by P. S. Power
“That sounds fine, Mr. Epson. If I have need of your services, I can just call?” There was something approaching charm in the words, as if he didn’t really think that was likely in the slightest. Ben didn’t bother to focus on the man again however.
“Sure. Or send things in to Kyle? He can pass them to me. I get paid for that work, right?” Now it was his turn to seem doubting, and not let it show.
There was a soft grunt, but it wasn’t displeased or anything. In fact, there was a line of intent that came at him then. One way to gain control over a person was to pay them, after all. The idea was very clear as it came off of the fellow, even from most of the way across the country.
“I think that can be arranged. Well, nice to make your acquaintance, Mr. Epson. Now, I hate to be rude, but I need to talk to Kyle for a moment. Secret things. How to best kill you, or bribe you… You’re partial to fast autos and loose women aren’t you?”
Ben knew it was a joke, but answered honestly, moving toward the door.
“Not really? You know what I do love though?”
“Not a single clue. Please inform me?” The voice was jovial, as if happy that they were at least bantering about it instead of fighting, or making more threats.
“Taking out the people that had my father killed. I… Could do a lot for anyone that helped me do that.”
There was a pause, a bit of consideration, and then a sigh.
“We have to, if what you said so far is correct. That hardly makes a good way to get into your good graces, does it? If it will be done anyway?”
There was a moment, near the door, where Ben stopped and started to nod a bit, understanding what the man was going through with him. Ricard Camas was used to people grasping at things. Riches, data, or even love. They could all be used to manipulate people. Ben probably had that kind of thing inside too, even if he didn’t know it, but the other man didn’t exactly have files about Ben right in front of him that discussed what those might be. There were some, like the things with Micha, his fear of being all alone in the world, and the mild terror he felt when he saw an approaching mouse. That had all made the data on him that the man had already.
Which didn’t really tell him that much, over all.
“I don’t know, that’s kind of a big thing. It’s enough.”
It really would be. After all, his life’s goal was to take down a bit of the government, and to strike back at the people that had hurt his father. This, what they were discussing, was literally all he’d ever asked for. Not that he mentioned that. Kyle probably had a clue there, so he could tell his friend, if that worked for him.
Waving, Ben left, wondering if he should tell the man that he wasn’t going to be in the next day. They had that shopping trip, after all. Deciding that making a dramatic exit was more important for once, he high tailed it out of there, his mind spinning as he did so.
It was a bit fortuitous, maybe more than he could trust, but they seemed to have found the source of their problems. Better, it was one that had a personal meaning for him. That part didn’t make a lot of sense however.
“Why would the predictive crime computer be doing this? Why go after my dad?” That it was all connected seemed both likely and as if it couldn’t possibly be true, at the same time.
Outside the snow was falling, so Ben walked, looking at the buildup. The walking path had another four inches on it already. Everything did. The scalloped walls of snow were nearly four feet high in places already, and it seemed like he was going to have to do the whole thing again in the morning. That didn’t thrill him, even if it wasn’t his job, technically. They at least needed to make certain that the auto they checked out would be able to get to the road, and that it was clear enough for them. It was hard work, using his TK. Not bad for a few moments, and if he paced himself he could, clearly, get some big things done, but it felt like he’d been running most of the day, and he was kind of tired.
Not just end of day sleepy.
Life had become a drag on him, as interesting as it was. The only thing that helped at the moment was that there was a real target now. One person, or being in this case, that if they stopped, should derail the entire attack program that was set up. The one that still didn’t make any sense to him.
After all, terrorism had to have a defined goal to do anything. If you wanted people to, say, not fly, in order to harm the economy, or not travel long distances, then you blew up planes and loop tunnels. If you wanted to hurt commerce, you went after shopping malls and package processing centers. That, or shut down the delivery routes.
You didn’t just go after masses of random people from around the world.
There had to be a real point however, and it wasn’t conquest. All that had been accomplished was that the entire world was pulling together, in order to fight this threat from outside…
Which had been set up by a computer that knew the most likely future that would be coming. Ben saw the words come up, in green this time, and not blue. What that meant, if anything, he wasn’t aware of yet. It was right there however. The goal may well have been different than he’d thought. Not about pushing people into hiding and cowering, but in coming together for some reason. So that… There was no answer on that one.
He tried to find it, as he walked, working out what could possibly be worth that kind of harm. Killing millions of people with a bomb like that might get things together, but the end point was invisible to him.
Worse, there was the question of why his father had been killed. Silencing him about free speech wasn’t really worth it. A stern note would have worked just as well, or, if the computer were feeling feisty that day, it could have just called him up and told David what was needed. His father had loved freedom, but it wasn’t like he was a revolutionary, trying to take down the system by force. No, all he did was suggest to people that they request their rights back. Politely.
Ben had already done more to overthrow the government than David ever had. Because of the fact that his father had been killed. Which had been a set up all along. By a machine that didn’t have human emotions, but could work out the future. Based on data and logic, instead of psychic powers, but it still worked pretty well. It wasn’t wrong that often, from what he’d heard. Technically it wasn’t legal to use that kind of thing to incriminate people for crimes they hadn’t done, but no one had ever mentioned the AI not being allowed to change things, if it saw the need to, otherwise.
There was no need for a line of text to suggest to him that it could all be about him.
If his father hadn’t been killed, then Ben Epson would have kept right on working at the coffee shop. Not going off to join up with what he thought was a potentially violent, anti-government rebellion. There would have been no sitting in the dark and silent room, refusing to give up. Going on past what anyone else had done before, with no food, his mind closing in on itself the whole time.
So that he could have a shot at revenge.
Even finding the machine now was part of that. A thing that had, in the beginning, been caused by the same device that was trying to kill people now. The only weapon that had really been able to stop its plans so far was him, too. Which he knew was overstating his own importance, but it still made some sense. If Ben hadn’t come and signed up to be a Cymed, being altered and trained like he was, then the predictive machine would have won without much resistance. Instead, thanks to what it did, a thing that wasn’t sensible at all, there was a single man in place that could find out where things were going to happen and when.
Then stop them.
Even the bomb to come, while a much cleverer trap for them, was a thing that he might be able to help with. Because of the powers that he had. Due to his father being illegally arrested, and beaten to death in a jail cell.
It was a dismal thought, if it was true. The idea that his father had died because the government was evil and too large was all that had been keeping Ben going for a long time. Now, if it turned out that it had been a set-up
, as part of a vast and convoluted plan, then it wouldn’t go over well, he decided.
As he got to the door of green one, the light colored thing brighter, since all the outdoor lights were reflecting off of the snow, Ben knew that he had to forget about the idea that he was having. Not because it wasn’t true, at least in some measure. It might be. Regardless, he had to go on and still try to defeat the AI that had done it all.
Even if the thing was a million steps ahead of them, and had already won. All those lives depended on him, or at least someone, stepping up to save them. It might not be him, he knew. Thinking that he was the chosen one wasn’t going to get him up in the morning. For one thing that was clearly not the case. If he’d been picked for anything, then it was, in the end, probably to help do whatever the computer wanted. That couldn’t be good. Not if it was willing to start attacks that weren’t needed for anything.
When he opened the door, everyone came out to greet him, which for about ten seconds felt like he was admired and loved. Until they started to pat and rub him, like they were trying to get wishes to come out of his ears. That was just Lissa though, and Micha. It was a bit better with Clark, who shook his hand, and Lenore who gave him a little hug.
Mags kissed him, and leaned into him, her shoulder touching his warmly.
“There you are. We were worried that you’d been taken over by one of those file ghosts and whisked away to the other world.” Her all black eyes gave him a look that felt loving, and her face reflected that, which got her kissed again, even if they were standing in front of everyone else.
“Not that one. I think we’ve found the source of all the attacks.” He went over the whole thing with them. Not the specifics about the secret alien hunters, but the rest of it.
“So, we might have some leads. We need to find the thing, which isn’t as easy as looking up its location. Kyle and his friend already checked that one. It may even be decentralized, which will be harder to take down. We have the names of a lot of the people working with it however, and that’s a start.”
Hopefully it would be enough for them to actually stop the bomb in time.
Ben didn’t know, but tried to feel hopeful about it.
Chapter nine
For the first time in months, Ben felt surprised by what happened the next day. He was woken up by Mags, who went into the shower with him, and did some things that were rather a lot of fun, first thing. He did his best to return the favor and she seemed to like it. Her face was doing the right things, and her body wasn’t lying about what was happening to her. He could tell, which he really didn’t think would have been possible before he was changed. He realized what kind of thing she liked that way.
It didn’t take long, given they had to hurry. Everyone else was going to need the bathroom too, in order to get ready for the day. When he got out of the shower, and was about to go get into his nice warm, totally gray, outfit. Mags pushed him out the door, in only his underwear.
That meant he bumped in to Lenore as she came to the door, clearly being ready to knock.
“Sorry!” Ben tried to balance and ended up nearly taking them both down when he grabbed her. She laughed about it, and then stood back, shaking her head as she looked down at his body.
“Not bad. Anyway, I need to use the little room.” She pushed past him, but just to get to the door. Mags was directly behind him, pushing still, as if the embarrassing situation wasn’t a thing to apologize for.
“Um, a little care for my dignity?”
“What? Lenny just got the thrill of her week. You are looking pretty good without a shirt on these days, you know. I like the eyes, too.”
Ben nodded, and looked down. He wasn’t exactly showing all of his abs off above the clingy black stretch shorts he had on, but they were there enough that they showed. The top four of them anyway, if not the six that people always talked about. As to his eyes, he didn’t have a clue what she meant. Or why he was still mainly nude. Mags was as well, but had slipped into a bra and panties that were both delightfully pink, and frilly enough that he kind of wanted to have sex with her again.
Not that his body was up for that yet. It would take at least a few more minutes; he knew from past experience.
“Eyes?”
She nodded, and gave him a puzzled look.
“Nice and green. Gem like even. You can’t have missed that one. You knew that it would happen, you told me about it.”
“Ah… Neat. I didn’t know it had taken place yet, no. You see, I have a long tradition of not looking into the mirror. That way I can start each day without seeing unpleasant things.”
There was no more pushing, the instant they were into his room, his gray clothing being tossed on the bed that they’d shared the night before. Ben didn’t have to wait long, since a package, a nice blue box, was pulled out.
“Your present? I know, I’m wonderful, getting you things. I hope they fit? If not, well, we’re going into town today, so we can return them. I got it right for everyone else though. I’d hate to mess up on the last one.”
Inside the box, which was made of a thin composite, the kind that was easy to recycle and sturdy enough that it could be reused several times before that was needed, was a set of clothing.
Warm looking ones. Jeans, thick beige socks and a dark green sweater that was thick enough to be toasty.
“Ooooh. Nice! I love it! Here, I’ll put it on right now?” Which was clearly her point, since it had been handed to him while nearly naked. He didn’t know if it would make him look good, or even better, but she seemed impressed with her selection after he turned to face her. She was still getting dressed herself, into an outfit that was a bit less casual, without being dressy. Black slacks, a sweater that was in black as well, and actual boots. He didn’t have those, so put on his running slippers. It was a very relaxed look, for his part of things, but only like he was laid back, not sloppy.
They both did their hair in the bedroom that day, having hogged the bathroom for too long already to have earned a second turn. When Mags was done, she took the small mirror she was using to style her pretty, curly black hair, and pointed it at him.
The whole thing was a bit different than he would have thought.
For one thing, he had at least an inch of green hair showing at the roots. With black over it.
“Okay, no one had mentioned that part. The eyes… Those are all right.” He felt happy enough about it. He looked better, he realized. Not like he was going to be famous for his good looks, and his hair was a bit too long really, since he’d missed his last few haircuts, but his jaw line was a bit firmer than it had been, and of course his head didn’t look much like a ball anymore. More like a regular face. One with a big nose on it, and ears that were a little wider than was perfect, but in all he didn’t think that Mags would have to feel bad about being seen with him in public.
She was good looking, but in a way that spoke of her being exotic, being modded like she was. Ben kind of fit with that, he thought. The mirror was angled so he could see the rest of him. It was a small thing about ten centimeters across, meant to sit on top of her dresser and be used in a pinch, but he seemed tidy and presentable to him. Thinner, and like he was almost in shape, which was incredible to him.
It had been hard to notice that, since everyone else around him was still just that much better looking that way. They were all fantastically muscular, or lean, and every guy around was bigger than he was as far as that kind of thing went. At the moment, Ben looked like a swimmer that put some effort into things, but wasn’t hoping for the Olympics or anything like that. Maybe someone that could win a college competition or two.
Which might even work, if he wanted to fake that kind of thing. In three more months or so, at any rate. It was illegal for a genetically modified person to compete in sports, unless you were part of one of the special leagues, but Ben could swim, and would be physically about as good as anyone that way, in the not too distant future.
It took a while
for everyone to get out into the living room, which meant that there was time for Ben to practice, by clearing the main walkway and the drive that would let them get out into the road. He just didn’t do as much this time, so he didn’t soak himself with sweat, though it was hard to keep himself from warming up that much. He was given rather strict instructions, by the floating words that followed him as he projected himself outside.
He wasn’t picking up anything psychic really, he didn’t think, except that it was clear he was. Though he was simply standing there, like he had the day before, moving the snow first one way in a huge swath, and then the other. Over and over again. It was a lot easier, since he could move a longer portion at each go, there not being as much weight involved this time.
When he opened his eyes, everyone else had come out, and was dressed in a similar fashion. Lissa had a blouse on, instead of a sweater, but also a coat, which looked nice and warm. The rest were dressed a bit like him. Even Micha, who was looking adorable, even if he hated to admit it. She was small enough to be cute almost all the time. Today she had on jeans, like he did and a red sweater. That meant the only thing really throwing her looks off was her fake blonde hair.
Not that green was a more inspired hair color choice. That was at least a sparkly color that didn’t seem natural at all. To match the eyes. It was a surprise that no one had mentioned it to him. They were all good about that though, really. None of the other Cymeds had mentioned him being horribly fat, for instance, outside of what was needed to lose the weight or training.
Except Micha, who had spent time belittling him for it, after beating and abusing him sexually. That made him feel a bit mad, but Ben shook his head, trying to recall that he was supposed to be winning her over to their side. To turn her, as had been suggested.
“Everyone is looking all cute. Anyway, what’s the plan?”
Ben waited for someone else to come up with it, since if he was in charge that day, they were in trouble. Mags winked at him and took his hand. Hers was a bit cooler than his, but not cold, really.