Lenny’s mind raced. He needed to get this vehicle under his control and moving away from here. And as the actions of his opponent became more aggressive, he realized he needed to become proactive in defensive countermeasures. Sifting and discarding idea after idea, he scanned the area for the next threat. Thump.
And then he understood. His unseen foe was being an unrelenting nuisance, but it, or they, were not elevating things to a threatening level. Why not send a huge truck to smash into him? Why not let him start driving and steer him into a wall? Enough time had passed that law enforcement should have arrived. Thump. Where were they?
He was being pestered and toyed with. He was being slowed. But he knew there were decisive ways to stop him, and thankfully he was being spared those methods.
Inserting the web connect back into his com, he used the most commanding voice he could muster. “Stop. I want to talk.” Thump. “I’ll get out right now and find a pedal bike. It’ll take me most of a day, but I’ll get to Crystal Research. It’s inevitable. Let’s do this face to face.” There was no thump. They’re listening!
He heard some onlookers shout in anger when the utility vehicle pulled out of the parking spot and onto the street. Keeping an eye on his com, he tracked his progress as his opponent drove him to the expressway. He tried to maintain the appearance of confidence, but nervous anxiety kept his heart pounding as he speculated about what might happen next.
He touched nothing on the vehicle and made slow movements when fussing with his personal stuff. “I’m reaching for my water,” he said, anxious that his actions never be misinterpreted.
Once on the expressway, he exhaled in relief when his com showed he was headed in the right direction to reach Crystal Research. His vehicle pulled up behind a van, and two large trucks drifted in and shadowed him on either side. Glancing back, he saw a van following behind and understood he was boxed in. His opponent was in charge, and he was along for the ride.
The caravan traveled at a modest pace relative to the other traffic on the expressway, and from what he could see on his com, he estimated they’d reach the complex in about half an hour. Feeling a mixture of fear, excitement, and anticipation, he laid his head back and closed his eyes. The adrenaline coursing through his veins prevented him from resting.
And then the fear returned. It bordered on panic. Up to this point, he’d been playing a game he could quit at any time. He’d crossed a line. It’s their rules now.
Chapter 12
Sid gazed out the window as his car zipped along the winding rural road. The crowd of buildings and businesses had given way to rolling forested hills. Twenty minutes out from the Crystal Research complex, this was his favorite part of the ride. He started thinking he’d spend time up at the lodge while he was in the area. The lush mountains with their gorgeous hiking trails beckoned him, and he was eager to oblige.
“Hi, Sid,” he heard in his head. “It’s good to see you.”
The “see you” phrase caused Sid to turn. Criss sat next to him. “You’re looking a bit peaked there, sport,” said Sid.
He knew Criss used tricks with light to project his image, and he generated his most life-like illusions using photon casters and spectrum emitters. These technologies, found in everything from informational displays to security systems, were so commonplace that Criss had a broad range of options he could exploit to create a realistic presence.
“Yes,” he said. “This is the best I can do when speeding in a car through a secluded forest.”
“Why are you here at all? I don’t need to see you to talk.” The realization flipped Sid from his somnolent state of scenery-watching to an active state of alert.
“I want to give you a heads-up,” said Criss.
Sid swung a bent leg up on the seat as he turned to face Criss and hear the news.
“I have a body.”
“Bury it quick before it starts to smell.”
Criss looked at him with a deadpan expression.
“Okay,” said Sid, disappointed his wit hadn’t earned a smile. “Fill me in.”
Criss briefed him about Crispin. “He’s stronger, faster, and more resilient than a human. When I’m connected with him, he’s me and I control his every action. When I’m distracted or away, he’s guided by Juice’s new crystal. In that mode, he’ll be reliable, able to follow instructions, and be a good team player, but he won’t be a creative thinker or much of a conversationalist.”
It took Sid a few moments to understand the subtext of the conversation. “You’re proposing your robo-guy as my backup when I confront Lenny?” He mulled the idea, but just for a second. “I appreciate the offer and all, but I think I can handle this on my own.”
Criss thrust his chin at Sid’s com. “Can I show you?”
Sid watched a brief demonstration of Crispin in action. “Not bad,” he said as a miniature three-dimensional image of Crispin tumbled from the ceiling, sailed into a dome made of triangles, and flipped and twisted in spectacular fashion out onto the floor.
“Beyond providing support for you,” said Criss, “my motivation is to expand my experience with the synbod. The best way to identify deficiencies and improve his design is to get him out of the lab and into the real world. This encounter will help me with that.”
They chatted some more about Crispin, and Sid grew comfortable enough with Criss’s proposal that he shifted his focus to the mischief maker.
“The young man is committed to locating me and making a play to possess me,” said Criss. “It’s a personal contest for him. His actions suggest he’s more passionate about this challenge than anything else he’s ever tried. Juice insists I treat him gently, and Cheryl backs her up. With such stringent limits on my defensive actions, eventually he’d make his way here and find a way to confront Juice about me.”
“If they insist you play nice, I guess we can’t drive him into a tree.”
“I had a nice deep ravine picked out.”
Sid laughed. “That sounds so perfect.” He brought his leg down and slumped back in his seat, tossing around possibilities in his head. “Why not get law enforcement involved? Get them to call his folks with some ominous-sounding accusations.” He thought through a list of ways he could handle it, then looked back over at Criss. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Now Criss did smile. “Lenny has skills, Sid. I’ve studied him and find that, even though he’s young, his natural talents with crystal technology put him in a very exclusive group. If we focus his determination and provide guidance and seasoning, he might become one of the greats.”
“What? You’re saying he’s a savant?”
“That word is commonly used to describe someone who has strong capabilities in one area while being weak in others. Lenny is a genius across the board.” Criss pretended to straighten the cuffs on his simulated outfit. “Though he does lack certain social skills.”
“Introduce me.” Sid watched a projection showing Lenny break into a utility vehicle and connect his com to the car nav. “The kid’s kind of clumsy,” he said at the end. “But I do see the determination and creativity.”
Sid became silent and turned to watch more trees fly by. Over the past two years, he’d grown to trust and even rely on Criss. He’d never heard him give such high praise to a human. This kid may be special, he thought, but he’s still a pain in my ass.
“Rather than create additional spectacles out among the general population,” said Criss, “I’ve chosen to escort him here. We’re an hour ahead of him.”
Sid saw a huge osprey’s nest built high up in a lone dead tree and squinted to see if he could get a glimpse of the bird. “What’s the endgame?”
“Lenny is largely compliant with authority and, as I said, a rare talent. Let’s talk with him. We’ll have to introduce the idea slowly—make it seem like a natural progression—but perhaps we can get him involved in a crystal development project. There’s plenty of work to do, and I’m confident we can find something so exciting it
becomes a distraction that displaces his thoughts of me and his grand quest.”
Sid turned and, in a clear display of skepticism, bent his head forward and looked out from under his eyebrows. “You believe that?”
“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” said Criss. “It’s not a bad strategy. If you prefer, I can create evidence of criminal activity that would keep him imprisoned for decades. It will ruin his life, but it will stop this behavior.” Criss waited a moment and added, “And who knows. He and Juice might hit it off.”
“Like romance? Juice is thirty-two and Lenny is what, twenty?”
This time Criss laughed. “No, I was being silly. Juice prohibited me from using physical challenges, but I don’t believe she’s thought through what happens next. It leaves me with choices like ruining Lenny’s life, creating intricate illusions of a reality that doesn’t exist but may fool him into thinking his quest is over, or exploring the possibility of bringing him partway into the fold. Juice will prefer we give the last one a try.”
“So what’s funny?”
“She’s going to find herself envious of Lenny’s skills. Her natural inclination will be to try and teach him about her work. But he’s the sort who’s sure he knows it all and will find her instruction annoying. It should be quite a show. I’ll be happy if they don’t come to blows in the first weeks.”
Sid nodded. “I can see that.”
“If we go forward with the idea, I’m hoping you’ll hang around and play referee, at least at the beginning.”
They topped a rise and started descending into a splendorous wooded valley. Sid could see the three main buildings of the complex grouped at the base of the hill.
“You know,” said Sid as he started to improvise a plan. “I don’t think I want to do this here. Drive Lenny up to the lodge and let’s meet him there.”
“We’ll have to stop and pick up Crispin. He can’t magically appear and disappear like me.”
“Okay.” He changed subjects. “How’s Cheryl doing?”
“I apologize again for my failure and the danger you both experienced.”
Sid didn’t respond. He knew Criss understood the question.
“I’ve scrutinized everyone at Lunar Base and continue to watch with vigilance. Those involved in the counterfeit-parts scam are in custody. Hop, Jefe, and Dent have succeeded in insinuating themselves into their assigned positions in a credible fashion. Cheryl is working well with Hop in the defense array command center and seems happy with his performance.”
“She’s going to stay there for a while. I could tell from her behavior.”
“You know I won’t involve myself in your personal relationship,” said Criss.
Sid drifted into a glum funk as he thought about being away from Cheryl, then he saw the exit to Crystal Research fly past. “Hey. Weren’t we supposed to swing by and pick up your robo-self?”
“Synbod,” corrected Criss. He pointed at an angle out the front window. “Here he comes. I’ll be joining you again momentarily.”
Sid leaned forward so he had a clear line of sight in the direction Criss had pointed and saw a man dressed in military fatigues sprinting across a field. “Wow, that guy is moving.” He turned to look at Criss, but the seat next to him was empty. He looked back at what he now realized was Crispin, and his jawed dropped as he absorbed the sight.
He’d never seen a person move so quickly or run with such grace and form. It was like seeing the vid of a seasoned sprinter at double speed, except everything else in sight continued to move in a natural fashion.
The car pulled into a turnout along the side of the road and came to a stop. Crispin sprinted toward the car and, when he reached the edge of the field, dove into the air in an astounding leap. He had his arms extended in front of him, his hands side by side, giving the impression of someone taking off to fly. He soared up over a narrow culvert between the field and the roadbed, passed above the car, and landed with a solid thud on the ground next to the car door.
“Holy shit,” crowed Sid in amazement. Crispin opened the door and sat down.
* * *
Since Lenny’s view out the windows was blocked by the vans and trucks surrounding his vehicle, he kept his eyes glued to his com so he could track his progress down the expressway. He held his breath as he watched the expressway exit for Crystal Research approach, and exhaled in relief when his car and the vans in front and back took it. The trucks didn’t follow but continued straight on the expressway to destinations unknown.
The exit ramp fed onto a smaller road that carried them in the direction of the research complex. They drove for a bit, and the car continued past the Crystal Research turnoff.
“Hey,” he called, looking back. “You missed it.”
The nav didn’t respond. He leaned his face against the side window and studied the road speeding by below, gauging the likely outcome if he were to jump. It didn’t take a genius to conclude that broken bones and a concussion were among the best-case scenarios. I wouldn’t be able to get the door open anyway, he told himself, placating his subconscious.
“Where are you taking me?” he said to the front console. He decided that sounded whiny and switched to his law officer impersonation. “Take me to Crystal Research immediately. I order you to obey.”
The car, traveling along a heavily wooded stretch of road, began a gentle drift to the side. The drift continued until one set of wheels dropped onto the hard dirt shoulder at the edge of the roadbed. The car trembled as the wheels bumped along the unfinished surface. Lenny, his whole body shaking, watched the trunks of giant pine trees whip right past the car window.
Panicked about what was coming next, he returned to his whiny voice. “Oh, please. Don’t hurt me.”
The violent ride alongside the massive trees terrified Lenny so much that he lay down, curled up on the car seat, and closed his eyes. Moments later, he felt a marked bounce, and the familiar smooth quiet of normal travel returned. Still frightened by the experience and outmatched in this setting, he remained curled on the seat, telling himself it was all okay and he should play it cool until an opportune moment presented itself.
After what seemed like hours—but, he judged, was probably closer to fifteen minutes—Lenny detected the nose of the car angling upward. He lifted his head and looked out. The car was indeed climbing a hill. The vans were no longer in sight, and dazzling mountains with forest and meadows rose in every direction around him. He recalled that his travel pattern nib had shown undeveloped forest just north of Crystal Research, and it seemed he was now entering that preserve.
The car tracked along a curving arc of road, slowed, and turned into a private driveway. The drive wound through more woodland and, like a grand unveiling, opened into a large clearing. The car followed the driveway around a small pond and proceeded toward a large, rustic building nestled at the back of the property.
The building and grounds reminded Lenny of a country getaway hotel, or perhaps a large bed and breakfast. As they drew closer, he saw that the exterior of the building had the appearance of rough-hewn logs. Looks nice, but that’s manufactured material, he thought, rebuilding his confidence by calling out his captor.
Still, the lodge was gorgeous. A squarish three-story central building had gabled two-story wings attached on either side, giving it a formal look that contrasted nicely with the old-time air of the log-cabin-like construction. Lenny, normally oblivious to the beauty of well-kept gardens, noted that bushes and flowers adorned the foundation of the building and also trimmed the edge of the grounds in a broad ribbon, providing a visual buffer between the green lawn and the wilds of the forest beyond.
The car slowed as it passed through a formal covered entrance that extended from the house out over the driveway. A rustic porte cochere, Lenny thought. The car didn’t stop but drove under the porch structure and continued around behind the building.
Studying the lodge, Lenny couldn’t see anyone peeking out through even one of the d
ozens of windows gracing its exterior. The grounds appeared deserted. The car drove straight to the open door of a garage, pulled in, and as the door shut behind him, the car and his com shut down. His world darkened, and he was left with a faint glow of light coming from some unseen source outside the car. He tried the manual latches, but the car doors remained locked.
He sat and waited. Seconds turned into minutes. They’re watching and listening. This wouldn’t make sense otherwise. He mentally inventoried the items in his carryall but couldn’t think how any of them might help him escape. So he demanded, then reasoned, then begged whoever was listening to set him free.
The minutes became hours, or so it seemed. In a desperate attempt to show his resolve, he lay on his back on the car seat and kicked his heels against one of the side windows. The aggressive act yielded two results; his left knee now throbbed, and the glow of light outside the car faded. He lay still in the pitch-dark for what he was sure was another hour.
And then he called in a plaintive voice, “Hey, man. I have to pee.”
Chapter 13
Juice nibbled a cookie and watched Cheryl take a sip from her cup and then grimace.
“Eww.” She returned her cup to her saucer.
“What’s up?” Juice asked.
“Lots of moon dwellers drink tea, so I figured I’d give it a try while I was here. This is lemongrass and mint something.” She peered into the cup as if it held a poisonous potion. “It tastes like lawn clippings.”
“Have a cookie,” said Juice, holding out a lemon-filled treat. “It’ll cleanse your palate.”
“Thanks,” said Cheryl, her projected image rising from her chair. “But I’m pretty sure my arm won’t reach your office.” She turned to face her food service unit. “Anyway,” she said over her shoulder, “I don’t run for an hour every day like you, so it’d just end up on my butt.” She patted what men and women alike privately hailed as a perfect derrière.
The comment triggered a childhood memory in Juice of her dad telling friends how she got her nickname. “She went from crawling to running,” went his version of the story. “She skipped the walking thing altogether. I’m drained by lunchtime and Jessica has the juice to run forever.”
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