Mr. Tage followed the Sultan, Gratzano and Kurtzen into the conference room. He had been here far too long and needed a break. He decided to check on his mansion in Milford, about two hours to the north. Mr. Chen and his new best friend, the spooky doctor from the underground. A junior member of the Quintessence Society brought in water, tea and coffee. The society’s business wouldn’t resume until all subordinates were out of the room. Moments later, after the doors were sealed, the session started.

“The first order of business is to congratulate the general for a job well done. We’ve eliminated several thorns in all of our sides by taking out the Black Iris stronghold. Word on the street is that Nigel is among the dead,” Mr. Chen said.

The Sultan let out a sound akin to letting the air out of a tire.

“How is that good for us?” Mr. Tage asked.

“I’m with Tage. I failed to see why the death of our former colleagues is good,” the Sultan said.

The room was silent for a long moment. Everyone except for Chen and the doctor had a distressed look.

Why doesn’t Chen see that this newcomer is pitting the primary members of the cabal against each other.

“Chen, might I have a word in private,” Mr. Tage said.

“We are in private. You can speak your mind in this room.”

“Yes, we are all friends,” the doctor said.

Dr. Javitts removed his glasses and a red cybernetic eye greeted the cabal. Dr. Ash gasped.

“Alright, I’m going to say it and damned the consequences. Our recent actions have elevated the risk of our capture. The doctor has yet to provide the cyborgs that he promised. It seems like he is getting the better end of the deal,” Mr. Tage said.

“New cybernetic beings cannot be created without the gas, and we’ve barely got the South New Jersey facility online. It will take time.”

“Which is something we don’t have a lot of. The plan to deploy the cyber hunters has failed. We were counting on this distraction,” the Sultan said.

“I’ve all but handed you Manhattan. Martial law has been enforced and our numbers grow each day. But the populace has figured out our drone strategy. To solve this, I propose we hire some of the street people.”

“Are you sure they can be trusted?” Chen asked.

“They have been loyal to me in the past. I will provide them with some small, single-dose injectors. They can get close to some suitable candidates for us. Once the fluid is injected, it will have more of an effect on the potential cyborgs than the gas does.”

“So we will cull the cyborgs from the underground?” Dr. Ash asked.

“Yes, that’s what it takes to get so many without arousing suspicion. And you should let me handle those details,” Dr. Javitts said.

Ash gave Javitts a disdainful look.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“We all knew there would be civilian casualties. I suggest we let the good doctor do his good work,” Chen said.

Dr. Ash said something unintelligible, then headed for the door. Dr. Javitts motioned to his female companion, who locked the door.

“Meeka? Is that you?” Dr. Ash said.

“Yes, Doc, Sly gave me some . . . upgrades.”

Dr. Ash touched the female cyborg’s ruined face. “Your boyfriend over here can’t fix your face, can he?”

“Sly has got a lot on his plate. He said he would fix me soon.”

Dr. Ash laughed. Meeka took a step back, eyes darting around the room.

“You can let Ash go, dear,” Dr. Javitts said.

“What if she turns like the others?”

Dr. Javitts stood and moved in slow, deliberate steps toward Dr. Ash.

“This man doesn’t have any intention of helping any of you. He wants to be a kingpin of a powerful syndicate. He will kill you all—”

Meeka removed an enormous syringe from her jacket and stabbed Dr. Ash in the chest.

“Die, bitch!” Meeka screamed.

The older woman fell to her knees and grasped her throat. She made hoarse, rasping noises. White foam poured out of her mouth as the convolutions intensified.

“Is she dying?” the Sultan asked, alarmed.

“No, we have given her a highly concentrated dose of the neurotoxin, the same as those on the drones. She should stabilize in a few minutes,” Dr. Javitts said.

“I will prepare the operating room, Doctor,” Meeka said as she put on a white nurse’s hat.

Before anyone could respond, Meeka grabbed a bag from the corner of the room and leaped onto the conference room table. She removed a white sheet from the bag and laid it on the table, spilling drinks and half-eaten snacks as she continued.

“In here?” Chen asked.

“I thought all of you would like to see how a cyborg is made—firsthand,” Javitts said.

Moments later, Meeka threw Dr. Ash onto the table, as if she weighed nothing. The woman seemed lifeless. Her glasses were half off her face, and her tongue was hanging out.

“Time is of the essence. Instead of standing around, each of you will have a job to do. Meeka will tell you only once. If you refuse, then you will assist me like Dr. Ash.”

“Gratzano, I need you to find some rope or something suitable to tie Dr. Ash to this table. You have less than two minutes, so I suggest you run.”

Gratzano looked unsure of himself. Mr. Chen gave the man a nod, and the mobster ran out of the room. Each member of the cabal got a job assignment. Mr. Tage and the Sultan were ordered to fetch first aid supplies like gauze and better lighting. Once everything was in place, the doctor removed a scalpel from his bag and carved around the doctor’s face. He worked at it for a long time, then, much to the horror of everyone in the room, he removed Dr. Ash’s face.

“What in the bloody hell did you do that for?” Mr. Tage demanded.

“It wasn’t necessary for my procedure, but how she’ll have an incentive to give me the formula for the skin.”

Meeka cackled.

The female doctor opened her eyes, then screamed and thrashed. One of her legs got free. She kicked Gratzano as the man fell back and knocked over one of the lamps. Dr. Ash got an arm free and pounded the table. It cracked and splintered.

“Dr. Javitts, this is savage,” Chen said.

“Hold her down.”

Meeka slapped the mobster when he didn’t make a move to help. Blood gushed from his nose like a faucet. Javitts injected the female doctor with something, then she stopped thrashing.

“Is she dead?” Mr. Chen asked.

The doctor ignored the question, and soon Dr. Ash’s face, neck, and arms were replaced with implants. Meeka played the part of nurse well. She instinctively knew what to help Javitts with. She shaved part of Dr. Ash’s hair just above the ear. The doctor produced some sort of saw with a round blade and proceeded to drill into her skull. The Sultan got sick and vomited into a nearby trashcan.

“Stop contaminating my sterile environment.”

“Take your puke outside,” Meeka said as she grabbed the Sultan by the collar.

“She’s almost ready for the reemergence.”

“What’s that?” Mr. Chen asked.

“Her awakening.”

Meeka handed Dr. Javitts a purple ring box. He opened it and blue light illuminated the dimly lit room. The doctor took the blue cube out with a pair of forceps, then inserted the cube into the newly formed hole in Dr. Ash’s skull. An audible clicking noise emitted from the cube as it was fit into the hole. The doctor sutured the hole, then removed a wide bandage and covered the area.

“She needs to rest now. Have someone stay with her and give her two of these when she wakes.”

Dr. Javitts tossed a bottle of pills to Chen. He left the room before anyone could say anything.