Nanopanels replicated the sky. Surreal radiance. Photosynthetic pigments. Solar and lunar cells illuminated the broad streets. Holofaçades. Marked territories.
To the left, Solterra. Blue. Green. Silver.
To the right, Vermina. Red. Pink. Gold.
In the center, Tentro. At the heart of the place, modern nanocars filled the streets and elevated airways. Specialized shops: structural, subcutaneous, and external nanoimplants.
We passed pedestrians. Eyes changing color. Holohair flowing like liquid. Metamorphic body parts. Chromatic prosthetics reflected luxurious adware. Multicolored holoflowers in theatrical shop windows.
Civilians, mercenaries, merchants, and androids walked carefree. Even those with contracts out on them. Bounties ran into the thousands of bireais.
"Impressive," I murmured, hypnotized.
Shop windows displayed wild animals. Nanoprosthetics augmented them beyond their natural limits. Other shops… My eyes widened. An android stripper boutique? My jaw dropped. I stepped back, embarrassed.
Humans. Androids. Intertwined bodies. Electric touches. Technohuman sighs.
I… knew nothing about the world.
We crossed the avenue. Food stalls. Flavors from different countries. Sweet-and-sour aromas. Spicy. Confusing my senses. We reached the stone of old São Paulo. A landmark. Surrounded by shops. Hotels. A cacophony of voices. Advertisements. Music.
"We need to see someone," Kiara whispered.
We headed toward an establishment. A violet façade.
Dream Oasis.
Soft mist. Shimmering beneath neon lights. A hazy interior. Scattered beanbags and sofas. Welcoming. Dreamy. Uninhibited people. Some naked, drinking and taking drugs. Exhaling shimmering vapors. Tiny floating stars. The sweet, cloying smell clung to the skin.
We walked down a narrow corridor. Explicit paintings. Vibrant orgies on the walls. The images lit up. Captured the eye.
Kiara opened the door without knocking.
A room filled with shelves crammed with assorted, mystical items. At the center, a desk. Seated behind it, a cyborg.
Gill.
Blond hair. A messy bun. An open shirt. Exposed chest. Pink striped trousers. Lilac pixelated glasses flashing intermittent patterns.
Fingers against his lips. He assessed us. A theatrical air. "Kiara."
We sat comfortably.
Kiara displayed the holopass. "Hey, man. I'm gonna need some Sentinil. She's meeting the Matriarch or the Patriarch for the first time. I also need information on the thirteen-million contract."
He let out a long sigh. "The famous contract. Of course. Let's start with the Sentinil. I have exactly what she needs." He opened a drawer. A small vial. Greenish liquid. Handed it to Kiara. "One drop under the tongue is enough."
"And the contract?" she pressed.
"I imagine you might be here to bring the Aurums in sooner?" He raised an eyebrow.
Kiara's expression remained firm.
"Here to terminate it?"
She nodded.
"The condition for termination is simple: kill the person who commissioned it."
Kill the person who commissioned it. The words struck me. A hard blow. The air grew heavy, as though all the oxygen had vanished. My stomach churned. My vision blurred for an instant.
Was that what terminating a contract meant? Taking a life? What did that make me? Agony grew in my heart.
"Who would that be?" Kiara asked casually.
Gill chuckled. "Think they'd reveal that? If you want details, talk to one of them. The Matriarch has an opening in the next few days. Want me to schedule it?"
Kiara nodded.
Gill picked up a pen. A thick notebook. Meticulous handwriting. "Great. Five thirty p.m. You're booked."
"Cool." Kiara stood and put away the vial. "Cheers."
Gill watched us in silence.
We walked out.
"We'll have to stay here until then." Kiara looked around. "We'll walk around so you can get familiar with the place. Can be later. I'll book a room."
I smiled. Felt a little more at ease. I would have to get used to this place. An alternate universe.
Kiara seemed so comfortable, as though every detail made sense to her, even as she carefully checked the surroundings.
I wanted to trust her, but the more this world revealed itself, the more lost I felt.
She returned my smile. A rare moment of softness. "Booked. You might wanna rest."
I nodded enthusiastically. Exhaustion was catching up with me.
We reached the lobby.
Verdant Suites.
Modern. Clean. Beige walls. Porcelain tile flooring. Reflecting our silhouettes. Real green plants hung from the ceiling and filled meticulously arranged pots, lending the place a welcoming feel. Surprisingly elegant. Something that could belong in Zenith.
A Living Intelligence (LI) assisted us. "Kiara, good to see you." A cordial voice. "Your room on the twenty-fifth floor is ready."
A spacious room. A large living area. Comfortable sofas. An immaculate double bed. A virtual reality connector built into the wall. A gleaming whirlpool bathtub.
"You can take the mask off," Kiara instructed.
I removed it and inhaled deeply. The fragrance of fresh plants. Vanilla. Cookies in the kitchenette. Invigorating, as though the air had been purified of all tension.
Kiara took off her coat. More relaxed, but still distant. "Make yourself comfortable. I'm gonna run some analyses."
Her arms revealed intricate tattoos. Lines moving beneath the light. Stories of distant galaxies. Beautiful. Enigmatic. Like her.
My hands itched to ask. What did those star charts mean? It seemed an inappropriate moment. Kiara seemed unwilling to share anything about herself.
I took the opportunity to throw myself onto the soft bed, sinking into its comfort. That was when I noticed something unpleasant. A sour odor. I sniffed my armpit. "I'm going to take a bath." I chuckled at myself.
As the tub filled, my skin itched. The smell of dust, blood, and fear clung to my clothes. Clung to me.
I looked for the expresswasher. I needed to deal with the filthy clothes. The uniform and Maia's items covered in dust.
I carefully took everything out. The watch. The compass. The cellphone.
Saymon. How did he know about them? Why did he want them?
But more importantly: why had Maia left them with me?
Every question, a tight knot.
After watering the plant on the vanity with the remaining uterine blood, I stepped into the tub and sighed. Hot water enveloped me, and for a moment, I thought it could wash everything away.
"Ahh, that feels so good." I closed my eyes. Tried to relax, but flashes invaded me.
The horrors of Nobody's Land. Saymon's predatory aura. My concern for Alícia.
It ate away at me. I needed to know.
CogniSynth should already be working. If it reached memories from twenty solar cycles ago, we could reverse half the Alzheimer's. Takashi and Liana would know what to do. Or at least, I hoped so. Kiara said contacting him was not an option. She feared tracking. Our location exposed.
"It'll work," I murmured. Trying to convince myself. "Ah, this is so agonizing." I wet my face. "How did Kiara install that nanoencryption in Takashi? The possibility of androids with that programming. Argh. I know less and less."
Memories of Nobody's Land returned. Terrible nausea. The children, the brutal execution, Cron and Kiara. Just another day for them. For me, it clashed with anything normal. Impossible to accept as ordinary. Every life cut short with indifference. Pure murder. Coldly carried out.
I tried to save lives. They took them as though they were nothing.
My head throbbed. So many emotions. I was definitely unprepared for the unpredictability of this journey.
"Was this your universe, Maia?" I whispered into the emptiness.
Perhaps it was only a fragment. A tiny part of her immensity.
But now I needed to push those memories away. It was not the right moment. To confront them. To talk to Kiara.
I closed my eyes. Sought something good to hold on to.
Maia.
Inevitably, I felt the memories of her.