Symbiota Sapiens - 7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

My lungs somehow fail to burn as I pant, hoarsely. The burden in my arms doesn't even slow me
down, my feet just keep pounding the concrete in that old familiar rhythm.

Left, right, left, right, keep breathing, keep moving forward. Don't stop. Don't worry about
the pain that isn't there. Just keep going, let the universe narrow to my lungs, my feet, and the
concrete. And the precious bundle huddled in my arms.

I have no idea how long I've been running, or for that matter where my flight has taken me. Only
the twisting fear in my chest, and the need to protect the squirming, shouting bundle in my arms.

What?

"Jer! C'mon, put me down, please! Just stop already!"

::I believe you've shaken any pursuit by now.:: The AI's childish voice sounded concerned.

It's hard, somehow, to stop. Left, right, left, right. And after right, comes left. And then that
would be incomplete without right again. Thump, thump, thump, thump, that's how they go. There is no
stop. My tongue is thick, stuck dry to my pallette. I've been breathing through my mouth.

"Don't stop, keep pushing. Gotta...get ahead..." My voice is raspy and unfamiliar.

"Jer. It's over. Slow down, time to cool down. Walk it off." Julian coaches me gently.

With an effort, I manage to slow down. Then...I'm walking. And Julian, suddenly silent, is only
looking up at me with wide, frightened eyes as I continue to carry him in my arms. Blurry. What? I'm
crying. He reaches up to touch my face and I suddenly stop in my tracks. He's wiping away the wet, I
try to smile at him.

"Hey bro. It's okay, you can put me down now."

I obey, uncertainly. Lower his feet to the ground and he takes his own weight, then wraps me in a
warm hug. I hold on hard, wiping my face on his shoulder. We don't move for a while, until I stop shaking.
Then he pulls back slowly and looks me in the face, eyebrows tilted in concern.

"What happened?" He asks, gently.

"I...you...they took you away."

"Who?"

"I don't know. I was gone for just a few seconds and then you were gone. They stunned you..."

"Yeah, that's the last thing I remember. But you came after me, right? Got me back."

"I...yeah." I let out the long breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Thanks, bro. You saved me."

I met his grin then, fear forgotten.

"So what are we running from?"

"Um...mostly I was just trying to get away from the area. Everything happened so fast I didn't
have time to panic and then afterwards..."

"Oh. How long have I been out?"

::Roughly three hours.:: The AI informed me. My jaw dropped.

:What? I was running for that long?:

::Yes. At an olympic-class sprint the entire time.::

"Uh...your doppelganger says it's been three hours since they got you. And...I stopped them like a
minute after you disappeared, so I've been carrying you for that long too."

"Wow. You were going pretty fast when I woke up. Might need to rest, bro."

::Agreed.::

"Well, we should find somewhere then. And I'm not letting you out of my sight from now on."

"Right. Um, so did you get the credit cards?"

"Huh?" I fumbled and found the wallet shoved in my pocket. I'd totally forgotten it. "Oh, here."

Julian opened it and came up with three credit cards.

"He's probably canceled them by now. But we've got the cards themselves, if your AI can manage
some internet magic?"

::I'll need a connection.::

"Let's find a hotel."

We walked slowly into the hotel lobby. No crackhouse this time. Not hardly. We were going high-class
today, courtesy of William A. Ballister. Or so I hoped.

::I'm into the wireless network for the building, not much of an encryption system I have to say. I'm
already accessing the credit card databases. I'll just assign this card number to a new account with no credit
limit.::

I nervously put a hand on my face, it felt strange this way. My cheeks and throat had been lined with
water pockets to make them look chubby, and temporary structures under my skin adjusted my nose and cheekbones
into a vague resemblance of the picture on our stolen ID. Julian said I looked close enough. After he recovered
from the shock of seeing me in another man's face.

"Good evening. I'd like a suite for the week if you don't mind." I hoped my voice sounded like someone
who could afford to stay here. The woman at the counter looked at me critically, then at Julian. I resisted the
urge to gawk at him myself. Since he couldn't change his appearance, we'd done some "no-budget shopping" and
turned him into a rebellious gothic teen. White face, black lips pulled into a sneer, spiked hair, and an ugly
metal collar.

I could see the wheels turning in her head. Either I was a wealthy businessman trying too late to bond with
my wayward kid to bring him back from the dark side or...I was a wealthy businessman indulging in some weird kinky
fantasy in their respectable hotel. To her credit, she didn't frown at the outlandish figure slouching a bit behind
me. Wealthy businessman is wealthy businessman. Turning her attention on me.

"Of course sir. What type of suite would interest you?"

I frowned. I really didn't know.

"Perhaps you could show me a brochure?"

She handed one over and I gave it a cursory glance. Might as well enjoy this.

"Hmm, we'll be needing a Diamond-Class suite with a waterfront view, please."

Her eyebrow raised. Obviously my appearance didn't fit quite that price range. Well, I'd just have to play
the eccentric millionaire.

::Your card is good, it'll show up as a VIP account.:: Young-Julian informed me smugly.

"We'll need a deposit for that."

I produced the card and handed it to her, along with the ID. She gave the picture a cursory glance
as she waited for the verdict. I saw when it happened, a blink, a glance at me and back at the screen, and
then it was over. Except now she smoothly transitioned from the icy professional into the gracious, no, even
eager hostess. A quick hand guesture brought another attendant to take her place as she came around the counter.

"Please allow me to show you to your rooms, Mr. Ballister."

And with that, she was leading us to the elevator, chatting pleasantly on the way.

When she left us in the room, Julian immediately went to the bathroom to scrub the makeup from his face,
leaving me alone with my thoughts.

:Okay. What the hell happened?:

::You're referring to your little marathon?::

:Don't get smart with me. Yeah. That.:

::Sorry. Well, you had a bit of a post-traumatic stress episode, where you zoned out for a while.::

:And you just let this happen?:

::Well, yes. You weren't hurting or endangering yourself or Julian.::

:But I was running like a madman, basically incoherent. And you didn't see a problem.:

A sigh.

::Of course it was a problem. But an emotional one. Jeremey, I'm built to control the Esseren in your
body in order to make you physically super-human. And with my processing power your mental capacity is highly
enhanced as well. But when it comes down to it, I'm only a computer. I don't have emotions, all I know about
them is what I observe.::

:But you helped me out with the flashes of anger. I felt it, in the car, you calmed me down when I was
about to tear that kid to pieces.:

::Yes. As you asked me to. But this was different. New. My basic programming is built to strongly
discourage me from tampering with your emotional state, unless you are in danger of causing damage to yourself.
From what I could see, this catatonia was a very powerful delayed reaction to the fear of losing your brother.::

:I was afraid it was going to be...like you said. Where he's a hostage and there's nothing I can do to
save him from more powerful immortals...:

::My assessment is that that is what DID happen. Fortunately, you were able to secure a strategic ally
at the right moment.::

:Will they try again?:

::Likely not the exact same thing. But there is something they want from you, and they will try again. And
Julian is an obvious vulnerable spot for you.::

I stood up and walked to where I could keep an eye on Julian in the bathroom. He'd removed his shirt and
was bent over the sink, scrubbing his face, streaked black with mascara. I smirked and turned away...keeping a
corner of my eye on him.

:But who are they? What the hell was going on with those people?:

::I didn't get as good a look at that implant as I would like.:: The AI mused. ::The technology is beyond
me at this point. But it's clear from the positioning of the contact points, and from other observations today,
what it's function was.::

:It controlled them.:

::Exactly. There were three specific functions I could make out. One was the tie-in to the optic nerve,
which allowed the host to be used as a visual outpost, wherever they went in their regular, daily routine. Then
there was the second connection which was posed to deliver a type of anesthetic to essentially turn off the
higher brain functions. Then the third function was a series of connections in the base of the brain, apparently
capable of operating the body directly via the nervous system.::

:My god. So anyone with the implant is an unwitting spy. And if they see anything their operator finds
intersting, they can be turned into a...an automaton. A zombie!:

::Of a sort. Yes. Temporarily, at least.::

:How many are there, I wonder?:

::I'm sure we'll find out. I may be able to build a device to passively detect them.::

:Yeah, do that. And run a search on the net to see if they've found any of these in autopsies. Oh, and
while you're at it check out how much the police know about what happened today.:

"Hey Jeremey, can we get some food?" Julian yelled from the bathroom.

"Sure bro. I'll call room service."

I picked up the phone and ordered steaks for both of us.

::So far, the police don't seem to have gotten very far. All three kidnappers are claiming amnesia from
the crash, and from the trauma of your breaking the teenagers arm. Both teens were part of a church group doing
relief work at a shelter in the area, they left their group of friends only minutes before the incident, and no
one seems to have noticed them acting strangely.::

:Okay. Keep an eye on that situation. Anything in autopsies?:

::I'm still searching. Everyone has their own separate database, makes it slow. The major cities I've
covered have nothing, though.::

:We need another look. Get working on that device.:

::It'll need almost a day of down-time to build.::

:Can you split that into two nights?:

::Deal.::

:Um, another thing.:

::Yes?::

:I want to bump up security for Julian. Do you know how to build a tracking device?:

::What kind?::

:In case he gets kidnapped again. So I can find him.:

::I assume one of the type used by the mortal authorities wouldn't be what you're after.::

:No, they could detect that and take it away, or block it. I want something more subtle. It needs
to send out a signal without anyone knowing one was sent. And with no way to block it.:

::Hmm...well every type of signal that can be sent and received can also be detected and intercepted.::

:What if you used some sort of virus, let it piggyback on top of existing traffic? Like the shadow
internet Devon mentioned?:

::Good idea. Actually, perhaps I could build something that could piggyback on the kidnappers or captors
themselves. Remember how you were able to look through that woman's eyes while you were chasing the car?::

:Yeah. You think you could figure a way to do that without getting permission?:

::It's quite possible. Yes, I'm seeing the sort of programming that would be necessary. The trouble is
that Julian doesn't have the hardware to transmit the virus to the Esseren in his captors.::

:Oh. Well...maybe you could make it so it'd transmit some other way. Like maybe if I put some of my Esseren
on him, and they'd transmit to his captors if he got kidnapped?:

::No, the Esseren themselves don't transmit. They build tools to do that. And they don't build outside the
host body, that restriction is built into their core programming I'm afraid.::

:Then they should build a tool to transmit in my body, and then we can put it in Julian.:

::Hmm, there's the danger of rejection then.::

:Um...what if I get a tissue sample from him, so the Esseren can build it to specification to fit into
his biology?:

::We're getting very complicated now, beyond your memories of high school biology textbooks. However, with
the wireless network in this building I can access some higher-level medical information. Hmm...actually I think
you may be on to something, with an important difference.::

:What?:

::We need two viruses. One a computer virus to infect the captors Esseren and make them transmit information
to you. And a biological virus to live in Julian's body, so that he can pass it on physically to his captors. That
virus will contain a copy of the computer virus coded into its DNA. I'll do it in such a way that the Esseren will
notice this fact and attempt to decode it. And infect itself.::

:But wouldn't the kidnappers computer contain it though? Like you contained the information Devon gave me?:

::Yes. But I'm constructing the coding so that the computer will have to open a wide feedback window in
order to decode the information stored. Which will look like very important and secret information, because
it is so heavily encrypted. The virus will be designed to slip through exactly the type of window that will be
necessary, without the escape being detected.::

:So, the captor won't even know they're transmitting to me. Or that they're infected.:

::Exactly. And Julian can't know either. Otherwise he might let it slip or reveal it under torture. Then it
wouldn't work at all.::

:Torture!:

::I expect if they find this virus, they'll be extremely curious about it. They will question him about it,
when their first attempts to decode it fail.::

:I don't know if I can do this. If they torture him because of this...:

::If they torture him, it will be because he is valuable to them, a mystery. Then they certainly won't kill
him. And you'll have a chance to rescue him.::

:Shit. Okay. But how am I going to get a tissue sample from him without him knowing it?:

::Shouldn't be too difficult. You have the means. And as for opportunity, you have been sleeping with him.::

:Yeah, but still. It's not like I'm going to slice off a bit of skin without him noticing.:

::Oh no. We don't need skin, that's far too generic. And vulnerable to corruption from radiation. I need fresh,
undiluted genetic code direct from the source.::

:Blood?:

::No. Not blood.::

That night we slept in separate beds. Separate rooms, actually. The hotel "suite" was exactly that. There
were two bedrooms adjoining a spacious living room, which adjoined an equally spacious dining room and a luxurious
bathroom, complete with jacuzzi. My bed was easily big enough for four people. And my room was big enough for four
beds, for that matter.

It felt empty. The room, I mean. Okay, my bed too. I missed the comforting feeling of Julian curled up to me
for protection and warmth. And at the same time, glad he went to bed in the separate room. Relieved. I knew what the
AI said was correct. That didn't make it right. Certainly didn't make it comfortable and easy.

So I relaxed in bed, thankful for the emptiness. The loneliness of the big room and the cold bed.

::I'm beginning construction of the detection device we discussed. You'll be incapacitated.::

:What happens if I actually need to move?:

::We can halt construction if there is a real need.::

:Okay.:

I lay there, paralyzed, knowing that somewhere in my body tiny robots had started fitting molecules together,
in a specially prepared pocket in my left cheekbone.

Time stretched.

I heard a noise. Footsteps. Soft, light on the thick carpet. I extended my senses. Bare feet. Julian. His door
to his room opened. Deafening to me, but quite silent to a normal human. Walking the few steps to my door...hand on
the doorknob. Silence. I could hear him breathing, nothing else. Just standing at my door, hand on the knob. I wait.

A shuffle. He turns away. Stops. He can't decide.

:I need to be able to speak.:

::Very well. Wait a moment, let the construction reach a stopping point.::

Julian is pressing his ear to my door. I can hear the air blowing from his mouth. The gentle thud-thump of his
heart beating. He shuffles his feet. Holds his breath. Lets out his breath. Touches the doorknob again.

::Okay.::

"You can come in, Julian."

I hear him jerk backwards in startlement.

"It's okay. I can hear you breathe dude. C'mon in."

The door cracks open and Julian's head is at the opening. He grins at me sheepish.

"Hey Jer. Guess I'll never get to play tricks on you again."

"Nope. Well actually you could do whatever you want to me tonight. I can't move. Building something inside."

He opens the door more, steps inside. He's in his boxers.

"What?"

"Well, those guys that grabbed you weren't immortals. But they weren't normal either. Had some kind of device
in them, the AI think's it's some immortal controlling them somehow. Anyways, I'm building something to detect them."

"Oh. Cool. So you're stuck on your back, huh?"

"Yeah. Sucks. So what's up, couldn't sleep?"

"Nope."

"Been a crazy couple days huh."

He just grinned.

"I kind of like it."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. It's like one big adventure after another. Well, getting shot was kind of crap. But you took care of me.
I'm glad you're with me bro."

"Me too. Believe me, if I could move I'd be giving you a hug and a noogey right now."

"Huh. Maybe I can help out with that."

Julian walked over to the bed, grinning in my face, gave me a gentle noogey.

"There, how's that."

I did my best to glare at him from flat on my back. His grin grew wider.

"Hmm, must not have been enough. Let's try that again." This time his knuckles burned across my scalp.

"Okay! You got me, enough already!"

"Well, um. I guess I just wanted to say that. That I feel safe with you, and like being with you. And, um,
I love you bro."

I softened at once.

"I love you too Julian. You know that. And I like being around you too."

He smiled shyly. Crossed his arms, rubbing at the elbows. Shivers a bit.

"Well. Guess I better get back to bed."

"Your bed as big as this one?"

"Yeah. Huge." He gave a half-hearted grin. "Gigantic."

::The sooner the better.:: The AI reminded me. Shit.

He turned to go, stepping slowly towards the door. Reluctant.

"Almost too big. For one person." I say.

He stopped. Half-turned, turning his head the rest of the way to look at me over the shoulder.

"Yeah. Kind of..."

"Lonely?"

"I was going to say cold."

There was a long silence. Finally he turned back to the door.

"Well, goodnight. I guess." Trudging towards the door. Hand on the knob.

"Julian."

He froze.

"Jeremey?"

"C'mon. You can sleep here. I don't mind."

"Really?"

"Really."

He pulled his hand from the knob.

"You don't think it's weird? I mean, after this morning. Um. In the other hotel. You know."

"I don't mind. Honestly."

My enhanced eyes picked up the curve of his smile. His eyes glinted.

"Cool!" And then there was a flying leap and my body was jostled unforgivably as he landed on the bed
beside me.

"So...you can't move or anything, right?" He asked me, breath tickling my ear.

"Nope. Computer's got my nervous system on lockdown. Had to get special permission to use my mouth to
tell you to quit standing at the door like a big dope."

"Oooooh. A big dope am I? Better be glad you're all dead or I might kick you in my sleep. On accident, I
mean. I do that sometimes."

"I'm not all dead. I can feel everything. Just can't move."

"Glad to hear that." Mischeviously. I was alarmed.

"What are you talking about."

"I wonder if you're still ticklish..."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh yes I would." His finger started walking up my arm towards my armpit.

"I'm not ticklish."

"Please. Save it for the press. I'm your brother, I know all your weaknesses."

Fingers started wiggling as they approached my ribcage.

"You little prick!"

"Now, c'mon let's be fair. I'm really a big prick, and you know it!"

Then the fingers were in place, grasping hold of the edges of my guts in just the wrong place. Poised to begin.
Shit. He really did know my weaknesses.

"I'll get you for this."

"Not tonight, you won't."

Then he attacked. I was totally defenseless. Helpless. Laughter bubbled up despite my efforts to ignore the
jabbing fingers. Damn him.

:Can you deaden the sensations in my torso?:

::I don't understand, what is going on?::

:Just do it!:

Suddenly my laughter cut off. Julian stopped in surprise, then tried again. And again.

"Jer? You okay?"

"Fine."

"You just...stopped."

"I shut off the nerve endings in my torso."

"Oh."

A long silence.

"That's totally not fair."

"I'll show you not-fair in the morning. Go to sleep."

"Asshole."

"Turd."

There was a contented sigh. Then Julian stretched and turned over. Head in his pillow. Mumbled.

"Gnite Jer."

I didn't reply. Waited until...

::He's asleep.::

:I figured as much.:

::Well?::

:He's sleeping wrong. I'll wait for him to change position.:

We waited. Eventually Julian turned over again and curled into me, throwing an arm over my chest and
nuzzling into my shoulder.

::There. Now you should have access.::

:I don't know what to do.:

::Of course you do. Your memories say you've done it several thousands of times.::

:To myself!:

::Little difference.::

:He's not even...well...you know.:

::That's easily fixed.::

:How.:

::Have you forgotten this morning?::

:Oh.:

This time I felt the brief click as the pheremones were activated.

:Not too much. I don't want him trying to rape me in the night.:

::Don't worry. Just enough to do what's necessary.::

I started to panic as I felt a warm presence start to stir against my thigh.

:I can't do this!:

::Relax. Just wait.::

It didn't take long. In seconds Julian was sleepily pressing his appreciation into the side of my leg.

:Now what?:

::You know what to do.::

:I can't. I just can't. I don't...I've never. Well, he's my brother. I can't do it. You'll have to.:

::You want me to do it?::

:Yes. I can't.:

::I've never done this. You have. I don't think-::

:Look. It's an emotions thing, okay? I can't do it because my emotions won't let me. But I know it has
to be done. You don't have emotions. You can do it.:

::I do not understand.::

:You wouldn't. Look, just do it for me okay? I can't. Just...take over my hand and do it for me.:

::Very well.::

My hand moved, as if in slow motion, to my brothers hip. A finger hooking underneath the elastic waistband,
pulling the boxers down over his hipbone. Snaking around behind him, repeating the motion.

::His weight is holding the boxers in place.::

:I'm not participating in this.: I say stubbornly. I hear something like a longsuffering sigh from the AI. He
really is picking up on Julian's mannerisms a little too well.

My hand gives up on pulling down Julian's boxers. Fingers working at the buttons on the front.

:Make sure you button those back when you're done.:

::I thought you weren't participating?::

:I'm not. Just don't get me caught with your hand in his shorts.:

::It's your hand.::

:Fuck off.:

The front of the boxers is open now, and my hand reaches inside. I hold my breath as my fingers wrap around
a hard column of heated flesh inside. My hand drags it out into the open and starts stroking it. Julian lets out a
moan and I feel a pulse as he gets harder in my hand. My hand establishes a steady rhythm and Julian starts to writhe,
arching and groaning and starting to thrust into my hand. A small amount of fluid coats my fingers and they're now
sliding smoothly over his slippery manhood. I'm alarmed to feel a twitch in my own groin. Oh hell.

:Can you hurry it up and get it over with!: I beg.

::If you wish. We don't want to wake him though.::

:Just...get it done.:

I feel another distant 'click' as I exhale a dense cloud of pheremones into Julian's face. He starts
to shudder and gasp and my hand is now stroking him at a furious tempo, him bucking beneath my ministrations and he's
starting to get a bit vocal now too.

I am definitely sporting a hard-on of my own now, but I ignore it, try to ignore my brother whining with desperate
pleasure as his hips gyrate, his smooth cock pumping against my hand. My face burns with shame.

I try to ignore how turned on I am as he suddenly twitches and lets out a gutteral moan, and the hot fluid shooting
everywhere, my hand quickly moving to collect some to be absorbed through skin before it quite cools.

But I can't ignore it when my little brother whimpers a word my enhanced ears pick up with utter clarity.

A name.

My name.

"Mmmm, Jer'mey."