The Human Experiment

Stranger Danger

Chapter 5

            Scarlett followed cautiously behind Ian while listening to he and Everly argue.  They still weren’t sure what was going on with the system and couldn’t seem to agree on how to figure it out.  It was both disappointing and scary.  If neither was the one who had sabotaged the program, then was not a good sign.  Granted if she was the first of the rescues it could be reasoned that they haven’t been working on it long.  If one or both, were the ones to do the damage themselves then the arguing made sense.  It would give a false sense that they were working on fixing the problem when really it was the opposite.  Between listening to the two of them bicker and her mind going in circles trying to figure it out it was making her dizzy.  At least that’s what she hoped was doing it.  The fact that the world around her was beginning to tilt left her to believe it was something to do with the construct itself.

            Stumbling Scarlett caught the attention of Ian just before she went down.  Dropping the sword to the ground he rushed to catch her cradling to his wide chest.  He looked her over with worry checking her physically.  The act almost made her want to giggle.  Her body didn’t really exist inside the program.  Only the mind was allowed inside.  What would happen to her if her computer-generated body died there?  Would she wake up on the outside perhaps?  She wasn’t sure she wanted to risk it to find out.  Yet the worse the spinning became the less sure she was that she had a choice.

            “Everly, I think we have a problem.”

            “I’m trying to concentrate here Ian.  What could possibly be more important than solving what’s going on right now?”

            “She’s not looking very good right now that’s what.  I would really like to keep her in one piece.”

            “What’s going on?”  Instead of answering right away he turned his attention back to the woman in his arms that seemed to be fading fast.  Her eyelids drooped as she slid in and out of consciousness.  Lightly tapping her cheek Ian tried to get her to focus on him. 

            “I need you to talk to me.  Heck I don’t even know what to call you.”  She smiled weakly up at him not having the effort to laugh.  Now was not the time to figure out that you had bad manners.

            “Scarlett.”  It was all she had the energy to say before falling back into unconsciousness.

***

            “Everly did you get that.  She said her name is Scarlett.”

            “I heard.  It’ll take a minute to look up.”  Ian waited impatiently as he stared at Scarlett’s chest.  The rise and fall of her breaths had slowed in a short amount of time.  After the trek they had made through the forest she should be breathing hard, but she wasn’t.  He couldn’t believe he hadn’t paid any attention to her beyond knowing that her foot falls were following behind him.  He wasn’t used to having anyone in tow while working withing the system.  It was an oversight on his part.  One he hoped wouldn’t cost her.

            As Ian sat there waiting for Everly a young boy appeared beside him.  Startled he jumped slightly pulling Scarlett closer to him in response.  The boy looked to be around ten with unruly blonde locks that had a mind of their own.  He paid little to no attention to Ian as he leaned over Scarlett.  The action made him uncomfortable especially as he didn’t know who the kid was.  The child was dressed much like Ian himself in a plain tee shirt and pants.  He looked as out of place inside the current construct as the two of them did.

            “Would you like me to save her?”  The question caught him off guard finding it strange coming for one so young.  What could this kid do that he and his partner couldn’t?

            “Sorry for sounding skeptical but what do you think you can do?”  The boy looked him right in the eyes smiling in the carefree way that only children could.  As he did this the plants around them turned black and withered in death.  That was the least unsettling thing going on right then.  While the boy smiled in enjoyment it didn’t reach his eyes.  It was his eyes though that really had him fighting to not pick up Scarlett and run.  Instead of normal eyes the child’s were completely black.  No whites, no pupils, no irises.  Simply unfathomable black.  As Ian stared into them, he saw code running through their depths.

            “I’ve taken care of the source, but you’ll need to give her this.”  The boy placed a vial of glowing liquid within.

            “What is this?”

            “The antidote.”  Ian tried to hand it back, but the boy stepped out of reach placing his hands behind his back.

            “My partner and I are working on it.  Besides I don’t even know who you are or if this is even what you say it is.”  The boy seemed to consider his words briefly before smiling once again.  He could swear there was mischief in the kid’s face but without being able to look into normal eyes it made him harder to read.

            “You can call me DAX.  That is the antidote for the poison she had been breathing in since the two of you entered this construct.  If it’s proof of sincerity you wish, then the room you’ll find her in is 32Alpha.”

            “That makes not sense at all.  If she was breathing in poison, then so was I.  As you can see, I’m perfectly fine.”  Even though Ian wasn’t sure what to make of DAX he was reluctant to toss the vial aside. 

            “As a guardian of the system you have protection that is not given to the others.  I am obligated to make sure you can preform your duties efficiently.”  By the way he was talking Ian had a sneaking suspicion he knew who DAX was.  Because of the current predicament he found it harder still to trust it.

            “If you’re who I think you are then why should I believe you.  For all I know this vial contains a concoction to kill her not save her.”  The boy shrugged as if it didn’t matter to him whether Scarlett lived or died.

            “The choice is yours Ian.  Give it to her and see if she awakes or don’t and watch her die.”  DAX turned on his heel to leave but stopped to call over his shoulder.  “If she does come back.  Tell Scarlett that her construct is safe.  I made sure the files were not corrupted.”  With his parting words the boy blinking back out of existence.  If it wasn’t for the dead foliage and the vial, he wouldn’t have been sure it was ever there to begin with.

            “Everly.  What should I do?”

            “What did it give you exactly?”  He looked down to the liquid sloshing inside the glass tube as he described the contents to her.  The silence that followed was nerve wracking and only filled with the rattling gasps Scarlett was taking.  She was nearly out of time, and he was no closer to knowing if the stuff would work.

            “I don’t know what it is.  I was watching the interaction since it started.  I can tell you the room number he gave was correct but there is nothing that can be done on our end.  The medical staff is reporting that there is nothing physically wrong with her body here.  The danger is coming from inside the construct.  I can’t tell you if the system’s A.I. was being deceitful at all but I don’t think it was.”  While he appreciated the info it left him no closer to a solution.

            “What should I do Everly?”

            “If it was me in your place Ian.  I would take the chance and give it to her.  She’ll for sure expire without it.  There’s nothing to lose if you try.  Besides I think the A.I. wants to save her.”

            “Why do you say that?”  He hadn’t gotten that read when he met it in the flesh for lack of a better term.

            “It protected her construct.  Why do that if it was simply going to snuff her out anyway.  I’m going to assign one of the other guys to look into what she created.”

            “Is that important right now?”

            “It could be.  If for no other reason, then to see what it is about her that has gained its attention.”  He really didn’t care what caused the program to single Scarlett out.  Perhaps it was that he wasn’t a tech.  He hoped for her sake that what they were guessing was accurate.  Otherwise giving her the liquid would end badly for Scarlett.  Popping the cork on the vial he couldn’t help thinking Everly was right.  It couldn’t get any worse for her at this point.