[September 25th. Genf - Nion's apartment.]
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Nion woke up from a long sleep. Slowly and reluctantly, she uncovered her face. The streaks of sunlight that had penetrated the glass window before had disappeared. Instead, her eyelids opened to an empty, unlit room. No daylight, no gentle breeze such as the one that had been present earlier, just a cold wind whispering, calling Nion to wake up. Next to her bed, the pointless alarm clock, glowing red, showed 5:52 pm. She was unable to tell for how long she had been sleeping but it felt like the mysterious dream had lasted for an eternity.
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Confused, she mused about the dream's nature and, more importantly, the meaning behind those last words she heard in her sleep.
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"My head... Its killing me," she groaned. "I can't tell if I am still dreaming or not. These dreams, they've been... So vivid, it's almost scary." Nion ran her hands through her hair and realized that half of it was now gone.
"Uncle... 'Noah'..." As soon as she mentioned this name, tiny tears began dripping down her face. "Why do I feel like crying all of sudden?" She shook her head. "Who can that be...?"
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She sat up facing the entrance door, dragged her feet off the bed, and rubbed her knuckles into her eyes while her legs dangled slightly above the floor.
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"It feels like I am missing something..." She frowned. "Something that has a connection with that name, something I should have never forgotten." Nion talked to herself while stretching her arms, ready to get up.
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Despite the confusion around her latest dreams or, rather, the vision she had, she felt surprisingly relaxed, awake, perhaps more awake than she had ever felt.
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"How come its 8 pm already?" She yawned. "Urgh, I am so dull... Maybe I should just stay in my bed, just read some stuff and do nothing... It's been a while..."
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The soft breeze coming through the slightly opened window and sweeping inside the silent room made her turn had head around and face her own reflections on the large window pane.
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"Look at you!" She slapped herself on the cheeks. "Get your act together!" She jumped up from the bed and started getting ready to go out.
"Good evening Nion," said a pleasant female voice.
"Ah, Mitera... Good evening," Nion replied to a human size hologram that appeared next to her bed. "Can you make me something to eat? I am starving."
"Certainly, do you want me to cook one of your favorites: Meat Stew, Pasta, Ravioli, Sushi-" offered Mitera.
"Eh, no... Just a plate with steamed vegetables would do just fine," Nion replied.
"That's very unusual from you. You never asked for vegetables before."
"I don't know, I just feel like having some," Nion shrugged.
"Very well, your dinner will be ready in 10 minutes," announced Mitera.
"Great."
"Also, I must inform you regarding your 'Social Credit'," said Mitera.
"What about it?"
"It appears that since you returned from your latest assignment it dropped lower than the authorized level," Mitera warned her.
"Well... I kind of saw it coming!" Nion looked at her hand watch device. "Zero? There must be a mistake! I understand the circumstances and all... But 'Zero'?!" she dropped her head into her palm.
"There is no mistake, it appears that you've left the country premises without an official agreement - By the law of emperor Aleksithimia it is considered as a crime," explained Mitera.
"Damn it."
"Shall I book a 'Rehab - Capsule Session' to raise your score?" asked Mitera.
"Yes please, the nearest one... I can't take public transport nor call a taxi, right?" asked Nion.
"Well played Nion..." she mumbled to herself.
"Yes, correct. All of your 'Keeper' privileges are currently suspended until you clear out the negative score," replied Mitera.
"I am sorry, but rules are rules. We need to encourage our citizens to flaunt good credit scores, it is a benefit for everyone to have a healthy community," explained Mitera System. "If the negative score is not cleared within 48 hours, you will be sent to ' The Metro'."
"Genf suburbs... Hmm, wait a minute, now since I have the negative score, I can actually get in there..." Nion wondered. "Anyway, send me the 'Capsule' coordinates."
"Certainly," Mitera said.
"Ahem, Mitera?" Nion called.
"Yes, how can I help?"
"Do you know someone called 'Noah'? Perhaps it is someone I've met before?" Nion asked.
"Certainly. Scanning the global registry..." replied Mitera Systems. "I found only one name that matches your request, you do not seem to be related in any way. The more detailed information appears to be 'locked'."
"Even if I clear my score?!" she asked incredulously.
"I am afraid so."
"Noah... Who are you...?" said Nion thoughtfully.
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Nion stepped into the shower, toes flinching as they touched the chill ceramic floor.
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"Who treated my wounds?" she asked Mitera.
"I believe that was lady Seànn herself," replied Mitera.
"So I really did fight with her... What is wrong with me, seriously?" she sighed and continued removing bandages that had been glued to each other when her blood dried.
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As she painfully attempted to remove the bandages, Nion's eyes closed over and over, each time rewinding the scenes from her recent dream... The last strip of woven bandage fell to the wet floor.
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"What the?!" speechless, Nion gazed at her chest reflection. "What is that?! How?!" Her eyes roamed from one feature to another.
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"Why do I have a freaking 'hole' in my chest?!" Just under her right breast, there was a giant mass of coagulated blood that was sipping downwards. The edges of the wound looked inflated and slightly burned over the extremities as if that part got pierced by something long and sharp.
"The wound seems to have been treated correctly, so there is no risk for your life at this point. However, it is a rather deep cut," Mitera began scanning Nion's chest.
"May I take a look at your weapon?" Mitera asked.
"Ah, yeah, do whatever..." Nion waved to Mitera. "What in the world happened to me back then? It is so weird, I don't feel any pain..." She leaned over to look closer at the wound, then touched it gently with her fingers. "I do feel it when I touch it, but it does not hurt at all..."
"Nion, I've scanned the surface of your weapon. There is your DNA on it," Mitera said.
"Of course there is my DNA on it, it is my 'Primary weapon'..." She replied while rolling her eyes.
"I am talking about the surface of your blade itself... Your DNA is on it. It is only a possibility, but that wound on your chest…there is a 90% chance that it came from your weapon," Explained Mitera while showing the holographic surface of the blade.
"Nonsense! Nobody can touch my weapon except myself-" she gazed at her own reflection.
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"Mitera!" she called.
"Yes, how can I help you?"
"Who came to my apartment while I was asleep?" she nervously asked.
"Nobody, I am afraid. Were you expecting-"
"You are lying! Aleksithimia came here, I am certain of that," Nion argued.
"I was not designed to alter any kind of information. Here is the video surveillance footage from the moment when lady Seànn brought you home 4 days ago. You seemed unconscious but I haven't detected any critical risks to your health. 24 hours ago, you woke up for a couple of minutes and then went back to sleep. This is not the first time your body is taking more than 48 hours to recover so I decided that everything was normal. Besides that - you had no visitors until this moment." Mitera projected video footage in the shower room.
"No way!" Nion shook her head. "I remember Aleksithimia talking to me and Seànn, she was here too... But..."
"I am sorry if you are not satisfied with my services, shall I call for better medical assistance? Perhaps I should call a doctor to inspect your wounds."
"No, I am fine..." Nion said, puzzled.
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The water poured down over her head, as her mind faded into dullness where everything seemed like a foggy illusion. But the sensation of the steamy water kept her calm.
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"Let's calm down and think rationally for a second. How can I remember seeing Seànn talking to Aleksithimia when I was on my bed..." She frowned.
"Mitera, call Seànn I need to talk to her..."
"Certainly," replied Mitera.
She cut the shower. "Actually don't... That's fine."
"Understood," replied Mitera. "Your dinner is ready."
"Later. I don't feel like eating anymore," replied Nion as she dressed up and left her apartment.
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Across the traffic lights, taxis were lined up with infinite ques of white umbrellas; Customers were patiently waiting for their turn. People, in a hurry on their way home, were stuck in the traffic, as was always the case when it rains in the capital. All vehicle transport was completely automated and managed exclusively by "Mitera System Public Transport Services". This traffic system had been implemented to reduce chemical waste. Only electric vehicles were allowed to enter the capital premises.
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"Think, think, think... What was the last thing I remember from that night: I saw Seànn in the forest... Then she told me to go back, and I removed my 'Kanjöga' too-"
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In the Grey City - which is how the citizens called the capital - during the evening, it seemed as if vehicles were floating over the ground, soundless, slowly advancing with the traffic flow to their destination. Along the wet, flickering asphalt street, small groups of people were gathered in front of big publicity screens that had been erected all around the city, usually presenting flash news. Multiple augmented reality holograms that were visible only with a Kanjöga collar were displayed everywhere on the streets. Each hologram was promoting its own products, starting from the brand-new body augmentations and its upgrades, cosmetics, food, online retail stores, and many more.
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"May I?" Mitera called her.
"Not now," she replied. "Then I was back in the village... Then I saw it...And then?" She stopped in the middle of the traffic.
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"I apologize for bothering you but perhaps you will be interested to hear it, lady Seànn left you a voice message," Mitera said.
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"Ah, a missed call!" She realized that she was jamming the traffic in the middle of the street.
"Would you like to hear it?" Mitera asked.
"Yeah!" Nion replied.
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"Good evening, it is Seànn. If you are listening to this message, I hope you are doing better. I am running out of time, so I'll get straight to the point. When we were in Elpida you mentioned that the brother of the deceased child was in the city hospital, do you remember?"
"100% don't..." Nion murmured. "OH SH! How could I forget!!" She shouted and then immediately covered her mouth with her hand.
"Worry not. I've done some researches and found out that 'Doctor Brun' was taking care of him. He owes me some special favors so we could arrange a deal, me and him."
"Please, give me good news!" Nion was impatient to hear what was coming next.
"The good news is that I could find the child. Brown hair, approximately 12-13 years old, brown eyes, and pale skin. I am confident that's the right one."
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Relieved, Nion deeply exhaled as her hands started shaking of joy.
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"So, yeah, he is with me. Waiting for your arrival," explained Seànn.
"Seànn, you are the sweetest person I've ever met...I owe you so much... Too much!" Smiled Nion as her mood suddenly picked up.
"Okay, now the bad news is that, due to the cerebral shock, he lost some parts of his memories." She made a short break before she continued her sentence. "It is none of my business but maybe you would share what happened between you and him?" Seànn asked.
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An acoustic flash of children screaming and playing in the background reverberated in Nion's ear for a split second.
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"Good evening Yassine, I will be all yours in a minute," Seànn spoke to someone. "So, yes, he is under my care. He asked me about his mother and his brother, I said that someone who may know their whereabouts is on the way. He is waiting for you."
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"Seànn, you are the best!" Nion smiled.
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"When you feel better, please head to Némless, it is a small village located around 6 hours away from the capital. I am sending you the coordinates. In case you've never been to Némless, be sure to hide your Kanjöga and try to wear something casual, do not bring your 'Keeper' outfit. The population around here are mostly rebels and propaganda activists from 'The Metro'. All of them are very nice, but I assure you, it is for the best to avoid raising their attention," she explained.
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"Némless huh...Never been there," Nion said, full of inspiration. "I guess this isn't the best moment to travel a little bit but, first thing first, for now, I gotta clear my score."