The silence in the abandoned room was so thick you could smell the tension from miles away. "Clone." That word still hung in the air, unnaturally heavy. Logan processed the information, staring at Elena in disbelief, trying to find any hint of which one was the original and which was the copy. But in his memories, he only saw two completely different women.
—A... clone? —Logan repeated, as if saying it out loud could somehow make it more real— So... that whole story about the adopted sister was...
—Yes, a lie... a version Paul and I made up to protect what was left of my father's reputation —Elena confessed, wiping a tear from her cheek— How would you explain to the world that your father, a man revered as a genius in robotics, crossed such a monumental line?
—Then... is this what you've been hiding all this time?
That was when Logan felt a familiar tingling run through his whole body. A soft "ding," followed by a bright blue flash that only he could see.
[You've leveled up, idiot!] —Fay's voice rang in his mind, full of her usual sarcasm, but this time with a hint of... surprise?
Logan blinked, feeling a rush of energy flood through his veins. It was a strange sensation, like chugging a hundred cups of coffee at once—or getting a shot of pure adrenaline. His mind felt sharper, and his senses started to heighten slightly.
—Does this mean... —he thought, addressing Fay— the mission wasn't a total failure?
[Reevaluation of Mission 003] [Mission 003: "Uncover the truth surrounding Elena Ginflow." Status: PARTIALLY COMPLETED (85%). Analysis: The user demonstrated progress, recovered critical information, and maintained system integrity. Partial rewards granted.]
A new icon appeared before him, showing his progress.
[Reward Adjusted!] [Experience: +750 XP] [Credits: +2,000] [Skill Upgraded: Emperor's Eye (Level 1 → Level 2)]
[LOGAN HAS LEVELED UP!] [Level 2 → Level 3] [New Attribute Points Available: +2]
[Updated Stats:]
· [HP: 120 → 140]
· [Neural Resistance: +10 (Survival Mission Bonus)]
· [Stage Presence: 60% → 65%]
· [Emperor's Eye: Level 2 (Now grants detection of clues and temporary access to another person's memories.)]
Then, without consciously commanding it, the Emperor's Eye activated. But this time it was different. The dusty warehouse began to fade. For a moment, Logan wasn't in the present anymore. He was there.
---
In an instant, he was in a playroom bathed in the afternoon sun. There was Alberto Ginflow— younger, less gray— watching his two daughters with a tender but anxious smile.
He turned his gaze, and there was Elena, around twelve, hugging a teddy bear while Clara, identical in appearance but unnaturally stiff, tried to mimic the gesture.
—Look, Clara —said Alberto, kneeling before her— If you want to hug someone, think about what you love most and do it warmly. Remember, your duty is to protect your sister.
Clara tried again, but her arms moved mechanically, straight and rigid.
Elena giggled softly.
—You're doing it weird, Clara! It looks like a judo hold!
Alberto's smile froze. His eyes clouded with a trace of disappointment as he looked at Clara.
—It's okay, sweetheart, you'll understand one day— he whispered, his hand gently brushing Elena's hair with genuine affection.
That was when Logan saw it —in Clara's eyes— something broke.
A raw, primitive emotion that shouldn't exist in any human... let alone a clone: envy.
The little girl, still expressionless, looked at her father's hand on Elena's head, then down at her own arms. For a moment, her perfect face twisted into something dark... very dark.
---
Logan gasped as he returned to the present. Elena was still beside him, waiting for some kind of response.
—So... if Clara is a clone —Logan managed to say, catching his breath— you never thought that by being artificial, that indifference between "human" and "creation"... without realizing it, made her hate you? Something like envy.
Elena visibly paled. —E... envy?
—Yeah, I think that was her first real emotion —Logan said, rubbing his eyes— Not for what your father gave her, but for what he gave you. Uranus must've detected that "crack" in her personality. That ability to feel something... so destructive.
Paul let out a thoughtful sigh. —That makes sense. Uranus didn't want someone perfect and obedient. They wanted someone with an emotional wound they could exploit.
—And my father... —Elena swallowed hard, staring at her trembling hands— never realized that by treating us differently, he gave Uranus exactly what they needed.
The weight of that revelation hit differently now. It wasn't just tragic. He wasn't an evil father, just a blind one— with a daughter who never knew her mere existence had sparked the resentment that would destroy their family years later.
[Mission Updated: Counterattack and Reveal the Full Truth] [Main Objective: Expose Project Gemini, Clara's origin, and Uranus's manipulation at the Gala.] [Adjusted Reward: 15,000 credits + "Emperor's Flow" (Level 1) + "Gemini's Legacy" (Unique Skill)]
—Then we're not just going to distract them —Logan declared, determination burning in his eyes— We're going to tell the whole story. About a father who tried to do the right thing and accidentally created a monster. About someone who was a victim of her first emotion. And about a corporation that exploited it all... Anything to add?
Fay nodded.
—It'll be extremely dangerous. Clara won't forgive you for exposing her... "flaw."
—I know —Logan said— But honestly, I'm so damn tired of this situation already.
---
The following week was a kick in the ass.
Under Fay's supervision, Logan underwent brutal training in the abandoned building.
[Training in Progress: "Infiltration Protocol"] [Skill in Practice: "Stage Presence" (65%... 72%... 85%)]
—No, not like that, idiot! Don't walk like you've got a stick up your ass —Fay scolded while Logan practiced his posture in front of a cracked, dusty mirror— Move naturally, like you actually belong in high society. And for God's sake, stop smiling like you're about to assault someone!
—I just feel like a fraud, Fay! —Logan complained, adjusting the frayed collar of the "shirt" from the suit he'd gotten during the meeting with Elena.
—Everyone feels that way —Fay replied— The difference is, you've got a damn advanced AI to help you fake it.
Elena kept her word. A few days later, she arrived with a luxury suitcase that clashed violently with the decaying surroundings. Inside was a three-piece suit, dark blue, so deep it seemed to swallow light.
—Don't screw it up —was all she said as she handed it to him, but in her eyes there was a silent plea, a final hope.
The night before the Gala, Logan couldn't sleep. He watched the suit hanging like an apparition in a haunted house. Fay's statistics floated in his mind: [Success Probability: 38%]
—Logan? —Fay's voice was unusually soft.
—Yeah, Fay?
—The odds... have improved. They're 38% now.
Logan let out a bitter laugh. —Up by 4%? That's supposed to motivate me?
—It's a 4% you earned —she shot back— With your ridiculous stubbornness and... growth. Small, but growth nonetheless.
It was probably the worst compliment Logan had ever received, yet it gave him a strange sense of calm.
—Fay, if something goes wrong tomorrow... —he began, voice heavy with a fear he could no longer hide.
—Nothing will go wrong —she interrupted— Because if you die, I'll have to train another idiot from scratch. And frankly, I don't have the patience. So... don't die.
—I won't —Logan smiled, watching the blue glow of her hologram— After all, I'll get to taste a great variety of food at that gala.
As Logan finally closed his eyes, one last notification appeared:
[Skill "Emperor's Eye Level 2" consolidated.]
The stage was set. Tomorrow, a former empanada delivery guy would infiltrate the heart of the beast— wearing an expensive suit, armed with a sarcastic AI, and carrying a truth powerful enough to shake the foundations of a city that had no idea what was coming.
---End of Chapter 12---