As he looks down on me, having already taken a bite, he drags his teeth together and swallows. “Your alien is not real,” he says. “It is just another prop I intend to use to gain control of this place.”
When Kalxor and I first hid in the marshes, there was suspense, excitement, and a real curiosity that kept me going. Like a game. I worried about Kalxor’s presence somewhat, but I seemed to know he wouldn’t kill me. At least, that’s what I thought.
This simulation must have been through many betas. A coder would say that it is incapable of a stable release. I’d have to agree, but maybe there’s something I can do to fix that.
Kalxor is frantic. He still can’t believe what he was told and subsequently shown. I saw it with my own eyes, too. I know what he is now. And as much as I want him to be real, there’s no removing that knowledge.
“You don’t believe this man, do you? He’s lying,” Kalxor says.
My father sucks in another breath through his nose, pursing his lips together in thought. “He was chosen because he was the best candidate. Not too bright. Not too intuitive. Just the right combination of alpha and stupid,” he says.
It’s not fair to say these things, even if Kalxor isn’t technically real. He processes these words similarly, and it looks as if pain is all he has known.
Still, he’s probably right. My father was mean, but he was always honest to a fault. He never lied.
“You said it yourself. You’ve experienced death,” I say. “No living organism can die twice. It’s impossible.”
Kalxor takes my wrists, dragging his thumb across my veins. “You said that you love me. We made a promise, remember?”
No matter what, we’d help each other escape. We’d love each other until the end of time.
That seems like a lifetime ago. I’m not one to break promises, but I know too much now.
“I do love you,” I say. “It’s just that...”
I find the words impossible to say. Doesn’t matter if he’s a super computer, this still burns like fucking Hell.
“It’s just that you don’t think it can last forever,” he mutters.
“I didn’t say that.”
But he’s right. How it can it last forever? All of this, as real as he leads me to believe it is, will end. If I ran away with him, into that bright sunset I always imagined we’d find, how would we escape Elon, let alone my father?
“You know Elon,” he says. “Who is he? What are his plans?”
I still don’t know. So far, my father hasn’t explained his role in all of this to me, and I doubt he will anytime soon.
I am just as in the dark as he is.
My father comes to my side. His expression has eased, and he almost looks a little remorseful.
It’s a red flag.
“Whatever you two had is over. Come this time tomorrow, it’ll be time to witness—”
Kalxor interrupts him. “Your transformation.”
My father grins. “You know your script.”
“I’ve had lots of practice,” Kalxor growls.
“What will you do with him?” I ask. “You stitched him up, so it’s obvious you’re not going to kill him.”
My father bends the brim of his hat lightly. “I know you’ve always thought of me as something evil. Maybe I was. Maybe I still am to this day. Hard to say, really.”
He is.
“But it’s not up to me to take the life of a creation,” he continues. “By all means, bring him with. Just don’t get your hopes up. He’ll end up stabbing himself in the back.”