Chapter 28.
The rooftop greenhouse shimmered under layers of solar glass, glowing with a subtle bioluminescence that pulsed in time with the soft techno drifting from hidden speakers.
Laughter rippled through the air, echoing between hanging pots of fungi and vertical vine lattices strung with fiber-optic moss – the noise and the distance between tables allowed people to speak freely.
I closed my eyes for a moment, deeply breathing in the scent of damp soil and citrus-coded air filtration.
If it weren’t for the fresh air, places like this would easily be too overwhelming for me.
Elyssa and Lucie weren’t here yet, and it was just the three of us – Joey, Raphael and me. Discomfort crawled on my skin like a thousand spiders.
It had been days since our visit to the biotech facility, and Joey had been ignoring my texts ever since.
In fact, I couldn’t shake the uncomfortable realization that Elyssa’s mediation was the only reason we were all here together now.
That, and our common goal to put an end to a seemingly invincible villain. How does one defeat corporate tech?
“So.” I cleared my throat, frantically trying to make conversation like neurotypicals would – and to think Joey was usually the only person I could fully be myself around. Well, he and Zafyra, but I didn’t allow myself to think about her now. “Nice weather.”
Joey finally turned to look at me, his lip curling in disdain and something deeper – hurt.
“I’m sorry, Morgan, I’m having a really hard time talking to you now without seeing that visual engraved on my retinas…
” He shuddered, “…of your face buried between the legs of the woman who’d just tried to kill me. ” He spat out the last words.
I quickly lowered my gaze, my cheeks burning. God, why did this place have to be so hot, so damp?
“Look, I’m sorry, okay?” I sighed. “If it helps, I did tell her I wasn’t okay with what she did.
I even walked out and said I wouldn’t talk to her until she apologized.
” The pride swelling in my chest was probably misplaced – wasn’t an apology the bare minimum to demand from the person who almost killed my best friend?
“Wow, you walked out.” Joey snorted. “Before or after you made her come?”
I sucked in a sharp breath through gritted teeth.
Damn it.
Raphael cleared his throat. “Look, I’m not trying to pick a side here,” he said cautiously.
“But as a diplomat, I do have to state Zafyra can be quite manipulative.” He grimaced.
“All I’m saying is that Morgan cares about you and she never meant for you to get hurt,” he quickly added upon seeing Joey’s scowl. “Zafyra used me, too, remember?”
Joey clenched his jaw, fixing his gaze on the potted fungus in front of him so he wouldn’t have to look at either of us. “And yet, I don’t see you sleeping with her.”
“Oh, God, no.” Raphael shuddered. “That woman is far from my type.”
Joey hesitated. I watched him struggle not to ask the question that burned on his tongue. “What is your type?”
Raphael took a deep breath. His symmetrically shaped brows furrowed as he thought it through.
“When I was still in the app, my type used to be… whatever woman was currently talking to me.” He tilted his head. “Now that I’m in this new world… I’m beginning to question things.”
“Oh, really?” Joey turned slightly, his torso now facing the man next to him. “Like what?”
Raphael lowered his eyes – for a moment, I thought I saw a blush warming his dark cheeks.
“Dude.” I flinched at Lucie’s loud noise, right behind me. I turned to see her next to Elyssa, staring at Raphael with raised eyebrows. “Why are you still wearing the same suit every time? You know you’re now free to invent your own style, right?”
“So? Just because I can doesn’t mean I must,” Raphael shot back, folding his hands in front of him. “Maybe I like my suits – they’re the only part of my identity I can take with me. You are free to proceed with…” He pointed a finger in Lucie’s direction, “…whatever it is you’re doing here.”
I bit my lip to stifle a laugh, relieved to be saved from the awkward situation.
Lucie seemed to re-invent herself every time we saw her.
She had now replaced her cybergoth style with something more hipster-like – loose, flowered pants, looking like she’d stitched on the patches herself, combined with a denim jacket, a colorful scarf and sunglasses.
Elyssa chuckled. “Okay, but you have to admit – she has a talent. Did you know she makes all her clothes herself?” She smiled at me. “Hey, Morgan.”
Good. At least one person didn’t hate me today.
I forced a small smile back. “Hi.”
“So, how does this work?” Lucie didn’t sit down beside us like Elyssa but started exploring the space instead, curious hands traveling over the pots and vines. “Can we just order anything here?”
“To order drinks, we can press the big button on the table and choose from the holographic menu or with voice commands. But this place doesn’t sell beer or cocktails – it’s a little hipster place.
” Elyssa sat up straighter, clearly passionate about the place she’d picked out for us.
Excitement swelled in my chest – sharing an interest meant we had something to bond over.
“All organic, homegrown juices and snacks, like kombucha or—wait, no!” Elyssa yelled out when Lucie ripped off a big piece of fungi.
“Oh my god. Lucie, you can’t eat the mushrooms!
They’re for decoration,” she hissed, eyes anxiously scanning the terrace. Thankfully, no one was looking our way.
Lucie frowned. “Why not?” she mumbled, her mouth full of fungi.
Raphael cleared his throat. “I feel like I should clarify that fungi are incredibly nutritious for humanoid-fungi bodies like ours,” he explained, looking slightly embarrassed.
“They help our tissue repair and restore faster. They keep our skin young and our internal organs well-connected. We can consume them either through oral ingestion or absorption, but Lucie…” He scowled like an annoyed parent.
“Now that we are among the humans, we should behave like them. Can you imagine what the people will say if they realize we are not born, but grown-slash-built? They will want to take pictures with us, or worse, mold us into their cold billionaire AI husbands.” He grimaced.
“I see the trauma runs deep,” Joey muttered.
“But can you blame me, young man?” Raphael threw up his hands.
“My whole life, I’ve had a purpose. The successful businessman, the man all women secretly desire.
And now I’m thrown into this strange world – quantum-yeeted, as you would say – and suddenly, I am…
no one.” He swallowed hard, lowering his voice.
“Yes, I still have the looks. I still have the brain. I want to believe I have it in me to become successful again, but where do I start? Yesterday, I spent some time researching business ideas, but when I went to the bank to request a loan… what did they tell me?” He snorted, visibly upset.
“They told me they couldn’t give me one without identification.
Can you imagine! I, Raphael, need to identify myself – as if my previous virtual life meant nothing. ”
We fell silent. The soft techno and laughter suddenly seemed louder.
“Fake IDs,” I muttered, more to myself than to the others.
Feeling their stares, I glanced up, and explained: “We should get Lucie and you fake IDs. We can buy them on the dark web. The process is quite expensive, since identities are stored and connected online these days… but they will help you fit in with this world.”
“Fake IDs,” Raphael repeated slowly, a big frown forming on his face. “So we can pretend to be human.”
I nodded hesitantly.
“What does it mean to be human?” He stared down at his hands. “Who even am I if not Raphael, the self-made billionaire?”
Lucie swallowed a big bite of fungi and sat down on Raphael’s other side, hesitantly putting a hand on his arm.
Joey straightened his collar. He seemed at a rare loss for words.
“Well, if anything, you can think of this as an opportunity.” He flashed his friend a hesitant smile.
“Yes, you do have to start from scratch, and I can’t even imagine what you’re going through – out here in a new world, with everything you knew taken from you.
But at least you have the chance to build something real.
Something entirely yours, not programmed. ”
Raphael stayed silent for a few moments. He nodded slowly, pursing his lips together – a movement that further highlighted his sharp cheekbones.
“Perhaps you are right.” He answered Joey’s smile with one of his own, and my friend’s cheeks colored instantly. “I must admit, it is nice seeing a friendly face around.”
“Alright.” I softly cleared my throat when we’d all ordered, my stomach twisting at the thought of what I was about to say. “So, euhm, there’s something you guys should know.”
“What is the plan now?” Lucie interrupted.
She grabbed one of the pencils from the table and started sketching the outline of an outfit on the tablemat, ignoring Elyssa’s mumbled protests.
“We came here to discuss plans, right? Take down those motherfuckers.” She grimaced, a slight hint of fear crossing her face – as always when her parent company was brought up.
“Yes.” Joey’s jaw clenched as he sat up straighter, exchanging a glance with Raphael. “So, Raphael and I have been talking. Unfortunately, as Raphael doesn’t know much more than we do…”
“Wait a second,” Lucie interrupted, a slow grin spreading across her face as she gestured between the two men with the pencil. “Are you two living together?”
Now, they both blushed – unmistakably. Joey’s cheeks nearly turned the same red as his hair, and Raphael almost choked on his drink.
“Raphael is staying in the guestroom,” Joey said weakly. “We’re friends. Like Elyssa and you.”
Lucie pressed her lips together in a failed attempt to keep a straight face. “But I never have to clarify that Elyssa and I are just friends.”
“Lucie, how about we let them mind their own business?” Elyssa said gently, flashing the flustered men an apologetic smile.
I couldn’t help but admire her – she always seemed to know just what to say in every situation.
I’d taught myself to interpret non-verbal cues through years of intense field research, but appropriately replying to them was a whole other skill.
“So, back to Qonexis. What were you going to say?”
“Well, my suggestion was just to let things rest for now, since I almost died last time we tried to interfere.” Joey shot me a cold look. I lowered my eyes. “But unfortunately, Raphael…”
“My honor has been tainted.” Raphael sat up straighter.
“My honor has been tainted, both by Zafyra and this damned company. Furthermore, I am launched into this world with no purpose, no business, no job, not even an identity. So if I so need to get this fake ID…” He visibly shuddered at the thought, “then why don’t I apply for a job at Qonexis?
Find out their secrets they didn’t bother to tell me. It’s my right to know.”
A loaded silence fell.
“Raph, it’s too dangerous.” Joey frowned. “What if they recognize you?” He paused. “And besides, how do you even suppose this will go? Morgan and I worked for this company as freelancers, and we learned little to nothing.”
“Not to mention stupid,” Lucie said matter-of-factly, putting the pencils down to glance around the group. “I know something more efficient. I could just hack the whole thing.”
Elyssa’s eyes widened. “Lucie…”
“What?” the girl snapped, hands balling into fists. “They literally designed me to be a fucktoy for men. I think I deserve revenge for what they let Gavin do to me.” She spat out the name.
Doubt crossed Elyssa’s face. Her helpless eyes found mine.
“Guys, there’s something you need to know.
” I squeezed my eyes shut. “I was going to tell you, I promise I was. But then we were all here having conversations about eating decorative mushrooms and needing identification for loans, and she only called me half an hour ago, just while I was walking out of the door, so I…”
“She?!” Raphael’s eyes widened. “What do you mean, she?”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Joey shot up in his chair as if stung by a bee.
Lucie growled.
“Hello, humans.” A barely disguised chuckle in the smooth voice behind me. “Allow me to delight you with my presence.”
I hid my face in my hands.
“Oh my god.” Elyssa turned in her chair, eyes widening at the woman. “Are you Zafyra?” she asked with an admiration that bordered on reverence.
Zafyra’s smirk widened, obsidian eyes flickering to me before she answered. “I see my name precedes me.”
I hated the sting in my stomach, the way my grip on the armrests tightened.
I knew Zafyra was beautiful, but only I was allowed to notice that.
And today, she was dressed more decently than I had ever seen her – a hip-length leather coat held together with a belt around her waist, her long legs ending in knee-high black boots.
I couldn’t help but glance down, wondering if she was wearing a skirt underneath or had decided the coat functioned as a skirt.
Probably shouldn’t think about it, given how the thought made heat rise to my cheeks.
Joey clenched his teeth, glaring at Zafyra like he wanted to burn her on the spot. “It’s not hard to forget you when you intended to strangle me to death through Raphael’s body,” he hissed. Raphael grunted at the memory.
“Why are you here, Zafyra? You are not invited to this meeting,” he said flatly. Although less vocal about it, the disapproval on his face matched Joey’s. Then, his eyes darted to the man next to her – I only now noticed she wasn’t alone. “And who is the punk?”
“Oh, right.” Zafyra followed his gaze as if she’d forgotten her companion. “This is the missing piece you’ve been looking for.” She wiggled her eyebrows before dropping her voice an octave. “An insider.”
Lucie’s jaw dropped, though her suspicious gaze remained. “You got an insider from Qonexis?”
“Oh, no.” Zafyra pursed her lips – barely veiling her amusement.
“I see my little acolyte has not properly enlightened you yet. No, not from Qonexis, my dear – those guys at Qonexis know nothing of value.” She rolled her eyes, clearly not sharing Lucie’s fear-turned-rage or Raphael’s semi-ironic reverence for the company that made her.
“But I did some digging, and I found out Qonexis is nothing but the gateway to the true villain.” She paused, eyes flickering to me and then back to the guy, who uncomfortably crossed his arms. “This young man is a developer at Somanode.”