NewsNet broadcast 12.05.2082
"Even though the political situation has become somewhat tensed, we advise caution. Any issues concerning the Silence Protocol are being monitored closely by our top scientists. And the continuation of the Protocol is still considered the responsible course of action.
It would be irrational and precipitate to side with those forces that are striving to destabilize conditions further – even if they seem to come from formerly respectable members of our society. It should be remembered that two Councilors have ties to the changeling races that surmount any sensible business relationship. And another Councilor causes concern with his suddenly erratic actions. Being financially successful and having risen to Council ranks at an exceptionally young age from a seemingly ordinary family group, Kaleb Krychek has been a favorite of the populace for some years. According to his family history this story of success might yet lead to an unpleasant outcome.
A conscientious NewsNet reporter discovered that the Krychek family has a history of high insanity and violence rates that almost led to the termination of the family line fifty years ago. The journalist, who – for obvious reasons – likes to stay anonymous, has also been able to verify that the mental stability problems in the genetic line continue to this day. A direct relative of Councilor Krychek is at the time internalized in a facility in St. Petersburg specialized on mental disorders of the most serious kind. Unfortunately the subject is unfit for an interview.
The deterioration of their genetic line can be directly linked to genetic experiments they conducted within the family and without Council authorization. The experiments led to an inability to adopt the Silence Protocol and thus made the entire genetic line a danger to public safety. But not only did they acquire some of the samples illegally; but after their first failed experiments the family repeatedly circumvented prohibition of procreation and passed on their defective genes.
According to leading reticulists the compromised genes may express in a way that causes trouble for our Net structure as well as producing data patterns that may even bleed over to perceptive minds, causing their otherwise perfectly functioning Silence Protocol to falter. Major anchors in the regions Councilor Krychek is frequenting reported a decline in stability directly correlated to the proximity of said individual."
Chapter 54
Leo could sense the old man inside his head. He felt the iron claws that had worked deep into his neural network, taking over everything he was: Every movement, every sensory perception. He'd been trained not to feel, had been informed, that his progress in the Silence Protocol was extraordinary. But right now the strength of his wanting that man out of his head was bordering very hard on emotion. Still it wasn't strong enough. He had to watch helplessly while another mind took control of his body and his every thought.
The intruder himself was so heavily shielded he had never seen anything alike in eight years of Arrow training. He had no chance to get even a glimpse inside the foreign mind. It wasn't necessary anyway. The intruder made no secret of his intentions: He wanted Leo's body and skill to kill. And even though he didn't feel, all Arrows knew the concept of cowardice. And cowards were not to be tolerated.
Boy, I don't care what you think of me as long as you get the job done. Ming's icy voice cut through his thoughts like a razor. That was the first and only time the intruder spoke directly to him.
