"You look pale, Daphne," my father asked me as he sat down beside me on the sofa. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine, Dad." As fine as I could be bearing in mind the bad omen hanging over my nervousness. What Eros had just told me about Apollo's press conference was unsettling and unclear. I tried my best to hide my angst from my father.

The weather report on TV was about to end. In a matter of seconds, what would soon become the press conference of the century would start.

"Climate change is still wild, as usual. So, get your air conditioning ready for next week's heatwave. Make sure you stay hydrated. And now, it's time for the Great Apollo's press conference from Hotel Poseidon." The iconic music theme from the news broadcast started to sound, only to slowly fade into a new, epic one that seemed tailored for the occasion.

Soon, I saw Hotel Poseidon's luxurious auditorium, a large room in black, white and deep red. The Secretary of State was getting on the stage, approaching a tall table with a slant board and a mike. He aimed a broad smile at the camera when he started talking to the audience with great pride:

"Today is a very special day. We reap the fruits of a long-term project that we enrolled on many years ago. We: my life-long friend, President Leo Storm, myself, and... of course... our most revered Apollo. We are the founders of the company which has developed the marvels you'll see today. I'm proud to introduce a new version of Apollo's person today, as well! He shall introduce you to what the future will look like – today! Please welcome the Great Apollo!"

Loud applause followed suit. Everyone in the auditorium in Hotel Poseidon must've been clapping hard. The Secretary of State stepped aside clapping too.

My mouth was left ajar when I saw a mind-blowingly gorgeous thirty-year-old blond man walk imposingly to the mike. He was approximately 6 feet tall and well-built like an athlete and had the looks of a top model. That square jaw and that slim waist of his reaped quite a few loud sighs from the clone women in the auditorium. Besides that, he was wearing a dark grey suit with Oyster's logo on the right side of his chest. Mrs Nevermore must've been proud.

He was Apollo. The Living God. Only a much younger -and hotter- version of himself. His mesmerising, deep blue eyes were suddenly focused on the camera when the cameraman made a closeup of his person, and I could've sworn that he was piercing my heart with them because I felt a cold pang strike me like lightning.

That was the man who had endorsed chaos during the Prevalence War and taken over the world, who had threatened Eros a few hours ago, who had despised his talents, and who would soon shock me – according to Eros. I swallowed hard.

Apollo tried to keep the audience calm with mild gestures of his hands, waving at them to sit down and relax. He was about to speak.

"Dear members of the audience," he began with a strong voice, full of charisma and assertiveness. His teeth shone like beautiful pearls in his mouth. "I am here today to introduce Myself to you, even though you already know Me, of course." His smile then was wider and more charming.

"I am Apollo, the Living God of clones," he went on in a presidential manner, puffing out his chest a bit with a conscious intake of air. "A clone version of Him, to be precise. My former self was a traditional human, as you already know. He was eighty years old and too tired to go on leading the greatest human community that has ever lived on Earth – the clones. That's the reason why He cloned Himself, enabling Me to come to life. Sadly, however," he said as his tone changed to a more affected one, "He chose to end his life today."

I heard some gasps from the audience.

"I have supported Him in every step of the way," he went on with strength and determination. "Today too. I've helped Him to ease His transition into the afterlife. He wanted you all to know He loves you dearly, and that you're left in good hands, Mine – or His. There is no difference but our age, really. He loved clones so much that these have been His last words: 'to be honest, only a clone should be the God of clones, right?' He's said that before exhaling His last breath. I'm honoured to take the lead instead of Him."

His conceitedness didn't go unnoticed, but the members of the audience there were all clones, so he found no opposition whatsoever. Not a sneer was uttered, quite the contrary. Everyone was cheering him. I assumed Agape and the rebels must've been watching that show and fuming.

"As you know, we are under the threat of an unknown illness' dreadful wake," he went on calmly but formally then. "Climate change is the culprit. The extreme weather conditions are to blame. Take the Neon Sea and its pollution as an example of what our ancestors did to our beloved planet and home. Traditional humans were irrationally drawn to self-destruction like a moth to a flame. We, clones, do not endorse that behaviour anymore."

He was lying there – or at least partly. Clones didn't know about his lies and all the problems he had kept under the rug, of course. He did know the real cause, the one that Eros' had unveiled to me a few minutes ago in the Cliffs' clearing.

"Traditional humans deserve to pay the consequences of their reckless actions," he went on with harshness. "They treated clones as badly as they had been treating Mother Earth. That's why our supremacy is justified. They were the worst rulers that the Earth has ever had. Ruthless tyrants that have found their rightful place in society ever since the clones rose into power forty years ago. They deserve to be treated as inferiors since their lust for power and supremacy was unhealthy, unethical, and unsustainable. Now, it's our job to solve their problems!" A blinding smile dawned on his godlike face then.

He was disgusting. I wanted to make him eat his own words. Every word he had uttered was not entirely right and not entirely wrong, but I didn't think it fit to justify clone supremacy on account of what he had just said. No one should rule as the clones did ever again.

"So, I'm here today to present myself as your new God and to give you some gifts, my dear fellow clones! Gifts to make the future better. The enterprise that the Secretary of State was mentioning before. Behold the future! I give you the ability to become immortal!"

Everybody in the audience gasped, including my father and me. Then, I could hear muffled, whispering voices, wondering whether it was real.

"I reward you, my dear fellow clones, with the latest tech development," he added with pride and joy. "A breakthrough that can only be compared to the one that brought all of us to life a bit more than forty years ago. I give you: 3D printers which can print organic matter of any kind and the dawn of androids!"

He turned around, making a swift motion with his right hand. Then, the massive dark red curtain he had behind him all of a sudden revealed the aforementioned items.

When I saw them, I gaped like the rest of the audience.

Four 3D printers were printing different organs at that precise moment: lungs, kidneys, a heart, and a brain. Their motions were swift and precise. They skilfully zigzagged their way bottom-up as they created those organs.

Right next to them, there were four androids whom I didn't recognise, but I assumed they were former traditional humans that had been snatched during any of those annual check-ups we were forced to pass.

They were standing in line in a military style as if waiting for specific instructions. The look in their eyes was empty, inhuman. With those unnatural, neon-like colours, those eyes were devoid of emotions, like the ones I had seen on the classified videos I had copied from the Secretary of State's home office PC.

"Let Me introduce them to you step by step," Apollo said then, getting my full attention once more. "These 3D printers shall print any organ of your choice. Let climate change go rogue. We don't care. No harm in our organs shall make us suffer anymore. Nothing can outsmart us now. We shall not depend on the traditional humans for the supply, actually. They shall be relieved from that fate. Organ demand and offer shall meet for the first time in history!

"But this is not all! Look: even brains can be printed! These machines -created by the three of us under the corporate name of Future Designs Inc.- use clone-like blueprints of previously approved, fully viable organ designs provided by the BioBank. The organic matter used is also a customised, cloned product made in the BioBank. Your whole body can be re-cloned like this, actually.

"That way the law that forbids cloning of adults -like traditional humans shamefully did to us a long time ago- does not need to be made null. The BioBank shall remain the sacred place where clone babies are born, as usual. And you shall be able to store all your memories and personalities in the GSNS' database like mine was. They shall get transferred via USB, thus making you immortal. Here, take a look at the base of my nape, close to my right ear. That's what my predecessor did to Me so that I could become Him."

Then, he proceeded to show the audience and the cameras the USB port on his nape.

"His last contribution to make the world a better place is this," he went on with pride, displaying himself with pride. "He created Me with this procedure, and then He transferred his memories and personality like this. We're currently working on a Bluetooth-like procedure instead of using a USB device. But it's a complete, undeniable success! I welcome you to try it at your earliest convenience! For a reasonable price, of course."

The members of the audience cheered him. They were so stoked on the new and improved, thirty-year-old Apollo that no clone realised a vital problem at that moment: the 3D printers were malfunctioning.

I saw the four organs disintegrating and falling to pieces behind him as if they were decomposing at maximum speed. Their healthy rosy colour became beige, then brown and ash-like in a matter of seconds.

I heard clones in the audience gasp and panic when they saw those organs decomposing halfway through being created. Apollo turned around and noticed that their public failure could not be undone. His look was no longer proud and assertive. He clenched his teeth, and then he barked some orders to the members of the security forces present at the event so that the machines were taken out of sight.

Thank God K8 was able to spread the mosquitoes with Agape's virus before Apollo's conference! I was glad that my idea was stopping the clones, or at least making things difficult for them. I was sure Agape and the other rebels were high on pride at that moment.

"Anyway, do not panic, my fellow clones!" He tried to steer the current foul mood in the audience. "Those machines are only a prototype. It's probably just a bug in the system. It's pretty normal. You don't need to worry. That's the thing about being on live TV!"

Then, the Secretary of State approached him on the stage in a hurry and whispered something into his right ear. A moment later, images from perfectly-working 3D printers were shown to the audience on a large screen behind Apollo.

"Thank you, Claudius. Great idea," Apollo congratulated him. "See? Perfectly healthy organs are being printed by our wonderful 3D printers. These images were only taken a few days ago."

His charming smile and collected attitude seemed to convince the audience, but I knew better. The clones in the audience clapped enthusiastically regardless. Oh, wait until you see the androids malfunctioning too, you evil god!

"Now, we can proceed with a live test of four of our androids," he continued then with renewed energy as he approached them. "Let Me present the androids that shall be doing the routine chores that traditional humans currently do. These androids have passed all the behavioural tests available. They haven't got free will or feelings of any kind. They can perform any job. They don't earn money. They don't need any. Plus, they're insanely trustworthy. That's what I love the most about them. Tell them to burn themselves alive, and they will do it."

I was appalled to hear that. None of us rebels had seen any videos containing footage of self-harm as proof of their loyalty.

"You might question what use we shall give to traditional humans now that they shall be replaced by these two more efficient forms of organ production and cheap labour. Well, there's none, is there?" Apollo asked with a sly grin. "Do not fear, traditional humans. We shall not get rid of you just yet. I am not that cruel."

I hardly believed that.

"Technological and biomedical progress won't automatically mean you shall be obliterated." His voice was severe and cold then. "Not yet, at least. That shall depend on your good behaviour. The rebellion that some of you have started shall not thrive. I am extremely grateful to those of you who have helped the clone police forces with tips so far. You've done good for your community – unlike these rebels. I shall bear that in mind."

He gave the impression of being a magnanimous leader, but Agape, the rebels, and I knew better. Even Eros. We had seen his true colours.

Maybe that was what Eros had thought that would unnerve me: the fact that Apollo's gadgets might make traditional humans obsolete and easily disposable. But I wasn't nervous. No, I was angry.

"So, let's take a look at these androids here," Apollo went on with pride. "Let Me show you how they work. You, android number 3114." A female android with dark brown hair and eyes and a dark skin tone straightened her pose as a response. "Sweep the floor."

There was a mop and a bucket of water near her. She turned to it, identified the items, got hold of the mop, and started to sweep the floor. Clapping was heard.

"Android number 0879." A male android with ginger hair and green eyes recognised Apollo's voice and his number. Apollo was holding a white shirt and a sewing kit before him. "This shirt needs to be mended. Sew the seam."

The android took the shirt and the sewing kit from Apollo's hand. He sat on a chair and proceeded with the task. Clapping was heard again.

"President Storm, would you be so kind as to get on the stage, please," Apollo said with a nice smile. While the President came onstage, some members of security had prepared a café-like setting, with a table, a couple of chairs, some glasses and drinks.

"Android 2966 and 1054, you shall serve the President now. Help him to sit on a chair, and do as he says," Apollo commanded.

Android 2966 was a young female with dark blond hair and brown eyes and a pale complexion. She approached the President and gently pulled a chair for him.

"I would like a nice ice tea, android 1054," the President told that android, a frail middle-aged man of African descent. "Pour a glass for me."

Android 1054 grabbed a glass with his left hand, and he suddenly froze in an awkward pose.

That was when hell broke loose.

His eyes started to glitch. All the androids started to have small seizure-like uncontrolled movements. Android 1054 smashed the glass on the floor. Android 3114 broke the mop in half and poured all the dirty water on the floor. Android 0879 ripped the shirt up. And android 2966 grabbed the other chair and smashed it on the floor with a grunt.

"Oh, no. Not this again!" Apollo complained in anger. He called the security personnel's attention. "What are you waiting for, you idiots?! Put them down!"

Four well-built clone police officers ran to those four androids and snapped their necks. They were easy to take down since they couldn't stop glitching. Their lifeless bodies lay on the floor.

"Take them away. This demonstration is over. I'm tired of this. Tell the spare androids on the premises to dispose of these bodies. I want them out of my sight... now!" Apollo barked those orders. "Have we got some videos to show the audience?"

Wow, he was amazingly pissed off at that moment – and I was the reason behind it all. His screw-up was my triumph, my gold medal since I was the one who had come up with the mosquito idea to thwart his plans. I felt proud.

While some other androids had been called to clean the stage and some footage of well-behaved androids was being broadcast on the same large screen behind Apollo, I realised something that would mark my soul like a burning branding iron forever: one of those androids was...

"Daniel!" I exclaimed in panic. My eyes went wide due to astonishment.

"Oh my God! It's him!" my father shouted as if he couldn't believe it.

Both of us had stood up from the sofa and come closer to the TV out of pure amazement. Daniel was helping to carry a corpse by grabbing it by the shoulders.

"He's alive!" my father exclaimed with tears in his eyes, and then he hugged me tightly.

"They've turned him into an android," I whispered with both surprise and disgust while I hugged him back. On the one hand, I was thrilled to see him alive and well (more or less, I guessed). On the other hand, I felt disgusted by the fact that they had changed him and enslaved him. "We should go and see him, right?"

"I... I don't know, Daphne. I've got a feeling that he's not the same anymore. Have you seen those eyes?" he replied with mistrust and a frown on his face. He stopped hugging me.

Out of the blue, Daniel made a strange, awkward face. He stopped carrying the dead android he was supposed to take away from the stage. He stared at the President with ire, and in the blink of an eye, he grabbed a piece of broken glass from the floor and attacked the President with it.

Everything went incredibly fast. Daniel slit the motherfucker's throat. The President couldn't help but fall to his knees on the floor with a large, gushing wound on the tender flesh of his neck. Then, a clone police officer was fast enough to tackle Daniel down on the floor with his whole body.

Hysteric cries were heard on- and offstage.

Apollo's face was contorted into an expression of boundless fury. The President was having a panic attack as he remained kneeling on the floor and putting both hands on his neck for dear life. His wife came to help him on stage, kneeling beside him.

Another cop came to help restrain my brother, who was fighting fiercely to free himself. His neon, brown eyes were suddenly fixed on the camera, and I felt as if he could see me.

Those eyes weren't inhuman anymore. I could clearly see that because the cameraman was taking a close-up shot of the scene.

"This is outrageous!" Apollo exclaimed while the President lost all strength and life in his eyes. He had died. "That does it! Take them out of my sight already! All of them!"

The other androids suddenly started malfunctioning too, but that time they attacked the police agents. The cops were having a hard time dealing with the androids since the latter had been military trained. I witnessed skilled, krav maga moves which I had only seen in films until then.

Then, the Secretary of State rushed onstage too, only to grab a cop's gun and shoot my brother in the head while two cops were holding him down on the floor.

My father and I gasped at the same time. I even winced and started to shiver. I left my mouth open. Time simply froze.

Daniel's body lost all strength and fell on the stage with a loud thud. Silver, paint-like blood was oozing from the bullet wound by his right temple. It soon covered his neon, brown eyes, and then the rest of his face.

I felt the room spinning into a crazy whirlwind. I felt both hot with rage and cold with loss. I felt like dying. Tears escaped from my eyes, cascading all down my cheeks. In the meantime, the Secretary of State and the clone cops started shooting the rest of the living androids. Each shot triggered an awkward shiver and a panicked shriek from me.

Their souls left their bodies as their silver, paint-like blood was spilt on the stage. But soon silver would be painted dark red all over.

I heard more gunshots, but I saw no guns being fired. Clone cops fell, dead, one by one. Apollo suddenly was nowhere to be seen. He had disappeared.

"What the heck is going on?!" the Secretary of State yelled at the top of his lungs while looking left and right in panic. Clone cops were being murdered as he spoke and moved on stage. He chanced to look down from the stage and realised that members of the audience were also being shot at that moment. "Who's shooting clones?!"

Having said that, a bullet got lodged right in the middle of his forehead. His beady eyes losing the brightness of life were the last I saw from the auditorium in Hotel Poseidon.

Next, a written message appeared on the screen, written in white letters over a black background. It said:

Courtesy of traditional human rebel snipers. 
Clones, you deserve what's coming to you.

Hello, my dear sugar cubes!

Did you see this whole mess coming? Apollo 2.0's story and pride? Daniel becoming an android, killing the President, and getting executed? This last mass shooting by the end?

Stay tuned to know more!

XOXO

MS

*Note: There are no "good" or "bad" characters in this book. Erase all notion of good or bad sides to a conflict from your mind when reading this novel.
People and sides are always part good and part bad, for better or worse. Mistakes and POVs from characters in this book might define them for good or for a short period of time; their opinions might shift or not; but rest assured that there is no pure white or pure black in moral terms.
So, please refrain from posting comments criticising characters for being good or bad at certain points of the story.