Replacements

"[Sabel] We live in a world that our forefathers would have struggled to comprehend. Disease and poverty are all but eradicated. We’ve built our own versions of people: Synthetics. They’ve become our cleaners. Our builders. Our caretakers. For those who can afford them, they can fulfill almost any need.



When the Synthetics were first created, people asked, “Can you really replace a human with something that just looks like one?” Most of us were happy to answer, “Yes.”

"

"[Artimus] It was raining again. I walked the drenched city streets alone as I did every night, searching for something to fill the void inside of me, this emptiness of the soul that I couldn’t explain and that I could never seem to fill. It kept me restless, on edge. At times it seemed to be the only thing driving my existence.



Even at this late hour, the city was still churning with people and machines and the sounds of their industry. On the sidewalk, the neon glow of pulsating billboards and street lights glimmered on the concrete. Up ahead a shuttle sat idling, a long line of figures slowly shuffling aboard. Through grime-coated windows I could see passengers already seated inside, staring out vacuously into the night.



Among those in line, I saw a young woman standing silently with her face tilted away from me. The tattoo on her temple, the letter ‘M’ inside a crescent, marked her as a Synthetic, the product of a leading technology corporation. But that wasn’t what drew my attention. Something about her posture, the curve of her cheek, and the way her hair hung about her face made me stop in my tracks. She looked so vulnerable, so lonely, standing there amongst those shrouded figures in the falling rain.



The incessant hustle and buzz of the city seemed to ebb away, and suddenly, everything was silent, still, like I’d stepped into my own reality. In this moment, the Synthetic was all I could see.



The line edged forward, and the moment was gone. The Synthetic turned her back as she prepared to enter the shuttle, and others shuffled across to obscure my view. I started moving my feet again, and trying to wipe some of the rain out of my eyes. I glanced back over my shoulder once, but the Synthetic had already boarded the shuttle and was nowhere to be seen. "

"[Artimus] The next day a detective called Roegner was out on the street looking for someone. I’d seen him around plenty of times before. He knew a few too many things about my past and this wasn’t the first time he’d approached me. When he showed me the photo of his target, I recognised her immediately as the Synthetic from the shuttle. But I hesitated. As far as I was concerned, the world would be a better place without Synthetics. They put a lot of hard-working people out of a job, and I felt nothing but disdain for those who had come to rely on them, and I had certainly never lied to protect one. But seeing her face suddenly took me back to the night before, when I’d stood in the rain, speechless.

“No, I haven’t seen her.”

[Roegner] “You sure?”

[Artimus] “Yeh. What’s she wanted for?”

[Roegner] “Listen, my partner’s dead and I haven’t slept in three days. If I find out you’re lying, it’s not going to be good for you.”

[Artimus] “Sorry, can’t help you.”

[Roegner] “All I have to do is snap my fingers, Artimus, and you’re back inside. I’ll make sure of it!”

[Artimus] “Bye, Detective!” "

"[Artimus] That night I found the Synthetic standing in the shadows at the back of the line for the shuttle. She was wearing a hood pulled down over her face, making her more difficult to spot. Roegner was over by the shuttle, talking to someone about to board. He hadn’t seen her yet. As I approached, she glanced up at me.

“Hey. You need to get out of here.”

Her dark eyes locked onto me with a flat stare, typical of a Synthetic.

[Sabel] “I’m sorry, I don’t know you. Are you affiliated with my employer?”

[Artimus] “No, I’m not. But that cop over there is looking for you.”

She seemed to notice Roegner for the first time. She dipped her face and tugged the hood tighter on her head.

[Sabel] “You must be mistaken.”

[Artimus] “No, it's definitely you he's after. So you have two choices here. Either you turn yourself in, or you allow me to help.”

Roegner was moving up the line. I stepped forward, close to the Synthetic, to hide her from his view. She was momentarily surprised and her eyes, wide and alert, searched my face, attempting to discover my intent. Then suddenly, she turned

and began to move away. I followed. We made our way through those last in line, and as soon as we were clear, we ran.



There was a commotion by the shuttle, but neither of us looked back. We headed to a marketplace nearby, packed with people talking and jostling shoulder to shoulder, and melted into the crowd.

“Come with me. My car’s not far.” "

"[Artimus] Inside the car, she pulled her hood back and sat stiffly, staring out through the Plexiglas windshield as the light from the heads-up display flickered across her face. I knew that her unblemished skin and shining hair had been grown in a lab. It was perfect and very convincingly human. I also knew that underneath, working away silently, were wires and silicon, and tiny motors controlling her every move.

“My name is Artimus.”

[Sabel] ""I am Sabel.""

[Artimus] ""So, Sabel, are you going to tell me why Roegner is after you?”

[Sabel] “Please return me to my apartment.”

[Artimus] (sighs) “Yeah, I can do that."" She didn’t elaborate further. The glow of the city was receding behind us, and we drove on in silence.



I had never driven to this part of town before. Sabel provided some terse directions as we wound our way through the backstreets, and the modern city facade melted away into an industrial district full of old warehouses and dilapidated apartment blocks.



We rounded a corner, and a shuttle ahead sat with its passenger door raised, people spilling out into the cold night through a warm mist that came billowing out from inside.

[Sabel] “Stop here, please.”

[Artimus] I didn’t want her to leave. That inexplicable void inside of me seemed bearable while she was near.

“Look, now is the time to tell me something. I might be able to help.”

[Sabel] “Thank you for your assistance, Artimus.” "

"[Artimus] Sabel disappeared into a group of people making their way from the shuttle, but I couldn’t just leave. I had to find out what was going on. I got out of the car and fell in behind. Sabel veered off into an adjoining alleyway by herself. I followed, careful not to alert her of my presence.



She continued on past the apartments and across a street to what looked like a burnt-out old factory, and she disappeared inside. I waited for several minutes, but Sabel didn't return. With an increasing sense of unease, I started toward the factory.



Inside it was dark and silent, but for the sound of dripping water somewhere off in the distance and a faint metallic rattle. I followed the sound, careful to make as little noise as possible.



I rounded a corner to see faint yellow light spilling from a small anteroom at the back of the factory. The rattling, scraping sounds came from within.



Inside the room, Sabel sat with her back to me at a broken-down old table, busy at some task I couldn’t see. I reached the threshold of the room and my foot scuffed softly on the door frame. Sabel half turned at the sound and the rattling stopped.



In her hands she clasped a spoon and an open can of beans. She sat frozen, unwilling to turn completely to look at me.

[Artimus] “You’re not a Synthetic. You’re human.” "

"[Artimus] Sabel scooped the last of the can’s contents into her mouth and placed it on the table.

[Sabel] “Congratulations. You figured it out.”

[Artimus] “Why the charade?”

[Sabel] “The people looking for me are looking for a human, not a Synthetic.”

[Artimus] “I’m not sure they’re fooled.” She shrugged indifferently, but I could tell she was concerned. “Hey, I’ll admit, you had me going for a while. Tattooing that logo on your head was a nice touch. But this cop, Roegner, he’s going to find you.”

[Sabel] ""He can try. If I can reach my contacts, I’ll be gone. But...that’s proving difficult. I think they’ve already left town.”

[Artimus] “Listen, I can probably help you out.”

[Sabel] “Why would you do that?”

[Artimus] There was defiance in her eyes and in her stance that was compelling. She was grimy, dishevelled, and obviously tired. And despite all this, she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. But that wasn’t an explanation I wanted to give her.

“Hey, I have no love for the cops. I used to shift. Got a lot of stuff in and out of the city under their noses. Did some time for it, and got out. But I still know people.”

[Sabel] “You think I’d just put my trust in you?”

[Artimus] “Hey, if you’ve got a better option, take it. And besides, didn’t I just help you escape the cops?”

[Sabel] “OK. Sorry. I’m not used to help. You’re the first person who’s offered in a long, long time.”

[Artimus] I spent some time laying out a plan and gave Sabel my number. I told her I’d be in touch in a couple of days. I left in the dim hours of early morning, the sky tinged with a deep blue that promised of the day to come, and headed to my apartment to sleep. "

"[Artimus] (sighs) ""Hello?""

[Sabel] “Artimus?”

[Artimus] “Sabel. What time is it?”

[Sabel] “Roegner’s prowling around the district. I’ve seen him. He's in one of the apartments now.""

[Artimus] (sighs) “Does he know you're there?”

[Sabel] “No, but it’s only a matter of time. I need to get out of here tonight!”

[Artimus] “Look, It's been less than twenty-four hours, and I don’t-""

[Sabel] “Artimus, listen to me. It’s now or never.”



[Artimus] I got in my car and called the number for my old crew on the way there. The voice on the other end of the line wasn’t happy about the new timeframe, but nonetheless agreed to help.



“All right, here’s the deal. I can take you to the outskirts and transfer you over to a transport that’s run by our guys. The short notice is risky, though, and I don’t like it.”

[Sabel] “I know, but there’s no other choice. Thank you.”

[Artimus] I turned back to the road, and suddenly, like an apparition, Roegner appeared in the headlights, gun in hand.

[Roegner] “Get out! Both of you!” "

"[Artimus] Sabel and I stood on either side of the car. Roegner glared at me, but kept his gun on her.

[Roegner] “You have no idea what you’re stumbling into, Artimus! I bet you she hasn’t even told you what she’s done!”

[Sabel] “Don’t listen to him. He works for them.”

[Roegner] “You left innocent people dead. You left Hagen dead. He was my partner for 10 years!”

[Sabel] ""He’s lying!”

[Roegner] “Shut up and get down on the ground!”

[Artimus] He strode forward angrily, gun raised. Sabel moved in a blur, grabbing his wrists with both hands. They struggled. Before I knew it, I was behind Roegner, striking him in the back of the head with everything I had. He was on the ground, dazed. The gun was on the road. A moment later, it was in my hand, and I swung it toward him.

[Roegner] “What? What are you doing? Didn’t you hear what I just told ya?”

[Artimus]“I don’t care. Aiding a felon’s more than enough to put me back inside, right? With just a snap of your fingers?”

[Roegner] “Uh, listen.”

[Artimus]“No, I’m not going back inside.”



[GUNSHOT] "

"[Artimus] Sabel and I got the hell out of there. There were sirens in the distance, but I took the backstreets and we reached our destination without running into the cops. Sabel gathered her jacket and a small grey duffle bag, the only things she had brought with her, and got out into the cool night air. She leaned down and looked at me through the open car window as she shrugged into the jacket.

“What’d you mean back there? Who did Roegner work for?”

[Sabel] “You don’t understand why you’re drawn to me, do you? Why you’re helping me?”

[Artimus]“What?”

[Sabel] “There must be a part of you that still remembers. You still look at me the same way, but you’re just a fragment of who you once were. Artimus, what did they do to you?”

[Artimus]“I don’t understand this, Sabel.” Those dark eyes were full of desolation and despair.

[Sabel] “There’s still a place in my heart for you, Artimus. There always will be. But I can’t tell you anything more. I can’t trust you. And I can’t stay in this city.”

[Artimus] “Sabel, wait!”

She fled into the blackness of the night before I could follow, and her secrets went with her.

"

"[Artimus] In the weeks that followed, I was under constant scrutiny by the cops. I was held for interrogation more than once. There was surveillance footage of my car in the area, but no direct link to the murder. No witnesses. The evidence was circumstantial, and in the end they couldn’t pin anything on me.



The days and weeks went by, and stupidly, I kept waiting for a sign or a message from Sabel to let me know she was OK. To shed some light on the darkness that was clouding my thoughts. But no message ever came.



I considered escaping the city to seek her out, but I couldn’t seem to find the will to leave. In time, the questions she had raised began to fade from my consciousness. They became insignificant. But the thought of her remained."

"[Sabel] Have you ever given something up, only to spend the rest of your life trying to get it back?

[Clerk] “It looks as though payment has gone through. Congratulations, Mr. Artimus!”

[Artimus] ""OK. Good.”

[Clerk] “I do apologize for the delay. With a custom job like this, it takes time, and of course, money.”

[Artimus] “Sure.” I didn’t tell him I had to mortgage my apartment for this purchase.

[Clerk] “Well, what do you think?”

[Artimus] I sat and stared for a few moments, and tried not to give away that this moment was the only thing I'd thought about in months, and that I’d sat awake at night both dreading and yearning for it. That it had smothered and consumed me and fuelled that void inside until there was nothing else left. It had distilled my life down to just one simple question: “Can you really replace a human with something that just looks like one?”



I had to believe you could. "