Chapter 2 Sleeping impertinent

 Exactly as GX promised, it was pretty easy to both enter the facility and the ventilation system, just by following the path that was already selected for me. While it was an important facility not even forty years ago, with most of their guests being woken up in the last century, security was super lax. I guess it was also thanks to my wealthy criminal Patron.

On the outside, it was a standard-looking white building, following the style of the time it was built, similar to old hospitals I saw in ancient photos, and it was designed as one on the inside too. Of course, it wasn't like I would be able to enter right from the front door, go to the now desolate information/ reception point and ask to be guided to the right cryo-bed. Instead, I entered from a fire door, conveniently broken by the time I arrived, and was able to enter the vents right in front of me. Again, the grate was already unscrewed.

Inside I was able to see like it was daytime, thanks to the special night vision eyes this cat shell was equipped with.

- Like a real one I guess- Eyes to see in the darkness was a pretty common upgrade for most Shells, but the quality usually vastly varied and the one I was using was an outstanding model. After some testing, I was also able to see how very receptive the nerves and movement really were, with no latency or lag in the commands. As for the animal simulations Shell, it was certainly top of the top - Gx spared no expense on this thing-

It was going to be a long descent and I was walking trying to make as little as noise possible, while also checking outside the vents when they were open or was possible to see outside. I wasn't sure how many people GX corrupted, and I checked during my preparation that currently, fifty people were still working there. And half of those had the turn that very night.

The closest I was to getting noticed happened on the floor right before the one I was supposed to get out of the vents, the third underground.

While walking I thought – I never verified if this thing has claws yet’’ and inadvertently all of them came out a couple of centimeters more, causing a sudden rattle under my paws.

- What was that?- I heard right below me, making my heart almost explode. And begin looking around.

I stood still while trying to calm myself to the best of my abilities.

Luckily, the guard didn’t notice where the sound came from and when I heard

- Maybe some rats in the vents…. Not my job… - and instead of checking, just added- This place is really going to the toilet, I’ll better tell my supervisor tomorrow- and left.

I let out a small sigh of relief and kept going down.

My last hurdle, before waking up the girl at least, was getting in front of the room from the vent opening, risking being seen by whoever was guarding the fourth underground floor and its rooms. But again, the work was already done for me beforehand: I waited about five minutes in the vents but nobody was around, so I concluded GX already dealt with that guard, either by corrupting them or taking them out.

- How anticlimactic- I commented and exited the vents, still trying to avoid making unnecessary noises. Just to be extra sure.

I quickly located the right room by following once again my game plan. That floor only had four rooms still in use, out of the total fifty, each of them reserved for one patient. After all, it was quite expensive to have your body frozen, some privacy was the least one could expect.

- I wonder if they had to do just one payment or if someone has to keep paying over and over - If it was the second case, whoever this kid was, her family was even richer than what I imagined since she was in there since the 21st century.

I decided to check it out once it was all over, so I downloaded the internal payment registry from the facility database. Maybe I could even find some work buried in those data. But first I had to finish this job. After all, overconfidence was what screwed me up last time. No more jail for me! Or worse since GX wouldn’t forgive another failure.

So, I reached the correct room and easily opened the door.

-Honestly, if I didn't have to use this ''USB'' port physically, I could have done this whole thing hours ago.- I said while entering the area.

Like the map showed, there was nothing more than a cryo bed, some kind of closet, and an old computer in there.

The cryo bed wasn't really a bed per se. but a sphere that was keeping the girl in a standing position. She was frozen in solid ice, or I should say in a special material that looked similar to ice in looks but was way, way, different in chemical composition. Not that I knew that much about it, I never had any knowledge on the matter of chemistry after all. Still, even I was sure that air was able to enter the ''ice'' and her heart kept, super super slow, beating even in that state.

She had a very sad smile on her face, long blond hair, and a full body suit to help with the cold.

- Now it’s time to wake up, Cinderella- I commented after seeing her like that.

I jumped onto the computer's desk and connected to that ancient machine with my USB tail. The system was pretty easy to operate, compared to banks and prison securities. A proverbial walk into the park, if you want. It was after all just a medical institution, it wasn't supposed to be hard to operate for doctors and technicians.

The only thing similar to a challenge was some kind of required alphanumerical lock, a ''password'', as the system was requesting. So I simulated a letter board input, but I stopped myself, having a vague memory of someone a long time ago talking about a limited error in compilations. Meaning if I made too many mistakes, sometimes even one, in old machines, data was going to be either lost or locked more.

- Uff- I sighed, and instead of risking, I copied the whole computer’s data inside me, basically making a fake copy of it and, in the simulation space I created inside my shell, I brute forced the solution by trying every possible combination using all 108 symbols the physical letter input had. I succeeded after exactly 150 758 194 tries, in about twenty seconds.

Then I finally unlocked the computer, running really slow compared to the one I was simulating inside me, but then I was finally able to control the cryo bed directly and woke ‘’her’’ up.

-Her? Right, I didn't check your name yet- and so I accessed her medical records. After all, before waking her up, it was also necessary to follow every step of the process, and I needed more information to not risk something like a virus spreading or to make sure she could walk on her own.

So I checked her data for all the relevant and necessary information, before waking her up.

Her name was Jennifer Aurora Yeoh, nine years of age when she underwent cryo-sleep therapy. Her despise was degenerative brain cancer, MacGregor syndrome, in a very early stage.

- Poor girl- at the moment I wasn't able to access the NET, so I had no way to precisely know what that illness was, but the very fact that she was still in cryo sleep, and that ''brain cancer'' was enough. It made me feel a lot of pity for her. In the 21st century it was for sure nothing less than a death sentence.

- Don’t worry, you’ll probably get a shell out of this, I’m sure of it- I tried to cheer myself up. Still ‘’early stages’’ meant she could probably be taken out of cold sleep without too much problem.- I guess I have to trust GX on this-

And I went back to work by starting the unfreezing program. The sphere started moving slowly around the girl's body, getting faster and faster with each spin. It was not only removing the ice-like substance from her but pulsating her muscles and reviving them. Even I knew that, before this machine was perfected, normal recovery from cryo-sleep, regardless of the time, would take no less than a year. With this invention, deep space exploration was achievable even for those that still had their original bodies. And that was exactly why it was invented, so ‘’corporate babies’’ could go vacationing all along the known universe. Using it for people left on Earth was nothing more than an afterthought.

- Rich people needs always drive science- an easy and true conclusion in this world. One you could never escape living in this age and world. At least on the Earth Sphere….

While the process was completed, I took another look at the document saved in my body to see if there were some instructions to follow when waking up someone from cryo sleep. And there were some. First I selected the ‘’full wake procedure’’, in contrast with the ‘’emergency procedure’’, which was when a malfunction in the machine happened. Then I started reading

- The patient has to be first and foremost reassured and kept always calm, even using drugs if necessary to avoid them hurting themselves. Before explaining the time dilation and current state, the doctor should greet them and try to establish a foundation of trust between you two- and that was kind of a problem for me, I always sucked big time in interpersonal relationships, behind of course receiving praise on the NET. But that was more on the para-personal, and always one-sided toward me.

-I’ll figure something out, I’m sure- I kept reading out loud – The doctor has to avoid specifying the current date or the well-being of the patient's family, since there is a very high probability of them being left alone in a different world from what they left, especially if the cryo treatment has been longer than a decade- which was, of course, the case- After the rehabilitation therapy is over, have them drink some vitamin water, that should be provided inside the closet of the same room. This also is a good way of keeping them calm and relaxed. Even if the patient can’t walk on their own, it's better to use the mechanical wheelchair, ready inside the closet, at least for the first hour and so, or until the doctor has completed a preliminary exam of the patient to control any damage. The probability of this is almost null, especially if the cryo bed was set up and worked properly- this last line seemed a lot like something necessary to avoid getting sued in case of problems. '' It's your fault if the client has some irreversible damage, the machine is perfect''. Something like that.- Also don't remove the body suit before completing all exams- and that was basically it.

I checked one last time her vitals but everything was fine. And the whole thing was almost over.

So I opened the closet, luckily this too was automated, but the first two problems arose: both the wheelchair and the water were not, and it was necessary for someone to reach for them.

- Damn cat shell- I cursed a bit, like a child that can’t reach the candies.

I resigned to just waiting for the girl to wake up, and soon she did

- Hello, Jennifer- I greeted her when she opened her eyes. I was sitting while also waving my left hand. Or I should say paw, I guess- My name is Ac450759, but everybody calls me Ace. I came here to bring you out - It was better to be upfront and not lie, in these things

- A cat? Where Am I?- she ignored my introduction. She was still blocked on the cryo bed, which was now back in a horizontal position-

- This is only my current Shell, or I guess you can call it a body, I'm not actually a cat, but a person like you- I stopped, thinking for a second.- Probably in your time you didn't have ''Shells'' and all lived in their mortal body. - before she could be further confused, I stopped myself and went back to her question- You were in cryo sleep until now, and I was asked to come here to wake you up-

- Right, because of my illness… I’m starting to remember a bit better- Jennifer was not done with the questions- How much time has passed?-

I remembered the guide from earlier and avoided it a bit- A lot of time, no real reason to think about it, now if you can, please stand up and get some water from inside that closet I opened- I improvised a bit, but I guessed that much walking was fine and a good test to see if the rehabilitation was successful.

She saw the closet and, without any problem walked up to it and, after taking the bottle asked- This one?-

- Yes, drink it slowly. After you are done, please take out the wheelchair right next to it- everything was going perfectly. My job was almost done.

Wait, my job? I was so invested in entering the facility and waking Jennifer up that I completely forgot to even think about what was going on there. What was GX going to do with this girl exactly? Was it a kidnapping? Organ harvesting? Was I ok with those options?

Doubts started to fly inside my head. Until she was just part of the plan, something I had to do, I didn’t even think at her a person, as a human being. Only as something part of my contract. But no, seeing her in flesh and blood… It was something else entirely. She was just a scared and confused little girl. Was it really right for me to lie at her? Was it really the correct thing to use her to free me from my debt? Doubts were suddenly eroding my soul.

She took out the wheelchair with a bit more effort, it probably weighed more than what I anticipated- Is this fine? Where are we going ?- she asked me.

But right before I was able to answer her, we were not alone anymore.

One of the guards, a female model dressed in a lab coat entered the room. She also had a huge shotgun with her.

- Oh, it seems like you are finally done. I was getting tired of waiting from the control room- She commented while directing her gaze on me- She is really cute, not like I have actually seen many Walking Corpses, but this sure is nice-

- So, you are the one taking her outside- apparently my job was done, or at least that was what this person was suggesting. But Jennifer didn't seem to like this outcome

- Mister cat, who is this person? - she asked, starting to get a bit stressed by a gun-wielding adult appearing from nowhere in front of her.

Why would they do this? It was a perfectly natural reaction from Jennifer, and it’s not like you need it to coerce a little girl to do what you want. She was already trusting me.

- I'm not a cat, I told you already- I first interjected, feeling offended by that Shellist remark, but went right back in trying to defuse the situation- She is going to bring you outside. Don't worry- and then tried to persuade the female guard in removing the shotgun- I think you should put that thing away-

it wasn't an order, and I didn't use any vulgarity or slur, but the guard was extremely pissed by my remark – You have done your job, now piss off and let me do mine-

Why was she like that? Why she was so fixed on a gun?

She started moving toward me and Jennifer, making some gestures to the girl to come to her. And when Jennifer didn't move, out of fear, of course, she started shouting at me

- Tell her to come here, now- she screamed, the best way to make children do what you want I guess. Oh, wait, that's the total opposite.

But now I had some doubts and wasn't so keen on letting her take Jennifer- What are going to do with her?-

- I don't know and it's none of your business. I was ordered two things. One is to bring her out of here and the second...- she took a second to point her gun at me- The second is to kill you!-

But it was a second too late for her.

I already has some huge red flags when she entered the room with a gun, as I said, but I also always keep a mental program ready to evade in the room's best direction, so my body can escape faster than my reflex can react. And once again it saved my life.

The shotgun tried to get me, but I already ducked and the cryo bed, close to where Jennifer was. I promise I didn't do it to make her my shield, at least not intentionally! Still, that gave me another second, and I wasn't going to even let the guard shoot me again: first I tried breaking directly into her head, with no luck.

Well, it was a person specifically selected to kill me after all, basic anti- possession or switch was the very least they could to do to keep me at bay. So, instead, I went directly for the shotgun. After taking control of it, I could have made it fire more than one time, causing it to explode in her hands, but I couldn't be 100 % sure Jennifer wasn't going to be injured in the process, since the room was small and the distance too small. So I just jammed it.

- What?- the guard reacted and kept screaming- Damn you!- she threw it on the ground, and went for her knife with a laser edge. Something with no way for me to control or stop. But first, she had to reach for me.

The guard pulled Jennifer out of way, trying to reach me under the cryo- bed, but again, she was too late.

I guess one big advantage of being in a cat shell is being able to move more swiftly compared to a human, at least in close quarters. When she touched the little girl, I was already on the move.

- That wasn't very nice of you like at all - I distracted her by using a very basic taunt- You are too slow!-

- You son of a – and that was all I needed. The guard immediately tried to see me across the room, not realizing the cryo- bed was moving, ready to strike the back of the head. I calculated precisely the moment of impact and adjusted the speed enough so she was just going to be unconscious.

- Uhg- was all the guard was able to say, before collapsing on the ground. Just to prevent her from getting back soon, I reached for her control panel, which in that model was under the right foot, and I put her in energy recovery mode. She wasn’t going to wake up for at least a day, or someone else coming inside to fix her. Now we had all the time we needed.

The calm finally come back inside the room, and I had a huge sigh of relief.

- Is it over ?- Jennifer asked after getting back on her feet- Is she dead?-

- No, she is fine. - I reassured her- Not really sure what her boss is going to say about it, but with some luck, she will be able to escape as well-

- Ah, I see- Jennifer responded, visibly disappointed. I was a bit taken aback by that, but soon after she kept going- Now what are we going to do? She was your partner, right? The one who was supposed to bring me outside, right?-

- No idea, I'm not totally sure I can put you back inside the cryo bed, especially in this state-. Just to be sure, I double-checked and the manual specified that was necessary at least a full month of recovery before going back to being frozen. Also, I had no real way of being sure that another GX's lackey wasn't going to come there and kidnap her. I was the one that woke her up, she was my responsibility.

But I didn't want to force her either. After all, if I just took her out and abandoned her, It was the very same as a death sentence. Or worse.- I can bring you outside, it's a shitty world compared to the one you left when you were frozen, but it has some beauty left in it. But you have to be the one to decide on that -

She didn’t even need time to consider my offer- Let’s get out-

- As you wish, Cinderella!- I responded, like one of those wish-granting creatures of old. I think they were called Djin, or something like that I think.

- Cinderella?- this time she was confused for a bit- I think you mean Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella was about a social climber that deceived a dumb prince. Something she learned from her stepmother. –

- Really? I’ll have to check the NET as soon as we are out of here- I was sure she was mistaken, and I was right, but there was no reason to question it now.- Now follow my directions, or I can’t ensure your safety.-

There was no way we could fit inside the vents and escape again from the side door I went by. No, this time the best way was the very main entrance.

- Prepare and sit on the wheelchair, while I try to do so a magic trick- she nodded and I went back in to work on the guard. In normal circumstances, I'll just switch bodies with her, and pretended everything to be fine and normal. So I tried to connect to her system using the local network, but that was prevented once again by the modified Shell she was using. I also tried to just make her Shell move, while her conscience was still blocked, but I soon realized that I had no way or connectors compatibles on me to force it on that specific model.

- I hate this cat body so much, I can't wait to get back to - I was saying, but stopped myself when It finally got to me that I wasn't going to get it back any time soon, or probably ever. Well, there was a chance my custom Shell was already sold or re-cycled, especially since GX sent a killer after me.

-Well, no time to keep sulking on it, the only thing we could do now was try to reach the surface and the NET as soon as possible.- I said to myself

- Now what?- Jennifer asked after finally putting together the wheelchair-

- Now you get on it and we go out. Easy, right?- but I mentally added '' hoping that no other assassins were sent after us''. After all, I could deal with any guard in the network, as long as they didn't have a device like the previous one.

- Ok- She nodded but also tried to get the shotgun.

- What are you doing with that?- I tried to stop her

- Don't worry, any woman from the Yeoh family can shoot one of those- she wickedly smiled- Even if the model is different, I have a good experience with firearms. After all, self-defense is ''essential for a Lady'', as my probably late mother would often say-

- Leaving aside how fucked up that is, I can give you two reasons why you can't bring it back with you- I explained to her- Number One: it has a digital lock, and only authorized shells can fire it. I could unlock it, as I did before, but number two prevents you from doing it: all current firearms, while they may seem like the ones from your era, are actually much more powerful and heavy to use. If you try to shoot with it, I can't assure the safety of your body-

- So, I can't?- she was disappointed and tried to sulk a bit to take it with her- Please?-

She wanted to be cute and persuade me, but somehow I was used to this kind of selfish attitude. So I didn’t budge from my position, so she insisted.

- Come on, I’ll just keep it as a souvenir- I wanted to keep saying no, but it was starting to break my soul

- Fine, you can keep it: the wheelchair has a box big enough to carry it. But keep in mind I have to be the one unlocking it, and I’m not going to do it for any reason- I conceded and felt like I suffered a major defeat.

- Hell yeah- she said, not even faking to be sad anymore.

- Now let's go- and after putting the shotgun where I said, we finally departed the room. Jennifer on the wheelchair, while I walked alongside her.

It didn’t take a lot of time before we go discovered.

It was the very same guard that suspected some noises happening in the vents, a standard and unremarkable male shell, soon started approaching. He was unharmed but still visibly confused. I walked right behind the wheelchair, in a very difficult position to spot thanks to my black color.

- Who are you? - he yelled and when he noticed her age and the plug suit Jennifer was wearing, change his tone a bit- Are you patient? Exercise hours have been over for a bit now-

I didn't want any more questions to be asked, or risk another ambush, so I stunned him. He was in the local network, so I managed to invade and sent his shell into safe mode pretty quickly.

- Are you going to kill him, mister cat?- Jennifer asked again

- Kiddo, I’m not a cat, as I keep telling you. And, also again, I’m not killing anybody- but I thought about switching bodies with him, but I wasn’t really sure if I would have needed the cat body later again, and I had no way to bring it along. It also didn’t help that my current shell didn’t have an external control panel, so I couldn’t just do what I did with the previous female guard and bring it along to use it later, especially with another person inside it.

But that male Shell was on a network, and while in safe mode, I could do a little zombie trick.

Therefore I made it go back on his feet and he started pushing the wheelchair.

- It's going to be a bit creepy for him, seeing his body move without his orders. But the safe mode can be programmed a bit to do work in auto-mode, as long it's not a complex request- I explained to Jennifer, again confused about what was going on. And then said to the guard- Don't worry, as soon as we are out of here, I'll let you have your body back- trying to avoid further resistance from him. Sometimes it helps.

- Can't you just use two bodies at once? - Jennifer asked right after

- Nobody can, every Shell has to have a S.O.U.L. inside them at every time to work, it's not like those things are like robots. A human is needed to move them. They don't even have the right software inside to act as an AI. - I explained to her, while finally starting moving back upwards, following the elevated road to the ground floor, made with wheelchair-accessible ramps.-

The elevator was off limits, as I didn’t want to risk getting stuck inside it if somehow they removed the power from the building, and I wanted to keep that option, to cut the electricity, for myself in case I needed it.

- Then, why don’t guys from the future don’t just use robots? Aren’t they usually stronger and smarter than humans ?- she kept going

- ''Smarter'' is a difficult thing to determine- I once again tried to make her understand- If you are talking merely about computation abilities, you are correct but if the autonomy of judgment or any kind of self-determination skills, which are more often than not necessary for any job, robots and their Artificial Intelligence are usually unable to do it the same way as a human. It may surprise you, but even now, many centuries after your 21st century, we are unable to give full conscience to robots, and they are and will always be without a S.O.U.L. Also to not create confusion, there is a law in place that forbids to make androids, robots similar to humans in shapes: officially it is intended to not create confusion or panic. But I honestly think it's because… - But I stopped for a second there. Wait, was I really trying to explain those kinds of topics to a little girl? Did she even get half of it?

- I see.- she responded, visually bored with my wall of words- Long story short, you guys still aren't full robot mode, but people use artificial bodies. Honestly, at the start I thought you were a robot cat and could grant wishes-

You finally got that I'm not a cat, good. We call these artificial bodies, like you said, ''Shells''- I nodded

- Is the world is so fucked up that everyone is using one of these? Did we lose all air or did the oceans cover the whole planet?- again, Jennifer asked a lot of different questions one after the other.

- I can't speak for Earth as a whole, but compared to the 21the century, it certainly is a more challenging place to live: oceans levels have risen, and the temperature is hotter but at least there is still air. The greatest problem turned out to be drinkable water and food supplies, as they started costing so much during the last three centuries that people were unable to pay for them. Some people managed to escape Earth before it happened, others were rich enough to afford them anyway. But for everyone else, those were not real options but science came and saved everyone- I then concluded- and that was the whole reason it started the S.O.U.L. project-

- There is no water and no food now?- she panicked for a second

- If you can afford them, but, I think, only 0,1% of the current population actually can. Being in a, let's call it ''classic'', human body means you are one of the most powerful and rich people on this planet. It's both a status symbol and a demonstration of your personal wealth. When they develop diseases or grow old, they do the switch and keep going with Shells. - after that I explained the exception to that rule- But there are still some people using bodies around the Earth Sphere like some ''Purist'' communities that never approved of it, but I don't honestly know much about them since they aren't allowed to use the NET too. The great majority of people like you, ''meatb..- but I stopped myself from using that slur in front of her- ''classics'', are not on this planet anymore-

- What do you mean? Where are they now?-

- They are in col- but once again I had to stop myself and before Jennifer could ask, I said to her, lowering my voice as much as I could - Someone is here-

And she went silent right away. Good girl.

We were about to reach our destination, the ground floor, and I expected to run into trouble or another guard at least during the previous two floors, but that didn't happen. I didn't even feel any connection or people on the current server while ascending. So I kept talking freely to Jennifer with no problems. But it seems we finally got some.

- KLR23, what are you doing?- asked a male voice when we got to the entrance of the first floor- Why are you bringing this patient out? Who ordered you?

So many questions, and so many answers to give. Thankfully I already have a plot in motion. Since GX was planning on bringing out the girl following this very route, everything was probably ready for it. Probably being the keyword.

I took control of KLR23 body’s voice, while halting the wheelchair.

- Yes sir. I was asked by another guard – but I stopped myself for a second since I didn’t check her name yet. So went on my own memory recordings and confronted her with the files from the facility's archive of employee - WSP7358971, to bring the girl outside.- this was supposed to do the trick

- Why are calling her by her full name? KLR23?- he kept going without me answering- But never mind that I’ll check the modules to see if there is one requested for going outside. If there is I’m going to complain to QEC16 for not informing me beforehand-

- Yes Sir- I said. I tried to appear as calm as I could but I was in full panic mode. I had no idea what to do: from the tone he didn't seems like he was part of GX's conspirators, and forging a document on the fly was impossible even for me! And disabling his body was almost out of question: we were too close to the entrance, somebody else could see him fall or even come to help him. What to do next???

The guard kept checking and I kept waiting.

Finally, he said something, while I was now hiding inside the wheelchair, close to the shotgun. That too was an option, if the worse were to happen.

- Ah, you have a permit signed by doctor Minami, for bringing this patient home to her relatives. The file was just sent to my shell inbox.- we were saved, almost surely by one of the lasting effects of GX's plans. But the head guard still wanted an explanation, so I obliged- WSP7 was supposed to be the one making this errand, so why are they driving her outside?-

I sighed out of relief while having my voice muted. If everything was already going by GX plan, I only had to invent some lies and everything was going to be fine.

- I don’t know, WSP7 brought this little girl to me while I was on my guard turn and asked me to complete this task in her place. She seemed in some kind of hurry and I couldn’t say no – I responded again using that shell’s voice, trying to seem as calm and collected as I could. Then I tried to use Jennifer to my advantage- Right, miss Yeoh?-

- Oh… yes, that female guard asked him to switch and run away… maybe she was constipated or something like that- she responded, but I had to correct her in a second

- I already explained to you, I mean miss Yeoh, that a Shell has no need for this kind of thing or to release body functions. But it can eject some liquids if they have some addition to alcohol.- I kept explaining to her- After all a shell doesn't need to acquire energy or to be recharged, its battery can last for years and it can be changed when it's necessary. But people still abuse some substances as they did in the 21st century- it was an indirect accusation toward that WSP7, a pretty sneaky one and I wasn't sure the one guard I was now talking to was even going to get it.

- I see….- he was somehow suspicious, maybe the guard I was controlling wasn't one to suggest such things? Or maybe he even had some special relationship with WSP7? Too much information I wasn't granted access to at that moment- I'll try calling her-

Not that was going to work, so I was still calm

- She is not answering the system call, but after checking with the administration, her connection is still inside this building- He commented while still unsure as to what to do with us- Pretty odd… Did she tell you where she was going?-

- No, but as I said she was in a hurry. I don’t know why, but- and then I tried to gaslight him a bit- She went further downstairs compared to my position, that much I’m pretty sure- after all, I couldn’t say the female guard went upstairs, or she was going to be spotted by him

- I’ll ask the other guards to go check for her, then- he finally concluded and let us go- you are free to go.-

And when we were about to leave the room, in direction of the main entrance and being free he asked

- Are coming to our usual poker french holdem night? Usual Friday morning?- he was very relaxed, so I didn't think too much about that questions-

- Sure, I wouldn’t lose it for everything in my life- a big mistake on my part.

He was immediately alerted by my answer and went for his gun while yelling – EMERGENCY, WE HAVE A BREAKER and AN ATTEMPT KIDNAPPING OF A PATIENT-

- Fuck- Was the last thing I said in the body of KLF23, or whatever his name was. I blocked the gun like I did before, and started rushing toward the exit as fast as I could, hoping to finally reach the closest NET connection at least.

An alarm was ringing all around us now.

- Can’t you just possess him too?- Jennifer asked while the guard started running, trying to catch up with us.

- And then who is going to keep this guard in check and control the wheelchair? I can win every battle as long as I'm in the same connection and there is only one person, but this is not the case- I yelled to her while opening the glove box- We have to reach the road as fast as we can- I informed her, while also closing every door I was able too inside the building but the main entrance, trying to prevent any other guards from reaching us. I also took control of the main frame and ordered as many guards I was able to reach, to go in other places, reporting bugs and breaches everywhere.

But I couldn't do anything for the two stationed right in the main hall, waiting to ambush us on the way there, plus the one already following us. So it was three versus one.

In front of us, we just had a straight line, with a reception desk on the left and a waiting open room on the right. And, like I said two guards, usually positioned outside, came toward us with their guns ready to fire at us. Instead of blocking them this time, I modified their AIM system, which usually connected perfectly to the brain to make a perfect shot every time. In this case, I pointed to the guard following behind us, right in his shoulders, and I fired.

- Urgh- was the only thing he was able to say, while the shot made his arms fall over, provoking a huge deal of pain.

He stopped and collapsed on his feat. I was able to only take away half of his pain receptors, so that must have done some real damage and he wasn’t in any shape to keep following us

- Sorry- I apologized. I honestly wanted to make this escape as sneaky as possible, so doing something like this was out of my usual plan and tendencies. But I was sure he had some insurance in place, or at least I didn't feel too bad at the moment.

- You bastards!- one of the other two started yelling at us. Both looked at each other and threw away their guns. A good move, again the best way to counter me.

So I descended the wheelchair as fast as I could, and run up to the desk.-

- Ehi, over here!- I wanted their full attention there. Not having them look at the wheelchair was the key, and my plan worked as they were fully distracted, focusing on the talking cat yelling at them.

- Damn you- was the last thing one of them was able to say, before getting run over by a full-speed wheelchair. Jennifer retracted as much as she could into the chair, to avoid hitting them with her legs. But it also happened something a bit odd, since the guard that wasn’t yelling at me was launched a bit more far than his companion, despite the fact that they were so close to each other, At the moment I didn’t think much about that.

Everything else was going according to the new plan.

I used the last ditch of control I had over KLR23, or whatever his name was, to push the wheelchair with all his Shell’s strength right in the middle of the two other guards. Both weren't able to avoid the impact and were pushed away while I managed to time the jump perfectly to end up on Jennifer Lap as we went right through the door, which opened right in the nick of time by my last command inside the facility. I had to also disable KLR23, since he wasn't going to be able to keep up after pushing and there was no way for me to keep using his body.

It was a long day, full of traps and dangers, but we finally made it outside.

- What now?- Jennifer euphorically asked, with her adrenaline levels almost surely out of this world-

- Now we see how fast this wheelchair can go, as we reach the closest landing spot- I said after taking full control of it. It went pretty fast, probably around 40 km/h and also joked a bit- Please try to not fall off-

- Landing spot? Landing spot for what?- she asked, but only after reaching more strongly for the handles, taking my advice seriously.-

- I called a drone cub for us. They are usually a bit expensive, but it’s necessary- I responded, hoping to amaze her.

But she just nodded, probably not thinking too much out of it.

Damn rich kids.