__________________
I stand there, listening to the last echoes of the voice. Then I start walking again.
After all, how in the world was I going to give this Mr Wong tutuitions on how to be a woman? I am already busy with my own things, and plus, Langley...
Well, since Tamaritha has arrived, I guessed it was now time for Plan 2.
_________________
"Fire, more firepower!" The men yelled, as rapid shots rang out in the corridor. It almost sounded like World War 3.
Obvlious to the noise, the child now reached out her hand over to the guns, opened her mouth and emitted a single note.
Instantly, the guns melted, making red-hot puddles that hissed upon the floor.
In the chaos, no-one had passed on the news to any of the higher officials. No-one had noticed a stray boomer going through the papers and taking photocopies and scans of some of the documents.
No-one had noticed that the child actually held a remote control in her hand.
_________________
Mason held his hands together in anticipation. When the results came, he would then possess a weapon against this nuisance, against this hinderance for GENOM's world domination.
A woman. He scoffed at the idea of weak females dominating the world. They were entirely devoted to passions of their minds, guided by the emotions they had. Bent on romance, pleasure, beauty and...
Revenge.
Yes. That was one quality of a woman that was strong: they could hate.
But hate is not enough to conquer a world, Mason noted.
He continued flexing his finders until the office door slid open and a young man in a lab coat came in.
"The experiment is successful sir, but there is a problem."
Mason hardly raised an eyebrow when he replied.
"What is the problem? Does the success depend on conditions?"
"N-No s-sir," The man was stuttering now. Mason sneered silently at the man. So anxious to please him to buy his life out.
"Well...?"
"Sir, there is a rogue boomer out in the lower levels. It's a mini-OL, and I believe it is potentially harmful to the results of the experiment - it may destroy the results."
"Then destroy it before it does so." Mason answered impatiantly. Idiots, he thought.
"If we knew h-how to, we would have imme-mediately done so without no- notifying you." The man stuttered.
"Really? I must see this indestructible creature. The Chairman might be interested in it."
Mason said as he rose from his chair.
"Take me to the site."
"Y-yes sir!"
_________________
The child was now climbing the stairs, letting most of her troop take the freight elevator. All she had with her now was a few construction boomers, at most ten.
Her remote control beeped in a strange tune, and the child flipped the cover and answered it.
"Yo, wassup?!"
"Wassup ~ It's me, Tamaritha," The voice on the other end replied. "So how's it going? Good?"
Child answered. "Oh fantastic, ma'am. They think I'm Neon Galatea!"
"Watch out, Miraka, although the employees do not know Galatea's appearance, the Chairman and Mason does know what she looks like, and will immediately know that you're a fake."
Child - no, Miraka, giggled, then replied. "Nah, that's no prob, I've got it under control. But something about the air here - makes me glow purple. And Mason, well I'll..."
Miraka stopped midway, as Mason with his assistant turned a corner and came face to face with her.
"Ok, I'll...do something about it. Gotta go now."
Miraka flipped the mobile back into remote status, and faced the men.
"Hello, Mason," She whispered.
_________________
When I arrived back in the apartment, the glass had been fixed and Tamaritha had just put down the phone - did she make a call to Miraka?
From the expression in her face, the results of the phone call was clear - mission ended prematurely.
I approached her, but she does not turn and respond. It's only when I am close to her that I realise she is having another seizure. I turn her upon her back, and raise her head.
The bottle of medication at the bedside would do for now.
Three drops...
The colour comes back into her cheeks, and she opens her eyes.
"I...Must have called at the wrong time..." she whispers.
I hold her tightly to my arms, and say nothing.
"Langley...She will take care of me too won't she...?"
I remain silent. There was no reason to tell her - yet.
A look of recognition passes her eyes - or is it enlightenment? I do not know, and I shall never know.
I put her gently upon the bed, and took out a made-up resume out of my folder.
"This is your task."
Tamaritha still did not respond.
I sigh. I am tired after all, and I want to rest.
I walk to the bedside table, and putting down Tamaritha's medication, pick up a pink bottle containing lilac liquid.
one drop, two drops, three drops, four...
I take a glass of water, and walk back into the bed.
I close my eyes.
________________
Mason stared for a long time at the boomers in the corridor.
And in the midst of them, he saw... a girl.
A girl! Mason thought. My officials were afraid of a mere girl!
The girl straightened her hair, muttered something under her breath and approached him.
"Humans," she started.
Mason's lips curled in comtempt.
"Yes, humans. The current rulers of this planet."
"You are a human yourself."
"There are some things you must understand, child. Come with me."
The girl now nodded her head, and Mason lead the way, the boomers following her in a silent procession.
________________
"...Sylia, I do not understand. This does not make sense. Rogue boomers as suits? Boomers by itself has already been my one big drawback here, girl. I don't know what you are making us do by trying to get us bayttling rogue boomers with rogue boomers for us to control."
"Maybe," Sylia replied, "It would be better for you to comment after trying it on."
This time, Priss said nothing, but stared into Sylia's forehead. What was going on in there? Did she want to risk all out lives for this?
"Well?" Sylia looked at Priss once more, this time expecting an answer of some sorts.
"Let's call the others in. See what they think."
"And why would you want to do that?" Sylia frowned. "I thought you were the daredevil, the one who always wants to be the first."
"I suppose you can call that a pre-mortal evaluation, if there was ever such a term."
With that, Priss strode past Sylia into the elevator, but Sylia did not seem to have felt her go.
Sylia stood there, in the dim-lit corner, her eyes gazing into space.
_________________
Linna yawned. It was getting late, and the tedious small-talk ceased as they had reached Nene's apartment.
"I guess I will again rely upon your hospitality and what space you have in your apartment, Nene," she mumbled.
Nene yawned. "I suppose so."
Nene opened her door, and stepped in, turning on the light. Her eyes looked around, adjusting itself to the comfortable mess.
"Ahh, home sweet home," she mumbled, before dropping off to sleep upon the floor.
"Hey, Nene!" Linna shouted as she tried to drag Nene back to her feet, but she felt herself slump too. Why were they so tired...?
A blue flash, two blue flashes...Linna realised her cell phone was ringing, although she could not hear the noise.
She reached into her pocket and answered it.
"Hello?"
"It's Sylia. Move in. Now."
Linna closed the flap, and tried to wake Nene up.
"Nene! You gotta wake up Nene! Nene!"
But Nene showed no response, and Linna bent over to shake Nene's shoulder.
Her eyelids drooped, and Linna struggled for a while before slumping on top of Nene herself.
_________________
When Leon finally found Daley, it was in a dimly-lit alley.
Arms limp upon his sides. Staring into the other end, looking. Staring.
Leon clapped his hand upon Daley's shoulder.
"Hey, partner. Something wrong?"
Daley snapped out of his trance and shrugged his shoulders.
"No, nothing is wrong...Hey, we should eat something...how does udon grab you?"
Both chuckled, slapped each other's shoulders and walked out of the alleyway.
As they turned into the street however, Daley saw that Nene and the other girl were not in the restaurant anymore.
"Hey Leon, where'd Nene go?"
Leon chuckled. "Oh I decided to give her a payback for calling me Leon- chan."
Daley stood serious-faced for a moment, then slapped Leon's back. "Oh no, you didn't..."
"...Give them a date-rape drug to forget about what happened tonite. I'll just rack her up tomorrow saying something about us all having an orgy."
Daley rolled his eyes. "Well, take me out of the story ok?"
Leon thought for a moment, before replying, "Okay."
________________
Mackey took off his safety glasses, and rubbing his eyes, turned to the clock. It now read 2:00 am and he was tired.
"Nigel, Let's take the night off ok? I...Sylia would understand us, won't she?"
The cranking of screws stopped, and Nigel looked up from his work for a moment.
"Maybe she doesn't understand us."
Mackey hesistated before attempting once more.
"Well then how about a break?"
The door slid open, and Priss stepped in.
"No need. You guys are testing me out tonight."
Mackey turned to face Priss in a questioning look, but Nigel just looked away and lighted his cigarette.
Priss continued,"The others will be here soon too. Sylia has rung them up."
Mackey sighed, and putting his safety glasses back on, turned to his work.
_______________
Rays were filtering thorugh the windows when Nene woke up. She checked her phone. 6:03 am. two missed calls - both from Sylia's number.
She looked around. She was - home. With Linna.
With Linna?
"Hey, Linna."
She shook Linna's sleeping body, but her limp body would not respond.
"Hey! Linna! Wake up! We had two missed cals from Sylia! She wanted us last nite and we missed her!"
By now, Nene was shaking Linna with such force Linna turned upon her back.
Nene noticed her lips were drained of colour and she was drooling.
"Oh no," Nene moaned, and she tried to think of what they did after going into the restaurant last night.
A sickening feeling stirred itself in her stomach as Nene realised one thing.
She could not remember at all.
_______________
-6th February 2040-
I wake from a drug-induced sleep.
Drug-induced.
Yes.
I have been sleepless these past nights, and my body mechanism flipped over.
Next to me, Tamaritha is quietly snoring. This is unusual, because she usually sleeps very silently. But it indicates that she is alive, which is a relief to me.
Relief. This was a feeling I had not felt for many years.
In fact, ever since I met Langley.
I straighten myself, and stand. The sunlight fell through the mullioned windows, making a funny pattern on the carpet, causing shadows upon its textured roses.
Bracing myself for the day, I try to calm myself by looking around the room.
Familiar objects.
Familiar faces.
And among the familiarity was the hideousness that reminded me of my fate.
A yellow envelope and a time written on its flap.
Job interview.
Job interview for the ADP Crime Detection department.
I flex what is left of my muscles and walk over to where the envelope
I stand there, listening to the last echoes of the voice. Then I start walking again.
After all, how in the world was I going to give this Mr Wong tutuitions on how to be a woman? I am already busy with my own things, and plus, Langley...
Well, since Tamaritha has arrived, I guessed it was now time for Plan 2.
_________________
"Fire, more firepower!" The men yelled, as rapid shots rang out in the corridor. It almost sounded like World War 3.
Obvlious to the noise, the child now reached out her hand over to the guns, opened her mouth and emitted a single note.
Instantly, the guns melted, making red-hot puddles that hissed upon the floor.
In the chaos, no-one had passed on the news to any of the higher officials. No-one had noticed a stray boomer going through the papers and taking photocopies and scans of some of the documents.
No-one had noticed that the child actually held a remote control in her hand.
_________________
Mason held his hands together in anticipation. When the results came, he would then possess a weapon against this nuisance, against this hinderance for GENOM's world domination.
A woman. He scoffed at the idea of weak females dominating the world. They were entirely devoted to passions of their minds, guided by the emotions they had. Bent on romance, pleasure, beauty and...
Revenge.
Yes. That was one quality of a woman that was strong: they could hate.
But hate is not enough to conquer a world, Mason noted.
He continued flexing his finders until the office door slid open and a young man in a lab coat came in.
"The experiment is successful sir, but there is a problem."
Mason hardly raised an eyebrow when he replied.
"What is the problem? Does the success depend on conditions?"
"N-No s-sir," The man was stuttering now. Mason sneered silently at the man. So anxious to please him to buy his life out.
"Well...?"
"Sir, there is a rogue boomer out in the lower levels. It's a mini-OL, and I believe it is potentially harmful to the results of the experiment - it may destroy the results."
"Then destroy it before it does so." Mason answered impatiantly. Idiots, he thought.
"If we knew h-how to, we would have imme-mediately done so without no- notifying you." The man stuttered.
"Really? I must see this indestructible creature. The Chairman might be interested in it."
Mason said as he rose from his chair.
"Take me to the site."
"Y-yes sir!"
_________________
The child was now climbing the stairs, letting most of her troop take the freight elevator. All she had with her now was a few construction boomers, at most ten.
Her remote control beeped in a strange tune, and the child flipped the cover and answered it.
"Yo, wassup?!"
"Wassup ~ It's me, Tamaritha," The voice on the other end replied. "So how's it going? Good?"
Child answered. "Oh fantastic, ma'am. They think I'm Neon Galatea!"
"Watch out, Miraka, although the employees do not know Galatea's appearance, the Chairman and Mason does know what she looks like, and will immediately know that you're a fake."
Child - no, Miraka, giggled, then replied. "Nah, that's no prob, I've got it under control. But something about the air here - makes me glow purple. And Mason, well I'll..."
Miraka stopped midway, as Mason with his assistant turned a corner and came face to face with her.
"Ok, I'll...do something about it. Gotta go now."
Miraka flipped the mobile back into remote status, and faced the men.
"Hello, Mason," She whispered.
_________________
When I arrived back in the apartment, the glass had been fixed and Tamaritha had just put down the phone - did she make a call to Miraka?
From the expression in her face, the results of the phone call was clear - mission ended prematurely.
I approached her, but she does not turn and respond. It's only when I am close to her that I realise she is having another seizure. I turn her upon her back, and raise her head.
The bottle of medication at the bedside would do for now.
Three drops...
The colour comes back into her cheeks, and she opens her eyes.
"I...Must have called at the wrong time..." she whispers.
I hold her tightly to my arms, and say nothing.
"Langley...She will take care of me too won't she...?"
I remain silent. There was no reason to tell her - yet.
A look of recognition passes her eyes - or is it enlightenment? I do not know, and I shall never know.
I put her gently upon the bed, and took out a made-up resume out of my folder.
"This is your task."
Tamaritha still did not respond.
I sigh. I am tired after all, and I want to rest.
I walk to the bedside table, and putting down Tamaritha's medication, pick up a pink bottle containing lilac liquid.
one drop, two drops, three drops, four...
I take a glass of water, and walk back into the bed.
I close my eyes.
________________
Mason stared for a long time at the boomers in the corridor.
And in the midst of them, he saw... a girl.
A girl! Mason thought. My officials were afraid of a mere girl!
The girl straightened her hair, muttered something under her breath and approached him.
"Humans," she started.
Mason's lips curled in comtempt.
"Yes, humans. The current rulers of this planet."
"You are a human yourself."
"There are some things you must understand, child. Come with me."
The girl now nodded her head, and Mason lead the way, the boomers following her in a silent procession.
________________
"...Sylia, I do not understand. This does not make sense. Rogue boomers as suits? Boomers by itself has already been my one big drawback here, girl. I don't know what you are making us do by trying to get us bayttling rogue boomers with rogue boomers for us to control."
"Maybe," Sylia replied, "It would be better for you to comment after trying it on."
This time, Priss said nothing, but stared into Sylia's forehead. What was going on in there? Did she want to risk all out lives for this?
"Well?" Sylia looked at Priss once more, this time expecting an answer of some sorts.
"Let's call the others in. See what they think."
"And why would you want to do that?" Sylia frowned. "I thought you were the daredevil, the one who always wants to be the first."
"I suppose you can call that a pre-mortal evaluation, if there was ever such a term."
With that, Priss strode past Sylia into the elevator, but Sylia did not seem to have felt her go.
Sylia stood there, in the dim-lit corner, her eyes gazing into space.
_________________
Linna yawned. It was getting late, and the tedious small-talk ceased as they had reached Nene's apartment.
"I guess I will again rely upon your hospitality and what space you have in your apartment, Nene," she mumbled.
Nene yawned. "I suppose so."
Nene opened her door, and stepped in, turning on the light. Her eyes looked around, adjusting itself to the comfortable mess.
"Ahh, home sweet home," she mumbled, before dropping off to sleep upon the floor.
"Hey, Nene!" Linna shouted as she tried to drag Nene back to her feet, but she felt herself slump too. Why were they so tired...?
A blue flash, two blue flashes...Linna realised her cell phone was ringing, although she could not hear the noise.
She reached into her pocket and answered it.
"Hello?"
"It's Sylia. Move in. Now."
Linna closed the flap, and tried to wake Nene up.
"Nene! You gotta wake up Nene! Nene!"
But Nene showed no response, and Linna bent over to shake Nene's shoulder.
Her eyelids drooped, and Linna struggled for a while before slumping on top of Nene herself.
_________________
When Leon finally found Daley, it was in a dimly-lit alley.
Arms limp upon his sides. Staring into the other end, looking. Staring.
Leon clapped his hand upon Daley's shoulder.
"Hey, partner. Something wrong?"
Daley snapped out of his trance and shrugged his shoulders.
"No, nothing is wrong...Hey, we should eat something...how does udon grab you?"
Both chuckled, slapped each other's shoulders and walked out of the alleyway.
As they turned into the street however, Daley saw that Nene and the other girl were not in the restaurant anymore.
"Hey Leon, where'd Nene go?"
Leon chuckled. "Oh I decided to give her a payback for calling me Leon- chan."
Daley stood serious-faced for a moment, then slapped Leon's back. "Oh no, you didn't..."
"...Give them a date-rape drug to forget about what happened tonite. I'll just rack her up tomorrow saying something about us all having an orgy."
Daley rolled his eyes. "Well, take me out of the story ok?"
Leon thought for a moment, before replying, "Okay."
________________
Mackey took off his safety glasses, and rubbing his eyes, turned to the clock. It now read 2:00 am and he was tired.
"Nigel, Let's take the night off ok? I...Sylia would understand us, won't she?"
The cranking of screws stopped, and Nigel looked up from his work for a moment.
"Maybe she doesn't understand us."
Mackey hesistated before attempting once more.
"Well then how about a break?"
The door slid open, and Priss stepped in.
"No need. You guys are testing me out tonight."
Mackey turned to face Priss in a questioning look, but Nigel just looked away and lighted his cigarette.
Priss continued,"The others will be here soon too. Sylia has rung them up."
Mackey sighed, and putting his safety glasses back on, turned to his work.
_______________
Rays were filtering thorugh the windows when Nene woke up. She checked her phone. 6:03 am. two missed calls - both from Sylia's number.
She looked around. She was - home. With Linna.
With Linna?
"Hey, Linna."
She shook Linna's sleeping body, but her limp body would not respond.
"Hey! Linna! Wake up! We had two missed cals from Sylia! She wanted us last nite and we missed her!"
By now, Nene was shaking Linna with such force Linna turned upon her back.
Nene noticed her lips were drained of colour and she was drooling.
"Oh no," Nene moaned, and she tried to think of what they did after going into the restaurant last night.
A sickening feeling stirred itself in her stomach as Nene realised one thing.
She could not remember at all.
_______________
-6th February 2040-
I wake from a drug-induced sleep.
Drug-induced.
Yes.
I have been sleepless these past nights, and my body mechanism flipped over.
Next to me, Tamaritha is quietly snoring. This is unusual, because she usually sleeps very silently. But it indicates that she is alive, which is a relief to me.
Relief. This was a feeling I had not felt for many years.
In fact, ever since I met Langley.
I straighten myself, and stand. The sunlight fell through the mullioned windows, making a funny pattern on the carpet, causing shadows upon its textured roses.
Bracing myself for the day, I try to calm myself by looking around the room.
Familiar objects.
Familiar faces.
And among the familiarity was the hideousness that reminded me of my fate.
A yellow envelope and a time written on its flap.
Job interview.
Job interview for the ADP Crime Detection department.
I flex what is left of my muscles and walk over to where the envelope