by Nathan Lunn
His methods had since changed. With the introduction of his latest crew, and the accomplishment of many successful heists, they had more disposable income to throw about. Thankfully, only a few extractions had been necessary throughout the previous two years. This was a welcome shock to Douglass, clearly a result of his correct employee choices; most of the time, new crews only lasted around 6 months, either falling apart due to internal struggles, or simply because his interest in certain people were stretched too thin. Despite their deeply seated individual flaws, and their failure to work together effectively as a team sometimes, when the pressure was pushed and the day came to an end, they always managed to complete their assignments. It was time to get them back. Opening his commlink, he called in a regular lift and extraction, sending a notification to Julie.
* * *
“How’s things, Wrinkles!” Danny greeted Douglass through a wild smile, holding his arms out for a hug.
“Out of the way for goodness sake,” Clara said, pushing Danny to the side, as she wheeled Kye towards the west wing of the workshop. He began his retort, but was stopped before he even started to speak by Julie, who began to explain the situation to Douglass.
“Kye’s shoulder took a slug from some sort of private drone, he’s dropped out cold. We used one of the MediCare packets on it, but it was Shatterpoint ammo, so his muscles took a heavy shredding. I’m recommending a full check up from the CADuceus – you got it up and running?”
“Yes, it was started before you even left. Tell me about the heist,” Douglass replied.
“I’d say successful. I mean, we’ve yet to run inventory, but we picked up something like 8 bags of credit, and there was at least 20 bars of unrefined rhodium, though we did drop a full bag off as we were leaving, so that's down to around 10. There was some sort of lock box that Kye pic–"
“And why was a bag dropped off?” Douglass stopped dead, a reproachful look on his face. Julie was quick to reply.
“Oh, we thought we should compensate the factory in some way.” Douglass resumed walking, seemingly content with the decision that was made. She continued, as they reached the west corner, pushing aside the two light green curtains to reveal the infamously dubbed “Medical Wing”. In truth, all it consisted of was a dented and dulled silver table, a single silver chair (which was in a similar condition of disrepair), a short compartmented shelf, and the CADuceus machine itself, which was backed up against the far wall. As Douglass had claimed, it was already up and running, waiting for someone to connect to and control it. They moved Kye off the wheeled stretcher and onto the silver table, ready for diagnosis. Julie moved to the machine, as the rest of the crew leaned in to bother him.
“Move, move, give him some space now.” Douglass pushed everyone back, pondering for a moment before changing his mind. “Actually, would you just go wait in the office for me? Someone clean the vehicle out whilst we have time. This won’t take a minute.” Everyone but Julie and Douglass left the medical wing, closing the curtains as they went. Charlie bounced, excited to finally be helping with the heist. Julie patched her commlink into the CADuceus, which spurred to life with a loud groan.
A mechanical arm rolled down Kye’s body, criss-crossing green and blue light strips ran over his skin, feeding data back onto the computer’s screen and into Julie’s display. Whilst numbers scrolled down the display – statistical figures confirming Kye’s blood pressure and pulse – a second arm folded out from the first, a syringe filled with clear liquid at the end. With a slow hiss of pneumatic pressure, the needle sunk into Kye’s arm, expelling the stimulant through to his bloodstream. With a shock, Kye came to, opening his eyes and immediately began violently thrashing on the table.
“Woah! Woah, calm down,” Julie soothed Kye as his eyes frantically shot from side to side. “You’re back at the workshop, it’s alright.” He began to slow down, fully coming to as his location came into focus, slurring his speech.
“My arm. There was a gun? How’s Charlie? Oh, Julie. Hi.” He gave a soft smile.
“Charlie’s fine, don’t worry. Everyone’s okay.” Julie nodded, as the computer’s arm swept past his face, returning to standby. A report flashed up on the display, and was relayed back to her commlink. It wasn’t looking good. Kye cringed as his shoulder began to throb. Douglass bent over, pulling his glasses on as he read the report. Julie stuttered,
“Okay Kye." She gave a nervous sideways glance to Douglass. "How do I say this? The bullets, they were Shatterpoint ammo. And your arm, it’s–”
“Kye, we’re going to have to remove your arm. It’s just too far gone,” Douglass sternly cut off Julie, wasting no time in sugarcoating the news. Kye seemed to be speechless, though his face steeled, betraying next to no emotion, as Douglas continued.
“I can cover the costs for your replacement prosthetic, top of the line, no question.”
“Actually, Douglass, we picked up about four exceptional prosthetics, a few with some military grade enhancements by the looks of the markings scratched on the side. He can take one of those.” Kye stayed quiet, looking to Julie for comfort, beginning to chew on his lower lip.
“Oh, very well. Download the patch for the CADuceus so it can perform the surgery and attachment. Kye, is this okay with you?” Douglass asked, finally putting some responsibility into the hands of the affected party. After some deliberating, he replied, with a simple, “Yes.”
Julie called back to the other side of the workshop, peeking her head through the curtains, “Clara, you guys finished offloading the car yet? We need a prosthetic in here.” Expecting a lighter reply than the gruff one she got back, Eddie instead spoke to her, walking over, “Yeah, we’ve got the car emptied. I’ll bring the cart over.” She slipped her hand into Kye's for a moment, squeezing it with a brief flash of intimacy. Douglass pretended he hadn't noticed.
Ten minutes passed. Laid out on the floor by Kye – who was now sitting up with his MediCare pad removed, grisly wound being cleaned by the diligent CADuceus – were four prosthetic attachments, ranging greatly in both their quality and design. Both the outer selections sported a thin flesh-like coating, for those who were looking for a subtler approach to the machinery, a closer amalgamation of their actual body, that went by on the streets as a ImitaSuit. They were often used as a transitional phase in the process, providing a light entry for the patient’s acclimation into both having lost a part of their body, as well as having to deal with getting a new one; since the flesh-simulation was an expensive addition, many opted for the alternative, though this was also due, in part, to the limitations of the ImitaSuit itself. Unfortunately, all they were really good for was subtlety. Any modifications that were made to them would break the delicate skin wrap, and defeat the purpose of their guise. The alternative result, that most went with by the end of their life cycle, was the cheaper and more often modified choice. Sat in between the two realistic looking arms, were the prosthetic attachments that Kye was trying to choose between. One was made of clean, lightweight patterns of integrated metal, segmented and interlocked in such a way that it resembled a real arm. Intricate groupings of wires lay hidden beneath the smooth coverings, which were etched with industrial markings and technical specifications on the underside. Blank sanded patches were spotted over the curved surface – unfinished detailing that was never likely to be completed. Leaning over with a wince, he picked up the metal arm, turning it over as he supported it with his knee, if only in part to stop the consistent bouncing he found himself doing. Finding a port within the socket, he connected to the prosthetic and read out the list of attachments.
“Huh, looks like this one has a guided firing mechanism, that’s not too bad.” This was a rather common attachment, however, and he scrolled further through the other basic adaptations: increased strength caused by the design of the alloy; rapid neural responses as a result of the direct connection to the brain; dampened pain receptors in both the shoulder and the surrounding area; as well as integrated AI to help with p
re-cognitive movement. It appeared to be a run-of-the-mill cybernetic limb, with the basic military adaptation package. Kye mused that their heist had probably snatched it whilst en-route to its designer, similar to the other military-adapted cyberlimbs they had managed to take throughout the two years of work. It was nothing new.
Finally, he reached the unknown prosthetic. There were many differences he could see between the two, both in terms of the material used and the design of the appendage itself; this, coupled with the lack of recognisable features, led Kye to believe that the one laid out in front of him was a prototype not previously available on the market. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. Seemingly formed from one whole section, the arm appeared to have no visible seams, though clearly remained pliable despite its rigid texture. The dark purple material shifted with the light, as Kye turned it round in his hand; faint glimmers of a paler shade shone from within, providing a glimpse of the core emerging through the multiple layers. Searching the socket for a similar connection port, he found no evidence of such an entry – it was clear to him, this was a new technology. Kye was interested immediately.
“What even is this? Douglass, have you asked your contacts?”
“No need,” Douglass replied, much to their surprise. “I’ve heard of this stuff. About three years ago, we ran an operation collecting some rare materials for AchillesCorp – though of course then it was just the two men working independently from their apartment – they were just recently bought out by an all-encompassing company I believe. At any rate, when we completed the assignment and gave them their materials, they sent us over a few of their parts, as a form of payment I suppose. Those men who took the payment have since left, the parts didn’t work as they planned, some to disastrous consequences, but I’ve seen what they are. I’ve seen what they can do.”
Julie piped in, “What are you talking about? This,” she pointed at the arm, which Kye had set down, “is AchillesCorp?”
“To be more precise, it’s nanotechnology. I guess they must’ve finally perfected their craft. Do you see these marks here?” Douglass picked up the arm, and pointed to the socket, tilting it directly into the harsh medical light, catching previously unseen marks. He continued, “It’s certainly subtle, but these are the industrial marks you would find on any AchillesCorp product. Of course, they are marks you would see before they go to market, but it’s definitely finished, I’m sure – you’re not likely to see their stamp of approval otherwise. Right there inside the groove, all it's missing is the retail mark." Douglass pointed and placed it back down. Everyone sat, stunned into silence for the better part of a minute.
Julie was the first to talk, barely managing a whisper. “Holy shit. AchillesCorp. Kye, you lucky son of a bitch.” Kye began to chuckle at this, and by the smirk that crossed his face, it was clear he agreed.
“Alright, I’ve made my decision. Julie, set up the CADuceus for me.”
“Goddamn it. Fine." Julie was mildly irritated, though also now starting to smirk as she continued inputting commands to the machine through her commlink. Kye lay back down on the table. Douglass moved to place the arm in the open slot, as the tube door slid closed, commenting, “Good luck, Kye. There’s no transitional phase here, things are gonna be completely different.”
“I’m used to different,” Kye spoke, with a knowing wink towards Julie, already lying back to the cold table. She laughed aloud, taking a moment to meet his gaze.
Once again, the second arm folded out from the first, as the now-refilled syringe (different liquid) was plunged into Kye’s arm. As his eyes drifted to a close, he nodded to the two watching over him, somehow looking both oxymoronically confident and worrisome.
***
An empty bottle of bright blue CAAF grain vodka dropped to the floor, as it rolled off the side of the table, pushed over by Danny as he reached for a second glass.
“Ay Kye! How you doing, you big prick?” Danny slurred his speech, getting a hold of the glass with one hand and the back of the chair with his other. The rest of the room fell silent. Standing up, he swiped the nearest bottle, as he stumbled over to a weary-looking Kye, proceeding with his welcoming speech.
“Listen, I am sorry I messed up. But here. Here, take this glass, take this bottle – have a drink,” passing the glass to Kye’s left hand, and shoving the bottle towards his right. With a clunk that echoed through the empty office, the bottle connected directly to Kye’s limp arm, bouncing back and sloshing liquid out of the bottle and onto the floor. Danny stopped, swivelling his head down to the floor, a frown flashing on his face, before looking back at Kye and moving closer to his eyeline.
“Whoopsie,” he breathed out. Kye could smell the waves of bourbon and vodka blend in his nostrils as he exhaled.
“I’m sorry, man, you want a hand with that?” Danny paused for a moment, before turning around wide-eyed and wide-mouthed to the people in the office, expecting raucous laughter. Everyone remained silent and morose.
“Oh come on,” he continued, dragging out his delivery. “That was funny.” Turning back round, he noticed Kye’s expression was not an irritated one, but instead bemused. Slowly taking the bottle with his right hand, he smoothly poured a drink, before sliding it back into Danny’s grasp with a wink. This produced a laugh from the table, which only served to irritate Danny more. He whirled around, starting to spit.
“Fuck off, all of you. And you,” he span back to a now smirking Kye, “you asshole. You’re not better than me.” Kye shook his head, and began to walk down to the table, but was stopped by Danny’s outstretched arm.
“Hey, I’m talking to you! Don’t just walk away,” Danny continued, tensing up and shoving Kye back.
“Danny, sit down man, c’mon,” Eddie tried to reason with his brother. “Just leave him alone.” Danny either didn’t hear, or chose not to listen to him, his fist clenching behind his back as Kye tried once again to walk to the table, still smiling. He slyly commented into Danny’s ear as he passed, “Listen to brother, dear. Time to sit down.” As he finally made it past, Danny snapped. Drawing his arm back above his head, he threw his entire body forward in an attempt to knock him down. Kye, without even being aware, was ready for this, arm reacting in lightning speed. Catching the fist mid-throw, the AI in his new arm spun to life, twisting Danny’s hand and forcing him to the ground, all before he even had time to turn himself to face the attack. Danny cried out, desperately slapping the arm to loosen his grip but finding more pain as he was met with multiple layers of hardening nanotech.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, let go of me, you psycho,” he screamed, as Kye finally turned. Surprisingly, the cramped office served well to echo his yells back, so Kye dragged him up, and shoved him toward the door. With a hurt look, spitting at the floor as he left, Danny was gone. Applause broke out (from except for Eddie, who just looked relieved, if not slightly guarded), as Kye’s new tech was showered with various compliments.
“Fucking hell, that’s some nice kit!”
“Where you get that one then?”
“Woah cool!”
Recognising that last statement coming from Charlie, he straightened up, and went to sit down next to him, ruffling his hair and striking up a conversation as he did so.
“How you like the upgrade, bud? Pretty sweet piece of tech, huh?”
Charlie smiled and nodded, asking, “What else can it do? Can you fly with it? Can it transform into a pet that follows you?” He was excited, and a stream of unanswerable questions fell from his mouth one after the other, as though they just slipped out without meaning to. Kye grabbed his drink, listening intently whilst the rest of the office returned to their previous conversations. Eddie looked subdued, but attempted to join in the conversation Clara and Douglass were having next to him, taking a quick swig of his own cup to cheer himself up. Kye waited for an opening, knowing he wouldn’t be able to answer all the questions being fired his way, but deciding to let Charlie’s imagination fly a little, whilst remaining close
to the truth.
“To be honest, Chuck, I don’t know what it can do." A sparkle in his eye, he waved his hands around, stating, “The possibilities are endless!” Charlie, though content with this reply, decided to theorise on his own as to what those possibilities may actually be. One idea in particular drew a laugh from everyone in the table, rousing Eddie back into his usual good mood.
“Maybe, it’s actually alien tech! And it’ll swallow the rest of you up, turning you into some sort of mutant-cyborg-alien mix? Let me see.” Charlie started to poke at the arm, looking for secret buttons to press. He seemed particularly enamoured with this idea, and with a affirming nod of his head, he set it as his truth, mind beginning to wander as he regaled himself with tales of the cosmos. Douglass was quick to correct him, looking to continue his teaching for the boy – but did so softly, in a way he reserved only for Charlie.
“Sorry, son, you can stop exploring there, I’m afraid the idea of alien technology just isn’t possible. You know...” He continued, settling into a story, “Around five decades ago, the world seemed to be on its last legs – you have to remember this was during the height of the intercontinental wars, the state of affairs were much different to how they are now. The wealthier populace wanted another option for their living, and so we sent out probes to the furthest reaches of our galaxy, and nothing came back positive. 8,000 different missions were run over the course of those 25 years! Could you imagine? Eventually, the world’s leaders just gave up, sticking their funding into our own world instead, and so the Golden Age of Space Exploration came to an end. We were quick to settle back into our continuous cycles of war and recuperation, of course, picking right back up where we left off. But where we now lacked exploration, we certainly made up for with our innovation. This is actually where the arm came from, you see? This wasn’t from the space age – it was born from war.” Everyone stayed silent, Charlie sliding back into his chair, face curling into a frown. Kye, looking to cheer him up, took a sly dig.