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In an obscure little part of the city, a place which rarely received any visitors, Adam, a man of forty, stood before what appeared to be an old and rusty office building. It was easy to overlook the building in all its shabbiness but Adam knew what precious secrets lay within. His lips curled into a slight smile as he pushed open the front door and stepped in.
He entered a plain white room completely devoid of any decoration. Directly across from him stood a set of doors, flanked by a pair of loudspeakers.
“Ah, our guest graces us with his presence at last,” a voice greeted him from the speakers. “We’ve been expecting you, Adam. If you’ll please wait a moment while we make some security scans... Alright, all clear. Please proceed through the next set of doors.”
A lean figure dressed in a white lab coat was there to greet him. “Welcome to the Third Heaven Research Facility,” the figure said, extending a gloved hand. “I am Dr. Neumann, the chief scientist in charge here.”
“A pleasure,” replied Adam, returning the handshake. “Do you have what I came for?”
“Of course. We hate to keep our customers waiting. I’m sure you’ve waited long enough. Now, if you’ll please just follow me...”
The two walked along a bland hallway, as unremarkable as the room before. “You’ll have to excuse us for the lack of adornments. They tend to attract needless attention from curious souls and are...excessive. Nevertheless, I believe you will find the work we’ve been conducting here nothing short of fascinating.” They arrived at an elevator, with which they descended into the deeper levels of the facility.
“You see, most of our work is conducted underground, for various reasons, most of which cannot be disclosed. Suffice to say it is much easier to conduct our work away from prying eyes.”
“I see...” There was brief moment of silence. “You’re sure this is entirely legal? I have a reputation to uphold, you know.”
“Well, not exactly. But rest assured, there is no danger of discovery. Our clients’ privacy is one of our top concerns. That’s one of the reasons why I only know your first name.” Dr. Neumann peered at him with an odd smile.
“Besides,” he continued, “who do you think our main customers are? High-ranking government officials and the wealthy. The government would be in for quite a mess if news of this facility ever got out. So, you see, it is in their best interests to keep us hidden.” The elevator doors opened as it came to a stop, revealing a vast, circular chamber. Adam blinked in surprise at the bundle of trees that stood in the center of the chamber, feeding off the artificial light emanating from the ceiling. Ripe red apples gleamed alluringly from the branches.
“This is what we like to call ‘The Garden,’” said Dr. Neumann as he swept his arm in a broad gesture. “Perhaps I misspoke before when I said there were no decorations, if this sparse pocket of trees counts. Still, I assure you these apple trees are here for purely utilitarian purposes. They spare us tiresome trips to the surface for food. Useful, no?” The two men passed the garden and moved into another hallway.
“Just a little further...” Adam followed the doctor through more corridors.
They arrived at yet another set of doors. “Ah, we have reached our destination.” The doors opened to reveal a sterile white room, much like a morgue, with several beds lining the walls. All of them were empty with the exception of one, which was occupied by a young-looking woman. A thin white blanket covered her naked body, not quite hiding the gorgeous curves of her body.
“She’s beautiful!” gasped Adam as he rushed towards the bed. “Can I touch her?”
“You’re free to do whatever you want with her. She was made for you after all.”
“She’s beautiful,” Adam repeated, stroking her silken hair.
“Isn’t she?” said Dr. Neumann, his eyes glistening with a new intensity. “Specimen 73 is the best we’ve created so far. The Creator himself couldn’t have done better. She’s just as you specified: appearance of a twenty-year-old, green eyes, black hair, top physical condition, type 3 lips...” Dr. Neumann went on to list an assortment of details.
“She’s perfect!” Adam’s expression was one of pure joy. “I must have her!” He continued to eyeball the serene and lifeless figure.
“Of course, of course. Have you settled on a name?”
“No, I haven’t actually. I was hoping you could help me with that.”
“Hm. I’ve never been good with names. But why not call her Eve? You’d be the perfect match.”
“Eve. Yes, I like that. I’m going to call her Eve.”
“Good. Creating perfect matches, it’s what we do. Yes, the name’s quite fitting. Quite fitting indeed. I’m sure you’ll find her most satisfying.” He pulled out a PDA from within his lab coat. “Now, there’s still the matter of financial payment. If you’ll just transfer the money to the specified account, she’s all yours.”
“Yes, I’ll transfer the money right away...”
“Excellent. You’re doing a noble thing here, Mr. Adam. We couldn’t have accomplished this without customers like you. Together with you and our other clients, we’ll be able to create a new Paradise on Earth. Just imagine it, a world in which everybody has a perfect partner. No more fights, no more divorces. True love restored.”
“That’s the future, isn’t it?”
“That’s how we’ve planned it. This is but a taste of what is to come. The work conducted here will change everything. Everything will be...perfect.”
Dr. Neumann stood in silence as he watched Adam caress the figure. “Perfect.”
