Out of Control

Flat on their backs, the assets slept with chests rising and falling in unison. The bodies were arranged in two perfect lines, confined by concrete walls that reached high up to a ceiling that gave off a subtle green glow. The assets didn’t notice. As the instruction manuals say, “curiosity only leads to corruption”.

Amid the darkness, one mind sputtered and whirred awake. S1042 willed their muscles to stay relaxed before panic set in. Breathe, they thought, listening for the collective intakes and outtakes of air. Just breathe. It was crucial to match the surrounding bodies. Any form of irregular activity would trigger an in-depth audit and S1042 did not want to call any more attention to themselves.

They needed to utilize all fifteen years of emotion prevention training. This fear is not useful, they repeated, identifying the stress neurons firing from their spinal cord. Smother it or let it corrupt your mind. Visualizing counter chemicals flooding their nerves, they felt their heart rate begin to stabilize.

S1042 couldn’t remember the last time they had awoken outside of protocol. By year three, each asset was expected to sleep through the night, and by year five, sleep cycles were fully synchronized. The System’s survival relied on the seamless movement of each asset, and any step outside of protocol was seen as a threat. Uncontrolled actions were quickly reviewed and managed by The Board. S1042 did not know how their sleep malfunction would be managed, but yesterday’s warning did not make their fear suppression attempts any easier. The memory of their most recent audit kept forcing its way into their mind.

“State your name and age,” instructed the cold and sharp voice of A0429. Expressionless, they sat across the table, surveying one other through the dark lenses of their eye shields. Thick metallic bands wrapped around the head of each asset. S1042 had never seen behind their shield or anyone else's.

“S-Ten-Forty-two. Year 16. Day 128.”

The Auditor continued, “In the past 24 hours, have you experienced any of the following: anger, fear, sadness, disgust, or joy?”

“Yes.” They had prepared for this. Every audit was the same, and there was no way of hiding from The Board.

“Was this around...” A0429 paused as if rifling through paperwork in their mind, “14:30?”

“Yes, I had a reaction to the material during yesterday’s instruction,” they spoke with a measured confidence. This fear is not useful. “It was managed.”

“What was the material on?”

“Classified.” The answer left their lips instinctively. “Supplier units only.”

A0429 remained unfazed.

“Details are not required. State the subject of instruction for the record.”

They hesitated, choosing their words carefully to avoid revealing any confidential information, “Oxygen Generation in the Old World.”

“State your reaction for the record.”

“Unidentified. I thought it was fear at first, but it was deceptive. Maybe excitement... but with an ache in my chest.” Images of the generators crept into their thoughts. Smother it or let it corrupt your mind. There were so many different forms and colors. They could have stared at the images all day.

“How did you combat it?”

“I utilized EP training. Identify threat, and destroy. I kept my mind secure," they assured.

Ever so slightly, they noticed the lips of the Auditor tighten. This fear is not useful.

“Is that so?” A0429 questioned. “The Board noticed unusual brain activity last night. Why is your heart rate rising? What are you not telling me?”

“I saw them in my sleep...”

Blinding fluorescent light evaporated the scene. It was morning.

Mimicking the other nine assets, S1042 suppressed their discomfort and quietly began their routine. An opening in the concrete emerged, and they all filed out in order of rank. It was difficult to differentiate between them with each body draped in white vinyl and dark eye shields strapped around their shaved heads. They shuffled into the Healer area for their morning blood and urine collection. Next, the Distributers arrived with a fresh set of clothes and cups of rice. As they ate in silence, S1042 thought back to last year’s rice manufacturing lesson. Soon, it would be their role to supply food across The System. The bell rang.

It was time for an audit. This fear is not useful. The unit dispersed into their assigned rooms. A0429 was sitting in the same spot as they always were.

“State your name and age for the record,” they instructed.

“S-Ten-Forty-Two. Year 16. Day 129. ”

“In the past 24 hours…” the question began as usual, but something was off. As S1042 surveyed the Auditor, green letters began to appear and scroll across the metallic band around their eyes.

Tune out voice. Read instructions carefully. Say Yes.

“Yes.”

With no sign of anything being out of the ordinary, the Auditor's sharp voice continued, “For the record, I will summarize your last audit…” Following orders, S1042 continued to read the scrolling letters.

Not an exercise. The System is corrupted.

“… around 14:30…”

Oxygen generators not extinct. Must find.

“Did I capture it in full?”

Say Yes.

“No.”

A0429 hesitated. "Say Yes" continued to blink around their eyes.

“The Board needs to be aware of every moving part, so that they can eradicate all problems that arise in The System," they said with a cold authority. "What would you like to add to the record?”

S1042 received the message. Their days were numbered. While monitoring their breathing, they searched for the right words.

“Yes,” they signaled. “I would also like to request additional training. More information would help me fight the corruption.”

Ever so slightly, they noticed the Auditor’s lips lift, “That can be arranged. Let’s continue to the past 24 hours…”

We leave tonight. Follow instructions or death.

“Do you acknowledge that you broke protocol?”

Say Yes.

They stared. For the first time, there seemed to be a choice, although S1042 didn't particularly like their options. The green letters began to change.

Trust your instincts.

“Yes.”

***

With their chest rising and falling in perfect time, S1042 replayed the instructions in their mind. Do not sleep. As they waited for the next step, they stared at the ceiling, wondering why they hadn't noticed the green glow until now.

Their nerves were playing nice tonight. All they knew is something stirred deep within their chest when they thought about the Old World generators. Maybe the chance of finding one alive was enough to counter their fears.

The ceiling flickered. When the green light shuts off, walk to the door. The room plunged into total darkness.

Floodgates of panic broke free. They had not anticipated how they would find the door in the pitch dark.

As if listening to their thoughts, their lenses turned green and the room became visible again. Leaping over bodies, S1042 ran toward the open door.

Wait for further instruction.

They stared at the opening in the concrete. Blood pounded in their ears as the seconds ticked by. Small black block letters appeared above their direct line of vision.

GO THROUGH DOOR. TURN LEFT.

They hurried out the door and turned towards the empty corridor. LEFT. Passing doors to audit rooms and sleeping chambers. RIGHT. Their eye shield led them further into The System than they had ever ventured.

STOP. BEHIND THE TARP.

They made it to an abandoned section that seemed to be under construction. A white tarp hung between two crumbling pillars. Pulling the sheet back, they discovered a large glass window with panes of broken glass.

LOOK DOWN.

In the corner, they noticed a rucksack fashioned out of white vinyl. They grabbed it off the floor and awaited their next instruction.

REMOVE YOUR SHIELD.

They hesitated. Above all the protocols they'd broken in the past 24 hours, this request felt most irrational, but they had gone this far.

Slowly, they lifted the metallic band up and let their naked eyes adjust. Light poured in from the window. A kind of light they had only read about in instruction manuals. They stared at it, mesmerized for a moment.

Alarms sounded, blaring loud in all directions.

S1042 pulled themselves from the window and turned their attention to the rucksack. They quickly rifled through it, in search of a clue of what to do next. Knife. Compass. Rice. Their hands landed on a foreign object and lifted it up to the light. It had a long gold chain with a bulky pendant attached. The shape felt significant somehow. It reminded them of a generator they'd seen in pictures - a leaf of sorts. Maybe it would lead them to where they needed to go. They noticed a seam along its edge.

The sound of heavy footsteps made itself known among the alarms, and grew louder. This fear is not useful.

They needed to find their next instruction. Their survival was on the line. They tossed the chain back into the bag and noticed a small piece of paper fall from the pendant. Grabbing hold of it, they quickly scanned the scrawling black script. It read: trust your instinct

S1042 took a deep breath and headed for the window.