Are We Human?

Chapter 9

I quickly snapped the hat onto my head just as the door opened and two bickering police officers entered the space. I stared directly at the floor beneath me, knowing my fringe and the blue cap would cover my face just well enough to not be completely recognizable. I still made sure to have my body face away from them and towards the locker as an extra precaution.

"Hey," a gruff voice called out to me. I flinched slightly but covered it with a (hopefully) smooth cough. "Have you seen Winchester around anywhere?"

I shook my head almost too eagerly, but prayed to every religion I knew they wouldn't notice. I realized my clone clothes were in a bundle beneath me and slowly moved my feet towards them, trying to block the view of the dark and shabby t shirt and pants. I put my arms behind my back and began to twiddle my thumbs nervously, hoping they didn't see anything.

After the second guard sighed, they both mumbled a half hearted, "thanks," and exited the facility. I breathed out a sigh of relief and put my hand to my chest in a ridiculous attempt at slowing my adrenaline sped heartbeat. After a few moments, I began the next phase of my poorly put together plan.

All I had to do here now was find where Phil was located. Since there was no other guard's area that I was aware of, I had assumed they'd kept some sort of record book or files or something in there, but I guess I was wrong. Unless...

I cautiously stepped towards the closed door. It was made out of a slightly ridged dark wood with a black brass handle. There was no key slot on the knob, so I guessed it was unlocked and crossed all of my appendages that I was right.

I set my hand down on the cool metal. I closed my eyes softly shut, breathed in deeply, and turned my hand. The door opened with a satisfying click and I exhaled deeply, eyes now wide open. I was in.

The room was huge, but cluttered. A desk laid at the other side of the room, completely black and covered in multi colored folders. A sleek, black computer was set up on the surface, screen angled toward the office chair as it was more on the right hand side of the desk. I recognized the electronic device from my check ups at the nurse's tent. They're a lot kinder in there and didn't mind my curious eight year old self asking questions. I smiled a bit at the memory before getting back to work.

I stepped behind the desk to gain complete access of the large computer. The screen was already lit up, which was a little odd, but I paid no mind to it. My mind was purely running on nerves at this point, my ability to think completely straight.

I looked at the desktop and guided the mouse across it just like the Doctors did. I looked around at the different, and tiny, images that littered the screen. Each had a small caption underneath them, so I looked through each of those until I found one labeled "CLONES" in all caps. I hesitantly clicked the icon and waited for the screen to load.

When it finally stopped giving me a blank screen with a blue pinwheel in the dead center, a new page popped up. At the very top, there was a white bar with a black outline and a grey magnifying glass in the corner of it. The rest of it held a part of a list, listing the Number of the clone (starting with one) and including a few facts about them. I clicked on the bar in hopes that I could somehow use that instead of having scroll all the way down to Number 351.

A small menu appeared beneath the rectangle and gave me words such as "Misconduct" and "Trainer Kellick". There were a few other names there too, but I paid little attention to them. I bit the inside of my cheek and paused as I put my fingers over the letters on the keyboard. I had also seen these before when I was little and a young Nurse let me try it out. I knew what I wanted to type, but it kind of hurt me to do it.

I hesitantly pressed down on the "P".

More options popped up, such as "Partner Crimes". I snorted at that one. I couldn't even believe that they kept track of that.

I immediately typed out his full name and clicked a key marked "Enter". The list disappeared and gets replaced by a new one. The top selection states in big, bold letters "PHILIP MICHAEL LESTER." I clicked that one without a trace of hesitation and wait eagerly for the screen to reload.

Once it does, I'm met with the beautiful face of Phil. A picture pops up of him from the beginning of the year, when they take identification shots. My breath hitches when I see it. Even though it's not him in real life, just seeing that face again, and such a recent copy of it, made me fill up with a deep and terrible longing for him. I moved on after a few seconds and let my eyes wander over the rest of the page.

Philip Michael Lester

Clone Copy Number: 476

Facility Holding Center Number: 172

Date Of Birth: January 30, 1987

Height: 6' 2"

Ranking: Corps ready - Deployed

Location: London Base (England)

Personality Traits: Loyal, Mainly Cooperative, Active, Agile, Weak

Notes: Base relocation to Big Ben after rebel attack

My heart caught in my throat. He was in a place called London. I knew this camp was in England, so it couldn't have been too difficult to get to him. I even knew where to look in this so called "London". I had all I needed. My Phil would be in my arms soon enough.

That is, if he made it through the base attack.

That was the one line from the form that still rang clear in my head. I knew he was going to be put on the War Front, but I had hoped that I'd have been able to get to him before he'd actually have to do any fighting. I breathed in and out through my nose to try and calm myself down. It didn't quite work.

I reminded myself that he could still be alive. I knew I was only holding false hope, but I had built this whole elaborate scheme off of hope. I couldn't just back down now.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

I flinched at his voice as he stood in the now wide open doorway. My dark kind was suddenly clouded with a single word that brought chills through out my whole body and while to my throat.

PJ.

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A/N

What do you mean I haven't updated for weeks? Lol okay. Also, this chapter is unedited so I apologize for any errors. Feel free to comment on it so I can see it and fix it!