Chapter Fourteen

Toshiko and Owen stood there in shock.

"Do you think they used the ship to control him, so they could convert home?" Owen asked

Toshiko was very concerned "What did you find in your blood test?"

"Just a small amount of that metal residue, nothing too alarming"

"Have you still got it?"

"Yeah I hadn't got around to getting rid of it yet"

Toshiko made up a new slide with Owen's blood. The microscopes view came up on the computer screen.

"Oh my god" Owen said horrified "That metals grown and it's attaching itself to the blood cells. But that's just been sitting around, it's not the same as inside me anymore"

"If it's done that sitting in a test tube, just think what it's done in a living breathing body"

Owen was trying to take it all in "No!" Owen screamed at the unfairness of it all "I won't let it happened. I am not turning into a mechanical killer. I'm not losing my life again, not like that, not now!"

His anger rising, he took it out of the equipment on the counter, knocking it to the floor. One of the instruments cut him as he knocked it. The blood glistened with a silver hue in the cut. "You've got to help me Tosh"

"Owen you know I'll do everything I can" she said patching his hand up "Are you starting to show anywhere else?"

"Great, now you want to take my clothes off" Owen joked

He opened his shirt, Toshiko could see a definite shine to his chest.

"It makes sense now" Toshiko said

"Does it?" Owen said doing his shirt up again.

"Of course, someone's recruiting. Who better than young fit men?"

"Does it matter if we're just going to get covered in tin?"

"Yes because it's built around you. I still don't know how they…" Toshiko thought for a moment "Training"

"What?"

"You said your video game was like training. It would explain why it was mainly young males it effects. Have you still got that game with the characters like out friend here?"

"Yeah sure I'll go and get it"

Toshiko had an operating mask on and gloves when Owen came back.

"Isn't that a bit over the top?" He asked handing her the game.

"Not if my suspicions are correct" she said handing him a mask and gloves "We don't want to make things worse"

Toshiko carefully cut a section from the disc.

"Do you have to do that?" Owen objected.

"Owen, if I'm wrong I promise I'll buy you a new one"

Toshiko put it under the microscope.

"Just as I expected" she said looking at the screen "It's impregnated. It must be activated by the reading laser. It warms the particles up enough to release them, anyone in close proximity is infected by them. It's quite brilliant conversion and training in one. Looks like its all down to 'Cyborg Warlord'"

"I bet Eddie got his hands on it before anyone else"

"That would explain why he was so advanced" Toshiko thought for a moment, a terrible thought coming to her "If it's a game it could be global"

"I don't know, I've never seen it advertised and I don't recognised the company who makes it"

"So where did you get it?"

"Can't really remember, it was a spur of the moment thing. I was just looking for something good. It probably was Eddie's place"

"Well let's hope it's just local. Owen what were in those boxes we saw?"

"The games?"

"They weren't 'Cyborg Warlord' were they?"

"Oh bloody hell they were"