Keith B. Darrell's Blog, page 23
May 30, 2016
Where’s Nurse Ratchet When You Need Her?
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
The architecture of the Simulacrum Institute could not have been more different from that of the Mortimer Enterprises building. The corporate offices of the Mortimer’s family business were housed in a thoroughly modern edifice built of steel, plate glass, and solar panels, with interior lighting partially derived from natural light, and oxygen from internal vegetation. In contrast, the Simulacrum Inst...
The architecture of the Simulacrum Institute could not have been more different from that of the Mortimer Enterprises building. The corporate offices of the Mortimer’s family business were housed in a thoroughly modern edifice built of steel, plate glass, and solar panels, with interior lighting partially derived from natural light, and oxygen from internal vegetation. In contrast, the Simulacrum Inst...
May 29, 2016
I Assume Someone Must Be Paying for All This Stuff
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
Mackenzie continued down the penthouse corridor to Gemma’s room.
“Come in,” the clone answered his knock.
As Mackenzie stepped inside, Gemma glided across the room in a colorful outfit. “Do you like it? I printed it last night from a very exclusive set of blueprint designs. This is the sort of dress my original might wear. Quite upscale and chic, according to the fashion designer.”
Mackenzie whistled. “...
Mackenzie continued down the penthouse corridor to Gemma’s room.
“Come in,” the clone answered his knock.
As Mackenzie stepped inside, Gemma glided across the room in a colorful outfit. “Do you like it? I printed it last night from a very exclusive set of blueprint designs. This is the sort of dress my original might wear. Quite upscale and chic, according to the fashion designer.”
Mackenzie whistled. “...
May 28, 2016
What’s in the Mysterious Envelope?
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
Mackenzie looked away. “Except for Vanessa. How did she die, Dad?”
“Mac, don’t you think you’ve learned enough about your future for one day? You need time to absorb this. I shouldn’t even have told you any of this.”
“I need to know, Dad. What happened?”
“Son, we all make choices in life. We hope we’re doing the right thing; sometimes we are and sometimes we’re not. At times, we don’t always appreciate t...
Mackenzie looked away. “Except for Vanessa. How did she die, Dad?”
“Mac, don’t you think you’ve learned enough about your future for one day? You need time to absorb this. I shouldn’t even have told you any of this.”
“I need to know, Dad. What happened?”
“Son, we all make choices in life. We hope we’re doing the right thing; sometimes we are and sometimes we’re not. At times, we don’t always appreciate t...
May 27, 2016
The New Kid In Town
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
The bus’ brakes squeaked loudly, as it pulled into the Serenity Valley bus station. A blond teenager strapped on his backpack and stepped off. He turned, and reached out to help the woman behind him step down. “Let me give you a hand, Mrs. Porter.”
The middle-aged woman smiled at the boy, grasping his firm hand as she descended the steps. “Why, thank you. It’s so nice to meet such a well mannered young...
The bus’ brakes squeaked loudly, as it pulled into the Serenity Valley bus station. A blond teenager strapped on his backpack and stepped off. He turned, and reached out to help the woman behind him step down. “Let me give you a hand, Mrs. Porter.”
The middle-aged woman smiled at the boy, grasping his firm hand as she descended the steps. “Why, thank you. It’s so nice to meet such a well mannered young...
May 26, 2016
Wouldn’t You Rather Have A Puppy?
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
“Obviously, although I still can’t understand your attachment to a clone. Clones are commodities, Mackenzie. It would be far easier to buy you a robot or a puppy for companionship.”
“Dad, Gemma is not a commodity; she’s a person. Why doesn’t anyone get that? It turns out the future is a lot like the past. There’s always a group of people ready to strip another group of its humanity. Blacks weren’t huma...
“Obviously, although I still can’t understand your attachment to a clone. Clones are commodities, Mackenzie. It would be far easier to buy you a robot or a puppy for companionship.”
“Dad, Gemma is not a commodity; she’s a person. Why doesn’t anyone get that? It turns out the future is a lot like the past. There’s always a group of people ready to strip another group of its humanity. Blacks weren’t huma...
May 25, 2016
That’s Not Right, Dad. You Know It’s Not Right.
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
Raymond Mortimer raised his hand to his face. “Son, what were you thinking, causing a ruckus at the hospital, kidnapping a clone, revealing our secrets to her—?”
Mackenzie pointed to the corporate logo on the wall, and to the Mortimer Enterprises motto beneath it. “That’s what I was thinking: With great power comes great responsibility. If I built, or will build, this company, then I must have been the...
Raymond Mortimer raised his hand to his face. “Son, what were you thinking, causing a ruckus at the hospital, kidnapping a clone, revealing our secrets to her—?”
Mackenzie pointed to the corporate logo on the wall, and to the Mortimer Enterprises motto beneath it. “That’s what I was thinking: With great power comes great responsibility. If I built, or will build, this company, then I must have been the...
May 24, 2016
We’re Fugitives… Like Bonnie and Calvin
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
“Who is this girl?” Raymond asked.
“Gee, Dad,” Mackenzie replied. “You act like this is the first time I’ve brought a friend home for dinner. You remember, back home, my friend Marlene used to come over for dinner all the time.”
“I’m delighted you’re making friends so quickly, but I’d like to know a little more about the people who befriend my son. We have to talk about why you left the hospital.”
“I’d l...
“Who is this girl?” Raymond asked.
“Gee, Dad,” Mackenzie replied. “You act like this is the first time I’ve brought a friend home for dinner. You remember, back home, my friend Marlene used to come over for dinner all the time.”
“I’m delighted you’re making friends so quickly, but I’d like to know a little more about the people who befriend my son. We have to talk about why you left the hospital.”
“I’d l...
May 23, 2016
You Enjoy Making Fun of Me, Don’t You?
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
“Your family owns the whole building?” Gemma asked. “They must be loaded. What does your biological sperm contributor do?”
“Ixnay on the clone speak. Just because you don’t have parents doesn’t mean you don’t have to learn the lingo. The male parent is called the father.”
Gemma shrugged. “Whatever spins your hard drive. But you have to admit, biological sperm contributor is a much more accurate descript...
“Your family owns the whole building?” Gemma asked. “They must be loaded. What does your biological sperm contributor do?”
“Ixnay on the clone speak. Just because you don’t have parents doesn’t mean you don’t have to learn the lingo. The male parent is called the father.”
Gemma shrugged. “Whatever spins your hard drive. But you have to admit, biological sperm contributor is a much more accurate descript...
May 22, 2016
The Lesser of Two Evils
A group of time travelers journey to the year 2166 to prevent a fascist from conquering the world. They discover that if they succeed, Earth will be invaded by an alien race 10 years later and destroyed because the world was not united under one leader. The time travelers are faced with an impossible choice of having to choose the lesser of two evils in
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
.
In a dystopian future in the television series The 100 , an artificial intelligence named Ally has placed humanity un...
In a dystopian future in the television series The 100 , an artificial intelligence named Ally has placed humanity un...
They Killed Bonnie and Clyde
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
A few minutes later, they had checked out of the grocery store and were eating their cereal behind the building. Gemma was glowing. “This is so exciting! I’m not just reading about things; I’m actually doing them. I’ve seen stores on the neural net all of my life, but this was the first time I set foot inside one. Being a fugitive is so cool! We’re like Bonnie and Clyde, Kenzie.”
“Who?”
“They were just...
A few minutes later, they had checked out of the grocery store and were eating their cereal behind the building. Gemma was glowing. “This is so exciting! I’m not just reading about things; I’m actually doing them. I’ve seen stores on the neural net all of my life, but this was the first time I set foot inside one. Being a fugitive is so cool! We’re like Bonnie and Clyde, Kenzie.”
“Who?”
“They were just...
