For a moment I start to panic. It all comes so quickly. I can’t do anything but freeze. My reflection in the mirror is a muted version of myself—she looks like she’s ready to cry at any given second. I take a deep breath and start thinking about my uncle. Everything he taught me comes rushing back. Close your eyes and feel grounded. Actually feel your feet pressing into the ground.
I miss him, I really do, but his last words were distinct.
Disengage target, authorization protocol six—
He was just like Frank. I’m not coming to any other conclusion.
Everything about Garrick’s hideout feels like a glorified prison cell. As far as I can tell, there is only one way in or out and that is through the large metal door. Still, if we are as close to the edge of the dome as he claims, then the cubs are a real threat.
“It may not seem like it, but I’ve died a few times–according to the relevant sources anyway.” Garrick gets up from his swivel chair and places his bowl on the counter next to me. “Sometimes it’s the only way to get out of a sticky situation.” He pauses. “But not too sticky, if you know what I mean.”
I shake my head. “I’m beginning to think you’re a pervert.”
He steps back and feigns being emotionally wounded. “Me, a pervert? You’ve got me all wrong, Petra. No hard feelings, many people do. Life is all about pushing the boundaries and being amused. The moment we forget that, we cease to be human.”
I reach for a hand towel. “Amusement? Sounds childish.”
“That couldn’t be farther from the truth. I am one of the most dangerous people around.” His expression changes. “You don’t realize I’ve been slitting your throat until the blood starts dripping.” He laughs. “Unpredictability is the ultimate camouflage.”
He turns away and I find myself with one hand on my holster. Paranoia isn’t healthy, but it might help keep me alive. Garrick removes his gloves, revealing some kind of metal prosthetics. My grip on my holster tightens as he starts typing faster than I think I’ve ever seen anyone type before. “Did you see any rosters or reports when you were on the outside?” He pauses. “I know the subject might be uncomfortable, but it is important.”
I shake my head. “Not that I can remember.”
He sighs. “As far as I know, there are anywhere between seven and ten domes. Each has a runner, an objective, and an influencer.”
“What does that mean?”
He turns towards me. “Well, in this dome I’m the runner—I report back to the warren with status updates on the experiment. The influencer is Frank; he makes sure the synthetics follow the script. The objective is the research question. This is way more undercover than I’m used to, but it’s exciting nonetheless.”
I nod. “What’s this dome’s research question?”
He shrugs. “What if water became the world’s primary currency—a very probable eventuality, I might add. We need water to survive, and the predictions are... less than favourable.”
“Nelson said the world is coming to another ice age and that these experiments will help humanity figure out a way to survive.”
Garrick nods. “The planet has faced many climate crises in the past, and we’ve always found a way to adapt. This one is different, though—this one is a shift in the projections. No one understands why it’s happening and that’s the scary part.” He makes his way back to his chair. “As a people we invested highly in clean energy and the world responded in kind. Things stopped melting and global temperature stabilized. This is something else entirely.”
I take a deep breath. “So Nelson was right, there are flying cities?”
Garrick smiles. “Of course there are. That is our best short-term solution. The Maverick is leading the efforts to provide stability above the surface.”
I take my hand off my holster. “And what about us? What happens to the people on the ground?”
For the first time since the conversation started, Garrick looks as if he is struggling to choose his words. “One thing at a time, Petra.” He turns back to his monitor. “First we need to make sure there is a future for synthetic beings outside the dome.”
“It looks like there is for you.” I motion towards his hands.
“Don’t let my toys fool you. I’m a red-blooded human. Enhancements are just the name of the game.” A loud but muffled roar echoes through the large metal door. Garrick shakes his head and continues typing. His eyes are focused on the screen in front of him. “I need access to the main server. This machine is cut off. Every dome has a port, I just haven’t found it yet. Could be anywhere.” He turns to me. “That’s where you come in.”
“Why can’t we find it together?”
“We could, but then things could get messy super fast. I’m still undercover—might have just blown that by bringing you here though.” He sighs. “Got to take the chance. I’ve really got no other choice. What we’ve been doing has got us nowhere. Jaroslav was close, but—”
“Who is that?”
“Jaroslav?”
I nod. “I remember hearing his name before.”
“You know him. He was posing as the influencer in your dome. The report says a B.E.A.R. got him while he was trying to find the uplink. We’ll need to do the same so we can gather evidence.”
I pause. “What kind of evidence?”
“Evidence that there is a shred of humanity in you that wasn’t fabricated in a lab. We do that, then the law is on our side. Believe me when I say we don’t need another android incident.”
“What are you talking about?”
He smiles. “It’s all about the evidence, Petra. Without it, nothing can be done.”
He continues talking about things I don’t understand. It doesn’t matter; my mind has already settled on my uncle. Jay–Jaroslav–whatever he called himself is irrelevant. Was he real? I mean, was what I remember of him real or just another illusion? This dome, another dome… If there is a world outside and above, I want to see it for myself and make my own observations—end of story. One step at a time, I need to find a way to move forward. That is what Uncle Jay was trying to teach me... at least that’s what I remember. I have no leads, but I think I know where to start looking. The uplink–the only way I see finding it is by knocking on some doors.