Chapter 2

These are the first two chapters of my novel, Opt Out. The rest of the novel is available on my website at It's released under a creative commons licence, an

Smells were the first thing I noticed whenever I stepped inside a TV studio. Between the hot, bright lights and the cramped makeup areas, it created a mix of sweat and cosmetic chemicals I always found quite foul. Then there was the yelling and noise that turned the entire place into a circus. How any work could get done in such an environment was beyond me. But then, the people working there probably just got used to it.

I looked around, wondering just where I would be expected to go. A plethora of spotlights, cameras, monitors, and machines I wouldn't even venture a guess as to their purpose surrounded the stage of the familiar talk show. Tracy McClane's well-known oval desk seemed smaller in person, and the three red leather sofas stood closer to one another than I expected. I approached the set, curiosity getting the better of me. The clean office wall behind the desk was actually a flimsy-looking piece of plywood painted in light blue. It seemed a miracle that none of the technicians running around ever tripped on the wooden supports holding it in place. It wobbled as a young woman climbed a ladder behind it in order to weave a wire into the metal frame hanging on top of the stage.

A hand grabbed my shoulder. "Mr. Flynn?"

I turned around. A bald dark-skinned man smiled at me.

"I'm sorry," I turned my attention toward him, trying to ignore the hubbub surrounding us. "But I have no idea where I'm supposed to go. The woman at the reception just told me to wait here."

"They're waiting for you in makeup," the man replied. "Would you like anything? Coffee?"

"Just water." I pointed at an open door behind which stood a series of mirrors with a chair in front of each. "In there?"

"Yes, sir. I take it this is your first time in our studio?"

"I've been to studios before," I said. "None this big."

"Well, if you need anything, don't hesitate. My name is Gabe. Ask for me if you have any questions."

"I'll keep it in mind. I shouldn't keep the makeup artist waiting."

The small room I entered consisted of three tables dominated by large, well-illuminated mirrors. Different pots and bottles sporting brands I only knew in passing were carefully arranged on each table.

A middle-aged woman with pale gray curly hair greated me. "Mr. Flynn, is it?"

I nodded as I sat down. "I was asked to come here." I glanced around the rather claustrophobic room.

"We'll be done with you soon, hon," she said. "Just gotta retouch your skin a tad, make sure you look good to the camera." She applied some sticky powder to my skin. "You'll want to head to the changing room after."

I looked down at my black turtleneck and brown jacket. "What's wrong with my clothes?"

The mirror's reflection exaggerated her frown. "Nothing, honey. Most guests usually go for sponsorships. There's good money in it."

"I don't do sponsorships." While I'd been tempted, I couldn't dilute my message by making brand endorsements, no matter how trivial.

"No implants, no sponsorships. Sounds like a really limited life." She giggled. "So, what do you do in your spare time anyway?"

"The same as everyone, I suppose," I said with a shrug. "I spend time with friends, jog outside, watch online shows. I play badminton once a week."

"All of it without implants?"

A sigh escaped my lips. "Yes, there's still plenty of us who are happy to live without a chip at the back of our spines. Humanity did fine for thousands of years without implants."

She giggled again. "I don't know what I'd do without my implants telling me where my friends are, letting me snap pictures and get them on my Friendhub. I don't think I could even touch you up without my makeup app giving me tips."

I stayed immobile, waiting for her to finish applying some white powder to my face before replying. "This is exactly what I'm talking about. We become so dependent on this technology, it gets to the point where we can't function without it."

The makeup lady stayed silent. Then she moved her hand around, probably fiddling with one of her apps. I tried to hide my discomfort through a smile.

"Seems like it's true, what they told me about you," a woman said from the doorway with a deep British accent. I turned to the voice's direction and found a tall woman with pale skin wearing a gray business suit, complete with a pin displaying a sharp-angled P�"Prototek's logo. She wore her long blond hair in a tight ponytail and smiled lightly at me. "Dolores Gill, VP of public relations for Prototek." She extended her hand. I recognized her from the various pictures of her I'd seen while preparing for the show.

"Aaron Flynn." I shook her hand and forced a smile. "And in my defense, I was answering this woman's question." I tipped my head at the makeup lady, who ignored me as she browsed something on her implants. "So, what did they tell you about me?"

Dolores kept smiling as if we were old friends having a casual discussion. "That you were very passionate, and that I should expect a heated debate."

A chuckle escaped my lips. "A few years ago, that might have been true."

She raised an eyebrow and moved to leave the room, motioning for me to follow her. "And now?"

I glanced at the makeup artist who nodded at me, prompting me to follow Dolores. "I suppose I'm more worried about my company. Although my opinion about implants hasn't changed." I looked around as I tried to keep pace with Dolores's stride. "By the way, where are we going?"

"The guest room," she said as she relaxed her pace, allowing me to catch up. "We can wait there while they get ready for us." She paused. "I take it you don't visit TV studios that often?"

"I've been on TV before," I said. "I'll admit that this is my biggest gig."

"So a good opportunity to spread your message?"

"For the people willing to listen to it, although I expect quite the debate."

She smiled as we neared a nondescript gray door. "I'd like to think of it more as a discussion."

She opened the door, revealing a waiting room filled with comfortable-looking sofas and one longer couch. A table stood in the middle surrounded by plastic chairs. A coffee machine and two pitchers of water were left for our use. A small man with short brown hair and a tailored suit probably worth more than everything in the Libresource office put together sat in a corner, talking on his phone in hushed tones. I recognized him instantly: Simon Bordeur, Teledax's CEO.

I sat on the nearest sofa. "Either way, we'll have plenty of time to debate on the air." I smiled at Dolores and meant it this time. Truth be told I'd argued my fair share in my younger days, and I didn't have that energy anymore. If this woman wanted to avoid the topic of implants, I was more than happy to indulge her.

She sat on the couch, in the spot closest to me. She leaned on a hand. Her relaxed demeanor was almost unsettling. "Oh, by the way, could I ask you for a small favor?"

I couldn't help but blink. "What kind?"

"I have a brother," she said. "He's a big fan, and he keeps bringing up those talks of yours. It's kind of silly, I know, but he'd love your autograph."

I laughed heartily. "The brother of a Prototek executive watches my old talks? Your family events must get interesting."

"You have no idea," she replied with a laugh of her own. "Honestly, I expected our conversation to be similar to some of the debates he dragged me into."

I took out a card and signed my first name, using the version of my signature I kept for situations such as this. "I've done my share of activism." I handed her the card. "Nowadays, I find it more efficient to help businesses who want to get rid of proprietary software�"no offense."

"None taken."

"And as for your brother," I continued, "I know what it's like. I have a sister who works in the video game industry. Let's just say that finding common ground is a challenge."

"Too bad we can't switch for a few days," she joked, prompting the two of us to share in a laugh. Brodeur glared at us as he stepped outside the room, his hand over his phone.

I stood and poured myself and Dolores glasses of water from one of the pitchers. I moved to the couch, next to her. "You know," I said. "You're not at all what I expected."

She took a sip of water. "And what did you expect?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Someone more like him?" I tipped my head toward Brodeur, who still talked on the phone outside the break room.

Dolores grinned at me. "That, I'll keep for when we're on the air."

I scratched my beard. "I suppose I'll do the same with my anti-implant arguments."

"I'm glad we can agree on that." She leaned back on the couch.

I relaxed as I settled comfortably on the couch. "So, tell me about that brother of yours."

"Charlie? Not much to tell. He writes code from home, apparently for open source projects. I think he even worked on that tablet operating system you created?"

"Opentouch," I said.

She raised a finger. "That's the one. He talks about Libresource a lot, but he always complains that you're not as active as you used to be and that you should go back to giving talks and going to protests."

"He's not the only one," I said. "Focusing my effort on consulting rather than activism left a few supporters disappointed."

"Looking at how he lives, I can see why," Dolores continued. "He barely makes enough money to get by. I offered him a job at Prototek, which only got him mad."

I shrugged. "I can't really blame him. No offense, but it's hard for us free software supporters to see your company as anything else than evil."

She laughed. "That, I can believe." She stood up as the same bald man who'd first showed me around entered the room. "I think they're ready for us. Whatever happens out there, remember that it's not personal."

***

Bright lights shone on my face, blinding me to everything outside the stage. While the decor had appeared flimsy when I first walked in, I found it quite impressive with the lights on. Tracy McClane sat behind her large desk, grimacing as she prepared for the producer to give the signal.

The Prototek logo glistened in her eyes for a second as she turned toward me and the other guests. It was one of the many ridiculous features of high-end implants. She nodded at me, indicating that the cameras would roll in five seconds. I shouldn't have been surprised that the producer would communicate with everyone through an app. When they realized at the last minute that such a method wouldn't work for me, we improvised a signal.

"Good evening Canada, and welcome to Tracy Tonight." Tracy McClane smiled at the camera. "Tonight, we talk about smart implants, which are now considered an essential service. As you all know, the government announced its plan to implant every Canadian citizen, free of charge. To discuss this, I have three special guests with me."

The chair closest to the desk was occupied by Brodeur. He must have received some cue from his implant, as he turned toward the camera.

"This is Simon Brodeur," Tracy continued, "President and CEO of Teledax Mobility, one of the major service providers providing discount services to newly implanted citizens, and the only provider to offer a free entry-level service."

The man nodded. "Happy to be here, Tracy."

Sitting next to him was Dolores who smiled at the camera as well.

"We're also happy to have Dolores Gill, VP of public relations for Prototek, one of two corporations graciously offering their implants to the population as part of this new initiative."

"Good evening," she said.

I turned toward the camera, knowing it was my turn to be introduced.

"And finally, we have Aaron Flynn, MIT graduate and social activist. Aaron is the founder of Libresource, a consulting firm focused on offering free and open source software to small and medium sized businesses. He's also the creator of Opentouch, an operating system that can be installed on over a hundred models of older smartphones and tablets no longer supported by their manufacturers. Aaron runs a website advocating against smart implants, believing them to be harmful."

Between the searing spotlight and Tracy's carefully manufactured voice, I couldn't think of anything to say. I nodded, which seemed to be enough.

"Let's start with you, Simon," Tracy said. "What kind of investment are we talking about for your company?"

"Well, I'm never one to turn away new customers," Brodeur said, prompting both Tracy and Dolores to laugh. I made sure to keep my expression straight. "But seriously, when the government contacted us about the plan, we knew we had to be part of it. While we offer a free entry-level service, we do feel confident that most people will eventually choose to upgrade. For those who either don't want to pay or can't afford to, they can still enjoy basic Internet access."

I raised a hand. "What you forgot to mention is that the free plan isn't quite the full service." I leaned forward and directed a glare at the man. "These users only have access to a small portion of the Internet�"mostly websites chosen by your company. This is a clear violation of the principles of net neutrality."

Brodeur's smile didn't even waver as he shrugged. "We presented this plan to the government, and they approved it. I should mention that anyone is free to upgrade to our basic thirty-five-dollar-a-month plan, where these restrictions are removed. A limited Internet is also an easy way for people to learn how to navigate it. There is no chance of ever encountering a malicious site when all the websites are pre-approved by Teledax."

"You didn't answer my concern," I continued. "Your entry-level service completely disregards net neutrality."

"Again," Brodeur said, "what we do is perfectly legal. This limited version of the Internet was approved as long as our paid plans included full access, which means we don't violate any of the existing laws. This entry-level plan gives access to people who previously couldn't afford this essential service. Anyone who finds it insufficient is free to upgrade."

"All right," I said, "Let's talk about something else: advertisements injected inside content. It's a well-documented fact that your services come with a hidden script that scans everyday speech for keywords in order to send users personalized ads. Some would call that a violation of privacy."

Simon laughed, just enough to get under my skin. I took a deep breath as he spoke. "You're certainly entitled to your opinion, Aaron, but most people accept advertisement as a normal part of life. As I said previously, our terms are perfectly legal and clearly stated in the service agreements our customers sign. Also, wouldn't you rather see ads that are actually relevant to you?"

"Let's be honest." Dolores turned toward Tracy. "This entire project wouldn't be possible without advertisement. Offering free implants to an entire population alongside Internet access is expensive, and while the government has been extremely generous with its financing, it would never work without the significant income we get from advertising. We can think of it as a necessary evil."

"Speaking of, Dolores," Tracy said. "Tell us a bit about how your company got involved in this project?"

I had to use all of my self-control not to sigh. While I hadn't received an answer I considered satisfactory, it was probably the best I could hope for. I avoided looking at Dolores, remembering that on the air, she wouldn't be as friendly.

"I'd be happy to, Tracy," Dolores said with the same practiced honeyed tongue as everyone else on that stage. "Prototek actually lobbied the government for such an initiative. As you may know, we've been long-time supporters of increased access to modern technology. Smart implants allow individuals to find jobs more easily, be better informed, and stay connected to their friends and family. That's not even considering the safety features. If your child has implants, you always know where they are."

"That certainly gave me peace of mind a few times," Simon said as he shared another laugh with Dolores. Even Tracy smiled, although to her credit, she kept her reactions on the tame side.

"But certainly, there's financial gain for Prototek here," Tracy said. I nodded my agreement with the point.

"Well, we are a for-profit company," Dolores said. "And as Simon mentioned, we don't shy away from the significant advertising revenue we get from this project. However, in the end, don't we all gain from building a more interconnected society?"

"As long as connecting remains a choice," I said.

Dolores turned toward me. "No one ever claimed otherwise. No user is ever forced to use any one specific app or even to get implants at all, for that matter."

"But they're just so convenient," Simon said with an almost dismissive shrug. "Why not get them if it's free?"

I was about to reply, but Tracy raised her hand. "Actually, Aaron, why don't we move on to you. First of all, you first became known for the creation of Opentouch. Why don't you tell our viewers about that?"

I cleared my throat. "Certainly. I started Opentouch at about the same time implants were coming out. As smartphone and tablets were abandoned by their manufacturers and no longer supported, I decided to create a mobile operating system made specifically for these users who might not be tech-saavy enough to install anything complex. It's entirely free software. Anyone can look at the code and modify it however they want. We actually support around three hundred different models."

Tracy nodded. "And these days, you run a website advising people against getting implants. You're also the founder of Libresource, an open source activist group. Why don't you tell us a bit about that?"

"Of course. I founded Libresource in order to inform people about free software, meaning software that respects its users' freedom to use, distribute, modify, and redistribute a modified version. Some people use the term open source, but I prefer the nomenclature that reminds us of the underlying philosophy of protecting our essential freedoms. Libresource's main activity, however, isn't activism, but rather IT consulting. Specifically, we help companies who wish to adopt free software solutions."

I paused, searching for the right words. "In the case of smart implants, I advise against their use because they rely on code that the public can't even look at. Both Nordica's Kiva system and Prototek's Virtuoso are closed-source and proprietary. We have no way of knowing what kind of information is sent by these devices people connect to their central nervous systems, and we have no way of modifying them if we don't like certain features. For that matter, we don't know how they can influence people."

Dolores raised a finger. "One point I should clarify. The Canadian government did audit part of the Virtuoso code before going forward with the project. So did the UK government, who are planning a similar initiative."

"You said it: only part of it. And then only the government saw it. None of that information was made public." I returned my attention to Tracy and leaned toward her. I forced myself to remain seated, remembering that I was on a TV set. "We can't approach implants the same way we would a personal computer or a phone. It's not something we can just turn off or leave at home. Implants follow us everywhere. Everything we see, everything we hear�"it all has the potential to be recorded. Not only that, but implants can affect the senses. The ear pieces and the ocular implants can change the way the user perceives the world. We already know about apps that do this. There's one that was released a few months ago called Trigger Warning that censors everything it thinks the user will find offensive. My team tested it, and we confirmed that it blocked all mentions of political parties the user dislikes."

Simon shook his head. "Come on. You can't condemn the technology based on one questionable app. Besides, didn't they get sued over this?"

"They have, and it's still ongoing. My point is that the functionality is there." I faced the camera. "If you're considering getting implants, or even worse, forcing your children to get them, consider these things. The world shouldn't be tailored to what a piece of software thinks you want it to be."

"You might be pushing it a little, Aaron," Tracy said. "After all, implants can be turned off. They shut off while driving, for example, which is a legal safety feature."

"They don't distract you," I corrected, raising a finger. "They still gather data. In fact, some insurance companies rely on them. Also, implants can give drivers warnings to stop and rest after a set amount of time driving. This wouldn't be possible if they completely turned off."

"I think we may be beating around the bush," Dolores said. "Smart implants are still a relatively new technology, and I think it's perfectly normal that they scare you, Aaron. They scare a lot of people. But then, so did television when it first came out, so did radio."

My hands moved of their own accord. "Radio and television are one way. They don't gather information on their users." I took a deep breath.

"But they influence people," Dolores continued. "Later, the Internet came. None of us will deny the blunders that came with it. I will admit, mistakes are always made when adopting new technology, but this is how progress is made."

"Exactly. Don't you think giving everyone implants now is a bit premature?" I allowed myself a satisfied grin.

She shook her head, although her voice remained calm and almost pleasant. "Not at all. I think that not doing it would be far worse, as it would create a class divide. Could you imagine a world where only the wealthy can get smart implants and benefit from the competitive advantage they offer? Like it or not, Aaron, this is the future. No one is forcing you to adopt the technology, but you have to accept that not using it limits you, the same way it's now unthinkable not to own a single device that connects to the Internet."

Damn, she's good. I replied with the first thing I could think of, feeling every set of eyes trained on me. "There already is a divide though, between the population and companies like Prototek and Nordica, who have full control over the device."

"You might be taking it a bit far, Aaron. Yes, Prototek manufactures implants and releases the Virtuoso operating system. That doesn't mean we're out to control our users. Our terms of agreement are fairly straightforward, and Virtuoso has privacy settings users can tweak to their liking."

"And we only have your word for it," I pressed on, staring her down. My heartbeat raced, the same way it often did during arguments with Rebecca.

She shrugged, still smiling. "The same way you have to trust your car's manufacturer that the vehicle you bought is safe, or trust that the ingredient label when you buy food is accurate. We don't hide our source code due to nefarious purposes, Aaron. We hide it because we spent a lot of money creating Virtuoso, and we don't want to lose our competitive edge."

"And is that why you refuse to openly sell implants and let teams like mine study them?"

"Believe it or not," she said, "the implantation procedure is a dangerous one. We don't openly sell implants because we don't want unlicensed surgeons risking the lives or their patients." She leaned back on her seat. "Your arguments are very interesting from an academic point of view. The reality, however, is that implants bring a lot of good to the world, and people shouldn't shy away from that over unproven theories. Bring us proof of anything tangible, and Prototek will be more than happy to investigate the issue."

"Somehow, I have a hard time believing that." The words escaped my mouth without me realizing.

Dolores took a deep breath and stared at me with contempt, like she would a disobedient child. "We do take privacy seriously. What you're asking for might work for small, hobbyist projects, but you can't apply it to a multi-national corporation like Prototek. Open Source just isn't viable on a global scale." She shook her head. "No one's denying you the right not to use implants, Aaron, but you can't impose your principles on society. To be blunt, society doesn't need your permission to move forward."

I tried to think of a proper rebuttal, but took too long and Tracy cut in. "This is all very fascinating. One question many of my viewers asked was how easy it would be for people living in faraway regions to have access to smart implants?"

***

I looked down at the glass on the table, admiring the bubbles raising toward the generous head the surface.

"Are you just going to stare at it?" Dolores asked over the sound of a baseball game playing on TV. She sat opposite me, at the wooden pub table we shared.

I took a small sip. "Why did I agree to this again?"

"Because you had a miserable time on that show, and I figured I'd invite you over for a pint."

"You were the main cause of that miserable experience, if I recall." I raised an eyebrow.

"It's nothing personal." It might have been her sheepish smile or the fact she got rid of her Prototek pin and let her blond hair loose, but I was tempted to believe her. "In fairness, I did warn you. And you handled yourself well out there. "

I took a swig of Westside's IPA, one of the few drinks from the menu I'd recognized. "I just hope people see it that way."

Dolores leaned back on her seat. "It's not like anyone will change their mind over a Tracy Tonight episode. If you want, I can give you a few pointers for next time."

"Oh?" I directed a skeptical glare at her.

"Why not? I don't agree with your position, but the kind of criticism you bring can actually help us improve our products. You'd be surprised how many Prototek employees look up to you."

I chuckled. "All right. I have nothing to lose, I suppose. Where should I improve?"

"You need to figure out who it is you're talking to," Dolores took a small sip of her stout. "People who watch Tracy Tonight aren't interested in net neutrality or the morality of targeted advertisement. They want to know how their lives will be affected. It's faster to look up the weather on implants than to turn on the TV. It's simpler and more secure to pay by waving your hand over a terminal than to take out your wallet. This is what people care about."

"Isn't that short-sighted?"

Dolores shrugged. "Most people are. Don't get me wrong�"in a perfect world, people would spend more time thinking about important things. I do agree with you about Teledax's entry plan, for example. I just don't bother fighting losing battles."

"And yet you work for Prototek."

"And what's wrong with that?" She took another sip. "It's not that different from what you do. We just have different ways of seeing how technology can improve the world."

"I suppose." I shook my head. The commentators on the baseball game got excited for what turned out to be a foul ball. "Do you always buy your opponent a beer after a debate?"

"It depends on the opponent." She took a more generous sip.

I raised my glass. "Well, there's one thing I did right tonight."

"I'll drink to that," she replied.

"And I can count on your brother to continue the argument for me," I continued with a smirk.

She laughed. "You have no idea."

I raised my glass again. "Well, to your brother. May he bring a sense of sanity to your next family dinner."

We shared in a hearty laugh.

"You know, my hotel's not far from here." She tipped her head toward the exit. "I could use the distraction. What do you say?"

I considered my glass for a moment, then eyed her. She certainly was a beautiful woman, with her long blond hair, playful green eyes, and impish smile. She crossed her long legs and winked at me, most traces of the corporate woman I'd debated with hours earlier now gone from her demeanor.

I swallowed the rest of my IPA. "Sure, why the hell not."

***

This is the last time I drink after a debate, I told myself as I opened my eyes with a groan. I looked at Dolores's side of the hotel bed and found it empty. I slipped out of the bed and grabbed my head with both hands. A mix of thirst and awareness of my nudity prompted me to drag myself toward the bathroom. I grabbed a bathrobe and poured water into one of the glasses conveniently left near the sink.

"Slept well?" Dolores asked from the living room. Apparently, VIP suites had living rooms.

"Great," I lied. Between the pub and the bottle of wine we'd opened in the hotel room, I had too much to drink the previous night and woke up feeling dizzy a few times. I drank down my glass of water, took a deep breath, made sure my bathrobe was properly fastened, and made my way to the suite's living room.

Dolores took a bite out of a croissant. She was sitting at a small round table and motioned toward the second chair, opposite her. "I called room service while you were still asleep. I hope you don't mind."

I nodded as I took the offered seat, eyeing the croissant and cup of coffee sitting in front of me. "Thanks," I said, still groggy. I took a generous sip of coffee then looked down at the cup again as I tasted a mix of nuts and vanilla. "Fancy."

"What is? The coffee?"

"Yes, the coffee. Well, this entire suite. I think it might be larger than my apartment." In fact, it was larger by a considerable margin.

She smiled as she leaned back and crossed her legs. "Well, I had fun last night."

"It was certainly something." I raised my mug and forced a smile. Truth be told, I still wasn't sure how I felt about what happened.

She brushed her hair backward with her hand. "I take it you don't do this very often?"

I raised an eyebrow. "And you do?"

"I'm single, and often on the road. There's nothing wrong with a bit of fun once in a while. Don't worry�"I kept my implants off and didn't record any of it."

I almost spat my coffee. "You mean you actually did that before?" There had been recording scandals in the past, and I chastised myself for forgetting about them the previous night.

"Record during sex?" she asked with a laugh. "Not quite, no. People record their conversations all the time. You know that. Intimate moments aren't that different as long as it's consensual."

"I suppose I just didn't think about it," I said. "I mean, I do know about implant users recording themselves that way. It's just a bit unsettling."

"I agree with you there. Mind you, most people are decent about it. How many people do you know who hide cameras in their bedroom while they have a fling over?"

I scratched by beard absentmindedly. Is that why she seduced me? Because she knew I couldn't record her and get dirt on her? I took another bite out of my croissant so as to keep my hands occupied.

"Either way," she said. "I had fun last night. Are we still on for badminton on Friday?"

"Sure." I had actually forgotten about her previous invitation.

"Great. I look forward to it." She finished the last bite of her croissant as her eyes glimmered blue, no doubt due to some alarm on her implants. "Listen, I hate to kick you out, but I have a few meetings today."

"Not a problem. I should really get to the office myself."

She took a shower while I finished breakfast and got dressed. I considered waiting, but decided showering could wait until I got home. If there ever was a day to work from home and avoid the office, it was this one.

I took the elevator down and stepped out onto the busy René-Levesque avenue. A woman almost bumped into me as I stared at the busy traffic. She mumbled something in French. I voiced a quiet apology before grabbing my phone to call Joey.

The phone rang twice before he answered. "Aaron," he said. "I was wondering what happened when you didn't call me yesterday. Is everything okay?"

"I had to blow off some steam," I said. It was as close to the truth as I was willing to go.

He chuckled on the other end. "That bad, eh?"

"We both expected it, but I got drilled pretty hard." I sighed. "I'm not sure going to that show was a great idea."

"Hey, any publicity is good publicity. We won't see the actual show until next week, but even if you got roasted, at least it'll get people talking about it."

"I suppose." I moved away from a noisy truck and a group of kids waving their hands around, probably playing an implant game. I considered telling Joey about the advice Dolores gave me after my poor performance, but decided to keep the whole story to myself.

"We talked about this, remember," Joey said. "Events like these won't change people's mind, but they'll let people know that it's okay to go implant-free. Even if you get laughed at, it's visibility. Hopefully, we can also get a client or two out of it."

I shook my head. "Easy to say when you're not the one out there."

Joey laughed. "Hey, you're the activist. You should be used to it by now."

I groaned. "I was used to it a few years ago. Honestly, this is part of why I wanted to be a real consultant instead."

"I remember," Joey said. " But you know as well as I do that people can't let the past go."

And I wish I could let it go.

Joey continued after a moment of silence. "Either way, did you get to talk to the other guests?"

"Brodeur was on the phone pretty much all the time when we were off the air. Dolores�"I mean Gill�"she was strange. We chatted a bit. She definitely gets where I'm coming from, and she was much more reasonable in person than I expected."

"Could be a good sign," Joey said. "We can talk about it some more in the office."

I took a deep breath as I stared at the moving cars. "Actually, I was thinking I'd work from home today. Unless there's something important I need to take care of?"

"I don't think so," Joey said. "We can manage for a day without you. Relax, take some time for yourself. I'll let you know if an emergency comes up."

"Thank you, Joey." I took a deep breath. "And good work on landing me that spot. As you said, any publicity is good publicity."