Nanites III (WG)

00:13:24:49 SINCE DISPERSAL

There was a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

“Robert?”

“Ah.” Robert looked up from his desktop, rising to meet Gilbert as he strolled into his small office/apartment. The lights hummed above, glittering over his thick, dark hair, cropped-short just recently. “When did you get back?”

“Ten minutes ago.” Gilbert tossed a small, whirring device at Robert; as he plucked it out of the air, the two men moved to the couch. “Just got this from the freshly-formed Tracking Division. It’s quite, uh, bare-bones. They just jury-rigged this, actually.”

“I thought you could track affected individuals?”

“That’s only if there’s an available broadcaster to discharge a certain signal. We’ve got access to telecoms within our borders. Outside? Less so.”

“I heard that the PM’s already authorized raids overseas.”

“Yeah, uh…” Gilbert scratched his jaw. “He has. And you’re going to be using one of these when you go hunting.” He pointed at one of the many finicky little items lining the device’s carapace. “This outputs a crude analogue of the detecting frequency. It should link to your HUD. We’ve tested it; it ought to integrate into your suit.”

Robert’s eyes flicked up to meet Gilbert’s. “Couldn’t one of the couriers have dropped this off?”

Gilbert nodded. “I’m here for another matter, actually.” He leaned forwards. “How was – I mean, you seemed to be entertaining Lindsey. How was she?”

Robert stilled for a moment, then recovered. “She’s fine,” he answered, after some thought. “Didn’t recognize me, and no wonder.” Gilbert nodded, chortling. “Just… well… as usual. Bossy. I think she was on the verge of a panic attack, though, so I tried to snap her out of it. I think it worked.”

“Probably did,” Gilbert agreed, humming. “Anyway, just thought I’d check on you. You’re okay, right? I know it’s been a while.”

“Gilbert, I’m a grown man. All this shit… it was years and years ago. I’ve forgotten most of it, anyway, and Lindsey clearly has too. Live and let live, yeah?”

Gilbert nodded. “Good to hear. Good to hear. Just thought I’d check on you. So –” He coughed, stood up, and shook Robert’s hand. “Well, uh… best of luck.”

“Thanks, man.” Robert smiled wryly. “Go home and get some rest, yeah? I saw you sleeping just now. You need a proper nap. Seriously.”

“Fuck, I do.”

The door slid shut behind Gilbert as he left, and Robert sat back on the couch, turning the device over in his hands thoughtfully.

-----

00:16:50:01 SINCE DISPERSAL

Upon returning home, the first thing that Lindsey did was take a shower. She felt gross, and a long, hot bath was just the trick. When she’d dried herself off, she padded out into her dining-room and started to clean up her table. It was a mess.

She found her stomach starting to rumble after a few minutes of cleaning, and checked her fridge for something to eat. I’ll satisfy my cravings until I’m done cleaning up, she reasoned, riffling through her shelves, but emerged with nothing. Literally nothing. She’d eaten everything. Not even a single packet of raisins could be found. Lindsey’s chin wobbled as she scanned her bare shelves, fists planted on her annoyingly soft hips, and she had a minor breakdown for around half an hour before giving up and calling a delivery-driver.

There was a dumbwaiter below, manned by one of the security guards, and the drivers filled it with shipment after shipment of groceries, sending it rocketing up, up, up. When the first delivery finally arrived on her floor, she tore it open and poured one whole packet of mixed nuts into her mouth. Something was urging her to sit down and devour the rest, but she resisted, and resorted instead to snacking incessantly as she cleaned. Several times, the thought occurred to her that she could simply call down the cleaners who regularly refreshed her penthouse, but Lindsey rejected that option every time it bubbled up. She wanted to do this on her own.

When she was almost done – when her table was completely clean, and Lindsey’s tight T-shirt was stained with an unreasonable amount of sweat – she turned to her pile of groceries and saw that it had vanished into thin air. She’d ordered enough to restock her shelves, and it was completely gone.

Lindsey had another breakdown.

Stumbling outside, she lit a cigarette and started chain-smoking, hugging her overgrown body as she stared out at the skyline, exhaustion setting in once more. She worked her way through one pack, and then another. Time passed.

And then the doorbell rang.

Lindsey didn’t answer it. The sun was on the verge of beginning to set, its sweltering glow beginning the gradual transition to orange and red, and she was too tired to get up, anyway. She lit another cigarette, still slumped on one of her many patios, and trailed her foot over the edge of her pool. Did it look plumper? She was sure that it looked plumper.

The door opened, and Lindsey’s head snapped around as Isabelle appeared in the door, her distinctive figure casting a shadow over the darkened interior of her penthouse. “Lindsey?” she called. “Are you there?”

Lindsey didn’t respond, but Isabelle seemed to crook her head, and hurried over. A bubble of panic rose to the top of Lindsey’s frothy, confused interior world, and by the time Isabelle arrived by her side, she was in the midst of another full-blown attack.

“Lindsey! Lindsey. Lindsey. Lindsey. What’s – breathe with me, Lindsey, okay? Deep, slow breaths. I –” Isabelle upended her clutch beside Lindsey’s twitching form and snatched up her phone. “Blair? I need you to – I think Lindsey’s – I don’t know what’s going on. Just – come. Now.”

It took a while for the attack to subside. Isabelle didn’t know what to do at first, but after Googling “how to stop panic attack”, she rapidly became much more helpful. At some point, Blair arrived, and the two of them held Lindsey’s hands as her breathing slowed, returning to its normal rhythm. The sun began to descend, and the clouds above turned orange and velvet-blue.

“Need food,” Lindsey croaked, her chest rising and falling shallowly, clammy hands running over the pale, spreading expanses of her thighs. “I can’t – can’t hold it back. Just get me something to eat. I’ll… I’ll tell you everything.”

Blair disappeared and returned with some energy bars. Lindsey shot her a venomous glare, but didn’t check their nutritional information, which was when the two girls knew that something was really up. She worked her way through five as Blair and Isabelle looked on, and it was only when she’d chugged a whole carton of (sugary!) orange juice that her throat and mouth felt moist enough to speak properly.

“I’m getting fat,” she said.

Isabelle blinked. “You, fat?” She shook her head emphatically. “Get out of here. You’re still smaller than me!”

“You’re just saying that because we’re friends.” Lindsey grabbed a handful of her belly and jiggled it. Was it just her, or was there more to grab than there’d been just a few hours ago? “Look,” she bleated. “I’m blowing up.” Any semblance of tone had disappeared beneath a rapidly-thickening layer of flab. Poking her stomach, she stared in horror as her finger met absolutely zero resistance.

Blair opened her mouth, then closed it, almost mesmerized by the display. “Wait. When did this happen?”

Isabelle shot her a glare. “Don’t –”

“It happened at KDT. It must have.” Lindsey narrowed her eyes, thinking hard. “Blair, has your dad, like, mentioned something along the lines of, uh, nanotech?”

Blair rolled her eyes. “He never speaks to us about that sort of stuff. I could ask him, though.” She produced her phone and scrolled through it. “Oh, he’s not… we’re not eating together tonight.” Her voice grew light. “Just as well! We’re staying over.” Lindsey opened her mouth; Blair’s hand whipped out to cover it. “No excuses. You need someone to take care of you. What’s this about, anyway?”

Lindsey finished her seventh energy bar, tossing the wrapper into Isabelle’s enormous Coach handbag. “Gilbert’s doing something. Orchis. Whatever.” She waved a hand. “They’re working with Turkestan and China to make, like, nanomachines or whatever. They can give people powers.” Her voice hitched. “And I’m – I’ve been – it’s inside me, and it’s making me fat.”

“Wait, slow down. When did this – KDT? Gilbert wasn’t even there.”

Lindsey struggled to recall the contents of the meeting. “Someone went rogue,” she said, speaking slowly as the wheels in her head turned. “And released it. And, like, some of the nanites got into me. And it’s making me, like, crazy hungry. I ate a fuckton of food yesterday. Cleared out the entire pantry.” She looked between Blair and Isabelle helplessly. “And I’m still hungry. What if it never ends?” She choked down a sob. “What if I just, like, get bigger and bigger? Only Lynette and Laura know. What if – what if my mother finds out?” She stuffed another energy bar into her mouth, barely conscious that she was doing it. “And I have – like, people will suspect if I suddenly stop posting photos of me. They’ll think something happened. It’s a disaster. I need to lose weight.” Leaning over, she glanced into Isabelle’s handbag, face paling. “And I’m still eating –”

“Listen,” Isabelle interrupted, voice cutting through Lindsey’s rising wail. “We’ll figure this out together. I’ll call Gilbert. Ask him if this is true. He knows, right?”

Lindsey nodded mutely, still chewing on her twenty-fifth energy bar. “He brought me to his facility. It’s somewhere in Johore. They ran tests.” She swallowed violently. “They asked me to exercise for them. To test my physical – whatever.” She threw her hands up. “Nothing! I’m as weak as a fucking new-born baby!”

“We’ll stay overnight,” Blair said, calmly. “And we’ll sort this out. If you stop eating, will it – like, does it harm you? Physically?”

“The hunger always comes back,” Lindsey replied, voice dead. Her face was red and blotchy, and her once-pristine locks were mussed-up. Her red-rimmed eyes stared blankly at the sunset, and her expertly-manicured nails had dug into her thickening thighs, stark crimson lines streaking over her soft skin, interlacing with the pale stretchmarks that had only just begun to appear. “And when I get hungry, I get weak. I can’t even move if it gets really bad.”

“Then we’ll give you a bunch of low-calorie foods to keep the hunger at bay,” Isabelle decided. “And make sure that you don’t gain weight.”

Lindsey nodded miserably.

-----

00:23:08:23 SINCE DISPERSAL

“Gentlemen,” Robert shouted, over the din of the engine, “and ladies. Good evening!”

“Good evening,” his colleagues yelled. They were drifting above southern Sumatra, having boarded a small pleasure-aircraft which had been cleared with the local authorities. Although relations had deteriorated in recent years, Singaporean money still meant something to lesser officials. They wouldn’t see them coming.

“I’ll make this quick,” Robert roared. “The rest of you will be working in teams.” He took a breath. “Remember the mission and pay attention to your HUDs, but don’t let the machines think for you. And keep collateral damage to an absolute minimum! These are real people! Even if they are Nusantarans.”

“This is the shittiest pep-talk you’ve ever given,” Linus shrieked.

Robert grinned. This grin was feral, and slightly euphoric. He was clad in a lightly-armoured suit, sleek and dark. The jaw of his bulky helmet had been unhinged, allowing him to make himself heard. “Someone should keep an eye on Linus,” he howled. “Make sure he doesn’t walk into a tree again.”

Linus made a rude gesture, and Robert cackled. “Good hunting,” he yelled, and stood up, remaining perfectly upright despite the incessant rocking of the enormous helicopter. “This is my stop! Go with the knowledge that the integrity of the Republic rests on your shoulders!”

“Just our first real mission ever,” Candace shouted. “No biggie!”

“Live a little,” Robert yelled, and pulled the door open, wincing as a freakishly strong gust of wind buffeted his body. The roar was too loud for his colleagues to hear, but he could see Patrick mouth something that looked a little like badass. He inclined his head at the other man, took a few steps backwards, and saluted as he backflipped out of the aircraft.

The sky loomed out around him, black as night, but Robert’s goggles were very strong, and he caught an air current as the helicopter faded rapidly into the distance, reattaching his jaw-plate. With a thought, he changed directions, internal compass twisting as a map of the region unfurled on his HUD, diving down through the clouds. He slowed his fall, the world lighting up as his goggles slid into night-vision, a nameless little town unfurling below him, dense with vegetation and filled with squat, one-storey homes – a far cry from the choked urban sprawl of The City.

The world paused for a moment, the slow, gently waver of the trees coming to a glacial near-halt. Robert looked up, seeing a bird frozen in mid-air, and took out the device that Gilbert had personally passed to him. His boots landed on the dirt path with a soft whuff, throwing up a small cloud of sand, and Robert started to walk, glancing down at the device from time to time. As he moved, his body vibrated, making him seem to be a dark blur, barely distinguishable to the uninitiated – especially at this time of night.

It was balmy and cool, the moon hanging low in the sky, occasionally obscured by a cloud, and Robert strolled along at a terrific rate, glancing around as the camera mounted on his helmet whirred softly, recording stabilized footage for later analysis. Before long, he was done; the device hadn’t beeped once. A bust. Well – perhaps the next town would have better pickings.

He moved on. These little settlements were, to be frank, barely towns in their own right, having sprung up along the paved roads leading from one major city to another. There were some late-night restaurants, their patrons frozen mid-sip as he walked past, and Robert thumbed a button on his glove, activating and deactivating his earbuds. There was a woman emerging from the brightly-lit confines of her local convenience-mart, and Robert ducked past her, scanning the shelves for a brief instant before backpedalling out into the dark and kicking off, spiralling a few feet into the air and gliding along.

He could see a few tell-tale roofs looming out of the foliage as he rose higher into the air, and Robert sank to survey them as well, shoving the device into one of his many pockets and half-waiting for an affected individual to pop up on his HUD. None of those isolated homes contained any affected individuals, and so Robert moved on.

The next town contained one (one!) affected individual. A glimmering green icon popped up on his HUD, guiding Robert to a darkened home, and intensified as he drifted towards the back. Peeking through one of the windows, he saw an old man, laid out on a threadbare mattress; his forehead was slick with sweat, and his spindly arms were stiff and agonized. Quietly, Robert thumbed another button on his glove, adding the man to his HUD’s internal database. My first affected individual, he thought, satisfied, and moved on. There would be more affected individuals in the major cities, for that was where all the hospitals were. His job, though, was to search the smaller towns, and sift through the countryside. It was a thankless task, and time-consuming; but Robert was fast.

As it turned out, he only had to go through three more towns and around twenty isolated homes before something interesting finally happened.

No sooner had the green icon reappeared on his HUD than Robert was following it, floating over the rooftops and alighting gently atop one particular home. This one was brightly-lit, and Robert instinctively sped up even more, doing his level best to resemble a shrouded spectre. An angel, so to speak, of death. Or life, such as it might be.

He ducked down as he passed each window, noting distractedly how the green icon was starting to glow brighter and brighter. I must be getting close. As always, the room in which the affected individual was being held was in the back, and Robert peeked through one of the darkened windows, seeing… nothing?

Robert paused. The room was dark, and there was a bed within. Its sheets were rumpled, and there was a flask of water on the table beside it. There had to have been – where had –

This was when Robert was hit by what felt like a freight train. The force of the impact left his ribs bruised, and drove him into the surrounding forest, leaving him slumped against a blameless tree-trunk. The green icon was blazing furiously, and Robert groaned. Yeah, he thought. No shit. So – an early bloomer, huh?

There was a man standing at a distance from him, eyes narrowed, chest rising and falling. His eyes gleamed red, and his body was tensed-up in a defensive stance. He clearly hadn’t had any training, though, and that was good. The two men eyed one another, and Robert decided to make the first move.

“Hello,” he began, in perfect Bahasa. “I have an offer for you.”

The man narrowed his eyes still further. “Who are you?”

“I work for an organization whose business is biological enhancement,” Robert said, smoothly, and disengaged his jaw-plate to make himself seem more personable. “There was an accident. You have been enhanced. You fell ill yesterday, didn’t you? Or this morning.”

“I knew you were snooping around,” retorted the man, voice rough. “I could sense you. I didn’t know what you were until you drew closer to my home.”

“Interesting,” Robert lied. “That’s very special. Well, in any case, we’d like to make you an offer.” Straightening up, he clasped his hands and bulldozed on, trying to make himself look as unthreatening as possible, de-escalating the situation. “We have a great deal of resources, and would be more than happy to set you and your family up with an apartment and a generous stipend.” He held up three fingers, counting them off. “Fifty million rupiahs per month. Free primary, secondary and tertiary education for your children. And – of course –”

“What do I have to do?”

“Well, you’d be expected to fight for us. We’ll figure out what powers you have and decide how best to utilize your talents. You’ll be deployed alongside other affected individuals.”

“Who will I be attacking?”

“That depends on our priorities at any given moment.”

“I accept.”

There was a long silence.

“You know,” Robert said, softly, “I can hear your heartbeat.”

He dove forwards, one hand wrapping around the other man’s neck, and rocketed into the sky. The forest below receded into an undifferentiated patch of green, and they rose above the mountains, and soon above the clouds. “I am obliged by my organization to give you two more chances,” he continued. “Will you accept our offer without reservations?”

“You’re Singaporeans,” hissed the man, “aren’t you?”

“We are.”

“I’m going to tell my camat about this,” wheezed the man. “You’re not… going to get away with this. Dismembering… my country… again.” His fingers grasped at Robert’s arm, splintering the armoured plates, and drew blood. Robert tightened his grip. The air was starting to grow thin, this far up, but the other man’s grip remained extremely strong.

“You’re from the UMS?”

“Resettled in this village… after the war.” The man’s eyes reddened as his ophthalmic arteries ruptured. “You killed… my father. And my brother. And my…”

Robert sighed. “Last chance,” he said. “Will you accept our offer without reservations?”

The man redoubled his efforts to escape. In response, Robert flipped up his goggles. “Know that this gives me no pleasure,” he began, and grimaced as a few droplets of spittle landed on his bicep.

And then his eyes began to glow.

They glowed with a brilliant, yellow light, superheating the air around them and transforming it into something much, much hotter. The man began to scream, but it was swiftly cut off as his head crumpled and blackened instantaneously into ash. He was dead in seconds, and still his corpse remained, Robert’s hand grasping his limp neck. The heat spread, engulfing his entire body, and soon there was naught left but a vaguely man-shaped cloud of cinders, which held its form for a few brief moments before dissipating in every direction, dissolving into the sky.

Robert dusted off his hands and began to descend through the clouds.