An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
“Brandy, did you know your grandmother used a sample of your
DNA to have a clone grown?” Mackenzie asked.
“Yes, Grandma explained that to me when I was a little girl.
I always envisioned the clone existing inside a giant fluid-filled tank, hooked
up to air hoses and tubes – an unconscious, nonsentient biological organism.
Grandma likened it to a plant that lives and grows, yet is unaware of the world
around it. She told me how plants exist to provide us with their fruit, and
clones exist to provide us with their organs. The way she explained it, it made
perfect sense.” Brandy buried her head in her hands. “It’s not like that,
though. I saw the clones. They’re not plants; they’re people. They are sentient, like us. They breathe,
they think, they feel… they suffer.”
“Your clone escaped from the institute,” Mackenzie said.
“The police thought you were her and that’s why they took you to the Simulacrum
Institute. I met your clone. Her name’s Gemma. She looks just like you. We
became friends, and I don’t want her to be captured and taken back to that
place, because if she is, they’ll cut out her organs and she’ll die.”
“You’ve met my clone? I’ve never thought of her as a person;
merely as a thing. Does she have any personality?”
Mackenzie laughed. “More than most people. She’s a smart-ass
who’s addicted to holo-vids, although her latest addiction seems to be clothes
shopping. I’m afraid she’s been using your credit to make a fashion statement.
Of course, when I met her, the only clothing she had was the same nightgown
you’re wearing.”
Brandy looked down at the thin garment. “This was all she
wore for fifteen years?” A tear ran down her face. “She can’t go back there. No
one should have to live like that, in that horrible place.”
Time is running out… fortunately, Mackenzie Mortimer has a few more minutes than anyone else!
No comments:
Post a Comment