Waterdown by Anastasia Slabucho

Author:Anastasia Slabucho
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: science fiction; dystopian; cyberpunk; artificial intelligence; genetic engineering; immortality; action; strong female lead; neural; corporations; dystopia
Publisher: AS Publishing
Published: 2019-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

11:23

“This channel is secure. Die is impressed. He said thanks—for trusting Scott with your sister’s memories. For making Scott trust you. Ford is essential to the next steps. The Boogeyman plays the long game, indeed. Both you and Scott are needed. Tell him: Temporal Eatery #30, 20:00, a meeting. Die is too warm-hearted; he already trusts you again. If it were up to us Temporals, there’d be no forgiveness for you just yet. But he and I both agree on this: thank you for not alerting Fusion. Let’s see if your commitment holds. Kyo.”

<<5 words remaining out of max.100; encoded web-transmission message>>

11:25

“This channel is secure. Temporal Eatery #30, different Living Complex than yours. Don’t bring your roommate this time around. Call it a dinner date. 20:00. It will also be your pseudo-introduction to Permanence. I’ll log it into Fusion’s system, so we can keep your identity cover-up all neat.

I think you will really be meeting the Boogeyman. The Boss. I think that we passed. Geo.”

<<34 words remaining out of max.100; encoded web-transmission message>>

11:26

“This channel is secure. I got your message. Congratulations to us on entering the Boogeyman’s ranks. Will be there at 20:00. Scott.”

<<77 words remaining out of max.100; encoded web-transmission message>>

14:02

“This channel is secure. Out of left field, but follow this through and you’ll see. The Atlas—infiltration. The weakest link in the roof defense. See the blueprints, point it out. This isn’t the end, but you are one step closer to a pardon, from me, Air, Kyo, from all who have been caught under Continuo’s thumb. Thank you for Scott, he will be invaluable. There are still rites of passage in store for both of you. Send me back the blueprints. The meeting in some six hours still stands. Die.”

<<10 words remaining out of max.100; encoded web-transmission message>>

#

The diner was upscale, all matte-white and Kintsugi ceramics. The food was patron-tailored: everyone’s 3D came with a macro-nutrient calibration system. Eating-out orders were à la carte, old-style, but there was still an advisory message which popped up in one’s mind. “Your recommended daily intake is maximum 50g of fat,” or “The ranch dressing contains potential irritants.” Obesity was at a record low, fast food was now fast but also food-like. Scott had seen the atrocities common till the end of the 1900’s. Plastic-tasting stuffing for the belly, barely of organic origin. The Devices took care of their host’s health, raised society’s efficiency and lowered resource consumption through a population of healthy, 3D’d lapdogs.

Scott no longer had that kind of luxury advice available to him. Rolls? Artsy burgers? Some new molecular-kitchen variety of whole pancake mix? It was all going to taste like the slop Fred had handed him—the only food delivered to Temporal addresses.

He faintly remembered having been to this place before. The memories from before his 3D’s malfunction were faded-over, unclear in details. Apparently, that was his life now, divided into two portions: previously clear-cut and currently as confusing as hell. It was certainly a remedy for boredom.

You won’t be bored for much longer.

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