The Gorgon Effect: Minds of Stone: 1

by Cole Anders

  “Ugh, that was harsh, it's making my eyes water!” Exclaimed Simon.

  “It's important that you always drink these Simon, not only is it your physical booster, but they also contain your inoculations as well.” Explained Nerva.

  Simon got to his feet and pitched the cup into the trash receptacle on his way out the door. It clicked on and instantly vacuumed the crumpled cup down a tube in the wall toward the incinerator Nerva used for all the burnable trash. Simon had intended to make his way down to Luke's room, but he ended up intercepting him in the hallway one his way there.

  “Simon. I was just on my way to get you, we've got a quick briefing with Calvin and David before heading out, then we'll make our jump and start our stake out. Have you got everything you need on you?”

  “No, my pistol and jacket are still in my room.” said Simon.

  “Ok, grab them as we walk back by it, we are headed to the briefing room then straight out to the mission.”

  Luke only glanced at Simon and kept a brisk pace, he seemed unusually focused this morning, but Simon attributed it the anticipation.

  Simon wheeled around and matched stride with Luke back towards the other end of the hallway, both pausing so that Simon could retrieve his sidearm and jacket. He grabbed the two preloaded clips he had sitting on his desk and put them in the left inside pocket of his jacket. The pistol itself he holstered into a custom fitted clutch which was sewn into the right inside of the jacket. Simon had never worn clothes that fit so perfectly. With his sidearm holstered into its clutch, he rejoined Luke in the hallway and they continued down the briefing.

  “Having custom tailored clothes that fit and function perfectly sure is a nice perk.” Said Simon putting on his jacket and zipping it part of the way up.

  Luke only grunted in agreed and looked forward so Simon decided to cut the idle chat for the time being.

  Calvin was already there waiting for them when they arrived, he was leaning up against the briefing table studying electronic blueprints of what looked like small business, his eyes flicked up when Simon and Luke entered the room and wide grin filled his face.

  “Gentlemen, come in, we are right on schedule so let's not delay. I've been going over the bank's layout here and having Nerva run firefight scenarios to determine your best angle of engagement should it come to that. Unfortunately, the best places aren't going to be available to you until after, if at all, the shooting starts. Because of the location and the interior layout, we’ve decided against the Bank auditor plan. It added needless complexity and didn’t provide any worthwhile access anyway. Now you two are just doing a basic stakeout. But banks try to discourage loitering as much as possible, and if you two appear suspicious enough to get the cops called, the entire operation will be blown. I want you to do everything you can to intercept the Oculus operatives without killing them, not that it’s ever been that easy to do. And as always Luke, civilian causalities are to be avoided, but not at the risk of losing contact with those operatives, I know I can trust you to make the right decisions in the moment. So anyway, based on the layout of the interior and the surrounding parking lot, when you arrive you will deploy a radiation detector inside the bank, then take up a position at the coffee house across the parking lot from the front entrance.” Explained Calvin.

  Luke waved his hand around the displayed floor plan and the image instantly pulled out and displayed the surrounding parking lot and nearby building. The Coffee shop was about fifty yards away across an open parking lot directly in front of the bank entrance.

  “That’s a lot of open ground to cover during a shoot-out Calvin. And we can’t predict what kind of cars will actually be parked in this area either.” Explained Luke.

  “I know, it’s not ideal. But it’s the best observational vantage point we can use. I think the best bet will be to just let them finish and tail them without engaging, no reason to have the O.K. corral right here at the site.” Said Calvin.

  “They’ve been known to use assault rifles that can shoot right though a car, so we aren’t going to be taking any chances.” Said Luke.

  “Speaking of cars, we've already staged yours along with a few laptops in the trunk so you can blend in at the coffee house. Simon, I've also got a two communicator I'd like you to take. It works anywhere on the planet, and doesn't need to be recharged, here.” Calvin continued.

  Calvin produced a small tan colored capsule from his pocket about the size of a large pill. It was completely featureless, lacking even a seam. Simon took the capsule and nearly went to shallow in out of sheer reflex.

  “It's a really amazing piece of equipment actually. It uses a small bundle of quantum entangled beryllium atoms to send and receive messages. It's uninterpretable, instantaneous, and has an unlimited range. And the best part is, the capsule can charge itself through the movement of your body with a tiny servo. It's already programmed with direct links to Luke, David, Nerva, and myself. And its voice activated, so all you need to do is say for example, call Calvin, and it'll link to me. Plus, it has an amazing register, so you won't need to speak much above a whisper to come through loud and clear, just put it in your ear and you’ll be the only one who can hear what’s coming out of it.” Explained Calvin

  Calvin's tendency toward long technical explanations never failed to amuse Simon. It was a lot like listening to an old uncle go on and on about the tools in his woodshed. Nerva broke in as soon as she detected a pause in Calvin's briefing.

  “We need to get them in place, the window for Oculus operatives to start showing up is only an hour away.” Said Nerva.

  “We're on the way.” Said Calvin, smiling.

  11. Engagement

  The Flapjack was already powered up and ready to contact the exit point when the three of them came into the transport chamber. David had was already there searching the destination point for a place that was close by but still obscured from view enough that having to people pop out of thin air wouldn’t catch any attention. Calvin went up the ramp to the main readout screens and began speaking with David, but Simon couldn’t make out anything that was being said because of the rumbling generators and machinery below. Luke gestured for him to lean in so they could speak easier.

  “You ready for this Simon.” Luke was nearly yelling but it only sounded like a whisper.

  “I guess I have to be right? I mean, any other organization it can take years to get up to the kind of position I’ve found myself in, here right? I’m just worried I might make a mistake and get someone hurt.” Said Simon.

  “Fast track is just the way we do things here. Nerva is the ultimate resource in that regard. It takes years for other people to trust you because sometimes people are just that good at hiding their true intentions. But not here, she knows your whole life, if Nerva thought you’d make a mistake or could become a liability, then we’d already know about it. So, you just gotta trust yourself, I know I do.” Said Luke.

  With that Simon nodded. “Trust.” He thought, everything hinged on that. He just hoped he trusted himself as much as they seemed too. A few moments later Calvin waved them both up as the iris flashed and came to life. After a brief flicker the iris opened into a vacant lot a block down from the shopping center the bank was in. Although you could see cars and a few people in the distance, it looked like the risk of being seen jumping out of thin air was minimal. Only someone looking directly at them the moment they exited would see anything unusual. Anyone else who managed to catch it in the corner of their eye would quickly dismiss their appearance from nowhere and forget about it. Regardless, Simon was apprehensive to make what would only be his second jump in as many days. Given how dangerous it seemed, and on top of that, leaving Luke in the middle of a city with part of a chewed-up corpse wouldn’t be ideal. It also occurred to him that he wasn't sure exactly how long this stake out was supposed to last, or what they'd be doing for food and money as he realized he didn't have access to either anymore.

  Almost as if sensing Simon's uneasiness,
Luke leaned over and shouted over the roar of the Flapjack. “The car we have staged and waiting for us on the other side will have everything we'll need. Money, extra weapons, and a few changes of clothes. So, don't worry.” Luke said with a half smirk.

  Simon tried to return the smirk, but he could feel it looked fake. Luke just gave him a brotherly pat on the back for additional reassurance.

  “How long exactly are we going to be gone?” Simon asked.

  “Depends on what happens when we intercept the operatives really. We might have a 45 second fire fight and then hightail it outta there. And we might have to tail them for weeks before they lead us back to where ever they came from.” Said Luke.

  Calvin leaned in and shouted, “READY?”

  Luke, “Yap”.

  Simon, “I'm ready”.

  Calvin nodded, “Simon, you first this time, jump!”

  He swallowed that same old knot in his throat and took a half step back for leverage, paused for a moment, then leapt up tucking himself into a tight cannonball form. The tingling edge of the iris washed over him just as before. And just as before, for the brief moment when he could see into the space between where he was and where he was going, he thought he saw movement. Almost like looking out from the inside of a pitch-black lava lamp, great swirling shapes that seemed to rush toward you for the single instant you were among them and then they were gone.

  Managing to land on his feet this time, Simon's vision was strained by the sudden shift in brightness, the dark laboratory lighting in the firewall complex tricked your eyes forget just how much brighter the early morning sun could really be. He suddenly hoped there would be a pair of sunglasses packed for him in the staged vehicle that was waiting for them in the parking lot near the bank. Simon took a few aimless steps forward soaking in his surroundings, he heard Luke land in the loose gravel on the vacant lot behind him but didn't bother to look around, as he could hear him crunching gravel and shifting his feet the moment after he landed. It suddenly occurred to Simon that his ear bud was still in his pocket, and it wasn’t going to do him any good there. Simon retrieved it from his jacket pocket and looked at it closely for a moment before pushing it into his left ear. Not surprisingly, he barely even felt it, and because of its size and color, it would be unlikely that a casual observer would ever notice it there.

  “Ugh, I need to start wearing a pair of sunglasses when I do this, hopefully there's a pair in the car.” Luke exclaimed as he was walked up behind Simon.

  “You know, I thought that exact same thing when I arrived too. I'd settle for a pair of 5-dollar gas station sunglasses if there aren't any in the car.” Said Simon.

  “Come on, let's get over there and settle in, there should be a pair of laptops, identification, money, and extra clothes for each of us. The car itself is going to be a black ford Escape.” Explained Luke as they both began to walk out onto the sidewalk.

  “A Ford Escape? Not exactly what I'd call a super spy car.” Simon said half joking.

  “Gotta have something that won't stick out like a sore thumb. And besides, they have plenty of room and this one is supped up with a turbo injector so it'll be hard to get away from in a chase. We use them all the time actually.” Explained Luke.

  “O ya? Well that sounds pretty cool I guess.” Said Simon.

  He continued, “So how do these kinds of stakeouts normally turn out anyway?”

  “It'll depend on two things. First, how violent they are with the people around them when they show up. And second, when they notice us. Personally, although there’s no explicit reason to protect civilians, I always do it. It seems like the whole point of what we do as Firewall you know? To keep the people who aren't involved, uninvolved. So, when these Oculus thugs inevitably start shooting up the place and frying people’s brains with those damn lamps, I won't just sit around and try to follow them after they've finished. That's one of the great things about Firewall, when we are out here in the line of fire, we don't answer to anyone else but each other. Nerva knows what we are already likely to do, so she tries to give assignments to the ones who can have the most success at them.” Explained Luke.

  “But ideally, we want to try and capture one of them alive, right?” Asked Simon.

  “Well sure, but that's proven itself to be almost impossible to do, and you've see why once they show up. Remember, this Oculus field operatives are basically robots. They've had their personalities completely wiped out by Gorgon lamp conditioning and replaced with a few basic behaviors and reactions. If you try to corner or grab one, they won't hesitate to kill themselves. We’ve never actually managed to nab one.” Said Luke.

  “O I see.” Mused Simon.

  As they walked out onto the sidewalk Simon took in the sounds and smells of the traffic on the street. He felt like an outsider to the world now, and the everyday activities all around him now seemed strange and unusual.

  “Honestly, they give me the creeps, they are reckless in a gunfight, and will barely react to injuries at all unless it inhibits their movement. Despite that however, they are still individuals so you can’t predict what they’ll do with 100% accuracy, so whatever programming they get is tailor make for the situation they are going into along with variations so that each one responses to situations differently. And even on top of that, occasionally there is one that's different. I don't think they mind wipe every operative, sometimes there are ones with their humanity mostly still intact. It's only been reported twice before by field agents, so don't expect it to happen this time, but there is this one guy we’ve seen a couple of times that’s a real hard case. He’s fast and smart and lethal, I’ll let you know if he’s here if I see him.”

  After just a few minutes of walking down the sideway they reached the parking lot in front of their destination. Simon wished there weren’t so many people around, the constant cars and frequent foot traffic made him feel a little crowded and exposed.

  “Ok we're here, let's turn into this parking lot and look for our car.” Said Luke.

  The area was just as busy, traffic and pedestrians weaved in and out of the shopping center in a constant stream of coming and going. Simon wondered how exactly they were going to notice someone they'd never seen before. But if they were as weird as Luke made them out to be, then they might turn out to be easy to spot if you're looking for them. He decided he would just follow Luke's lead in that regard.

  Simon spotted their staged vehicle first, just like it was intended, it did a great job of not standing out in a crowded parking lot. As they approached Luke walked around to the rear and touched the handle, unlocking the doors with the key-less entry fob he had in his hand and opened the rear door. Inside were two unassuming, wheeled luggage bags with Simon and Luke's name on their tags. Inside each was a laptop, two sets of identical shirts and jeans, a wallet with a Kansas driver's license, a concealed handgun license, a passport, a FBI agents badge, a credit card, as well as two thousand dollars in hundred dollar bills. Luke’s bag also had a little something extra in it, but he’d never needed it before so didn’t even think twice about the grenade that was stuffed down in his pack. The documents looked perfect down to the last detail, even the head shot pictures for the documents were all different. With all that, Simon figured there weren't many places in the country that he and Luke couldn't get into.

  “Who sets all this up for us Luke?” Asked Simon as he put his new wallet into his left jacket pocket.

  “Nerva owns a small courier network that operates as a private corporate courier, it has something like 100 employees I believe. They pick up vehicles and containers from all over the world and move them to where we'll need them. It's all very cloak and dagger from their point of view.” Explained Luke.

  “We really rely on Nerva for just about everything, don't we? Has she ever made a mistake or gone off line?” Asked Simon.

  The pause from Luke made Simon uncomfortable, and he suddenly wished he'd asked if Nerva could hear them talking. After a long moment, Luke c
losed his bag and shut the rear door.

  “Come on, let's get to a table at the coffee shop, we have to be ready for when they show up.” Said Luke.

  Carrying their laptops, Simon and Luke made the short walk across the parking lot to the coffee shop directly across from the bank, Joe Bean's was the name of the place, Simon thought it looked like a chain store but he'd never seen it before now. It suddenly accrued to him that he had no idea what city they were in. The license plates on the cars around him said Texas, and based on the density of the suburb around them, Simon guessed they were in one of the major Texas cities. Simon had never been in Texas before, so he decided he'd study the road layouts with his computer while they waited for something to happen. Even though it was nearly October, it was still hot, and without a breeze to take the edge off, the humidity was palpable.

  Once inside Joe Bean's, a bubbly teenage girl greeted them. She wasn't more than 17 years old and was that kind of aggressively cute that works great for cashiers and sales people, but not for much else.

  “Hey guys, welcome to Joe's, what can I get ya!” She said with a stretched-out smile.

  “Two double tall blacks, we're gonna take a table over by the window.” Said Luke.

  “Sure, you gonna be here awhile? We have a tab here so if you order anything else it'll all go together, is that OK?” She explained.

  Her sunny disposition could give you a sunburn if you looked directly at her, so instead of standing around watching Luke set up the tab, Simon decided to go select a table with the best view.

  The place seemed too been designed for exactly what they were going to be doing. Each table had easy access to two electrical outlets and the chairs where a cut above the normal plastic ones you could normally find at a fast food joint. Simon discovered with some relief that his computer was real, he'd half wondered if it was just going to be a prop one just to give the appearance of working. He connected it to the shop’s internal Wi-Fi and brought up an interactive map off a search and synced it to his current location. After a moment, it pinpointed him just North of Dallas. After scanning around for a moment Simon re-centered the map and started looking over nearby routes, figuring out which directions would lead out to major highways the quickest. Luke arrived a few moments later carrying the two double talls in a little cardboard holster in one hand and his own laptop in the other.