Previously: Theo had come to recruit Jin to work at Omni, the powerful biotech group based in the Plain with questionable methods. Jin refused to help Omni’s leaders in their quest for immortality.

Theo exited the clinic, his slightly tinted glasses masking his scrutinizing eyes. Far from there, Victor, his humanoid assistant, had followed the entire conversation through connected glasses that recorded every word, every micro-expression.
While walking toward his car, Theo initiated a neural-chip conversation with Victor.
“I think you covered the key points, boss”, Victor said, trying to sound optimistic.
- That’s not the issue”, Theo replied angrily. “The Board won’t be happy. And next time, no remote jokes during such a critical conversation.
- What joke?
- The one about the communists, when Jin asked if it was so crazy that the locals wanted their share.
- Oh, sorry boss.”
Theo approached his car. No need for a key or to touch the handle: his brain chip sent the unlock command. He removed his jacket with a weary motion and tossed it onto the back seat. Once seated, another brain command started the engine, and the autonomous vehicle headed toward his hotel.
As the car glided silently along the road, Theo said: “Show me again the moment when Jin says he hasn’t worked on consciousness transfer in a long time.”
Victor projected the video onto the transparent windshield. Amid the driving data, the scene replayed:
- Yes, but it goes back quite a while” Jin said when Theo asked him if he had ever worked on transferring consciousness into an android.
- Do you think he’s telling the truth? Theo asked.
- He seems sincere. I saw you watching him closely, trying to read everything, but I didn’t detect anything strange. Do you think he’s lying?
- I don’t know. It used to be his thing, but nothing ever came out of it. Thinking about it now, I find it strange that someone of his caliber hasn’t tried anything, especially after his family was deported. By the way, why didn’t you have that info?
- I checked just after Jin mentioned it. Found nothing. Not surprising: back then, the administration was terrified of leaving any trace. No due process.
- Yeah, good point. Show me the handshake at the end.
- Right away. I actually noticed you were looking at his neck.
- Yeah. Do you see anything?
- Nothing. Same with the walls you scanned. But on the floor, there was a weird zone.
- Weird how?
- There should’ve been concrete, but it felt hollow, like for an extra room.
- Hmm, maybe a basement accessible from another room.
The video faded as Theo continued over an endless bridge, suspended high above the water. He looked down at the sea stretching as far as the eye could see, deep in thought.
- Hard to believe millions of people used to live down there.
- In a way, we were lucky, Victor replied.
- Explain.
- If the polar ice had melted all at once, the Gulf Stream would’ve stopped immediately. Everything would’ve frozen. We’d never have had time to build all this. A few well-prepared billionaires might’ve survived, but stranded, alone, with no idea what to do.
Theo kept staring at the water that had swallowed the old world.
- Did the Board ask you for a report?
- No, you know they don’t talk to me. You think they’ll assign this to Alfonso?
- Most likely. He’s a brute, not the right person to convince someone like Jin.
- You think they’ll use force?
- Without a doubt. Given what they’ve done before.” Theo sighed. “Alright, enough work talk. I’m starving.”
- There should be a dose in the glovebox.
- Perfect.
Theo took a small metal case from the glove compartment. With precise gestures, he rolled up the left sleeve of his shirt and tapped twice on his forearm. A small hatch opened, revealing an empty compartment and the complex internal mechanisms of his bionic arm. He inserted the case, tapped twice again. The hatch closed with a soft pneumatic hiss, and Theo exhaled in relief.
His vehicle arrived at the hotel and entered an elevator that took him directly to the eighth floor. As he stepped out of the car, Theo received an augmented reality notification. The sender flashed in red: Nathan Jackson, Board of Directors: Can we talk?
Theo closed his eyes. The day was far from over.

Next: meet Omni’s Board of Directors as they hold Theo accountable.
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