Synthetica (23 page)

He gestured to Anais' hair. She flushed.

“
This
kind of tech has been around long before you were born,” she said
defiantly, pulling a strand of her hair. “You've been brought up
with it too. Besides, it doesn't matter what we look like, we're
still free to choose our own lives.”

“
Are
you?” Clay's eyes seemed to bore into her. “Let me ask you
something – you work at the picochip factory, right?”

“
Yes,”
Anais said, but a cold feeling was beginning to trickle down her
spine.

“
I'd
bet my right arm that that ain't the career you would've chosen for
yourself. A bright young thing like you, stuck in that place? Don't
make no sense. But I'd also bet that the reason you're stuck in that
factory is down to that thing right there.” He pointed to Anais'
ear. “There's something on that goddamn chip that made those
bigots on the council think that you'd be suited for a job in the
factory, rather than – I don't know – whatever the hell it is
you'd rather be doing instead. It ain't a way of making sure you're
safe
,
it's another goddamn way of controlling you.”

Anais couldn't think of a reply. Clay gave a short, sharp laugh.

“
But
what does a crazy ol' man like me know? You might be right in the
end, girl, but from what I know of Civitas and their technology,
sounds to me like there's a pretty thin line between freedom and the
illusion of freedom – and Civitas knows exactly how to exploit
that.”

The room fell silent. Anais was at a loss over what to say. It was
as though Clay was speaking the thoughts that had been floating
around in her own head, thoughts that she'd always been too scared
to put a voice to.

“
So
what happened after you left the company?” Xander's voice broke
the silence.

“
Well,
the news got it half right,” Clay sighed. “I did break into
Civitas and I tried to destroy their prototypes, but I got caught
before I could access the files. So I decided to try and infiltrate
their systems from home instead. I was damn close to doing it too,
but they must've noticed my attack on their server. Next thing I
know, two men in black came round and told me Civitas knew what I
was up to and they were here to put a stop to it. I laughed in their
faces but – I – I didn't think -” Clay's eyes had gone misty
and although he was staring straight at them, it was as though he
couldn't see the room anymore.

“
They
shot them,” he whispered. “They shot them right here, in this
room.”

Anais felt sick. She looked at Clay in horror.

“
You
were framed,” she said, her mouth dry. Clay nodded. “But...why?
Why bother?”

“
They
wanted to make sure I was completely discredited,” Clay said
bitterly. “They wanted to make sure that even if I did speak out
about them or their technology again, no one would believe me. Well,
they did damn good job of that at least.”

“
But
you were never charged,” Anais said. “If they wanted to
discredit you so badly, why didn't they make sure you went to
prison? Or receive the death sentence?”

Clay gave her a twisted smile.

“
Oh
they didn't need to make sure the charges were followed through.
They just needed to drag my name through the mud. I'm not gonna lie,
after the trial, I did try to get into their offices again; but by
that point the ID chips were almost ready to go. Everyone thought I
was just a crazy ol' man and there was nothing else I could do.”

“
So
you were chipped too? In the end?” Xander asked.

In answer, Clay turned his head to the left, so they could see the
side of his neck. There, behind his right ear, was a mass of white
scar tissue. Anais couldn't help gasping.

“
What
happened?” she breathed, unable to take her eyes off the ugly
lines that criss-crossed their way down Clay's neck.

“
I'll
let you what happened – they'd put one in, and I'd take it
straight back out again,” Clay growled. “I've lost count of how
many of those damn things I have had to cut out.”

“
Is
that why you're not on the system?” Anais asked. “We couldn't
locate your ID number to see where you lived.”

Clay gave her a sad, almost pitying, look.

“
No,
I've got one alright. They made a special one just for me. I won't
show up on whatever it is you were using to find me – Civitas are
happy to let people think I've moved away or that I'm dead. But with
this one...they can check up on me whenever they like.”

Clay leant forward and bowed his head, parting his thin hair.
There, right in the centre of his skull, was a pink scar – the
unmistakable signs of someone implanting something small straight
into his brain.

Fourteen

There was no sound inside the room.

Outside, the faint droning of a tiny agricultural hovercraft could
be heard as it tended to the crops nearby. The blue tarpaulin that
covered the window in the next room flapped lazily in the wind.

Anais was still trying to process everything Clay had told them.
She felt repulsed, but she also had a strange sense of satisfaction.
She knew there was something fishy about Civitas and Clay's story
proved it. She couldn't help turning to Xander.

“
You
see?” she said triumphantly. “I told you Civitas would be
involved in this. If they're capable of doing something like that,
then they're more than capable of committing murder again.”

Xander didn't reply, but the disturbed look on his face made it
obvious that he no longer knew what to think.

Anais leant forward towards Clay.

“
So
– will you help us now?”

He gave her a look.

“
Didn't
you hear me, girl? I'm not setting foot in that place again,” he
growled.

Anais felt her hackles rising.

“
My
name is Anais,” she said through clenched teeth. “And didn't you
say you tried to access the system remotely? Can't you try that
again now?”

“
Even
I wanted to, I couldn't,” Clay told her. “They've tightened up
their security a lot since then. The peacock can tell you that.”
He nodded towards Xander, who narrowed his eyes. “Well, isn't that
right, boy?”

“
Yes,”
Xander admitted. “You can't access any of Civitas' files or
systems unless you're on site. I believe we have you to thank for
that particular security measure.”

Clay ignored his jibe.

“
Whatever.
Look, Annie, I'm sorry about your friends, really I am, but I can't
help you,” Clay said in a final tone.

“
Can't,
or won't?” retorted Xander.

For a long moment, Clay stared at him. Abruptly he stood up.

“
Get
out,” Clay's voice was shaking with fury. His knuckles turned
white as he clenched his fists by his side.

Anais and Xander scrambled to their feet. Anais wanted to say
something, anything, to change Clay's mind, but he looked so furious
that she thought better of it. She followed Xander to the door, but
just as she was about to step through it, she stopped. She turned
back to face to Clay, who was standing still as stone, watching them
through narrowed eyes. Anais refused to be daunted.

“
You
said that you never wanted to become Civitas' slave, but aren't you
one already?” she asked. “Civitas got what it wanted. You're out
of the way now, while it gets to do whatever it wants; too afraid
and ashamed to show your face again.”

Clay's jaw tightened but Anais carried on, the anger and
frustration building up inside her as she spoke.

“
Well,
I hope you enjoy your illusion of freedom while it lasts, Clay,
because you're right, that's all it is, an illusion. You think
you're safe out here? Civitas knows exactly where you are and knows
exactly how to push your buttons. If you don't want to help us, then
fine, don't. But if you're just going to sit back and let Civitas do
whatever it wants, manipulating people into doing it's bidding, then
you deserve everything you've got coming to you. One day they're
going to come back for you with a new chip, and a new idea, and then
we'll see how well you get on. You can't shut them out forever,
Clay.”

She threw him one last derisive look and slammed the door behind
her. Her hands were shaking as she stepped down off the veranda and
into the burning sun. She felt utterly bewildered. There was a man
in there who had the means to help them and instead, he had simply
chosen not to.

“
Are
you ok?” Xander looked at her in concern. “That was quite a
speech.”

“
Yeah,
well, it's true,” Anais said, her anger still running hot through
her veins. “He could help us if he wanted to but he's too much of
a coward. Bastard,” she added as she stomped away.

They began to walk away, Anais still seething over the way Clay had
dismissed them.

“
Anais,
listen, I know you're upset, but I just want you to think about
something. There's no actual evidence that Civitas did what Clay
claims they did.”

Anais stopped short.

“
What
are you suggesting?”

“
Nothing,”
Xander said. “Just that you shouldn't be too disappointed that
Clay didn't turn out to be the answer you were looking for.”

Although his voice was gentle enough, the words stung. And they
hurt all the more because Anais knew he was speaking the truth. She
spun to face him, taking Xander by surprise.

“
Why
are you always defending that stupid company? Didn't you hear what
Clay said? Don't
you
ever wonder if what we're being told is the truth? It's ok for you,
but what about those of us who didn't get the job, or the life, we
wanted? Why? Why should someone else decide what job I get? Why
can't
I
decide what job I do, or how late I stay out, or what food I can
eat? To hell with extra protein! If I want to eat extra bacon, I
bloody well will.”

“
I
didn't -”

“
You
heard what he said about his wife. You saw the scar. Why would Clay
make something like that up? Civitas has you wrapped around their
little finger, just like Dalla was -”

“
Stop,”
Xander's voice was forceful. His eyes glinted. “Stop it, Anais. Do
I ever wonder if we're being told the truth? The truth about what,
exactly? About the way the whole city is run? About the way we live
our lives? About how we've eradicated most major diseases entirely
and how we've found a cure for cancer? How we can look however we
want and we can do whatever we want? Hundreds of years ago, there
were people who
died
for this kind of freedom, Anais. And now Clay's got you wondering
about our ID chips, just because of some bullshit story he told
you?”

He took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair.

“
In
case you hadn't noticed, Anais, I'm trying to help you. I want to
find out about these SLPs as much as you do, but all I'm asking you
to do is not believe everything one man tells you. He might be
right, he might be wrong. But we won't know until we find out
exactly who's behind all these attacks.”

Xander gently took her hand and squeezed it.

“
I
just don't want you to get hurt.”

“
I'm
sorry,” Anais said finally. “I didn't mean it. I just – I just
want to know who killed Dalla. And why.”

“
I
know,” Xander said softly, drawing her close to him. Anais slowly
felt the tension leave her body as she clung onto Xander, his arms
wrapped around her. Eventually she pulled back and Xander glanced at
the house.

“
Do
you want to go back and try again? He might listen to us once he's
calmed down,” Xander suggested but Anais shook her head.

“
There's
no point. He's made his choice. Let's just go home.” But her voice
stuck on the last word. Going home would mean going back to an empty
flat, with nothing to do but think about the many mistakes she'd
made over the past few days. Their last hope was gone, and now the
endless weight that had hovered over her for the past few days was
beginning to crush down on her once again. The thought of going back
and thinking about Dalla's death was enough to make her feel sick
with fear and guilt. But if Clay wasn't willing to help them, there
was nothing else they could do.

As though he could sense her inner turmoil, Xander leant forward
and kissed her gently on her cheek. She clasped his hand in hers as
they turned their backs on the house and began to walk across the
yard. Xander's gesture made her feel the tiniest bit better, as
though a single ray of sunlight was piercing through the clouds that
hovered over her.

They had barely reached the dirt track, when there was a shout from
behind them. They both stopped and Anais lifted her hand to shield
her eyes from the afternoon sun. Clay was coming down the porch
steps towards them. They remained silent as he approached. When he
was just a few feet away, he stopped short and stared at them with
as much dignity as he could muster.

“
Alright,”
he said abruptly. “I'll help you. But -” here, he pointed at
Anais. “if I want to come back home, I will. No questions asked,
no obligations, you hear me?”

Anais' heart lightened in spite of herself. She nodded and saw
Xander doing the same out of the corner of her eye. Clay looked
down, taking in their dusty shoes and the rip in Anais' leggings.

“
How
were you planning on getting back to the city?” he asked.

“
We
were going to walk,” Anais said. “That's how we got here.”

Clay looked almost impressed.

“
You
walked all the way out here?”

They nodded again, and Clay guffawed.

“
Well,
you ain't gonna make it that far back in this heat. Not without
water. But seeing as I'm old anyway, I don't really fancy walking,”
he glanced up at the sky. “When were you planning on launching
this daring attack on Civitas, anyway?”

That threw them. Anais and Xander exchanged looks as Clay watched
them closely.

“
I
gotta say, Annie, you ain't exactly filling me with confidence right
now,” he said with a smirk.

Anais folded her arms across her chest and glared at him.

“
Tonight,”
she said decisively.

“
Is
that right?” Xander said, throwing her an odd look. She shrugged.

“
Well,
why not?” she said defensively. “The sooner we can get those
files, the sooner we can see what Civitas is really up to.”

“
It's
Civitas' big party tomorrow,” Xander warned. “They'll have staff
in the building all night tonight, making sure everything goes
smoothly.”

“
Well,
that's a risk we're just going to have to take.”

Clay's voice came as a surprise. Anais wasn't expecting him to
stick up for her. She glanced at him and he nodded at her.

“
Well,
you might as well come in and make yourselves comfortable,” Clay
said, his voice returning to its usual unfriendly tones. “We ain't
going nowhere til dusk. We wouldn't the police getting a look at my
pretty face before we got into the building, would we?”

He stalked back to the house, not waiting for them to catch up. Not
wanting to intrude again, Anais followed Clay slowly and sat down on
the veranda step. Xander followed suit. They heard Clay moving
around inside, occasionally swearing as he tripped over something.

“
So
what's our plan for tonight? I was kind of expecting us to have a
little more time to come up with something to be honest,” Xander
said in a low voice.

“
Well,
you know Civitas better than me. What about the R&D Department?”
Anais yawned, stretching out her legs. The warmth of the day was
beginning to make her head fuzzy.

Xander thought about this.

“
I
can get us through the back entrance to the building,” he said.
“And my pass will get us up to the R&D Department, but only
Civitas' top programmers and engineers are allowed into the actual
labs. If we went slightly earlier, we could try and steal one I
guess -”

“
No
need.” They both turned to see Clay standing in the doorway. He
was holding a bottle a liquor. He took a swig and smacked his lips.
“You get us to that lab door, son, and I can do the rest.”

“
You
sure about that?” Anais questioned. “I'd hate for us to get all
the way there and then you can't get us in.”

Clay fixed her with a steely eye and smiled.

“
Don't
worry your pretty little head about that, Annie, we'll be just
fine.”

He disappeared back indoors, leaving Anais scowling.

“
It's
Anais,” she called after him, but there was no answer.

She rolled her eyes.

“
Have
you ever met such an infuriating man?” she grumbled and Xander
smiled.

“
This
was your idea, remember?” he teased, and Anais nudged him with her
shoulder. He chuckled as he put his arm around her. She lowered her
head onto his shoulder, secretly glad to be close to him again. Her
heart thumped painfully in her chest; a mixture of nerves, guilt and
everything in-between.