It's 2141. Clones have taken over as the dominant species. Using brain nanochips to surveil thoughts and actions, they have pushed traditional humans down to a status of low-class workers in a discriminatory dystopia.
A nineteen-year-old aspiring me...
"Wait, are you saying that Daphne is the granddaughter of Agape's mentor?!" Gabi's amazement couldn't be contained. "The woman who found a way to hack our chips? The genius behind it all?! This is great!!!"
"Let's not forget that she also was the monster who started all this," Taro added with disdain. He had been glaring at me from time to time with his arms crossed over his broad chest. "And by 'this', I mean these arse-licking organ-reapers and their reign of terror."
Sigi and I had just delivered the news to the rest of the group that same Wednesday night. Reactions had varied from thrilled to appalled, as I had expected. We were gathered in the living room of the rebels' home.
"Agape is getting the van ready as we speak," Sigi said. "We're leaving asap. Get ready."
"Ready for what, exactly?" Sven asked. He looked tired and sleepy. "Are we talking shotguns, knives, grenades, what?"
"The place we're going is supposed to be a mansion in ruins," Sigi replied. "I'd say we're gonna need a few axes, tools like hammers, pliers, torches, scissors... I don't know, this kind of thing. Bring some light guns and ammo, just in case. But the owner is supposed to be dead. I don't think we're gonna find any enemies."
"Are you sure?" Vera asked with a genuine expression of worry.
"To be honest," Sigi answered, "I wouldn't discard anything just yet. If she's alive, we need answers. Anything she can tell us might be key to helping us. But she might not want to collaborate with us. If she's dead, well... we can search for clues around the house. It's the place where Valentina spent the last few years of her life."
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A lazy, soft rain had been pouring from the dark skies that fateful Wednesday night. It had stopped only a few minutes before we came out of the house. The air felt clear and cool as if I had woken up from a bad dream and had just drunk a mouthful of a mint iced tea.
A white Fort Tournew van was parked right in front of Amanita. Cian opened one of the doors. Agape was seated in the driver's seat when most of us climbed on it.
"Gabi and I can ride our bikes there. We'll follow you," Sigi said when I got in and sat right beside K8. It was a nine-people van, so not all of us could ride on it.
On our way to Old Sue's mansion, I took a moment to assess what my existence had turned out to be.
I stared through the window and took a deep sigh when I realised that that had been the worst day in my entire life. I had lost my father, Frankie, and my home. Apollo had confessed his obsession with me in public, apart from giving me quite a few unwanted gifts. Many innocents had died. And I had just found out my missing grandmother's real name and story.
But that Wednesday wasn't over just yet. Still a couple of hours to go until midnight. I wondered what else was in store for me.
The puzzle of my life was getting slowly rebuilt. I could feel the pieces coming together of their own accord, soaring in the air and fitting together on their own as if they were alive. In that mental picture, I could see my face getting carefully outlined again, but I was no longer a random nineteen-year-old anymore. Things had changed, and they had changed me.
