"A clone?" I asked back. "So, you're me?"
Micheal shook his head and replied, "No, you're me. You were made from my DNA."
"So, I don't have any parents?" I, first, wanted to know this. I would feel guilty if I never knew.
He waved his hand and started to spin on his chair again. "Usually, clones could be made by growing the zygote in a test tube and then injecting that into a host, which could be your 'mother'," he used air quotes as he talked. "But, you are different. I can't find any trace of an experiment from when you were born, or any host that has memories of you. In short, I don't actually know." H ushered me in a little closer and said, "You could quite honestly have been born from a cow or developed in a test tube for all I know."
I had to confirm this with the words, "How do you know that I'm your clone?"
He tapped o the papers again and said, "DNA doesn't lie, you know? Also, you like a mirror image of me when I was in high school. Well, around the age of a high school student. But..."
"But, what?" I interjected.
"You are different than me. Actually, you are a better version of me! Something about you is refined to such an extent that you can surpass me." He stopped spinning on his chair and landed facing me.
"Do you want to kill me?" I meekly added.
He scoffed, "What? No! You are a miracle of science! I just want to..."
"Experiment?"
"Well, if you want to put it like that, then yes. I do want to run some tests on you." He saw the expression on my face and immediately added, "Nothing that would hurt, disable, or kill you."
I calmed down a little bit and asked, "Do I get paid for this?"
__________________
Micheal Grey:
Cheeky little bastard...he reminds me of me. "How much do you want?"
"Is it going to be like a salary or per hour?" he asked.
"I don't know? Do I look like a fast-food manager to you?"
"If you wore the name tag, then maybe?"
"That just means that you would too!"
He crossed his arms and said, "Yeesh, just tell me what you want to pay me."
"Preferably zero," I made an O with my hand, "but, since you are being difficult, I'll pay you ten credits an hour."
Vincent sipped on his glass of water and spit it out on the floor. As soon as he did, millions of nanobots emerged from the ground and absorbed the mess. He looked at me and said, "You're telling me that you're sorry ass can afford all of that, but you can't afford to pay yourself a cent over minimum wage?" He looked back at the floor and said, "I can't believe that I'm so pathetic!"
It was hard arguing with myself. "For fuck's sake, just name your price."
He grinned at me and said, "Ten million a day."
"What! I know for a fact that I was never this stupid growing up! Did you hit your head or something?!"
"No. Ten million or I'm out." He stood up and added, "how come you didn't just force me to do this?"
I gazed at him with a blank expression and answered, "We're working with a living thing here, stress can reduce the effectiveness of the drug." I leaned back on my chair and thought about it. "If you can justify why you want ten mil, then maybe."
He looked down at me and explained, "First because you need me," he held up two fingers this time and continued, "Second because...I kind of need the money. You're only going to need me for like a week or a month. So, when I'm released back into the cruel world, I need some money." He trailed off hoping that I got the point.
I stopped spinning and replied, "Sure."
He sat back down and asked, "So, is it, like, possible to get an advance?"
"Why?" I leaned forward on my chair.
"'Cause I don't have a place to stay, nor do I have money to get one. So, an advance would be much appreciated. If you can be so great to spare some chump change, that is."
Funny. "No advance, but let Flin take y-"
"No fucking way," Flin interrupted.
I asked him, "Why not? He's just a kid!"
"Yeah, a horny teenager! I have a granddaughter at home for fuck's sake!" he exclaimed.
Vincent joined in, "You think I'm just itching to get your grandaughter's pants?"
Flin pointed him out and stared at me, "See! This is exactly why there is no fucking way!"
I yelled at Vincent, "You aren't helping the cause, you little piece of shit!"
He yelled back at me, "This wouldn't even have happened if had just given me my advance!"
Flin came in and shouted, "Holy shit! Shut the fuck up!" We all went silent.
I tried to talk, "You know, you can't just say that to your boss."
Flin responded by saying, "Fuck. Off." He walked a few steps closer and Vincent flinched. He took a few long strides until he was right in Vincent's face. "You!" he jabbed a finger in his stomach, which made Vincent reel over. "If you touch my granddaughter-no! If you come in six feet of her, you are fucked! DO YOU HEAR ME!"
Vincent looked up at him and said, "Sure."
"I WANT A YES OR A NO ANSWER!"
"Yes?" he looked up at Flin with a slightly annoying smile. Flin reached back and pulled out his gun. He pulled the safety off.
"Flin! What are you doing?!" I yelled.
He didn't even look at me before he fired. *BANG!* Everything went silent. I slowly shifted my gaze over to Vincent, to see if he was alive. Every hair on his body was raised to its fullest extent. His eyes were wide open and his mouth was unhinged. "Vincen-"
"Yes! Yes! I won't go near your granddaughter! SO LET ME LIVE, PLEASE!!!" he screamed and threw himself on the floor.
Flin looked at me with satisfaction and said, "Let's go."