 
# Death Shop

### With Hope, Anything is Possible — Or Not

## George Donnelly

#### Cheverer

### Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Chapter 66

Chapter 67

Chapter 68

Did you Like this Book?

About the Author

Also by the Author
**Death Shop**

George Donnelly

* * *

Copyright 2015 George Donnelly

Smashwords Edition

* * *

Smashwords Edition, License Notes:

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. But, seriously, please share this book with your friends.

ISBN: 978-1-941939-04-8
**Death Shop**

Book 1 in the **Republic Trust** Series

_T he Republic Trust is our protector. Form a single file for the daily 500-calorie feed line, courtesy of Xemura Pharma._

Ailsa Santamaria whores for food on the killing streets of Protectorate 13477 as she struggles to break her daughter Texa's screen addiction. She won't trade control of her mind for a slim chance at a better life. She's not like the others.

But uplift arrives in Protectorate 13477 nevertheless. Ailsa discovers a way out for her and Texa, but it may not bring the relief she seeks. She thought she had nothing left to lose. That was a lie.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright 2014, 2015 George Donnelly

* * *

Cover design by Alexis Art Book Covers, Anna Crosswell

The author greatly appreciates you taking the time to read his work. Please consider leaving a review wherever you bought the book or telling your friends about it to help spread the word.

ISBN: 978-1-941939-04-8

Get 3 free books at GeorgeDonnelly.com.
_To r/DarkFuturology:_

_Thanks for the inspiration_

_— or should I call it despair. :)_

# 1

"This damned thing won't connect!" Ailsa rapped the palm-sized device on the sidewalk. Her shoulder-length, dirty blond hair spiked out in multiple directions. She brushed it back.

Texa stared at the giant viewscreen across the street. An advertisement for Xemura Pharma flashed across it. The small girl's rheumy eyes blanked out. She sat cross-legged on the pockmarked sidewalk next to her mother. Beyond the viewscreen sat the wall. Guardians patrolled its heights with weapons ready.

"Did you hear me?" Ailsa whispered. She glanced down the street towards the feed line. "Do you have any other ideas? You are a bright little girl. I believe in—"

"With hope, you can do anything!" Texa whispered the words in unison with the mouth movements of a character onscreen. "Mommy!" She turned to Ailsa. "The audio subscription?"

Ailsa firmed her mouth. Her eyes tightened. "You know the answer, baby girl."

"Why don't you get us some money?" Texa furrowed her brow at her mother.

Ailsa looked away. A heaviness grew in her chest and her face burned with shame. She let the handheld device fall to the ground and opened her mouth to take a deep, calming breath. I can fix it. There is still time.

A little boy with a silver visor over his eyes ran around the corner and palmed the device. Ailsa grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards her.

"Don't you dare!" she yelled. "I just put it down, that's all!" She pulled the device from his hand and buried it in her gut pocket.

The boy's visor slipped down his nose. She ripped it off of his face and he screamed.

"Didn't your mother teach you not to steal?" Ailsa yelled.

His face seized up. His eyes were all white. "I didn't have a mother, lady. Please, put it back. I just got it this morning and I still got a debt. I can see for the first time in seven months. I can't live without it!"

She looked at Texa and grinned. Texa shifted her eyes towards her mother but did not look away from the viewscreen across the street.

She slipped the visor back on the boy's face and arranged his bangs. He cocked his head to one side and smiled at her. "You didn't have to do that, you know. It's worth something."

Ailsa shrugged. She turned and stared at her daughter.

The boy took a seat in front of her. "What's your name?"

"What right do you have to my name?" Ailsa asked. "Private information."

To her right, the end of the feed line crawled in their direction. Guardians flew in and parked their scooters in the street in front of them.

Texa growled. She got on all fours and crawled up the block past her mother so she could see the viewscreen again.

"Are you in the feed line?" asked the boy. "My name's Henry, by the way."

Ailsa stared at him. There was the current again, like a low hum in her brain. She shook it off. "Henry? That's an old-fashioned one. How did you get a name like that?" She looked up the block at Texa.

"If you want to eat today, you better get in line," said Henry. "The Gards are here to close it off, you know." He stood up and walked towards the end of the line.

She pursed her lips. "I know how these things work." She stood up and walked to Texa. She grabbed her arm. "It's time to go little girl. I have a bad feeling about this."

Down the street, Guardians blocked access to the feed line with their bodies. A shriek sounded in her ear and she crashed to one knee.

"This Xemura Feed Line is now closed. Do not attempt to join the queue. Do not move out of line. Everyone currently in line will receive a five-hundred-calorie ration courtesy of Xemura Pharma. Violators are subject to a three-day sustenance suspension. Stay in line. Remain calm. The Republic will care for us."

The viewscreen in front of them went all-white. Ailsa noticed out of the corner of her eye that the other viewscreens on the block changed, too. Black letters appeared. "The Republic Trust is our protector!" they said. The Guardians on the wall looked down on them.

Texa turned to her mother and slapped the sidewalk. "Mom!" she whined. "The viewscreen!"

Ailsa felt the rage rise in her, too. She exhaled purposefully then smiled at her daughter. "There's nothing—"

"Five-hundred calories a day ain't enough for no man!" The deep, throaty yell came from behind her.

Ailsa pulled Texa to her feet. Texa refused to put her feet down and run. Ailsa held her against her chest. She ran around the corner. Texa scratched her face.

"My show's not over! Take me back! Take me back!" Texa screamed. There was blood under her fingernails.

Ailsa grabbed Texa's hands and squeezed them together. Blood trickled from the gashes on the young mother's face.

"I'm sorry, baby, but things are about—"

A rising chorus came from the street behind them. "Our fair share! Our fair share! Our fair share!"

Ailsa's neck muscles tensed. Her head arched backwards and a desperate ache spread throughout her back. "Don't worry, baby girl. We're almost there. Try to calm down. Do the breathing—"

"Warning," said a genderless voice in her ear, "this is now an illegal assembly. Disperse or be terminated."

A Guardian scooter zipped past them and stopped in their path. Henry stuck his head out of the front window. "Get on. I can save you!"

Ailsa stopped dead and scowled at him. What more do I have to lose? Better to try than to die like an animal in the street. She climbed into the backseat and sat Texa next to her. Texa's tiny body collapsed and her head bounced against the car door.

"Go!" yelled Ailsa. "Go!" The inside of the scooter stank of sweat and rotten food. There was a small plaque on the rear of the front passenger seat. "Sponsored by Xemura Pharma," it said.

Henry jammed his feet into the accelerator pedal and they took off into the sky.

"We beat it! We got—" started Henry.

The termination registered in her ear as a piercing but low scream. She grimaced for a brief second then smiled at Texa and caressed her soft, blond hair. "We made it, little one. Just out of range," she whispered. She let herself feel the exhaustion that tugged at every bone in her body. Now what?

The scooter dived forward. Ailsa's chest slammed into the bench wall in front of her. She caught Texa and struggled to expand her lungs.

"Henry!" she yelled.

A shiny cobalt skyscraper grew in front of them. She reached forward and pulled Henry's limp body to one side. His feet came off the pedals. The car leveled off. The building was still in front of them.

She grabbed the wheel and turned right but the inertia carried them sideways into a deep blue window. A nasty crunch sounded followed by a long screech. Their bodies were thrown hard against the crumpled driver's side of the vehicle. They began to fall.

# 2

Ailsa fought raw panic to grab the wheel but the rest of her body would not come. The windshield screamed as air fought to pass through its broken lines. The approaching city below beckoned them on. Ahead and below, she spied the next protectorate over and the high wall that separated them. The other protectorate was a crater-filled wasteland of rock, dirt and rusting machines.

Ailsa looked back at her daughter. Texa was lodged against the back window. Her eyes were closed and her shoulders were rotated inwards. She was silent.

But we've come so far. "With hope, anything is possible." Texa mouthed the words in Ailsa's mind's eye.

She tensed her arms and pulled her body closer to the oncoming cement. She stiffened her abdomen but her feet fought her.

Ailsa felt the weakness. This is better. She won't feel a thing. Ailsa relaxed.

The scooter slowed and leveled off. Ailsa rolled over into the front seat.

A shrill siren sounded in her ear. "You have highjacked a Guardian vehicle. Ailsa Santamaria and Texaco Santamaria, you are hereby sentenced to thirty hours of correction. Do not attempt to exit the vehicle. Place your hands on the back of your neck and close your eyes."

# 3

Ailsa limped out of Protectorate 13477. It was a thick, gray stone building that sprawled across the block. The windows were blackened and the street was empty. Ailsa cradled Texa in her arms. She was still asleep from the post-correction satiators.

A lone delivery truck carried a light load down the potholed street. Ailsa trundled down the hard steps. She found a viewscreen and sat down across from it on the cold cement.

"With hope, anything is possible," she whispered. She sneered. What if there is no hope?

She jiggled her baby girl. Texa's eyes were open but there was no spark in them. "Come on, baby, wake up." She started to sing. "My little girl, oh, my little girl. She is so happy and sweet. I so love her, I so love—"

Ailsa's voice choked off. She lost herself in the viewscreen soap opera but held tight onto her little girl. No one can take her from me. Never. The thought echoed in her subconscious.

# 4

Ailsa looked away from the viewscreen. It was dark. Damnit! I lost all day here. She pulled the device from her gut pocket. The Gards hadn't thought to look for it. Still no signal. That pirate ripped me off.

The thought of Texa protruded into her mind. Ailsa didn't want to look down at her but she forced herself. Texa's eyes blinked. Ailsa caressed her face. "Don't worry, little one. I will figure a way out of this for us. With hope, anything is possible, right?" I'm hoping, but I don't know why.

The corners of Texa's mouth creased and she licked her lips.

Ailsa walked blocks to reach their favorite spot near the feed line. Hoverbots scooped up the last of the dead bodies into shiny green dumpsters. Her ear buzzed with the warning to stay back. Hungry men, that's all they were. And now they were dead, killed like dogs in the street without dignity.

Ailsa made her way to the short feed line and within an hour found a picnic bench in the cavernous basement of the feeding facility. She sat Texa on the edge of the bench between her legs and stuffed bite-sized chunks of bologna on white bread into the drugged-up child's mouth.

A viewscreen came on and Texa popped awake. "Mommy!" she said in a slow, faraway voice, "You paid for the audio. It's working."

A Guardianship spokesperson came onscreen. "Welcome to this Guardian feeding station, brought to you by Xemura Pharma," the white-helmeted woman said. "You will find this food nourishing and tasty. Even the little ones love it!" she added in a sing-song voice. Her image morphed into smiling children frolicking on a grassy knoll next to a stream. "This feeding station is made possible—"

The viewscreen froze. It turned black. White words scrolled across it. "Wait until the end of this message for the keyword," it said. The sounds echoed in her mind as she both read and heard them.

"Guardian protectorate number 13477 is hiring three Guardian trainees," it continued. No one moved. All eyes focused on the viewscreen. There was complete silence.

"You must be a full citizen in good standing without debt and able-bodied between the ages of fourteen and forty-five. Childcare, education, occupational training for you, a full two-thousand calorie daily feed allowance, clothing and accommodations are included with the position as well as an honorary stipend."

The viewscreen showed a map. "To apply, proceed to grid 115, street 4, entry 7. The keyword is elixtography. Remember, the Republic will care for us." The screen went dark and the lights came on.

Ailsa grabbed Texa and ran for the door.

"But, Mommy, my sandwich!" yelled Texa. The sandwich hit the floor and was gone under a dozen pair of feet.

Ailsa grabbed Texa's head, laid it down on her shoulder and pointed the face inwards. She covered Texa's eyes with one hand and held the other tight under her buttocks.

She pushed and she ran.

# 5

There was already a long line at the protectorate. Ailsa grabbed a spot and kept her toes always directly behind the heels of the person in front of her. No one is line-jumping on me.

Ailsa moved to put Texa down.

"No!" Texa screamed. "I want up!"

Please don't start. Not now. Not when we have this chance. Sure, it's a slim chance. If you look at it too closely, it's no chance. But it's still a chance. And any chance, even no chance, is better than the alternative. She picked Texa back up. "Happy now, little girl?" Please be happy. If we can't catch this chance, I don't know what we'll do.

Texa nodded, her eyes far away.

Ailsa's heart melted. A doubt entered her mind. She tapped the shoulder of the man in front of her. "Is this the line for the trainee position?"

The man looked back at her, his eyes wide open. "How dare you touch me! How dare you touch me!" He pushed her and she fell back into the people behind her. Several of them fell to the floor like dominoes. Ailsa struggled to get off of them without hurting Texa.

A helmeted Guardian approached them. "You two, out! Now!" He grabbed the man and Ailsa and dragged them towards the narrow front door.

"I only asked him if I was in the right line!" yelled Ailsa. She glimpsed the hard, stubbled face and blank eyes of the Guardian through his helmet. He had a growing double-chin and his abdomen stretched the white fabric of his suit.

"We don't have time for troublemakers or line-jumpers at this protectorate." He kicked the front door open and pushed them out into the night.

Ailsa and the wild-eyed man collided. He kicked her and she fell down the steps, back first. In mid-air, she grabbed tight onto Texa and nestled the girl's head into her soft chest.

Ailsa's back hit the sharp concrete steps and she gasped for breath. Texa screamed.

"Stay away from my mommy!" Texa yelled. She got up and walked over to the man. She shook a finger in his face and curled her upper lip. "Don't you touch her again."

# 6

Ailsa fought her own body as she lowered herself down to the sidewalk just a few feet down from their usual spot. Where they normally sat lay a body covered in dirty white rags next to a mix of tan feces and pale green vomit. A fat, black rat fed on the brew.

"Mommy, are you going to be okay?" Texa asked. The girl fixed her eyes on the viewscreen across the street. They went blank and her face relaxed. "With hope, anything is possible," she whispered with rising intonation.

"Don't worry, baby, I will—" She let out a tiny whimper as she stretched her back. "I will be okay." She turned and smiled at Texa. A stench of graphite and bologna mixed with a deep sewer musk reached her nose. She started to move, then remembered Texa and gave up hope.

Texa giggled. The darkness in her eyes lifted for a moment as her cheeks curved upward.

Ailsa sighed. I can't blame her for wanting to escape into the screen. But what future is there for a child addicted to it and without any education? She closed her eyes.

A man tapped her on the shoulder. "How about a meal, angel?"

She looked up at him out of the haze of her dream. He looked like a god to her.

"A meal, what meal?" she asked.

"Five clients, five tickets. Come on." He snatched her hand and pulled her up. He was portly, with short, dark hair that sat tousled above his lined face.

She groaned as her back reorganized itself.

He narrowed his eyes. "You alright, angel?"

"I just hurt my back, that's all."

"Don't worry, we'll get you some satiators." He grinned. His teeth were black and gray. A front tooth and two smaller bottom ones were missing.

Ailsa frowned. "I'm just so hungry. Do you have a lot of food?"

"It's the all-you-can-eat, angel." He leaned down and picked up Texa. She laid her head on his shoulder and kept her eyes on the viewscreen. "And one order of the usual entertainment for this one!"

"Mac, I need to see the food first. I need to know..."

He turned around and smiled at her. "You know I always take care of my girls." He coughed and spit phlegm on the sidewalk with a deep, gurgling noise.

Ailsa plodded after him. This is not the chance I wanted but maybe it's the only one I deserve.

# 7

A Guardian walked into the room. He took off his helmet, stomped his feet and raised his eyebrows at her.

Ailsa lay on the narrow, lumpy bed. She stared up at the dust-encrusted ceiling. She struggled to purge her mind of disgust and fear.

"What's it gonna take?" yelled the Guardian.

A tremor ran through Ailsa. She raised herself up to look. It's the same one. "Hey, I still need a job," she said. "Maybe we can work something—"

"I only have a five-minute break so be quick about it," he said. He opened the velcro flap on the front of his suit and exposed himself. He stared at her with dead eyes.

She got off the bed and kneeled in front of him. She caught her reflection in a mirror that lay to her left. She was naked and emaciated. Her small breasts clung tightly to her chest just above the outlines of her rib cage. She studied her face and found it pleasing. Her hair was freshly washed. It hung around her head like a flowing halo. Am I really here? Again? Is this all there is for me? What about my little girl?

Ailsa despaired but resolved to try anyway. "If you can get me into that trainee position, we can work out a more regular arrangement," she said. She looked up at him and softened her face.

He pursed his lips in contempt. "This is the position you seem to be most qualified for. Now I have four minutes. Take care of the Republic and it will take care of you. He smirked then scowled down at Ailsa. "Be quick!"

Ailsa did what she had to do.

# 8

Ailsa lay naked under the gray, threadbare sheet. She hurt. She didn't like to hurt. It reminded her of things she wanted to forget. The current still pulsed through her but it was much weaker now.

The door slid open and Mac stuck his head in. "Last one. Texa is asleep and I've got my eye on her, no worries there."

"Just give me five minutes," said Ailsa. "The last one..."

"Yeah that one is, uh, okay. Five minutes. I'll try to send this one to someone else." He paused a moment to look at her hair and opened his mouth. He snapped it shut, turned and closed the door behind him.

The door slammed closed. It jarred her awake. "I said five minutes, Mac. Just—"

She turned. It was the wild-eyed man from the protectorate.

He grinned. He had no teeth. He scratched an open sore on his cheek.

"No. No. Just get out," Ailsa said.

His eyes went wide. His lips flapped open and his body began to shake. "But I paid," he said in a gentle voice.

She sat up in bed. "I'm sorry." She cleared her throat. "Are you going to be violent?"

"No, no, of course not. I just..." He blushed.

"Let's get it over with," she said.

"Yes, ma'am." He stared at her as he undressed.

She threw the covers back and looked at herself in the mirror. She was bleeding.

Just get through it, just get through it. Almost done. Then we eat. All you can eat. Her spirit jumped and a smile pushed the sides of her mouth up.

# 9

The wild-eyed man struggled to get his shirt over his head. "Are you going to be alright?" he asked.

Ailsa curled into a fetal position, her head on the soft pillow. She felt safe, relaxed. The bed was cool. She ignored the pain and focused on the good feelings. My little girl can eat now. I can eat now! A feeling of joy welled up in her and nothing else mattered.

She nodded to the man. "What's your name?"

"Milton." He pulled his pants up and fastened his belt tight around his thin midsection. "I'm real sorry about when I pushed you earlier, over at the protectorate. I got freaked out and I didn't..." He looked away. "I can't always get my meds."

"You have your meds now?" She lay on her side and twirled her hair around her right index finger.

Milton nodded with a small smile. "Oh, yeah. Five days worth."

"How did you afford them?" asked Ailsa.

There was a pounding at the door. "Thirty seconds, bud." It was Mac.

"It's the— What's your name, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Call me Lizzy." She raised an eyebrow and smiled at him. She let her hair flop forward over her face and she giggled.

Milton's toothless mouth hung open. "If I hadn't just..." He gulped. "Well, I would want to do it again. Have you done any modeling?"

She looked down and pouted. "I did plumber training but with all the bots, who needs a plumber?"

Milton finished slipping into his shoes. He nodded. "I was a scientist, a long time ago."

"So how did you earn the money for your meds, and for me?"

"Oh, Death Shop," he said. "They—"

The door flew open. "You're over, sir," said Mac. "Time to go."

"No, wait!" cried Ailsa.

# 10

"Wait, Milton," Ailsa yelled. She ran out the door of the brothel with a sleeping Texa over her shoulder and her shoes in one hand. She stepped on something sharp and fell onto her butt.

"Ow, my back," she whispered. A dull ache shot up her spine. "Milton!"

Milton walked a few steps back towards her. "It's 4 AM, Lizzy. I have to go to work. Gotta pay for my next date with you." He turned and walked away from her.

Ailsa picked herself up with one hand on the back of Texa's neck. "What is the Death Shop?" she asked in a loud whisper.

Milton's eyes went wide. "I can't— No. No!" He took a step towards her. "Quiet! You mustn't— It's..." He shook his head violently.

Ailsa took a step back. "I'm dying here, Milton." Her eyes watered up and sparkled. "My baby girl... We need money!"

Milton scowled at her and crossed his arms. "Seems like you made some money tonight."

Ailsa's shoulders sagged forward. "That's no life, Milton. What about my little girl? What kind of life can she expect if I can't even feed her?" Ailsa collapsed to the ground and sobbed. "I just... We have no future, Milton! I need help!"

Milton rolled his eyes upwards and sighed. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry, Lizzy. I'm sorry!" He grasped his hands together in front of him. "But I have to go!" He ran a few steps then turned back to her. "At least we're not in uplift. We have time." He shrugged. His shadow bounced and elongated in front of her as he ran away up the deserted street.

# 11

A moist hand slapped the back of Ailsa's neck. She picked her head up from the table at the all-you-can-eat restaurant and looked to her right.

"Mommy," said Texa through gritted teeth, "the viewscreen's not working!" She folded her arms and grunted. The plate in front of her overflowed with meat nuggets and carb strips.

Ailsa looked around through half-open eyelids. The viewscreen monopolized the wall about fifteen feet to her left. It showed 5:59 PM. A scribble of black and gray lines ran across it.

Texa smacked Ailsa's cheek. "Mommy! Do something!"

Ailsa took a deep breath. Her stomach was empty and dry. She still hurt down there. Her ear crackled. "Texa, I need you to just—"

"Alert." The word appeared on the viewscreen in white on a black background a millisecond before it was spoken into her ear.

"By order of the High Council of the Republic Trust, protectorate 13477 is hereby scheduled for uplift. The Guardianship instructs you to report to grid 115, street 4, entry 9 for immediate invitation to the accommodations of your choosing."

Uplift. Ailsa's back straightened. Terror displaced her brain fog.

"You will receive," the message continued in Ailsa's ear, "1,250 calories per day, viewscreen access and complimentary audio subscription for the duration of your stay."

Texa scraped her fingernails on Ailsa's tricep. "How much longer?" she asked through gritted teeth.

Ailsa's mind refused to process the new information. She ignored her daughter, and the pain in her arm.

"When your health is restored and your retraining complete, you will be able to resettle in a place of your choosing other than protectorate 13477. Report within thirty minutes to avoid additional correction."

The screen went black and a timer counted down thirty minutes.

Everyone screamed.

# 12

Ailsa stepped out into the twilight. A dark orange sun was setting straight ahead. People ran in every direction. Some carried suitcases. Others barely had any clothes on. She shivered.

Texa smiled up at her. "Why is everyone so crazy?"

Someone hit them from behind and they went flying into the street. A foot landed on Ailsa's back, right in the spot that hurt. She lost sight of Texa.

"Texa! Texa!" she yelled. She got onto all fours but the herd kicked her onto her back. Feet fell on her face and her abdomen. She reached out, grabbed an ankle and twisted.

She hit another person behind the knee and got up. "Texa! Texa!" she screamed.

A hand grasped her shoulder. She turned around. It was Milton. Texa sat on his shoulders.

"I've got her," he said. He grinned like a champion steer. "We'll hide at the shop until the chaos settles."

"No!" yelled Ailsa. "We have to get out of this protectorate. They're—"

"Uplifting. I know," he said.

"Well? How do we get out of here?" she asked. I can't let her go through an uplift.

His mouth went flat and he scowled at her. "Where are you going to go? They'll track you. They've already disabled all the vehicles and the walls are well-guarded. It's the same everywhere, anyway. No food, no work, no mercy, no love. This'll be my fourth time." He narrowed his eyes. "And what's in it for me?"

She stared at him, her eyes wide and her mouth open.

"Come to the Death Shop with me," he said. He held out his hand and she grabbed it. Her eyes glazed over.

# 13

"How does it work?" Ailsa asked. Milton stood next to her. Texa slept with her head on his shoulder. They stood in the entryway of a narrow and dark storefront. Outside it was quiet.

"It's really quite pleasant," said the shop attendant, a female-styled android with a bob cut and Asian eyes. "I am Aiko and it is a pleasure to meet you. I am here to gain your informed consent and meet your needs throughout the process. Do you understand?"

Death. Is that really our only way out? "Yes," said Ailsa. "Tell me more."

"At the Death Shop, we honor the end of your time with dignity. Mix and match any of more than one thousand virtual reality scenarios in our exclusive holodeck. Pass away your final moments in bliss, light pain, heavy pain or feel nothing at all!" The machine wore a low, amber top and a tasteful gray skirt.

Aiko's mouth pulled back from her silicon teeth in something approaching a smile.

We could run right now. We could run. She was silent a moment. The Gards would catch us. And then we'll be dead anyway. But it will be long and painful. "How much does it cost?" Ailsa asked. A doubt rose within her. She thought about how little money she had in her pocket. She stole a glance at Texa's face. She won't even know it happened. We'll just put on her favorite show.

"How much is your budget?" asked Aiko.

Ailsa felt in her pocket. "Maybe a few coins, that's it. I have some money on this device," she pulled the non-working computer out of her gut pocket, "but it won't connect to the grid."

Aiko's eyes rotated to look at Milton. "We can take trade." Its head angled to the side and it smiled again. "Show us how much you have."

Ailsa dumped everything in her pockets on the table. There were a few copper- and silver-colored coins and the remaining meal coupons. "Is there enough?"

"The four all-you-can-eat coupons will buy you the deluxe option," said Aiko. "Please, have a seat. We will sign the paperwork, then you can have thirty minutes in the fun room before it is time."

# 14

Ailsa set the stylus down. "I clicked 'OK' on them all. Are we done now?"

Aiko's motorized body groaned as she hobbled over to Ailsa.

"It's just that I'm getting hungry again and my daughter's going to want a viewscreen as soon as she wakes up."

Aiko stood very still. A whining sound came from inside of her. "Your contract is approved. Thank you for choosing the Death Shop. We are honored by your trust. Please, come this way."

# 15

Texa opened her eyes. She blew out the candles on her virtual birthday cake and chirped with glee.

"Did you make a wish, baby?" Ailsa asked.

"Yes, Mommy. I want to visit Disneyland and have a lifetime audio subscription. Do you think we can do that someday?"

Ailsa's eyes unfocused as she contemplated her daughter. She's only seven. So much life ahead. But what will it be like for her? Scraping for food and... that, with those men? No. No! Better this. Then nothingness. It's better.

"You know what? Right after your show, we'll do just that."

"Really, Mommy? I love you. You're the best mom I could ever—"

Texa's favorite show came on the viewscreen in full definition. She turned her attention to that and was silent.

A cold, rubbery hand touched Ailsa's arm and she jumped awake.

"It is time," said Aiko. "Your daughter is already in the chair and sedated."

Ailsa did a double-take. "What do you mean she's already sedated? I want to say goodbye to her. I want us to fall asleep together. You promised we could do that!"

"I humbly apologize," said the android, "but your daughter is now in place and we are only waiting on you." The machine tapped its wrist.

"Where is Milton? I want to talk to him."

"Who is Milton?" asked Aiko.

Ailsa sighed. Always the same thing. No one knows anything. She took her seat in a reclining chair next to Texa. She caressed Texa's soft cheek. It's really the best thing for us both, baby girl. A twinge of regret grabbed her gut. I'm a failure.

Aiko moved her hand toward a red button. "The world will miss you," she said. The android took a deep and perfectly executed bow.

"Wait," said Ailsa. "What do your other customers do now?"

"You selected the option to feel bliss, so lay back and enjoy your happy moment," said Aiko. It attempted to smile again.

"Mommy?" Texa woke and took a deep breath. Her eyes remained closed. "Anything is—"

The red button clicked and Ailsa felt herself plunged into a warm pool of pure joy.

Why did I ever worry about any of this? She sensed Texa next to her. She turned.

That's when the pain began.

# 16

Aiko carried the bodies of Ailsa and Texa out of the death chamber, through the rear hallway and into the alley out back. She dropped the corpses into a shiny green dumpster and returned inside.

She locked the door behind her and pressed a button.

A man approached the dumpster. It was Milton. He raised up the dumpster lid and looked inside. He smiled without showing his teeth.

He turned and pounded on the blue door of the Death Shop. Aiko opened the door. She smiled at him.

"Do you love me, Milton?" she asked.

"You are my beautiful Japanese princess."

"Do you want me?" She cocked her head to the side and let her top fall off of one shoulder.

"I want you. But right now—"

She straightened her head. "I know what you want. Here are the coupons."

Milton grabbed them and turned toward the dumpster. "I'll call—"

"Baby, I need you now!" the android yelled. The sounds of women moaning came from its speakers. It leaned forward and opened its mouth.

Milton let out a long breath. "Look, Aiko, you're a machine. Your urges are all in your programming. Or something. You can wait a few hours. I've got to take care of this."

She tilted her head to one side. "I will pout for you. Just imagine that I am pouting." She bowed slightly and closed the door behind her. Milton was left alone in the alley.

# 17

Milton pulled the two-wheeled cart up to the back door of grid 115, street 9, entry 36. He dropped the huge wooden handles to the ground and the long plastic bags in the cargo area shifted.

He entered 1–9–8–3–4–7 on a keypad next to the door and a screen revealed itself in the wall.

He tapped the screen twice and selected Dr. Vernor Xemura. It's my only chance to have her again. He might hide her but if I don't do this, she'll be gone forever. He clicked 'Call.'

A harried man with bushy brown hair and a black beard answered. He squinted at the screen. "I'm not buying right now. Thank you." He hung up.

Milton growled. Too distracted for his own good.

He dialed again. "Now just hold on, Dr. Xemura, how are you today and I hope you are well, by the way, wherever you are right—"

"Get to it, Milton. I'm very busy here," said Dr. Xemura.

"I have a special one," said Milton.

"I'm not buying!" He hung up.

Milton dialed him again. Oh, yes you are. "Look, these two are special. Young females. Healthy. They just fell on hard times. I don't need much, just—"

"Time elapsed?" asked Dr. Xemura.

"Not more than twenty-five minutes."

"Price?"

"Same as last—" started Milton.

Dr. Xemura hung up. Milton redialed. Always the cheapskate.

"It's two for one, Doctor! Two-for-one. You get the lady in the prime of her life, plus, you can take title of a child."

Dr. Xemura moved his face closer to the camera. "Details."

"No more than eight. In good health. A slight leg deformity. Very fond of audio subscriptions!" Milton added in a sing-song voice.

Dr. Xemura brought his hand to his chin. "Pre-pubescent," he muttered to himself. "And the two of them for the usual price?"

"That's a special deal, just for you, Doctor. Because you're my favorite," said Milton with a smile.

Dr. Xemura grimaced. "I'll send someone immediately."

# 18

Ailsa opened her eyes. Everything was white. She stood up and looked around. Where am I?

She reached for the ceiling. It was hard and she couldn't completely extend her arm when touching it.

She turned right and put both hands out in front of her. There was the wall. She turned around and walked three steps in the other direction. There was the wall again.

She found the corner, and another wall. There were no seams.

Her pulse accelerated. She felt hot. What is this? There was a buzzing in her head and she struggled to think.

"Do not move," said a computer voice.

She ran forward and slammed into an invisible wall. She fell to the floor, her nose bloodied.

She reached out for the wall. It was transparent. What the...?

"Do not move!" said the computer voice. "You have injured yourself. Self-inflicted injury will be dealt with most severely."

She looked up. "What is this place? Who are you? Where am I? How did I get here?"

There was only silence and a bright white light that came from everywhere at once. She looked out through the transparent front wall. There was only more white.

She sat down cross-legged in front of the transparent wall. How did I get here? She remembered the uplift, that disgusting but somehow comforting man... and then what?

Something metallic clacked on the hard plastic floor behind her. She turned around.

It was a metal tray of food.

# 19

"I need to know what's going on!" Ailsa yelled. She went to the back wall and pounded on it with her fists.

"The tray must have come in here, somewhere," she muttered. She felt the back wall, starting from the floor and working up, then over and down again.

There was an indent. She ran her finger over it again. It moved. She got her finger in the space and pushed up. A hole opened up.

She shoved her fingers in and moved them around. The surface was rough, waxy and wet.

She pulled her fingers back out and smelled them. They stank of raw meat and rotten blood. Her stomach turned and she felt bile in her throat.

She laid her head on the floor and looked out the slit. Metal shelves sat beyond a white table. The shelves held nondescript brown boxes. Behind glass doors sat transparent jars with varying color tints.

She shifted to the left. There was a door, a big door. Shiny and metallic, it had a bulbous, circular glass window in the middle of it surrounded by a black circle.

There has to be a way out of here.

She stood up. She pushed the wall, here, there and everywhere. Nothing gave way.

She sat down in a corner and began to cry. "I'm never going to—" she started.

Texa. The thought electrified her. My little girl! How could I forget you?

She stood up. She grabbed the metal tray, dumped its contents in a corner and rammed it into the slot.

She pulled up on it. Nothing.

She pushed down on it. Nothing. She stepped on the tray. The wall slid up, then fell back down into place.

She levered it up again. She pushed on the wall and a thin panel fell onto her.

She knocked it to one side and stepped out onto the waxy, white table. The big door was only meters away.

# 20

The big door with the bulbous, glass window swung open with ease. Ailsa stepped through. It was cold and dark on the other side. Her bare, wet feet touched smooth, icy metal. She shivered.

Ailsa stopped and listened.

She turned a corner and went though a set of double doors. A panel of small lights lay ahead. She raced forward and slammed into a transparent wall. She fell onto her back. A screeching, whirring noise came from her right.

She looked. A hooded figure in a formless white lab suit ran towards her. It leaned down and grabbed her shoulders. Ailsa looked into the visor and saw a female face frozen in terror. It was her own.

She screamed. The figure seized her by the ankle and dragged her back towards her cage.

Ailsa slammed her head on the white table. The figure threw her into the cage and secured the panel. Her eyelids closed and she fell into a troubled sleep.

# 21

"Mommy? Mommy! Wake up!" It was Texa's voice.

Ailsa opened her eyes. She was reclined on a thin bed. In front of her, two hooded figures with reflective viewplates moved around a spacious white room.

Around the edges of this new room lay deep, white tables with curious, reflective machines that Ailsa didn't recognize.

"Who are you?" Ailsa mouthed the words but she didn't hear herself say them.

She felt an itch on her nose and moved a hand to scratch it but it would not come. Her legs were immobilized as well.

She looked down. There were no straps over her limbs. Panic rose within her. What are they going to do to me?

"Mom!"

She whipped her head to the left. There was Texa. The skin around the girl's eyes was pink and soft now. Her eyes sparkled. Her face was smooth and relaxed. Her beauty was rendered all the more fragile by the expression of panic on her face.

Ailsa smiled. "My baby girl. Are you okay?" she whispered.

"What is this, Mom? Where are we? Who are these people?" she asked. The look in her eyes made Ailsa's gut feel empty.

Ailsa swallowed hard. "I don't know." Her voice rasped and she struggled to pull enough air into her lungs. The room began to spin.

One of the figures turned around. It stood absolutely still in its white lab suit and reflective helmet. It held a long, thin tube in its hand. It looked at Ailsa, then approached Texa.

"Don't you touch her! Don't you do anything to her!" yelled Ailsa. This is my fault. How could I let this happen to us? She willed her body to respond. Her left hand came up and she grabbed the figure.

It whipped around and smacked her hard across the face.

Ailsa struggled to recover. Her cheek burned. She sat up.

The figure jammed the tube into Texa's abdomen. It pulled it back out with a jerk.

"No!" whispered Ailsa. "What are you—"

She felt a hand on her leg. The other figure jammed a similar tube into her thigh.

"Mommy!" Texa's scream activated every maternal alarm in her brain.

A burning rose up through her leg and into her gut. Her heart seized. Ailsa struggled for breath.

"Mommy!"

She reached out her only good arm towards the figure, then collapsed.

# 22

I demand to know. I demand to know!

Ailsa jolted awake and stood up. Her stomach ached. It was empty and dry. Her leg gave way and she fell back to the chilly, plastic floor.

"I demand—" Her throat seized up. "I demand to know!" she yelled. "Where am I?"

She was back in the original cage, or one like it. She crawled to the transparent window and pounded on it with both fists. She strained to look out the edges. All white. Nothing.

I am going to get a reaction from them, no matter what.

She pulled her head back and slammed it into the transparent wall. Then again. And again.

Thick, warm blood ran down her face. She smeared some on the wall. She outlined a heart with her finger, then drew jagged vertical lines down the middle of it.

She pulled her head back again. A man with bushy brown hair and a black beard appeared in front of her.

"You may call me Dr. X. You are now a member of my laboratory here in Surrey." He pulled a pipe from his mouth and continued, "There are very strict rules in this laboratory. You must not harm yourself."

Ailsa felt a weakness in her chest. "Why am I here? I don't belong here." She gathered her strength and prepared to yell. "I demand to see my daughter, now!"

He took a step towards her and his image shimmered. Their noses were mere centimeters apart. "Let me be very clear with you. You are now my property. You will follow the rules. There will be no self-harm! You are a valuable piece of research equipment in my laboratory. In fact, you are the foundation. The girl depends on you. There will be no more—"

"Call me Ailsa," she whispered.

"Your name now is 1176892 and you have no daughter." His nostrils flared and his image dissolved for a moment before reappearing.

"I am a full citizen with enhanced rights of the Republic Trust!" Ailsa whispered. "You can't do this to me!"

"Your rights," said Dr. X in an even tone of voice, "were extinguished at death." The image looked to its right and a whoosh of air hit Ailsa.

A light chill ran down her arm. She laid her head on the hard floor. Extinguished... at... death? The words ran through her mind as she lost consciousness.

# 23

"She's had a reaction to the initial injection." Dr. Zora Collins wore sky blue scrubs and her platinum blond hair was tightly wrapped in a bun on the back of her head.

Her hands shook but she looked straight into the viewscreen.

Dr. Xemura looked up at her. "Surely, Erik can deal with this?"

"He's not here. What should I do?" Zora looked around at the tiny office. It made her feel compressed and cloistered. It was all wrong.

Dr. Xemura leaned back in his chair and smiled at her. "Relax. I know this is all new for you, Zora, but I can assure you that such reactions are entirely within the normal range." He turned back to his tablet.

"I'll give her a dose of anti-inflams and something for the pain, then. Collins out." Zora turned to leave. Maybe then the little girl can get some sleep.

"You will do no such thing!" yelled Dr. Xemura. He stood up and dropped his tablet onto a pile of metal folders on his desk. The camera followed his face.

Zora jumped and closed her eyes. Relax. He doesn't know.

"Have you understood nothing that I have taught you here, Dr. Collins?"

She turned to face him, her head held low and to the side.

"This is a research institution. We perform Republic-sanctioned research on validated—"

Zora looked up at the viewscreen and squared her face. "An adult is one thing, but a child... And to cause her unnecessary pain..."

"That will be quite enough! This is not a hospital. This is a research facility and unless you have been named its executive director, then I suggest you watch your words."

He sat down then looked back at Zora. He leered and raised an eyebrow. "After all, you would make a fine research subject yourself." His laugh echoed in her ear.

# 24

"I need your attention, Texa," said Ailsa. She found herself in a white room again. This one had a viewscreen.

"Right after this show. Just five minutes," said Texa.

"Now!" said Ailsa.

Texa flashed angry eyes at her mother. "We finally get the audio subscription and you can't let me watch?" She groaned. "What? What? What do you want?"

Ailsa's eyes unfocused. Texa's face glowed with health. I've never seen her like this before. She's positively radiant. A pang of regret and frustration gripped her. "We have to get out of here, baby," Ailsa said with some reluctance. "I need your help. How do you feel?"

Texa shrugged. "I'm happy, Mommy. The food is better and I have the audio subscription now. Thank you so much. I'm sorry. I'm mean. I'm a dummy."

"You're my beautiful little girl." Ailsa caressed Texa's cheek. "But don't you see? They have us in a cage."

"Can I watch now?"

"We're getting out of here," Ailsa whispered. "When I call you, you come with me immediately, no matter what is on the viewscreen."

Texa nodded. She pointed to the viewscreen behind her.

"Just be ready."

Ailsa examined her thigh. The wound was tender and swollen. Texa's abdomen was enlarged and firm. She tapped it hard.

"Can you feel that, baby?"

Texa did not answer.

"Texa! Did you feel that just now?"

"What?" Texa replied.

Ailsa rapped the swollen flesh again.

Texa shrugged.

Two food trays popped into their plastic cage, one after the other. Ailsa pushed them out of the way. She laid down, raised up the flap and looked out. A small, blond woman worked with a lime green knife.

She dumped the contents of one of the trays in a corner.

"Mommy! What are you doing? Don't mess it up! They don't like that," said Texa.

Ailsa jammed the tray into the slot and stepped on it but the wall would not move. She tried it again and again. She kicked the wall.

"I'm getting out of here," she yelled, "whatever it takes!" She threw the tray against the wall. "With hope, Texa! With hope, anything is possible!"

"Mommy! Please, I can't hear!" said Texa.

Texa's obliviousness enraged her. Humans are to be free, not caged. They can starve me. They can fuck me. They can make me live like a dog. But they can not cage my girl. No. No more.

Ailsa grabbed the tray anew. She shoved it into the slot. She jumped on it. The tray bent. "Damnit!" she muttered. She threw herself against the wall. The wall bounced her back. She grabbed the other tray and slammed its edge into the section of wall she knew should give way. She hit it again and again. Runny green and brown food splattered everywhere. A crack opened.

"Mom!" Texa yelled.

Ailsa felt the current but it was sluggish and uncertain. She took three long steps back, then ran and threw herself against the cracked wall.

Something snapped. She burst through and fell out onto the waxy table.

Dr. Zora Collins stared back at her, her eyes wide.

# 25

"You're going to help us get out of here," Ailsa said. She grabbed the green knife, jumped off the table and pointed it at Zora.

Zora opened her mouth but nothing came out.

Ailsa turned to the cage door. "Texa, now. Come on."

Texa crawled to the cage door and looked out. She gave her mother a dark frown and exhaled hard out of her nose. "Promise me you'll get the audio subscription wherever we're going."

"Texa, I—"

"Promise me!" Texa said.

"Okay, alright. I promise. Just be reasonable. It could take me a day or two."

Texa climbed out of the cage. "Hi." She smiled at Zora. "Are you escaping too?"

Zora's face went soft. She stared at Texa's abdomen. "Of course. Yes. But first, why don't I give you—"

"No!" Ailsa took a step towards here. "No more giving us stuff. We leave. Now." She jabbed the knife at Zora. "You go first."

Zora led them out the door with the bulbous window, through the chilly room of brightly-lit machines and to a plastic wall. Through the wall, Ailsa saw that same panel of small jumbled lights as before. She struggled to decipher anything meaningful from it.

"Are you sure about this?" Zora asked.

"What do you mean, 'am I sure about this?' Would you be? Open it," Ailsa said. She touched the blade of the knife to the back of Zora's neck.

Zora froze. "Please..."

"Open it! No more screwing around."

Zora reached down and pulled up a zipper. The plastic wall split open with a deep ripping sound.

They stepped out into bright sunshine.

Ailsa covered her eyes until they adjusted. She opened one and looked out through two fingers at Zora. She held the knife at the ready.

A cool, wet wind slapped her in the face. She smelled salt and minerals and grime. She furrowed her brow and looked around her with both eyes open.

There was indigo blue ocean, everywhere.

# 26

Ailsa ran to the edge of the deck. The metal-plated flooring shifted and buckled under her bare feet. The water was far down, too far to jump. She grabbed Texa and pushed her back to the door of the shimmery plastic tent they just came out of. "Stay here," she said.

She walked around the edge of the tent. The water was unbroken on all sides for as far as she could see.

Ailsa ran back to Zora. "Where the hell are we!"

Zora narrowed her eyes and looked away. "We're on a research platform in international waters."

Ailsa put the knife to her throat. Her hands shook. "Where? What's near here?"

Zora eyed the knife but refused to look directly at it or Ailsa. "Relax," said Zora. She cleared her throat. "We're in the Celtic Sea, just a few hundred kilometers from St. Agnes."

"A few hundred kilometers? St. Agnes? Where is that?" Ailsa put her hands on her knees and leaned forward. She took deliberate breaths as the information sank in. She took one final deep breath before righting herself. "Alright. How do we get out of here then?" she asked Zora.

"You don't," said Zora.

# 27

"Who else is here?" Ailsa asked Zora. She walked to the edge of the platform and looked down but could only see the support structure below. "Are there more floors to this? How far down does it go?"

"I want to help you," Zora said. "I really do. But—"

"You want to cover your ass."

"We're being watched." Zora moved her eyes up and to the left. "Don't—"

Ailsa whipped around. Above the shimmery tent was a pole with a black ball on top of it. She looked back at Zora and frowned. "I shouldn't have looked."

"No," said Zora. She shrugged.

"Texa," said Ailsa, "come on. We're finding a way out of here. There must be a boat or something. She lay down on the edge of the platform and looked over the edge.

Underneath was a complex metal structure but no ladder or other obvious means of safe transportation to the surface of the water, hundreds of meters below. Nor was there any boat moored down there.

Ailsa stood back up. She walked over to Zora and slashed her arm with the knife.

Zora screamed. She held her arm tight against her body. She stepped towards the tent.

"There is a way off of this thing," said Ailsa, "and you're going to tell me what it is!"

"Mom, what are you doing?" asked Texa. Her mouth hung open. She stepped back and entered the tent.

Ailsa's face flushed. The vibration of the current activated a feeling of hot shame in her. "Just sit down by the tent door, baby. Outside the tent! Mommy... Mommy has to get us out of here. Turn around, baby, I don't want you to see this."

"No!" yelled Texa. She took a step closer to her mother. "She's nice. She's helping us."

"Just be quiet." Ailsa struggled to focus on Zora. "Why would they put a platform out in the middle of the ocean, this high up with just a flimsy tent on it? Just for us? Why? Why!"

Ailsa grabbed Zora's arm and jerked her closer. She dug her thumb into the cut on Zora's arm. Zora grimaced. "Ow! Please!"

Ailsa put the knife to Zora's neck. "So help me..." She stared deep into Zora's eyes. "So help me! Look at my little girl and tell me you wouldn't do the same. Tell me!" she screamed.

Ailsa slashed the thin blade against Zora's cheek and a tiny gash opened. Blood oozed out. Zora touched her cheek, saw the blood on her fingers and sobbed. She hugged her arms to herself and took a step towards the edge of the platform.

Ailsa kicked Zora's feet out from under her. Zora fell hard on her back and gasped for air. Ailsa sat on her chest and held the blade just above the pale skin of Zora's neck. Ailsa watched Zora's chest heave. Just beyond the woman's head was the rolling ocean. She hesitated but then she remembered being strapped to the table, helpless, as the people in suits accessed her body without her permission.

She started to push down into the pudgy flesh of her neck.

"Okay! Okay!" yelled Zora. "I'll tell you!"

Ailsa continued to push.

# 28

Zora opened a flap of metal in the floor near the entrance to the tent. "Stand over here." Her hand shook as she pointed to a safe spot.

Ailsa and Texa looked at her. "What?"

Zora gestured at them. "Over here." She swallowed hard.

"Don't try anything," Ailsa said.

The mother and daughter stood up against the tent. Zora pushed something inside the metal flap. There was a screeching metal groan. The floor of the platform split in front of them. It slid apart and a winged vehicle rose up from below.

"Please, let me go with you," said Zora.

Ailsa grabbed Texa and ran to the vehicle. Its cigar-shaped body was a matte dark metallic blue. There was a pilot's bench and behind it three rows of two seats each. The wings unfolded. They were wide and deep but very thin.

Ailsa belted Texa into the second row. Ailsa sat down next to her. "Take us to London!" she said.

Nothing happened.

Zora crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "You need a pilot."

"Turn on! Close hatch!" yelled Ailsa.

"Mom," Texa said, "we don't know how to use it. We need..." She turned to Zora. "What's your name?"

"Go!" yelled Ailsa. Her face was red.

Texa rolled her eyes. "She already knows where we want to go. And I like her."

Zora walked over the edge of the vehicle. "Well?"

Ailsa slunk down in her seat and crossed her arms.

Zora got into the pilot's seat. In front of her was a steering wheel, four large buttons colored red, blue, green and yellow. Dials and digital readouts surrounded them. She strapped herself in. "Turn on," she said. "Hatch down. Destination: London."

Ailsa sat up straight. "Hey, why does it work for her?"

Texa giggled.

# 29

Zora sat absolutely still. She strained her wrist to pull the slim communicator out of her back pocket. She cleared her throat, then stopped herself. If they're resting, I shouldn't make a sound. She listened for any sign of movement in the back seat. There was nothing.

"Broadcast. Rising. London," she typed. "Two Xemura refugees, lab specimens, human female and female child, need exit strategy near XLS1 now. Immediate reply. Confirm."

"What's your name?" It was the girl. She leaned forward over the front bench and and looked at Zora.

Zora put on her serious face. "You need to strap in, young lady, before—"

"I just want to know your name," Texa said. Her brash grin burst through Zora's defenses.

"Zora," she said with a smile.

"My name's Texa."

"Yes, I know. Now sit—"

"Who are you messaging?" the child asked.

Zora's chest seized up.

"And what are you so afraid of?" asked Texa.

Zora sighed. "This is a bit complicated for a little—"

Texa frowned and crossed her arms. "I can understand more than adults think I can."

A reply came back. "Black car, southeast corner of XLS1 five minutes, sharp. Refugees only."

Zora took a deep breath. She put the communicator away. Now all I have to worry about is what Vernor will do to me.

# 30

"It's a good thing we brought Zora, huh, Mom?" said Texa with a resentful grin.

Ailsa was silent. I'm ditching her as soon as we land. The low squeal of the aircraft zooming through cloudy skies relaxed her. She closed her eyes again and let her shoulders fall.

"This is Xemura 8342," said Zora, "requesting permission to enter Republic airspace."

"Destination?" said a genderless voice.

"London, Xemura Life Sciences Building One," said Zora.

"Approved," said the voice, "Engage auto-pilot now."

"Auto," said Zora. She looked back at Texa and smiled. "It'll be just another few minutes."

"Xemura?" asked Ailsa. She opened her eyes and leaned forward. "Is this whole thing...? No, we're not going there!"

"No other destination is credible," said Zora. "This craft always flies back and forth between XLS1 and the platform."

"'Always'? So you've done this to other people? And what happened to them?" Ailsa asked.

Zora said nothing.

"See?" Ailsa whispered to Texa. "She's no saint. She's done—"

Texa put her face against the glass. "Look, Mom. It's beautiful."

Ailsa leaned over her daughter and looked out the window. Her mouth opened in wonder. Below them, the indigo ocean met the gleaming shores of England.

"It's so shiny!" said Texa.

"The Republic is very technologically advanced," said Zora. "It provides—"

Ailsa reached around and smacked the side of Zora's head. "You won't feed that bullshit to her."

Zora swallowed hard. "The Republic has given me—"

"Enough!" yelled Ailsa. "Set it down over there."

"But I have to go to XLS1," said Zora. "That's where the auto-pilot is taking us."

"Turn it off!"

"Auto-pilot off," said Zora.

The ship jerked. "Auto-pilot must be on under Republic order 892–330. Request denied. Resuming original course to Xemura Life Sciences Building One."

# 31

"She what?" Dr. Vernor Xemura yelled. He stood up behind his thin metal and glass desk in his darkened office on the eighty-third floor of Xemura Life Sciences Building One in London.

"She's gone and so are the subjects," said the male voice.

"I'm sorry, Mr. President," Xemura said with a formal tone. "I have a pressing matter. I will return your call shortly." He tapped a button on his desk.

"The relevant video is available to you now," said the male voice.

Xemura watched the video footage. "Doesn't she realize how important this is? This is a personal betrayal. Thank you."

"But how do we—"

"Disconnect," said Xemura. "Connect Hanshin."

"Yes, sir," said Hanshin. His voice was deep and guttural.

"A hovercraft is missing from the CS32 facility. I need you to track—"

"Actually, sir," said Hanshin, "it's landing on the roof in forty-five seconds."

The corners of Dr. Xemura's mouth twitched upwards. "Dispatch a team. I want Dr. Collins secured in an interrogator and I want the cargo returned to CS32 immediately."

# 32

"I don't want to land there!" yelled Ailsa.

The hovercraft slowed as it approached XLS1. Men in black with helmets and long rifles filed onto the roof. They waited next to the circle with a letter 'H' inside.

"Don't make me kill you!" yelled Ailsa.

The engines cut out and the craft jerked downwards before the thrusters kicked in with a roar and lowered the vessel gently down to the hoverpad.

The soldiers surrounded them.

"Mommy?" whispered Texa. She wrapped her arms around Ailsa's neck. Her bloated abdomen got in the way and she screamed in pain.

"It hurts now?" asked Ailsa.

Texa grimaced. "A lot."

"Open—" started Zora.

Ailsa climbed into the front seat and jammed the knife up against her chest. "Get us out of here! Now!"

Zora looked at her with dead eyes. She hit the red button and the hatch opened. The soldiers pointed their rifles at them and approached.

Ailsa searched the panel with her eyes. She hit a yellow button that said "Manual" under it and grabbed the co-pilot's steering wheel. The craft hovered just above the deck and moved slowly towards the soldiers.

"Damnit!" yelled Ailsa. She searched the panel again. She hit the red button and the hatch slowly closed. A soldier reached them and got his arm inside. He grabbed Ailsa's neck and squeezed.

Ailsa's breath rasped in her throat. The soldier pinned her to the seat. Her hand would not reach the panel. Zora hit the red button before the hatch finished closing on the soldier's arm.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a green button. Ailsa extended her fingers but they would not reach. She brought up her foot and jammed it into the console.

The craft jetted straight up into the air. It bumped into a lime green blimp and careened wildly into gray sky. The scream of the wind deafened her. The soldier in black pulled himself up and got his arm into the cabin. He pulled a pistol from under his arm and aimed it Ailsa.

Ailsa buried her knife in his throat. Blood spurted on her and he fell away. She dropped the knife inside the cabin and tried in vain to wipe the blood from her hands and face.

An alarm sounded. Ailsa held onto the steering wheel but her body floated up. "What do I do?" she yelled.

Zora reached over and hit the yellow button again. She closed the hatch. The craft righted itself and glided smoothly towards XLS1 again.

Ailsa searched the floor for the knife. It was under her seat. She grabbed but it slipped from her fingers. She reached around the back of her seat, clutched the knife and jammed it through Zora's arm. It lodged in the seatback. Ailsa hit the yellow button again and accelerated the ship forward.

Zora screamed. Her eyes got big. "How— How could you...?" She stared open-mouthed at the green metal that protruded from her upper arm.

Ailsa hit a blue 'Land' button. The engines cut out and the craft hurtled toward the ground below. She looked out the window. Below them, four lanes of aircars crawled south.

"What do I do?" Ailsa yelled to Zora.

Zora's eyes were closed and she breathed deliberately.

Ailsa hit the blue button again and the engines restarted. She was thrown against the steering wheel.

Texa slammed into the seat in front of her.

Zora pulled the knife out of her arm. She screamed and set it between her and the wall of the craft.

Ailsa looked around in a daze. The craft continued forward, skimming above the tops of the four-lane airway.

Zora grabbed the controls and guided them back in the direction of XLS1.

Ailsa turned around. "Are you okay, Texa?"

Texa lay on the floor. She did not move.

"Texa!" Ailsa yelled. She turned to Zora. "Set us down, now!"

"Or what?" asked Zora. She narrowed her eyes at Ailsa. "You have nothing more to threaten me with."

The black towers of XLS1 took shape ahead of them through puffy, ash-colored clouds.

Ailsa stared at her. "You would do the same thing in my shoes."

Zora scowled and narrowed her eyes.

"Anyway," said Ailsa, "you need treatment now. I'll just keep fighting you till you bleed out up here."

Zora took a deep breath and let it out. She veered the craft to the right. They circled down in a corkscrew pattern. She hit the blue button. "This is the best I can do. You don't belong in a cage but this is the wrong way to do it. Dr. Xemura is a reasonable—"

Ailsa reached across and hit the red button. The hatch opened. She grabbed Texa and hopped out into the smoggy, gray London afternoon. A burning sensation erupted in her calf and she fell to her knees.

# 33

Ailsa picked herself up. She waded out into the street-level traffic with an unconscious Texa in her arms.

A white truck honked a complex and angry melody at her. It swerved to avoid her.

A billboard driver didn't see her until the last moment. He turned hard to the left and clipped her with his rear bumper. Ailsa and Texa flew to the ground.

A black taxi stopped. A portly, giant man with curly, raven hair emerged from inside of the tiny car. "Hey, you! You hit this woman and her child," he yelled.

The billboard driver stuck his head out the window and looked at Ailsa.

Ailsa stirred.

"She'll be fine, mate. I'll leave her in your more than capable hands," said the billboard driver. He started his rig back up and continued down the road.

The taxidriver looked at his cab. Other vehicles honked at him. His work console lit up the inside of his vehicle. He looked back at Texa and Ailsa. They weren't moving.

# 34

"I've got an emergency here, darling," said the taxidriver. He sat in the front seat of the cab. A nurse appeared on his viewscreen. "Two—"

"Please," whispered Ailsa from the back seat. "Just get us out of here."

"What's your name?" asked the taxidriver.

Ailsa struggled to sit up straight. "Drive, just drive!" she yelled. She looked at the viewscreen in his headrest. "Gabriel," it said.

Gabriel turned around.

"Gabriel," she said. She leaned forward and looked him in the eye. "My daughter and I are escaping from this... corporation... this Dr. Xemura."

"Xemura?" Gabriel asked.

She looked at the headrest viewscreen again. Gabriel's last name was written in tall, fat letters: XEMURA. Ailsa held her breath.

She grabbed for the door handle and pulled. It would not open. "Let us out!"

She looked through the rear window. The black-suited soldiers ran towards the small cab.

Gabriel turned around. "I'm going to help you—"

Ailsa narrowed her eyes at him. "Who are you?"

"Don't worry about that yet, darling," said Gabriel. He punched the accelerator and they flew up into the air.

# 35

Gabriel descended against an approaching bank of storm clouds and parked the car high in the alley between two darkened red brick factories.

Ailsa reclined in the back seat. She hugged Texa tight to her. "Why are we stopping?" she asked. It was dark outside. All she saw were broken windows. The darkness inside the old factories made her shiver.

Gabriel twisted his giant frame in the driver's seat to look Ailsa in the face. He smiled without showing any teeth. "I need to know everything."

"Why? What do you want from us?" Ailsa studied his face. It was strong and tired.

"Tell him, Mom," said Texa. "I think we can trust him."

"Quiet," she said to Texa. "What are you to him?"

Gabriel sighed. "He's my brother."

# 36

"Why is that guy's brother driving a cab?" Ailsa asked.

The three of them lounged in Gabriel's living room. The couch was too shallow, the seat cushions bowed and peppered with dark spots but it was comfortable and cool. Their backs were to the front door.

Texa bounced in her seat. She looked at the ceiling and back down. "Can I watch your viewscreen?" she asked.

"Sure," said Gabriel. "Viewscreen on," he said. "Go ahead and tell it what you want, darling."

Across from the couch, giant moving images appeared in crystal clarity.

Gabriel got up, turned right and walked to the kitchen. He pulled out some bread, mayonnaise and sliced meat. He carried them over and set them on the coffee table in front of the couch. "Help yourselves."

Ailsa glared at him. "So, your brother..."

"Oh, right," said Gabriel. He sat back down. "Well, when we were kids, he was the Hawking. Brilliant in science, aced all the tests, teacher's pet. The whole thing."

"Mom," said Texa, "the audio subscription still works! I can hear the sound great. Thanks, Mom. I love you." She smiled and kept bouncing with her eyes glued to the viewscreen.

Ailsa smiled at her. She raised her eyebrows at Gabriel.

"He won a science competition. He was adopted by Monsanto. And they educated him." He sighed. "But I haven't seen him since. I see his ads and all that. But not him."

Ailsa fixed herself a sandwich. "I am so hungry," she whispered.

"So, he kidnapped you and your girl?" Gabriel asked.

"Not exactly. We... died," she whispered.

Gabriel frowned at her. "He killed you...?"

"We went to this... place." She waved a hand in front of her face and turned away from him. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. We died. We were dead."

Gabriel nodded and waited for her to finish. "I'm glad you're still with us, darling. You have a beautiful little girl. You are a beautiful young lady."

Ailsa blushed. He thinks I'm cute. She arched her head to one side and twirled an index finger in her hair. She thought about what she must look, and smell, like after the ordeal. She stopped and looked away, ashamed.

Gabriel smiled back. "Where's her dad?" he said in a low voice.

"He was killed," Ailsa said. "He was out getting us food and some punk killed him for five coins." She finished her sandwich and sat back. "That is much better. I don't even remember the last time I ate."

"You don't have papers do you?" he asked.

She shook her head tightly from side to side. "Our protectorate was in uplift, anyway. And the shop probably registered us as dead."

Gabriel lowered his eyelids and frowned. "You missed uplift? I wonder if you can still—"

Ailsa glared at him. "Have you been uplifted?"

Gabriel shook his head. "So, my brother brought you back to life? Is that what you're telling me, darling?"

Ailsa shrugged. "I was dead. I don't know. But he told us we were his property now, that our Republic rights were 'extinguished at death.'"

"He always was a greedy bastard," said Gabriel with a smirk, "But unquestionably brilliant. So, do you still want to die?"

Ailsa shot a glance at Texa. She brought a finger to her mouth and shook her head. She stood up. "Aren't you married or something?"

"All the women today want life easy. They won't fight for anything," he said.

Ailsa crossed her arms. "Oh, and what do you fight for?"

Gabriel laughed. "Ask me later." He patted the couch next to him.

"You must need some clothes washed or some food made or something?" Ailsa asked. She sat down and looked up at him with pleading eyes. "I can be a good housekeeper, at least until we find somewhere to go, and Texa won't be any—"

Texa stood up and walked away from the couch without taking her eyes off the screen. "Sh!" she whispered.

He put his arm up on the back of the couch. His fingers lay near her shoulder. "Relax," he said with a broad smile. "You guys need a few days of—"

The door burst open behind them. Gabriel and Ailsa were thrown through the coffee table and into the ground. The couch landed on top of them.

The darkly-clad soldiers entered the house. They scanned in all directions with their heads pegged tight to their rifles.

"This is a Republic safety inspection," yelled an artificially amplified voice. "Lay down on the—"

Texa whipped around. "Quiet! I'm watching my show!" A dark look crossed her face. She gritted her teeth and her head jerked to one side.

There was a sound of bones popping, like a thousand fingers cracking at the same time. The soldiers' writhing bodies collapsed with a gurgling sound.

Texa's head moved back to a normal position, her eyes rolled back and she fell to the floor.

# 37

Ailsa drew in a ragged breath through her mouth and choked on the thick dust. She coughed but lacked enough air to expel it. She struggled between breath and cough.

Gabriel stirred next to her. He got onto his hands and knees and pushed the sofa. It rolled off of him and landed on Ailsa's calves before standing upright again.

"Ow!" whispered Ailsa. She sat back on the floor against the edge of the couch and cleared her lungs. "Why is it so dark?"

Gabriel kicked something and it crashed to the floor. "What the hell...?"

A switch clicked and the room was flooded with light. "What happened?" Ailsa asked.

"Oh bloody hell!" yelled Gabriel. He ran backwards and fell onto an end table. It broke under his weight.

Ailsa stood up and screamed. "Are they dead? Texa? Texa! Where—"

Ailsa ran to Texa. "Wake up," she said. "Texa. Please." Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Gabriel..."

Gabriel climbed over the bodies of the soldiers and opened the door. His jaw dropped and he took a step back.

"What is it?" Ailsa ran to him. She looked outside and screamed.

Dead soldiers, collapsed like formless water bladders, littered the front yard and the street. Sirens sounded in the distance.

# 38

"We have to get out of here, darling," said Gabriel. "Is Texa okay?"

"She's breathing, but I can't wake her," said Ailsa.

"Grab her. Grab some food. I'll get the car ready," he said.

He grabbed a small toolbox from under the kitchen counter and ran outside. He opened the hood on his tiny black cab and ripped a small yellow box out with a pair of pliers.

Ailsa watched him for a moment. So big, so strong and he knows how to work with his hands. Her spine tingled. He'll get us out.

Gabriel put the hood down gently and returned inside, stepping carefully over the black bags of broken bones. He held up the yellow box. "They won't be able to track us now. Hurry up."

What about those injections? Maybe those are tracking chips? She limped to the kitchen. She grabbed bread, lunchmeat, cheese, mayonnaise and a banana from the fridge. She put them in a plastic bag and then stared into space.

"Let's go," Gabriel said. He turned to look at her. "What is it?"

"They injected us with something. Do you think it could be a tracking chip?"

"Goddamnit," said Gabriel. He massaged his forehead.

The sirens got louder and there were more of them.

Gabriel ran and grabbed Texa in his arms. "It doesn't matter. We have to go." He grabbed Ailsa's arm and pulled her.

Ailsa hopped into the front passenger seat. Gabriel eased Texa into the backseat. He squeezed his massive frame into the driver's seat.

"You have to get into the back," he said. "Cabbies aren't allowed to have passengers up front."

Ailsa gritted her teeth but she moved to the backseat. Gabriel gunned it and the car flew off into the murky evening sky.

Ailsa glanced out the back window just as the white-suited Gards arrived.

# 39

"I don't know where I'm going," said Gabriel. They rocketed through the evening sky outside of the airway lanes. He turned to Ailsa. "What do we do?"

"You should drop us off somewhere," she said. "You're a good man. There's no reason for us to drag you down." She put her hand on his upper arm and squeezed.

He contracted the muscle and shot a tense smile at her.

She looked away from him, put her hand in her hair and breathed in through her mouth. Wow he is handsome! The current was back, and it was stronger.

"There are at least thirty Gards down there, inside and around my house. I'm screwed. I can never go back there. Even if they don't euthanize me, that's a lot of correction."

Ailsa closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, so— Wait. What happened to those guys? What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything, darling" said Gabriel. "They were like that when I woke up."

Ailsa turned to Texa. She sat back and thought. Do I tell him? But what if he wants to hurt her? I need his help. "It was Texa."

"What?" asked Gabriel.

"Her father could make you feel what he was feeling. I've suspected she had it, too."

"That's an interesting theory, darling, but where do we go? We're just hurtling through space and time right now. They'll catch—"

"Go to XLS1, where you found us," she said.

He turned around with one eyebrow raised. "Are you—?"

"Just do it. Trust me." She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Their eyes met and she softened her face.

# 40

"Can you hover about a block away from the front door?" Ailsa asked.

"This is a bad idea," Gabriel said.

"Mommy?" Texa sat up and opened her eyes.

"Hey, baby girl." Ailsa turned and put her arm under Texa's head. "You were out for awhile. You okay?"

Texa squinted. Her voice was rough. "I'm really hungry. And thirsty, too."

"I'll get you something in just a minute, okay? Just hold on."

Gabriel hovered the car across the street from the main entrance to XLS1. "We're right out in the open here, you know. I'd like to understand what you're thinking."

"Mom, hungry," said Texa.

"I'm kind of hungry, too," said Gabriel.

"It's her... influence," said Ailsa. "I feel it, too. We have to be care—"

"Mom!" Texa yelled.

"Just hold on, baby girl. Look," she said to Gabriel, "there was a woman with us."

"Small blond in the white coat and glasses?" asked Gabriel.

"Zora's her name. She's a doctor. She works for your brother. She can get the chips out."

"Do we know where she lives, darling?" Gabriel asked.

Ailsa rolled her eyes. "How would I know that?"

"Why do you think she's still here? She could—"

"It's a feeling. I sometimes get feelings and they turn out right. Sometimes, it's Texa and she's sending me the feeling without even knowing."

Gabriel laughed. "So, we're sitting outside of the place where you guys face the greatest danger, where they could grab you and whisk you off back to a white room forever on the slight feeling that maybe some woman who didn't want to help you before might be here and might be willing to help you now. Did I get that right, little darling?"

Ailsa looked away from him and screwed up her face. I hate it when men mock me.

# 41

"Mom! Food, now!" Texa yelled.

Ailsa's face got hot. Her pulse accelerated and her stomach felt empty. Her head began to spin. "Put us down," she whispered. "I'll get her something to eat."

"And leave me here by myself? What good is that? I won't recognize this woman! And if they're tracking us, they'll be here any minute!" Gabriel slammed his fist against the steering wheel. "I don't even know why—"

"Why you're with us? I don't know either!" yelled Ailsa. "Just set us down, Mr. Xemura. We'll take it from here."

"Mom," Texa groaned. "Mom. Please."

Ailsa's chest tightened. We're never going to be free of this. We'll never get out of here. They have people everywhere. Zora isn't here anymore.

Gabriel leaned forward. "Wait. Is that her?" He pointed towards a lone figure exiting XLS1.

"Oh, who cares—" started Ailsa.

"Mommy!"

Ailsa wanted to be angry but the desperation overtook her and she could only sit still with her mouth open. All hope and motivation drained from her.

Gabriel sighed. "You're right." He let his head slump forward.

The figure turned right and hailed a cab. It was a woman and she wore a wide pink hat and big sunglasses.

Get up, get up. Move! Ailsa pushed past the dread in her gut and grabbed the wheel. She turned to follow the figure. "Hit the gas," she whispered. "The gas."

"But—" started Gabriel. "Oh, okay." The taxi inched forward.

Ailsa grabbed his knee and pushed it down. The taxi zoomed up and then descended until it scraped the roof and hood of the other taxi.

"Oh, Jesus," whispered Gabriel. "They're going to correct me for this." His head hung forward and his shoulders hunched.

"Zora," yelled Ailsa.

The figure looked up. It was her.

"Get in this car," said Ailsa.

Zora exited the cab and ran back towards XLS1.

"Follow her!" yelled Ailsa.

"I don't know, darling," said Gabriel. "I feel... I feel so—"

"It's Texa! She's projecting her feelings onto us. Just work through it!"

Gabriel sighed. "I don't know."

"Then move and let me drive," said Ailsa. She pushed him but his bulk refused to budge.

Ailsa turned around. "Baby, I know you feel bad."

"So hungry..." said Texa. "My head hurts."

"But we're going to get food in a minute, as soon as we get Zora back."

Texa's eyebrows went up. "Zora? I like her! When can we see her again?"

Gabriel sat up straight. He ascended the taxi and turned to pursue Zora. "Wow, I don't know what came over—"

"I'm so thirsty," said Texa. She drew in a ragged breath through her mouth.

The taxi slowed down again.

Darkness enveloped Ailsa's mind once more. Her head hung forward and she breathed through her mouth.

No. She grabbed Gabriel's knee and pushed it down again. The taxi accelerated and passed Zora. "Look, baby girl, it's Zora!"

Texa looked at her with unfocused eyes. "She's kind of nice..."

Gabriel picked up his head. He whipped the car around one-hundred and eighty degrees. He advanced abruptly and the woman was on the hood.

"No!" the wide-hatted woman yelled. She scampered away.

Ailsa opened her door, ran out and pulled her into the car. She closed the door behind her.

Ailsa ripped off the woman's hat and big glasses. "It is you!" She held Zora's neck between her thumb and forefinger. "What did you inject us with?"

"Hi Zora!" said Texa. "Mommy, be nice to her. And I want a cheeseburger, please. Real meat."

Zora rolled her eyes. "I'm in deep shit thanks to you. They interrogated me for I don't know how long and they didn't want to let me go."

"I don't give a—" started Ailsa.

"I helped you, you know," said Zora. She crossed her arms. "You owe me." She stole a sideways glance at Gabriel.

Gabriel turned and smiled at them. "I hate to interrupt this lovely reunion, ladies, but we can't just sit here. Where to?" He grinned at them and his perfectly straight and white teeth made Ailsa tingle.

Ailsa sighed. "We have to get outside the city but it has to be somewhere with medical facilities. Do you know a place?"

"Not a clue. And Princess Charming back there needs something to eat, ASAP," said Gabriel. "I know a good place for food, very discreet, then maybe we'll know where to go."

"You can't escape Xemura," said Zora. "He knows where you are, always. You can't get outside of this protectorate without papers and you don't have any." She laughed. "You're dead. You and your little girl are dead. You're stuck. You can't go anywhere. Xemura will catch up to you any second and then all of us are done."

Ailsa punched her hard in the nose.

# 42

"I need to know where we're going," said Gabriel. His beef and broccoli was getting cold on the front seat.

Ailsa fought to get spoonfuls of sweet and sour chicken into Texa's mouth.

"I don't like it! I want beef! Not chicken!" yelled Texa.

"Take mine," said Gabriel. "I like chicken just fine."

Ailsa grabbed it, flicked the iridescent aluminum box open and spooned some of it into Texa's mouth.

"Thank you Gabriel," said Texa in a sweet voice. "It's really good. I can leave you some, if you want."

This girl loves everybody but me. Ailsa shoved more food into Texa's mouth and handed her a bottle of water. She reached down and slapped Zora.

Zora stared up at her from the floor, eyes wide.

"We have food for you," Ailsa said.

"Do we know where we're going yet?" asked Gabriel. "It's miracle they haven't fallen on us already."

"They're nearby," said Zora. "They know exactly where you are. They'll show themselves—"

Ailsa slapped her. "Shut up!" She spilled soy-soaked broccoli on Texa's shirt.

"Mom!" Texa whined.

"Sorry, baby," Ailsa said. She turned back to Zora. "We need these chips out and you're going to remove them."

"I need specialized—" Zora started.

"All you really need is a knife, isn't it?" asked Ailsa. She shoveled another bite into Texa's mouth. She felt the weight lift from her chest as Texa was satiated.

"What's in it for me?" asked Zora.

"You're involved in this Xemura business up to your ears," said Ailsa. "I know you don't like it. This is your chance to do something about it. Help us. Help my girl. She's only seven. Her life hasn't even started yet."

Zora's eyes bulged and a sneer crossed her face. "You should have thought of that before killing yourselves!"

# 43

"Did you do something back there, Texa?" Ailsa asked her.

The tiny taxi rocketed towards a private clinic on the outskirts of the protectorate.

"They made me angry. They were interrupting my show. Finally, I get a nice viewscreen and the audio subscription and they were going to take it away from us," said Texa.

"Do you know how to control the power, use it when—" started Ailsa.

"I don't like it!" Texa's eyes sparkled with tears. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Can you leave her alone?" Gabriel said.

Ailsa's chest was empty. Every breath hurt. The current hummed. "Okay, little girl."

Texa yawned.

"Take a nap, baby. You need your rest." Ailsa turned to Zora. "So, you know these people?"

"Stop telling me what to do," Texa mumbled.

Gabriel straightened his back. "Thank God she's out. When she gets emotional, it's like I'm buried in here."

Zora cocked her head. "What do you mean?" She leaned forward from the back seat and touched Gabriel's shoulder.

Gabriel looked in the rearview mirror and said nothing.

Why did he have to open his big mouth? Ailsa grimaced.

"What does he mean?" Zora asked Ailsa.

"Shut up," she said.

Zora crossed her arms. "I can't help you if—"

"Zora, just tell us how to get past the Gards at this clinic."

"It's actually a Xemura clinic," said Zora with a sheepish smile.

Ailsa smacked her across the face. "You stupid bitch, do you think I'm screwing around with my daughter's future here?" She hit her again. "Stupid upworlder. You have no clue what life is like for the rest of us."

"I—" started Zora.

"You look down on us like farmers on their livestock. So arrogant," Ailsa said.

"I have a job to do," said Zora. "I advance the human race through science. I am—"

"You prey on downworld. You people keep all the wealth for yourselves."

"Why shouldn't we?" asked Zora. "We produce it."

"You corral us. You experiment on us without our permission, you treat us like things to be toyed with as you please."

Zora crossed her arms and looked away.

"But we're human beings, just like you, free, equal. We want the same—" started Ailsa.

"You're rabble! You're the reason this planet is dying! Now we have to find ways to survive – new ways," said Zora.

"Ladies," said Gabriel in a deep voice, "you're going to—"

Texa opened her eyes. "Can you guys shut up!"

# 44

"How are we getting in, Zora?" asked Ailsa.

Gabriel pulled into the parking lot of Xemura Clinic No. 23. The wide, flat building snaked through an expertly landscaped forest on a hillside. Villas and small farms dotted the landscape around it.

Just beyond and above the clinic was another high, cement wall. Green, flowing fields framed little homes on the other side. Floating blimp cameras and weapons platforms created a two-kilometer high barrier between them and the other protectorate.

"What's in that other protectorate?" asked Ailsa. "And how far are we from 13477?"

Gabriel shrugged.

Ailsa turned to Zora with a harsh stare. "How are we going to do this?"

Zora smirked. She straightened her back and put her hands on her hips. "So, all of this abuse and now the proud downworlder depends on the know-nothing upworlder."

"Well?" said Ailsa.

Texa looked up at Zora and smiled. "You're nice. You're just scared."

Zora's eyes darkened. She looked out the window at the clinic. "It isn't right, what Xemura is doing, what he did to you. You did kill yourselves though?" She turned around and fixed Ailsa in a quizzical stare. "How do I know I'm not risking my neck for someone who's going to turn around and suicide again when things get tough?"

Ailsa's face fell. "That's not—"

"You killed her!" Zora yelled. "And you talk to me about helping her? You're not fit to be her mother!"

# 45

Gabriel pulled a gun from under the front passenger seat. "Maybe this will come in handy, darling?"

"Enough talk." Ailsa grabbed the gun. She turned to Gabriel. "Does it work? Where did you get it?"

"The dead soldiers," he said.

She pointed it at the roof of the taxi.

"Not in here! You'll damage it!" yelled Gabriel. "And who knows what else. Those things go through a lot and keep going."

"What if it doesn't work?" asked Zora. "We'll go in there and be prisoners."

"Relax," said Ailsa. "You're an upworlder. You'll be fine." She opened the door and grabbed Texa's hand. "Come on, baby girl. Zora's going to help us."

The three of them made their way to the front door. Gabriel edged the taxi's rear bumper up to the front steps and killed the engine.

Ailsa passed through the front door of the clinic. Zora and Texa passed through ahead of her. A shiny young woman sat behind a bright white plastic desk. A great, gray and green tree grew from smooth stone floor to atrium ceiling above them.

The woman looked up. Ailsa brought the gun up and pointed it at her.

"Get out from behind there!" Ailsa yelled. She pointed the gun down and pulled the trigger. A crater opened in the smooth granite floor between them. Ailsa stared at the hole a moment. Oh my God.

The woman's eyes got big and she tilted her head.

Ailsa walked around and grabbed the back of her neck. "Come on."

"Go!" Ailsa yelled to Zora. They walked past empty operating rooms and offices.

"This place is abandoned," said Zora. "It's not a good sign."

"Zora, I'm scared," said Texa.

Zora put her arm around Texa's shoulders.

"Get your hands off my little girl," said Ailsa. She pushed the stiff-necked receptionist ahead of her.

Texa stopped and turned around. "I asked her to, Mom, okay? Is that okay with you?"

Ailsa brushed past them, then turned around. "Well," she said to Zora, "which one is it?"

"I'm heading for the last one on the right," Zora said as she brushed past Ailsa. "The major operating theatre is usually back there."

A short, dark hallway opened into a two story atrium illuminated with direct sunlight filtered through opaque ceiling tiles. Three unblemished steel operating tables waited in the middle of the room. Next to each was a series of screens, tubes and wires.

"Texa, you go first," said Ailsa. She forced the stiff-necked woman into a seated position behind the tables, in the corner farthest from the door.

"You must all wear proper protective garb in the operating theater," the receptionist said. "You may find it in the closets out in the hallway."

Ailsa turned to her. "Why don't—"

"Leave it!" yelled Zora. "It's not even human. Help me get Texa up on the table."

Ailsa walked over and hoisted Texa by the armpits. "Really? Are they that—"

Zora rolled her eyes. "I'm going to put her under."

"Is that really necessary?" asked Ailsa.

"Does she have any known allergies?"

Ailsa frowned.

Zora applied a quick injection to Texa and she was unconscious. She selected a long, tubular metal device with a black, rubber suction cup on the end. She pulled up Texa's duck-and-egg-patterned shirt to reveal her swollen abdomen.

Zora shook her head.

"What is it?" Ailsa asked. The current ebbed. She took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders.

"You are not physicians," said the android. "Sounding silent alarm."

Ailsa glared at Zora. "Is she kidding?"

"No," said Zora, "and he put the tracker in with the new method."

"I thought you put it in," said Ailsa.

"No, it was Erik. I... didn't..."

"Anyway," said Ailsa. "Just get it out."

"What if it leaves a scar?"

"Just get it out! Now!" yelled Ailsa.

Zora grimaced and tossed the tubular device to the floor. She grabbed a scalpel and made a small incision above Texa's belly button and below the reducing swelling. She stuck a finger in, hooked it and pulled.

"It doesn't want to come," Zora said. She poked a second finger in and the incision expanded.

Ailsa's stomach tensed up and she looked away.

"It might be attached to her uterus," said Zora. She looked up at Ailsa. "What do you want to do?"

Ailsa froze. Rip it out and no grandchildren. Wait and Xemura's goons get us.

"Ailsa." Zora glared at her.

"I don't know! What do you think?" Ailsa leaned on the other steel table. Her head swirled and her stomach turned.

Zora pursed her lips. "Let me jiggle it a bit." She jammed her two fingers hard into the open wound.

Something cracked. Ailsa bent over and took deep breaths. "I think... I'm going to be—"

"I got it!" yelled Zora. "I got it! I had to break it in two, then the clamp lost power." She fused the wound and taped gauze over it.

"Your turn," she said to Ailsa.

"No sedatives."

Zora moved to the next table over and tapped it. "Hurry up."

Ailsa limped over and laid down. "Mine's in my leg," she said.

Zora undid her pants and pulled them down to reveal the red swelling on her thigh.

Ailsa looked away and cleared her throat. "This is just a little weird."

Zora guffawed. "I don't swing that way. Tall, dark and handsome is my type."

Ailsa glared at her. I saw him first.

"You ready for this?" Zora asked. She held up a shiny steel scalpel. The ceiling lights reflected off of it and Ailsa blinked her eyes shut.

"Just do it, bitch."

Zora slashed her leg. Blood oozed out and pooled on the metal table.

Pain flooded through Ailsa. She gritted her teeth. Stop, stop. All I wanted was to end the pain so how did this happen?

"It's hooked into your sartorius. Hold on."

The crack vibrated her bone and a jagged piece ripped into her.

"Ow!" Ailsa whined. She sat up.

"Lay down! Almost done." Zora pulled the two sides of the wound together and fused them.

Ailsa's head swam and she gritted her teeth. Each prick of the needle caused her jaw to ache more. "Would you... just... finish... already!" she muttered.

"It's done. It's done!" said Zora. She ripped off her plastic gloves. "Pull your pants up. I'll grab some antibiotics, then Texa and—" Zora stopped. Her face froze.

Ailsa raised herself up. A soldier brought his rifle butt down on her forehead.

# 46

Ailsa sat up and hit her head on the bottom of a steel table. "Damnnit!" she whispered.

She crawled out and got to her feet. She put weight on the leg with the incision and collapsed on her side to the red granite floor. She struggled to take in air.

"I just can't do it. I can't." Ailsa sobbed.

She got up on two feet again and leaned on the steel table. The shiny white android still sat behind it. "What the hell happened?" Ailsa asked.

"Xemura Security arrived and removed the disallowed personnel, to include Dr. Zora Collins, the juvenile and... They did not take you. This was against policy. I am sounding the silent alarm once more," said the android.

Ailsa groaned. "Where did they take them?"

"You are unauthorized personnel."

Ailsa limped over to the android and slapped its face. "Where did they go?"

"Violent behavior against Xemura corporate property is considered a severe crime under the category of property destruction and is heard by arbitration panel 37240. This crime has been reported," the machine said.

Ailsa screamed. She headed for the door. "Texa," she called.

There was no answer.

"Texa!" There was a scrap of cloth up ahead. She bent down and picked it up. It was the duck and egg pattern from Texa's shirt. Blood stained it now.

"Texa!" She yelled it louder this time. "Zora!"

She made it to the entrance. The frosted doors whooshed open for her. She walked out. The parking lot was empty.

# 47

Ailsa sat down on the front stoop of the clinic and cried.

I've lost her. The one good thing in my life. She's gone. I'll never get her back now. Gabriel either abandoned me or is being corrected. It's all my fault.

But why did they leave me behind?

She let out a deep breath and sagged. She buried her head in her arms. I deserve to be like this. I don't deserve Texa or Gabriel or anything. I killed my baby girl. The tears poured down her cheeks.

A long time passed. Ailsa did not want to get up. She did not want to open her eyes. She did not want to be alive. A wrenching pain clawed at her gut.

A tiny red and black bird landed on her shoulder. It dug its pointy claws into her flesh. She shrugged and it flew off.

The bird came back. She looked up. There were a half-dozen of them standing around her. Some pecked at the decorative landscaping but others watched her. Their tiny little eyes flickered here and there.

"Don't look at me!" she whispered. "I'm death. I'm failure. I'll screw you up, get you killed, poor, precious little birds." She buried her head in her arms again.

I won't look up. I won't move. I won't open my eyes. Someone will come for me. Someone will tell me where to go or what to do. I'll take the correction or the uplift or whatever. I deserve to suffer.

# 48

Ailsa plodded down the empty road from the clinic against her better judgment. "I can't even give up right," she whispered. "I don't even have the willpower for—"

She stopped. It was Texa. Her influence made me strong. She was angry when the Gards killed those men. She was sad when I killed us. Without her, I have no strength left.

She collapsed to the ground. "I am such a failure!" she yelled.

Get up. Get up. You have to find her. Not just for her but for you, too.

She stood up again. There was a red spot on her pants where Zora made the incision.

A loud beeping noise sounded behind her. She turned. A black car approached. Ailsa looked up. Gabriel?

The car hit the ground unevenly and bounced around before coming to a complete stop. The driver rolled his window down.

"Hop in," he said. "I can give you a ride, Lizzy."

Ailsa scowled. Who is this guy? The inside of the vehicle was dark in the approaching twilight.

"It's me," he said.

"Gabriel?"

"Who's Gabriel?" he asked in an angry tone of voice.

This is a trick. They sent him. She took a step back.

He activated the cabin light. The face was familiar. He had greying teeth, stubble and a face that sagged slightly.

"It's me! Milton!"

"Milton? You look different."

"I'm just a little cleaned up is all."

"What are you— Did you go through uplift?" she asked.

"It gets ugly around here at night, Lizzy. You should come with me. I have a place. I can keep you safe," he said.

She walked around the car and got into the backseat.

"I'm going to take care of you, Lizzy. You're safe now. I promise."

# 49

"How did you get this car?" Ailsa asked Milton. She looked around the interior. The front panels were cracked and the upholstery was worn down.

"I don't have much," he said, "but things are way, way better for me now. The uplift changed everything for me. I know you missed it but... yes, yes, I know I shouldn't pick up a woman... but I know her. I know her. She's a... fugitive? Maybe! We don't know that for sure yet!"

Ailsa looked out the window. The car sped over dark hills. Things moved down there. She spied homes, but there was no light.

"Are we crossing protectorate borders?" she asked.

"I said, we don't yet— Oh shit." He turned to her. "Lizzy, are you a fugitive?"

Ailsa stared at him blankly. I probably am. "I don't know," she said. "Why do you ask?"

Milton turned the back of his head to her and tapped the nape of his neck. A tiny metal box protruded. "Protecty Central says someone matching your description is wanted. Do you know anything about this?"

Her eyes widened and she stared at the box. "No," she whispered. "What's Protecty Central and what's that box?"

Milton laughed. "Oh, it's nothing, just a thing they gave me in uplift. I sent them your picture so they can see if it's you."

"What do you mean, you 'sent them my picture'?" Ailsa asked. "Why don't you let me out in the central district?"

"I... no, Lizzy. I love you," he said. "I want to be a good citizen of Protectorate 13491. Yes, I agreed to the terms. No, I do not wish to be in breach. Goddamnit." Milton shook his head. He clawed at the metal box at the back of his neck.

The car careened to the right and descended rapidly.

"Milton!" she yelled. "Stop!" She grabbed the wheel and righted the car but the decent continued. "Pull up! Pull up!"

Milton groaned. He got two fingers on the box and pulled. "Why won't you... come out, goddamnit!"

The car dived left. The golden arches of a Taco McDonalds invaded her view through the windshield.

Milton twisted the box. It came out. He laughed. "I got it! I'm free!"

He passed out.

# 50

Ailsa dragged Milton's unconscious body out of the remains of the car. His foot was wedged under his door.

Hamburger buns flew over their heads and razor sharp chopping blades cut nonexistent tomatoes against the stained cement. Ketchup spewed out of a tube in spurts at high pressure like a severed artery.

She dislodged his foot. She dragged him through a puddle of ketchup and over the counter where an ordering kiosk repeated, "Can I take your order?"

Ailsa stopped and stared a moment. I remember this. I don't remember being here but I remember this place. A dollop of ketchup landed on her face from a pressurized tube. She licked it. Why does that taste so good?

She pulled Milton's ketchup-soaked body out of the remains of the restaurant and into the parking lot. Cars raced off around her at high speed. A crowd gathered to view the carnage.

A woman screamed. "He's dead, oh my God, all that blood!" She fainted and hit the ground head-first.

Ailsa looked up. "It's just ketchup," she whispered.

She stepped back in and found a cache of water bottles. She grabbed as many of the icy containers as she could. Outside, she dumped them one by one on Milton.

She kneeled down next to him. "Wake up, Milton!" She shook him. His head flopped from side to side.

A Guardian aircar hovered above them.

# 51

"Papers, please," said the Guardian. He was the same height as all of them, medium build and well-muscled. His white suit glimmered from the reflections of the fire. His identical partner paced the edges of the crowd.

Ailsa searched for the least dangerous way to reveal her complete lack of papers.

"How long has it been on fire, citizen?" asked the Guardian.

"It... just started," said Ailsa. She turned to go.

"Papers, please!" said the Guardian in a severe tone of voice. "Citizen, stop."

Ailsa kept walking.

"Citizen, stop," said both Guardians at once.

Ailsa broke into a run. There was a brown gate at the back of the Taco McDonalds. She made for it.

A sharp pop sounded and Ailsa hit the ground hard. Her left calf burned.

Milton opened his eyes. He stood up. "Lizzy? Lizzy!"

"Milton," she yelled. She looked back at him as he rose from the ground.

The Guardian bore down on Ailsa and Milton limped after him.

"Please don't kill me," Ailsa whispered to the Guardian.

The pearly figure stopped a meter from her. "You have missed your uplift appointment, citizen. I will now take you to Protecty Central for uplift. I will not hurt you. This is a voluntary procedure."

"I don't want to go!" Ailsa yelled.

"This is entirely voluntary," it said. "You agreed to these terms—"

Milton got behind the Guardian and ripped off its helmet. The head underneath was all wires, shiny metal and iridescent circles.

"Run!" Ailsa yelled.

The grotesque head rotated. The body followed. It grabbed Milton's head and twisted. Milton's dead body thudded to the ground.

The machine turned back to her.

Ailsa screamed.

# 52

The machine-Guardian fell on her. Ailsa kicked and screamed and scratched but it was too heavy.

It's going to kill me now. The weight of the machine bore down on her chest. Ailsa struggled to breathe.

I want to see it. I want to see the end. She gritted her teeth. She opened her eyes.

A weapon discharged. She trembled. The machine lay motionless next to her. A dark figure stood over her, blocking out the streetlight.

She squinted her eyes.

"Get up," he said.

She grabbed his outstretched hand and pulled herself up.

He was tall, dark and with a creeping midsection. He looked familiar. Ailsa searched her memory.

He smiled. He was missing teeth. Others were black. Large, dark purple bags pulled at his eyes.

She took a step back. "Who are you?"

He was silent a moment. "It's me, Gabriel," he said.

# 53

"Where did you go?" Ailsa asked Gabriel. "You abandoned me!" She pounded his nearest shoulder with both fists.

Below, the city was alive with light and fire. They passed through a low, dark cloud.

She tired of hitting him. "Do you have one of those metal boxes in the back of your head, too?"

"What?" he asked.

"I saw someone, from my old protectorate. They put a box in his head during uplift." She grabbed the hair at the nape of his neck and pulled.

"Ow!" he yelled. The car jerked to the right.

She rubbed her hand all over the back of his head. It was greasy. A stale smell released into the air. But there was no box.

She wiped her hand on the seatback. "Okay, you're clear. Why—"

"I was scared." He turned to look at her. "I'm sorry. They sent a dozen big ships in for Texa."

The sound of her name made Ailsa go rubbery. She hunched forward. She wanted to cry but she just felt empty and exhausted.

"You look different." She turned to study him. "You look like you got beat up."

Gabriel shrugged.

"And the man with the box in his head, he looked better than I remember. Am I going insane?"

Gabriel reached a hand over to caress her face.

She slapped it away. "You abandoned me!" she screamed. "Set the car down! I can't trust you. Everything is screwed up!"

"Relax!" Gabriel descended the car. They passed through thicker and darker clouds. The smell of burning plastic entered the car.

"What's burning?" she asked.

"It's the city," he said. "Just look at it. It's on fire. The Republic has called an uplift. We're rising."

Gabriel leveled off the car. She looked out into the street below. People carried fire and they were burning buildings.

It's Texa. The thought flashed through her mind. "Texa's doing this," she said. "She made me see Milton as ugly because he is ugly inside. She made me see you as handsome because you are good. And now..."

Gabriel turned and smiled. "But I am handsome."

"Did you see that the Guardians are machines now?" she asked.

"What! That's not true. I have a friend—" he started.

She giggled and her shoulders relaxed. "I know what's happening. I know how to get Texa back and how we can be free. I know what to do."

He studied her face. "You've taken Jubitol."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She focused on Texa's face. It came to her in a flash.

"I knew it. Of course!" she yelled. "We have to go to XLS1."

Gabriel turned to her, his eyes big. "XLS1? Not with me, you're not. Forget it!"

# 54

"Enter," said Dr. Vernor Xemura in a whisper. He sat behind a polished metal desk. On the other side of the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him, flames from multiple buildings licked the sky.

A rotund, stooped man in a bursting tuxedo waddled into Dr. Xemura's office. "What the hell is this, Vernor? Unrest, yes. A little terrorism, if we must. Clean out some protectorates, yes, dear God. But burn the city? Everyone is blaming me!"

Vernor grimaced. "Relax, Alexander. I've—"

"I have called an emergency meeting of the trustees for tonight. They're going to find out about all this." Alexander pulled a handkerchief from his front pocket and mopped his neck.

"Where are your guards?" Vernor asked with a sly grin. "We need to keep you safe, Mr. President."

Alexander glared at him. "Safe from what? The Rising? Please. You're the only threat that concerns me!"

Vernor stood up and looked out the window. His gaze fell on the fires and his heart warmed. The sickly artificial smell of burning plastic at once raced his heart and lightened his head. He turned around. "A little creative destruction will do us good. The rabble will burn up their own protectorates and we simply re-prioritize the cleaning list." The corners of his mouth and his eyes creased.

Alexander glared at him. "More cleaning? What about when it reaches our neighborhoods? Do we clean them, too?"

"If need be," said Vernor. He turned around and tensed his jaw muscles. "I tire," he said in a louder voice, "of your questions. We must order the Republic perfectly. You know what is coming."

"But, is this really—" started Alexander.

Vernor held up his hand. "The trustees dither and you question. But I do! I am the only one preparing us for the inevitable." He sat down at his desk and took a yellow pill from a glass bowl. "If not for me, for my efforts, my experiments... my resolution and strength, the Republic would be dead already."

# 55

Gabriel touched his ear. "Who is this?"

"Gabriel?" a woman asked. The voice was familiar but it raised a tension in his gut.

Gabriel scowled. "I'm not—"

"It's Zora."

Gabriel took a deep breath. He looked through the windshield. Ailsa waited for her order to come up at the food truck.

"What have you done with Texa?" he asked.

"This has a simple solution," she said. "I don't know why the Rising didn't think of this before. Didn't you tell them you're his brother?"

Gabriel pursed his lips.

"You marry me, I kill your brother and we take over his holdings, including his trusteeship. Ailsa and Texa go on their merry way. Well, at least Ailsa."

"What?"

"You heard me. I'm telling it to you straight," she said. "I checked with the Committee. You are in his will. You get everything. It's a matter of personal survival now, anyway."

"I don't know if you noticed, Zora, but I am interested in Ailsa. I'm not interested in you. And it looks like you helped kidnap Texa again," he said. "Where is she?"

"Look, I'm just as much a victim here as she is. I got the devices out of them. It's not my fault that soldiers showed up and took her. They took me, too!"

"I'm not—" Gabriel started.

"I'm a prisoner here, too!" she yelled.

"Then how come you get to make a phone call?"

Zora was silent a moment. "Look, how much do you know about her?"

"Enough. They need me."

"She whores herself out."

"Go smoke yourself," he said.

Zora sighed. "I'll nutshell it for you, Gabriel. Your brother engineered them to—"

"What are you saying? He created them? They're clones? What?" he asked.

Zora sighed. "You know, it's not that important right now. Here's the important part. Vernor is engaged in a power play. He is trying to take over the Republic. He is using Texa's mental powers to do this. If we can kill him—"

"You want to kill my brother. Do you hear yourself?"

Ailsa left the food truck with their food in hand.

"With us, she can have a normal childhood. But for Vernor she is a lab rat, a tool, a weapon." Zora paused. "Listen, Gabriel, I know about your—"

Gabriel hung up. Ailsa got into the back seat and handed him his half of the food.

"I got your favorite," she said. "Kung Pao Soy, right?" She smiled at him.

Gabriel stared out the windshield.

"What's happened?" she asked. "Did somebody call? What?"

"No. No, it's nothing. Just hungry," he said with a tired smile. What the hell do I do now?

# 56

"I just can't," said Ailsa. "I can't eat anything."

"Aren't you hungry?" asked Gabriel. They sat high above the city in the black taxi and watched the fires rage below. XLS1 was straight ahead and just below them.

"I am so hungry, Gabriel, but... my whole body hurts. It's Texa. They're hurting her. I just know it."

"We can't just go in there," he said. "All we have is this half-drained Gard rifle. We won't make it past the front door."

She dropped her Chinese food and hung her head forward. "Give me an idea. You must have one. What's going to happen? What should I do?"

"I just—" he started.

"How have you avoided the Gards all this time? You know how to use a gun. You're his brother. There has to be something you can do..." Ailsa frowned and looked away from him.

"I've got nothing," he said. "I'm sorry. Yeah, he's my brother but we haven't—"

"Just shut up," Ailsa said. "I'll take care of this. Give me the gun and drop me at the front door."

"You are insane," Gabriel said. He opened the glove compartment and pulled the gun out.

"No," she said. "I'm a mother."

# 57

"I don't want you to feel that I'm—" started Gabriel. He set the taxi down in the street in front of XLS1.

He turned to face her.

"How much is the fare?" Ailsa asked.

"Oh, go bloody smoke yourself," he said. "I have taken a lot—"

Ailsa got out and slammed the door on him. He rolled down his window.

"Now, just hold on a second..."

Ailsa didn't hear him anymore. She held the gun at the small of her back and strode towards the entrance.

I'm going in there, I'm going to kill anyone who gets in my way, I'm coming out with Texa and then we're getting out of here. I can do it. I have to.

A robotic arm zoomed in on her from above the front door. At the end of it was a translucent black ball. "What is your business here, citizen?" it asked.

Ailsa brought out the gun and fired at it. She missed.

A red light flashed above the arm. "Hostile intent detected. Stop and present identification, citizen," it said.

She fired and missed again. "Damned thing!"

A loud metallic sound came from the front doors. "Lockdown protocol enabled." The voice came from inside XLS1.

"Subject identified as research asset 1176892-CS32," said the arm. "Lockdown disabled manually."

She held the gun right under the black ball and fired it. A piece of it disappeared and the ball crashed to the ground next to her.

She stepped forward. The glass doors slid open.

# 58

The robotic sentries were still. Ailsa walked towards the elevator and got in. The frosted, pentagonal '83' button illuminated with a gentle melody and the doors closed.

This is creepy. He's letting me in without a fight. He plans to kill me up there, neat and clean, like a lab rat or an old dog. One of his goons will be waiting for me. And it will be completely legal.

She looked around the spacious elevator car. It burst out of the building interior and climbed the outside of the building. Smoke billowed from the city. They were putting out the fires.

Gabriel. His taxi rose with her, he outside, she inside. She raised her hand to him. He looked away.

The elevator doors opened on the 83rd floor. She whirled around. No one was there. She poked her head out.

Ailsa stepped out of the elevator and walked down a pristine, white hallway. Frosted glass surrounded her. Lights illuminated on the floor to guide her path.

This is incredibly weird. She fingered the trigger of the Gard rifle. She held it close against the back of her thigh.

"Lizzy, I'm right here," said a voice behind her.

She swiveled around. It was Milton.

"You're dead," she said.

Milton smiled. His skin was pink and smooth. His face was taut. He looked to be no more than twenty-five years old.

"You're— He revived you."

Milton nodded.

"Why?"

"Same reason he revived you, Lizzy. We belong to him."

"Bullshit!" she yelled.

"Texa belongs to him, too."

"No!"

"He created us. He is our god, you could say. He keeps us young, saves us from our—"

"That's ridiculous!" she screamed.

"I know what I'm supposed to do," he muttered. He twisted his body to look back.

"Who are you—" Ailsa started.

Milton whirled around and kneeled. "I'm doing the best... I... Okay! I can do more. But..."

Ailsa spotted the box. "Your neck..."

Milton looked over his shoulder at her, his eyes wide and gritting his teeth. "I know!" he yelled.

Ailsa took a step back. "Anyway, I—"

He stood up and ran towards her. "You can't go in there. It's my job. Yes, I know! It's my job!"

He kneeled in front of her and reached for her hand. She jerked it away.

"We're an experiment, you see," Milton said. "He... Shut up! She deserves to know! He made us, together, as his perfect Adam and Eve. Together, we made Texa."

"You're not her father!"

He cocked his head. "I'm sorry. I know. I'm a little... pathetic these days. Yes! He let me keep my memory but he always took yours, and Texa's." He nodded his head with a strained frown.

"You're insane!" She kicked him and pulled out the gun. "Don't get in my way. I'm getting Texa and we're—"

He lay on the floor and giggled like a baby.

She proceeded down the hall. At the end were two huge double doors. They were ajar.

She threw them open and screamed.

# 59

A cold, wet wind greeted Ailsa. It stank of smoldering plastic, gunpowder and rot.

Dr. Vernor Xemura lay dead at his desk. A thin, shiny piece of metal extended out of his forehead.

Ailsa cringed. She picked up his head and examined it. It was the same man who had threatened her in the white room. It seemed so long ago. The wind hit her again. She looked straight ahead, to the left of the desk. A pane of glass was blown out of the wall.

A black car hovered outside on the other side of the wall. Zora carried something wrapped in white. She placed it into the trunk and slammed it shut. The car rotated and a back door opened.

"Zora!" Ailsa yelled. She ran towards her. "What are you doing?"

Zora threw herself head first into the car and hit her head on the edge of the roof. "Go! Go, Gabriel! Go!"

Ailsa reached out the window. She looked down. It was pitch dark. The raindrops disappeared into the void. She grabbed Zora's foot and pulled. Zora grabbed hold inside the car.

Ailsa looked into the front seat. A dark figure turned around. It was Gabriel.

Gabriel? She yanked on the leg and Zora's shoe came off. Ailsa watched it disappear into the gloom.

"Let go!" yelled Zora.

"Tell me where Texa is!"

"Bugger off!"

The car inched away from the building. Ailsa held on tight. Only her feet remained inside the building.

Zora kicked her. "Let go, you stupid bitch!"

Ailsa wrapped her hand tight around the top of Zora's calf muscle and dug her nails in.

Zora screamed.

Ailsa steeled her hand. Her feet slipped off of the edge of the building but someone grabbed them.

She turned her head. It was Milton.

"I've got you, Lizzy. Let go!" he yelled.

The wind buffeted all of them and the cab slammed into the building. Milton, Ailsa and Zora landed back inside.

Ailsa got on top of Zora and punched her. "Where is she? What did you do with her?" Ailsa pulled a fist back and droplets of blood splattered to her face.

Milton grabbed Ailsa's legs and pulled her away from the window. "We don't need them, anymore, we're back together now," Milton said, "and we can make another one."

"Let go of me! Another what? What are you talking—" Ailsa started.

Zora ran and jumped out the window into the cab. Gabriel sped off.

"Another Texa, of course," said Milton.

# 60

"You need to tell me everything you know. Where did they go?" Ailsa asked Milton. They sat on the floor of Dr. Vernor Xemura's office. The rain blew in through the hole left by Zora and Gabriel. The dead man sat in his desk chair. Ailsa shivered.

Milton shrugged.

"Do they have her?" she asked.

Milton nodded.

"Where did they take her? What do they want— This has to do with her power..."

Milton shrugged. "Zora wants Dr. Xemura's company. She says Texa can enable her to control the Republic Trustees, and then she will put the world back to how it was."

"You helped her kill Dr. Xemura and you helped her get away with Texa," said Ailsa.

"I did it for you, Lizzy. I did it for us," he said. "Now that he's dead, the messages will stop. I'm okay now."

"I have to find my daughter," she said.

"I can help you," Milton said. "And I fixed your device." He pulled a device out of his pocket.

She recognized it immediately. "That's my computer. Where did you get it?" She ripped it from his hand.

"When you died, Lizzy."

"Why did you take me there to die? Why did you let us die?" she asked.

"I knew he would bring you back and then we could be together again, all fresh and new like before... you know what."

A tremor ran up her back. She walked over to Dr. Xemura's desk and pushed the chair with his body out of the way. "How does he use his computer?"

Milton ran over and swiped his hand across the front right corner of the desk. "Use his hand to do it, hurry before it gets too cold. Are you worried about money? Don't worry, I have some."

She brought the body back and swiped the hand. A screen rose out of the desk.

"Authentication, please, Dr. Xemura," a voice said.

"The password," she said to Milton. "Do you know it?"

Milton twisted his head to one side and grimaced. "I don't know if I should tell you."

"Milton!"

"Why don't we just revive him?"

"He's got a hole in his head, Milton, and he has lost a ton of blood. He's not coming back."

Milton screwed up his face. "Okay. I heard him say, 'That which is yours cannot be denied.'"

Ailsa repeated the words. The screen came to life. "Track Gabriel and Zora," she said.

"Input insufficient," the voice said.

"There was a black taxi," said Ailsa, "right outside this window, owned by Gabriel Xemura—"

"Gabriel Xemura," said the voice. "Brother of Dr. Vernor Xemura, CEO of Xemura Life Sciences. Deceased May 17 of the current year."

"What?" muttered Ailsa. "When? He's dead?"

# 61

A photo of Gabriel Xemura appeared on the screen. It was her Gabriel.

"He revived his brother, too?" whispered Ailsa. "Who hasn't he revived?"

A call came in. "Answer," she said. "Hello?" She felt oddly comfortable in this office.

There was a silence. A thick male voice spoke up. "Who is this?"

"Who is this?" Ailsa answered.

"This is Alexander Nelson, President of the Republic Trust for Dr. Vernor Xemura. The nature of the call is very urgent."

"Well, he's dead."

Alexander was silent for a moment. "Oh my God. What happened?" he asked.

"His resurrected brother and his assistant jammed a piece of metal into his forehead and blew his brains out."

"Are you Ailsa Santamaria?" Alexander asked.

"Why? How do you know that name?"

"Listen, Ailsa, time is short and the Republic Trust is in danger."

Ailsa laughed. "Go smoke yourself."

"There's too many of us," said Alexander. "Too much rabble. Too many hungry mouths. And—"

"Save your bullshit propaganda, Alex. I want my daughter and I want out of here."

"I can probably help you with that."

"I don't believe you. You're all liars."

"Just listen, Ms. Santamaria! You and your girl are responsible for the chaos that's happening outside right now."

Ailsa turned around. The fires were bigger now and there were more of them.

"It's getting worse, too," said Alexander. "We must stop it before more people die."

"You kill people, so I should just hang up on you now," she said.

"I can help you get your daughter back!" Alexander yelled.

# 62

"What's in it for you?" Ailsa asked. She pushed Dr. Xemura's body out of the chair and took a seat. She crossed her legs and leaned back.

Alexander cleared his throat. "We restore stability to the protectorates. You get your daughter and safe passage to wherever your like."

"What if I want to kill you bastards?"

"Listen, Ms. Santamaria," started Alexander, "you're legally dead. You and your daughter. You legally have no rights. And right now, rogue elements in the Xemura family with sympathies for the Rising have your daughter. They plan to manipulate her and her power to destroy the Republic so that they can gain control of it for their own ends."

"Okay, good."

"When they're done," he continued, "they will either kill Texa or lock her away indefinitely under sedation as a lab rat."

"Gabriel wouldn't do that!" she said.

"The late Dr. Xemura's brother has already betrayed you, hasn't he? Do you trust Dr. Collins?"

Ailsa was silent.

"Collins and Xemura are outside the Republic central office. I am dispatching soldiers to accompany you there, right now, to safely get your daughter back and then you have my promise that we will send you wherever you like with enough funds to sustain you for many years to come."

"Don't trust them!" Milton whispered.

Ailsa took a deep breath. "Bring a gun for me," she said. "This one's charge is almost dead."

# 63

The air was thick with the smell of blood and sweaty men. Ailsa stepped out of the troop carrier. The early morning air outside was only marginally more breathable. Dark-helmeted soldiers poured out behind her and surrounded her. Two approached her from the front.

"What? Let's go," she said to the men.

"Proper protective gear is required, ma'am," said the one on her left.

She scowled at him. "Robots?"

The soldier took off his helmet. His jawline was sharp and covered in black stubble. His dark blue eyes pierced her. "Do I look like a bot to you?"

She smiled. Why does the Republic get the hottest men? Probably genetic engineering. "Okay, go ahead."

He wrapped her in dark blue body armor from head to toe. He offered her a helmet.

"No," she said. "No helmet. Now give me a gun."

She walked up the gray, cement steps of the Republic Trust Central Office. It was a simple red brick and cement edifice. The first rays of the morning sun glinted off of the sliding doors. They refused to open.

Ailsa brought her gun up and fired. It blew a hole in the door. She fired twice more, than stepped through.

"Ailsa! Stop right there." It was Gabriel.

She brought the gun up and pointed it at him. "Where's Texa?" she yelled.

"Now, Ailsa, just—" he started.

"Shut up! Just give me my daughter!" She ran up to him and put the gun to his neck.

Gabriel swallowed hard. "Just relax. Ailsa. You know I wouldn't—"

She swung the gun up and whipped him across the back with it. He fell to the floor and gasped for breath.

"Where is she!" she yelled.

A door opened behind Ailsa. She whirled around.

Texa carried her arms like a ballerina. She turned around and gently closed the door behind her.

"Texa?" Ailsa asked. "What did they do to you, baby?"

Texa walked right past her. She did not look at her mother. She put her hands on Gabriel's head. He awoke, stood up and dusted himself off.

Ailsa stared at them, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.

Gabriel sighed. "I wanted to spare you this. Texa is not your daughter. She's mine and Zora's. We ran the test. It's confirmed."

Ailsa laughed. "That's ridiculous. I gave—" Ailsa thought back to the moment of Texa's birth. The memory did not come.

Gabriel cocked an eyebrow. "You don't actually remember her birth, do you?"

"I... It's the stress. I'm really stressed right now." She cleared her throat. "Texa," she said in a firm, loud voice, "we're leaving. Let's—"

Texa turned to her and screamed. "You killed me! You're not my mother! Get out!" She pushed a hand forward and Ailsa was thrown down the hallway. She crashed through the unbroken glass door and continued until she hit the troop carrier she came in.

# 64

The soldier with the sharp jawline snapped his fingers in her face. His chest said, "Hanshin." He slapped her with an icy hand.

It came back to her. "They did something to her," Ailsa said. "She doesn't—"

"We heard," said Hanshin. "Your armor is wired up. What I need to know is what you plan to do about it."

"She doesn't want me anymore."

"They brainwashed her, ma'am," said Hanshin.

"Her powers have—" she started.

"We know, Ailsa!" said Hanshin. "But the situation is active. What is your plan of action?"

"Well, tell me what else you know!" she yelled. "How did they do that? How do I undo it?"

Hanshin shrugged.

"Well, can you ask somebody?"

Hanshin just stared at her with dead eyes.

Ailsa rolled her eyes and stood up. Her back ached and her steps slowed. She stepped through the now larger hole in the doors.

"Texa," she yelled down the now-empty hallway, "I love you and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I killed us. We were both so sad all the time and they were uplifting our protectorate. I didn't want you to feel that pain. It wasn't fair to you."

A dozen soldiers came in behind her.

"It's about time you guys made yourselves useful," she said to them. "Follow me in. I'm going to do whatever—"

"Put the gun down and lay down on the floor," said Hanshin.

Ailsa turned around to glare at them. "What the—"

They aimed their guns at her. She looked down at her chest. A dozen red dots orbited her heart.

# 65

Zora appeared next to Ailsa. "They answer to us now." She took Ailsa's gun and pulled her towards the wall.

Ailsa sat down against the wall. I've been the best mom I could. I've done what I can. Everyone is against me.

"Well?" asked Zora. She tapped her foot. "You have a couple options. We can kill you right here or you can take a flight out of the Republic right now. We'll give you some coin. Head to Jamaica or Barbados for a while."

"And do what?" Ailsa whispered.

Zora shrugged. "Find a man again, a real man. Enjoy the beach. Just stay away from the Republic and our truce will remain in effect. Texa will be safe."

"So," asked Ailsa, "you control the Republic now? And the Gards?"

"Gabriel and I have inherited his late brother's corporate holdings and his Republic trusteeship."

Ailsa glared at her. "Then why do you need my daughter?"

Zora looked down at her with amusement. "You know why we need Texa. She's my daughter, by the way. I switched the egg when we genned her. It's her power. She's the experiment that succeeded."

Ailsa looked at her quizzically. "I don't believe a word you say."

Zora's eyes darted to and fro.

"That's why you have personal control of the Gards now," said Ailsa. "It's my girl."

Zora smiled. "Influence is what you call it, right?"

"She's my daughter," said Ailsa. She stood up and grabbed Zora's throat. "She doesn't look like you. She doesn't love you! She's my girl!"

Zora scratched at Ailsa's arm. Blood welled up from the deep gouges in her skin. Zora fell to her knees. She waved her arms wildly for the Gards to take action. Ailsa tightened her grip and locked her other hand on the back of Zora's neck. Zora gasped for breath.

Gabriel ran out of an office and separated them.

"Just go, Ailsa!" Gabriel said. "There's nothing you can do here. I will make sure they don't hurt her. Just get out, while you can. You have no idea of what's coming now."

# 66

Hanshin grabbed Ailsa's upper arm. "Let's go, ma'am." He marched her out.

Ailsa jerked her arm away from him. "I can walk on my own, thank you!"

A memory sparked in her mind. Dr. Xemura was outside the cage and she was in it. 'She depends on you. You are the foundation.' That's what he said.

Hanshin handcuffed her and pushed her into the troop carrier. "Where will you go?" he asked.

"Did you forget that we were working together?" she asked.

"No. I remember."

"Then what has changed? Ask yourself, what has changed? Why are you—" she started.

He waved his hand to silence her. "My orders changed."

"Your orders are wrong! They're going to separate me from my child." She squinted at him and her voice broke.

"It's not my responsibility." He slammed the doors behind her.

Ailsa took a deep breath and focused on Texa. She focused on the current between them. No. No. No. She turned it off.

Ailsa listened. She pushed on the door and it clanged open. She looked out. The soldiers sat on the ground. Some reclined in the street.

She stepped out onto the street. A hot, dry wind blew dust into her face. Above her, aircars streamed in four lanes each way. She nudged one of the soldiers with a foot. He did not react.

She walked into the Central Office and opened the door to the room where Gabriel had been.

Zora jumped out at her and landed on Ailsa's neck. "What did you do!"

Ailsa hit the floor and Zora got on top of her. She landed punch after punch to Ailsa's nose. Blood spattered over Zora's face.

"I had them," Zora yelled. "I had the Republic. I was going to stop it all, the cleanings, the oppression, I was going to force sharing and provide education for all. What did you do?"

Ailsa smiled through the blood and a swollen left eye. "I almost believe you."

Gabriel ran into the room holding a dark screen. "Zora, I lost control! I'm locked out!"

"Damnit!" Zora rolled off of Ailsa. She kneeled and massaged her forehead.

Ailsa got up and ran into the room Gabriel had just exited. "Texa! Texa!"

Texa stood up from behind a table. She stared at Ailsa. Her eyes were unfocused and her face slack.

Ailsa ran to her. She fell to her knees and hugged Texa tight. "What did they do to you, baby?"

Ailsa ran her hands over Texa's body and through her hair. She stopped at the nape of her neck.

Her hand caressed a smooth, metal ball that protruded from Texa's neck. She grabbed it and pulled.

Texa screamed.

Ailsa grabbed Texa's hand and pulled her into the other room. "I want it out now!"

"It's a more advanced version of Vernor's control chip," said Gabriel. "It won't cause any permanent damage."

Ailsa squinted at him. Tears streamed down her face. "I don't care! I want it out now!"

Gabriel shrugged and turned.

"Can't you please just get it out of her. She won't help you anymore. We will—"

Zora stood up. "Why doesn't she work anymore? What did you do?"

"We have to get out of here," whispered Gabriel. "He's going to make his move and then it will be too late. We'll take them both. We'll figure it out."

Zora nodded. "Texa, come," she said.

Texa followed her.

"Come with us," said Gabriel to Ailsa. "Help us keep her safe."

# 67

"You drive," Zora said to Gabriel. "Texa and Ailsa, in the back seat." They exited the Republic Trust Central office and climbed into a Guardian aircar.

Gabriel hit the start button but the engine did not respond.

A shadow fell over them. Gards descended on ropes outside the car and trained their guns on Gabriel. Dr. Xemura appeared behind them.

"Out of the car," he said.

Gards opened the four doors and they all piled out.

"You have gravely disappointed me, Zora," said Dr. Xemura. He approached her and jammed his finger into her chest. "I offered you a position of trust."

"Which you used to further intimidate me," Zora said. "You involved me in coercive human testing. You used my work to initiate this program of mass population control. So save your sanctimonious violation of trust bullshit! You violated mine first."

Dr. Xemura felt the back of Texa's head. "Yet I see you did some coercive human testing and control of your own." He cocked an eyebrow.

Zora crossed her arms.

"And you, Gabriel? Have you forgotten that we are brothers?"

"Hello, Vernor," said Gabriel. "I'm glad you're alive. I just want you to stop hurting people."

"And you, Ailsa, my dear," said Dr. Xemura, "we are reunited." He turned to a Gard. "Take them to the Celtic Sea lab. "We'll soon have our lives back on track," he said to Ailsa.

"You will not!" Ailsa said. A Gard grabbed her. She ripped her arm away from him.

"Don't worry, my dear," Dr. Xemura said. "I will restore your memory and we will be together again. You have suffered for this crazy experiment long enough. There is enough data now, I think."

Ailsa turned to Zora and nodded. She closed her eyes and felt for the current. Yes. She forced herself to relax and become open to it again.

"Knock them out, Texa! Knock them out, now!" yelled Zora.

Dr. Xemura laughed. "Did you not think, my dear Zora, that I would disable the chip in her? You did not secure the interface in any fashion." He laughed with his mouth closed. "Very careless of you."

Zora looked down.

Ailsa kneeled down. "Texa, it's Mommy. Texa?"

Dr. Xemura continued laughing. "I can assure you—" he started.

"Baby, I need you to use your power."

"—that her will is subverted right now by the technology. There is nothing—"

"I love you, baby girl. I promise to always take care of you, my little princess," said Ailsa. She hugged Texa's limp body.

"—absolutely nothing," continued Dr. Xemura, "that you—"

Texa took a deep breath. "Do you promise not to kill us again, Mommy?"

A tear rolled down Ailsa's cheek. "I promise. I'm so sorry."

"—can do." Dr. Xemura's face hardened. "Take them now!"

Gards grabbed their arms behind their backs and started to handcuff them.

"Texa, I just need you—" started Ailsa.

"I heard your thought, Mommy," said Texa. She twisted her head to the side.

The Gards collapsed to the ground.

Ailsa stood up and smiled. She covered her mouth. She picked up Texa and hugged her tight. "You did it, baby girl. Good job."

"Please stop that, dear." Dr. Xemura picked up a gun and pointed it at the ground in front of Ailsa and Texa.

Gabriel leaped at him and his brother opened a hole in his chest. Gabriel fell dead to the ground.

Zora ran at him. "You bastard!" She raised her hand to smack him.

Ailsa put Texa down. "Just hold on a minute, honey." She got behind Dr. Xemura.

Ailsa grabbed one arm, Zora the other. Zora bit his gun hand and he released it. Ailsa flipped him over and put a knee in his back.

"What do we do with him now?" asked Ailsa.

Zora reached for the gun.

"No!" yelled Ailsa. She grabbed Zora's arm and held the gun up. A shot fired off into the sky.

"We have to kill him," Zora yelled.

"People need to know what happened," said Ailsa. He has to be put on trial, exposed, the Republic ended. Otherwise, nothing will change."

"No," said Zora. She ripped the gun away from Ailsa and it hit the ground.

Ailsa picked it up and fired at Zora.

Zora gulped for air but her lungs were gone. She fell dead to the sidewalk.

Vernor sat up and laughed. "Very good, my dear. Excellent work. We are quite the team, as always." He looked behind Ailsa and a tremor crossed his face.

Ailsa turned around. Texa lay still, flat on her back on top of a Gard. A spurt of blood erupted from her chest. Her left arm and a piece of her chest were missing.

# 68

Ailsa sat at the kitchen table and sighed. She wanted to remember something. It tugged at her memory. She knew it was there but the details escaped her.

She remembered the last few years with Vernor. The surprise romance, the lavish marriage and now, the life of fame and luxury he provided her as President of the Republic Trust.

She walked to the kitchen window and looked out. Republic Guardians kept watch at the end of their drive. She admired the green fields around their home and thought of children playing in them. Her children. Lots of them.

A sound came over the radio. She smiled and softly traipsed up the padded stairs. She turned right at the top and opened the nursery.

The baby stood up in its crib. The pacifier fell out of her mouth and she gurgled at her mother.

She cradled the baby in her arms. "Oh, Alexa, you're such a beautiful—" started Ailsa.

A spark jumped into her mind. Protectorate 13477. Uplift. The Death Shop. Zora. Gabriel. Vernor. Her Vernor. Texa.

She touched the back of her head. There was something round and hard under her skin.

Her eyes went wide. She felt the current. Alexa looked up at her with curious yet knowing eyes.

The front door opened downstairs. "I'm home, dear! Where are my girls?" It was Vernor.
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# About the Author

Former starship redshirt turned rag-clad resistance fighter, **George Donnelly** is the author of space opera, cyberpunk & post-apocalyptic science fiction series. A single unschooling expat dad, George prefers zombies to aliens but is primed for any meatspace apocalypse minus grey goo.

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