Chapter 7

Same day:

John opened his eyes and found Veronyka and Colonel Mason waiting for him just inside the door. John gave Veronyka a wink, before recognizing the officer.

“Spooky?” John rasped. “Wow, I thought your voice sounded familiar!”

“It’s good to see you as well, Pancake.” Mason replied, dryly. “It felt like old times. ‘Always trust the man on the ground.”

“ ... man on the ground!” John chimed in with Mason to finish the phrase. “Thank you for the backup, Colonel.”

“There will be fallout, but you have done more in the last day than our first twenty-five subjects put together. I think I can sell using appropriate military personnel, based on your current success.” Mason informed him.

Veronyka squinted at him. “At the same time? How would we make that work?”

“I, unfortunately would be completely inadequate to the task.” Mason said, deadpan. “You, I believe will find it much easier to figure out.”

“Well ... there might be a way...” She paused in thought, then strode from the room, both men forgotten.

“Replaced by a computer, the wave of the future.” John sighed.

Mason stepped close, using the task of unhooking all the medical leads to speak softly.

“It is my belief that she wishes to join you. Inside.” Mason stated. “Her excitement at your success, each of them, was extreme. Given how real it seems, she may be considering the possibility.”

“You said my body still obeys the movements I make. Would I then have the same physical reaction, if I were to have sex in there?” John wondered.

“I would guess yes, but refrain from suggesting you test it until we know her intentions.” Mason cautioned.

“Good point.” John agreed. “When did you grow a heart, Spooky?”

Mason grunted. He helped John unstrap, and lay down on a gurney. He wheeled John into the recovery suite, and helped him slide into bed. They removed the weights from John’s limbs, and Mason put his prosthetics within reach. John commented that his arms and legs were aching.

“We might want to give you a recovery day. Take a nap,” Mason suggested. “When you wake up, we’ll debrief and formulate a plan going forward.”

“Sounds good.” John agreed, leaning back and closing his eyes.

It was the shouting that woke him up, some time later.

He sat up feeling completely refreshed. There were no clocks in any of the rooms, and they’d already briefed him that mobile devices were not allowed. He had no idea how long he’d slept, but his stomach was sending urgent signals asking for confirmation that his throat hadn’t been cut. He attached all three of his limbs, and got to his feet. It took fifteen minutes in the bathroom to get the damn diaper off, pull the catheter out and clean himself off. He felt gross, but wanted to eat before he took a shower. Or maybe a bath. He must be getting old, because that sounded fantastic.

He wandered into a meeting between an Air Force general and Colonel Mason on one side, and Veronyka, Malcolm, Steve, Mariana, and Johnson on the other. Johnson wore a thunderous expression, while Mariana just looked bored.

Steve was talking to the General.

“ ... John’s got a great point. We should be thinking about using people with military backgrounds. Combat vets. Experience with long-term deployments in places with a hostile population.”

The General looked up at him first.

“Sergeant Morgan, it’s good to see you up and around!” She waved him in.

She stood, and offered him a hand. Her other one clasped his knuckles as they shook.

“I’ve been reviewing footage of your first foray into our little world.” She gushed. “Remarkable job! I wish Doctor Krasnov had recommended you earlier. Here, sit, sit!”

She put him in the chair to her side, with Colonel Mason taking the other as they re-seated themselves.

“She’s right, you know.” Steve remarked. “Nobody else we’ve put in has been able to handle themselves the way you did.”

Johnson snorted. “Yeah, by blowing operational security completely off!”

“What do you think I should have done instead?” John asked, mildly.

“You could have convinced them you were from a part of the world they knew nothing about. You definitely should not have let them know you travel using the stone arches. Now our people are going to be ambushed every time they arrive.” Johnson argued.

“They were going to figure that out, anyway.” John defended. “The only arch for miles around is visible from the village. Besides, why do you care if some computer-generated people know I’m not one of them? It’s just a simulation.”

“It’s not—a”

The General cut Johnson off.

“We don’t know what ways information could leak from doing this. There are aspects we can’t tell you about. I know you understand compartmentalizing, right Sergeant Morgan?”

“Of course.” John agreed cheerfully. “Its kept me alive more times that I probably know. But your plan to pretend I’m a local, frankly sucks.”