Chapter 5 Second Crossing

The elderly couple left the clinic satisfied, and the people who looked at them imagined a father with his daughter.

Clara walked joyfully spinning, dancing and smiling at the people as she walked with Peter, her husband, for whom it was enough to see her so happy and youthful; and he marveled at the thought that this was the girl of his youth.

Clara spun around as if she were dancing ballet and jumped towards Peter for him to catch her. And the kiss they gave each other was quite upsetting to Susan's parents who were just returning to the car after having breakfast at a nearby cafe. Seeing that kiss, Susan was surprised and wide-eyed. IA, on the other hand, only paid attention.

"The girl and her dad kissed on the mouth!" The "little" five old girl yelled, and her voice reached the couple's ears.

Looking at the family, surprised and upset by the accusation, they let go and walked to the car.

"We are husband and wife, my dear," replied the old woman in her pubescent body. "Why don't you get yourself a man and shut up for a little bit?!"

Embarrassed and not understanding the question, Susan fell silent; but her mother came to her defense:

"A man?! Are you not ashamed?! My daughter is five years old!" The woman exclaimed before leaving.

IA hesitated: was Peter a pedophile? Would whoever dated Susan be a pedophile? She still had no answer to that questions.

That weekend Peter and Clara visited the neighborhood of their childhood in search of very dear memories, and in the sight of the people they passed, they were a father and his daughter going for a walk.

They could hardly believe that the corner of the house with flowers was still there, as if the passage of time had decided to forgive that part of the world even if it was only for them. They never said it, but they both thanked the heavens that day.

Little flowers still spilled from the low wall behind which rose bushes invited children and couples to smile.

They used to meet as children every day in that corner of colors and scents. They still remembered those little birds flying overhead and the sound of a slight tinkling coming from some nearby angel caller, as if there was something divine in that majestic picture of images and sensations that caught them.

Peter was ecstatic to see his wife exactly the same as at that time, and Clara wept with emotion at being able to relive such a beloved experience. They had dreamed of that moment so many times without saying it...

IA was watching them carefully, inquisitive, analytical and impartial; but the behavior of the couple did not seem at all lustful. The displays of affection that she observed did not resemble what she described as "pedo-hebe-philic"; and yet they were still a couple. An adult man and an adult woman with a youthful appearance. They were almost the same age, so they weren't exactly criminals; and IA did not know how to rate them.

The big problem with the ubiquitous law enforcement intelligence was not having clear definitions to deal with the new situation. Dozens of people changed their looks, and their previously legal love affairs now seemed criminal, even if technically they weren't.

"My protocols do not clearly define the problem. I beg you to stop the physical age change body therapies until an adequate protocol is formed to update the penal code."

The honorable councilors simply laughed at the request. The advancement and improvement of these therapies was a priority and a state policy.

"Enough." Replied the head of the camera. "Stop making requests and do your job. Did we make a mistake in giving you the job?"

"Of course not, Mister Counselor." IA replied showing a humble bow. "But the therapies were expected to have a trial period. This one was overlooked, and my next update, which would have been ready to deal with this scenario, is yet to be developed. I need a learning period to know how to apply the law, which has not been updated either."

"Oh, well..." he said thoughtfully, looking at her wrinkled and trembling; and lamenting himself. "We didn't have time to think about it either. We need those therapies. The law is the least of it." He said, thinking aloud before realizing what he was doing. "I did not mean...!"

"Mister..."

"Look, damn digital brat...! You do your job to the best of what you can do and stop bothering us with your problems at once! We have bigger problems than your damn dictionaries and protocols! You understand?!"

He stormed out of the room without waiting for the customary bow, but then forced himself to calm down for fear of a pressure fit or worse.

"Stupid virtual girl. I'm not going to die old for your damn problems."

Several members of the chamber were anxiously awaiting the next report from the clinic. The last one two months ago had not satisfied them very much.

When Daniela announced her change in appearance on her profile, beyond the opinion of her former boss, the reactions were mixed: her ex-boyfriends and most of her friends felt a great disappointment. Her mother, on the other hand, was excited because the new Daniela was the spitting image of Laura, her three-year-younger sister who had died as a young woman and whom her daughter had never met. However, there were others who were also excited, albeit for other reasons: a lustful old man, who was surfing the web in search of people who had been rejuvenated, licked his lips and drooled at the sight of her.

"But what a delicious little one," the old counselor exclaimed to himself.

She didn't know a member of the Honorable Governing Council looked at her photo over and over again. And he did not know it at the time, but the whim and obsession that moved him, like his colleagues, were to be the causes of his downfall.