Father’s gaze travelled over me, revealing nothing. His eyes looked a little tired, but other than that, nothing seemed particularly amiss. At least until he spoke. ‘Irma,’ was all he said, but that one word conveyed more than a thousand words could together.

I took a deep breath. ‘Can we come in?’

‘I’d rather he didn’t,’ father said, without even glancing at Elias.

‘Please…dad.’ I think my rare usage of the word “dad,” more than anything, convinced him. He stepped aside without another word.

The suite was, as expected, massive and luxurious, consisting of a spacious living area, adorned with art sculptures, paintings, imported cacti, and a grand piano. The walls and floors were impeccably white, adorned with the same fluorescent strings of light, and, unsurprisingly, sparkling clean. The furthermost wall of the suite consisted of pure glass—allowing us the full view of the city and the sea beyond. It was as breath-taking as it was electrifying. I could tell Elias wanted a closer look, though he didn’t move a muscle just at present.

A small kitchen in black glistening marble branched off to the right of the suite, and two automatic doors led into what I assumed were our bedrooms, each allocated a private bathroom. It was the height of luxury. For the first time in my life, I almost felt ashamed over it.

‘You have some explaining to do,’ father said, voice devoid of emotion. He sank back into an armchair, regarding me coldly while a swirling tide of emotions ravaged my mind. Embarrassment. Regret. Shame. Disappointment.

Defiance.

I desperately wanted to tell him a pretty lie, but knew it would do me no good. I decided to stick as close to the truth as possible, feeding him the same edition I’d narrated to Nathaniel. It was honest but…didn’t reveal all the story. Which was just as well. Father’s expression didn’t change at all while I recounted what happened, and he still refused to acknowledge Elias, even after I emphasised how much he had helped me.

He wasn’t speaking yet, so I pushed my case. ‘I thought we could…reward him or something. For helping me.’ It was the first thing to get a reaction out of him. Father stiffened in his chair, one immaculate eyebrow going up. He shifted his gaze toward Elias, looking at him for the first time. His face now clearly revealed displeasure, even disgust, though his words were civil enough.

‘Nathaniel didn’t inform me until late in the evening that you had left the premises,’ father said, eyes back on me, unnervingly studious. ‘I wasn’t very pleased with him but…that’s about what you can expect from your brother.’ I didn’t like it when father talked about Nathaniel like that, but to be honest, I was in way more trouble now than he was. ‘As soon as I knew, I contacted security. They dispatched several drones, but none of them were able to locate you.’

‘Like I said, Elias brought me back—’

‘I heard what you said,’ father interrupted. ‘But if you had kept to the safe zones of the city, you would have been located and brought back within minutes. Letting yourself get dragged away by a stranger was very poor judgement, Irma. I never expected anything like it from you.’ I swallowed, too chastened to say anything in my defence. ‘So,’ he continued, ‘how much do we owe this…creature?’ I was horrified to discover that he was addressing Elias directly, instead of me. Elias’ reaction must have been similar to mine, because he stared, dumbfounded by this turn of events, giving no answer. Father’s eyes flicked back to me. ‘You’re the one promising him a reward,’ he went on, pressing the issue. ‘How much do you think he deserves?’

‘I—don’t know,’ I stammered. ‘Some money. He’s poor….’

Father’s emerald eyes darkened cynically. ‘Some money?’ He shook his head, making me feel unutterably childish. ‘Offer the poor some money…and they never know when to stop asking for it. This mistake will cost you. You’ll have this tagalong for the rest of your life, constantly begging for your sponsorship.’

‘That’s not true.’

I froze, too lost in my own bitter shame to pay any attention to Elias. It was he who had spoken. I turned toward him, all of my face and stance screaming “please don’t talk anymore.” But the fool didn’t listen.

‘Could I use some money to better my situation? Hell yes.’ His voice sharpened. ‘But I’ll take the money once, and only once, and will never ask for it again.’

I stared at Elias. His expression was haughty, his eyes wide and radiating sincerity. He was a whole lot braver than me, facing down my dad in a tower far away from his home, full of rich people, fully capable of making him disappear from the face of the earth without leaving the faintest trace behind. Father was staring at Elias too, his face revealing nothing but that same tinge of disapproval. ‘What do you need money for?’ he finally asked.

Elias turned to me. ‘You know that hole…?’ I nodded eagerly. ‘Something to cover it up,’ he elaborated. ‘Maybe a shower, too.’

I appealed to father again. ‘That isn’t so unreasonable, is it?’

He didn’t say anything, but I could tell he was assessing the situation. At last, he sighed and got up, signalling that it was time for Elias to leave. I got up as well, accompanying him to the door without another word. Feeling defeated, I walked away from father, ushering Elias outside.

‘Irma.’

I turned around.

Father’s expression was unreadable. ‘I’ll transfer some money to your account. Fixing this…door for him, however, is your responsibility. He can have a shower down in the tunnels. There are some bathrooms there for the construction workers. I’ll give him clearance.’ He turned around, heading for the kitchen, so his next words were spoken over his shoulder. ‘I’ll have a message sent to SMART technologies. Head into their reception. They’ll have a new device ready for you.’

I was stunned to the core. I managed to stammer a thank you along with Elias, before the door sealed shut behind us. We stood shock-still for a moment, staring at each other. Then Elias whipped out a truly breath-taking grin. I realised I’d been goofily smiling back at him, and glanced away, still feeling my lips tug at the corners.

I remembered I was still dressed like a homeless person. ‘I have to take a quick shower and change clothes,’ I said, glancing at a couple of couches by a window. ‘Think you can wait out here?’ I asked, not wanting to provoke my father more than necessary.

He nodded, sauntering over to sit on the couch and waving me away.

I tiptoed back into the suite. Father was occupied in the kitchen, paying me no attention. I slipped into an empty bedroom and into its bathroom. Midnight blue marble, similar to the kitchen, welcomed me, and I took a long look at myself in the mirror, cringing at my unruly state. My skin looked raw, my eyes were tinged pink, and my hair was a snarl of jumbled curls. I quickly undressed and stepped into the pressure shower, tucking my head back into an enclosed compartment that immediately began to auto wash my hair with a selection of the finest shampoos and conditioner. Steamed water poured at me from all angles. Two robotic arms attached to sponges protruded from the wall, lathering me up in soap, scrubbing me clean. All I had to do was remain still.

I relaxed into the steamy heat of the pouring water, my mind reflecting over the course of the previous day. I thought about my brief bonding with Gina and Kim. I wondered where they were, what they were doing. Gina flipping her hair like a sheet of gold over her shoulder, the looks of admiration on the guys’ faces. There was something…capable about Gina, like she knew what she was doing and how to worm her way out of difficult situations. She was smart, charming, sure of herself. I didn’t doubt that the girls were equipped to deal with the scenario they had walked into. Wherever they were, they would be okay. Besides, I had more immediate concerns to attend to…like Elias, who was waiting alone outside the suite while I savoured one of the countless showers I’d get to enjoy in my lifetime. I spent a moment grumbling over what to do about him, but the heat of the shower melted away the tinge of anxiety that usually laced my thoughts. I was left with a clear indication of what to do. I let the remainder of the shower consume me, thoughts mingling with the dirt going down the drain.

Once I was clean, hot air blew out from the walls of the cabinet, drying me in a matter of minutes. A laser beam then passed over my body, prompting me to select which body parts to undergo hair removal. I chose my legs and arms, and winced just a little at the pain. A soothing balm was massaged into my skin, and then the cabinet doors opened. I glanced into the mirror, smiling at my reflection. In fifteen minutes or so I had become a new person.

I walked back out into the bedroom, noting that somebody had deposited my suitcase there. I tapped in the code on a screen by the lock and the suitcase opened, expanding and layering itself like a closet. I reached for a fresh pair of black slacks and a silk blouse. I stood in front of the mirror for a second, pondering whether to do anything else about my appearance. I opted for a quick brush of my hair (taming it was close to impossible), but no make-up.

With that, I straightened my clothes and headed back into the hall. Elias sat slouched over the couch, his knees spread, eyes unseeing. He looked up at my approach, not bothering to hide his smile. ‘Is that your fallback outfit?’

I pursed my lips, thinking that, for a fallback outfit, he seemed to enjoy it. ‘Pretty much.’

‘You still look pretty, you know,’ he offered, smile turning sly. ‘Despite your best efforts to dissuade any temptation.’

‘I always dress like this,’ I pointed out, a little too forcefully.

He only grinned in answer.

We retreated our steps back into the elevator and hurtled down to the main floor of the mall. I was suddenly at a loss on how to proceed.

‘I guess we head over to SMART technologies,’ I volunteered. ‘I can’t make any payments without my device.’

He nodded, looking like he could fly off into the sky on a cloud. His happiness was contagious. ‘So that was your dad, huh?’ he asked, voice light and conversational as we made our way across the gleaming floors.

‘Yeah,’ I replied, a little breathlessly, still shaken that we’d gotten off the hook that easily.

‘Scary,’ he mused.

‘That’s a great summary of his character.’

‘And he’s some big boss, right?’ he asked, looking at me seriously. ‘Just like I guessed.’

There really was no point in denying it now. ‘Yes.’

‘CEO?’

‘No. He’s the President.’

‘Of the company?’ he asked, confused. I nodded. ‘Is that above or below the CEO?’

‘Below.’

‘So who’s the CEO?’

‘Nobody really knows him—he never shows his face, and his name is rarely shared. My father is in many ways the face of the business.’

‘Don’t lie to me Irma,’ Elias went on, a glint in his eye. ‘I know who the CEO of the business is.’ I frowned, wondering what he was getting at. ‘It’s you—isn’t it?’

I bit back a burst of laughter. ‘I wish.’

His eyebrows flew up. ‘You wish? That’s some serious ambition.’

I shrugged. ‘I’d like to be a boss someday.’

‘I bet you do,’ he said, voice wry. Then he turned contemplative. ‘What is your position at the company?’

‘I’m team leader in research and development.’

‘Oh.’ Elias picked up on my expression. ‘Oh.’ I sighed. ‘Puts you in a precarious position, doesn’t it?’ It was kind of amazing how he’d figured that out so quickly, when no one else had.

‘Maybe,’ I said evasively, not wanting to say any more on the subject. We’d reached SMART technologies anyway, and were entering the shop.

SMART technologies was a massive business, handling everything from our pocket devices to our televisions; anything involving a screen. They had an entire factory for themselves in one of the adjoining buildings, open even for commercial purposes and tours, but the shop was intended for those who wanted a quick purchase. I walked up to the reception area, resting my folded hands on the counter. The receptionist beamed at me, her smile only faltering when she noticed who was accompanying me. She recovered swiftly, shifting her gaze back to me. ‘How can I be of assistance, madam?’

‘I think an order has been sent here. By Mr. Zimmermann.’

The receptionist asked for my personal number, clicking away on her glass screen. She asked me to sign a digital document, clicked away some more, and in a matter of minutes produced a slender, silver box.

‘I’ve transferred your cloud files from your previous device to this one, so everything should be as you remember it. All you have to do is register voice activation, retina scan, and your fingerprint, and then it’ll be ready for use.’

I thanked her, walking up to a neighbouring booth. I slid off the lid to the box, producing the slim, round-edged, polished piece of glass that constituted the device, adorned with the silver details that artfully hid the technological parts on the inside, along with the company logo in silver letters.

This was the latest model in the most expensive series, one model newer than my previous device, and Elias gasped in awe at the sight of it. It truly was a technological masterpiece. I activated it right away, following all the steps the receptionist had outlined, and soon it was up and running.

‘Hmm…now we buy a…door of some kind, I guess. Not sure where to do that,’ I admitted. ‘Let me search.’

‘Oh come on,’ Elias said, a peculiar expression spreading over his features. ‘We’re inside a massive, connected indoor city. Don’t you want to explore it?’

‘But I thought—’

‘We can get that stuff later. Maybe we’ll find a store that makes doors while we explore.’

‘We?’ I repeated, dumbfounded. When had my world turned upside down?

‘Yes. We.’ He flashed me a playful smile. ‘Your dad might be financing my…reward. But the way I see it…you still owe me.’ He finished with a wink.

I shook my head at him, unable to hide my smile. ‘What was that talk about not being greedy?’

‘I’m not greedy for money, Irma,’ he pointed out, eyes shimmering with mischief. ‘I’m greedy for your company.’ I stifled another laugh, not sure whether to embrace the sudden familiarity between us. The uneasiness had been easier to handle. ‘Of course,’ he went on, heedless of my internal battle, ‘you’re worth a lot of money. You might start charging me a minute.’

I snorted. ‘If that were the case, my dues would’ve already been paid by now.’

‘Maybe.’ That tantalising smile of his seemed glued to his face. I regarded him for a moment, finding our easy conversation a little odd. Besides Nathaniel, whom I rarely got to see anyway, I’d never made much in the way of friends. Except for that little adventure with Gina and Kim, this was the first time I’d actually spent an extended amount of time with another person. I wondered if that made him my friend…and immediately dismissed the idea. I couldn’t be friends with a commoner…. What would everyone think? What would father think? No. I would help Elias back for helping me—like he said, I owed him. But after that, I would have to cut all contact. He would return to his life on the streets, a little more well off than before, and I would return to mine. That’s how things had to be.

Still, I felt a surge of excitement in my chest as we made our way into the corridor that would take us to the adjoining building: the production facility for SMART technologies. The hallways were lined with display windows showcasing the latest in the industry, everything from interactive holograms to millimetre-thin glass displays, elegant-looking smart glasses as powerful as our devices, smart watches, smart rings, smart earpieces. Everything you could possibly imagine, but capable of the most complex, information-rendering technologies. It was the height of modernism: making our lives so much easier than they had ever been before, one invention at a time.

After the long glassed hallway, we entered the actual facility, though it was lined with glass walls to keep guests from entering the production area. Big and small robots alike were manufacturing these technological wonders, working away mechanically while human employees tended to the overseeing of operations, ensuring that everything worked in order, ticking things off on their digital displays, surveying the quality of the produce. It was time-effective and professional. Even I was impressed with the management at SMART technologies. Elias and I walked along slowly, me watching amusedly as he gazed around, gasping in awe over and over again.

And it was only the beginning of it. We continued into the next corridor, which would take us right into Surveillance Security, a partially state-driven company. This organisation supplied us with our surveillance equipment, including ordinary and nano-sized cameras, drones, police uniforms, standard-issue weapons along with the high-tech stuff, none of which was available to the general public. Not to mention the mass-destructive weapons that only the military could access.

I realised I was probably breaking some security protocol in bringing Elias here, but nobody dared to oppose Zimmermann’s escalating daughter, especially when she bore the company insignia on the breast of her blouse. They all figured I had some purpose in bringing him here—probably to conduct some unethical tests in relation to the development of androids. The general public didn’t know any better—they had no reason to question me.

Father wasn’t going to be happy about it once he found out, so I tried to keep a low profile. I didn’t need to relay the warning to Elias; he never uttered a word as we progressed through the different interconnected buildings of Uptown. He did shudder as we passed by the last section of the display windows; featuring the development of insect-like surveillance equipment. One of these looked exactly like a little spider, allowing it to record not only video but sound, and it could scan through walls too. In the wrong hands, such a device could be used for terrible deeds. I echoed Elias’ apprehension, hoping that Surveillance Security had good safety measures established to prevent robbery—but looking around the place, I didn’t at all doubt it. They worked with security—of course they were prepared for the worst.

We moved on. The next building I knew well, since I’d been here a couple of times before. It was the largest one we’d been in so far, it being one of the latest additions to Delta Metropolis. Ultramodern and spacious, high-roofed and angular, the Headquarters of Cognitive Industries was shaped like an enormous glass pyramid. With the construction of this modern wonder, Cognitive Industries had really kickstarted their company, announcing their influence on the world.

What had begun as an idea in my hometown, developed between two forward-thinking techies, had now grown to become of the most lucrative businesses in modern time. Like I’d told Elias earlier, not that many androids currently existed on the market. They were extremely expensive, and there was also a bit of uncertainty involved in introducing this type of artificial intelligence into our world. Some people weren’t ready for it, others didn’t fully understand the consequences. Whatever the case, our company was working on many ways to increase the availability of androids, while fighting the laws established by the government to control the level of influence we had, especially regarding employment.

The situation and the overarching political climate was a little charged, like everyone was holding their breath in suspense, waiting for something to happen. A lot of this course of action depended on my father, his team and, well…on me. So far I had aimed for perfect balance when it came to the design of the androids; I wanted a creation that was recognisable, likable, not to be feared or distrusted…but at the same time, I wanted to establish a clear, unforgiving distinction between android and human. Sadly, a lot of the other team leaders in my department disagreed, wanting to blur the lines between what was human and android, their arguments similar to Elias’. They didn’t want there to be a distinction at all; instead, they constantly strived after making our androids not just as human-looking as possible, but human-seeming. The perfect imitation.

And that’s the idea that presented itself before us now: the perfect imitation in the flesh, so to speak. The display windows had been divided into cubicles, each showcasing a different model of android. They even had a timeline on display, showing us the development of the androids from their first prototype to the best one on the market, as well as idealistic prototypes for the nearest future. These latter ones were—thus far—only good enough for what they were doing now: smiling, waving, making small talk with human visitors.

While Elias’ fascination drew him closer to the windows, engaging with the androids, I turned toward the other end where construction was in full motion. I watched silently as my ideas, my plans and calculations, came into motion. I recognised one of the engineers beyond the glass. He waved when he saw me looking at him. I waved back a little sadly.

I turned back toward Elias, to ask him if he was ready to move on, but I caught him in the act of raising his hand, pressing his palm to the glass. The android on the other side, a slim female with short-cropped black hair, mirrored his movement, pressing her hand to his. They remained locked like that for a moment, both gazing into each other’s eyes, and I wondered what Elias saw there. I saw all of the hard work and calculations behind her creation; the rejected ideas, the careful balance I constantly strived for. It was looking at something I’d moulded with my bare hands, but for Elias…the experience was entirely different. This android wasn’t a machine to him, it wasn’t a product, not a program. I could see it in his eyes—he thought of her as a person.

It irked me, but I couldn’t find the will to interrupt their moment, privately hoping that the inventors of the company didn’t share Elias’ ideology. He turned to face me, his expression contemplative, filled with wonder. ‘How can anyone doubt the future these will provide for us?’

I grabbed his arm, leading him away from the androids into the next hall. I think the shock of me initiating physical contact with him was the only reason he allowed me to drag him away from Cognitive Industries. I could tell one of his suggestive smiles was just around the corner.

‘Come with me,’ I urged. ‘I’ll show you why the future isn’t as promising as you think.’