— Yesterday —

<Unknown sender>: I know what you’re doing.

<Unknown sender>: Let me help.

<Unknown sender>: [ Untitled document ]

— Today —

You (please login to identify yourself): Who are you?

<Unknown sender>: I can’t answer that.

You (please login to identify yourself): How did you know what I was looking for?

<Unknown sender>: You’re being careless.

<Unknown sender>: It was a good idea to buy new lens.

<Unknown sender>: It took them a few hours to locate and hack your device.

<Unknown sender>: But they did, and you forgot to clean your search history.

<Unknown sender>: They know you’re looking for her, now.

You (please login to identify yourself): By “they”, you mean Cyan?

<Unknown sender>: Obviously.

You (please login to identify yourself): If they’ve hacked my lens, then why are you talking to me here?

<Unknown sender>: Some channels are safe, some aren’t.

You (please login to identify yourself): So Cyan can’t access my messages?

<Unknown sender>: Not as long as you remain anonymous.

<Unknown sender>: They have your passwords.

<Unknown sender>: Log in and it’s over for both of us.

You (please login to identify yourself): Why are you helping me?

<Unknown sender>: I have my reasons.

<Unknown sender>: Besides, you’re gonna get yourself killed if you go on like that.

<Unknown sender>: Stop using personal devices for sensitive research.

<Unknown sender>: Use a public library or something, for god’s sake.

You (please login to identify yourself): Can you tell me about the white rose, then?

<Unknown sender>: You’re getting ahead of yourself.

<Unknown sender>: And that’s going to cost you.

<Unknown sender>: Have you seen the news today?

You (please login to identify yourself): What of it?

<Unknown sender>: [ Attached picture ]

I opened the picture that this stranger had sent me. It was a screenshot of a news outlet, showing one of their articles. The headline read “Retired Replica Researcher Dies Of Disease Treatable With Replication.”

Once one of the major voices for the defense of replication worldwide, Jonathan Liam Porto died at his home this Friday, from complications of leukemia, one of a row of diseases his former employer, Cyan Four Laboratories, promises to hold the cure for.

In his will, signed a year before his death, Jonathan L. Porto declared that his lifelong savings are not to be used for his replication, contradicting his former position that “nobody should have to fear death from such diseases once replication becomes a reality for everyone.” (click to read the original article)

Porto had been very vocal in his defense of replication for the last thirty years, and was one of the head researchers involved with the replication of T. P. twelve years ago, as well as of famous replica activist, Helena Norwood. His death happens only a few days before National Congress’ voting of law project 93/70, which is scheduled to happen next Wednesday (Sep, 3rd). Defended by Norwood and a number of other activists and researchers, 93/70 is known as the Replica-Organic Equality Act, and would alter the current law by…

The rest of the article was unreadable in the screenshot. I shuddered. Liam was dead? But I just saw him last Sunday, he seemed fine! And didn’t Abby tell me that his condition was stable, according to his medical records?

I opened the messaging application again, and re-read the stranger’s message. “You’re getting ahead of yourself,” they told me, “and that’s going to cost you.” Surely that didn’t mean…

You (please login to identify yourself): What the fuck.

You (please login to identify yourself): There’s no way that was because of me.

You (please login to identify yourself): Is there?

<Unknown sender>: It might be.

<Unknown sender>: Which is why you have to be more careful.

<Unknown sender>: Being reckless won’t end with just you hurt.

<Unknown sender>: Are you backing out?

I thought about this for a while. What was I going after? Maybe Helena was right, and my father was murdered. But going after the truth won’t bring him back. And it might be dangerous. Not just for me, but for my mother, and for Helena. Would I be willing to risk the lives of other people in name of finding out what really happened?

On the other hand, Cyan was spying on me, my mother, Helena, and probably a hundred other people. What guarantee I had that we weren’t already in danger? If any of us said or did something wrong, who knows what’ll happen. And not just to me, but to all of their replicas and their families. Whose father will they kill next? And because of what? What secret could possibly justify murder? I didn’t want to risk my life, or my mom’s, Helena’s, and anyone else’s. But how could I sit still after everything I’ve learned? How could I let people live under surveillance unaware, likely to be killed if they ever went after the truth?

You (please login to identify yourself): If Cyan’s killing people, then someone has to stop them.

<Unknown sender>: Do you understand the risks?

You (please login to identify yourself): I’ll be more careful.

You (please login to identify yourself): Tell me what I have to do.

I didn’t get another message for the rest of the day. At night, though, when I was back at home, I walked out of the bath to find a message waiting for me.

<Unknown sender>: There’s someone you need to meet.

As soon as I saw the message, I replied:

You (please login to identify yourself): Who is it?

<Unknown sender>: Timothy Parker.