The Persona Protocol - By Andy McDermott Page 0,41

head. ‘Nothing like that. Jeez, suspicious much?’

‘It’s best to be sure while we have the opportunity,’ said Morgan. ‘Okay, Dr Kiddrick, bring him back to normal.’

Kiddrick picked up the injector again and told Adam to return to the operating table. Another hiss from the gun, and Adam closed his eyes. Bianca watched in fascination as Wilmar’s twitchiness seemed to dissolve, returning him to the same blank, unrevealing state as before.

‘How much will he remember?’ she asked.

‘From Wilmar? Only anything he specifically recalled from the implanted persona,’ Kiddrick answered. ‘Other than that, nothing.’

‘We’ll check, though,’ said Tony. ‘Adam – what pets did Conrad Wilmar have as a kid? What were they called?’

Adam sat up. ‘He had . . .’ He trailed off. ‘I don’t know.’

‘The name of his high school?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘But he still remembers things like the day Wilmar was born?’ said Bianca.

‘Six twelve, six twelve,’ Adam cut in before she could continue.

‘Yes, like that. How does that happen?’

Kiddrick began to remove the skullcap. ‘The same way any memory is kept. Short-term to long-term transfer, if you go by the Atkinson–Shiffrin model.’

‘I’m more of a Baddeley theorist myself, but I understand what you mean. If he brings something out of the persona’s memory, it stays in his?’

‘Exactly.’ He tugged the cap free. ‘All right, Adam, you can get down now.’

Adam climbed off the table. Unlike when he had hopped down as Wilmar, his movements were smooth, precise, with no wasted energy. He stood, watching the others impassively.

Bianca had a question. ‘Adam?’

‘Yes?’

‘You remember things from Wilmar’s memories – but do you actually remember what it was like to be him?’

A fleeting look of incomprehension. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Do you remember his feelings? The enthusiasm when he – I mean, you, were talking about his work, or the . . . the shame when you told us about his affair?’

‘Meg Garner,’ Kiddrick said quietly, chuckling again. ‘Who would have thought?’

Bianca shot him a dirty look before returning her attention to Adam, trying to judge what was going on behind his mask. But she could pick up nothing conclusive. ‘No, I don’t,’ he said at last.

‘Well, anyway,’ said Kiddrick, ‘now you’ve seen that PERSONA works as advertised, you’ll need to know how to operate the device in the field. We’ll start the lessons tomorrow, at nine sharp.’

‘I think we need to give Dr Childs some time to acclimatise first,’ said Tony, politely but firmly. ‘Considering that she’s just flown here from England with, what, one change of clothes?’

‘Yeah, afraid so,’ she replied. ‘I was rather under the impression that I’d be flying back home tomorrow.’

Tony smiled. ‘I’m sure our budget can stretch to a trip to Macy’s, at the very least. Can’t it, Martin?’

Morgan was less amused. ‘As I said earlier, Dr Childs, we’ll set you up with everything you need while you’re here. We’ll take care of everything regarding your absence from Luminica as well.’

‘That’s work – what about personal matters?’ Tony asked. ‘Have you even told your family and friends about this yet?’ One eyebrow rose slightly. ‘Boyfriend?’

‘No, I haven’t had a chance to talk to anyone,’ she complained. ‘My parents’ll think I’ve gone mad when I say I’ve suddenly gone to the States for no reason I can tell them about. And no, I don’t have a boyfriend.’ The eyebrow rose higher. She tried to hide a smile, feeling her cheeks flush a little at his suggestive attention.

‘It’ll all be taken care of,’ Morgan reiterated. ‘Okay, we still have some more points to cover, so Dr Childs, if you’ll come with me?’

‘Good to have you aboard,’ said Tony as Morgan led her to the door.

‘Thanks.’ She gave him a small smile in reply, then glanced back at Adam.

His face was completely void of expression.

12

The Cube

‘

You really are an utter shit, Roger,’ said Bianca. ‘What the hell have you dragged me into?’ Her tone was humorous, but it had enough of an edge to make it clear she was still angry about the situation.

Albion laughed. ‘Oh, come on, Bianca. What’s life without a little adventure?’

‘Your last little adventure ended with you getting shot.’

‘If life were completely safe, it would be very dull. Besides, I’ve struck up quite a rapport with one of the doctors here. I think that once the whole tedious doctor–patient relationship issue is out of the way when I’m healed, I might see if she’s interested in becoming my next ex-wife.’

She shook her head, amused. ‘You never change, do you?’ The amusement turned dark. ‘And speaking of ethics