Hybrid: Project Vigil

by Samuel Bohovic

  “That's for Kate!”

  Captain screamed from pain. It couldn't stop John. There was no room for forgiveness or mercy. John released every single piece of anger and hatred he accumulated over years. He shot right elbow.

  “That's for the pain you caused to us.”

  Every part of John wanted to finish him, but he wasn't done yet, so he shot left elbow.

  “That's for destroying our lives.”

  Finally, gun barrel touched captain's forehead.

  “MY! NAME! IS! JOHN!” And he pulled trigger.

  Blood was all over the floor and walls. Part of John's revenge was complete. There was sudden feeling of satisfaction in his mind and soul. He fired last round into captain's chest.

  “End game, jerk.”

  John had no evidence that Grayson was behind the attack, he could be or not. John still wanted to kill many people, mostly ones responsible for the attack. Strike force was already split in two squads when John turned to them.

  “I know this was a cold blood execution, but some people just deserve to die. After all he has done to us he gave us no choice but to kill him and his men. One day everyone must die. We continue as planned.”

  Samuel stepped forward. “What is your call sign?

  John wasn't thinking about that. Suddenly he thought of his codename in official files.

  “Crisis.”

  They continued as planned, John headed for Briggs first. Again hallways were empty Claire managed to keep this part sealed. It was strange to be alone here, John wondered where are all guards they should be sealed inside. John found Briggs in his office drinking whiskey and looking at photo of his family. There was a piece of blank paper and pencil in front of him.

  “Hello John. What do you need?” He asked.

  “Names.”

  General took a pencil and wrote twenty names, folded paper and gave it to John.

  “These men are responsible for the attack. I can't tell you where they are. They were taken into custody and transported away. Are you going to kill me now?”

  John put paper into his pocket.

  “No. Briggs, you are a good man. You have family and you have been always nice to us.

  Stay here, someone will pick you up when we're done.”

  Then he turned around and headed for data storage.

  Halfway to data storage he met Caroline. His first reaction was to pull trigger, but then he saw white lab coat. Bullets missed their target.

  “Hey! It's me!” She shouted from door she took cover behind.

  “What are you doing here?” John shouted back.

  “I wanted to find you. I guess I succeeded. Can I come out now?”

  “Yes, you can.” John sighed.

  She carried small metal briefcase in one hand and pistol in another.

  “You'll need this to get inside data room.” She handed him her ID card.

  “And this to interface with system.” She opened briefcase and took out tablet with USB wire. Tablet was armored from one side and covered with blue contact foil on other side.

  “There should be a slot for it on your armor...here got it.”

  She fastened it to John's thigh.

  “There you go.”

  She picked up pistol from the floor and observed John. John was much taller that her.

  “Caroline?”

  “Is there something you want to know about data storage?” She asked.

  “No, but that pistol you have...it's empty. You can't shoot anyone with that.”

  John gave her his pistol.

  “I thought you have proper training. Be careful with that.”

  She nodded and walked away the way John came.

  After few minutes of walk John ended up in front of dark hallway leading to data storage.

  “Claire? Why are the lights out?” He asked.

  “Uh...I don't know. Power in this part of facility was cut off.”

  John activated night vision.

  “Let's take this slow.”

  Total blackness engulfed them. Only sound was echo of John's steps. Hallway was empty but John was sort of scared anyway. Suddenly Claire reminded him of her developing personality.

  “John you should know that I'm afraid of darkness.”

  “No kidding? John grinned.

  “I mean it.” She claimed.

  “Don't worry I'm here with you.”

  John knew that A.I.'s can learn, they can develop themselves, it fascinated him in some way. You could see only wires and chipsets, holographic projection maybe, but there was a person inside. Green color of night vision filled John's mind. Hallway was empty like hallways before. John proceeded quickly until his eyes found dead body in a lab coat.

  John inspected the body. It was Harper, he had broken neck.

  “We're not alone here.”

  From that moment he checked every corner and looked back every few steps.

  “Crisis 0-1 you still there? Come in Crisis.” John could hear gunfire along with caller's voice. HUD displayed who calls.

  “Crisis 0-1 here. Go ahead Alpha 1-4.” John crouched in a corner with good view on data storage door.

  “They are pushing hard, requesting immediate assistance. We can't hold this position without support, over.” Voice said.

  John switched comm channel.

  “Bravo 0-1 what's your status?” He asked.

  “We're all clear, Crisis, over.” Gillian spoke on the other side.

  “Alpha needs ground support. Move to their position ASAP. Expect no resistance on the way. Do you copy?”

  “Affirmative Crisis, moving to RV with Alpha. We're two minutes out, over.” There was sign of adrenaline in her voice.

  “Copy that Bravo, Crisis out.” John never thought that guards could create serious offensive. Now he has to focus on his task, then he can think about guard's ability to counterattack.

  He tried to unlock door with Caroline's ID card. Everything was powered down, lock included. John cursed.

  “Anyway we can power it up again?" He asked Claire.

  “I don't think so, wires were damaged. That's only wooden door, nobody expected someone to use brute force to get inside so I think you can kick it in.”

  John looked at the door more closely.

  “You should have told me earlier.”

  Door fell after first kick. Data terminal was still online because databases had their own power generator which turned on after normal power grid went down. John approached it with smile of a madman, finally he will know everything.

  “Throw your gun away Stump!”

  John turned to face new threat...James. He was holding assault rifle. They stood there aiming at each other.

  “I told you to drop your gun.” James repeated.

  “You first.” John grinned.

  “You just refused an order soldier. I don't want to do this the hard way.”

  John didn't move.

  “You think those guys who attacked you and nearly killed you and your girlfriend just woke up with that thought one morning?”

  John had a dark feeling about what James just said.

  “No Stump, they made a plan for it months ago. They even elected a leader of their group.

  But he's not on the list.” James revealed truth slowly.

  “Who's the leader?” John asked.

  James smiled.

  “Those idiots couldn't even think of anything useful to kill you, so someone helped them.

  That plan would have gone well, but you survived and saved others. You ruined MY perfect plan to get rid of you and retire.”

  John was burning from inside again but maintained calm voice.

  “So you wanted to kill us.”

  “Yes and I still want.” James said shooting two rounds into John's chestplate not doing any damage.

  John threw his rifle away. He wanted James to suffer. John directed first punch just under ribcage aiming up. James fell forward gasping for air and John bashed James's fac
e against his knee guard. Then he threw James against a wall and ejected blade. And stabbed and stabbed until there was just bloody hole left in James's chest.

  “I trusted you!!” John shouted hitting wall with his head.

  “I thought we were friends!” He tore concrete from walls.

  John continued to demolish walls for several minutes until he sat down leaning against one side of data terminal. He was breathing hard.

  “John, focus! I know it's not easy but we have to finish this.” Claire's voice was calm.

  John forced himself to stand up and connect adapter tablet to data terminal. It took them few minutes to crack password. And few more minutes to copy all data to John's internal drives. Only one thing surprised John. Project Vigil wasn't only one facility. There were dozens of them. Locations were unknown to both John and Claire. John picked up his rifle and dusted it off.

  “Let's go, freedom is waiting.

  When John arrived to intersection fighting was over. Gillian walked right towards him.

  “Everyone is okay. They stopped few minutes ago and then this guy comes with raised hands and says that he will only speak to you.” She reported using neutral voice.

  “You searched him?” He asked giving her his rifle.

  “Personally.” Gillian signaled Dave and Jeff to bring prisoner to John.

  “John, may I ask what happened?” She asked with little sign of worry.

  “Long story.” John realized how he looks like. Blood on his armor mixed with concrete dust.

  “So who are you?” John asked their prisoner.

  “I'm agent Jeremy Hudson from Pentagon, Office for Vigil project. I came to discuss terms of our surrender.” He said reaching his hand forward to John.

  John ignored Hudson's hand. “You say you want to surrender?”

  “President has already signed official document aborting this project and retasking our office to take care of you in outside world.” He looked serious.

  John turned around to look at Gillian. Her face said: “I don't trust this guy.”

  He took of his helmet and came closer to Hudson. Their faces were only few inches apart.

  “See my eyes Hudson? They aren't real but artificial. Original ones burned after your men hit me with missile so my arm and legs. Tell me. Why should I trust you? Why should any of us trust you?” John was sure that from this distance Hudson could see differences between normal eye and John's eye.

  “I don't expect you to trust me. You have to go and check it out.” Hudson kept looking straight at John.

  John walked away waving Gillian to come.

  “I'll go check it. If it's okay I'll radio you to come.” He explained his plan.

  “I'm going with you. Today we had enough solo missions.” Gillian put her hand on his arm.

  “Fine.” John wasn't in mood to argue with her.

  “Jeff if we don't call you in thirty minutes you shoot that bastard. Copy that?” John gave last orders.

  “Gladly.” Jeff responded.

  John took his rifle from Gillian, put his helmet on, checked ammo and waved them to go.

  Before they entered hallway leading to exit they had to step over dozens of bodies of dead men.

  After they were far enough from intersection Gillian asked.

  “What happened in data store room?”

  “James.” John sighed. “I had to take him out.”

  “I'm sorry about that.” She said.

  “No need for that, he planned that attack.”

  She stayed quiet for a while.

  “I think he died like the guard who hit me in front of you.” She said.

  “Worse.”

  That answer silenced her.

  They found facility entrance wide open. Outside John could see tents, cars, people but no soldiers. Young woman approached them. They aimed their weapons at her. She raised her hands.

  “Chill out people. Nobody's gonna hurt you. Now put those guns down it makes me nervous.” John lowered his gun. She looked more confident now.

  “That's it. I know you guys are not going to trust us. Don't worry, what that guy from Pentagon told you is truth project is over. Scientific staff was evacuated through back entrance. You...”

  “I take it from here Jennifer. Go help Thomas with computers.” Caroline pushed her aside.

  Jennifer jumped from surprise of hearing her superior.

  “Of course Doctor Blackburn.” And she ran away heading for closest tent.

  John spoke through radio to hybrids still inside.

  “It's clear, you can come out now.”

  After few minutes they came out. They shoot each other's hands, high-fived and everyone said the same thing to John: “You did it. Thanks.”

  Only Gillian avoided him.

  Caroline waited for them to finish their celebration before she led him to one of smaller tents. There was a bed, table, chair, wardrobe, bucket, towel and three metal army crates.

  “This will be your home for next day or two until we arrange necessary stuff. You are free to move around camp and area of base. Shower is just around corner and Gillian has tent right next to yours. It's lunchtime so take your armor off and head to the canteen. Soon someone will explain who will take you to live with them.”

  John nodded and she left him alone.

  “Claire, what do you think about this?” He asked.

  “Sounds like you are free. You'll live better life. I can't wait to see how world looks like.” Claire shared her opinion with John.

  John took off armor and put it into the biggest of three crates. Then he went to canteen to eat lunch. He couldn't find Gillian anywhere so he just walked around campsite. Soon Sanders walked up beside him.

  “I was told to find you and tell you who is taking you.” He said.

  “So?” John asked.

  “You are going with Caroline. She'll take care of you, in fact she forced Hudson to assign you to her.”

  John had one question for him.

  “Who takes Gillian?”

  “She's going with me.” Sanders walked away after answering John's question.

  John felt good about it, he knew that Sanders is a good man.

  According to his watch it was time for dinner. He already searched entire camp for Gillian so he hoped to see her there. But she wasn't there. He went to his tent to clean armor from blood. When he entered he noticed small paper on his table. It was Gillian's writing:

  Meet me near western end of camp today at 08:00 pm

  bring blanket, I don't plan to spend night in the camp.

  L.Y.

  Gillian

  It was 7:36. John abandoned his plan to clean armor instead he grabbed pair of warm socks from wardrobe and blanket from his bed. Before he set off Caroline visited him for few minutes.

  “Can I borrow Claire for tonight? We have something she can help us with.”

  John carried Claire all the time with him. Now he pulled her chip out of arm slot.

  “Do you want to go?” He asked her.

  “If I can help I'll go.” Her hologram smiled “And besides I think you and Gillian want some privacy.” She added so quietly that only John could hear it.

  John gave chip to Caroline. “Handle with care. Like if you held a baby.”

  “Don't worry.” Caroline said giving him one of her encouraging smiles.

  At 7:56 John arrived to the western edge of campsite and she was already there waiting for him. She held a folded blanket.

  “You ready for our first camping without risk of being killed?”

  John smiled. “Of course.”

  Chapter 6 – Feelings

  They walked through dry grass over small hills. Gillian was leading most of the time. They were at least two miles from base when they arrived to a small campsite for two people with campfire, tent and basket filled with food and drinks. It was situated next to hill with few bushes. About twenty feet away along the hill John could see lake.

  “You prepared t
his all day?” John asked while looking back to see if anyone followed them.

  “Yeah, after I showered I decided to make us a private celebration of freedom.” She said raising her hands to height of her shoulders like if she was showing him something awesome. Well...this was awesome.

  “Who gave you everything you needed for this? I can't imagine how you could smuggle it all out.” John threw his blanket next to basket.

  “Remember Jennifer? She is smart and sees things most people can't. She caught me when I was trying to steal something from kitchen. She asked me what I need and brought it to my tent in an hour. Hope she's not going to be in trouble for it.” Gillian was obviously proud of herself. She sat between fire and basket. Then she noticed that John has pistol with him.

  “Damn it, John why you took weapon? We're free. That means nobody wants to kill you anymore.” She was worried. She was afraid John wouldn't be able to accept freedom. That he did this all just for her not for himself.

  “I know we're free. I just don't believe we won. I'm afraid that my enhancements will be a problem. I was built for war.” John couldn't use any different word than “built” to describe his the process he's been through.

  “What your heart tells you?” She asked. She smiled with one of those John-melting smiles.

  “It says that I should enjoy this because it can be last day we spend together.”

  “That's what I wanted to hear. Come on sit down. Do you want a strawberry?” She pulled the basket closer to her and took out plastic box with strawberries.

  “You have strawberries? Send 'em right over here.” There were only two kinds of fruit John would kill for: strawberries and dried apples. Gillian leaned over to him and gave him strawberry. She unclipped his weapon belt. John reached to stop her, but he couldn't. He let her throw it away.

  “Jennifer gave me some wine for us to celebrate. She said that we might want to try something new.” Gillian announced while she poured two glasses of wine. It took them few minutes to find out that wine tastes awesome. John ate all strawberries in plastic box Gillian just watched she looked like she's thinking. John saw some movement in the bushes he thought it must be some kind of animal. Gillian moved closer to him, so close that he could see small scars on her hands.