But where we’d had pssi introduced into our wetware as adults and knew the difference between real and synthetic, the pssi-kids had grown up with the stimulus embedded. Most of the distinction was lost to them. Their brains and nervous systems had developed together with pssi, and their minds had started to become something different. They had become something different.
Changing the body was one thing, but changing the mind, now this was something else. As I watched these pssi-kids playing rag doll, I now had the eerie sensation of watching some alien creatures playing before me.
The rag doll collective suddenly stopped, and then looked straight at the point where I was observing it from. I hadn’t appeared in their sensory spaces, nor flagged my presence, so it couldn’t have known that I was watching, or even that I was there. And yet, it stopped and stared intently at where I would have been, as if they knew what I was thinking; as if they were staring straight into my soul.
Immediately I clicked out of that space and sat staring numbly at the wall of books in my office.
I shivered.
13
Identity: Jimmy Jones
“Regarding our project, there is something I need you to do for me in return,” I said to Dr. Ganger. We were back on another walk through the hydroponics farms. He’d wanted an update and confirmation of our deal to put him first in line for the conscious transference project. “I want to be put into the research groups on memory and addiction.”
“Consider it done,” he agreed with a smile. Dr. Granger held out a hand to pass it through the green leaves of a plant we passed. He stopped to inspect one large, ripe tomato hanging in its branches.
“And I’ll need to get root access to Shimmer and your own pssi system.”
He let go of the tomato and turned to look at me. This was a highly unusual request, but then again, to become immortal, to secure his fame forever, this was worth anything to him.
“Yes, but with some provisos,” he replied slowly. “I’ll need to understand the details of what you want to do, but, yes.”
“Of course,” I agreed, “you also understand we need to keep this private between you and I.”
He narrowed his eyes and smiled.
“I don’t want Patricia to be a part of this,” I explained.
“Isn’t she like a mother to you?”
He was trying to measure an emotional response from me, but I just stared at him impassively.
I didn’t want Patricia knowing I wanted to do research work with Hal. She’d never liked him, and I didn’t want to create any more problems. On top of that, the project Hal and I were discussing was something Patricia didn’t know I was involved in.
As the lead on conscious perimeter security, my plate was already full, but I had a growing passion in the next evolving step of the pssi program—conscious transference. We were still a ways off, but we were slowly evolving ways to understand how the ethereal mind hovered somewhere within the physical cage of the brain, where the seat of consciousness and our sense of self came together. Immortality, or something approaching it, was close at hand.
Soon enough, as pssi flooded the world and all of mankind began flittering between gameworlds and sensorgies, an upgrade to their monthly pssi package would feature an option for conscious transference.
Transfer from what, they will ask, from my old body? That thing I haven’t seen in a year? And in an instant it will be done, the age old dream of immortality realized with as little fanfare as the click of a button. Then they’d leave their bodies to collect dust somewhere in the corner of a garage like an old television set, eventually to be thrown out.
In this context, ceding executive control to pssi was like offering up your eternal soul.
Hal really shouldn’t be quite so trusting, no matter what the possible gains. He was lucky he was dealing with me and not someone else.
“She loves you, you know,” he added, watching me, fishing for something. I grew impatient. Before I could say anything, he beat me to the punch.
“Sorry Jimmy, I don’t mean to test you—old habits die hard,” he laughed. “I very much appreciate this. Consider me at your disposal for anything.”
“Are you coming to the Infinixx launch tonight?” I asked.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he replied sarcastically, obviously no fan of the Killiam clan.
I let it go. “Good, I really want everyone to be there.”
He nodded, returning his attention to the tomato plant.
“Anything you say, Jimmy.”
I nodded goodbye and clicked out of that sensory space. I was really looking forward to the launch.
14
Identity: Patricia Killiam
“Ten!...Nine!...Eight!...”
I looked out at the packed crowd in the Ballroom, feeling the excitement build, and in the background my splinter network scanned the nearly billion people who had tuned in to witness the launch of Infinixx.
“Aunt Pattie,” said Nancy, turning to look towards me with tears in her eyes, “I’ve decided that I’d like it to be you who throws the switch. All this, everything here is all because of you!”
The crowd continued to roar the countdown, “…six...”
It was her moment to shine, not mine.
“I’d love to sweetheart,” I replied quickly. My physical self was back helping Vince on another goose chase in the grow farms. Even if I’d wanted to, there was no way for me to throw this switch without my body here. “I had a last minute thing come up. You go ahead dear!”
My stomach balled into a knot, realizing something had gone horribly wrong before I even understood what it was. I flipped my pssi into identity mode to reveal a completely empty room. Not a soul was here physically, not even Nancy. I immediately realized the disaster that was about to unfold.
“…five…”
“Okay Jimmy, how about you then?” asked Nancy, still unaware. “Go ahead. I really wanted it to be one of you two.”
She released the switch and encouraged Jimmy to take it.
I tried to unlock the exterior security perimeter to bring a psombie guard into the room, but Nancy and Jimmy had the security keyed into them. I desperately pinged Jimmy for access.
At the same time I had Marie querying the proxxi of all the senior executives up on the stage with us. All of them had last minute plans for not coming physically, including me. They had all hidden their excuses because we’d asked them to come in person, thinking it wouldn’t make a difference. It was exactly what I had thought as well.
“...three...two...”
“I’m really sorry Nance,” replied Jimmy urgently. “I had something too. You go ahead...quick now!”
Jimmy’s face registered his surprise as my access control request hit his networks and he also understood the position we were in.
“...ONE!”
Nancy turned as white as a ghost when she realized what was happening. Her words of seconds ago now echoed in my mind, “All this, everything here is because of you.” An audible ‘snap’ rang out in the air as the Chinese and Indians flipped their own switches at their remote locations.
What was going on? Vince had asked me to come and help him, and to keep it a secret, but his futile pursuits were something I had set him on myself. I hadn’t planned this, and in fact I would have done almost anything to have stopped it from happening.
Already the world press had figured out what was going on. A Times article trumpeting “Infinixx—Everywhere but Nowhere!” was being filtered in to the main Ballroom display.
Lawyers from the Indian and Chinese sides had instantly filed lawsuits against Cognix claiming monumental damages. By now Jimmy had unlocked the exterior security perimeter, and I could see a psombie guard racing towards the stage.