distortion.

One

~Distortion~
Sitting in a class full of smart ass people that try to sneak a glance at you, as if you were some exhibit at the Smithsonian, wasn't how I pictured spending my weekend. It was a little annoying and if I could I'd probably say something, but I didn't want to interrupt Chris, who was by far the only entertaining thing about this class.

     "This project will proceed as expected tomorrow! Project Effect will be one of our biggest scientific breakthroughs in history. Please bring your goggles, gloves, and any papers you can scrap up to help us with tomorrow's project. I will see you all tomorrow." Chris finished his slew of goodbyes to his fellow scientist and a sea of scientist formed around me as the many lab coats grabbed their stuff and headed home for the day. Going against the tidal wave of scientist one of my best friends and roommate, pushed her way through the crowd to reach me.
    "You could've been in this class too, you know," She stated pushing her glasses up, "but you're 'too good' for computer and neuroscience, aren't you?"
She pushed my legs off the desk they were siting on and set her bag there, running through it to take out her phone.
     "I'd try and convince you to quit drug dealing but you never listen, why waste my breath. However it is extraordinarily annoying to Chris and myself, who put up with it. Do I need to use one of the many times one of your 'visitors' would come to say "Hi." as an example?" She asked, putting extra emphasis on extraordinary and giving me her classic 
"Whatever, it makes money. And it's not like I take the drugs, I sell 'em to people with the right price," I sat up and exhaled rather dramatically as I poked her in the middle of her forehead, "It's  more exciting than computer science at least." 

She shook her head as Chris walked over to us, his bag slung over his shoulder.
     "We all set? Aster, we've got another big project starting next week, right after this one, so don't forget," he looked at me, "and are you sure you don't want to work here, with us? We cover lots of new material that even you might like."
     "I'm ok. I prefer to stick with what I do now. Besides, you guys are always doing one thing after another, I value my free time too much to be tied down to something like that." He knew what type of work I did; underground work. He's always worried about me getting hurt, or worse. "August, why don't you just join the institution, and learn new things? It would be great to have someone as smart as you here."

     His eyes were beckoning me to give into the pressure that consumes anyone unlucky enough to see him when he pouts, so I looked away, "I know you worry about me, but I can't just up and leave, it's a lot harder than that."
     "I understand that, I just wish you didn't have to." He frowned at me and I ruffled his golden hair. "Hey, I'll be ok, don't you worry about me." I smiled and tried to cheer him up the best I could, and I could tell it had worked because a smiled graced his face and he lit up in a way I've only been able to see him do.
      "C'mon, let's get you two geniuses home."
I hated telling Chris things would be ok, especially when all three of us knew the physical and sometimes even emotional toll my job had on me; however, I knew leaving would prove more difficult than I could imagine. The safest decision for us all, or so I told myself, would be for me to stay.

~Distortion~
     While I drove us back to our shared home  twenty minutes out from the institute we sat in a comfortable silence until I decided that quiet was uncomfortable.

    "So what's going on with the project?" Aster looked back at me quizzically, "Since when do you care about Effect? 'Cause last time I checked you didn't." She turned back around and we sat in an uncomfortable silence once again.
  "Project Effect  is the institutes private research on the human body's reaction to technology replacing or it's mind. Not a robot, but an Artificial Intelligence, or A.I., inside someone's mind that helps them in situations. How the body will react is the question, will it react positively or negatively, or possibly both. We've come up with plenty of theories and hypotheses, but until we are able to test on a live specimen we'll never know." Chris answered and looked back over at me, "That's about it. In fact I was wondering if you'd like to help us out tomorrow, with the experiment."
I hesitated for a second, who knows what could happen. It's science for fucks sake. Something is likely to go wrong.
     "Uh, sure, but if I end up dying you can only blame yourselves." I answered.
"Great. We're issuing the experiment tomorrow at three pm, but Aster and I will be heading there earlier so make sure you get there on time." He beamed, voice filled with excitement at my compliance and it felt good to make him happy.

     We arrived home shortly after our conversation and we entered our home. I immediately headed up to my disheveled room and began the daily trek through the hell that is my bedroom floor. I stepped over a few piles of clothes and a couple boxes to reach my bed and pulled out a large, box from under my dresser. The  It contained all the drugs my clients have asked for, from cocaine to marijuana, and from ecstacy to
    Aster walked into my room and eyed the case for a while before sighing and closing the door behind her. I closed the case and put it back where it had been originally. "You need something, Aster?" She sat down and crossed her legs as she patted the area next to her. Motioning me to sit next to her. "The experiment will cover more than what was said by Chris. It goes beyond what we could ever hope of having. The test subject, after surgery, will have two consciousness' and possibly a couple side effects that are currently unknown. The second consciousness will act as an addition to the capabilities of the subjects viabilities, giving them abilities one would otherwise need to work towards to achieve."
     I thought about it, and ran a hand through my hair.
     "I'll keep that in mind." I grabbed the case back from under the dresser and started to the door. "Hey," I turned around, "be careful."
     "I will, damn. Stop being so worried. That's Chris's job." I heard her light laugh and it made me smile a little as I left, but I couldn't help but feel as though something was telling me not to go. I didn't know what but something felt off. I brushed the feeling away though, and focused on where my day would take me next. Another delivery and another stack in my pocket, however my next client was more than just that. He is, or was, a friend. But now I only call him by his code:

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