The Memory Coder

Chapter One

Of course, I knew this was ridiculous. The only thing he could see on the other side of that window was whatever soothing landscape the doctor had chosen to project.

But I ducked my head nonetheless and focused on my monitor.

Dr. Solara appeared through the door a minute later, after the delivery boy was out. She ran her fingers through her short blond hair, tugging on the ends as though she meant to pull them straight from the roots.

“What a piece of work, huh?” she grunted, all traces of femininity wiped clean from her voice.

I opted not to comment. In the three years I’ve been working here, I’ve learned that the less I engage in conversation, the better. “Retrieval in sixty seconds,” I reported.

She sighed and pressed her balled fists to her hips. No smiles in this room.

The download progress bar inched its way across my screen, filling empty space with digital green pigment.

“Ready for metadata,” I announced, fingers poised on keys.

Dr. Solara lowered herself into the adjoining station and began to list off the subject’s stats. “Name: Niko Benz. Age: Nineteen. Occupation: Employee at Sunset Valley Flowers and Gifts. Address: 171 North Cannon . . .”

I entered the data with the precision and speed of a machine.

“How much do you need to see?” I asked.

“The last two weeks.” I immediately noted the annoyance in her tone. Having to review that much footage is a daunting task. “Filter out anything that doesn’t reference the infraction. I don’t need to watch this guy taking a dump.”

I yawned and input the search parameters. The results spit out a moment later and I transferred them to her terminal, activating the Revisualization program.

Dr. Solara rubbed at her painted cheeks as she watched the downloaded memories play out on the screen. I tried to keep my eyes glued to my own monitor, knowing full well that it’s not the coder’s job to assess the infraction. It’s only my job to remove it. And of course, leave something believable in its place.

But it was hard not to look. Especially once I saw the reason the boy was here.  

The reason he was unconscious in that room on the other side of the window. And then everything became clear.

It was a girl.

But not just any girl.

Her intoxicating purple eyes flashed in and out of the delivery boy’s mind all day. Her flawless face mesmerized him. Consumed him. He thought about her everywhere he went. He fantasized about her constantly. Caressing her smooth bronzed skin. Running his fingers through her silky caramel-colored hair. Kissing her delectable pink lips.

It was she who kept him coming back. Who captivated the poor boy beyond reprieve. He was originally sent here on a routine delivery. A fruit basket, of all things. An innocent task turned into something else.

And for a face that exquisite, it was hard to blame him.

I felt myself leaning forward in my chair, gazing at Dr. Solara’s monitor. Falling into the delivery boy’s fantasies. Replacing his hands, his fingers, his mouth with my own.

It was the time codes on my screen that finally jolted me out of my trance. I surveyed them as they flickered past, seeming to go on forever. Two weeks’ worth of memories.

And she was in nearly every single one of them.

“Damn it!” Dr. Solara cursed, pushing her chair back violently. I could feel her stale, coffee-soaked breath on my face. “There are references everywhere. It’s all this guy thought about for two frickin’ weeks.”

She switched off her monitor and I solemnly watched the girl’s delicate face dissolve into blackness, the brilliant purple hue of her eyes the last to fade.

Dr. Solara groaned and rose to her feet, but her body remained hunched over in defeat. “Just . . .” she began with a frustrated sigh. “. . . take it all.”

“Doctor?” I questioned, a flash of panic shuddering through me.  “Are you sure? A two-week restoration will take all night. Not to mention the potential side effects on the subject.”

She shot me a look that immediately made me regret the objection. “Well, what the hell do you expect me to do? If they had caught this pervert on day one, this wouldn’t be an issue.” She paused near the exit, thinking. Hesitating.

I noticed her head shake ever so slightly before she shoved open the door. “Replace the whole damn thing.”

## 

This story continues in Chapter Two