The Memory Thief

Chapter 2 - Introduction to the Memory Thief and His Dark Past

25 June 2024

Jake's latest client is no small fry. It's a crime lord named Leo, who’s lost a crucial memory. Leo is infamous in the underworld, a man who commands respect and instills fear. He runs his empire with an iron fist, and losing a memory isn’t just an inconvenience – it’s a potential catastrophe. Jake's task is to retrieve it. Easy, right? Well, not so much. The memory is locked away in the mind of one of Leo's former associates, now under witness protection.

Jake knows this job is no mean feat, but Leo isn’t someone you can say no to, and failure isn’t an option. The stakes are sky-high, and the risks even higher. Jake starts by infiltrating the safe house. He’s done his homework, knows the layout, and has a plan. His hands sweat as he gets closer to his target. He’s been in tight spots before, but this one’s different. One wrong move, and he’s as good as dead.

The safe house is a fortress, with security tighter than a drum. Jake navigates through the laser grids and motion sensors with the precision of a cat burglar. His heart pounds in his chest, each step bringing him closer to the target. The associate is asleep, unaware of the danger lurking in the shadows.

Jake preps his tools, a series of electrodes and a neural interface device. The process of memory extraction is delicate, like performing surgery on the brain. He carefully attaches the electrodes to the associate's head, monitoring the neural activity. He thinks about the neuroscience behind his work, and what he knows about the neural pathways. It's all a delicate dance, one he’s performed countless times, but never in a situation this tense.

As he initiates the extraction, the associate begins to thrash, eyes rolling back. Jake whispers soothing words, trying to calm him down, but the process is painful. Extracting a memory isn’t like copying a file – it’s more like pulling a piece of oneself out, leaving a raw, open wound. Jake can’t help but feel a twinge of guilt. He knows what he’s doing is wrong, but the survival instinct kicks in, pushing the guilt aside.

Once he has the memory, he quickly makes his escape, but not without a few close calls. The adrenaline rush is both terrifying and exhilarating. He narrowly avoids detection, slipping out just as the associate’s security guard realizes something is wrong. Jake breathes a sigh of relief as he melts back into the night, with the precious memory safely stored in his device.

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