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

"We are not at liberty to say," the clones reply. "Rest assured, it is a secure location." They glance at the hovering drones. "Return to your duties. We have the situation in hand."

The drones seem reluctant to comply. In the artificially intelligent pecking order, clones reside at the top, being biological organisms. Drones and other automatons are expected to listen and obey, particularly when such biological organisms represent the interests of the Chancellor herself.

"Enforcer Chen is acting on direct orders from her superior officer, Commander Mara Bishop," the drones report, "who is currently with Chancellor Hawthorne." They close in on the two clones, who stand back to back and aim their weapons at the buzzing drones. "It is unclear where your orders originated."

Without a word to one another, the clones open fire, obliterating the drones in midair, sending sparks and shattered parts flying in every direction.

"Get down!" I yell, hoping Erik, Arienna, and D1-436 realize I'm yelling at them. Then I drop onto the ground and take aim at the two clones while the last of the drones disintegrate under heavy bursts of automatic fire.

I've never taken a life before, clone or human. Not even a bot. Watching the drones smashed to pieces is the most violent thing I've ever seen firsthand. In VR, it's different. No matter how real it seems, there's a part of my brain that always knows it's only virtual. I can take a step back and not get emotionally involved.

So that's what I do now.

I need to disable and disarm these clones, but I also need to keep them from summoning more of their kind. Killing each of them with a headshot would be the logical solution, but I may not be ready for that, no matter how high I scored at the academy gun range. I have to act fast and efficiently, not giving myself the opportunity to freeze up and wonder in that split-second whether it's murder to kill a clone. I have to be willing to do what must be done.

If my augments were functioning, I would simply act without this damned biologic getting in the way.

Lying on my stomach with the stock of my rifle shouldered and the barrel steady, I curl my finger around the trigger and squeeze once, twice, three times for good measure. The automatic bursts hit the clones with a staccato-crunch of live rounds impacting plasteel armor, cutting them off at the knees and sending them toppling sideways.

"Cease fire!" I shout at them, rising to train my muzzle on the nearest clone's forehead. "Lay down your weapons, or my next round is a kill shot."

As a rule, clones don't have a death wish. They know they're expendable, but they aren't usually in any hurry to be replaced. These two hold their rifles out laterally, away from their bodies, and point them at the tree canopy above us. But they don't let go of the weapons.

"Enforcer Chen," they tell me patiently, "you are suffering from a great deal of stress. No citizen should be without her augments as long as you have been. You must feel cut off from the world. We are here to help."

"Who sent you?" I stand hunched over my rifle, ready to fire at the first provocation.

"By order of the Supreme Chancellor—"

"I'm following the Chancellor's orders." We can all pretend to be on-mission for Persephone Hawthorne. "My commander is with her right now."

"Your commander terminated two of our units."

That doesn't sound right. "When?" I demand.

"Earlier this morning," the clones say in unison. "Following the terrorists' EMP blast, two security units were escorting the Chancellor and her aide onto the roof of Hawthorne Tower. Commander Mara Bishop arrived by aerocar and shot each clone in the head. The video is a matter of record, accessible via Linkstream with the proper clearance. Current conjecture is that Commander Bishop has gone rogue and that she kidnapped the Chancellor."

"To what end?"

"Unknown."

None of this makes any sense. Why would Bishop do such a thing?

"D1-436, disarm them," I order.

Without a word, it walks toward the two clones on the ground, their knee armor blown to bullet-riddled scrap with blood oozing out. Neither one will be walking again anytime soon.

"Don't try anything," I add.

Oddly enough, D1-436 responds instead, its face shield turning my way mid-stride. "You can trust me, Enforcer Chen. I am here to protect you."

"Good clone," Erik says, proud that his reprogramming has stuck.

"Unit D1-436," the two clones speak up, "you have been damaged, and you are offline. Your mission has been compromised. Someone has overwritten your primary directive."

"My primary directive is to protect Enforcer Chen." It snatches each clone's weapon and walks back toward me.

Well done. "Give those to Erik and Arienna." I step aside as it approaches, keeping my rifle on the unarmed clones.

"Have they had any weapons training?" D1-436 stops in front of me with an assault rifle in each hand. For now, the muzzles are pointed at the ground.

"Of course," I lie, having no idea. But being offline like the rest of us, the clone has no way to verify my claim. So it hands the weapons over.

"I've never…" Arienna trails off, keeping the rifle at arms' length.

"Never seen such a well-maintained firearm!" Erik lets out a low whistle.

"Neither Erik Paine nor Arienna Dogan has received any weapons training whatsoever," the two clones report. Because they still have full access to the Linkstream and can look up anything they please.

"As far as you know." Erik shoulders the rifle with familiarity and sights along the barrel, squinting one eye as he aims at a distant tree. "Not everything is on record, my genetically identical friends."

Right. Especially when it comes to terrorists.

"Enforcer Chen lied to you, Unit D1-436." The two clones' face shields are directed at the unit beside me now. "She does not trust you."

"Shut up, both of you." I half-turn toward D1-436. "Is there any way you could find out who sent