Last five minutes before helicopters brought in survivors were the hardest moments of Caroline's life. When they arrived Sanders refused to let Caroline see John. Then she saw Gillian, curled into a ball in darkest corner of hangar. Her bulletproof vest was laid nearby, she obviously threw it away.
Caroline approached her slowly and tried to help Gillian stand up. Before she could do so Gillian raised her hand to stop her. Gillian waited for everyone else except Caroline to leave hangar. Then she let Caroline to hold her hand and lead her through empty hallways of base.
Gillian looked more like corpse than a person. Mud and sand covered her face, she had scratches all over her body. John threw her far enough from explosion but it was a long fall.
Caroline led Gillian to her apartment. Apartments were most remote underground part of base, Gillian was first subject who saw this part of base. It could be sealed off from rest of facility in case of fire or uprising. Caroline wanted Gillian to stay in with her tonight. She washed Gillian's face with wet towel and waited for Gillian to fall asleep. Then she left her alone and went to check on progress in medical wing...
ACT II – THE LIBERATOR
Chapter 4 – The Spectre Protocol
John was in Sub-reality again, he had no idea for how long. You can keep up time conscious but not for long, time in Sub-reality can be slower or faster and nobody knows why. John was bored of walking around endless world of Sub-reality, he played his memories again most of them were inaccessible, he even tried to reprogram some of his implant functions but he couldn't. That meant someone was hooked into his cybercore functions and was doing something. John could tell one thing, whoever was doing it or whatever was the person doing it was big, all core activity was of the charts. It looked like the person was rewriting all core functions. It meant that he's still alive and that he has a chance of recovery. Suddenly process window popped up right in front of him:
>New core firmware installed
>Rebooting...
Everything went dark for a moment. Then new Sub-reality started to appear around John. Something he never saw before. Lines of blue pulsing light on the floor. Giant, blue, glowing sphere in background. First time John saw objects that weren't contained in his memories. Multiple process windows rose from the floor.
>New core detected...running diagnostics
>Core clock rate 100 petahertz
>A.I. Compatible...
>Advanced Combat&Control installed
>HiSense chip connected
>Spectre series implants installed
>Memory: Recovered and loaded
>External hardware detected...initializing
>!Error! Code 5x427
>Manual activation required
>Lockdown authorization: Sanders, David
>Subject: Ready
>Stasis mode: Releasing
John woke up in real world. At first he couldn't see or hear anything, soon he was staring at the ceiling.
“Ok, John you woke up. You can't move because your body has been severely damaged. We've repaired the damage but external implants aren't active. I'll activate them one by one. Eyes first, they had to be replaced. What you see now it's just basic sight. Activating now.”
It was Doctor Sanders talking. Suddenly John could see far better, new HUD loaded and his hearing also improved
“Now slowly lift your right hand.”
John did as asked. He nearly screamed from shock. There was mechanical arm instead of original one. He flexed mechanical fingers and formed fist. Then observed artificial muscle fibbers and the place when arm was connected to his chest. John was sure this arm is much stronger than than normal one.
“It has a blade built in, try that out.”
As soon as John thought of the blade it ejected from upper side of forearm. One inch wide and one foot long titanium alloy blade.
“Cool. I guess you'll have to deactivate it for security reasons.” John said looking turning his eyes at Sanders.
“Not necessary, it isn't sharp. Now if you feel well enough we should test legs.”
John was surprised like never before.
“Legs?!”
Sanders sighed, it was time to tell John the truth.
“We had to replace your arm and both legs because they were torn of by the blast. You did a great job by hitting that missile with bullet, it dispersed the blast so you wasn't hit by full force. We also upgraded your under-skin armor, cyber core and internal SSD memory drives.”
John accepted that as unchangeable truth. From now on he was more machine than human. So extensive augmentation must have taken weeks to finish.
“Doctor? How long I've been out?”
Sanders gave a short look at his wrist watch.
“Two months, three weeks, five days, ten hours, twenty five minutes and some seconds. Longest time in stasis mode in our lab. Briggs wants me to show you your new equipment before you can rest. Let me help you stand up.“
Standing on new legs John felt like on a ship in middle of storm. He had to hold on everything in reach to walk over to table with equipment. He was familiar with most of weaponry. There was also a set of some kind of heavy armor and circular object, five millimeters thick and two inches wide with black spot in it's middle.
“So...“ Sanders began his explaining. “This is Spectre Mk.4 Tactical Armor for special operators, like you are now. It's equipped with artificial muscle fibers same as you arm is made of to compensate it's weight and grant you more strength and it also provides protection from bullets. "You may find anti-missile flare system useful.“
That last sentence sounded very ironic.
John picked up that circular object he noticed before.
“And what's this?”
Sanders brought some books from nearby shelf.
“You are holding experimental A.I. Drive, the one your core is adapted for.“
“And...how does it work?“ John asked.
Doctor grinned.
“It doesn't. Drive contains only basic software and development tools, you'll have to create her. These books should help you.”
“Her? How do you know it's a woman?” John had plenty of questions by now.
“Our studies have proven that humans react better to female voice. To program her you have to hold the drive in your hand or insert it to USB slot in your bionic arm.“
It looked like fun to John, but he wasn't sure about what Gillian might think about it.
Soon after John tried to put on every single piece of armor and tested it by walking around the room doctor let him sleep. Doctor also promised to let Gillian know that John is awake.
Next day the first person to walk in John's room was Caroline. She brought more books about quantum computer and artificial intelligence and she wanted to talk about link John and Gillian created between their systems.
“What you've done is dangerous and I think I made myself clear when I said that two years ago.”
She doesn't even look angry just upset.
“We knew all the risks. Someone has to try it so you can study it and maybe figure out how it works.“
After three hours long argument John came out as winner. Caroline brought even more books for payback. John was reading a lot those days, he wanted to finish A.I. as soon as possible. Programming was difficult but with all those books and his cyber core he proceeded quickly. When Caroline calmed down she even offered to help him. John always thought that she studied medicine because everybody called her Doctor Blackburn.
But she wasn't, she was robotics engineer and brilliant programmer. She rewrote his core functions. She was the only member of scientific staff who wasn't doctor, but everybody called her so. It was meant to show that she is equal with rest of the team. Over time she became chief scientist after Conrad Welers who created system link function.
It took few days to convince guards to let Gillian see John. By then John was able to walk on his new legs. Gillian jumped into his open arms and whispered.
“Which part? Throwing you away or shooting down a missile?” John said jokingly.
She laughed and released her tight hug.
“Both. How's your arm?” She asked while exploring black muscle fibers with her hand.
“Fits well, but always when I try to pick up a mug I tip it over and I can't feel anything.“
John was really clumsy, turning over pages of books was nearly impossible.
They talked for two hours. Gillian told him how they escaped from soldiers and about rumors saying that something big is happening on the higher positions after the attack.
After another month John was allowed to return to his cell. It looked same as before there were just new clothes, bookshelf and toolbox to maintain bionic parts. Caroline accompanied him all the way and now was organizing books. When she was done she said.
“We worked long enough. Activate your A.I.“
John held the drive in his hand stroking the black spot with his thumb. Then he looked at Caroline: “It's already activated.”
Hologram of nice looking blonde rose from the drive:
“Hello John. Good morning Doctor Blackburn.“
Caroline was surprised to see it working, John created first fully self-aware A.I. She couldn't see it but she could hear. John breathed deeply.
“Claire, you know what to do.“
Claire looked concerned.
“Are you sure? Your actions might cause more deaths among your friends.“
John inserted drive into slot in his arm. Now he was responsible for one more living creature. Him and Claire, they were supposed to take care of each other. He knew that if he dies it will be end of her life as well.
“This could be my only chance, our only chance. Do it for me, for Gillian, for you, for everyone.“
“Yes you're right. Disabling security protocols.”
Door buzzed and opened. Caroline just stood there with open mouth.
“What do you want to do?“ She asked John.
“Making things right, take your team to safety, I'll seal the apartment section after you are in. Please, don't try to stop me...”
Chapter 5 – I'm not alone
John walked out of his cell to the hallway. I was now or never. Guard patrolling the hallway almost instantly aimed his weapon at John. He fired two rounds, John was just running towards him. Everything slowed as HiSense chip turned on and increased his perception. Only John maintained his speed. He turned his body before jump, bullets hit him but they harmlessly ricocheted from under-skin armor. In middle of jump he ejected blade, he knew it was sharp because he cut his finger two days ago. Then John gave his full strength and delivered punch to soldier's chest, penetrating his ribcage and puncturing heart. Soldier gasped for air.
Every cell door opened, subjects started to walk out. First one to speak was Gillian.
“What the bloody hell you think you're doing?!”
“Getting us out of here,“ Said John turning to others. “We have been imprisoned here for years. They trained us to be ultimate soldiers. New level of evolution, the best humanity can offer. They want us to fight for their cause, we don't even need to believe the same thing as they do. We were supposed to be their sword and shield. But for what cost?!
I see thirty cells, but only eighteen soldiers. Ten of us have already sacrificed everything for whatever those people up the chain of command want from us!”
John made a pause. “I say that their enemies aren't our enemies. I say that those who killed Tom, Kate and others are our enemies! They see us as assets, they can throw in and do whatever they want with us! We shall show them we're people! Yes, maybe we're half machines but we're not animals, we think, we feel. You don't have to go with me, it's your choice, first time in history of this place you have a choice. Now! Who's with me?”
Everyone raised their hands.
“Then let's move out! Head for the armory!”
Claire sealed off armory from rest of facility so their way was clear. James wasn't there, most likely he went away as soon as most of security systems failed. John was looking for one thing in particular, his armor. If he's going to break through barricades and fortified positions and of course army of soldiers, he needs that armor. It also gave him power, power to destroy...and it was bulletproof.
“John, are you okay?” Claire asked.
“I'm just thinking. With all these enhancements, I'm more machine than flesh. Do I still have a soul? Or was it lost in all that steel?”
John picked up his rifle from nearby table.
“Yes, you have a soul,” Claire said “Without soul you wouldn't have any feelings. And you have feelings, you love Gillian, you want to protect her. That's feeling.”
John never thought of his feelings for Gillian in that way, but he knew Claire was right.
When he had everything he needed it was time to give orders to others. When he walked into main armory everyone was ready and standing in a line. Gillian made a step forward.
“We are ready.” She said not looking at him.
Now it was John's strike force and he was proud of it.
“Behind that door our future and freedom awaits.” He said pointing at the door.
“But there are people willing to stop us,” Everyone looked a bit nervous.
“What they see is just bunch of kids playing around with loaded guns. What I see is an army. There is more of them I admit, but we have been created to beat the odds.”
His speech was short but effective.
“We will proceed through main hallway and capture central intersection. Then you will break into two squads, Alpha and Bravo, Alpha will dig in there and hold position, Bravo will go and fortify scientific labs and protect any non-military personnel there, if you find labs empty go and protect apartment complex, I'll go for Briggs and data storage. Everyone with me?”
“Yes, Sir!” Mass response came. John smiled.
“Then let's move out!”
So they moved through base meeting no resistance. Entire base was sealed, Claire had to open every door in their way. Initially she locked up the facility but guards slowly regained control.
“Heat signatures, room, right side.” Claire informed.
John signaled everyone to hold position at the door. He could hear voices coming from inside. Sounded like three men.
“Man, entire station is in lockdown.” First one said.
“Damn! Can someone explain how subjects got out?” Another asked.
Finally last one spoke. “Could you just shut up? We're stuck in here until somebody lifts the lockdown.”
Quick glance through small glass window built into door confirmed that there were soldiers inside. John bashed his helmet twice with fist.
“Breach it.”
Subject behind him moved forward, slowly planted breaching charge on the door and backed away. Voices echoed from inside again.
“Guys you heard that? Somebody is messing with door.”
John made a step back and gave a nod.
“Fire in the hole!”
Blast sent door flying. John walked in with guns blazing, taking down three hostiles. They died before they realized what was going on. Strike force moved forward. Central intersection was empty, John was sure it was a trap. Central intersection was only way to move to other parts of base. It was big room with catwalks along it's walls. John saw it only few times in his life, now there were big steel crates on the far side of room and small benches few feet away from strike force. John signaled them to stop.
“I don't feel well about that room, it's too exposed. Peter, take half of us, wait on the catwalks and cover me. Rest of you will come up behind me if something happens.”
Everyone nodded, there was no need to say anything they were perfectly coordinated.
John walked to the middle of room. Suddenly soldiers came from behind those steel crates, at leas twenty of them. And John's worst enemy captain Grayson with them.
“Stop right there John, it's over. Throw that gun away and turn around with hands above your head.”
John didn't move.
“So you can shoot me like last time? Ain't gonna happen.”
Captain laughed.
“Come on, listen to reason. You are no one John, you don't have anything. You're just test subject we can kill, just number we can remove from the list, you have no name, just John. You are alone, even with that fancy armor of yours you're going to die.”
All around catwalks and behind John subjects started to appear.
“He's not alone.” One of them said.
John raised his rifle and muffled his helmet speakers so he could speak only to hybrids.
“Leave captain to me!”
Then he spoke loudly again.
“Now! I say, surrender or die. What is your choice captain?”
Soldiers raised their rifles and captain laughed again.
“I swore to never let any of you lab rats out. I will never surrender to you!”
John walked towards him.
“Then you give me no choice. Open fire!”
Soldiers never stood a chance. They fell like rotten fruit from tree, captain was now the only one standing there. John grabbed his throat and lifted him off the ground. John was taller that everybody in facility and with armor, captain was one foot of the ground when John held him in his eye level. John let his emotions flow through him like a river.
“Tell me why I shouldn't kill you?” Asked John taking captain's revolver from his hand.
Unfortunately captain was choking too much to answer. John threw him on the ground and shot his right knee.
“That's for Tom!”
Then he shot left knee. John was sure his eyes were red like melting iron burning his insides.
Hybrid: Project Vigil Page 3
