In this age of mobile computing and internet connectivity, accessibility has reached new levels. The big advantage is that information is being shared at rapid rates, allowing unprecedented productivity in the modern workforce. Unfortunately, it has also allowed some organizations to exploit such accessibility for their own benefits. Halcron Inc. might be one such organization.
Halcron Inc. started out as a biometric company. In the first couple years of its inception, the company specialized in developing a new method of biorecognition. While the specifics had not been disseminated into the public, the new technology involved a new, unique "barcode" that was discovered deep within the pupils of every human being. (At least, that was how the company chose to describe their technology.) Using barely visible microneedles, Halcron was able to extract that "barcode" from the pupil within seconds and pair it with personal data found within its consolidated online database. When it was first developed, it was a quick, yet secure method for biometrics, and it quickly became the second most widely used form of identity validation, behind fingerprinting. Within 5 years, Halcron Inc. became one of the most influential companies in the world, and it has considered branching out into new technologies, from mobile devices for identity verification "on-the-go" to new software algorithms for better understanding of biometrics.
It has now been 10 years since Halcron Inc. was first established. While their products are still top-notch in biometrics, there have been rumors of some "unethical" practices. Ever since the first CEO of the company passed away 3 years ago, incidents such as identity theft and unauthorized release of sensitive information began to increase, raising public fear of biometrics. Many investigations and cases have been opened, and most of them point toward Halcron Inc. being involved in these incidents. While Halcron has issued public statements to relieve the public of its concerns and to deny any suspicion of foul play, there is always a feeling that the company is hiding something. Law enforcement agencies have tried alternative methods to obtain more information about the company, but the security was hard to penetrate. Outside of the company's employees, no one really knows what is going on inside that tall white skyscraper the incorporation calls home. The employees themselves are bound by contract not to release company secrets, and conducting surveillance is a fool's errand due to the many security devices placed around the building. As a result, information is hard to come by.
This has mostly been bad news for a government agency called CIS, or Central Intelligence Sector. The agency has been tracking the movements of Halcron ever since receiving its first case of identity theft. Apparently, in that case, a person was prosecuted for holding another person hostage for ransom. (Names were not disclosed to protect the identity of those involved.) While biometric evidence at the crime scene has matched those of the suspect, the suspect had a confirmed alibi. Yet, the evidence yielded no other possible suspect. After the CIS was called in to join the investigation, they found that the "suspect" has utilized devices and software developed by Halcron for communication. However, the suspect denied of such exploitation, and through many rounds of witness reports and verification, it was deemed that the suspect in custody did not use those devices from Halcron. (The suspect still uses a flip phone, and people who know the suspect testify that it was highly improbable the suspect would be capable of using such advanced technologies.) Running into an apparent dead end, the agency turned toward Halcron Inc. for information. While Halcron Inc. cooperated in most aspects, the agency felt that some details were left out. At first, they ignored it after successfully tracking down the true suspect. But as more and more of these "identity theft" cases appeared to be linked to Halcron, the agency started to be more interested in the practices of that company. But any attempt to extorting additional information has yielded nothing so far. Even the captured suspects themselves don't even know most of the details for the technology they have utilized.
Your name is Benjamin Hanson, and you are a 24 year old investigator for CIS working on these Halcron-related cases. While you have joined the agency for just over a year, talking to older colleagues gave you a more complete understanding of these cases. Today, your boss announced a whole-body meeting to introduce a new method of infiltrating the company and extracting the information. At first, you just sighed, thinking that this method might just end up like the other ones, resulting in failure and casualties. However, the boss assured that extensive tests have been done for years (in secrecy, as no one else except the higher-ups know about this project) and recent results showed that it was ok to proceed to the next step.
The project/method was named BiNanoJack, so called because it involves transferring a person's consciousness to another person's body via engineered nanoparticles. Since Halcron has such sophisticated bio-security mechanisms, simple disguises and hacks will not work, leading to the research and development of new ways of inspection and stakeout. You have to admit that this method sounds very ambitious, even absurd in some aspects; but after witnessing numerous failures of previous attempts, you suppose that such elaborate measures are needed.
The boss announces that certain employees will be chosen as the first ones to use BiNanoJack. Perhaps unsurprisingly, you are chosen as one of those employees. (The agency favors young employees as test subjects as they are healthier.) The chosen ones are told that they will hold a private meeting to discuss the specifics and timeline of this project, as well as to answer any questions. The whole-body meeting is adjourned as you process the information you have just learned.