I poked away at my computer, trying to fill the hours. Since leaving the program, nothing else seemed to be worth the time, but if I had stayed, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself. Not after what I learned about them.
A message alert appeared on the screen. My contact inside the program had found time to talk.
<Here. Anything new?
There was a pause before the reply came.
>nothing new
>sry so long since last time
<No problem. It must be hard to get messages out without them seeing it.
>lots of alone time actually
>had to steal a phone after last time
>then had to figure out large font size
<You mean you aren't on one of their computers? I thought you had network access. And why do you need large type for the message?
>not researcher
>test subject
>lot of time in hospital bed w no arms or legs
>have to see phone across room bc arms on counter
This was quite a development. No wonder my informant knew so much about what the program was doing now. When I was working for them, these developments were only theoretical. I had no idea they were so close to a successful detachment test.
<Are your legs in the same room as well, or are they elsewhere?
>not sure
>think close
<Why wouldn't they leave you assembled in between experiments?
>so i cant escape
>used to strap me in
>didnt work
Interesting. That was the first time my informant showed anything like an emotion, and it was a playful one. Truly an indomitable spirit, I guess.
<Before I left, I heard people talking about what kinds of test subjects they wanted. They eventually wanted people with military and espionage backgrounds. Are you one of those?
>bit of both
>army intel
<Then this might work. Lose the phone. I'm on my way.
>roger
>out
Now this was something. They had a test subject, and apparently, a completely successful one. If I didn't bust my informant out of there, the program would have their first modular secret agent. I was no infiltration expert like my informant was, but I still had one or two tricks up my sleeve.
I opened up my old hacker kit and got to work. My old clearances probably wouldn't work, but I knew where to find ones that would. It was time to stop worrying about what I had helped the program to do, and start fighting to stop them before they followed through.
Hopefully, my informant would be able to help me do that.