Chapter 8. Sea

It's been two weeks since the latest events. The guard resigned on his own, friends were not disclosed, and the fifth floor was equipped with a system that, when the light is turned off, will turn on an additional power source. And even Vlad had a good event. Now he is playing chess with a new friend and discussing books that have finally begun to be brought to him.

- Yuna, what's the date today?

- The first.

- Is it December already?

- yes.

Vlad was extremely calm, he had already come to terms with the fact that he did not live at home. He was worried about much more significant things.

- Listen, do you live in college too?

- no.

- Do you have an apartment?

- yes.

- And how do your parents feel about the fact that you are involved in this?

- Parents? Yuna asked , not understanding

- Well, yes.

- I don't have parents.

Vlad felt a little uncomfortable.

- Checkmate. – Said Yuna.

At that moment Volkova came into the room.

- Good morning.

- Morning

- Hello.

- Vlad, come with me.

- OK.

- Yuna, and you go to the 512th. They're waiting for you.

- Okay.

Vlad and Volkova went into the office with the car.

- Today we will check something.

- Mg.

Volkova opened the capsule and said:

- Get in.

Vlad climbed in and Volkova closed the capsule

- Pf-pf-pf.

- What are you doing, Kostya?

- Yes, every time, like the first one.

- A. Maybe after work to the bar?

- Hmm... and that's not a bad idea.

- You just need to get drunk – Kristina got into the conversation

- Not to get drunk, but to relieve stress! Maxim objected.

Volkova came into the room.

- He's ready.

- Well, let's go, – Said Kostya and stretched his arms.

- Kristina, connect me to it.

- It's good now.

- Vlad, can you hear me?

- yes.

- Ready?

- As if something will change from my answer – Vlad thought. –Yes," he replied.

- OK.

The car hummed, and a white light blinked in my eyes. Vlad closed his eyes and as soon as the car stopped humming, he opened his eyes and found himself in a white room again.

- Well, how are you feeling? – Asked Volkova

- It's fine.

- OK. Do you need to present something now?

- Imagine?

- yes. Imagine it in your head as clearly as you can.

- Okay.

- Keep track of the indicators, if you pull it out, immediately.

- Got it.

- Good – Maxim and Kostya said at the same time.

- Imagine, but what?

After thinking a little, Vlad imagined the sea. He wanted to see it live all his life, but he could only see it in pictures and videos.

- There is activity! Kostya shouted.

- Condition? Volkova asked, tilting her head towards Kristina.

- So far within normal limits – Answered Kristina

Vlad was standing on the surface of the water.

- hm. I wonder why I'm not falling?

As soon as he thought about it, he immediately fell into the water.

- The heartbeat has increased!

- Vlad, are you all right?

But Vlad could not answer, because he was drawn to the bottom. His whole life flashed before his eyes, he tried to collect his thoughts, but he couldn't. He waved his arms as best he could, but he couldn't come up.

- What's wrong with him!?

- We have no idea! We're trying to clear his mind!

- Stop!

- what?

- No! Otherwise, an irreversible!

- You can't die there, so I think he can handle it.

- His brain will turn into porridge faster – Kostya got into the conversation.

- That's exactly why I think he needs to clear his mind urgently! Maxim insisted.

- I said no! Volkova shouted and hit the table.

- Well, I can't die like that. Vlad thought.

Enough time has passed, but everything was fine with him and then Vlad realized that he was not suffocating, he imagined a white room, a bright light hit his eyes and he found himself in the room.

- But how does it work? – Vlad said softly through his cough and fell back, trying to catch his breath.

- Activity has dropped, it seems he has coped

- Vlad, can you hear me?

- Huh? Yeah

- How are you?

- It's fine. Vlad said, sniffing and gulping air.

- Let's finish for today.

Everything began to darken around. Vlad closed his eyes. Hearing footsteps, he realized that the capsule was about to open and an even brighter light would hit his eyes, so he continued to lie with his eyes closed.

- You can open your eyes.

Vlad opened his eyes. Volkova was standing over him, as soon as he blinked and rubbed his eyes, she said:

- Help?

- Mg.

Vlad stretched out his left hand and grabbed the edge of the capsule with his right. Volkova took her hand and pulled her towards her. When Vlad got out, he stood staggering for a while, trying to recover.

- Let's go back.

- Mg. – Vlad agreed and tried to take a step forward, but as soon as he lifted his leg he fell.

- Are you sure you're okay?

- Mg.

- Something tells me that not quite.

Volkova came over and helped me get up.

- Throw your arm around your neck.

Vlad threw his arm around Volkova's neck, and they walked to the ward.

- Have you read the report on 013 yet?

- yes.

- Are you sure you should continue?

- yes. His results are not so bad as to stop the experiment. There are only a couple of problems left to solve.

- Did you include the committee in these "pairs of problems"?

- The Committee doesn't need to know what 013 is feeling.

- Then the same thing can happen as fifteen years ago.

- The Committee has invested too much effort and money in this. Therefore, until they find a replacement for us, they will not do anything.

- Bye, guys, – Said Kristina.

- Yeah, come on.

- Bye. Well, what's Kostya in the bar?

Kostya stretched and said:

- Yeah. Let's go.

It was dark and cold outside

- Dubak! Maxim said, rubbing his hands together.

- - A little bit left.

- I should have taken the car.

- Have you completely frostbitten your brain?

- Yes, what?

- Over your shoulder, are you going to drive like a drunk?

- - No way, but at least they would get here faster, and in the warmth.

- Yes, we all have already come.

- And where to here?

- Over there, – Said Kostya and pointed to the stairs leading down by the building.

- Yeah. Come on, then you're the first.

- Are you afraid?

- I'm checking.

Kostya just grinned and began to lower it.

At the end there was a door on the right, Kostya opened it and said:

- After you.

Maxim made a disgruntled face, but still went inside.

- Whoa! He blurted out.

With such an unremarkable entrance, everything inside was done at the highest level. A pleasant yellowish light was burning, light music was playing, there was a feeling that you were not in a bar, but in an expensive restaurant. Only waiters and visitors were missing. The hall was empty. While Maxim was looking at the interior, Kostya was heading to the bar. Maxim noticed this and followed him without ceasing to examine the interior. They sat down at the bar, and Kostya hit the little bell. A few seconds later, a young man dressed like a waiter came out of the back

room. – He shouted grandiosely.

- Hi, San. Do you have people today?

- Well, as you can see.

The hall was completely empty.

- Listen, can you close up for a while?

- An interesting request. And why?

- We need to talk. So that no one would hear.

- If I hadn't known you since childhood, I would have kicked you out. Go turn the sign over then.

- thanks.

Kostya went to the door and turned the sign over to "closed". Returning to the bar, Kostya sat down at it and asked:

"Got any whiskey?"

- It's over. – Sasha said and leaned over the bar, taking out a bottle of whiskey from under it.

- On those.

- thanks.

- Okay, I'll leave, and you gossip here. Sasha said, putting two glasses on the bar.

- Yeah. Thanks again.

Sasha retreated behind the curtain, and Maxim sat all this time with an uncomprehending face.

- Here you go, – Maxim said, putting the glass to Maxim.

- Thank you, of course, but why such a conspiracy?

- Well, let's talk about work.

- And this…

Before Maxim could finish, Kostya answered his question.

- Sanya won't give it away. I've known him since childhood, everything is fine.

- Ah, ahem. All right then. What did you want to discuss?

- I'll pour it, I'll tell you.

Kostya opened the bottle and filled the glasses half full. Then he put the bottle on the table, covered it with a lid, took the glass in his hand and said:

- Have you heard about object 000?

- Is it zero which?

"That's the one. Kostya replied and took a sip.

- yes. They say this is the first clone that turned out to be unsuccessful at one point, the roof went and killed the group that was watching him. Maxim said, taking a sip.

- Well, I once happened to see his case and you know what?

- M?

- The results are the same as 013.

- But we just launched it into a full simulation today.

- So zero had the same result, that's the problem.

- Do you think he will become the same and kill us?

- There is such a possibility.

- I think that this will not happen, but how did you see these documents at all?

- - We have them stored electronically. Well, I somehow got to enter data on the six hundred and forty-third, I look at the data of the zero lie. I think let me see, and... ahem. Had seen.

- And how bad is it?

- It's hard to assess. Any shock he experiences could kill him and us at the same time. And if he stops taking pills, then for sure finita la commedia.

After gulping down the rest in a glass, putting it on the table and folding his palms in the lock, Maxim said:

- M-yes. Until you told me that, I wasn't even worried about it.

- Yes, I somehow did too, until I read the documents. Another one?

- Come on. Shall we tell Kristina?

— I don't know. I told you, just because I didn't sleep well, how can I imagine that it was already getting bad there.

- I think we'd better keep quiet, otherwise if Diesperov finds out, I think they'll kill us.

- Maybe. The funny thing about this whole story is that I have no idea why, we're doing it all.

- You mean "Consciousness"?

- I'm in general. Okay, it's still possible to understand clones there, as if for medical purposes, and then this is somehow not very, the human body is not so simple that it would change organs or somehow interfere with its work. But this project of "consciousness" makes clones die like flies. The only one who tolerates it all more or less is the fourth and six hundred and forty-third.

- And the thirteenth, he didn't do a bad job, did he?

- Damn, sometimes it seems to me that we speak different languages!

- Why?

- Yes, because! I just told you that a couple more times and his brain is porridge, and then the roof will go and that's it! You and I will see great-grandmothers! Kostya said, not looking where the whiskey was pouring.

- Kostya, you should look where you pour.

- And damn! – Kostya began to look at what to wipe the puddle with. – Give me a rag over there.

Maxim reached for the rag and gave it to Bones. While Kostya was wiping, Maxim noticed:

- I think it's for glasses.

- Come on. Then I'll tell her that I wiped her desk.

Maxim turned the glass in his hand and asked:

- Listen, why do we call them by their numbers?

- I don't know. Just got bored.

Without answering, Maxim emptied his glass in one gulp. They continued to drink and talk about whatever came into their heads. Meanwhile, Masha and Vika still haven't talked, but one day Vika decided to make peace with her friend. When she reached her office, she pulled the handle, the office opened and was shocked the whole office was upside down and littered with papers.

- Hey, are you alive here?!

There was only silence in response. Vika went further into the office, but there was no one there either, so she decided to check the laboratory, which was located at the end of the office. Going inside, she saw her friend sleeping at the table. She quietly approached and began to push her friend by the shoulder:

- Are you alive?

- Masha woke up and tried to open her eyes.

- What happened to you?

- What happened? – Still sleepy voice somehow managed to pronounce a friend. – It happened, it happened... ah! Masha started up and continued: - Aniline exploded!

- Aniline? – Not understanding asked a friend

- Aniline. Why did you come?

- Just like that. And why did you need aniline?

- to make alcohol.

- Alcohol!? You understand that this is impossible!

- Purely hypothetically possible. – Masha said and began to clear up the rubble.

- Yes, even hypothetically it is impossible aniline is an amino group, and alcohol is a hydroxide, and what are you doing?

- Looking for a mug? Haven't you seen it?

- no. Listen, wait a minute

Vika approached her friend.

- Breathe.

- Why is that.

- Don't do it anymore. Have you tasted alcohol?

- Are you a fool or something? No, of course not.

- Yes? And why does it smell like alcohol then?

- Fumes are the cause of the breakdown of ethanol. Means… And here she is!

- Did you find a mug?

- yes.

Vika began to inspect the table where she found her friend. He was all littered with some papers, lifting one of the papers, a friend was shocked there was an ashtray under it all littered with cigarette butts, there were so many of them that they rolled over the ashtray. Picking up some more papers, she saw that cigarette butts were almost everywhere, as well as parts of pencils, empty rods from pens, and not far from them broken pen cases. While Vika was looking around, Masha had already disappeared from sight. Returning to Vic's main office, I found a picture of a friend lighting an alcohol burner.

- What are you doing?

- I'm lighting the burner.

- That's not what I mean.

- Why?

- I can't find the kettle.

- Brilliant.

- Why did you come here? I'm going to be lectured again

- Yes, no. To talk. – My friend hesitated.

- M. Well, how are you? Masha said in an extremely dissatisfied voice.

- It's fine, but somehow I don't like your voice. Did something happen to you?

- Yes? No, everything is fine, the child participates in deadly experiments, the girlfriend reads lectures, at every convenient opportunity, and I drag myself around this fucking Antarctica, and well, the scientist who fucked up his whole head has returned, who has killed so many living beings that I can't count, and so I'm fine just fine bitch!

Vika stood and was silent. She didn't know what to say to her friend.

- Well...

- Well, well?

- Yes, I do not know what to answer you! Vika shouted out of desperation

- I'll tell you: "You were right about everything."

- And if it's not?

- Well, then we won't have a conversation.

- - In general, I came to put up, but you are impenetrable! – She began to switch to the cry of Vika.

- - Am I not a breakable one? Why is that?

- Yes, because if you hadn't taken 013 then, then Diesperov's plan "Consciousness" would have failed!

- What are you saying?

- Yes!

- Do you know the whole story?

"What story?"

- 013, the thirteenth, Vlad, how is it convenient for you? Masha spoke calmly, stirring her coffee.

- I only know what I saw myself and what you told me.

- Then shut your mouth.

- Of course you know everything, you're smarter than everyone, then tell me, what kind of house is this? What are you doing?

- What I have to do.

- What should I do? Should I remind you why we're here?

- I remember perfectly well why we are here. You'd better tell me what will happen if Diesperov brings all his plans to life?

- How do I know!?

- Do you want my guess?

- Come on.

- The end of the world, when you try to cheat: Physics, biology, chemistry and all other sciences, the end of the world will happen.

- You're kind of calm today, although you would have switched to shouting a long time ago, are you under substances?

- Don't leave the topic.

- I'm not leaving!

- And don't yell, my head hurts without you.

- You didn't answer the question. – Having tempered her ardor, Vika said.

- no.

Vika covered her face with her hands to recover.

- OK. Good. Where did you get these guesses?

- I don't know from where – Masha said, sipping her coffee.

- - Nowhere? Did you just take them from the air?

"That's why they're guessing.

- You're a scientist. You need a reason.

- You too. And that doesn't stop you from baselessly accusing me of something.

Sighing and making a displeased face, Vika said:

- And what are you going to do?

"I wish I knew.

- Is there at least one plan?

- Look for yourself

- Are these all plans?

- yes. Ways of their execution, consequences, and so on.

- And what is the conclusion?

- The end of the world.

- what?

- The end of the world. I can't prevent Diesperov, so he will finish what he started, so he will try to deceive all the laws of this world, respectively, the end of the world. This is a losing game.

- Yes, one person cannot destroy the whole world at the level of fiction.

- Yes? Clones don't bother you at all. And besides, remember the nuclear weapons created by man, which can erase the entire planet.

- Well, clones, as we know, are possible.

- Well, that means it's possible.

- So you're just going to put up with it?

- yes.

- Nonsense. – said Vika and took out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket. – Will you?

- My lungs are already hurting.

- Well, since you say the end of the world is near, can you tell Vlad the truth?

- No.

- why?

- We are not completely doomed. We're half-doomed somewhere.

- I'm completely confused.

- If Vlad does everything right, then maybe we are saved.

- Are you saying that the whole world can be saved by one clone and then not the most successful?

- yes.

"Are you out of your mind?"

- Why do I feel deja vu?

- Because every stupid idea you have is connected with him. – Vika said it so quickly that Masha did not even immediately understand her.

- Quiet, quiet. We hope for the best.

"Why are you so sure of him?"

- Will the answer "Because" suit you?

- Not really.

- There is no other.

- As usual.

- Listen, do you think I'm not scared?

Vika remained silent then Masha continued:

- - I also don't feel comfortable with the chance that everything will work out ... - Masha thought about it – Yes, I can't even imagine.

- And what do you mean by "We hope for the best"?

- I honestly don't know myself. It is likely that Diesperov's plan will fail, and Vlad will have a hand in his failure.

- Listen, how do you know all this?

- What are you talking about?

- Well, about Diesperov's plans

- From your stories, Vlad and Arshin's books helped.

- What other stories of mine?

- When you told me about the Consciousness project

- I didn't really tell you anything, because I don't know what's there, but how.

- Well, as you can see, that was enough for me.

Vika covered her mouth with her hands and stared into the void.

- Would you like some coffee? Masha asked in the same calm voice.

- Mg. – Vika mumbled with a frightened intonation

Meanwhile, Vlad continued to lie in the ward and stared at the ceiling. There was a knock on the door, then it opened and Volkova appeared in the doorway. She went inside and approached Vlad.

- - Hi, how are you feeling?

Vlad lay and continued to stare at the ceiling even without looking at her.

- I see. We've come to see you, talk to you for now.

Volkova did not have time to reach the exit, as Yulia came in here, after reaching her, Volkova stopped for a few seconds. Then she left. Yulia went to the bed and sat down on a chair standing next to it.

- hello. – Yulia said quietly.

Vlad still didn't react.

- You're completely out of control 013, aren't you? You probably don't remember me either. I do not know if you can hear me at all now, but ... - Julia hesitated for a while, trying to hold back tears. – I always wanted to be different from everyone else, went against the system, right? And I tried, too... I tried.

Julia could not gather her thoughts in a heap and jumped from topic to topic without finishing a word.

- You're out there without even a number on your neck, and I tried to get you out and it didn't work out. I know you lived like an ordinary person. I would like to know how it is. I wonder what you see now?

- There was a failure that the equipment did not record. M-yes, the newer the technique, the greater the chance that it will fail. And so 013 can't feel – Said Arshin flipping through the report.

- It's okay, that's what it's meant to be. Until he died he continued his involvement.

"Don't you think that's too cruel even for a clone?"

- He is a clone and must fulfill his destiny

- Well, as we have seen, clones can live among people and are no different from them, especially him.

- And that's good.

- What about tomorrow's meeting with the committee?

- Everything is under control, they don't know anything about our location or about 013

Arshin grinned and continued reading.

- ... And do you remember the two hundred and forty-third? I honestly don't remember much, so some scraps. There Yuna said you read books, it's interesting that you've been reading for so many years, we haven't seen each other. You know, when I saw you here, I didn't even believe it. I thought that you... you... died," Yulia said and could not hold back her tears. – Look, I'm crying, just like a person.