《Distorted Ascension》 Shaping the Future We¡¯ve always believed that immortality is a myth. But is it really? One man is challenging that myth in a new, controversial and radical way. This man was forty-two years old. His messy short black hair starting to gray out from age. He had a well-kept goatee and wore black-rimmed glasses with a maroon suit, black tie and lab coat on over it. Professor Kenneth Hensley is the lead researcher at BioMed Industries; The reigning champion leading the charge in medical and scientific advances for our humanity. Ever since entering the field and eventually taking over the division in 2025, Hensley has spent the last ten years toiling away at the idea that ¡°Immortality is a myth.¡± Hensley wants to challenge that belief carried by humans ever since we first became aware of mortality and facing death. ¡°This is the year¡­ The year we finally unlock the key to eternal life.¡± Hensley muttered to himself as he typed away on the keyboard. He was glued to the computer screen in his office. His tired eyes showed a clear sign of sleep deprivation by the bags and sullenness in his pupils. After discovering the first major breakthrough three years ago, he¡¯s spent countless hours trying to figure out how to keep us alive past our expiration date. How our consciousness could carry on after our bodies fail and we fall asleep forever. ¡°People should have the choice whether to carry on into the future. To see their children¡¯s grandchildren grow up. To see technology develop. To see the way the world changes for their bloodline. This will be it¡­¡± Hensley continued speaking to himself. The digital clock on his desk read: Eleven-thirty-two. It was getting late. A set of knocks rapped on his office door. ¡°It¡¯s open.¡± Hensley called out. The door opened. A younger lady in a similar lab coat as he entered the office. She had long auburn hair, teal eyes with black eyeliner and a slim figure. She approached him slowly holding a fresh hot cup of coffee with the sleeve around the cup. ¡°Um. D-doctor? I brought you some coffee. Figured you were still going at it like always.¡± The young lady spoke. ¡°Oh. Thank you, Jennifer. Just set it down on my desk for now.¡± Hensley replied with his eyes still stuck to the screen. Jennifer nodded and set the cup down next to him. She stood there for a moment, hands cupped together, rocking back and forth anxiously. Hensley stopped typing. He leaned back in his chair, taking a moment to rub his eyes. He looked to the coffee cup then to Jennifer and took a sip of the hot drink. ¡°You seem like you need something from me. Well?¡± ¡°Sir I-I¡¯m just worried about you. You¡¯ve been so caught up in this¡­ This Project Soul Cage of yours. For awhile now you have been and- ¡° ¡°Silence!¡± Hensley lifted a finger up. He took another sip then stared the young lady down. ¡°Project Soul Cage is nearly at its apex my dear. In fact, I think I¡¯ve finally got the coding down for the program. Come. Take a look.¡± Jennifer sighed under her breath. She stepped closer and looked at the second computer monitor Hensley was pointing at. He began to work his typing magic. The screen displayed a massive construct with several screens next to beds placed in pods and wires hanging above them. A 3D model of a human laid down on the bed. Another human model stuck the wires into the first human and touched the screen. The wires began to glow as blue streaks ascended from the human¡¯s head up into the machine. Then images and words flashed on the screen. The other human pulled out a tablet to take notes. Hensley smirked as he turned in his chair to glance at Jennifer who wore a confused expression. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°What¡­ Am I looking at??¡± She asked. ¡°Project Soul Cage my dear. This construct will upload the subject¡¯s features and subconscious into a databank for storage. Memories, emotions and every feature of the subject. The databank then will transfer the contents of the brain into what I call the ¡°Memory Chip.¡± This chip can then be implanted into a fresh, healthy body sculpted from the flesh labs in the spitting image of that person. It will be like¡­ A rebirth. Whether they died of old age or illness or perhaps they were murdered on the streets by a ruffian. No matter what they can be saved!¡± Hensley explained elaborately. Jennifer was in utter shock. Her mind was trying to comprehend this entire process. ¡°S-so you mean¡­ Essentially their memories will be transferred into a clone...¡± She stated. ¡°It will ¡®undo¡¯ their demise. Death shall no longer be feared by the masses. Think about it Jennifer! I am challenging mortality. Creating immortality. If someone wants to live for say, three-hundred years ballpark number, they can do it! Like wiping a cluttered, old worn-out computer clean and starting with a fresh hard drive and processor! Does, that make sense?¡± ¡°¡­ I see. So that device is¡­¡± ¡°The Soul Cage, my dear. I¡¯ll be submitting this design to the director of operations for approval. If approved, then the technology wing can begin development and within a certain parameter of time, the device will be complete and ready to test!¡± ¡°¡­ Wow. Sounds like you¡¯re about to make the biggest milestone in medical sciences.¡± ¡°Precisely! Well, I need to go see the director before he clocks out for the night. Thanks again for the caffeine. Hope you have a wonderful night.¡± Jennifer just smiled and nodded. He grabbed his tablet. She followed him out of the office. He then ran off down the hallway to the elevator. She wiped her brow and took a deep breath. It was time for her to head home and wait for any news. Hensley reached the top floor and scurried down the corridor to the lone office at the end. He knocked on the door. Peering through the narrow window he saw the director motion for him to step in. He nodded and entered the spacious office containing couches, a coffee table, bookshelves and a gorgeous top-floor view of the neon-drenched cityscape outside complimented with soft jazz music. The director was a tall, lean Asian-American man with a bald head, clean-shaven face and a stern look behind his gold-rimmed glasses. He wore a spotless white suit with a red tie. ¡°Ah. Hensley. What can I do for you? I¡¯m about to head home for the night.¡± The director spoke in a friendly tone. Hensley tapped on his tablet for a moment before handing it to the man. He studied the same contents as the presentation he had shown Jennifer on his computer. ¡°Director Shimada, I have completed my research and presentation for Project Soul Cage. Please, observe the contents on my tablet.¡± Hensley stated with enthusiasm. Shimada watched carefully through the entire presentation. Afterwards he set the tablet down on his desk. An eyebrow raised; he looked up at Hensley who wore a smile on his face. ¡°I must say Hensley I am¡­ Rather impressed. Years and years of your life spent towards this project of yours. You realize how much a device like will cost to produce right? We¡¯re talking a multi-million-dollar project.¡± Shimada stated. ¡°I understand. Please director you must approve this. We could change the world with Project Soul Cage!¡± ¡°Hmm. Funding immortality... Sounds like one hell of a boast for the news media outlets. The press coverage will be insane. As the leading institute of medical science and technology this must not fail.¡± ¡°This has been a collaboration effort between me and my colleagues in the department. It¡­ Will¡­ Work.¡± ¡°As the lead researcher I have full faith in your intellect and skills. Very well. It¡¯s a bold and risky project but sometimes that¡¯s what it takes to make advancements in science and medicine. Development will begin tomorrow. I¡¯ll send the schematics and information to the technology division supervisor. Let¡¯s pray to whatever God is out there that this succeeds.¡± ¡°Excellent! Most excellent! Thank you so much director!¡± ¡°Of course. Now then¡­ Let us depart for the night, shall we? Long road ahead of us and you in particular.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Hensley contained his excitement as he walked to his black coupe out in the parking lot. He started the car and began the long drive home. He and BioMed Industries were about to make history in due time. Killing Time The blinds on the window were shut to prevent any sunlight from leaking into the room. On the bedside table, an alarm rang from the digital clock. A fist stretched out from under the bed covers and slammed down on the clock to shut the alarm off. Hensley began his morning routine the same way every time. Wake up. Shower. Brush teeth. Pour a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice with toast as a side. Flip on the wall-mounted flat-screen television to catch up on the local news. He planted his ass firmly onto his spot on the red leather couch and kicked his feet up on the glass coffee table cluttered with magazines and a box of tissues. The gorgeous young newswoman with the long blonde hair and stunning ocean blue eyes prepped her papers on the desk before facing the camera. ¡°Good morning New Miami. This is Adrianna Justice with your local news here at Channel 42 NMN. Kruger Industries recently unveiled their newest combat vehicle: The WM-35 ¡°War Machine¡± All-Terrain Tank. The first batch of completed models have already been deployed to Texas to aid in the ongoing border war with Mexico. We¡¯ll be expecting development with the war there very soon. Miami-born governor Jason Veracruz is expecting a landslide victory in the upcoming election, claiming that none of his opponents bring anything to the table that could ¡®reshape the state¡¯ or ¡®fix any issues he¡¯s currently working on.¡¯ If he wins this will be his fourth consecutive victory in a row. The US government is working on a budget plan to aid in restoring Seattle to its former glory. The old city still remains a wasteland plagued with violence and scavengers following its fall in twenty-thirty-two when the infamous terrorist organization Blackwell detonated a nuclear bomb planted inside the capital building. State residents claim it¡¯s a waste of time and money, and that the city will never recover as the mass exodus that followed left the city abandoned and crumbling. New Miami has seen a sharp spike in gang activity over in West Miami for the past several months. An ongoing investigation into a rumored widespread drug ring seems to be the main conflict here and the police are hoping to finally shut it down by the end of the year. For all the techno-fanatic gamers and escapists out there, be ready to open your wallets for the newest in virtual reality technology. The Parallax 4.0 is set to release this June. Featuring no cords, easy installation and the brand-new Immersion bodysuit to pair with it, you¡¯ll be able to dive headfirst into new worlds and experience what it feels to leave your real body behind for the virtual body you created. Now for the weather-¡± Hensley sighed, finishing his breakfast and shutting the television off. He decided to celebrate this new breakthrough by going out on the town. He got dressed into some casual attire; Plain white t-shirt, deep blue jeans and a black Nehru jacket. After tying his black-and-white checkered sneakers, he grabbed the car keys and set off. The bright Florida sun shone bright in the skies over New Miami. The palm trees swayed in the gentle breeze. Hensley lived in the safe and glitzy district of Miami Springs. Remaining far from the gang violence of West Miami and the rowdiness of Little Havana. The richest and most prominent residents lived in either Miami Springs, Downtown Miami or Gladeview. Most of the city was relatively cleansed of crime during the Lock Down of 2028. Some spots still remain havens for those who survived the purging. Hensley first decided to visit the Sunrise Mall. He perused a few of the high-end clothing stores and ended up grabbing a new dress shirt and some pants. He next browsed the wares inside the tech store. The newest in phones and other everyday essential technology always fascinated him so he¡¯d peek around every few months to see what¡¯s released. His final stop was to grab a bagel and soda from the food court as a midday snack to satisfy him as he left the mall. A drive along the coast sounded relaxing to Hensley. He popped open the sunroof and lowered the windows, hanging an arm outside the car as he drove and bobbed his head along to the radio. Life felt great for Hensley right now. He couldn¡¯t be happier with where he was at. Soon the entire world would know of his innovation. One final stop was on Hensley¡¯s agenda; Starlight Barcade. He pulled the car into the packed parking lot until he found a spot. A muted, thumping bass line greeted him from outside as he approached the front doors. He took a deep breath before stepping inside. Bright neon lights. The chattering of people. The clinking of glasses filled to the brim with beer and whiskey. The smell of cigarette smoke in the air. The wacky sounds filtered through arcade cabinet speakers. The throbbing beats and multi-layered keys of technosynth playing throughout the entire facility. Starlight Barcade was truly a different world once you stepped inside. This place had become a favorite of Hensley¡¯s to blow off steam whenever he had the free time and energy from his exhaustive work schedule. He swiped his card at the gate and entered the premises. Before he would get lost in the various arcade games from past and present, he went over to the bar. Behind the bar counter a well-dressed bartender was cleaning out glasses for the next round of patrons. ¡°I think you missed a spot in that one.¡± Hensley snickered. The bartender turned around. The handsome man with a chiseled face, slicked-back silver hair and striking hazel eyes greeted Hensley with a smile. A single gold tooth amongst the rows of bright white teeth. ¡°Oh, shut it. I know how to clean my glasses, thank you very much professor.¡± The man replied. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! He and Hensley clasped one of their hands together with firm grips and shook them. Their own special handshake adopted from when they first met. The bartender¡¯s name-tag read: Dodger. Andy Dodger was his name and bar-tending was his game. Hensley and Dodger went back at lease sixteen years since first meeting in college as freshmen. He was Hensley¡¯s only true ¡®friend¡¯ since nobody else he knew from back in the day stayed in touch and he became so enveloped into his studies that socializing took a backseat. ¡°You know what I want Dodger. The usual.¡± Hensley said, snapping his fingers. ¡°Comin¡¯ right up friendo.¡± ¡°So, how¡¯s business been lately? Been awhile since I last stopped by here. And I know you never want to discuss work outside of work.¡± ¡°Been pretty steady. Not much has changed as you can see. Usual late afternoon crowd here. The evening is when business is really booming. Every night.¡± Dodger finished prepping the cocktail and set it up on the counter with a wink. Hensley sipped on the drink. He licked his lips, tasting the fruitiness of the alcohol on his tongue. ¡°Mm. Delicious as always. Well, that¡¯s good to hear. I have some¡­ Quite exciting news. Big. Huge news actually.¡± Hensley said. ¡°Do tell.¡± ¡°Um, not sure if this is the appropriate place actually.¡± ¡°Put it on hold then. I¡¯m about to head on break here in the next five minutes. Go grab us a table, yeah?¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Hensley left to go find an empty table and sat down. He silently observed the on-goings and immersed himself in the atmosphere of Starlight. As if time passed faster then the human brain could calculate, Dodger approached the table and grabbed a seat across from Hensley. He grabbed himself a cocktail to sip on as well. ¡°Sooo go on! Tell me the huge news my guy! Consider my interest peaked.¡± Dodger said with a smirk. Hensley cleared his throat after another sip of the cocktail. He cupped his hands together on the table. ¡°Remember that project I¡¯ve been working on for God knows how many years at this point? Soul Cage? Well¡­ I finally finished it and presented it to Shimada and he approved it! Project Soul Cage has officially been green lit and is entering the prototype stage for development as of today!¡± ¡°No fucking shot are you serious?! Congratulations Hensley! About fucking time, you got it done!¡± ¡°Mind you there were a lot of kinks and bugs to work out and adjust. Not to mention how much time my eyes were buried in various books, statistical analysis reports and classified research documents. But it¡¯s finally paying off! Should only be a matter of time before the construct is finished and ready to test out.¡± ¡°Does that mean the company will need to start looking for subjects? Because I may know someone perfect for this.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°My brother¡¯s uncle. You know who I¡¯m talking about. Peterson. Guys only got less then a year left to live and he is so distraught that his life¡¯s on a ticking clock. If this project of yours is truly going to work then he would be more than willing to volunteer.¡± ¡°Peterson¡­ Yes, I remember now. Shit that¡¯s right he was diagnosed with ''mindspike'' two years ago. Poor bastard.¡± ¡°Exactly! So?¡± ¡°You know what? He¡¯ll be first on the list. Promise you.¡± ¡°Thanks man. I¡¯m sure my brother will be ecstatic to hear once I¡¯ve informed him. You sure this project of yours, Soul Cage, will actually work?¡± ¡°I assure you it will. Director Shimada wouldn¡¯t have approved it otherwise.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± Dodger and Hensley finished their drinks and went to go waste time playing at the various arcade games. From on-rails shooters to digital bowling to classic beat-em-ups. The Starlight Barcade had it all. That¡¯s what led to its huge success and rave reviews on top of mass appeal to basically everyone. After at least three or so hours had passed, Hensley sat down with Dodger for one last drink before the evening crowd would start to pour into the place. Hensley turned in his drinking glass and paid his tab. ¡°Well, it¡¯s been fun. I should get going though.¡± He said while Dodger wiped down the counter. ¡°Yeah man. One of these days when I¡¯m not on the clock we should dick around here. You can literally spend all day here.¡± Dodger replied. ¡°Absolutely. I¡¯ll be sure to let you know when Soul Cage is ready to start accepting applicants.¡± ¡°Appreciate it. See ya¡¯ around.¡± ¡°Take it easy.¡± Hensley left the establishment as over a dozen people passed by him. The evening crowd arrived it seemed. He chuckled, paying them no mind. Once he stepped outside, Hensley lit up a cigarette to take some drags on the way to his car. Being cooped up indoors all the time for work, it was rare he got to smoke outside. He would always just smoke inside of his office, even having an ashtray at the far end of his desk. The drivers side window was cracked with music blaring as Hensley took the scenic route home. A New Age In the outskirts of New Miami in the industrial district stood BioLab Industries. The sister corporation to BioMed that handled manufacturing of technology and machinery used by the medical science giant. While BioMed handled research development, experimentation and studies; BioLab strictly served to manufacture and create all the instruments and devices used within its sister company. The head of manufacturing was a man named Oscar Jansen. Beneath the CEO who would approve or deny new ideas or proposals, Oscar was in charge of the entire facility itself. While the employees were hard at work running machines and crafting products, Oscar scanned the blueprints for Project Soul Cage carefully. Something in his gut didn¡¯t stir right with this project. ¡°Shimada really approved this?¡± He muttered to himself. Oscar took a sip of his coffee. He decided to take his coffee and take a trip to the third floor where the CEO¡¯s office was. Knocking on the door, a light above the door handle flashed green. He was clear to enter. An older woman with blue eyes and a beauty mark on her left cheek wearing a gray dress suit with black hair done up in a bun sat behind the desk, typing away on her computer. Emily Peterson: CEO of BioLab Industries. ¡°Miss Peterson? Can I speak with you in private?¡± Oscar asked. The woman looked up with a stern gaze. She took a puff from her nicotine vape and nodded. ¡°You may. Sit. Please.¡± Oscar anxiously sat his rump down in one of the chairs facing the desk. He took a deep breath, holding onto the tablet containing the blueprints for the project. ¡°Ma¡¯am I¡­ I¡¯m just curious about this latest project. Soul Cage, is it?¡± ¡°Mm. What about it?¡± ¡°Is this really something we should be doing? We¡¯re talking about storing the consciousness of people into a machine and transferring them into¡­ Into new bodies. The idea alone sounds insane.¡± Emily remained silent. Her gaze like daggers piercing through Oscar¡¯s mind. She tapped on the desk. Her long black nails making small ticks against the metal. ¡°Insane? Honey listen to me okay? Director Shimada clearly would not have approved of this project if he found it ridiculous and unrealistic. The technological wonder of this Soul Cage construct should be obvious.¡± ¡°W-well yeah but-¡° ¡°We¡¯re on a breakthrough of cutting-edge technology here. Medical science has come a long way since the days of IV drip machines and heart rate monitors entering society. Imagine what this could do for the future of humanity. Death is such a common occurrence these days. If you ask me, it was about time we found a way to secure digital souls lost in the real world and give them a second chance at life. Because as we all know¡­ Life is unfair.¡± Oscar looked down at his hands for a moment. He then looked back up at her. ¡°Is that why we¡¯re chipped? Was this planned out in advance ages ago? Would the government really fund a project intent on playing God and defying mortality?¡± ¡°Those are all questions to ask mister Shimada. Not me, dear. Better yet, why not take a flight to Washington and go ask the president himself?¡± Emily chuckled, a hint of sass in her delivery. Oscar raised an eyebrow. ¡°Alright. Very funny ma¡¯am.¡± He replied. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m just humoring you. Besides why are you doubting the possibilities of Soul Cage anyway? It¡¯s not like you to question projects approved by BioMed themselves.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. Maybe I¡¯m just being skeptical.¡± ¡°Well stop. You¡¯re overseeing production of the construct so get back to it.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Oscar got up to leave with his head held low. Before he stepped out of the office, Emily spoke up right when his hand touched the doorknob; ¡°Maybe consider signing up your wife for the project. After all, her time is¡­ Running out. Just something to think about.¡± Oscar gritted his teeth. He slammed the door shut on his way out. Emily smirked, taking another puff of her vaporizer to enjoy the nicotine rush straight into her brain. 2028. Seven years ago. Senji Shimada has been running BioMed for eleven years now since his father, Heisen Shimada stepped down. On a brisk spring day in March, Shimada would receive a surprise visit from an old friend of his. Overseeing employee records, a set of knocks rapped against the office door. ¡°You may enter.¡± He spoke loudly. The door opened up. A woman in a sleek black dress suit and high heels entered. She had long auburn hair done up in a ponytail and black-rimmed glasses. Her hazel eyes accented by black eyeliner and ruby red lipstick. She was a gorgeous, elegant woman. Shimada¡¯s eyes lit up at her appearance. ¡°My my. It has certainly been a while hasn¡¯t it, Melissa?¡± He said with a smile. ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s good to see you.¡± The woman replied. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. The two shook hands. Shimada motioned to join him elsewhere. She followed him with a nod. He poured a glass of wine for each of them before going and sitting down on the office couch facing the large window overlooking the New Miami skyline. ¡°How goes the campaign trail you¡¯re blazing?¡± Shimada asked taking a sip of wine. ¡°It¡¯s going well so far. The public frankly is tired of senile old men in office. So far, I¡¯ve been a hit with both the young and old demographics. Only a matter of time before the voting comes to an end.¡± Melissa replied. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Glad to see they¡¯re finally demanding a change in¡­ Politics.¡± ¡°Indeed. No offense Shimada but I didn¡¯t stop by to idly chat away. Let¡¯s save that for another time. I have a busy schedule so my free time is limited.¡± ¡°Of course. I assume you have something to discuss with me?¡± ¡°I do. A proposal if you will¡­¡± Melissa sipped her wine then set the glass down on the coffee table in front of them. He was focused intently on her. An eyebrow raised and a smirk on his face, he was listening closely. She pulled a tablet out of her suit jacket pocket and handed it to him. She cupped her hands together and gazed into his eyes. He took it and started to look through its contents. ¡°I have a plan for the future. Micro-chipping. Should I make it into office, I want to start a nationwide program available to everyone and anyone. Who can afford it of course. Implanting microchips into people¡¯s brains. A simple and painless process with the technology we have these days. Why, you may ask? Just look at my campaign slogan.¡± Melissa explained. ¡°Ah. ¡®Securing Your Future!¡¯ You mean?¡± ¡°The plan is to design the chips as ¡®memory banks¡¯ for those squishy sponges in our skulls. Think about this... What if death wasn¡¯t the end? What if those who pass away could live on in our lives? We all have a grandparent or relative who¡¯s died in one way or another. Hate to break it to the gullible but your dead great-grandmother isn¡¯t a spirit occasionally visiting your home. Paranormal phenomenon is nothing but mind tricks. When someone dies, they¡¯re just gone. To where? Who knows. I think¡­ We can potentially cheat death.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°That Hensley fellow working for you. He¡¯s one of the most brilliant minds I¡¯ve had the pleasure of meeting. And he¡¯s definitely onto something with his research. You were on vacation when I last stopped by this place. Your second-in-command showed me around and introduced me to him.¡± ¡°You mean his project? Soul Cage. So, you know of it.¡± ¡°I do. That mind of his is cooking up something truly revolutionary. Creating a digital consciousness to live on in. So, I was thinking¡­ We start chipping people. Setting them up for this project of his. It¡¯s very possible he could be in the midst of a breakthrough of medical science. The rich and upper class will definitely be on board. Then like sheep¡­ The rest of the herd will follow along. Middle-class workers with families. Lower class even. Imagine it.¡± ¡°I too believe his research will reach a breakthrough in due time. But your plan seems¡­ Morally questionable at best. Downright insidious at worst. You¡¯d be asking the general public for allowing the government to implant microchips into their brains. I can say for certain it wouldn¡¯t be an easy task.¡± ¡°Now now. I¡¯ll play my morality card here and say that it won¡¯t be mandatory of course. Last thing I¡¯d want is for the religious fanatics and conspiracy nuts to spread ¡°mark of the beast¡± articles all over the internet. But they will regardless.¡± ¡°I see. Even though Soul Cage is merely in concept form and not even fully developed nor researched? You don¡¯t have any doubts about Hensley¡¯s work? Hypothetically speaking what if Hensley¡¯s research hits a dead end? Then all those people will be chipped but for what purpose?¡± ¡°If Hensley doesn¡¯t make it¡­ Eventually some brilliant mind will. Even if they have to pry his material off his old rotting corpse in half a century or later and develop it themselves.¡± ¡°You make a valid point. Very interesting discussion this is. Anything else you¡¯d like to add regarding this manner?¡± Melissa reached out to grab her wine. She leaned back into the couch and sipped. A single drop of the wine fell from her crimson lips. ¡°If I become president¡­ I will personally fund Hensley¡¯s research. I know your corporation isn¡¯t lacking in funding at all. But I¡¯m confident in his work and determined to make sure it succeeds no matter what. Allow him to acquire any books or documents necessary to his research. Let him take breaks so his mind doesn¡¯t blow a fuse from overworking. I¡¯ll see to it Hensley gets the funding. I only ask, that you ensure everyone you know and working under you supports me.¡± Shimada was surprised at what he was hearing. Melissa¡¯s tone really expressed her true feelings towards Project Soul Cage in its early stages. He nodded and offered a hand. She accepted and shook it. ¡°Deal. Miss Bailey¡­ Sorry. Melissa. Good luck in the race.¡± Shimada replied. ¡°Thank you. Tell Hensley I stopped by and that I wish him prosperous luck in his research.¡± ¡°I certainly will.¡± 2033. Three years ago. Sixty-three percent of the United States population has been micro-chipped since Melissa Bailey took office in 2028. Ever since then, daily life for those chipped had changed. New policies had been changed in the line of work for morticians around the country who were trained to remove chips from bodies. When a chipped individual dies, their micro-chipped is extracted from the brain and stored into a sealed container. Families or close friends of those who¡¯ve passed away are either offered the microchips to keep or safely stored away. Those who are on the wealthier side of society have even gone so far as to purchase lifelike androids or robots to transfer the microchips into with varying success to carry on the deceased individual¡¯s legacy. This has sparked controversy all across the nation, being deemed ¡®inhumane¡¯ and ¡®disrespectful¡¯ by most people. Due to the limitations of androids and robots, the stored consciousness of the microchips is wiped to avoid any unnecessary complications such as existential dread or body awareness. The metal husks merely serve as empty vessels, even being modified to speak like the original microchips¡¯ owner. A rarity amongst the public, it¡¯s not the same as having the person there. The popular term for these androids and robots spread across society is ¡®Digital Zombification.¡¯ Melissa has refused to speak on the matter since it entered the public eye. ¡°W-wait a minute! So, you¡¯re telling me that¡­ BioMed is developing a cloning lab within their own facility?!¡± The young blonde female reporter asked. ¡°Correct.¡± Melissa responded coldly. ¡°Melissa, it seems that you¡¯re putting all your eggs into one basket here with this Hensley guy. Why else would-¡° ¡°Hush, child. There had been talks within the government about developing clones for quite some time now. We just finally managed to catch up with the necessary technology to produce such specimens. Perfect replicants made entirely from flesh and bone. Excluding Soul Cage, these clones will have their own purpose outside of the project. Science is truly fascinating wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± ¡°I¡­ I guess so. Damn. It¡¯s all happening so fast.¡± ¡°Mm. Well, you got your intel. You may leave now. I cannot disclose more then that. The rest is confidential.¡± ¡°Even to me??¡± ¡°Yes. Even to you.¡± The reporter firmly nodded. Without another word, she stood up and left the oval office. Melissa typed out a message on her personal laptop then sent it through as an email. She cracked her knuckles and leaned back in her chair, kicking her legs up onto the desk. Questionable Ethics Development on Hensley¡¯s project was well underway. Already a week had passed since director Shimada approved and BioLab was hard at work getting the construct developed. Hensley has been spending his time at work racking his brain over different variables. Right now, he was analyzing studies on how the conditions of patients¡¯ bodies affected surgical procedures and body modifications. ¡°So, an infected arm could theoretically be nullified if it¡¯s simply dismembered and replaced with a cybernetic arm. Fascinating¡­¡± Hensley murmured to himself. The door to his office opened up. Jennifer approached him with a tablet in her hand. She handed it to him. Curious, he took it to examine the contents. ¡°Hey. This is the list of volunteers who has signed up for Project Soul Cage. We have at least twenty-four people.¡± Jennifer stated. Michelle Jackson. 28. Diagnosed with a fatal brain tumor. Alejandro Rafael. 36. Suffers from severe depression. Kali Izami. 66. Locked up in solitary confinement for life. Jacob Lopez. 25. Diagnosed with an incurable disease. Only has three months left to live. Elise Berenger. 85. Retired. On life support in a hospital. Michael Miller. 51. Lost everything including his will to live. Lorraine Szechovik. 44. Fugitive currently wanted in home country of Russia. Jeremy DeVon. 42. War veteran suffering from constant PTSD. Victor Dominguez. 39. Fired from CEO position. Feeling suicidal. Hensley continued reading down the expansive list. Most of the volunteers had valid reasons for wanting to commit to the project and accept any risks involved. A few were simply curious and clearly had nothing going on in their lives to warrant living. It was rather depressing for Hensley to see all of these people, complete with photos of their faces. ¡°Well now. I guess I should¡¯ve expected a rather dreary list of candidates.¡± Hensley said. He did notice one name on the list. One he was glad to see. Andrew Peterson. He nodded then handed the tablet back to Jennifer. ¡°I should also tell you; Several penitentiaries are interesting in contracting you once Soul Cage is up-and-running. They see it as an alternative to the death penalty or life imprisonment. This way, those prisoners who have families can be given a second chance but without breaking the strict laws that keep them from being released legally.¡± ¡°Oh? Looks like word is already making its way around about Soul Cage. We only just got approval to start looking for volunteers the other day.¡± ¡°Well, they are volunteers. A lot of people are actually interested or being coerced by others they know but want to wait until after the testing phase.¡± ¡°Makes sense. This technology is the first of its kind after all. We¡¯re talking digital immortalizing here. Oh! That reminds me! I need to take a little trip down to the cloning division. Care to join me, Jennifer?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I-I would love to but I-¡° ¡°Oh, come now. Your work can wait. Aren¡¯t you the least bit curious? You haven¡¯t set foot in that wing once since you started working here.¡± ¡°W-well I suppose. But only since I have you for company. Flesh and bodies make me icky.¡± ¡°Marvelous. Let us go.¡± The Replicant Division is the newest addition to BioMed. Opened just last year, the staff here in these ginormous labs equipped with state-of-the-art machinery have been working on a new age process dedicated solely to creating new human bodies. By extracting DNA and skin tissue from healthy bodies and placing them into trays, the raw genetic materials are scanned and transferred into tubes both small and giant to grow bodies from lumps of flesh stored in these tubes. Before, it was simply fetuses being grown. With Soul Cage having been in development, giant tubes had been installed and now adult bodies of various shapes and sizes are being created as vessels for the project. Jennifer felt sick to her stomach as she walked around quietly observing the labs with Hensley. He was giving her the grand tour while the scientists silently worked trying not to be distracted by the man himself being there. ¡°And here we are. The real meat and potatoes of this place. If Soul Cage is to be a success, obviously we need choices. Everyone on the volunteer list is an adult so clearly, we need to shape them properly. Hmm?¡± Hensley pondered. He and Jennifer approached one of the tubes growing a female body. On the screen above a metal tray insertion, it showed the face of one of the volunteers. ¡°I-it looks like this is one of them. Laura Jansen?¡± Jennifer read. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. A male scientist nearby approached the two. He pulled the mask down from his mouth and put a gloved hand on Jennifer¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Once the lead scientist, doctor Bennett, received the list of volunteers, he got to work on having samples of their DNA sent here to BioMed. Ranging some hairs to fingernails. The machines AI system scans and extracts the samples to feed into the algorithm which in turn, takes that data and the samples and injects them into the flesh lumps. Now the flesh can grow and will soon grow into a new body completely replicating that who the samples belong to. Take Laura here for example. As you can see, every little detail from the size of her breasts to the curvature of her nose to her figure will be formed from the flesh. She¡¯s still in the early development stage though.¡± The scientist explained. ¡°But¡­ But what about eyes? Organs? The brain? Bones?¡± ¡°All from the samples. As for bones¡­ Each machine is loaded with fresh bone meal. That too gets injected into the flesh so the bones grow naturally in the bodies alongside the organs and more complex features.¡± ¡°Jesus Christ¡­¡± ¡°Fascinating, isn¡¯t it? Thankfully many years of studies, research and vast development cycles led us here in preparation for cloning. Particularly to prep for Project Soul Cage. An infant doesn¡¯t take very long. But crafting exact replicants of these people is a lengthier process. Not a single one of them is finished. In due time though. After all, the construct is still in development, no?¡± Hensley turned to the scientist and nodded. ¡°Yes. Do not worry and do not rush. The construct will take some time before completion. And it¡¯ll have to be transferred here, installed, etcetera.¡± He stated. Jennifer seemed a bit terrified. She slowly backed away from the tube and watched in horror as the feminine figure sat inside the liquid-filled tank. Hensley then turned to her. He went to press a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± He asked. ¡°This¡­ We really are playing God here¡­¡± Jennifer murmured. ¡°The price to pay for immortality. Alright clearly, you¡¯re overwhelmed so we should go. Get some fresh air. Come along now.¡± Hensley pulled her around and began leading her out of the labs. The scientist looked on in confusion and scratched his head. In a conference room deep within the capital building, a highly decorated man in a military uniform with a stout face looked carefully at the contents in the tablet. He gave a stern look to Melissa who sat nearby with her arms crossed and a smile on her face. ¡°You¡¯re crazy. Soldiers are born and bred naturally like everyone else. This would be¡­ Well, it wouldn¡¯t feel right.¡± The man spoke. ¡°General¡­ Please think about it. Imagine, we wouldn¡¯t have to send regular people to their deaths in some war-torn nation anymore. Not when we can breed our own soldiers. It may very well be possible once the replicant program is in full swing. There¡¯s a whole separate area currently being constructed for use outside of Project Soul Cage. Imagine it. Men and women created to fight. Wouldn¡¯t be as risky as using androids either since they¡¯re prone to EMP strikes and other advanced weaponry capable of rendering machinery useless. We¡­ Could finally bring all of our soldiers home while the replicants are sent off. They have no families. No friends. No feelings.¡± Melissa stated. ¡°Hm. You¡¯re really trying to sell this, huh?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t be affected by trauma. Post-traumatic-stress-disorder. No morality. Get in, get out, get the job done mentality. Ones we lose can¡­ Just be replaced. A self-reliant American war machine. Train them. Send them out. Let them go to work.¡± The general¡¯s lips rubbed together. His eyebrows shifting. Eyes narrowing in on the tablet. He seemed to be deep in thought. Melissa stood up, patting him on the shoulder. ¡°Think about it. Okay? All of this could be possible in a year.¡± After she spoke her last words, Melissa left the conference room. The general remained in silence. Alone. Glaring the contents over and over. He finally snapped, grabbing the landline phone on the desk and dialing a set of numbers. ¡°Hey. It¡¯s me. Spoke with the president just now. You need to hear this sir¡­¡± Hensley quietly observed Jennifer who was smoking a cigarette with a distant gaze. He sat on a bench in the outdoor lounging area back behind the BioMed building. Jennifer began pacing back and forth. ¡°Look I know what you¡¯re thinking Jennifer. You already knew of the replicants but seeing their creation process in the flesh, no pun intended, is making your mind stir. Am I wrong?¡± Hensley talked loudly so she could hear. Jennifer stopped in place. She puffed on the cigarette then looked over at Hensley on the bench. She shook her head. ¡°M-maybe a little.¡± Jennifer stammered. ¡°I-I¡¯m just concerned about the whole thing. Is it really going to be as simple as taking a data chip extracted from someone¡¯s brain and slotting it into an exact flesh-and-blood clone and suddenly, they¡¯re just back from the dead?¡± ¡°A very oversimplification of the process but yes. Let me, paint you a scenario¡­¡± Hensley stood up. He walked over to Jennifer to face her. Her attention was grabbed by him. ¡°Imagine: You¡¯re the wife of the man of your dreams. Fell in love, dated, eventually got married, yadda yadda. One day, he is stricken with a debilitating illness. We¡¯ll say brain cancer. His time is short. Less then a month to live before his mind rots away. You¡¯re heartbroken. Married say, two years now and you¡¯re pregnant with his child. But that child will lose their father before even being born. Now¡­ He passes away. His microchip is extracted and implanted into an exact replicant of him. His face. Hair. Eyes. Genitals. All the same. Your loving husband and soon-to-be father can return into your warm embrace. Now you and him can raise that family together. It¡¯s as if the cancer never killed him. You can grow old together. Watch in awe as your child grows up and has their own kids. Then either die peacefully or continue going on in new bodies. All of this¡­ Because of Soul Cage. Doesn¡¯t that sound just¡­ Just delightful? Life is already difficult. Why not take advantage of the knowledge and technology we have to make life a little better, hm?¡± Jennifer shed a single tear. The way he told the scenario sounded as if it came from somewhere personal, judging by his heartfelt tone. She finished smoking her cigarette and flicked the butt over into the silver ashtray next to the benches. Wiping her eyes, she nodded with a pouted lip. ¡°That does sound delightful¡­¡± Jennifer sniffed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it? Soul Cage has no ill intent. I¡­ Am just so tired of hearing of death and loss all over the news or from random conversations overheard in the coffee shop on Malibu Avenue. I¡¯m going to change the whole fucking world, Jennifer. Save lives to be cherished if even for another few decades. Get families and loved ones through trauma completely out of their control. See what I¡¯m getting at?¡± ¡°I-I do. And I¡¯m with you one-hundred percent of the way, Hensley.¡± Hensley pulled her in for a hug. Jennifer embraced him tightly. He patted her on the back. ¡°Thank you, my dear. Breaks almost over so we should get heading back.¡± ¡°Of course. Right.¡± Completion. Arrival. Execution. Nearly a month had passed since Project Soul Cage was approved for development. A semi-truck with a trailer attached transporting a massive haul covered up by black tarps strapped to the sides of the trailer barreled down the street heading towards BioMed. It pulled around towards the back and drove on a separate road leading to a separate, unused building sat mostly empty with no roof. The driver and passenger jumped out of the truck to go unstrap the haul and removed the tarp. A crane parked next to the building began to lower its giant claw, snatching the massive construct in its grip. The arm moved up with construct in grasp, inched its way over the building and lowered the construct in. Once inside, the claw released and ascended. A construction crew pulled into the same lot loaded up with building materials, heavy machinery and several eager workers in orange uniforms with toolboxes in hand. Hensley looked down through the top floor window at the ongoing work. A glass of wine in his hand. Director Shimada then joined him. ¡°That was¡­ Faster than I expected them to finish it.¡± Hensley commented. Shimada took a sip of his wine then chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve been here for a decade Hensley. You should not be surprised at the efficiency of BioLab and their mastery at quick, efficient production.¡± He stated. ¡°This is true. So¡­ Now they just have to build the roof and install the construct?¡± ¡°Correct. There was no room here for such a large device. Thus, why we decided to use that building. It¡¯s been sitting for ages. Waiting for the next major project from BioLab to be plucked from production and planted right in there. With the construct¡­ Now the building has found its purpose. It¡¯s mostly completed too. Has electricity. Plumbing. Heating and cooling. Wiring ready. Desks. Chairs. Screens and monitors. We¡­ Just left the roof and all that free space inside.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s almost as if you preemptively prepared it for Soul Cage, sir¡­¡± Shimada turned to Hensley, pressing a hand on the man¡¯s shoulder. Hensley looked toward him. ¡°I¡¯ve been following your work for this past decade. I always had faith in your project. I just never wanted to tell you why we even built that damn building. That is, until you showed me the final product of Soul Cage. Ten long years will finally pay off. Once the roof is finished and the construct installed, we shall go look at it up close for ourselves. The construction crew is being paid double overtime for this. As will be the engineers who will install it once the roof is finished.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh. Amazing¡­¡± ¡°Now we simply¡­ Wait.¡± Melissa arrived at the Pentagon via a security escort. She made her way through the hallways until arriving inside of the war room where the General and the Commander-in-Chief, an older gruff man wearing a black suit with several military badges and a hat greeted her with firm handshakes. The three sat down to join the shady group of men and women in suits taking up the remaining seats. Melissa scanned the room but didn¡¯t recognize the suits, only the military men. She cleared her throat. ¡°So, madam. About this¡­ Replicant program of yours. Me and the General spoke on a few occasions along with the war council here. After some careful consideration¡­ We¡¯ve decided we want in.¡± The Chief spoke. ¡°Oh, do you now? General did you finally consider my offer?¡± Melissa replied turning to face the General. The General coughed. He slid a folder her way. She examined the contents. Various pictures taken from a war-torn location containing gruesome and traumatizing sights such as rows of bloodied corpses, crying children, destroyed villages and tanks rolling through woods setting trees on fire. ¡°The situation in Lebanon has grown worse. The resistance fighters are beyond overwhelmed even with our support. The liberation army is truly terrifying and our numbers are shrinking. How soon¡­ Would you be able to start providing replicants? We¡¯ll train them with ease and start sending them off.¡± The General asked. Melissa shrugged off the initial shock and shut the folder. ¡°Lucky for you we already have some ready. BioMed released their first batch about a week ago. One half of the Replicant division is focused on Soul Cage while the other half is creating regular people. If you want¡­ We can take those in that half and start sending them your way, General. Chief.¡± The two men exchanged glances and looked to Melissa with a simultaneous affirming nod. ¡°You¡¯re making the right decision here. Looking forward to working together in this sense. Well, I¡¯ll be taking my leave now. General¡­ Expect the replicants to come your way very soon.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Melissa gave the two men a wink. She waved to them and the rest of the war room members before departing, snickering to herself. Getting exactly what she wanted out of that meeting. A way to profit off of the replicants while also saving actual human lives at the same time. The main lobby inside BioMed was packed full of various individuals whom had signed up for the initial testing phase of Project Soul Cage. While the construct was being setup, Hensley had to meet face-to-face with each and every volunteer. Borrowing the unused side office, Jennifer was calling in people to speak with Hensley. Essentially functioning like a doctor¡¯s office with patients. ¡°Jackie Esperenzo!¡± Jennifer called out as she stepped out of the office. A bulky, balding Hispanic man with tattoos all over his arms, neck and hands stood up to head over into the office. He sat down in front of Hensley who sat behind an empty desk with a tablet. ¡°H¡­ Hello sir.¡± Jackie stuttered. Hensley nodded. The two shook hands. ¡°Greetings. So, tell me a little about yourself and why you signed up for the project.¡± Hensley said. Jackie swallowed hard. He cleared his throat. ¡°Well, I¡¯m a factory manager from Los Angeles. To be frank I don¡¯t really have much going for myself. At least not anymore. My wife, God rest her soul, was taken from me in a car accident a long time ago. Our daughter never talks to me anymore. Off living her own life probably shacked up with some sugar daddy. Ever since losing Penny, I¡¯ve been on a downward spiral. My body is fucked up after so many years of hard drugs and smoking and it¡¯s taking its toll on me. Point is¡­ I want a restart. Rid my system of the drugs and start a new life. To be clean and sober. Figured why not consent to this interesting project you have. Sooo yeah¡­¡± Jackie explained. Jennifer nodded. Hensley took some notes and nodded to him. ¡°I see. And I understand. I appreciate your volunteering. Rest assured you will get to experience a ¡®restart¡¯ so to say. Anything else?¡± ¡°No sir.¡± ¡°Very well. It was a pleasure, mister Esperenzo.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After shaking hands once more with Hensley, Jackie left the office. Jennifer looked at her tablet to call in the next person; ¡°Nikita Stovanski!¡± A tall, beautiful woman with long black hair and loads of makeup stood up to make her way towards the office. She smiled at Hensley, accepting his handshake then sitting down, stroking her thighs. ¡°Pleasure to meet the handsome bastard himself.¡± Nikita said, wincing at Hensley. ¡°Y-yes of course. So, tell me about yourself and why you volunteered for the project ma¡¯am.¡± Hensley replied scratching the back of his head. Jennifer quietly sighed. She gave Nikita the stink eye knowing the summation of why she was here. ¡°I come from a family of crime lords back in Moscow. Let¡¯s just say my father pissed off the wrong people and he had me deported for my own safety. Well, now¡­ I¡¯m being hunted. Everywhere. My father succumbed to brutal torture and gave up my status in the United States, according to my brother. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they find me. This ¡®Project Soul Cage¡¯ of yours¡­ I need it. By being plucked from my own body, can I be rid of this dark cloud hanging over me.¡± Nikita explained. Jennifer didn¡¯t know about the backstory. She seemed quite surprised. As did Hensley. ¡°You haven¡¯t tried to just get a new identity or something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pointless. Once those dogs begin hunting there is no escape. They will murder innocent people and burn buildings down until I¡¯m caught.¡± ¡°That bad, huh? I could chalk it up to a severe case of paranoia but¡­ But I will not tell you how to live your life. If a new body and fresh identity is what you desire then that you will receive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. I¡¯ll worry about reuniting with my family later when the time is right.¡± Nikita finished up and left. For the next couple hours, everyone that showed up was interviewed by Hensley. Only a few exceptions couldn¡¯t make it and had to speak to them via video calls after everyone else was done. He and Jennifer were exhausted by the end of it. The two headed for the caf¨¦ built into BioMed to blow off some steam and grab a bite to eat. ¡°Even though I had brief summaries for everyone¡­ Some of their stories really hit me hard.¡± Jennifer said. Hensley bit into his sandwich. He nodded, taking a sip of water. ¡°All the more reason why it¡¯s important that Soul Cage succeeds. Look at all the lives we¡¯ll be changing. And there will only be more to come after that.¡± Hensley muttered. ¡°True. This is for the people after all. What we¡¯re doing is good. Right?¡± ¡°Still questioning the ethics behind the project Jennifer?¡± ¡°M-maybe a little.¡± ¡°Relax dear. Everything will be fine. I¡¯m sure of it¡­¡± Director Shimada and Hensley smiled as they stepped outside. A group of people entered the building being led by a couple scientists. The two proceeded forward into the building. Hensley was in awe at what he saw. Nestled in the middle of the single spacious room surrounded by computers was a massive rectangular sleek metal device consisting of pods with cords, digital pads and screens nearby each pod. The scientists led the group of eight people towards their pods to explain the process to them. On the left and right ends of the device were smaller square-shaped devices that had a single screen and a small drawer with a slot insert. Shimada placed a hand on Hensley¡¯s back, giving it a gentle pat. ¡°It¡¯s finally ready. The construct¡­¡± Hensley gasped. The Act of Playing God ¡°Humor me Hensley. Now that we have the construct here in-person, do walk me through how this works. With say¡­ This gentleman right here.¡± Director Shimada stated. He pointed at a sickly pale man with thinning chestnut hair who had propped himself into the pod. Hensley¡¯s eyes widened as a familiar face stood next to the pod with a pained expression on his face. ¡°Dodger¡­¡± Hensley murmured. Dodger glanced over to Hensley as he and Shimada approached. Dodger mustered a faint smile. He patted Hensley on the shoulder. ¡°Hey pal. Thanks for getting Peterson in here so soon.¡± Dodger said, his grip tightened. Shimada raised an eyebrow. He smirked and lightly smacked Dodger¡¯s hand off of Hensley. ¡°Please. Sir. Allow your friend here to focus. Thank you.¡± Shimada scolded him. Dodger just shyly nodded and gave them some distance. Hensley swallowed hard and nodded to the both of them. He looked to the console jutting out from the pod. Cracking his knuckles, he began typing. A scientist approached the pod, taking the various cords and plugging them into the top end of the pod. The bottom end of the pod lifted slightly and slid up, completely sealing Peterson inside. His limbs were then restrained and a device clamped down onto his skull. Two small mechanical arms attached to the head device resembling syringes jabbed right into his neck. ¡°So¡­ The pod will serve as a protective shell for the patient. Each of those cords has a role to play. The first powers a sedative injected into their neck to keep them calm during the rest of the process. The second powers the entire pod. Connects it to the construct. The third¡­ Powers the ¡®neuro-killer¡¯. It¡¯s designed to effective silence the brain and sever all it¡¯s connections to the body¡­¡± Hensley started explaining. ¡°¡­ Once that¡¯s done, the ¡®neuro-killer¡¯ drills into the skull and extracts the microchip safely. Once extracted, the data is uploaded into the construct for storage until it can be routed into the new microchip for the new body. Hence the drawer there that contains a slot.¡± Shimada seemed quite impressed. Dodger was hopeful despite the morbid process. Shimada pat Hensley on the back. ¡°That¡¯s only the first half though. What about the second half?¡± Shimada asked. ¡°The¡­ Second half?¡± Dodger spoke softly. Hensley sighed and took a deep breath, glancing inside the pod. Peterson was completely sedated now. Initially squirming when the syringes were inserted, now he¡¯s not moving at all. His eyes were closed. The ¡®neuron-killer¡¯ had already begun the extraction process. The drill pierced through his head and skull, exposing the spot on the brain where the microchip was. The drill then split into three and two tiny mechanical arms reached for the chip, plucking it out with precision. ¡°The old body is to be removed by one of the scientists. They¡¯ll be transporting all the old bodies to the city¡¯s morgue for cremation. Someone from the Replicant division will place the new body into the pod. Same setup as before but the process will be¡­ Different. The new microchip will go through the pod and prepare for insertion. This involves all the data stored in the construct to be transferred into the new chip. Once that¡¯s complete, the ¡®neuro-killer¡¯ will just drill into the skull then the new chip will be carefully inserted just as surgeons do. The holes will be sealed up, the drill will retract and the process is complete. Restraints are released. The ¡®neuro-killer¡¯ will remove itself from the head along with the syringes. And the new body¡­ Can be released. It¡¯s done¡­¡± Hensley continued explaining. Shimada nodded and gave a solemn golf clap. Dodger rubbed his arm nervously. ¡°Incredible. This is truly revolutionary technology. But¡­ Let¡¯s save any celebration for afterwards.¡± Shimada said. ¡°We are still not one-hundred percent sure this will work. But knowing you, I¡¯m certain it will. All of this funding and time spent shall not go to waste.¡± ¡°I sure hope so. I... I¡¯ve poured ten years of my heart and soul into this project. It cannot fail!¡± The screen on the console flashed green. Signaling that the process is complete. The screen next to the pod showed Peterson¡¯s vitals. He was pronounced dead and that the extraction was done. Dodger looked down into the pod. He pressed a hand on the glass, staring at the body of Peterson. A single tear streaked down his cheek. Pounding on the glass softly, he stepped back as a scientist approached the pod. Hensley typed on the console. The shell ejected steam and slid down. The scientist reached into the pod and pulled out Peterson¡¯s corpse. Dodger held back tears, watching as the scientist carried the corpse away. ¡°The Replicant division should be here any minute now with the new bodies.¡± Hensley said, looking to Dodger. Shimada glanced around, seeing a few more bodies being carried away from their pods. He didn¡¯t notice any other visitors aside from Dodger and it had him curious. He looked back to Hensley. ¡°Hensley¡­ I see that your friend here is the only visitor. Any particular reason why?¡± Shimada asked. ¡°Oh. Well, two reasons. For one, he¡¯s my best friend and I¡­ Admittedly prioritized his brother¡¯s uncle, Peterson, to be one of the first batch of volunteers. And second, none of these people here have visitors either due to lack of social connections or ensuring this was done in private from anyone they knew.¡± Hensley replied. ¡°I see. I see. Just pondering is all. Understandable. I assume the couches are for waiting then?¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± ¡°Let us go have a seat then until mister Peterson¡¯s new body arrives.¡± ¡°Sure. Dodger?¡± Dodger just nodded silently. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. A few scientists entered the building being followed by a group of people in their underwear. Dodger stood up immediately upon seeing the face of Peterson. He was led to the pod and instructed by the scientist to get inside of it. ¡°Peterson¡­¡± Dodger murmured under his breath. He ran over to the pod. Hensley and Shimada stood up and followed suit. Hensley approached the pod, inserting the microchip into the slot and shutting the drawer. He went to the console once more and started typing away on it. ¡°So, these are the replicants¡­ Soulless husks with basic motor functions.¡± Shimada stated. ¡°And once the microchips are installed with the data extracted from the old ones¡­¡± ¡°¡­ They¡¯ll be reborn into their new bodies. Yes.¡± Hensley added. ¡°Fascinating. He looks exactly like the man who was just occupying that very same pod.¡± ¡°Yup. Okay, here we go¡­¡± The pod sealed up. Restraints were up. The ¡®neuron-killer¡¯ locked down onto his head. Dodger and Shimada watched in awe while Hensley began the process. The device drilled into his head where it split apart to let the mechanical arms slot the new microchip into the brain. Once retracted, the arms started sealing up the holes with processed bone marrow and skin tissue fed into the device through a tube. ¡°To think they¡¯re alive when that thing lobotomizes them¡­¡± Dodger gulped. The console screen flashed green. The screen next to the pod showed proper vitals. He was alive and well even after the process. Hensley opened the pod up. The man sat up, looking down at his body. He touched his face, rubbed his palms together and even blinked. His frantic gaze locked onto Dodgers. ¡°Dodger¡­ It¡¯s me. Peterson. I-I feel¡­ I feel great.¡± The man spoke. Dodger¡¯s eyes lit up. He went in for a tight hug. Peterson embraced him. ¡°Little bro is going to be so happy¡­¡± Dodger sniffled. Shimada even found himself blown away by the outcome right in front of him. Hensley breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to face Shimada who wore a surprised expression. He reached out a hand and pressed it down onto Hensley¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Damn fine work Hensley¡­¡± He spoke. Hensley¡¯s eyes lit up. He cupped his hands together and bowed his head. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± He replied with enthusiasm. ¡°I must go arrange a meeting with some people. Expect it very soon as you will be the guest of honor.¡± Shimada pulled out his phone and left to walk around while he made some calls. Hensley joined Dodger and Peterson who was now out of the pod and standing. Hensley tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°So¡­ How do you feel Peterson?¡± He asked. ¡°Incredible. It¡­ It feels like I never left my old body. My limbs all work. My head is clear. Vision is fine. And that pain I felt is no more. I can¡¯t even feel the spot where my skull was fucked with.¡± Peterson replied. ¡°That¡¯s great! Oh my God that¡¯s so great¡­¡± Dodger pulled Hensley in for a big hug. They patted each other on their backs. ¡°My guy you actually did it! Once my brother is back from his business trip, we can go surprise him! It¡¯ll be huge!¡± Dodger exclaimed. Hensley nodded in agreement. Peterson put on some clothes left by the scientist from earlier. Once he was dressed, the three of them left the building to go take Peterson out as a celebration of his rebirth. The first batch of replicants were a resounding success. The following day came and Hensley was away from BioMed traveling to Colorado with Dodger and Peterson. So, with Shimada¡¯s approval the second batch of eight volunteers were brought in by the same members of the Soul Cage science team. One-by-one the bodies were plucked from their pods after having their microchips extracted. The volunteers of this batch were terminally ill in one form or another and had a ticking clock leading to death¡¯s doorstep. One volunteer, an eighty-five-year-old elderly lady transported from the hospital she was staying at all the way in Minnesota, woke up in a fresh, younger body. She approached a mirror to examine herself. Her body was formed to resemble how she looked in her mid-twenties from the college years. She pressed her hands to her breasts. Ran a palm down her thigh. Brushed her hands through her long golden blonde hair. It was astounding that it brought tears to her eyes. No longer confined to a bed surrounded by machines, she left the facility to go reconnect with her children and grandchildren. A bounce in her step, she felt immortal. That age no longer tied her down. Another volunteer, a younger man in his twenties who was stricken with an incurable disease, got a check-up from the local doctor who resided in the facility. After a diagnosis, he found no disease whatsoever. The man cried tears of joy. His two best friends joined him for a group hug and left to celebrate his new disease-ridden life. The gray-haired, bearded doctor was pleased with the results he was seeing. He only had two patients left to diagnose once they were released. While scanning his notes, a scientist shouted from across the room. ¡°Fuck! Doc, get over here quick!¡± The doctor quickly ran over to the pod where two scientists stood panicking. Inside the pod, a burly man with tattoos was pounding the glass with his fists. His psychotic screams muffled but sent shivers down everyone¡¯s spines. ¡°What the hell is going on here?!¡± The doctor hissed. ¡°H-he just started freaking out after waking up once the chipping was complete!¡± The female brunette scientist replied. ¡°His vitals are showing extreme heart-rate spikes. Oh, this is bad. This is really bad¡­¡± The doctor went to examine the screen showing the patient¡¯s information. The brainwaves showed rapid fluctuation and unusual patterns. He raised an eyebrow and glanced down at the notes on his tablet. ¡°His memory is scrambled! He¡¯s losing his mind because his subconscious doesn¡¯t know how to handle being inside a body that¡¯s not originally his. You could compare it to someone overdosing on psychedelics and being unable to comprehend an out-of-body experience. But how come he¡¯s the only one who¡¯s reacted like this¡­?¡± ¡°I-I really don¡¯t know, doc! What do we do though?? Hensley¡¯s not here right now!¡± Before the doctor could respond, the burly man started cracking the glass with his knuckles until punching hard enough that it soon shattered. His knuckles were bleeding with tiny glass shards stuck into the flesh. He started climbing out of the pod screaming bloody murder. ¡°Goddamn it! Sedate him now!¡± The doctor shouted. The male scientist reached into his lab coat for a syringe. As he was about to stick the syringe into the man¡¯s arm, he grabbed the scientist¡¯s wrist and stole the syringe only to jab it into the scientist¡¯s eye. He fell onto the floor crying in pain while blood seeped from the eye socket. The female scientist screamed and backed up. The doctor snuck up behind the burly man and jabbed a syringe straight into his neck. He then fell to the floor, now unconscious. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there you idiot! Let¡¯s grab him and get him over into the medical wing stat! We need to get that syringe out of his eye and treat him immediately!¡± The doctor shouted. He and the female scientist picked up the bleeding scientist. They rushed out of the facility to head over to the main BioMed building. The remaining two scientists only watched the scene play out, feeling horrified at what just happened. Their gazes went to the unconscious burly man asleep on the floor. For now, all they could do is restrain him. Trial and Error Hensley felt his phone vibrate in the pocket of his jeans. He pulled it out to see that it was Shimada. He looked over at Dodger, his brother Larry and Peterson all having drinks at Larry¡¯s personal bar. He accepted the call to answer; ¡°Hey there sir. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°We had a¡­ Minor complication regarding Soul Cage. One of the volunteers went mad. Broke out of his pod. Stabbed a scientist in the eye with a syringe. The doctor managed to sedate him and now he¡¯s been restrained.¡± Shimada explained the report he received and Hensley felt his heart sink. ¡°Excuse me?? When did this happen??¡± ¡°Roughly ten minutes ago. You have your laptop with you, yes?¡± ¡°Of course. Never leave anywhere without it.¡± ¡°Retreat to a room by yourself please. We must speak in private. Your lovely assistant Jennifer has the full report for you to examine.¡± ¡°Oh. Uh, right away sir.¡± Hensley hung up and left to go into the guest bedroom, shutting the door and locking it. He grabbed the laptop from out of a carrying bag and opened it up, starting up a video call between himself, Shimada and Jennifer. ¡°Jennifer. Hey.¡± Hensley said. ¡°H-hello Hensley. Um¡­ So, here¡¯s the full report. I¡¯m putting it up on screen. It accounts everything that happened from when the microchip was implanted into the new body of the volunteer. Read it for yourself please.¡± Jennifer replied. On her screen the report popped up. It detailed everything and included footage from the building¡¯s security cameras. Hensley watched the footage first and was bewildered. From the moment the man started spasming inside the pod to stabbing the scientist to finally being sedated by the doctor. He closed the footage to examine the report. Not only did he recognize the burly man in the footage, but he knew the name too. Jackie Esperenzo. ¡°Well? What do you think happened?¡± Shimada asked. ¡°S-sir please. Let him focus.¡± Jennifer pleaded. Hensley carefully scanned the report down to the last word. He bit his bottom lip. His foot tapped rapidly on the floor. Taking a deep breath, he wiped the sweat from his brow and took a sip of bottled water. ¡°Fuck¡­ Okay. From what I gather, it seems that Jackie¡¯s memories were scrambled once the neurons in his brain connected to the data. He became overwhelmed to the point where his subconscious fried and couldn¡¯t handle being inside a new body with a new brain. So, he started to freak out. Spiking heart-rate. Unusual brainwave patterns. Reckless behavior. To boil it down¡­ The data transfer was corrupted. Caused his mind to have an existential breakdown. Instead of smoothy transferring all his memories and personality, they didn¡¯t fully integrate into the new chip.¡± Hensley explained. ¡°What?!¡± Jennifer gasped. Shimada crossed his arms and shook his head. ¡°How could this have happened? Jackie is the only one that this has happened to out of the sixteen volunteers we¡¯ve worked with.¡± He stated. Hensley dug into the files for Project Soul Cage. He scrolled down to the section listing parameters of a potential failure. ¡°I specifically wrote down the one-percent chance that a transfer could result in a failure. The human psyche is a complex machine. There are one of two variables at play here that could¡¯ve caused this catastrophe. Either the construct data transfer had a hiccup in the very delicate and intricate process¡­ Or the man¡¯s mind was so damaged that it simply could not handle the process and retaliated as a result which means he¡¯s completely fucked.¡± Both Shimada and Jennifer were silent for a moment. Hensley had to breathe after rambling on, taking another sip of water. The situation seems bad at first but the more he examined this the more he started to see it as something positive. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. The gears were turning inside of his head. Hensley started typing down what he was thinking. His fingertips flickering against the keys like firecrackers going off inside of his nerves. Shimada was puzzled and Jennifer seemed very confused. They both decided to give him faith in whatever he was constructing. Once finished typing he put his hands together and faced the camera directly. ¡°At the expense of Jackie¡¯s mental stability¡­ This is actually something beneficial for us and Project Soul Cage as a whole.¡± Hensley stated. ¡°Huh?¡± Both Jennifer and Shimada spoke at the same time. ¡°Jackie is a variable we had not yet encountered. See, thanks to this little incident¡­ We now know the consequences of incompatibility with Soul Cage. The design is foolproof so I cut out the possibility that it happened on the constructs end. I believe, Jackie¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t able to handle the process. This is why we got detailed reports of every volunteer¡¯s backstory that lead up to¡­ Well lead up to their initiation into Soul Cage. Jackie just proved that a troubled past of drug addiction and alcohol consumption meant that the complex process of switching the microchip into a new body proved to be too much to handle. Hence why he had a mental breakdown. You see what I¡¯m getting at?¡± Jennifer was at a loss for words by this point. Shimada scratched his chin. ¡°I see. If this is truly the case¡­ Then not everyone who is chipped is necessarily ready for Soul Cage. This will be useful for future candidates then. Send me your official report Hensley and I¡¯ll send this out to the science team tasked with Project Soul Cage. Make sure Jennifer here gets that report too.¡± ¡°Of course, sir.¡± Hensley saved his document then sent it directly to Shimada¡¯s and Jennifer¡¯s inboxes. With that done, he finished his bottle of water and tossed it aside. ¡°I-I guess it does make sense. D-do you think the last batch will be safe then??¡± Jennifer stammered. ¡°We don¡¯t want a repeat of this incident.¡± ¡°We should double check their notes. I¡¯ll be returning tomorrow so we can go from there. After the last batch is done, we finalize the results and Soul Cage will be ready for the public.¡± Hensley replied. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Indeed. Shimada signing off.¡± ¡°Jennifer signing off.¡± Both Shimada and Jennifer ended the call on their ends. Hensley hung up and shut the laptop. A twinkle in his eye, the Jackie incident proved to be an unexpected event that will aid Hensley moving forward with his project. He went to go rejoin with Dodger and company, feeling proud of himself. Melissa sat down with Shimada in the oval office to conduct a final meeting before he would green-light the replicant deal with the country¡¯s military. He carefully examined the papers explaining the deal itself in every aspect. ¡°Mm. I see. Sending replicants to their death in the heat of combat just so we don¡¯t have to lose more men and women with actual lives and families who care about them. I must admit I¡¯m impressed you convinced them to go through with this.¡± Shimada chuckled. ¡°They¡¯re just replicants. They can be replaced but human lives cannot. Why the hell should good soldiers die for these stupid conflicts and bring grief to others¡­ When replicants can be specifically trained and programmed to do the dirty work without the risk androids run into?¡± Melissa explained. ¡°Great minds think alike ma¡¯am. I approve. They¡¯ll get their replicants and BioMed gets more funding. And I get to pocket a little extra change into my salary.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a win-win for both sides, Shimada. You would¡¯ve been a fool to turn this proposal down.¡± ¡°Replicants truly are the future. Soul Cage is the future. We¡­ Are the future. Those in our society who despise our work and craft conspiracies will learn their place and see the great things we¡¯re doing for the good of the people.¡± ¡°Indeed. As I remain in office, the people will realize that this is the only way forward. Lot of the country has gone to shit anyway and we need to focus our efforts on rebuilding what¡¯s been lost and cleaning up the trash littering every pocket of society.¡± ¡°I one-hundred-percent agree. Cheers¡­ To a bright future ahead of us.¡± Shimada and Melissa took their teacups and lightly tapped them against each other. Shimada signed the papers with no hesitation. Melissa shuffled them into a folder to prep for sending off to the military. Once the tea was finished, they both left the oval office with smiles on their faces. Jackie was kept in isolation under constant surveillance to see if he would adjust to the change. Days went by without any progress. With no further options, Hensley approved for him to be put down humanely. The doctor filled a syringe with a chemical mixture designed to stop the heart from beating. Jackie was sedated once again so he wouldn¡¯t cause any problems. The doctor flicked the tip of the needle, then slowly inserted it into the man¡¯s veins. Within a few minutes, the vitals on the heart monitor showed the wavelengths dip to a single strand. The chirping changed to a single extensive beep. Jackie was pronounced dead and his body was covered up. The doctor sighed. He pulled out his phone to dial someone; ¡°Yes, coroner? I have someone for you.¡± The doctor said. Project Soul Cage ¡°Are you afraid of death? Do you know someone in their final moments of life? Maybe you yourself are close to seeing God? Perhaps life dealt you a bad hand or you screwed up and wish to be redeemed with a new lease on life. Well, if you are chipped then a second chance is right around the corner for the right price! Recent studies have shown that the new BioMed program ¡®Soul Cage¡¯ is a massive success within the scientific and medical communities. For a one-time payment, you or someone you know can be reborn into a new body free of disease, illness or consequences from your prior transgressions! Studies have shown that the volunteers of Project Soul Cage have all been successfully transferred. Each one of them can now go and live their lives happy and free! Head to BioMed Industries in New Miami now and get your screening to see if you¡¯re qualified for Soul Cage! If you¡¯re bed-ridden or physically impaired, have a friend or family member get the screening done for you! BioMed: Your Future is Safe in Our Hands.¡± The commercial played on every television screen and computer monitor inside the store. Some of the customers muttered amongst themselves. The black-haired man with sullen eyes and blemishes wearing a blue vest with a name tag leaned against the back counter. His eyes lit up while he watched the commercial. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t dropped out of med school and gotten my degree I could be working somewhere like that place. BioMed huh? I do have some funds saved up for vacation. Maybe I can¡­ Get a second chance at life. Become younger. Have a nicer face. A sexier bod all the ladies at the beach would swoon over. Yeah. Fuck this place. I quit.¡± The man spat. He tore off his vest, tossing it on the floor and jumping over the counter. As he walked out of the store, he lit a cigarette to take a long drag on the way to his beat-up sedan. Getting in, he floored it out of the parking lot almost hitting a minivan pulling in. ¡°Do not believe the blasphemers on the streets holding signs and shouting obscenities! Do not believe the slandering lies inked across the internet implanting false information into your minds! God has blessed us with the technology to continue living on this beautiful green Earth He created! I say if you need a second chance, to take those shackles weighing you down and throw them away! If God wants us to keep living on when death is close at hand then I say to keep on living! Can I get an amen brothers and sisters?!¡± The rotund bald priest in white garbs raised his hands in the air. The huge crowd of thousands in front of him all mimicking his gesture with a thunderous roar followed with applause. After the service, the priest returned to his dressing room. He swallowed some pills left on the table following up with a swig of water. ¡°Mark of the beast. What a joke. At least the masses understand the gift we¡¯ve been granted. Unlike those fools stuck in their doom and gloom. Go ahead and live inside your bubbles. Won¡¯t be long before all of us can be a part of this Soul Cage I keep hearing about.¡± The priest mumbled to himself. He pulled out a watch on a chain tucked inside of his pocket. Inside of it opposite to the clock was a picture of himself with a blonde-haired woman. He kissed the tip of his index finger and pressed it to the image. ¡°Don¡¯t worry baby. You¡¯re getting that second chance¡­¡± He whispered. Hensley was pulling up to work when he spotted a crowd of people shouting and holding signs just outside the pathway leading to the front doors. Parking the car, he got out to approach the crowd. A camera crew from the local news was filming the protests. At least two-dozen people were there he had to force his way through and out to the other end. Two security guards armed with rifles stood on either side of the doors. Hensley walked up to one of them. ¡°What¡¯s going on??¡± He asked. ¡°Protesters. They¡¯re pissed off about Soul Cage being approved or some shit. Been here for the past two hours now.¡± The security guard answered. Hensley gave the crowd a gaze before storming inside. Some of the staff were chatting amongst themselves feeling concerned and even afraid. Hensley was not having this in the slightest. He got into the elevator to head up top. Once at the top floor, he walked to Shimada¡¯s office and pounded on the door. His voice responded from inside the office; ¡°Come in!¡± Hensley entered the office. Jennifer stood by his side; The two of them glaring at the computer monitor. ¡°Protesters? Really??¡± Hensley spat. ¡°Relax, Hensley. They¡¯re a nuisance but have been harmless. So far¡­¡± Shimada murmured. ¡°I think they¡¯re just conspiracy nuts or too poor to afford the program and are upset about it.¡± ¡°That¡­ Sounds about right.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Besides, they¡¯ll be dealt with here soon. I called in my private security team to scare them off. Should arrive any moment now.¡± Right as Shimada finished his sentence a distant sound from outside could be heard getting closer to the office. The menacing hum of rotary blades. Hensley and Jennifer looked to the windows and saw a jet-black chopper encroaching. ¡°Speak of the devil.¡± Shimada chuckled. The chopper changed its trajectory to fly by the office, vanishing from sight. Jennifer cupped her hands together and went over to Hensley. ¡°H-hey now it¡¯s okay. Controversies aside¡­ Your work is an absolute hit! The waiting list is already miles long. So, so many people are eager to become part of Soul Cage. Especially from rougher parts of the country like Los Angeles and Chicago where violence and illness are rampant.¡± Jennifer reassured him. Hensley reached out to her and pressed his palms over her hands. He nodded and smiled at her. ¡°You¡¯re right, my dear. Apologies for barging in here with such a disgusted look on my face. I¡¯m just stressed is all.¡± Hensley groaned. ¡°No need to apologize my friend. Now then!¡± Shimada clapped his hands together as he stood up. ¡°I have great news for you two! With Soul Cage being successful, you two are being transferred permanently to the project. Jennifer you are in charge of screenings, paperwork and marketing. Hensley of course you are the leader so you will be running Soul Cage. Let¡¯s ensure we don¡¯t have another Jackie incident alright you two?¡± Jennifer and Hensley both bowed to Shimada. ¡°Yes sir.¡± They said simultaneously. ¡°Excellent! Then you two, my dynamic duo, are dismissed. I¡­ Must make some calls regarding the outcry for soul cage. Petty bullshit, honestly. But as the head of this company, I need to deal with this. Go on then.¡± Feeling enthusiastic, Hensley and Jennifer turned heel and left the office. Shimada pulled out his phone to see all the message notifications. He shook his head. A glass or two of liquor in his system sounded heavenly to him before having to deal with the calls. Meanwhile outside of the BioMed facility, the jet-black chopper landed less than a mile from the crowd of protesters. The doors slid open, allowing the group of eight heavily-armed security officers to jump out and approach the crowd with their muzzles out. ¡°All of you stand down! Get the hell out of here now! You¡¯re only getting one warning!¡± The captain shouted. The people turned their attention to the security officers. Angry shouts arose and middle fingers were being flung up. Some of the officers rolled their eyes. They awkwardly glanced to one another with shrugged shoulders. One of them looked to the camera crew from the news and gestured for them to cut the feed and lower the cameras. The anchorwoman nodded, turning to the camera. ¡°The directors private security team is going to resolve the protests. We¡¯ll be back with an update on the situation. This is Adrianna Justice of Channel Forty-Two New Miami News.¡± The anchorwoman spoke. The cameraman gave a thumbs up. He shut the camera off and lowered it. Adrianna and him looked over to the ongoing protest. ¡°Fuck off! We have our God-given rights to protest these inhumane actions! This company should be shutting down this project! The mark of the beast has branded us all and now you think you can play God?! Leave us alo-!¡± The security officers all opened fire on the crowd. All twenty-four protestors were gunned down in less then fifteen seconds. Blood stained the concrete and grass. The captain muttered into the radio strapped to his upper chest. He glanced over to Adrianna and gave her a nod. She nodded back. Her and the cameraman packed up their gear into the van. They jumped in and took off away from the BioMed property. The captain rallied his team together to keep them on standby while they waited for a crew to come clean up the mess, scrubbing away any evidence that this ever happened. Smoke lingering into the clear skies. Buildings decimated by constant shelling. Streets dirty and stained with the blood of victims caught in the crossfire. The dust of hot sand being carried through the air by the howling winds. Sun beaming down on the burning carcasses of cars, trucks and vans destroyed by bombs and rockets. A man-made Hell on Earth. Men in bulletproof vests with bandanas standing around a compound marked with the flag of their coalition. Crates of guns, ammunition and explosives scattered throughout. The cries and pleading of civilians bound and gagged with rope cower in a single room guarded by a man brandishing a curved sword. Amidst the distant gunfire and artillery, the sound of a large aircraft roared over the large compound. This grabbed the attention of the militants. They prattled on in their native language, scattering to grab their guns and head outside to see what had flown by. Their leader wearing a blood red cape, commanded the men to follow him. Everyone gathered out front to be greeted by the sight of a Lockheed C-145 Hercules having landed nearby. The rear cargo hatch dropped down. The caped leader¡¯s eyes widened. Thirty men and women armed to the teeth in military gear and weapons stepped out. Two armored trucks with mounted miniguns followed behind them. ¡°Follow orders. Kill¡­ On¡­ Sight.¡± ¡°Affirmed. Kill¡­ On¡­ Sight.¡± ¡°Kill¡­ On¡­ Sight.¡± The replicants spoke in monotone speech patterns. They raised their guns and started spraying bullets. One-by-one the militants were downed with little chance to fire back. A couple of replicants were killed by the end of the brief firefight. The caped militant leader hid behind cover shaking in his boots. He mumbled prayers to himself. Gun locked and loaded, he waited patiently for the first target to step past the wall erected around the compound. But then he froze. Frozen in fear. The barrel of a machine gun rounded the corner directly aimed at his head. The last thing the militant leader would see is the soulless gaze of the man behind the scope before the trigger was pulled. His brains now painted the walls. The man showed no change of expression as he lowered the gun. ¡°Objective¡­ Secured. Now seize¡­ the civilians. Complete¡­ The mission.¡± Epilogue: The Price of Immortality Months had passed since Soul Cage was initiated to the public. Any outcries that had attempted to tarnish the project were silenced. Threads and boards online were nonexistent. People on social media that had openly spoke their distaste had their accounts taken down. Protests ceased. Media outlets continued to cover BioMed and their subsidiary BioLab in news articles. Public figures in the fields of medicine and science sung their praises of Soul Cage and its successful advancements made in said fields. Hensley was recently awarded the Nobel Prize for his achievement, now known around the world as ¡°The Path to Immortality.¡± He decided to frame it in the penthouse he purchased. The Replicant Program had proven to be a successful endeavor for the United States Army. Their goal is to have every deployed soldier overseas and by the border of Mexico returned home safe and sound by the end of next year in 2036. Melissa cut a few deals with leaders from allied nations to request access to the program by paying their way in. Russia, the United Kingdom and China would be developing their own replicants through the blueprints provided by Melissa, following in their humane footsteps to replace soldiers with specially-trained clones to deploy into armed conflicts plaguing several parts of the world. With the Replicant Program, Melissa¡¯s goal as stated in her meeting with the United Nations, is to eventually end every ongoing armed conflict through the means of replicants instead of human lives. Even if it meant remaining in office for several more terms. She had to focus mainly on repairing the fractures of conflict within her own country first and foremost, leaving the manufacturing and deploying of replicants to BioMed and the United States Army. With the Replicant Program and Soul Cage under its belt, BioMed would see a sharp increase in their stock prices, toppling every other company in its path. Director Shimada at the helm of it all, would see himself as an enemy in the eyes of many who despised his empire but remained untouchable thanks to his newfound connections through Melissa. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. A gentle rain poured over New Miami. Standing on the balcony of his new home, Hensley sipped on a glass of whiskey. Dodger and Jennifer were by his sides also holding glasses of whiskey. The three all took in the sights of the neon-glistened cityscape. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you man. We better celebrate at Starlight tomorrow. That means you too, Jennifer!¡± Dodger spoke. Hensley and Jennifer started laughing. They clinked their glasses together and took a big swig of the whiskey. ¡°Hehe. Of course! That place is a blast!¡± Jennifer replied cheerily. ¡°So, Hensley. How are you feeling?¡± Hensley smiled, looking down silently as his glass. He shifted the ice cubes around, deep in thought. A decade of long sleepless nights, constant recharges of energy through caffeine, bickering from his colleagues arguing that his research would flop and begging Shimada for more time and funding had finally paid off for him. Now he was seen as a hero. A bastion of hope for the future of humanity. He glanced to both Dodger and Jennifer then fixated his gaze back to the bright lights of the city. All Hensley would say is; ¡°This my friends, is only the beginning. Others want what we have but they¡¯ll never get this privilege. I feel like I achieved the impossible. The man who defied God and death in one fell swoop. Whoever said that immortality is a myth¡­ Well, I just proved them wrong.¡±