The gyro rattled as it came into land. William’s stomach lurched uncomfortably, threatening to bring up the cocktail of painkillers and electrolytes he had swallowed in a token effort to feel human again. He reached for something to hold as the ship bucked in the high winds. His sweaty hands pressed against the door and seat back, the movements slow and exaggerated in the throes of his come down. He looked out the window as he fought to keep his mouth moist and not the dry wasteland it was constantly trying to revert back to.

“I need a mint. Maybe a stick of gum.”

“I am unable to comply with that request, sir,” chimed the A.I pilot.

“Shut up and fly, you glorified toaster,” spat William as he spotted a sleek, luxury gyro in the parking lot — the kind of flying limousine his uncle would take across the country on business trips.

“As you wish, sir.”

“Is that asshole here finally? It only took him a dire emergency to show his face.”

His eyes crawled over the lines of the aircraft. It was the type of high-end ship he should be flying in due to his station, not a run of the mill taxi. His abilities had taken Kemprex to the next level. Where were his rewards? Was he supposed to be happy with his shitty cabin in the woods?

The gyro touched down on the tarmac. William relinquished his death-grip on the upholstery and composed himself, breathing in and out slowly. “Let’s get this over with.”

The A.I pilot unlatched the door, sliding it open with a hiss. The chill wind immediately rushed into the tight cabin, tussling Williams clothes and stinging his exposed skin. William looked the robotic pilot in the lens. “Charge my corporate credit card.”

It shuttered back at him in response. He pushed himself to his feet and clambered out of the gyro’s cabin. The parking lot was almost vacant of cars. An armed transport truck and several carrier gyros took up the unused space, along with the fancy ship he guessed to be his uncle’s.

Two giants in full body armour stood guard at the entrance to the complex. They were too tall to be un-programmed. Each held an assault rifle more akin to a cannon — 50 calibre monstrosities that spat hot, exploding death at those unfortunate enough to get in their way. It had to be bad to bring in a team of Pros. Both of the giant cannons were pointing at him. William worked the thick saliva around his mouth and strode toward the doors.

“Halt,” ordered one of the guards, his deep voice full of restrained anger and boredom simultaneously. “Only employees with the appropriate clearance can currently enter this facility.”

William came to a stop a dozen paces away. He cleared his throat in case it had closed in fear. “I… have clearance. My I.D is in my… wallet. In my coat,” he spluttered.

“Raise your hands. My colleague will check,” ordered the giant, his finger hovering dangerously close to the trigger.

William raised his hands above his head. The other Pro approached him, slinging the assault rifle over his shoulder by its strap. He rifled through William’s coat pockets. Finding the I.D he flipped it open and scanned it with his suit’s optics.

“You are not authorised to be here, sir,” said the guard handing William back his wallet.

William shook his head in confusion as he cradled his wallet. “I have an all access pass. I’m allowed everywhere. Even the top-secret military areas.”

“This complex has been locked down to executive and security level 5 entry only,” replied the guard taking several steps back.

“Call my uncle. He’ll tell you it’s okay,” said William.

“I don’t give a fuck who your uncle is. You’re not getting in here with that pass,” replied the guard.

“He owns the fucking company…” started William, feeling his face going red. Just as he said the words the doors opened and Kurniec’s top crony stepped through, his pallid brow creased, and his hands folded behind his back like some pondering lecturer. William frowned. He should have noticed the man’s presence with his psychic abilities. Instead, the scientist felt completely blank — almost dead to William’s higher functioning senses. Maybe he was just stoned.

“Let him in, boys. This is all junior’s fault. He can come and help clean it up,” rumbled Yelich in his rasping smokers voice.

William felt a sigh escape him. “Is he here?” he asked the old scientist.

“Who? David?” replied Yelich. “Why the hell would he be here? He’s got a board to satisfy and shareholders to impress. He doesn’t get his hands dirty anymore.”

“I saw the gyro…” said William, feeling the wind slip from his sails.

Yelich looked over William’s shoulder to the sleek machine. “That? That’s mine. Or rather the company’s one I’m allowed to use.” Yelich turned and walked back into the building. “Follow me. There is something you need to see.”

William gave the guards a triumphant smile and followed the older man. The Pro-Human warriors paid William no more attention. They returned to their duty, their weapons at rest and optical units scanning the parking lot. Behind him the taxi cycled up to take off.

It wasn’t an office so much as a warzone. Blood and viscera caked every other surface. Shattered glass and supplies lay strewn over the desks and floor. Yelich led them on a meandering path around the worst patches, his head bent, and hands clasped behind his back as if in solemn thought. William caught the stench of bodily fluids and cordite. Thankfully the bodies had been removed. He doubted he could keep down the bile in his upset stomach at the sight of someone he knew laying in a pool of their own blood. He couldn’t believe Connor, let alone anyone, would act this way.

“What are you doing here?” asked William to cut the tension.

“I’ve been with David since the beginning. He trusts me to get him results, no matter the scenario. I know what he wants,” replied Yelich gruffly.

William didn’t need to be a mind reader to get the gist that he was deemed untrustworthy. “How did he get out of the basement?” he added to change the subject.

Yelich frowned over his shoulder at him. “Your mental block wore off.”

William raised a hand to his head, searching for the hair he dearly missed. “He’s stuck in that tank. How’d he break out?”

“It was his clones, Will. The clones woke up and tore through my labs. I told you this on the fucking phone,” rebuked Yelich. “Are you still high?”

William felt the itch behind his eyes spike at the thought. “No… I’m just getting my shit together.”

Yelich gave him a withering look. “They worked together to overcome the security team on the lower levels. Several made it to the elevator shaft before the emergency purge protocol became effective. They climbed their way to the top and did this,” he said, indicating the room with a nod. “We had our pants down and he fucked us bloody raw.”

“They did a purge with everyone still down there?” asked William.

Yelich released a long sigh. “We had to. It was our only effective, non-lethal solution. Our engineers are mostly fine. They’re still overcoming the effects of the gas. Some will need surgery... chemically burnt throats and lungs and so on. Some of the clones inflicted more damage actually.”

William nodded slowly. If Yelich was trying to guilt him it was working.

“This,” said the lead scientist, waving a hand at a patch of blood. “This has alerted us to the short comings of our internal security protocols. We won’t be hurt like this again.”

“Where did we go wrong?” replied William as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

“Where to begin?” asked Yelich over a scathing look. “One: Our surveillance was severely lacking. Too few cameras operating in crucial areas. The operators also left their post to arm themselves once the purge was enabled. Security were effectively blind then. They didn’t know some of the clones had made it into the elevator shaft. Two: The guards themselves were undertrained and under armed. We had grown complacent in that regard, assuming the tried and true would be enough to bring the Hill boy down. A work group is currently reviewing our recruitment and equipment parameters. Programmed soldiers. Veterans. An army of dependable clones. All things are considered. Three...”

The older man rounded on William, his weathered face full of scorn. “Our reliance on you to keep our test subjects placid has proven to be our largest mistake. We are accelerating the rollout of the ‘Cornucopia’. The devices will render your abilities unnecessary.”

William didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “That’s… That’s…” he spluttered.

“Exactly what you wanted?” finished Yelich. “Congratulations. You got your wish. You can go back to being a lazy, unemployed wastrel.” He turned away from William and strode deeper into the complex.

William’s elation was short lived. What did he mean unemployed? Was his uncle getting rid of him? He jogged to keep up with the departing man. “What about me? What will I do after I’m redundant?”

Yelich shrugged. “Go back to your cabin in the woods? Maybe David will wheel you out from time to time to rifle through people’s brains like you did in the old days. I don’t know.”

“When will it be here? The Cornucopia?”

“’Bout a week. Until then you can earn your keep and put the kid back to sleep. He’s gone through every new sedative we’ve dreamed up,” said Yelich, motioning them onwards.

“And the clones?” asked William. “Do they need the sleep treatment?”

Yelich bowed his head slightly. “No. Our recovery team put a bullet behind each ear as soon as they got inside. We still have a couple on ice, but they will be transferred to another facility as backups. Your antics have cost us millions, young William. It’s going to take us weeks to get back on schedule. That’s if our engineers and researchers want to come back to work after this shit show. Maybe that will be your new job… Wiping memories.”

William stumbled on the smooth floor, tripping over his own dragging feet. He had finally gotten what he wanted. But at what cost to the company? He followed the older man deeper into the bowels of the facility, his conscience playing tug of war with his emotions.