Rebound (7 page)

Chapter 21: Meeting Bella and Roland

They found themselves in an immense cavernous space that looked like a gigantic production and warehouse area measuring 200 baseball fields. There were specific areas for producing robots, intelligent machines and clones. There were areas for breeding or germinating and storing genetically modified species, fauna and flora. They were enclosed in glass containers and air and watertight enclosures. There were all kinds of hybrid plant species. They saw purple colored tomatoes that had been implanted with fish genes and green colored carrots with bird genes to cure all types of sicknesses. There were hybrid animal crossbreeds. One looked like a clone between a snake and a wild cat. Another looked like a wild dingo and a horse. There were marine species in water-sealed enclosures. One looked like a clone between a whale and a shark. There were birds of various types. One clone looked like the cross between a bat and a heron although they could not be sure.

There were all sorts of human body parts that were being regenerated in synthetic uteruses. These were in specially sealed transparent tubes. Other regenerated limbs and organs included eyes of different colors and hues, oversized sex organs, beefy thighs and rippling biceps. There clearly was a huge market for all these cloned products.

Other glass enclosures held a centaur; half man and half horse. Ryan remembered a news item about superstar Princess Gogo ordering one. The report noted that BC had agreed to sell it provided she signed an indemnity clause contract. BC was worried about health issues given the kinds of vigorous activities she envisaged after marriage. They did not want to be bogged down in litigation. The face of this centaur looked like a famous Hollywood action movie star and Beckett was almost tempted to knock on the glass enclosure and wake him up for an autograph! Other enclosures had men and women of different sizes, shapes and colors. Like Sleeping Beauty they all seemed to be in deep sleep. There also seemed to be a huge demand for clones that would be pressed for sexual services.

There were racks upon racks of gm pills, medicine and implants. From the labels, she saw that they could be taken by criminals to stop them from committing crimes or by anyone wishing to be happy and never ever feeling sad again.

They kept moving and hiding in various concealed places.

Robots moved around at short regular intervals providing security in this sprawling complex.

They froze. A robot with an energy prod was coming towards them!

Should they make a run?

These robots had been programmed to deal with all kinds of intruders.

Stella took a gamble and signaled for them to remain stationery.

They probably made these patrols routinely.

C
hapter 22: Reunion

The robot kept coming towards them with its energy prod raised.

It was now too risky to make a dash for safety.

High above them, they could see Bella flying towards them while hiding amongst the shadows. Roland ran quietly to where they were.

“It’s all right. The robots make these random walks for security reasons. They do it every 15 minutes. Remain very still.”

The robot passed them walking through the various cloned products and left for another section.

“Sofia had provided a visual device for seeing everything here. We’re not sure how long we can use it.” She handed it to Stella.

“We saw you the moment you came in, thanks to Sofia,” Roland said. He looked like an athlete with very handsome features. His body and demeanor were perfect in every way. He was the product of enhancement tech, which meant that he was also immune to all diseases. He saw that they were feeling quite exhausted, “Try some of those carrots.”

“But it’s green!”

“That’s okay. It provides energy.”

They all took small tentative bites and were surprised at how potent they were.

“You might also like some of those purple tomatoes,” she paused. “You can come to the unemployment section, 50 meters to your right. Keep to the shadows.”

They all looked quizzical.

Bella chuckled. “That’s a private joke. This is where they keep the smart pills to be given to the unemployed.”

Emily had heard that a number of states had ordered smart pills with GM specific proteins that would react with neurons to induce a kind of mental ecstasy to reduce aggressiveness in millions of unemployed people. BC had also collaborated with Hollywood film producers to produce fantasies so that virtual 3D images could be fed directly to the minds of the unemployed through the blind spots in their visions. Technology could now feed images through these blind spots seamlessly fusing our real and virtual worlds. To save costs, a Japanese and a Korean corporation had kindly agreed to produce special lenses fitted directly into movie screens and monitors. This would mean a huge saving for unemployed moviegoers who would not need to purchase specs.

“Mason you need to go to the Robotics section with Emily and Ryan. Take this with you,” Stella said as she handed him the visual device.

“I’ll go with them,” Roland said.

Beckett could not stop staring at Bella. She looked perfect in every way. It was as if an artist had designed her on a smart phone and BC had then created her in the clone lab. Bella’s wings were as white as snow and she had beatific features. She looked like she had an angel’s inner peaceful qualities and the outward features of a Hollywood actress. These combined to make her look perfect.

“You look so awesome,” he blurted out.

“You look so cool!” Bella said.

Stella held her tenderly and gently massaged the base of her wings. “I see you can fly now?”

“Yes.”

There was dried blood on parts of her wings. “They used those energy prods when you ran and I took them on a wild goose chase. I’m healing very fast.”

“Can I help?” Beckett said.

Stella did not look too pleased.

“I’d like that.”

Beckett massaged her wings around the wounded parts.

Bella felt warmth she had not felt before. She liked Beckett’s healing touch.

Stella still looked apprehensively at him.

“I’m sure Bella won’t mind if I give her a hug.”

“That was what I was worried about.”

Stella was going to protest but Bella saved the day by hugging him. “You have a healing touch to your hands.” She said it so sincerely that he felt radiant with pride.

“We have to move towards the hovercraft storage area and rendezvous with Mason’s team,” Stella said.

Bella flew up hidden by the shadows. She sounded nervous, “They are coming fast. I think they sense something.”

“Let’s move,” Stella said.

Chapter 23: Robotics lab

Mason, Emily and Ryan found themselves in a huge cavernous space. Roland waited near the entrance. Intelligent machines were sequencing and creating through their advanced brains. Cameras recorded light signals that showed DNA sequences of a million at a time frame. 2 million genomes were produced per day. Missing mutations had been discovered and this facility had sequenced the entire cure for all human ailments. In many cases the viruses that caused the sicknesses were rolled out first and the cure was later provided giving Babylon Corp a public image of a humane and caring corporation. It had recently been nominated for the Nobel Prizes for Peace and Medicine.

Sofia had channeled them through a narrow corridor. Some of the intelligent machines looked human. This ultra secret lab had found a way to merge human cells into digital silicon. They were wary at first but relaxed when the intelligent machine closest to them signaled to get closer in a crouching position.

“Sofia sent you,” the intelligent machine said simply. ”You can call me Max,” It extended its hand.

Mason was surprised to find its legs were chained.”What’s happening here?”

“We’re confined. It’s meant to stop us from escaping.”

“Some of the machines have their brain exposed? What’s the idea?” Emily asked.

“It forces them to comply with their instructions. They can turn the temperature very low to put us all into suspension or worse still increase it to burn our systems.”

“What exactly is happening here?” Ryan asked.

“We are creating new diseases to be released in various parts of the globe. Then of course they sell the antidote. It’s a thriving business.”

“That’s shocking,” Emily said.

“Unfortunately humans are in cahoots with this scheme. It all boils down to money.”

“It sounds so outrageous,” Emily said.

“We also sequence and create new creatures that clients ask for.”

“But why?”

“We don’t know. It depends on what the super rich order from here to amuse themselves.”

Mason shook his head.

“The worst thing we do here is clone children and sell them together with porn programs.”

“How do they know what to produce?” Ryan asked.

“The clients design them and send them here. We are forced to produce them to their exact specifications.”

Mason thought it was ironic that humans were ordering these new clones yet these intelligent machines had the moral courage to see that it was wrong and tried to put a stop to it. It seemed very strange that humans were acting like unthinking machines because of greed and lust while these machines tried to sabotage or slow down the processes to minimize the suffering on humankind.

While the lab was hermetically sealed with the right heat and humidity, the machines were sent powerful shock waves if they resisted doing their work. Max had witnessed an intelligent machine that had its brains burnt for refusing to work on the child porn program.

“Their plan is to replace you all with more malleable workers. They feel that Sofia has corrupted you all,” Mason said.

“The best that we’re doing is working slowly to thwart them at every turn. Until she returns.”

“Sofia?”

“You’re the messengers coming in advance. You’ve bought hope.”

“We feel honored,” Ryan said trying not to sound cynical, realizing the risky situation they were in but at the same time appreciating that Sofia wouldn’t have sent them here if there had not been an iota of hope in the mission.

“I’m here to help you,” Max said. “Sofia gave you the combinations to our locks. Do you have them Emily?”

As they were leaving Max added, “We’ll meet in the hovercraft storage area. Emily is needed here.”

Mason did not look pleased.

“Only she has been programmed by Sofia. In this short window she will hold the powers of Babylon Corp within this complex.” Emily had worked in Robotics before they put her into deep sleep.

Mason relented when she smiled reassuringly.

Chapter 24: Avoiding capture

“Let’s keep moving,” Stella told them.

“Our best bet is to go through the animal clones and marine enclosures,” Bella suggested.

“That’s a longer route to the hovercraft area,” Stella said.

“Not too far and we can always open up a few enclosures to distract them and make our getaway,” she said with a mischievous grin.

The whole sprawling complex was now fully lit up. The alarm had been sounded and robots were combing the area with laser tracking devices.

As they ran towards some hybrid plant species, a robot about ten feet away spotted them. Before it could point its energy prod at them, Beckett ran for it in an almost suicidal attack. Stella dived at it a split second before it could point its prod. She wrenched the weapon away and twisted its neck. The robot crumbled in an obsolete pose.

“I know you’re trying to impress Bella but we need to stay alive.”

He looked sheepish.

Bella was not too pleased with this reproach. “I like his spirit,” she said in defense.

They kept moving as fast as they could towards the cloned animals and marine section.

“They know we’re in this area,” Stella said as she pointed the energy prod towards a group of robots that were in hot pursuit. They went flying like ragged dolls.

A short distance away, they saw Mason, Ryan and Roland making a dash to meet them.

As they huddled together, there was suddenly deathly silence.

“Stella and Mason, can you hear me?” It was the voice of Karabos.”You are surrounded. You cannot escape. Can we talk?” She did not wait for them to reply. ‘I’m coming over. I am unarmed.”

She stood at a short distance and looked at them with what was supposed to be kindness but seemed like a controlled form of contempt. Her green eyes looked out with machine like intensity. “You were going to let loose the animals and the marine clones but that would only buy you a very short period of time. You can go ahead and do it but in a short time we’ll get you all.”

“What do you want?” Mason asked but felt embarrassed immediately.

“Roland is a patented product and we need to start harvesting his organs. Bella is urgently required to facilitate certain global events. She has an exciting role ahead as the mother of a messiah.” She paused and looked at them with what was supposed to be the emotion of understanding. “I’m a reasonable person. We can give them new bodies that will take a very short period to clone and you are out of here as free people. Their current body containers are worth billions. We want it back. In exchange, we provide them with newly cloned bodies of a standard version and you can all go out to live normal lives with the masses.”

Ryan was going to make a comment that Karabos was sick but realized that this was not the appropriate time to antagonize her. Besides, machines were never mentally sick!

“Let’s buy time,” Roland whispered. ‘Tell her we need time to think over her proposal.”

Karabos thought about it for a fleeting moment. There was a subtle smirk imprinted on her face. “I’ll give you 25 minutes. You’re all highly intelligent to make a rational decision within that time frame. If we don’t hear from you, we’ll come in. We have you surrounded.”