“What? Why?” They almost crashed because she wasn't looking forward.
“I'm a soldier. It's in my bones, my blood, my mind, my implants. You built me to fight! I can't just live whole life knowing that normal people are dying in a war I was supposed to fight.”
“I understand.” She said “There are more things you should know about you. Hybrids live about 10 times longer than normal human, that makes almost 1000 years. You can't be poisoned, irradiated. You can starve for months, live without water for weeks. Even if that doesn't help you can enter stasis mode until environment improves. And more, everything is in the user manual.”
“Hybrids have user manual?” John asked because he thought it was some kind of joke.
“The one about you is more than 1500 pages long, it also contains maintenance and washing instructions.” She responded with a smile.
“Are you kidding? Because it's not funny.” John was really annoyed by this.
“No I'm serious. You should read it. It should be on that disc.”
John browsed contents of disc again and found it. It took him few milliseconds to read it.
“Done. Caroline? How it began? Where you took subjects from? Why you used children?” Those questions burned John for years.
Caroline sighed.
“I knew this was coming. I was recruited in early stage of your development. I was supposed to take over core programming. Main purpose of project was to give our troops an edge. Most of you were orphans but...some of you were kidnapped for their talents. Don't ask who I don't know. Children learn faster, their minds can absorb more information. Children's bodies are more adaptable to implants. We've done extensive genetic changes in you. It's been sort of extreme but we thought we're doing the right thing. Some subjects were more successful than others. The result was the ultimate soldier...You.”
John remained silent after that, he needed some time to process it. They drove for three hours without stop. There was mostly desert around them but John could see forests in the distance.
“We have to make a stop on next gas station. I need to go to the toilet.” Caroline said and she looked at GPS display for nearest gas station.
“You are still a classified government project so we have to be careful. Don't take off your shirt and wear these gloves. Try not to get into a fight. Remember you are faster, stronger and smarter. And here is you cell phone, custom built for you. Claire printed your ID papers and other stuff you need. It's all in a envelope on back seat next to my computer.”
She gave him cell phone and his old gloves he used for shooting training.
“Got it. What if my cover is blown?”
Caroline pulled a paper out of her pocket.
“Try to explain. Tell the person that this can't get out on public. If not possible C.I.A. directive charges the person of treason.”
“What if I'm in danger of being killed?” John wanted to make everything clear.
She gave him the paper.
“Then you are allowed to use your abilities, lethal force authorized if necessary. It's all written in here.”
The paper she gave him, rules of his release. Among all only two stood out: You have to preserve confidential nature of your existence. You may not in any way be in contact with other Hybrids.
Until they stopped on a gas station no one spoke.
“Have a walk if you need.”
Caroline said that, grabbed her things and stepped out from the car.
John checked the envelope. He looted it's contents and put them into his pocket. He decided to go and have a walk. According to his HUD the time was 16:27 and they were somewhere near border with Utah. 'Hell, this country is big.' John thought for himself.
“Claire, where are we headed?” He asked looking on a back seat.
“Breckenridge in Colorado.”
“Why don't you form a hologram? A.I.'s must be common out here so what's the matter?”
John pulled her chip out of Caroline's computer.
Claire showed herself only as a four inch tall figure.
“No. You created first self aware synthetic intelligence, me. This was possible only thanks to you. You are the Creator of my kind. Also, without enhanced eyesight or screen you can't see me.”
“Wow, that's good. Now let's have walk. My feet are so stiff I can't even feel them.” John inserted her into A.I.D. slot and they set off for a walk.
“You can't feel your feet. Remember? Dodging a missile, oh wait! You actually shot down that missile, with a pistol.” Claire formed a human-sized hologram and walked beside him.
“Claire, don't be sarcastic it's not polite. If you could track Gillian that would be more useful.” John observed a lizard in the grass.
“Caroline promised you to see her so I don't think it's necessary. Anyway her signal is blocked.”
Caroline was already coming back so they had to cut the chatter and go back to the car. John sat to driver's seat.
“Whoa! Careful there young man you can't drive. Or am I wrong?” Caroline asked.
“Car, APC, tank, helicopter, plane. If it has wheels, wings or rotors I can drive it.” John answered while starting the engine. She sat next to him, Claire's hologram sat on the back seat. John looked at her.
“You show yourself to get closer to humans even if they can't see you. Is that your own upgrade of yourself?”
“Correct. You allowed me to do my own changes. I used this opportunity to develop myself. I wish I was accepted by organics, which might be easier if I look and act like them.” She smiled.
“You are making me proud of you Claire. You are already smarter than your creator.” John said turning around and letting the car move.
“Why you turned around while you talked to her? She's within you.” Caroline asked looking confused.
“She is there you can't see her, but she sits there.”
“Wait I can see her I just need to wear these.” She searched for something in her pockets. It took her some time before she showed him some sort of sunglasses. She looked through them.
“Why you didn't make her look like Gillian?”
“Claire choose to look like this.” John gave Claire full control over herself after she was created. Since then she trusted him with everything.
They drove in silence for two hours and two minutes.
“Do I have soul?” Claire's question came unexpected.
John searched the Internet for possible outcomes of his answer. But there weren't any real sources, only fictional ones. First thing he found was a fictional story about this question resulting in exile of organics and 300 year long war between organics and synthetics*.
“You have emotion-like feedback to your surrounding. So yes, you have a soul.”
Even though Claire was marvel of computer engineering, she was still just a prototype. John decided to let her develop herself because he didn't want her to be shaped by someone. He wanted her to be advancing at speed comfortable for her.
“I may have soul, but I don't have a body for it.” She said in sad voice.
“You don't need it. It's not external beauty that should matter. Everything important is inside. Because inside is who you are and that's the only thing that should matter.”
John liked where this is going, she will learn a lot from this.
“Why do you think so?”
“What do you see when you look at me?”
John wanted her to think about it. She would remember it anyway, but if she thinks about it she remembers more of it.
“I see unusually tall teen with exceptional abilities.”
“Good. And now what do you know about me?”
He could feel her chip build up heat.
“Based on overall evidence you are a mass murderer. You are afraid that you are addicted to war. Your augmentation gives you more tools to hurt others. But there are good things inside you. Your love for Gillian, you have only one primary objective. Protect her at any and all costs. Trust me, she
wouldn't be happy if you die without her saying a goodbye, without any reason that would benefit her and without fulfilling her dream.”
“What is her dream?” This A.I. obviously knew more about Gillian than John thought.
“Life with you. This dream is useless if you are killed in action.” She said leaning forward into space between front seats.
“Tell me, how many people tried to kill me.” John guided her to his point of view.
“105.” Their faces flickered in John's memories as she said that.
“How many of them survived?”
“17 of them, that's 83.81% casualties.” Claire's math skills were perfect.
“That's the price we had to pay.” Caroline said sadly.
“Wasn't it too much for one subject, one soldier?” John asked.
“No, it wasn't.” Caroline and Claire answered at once.
It ended their discussion. Soon Caroline's head fell to one side as she fell asleep. They crossed the border of Colorado few minutes after midnight. John decided to stop for couple of minutes to stretch his legs, even the artificial parts felt stiff. He also wanted some time to check the news. It was Saturday morning and apart from prices of bacon rising(Oh no!) nothing interesting was going on. John had this feeling of having some trouble ahead of them. He opened back door of car and looked for weapons box. When he found it he unclamped the cover and grabbed pistol and one magazine for it. He loaded a clip into the pistol but kept safety on. He closed the box and back door. Before proceeding with traveling he put the pistol under his seat. Fuel indicator was very low they had only about twenty miles left. John consulted map in his HUD.
“Next to me.” Claire answered before he even asked where his wallet is.
John reached back for it. Claire was trying to touch his hand, but she was just a virtual object so her fingers came through. John ignored it and put his drivers license into his wallet. He found 150$ there, enough for some petrol. Even though it was middle of the night the traffic was increasing as they drove closer to gas station.
John put the gloves on. Only people on gas station were two policemen drinking coffee in front of the shop and group of four bikers smoking behind the corner.
John parked next to fuel stand that was closest to shop. He plugged the car in and waited for the tank to fill. His phone started to vibrate. Words “Jeremy Hudson” lit up on the screen. John touched the green button and raised the phone to his right ear.
“Crisis here. What is it Hudson?”
“What's your status?” Hudson's voice was flat, no emotions.
“Refueling. Anything else?” John said with same flat voice. Cops were looking at him.
“Just checking. And I wanted to let you know that I pulled few strings and now you are C.I.A. employee. I made you a I.D. card in advance it should be with other things.” John could hear typing on a computer along with Hudson.
“That can't be legal.”
“Who cares? We say if it's legal or not and remember it's just last resort if something goes wrong. Keep your head down and everything should be fine.”
“Few people care Hudson. Also why can't I meet others?”
"I'm sorry John, not my call. But I think I can go around that if you do something useful. And let me know what college you want to go to so I can get you there.
"Will do. Crisis, out"
John ended the call. Then he went to the shop to pay. Bikers watched him even more closely as he walked around them.
The cashier was watching news, something about North Korea making threats of nuclear attack.
“They are not gonna attack us. We would kick their asses.” John said to catch his attention. Cashier turned face to him.
“Why do you think so?”
John handled him precisely counted sum of money.
“Because I would be deployed.”
“You a soldier too? I serve in Army Reserve” Cashier's interest in John obviously raised.
John laughed. “Army Reserve? You guys don't even know how rifle looks like.” Then he started to walk towards the door.
“Who are you then? If you are so cool.”
John didn't even turned his head to answer he just said. “1st SFOD-D*.”
Cashier most likely doesn't know what that is. All John knew about his military classification was that he is member of Delta and should have rank of Corporal. Bikers still looked at him it already started to annoy him. He thought a little insult wouldn't hurt. So as he walked past them.
“What's up ladies? Do you like my muscles?”
Soon he heard heavy footsteps behind him and smell of cigarettes flooded his nostrils.
“You just called me and my fellas ladies?” Voice came from behind.
“Hey! Turn around when I talk to you!”
John felt adrenaline build up in his blood just like before good fight.
“What is it m'lady?” They stood just few feet from the car, John wished he had his pistol. 'Weapons don't give you 100% chance of victory they just give you better bargaining position.' He remembered when Gillian said that once on shooting range.
“You want me to hit you?” Biker was trying hard to intimidate John.
“I want you to try, but I warn you. It could hurt you a lot.”
“What can you do to me?” Asked biker amusingly and swung his fist aiming for John's face.
John caught his hand mid air. “This.” Then he used his artificial arm to deliver punch to man's jaw. John let the fist he held go just milliseconds before he hit. That sent the man flying. Two other bikers went after him. John took first one down with elegant leg sweep.
Second one grabbed John's arm. John grabbed him too and smashed him against a concrete column. The police officers were looking elsewhere.
“You aren't going to arrest me?” John asked them.
“No, 'bout a damn time someone kicked their asses.”
John sat back to car and drove away. John felt satisfied. Maybe he just made new enemies. Over years he had many enemies. None of them were lucky enough to survive. This country looked so calm and peaceful. Green forests, cold streams, rocky mountains.
People here had no idea who just moved into their lands.
They stopped few miles away from Breckenridge just before dawn. John needed Caroline to drive the last part. So John waited for her to wake up. Suddenly he couldn't resist the thought that they lied to him. He reached for pistol. Checked the rounds...real. He grabbed Caroline by front of her shirt to wake her up. Aimed at her head and yelled.
“Where is she?! Where's Gillian?!”
He woke up from the dream. His face and hands were covered with sweat. He must have fallen asleep while he waited for Caroline to wake up.
“Damn it keep your shit together John.” He said for himself...
* Refers to fictional Geth-Quarian conflict
*Popularly known as Delta Force 1st SFOD-D is official name
Chapter 9 – Home
It took Caroline almost an hour to wake up. John decided to check his C.I.A. I.D. card.
'Agent Sgt. John Blackburn'
“I guess I was promoted. Hope I'll be paid better.“ He said for himself.
“Damn it!”
It was 9am Saturday 1st of June. Caroline drove them slowly through the town. John could see people everywhere. Walking, buying groceries or just talking.
“We should buy some food too. I don't plan on starving.” Caroline parked in front of supermarket.
“Do you want to go with me?”
John put the sunglasses on. “Yes I want.”
He noticed that everyone was wearing short sleeve clothes and he wore long sleeves to cover his arm and he also had gloves and jeans. That can attract some unwanted attention.
They walked towards supermarket. John took time to observe every person within twenty feet and with his
fast senses he had plenty of time to do that.
“Maybe we'll meet some of my friends here and I can introduce you to few more people.” Caroline said smiling.
“If you say so.”
“You should smile a bit.” She said.
“Smile?”
“The thing you do with your face when Gillian is around.”
“She isn't around anymore.” Last memory of Gillian flickered in his head. Then he laid sight on approaching man. The moment their eyes met they recognized each other but both John and the man remained silent and kept walking.
“You know that man?” Caroline asked concerned.
“Yeah, he shot me once and I shot him back but not just once, about ten times.” John said.
Caroline just sighed.
While shopping John discovered lots of new things. Ice cream for example and he also saw humans in their natural environment. But he still had suspicion for most of them. He even counted the change the cashier had given him. Caroline ordered him to carry the groceries to the car.
“We should buy you some clothing.” She looked at nearby clothes shop.
“Done.” John just ordered clothes online.
“Have I told you that we have to spare money until I find a job?” She looked at him
“Government gave me 10 million compensation for what they did to me so last thing I need to do is to spare money. And don't worry I'll keep most of it I'm going to need to pay for school.” He really received a compensation on a bank account with his name.
“Fine, just be careful.”
They drove to the southern part of town, up the hill to Gold King Way. They stopped in front of nice house with big windows facing them. I had two floors and basement. A woman stood next to the fence gate.
Hybrid: Project Vigil Page 6