I’m the upgrade, the thief whispered. I’m the one who’s going to use this life for something. You’re just the man who stole it first. And now, I’ve reported Arthur Vance for the murder of Elias Thorne. The police are on their way.
Elias backed away. He reached into his pocket for his phone, but when he tried to unlock it with his thumbprint, the sensor vibrated in rejection. He tried his passcode. Incorrect. Identity Thief
The silence in Elias Thorne’s apartment was the first thing that felt wrong. Elias was a man of precise habits. He was a junior archivist at the city library, a job that required him to be invisible, meticulous, and predictable. He liked his life like he liked his bookshelves: alphabetized and dust-free. I’m the upgrade, the thief whispered
He reached his office— their office—and peered through the glass. The thief was sitting at the mahogany desk, typing rapidly. He looked comfortable. He looked like he belonged. Elias burst in, his eyes wild. Who are you? And now, I’ve reported Arthur Vance for the
Elias backed toward the window. He looked at the man who was currently living his life, wearing his clothes, and possessing his name. He realized he couldn't fight for a life he had stolen, because there was no "Elias" left to save.