Imperfect

by Tina Chan

  Kristi nodded to whatever conversation was being held in the Filches’ living room; she wasn’t listening, partly because she didn’t care at that moment and partly because her mind was reeling with thoughts. What sort of selfish, egocentric person am I? Did I really not even stop to think about attempting to save those Accidents in my own desperation to escape the lab?

  “Isn’t that so, Kristi?” Troop asked, breaking through her reflections.

  “Huh—oh, yeah, right,” she said.

  Troop gave her a look as if to say, “You have no idea what you’re saying, do you?”

  She gave the barest hint of a shrug and tuned out whatever Nick or Finn or whoever was rambling on.

  But honestly, what is the point of solving those two cases? I mean, yeah, so we found out where the Accidents are ending up, but so what? There’s nothing I can do about that. And as for the Individualism Case, maybe I’ll just turn it over to Finn’s mom; she’ll be happy about that since she didn’t think I was experienced enough to attempt to complete the two cases.

  “Alright,” Chelsa said. “We’ve found out where the Accidents are ending up. Now what?”

  My thoughts exactly, Kristi thought.

  “We tell the world about this conspiracy,” Troop said.

  “Uh-huh. And how are we going to do that? And why are we going to do that? What is the point of releasing this information?” Kristi immediately felt bad for raining on his parade for the second time in a day. I must be in a worse mood than I thought I was.

  Troop said nothing and she could sense the gears in his brain clicking and turning.

  Hmm, perhaps I should give both the Individualism and Disappearance case to some other Revealer member to solve. I’m not exactly the ideal person to be doing this job.

  “I think I have the answer,” Troop said. “Wait for it, wait for it…”

  Kristi returned to her own thoughts. What is the point of life? What is the point of my life anyways? She tried imagine what Jaiden would say if he was besides her.

  “I think we have some trouble,” Chelsa said.

  Kristi looked up. Chelsa was focused on her electro-slate, which was broadcasting the official government news station. Chelsa angled her slate so that everyone in the room could see it.

  Kristi took a huge gulp when she saw who the guest speaker was: Officer Zala.

  “Good afternoon, citizens. I’m Debbie Kruz reporting from GN Headquarters. Officer Zala is here with me today to make an important public announcement.”

  Zala made an irascible sound with the back of her throat, as if she was barely restraining herself from knocking Debbie out of the way and declaring her announcement. Debbie noticed this and hurriedly wrapped up her sentences.

  “Stay tuned! I’m going to hand it over to Officer Zala, head of the East Region Homeland Security.”

  Debbie almost tripped over her heels when Zala pushed herself forward, right in front of the camera. Zala flashed a quick grimace that Kristi assumed was supposed to be a smile.

  “As many of you already know, there has been a major break-in at a government funded lab. Although everything is now under control, the United Regions Homeland Security is asking all citizens to be on the lookout for the Accidents responsible for this infringement. The East Region Homeland Security’s forces will be doing a door-to-door search for the Accidents. Any resistors to our search will be taken into custody.”

  Zala stopped talking while pictures captured by the lab’s cameras flashed onto the screen, showing Chelsa, Troop and Kristi.

  “Help keep the United Regions safe by reporting any sightings or tips of these fugitives. Citizens aiding the Homeland Security protect the United Regions from these terrorists will be handsomely rewarded.” Zala gave a brisk nod to show she was done speaking and the camera panned back to Debbie.

  “So, fellow citizens, keep your eyes and ears open and report any suspicious activity or persons to the Homeland Security. You can contact your local security branch by dialing 1600 plus your area code,” said Debbie. “That’s all there is for now. Until next time, folks.”

  A commercial for the latest electro-slate began to play and Chelsa clicked her electro-slate off.

  “Door-to-door search?” Finn said. He snitched his crutches off the couch and swung over to a window and peered out, like he was looking to see if he could spot the officers making their way down the street.

  “Is there a place where we can stay until the search blows over?” Troop asked.

  “I can think of one or two,” Jane answered. “But getting you four to the safe place may be more risk than it’s worth.”

  As if to emphasize Jane’s point, a Homeland Security helicopter whirled by overhead. The sound of the helicopter’s blade spinning shook the apartment walls.

  “But we can’t stay here,” Chelsa said. “Sooner or later, the officials are going to search your place and find us.”

  At this point, I couldn’t have cared less, Kristi thought.

  A little, rebellious voice in the back of her head spoke up. What is wrong with you today, Kristi? It sounds like you’re planning your death.

  Well, maybe I am. I can’t believe I haven’t realized this for a long time: there is no point in life. It just goes on. Why doesn’t it seem like no one else has noticed that?

  The voice responded, Well, have you considered this: Life is an endless chain of meaningless actions. Your purpose is to bring meaning to those actions.

  Oh, thought Kristi, then, Am I seriously having a mental conversation with myself? I think I’m going insane.

  “I’ve got it!” Troop snapped his fingers in excitement. “Never mind…I just lost it. Give me a second.”

  “While we wait for Troop to relocate his idea, does anyone have any suggestions for our current predicament?” Finn asked. “We’re rather pressed for time right now.”

  I might as well take a stab with figuring out how to evade the officials for now, Kristi told herself. Okay, so I know what is happening to the disappearing Accidents and I also have proof of the government funded science corporations testing on them, thanks to the contact-cam. How does the Disappearance Case relate to the Individualism Case, though? How does missing people connect to the population forgetting “perfection” is an opinion, not a fact or standard set by the authority?

  Suddenly she got it. Kristi looked up from her lap and saw that Troop seemed to have reached some sort of conclusion as well.

  “If people—” they both started to say at the same time.

  “Go ahead,” Troop said. “Say what you wanted first.”

  “Alright.” Kristi took a look around the room. Everyone’s attention was latched onto her. “I think what my parents wanted to do was bring awareness of the Accidents’ plight to the public in hopes that if people know the price of having a genetically ‘perfect’ race they will condemn it. The purpose of the Naturals is to show everyone perfection is an illusion. The public buys into the propaganda that portrays Accidents as dumb, ugly and maybe even dangerous people, but we all know that is not true. I mean, look at us.” She tipped her head towards Chelsa, Finn and Troop. “We’re not uncivilized savages. Most of the Perfects have been corrupted into believing without genetic alteration, humans would become beasts.”

  “Over seven billion points are spent each year on genetic alteration updates in the United Regions,” Jane interjected.

  “Perfects are afraid of becoming imperfect,” Chelsa breathed out, catching onto her train of thoughts.

  “Exactly,” Kristi said. “Except that doesn’t really make sense because Perfects aren’t perfect to begin with. And just because Accidents have no DNA tailoring doesn’t make them imperfect either.”

  “You’ve lost me,” Finn said. “How can a person be neither perfect nor imperfect at the same time?”

  “It all depends on the point of view of the person judging. But that’s not the main point. The main point is that people have forgotten how to be unique individua
ls. We need to remind the world there is no such thing as a one-size-fits all form of perfection.”

  “That’s great and all,” said Finn. “But how does reminding the Perfects that perfection is an illusion going to help us right now?”

  “I think I know how,” Troop said. “Nick and Jane, do you think you can override the government news station?”

  “I believe so,” Jane said. “I’ve never tried to before, but that was because I’ve never had the need to. Is there a reason why you need an override?”

  Troop nodded. “If we can cause some commotion that will hinder the Homeland Security for a while, it will give us the chance to sneak into the safe house to hide until the door-to-door search is over.”

  “And what is your idea of causing some commotion?” asked Chelsa.

  “I was getting to that. If we can broadcast the testing done on Accidents in search of more DNA alterations for Perfects on the public news-screens, then that should stir up some commotion on the streets. At the same time, we can start the Individualism Case by trying to convince the population that non-genetically altered people aren’t much different from Perfects. Two birds, one stone.”

  That doesn’t sound like a very reliable plan, thought Kristi. But a plan is better than no plan.

  chapter forty-seven

  [ Troop ]