Veil of Protection 03

Chapter 3: A Few White Lies

Agent Sarah Munroe entered the room in a crisp, no-nonsense grey pantsuit, her shoes - polished each evening before bed, a leftover habit from her days in the Marines - catching the light with each step. “Good afternoon, Director,” she greeted warmly, striding confidently across the room to take her seat.

Director Evelyn Wallace looked up from her notes, a warm but measured smile appearing. “Good afternoon, Sarah. How are things?”

“Oh, you know. Busy,” Agent Munroe replied with a brief chuckle.

“Busy?” Wallace’s smile widened knowingly. “Tell me about it,” she said, her tone carrying a rare hint of camaraderie.

Suddenly, the door swung open abruptly as Dr Victor Crane stumbled through, looking flustered and frazzled, his wrinkled shirt and unkempt hair suggesting it had been a long week. "Sorry, I’m late," he mumbled, his gaze flicking between Evelyn and Sarah, noting the unusual lightness in the room.

“You’re right on time, Victor,” Evelyn said, her tone steady as she turned her attention to the dishevelled man lingering in the doorway.

Victor hurried to his seat, dropping into it with a sigh. He fumbled briefly with his tablet before dabbing his forehead with a napkin he found in his pocket. His nervousness hadn’t escaped Sarah’s notice.

“You look a bit jittery, Doctor,” she observed, eyeing him with a raised brow. “Is something wrong?”

Victor swallowed, quickly glancing over at the director. “No, no. It's... just warm out there today.”

“Oh! I hadn't noticed,” Sarah replied, unconvinced, thinking back to the chill she’d felt on her 5k run that morning.

Director Wallace’s gaze swept over the room, her tone shifting to a commanding firmness as she took control of the meeting. “Alright then. Now that everyone’s here, let’s begin.” She directed her attention to Crane. “Victor, tell us how our witnesses are progressing.”

Victor gave a quick nod and swiped at his tablet, pulling up the latest reports as his long, bulbous fingers moved in quick, practised strokes. Looking up, he offered a tentative smile. “Everything is progressing smoothly,” he began, as though reassuring himself. “The cosmetic alterations proceeded without incident, and the witnesses are now fully recovered and adjusting. They remain under constant supervision and are being provided with daily therapy sessions to monitor their mental health.”

Director Wallace considered his words, her gaze settling on Crane intensely, causing the doctor to fidget slightly. “Good to hear, Victor,” she said after a long pause. “Can you show us Larry Stone, please?”

Victor tensed up, his eyes darting nervously around the table. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” he replied, seeing Agent Munroe’s head lift and her eyes narrow.

Sensing her suspicion, he quickly continued. “Now that new identities are being crafted, it’s essential to keep their altered looks hidden. It’s all part of the safety protocols we agreed upon.”

Sarah leaned forward, folding her arms as suspicion edged her tone. “Isn’t it a bit early to start restricting access?”

Victor’s fingers curled tightly around his tablet, his response quick. “That’s how the system was designed,” he insisted, his gaze darting between Wallace and Munroe. Clearing his throat, he added, “Allow me to explain.”

He took a steadying breath and launched into a well-rehearsed explanation. “In high-profile cases like these, those searching for our witnesses might employ advanced facial recognition software. This software relies on unique measurements - such as the distance between the eyes, the angle of the jawline, and the proportions of facial features. Using newly developed, state-of-the-art cosmetic techniques, including laser contouring and ultrasonic micro-adjustments, NINA has overseen minute modifications to alter these metrics. These adjustments, performed by the best cosmetic surgeons in the world, are subtle but are enough to interfere with the consistency of facial recognition algorithms.”

“If these changes are as subtle as you say, Doctor, and only meant to fool facial recognition software, then what harm would there be in us seeing them?” Agent Munroe followed up, squinting as she spoke.

Victor gulped, then forced a thin smile. “You would be correct in that assessment, Agent Munroe. If those were the only changes made. However, NINA has also identified the defining features of each witness and applied targeted changes to further obscure their identities. Again, nothing too drastic - just enough to maximize their chances of starting a new life with the ability to freely walk the streets. And, to keep these changes effective, it’s crucial that as few people as possible see them.”

Agent Munroe turned to Director Wallace, her expression troubled. “I don’t like this, Director,” she said, her voice edged with concern. “Something doesn’t feel right. How are we supposed to protect these individuals if we can’t see what’s happening to them?”

Wallace gave a thoughtful nod, her eyes narrowing in contemplation. “I understand, Sarah. I have my own concerns,” she replied, a trace of worry in her gaze. “But we knew from the start this system would be different.”

She shifted her attention back to Dr Crane. “Victor, could we at least get a description of these cosmetic changes? I think that would go some way to easing our minds.”

Dr Crane’s shoulders seemed to relax, as though he’d been waiting for this question. “Absolutely, Director,” he replied with a small, relieved smile. “And who better to provide those details than NINA herself?” With that, he tapped on his tablet, and the large screen before them brightened, transitioning to display a row of moving visual indicators.

“Good afternoon, NINA,” Dr Crane began, a touch of confidence in his voice. “We require your assistance. Could you provide some answers for us?”

“Certainly, Dr Crane. I am here to assist,” came the response, the screen’s visuals pulsing in rhythm with the words.

Dr Crane met Director Wallace’s gaze with a steady look. “Ask anything you’d like, Director. Provided it doesn’t compromise witness safety, NINA will answer freely.”

“Very well,” Wallace replied with a crisp nod. She turned toward the screen. “NINA, please describe the cosmetic changes made to Larry Stone and your reasoning behind them.”

The room fell into silence as NINA started to process a response. After a brief pause, a robotic voice echoed through the minimalist space. “Facial alterations were performed to avoid recognition by advanced software. Fatty tissue has been redistributed to adjust body contour. Larry Stone’s distinctive traits included a muscular build and prominent Romanesque nose. To address these, Larry has been following a tailored regimen to reduce muscle mass, and rhinoplasty has altered his nasal structure.”

Agent Munroe leaned forward, seizing her chance. “And what shape is his nasal structure now?”

“Information classified,” NINA replied, her tone impassive.

Munroe’s eyes narrowed, swinging toward Crane, irritation simmering. Crane responded with a nervous smile. “As I mentioned, Sarah, those specifics are restricted for his protection. Each procedure was done by a separate specialist, so only NINA has the complete picture. But I can assure you,” he added, swallowing hard as he glanced down at his tablet, where Larry’s drastically altered image stared back - a transformation he was desperately trying to keep hidden, “each adjustment was meticulously designed to appear both natural and complementary.” He added, acutely aware of the flaws in the system but unable to locate any errors in the code - even the one that had prompted NINA to remove the subject's body hair, and now his eyebrows, remained elusive.

(See image 09)

Director Wallace, who had observed the exchange with practised composure, broke the tension between her colleagues with a follow-up question. “NINA, without revealing any compromising details, could you list the facial areas modified and the types of procedures involved?”

NINA fell silent once again as she processed the question, her digital indicators pulsing methodically. After a few moments, her eerie voice rang out, listing each procedure with clinical precision.

“Hairline: forehead reduction surgery. Eyes: canthoplasty to alter eye shape. Nose: rhinoplasty to adjust nasal structure. Cheekbones: malar augmentation for contour modification. Jaw: mandibular contouring. Ears: otoplasty to reposition.”

The answer seemed to stun both Agent Munroe and Director Wallace, who exchanged a glance of concern before turning to Dr Crane.

“That’s an extensive amount of work, Victor,” Director Wallace remarked, a note of disbelief in her voice. “You reported earlier that the witnesses had fully recovered. How is that possible, given the scope of these procedures?”

Dr Crane looked down at his tablet once more, wincing at the image of the person formerly recognizable as Larry Stone - a rugged, no-nonsense man’s man. “As I mentioned, Director, these procedures are cutting-edge, far beyond anything available in standard medical settings. They result in minimal to no scarring and dramatically shortened recovery times.”

Director Wallace nodded thoughtfully, but her expression remained cautious. “Alright,” she said, then shifted the conversation. “Can you provide an update on Jamal Lewis?”

“Yes, of course," Crane replied with a nod, relieved to be moving on. "Jamal has also undergone minor facial adjustments, designed specifically to avoid detection by facial recognition software and fat redistribution to alter body shape.”

Agent Munroe leaned forward, noting a pattern. “So, he’s had the same base modifications as Larry?”

“Yes, that's correct,” Dr Crane replied smoothly, "For their protection, these procedures have been performed on all the witnesses."

Munroe, her mistrust evident, turned towards the screen on the wall. “NINA,” she said, addressing the AI, “what were Jamal’s key identifiable features, and how were they modified?”

After a brief pause, NINA’s voice resumed, steady and precise. “As a public figure, Jamal Lewis’s most recognizable features were his eyes and height. To reduce the risk of recognition, the shape of his eyes has been modified through a procedure known as epicanthoplasty. Additionally, his height has been reduced through a pioneering technique that uses focused ultrasound to dissolve portions of the vertebrae in the thoracic and lumbar spine, as well as sections of the femur and tibia. Once the target sections were dissolved, the shortened bones were meticulously joined, preserving nerve and motor function.

“What?” Agent Munroe called out, her voice was loud with shock. “Jamal is a high jumper. How much of a height reduction are we talking about here?”

NINA’s response only stoked her anger. “Information classified.”

Dr Crane glanced down at the image of Jamal on his tablet, trying his best to maintain a neutral expression as he took in the astounding results of the pioneering technique NINA had just outlined. Despite himself, he drew a sharp breath at the sight of Jamal’s altered eyes - a single eyelid giving him an entirely different look - and the unmissable fact he’d already known: Jamal’s height had been reduced by nearly two feet, transforming him from an imposing figure to a man of below-average stature.

(See Image 10)

Attempting to diffuse the tension mounting in the room, he quickly offered a reassuring, if not entirely truthful, answer. “A few centimetres at most,” he said with as much confidence as he could muster. “There are limits to what these procedures can achieve, of course. And given the duration and complexity of this case, which could take years to resolve, you know as well as I do. Jamal’s career as a high jumper effectively ended the day he agreed to testify.”

Director Wallace, typically composed, looked momentarily flustered, her lips pressed tight before she replied. “This is… this could have very serious repercussions, Doctor,” she said, visibly uncomfortable as she met his gaze. “As much as you try to justify this, we’ve effectively ended his career.”

Crane lowered his head, nodding in silent acknowledgement.

After a moment’s thought, the director puffed out her cheeks, exhaling slowly. “We’re not finished with this conversation - far from it. But let’s continue. I want to wrap this up quickly so I can think more on the subject. What do I need to know about Javier and Michael? What did NINA deem to be their most recognizable features, and how were they altered?”

Maintaining as much composure as possible, Dr Crane glanced down at Javier’s image on his screen. “Javier’s eyes and nose have been slightly adjusted, and a gastric clamp has been implanted to assist with weight reduction.”

When no shocked reaction followed, Victor felt a flicker of relief. He hadn’t lied - only withheld the more extreme details. He’d omitted that Javier’s eyes had undergone a revolutionary pigment-changing procedure, transforming them from deep brown to a striking blue. And that the "slight adjustment" to his nose was, in fact, a complete reconstruction, now a narrow bridge with an upturned tip, worlds apart from its original profile.

(See image 11)

Director Wallace glanced at Agent Munroe, who was looking down, her head shaking slowly in visible disgust. “Sarah,” she said, prompting Munroe to look up. “Anything you’d like to ask?”

“No,” Munroe replied, her tone restrained. “I think you know my thoughts on this, Director. Like you, I’d prefer to end this meeting quickly. You’ll have a report outlining my concerns later this afternoon.”

“Very well,” Director Wallace said, before turning back to Crane. “And Michael?”

Dr Crane, pulling up the transformed image of the final witness, cleared his throat and managed a strained smile. “In addition to the foundational facial adjustments we discussed earlier, NINA saw fit to make further changes to the subject’s eyes and jaw.” He withheld the full extent of the transformation - Michael’s eyelids had been surgically modified to create a defined crease, and his jawline had been rounded and softened, turning the once-imposing figure into something far less intimidating. But perhaps most striking of all, the changes had almost entirely masked his ethnicity, erasing the man he had once been.

(See image 12)

Director Wallace took a deep breath, steadying herself before glaring towards Dr Crane. “And the next phase for the witnesses - what does that entail?”

Victor shifted in his seat, clasping his tablet a little tighter. “An adjustment period. NINA will implement a series of daily skill sessions tailored towards their new identities, helping them prepare for their new lives. The aim is to ensure that each witness not only adapts physically but is also equipped with the skills and habits they’ll need moving forward.”

“Good,” Wallace replied, nodding slowly as if weighing each word. Her gaze sharpened as she continued. “But, Victor, I want no further surgical procedures on any of them until I’ve had time to reflect on what’s been discussed today. I need to determine if moving forward with this project is not only wise but ethical.”

Dr Crane gave a quick nod, though his expression betrayed a flicker of unease. “Understood, Director,” he replied, relieved to have navigated his way through the meeting but already dreading the fallout when the full truth inevitably surfaced.

A tense silence settled over the room as Director Wallace closed her notepad with a soft, final snap, signalling the end of the meeting. Without a word, she rose, and the others followed suit. They filed out one by one, their footsteps echoing down the empty hallway, each agent carrying the weight of the choices they had made and the uncertainty of those still to come. The door clicked shut behind them, leaving the room once again in quiet solitude.