THE AUGMENTED

Damn!!! Grey wakes up swearing to a searing pain in his eyes and ears, he clumsily opens his eyes and finds himself in a tube, a very large one that gives him free movement and gestures. He noticed Patt and another scientist standing a few meters from the tube. He remembered Patt was the lead researcher in the Company he worked in as a Security guard. He wasn't sure about what the Company did exactly but most of the buildings were either labs or offices. He has heard a lot about this secret government research Center that Create Bio- weapons for Chemical warfare. He always heard it in the NEWS in his Car radio when he drives to work every day. It wasn't the dream job but it paid his bills with a Salary of $19,000 per month and a residence provided by the Company. There is a Company bus for transport but he has a fairly old BMW, a gift from his old Captain for saving his life during a messy mission, he quit the marines because he was tired of the blood shed but mainly PTSD. But he has gotten better now. Six months after he had his job as a Security guard at AXEL TECH Group of Companies he found out that the company produces every day tech from mobiles, Smart phones, laptops, domestic goods, automobiles to weaponry. They were like "Stark" industries in the Iron Man. He was approached three weeks ago by the relations manager and was given an opportunity from the Company to test out new gadgets for a fat pay check of $20,000 dollars. He couldn't decline, he was given a form to fill and was sent to the weaponry unit. A few medical tests and here he is staring at Patt the Chief researcher of weaponry unit across the room while he was on a tube. He was debriefed yesterday or should he call it informed on the type of experiment he is going to be part of an AI Control program they call it where they try to create a mental link between him and an AI Module (a lesser version of an incomplete version of functional AI). He felt they left some details out but he was well used to it from his marine days. He knows the risks, he wrote his will last week to give every penny he has earned to the Orphanage where he was raised up. He smiles when he remembers those days but he is no longer the naive innocent boy from then. He had Vague ideas of top executives in the weaponry unit. The board of directors Supervises the whole Company. There is one director for each unit in AXEL but there are two for the weaponry unit since it's the biggest. Below the two directors was Patt a 43 year old man looking mid thirties with his hair gel backwards and tied in a pony tail. Patt was considered above average looking but not handsome but his Cologne and vibes screamed Wealth. A rumour in the company is that the directors are hoping to kick him out because he was too ambitious. Patt had one dream and that too is to become a legend like Einstein and the likes. j to replace Patt with her but she had little to no ambition as soon as Patt promised her 90% of his salary and bonuses. She was happy to turn the directors down. Grey heard somewhere that she was in her late twenties but she looked more mature than that with her "don't give a s**t" facial expression and attitude but everyone tolerates her especially when Patt treats her like a god. Grey has been awake for a couple of minutes, he felt drowsy. Tubes Carrying liquids from him to a few cylindrical containers attached to his tube. Patt was Staring at Grey's tube not missing the slightest changes while taking notes on his electronic tablet. He turns to Mark and asked "Do you think he is ready?". "I am not sure but his neuro Cortex is the most impressive I have seen on all the volunteers". Patt smiles and nods "he is a very special guy, I have been watching him since he got onto the programm. Mark smiles mischievously and said "I heard you took a Special liking to the guy". Patt jerks his head at his partner and stared at him scoldingly "Mark, my partner!!!. would you kill you guys to stop gossiping? I thought you were the quiet one? I noticed him firstly because I was observant and then finally I have a better insight than the rest of you? I chose the best." Mark nods and smiles. "I think his vitals are strong and stable enough to be exposed to the AI module now. If the experiment is successful, humans can control machines with simple mental commands. It's gonna be a new era in human history." Patt nods as if approving of Mark's comment. Then he looks at the room and said "Let's get started then". Mark taps a red button nearby which turns the room they were standing into an elevator that descends into the laboratory below packed with a lot of equipments and scientists going to and fro with a serious expression - do not disturb expression on their faces. The elevator stops in the room by then Grey was already unconscious, Mark checked Grey's tube and got to work on connecting it to a large computer which was labelled AI Module 0. Patt walked briskly to the middle of the room while everyone's attention was focused on him. He started "We are here today to take part in writing history in the revolution and manifestation of one of man's many dreams. Talking of man's dreams, We have travelled to the moon, explored Space, built Artificial intelligence and more. We have accomplished a lot and we are still breaking new grounds. We are here to do such today. It is going to be a major breakthrough in Neuroscience. So let's make it big, let's prove to the world, to Nature and to our AI counterparts, the reason Man is considered the apex predator. It's time for us to stop fearing AI revolting and exercise absolute control on AI. Through intense brain research we found a special part of our brain that has a greater illustration, illusion, control and influence on AI and today we are going to test the effect of placing a AI module under it's influence." Patt flicks his fingers "Let's get started. Like a military order, everyone fell in their workspace and started work. Patt's assistant Jenny enters the lab and walked to Patt's side with a lollipop in her mouth. Patt stares at her with his eyes twitching and asked "Do you have to do that there?". Jenny answered "What?" without turning her head. Patt kept his silence he knew he had shot himself in the foot when he had deal with her but he can't let her replace him just yet and he can't deny that she is extremely intelligent and creative. This experiment was generally her idea. he stole, No borrowed and modified it. Patt will never admit to stealing from a Junior College but the only flaw she had was her don't Care attitude. As long as her pay check Comes on time, She has no issues. He knew an ambitionless and brilliant scientist like her is what the department Directors want but he wouldn't give in to them at least not until he put his name amongst the legends. The equipments were powered and working perfectly, everything was in order. The AI Module was powered on and the module was exposed to a machine magnifying Grey's neuro Core waves. The big Screen showed a progress bar moving from (0%) to 20%, 30%, 35%,45%, 50%. Patt asked "All systems check. Mark did a system check and replied "All systems good." Patt nods and smiles merrily." Jenny shurgs at his side "Don't be too happy yet" Patt stares at her meanly and scrowled "Don't Jinx it" Although he is not Superstitious but he didn't want anything to go wrong now. At that moment all Screens showed big blinking Red ERROR!!!. Patt Sweared "s**t". Mark started in a grave voice "We have a problem." Patt asked "What?". Mark adjusted his lab coat and said "The idea was to expose the AI to Grey's cortex and slowly sublimate the AI into a bonded entity where Grey's Core can maintain absolute control over the AI no matter what." Patt nods gently "Yes, that was the idea. So what is wrong?" Mark Said "I don't think the level of exposure is enough". Jenny butts in "If there is no protection for Grey's Core during exposure it may cause severe mutation and make the entire experiment a failure or even affect Grey negative or kill him." Patt nods to Jenny "I understand your Concern but Grey already Signed up his life for this experiment". He turns to Mark "Connect AI module directly to Grey's Cortex and let's see what happens and if it goes Side ways. we can always Shut the whole thing down. The Scientist adjusted the exposure and the Green bar Came back at 55%, 60, 70,75%, 80,95,97% and then the error notification was displayed again and a danger alert was issued by the Computers. Mark checked the equipment and said "The AI Module is resisting Sublimation". Patt was astonished and ask "how is that possible? It's just a module not a complete AI". Mark looked through his tablet and explained "We have far too little information about the human neuro Cortex. Patt clenched his fist and asked "The Cortex is behind this?". Mark nods "Somehow the Cortex is influencing the AI module but not sublimating it like I thought but instead forcing it to go through evolution. Patt Shivered "The AI is Evolving?, Do we know it's End form?". Mark shook his head and said "No". Patt bit his lips said with a deep sigh and low voice. "Shut it down". Mark stunned, turned to Patt "Why turn it off. It may be something good, a new type of AI?" Patt got angry "We are not here to create AI or evolve AI here, we are here to control it" but before he could finish his sentence There was a black out. Patt got even More Pissed "How Can we have a black out! we are on a private power grid damn it!!!" Mark stares at Grey's tube in shock "It's not a black out, grey is absorbing huge chunk of energy. His energy levels are extremely high and still increasing". Patt rushes forward pushing away anyone in his way while charging to mark side in the dimly lit laboratory reaching Mark he yells " stop it now!!!". Jenny walked forward carefully avoiding others "Disconnect him and the AI from power Source. Rip their cables off if you have to". Mark nodded and ordered the Scientists to do as she said and the lights and equipment came back on but the previous error notification was gone. In It's place a green progress bar showing 100% was displayed. Every one in the room stared to the screens dumbfounedly. Patt Came to his Senses and asked mark to checked the AI and Grey's vitals. Mark did a few checks and looked Confused "The AI module is empty and Patt grey's vitals are back to normal but the module chip is not fried or damaged which means it wasn't destroyed but kinda of missing." Patt asked "But where did it go?" Mark shrugs indicating he had no idea. Patt Sigh "Conclude the experiment a failure and get grey in an observation room. I want regular updates on him, Only him can answer our questions and doubts. Partner run test on his system. I want to know everything about his mental system.**