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

"What is your business with Arienna Dogan?" A short pause. "Why are your neural implants offline, Enforcer Chen? Why have all three of you disabled your augments?"

"Some kind of glitch," I offer, tapping my temple. "Must have something to do with the terrorist attack."

"There is no record of a special assignment for Enforcer Sera Chen," they drone on. "You were expected to report to MedTech and then return to your cube. That is where you should be right now."

Thinking fast, or digging a deeper hole for myself, I reply, "Orders came directly from the Chancellor. Probe that security unit's memory, if you don't believe me."

The security clone I ordered to stay put has instead decided to run through the forest, straight for us.

"Halt." The drones reposition themselves, widening the cordon to include the clone. It stops abruptly. "You are identified as Unit D1-436, member of Chancellor Hawthorne's personal security force."

"That is correct," the clone answers without a hint of irony in its tone.

"Did Chancellor Hawthorne order Enforcer Sera Chen to locate each member of the Twenty—"

"Under Emergency Stipulation 5.6, Subsection 2, in the event of a threat against law and order, all members of the Twenty are to be sequestered until that threat has been neutralized," I recite from memory. Then I raise an eyebrow at the clone. "Sound familiar, Unit D1-436?" Nice to finally know its name.

Erik groans like he's suffering from intestinal distress. I try to ignore him.

"Yes," the clone says, its black face shield directed toward me. Followed by a long pause. "But I am unable to ascertain if the Chancellor ordered you—"

"Call her up," I suggest. "Oh, wait. You can't. Because she's missing."

"We will contact your commanding officer," the drones reply.

Commander Bishop. Great. I'm sure she'll be elated to receive word on her favorite curfew enforcer's most recent insubordinate activities.

The lead drone projects a hologram of Commander Bishop into the air. Her three-dimensional image glows with a ghostly aura as she stands hovering over the ground, dressed exactly as she was last night. Does she ever go home to sleep—to change? I've never seen her wear anything other than that stiff-collared uniform and long coat. I can't tell where she is, since there's no background in the projection, but she looks annoyed by the interruption. She's glaring at me.

"What are you doing in Dome 2, Enforcer Chen?" she demands.

"Following orders, ma'am."

"What orders would those be?"

"I am escorting last night's curfew violator to local law enforcement."

"The violation occurred in Dome 1, did it not?"

"The streets were unsafe. One of the Chancellor's security clones was kind enough to allow me to board its aerocar with the violator in tow." I pause. So far, so good. She seems to believe me. Probably because I'm telling the truth. "But he leapt from the car while we were in flight, and he took off running down the maglev tunnel to Dome 2. I pursued and apprehended him."

Bishop's eyes glaze over. She's receiving supplemental data, probably provided by the drones encircling us. "Why have you interrupted the important work of citizen Arienna Dogan? Why was the discharge of an electromagnetic pulse detected by local surveillance drones?"

Not as easy to explain. I can't think of a single good reason.

So I stick with the truth, come what may.

"She's my sister." I hesitate to proceed, but nobody else is saying anything, so I go on, "My biological sister. After a cursory DNA search, I found that I have nine siblings, and we're all the same age. We're also members of the Twenty. All ten of us. As well as the curfew violator—" I gesture toward him on the ground, and Bishop glances his way with an unreadable frown. "According to him, he also has nine siblings who share his DNA."

Bishop nods to herself, pensive. "You told me before that this was about your parents. This violator mentioned something about them—not any siblings."

"The situation has evolved, ma'am." Has she known all along that the Twenty are two sets of children? Has she known about our monthly sex cell extractions?

"Not a good time to be playing investigator." She looks exhausted all of a sudden.

"Have you located the Chancellor? Is she all right?"

Bishop nods. "I am with her now. She's safe. We are in a secure location—"

"Did she authorize Emergency Stipulation 5.6, Subsection 2?" I interrupt, cringing. Such bad form, but I have to know.

The hologram blurs as Commander Bishop turns to speak inaudibly to someone on her side of things. When she faces me again, her expression is guarded. "Do not interfere with Enforcer Chen's assignment," she orders the drones buzzing around us. "You are to support her efforts as needed. Her orders come directly from the Chancellor."

I glance at the security clone for any hint of surprise. Of course not. That face shield hides everything underneath. But I can't help feeling stunned, and I struggle to keep my face as stoic as possible.

If Chancellor Hawthorne didn't send those two clones to my door, then who did? Who in the government would want the Twenty sequestered? Perhaps it wasn't even a Governor who gave the security units their orders. Erik already showed me how easy it was for him to override Unit D1-436's programming. Could the terrorists have gotten control of a select number of clones and sent them after the Twenty? Difficult to imagine, let alone prove.

No clones have come after Arienna here in Dome 2—unless they're on their way...

"Carry on, Enforcer Chen," Commander Bishop says before signing off. "And be quick about it. You don't have much time."

The hologram dissolves into the air.

"How may we be of service, Enforcer Chen?" The drones have changed their tune, if not their monotone.

"Escort us to the maglev station." I turn to Arienna. "Can you get someone to cover your shift?"

She blinks at me, confused. "Yes, of course. But why?"

You're coming with us, I think at her.

She stumbles back a step and holds up a hand as