CY834 - Chapter 2

Jason didn't even flinch as the door banged behind him. The twisted human that opened the door squinted at him through uneven eyes. A mutant? Jason didn't make comment, having not even a passing interest.

Generations of nuclear winter had affected some humans in interesting ways. Most didn't survive beyond a couple of weeks, leaving distraught parents angry at a failed system and a dying world, but with no one and nothing to rage to. Some were luckier, growing to adapt to their afflictions. Humpbacks, extra limbs, skin issues – the usual. Now and then it threw a curveball in the persons favour and they remained healthy, whilst having enough of an affliction that they made a decent living from it. Much like the ancient circuses and freak shows that used to travel the land and the Elephant Man, people could pay to spend time with mutants, as they were widely called, and make used of their exaggerated features for pictures, scientific work, or even simple, sometimes cruel, amusement.
This particular example was one of the more milder cases, eyes too wide apart that didn't match, a twisted spine, one leg longer than the other and a hint of a skin complaint. Guy got lucky really.

Jason moved forward behind his host. The corridor before him was clean, free from the dust and dirt that was so prevalent everywhere in this world. Swinging the bag over his shoulder he adapted his usual long, free stride to match the slower shuffle of the mutant before him. They passed door after door. He noticed strange smells coming from one, loud bangs from another. In the distance, was that a scream? He quickly decided it was none of his business, he was here to do a job, and that was deliver the cyber-chips, nothing else.




Eventually they reached a large glass window, with a steel door off to the side. It slid open to reveal a grey wiry haired older man wearing a lab coat. If he had the mind to Jason would have guffawed at the sight of the archetypal 'mad scientist' with his hunchback assistant, but the symbolism was lost amongst the centuries of fiction abandoned in the city libraries. The room was huge, like a cavern. Large vats were spread about, filled with various coloured liquids. In some, humanoid figures floated. Attached to wires and what looked like breathers, the bodies were still. Dead? Jason's eyes flickered over them quickly, did one move? Growing concerns fought to be heard in the back of his mind, but he pushed it back down. He was here for a reason. He handed over the chips with a nod and made to leave.

“Wait” the scientist moved around to look at his face. “You're one of them aren't you? I can see the scars where you had the skin reattached. War scars? ....I didn't know you could grow beards” He reached his hand up to touch the thick hair covering Jason's face. Jason stepped back and moved the man's hands down.




“Neither did I” he replied. The dark thoughts took over his mind, and an apprehensive look, tinged with rising anger, crossed his face. “ What exactly do you plan to do with the chips? You're not going to try to re-implant them are you?”
The scientist looked at him curiously. “Why?” he moved over to the table where a large object lay covered in a medical sheet. As he moved the sheet down Jason saw the top half of what appeared to be a female human head, except where the brains would be was a complicated network of semi-synthetic wires and muscle.

“You know the experiment was a failure” Jason moved over to join him at the table, looking down at the female body he sighed “It's no fun you know, being as we are. I know we were made to fight, and fight we did. But they lied you know. They never got rid of our humanity, our memories. They faded, and they were suppressed...muffled I guess. But when we sleep, we don't dream of electric sheep.” He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes.

“Don't do this”