“Shampoo and shower cream."
An amount of shampoo adapted to her was automatically mixed in the water jet and she massaged it deep into her hair. After twenty seconds, the shower adjusted so that the shower cream was added instead. After another twenty seconds, clear water again flowed. She felt how a part of her humanity returned when the stench of vomit disappeared. She looked down at her hands and saw small wounds on knuckles. She must have received them when she fell in the kitchen. She sat down in the shower and enjoyed feeling that, at least in part, like a human while the hot water continued to rinse over her. Four minutes later she rose.
"Shower off."
She pulled down a towel, wrapped it around her body and stepped out of the shower. The stench of vomit reached her again, and she looked at the filthy clothes. She swore. She pulled some paper from the toilet roll and pushed the clothes together on the floor. Resolutely, she went out with them in the kitchen.
"Waste."
An opening in the wall next to the fridge appeared and Noshimi threw the clothes into it. She went back to the bathroom and carefully washed her hands again. The mirror image reflected a ravaged but clear-eyed woman. She smiled to herself. After she got dressed, she went into the living room. She lived in Flor Fria, where nearly a million souls called it home, so there was naturally enough competition of the space. Her apartment had two, smaller rooms and a kitchen, and in modern cities in the west would be characterized as a micro-apartment but in Flor Fria it was clearly above average.
She went into the other room and sat down in a worn but comfortable sofa. She had to see someone about these panic attacks. She needed to get help, this could not go on, not anymore. She made a mental note to look up someone to help her. Not right away, but soon. Maybe tomorrow.
Flor Fria
March 16, 2049
An accident seldom comes alone. They were in the large, sand-covered open space in front of Flor Fria and several hundred-people stood in different queues in front of the various gates that led into the mega-complex. Between the queues were patrolles that consisted of groups of four soldiers who ensured that order was maintained.
Large, reflector lamps were lit and the whole area bathed in artificial light as small clouds of dust lazily drifted by when people moved over the space. It was late evening and usually, there were no queues to Flor Fria, but recent events had been exceptional.
Even though the Chinese had resumed control of the mega complex, the initial resistance at Flor Fria had been fierce. As the fighting went on, several hundred had died but in the end, the outcome had still been given. The overwhelming Chinese forces had quickly quenched the uprising and placed the entire mega-complex under Chinese ruled after the battles ended, thousands of Chinese had traveled to Flor Fria to apply for entry.
Dr. Weng-Li glanced at Dr. Ln'Geem and saw that his friend was sweating profusely. However, it was not the stifling heat or the high humidity that made Ln'Geem look like he just got out of the shower, it was a pain. The last few days had been awful. They had been like chased like wild boars during a hunt. Three months earlier, they had had the world in their hand as they led the advanced illegal cloning programs at Tabula Rasa.
There they had endless resources to carry out experiments that would have made their more legitimate research colleagues’ greed with envy. But now the situation was different. After the death of John Vendrick III, both were placed in house arrest at Tabula Rasa to assist the International Committee appointed to monitor the work at Tabula Rasa. The committee had also been given an unrestricted mandate to examine and expose all borderline experiments that they had driven.
Initially, they had endured the criticisms the committee brought without a problem but as time went by, it became increasingly difficult to swallow the humiliation. Daily, both, but especially Weng-Li, had been forced to respond to an apparently infinite barrage of questions about all possible aspects of the experiments.
Weng-Li grimaced when he thought back on how much information he had had to share. And as the committee gained more and more insight into their special work, the contempt for them had grown. Weng-Li had noticed all the disapproving glances and exchanged looks between the committee’s members when he told yet another detail. And for that condemnation, his own contempt for them had quietly grown. Initially, he had experienced minor discomfort during the initial questioning but after almost two and a half months of hard cooperation, it had grown into fierce hatred.
He looked over at his friend and shook his head. Ln'Geem had broken his arm when they had gone in for landing on the coast of Bangladesh. Weng-Li had succeeded, with the help of a couple of sympathetic residents at Tabula Rasa to arrange for a smaller seaplane to wait for them. And at an unattended moment, they had both managed to get down to the port and escape. Weng-Li had a sister in Flor Fria and that was where they were going. They had gone in for the landing at night but just before they would land on the calm waters off Bangladesh, a wave had made the plane did a violent jump up before it landed. Ln'Geem had, unfortunately, broken his arm during the bouncing. He leaned over towards his friend.
"How does it feel?"
Ln’Geem was pale.
"Not quite good indeed, I must admit", He paused, "How long do you think until we arrive?"
Weng-Li pondered the question for a while he dried his forehead with a handkerchief and put it back into his pocket.
"Should not be more than a few hours. We’ll get through the main control and once we are inside, we’ll go straight to Noshimi. "
Ln'Geem saw no other way forward. He had laid his fate in his friend's hands. But he had not had any other choice. Those cursed investigators at Tabula Rasa had kept asking until his head was ready to explode. He had to get out from there. That they would be chased all over the world was a prize he willingly accepted. The discoveries they had made in the cloning programs and the clones they had produced were exceptional.
The clones were not only faster and stronger than ordinary people. They were also smarter and more flexible. Their level of being was simply the next step in human development. He had been part of it and for that, he was infinitely proud. The cursed interrogators from committee could go straight to hell.
“Ok. Let's go straight to your sister once we are through the access point. It may be that there will be some delays before we get through all the controls. "
Weng-Li nodded, and they turned towards the mass of people in front of them.
Copenhagen, Denmark
March 16, 2049
The decision had grown slowly but steadily. Dagmar walked around the exclusive desk and sat down. The armchair creaked under her weight. It was comfortable warm in the room and she pulled off her Kashmir shawl around her neck and placed it on the desk. It had started raining and she heard the light drumming against the window pane. She leaned back, closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
It was time, she could not postpone it anymore. She had to call Maja and talk to her. She would try to explain her feelings and her actions. She did not know if Maja could forgive or even understand. She had so often pondered what would have happened if she ran after Maja that day so long ago. Now she repented, she had regretted since it happened, and that day had somehow been a catalyst for her regarding Arne. He had been hard and demanding but sometimes there had also been moments of tenderness between them.
But not now more. It was a long time ago. From that day when Maja had stormed out and Arne had ordered Dagmar not to run after had been terrible. That day, yet another seed of hatred and disgust had been placed within her and over the years it had grown until it had taken over her whole being.
She shivered when she thought of Arne's strained breathing and panting when he woke up that night, not more than a week ago. Dagmar had given Arne extremely small amounts of a synthetic toxin that she had obtained through providence. She chuckled. The interesting thing was that it was Arne himself who had taken the toxin into the house. He had not known that Dagmar knew of hi
s secret safe behind the Renoir painting he had illegally purchased through a criminal art dealer. But she had, and she had managed to take a few drops of it. She had been terrified but she had succeeded. It was an experimental toxin, but Dagmar had been able to find out information on how one dosed that type of toxin. She had given him a drink with one, tiny drop. She had dropped it into the cup of tea that Arne always took before he would sleep.
He had not noticed anything when he drank it and Dagmar had been awake while he fell asleep. Two hours later he had snored heavily, while fear within Dagmar had grown. She had been afraid that she had taken too little and worried about it when Arne had coughed.
A few seconds later, he sat up with bulging eyes. She pretended to sleep and only when he shook her, she turned towards him and opened her eyes. What she saw scared the living daylight from of her. Arne's face had been stiff with horror and pain and Dagmar could see the agony in his eyes.
She froze with panic when she saw how Arne struggled to breathe and his hands grappled after her. She had beaten them off and jumped up from the bed. Arne had shouted in a way that she never heard any man screaming before. It was a loud, jarring sound that came from his mouth and she froze with fear as she saw blood slowly fill his eyes. She watched in pure horror while the man in front of her died an agonizing and horrific death. Blood had begun to stream from his eyes in thick streaks on his cheeks.
Arne had finally fallen back down in bed while life left him. The sharp smell when he lost control of his bowels had almost made her vomit. She had swallowed hard and she had stood beside the bed like a statue as the horror eased.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts. She turned on the computer and looked towards the big screen that was built into the desk. A blinking dialog box asked for a login. She sneered, it was the first thing she had arranged after Arne was dead. She had long since gained access to the system without Arne knowing about it. In secret she had created a login, so she could use the system when and where she wanted, and she had made it so that Arne had no idea that she had access.
She chuckled. Her dear Arne had taught her well. Through the past year, he had burned away most of the parts of her personality who was innocent and naive and left a cynical and hard shell. She said loudly.
"FABERGE"
The system responded immediately.
"Login approved."
Dagmar leaned forward.
"Find person."
"Name?"
“Maja Buch”
A second later, the screen blinked.
"Localized."
"Show."
A hologram glittered and glided out above the screen. She saw how it quickly zoomed in towards Sweden, continued further down towards Lund and closer to the ground to the vast MAX IV laboratory as it surged forward. A red dot blinked angrily at ground level. From the red dot, a dialogue box opened and showed Maja Buch's coordinates. Light, thin lines followed the dot when it moved to a side. Dagmar swallowed hard.
"Call Maja Buch."
A few seconds elapsed while the call was connected. A low, humming sound was heard a few times before a female voice answered.
"Hey, it's Maja."
Silence. Dagmar could not speak. She cleared her throat.
"Hello, Maja."
Now it was Dagmar who was forced to listen to silence. She tried again.
"It's mom."
Maja's voice was ice-cold.
"I know who it is."
Maja said nothing more. Dagmar did not know how to continue. She searched for something to say.
"How’s it going?"
Maja snorted.
"How’s it going?" She paused, "we haven't talked in over fifteen years and the first thing you ask is how it is going?"
Anger surged up within Dagmar and she struggled to keep calm.
"What do you want me to say then?"
Maja did not respond. Dagmar waited but when Maja did not say anything, she continued.
"Your father is dead. He’s dead and we should meet and talk through the situation. "
Dagmar could sense Maja breathing.
"I know very well that Arne is dead. Why does it involve me? "
"Arne was, after all, your father regardless of all that happened and just because you call him Arne makes him no less to your father."
Maja's voice was still icy.
"He died long ago for me. Ever since that time when you were standing there in the window and saw me leave. "
Dagmar interrupted her.
"You should know that I wanted to run after you. It was your father who forbade me to do so. "She paused," I just want you to know it. "
Silence. Dagmar tried again.
"There has not been a day go by that I haven’t thought about that moment and wished that I acted differently. I have relived that moment hundreds of times and all the times I have thought of it, I’ve run after you. "
Maja's voice was fierce.
"But now, you didn't run after me, right? You chose to remain there and saw how I disappeared from your life. "
Sorrow pounded within Dagmar. There was nothing more she wanted than to turn back time and run after Maja that day. Despair seized her.
"You're right. It was my fault; my mistake and I get to live with the rest of my life. And for that, I’ll always regret it. "
Seconds elapsed without anyone saying anything. The silence between them was almost like a physical barrier. Her voice was soft.
"But even if I've not seen you, I've been with you anyway."
Maja's voice hesitated.
"What do you mean?"
She had to put everything on one card. The conversation with Maja did not go as she imagined and now she had to put forward all the cards on the table.
"I’ve followed your career all the way through university, through your dissertation and on to your employment. I know if everything there is to know about you, boyfriends, your car accident down in Greece when you were on your first trip with Jenny, about Henry and your children. "
Maja's voice, if possible, sounded even harder than before.
"Have you spied on me all this time?"
Dagmar shook her head in frustration.
"No, not spying. I love you and have always loved you. I had to know you were alright and therefore I have followed you in secret. Arne knew nothing. "
Maja was quiet for a long time before continuing with a low voice.
"I knew it, I've always felt that somehow, you were there."
Dagmar noticed how her eyes filled with tears.
"Yes, I was. You never saw me, but I was always there. "
Maja did not respond. Dagmar cleared her throat when a formidable fatigue welled up within her.
"We have to meet. After your father's death, there have been extraordinary events and you need to know what's going on. "
Lund, Sweden
March 16, 2049
Trembling, she put the phone down on the desk. Maja Buch stared straight out in the air after the surprise conversation with her mother. She had followed the stories in the newspapers after Arne had been found dead in his and Dagmar's apartment. She had read the interviews that had been done with Dagmar and seen her mother's sad face on at least three different news shows just this past week.
Deep down, Maja had instinctively expected her mother to contact her, but it was still a shock that she had done so. She replayed the conversation in her head. Her mother's voice had been sincere, but it was difficult to tell how sincere she was. Maja thought of all countless times she was close to contacting her mother but how there had always been something within her that prevented it.
But now it did not matter anymore. It was Dagmar who had called, and they would meet the day after in Copenhagen. Dagmar had been adamant on that point. Maja would get to the apartment and there they would meet. For her, it would have been better if they met on neutral ground, maybe a café or restaurant. But Dagmar had insisted. Maja was immersed in thought when a faint knock w
as heard, she looked up. Tommy Stil leaned against the doorframe.
"A penny for your thoughts?"
Tommy was a colleague and his white spiked hair stood straight up. Maja smiled.
"An unexpected call, nothing else."
Tommy raised an eyebrow.
"A little unexpected or a lot?"
"A lot."
Tommy looked conspiratorial at her.
"You can tell me. I'm excellent at keeping secrets. "
"It was not so much a secret, it was more surprise." She paused a few seconds before she continued, "It was actually my mother."
"Your mother? I didn’t think you had any contact anymore? "
Maja had worked with Tommy for almost three years and they had a good working relationship. He worked on theoretical calculations and Maja and he was part of the working group that ensured that the MAX IV accelerator was working as it should. They used to eat lunch together at least a couple of times a week.
"No, we didn't. But given what happened, I had a hunch that something like this would happen. "
"Yes, I read the last interview in International Life, it was actually a pretty interesting story about Arne.”
Maja nodded. She had also read it. The story had been based on the last interview of Arne Buch conducted two months earlier, just after the spheres had been discovered. It had been a solid and well-worked story about her father and his career, but it still hurt. At the end of the interview, Phoenix Lim, the reporter, had asked Arne about the family and what thoughts he had made himself for the occasion that he would pass away. Arne's response had been that he and his wife had a daughter but that the daughter chose for personal reasons to break with them and for Arnes sake, he no longer had any children.
Arne talked about how he arranged for an economic foundation to take over his assets in the event of his death. Maja noticed the familiar resentment grow within her. It was not money she wanted, or power or anything else for that matter. She just wanted Arne to admit that it was he who had made it so Maja could not stay at home. She wanted recognition that it was his fault and now that he was dead, that recognition would never come. Tommy cleared his throat.
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