The Falling of Lauren Johnson

Chapter Twenty-Five

By the time Elliot gets to my apartment, I have already uploaded the fetus's file onto my own chip reader and was presently trying to use my credentials in the chip department to try to gain access into the information regarding the registered members of the clone district and the information regarding those pregnancies. Elliot sits beside me watching me patiently as I try and retry to gain access into the system.

"Tell me again why you're trying to break into a secure server when you already know from past tries that your credentials won't let you into the system?"

I shoot him a dirty look and continue typing away at the chip reader. Elliot curls up into a ball next to me on the couch and rests his head on my lap.

"Lauren?"

"Don't say it, Elliot."

"Say what?"

"You know what, Elliot. That it won't work."

"I'm just curious why you need the information for clones. You work in the chip department, yeah? Why do you need the information for clones when they don't have anything to do with the chip implants?"

I push the chip reader away from me and look down at Elliot whose head is still resting in my lap. "Elliot, I haven't been 100% with you."

A confused look runs across his face. "Oh? How so?"

"Well, I told you that I work for the chip implant sector of the government, which is true, but more specifically, I work in the soulmate section." A look of recognition runs across his face, which I take as a sign to continue my explanation. "I specifically work in the section of the soulmate division that specializes in assigning soulmates to those which the computer algorithms can't match with some one. Say, someone has multiple matches or whatever. That's where I come in."

"Okay, so I'm following, but what I don't understand is why you need the clone information? Are you going to start matching up the originals with clones? Like some sort of rebellion from inside the government? I can hop on board with that."

I shake my head. "For now, I only need to find a match for one guy. The fetus's father is a complete asshole and the fetus's mother is a complete pushover. Both of his potential matches will most likely also exhibit signs of weakness, so I'd prefer to match him with someone who is strong willed and determined, and who won't take any shit from him. That's why I want access into the clone information. Does that make sense?"

He nods slowly. "Yes, it does."

"So, will you help me? I'm sure you have ways of getting into the system?"

He nods once again, and sits up next to me. He takes the chip reader away from me and begins typing away, and surprisingly enough, the information that I am seeking pops up on the screen in front of me.

"Oh crap, Elliot. How'd you do that? He grins at me responds coyly: "I guess I'm just really good with my hands."

I push him on the arm and pull the chip reader back in front of me. I scroll through the list of names of people with fetus's on the way, and am surprised when a name catches my eye.

"Elliot?"

"Hmm? Whats up baby?" Elliot leans against up against me, wrapping his strong hands around my arm and leaning his head on my shoulder. I point him to my line of sight, at Brandice's name on the screen and he seems unfazed.

"Brandice is pregnant? Why didn't you tell me?" I surprisingly become slightly angry with the fact that neither Elliot nor Brandice told me that Brandice was pregnant.

"Well yeah. Didn't you notice that she was showing a little bit when you went and saw her? Or didn't she tell you? You were there for quite a long time, so I'm surprised that it didn't come up."