"It feels like learning to run when you barely know how to walk…"

Martin unplugs from the terminal, the cable is quickly retracted inside the plate behind his ear.

The room looks like a basic hi-tech workshop, many desks with pieces of tech are occupying the central space.

Few smaller desks with terminals are against the walls.

Martin is seated at one of them with a man in a technician outfit standing next to him.

A name tag on his top shows the logo of Meditech and the name Anton Peterson.

"You did actually pretty good in this test." says Anton.

"What do you mean pretty good? I got toasted pretty good? I can still feel the burn in my head." Martin says as he rubs his skull as to put down flames that don't exist.

"Remember that most of what you are feeling when you are connected isn't real, there's very little chance it actually burns you physically." Anton replies.

"Yeah, that doesn't make things easier though…" Martin adds.

"Martin, the information you process when you are plugged in, goes straight through your artificial brain and there's no way it jumps to your organic brain." Anton says as he taps on a transparent pad.

"Yeah, you mention that every single time…" Martin complains as he stands up and starts walking out.

"You are getting better! See you tomorrow." Anton shouts in Martin's direction.

Martin waves but doesn't answer.

Already a full month has passed since Martin has started to practice netrunning and he is getting really frustrated.

Although he does indeed make progress, he still confuses his organic brain with his synthetic one, most of the time.

It leaves him feeling physically what happens when he connects through a network.

Anton is the technician that supervises Martin's training, and they quickly became friends during that past month.

Martin appreciates the support that Anton provides even if most of the time he isn't satisfied with his technical explanations.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Life for him had changed drastically since the accident.

He has been declared dead and got a military funeral, he isn't allowed to connect with his family anymore and become a secret project in partnership between the French government and Meditech corporation.

Now, Martin was completely detached from his past life and the routines at the center were giving him a sense of purpose.

Martin is eager to get back to the field but he is fully aware that it might take much longer and that's why he is trying to push himself everyday.

When he isn't practicing netrunning, he is at the gym pushing the limits of his enhanced physical abilities.

The implants that replace his limbs aren't military grade, but they are better than natural limbs.

Days pass by and all look the same, mostly.

One day he receives a call from captain Haaris.

"Martin, I have news, son." he says through the call.

"You have been authorized for reintegration into CTIG1. You just have one more month to go." Haaris explains.

"Really? They let me back in?" Martin asks.

"Yeah, but don't expect much, they won't let you on the field, right away. You will have a shit load of validations to pass." He replies.

"It's better than staying here." Martin says.

"Good, that's the spirit, I will see you next month then, son." he says and closes the call.

Martin let out a sigh of relief, now he has a clear timeline and he loves it.

Days passed faster for him, even though he didn't make much more progress, the day of his release finally came.

He got briefed that he is permanently tracked by Meditech and that he is expected to check-in every month for a routine check up.

Martin has no problem with that, he understands that most of his implants belong to Meditech corporation.

Being a government agent is inferior to being a Meditech experiment.

Martin knows the world he lives in, governments don't hold as much power as the corporations.

Corporations are in every single aspect of people's life, most of the population of the world knows it very well.

Money controls the world, not politics.

Corporations control money and they fight for power. At the present time they are more or less peaceful, industrial espionage is common but seldom leads to another corpo war.

Martin doesn't think much about it, now being mostly a Meditech product doesn't bother him much. He is given a second chance to fight terrorism, and that's what he wants to focus on.

The final check up for release is finally finished and he gets to see his new identity.

Mark Spencer

"It's as good as anything, I guess." He thinks to himself.

Released as a new person, he heads to the parking lot where captain Haaris and two agents are waiting for him.

"Martin! Or should I call you Mark?" captain Haaris asks.

"Whatever suits you, nothing is going to ruin my mood today." he says as he extends his hand for a handshake.

Captain Haaris shakes his hand and they walk toward a black reinforced SUV.

They get in and they drive away from the parking lot. Outside its day time but the tall buildings hide the sky and it looks like night is about to fall.

The SUV drives through a corporate area, lots of buildings bear Meditech's logo. It doesn't surprise Martin.

After a drive through several other corporations areas, the SUV finally arrives at CTIG1 HQ. It drives through some guarded gates and Martin recognizes the underground parking lot.

The SUV stops and the group gets out.

"All right, welcome home, son." Haaris says.

Martin nods and he walks through the underground parking to reach an elevator.

Nothing as changed since Martin's injury, it feels like time has passed though.

They get in the elevator and Haaris presses the button to go to the barracks. The elevator goes up and quickly arrives at destination.

As soon as they get out, Martin realizes that the barracks have changed a little, the central corridor has several doors with names on them.

Martin doesn't recognize any of the names and even feels surprised that his door doesn't have any names on it.

"You were dead, son. The government only informed us a year later that you were actually alive." captain Haaris says.

Martin nods and gets in his room.

It hasn't changed, the standard room of the barracks. A bed inside the wall at the right of the entrance, a door to the bathroom on the wall accross the front door and a small desk with a wall dresser next to it.

It isn't much but it feels like home for Martin, always better than Meditech's labs.

"You are home now, we are glad to have you back. Call if you need anything." captain Haaris says.

"Will do, thanks captain, it's good to be back." he answers.

Captain Haaris leaves Martin alone in his room.

Martin drops his bag on the desk and lays down on the bed, it's not comfortable but it's home.

Martin's thoughts start to wander and he feels tired, like the past months at Meditech, he was unable to get proper rests.

His eyes feel heavy, his vision blurs and he feels darkness taking over.