Fragment by Paul G Swanson (people reading books .txt) 📖

steaming cup of coffee. As he sipped at it calmly Hashel crept up behind him.
"If you're trying to scare me. It won't work. I heard you coming up the steps." He muttered.
"Why would I do such a thing?"
"Cause you're a brilliant idiot."
"I'm more modest than that!" He retorted laughing, "At least thats what I like to tell myself."
"Bah, you and I both know that ain't true." Seth responded grinning as he brushed his hair off his face.
"So scarface, tell me a little about one of your many adventures." Haschel requested this knowing full well it was a taboo to ask about ones past. To his sunrise Seth responded with a despot nod.
"Don't call me that, as I'm no doubt you're aware, I was a mercenary until Psylix's employ. I used to run with a group called the AAOA Some sort of acronym, not really sure what it stood for. I had just been assigned my newest job, I was told I would bump into an old friend. I was on a dropship that was flying in low orbit not long after that. I was preparing for a Halo jump into a former Russian providence not far from North Korea. It couldn't have been more than four years ago.
The Nano receiver in my skull told it was time to get suited up and into the dropshell. I walked over toward the machine the would fit the suit to my body. I stepped under the arches of the machine. And waited as they spun around me scanning me with their lasers following th contours of my body. It beeped telling me it was done so I stepped onto the next platform. I sank slowly into the platform as it turned into gel slowly. I sank up to the upper part of my neck before I started to rise back up. As I rose it occurred to me i was wearing a new suit. This one was tighter that usual the fabric was more dense yet lighter. I felt as though I was a bit stronger. I stepped out of the machine when I was able to.
As I stepped onto the floor the fabric automatically adjusted its pigmentation to match that of the floor. I grinned satisfied I liked this new suit.
"Seth over here, sit in this chair for a minute. We need to give you a quick immunization."
I did as I was told and promptly felt a jab in the neck and a cold viscous fluid enter my jugular. Not long after I stood up my body went cold then warm very rapidly. At the time I disregarded the sensation. Quickly I walked over to the pod and stepped in backwards and strapped myself in after placing the breathing apparatus on. It was a precaution I always took. After all when you're dropped almost thirty-four miles from orbit like a meteor it can become a little difficult to breath. As I closed the door and latched it, I felt the loading crane grab the top of my pod. As I was moved from the loading dock into the deployment bay a holographic screen appeared in front of my face.
It was the chief. He nodded when he saw me.
"Are you ready for the briefing?"
"Yes, sir. Where am I going; and what am I doing?"
"Well you're going to be dropped into the Russian wasteland."
"The wasteland? There's nothing there except a irradiated woodland! Won't I get radiation sickness?"
"Negative. You should have a received not only a buffer shot to increase your bodies ability to absorb the rads, but also some additional meds are currently running through you're veins. You're also carrying a bit of a surprise."
"You mean the suit. It's," I paused wondering how to describe it, "Different it makes me feel stronger somehow."
"Thats correct, It has a muscle amplification affect. In others words it does make you stronger that usual. It interlaces with the nanomachines that are currently in your body. So when you move the suit moves with you. It's not actually you thats moving the suit, think of like piloting a construction mech only the control mechanism is your nervous system." He explained my new suits special features. The suit has a thermal regulator conveniently built into it for my comfort. I can just turn a small knob on my wrist and viola air conditioning and or heater. The suit also has some more special functions; it amplifies my strength by three to four times, the cameo changes according the environment just like a chameleon, it even tells me my estimated visibility in a percent, helps me control my breathing, relays my vitals to Nano machines in my blood to help me heal quickly, has pouches for fluids, and can also hold most of my equipment in a neat multilayer pouch attached to the top of the back of my belt.
"Is this standard issue now?"
"Negative. You're the test pilot. Don't you feel special?" I could tell he was enjoying tormenting me. I hated testing new equipment especially since half the time they malfunctioned without any regard for my own safety. "We also integrated your favorite tool from the simulations."
"Ok, so whats the mission?" I asked putting the chiefs sense of humor in the back of my mind.
"There are reports of illegal research going on in an underground facility and you're going to infiltrate the rogue facility and bring back duplicates of what they are working on."
"Do we know what this project is?"
"We are not entirely sure, but their are hints about a new type of AI being involved. Anything more than that I can't say. I'm sorry the rest is classified." AI research was banned an only pursued in secret with the exceptions being government agency's like mine. It was banned because AI system are extremely unstable when implanted into human for extended nanomanchine functions one could almost be considered immortal. However occasionally the AI wanted more control and would seize the users mind for its own effect.
"And what level of resistance I should expect?"
"It's just a research facility so there shouldn't be to much to worry about."
"Anything else I should know?" I asked as I felt the pod start to move toward the drop ramp.
"If anything else comes up the AI will inform you immediately." Before I could protest the implant, the pod was released. I felt the G-forces pull at my body. I felt the heat shield disintegrate and fall away from the pod as I broke into the upper stratosphere. I braced myself awaiting the next part. I t never came however. My pod was slammed by a missile making my descent a horrible spiral. The alarms and sirens blaring in my ears. I reached for the release hatch and ripped it to the side. The pressure difference ripped the door off the pod and my mask off. I glanced at the altitude gauge before leaping out myself. Not even seconds after I jumped away from the pod I watched another missile connect and the pod burst into flame and fall into pieces. Letting my instincts take over I tucked my arms and legs in and fell quickly towards the Earth.
It took me a moment or two to adjust to the sensation. I felt as if I was hovering in place and the earth was moving toward me. The wind was disorienting and I did not appreciate the sudden drop into the sky. I closed my eyes and let the wind have me, even though I had all my training with various weapons and situations; skydiving was not one of them that I particularly enjoyed.
I fell for what seemed like forever before I became aware of a voice in my head asking me to open my eyes. "Please open your eyes and watch the ground below you."
"Good Morning Seth. My name is Advanced Diagnostic Integrated Nano machinery. My creator is Dr. Sir Edmund Eriolis. I was first activated October Seventh in year two thousand forty-five. My Primary function is to-" The AI in my head drilled on until I interrupted it. Praying my mental conditioning was strong enough to resist the AI if it decided to attempted a coup I acknowledged it existence.
"Shut up! I'm busy. And from now on you're name is ADIN! So zip it until i figure out how to dodge the next salvo of Anti personal missiles!"
"The suit comes with fully functional glide web. Simply hook the wrists sleeves onto the webbing and you shall be capable of gliding and as needed midair dodging.
Since this was clearly no time to think I just tucked my arms to my side and fell like a stick. I waited until I heard a click and then sprawled out like an X. My arms opened with thick webs. This was one of my favorite gadgets though I scarcely had an opportunity to use it on account of disliking skydiving. With the web system extending from the bottom of my wrists to my waist I could glide like a kite or as the situation calls for, dodge missiles. I would have to dive into the mesh work of the forest to be successful in my evasion.
"I can receive the various signals from your stealth suit. I'm also somewhat of a motion and sonic detection system. I can perform these functions as well as various others, none of which you should concern yourself with at the moment." I felt as though it was insulting me. I'm aware that the new processors from this age can multi task a billion and one things at one time but I had no idea they disregarded our own human ability so much. "Seth."
"What?" I asked as I angled my descent from straight down to thirty degrees.
"Five more Biomechanical Missiles have been launched in you direction."
"Are you capable of jamming the targeting systems?"
"Not without incapacitating you. My power source is your mitochondria. If I would was to enable my long range functions you would pass out. As such it is not an option." It told me coldly. "Less than five seconds till first impact."
Thinking fast I put myself into a spread eagle and dodged left narrowly missing impact. As I flipped through the air I slammed my fist into one of the stabilizers and watched with pleasure as it spiraled out of control and tumbled through the air before it exploded.
"Four left."
"Time till impact?" I asked as I corrected my angle into a steeper dive. My helmets visor had cracked from that last explosion and the cold air was seeping into my suit.
"Two seconds."
"What?" Panicking I tried the same maneuver. It didn't work as planned it slammed into my