Here goes nothing. He took in a deep breath.

"We both know how they operate on us; changing our body structure and fixing all the little ugly details. We've been studying this for years, we know the operation backwards and forwards."

"Right..." Maddy said, trying to follow him.

"Well, there's that other part of the operation that we've never learned about."

"The CMO," she nodded.

"The Cognitive Manipulation Operation. Do you even know what they do during that process?" he asked her.

She furrowed her brows and stared at a space on the wall, thinking hard.

"They...um...well, they work on...I don't know, emotions and behavior, I suppose. It's all very secretive. You know how the Cognitive branch is, they're very selective about who they pick for neurologists."

"And they're even more secretive about the process of their standard operation. Think about it. When we were interns, we were informed about everything. We learned about every element and tool used. When we're done operating on the body of the subject, it goes to the neurologists. They take the subject into a private lab where they do who knows what. And after a period of recovery, the subject is released, some final touch-ups are made, and it moves straight on to New Pretty Town."

"You know what, you're right. I've always been slightly curious as to what exactly they're doing in there. I mean, we've both been through it...twice now, if I'm not mistaken, and...well, we don't know what on earth they might've done to us while we were in there..."

Az couldn't help smiling. He loved the way this woman's mind worked. He knew she'd understand. Talking to her about this was the right thing to do, he decided.

"Now you're getting on my level."

"What's your theory on this? You had to have come up with an explanation, otherwise you wouldn't have bothered telling me..." she inquired.

"It all goes back to the Rusty days. Have you ever wondered why we don't have wars anymore? I mean, we're descended from the same humans and, however stupid we may think they acted, they're still our ancestors. Somewhere inside, we have to have retained the same basic instincts and survival inclinations. If, theoretically, we still have those hidden instincts and unconscious motives, then how come we haven't encountered another war? In fact, when you think about it, when have we ever even encountered a dispute or disagreement among our political leaders in the present age? Amongst anyone? Does anyone fight anymore?"

"Sure, of coarse we do. Back in my Ugly days-"

"No, no. I mean, yes, you're right to some extent, we did have fights and disputes in our childhood years...but, that was because we were still natural and unaltered. That was before the operation, before our minds and bodies were changed, while we still had those primitive survival instincts passed down from the Rusties."

Maddy bit her lip, sitting back a little and scrutinizing what he was saying.

"Are you saying, they rid us of those instincts after the operation?"

"You're exactly on point."

"But isn't that a good thing? I mean, we don't want wars anymore, they cause too much destruction..."

"No, stay with me, Maddy. You're focusing on the wrong issue here. They operate on our brains."

"Yeah, I got that, but-"

"No, think back to when you just became a New Pretty. Remember all your friends and peers. Do you recall ever arguing with anyone about anything?"

"No. There was no reason to. Things were great all the time."

"It wasn't only because we were consistently kept drunk and satisfied. Even on sober days, people never argued with each other. No one does anymore. Once the operation was thought of and put into practice, humanity adjusted. Fighting was eliminated. Any thought of starting a dispute was eradicated from our minds."

"How could they accomplish something like that?"

"By getting rid of independent thought. Creativity, imagination, originality, ingenuity. That way people would have fewer differing opinions. And even if, heaven forbid, you did disagree with someone about something, the drive to confront them about it was removed. We are all made into happy, bubbly, complacent, and brainless nobodies. That way we don't challenge the system."

"What system?"

"The people in control, in power. The Specials. I used to think they were just an urban myth when I was a New Pretty..."

"I know I've never seen one, but we both know they exist." Maddy stated.

"I've seen them. And I plan on seeing a lot more of them. They want to keep humans under control. The whole world needs to be kept under their control."

"What other way to stop mankind's destructive tendencies than to get rid of everything that causes strife?" Maddy whispered, catching on.

"And the price we pay for it is..." Az watched her.

"Our minds. Ourselves." Maddy's voice shook.