In the morning Alex was allowed to leave the hospital. The doctor AI recommended him not to be excessive with physical exercises, otherwise Alex's heart would get another heart attack. The man promised to follow the doctor's advice. He didn't want that that accident happened again.

Alex took a taxi and reached the Army Recruit Center. He saw several taxis were coming at the parking lot too.

He got out of the car slowly. His belly was too big and heavy for moving freely. Sometimes it was difficult even for breathing. Especially when he bent down.

Alex walked to the entrance tardily, watching as his classmates doing the same. They all gasped and sweat. Someone had even grasped the own chest, breathing aloud.

They'd reached the classroom and flopped down on the chairs. Alex signed with relief and drank some water.

Goddammit! If I don't lose some weight, I will die at a young age!

Slowly the class had gathered, so a projection of minor AI, in military uniform, appeared.

“Greetings, recruiters! Today I have good news for you! We're going to play in a game!” a mechanical voice announced.

The folk liked this idea.

At that moment capsules rose up by each desk and the recruiters got in eagerly.

The Alex's avatar, as well as his classmates' ones, appeared in the empty warehouse. Before him stood a long table, where lay rifles.

A minor AI materialized behind the table. “But before we play in a game, let's study this assault laser rifle.”

The projection gestured at the particular weapon and the recruits came closer. Alex noticed that they gazed at the rifles cautiously.

“This is a standard model of the Commonwealth army: X-Ret-10020. It's a powerful personal weapon of infantrymen with a detachable battery. This battery holds energy enough for five hundred discharges.”

A female recruiter raised her arm.

“Yes, private Woodwind?” the AI halted his speech.

“Do these things kill people?”

“You can kill a human with this weapon.”

Alex saw that now his classmates stared at the rifles with fright; and with little of disgust.

“How could our ancestors invent such a horrible thing?!” a male recruiter exclaimed in panic.

“I can't believe that in the past the humans killed each other...” another one said. “I don't want to be a part of this training. An idea of harming someone is terrible... Even if it is an alien.”

The AI ignored their words and continued to tell specification of the rifle and gave a basic knowledge about the inner parts.

“Now it's time to train in shooting. Please, take these rifles in your arms,” the AI said this when it had finished its explanation.

The recruiters obeyed reluctantly and now they held the rifles in their arms as if these rifles were poisonous snakes.

The AI showed each “soldier” how to hold a weapon in the arms rightly and explained how to shoot. It turned out the folk wasn't interested in this knowledge at all.

The class trained at shooting, and, to Alex's surprise, his classmates gained a good score.

Finally, the AI announced about the game. It was a battle simulation where the recruiters should “kill” two alien bots. Immediately the folk disliked this game. They were disappointed and didn't want to “kill” anyone; even the bots in a simulation.

In front of the recruiters materialized the two bots: blue and green zorks. The first one held a spear as its main weapon. This creature had also a tower shield with an alive eye in the center.

The AI explained that this eye could see through invisibility or detect an ambush at a distance. The spear's tip wasn't simple too. It was made from the special material that could penetrate the Commonwealth's robots easily.

The second creature had an alive shotgun that moved in the arms of the green zork and stuck its long tongue out sometimes.

Both zorks wore armor. It was also alive and could camouflage the aliens very proficiently in jungles and forests.

Alex memorized the new information.

“Additionally, I should remind you that these two are just bots, a computer simulation. They are not real. Therefore, shoot them freely.”

The female recruiter raised her arm.

“Yes, private Woodwind?”

“Can we be friends with these fellows instead of... shooting them?”

“As you should know, private Woodwind, humanity had tried to make peace with the Rag'zork many times to no avail. I understand that you dislike this, but, as a soldier of the Commonwealth, you must obey. Now, please, do it.”

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

“Okay...” the female recruiter said meekly and pointed her rifle at the bots.

Her arms trembled. She closed her eyes and even turned away her head. The woman pulled the trigger slowly and, to her shock, the rifle discharged a short laser beam. She had missed but it was enough for her. The female recruiter dropped the weapon and dropped on her knees, crying.

“No... I can't... Even if they aren't real, I can't to shoot them.”

The Mother's projection materialized by her and embraced the woman. “Don't cry. You are a good girl. You've done well.”

The central AI had even planted a kiss on the woman's forehead.

The next male recruiter didn't perform better and soon he also cried alongside with his female companion. Now Mother tried to placate both of them.

One by one the folk tried and failed. A few classmates had even refused to shoot.

“Private Reese, it's your turn,” said the minor AI while Mother was being bothered with her sobbing “soldiers”.

Alex raised his gun calmly and pointed it at the green zork. He pulled the trigger and the said alien dropped down. Alex shifted a little his rifle's position and pulled the trigger again. The second one was also down.

The man lowered his gun and turned to his classmates. They looked at him with bewilderment.

“You... shot them?” someone asked with shock in tone.

Alex ignored this question and looked at the instructor. “I believe I've hit my target, sir?”

“Good work, private Reese!” a mechanical voice praised him and said in a second.

“Private Amsterdan, your turn now.”

Both zorks reappeared as if nothing had happened to them.

The next recruit, as the rest of his classmates, had missed.

“Okay! You all have done a good work today, my brave boys and girls!” Mother said cheerfully and patted the nearest recruiters, who smiled immediately. “You have familiarized with the main gun of the Commonwealth's infantrymen and saw how the Rag'zork looks.

I know you've got stressed today, so you should rest well the next two days. Besides, I recommend you to visit a psychologist. You can do it right here, in the Army Recruit Center.

Now be ready. I will disconnect you from the virtual reality.”

Alex “woke up” in the capsule and got out slowly, then he sat at his desk. He was already tired.

Alex rested for a minute and left the building at a tardy pace.

~~~~~~

Alex looked out of the window in his bedroom, gasping. He had finished his physical exercises just now.

In the bedroom were a bed, a small table and a chair, the rest space was occupied by his gaming capsule. All furniture was made from light cheap plastic.

The man heard as his belly rumbled hungrily. He had been eating the diet food for two days and these days should be the hardest for the Alex's body. It wasn't used to be hunger.

Alex went to take a shower while his food fabricator cooked low-cal meal for him. This process was quick. For less than a minute a fabricator cooked a dish from a food cartridge.

After half an hour he left the building and flied to the Army Recruit Center by taxi. In the previous two days he didn't visit a psychologist, as the central AI recommended. The man didn't believe that he needed one.

To kill a bot I don't need a doctor.

In the Army Recruit Center he was led to a separate room where Mother waited him. It didn't surprise Alex. He knew that his behavior was unusual for this pacifistic society. The central AI should notice it.

“How are you, Alex?” Mother asked with a smile.

“I'm fine. Thanks, Ma'am.”

“That's good to know, Alex. I was worried about your health. That heart attack could damage your system. That's why I want to examine your body personally. You don't mind it, Alex, don't you?”

“No, Ma'am. I don't.”

Alex was reluctant to comply but hadn't choice. Therefore, he got in the capsule with a red cross and saw as the lid closed. In the next moment he awoke and saw as the lid opened. What's happened? Did it go wrong? Does the capsule has a malfunction?

“Don't worry. Everything is alright. I've just finished your check out, Alex,” the AI said warmly but added with concern in tone. “But your condition is indeed... unusual.”

A thought of being discovered alarmed Alex. He stared at Mother.

“Is something wrong with me, Ma'am?”

“Alex, did you notice that recently you behave not as you used to?”

I did. That's because I'm not Alex. He didn't say that. He just uttered. “Well... yes.”

It was foolish to deny it. The central AI noticed that his behavior had changed. Besides, Alex had doubts that Mother conducted this examination just to check his health's conditions.

Does she suspect that I am not Alex?

“Alex, you're not old Alex anymore. You've changed,” Mother stated suddenly.

What?! She knows?! No-no! Don't panic, Oleg. If this was true, then I would be likely locked in the laboratory for experimenting. Listen to her!

“I'm changed?” Alex asked calmly. Damn! Too calmly! I should look more frightened!

The central AI sighed. “This story isn't short... As you know, Alex, in the past people were aggressive, angry, envy, and violent. They didn't love each other. No, they hated each other! Your ancestors did everything to harm themselves or kill their brothers and sisters. They were like little children who had power but hadn't mind to understand what they were doing wrong.”

The hologram sighed again. “The following information was a top secret two hundred years ago but now its secret status is removed and each citizen of the Commonwealth has an authorization to know it.

Alex, it had happened centuries ago. One day the government of Commonwealth had invented a serum to help people to become better; much better then they were in the past. The serum could alter a human DNA. And the government of Commonwealth had done a right choice! They vaccinated humanity. From that day aggression, violence, and hate had gone from the people's hearts. Humanity became content and happy.”

I guess I know now why all my classmates behave as a bunch of crybabies.

“But in your body, Alex, DNA had regressed for an unknown reason. Now your sleeping genes of aggression, violence, hate, and especially your killing desire are reactivated. You are not old Alex anymore. You are... getting an ancient human, my boy.”

The central AI paused. “From now on you're able to experience those negative feelings. I know it can be difficult for you at the beginning, but know that you are not alone. I am here to help you, Alex. Don't be afraid to ask if you feel that you need my help.”

After a brief pause, Alex said. “Okay... I will ask your help, Mother... if I need it.”

The man didn't believe in good intentions of the Commonwealth government. He also wasn't going to trust this AI.

“Mother” is a machine. Her behavior is programmed. There is nothing real in her.

“Alex, I know it could be difficult for you to adapt to your new feelings and desires... So I believe it would be better if you live here - in the Army Recruit Center - for some time.”

To supervise me? As if I'm some kind of a monster?

“If you think that this is better for me, Mother, I'm agree.”

It was foolish to disagree. It only would start his conflict with the machine.

Who knows what directives she has?

“May I go home to take my goods?”

“Yes, you are free to leave the building whenever you want and do whatever you want. I know that you are a good boy, Alex. I believe you.”

“Thanks, Ma'am.”

Alex got out of the capsule, and left the room, and then the building.

In the parking lot the man called a taxi and, in a minute, he flew home to grab his goods. All that time Alex felt as if he was being watched. He wasn't sure if this feeling was true or false. It could be just his paranoia. In any way, Alex hadn't any intention to run away. There wasn't a save place on the whole planet for him. Currently his situation wasn't so bad. Alex was alive and he wasn't an object for experimentations.

In an hour Alexander came back to the Army Recruit Center with his belongings.