Sebastian sipped a cappuccino at the local cafe, picking at his apple tart. He loved making Agent X squirm. None of the secrets he’d “spilled” were secrets. He wrote in his journal knowing that someone, someday, would read them, and notice his wit and ingenuity. Sebastian took hope in the idea of his legacy lasting long after his death. Unless Sebastian found the secret to immortality, which he was working on.
As soon as Agent X mentioned erasing memories, Sebastian assumed she knew everything Jack Kent knew. Which was nothing. Sebastian had forwarded Jack his blueprints so that Jack would research remedies for the calibration symptoms. Jack, if he sold those blueprints to Triumphia or tried to make the Memory Machines himself, would make it pretty far until he ran into the impossible hurdle. Sebastian was the only one who knew the gene passcode.
Sebastian figured there WAS a price to spilling his plants to Agent X, and it was that Sebastian admitted to working against Triumphia. If the agent went running back to her government, they would have more of a reason to target him. But in exchange, he’d learned some crucial information. Triumphia had control over Sebastian’s transportation. They had control over MUCH of Sebastian’s life that he wasn’t previously aware about. Any day now, Triumphia could scoop him up and pick his brain.
The only thing keeping him safe, funnily enough, was Agent X. She was more useful to Sebastian than she knew.
It was a shame she didn’t fall for his flirtations. Agent X’s new job on the security team meant that she would be with Sebasian through rain, storm, and red carpet events. Do you know how awkward red carpet events can be without a paramour? Sebastian considered himself a pro at dating. He tried on powerful women the way those women tried on clothes. He’d been with Stella Rose for three weeks before he lured her into the Memory Maker; now she invited him to the mayor’s dinner parties. The Fields family weren’t yet under Sebastian’s control, they were too clever for that, but they would walk with him at events to increase their customer base. Sebastian had exhausted all of his good options, and the end-of-the-year Bigwig Banquet was approaching fast.
Agent X was a great candidate for the banquet. It might take some convincing, but Sebastian liked the idea of Agent X on his arm. She was smart, powerful, and stunning. The blonde wig hadn’t done her complexion any favors, but when the agent wasn’t in costume, her cascading red hair and willowy build made her stand out in the crowd. If only she hadn’t looked so appalled.
Sebastian finished his coffee and left the tart on its plate. He retrieved his umbrella from the counter man, a nerdy golden retriever type, and walked five feet from Java Jungle to his limousine. Sebastian headed to an evening appointment with his Chief Scientific Officer at Heathrow Heights.
Sebastian’s machine rooms were on the ninth and tenth levels of the skyscraper. His Memory Maker was not just one device, but a series of devices that were eerily similar to the ones in the Hub’s recovery room. The rooms, however, were fancy. Hotshot celebrities were walking through those doors, expecting to be impressed. Each room was decked out with leather armchairs, commissioned murals, plasma TVs, VR headsets, UV light face masks, a minifridge, customizable string lights, and even a float tank in case any clients felt anxious. Naturally, Sebastian had gotten the equipment for free from a retailer. The retailer had been given new memories of scuba-diving, and the strong urge to follow every one of Sebastian’s requests.
Sebastian entered room 10E. His CSO, a strict-looking woman named Haruka, was sitting alongside a medical professional and a teenage boy no older than 16. The boy was half-heartedly watching a cooking show on the TV. Sebastian was used to his hired help being excited, even raiding the minifridge, so the boy struck him as strange.
Haruka introduced the medic as Dr. Garrett, and the teenager as Finn. Garrett had gone through the Memory Maker a long time ago, when Sebastian first got started. Haruka had not, and Finn, apparently, had been volunteering for Bash Industries for six months. When Sebastian reached out his hand in a firm handshake, Finn’s hand was limp and his eyes seemed to be somewhere else.
“Finn has been sick,” Dr. Garrett grimaced, clapping a hand over the boy’s hunched shoulders. “His parents are in a tough spot. Finn, you’ve been a big help.”
“Thanks, sir,” said Finn, but his heart wasn’t in it. Sebastian felt a pang of annoyance, but tried to let it go.
Haruka leaned toward Sebastian and murmured, “The boy’s been working overtime. He was under the Maker twice this week, and the Eraser once.”
“So what’s the issue?” Sebastian said, fighting the irritation in his voice. He gazed longingly at the float tank, wishing he could run a multibillion dollar industry from the comfort of a quiet room, or even a spaceship.
“We did a couple scans and an MRA. Finn has an intracranial fusiform aneurysm,” said Garrett. “It hasn’t ruptured, but it’s leaking. He has high blood pressure and cortisol levels.”
Sebastian turned to Finn. “Speak for yourself. Are you under a high amount of stress?”
“Well, yes–”
“Things going on at home?”
“My parents–”
“Are we SURE this is the Memory Maker, Haruka?”
Haruka nodded. “There’s one common denominator between all the reports. These children are hooked up to the machine more often than YOU, Sebastian. I’m worried about you.”
“If you’re so worried, take him to the hospital.”
Garrett immediately protested. “He isn’t under the insurance policy–”
“Now, Garrett.” Garrett seemed torn, but he had no choice but to obey. Sebastian would have his CFO deal with the bills. He didn’t have the energy to deal with these people any longer.
Sebastian walked over to the minifridge and selected a cheese stick from its midst. “Haruka, we’ll make a game plan tomorrow. I need a float sesh.”
Haruka shot one glance at the Memory Maker, its many arms branching out like a tree, and vacated the room.