Nano Contestant - Episode 1: Whatever It Takes (8 page)

Roland shook Lincoln’s hand. “I’m Roland. Anyone would have done the same.”

Lincoln shook his head. “No, no one else did.”

Roland looked at Lincoln’s neck. “How’s your neck? It still looks red.”

Lincoln lightly touched his neck. “Yeah, it still hurts, but it’s better. I’ll be ok.”

Skylar grimaced. “I heard him fire you. Surely he wouldn’t do that with the games only a few weeks away?”

“Yeah, Duke has a bad temper, but when he fires someone, they don’t get a second chance. The company just replaces them quickly, because they want to keep Duke happy.”

Roland shifted his backpack around. “What’s your plans now?”

Lincoln nodded again. “I guess this year is shot. I’ll have to start looking for a contestant for next season. It’s kind of a relief, honestly. I coached a couple of other contestants to the semi-finals before, but Duke was the most difficult to work with.”

Roland glanced at Skylar. “Well, I don’t have a coach. So, if you were still wanting to be a Tech Games coach this year, I could really use one.”

Lincoln looked surprised. “Yeah, actually I would be interested. What’s your three mile time?”

Skylar shifted her weight. “His time was 12:42. Why?”

Lincoln rubbed his throat. “I just want to know what I’m working with. Duke’s time was 12 flat. Any time under 13:30 is considered to be in about the top fifty percent. A time under 13 is in the top twenty-five percent. Roland, you probably have a good chance, but there’s no guarantee this late into the competition. The games are a little less than a month away. I can help you, but we will have to do intense training with long hours every day.”

Roland looked serious. “I’ll train hard, but you need to know I can’t pay you. I just don’t have the money, but I can offer you an equal share of anything the team wins.”

Lincoln shrugged his shoulders. “Sounds good to me. I’d do it for free if I got to get back at Duke.”

Roland put out his hand. “Great. Welcome to the team.”

Lincoln shook Roland’s hand. “We start at 4 AM tomorrow.”

C
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F
OURTEEN
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O
RGANIC

A PINNACLE EMPLOYEE called them forward to register.
 

Enrique’s team also got called and went to the registration table to the right of Roland.

Skylar and Lincoln both filled out their paperwork, and Roland waited for them to finish. Roland was just starting on his when Duke’s team came up to the table on Roland’s left.

Roland stepped up to the registration table.

Duke came and stood right behind Roland and crossed his arms. He leaned his head towards his team. “Go ahead and get registered. I want a good laugh. I’m going to hear the little leprechaun get registered over here.”

A news reporting team had missed the earlier opportunity that Duke had presented for drama on the Tech Games and wasn’t about to miss it again. They hurried over near Duke and Roland and zoomed their cameras in.

Roland sighed as he watched Duke’s shadow fall over him and the registration lady.
Let’s hurry this along,
he thought.

The registration lady motioned Roland to come forward. “I’m Rosie. Welcome to the Tech Games. I’ll be getting you registered today. What’s your name?”

Roland handed her his paperwork. “Roland Crane.”

Duke smiled. “Hi, Roland.”

Roland ignored him.

Rosie typed on her keyboard. “Are you the contestant for your team?”

“Yes, I am.”

Duke waved his arms around. “Hear that, everyone? Roland, here, is a Tech Games contestant.”

The news anchor whispered to his camera man. “You getting this?”

The camera man nodded.

The news anchor began making his way closer.

Rosie continued typing. “What type of technology will you be showcasing in the games? You know, are you a digital or a hybrid?”

Roland leaned in closer to her and lowered his voice. “Nanotech.”

Duke raised his voice. “You don’t have to lower your voice on my account, Roland. I have enhanced hearing.” Then Duke turned around to address the entire registration hall. “Look everyone, Roland is a nano!” Duke motioned for the news crew to come over. “You guys will want to make sure you get Roland on camera on race day!”

The news man spoke into his microphone. “Why is that, sir?” Then he held his microphone up towards Duke.

Duke’s smile turned wicked. “Roland is a nano, and you know what that means!”

The news man pulled his microphone back briefly. “Please tell us what that means.” Then he smiled and moved the microphone back to Duke.

Duke bent down a little and looked directly into the camera. “It means he’s going to die! No contestant using nano has ever finished the qualifying round. They always burn or explode.”

Lincoln walked over and got in front of Duke and the camera man. “That’s it. Let’s go.”

Duke scowled. “I fired you, Lincoln. Why are you still here?”

Security came over and surrounded the little group.

Lincoln crossed his arms. “Yeah, you did. I didn’t do it for you.” Lincoln pointed with his thumb towards Roland. “I did it for him. I’m coaching him now.”

Duke bellowed with laughter and slapped his knee. “Oh, that’s rich! Roland, you are going to lose for sure now - with Lincoln here.”

Roland never turned around and continued with his registration.

Duke took a few steps back towards his team.

Lincoln stood his ground between Duke and Roland.

The news camera man continued filming.

Rosie typed away on her keyboard. “We have to let all contestants know that we have a policy that states that no more than sixty percent of your body can be foreign materials. That includes all of the following: metal, metal alloys, silicon, carbon fibers, plastics and rubbers. Do you know approximately what percentage of your body is not organic human flesh?”

Roland kept his voice low. “Zero percent. I’m a 100% organic.”

Duke cupped his hands around his mouth and hollered. “He’s completely organic, everyone! He doesn’t have any tech inside him at all!”

Roland grabbed the edge of the registration table so he wouldn’t turn around and confront Duke.

Lincoln also cupped his hands around his mouth. “Show’s over folks. Duke is drunk as usual. Probably on motor oil since he’s a 100% android.”

The crowd murmured and laughed in response.

Security came over and stood between Duke and Lincoln. The lead security guy told Duke if he caused any more trouble, he would be thrown out.

Rosie paused her typing and raised an eyebrow. “That is very unusual, sir. Are you certain? We don’t allow normal humans to participate in the games.”

Roland sighed. “Yes, I’m sure. I’ve got new tech that is completely organic.”

Rosie went back to typing. “Ok, sir. I’ve never had a case like this before. We’ll have to verify that you have enough tech inside of you to compete in the games. Please step behind the table here so our technicians can scan you.”

Roland handed Skylar his backpack and stepped around the table.

A tech instructed Roland to stand inside a metal circle on the ground. Roland stepped inside it. The tech hit a button on his handheld computer and a green hologram sprung up from the circle on the ground. The green cylinder enclosed Roland and spun around three times and then disappeared. The tech showed his results to Rosie.

Rosie typed in the results on her terminal. “Our scan shows the same. You are completely, 100% organic. I didn’t know that was possible. Next, we need to check your tech viability by measuring your signal outputs.”

Skylar could tell from Roland’s stiff movements that even though he didn’t say anything, he was not happy with the situation. She stepped behind the table next to Roland. “I’m his support. I’ll help you with the signal measurement. What are you looking for?”

The tech guy explained that he needed to see a demonstration of signal control and output to prove there was a signal coming from Roland.

Skylar hit a few buttons on her computer. “Ok, all signals are on.”

The tech waved a small signal wand in front of Roland, but did not detect any signals. “I’m not getting anything.”

Roland frowned.

Skylar went over to look at the tech’s equipment. He pulled up a hologram that showed his settings. She pointed to a section part way down the list. “There’s your problem. He’s transmitting, but your frequencies are set to read droid tech, not our private, lower frequencies. We don’t broadcast publicly. Change these three.”

The tech adjusted the hologram that showed his signal settings, and then waved his wand over Roland for a second time. The wand beeped for each of the three frequencies.” The tech gave a thumb’s up and then went to show his results to Rosie.

Rosie quickly entered everything into the computer. “Last thing I need is a quick blood check to verify that you don’t have digital DNA.”

A med-tech in scrubs and latex gloves came over to Roland. “Hold out your finger please. It’ll just be a quick prick, and we’ll be done.”

Roland held out his finger as instructed.

The med-tech handed him a handheld machine with a disposable plastic cap. The plastic cap went over Roland’s index finger. She hit the button and her machine clicked. Then she pulled it off and offered Roland a bit of gauze and a bandaid.

Roland shook his head ‘no,’ and then just wiped the blood off on his pants. “That it?”

The med-tech nodded. “Yep, that’s it. No digital DNA in you.” She showed the results to Rosie.

Rosie entered in the med-tech’s results into her computer. “Ok, it looks like everything is in order for you, Roland. She handed him a small plastic capsule. This is your tracker for the games. Please have your physician inject this into you before the games begin. It will give us your exact location and your vital signs during the Tech Games.

Roland held up the capsule. He could see a small metal piece about the size of a grain of rice on the inside.

Rosie smiled. “You are all set now. Thank you.”

Roland put the capsule in his backpack. “Thanks.” Then he turned headed towards the exit with Lincoln and Skylar.

Duke had watched all of Roland’s tests with interest. He waved mockingly. “Bye, Organic Boy! Looking forward to watching you die in the games!”

Roland turned his head to yell something back.

Lincoln kept Roland moving forward. “Don’t say anything. Just keep walking. He’s not worth it.”

Roland turned his head back and walked out without saying a word. He let out a big sigh of relief as soon they were outside the building. “Let’s go home!”

Lincoln smiled. “Get rested, Roland. You’re going to need it, because tomorrow training starts!”

Roland cracked his knuckles. “I’m ready!”

C
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F
IFTEEN
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L
ETHAL

ROLAND WAS UP at three thirty the next morning. He was excited to start training. He got started on breakfast right away.
 

Skylar walked into the kitchen once she heard the clinking and banging of pots and pans. “Good morning. Any coffee?”

Roland kept working on his second helping of eggs and bacon. “Good morning.” He gestured to a steaming cup of coffee on the table. “All yours. More in the pot if you need it. I’m going to need your help through training.”

Skylar blew on her coffee to cool it. “And I’m going to need coffee to make it through your training.”

The microwave beeped. Roland got up and came back juggling a potato between his hands. “Ooh, hot! I thought I should have some carbs to keep me going today.”

Skylar spread jam on a piece of toast. “Hey, I’m having a programmer friend come over later today. I need help getting some of the software to work with you.”

Roland put big chunks of butter on his potato. “I thought you were a programmer.”

Skylar had a bite of her toast. “I can do coding, but I’m better at working with systems. She’s an expert.”

Roland’s mouth was too full to talk, so he nodded.

Skylar sipped her coffee. “We need custom software for you to be able to control the nano yourself. I don’t know how to build an interface like that. I was thinking of having her join the team, but most of her work would be done remotely. She doesn’t really like being around people.”

Roland chugged a whole cup of cold, black coffee. “Fine by me. Sky, if you think we need her, then we need her.”

Skylar wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Thanks.”

Lincoln knocked on the front door.

Roland opened it. “Come on in, Lincoln. You don’t have to knock.”

Lincoln shook Roland’s hand and waved to Skylar. “Good morning. Thanks. Hey, you guys can just call me Coach.”

Roland gestured towards the table. “Want anything to eat? Or coffee?”

Lincoln held up his hand. “Nope. I already ate.” He sat down. “I’d like for us all to put together a strategy for the games. First, though, why don’t you fill me in on the tech we are using. All I know so far is what I saw during registration.”

Roland gave a half smile. “Wow, and you still came back today?”

Skylar rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t expecting them to make Roland do all those tests, especially in front of everyone.”

Lincoln poured a glass of water. “And Duke wasn’t exactly helping.”

Roland crossed his arms. “Neither was the news crew. That was the last thing I needed.”

Lincoln took a big gulp of water. “Nope. No team wants to be the butt of a joke, especially on national TV, but you handled it well. Best thing you could have done was nothing, and that’s what you did.”

Roland finished off his potato. “You sure?”

Lincoln’s face was serious. “Without a doubt, it was the right thing to do. It took a lot of discipline to not start a fight. Discipline I can use. You will need a cool head in the games, because there’s a lot of pressure. Street brawling will just get you injured and probably kicked out.”

Roland turned to Skylar. “Do you know if they aired the little ordeal from yesterday?”