by Piers Platt
“If he lives to collect it,” Rath said.
“Correct!” John said, “That, as they say, is the catch. Or rather, one of several conditions stipulated in this contract.”
“How many people live to collect their fifty percent?” Rath asked.
John frowned. “I’m sorry; I’m just a contract review program, that’s not data I have access to.” He pressed on. “As you pointed out, should you die at any point while under contract to the Group, for any reason, your funds will be forfeited in full to the Group. The same would apply if you are convicted and / or incarcerated.”
“What if I’m just detained by the cops?” Rath interrupted.
“Contractors are occasionally detained by law enforcement officials, and even arrested. Your funds are only forfeited if you are successfully convicted of a crime.”
“In other words, the Guild has spent a lot of money on me, and if I’m not going to jail, they can put me back to work killing more people.”
“Very perceptive, sir! The Group operates very much like a traditional business, so many of the clauses in this contract are determined by profit, loss, and risk calculations. For that same reason, the Group agrees to furnish you with full healthcare benefits while you are under contract, to ensure you are physically fit and can conduct your assignments.”
“If I get injured, I just go to the nearest hospital?”
“Should you decide to sign the contract, your training in the next phase will cover those contingencies, sir. As part of the health provisions in this document, the Group reserves the right to augment your physical capabilities, including, but not restricted to, implants and other specialized medical devices. I will pause there, as most prospective contractors wish to discuss that point in greater detail.”
“Yeah, I do, too,” Rath told him. “What kind of implants and devices?”
“The list is subject to change, as newer devices become available. However, the standard equipment profile includes a cybernetic sensory enhancement suite – eye implants and the like – and some facial and skin implants that help disguise your identity. And of course, you will be equipped with hemobots. Your training will cover the full utility of these enhancements; the implant procedures are all painless. I will also point out that many citizens are willing to incur significant expenses to install civilian versions of these same medical devices. Clinical trials have shown that hemobot usage has extended life expectancy among test populations by seventy-two to eighty-three percent, compared to control populations.”
“Hemobots? They’re some kind of wonder drug?” Rath asked.
John smiled. “They are nanomachines that travel through your bloodstream, you can think of them as super-powered blood cells that provide a number of benefits. Your training will provide more details. In addition to health costs, the Group agrees to provide room, board, and a small stipend to cover reasonable entertainment expenses each month. All assignment-related expenses, including equipment, travel, and other out-of-pocket items, will be passed through at cost to the client. All billable expenses are subject to review by the Group’s finance department.”
Rath wasn’t sure what that meant, but decided not to press for more details. The avatar continued. “There are several other important clauses that you should be aware of. The contractor will be considered in breach of this contract should he or she divulge any information whatsoever about the Group, his or her recruitment, selection, training, or operations, to anyone not directly employed by the Group, including law enforcement / judicial officials and media outlets. In plain English, this means that you cannot reveal anything about the Group or its operations to anyone.”
“Makes sense,” Rath acknowledged. “What happens if there is a ‘breach of contract’?”
“Excellent question, but may I suggest that we table it? I will cover that contingency in a minute. First, there are a few other situations in which you would be considered in breach. The first is to divulge information, as we just discussed. Contractors will also be considered in breach of contract should they refuse to undertake an assignment.”
John raised a hand. “Allow me to pre-empt your likely questions here. The Group determines assignments for each contractor based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the location of the assignment, the contractor’s proven capabilities and expertise, and performance on prior assignments. You may not pick and choose your assignments.”
Rath’s frown deepened. “What if I feel the assignment is too risky?”
John shook his head, concern evident on the avatar’s features as his empathy protocols kicked in. “I’m afraid you must still make a ‘good faith effort’ to complete the assignment. But remember that more risky assignments typically allow you to collect higher fees.”
“And if that ‘good faith effort’ fails?” Rath persisted. “What if I’m incapacitated and the target escapes?”
“The Selection process you just completed was specifically designed to ensure that you have the necessary willpower to complete the assignment at all costs, regardless of obstacles or the timeframe necessary. However, the Group understands that circumstances beyond your control may arise and prevent a successful conclusion to the assignment. Any time a contractor fails an assignment, a board will be convened to review their operational conduct. You will have the opportunity to defend your actions and decisions during the assignment as part of that process. The board will then determine whether you should be permitted to remain under contract – in which case the failed assignment will not be counted toward your quota of fifty – or whether to consider you in breach of contract.”
“So a bunch of people who weren’t even on the mission with me get to decide whether I botched it up or not? And they can kick me out and keep all of my money if they think I didn’t try hard enough?”
“That is indelicately phrased, but roughly accurate,” John agreed. “Except for your description of the outcome you would face. The penalty for breach of contract is death.”
Rath’s breath caught in his throat. He stared at his hands for a time. John remained silent.
“So if I fail a mission, the Guild might send another guildsman to kill me?” Rath asked, looking up again.
“The Group might exercise that option, yes. We don’t use the ‘guild’ terminology internally at the Group.”
Rath ignored the correction, pressing on: “… and if I refuse a mission, or tell anyone about a mission, they’ll kill me.”
“Yes.”
“And if I’m caught and convicted, they’ll kill me.”
“Yes. Here is a simple way to summarize your obligations to the Group: you must undertake every assignment given to you, and successfully complete it without dying, being convicted, or revealing anything about the Group. Failure to complete an assignment may result in death; conviction or revealing information will result in death.”
“Fantastic,” Rath noted.
John smiled apologetically. “The Group understands that this can be a difficult decision, so unless you have further questions, my avatar will be deactivating for an hour, so that you may consider your options alone. When I deactivate, the data terminal at this desk will become available for your use – please take this opportunity to review some of the multi-media materials you will find available, which include more details about your next phase of training, the benefits of your comprehensive healthcare and hemobot implantation, and the leisure activities available to contractors through this program. I will return in one hour for your decision.”
Rath nodded, and the hologram pixelated briefly, then disappeared. On the data terminal, Rath pulled up a short video that showed masked guildsmen – contractors, he corrected himself – firing an impressive array of weapons, detonating explosives, and practicing hand-to-hand combat techniques, to the accompaniment of an adrenaline-inducing musical score. Rath recognized it for the propaganda that it was, but he nevertheless found himself excited by the prospect of the training.
“Hello, Rath,” she said, and he looked up to find her hologram occupying the seat across the desk, where the legal avatar had recently sat. “I’m Rebecca. Have you heard of cyber-companions?”
Rath blushed. “Sure,” he said. “Virtual reality sex programs.”
She leaned forward, exposing her plunging cleavage. “Right! But we’re not just programs, we’re real-life experiences. As a contractor in the Group, you’ll have full access to the latest cutting edge cyber-technology, including touch-sensitive bodysuits and hyper-real 3D display goggles. Many people have trouble distinguishing the experience from the real thing,” she added, arching an eyebrow suggestively. “You can have me anytime you like … or you can design your own companion to suit your preferences.”
The hologram transitioned smoothly, her healthy tan giving way to a pale, freckled complexion, her hair turning red and gathering into two pig-tails. Redhead Rebecca batted her now green eyes at Rath, and toyed with the clasp at the front of her bra. “But why stick with just one? With the virtual reality system, you can include as many companions in the experience as you like.”
Rath held his hand up before she started spawning additional holograms. “I get it, thanks.”
She smiled coyly, twirling a strand of hair with one finger. “This facility is equipped with a demo unit, if you’d like to try it …?”
“No,” Rath shook his head. “I just need to think for a while.”
“Aw … okay,” Rebecca pouted. “See you later, honey.” The hologram flickered briefly, and then disappeared.
Rath pulled up the contract document and read it through twice, chewing on his thumb. He was pacing the room in thought when John reappeared at the desk an hour later.
“Time’s up!” he said, cheerfully. “Can I answer any other questions you might have?”
Rath shook his head. “No. Where do I sign?”
* * *
Rath followed the yellow arrows back out to the launch pad where he had first entered the facility. Instead of a shuttle, though, he found an air car idling, its passenger door open and waiting. It was an automated air car, so that when Rath sat down and buckled in, the door closed and the car lifted off from the gravel. The car flew for several miles out to sea, until Rath saw he was being flown to a squat, grey structure rising on pylons out of the water. The air car set down on a landing platform. The door opened and Rath was met by a masked woman in full surgical scrubs, standing behind a wheelchair.
“Do you need to sit?” She had to shout to be heard over the noise of the air car’s engines – it was already returning to the island. Rath shook his head and gestured for her to lead the way.
On the far side of the landing pad, she pushed the wheelchair through a hatch in the platform’s super-structure, walking toward an elevator. She turned to him again. “Sure you don’t need to sit? I know it’s been a rough few weeks.”
“No,” Rath said. “Honestly, it’s just good to see another human being again.”
“Yeah, we get that a lot.” Rath noticed that she had a stun pistol in a leg holster strapped over the scrubs. She pushed a button on the elevator and they began to descend. “Okay, orientation: this is Medical Phase, before you go on to the final phase, Training. Right now you’re suffering from malnutrition, the after-effects of prolonged mild hypothermia, and if I had to guess, a number of sprains, stress fractures, hyper-extensions, cuts, scrapes, and bruises. Any broken bones?”
Rath shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Okay, good. Our job is to install your upgrades and get you fit and healthy again. You’ll be out in about three days.”
Rath stared at her. “You can heal all that in three days?”
She chuckled. “Actually, your new hemobots are going to do most of that in about two hours. Most of your time here you’re going to be under the knife for surgical installations. You’re lucky, we just got a shipment of the latest generation sensor package – if you’d come a couple days earlier, you would have been stuck with last year’s model.”
Rath followed the nurse out of the elevator and down a short corridor into a small medical bay. Several other nurses and doctors were busy readying equipment around a central gurney.
“This is you,” she said, patting the edge of the bed. Rath sat down.
“Please change into this.” She handed him a hospital gown from a drawer under the bed.
Rath peeled off his shirt. “What do the hemobots do, exactly?”
“Didn’t you read the flyer at your contract signing?” she asked.
“No,” Rath admitted.
“Tsk-tsk.” She wagged a finger at him. “Okay, they’re microscopic machines that travel in your bloodstream. They can sense injuries, toxins, diseases – anything that’s damaging your body, they just flow to that spot and speed up the healing process. They can actually produce chemicals as needed to neutralize a poison, or drugs to kill off parasites or infections, you name it. You’re never going to have a cold again, your muscles are never going to cramp up again, and if you get in serious trouble – major internal hemorrhaging, organ damage, stuff like that – they can stop the bleeding, administer a painkiller, and keep you alive and on your feet long enough to get to a hospital. And it’s all autonomous; you don’t have to tell them to do a thing.”
“Wow,” Rath commented. “Can they cook and clean, too?”
“No,” she answered, taking his old clothes and dropping them into a large trash bag. “But you can direct them to produce certain chemicals and hormones to help you while you’re on mission, if needed. Your training will cover the details, but basically, they give you exceptional endurance, and if you need a jolt of caffeine or adrenaline to stop yourself falling asleep, all you have to do is push a button, so to speak.”
“How come I’ve never heard of these before?”
“Where are you from?” she asked, then cut in before Rath could answer. “Actually scratch that, I’m not supposed to ask. They’re kept classified on a number of planets – the fear is people would revolt if they knew some people had access to this kind of life-saving technology.”
“No shit,” Rath said.
She ignored the curse, and wheeled a tree festooned with intravenous fluid bags closer to the bed. “You’re getting the top of the line, military-grade nanos today, and only the super-wealthy can afford those. Folks like me can only afford to rent the cheaper models when we get real sick, but it’s a lot better than nothing. Okay, lie back.”
She took his arm, and wiped it with an alcohol swab, then held up a syringe.
“You ready for the best medicine seven million dollars can buy?”
* * *
“Can you hear me, Trainee 621?”
Rath opened his eyes, but found that there was something covering them. When he tried to feel what it was, he found that his wrists were restrained.
“You’ll find that your wrists are restrained,” the voice told him.
“No kidding,” Rath muttered.
“We’re going to uncover your eyes in a minute, but first I want to give you a quick orientation to your new sensor package. I’m the surgeon who installed your e
nhancements.”
Rath smacked his lips, “Can I have a drink of water?”
“Oh, sure,” the surgeon said. Rath heard the surgeon moving around, then he felt a straw touch his lips. He drank several deep sips.
“Okay, so we’re about to turn your neural interface on. You can think of it as a computer that bridges the gap between your central nervous system and your new cybernetic systems. It also communicates with your hemobots, so it will provide you real-time biometric data if you need it. You control your enhancements by thought, and the interface will project data as a heads-up display within your new eyes.”
“Okay,” Rath said.
“I’m going to turn it on now. There … it’s on.”
“I see some kind of boot up screen,” Rath reported. He felt the surgeon remove his blindfold. Rath squinted reflexively, but though the room was bright, his eyes seemed to automatically dim momentarily, so that he was not blinded.
“Okay, let’s run through basic functions,” the surgeon told him. The man was sitting on a rolling stool next to Rath’s bed. “See that eye chart on the far wall? Try zooming in to the lowest level and reading the letters.”
Rath found the poster, and as he zoomed in, he saw that what he had initially taken to be a thin, straight line was actually a row of tiny printed letters. “P, Z, U, I, R, F …,” he started.
“Excellent,” the surgeon interrupted. The surgeon flipped the lights off, bathing the room in darkness. “Now try switching to low light amplified, and then thermal vision.”
As soon as Rath thought it, his vision changed, the room reappearing first as a green-tinted version, then as an odd, black-and-white version where his body and the surgeon’s shone bright white. He noted that the surgeon, like all the other medical personnel he had seen, had his face covered by a surgical mask.
“How many fingers am I holding up?” the surgeon asked.
