Unchanged Read Online Free Page B

he told me that it would be unfair. Their strength and speed would be no match for mine.
    The team in red sends the MagBall into the goal at the other end of the field, eliciting an eruption of cheers. I’m about to turn and leave when I notice one boy has not returned to the game. He’s tall and lanky with electric-blue hair that’s been fashioned into slopes atop his head. He’s standing at the edge of the synthograss, watching me. Our gazes connect and, unlike the other players on the field, he doesn’t turn away. He’s not afraid of me. In fact, he almost looks like he wants to say something to me.
    I send a query through my DigiLenses, capturing his face with a blink and running it through the Diotech personnel database to find a name.
    The result appears across my vision a moment later.
    Klo Raze
    Raze?
    Like Director Raze? Is this boy Director Raze’s son ? I didn’t even know Raze had any family members on the compound. Why has he never mentioned Klo before?
    He takes a hesitant step in my direction but freezes, his body visibly tensing. Like a deer caught in the beam of a hovercopter. His eyes dart to something behind me and I turn to see Dr. A strolling down the path from the Owner’s Estate to greet Kaelen, who I now notice is a good ten yards ahead of me.
    â€œSera?” Kaelen calls back. “What are you doing?”
    I hurry to catch up with him, offering Dr. A a smile that I pray looks genuine. “Good evening.”
    â€œIt most certainly was ,” Dr. A replies, a tad too sharply for my comfort. He gives me a once-over and I’m suddenly extremely self-conscious about my windswept hair. “Now it’s practically night.”
    â€œSorry, Dr. A,” Kaelen is quick to reply. “We were kissing in the gardens and lost track of time.”
    I wince inwardly at Kaelen’s brutal honesty. Does he have to tell Dr. A everything we do?
    I guess I should be grateful that he hasn’t mentioned Rio. Or at least not yet. But it doesn’t really matter. My memories will give me away eventually. That moment is bound to show up on my next random scan. And I’m bound to be reprimanded for it.
    Dr. A cocks an eyebrow. “In the gardens, you say? Interesting venue. Then again, I created you two with the inability to resist each other. So how could I ever fault you for what’s in your DNA?”
    Dr. A guffaws as he reaches out to ruffle Kaelen’s hair before throwing an arm around his shoulders and guiding him toward the Estate. “Join me for a drink, my dear boy. We have much to discuss about tomorrow.” He pauses long enough to glance back at me with disapproval. “Sera, gem. Why don’t you change into something more suitable for evening meal? And fix your hair. You’re looking a bit … rumpled.”
    I nod obligingly and follow them. As we reach the end of the tree-lined pathway that leads to the Owner’s Estate, I brave a glance back at the MagBall field.
    The boy is still there. Still watching. Even though the game has gone on without him.

 
    6
    FORTUNATE
    I watch stony-faced in the ReflectoGlass as the nanopin disappears against the silky golden-brown fibers of my hair.
    â€œThere,” Crest says, stepping back to admire her handiwork. “All finished.”
    As usual, her efforts are more impressive than the final result. The elaborate half updo she has attempted sits slightly off center on my head. As Dr. A’s personal assistant, fixing my “rumpled” hair is not necessarily in Crest’s job description, but she seems to enjoy helping, even if she’s not very good at it. I don’t complain though. It saves me the trouble of doing my own hair. A task I despise, even though I’ve received multiple uploads that have made me a rather accomplished hairstylist.
    â€œIt’s a bit warped,” she says, frowning at her creation. “But I majored in business. Not