THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENT MAN

Jeremy takes different hallways before stopping in front of what looks like a ventilation system. He violently rips off a piece of his tunic to wrap his left fist in it and punch the ventilation grid as hard as he can. After several punches and kicks, he manages to damage the grid enough to be able to remove it with his bare hands, then he sneaks inside it head first. His large, muscular body seeps into the small passageway with the natural agility of a feline. The air is hot and suffocating, but Jeremy's body asks for nothing, it moves forward. It knows exactly where it is going. The agent doesn't even realise where his body is taking him when he is suddenly swept up in a hot air current and lands in another large black pipe where a heavy, foul smell escapes. His body is tossed about like clothes inside a washing machine; his lungs take in the dirty water and the debris that come with it; his body can't resist the force of the pressure; it doesn't need to anymore anyway; it can just let himself be carried away by the torrent of shit; it is far from danger now. Someone from Libra Justice just needs to come and pick it up at the exact spot where Jeremy lies unconscious.

***

'Send one of our rescue services to this location,' Mr. Vaughen orders Stephan who reluctantly acts upon his boss' order, bottling up his anger. How will he get his sister out of there now? The young man has difficulty containing his rage, especially at his superior who has never expressed any concern about the danger of the mission for his sister. Jeremy is obviously just a pawn, so is he. Once the young man has sent the ambulance to pick up his teammate, he turns to Mr. Vaughen to say anxiously:

'Alone, she has no chance of getting out of this,'

'Obviously. That's exactly why I've sent the two of them,' Mr. Vaughen retorts dryly, staring at the agent.

'With all due respect Mr. Vaughen, that's not what I meant,' the latter continues more calmly. He swallows back the tears that come to his eyes.

'Mr. Xi-Huang,' the man begins, raising his voice while making a few steps towards Stephan who immediately falls silent, 'Who do you think you are? Miss Xi-Huang is above all an agent of Libra Justice, registration number XH25845P. She accepted this mission with full knowledge of the facts, so spare me your spoiled child whining!'

'I apologise, sir,' Stephan says timidly. He looks down while every muscle in his body tense as the blood in his veins burns beneath his skin.

'I'm counting on your discretion while we find a solution with Jeremy's help,' his manager adds in a threatening tone before leaving the room.

Stephan falls heavily into his seat, clenching his fists with all his might.

***

Jeremy is only five years-old. His whole body is burning like on fire. Through his half-closed eyes, he distinguishes the blurry face of his mother who cries tirelessly.

'Don't cry mummy, I'm fine,' he wants to tell her, but the words don't come out of his mouth. His lips are glued together.

'Agent Ridley, can you identify your ID number?' a female voice above him says coldly. The face is blurry too, but it isn't his mother's and he's no longer five years-old.

Everything darkens like after the accident.

When Jeremy comes to, he is lying on a white bed in a room with dazzling lights unless it is the whiteness of the walls that is dazzling. He wants to sit up, but his body feels too weak. His eyes still staring at the ceiling, he feels the presence of Mr. Vaughen and Stephan at his bedside. His teammate doesn't move an inch, standing at attention, his face closed and impassive, his eyes fixed straight ahead. Yet, even from a meter away, Jeremy can sense the tension and emotions that are upsetting his co-worker. He suspects that he takes him largely responsible for what has happened to Sarah.

'What have you done to me?' he asks motionless, staring at the ceiling.

'You must read boy,' Mr. Vaughen replies contemptuously. 'Did you really believe that an insignificant of your kind would land in our organisation by sheer coincidence and merit? You were obviously our perfect guinea pig.'

Stephan frowns, raising inquisitive eyes alternatively towards his boss and Jeremy; the young man lies still and silent. He stares at the ceiling above him as though in a coma. He thinks hard, and wonders what coincidences his boss is talking about. He begins to search in his memories for the coincidences that have led him straight to Libera Justice.