“But…what are you?” I asked, avoiding the question for now. “You look like…”

“A normal person?” Cindy Lou winked. “I was. But that all changed when I lost my last waitressing job and couldn’t find another…’til I heard about this place that was going through waitresses like it was going out of style. I heard rumors that it was actually cooking them and serving them to customers, but the truth turned out to be weirder.”

“I’ll bet,” I said.

“It was actually a front for a medical research facility. They told me about their research on how to make intestinal bacteria ‘smarter,’ and how it turned out the best way was to make something ‘smarter’ into bacteria. They showed me the genetic engineering treatment and told me how it worked. And then they gave me the choice of being ordinary staff or a GaIA.” She shrugged. “I didn’t have any family to worry over me, and I’d lost the mortgage on my apartment anyway—and this way at least I knew I’d always have a home.” She beamed. “And speaking of which…open wide!”