Max and Serena shared a look. Max turned back to Adesso. “What did Alexander look like, Don?”
“Tall, bald… Looked like something tried to rip off his face at one point…”
“Son of a bitch.”
Adesso popped an eyebrow. “Friend of yours?”
Max snorted. “Hardly! He kidnapped Daryl and I. Had a replicant of me running around town for a while.”
“You’re really serious with this replicant shit, aren’t you?”
“It’s the honest truth, Donny. And Alexander is a high-ranking member of the Enlightened. Sounds to me like you’ve been getting played.”
Forte slammed his fist into the table. “I’ve heard enough of this bullshit! The Resistance is bullshit! Don’t you listen to them, boss!”
Adesso flashed Max a wild-eyed stare. Can you believe this fucking guy? Adesso turned to Forte. “Show some fucking respect!” He slapped Forte hard across the face. Forte shook with rage, but did not speak.
Adesso turned back to the others. “I don’t know what in the hell has gotten into him. My sincerest apologies. Max… Listen.” He leaned forward on his elbows, fingers laced together. “I don’t need to tell you how serious an accusation this is.”
“I understand that, Donny. Between Serena and I, there should be plenty of evidence we can show you. You say you could cap my ass, I could arrest yours… but I’m not doing that. You help me, I help you.”
Daryl was staring at Forte. A curious look stole over his face. He waited for the miserable mobster to look away and subtly elbowed Serena. He leaned over and whispered something in her ear.
“I know, I know, Max. Thing is, Synthetics International, or at least the people claiming to be them, have paid me well.” Adesso shrugged his shoulders, throwing up his hands. “I don’t know that I want to go rocking the boat.”
Serena half-glanced at Forte, fearful of arousing suspicion. A look of surprise flashed over her face. She composed herself quickly as he turned back. She pressed a finger to her left temple and feigned talking to Daryl.
Max shook his head. “You’re a smart man, Donny. Business is business, but if it’s being ordered by my guy Alexander? He might be sizing you up for a takeover.”
“I’ve heard enough!” Forte stood, tossing the table aside with amazing ease. Max and the others jumped to their feet.
Adesso stayed in his seat, gazing up at Forte with a disbelieving look on his face. “What in the fuck is wrong with you, Forte!”
Forte reached into his coat, yelling bloody murder. Max and Serena reached for their own weapons. Daryl surprised them all, leaping at Forte with superhuman speed. He seized Forte’s arm and began to struggle with him.
People from four other tables jumped to their feet, drawing weapons as they went. Max turned at the sound of the double doors behind them banging open. A group of thugs wielding pistols came running through. “Oh, shit. Here we go.”
Forte pulled with all his strength. His hand came out of his coat holding a Magnum handgun. Daryl forced Forte’s arm up and away from Max. Forte fired a wild shot that flew high and to the right of the detective.
Daryl grabbed at the gun with his other hand. Forte snarled, punching Daryl’s outstretched arm. A loud snap echoed through the dining room. Daryl’s arm gained an extra joint and fell limply to his side. He let go of Forte in shock.
Meanwhile, Max and Serena fell back, wildly looking back and forth between the standing diners and the thugs quickly closing in. Serena pointed in the direction of the diners. “Ours!”
That was enough explanation for Max. His attention turned to the mobsters. He whipped his head back, cringing at the sound of Daryl’s arm snapping. Max lifted his plasma pistol up and fired as Daryl fell away.
Two shots burrowed into Forte’s chest. He howled in surprise. He ripped open his jacket. Two black holes showed where the high-powered rounds had hit. Forte howled again, pointing the Magnum at Max.
Serena leapt forward, covering the detective. Forte fired. Serena cried out, taking the round in her shoulder. Thunder roared through the dining room as both sides erupted into gunfire.
Forte roared, turning toward the diners that had opened fire. He hunched over, popping off a number of shots at them. Two fell, one shot through the head. Blue fluid burst from the wound as the Synthetic fell to the ground. Forte grinned maniacally.
One of the Synthetic diners clipped Forte’s gunhand. He cried out, the Magnum clattering to the ground behind him. He turned, standing up as he searched for his weapon.
A stray bullet from one of the mobsters slammed into the side of Forte’s head. His eyes went wide and glassy. The giant of a man came crashing to the ground, making the floor shake.
Max, Serena, and two remaining Synthetics focused their firepower on the remaining thugs. One Synthetic stumbled backwards, hit in the chest. He returned fire, felling the mobster that shot him.
“Hold your fire!” Adesso was shouting from behind the overturned table. “Hold your fucking fire!”
Two mobsters stood on one side, guns pointed at the two remaining Synthetics. Serena’s operatives were returning the favor, although the one stood clutching his wounded chest. Max and Serena laid in a heap. Daryl inched his way over to them.
Adesso slowly stood up, pointing at the thugs. “Hang ‘em up.” The thugs looked at each other doubtfully. “I said fucking put them up!” The thugs reluctantly holstered their weapons. Adesso looked at Max and Serena.
Max nodded at Serena. The Synthetic turned to the others. “Stand down!” One Synthetic holstered her weapon. The other dropped his pistol and sat down roughly in a nearby chair.
Adesso dropped down next to Forte. “Al. Talk to me.” He shook Forte’s arm. “Damn it, Alfie! Come on!” He pulled hard, rolling Forte onto his back.
The motion turned Forte’s head to the other side, revealing the gruesome bullet wound that had ended his life. But where there should have been red, there was blue. An exposed carbon-fiber skull with a large ragged hole in it gleamed under the overhead lights.
Adesso gaped in disbelief. He slowly turned to Max. “He’s… He’s not… He was a…”
“Replicant.” Max nodded his head. “It was the Enlightened.”
Adesso’s face slowly contorted with rage. “I’ll fucking kill them all!” He breathed heavily, shaking with fury. Slowly, his face softened again, turning back to the replicant of Forte. “Would they kill him, Max? Is he… the real Al, is he dead?”
Max looked at Serena. She spoke softly. “They seem to keep replicated humans alive, so long as they continue to prove useful.”
Adesso nodded, still looking at the replicant. “Help me, Max.” He turned to the detective. “Help me find my boy. You help me find him, alive or… Do that, and I’ll do whatever you ask of me.”
Max nodded. “We’ll find him, Don. I promise.”
The Synthetic known as Angel sneered at Max. “Well if it isn’t the world’s greatest detective.”
“Don’t be that way, pal. I know you love me.”
“I know enough about love to know that is most definitely untrue, especially after you nearly got Serena killed. That is to say nothing of…”
“You can hold it right there, fella. Alexander’s damned replicant of Alfonso Forte is the one that holds that claim to fame.”
“Well if you hadn’t invited her in the first place…”
“She knew the risks, son. I think you know as well as I do that if you asked her if she’d do it again…”
“That she would.” Angel sighed heavily. He uncrossed his arms and pushed open the door for Max. “I, however, would continue to disapprove.”
Max tipped his hat. “That’s what makes you a good friend to Serena. See you soon.” The Synthetic grunted in response.
He was surprised to see Daryl waiting for him in the lobby of the Enclave. He smiled at Max and waved to him with his broken arm. Max waved back, an amused look on his face. “Wasn’t that thing broken a few hours ago
?”
“I’m really starting to like this whole Synthetic thing.” Daryl looked down at the limb, turning it back and forth. “They ‘paused’ my brain. That’s how they put it… They opened my arm, replaced the broken parts, and voila!” He wiggled his fingers for emphasis.
Max’s eyes narrowed. “I woulda thought it would take a lot more force than that to snap a bone in a Synthetic, though.”
“If he were a normal Synthetic, then you would be correct.” Serena appeared through a door leading to the facility’s labs.
Max smiled. “My hero! All patched up too, I hope?”
Serena smirked, nodding. “Just like new. Daryl suffered a broken arm because he’s a replicant. Synthetics have titanium skeletal structures, but that’s no good if you’re trying to pass for human. Just think of trying to go through security at the airport.
“Replicants therefore have reinforced carbon-fiber skeletal structures. Clearly not as strong as titanium, but much more human-like.”
“So that’s why the Forte replicant had a black skull, then. I always thought you were all chrome domes.”
“Apparently not.” Daryl rapped on his arm. “I’m a little closer now, though. I made sure they replaced it with the good stuff.”
Max smiled, shaking his head. “Hope you’re not a frequent flier.” He turned to Serena. “Care to tag along with Daryl and I? I’ve got to skip down to the precinct to debrief Hanlon on our eventful night out.”
Serena nodded. “I don’t see why not. You’ll be happy to hear that Shen and Nuan are close to breaking through on their project.”
“That’s good news. Hopefully it will give us better insight into what Alexander has been up to.”
The three walked out of the Enclave past Angel. The Synthetic said nothing, merely nodding to Serena as she passed. She wrinkled her nose at Max’s car. “That looks much worse in the daylight.”
“I know, I know! I haven’t had time to do anything about it.” He opened the door for Serena.
Daryl smirked. “I like it! Gives it class. It says ‘I’ve seen things. I’m a survivor!’”
Max flapped his hand. “Get in the car, smartass.”
The detective cleared his throat uncomfortably a short while later. “I uh, guess I should ask. How are your people doing? You know, the ones that were at the restaurant…”
Serena spoke quietly. “Robert, the one shot in the chest, is doing fine. He’s pretty shaken up, though. We lost Ella. She joined us only a couple of weeks ago. Dennis… He was the one shot in the head…”
The Synthetic’s voice wavered. Max was caught off guard by the sight of tears welling in Serena’s eyes. “He was a good man. We were good friends. He was there almost from the beginning. I… He will be greatly missed.”
Max spoke softly. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
The three rode quietly for a time. They weren’t far from the 29th precinct, and each of them had plenty on their minds. Max didn’t have so much on his mind to not notice a peculiar sight behind them. “Maybe I do need to get rid of this car.”
Serena sat up. “Why is that?”
Max jabbed his thumb behind him. “It has the uncanny ability to attract trouble.”
Serena took out a small compact from her coat pocket and opened it. She used the mirror inside to see the vehicle following close behind them. “They don’t have Synthetic eyes. Replicants, maybe?”
“I’m not sure. I’m going to try to shake ’em off.” Max accelerated, beginning to weave his way through the mid-morning traffic. The nondescript silver sedan stayed close, matching Max’s moves.
“Let’s see if they want to go to the precinct, too.” Max steered the Aero back towards the 29th precinct. The car continued to follow. He became fixated on it enough that he had to hit his brakes hard to avoid the car in front of him. “Damn idiot drivers!”
The car in front of him, nearly identical to the sedan behind him, did not drive forward with the rest of the traffic. Max let out a low whistle. “At least they didn’t hit my damn car this time. Daryl, you got heat?”
Daryl nodded. “Seemed like a good idea after last night, and Julian’s trained.”
Max had to think for a moment. “Oh! Your brain buddy? Well, good.” He pulled out his own pistol. “Better get it ready.”
Serena put a staying hand on Max’s shoulder. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to jump straight to shooting? How close are we to the precinct?”
“Not close enough.” Max punched open his door and stepped out. Serena sat back, sighing resignedly. She looked up at Daryl in front of her. “Are all humans so rash?”
Daryl nodded. “More often than not, I’m afraid.”
Max stood facing the sedan behind him with his pistol pointed at the ground. “NWPD! Driver, open your door slowly and exit with your hands in the air!” The sedan’s door opened as requested. A middle-aged man of medium build stepped out, hands in the air. He wore a black trench coat over a crisp, dark blue suit.
In one of the man’s hands was a badge. Max spared a look behind him at the vehicle in front. Two of the doors were cracked open. He looked down into the Aero. “I could use some backup here, guys.”
Serena exited the vehicle with a sigh and pointed her pistol at the ground just behind the front vehicle. “You’re a terrible date, Max Kincaid.”
Max shot her a sideways glance. “I’ll try harder next time.” He returned his attention to the man holding the badge. “Driver, identify yourself!”
“Special agent Eric Donovan, FBI!” The driver responded. “I think it’s safe to say there’s been a misunderstanding!”
“Max.” Serena nodded toward the vehicle in front. The doors were halfway open now.
“That misunderstanding is going to be a much bigger one in a minute!” Max turned toward the front vehicle. “Vehicle to my front! Occupants stay in your vehicle!” Back to Donovan. “Who sent you?”
“Nobody sent us, Detective Kincaid.”
Max squinted. “Do we know each other?”
Donovan smiled. “Not yet, but I hope we can change that. Good afternoon, Serena.”
Serena jumped as if goosed. She stared at Max, her mouth an “O”.
“I’m betting Daryl Marston -- Well, the new Daryl Marston -- is sitting inside your vehicle as well.”
“How do I know you aren’t a replicant posing as an FBI agent?”
Donovan slowly lowered his hands. He tucked his badge back into a coat pocket. Max’s hands twitched upwards until he saw both hands again. “Fair, under the circumstances. Then again, how do we know you’re not a replicant posing as Max Kincaid?”
Max smirked. “Been there, done that. I won’t be letting it happen again.”
“So I would hope.” Donovan slipped his hands into his coat pockets. Max brought his gun halfway up. Donovan clucked his tongue. “I see… What’s it going to take to convince you I’m not a robot, Kincaid?”
Max looked towards Serena. “You’re the expert. Got any ideas?”
Serena thought for a moment. “Replicants have highly accurate recreations of the human eye, but they can still betray their true identity.”
Max raised his eyebrows. “Long story, short?”
“Long story, short… Shining a light in a replicant’s eyes will not return the typical red reflection of a human eye’s retina.”
“Did you catch that, FBI?”
“You want to shine a flashlight in my eye.”
Max smiled. “One and done.”
Donovan spread out his hands. “Be my guest.”
Max turned back to the vehicle in front of them. “Occupants in the vehicle in front of us. Close your doors. Now!” The two doors slammed shut a couple of moments later. “Okay.” He turned to Serena. “You a good shot with that thing?”
“I’ve got your back. Be careful.”
Max winked. “Hey, that’s what I do.” Serena rolled her eyes. Max reluctantly holstered his pistol, replacing it with his smart phone. He ca
utiously walked over to Donovan.
“Good afternoon,” Max said. Donovan nodded courteously. “Hands behind your back, and lean forward, please.” Donovan complied. Max turned on the flashlight on his smart phone and held it up to one of Donovan’s eyes. Max could clearly see the red of Donovan’s retina.
Max turned off the light and slid his phone into his coat pocket. Donovan rapidly blinked his eyes. “Convinced?”
“Convinced you’re not a replicant. Let’s see that badge again.”
Donovan held up his badge. The photo ID matched the man in front of him. Below it was pinned a gold badge reading “Federal Bureau of Investigation” on top and “Department of Justice” on the bottom. Max held up his watch and scanned the barcode at the bottom of the photo ID.
Max briefly read the results on his watch and nodded. “Nice to meet you, special agent Donovan.”
Donovan nodded. “The jury’s still out on this end.” He snapped his fingers twice. Two men stepped out of the vehicle in front, with a third emerging from Donovan’s own car. “Care to call off your attack dog?”
Max looked over his shoulder and nodded to Serena. The Synthetic put away her weapon and leaned on Max’s Aero. He turned back to Donovan. “Give me some time and you’ll understand why I’m so paranoid.”
“I look forward to that. Truth is I am very interested in talking with you. We’ve been keeping an eye on you, Detective Kincaid. The plan was to follow your vehicle back to the 29th precinct and engage you there.
“We noticed the damage to your vehicle. Then you started driving erratically. It was enough of a concern that I decided to call for backup.” Donovan nodded to the two men standing next to the vehicle in front.
“The damage is from the last vehicle to tail me. It was full of Synthetics. They weren’t as cordial as you.”
“I see… Well, I believe we should be on our way. I think we’ve made enough of a scene already.” Donovan motioned towards the growing line of honking cars behind them.
“Fine by me. I guess I’ll see you at the precinct?”
“Just you. Your friends will have to return to their Enclave, I believe they call it?”
Preservation Protocol Page 21