The energizing beat filled the otherwise still room, leaping forward from the small radio sitting next to the lab’s main computer. Along with the beat, floated a sweet voice carrying the lyrics of the song throughout the air, but from a different source altogether. A teenager standing over a station with a rather impressive-looking microscope and looking a bit out of place compared to the other two occupants of the lab. Both were older, in their 40’s, and looking with interest at something on the computer’s monitor while the blonde worked away at her station. It was peaceful, a bit of calm within the teenager’s otherwise busy day. As she continued singing along with the song, the girl moved about documenting a few observations made at the microscope and sending them over to the lab’s main computer before stepping away from the station. Calmly, she made her way over to the two scientists eagerly gesturing towards the computer and spoke up as she drew close.
”Dr. Smith, Dr. Penn.” She said softly, causing both of the scientists to jump and quickly click off something that had been pulled up on their screen.
”I finished the observations you asked for on sample 2C, sent them over for you both to review. It does look like that cells are taking to their environment, maybe we’ve finally got this one?” She asked with a friendly smile on her features as the two looked at each other, then towards the files she had sent over. There was a small murmur of conversation between the two of the scientists, before they turned back on the girl.
”Good work, Z-01. I think that’s all we had for today…” Dr. Smith said, reaching up to comb back his non-existant hair and adjust his glasses as he spoke. He looked towards the woman as if to ask her a question, before the teenager took the chance to jump in the silence.
”What were you two looking at? I seem to have scared you both, was it classified?” ”Ah… yeah. Classified info, sorry for worrying you.”The teenager’s eyes narrowed for a half of a second as he spoke. Noticing that both scientists’ hearts seemed to pick up their pace. Were they lying about something? Surely they’d have no reason to lie to her. She’d not done anything wrong recently, and had even been helping with their latest project. However, Z-01 decided not to prod on the subject. Perhaps it was something personal that neither wished to discuss. People were weird like that. With a small nod and that smile returning once more to her features, the girl turned attention back to the conversation at hand. The two were talking over the results once more, seemingly having forgotten the girl waiting patiently while she was off in her own thoughts. The girl let out a small sigh, a hint of irritation in her voice at that particular development.
”U-uhm, if its not too much, I was wondering if I could collect on my payment for helping today?” She asked, eyes seemingly twinkling in excitement for what would come next.
Both scientists turned, remembering that they had company and looked towards each other before turning back towards her. The payment she had been asking for wasn’t anything physical, but rather information. That she’d be able to ask the scientists any question of her choosing and they’d sate her curiosity on the matter.
”Ah! Of course sweetie.” Came the response from Dr. Penn, a rather rotund lady with a cruel look in her eyes and greying hair that did not match her inviting tone of voice.
”We nearly forgot there, didn’t we David?” She said with a little laugh as she turned her attention back on the young woman.
”So whats the question today, Z-01?” She asked, that obviously fake smile still on her lips.
”I was just wondering if… well, I was wondering what its like outside? What was it like today, are the people out there safe from… him?” ”What is it like outside? Usually your questions are more scientific, Z-01. What inspired this?””I was just curious, I’m always cooped up in the labs, and they could be in danger…””Ah, no matter, a little curiosity doesn’t hurt. David, you can answer this!” Dr. Penn cut in, easily extracting herself from answering the question. Another strange development, as she usually couldn’t wait to answer whatever the clone asked. Both Z-01 and Dr. Smith looked at her with a look of obvious confusion before the man shrugged and sat back to answer the girl’s question.
”Well, there isn’t really much to tell you that you don’t already know, Z-01. Weather was fine today, life went on as it usually does.” He said, clearly eager to move past the subject and get back to his studies. Yet, as the blonde eagerly stared at him, it was evident she was expecting something more. With an irritated sigh, the man continued.
”The people out there are fine, Z-01, they live carefree lives in their cities. What else do you want, me to tell you about the children who blocked my drive in? That Superman is on the news again!?” The man said, cutting off immediately after speaking as he saw the shocked expression of Dr. Penn, and the suspicious look suddenly appearing on Z-01’s features.
He stammered as he tried to backpedal on his previous statements, but the clone shot him a harsh glare.
”I know you weren’t lying, Dr. Smith, I can hear your heartbeat. I can see Dr. Penn’s reaction.” She said firmly, staring the man down as she continued.
”I thought that the people out there lived in fear, of Superman? I thought we all lived in this bunker, safe from his reign until I was ready, how come you mentioned your drive in?” She demanded, pausing as a thought occurred to her. Perhaps somebody else had stopped Superman already? Perhaps the staff here hadn’t known how to tell her, and thats what was being hidden? She had to know. The blonde stepped in suddenly, forcefully shoving both Doctors away from the computer with enough force to send each to their rears. She quickly clicked over to the screen that had been hidden as she approached… and her eyes went wide.
The headline read, with the date confirming it was from today, and a picture of the alien carrying a woman from a burning building.
”W-what?...” The girl whispered, scanning through the whole article in under a second. In the next moment, she spun on Dr. Smith and lifted the man by the front of his shirt to stop him from hitting the panic button he’d been closing on. Her features were a myriad of mixed emotions. Hurt, fear, anger. All the looks of a girl who felt betrayed, a girl who’d just learned her life was a lie. She threw the man behind her, so he landed heavily near Dr. Penn even as the woman tried to get to her feet and flee the lab.
Zzzt! came a sizziling hiss from the floor in front of the woman as deadly arcs of green energy carved a line in front of her, causing the Doctor to jump back in fear. She stumbled back, pinning herself in a corner alongside Doctor Smith, both in fear of creation they knew could end their lives in mere moments. Her eyes glowed a violent green, seemingly as bright as LEDs as the clone approached both. The anger growing rapidly across her face becoming terrifyingly reminiscent of the man she was cloned from, and striking a fear for their lives into both Doctors.
”You lied to me!” She hissed, even as her voice started to raise.
”You told me he conquered the world up there! You told me that people lived in fear of him! Yet there is the evidence of the opposite! Why? Why would you lie to me like that!?” She demanded, tears stinging her face as the pain gripped her heart. Was everything about her a lie? Was she the fool for trusting these people for her whole life?
They’re lying. I can’t trust them.I need to…I need to leave.I’ll find the truth.The words echoed through the clone’s mind even as she clenched a fist so tight that her knuckles went white. She wasn’t really thinking anymore, her mind a myriad of emotions and thoughts over what she’d learned. The next moment was a blur of sudden motion as the clone launched upwards, slamming through innumerable floors of concrete and support structures as if they were made of paper. Further. Further. Further.
Then the ceiling exploded upwards in a brilliant display of flying debris and flashing bursts of electricity. All sent hurtling into the sky from the force of her escape, even as the girl herself moved in a gentle arc down towards a segment of road just outside of the city. It was an overload, the openness of the night sky, the calm sounds of a myriad of living creatures intermingling with the chaos of the nearby city. The sight, sound, scent, feel of the cool night air. It was all too much. As the girl slammed down into the street, the impact and sensory overload caused her mind to blank out for a second. Everything being too much for her to handle at once.
Her eyes fluttered open to the same scene they closed with, only this time there was somebody else with her. In a mere second, the blonde was on her feet and back a couple of steps, eyes already glowing before she’d even taken in
who was with her. A man, seemingly half covered in strange machinery, and the other half flesh and blood. Nothing like she’d seen before, and that alone was enough to start convincing the girl he wasn’t with those who’d raised her. He wore an easy grin, with both hands held up in mock surrender as he looked at the girl in her tattered outfit.
”Quite the entrance. Not every day somebody comes slamming up from the ground like that, definitely not outside Metropolis.” The man said, his tone casual as if this were, in fact, something he saw every day. The clone tilted her head slightly, confused by this man’s easygoing attitude. Was this how people were up here?
”Listen, I’m bettin’ whoever you’re running from has something to do with the convoy of trucks comin’ our way. I got a place you’d be safe from whoever’s after ya in Midway City, and we can figure out your deal from there. Sound good?” He said, offering a hand towards the girl even as she turned back in the direction he’d gestured when mentioning the convoy. Sure enough, she saw a line of trucks bearing the same markings as the lab hurtling down the highways towards them. So perhaps this man was telling the truth… and… she didn’t really have a choice at the moment. With a nervous swallow she nodded and took the robot-man’s hand.
”Great. You got a name?” He asked quickly.
”Z-01” She responded.
”Yeah, we’re gonna have to work on that one. Some folks call me Cyborg, that’ll do till I know you better.”