Escape to New Atlantis

5 Hail Atlantis

Sawyer

Mom and I walk back from dinner to our new apartment. Something seems wrong. Yes, the streets and buildings are all gently moving, but that's not it. Something about the people on the street. They seem friendly enough, and most are smiling or even laughing... That's it! No one is wearing a positive-pressure mask—I haven't seen any kind of mask at all—and it's disorienting to see everyone's face. But it's good to see faces, especially cute ones like the Ortiz sisters'. I think I'm going to like it here.

As soon as we're in the apartment, I grab my tablet and reach out to my grandma. We're eleven time zones away, in the middle of an ocean, so I can only hope the connection will be good enough to make out a few words. The app rings once, twice and, "Hi, Grandma!"

"Sawyer? Is that really you, my little toot?" I've always been Grandma's "toot" and I've never asked her what it means because I'm afraid she'll tell me. Anyhow, she looks well and happy.

"It's me, Grandma—safe and sound in New Atlantis." Mom slips in and waves over my shoulder.

"Your quarantine must've seemed endless. I know I would've been worried sick if Millie Ortiz hadn't been kind enough to send me her weekly updates."

That got Mom's attention. "Really, Millie did that?"

"Oh, yes. 'Olivia and Sawyer are safely on their quarantine ship.' 'Olivia's job fell through, but I found her another position and, regardless, once she's in, she's in.' And, oh yeah, 'Sawyer's testing shows he's a clever little toot.' Millie said keeping me updated was the least she could do since I gave her a place to stay that one summer."

We have a lot to tell her, but somehow neither of us thinks to mention that we had brain surgery at the hands of a confused robot.

As we finish the call with Grandma, I'm notified that I've received a message from cata.ortz. Go Catalina—my first New Atlantis text message! The heading of the message app reads Sawyer Landry (swyr.ldry). Hm, this begs for serious thought. Note to self: decide exactly who swyr.ldry, the Atlantean me, will be.

Catalina's message is, "Sawyer, I really enjoyed meeting you (again). Remember I'm here to help you with your orientation to New Atlantis—I'll feel insulted if you don't hit me with all your questions!"

It's still early evening, Mom is already engrossed in her online training, and this apartment will only get smaller as the evening goes on. "Catalina, I'm already having questions. Is it okay if I just wander around the city? Anywhere I should avoid? Is there a curfew? Any particular places you'd suggest I go?"

I've got to do it some time, so I unpack my clothes while I wait for a reply.

My sock drawer is looking fairly good when my tablet notifies me of a new message. "Want to prowl, eh? Well, you can go anywhere that's not locked. Since cameras and chip readers are everywhere, it's safe to go wherever you'd like, and for that same reason there's no curfew. As for a fun place to go, I'd suggest you come over to Benedict's for some VR action. You're close—I'll link you the map."

"I'd love that, but I didn't bring my VR gear."

"You haven't met Benedict. Trust me, he'll have EVERYTHING you need."

Armed with my tablet, I follow Catalina's map through a few of blocks of sixty-sixer apartment buildings, around what appears to be a small golf course, then into a section of large houses with lawns. I come to an ornate gate where the deep, disembodied voice of a popular actor, though I can't recall his name, says, "Welcome to Yuan Manor, Sawyer Landry. Mr. Benedict will meet you at the starboard side door." The gate opens on silent hinges.