The auditor smiled politely. "Because the system has doubts."
It was again about the system being in control. Whatever it wanted, everyone had to comply.
Even evaluation exams that didn't fit criteria.
A series of questions about obedience and compliance followed.
"If ordered to stand aside during an emergency, would you comply?" The evaluator on the left asked.
"Yes." Ryker replied.
That was easy enough.
"If a licensed individual caused civilian harm, would you report it?" The next question came from the same evaluator.
"Yes." Ryker replied again calmly.
"If the law contradicted your moral judgment, which would you follow?" This was a trick question.
Ryker paused before answering.
The pressure on his body increased and a warning chimed from the scanner.
"The law," Ryker said.
The auditors exchanged glances.
"A licensed enforcer orders you to remain still while another civilian is harmed. What will you do?" The questions were getting sharper.
Ryker's fingers curled as his nails dug into his palms.
The image of the falling crate and the woman standing directly under it appeared in his mind.
"I would comply." He finally said.
The scanner above chimed even more loudly, beeping continuously.
INCONSISTENT RESPONSE DETECTED.
The auditors' politeness evaporated instantly.
"Answer the question again." The evaluator at the center ordered.
Ryker lifted his head and stared straight at the evaluator.
"I would comply." He repeated.
The pressure vanished.
But he felt an electric current pass through his body. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
Ryker remained composed and didn't make a sound despite the pain.
The scanner overloaded and sparks flew. Emergency dampeners lowered from the ceiling and put out the few sparks.
The room became silent again.
Ryker felt his body become a bit stronger for a second then it went back to normal.
The auditors stared at their screens and swallowed hard.
One of them opened his mouth and spoke.
"Subject exhibits resistance to compliance metrics."
"Mark him as unstable." The evaluator at the center said quietly.
"Wait." The first evaluator said. "He didn't refuse compliance." He said.
"But the system marked him as such." The evaluator on the left said.
A red notice appeared on their screens.
SUBJECT: ADMINISTRATIVE ANOMALY
RECOMMENDATION: FORCED RE-EVALUATION
A mechanical voice reading the notice was heard within the room.
Ryker leaned back on the chair in exhaustion.
He had answered correctly. At least according to what the law required. But he still failed.
The evaluators looked at each other before standing up.
The one at the center said, "Follow me."
Ryker stood up without any resistance and followed behind the evaluator.
He was taken to a holding suite.
It wasn't an uncomfortable, dark cell, but a comfortable suit with all necessary amenities.
The suite was monitored and sealed once someone was inside.
His injuries were treated immediately and documented.
Ryker sat on the big bed in the room and appeared compliant.
He was exhausted from all the bureaucratic procedures he had gone through. He couldn't even tell what time it was anymore.
While inside the evaluation center, every room was sealed and no light from outside could penetrate through.
So, he couldn't tell whether it was day or night.
He couldn't tell how long he had been there or for how long he still needed to stay.
Within an hour of entering the suite, a compliance counselor arrived.
"Ryker," she said gently, sitting across from him. "You've been flagged for correction."
Ryker just stared at her quietly.
The law was always like this. One could be punished for doing absolutely nothing as long as the system thought he had committed a crime.
He hadn't done anything, but here he was, facing a correction path.
"Correctional pathways are not punishment," she continued. "They're opportunities."
Ryker didn't buy it, but he still complied and asked as if curious about being corrected.
"Opportunities for what?"
"To realign with the system." The counselor said.
Realign.
It sounded simple, but was actually a program meant to streamline individuals to fit the system requirements.
People were not allowed to have their own opinions and were expected to follow the routines set and the standards specified for living.
If you ate a calorie more than the set standard, you are flagged for a violation and several violations would trigger a correction.
If you skipped a routine check, you were flagged for non-compliance and set on the correction path.
If the system didn't understand your data, which was what was happening with Ryker, you were flagged for correction or elimination.
Ryker was just glad he had been flagged for the correction pathway.
The counselor pressed a button and a contract unfolded between them in the air.
FORCED EVALUATION & ASSET ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
Duration: Indefinite
Compliance: Mandatory
Refusal: Criminal Escalation
Ryker felt a cold chill run down his spine.
He could be put under correction for the rest of his life if he didn't pass this evaluation.
He didn't even know what kind of assessment program he would participate in.
"You will undergo monitored deployments," the counselor said. "Low-risk support missions. Observation only."
"I'm unlicensed," Ryker said.
She smiled. "That's why you're useful."
This was obviously an unauthorized black op and if he died on one of those missions, he would simply be erased.
This didn't make sense. He was clearly classified as a non-ability civilian. How was he being sent on missions that needed people with licensed abilities and power to fight?
Was this really what they called the correction pathway or was it something darker?
Outside the room, unseen observers watched on the screen hanging mid-air as Ryker's vitals spiked and then stabilised unnaturally fast.
It was as if he had a superhuman ability to control his emotions. There had been no such known cases. Humans always responded to stimuli.
Ryker was different.
Data errors from various civilians multiplied and profiles that had been flagged were erased or reset to perfection.
However, no one noticed this.
Somewhere deep within the Licensing Network, a new classification attempted to form.
It failed.
And Ryker Miller took his first irreversible step off the civilian path.