Mari

The man smiled and tossed me my new changer. The was a small cha-ching sound in my head and my virtual interface blinked, showing my money balance roll down as the merchant withdrew 450 coins from my account. The 0 left behind wasn’t very encouraging.

The merchant faded out, most likely having filled his quota. He threw me one last satisfied cat-like smirk. I wanted to curse him, but I didn’t have much time. I held my hand up to see the changer sitting on it--but on my palm, I felt nothing but air.

I heard a commotion a few stalls over where the android soldiers were randomly scanning market patrons.

Without another moment’s time to spare, I lifted the changer to my face. With a flash, it detected me and shot forward from my palm. A blue light glinted behind my eyes as the interface molded to my face, mapping out my features.

A message bar jumped up on my eye-screen.

Welcome to the Face-Changer Menu. Become whoever you want, with virtual face-changing technology!

The words floated away and a new menu appeared overlayed across the actioned packed movie trailer still playing on a loop in front of me. New text materialized.

CURRENT FACE TYPE: MARILYN.

After a moment the letters then faded away. Another set of words appeared.

Who would you like to become? Select from our menu or think up one of your own!

These words remained and I tried to think of any other face, but my mind was blank. I directed my eyes to the pre-loaded options and waited as a hovering loading bulb flashed.

Come on, come on, come on! I chanted in my head as I heard the droids moving through the market.  They were close now.  I had to get out of there, and my best shot was hiding in plain sight.

Finally, a set of faces appeared. Behind the floating faces of different celebrities and well-known people, I could see the flash of metallic droids and the loud orders a man was calling out to them. He sounded so close. Too close.

I quickly selected one of the top few and I warmth across my face as the changer reflected a different image. Anyone who had a bit of V-World technology wouldn't even realize I wore a different face unless they looked really closely.

I was hoping they wouldn't.

Welcome, Zara.

Well, that will have to do. Not as incognito as I had hoped, but better than what science gave me.

I let out a sigh of relief and spun around. My eyes darted back and forth as I started to map out my escape. If I went around the backside of the market I could get to the loading area. There would be carrier crafts going in and out of New Atlantis there. If I was careful, I could get myself a free ticket out of here.

But before I could get far I heard metallic boots hitting the ground and spun my head around to look at them.

And met the eyes of a clone. An Angie. I froze as her large blue-green eyes widened. Her full lips parted in shock, her eyes looking from me to the people around her.

No eyechip flashed in her iris.

"Shit," I cursed under my breath, getting ready for her to call me out. There was no doubt that she knew. I could see the recognition clicking into place as she slowly looked from me, and back to the droids swarming the market. I held my breath. Any minute now she would give me away.

But then her gaze flickered back to me, then moved to a distant point over my shoulder. Then she walked forward like she hadn't seen me at all. I stood frozen, not sure if I could believe it.

She wasn’t going to give me away.

Just as the Angie walked past me--where I was still standing stupidly--she lowered her voice and whispered, “Live. Stay alive. It is the only way you can rebel against them now.”

And then she was gone.

I exhaled slowly, and set my gaze on the crowded streets. I saw the flash of an android as I pushed forward in a panic.

My path veered to narrowly avoid a huge hulking man that had gone a bit overboard with his muscle implants. I nearly slammed into the Jeweler from before, the woman’s eyes flickering irritated up to my face, then passing over it without a second glance. Since I now wore the face of Zara Quinn, a popular heiress, and singer, she probably figured I was a clone out running one of her owner's errands.

I closed my eyes and tried to steady myself. If I kept walking around like I was hiding something, I would only stand out more. I needed to get it together…

A voice called after me.

Shit. I spun around my eyes seeking out the quickest way to duck out of sight…

“You there, in the hood. Turn around.”

It was a human voice. I held still. Running would only make me look guilty. If a human just glanced at my face, they would see nothing amiss. As long as they didn’t scan me, I was fine.

Slowly I turned, keeping my head high so that whoever it was didn’t think I was hiding anything. I plastered a confused smile on my face.

“Sorry, how can I help…”

I trailed off, any hope I had that I could talk my way out of this evaporating into thin air.

I might have had better luck fooling a droid. Because the man who had found me wouldn’t be fooled by a face changer.

The man standing in front of me was Ky Edden.

And Ky Edden was blind.