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"Dogwalker" is a cyberpunk novelette by Orson Scott Card. It appeared in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine in 1989, and was subsequently included in Card's collection Maps in a Mirror.

Plot

After a childhood accident where he was shot by a stray bullet while sleeping, the narrator of the story undergoes a unique transformation: 60% of his brain is replaced with artificial computer "goo". Consequently, his thyroid glands cease to function, halting his physical development, leaving him trapped in the body of a child. His computerized brain leads to autistic behavior, blurring the line between man and machine. However, it also gifts him with extraordinary hacking abilities, enabling him to crack even the most intricate passwords after a single encounter. Teaming up with a mysterious figure known only as "Dogwalker", he navigates the criminal underworld, leveraging his skills for profit.

Their latest scheme involves infiltrating the computer of a wealthy government official by guessing his password. Posing as a baby sitter, the narrator gains access to the official's private life, using this insight to successfully crack the code. Unfortunately, the official's paranoia leads to a fatal mistake: always entering an incorrect password before the correct one. When the team inadvertently uses the correct password on the first attempt, their cover is blown. The narrator gives himself up to organized crime in order to secure Dogwalker's release.

Upon Dogwalker's return, it becomes clear that the criminal group made an example out of him, subjecting him to a transformation similar to the narrator's, but with his brain entirely replaced by the same computer "goo.". Despite this, the narrator remains steadfast in caring for his friend and begins plotting revenge against those responsible.

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• Short stories by Orson Scott Card
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