_{Chapter 8: A Small Victory}

       _{As the weeks passed, they fell into a routine that began to incrementally, almost imperceptibly altered to where Roland’s physical decline over the stress of his schedule began to get passed on to Crystal.}

     _{Assurances that she’d be all right after he left rang hollow. If anything, she fought to keep the panic down so she’d concentrate on the task at hand.}

     _{NIQ’s antics were unnerving her: it pushed the cameras closer, kept a running measurement and beeping analysis of her productivity and quality of her code, redirecting her when needed, and sometimes when not.}

      _{It also kept a running, beeping analysis of her vitals, and her chip implant apparently had a cutoff, where there was always a cold spot in the back of her neck when it was near its heat threshold.}

      _{For all of the temperature fluctuations she went through, she might as well have been outside.}

      _{All of it was repressive, but emotions weren’t tolerated. Her flashes of frustration, anger, fatigue, or whatever assailed her that day was promptly medicated by hard, heavy-handed drones who scanned her anatomy and attacked the pain with all the emotion of a bricklayer.}

      _{That night, she all but ran out when NIQ released the doors, finding to her horror that she was trembling, but whether from fear, relief, exhaustion or all of them she wouldn’t be able to say.}  

      _{How did Roland do this week after week?}

                             _{*******************}

     _{The next day, NIQ told her it was testing the chip implants to check their language processes and coding efficiency. She would feel a small buzz in her neck, and it was sorry and didn’t mean to make her nervous.}

      _{Her brow furrowed curiosity; NIQ never said anything like that before now.}

      _{Putting on gloves, she glanced at the clock. Dr. Bernard was late, and she began to realize she was always more anxious when that happened. She wondered at it. It wasn’t like he could defend either of them if NIQ’s drones attacked.}

      _{This day, NIQ monitored her from a comfortable distance, thankfully saying little, if anything.}

      _{Regaining some of her composure, she finally finished the code just as Roland came in.}

      _{She gave him some time to settle in, then met him in the sterile room and gave him the final product.}

      _{“It looks sound enough, but what I think is irrelevant. What’s NIQ say?”}

      _{“I’m still here, aren’t I?”}

      _{His quick, small smile didn’t reach his eyes.}

      _{She sighed. “So what’s next?”}

      _{“We’ll have to ask NIQ.”}

      _{She looked at him. “Seriously?”}

      _{His grim nod told her he meant it.}

_{Chapter 9: Released}

      _{Neither of them knew how long they sat, and stood, and sat again while NIQ ran their work.}

      _{Their silence when the drone came to get them was almost tangible, and neither of them dared look up from the floor as they followed the whirring robot back to the main lab.}

       _{The lab lights were darkened only to the emergency lights, and all of the screens were black.}

       _{NIQ’s voice was chilling, and they flinched at its sudden reverberation when it spoke.}

       _{“Doctors Bernard and Santiago, your work has been diligent and worthy of your titles. As for the code itself, it meets or exceeds expectations.”}

       _{It seemed to be waiting on them to reply, but they were both too stunned by the news.}

       _{As a reward, I am authorizing your release for a period of thirty days. Whatever expenses you incur whether you travel separately or together, will be paid or deleted at our sole discretion. You need only take yourselves to your desired destination.}

       _{“Thank you for enhancing our network. In thirty days, we will notify you if you are to continue, or will be replaced. The latter is more likely, but seek no new opportunities until we have confirmed your status.}

       _{“You may go.}

       _{The lights over the door stayed green, and NIQ’s giant main screen went black.}

       _{The doctors looked at each other,}

       _{Neither of them knew how they managed to stay calm, move slowly, and act like it was a normal day as if they got out of work like the average citizen on their way to have a beer or two with friends.}

       _{Leaving when there was yet daylight, no less fatigued for it, they all but ran to their vehicles.}

       _{Just before Crystal went her own way, Roland took her by the upper arm.}

       _{“Wait a minute.” he said.}

       _{She looked at him, surprised. He’d never touched her before except for the casual passing of things.}

       _{He let her go, and sighed, straightening himself before he spoke. “Call me later.”}

      _{“That’s not why I’m asking, Doctor Santiago.”}

       _“Oh.”

       _{He looked like he wanted to say more, but then he just said it again.}      

_{She gathered herself as she watched him get in his transport and leave.}

       _{Shaking her head at her own impetuousness, she found her own transport, and went in the opposite direction}.   

      

_{Chapter 10: Later}

    _{Something was worrying at the edges of Crystal’s happy mood as she packed. Though she fought to maintain it, the questions and analysis started.}

    _{Two whole weeks? Why such a long time? The sentient technology they worked with wasn’t known for leniency in the sparing of their human wrenches.}

    _{Was that why Roland said to call? She poured a glass of wine, sat down, requested soft music, and nestled into her oversized chair, curling her legs up into it.}

  _{She spent the rest of the early afternoon sipping wine and trying to decide where she’d like to go, then admired the sunset, hazy and smoky as it looked. The window filters could purify it, but something in her, at least tonight, resisted urge to have it corrected.}

   _{When it slipped out of view, a soft chime filled the room.}

   _{She turned off the music and walked over to the comm screen. Roland’s face came into view.}

   _{“Sorry to bother you, Doctor. I didn’t want to wait any longer.”}

   _{“No bother, Doctor. What’s wrong?”}

   _{She thought he’d play it light, since video calls were randomly recorded; it was more effective than screening every one of them. People were more cautious with what was said, and over time, NIQ had several databases of coded language.}

    _{He surprised her. “Something’s wrong.”}

    _{“What do you mean?”}

    _{“I don’t think we’re being sent away to rest. Are you packed?”}

    _{“I am. I picked my location an hour ago.”}

    _{“I don’t think we should go, and I don’t think we should separate.”}

    _{“Why? We’re writing NIQ’s new codes, so why would it set us up to harm us?”}

    _{“I won’t pretend know NIQ’s motives, but this is so atypical I feel like something’s not right.”}

    _{“You feel?”}

    _{“Excuse me?”}

    _{“You said you feel. Let me tell you how I feel, Doctor. If I don’t take this break, I’ll get fatigued. If I get fatigued, I’ll make a mistake. If I make a mistake, NIQ might not see it that way, and take it as an act of sabotage.}

     _{“See where I’m going with this?”}

     _{“I do. I suppose you’re right.”}

     _{“Enjoy your time off, Doctor. Good night.”}

     _{The comm went dark.}

     _{One more glass of wine, then bed.}  

                            _{****************}

     _{She wished she hadn’t taken the call, even though it was a colleague. Sleep would elude her until she figured it out. What made him think NIQ was setting them up? It issued no warnings or corrections on our last submissions. We had no consequences from making a mistake.}

  _{Finding no reason to be concerned, she went to bed, and for the first time in a long time, had no dreams.}