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The metal object came into clear focus. Nicholas’s breath caught. He hadn’t wanted to be right, but—“It’s an implant. There must be two hundred filament leads off this.” He stepped away so Mike could take a look. “Dr. Janovich, where did you find this, exactly?”
“Embedded behind the optic nerve. The incision was well healed, which means it’s been in his brain for a good while. I also found a very small feed into the auditory nerve as well, so small I nearly missed it. All in all, it’s amazing.”
“Sight and sound? Is that even possible?”
Janovich said, “Evidently, it is. I’ve never seen anything like it. This is incredibly advanced technology. And this implant? It isn’t a metal alloy I’ve ever seen. It’s biologic in nature, meaning it can merge with the brain tissue it’s implanted in and not be rejected. If it does what I think it does, well—” He shrugged. “It’s huge, terrifying, really.”
“Could it be running now?” Nicholas asked.
Janovich shook his head. “I don’t think so, not without its processing power. It shouldn’t be able to stand on its own.”
Mike held up a hand. “I know about implants used for people who’ve lost limbs, to help them control new arms and legs. Through thought-controlled action.”
“Yes,” Dr. Janovich said. “Yes, implants are very big in robotics and nanotechnology. There are even implants for the blind, those with progressive diseases like macular degeneration, to restore their sight.”
Mike said, “Let me look again; talk me through this.” As she studied the implant, Nicholas said, “Do you see the filaments coming off the edges? They’re thinner than a piece of hair.”
“It looks like a metal millipede. So this is a brain implant. It’s tiny, wafer-thin. It was implanted behind Mr. Olympic’s optic nerve?”
“Yes,” Dr. Janovich said.
“And not because Mr. Olympic was going blind.”
Nicholas said, “Oh, no, quite the opposite. Dr. Janovich, correct me if I’m wrong, but I assume it was mono-vision—meaning the people who were getting the feed from the implant could only see out of Mr. Olympic’s left eye?”
“You’re right, Drummond.”
Mike’s head was cocked to one side. “You’re saying that someone could see through Mr. Olympic’s eye? See what he was seeing?”
Nicholas said, “Implanted into the optic nerve, it’s possible this works something like a video camera, uploading images as the user sees them. And since Dr. Janovich also found the thin thread that fed into the ear, I’m guessing the person behind this could hear what Mr. Olympic heard as well.”
“A visual recorder, then,” Mike said, “and the audio part as well. Sight and sound.”
Dr. Janovich said, “Since I pulled this implant out of his brain, your wild speculations aren’t so wild after all. If someone was watching, and hearing, remotely—”
“Holy crap,” Mike said. “It makes sense and it sounds insane.”
Nicholas was so excited he was nearly vibrating. “It’s possible, though. Look how tiny the implant is. Think of the uses. You could send someone into the field and all they’d have to do is stand around looking at the target, and the chip would do the rest, relaying the information to a remote server. And if it can be done live, it would change the face of intelligence gathering forever.”
Dr. Janovich said, “It’s entirely possible.”
Nicholas said, “Dr. Janovich, you’re certain the device only works with active brain waves?”
“I believe so. It definitely runs biologically. There is no battery, nor any way to take it out and recharge without surgical intervention. It used the suspect’s brain to charge and run. Without its electrical plug, so to speak, it can’t work. Once his heart stopped, transmission stopped as well.”
Mike said, ?
??Who has the capabilities to make such a thing? And the ability to make it work?”
Nicholas said, “I reckon any of the private firms who do this sort of research. It’s one thing to develop a prototype. It’s a whole different level to put them into action. We’re talking billions of dollars. The list of firms capable of doing this can’t be very long.”
“You could look at universities, too,” Janovich said. “No, forget it, not enough money.”
Mike said, “No chance there’s a serial number, like we see on other implants?”
Janovich said, “Good thinking, but I wasn’t able to find one. If I can get the device open, I might see something, but I really don’t want to try it. I think we need someone well versed in nano-biotechnology to autopsy the chip. I have a friend at MIT who’s quite accomplished in the nanotech field. I’d recommend bringing him in to have a look inside, see if we can identify a manufacturer.”
“Do it,” Mike said. “Right away, if you please, Doc.” Mike drew in a deep breath. “Imagine, someone was watching remotely as Mr. Olympic murdered Jonathan Pearce. Hurry, sir, we don’t have time to waste.”
