Afterthought

(Vespa serial)


What do I have to do? I asked.

The faun lowered his voice. We need you to carry a message out. I'll be blunt. It's contained in a microchip.We'd like to implant this chip under your skin. Behind the ear is best. Simple, quick, basically painless. You would never know it's there.

No freaking way, I thought. I glanced at dented Vespa. I thought of the Sus and my leg just healing. The faun was watching me steadily. Brown eyes. Where would I have to take it? How do I get there? How will I know who to give it to? I want out, not further in. And if there had been another way out, any way out . . .

Don't worry. The data in the microchip is encoded. When you pass through a certain satellite surveillance area, the chip will activate, transmit its code and deactivate itself within a few hours. You won't even know it happened.

You mean they won't take it out? I'm going to have a transmitter in my head forever? It was bad enough to have to worry about the dangers of using a cell phone, let alone have something stuck in my brain for the rest of my life.

The faun looked amused. After deactivation, it will be inert and dissolve over time. Like the stitches still in your leg. He patted my arm reassuringly. You didn't mind me putting those in, right?

There was no way out but further in.

Can I ask what the message is? If I was going to let him implant something in my head, I had to at least ask.

Proof of existence. That's all I can tell you.

Slog. Let's get to it then. Fifteen minutes later the faun wheeled back in the room, a wrapped surgical bundle in his lap. He looked so young. Was he even a doctor?

He clipped the hair back behind my ear. You'll feel a pinch . . .