Daemon d-1

by Daniel Suarez

  “No. They chained me up in Highland before I got in the van.”

  The other guard shrugged. “No note about him causing trouble.”

  The first guard selected a key from his ring and started to unlock the irons. “We don’t typically chain somebody doing a two-month disorderly conduct stint.”

  A wave of shock passed through Mosely. He hid it as best he could. His criminal record had just been revised-at least within the Warmonk, Inc., databank. This couldn’t be accidental-not even for the retards in the DOC.

  The other guard read the clipboard. “How’d you wind up at Highland, for chrissakes?”

  Mosely shrugged. “Some screwup.”

  Neither of them seemed surprised. The first guard removed the last of the hand and leg irons and hung them from a peg near the door. He then passed Mosely his box of possessions and motioned for him to follow. In a moment, they were moving through a long prison hallway.

  *

  Mosely lay on a bottom bunk, staring at his new cell-a modern thing done in white plastic laminates with bulletproof glass. No metal bars in sight. He had no cellmates. The top bunk was empty-and so were the bunks on the other side of the room. It was the most privacy he’d had in four years.

  Mosely reviewed the events of the day. The synthetic voice said she would help him. Why? He was a three-time loser with nothing to offer anyone. It wouldn’t be long before this was discovered, and then he would be back at Highland-with five more years tacked on. He turned on his side and tried not to think about it. It was so good to feel somewhat human again. To feel like someone cared. Even if it wasn’t true. He fell asleep dreaming of his little boy and what he must look like now at the age of seven.

  *

  The next morning the door to Mosely’s cell opened automatically. He sat up to see two guards standing expectantly in the doorway.

  The lead one held a clipboard and glanced at it before looking up again. “Charles Barrington Mosely. Prisoner number 1-1-3-1-9-0-0?”

  Mosely nodded warily.

  “You’re scheduled for release today. That why they transfer you down here?”

  Mosely tried to concentrate on the question and nodded. “Yeah, I’m from Houston.”

  “Well, grab your shit.”

  Mosely grabbed his box of possessions-still packed up on the floor-and nodded as they motioned for him to leave the cell.

  After walking hundreds of yards down corridors lined with white metal doors pierced by bulletproof portals, Mosely was brought through a series of steel security gates. Cameras stared down from every corner high up on the walls.

  The next few minutes were a blur. Mosely was led into the release office, where an officer behind a steel grate managed the property room. Racks of shelving behind the officer held boxes containing personal items prisoners surrendered on day one. Nervousness unsettled Mosely’s stomach. His civilian clothing. His jewelry. His wallet. He hadn’t even been at Fayette twenty-four hours yet. There was no way those things could have arrived from Highland. He looked around. But none of these guards were on duty then. He resolved to brass it out. Just stay cool.

  The property officer brought a good-sized cardboard box up and scanned a bar code on its side. He looked at the computer screen, then scanned the bar code on Mosely’s jumpsuit. The computer beeped. The officer looked at him. “Mosely.” He slid a slip of paper across the countertop and offered a pen. “Review the contents of the box and sign. If this is not a complete list, follow the instructions in section two-A. You can read?”

  Mosely nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  The guard slid the box over and removed the lid.

  Mosely was numb. He roused himself and pulled the box toward him. On top lay a carefully folded suit jacket, with a crisp boxed shirt and silk tie. These were not his things. He felt the fabric of the suit. Gabardine. Highest quality. He’d had expensive suits in his day. This was excellent stuff. A 48 long. His size. He looked further. Beneath the clothing sat a pair of leather shoes. Black. Highly polished. His size, too. A titanium Rolex watch with a deep blue oyster-shell face lay at the bottom of the box in a manila envelope.

  Mosely looked up. The property officer was typing at his grimy keyboard. The other guards were doing paperwork nearby. No one seemed the least bit interested in him. He was closing out a two-month sentence. No big deal.

  He searched further in the box. There was an excellent leather bill-fold. Definitely not his. He opened it. A couple hundred dollars in twenties. But no ID-no driver’s license or credit cards. Whose wallet was this? What the hell was he supposed to do for identification? He looked down.

  There was also a cell phone. It was small, with an aluminum case. Or was that titanium, too? Lastly, a single copper key lay at the bottom of the box in a separate envelope. He looked at the key from several sides. It had no identifying marks.

  “Did you sign?”

  Mosely snapped out of it. “Sorry, man.” He hurriedly grabbed the pen and signed receipt of the articles.

  *

  The postern gate buzzed and Mosely walked out past the razor-wire fence into a wide parking lot. He squinted at the hot Texas sun, then looked left and right. He could see a few hazy miles to a prairie horizon. Cars swept by on the nearby state highway. A couple of fast-food places stood across the road, along with rows of clapboard houses and a gas station. A bus stop stood straight ahead at the edge of the parking lot.

  This was surreal. How was it possible for him to be standing here?

  He was already sweating, but he kept the suit jacket on. It made him feel human again. It fit good enough-not great, but it would suffice. The shoes were incredibly comfortable and a better fit. Were his measurements in the Warmonk database, too?

  He had no idea what to do next.

  Suddenly the cell phone in his pocket warbled. He smiled to himself and pulled the phone out. He flipped it open. The LCD display read:

  Jane Doe

  He laughed ruefully, then answered it. “Okay, what’s the catch, Jane?”

  The familiar, clipped British voice responded. “Hello, Mr. Moze-ly. I kept my promise. Are you prepared to proceed?”

  “I suppose I owe you now, is that it?”

  “Remember that I am an interactive voice system, Mr. Moze-ly. I cannot understand complete sentences. Please respond to my questions with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no.’”

  “Riiiight.”

  “‘Yes’ or ‘no’ are the only valid responses. Do you understand?”

  He sighed. “Yes.”

  “You will notice a GPS map on the screen of your cell phone. It indicates your present position and a destination. Proceed on foot until your position and that of your destination match. I will know when you’ve arrived and will phone you. Do you understand?”

  “Yes.” He was about to ask what the hell this was all about, but he realized it was just a machine. Or at least someone acting like one-either way, they wouldn’t answer questions. She hung up on him. Damn this stupid shit. Just tell me what you want.

  He glanced at a local map displayed on the phone’s tiny LCD screen. He started walking. Behind him lay the massive prison walls, and to the right and left there lay only open prairie. Straight ahead lay the downscale little town that served the prison guards. Mosely walked across the parking lot.

  A few minutes later he was across the state highway and walking in a mixed-race blue-collar neighborhood. He came to a detached garage with a corrugated steel door. Graffiti roiled colorfully across the center of it. What was with kids nowadays? A good tag was at least recognizable.

  Suddenly the phone rang again. Mosely answered it. “‘Sup, Jane?”

  “Mr. Moze-ly, do you have the key?”

  “Yes.”

  “Use it to open the garage door. You will find the mechanism to the right. After opening the door, step inside and close it behind you. When the door is safely closed, hit the ‘one’ key on your phone.”

  Mosely stifled his growing irritation. This was d
angerous and stupid and a million other bad things. He had cash in his pocket and he could just grab a car and run. But to where? He had no ID. He had no connections anymore.

  He looked around warily and proceeded to the garage door, pulling the key from his pocket as he walked. The lock was set into the right side of the door frame. He inserted the key and turned it. The garage door rose with a mechanical rattle. He stooped underneath after it had risen a few feet and immediately cast about for danger.

  It was a garage. A car of some type sat beneath a blue plastic tarp. Mosely looked around for the door switch. He found it just behind him and pounded the big white button. The door reversed direction. It closed in a few seconds. Mosely stood beneath a dim lightbulb in the sudden silence. The heat and humidity were stifling. He remembered she was still on the line, and he tapped the «1» key, then listened.

  Her voice returned. “Good. Uncover the vehicle. You will find it unlocked with the keys inside. Enter the car, and turn the ignition switch to the first position. This will give the car electrical power but will not start the engine.“The line went dead.

  Mosely closed the phone and tapped the edge of it to his chin, contemplating. FBI trap? Someone planning to frame him for a bank robbery or a drug deal? Which was it? He stood there for a few minutes. The more he contemplated it, the more it became apparent this was a trap. Still, if he played it smart, he might be able to pull off an escape yet. If nothing else, it was nice to know that someone thought he was worth all this trouble.

  He looked for a window to peer out of the garage, but there wasn’t any. Trapped and blind. The only light was the single bare bulb with a motion sensor above it. He craned his neck to see into the shadows on the other side of the covered vehicle. Nothing visible. He looked under the car. Still nothing.

  He put the phone away and wiped his sweating face. No way around it. He grabbed the edge of the plastic tarp and pulled it off to reveal the car. He stood staring at it for several moments.

  It was a shiny black Lexus LS460 sedan. It looked brand-new. A few years back Mosely had a Lincoln Navigator with twenty-inch chrome rims, a DVD and satellite hookup with ESPN, and a subwoofer the size of a refrigerator in the cargo bay-but that had probably been auctioned off to the next generation of playas by the HPD.

  Now thiscar was a white guy’s car. Conservative. Not an ounce of personality to it. Instead of saying “look at me,” it said “I’m one of you.” It was a conformity ride.

  He peered through the windows. Maybe it was the effect of prison, or maybe he was just getting older, but conformity had never looked quite so appealing. He opened the door, and a pleasant chime came to his ears. The dome and door lights lit up the gray leather interior. The off-gassing adhesives left no doubt it was brand-new. Stolen.

  Mosely leaned in. The keys were in the ignition.

  Not quite yet…

  He searched for the trunk latch and tripped it. He heard the trunk pop at the back of the car. Mosely cautiously moved to the rear bumper and lifted the trunk lid.

  The trunk did not contain a corpse. Nor was it filled with kilos of cocaine or heroin. It contained only a brown leather two-suiter suitcase and a black leather computer bag. He unzipped the computer bag. A laptop computer. These were not his favorite. He’d had too much data on his the last time he was busted. The computer bag contained numerous pockets, stuffed with pens, legal pads, and cables. One had a stack of business cards snugged into it. He pulled a business card out and read it:

  Charles Taylor, Jr.

  Executive Vice President, Corporate Counsel

  Stratford Systems, Inc.

  He pictured some lawyer lying dead in a bayou.

  Mosely closed the bag and undid the clasps on the brown two-suiter case, unfolding it. Expensive. With an engraved monogram of «CWT» in the center of a brass plaque. He unzipped the case to reveal a couple of very fine suits (both size 48), shirts, and a tie. The side pockets contained toiletries, boxers, and socks. No weapons, drugs, or anything else. It was looking alarmingly harmless.

  I’m a mule. I just don’t know how.

  Maybe the body panels were packed with heroin. Welded in place. He closed the suitcase and slammed the trunk. He’d never know.

  He took off his suit jacket and laid it on the passenger seat, then sat behind the wheel. He turned the ignition key to the first position. The car’s instrument panel came to life, and a computer screen in the dashboard flickered, revealing a color map. A large arrow indicated his current position and direction.

  Suddenly the car phone rang. Mosely looked around. He noticed a phone button on the steering wheel. He pressed it, and the familiar British female voice spoke out over the stereo speakers, startling him. “Good, Mr. Moze-ly. I trust you’ve searched the car and found nothing dangerous. Please open the glove compartment and remove the manila envelope.”

  Mosely realized with a start that he hadn’t checked the glove compartment. Stupid.He leaned over and flipped it open. The manila envelope was right on top. He grabbed it and noticed the car’s registration and insurance certificate in a neat plastic sleeve just beneath that. He withdrew the envelope and slammed the glove box. He sat back in the driver’s seat and opened the envelope with a rip.

  The Voice returned. “Inside you will find materials necessary for your journey.”

  Mosely poured a whole bunch of card-sized objects into his lap. The most noticeable was a Texas driver’s license with his picture on it. Alongside his picture was the name Charles W. Taylor, Jr., and a Houston address. The license looked and felt real-holograms and all. There was also a stack of platinum credit cards in his lap-Visa, American Express, MasterCard, Discover-all in the name of Charles Taylor, and a couple of them had the Stratford Systems, Inc., name beneath his. There were more of his business cards, a gym membership, a University of Southern California Alumni Association card with his name on it, a Houston Bar Association ID, and then there were dozens of credit card receipts from all sorts of businesses-restaurants mostly-that ranged from $97 to $1,780. The charges were from the last few days. There was also a two-page hotel receipt for the Hyatt Regency in Austin. The bill was $6,912. Taylor’s signature was the barest squiggle of a line-very easy to forge.

  He looked in the envelope and found a few more items. There were several wallet-sized photos of a very attractive mixed-race woman. One a formal portrait and others casual photos: her in a tropical location, another of her laughing with skis over her shoulder near a lodge. She was incredibly fine.

  This was a complete identity. An identity he preferred to his own.

  The Voice continued. “Place these items in your wallet. Memorize your new name. When you are ready to proceed, say the word ‘ready.’”

  Mosely started fitting the items into his wallet. This was getting interesting. If he wanted to make a break, he had all the tools necessary. As soon as he had everything stowed in his wallet. He grabbed the steering wheel. “Ready.”

  “Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the controls of this vehicle. Adjust the mirrors and seat. Note the location of the headlight and wiper controls.“There was a pause. “When you are ready to proceed, say the word ‘ready.’”

  Mosely reflexively shrugged it off and was about to say «Ready» instantly. But he thought better of it. If he owned this car, then he’d know where everything was. She was right. He took several minutes learning the layout. He even pulled out the owner’s manual and flipped through it. As he did so, he glanced at the registration. It was a company car leased by Stratford Systems, Inc. Taylor had a company car.

  After Mosely was satisfied he knew where all the controls were, he sat up again. “Ready.”

  “Fasten your seat belt and start the car.”

  He did as instructed. The car started smoothly. After a few moments, cooler AC air washed over him. He fanned it onto his sweaty face, then pulled the driver’s door closed.

  He gunned the engine. He could barely hear it. He had to trust the tachometer.
What self-respecting car had a noiseless engine?

  Her voice came again. “Above the rearview mirror you will notice three buttons. These are home automation controls. Click the left one to open the garage door in front of you.”

  He paused a moment. If there was going to be a raid or an ambush, now was the time. Oh hell…can’t live forever.He hit the button. The garage door rose to reveal…

  An empty street in a ratty blue-collar neighborhood. He breathed easier.

  She kept talking. “Drive out of the garage and turn right. Then continue to the Stop sign at the end of the street…”

  He drove out of the garage. Her voice guided Mosely, turn by turn, through town and toward the interstate. He kept one eye on the rearview mirror, looking for signs he was being followed. He’d done that a lot as a dealer. But there was almost no one on the road here.

  “Get into the left lane, and take the entrance to the Ten East.”

  Mosely considered his situation. He had money. A fast car and ID. Maybe he could get some distance between himself and these people-maybe even reach Mexico. This was so obviously a setup. He couldn’t stand it another minute.

  Mosely changed to the right lane and prepared to take the 10 West.

  Her voice came on again over the speakerphone. “Mr. Moze-ly, get in the left lane.”

  He kept driving toward the westbound interstate entrance ramp. “Sorry, Jane. I’m not your man.” He hung up the line.

  The car immediately stalled. It bucked to a stop in the middle of the road.

  “Damnit!” Mosely tried to restart it as a good ol’ boy in a pickup truck came up behind him and honked. He could hear the guy cursing before the man screeched around him and gave him the finger. Mosely tried the key again, but the engine wasn’t even turning over. Nothing.

  Then the car phone rang. Mosely looked around to see if any local police were watching. They’d come over to help get him out of traffic, if nothing else. He was a sitting duck. Mosely clicked the speakerphone button. “I got your point. Fix the engine, please.”