Extensis Vitae (18 page)

“Please do. If nothing else, hopefully you can at least find out how much time I have left before this kill switch activates,” Reznik replied.

Hal rummaged around and pulled a small cart out from behind some boxes. Reznik recognized the ancient terminal that had been in the medical bay when he had woken up. They waited while the computer took agonizingly long to boot up.

“This old piece of crap is the only thing that would interface with your cranium. You’ve been on ice a long time, pal. The world has moved along since then.” Hal’s fingers flew over the keyboard as he entered commands.

“Can I plug him in yet?” Myrna asked.

“Sure, go ahead.”

As soon as he felt her plug the cord into the back of his skull, his HUD activated. The words “INTERFACE DETECTED” flashed in the corner of his vision. “ENTER COMMAND AUTHORIZATION CODE” displayed on his HUD a moment later as Hal typed away on the keyboard some more. The words flashed an angry red, and then “INVALID AUTHORIZATION CODE” popped up.

“Oops, it didn’t like that one,” Hal stated the obvious. He typed some more and pulled up a root directory. After a few more commands, he got to the security sub-menu, which scrolled across the old monitor.

R.E.A.C.Tech Heavy Infantry Model Mark VI

Serial Number: 9248792MV09845

***WARNING: SECURITY ACTIVATION SEQUENCE NOT ENTERED.

THIS UNIT WILL EXPIRE IF SEQUENCE IS NOT ACTIVATED WITHIN 14 DAYS!***

Activation Date: 20:43:32 EST, 10 September 2099

Expiration Date: 20:43:32 EST, 24 September 2099

Do you wish to enter your activation code now? Y/N

For assistance please contact R.E.A.C.Tech.

“Well, that’s what we needed to know,” Myrna said with a sigh. “It looks like we have eight more days.”

“So I’ll drop dead at 20:43:32 on the twenty-fourth…nothing like knowing the exact moment you are going to die to mess with your head.” Reznik just stared at the screen.

“Well, look on the bright side, pal—you’ve got eight more days to do whatever the hell you always wanted to do, and fuck the consequences!” Hal grinned.

Myrna cuffed him on the back of the head. “Don’t be such a jackass, Hal.”

“It’s okay,” Reznik said. “He’s right, you know. I can do whatever I want, and to hell with the consequences…”

“We’ll get this figured out somehow. Hal, can’t you hack the code or disable it somehow?”

Hal stroked the scruff of whiskers on his chin. “I really don’t know, guys. I’ve never dealt with these engineered clones before—either the military or commercial models. Hell, we left these things behind on the surface world twenty years ago. Never expected to run across any in here.” Seeing the grim looks on their faces, Hal added, “I’ll try to research what I can, but don’t know if there will be anything useful. The problem is, if I poke around too much in here,” he gestured to the screen, “I could trip some anti-intrusion program and it might activate the kill switch right away.”

“So it’s hopeless, then,” Reznik said. Myrna put her arm around his waist in sympathy.

“I wouldn’t say hopeless,” Hal added. “I think your best bet would be to get up there on the surface and try to find a good hacker. Judging from that ninja bitch down there in lockup—who is probably some sort of combat model herself—there’s bound to be people out there that have the skills.”

***

Rin was focusing on her
ki
during meditation when she heard footsteps outside the door. She opened her eyes and saw Reznik standing in the doorway again, his brow furrowed and a look of anxiety on his youthful face.

“I didn’t expect you back so soon,” she remarked.

Reznik sighed and sat on the floor outside the cell, facing her. “It’s looking like my only option is to find a hacker that can break this kill switch.” He gestured vaguely toward his head. “Do you know any?” he asked bluntly.

She watched him a moment like a cat might watch its prey. “I might,” she allowed. “I think this is about the time where we make a bargain, don’t you agree?”

One corner of his mouth turned up in a half-smile. “I suspected you might say that. Name your terms.”

She locked her eyes with his cool gray ones. “Secure my freedom, and I will escort you to a skilled hacker that I know. He should be able to crack your kill switch. I also need my belongings returned. Once I deliver you there, we’ll go our separate ways.”

“I can’t promise you anything about getting you released from here. I suspect Swanson doesn’t know what to do with you and might be able to be persuaded, but I just don’t know. If I
do
get you released—and assuming your hacker can do what you say he can—I want you to take me to Skin City after that. Once I reach Skin City, your obligation is met and you are free to go.”

“Skin City,” she said in surprise. “That’s a dangerous place, Reznik. Even more so if you go making inquiries after a bunch of newly arrived slaves who will most likely already have new owners by the time you get there. What do you owe those other colonists?”

“Nothing. But that doesn’t mean I can’t try to prevent them from being sold like cattle into whatever miserable fate awaits them there.”

He considered himself honor-bound to help them, she knew. That was something she could respect. “Very well—Skin City it is,” she declared.

He nodded and extended his hand. “It’s a deal, then.”

She gripped his large hand firmly. His grip was strong, but the hand was surprisingly soft for a combat skin. It made sense, though, after she remembered that he had only been re-skinned for less than a week. “Since it doesn’t look like I will be going anywhere, I will await your successful negotiation with Swanson.”

Reznik nodded. “This might be a challenge.” He got to his feet.

“There’s something else you should know: in two or three days, Mason and the other remaining members of Haze’s band are due to return to that other colony. That information might prove useful during your meeting.” Reznik turned back to face her as she continued. “We should ambush them there so we can take their vehicles. It will make the journey much easier.”

“You don’t mind taking out your former crew? Will your token allow you to do that?”

“That’s something we will have to remedy before the ambush. I have no love lost for those scum,” she said darkly.

“That’s a good plan. I can interrogate them and get as much intel as possible.” He was nodding, apparently lost in thought for a moment. “Okay, Rin, I’ll get back to you as soon as I have news.” And with that, he got up and left.

She was beginning to think that she might actually have a decent chance of getting out of there in one piece after all.

Chapter 16

“A
h, Mr. Reznik—it’s fortunate you came by. I wanted to speak with you,” Swanson greeted Reznik as he entered the administrator’s office. “Please, have a seat.” He gestured to one of the plush chairs in front of his desk.

Reznik noticed that the scene outside the huge picture window had changed. Whereas before it had been a lake scene, now it was nighttime in what appeared to be the immaculately trimmed garden of a European palace. Carriage lights lit the pathways, and he could see a multitude of flowers arranged beneath fancifully trimmed bushes. A large marble fountain splashed water into a pool in the background.

Swanson continued, “I seem to find myself short of a captain for my security team—what do you say? Interested?”

“Tempting, sir, but I think I’ll have to pass. I actually came to ask your permission to leave through the back portal and return to Colony 13 again.”

“Why the hell would you want to do that?” Swanson asked with raised eyebrows.

“Well, I thought I might be able to assist you with the security situation over there. As we spoke about in the meeting, the remainder of that outlaw band could return at any time since the breach in the wall is still open. I gained some intel from the prisoner that they intend to return in the next two to three days.”

Swanson stroked his mustache. He leaned farther back in his chair and gave Reznik a hard look. “And I don’t suppose by any chance this would have anything to do with your desire to get rid of that kill switch in your head, would it?”

Reznik looked at him in surprise.
So he knows about it
, he thought.
Did he just find out, or has he known about it all along?

“There’s very little that goes on in this facility that I don’t know about, Mr. Reznik,” Swanson said smugly.

“That is a consideration, I must admit. I was going to propose a bargain: I take care of your remaining outlaw problem and seal the breach if you like, and you allow me to take what I need so I can venture to the surface to try to find a solution to my problem.”

“How do I know that you will hold up your end of the bargain and don’t just take off?” Swanson was definitely interested; Reznik could tell from the look in his eyes.

“I’ll let you know when the job is done. As it is, Datalink signals only seem to reach about half the distance to the other Colony. I can set up some communication relays so I can contact you from there, since there doesn’t seem to be any other way to stay in touch. You’ll just have to take my word that the job is done, unless you want to send someone along to verify. If so, that person will need to keep out of my way, though. I know your crews are eager to get to work over there, so it’s a win-win situation.”

“Done,” Swanson said.
That was easy
, he thought.
But now comes the hard part
.

“Oh, one other thing, sir: I’ll require the assistance of Rin, the prisoner, to accompany me, along with whatever supplies we need.”

Swanson frowned. “And why would I just release my prisoner?” He didn’t seem very surprised by the request, though. “She’s got a lot to answer for, you know.”

“I need her so I can exploit whatever intel she has in order to deal with the rest of this outlaw gang. I figure I can use her to lure them into a trap. If I can convince her to turn against them and help me take them out, then that’s an added bonus. Once the outlaws are dealt with, I will also need her as a guide on the surface. Like the colonists, she was virtually a prisoner herself, and was probably happy to see those thugs put down.”

“I still don’t buy the ‘she was a prisoner’ excuse,” he said skeptically. Reznik could tell he was mulling the offer over, however.

“I know her prisoner claim sounds far-fetched, but from what I’ve researched, it’s highly plausible. This gang leader—Haze—must have used one of those control tokens on her.” He didn’t mention that the token had been in his possession and that he had returned it to Rin. He doubted Swanson would be pleased to hear that. “She’s cooperated with us the entire time since I assured her that she would receive fair treatment. She hasn’t tried to escape or jump any guards or—“

Swanson held up his hand. “I realize that. I’m in a bit of a predicament here, though—I just can’t allow her to walk away. The people would be screaming for justice.”

And you don’t know what to do with her, just as I suspected
, Reznik thought. Aloud, he said, “I could arrange for it to look like she doesn’t survive the upcoming fight. You can use whatever story you like: your judgment is that she redeem herself in combat, or that she be exiled, or even executed.”

“Hmm…you seem to have a knack for politics. Ever thought of becoming a politician?”

Reznik didn’t know if he was being serious or not, but he chuckled. “No sir, haven’t really gotten around to thinking that far ahead.”

“Let’s see, then…” Swanson leaned back in the chair, his hands behind his head, and looked toward the ceiling. “My verdict is that although the prisoner didn’t directly murder, assault, rape, or kidnap any of the victims herself, she is still unwillingly complicit in the crimes of those thugs. By standing aside passively and allowing all of that to happen, I deem her guilty by association. My punishment is exile. If she can assist you on your mission, then fine. Prepare to leave tomorrow, but don’t let word of this get out. I will officially announce my verdict at the appropriate time, which will naturally be after you two are long gone. Once you step out that door, don’t plan on returning here. I would ask that you keep the location of the Colonies a secret from the outside world. This distasteful business has already brought too much harm upon our peaceful lives here. We don’t need to attract any more interest in the Colonies from any outside parties from the surface. Whatever happens up on the surface world is no concern of ours.”