APAIMANEE 2086

        Early 2063,after the airport attack.

        When Apaimaneecame to, he saw blood everywhere. It took him a moment to register that it washis own blood on the ground.

        He was lyingface-down in front of a Thai restaurant that only tourists craving their lastThai food meal in Thailand would visit. The restaurant was blown to bits,scattering bits of orange paint everywhere. To his right, a man laid dead two gunshot wounds.

        It was eerilyquiet, as if he was the only one left alive.

        He tried to getup, but found that his right hand was no longer there. He tried to rememberwhat happened, but was met with a splitting headache.

        He stoppedthinking. His body was numb. He could feel no pain, or perhaps the pain was toomuch and his brain gave up on processing it.

        The young manlaughed. He was so close to getting to Neo-Tokyo. He wondered if his flight hadalready left, and whether he would have to re-learn how to play a guitar with aprosthetic hand.

        He couldregister the sound of footsteps approaching. He hoped it was a medic. It wasnot.

        His body wasflipped over, and lights the ceiling irritated his eyes.

        “At least onealive. Good enough.”

        He could notsee the person’s face clearly, but he knew it was a woman with curly hair.

        “I better getyou out of here before they come for a double-check of the bodies.”

        Apaimaneeblacked out.

        When he cameto, he found himself in a cold room with a thick blanket draped over his body.The ceiling above him was white. He could smell disinfectants.

        He tried movinghis right arm, and was surprised that there was a hand attached to it. Theyoung man got up, but was dizzy for a moment before he could get a good look athimself.

        His four limbswere all replaced with prosthetics, and he had neat stitches on his body. Therewas an alarm above his head that blinked red. He wondered if he should turn itoff, but then someone entered the room.

        “Good morning.”

        It was the samewoman the airport. She was beautiful, with lustrous black hair and pearlyskin.

        “Where…?” Thatwas all Apaimanee could muster before breaking out into a violent cough. Thewoman fed him some water. “Where am I? What happened?”

        “I need to asksome questions before I answer any of yours. Do you still remember who you are?Your own name?”

        “Yes, of courseI do.”

        “What is it?”

        “Apaimanee. Iwas headed to Neo-Tokyo before… And where did my arms…?”

        “It’s a longstory. You should eat something light and probably go to the bathroom before Istart talking.”

        It was hisfirst time peeing into a collection bottle. At least he operated his new handswell enough that he did not spill. When he was done, the woman took the bottleaway, gave him some more liquid, then started talking.

        “The airport’sbeen raided and taken over. When I saw that you were still alive, I took youout of there.”

        “You saved mylife, basically.”

        “Yes, butsomebody else gave you a transfusion, connected all these prostheses, andreplaced your skin. My job is to make sure everything functions, get you usedto them, things like that. Anyway, it’s a miracle you made it out alive.”

        “Thank you, butwhat about the airport? And which organization do you belong to?”

        “As I said, theairport’s been taken over. I can’t tell you who I work for yet, but restassured that I’m not with those people that hurt you.”

        “What were youdoing there?”

        “You ask a lotof questions, do you? Alright, I was there to spy on the bombers and assesstheir strategic prowess. Happy? Now let’s talk about your limbs.”

        Apaimanee wassure he only lost an arm, but apparently all his limbs were damaged and had tobe replaced. They did not hurt as much as he thought it would, but it was stillhard work to make them move.

        “Can I contactmy brother?” The young man asked.

        “Not yet. Notuntil you’re completely safe. And if you’re wondering, I did not see a phone onyou when I took you out of the airport.”

        Alarms went offin his head. He gulped and did not say a word after that, even when hisprotheses started to hurt. The woman seemed to notice his wariness and gave hima weak smile.

        “I know isall hard to process.”

        “I need to letmy brother know I’m alive.”

        The woman didnot say anything else. She left the room, then came back with soft food andmore water.

        She neveranswered when he asked what her name was, so Apaimanee resorted to calling her ma’amor big sis.

        He spent hourssleeping, and he did not know how much time passed before he thought of askingwhere his arms and legs went.

        “By time,I think they’re already medical waste.” She replied.

        Apaimaneesuddenly felt like a part of his heart had been gouged out and scattered, neverto come back again.

        “It’s alright,though. You’ll do fine with your prostheses. See, I went through cyberneticenhancements myself.” She rolled up her sleeves, and he could see thin lineswhere the enhancements met her natural flesh. “It’s always difficult at first,but eventually you’ll get used to it. You’ll walk again.”

        “Will I stillbe able to play the guitar?”

        “It willrequire practice and perseverance, not going to lie. But you will play theguitar again.”

        Apaimaneestared at his arms and felt a strong sense of discomfort, as if staring atsomebody else’s arms. Or maybe it was the sensation of being stuck in somebodyelse’s body.

        “Can you atleast explain what happened during the airport attack?”

        She told him thata bunch of mafias posed as staff members, hijacked the caretaker droids, andcarried out the attack. It was probably aimed at the ministers boarding theNeo-Tokyo flight.

        The young womanheld his hand in hers and stroked him palm. Apaimanee could feel the touch onhis artificial flesh. His heart fluttered.

        It was probablyat that moment that he thought it was alright to not see his arms ever again. Asshe said, they were already medical waste, and he would feel even worse seeingthem.

        She told himthe story of how she got her enhancements. She was twelve at the time, and was usedas a tool for money laundering. When she found out that she was being used, shetried to ask for help, but ended up getting silenced. Her mentor took the dyinggirl in and gave her cybernetic enhancements, and that gave her a new life witha new identity.

        “Do you stillsee your mentor?”

        “Oh, he’sdead.” She said with a hint of joyful pride, which Apaimanee failed to noticebecause he was too preoccupied with the pain creeping up his legs.

        He lived in aroom without s or any other forms of entertainment, and yet maintainedhis sanity. He conversed only with the young woman who refused to tell him hername. When he began his physical therapy, he was taken to another room.

        The place wasnot an underground dungeon, but an apartment for rent. The room wasexceptionally large, so he guessed it was one of those old apartment buildings when Bangkok was not so crowded. It had a kitchen, a balcony, threebedrooms (one of which was his), two bathrooms, and a living room. She was theonly other person living here.

        The balconyoverlooked a small run-down badminton court. Beyond the bounds of the apartmentcomplex was the road, crowded with wires and hand-written advertisement signs.

        Apaimaneefocused on gaining control over his prostheses for a week. He was able to dosimple household chores.

        “Do you have ascreen I can borrow? I want to see how a touch screen reacts to my fingers.”

        “I don’t haveany.”

        The young manwas stunned into silence with her simple answer.

        “I saw youusing your phone.”

        “Yes, but Ican’t hand it over to you. Work protocols.”

        “I’ve neverseen you leave place… What exactly is your work?”

        “I’m about toleave.” She said, dodging the question. “My job is to watch over you until allis safe, and now that everything’s settled down, I have a new job coming up.”

        “Uh-huh. So,when can I see my brother?”

        “When I knowthat the people targeting you have been dealt with.”

        “You said theywere targeting the ministers.”

        “That’s becauseI didn’t know who you were, Apai.” She sighed. “If I had known you’re thatfamily, well...”

        “You’re notmaking any sense!”

        “Do you want togo home?”

        “Not really. It’ssuffocating in that house. But my brother! I need to see him and let him knowI’m still alive.”

        The young womansighed and sat down on the couch, patting the space beside her. Apaimaneecalmed himself before sitting down. He liked her. She was nice to him, albeitbeing too mysterious.

        “I know it’sfrustrating to be in the dark. Here is the thing: I’m looking into thoseinvolved with the airport attack, and although they’re made up of a rag-tagbunch of people with a gazillion different agendas to push, it’s certainthey’re targeting the current regime and those involved with it. Including yourfamily.”

        “So, you knew.But if they’re after my family, then my brother isn’t safe.”

        “I think it’sbest you don’t leave. I’d be devastated if anything happened to you en route.Your family have the money and resources to protect themselves.” She touchedhis cheeks gently. Her eyes glittered. His heart pounded in his chest, and hischeeks grew hot.

        Yet, he slappedher hand away. The young woman did nothing in response, her charming, gentlesmile not wavering in the slightest.

        “It’s frustrating,I know. But, would you do it for me, and for yourself, and for your brotherwaiting for your safe return?”

        “I’m going toneed more explanations than the one you gave me.”

        “Well.” Shewent over to the speakers in the wall and played some music. It was some kindof traditional folk song one could hear in places like a spa or massage parlors.“I don’t have much else to disclose. How about I teach you all the neat tricksyou can do with your new body parts?”

        Apparently,Apaimanee now had extendable fingers, among other cool things his artificialarms could do.

        “Who paid forthese?”

        “My boss. Iwanted to save you and he helped, thinking that we could ask what you knewabout the attack, but you’ve been out for too long. We already figured thingsout by then.” She sipped on a bottle of vitamin water. “By the way, how is yoursense of touch? My limbs are insensitive to pain, but I’m sure yours aresensitive to all kinds of touch.”

        “I haven’t paidattention.”

        “I see.” Shehanded him a can of fruit juice. “How’s the can? Cold?”

        “Yeah, it’scold.” After some struggling, he managed to open it. “Wait, is soju.”

        “Yes, peachsoju. I only stock up on alcohols.”

        Apaimaneeshrugged and downed the soju. He coughed, the alcohol stinging his throatdespite how light it was.

        “So, what’sthat thing you’re drinking?”

        “Tap water. I’mjust reusing the bottle.”

        She wanted todrink some soju herself, so they ended up sharing a few cans of differentflavors. Apaimanee felt light-headed all the drinking, but she couldreally handle her liquor. Her face was flushed, but she made no sign ofstopping.

        “Do you have agirlfriend? Boyfriend? Friend?” She asked.

        “No. I’m intogirls but they aren’t into me.”

        “Pfft.”

        “What’s sofunny?”

        “No, it’s juststrange. You’re hot for a sixteen-year-old, and yet you said girls aren’t intoyou.”

        “They think I’ma snob! I refused to attend one socializing event, and everybody thinksthat I think I’m too good for them or some shit.”

        “I think you’redrunk.”

        “I’m not drunk.See, I can… huh?” His vision blurred. His hand grabbed on to something,probably her arm. It was firm, just like his arms, but her skin was soft. Thenext thing he knew, he was already kissing her.

        He really wasdrunk.

        “I never knewyou had a crush on me.” The young woman laughed, one hand playing with hishair.

        “Ugh. Ijust…thought your lips looked really nice…”

        He could notremember what followed after that. The next thing he knew was that her weightwas on his hips. Her body felt heavenly. Through his artificial nerves, hecould feel her silken smooth skin. His finger traced the fine lines where herreal flesh met her artificial ones.

        When Apaimaneewoke up, she was gone. It was night, and she did mention that she had a job toattend to.

        He sat up onthe bed, realizing he was naked, and he felt that it was all wrong.

        “What the fuckam I doing?”

        His guts toldhim to leave the room. He put on some clothes and tried to leave through thefront door. It would not open, and the alarms went off for about half a minutebefore everything went quiet. He tried the s, but all of them werebarricaded. He tried the balcony, but as soon as he stuck his hand over therailing, the shutters went down and cut him off the world.

        The room was onthe eight floor of the apartment. If he jumped, he would die. If he climbed,the shutters might push him off the ledge. Not a good way to die.

        He found thathe was stuck on the balcony and could not get back into the room. He waitedthere for hours. The night was hot and humid, but at least the floor was cool.

        The young womanfinally returned.

        “I knew you’dtry to run.”

        “I was tryingto get to the convenience store.”

        “If you neededsnacks, you should have said so, not climb out the balcony. Anyway, it’s notthe first time a guy ran away me.”

        She unlockedthe doors and let him through.

        Apaimaneewatched as she shut off the defenses using a set of switches. He could see thefirst few, but the movements got complicated after that.

        “You have tightsecurities.” He said when she was done.

        “Of course. Ihave a VIP guest here.”

        Apaimaneegritted his teeth.

        “Is it to keepothers out, or is it to make sure that I never leave?”

        The womanplopped onto the couch, sitting with her legs crossed. She did not say a word.

        “You really dointend to keep me here.”

        “What good isknowing the answer?” The young woman raised an eyebrow.

        “I thought youwere on my side.”

        She played witha loose thread hanging her sleeve.

        “Crystalis the name of those behind the airport attack. They have a leader, whom we’restill trying to hunt down.”

        Apaimanee tooka step backwards. The young woman continued.

        “I have nointention of letting you leave place. You’re welcome to try.”

        She made nomove to get up.

        “My reason forpicking you up is simple. You’re a witness that I must protect. Nobody else in terminalE of that airport made it out alive, except for you. You can’t leave placeuntil we gather enough evidence to drag the man behind the attack into thelight. And,” she got up, “I want a successor.”

        Apaimanee gotto the door and opened. Nothing happened. He rushed outside, but the gate wasclosed. He could see people passing by, and some homeless people were leaningagainst the wall right across. He called out, but they ignored him. Everybodybatted him a glance and quickly looked the other way.

        He tried toclimb, but felt a bullet grazed the side of his body. It came a mountedgun on a post, and looking above, he could see electrical wires. Rows of them,ready to zap him the moment he touched them.

        “You’rekidding…”

        It was nosimple apartment complex; it was a prison.

        His limbs wentweak, and he collapsed onto the ground. He could hear her footstepsapproaching. She was holding her phone, pressing and swiping with her fingers.

        “What did youdo to me…?”

        “I turned yourlimbs off. Prostheses are so cool, aren’t they?” She towered above him. “Iwasn’t done talking when you left. If you want to keep your memories intact, Isuggest you comply, or else I could just press a button, and then your memoriesgo woosh.”

        “You still needme as a witness.” Apaimanee gritted his teeth.

        “Yeah, until Ifigure out how to get that memory chip into and out of your head.”

        He trembled.

        “Anyway, let’sgo back inside. It’s so hot out here.”