Soul Thief

by Candice Lim

“You sure we can just walk in like this?” Lucia spun in circles with her arms spread out in the spartan foyer of Zhang Robotics headquarters. “It’s hard to believe a tech-savvy geek like him doesn’t have any sort of security in his lab.”

  “Wu Zhang doesn’t believe in employing human. He deems them too emotional and weak, unlike his robotic slaves who work diligently without complain,” I said. The three of us pulled up near the elevator where I pushed the Up button.

  “Oh, what the irony!” scoffed Lucia.

  “The facility is still equipped with facial recognition devices, so don’t make eye-contact with electronic devices that you think might be recording you.” The elevator door opened and we stepped in. Lucia went to look at the scenery, leaving me at the mercy of Danny. Danny stood propped against the wall, staring into space.

  It made me wonder he heard what Cypher and I were talking about. It wasn’t like anything secret. Danny hadn’t talked much since the morning, so different from the usually animated detective I knew. Every second in the elevator dragged by. The silence pricked me. Seeing Danny like this hurt me. I itched to hold his hand but I tightened my grip on my backpack instead.

  I couldn’t do this. Not when Cypher was coming back. Whatever feelings I had for Danny had to go. Everything should be back to normal.

  I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until the door spread open. I was the first to bolt into the lab. My lungs strained to pull in oxygen as I glanced around, trying to gather my thoughts.

  “Okay, what do we do now?” asked Lucia.

  “Production lab. I need to check if there were any Transient Bots that can be used.” I jogged towards Wu Zhang’s workstation where my fingers were dancing rapidly on the hologram keyboard. Danny and Lucia hovered behind me before they wandered off to explore the lab. My heart swelled with happiness when there was one left in the inventory. “Yes, there is one left!”

  A relieved sigh escaped from my chest. I could only think of Cypher. I started the transfer of the Transient Bot from the production lab to the transfer tube. The interior of the transfer tube lit up. The usually soft whirring noise when the machine buzzed to life sounded so loud today, it punctuated the pounding of my heart.

  “I’m going to install to the virus as we speak,” I said in a vague direction, unsure if Danny or Lucia heard it. I connected the USB to the computer and looked in the directory for the virus when the file ‘Gavroche’ saved a month ago caught my eye. Sucking in my tummy, I clicked in and the hologram of Gavroche materialize in front of me.

  “Dr. Wu Zhang, I know the secret recipe to your Helper Bots. That’s not the reason why I have contacted you. I require your skills to get me this woman. All her information will be sent to you shortly. My men will make sure that her Mind File is ripe for harvest. You and I are both savvy businessmen. You know what to do.”

  I sat frozen, the recollection of the night flooded through my head. Michele’s death had been set up. Like Cypher’s. Like Danny’s dad. Everything had been Wu Zhang’s masterplan. My whole life was a fucking lie. I clenched my fists, aching to punch the screen. Instead, sucking in a deep breath, I activated the virus. The clock ticked from 15 minutes.

  The machine had stopped whirring now. Transient Bot should be ready for transfer now. I got up and turned around. All blood drained from my face when my eyes fell on Wu Zhang. “What the fuck?” I muttered and blinked quickly.

  Wu Zhang pointed his gun at Danny. Danny and Lucia threw their hands up, I followed suit. After watching Gavroche’s clip, I was convinced there was nothing Wu Zhang wouldn’t do. “I thought you said this bastard went for a conference?” said Lucia, unable to take out the spite in her voice.

  Wu Zhang sneered, his eyes glued to my face. “I was, but after you left yesterday, Kira, I found something was not right about the Mind Files you gave me. It didn’t take me long to realize they were pseudo-files put together by amateur effort. So I checked your location history and learned that you were never at the hospitals but spending the evening with your handsome Detective Danny at his office.”

  “Jeez, I thought Synthea was a bitch for calling after work.” Lucia rolled her eyes.

  I pursed my lips and glanced between the transfer tube and the computer. “Are you surprised I betrayed you for treating me like shit?”

  “No, not at all, Kira. In fact, I’m astounded by how long you take to build up the courage to turn against me. Maybe, after all, it takes that long for you to get over Cypher,” said Wu Zhang.

  I clenched my fists. Anger shot through my veins. I was about to jump Wu Zhang when Danny kicked him on the shin. My heart thundered in my chest. Wu Zhang turned around and pulled the trigger.

  “NO!!!” I screamed. The loud bang rang in my ears. The bullet whizzed through the air and struck on Danny’s chest where blood blossomed on his khaki shirt. A low grunt rumbled from Danny’s chest. His body hit the ground with a thud. Hot tears scorched in my eyes. A sick feeling burned a hollow hole in my stomach. A rush of fear and anger raced through my head. “Danny!”

  I felt weak and useless as I dropped to my knees next to Danny. It felt like the day I lost Cypher was replaying itself. Why did I have to keep losing the people I loved? His pale face twisted in pain. His hand clutched onto his wound. “Kira...” Danny looked scared when he reached out his other hand to grab my arm.

  I glanced up, my eyes met with the muzzle of the gun. “You don’t have to wait anymore, Kira. You will reunite with Cypher and Danny now.” I was closing my eyes when Lucia appeared behind Wu Zhang.

  “Argh!” Lucia lifted her handbag and swung it across Wu Zhang’s face. Whatever she had inside her bag, it must be as hard as a rock. A groan ripped from his throat. Blood burst from Wu Zhang’s cheeks. His eyes rolled back into his skull, his head hit the ground with a thud. Gasping through her mouth, Lucia kicked his side and spat on his body. “That was for my dad, you fucking bitch!”

  I stared at Lucia with wide eyes. “What the hell is in your bag?”

  Lucia pulled out an empty glass bottle. “You think I’m gonna go anywhere unarmed after last night?” I was gonna say something when Danny groaned. Lucia and I crouched by Danny’s side. Danny squeezed my hand tightly.

  “Call an ambulance!” Lucia nodded and got her phone.

  “Kira…please…” Danny’s breath was getting shallower and rougher I could feel him leaving. “Finish the job for us…”

  I glanced at the computer, ten minutes left. I tightened my grip on Danny’s hand. “No…I can’t leave you.”

  Danny forced a smile. “It’s been decided for you, Kira. My job to stop Wu Zhang is done. You’re getting Cypher back. I have no use anymore so life is removing me from the equation…” Blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth. “It’s my time to go…I love you, Kira. I love you from the first moment I saw you…”

  “No…” my head was whirling from all the memories I had shared with Danny. “Please don’t leave me…”

  “I can’t catch you but at least I caught your heart…” Danny’s eyes rolled back in his skull. His grip on my hand loosened and his hands fell to his sides.

  “No, Danny!” I wiped my face with my sleeve and reached for the beacon in my backpack.

  20

  Five minutes on the clock. I stared at the two Mind Files on the computer. My fingers hovered above the hologram keyboard, not knowing what to do. “Make up your damn mind, Kira.” Lucia paced up and down, adding to my frustration.

  “I can’t. I’m not choosing dresses.”

  “In five minutes, this whole lab will explode into flames that swallow all of us up if you don’t make up your mind now.”

  “It’s not that dramatic.” I rolled my eyes. “It’ll take a few minutes for the units to heat up before they catch fire. We would’ve made it out then. Who would you choose if you were me? I love them both equally.”

  Lucia let out an explosive sigh. “They’re just men. They do the same damn thing and
drive you crazy anyway. Doesn’t matter who you choose. Maybe the one who do better in bed.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You’re not helping at all.”

  A groan escaped from Lucia’s chest. Her arms fell to her sides in resignation. “Why don’t you think about the times you shared together? Who made you happier?” The mental images of Danny danced in my head. I still remembered my body came alive at the sight of him in the handsome white suit. I still remembered how I yearned for his touch when we went out for supper together for the first time and how my body weakened at his kiss.

  I racked my brain to think about the times Cypher and I shared. I remembered sitting at the usual corner of our favorite café laughing at something Cypher said. I couldn’t remember what he said. I remembered strolling down the street holding Cypher’s hand. But when I saw his face, it wasn’t Cypher. It was Danny.

  A pounding pain hammered my head. Three minutes on the clock.

  “Danny and I have shared many happy times together. But I can’t remember the special times I had with Cypher. I jotted them down somewhere.” I was reaching for my tablet for the NoteApp when Lucia grabbed my arm.

  “That’s your answer, Kira.”

  “That’s not fair! Just because I don’t remember the happy times we have together doesn’t mean I don’t love him.”

  “You mentioned Danny first. You wouldn’t have saved him and put him in competition with Cypher if you don’t love him enough. You said Cypher doesn’t remember anything. Now you can’t recall either. You’re going to revive Cypher and start clean while having the happy memories of being with Danny lingering in your head?”

  “I can’t do this to Cypher!”

  “See, this is not love. This is guilt. You couldn’t even answer when I asked if you loved Cypher in Danny’s car the other day. You were protecting Danny’s feelings. You’re only putting Cypher in the equation because you feel owed to him. You wouldn’t have gone out with the Detective if you really love him. You wouldn’t have to protect his feelings. You wouldn’t have saved Danny.”

  I pursed my lips and looked at the two files. Sucking in a deep breath, I transferred Danny’s file. The transfer tube whirred to life again. I stared at Cypher’s Mind File, debating if I should keep him. Then, I decided otherwise. I knew if I kept him, I would wonder if I had made the right decision. “I’m sorry, Cypher…I love you but our time has come to an end…”A tear rolled down my eyes when I clicked Delete. I expected a stream of our shared memories rushing in but it didn’t. I could not even remember the last time I looked closely at his face.

  I emptied out Wu Zhang’s gadgets from my bag. I wanted nothing to do with Zhang Robotics. I wanted this part of me forgotten and wiped from memories.

  “How long is this gonna take?” asked Lucia.

  “About five.”

  Lucia glanced at the computer. “We have less than two.”

  “We’ll make it. Trust me.” From the small window in the transfer tube, Danny’s facial features molded on the Transient Bot, reminding me of my own reincarnation. My eyes darted between Danny’s face and the progress bar inching halfway through. I shifted my feet and picked at my nails, wondering how I would feel now if I chose Cypher instead.

  “You guys look great together.” I turned around. Lucia showed me a photo Danny posted on Social Sense. It was the two of us, all dressed up, at the restaurant we went. I smiled to myself as the recollections of the night flooded in my head. “You made the right choice, Kira. I would have done the same. Danny’s never posted any other girls except for you. You have a special place in his heart.”

  “You stalk him?”

  “No, I actually followed him publicly.”

  “You said you weren’t interested in him. You had a boyfriend.”

  “Yeah, I started following him after you guys got together.”

  “Why would you do that?”

  “I want to know he’s not treating you like shit.”

  “But after all I have done to you? I expect you to hate me, to distrust me, to despise me. Why are you doing this?”

  Lucia sighed. “Look, when I first learned what you did, I was furious. I wanted to swing the bottle right on your face. But I thought if I were in your shoes and I had the opportunity to bring my dad back to life, I’d do the same.” Lucia being so forgiving made me feel even worse.

  “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, Lucia.”

  “Plus, I followed him before I found out the truth, so.” She shrugged.

  A smile split my face. How did Lucia go through so much shit and still had her humor? A wave of fear rushed through me when a sudden vibration shook the building. My heart almost stopped when the lights in the transfer tube flickered. Lucia and I glanced around the lab and traded looks. “The virus has been activated. The transfer is almost complete. We can make it.”

  My heart thudded violently in my chest, punctuated by the whirring sound of the transfer tube. “Transfer complete,” said the mechanical voice. The door of the transfer tube hissed open. Lucia and I ran towards the machine. Happy tears swam in my eyes. I traced my fingers along his arm, feeling the familiar bulge of veins running through the length.

  “Danny!” Lucia shook his shoulders. “Get up!”

  My stomach reeled when his eyes fluttered open. Danny blinked quickly and stared at the ceiling. I held my breath and wondered if I had transferred the Mind File correctly. I’d witnessed Wu Zhang do many times but never did it myself. What if I forgot to install the crucial parts and now he couldn’t remember anything?

  “Kira!” Danny sprang up. Lucia and I stepped back. The three of us traded looks, not moving a muscle until Danny’s brown eyes fell on me. A smile curved his lips. “Did we do it?”

  A relieved sigh escaped me. I grinned stupidly to myself and nodded. “Yes, yes, Danny, we did it.”

  Danny glanced at himself and cupped his hands on his face. “Did you revive me?”

  I nodded again and wiped my tears.

  “What about Cypher?”

  “Kira chose you over Cypher,” said Lucia. “Now, can we go now before this building swallows us up?”

  “Right.” Danny hopped off the bed and fell on his knees. His face screwed in pain.

  “Careful. It’ll take some time to get used to the Transient Bot,” I said. Lucia and I rushed to take Danny’s sides and helped him to the elevator.

  “Is that Wu Zhang?”

  Lucia nodded.

  “That son of a bitch!” Danny kicked him on the side and bent over to clutch onto his leg. “Ouch! Damnit!” He gritted his teeth while Lucia and I rolled our eyes and dragged him into the elevator. I clutched tightly onto Danny as if he would run if I let him go. With a sheepish smile on my face, I rested my head on Danny’s shoulder, listening to his gentle heartbeat while soaking in the warmth of his body against mine.

  “So…you chose me over Cypher?”

  I nodded, nuzzling my nose against his chest. Danny even smelled like Danny. I hated to say but I was impressed by Wu Zhang’s handiwork. When I looked up, Danny’s glassy eyes turned pink. “You choose me.”

  Lucia stood propped against the wall across us and winked at me.

  I mouthed to her, “Thank you. For everything.”

  *****

  My fingers tapped fiercely on the keyboard. I sat on the same spot in my apartment, overlooking the busy little city I grew up in. Another project due this evening but it wasn’t a ghostwriting job. I decided to let go of my fears and let my A.I. writing program handle all the ghostwriting projects while building my software designing startup.

  Three weeks after the collapse of Zhang Robotics, my research paper got published in Intelligencia. One year ago, I would have been stoked and all hyped up to start a new academic chapter at the Asianova National University of Science. Today, I realized there were smaller, important things in life that I wanted to focus on.

  The call with Professor Seong to turn down the offer was
a difficult one. Partly I didn’t want to disappoint my final year project mentor who had high hopes on me. Mostly, I was afraid I might change my mind. Eventually, I survived it. Professor Seong seemed happy with the new direction of my life.

  My phone buzzed, breaking into my thoughts. It was Lucia. I thought she was reminding me we were having supper with Danny after her shift at Rain Bar. After restoration, Synthea swore off automation and renewed her Anti-Tech Zone license. Lucia got her job back.

  Instead, she sent me a link. It opened to a news page.

  Billionaire, entrepreneur, investor, director, actor, surgeon, philanthropist, philosopher Gavroche dies at 262 from drug abuse.

  Is this the end of the Immortality Era?

  I closed the code editor and looked at my wallpaper of Manta Ray Beach. I replied Lucia, “It’s about time.”