The Switch

Montagne was sitting in front of the table, staring at something far away. His hands, which had prepared breakfast, done heavy jobs, and made love with his women, were on his lap. He had never been disturbed until the sculptor arrived.

“Have you already decided?” the sculptor asked him. The underworld called him ‘the sculptor’ though he’d neither chiseled a wood into a statue nor carved a metal into a monument. Few others called him ‘the creator’ for he artificially created life from another life.

Montagne glanced up at the sculptor, but didn’t answer the question.

“Take your time.” The sculptor was compelled to smile. “Better postpone if uncertain.”

The guy didn’t hear him. He was preoccupied with the dispute of his heart over his mind. One moment, his heart whispered, the next moment, his mind murmured.

“I’ll be back in an hour. If you’re still undecided, you go home and come back here anytime.” The sculptor doubted whether he heard him. He turned and walked out of the resolution room.

Upon the table in front of the confused yet still handsome Montagne, was a thin glossy pad. A single touch on it would change his life and that of his women.

He loved both of them, Lyn and Ilena. He couldn’t compare them. He couldn’t tell who between them he adored more. He wanted to be with them every time they demanded his presence. He always wanted to give them equal time. But that was utterly impossible. He didn’t want to hurt them. He had tried to divide his time for them, but his life became complicated. Whenever he was with another, he was like an outlaw hiding from authority. He had never thought of having a life like that.

Now he must opt who between them he would spend his life with. He had pondered upon it several times but couldn’t have a final verdict until an acquaintance referred him to the sculptor. His acquaintance had said, “if you can’t leave one of them and you have the guts to take my offer to resolve your problem, the sculptor is your last resort to put your life in order.” If one would call it in order.

He looked down at the pad. He saw his gloomy face on it. He saw Ilena and Lyn on it. He saw the dreams and the life he’d promised to them. And suddenly, he heard the sculptor’s voice echoing in a rocky place. “Once you’ve thumb marked it, there’s no going back.” He winced and looked at the white door ahead. He was sure they would carry the operation out behind that door.

The sculptor came back a little later. He confronted Montagne directly in the eyes, like a father scolding a child. He grinned and raised his eyebrows, a mannerism he always displayed to his subjects before they gave their ultimate word.

Finally, Montagne spoke up. “Is everything set?”

The sculptor twisted his right cheek and bowed willingly.

Montagne’s heart beat faster. He could hear it. “Remember to take away my memory of Ilena.” Did it mean he loved Ilena least? He waited for the sculptor to respond.

“Absolutely.” The sculptor smiled.

Montagne lifted his hand and slowly pressed his thumb on the pad. Slowly, with a bit of unease, he rested his hand on the table and inhaled deeply.

The sculptor picked up the pad and drew it near to his spectacles. He clipped it on one edge. It automatically rolled over in his hands. He held it between his palms and contracted it to form into a chip. It was his proof whenever things would mess up. He didn’t trust anyone.

Then they got inside the room with the white door.

***

Montagne woke up on a bed and noticed a man in a sky-blue coat standing beside him.

“Feeling well?” The man met Montagne with a smile. “I’m doctor Alegoir.”

Montagne sat up, set the blanket aside, and lowered his feet to the floor. “Where am I?”

“You’re in a clinic, Mr. Montagne. You’ve been here since yesterday,” said doctor Alegoir.

“What happened?” he inquired.

“You were taken here by concerned people. They said they found you lying on the street and that someone had knocked you down and attempted to steal your credit chip.”

The doctor’s face was not familiar to Montagne. He tried to recall what had happened, but nothing came into his memory. Instead, he remembered his date with Lyn. He didn’t ask how the doctor knew his name. Anyone who got your blood sample or your fingerprint or your hair strand would certainly discover your identity and your wealth through an ID device. All clinics had that ID device.

Montagne stood up. He removed the bandages from his head, chest, arms, elbows, and wrists. “I need to leave now.”

The doctor didn’t prevent him. He knew Montagne was well enough. He knew everything about him, and what he would do later.

Montagne went out of the room, ran along the corridors, took an elevator down to the bottom floor, tripped over the foyer where several people wondered at his patient uniform, and came out of the building. He waited for a self-operated cab to land and pull in front of him.

There were hundreds of flying cabs, gliding overhead, turning over, and dodging one another. A green cab stopped, as it had seen him looking up at it. It dived to the street in front of him. The passenger door slid open. Montagne entered and sank in the padded chair.

“Heading for?” A robotic voice asked.

“Ray Restaurant, Poblace Avenue,” said Montagne.

“Please hold on,” said the cab.

They took off and shot through the flying vehicles up in the smoke-free air. They sped off like a plane.

He asked the cab what time it was.

“Exactly 2:30:04 in the afternoon,” said the cab.

The cab was a teacher too. You could ask it anything and it could give you answers. Right answers. If it couldn’t answer you, then your question hadn’t been programmed in it. But the more you got answers, the more it charged you credit.

Numerable wheeled vehicles were running along Poblace Avenue. The green cab touched down on the sideways. Montagne pressed his hand onto the screen at the back of the driver’s seat. 30 credits deducted. If you don’t have credits or you forgot that you’ve drained it all out in your recent expenditures; the cab wouldn’t open unless someone would see and help you.

“Welcome to Ray Restaurant,” a beautiful android opened the door for Montagne.

Montagne got in and looked for Lyn among the diners who stared at him.

In one corner of the restaurant, a blonde woman was sitting and looking out through a clear glass to Lypee bay and the skyscrapers standing on an island a few miles away. Montagne recognized her. He moved like a car, taking turns amid the contained dining tables.

Lyn stared at him questioningly. “What happened to you? I’ve been here for three hours.”

“I’m very sorry, honey. I got knocked yesterday. They took me to a clinic, and I just woke this afternoon,” he said rapidly. “Look at me.” He presented the obvious clothing.

Lyn stood up and touched his shoulders. “Are you alright?” The disappointment caused by the long wait was gone as she cuddled him.

“I’m fine, honey.” He patted her arm.

After they finished ordering a meal from the android server, Lyn talked about their plans of migrating to Europe the following week.

***

Ethan Montagne was on his way to his apartment to pick up his belongings. That day, he and Ilena were going to fulfill their dream of being together, away from the chaotic city and civilization. They had bought a cottage in the rural areas of Tres Marias. It was Ilena’s decision. He’d agreed because he loved her and he thought it was the best for them.

Rolling along Real Street, Montagne noticed Ilena outside Alee’s Five-Star Hotel sauntering with a somewhat good-looking guy. She was clutching his arm, and they kissed in public. Rage built up in him. He pulled over across the hotel. He saw they got in. He hurriedly jumped out of the car and rushed in.

Montagne walked warily over to the lobby and hid behind the golden pillars. He saw them talk to the front-desk clerk. He heard them. He overtook them as they got into the elevator. Ilena didn’t react when she saw him. She just casually glanced at him like he was a stranger.

The three of them were in the elevator. Montagne was behind them. Endless smiles were apparent on Ilena and her guy. Montagne could make out every chuckle and breath they manifested.

“You told me you love me,” said Montagne suddenly. He was about to explode in a rage.

The guy turned to him. “I’m sorry?”

Montagne quickly punched him in his newly shaven face. The guy fell off.

Shocked, Ilena threw her slender hands to Montagne. “What have you done?” she retorted. “Who are you to punch Joven?” She didn’t stop to whack him in her bare hands. But hurting him that way was no good. She’d already hurt him deep inside. He pushed her to the corner.

The guy, furious to see how Ilena fell, got up to take revenge. The elevator was moving up. He jabbed Montagne in the mouth but didn’t hit him hard. Montagne was a reservist officer, so he knew a bit of combat.

Montagne kicked him on the knee. The guy bumped into the steel wall and fell to his knees. He jumped over to him. They grappled and rolled over the limited floor space. As they got near Ilena, she punched Montagne in the jaw. Montagne turned to her and tried to slap her, but Joven grabbed him. They continued to wrestle until Montagne pinned him down. And so he kept on boxing the guy’s handsome face. Blood dashed out to the floor.

Ilena was too terrified. She thought Montagne might hit her the same way. He spat the little blood on his lip to the injured guy. He got to his feet, breathing hard. He looked down at her. “You’ve lied to me. You’ve never loved me.”

Ilena gaped as her sobs ended.

The elevator stopped and opened. Montagne moved out, leaving Ilena with tears falling to Joven’s blood-stained face. He took another elevator down to the ground floor. He knew what would happen to him now. He thought it didn’t matter anymore. His life was now useless and miserable.

***

Montagne was now wanted by Lypee City Police Authority. Less than an hour after the incident, the news spread all over the city. His face was the headline on the huge wide-screens plastered over the skyscrapers of Lypee City.

The following day the police caught Ethan Montagne at Lypee Circle Park. He was with a blonde woman named Lyn Castle. They bound him with an auto-electric handcuff while the senior officer declared the Miranda warning. Montagne insisted he had done nothing wrong, but the police officers were indifferent. They took him into the patrol van, which then ascended and hurtled up through the flying vehicles. Lyn did not know why they took her fiancé.

The city court sentenced Ethan Montagne with ten years’ imprisonment on Mars because of attempted murder. There was sound evidence against him. Records of the CCTVs installed inside Alee’s Five-Star Hotel lobby and elevators.

***

Visitors were not allowed until five days before convicts would transfer to the main penitentiary on Mars.

Lyn had been waiting for the first day the visit was about to open. She had been crying every night. She couldn’t believe Ethan would be away from her for ten years. She didn’t lose hope, though. She believed she could make both of them live half a century more. The technology could now do it. But, of course, she has to spend a tremendous amount on that. She thought she would save money for ten years.

The first day before Montagne would be transferred to Mars, Lyn woke up early and got herself ready to see him. She rode over her flying car to Lypee City Jail. She was trailing low along Poblace Avenue when she noticed a guy in a black coat with a hood. The thing that caught her attention was the way the guy walked. He walked like Montagne. He was in the sideways coming her way. Lyn put a stop to the flying car a foot off the ground. She jumped out while eyes on him. The guy was approaching her way. She couldn’t see his face because he was looking down at the pavement. She prayed he would show his face off. Otherwise, she would confront him. Her prayer was so strong that God granted her.

Lyn froze when their eyes met. She suddenly burst into tears. His eyes widened and questions struck his mind. She rushed and squeezed him around her slim arms. He didn’t return the hug, but didn’t free as well. “Thank you, God, they’ve let you out.” She pressed her face to his broad chest, feeling his normal heartbeat. She held his cheeks and look into his eyes. “I’ve been praying for this, Ethan. I’ve missed you so much.” She kissed him, but he didn’t respond. “Come now.” She took him into the car and the engine started soundlessly.

“Are you alright, hon?” Lyn peered at him in the passenger seat. He nodded and slightly stretched out his lips. He didn’t know what to say. “I’m going to get the tickets now,” she said. “Tomorrow we’ll be on the submarine-train to Europe.”

Montagne did not know about it, but going with this woman was the best way to escape from Lypee’s authority.

***

As early as four in the morning, the jail was accepting visits. The queue of visitors was not that long. The visitors passed through an X-ray machine that detected even the tiniest metal inside a human body. Ilena went through the inspection and proceeded to the visiting booth, a small room that could accommodate four persons. She sat down silently.

A few moments later, Montagne showed up at the door. He bore a face without expression. She stood up right away and hugged him.

“Who are you?” Montagne said.

She let him loose and her eyebrows knitted. “What have they done to you? Did they torture you?”

“No.” He looked into her eyes inquisitively. “Who are you?”

“Don’t play with me, sweetheart,” she said. “I’m sorry about what happened.” She sighed. “I’m sorry. It was my fault, Ethan.” Her cheeks bloomed in red as were her eyes. Montagne was confused. “She is not me,” she said, like a pool of tears slowly drowned her eyes.

If only Montagne had seen the news. The jail guards hadn’t told him the details of his crime. No one had ever told him. Who would ever tell him if he was the one who committed the crime?

“I did it because I don’t want to leave you. I love you, but I also love him.” Ilena looked away, and tears splashed onto the floor. “The sculptor created her for Joven, but he failed to erase my memory of Joven.”

“I don’t understand,” Montagne said, frowning. “Please stop crying.”

She rubbed tears away. “She’s my clone!”

Perplexed, Montagne turned away and walked to the door. He didn’t bid her goodbye. Ilena’s eyes were on him. She noticed something on his right wrist. She looked down at her right wrist. They both had the same newly healed scars. Scars that showed they both have clones.