The Rise of the Cyborgs

Chapter 31/Meta 2.0

Corridors of institution #71  

Meta's POV 

"Brooklyn. Anyone where are you" I thought. Began to smell smoke. Tear gas. Cordite. This was a regular war. 

"Meta stay where you are. " I heard Brooklyn's thoughts come to me. "there are some SWAT police officers between us and them."

Then I heard a chorus of other voices. While each of them was saying something different I was able to hear them at all same time. Like following multiple chats in whatsApp.

"How was your retreat?" I heard Lee say to me "are you feeling more grounded and centred?"

"Absolutely I feel great I am so Meta 2.0, you should try it." I said back. OK it was a battle but nothing anyone couldn't handle. 

"Meta. I'll come to you." Another unfamiliar voice said.

"No Colin stay where you are," Brooklyn said.

At this point I was looking around. I hooked up to see what was going on in the security camera network. I could see policeman in heavy riot gear settling in behind barricades. Behind them warders were crouching.

"Colin so nice to hear you," I said silently back to him. 

Moments later I saw Collin's Electric chair moving towards me. It took me a moment to tell from the black-and-white image but I realise the chair was empty. It was then I heard the sound of machine gunfire.

There was more chatter between Brooklyn and the others. As far as I could tell they were still in wing four. A couple of the dormitories and had caught fire. Some of the children there had severe learning difficulties. Brooklyn and the others were prioritising getting the children out over targeting the truck. Ethically I didn't think much of Brooklyn's choices.

"Someone focus" I began "and hold a picture in your mind of map of where everything is."

Valerie sent me a strong image. Parts were missing but I could quickly compare that with the map. It looked like they hadn't managed to trap the all security teams.

"How many transformed are there?" I said to everyone.

"Just the ones you infected. " I got back. "I tried but I couldn't infect anyone. I think only you can do it." That must have been Brooklyn in thinking that.

I let out a deep sigh. Having the group the size of 20 was about the minimum, to be 95% certain that we could achieve our objective. Just having dormitory seven wasn't impossible but even a tactical genius can't overcome a huge army with a rusty fork. I had scenarios for this but now with my moved 37 solution to the truck, It was possible. 

Collin's old wheelchair was coming towards me. I didn't get into it but rather hung off one side. The chair turned around and using it to cover I hung on as I moved  towards the food court. Some of the swot troops Will be getting to get the ready move off. I could hear them switching magazines. Unfortunately, they had made a grave mistake of forming a barricade where a fire door was situated. Power was running through the Fire suppression system it was easy to order the door shut. For good measure, I was able to set off a couple of the tasers the wardens had.

"Everybody hold your positions," I said in my mind "I'm going to be with you as soon as I do a couple of jobs."

"What?" I think Hannah said silently.

"I've just got to catch up with the little reading. " I said silently. 

"Seriously?" Zoe said. 

*****

Slipping silently off Collin's old wheelchair I was able to go into the medical emergency room. Collins wheelchair carried on distracting anybody who might have been watching me. There was a young Asian girl that must've been about nine hiding in the. Her eyes were wide.

"It's okay," I said, "I just need to hide too."

She was profoundly deaf and had two large hearing implants on either side of her head. I was able to Connect up to the Bluetooth and I could whisper to her.

She signed me.

I had learned some simple sign language phrases. My mother had borrowed a large signing dictionary and I was suddenly able to recall flicking through many of the pages.

"What's happening?" She signed.

"You're okay. Stay with me and you will be safe." I both spoke and signed to her.

Reaching over to the computer I booted it up and plugged in. It took me more than I want to because I held the USB plug the wrong way up.

"What are you doing?" I heard Brooklyn ask as he at the others kept a hoard of Warders away. I could smell the smoke from the fires in the dormitories. I don't know if I was literally smelling the smoke all the impression headset itself over whatever network connection we now have between us.

"A little light reading," I told him.

I close my eyes and for a second was able to reach to the Internet. The institution hadn't cut off its network connection. They were going to learn the hard way that wasn't a good tactic with me around. In about a second I have not only read the Art of War but also a couple of SWAT team manuals. That was almost all I really needed.

I could almost feel the light on my face as someone pulled the door open.

Opening my eyes I could Focus on a SWAT Sgt pointing his rifle at me. From his phone, he was in his mid 30s. He was dating but the danger of the job meant his girlfriend wouldn't marry him. He was confused as I guessed we all were. No one had been expecting this day to go as it suddenly and badly wrong as it had.

"put the gun down," I told him clearly.

He looked at me and raised his eyebrows at my sass. Then he took a stronger stance and looked at me through his electronic targeting site.

"On the floor now." He said is loudly as he could. He hoped to command us both into submission. It was on page 14 take command of the  situation, whatever the situation,

I didn't move. my mind was running at triple speed. He would shoot us if I move towards him. He wouldn't like it. He had already mentally figured out he wouldn't be court-martialed killing an impaired.

"Put the gun down," I told him raising my hands.

He was starting to guess I knew something he didn't. Did the young girl hold a grenade?

"Your dad died fighting during cyberwar. Would he want this? Killing kids was that the way" I told him. His phone had photographs of the headstone. One photo for every year. 

"He died protecting this country. Is this what he would want his son to grow up to do. Put the gun down" I told him raising my hands.

"Get the fuck down." He shouted pointing at me with the gun. He was confused and desperate. 

"the Instructions," I told him calm "were for your benefit, not mine."

In my head, I re-read the SWAT section on weapons. While the police weapons had a military level of lethality they also had police levels of digital augmentation. Modern guns were packed with electronics. This helped them aim, record circumstances, register evidence but most importantly had the system that stopped a gun from firing if it was not held by the registered owner. SWAT weapons all had a remote go no-go switch. This meant the central commander could disable all guns and ceasefire and an intense situation. It also meant the handle held a substantial battery which I was now able to discharge into the weapon.

The small digital display on the side fizzed sending splatters of molten solder into the Sergeant's eyes. He instinctively pulled the trigger but natural,ly nothing happened. I jumped up and kicking with both feet in the stomach. He shot backwards like he was on some kind of cartoon spring. This time I hand't held back. I know his stomach and chest were protected by modern bullet-proof armour. Enough to stop my kick from seriously hurting him. He ended up flying across the room hitting the far wall. With luck, he would be knocked out. 

"I know a safe place to hide. Let's run" I signed to the deaf girl.

I put my finger to my head "job done. Let's break this joint. Ready or not here I come" I sent the others.