The Nero Protocol by Victoria Zagar

Author:Victoria Zagar [Zagar, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay, Science Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Less Than Three Press, LLC
Published: 2017-06-06T22:00:00+00:00

PART TWO

CHAPTER EIGHT

Four Years Later

The crowd roared their approval as popular synth player Archeros kicked the ball into the net at the far end of the holoball field. Elias used the distraction to stand up. Before he could move, his father tugged on the sleeve of his jacket. Elias motioned to the bathroom and his father, satisfied, allowed him to proceed. Elias pressed his way through the mass of humanity, grateful to be off his leash for a moment. Pressed for time, he joined the line leading into the men's bathroom, and after that, the shorter line for the one and only stall. He was relieved when a man emerged and he squeezed inside the stall, closing the door against the outside world.

Smartphone in hand, he quickly loaded a video feed, making sure the sound was off. The live reality synth show, Synthaholics, came into focus with an action-packed intro showing synths being torn apart, distressed, melted, thrown into water, and electrocuted.

Tonight, the subtitles read, we choose the one finalist who will survive, while the others will be disposed of by your vote! As always, choose your poison—but this time we have an extra-special bonus! You've all heard about the black market protocol that makes synths act more human, right? Well, for this final episode, all our finalists will be installed with the so-called Nero Protocol—but only one will make it out alive!

Elias gritted his teeth. He'd heard rumors on the Internet and had hoped they were false, but here was the proof, and it made him sick to his stomach. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he watched in agony as the synths were loaded with his software, heart pounding in his ears.

"Well, how do you feel?" the presenter asked a housekeeping synth, an Eida 8000. "Now that you can, of course." The subtitles read [canned laughter], and Elias had to fight the urge to vomit on his shoes.

"I feel… strange," Eida said. "Is this… living?"

"Ah, such a charming response! Remember, only one of these synths will live, so be sure to text your vote right now!"

"Hey." Elias heard murmurs outside the stall. "You see this? Synthaholics says they really have that black market software thing, and they're using it for the finals!"

"Oh, wow. Fuck holoball. I have to see this for myself. Let's go home, before we miss it!" The voices got further away, and the entire bathroom seemed to empty out, the throng of voices dissipating to a few whispers.

Elias sat with his forehead against the cold stall divider. He closed his eyes, thinking of Ario. Everywhere he went he found himself searching for that familiar face, his fears growing as time went on. The years had not been kind to synths, especially as knowledge of the Nero Protocol had spread. Some people installed the Protocol with disastrously good intentions, while others loved seeing their old synths torment themselves to death. As synths had become more human, humanity's cruelty toward them had only grown stronger. He feared the day he might see Ario torn apart for someone's entertainment.

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