Page 33 of Black Bay Defender
Grady nodded thoughtfully. “I thought that once too.”
Any bravery the man had gathered around him to demand his rights fled as shame suffused him. He swallowed again, this time audibly. “When I signed onto the project I didn’t know how they were getting the soldiers. I just created the chips according to the specifications and implanted them. I had no idea –”
Grady cut him off. “I don’t care about your reasons or excuses.”
“Are you going to kill me then? Like you did Doctor Jerome?”
“Not tonight.”
While Kong huffed a quiet laugh, the doctor went as white as the walls that surrounded him.
“Maybe you’d like a chance at redemption.”
The doctor’s eyes widened and he sat forward, nodding vigorously. “Yes, anything. If it’s in my power, I’ll do whatever you need.”
“First, tell me about the chip.”
His face cleared and his voice turned enthusiastic. “It was originally designed to help patients with traumatic brain injury. You see…”
As Blackmore droned on, sounding like a professor lecturing a class of college students, Grady bit back a derisive snort. Typical that something created to help had been twisted into something to control.
“When I was approached and told my research would benefit soldiers, I, of course, immediately volunteered. The data was invaluable. I had no idea –”
Grady raised his hand, once again, cutting him off before he could offer an excuse for what he’d done. He may not have known when he’d signed on to Resurrection, that the soldiers weren’t volunteers, but he hadn’t refused to implant the chip once he’d been fully briefed on the program. Regardless of whether he wanted to admit it, Doctor Blackmore was complicit.
“Can you remove it?”
The doctor’s lips parted and he blinked rapidly in surprise. “Remove the chip? Oh, no,” he added, shaking his head. “You don’t want to do that. You’d have no control over…” he paused as he waved his hand up and down to indicate Grady’s body, “well, the majority of your body at this point.”
Grady nodded. Lark had said as much. “But you can make alterations to the chip? Modify certain settings?”
“Some of them, yes.” His face filled with curiosity. “Are you experiencing difficulties?”
“The part of the chip that stimulates my aggression. I want that turned off. I also want my weapons systems fully under my control. Nothing automated.”
The doctor nodded thoughtfully. More to himself he stated, “That makes sense. As the soldiers were only to be utilized for active combat missions and otherwise kept in stasis, the continuous stimuli to the amygdala and the automated response to a perceived threat had been seen as a benefit. I can see where it would be problematic outside of those parameters.”
Kong straightened from his leaning position. “So you can fix it?”
The doctor cocked his head, his eyes flicking up to the ceiling as he thought about it, his chin bobbing up and down. After a minute, he finally said, “Yes.” He looked around the room. “But not here.”
“Tell us what you need.”
Chapter Eighteen
Larkstoodinfrontof Paige’s brother’s door. With the General unsure of the threat Grady Carter presented they’d moved him into one of the unused offices in the administration building. “You can stay out here,” she told the guards on duty. What she was about to attempt would go better without an audience.
The guard nodded and she knocked.
“Come in.”
She opened the door. The augmented soldier was standing by the window and her breath caught. She’d had the same reaction when she’d first seen him. She found him… striking, fascinating, and incredibly handsome.
“Hi.” Raising her hand, she gave him a little wave.
“Lark.”
“You know my name?” That was a surprise.
