Later that evening, Niko found himself at a shabby two-star hotel on Samson Road in Bangkok’s busy center. Klara had stayed down longer to check them in.
“Almost as good as the Ritz, huh, boss?” Sayeed said with a malicious smile to Niko, entering the room.
“I’ve seen worse. I think you know my file, isn’t that right, Sayeed? The country where I come from is much poorer than yours, I presume?” Niko snapped back.
“Meh, maybe. Sorry about exposing you in front of all those journalists, by the way. They are parasites. But it was nothing personal. We received an anonymous tip about your past and decided to act upon it. Not that it was much use.”
“Anonymous tip? How convenient,” Niko said sarcastically.
“But true,” Sayeed declared earnestly. “We didn’t have much dirt back then on NAPPA, so we used what we had.”
“Maybe this was for the best. I’m not sure I would be a good fit for NAPPA, anyway. Unfortunately, many things have changed, many people have changed.”
“I told you, you can’t trust them. It was clear to me immediately when I saw that little glimpse into the boardroom.”
“Ah, yes, your little collaboration with Lopez. I heard about that. Well, anyway, I’m also sorry for punching you in the face,” Niko said.
“Mmhmm.”
“And how about you? Can I trust you?”
“Definitely no. But we have the same goals for now.”
“Speaking of, tell me more about your organization. What are your goals, exactly?”
“You don’t give up, do you?” Sayeed observed. “Only thing I can tell you is our organization is against NAPPA’s ‘innovations,’ as you people call them. They are reckless and a danger to all of humanity. In the beginning, it may have indeed helped some people, but imagine where this technology leads to? Think about our little experiment with Lopez—looking into that boardroom through somebody else’s eyes. A fully controlled society. Oh, with super soldiers guarding the interests of the elite.”
“But we programmed the NanoChip so that the users can deactivate them if they want to.”
“And maybe that’s true. But don’t be naïve. Do you really think NAPPA won't exert control over the NanoChip if they can? Or try to increase your happiness just a tiny bit every time you see a certain product or ad?” He gestured emphatically. “It’s only a matter of bloody time.”
“This is not what I wanted to happen,” Niko said sadly.
Sayeed pushed further. “Also, have a look around you here, in Bangkok. Why do streets seem so empty sometimes? Half the people are already immersed in their virtual reality at home, via NanoChip. This is not the world I want to live in.”
Klara returned with cups of noodle soup from the vending machine, interrupting their conversation.
“Don’t think about where this is coming from. Just eat it,” she said, settling down on the couch. “So, what’s the plan? How do we get Priya out?”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” Niko began. “You’ll have to get me into NAPPA’s headquarters somehow. I can wear a face mask as a disguise—lots of people do.”
“It’s not that simple,” Sayeed interjected. “The latest NAPPA cameras have face detection, even through masks. Not many people would recognize you now, anyway, given how skinny you look. But with my makeup skills, you could soon look like one of those NAPPA corporate assholes again!” Sayeed laughed manically.
“I could get you a fake entry pass into the company easily enough, thanks to Lopez’s access codes,” Klara added. “But there’s one major problem—all employees at NAPPA have a specific code within their NanoChip. Well, except you and Priya, of course. Every NanoChip is monitored once the employee enters the building. If you’re there without a valid NanoChip code, the system will recognize it immediately.”
“They can do that now? And can they track you if you don’t have a NanoChip?” Niko asked.
“Especially if you don’t have a NanoChip, the security guards will be over you immediately at the entrance. That’s why Sayeed and I can’t even go near that place,” Klara explained.
“This surveillance is only present at their headquarters for now, but trust me—it won’t stop there. Big brother is watching you.” Sayeed grinned.
“So, how do we get in?”
“I thought you could tell me, Professor. This is your company, isn’t it?” Klara teased.
“Well, if only employees with a NanoChip can get in, then I guess we have to get our hands on one.”
“If we murder one of their employees, could you extract it and put it in yourself?” Sayeed’s eyes lit up with a dangerous excitement.
“We are not murdering anyone,” Niko said firmly. “But there are other ways. For example, we could temporarily disable their security system and the NanoChip tracking.”
“That would be very hard to do in the short time we have, even with Lopez’s access codes. Their security system is too advanced. I can only scratch the surface,” Klara interrupted.
“Or,” Niko continued, undeterred, “we could clone the employee NanoChip data onto a different device. This means replicating the unique digital signature embedded in the chip,” he added, seeing Sayeed’s confused face. “In the end, it’s just code, right? This way, the system would recognize me as one of the employees.”
Klara leaned back, contemplating the plan. “Cloning the NanoChip data … that might just work. But it would have to be quite a sophisticated device to duplicate the signal without alerting NAPPA’s security systems. And how do we get our hands on an employee?”
Niko sighed. “We need someone who trusts us enough to let us clone their data without alerting the authorities.”
Klara nodded. “I can handle the technical aspects. However, we’ll need someone on the inside.”
Sayeed smirked. “Looks like we have some recruiting to do.”
“I already have someone in mind,” Niko said then hesitated.
“What’s the issue then?” Klara asked, leaning forward.
“Do you think we could make this work with a former NAPPA employee?”
“Possibly,” Klara replied, considering it. “A former employee is not going to raise alarm bells like an outsider, that’s for sure. And with Lopez’s access codes, I could delay their system for a short timeframe. That might be just enough to let you slip through.”
“Perfect, but there’s one more thing.” Niko paused.
“What is it?” Sayeed asked, raising an eyebrow.
Niko grinned. “This trip is going to be really cold for you, Sayeed. Better pack your long johns.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Niko and Sayeed stepped off the airplane in Vladivostok, greeted by a blast of freezing wind that cut through their layers of clothing. It was mid-February, and the city was enveloped in a harsh winter chill. Snow-covered streets and frozen waters of Amur Bay added to the bleakness of their surroundings. The hills and mountains surrounding Vladivostok were blanketed in white, creating a picturesque yet desolate landscape. The cold was biting, and Niko shivered, pulling his coat tighter around himself.
“Welcome to the Russian winter,” Sayeed muttered, his breath visible in the cold air. “I’m more convinced than ever that we should have gone with my plan.”
Sayeed had proposed several violent approaches, such as kidnapping a NAPPA employee. Niko had vehemently opposed the idea, knowing the risks were too high, as all NAPPA employees were likely guarded and surveilled. Instead, he had suggested finding Anatoly Kuryakov, his former colleague who had left NAPPA under contentious circumstances and was now working at the Dal’nevostochnyy Federal’nyy Universitet—The Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok.
Once they arrived, they made their way to the university campus where Kuryakov worked. It was a sprawling complex of modern buildings and state-of-the-art facilities, nestled amidst the snow-laden trees and hills overlooking the city. However, it was heavily guarded and inaccessible without proper clearance.
Niko had found information on the internet about Kuryakov’s departure from NAPPA and his new tenure in Russia, so they decided to wait outside the campus, hoping to catch him on his way home.
After hours of waiting in the freezing cold, in an old 1999 LADA with malfunctioning heating, they finally spotted Kuryakov leaving the campus. They followed him discreetly through several snow-covered streets until he reached an old, Soviet-era apartment building in Zapadnaya Ulitsa. The structure was stark and utilitarian, with crumbling concrete and rusted railings, a stark contrast to the modern university buildings.
Niko took a deep breath and approached Kuryakov just as he was about to enter the building. “Anatoly! It’s me, Niko.”
Kuryakov turned, his eyes widening in surprise. “Niko! Oh my God, you’re alive!” He rushed forward and hugged Niko tightly, speaking with his heavy accent in his usual rapid-fire manner. “It’s so good to see you, my friend! My goodness, you’re so skinny! But what are you doing here? And who is this?” He nodded toward Sayeed.
“He’s a friend of mine. And I came here to see you. Can we talk in private?” Niko asked, glancing nervously at Sayeed.
Kuryakov hesitated for a moment then nodded. “Of course. You’re lucky I am not shadowed by secret police today! Please, come on in with me. It’s rather chilly today. But once we are in apartment, I need you to keep quiet until I tell you to speak, okay?”
“Rather chilly? Are you bloody kidding me?” Sayeed grunted while blowing air into his hands.
The second-floor apartment was small and dimly lit, with outdated furniture and peeling wallpaper. It was clear that the building had seen better days. Kuryakov led them to a modest living room, where he motioned for them to sit on the sofa. Immediately, he disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a small device, which he placed on the table.
“This interferes with the wiretapping the Russians have in my apartment,” he explained as he turned it on. The device emitted a faint hum. “I’ll make some coffee for us.”
As Kuryakov busied himself in the kitchen, Niko and Sayeed shared a meaningful glance.
When Kuryakov returned with three steaming mugs of coffee, he sat down and leaned forward, his expression serious. “So, what brings you to Vladivostok?” Kuryakov asked, taking a sip of his coffee and starting to fill his pipe.
Niko took a deep breath. “We need your help, Anatoly. It’s a matter of life and death. It’s about Priya.”
“What about her?” he asked, concerned.
“She has helped me to stay hidden until now, but NAPPA took her prisoner several days ago. We have reason to believe they are trying to extract information from her about me and her efforts to expose NAPPA’s work with the military.”
“Hey, don’t spout everything out,” Sayeed interjected.
“I trust him, Sayeed!” Niko said seriously.
“You can trust me, Niko. I’ve always been on your side,” Kuryakov said. “But it’s a shame about Priya. Recently, we grew apart because I thought she became one of Ryan’s people, you know. NAPPA has turned into a corrupt machine under him, surrounded by yes-men and driven by greed. He fired several people from the original team, including me. I couldn’t work there anymore, you know.”
“What happened?” Niko asked.
“Well, one of NAPPA’s goals was to influence the NanoChip from the outside, using their AI center in Singapore that is gathering data from every NanoChip in the world. I’m not sure what happened to that research, and I don’t even know what use would that be, but it wasn’t good, for sure.”
Niko glanced at Sayeed, who gave him an “I told you so” look.
“Anyway, this motivated me to do my own investigation. The goal was to produce a device to protect—”
“Do you always talk so much?” Sayeed interrupted. “We need to get Niko inside NAPPA’s headquarters and rescue Priya. Can you help us or not?”
“Getting inside the headquarters … that’s a tall order. I’m not sure how we can accomplish that. Do you have any ideas?” Kuryakov rubbed his temples, deep in thought.
Niko leaned forward, undeterred. “Anatoly, we think that cloning the NanoChip data of a NAPPA employee might be our only chance. Do you have any idea if that might work?”
Kuryakov thought for a moment then nodded slowly. “I might have a solution. I have a NanoChip implanted, as you know, but after fleeing Singapore, I had to protect myself and hide.” He rolled the R’s while saying that. “This was one of the critical conditions under which the Russians would take me. So, as I started to tell you earlier”—he glanced meaningfully at Sayeed—“I developed an interference device that produces a strong, local magnetic field around me, blocking any connection attempts through NAPPA’s AI system. This protects my data and hides my location. I can modify this device and add an emission function to it. If you would then enter the building, NAPPA’s security system would think it’s me!”
Sayeed looked skeptical. “Are you sure it will work?”
“Yes, but you will still need someone with technical expertise to trick NAPPA’s security system, you know. If you should go in as me, it’s only a matter of minutes, or even seconds, until it recognizes me as a former employee. And this person might have to create a diversion, if things go south.”
“We do have an IT expert on our team and can make that happen. She assured us that she can delay the security system for a couple of minutes,” Niko said, thinking about the NAPPA access codes that Lopez had died for. “But wouldn’t you be in danger if we use your NanoChip’s signal? At some point, they will figure out that we used your data.”
“I’m good, my friend, don’t worry. Both the Russians and the Chinese will provide me protection from NAPPA as long as I help them develop their own nanotechnology, which is what I’m doing right now. I’m leading the team, you know. Our product is progressing, but it’s still behind NAPPA’s advancements.”
“Well, it’s our best shot,” Niko said, determination in his voice. “We have no other options. Anatoly, how quickly can you modify the interference device and add your NanoChip data to it? We need to get Priya out of there ASAP. They will implant the NanoChip into her, and then she will never be able to escape them.”
“Well, my device would make her invisible to NAPPA, too, if that is your concern. She would just have to make sure she stays within one meter from it at all times, even when sleeping. But I can tell you from experience that I had to slowly increase its strength over time, because having the interference device around you causes headaches and nightmares,” Kuryakov said cheerfully.
“Oh, jeez, you’re my nightmare,” Sayeed muttered under his breath.
“What?”
“Well, better nightmares than dead!” Sayeed added.
Kuryakov nodded assuringly. “Definitely. Anyway, luckily for you, I have a backup device. You know what I always say, Niko …”
“Always have a backup device,” they said in unison.
“Exactly. Anyway, I believe I can make it work by tomorrow,” he concluded.
“So, explain it to me again, without this science mumbo jumbo. How exactly does it work? What do we have to do?” Sayeed asked.
“I will reprogram my backup magnetic interference device to mimic and emit my own NanoChip’s signal, fooling the security system into recognizing you as me. In the meantime, your IT expert will delay the security systems until you’re inside. But you’ll have to move quickly because, at some point, they will realize that I am a former employee. The longer you’re there, the higher the risk of detection.”
Niko nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. “But wait a minute—could I somehow turn off the signal again, once I’m inside?”
“That’s an excellent idea, actually. But the device itself can’t just be turned on and off that easily. It’s main function is signal interference, after all. I can only inverse the interference function and emit my NanoChip data for some time. Once you turn off the emission function, though, the device will go back to interfere with the NanoChip signal. But look at it this way: once you enter, you would disappear on their surveillance systems. It would be like they saw a ghost for a moment!” He chuckled.
“If they don’t notice me until then, that is,” Niko added.
“Was that supposed to be a simplified version? I have no clue what you just said,” Sayeed admitted.
Kuryakov continued, undeterred, “It would take me several days to build you a totally new device which only emits my NanoChip data, if that’s what you want?”
“We don’t have that time, Anatoly. We will go with what’s available.”
Kuryakov smiled faintly. “It’s good to see you again, Niko. Let’s hope we can bring down NAPPA and free Priya.”
“Yes, let’s hope so. And thank you, Anatoly. I know you are taking a risk on yourself and your family just by talking to us. By the way, how are the kids doing?” Niko asked, concerned.
“They’re managing,” Kuryakov said with a sigh. “They miss their mother, of course. The last years have been hard on them, but we’re getting by. They’re at their grandma’s right now for the winter.”
“Good. Let’s break this up, shall we?” Sayeed stood up nervously, annoyed by the small talk. “We will be going back to our hotel now.”
“Nonsense!” Kuryakov exclaimed. “You will sleep here. There is no safer space for you in this city. And like this, we can chitchat some more. We have a lot of catching up to do, Niko.”
“Sure, we will stay,” Niko said, giving Sayeed a strict look.
“Well, fuck me,” Sayeed whispered to himself.