Coldreach, A Sci-Fi Short
“Access denied,” the identification system chimed. It’s hopeless, Jace Mircier thought, and slammed his fist against the steel sliding doors that blocked their escape from the inner chambers of the AI Training Facility. The girl at his side jumped in surprise. Her stare lingered on the flashing display, then drifted to his knuckles. Analysing, learning. Jace turned his head to look at her. She would pass for a normal girl but for the fact that she did not have a hair on her body. No innocent locks or cascading waves of well-combed hair. No eyebrows to give form to her face. No strands even on her arms to make her seem marginally ordinary. She turned her gaze to him, and her eyes held him. Familiar, yet on a stranger’s face. Guilt and longing clawed at Jace's throat. The master access card granted to head researchers hung like a noose around his neck. They will know who I am if I use it , he thought. Jace held it up and ran his thumb over the engraved image. ...