Download first five chapters - John Trevillian

THE A-MEN | 41Thus sight, sound, touch, smell and taste all become infinitelycontrollable through their respective nerve centres.”“In short,” adds Jana, “a person can enter a controlled landscapeand, quite literally, journey inside their own head.”“Of course, we face countless problems yet already the first fullyoperationalprototype, which we call the X-Isle, is functional. Andyou will be crucial in taking this project to the next level.”“Dr Glass, your private mail mentioned a vacancy, but the streamwas an absolute blank about exactly what it is you are doing here.”“Indeed.” I repress a smile, but allow myself the merest glance atJana. She returns a glare that dares me to elucidate. “A third psychistrecently left the project, hence the position.”And how simple that sounds. Even as far back as when we werecalled Sol Inc., Ryan Reece Jarrett was my thought channelist, abrilliant mind and the man who cracked the bioanima interface. Yetin the long run his suitability proved erratic, or more bluntly, it washis dastardly bawling that made my father hesitate and finally denymy request for incipient human entry into the X-Isle. It was becauseof Jarrett that we have been forced to vanish off the face of the realworld; to occupy the Phoenix, left vacant as surplus to requirements.As if my father didn’t know it would be a worthless estate once Exxorelocated to near-space. Like the other macrocorps, Glass-Suko’sdigital signature is on that treaty.“What do you know of Glass-Suko, Lloyd?” Jana asks.Thomas shifts in his seat, feeling the spotlight upon him.Remembering that this is an interview of sorts, even if, having enteredhe has unwittingly and irrevocably committed to this project. Itssecurity forbidding his exit until we are all done here. The only wayof leaving now a ziplok body bag.“Well, I know the basics, that Glass-Suko was created by RaymondIsaac Glass and Darrold Suko to further the development andimplementation of new generation computer interfaces.”“Yes,” I interrupt, “that’s correct. Light-driven computertechnology had come as far as it could, and by introducing tissues