Evann struggled to keep his head on straight while Avina spoke to him. Perhaps it was the bad sleep and the pain he’d gone through up until her reveal, but he wasn’t honestly too thrilled with the idea of some computer taking up space in his head. Even worse, she was artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence was a dangerous concept in the modern world. The late Conrad—and the founder of Bastion—worked tirelessly to eradicate any and all traces of artificial intelligence after the fall of the previous world. When the corporations came together, they agreed to never let such a thing come to pass a second time. Such programs were too dangerous, too independent, too unpredictable. Avina’s existence was… troubling.
“Hey, sorry to interrupt you,” Evann said, “but are you sure there’s no way to turn you off?”
“We have been through this. Such things are beyond my current capabilities,” Avina said.
“So, that means you might be able to later on?”
A brief silence passed. “It is possible.”
Her silence was all he needed. It was clear the two of them were going to be together for the foreseeable future. Keeping this under wraps from Centurion wasn’t going to be easy. The slightest misstep, and they may ask to have his implant examined—and they’d have complete legal right to do so. But with her coming from before the collapse, then it was possible he could be killed just for his knowledge of her.
He’d have to keep her hidden.
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he shut his eyes. Everything seemed brighter, sounded louder. Normally this would occur after a night of heavy drinking, not because of a stroll through the park. Avina said something, but he ignored it and parked himself on the edge of a nearby fountain. Children screamed and laughed behind him, and for a moment he was envious of their situation.
Take it easy. One step at a time, he reminded himself.
“Evann. Evann. Your heart rate has increased. Please respond.”
“Yeah, yeah, I hear you,” he sighed. “Blanked for a moment.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Evann raised his brow, then whispered, “It’s going to look strange if I keep talking to myself. You realize that, yeah?”
“I do. Please refrain from speaking too loudly. Your current level of volume is adequate for communication. If you can hear it, there is a strong chance that I can as well.”
“Gotcha.” He ran a hand through his air. The thought of a smoke sounded equal parts awful and enticing right now. Chances were that it’d just make him feel worse, though, so he shook his head.
“You are shaking your head. Why?” Avina asked.
“We’re going to have problems real quick if you’re going to ask why I do something every time I do it.”
“I apologize, but I wish for clarification so I can understand you better.”
Evann straightened his posture and looked around to see if anyone was listening. Then he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Then he whispered, “I want an explanation to what you were saying earlier. About what you are.”
“Very well. I will detail what I know. Please keep in mind that, as I expressed earlier, many of my files are corrupted. Some details may not be available.
“I come from before the collapse. While my program did not exist, my main blueprint is derived from those that came before me. The man who found me recognized the significance of my program and spent considerable time to adjust it to resemble his daughter. I am what remains of his work.”
Evann rubbed his hands together. A tingling sensation pricked his fingertips, and he hated it. It felt like something shocked him numerous times. “Go on.”
“I have little more to say. As I explained prior, I have few files regarding how the man intended to design me. As time goes on, however, you may find that my personality may shift in ways that are unexpected. Please bear with me when that happens.”
“I think I’d prefer that to what I’m talking to right now,” Evann chuckled.
“Your tone suggests that I am unpleasant to speak to.”
“You could say that.” He shook his head. “Forget it. I need some sleep.” He stood up and brushed the dirt from the back of his pants. “If you can’t unhear me, can you do me a favor and stay silent until I say so? I need some quiet time.”
“If that would bring you peace, then I will do as you say. I have little choice in the matter.”
“Great. Let’s make a little code word, then. When I say, ‘AV,’ you can speak however you like. If I say, ‘AV off,’ then you stop talking. Are we clear?”
“Your militaristic background is evident. These are terms that I find acceptable.” A girlish giggle followed. Weird. “AV. Like a nickname. I like it.”
Evann rolled his eyes. “AV off.”
And with that, silence was his once more. He breathed a sigh of relief and kicked a nearby rock into the pit beside him where others lay. He pocketed his hands, leaving his thumbs out, and tapped them against his belt in thought. As much as he liked to believe that he and Lara could be a bit more candid with one another than the average SPECTRE-Commander relationship, this went well beyond lost information and stolen blueprints being sold by black market traders.
Lara could easily have him imprisoned, researched, or worse. Centurion would be well within their rights as well. Depending on what he told her and what she chose to believe, Lara could see it as a method to undermine or destroy Centurion from within. Equally stressful was the idea that Avina could infiltrate their systems. If they discovered Avina in their systems for even a moment, then it would be a death sentence.
He hated this.
---
By the time Evann woke up, it was three in the morning. He reached for the phone on his bedside table, turning it around for any messages. Nothing. He put it back down and buried his face into the pillow. Chiaki’s scent was still there. It was a fat chance, but maybe he’d dreamt of everything else after their first night on the town.
Stolen novel; please report.
“AV,” he muttered.
“Hello, Evann,” came Avina’s voice.
Of course not. The memory of her and the events leading up to her were too clear, too detailed to be a dream. Hell, he’d even remembered the code word.
“You’re still here,” he mumbled.
“Where else would I be?”
So, she’d gotten a little snarkier. That was a good sign, right? More human, more relatable. Maybe. He turned over so he lay on his back. “I expect you to keep up your end of the bargain.” He hadn’t intended on it sounding like a threat. Or maybe he did. He was struggling to make much sense of his situation, and Avina was the cherry on top of the shit sundae.
“I expect you will be most satisfied with what I can offer you, if allowed the opportunity.” She giggled. It was a bit more feminine than before, but still had that robotic echo to it. “Rely on me.”
“I don’t think I’ll go that far,” Evann said as he threw the covers off and marched toward the shower in his boxers. He paused before undressing. “AV off.”
Silence.
Even if Avina could see everything, at least he could avoid the peanut gallery while he took care of himself. Shit, this was going to complicate things, especially when he is trying to spend some quality alone time with a woman. Now he had a voyeur to worry about. He pictured Avina’s voice cheering him on while getting intimate, and he rocked his lower jaw, irritated.
Damn it.
He undressed himself with apprehension and cleaned up. The phone rang halfway through his shower, and an alert echoed against the walls of the room to let him know a message had been left. Once he was finished, he walked over to his phone to see one missed message from Centurion. As before, the message stated, ‘Presence Required.’ Beads of water dripped off the tips of his hair and onto the floor as he stared.
Whatever they needed him for, Avina would be a part of.
---
Evann marched through the halls of the Centurion headquarters, making his way up the elevator until it came up to Lara’s floor. The elevator dinged, and he drew a deep breath before getting off. He was dressed in his civilian clothes in hopes that whatever Lara wished to talk to him about wasn’t terribly important. Though, of course, he knew he was just lying to himself.
“Your heart rate has increased substantially,” Avina said, causing him to flinch. “Try to remain calm. It is not possible for her to detect me.”
Evann knocked on the door. “AV off.” He whispered.
“Come in,” came Lara’s voice.
Evann opened the door, shutting it behind him. He offered her a crisp salute, standing at attention. “You wanted to see me, ma’am?”
“At ease,” Lara said. Evann relaxed and placed his arms behind his back. “I wanted to discuss a couple of matters with you.” The chair squeaked as she adjusted to face her desk sideways. She was wearing a glossy white vest over her button-up shirt. She’d tied her hair into a thick bun, errant strands hanging over her face. “Please, take a seat.”
“If it’s all the same to you, ma’am, I’d prefer to stand. I’ve been feeling restless as of late,” Evann said honestly.
Lara paused. “Suit yourself.” She stood and walked over to the window, looking out over the grand city. She crossed her arms, and Evann caught her looking at him through the reflection in the glass. “My team brought back a report yesterday detailing what happened on your prior mission.”
Evann waited. He needed to be careful not to offer information which wasn’t asked for.
“There were remnants of strange data,” Lara continued, turning and offering him a sideways stare. “Disturbing information, really. I wanted to know if you’ve been experiencing anything strange.”
“Can you explain what you mean by that?” Evann asked, cursing himself for the question. He was usually blunter, asked fewer questions.
Lara raised a brow. Was she on to him? “Have you been experiencing any abnormalities with your implant?”
“No, ma’am. None whatsoever.” Playing a careful balance of prompt but calm was proving to be more difficult than usual. Turns out he wasn’t too great at hiding things. He wanted to ask her if it was relevant to anything she’d discovered, but abstained on the off chance that she may find him acting suspicious.
Lara stared at him for a time, and he stared back. “Good. Your suit featured some glitches, but the team has reassured me that it was back in working order.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“With that said, please let me know if anything else occurs that you find, hmm, strange.”
“Can you explain what you mean by that?”
Lara hummed. “SPECTRE.” She closed the distance between them in a few long strides, stopping mere inches away from him. Looking up at him, her sharp eyes bore into him like a pair of daggers. Despite his best attempts, she was an intelligent woman. Fortunately, he had the edge, so long as he kept his mouth shut and Avina did as she was told. Lara could poke and prod him all day, but it would prove useless if she couldn’t hear Avina. “I expect you know what I mean. Glitches, malfunctions, tingling sensations. Any of these things could be evidence of a larger problem. I want to be sure that you are in good health. Do you understand?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Evann nodded. “I’ll let you know if anything comes up.”
Lara continued to stare at him in that unnerving way, then blinked away a sigh. “Good.”
Is she actually worried about me? Something spooked her if she’s acting like this.
She rounded her desk, and Evann watched her feminine features shift and move with her business skirt. It was a brief look, but he liked what he saw. He shook his head while her back was turned, admonishing himself for looking at her that way. This was his commander, and that was exceptionally inappropriate.
“I am hesitant to send you on this next mission after what just happened,” Lara said with a strangely quiet and concerning tone.
“I am a SPECTRE, ma’am. Dangerous jobs are my livelihood,” Evann said mechanically.
“I understand that,” she spat, “but you are still recovering from one of the more dangerous jobs we’ve sent you on.”
“May I be candid?” he asked. Lara nodded, and he continued. “I encountered nothing in there that warranted danger. By the time I arrived, all of the traps and tricks had been disarmed or triggered. All I did was attempt to retrieve the data within. The prior SPECTRE is to be applauded for his efforts. If I had gone in his place, it’s likely I wouldn’t be standing here.”
It was the truth. Mostly, anyway. Judging from what he’d seen of the firefight, the prior SPECTRE hadn’t watched where he stepped. Likely distracted by his target and didn’t take into account the possibility of a trap. Even so, it didn’t change the fact that Evann was not responsible for the success of this mission. Any goon could’ve gone down there and did what he did.
“Do not undermine your efforts, SPECTRE,” Lara warned.
“I’m trying to be pragmatic, ma’am.”
Lara hummed, then took a seat. “Fine. Your next mission will involve stealth.” She unfolded her laptop and went through a number of keystrokes before continuing. “You cannot be found out. Discovery will mean the death of the target, and we prefer to take him alive.”
“Understood. Will this mission involve a capture, then?”
Lara nodded. “Yes. The man’s name is Matthew Kramer. We suspect he’s responsible for many of our designs falling into the wrong hands. It’s taken considerable effort to locate him. You will get close to him, take him to a secluded area, then strike him with a tranquilizer dart. We will handle the rest.”
Evann frowned. “My apologies for my forwardness, ma’am, but this mission doesn’t sound like it requires the expertise of a SPECTRE.”
“He’s guarded twenty-four seven and is extremely cautious.” She shook her head. “Separating him from his goons will be difficult.”
“The man has to go home sometime.”
“That’s the problem,” Lara sighed, “his business is his home.”
Evann’s frown deepened. “Ma’am, who is this person?”
“Matthew Kramer is the director of Sorts of Ports Incorporated, one of Centurion’s business partners for distributing implants and other essential hardware.”
The realization hit him. Sending a squad up to capture him was out of the question. It would damage the reputation between Centurion and Sorts of Ports. The political discourse and partnership would be muddied, and the other corporations could use this to their advantage.
“The picture is coming together,” Evann said.
Lara nodded. “You see our dilemma, then.”
“Yes.”
“Good. The location will be provided to you before the mission takes place. There is no determined time for this mission’s completion, however your pay will be greater if you can get it done sooner rather than later. You’ll be provided with your combat suit, a briefcase for your belongings, and a badge to let you inside the building. We have an insider who can create them as needed. Make sure you remember the name on your badge.”
“Will do, ma’am. Is there anything else?”
Lara shook her head. “No, SPECTRE. Return to your quarters for the rest of the day. We will call you when your interview is to take place.”
Evann saluted, then exited the room, carefully shutting the door behind him. He’d expected Avina to make a comment on his way to the elevator, but she was quiet. When he was inside the elevator, he whispered, “Avina, can you hear me?”
“Yes.”
She’d listened. Not a peep. Perhaps this would be easier than he thought.
