Cybernetics have improved by leaps and bounds over the years. They’ve gone from prosthetics which make someone’s life easier, to limbs that people willingly install in order to increase their strength many times over. They’ve become so commonplace that nearly every person on the planet gets augs installed in their head to access the information networks, and communicate with others. But is this rampant cybernetic adoption good, or is there a downside?

-Rejected research topic for Tanaka Industries research division

—

It didn’t take long for us to make our way up to the third floor shelter, and check it. That ‘Monitor’ had done an extremely thorough job of cleaning out the place, as evidenced by the sheer number of dead antithesis, and damage to the surrounding structure.

“Why don’t more places use automated defenses like those robots?” Steve asked as we approached the third shelter.

“They’re fucking expensive, that’s why,” Bulldog spat. “Just one of those things costs more than our entire APC. Plus it’s super hard for civilians to get permits for heavy weapons.”

“Cut the chatter and watch your corners,” Emily snapped as we stepped onto the seventh floor, where the last shelter was. Unlike the previous floors, which were pretty standard for an office, this floor was completely empty. There was nothing except for the shelter.

As I approached the shelter, a camera on the exterior blinked to life. “Are you the corporate evacuation team? It’s about time, I need to get out of here,” a voice echoed out of the shelter console. It sounded sort of like an elderly man, but it was hard to tell through the static.

“I’m afraid not,” Skyler replied with an easy smile as she approached the console. “My partner and I are samurai. We were asked to check on a series of high risk shelters when the power went out, and this one was on the list.”

“You’re not with corporate?” the voice asked. “Well, as you can see this shelter is state of the art, nothing to worry about. You may leave now!”

“You seemed desperate to leave just seconds ago, now you want us to leave? Who exactly are we talking to?” I asked.

“I’m no one! Leave me alone!” the voice snapped.

I glanced over at Skyler, who shrugged. “Is there anyone else in there? We need to confirm that everyone is alright.”

“I’m the only one in here,” the voice scoffed. “This shelter is reserved for myself, and VIP clients. It's stuffed with enough supplies to last months, so leave me alone already!” the voice raged.

“Fine,” Emily snapped. “Right after we confirm your story.” She stepped up to the console and hit ‘Cams’ on the display, and a moment later the screen displayed the inside of the shelter. The interior looked more like a high class apartment than a shelter, with couches, media displays, and even an auto chef. In the middle of the room was an older gentleman, staring angrily at the camera. He was well groomed, wearing fine clothes.

“Satisfied?” the speaker shrieked. “Now leave.”

Emily sighed, and started to cut the connection, but Skyler stopped her. “What’s that?” she whispered, pointing to a crumpled piece of cloth hastily hidden in a corner. I’m sure it wouldn’t have stood out in a regular shelter, but this place was otherwise pristine. Emily zoomed in, it was grainy, but it looked kind of like a doctor’s coat.

“What would a doctor be doing here?” I mumbled.

The man’s eyes widened slightly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m head of sales. Now leave!” he yelled.

“Can you cut his comms?” I growled, “I’m kind of tired of listening to his yelling.”

“It’s an independent circuit, not connected to the shelter failsafes,” Skyler replied. “You’ll just have to put up with him.”

“Then let’s leave, he’s obviously not going to cooperate,” I said, glancing at the video camera that was following us. “We have other things to do.”

“GET LOST!” the man yelled again.

“Fine,” Skyler huffed, before shutting down the internal cams and stepping away from the console.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

As we headed towards the stairs the comms roared to life again, “On behalf of Tanaka Industries I bid you, good day!” the old man yelled.

“What the fuck was that?” Steve growled as we entered the staircase. “I’ve never seen anyone act like that.”

“I have,” I replied as I strode up the stairs towards the VIP wing. “Usually when one of my father’s henchmen gets caught doing something seedy. If you refuse to talk you won’t give up any secrets, or incriminate yourself for doing something seedy.”

Unlike the other floors the tenth floor was sealed with a heavy security door. I carefully placed my hand on the panel, and was immediately rejected.

{Athy: Requires both a genetic match and security key, isolated from the local network for extra security.}

{Rei: Pretty standard for top end corporations, keeps hackers from ever popping them open remotely. Expensive though.}

{Athy: Your security bypass should work on it. It won’t be as quick as popping open that shelter earlier, but still possible.}

{Sky: You have a security bypass catalog? Why did I need to pick up hacking then?}

{Rei: It’s connected to my own key store. I’m pretty sure I can’t use it remotely, but it’s good against isolated systems, like shelters. Or security doors.}

I placed my hand on the panel again, and this time I pushed against the device. ‘Open up’ I thought. The panel blinked, processing for several long seconds, before the door opened.

“I know who to call if I ever forget my keys,” Bulldog chuckled.

“Skyler… you said there were two more monitors here?” I asked quietly. She nodded, then carefully sent her drones through the door. I could hear them spread out beyond the door, and after a few seconds there was a moment of gunfire.

Skyler let out a shaky breath, “That was a close one. Second bot came in while I was deactivating the first. Nearly lost a couple drones.”

“Is it safe now?” I asked. Skyler nodded.

I stepped off the landing into what looked like a super high end cybernetics boutique. There were cases containing the newest, sleekest Tanaka cybernetics set out for high end clients. Someone whistled.

“Fancy! Don’t see anything illegal though,” Steve huffed. I ignored him and passed through the first room, into a second. This room had walls completely covered in different combat cybernetics. The kind that my father’s goons typically had installed, the kind that weren’t exactly legal to sell.

Then again, they weren’t exactly something the government would actually shut down. They’d probably just slap my father with a stiff fine, then let him continue working. That’s the kind of impartial justice you could expect if your company had enough pull.

Next to the combat room was a waiting room, and beyond that a high tech surgical suite. I could see the massive automated surgery bot hanging above the bed, a hundreds armed monstrosity armed with every surgical tool imaginable. It was capable of better medical care than any doctor, assuming you didn’t flinch while it was working. On the wall there was a picture of the man from the shelter, along with half a dozen medical diplomas for ‘Anton Jenkins’.

“On site installations? I doubt it’s registered with the city, but I can definitely see how this place would attract a higher class of clientele,” Skyler muttered.

I nodded and wandered into the last room. For some reason both the Monitors were in this room, positioned in the corner of the much smaller room. This room seemed to consist entirely of intricate glass display cases that contained a variety of augs and brain implants. I bent down to check the nearest model, and immediately regretted it.

“That fucking bastard,” I swore loudly, barely keeping my rage under control.

Skyler and the others piled into the room after me. “What is it?” Skyler asked.

I pointed at the closest implant. “Personality override implant,” shifted to point at the next one, “Mental adjustment System,” and then a third, “Complete body override.”

“A Puppet implant?” Bulldog growled. “That’s fucked up!”

“And highly illegal, since it’s a little too close to full on slavery for the lawmakers,” Skyler spat. “I knew your dad was a bastard, but I didn’t think he was that bad. Selling shit like this?”

“That fucking asshole,” I muttered coldly. “It’s bad enough that he’s ruining my grandfather’s company, but if this got out it would completely tarnish my grandfather’s memory too. I’m going to KILL him.”

“Calm down,” Skyler whispered as she pulled me into an embrace. “Deep breaths, in and out. We don’t have to report this right away; We can take some time to think of the best way to handle it, ok?”

I nodded slightly. “Maybe we can get the government to handle this discreetly. A favor to the samurai.”

{Athy: We can also use Skyler’s hacking to help suppress some of the news, if it does get out. We can handle it.}

“Thanks,” I whispered. I wipped my face as I pulled away from Skyler. “I knew the idiot would be doing something stupid up here, just not this stupid.”

“You really don’t want to report this right away?” Bulldog asked quietly.

I hesitated for a moment, then shook my head. “My father deserves whatever he gets, I just need a little time to think first. Can you please hold off for me?” The big man nodded slowly, so I patted him on the shoulder. “Thanks.”

I took a deep breath then looked at the rest of the squad. I somehow even managed to put a small smile on my face. “Well, my curiosity is sated, how about we head back to the APC? We still have shelters to check.”