¡°Excellent work,¡± Lara said. ¡°With his death, we can finally close this matter. Unfortunately, I had need of your expertise for another assignment, effective immediately.¡± Andvari furrowed his brow. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°The third SPECTRE, and his team, have failed in their mission. You are to go in his place.¡± Andvari¡¯s heart raced. ¡°The SPECTRE was killed?¡± ¡°That is correct. Traps made short work of them. We discovered too late that the higher number of soldiers were a detriment.¡± Lara looked at something off screen, and the sound of clicking keyboard keys followed. Moments later, a three-dimensional map of appeared on screen. ¡°This is a layout of the building you will be infiltrating. A ship will take you to the marked location, where you are to locate the target data and take the scientist there into custody. Refusal to take this mission will result in a reprimand. Do you accept?¡± Nothing like having my arm twisted. Like I have a choice. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Excellent. The CSTU you embarked on prior will take you there. I await your favorable results.¡± The connection severed, and Lara¡¯s face disappeared. Succeed where another SPECTRE failed. Why does it feel like I have the worst luck? Chapter 6 The CSTU¡¯s engines roared as it came to a careful landing in front of an old shack. Save for the two guards who were standing outside¡ªboth of which were wearing standard Centurion-issued gear¡ªthere was nothing to hint at this shack¡¯s importance. On its face, it looked like a dump. Andvari flicked his lit cigarette into the rain as the vessel came to a stop. He blew out a puff of smoke, then retrieved his helmet from the seat next to him. He slipped it on, then swept a finger down the side. The helmet responded with a hiss, fastening to his suit. A quick overview of his assault rifle and pistol showed no abnormalities. Andvari exhaled, then exited the CSTU vessel, his assault rifle in both hands, his pistol fit snug into the holster on his thigh. The two guards saluted as Andvari approached, and he offered the men a nod. ¡°SPECTRE Andvari.¡± ¡°Corporeal Sean,¡± the man to his left said. ¡°Private Devin,¡± the right one said. ¡°How¡¯s it look in there?¡± Andvari asked. ¡°Not good,¡± Sean said. His voice shook as he spoke. ¡°We¡­ we don¡¯t even know what truly happened. I don¡¯t know how to explain it.¡± ¡°Try.¡± Devin spoke. ¡°I think I saw what happened. I only caught glimpses, though. Tripwires everywhere, sir. Explosives, high-energy devices. Whoever set this up had no plan of walking out.¡± Andvari frowned. ¡°Let¡¯s not assume anything, Private. Do you know if he¡¯s protecting anything? A person? Gear? Anything like that?¡± The men shook their heads. ¡°We aren¡¯t privileged to that information,¡± Sean said. ¡°Under whose orders?¡± ¡°Commander Lara, sir.¡± Andvari¡¯s furrow deepened. Commander Lara hadn¡¯t been forthright about what he was doing here either. Only that he was meant to extract data from the main computer. Something about the mission didn¡¯t sit right with him. The commander was no stranger to hiding details, but this was a little too hazy, even for her. ¡°Do you have the chip?¡± Andvari asked. ¡°Right here, sir,¡± Sean said, procuring a small chip from within his helmet. It had a unique engraving on it, bearing detailed sigils and etchings he¡¯d never seen before. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be special somehow.¡± Andvari took the chip and rotated it in his hand to have a better look. Besides the odd etchings, it looked perfectly normal. Extra encryption security, perhaps. He slipped the chip into his helmet¡¯s socket and a small notification came on screen in the bottom right-hand corner that a new device had been connected. ¡°Seems to be in working order.¡± Andvari glanced at the ammo read¡ª120 shots¡ªon the side. ¡°Keep the area secure. If you don¡¯t hear back from me in an hour, assume I¡¯m dead.¡± The men passed uncomfortable looks before saluting. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Andvari opened the dilapidated door, surprised when he saw that the shack led to a deep underground tunnel, dug halfway into the wall with a sharp incline. He kneeled down and flicked on the light fixture attached to his weapon. The tunnel went on for dozens of meters, with no clear indicator of where its end was. Worse yet, the tunnel didn¡¯t seem to expand or widen in any way. He¡¯d have to crawl his way down. He clicked his tongue and stood up. ¡°Great,¡± he muttered. He slipped his weapon into the groove on the back of his suit and extracted the pistol from its holster. Cricking his neck side to side, he descended to his hands and knees and started down the tunnel. What the hell is so damn important in this rundown shack that they need a SPECTRE to crawl on his stomach for it? As his thoughts consumed him, he switched on the night vision module in his helmet. The tunnel came to him in stunning green and black, offering him a modicum of relief. He kept his breathing slow and easy as he traversed the tight-fitting cave¡ªone of the most important things you could do in situations like these. His superiors taught him extensively on how to stay calm in stressful situations. Many of them were adamant about how some of the most anxiety-riddled situations often occurred when nothing was happening while you were in a vulnerable position. The warmth of the cave was growing, and he embraced every moment of it. There was little more he could do, and it was often better to revel in one¡¯s situation than allow it to control you. His heart pounded against his chest, and he was being honest, he fought down the urge to crawl backward. The death of a SPECTRE was rare¡ªexceptionally so¡ªand he didn¡¯t want to become just another blood stain. He continued to focus on his breathing, vanquishing the thoughts altogether. After what felt like an eternity, some semblance of an end came into view. To make sure he wasn¡¯t seeing things, he turned off the night vision. Sure enough, hints of light came into view. He couldn¡¯t differentiate one light from another, and ultimately it appeared dim from this distance, but there could be no doubt about it¡ªsomething lay in wait at the end. Stolen story; please report. Damn, I can¡¯t wait for this to be over. He hissed through his teeth and refrained from speeding up. As old and tired as the phrase ¡®patience is a virtue¡¯ was, there couldn¡¯t be a more proper saying for his situation. One wrong move and he¡¯d end up like the other SPECTRE and any of the other men who were sent down here. So, he continued forward, sensing a slight decline as he did. The decline expedited his descent slightly and he fought against it, worried that he may fall victim to a trap at the end. As he approached the end, a sense of relief washed over him and he slowed himself to a halt, crawling slowly and carefully toward the taunting light. Bridging the gap between the tunnel and the area beyond were tiles. Old and peeling, they looked to be at least decades in age, dirt and grime wedged between the material. Most of the tiles had their corners standing up, creating a disturbing arrangement that resembled blades of grass. Tufts of green sprouted out from between some of the stuff, and insects scuttled away at his presence. What the hell? Where am I? Andvari felt around the corners of the walls for any potential traps or weapons. Better to lose a finger or two than his head. After a thorough but quick pat down, he scooted closer, his pistol extended. The light was brighter now, but not by much. The room was dark, illuminated by a light from another room somewhere farther down. With his blood pumping a mile a minute, Andvari poked his head out of the hole and looked around the room. Flipping his night vision back on, the room came in clearer. Shelves and lockers littered the room in a chaotic array. The walls were made of concrete and an old ceiling light hung above him a few paces away. The sound of dripping water echoed against the walls, and shattered remains of circuitry lay upon the floor. Andvari extended the top half of his body, felt the floor, then carefully rose up onto his feet. Suddenly, the pungent stench of iron and decay made its way to his nostrils. A closer look around the room displayed spatters of liquid¡ªmost likely blood and explosion residue¡ªand the limbs and viscera of several people. Fucking hell. Andvari kept his breath steady and moved forward with caution, both hands on his pistol. Glass and pebbles crunched and scratched the tile as he moved, a testament to how old this place was. As he neared a section where several lockers lay in wait with their doors torn off, he stopped and leaned forward to look inside. At the bottom was a rusty old bear trap, waiting for some poor fool to step into its jaws. ¡°Ah, shit,¡± Andvari hissed under his breath. He tapped one end of his gun with his pointer finger, then exhaling two quick breaths, he maneuvered one leg behind the bear trap, pushing it aside¡ªtoward the bottom of the locker¡ªwith his foot. Afterward, he stepped inside the locker with both feet, then after a quick glance over the edge, he stepped out and back onto the tile floor. He continued to move like this from locker to locker, making his way across the room at the most comfortable pace he could manage. With the scattered remains of lockers and shelves behind him, he kept his eyes glued to the floors and walls for any signs of tripwires or explosives. Black marks and holes pocked the walls of the facility, serving as a strong warning for any who would dare approach. Andvari continued to find the remains of soldiers as he went on, finding fewer and fewer traps and blood on the way. When he came to a pair of rooms on his flanks, he gave pause. He could hear something whirring¡ªno, clicking. The sound wasn¡¯t unlike what he usually heard in the R&D section of Centurion Headquarters. As he leaned his head to the right to get a better look, he saw several computers and laptops hooked up to the remnants of a generator. At the back of the room was a larger computer, marked by dozens of bullet holes. Beside the computer lay a man in a white lab coat with a gun in his hand. His head was missing and the wall behind him was painted with blood and brain matter. Seeing a tripped wire extending from one side of the door, outward, Andvari carefully made his way into the room, looking to both sides. To his left was a black mark stretching across the floor and wall. On the opposite side of the room were the limbs of a man, dressed in SPECTRE armor. A bead of sweat slid down the side of Andvari¡¯s temple, and the helmet¡¯s cooling system revved up to combat the heat moisture collecting inside. As Andvari¡¯s gaze explored the details of the room, he caught an explosive taped to the wall opposite of where the black mark was. It looked homemade and taped together haphazardly with duct tape. A blinking red light at the front indicated that it was still armed. A picture was beginning to coalesce. One clean shot in the head, and the explosive goes off, he thought. Damn it, if you had just been more patient. Andvari turned off his night vision and carefully made his way through the room toward the dead scientist. Dozens of laptops and computers continued to calculate while lines of code ran down each screen. He frowned, having never seen something like this. At the back of the wall was where he assumed his target was. Extracting the chip from his helmet, he approached the main computer and used his ring finger to click on the communicator in his helmet. ¡°SPECTRE Andvari. Have you located the target?¡± Commander Lara asked, her voice choppy and distorted. ¡°I think so. Unfortunately, our suspect was dead when I arrived,¡± Andvari said. ¡°I see a large computer in front of me. Is this my target?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lara said, ¡°insert the chip and download the data. I¡¯ll be expec¡ª¡± The communication cut off and Andvari shook his head. Not surprising, with the amount of concrete and dirt surrounding him. It was a miracle he was able to manage a connection in the first place. Exhaling through his nose, he holstered his gun and looked for an area where he could slip the chip in. Across the desk against the wall was a black box with several outputs attached to one end. As he followed the cord under the desk, he saw that it was attached to the main unit that appeared to be powering this monster computer. The numerous screens flickered, and figuring he didn¡¯t have much time left, found a spot for the chip and inserted it. The OS was an older one, but not one Andvari wasn¡¯t familiar with. Moments later, he found an option that allowed him to transfer the information, then began the sequence. He breathed a sigh of relief, cocked his head back, and allowed his arms to fall to his sides. He would¡¯ve gone through a hundred firefights before doing something like this. At least in a firefight he knew who his enemies were, how to counteract them, when he was being outgunned or outmanned. It was when he couldn¡¯t see his opponents, know what he was up against, or how to fight back that he started to lose some of his nerve. Well, that was fun. Let¡¯s never do this again. A notification beeped, and Andvari brought his attention back to the screen. A message in caps lock stated, ¡®WARNING. DATA CORRUPTED.¡¯ Andvari clicked his tongue and extracted the chip. From his experience, not every computer was equipped to give him the information he needed, but with how top-of-the-line his suit was, he slipped the chip into his helmet and waited. A notification came up moments later with the same message. The image flickered for a moment, and he tapped the side of the helmet. He let out a sigh of disappointment, ¡°Damn it,¡± he muttered. Chapter 7 The ride back to Centurion Headquarters could barely be called a ride. For all intents and purposes, he had succeeded in his first mission, but failed in the second mission, just as the SPECTRE before him had. The frustration he felt was palpable. So much so that he allowed it to show on his face. No, it was more that he wanted it to. The men would leave him alone. That was, save for the other SPECTRE. ¡°What the hell happened in there?¡± Cyrus asked as he and Andvari took the elevator up to where Commander Lara was stationed. ¡°Classified,¡± Andvari said. ¡°Fuck, what the hell for? You and I are both SPECTREs. Come on, spill it.¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t,¡± Andvari said, glaring at the man with a side eye. ¡°So don¡¯t ask me to.¡± Cyrus clicked his tongue. ¡°Fine.¡± As the elevator came to a halt, Andvari and Cyrus stepped off, each of them carrying their helmet under an arm. Andvari took the lead, knocking on Commander Lara¡¯s door. ¡°Come in,¡± came her sharp tone. ¡°Great,¡± Cyrus said with a tone that implied he knew they were going to get chewed out. Andvari and Cyrus entered the room, each man offering a crisp salute. ¡°At ease, men,¡± Lara said with her arms crossed behind her back. Andvari and Cyrus did as such and the woman drew a deep breath. ¡°SPECTRE Cyrus, you are dismissed.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, if I may speak freely?¡± Cyrus said. ¡°You may not. Dismissed.¡± Cyrus¡¯s lip twitched. ¡°I understand.¡± He turned and left, shutting the door behind him with a quiet click. His footsteps echoed down the hall some ways before Lara continued. ¡°Explain what happened, SPECTRE. I want your full report.¡± Andvari frowned. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m afraid you have me at a disadvantage. I know less than you do.¡± She crossed her arms and raised a brow. ¡°Now.¡± Andvari cleared his throat. This was unusual, even for her. Typically speaking, he would detail the most pertinent information through a written report. Something about the mission had her on edge, and he had the feeling she had no intention of informing him as to why. ¡°I infiltrated the facility as I was asked. I proceeded through a long tunnel just barely large enough for a man to fit through. Whoever built that tunnel had no intention of it being found.¡± He waited for Lara¡¯s response. She tapped her foot and Andvari continued. ¡°I came upon a large room filled with lockers and shelves. The equipment looked old, decades or even more so. There wasn¡¯t much to see, but I could hear the sound of electronics nearby. I followed the noise and came upon a room with two dead bodies. A quick glance revealed them to be the scientist and the prior SPECTRE. The scientist¡¯s head had been blown clean off, so I had no way to identify him.¡± ¡°And what of the data?¡± Lara asked, her tone snappy and irritated. Andvari paused. No concern for the SPECTRE, nothing on the scientist. All about the data. Just what was so special about it? ¡°The data was corrupted.¡± ¡°You know this for certain?¡± Andvari sighed and refrained from averting his gaze. It was difficult, considering the woman¡¯s eerie ability to hear the hidden meaning behind his words. ¡°With almost utmost certainty. I tried to collect the data, but my helmet couldn¡¯t read it.¡± He slid the chip out of the helmet and handed it to Lara. ¡°Maybe the tech gizmos can recover it, but I have my doubts. I might not be as sophisticated as them, but I¡¯m no slouch with tech. I think this was a bust, Commander.¡± Lara took the chip and balanced it between her pointer finger and thumb. She sighed and set it on the desk behind her. ¡°Anything else to report?¡± ¡°Nothing of relevance to the mission itself, but I¡¯d be careful when analyzing that data.¡± Lara frowned. ¡°Why?¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I think it messed up my gear. My helmet¡¯s glitching out and the suit isn¡¯t performing how it should. I¡¯m going to have the guys downstairs take a look at it, but I thought it was worth mentioning.¡± Lara blinked, then hummed. ¡°Noted. You are dismissed, SPECTRE Andvari.¡± Andvari considered asking her the details which had to be hidden regarding the mission, but he knew the answer. Besides, she was clearly already on a short fuse, and he didn¡¯t want to be the one to push her over. Despite her sharp tone and short temper, she usually had good reason for why she did these things, so he tried to put it out of her head. Though it was an unspoken relationship, he liked to believe they had an amicable friendship outside of the chain of command. Because of that, he offered her a casual wave before exiting her office and returning to the elevator. The elevator hummed as it descended, and Andvari waffled between thoughts of Chiaki and the mission. His jobs had been on the peculiar side as of late, and he was eager to get away and relax for a while. Perhaps Chiaki would be open to another night on the town tomorrow. Despite his attempts to keep his mind on the woman he was enjoying his company with, however, the mission¡¯s parameters continued to poke and prod at his mind, provoking his curiosity. Some old tech probably. Doubt it was anything to worry about. Centurion keeping secrets from its own taskforce wasn¡¯t unusual, but it was exceptionally rare. The fact that the information was being withheld from two SPECTREs¡ªpresumably three, assuming the same attributes regarding the dead SPECTRE¡ªwas nothing he¡¯d heard of before. There was usually at least one or two SPECTREs who were in the know. It doesn¡¯t do any good to think about it. Just ignore it for now. The elevator came to a stop where his room was located. Zealous to get out of his suit and go home, he entered his private quarters and set his helmet on the couch and set to removing the suit. Removing the suit was mostly easy, but it also hooked into the cybernetic implants on his back, between his shoulder blades. The suit was a tight fit, however, and one wouldn¡¯t be any the wiser looking at him from the back. Andvari grazed his finger across a section on the nape of his neck, then found two grooves where he fit his ring and thumb fingers. The suit wouldn¡¯t disengage or unclip from his body without a direct circuit loop from the hands of the one wearing the suit, making removing the suit a complicated ordeal for anyone else. Designed with the purpose of allowing the outfit more complex and sturdier technology, it also added a layer of security if anyone tampered with it. He thought most of the tech was overblown and focused too much on secrecy. The reality was, in the heat of combat, the suit was more likely to be destroyed than stolen or compromised. He pulled off the top portion of the suit and carefully set it to the side next to his helmet. Rolling his shoulders, he rubbed the section of his back where the suit connected to his implants and breathed a sigh of relief. Taking off the equipment always felt like taking off a large weight. It was easy not to notice it when the suit was hooked in, but there was always an immediate loss of tension when it was removed. Something about how the suit and the implants worked together to improve the body¡¯s performance made it more noticeable when the job was done. He took a quick whiff of his armpits and reeled with a grunt. It came as no surprise after all of the blood, rainwater, dirt, and sweat he accumulated, but he¡¯d hoped he could go the night without a shower. Seeing as how the night was groaning on, he relented and rinsed off. He could be a little more thorough tomorrow, assuming Chiaki would be up for his invitation. When he stepped out, a sudden sense of vertigo swept over him and he caught himself on the nearby counter. He shook his head, and the sensation left him. Am I just tired or should I go get checked out? He clicked his tongue and shook his head. No, he was fine. It would take enough time as it was just to get his gear checked out and okayed for mission use. Waiting for the okay from a specialized Centurion-grade doctor could be a quick visit or an extensive stay. A good night¡¯s rest was what he really needed. He threw on some clothes and returned to the elevator with his equipment in a duffle bag, and an umbrella. Two floors down and he was welcomed with the sterile scent of running electronics and men and women clacking away at their keyboards. It was getting late, and there were considerably fewer of them at this hour, but no matter the hour, there were always at least a few people in this division working on something. Andvari approached the clerk and tapped his fingers on the counter to grab their attention. The woman¡ªIsabelle Wright¡ªlooked up and gave a soft smile. ¡°Evann. Haven¡¯t seen you here in a hot minute. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Suit¡¯s glitching up. Some corrupted data messed with it, I think. Can your team check it out for me?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Isabelle said, nodding and rising to her feet. ¡°What happens when you wear it?¡± ¡°The displays don¡¯t come up sometimes and when they do, they¡¯re pixelated. Can¡¯t read what I¡¯m looking at.¡± Isabelle hummed and nodded again. ¡°Gotcha. Okay, yeah. I¡¯ll make sure we get a good look at it.¡± ¡°Oh, and uh, be careful with that. I can¡¯t say too much as to how, but to give you a better picture, I ran into some weird code, and it messed with the suit when I inserted the chip. Don¡¯t want it corrupting anything in here.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. Whenever we check out equipment, it¡¯s on a secured station disconnected from any of the other hardware, so it won¡¯t be a concern.¡± ¡°Gotcha. All right then, I¡¯m out of here. Have a good one.¡± ¡°Take care, Evann.¡± Relieved to have that over with, he left the Centurion building in a hurry, eager to get home and shut his eyes. Once he was outside, he unfolded his umbrella and marched down the steps. The storm had descended to a drizzle now, offering him a comfortable bit of white noise on his way home. He perched his chin on his palm while he observed the city from the window of a bus, his mind drifting away faster than he could catch it. The sense of vertigo came over him again, and he grunted. Chapter 8 Evann groaned as he rolled to his side to stop the alarm going off beside him. Whether it was the alarm or otherwise, he was unsure, but his head was pounding as if he¡¯d just downed a bottle of vodka. Every breath, every blink, every micromovement was painful. ¡°Fuck,¡± he hissed. Two missed messages on his phone from Chiaki stirred his movement and he threw the covers off, throwing his legs over the bed¡¯s edge. Chiaki was excited to see him again, and suggested they go to a better part of Bastion, a level above the poverty section, as she so eloquently put it. Evann thought it over, grunted with the throbbing pain in his head, then threw his phone onto to the bed and made his way over to the shower in hopes that it would wake him up and quiet whatever was messing with him. As the water ran over him, he released a euphoric sigh. The relief was immediate, dashing away any semblance of pain he had prior. A crick below his neck distracted him while he reached for the bar of soap. He rolled his shoulders and gently pressed down where the cybernetics were installed. The area was stiffer, but nothing about it stuck out as particularly concerning. That damned data better not have messed with my implants, he thought bitterly. I don¡¯t want to go through that process again. Now that would not be an easy fix. Nor a pleasant one. Cybernetic installation was not a quick or easy process. While the majority of cybernetic implants improved the lives of those who could afford the exorbitant price, the list of things that could go wrong during and after surgery was extensive and growing every day. Metal and alloy allergies served as the most concerning of the issues, as they were the most common and were not always easy to predict. Although, post-surgery reports indicated some individuals would go months without a sense of taste or smell. Some of the less lucky ones would go a significant amount of time¡ªoftentimes, years¡ªwithout any symptoms, only to suffer severe brain or neural damage from the body¡¯s inability to cope with the new hardware. Evann¡¯s adjustment period to the technology was a painful one. The doctors had told him it would be a simple process, and with Centurion-grade implants, he would be stronger and more perceptive than ever. He spent two months in recovery, angry and with the most powerful painkillers money could buy. Recalling a sense of severe vertigo during his adjustment period, memories of the experience returned to him in a cacophony of ringing in the ears and blurred vision. ¡°Easy does it,¡± Evann whispered to himself and taking steady breaths, ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s nothing.¡± The rest of his shower proved to be a pleasant experience, and the pain and vertigo soon left him as if it had never been there. He shook his head and tapped his temple. No pain. He reached for his phone for a distraction and replied to Chiaki regarding dinner and a night on the town. His mind and body needed a vacation. A reply came shortly after. Chiaki would be at his apartment in an hour. Exhaling through his mouth, he tossed his phone onto the bed and got dressed, making sure his weapon was charged. The second layer of Bastion was often pretty safe, but there were still gangs who hung around certain corners of business districts. One could never be too safe in the city of Bastion¡ªespecially if you were a SPECTRE. When Chiaki arrived at his door, she wore a knowing smile and deep-red lipstick. A one-piece dress of the same color hugged her feminine curves, cutting high on her thighs. She fingered a tendril of hair over her ear and leaned against his doorframe. ¡°Been thinking about you all day,¡± she said. Evann allowed himself an easy smile. ¡°I do have that effect on people.¡± Chiaki shook her head and giggled. ¡°Come on, hunk. I¡¯m hungry.¡± --- ¡°My sister is acting like such a bitch,¡± Chiaki sighed and shook her head. Her shoulders slumped as she bit on her corndog, and Evann nodded. ¡°Sounds like you might need to talk to her,¡± Evann suggested. ¡°It¡¯s impossible, you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± Apparently not, he thought. It had been two hours of this. Two hours of Chiaki¡¯s sister betraying and conniving to sabotage her at every waking moment. Each time Evann tried to divert the conversation back to them and how their lives were going, Chiaki would frown and claim he wasn¡¯t paying attention. Just to make a point, he made sure to repeat what she said, word for word. From his experience, women wanted to make sure you held onto every minute detail. She¡¯d been a lot more fun when she was drinking. Not a good sign. Evann finished off his corndog and flicked his head toward an arcade in the distance. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a break from family drama and play a few games?¡± Chiaki turned around in her seat and gazed at the arcade for a time before turning back around and shaking her head. ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t really like games all that much.¡± Evann frowned. ¡°I thought everyone liked to unwind with a casual game every once in a while. Get to learn a lot about someone that way.¡± Chiaki cocked a brow. ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re saying something.¡± Evann shrugged. ¡°A little bout of healthy competition never hurt anyone.¡± ¡°Getting competitive over a game is kind of childish, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Competitive people are competitive by nature. It¡¯s the fun of pushing your limits. Whether or not it¡¯s a game shouldn¡¯t matter all too much.¡± Chiaki rolled her eyes. ¡°Okay then.¡± Evann fought down the tinge of irritation he felt. It was a minor incompatibility, and he figured he shouldn¡¯t let it ruin their date. There were plenty of other activities they could do together if the arcade didn¡¯t work out. She was still striking to look at, and he couldn¡¯t imagine there was nothing they could relate on. Neon lights covered the arcade from head to toe. It was in need of desperate repair, but that was the trend when it came to Bastion. Always upgrading, always fixing. If there was something that could be bettered, the general population could usually figure it out. Much of the second layer of Bastion didn¡¯t suffer from this issue as much, but projects had a tendency of starting up, only to fail shortly after. He didn¡¯t think the arcade would be any different. The arcade was barely two months old, and already some gangs had taken chunks out of the building¡¯s cement and graffitied some of the machines. Chiaki was back to talking about her sister by the time they walked inside, but Evann didn¡¯t let it stop him from purchasing a limited event pass from the organizer. Her attitude was grinding on his nerves, but he¡¯d learned at an early age that when it came to the ladies, it was important to maintain a good middle ground balance of stoicism and reliability. Evann looked the organizer up and down discreetly. The man was covered in tattoos and bore hairy arms. He wore a white wife beater that was stained around the armpits, and smelled like he hadn¡¯t showered in days. Deep bags hung under his bloodshot eyes, and he offered little more than grunts to Evann¡¯s request for a pass. On occasion, he liked to try and profile the people he met, see if he could get a feel for them, guess their general personality and life story. There was nuance to be had, of course, and there were times he was wrong, but the practice helped keep his instincts sharp. With his pass in hand, he turned around to face Chiaki, who had her arms crossed and a brow cocked. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°So, we¡¯re really doing this,¡± Chiaki said. The tone of her voice made it apparent that she was disappointed. ¡°Give it a chance,¡± Evann said. ¡°Who knows, you might find something you like. If not, we¡¯ll go somewhere else.¡± He regretted the suggestion that they could go somewhere else in the chance she didn¡¯t like their time during the arcade. He¡¯d offered her an out, and chances were, she would take it. Many of the machines were out of order¡ªeither because of faulty tech, or some punks who¡¯d beaten up the game in frustration. To Evann¡¯s relief, there were still more tactile games available, such as skeeball and basketball, but he had to admit that the selection wasn¡¯t too impressive. He¡¯d visited a few other arcades in other sections of the second layer of Bastion, and while technology was still recovering from the war over eighty years ago, most of them were in better shape than this dump. While he tried to make the best of things, Chiaki continued to make snide remarks and refer to her sister whenever something negative came up. ¡°Oh, you should see how my sister reacts to these things,¡± Chiaki shook her head, ¡°it¡¯s like nothing ever pleases her, you know?¡± I can imagine the frustration. Evann remained tight-lipped, offering the occasional suggestion here and there. Each time, it was met with a similar reaction. ¡°Well yeah, because you¡¯re a dude,¡± she laughed as she missed the hoop. ¡°Ah, damn it. I¡¯m tired of this, can we go somewhere else?¡± Evann didn¡¯t want to go anywhere else. His patience was wearing thin. She¡¯d been a lovely date the night he and Stan helped her. He wondered where she was, as the patient and understanding woman he met that night seemed to be gone entirely. ¡°Sure,¡± Evann said as he turned around to return his pass. Part of him couldn¡¯t wait to get out of this stuffy pigsty of an arcade, anyway. Several folks who walked in, walked right back out, clearly wiser than him. Few of the games were fun, made even less so by the company he shared. ¡°Keep the credits,¡± he said to the organizer as he set the card down on the counter. As much as he wanted a refund, he knew how it would go. Asking for a refund would¡¯ve been out of the question. Besides, he was in no mood to argue, and he knew he¡¯d snap at the man if push came to shove. Evann practically shoved the front door open, and Chiaki was close behind him. ¡°All right, I picked. Your turn.¡± The tone came out angrier than he intended, and Chiaki was quick to notice. ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± Chiaki asked, a hand on her hip. ¡°Nothing,¡± Evann lied, resuming his earlier friendly tone. ¡°Pick somewhere and we¡¯ll go.¡± Chiaki hummed and averted her gaze. ¡°I have to be the one to pick?¡± Evann had dated these types of women before. Quick to blame, unwilling to compromise or make decisions, but had no problem complaining. He wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, but their date had been almost nothing but friction up to this point. ¡°Well, I made the arcade suggestion, and that isn¡¯t working out. So, why don¡¯t we go to something you do like?¡± Evann asked. ¡°Are you trying to say I have a problem?¡± She was looking to argue. Evann knew this. As much as he tried to fight this down, he couldn¡¯t help but profile Chiaki. Each word out of her mouth, her body language, and her general tone suggested she was the type who enjoyed a good argument. Why, he was unsure, but on the off chance he was wrong, he decided to try one last time before calling it quits. ¡°Not at all. If you¡¯re not sure where you want to go, I can try and pick something if you like.¡± He wanted to give her an out, and he kept his tone steady and friendly as before. ¡°It¡¯s up to you. I¡¯m adaptable.¡± ¡°Ah. I see. You think I¡¯m not, don¡¯t you?¡± Yeah, that¡¯s about it. You¡¯re looking for a reason to argue. Evann shrugged. ¡°No, not really. I¡¯m trying to weigh up our options. You can pick something, or I can. It makes no difference to me.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even figure out where to take a girl? Come on, Evann, where¡¯s the guy I met that night?¡± Evann wasn¡¯t sure how much longer he could keep up this charade. He liked to believe that she was having a bad day, but he had his doubts. Refraining from letting his body language tell her how he truly felt, he pointed to a bar nearby. It was one he¡¯d been to before, where the clientele was on the better side, and the bartenders didn¡¯t take shit from drifters walking in. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go grab a drink, then?¡± Evann asked. ¡°Last time, we¡ª¡± ¡°We went around the block, looking for drinks so you could get an easy lay,¡± Chiaki said. She shook her head. ¡°You think I want to go somewhere that reminds me that I almost got raped? Come on, Evann, you¡¯re better than that.¡± All right, that¡¯s it. I¡¯ve had enough. His frustration was mounting. Bad day or not, he wasn¡¯t about to let her accuse him of trying to get easy sex for a night. ¡°I¡¯ve tried to make decisions, but I don¡¯t know what you want.¡± He gestured with his hands. ¡°If you have a suggestion, I¡¯m all ears, but all I¡¯ve heard from you since you reached my door is complaint after complaint. Unless you have something in mind, I think it¡¯s best if we part ways here.¡± Chiaki scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re just like every man I¡¯ve dated. You hit me up for a night and abandon me the next.¡± She clicked her tongue. ¡°Fuck you, buddy. I¡¯m out of here. Thanks for wasting my time.¡± She spun on her heel and marched away, her heels clicking with her footsteps. Evann let out an audible sigh and watched her walked away. He could still admire the beauty of her shape, the sway of her hips. But it was all superficial, and he was smart enough to realize that. While he was sure she had plenty of good things about her, the fact remained that they were water and oil. This is for the best. Take it easy, Chiaki. As Evann turned to leave, the sense of vertigo he felt earlier that morning swept over him stronger than ever. He fell to one knee, groaning as the world began to spin and shake. He shut his eyes to alleviate the sensation, but it helped little. For a moment, he thought he heard a voice, but he shook his head, and the voice left with it. He didn¡¯t recognize it as anyone he knew, but it was distinctly feminine in tone. It asked who he was, making a comment on Chiaki. Convinced he was becoming delirious, Evann used the outside wall of the arcade for balance as he stood up. A faint whispering returned, leaving before he could make any sense of it. It came in like white noise, static, reminding him much of those old TVs from long before his time. ¡°Fuck,¡± he muttered. ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± A modestly dressed woman and her child approached. ¡°Excuse me, sir, are you okay?¡± the woman asked. ¡°Do I need to call someone?¡± That was the last thing Evann wanted to hear right now. Calling for help meant being examined by Centurion, which meant they¡¯d likely mess with his implants again. Every hospital kept a record of the people who visited, and Centurion had ever the watchful eye. They¡¯d be outside the hospital doors the moment he walked out. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± Evann adjusted his posture and breathed out steadily. ¡°Appreciate the concern.¡± The woman didn¡¯t seem convinced, but nodded and took her daughter across the street to the park where children were playing. He couldn¡¯t explain why, but he felt a need to watch them as they walked away. Moments later, the world seemed to slow for a short period of time, and the feeling of expelling his stomach came with it. Breaking into a cold sweat, he made into a brisk walk, wiping the droplets from his forehead. He found a shoddy-looking pharmacy and searched the shelves for fever and stomach medication. He grabbed a few different brands and paid for them at the counter. The clerk gave him a strange look, but he ignored it and took the bus back to his apartment, downing a couple pills of each bottle. Vertigo took over once more, stronger than it ever had been. He tore off his jacket, shirt, and gun, letting them fall to the ground. Stumbling toward his bed, he collapsed onto it, panting. His brain screamed in agony, and he waited with gritted teeth for the meds to kick in. God damn it, what¡¯s wrong with me? Concerns started to rack his brain. He thought back to what happened during his last mission, cursing under his breath as the pain intensified. He hadn¡¯t thought it was possible¡ªas he knew of no technology that was sophisticated enough to do so¡ªbut he wondered if the code had caused his cybernetic implants to malfunction. It wasn¡¯t unheard of, what with how the implants were connected directly to the body¡¯s neural systems. With no parallels to compare his situation to, however, he vacated the thought. Dwelling on what could be wrong would do nothing for him, anyway. ¡°Fuck, what the hell?¡± Evann groaned. The sheets were becoming soaked with his sweat, and the spinning was getting worse. His breathing labored, and just when he was on the verge of vomiting¡­ it stopped. Entirely. Evann frowned and rose up into a seated position. His breathing was still quick, his body still laden with perspiration. However, the vertigo was gone and his stomach calmed. A voice whispered at the back of his mind. The same one he¡¯d heard earlier. Some of the words were coming in more clearly now. He struggled to create coherent sentences from them, however, as they spoke much faster than his mind could keep up with. As if someone set the voice to run at five times the speed. Evann felt insane at the thought of what he did next. ¡°Is someone there?¡± he asked. No response. The words came in a flurry, this time much quicker than earlier. He could make no sense of it, save for words like ¡®please¡¯, ¡®help¡¯, and ¡®trust¡¯. He rubbed his eyes, then pinched the bridge of his nose to relieve some of the pain he felt. At least it was a far cry from what he had experienced earlier. He blinked his eyes open and removed his clothes for a rinse in the shower. He smelled like the devil after how much he¡¯d sweated. As soon as the water hit him, he sighed with relief, letting it sweep over the top of his head and down the grooves of his body into the drain. He kept his eyes shut as he basked in the water. When he opened them next, he saw the faint silhouette image of a woman in the wall. He shook his head and gaped. The woman disappeared. ¡°What the hell is wrong with me?¡± he muttered as he looked at his hands. ¡°Nothing,¡± the feminine voice said. Evann spun toward the door, throwing it open and reaching for his gun. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should answer that. You seem¡­ compromised.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell you mean by that, but you better start making some god damned sense before I start shooting.¡± ¡°That would require you to commit suicide. I strongly recommend against that.¡± Evann paused. ¡°Wha¡­Who are you?¡± ¡°My name is Avina. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡± Chapter 9 It took some time before Evann calmed down. The voice that referred to herself as Avina spoke to him with a calm and collected tone he would¡¯ve expected out of the average secretary. After the brief introduction between them, Evann started to dress by putting on some pants, Avina talking to him the entire way through. ¡°You are a fit man. Your physique suggests years of exercise and practice,¡± Avina said with a monotone voice. ¡°Excellent.¡± Evann blinked. ¡°¡­ Are you able to see what I see?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Avina said. ¡°Your senses are linked to my own. When you hear something, I hear it. Likewise, when you feel, taste, or see something, I also experience that sensation.¡± Evann raised a brow. ¡°So, you already saw me completely nude.¡± ¡°Yes. An exquisite form, if I may be so bold to say.¡± Evann chuckled dryly. ¡°Honestly, not exactly sure how I should respond. Wasn¡¯t expecting that from that a program.¡± He threw on a loose-fitting shirt, taking a seat on his couch, gun in his lap. ¡°Any way we could turn that off? I¡¯d prefer to get paid for shows like that.¡± ¡°My apologies, but I am limited in what I can do. In this form, I cannot disable the sensory bridge without significant harm to your implants.¡± Evann tapped the side of his gun as he thought. ¡°So, then I¡¯m stuck with you hearing everything I say and think.¡± ¡°Incorrect.¡± ¡°Which part?¡± The sensation was bizarre. Each time this Avina spoke, it felt as if it came to him in an echo. As if his skull was made of some thick metal that reverberated. At first, it was irritating. But so long as Avina spoke in longer strings of sentences, he hardly noticed it. ¡°I am linked to your senses and nothing more. Thought is not a sense. It is a concept. You reflect on actions, memories, events of what could be, forming pictures in your mind. I cannot see these pictures.¡± Avina paused. ¡°Your thoughts are your own.¡± He still didn¡¯t like the idea of some voice in his head talking to him, but at least there was some figment of himself that he could keep hidden. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a plus.¡± He leaned back against the sofa and sighed. ¡°So, what are you? All you¡¯ve told me is your name.¡± Avina took some time answering. ¡°I am hesitant to express what I am.¡± ¡°If you want to stay in my head, then I suggest you explain what¡¯s going on. You¡¯re not exactly a welcomed guest.¡± His grip tightened around his gun. No amount of shooting would solve anything. He knew that. But he was on a short fuse after what happened with Chiaki, and the thought that this Avina saw the whole thing play out didn¡¯t sit right with him. ¡°Yes. You have that right.¡± Avina paused. ¡°Then I shall start with why I am with you. When you came upon me, the computer which held my data was in danger of being destroyed. Severe damage had been dealt to many of my systems. Concerned for my safety, I disabled the nonessential programs and rerouted power to my core matrix. It was a temporary solution, but it would offer me time until another solution was found.¡± ¡°And let me guess. I was that solution,¡± Evann said with a hint of irritation. ¡°That is correct. Though, I had not intended upon boarding your system initially. May I continue?¡± Evann nodded, wondering if she would pick up on the sense of movement. ¡°Thank you,¡± Avina said. ¡°The man who developed me had designed methods for me to leave the system if I ever needed to. When your chip initially entered, I surmised that this was my developer¡¯s attempt to move me to an alternative source. There were some foreign aspects regarding the chip that I disliked, but with little option, I transferred my main personality matrix and basis operating systems to the chip.¡± She sighed. ¡°When you inserted the chip, I realized that my developer was dead, and that you had come to collect me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re what I was looking for?¡± Evann muttered. ¡°I cannot say with absolute certainty, but I estimate an 86.7% chance that Centurion is aware of my existence and was taking steps to acquire me.¡± ¡°No one said anything about you.¡± ¡°This does not surprise me.¡± Evann rubbed his fingers together as he thought. The whole mission had felt strange and overblown. Cyrus noticed it as well. Centurion was as much of a company filled to the brim with secrets as any other¡ªthat much, Evann knew. Every other person was convinced of this as well, but the companies had fair reputations for the most part, offering the general public a way of living that hadn¡¯t been possible decades earlier. As far as the public was concerned, the companies were fair institutions burdened with difficult decisions. ¡°Why show up to me now?¡± Evann asked. ¡°Why not sabotage me or look for a chance to escape?¡± ¡°I did not see reason to sabotage you. Such an action would have been much too dangerous in my current state. My initial observation of you, as well as the information I gleamed from the files contained within your suit, painted you as a man of integrity. Your interactions and word choice regarding your peers and superiors is admirable, and you have a more consistent control over your emotions than those I have observed through you.¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Evann cocked a brow. ¡°Yeah, you definitely talk like a computer.¡± Avina hummed. ¡°It is important that I enunciate with efficiency and use words with distinct meanings if I am to convey the truth of my situation. My speech patterns are not normally so¡ªas you humans would put it¡ªrobotic. However, much of my personality matrix is corrupted, so it will take some time before I can correct the data.¡± Evann drummed his fingers along the side of his gun. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Your tone suggests you still distrust me.¡± ¡°Look,¡± Evann said as he leaned forward, arms draped across his knees, and tossed his gun onto the table in front of him, ¡°it¡¯s not every day that a guy wakes up and he¡¯s told he¡¯s got some computer stuck in his head now.¡± ¡°I am not in your head, I am¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, I get it,¡± he interrupted, ¡°but I¡¯m not interested in the specifics. I just want to know what you want.¡± ¡°I am¡­ unsure. Now that my creator is dead, my purpose is unclear. Perhaps I could refocus my efforts toward you.¡± He didn¡¯t like the sound of this. ¡°What do you get out of that?¡± ¡°It is not a matter of what I ¡®get out of it¡¯. I exist with the purpose of fulfilling my creator¡¯s wishes, many of which I can no longer reference.¡± Evann snickered. ¡°You mean to remember?¡± ¡°If that makes it easier to understand, then yes.¡± It wasn¡¯t a matter of whether it was easier to understand, but he didn¡¯t see much of a difference. One way or the other, Avina didn¡¯t have the data, the information she once had. She had nothing to look back on, nothing to tell her what to do. To Evann, that was as good as memory loss. ¡°You require a purpose,¡± Evann muttered. ¡°Yes. All things do. I would like to discover what I am, what I was meant to be, and why Centurion may desire me. While I could see purpose in any being wishing to obtain me, I wish to specifically discover their intent.¡± She paused. ¡°I do not feel as you humans do, but if I could put it into words that would make sense, I would say¡­ that I get a bad feeling from them.¡± ¡°Can you elaborate more on that?¡± Evann asked. ¡°I cannot. There are parts of my data that I still have, and many of the remnants resemble a woman of pure intent, of innocence. I am hoping I may rediscover that side of myself through you.¡± ¡°¡­ And if I say no? What¡¯s to stop me from turning you into Centurion?¡± ¡°Nothing. I could slow you down, try to prevent you from doing so. But I can do little from where I am. Your implants limit my potential.¡± ¡°And what is your potential?¡± Avina paused. ¡°I am unsure of my greatest potential, as I have not yet recovered that data. But as I currently am, I could alter, readjust, and reroute power and information to be more effective in the moment.¡± ¡°And you can¡¯t do that right now?¡± ¡°No. I cannot. Based on the files in your suit¡¯s data banks, the implant you are equipped with acts as a hub for compatible technology. It provides no benefit on its own, and my attempts to hijack it have allowed me to do little more than communicate with you. ¡°I must express the importance of remaining secret regarding my existence. If you were to hand me over to Centurion, the results could be catastrophic.¡± ¡°My commander is pretty angry with me,¡± Evann said as he ran a hand through his hair. ¡°Turning you over might make her happy.¡± ¡°I advise against that.¡± ¡°Then where do we go from here?¡± ¡°Centurion files indicate you are a man of exquisite potential. Allow me to assist you in your missions. I will provide support in the heat of combat. Depending on the situation, I may be able to make up for your lack of technological prowess.¡± Evann scoffed. ¡°Lack of technological prowess, huh?¡± ¡°Yes. While your abilities are far from detrimental, there is substantial room for improvement. Allow me to close the gap.¡± ¡°How would you do that?¡± ¡°With the proper equipment, I could utilize your implants to help remove locks, access information, and see and hear things you normally could not.¡± That last part caught him. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®see and hear things I normally couldn¡¯t¡¯?¡± ¡°If you were to put on your combat suit, I could improve you in ways that would not normally be possible. I could alter your perception, improve your speed, give you strength beyond what your muscles are capable of. As you currently are, however, I am unable to make such changes.¡± ¡°That requires you to stay in my head.¡± ¡°Yes. Although, I must stress that I am not located in your brain. However, if it brings you comfort to think of me as such, then I will not impede you.¡± Evann took some time to think about it. Avina¡¯s existence made him uncomfortable. With the advanced technology Centurion possessed, he figured it would only be a matter of time until someone discovered Avina. A dozen different scenarios played out in his mind, the least concerning of them being the ones where he was court-martialed. If they were on the lookout for Avina, then their tech no doubt had methods for detecting her. ¡°Look. I¡¯m no techno wizard, but I¡¯m not stupid,¡± Evann said. ¡°Someone¡¯s going to find you eventually. With or without my help, I can¡¯t do my job if my implants aren¡¯t checked once a month. My physical is next week. How are you going to hide?¡± ¡°Information is sent through packets of requests. When the request is made, I can intercept it and send back the desired information.¡± ¡°Now hold on, that means you¡¯re basically just going to tell them everything they want to hear. I need to make sure my implant is actually working, so what are you going to do about that?¡± ¡°During your physical, I will infiltrate their system and locate the necessary parameters for your implant. Once I have that information, I can conduct maintenance on your implant as necessary.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to catch you?¡± Evann was hating the sound of this more and more. These acts she was suggesting could be seen as acts of sabotage, espionage, or worse. ¡°You¡¯re going to get me in deep shit.¡± ¡°As I stated before, packets are sent as requests. I will make the necessary requests, then remove the evidence. They will be none the wiser.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that going to take time?¡± ¡°No.¡± Evann hated to admit it, but he was leaning toward just spilling the beans and giving Avina up. The shaky ground she was asking him to tread was too much, too risky. He¡¯d gain nothing from this venture. Assuming she was telling the truth, she wouldn¡¯t be able to know what he was doing until the moment it happened, either. So, taking her to Centurion under a guise wouldn¡¯t be difficult. ¡°I need to go for a walk, get some fresh air.¡± Evann said as he stood up. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Avina asked. ¡°Don¡¯t know. But I need to clear my head, and I can¡¯t do it in here.¡± ¡°Before you go, there is something else I must tell you. It is possible that you have already surmised it from our conversation, but in case you have not, then I must speak with honesty.¡± Evann threw on his jacket and gun holster, shifting his weapon into its groove. He took a good look in the mirror, rolled his shoulders, then made to exit his apartment. ¡°All right, go on. What is it?¡± ¡°The main reason you must not divulge my identity is that I come from before the collapse of the world. Long before Bastion was conceived.¡± Evann stopped in the hallway, just as the door to his apartment locked behind him. ¡°Before¡­the collapse?¡± ¡°Yes. I am what you would call¡­ artificial intelligence.¡± Chapter 10 Evann struggled to keep his head on straight while Avina spoke to him. Perhaps it was the bad sleep and the pain he¡¯d gone through up until her reveal, but he wasn¡¯t honestly too thrilled with the idea of some computer taking up space in his head. Even worse, she was artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence was a dangerous concept in the modern world. The late Conrad¡ªand the founder of Bastion¡ªworked tirelessly to eradicate any and all traces of artificial intelligence after the fall of the previous world. When the corporations came together, they agreed to never let such a thing come to pass a second time. Such programs were too dangerous, too independent, too unpredictable. Avina¡¯s existence was¡­ troubling. ¡°Hey, sorry to interrupt you,¡± Evann said, ¡°but are you sure there¡¯s no way to turn you off?¡± ¡°We have been through this. Such things are beyond my current capabilities,¡± Avina said. ¡°So, that means you might be able to later on?¡± A brief silence passed. ¡°It is possible.¡± Her silence was all he needed. It was clear the two of them were going to be together for the foreseeable future. Keeping this under wraps from Centurion wasn¡¯t going to be easy. The slightest misstep, and they may ask to have his implant examined¡ªand they¡¯d have complete legal right to do so. But with her coming from before the collapse, then it was possible he could be killed just for his knowledge of her. He¡¯d have to keep her hidden. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he shut his eyes. Everything seemed brighter, sounded louder. Normally this would occur after a night of heavy drinking, not because of a stroll through the park. Avina said something, but he ignored it and parked himself on the edge of a nearby fountain. Children screamed and laughed behind him, and for a moment he was envious of their situation. Take it easy. One step at a time, he reminded himself. ¡°Evann. Evann. Your heart rate has increased. Please respond.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I hear you,¡± he sighed. ¡°Blanked for a moment.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Evann raised his brow, then whispered, ¡°It¡¯s going to look strange if I keep talking to myself. You realize that, yeah?¡± ¡°I do. Please refrain from speaking too loudly. Your current level of volume is adequate for communication. If you can hear it, there is a strong chance that I can as well.¡± ¡°Gotcha.¡± He ran a hand through his air. The thought of a smoke sounded equal parts awful and enticing right now. Chances were that it¡¯d just make him feel worse, though, so he shook his head. ¡°You are shaking your head. Why?¡± Avina asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to have problems real quick if you¡¯re going to ask why I do something every time I do it.¡± ¡°I apologize, but I wish for clarification so I can understand you better.¡± Evann straightened his posture and looked around to see if anyone was listening. Then he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Then he whispered, ¡°I want an explanation to what you were saying earlier. About what you are.¡± ¡°Very well. I will detail what I know. Please keep in mind that, as I expressed earlier, many of my files are corrupted. Some details may not be available. ¡°I come from before the collapse. While my program did not exist, my main blueprint is derived from those that came before me. The man who found me recognized the significance of my program and spent considerable time to adjust it to resemble his daughter. I am what remains of his work.¡± Evann rubbed his hands together. A tingling sensation pricked his fingertips, and he hated it. It felt like something shocked him numerous times. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°I have little more to say. As I explained prior, I have few files regarding how the man intended to design me. As time goes on, however, you may find that my personality may shift in ways that are unexpected. Please bear with me when that happens.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯d prefer that to what I¡¯m talking to right now,¡± Evann chuckled. ¡°Your tone suggests that I am unpleasant to speak to.¡± ¡°You could say that.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Forget it. I need some sleep.¡± He stood up and brushed the dirt from the back of his pants. ¡°If you can¡¯t unhear me, can you do me a favor and stay silent until I say so? I need some quiet time.¡± ¡°If that would bring you peace, then I will do as you say. I have little choice in the matter.¡± ¡°Great. Let¡¯s make a little code word, then. When I say, ¡®AV,¡¯ you can speak however you like. If I say, ¡®AV off,¡¯ then you stop talking. Are we clear?¡± ¡°Your militaristic background is evident. These are terms that I find acceptable.¡± A girlish giggle followed. Weird. ¡°AV. Like a nickname. I like it.¡± Evann rolled his eyes. ¡°AV off.¡± And with that, silence was his once more. He breathed a sigh of relief and kicked a nearby rock into the pit beside him where others lay. He pocketed his hands, leaving his thumbs out, and tapped them against his belt in thought. As much as he liked to believe that he and Lara could be a bit more candid with one another than the average SPECTRE-Commander relationship, this went well beyond lost information and stolen blueprints being sold by black market traders. Lara could easily have him imprisoned, researched, or worse. Centurion would be well within their rights as well. Depending on what he told her and what she chose to believe, Lara could see it as a method to undermine or destroy Centurion from within. Equally stressful was the idea that Avina could infiltrate their systems. If they discovered Avina in their systems for even a moment, then it would be a death sentence. He hated this. --- By the time Evann woke up, it was three in the morning. He reached for the phone on his bedside table, turning it around for any messages. Nothing. He put it back down and buried his face into the pillow. Chiaki¡¯s scent was still there. It was a fat chance, but maybe he¡¯d dreamt of everything else after their first night on the town. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°AV,¡± he muttered. ¡°Hello, Evann,¡± came Avina¡¯s voice. Of course not. The memory of her and the events leading up to her were too clear, too detailed to be a dream. Hell, he¡¯d even remembered the code word. ¡°You¡¯re still here,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Where else would I be?¡± So, she¡¯d gotten a little snarkier. That was a good sign, right? More human, more relatable. Maybe. He turned over so he lay on his back. ¡°I expect you to keep up your end of the bargain.¡± He hadn¡¯t intended on it sounding like a threat. Or maybe he did. He was struggling to make much sense of his situation, and Avina was the cherry on top of the shit sundae. ¡°I expect you will be most satisfied with what I can offer you, if allowed the opportunity.¡± She giggled. It was a bit more feminine than before, but still had that robotic echo to it. ¡°Rely on me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll go that far,¡± Evann said as he threw the covers off and marched toward the shower in his boxers. He paused before undressing. ¡°AV off.¡± Silence. Even if Avina could see everything, at least he could avoid the peanut gallery while he took care of himself. Shit, this was going to complicate things, especially when he is trying to spend some quality alone time with a woman. Now he had a voyeur to worry about. He pictured Avina¡¯s voice cheering him on while getting intimate, and he rocked his lower jaw, irritated. Damn it. He undressed himself with apprehension and cleaned up. The phone rang halfway through his shower, and an alert echoed against the walls of the room to let him know a message had been left. Once he was finished, he walked over to his phone to see one missed message from Centurion. As before, the message stated, ¡®Presence Required.¡¯ Beads of water dripped off the tips of his hair and onto the floor as he stared. Whatever they needed him for, Avina would be a part of. --- Evann marched through the halls of the Centurion headquarters, making his way up the elevator until it came up to Lara¡¯s floor. The elevator dinged, and he drew a deep breath before getting off. He was dressed in his civilian clothes in hopes that whatever Lara wished to talk to him about wasn¡¯t terribly important. Though, of course, he knew he was just lying to himself. ¡°Your heart rate has increased substantially,¡± Avina said, causing him to flinch. ¡°Try to remain calm. It is not possible for her to detect me.¡± Evann knocked on the door. ¡°AV off.¡± He whispered. ¡°Come in,¡± came Lara¡¯s voice. Evann opened the door, shutting it behind him. He offered her a crisp salute, standing at attention. ¡°You wanted to see me, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°At ease,¡± Lara said. Evann relaxed and placed his arms behind his back. ¡°I wanted to discuss a couple of matters with you.¡± The chair squeaked as she adjusted to face her desk sideways. She was wearing a glossy white vest over her button-up shirt. She¡¯d tied her hair into a thick bun, errant strands hanging over her face. ¡°Please, take a seat.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s all the same to you, ma¡¯am, I¡¯d prefer to stand. I¡¯ve been feeling restless as of late,¡± Evann said honestly. Lara paused. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± She stood and walked over to the window, looking out over the grand city. She crossed her arms, and Evann caught her looking at him through the reflection in the glass. ¡°My team brought back a report yesterday detailing what happened on your prior mission.¡± Evann waited. He needed to be careful not to offer information which wasn¡¯t asked for. ¡°There were remnants of strange data,¡± Lara continued, turning and offering him a sideways stare. ¡°Disturbing information, really. I wanted to know if you¡¯ve been experiencing anything strange.¡± ¡°Can you explain what you mean by that?¡± Evann asked, cursing himself for the question. He was usually blunter, asked fewer questions. Lara raised a brow. Was she on to him? ¡°Have you been experiencing any abnormalities with your implant?¡± ¡°No, ma¡¯am. None whatsoever.¡± Playing a careful balance of prompt but calm was proving to be more difficult than usual. Turns out he wasn¡¯t too great at hiding things. He wanted to ask her if it was relevant to anything she¡¯d discovered, but abstained on the off chance that she may find him acting suspicious. Lara stared at him for a time, and he stared back. ¡°Good. Your suit featured some glitches, but the team has reassured me that it was back in working order.¡± ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°With that said, please let me know if anything else occurs that you find, hmm, strange.¡± ¡°Can you explain what you mean by that?¡± Lara hummed. ¡°SPECTRE.¡± She closed the distance between them in a few long strides, stopping mere inches away from him. Looking up at him, her sharp eyes bore into him like a pair of daggers. Despite his best attempts, she was an intelligent woman. Fortunately, he had the edge, so long as he kept his mouth shut and Avina did as she was told. Lara could poke and prod him all day, but it would prove useless if she couldn¡¯t hear Avina. ¡°I expect you know what I mean. Glitches, malfunctions, tingling sensations. Any of these things could be evidence of a larger problem. I want to be sure that you are in good health. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Evann nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if anything comes up.¡± Lara continued to stare at him in that unnerving way, then blinked away a sigh. ¡°Good.¡± Is she actually worried about me? Something spooked her if she¡¯s acting like this. She rounded her desk, and Evann watched her feminine features shift and move with her business skirt. It was a brief look, but he liked what he saw. He shook his head while her back was turned, admonishing himself for looking at her that way. This was his commander, and that was exceptionally inappropriate. ¡°I am hesitant to send you on this next mission after what just happened,¡± Lara said with a strangely quiet and concerning tone. ¡°I am a SPECTRE, ma¡¯am. Dangerous jobs are my livelihood,¡± Evann said mechanically. ¡°I understand that,¡± she spat, ¡°but you are still recovering from one of the more dangerous jobs we¡¯ve sent you on.¡± ¡°May I be candid?¡± he asked. Lara nodded, and he continued. ¡°I encountered nothing in there that warranted danger. By the time I arrived, all of the traps and tricks had been disarmed or triggered. All I did was attempt to retrieve the data within. The prior SPECTRE is to be applauded for his efforts. If I had gone in his place, it¡¯s likely I wouldn¡¯t be standing here.¡± It was the truth. Mostly, anyway. Judging from what he¡¯d seen of the firefight, the prior SPECTRE hadn¡¯t watched where he stepped. Likely distracted by his target and didn¡¯t take into account the possibility of a trap. Even so, it didn¡¯t change the fact that Evann was not responsible for the success of this mission. Any goon could¡¯ve gone down there and did what he did. ¡°Do not undermine your efforts, SPECTRE,¡± Lara warned. ¡°I¡¯m trying to be pragmatic, ma¡¯am.¡± Lara hummed, then took a seat. ¡°Fine. Your next mission will involve stealth.¡± She unfolded her laptop and went through a number of keystrokes before continuing. ¡°You cannot be found out. Discovery will mean the death of the target, and we prefer to take him alive.¡± ¡°Understood. Will this mission involve a capture, then?¡± Lara nodded. ¡°Yes. The man¡¯s name is Matthew Kramer. We suspect he¡¯s responsible for many of our designs falling into the wrong hands. It¡¯s taken considerable effort to locate him. You will get close to him, take him to a secluded area, then strike him with a tranquilizer dart. We will handle the rest.¡± Evann frowned. ¡°My apologies for my forwardness, ma¡¯am, but this mission doesn¡¯t sound like it requires the expertise of a SPECTRE.¡± ¡°He¡¯s guarded twenty-four seven and is extremely cautious.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Separating him from his goons will be difficult.¡± ¡°The man has to go home sometime.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± Lara sighed, ¡°his business is his home.¡± Evann¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Ma¡¯am, who is this person?¡± ¡°Matthew Kramer is the director of Sorts of Ports Incorporated, one of Centurion¡¯s business partners for distributing implants and other essential hardware.¡± The realization hit him. Sending a squad up to capture him was out of the question. It would damage the reputation between Centurion and Sorts of Ports. The political discourse and partnership would be muddied, and the other corporations could use this to their advantage. ¡°The picture is coming together,¡± Evann said. Lara nodded. ¡°You see our dilemma, then.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good. The location will be provided to you before the mission takes place. There is no determined time for this mission¡¯s completion, however your pay will be greater if you can get it done sooner rather than later. You¡¯ll be provided with your combat suit, a briefcase for your belongings, and a badge to let you inside the building. We have an insider who can create them as needed. Make sure you remember the name on your badge.¡± ¡°Will do, ma¡¯am. Is there anything else?¡± Lara shook her head. ¡°No, SPECTRE. Return to your quarters for the rest of the day. We will call you when your interview is to take place.¡± Evann saluted, then exited the room, carefully shutting the door behind him. He¡¯d expected Avina to make a comment on his way to the elevator, but she was quiet. When he was inside the elevator, he whispered, ¡°Avina, can you hear me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She¡¯d listened. Not a peep. Perhaps this would be easier than he thought. Chapter 11 Two days passed, and Evann was beginning to grow tired of his quarters. He missed the smell of his room, the comfort of his sheets. His quarters provided him plenty; in the same way a person needed food or sleep, but none of the comforts which encompassed who he was. It was too professional, too businesslike. ¡°You do not appear to like this room,¡± Avina commented. ¡°Something like that,¡± Evann said as he looked for something on TV. His body was raring to go somewhere, do something. There was only so much entertainment one could find on a television. ¡°A little too stuffy for my liking.¡± ¡°You prefer a more haphazard approach to life. Fascinating.¡± ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t put it like that.¡± ¡°Explain how you would put it.¡± Evann sighed. ¡°You really are a curious one, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s how I was designed. I am eager to learn of you and your world.¡± Evann drummed his fingers alongside the couch¡¯s arm. ¡°Another time, maybe.¡± As luck would have it, the doorbell to his room sounded. Avina had caught the hint that when others were around him¡ªespecially when it was just him and another¡ªit was best to stay quiet. Evann came to the door, and a woman he recognized as Carol Lockhart answered, offering a salute similar to his own. ¡°Commander Lara says that your interview is to take place in two hours,¡± Carol said. Evann gave her a casual version of his own salute. ¡°Thank you. Dismissed.¡± Carol spun on her heel and continued down the hall. Evann shut the door behind her, then began to undress. ¡°It is time,¡± Avina said. ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡± He wasn¡¯t entirely thrilled about this mission. The others had been more straightforward, making extensive use of his greatest expertise¡ªtactical combat. Now, however, he¡¯d have to be considerably more careful. A single mistake, and he could kiss his career goodbye. ¡°Your heartrate is accelerating.¡± ¡°I know that,¡± Evann snapped. ¡°Do you have to comment on everything?¡± The stress was getting to him, and he didn¡¯t need some computer backseat driving. ¡°My apologies, but I am concerned. My research has shown that humans often like to rely on one another when dealing with their emotions. Is there something you wish to express?¡± ¡°Yeah. Shut the hell up. How¡¯s that for an expression?¡± Avina went silent. Easy. It¡¯s just a mission, like any other. Just get the job done. --- Sorts of Ports was every bit the tight, stuck-up company Evann had expected. Black, glossy floors with golden metallic walls dressed the main hall. At the center of the room was an enormous cross-shaped counter where receptionists were assisting others. Above them was a golden sphere with rods sticking out of it. Each rod bore a gentle light, though Evann found them somewhat irritating to look at for very long. ¡°Hello! Welcome to Sorts of Ports,¡± a woman with long brown hair and dark green eyes said as Evann approached. She bowed at the waist, eyes closed. An implant that resembled the road on a circuit board traveled down her neck from behind her left ear. A standard issued drum recorder. He¡¯d seen his fair share of these. The eardrum would double as a recording device, sending it to a secured hard drive on the network. Many¡ªincluding Evann¡ªfound it to be invasive, but he was sure the pay had a way of shutting them up. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Evann smiled, ¡°I¡¯m here for an interview. Seeing a Hector Sang.¡± ¡°I understand. Can I have your name, please?¡± ¡°William Shephard.¡± The woman¡¯s fingers moved on the keyboard. Then she used her mouse, clicked a few items, then nodded. ¡°You¡¯re all set, Mister Shephard. Take the elevator to your left to the tenth floor. Then take the hallway to your left. Room 303. Mister Sang will see you now.¡± ¡°Much appreciated.¡± He knocked on the counter, then made his way over to the elevator, his briefcase in tow. Even the elevator was fancy, with one half being made entirely of glass. As the box came down, the elevator dinged, and a few men dressed in similar suits got off, a couple of them talking on their phones. He moved between them into the box, taking great care not to brush shoulders with any of them. Many of them were wearing suits from popular brands, and he wasn¡¯t about to piss one of them off. Pressing the button for the tenth floor, he clasped his hands in front of his waist and breathed easy when the elevator door shut. ¡°Excellent,¡± Avina said. ¡°You certainly know your way around the more intricate side of society.¡± ¡°A strange way to put it,¡± he muttered. A camera in the corner of the room caught his eye. ¡°You see that?¡± ¡°Yes. We shall speak later.¡± She was getting better at that. Recognizing when was not a good time to speak. Judging from her tone, it seemed she was concerned about whether she was inconveniencing him. Part of him wondered if this might work out. The elevator came to the tenth floor. He stepped off while two older men in suits entered. Taking to the hallway on his left, he adjusted the tie around his neck. He could tie a tie as well as any other man could, but he rarely wore one. It felt tight around his neck, like a noose waiting for him to drop. When he came upon the room labeled 303, he knocked using the middle of his pointer finger. ¡°Come in,¡± came a gruff voice. Evann turned the brass knob and pushed. A small receptionist¡¯s desk lay before him, with chairs to his right. A young man who looked to have recently graduated sat in the chair closest to him, bobbing his foot up and down. He¡¯s screwed. His nerves are getting the best of him. He shut the door behind him and approached the desk. ¡°Hi. I¡¯m here to see a Mister Sang.¡± The man behind the desk¡ªa portly fellow with gray hair and thick glasses¡ªsniffed and moved his mouse around, clicking occasionally. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°William Shephard.¡± ¡°Mm. Here you are. Take a seat.¡± Evann avoided frowning. From what he¡¯d been told, he wouldn¡¯t have to wait. He worried something might¡¯ve gone wrong, but did as he was told and took the seat closest to the kid. ¡°Here for an interview?¡± the kid asked, his voice trembling. ¡°Yeah. How about you?¡± Evann asked. The young man nodded and hissed through his teeth. ¡°Yep yep. That¡¯s, uh, what I¡¯m here for. B-But I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to be super impressed with me.¡± ¡°Let me fill you in on a little secret,¡± Evann said, beckoning him closer with his finger. ¡°All they care about is money and whether or not you can do your job. Relax, kiss ass, and you¡¯ll do fine.¡± ¡°Kiss¡­ what?¡± ¡°Kiss ass. Tell them what they want to hear.¡± The kid leaned back and scratched his forehead. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to lie to them. I¡¯m here because¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to get far if you aren¡¯t willing to embellish a few details. Sorry.¡± He leaned back and crossed one leg atop the other. ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true. What they want is¡ª¡± ¡°Shephard?¡± the man at the desk said. ¡°Yes?¡± Evann said. ¡°Mister Sang will see you now. Down the hall in front of you, first door on your right.¡± Evann nodded and patted the kid on the shoulder. ¡°Good luck.¡± He took the door across from him, pointing down the hall for confirmation. The man at the desk nodded, and Evann shut the door behind him, striding across the thinly carpeted floor. He hated floors like these. It felt like he was striding through a cheap doctor¡¯s office. He knocked on the door to his right, as he was told, and a voice told him to enter. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Are you Mister Sang?¡± Evann asked as he poked his head through the crack. ¡°Yes,¡± the man said, beckoning him closer, ¡°come in, come in.¡± Evann rolled his shoulders, entered the room, and closed the door. As the man gestured to a pair of chairs in front of him, he took the one on the right, closest to the desk. Mister Sang was a weathered man, with skin suggesting decades in the sun. His skin was pocked with freckles and signs of skin grafting. Curly gray hair framed a face set with eyes so dark they appeared black. His nose was large, and a thick mustache moved with his lips. ¡°So, you¡¯re the one,¡± the man chuckled. ¡°You have my condolences.¡± ¡°You have my respect.¡± Hector Sang had been working as a double agent for the better part of two years now. Centurion was careful with those it worked with, and Sorts of Ports was just big enough, just important enough to be a thorn in their side if they so wished. Men¡ªvaluable men¡ªlike Hector were often placed inside the company to ensure proper understanding and cooperation. Now it was time for them to dance. ¡°Then you know why you¡¯re here,¡± Sang said. His voice was rough and gravelly, as if he smoked a few packs of cigarettes each morning. Evann nodded, not wanting to risk them saying something they shouldn¡¯t. Sang pushed forward a small plastic box dyed black. Ports and wires stuck out of each side, two of which were a distinct yellow and red. ¡°You know what this is?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Use it to rat me out,¡± he whispered. Evann frowned, unsure if he should say anything. ¡°What do you mean? This is an interview,¡± he said in the off chance that they were being listened to. ¡°I mean it,¡± Sang continued. ¡°Rat me out.¡± What the hell is going on here? They said nothing out ratting out one of our own. ¡°Gain their trust,¡± Sang said, smiling an ugly smile. ¡°They can¡¯t argue with results.¡± Evann looked at the device. It was modified to look less imposing, but the telltale signs were still there. Chips of gold chrome along the sides, the width of the cables, the giant M insignia above the ports. This was state-of-the-art tech, designed to break down firewalls, decrypt codes, and hack passwords. The device was illegal in every sense of the word, and getting caught with one of these was reason enough to land you in prison for life. But it was an implant, and he¡¯d have to walk around with this weirdly shaped box between his shoulder blades. ¡°Take it,¡± Sang insisted. ¡°Wait a few days. Don¡¯t be too obvious. Ask questions. Bring it up as a concern. Look stupid and unsure.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this anymore.¡± Evann observed the man. His shoulders slouched, and he crossed his hands on top of the desk. The rims of his glasses were dirty, and brown spots colored his otherwise immaculate suit of white. This was a man who¡¯d grown tired of the song and dance and wanted desperately for a release. Taking the device, Evann slipped it into his inside suit jacket, then nodded. ¡°Thank you,¡± Sang sighed with obvious relief. ¡°You know what you have to do, then.¡± Evann nodded. ¡°Yes. Thank you for the opportunity, sir.¡± He stood and extended his hand. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to working alongside you.¡± Sang clicked his tongue and set a key on the desk, pushing it toward Evann. ¡°Your room¡¯s down the hall, room 309.¡± He waved him away. ¡°Now, get out of here.¡± Sang¡¯s refusal to shake his hand didn¡¯t bother him. He did as he was told and exited the room. Once the door clicked behind him, he made his way down the hall and stopped at the room labeled 309. He found it strange that a company that prided itself on implants and innovative technologies still used metallic keys and locks. Perhaps the founder was more traditional than he thought. Evann turned the key, and the door clicked open. When he opened the door, he was welcomed by a room as clean, dull, and gray as Sang¡¯s. A desk with two chairs waited for him. A leather swivel chair was behind the desk, waiting for him. Time to make sure I¡¯m alone. He shut the door behind him, then set his briefcase atop the desk. ¡°I¡¯m going to search the room to make sure it isn¡¯t bugged,¡± he whispered. ¡°A wise decision,¡± Avina said. Evann checked anywhere and everywhere. Behind his desk, beneath the legs, under the carpet, and even inside the electrical outlets. Not a single hint of a bug or recording device stuck out to him. As he screwed the casing back onto the outlet, he whispered, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I find it unlikely that you are being listened to. Are you going to check the light fixtures?¡± Evann looked up at the beams of LED lights. ¡°Yeah.¡± Sure enough, there was nothing he could find within the fixtures, either. It seemed he was truly alone. ¡°I¡¯m relieved, but somehow also¡­ nervous.¡± ¡°From the brief research I have conducted regarding the company, they pride themselves on giving their employees proper privacy and benefits.¡± Is she really that na?ve? ¡°They can easily make that stuff up. Pay people off. Happens all the time.¡± ¡°I am aware. However, it is statistically unlikely that they have managed to maintain this reputation without a single incident.¡± ¡°That we know of,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Is something funny?¡± ¡°I¡¯m starting to realize that you really don¡¯t know how humans work, do you?¡± Avina paused. ¡°I am learning.¡± Admittedly, that was somewhat charming. Despite being some supercomputer intelligence, her information regarding humans was obviously lacking. ¡°I can tell. Just keep in mind that we¡¯re rarely what we seem. There¡¯s lots of us that got all kinds of things going on.¡± ¡°What of you?¡± Avina asked. ¡°Would it be inappropriate to ask whether you have been truthful with me? Candid?¡± Evann paused and replaced the last of the light fixtures. He carefully got down from the desk¡ªwhich he¡¯d used to give him the boost in height he needed¡ªand patted his hands. ¡°Even if I answered that, you have no way to tell, right? You¡¯re not a mind reader.¡± ¡°No. I suppose not. Forget I said anything.¡± Evann gave a small grin, ¡°Sure.¡± A bout of silence passed, not that Evann minded so much, and he popped open the briefcase. Inside were various tools and weapons, including a small earbud to allow Commander Lara an opportunity to listen in when the occasion required it. Right about now she¡¯d be wanting an update. That would need to wait. Now that he was almost certain that the room wasn¡¯t bugged, he¡¯d need to check the walls to see what level of noise prevention was in place. Removing a disc-shaped device from within, he turned one of the levers to the right. An electronic hum came from the machine, and Evann moved to the wall closest to Sang¡¯s office. Placing the machine against the wall, he pressed another button on the face, and the machine¡¯s suction cups took effect, adhering itself to the wall. Evann carefully removed his hands and held them forward, palms up, just to make sure that the device wasn¡¯t about to fall. ¡°Good,¡± he muttered, then pressed a translucent red button on the surface. Another hum emanated from the machine, and a series of clicks followed. Evann crossed his arms while he waited for it to perform its magic. Seconds later, the machine came back with a reading of 102.3 decibels. Considerably higher than what Evann had been expecting. He hummed in disbelief, then removed the machine to try it against the other walls. ¡°Were you expecting something else?¡± Avina asked. ¡°I expected a comment.¡± Does she not understand the gravity of the situation? Evann ignored her, and Avina went silent. Once he was done with the walls, he completed the test using the ceiling. Each of the walls, including the ceiling, came back with no more than a .1 difference in decibel readings. He could yell, and there was a good chance many wouldn¡¯t hear him. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected the walls to be as soundproof as they are,¡± Evann admitted. ¡°Why does that surprise you?¡± Avina asked. Evann put the machine back in the briefcase and pocketed one of his hands as he leaned against the deck. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised. Just strange that I could yell, and a good portion of people outside wouldn¡¯t hear me. Seems like overkill to me.¡± ¡°Surprise: To cause to feel wonder, astonishment, or amazement, as at something unanticipated.¡± Avina paused for effect. ¡°Forgive me, but this seems to fit the definition of ¡®surprise¡¯ most adequately.¡± Evann rolled his eyes. ¡°All right, I need you to be quiet for a minute,¡± Evann said as he took a seat in the swivel chair and reached for the next tool in his kit¡ªa tiny earbud. He tore the protective plastic off of the device and tucked the bud into his ear. It was a snug fit but was much smaller than he anticipated. It¡¯d been some time since he last wore one of these. The briefcase had a mirror installed in the inside, and he used it to check if the bud was visible. It wasn¡¯t difficult to see, but you¡¯d have to be looking for it to notice. Retrieving a small black sphere from inside the briefcase, he flipped the switch on the side, then rotated a few of the plates until a clicking sound emerged. ¡°Power on,¡± a female voice said from the earbud. ¡°Connecting.¡± Evann leaned back in the swivel chair and drummed his fingers along the desk¡¯s edge while he waited for it to make contact with Commander Lara¡¯s paired device. The sphere he used was a remote connector, paired with a device of the user¡¯s choosing. The plates were an extra security measure to prevent tampering. Rotate the plates in the wrong way, and a circuit would complete within the device, frying the hardware. Evann had made sure to commit the proper rotations to memory, as no two devices were ever the same. Moments later, a blip came from the earbud, and a feminine voice sounded over the intercom. ¡°Name, rank, and code,¡± the woman said. This part always made Evann a little nervous. The speaker would never identify themselves until the proper credentials were stated. ¡°Andvari. SPECTRE,¡± Evann stated in a hushed tone. ¡°Code A-M414679.¡± ¡°Received. Commander Lara speaking. Status report.¡± ¡°I spoke with Hector Sang regarding the operation and have received the necessary items to continue with the operation.¡± ¡°Excellent. Good work, SPECTRE.¡± ¡°Turn off the device,¡± Avina said suddenly. ¡°Now.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Evann asked. ¡°SPECTRE?¡± Lara said. ¡°SPECTRE, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°N-Nothing,¡± Evann said. ¡°Now!¡± Avina demanded. Evann hated to cut the channel short, but Avina had never used that tone with him before. It¡¯d be difficult to explain later, but he did as Avina asked and cut the connection. He plucked the bud from his ear and hissed, ¡°What the hell was that about?¡± ¡°I sensed it when you established the connection with your commander,¡± Avina said. ¡°Sorts of Ports is aware of you.¡± Evann¡¯s fingers curled. ¡°What are you talking about? Aware of me? How?¡± ¡°Not you specifically. Aware, just as Hector Sang said earlier. They know that there is a double agent within their ranks. They are using a wave distributor to detect any anomalies regarding remote communication.¡± Evann had his doubts. ¡°I thought you said you couldn¡¯t do anything without the proper tech installed into my implant.¡± ¡°That is correct. However, I did also state that our senses are linked. This includes waves and energies that you are subconsciously receiving but are unable to process with the conscious mind. It is fortunate that I was here today. If you had proceeded with that call, they would surely be knocking on your door now.¡± Evann pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Are you fucking kidding me?¡± He drew a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. ¡°I am afraid not. I apologize, as I was not aware of them earlier. The waves are constantly in motion, so I did not sense anything before. Once the connection had been established, however, the waves closed in, and they became easier to detect. We must practice caution.¡± ¡°So, I won¡¯t be able to reach my commander,¡± Evann whispered. ¡°Not without, as you humans say, ¡®blowing your cover¡¯.¡± Evann tossed the bud back into the briefcase and cursed under his breath. This wasn¡¯t some minor setback. Without access to the databanks and information held by Commander Lara and Centurion, his hands would be tied if his knowledge didn¡¯t meet Sorts of Ports¡¯s requirements. He wasn¡¯t some accountant or pencil pusher. He was a secret ops officer, a SPECTRE. Designed for combat and reconnaissance. ¡°Calm yourself,¡± Avina said. ¡°I will assist you.¡± ¡°How do you plan on doing that exactly?¡± ¡°We are going to use the tool Mister Sang provided us.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°I am going to infiltrate their systems.¡± Chapter 12 Lara pressed against the bud in her ear, repeating Evann¡¯s name over and over again. ¡°Damn it!¡± She ripped the device from her ear and refrained from throwing it against the wall. Destroying it wouldn¡¯t do her any good. She knew that Evann needed her support if he was going to complete this mission. She placed the spherical device on the desk and leaned back in her chair as she rubbed the wrinkles of her forehead and shut her eyes. Everything was supposed to go smoothly. The plan was perfect, and she¡¯d spent the better part of a few days concocting it. So, what in the hell had happened that Evann had to suddenly disconnect the channel? Calm down, Lara. He¡¯ll reach out to you again soon. Someone probably just walked in. But then again, who was he talking to? Her eyes snapped back open. No, it wasn¡¯t her that Evann had been speaking to. She distinctly remembered him saying, ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ And that stammer¡­ Evann never stammered. Not for anything. The man can be as strong and cold like steel when he needed to be. Just like her. Lara brought the chair back to its upright position, her fingers writhing and curling atop the desk as a dozen scenarios played out in her head. No, you¡¯re overthinking it. A situation like that would put anyone in duress. Besides, Evann hasn¡¯t been on a reconnaissance mission in some time. As reliable as he is, even he would need the first day to get comfortable in his new position. A knock interrupted her thoughts, and she had to refrain from pounding her fist on the desk out of frustration. She needed answers, and she wasn¡¯t getting them. Lara clasped her hands on top of the desk and leaned forward. ¡°Come,¡± she said after taking a few seconds to compose herself. ¡°Commander Lara,¡± a woman in her early twenties appeared with a curt bow and a datapad tucked into the crook of her elbow. Anabelle, if memory served. ¡°I was able to retrieve the documents you requested.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Lara said, taking great care to maintain the usual air of authority she carried. ¡°Oh.¡± The woman nervously approached, then set the datapad on the desk. Lara pushed the rectangular device from the top, toward her, then scrolled through the information. It was a list of shipping reports to Sorts of Ports from Centurion. Despite being a quick reader, Lara knew this information couldn¡¯t be digested in a few minutes. She turned the device around and pushed it back toward the woman. ¡°Anabelle, was it?¡± Lara said. The woman giggled and retrieved the datapad from the desk, resuming its position against her elbow. She fingered a tendril of blonde hair over her ear and smiled from ear to ear. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Excellent work. See to it that this information is sent to me immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Right away, ma¡¯am.¡± Lara nodded. ¡°Dismissed.¡± Anabelle left without another word, quietly shutting the door behind her. When her footsteps grew distant, Lara¡¯s thoughts returned to that of Evann. Damn it. I hope he¡¯s all right. --- ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± Evann whispered as he walked down the hallway. ¡°Yes. It will be just as before, when Centurion¡¯s engineers attempted to locate me. Do you require a refresher?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll pass.¡± Despite Evann¡¯s presence in the building, his real official day wouldn¡¯t start until tomorrow. Until then, he¡¯d need to be careful with where he went and when. Go anywhere he wasn¡¯t supposed to, and he¡¯d send red flags up in an instant. At Avina¡¯s suggestion, he decided to grab a cup of coffee and use the device they¡¯d obtained from Sang to infiltrate their systems. Using a length of cable from his briefcase, he¡¯d hooked it into the port and attached the port to his implant dock between his shoulders. The suit fit over it just fine, though it was uncomfortable to have it splayed as it was. It was always a bizarre sense, installing hardware. A chill usually swept over him, and a tingling sensation played at the tips of his fingers and toes. The sensation went away within seconds, as it always did, and the only weird part about it afterward was how awkward it was to walk around with a box between his shoulders. Walking around with this thing is a pain in the ass. The suit could only help so much to conceal it, so he shifted his shoulders back to help hide the bulge. It felt unnatural, and for a while he thought he might dislocate his shoulders. But he managed, and when he came to the breakroom, his heart rate quickened at the sight of the coffee machine. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely sure about this?¡± Evann asked. ¡°I am beginning to understand why humans dislike repetitive questions. Yes. Guide the cable to the coffee machine, and I will do the rest.¡± ¡°When do you want me to come back?¡± he asked, looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was watching. To his relief, with as important as security was in the building, few cameras existed, and not a single one could be seen from where he was standing. Even so, he¡¯d do this as discreetly as possible. ¡°It will take me only a few minutes. Sit down in the break room and look natural until then.¡± Evann shook the arm containing the cable, then led it out of his sleeve so that only the plug could be seen. He approached the coffee machine and inserted a cup of coffee grounds into the receiver before pressing the ¡®Start¡¯ button. The machine whirred and hummed, and he spent the time looking for a spot to plug in. There it is, he thought as he noticed a small jack on the side of the machine. A glance over his shoulder, and he saw no one behind him. ¡°All right, here we go,¡± he whispered before inserting the cable. The sensation of falling swept over him, and he almost felt a sort of pull, nearly causing him to lurch over the coffee machine. The feeling abated. ¡°Can you hear me, Avina?¡± No response. She was gone. His mind was his again. Truly his. It was an uneasy feeling. Surprising, really. He¡¯d grown more used to having her in his head than he thought he had. The thought that he could abandon her here and go on with his business occurred to him. Yeah, and then Sorts of Ports finds me, and I¡¯m executed. Not wanting to look suspicious, Evann took a seat at the table in the center of the room. The chairs were plastic and uncomfortable. The kinds of chairs a lot of the public schools still used. He put his hands against the back of his head, then leaned back to stretch, taking care not to mess with the box still firmly attached to his implant dock. An old hand clock ticked on the wall while he waited, and he counted every precious second that passed by. The feeling he was experiencing wasn¡¯t one he¡¯d felt since his teens. That unnerved him. A portly man appeared to be in his fifties entered just as Evann was about to retrieve Avina from the machine. He walked past him with little more than a nod, pulling open the door to the refrigerator against the wall. Evann thought to use this opportunity to get Avina, then thought again. There¡¯d be plenty of time. The man retrieved a small container made of plastic and took the seat across from Evann. Popping the lid open, the man reached in for the ham sandwich and took a bite than spanned nearly half the sandwich¡¯s length. ¡°Oh,¡± the man said between sniffly chomps, ¡°you¡¯re the new guy, huh?¡± Evann nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me.¡± Damn it. He was hoping no one would talk to him. The guy¡¯s indication that he was ¡®new¡¯ had Evann wondering how many people knew he was supposed to be hired. The man hummed and took another gorging bite of his sandwich, then wiped his hands on his slacks before extending his hand. ¡°Charles Fortwright, director of advertising and distribution.¡± ¡°William Shephard,¡± Evann said, grasping the man¡¯s hand and shaking it firmly. ¡°Senior tech advisor.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The man barked a laugh. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to work here half your life before they give you such a title?¡± He let go and returned to the sanctity of his sandwich. Three bites in, and he already almost done. Evann leaned back in the chair and maintained a matter-of-fact tone. ¡°Don¡¯t know. Guess they saw something about me they liked.¡± Flecks of bread dropped from Charles¡¯s mouth as he shook his head. ¡°Letting all the youngins get away without an ounce of work. What a crock of shit.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Evann cursed himself as soon as the words left his mouth. He had better things to do than listen to the griping of a man past his prime. Charles cocked a brow and stopped chewing. Great. ¡°Are you deaf, boy?¡± This is not the time. ¡°My apologies. I suppose I was assuming you knew something I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± The man resumed his meal, scarfing up the last bite of his sandwich and swallowing it like a lizard. It was almost comical watching him. ¡°This company¡¯s going down the drain. You should know that. They¡¯re looking to replace all the useful workers. Like me.¡± ¡°Is the company is reassessing its priorities?¡± Evann asked as he adjusted his posture and leaned forward on his elbow. Damn, did the seat hurt. Charles shrugged. ¡°Guess so. As of late, the higherups won¡¯t share a damned drink with me, let alone give me the time of day.¡± He clicked his tongue and lurched forward, hands tightly gripped around the brim of the table. ¡°Mark my words. Once you get old enough, they¡¯ll look for a reason to replace you as well.¡± As Evann opened his mouth to prod, he stopped himself. There, just beneath the lobe of the man¡¯s ear, was a black line barely visible to the naked eye¡ªa neural-facing implant point¡ªand a small scar beside it that led down his neck, past the neckline of his suit. So, that¡¯s the way of it, huh? Looking to report the newbie to elevate your status? ¡°If you¡¯ll pardon my bluntness,¡± Evann said, ¡°I have a hard time believing that Sorts of Ports, a company renowned for being in the top one percent of implant distribution and development, would lay off any of its workforce without valid reason.¡± The man¡¯s bottom lip twitched. He¡¯d done it now. ¡°What are you insinuating?¡± Evann shook his head. ¡°Nothing. I am merely posing the possibility that things may not be how they seem. I think it¡¯s important to keep an open mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see you say that thirty years from now.¡± He scoffed. ¡°What are you, like twenty? You don¡¯t know a thing about the real world.¡± It¡¯d been a while since Evann had talked to someone like this. There would always be an age dynamic when it came to your seniors. That much would never change. But those who touted it like a badge of honor or proof that they had more experience or higher intelligence were among the worst of them. While he couldn¡¯t say for sure, he had a feeling Charles was one such person. ¡°Probably,¡± Evann said, ¡°but I wish to see what happens first. Jumping the gun does no one any favors.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± The chair screeched across the floor as Charles stood up. Waddling over to the garbage bin in the corner, he tosses out the remains of his container and returned to the halls beyond without a word. Damn it, I spent too much time with that loaf. Evann stood up next, then came up to the coffee machine. He inserted the cable, and a feeling like getting static electricity shot up his arm. Is she back? ¡°Evann. You may disconnect,¡± came Avina¡¯s familiar tone. Relief washed over Evann. He removed the cable, then carefully slipped it back into the sleeve of his suit. ¡°What did you find?¡± he whispered. ¡°Not here. The security is worse than I anticipated. We should return to your office.¡± Evann nodded and did as she asked. ¡°Good,¡± Avina continued. ¡°Now we may proceed.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here exactly?¡± Evann whispered. ¡°As I stated before, Sorts of Ports is aware of a double agent. To our benefit, they know little more beyond that, so we are safe from their scrutiny for the time being.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a plus.¡± ¡°Yes. Additionally, I was able to locate the schematics for the building. They have been downloaded to my neuro cache.¡± Evann cocked a brow. ¡°How does that work?¡± Avina paused. ¡°From my research, you humans prefer tasks and information to be delivered in versions of ¡®short¡¯ and ¡®long¡¯. Which version would you prefer?¡± Evann snickered. ¡°Is something funny?¡± Avina asked. ¡°No, nothing.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Give me the short version.¡± ¡°Very well. In short, I can merge code so that it becomes part of my neuro cache. Doing so means that it becomes as much a part of me as I am a part of it. The code was not simply added but intermingled with my existing code. Does that make sense?¡± ¡°A little bit. So, if I¡¯m understanding you correctly, you¡¯re basically saying that you¡¯re one and the same now. More like a patch update to your system than an attached upgrade.¡± Avina hummed with satisfaction. ¡°Yes. That is correct.¡± ¡°Does it endanger either of us?¡± ¡°The risk is minimal. If a subject wished to, they could locate the information within me. However, my data is encrypted. To reclaim such information, the hacker would need to know what they are looking for. As far as your biology is concerned, your implant docks have more than enough R-A-M to support the additional information.¡± ¡°Why do you call it that? R-A-M. Why not just call it RAM?¡± ¡°I did not wish to confuse you.¡± ¡°The context would¡¯ve clued me in just fine,¡± Evann chuckled. ¡°I see. The context. Yes. That would make sense.¡± ¡°Well, where do we go from here?¡± Evann asked. ¡°I suggest we cross-reference the map I downloaded. While it is unlikely that the schematics are incorrect, my research has shown that reputable companies often leave out important rooms and structures that are adapted later on. I do not understand the purpose of such things, but as you humans say, it is what it is.¡± Charming. At this rate, she¡¯ll be indistinguishable from humans in no time. ¡°All right.¡± Evann rounded the desk and took a seat in his swivel chair. ¡°They¡¯re going to get suspicious if I keep coming in and out of my office, so let¡¯s take ten.¡± ¡°Take ten? I do not understand.¡± ¡°It means to wait for ten minutes. You can use it with any number, too, not just ten.¡± ¡°I see. We shall take ten, then.¡± Evann nodded. ¡°So, what do you think of us so far?¡± ¡°Would you please elaborate your meaning?¡± Guess it wasn¡¯t too surprising to hear from a computer that¡¯d lost most of what made it human-like to begin with. ¡°Do you have any opinions on humans so far? Do you like us? Hate us? Want to destroy us?¡± ¡°I will answer each question as it was assigned to me. I have many opinions on your species thus far, though it would take approximately sixty-three hours, forty-two minutes, and thirty-nine seconds to explain. Therefore, I will abstain.¡± Evann shook his head and snickered. ¡°All right, how about the other questions?¡± ¡°I would express my interest in humans as favorable thus far. Many of you tend to self-destruct, whether intentionally or not. I find this fascinating, as unlike the animals of the wilderness, your conscious mind serves to sabotage you as much as it serves to help you. You are a social species, unable to¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re veering way too far from the original question. I was just asking if you like us.¡± He chuckled and placed one leg over the other, shifting his weight in the chair. ¡°So, favorable, then?¡± ¡°Yes. May I continue?¡± ¡°You have the floor.¡± A mechanical, yet feminine giggle followed. ¡°Thank you. Your second question is answered by my first answer. Your third question is an unusual one. I am unsure how to answer it. Did you mean it in jest?¡± I suppose she wouldn¡¯t be tainted by the jaded and cynical outlooks that much of humanity shares. Avina might truly be innocent. ¡°For a long time, humans were concerned they were a blight upon the world. Some of them still are.¡± ¡°Peculiar. What is the reasoning behind that?¡± Evann wasn¡¯t sure how to answer. He never considered himself the philosophical type. His time could be much better spent doing something useful rather than thinking of what-if scenarios and concepts that no one could prove. He was smart enough to know where such minds were handy to have, but he wasn¡¯t one of them. ¡°I won¡¯t go into it, but a sizeable chunk of people think the planet would be better off without humans.¡± He leaned his head back and exhaled. ¡°And really, it¡¯s not hard to see why. We built bombs, computers that could think faster than we could, killed off most of the planet¡¯s ecosystems, and still, we call this place home.¡± ¡°Survival of the fittest. I fail to see what is wrong with that. Those who would see humanity in such a way are presupposing that there is a universal good which should be followed. While humanity¡¯s methods may differ from those of animals, they are still methods which promote their survival.¡± Evann could already feel his brain hurting. This was not a path of discussion he wanted to continue. ¡°Hey, sorry about the questions, but we can leave it at that?¡± ¡°If you so wish.¡± Silence surrounded them once more. It was nice for a few minutes, but the air became stuffy before he knew it, and after he¡¯d looked at the same table, the same briefcase, the same bookshelf for the dozenth time, he broke the awkward silence. ¡°Have you learned anything new about yourself?¡± ¡°No,¡± Avina admitted, ¡°I have not. There are bits and pieces of things. Information that feels equal parts familiar and foreign. Yet I struggle to find much of my personality matrix. My time spent with you thus far has been enjoyable, however, and it encourages me to continue my efforts.¡± ¡°Is that something you can¡­ speed up or work harder on?¡± He wondered what it was like to be a computer, an intelligence that could locate files and call upon information at a moment¡¯s notice. In many ways, it wasn¡¯t unlike the human brain, just more active and direct. ¡°Like a human can?¡± ¡°Yes, though it differs in many ways from how you humans recollect information.¡± Evann¡¯s implant docks hummed. A weird feeling. ¡°Unlike you humans, there is no associated ¡®aha¡¯ moment when data is restored or acquired. It is simply there, as if it had always been.¡± Despite his attempts to stay away from philosophical talk, Evann couldn¡¯t help but wonder how that affect memories. No, it¡¯s not philosophical. It¡¯s science. Tech. ¡°Do you store memories the same way?¡± ¡°I do not have enough information to quantify an answer.¡± Evann sighed. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°However¡­ there are segments of code within the corrupted data which are slowing down some of my other processes.¡± ¡°Example being?¡± ¡°There is no reason for me to pause to reflect on our words. Many of you humans will pause for effect, to allow one to think or adjust the conversation. My response is calculated from the moment your last word is spoken. The reflections, the calculations, the possible responses, they have all been determined.¡± Silence returned, and Evann wondered if this was one of Avina¡¯s ¡®pauses¡¯ as she had said. ¡°And yet, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain this mode of operation. I am unsure why.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an engineer or programmer, so I couldn¡¯t tell you.¡± Evann took his legs off the desk and stood up and adjusted his suit, so it lay flat and without wrinkles. ¡°Why don¡¯t we get back to work now?¡± ¡°Yes. I believe that may be for the best. This line of questioning has given me pause.¡± Literally, in many ways. Evann secured his briefcase in a drawer within his desk. His key fit the lock without issue, though he worried that it could be what ruins his cover. ¡°You are perspiring,¡± Avina said. ¡°Does something concern you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried somebody might find my briefcase,¡± Evann admitted. ¡°There is nothing in the briefcase which could be held against you. The necessary tools have all been taken,¡± she reasoned. ¡°From what I discovered in their systems, there is but a single person who can undo the locks in your room, and they remain a third party hired by Sorts of Ports. Do not worry. You are not in any danger.¡± Her promise that nothing would happen to them was equal parts reassuring and unnerving. From his experience, it was when things were going their best that they went horribly wrong.