Page 238 of Light Leech

“I mean… I can’t abandon it all, right? Even if they target me, it will only add to the names of everyone else with us on their hit list. Look, I’m not saying I jump right back in, but if we need to influence people, I still have a hold on plenty of hearts.”

“You still want to perform, right?” Ralia asked.

“Without a past to remember, it’s all I’ve ever known. I don’t care if it was forced upon me. It’s what I know, who I am… Call me vain, but I savor the love they give me.”

Boyband eyed me. I was quick to avoid his gaze. I was the same as Naoma. Once I had tasted that attention, I couldn’t let it go. My era of media influence had long since passed with my departure from Medislavia, but the hunger remained. It remained because I continued to feed it despite the atrophy.

I wanted a socitab. For all the bliss they had given me, I could never wish such an addiction upon Naoma but wondered if she had succumbed. If not, when. We were all victims of our pride. That sin, ever growing like a cancer, though I wished more than anything to end it.

I hadn’t used a fix in a week, but the option on my neurospace interface called out in every moment of silence.

I had forgotten how to be bored. How to rely solely upon human interactions in the flesh. Every day when the world defeated me and Gongtide threatened to end me, I knew that dopamine could be found in a quick socitab. But that is what it was. Quick. Artificial and effective. I was learning to be human again the more I resisted.

Our relationship was young, but my desire for Naoma went beyond attraction. She was a human who understood me. Our circumstances were wildly different, but similar in spirit.

In her was hope.

I hoped I could provide the same for her.

A worrisome gaze my way left me to believe that it might be true. If she didn’t want anything more than friendship, that was fine. It would ache, but that was my problem. I had sinned enough against the world. I owed it some good.

While in my reverie, she continued speaking with the others, but I had missed the conversation.

“All good ideas,” Denji said, “but we’ll see what Abbas learns.”

“And me!” Akna was sure to include herself. “Oh, and Ralia, of course.”

“Of course,” Ralia said.

“Pulse,” Boyband said. “We’ll rest up, then hit the city in the morning. Y’all plug?”

“After we feed,” Abbas said. “I’m going to need some before the night is over.”

Every Imp agreed. Before I could ask Naoma, she said, “I’ll keep an eye on Kuni. Acquaint myself with our ‘son’ before tomorrow. You like that idea, Kuni?”

“Can you act out the Red Geisha for me?”

She battled between smiling and disgust. I felt the same. I couldn’t be angry and his adoration for her, but I suppose I had forgotten why he was with us. Why he had been kidnapped, enslaved, changed into a shape-shifting eel-child.

Why Ai had died.

Nichley had escaped. He–or at least his company–hadn’t capitulated to past allegations. There was no reason why he wouldn’t target children again. That was the aim of his company. Entertainment was a lie.

Children are the future. Control them, control the world.

Entertainment had its occasional poor connotation, but education was requisite. Twist the truth of what should be taught and you own the world.

With the Correction choosing what truth should be taught in schools, they owned knowledge.

The weight of our responsibility doubled.

Naoma tapped my shoulder. “You good?”

She was holding Kuni’s hand. He looked upset, probably due to some refusal to act out the brainwashing. I was sure she could console him somehow. If we couldn’t save an entire generation, I prayed we could at least save one.

I nodded. “Yeah, just a bit hungry, I think.”

“Dinner or teeth?” Kuni asked. His innocence had expired.