Short Stories

Acadia

The fiery turbines produced a deafening sound as the little aircraft landed on the rooftop as if it was a little helicopter. It was a dynamic minimum size plane that somehow managed to travel the length of a half a planet in two hours. The engine lights still visible through the bursting propellers, diminished their flame gradually, as the dust settled down all-around within a 10-meter diameter. Inside the plane, the two men standing on the back-sits raised in front of the door as an automatic iron staircase unfolded from the plane all the way to the ground within a couple of seconds.

«Come on Mr. Nilson, I hope you are not afraid of heights are you?» said the guy at the front as he extended his hand at him.

«Not at all Mr. Roberts» said the guy at the back as he tapped the button in his suit. «A man has a lot more to fear than mere heights these days I’m afraid.» and he straightened his clothes as he bypassed him right through the stairs.

The two men descended on a rooftop that extended right beneath a taller building right in the edge of the cliff. It was already night but you could clearly detect all the light firefly bulbs lighting in the city that was unfolding beyond them. Beside the tall trees hugging the building, you could still smell the metallic turmoil from the running machine and feel the swollen dust that was still flowing in the air. A calm and warm night with the occasional breeze raising the lapels around your neck, tapping you with a sweet little stroke as if staving for a bit of attention. Mr. Roberts walked ahead leading the way as he held his jacket.

«This way Mr. Nilson. We should be settled inside in just a couple of minutes.»

***

Right in front of them, the entrance of the building would merge with the surrounding rocks as if it was a smooth intervention in nature. With tall transparent window glasses, the luminous interior would shine from the outside revealing an oasis of welcoming warmth in the uprising dark of the oak trees. The whole building rising all the way to the top seemed as if it had occupied the whole interior of the mountain finding its place like a thriving parasite in an ignorant organism. 

They walked towards the windows where they found a big metal door that Mr. Roberts opened gracefully.

«Follow me, Mr. Nilson. It won’t take long I promise.»

They entered inside as the wind sound was cut off instantaneously, the moment the door closed. Inside the room, there was a huge tall corridor that was empty in its entirety, beside the little elevator doors right in the middle. They walked over to them and received the little uprising of the stomach as the metal, full-mirrored box descended downwards.

«Hold up Mr. Nilson. We are plunging right into the lowest levels of living conditions earth could ever provide. 3 kilometers beneath the average point.»

Within 2 minutes the elevator came to a halt as the doors opened to reveal a huge extended area that besides the fact of being under the surface of earth, it resembled a city construct that was suitable to sustain life independently. The ceiling would extend very high above them and a number of consequent houses would unfold one after the other all being duplicate in sight. People would walk around the various shops and spectacles as if the whole thing was built just for commercial reasons and it was unsettling to know that something like that co-existed with the rest of the world. 

They walked over to a black Jeep and drove over the road right across the other end of the area where a big building was looming over the rest. It seemed like whoever controlled this place was located there as it was the largest structure around.

«Mr. Dassow is in his office and waiting for you Mr. Nilson. He will tell you everything about the questions you must have by now, in person.»

Mr. Nilson nodded with a little tilt of the head and turned sideways as he observed the people from his window. In a way, it seemed as if he was looking at a separate species right through an observer glass.

They reached their destination for which they entered the main offices and walked to Mr. Dassow. He accepted them with a big smile and welcomed them in his office which seemed very carefully decorated with old antique furniture, glazed with golden toppings. Together with the warm lighting, it resembled more of a personal house than the office of the chief operations of an endeavor the size of a little city. 

***

«Adam I’m so happy you are here.» said the man touching the sides of his two shoulders. «David you can leave us now. Please this way Adam, have a sit.»

He sat on the opposite side of his office as the man took out a pipe and lighted with quick little bursts. He had a big grey beard looming over his chest and a golden chain that would extend beneath it and fall above his blue vest. Adam waited for him to take his time patiently as he folded his feet on top of each other.

«Adam, I’m sure you must be very curious by now about the nature of my request. And I hope you can forgive the little secrecy but I assure you it was not personal taste but rather a forceful need that drove me to such an act.»

«Not a problem at all Mr. Dassow. I can understand,» he said as he pressed his lips together.

«By the way, you must have the chance to get a glimpse of our little town on the way here. May I ask your opinion on it.» 

«My opinion?» Adam asked quite surprised.

«Yes, before we get down with it, I would love to hear your thoughts about it.»

«Well, I must say that it exceeds all expectations, Mr. Dassow. Everything seems to be working as a normal city. As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t be any different at all if you are willing to forget the fact that..» he stumbled as Mr. Dassow turned to look at him in anticipation. «..you are finding yourself 3 km below the surface of earth.»

«Exactly!» he responded excitedly extending his little pipe. «And isn’t this just an idea in our little heads.» He chuckled. «Not only we managed to reach the same standards as every other town we actually are at the level of surpassing them in almost all areas. As of now, people are reporting greater levels of happiness and prosperity living here than in any other place on earth.»

«Very admirable indeed.» agreed Adams as Dassow walked thoughtfully with his hands beside his back.

«You see what seems like an obstacle can sometimes be your biggest advantage. The fact that we started from scratch allowed us to create everything out of the best standards. We recruited the best people available. The top of the crop and we built something that extends beyond anyone’s imagination. Acadia is the little oasis of the world offering a glimpse of the ideals, humankind can strive for.»

«Very good, very good» responded Adams.

«But I don’t want to bother you with this any further. I know how tired you must be already and how eager after having traveled so far away to be here.» he took a small pause. «Mr. Nilson there has been an incident in Acadia and I’m afraid you are the only person that can help us in solving the mystery of it.»

«An incident?»

«Correct Mr. Nilson. A painful and full of mystery incident, that I have no words to describe. About 10 days ago a suicide attempt took place under the worst imaginable conditions. I or anyone else, for that matter, have no idea how something like that could take place here.» he turned on his side as he opened a drawer and pulled out a few documents.

«As you can see this suicide was conducted in a way to be the most painful and horrible experience anyone could fathom. The victim carved its own body in multiple places making a number of deep wounds before he died out of bleeding. It must have been one of the most distressing ways to go.» 

Adams rolled over the pictures of the victim lying on the puddle of blood while his body was carved throughout.

«But how do you know it was suicide? How do you know someone didn’t do this to him?»

«A good question Mr. Nilson. But I’m afraid there is no doubt about this as of now. Inside the victim’s room, there was a video-recorder that he himself had adjusted for security purposes. Unfortunately, he was well aware of this, and committing the act was his own will. Why did he choose this horrendous way of doing it instead of a simpler way? That is a question we are trying to understand. But for the time being, we have no other knowledge at hand.»

«I see.»

«Quite unexpectedly, his attempt didn’t succeed immediately and he held off in the hospital for almost 10 days before he passed away yesterday. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to extract any information as to why he would embark into such an act or what was the point of all this.» he turned and looked over at Adams who continued scrutinizing the pictures. «A truly horrible situation. And it’s unfair for everyone that has been living with him for so long to watch him go out like this without any explanation of the reasons he did it. Not to mention the fact that it makes people uncomfortable on the thoughts that peculiar things are going on here that we have no control or knowledge of and that could affect the rest of the community.»

«Ignorance is a terrible thing indeed Mr. Dassow.»

«Exactly. You see Acadia is quite different than a normal city Mr. Nilson. People here are very close to each other as they are pretty much all they got. We have developed a culture of community and social involvement beyond anything the world has ever seen»

«I understand Mr. Dassow, but still I don’t see in what way I could help you in solving this mystery. After all, I have no knowledge or information about anything related to this person or where he is coming from.»

«We’ll get there Mr. Nilson. We’ll get there in a just a moment..» he said thoughtfully. «You may be familiar with the fact that many people living this moment in Acadia are clones of people in the outer world. Are you aware of this Mr. Nilson?»

«I am Mr. Dassow. Many rich people decided to create clones of themselves and allocate them in this utopic place as an extension of themselves. I know this is a practice that has been quite controversial for the world out there but as long as it is a choice of an individual and there is no harm to any party, I don’t see any reason to claim anything against it.»

«That is quite correct Mr. Nilson. We do provide the opportunity for people to create clones of themselves. And we do give them an opportunity of living a life, following a path that could set a completely different road for them than in the real world. It is not strange for people to see these clones develop into writers or artists when they themselves have no connotation to any of it.» he nodded his head. «It is quite an astonishing achievement indeed.»

«I see your point, Mr. Dassow. But how are all these related to me being here at this moment?»

«What you may don’t know my dear is the fact that at various point in time there have been a number of cases that these clones have been created for various purposes. Always under the discretion of these same subjects that gave that permission of course. But in its evolution, there have been examples of everyday people that have their clones in here when the need for them is becoming apparent.»

«You mean eugenics?»

«One reason for sure. People with certain skills or qualities…But what is important in our case Mr. Nilson is that the person you see in the photo is not a random person at all. He is your clone.»

«My clone?»

«Correct Mr. Nilson. He was created under the permission of your own parents the first day you came to this world. As a matter of fact, your father had visited him a few years ago, right here in Acadia. Probably he didn’t want you to be aware of it but that doesn’t change the fact that it is true..»

Adams looked bewildered on the ground. «That is unbelievable. They never said anything to me..»

«What we have here Mr. Nilson is an opportunity. You see nobody yet knows that he actually died yesterday. People assume he is still on recovery. And thus this is what I’ve come up with..» he took a step forward an cleared his throat. «I want you to take on the life of your deceased clone so that we investigate the conditions under which he decided to end his life in such a horrible way. Rest assured that we are gonna have people around you at all times, watching you and making sure nothing out of the ordinary happens to you while you are here.»

«You are asking me to pretend that I am this man as if nothing happened and take on his life? Just so that we find the reasons for his death?»

«That is exactly right Mr. Nilson. We want to make sure there is nothing beyond our knowledge that is going on in our little town. In return you are gonna have a truly great compensation of course.»

«But Mr. Dassow I have no knowledge of his life or his whereabouts. I know nothing of the people he was related to or who might know what about his life.»

«You don’t have to worry about that either Mr. Nilson. We are going to pass the message around that your memory got wounded out of the incident and you have some sort of amnesia. It will be as if everything starts from scratch..»

«But this may take time. For how long do you expect me to be investigating this?»

«For as long as it takes Mr. Nilson. Of course, we know that you are a busy entrepreneur and you have your own business to worry about, but we are gonna make sure your peers will take care of everything while you are away. Plus our compensation is gonna cover for everything in the fullest amounts possible».

He walked around his office. «I think you need to think about it, Mr. Nilson. Of course, there is nothing holding you if for any reason you change your mind. You can be on your way the same day if you decide to and you can assume no hard feelings from any of us. Please have a think and then we can discuss all the details afterward.»

Adams scratched his chin and looked up at him. «There won’t be any reason for this Mr. Dassow. I accept your offer…»

***

Adam woke up in his little room finding a big brown folder on the table under the title «Confidential». It contained all the material about the clone’s life who would go by the name «William Jones». 

He spent all his life in Acadia, as with every other member that set his life there, and he grew up to be a legitimate and well-known painter. 

«That is something it will take time to come to terms with,» he said once he saw this. He could never imagine himself as a painter but if this person, that was cut out of the same cloth as him, aligned himself with it then that means he had in him all this time without knowing. Alas, this place could somehow allow people the freedom to chase after their dreams. A fact that didn’t quite exist in the real world.

He had a wife but no children. A couple of good friends and a golden labrador by the name Lucy, that at this point was taken care of by his wife. He had a strong preference for Asian cuisine and enjoyed the occasional football matches together with his friends. 

«So hard to believe that I could evolve in something so different,» said Adams as he scrolled through the pictures in the folder. He picked a photo of his wife Natalie as she stood into a beautiful white dress under a tree. She had a beautiful cheeky face and blonde curly hair falling down on her sides. A photo of him with his two friends as he had his two arms around their shoulders as he was standing in the middle. On top of each were the names «Joshua» and «Nick» with a small description for each one at the end of the page. Then he stumbled upon his house, that he was to occupy later this afternoon, with the big garden and the greyish dark roof looming over the white walls. 

It all seemed like a dream that he was to wake up from. The phone started ringing on the side of the table cutting him out oh his thoughts. He let the folder down and picked it up with slow motions.

«Hello?»

«Adams I hope you managed to make yourself comfortable. The room is not much but it was distant enough to keep you away from any indiscreet eyes.»

«Mr. Dassow. It was fine as it was.»

«You can call me Gavin from now on. We have already talked to your wife and friends about your health situation and the memory loss. There is gonna be some time for you to adjust and blend into it steadily. They all await for you this afternoon with great excitement.»

«That is great Gavin but I m’ not sure how everything is gonna plan out. This seems like a completely different person than me that we just happened to look alike. What if they figure it out and get suspicious that something is not right.»

«Adam. I can assure you, you have nothing to fear of. If anything goes out of plan at all we will cancel the endeavor and you will be on your way. I promise you we have the best people watching your back and they will intervene if anything needed.»

***

The big white door slid open with the cracking intermittent sound of rust. The place was filled with the smell of fresh-baked bread and cooked food that was fusing in the room. It was comfortably spacious and it had a number of furniture and wooden tables arranged among its length on the sides of the windows. 

Adam took a step forward to confront Natalie holding her hands in front of her waste as she kept her head downwards breathing heavily.

«Hey, Natalie..» said Adams hesitatingly to which she approached him in a hurry and hugged him for a long few seconds. 

«Honey, I missed you so much,» she said as she held his face in her two hands and kissed him.

«I missed you too darling,» said Adams.

«Come on have a sit. I have made some of your favorite food with a bit of hand made bread. Just as you liked it.» she hurried over the oven and took out the food preparing the dish.

«No need for this at the moment, I’m actually alright,» said Adams trying to stop her.

«Oh no, you need to eat. To get your strength back. We need to make sure you have all the good nutrients there Mr…» she said as she brought the food in the table and sat beside him.

«I know it must have been very tough for you and whatever is going on in your life we are gonna make sure we deal with it together.» she held his hand as she looked him straight in the eyes. «I want you to know I’m here for you to support you on anything you might need.»

«Thank you, Natalie. It means a lot,» he said darting his eyes slowly away from her gaze.

***

In the following days, he got to adjust himself in his new lifestyle, little by little. He removed all the fake wounds from his body and managed to find his ways around the city. He got to meet with his two friends, Joshua and Nick and got the opportunity to see the work of his alter-ego through his paintings. All expressions that seemed familiar yet so absent to him. Yet trough all the differences, he could understand how somebody could find happiness in such a place. It was nothing like the cities people were used to anywhere else – it had its own rules and perks that were only applicable to this little limited space. People would always act according to the rules, on where to eat, where to go, and what activities to take for leisure. They would follow the same daily timeline and would have similar routines that would synchronize them with everybody else. It was as if there was one body that was consisted out of everyone’s else acting to support it. Yet besides the seeming austerity, there was abundance, wealth, and technological innovation. They had machines and robots in places to support the dreadful tasks and a set of means that would allow them to chase after their dreams in terms of occupations. No wonder how so many people were immersed in art and other creative endeavors.

Yet there was nothing in his life that would indicate any particular activity that could put him in danger. He would work on his paintings for the most part of his day, meet his friends a few times per week and have a good time with his wonderful wife. What kind of situation could ever force him into such an act was beyond his imagination. Till the time came that he got a glimpse of his hidden life.

A couple of weeks after he settled down he happened to be in an art gallery observing some of his published works as he casually walked around by himself. Some green landscapes, faces of people, and portraits – it seemed as if he had a big range of artifacts he could make. When out of a sudden a voice whispered to him from his back as he was sitting in one of the benches.

«I thought you were never going to make it,» a young dark-haired woman said as she hugged him and kissed him passionately. Adam took on her hands and stopped her by backing up.

«Sorry, do I know you?»

«What? What do you mean?» the woman chuckled. «Do you need me to remind you?»

«You should know..this incident left my memory broken. I can’t recognize faces or remember anything from my previous life.»

«Is that so..» the woman murmured. «That is such a shame. To forget everything that ever happened to you.» She looked down. «So you really have no clue of who I am? It’s like you see me..for the first time?»

«I’m afraid so.» he nodded with a sad look. «But how do we know each other? Let me into it and it will all come back eventually..»

«I’m Zoey. We used to hang out together for the last year or so.» The woman stood up and put her purse in her arm. «Too bad this had to end like this. I hope you get better» she said as she started moving.

«Wait. Just a moment. Before you leave…let me ask you something.» 

The woman took a sit again. «Did you ever observed anything different in my behavior in the last few times we met. Was there anything at all that caught you eye, or was out of the ordinary?»

«No nothing besides your unlimited appetite for love. But I guess that was always there, wasn’t it?» she tapped on his chin.

«But what was going on with my life this last period? Is there anything I was doing that can shed light on my past?»

«Well, I can’t think of anything I’m afraid. Nothing apart from the fact that you were spending lots of time with Samuel. The guy that owns the pet-store in the west side.» The woman raised up again. «Now if you excuse me. I need to leave but..» she took something out of her pocket. «here is my card. In case you start remembering again». And she winked at him as she turned around and left.

***

The next day he woke up with the usual call from Gavin.

«Adams, anything that could cause distress to him, needs to be put on the table. Whatever comes your way let us know about it.»

But there was nothing there for the time being. And Adams didn’t want to commit to anything until he has a good grasp of what was going on.

He decided to pay a visit to Samuel as it was the only clue that could lead him somewhere. His store was on the far end of the town and was the main provider of food and accessory-tools for animals.

Driving there with his car, he stood for a few minutes on the opposite side os the store, trying to defer the nature of it. It was big enough to fill the whole block on its own and it was the only interesting place in an otherwise dull area. He took a step in and opened the door. The cashier was reading on his magazine wearing jean clothes top to bottom, and he was casually going through his time chewing his gum.

«Excuse me, sir. Would you know where to find Samuel?»

«Well damn me if my eyes are not trying to fool me. The dead guy got resurrected and came back to haunt us.» He laughed as he raised up and came around the other way of the stool. «You are looking at him, dummy. I’m Samuel. Glad to have you back.» he said as he tapped him in the shoulder. «Come over here. Let’s have a chat. I can close this damn place for a few minutes alright.» he turned the label in the front door and walked together with Adams in the inner room where they sat in a little table.

«Let me get you a beer there buddy. You don’t remember much from your past there, do you?»

«I’m afraid not. My memory gave up on everything. I couldn’t even recognize my own wife.» he said nodding his head.

«Well damn me. That must be a harsh situation.»

«It is..for sure..» he took a sip from his beer. «Hey, I’m gonna need your help in something.»

«Whatever you need pal,» he said immediately.

«What was my situation before the incident. Was there anything that may have happened to me in the last period to lead me into..you know..»

«Well, I’m afraid I can’t know what in particular triggered it in you. But there are a lot of things going on in Acadia. It wouldn’t surprise me if the same people that are causing everything else are the ones responsible for it as well.»

«A lot going on? What do you mean?»

«Well, there are a lot of people missing. Vanished like thin air from one day to the next and many times it can be young kids as well. One thing is for sure, boy. This is ain’t the angelic place they want to promote it is. That’s all I’m saying..»

«People are missing? But for what reason? Gavin would have done something, or should have told me about it at least.»

«Gavin?» he leaned in towards him. «He is behind everything boy. Whoever doesn’t comply with his criteria becomes a smoke. Cesses to exist, just like that…» he snapped the fingers of his right hand. «They get even youngsters, and put them on tests, keeping only those capable to sustain a certain level…» he nodded his head. «The rest of them…go down on the dumpster and they claim some sort of disease. I’m telling you, boy, they are evil.»

«But what’s their motive on this? What do they win from getting these people out of the way?»

«What do they get from it? They get to keep only the best. That’s their vision you see. They want a society made up of only the best Or that’s what they aim for anyway…»

***

In the following days, he sought out all the incidents of missing people to find out the vast majority of them were all around the age of adulthood. By visiting some of the families all cases reported the same incident. 

«They found him positive in a virus and had to take him in the hospital». But somehow in all cases, the person didn’t make it and nobody was allowed to visit him for fear of contamination. 

«Quite a convenient excuse if you ask me,» thought Adams. 

But at least he had a good reason to believe that whatever is going on is taking place at the hospital center. The place where all the advertised medical advancement is happening. He managed to find some information about the building and its structure. What are the allowed areas, the laboratories, and what kind of people were working on it. If he was to find any evidence it would be right there. At the heart that was sustaining the whole Acadia.

He visited the center under the excuse of a simple check-up and managed to bypass security into the laboratories. That was the building border next to the public center, that was open to visitors. The laboratories were heavily guarded for the most part but through his knowledge of the architecture and his luck to find a doctor card he managed to bypass the initial stages and get into the deeper parts of it. Right where the clone labs were located at.

The moment he opened the door to the main area his heart almost burst out of his chest. A room with a myriad of cubicles filled with living clones were expanded throughout the whole area. The number of which could easily feel a small village on its own. Missing people were never dead as they said. They were brought here and were used for their purposes whatever that may be. 

He moved forward and entered the next room wearing the doctor suit that he had lying under his normal clothes. Before embarking on this he managed to equip himself with it together with a gun that he was carrying with him just in case he needed to make his way out of it. Inside there he found a number of metal cubicles arranged one after the other. Whatever they were using all these clones for it seemed that they needed lots of them. He opened one of the PCs in a harry and tried to search into the data inside when suddenly he heard a voice.

«Excuse me, sir. May I help you with something?»

A young adult dressed in a doctor suit asked him, as he entered the room.

«No that should be fine. I finished my job already,» he said trying to hide his surprise.

«Are you part of this group over here? Haven’t seen you around before»

«Yes, sure I am. I just arrived today. Sorry I didn’t introduce myself. I’m doctor John Brown. Nice to meet you.»

«Nice to meet you too. I’m Brian. What department did you say you are working on?»

«I’m in the blood analysis department. I’m gonna have to run some analysis there.»

«Ohh ok I see,» he said the young man thoughtfully. «The only problem is there is no such department at all Mr. Brown.» He put his hand in his pocket as he put out a phone. «I’m afraid I will have to call the security on this.»

«Stay where you are.» Said Adams as he pointed his gun at him. «Make a move and I’m going to shoot.» 

«Ok now, no need to overreact on this. Just put your gun down and nobody will get hurt Mr. brown.»

«What are you doing with all the clones over here. Why do you need so many of them?»

«I’m afraid I can’t help you with that inquiry, sir.»

«Give me an answer damn it,» he said as he approached closer. «What happens to the diseased ones?»

«It’s part of the process, sir. They only kill the inferior ones. That’s all I know. Those that have nothing to offer.»

«How do you get rid of them? What happens to them?»

«sir..»

«What happens to them? Answer me.»

«They are burned, sir. They all become ashes.»

Adams turned around to check any movements outside the room when the young man attacked him from his back. With one jolt he pushed him on the side and shot the man on the head. 

He dragged his body on the corner and hide the gun on his waist as he made his way out of there. Thanks to the silencer nobody had taken any notice of it. He escaped the place the same way he got in.

***

On his way back he picked up his phone and called Gavin.

«Gavin, hey I think I have some clues I would like us to discuss…let’s meet in person, are you at your office?»

He drove to the central building where he found Gavin in his room welcoming him with a smile.

«Adams! You won’t believe how happy you made me once you told me you had news on this. I always knew you were the right person for the job and that you would come out on top eventually.»

«Spare it, Gavin. I know all about the little clone business you maintain over here» he put out his gun and pointed at him.

«Wow there, take it easy now..» Gavin responded calmly. «What exactly did you learn. It’s not a secret really.»

«You take innocent people and kill them. You chose who is to live and who is to die as if you are some sort of…God.»

«Adams…let me explain first.»

«What is it that you can explain. How can you justify any of your actions?»

«We never hurt anyone that didn’t deserve it, Adams. We only picked the powerless, the skilless, the living vampires among the people, that make their living on everyone else’s back»

«You are not the one to judge who is worthy or not.»

«No, maybe I am not. But you are Adams. You can tell better than me.»

«What are you talking about.»

«You think I did all this by myself? You were with me since all along. Your para-self was the person that designed everything. The infrastructure, the rules, the whole damn society.»

«You are lying.»

«No, I am not. You got it into you Adams but you don’t want to admit it. Why do you think you killed that little kid today at the hospital.»

«What? You knew?»

«You are damn right I knew. We were following you all along. We were right behind you when you were making your little investigations and plans to find the truth. The TRUTH Adams.»

«Don’t you dare speak to me about the truth.»

«You are the one that brought this whole city to life. Its all according to your plan Adams. I let you go with it because I wanted to find that truth inside you. To get a good glimpse of what you are denying to see on yourself.»

«Stop it damn it.»

«You didn’t have to kill that kid today. You didn’t have to shoot a bullet in his head. But it felt good didn’t it? I bet it did..» he said as he smugly nodded his head.

«And I need you back here Adams. I need you back at my side again to help me control all this.»

«That will never happen. Not in your wildest dreams.»

«Ohh it will my dear…» he smiled at him. «You see there is no way back at this now. Its either you agree or you are gonna have the same future with the rest…quite unfortunate…»

«I told you already damn it. But you didn’t listen. I will never happen.» Adams took out his gun and shot Gavin on the head splashing blood on the opposite side of the wall. He then pointed it on his chin and closed his eyes. And his finger pressed the trigger as his body fell in the ground.

***

Gavin was looking at the screen in the little cinema room with the big fury chairs that were extended above him in levels, one after the other. The lighting was dark bluish and people had filled every available space inside it.

«I need to say sir this one surpassed any expectation.»

«It sure did my dear. It was all planned out so thoroughly from beginning to end.» said a person next to Gavin.

«I wonder how painful this must all be through, for the clones that experience this.»

«Well I guess that explains the price of those tickets though, doesn’t it?» said the guy on his right, as Gavin smiled…

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