Live Programming

"AND?!"

First thing in the morning was Nancy deliberately trying to pick a fight with Samuel. Even though he had agreed to answer all her questions last night, she wanted to see how far she could push him before asking him anything at all.

"I was just stating my opinion. I apologize if I have offended you." Samuel clarified.

"Shut the fuck up, Samuel." Nancy sternly muttered before slamming the motel door shut.

Samuel quickly followed her outside.

He had just reminded her that it was dangerous to go outside, and the delirious Nancy had to pick a fight. So on.

Samuel ran after her fastened pace with a coat in his hands. She was so angry that she left without it.

Russia had gotten way colder than the US.

Samuel managed to reach her speed and put her coat on her back lightly, trying not to let her notice.

"I advise you to walk slower. You have a sprained ankle and-"

"Shut up, will you? It's fine now."

Samuel narrowed his eyes.

"The doctor said it might take 2 weeks."

"I don't know what, okay? My foot is better than ever." Nancy said. "Wait!" She gasped. "Is it… By any chance, the perks you talked about?"

"It could be. I cannot be certain unless I check your administration app." Samuel said.

"Then check it."

"I cannot."

"Why not?"

"Sebastian had you in his laboratory for over 24 hours. We do not know what could go wrong if I try to log in from a third-party device. Most likely, he knows our current location. Perhaps he realizes we can charge him, for he is not planning to move."

"I'll pretend I understood that," Nancy said as she walked out of the motel.

Samuel followed her diligently.

"I do not understand why you must go outside. Have you ever been to Moscow? Are you aware of where you are headed?" Samuel bombarded rational questions at her.

"One thing I noticed from this chip is simple. I'm like a search engine. So I know what I'm doing." Nancy clarified. "How about you.." She paused to poke his chest, asserting dominance. "Act like a dog and follow me."

Samuel didn't change his neutral expression.

"Very well."

Nancy smirked. He was so easy to control. She was enjoying having him around now, even though she was still slightly scared of the possibility of him being Sebastian's accomplice.

"Ah… Do you have your wallet?" Nancy asked as she stood beside him on the sidewalk, waiting for a ride.

"Yes." Samuel politely replied.

Nancy stretched her hand in front of her, straight with confidence.

Samuel raised an eyebrow before taking his wallet out from his coat's inner pocket. He stared at it, then stared at Nancy.

Nancy raised an eyebrow as well.

It was a fight of expressions.

Samuel sighed and handed his wallet over to Nancy.

They called a cab and made their way to the Sparrow Hills.

"Also give me your phone," Nancy ordered while she looked into his wallet.

A bunch of cash and a card. Perfect.

"Why?" Samuel asked.

"Because I don't have mine and I wanna browse social media while we ride so I don't have to talk to your sorry ass." Nancy irritatedly spoke.

Samuel took his phone out of his pocket and handed it over as well.

He didn't have a password on it. No wallpaper and the home screen was painfully clean.

"You don't have any fucking apps?" Nancy asked. She was baffled.

A messaging app, camera, and gallery on the home screen. Just those 3.

She opened the gallery. It was empty, as expected.

"Why do you keep a fucking phone then?" Nancy's irritation was immeasurable.

"To make calls. Is that not what its first purpose was?"

…

This man was handsome but irritating.

"Fuck this," Nancy said before opening the app store and downloading a bunch of apps.

Poor Samuel's phone.

"Where's my administration app?"

"Hidden."

"Why?"

"In case, I lose my phone, the app needs to stay hidden."

"Didn't you put a password over it?"

"I did. However, hiding it is precautionary."

Nancy's eyes were stuck on the phone, browsing through her social media when she received a message.

[_nina.xx_: I know you didn't go on a hiking trip with Samuel, and I know you have something in your head. Unless you want me to disclose it all to Mom, you better accept my conditions from earlier.]

Nancy sighed and scoffed in disbelief.

[n.doesn'tgiveashit_: fUcK oFf.]

Nancy laughed in satisfaction and continued to scroll down her feed.

Nina was a middle school senior and simply wanted Nancy to act like a big sister rather than acting like a 'bitch' all the time.

Nancy preferred the latter.

They finally reached the Sparrow Hills. Nancy wanted to see if the pictures her brain visualized after learning about Sparrow Hills from the chip were authentic.

Situated at the right back of Moskva River, it was all authentic.

The autumn view, the sight, the historical buildings, and everything was exactly what her brain had visualized.

"Fuck this!" Nancy exclaimed in excitement.

"Do you not like it?" Samuel asked in confusion.

"No, I do!" Nancy said. "It's just so cool and unreal." She added. "So... I wanna try using other perks too. This is so badass, so I wonder what else can this do."

"You must not."

Nancy diminished her bright smile and looked straight into his eyes sternly.

"Sir Roth allowed me to let you know about the chip on the condition that you must not try to use the chip manually as we do not know what live programming can cause." Samuel tried to explain. "Since you can program it to your needs anytime, we suspect that a side effect can occur. You must know that you are the first Human, and the third test subject to have led a normal life after the chip implantation."

"And?" She wasn't fazed about it at all.

"Using it to feed your curiosity will certainly not end up in a positive scenario. If we are to progress with you leading a life without any complications, we must be careful with what we do. For instance, your acts can make undesirable changes to your DNA transmission. We do not want to imagine the genetic problems that appear with it." Samuel explained further.

Nancy sighed and pouted.

"What if I say… I don't give a shit?" Nancy tried to persuade him in any way. "Besides, I'll do it if I want. You are no one to order me around."

"In this case, I am." Samuel dropped the bombs. "If undesirable changes occurred, you will certainly not be held accountable. It is I who will be held accountable for your mistakes. My job is not only to protect you from external dangers but from internal ones as well.

I was made aware of the chip for this sole purpose. Hence, you are no one to tell me that I am no one to order you around as I was given the authority to do so." He added before catching his breath. "I shall follow you to the corners of the world, as you had stated earlier. However, I shall not let you use something as dangerous as the chip. Are we clear?"

Nancy quickly looked away.

Why was he getting more and more annoying when all she wanted was to get to know more?