[ WP ] Whenever a felony is committed , a clone of the perpetrator is created using DNA left at the crime scene . The original goes to jail , while the clone takes his/her place in society .

I'm late to the party with this so it is unlikely to be read. But I worked hard on it, so... 
 
 
 I gained consciousness with an aching head as two men entered this small, windowless room. Both carried a folder under one arm and a cup of steaming black coffee in hand. They sat at the wide, stainless steel table across from me. Beneath their black blazer jackets, I noticed each carried a side-arm. 
 
 “ Hello Dr. Roth, ” said the older of the two. “ I ’ m Detective Monroe, and this is Detective Cambridge, ” he said, gesturing to a balding white man. Monroe's expression was impassive, while Cambridge seemed to scowl without effort. 
 
 I reached out to shake their hands but a sharp tug at my wrist caught me surprised me. I was handcuffed to a loop attached to the table. My dry mouth opened in shock. I can ’ t remember being handcuffed. 
 
 “ What am I doing here? Why have you handcuffed me? ” 
 
 “ I understand you ’ ve got questions— we ’ ll get to that. But first, we need to talk about last night, ” Monroe said. 
 
 “ Sure, I've got nothing to hide. Look, do I need a lawyer or something? ” I ’ d seen enough TV to know that I had to ask for one as soon as possible. And with this headache, I might say something stupid. I need aspirin. 
 
 They cracked a reflexive smile to each other while the one named Monroe leaned forward. 
 
 “ No Dr. Roth, you aren ’ t currently being charged with any crime, ” he said. “ However, that can change depending on how you answer my questions. And then, ” he emphasized, “ You may indeed need a lawyer. Not that it would do you any good. ” 
 
 A shiver ran up my spine as I contemplated his words. I might need a lawyer. What the hell did I do? 
 
 “ If I ’ m not under arrest, why am I here handcuffed to a table? ” 
 
 Monroe held up a hand. “ Let ’ s talk about last night Dr. Roth. ” 
 
 “ Fine, ” I said like an indignant child,'' I went out drinking with my buddies from the lab. That ’ s Fred, Tom, Katie, and Peter. I ’ m sure you want their full names? ” 
 
 He was writing while I talked. He looked up at me and shook his head. 
 
 “ Look, I don ’ t normally drink because I used to have—uh— problems I ’ d get drunk. I ’ ve been sober 4 years now, but we were celebrating our first set of successful trials. So I figured it was a bonding experience for the team. I could handle it. ” 
 
 “ And where did you go? ” Monroe said. 
 
 “ Uh—The Last Laugh, I think it was? We had a few bottles of champagne— moved onto shots after. We did n't make any trouble. When they were closing, we finished our drinks and left. We went back to Fred ’ s and kept drinking. I guess I passed out. It's not that clear. Say, do you guys have aspirin on you? I've got a killer headache. ” 
 
 Detective Cambridge crossed his arms in front of him and smirked at me. “ Stupid prick, nobody gives a shit about your headache. This one is a goddamn liar if I ’ ve ever seen one Monroe. ” 
 
 “ Shut it Cambridge. Let him talk, ” Monroe turned back to me. “ We'll see about some pills shortly. Dr. Roth, do you remember anything else that happened after you returned to Fred Maver ’ s home? Please be absolutely certain. Your life depends on you telling us the truth. ” 
 
 What the fuck did that mean? “ I—I—it ’ s very blurry. I was really fucked up. I ’ m sorry. ” Monroe nodded. Cambridge made a disgusted sound, but said nothing. 
 
 “ Very well Dr. Roth. We ’ ll give you the information we have on your night. ” Detective Monroe opened his notebook and flipped over a few pages. 
 
 “ Your party did arrive at The Last Laugh around 8:35 PM and left at approximately 2:15 am this morning where you returned to Mr. Maver ’ s home. Mr. Maver indicated that Peter Kent and Tom Richards left at around 3am. ” 
 
 I nodded. I remembered Tom and Pete bailing on us. 
 
 “ From that point in the night, you became increasingly agitated with Katie and Fred Maver. You made sexual advances toward Mrs. Maver in particular, which greatly upset Mr. Maver. He became upset and attempted to remove you from his home, where you became enraged. And you hit him. Hard. According to our notes, it was with a large blunt object. Frying pan, most likely. This rendered him unconscious. ” He looked up at me. 
 
 Had I hurt Fred? “ Please tell me Fred is okay and that I didn ’ t hurt him too badly, ” I said. My voice wavered. 
 
 “ He ’ s fine. He ’ s the one who gave us the information before the incident that led to you rendering him unconscious. He ’ s concussed, but he ’ ll live, ” Monroe said. 
 
 I breathed a large sigh of relief. Thank goodness for that. 
 
 Monroe continued, “ However, the same can not be said for Mrs Maver. At this point in time based on the evidence gathered, you raped and murdered her. ” 
 
 My head was pounding harder as my blood ran cold with fear. “ No,'' I said shaking me head, `` I—I didn ’ t do that.'' Tears pricked my eyes. 
 
 “ Of course you did, you fucking scumbag. Your clothes had her blood. We extracted multiple sources of her DNA in addition to her blood. From your genitals. And you left us a little surprise inside her to find. You came inside her, you psychopath, ” Cambridge said. 
 
 Cambridge set the contents of the folder open for me to see. Inside was a photograph of a bedroom with a limp body on the bed. The battered remains of Katie were meticulously captured, eyes-wide with a swollen, purple cheek. Her flowery-blue button up top was open, exposing her breasts, and her pencil skirt was raised up to her waist exposing her naked flesh to the world. Around her throat were distinctive marks of bruising where she had been strangled. 
 
 I sat stunned as the tears came. Katie was once the woman whom with I thought I ’ d spend the rest of my life. When she broke my heart, I threw myself into my work and the hurt allowed me to focus like never before. Every breakthrough made, I ’ ve thanked her for it. We ’ re on the verge of curing cancer, and her rejection of me is the reason. 
 
 And now, she ’ s dead. They think that I raped her. And then killed her. Or oh God, maybe the other way around? I shuddered as bile burned at the back of my throat. I swallowed hard to keep it back. 
 
 “ Look, I didn ’ t do this! I ’ ve always had a crush on Katie and we dated a long time ago. But I was best man at Fred and Katie ’ s wedding. I let my feelings for her go. She helped save my life. Focus me on my research. She ’ s been my muse. I would never hurt her, ” I could feel the thump of pressure in my head grow stronger. My heart was pulsing in my ears louder and louder with each beat. Tears began to leak from my dry, irritated eyes. “ I—I would never do something like this. ” 
 
 “ Of course not, Dr. Roth. You ’ re hardly the first murderer to deny a crime of passion. We ’ ll give you a few minutes to digest this knowledge and we ’ ll return to continue this discussion. ” They both rose and left through the same door. 
 
 The florescent light from a fixture above cast an irritating light that intensified the wallop. I shut my damp eyes but the pain remained. THUMP. 
 
 I couldn ’ t bear to see Katie ’ s lifeless form pictured in front of me— but I could n't look away. And my brain, where before it was fuzzy and unfocused, had now begun to rebel. It beat rhythmically to escape from the cell of my skull like a caged animal vying for freedom. I focused on my breathing. In and out. THUMP. In and out. THUMP. 
 
 Eventually, the throb quieted enough for me to think. I tried to recall last night. Let's see. Tom and Pete left. We drank more. Katie looked amazing. I remember telling her. And—And—Fred got angry and —I… oh god. 
 
 All my research, the cure was so close. So close. I wiped a tear away. And I ’ d thrown it all away because I was a stupid, drunk fuck. This is why I quit drinking. Because I ’ m not stable when I drink. 
 
 Monroe and Cambridge returned during my pathetic stupor. Their hot coffee curled wisps of steam into the air. They sat quiet until I opened my eyes and looked at them. 
 
 “ I think I raped and murdered Katie, Detectives. ” Although spoken in a defeated monotone, each word was heavy on my tongue. Cambridge broke into a wide, unsettling grin. 
 
 “ Yes, we came to the same conclusion, ” Monroe said in an even tone. “ Dr. Roth, will you recount your experience for the record as best as you can? ” 
 
 “ Where should I begin? ” My gaze remained fixed on the picture of Katie. What the hell had I done? 
 
 “ After Mr. Kent and Mr. Richards left is fine, ” said Monroe. He sipped his coffee again. 
 
 “ Well, we were lounging in their basement at their home bar. We were playing pool. And Katie leaned to hit her next shot and I was struck with an old memory of us playing together in college. So I told her that she was beautiful. Fred said to knock it off, but I swear I saw Katie smile I at me. I could tell she appreciated it, you know? 
 
 Neither Monroe nor Cambridge made a sound to answer me and I refused to look up. `` Go on,'' said Monroe. 
 
 `` We went upstairs and Katie made us a quesadilla. It tasted amazing. And I was still buzzing, so I wanted to tell Fred that I loved him and that I was sorry that Katie looked so amazing tonight. That it was a complement, you know, nothing more. ” I nodded, agreeing to my own statement without looking at them. 
 
 “ But no, Fred was being such a dick. He got even more upset. I tried again to explain that I was just telling Katie she looked great—like she did in the old days. Fred really went off. He tried to shove me. I—I got angry because I was just trying to be nice and he shouldn ’ t have pushed me. I remember just wanting him to stop. And then I had that pan... ” 
 
 The each word rushed out without any consideration of what I was saying. Of what I was describing. The burn of bile had returned, but I owed it to Katie to finish. I owed it to society to see myself locked away. 
 
 “ I did hit him. With the pan. And then Katie ran away. She was so upset because of what Fred did. I wanted to hold her and tell her it was okay. I remember chasing her. I was crying because I didn ’ t want her upset. I didn ’ t want her mad at me for stopping Fred. And I just wanted to tell her more that she was so pretty— So pretty to me, ” I said, trailing off. 
 
 Continued below.
