In the near future United States, celebrity DNA is spliced, bought, and sold in order to create children with identical genetic codes to public figures. As a government operative of a department for such genetic engineering, Thatch infiltrates a New York City nightclub. He poses as a journalist to interview a Tom Cruise clone, Gage, and finds himself filled with pity. He’s reminded of his childhood friend, Kenji, also a “cruise”. Weighed down with childhood memories, Thatch asks Gage about his plight as a “hacksperm” kid, eventually discovering that Kenji had once been Gage’s opponent in an illegal cruise fight club. Thatch considers his governmental position in investigating the trafficking of unlicensed genetic material and reflects on how his job connected him with television journalist Kife, whom he ended up dating. He and Kife had given several television appearances together, explaining the mechanics and history of illegal DNA sequencing, distribution, and reproductive use. Thatch also reflects on Kenji, who spurred his interest in unlicensed celebrity DNA trafficking. Thatch idolized Kenji from childhood to early adulthood, believing his schizophrenic outbursts to be passionate and enamoring. Throughout his relationship with Kife, Thatch had been too ashamed to admit that his fascination with hacksperm kids had origins in Kenji, and how irrevocably Kenji influenced his life. He recounts the last night he and Kenji spoke; they broke into an apple orchard where Kenji had a tantrum and spurned Thatch. He also recounts the night he confessed his attachment to Kenji to Kife. Throughout his reflection, Thatch follow Gage through New York City, from a subway station to a macabre tenement. He calls his law enforcement colleagues and reports Gage’s participation in the illegal fight club. Meanwhile, a bum who had been throwing glass bottles around the tenement reveals himself to be Kenji. Kenji is revolted by Thatch’s patronizing treatment of hacksperm kids, which, in Kenji’s opinion, did more harm than good. Thatch realizes that Gage and Kenji are dating; upon seeing that the unrequited love he had been harboring would never be resolved, Thatch lets go of his romanticized view of Kenji. Thatch realizes that his savior complex prevented him from viewing others as equals, but is uplifted when Gage texts him Kenji’s contact information.