A plan was forming.

Custom clones were all the rage back on Earth. It had become so

easy to manufacture them that people had clones for all kinds of

things - attending meetings or parties you were too busy or lazy to

go to, taking care of your kids while you were at work, driving

your car for you, and, well, you get the idea. Of course, with all

those clones running around, people also started to get nervous

about all the kinds of accidents that could happen.

"Honeysuckle, you know what I do for a living?"

"Funny, I never even thought to ask!" she giggled. Back then, her

giggle was thrilling, later I realised it was all a simulation, she

already knew everything about me. Remembering it now, half of me

wants to fall into the arms of that giggle, the other half hears it

for what it was - the mechanical ticking of a time-bomb.

"I work in insurance."

"Wow, sounds complicated!"

"It depends on what kind of insurance you're in. I'm in the

uncomplicated kind." I rolled the ball down the lane. It veered off

course and knocked a single pin.

"Anyway, there's a new clause that's in a lot of life-insurance

contracts, especially tailored for people who use

cloning-technologies."

"Oh? What does this have to do with anything, my sweet

hummingbird?"

"Hummingbird? Where'd you get that name from?" I rolled the ball

again, I hit another handful of pins, but this was a game I'd

already lost. I made a mental note not to go bowling with an

android again.

"The clause is called 'Triple Indemnity'; If you're killed by your

clone, the insurance pays out three-fold."

She had picked up her ball and threw it as I spoke these last

words. The ball went straight to the gutter. My mouth opened. I

thought to myself that she was either a quick learner or had a dark

mind; she had understood perfectly what I was suggesting. Too

perfectly.

I should have followed the path of that bowling ball and veered off

course right then. I should've sensed what she was capable of and

ran the other way.