Daddy [Mommy Sequel]

Chapter 20: First Meal

The man with glasses brought me to the cafeteria, and I blinked around as I realized no one was here.

It was just us.

Transfer 342 then pulled the scanner he had at dinner last night out of his pocket, scanning me a few times to check if I was clean. I could see him swallow.

"Alright, Miss 737, I need you to be—"

I interrupted him, talking over the loud, booming voice that screamed violated regulation in my head for interrupting him.

I ignored it.

"If that's true, if Transfers come from the same place—does that mean you know Transfer 343? From...before here...since he came right after you?"

The man paused, staring at me. He seemed to be caught in his tracks, as though he didn't expect me to say that. I noticed his expression changed after 'since he came right after you'— and I assumed he didn't expect me to piece together that the numbers meant the order of people.

I wasn't stupid.

Instead of answering my question, instead of a simple yes or no, he proceeded to talk—as though my question was entirely different.

"Transfers don't arrive often, that's why Master enjoys them so. They contain qualities that seem to be easily adaptable to changing circumstances—which allows them to transform and adapt to being perfect quickly."

I paused. He didn't even answer my question, but I went along with it.

If I continued, other questions might be answered.

"How often to they arrive? If they don't arrive often, some of them must've been here a really long time, haven't they?"

I chuckled lightly, as though I was joking around—but he didn't seem to find it funny. He scanned me again, almost nervously. He seemed to be in his own world.

"Arrive? Well, maybe twice every decade, if the Master is lucky. In fact, Transfer 343 and I came in almost a year apart—and that was the closest Transfer's have arrived...ever."

I paused, swallowing.

Twice every decade...If the Master is lucky?

I snorted, rolling my eyes.

That was impossible.

If one person showed up every decade, then that would mean it would take hundreds upon hundreds of years for all the Transfers to arrive up to this point— and that would mean nearly all of them would be dead.

All of them should be dead.

"Whatever. That's impossible. Wouldn't that mean—"

"I didn't say all the Transfers were still here, Miss 737. In fact, there is only three Transfers on this facility at the moment—which is considered a large amount. This corporation has been here for hundreds of years now, and the Boss and Master just seek out replacements when children and staff grow past perfection—whether the Transfers or Numbers."

I paused, something running through my mind as he nervously scanned me again, making sure I was clean.

My heart raced as my head spun.

The Boss and Master seek out replacements...this corporation has been open for hundreds upon hundreds of years—is he telling me...