unimaginative and, quite frankly, dull. Exoskeletons? Nano– muscle fiber for a

paltry thirty percent strength boost? We more than quadrupled your strength

metrics. And exos are cumbersome, heavy, severely limited. Better NV goggles?

Who really cares? Now, the liquid armor concept is something different, but not

that terribly innovative. With bionic boots we get past the limiting factors of

the spaghetti strap we call our Achilles’ heel, but, again, that’s not a game

changer.” She rubbed her hand over his immobile arm. “Nothing comes close to

what we did with you, Paul. You fulfilled our mission of creating a

meta-biologically dominant soldier.” She removed her hand. “But the Pentagon

shut down the whole program.

 

It really was the most misguided decision and has set us back decades. The wars

in the Middle East would have been far different if we’d had a division made up

of soldiers like you. Far different.” She reached up and touched the spot on his

head. “And this, this was the crowning achievement. This made everything else we

did to enhance you secondary.” She paused and then added in a reverent tone, “A

fighting machine who has no fear. It was the greatest attribute one could bestow

on a soldier.” “Fear is necessary in a war, if you’re the one fighting it,” said

Rogers through clenched teeth. “Nonsense. Fear makes one weak. A soldier who

feels is not a real soldier.” “I wasn’t aware you knew what it was like to be in

combat.” She shook her head again, her expression now one of disappointment.

“That’s hardly the point, is it?” She looked back at her notebook. “Two people

were found murdered in an alley near the depot where the bus you took from

prison dropped you off. We also found your parole papers in the trash can. Then

you no doubt made your way across the country.