“Wha… well, where else could we be?” Zila’s confusion was plain on his face and his voice.

“Elaborate.” Zax’s face was still a blank mask, not revealing any of the thoughts behind this question.

“… I know where we were in the powerplant, where it is and the area around, there was a big explosion and now we’re in a place I never saw before. And a big one, it was obvious even before I was blindfolded. I’m absolutely sure there’s no place like that in the dot around the plant. It’s crazy, but we definitely ended in the Core. It’s the only explanation left.”

“Seems reasonable. Anything else? Is that all?” Zax insisted.

The bound man tentatively nodded, prompting Zax to continue.

“That means you realised it was the Core after we arrived and opened the shield, right?” The widening eyes showed everyone that Zila had screwed up, even to those who didn’t understand where. Zax kept going for his remote audience; one was never too careful. “That means you lied to us. You claimed that being here was the reason you succumbed to your dark urges, and that was long before we arrived.”

“I lied before, not now! It was just an excuse! I had another reason!” Zila countered too fast and too clumsily to be convincing.

“Oooh? Let’s hear it then.”

Zax had totally removed his mask. Locking his facial muscles was always extremely uncomfortable, and face-to-face games never required it so thoroughly or so long. In its place was an assured smirk, reminiscent of a cat taking his time, watching his prey’s last struggles. It sent a chill down more than his target’s spine.

“No. There was a reason I lied. I’m not saying.” Zila clamped down, trying to look defiant despite his position.

“Oh? Well, doesn’t matter.” Zax briskly shrugged, stood up and pointed to the computer and what he had plugged in. “See that device?”

“… The scanner?” Zila was worried, but he didn’t understand where the question was leading. The others were confused and curious too.

“Yes, it’s a medical scanner; able to measure all kinds of physiological cues from living targets. The most common use is for a single close target, it gives the most precise and accurate readings, but there are other settings. Through walls, within a certain distance, multiple targets, that kind of thing. At the cost of reading quality of course. Very useful when you can’t get close enough or time is of the essence, but only in expert hands.

My hands are far from good enough to do that, but I can still set it to continuously analyse specific parts of any and all living beings within a certain range. And once connected to a computer, it’s pretty easy to record and analyse specific readings. Like say, heartbeat, eye dilatation and eye movement, breathing intensity, unconscious muscle spasms, body temperature, everything you need to-”

“A lie detector?”

“Exactly!”

Cat’s astonished voice had broken the tirade, but it had had the desired effect: first create confusion and anxiety, second stir them up and enhance them with a seemingly unrelated offshoot, third narrow back on the subject, and fourth brutally convert it all in visceral fear and despair with the last revelation.

Creating any emotion and converting them in a specific one was a lot easier and more effective than trying to directly make the one you want from scratch. It also made it a lot lore impactful.

Never thought I’d use Quinn’s lessons that way, but it feels extremely satisfying.

“Professional liars tend to make this method unreliable, but even they would have to focus or would need specialised mutations. I don’t know how much of an expert anyone here is, but no one I scanned had related mutations, and since you didn’t know you were being scanned, it is receivable proof. Now, let’s see who lied and when.” Zax sat at the desk, tapping away and briefly explaining what he was doing as he was doing it: “Identifying specimens. Sorting data for everyone. Downloading analysis software from my negotiation mods. Launching. Setting a baseline for truth. Setting a marker for deviations… Analysis start.”

“That’s why wanted us tell our names ourselves!” Eety exclaimed, her and Glob’s eyes widening at the realisation.

“Yes. Glob: strong emotions off-setting the readings. Compensating… Lots of shame, embarrassment, sadness, grief, but not a single lie. Eety: same. Compensating… lots of shame, embarrassment, sadness and grief too, with some upset and shock at times. You didn’t know how important your voice was? Wait, nevermind that. Zila: unconclusive results? Weird, that only happens when… oh. I see.”

His smirk had briefly faded during the first results, but it was back, and stronger than before. The others all braced for whatever was about to come, because it was not going to be pretty.

“The baseline was wrong. I just have to set a better one and… there. Almost all truth, except at three points. When he said he lied before and not now... is one. And when he was explaining how he knew where we were, it was only a partial truth. The cerebral readings are unmistakable: he used cognitive skills, not retention skills. That means he was not remembering something; he was thinking about it on the fly.”

He let silence set up after his conclusion, the implications unheard. Speaking was not necessary; it was clear to everyone now: Zila knew their location from the beginning, and he was covering something up.

“What other times?” Eety broke the silence, prompting everyone to turn towards her.

“Hm?” Zax turned his head sideways, wordlessly asking for her meaning.

“You said he lied trice. What were the other ones?”

“Thank you for asking.” His smirk widened, if that was even possible. “He also lied when he said he didn’t know how far his healing enhancement went. But I already knew that. Actually, that’s even how I could set a baseline for his truths, because the last lie was where I had first set it up: his name.”

“… What?” Eety didn’t understand what he meant.

“Remember when I said I’d rather think he was not an actual dotter? It was just an idle thought and wishful thinking, but now I’m not so sure.” Zax’s predatory smile vanished, replaced by a very displeased frown, “but it’s still not enough to accuse him of that. Forging an identity is basically impossible in the dot; the Main Computer would know even if it doesn’t do anything about it, and it would have updated the records and told the Core. That leaves two options: he just gives a fake name aloud to introduce himself, like a nickname or a pet name, or he and the real Zila exchanged their identities and their lives. There are known weaknesses in the procedures that would allow it, and the Computer won’t care as long as they can both do their new job adequately.”

“We really didn’t know him at all.” Eety lamented in a whisper.

“Why would your creepy computer allow that?” Dog queried, baffled.

“As he said, it wouldn’t care.” Glob answered this time, his voice gloomy at the last revelation and still halting. “Its main directive is, to ensure the dot’s, sustainability, and independence. It doesn’t care, who does what, as long as, the task is done, well enough.”

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

“No system is perfect, so it’s better to have a big known weakness to watch over than many small ones you’re not aware of.” The canary girl added. “Give a golden bridge to your enemies and all that.”

“That means to leave them a way out, not in.”

“I think you meant ‘better five snakes you can see than one snake you can’t’.”

“And this specific weakness doesn’t seem very nefarious or exploitable.” Zax concluded. “If two people want to exchange their lives, why stop them? It’s their lives, and it’s more convenient than asking for a new role and wait for an answer that may or may not be what you want. And you can still change back if you don’t like the result. It’s outside the procedures, but not illegal. And it’s not like other people wouldn’t notice; mutations don’t make you look like someone else, even if it’s someone who happens to have similar traits and enhancements.

The only way it could be used for bad would be if you faked your own death, do the exchange, and kill the new ‘you’ to make reality fit the records. And that’s because of the murder. And the only way it wouldn’t be noticed would be if your new identity was an outcast without any meaningful social interaction. Nobody to try and reach out to the original. And the dot tries to make sure it doesn’t happen; social health is a thing, after all.”

“So there is a way.”

“A rarity requiring very unlikely happenings. There was even a movie with that scenario; that shows how outlandish it is.”

““A movie?”” Cat and Dog chorused.

“Or a series, I forgot. That’s how I know the trick, I checked how plausible it was afterwards. Forgot the name though.”

“The Exchange. A movie that inspired a series.” Glob helpfully added.

“Yes, that one. It was only exchanging between dotters, but I don’t see why it would be impossible to change with a Circle resident. The customs are only strict for the luggage, not people. It would just require a high-level dotter and a low-level Resident, so that they can do each other’s job.”

“Maybe he exchanged, when he was a dotter, mutated after, and didn’t check, how much he improved, because he didn’t want, to be noticed?” Glob proposed.

“That… would make sense.” Zax conceded. “But why the sabotage? And what did he do that made him require faster healing? Human resources, right? Ah, need social skills.” Zax realised. “He didn’t replace an outcast. And we can’t check his ‘official’ name from here. No, something’s wrong with both theories. We’re still missing something; we didn’t even touch the obviously suspicious timing.”

“What timing?”

“Hm?” Zax turned to Cat, getting out of his thoughts.

“What is that obvious timing we didn’t touch? I felt like we had all the relevant parts.”

“Ah, I said that aloud, didn’t I?” The human sheepishly realised, to a round of confirming nods. “Forget about that, it was just an idle thought.” He tried to deflect, but in vain.

“With your last idle thought, please speak, it may be important.” Dog insisted.

Seeing no way out, Zax could only grab the bull by the horns:

“Well, from the start, I found it really… coincidental that this incident happened on that exceptional day when visitors from the Circles happened to be in the dot. Not only that, but they happened to be close by. Plus, we now know it was not an accident but premeditated, and a not so united team is involved, and you admitted that it happened just as you set foot in the powerplant. So… yeah.”

A tense silence followed, everyone warily looking at the pair of advanced mutants nobody around would be able to stop from doing anything they wanted.

“From what I saw so far, I don’t think you are accomplices; but you have to admit, it is too unlikely to be just luck.”

“… and just what are you getting at? We didn’t have time to do anything, and it’s easy to prove. How could we possibly be involved?”

“That would mean whoeverr did this knew the Core would let us and only us pass. No way.”

Cat squinted at him and Dog’s voice had a bit of growl in it, but they kept remarkably calm at the accusation. They hadn’t paid attention, but they couldn’t deny it: their presence was incredibly timely.

“Well, I don’t know.” Zax guiltily squirmed, not meeting their eyes. “I don’t think they wanted you in the Core though, they probably thought the enforcers would keep you close but to the side. The only thing I can think of would be a diversion. Focus more eyes on you and less on the target area or something. I don’t know what could be done. I don’t know how you wouldn’t know about it, or how to prove or disprove it either.”

The pair shared a serious look; the more they pondered, the more sense it made. However, Zax wasn’t done.

“You said you arrived to help with a possible safety concern. I don’t see why you’d have to come in person for that, that sounds more like an excuse, but that could be when they prepared the sabotage, and made sure you would come sooner than later. Two birds, one stone. Then you arrived, and they finished the job. Didn’t have to be you either. Anyone from the Circle would have attracted attention. Maybe you were easier to reach?”

“You’re saying that… it’s a conspiracy encompassing the dot and at least one Circle?” Eety was incredulous. “And they risked two advanced mutants for that? Now that’s just ludicrous. Who would be able to do that? And why? That makes no sense.”

“They were not at risk before getting in the Core, and they couldn’t plan for that part. The Black Market and high ranked members of any big Families could, to probe the Core’s defences and get control of the 3G source.” Zax answered, but nodded. “But you’re right, that’s just silly. Way above our pay grade too, that’s part of why I didn’t mention it. Please just explain why it’s impossible and we can move on and leave the complicated answers to the analysts. I admit your silence is starting to creep me out.” Zax concluded to Cat and Dog.

The pair had been locked in a silent conversation for the duration of the explanation, furious at how right it sounded. After an awkward silence, they had Zax shutting close the prisoner’s mask again and they made everyone promise to never mention what they were about to say. They explained what had led them to be present at that moment.

In their alternating talk and without going much in detail, they talked about their secret assignment, the silent promise of reward, their unpopularity due to jealousy – or constant bickering, Zax thought back to when he first met them – and so on. As they talked, more details popped up. Nothing that would appear strange or suspicious on its own, the kind one wouldn’t recall naturally, but when put together, they made the suspicion more substantial. That boot-licker that hadn’t left them alone but disappeared when Zax had arrived. The two who tried to stop Zax at the blockade.

“Even in a dot branch, our members should know the local rules.”

“They wouldn’t try to stop an official helper.”

“We thought it was a lack of discipline.”

“Could still be.”

“Or they had their own helper to replace me, but I caught them by surprise without realising.” Zax finished the thought in a sigh. “Or they wanted to stall for time for another reason.”

In the end, they simply couldn’t tell. The idea of a conspiracy was still ridiculous, but it would explain so much. Many elements could fit, or could have a simpler, more common explanation. And no way to tip the scale one way or another.

They tried to interrogate Zila further, but he had made the wise decision to stop talking altogether. Unfortunately, and as much as they wanted to hurt him, nobody knew how to force answers out of someone. They were at an impasse, until a pop-up appeared on the computer screen:

[Proposal: confession, in exchange for trial by the Core.

Possibility of additional reward(s) depending on cooperation, usefulness and relevance.

Refusal will lead to trial by the dot, with aggravated circumstances.]

Nobody knew what the Core’s trial would be, but there was no way it would be better than the dot’s. It was notoriously harsh on any perceived attempt against it after all, even someone accidentally stepping on the border while running alongside it would be at risk. The very existence of a legal system in the Core was doubtful –there was nobody to judge. However, and against all expectations, the prisoner agreed. He didn’t even make a fuss about it, although he did admit to not knowing much.

Another proof that they were missing important information. But at least it was not their role to deal with it, and they could move on to the important bit. To avoid painting a target on everyone’s back, Zax held the confession back and voiced their conclusion to the computer. It felt a bit pointless, but better safe than sorry:

“Reporting: suspicious activity from at least one of the rescue targets. He was identified; the others were identified as unrelated or unaware. Unable to confirm exact role. Sabotage likely but unproven. Data and analysis already updated. Confirm reception?”

[ Confirmed ]

The words of the first standard dialog box changed, making Zax consider it was anything but a standard dialog box. It would’ve been replaced. He reckoned it was irrelevant and tried to follow through, but he was interrupted:

“What do you mean ‘likely but unproven’? That seemed pretty clear to me.”

“We proved that his name was not Zila and that he hid how he knew where they were, but that’s it. The rest is speculation at best, he hasn’t admitted to anything yet. Requesting authorisation to leave for treatment as required.”

[ Authorisation granted:

* Unrelated/unaware targets (acquitted)

* Vester (rescuer)

* Ertor (rescuer)

Please proceed to extraction ]

“Vester and Ertor? Is that you?” Zax turned to Cat and Dog, getting a nod in confirmation. “What about me? And not-Zila?”

[ Not-Zila (suspect): Proceed to confession

Zax (rescuer): Awaiting orders ]

An ominous feeling arose in Zax.