“How ’bout, ‘Viva Las Vegas!’?” the chief replied and belched again. “Or, ‘I ha’ a rea’y fuckin’ good fuckin’ ti’e’? Wha’ I can rer’mem’er of it.”
With that, the chief slowly slumped down the side of the booth until he was flat on his back on the convention hall floor. Then he began to snore.
“I’m tempted to send him home in the container…” Mike muttered.
Chapter Thirty-Four
“Mr. Jenkins,” the doctor said, nodding and looking over at Katya. “And you would be, potentially, Patient Number 7194.”
Mike had sent the rest of the Keldara back to Georgia along with Chief Adams, Vanner and Carlson-Smith, who seemed to be permanently attached to their collective hip until the mission was complete. He had stopped in Virginia, however, to stick with Katya for the procedure and ensure she was taken care of. He still wasn’t sure where the hospital was; the drive had involved the normal closed van. Just “somewhere in Virginia” down in the flat-country. He couldn’t place it within a hundred miles.
“Wow, lots of casualties, lately,” Mike said, smiling.
“We do not, in fact, increment by patient,” the doctor replied. Mike had to assume he was a doctor, since he said he was. But the usual plaques were distinctly missing from the bare walls of the spartan office. “Otherwise people could make a guess such as you just made as to casualty rates among black units. The total number of patients operated upon by this hospital is as secret as their individual identities.”
“I like this place,” Katya said, smiling in her friendliest manner at the rotund physician. “I am told of what is plan. Put in microphone and camera. In body.”
“Not exactly a camera,” the doctor said, pulling out some papers and moving around to the other side of the desk. “We’re going to insert a small bundle of wires into your visual cortex, where the optic nerve intersects the brain. These, together with a microprocessor and a small transmitter, will decode the view that your eyes are sending to the brain. This procedure has been successfully demonstrated on everything up to and including chimpanzees. There has not, yet, been an attempt with a human. The technology is very cutting edge and, frankly, we haven’t found anyone willing to undergo the procedure. You’re aware of this?”
“Yes,” Katya said, shrugging. “I am being paid much to do this mission and I need the… things.”
“Very well,” the doctor said. “However, I have to warn you of potential known side effects as well as possible unknown side effects.”
“Go ahead,” Katya said, sighing.
“There is a possibility of reduction or loss of sight,” the doctor said. “We haven’t actually had a patient who could tell us just how accurate their sight is and how it has changed. There are visual acuity tests for animals, but they’re not entirely accurate. There is a possibility of long-term sight degradation. There is a possibility of long-term secondary cranial degradation. There is very little data on long-term brain implants available. Infection around the implantation site could cause cerebral damage, brain damage that is. Damage is also possible from the long-term degradation. There is a slight possibility of debilitating stroke. And as with any surgical procedure there are possibilities of death. Are you sure you wish to continue with the procedure?”
“Doctor,” Katya said, strangely quiet. “I was raised in an orphanage in Russia with hundreds of other girls. I had nothing of my own until I was sold, straight from the orphanage, to a pimp who raped me when I was twelve. And he was not the first; I got my tits when I was eight and was raped soon after by the master of the orphanage. I have been beaten, raped, tortured and threatened with death all of my life that I can remember. I have been hungry and cold more times than I can remember. Death holds no fear for me. Nor does blindness. Or brain damage. I wish that I did not remember most of my life. And with this… devices, I will have great power. Many will wish to use me for their spy. If it works I will never be poor, or dependent upon men, again,” she spat.
“Doc?” Mike said to the stone-faced physician.
“Yes?”
“Any other enhancements available?” Mike asked. “Hidden weapons? Poison fingernails? Jump jets in the feet? She’ll take ’em all.”
The doctor regarded him balefully for a moment and then cleared his throat.
“We’re only authorized to provide the listed implants. The visual system does, however, have a biofeedback replay system that is potentially capable of enhancing long and short distance vision. It requires practice.”
“Telescope eyes, cool,” Mike said, grinning. “So she can get jump-jets in her soles?”
“There are other… devices,” the doctor said, shrugging. “But I’m not authorized…”
“Got an outside line?” Mike asked seriously. “I can get them all authorized. How long would she be down?”
“How much do you want?” the physician snapped. “I can’t even tell you what they all are.”
“Get me an outside line,” Mike said, sighing. “I’ll get you the authorization.”
Katya looked over the long list in wonder.
“What is ‘micrometallic skeletal enhancement’?” she asked, her eyes wide.
“You don’t want that,” Mike said, looking over her shoulder. “Unless there’s been some radical breakthrough in nanotechnology they’re sitting on, it would mean stripping off your skin and muscle to get it. On the other hand, you’d be bulletproof, to low velocity weapons, over most of your body. Jesus Christ. There aren’t many of these that are listed as actually used. But the ones that are scare the hell out of me. At least the ‘sonic transceiver’ is listed as ‘tested, stable.’ But I was joking about the poison fingernails!”
“Where?” Katya asked.
“ ‘Digital extremity chemical insertion device,’ ” Mike said, pointing. “It looks like a pretty nasty procedure, though.”
“Worse than having someone stick a scalpel up your nose?” Katya asked.
“The pouch for whatever you want to give the recipient is in the palm,” Mike pointed out. “You’ll go around squirting cyanide all over every time you clench your fist. Not to mention injecting yourself.”
“Use something that has an antidote, then,” Katya said, grinning. “Antidote on one hand, poison on the other.”
“There’s bound to be problems with it,” Mike pointed out. “Go for the ‘subcutaneous nonmetallic puncture device.’ Means you can carry a knife anywhere.”
“I like the poison fingernails,” Katya said. “I can use them on this mission!”
“I’m afraid that if you get the full upgrade, they’re never going to let you out of their sight,” Mike said with a sigh.
“ ‘Subcutaneous injection, phys…’ I’m lost again.”
“ ‘Subcu…’ ” Mike muttered for a second and then shook his head. “It’s a combat drug. I’m not sure which one; they’ve been playing around with them for a long time. Probably a temporary enhancement of strength and reaction time along with calming agent so you’re less scared.”
“I don’t get scared anymore,” Katya said, darkly. “I get angry.”
“Perfect for you, then,” Mike said.
“ ‘Mas…’ ” Katya said, pointing to one line.
“Face job,” Mike said. “Change your appearance.”
“So I can look like a particular person?” Katya asked.
“You don’t sing well enough to replace Jessica Simpson,” Mike said, shaking his head. “It’s for people who can’t use their present face for whatever reason. Get a couple of the subcutaneous pouches. You can fit all sorts of stuff in those. And, hell, if you really want the poison fingernails…”