Free 18% Gray by Anne Tenino

Boulder Blue resistance cell had a double agent, and the whole cell collapsed today. There’s no Blue backup in Red Satellite Tracking anymore.”
    Fuck.
    “We have three other extractions in serious jeopardy. You’re only code yellow. Send the scan and check in at 0730.”
    “’K. On it.”
    “Love you,” Sid said. Then he then signed off. Matt rolled his eyes. Mushy old goat. Even if it did make his chest feel kinda warm.
    After unhooking his earpiece, Matt got James’s attention. “Buddy, gonna need you to do something for me.”
    “So, now I’m your buddy? You must need it bad.”
    Matt froze momentarily at the way that sounded. He shook it off. “Still sulking? Thought you’d be over that by now,” Matt said lightly. James flushed a little and sat up straighter.
    “Yeah, sorry,” he muttered. Matt marveled at this James. The idea the guy was an imposter ran through his head again, but he rejected it, again. He may not be the even-tempered, nearly emotionless guy most people saw in high school, but Matt had seen a different side of him, even then. Not a particularly happy side, but still. This was the same James.
    Matt got out the scanner, stretching his leg out in front of him. He’d just left the thing open, with all the tech he needed. James looked resigned. “Whadya need?”
    “Retina.”
    James silently leaned forward and looked into the scanner. At least it only took a split second. After Matt transmitted the scan and was putting his tech pantry back together, James asked, “So, can you tell me what that was all about?”
    James had his blank mask on, Matt saw when he looked. He finished sealing his dermal layer and thought a second.
    So, James pissed him off, possibly even violated his mind this morning. But Matt didn’t feel violated. Just pissed. He didn’t think about why for the moment, just tried to decide how he wanted to deal with this.
    Looking back up into James’s eyes, Matt knew he was going to tell him. The scan was already sent. What could James do? Besides, Matt had the DEW, was trained to use it, and was in better condition than James, anyway.
    Well, maybe that last part was a stretch. And James had a shotgun.
    “SOUFCOM and ArmySF SubCom say you’re dead. The retina is another level of verification that you aren’t.”
    James went from blank to stunned in .6 seconds. Matt watched a little frown line form between his brows. He swallowed. “Another level?”
    Matt shrugged and looked down to reseal his pant seam. “I said I was convinced it was you. No AI, no imposter.”
    “I’m not dead,” James pointed out.
    Matt gave a short laugh. “Nope, look pretty alive to me. But you’re sure fucking different. Coulda gone for the imposter theory, I guess.”
    “Why didn’t you?”
    Matt looked back at him, surprised. “’Cause you aren’t. Are you?”
    “No, but you said it. I’m sure th’fuck different. I could be making you think you know, unequivocally, that I’m the real James Jeremiah Ayala from Weimer, Oregon, that you went to high school with. Why do you even believe the implanted tech story?”
    “Jeremiah? That’s a charming middle name, James.” Matt grinned broadly. James glowered.
    So Matt threw up his hands and tried to explain. “Listen, I’m still pissed off at you for this morning, but I know you didn’t mean to do it. Exactly. I also know you aren’t messing with my head, now. You’re you. But if you keep talking, I might start doubting myself. So keep it up if you want me to restrain you and leave you here.”
     
     
    J AMES couldn’t help it. He laughed. Matt had opened his mind again—closed all day, James realized—and Matt believed what he was saying.
    So James laughed from relief, and a little fear. And because Matt believing him against all evidence to the contrary made him feel better than he had in months.
    And he laughed just a bit at the idea that Matt could restrain him. “I didn’t mean to make you feel that way this