Unplugged: The Beautiful World (#3, Unplugged Trilogy)

Prologue

I pick at my fingernails anxiously as my legs impulsively bounce up and down beneath the table. I await my council with Jeremy Perkins, the newly appointed leader of the Base, lieutenant of the National Military, and--as far as I know--the mind behind my existence. It did not take him long to originally explain my looming mission to me: "Lead the Serpent King's army to victory". But forgetting my past took much longer.
    Matthew, Alice, Josh, Victoria... Dealing with someone else's feelings is harder than one might believe it to be. Especially Enna's feelings. Though I was created with all of her memories and the same capability to forget them, I found it quite simple at first to put each one out of my mind. Jeremy had explained the entire situation perfectly, and with my higher-than-average intelligence I could catch and retain the information far quicker than any regular human being. Well, any human being that isn't a clone.
    The gleaming, metallic door to my right starts to open and I force myself to sit straight-backed, tall. Unlike that wretch Enna, I have dignity. I know what side to choose: the winning side.
    "Greetings, Jeremy," I mutter, keeping my voice level. "It's a pleasure seeing you so early in the morning." He doesn't catch the sarcasm oozing from my comment.
    "The very same," he mutters, inclining his head respectfully. Shadows fall over his dark skin, disguising his eyes. I watch emotionlessly as Jeremy pulls up a chair and sets it across from me. It makes a horrible scraping sound against the stone.
    "I assume that we have something of much importance to discuss?" I shift in my seat, staring at the cracked door. Cool air flows into the already freezing room and goose bumps rise on my perfect, exposed skin.
    "Isn't it always important with you?" He smiles wryly and leans forward over the table. "I don't know if you've been told, but you are the first successfully altered clone of a human being. I'd call that quite an accomplishment."
    "Altered?" Worry flashes across my features for a split second before I discard it. But Jeremy notices. He chuckles deeply and brushes my comment away.
    "Altered for the better, of course. Yes, you have been created from the same DNA as the real Enna Price, but you are the new and improved Enna. Nearly super-human strength, perfect vision and hearing, extraordinary endurance..."
    I clench my fists under the table. So I am the better of the two of us! And not just mentally; scientifically. It's a fact. I feel color rising in my face and neck.
    "Quite an accomplishment, indeed," I mutter. "So... Why are we meeting here at this hellish time of day?" Jeremy smiles again and leans back in his chair.
    "We've got some things to discuss. The first pertains to the Base itself. The second pertains to you." I nod, signaling my utmost attention. "The Master's death has stirred the Hidden Allies -- and more importantly, the Army -- into madness. They refuse to participate in council with any human being, they have organized into ranks, they refuse to share new technological innovations ... As you can probably guess, these things spell bad news for the Bases. The Hidden Allies are about to start a war against all of humanity. Against us."
    Jeremy pauses and I let reality sink in: the Reptilian Army -- the thing I'm supposed to lead! -- is about to attack. Several thoughts chase each other around my mouth, and one suddenly bursts through my lips.
    "What about the Treaty? They can't do that!" Jeremy shakes his head.
    "But they can. Enna Price's disgraceful act of murdering the Master was an act of war. Not only did it completely overturn the Treaty, but it proved the exact thing to the Hidden Allies that we've been trying to convince them against for hundreds of years. In their eyes, humans are a direct threat now."
    "And what about me?" I mutter, small sparks of fear bursting under my skin. "How am I supposed to lead them if they want me dead? Wouldn't they think I'm the actual Enna?" Jeremy barks out a laugh.
    "Of course they would! As far as the world is concerned, you are Enna. The only Enna. Since we still need you to lead the Army, you will have to enter the Cavern and rally the creatures." I pause, waiting for Jeremy to go on, but he just stares at me like he'd finished speaking.
    "That's it?" I ask, pulling my eyebrows together. "Just walk in and hope I'm not dismembered?"
    "You can utilize their anger towards you. If this plan works, the results will be far more powerful than we could ever imagine."
    "How do I do this?"
    "When they catch you -- and they will catch you -- act like you are still angry, still in the heat of battle. Tell them about how humans on the surface hate them more than anything else, and that you were betrayed by them. Tell them that you are willing to lead them into battle, just to get revenge on the people who've done you wrong. This attack will be your idea, not mine. And, most importantly ... " Jeremy pauses for emphasis, cracking his over-sized knuckles. " ... I want you to tell them that your hometown is New York City."
    "So they can attack it first?" I ask flatly. Jeremy nods.
    "Precisely. There's no better way for Enna Price to prove her change of heart than to lead the enemy straight to the place she knows best." I nod, but to my dismay, one of Enna's old memories resurfaces in my mind. Matthew holds me against him on the couch in my grandmother's living room; tantalizingly soft fingers brushing against my skin.
No! Not me: her! We're not the same! Unnerved, I force the warm feeling from my chest and swallow.
    "I suppose I am willing to go through with the plan," I mutter.
For the slightest moment, I'm confused of whether the man in front of me is an ally or an enemy. My head starts to pound and I press my fingertips against my temples. "Please excuse me."
Unexplainably upset, I shove my chair back from the table and stand, exiting the small room. As I briskly tread down the hallway -- as Workers and the elite swarm around me -- I feel warm tears start to burn behind my eyes. I know what I must do: I know that what I'm doing is right.
But I still can't keep the memories in my subconscious from reaching me.