Page 84 of The Fall

Lusa’s forehead tightened. That wasn’t possible without nanites. And those needed organelles and a central processing array, which needed a body, which Model 2 didn’t have.

PRIMARY: HOW CAN YOU DO THAT WITHOUT NANITES?

MODEL 2: NANITES ARE REQUIRED TO AID ALL BUT THE LATEST GENERATION OF DOCPODS. THE ONE YOU ARE BRINGING CAN FUNCTION WITHOUT THEM, PROVIDED YOU HAVE THE APPROPRIATE PROGRAMMING.

Her spine stiffened. The DocPod at the Lake was the latest gen. They could have rebuilt Pinga’s arm. This whole situation could have been avoided.

MODEL 2: DO NOT BE UPSET. IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN YOU DECADES TO UNDERSTAND AND REPROGRAM IT.

PRIMARY: SO WE CAN USE DOCPODS NOW?

MODEL 2: UNTIL THEY BREAK. THE MANUFACTURING FACILITIES AND SUPPLY CHAIN TO CREATE MORE HAS SEVERED. DO NOT RELY ON THEM. I HAVE BETTER PLANS.

PRIMARY: WHAT PLANS?

Lusa waited nervously for Model 2 to respond, but the cursor only blinked back at her, counting the seconds of her building anxiety. Characters began to fill the screen, but they didn’t answer her question.

MODEL 2: THEY HAVE ACQUIRED THE DOCPOD. I HAVE SENT COORDINATES FOR THE TRANSPORT BAY.

The Imaginary Woman Supplants Us All in The Long Run

Alana veered the lorry left. Hard.

“What are you doing?” Reaching for the strap on the ceiling, Kerr found her arms were too short, yet again. She braced herself against the dashboard instead.

“It won’t be long before they realise those two are dead. I expect there’s a tracker on here somewhere too.” Alana took another left, accelerating into the turn. “Probably multiple.”

“So, we’re leading them right to where we are?” Bile rose in Kerr’s chest.

“This was your plan, not mine.”

“What would you have done?” Kerr braced herself. The lorry hit a massive pothole and the rest of the street didn’t look any more promising.

“The same thing. But now, I can blame you for it.” Alana didn’t smile to indicate that it was a jest, but Kerr grinned back anyway.

Don’t get cocky. This doesn’t mean I like you.”

“Lusa likes me.” Kerr’s grin persisted.

Alana grunted and refused to look at her.

“What’s your problem with Lusa? Why come here if you hate her so much?” Kerr dug her fingers into the seat.

“I’m here for Pinga.” Alana’s overly harsh tone said that she knew that wasn’t true. “You’d understand if you were a mother.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Kerr scoffed. “I’m twenty-eight.”

“To you maybe,” Alana muttered so low that she hadn’t counted on Kerr’s aural processors picking it up.

“What? What’s that supposed to mean?” Kerr raised an eyebrow. Alana kept her eyes fixed on the road, but Kerr refused to look away.

“Lusa hurts people.” Alana avoided the question.

Kerr waited for Alana to elaborate, but she didn’t. “You told me that already. And I know. Lusa already told me what she did to Danica. She doesn’t mean to.”

“You think that matters?” Alana sighed, exhausted at Kerr’s lack of comprehension. “She’s also cold and distant. She acts like she’s better than everyone else. The other kids avoid her for a reason.”

“Kids? She’s twenty-six.” Kerr curled her lip. “Did you ever think that maybe they avoid her because you all treat her like she’s some monster?”