by Simone Pond
The audience breaks into canned laughter like a sitcom. The man sitting in front of me tells his daughter how much he loves Barb’s positive spin.
“Well, Barb, the good news is we now have a slew of laborers to help with the finishing touches on the City Center.”
“Will they be up for the task, Dan?”
“It’s either work or starve, and nothing motivates a person like hunger pains.” Dan winks to the camera, causing the audience to chuckle. I’m getting sicker by the second.
“I can’t watch anymore,” I tell Dru.
“Just stay.” Dru holds my hand and squeezes my fingers. “I’m right here.”
“Officials weren’t expecting such a high success rate right out of the gate. Some are even posturing that the final phases of the Repatterning might not take a full three years.” Barb looks at Dan with raised eyebrows. “We tried to get an interview, but these men are very busy, as you can see…” The screen shows aerial footage of Bel Air. The camera zooms in over my house—the murky castle—to where some of my father’s colleagues are walking up the steps. They’re escorting garish, young women who are not their wives.
“They look very busy, indeed.” Barb winks.
“Since we can’t get a live interview with the man behind the plan, we went through the archives and pulled up an old interview of Professor Morray.”
The audience watches on, captivated, while I sink lower into my seat to shield myself. My father sits in a brown leather chair, holding a scotch. The interview must be from ten or fifteen years ago. He looks younger—his hair is still dark, not a single streak of white, and he’s not wearing his typical black-framed glasses. Planning an apocalypse ages a person.
“Professor Morray, tell our viewers what it’s like being the first scientist in the world to discover the most efficient process for DNA replication?”
“It’s an enormous win.” His voice sounds high and nasally.
“Can you give an overview of this breakthrough, in layman’s terms?”
“The work we’ve done with synthesizing XNA molecules is nothing new to the field of science. Polymers of any kind can store information, but we’ve found a way to copy XNA back into DNA, which results in a system that allows for the replication and propagation of genetic information.”
“Can you give an example?”
“It’s similar to how a plant propagates from stem cuttings. Only our process has far more uses than simple replication. We’re talking about designer evolution.”
“Creating the super-human.”
“Sure, if you want to look at it that way.”
The interview abruptly cuts off and we’re back to Barb and Dan sipping fresh martinis.
“I don’t know about you, Dan, but I didn’t understand a word he was saying.” Barb chuckles at her own ignorance.
Dan pats her shoulder. “Since this interview there’s been much more research. Professor Morray and his team are changing the world. It’s safe to say we’re living among true gods. After the Repatterning phases are complete, we’ll have a clean slate and a second chance. I marvel over the possibilities.”
“I bet you’re marveling over what your future designer wife will look like.”
The audience cracks up.
“Well, viewers, be sure to tune in tomorrow night where we’ll check in on the Westside neighborhoods.” They toast each other and sign off.
I can’t breathe. I jump out of my chair, bolting out of the stadium.
“William!” Dru chases after me.
I don’t want to talk to her. I don’t want to talk to anyone. Talking about it only makes it real. I don’t want this to be real.
Dru catches up and follows me out to the platform.
“I need to get back to my place, Dru. Rest up for tomorrow’s training.” I look at the ground so she can’t see the tears I’m trying to blink away. I hate myself for crying in front of her—twice in one day.
“Maybe we could go for a walk?”
“Where are we supposed walk down here?” My voice erupts and echoes all around us.
She steps back and looks at her hands. I immediately regret taking out my anger on her. One of her fingernails is bleeding from biting too far. “It’s a lot to take in, but we’re going to fix it and make it right. You’re a part of a team now,” she says.
“I don’t think so. I’m a loner. Always have been.”
“Maybe it’s time to change that. You don’t have to be alone anymore.” She grabs me and pulls me closer. My heart races and I’d love to hold her and kiss her right here on this platform, forgetting everything I just saw. But even Dru’s sentiment can’t ease the hatred I have for my father and the Repatterning.
“I appreciate that, Dru. Really, more than you know, but I’m beat.” The Blue Line pulls up and I step inside.
I can’t believe there was a time when I wanted to help out with the Repatterning. For the first time in my life, I’m grateful for my father’s rejection. No way I would ever be a part of something so horrific. I can’t let him or those elitist pigs get away with their global genocide. Dru’s right—whether I’m ready or not—I’m part of a team now and maybe we can make this right. I’ll train every day, all day if necessary, until I’m indestructible. My loyalty is with Zach and Dru, and we will stop my father and put an end to this destruction.
Chapter 8
The last nine months down in the Subterranea have been long and taxing. The holidays—a pathetic attempt to keep us distracted and make us feel a sense of normalcy—came and went. What a farce. There’s nothing normal about living a mile underground, eating in a cafeteria that’s an ever-changing movie set, and watching virtual sporting events with made-up teams nobody cares about. The nightly dose of America 2.0 continued reaching new lows of human degradation, yet provided endless entertainment for the residents. I stopped watching it a while back. Still no sign of Mother, except for the occasional video chat. I have no idea what’s she’s doing across the hall, but I stopped worrying about her. Training has been my number-one priority, and getting to know Dru is a close second. We don’t get much alone time together, except in the holodome where we take full advantage of being blocked off from the cameras. Zach put me on a high-protein diet with lots of weight and cardio training, so I’m not a wuss anymore. I could pass for military—I even shaved my shag and sport a buzz cut.
Our team expanded by one person and now includes Sarah—the mousy MIT computer genius I met in orientation. Zach was hoping for a few more recruits, but none of the other residents saw the value in combat training. They’re more interested in vanity workouts. One day Sarah showed up to training. She said she was bored and needed a challenge. Also, she was tired of her mother telling her what to do. The first time she went into the holodome, she was gangly and unsure of herself; Dru had to carry her through the collapsing building. She got us killed the second we got to the street, trying to do something on Dru’s digi-pad.
Zach tore into her. “What the hell were you trying to accomplish?”
“None of your business,” she cried.
“It’s my business if you’re on my team.”
“This program could use some upgrades,” she said.
“I’ll decide what needs what,” Zach told her.
“Hey, it’s her first time. Cool out.” I stepped up to Zach.
Dru interceded. “We’re on the same team, guys. But William is right; this was Sarah’s first time. Not everybody can be like William their first go-around.”
“My apologies, I’m just anxious to start the mission. Don’t need anyone going rogue on me.” Zach extended his hand.
“You know, there’s a better way to get out of the building,” she said.
“What are you thinking?”
“Don’t start the program there.”
“Can you reprogram it?” Dru asked. “We lost our programmer a while back.”
“Give me a day with the software.”
The next time we entered
the holodome, Sarah had programmed the app to start on a freeway heading into the city, instead of inside the collapsing building—she had ground troops on us and drones flying overhead—it wasn’t any easier, but it made more sense to mix things up and practice some outdoor scenarios. After that, Zach never questioned her again. Sarah loves a good binary code challenge; in the holodome, she’s come close to breaking my father’s lab access codes, but we still haven’t gotten inside because the algorithms change daily. Zach doesn’t want to leave the Subterranea until we do. It’s too dangerous until we have everything locked in.
Since Dru isn’t permitted to hang out with the residents, I’ve grown close to Sarah these last few months. We spend most of our free time together, eating dinner and watching movies. She makes being in this underground prison a lot less lonely. It’s not the same as family, but since my only family is hiding behind locked doors, Sarah’s the closest thing I’ve got.
It’s my seventeenth birthday and we’re standing in front of my mother’s door and I’m a little nervous. I haven’t seen her in almost a year. Sarah said she’d break the entry code so I could check on her.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Sarah asks.
“I just want to make sure she hasn’t snuck off and left me behind.”
“What if you find something you don’t want to know?”
“What if?”
“You can never go back to not knowing.” Sarah’s a smart girl, but she’s not going to change my mind—I’m breaking into my mother’s room.
“She’s probably just hooked up to some ultra-advanced beauty treatment shaving years off her life.” I laugh, hoping this is the case.
“I just want to make sure you’re prepared.”
“I think I can handle my mother.”
“Okay, but you’ve been warned.”
Sarah takes out her digi-pad—Zach gave her a personal device so she wouldn’t need to snag Dru’s—and with laser sharp focus she attaches it to my mother’s keypad. I’m blown away with her ability to understand and manipulate coding. It goes over my head.
“You’ll have to teach me some of your secrets.”
“All in good time.” She smiles and types in a series of numbers.
The door slides open.
“You did it,” I whisper, unable to move forward.
“Are you going in?”
Panic creeps up my throat. What if Sarah’s right and I see something I don’t want to, like Mother rotting away or no longer living in the facilities. These last nine months I’ve trained against armed gangs and paramilitary attacks, but I’m practically paralyzed about seeing my mother. I breathe and count to ten. “Okay, I’m ready.” I step inside.
The place looks like a palace somewhere on the Galapagos Islands: blue skies, rolling green hills and white sand beaches, and the sound of water splashing on the shore. White window sheers billow into the room like waves. Far off in the back, there’s cabana overlooking a pristine stretch of beaches. I hear Mother’s flirtatious giggling. I haven’t heard that particular brand of laughter since we lived at the house—usually whenever I was about to stumble on her and Dickson kissing in a discrete corner. Is Dickson here? There’s no way she got him to move in, not while he’s helping my father with the final phases. But maybe she snuck him in for a quick rendezvous. I tiptoe around the canvas tent to get a better look. It sounds like she’s talking to herself. She has been cooped up in this place without any human contact for over nine months; that could drive anyone insane. Maybe it’s a virtual program? I step around to the front of the cabana to find her rolling around on the bed. With a man.
“You’ve been with Dickson this whole time? I wasn’t good enough company for you, huh, Mother?”
“William! What have you done?” She pulls the sheets over her naked body. Dickson rolls off to the floor, grabbing for the sheets.
“How’d you get him in here?”
“You have no business breaking into my room. Into my private business.”
“I figured it’d be nice to see you on my birthday, since you’re my mother and all.” I kick the pile of clothes strewn on the floor. They look a lot like the clothes assigned to the men in the Subterranea—the same black microfiber material as mine. Dickson wears suits.
“Oh, William, darling,” she cries.
Dickson kicks the sheets off and stands up. I lean against the flimsy cabana wall to keep myself steady. It’s not Dickson. It’s my worst nightmare.
“You’re sick, Mother. He’s my age!” Bile rushes up my throat, but I stand my ground.
“Oh, William, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me,” she weeps.
“You don’t know the meaning of sorry.” I back away. “I’m done with you.”
Jack stands in front of me naked, pushing his bangs to the side and grinning. He hasn’t come near me since the night I knocked him down on the platform. He found another way to get back at me. I can’t look at my mother without feeling nauseous. I run out of the room with Sarah trailing behind. She follows me into my place.
“I’m so sorry.” She tries to hug me.
I push her away. “Get away from me!”
“I’m sorry, William.”
“You don’t know. You don’t even know…” I don’t know whether to laugh or cry or both.
She comes back over and I try to bat her away, but she locks her arms around me and caresses my back—it feels so good to be touched like this. My head is spinning. I want to hate all women. They can’t be trusted. But Sarah feels so good. She nestles her face into my neck and kisses me, slowly making her way to my lips. Her brown eyes peer into me. I shake my head… No! I don’t want this. She keeps kissing me and pulling me against her body. My insides feel like they’re going to explode if I don’t do something. We stumble into my bedroom and collapse onto the couch. Before I can say anything, she rips her shirt trying to get it off, then pulls off mine and presses her bare chest against me. We yank off our shorts and it’s too late to stop—I’m on top of her. This is my first time. Sarah’s moaning and biting my neck, as I keep pressing into her, crying out incomprehensible words, and finally releasing every molecule of energy from my body. She holds on tight, not letting go of me and it hits me what we’ve just done. I roll off to the floor and stare at the white clouds drifting overhead. My unit is programmed to resemble the beach—my favorite place.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
Sarah grabs her clothes and runs to the bathroom. I wait a few minutes, then tap on the door and go inside. She’s standing in front of the mirror with only her shorts on.
“Sarah?”
“Leave me alone!” She covers her chest with her arms.
“Here, take my shirt. You can’t ride the Blue Line topless.”
“Screw you, William.” She grabs my shirt and puts it on.
“I didn’t mean for that to happen. You were all over me. I got confused.”
“You want to know the worst part?” she asks.
“Not especially.”
“You called out her name.”
“Whose name? What are you talking about?”
“Dru. You called out for Dru, you asshole.”
“I didn’t call out anyone’s name.”
“I’m such an idiot.”
I try to hug her. “It’s my fault. I didn’t mean for that to happen,” I tell her. “I tried to stop myself, but…” My words sound clunky and forced. “It was a mistake.”
She pushes me away. “So I’m a mistake because I’m not Dru?”
“I didn’t mean you’re a mistake, just what we did.”
“You’re a dick. You know that?”
“Why? Because I’m in love with Dru? I can’t help how I feel.”
“If we ever make it out of here, I hope you both live happily ever after.”
“Don’t be like this. You’re my best friend in this shithole.”
“Well, that ended today. Just leave me alone.” Sarah leaves my place.
; This is the worst birthday ever. First finding my mother with Jack, and now losing my best friend. I didn’t know Sarah had feelings for me. I thought it was pretty obvious how I felt about Dru. Sure, the only place we can hang out is inside the holodome. But that’s only temporary. Once we’re out of this place and we’re going to be together.
I’ll never forget the first time I told Dru how I felt. I had faked an ankle sprain so we could have a few minutes together.
“I’m not really hurt,” I confessed.
Dru sat down next to me. “I figured.” She smiled and nudged up against me, kissing me softly. I remember thinking how I couldn’t wait to kiss her outside the holodome program.
“I need to tell you something.”
“Well, you better hurry before Zach starts shouting for us.”
“I really like you.” My level of confidence is much higher in the holodome than in real life. “It’s actually more than like: I’m in love with you.”
“Finally.” A beam of sunlight spread across her face and the yellow flecks in her eyes glittered. The holodome does some pretty trippy things.
“Finally, what?”
“I’ve been waiting for you to say that.” She kissed me long and hard, and the trees around us illuminated, as a cool breeze whirled between our bodies.
I held her beautiful face in my hands and stared into her green eyes. I saw endless streams of promise and hope. “When this is over, we have to be together.”
“Of course,” she said, smiling.
I know with every fiber of my being that Dru and I are meant to be together. Regardless of what happened between Sarah and me. I don’t feel good about what went down, but I can’t undo it now. I just hope Sarah doesn’t blab off to Dru and ruin everything.
Chapter 9
It’s early and I head to the training facility early, hoping to arrive before Sarah to manage any information about what happened yesterday, but she’s already waiting in the hallway. Her hair is pulled back and she looks fierce—somehow older and more chiseled. She won’t look at me and I don’t blame her. I feel sick about the whole thing. Dru’s occupied with her digi-pad, so I make my way over to Sarah to check in. “You okay?” I keep my voice low; I don’t want Dru to find out what happened.