Point Apocalypse Read Free Page B

sallow face said. "We're attracting attention. You don't need it."
    He rubbed his pale sunken cheek and added,
    "Fighting is no good, either."
    "Know your implants?"
    He shrugged. On brief reflection, I said, "Back off."
    I walked to the gate, all the time knowing this wasn't the best alternative, but I had no other option. I turned to the clones and the old man, "Gather around. We don't need the others to gawk."
    When they shielded me from unwanted stares, I pulled the T-shirt up and glanced back at the man. "Well?"
    "I told you, didn't I?" the old man glared at me. "Look at all them scars!"
    Sallow face raised his hand, silencing him. Then he came closer as did the miner. Cold fingers touched my back and shoulder blade points and traced my spine down to the small of my back.
    "You can get dressed... Private."
    I turned to him straightening my T-shirt and stated, "You're a neurotech."
    "So he's not an-" the old man stopped short.
    "No," sallow face offered me his hand. "I'm Wladas Chabrov. Chartered neurotech."
    I paused, then shook his hand. "I'm Mark."
    Wladas nodded. No words needed: only chartered specialists had access to the military. He could see at once the placement and purpose of my implants. The miner, however, took time to take it in.
    "Name, rank, sentence?" he asked me like the mind check operator.
    "Quiet, Petro!" the neurotech mouthed.
    I glanced at the faces surrounding me. The clones watched me, still uptight. The old man fidgeted, his wrinkly hands trembling.
    "Relax, Misha," Wladas touched the old man's shoulder and went on in a quiet voice, "Everyone, relax. Mark could have killed us all here in his own sweet time. With or without implants, his combat potential is high enough. I'd say, a couple units? Two point five, maybe?"
    His words fell on deaf ears as our professional mumbo jumbo meant nothing to lay people.
    "Allow me to translate," I said. "Combat potential is what we call a soldier's qualification levels. All of you put together might average two combat units. Not even. My potential equals three combat units. Four, with implants installed."
    As I said it, I realized that Wladas had just given me another check. FSA agents used a different qualification system. Had I been one of them, I'd have explained it differently.
    His mouth twitched suppressing a sneer.
    "What makes you stick together?" I asked.
    They ordered us to line up. The crowd began to fall into ranks, quickly and efficiently this time. The miner, the neurotech and myself were in the first file, followed by the trip lets. One of them shouldered away the Chinese who tried to wriggle in with us.
    "He's weird," Wladas said.
    "Yeah," I watched as the Asian took his place in the third file next to old Misha. "His buddy has croaked in the air lock. Maybe not his buddy. They could've had nothing to do with each other."
    "I saw it."
    "So what do you think?"
    "Nothing," Wladas shrugged. "No one can smuggle an implant to Pangea. The Asians tailgated you through the disinfection corridor like you had honey on your ass. One definitely did. The other could just be hanging around for all we know. We even tried to pick a fight with them - no way," he rubbed his cheek. "They didn't buy it. And you were deaf to the world, you! Schlepping along like a cyber trooper."
    Aha. So they'd kept an eye on me. Tried to get into a fight. Now what would they need me for? Or - why did he need me?
    "You didn't answer my question," I glanced back at the triplets. Their glares were lasering a hole in my head.
    "They're Petro's clones," Wladas whispered.
    "I've worked that out. Are they miners?"
    "They are. I helped them adapt after implant removal on the way here."
    It made sense. A certified neurotech meets a few fellow convicts in transit. He helps them. The tribulations of trial and prison followed by deportation can be too much even for a specially trained man. Some clam up, others seek contact hoping for some support or try to secure a place in the prison