Blueprint

  Chapter-1

      "I'm gonna get you!"

I squealed and darted through the field, only just out of my sister's grasp. My breathing accelerated and I slowed to a stop. Shivani tugged my ponytail.

          "Got ya!"

Shivani's eyes glinted mischievously.

"Does this mean I'm the king of Amritsar?"

"Not if I have something to say about it!"

Shivani runs. I chase. She's sprinting deeper into the field, all the way down to the long grass.

Mum says we have to stay out of there if we want to avoid snakes.

But Shivani doesn't stop. I keel over, panting.

"Shivani? You can come out now. You win."

I listen intently, but the only sound for miles is the beating of my racing heart. I feel the panic rising, suffocating me.

     Chapter-2          

"Shivani? This isn't funny anymore!"

I'm answered by an eerie silence. Even the birds have stopped harmonizing. What if I can't find her? Mum told us to always stick together! I call out "I'm telling mum!" and start making my way back towards the house, defeated.

Mum's going to be furious with me when I finally return, although not as furious as she will be with Shivani for pulling a disappearing act on me.

When I get back to the house, Mama is relaxing on the patio. Then she sees me and waves.

"Mama? Is Shivani back home already?"

Bewilderment clashes across mum's face.

"No? Isn't she with you?" Mum asks.

"No Mumma, we were playing in the long grass and she just disappeared!" I exclaim.

"You weren't meant to be in the long grass! You know it's dangerous. Perhaps Shivani just ventured too far into the trees. I'll go see for myself."

I tap my foot on the wooden floorboards impatiently waiting for mum to return. I can hear her calling for Shivani.

"Enough silly games now!! It's time to come home!"

Her voice is gradually turning to desperation. When she returns she simply nods at me and says -

"We'd better call your father." 

     Chapter-3         

Several phone calls later, Mama has Papa and his brother driving all over the town looking for Shivani, without luck. I want to help Mama and Papa find her, but I'm not sure if I can. When I press my ear to my bedroom door, I can hear snippets of Mama's conversation...

"Yes, she went missing more 3 hours ago now. No, she doesn't have a history of disappearances. No, you don't understand. This isn't like her at all. No! This isn't just some stupid teenage rebellion! But - What if..." My brow furrows in confusion. Why don't the police understand?

I call for Mama.

"What's happening? Where's Shivani?" I ask.

Mama contemplates her response.

"She'll turn up. You'll see." 

The next morning I wake up to the scent of scrambled eggs wafting up into my room and grin. Shivani's signature dish!

                Chapter-4                        

I slide down the banister and step into the kitchen. My face crumples. It's just Papa, looking sleep-deprived and broken.

"You didn't find her?" I ask.

He shakes his head. I slide onto a stool and pick up a fork, digging in.

"The police called your mother back," he comments.

"They still think your sister is just being dramatic, but they've agreed to meet us to speak to us in person."

That's good news, right?

I'm sure my parents will be able to convince them to help.

I crouch at the top of the stairs, peeking in between the spiral railing.

Papa's at the front door, arguing with the policeman. I watch the scene unfold, just out of earshot. The policeman introduces himself as Officer Jagmeet. He asks a lot of strange, useless questions.

"Was your daughter the dramatic type? Does she have a history of running away?"

I was horrified. Shivani is none of these things! She's a devoted kid with her heart set on a fulfilling education and career. Papa tells Officer Jagmeet exactly this, and he responds with a disbelieving sniff.

"This happens all the time, we assure you. Usually, the child is just seeking attention."

Papa tries to disagree, loyally defending Shivani, but Officer Jagmeet narrows his beady eyes and scrawls some unidentifiable notes on his paper.

                 Chapter-5                         

My eyelids are heavy with sleep. I wipe my eyes and stand up into my slippers. I open the curtains and sunlight streams into my room. Uniformed men and women are poking around in the long grass with long poles, searching for any evidence of Shivani's disappearance. I scan the area, but Officer Jagmeet doesn't appear to be among the forensics. Figured he wasn't the type to get his hands dirty. I race downstairs, almost bashing into Mam - "Can I go help the police search for Shivani?" I blurt.

"No honey, I think it's best you stay inside for a while until they find Shivani."

I beg her repeatedly, but she refuses. Her face has aged with stress. I dejectedly head back upstairs.

As I go to pass Shivani's room, I stop. I can almost imagine her in there, gazing out the window and writing in her dream journal. I swing the door handle open in a moment of decision. All her belongings are untouched. I lie down on her bed scrutinising the peeling paint on the roof. Her fruity perfume clings to her pillow. I inhale, trying to commit her scent to memory. On the polaroid wall strung up behind her bed, there's a photo of her holding my hand the very first time we visited Disney world. I remember being overwhelmed by all the vibrant colors and booming music. Shivani held me tight and reassured me. I let go of my worries and grew antsy to meet all my favorite characters. The faintest ghost of a smile dances on my lips. I miss her. I miss us.

                 Chapter-6                            

9/9/2009

The police have been searching for days now. They moved on from the field long ago, and there's still no sign of you. I'm writing this letter in the hopes that you might feel it through our sister connection and come home. I'm going to leave it on your desk. If you do return, maybe you'll even let me hang it up on your wall? It's getting late and I gotta go, but Shivani I hope you know, it sure does look like you don't want to be found...

On the way to school, Mama gets a phone call from Officer Jagmeet.

"You see, Mrs. Singh your daughter wandered into the police station a few minutes ago."

Mama makes a strangled noise. "She's extremely disoriented. She can't seem to remember how she got here or where she was for the past few days." Mama barely acknowledges Officer Jagmeet. She doesn't care. I don't care. My sister has come home.

                 Chapter-7                            

On the ride to pick Shivani up, the car is silent. Papa is fuming, and Mama just looks relieved. We roll into a park outside the police station and hop out of the car. I jog, struggling to keep up with my parent's pace. Papa opens the door, and I scamper in after him. Sitting on the plastic chairs of the reception room is Shivani. Her eyes are vacant, a tunnel through to her empty mind. When she sees us, she shakes her head and recognition light up her eyes.

"Mama! Papa!" She races towards them, hugging them tightly. She gives me a small nod. I am sufficiently underwhelmed. My parents are in the deep end – they don't know whether to thank Shivani or scold her. Papa decides for them.

"The police have been searching for you for weeks now young lady, and you have the audacity to just show up out of nowhere."

Shivani bows her head in shame. She apologized repeatedly, but Papa is having none of it.

                Chapter-8                          

When we arrive back home, Papa downloads Find My iPhone on Shivani's phone so he can track her at all times. He also bans us from playing any further than the swings, which we're only allowed to walk out to if he's watching us from the patio.

Shivani and I ask if we can eat dinner in the lounge to relax, and Papa reluctantly allows it. We sit down with our tuna mornay and switch on a random reality Tv show.

"Remember the last time we did this? My arm was so sore... Mama got so annoyed because I wouldn't stop complaining!"

"What? When? Huh?" She raises her eyebrows in question.

My eyes widen, astonished. "You don't remember the time I broke my arm?"

Shivani sucks in a sharp breath.

               Chapter-9                           

She blinks silently for a few moments before responding. "Oh yes. Of course, I do. I was just... playing around."

Suspicious and unsatisfied, I return to have my dinner.

I wake up early the next morning, energized. I notice Shivani has hung up my letter on her photo wall, and I smile to myself. The day passes in a blur – my team wins our weekly netball game., and Mama takes us to a cafe for celebratory snacks afterward. In the evening, Mama makes me practice my reading before bed. I drag my feet up the stairs, passing Shivani's room. I peek inside. She's still as a statue, staring blankly at the wall. Her gaze is unfocused, unblinking. I keep my eye on her for a few minutes. Nothing changes.

                Chapter-10                         

There are a million different possibilities as to why she's acting the way she is, and I can barely sleep because I'm thinking about it so much. Light peeks out from under Shivani's door, and I hear her droning on in a monotone voice. Some nights, I hear her talking long into the night as if she's on the phone. But whenever I go to look, she never has any kind of device with her. She apologies for being too loud, and I cradle Rabbit as I stumble back to bed, drunk on sleep. I roll over, sinking into my marshmallow pillow and pulling the silky duvet up to my chin. Rabbit's manky ear smushes into my face, and I nuzzle it affectionately. There'll be time to think about everything in the morning... I don't even get to finish my train of thought before I fall into a deep sleep.

     "Mama, I'm bored!" I call.

"Play a card game, read a book, entertain yourself!" She responds. I roll my eyes, the swings beaming at me from the living room window. The swings! I open the door, slipping on my black Skechers. Papa stops me.

"Where do you think you're going?"

     "Outside...?"

Anger clouds his face.

                Chapter-11                  

"You're not allowed to go outside unless you're with your sister and I'm watching, remember?"

"Oops, I forgot. Sorry, Papa."

I hum as I skip towards Shivani's room.

"Morning Shiiivaaniiiiii..! Wanna go on the swing with me?"

I pop my head around her doorway. She's staring at the floor, expressionless.

           "No."

I'm taken aback. Shivani has never said no to playing with me before.

"Do you want to play Exploding Kittens?"

           "No."

She doesn't even say thank you or agree to play some other time. I wonder if she's giving me the cold shoulder, so I pry a little more.

          "Why not?"

          "I'm busy."

She stares at the floor with such an intensity I begin to wonder if she's trying to shoot lasers from her eyes. I run to my room and curl up on a beanbag, hurt.

"I don't know what I did wrong!"

I wail, not talking to anyone in particular.

Why is Shivani so upset with me?

                Chapter-12                     

I trail a few meters behind Shivani and my parents, scuffing my shoes on the pavement. Mama and Papa tell me off for complaining that my legs are tired, so I plaster on my best sulking face. The walk to the netball club courts seems to go on forever. When we finally arrive, Mama and Papa tell us they're going to cross the street and check out the library. But they don't leave before making us promise to stick to the courts.

"You are to stay right here," Papa demands. We agree, and run off to the opposite court. Shivani takes a netball out her backpack.

"Wanna play?"

I smile. "What kind of question is that?"

I dart in and slap the ball out of her hands, trying to line up a shot. All of a sudden she's up in my face, shadowing me. I can't find a way out... the defense has always been Shivani's strong point. She knocks the ball from my hands as I try to dodge around her. As she pivots, preparing for her shot, she trips, falling onto her hands and knees. The netball rolls off the court.

"Are you okay?" I ask, alarmed.

"It's just a graze," she assures me. I frown. Why is she brushing me off? Her hands are torn from the uneven ground, and she rubs them on her shirt. As she stands up, I get a glimpse of the wound on her knee. Her first layer of skin has been partially scraped off. Dead skin is peeling off at the bottom of the wound. Beneath it, a glint catches the light. Metal.

                Chapter-13                      

I must be going crazy... I try to calm all the thoughts stampeding through my mind. That's it. I must've imagined it. Just to be sure I try to get a second glance, but Shivani has already covered it with a bandaid from her backpack. I need to decide what to do next. I'm struggling though. It's a bit too much for me. Sigh. What would Rabbit say?

"Sleep on it," he'd squeak. I pause. That's what I'll do. I'll sleep on it... I can't shake a feeling of unease as Shivani grins at me goofily.

When I wake up the next morning, I'm sure in my decision. I find Mama and Papa in the living room, Mama sipping a herbal tea and Papa reading the weekly newspaper. I tell them all of it. I tell them about Shivani on the netball court. About how she's been acting differently.

"You've gotta understand Mama," I beg "That... thing you brought home, it's not Shivani. It's a robot."

Mama laughs. "You've always had a wild imagination Chirag."

I clutch the arm of the couch. "I'm serious Mama!! She's made of metal. She's not a robot actually... she's artificial intelligence made to look like a human."

Papa and Mama exchange a glance. I hate it when parents do that. It's like they think they know something that we kids don't.

"Darling... I think you need to calm down. Go to your room and do some of your puzzles."

My face flashes red in exasperation. "You don't get it." I stride to the door, swinging it open, ignoring Mama and Papa's calls after me.

                Chapter-14                        

I circle around to the back of our house, heading towards the local shops. Taking massive gulps of air, I sprint past the corner specialist stores. I don't want one of the people working there to recognize me. I keep running down the street. I look around. This is further than I've ever been to before. But I've to do this. I slow to a puffing halt as I swing open the door to the police station. I look up at the towering reception desk, standing on my tiptoes to see who's behind it.

 "Officer Jagmeet please," I request.

I'm lead through to a room in the back, where Officer Jagmeet is marking notes on sheets of paper. Occasionally he squints at his computer screen and his lips purse into a thin line. I step up to his desk.

"Officer Jagmeet, I need to talk to you. It's about the case of my missing sister you were assigned."

"That case was solved already."

"But you got the wrong person!! That's not my sister!"

"Of course that's your sister. Now run along."

"I want my sister back. My REAL sister. The creature you gave us is an imposter!" 

He ignores me, refusing to look up from his file. I huff in frustration. "It's a robot."

His head shoots up, one caterpillar eyebrow raised. "Is it now?" He stands up, blocking my path and slowly backing me into the doorway.

"Let me teach you something."

                Chapter-15                       

"Robots are not people. People are not robots. The government wouldn't allow it." I hadn't fully realized until now that if my sister actually was artificial intelligence, she could be used as a war machine. It would be revolutionary. An endless bloodbath. Weapons, skills and knowledge, all disguised as a human simpleton.

"I'm done here. I'll get the receptionist to call your parents."

Officer Jagmeet leads me out to the reception chairs before retreating to his office. I sit down on one of the plastic chairs, tipping my head back.

By the time Mama and Papa arrive at the police station with Shivani in tow. I've developed a plan. I need to figure out how Shivani is being controlled without Mama and Papa finding out. Mama smiles thinly, and Shivani just looks confused.

"Hello, Chirag. You got lost, didn't you? And now you're coming home, aren't you?"

I realize Mama and Papa didn't tell Shivani about my accusations. My cheeks flush, and I clench my fists to stop myself from screaming.

                Chapter-16                      

I consider for a moment, heating up. Actually, I think it's better for me to keep it that way. If Shivani knows I'm onto her, I won't be able to gather any more evidence without her knowing.

"Yes, Mama. I'll come home now."

Mama unlocks the door, and instead of walking past I pause by the shoe rack. Shivani's joggers. They're muddy. Shivani and I haven't been outside at all this week, let alone in the mud. I lean in to get a closer look. Wedges into the sole of the shoe is a small metal chip, must have come off while she was running. I grab the tip of it with my fingers and dislodge it. I unlock the heart-shaped pendant on around my neck and nestle it inside, pressing it to shut. If the creature is actually her, her DNA would be all over it. But it won't be, because she's not. This is all the proof I need to convince Officer Jagmeet she's not real!

"You went outside without permission." I point a finger at Shivani triumphantly.

            "No, I didn't.."

                 Chapter-17                     

"Yes, you did. You went outside without me. Papa said you weren't allowed to do that," I retort.

          "No, I didn't."

          "Yes, you did."

              "No."

              "Yes."

"Stop!! You don't know what you're talking about. It's way past your bedtime anyway." she snaps.

That night, after Mama and Papa have gone to sleep, I slip out of bed. I tread lightly on the stairs – if they creak, they'll give me away. When I get to the kitchen I feel around on top of the counter straining my neck to see. There's Shivani's phone buzzing next to the house keys. I reluctantly pick up the phone with two fingers and read the text. It's from Jasleen.

       

Jasleen

¬Feels like we haven't talked in ages.

¬School's been so busy

Mrs. Kaur gives us so many homework...

¬I barely see u anymore. We should catch up this weekend!

¬Shopping?? The mall??

¬Shivani!

¬Are you ignoring me??

¬Why are you acting weird at lunch?

There are heaps of unanswered messages from Jasleen, dating all the way back to when Shivani disappeared. Questioning her behavior. I think about sending a text back, purely because I know she'd listen to me. She'd already picked up on Shivani's distant attitude...she must be as suspicious of Shivani as I'm by now. I decide against it and place the phone back on the table. No time. I grab the house keys and wince as they clang together. I freeze for a moment, listening to Mama and Papa's heavy breathing upstairs until it returns to a pattern. I fumble around with the keys until I find the one with the red tag. I ease it into the hole and turn it a full rotation. It opens with a soft click, and relief floods through me. I shut the door behind me. I make sure I've got the metal chip in my locket. I do. I run against the wind, clutching it to my chest. Leaves crunch beneath my feet, hair whipping my face.

I stare up at the industrial police sign flickering at me. It's rather daunting, now that I'm here. It's quite late. What if Officer Jagmeet is gone by now? I push open the door to reception, a bell jingling on my way in. The receptionist looks down her nose at me, suspicious. I feel her eyes on my back, watching me pass. She doesn't want another episode like last time. Neither do I. When I get to the door, I hear voices over the phone.

                Chapter-18                   

I tap my foot, impatiently waiting for his call to end. I'm not making a conscious effort to eavesdrop...until I hear something that piques my interest.

"I know. I've been. But I think the sister's onto us."

The voice on the other side is too quiet for me to pick up...

"No, she's not a threat. No one's going to listen to her. Yes? Yeah, I can do that. I'll be there in a minute."

My eyes widen in astonishment. Was he talking about me? I fiddle with my locket uncertainly. I'm not so sure I should give him the chip anymore...what if he destroys it? I hear his footsteps echo down the hallway. I trail him, expecting him to spot me at any moment. Luckily when we pass, the receptionist is not at the front desk. He keeps striving towards the road, hand in his suit pocket. He turns to look behind him, and I duck into a phone box to hide, heart racing. I find the keypad and dial the only number I know. The phone rings out. I'm petrified he'll turn and hear me. He seems to have paused near the road, waiting for someone or something. The ringing stops.

            "Hello?"

                Chapter-19                         

      "Hey, Jasleen? It's Chirag."

"Hey, Chirag... I don't recognize your caller ID. Why are you calling at this hour?"

"I don't have time to explain, but Shivani is in trouble. I'm trailing a man who I think might be behind it all." I hesitate. Where should I tell her to meet me? I don't know where he's going. Then I remember. My watch! Mama installed a tracker in it after Shivani went missing.

"Log into my watch partner app. The passcode is chiragapples, no capitals, no space. You can track me from there."

"Okay, but I'm not sure your Mama would like this. Promise me you'll stay safe until I arrive?"

             "Promise."

I open the glass door of the telephone box, and sprint to catch up with Officer Jagmeet. He's waiting next to the bustling road. A passing cab screeches to a stop in front of him. His head swivels around for a minute and I crouch, narrowly avoiding him. He gets into the cab, shutting the door behind him. Desperate to stay on his tail, I clamber into the back of the cab.

                Chapter-20                       

I shiver, wrapping my jacket tightly around my shoulders and curling up into a ball. The cab jerks to a start and the wind nips my cheeks, leaving a red string. I can partially see the silhouette of three bulky men in the rearview mirrors. I don't risk lifting my head up any further.

After what feels like forever, the cab rolls to a stop. I notice droplets of condensation forming on the windshield. The engine switches off, and all I can hear is my pounding heart. Blood rushes to my head. The world spins. My heartbeat is so loud that I worry it's going to give me away. When they get out of the car I tuck my head between my knees and pray that they don't look in the back of the cab. Their voices float further and further away, off into the wind. When I'm sure they are gone, I sit up. I swing my legs over the back of the car and cautiously cross the car park. As Officer Jagmeet and the other two men disappear around a corner, I check they're not looking before following.

They enter the elevator of a gym and studio complex. I definitely can't follow them in there. I tap my foot, wandering if Jasleen is on her way. As if on cue, a slim figure glides across the car park, face illuminated by the street lights.

Jasleen! I wrap her in a tight hug.

"Woah there little one!" she chuckles but her forehead is creased with worry.

                Chapter-21                     

Once I catch Jasleen up on what's happened, she's sweating.

"Seriously? Oh my gosh... We have to follow them. Quickly!"

She grabs my hand and we run toward the elevator. I saw the men disappear into, but it closes before we reach it. When it returns to my floor, they're gone. I look at the keypad for any clues of which floor they might have gone to. The two most worn out floor numbers on the keypad are 2 and 3... I'll try both. I jiggle around, feeling slightly stressed. I've never liked elevators. It turns out 2 and 3 are both parking levels. Why?!

Jasleen hesitates. "What if you press both at once?"

I scoff. "That only works in movies." Even so, I count down and hit both buttons at the same time. I feel the elevator shoot downward, and I clutch the rail, screaming. It jerks to a stop. I thought I was going to die! I look over at Jasleen, and she's white as a sheet. I panic. What if it's not done falling? But then the doors slide open, and nothing else matters.

It's organized chaos. Drones are flying everywhere, there are people in lab coats carrying around large pieces of metal, plans and blueprints pinned to the walls... I don't know where to look!! In the middle of the room, there's a center console. Its glow entrances me. Officer Jagmeet and an unrecognizable younger man hover nearby. The younger man reminds me of a TV salesman. They're hunched over a pile of papers, discussing hurriedly. Pinned on one of the walls, there's a large blueprint of Shivani.

                 Chapter-22                      

How did they get access to the blueprint of my sister? I gulp, swallowing the lump in my throat. Across the room, a restrained person on a metal gurney is being sent into a scanning machine of some description. It kind of reminds me of an x-ray machine, like the one I had to be under when I broke my arm.

A scan of the person's brain is enlarged on the screen, and the image instantly multiplies. The person on the gurney is replaced by a complicated metal creation in a vaguely humanoid shape, and a man in lab coat swipes the image across. He types something into a text box, and a label blinks on the screen.

𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝐴1 𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲?

   

𝗬𝗲𝘀/𝗡𝗼

The man clicks 🅈🄴🅂 without hesitation. Jasleen and I watch, entranced, as he repeats the process for the physical attributes of the person, transferring them to the robot. When he's done, he's left with an almost exact replica of the person. There's no visible difference. I shudder. Creepy. I gesture at Jasleen, stealing her attention.

"I'm going to try to get a closer look," I mouth. She nods cautiously. I peek around the edge of the column. The coast is clear. We tread lightly across space, sticking to walls and pillars. I flash Jasleen a smile. We're almost there!! As I pass a medicinal cart, I trip and thrust my hands out to save me. The supplies from the cart go flying, clattering to the floor. Jasleen sprints, her expression apologetic. I look up into the firm gaze of Officer Jagmeet. He tuts, "You've made this incredibly difficult for me."

 

Chapter-23     

I shiver. "So you're creating identical robot copies of people? That can't be legal." I push myself to stand. "I know what you've done. Where is she?"

He smiles sickly.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"My sister. I know you have her."

"I'm afraid, you're mistaken."

"Shut up!! The thing you 'found' is a robot copy of my sister. I know you have my actual sister somewhere in this place. I want her, now."

The other man, who looks to be about 25, approaches us.

"Sweetheart, I don't think you understand. This is our job. We make money from this. It's our Empire." He flashes his pearly teeth at us. "The name is is Eugene Hayman, by the way." 

He puts his hand out in front of him as if expecting me to shake it. I back away, anxious.

"Uh, I think I'll be leaving now."

I spin towards the exit. A wall of expressionless robot copies blocks my path. I turn back to Eugene, whose eyes are cold and black.

"You know far too much to just leave now. How about you stay for a while?"

I don't like the shift in his demeanor.

"Oh... no, thank you."

                 Chapter-24                      

           //Reunited//

He ignores my comment - "Follow me."

One of the robot copies jerks me by the wrist and tugs me down a hallway after Eugene and Officer Jagmeet. I wonder who the robot leading me is a copy of. Were they copied willingly? Do they have a family who is searching for them right at this very moment? That reminds me of my family, probably still sleeping. Blissfully unaware. We reach a room full of glowing blue tanks, each containing a skeletal structure. I shudder. Hopefully, Shivani isn't one of those. Instead of stopping, Eugene leads us to the middle of the room. "Stay still."

We're still being held tight by the robot copies, so we don't really have a choice. After a few seconds of stillness, the square of floor shoots out from underneath us, and we land on a padded blue rectangle on another floor. My jaw hits the floor. So this is where he was taking us. Rows after rows of cages line the walls, each holding people. Humans, or at least what used to be. Some of them seem rabid, almost damaged. I brush my fingers along the bar of a cage, jumping back as an elderly man growls and bares her teeth at me. The robot copy lets me go, and I rush around the cages, scanning each one briefly. I'm only looking for one person. After checking and double-checking, I fall to my knees, sobbing. From the very end of the room, I hear a rasping voice.

       "Chirag? Is that you?"

         I gasp. "Shivani!"

            

                 Chapter-25                        

I thrust myself against the bars, wrapping my arms as far around her as they'll go.

"Chirag you have to get out of here, it's a trap. They won't set you free. They never let you free.."

"Enough!" Officer Jagmeet interrupts us, wrapping his hand around my arm and shoving me into the cell with Shivani. Eugene sighs, shaking his head.

"You two had a chance to be a part of something big. Hayman Intelligence is going to be groundbreaking. People are going to pay billions of dollars to replace members of their competition with spy robot doppelgängers. They'll all jump at the chance to gather intel from mega-corporations."

Shivani smooths back my hair. She's trying to soothe me, she can see that this is riling me up.

"So..." my voice cracks. "Why Shivani?"

He pretends to think for a moment. "We need our copies to fit into society undetected. Your sister was simply a test run that failed." He shrugs. Shivani spits. "Money is the only thing that matters to you, isn't it? You don't care if you tear thousands of families apart if it benefits you."

He gives her a pitying look, "Someday honey, you'll get it." 

        Chapter-26            

He shuts the door, locking it behind him, and leaves.

I bang on the door and scream desperately. "Help!! Mama!! Papa!!"

Shivani bows her head. "It's no use Chirag. No one can hear us down here."

"I don't understand. What are they going to do with us??"

"Well now they've launched robot me into the world, they have to keep me here if they want to keep their charade going. There can't be two versions of me running around, or that would derail their experiment. But you.."

"They're going to kill me."

She shakes her head feverently. "I won't let them!! They won't lay a finger on you, not a single finger."

"Shivani, they can't keep me around cause I know too much."

Without warning, the lights in the cages switch off. "Sleep, or else.."

Fear of discovering what 'else' would force us all to silence.

The next day when they fetch us food. I gobble it all down. I didn't realize how starving I was. Shivani shakes her head and curls into a ball. Our AI guards kick her, and she groans.

"Officer! The brat ain't eating."

Officer Jagmeet comes in over and stands in front of Shivani.

"You will eat." He backhands her across the face, the noise ringing through the hallway.

                 Chapter-27                     

After I'm sure Officer Jagmeet is gone, I crawl over to Shivani.

"What were you thinking?"

"They need me alive to continue their little experiment. Maybe if I threaten to starve myself unless they let you free.."

"It won't work. Trust me Shivani, please."

The next day when the robot slides the bread into our cage, he watches us with his beady eyes. I nibble, savoring every minuscule bite. I look over at Shivani, who isn't still eating. The robot returns a few minutes later with Officer Jagmeet. Together they tie her to a chair with her hands behind her back, tip her head back and shove the food down her throat. Her eyes are watering but she shakes her head. The message is clear in her eyes. I'm not going to swallow it. Officer Jagmeet tips water into her mouth and she starts to hack, gasping until she sucks the bread in. She coughs, and Officer Jagmeet tugs the knots around her hands off. She slumps to the floor, cheek meeting icy concrete, unconscious. Officer Jagmeet tuts as he leaves.

"We didn't need to do it the hard way..." I trace figure eights on her bony wrist. I don't think I can bear to spend another minute in this place, let alone watch them force feed her again. I fold her arms over her chest.

"Goodnight Shivani," I whisper into her ear, lying down next to her and cuddling into her side. It's not long before I fall into a restless sleep.

                Chapter-28                      

When I wake up it's still dark. I'm vaguely aware of voices outside my cage.

"Chirag!" I can't put my finger on the voice. I walk to the edge of the cage.

           "Eugene?"

"Who? No! It's Jasleen! Now wake your sister up and come with me. I stole the key from the center panel, and it's not long before they realize it's gone."

Still reeling from shock, I shake Shivani awake, dragging her to her feet.

"Wha.," Shivani asks, still half asleep. Me and Jasleen such her instantly. We creep down the hallway, ignoring the other test subjects in cages. When we reach the place where the hatch was, we stay still until it fires us back up into the skeleton room. Thank goodness it's empty. We scuttle down a labyrinth of halls before finding the main room. Jasleen puts the key back in its place on the center console, we all sprint towards the exit. The exit is marked by a stack of barrels with symbols all over them. Behind them, I hear Officer Jagmeet bellowing at the robots. "Stop them!"

We jab at the elevator buttons, shooting upward. The robots follow not close behind, and we jump in Jasleen's car, revving the engine. Two of the robots start to bash on the windows and I jump, petrified. Jasleen backs out of the parking lot, knocking over a clump of robot copies in the process. We zoom away from the scene, Officer Jagmeet and Eugene screaming after us. Once we're sure we are distanced enough from them, Jasleen stops the car. I'm out of breath. My heart rate must be skyrocketing.

                 Chapter-29                      

      //Jasleen's birthday//

(𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑥𝑡𝑟𝑎 𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠)

Meanwhile, it's Jasleen's birthday and she's planning something different this time. 

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Yes! I've been wanting to do this for ages, it's the best way to celebrate my 18th birthday!"

Simran and I amble down the street, intertwined hands swinging between us. The moon casts an eerie glow over the sleeping town. Most of the stores are closed. A raven caws in the distance.

"Do you know what you want to get?"

"I...well..." I trail off.

She laughs, shaking her head. "I get it. Don't worry. I'm sure you'll figure it out."

I nod. We turn down an alleyway, stopping outside the storefront window.

"This is pretty." I trace my finger down the mandala pattern inked onto the glass.

"It is." Simran smiles thoughtfully.

Inside, a bearded man at the counter gives us a gruff wave.

"What can I do for u tonight ladies?"

Simran looks at me expectantly.

"Do you think I could take a look at some designs?"

"Of course. Right, this way."

He guides us to a room in the back of the store. Sketches are pinned up on stained glass panes all around the room.

"I'll be back in a few minutes to confirm your choice."

The man leaves Simran and me alone in the room. She rubs her thumb soothingly over my knuckles in circles.

"I thought you might be able to help me choose. It could be a surprise."

I look up into her hazel eyes, counting the green flecks. She averts her gaze shyly, before looking back up at me with a renewed fierceness. She kisses my fingertips. "Only because I love you."

Simran circles the room and picks up a design. "No peeking!"

When the guy comes back into the room, Simran hands him the design and he smiles, "I'm sure your friend will love it." He faces me - "Ready for your first tattoo?"

I sit backwards on a cushioned chair, the tattoo man behind me. He sterilizes my skin, talking me through the whole process. When the cold tip of the tattoo gun presses into the skin next to my shoulder blade, my eyes water. Simran squeezes my hand. "You're done."

I stand up, flexing my shoulder. Fluorescent lights flicker on and off, making me feel dizzy. I whack Simran jokingly. "You'd better have chosen something nice."

  "Do you wanna see?"

I shrug. The tattooed man returns with a mirror, lifting it to my shoulder. All potential sarcastic remarks were forgotten, I try to remember how to breathe.

             "Oh!"

   "Is that a good Oh, or...?"

I bury my face on Simran's shoulder. "It's amazed Oh!! I love it. I love you."

She beams, dimples creasing. "Only the best for you my darling."

I laugh, twirling her around. "I can't wait to show it off to everyone!" I run my hand shakingly over my new tattoo. A raven, wings spread, cawing proudly.

              

Chapter-30      

"We've got to tell Mama and Papa!"

"No!" Jasleen shrieks.

Shivani and I look at her, surprised by the outburst.

"You can't snitch to adults because they'll want to call the police. But the police are corrupt! Hayman industries have spied on the inside, including Officer Jagmeet. He'll just deny the whole thing, and do you really think they'll believe the word of a few random children who have a tendency to disappear over that of a reputable policeman?"

What she's saying makes sense.

"Hang on a minute, not necessarily.."

Jasleen's eyes narrow and she starts arguing with Shivani. "Yes necessarily!"

I try to tune out their bickering, but it's impossible. And then, a thousand lightbulbs ping inside my brain. The barrels near the lab entrance!!

              Chapter-31

I wave my hands, trying to get my sister's attention. "Listen!! I think I know how to shut this operation down." Shivani's head perks up. "Between the elevator and the entrance to the main lab, there was a stack of barrels. Flammable barrels."

Jasleen's eyes widen in shock as she realizes what I'm suggesting.

          "But how...?"

I tilt my head, deep in thought. "Papa keeps a lighter in his wallet for when he wants a secret cigarette without Mama finding out... what if we could get to that?"

Shivani nods in agreement. "He always leaves his coat on the stand near the front door."

"Well then, why aren't we there instead of here?"

"I don't know, let's get a move on!"

Jasleen speeds down the freeway. Car headlights flash in my peripheral vision. We pass a skyscraper full of offices. Only one room has a light on in the whole building. I wonder who's inside. Perhaps a man waiting for good news. Maybe one too caught up in his work. Or maybe he's waiting by the phone, for the call that will change his life. Is that how it started out for Eugene? Too many late nights spent stressing over money, work, business. The car doors unlock. We're here.

                 Chapter-32                        

I gesture to Jasleen and Shivani. We sneak inside, making sure the door doesn't slam behind us. The table side lamp and I can see the back of a figure's head.

"Where have you been?" Fake Shivani lifts her teacup to her lips. I don't think she's seen Jasleen and Shivani yet in the shadows. They sneak around the back of her.

"What do you mean?"

"You disappeared for a whole night and didn't expect me to notice?"

Jasleen smothers fake Shivani with a pillow, tying a gag around her mouth. I rush over and help them bind her hands. On the way out the door I feel around in Papa's jacket pocket for his wallet and grab it. We shove fake Shivani towards the car, locking her in.

Shivani hesitates. "This feels wrong. Even though she's not real..."

"I know. But if we want a fresh start, all of this has to be gone, including her."

                Chapter-33                        

           //Blueprint//

We get out of the car a few houses down the road from the lab, moving on foot from there to avoid detection. Fake Shivani squirms and I tighten my grip on her arm. When we arrive at the lab, I press the buttons to take us down.

         The elevator drops.

When the doors slide open, I find the lighter in Papa's wallet and bring it out. I lead fake Shivani to the pillar and tie her there. Officer Jagmeet and Eugene are distracted at a table a few miles away.

"You have to be ready," I warn Jasleen her finger hovering over the elevator button. I lean over the barrel, tilt the lid open, and spark the lighter. I turn and run. Jasleen is already jabbing the elevator button. The elevator shoots up and we sprawl out, getting to our feet and running as far from the building as possible.

Flames lick the sky, and the shouting grows quiet until you can only hear the crackling of the fire. The building collapses in on itself bit by bit, and we watch the fire die. Not a single person manages to escape.

       ~ 3 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 ~

Shivani and I are sitting at the kitchen countertop, finishing our homework while Mama chops vegetables. Papa is on a business trip in Dubai right now, and he's not coming back for another 6 months. I squint at my math homework, distracted.

            "Ouch!"

Mum's rubbing her finger. "I cut it when I was slicing the onion."

I rush to grab a bandaid out of the first aid box. As I go to put it on her finger, it strikes me as odd that the wound isn't bleeding at all. And when the light hits her finger, I see it. Metal!! 

        (𝐀𝐧𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐫𝐚𝐩!)