
BioComputer
by Michael P Calligaro
Sometimes I do what I do for fun. Other times I do it for the money. It's usually for the challenge,
but sometimes I do it for spite. There are times when all of the above apply. I'm very good at what
I do. At one time I thought I was the best.
Every once in a while Fate will let you live through a bout of such stupid pomposity. I'm starting
to believe this is not one of those times.
* * *
Darrek watched the security camera's output in a window on the left lens of his sunglasses. The image
panned passed a large drum--the one he hid behind. The second his hiding place left the camera's vision
he got up and sauntered across the room. Some high security installation this turned out to be. One
camera per room. What a joke. He checked the floor plan overlay on his right lens. Red, purple, and
green dots representing guards, security robots, and miscellaneous people moved around on it. None,
however, were anywhere near the white dot in the center, himself. At first this job had seemed like a
crazy scheme. Now it was starting to look easy.
A slight movement in the camera's eye caught his attention and shattered all thoughts of this being an easy
job. At the extreme edge of its vision, just before it panned back toward the center of the room, Darrek
saw a dark-clad figure stand up and point something in his direction. Without a millisecond's hesitation,
Darrek dove to the floor. Bullets wizzed over his head and blasted into the wall. He rolled sideways,
putting another drum between himself and his opponent.
Where in Hell did he come from? He's nowhere on the security schematic! Darrek quickly took in his
situation. The closest exit from the room was a door about two meters to his right. No sooner did he
look that way when three holes appeared in the door in what looked like a perfect equilateral triangle.
He's a good shot too, damn. That's okay, I've got an edge on him.
The camera panned over Darrek, but he didn't have time to trifle with hiding himself from it. They already
knew he was here. It reached the far end of the room and started back. Now we'll find out who you are.
It reached the center of the room and another shot rang out. The image in front of Darrek's left eye
became static. Cursing, he blinked and the image went away.
Why did he do that? No one knew the truth about Darrek's fancy mirrored sunglasses. But here was a
guard that had somehow kept himself off the schematic, was an excellent shot, and had only fired as
many bullets as he needed. He was definitely a pro, a good one. He didn't take out the camera just for
the fun of it. That could only mean that he knew an awful lot about Darrek, while Darrek knew nothing
about him. Sun Tzu favored his adversary in that case, and the ancient general was rarely wrong.
So what's your next move, my phantom friend? If you know me so well you should know I'm not armed.
So you could just walk into view and get me. But you won't do that, will you? You gain just as much by
sitting there in the dark where I can't see you and letting the other guards come take care of me. So that's
what you'll do.
The guard didn't move.
* * *