I'm physically restricted, but my mind is free, untethered in the infosphere. Racing down a busted avenue in a sleek, all-black Lambotron racer, I finally feel more like myself again. I take a look at my chiseled jaw and perfectly slicked hair in the rearview mirror and flash a perfect smile. It's not quite the immersive quality of Elysia, but it doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm in control.
"Finally decided to show up, mate? You're pushing it bloody tight."
I glance to the side, where an armored transport rumbles at over one hundred miles per hour, headlights blazing in the darkness. Keno and his crew, no doubt jostled and jarred from every pothole and crevice in the road. I don't feel a thing because I'm traveling in virtual mode, able to interact only through cyberspace, visible as a hologram to Keno and his crew. The racer is courtesy of Keno's chop shop side business. I drive with absolute impunity, take any risks because I'm not physically in the vehicle and literally can't be hurt.
"Not my fault your equipment wasn't up to snuff. I had to reboot and update the entire system. But forget all that: I'm right beside you. Closing in on the payload. Hel, you're up."
"Already ahead of you." She drops in on a stolen aerocycle, fusion thrusters pulsing electric blue. She's dressed in all-black stealth gear, fearlessly whipping back and forth on the jet-propelled aerocycle. Like me, she appears as a hologram, flickering light outlining her figure. Invisible to cameras and sensors but fully capable of accessing all of the vehicle's operations. We're ghosts in the system, incorporeal beings that can still impact the physical world through remote interaction.
Not that anything we're doing is simple.
The heist is pretty straightforward in theory. Take out security, hijack an automated cargo rig, and transfer the cargo before backup arrives. But I know all too well that even the best-laid plans will blow up in your face at any given moment. And with us hitting a higher profile target, I fully expect some nasty surprises.
The hauler is directly ahead of us: a massive hover-rig hauling an oversized semi-trailer. The design is streamlined, gliding over the road on gyroscopic thrusters. Smaller sentry floaters protectively escort in the front and rear. The road might be crap, but standard light strips that double as streetlights and fusion chargers illuminate it on both sides.
I activate my combat system and target the rear sentry vehicle. Twin turbine guns pop up from the hood of my ride and open fire with a buzzing sound. The sentry vehicle swerves but can't escape the barrage. It veers wildly, flames exploding from its hull as it crashes in a bloom of fire against the side of the road. Sparks dance across my windshield as I whip by.
"Nice one, mate!" Keno whoops over the receiver.
Hel accelerates her aerocycle to the leading sentry, charging the rail gun that protrudes from the front of her cycle. The front sentry's rooftop pops off, and the androids inside aim their rifles, hesitating to compensate for the vehicle's movements. That's all the time Hel needs. Her weapon crackles, firing a doughnut-shaped ring of plasma that destroys the sentry vehicle on contact, reducing it to a scorched alloy frame skipping across the roadside. I veer sideways to avoid colliding with it.
I hit the com button. "Okay, we're going to take the rig. Get into position."
Keno's voice crackles over. "Gotta make it quick. An emergency call went out. We got five minutes before a drone ship shows up."
"Yeah, man. This isn't my first time, remember?"
I look over at Hel, who has her bike in auto mode. She aims a handgun at the rig's window and opens fire. The glass explodes, skittering across the roadway. Without a thought for physics or safety, she leaps from her bike onto the side of the rig, reaching in to grapple with the driver. After a brief struggle, she snatches him from the driver's seat with one hand and yanks him through the shattered window. A second later he bounces off the asphalt before disappearing as if he never existed. Like us, the driver isn't really there. He's just an autopilot program that Hel hacked to gain control of the vehicle.
Seconds later, the rig's reverse thrusters activate, bringing it to a shaky halt in a cloud of grainy dust. I slam on the brakes and bring my racer to a screeching halt, leaping out as the canopy slides back. The mostly dead trees that line the road like skeletal remains surround us, hushed as if in anticipation. I scan the sky uneasily. Nothing yet, but I can't shake the feeling that everything went too smoothly.
Keno's cargo truck makes up for the silence by ratting and hissing when the driver turns it around and backs it up to the rig so we can load easier. Keno leaps out the back as soon as the door rattles open. His eyes glow in the dark from his nightvision filter, and excitement flushes his face. I know part of that is from the nirvanic he hit before we left. He always claimed he's at his best when he's high, and I can't argue with that. I'd point out it also makes him prone to unpredictable bouts of violence, but I know it's pointless.
"All right, Specter. Time to work that magic."
"Just as soon as Hel disarms the dampeners." I glance at the rig. "Hel?"
She sticks her head out the window. "We got a little problem."
"Problem?"
"Security overrides have been upgraded big time. It's gonna take me a minute to crack it."
"We don't have a minute to spare."
"Better have a backup plan, then."
Keno whirls around and whistles, gesturing to his crew inside. They leap out and take positions around the truck and the roadside, armed with heavy pulse rifles and hand cannons.
I eye the artillery, feeling more nervous than before. "You expecting to go to war, Keno?"
"I'm always ready to go to war. Figure it's better to be ready than caught with your pants down, innit? You worry about your problem, mate. I'll worry about the guns. We talked about this already."
I jog over to the rig and leap up to the window. Hel is seated inside, her arms and face blurring as she interfaces with the security system, trying to override its parameters. Data scrolls across the holographic screen at speeds impossible for me to track.
"We're gonna need a break soon or have to abort."
Her movements never slow down. "Just a few more seconds."
"I'm tracking a drone ship headed our way," Keno shouts. "Four minutes."
"Not enough time. We gotta abort."
"We have the time if she breaks the dampener. I need this haul, mate."
I turn to Hel. "Do or die time, babe."
A triumphant smile flashes on her face. "Got it! Opening the trailer doors now."
Keno whoops as the doors creak open. I leap off the rig just in time to see his expression alter from excitement to distress. He curses, jumping sideways just as a concussive blast detonates where he just stood. He rolls and leaps back to his feet, ducking low and running to the cargo truck for coverage. His squad of goons covers his escape by opening fire as something large, bulky, and metallic emerges from the back of the trailer.
A spider mech.
It's the size of a small car, but armored with graphene shielding that can repel most weapons with ease. With its eight expandable and retractable legs, it's capable of skittering, leaping, and maneuvering with startling speed and agility. I watch in fascinated horror as it rolls into a protective ball, using its armored exoskeleton to deflect or absorb the rounds that manage to find their mark. In the time it takes to blink, the mech rolls over to the nearest squad member and springs back to its original form. The turret gun blazes at point-blank range, turning the startled man into a shredded pile of bloody pulp.
The act of gratuitous violence jolts me to action. As the air hums with pulse blasts and explodes with gunfire, I focus my mind and lose my digital form. Truly intangible, my consciousness drifts like a disembodied spirit, phasing through the walls of the trailer into its interior.
A game. It's just a game…
That's what I tell myself over and over as I the sounds of carnage continue outside. Men and women scream. The mech's legs click like typewriter keys as it scrambles. Keno's voice yells
over the com line.
"Shut it down. Shut it down!"
The trailer is full of synoids, lined up and secured in capsules that look strikingly like the Deep Sleep pods. For a second, I'm disoriented, unsure of whether I’m awake at all; if I ever left Elysia. Then I remember that it doesn't matter. I have a job to do.
I cast myself into the nearest synoid in a rush of light and static noise. I open my new eyes, lifting my hands in front of my face. I feel sturdy and durable. A system check scrolls across my vision as I open the capsule door and step out in a cloud of vapor when hot air meets cold. My outfit is combat-ready: carbon nanotube armor in the form of a ballistic vest along with neck and shoulder guards. Underneath is a spider silk tactical uniform for further protection. Definitely a military model.
That works in my favor as I assimilate the unit's system, downloading millions of tactics and scenarios that give me a lifetime or two of combat experience in a matter of seconds. The data submerges into my subconscious, ready for me to tap into whenever needed as long as my mind connects to the synoid.
"I've attained symbiosis, Hel. Gotta take down the friendly neighborhood spider mech."
Her voice buzzes in my datcom. "I'm already ahead of you."
I calmly walk over to the wall of the trailer where the arms locker is secured. Using my superior strength, I take hold of the metal door and tear it off the hinges with a metallic grinding sound. Snatching up a Particle-Beam rifle, I slap a charger cartridge into the ionizer and run toward the sounds of carnage.
The spider mech has Keno and the last of his squad pinned behind their cargo truck, which is being shredded by the mech's digitally precise shooting. Hel exited the rig and is on her aerocycle, targeting the mech with her rail gun. The mech raises an ion shield at the last minute, unharmed by the explosion of plasma that sizzles around it. Dropping the shield, it fires a targeted missile from its housing in a cloud of smoke. Hel tries to evade, but she's too close. The aerocycle explodes, sending her flying like a rag doll to the ground below.
I don’t pay it any mind. Like me, Hel doesn’t have to worry about being hurt in her current manifestation. I stay focused on the mech. When it returns its attention on Keno and his men again, I leap from the trailer, landing in a crouch on the broken street below. Raising the PBR, I lock the target tracker and pull the half-trigger, charging for a more powerful shot. When the rifle pulses, I drop my finger to the full trigger and fire.
The blast is instantaneous, striking one of the legs behind the joint and shredding it in an explosion of sparks and flame. The mech immediately whirls its sentry gun, limping just a little while compensating with its other legs. I drop and roll, narrowly avoiding the barrage while continuing to return fire. I destroy two more legs before it has time to raise a shield in response. At this point, it's a useless gesture. Emboldened, Keno and the others leap from their cover and fire nonstop. Between all of us, the mech's shields are overwhelmed. One shot from my rifle to its central body obliterates the spider, leaving only charred, twitching limbs behind.
"Bloody hell!" Keno staggers to the bodies of his fallen men. Most are unrecognizable, shredded to raw meat like fresh roadkill. "Those sodding wankers put five of my best mates down. I knew something was wonky from the start. Too bloody easy."
"We can't do anything about it, Keno. Let's get these synoids loaded, or it's all for nothing."
"Oh, that's easy for you to say." Tears spill from his red-rimmed eyes. "You get to wash your hands clean, go back to sticking your head in the sand after this. Meanwhile, I got fam that's not coming home. And all we got to show for it is this heap of scraps." He kicks a metal leg with enough force to break a toe. "That's not bloody good enough."
I seize his harness straps and shake him. "Hey. This is your score, remember? You got a rig full of prototype synoids. I'd guess improved soldier units for off-world stations from the looks. We're talking top cream for these. So, we load them up and get the hell out of here so we can get paid. That's why we're here, right? Take the money and split it with families of the soldiers that fell."
Keno stares at me without comprehension for a moment before finally nodding. Clapping me on the shoulder, he nods. "Right, bruv. Right." He barks a laugh. "Bloody Specter. Always cool as ice. Proper nice look you got there, by the by. You're a bleeding madman; you know that?"
I grin. "We're all mad here, bro. How much time we got?"
The color drains from his face. "Time's up. I think we're buggered, mate."
The jet-sized drone ship appears as if in answer, humming on fusion rotors as it drops from the night sky like a mechanical bat, beaming powerful spotlights on us and kicking up clouds of stinging dust. We run for cover around the truck and rig as it hovers, scanning the area. A robotic voice blares from its communicator.
"You're violating state and federal laws. Lay down your arms and surrender or lethal force will be authorized."
I glance over at Keno, who shields his eyes from the glare, gripping his ion blaster with his teeth clenched.
"What's our play here, Keno?"
His eyes shimmer with a familiar insane look. "We take the ship down. Only option."
"Are you kidding me? Look, I can't die in this synoid. But you and your people can. Abort the mission, live to fight another day."
"No way we're backing out now. We lost too much already!"
My angry reply is cut off by the drone operator. "Your time is up. Lethal force authorized." The statement is followed by an ominous humming sound as panels open on the wings, revealing missiles ready to fire.
An arc of light flashes from the woods, striking the hull of the drone ship like a bolt of lightning. The drone goes haywire: lights flickering, emergency thrusters barely keeping it in the air as whirs and wobbles drunkenly, stirring gusts of wind and making warbled noises.
Hel appears out of thin air beside me. "We have visitors."
"Yeah, I guessed that. Who the hell are they?"
A single figure steps out of the shadows of the dead woods, carrying a modified rocket launcher on her shoulder. She cuts an imposing figure: sleek black combat armor that glistens like wet ink. A snug helmet encases her head, leaving only the lower portion of her face visible. Her skin is almond-shaded, her lips painted burgundy. A jagged scar trails down her cheek to her chin.
"I bought you a few minutes while it re-routes its systems. But you have to move now if you want to live. More drones are on the way."
Keno squints at her. "And leave the haul behind? No way, luv. We gave up too much for this."
Her look of searing scorn is apparent even with the visor covering her eyes. "What you don't know is that your plan was doomed from the start. You don't know that even if you were to get away with the payload, these new models have nanosensors in their bloodstreams, undetectable and irremovable, unlike previous versions. You don't know that this transport was a setup arranged by the UH military and HSSC to crack down on piracy. The goal is to let you steal the payload, then track you, your organization, and your customers. Once they have complete intel, they plan to take everyone down in one fell swoop. What you don't know is that they plan on setting a brutal example when they catch whoever is stupid enough to take the bait."
Hel and I exchange glances. I see the affirmation in her eyes before she nods. She knows just like I do that the newcomer is telling the truth. We're at the verge of losing everything because of Keno's brash, ill-informed rush job.
I turn back to the woman. "Who are you?"
A hint of a smile quirks her lips. "My name is Dabria. And I've gone through a lot of trouble to find you, Dean Gray."
I try to contain my shock. "You know me?"
"I know about you. About what you can do. You're a symbiont, Dean. A man born with a rare, remarkable talent. One that could potentially ignite change that the world has never seen. I've come here for you, Dean. But we can continue this conversation later. For now, we have to escape before reinforcements arrive."
Keno still
has a suspicious look on his face. "How? My cargo truck is shredded. And how do we know we can trust you?"
"You can't. But I just saved your collective asses, so there's that. I won't lie: the only one of you idiots I care about is Specter. But I have an airship a hundred yards away in the woods that can transport everyone. And if it's money you care about, I have a job offer as well. Something far more profitable than these scraps, and with the added bonus of oversight from someone who knows what the hell they're doing. Your choice."
I look up at the sputtering drone ship, which appears to regain its equilibrium slowly. "We don’t have a choice, Keno."
"Fine, mate. We'll get sorted out later." He whistles to his crew. "All right, form up, fam. We're out of here."
Dabria has her back turned, but she shocks me further when her voice speaks inside of my head.
I'll take your friends to wherever they have your body stored, Dean. I know your instinct is to run from these situations. Cut loose and let the chips fall where they might. I'm sure a man like you always has a backup plan. But I'm letting you know ahead of time that running will be a fatal mistake.
She slowly turns around, a deadly smile on her burgundy-stained lips. But once again, her mouth never moves even as I hear her words as if she's whispering directly into my ear.
I wasn't joking when I said I'm only interested in you. Your friends mean nothing to me. And I know they mean nothing to you. Just a means to an end. So, I won't threaten to kill them. I know that won't motivate you. Nod if you understand.
I swallow hard, making sure she sees me nod in response.
Good. Now let me threaten you with something more intimate. I found you because of your Digital Life Partner. You're so very close to her, aren't you? From what I've seen, the is inseparable. What's her name? Oh, yes—Hel.
I throw a startled glance at Hel, who gives me a confused stare in response. She can see something has me shook, but she can't hear Dabria's voice. She doesn't know how precarious our situation has just become.
Yes, Dabria says in my head. I thought that might get your attention. I visited your Deep Sleep facility. Had a chat with the aides that monitor your sector. I persuaded them to surrender the files on your resident history, which led me to your DLP. Now that I have her origin code, I can track her anywhere. Which means I can follow you anywhere. But that's not all I can do. I attached an erasure virus to her coding, Dean. You know what that means if I activate it.
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