WetWeb by Robert Haney Read Free Book Online Page B

his bruised buttocks and splattering fake red blood all over his ruined trousers.  Yang grinned despite the pain and then slipped into blackness.
     
     
     
    “Somnambutol: A popular brand name for the synthetic drug lythregulad citrate.  One of a family of drugs developed to induce a strong trance-like state.  A person under the influence of Somnambutol is highly susceptible to suggestion.  These drugs are commonly used by subjects who are allowing their bodies to be manipulated by a remote user over the WetWeb”
    -  WetWiki

Chapter 4
     
    “You like the cowboy stories?” Anand asked.
    It was the beginning of the second day of interviews.  Franklin had settled into his steel chair after a long skim ride down from Sacramento to Pleasanton Minimum Security Prison.  The Cowboy story that Anand was relating would make a good retro-pulp feature.  It was good stuff.  Franklin recognized the value.
    “The Cowboy stories are great,” Franklin replied , “When you left off, some of the Cowboys were getting hurt.”
    “Quite right,” Anand said :
    There is more to tell. But I need to tell you what was going on in the outside world at the same time.
    The Wild West Alive game was a huge success.  RSI was making great profits; there was nothing else like it.  The gaming audience had never seen such realistic combat.  We quickly grew with no competition.  We dominated the game market as the only provider of real life experiences.  Al McKnight was anxious to expand the franchise. 
    He was already scouting locations in nearby Chinese factory towns where he wanted to build new games and capitalize on a successful model.  He talked about a Roman town complete with a Coliseum.   Christopher Mark, on the other hand, was interested in advancing the technology. 
    Chris Mark and I would discuss miniaturization and improvement of the feedback and pressure sensors.  We continually made improvement s to our original model, but we both knew we were only making small changes.  In truth, we realized we had gone as far as we could go with this technology system.  Any improvements on our Interface device would be variations on the original design.  To take the next step, we needed to integrate the device directly into the host’s nervous system.  We needed a neurosurgeon who was brilliant and fearless and who was ready to push the science.  Chris Mark found her.  Her name was Singh.  Dr. Sadhna Singh to be exact .
    Anand’s gesticulating hands calmed.  He spoke to Franklin directly ; matter - of - factly.  His manner changed perceptibly and the excitement was slowing.  There was real emotion here.  Franklin shifted uncomfortably in his steel chair and turned the page.
    “Did you marry her?”  Franklin asked
    “No, no, no,” Anand drifted off, ruminating, searching for a place to start :
    You see, w e were both already married when we met.  In our culture marriage is a very formal act.  Most marriages are arranged by the parents and family.  So it was for me.  So it was for Sadhna , I guess. But we never spoke of it.
    We were both working all the time.  Both of us escaping from love-less relationships at home.  Our lives were filled with work - just work.  For me it was networks, for Sadhna it was neurology.  Our passion was expressed through work.
    Listening to Anand talk about marriage brought an image of Dolly to Franklin’s mind.  He could see her standing in their kitchen ; happy and smiling.  It was an image that troubled him.  While Anand talked, his mind drifted. 
    Last night he had gotten home quite late.  Later than he expected.   Anand’s stories about Chinese Cowboy’s had captivated his imagination.  The stories were long and then on the skim ride home Franklin had spent time collating his notes into a narrative .  This narrative would eventually would become the feature that he had promised to deliver to Titus Briggs.  Was it content ?  Maybe not.   Franklin decided there