Getting Mo out

Mo doesn’t know the exact reasons for her arrest, but she knows not to expect freedom at the end of this day. She has had plenty of time to think in the ‘waiting’ room and concluded that if not something unexpected would happen, the only way she could get home was through determination.

"Insert card and take a seat inside”. Mo looks at the speaker above the door, at the card in her right hand, and looks at what seems the be her reflection in the door. The door has no handle or doorknob and she can’t make up from what material this door is made. It’s surface is pitch black, but has a shimmer to it. When she slightly tilts her head to get past her vague reflection, it seems as if the door isn’t there, but it’s actually a doorway to a boundless dark space. She reaches out her left hand and carefully touches the door. " Insert card and take a seat inside” the mechanical voice from the speaker repeats. She pulls back her hand and looks at the card she is holding. It's a white plastic card. It doesn't state anything. No name, no number. She takes a deep breath, looks at the darkness trapped within the door, and hopes for the best as she slides the card into the slot on the left of the door.

"Insert card and“ the speaker repeats but doesn't finish. Instead, the door produces several mechanical sounds. Mo takes a quick step back, not sure what to expect. The door slowly slides into the wall, exposing how thick the walls are and what seem to be locking systems. This looks like the entry to a bunker or a cell, but what Mo sees is a tiny room that just fits the two chairs and a desk between them. Before Mo gets a chance to look at the person behind the desk, the speaker produces a clicking sound and the door starts to close. She quickly jumps inside and is well aware of the locking sound once the door closed.

Mo quickly scans the room, there seems to be no other way out or in. The walls, floor, and ceiling are made of the same dark reflective material as the door. The only light source is a light that looks like a full moon traveling at a fast pace across the walls. It looks as if the room is made of glass and floating somewhere in deep space, the shimmer in the surface of the walls being stars in vast distances. In wonder Mo looks at what seems to be a universe beneath her feet and takes a seat. She knows the woman behind the desk isn’t human, she just looks like it. Maybe she is a robot, or some cyborg, but she looks like a healthy woman. Everything about her looks real. The shifting moonlight is reflected in her eyes, as it circles them, the changing shadows on her face make it look as if she smiles. When she breathes, the golden heart shaped necklace resting on her chest glimmers in the moonlight and next to it hangs a nametag: Mary. Mo smiles and each time the moon circles behind Mary, as her face disappears into a dark profile, For few seconds Mo can imagine she is with a real human. She looks under the desk to look at Mary’s legs and smiles again. She clears her throat and says, "Mary, if those legs work, you should run with me“. Mary doesn’t answer. The moon circles them and Mo waits.

She imagines the birds at her house sing their morning greetings to the rising sun. She remembers being on the edge of the mountains and looking at the city, right after the Cloud had started to fade. She remembers the first hours and days of sunlight, revealing the hell created by those four years of darkness. She remembers thinking she’d never come here. Now, almost three years since that day, here she is. Mo leans front in her chair, looks into Mary's eyes, and says "what are we doing here Mary?" The moon disappears, for one second there is nothing but darkness. Mo Hears a quiet mechanic sound come from Mary's direction and the ceiling becomes all white light, almost too bright for Mo to keep her eyes open. The door makes again it's mechanical sound and as Mo turns back in her chair to see, Mary clearly says "don't tell them anything". Mo turns to Back to Mary and asks quietly "what?". The door behind Mo opens and she hears the mechanical voice from the speaker continue where it stopped earlier: "take a seat inside". Mary takes a deep breath and produces the kindest smile Mo has seen in years. Her eyes catch Mo's eyes, the door closes and locks.

"Welcome to Optec humanitarian support. My name is Mary and I am going to support you through this final stage of achieving a temporary ID. First of all, we here at the Home center want to thank you for choosing to register to the Main Base through us. Please know you are in the best hands, with our 329 years of experience in Life Rights delegation, we not only protect the freedom of life today, but together we can shape that freedom's life of the future." Mary had smiled the entire time she spoke. Mo didn't care for anything Mary just said. She raises one eyebrow at Mary and says "well, thanks Mary, but I didn't choose to be here". Mary interrupts Mo with a slightly raised voice. "The charges against your crimes have not yet been finalized, but I am delighted to give you the news that your health screening has given us many of the answers that you couldn't give us in your recorded statement. Some of the questions we still need an answer to, but we'll get to that later. Good news first, all of your organs are in top condition and you are very fertile. Debts you have to the government will be paid back eventually through voluntary labor and egg donation but as you are born Human, organ harvesting and or cloning might help you a long way. Your DNA is traced back to a cell-restoration company that was funded by the governing power at the time but went off the market in 2412. But since then the DNA-stain and possible Life Right have been private property. Once we finalize your Temporary ID, we here at OPTEC, together with our justice system, will do what we can to get you back in control of your Life Rights. Until then your DNA and life rights are under the ownership of our current Justice system. If you follow the rules, there is eventual freedom. Do you have any questions?" Mo looks at Mary in slight disbelief and says "yes, freedom". Mary continues "Now the bad news, once your data goes into Home base it will be shared with the whole constellation of states. Your current DNA Life Rights are registered with Jim Teak heritage research and restoration company. No location, but unfortunately funded by Azen Territory ownership. Once they recognize we have a human of theirs, our leaders will deliberate how to use you as a political leverage. But those are worries for tomorrow, let's focus on today. Your father Was a criminal against the State, unfortunately he died before his debts were paid so there are some debts that are passed on to you. If you help us clear out some final questions we have, we at OPTEC will do whatever we can to help you pay back those debts safely in a direct line to ownership of your life rights and freedom. Now please swallow this capsule". Mary puts her hand on the table, makes a fist, and unfolds her fingers to show a yellow see through capsule. Mo, reminded that Mary is not a human, remembers the first words that Mary spoke to her: "don't tell them anything". Mo says "I'd rather not". Mary replies "fine".

From the seams where the walls meet the ceiling, a white gas seeps into the room. Like waterfalls without sounds the gas fills the small room within seconds. Mo tries to stand up, but before she can, the white cloud of cold gas fills her lungs and she falls back into her chair. She starts to laugh uncontrollably, when she manages to relax she speaks the words" I'm tired, let me go home". Mary replies " how come you aren't chipped? Who is your mother? Was she involved in the resistance?" Mo leans front in her chair to rest her head on her arms on the desk, she closes her eyes and she answers quietly "most women in my family were my mother, I don't know anything about being chipped or the resistance". Mary quietly stands up and takes a small device from the top drawer in her desk. Mo asks, "but who is my father?". Mary answers " your DNA shows Lukas Vervan is your father. Why haven't you had a child?". Mo sighs and laughs quietly. Mary goes on "who are you living with, where have you been during the Cloud, is there anyone out there we need to know of?". Mo answers "I was alone already before the cloud, I stayed where I was, until a man found me, his dog killed him. It's my dog now. There is no one out there, except my dog". Mary leans over the desk and caresses Mo's hair out of the back of her neck. She places the tiny device in Mo's neck and it makes a short, clicking sound. To Mo it feels as if she was stung by a bee, she stands up and throws her weight to the wall on her left. She struggles to stand but sees Mary standing, with easy. She starts to laugh again " Mary, you can stand, let's go. Did You know my sister's name was Marie, just like you Mary, but Marie". Mary replies " I know. Now, in one hour you have to report at the Home Center office on Richardson's. You have been chipped. You are restricted to travel to the H.C.O. only. There you will have food and a bed to sleep. At four o'clock tomorrow morning you will be at the Optec Immigration office in the port. If you stray from your path or are late, you will hear a high-pitched tone to remind you to your commitment to your path towards freedom. It's simple." Mary smiles, "just follow the rules. Now go.". The door slides open and Mo immediately runs out.

She plans to walk straight home. It will take a week to get there. Owl, her dog will be there. She will Pack her bags and leave to where no one will find her.

She has a long way to go. She finds herself on the street, not sure how she got there. There is a ringing sound in both her ears. She reaches for her neck to feel if she can find this chip Mary placed there, but she can't. She is outraged and exhausted. The sun shines bright, but she wants to lay down and close her eyes. Anything to make this horrible sound stop. It's hurting every cell in her body. She roars like a wild beast at the few service bots she sees on the street and starts to run. Her screaming turns into laughter as she realizes it's not going to be okay. She knows it's useless, but she keeps running, maybe if she makes it out of the city's reach the ringing will stop.

Two days later she looks back at the city from the mountains. She doesn't know how she made it back to the Range. The high-pitched sound is still increasing in intensity but She knows she's been through worse. She's going to make it home.