emotionlessly, nodding his head slowly in response to Owen's threats. “I’m with you.”
“Good,” Owen said, glad that his speech had gotten through to him. “Now, this next part is real simple. I want you to think hard about the conversation you had with everyone that night. Don't give me any bullshit about not remembering it either. The mind has the ability to remember everything that’s ever happened, regardless or whether or not you can recall it whilst conscious. All that you need to do is start thinking about it. Your brain will do the rest.”
Eli looked back over to the table where he had been sitting less than a week ago. Right here, right now, he was about to start re-living that memory. Owen and Kate stood up from their table and watched as Eli began to project his memories through PRoGRaM.
It played out just as Owen imagined it would. Eli was the first to arrive, sitting comfortably at the head of the table. There was no-one else in the area with them. Someone had obviously paid well in order to keep this area off limits for the night.
One by one, more men and women entered the nightclub, moving up to meet Eli. Owen and Kate sat for a few minutes, watching people enter. Kate watched every second intently, taking it all in. Eli, the projected version of him, greeted each and every person that came in before they took their seats at the table.
They’re an odd looking bunch. Owen thought. They weren’t your typical looking criminals. They all looked… intelligent.
They watched Eli stand in his projected memory and begin to talk to everyone that had joined him. It all seemed almost casual and innocent, until the situation unfolded in one way that Owen never saw coming.
“Gentlemen,” the projected version of Eli said to everyone sitting at the table. “I assume that you have gone over the specifications and briefings that I have sent to each of you. And I assume that is why you are all here. I can assure you that this is absolutely real. I would like to sell you my services as the first non-government, PRoGRaM analyst. And along with my services, you will also get… a fully working PRoGRaM unit.”
What?! Owen thought as his eyes lit up. Impossible!
“Nick. Hold the memories,” Owen said quickly whilst looking over at Eli. He was just sitting there, smiling broadly and menacingly at Owen. He knew where he was all along! Owen realised. That’s why he didn’t show any fear or surprise. He has his own PRoGRaM device!
Owen watched the projections freeze in place as Nick hit some buttons on the outside and held all the information that Eli was projecting out into PRoGRaM. He didn’t know what to do. He’d been caught off guard. He certainly wasn’t expecting any of this at all, and had no idea on how to proceed. He looked at Kate. She too wasn’t sure what to say, and clearly this wasn’t the greatest first job for her. Owen walked over to her and held her arm, pulling her away to one side, out of earshot of Eli, who was still sat there, handcuffed to his seat with a smug look on his face.
“We need to leave PRoGRaM,” Owen said.
“But what about-“
“No,” he interrupted. “This is way above our pay grade. It’s not our call here. We need to get people higher up involved in this. It’s out of our jurisdiction.”
She reluctantly nodded as they broke away from each other and walked back over to Eli. “It’s your lucky day,” Owen called out to him as they approached. “We’re not taking any memories from you today.”
“Thanks,” Eli said sarcastically.
“Nick. It’s time to leave,” Owen called out. He proceeded to wait for the signal.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Owen’s digital watch began to chime. And that meant only one thing.
They were being evacuated out of PRoGRaM.
The entire world was shutting down and Owen and Kate were about to be pulled out and kicked back into the real world. Owen knew what came next. The world around them would begin to dissolve
“Good,” Owen said, glad that his speech had gotten through to him. “Now, this next part is real simple. I want you to think hard about the conversation you had with everyone that night. Don't give me any bullshit about not remembering it either. The mind has the ability to remember everything that’s ever happened, regardless or whether or not you can recall it whilst conscious. All that you need to do is start thinking about it. Your brain will do the rest.”
Eli looked back over to the table where he had been sitting less than a week ago. Right here, right now, he was about to start re-living that memory. Owen and Kate stood up from their table and watched as Eli began to project his memories through PRoGRaM.
It played out just as Owen imagined it would. Eli was the first to arrive, sitting comfortably at the head of the table. There was no-one else in the area with them. Someone had obviously paid well in order to keep this area off limits for the night.
One by one, more men and women entered the nightclub, moving up to meet Eli. Owen and Kate sat for a few minutes, watching people enter. Kate watched every second intently, taking it all in. Eli, the projected version of him, greeted each and every person that came in before they took their seats at the table.
They’re an odd looking bunch. Owen thought. They weren’t your typical looking criminals. They all looked… intelligent.
They watched Eli stand in his projected memory and begin to talk to everyone that had joined him. It all seemed almost casual and innocent, until the situation unfolded in one way that Owen never saw coming.
“Gentlemen,” the projected version of Eli said to everyone sitting at the table. “I assume that you have gone over the specifications and briefings that I have sent to each of you. And I assume that is why you are all here. I can assure you that this is absolutely real. I would like to sell you my services as the first non-government, PRoGRaM analyst. And along with my services, you will also get… a fully working PRoGRaM unit.”
What?! Owen thought as his eyes lit up. Impossible!
“Nick. Hold the memories,” Owen said quickly whilst looking over at Eli. He was just sitting there, smiling broadly and menacingly at Owen. He knew where he was all along! Owen realised. That’s why he didn’t show any fear or surprise. He has his own PRoGRaM device!
Owen watched the projections freeze in place as Nick hit some buttons on the outside and held all the information that Eli was projecting out into PRoGRaM. He didn’t know what to do. He’d been caught off guard. He certainly wasn’t expecting any of this at all, and had no idea on how to proceed. He looked at Kate. She too wasn’t sure what to say, and clearly this wasn’t the greatest first job for her. Owen walked over to her and held her arm, pulling her away to one side, out of earshot of Eli, who was still sat there, handcuffed to his seat with a smug look on his face.
“We need to leave PRoGRaM,” Owen said.
“But what about-“
“No,” he interrupted. “This is way above our pay grade. It’s not our call here. We need to get people higher up involved in this. It’s out of our jurisdiction.”
She reluctantly nodded as they broke away from each other and walked back over to Eli. “It’s your lucky day,” Owen called out to him as they approached. “We’re not taking any memories from you today.”
“Thanks,” Eli said sarcastically.
“Nick. It’s time to leave,” Owen called out. He proceeded to wait for the signal.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Owen’s digital watch began to chime. And that meant only one thing.
They were being evacuated out of PRoGRaM.
The entire world was shutting down and Owen and Kate were about to be pulled out and kicked back into the real world. Owen knew what came next. The world around them would begin to dissolve
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