[ WP ] I warned them that if the brain implants could enhance our brains , it could also control them . Now very few free humans remain ...

From his vantage point in the 44th floor, Travis could see most of the city and the bay beyond it. Cars travelled the roads in their usual patterns for the early morning. Small dots that he knew were pedestrians ambled about on the sidewalks like any day in recent memory. But today, everything had changed for his company and the world. Yet, instead of elation, he felt an unusual shiver of unease. 
 
 `` Since our 3 AM launch, we've only been collecting data on real-time _intent_,'' Katrina continued, pulling his attention back to the conference room with her confident voice. She brushed a lock of short cinnamon hair behind her ear and crossed her legs while continuing to stare at her well-used laptop. `` We'll have more interesting data when our premier partner's campaign starts in a few minutes in New York.'' 
 
 `` Good work,'' Travis said, tracing a hand down the back of his neck where his own N+ node had been inserted a year ago. It was free of the N+Suggest functionality, as were all the implants for his trusted executives. He turned and placed his mug of coffee on the conference table. 
 
 `` If it's anything like our test market,'' said Evan, the other of his two lieutenants, `` we expect anywhere from a 75 % -125 % boost in their sales over last year's more typical ad campaign.'' 
 
 `` How much are they in for again?'' Travis asked, taking his seat. 
 
 Evan leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his ebony hair. `` They're only running a five-mil campaign at _suggest level one_,'' he smirked. `` They're doing a wait-and-see before trying anything more. I do n't know about you, but I'm looking forward to the first SL5.'' 
 
 `` SL3 is as high as you're going to see,'' Kat said. `` SL5 is...'' She seemed to consider her words carefully, then continued, `` SL5 would be a little _too_ obvious, and would reflect poorly on our clients.'' 
 
 She looked back to her screen and then said, `` OK, the campaign is about to start. I can bring up the tracking map on the screen.'' 
 
 She made a few clicks on her trackpad. The large conference room monitor sprang to life at the other end of the room. On it glowed the grids and lines depeciting New York City. A patchwork of light blue parallelograms overlaid the map to show the geofenced target areas. Several red squares indicated the retail stores, and it was to one of these squares that Kat zoomed in the view. 
 
 `` This is their prime New York location,'' she said. 
 
 At that level, tiny purple dots meandered around the map, which Travis knew to be all of the N+ users connected to the system. 
 
 `` When it begins, we'll get to see how the _intent_ changes by the color of the user point,'' Kat continued. She looked to her two compatriots. `` It's like a heat map. The color will change from purple to blue, to green, to yellow, then to orange and finally red to show how close their _intent_ matches the key suggestions that they are receiving.'' 
 
 `` Looks like that one is already interested,'' said Evan, pointing to an orange user point. 
 
 `` The system factors in people with pre-existing interest,'' Kat said, looking at the screen. `` It will only count that one if they have a significant shift in _intent_ from orange to red after the campaign begins.'' 
 
 `` That's why our clients love us: with all this real-time data, very little is left to chance and every cent accounted for,'' Evan said, smiling and looking between Kat and Travis. Travis just stared at the screen in curiousity, chin resting on his steepled fingers. 
 
 A few moments later, the points began to shift in color. Several of the dots in the geofence boxes around the store began to move to blue. Some jumped to a yellow-green, and a handful shifted to an orange-red. After a few more moments, several of the'hotter' points began to move toward the store. 
 
 `` It does n't take long, does it?'' Evan said with a grin. 
 
 `` The ones who jumped upward in _intent_ the fastest were likely people who are already held favorable views of the product,'' Kat explained absently. Then excitedly, `` Let's see what was happening with this one.'' 
 
 She clicked on one of the orange dots and a side panel popped over the map. At the top, a long unique identifier string was displayed, and below, there were several graphs that were adjusting in real time. 
 
 `` See this?'' She pointed to the top graph. `` It's showing how much their _intent_ is matching the _suggestion profile_. This person is between 75-85 % matching on the entire *suggestion profile*—which is quite extensive—but broadly includes...'' She tapped a small icon revealing more information. `` A suggestion for the retailer's brand, of course; a suggestion that she's hungry, a—'' 
 
 `` We know this is a'she'?'' Travis interrupted. 
 
 `` Yes,'' Kat pivoted gracefully. `` In fact, we do n't even _need_ to know gender anymore. With the integral data from the N+, we can build a profile of desires and needs to very specific outcomes and variations of outcomes; even cravings in their bodies or subconscious desires of which they may not even be aware.'' 
 
 `` I see. Please go on,'' Travis said. 
 
 `` Certainly,'' Kat continued. `` We also have some suggestions here that she deserves to treat herself; a suggestion that would either trigger a memory of a deal at the retailer or suggest that a deal might be found there, a suggestion that she has just enough time to spare, and a few specific product brand suggestions.'' 
 
 They watched the screen for the next few minutes as many of the points progressively increased in color. A few remained steadfastly purple. 
 
 `` Who are the hold-outs? Are they running the pre-update software?'' Evan asked. 
 
 `` Anyone who is online will have received the update automatically. Most likely they are people who have no interest in the product category,'' Kat replied. She turned to face Eric. `` For example, if I suggested that you should try a brand of tampon, your lack of need or interest would probably cause you to dismiss the suggestion as a bizarre thought.'' 
 
 `` Only'probably'?'' Eric asked with a smirk and a raised brow. 
 
 `` Yes, probably,'' Kat confirmed. `` There _have_ been a few outliers in our testing. And at some of the more extreme test ranges, even _you_ would be happily walking out with a cartful of feminine hygeine products.'' Then more quietly she said, `` And you might even try to use them.'' 
 
 Evan started to protest, but then Travis interrupted him. `` Kat,'' he said. `` What's that black user point?'' 
 
 `` Black?'' Kat repeated, furrowing her brow and bowing her head closer to her screen. `` Interesting.'' 
 
 She clicked on the dot to bring up the profile. It was blank. Where the graphs should have been were the words `` Restricted Asset.'' 
 
 `` Restricted?'' They all said at once. 
 
 `` I do n't understand,'' Kat said, pulling up a dashboard and moving through the screens too quickly for Travis to follow. 
 
 `` How can _you_ be restricted from something, Kat?'' Evan asked, voicing the question that had been on Travis's lips. 
 
 She paused for just a moment to give Evan and Travis a serious look. `` It should n't be possible. I'm logged in as the system admin. There are no higher credentials.'' 
 
 `` Who else has system admin access?'' Travis asked, but before Kat could answer he became wide-eyed and spoke a drawn-out, `` Oh fuck.'' 
 
 At first slowly, then more rapidly, each user point began turning black. Travis reached again toward the lump at the back of his neck. 
 
 _It's a clean version_, he thought to himself reassuringly. _It's turned off at the hardware level._ Yet he suddenly wanted very much for it to be out of his neck. 
 
 Beside him, Evan clutched his head and began to scream. Then he abruptly stopped and stood sharply upright. His eyelids became slack and he seemed not to see Travis or Kat as they both stared at him in horror. 
 
 Then Travis felt it, like a trapped rat scratching at his skull from the inside. It increased in intensity, and as if it was someone else, he heard himself begin to scream. 
 
 The last thing he saw before he lost control of his mind completely was Kat's normally reassuring face twisted with emotion as she sobbed, `` I'm sorry, I can't—I ca n't do anything! I've been locked out! Oh God, Travis! I'm locked out of the system!''
