Interface: A Techno Thriller

by Tony Batton

  "I don't even know if it's possible. But why spend time and money going backwards? The road to the future only goes one way."

  Tom grimaced. "Whatever the cost?" he asked, his voice coming in gasps

  Bern snorted. "As long as I'm not the one paying it." He leaned forward and searched through Tom's pockets, quickly pulling out his mobile phone. He hefted the gun in one hand, while he started dialling with the other. There was a buzz as someone answered. "I need an evacuation. Track this phone." Then he clicked it off.

  "The moment," hissed Tom, "that I'm connected to a network, I'm going to tell them where you are."

  Bern frowned. "Your abilities don't scare me. We'll just lock you in a lead-lined room." He raised the gun. "Now, I'm going to release the override and we're going to start walking, put some distance between ourselves and your five helicopters. Don't try anything. I really would hate to shoot you. Even in the leg."

  "I have no doubt you'd do it. But there is one thing you haven't considered."

  "I doubt it."

  Tom stared into his father's eyes. "I've been in your system. I know everything."

  Bern waved the remote. "Clearly you didn't know about this."

  "I had to know what you were really like. I had to know how far you would go. I wanted to believe you would help me. Now I know I should never have asked." Tom smiled. "You know something funny just occurred to me. Do you remember the Tower launch party? You talked about how no one can stand in the way of progress."

  "Embrace it and change the world. I use that in most of my speeches."

  "I hope it was worth it. Because I am progress. And I am going to change your world."

  Bern held up the remote. "You're not changing anything right now, Tom."

  "You might have control over CERUS nanites, but these are no longer CERUS nanites. They're mine," Tom replied.

  And he stood up.

  ONE HUNDRED TWENTY

  TOM ADVANCED ON BERN. "I'M not going to be a victim any more."

  Bern brought the gun up and made to squeeze the trigger, but his finger stopped. His hand started to shake. "What are you doing? How are you doing it?"

  "My nanites are not just in me." Tom mimed spitting in his palm. "Since we shook hands, they're in you too."

  Bern's hand shook more violently. "Doing what?"

  "I wouldn't say I can control you." Tom narrowed his eyes. "But I can hold you there for as long as I like." He reached forward and plucked the gun from Bern's hand. "A taste of your own medicine."

  "You never wanted the interface removed."

  "It would have made things simpler. It would have been nice to have had a choice. But I guess my answer is no. I just wanted to see how you would respond. To see what kind of a man you really are. Now I know."

  "So what are you going to do? Kill me?"

  "This technology came with a price. And it's time that you paid. So let's be clear, William: you have no idea what I will do because even I don't."

  Bern swallowed.

  "Do I scare you now?"

  "Yes."

  "That's the first honest thing you've said." Tom smiled. "But it won't be the last." He pulled one of the syringes from his pocket then walked over and injected it into Bern's upper arm. Tom sucked his lip thoughtfully, then produced a second syringe. "Perhaps we'll give you a couple of doses. Just to be sure." He blew out a sigh, closing his eyes briefly as tiredness threatened to overwhelm him.

  Bern grimaced. "So, ask your questions."

  "Actually, I'm done talking to you." He pointed over his shoulder. "The truth nano's for their benefit, not mine." From behind Tom came the roar of three military helicopters.

  Bern's eyes widened. "You told them where we were. You lied."

  Bern's face contorted in anger, but Tom didn't have time to enjoy the moment. Suddenly, the world seemed to tilt and yaw. He staggered backwards. He felt tired, so incredibly tired.

  "Then I guess we do have something in common."

  "This isn't over," growled Bern. "Between you and me."

  "I agree," said Tom, as his consciousness started to slip. "Because I've only just started."

  ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE

  THREE DAYS LATER, DOMINIQUE LENTZ sat in the Level 90 boardroom of CERUS Tower, ignoring the view and staring intently at her laptop. There was a brief knock at the door and Kate walked in.

  "You said you had something important to discuss."

  "I do," replied Lentz, "but first, how are you?"

  "Your people scanned me. Supposedly I'm clear of the nanites and my doctor has given me a clean bill of health." I don't feel the same though."

  "It's just in your head." Lentz hesitated. "Sorry, bad choice of words. Why don't we talk about why I invited you here?" She pointed to a seat opposite her desk and poured coffee from a pot into two cups. "Bern and Marron are in custody, but they left behind a huge mess at CERUS. Which is a problem because the company is being considered 'too big to fail'."

  Kate raised her eyebrows.

  "There are thirty thousand employees and a great many smaller businesses relying on CERUS. With some new government-backed bridging finance, the company should be able to get its house in order. And there are some fascinating projects in the archives that we can soon use to turn a profit."

  Kate tipped her head to one side. "They asked you to take over, didn't they? I thought they were going to put you in charge of research, but they've given you the whole damn company."

  "Well, at first I said they must be joking. Then I said that, if they weren't joking, they were crazy." Lentz paused. "Then I said yes."

  "I guess congratulations are due."

  Lentz sighed. "Why am I not convinced that you really mean that?"

  "Maybe I do. I'm certainly feeling less antagonistic since they decided not to lock Tom up. Of course I'm sure they're following him everywhere."

  "I have no doubt. I note you haven't published your story."

  "Reems asked me to wait a week. To be honest, I don't believe I'm going to be allowed. Or whether I should do it, even if I am. Maybe I should make this all public, for the sake of the people who died for these secrets, if nothing else. But I don't want to ruin Tom's life. Again." Kate shrugged. "Geraldine is calling me every thirty minutes."

  "Perhaps I can suggest another way you could use this to advance your career?"

  "I wasn't aware you had connections in journalism."

  "I don't. Which is exactly why I need someone to fill the role of Media Relations Director at CERUS. As you can imagine, it's going to be a pretty demanding remit."

  Kate narrowed her eyes. "Is this just a clever scheme you and Reems have cooked up to stop me publishing?"

  "Someone's going to tell the story sooner or later. I'd rather it was you, telling the right story – from the inside. In return, I'll make you an offer you can't refuse."

  "What about Tom? Is he coming back?"

  Lentz frowned. "We certainly aren't going to fire him, but I can't see him returning to his old job."

  Kate sniffed. "I guess not. Have they found any trace of Alex?"

  "She went overboard when Marron was captured. They're still looking for a body."

  Kate scratched her nose. "Why do you think Tom took Bern on that helicopter ride? Why not just let him get arrested with Marron?"

  "He had questions to ask. And he wanted to make sure Bern would have to tell the truth about Tantalus and everything else he's done. Tom's got a lot to work through, but he'll be back in touch when he's ready."

  "And what will he do until then?"

  Lentz leaned back in her chair. "As he is now? That's entirely up to him."

  ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO

  THE LARGE GOVERNMENT TEAM THAT had been tracking Tom lost him at Heathrow airport. He simply vanished into the crowds. A later review of CCTV footage provided no clues. It was like he had never been there.

  In fact Tom had simply strolled up to a random long-haul flight, provided his passport and was waved on b
oard. All his details were in the system, but then he had just put them there. Of course, five minutes later they were gone again.

  He sat anonymously in economy, next to a tired-looking mother and her bored pre-teenage son. After the shake and rumble of take-off, the seat-belt sign turned off and the inflight crew moved into action. But, for Tom, it was a chance to stop: to draw breath.

  He had gone through so much in the few last days. And he had survived to become something else. The interface in his head meant that he could feel the systems around him – and some of them he could talk to.

  But what was there to say? And what should he do?

  His world was still in pieces with Jo gone. Did he want revenge? Bern and Marron had already been arrested and it had made little difference to his pain: it hadn't brought Jo back. Nothing would. And what about Alex? Was she even still alive? The thought of her made him shiver.

  He didn't know what he wanted.

  Lentz had said he could come back to CERUS: he was, of course, still an employee. It was an interesting option: from trawling their systems, he knew the company had a great many projects and ideas in the works, and Lentz had said they could use his help – on pretty much any terms he might wish to dictate. But whatever she said, there were risks in going back. There were too many people he couldn't trust. And, for now, he wasn't ready for that.

  His thoughts turned to Kate. She had been through a terrible ordeal in pursuit of her story and yet she now seemed disinclined to publish. For his sake, so Lentz had told him. That was no small sacrifice. He would have to balance that account. But first he needed to get away for a while. He closed his eyes, ready for sleep.

  There was a polite cough. He blinked and saw a stewardess smiling at him. "Lunch, Sir? Chicken or beef?"

  Before Tom could answer, there was a curse from the seat next to him.

  "Stupid thing won't work!" said the boy, pointing at the blank TV screen in front of him. His mother sighed and closed her eyes.

  "I'm sorry," said the stewardess, a practised smile on her face. "There's been a technical problem. We're looking into it."

  "It's a ten-hour flight!" said the boy, his voice raising.

  "Perhaps I can get you a comic," she offered, "or a magazine?"

  He scowled. "I want to watch the movies. Why don't you do your job and fix it?"

  Her smile hardened. "I'll see what we can do." She turned back to Tom. "Chicken or beef?"

  "Chicken, please." Tom leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Don't envy you having to explain that to everyone."

  She sighed. "Intercom's broken in economy so I'm having to tell people one by one." She moved to the next row of seats.

  Tom stared at the screen in the seatback in front of him, testing the buttons on the side. It remained blank.

  "Yeah, it's not working," said the boy. "Didn't you hear me?"

  "Maybe you didn't press the right buttons," said Tom. "OK if I give it a try?"

  "I know how to work it. A seven year-old could do it." The boy swallowed. "Look, I hate flying. The only reason I get through is because I have movies to watch." He glanced at his mother. "And she packed my tablet in our luggage."

  "I'm sure she had a lot of things on her mind." Tom placed his palm on his screen, closing his eyes. There was a soft chime and all around the cabin screens lit up with a welcome screen.

  The boy's mouth fell open. "What just happened?"

  "They must have fixed it," said his mother, not opening her eyes.

  "I bet," whispered Tom, "that the stewardess sorted it out. You should thank her next time she comes by."

  The boy leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Seriously, did you do that?"

  Tom shrugged. "Somebody obviously spoke the computer's language."

  "Have you got some clever kind of phone? Are you a hacker?"

  Tom raised his hands. "Nothing up my sleeves, mate."

  "What are you, then? Some type of cyborg?"

  "You watch too many movies. Or at least you can now."

  The boy's mouth creased into a smile. "When I grow up, I want to be like you. I want to be able to do that."

  "Maybe you will. I just hope that you have a choice."

  Dear Reader

  My thanks for choosing to read Interface. If you did enjoy it, do consider leaving a quick review on Amazon or Goodreads - as an author, reviews are absolutely critical in getting noticed, and are always hugely appreciated.

  As a thank you, you can also get a FREE short techno-thriller - use the following link:

  http://www.tonybatton.com/free-story-from-interface

  If you have any comments, questions or feedback I'd love to hear from you. I can be reached via my website www.tonybatton.com.

  Best regards

  Tony Batton

  London 2016

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I owe a great debt of gratitude to the many people who have encouraged and supported me through the long process of bringing Interface to completion. A special thank you to my beta team who so willingly read (and re-read) the manuscript and provided feedback and criticism - it was invaluable in making the book better:

  Jin Koo Niersbach, Chris Turner, Maurice Murphy, Elli Murphy, Joshua Allarm, Peter Cliffin, Alicia Young, John Nicholson, Imogen Cleaver, Paul Cleaver, Scott Purchas, Joanne Theodoulou, Chris Ward, Jeremy Ward, Douglas Ashby, Alex Bott, Alistair Charleton, Petros Demetriades, Jessica Mair, Mary Loosemore, Patrick Wijngaarden, Richard McGregor and Judy Bott.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Tony Batton worked in international law firms, media companies and Formula One motorsport, before turning his hand to writing novels. He is passionate about great stories, gadgets and coffee, and probably consumes too much of each.

  Tony's novels explore the possibilities and dangers of new technology, and how that can change lives. When not writing, or talking about gadgets, Tony likes to play basketball, guitar, and computer games with his two young sons. He lives in London with his family.

  You can connect with Tony online at his website: www.tonybatton.com

  on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonybattonauthor/

  and on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thetonybatton