Free The Unincorporated Man by Dani Kollin Page B

on.”
    “Oh, my DijAssist. Sure. But, between you and me, why go through the headache? It’s mainly a whole bunch of legal mumbo jumbo. I’m sure that hasn’t changed in centuries, right?” Hektor let out a nervous laugh.
    He’s hiding something, Justin realized.
    “Yes, you’re probably right, Hektor, but old habits die… hmmm, perhaps a bad choice of words. Old habits sleep hard, and reading mumbo jumbo happens to be one of mine, so if you don’t mind…” Justin extended his hand for the DijAssist.
    Hektor handed it over, praying that Justin would skim over some texts and then thumbsign, satisfying his “read” of the document. He viewed with irritation Justin’s hapless attempt to control the unit, and then watched as Justin’s face went from curiosity to consternation.
    What on Earth is a Standard Individual Incorporation? thought Justin. He read for a few more seconds. This can’t be right.
    “Perhaps, Hektor,” Justin said, raising the DijAssist slightly, “you could leave this here with me and come back later… since you seem to be in such a hurry, that is.”
    Hektor, who until now had purposely lowered his profile—slouching even—suddenly stood erect, to his full six-foot four-inch height.
    “Justin,” he said, eyes narrowing—lifeless, “you don’t seem to understand. You are, for lack of a better word, an indigent. If we do not have the ability to collect payment we will be forced to resuspend you until other means of payment can be secured.”
    Justin was taken aback. “And when would this ‘resuspension’ take place?” he asked, barely managing to recover and hoping to negotiate some wiggle room. The last thing he wanted after a three-century coma was another nap.
    “Now seems to be as good a time as any,” answered Hektor coldly. He snapped his fingers and two thugs appeared in the doorway. They were dressed in starched white jumpsuits, and together formed an impenetrable wall of muscle—not that it mattered. Justin had neither the knowledge nor inclination to flee. Neither brute smiled, and both looked at Justin as if he was keeping them from something far more important than their imminent manhandling of his being.
    “Wait a minute,” barked Justin to Hektor, as the thugs moved in. That seemed to stall the wall momentarily. “Dr. Harper said that I was the only one from my era. You’d really risk your job resuspending someone like me?”
    “Someone like you?” sneered Hektor. “Do you actually think you’re special? Well, I’ve got news for you. You’re not.”
    The “wall” stayed in place, waiting for a signal from their boss.
    “We get guys like you all the time,” he continued. “ ‘I survived, luck must love me… I’m important,’” Hektor said in a mockingly high and whiny voice. “Well, that’s horseshit!” he bellowed to no one in particular. “Dr. Harper’s been warned about her ‘you’re unique’ therapy for the last time. It does more harm in the end than good.” Now he focused his steely glare on Justin.
    “Justin, let me make this clear. You’re a patient. One of many in a world you couldn’t possibly understand. The only thing that should matter to you is not your delusions of grandeur, but your ability to convince me you can honor your debts. And just in case you were wondering, by your refusal to sign, you haven’t. I have three other clients to see this morning, and you’re holding us all up. Now, if you don’t put your thumbprint and signature on the box and line as shown in the next ten seconds, flunky number one will subdue you while flunky number two puts you back into never-never land. At which point—and let me be real clear here—the next face you see will be decades or centuries from now, but at least I won’t have to deal with you. In fact, screw giving you ten seconds. You have five, four, three…” The thugs began to move in.
    Justin was thrown enough by Hektor’s threat and the two massive figures’