LifeNet: The Price of Immortality

Chapter 8: A Strange Encounter

“Are you really going to do this?” Nyx’s voice crackled softly over the line.

Elara looked at herself in the mirror, her reflection calm but her eyes betraying a simmering determination. She adjusted her collar, trying to shake off the nervous energy.

“Yes,” she replied. “If there’s anyone who might know about the glitches, it’ll be someone inside LifeNet. I need to get close enough to one of the technicians to ask the right questions.”

Nyx sighed on the other end. “Just be careful, alright? Don’t go mentioning anything too specific. These people are… well, let’s just say they’re experts at keeping secrets.”

Elara forced a small smile. “Relax, Nyx. I know what I’m doing. It’ll just be small talk.”

“If you say so,” he replied, though she could hear the concern in his voice. “Let me know if you need anything. I’m just a message away.”

Elara ended the call, taking a deep breath before stepping out into the bustling city evening. The event she was headed to was held at a sleek, minimalist venue, one of those spaces that LifeNet often sponsored for employee gatherings. She wasn’t an employee, but Nyx had managed to get her on the guest list as a “plus one.”

The space was filled with people in sharp attire, and the air buzzed with the kind of laughter and conversation that felt just a bit too rehearsed. She moved through the crowd, scanning faces until she spotted a group of LifeNet technicians talking by the bar. They were dressed in casual clothes, a bit more relaxed than the others, but Elara could sense the slight edge to their posture, as if they were always on alert.

She took a steadying breath and approached, trying to appear as natural as possible.

“Hey there!” she said, smiling as she took a spot nearby. “You guys all work at LifeNet, right?”

One of them, a tall, wiry man with glasses, turned to her with a polite smile. “That obvious?”

She chuckled. “It’s just, well… LifeNet is kind of everywhere, you know? Hard not to notice the people behind it.” She offered a small shrug. “I’ve always been curious about the tech side of things. I’m Elara, by the way.”

The man introduced himself as Marco, and one by one, the others offered their names. They seemed friendly enough, discussing the usual topics—office gossip, funny stories about glitchy devices. Elara listened, nodding, laughing at the right moments, letting herself blend into the group.

After a while, she found a chance to steer the conversation.

“So, LifeNet… It’s got to be an interesting job,” she said casually. “I mean, with all the tech and how integrated it is in everyone’s lives.”

Marco nodded. “Definitely. It’s a pretty groundbreaking system, what we’re doing.”

She tilted her head, giving him a curious look. “I mean, LifeNet does… everything, right? Keeps records, connects people, holds memories… It’s pretty impressive.” Her tone was light, but she watched for his reaction.

Marco’s expression remained neutral, but a flicker of something—maybe caution—crossed his eyes. “Yeah, it’s… well, we’re careful about privacy, of course. But it’s hard to beat the convenience, right? LifeNet helps people remember things, keep their lives organized. It’s the ultimate assistant.”

Elara leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. “What about when LifeNet isn’t perfect?”

He raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “I’ve just… seen a few things that don’t always add up. People… forgetting stuff. Or, like, saying something and then it’s like they… blank out for a second. Ever notice that?”

Marco laughed, though it sounded a bit forced. “Ah, well, memory’s a tricky thing, you know. People forget things all the time.”

“Sure,” she replied, nodding along. “But what if it’s not just forgetting? What if LifeNet… influences what people remember?”

The group around them grew quiet, and she could see Marco’s smile fade ever so slightly. He looked away, almost as if he were debating how much to say.

“LifeNet is a tool,” he said, his voice soft, as if he were choosing his words with extreme caution. “It’s designed to make life easier. Sometimes that means… a little enhancement, a little nudge, to keep things flowing smoothly.”

“A nudge?” she asked, feigning innocence. “How so?”

Marco looked around, checking if anyone else was listening. When he finally met her eyes, his gaze had hardened. “You’re asking dangerous questions, Elara.”

Her heart raced, but she forced herself to stay calm. “Maybe. But what’s the harm in knowing how it really works?”

He hesitated, lowering his voice even further. “Look, LifeNet has… processes. Things the public doesn’t need to know. Little adjustments, algorithms. Some things… some things are better left unremembered.”

Elara’s skin prickled. “What kind of things?”

His eyes darted to the exit. “You should be careful, Elara. LifeNet isn’t something you mess around with.”

She pressed on, ignoring the warning in his tone. “But why the need to… adjust memories? Isn’t LifeNet supposed to be all about transparency, enhancing people’s lives?”

Marco’s jaw tightened. “Enhancement,” he muttered. “Right. It’s a tool, yes, but some tools are meant to guide, to help people stay… on track. It’s easier that way. Easier than letting everyone go off course, asking questions, stirring up fears.”

She stared at him, barely able to contain the disbelief. “So LifeNet… actually changes people’s memories?”

Marco didn’t respond immediately, but the conflicted look in his eyes told her everything.

“Look, I don’t know what you’re hoping to find,” he finally said, his tone laced with tension. “But if you value your peace of mind, drop it. I’m serious. No one benefits from stirring up things that were meant to stay buried.”

He began to move away, but Elara reached out, a desperation in her voice she hadn’t intended to show. “Marco, please. If you know something, anything… just tell me why. Why would LifeNet need to manipulate memories?”

He paused, glancing over his shoulder. “Control, Elara. LifeNet was designed to maintain order. To keep things… smooth. If that means editing a few memories here and there, well, that’s a small price to pay.”

She felt a chill run through her as she processed his words. “So they can just… rewrite people’s lives?”

Marco’s eyes darkened. “Don’t think of it like that. It’s just… aligning things, making sure everyone stays on the same page. A few adjusted memories… it’s hardly noticeable.”

“But people have a right to their own memories,” she shot back, her voice shaking slightly.

“Maybe,” he murmured, “but LifeNet’s in place to protect the bigger picture. To make sure society doesn’t spiral into chaos. Do you really think everyone knowing the full, unfiltered truth is a good idea?”

Elara struggled to find an answer. “What gives them the right?”

He shook his head, glancing around one last time. “That’s the thing, Elara. It’s not about ‘right.’ It’s about stability. Security. There are some things—some things that are better left unremembered.”

He turned and disappeared into the crowd before she could ask anything more. She stood there, her mind spinning, unable to shake the feeling that she had just brushed against the edge of a much darker reality.

In the distance, she saw the LifeNet logo glowing bright against the city skyline. It looked like a beacon, a symbol of everything she had trusted… yet now it loomed over her like a shadow, hiding secrets she could barely begin to comprehend.

She left the event, her mind churning with the weight of Marco’s words. If LifeNet was erasing memories to “keep order,” what did that say about the world they were living in? About the lives they thought were theirs?

As she walked into the night, the city’s lights glistening around her, she realized she had reached a point of no return.