STRATEGIC BEHAVIOR (REVISING)

CHAPTER 8: LOWERING THE BAR

Dawn broke over Eutopia City, spilling sunlight tinged orange by desert sands beyond the barrier. Tall buildings in the center of the metropolis nudged the sky. Whatever architectural prowess it took to raise them from a wasteland seemed near magic. Same with the trees dotting the artificial landscape and the grass clipped to a perfect one-point-five inches.

When had the shadow agency funding this project found the time and the stealth required to erect an entire city? Had no one seen? Did no one know?

Standing on her mattress, the empty streets reminded Skylar of doomsday movies from her childhood. There were businesses, neighborhoods, parks, and recreational areas. No people in sight. She could easily picture herself being the last man on earth. With a spoken command, the massive window above her bed transitioned to opaque to hide the panorama.

She was ready to face reality, but first she needed to understand what Norma Mansfield had gotten them into. Not the hostage situation. She understood government subterfuge. She wanted clarification on Magnum Opus. Installing Freewill changed everything.

After a sonic shower, Skylar dressed in the comfortable athleisure wear that filled her closet and took the elevator down to find Norma. It didn't take long. Still in her pajamas, Norma haunted the rooms of the quiet house. Skylar leaned against the downstairs bathroom doorframe and observed a red laser jut from the other woman's ocular insert and wash over the room.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

Norma glanced at her when she was done. "Using one of Chang & Mansfield's classified apps. It's only available to state and federal programs. It checks for bugs," she explained.

"Oh? Shouldn't you be scanning Magnum?" Skylar joked.

Her friend pressed a finger to her ear and pantomimed a customer service call. "Your grievance has been duly noted. Thank you. To register a new complaint, please try again."

Skylar pushed from the doorframe and approached Norma with a half-smile. "Hey, I realize I haven't been my best self lately. I'm sorry. And since being caught in the wide net they cast for you, I get why you felt you couldn't tell me the truth about your past. Just... moving forward, I need you to take my feelings seriously."

"I do." Norma beckoned her into the kitchen. "The scan was a success. They have cameras observing the entire community, but this house is secure. We can speak plainly."

"I need to know how Freewill works," Skylar replied as they navigated the corridor lined with framed canvases. Her eyes drifted to the paintings. Whoever had decorated their temporary abode seemed to know them well. She wasn't comfortable with that. How long had they been observing her?

"In order to understand how the Freewill program works," said Norma, "we need to discuss what the pared-down version does."

Skylar pivoted to the fridge in search of breakfast. Norma hopped on the sleek pastel countertop at her side. Floating shelves adorned with screen-prints lined the wall to the tech mogul's left, and an exorbitant amount of sunlight speared through the window behind her. She appeared to be some angelic exhibit with gold-dusted hair spilling around her restful face and gem-like irises sparkling with vitality. One look and Sky closed the fridge door.

"Guess I'll make tea," she muttered. Anything to put distance between them.

"Hey..." Norma caught her arm. Skylar tensed at being handled so familiarly. Hadn't they lost that perk of friendship? She hardly knew this woman. "Things still feel strange between us. I want us to—Can we really start over? I mean, can we go back to the way things were?" Norma asked.