Program 12 (a Program 13 short story) (The Emile Reed Chronicles)
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“Now that you are in Level Three, things will run a bit differently. Whenever we state that you are due for a hard drive evaluation, you will receive one. No questions allowed. Do you understand?”
I nodded, though I did not understand. Being that I was a Program and Rhys was one of my caretakers I was not allowed to question his judgment. Not unless I was willing to accept deactivation.
Rhys lowered me into the chair and quickly secured all of the restraints. The leather straps were tearing into my flesh. “Looks like we’re going to have to get these patched up, huh?” He smirked. “Wouldn’t want our lovely Thirteen to look inhuman, now would we?”
Rhys stood back up and proceeded towards the frosted glass, tapping the glass gently to alert the scientist that we were ready to start. As he turned to leave the room, he stopped at the door, peering over his left shoulder. “You are worthless.”
The metal door slammed shut behind him as his words lingered in the silent room.
Standard procedure stated that scientists were to remain anonymous to Programs. If they made their identities known, Programs could lash out against them. As long as they remained shadows, they were safe from our hands. They knew how torturous these evaluations were for a Program; they could tell simply by looking over the readings.
We were not supposed to know the scientists, but I knew this one particularly well. It was my old caretaker, Hayden. He pressed up against the frosted glass as his voice, soft and comforting, rang through the room. “I’m going to give you your life back, Emile, the life that they took from you. I promise. I’m going to get you out of this.”
“Program 13” will be available on August 27, 2012.