Paroxysm Effect

by Reynolds, Ashleigh

  “All of our exalted technological progress, civilization for that matter, is comparable to an axe in the hand of a pathological criminal.”

  - Albert Einstein

  PROLOGUE

  2025

  “I beg you to reconsider my proposal President Gordon.”

  Doctor Jefferies stood at the front of the large conference hall, the eyes of all the state’s leaders looking back at him. They were not kind eyes.

  “As I explained before Doctor Jefferies, there is not enough research to roll out a plan of this magnitude. Successful implantation on lab rats and monkeys hardly constitutes grounds for us to pass this,” the president responded.

  “With all due respect, the research shows just that. If we can control aggression in animals that react solely on animal instinct, imagine the possibilities on humans who have a conscious choice in their actions.”

  “Doctor Jefferies –”

  “Please Mr. President, we are in a state of extreme emergency. Crime has increased thirty percent the last five years,” he said, pulling up the statistics on the overhead as he spoke. “Jails are overflowing and with nowhere to put newly incarcerated citizens there is nothing to do, but let them free. Violence against women have tripled in the last three years, murders, assaults with deadly weapons, burglaries are all off the charts.”

  “We are well aware Doctor Jefferies, and we have been taking steps to improve the way criminals are dealt with.”

  “It won’t help. We are living in times where death is the norm. We reached a record high in suicides this year, topped only by the number of unsolved homicides. Cops are not looked at in the same regard they once were, they are attacked on average more often than common street crimes.”

  “You mentioned all this before Doctor Jefferies.”

  “Then you should know that my technology could change all of that. Digital Behavioral Modification Assistance is the future. Imagine a world where you are not in fear of simply walking down the street at night. Where your daughters are safe from being assaulted, and cops would not be prompted to use deadly force because they wouldn’t constantly fear for their lives. With my technology animosity could be erased. It can easily be tuned to each individual based on his or her needs. Instead of going to your doctor to be given pills for depression, you can simply be tuned up. This is the future, it frees up scientist like myself to focus on advancing medicine for cures against cancer and hundreds of other disease instead of trying to find newer and stronger anti psychotics.”

  “This may be the future Doctor, but unfortunately it can’t start today. We simply do not have the funding to continue these experiments, and with no human research proving its safety and validation it is just not possible.”

  Doctor Jefferies breathed a heavy sigh. He would not be leaving this room again without the green light on his project.

  “What if I could prove the safety of it in humans, today?” he asked.

  “Without prior approval to do so, I would say you are in breach of every law against scientific research and could face suspension of your license, jail time and a heavy fine.”

  “In the jails that hardly have room for serious offenders?” he asked not trying to hide the bitterness in his tone.

  “Watch yourself Doctor Jefferies.”

  “My apologies Mr. President.” Doctor Jefferies took a deep steadying breath. “What if I told you that the human testing was done without breaking any laws and I could prove the effectiveness in humans? That is the only hold up we seem to be having correct?”

  The room erupted into a loud buzzing as everyone began talking at once. This was his hail marry if they denied it one more time the whole project was lost and so was his life’s work.

  “Silence please,” President Gordon called through the microphone. “I would like to know how you managed to dance around the guidelines we have in place for human experiments Doctor Jefferies?”

  The room fell silent once more.

  “I will be presenting you two subjects. The first you will note in the packet I placed out for all of you. I am sure all of you know who Garry Jones is, but for those of you who don’t let me summarize.” Doctor Jefferies pulled up the rap sheet of his subject and scrolled through the various offenses as he spoke. “He has been convicted of the murders of thirty young women in the last five years, although he admittedly disclosed that there are more we do not know about. He generally likes to beat and torture his victims for days and with a high level of rage.”

  “What is your point Doctor Jefferies?”

  “My point is you will notice that he is quite a different person from what he was when convicted. But please don’t take my word for it, you can see for yourself when I bring him out here.”

  Angry voices exploded from every person in the room all trying to make themselves be heard above everyone else.

  “Have you lost your mind?”

  “I have seen enough of this circus.”

  “Take his license!”

  Doctor Jefferies tried his best to tune them out, instead focusing all of his attention on the president, who for the first time was quiet. His interest was piqued it was now or never.

  “And as you know Mr. President, once a person is assigned to death row all constitutional rights to their body are revoked and they become property of the state. This includes mandatory organ donation and scientific research and if certain states where obliged to sign him over to make room for new criminals then that would hardly be a crime.”

  The president stroked a hand over his chin as he contemplated. “Well then, bring him out Doctor Jefferies,” he said finally, instantly eliciting the crowed to grow louder.

  “Mr. President you can’t be serious?”

  “This is outrageous!”

  “You can’t allow – “

  “Quiet!” the president called, “I would like to see what this project can offer.”

  Once the room had fallen silent again, Doctor Jeffries motioned to his assistant standing on the side behind a partition to bring Gary Jones forward.

  The man walked out unchained and by his own volition, causing an uneasy stir to ripple through the crowd. He towered over the assistant, menacing even in his docile state. Gary Jones took a seat in a chair that was positioned next to the podium and pointed at the large projection screen.

  “Mr. Jones used to be one of short temper, easily angered and could be triggered at the mere sight of a pretty woman.” Doctor Jefferies pulled a photo of a leggy model up on the screen and then slowly moved through the photos that had been preset in his presentation. Beautiful woman after beautiful woman appeared in different poses and in varying stages of undress. Gary Jones sat and viewed the photos with the normal interest that any man would have in a scantily clad woman.

  “What does this prove Doctor Jefferies?” the president asked.

  “Well it proves that my method works,” he replied.

  “You could have easily prepped him for this.”

  “Fair enough. How about I let you control the chip adjustments? Set it to whatever number you like, I couldn’t have planned that.”

  The president cocked his head contemplating. “Ok, I’ll bite, show me the controls.”

  The crowed once again hummed as Doctor Jefferies moved from the stage and approached the president with a tablet.

  “It’s quite simple,” Doctor Jefferies said as he presented the tablet that had a simple looking display control on it numbering one through one hundred. “One is obviously the lowest setting, a minor tweak if you will. One Hundred is the highest setting one of which I don’t recommend going to. Right now he is set at about 45.”

  “Easy enough.”

  Doctor Jefferies stepped back and leaned against the ed
ge of the stage. The president fiddled with the controls on the tablet and then looked at Gary Jones with anticipation.

  Gary Jones sat still staring that the photo of the bronzed brunette that adorned the screen. He moved his head from side to side and rubbed at his neck like one does when tension set in.

  The president looked back at the controls and moved his hand across them, adjusting them again. Suddenly a growl ripped out of Gary Jones mouth. He stood and lunged at the assistant who was still standing next to him at the podium. He tackled him to the ground and swung at his face, his fists connecting with a solid thud. The room exploded, people screamed and grabbed for their phones calling for police aid. Others ran for the exits.

  Doctor Jefferies ran to the president. “How far did you turn it down?” he screamed as he grabbed the tablet from his hands.

  “All… all the way.”

  “Jesus.” Doctor Jefferies adjusted the controls up, choosing to set it a little higher and rested on fifty.

  At once Gary Jones stopped his relentless pummeling and rose off of the assistant, turning to face Doctor Jefferies and looking shocked by his own actions. The guards who had been off doing anything else besides guarding ran on the stage and shackled his hands behind his back before hauling him off. A medic arrived and helped the poor assistant who was already swelling and bruising.

  The room quickly fell silent again as people made their way back to seats. The president composed himself and looked back at Doctor Jefferies whose smug face all but showed that he knew he had won.

  “Who is the second subject?” President Gordon asked.

  CHAPTER ONE

  2075

  Gemi woke to the loud beeping of her alarm clock. How in all these years they hadn’t come up with a better way to wake up was beyond her. She stretched out in her bed savoring the last few minutes before she needed to get ready for work. The bed begged her to stay, to throw the covers over her head like when she was a child, as it did every morning and every morning she found the strength to pull herself from it.

  With a sigh, she sat up and threw her feet off of the side, pressing a button for her television before walking to the bathroom. On her way she eyed the stack of manuscripts that had all but taken over her desk. She had stayed up late trying to whittle the pile down, but had barely made a dent. Work is busy. It’s a good thing she would tell herself over and over again, but there was always that tiny sick voice that hoped the world would become illiterate forcing the publishing company, the biggest one in town to close.

  Thankfully for her, or unthankfully depending on the day, the fascination with video games and TV shows had died down about two decades ago when she was still little, forcing books back into the forefront. TV’s were used for the news now, that and other educational programs.

  She started in with the morning routine. Half listening to the news castor drone on about the pleasant weather and what roads that should be taken to avoid the most traffic. Grateful as she was that she grew up in a world that was a haven from the old, she couldn’t help but wish something, anything would break the monotony. There had to be a greater world out there. One full of adventures like in the books.

  Gemi stared at herself in the mirror, her lips dropping into a frown. She had inherited her mother’s unruly hair, her white blond locks falling in loose not quite curly waves past her shoulders. Every morning was a struggle to look even somewhat presentable. She wouldn’t quite call herself beautiful. Her eyes were a deep shade of blue, a complete contrast to the color of her skin that was pale to a point where some would say she looked sickly. It didn’t help that her hair was such a light shade that sometimes it was hard to tell where it ended and her skin began. As far as the rest of her facial features went, there was nothing spectacular, almost average.

  Twenty minutes later, five failed hairstyle attempts resulted in a low ponytail. Gemi rushed through the remainder of her routine, throwing as few beauty products on as possible and brushing her teeth before glancing at the clock. No time for breakfast now.

  Gemi hurried through her apartment, grabbing a stack of manuscripts and throwing them in her bag, a pre-made meal followed. Just as she was reaching to switch off the TV the story caught her attention.

  “Four dead after a thirty year old man, father of two and local restaurant owner attacked his family before turning the weapon on himself. The news of this has rocked our local community who hasn’t had a murder since the DBMA chip act of 2027 was enacted. Authorities are asking for any information that can be provided. Coroners will be looking into whether the man was a part of the rarely heard of anti-chip group. Terrifying story Diun.”

  “It sure is Malkun. A true testament as to why the chip act started in the first place.”

  Gemi stood with her mouth hanging open. She studied the old times in college never imagining a day would come when it would happen again. The news castors had begun in on a new story, but Gemi couldn’t get the image of the man shown out of her head. She knew the restaurant, knew him and his family. His name was Jalis. His wife Margarine would pick her brain about the upcoming books that the publishing house was to put out. Their children, two daughters were eleven and eight both just as interested in books as their mother. They had many conversations during the times she visited. Gemi became overwhelmed with nausea. She ran to the bathroom and vomited, her body shaking and heaving as her stomach tried to relieve itself of anything and everything.

  Afterwards she laid with her head against the wall her body still shaking, tears threatening to overflow. She glanced to the clock, the big bold numbers reading 09:15 a.m. She was late; whatever she was feeling was going to wait.

  Gemi arrived just as her first meeting began. She slipped into the conference room giving her boss a sheepish smile before sliding into her seat. He was not pleased, there was no doubt she would hear about this later.

  Throughout the whole meeting she struggled, trying her best to listen to what was said, but the face of Jalis kept popping back into her head. The smiling photo they had chosen to show mocked her, challenging everything she thought she had known about him. How could there possibly be anti-chippers in her town, out in the open? That wasn’t normal behavior.

  An hour later the meeting was wrapping up, it left her the rest of the morning to compose herself. Doing her best not to make eye contact Gemi gathered up her belongings, throwing them back in her bag. She made it to the door; a few more steps and she would be free. Clearing of a throat drew her attention back to the conference room. Her boss was still sitting at the head of the table, his eyebrows raised. With a defeated groan she turned around and back into the room, shutting the door behind her.

  “So?” Mr. Gavelin said, waiting for her excuse.

  “I’m sorry sir, I was headed out the door when a story on the news stopped me,”

  “TV, TV is your excuse?”

  “I know how it sounds sir trust me, but there was a murder last night.”

  Mr. Gavelin’s eyebrows raised a hair further the shock registering on his face. It was an impressive sight, not much rattled the man.

  “Well, that’s not something you hear every day now is it?”

  “It’s strange, I knew the man fairly well. They are saying that he might have been an anti-chipper, but he just never struck me as that kind.”

  “It’s certainly odd for one to be this close to civilization, but not unheard of. It seems to becoming more common. Those who grew up in our peaceful time are blissfully unaware of how bad life was and probably still would be without chipping.” Mr. Gavelin trailed off, his eyes staring at nothing. “Well,” he said finally, “I would say due to the circumstances I will let this slide, but don’t go making a habit of it. There are plenty of young up and comers that would jump to have your position.”

  “Understood sir. Thank you.”

  “A new book arrived today, very promising, written by a twelve year old. I expect a brief on it by close of business.”

  With that the convers
ation ended, Mr. Gavelin going back to his work without so much as a second glance.

  Gemi slipped out of the room and hurried to her office before anyone else could interrogate her on why she was late. On her way she overheard the hushed conversations of the man who went insane and butchered his family. Damn anti-chippers they claimed.

  Once inside her office Gemi released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She had been keeping a huge secret from everyone who knew her and in the wake of the recent event she was terrified would come to light. It was part of the reason she had kept most people at an arm’s length, not keeping close friends or getting to serious with any man who pursued her. She blamed it on work, which to an extent was true.

  It was the same reason she avoided any conversation about anti-chippers, refusing to give an opinion because the truth was she could see both sides. And the more terrifying part was they were a much closer to civilization than the mass population assumed. Her uncle on her mother’s side had been a part of the movement taking a wife and having anti-chip children. It took a bit of effort to conceal, but not impossible.

  She remembered hearing her parents argue about it often, one of the few things they ever argued about. They always talked in hushed tones, trying their best to conceal from her. Her father was downright against it, refusing to let her uncle visit for some time before eventually giving in.

  Ultimately it became too much stress on their children and they moved away. Gemi had almost come to live with him and his wife after her parents died in a vehicle accident. But since she was so close to eighteen and had no other living relatives that they could contact the sate ruled to let her live on her own for the last few months. It was lonely yet liberating.

  She hadn’t thought about her uncle for a long time, but now she feared for his safety and those around him. What she perceived was true, they were dangerous and would snap at some point, taking as many people with them as possible.

  Forcing the thoughts to the back of her mind Gemi sat down at her desk and got to work starting with the new book that Mr. Gavelin had given her.