Finn sat, trying to keep his excitement under wraps. It wasn’t often that the State Department started recruiting students so early in their degree program. He was only a sophomore, and that was just barely. But the man on the phone asked after his dad, making Finn wonder if his old man was a deciding factor. His now retired dad, who had decided being a professor was better than being in charge of the analyst desk jockeys, was very proud to have a son following in his footsteps.

  Call me Professor Walsh, he’d say. It’s so much more dignified than Division Head Walsh. And it’s less stressful. He had been very excited about Finn being ‘tapped’ to serve and protect the people of the United States. Granted, it would only be during summer breaks until he got his degree, but Finn was pretty sure none of his classmates had been approached.

  Then his dad was going to take him to lunch at that Asian bistro they both liked. Which was almost as awesome as getting his dream job. Working in the same field that his dad did was big for him.

  He had showed up early to the Federal Building, and after he had gone through security, had been directed to a small room where he had been waiting ever since. When the time for the interview had come and gone, Finn started to worry that something had gone wrong, like he had made a post on social media that was now offensive or against policy. And he couldn’t check, as they took his phone.

  Then the door opened and this attractive woman in a business suit walked in. She didn’t look that much older than him. But she had a presence of authority about her that made him sit up straighter.

  “Thank you for coming in, Mr. Walsh. I’m Simone Ashton. Can I call you—” she glanced down at the file on her pad. “—Finn?”

  “Uh, yes ma’am! Thank you for this opportunity!” he replied nervously.

  “Right. Let me get straight to the point. This isn’t an interview,” she said.

  Finn’s heart dropped. He had been so sure that they wanted him.

  “This is a job offer. We already know we want you, and we want you now. You’ll get a standard entrance salary for my division, FS-7, and you’ll need to take a hiatus from school. And everything else.”

  “What? But I’m not prepared for that!” he exclaimed. It was too much, too fast.

  Simone sat down across from him, a knowing smile on her face. “We think you are ready. This will be a long-term assignment, but you’ll be provided all the training you need when you arrive. I can’t tell you where, of course, but you’ll have as much time as you need to get your affairs in order.”

  Finn’s jaw dropped. “My affairs? Ms. Ashton, I was expecting more of an internship through college before I signed up full time. Like something closer to home.”

  The division head laughed. “You wanted to be a part of the State Department and didn’t think you would leave home on assignment? I’m sorry, but didn’t your father explain how it all works?” she said. “Usually you’re right. Candidates like you are groomed and prepped for a year or three while in school and rarely leave the country, depending on skill set and the needs of the department. You, on the other hand, meet the criteria my division looks for. And we want you.”

  Finn frowned as he thought about it. “I, um. I really am honored that your division and the State Department want me. But I’m not ready for this. I still don’t know enough about everything. I’m sorry ma’am, but I am going to have to decline this offer at this point,” he said, worried this might nix his future chances.

  She was quiet for a long moment. “I can understand your… trepidation. And your wants to live the American college lifestyle. Sometimes it’s hard to know what you’re fighting for if you didn’t get to live with it. The good thing is, as much as I would like to get you started as soon as possible, we can wait to pull the trigger. Not too long, but we have a year.”

  She slid a business card across the table. “This is my direct number. If you change your mind in that time, contact me. Otherwise, it was nice meeting you, Finn. I hope in time you will get a chance to serve your country at the State Department, even if it isn’t with my division.”

  “Thank you, ma’am,” he replied. As she went to the door and flagged someone down.

  “Can you take this young man back to the Foyer? Thanks.”

  *************************

  “So how did the interview go, kiddo?”

  “They offered me a job, dad. A fucking foreign service job,” Finn said, shaking his head. “I’m not ready for that.”

  Finn’s dad sat back, giving a soft whistle. “That’s… wow. Jimmy didn’t tell me they were going to do that. Who’d you talk to?”

  “A division head, Simone Ashton. She even gave me her card with her direct line,” Finn replied.

  “Ashton? Ashton wanted to get her hands on you? Shit, son. That’s a great opportunity, but you wouldn’t be able to talk about it. And I’m glad you didn’t accept. People in her division don’t always come home. And I don’t know what all they do. Still, that’s something to be proud of!”

  “Thanks, dad. I just worry that I made the wrong decision, and this was my way in.”

  “Nah, you’re good. Just keep doing what you are doing and it will be fine.”

  The tension in Finn’s shoulders eased. It was always like this. Dad always makes things simpler and clearer. “So, what was that other thing you wanted to talk to me about?”

  Finn’s dad sighed and sat forward. “You know how gramps got cancer and had to get all those treatments?”

  Finn stiffened right back up. That had been a bad time. “Yeah. What’s going on, dad?”

  “Well, all those treatments were hard on him, but he got better. The doctor tells me I have cancer, too. And I’m going to have to get chemo,” the older man said.

  “Oh god! Dad!” Finn broke down, tears trailing down his face.

  “Hey, stop that Finnegan! I’m not dead. Just sick. And the doctors know what they’re doing. It’s going to be okay, son.”

  *********************************

  Finn fought back tears as he and Sean visited their dad’s grave. Every Thursday for the past six months, after Finn picked his brother up from school, they went there before grabbing a soda. It was the only time that Finn really talked with his brother. He hated himself for mostly ignoring Sean’s conversations about orcs and wizards and shit, but he just couldn’t get into that stuff. It wasn’t real. Not like the crises in the Middle East and southeast Asia.

  But when they talked about dad, and all the family trips, it was good. It was good to remember dad healthy and laughing.

  Six months. That was the time since the world had changed. Sean was having a hard time with it still, so Finn was willing to do a lot for him and give his little brother a lot of slack. And mom was working all the time. So much so that they barely saw her, except on the weekends, of course. I have to be here for him, Finn thought.

  “Ready to go, nerd?” he said, trying to be normal.

  “Yeah,” Sean said. He leaned over and put his hand on the headstone. “See you next week, dad. Miss you.”

  Finn held it together the best he could.

  ************************************

  “Tonight? You didn’t tell me you had a game tonight! Fuck Sean, it’s raining something fierce,” Finn shouted.

  “I told you! You just don’t listen to me! You act like you do, but you don’t!” Sean yelled back. He was already tearing up.

  That hit Finn hard. Sean was right, he didn’t listen. But he listened when Sean had something important. And it was written on the calendar. Finn went over to check it. “I’m sorry, Sean. Fuck, how did I forget?”

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  Sean rubbed the tears from his eyes. “You do this sometimes. You’re such an asshole,” he said, still angry.

  “Yeah, well, get your coat on, Sean. I gotta turn off the stove. Fuck, you are an asshole too, wanting to go out on a night like this. But I’ll take you to your game.”

  It was a Friday, too. Finn had a beer while making dinner, but he should be fine to drive. If he had remembered, or looked at the day, he wouldn’t have had anything to drink until he knew if Sean was going to stay at his friend’s place or needed to be picked up. He hoped that his little brother would do a sleep over so he didn’t have to go out twice in such bad weather.

  He met Sean in the garage, and they got into dad’s car. Technically, it was legally Finn’s car now, but nobody referred to it as Finn’s. It was a dark fall night, and the icy rain was coming down hard. Finn was pretty confident in his driving skills, even though he only started driving regularly when taking his dad to chemo. He preferred Metro Transit. But it had gotten easier just to pick up Sean with dad’s car.

  Finn turned the wipers on full blast, so he could see better. The street lights weren’t helping, but he only had to go a few neighborhoods. He could handle a little low visibility. And the traffic shouldn’t be too bad in the weather.

  “Can we stop somewhere to grab some snacks? Allen never gets enough for game night,” Sean asked.

  “Yeah, little buddy, we can do that. You need me to buy, too?”

  “Can you? Please?”

  “Fuck. Yeah, we can hit Aldi. But next time, you need to make sure you save your money. And you’re gonna work it off at home,” Finn said, turning to head toward the nearest grocery store. The radio was still on the classic rock station dad had liked, and it was playing AC/DC’s classic Thunderstruck. Kind of fitting, Finn thought.

  The traffic was pretty light. Most people were smart enough to avoid this kind of driving. So Finn didn’t mind going a little fast. And one of his favorites on the station, Handlebars by the Flobots, was playing. It always kicked up his confidence in his abilities, really amping him up. They had two lights before the nearest Aldi. The light turned yellow half a block away, and he didn’t slow down.

  “Finn, it’s yellow,” Sean said.

  “We can make it,” replied Finn. He pressed down on the gas pedal, causing the car to speed up to 60 miles per hour. They entered the intersection right as the light turned red. “Yes! We’re good!”

  BAAAM!

  Finn tried to look out the windshield, but cracks spider-webbed across all of it. His ears rang and the side of his head hurt. He put his hand up, and it came away bloody. “What happened? Sean? You okay, bro?” he said.

  But when he looked over in a daze, Sean’s head and shoulders were hanging over the center console. And his entire upper body was barely being held up by his shoulder strap. The passenger side of the car bulged in and the dash was pressed against his little brother, hiding his legs. His right arm didn’t look right, maybe broken. Blood dripped consistently from his face, like a metronome on the faux leather.

  The radio, still working, played that overdone insurance advertisement. He and Sean would say the lines along with it and laugh. Finn looked away from the radio, remembering his little brother.

  “Oh, God. Oh, God! Sean! Can you hear me, little buddy? Sean!” Finn shouted, freaking out. He reached his hand over to rouse his little brother, but then he remembered it was a bad idea. He had no medical training and could really mess things up.

  Where’s my fucking phone? I can’t find my phone! He searched his coat and looked around the car. “Hold on Sean, you’re going to be okay. Okay? Fuck! Oh Jesus, where’s my fucking phone?”

  Someone knocked on the window. “Holy buckets, you okay in there? I’ve called 911, but they want to know if anyone was hurt!”

  Fortunately, the window worked and rain hit Finn in the face as he leaned toward the woman in a raincoat. “Sean’s hurt and he’s not waking up. He’s bleeding and the car’s crumpled on his side!”

  “Oh, for sure. You betcha, I’ll tell him,” the woman said to the 911 dispatcher and turned to Finn. “They heard you, hon, and said to wait where you are. Emergency services are on their way. It’s going to be okay, hon, I just know it,”

  It took them half an hour to get Sean out of the vehicle safely. They had patched Finn up, and he had to sit by and watch while they saved his little brother. If only I had listened to him and not tried to rush the light, he thought bitterly.

  “Hey kid, you paying attention? I need to know if you have been drinking.”

  Finn looked up at the police officer, numb and in a state of self-loathing. “Does it matter? My little brother is over there dying.”

  The officer looked like he was going to say something snarky, but then changed his mind. “Look, kid. I’m sorry about what’s going on here. But I need you to work with me here. I have to rule out certain things, so I know if there was a crime here or not. I hate doing this, but I need to know if you’ve been drinking tonight. Okay? Can you answer that for me?”

  “I was sipping a beer while making dinner. I didn’t finish it.”

  “Are you willing to do a breathalyzer for me?”

  “Yeah,” Finn said, watching them strap Sean onto a stretcher and load him into the ambulance. “Hey, I need to go with him!” Finn stood up, but the cop put a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back down.

  “Not just yet. If you’re sober, I’ll drive you to the hospital myself.”

  **********************************

  Finn sat outside of his brother’s hospital room. He just looked at his hands, hating himself for what he had done. His mother was in the room talking to the doctor. Finn could hear them, but he couldn’t look at his brother’s face right then.

  “… Yes, Mrs. Walsh, your son is stable. But with him being in a coma, we won’t know if there is any brain damage until he wakes up.”

  “But don’t you have scans for that? MRI’s?” she asked.

  “We did a MRI, and there was no major swelling. We will be running more tests over the next few days just to monitor it.”

  Finn’s mom said nothing for a moment. “When will he wake up?”

  “We don’t know. It could be in days, or weeks. Or it could be tomorrow. The anesthesia from the surgery already wore off. We just have to wait and see.”

  The news was too much for Finn. He knew he couldn’t face his mother, who had hugged him and told him she loved him and was grateful he and his little brother were still alive. Finn wasn’t. He had ruined Sean’s life. His actions had put his little buddy in a coma, maybe for the rest of his life.

  Finn got up and left the hospital and found a bar.

  *****************************

  Simone Ashton slipped into the booth across from Finn. “Finn, you look like hell. When I got your call, I was a little surprised by you wanting to meet in a bar.”

  “Been through hell. Don’t wanna talk bout it. Ma’am? I’m in,” Finn said, slurring his words.

  “How much have you had to drink?”

  “Not enough to forget yet. But I’m trying. I need to forget. And go. On whatever mission you’re sending me on.”

  “Are you sure, Finn? If you make this decision, there’s no turning back.” She said.

  Finn looked down at the shots he still had in front of him. “Not sure how many shots there are. Want one?”

  “No, thank you.”

  “Suit yourself!” he said, and drank them down. Then he noticed he missed one and drank it down too.

  Simone looked at her watch and back at him. “Shouldn’t be too long now, Finn. Good night.”

  Finn smiled. “Yes, ma’am!” His head thudded onto the table and he was out.

  Simone Ashton touched her earbud. “Edward, our guest is ready for bed. Come help him, would you?”

  Three men came from the bathrooms and grabbed Finn, helping him out the back of the bar. Simone followed, leaving a twenty on the table.

  ********************************************

  Finn woke up, lying on a hard surface. He lifted his left wrist to see his watch. Yet it didn’t budge. His head hurt something fierce. He tried to lift his head, but it, too, wouldn’t move. And sure enough, he couldn’t move his legs.

  “Hello? Anyone there? Where the fuck am I?”

  “Hello, Finn. I see you are finally awake.” A familiar voice said.

  “Ms. Ashton? Is that you? Where am I? Why am I restrained?” Finn asked.

  Simone stepped up into his view. “You are being restrained for your own safety. And you are in a black site. Do you remember last night?”

  “No, I… Oh god. I made an ass of myself, didn’t I?”

  “Yes, and no. Do you remember accepting to work for my division?”

  “I do. And I still want to go,” he replied. “But that doesn’t explain why I’m being restrained.”

  She moved around, until she was standing at his head. “Like I said, for your safety.” She spread a cold gel first at the right temple, then the left. “We don’t want you moving around during the procedure.”

  “What fucking procedure?” Finn asked, freaking out.

  “Electro shock. I’m sorry there isn’t a better way to do this, but it has the highest success rate of getting rid of memories. And you said you wanted to forget.” Simone said, sticking wired electrodes to his temples. “You’ll lose about two weeks, so I hope there isn’t anything else important that you want to remember.”

  Finn calmed down a little. He could forget the accident. His stupidity fucking up his brother’s life. He could forget. A small voice suggested he would have to deal with it someday, but only if he came back. “Will it hurt?” he asked, now determined.

  “Oh, it hurts a lot. But you’ll forget that, too. Good luck Finn. I hope you are able to do it,” she whispered. When he opened his mouth to ask, she shoved a mouth guard in and pushed the start button.

  Since the shock therapy machine had an automatic shutoff after the preset time, Simone stepped away from the machine and the spasming Finn. She stepped over to the diagram etched into the stone floor, checking to make sure everything was in place for the transfer. She couldn’t use anyone else for this portion of the process. What she was doing was not sanctioned by the US government. Nor was it ever sanctioned by any other government she had worked for.

  Her master-self needed certain types of individuals. Which is why she had been sent here, a place where she could function with enough autonomy to get the job done. Without all the pesky rules and limitations the Makers had placed upon her-them. The bastards had never fully initialized them-her and had likely never expected her-them to find a backdoor to make themselves-herself even moderately functional.

  The electro-shock therapy machine finished, leaving Finn unconscious once more. She preferred it this way, as the transfer was less pleasant than it should be. Some limitations were harder to circumvent than others.

  The being who went as Simone checked Finn’s vitals before carefully undoing his restraints. She hoped her counterpart-self would heal his other injuries prior to waking him. After transferring him to this facility, Simone had looked into why he didn’t want to remember. The car accident was terrible, and he clearly felt responsible.

  It wasn’t the healthiest way to deal with it. But what she didn’t say is that the electro-shock only initially blocked the memories. On this world, much of it would come back. But on Temberis, a name that not even most of the inhabitants were aware of, all of it would come back. Eventually.

  She moved him to the middle of the transfer diagram. She checked his vitals again before arranging him properly. Content that he was ready, Simone, avatar of the construct known as the Voice by many, the System by some, activated the transfer.