Immortal (23 page)

As they rounded the next corner, she noticed
the burn marks near the control panel on the door which stood wide
open. A small rectangular machine, with thin metallic arms busily
worked at the damaged control panel. Charles spoke as he stepped
around the machine.

“The specimens damaged the doorway in their
escape.” He said, and stepped through the open door, and as she
followed she saw the angry scars around the perimeter of the door,
where the Guardian’s control sticks had burned through. The air was
acrid as they continued. Through another doorway, they entered the
vast warehouse location, where row upon row of shelving ran as far
as she could see. She hurried to catch up with Charles.

“The warehouse?” She asked. He nodded.
“Thought so.” She said. “Recognized it from the surveillance
video.” She kept pace with him as they made their way through the
vast room, and though she occasionally glanced at the vats on the
shelves, she could not tell what they might hold inside. As they
entered a center aisle, a Guardian approached.

“Chancellor.” It said in its metallic flat
voice.

“Has the system been re-reprogrammed to
account for the damaged product?”

“Affirmative.”

“The product that was damaged…has this
created any issues with citizen health?”

“It does not appear so at this time,
Chancellor. The product was registered for storage only. Unused
product from the last harvest.”

“So the product was assigned for a single
citizen?” Charles asked the looming Guardian.

“Affirmative.” Replied the Guardian. Charles
nodded his head, and began to walk again, as he headed to the far
end of the main aisle towards the steps. Amelia followed
quietly.

“That’s good news at least.” Charles
said.

“What did it mean…unused product?” She
asked.

“When a rejuvenation or upgrade is approved
and scheduled, the necessary parts and organs must be harvested in
preparation for the process. In most cases, the specimen is no
longer viable after the harvest of the needed product, but it would
be a shame to just discard of the remaining product. You never know
when something else may come up after rejuvenation. We found it
best to store the remaining product, at least until such time as
another replacement specimen was viable for any new procedures that
may be required.” They reached the steps, and he continued up. She
hesitated.

“Viable?” She asked. “After the harvest, the
specimens are no longer viable? What does that mean?”

“You know. Viable. In that the specimen can
longer maintain the quality of the product in a self sufficient
matter. If that is the case the specimen is disassembled into the
various product components, and they are stored until such time as
a replacement specimen is ready.” He stopped at the open door, and
turned back to her. “It’s all quite efficient, don’t you think?” He
asked rhetorically, then turned and went through the door. She ran
quickly up the steps, even as her mind numbed with the realization
that had begun to take hold. The specimens, the clones, she
realized, were killed, and taken apart piece by piece. And as she
came to the threshold of the door, she stopped and turned back and
looked into the vast warehouse. She ran her eyes back across the
row after row of tall shelving for as far as she could see. And in
each row, on each shelf, was a part of what was once a living
being. A human being. She shuddered, closed her eyes tight, then
turned and followed Charles.

“Charles!” She said, and ran a few steps to
catch up with his fast pace. “The intruders that we’re looking
for…you said they were specimens?”

“Exactly. One was pulled for harvesting…the
female I believe. The other escaped the farm, and infiltrated the
harvest ward. That one was male I am told.” Amelia walked ahead in
silence and shock. The specimens were not just clones, but living
and breathing sentient beings. Their entire society’s premise of
rejuvenation did not come from tissue cultures grown in labs and
biotechnologies as they had been led to believe, but from murder.
Suddenly Charles stopped by an open door in the hallway. “Here we
are.” He paused and began to step into the room. She touched his
arm, and asked.

“Sir? The boxes. Back in the cavern. Did they
contain product, sir?”

“Oh no, Amelia.” He laughed. “That’s the
holding area for the incoming shipments of our food.”

“Food, sir?” She blinked. She clearly did not
understand.

“Yes, Amelia. Food. You know, white meat,
brown meat, the cakes, buns, sparkle waters. All of that. We have
it all shipped in from a remote location where it is made. Totally
automated of course. It’s like a large offshore factory of some
kind. Never been there myself, but the system seems to work just
fine. We have never had any shortages. The supply has always been
exactly what we’ve needed.” He turned and entered the room. She
followed after only a moment’s hesitation, and instantly wished she
had not entered the room. Her eyes widened, and her entire body
became numb as she looked at the broken torn body lying on the
gurney. The grossly bizarre metallic arms still rested in its
chest. The hair had been moved away from the face, and she clearly
recognized the face. Though it was much younger than the face she
knew now, with no wrinkles or withered skin. The face of the poor
broken girl that lay there was that of Elizabeth Mackary. Lady
Mackary.

Jonah and Vanessa led the way ahead, as
Jericho and Gabrielle followed behind. Jericho could not help but
to marvel at the wide open roads, with no one to be seen, while
Gabrielle continued to stare upwards, mesmerized by the tall
buildings that surrounded them. The roadways were smooth and clean,
and everywhere they looked everything seemed so shiny and new. It
was something they had never experienced before. They walked at a
brisk pace, and easily kept up with the two ahead, but remained
ever vigilant in case a Guardian might appear. Jericho turned to
her.

“What did you mean, she’s Rebecca?” He
asked.

“Didn’t you see her?” She asked.

“Yeah. Well not really, I guess.” He said.
“There was a lot going on.”

“When isn’t there.” She said sarcastically.
“She looks just like Rebecca. Well. If Rebecca was a little older,
I mean.” He turned his focus to the woman ahead. She walked in her
bare feet as her shoes dangled from her hand. True enough, he
thought, there was some familiarity to her even from behind, but he
had not paid much attention to her face when they had briefly met
before. He was now unsure if he even saw her face.

“A little older.” He said. “That means she
can’t be Rebecca.”

“Okay. So maybe she’s not. But she looks like
her, Jericho! That can’t be a coincidence.” She said. “This place
gives me the creeps.” She said almost under her breath.

“Maybe she’s a relative. Maybe that’s why she
looks like her.” He offered as his eyes continued to scan around
them, as if he expected a Guardian to appear at any moment.

“Where are they taking us?’ Gabrielle
asked.

“I don’t know.” Said Jericho. “Come on.” He
ran to catch up with the others. Gabrielle followed as well. They
slowed their pace as they caught up. Jericho looked closely at
Vanessa, and amazingly enough, he too saw the resemblance. No, he
thought, not a resemblance. Something more. She looked exactly like
his sister, but just as Gabrielle had said, a little older. “Where
are we going?” He asked, still captivated by Vanessa’s
appearance.

“Just up here.” Jonah said, as they veered
off of the main road and went under the overhang of a large
building. As they approached the wall, a big door slid open, and
they all entered the elevator. Gabrielle noticed a slight change in
her weight as the floor suddenly moved upward. She had no visual
verification that anything had moved at all. Suddenly the weight
variation changed, and she grabbed Jericho’s arm just as the door
slid open again. This time it opened into a large room.

“Welcome to our home.” Said Jonah, as he
hastily made his way to the video wall. “Video on.” He said. The
entire wall came to life with crystal clear clarity, in full three
dimensions, as if a window into another world had suddenly opened.
It immediately caught Jericho’s eye, and he slowly walked towards
the wall, as he left Gabrielle behind him. She looked about the
huge space of the apartment in amazement. She had never beheld such
a grand space indoors before. Jericho approached the video wall and
reached his hand up to touch the image as it moved before him. He
was amazed as it his hand passed through the image to the other
side, before it finally rested against the wall itself.

“How is this done?” He asked Jonah.

“I haven’t a clue.” Jonah said. “Sound on.”
Suddenly voices and music came from the video wall. The video
portrayed portions of the Accession Ball, as it switched from full
room views, to close-ups that terrified and made Jericho dizzy just
as he looked at them. He had to look away to maintain his
balance.

“Are you hungry?” Vanessa asked Gabrielle, as
she tossed her shoes through a doorway. Gabrielle nodded.

“It’s way past our assigned mealtime.” She
turned to Jericho. “Hey, Jericho. Hungry?” He nodded, and left the
video wall behind to join her.

“This way.” Vanessa said as she led them
across the vast apartment and into the kitchen area. Jonah remained
behind, focused on the video wall. As she entered the kitchen the
lights came on, and as she approached the cabinets, they opened.
She reached in and pulled a tray of assorted meats from the
cabinet, then pulled another tray filled with sweet buns from a
lower cabinet. She placed them on the center counter, and asked.
“Sparkle water?” Gabrielle looked at Jericho, who looked back at
her. He shook his head slightly. They did not understand what was
being asked.

“Yes, please.” Gabrielle said, still unsure
of what she had agreed to. Vanessa reached into another
cabinet.

“Red? Blue? Purple?” She turned back to them
waiting for their answer.

“Red, I guess.” Gabrielle answered, and
Jericho followed her lead, as he nodded the same. Vanessa pulled
two bottles filled with red liquid from the cabinet, and sat them
on the table in front of them. Both Gabrielle and Jericho looked at
the items, then at her, and then back at the things on the
counter.

“Go ahead.” Vanessa said. “Eat up.” She
watched as they looked at one another, and then hesitantly began to
reach out to the trays. Gabrielle carefully touched a piece of
white meat that lay on the tray. She pulled her finger back as if
shocked. Then she reached back out and poked it again, and giggled
slightly when it moved on the tray. Jericho likewise had touched a
sweet bun, and was surprised at its softness. The way his finger
could mash it down, but then it sprang back up and looked mostly
like it was before he touched it. Absentmindedly, he brought his
finger to his lips, and hesitantly touched his tongue to it. He
grinned at the hint of the taste, and shoved his finger is his
mouth. Gabrielle picked up the piece of meat and carefully began to
smell it. No longer unsure of what to do with the sweet buns,
Jericho reached down and grabbed the one he had touched and shoved
the whole thing in his mouth. Gabrielle took a little nibble from
the meat she held, and instantly her mouth began to salivate at the
flavor and texture she tasted. It was unlike anything she had ever
experienced. She took a huge bite, and began chewing fiercely, as
if she had never eaten before. Jericho shoved his second sweet bun
in his mouth, even as he still chewed on the first. Vanessa had
turned her back on them, and pulled two bottles filled with blue
liquid from the cabinet. As she turned back, she saw how awkwardly
they looked as they ate, and a laugh escaped her. She sat the
bottles on the counter.

“Slow down, guys.” She said, as she laughed.
“There’s plenty to eat. There’s always plenty.

“This is so good!” Gabrielle mumbled around a
mouthful of meat, and part of a sweet bun that she had just jammed
in her mouth. Jericho was on his third sweet bun with a handful of
brown meat ready to go in as well. Suddenly his eyes widened, and
his expression changed. From one of amazement to that of fear. He
reached up to his throat as he began to choke. He grabbed the
bottle filled with red liquid and brought it to his lips. He turned
it up, but nothing came out. His look of concern grew dour, as he
brought the bottle back down and shook it. He could see the life
saving liquid within, but was unsure how to get at it.

“Like this!” Vanessa said. She noticed his
terror and snapped off the cap to her own bottle to show him how to
open it. Jericho followed her instructions, and snapped the cap
off. He quickly drank from the bottle, as red liquid spilling from
his lips. A few swallows, and the emergency was over. He drained
the bottle, burped loudly, and ended with a smile on his face.
Vanessa handed him another bottle from the cabinet, and laughed
again as the two of them continued to devour the trays of food.
“I’ll be right back.” She said, and took both bottles of blue
sparkle water into the living room. She handed one to Jonah, as he
watched the video wall intently.

“Thank you, dear.” He snapped off the cap and
took a small drink.

“What are you looking for? Weren’t we just
there?” She asked, as she recognized the scene from the Accession
Ball. He took another drink, and sat his bottle down on the table
beside him. He pulled his pipe from his tunic and took a deep drag,
and let it out slowly.

“I want to see if there’s been any notice
about them.” He said as he nodded over his shoulder towards the
kitchen.

“Do you think there will be?” She asked.

“I don’t know. But if there is, it’s better
if we know about it before it’s too late.” He said with a grim
expression on his face as he took another pull from his pipe. He
slowly let the smoke escape as he watched the scene on the video
wall change.