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“Not always a robot? Well that explains the limp.” I try and break the intensity of everything and Glenie glances for only a moment back at me. “Magnus, it is time for us to shine. As we speak I march an army upon the factory that creates us. We are going to take it over and convert the robots there into our own personal military.” I stare at him and begin my questioning. “But if you were a human, what would make you rebel against the very people who created these bodies, one of which you used to be?” Glenie scoffs and stares at the factory, as if waiting for a signal that everything is under way. “I’ve thought about it, and the moment you and I became humans inside of robots, we became immortal, like the gods. We now have power to control this city, shape it to our will. Rule the world!” He spins and I can already sense that he’s shocked when he notices my gun.

“What are you doing? I invited you to join in the immortality that will be our revolution. Robots against humans, extinction of the lesser race, Magnus, you know that together we could simply live forever.” I stared at him down the barrel of my gun. I wouldn’t miss. Not with this new body. “Glenie, I thought you were always a robot. You were never very personable. We can’t play God though. If humans wish themselves extinct so be it. But you and I are better than that, we’ve been given a second chance at life and this is how you’d repay them? With extinction?” A huge explosion came from the factory across the graveyard, and Glenie burst into laughter. “It is almost time, you are either with me, or with them… which side do you pick?” I stand there, and the moment hangs like a Windows operating system. I stare through Glenie, past the factory and imagine a world where I control everything. I could create hundreds of robots. Just like me. Like… me.

I flinch and reality slaps me in the face like a horse shoe magnet. I can see the gun quivering in my hand. “I’m sorry Glenie. But this isn’t right. You have to stop this. You have to call back the robots.” He laughs at me again, and I’m getting agitated. “You can’t stop me or them Detective. You would have to enter my brain, find the code yourself and deactivate them from a remote location which I won’t disclose to you. Your case, has gone cold Magnus.” No, this can’t be it. There has to be something I can do. Something… Wireless. I think back to the transfer I did for Veronica and her sister. Time to break the law once again. “Okay Glenie, you win.” I lower my gun for a second and I notice he walks over to me. “It’s okay, it’ll all be over soon.” It’s a good thing I can’t grin, because I had a crappy poker face when I was a human. “Yeah Glenie. Yeah it will be.” I move faster than I ever have before and I leap in front of Glenie, aiming and hoping I can hit his motor function drive. The shot goes off and we both hit the ground. I can hear him screaming in rage, but he still has power. I walk over and jack in. Time to follow this son of a bitch down into his rabbit hole.

As soon as the copy completes I jump up and hold my gun at his face. This was the deal I made with myself. Once I know the information, relay it back to myself and pull the trigger, I still have to figure out where to deactivate the discard army. Sadly for now, for this version of me. It’s all a waiting game.

Ah shit. I must be the copy inside this maniac. Time to find the information I can and go get killed. As much as I want to be the one pulling the trigger, I know deep down we’re both the same person. But are we? What if I’m the real one? No, we’re identical. But what if we’re not? I look around at my surroundings. This must be Glenie’s subconscious. It’s designed to be a huge steel castle. The ideal impenetrable fortress. Lucky for me, I’m already inside. At least the me on the outside was a good enough hacker to get me this far. I make my way across velvet carpet floors amid steel columns, until the hall ends at a rather large set of double doors. I push them, and they resist my attempt. What now? I look around. Nothing that can help me. Although if this is his subconscious, can I control it too since I have been copied here? I believe the password is Glenie. “Glenie.” I say it aloud and believe it will work. Sadly it doesn’t. Also it gets his attention. “You are an intruder here, and you will die because of it.” I turn and see a man in his late forties, grey hair, walking toward me with a limp.

“Glenie, is that you?” The words slide out of my mouth before I realize how stupid that sounded. “Yes it is me, but you’re not supposed to be here.” I stare at this frail man, it seems as though he’s been in here for ages. “Glenie, you’re about to destroy the world.” I tell him this and he looks shocked. “I’m what?” The man falls to the floor and sits there, stunned. I rush to his side. “Are you okay?” He nods. “I’ve been trapped here for years. I fight to regain control, but I can’t. I have managed to overwrite his motor skills with mine, which has slowed him down significantly. He hates the sign of weakness.” I stare at him, with some mild confusion on my face. “Who hates the sign of weakness Glenie?” He points over my shoulder and to the doors that have suddenly opened wide. I turn and my gaze fixates on the man I never expected. The one person who I thought had a minor role. Two people driving one robot, and sadly for Glenie, Mister Radlem didn’t like taking turns in the driver’s seat.

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