Jack had once told Mrs. Welles that as long as he was around, Oliver and Carl would never come to harm. Yet Carl had been seriously injured on that mission. Every time Jack thought back on it, guilt filled his heart, because he believed he had failed in his duty to protect Carl and broken his promise.
For a man like Jack, breaking a promise was enough to haunt him forever. And today, facing James in such a dangerous situation, he could not let Carl fight alone again, no matter what.
Before the high-explosive round fired by the Projectile Launch System in James's cyberware could reach him, Jack suddenly moved within the slowed time.
He saw it.
After the previous escort mission, Jack had some money left over after buying his car, enough to purchase some cyberware. The nervous system implant he chose was called the Synaptic Accelerator.
Synaptic Accelerator: A neural processor that regulates hormonal balance in threatening situations.
When danger was detected, the Synaptic Accelerator adjusted Jack's hormones, heightened his senses, and slowed the time he perceived, creating an effect similar to a Sandevistan.
Jack saw it. He saw the muzzle flash erupting from the Projectile Launch System in James's arm, saw the slowly flying bullet closing in on him, and also saw Carl's gaze from afar.
Watch closely, Carl, Oliver. Jackie Welles is about to put on a show.
His body tipped over on the slick ground. Supporting himself with one hand while gripping the Saratoga Submachine Gun in the other, Jack lowered himself and slid sideways with a speed utterly mismatched to his build, darting elegantly out of the way.
"Bang bang bang!"
The synthetic tree behind Jack's original position was blasted apart at the waist. Faced with those violent bullets, a synthetic tree