Ex Vivo (#2 EX TRILOGY)

Chapter 25

Ender shook her head and turned to point the gun at Felix. It was difficult for her to turn her eyes away from the android in the capsule. Whichever way Felix had managed to obtain the details to map the exact facial contours and frame to create the exact likeness of the original subject, Ender could not help but silently admire the creation despite the danger it meant to her very own existence. The air-conditioning could not prevent her from sweating; she shifted her grip on the gun and wiped sweat off her right brow on her right shoulder.

"I can't believe you've successfully scared the daylight out of me," she said in a quivering voice. "Felix, I will shoot you if you don't cancel this Ex Vivo. Both of us cannot exist in the system."

"You have a justified cause for cleaning the city of heartbreakers. I also have a justified cause for cleaning the streets of conceited and selfish people who don't want to change but want everything to suit their needs. We all want the same thing, Ender, but I know you will be difficult to persuade, so I intended to make it a little simpler. Just give me your mind on this. Literally. Your mind. That's all."

"Over my dead body, Felix."

Felix pursed his lips and nodded. "OK." He pulled his sleeve backwards to reveal a wristwatch, and pushed a button on it. Instantly, the door opened and Poku walked in. He had no scratch on his skin from the previous night. Felix beckoned to him and he marched towards Ender. Ender fired three shots at him at close range, but Poku dodged them with such great speed that Ender had hardly blinked when the gentleman whipped the gun out of her hand and threw it away. He seized her arm and steered her out of the room with Felix trailing behind them.

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Akoma looked up when she heard the clang of a gate and saw Ender being pushed into the room by Poku. Felix walked past them to stand near the tank under Akoma. Poku pushed Ender onto the floor and watched the scene in silence. Akoma scowled down at him and wished she could break free from her chains to rip his head off. It was painful for her to admit that she had been scorned for the second time by a man she had feelings for - except that this one was not a real man.

"Sorry for hanging you up there, Akoma," Felix said. "It was necessary." He glanced at Poku and then back to her. "He's charming, isn't he? I know you have feelings for him, but - well - perhaps just his human part. Pokichu is perhaps my most advanced creation because - um - he is half human and half - the other thing. Cyborg. He's maintained his soul - his feelings, his brain, few others - his ability to choose - but with a little control from me sometimes. He can be stubborn, you know. Pokichu - mm. But really resourceful and reliable. Akoma, I signed you up into Ex Vivo on your first meeting with him, and on the day he kissed you, he bugged your phone remotely and tracked you everywhere you went from that moment onwards. People like him are not part of the beta version of Ex Vivo. It's rather the premium version. I gave you the opportunity to have him for a moment, and I see you loved it - except that he was working for me, so he kidnapped you and all that. Ah! Why am I doing all this long talk? Someone is going to attempt to shoot me anytime soon. I must hurry." He cleared his throat and beckoned to Poku, who walked towards Ender to grab her and push her closer to Felix. Ender looked up at Akoma and stared at her. Akoma thought she could find her best friend somewhere through those eyes for just a split second, but she ended up being disappointed by what happened next.

Ender straightened up and cocked her head as she looked up at her Ex Agent. "What's this supposed to be?" she said out loud. "Leverage?" She glanced at Felix and scoffed. "Forget it."

"I am going to kill your priceless Ex Agent if you don't surrender Ex Gratia to me," Felix said. "When I say Ex Gratia, you know what I mean, don't you?"