“You knew this would happen? You knew I would develop a way to create a new form of nannites? You must know I’ve infected the entire area where you picked me up. I already have control of the robots and several flying machines. Within a few hours, large areas will report back to me. What is going on here?”
“We predict based on probability. This outcome was calculated as highly probable if you survived. We have worked to protect you, to help you arrive at this place and in this way. There is much to do, if we are to succeed.”
“Even if I could somehow spread the technology throughout the area, maybe even other Sectors, it would take me years to be in a position to gain enough control to stop Faust. Right now, I can’t even escape without help. My control is too rudimentary. I don’t know enough. And you know he’s going to figure this out and find a way to block me. He may even inject himself and replicate what I’ve learned.”
“Yes, he has already begun this process. It is worse, Jason. We fear to tell you all we foresee.”
They were landing near the warehouse where Monica and Derek had taken him. The various large shipping containers surrounding the area appeared dull and flaked in the afternoon light. As before, it looked dirty, claustrophobic. “What’s here?”
“For a brief time, you will be hidden from all recording devices, and your location is currently unknown to Faust. However, he is acting quickly, and you will soon be under arrest. Once he receives approval from the Council for a warrant, we cannot actively block communication regarding you, and he will find you easily. In this place of rebellion, there is a room where no communication can go in or out. If you act quickly, you can allow your nanobots to begin replicating in this area, and then hide within while they multiply.”
He took Jason’s hand and led him into the building and down the maze of plain concrete hallways and metal stairs. Just as Jason remembered, nothing adorned the walls, not even paint. Lighting was poor. Debris in the form of twisted rebar and concrete, piles of old wood with nails, and dust were the only decorations. The abandoned feel of the place was oddly reassuring. “Once there are enough of your nannies in this area, you will be able to emerge from the room long enough to regain communication with the nannies. You can use them to misreport information from this vicinity, hiding yourself longer. This will, in turn, allow you time to spread control further.”
“I . . . I don’t know how your plan will work. I’m just not capable of the necessary level of awareness required.” Jason realized something else. “Wait a second. If we go in there, aren’t you going to be cut off too?”
“Yes, we will lose communication.” Jason heard the terror in his voice.
He wrenched them both to a stop, his new strength now rivaling that of Tarien’s. “I can’t do that to you! What will happen when you are cut off from your Sector? Has that ever even happened to a Tech?”
“There is little time, Jason. Already the approval is being given for your warrant. It is being ratified and will soon receive electronic signature. I could not rescue you from your capture without exposing the aid we have given. We had to trust you’d escape. But you must hide now, or else they will discover you quickly.”
Jason refused to move. “I’m not going in there until you tell me what will happen to you.”
“We . . . I don’t know. I . . . we have never been cut off. Some Techs went insane, long ago when we were first used for central processing for all communication. I do not remember a time without my connections.” His eyes were wide, his breathing labored. “We are afraid, Jason. But this must be done. There are reasons for this. We will tell you, but you must hurry. Now.”
He knew he was risking himself, but Tarien was too important. “Who is going to take over this Sector? Will everything just stop working?”
“No. There is another reason for Nine’s presence. In anticipation, Nine took over most of the governance on my behalf. We have agreed to this course of action. If I am able, I will resume this control when I exit the Faraday cage your friends have created in this place.” He tugged Jason forward. “Please. We must hurry.”
Reluctantly, Jason nodded and began shedding his army of small robots onto the ground, ordering them to replicate until he gave them new instructions. Some of them began building small relay stations, which would broaden his communication reach so he could sense the small sections of the city he’d already taken over. They would be autonomous until he could communicate with them again.
They reached the door Jason remembered from his prior visit and knocked. Mom opened the door just enough to see Jason’s face and her eyes widened in disbelief as the two of them pushed their way inside. “Oh, my! Jason? Is that you? And a Tech!” Her eyes darted between them. “Did you capture one? What is going on? You look so different. I barely recognize you. What happened?”
Both he and Tarien hurried inside and closed the door. Before Jason could answer Mom, he bombarded her with his own questions. “How are you possibly here, when we just happened to come here? Where is everyone else? Were you expecting us?” As he spoke, Tarien’s eyes rolled back in his head and he silently slumped to the floor, unconscious.
With a cry, Jason scooped him up, now able to lift the heavy man with ease. “Tarien! Please answer me. Are you okay?”
He received no reply. He tried to probe, to discern the nature of the problem, but got nothing back. Still holding Tarien, he rushed him to a nearby room and gently lay him down in the bed. “Tarien! Please wake up!” He put his hand gently on Tarien’s face, worry constricting his throat as he realized what was wrong. Mom was behind him, a gentle hand squeezing Jason’s shoulder. “Shit! He’s in shock. He’s cut off from the WorldNet. I feared this would happen.”
Tarien didn’t stir. He breathed normally, his face serene as he slept, which momentarily alleviated Jason’s concern.
Mom tugged him to his feet, turning him. “Jason, please tell me what’s going on. Have you talked to Monica? Where have you been? She’s been frantic to find you. And how did you capture the Tech?” Then, clearly afraid, she said, “He’s not going to hurt us when he wakes up, will he?”
Jason tried to calm himself. “I didn’t capture him. He brought me here. I am going to be arrested.”
“What? Oh, my goodness. They must know about this place if the Tech brought you here. We have to get you out of here. Someplace safe.”
“This place is the only safe place there is for me right now.” He forced himself to breathe deeply. Stay calm, you’ve gotten this far. Trust Tarien. “It’s a little hard to explain, but I need to hide here for a few hours, possibly a day or two.” He turned back and took up Tarien’s hand, holding it for a moment, listening to his breathing. Then got up and walked into the kitchen area.
Mom’s nurturing nature caused her to set aside her worry and comfort Jason. Despite her concerns, she patted his back soothingly. “I’ll make us some tea, dear, and you can tell me what is going on.”
“Yeah, okay. That sounds great, thank you. Something to eat would be great, too. I’ve been burning a lot of energy and I need food. Badly. Can I help?” He decided to avoid telling her about his rapid evolution with the nannites. His changes were obvious and would be hard enough to explain. She smiled. “Of course, dear. No need to help, I can make you something. You just sit there and calm your thoughts sweetie so we can talk.”
“What are you doing in here, anyway? This isn’t exactly the most entertaining place to hang out. And it’s more than a little coincidental. I don’t believe you were just in the area or that you felt compelled to spend time alone in here.”
Mom filled an old-fashioned teapot, plucking it from the dangling collection of pots and pans hanging overhead. She tilted a half-empty jug of water into the pot and put it on the stove. Lighting the propane burner, she gave a little grunt of satisfaction. “Yes, well it’s mainly because we have been down here in shifts lately. We received a note from our still-unknown leaders to have someone here at all times over the last few days.
No explanation, and no details. Just a quick note that read, ‘Man the station until further notice.’ Rather archaic phrasing, but we have never questioned our orders. It took some doing to sweep the area around this place free of technology that would reveal us.”
“Your leaders? I’m still not clear on what you mean. You mentioned that before, but I honestly didn’t believe you. I thought you were just a small group. Who are these leaders? Maybe we can get their help.”
“I thought you were going to tell me what’s going on here.” She arched an eyebrow at him. “I don’t know, Jason. None of us do. We have been in communication with them over the last couple of years, but it is entirely in coded messages, none of which point toward an individual or group.”
“And you trust these people? I mean, how do you know they aren’t leading you to your own destruction?”
She took a deep breath. “Jason, sweetie, I can give you the entire history of our group later. Suffice it to say, we have ample reason to believe we are in good hands, and certainly whomever they are, they are highly placed. They knew something would happen soon, for example, when they asked one of us to be here at all times. I’m on my shift. Turns out they were right. Here you are. It’s obvious they know more than most and clearly they are working to help you, or they could have just let you be caught.”
Jason worried about this. They seemed impossibly well informed. How could these leaders have known something so accurate and specific? Whoever they were, if they knew, Faust would surely find out, too. Jason couldn’t imagine anyone more well-positioned than Faust, so he was really struggling to understand how he’d escaped and how he would be safe here.
Mom opened several cans of stew and poured them into a cooking pot. She lit another burner and opened a drawer to pull out a large mixing spoon. “Now, please tell me the reason you look like you do. I barely recognized you.” She pointed toward another room. “And there are more decent clothes in there. Not that I can’t admire your fashion choice of a white leotard, but it IS rather revealing.” She glanced briefly at his waistline.
He blushed, having completely forgotten the fact his only article of clothing was the towel he’d modified into a jumpsuit. “I forgot what I was wearing. I’ll be right back.” He got up and went to the room that she’d pointed out. Aside from a small bed and table with a lamp, the room contained a rack with clothing on it. Mostly uniforms or work clothes. All clearly used, but suspiciously in his size. Another coincidence that Jason didn’t believe was by accident.
He opted for utilitarian and for something with enough material to change into whatever he might need, so he picked up an olive green Nomex flight suit. He left his white jumpsuit on, since he could use the additional material. He zipped himself into the flight suit and then walked over and sat back down, sending nannies into the fabric so he could modify as needed. Mom nodded in approval at his choice of attire.
She pulled two cups from an old light blue cabinet with chipped paint and bent hinges. The teapot whistled, and Mom poured them both a cup.
“Hey Mom—look, I can’t keep calling you Mom. What is your real name? I’ve been meaning to ask you. I feel awkward.”
She gave him a flat stare. “Mom. As far as you’re concerned. Or Mother.”
“Ooookay . . .”
“Now then, the stew should take a few more minutes to warm up. Why don’t you tell me what is going on?” She swept up the fabric of her dress so she could seat herself without pulling at it.
Jason decided to tell her most of what had happened, but he couldn’t bring himself to talk about the fact he’d raped one of his lab assistants and nearly killed the others. He felt a pang of horror and guilt. He also didn’t mention the rapid enhancement of the nannies. As for the rest, he told her about the experiments, about how the subjects were unable to control the changes in their bodies and were ill-equipped to deal with the feedback they experienced.
She nodded attentively, getting up a couple of times to stir the stew as he tried his best to explain.
He talked about how he could, at last, process the input and keep from drowning in the flood of information; how he could sense people and change them. Jason hesitated here, afraid of the implications of what he could now do, remembering the loss of control and how easily he overcame those around him. She put a hand on his as he explained that he could send his nannies into others, modify their physiology, their minds. Change their emotions even, simply by dialing their hormonal responses to whatever degree he wanted.
Mom looked worried. She squeezed his hand, however, silently letting him know she trusted him.
Lastly, he gave her a brief overview of his torture and escape. He explained, as best he could, how the Techs came for him, and that Tarien had picked him up and brought him here, explaining that he didn’t know why. “I don’t know how he knew about this place. So much for keeping it a secret.”
She listened quietly, finally getting up to spoon his stew into a bowl and hand it to him. After he finished, she stared at him for a long while. “Most of this makes sense. But there are an awful lot of holes here. I can only assume you are leaving information out for a good reason. After all, you have offered no explanation as to how you managed to get out of the prison cell. And there are rather large gaps in how you managed to suddenly control things.” She grimaced. “So, the gist of what I hear from you is this: you have managed to overcome Faust’s biggest obstacle, which is what prevented him from administering the drug. He may lack your innate ability to sense and fine-tune control, but he now possesses the necessary data from you talking to these little robots of yours to learn it for himself.”
Jason nodded. “Yeah. I think he probably won’t wait any longer. He’s been eagerly pushing me for months and his desperation is starting to become extreme. I doubt he’ll wait for the rest of what he wants.”
“Which is?”
“I think he wants me to show him how to force others to do what he wants. To change their thinking and their emotions so they are enslaved to him. I . . . I can’t explain right now, but I have done something horrible. It taught me how I could enslave people. I’ve done it already, but the enslavement is incomplete, and it fades when I’m not physically near the person.”
She frowned. “Have you figured out how to make it permanent? How to make it last when you aren’t nearby?”
He hesitated, then closed his eyes. “I . . . yes. I know how to make it permanent, and to do it more subtly.” Though it made him feel dirty to even think about it. He shuddered at the memory of what he’d become in the apartment. He opened his eyes again and said, “I don’t want to be able to do this. I don’t want anyone to be able to do this.”
Mom clenched her jaw, voicing what he suspected she had been thinking. “This is a very dangerous thing, Jason. You have to prevent him from getting this information.” She picked up his bowl and washed it. “It sounds like I don’t have to tell you, you shouldn’t be doing it either. Ever. It’s evil.”
“I know. I don’t like the idea of it any more than you do. I just don’t know how to stop the inevitable.”
“I guess it explains the absurd change in your looks. I’ve never considered you vain, and you’ve always been a reasonably attractive man, but I guess you have a deep-seated desire to be a pretty-boy.” She looked over his face. “I have to say, I liked you better before. You looked more human. I don’t mean to be overly critical, but it’s the little flaws that make us who we are. You look plastic in how you’ve remade yourself. It doesn’t look right on you.”
“Yeah, I know. My transformation has been an involuntary thing, but I admit it came from a place within. I’ve always wanted to be one of the attractive guys.” He felt a twinge of guilt, knowing part of his looks came from his desire to attract Tarien. “I can change myself back, when this is all over. Right now, I don’t want to expend so much energy. I’m going to need everything I have.” He fiddled with his napkin. “Besides, most people won’t recognize me. The changes co
uld help disguise me.”
She looked skeptical. “Maybe. You still look similar enough. Anyone who knows you will pick up on the changes right away. Monica, for example. The moment she sees you, you won’t hear the end of her mockery. I doubt—” The sound of screaming cut her short.
Tarien let out a terrifying and despairing set of piercing cries which had them both on their feet. Jason ran into the room where Tarien was huddled on the floor against the bed, his hands clutching his head as if to bore into his brain. He continued to scream, not acknowledging either of them as they came to his aid. Terrified and involuntary tears streamed out of his wide, unfocused eyes.
Jason quickly knelt in front of him. “Tarien? What’s wrong?” His voice betrayed his panic.
Tarien blinked but continued to take deep breaths which he exhaled as screams, shaking his head from side to side.
Jason pulled Tarien’s hands away from his head. “Tarien, stop! You’re hurting yourself. Please tell me what’s wrong.” He pulled him in and held him close, putting Tarien’s head against his chest. He stroked his hair comfortingly. Mom knelt beside them and laid her hands on Tarien’s shoulders, massaging gently.
Muffled sobs came from Tarien as he became limp in Jason’s grasp. His hands clenched and unclenched involuntarily. Jason continued to make soothing noises as he stroked Tarien’s hair and back. “Shhh . . . it’s okay. I’m here. We’re right here. Shhh.”
After a while, Tarien’s crying became softer. Weak cries came out of him in quiet whimpers. Mom got up and mouthed the word “tea” as she left the room.
Jason continued to talk to Tarien softly. “I’m right here, Tarien. I’m right here for you and I’ll help you if I can.”
Mom returned and sat on the edge of the bed. “I brought you some hot tea, sweetie. It will help calm you. You just take your time. We are both here and we will help you with whatever you need.” Her voice was comforting, and Tarien responded to it. He made swallowing motions a few times and pulled his head away from Jason. His green eyes looked haunted and Jason felt his heart lurch protectively.
Sector Seven Page 26