Gene. Sys. by Aaron Denius (best ereader for comics txt) 📕

Right now, I don’t care. I run to the doctor, who walks out of the room. He’s portly, short, and bald; he’s the antithesis of Grant. “How is he?”

Grant has walked up behind me, and he places his hand on my shoulder. The doctor ignores me and looks directly at him. His grip tightens on my shoulder. “He’s alive, but he’s lost a lot of blood. His status is critical, but he should pull through as long as his body doesn’t reject the new blood.”

“Thanks, Dennis.” Grant takes his hand off my shoulder and extends it to Dennis. They shake.

Dennis turns and heads back toward the room. I reach out and grab his arm. “Can I see him?”

“Not yet, Atom.” He pulls his arm away and walks back into the room. How does he know my name? I’ve never met him before. Do they all know my name?

I turn to Grant to plea my case, but his look keeps me silent. He speaks sternly. “Go tell Ev.”

I don’t want to leave, but if Grant tells you to do something, you do it. His anger is not something I want to deal with, so I go.

I pass Hawk and a group of scientists along the way. He avoids eye contact with me. His chin is starting to bruise badly. I feel so bad about what I did. I’m about to apologize to him, but I hear Grant yell from behind me.

“Ev!” That’s all he says. Hawk looks at me briefly, and I shoot him a smile, but it’s not reciprocated.

I walk out and weave my way through the maze of doors and hallways. I pass many armed drones on the way to her room. The door swings inward when I knock, so I slowly push it open. Ev is lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

“He’s alive,” I say as I sit on the corner of her bed.

“Thanks.” She doesn’t budge. There are so many questions that I want to ask her, but now is not the time. I stand, and she turns her head to look at me. “Will you please stay for a little bit?”

I smile and sit back down. “Sure.”

She moves her feet, and I lie back at the foot of the bed, perpendicular to her. My feet hang off the edge, and I swing them slightly. I feel comfortable next to her; she calms my nerves.

We lie in silence for a few moments, and then she asks me something that hasn’t graced my mind yet. “Do you think they attacked because of us?”

I know Grant said that the outsiders came over to stop them from destroying the world, but Rene also told me that I was created because of the end of the world. Am I the reason the world is ending? Is Ev?

“I don’t know,” I say. I don’t like not knowing. As we lie in silence, all I can think about is how much has been kept from me. I think about the lies and deceit that have been spent on me. I’m filled with an overwhelming desire to find everything out. There will be no more secrets kept from me and, if Rene doesn’t want to tell me, I will find out on my own.

I stay with Ev until she falls asleep, and then I sneak quietly out of her room. The library is the first place I want to go to. I feel I need to learn more about the outsiders. Brianna is the person I should talk to, but she’s probably[A4] with the other scientists in the medical ward. Right now, the library will have to do.

The number of drones in the hallways is much less in this part of the compound. As I walk toward the wing that houses my room and the library, a drone approaches me. “Is Dr. Anfang okay?”

A drone has never initiated a conversation with me. They usually only speak in response to a question I have asked them. “He will be,” I reply.

“That’s good.” He smiles. Another thing I haven’t really seen but once.

“80?” I pry. I know I’m probably just making a fool out of myself, but he’s the only one I’ve seen smile.

“You remembered? How?” he asks.

“I guessed. You’re the only drone who’s smiled at me before.” I smile back at him.

He drops his head in shame. “I know. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

“Why would you be sorry?” Everywhere I go, it’s nothing but questions.

He doesn’t look at me when he answers. “We aren’t really allowed to engage with anyone but our own. If they knew that I asked you a question without you talking to me first, I would get in trouble again.”

“That’s horrible. Who made those rules?” I’m getting angry.

“Dr. Anfang,” he says apologetically.

I stop walking. That can’t be right. Rene would never do that. At least the man I called my dad wouldn’t.

“Why would he do that?” I’m asking myself as much as I am asking him.

Before he can respond, he shoves me behind him as an outsider jumps out of a door down the hall and shoots his gun. 80 falls back into my arms and knocks me to the ground. Immediately the hallway is filled with more drones, and they riddle the outsider with bullets. I look down to see blood pouring from 80’s right eye.

“Help!” I scream.

Two drones run over to me. “Are you hurt, Atom?”

“I’m fine! 80 has been shot.” I lay him on the ground.

The drones look at 80, and one of them places the barrel of his gun to 80’s head. “No!” I push the gun out of the way just before it fires. “What are you doing?”

“What we’re supposed to do,” the drone replies matter-of-factly.

“You can’t!” I plea. “He saved my life! He didn’t even hesitate to risk his life for mine. I can’t let him die. We need to get him to the medical ward.”

The drone steps toward me. “Sir. Atom. We aren’t supposed—”

“I’m not asking you!” I stand