All righty. First I have to say that in lieu of a recent review, I realized that the final paragraph in chapter 9 is a little ambiguous. The person Renfro plans to kill with the hoverdrone is Haskell, NOT Lydecker or Logan...so I've rewritten a sentence or two in that. I could've gone places with that plot development, that is true. Interesting things could have happened. But I've planned too far ahead and written too far ahead to do anything about that now. Well, actually, I could rewrite the next 6 chapters but I'm too lazy and I like most of them too much, hehe. SO YEAH. And now onto chapter 11...
*******
"It's too dangerous for both of us to go," Lydecker stated with a cool sense of finality.
Logan nodded. "I'll agree on that. I'm guessing you'll be the one who's going?"
"Of course," replied Lydecker with a grin. "I know the layout of the place better than I know myself, and we can't count on that third-rate exoskeleton of yours to keep you standing. Speaking of which...it heightens ability for those who can walk on their own, correct?"
Logan eyed his companion suspiciously. Oh, the regret that flooded his senses at that moment...how familiar it was beginning to become. "Correct...why?"
"Well, I was just thinking...if I had such a device at my disposal..."
"No way," Logan interjected. "Get that idea out of your head immediately." The nerve...they become reluctant partners and suddenly Lydecker thinks he can walk all over him. Jesus, that was a horrible way of describing it, considering Logan's physical limitations. He cringed at the thought.
"It would do me (and our mission) a great deal of good to be able to run faster and jump higher than the average Joe, Logan," Lydecker pointed out with an irritated sigh.
"I don't care," insisted Logan. "You're not getting it. I mean, let's say you get caught..."
"I WON'T get caught."
"Well, let's just say the possibility is there, for argument's sake. You get caught, I don't get my exoskeleton back. What am I supposed to do then, hmm? Save for my hacking abilities I'll be completely useless."
Another sigh found its way past Lydecker's lips. "All right, good point. I won't use it." He stood silent for a moment, daring to exercise the possibility of failure. He doubted they'd need it (modesty was not one of his strong points), but it was still a good idea to make a reserve. "Let's keep going with that. On the off-chance that I'm caught, we should have some sort of back-up."
"Without a doubt," agreed the younger man. "I could come get you..."
"...but if they bring me down, you've got no chance in hell of getting past them," the Colonel finished for him.
The anger welled up once again. The same sort that he'd experienced when he and Max had gone to Cape Haven, a toxic concoction of self-resentment and bitter envy. Lydecker probably hadn't meant the statement in such a way, and somewhere within himself he knew it would be true even if he had use of his legs. But it still hurt. It still struck him hard and deep and he felt as useless as he'd pointed himself out to be. He felt like a lousy degenerate, unable to take care of himself or do simple tasks on his own. But acting out on those feelings wasn't going to bring Max back so he stifled them and mumbled a quiet and dejected "right."
"So," Lydecker started, ignoring the sullen state Logan had suddenly fallen into, "I think what should be done is that I'll plan to contact you as soon as I'm clear. Minimal contact should be kept while I'm on task to ensure your safety. If I don't contact you in a few days...three, tops..."
The pause lasted a little longer than Logan could stand. "Yes, you don't contact me, so I..." He gestured impatiently for the older man to continue. Lydecker drew it out a few moments longer, unsure of whether to present the idea that had materialized. He was torn, between wanting to protect everything he'd worked so hard on and wanting to exact revenge while freeing the kids for whom he now supposed he cared too much. He hadn't meant to get this attached...and in that respect he envied Renfro, because she didn't care, and accomplishing the objective was still all that mattered to her. But she was the enemy, and she had done him wrong, and this would be wonderful payback...or a surefire way to get himself and Logan killed. He quickly weighed the pros and cons, and finally decided to throw caution to the wind and suggest it. They probably wouldn't have to go to such extremes, anyway.
"Go public," he stated simply. Logan's jaw dropped. He couldn't possibly mean...
"You can't possibly mean..."
"Yes," he quickly snapped before he could begin the process of changing his mind. "That's EXACTLY what I mean. Go public with Manticore. Do your Eyes Only thing. Alert the masses."
Logan gulped loudly. He couldn't tell whether such permission was a golden opportunity or a one-way ticket to the nearest funeral home. "Is...that wise?" he muttered.
"Probably not," Lydecker admitted, looking just as shocked at his own words as Logan was. "But it might be the only way, and it'll do a hell of a lot of damage. People listen to you, Logan, and they won't stand for something like this. Once they know...it would undoubtedly be Manticore's undoing. With the DNA lab destroyed, the last thing they need is to lose their confidentiality and become the target of every group of radicals out there, from human rights activists to those who are just looking to attain such technology. It would put them on the run, which will open a window, however small, that allows for easier infiltration and escape. Of course, this will last only a day or two at most before they tighten security...but any semblance of a chance is worth taking."
"And if no one believes me?"
Lydecker chuckled uneasily. "They believe everything else you say...why wouldn't they believe this?"
"Well," Logan said, chewing nervously on the end of a random pen, "this is a little more...out there than my usual work."
"What about the hoverdrone scandal?" his partner inquired.
"That was completely different. People expected something like that," Logan explained. "This...this is a whole other story. And...realistically speaking, Eyes Only and his popularity can't last forever. Something like this may be the last straw for some people."
"I think that's a chance we're going to have to take." It was said more like an order than a statement...firm and final. The subject was closed, and a fresh dose of regret coursed through Logan's veins. He knew at this point that however long it was just the two of them, he'd never get the final say. He wasn't working with Lydecker...he was working FOR him. The other day's rant (and the impact it had had) was nothing more than a fluke, probably only allowed because of the hangover. With X-5s on his side, Logan had a sense of power and was able to take control of the situation. By himself, he was just an average rich liberal white guy, no match for an experienced Colonel.
"Okay. So," he said, the pen dropping to his lap. Rather symbolic, he thought. "When are we gonna do this?"
"Tonight."
*******
Tonight.
Something was about to happen. It was felt through and through.
More testing and attempts at reprogramming filled the present, but after tonight that would be no more. After tonight there would be freedom.
That was an exciting feeling, a good one, especially in these days when both emotional and physical pain were all-consuming and anything even bordering on happiness was rare. Even with escape, there would still be guilt and that nagging sense of failure, but so be it. It would probably go away eventually, and if it didn't, selective memory loss could always be attempted again. Or, if that did not work, such emotions could be shifted to the background and imagined not to have ever existed. Yes. It wasn't important now, anyway. What's done is done...the past can't be changed. But it can be used to change the future, and that's precisely what would be done. It would be used as ammunition, more reason to escape, more reason to destroy Manticore. Yes.
Perfect.
Everything would start to go correctly again. After freedom was regained. After tonight.
It was felt through and through.
*******
"It's too dangerous for both of us to go," Lydecker stated with a cool sense of finality.
Logan nodded. "I'll agree on that. I'm guessing you'll be the one who's going?"
"Of course," replied Lydecker with a grin. "I know the layout of the place better than I know myself, and we can't count on that third-rate exoskeleton of yours to keep you standing. Speaking of which...it heightens ability for those who can walk on their own, correct?"
Logan eyed his companion suspiciously. Oh, the regret that flooded his senses at that moment...how familiar it was beginning to become. "Correct...why?"
"Well, I was just thinking...if I had such a device at my disposal..."
"No way," Logan interjected. "Get that idea out of your head immediately." The nerve...they become reluctant partners and suddenly Lydecker thinks he can walk all over him. Jesus, that was a horrible way of describing it, considering Logan's physical limitations. He cringed at the thought.
"It would do me (and our mission) a great deal of good to be able to run faster and jump higher than the average Joe, Logan," Lydecker pointed out with an irritated sigh.
"I don't care," insisted Logan. "You're not getting it. I mean, let's say you get caught..."
"I WON'T get caught."
"Well, let's just say the possibility is there, for argument's sake. You get caught, I don't get my exoskeleton back. What am I supposed to do then, hmm? Save for my hacking abilities I'll be completely useless."
Another sigh found its way past Lydecker's lips. "All right, good point. I won't use it." He stood silent for a moment, daring to exercise the possibility of failure. He doubted they'd need it (modesty was not one of his strong points), but it was still a good idea to make a reserve. "Let's keep going with that. On the off-chance that I'm caught, we should have some sort of back-up."
"Without a doubt," agreed the younger man. "I could come get you..."
"...but if they bring me down, you've got no chance in hell of getting past them," the Colonel finished for him.
The anger welled up once again. The same sort that he'd experienced when he and Max had gone to Cape Haven, a toxic concoction of self-resentment and bitter envy. Lydecker probably hadn't meant the statement in such a way, and somewhere within himself he knew it would be true even if he had use of his legs. But it still hurt. It still struck him hard and deep and he felt as useless as he'd pointed himself out to be. He felt like a lousy degenerate, unable to take care of himself or do simple tasks on his own. But acting out on those feelings wasn't going to bring Max back so he stifled them and mumbled a quiet and dejected "right."
"So," Lydecker started, ignoring the sullen state Logan had suddenly fallen into, "I think what should be done is that I'll plan to contact you as soon as I'm clear. Minimal contact should be kept while I'm on task to ensure your safety. If I don't contact you in a few days...three, tops..."
The pause lasted a little longer than Logan could stand. "Yes, you don't contact me, so I..." He gestured impatiently for the older man to continue. Lydecker drew it out a few moments longer, unsure of whether to present the idea that had materialized. He was torn, between wanting to protect everything he'd worked so hard on and wanting to exact revenge while freeing the kids for whom he now supposed he cared too much. He hadn't meant to get this attached...and in that respect he envied Renfro, because she didn't care, and accomplishing the objective was still all that mattered to her. But she was the enemy, and she had done him wrong, and this would be wonderful payback...or a surefire way to get himself and Logan killed. He quickly weighed the pros and cons, and finally decided to throw caution to the wind and suggest it. They probably wouldn't have to go to such extremes, anyway.
"Go public," he stated simply. Logan's jaw dropped. He couldn't possibly mean...
"You can't possibly mean..."
"Yes," he quickly snapped before he could begin the process of changing his mind. "That's EXACTLY what I mean. Go public with Manticore. Do your Eyes Only thing. Alert the masses."
Logan gulped loudly. He couldn't tell whether such permission was a golden opportunity or a one-way ticket to the nearest funeral home. "Is...that wise?" he muttered.
"Probably not," Lydecker admitted, looking just as shocked at his own words as Logan was. "But it might be the only way, and it'll do a hell of a lot of damage. People listen to you, Logan, and they won't stand for something like this. Once they know...it would undoubtedly be Manticore's undoing. With the DNA lab destroyed, the last thing they need is to lose their confidentiality and become the target of every group of radicals out there, from human rights activists to those who are just looking to attain such technology. It would put them on the run, which will open a window, however small, that allows for easier infiltration and escape. Of course, this will last only a day or two at most before they tighten security...but any semblance of a chance is worth taking."
"And if no one believes me?"
Lydecker chuckled uneasily. "They believe everything else you say...why wouldn't they believe this?"
"Well," Logan said, chewing nervously on the end of a random pen, "this is a little more...out there than my usual work."
"What about the hoverdrone scandal?" his partner inquired.
"That was completely different. People expected something like that," Logan explained. "This...this is a whole other story. And...realistically speaking, Eyes Only and his popularity can't last forever. Something like this may be the last straw for some people."
"I think that's a chance we're going to have to take." It was said more like an order than a statement...firm and final. The subject was closed, and a fresh dose of regret coursed through Logan's veins. He knew at this point that however long it was just the two of them, he'd never get the final say. He wasn't working with Lydecker...he was working FOR him. The other day's rant (and the impact it had had) was nothing more than a fluke, probably only allowed because of the hangover. With X-5s on his side, Logan had a sense of power and was able to take control of the situation. By himself, he was just an average rich liberal white guy, no match for an experienced Colonel.
"Okay. So," he said, the pen dropping to his lap. Rather symbolic, he thought. "When are we gonna do this?"
"Tonight."
*******
Tonight.
Something was about to happen. It was felt through and through.
More testing and attempts at reprogramming filled the present, but after tonight that would be no more. After tonight there would be freedom.
That was an exciting feeling, a good one, especially in these days when both emotional and physical pain were all-consuming and anything even bordering on happiness was rare. Even with escape, there would still be guilt and that nagging sense of failure, but so be it. It would probably go away eventually, and if it didn't, selective memory loss could always be attempted again. Or, if that did not work, such emotions could be shifted to the background and imagined not to have ever existed. Yes. It wasn't important now, anyway. What's done is done...the past can't be changed. But it can be used to change the future, and that's precisely what would be done. It would be used as ammunition, more reason to escape, more reason to destroy Manticore. Yes.
Perfect.
Everything would start to go correctly again. After freedom was regained. After tonight.
It was felt through and through.