Love in the Time of Technology 1 Read Free Page A

with Lazer.”
    Fing knew that Lazer would do anything to go with him and get involved in risky escapades.
    Wolf relaxed. He convinced himself that his overworked brain was just imagining things.
    But just to be sure, he had not mentioned that he had talked to Roneel who had suggested a model simulation he had followed. Roneel had also pointed him to the sensitive data that he had used.
    As he walked out he saw Lazer swaggering as he was led in looking supremely confident. The term ‘survival of the fittest’ aptly applied to him. He was not remorseful that he had already caused the death of one of the teen clones.
    He was programmed to succeed and at his tender age, he was very sexually active.
    “Hi, brother heard that you’re going skiing.”
    Wolf thought that the “brother” greeting was probably one of those fads that would soon wear off and be replaced by other terms.
    “Fing arranged it.”
    “ Lucky you.”
    Lazer admired Wolf’s body because he was one of the few ‘top of the line’ clones. He suspected that Wolf resented his near perfect features. This irritated him because he felt Wolf was ungrateful.
    “Heard the latest gossip in the twilight web?” he whispered.
    Wolf pretended to be ignorant even though he had heard it too.
    “They’re sending someone here! From the Fringes! Can you believe that?”
    “It’s probably just rumors spread from here. I wouldn’t take it too seriously.”
    “You seem so sure,” Lazer probed and searched his face.
    Wolf shrugged resolving to be careful.
    “I hear the girls are very pretty there and can you believe this? They are organic! I’d give anything for an organic girl my age.” He laughed.
    As Wolf was about to walk off, Lazer whipped out his tab and said, “The Fringe girl of my dreams would look like this.” He was looking very intently at Wolf who was at great pains not to gasp or look surprised.
    The girl in the picture was the same one that Wolf dreamt about almost every night. How had he got hold of the picture? Had he hacked into his account? He knew that Lazer worked as an apprentice at the Super-Machine Complex. His highly intelligent mind would have noticed unusual things that came up in the system.
    He knew he was treading on dangerous ground but had to satisfy his curiosity anyway. “How’d you get that?”
    “ Statsline . They’re marketing the organic look.”
    Wolf relaxed. “So she’s probably one of our clones given the organic make over.”
    “I’m checking through the system.”
    Lazer looked at him with intent eyes as Wolf walked off. He couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. He’d heard rumors that he was being put into suspension to extract data.  Something about outsiders hacking into their system and Wolf being the link.

Chapter 3: Fringes: Getting Ready
    Roan was always intrigued with Mario because he looked so disarmingly young and vulnerable but was wise for his age. He knew that Mario had other information he was not sharing and did not want to pester him. He admitted that the kinds of God like knowledge that Mario had to deal with, sometimes overwhelmed him. It should have been given to a much older person to handle. But the Oracle had chosen him.
    Mario was not sure whether to tell Roan a vital piece of information. Two people at the very highest level of Genetica society were helping them. The situation was getting worse with every passing day and the Resistance had no choice but to make their move very soon.
    Although Genetica was a beacon of the latest enhancement technologies, it was rotting at the core and dying a slow and gradual death. Worse, it stifled innovation in its citizens. It needed to generate itself with new births rather than recycling new clones from old genes. In desperation they had begun going out to the Fringes to kidnap girls for organic baby farms. They had also experimented with human guinea pigs from the Fringes for protein supplements. The vast majority of Genetica inhabitants were