“As you have all undoubtedly considered in private, we are faced with the enviable but precarious predicament of having appearances that are now twenty years younger than our identities. Good genes and luxurious lifestyles go a long way toward explaining the discrepancy to inquiring minds, but we’re approaching the practical limit.”
Everyone nodded.
Aside from Pierce, who had twenty years on them, the Immortals were in their fifties but looked as they had in their thirties, if not better, thanks to Eos. Aria had in fact mentioned the aging problem to Lisa the last time they were alone together. The two still shared the connection of sorority sisters, despite the fact that their lives and outlooks had diverged considerably after college.
“Purchasing false identities might appear to be the perfect solution,” Pierce continued, “but unfortunately it is not. Lisa and I conducted extensive research and consulted multiple experts. They informed us that using fake documents for an extended period would be extremely risky, given all the attention going to preventing and prosecuting illegal immigration. The experts also noted that people of great means face an additional level of government scrutiny, given their value to the IRS. So we can’t just purchase papers, as they say.”
“What alternative is there?” Felix interjected.
Felix Gentry was Aria’s least favorite Immortal. He had been the CFO back when Eos was a company rather than a lifestyle. The numbers guy suffered from the ironic affliction of prematurely gray hair, which he combed straight back. His eyes were dark, his mouth serious, and his nose looked like it had been crimped with pliers. While she found the combination unappealing, others called it interesting. Apparently, the look attracted women who were drawn to power.
“That’s what we need to discuss,” Pierce said, his tone implying that what followed would not be a comfortable conversation. “The alternative to fake documents—is real documents.”
“You mean replacing real people?” David asked. “Surely you’re not considering something so barbaric?”
“He means scooping up the social security numbers of people who died young, and using them to get genuine documents,” Felix said.
Pierce rose and began pacing. “No, unfortunately I don’t. The government is all too aware of that favorite old tactic. Given that knowledge, and the rise of interconnected databases, the experts have eliminated it as an advisable option. David was right. Our only permanent alternative is to replace real people.”
“Except it wouldn’t be permanent,” David said. “It would need to be repeated every twenty years.”
“Point taken,” Pierce said, pausing behind David’s chair and thereby making it awkward for him to respond.
“What exactly are you proposing?” Aria asked, her stomach suddenly unsettled.
Pierce turned his laser-like focus her way. “There are men who specialize in solving problems and shutting mouths. They’re fixers. Usually former military or law enforcement officers, often with a law degree or private security background. Most live like ghosts off the grid. All know how to keep a secret.
“Lisa and I are asking for the go-ahead to identify and hire the best of their best.”
“The fixer will find suitable physical matches for each of us and attempt to meet additional requirements if presented,” Lisa added.
“Is that even possible?” Aria asked. “Finding our twins?”
“There are already commercial websites that do just that. Twinstrangers, twinlets, and ilooklikeyou for example. Obviously, minor cosmetic changes will be required, as will relocation to a place neither you nor your replacement previously lived.”
Felix looked up from deep thought. “Physical appearances aside, how can we be expected to fool these replacements’ families and friends?”
Lisa fielded the question with her typical diplomatic aplomb. “Good point. We’ll need to target people without either. While that sounds like a big ask, there’s actually a significant percentage of the population that either has no family or doesn’t communicate with them. And friends tend to come and go with geography, so the move will take care of that.
“Obviously, there are a lot of considerations. Pierce and I have thought through many of them, but I’m sure there are some we’ve missed. That’s another reason why we want to involve expert help.”
“Will this expert know why we need replacements?” Felix pressed.
Lisa shook her head. “No. He won’t know who we are or what we are. Just what we look and sound like. Obviously, that’s data he’ll need to do the matchmaking.”
“We’ll pay him extremely well,” Pierce added. “Well enough to effectively own him. Both during the replacement process and going forward, since we’ll need someone to troubleshoot any problems which may arise.”
Aria was about to ask what problems they foresaw, when Lisa said, “I’d like to put the proposal forward for a vote.”
Majority approval of the group was required when any Immortal wanted to take an action that might impact the rest of them. Aria, having joined late, voted only in case of a tie. To date, her vote had never been necessary.
“I can’t believe we’re actually considering this,” David said. “Replacement is a euphemism for murder. We’re not murderers.”
“Of course we are,” Pierce said. “We’re simply not in the habit of tracing the provenance of our dinners—or our shoes, belts, bags, furniture… But just as we justify putting veal on our plates with the argument that humans are one rung up the food chain from cows, so we can condone replacing mortals. They are, unquestionably, one rung below us. I second the motion for a vote.”
“Is there really no other way?” Aria asked.
“Surely we can find one!” David said. “Some way to make fake identities work. Through bribes or regular swaps, for example.”
Lisa cut off Pierce’s reply with a glance. “We considered those options. Both jeopardize the prime directive we agreed on during our very first meeting, twenty years ago, right here in this room.”
“Secrecy,” Aria muttered.
“Exactly. We must keep the world unaware of what we’ve achieved. All the alternatives to the replacement process jeopardize our very existence by requiring regular and repeated interactions with scores of outsiders. With the replacement option, by contrast, we only have a single exposure. It’s an unfortunate circumstance, but an easy decision.”
Lisa concluded by raising her hand. “All those in favor.”
Aria watched with fascination as other hands went up one by one. First Camilla, Lisa’s longtime executive assistant. The spoiled sycophant who undoubtedly held the record for best-compensated secretary in human history. Then Pierce, Lisa’s co-sponsor. Felix didn’t hesitate. No surprise there. The finance guy’s calculations rarely escalated beyond number one.
The four researchers shared furtive glances among themselves. If one of them went along, the motion would pass.
Aria knew she was watching history unfold, right there, right then, with stilled breath. The big coin was flipping. Their humanity was spinning in the air. Would it be heads or tails?
She caught a slight nod between Eric and Ries a second before both raised their hands. As the proposal passed, Allison and David met eyes. Their votes were now superfluous. The only question was whether there would be a protest or unanimity.
After a protracted pause that grew more uncomfortable by the second, the last two relented. Most likely out of solidarity rather than consensus.
“The motion passes,” Pierce said, maintaining a neutral tone. “We’ll begin searching for our fixer tomorrow morning.”
“No need,” Felix said. “I’ve heard of the perfect guy.”