Cold Copy

Chapter 3

Genevieve wakes up one morning, the end of the 2 year period of her surveillance. She's greeted by her mom that afternoon, who comes to tell her to go to the facility. With a lot of excitement Genevieve leaves home, her sister wishing her luck on the way out.

Down at the facility, the guards who are outside welcome her in, handing her a lanyard with an ID card for herself inside. She puts it around her neck and enters. Inside are bright white halls and rooms. A different researcher greets her, showing her the way to an observation room. Inside the room is the researcher who had watched over her for 2 years, along with the 9 others who have been a part of the selection.

"Miss Athen, thank you for joining us" the man says, she's the last to enter. "And thank you all for coming here today. I know over the last 2 years we've had to monitor you all, give you tasks and weekly checkups to ensure your health was at its best. But it was all for a good reason. I'm sure you're now all aware of what you've signed on for, the agents and researchers behind you have shared that information before those 2 years began. This is a cloning facility, the first of its kind. As such, all 10 of you will be further tested, one by one. This is the final test to ensure you meet our standards. Over the course of the next few days, you will be judged, and cut down until only one of you remains. Let's get started then shall we? First, can Everlee Madison please enter the testing room."

Genevieve watches as a tall girl, who appears much more capable than she is, stands up a few chairs away from her, and leaves the room. A few paces down the hall outside is another door, leading inside to the testing room. A one way mirror divides the two, letting everyone watch her while Everlee can stay focused. Everlee starts with their basic flexibility and mobility tests, the purpose of these is to ensure the clones created have perfect mobility, to the same degree as everyone else, or surpassing it. Her next tests are for endurance, resiliency to harsh environments, and some minor illnesses which she is quickly cured of.

Next up, a shorter girl stands up to follow. Emily Petara. She also meets their standards of the first tests, and is quickly dismissed. A few guys come up, some other girls, all of them in Genevieve's eyes seem to be better choices. Besides, she's been weak her whole life, how could she ever compete against people who are perfectly healthy?

Genevieve is the last to stand up from her chair. Her heart pounds in her chest from her nervousness, and she follows the agent's lead into the testing room. Inside is what she saw through the mirror. Many machines line the walls, some for flexibility and others for running and endurance. The first day of her testing. Assuming today is going to be more physical, she gives a sigh of relief knowing it won't happen again. The door shuts and locks behind her, and from a speaker the researcher talks to her. Following her instructions, Genevieve tests her flexibility first. She sits down onto one of the machines, which is designed to stretch out her body. Her legs are up first. After widening out into a split position, she's told to stop. Various other flexibility tests follow, testing her back, and her reach.

After that, Genevieve is directed to get on a treadmill. Genevieve starts to run for what feels like forever. Mile after after mile, the speed only increasing. She's watched the other kid's performances, the guys who are watching her right now have run for a couple hours straight. "They're insane" Genevieve thinks. And for the other girls, it's not as long as the guys, but their ability is still impressive. Her heart pounds in her chest more and more, almost causing her pain as she reaches the hour mark, running at her fastest. Her vision starts to fade, and she starts to get exhausted. Before she's about to collapse and faint, the researcher ends the test. Genevieve can't hear it, but there are murmurs among the other 9 about her.

"The first rounds of tests are now over, thank you all for the information you've given us" the man says - who was Genevieve's watcher. - "Please follow my agents outside, they'll direct you to the bunker you'll be sleeping in."