China’s a pretty good place, turns out. It’s exactly as his implanted memories describe it. Except the smell – somehow manufactured memories can’t get smell quite right. That leaves him feeling permanently a bit out of place.

They wanted a foreigner so the goat-worshippers (or goats, in short) would think him an easy prey. Infiltrating the cult was easy, and his nanites relay everything to chairman Jack automatically. Good thing that stuff also gives him some resistance to brainwashing! He probably needs it. Then again, he seems surprisingly committed to his spy mission. File this for later thought.

The door jingles and he lowers his sunglasses as two marks enter. He puts on his best smile. “Welcome! Let’s get you started with the free test at once.” They don’t stand a chance; in a few days they will be in a foreign country, completely isolated from any possible assistance, and their brains will be rewired and entirely devoted to the cause. Suckers!