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...
I was still wearing the magenta dress, but it didn't feel right. That colour partially succeeded at disguising the bloodstains I had gotten at the massacre. However, I felt dirty.
"Excuse me," I said to Sigi and the rest of the rebels before they entered Agape's office. "I need a change of clothes. Back in five."
I hurried to freshen up in the bathroom and to change into the clothes that Agape had picked for me from K8's wardrobe: those black, skin-tight shorts and that halter top made of round, silver metal pieces embedded in a grid-like design. It had a dark purple silk lining beneath to cover my breasts, but it was rather short, so it left my waist exposed.
"For the time being," I whispered to myself with some disapproval as I went to Agape's office, "they'll do."
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"No kidding!"Ray burst out with wonder and staring with wide eyes at me.
Gabi had taken the lead in giving him a full account of all the adventures we had been through and their consequences, like befriending Eros and ending up in an ad for Oyster, which exposed me to Apollo. That I was identical to a former love interest of his, my grandmother. Stealing the palaeoviruses and throwing them in the Neon Sea. The fact that my father had gotten executed by Apollo in public, meeting Old Sue, and all that.
Gabi's summary made me feel like my life was a pile of shit, but Ray seemed impressed.
"I've been gone for a few days, and you've been through all this?!" Ray couldn't hold his awe at bay that Saturday night, after escaping from that deadly benefit.
"A lot has happened since you've been gone," I admitted. "This is insane!"
"Wait for it. Momo was a mole working for Apollo, she tried to drown Daphne into the Neon Sea's toxic waters," Gabi explained, leaving Ray thunderstruck.
"Momo?! A mole?!" Ray turned to stare at Gabi in disbelief.
"That's why my irises glow in these purple hues," I said. Ray got closer and checked my eyes out in amazement.
"Momo tried to hurt her again by sneaking in here and messing with the exosuit. If you see that bitch, shoot her," Gabi continued in a foul mood. "Oh, before I forget! We've got a brand-new member, Kono or K. They/them. Hoping to get hormone therapy soon, they say." He pointed to our new asset for Ray. Kono replied to that gesture with a smile.
Wow! I didn't know that bit about getting hormone therapy.
"What the fu-?!" Ray sighed loudly. "You know what? Never mind." He chuckled. "I've run out of exclamations. Anything Daphne does or says has got my instant seal of approval, regardless of how weird it might be." He giggled then. "Heck! She's just saved me from a life of mindless slavery with a stinking shoe!"
"Well, all this hell of a summary leads to tonight's benefit and the mind-blowing reason I'm sure Agape must have to justify why half of us didn't even know you were out there, alongside an army of androids, weaponised by her to kill as many people as possible during the event." Gabi sounded pissed off and gravely offended.
