“Connect me to the SOPHRA project division.”
“Yes, of course, one moment.”
…
“SOPHRA Surveillance, line open.”
“Which idiot authorized the two disposal subjects to be linked? That was neither discussed nor approved.”
…
“Oh. It’s you.”
“Yes, it’s me. And I can hardly believe what I just read. I want to hear it from you.”
“Field file 7B open for revision. Coding unit SINA-0V-9 was extracted from the source field via RFM procedure. Transfer carried out into host structure ELINV1. Instability expected. Operator Jaroslav acted autonomously.”
“With what objective?”
“No objective. Pure curiosity. The host body was clinically terminal, cognitively depleted. The data carrier was considered irreparably damaged, analysis impossible. The experiment had already been declared lost.”
“And Faris Mertens?”
“Case closed. Standard procedure. Scan and coding completed without complication, host cleared for cremation. But then the cooling unit failed. Operator Jaroslav sought an alternative solution.”
“But Sina is active. Can she cause us problems?”
“Unlikely. The module appeared incomplete.”
“Appeared. And yet the speech center is responding. Conceptual thinking. Initial integration of old fragments. Status of the host structure?”
“Critical. Advanced hepatic failure.”
“Is she at least marked? Can we track her every move?”
“Yes. Under the left breast. Clean execution, fresh ink. No deviation from standard.”
A sharp, almost inaudible exhale on the other end.
“At least something. Did the subject originally refuse serum? I see no entry or notation in her file.”
“No. She wanted a natural death, as much as possible in coordination with us.”
“And now Sina is active.”
“Sina woke up outside the secure zone.”
“She did what?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Jaroslav believed the marker gave him full control.”
“Where I come from, we say: if brains were dynamite, you couldn’t blow your hat off.”
“Yes, that was my thought as well. In any case, the host body received the new coding and one unit of TZSFC during the dying process. Jaroslav documented within minutes that vital signs were virtually nil. No pupillary reaction, flat EEG. Disposal was initiated as usual, the experiment was deemed failed. But as mentioned, the facility was partially offline at that time. Jaroslav improvised. He used the old cemetery in Bergen. Relatively isolated, minimal chance of discovery.”
“Excellent. And now? Discovered by civilians, police involved, data crosschecks underway. None of this was in the protocol.”
“Yes, but both subjects were biologically inactive. Jaroslav acted under emergency procedures. No one anticipated a dog waking the pastor and Sina…”
“Utterly irresponsible. And why the execution gown?”
“According to Jaroslav, symbolic reconstruction based on fragmented source data. Her execution was her final memory, and she wore that type of clothing.”
“What a mess.”
…
“Directive as of now, non-delegable: Sina is to be retrieved immediately. All external traces, particularly documentary fragments outside controlled zones, are to be located and eliminated. All ongoing investigations are to be frozen. Priority Black Red Zero. No delegation. Sina must be brought back at any cost. And give Jaroslav this message: if he ever acts on his own initiative again, his next assignment will be janitorial duty.”