The bodies have already been harvested. They were always ready early this time of year. No waiting for the trucks to load them, either.
Sar-ah sighed. She checked off every last child as they boarded the temperature- controlled trailers. They had to upgrade the equipment. After the feds found out what they were doing. The Body Harvesters out of Mexico switched to this after fentanyl dropped off most of their old consumer base. Now they claimed those forced into Death State from the local hospitals. Mostly children, as they were still easy to train. But some of the richer clients up North wanted women, still, and a few of the politicians wanted men to show off to their boyfriends as butlers around the house, parading them naked and stark, holding food at parties. It was a mix, between AI and human, that not even the sneakiest of evil scientists had seen coming. “Nah…it took the cartels with mexico and the ccp to dream that one up,” Sar-ah mused to herself, checking off the last of the cargo.
The bodies were forced into deep comatose states after brief heart attacks or brain death. Usually forced upon them when family members sold them off to preachers from the States and Africa, settled in Mexico for the “nice weather” and “cheap food.” The brains were wiped, and digital twins were uploaded in their place. Enough of their memories and mannerisms to make them seem human…but…there was something Lazarus about them. They would act human enough for their Masters, but, at night, when no one was around, they would sit and hum silently. Vibrating, almost. Or they would turn and face the wall. Expressionless, but eyes moving to and fro.
Sar-ah nodded to the men locking up the back of the trailer and turned her attention to the WareHouse. More were expected that night. “Better eat while I can,” she sighed, trudging up the cactus lined trail, lined with a new fungus the company had been developing last summer. Food for the AIBots.