Introduction
Two men stood side by side in a solid white room as they watched a third man bleed out on the street through a monitor. The monitor sat on a desk in an otherwise empty room. The shorter, more portly man turned to his superior and asked, “Should I send a crew?”
The tall man ran his fingers through his salt and pepper hair, keeping his attention on the monitor as he said, “Yes, no need to draw unwanted attention.”
The portly gentleman scratched his head as reached into his pocket and pulled out a flip phone.
“A flip phone, really? With all of the technology you create and the money you make, you still use that piece of shit?”
“I do not see a reason to upgrade. This phone works perfectly fine and within the constructs for which it was created. I do not care to upgrade phones because they are considered outdated 3 months after they are released. I prefer to save my money in the hopes I can retire early one day.”
“I seriously doubt the purchase of a smartphone will set your retirement target date back ten years.”
The shorter man huffed slightly as he began to dial a number. The two continued to watch the motionless body lying on the dark street. “Hey,” the short man began, “I need a cleanup crew at tonight's location. Make it fast,” he ordered, snapping his phone shut. “See, works just fine.”
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“I never said it did not work. I just think a man of your intellectual capability should have a phone to match it.”
“People have become so dependent on technology that their intelligence has suffered from it. They do not bother to learn basic history facts because they can just search for them online. It enables ignorance and laziness.”
“I agree that some people allow technology to control their lives a little too much. However, I highly doubt a smartphone will turn you into a troglodyte, son.”
The shorter man shook his head slightly, giving up on the conversation as he turned his attention back to the monitor. “Tonight could have gone a lot worse than it did.”
“I agree. The subject lost complete control of his mental faculties. Honestly, though, I am surprised he lasted as long as he did without getting himself locked up in a mental institution.”
“Yes,” the shorter man started. “The entire process completely tortured the man, causing an extreme form of PTSD. Its intensity grew exponentially within the last 24 hours until it exploded, as we just witnessed. Sir, might I make a suggestion?”
“Of course.”
“We isolate the next subject in a small room with another person instead of allowing them to run free. This will give us far more control over the situation and limit the possibility of our experiments being exposed.”
The taller man rubbed at his beard with a contemplative look in his eye. “Very well. I, however, get to pick the two guinea pigs.”
“Do you have them picked already?”
“As a matter of fact I do, and you’re gonna love them.”