“Naturally, I’d love to take down Tom Hoyer. He’s a threat that won’t go away. In terms of raw IQ, his might be even higher than my own, and he uses every iota of his intelligence for his own ruthless ends. Truly a formidable and dangerous adversary. So dangerous that I’d almost rather you and Dr. Keane defect without trying to go up against him.”
“I see,” said Reed. “Is that everything?”
“That’s everything. So what do you think? Do you believe me? Will you try to get Dr. Keane to meet with me?”
There was an extended silence. “You’re very believable, Bryce. And compelling. But then again, so is the major. I’m eighty-twenty leaning toward believing you over him, but that’s not good enough. The stakes are too high and the bloodshed has been too great. He tells me you’re a genius at manipulation and lies, and you tell me the same. And if Gillespie really is your man, the way he worships you is proof of your ability to mesmerize someone with a good story. So forgive me if I’m not certain of what to believe.”
“I understand, Commander. Not an easy position for you to be in.”
There was another long silence.
“Let me propose this,” said Reed finally. “We keep each other at arms’ length for now. No more contact. You don’t tell me where you are, and I don’t tell you where Hoyer and Allie are. But this is what I’ll do. I’ll restrain the major and ask him pointed questions. I’ve recorded our conversation, so I can replay sections that seem particularly bad for him and see what he has to say for himself. Since I believe you more than I believe him, I’ll be surprised if he can satisfactorily address all of my . . . concerns. Even given his skill at deception. But I have to find out for sure. Either he’ll convince me that you’re lying . . . or he won’t. If he doesn’t win me over, I’ll incapacitate him further and meet you at a neutral location. He can be your prisoner. And I’ll bring Allie along, as well, so we can all have a long conversation.”
“What neutral location do you have in mind?”
“I don’t at the moment,” said Reed. “Once it all plays out, I’ll weigh options and text a location to you.”
“I like the plan, Commander. But I have to admit, meeting at a neutral location scares me. Because Hoyer scares me. I doubt he can be creative and persuasive enough to get you back on his side, but I wouldn’t rule it out either. I have too much respect for his ability to cloud minds. And if he is able to spin a tapestry of lies masterful enough to convince you I’m the bad guy, there’s a chance that your text will lead me into a trap. ”
“I see your point,” allowed Reed. “Hard to trust each other when, you know . . . we don’t trust each other. And when the potential for a double-cross is so great.”
There was a long pause. “How about this,” continued the commander. “We don’t meet for at least sixteen hours after I send the text. That will give you enough time to send your men to the meeting site. Can I assume that you’ve employed mercenaries over the years as you’ve gone about your business?”
“I have.”
“Good. If I agree to meet, it means that I’ve come to trust you implicitly. But I also understand it won’t yet be a two-way street. You’ll still be worried Hoyer got to me. So you and your men have sixteen hours to do whatever you have to do to satisfy yourself it isn’t a trap. Use drones and sensors. Set up security however you want. Or take over any security already installed at the site. Tear the place apart to be sure no one is hiding. Have your nanites bury landmines around the site that you can trigger remotely. I’m sure your contacts in the military can spare you a satellite to be sure that no outside force sneaks up on you. However you do it, your team will have plenty of time to be sure it isn’t a trap before you arrive. And your men can stay on site during our get-together. I actually encourage it, so you’ll have maximum peace of mind.”
“Thank you,” said Aronson. “That should work. But I’ll still need to know the general location ahead of time. So after I receive your text, I can make sure my men and equipment can get there within a few hours.”
“Understood. Have your men stage themselves somewhere in Kansas. Near a runway. Kansas is in the dead center of the country, making most other states reachable within the time frame you’re asking for.”
“Excellent, Commander. You’re on. But be careful. You’re very good. But so is Hoyer. And he has the cunning of a psychopath, which you don’t.”
“Give me two days to think and prepare. Assuming he isn’t persuasive enough to wriggle his way off your hook, expect a text from me then.”
“I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to meeting you, Commander. And Allie. From what I’ve come to know of her, she reminds me of me. Thinking outside the box, and having to swim against a strong current of supposed consensus science to do so. And while I’ve accumulated the best soldiers for hire in the world, I have no doubt that you’re better. And I can never trust them the way I’ll be able to trust you.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” said Reed. “We’ll just have to see how this plays out. One way or another, the next few days are sure to be . . . eventful.”
44
Tom Hoyer ended the audio playback inside a study that was now deathly silent, and left his audience alone with their thoughts for almost a full minute.
Finally, he gestured toward Aronson, who continued to look ridiculous in his forced anti-telepathy helmet. “Do you have anything to add to that, Bryce?” he said with a cruel grin. He waited several seconds. “Nothing?” he asked, as if surprised. “You’re usually so chatty. What’s the matter, duct tape got your tongue?”
“I see you aren’t just a predator,” said Reed. “But also one who likes to play with his food.”
“Not at all, Commander. Just trying to add to the entertainment value of this little presentation. And how about you, Allie? Are you finding this entertaining?”
She didn’t reply.
“You must be appalled by your beau here, right?” he said to her. “While I was helping you push back on the frontiers of science, he and Bryce were plotting against me. Pretty despicable.”
“Are you done?” said Allie evenly.
“Not even close. Are you ready for the next act?”
Hoyer didn’t wait for an answer. “Allow me to set the stage,” he said. “Fast-forward two days. Reed convinces me to have Ava, my security AI, let him come and go without alerting me. He later enters and finds me in the study. A replica of the room we’re in now, as a matter of fact. I’ll be playing footage from the video cameras.”
“I thought the cameras didn’t film the inside unless the AI detected a threat,” said Allie. “Or one of us ordered them to.”
“It’s filmed,” said Hoyer. “And Ava stores the footage. It just isn’t displayed on the monitors elsewhere in the house.”
The major gestured to the large monitor in front of them, the same one that had displayed his attack. “If I could direct you to this screen, the movie is about to begin.”
The footage began with Reed knocking gently on the door to the study, and then entering. He and the major shook hands warmly and exchanged greetings.
“What a nice surprise, Commander,” said Hoyer. “But why didn’t you phone ahead and let us know you were coming?”
“I was in the neighborhood—an easy flight away—but I only have time for a short visit. And I didn’t want to disturb Allie or disrupt her work. I assume she’s in the lab right now?”
“She is. She’s quite dedicated.”
“I figured. Which is why I think I made the right decision. I know she’d want to be here to greet me, and I’d end up staying longer than I really should.”
“Yeah, I get that. I think she’s quite fond of you, Commander.”
“I’m fond of her too,” said Reed. “But have a seat,” he added, gesturing to a chair. “I’m going to grab a cold bottle of water and then brief you on some important progress I’ve been making. Be right back. Do you want anything?”
T
he monitor displayed the major shaking his head no.
Hoyer stopped the playback. “Looks like I’m not the only one who’s a good actor and liar, huh, Allie? I actually believed him at this point, as embarrassing as that is to admit.”
The footage continued, following Reed as he exited the study, leaving the solid oak door slightly ajar. He rushed into a nearby bedroom and closed the door. “Ava,” he said to the AI, “until further notice, don’t show any views of the inside of the house on the lab monitors. Even if we’re under attack. Understood?”
“Understood,” said a female voice coming from a nearby speaker.
Reed pulled a pair of nanite visibility glasses from his pocket and slid them on his face. He then removed a tranquilizer gun that had been lodged in the small of his back and quickly returned to the study.
He didn’t enter immediately. Instead, he stood out of sight and peeked through the door he had left somewhat ajar. He proceeded to scope out the room, no doubt making sure Hoyer wasn’t covered in a nanite body suit, and getting a bead on the location of Hoyer’s invisible friends.
Reed put his right hand behind his back to shield the gun, took a deep breath, and pushed through the door, getting to within five feet of Hoyer before his target finally bothered to look up.
Before Hoyer could register Reed’s stern expression and lack of a water bottle, the commander whipped the tranquilizer gun around and planted two darts into Hoyer’s neck, knocking him out just as a startled expression was emerging on his face.
The monitors then followed Reed as he rushed through the house, collecting a steel chair and one of Hoyer’s anti-telepathy helmets and then returning. He used zip-ties to bind Hoyer to the chair, affixed the anti-telepathy helmet to his head, and closed the door.
“Ava,” said Reed, “where is Dr. Keane?”
“Dr. Keane is in her lab.”
“Thank you,” he replied. “Please alert me if that changes.”
“Understood.”
Hoyer paused the footage abruptly. “The next bit is a little slow. As exciting as it is to watch the commander sitting in a chair across from me, waiting for me to come to, I’ll fast-forward about an hour. He used a short-acting tranquilizer.”
The inside of the study once again appeared on the monitor, showing Hoyer coming awake and his faculties returning. He stared at Reed with burning eyes. “What’s this about?” he demanded. “If you think you can steal my nanites, I’m sure you’ve already discovered this isn’t possible. They’re encrypted to respond to my telepathic commands and no one else’s. So they won’t do you any good.”
Reed, who was still wearing glasses, made a show of removing a handgun and placing it on his lap. “I’m not trying to steal them, Major. But you should know that I see your nanite cube against the wall. If a single one of them moves, I’ll put a bullet in your brain and ask questions later. If your AI sends any drones in here, or makes the slightest offensive move, you die. Guaranteed. And you’d better hope I don’t even feel the bite of a gnat, or you’ll be dead an instant later. Have I made myself clear?”
“Perfectly,” said Hoyer. “And impressively done, by the way. The very reason I wanted you on my team.” There was a pause. “So if you aren’t trying to steal from me, what is this about?”
“I have some questions for you. Turns out your friend Bryce Aronson called me a few days back. We had a nice long discussion. One that I’d even call fascinating.”
“I’ll be damned,” said Hoyer. “Bryce connected the dots on this better than I expected. He’s really beginning to get a good handle on covert operations. Which is the last thing we need. A psychopath of his brilliance finally learning the ropes. So how did he get your number?”
“From Colonel Hubbard.”
Hoyer drew back. “No shit. Didn’t see that coming. But let me guess, he made me out to be the bad guy. The fact that I’m here at gunpoint tells me that he was as persuasive and charming as I warned you he would be.”
“He really isn’t all that charming,” said Reed. “But I did find him persuasive. Either he’s a psychopath with a genius for storytelling, or he’s a quirky scientist who’s telling the truth. After all, the truth doesn’t require any skill.”
Hoyer shook his head. “He’s a psychopath with a genius for storytelling, Commander. That’s the truth you’re looking for.”
Reed ignored him.
“Seems like you’ve taken pains to keep Allie out of this,” said the major. “Why?”
“She’s been through a lot. And you deserve your day in court. There’s a chance you’ll convince me that everything Aronson said is a lie. If so, I’ll let you go and beg forgiveness. No harm, no foul. Allie never has to know that any of this unpleasantness took place. I made sure Ava kept the feed off when I knocked you out, so Allie wouldn’t see it. And I asked Ava to alert me if Allie leaves her lab.”
“Unlikely,” said Hoyer. “Like I said, she’s dedicated. She practically lives in there, rarely even coming up for air. If not for the refrigerator and bathroom I installed, she’d likely starve to death or explode.” He sighed. “So what can I tell you, Commander?”
“I have a recording of my conversation with Aronson. He laid out a number of accusations against you. I’ll play it for you. And you can address them one by one.”
“Sounds like a fun game. Did you meet with him in person for this little convo?”
Reed shook his head.
“Do you know where he is?”
“Why would I answer that when I trust you less than ever?”
“Because I’m your prisoner. Tied up like a prize hog, and rendered impotent by my own helmet. I’m just curious.”
“I’m sure you are. But I’m afraid we’re here to address my curiosity.”
“Of course.”
The footage paused. “We spent about an hour from here walking through the audio recording,” explained Hoyer. “I tried to convince the commander that Aronson was full of shit. But as masterful as I was, Aronson had corrupted him too completely.”
He faced Reed and let out a loud sigh. “Sadly, I couldn’t quite get you back to my side.”
Hoyer paused. “But let me skip the video ahead to the end,” he said. “I only wish I could edit real life this way. Cut out all the dull parts.”
The scene of Reed and Hoyer seated in chairs facing each other reappeared on the monitor.
“I have the feeling I didn’t win you over,” said Hoyer.
“You think?” replied Reed sarcastically. “At least it wasn’t for lack of effort on your part. Your attempts to lie your way out of this were quite elaborate. To the point of being entertaining.”
“I’m so glad to hear that. I love to put on a good show. Something I think you’ll be experiencing before too long.”
“It’s clear that Aronson was right,” said Reed, ignoring him. “You’re the psychopath.”
“I am a psychopath,” said Hoyer. “But that doesn’t mean that Aronson’s path is the right one. Regardless, you should stay on my side if you want to play on the winning team. If you side with Aronson, you’re going to lose. Because I’m better at this game than he is. You see, I didn’t think Aronson was good enough to figure out that you and I had joined forces.” He raised his eyebrows. “But I was sure hoping he was.”
“What does that mean?”
“What do you think? With Aronson off the grid and off my personal radar, I had little chance of finding him. But by putting you on the case, I had a feeling that would change. Either you would find him . . . or he would find you. Either way is a win for me.”
“A win?” said Reed in dismay. “You’re immobilized and unable to wield your nanites. I’m on to you. How is that a win?”
Hoyer laughed. “There’s a little element of the security system here that I didn’t brief you on. Turns out I can have Ava release a toxic, fast-acting gas into any room in any safe house I own. Whoosh. Just like that. Gas erupts from all around, and a small room like this becomes
a thick, deadly fog. Starting at the door, so there’s no escape after it begins. It dissipates quickly, but not before exterminating everyone inside.”
“You’re bluffing.”
“I can see why you’d be desperate to believe that.”
“How could I believe anything else?” said Reed. “In case you haven’t noticed, you’re in here with me. And I don’t see a mask on your face.” He tapped the left temple of his glasses. “Invisible or otherwise. So unless the gas knows to avoid your lungs, you’d die also.”
“A mask wouldn’t help. The gas gets through the skin too. This shit is deadly and instant.”
“So what am I missing?”
“More than you could ever guess.”
“You really expect me to believe you’d kill yourself to get to me? You’re bluffing. You’re hoping to get me to leave the room in fear. No way that’s going to happen. But it was a good effort.”
“You know,” said Hoyer, “it’s worth dying, just to have the cameras record your absolute shock when you learn this isn’t a bluff.” He shot Reed a malevolent sneer. “Ava, on my mark, release the Cryptex gas into this room.”
“Understood,” said the AI. “Awaiting your mark.”
On the monitor, Reed’s face was reflecting real fear for the first time. “You aren’t the kind of man willing to kill himself. Period. There’s no way you’re really going to do this.”
“Goodbye, Commander. This has been fun. Really. But I think I’ve gleaned all the information I’m going to get from you, so it’s time to wrap things up.”
Hoyer made a show of closing his eyes. “Mark!” he shouted to his AI.
The walls and ceilings began to hiss all at once, a cauldron of snakes releasing poisonous gas into the room from all around, creating a dense fog, as Hoyer had warned, and blinding the cameras.
The footage continued, showing the gas beginning to dissipate. When the fog had lifted, minutes later, Tom Hoyer and Zachary Reed were both covered in blisters, as if they had rolled across thirty feet of hot coals, and foam and blood had erupted from their mouths and was dripping down their chins.
The Immortality Code Page 27