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The Assassin
 

Storymaster69
 

Steve Conrad was worried. He sat in front of a blank monitor, talking
to his superiors. He couldnt see who he was talking to, and to his
knowledge, he had never met any of them. They however could clearly see
him and he hoped they couldnt see how nervous he was.
 

He was fully aware that these people could decide his fate with a
single word and would have no problems killing him if chose to.
 

Project sleeper is nearly ready to be implemented, Steve said, For
those of you who may not be fully aware of all aspects of the project I
will review it for you. We have selected our subject, Charles Renfew, a
marketer with a small computer manufacturing firm.
 

We are in the process of isolating him from those who know him. This
way he will not be missed while the implantation and programing are
carried out. We will begin by surgically implanting a special chip into
the subjects brain. We will then copy his thoughts and memories onto a
computer.
 

Once we have his mind copied, we will then wipe his mind and replace
it with a new mental template. After this is done, we will place the
appropriate triggers and put his old memories over top of the new one
 

Then with a simple modulated signal we can bring his alternate
programing out and give him instructions directly to his brain.
 

After a long wait with Steves heart beating painfully in his chest he
finally heard the asexual distorted voice say, You may proceed
 
		
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 		
 		
Charles Renfew was called into his supervisors office and greeted by
him and two large security officers.
 

Frank, I was told you wanted to see me?
 

Yes Charles, please have a seat. Im sorry to have to tell you this
but, I have to let you go.
 

Charles was in shock after five years of dedicated work, to have this
bomb shell dropped in his lap.
 

Why? Have I done something wrong?
 

Im sorry, I dont know why just that Im to tell you that you are no
longer working here and that these gentlemen will escort you from
company property. You will get a full years wage deposited into your
account as well as what youve earned so far this month. Again Im
sorry but Im just following orders, I hope you understand.
 

Yes I understand, he said in a quiet voice, turning to leave.
 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
		
 		
Charles heard the high-pitched whine of an anti-grav unit from the
transport rushing up behind him. He was walking down the main street
going toward his public transit stop. The day was bright and sunny,
Charles however couldnt enjoy the day as he normally would. He was
preoccupied thinking about what just happened and wondering what the
hell he was going to do now.
 		
 
The sound from the approaching transport finally registered on him as
it suddenly stopped behind him, causing other drivers to sound their
horns at the unexpected move. He felt a buzz along his nerve endings as
he was stunned and lost consciousness.
 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
		
 		
Charles woke slowly, still feeling the tingle along his nerves from the
energy blast. When he sat up, he discovered he also had a major
headache as his head attempted to stay behind on the pillow. He tried
again, slower this time, and was able to look around.
 		
 
He was in what looked like a hospital room. Out side the window he saw
that it was night and that a storm was brewing in the distance. He
tried to move again, and discovered that he was handcuffed to his bed.
Looking at himself he found he was wearing a hospital gown.
 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
		
 		
Sir hes awake. A man in a lab coat said into an intercom.
 		
 
Ill be right there Doctor Steen.
 

Doctor Lyle Steen turned back to the monitor on which he was watching
Charles discover his situation.
 

Hello, is anybody there? Why are you holding me? Where am I? Charles
called.
 

Can somebody talk to me, hello! Anger and fear warred in his voice.
 

Hows the subject, doctor? Steve Conrad asked entering the room.
 

He seems fine, sir. Ill know better once I have a chance to examine
him closer. said Steen.
 

Then proceed doctor. I want to get this underway as soon as possible.
 

Yes, sir. Steen said and left the observation room.
 		
 		
Steve Conrad then turned to the monitor and watched his soon
to-be-custom assassin. It had only been a few months since the control
chip was finally perfected.
 		
 
It was developed under the guise of a humanitarian means to control
mental disorders like schizophrenia, and it would even be used as such
but that was only a side effect of the true purpose of the chip.
 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
		
 		
Charles watched with suspicion as Doctor Steen entered the room with
him. Good evening, Mr. Renfew. My name is Doctor Steen and I will be
looking after you for a while.
 		
 
Why am I here? What do you want with me?
 

All in good time, Mr. Renfew. For now I want to check you out, and see
if any damage was done to you when we brought you in.
 

Get away from me!
 

Now Mr. Renfew, this will go much easier if you will cooperate.
 

Dont touch me!
 

Charles punched at Steen with his free hand. Steen barely ducked out of
the way, Please, Mr. Renfew this wont help. He grunted as Charles
managed to land a punch to his face, knocking off his glasses.
 

Backing away, Doctor Steen said, Very well, Mr. Renfew. He turned and
pressed a button on an intercom. Nurse, could you please send in some
orderlies. Our patient is being difficult.
 

Right away Doctor. Charles heard.
 

Retrieving his glasses and placing them on his nose, the doctor waited
for the orderlies to come and help restrain his patient.
 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
		
 		
The next day Doctor Steen was in Steve Conrads office going over his
findings. Physically, hes fine. No complications were caused by the
stunner and he is within acceptable limits overall. I see no reason not
to go ahead with the procedure.
 		
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
		
 		
A month later Charles was returned to his former life with no memory or
what happened to him. Instead he remembered coming home after being
laid off, being depressed for several weeks then hearing an ad for a
new company that was looking for men and women to work as marketers for
its new computer systems. Much to his surprise he was able to get the
job and it paid better than his old job!
 		
 
His duties included extensive traveling and being away from home, which
was fine with him. He had no home life anyway and had an
off-again-on-again relationship with his girlfriend. Right now he was
at the off-again point and hadnt talked to her in over a month. He was
just getting back from a trip abroad and was looking forward to getting
back to the office.
 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
		
 		
That evening he got a vidphone call. When he sat down in front of the
transceiver and answered the call he heard the modulation squeal from a
computer modem, he saw flashing lights on the screen and then nothing
at all. The implant chip in his brain directly absorbed the information
that would give him his instructions on what he was to do.
 		
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
		
 		
Charles Renfew for now was no more. John OConnal walked to his
bedroom. He went to the closet and put on his tuxedo. John walked back
to the vidphone and called a limo to come pick him up.
 		
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
		
 		
John stepped outside and enjoyed the warm evening air and the hushed
purr of passing vehicles until the limo pulled up before him, the
limousine driver walked around and stood holding open the door for him.
When the driver was back inside John said to him, I need to pick up a
package before we go, Please stop at the post office at 45 and Main.
 		
 
Yes sir.
 

Ten minutes later the limo stopped infront of the post office. The
driver came around and opened the door for John.
 

I will be just a few minutes. Wait here. said John.
 

John walked inside the building and went to his mail box. Pressing his
thumb to the scanner the air tight door opened with a hiss.
 

Inside, he found a plain wrapped package. He tore open the packing tape
and looked inside the box. He found a deadly little flat black laser
gun. He slipped the gun inside his pocket with two vials of liquid also
removed from the box. One of the vials was clear and he knew that if he
was to smell it, it would be odourless, the other was a bright red. He
looked inside again and found the invitation to the Antorian
ambassadors party.
 

Antoria was one the many countries that seemed to come and go with the
continuing unrest in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Its current
leaders were pushing for a negotiated peace with several surrounding
counties, which would mean a tip in the balance of power in a strategic
area of the world.
 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
		
 		
The Limo pulled up infront of the Antoria embassy. A guard opened the
door, and asked to see Johns invitation before allowing him to leave
the confines of the car. He took the invitation from an inside pocket
in his jacket; feeling the gun and vials to make sure they were still
safely in place; and passed it over.
 		
 
The guard scanned the bar code on the top of the paper, waiting a
moment for the veracity of the invitation to be confirmed, he then
handed it back to John.
 

Welcome Mr. OConnal Ambassador Kavorkia will be making his
presentation in a few minutes.
 

Thank-you. said John.
 

John walked inside and left his outer coat with an attendant. He moved
to the bar and asked for a champagne. He started to circulate through
the crowd, briefly talking with various people, slowly moving towards
the far end of the room where Valdimere Kavorkia would be making his
speech.
 

The ambassador made his appearance on the stage. Ladies and gentlemen,
Im very pleased to be here tonight, I have the pleasure to be the
first to formally announce a treaty that will finally end hostilities
allowing us to move from the dark times that has ravished us for all
these years. We will be able to start trade between our countries, and
with a lasting peace end trade sanctions that have hurt us all for so
long. We have agreed that in order to prosper, we must set aside our
differences, and work together towards a common end, of economic and
military stability.
 

We still have a lot of work to do, but have agreed to setup a council
similar to the UN. Everyone will have a common place to bring up
grievances without resorting to armed conflict, and any major decisions
that will affect us all, will be decided democratically. Thank-you and
please enjoy the rest of the evenings festivities.
 

John went into the restroom. He went to one of the stalls and closed
the door. He removed the vial of clear liquid and unscrewed the lid. He
poured the slow acting poison onto his palm and rubbed it in. John then
left the restroom, and started to work his way towards the ambassador.
 

Ambassador Kavorkia, please let me introduce myself, my name is John
OConnal, he said shaking the ambassadors hand. I run a large hover
car manufacturing firm and am looking for new markets to move into. I
hope that with your new open economic cooperative there will be room
for other outside interests to benefit also.
 

Of course Mr. OConnal, we wouldnt be able to succeed without
visionaries that can see the vast possibilities of our new union. I
hope that you will contact our business devolvement ministry, we need
all the new blood we can get. If you will excuse me I see one of my
colleges must talk with me.
 

As the ambassador moved away, John could see him unconsciously
scratching his palm. John then moved towards the exit retrieving his
coat he waited for his Limo to stop before stepping outside.
 

When the Limo moved away, John took out the second vial and quickly
drank the antidote to the poison he had applied to his hand and waited
till he got home.
 

John went inside his apartment, he went to his room took off his cloths
and took a shower. When he got out, he put on his pajamas got into bed
and went to sleep.
 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
		
 		
The next morning Charles woke up, he took his morning shower. After he
prepared his breakfast, he sat down and watched the morning news on his
vid.
 		
 
*The Antorian ambassador was found dead this morning. Reports are still
sketchy but sources tell KDFG news that the ambassador was the apparent
victim of a poison attack.*
 

*Officials say that they dont know who might have done this and wont
speculate at this time but rumors from the ambassadors office tell that
they are investigating if Kavorkias counterparts he was negotiating
with could have carried this out. In other news......*
 
