2400 AD

“I’ll tell you who you are,” Suiderland said. “You’re an American. A soldier. You have a security company east of the city and live alone on a quiet street in a plush suburb. Africa has been good to you. Let me see your wrist.”

Callum hesitated at first, then reluctantly showed him.

“Unmarked. I’ll ignore this transgression. For now. Another official might not be so compassionate.”

Gideon said meekly, “Do what you will with me but let him go.”

“What to do with you? What to do with you, Callum? Of-course that’s up to Gideon. You see, your friend here has been a naughty boy. Treasonous. He knows it’s against the rules to attempt to sabotage a government run facility like Xenocon. Your friend here loves chaos. Now, what we do with you depends entirely on the choice he makes.”

Callum stared at Gideon with unblinking eyes filled with questions. None of this made any sense. Earlier, he had saved Gideon’s life, now there was a very real possibility that Gideon might end Callum’s life. Flip flop.

Suiderland returned to his chair and reclined with his fingers entwined on the apex of his puncheon stomach.

He addressed Gideon. “Maybe you’re wondering why I haven’t killed you. Maybe not. Truth is you’re more valuable to us alive.”

“I’d rather be dead.”

“Be careful what you wish for.”

“Let Callum go and I’ll do anything you want,” Gideon pleaded.

Suiderland waved a finger in his face. “Too easy. Six hours ago you and your mob of Androids came here to destroy us so you don’t get to dictate the terms of this man’s freedom…”

Gideon shouted out. “What the hell do you expect us to do? Sit by and clap hands while you play with the lives of children?”

“On the contrary, we save lives. Without us, you’d be nothing. There would be no Denizen 1. This country would be a wasteland like Nigeria, Kenya, the Congo and Zimbabwe.” Suiderland leaned as far forward as his weight would allow. “Xenocon is not the enemy.”

“Then who? If it isn’t Xenocon, then who? Who else has the power to control billions of people? What do you want from the children?”

“We don’t deny that humans need to be controlled. It’s worked well for the last three hundred years. The democracy of the 21st century paved the way for what we have today. Callum, you lived a what…comfortable life?”

Callum didn’t answer.

“Of-course you did,” Suiderland guessed. “A soldier living in a posh suburb of Egoli, living the life, not wanting.”

“I’m with Denizen now,” Callum reminded him. “Your corporation only serves the elite and controls the poor. That’s not democracy. There are millions more who despise you. Denizen 1 serves everyone.”

“Admittedly, we control most things. We have no choice. But we’re not the ones responsible for the downfall of mankind. Toba was responsible for that.”

“Shut it, Suiderland!” If Gideon were able to cut out Suiderland’s tongue right then, he would have.

Since the Toba eruption, millions of survivors found themselves homeless and made their way across the ocean to Africa. From day one, both institutions had been at war with the other.

“Gideon is a force of nature,” Suiderland continued. “The source of all our problems. He created the devastation.”

“Don’t listen to him, Callum.” Gideon took his hand.

Callum stared at Gideon in disbelief. He was paralyzed. As much as he wanted to shake off Gideon’s hand, he couldn’t.

“For years Gideon was Xenocon’s simulation creator. He created the first sim. What we didn’t know at the time, was that he was also a Kine. Just like those children.”

“I learned to control it.”

“You created the first sim?” Callum asked, he couldn’t wrap his head around that one. “You’re a Kine?”

Suiderland said, “Of-course he is. And of course we were thrilled. He had created the ultimate weapon. One we could use against our enemies with a high probability of success. Xenocon embraced it. He could create, and destroy. And we were flabbergasted. However, this power gave him the illusion that he was invincible and we had to contain him. That’s when he escaped. Ran like a pig to Denizen. I gather he didn’t tell you any of this, did he?”

Callum turned to Gideon with a look of total disbelief. “Is this all true? You’re responsible for so much devastation?”

“It wasn’t like that, Callum. He’s exaggerating.”

“Is this true!” Callum clenched a fist and brought it down hard on his leg. “You killed millions of people. Is that true?”

“I followed instructions.”

Suiderland smiled, wallowing in the pleasure that he had caused a rift between them. He said, “But now we are fighting a different enemy. An enemy causing havoc with our already depleted climate and manipulating our infrastructure. Work with us to stop the manipulations. We need to capture all the Kines, train them to control this power. That’s why we want those kids. They can’t be allowed to continue on a path of destruction. Mankind will go extinct. I trust you’ll make the right call.”

Gideon remained silent, but his mind was alive and loud. He could use his mind to make him suffer an excruciating death but not in front of Callum. He had stopped using his mind for death and destruction.

Callum continued staring at Gideon. His eyebrows raised and drawn together. His upper eyelids raised as high as possible, opening the eyes to the maximum as though assessing the situation fully to choose the best possible course of action. Lips stretched horizontally towards the ears. Mouth open. Chin pulled back.

“Our world has changed,” Suiderland said. “We don’t know when this global winter caused by the Toba eruption will end. Of course, scientists speculate another five years. There is no need to fear if you’re with us.”

“We will never be a part of this,” Gideon mumbled.

“I’m going to ask you once more, help us to gather these children, or face the consequences.”

Callum closed his eyes and held the bridge of his nose.

“Never. You’ve destroyed humankind’s ability to be self-productive. You’ve divided us. Created racist Androids to control us. We should have been way past that by now, instead, you and your government tap into it and cause more harm than good. How long do you think you’ll be able to survive if you allow Kines to infiltrate into every aspect of your life? How long do you think the Androids will last if they are destroyed by these minds?”

“The Androids protect us.”

“And you believe they won’t rebel when they find out the truth?”

“They’re not programmed to rebel.”

“That’s what you believe.”

“Your friends here have no mark. I could make their lives a living hell. Do as we say and they go free.”

Indranil said, “Oh you have not seen hell, Mister. It is the place I come from and you do not want to put us back there. But, if you wish to, I don’t mind going back home.”

Suiderland stared at Indranil. “Are you some kind of nitwit?”

“I’m sorry, I do not understand the word, nitwit. I understand nit, and wit, but placing the two nouns together makes you sound indeed very stupid.”

Suiderland lashed out with the back of his hand, leaving Indranil’s top lip swollen and bloody.

“Take him and the woman first.”

***

Cleo and Indranil were ushered down a long corridor and into a large chamber. Glass pods cocooned naked people of all ages. The pods covered every inch of the walls. Above her, an array of pipes fed into the walls. The lighting was dim, but she could make out all kinds of people; old, young and infant. Men, women and children.

“Take off all your clothes,” one of the Androids said.

“Fuck you deeply,” Indranil said with contempt.

“If you do not remove your clothes, we will do it for you.”

One Android moved towards Indranil, while the other blocked Cleo.

“Oh, no you will not be allowed to lay your electronic appendages on me. This is highly inappropriate.”

The Android reached out and tore away Indranil’s shirt and trousers. Instinctively Indranil covered his manhood. The Android placed a finger on Indranil’s neck even while he protested, but all his words were lost as a chemical was released into his body to paralyze him.

Indranil buckled and passed out.

Several men rushed into the chamber to retrieve Indranil. They placed him on gurney in the middle of the floor beneath a machine that looked like an insect with eight legs.

Cleo watched as the legs extended towards him, each one held him down. A shorter leg rested just above his forehead and slowly penetrated his skull.

The legs lifted him and placed him in a glass pod, then whisked him away towards a gap in the wall.

Cleo lifted her hands. “Stay the hell away from me.”

“You are not compliant,” the Android said, “Remove your clothing.”

“You’ll have to kill me first.”

The Android stepped closer, raising his hands to remove her Denizen uniform.

“Stop! I’ll do it myself. Turn around.”

The Android frowned. “Remove your clothes at once.”

“Turn around and I’ll remove them.”

The Android peered at her. Slowly he turned around.

He felt her hands on his face and immediately he tried to free himself. She clung onto him tightly.

Dug her thumbs into his eyes.

He dropped his weapon.

She dug deeper and deeper and eventually popped both eyeballs.

The Android made a whining sound and dropped to the floor.

Immobilized.

The Android’s laser weapon looked better in her hands.