by Eliza Green
She sat down. ‘It wasn’t your fault. Quintus was using you.’
‘I felt him in my head, but I couldn’t do anything about it.’ He looked at his hands, turned them over. ‘He was controlling my thoughts and actions.’ He looked at her. ‘It was like when we were on Rapture.’
Anya shivered at the memory. ‘Carissa sacrificed herself to save us. To save you.’
‘What’s going to happen to her?’
‘Agatha says they’re going to wipe her mind and reboot her.’
‘Any chance she’ll remember us?’
Anya smiled sadly. ‘I hope so.’
She had managed to regain her own memories after the machine in Arcis had wiped them. Maybe Carissa’s memories would come back to her in the same way.
She nudged his leg with her foot. ‘Hey, Agatha says you can leave soon.’
Alex looked around his room with a sigh. ‘It may not be the fancy room we had in Praesidium, but it still feels like I’m a damn prisoner.’
‘Only while they make sure Quintus is gone.’
‘Sure.’
‘Agatha says I might have been born in this city, not in Praesidium. That it was impossible to have been born twenty months ago in the Region. That Quintus may have taken me as a boy—teen, I don’t know—and turned me into a Breeder.’
‘She must have a record of you entering the Region.’
He shook his head. ‘She says I may have already been in there when the Region was being set up.’
Anya changed the subject. ‘Did June come to see you?’
Alex nodded, looking anywhere but at her. She sensed something was up, that June’s visit had not gone as planned.
‘What are you three planning after?’
He released a sigh. ‘I don’t know. Quintus was the one who was happy to see Frahlia, not me. I don’t even know if I want kids.’
‘And what does June think?’
Alex looked up at her. His eyes glistened with unshed tears. ‘There’s no question. She wants to keep her, even though, biologically, she’s not hers. What should I do?’
It wasn’t a decision she could help him with.
‘Do what’s right for you. Whatever way you choose, I’m sure June will understand.’
Alex blew out a breath. ‘I really like June, but I’m also new to this. To the idea of freedom.’ He laughed bitterly. ‘All I’ve ever known is my short life in Praesidium. And according to what they told me, I’m not much older than Frahlia or Carissa.’
That was true. Alex had been under the impression he’d matured rapidly using the same growth machine in the medical facility. Without any memories to the contrary, by normal standards, he had barely lived.
She shifted from the chair to sit on the bed next to him, and pulled him into a hug. ‘Choose what’s right for you.’
He nodded into her hair but pulled back quickly, as if the moment was too much for him.
She stood. ‘See you in twenty-four hours.’
Alex grinned, looking more like his old, cheeky self. ‘Looking forward to it.’
She left the room with heaviness in her heart. The physical fight might be over but the battle was not yet won. It wasn’t a physical battle they faced now, but a psychological one. One that required them to choose what life they wanted. Each of them had been ripped from the only life they’d known and was facing a new future, with new choices.
She walked away from the guards, worried about what the new city might hold. Agatha was delaying its reveal on purpose.
Maybe it was bad. Maybe there was no city and this base was all that remained.
But the prospect of a functioning city and a new life worried Anya more. Because it would force her to face a future she wasn’t ready for.
31
Dom
Pain radiated up Dom’s arm and into his shoulder. He rotated his arm slowly, still blazing from having pulled open the heavy door to the Region.
Would he do it again? Definitely.
What was the point in having this damn tech if he couldn’t put it to good use? All the experiments on him, all the torture the Collective put him through—meaning Quintus—would not be for nothing.
He stood in one of the labs next to Anya, who had her arms folded. Her eyes had narrowed and she was eyeing everything the lab technicians were doing.
Set on two gurneys before them were the Copy medic and Carissa. Both were out, or disabled. Dom wasn’t sure which. The technicians hovered around the pair. Jacob barked at one to be careful when he went to move Carissa into a new position.
Dom moved closer, seeing the blank look on both their faces. It reminded him of the guards in sentry mode in the Great Hall.
Agatha stood next to the lead technician. They chatted in hushed tones.
‘We’re ready,’ said the lead technician finally.
Jacob looked back at him, his brows pulled forward in worry. ‘Are you sure she won’t feel anything?’
The man in the white coat shook his head. ‘It will feel just like waking up.’
He stepped forward and motioned for another to bring a machine over. The second man wheeled it into place. It had a set of wires attached to it, which the doctor connected magnetically to the Copy medic’s connection point. He set the machine running. Dom heard a low hum building in intensity, until there was a snap. The Copy jolted hard on the table.
Jacob glared at Agatha. ‘What’s happening?’
‘They have their new NMCs. We need to deliver a blast of energy to wake the chips up.’
The Copy medic stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She looked around, clearly startled by the room full of people. She jerked up into a seated position, but the lead technician stopped her.
‘Take it easy. Just lie down for a moment.’
The Copy medic did as she was told.
The technician removed the wires and copied the procedure with Carissa. Jacob chewed on his thumb as the energy inside the machine built up and reached a fine point that jolted Carissa’s body.
Jacob grabbed her hand, one eye on the machine, the other on Carissa. Carissa opened her eyes, blinking hard against the new light. She looked around.
Jacob lifted her hand and pressed it to his chest. ‘Miss, are you okay?’
‘I... think so.’ She blinked again and looked around at the others. ‘Where am I?’
The old man smiled and breathed out. ‘You’re safe, miss.’
She tried to sit up. The technician stopped her, pulled the wires off her, and she tried again. Jacob helped her to sit.
Dom watched as the girl, dazed and disorientated, took in her surroundings. The Copy medic also sat up and perched on the edge of the gurney. One of the technicians shone a light in both their eyes and asked them basic questions.
‘What do you two remember about Praesidium?’
Both of them frowned and Dom saw their eyes move rapidly, as if processing.
The Copy medic answered first. ‘I have no memories of such a place existing.’
Carissa answered next. ‘Neither do I.’
The lead technician waved a wand over their heads and checked a diagnostic machine. He gave a quick nod.
Agatha seemed to relax.
Dom asked her, ‘What’s next for them?’
‘Now, we give them new programming, which will give them a new life. We need to take them to the upload room.’
Jacob helped Carissa down from the gurney while one of the technicians helped the Copy medic.
‘Will she remember anything?’ said Jacob to Agatha as one of the technicians took control of Carissa.
‘No, I’m sorry. She is a blank, a newborn.’
Jacob’s shoulders slumped a little.
Carissa looked up at Jacob and frowned. ‘Why are you sad?’
Jacob attempted a smile. ‘I’m not sad, miss. I’m happy you’re well.’
Dom couldn’t bear to look. Before him was a man who had lost a daughter, even if that daughter had been a Copy.
&nb
sp; Carissa’s eyes narrowed at him. ‘Why do you call me miss?’
‘It’s... it used to be your name.’
She cocked her head. ‘Like a nickname?’
Jacob nodded.
She nodded back, as if she’d decided something. ‘I like it. And I will call you... I will call you...’
She frowned as if stuck on a name.
‘You can call me Jacob.’
She smiled. ‘Jacob. Nice to meet you.’
The technicians led the pair of Copies out of the room and Jacob went with them. Dom and Anya stayed back with Agatha and two more technicians.
‘Will she be okay?’ asked Dom.
‘Time will tell. She may want to learn about her old life, or she may start anew.’
Agatha looked like she wanted to ask him something.
‘What is it?’
‘Your tech. Your body is riddled with it.’
Anya slid her hand around his waist. In that moment, he was glad for her support.
‘It is.’
‘I was wondering if you wanted us to remove it.’
He widened his eyes. ‘You can do that?’
Agatha nodded. ‘We can do anything here. All the tech that existed in the Region came from here. From Quintus’ mind. He learned about it here and replicated it in there.’
Dom had made his peace with it. Agatha had been surprised to see his tech, so he must have had the surgery after he entered the Region, a year ago, and not at age seven. But now she was telling him he could get rid of the tech?
‘And replace it with what?’
‘Donated human organs. The tech in your arm might be tricky to remove but we can do it, if it’s what you want.’
Dom looked down at Anya. ‘What do you think?’
She stared up at him with her cobalt-blue eyes. Their beauty always calmed him, no matter what mood he was in. ‘It’s not my decision, Dom.’
He took a deep breath and cut his eyes to Agatha. His tech was a reminder of what his father had done, how he’d sold him to Quintus for money. Whatever the real story, it was his last tie to the man.
‘Take the tech out.’
‘And your arm?’
Dom looked down at it. He flexed it. His shoulder still hurt but other than that, it gave him no trouble.
‘I’ll keep it.’
32
Anya
A bout of nerves hit Anya in the stomach. She clutched it, in an attempt to settle them. Dom, on the other hand, looked cool. And it wasn’t because of his green shirt and black tie. He was a walking refrigerator. She, on the other hand, felt like she’d just jumped from two floors up and landed in a heap.
Sheila entered the dorm room with Imogen. Both of them were laughing and chatting. Sheila’s eyes slid to Dom in his suit and she did a double take.
‘Well, well, don’t you look nice? Where are you off to?’
Dom fussed with his tie. Sheila clucked her tongue and strode over to him. ‘You never were good at fixing ties, Dom. Let the expert handle things.’
She redid the knot and fixed it into place. Imogen watched her, a soft smile on her face.
Sheila’s gaze flicked from Dom to Anya. She gave her a long look that did nothing for Anya’s nerves. The summer dress with the floral pattern was a gift from Agatha. Anya pulled on the edges of the dress, which didn’t quite make it past her knees. At least she had a soft cardigan to cover her bare shoulders.
‘Why do you both look like you’re off on a date?’ Her eyes widened. ‘Are you off on your first date?’
Anya blushed. She and Dom were past first-date anything. Although, it would be nice...
‘Agatha has invited us to dinner,’ said Dom.
Her eyes lit up. ‘Oh? Is that an open invite?’ She glanced back at Imogen. ‘Because we could do with a good feed.’
‘No, just me and Anya. She wants to talk to us about what happens when we leave this place.’
Sheila’s expression darkened. ‘It can’t be good things if they haven’t allowed us to leave yet. They’re preparing us for the worst.’
‘Or everything’s fine and we’ll be okay.’
Sheila folded her arms. ‘Not what Charlie says.’
‘None of us know anything, Sheila. Let me and Anya talk to Agatha first. Then we’ll report back. Where are the others, by the way?’
‘Some are having dinner, others are relaxing in the lounge area.’ They shared the area kitted out with sofas and TVs with Agatha’s team. She pointed at him. ‘Make sure you report back. And bring Imogen and me back a doggy bag.’
‘Every word. And no promises.’ He looked down at Anya.’ Ready?’
She took his hand. ‘No.’
They arrived at the base of the stairs leading to Agatha’s office. It was where Agatha had told them to come once they’d changed into their outfits. A soldier waited at the bottom of the stairs.
‘Follow me,’ he said, climbing the metal steps. Both of them followed him to the top. Anya had expected them to go to Agatha’s office, but the soldier crossed the walkway leading to the only other door on that level.
Anya frowned. ‘Where are we going?’
‘To the commander’s private quarters.’
On the other side, he opened the door. Anya entered after the soldier, Dom behind her. She stepped into a dark corridor covered in concrete panels. To the left were three closed doors. Ahead was another door. The soldier stopped and knocked on it.
Agatha opened it and smiled at the pair. ‘Right on time.’ She turned to the soldier. ‘Thank you, Enright.’
The soldier nodded and left.
‘Come in,’ said Agatha, opening the door wider.
Anya entered the space. It had the same concrete-walled panels and the ground was made of the same smooth concrete, but there were rugs on the floor. Agatha led them down a short corridor that opened out into a large room.
Anya stopped and gasped. One wall was covered in floor-to-ceiling glass. It was dark, as though the world outside was the same. In one section of the open-plan room, three black-leather sofas sat, arranged in a C formation. Next to them was a small table dressed for dinner. Anya smelled food and instantly forgot about her nerves.
‘Drink?’
Agatha walked over to the table, which held an open bottle of wine. She poured three glasses and handed one each to Dom and Anya.
Anya walked around the room, unsure what to make of this place. ‘Is this your living room?’
‘These are my private quarters.’
That’s when Anya noticed a level above them, accessible by a set of stairs. Underneath it was a kitchen made of sleek, black granite.
‘Where do you sleep?’
Agatha pointed upstairs and lifted her glass. ‘Here’s to new beginnings.’
Anya and Dom clinked their glasses. Anya took a small sip of the wine, trying not to grimace at its bitter flavours. She’d had wine once, when the controllers of the medical facility had brought it to her and Alex—one of many aphrodisiacs to get them to breed.
The thought of new beginnings made her hands sweat. She walked over to the three sofas and set her glass down on the glass coffee table in the middle.
‘Hungry?’ Agatha asked. ‘I’ve replicated a few things. I wasn’t sure what you liked.’
Anya folded her arms. ‘Actually, I’d rather know what’s waiting for us out there.’
She nodded at the blackened windows.
Dom moved closer to her and set his glass down beside hers. She could see the same question in his eyes, except he was being more polite than she was.
Agatha abandoned her glass and walked over to the window. She keyed a code into a control panel and the tint on the windows reduced. Coloured lights twinkled in the distance but the dark hadn’t lifted outside.
She keyed in another code and the door slid open to reveal a balcony. Cool air rushed in and made Anya shiver. But despite the cold, she walked outside. Ahead of her was an array of tall towers, each with a sprinkling
of lights. The hum of life drifted up from below. A lone road surrounded the compound. They were up high, as though the Beyond had been built into the side of a mountain.
‘What is this place?’
Agatha slid in beside her. ‘New San Francisco.’
‘Like the poster on your wall?’
‘Sort of. For the last hundred years, this city has been part of the Colonies. The west colony to be precise.’
Dom came to Anya’s other side. She looked up at him. His wide-eyed expression told her he was both shocked at and in awe of the view.
‘What’s down there?’ he asked.
‘Life. Both human and synthetic.’
Dom shook his head, as if he hadn’t heard her correctly. ‘I don’t understand. You have Copies living in your city? And you had a problem with ours?’
Agatha nodded. ‘They’re a vital commodity and help the four colonies thrive. Unlike your Copies.’
Anya’s stomach swirled. She stepped back from the edge as a wave of vertigo hit her. She hit the sliding door.
Dom grabbed her. ‘Are you okay?’
She swallowed and blinked. ‘This is not what I was expecting.’
‘What were you expecting?’ asked Agatha.
‘Destruction. A city in ruins. A reason for the existence of the Region.’
‘There was a good reason.’
‘To keep one of your rogue sentient programs contained is not a good enough reason.’
‘It was the only way we could fool Quintus, if we gave him a city to command.’ She clasped her hands together. ‘Maybe we should have some dinner and talk about it.’
Anya walked forward, eager to get off the balcony. They returned to the living room and sat down. On the table were a bowl of spaghetti carbonara and a bowl of bread. She was starving, but the knot in her stomach refused to let her enjoy it.
Agatha helped herself. Dom scooped food onto his plate and, when Anya didn’t move, he dished out a portion for her.
She stared at Agatha. ‘I think you need to start from the beginning.’
Agatha chewed and swallowed her mouthful. ‘The Region was to keep Quintus under control. It was supposed to be a short-term arrangement, but our sensors monitoring the situation stopped working. Maybe Quintus disabled them somehow, but without eyes there, we couldn’t assess the situation properly. And we certainly couldn’t open the door and risk him getting out.’