Auxiliary: London 2039 by Jon Richter

Author:Jon Richter [Richter, Jon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Auxiliary is gripping, unpredictable, and bleakly atmospheric—ideal for fans of cyberpunk classics like the Blade Runner movies, Richard K. Morgan’s Altered Carbon, William Gibson’s Neuromancer, and the Netflix original series Black Mirror. This book is for anyone who likes reading about: Augmented reality Virtual reality Artificial intelligence Noir fiction Detective fiction Cyberpunk fiction Human augmentation Conspiracies Dark fiction Dark science fiction
Publisher: TCK Publishing
Published: 2020-04-30T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter

25

Where the fuck have you been?” Maggie snapped when Dremmler called her. “I’ve phoned you three times.”

The image of Jennifer Colquitt, naked and squealing with delight as she’d sat astride him, was still vivid in his mind. The spex had been tossed aside, along with his clothes.

“Sorry boss. I got … caught up, looking around Augmentech’s factory.”

It had been wild, animal sex, for a time. Then he’d realised that her eyes had stayed that same alien green colour throughout, not changing as he’d perhaps expected. He’d thought about other pairs of eyes, other faces.

“I hope you found some useful leads?”

The faces of the living and the dead, seeming to dance in those eyes, like the shifting designs on the walls. Tessa. Karlikowska. Petrovic.

“Not really. They’re still adamant the chip’s a backstreet hack job.”

“Well can you at least find out who the fucking grinder was?”

He’d pulled out then, mumbled something about not having any condoms, apologised that he was behaving inappropriately. She’d seemed mightily amused.

“Not unless I can speak to McCann again, which doesn’t seem very likely at the moment.”

As he’d hastily pulled on his clothes, he’d remembered to ask about the departed roboticist. Ver name was Raven Haraway, and he was on his way to ver apartment now. But he couldn’t tell Maggie, because that would mean explaining about Cynthia, and Petrovic’s encounter with the enigmatic mechanoid. Easier not to mention anything, at least until he’d spoken to Haraway.

“Well, about that. I think there’s a way you can speak to McCann, after all.”

Dremmler frowned. Outside, darkness blanketed the city like a malignant snowfall. “What, has he recovered already?”

A pause while Maggie sucked on her e-cig. A faint crackling sound as the nebuliser released vapour and nicotine into her hungry lungs. “No. But you can access his AltWorld persona, the one the doctors are trying to treat. Sort of a virtual interview.”

Dremmler scoffed. “Maggie, even if that was possible, I very much doubt the doctors would permit it.”

“It’s done. TIM cleared it with the hospital and set up the meeting for tomorrow morning.”

He blinked, surprised. The dot hovering in the corner of his FOV looked almost smug. “This idea. Did TIM come up with it?”

Another pause. No sound of smoking. Just a tense silence, while Maggie considered her response. “Yes,” she said eventually.

“And just how much input are you taking from your glorified butler, chief?”

“That’s none of your business, you cheeky little shit,” she snapped. “I’m the boss, I make the decisions. If someone comes up with something smart, I don’t care if they’re a person, a computer, or a fucking penguin. TIM’s had a lot more bright ideas than you lately, that’s for sure.”

A lot more. Who was he even working for these days?

“Okay,” he said eventually, his tone glacier-cold. “What time is this interview set up?”

“Be there at eight tomorrow, if you can drag yourself out of bed this time,” she barked, and ended the call.

Inside the Pod, Dremmler’s hands clenched and unclenched, remembering the curves of Colquitt’s

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