Spirits of the Earth: The Complete Series: (A Post-Apocalyptic Series Box Set: Books 1-3) by Milo Fowler (paper ebook reader .TXT) 📕

the Chancellor missing, I'm sure Bishop has been busy. Hopefully too busy to notice the absence of a lowly curfew enforcer.

"I've never heard about any sterility problem. There are plenty of babies in the Domes these days." It seems like every successful couple in Dome 1 has one.

"Yes. There are, aren't there." He sounds like he's toying with me, yet again. "Of all the children you've seen, what age would you say is the oldest?"

I haven't thought about it. I shrug as he glances back at me.

"Late teens?" he offers.

"No." I frown. It's never struck me as strange, but considering it now— "Maybe eight or so." I've never seen a child older than that. Doesn't mean they don't exist, though.

"And how old were we when those mandatory doctor's visits started?"

I don't know about him, but for me, it was once I got my period. Mom took me every month after that. "I was twelve."

He nods, half-turning toward me. "Eight years ago."

My pace slows. I'm no investigator, but I can recognize puzzle pieces when they fall into place—whether or not I like the way the resulting picture looks.

"You think the Governors are repeating history. Using our sex cells to...create the next generation." My voice sounds admirably in control of itself, considering this new revelation: that the Twenty have had our sex cells harvested from us without even knowing it, ever since we reached puberty. That children sharing our DNA have been created in laboratories and handed out to citizens in the upper castes across the Domes.

Just when I thought I'd reached the limits of incredulity, Erik throws this at me. Way too much for my brain to process right now.

"Next time you're on the Link, expand your DNA search to include shared DNA," he says. "More than your nine siblings will show up. Because all those kids they've made from our sex cells? They've had the DNA of their adoptive parents interwoven to expand the gene pool. We wouldn't want any inbreeding going on, right?"

"Who's behind this?"

"One guess." He nods toward the clone.

Dr. Solomon Wong, master geneticist. Of course.

"How many...are there?" I sound exhausted.

"Close to a thousand. With more on the way."

Because those doctor's visits didn't end when we left home to live on our own and make a life for ourselves, contributing to society as mandated by our job placements. Every month, I'm still required to visit my doctor for a brief examination. She asks me questions, takes a little blood, checks my vitals. Makes sure the job isn't getting to me, that I'm living a healthy lifestyle. The usual. I've assumed it's because I'm in law enforcement, which can be a stressful career. Or so they tell me.

It's hard to imagine her extracting my eggs without me knowing it. What does she do? Knock me out, make the extraction, then reset the chronometer in my augments so I don't notice the time lapse? Ridiculous.

If any part of this is true, then I should be filled with rage. I'm sure I will be, at some point. For the time being, I do my best to compartmentalize my emotions as I was trained to do at the academy.

I doubt that Erik the rebel has met with his doctor lately. "Let me guess. You started missing your appointments a while back?"

He nods. "As soon as I learned the truth."

The increasing brightness at the end of the tunnel signals that the Dome 2 station is located just around the bend. A semi-circular patch of light in the distance enlarges as we approach, and a handful of armed guards are clear to see in silhouette. They shout at us to halt once we're fifty meters away. Surprising it took them this long to notice us.

What's our story? Erik doesn't look back at me. He puts his hands on his head, as he's told. Like he's ever been that compliant with me.

I do the talking. I follow their orders as well, placing my hands on my head—away from the assault rifle at my side.

"They are Dome 2 law enforcement personnel," the clone observes without any alteration to its monotone. Both of its gauntleted hands are set atop its helmet. "Enforcer Chen, you will be safe with them."

Keeping their weapons trained on us, the guards beckon us closer and then surround us once we reach the end of the pathway and enter the maglev station. Just like Dome 1, the gates are closed and the ticket kiosks are offline. But on this side, a sleek, gleaming train sits idly by, unaccustomed to being off-duty.

"Sera Chen, Dome 1 Curfew Enforcer," I introduce myself. "I apprehended this citizen—"

"Curfew's over, Chen." The guard's eyes glaze over as he consults whatever is displayed on his ocular implants. A middle-aged fellow with a sizeable paunch and dark-grey buzz cut, he nods to himself. "You attempted to apprehend this violator last night but failed. I see you had some help remedying the situation this morning." He nods toward the security clone. "Why take the tunnel here?"

"The surface streets are unpredictable in Dome 1 right now. I need a safe space to drop him off." I raise an eyebrow as I lower my hands. The clone echoes my movements. Pretending to be a good boy, Erik keeps his fingers interlocked on his head and doesn't say a word, his gaze fixed on the ground between his boots. "Any chance you can take him off my hands?"

The guards shake their heads. "We've had our own share of trouble. Martial law's in effect, and the streets are clear, but that hasn't stopped local agitators from doing what they do best. Smoke grenades tossed out windows, live ammunition fired at random. Luckily, none of our personnel or any citizens have been injured, and the individuals responsible have been arrested. But the terrorist threat remains."

"Any news on the Chancellor?"

He shakes his head. "The patriots hit the Tower. That's what we heard. But the Link's been glitchy all morning. Wouldn't surprise me if that's what they're targeting next."

I