Jason stared at them for a moment, deciding that talking out here really was a reasonably good idea. Probably not for long, but nobody was nearby. “Monica, he can’t. You must know what I’m working on.”
“Yeah, you are working on control. The ability he needs to command everyone around him, enslave people so they can’t challenge him and a bunch of other shit he should never be able to do. But he can enslave people later. For now, he could just give himself the treatment.”
“No, he can’t. I’m working on the piece he needs to remain himself, once he induces the physical changes. All our test subjects went crazy and changed so much they weren’t human anymore. They had no control and ended up dying. He needs me to either suppress the emotional feedback loop permanently or to teach him how to consciously control it himself. Right now, I can only suppress things generally, but it renders the subject nearly useless. Until the process is fine-tuned, he runs the risk of destroying himself.”
“Then don’t do it! Good god, Jason, he’s a monster and he’s trying to make himself invulnerable in every sense of the word.”
“I won’t. I quit today. I just left the lab. I’m done, Monica. I’m not going back.”
Monica’s mouth opened and her brows shot up. Whatever she had expected him to say, it clearly wasn’t that he’d quit. Where before she had been poised for an argument, now she was unable to speak. Mom stared at him, blinking occasionally. Jason couldn’t tell if Mom was surprised or just absorbing what they had both been saying. Jason expected Monica to finally snap out of it, so he was surprised when Derek put a hand on Monica’s shoulder and turned her slightly toward him.
“We need to do this now, Monica. He needs to know.”
Monica snapped out of it. “Derek, shut up.”
“Fuck that. The Director will have him killed if he really won’t go back. You know it. It’s our only chance.”
She rounded on Derek. “I said, shut up!”
Mom put a calming hand on her arm.
Derek scowled at her.
Jason frowned at the whole group. “Tell me what? What the hell are you guys talking about when I’m not around? It’s clearly not a birthday party.”
Monica threw a nasty glance at Derek. Mom finally spoke. “He’s right, sweetie. We have to tell him. We may not have another chance.”
“Okay, I’m done with all this scheming. Tell me what the hell is going on or I’m going to my condo and locking myself in there for the rest of the month. I’m seriously done.”
“Shit. Fine. Derek, lead the way. Jason, you have to come with us now and shut up. Not another word.”
Before he could respond, Derek grabbed him by the arm and led him around the apartment building, through a few alleys and toward a large, nondescript building that had few windows. To the side of the building was a small car, an old-style vehicle with barely enough room for the four of them. Much to Jason’s shock, Derek actually drove the thing, winding their way through various streets and toward the river. They met every question from Jason with silence, ignoring his increasing irritation. The streets weren’t often occupied by ground vehicles. When people saw Derek driving toward them, people scurried hurriedly out of the way, squawking like frightened birds. A woman wearing an elaborate bio-suit with a cape and hood nearly dropped the bundle she was carrying. She yelled at them angrily as they passed.
As they drove through an older area of the neighborhood, where warehouses and storage buildings displaced living areas, the gardens and general sylvan feel of the city faded. Out here, concrete and metal still ruled. To Jason, it was stark, dirty.
Finally, they reached a warehouse with wide metal doors and tiny windows two stories above them that faced the blank wall of another large building. The façade of the warehouse was cracked and flaking. Poor drainage meant pools of stagnant water around the front of the building, and the smell was unpleasant. Jason felt some mild nausea along with a strong urge to leave. Monica grabbed his arm, apparently sensing Jason was about to bolt, and led him inside. The smell inside was worse, consisting of urine and possible some animal feces, and he would have bolted for sure if curiosity hadn’t overtaken him. They wound their way through crates and metal containers, the dusty floor showing signs that people walked this path rather frequently, if the mass of footprints was any indication. They passed some old machinery, which appeared designed to move large items and be driven by a person instead of a robot.
Finally, they navigated between two tall yellow metal containers and moved toward the back of the building. Jason watched in surprise as Derek touched the concrete wall in a series of spots. The wall moved, revealing a set of metal stairs inside a deep shaft of concrete.
The stairs continued down several stories until they reached a long concrete corridor. They passed several closed metal doors, finally reaching a large opening that revealed another storage room, much smaller than the one on the ground floor, but still filled with dusty old storage containers and clutter that was piled here and there. Broken pieces of rotting wood and concrete were barely visible in the dim light. Behind a particularly large pile of debris was another stairwell. Had you not intentionally known where to go, the twisted rebar and broken slabs of concrete would have obscured it entirely.
Jason hesitated. The light here was dim and this area of the building seemed so old that it barely seemed safe. Monica’s gripped tightened.
Resigned, he followed Mom down the single flight of narrow metal stairs and into a short hallway. The door in front of them was made of solid steel and banded with support bars of more metal. It looked like something you would see on a vault. Or in one of those movies where you had to contain the radioactive monstrosity that someone had accidentally created in their evil lair.
With a grunt and a lot of pulling, Derek managed to swing the huge door outward toward them. The hinges complained loudly, echoing in the narrow concrete hall. The sudden sound of something other than their feet made Jason shiver.
Surprisingly, the door didn’t hide a murder scene with a stone alter and a bunch of hooked tools and pincers hanging on the wall. Instead, it revealed a rather pleasant and inviting space. Brightly lit and with tall ceilings, Jason saw the room had an old-style kitchen, several couches and a community gathering space.
After everyone entered, Derek pushed the massive door closed. A steel table with mismatched hard plastic and metal chairs filled the bulk of the dining space. One wall of shelving stood stocked from floor to ceiling with food supplies.
Jason took a long moment to look around, completely confused. A hidden room, with all the twists and turns to get here, and well-stocked with supplies? Why? Though well lit, and inviting as it was, it reminded Jason of a prison cell. Maybe it was the door. Or maybe the fact it was four stories underground.
Finally, Mom spoke. “Would you like some coffee, sweetie? There’s plenty. Sit and I’ll get you some.” As Jason sat, so did Monica and Derek. Mom took a jug of water from another metal shelf that stood next to a small sink set in a cabinet and began heating a pot over the propane stove that sat adjacent to it on the counter.
“What the hell is this? Some secret society safe house?”
Monica sighed. “Jason, we have a lot to talk about. But I doubt we have much time. The Director won’t just let you slip out of his grasp. He may not kill you, not yet, but he might do a lot of things that will make you wish he would.”
Derek nodded at Monica and turned to Jason. “Look, I’ll give you a quick rundown. I’m a little distrusting of the government and I’ve been worried about their actions for a while. I found a group with a similar set of concerns. A well-connected group. Whether or not you agree with our paranoia, just let me talk.
“I thought I might need a safe place, somewhere the government couldn’t hear me, so I helped retrofit this warehouse. The leaders of our society passed down information about building this place, though they haven’t explained why. The group is pretty cautious.” He took a deep breath. “Anyway, s
o this room is surrounded by lead and copper mesh. A Faraday cage, essentially. It means there’s no communication in or out. Probably easy to find if they suspected it exists, and I’m sure they will at some point, but for now, we have a place to talk. Building this place has been my job, as has been recruiting Mom and Monica. I don’t know why, but I just do as I’m told.”
“This is so dumb. A secret organization? I’m going home.”
“Shut up, Jason.” Monica accepted a cup of coffee from Mom. Jason grudgingly did the same.
Derek continued. “I know the Tech is interested in you for some reason. Everyone does, after seeing that display where he took you to the roof to avoid the angry mob. I became interested enough that I convinced Monica to share the rest. She denied everything at first, but I shared my own information about our movement to stop what is happening and she came around. I don’t really care what you think of me or my crazy ideas, which is beside the point. What I do care about is making the public aware of what is going on and, more importantly, I want to do something to make them care. Jason, I want Faust dead. I doubt that will happen, and most of the plans we have are impossible, but I have one clear objective. Whatever the intent of the organization, I intend to use this as a way to achieve my own goals. Specifically, I want to capture a Tech.”
Jason’s nose flared with outrage. “Are you fucking kidding me? Let me guess, you want the one I’m familiar with—Sector Seven. You plan on, what? Putting a bag over his head and chloroforming him? Are you a moron? He’d have every device in the city at his disposal. He’d have your own nannies turn against you, for Christ’s sake! Never mind the fact I would never harm him, for any reason.”
“Yeah, well I need to capture him. He’s the only thing that can possibly help! Jason, if we can get him under our control, we can make him help us. He can stop Faust and the Council.”
Jason couldn’t believe what he had just heard. The statement was so completely absurd, he almost laughed. “Oh my god. Are you five years old? First of all, you can’t just capture him. That’s pretty much impossible. Second, you can’t control or coerce him. He’s a Tech. Everything in the city is tied to him! Do you plan on capturing every piece of technology in the city? Okay, let’s say you somehow captured and controlled him. Then what? He is physically incapable of harming anyone. It’s part of the safeguards of his integration.”
They waited until Jason finished. Monica took a deep breath. “Jason, if you could override his volition with this new ability of yours, you could cripple him enough for us to capture him. Once we had him isolated in this room where he can’t communicate, you could figure out how to control him. Think about it. It’s exactly what Faust is planning to do with the Techs when he finally learns to use your abilities for himself.”
Jason stared at each of them, horrified. “No! I can’t do it!” He saw Monica open her mouth to angrily protest. “No, shut up a minute. Really, I can’t. We’re talking about a Tech here, not some average schmoe. His systems are so complex I wouldn’t have the faintest idea of how to even begin. And if I somehow could, given another three years to specifically research the way he works, what then? The entire Sector depends on their control. They are linked to everything.” Facetiousness crept into his voice. “I presume the whole city would instantly know something had happened when systems started failing and commuter vehicles crashed. You know, that whole issue about traffic, machinery, and everything else suddenly not having the proper governance.”
He saw Monica clench her jaw, clearly desperate, not wanting to hear him.
“Jason, we have to try. We have to. What else can we do? Faust is going to kill you, and you know it. The moment he has what he needs, you’re dead.” She gave Mom and Derek a look, then faced him again. “You’re dead, he’s immortal and capable of being rebuilt even if his body is completely destroyed. Worse, Faust will be in charge of the Council and the entire population. He will use your ability to control the nannies, to force people to do whatever he wants. You think he’ll share the abilities he learns? No way. He’ll be so aware of anyone attempting to use the same technology, he’ll instantly know to stifle it and keep himself in control. We have to try.” Monica shuddered. “Faust may eventually be able to simply kill at will, from a distance, by shutting down biological functions with a thought.”
She paused for a moment, seeming to weigh information. “Look, we have enormous backing. We have highly placed people giving orders. This isn’t something we just came up with. Our superiors believe this will work, and they have incredible influence and resources. They said to make you aware that you need to learn to control a Tech. We assume this means they intend for you to capture one.”
Derek looked at Jason with concern and Jason felt some sympathy as he responded. “I’m sorry. I know this is a nightmare, and believe me, I wish there was something we could do, but the only thing I can think of is to keep looking for another answer. This one is impossible. Capture him? It will never happen. I can’t even get close to him without him knowing. I wish Seven could help, but he can’t. He is under strict control by his programming. Even if I completely controlled him, I wouldn’t have the foggiest idea how to do anything he does. Without knowing how to control Seven, it would essentially make him an ineffective prize. That renders me worthless.”
Tired and still upset, he didn’t have the energy to engage them further. “I’m going home.”
He got up, gave Mom a hug and left without another word. Monica and Derek glared at him but didn’t try to stop him. They shared a look, implying this wasn’t over.
He wound his way back up through the labyrinth to the surface. Once outside, he had to get his bearings since he had no idea about his location. Finally, he found a transport and made it back to his condo.
Once home, he shed his biosuit and threw it forcibly against the wall. It wasn’t enough that his career verged on ruin, his failures mounting. Now his friends had gone completely insane, coming up with stupid plans that had no chance of succeeding and would get them imprisoned and possibly executed. He wasn’t sure what would happen for assaulting a Tech, since it had never happened.
He got a glass of water and stomped into the bathroom to take a shower. Before he could start the water or even undress, someone grabbed him from behind. Instinctively, he jammed an elbow into their stomach and whirled around to face the intruder. But the man had him pinned against the wall too quickly to defend himself further and a woman stepped out of the shower and injected him with something. He immediately felt groggy and slow as he tried to fight his way free. Whatever they’d injected, his nannies couldn’t process the foreign chemical fast enough and he soon blacked out.
Twelve
HE AWOKE SLOWLY, feeling groggy from the drug lingering in his system. The effort needed to open his eyes felt monumental. He succeeded, only to find Director Faust looming over him. “Good, you’re finally awake. Your nannies don’t have this compound on file to process, so you’re going to have to shake this off on your own.”
Jason tried to move and quickly discovered he had been strapped to a large metal table, arms and legs bound, and was still in his clothing from before he’d been kidnapped. He struggled, to no avail. Two robots flanked Faust, standing ready to carry out whatever orders the doctor issued.
Fury laced through Jason. He looked around. “What the hell is this? You think you can kidnap and drug me?”
“You’re rather slow. I’ve already done exactly that.”
“People might be sheep, but I can guarantee you they won’t ignore my disappearance, not after Reid was killed by a ‘rogue driver.’ The circumstances around her accident were already suspect. Certainly not after all the deaths from ‘failed experiments.’ People were furious when they heard of the volunteers dying in the lab. The public was accosting Medics, including myself. They are going to start to see a pattern if it’s the Medics disappearing, too. You’ve killed so many people in so short of time, it’s becoming obvious.”
&nb
sp; “Oh?” He laughed. “So, you figured out the death of that other team was my doing? Yes, I suppose there are those who might wonder if something is going on. And you’re right, I got rid of the original team of scientists and then your co-worker Reid handily enough. No reason for me to deny it.”
“Go ahead, kill me. But you aren’t going to get away with it. The media is still pushing hard enough that even the Council can’t stop them from finding out.” Jason noted he had to pee, but not badly. He hadn’t urinated in his pants. That meant he probably hadn’t been knocked out for long.
Faust rolled his eyes. He checked several displays, working on something while he talked. Moving out of Jason’s view for a moment, he grunted, then moved back toward the foot of the table. “So, what if they find out? At this point, it will hardly matter. I have safeguards that will bog down any sort of investigation indefinitely, or at least long enough to where it won’t matter. I’ll have the research I need. Believe me, if I want, I can create enough secondary news that a few murders will be the least interesting thing going on.
“Regardless, this is hardly relevant. I’m not going to kill you, at least not yet. Fortunately for you, I do need you to finish your research. For whatever reason, you seem to be the only person capable of the level of control I need. If you weren’t such an imbecile, we’d have finished the necessary research by now.” He motioned, and the robots quickly moved a metal tray over to the table from the wall.
Jason couldn’t make out much about the room, since he was restrained, but the lighting was low, and he could see one corner of the room. So the space probably wasn’t that large. The tray was too elevated to see what lay there, but a box was apparent.
Sector Seven Page 18
