Integer Blue: Alpha Core Saga, #4

By Vikki Romano

With the loss of their leader, the Crewe team is forced to regroup and focus on what awaits them and decide how to move on with their new leadership in place.

New faces and skills are introduced at a critical time, but will it be enough to get them through the struggles that lie ahead?

They may think they have subdued the beast, but it's the worst time to turn their backs. Anything can happen when lives are on the line.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chaotikinetic Press
• Release date: Apr 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393962625

Vikki Romano

My love for sci-fi goes way back to my childhood. I mean, who didn’t love movies like Tron and Terminator when they were a kid? Or great oldies like WarGames? I grew up in the advent of technology and rode the wave of the dot com lifestyle in my 20s. It was a wonderful time to be alive, to see where tech could go. Being involved in the field as a database admin and then later as a hardware tech and web designer, I had my fingers in all of it and I loved what it was all about. In college, I was a true cyberpunk and gloried over works by Gibson and Dick. I reveled in the hackers manifesto like a warrior and actually prayed for a world like BladeRunner. They were very cool, hyper-energized times we were in and it gave me scores of ideas and hands-on experience to dump into my work. Now, years later, I am still amazed at what technology and science have continued to churn out.  Dystopian worlds are not far off, and with my techie past, I have more than enough ammo in my brainpan to fill many more books.  And many more shelves.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Becca McKenna stood in the middle of the room, tablet in hand, her eyes scanning the area intently.  It was a wreck.  Broken furniture strewn everywhere, what was left of it, and battered walls revealed the old structure beneath, its wires dangling like torn veins.

They’ve made a real mess of this place, haven’t they? she asked, turning as her brother came into the room, carefully stepping over downed drywall and jagged lumber.

I figured it was a good stress relief to let the team have at it after everything we’ve been through, Calder said, picking up a broken coffee mug, then tossing it onto the heap behind him.  So, when will work start?

They’ll come and clean all this out tonight and start construction tomorrow, she said, handing him her tablet.  I need you to sign off on the blueprints.

Calder took the tablet and scrolled through the layouts, turning them, zooming in and out to get a better perspective.

Were you able to secure the puro board I asked about? he asked as he signed the tablet with

his finger and handed it back to her.

No, I got a better deal on fibrorock instead.  Much better insulation and offers the sound proofing and signal buffers you requested in the first walk thru.

Good, he said, nodding.  I want to make sure this place is sturdy down to its bones this time.

It will be, she said, tapping at the tablet.  I wouldn’t have taken the contract if I didn’t think I could do a better job.

Calder squeezed his sisters’ shoulder and gave her a sure smile as he moved past her, stepping gingerly through the debris.  It looked as if the place had been the center of a nuclear detonation.  They’d packed up the equipment they wanted to keep and moved it to a secured storage facility, sold off what they didn’t want, and

then Calder gave the staff three weeks off.  They deserved that.  After the handful of nail-biting months dealing with GenMed, they deserved that and more.

Headquarters needed to be rebuilt long before he accepted his job there.  More security needed to be added, and the offices needed an upgrade.  Everything was outdated and drab.  With some of the tech guys working massive overtime on projects, he wanted it to be more comfortable for everyone involved.  He wanted his team eager to return.  He

wanted this to be their second home.

The money Gage left allowed him to make the changes needed.  He’d given Cooper a huge budget and offered him the chance to redesign the lab and order whatever he wanted for the team.  Giving a tech lead a wad of cash to go window shopping was dangerous, but he knew Cooper would only choose what was necessary, and it would be cutting edge.  And that’s what he wanted.  Cutting edge.  Lethally sharp.

He made his way down what was left of the hallway to the old conference room.  The furniture was still there, and Calder sat, slowly running his hands over the smooth wood of the table.  He’d spent many tense hours in this room.  He was sure many more were to come if the increase in contract proposals he’d been seeing was any sign.

Calder? His sister’s voice turned his head and he swiveled in the large leather chair to face her.  There’s someone here to see you, a young woman.

A young woman?

Yeah, she said she didn’t have an appointment or anything, but that it was urgent that she speak to you.

Calder raised his brows.  He wasn’t expecting anyone, and the offices weren’t even open for business at the moment.

Do you want me to bring her back here to see you?

Yeah, I guess, he said with a shrug, then stood and leaned in the doorway.  A few moments later, a young woman in a dark green leather bike jacket turned the corner, stepping haphazardly over the debris until she looked up to see him standing there.

Mister McKenna? she asked, her voice clipped as she wrung her hands in front of her.  Her stiff posture and pale complexion was a huge tell for him and he approached her tentatively.

Yeah, I’m McKenna, how can I help you?

She came to stand a few feet from him, smoothed her palms over her jean-clad thighs then held out a hand to him.

I’m Saskia Briton, she said with a nervous smile.

Calder shook her hand as he took in her face. She was young, maybe twenty-six, with short cropped blond hair and blue eyes that competed with the dark circles beneath them.  Nope, he didn’t know her.

He cocked his brow as he released her hand, then crossed his arms over his chest, his gesture prompting her to speak again.

I... wow, how do I start this... she muttered, shifting her weight away from him.

He could see she was flustered so he waved her into the room, pulling out a seat for her.  Dropping into the seat across the table, he relaxed and gave her a nod, leaning his forearms onto the expansive wood

surface.

Why are you here?  That’s a good place to start, he said with a smirk.

I heard you were the guys who took down GenMed, is that true? she blurted out, her cheeks pinking as her eyes darted up to meet his.

True or not, it wasn’t common knowledge.  Once Jonathan Weller was carted out of GenMed with smoke pouring from his ears, the media tried to break the story, but failed.  Sierra and Calder escaped the scene unnoticed before anyone caught wind of what transpired.  GenMed insiders kept it off the front page while those in the lower ranks tried to stop the company from crashing and burning without Weller at the helm.

Who told you that? Calder asked, his smirk disappearing.

Saskia chewed her lip and looked around the room.  Was she looking for cameras? Her body language screamed of her tension and was making his nervous in turn.

Let’s just say I know, she offered cautiously, looking back to him.

Calder shook his head slowly.  He wasn’t buying it.  Someone had to have told her.

That’s not something you just know, he said, sitting back, taking in every inch of her, taking note of everything about her from the quality of her jacket to the haggard pale of her face.

"So, it was you?" she said with excitement, and then her smile faded as she took in his lack of mirth.

I’m not confirming or denying, Calder offered blandly.  I just want to know where you heard that.

Saskia stuck her hand in her pocket, twisting her mouth as she fished around, then pulled out a plastic card and slid it across the table to him.  The GenMed logo jumped out at him as he picked it up to look at it.

You work there.... he said, then looked back to the card.  It just gave her name and employee number, no other info.  The holographic image of her face moved in a small square at its corner.  She was much thinner now, and her eyes had lost their spark.  Yet another victim at their hands.

I do, she said with a grimace.  They’re trying to clean up the mess, but I don’t see it staying solvent once all of Weller’s dirt gets out.

Dirt?

About the implants, she said, tapping her head.  They were never meant to go residential.  Once the investigation gets rolling, I’m sure they will find some pretty damning evidence.

He tossed the card back, sending it spinning across the table toward her, then he stared up at her.

What do you know about the implants? he asked, heat prickling his scalp.

Everything, she said flatly. I’m one of the leads on the development team.

Calder felt all the breath leave his body and his throat went dry.

Why are you here, Saskia? he asked, his voice raspy.

I want to help you guys, I need to do something to help.  I hated that project.  Hated everything about it, and now that Weller isn’t around to threaten me, I can do something good with the knowledge I have.

Weller threatened you?

She chuckled dryly.

He threatened everybody.  Especially the development team.  Gave us horrendously impossible projects with equally impossible deadlines.  In the beginning it was all about keeping to the military contracts, but after a while, we realized there was more to what we were doing.  By the time we figured that out, we were in too deep.

So why didn’t you stop what you were doing instead of helping him?

A couple of techs did.  He made sure we all knew what repercussions they faced with their decision.

Repercussions?

Oh yeah.... faulty brakes caused one tech’s death.  I think the other was a leaky gas line at his home.  Either way, we all knew disobeying Weller marked you for termination of the fatal variety.

Calder gritted his teeth as her admission brought him back to the information he read through

after Gage died.  These fatal terminations were the

reason Gage got involved in the first place.  His investigation determined that Weller had screwed with his aircar.  Gage’s wife and son died in a tragic accident because she was on one of the development teams and tried to leave the company. Yes, Weller was an evil prick, but this just verified it.  Gage’s theory wasn’t a delusion.

What about his father? Calder asked, tamping down his now simmering anger.  He started the whole project.  What happened to him?

Dead.  There were rumors that his cortex was preserved at the data trust, but I don’t know how true that is.  From what I remember, he was out of it before Junior took over.  Some form of degenerative brain disease.

You’d think they would have had you design something to help him, another implant, Calder offered offhandedly.

It was the implant that caused the disease, she said.  Neural magnetic erosion.  That’s why so many of the test subjects died.  The implant is covered in a special coating to stop rejection, but some people’s chemistry worked against them and basically absorbed the unit.  Destroyed their brains.

Calder inhaled sharply, the air burning the back of his throat.  He could hear Jordan’s voice echoing in his mind, telling him that his body had absorbed his implant.  It had become a part of him.  Melded with him.

So... how do you think you can help?

Are you admitting it was you who finally put that bastard in the ground? she asked, leaning toward him, crossing her arms on the table.

No, it wasn’t me... but I was there, he admitted.

How did you do it?  He had an implant, you know.  A new one with really cranked up proficiencies.  I’m surprised you got out alive.

It wasn’t easy, but my partner has a new unit.  Let’s just say she knew how to use hers a lot better than he used his.

"She?’  Saskia asked, her brows shooting up.

Yeah, does that surprise you? Calder asked leaning back in his chair.

Most of our testing proved that male genetics had a lower rejection ratio than females. A lot less.  After several female losses, we stopped using them.

Hearing her speak of people they lost as if they were mere test subjects made his gut burn.

Using them.  There’s a good term, he said, scowling at her.

Sorry. Occupational habit.  Trust me, I despised that work and luckily only had to see data.  I could never stomach seeing them get tested.

But it was done.  To people.  You know, human beings who died being forced to become robotic zombies?  I can assure you the ones who didn’t die prayed they would.

Saskia stared at him across the table, her fingers fidgeting uncomfortably.

You’re him, aren’t you? she asked suddenly, her voice tight.

Him?

00421.

Hearing those numbers sent a shock beneath his skin.  The last time he heard them, Sierra was trying to kill him.  That was what these implants did to people.  All he could do was nod numbly.

What is that, some kind of serial number? he asked.

It was your maker number.

My maker number?

Yours was the fourth series, twenty first implant manufactured.  That in and of itself isn’t significant, but you became legend among the technicians.

I’m flattered, he said coldly. Why was I a legend?

Once you came online the second time, we were getting a string of data from you.  Amazing data.  Stuff that was off the charts compared to everyone else we tested.

In a better world, that kind of information would have thrilled the competitive part of him, but it didn’t now.  For months he felt as if he were being watched and she just admitted he was.  By techs in a lab.  Like a lion in a cage.

Even Sierra? he asked, his eyes narrowing.

Sierra?

Calder faltered a moment, his buzzing brain grasping at numbers, forcing him to repeat them.

11295, he said dispassionately.

11295? she asked, her voice clipped.  That’s your partner?

He nodded, grinding his teeth.

And she’s alive? Saskia asked, the pitch in her voice going up an octave.

Of course, she’s alive, Calder bit out.

Saskia let out a breath and gave him a nod.

I had no idea.  She came up on a few of our scans, but every time there was a connection, it would be erased.  We were told it was classified and that Weller himself was controlling the data.  I had no idea 11295 was a woman.  That’s awesome.

Calder inhaled, trying to calm himself.

I would prefer you didn’t speak about her as if she were a lab rat.  That really pisses me off, he said, glaring at her.

Saskia blanched and let out a breath of her own, nodding her head quickly.

"Sorry.  You have to understand, I only saw the backend.  Reading your code and... hers, it was monumental.  Like offering

the keys of a jet to a kid.  I mean, giddy stuff.  Yours was unique, like nothing I’d ever worked with before, and it was thrilling to see your reactions and timing changes as you moved, but hers...  I mean, wow.  I only saw glimpses of her data before Weller

deleted it off our logs, but it was like nothing I’d ever seen before.  I thought for sure it was a prototype program that hadn’t been uploaded yet."

What do you mean?

The OS running your implant is unique to you.  As hers is to her.  The basics are all the same, the functionality the same, but the minute it’s uploaded to a live cortex, an actual unit, your brain calibrates it.  That’s the beauty of the program really.  There are nanocircuits that react to your brain’s frequencies.  They change based on your chemistry and how your brain’s circuitry fires.  Your brain’s electrical current links to the implant and becomes a part of it.  The OS was developed to not only accept that but require it.  Encourage it.

So why was Sierra’s so extraordinary?

Because, well, how do I explain this... Saskia looked up at him, rubbing her forehead in her hand.

I’m a fairly sharp guy, I can probably follow along, Calder offered with some derision, giving her a smirk.

Saskia licked her lips nervously, then with a nod, continued.

"Even though your readings were awesome, they still followed the usual processing path.  I mean, the way the OS works, evolves, it’s the same for every unit.  Even though the evolution is pretty organic to each, the sequence of how things change in the implant takes the same course.  Like A to B to

C.  But hers?  It was like A to Q to G.... it had a mind of its own and didn’t follow any protocol.  Perhaps that was because it was a new prototype that Weller implemented and hadn’t told us about, but I would think the changes would follow the same patterns and they didn’t."

A while back, when Sierra was in some sort of maintenance mode and Weller was controlling her, forcing her to get aggressive with me, she told me she was Alpha Core version 1A239. Module subsect 2B.  Does that have any significance?

Saskia quirked her head, then sat back and tapped her cuff, her fingers moving on the small screen that illuminated her wrist.

1A239 isn’t even on my list. she said, looking back to him.

That would make sense if Weller was keeping it a secret.

All the more reason you need me, she said with certainty.

Calder nodded slowly, considering what she could mean to the team, as well as the negative aspects of her being from GenMed.

About that, you still haven’t told me why you’re here.

I want out, she said, looking up at him, her stare direct.  Now that GenMed is in an upheaval, it would be easier, but there are still people in charge that I don’t trust.

So, you want me to offer you asylum?  Calder asked with a chuckle, but Saskia didn’t crack a smile.

Something like that, she said, then looked away for only a moment, collecting her thoughts.  "The minute I leave, I’ll need a safe place to stay, and I’ll have to ditch my bike because I’m

afraid they’re going to tamper with it.  Having security behind me would allow me to sleep at night."

And what do I get out of all of this? he asked, leaning his elbows onto the arms of his chair.

Me, she offered simply.  I’m one of the lead engineers.  I’m an AI programming specialist there.  I have spec copy, understand the implant coding, and know many of their secrets.  I can help you to completely stop them from a rebirth.

Calder leaned forward again and steepled his fingers beneath his chin as he considered what she was saying.  Cooper would have to check her out first, that was vital.  He trusted no one from GenMed and they didn’t need another bad incident after what they dealt with already.  But he was good at reading people and she was scared.  She wanted out and feared for her life.  He could feel it pouring off her in waves.  He understood that feeling completely.

OK, Calder said, standing.  Get your things in order there.  Don’t let on that you’re leaving.  Once everything’s set on this side and I have a safe place for you, we’ll work out your exit... discreetly.

She stood and gave him a relieved smile.

Thank you.  Let me give you my number so you can contact me.  It’s a secure encrypted line, so you’re good, she said, then swiped her cuff and tapped it against his wrist when he held it out.

Keep in touch, and if you run into any trouble, anything at all, let me know, he said, gesturing her out of the room.

I will, she said with another nod of her head.

He held her by her elbow and helped her over the debris and back to the front of the building where he watched her throw a leg over a highly modified street bike before she sped off into traffic.

Who was that? Becca asked, coming up behind him.

Trouble, he said with a shake of his head.

CHAPTER TWO

Cooper Nelson leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head, arching his back until he felt it pop.  Stretching his neck, he leaned forward and scrubbed his fingers through his hair with a yawn.  This sabbatical, while seriously needed, was starting to wear him thin.  He wasn’t one to sit idle, and he couldn’t remember the last vacation he took that didn’t include some kind of tech conference.

Rubbing his eyes, he stood from his desk and with another yawn, tapped the bud at his ear and rang Calder.

Hey, Calder answered.

Hey, I did the trace you asked me to do for that new hire, Cooper said, heading to his kitchen.

How does she look?

Well, I think she’s hot, but that’s just her resume, Cooper said with a chuckle.  She looks clean.  There are a few things I want to check out on the underground side though, something seems familiar about her and I don’t know what it is.

Something good or bad? Calder asked, and Cooper shook his head, chewing his lip.

"Not sure.  I don’t think it’s bad because I would’ve remembered that.  She may have an alias, a

handle she uses in tech that isn’t on her resume, not that it would be.  There are a few people I can check with to confirm my suspicions, but I wouldn’t worry about it."

All right, Calder said.  I have a place lined up for her, near you actually.  The building is on our radar, so it’ll be safe.  We’ll need to go in and make sure she’s set up to be on our system.

Standard setup? Cooper asked.

You tell me, she’ll be on your team, so set her up with whatever you think she needs.  You should still have a chunk left in your budget to get her some new gear.

OK, will do.  How about you, do you need any new gear? Cooper asked, grabbing a carafe of juice before closing the fridge.

Nah, the usual will be fine.  Even with the implant, you know I’m not a big tech geek like you.

How awful is that? Cooper asked with a laugh.  Tech that hot in your head and you don’t even appreciate it.

Goodbye Cooper, Calder said with a laugh and the call was disconnected.

Cooper took a swig of his juice, then tapped his bud again, wandering across the room to gaze out the window before the call connected.

Richard, it’s Coop, he said, leaning his forehead against the window.

Hey, wow, don’t see you for years and now you keep popping up.  Is this a good sign?

For you maybe, he said with a laugh.  How’ve you been?

Good, saw the news a few weeks ago about GenMed.  Nice job.

Yeah, that was a rough one.  Wish I could say I had more to do with their demise, but I can’t.

I’m sure you had a hand in it, Richard said.

I think my hands will always be in it.  I can’t wipe that shit off.

Yeah, I’m sure that feeling will linger for a while.  You must be happy it’s over though.

Not sure it’ll ever be over.  There’s a lot of fallout we have to deal with, Cooper said, then shook his head.  I mean, the company is still around, not like they're gone entirely.

Richard sighed audibly as Cooper took a seat on a stool at his kitchen island.

I’m actually calling for a reason.  Need to run a check on someone, make sure they’re clean.  She’s an ex-GenMed tech that Calder’s looking to hire, and I want to make sure she’s not one of them like she claims.

Ex-GenMed?  You’d really want that on your crew? Richard asked.

I checked out her resume and her work.  She’s legit and she’s sharp.  We could use someone like her on the crew.  She also has inside knowledge of the implants that Calder and Sierra have, so that will definitely be helpful down the road.

"Not afraid she’ll outsmart you down that

road?" Richard asked, and Cooper frowned.  He’d

never been self-conscious about his technical skills.  Never wondered if anyone would outsmart him because it wasn’t in him to care one way or another, but something about Richard’s comment struck a nerve.

I checked all her stats and she seems a good match.  Never got any blips on her career, no mention of insubordination, so I don’t see why that would start now, especially since she’s looking to get away from them.

You always were the trustworthy sort.  If you feel she’ll be an asset, I’ll check and make sure your instincts are correct.  Let me run some reports for you on my end and I’ll get back to you.

Great, thanks, I’ll send her resume over in a second.  Talk to you soon, Cooper offered and disconnected the call.

He turned then and stared out into his kitchen blankly.  Was he too trustworthy?  He’d always gone by his gut when it came to people, but if he was too trusting, perhaps his gut was wrong?  He’d never found himself in any dangerous situations where that was true, but things being as they were, he realized he needed to be a bit more discerning now. A bit more cautious.

GenMed was bad news.  They’d always been bad news, and outright trusting an ex-employee was precarious.  His check of her was thorough, of that he

was sure, and she had no marks against her. 

Hopefully Richard wouldn’t find anything either because they could use a mind like hers on the team.  If she proved herself to be true to her word, she’d be more than an asset.  She’d be a gift.

Going back to his desk, he sat and set his fingers to the keyboard. In a few quick strokes, her info was sent off to Richard for his scrutinization, but something ate at the back of his mind

about this woman.  Something about her past.  She’d worked with a lot of top firms, but she seemed to be a background player regardless of her skill