The Unit Erica

"Do we really need to discuss this again?"  The pale, elegant woman asked angrily.  She breezily flipped her perfect sheet of white blonde hair of her shoulders with a manicured hand.

"No, no, Erica, I understand perfectly."  The thin man stuttered, slumping down into his chair.

"I don't think you do."  Erica persisted.  "The fate of Suu' li lies with this project.  Forget about the clones programmed to die in four years.  They don't know a thing.  You won't be feeling so guilty when your parent die in the middle of this disaster.  The human beings, or so we call them, won't have big enough brains to do anything against what we've programmed.  They won't remember this after their expiration date, so don't feel guilty.  Remorse is the last thing we need here, Genkei."

"I understand, Erica."  Genkei said firmly, pursing his pale lips.  "I just don't see how we can keep all this quiet for four years.  Your going to need to come up with an explanation if someone figures it out."

"We won't need an explanation, Genkei.  All the important people will be one of us.  Doctors, teachers, lawyers, politicians, governors, the President of the United States, for gods sake.  If some clone gets out of hand, we'll just terminate them.  They'd die in a few years, anyway."

"Exactly, Erica.  I don't see why we can't create a whole new world so the clones can live out their entire life.  I mean, we don't even have to have a new generation.  All I'm asking for is a humane, long life for these people.  Come on, after all they'll be doing for Suu' li, why can't we do something for them?"

"Listen Genkei.  I'm just...I'm just done.  I'm not going to talk about this anymore.  Screw the clones.  They won't even know what they're doing for us.  I'm talking about our people.  Right know they're the priority.  Everything would've gone better if you'd kept your mouth shut.  The clones won't feel a thing.  They have very few emotions anyway, just enough to be realistic."

"Yeah, just like how the whole history of their world is realistic." Genkei muttered sarcastically.

"Genkei, this discussion is over.  Go talk to the Unit about your problems.  Maybe they can build a community garden or whatever for the crap you care so much about."

She left him sitting there in an empty conference room, a chewed pencil in his trembling hands.  Her heeled boots clacked down the metal hallways as she hurried through the lounge and the coffee room.  Her head spun as her brain processed the route to Cole's office.  The maze of rooms made it impossible for an outsider to find their way through the highly secured building.

"Mrs. Lewis?"  A quiet voice came from her right.  "Mrs. Lewis, this is a folder that Mr. Tristen wanted you to look over in his office."

"Well, I'm headed there right now, thank you."  Erica said carelessly as she took the folder from the small, mousy assistant, and walked quickly away.

She brushed past the many newbies who paused in their routines to glance at famous Erica Lewis, founder of the Unit Erica.  She clattered down the hallway, past workers bent over keyboards and gazing into bright screens.  Her watch warned her that she had only three minutes to spare.  She quickly turned right and faced a long corridor of many doors.  The fourth down read President, Cole's office.  She slowed down to a casual saunter, smoothed her hair and patted her flushed cheeks.  Then, hands shaking slightly from anticipation, she confidently turned the door nob and stepped into the room.

"Cole Tristen."  She breathed, smiling at the man before her.  "It's been much too long."

"Ah, Mrs. Lewis."  The man before her replied, smoothing back his thick but graying hair.  "So glad you could make it.  We have much to discuss."

Erica took a seat in the offered chair, feeling slightly put down at the cool tone in Cole's voice.  She shook it off.  They were business partners after all.  An emotional approach may seem unprofessional.

"Let's begin...with the folder."  Cole said decisively, touching together his two forefingers to make a steeple.  "Did you have a chance to skim through it?"

"I'm afraid not."  Erica replied, putting on a disappointed air.  "I only just received it."

"Very well, why don't we go over some together.  I'm sure you'll find it of much importance."

Erica opened the folder to find pages of text and numbers squeezed together in a tiny font.  She took her glasses from her briefcase and set them on her nose, tucking her hair behind her ears so that it wouldn't tangle with the glasses.

"Really, Erica, I don't understand why you won't buy new eyes.  It's very easy to get them replaced, and all your sight problems will be gone.  No more glasses for you."

"Oh, Co--Mr. Tristen.  I like the look of glasses.  But I'm afraid I still can't read this.  What does it say?"

Cole cleared his throat and looked up at her somberly.

"Mrs. Lewis.  I'm afraid that there is a problem with the clones.  The adult clones, really.  As you know, the clone expiration date is four years after their chemical birth.  All on the same day, for the most part.  But, unfortunately, the adult expiration date on our control experiment clone is...well...not exactly the way we'd like it.  One year after chemical birth, the adult male and female clones expiration dates will speed up uncontrollably, shortening their life span to a year and two days.  Normally, I wouldn't be so concerned.  But the clones need to die on the same day.  We can't have all adults die suddenly.  Suspicions would be roused.  Workers would feel pressed to tell the truth to the humans they'll be monitoring, befriending.  Children would be left without homes for three more years, running amuck with only the planted ones of our kind to look after them. This could ruin the entire operation.  I'm afraid that we'll have to shorten every clones life span.  That leaves us limited time.  If we don't find what we want before the year is over, I'm sure that Suu' li will be fed to the sharks."