Glass Shore

by Stefan Jackson

  Geek looks at me. “Not another clone. More like Apollo sans the body enhancements. We’ll promise Griffin’s clone fifty years of independent life. I’ve been told his current lifecycle ends in eighteen months.”

  “We’re here.” Liz states as she quiets the destination alarm.

  We stare at the restaurant from the comfort of the cab. It’s a small, angular building of glass and gold trim that suggests a very small interior but I’ve read that the dining room is very spacious. Seating is for fifty, usually high profile, people.

  “You want me to kill Griffin on sight?” I ask Geek.

  Liz and Nikki snap their necks to stare at me. They both know who I am. I guess the simplicity of it just shocked them.

  Geek shakes his head. “No. I’ll see to his disposal if the clone takes the deal. This is snatch and grab. He must be knocked out immediately because, as Nikki pointed out, his internal security will post alarms.

  “You’re also going to have to deal with the bodyguards by the limo.”

  I follow his gaze and see the two guys standing by the smooth black vehicle. The bodyguards look like standard issue. This shouldn’t be a problem.

  Geek studies Nikki’s laptop. Nikki peers over his shoulder. Liz looks at me.

  I say to her, “It’ll be okay. You’ll see your mom soon.”

  “What if the clone doesn’t take the deal?” she says.

  My reply is firm. “Everything wants to live. It’ll make the deal.”

  “Not to rain on the party but the other clone did blow itself up instead of making the deal,” Nikki states.

  “I don’t believe it was a suicide,” Geek says. “I continually monitored location pings from the unit as well as searching signals to the clone. I think it was programmed to self-destruct if it was out of contact for any length of time. And the web around my mot didn’t allow contact.”

  “This one will make the deal,” I say to Liz.

  She smiles. “Thanks, Apollo.”

  “He’s on the move,” Geek says.

  I look at the front entrance of the restaurant. “I don’t see him.”

  Geek points at the laptop. “I’m tracking him via GPS.”

  “Courtesy of his phone’s IP code?” I ask.

  Geek, Nikki and Liz nod.

  Damn techies.

  I exit the cab and walk briskly in the direction of the limo. I put on the appearance of a hurried man seeking a short cut through the parking lot.

  I look around; see few potential witnesses. I look up; the immediate sky is clear of surveillance drones and police vehicles.

  The guy on my left, standing near the rear door, checks his phone. I deliver an uppercut to his partner on my right. Phone guy looks in my direction to see my fist coming at him.

  I open the back door and dump both bodies into the cabin. I get in.

  I look for witnesses. Only my family saw the action.

  I watch the front door for the fat man.

  Silence. The bodyguards were lightweight but I didn’t break any bones with my punches. I imagine they have enhancements but obviously are not designed for combat. I push the two quiet bodies deeper into the cabin. Give the fat man some legroom.

  I see a well-stocked liquor rack. I could go for a quick shot. Wonder what’s in the fridge? I open the black door. Standard stuff: OJ, chilled liqueurs, couple bottles of white wine, chocolate, Resurrection Paks.

  What the hell – how does he move so fast? Right at the door.

  Well …

  Griffin looks around in disgust then opens the back door.

  I grab him by the tie and punch him in the face. I pull the heavy man into the vehicle and close the door.

  I look around for witnesses.

  None.

  I look down and see the fat man sleeping, his lips bloodied. I pitch him atop his bodyguards.

  Nikki, Liz and Geek rush toward the limo.

  I move to the front of the cabin. Where are the controls?

  The trio roar into the limo.

  “Go.” Geek orders.

  I see the landscape change. Of course, voice activated. Just like cabs. Practice thinking.

  “Destination please,” asks the pleasant female voice.

  “Just run with the pack,” Geek states.

  I didn’t realize civilians knew that term. It’s a police phrase for auto drive. In auto drive, without specific direction like fastest route or shoreline, mots will always go with the flow. Cops use this system to find hot spots. The run usually snares teens hanging out and trying to have fun but sometimes they net a real score.

  Nikki studies the liquor.

  “I’ll take a drop of the whiskey,” I say.

  She looks at me … Then turns to Liz and Geek. “Since I’m here, what’re you drinking?”

  “Let’s keep it neat, just pass the bottle,” Geek states.

  We all nod like plugged-in kids.

  “How did you plan to keep Skippy asleep?” Nikki asks Geek. She cracks the seal on the whiskey bottle.

  Geek seems indifferent. “I guess…. Just let Apollo punch him out when he rouses.”

  “That’s a plan I can get behind! I’ll joyously beat his ass for an eternity.”

  Nikki hands the bottle to Geek. She reaches into her bag, roots around, then pulls out an ampoule of Night: a legal sleep aid.

  “Brilliant,” says Geek. He takes another pull from the bottle. Then hands it to Liz.

  Nikki places the red end of the device against the side of Griffin’s neck. She taps the other end with her thumb. Done. She tosses the unit on the floor.

  Griffin will be down for hours.

  Liz passes the bottle to Nikki. Nikki has a drink. She passes it to me.

  Geek holds his phone. I see his thumb working the keypad as he holds the phone on his lap. He looks at his phone as he speaks.

  “Griffin.”

  “Hello Geek.”

  “Call home,” Geek says.

  “What?”

  “Call home,” Geek repeats himself as though spelling out the words.

  “I think he shut off his phone,” Geek says. He looks up at us; then stares at Griffin’s still body.

  A buzz is being emitted from the fat man.

  Nikki searches the body. She finds the phone in the inside pocket of Griffin’s jacket. She tosses the phone to Geek.

  Geek points the phone at Griffin’s body. He presses the green button.

  “Do you get the big picture?” Geek asks. He continues. “If you alert security, we will kill him and you’ll spend your short remaining days grooming your successor. Or….”

  40

  “I’m listening,” replies clone Griffin.

  “The offer, download you into an Apollo-type body and you assume the life of Griffin. Guaranteed lifecycle of fifty years.”

  “I want a full century,” bargains the clone.

  “Your reality is eighteen months of duty and no ceremony upon demise. The offer stands at fifty years. And remember, those will be your years. Sure, you’ll push our agenda but everything else is yours. You can indulge in drunken vacations. You get to develop your own sexual fetishes. You can enjoy real food. And you can sleep, perchance to dream.”

  “Real life,” states the clone.

  Geek nods. “The best you’ll ever know,” he states as he stares at the phone.

  Silence.

  “So how do we do this?” The clone asks.

  “First. Release Liz’s mother. Tell her to call her daughter once she’s clear. Once that’s settled, I’ll call you with further instructions.”

  “What happens to me? What happens to this body? I’ve got tight security protocols.”

  “We know. Clone you, will live out the contract. You may want to even issue a new one.”

  Silence.

  “I’ll set the release in motion.”

  “You do that. I’ll call you later.”

  Geek shuts down Griffin’s phone.

  Liz gives him a big kiss.


  Nikki takes the bottle from me. She takes a short pull from the bottle. She hands the bottle to Geek.

  Nikki asks, “Who do you work for and what’s your agenda and how do I fit into it? You said that you wanted Apollo to secure the Jump One file for you.”

  Geek drinks from the bottle. He sighs. “I work for my brother. You know him as Carroll G. Thorosen.”

  “You asshole!” screams Nikki. “So, what, you gonna have Apollo kill me now?!”

  “No,” I state.

  Pause….

  “No is right,” Geek says.

  Geek and I lock eyes. I wouldn’t do it if he did ask me. And now he knows that. He winces – slight – and now I know he’s afraid of me. He wonders if I’d turn on him at Nikki’s call. I probably would.

  Geek has another drink of whiskey.

  “This is politics and this is family and it’s all the same thing,” Geek says. He passes the bottle to Liz.

  “Malcolm Space, yes, that Space, was to marry my half-sister, Elizabeth Selene Hudson-York. Elizabeth, Carroll and I share the same father. Instead, on Carroll’s staid insistence, Elizabeth married our cousin, Denson Weller Randell. Their child, Fury Selene Randell, was the heir to the family fortune as her mother was unable to bear other children.

  “Fury was promised to marry Albert, the Swedish prince. That would have placed two powerful families in alliance and secured a major power play.”

  “Did no one know that Space was romancing Fury? Where’s her prince in all this?” Nikki asks.

  Geek shakes his head. “Didn’t have a clue she was dating Space, or sleeping with Bobby. Amazing. The prince and his family are pissed-off. Yet, from what I gather, they could’ve handled the affairs … but Space had to kill her!

  “Very bad decision on his part. The act forced the committee en masse to sanction his death. Apollo you will perform this kill.”

  “You want me to kill Space? He’s in jail.”

  “He will be transferred at some point in the future. Make the hit very loud and messy.”

  I nod. This I can do.

  “What about me?” Nikki asks smacking the seat with the palm of her hand.

  Liz passes the bottle to Nikki. She takes it and just holds it as she stares at Geek.

  “We apologize for destroying your family. Honestly, we truly are sorry. We promise, in time the truth will be told. We will do right by you.

  “For the now, you will be placed on a committee at the Institute for Social Relations. Your new purpose in life is change the way the world thinks about extraterrestrial life.”

  “What …” Nikki’s voice is weak.

  “Have a drink,” Geek suggests to Nikki.

  Nikki takes a big swig. She passes the bottle to me.

  “Your story has become part of the grand plan. The grand plan is called Star Domination. Major points of SD have been established, such as one power structure, increased education of the people, a fruitful and dutiful working class, consolidation of population centers for better civilian control, and everyone working to expand into space and conquer the stars. Denson Weller Randell initiated the building blocks during his presidency. We were a heartbeat away from a unified family …

  “But all you really need to know is that the UFO encounter with Jump One was real, but no one feels it was an attack. For one thing, it has not been followed up.”

  “Then what happened to the Apricot Wind?” I ask.

  “Records indicate that the Apricot Wind was in the immediate vicinity of the nuke strike at the UFO. As best we can tell, that attack caused a power burst on the Apricot Wind. Major systems upon the vessel were crippled and the spacecraft crashed into the North Pacific Ocean.

  “Gliddin wanted to use The Event as a reason to beef up the military and launch an attack.”

  “Attack? On whom?” I ask.

  “We made contact with alien life just over two years ago. The planet is in the Canis Major. There is an ordinary dwarf star that is believed to be evolving. As are the natives of the planet. We could slaughter them like pigs. And the life does not look like us, or anything else you can imagine. Their appearance will easily strike fear in humans.

  “Griffin was going to use The Event as evidence of an alien attack from this planet.”

  Silence.

  Geek nods. “Right. So, what we’re going to do is keep it under wraps. We’re going to pump up the Marines and technology and we are going to secure the planet – because it is habitable. We want to claim that planet as ours. One day this planet will die. We need to be prepared.”

  “Are we going to destroy the natives to claim this planet?” Nikki asks. She seems to be teetering between shock and anger.

  “No. That’s Griffin’s plan. Ours is to work with the natives.”

  “No matter how you spin it, this can’t be good,” I say.

  Geek sighs, then, shows the ace card. “Gold has been discovered on the planet. I know, we’re telling everyone the discovery was made on an asteroid but that’s not the truth. The planet is mineral-rich and untapped. The natives don’t have the tools and knowledge necessary to extract the minerals.

  “This new planet is ours and we’re securing it. But without the hype and fury. Nikki, you will continue to rail against the government and deliver nuggets of truth from time to time. More and more details and evidence will be presented and finally, we’ll trot out a whistle-blower with solid proof. By then we’ll have established colonies on the new planet and will be able to tout massive wealth via its natural resources.”

  “Mot stop! Let me out.” Nikki rises to a stoop and looks at me.

  “Let’s go,” she says to me.

  The limo door opens.

  “Is my father alive?” she asks Geek without looking at him.

  “I believe so.”

  Nikki brushes past me as she exits the limo. “Time to be free,” she whispers.

  I look at Geek.

  He nods.

  I make my way out of the limo. The city is so bright at night.

  I slip on my black leather gloves.

  “Call me when your mom is clear,” I say to Liz.

  She nods. We kiss.

  “Nikki,” Geek calls out.

  “What!” She storms back to the limo. “What do you want? What other orders do you have for me, my lord, my master!”

  “Apollo belongs to you now. We’ll only call on him when necessary.”

  Nikki begins to speak but remains quiet. I see the rise in her chest subside.

  When she does speak, it is with calm, bright eyes. “He’s always belonged to me. So maybe I won’t let him answer any calls.” She turns and walks away.

  I grab the Bolt. I can feel it meld with my gloved hand. I pull it out and fire once, blasting Geek in the face.

  May the gods help us all.

  “Good boy. You do understand me.” She kisses me.

  “It was time for this puppet to cut the strings.” I say, then exhale slowly and long, until my lungs are empty. “He probably has a clone, or two.”

  “I’m sure he does. Your point being?”

  “Just stating a fact. I’ll keep killing until there’s no more Geek.”

  “Perfect.” She takes a long drag from her cigarette.

  Liz scrambles past Geek’s still body. “So what’s the plan to get my mom?”

  Nikki points to me. “Change,” she says.

  It takes me a moment, then I realize what she’s taking about. I think about it and become Geek.

  Liz nods. “Excellent. So let’s do it.”

  Manhattan glows, whirls and pumps around us. I love the feel of the city at night. I take Nikki by the hand and she squeezes hard, a promise to never let go.

  Nikki smokes her cigarette. I can see my lady is busy in thought. She’s so exciting in bitch mode.

  “I’m not happy about this,” she tells me.

  “I know.”

  “This is not over.”

  I nod. I know a storm is on the w
ay, I’m content at Nikki’s side. I loved it when she told Geek I’ve always belonged to her.

  I always will.

  I’ll forever respect Geek, my father and creator, but I choose to obey and honor My Love over all else.

  A large oblong personal approaches us. The ad scans our eyes then says, “Hello Jack and Diane. What would you like to see?”

  “Show us something in shoes,” Nikki says.

  I bend a little to give her a kiss. My girl knows my passion.

  A silhouetted man and woman walk by as our personal displays summer footwear from HTML Noir.

  Nice shoes.

  END

  A Proposal for Economic Recovery and Stability

  [DRAFT COPY – NOT FOR PUBLICATION]

  © Denson Weller Randell 09.04.2048

  Our nation, our society, cannot grow strong and prosperous with a skill set that peaks at operating a joystick to control a remote unit or click a mouse to order an item.

  There is no future in a machine world. This direction of convenience and leisure is akin to lemmings leaping off a cliff.

  I offer a simple framework for conversation toward rebuilding and stabilizing the working class. We will see positive results regarding the economy within five to ten years. We will see positive results by way of a strong middle class with solid footing soon after that and going forward.

  Children and Young Adults in Education, Training & Environmental Improvement Schemes

  [AJ- No bullets or numbering here]

  At age twelve, students will be introduced to the basic trades: carpentry, drafting, and masonry, electrical, plumbing and painting. They will be introduced to basic concepts of the trades as well as advanced math courses pertinent to the trade. Students will study/work at real operating sites. Students will work projects from design, to purchasing materials, to physical labor, to final inspection of the project. (No, twelve-year old children will not operate power tools or scale steel girders or pick cotton. There are numerous age-appropriate work site functions that will allow students to learn the skill as they safely participate on the work site. Note the Habitat for Humanity youth programs.)

  Trade and labor unions will be responsible for training. Students will apply for a general apprenticeship. Students will receive a stipend for projects completed. Unions will collect dues from the stipend. Banks will hold monies and administer earned allowance to student.