PART NINE:
CLONED AND DANGEROUS
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CHAPTER TWENTY
I swam in disjointed memories and fragments of voices.
Chase’s voice, I thought. He’s nearby.
I can feel him. But I can’t feel me.
The last thing I remembered was Dr. Victor’s
face. I cringed at this memory, pushing it away. A horrible
nightmare. I didn’t want to think about it. I’d rather think
about Chase … just the two of us speeding away together in a cozy boat.
I could almost taste the salty air, feel rocking waves, and hear the humming
boat engine. Chase reaches for me and holds me close. I snuggle up
toward his lips, and feel sharp teeth…
NO! Everything was wrong. Bitter chemical
odors mixed with the salty air, and instead of Chase’s arms cradling me, tight
straps pressed me on a hard surface. I couldn’t move; my arms and legs
were heavy anchors. It was like being squeezed into someone else’s body.
Something pricked my arm, and I knew I was being touched although there was no
pain. My eyes jerked open and I saw a tube and needle stuck into my skin!
Even more horrifying -- Dr. Victor held a gun on Eric and Chase.
“Chase!” My voice came out faint and hollow.
“Varina! What’s going on?” Chase turned
angrily to Dr. Victor. “You’d better let her go or I’ll-”
“You’ll what? Kill me?” Dr. Victor cut in.
“Sorry, but you won’t get a chance. Notice who has the gun.”
Laughter. From Dr. Victor. I
tried to focus, but my thoughts were bubbles floating in different directions.
What were Chase and Eric doing here? And why couldn’t I move? I
could see my arm where a tube with gray-green liquid was poked into my skin.
But it was like my arm belonged to another person. I felt no pain, no
fear, only a sweet floating sensation. A deep part of me knew this was all
wrong. Think! I ordered myself. Make sense of this!
But everything seemed unreal. Dr. Victor waved the
gun at Eric and Chase, then ordered them to squeeze inside doghouse-sized cages.
The metal doors slammed and they were imprisoned like trapped animals.
I heard someone wailing and spotted Geneva sobbing in a corner.
I knew I should be afraid -- but I wasn’t.
My spirits rose above ordinary emotions as if I was super-human. Dr. Victor had
no power over me. If knowledge was power, then I had the ultimate secret
weapon.
“Dr. Victor,” I whispered, barely recognizing my
own voice. “Come … over … here.”
“Who’s talking?” He spun away from the
cages. He strode over and gazed down at me. “What are you babbling
about?”
“Leave them alone,” I said in a raspy voice.
“I-I know.”
“Know what?”
“Many things … I know … secret.” I rode high on
a strong wave confidence. I was invincible. No one could hurt me.
But I could strike fear with mere words.
I heard someone call my name. Chase, I think.
And Geneva’s sobbing continued like an insignificant buzz from a small insect.
But I couldn’t think about them now. Once I talked to Dr. Victor,
everyone would be saved.
“If you have something to say, spit it out.” Dr.
Victor bent over me, sweat beading on his shiny forehead.
“First … promise.”
“Why would I promise you anything? You’re
nothing to me except a problem that will soon be over.”
“Then you’ll … you’ll never know.”
“Nonsense! The drug I’m giving you is taking over.
You’re out of your mind. Soon, that will be a literal fact.”
“Get away from her!” Chase shouted.
“Shut up!” Dr. Victor said. “I’ll get to
you later.”
Chase yelled again, and in that instant I mentally
connected to him. I flew out of my limp body toward love. Chase’s
energy was dark and furious. He couldn’t feel me, only shark knives
twisting into hate. He was scared … for me. I tried to reach out
to him, but I couldn’t hold my thoughts in one place. And Dr. Victor’s
black eyes swam into view.
“I know,” I told him. “The secret.”
“Foolish girl! As if I care about anything you have
to say. You look like Jessica and have caused me no end of trouble like
her. But it’ll be over soon. Enjoy your last moments. Every
minute that drug seeps into your sink, your brain cells are being numbed.
In fifteen minutes you won’t know your own name. In thirty minutes, you
won’t be able to talk. Then I’m going to dissect your cloned brain and
study it … while you’re still alive.”
Chase and Eric shouted and banged against their cages.
The noise was deafening. I shut it out and focused on Dr. Victor. A
lightning force of power surged through me. I couldn’t be touched, not
while I held onto the secret. Dr. Victor thought he was in control, but he
was wrong. I could knock him over with one sentence.
“You need me,” I told him. “Alive.”
He folded his arms and smiled with amused skepticism.
“And why is that?”
“Because I know the Exhance-25X Formula. It
lives in me.” I took a ragged breath. “If I die … so does the
formula.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“NO! Varina, don’t tell him anything!”
Chase shouted, scrunched on his knees in a cage. He avoided looking at the
stained cage floor that reeked of animal odors. He banged his fist against
the hard metal, frantic to get to Varina.
“She has nothing to tell,” Dr. Victor said, his
thin mouth twisted into a grimace. “The formula is gone. Your
house was thoroughly searched and there was no trace of it.”
“Hidden,” Varina whispered. “I know….”
“She’s of no use to you. Let her go!” Chase
cried. “If you want a clone to mess with, take me! Not her!”
“Sorry, but you’ll have to wait your turn,” he
replied, amused. “I’ve been eager to test an experimental drug on a
human subject and you’ll be an excellent candidate. Instead of numbing
cells like the drug Varina is getting, this does the opposite. When it was
injected in lab mice it resulted in painful deterioration of brain cells.
The mice reverted to fetal position and slipped into a near catatonic state.
Most died within twenty-four hours.”
“Do whatever to me, but let Varina go.”
“Letting any of you go would be rather idiotic.
The captain has orders not to come down here, but we’re heading for open sea
and he may pop in to give me an update. I can’t risk his finding you.
The timing must be perfect when I tell him the sad story of how my unfortunate
wife fell overboard and drowned.”
Chase glanced over at Geneva, expecting a reaction, but
she was totally out of it. After her brief show of bravery, her husband
had knocked her to the floor, where she'd dissolved into hysteria. She was
no help.
“I know….” Varina was whispering again.
“You know nothing.” Dr. Victor slapped his hand
impatiently against a counter.
“I do … know formula.”
“Don’t bore me with meager attempts to save
yourself. Why do you think I planted Geneva in your home? To
discover your enhanced skills and to search for the formula. She let me in
while you were gone, and we searched every room and found no trace of the
formula.” He checked his watch. “You only have about fourteen
minutes left.”
Sweat dripped down Chase’s forehead. Watching
Varina grow weaker, fading before his eyes, was torture. He had to
get free. He wanted to rip the bars apart and then go after Dr. Victor.
Grabbing the bars, he rattled and thrashed with a murderous fury.
But the door held tight.
Varina lie limply on the gurney. She continued to
speak of the formula in an eerily calm tone, as if she didn’t understand her
danger. Was Dr. Victor’s horrible drug causing her to lose her mind?
“Eric!” Chase called out softly, trying
unsuccessfully to see inside the adjacent cage. “We have to stop him!”
“Chase? What did you say?”
“If only I had a screwdriver or something sharp.
Then I could loosen the screws.”
“Loose what?” Eric’s voice rose. “I
can’t hear you.”
“Stop that whispering!” Dr. Victor ordered.
“Come over here and stop me!” Chase slammed against
the cage and shook the bars, hoping to divert attention from Varina.
“Eager to die?” Dr. Victor taunted, but then
turned abruptly back to Varina when something she said seemed to catch his
attention. He leaned closer, his brows arching with surprise.
Chase tried to understand Varina’s ramblings.
Gibberish. He concentrated harder, and made out letters, numbers, and
unfamiliar words that made him think of his high school chemistry class.
She was rattling off odd numbers and letters like a code. She really
DID know the complete Enhance 25-X Formula!
Dr. Victor’s jaw fell open, his expression changing
from disbelief to astonishment. He leaned closer to catch every syllable.
Chase watched with growing anxiety. He ached to
break free, to take Dr. Victor down. But he was helpless. There had
to be a way out. Maybe if he pushed against one side and knocked the
cage….
“Chase.” A whisper that sounded like Allison
seemed to come from nowhere.
“Al? Where are you?”
“Chase,” the voice repeated. “I hope you
can hear me.”
He didn’t expect to see anything, but peered
through the bars anyway, looking for his friend.! Was she in the lab?
Hidden behind his cage? How had she gotten on the ship?
She called his name again and this time he realized he
was picking up her voice with his enhanced ears. Allison wasn’t behind
him or even in the room. Although she sounded close, she could be a mile
away and he wouldn’t know the difference.
“We’re outside the lab. I can’t see
what’s going on in there, but I heard shouting. We’re going to break
you out ASAP.”
We’re? Chase wondered. Who was with
Allison?
As if Allison had indeed heard, she went on, “Sandee
and I are deciding on a plan. She found something to cause a distraction.
That will draw Dr. Victor out of there so we rescue you. ”
Sandee is here? Chase puzzled. How
did that happen? I thought she was gone for good. And how had
Allison and Sandee gotten onto the yacht? Chase and Eric had
“borrowed” the only available boat. Where had they found another boat?
“Chase, hold tight and clue in Eric and Varina
about what’s going down. Get ready to run for it when we bust in.”
But we can’t run anywhere! Chase wanted to
shout. Eric and I are trapped in cages! And Varina is drugged and
acting weirder by the minute.
Of course there was no way of conveying this to
Allison and Sandee. Chase heard them whispering back and forth. They
were minutes away from striking.
Shifting uncomfortably in the cage, Chase tried to
figure out what to do. He couldn’t warn Allison and Sandee, and he
couldn’t even talk to Eric who was only a few feet away. His muscles
ached and one of his legs tingled with numbness. He rubbed his leg, but he
was more worried about Varina than his own discomfort. In a robotic
manner, she continued to rattle off scientific jargon to Dr. Victor.
“Yes, yes!” Dr. Victor said excitedly.
“That’s right … I recognize that part of the formula. Tell me
more.”
“It’s hard to … to think….” Her voice
trailed off and her eyes closed. “Feeling strange….”
“The drug is acting too quickly. Hurry!
Tell me the rest!”
“Stop …drug,” she murmured.
“I suppose I must.” Dr. Victor gave a weary sigh.
He scrambled around the gurney and pushed a button. Then with a frustrated
groan cry, drew the needle and tube from Varina’s arm. “I’ll
get a tape recorder so I don’t miss a word.”
“You … You must promise,” Varina said, her
fighting spirit shining through her fog. “My friends … let them go.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Let them go,” she repeated. “Or no … no
formula.”
“You are in no position to threaten me!”
Varina closed her eyes and said nothing.
“Fine! Fine! We’ll do it your way for
now.” the doctor snapped. “I’ll promise anything, just hold on to
your thoughts until I can get a recorder. It’ll only take a what
was that?”
A burst of rap music erupted from outside. Drums
and electric guitars rattled walls and vibrated the floor. Allison’s
distraction! Chase thought with excitement. He swiveled in his cage but
could only see part of the room.
“What in the devil! Who’s out there?” Dr.
Victor picked up his gun and strode past Chase’s cage. He headed toward
the door, his footsteps echoing as he disappeared from Chase’s view.
There was the sound of a door opening and the music
roared louder.
“Turn off that blasted music!”
Leave it to Sandee to use music for a distraction.
“Who’s there?” Dr. Victor repeated
the question, his tone sharp with anger when there was no answer.
Allison and Sandee must be hiding, Chase guessed.
Good! Unless they brought an arsenal and an army, they weren’t a match
for Dr. Victor’s gun. Their simple plan just might work. Dr.
Victor would be curious about the music and leave this area to search for an
intruder. Or maybe he’d head for the captain’s cabin. While he
was gone, the five of them could escape.
Abruptly, the music snapped off. Silence
followed.
“What’s going on?” Eric asked, his arms waving through
steel bars. “My eyes are tired, but I’ll try to look. Chase, can
you hear me?”
“Yeah. Hold tight.”
“Hold what?” Eric asked.
“Just wait. Help is coming.”
“Someone is coming?” Eric questioned.
Chase didn’t want to risk raising his voice, so he
said nothing. He gripped the metal bars and assured himself that Allison
and Sandee knew what they were doing.
Then everything happened fast. Running footsteps,
a bang as if something slammed into a wall, then a shrill scream.
“That was Al!” Eric exclaimed. “But
what’s she doing here? It’s too far for anyone to swim and too
dangerous! Chase, can you hear what’s happening? Of course you
can, even if I can’t hear you. I’m trying to see, but my eyes are
still tired from last time. Everything looks blurry. I can barely
make out three figures struggling. I can't tell who is who. Is one
of them Allison? One of them is holding something … pushing the other
two forward.”
The door slammed and footsteps pounded into the room.
Chase turned to see Dr. Victor leading Allison and Sandee forward. Allison’s
blond hair had loosened from her braid and her face was streaked with grime.
Sandee looked even worse -- her clothes and blue-streaked hair were
dripping wet.
As the girls passed Chase’ and Eric’s cages,
they stopped and stared in dismay. Sandee covered a gasp with her hand.
Allison’s shoulders slumped and she mouthed “I’m sorry” toward Chase.
Even if she hadn’t made the promise not to use her strength, she had no super
powers against a bullet.
“More clones! Must be an epidemic.” Dr.
Victor chuckled, edging them against a cabinet. “Soon I’ll have the
formula, too. Next time I clone humans, there will be no mistakes.
With the formula and your DNA to study, nothing can stop me from becoming the
most famous, respected scientist in the world.”
“Except your stinking attitude,” Sandee said.
“You’d better let us go,” Allison added,
untwisting her overall strap. “You won’t have any career if the police
find out you’re nothing but a slimeball kidnapper.”
“Who has the gun, Blondie? Shut up or I’ll
use it.”
Sandee glared defiantly. “Hiding behind a gun?
What a total loser.”
“Enough from you!”
“People know we’re here,” Allison said.
“I left a note for Uncle Jim -- he’ll find us.”
“By then it will be too late.”
“You can’t mean that.” Allison’s skin
went pale. “You-You’d really kill us? But why? We
haven’t done anything to you.”
“Except ruin my reputation in the scientific world.
Sure, I’ve managed to repair most of the damage, but I’ve lost valuable
years. Getting rid of you will give me great pleasure. In fact, I
think I’ll start with you.” He raised his gun and aimed at Allison.
“Say good-bye Blondie.”
Allison's dark eyes widened and she backed flat against
a tall metal cabinet.
“VIC, NO!”
Chase turned to see Geneva rising to her feet.
She gestured frantically and shouted, “Stop, Vic! Put that gun
down!”
“Geneva, stay out of this,” her husband warned.
“You started this whole mess, and now I have to clean it up. I’ll deal
with you later.”
“You will NOT deal with me. I’m through being
pushed around!”
“Shut up, woman!” With his gun still on
Allison, Dr. Victor only glanced at his wife. “I have enough problems
without your hysterics.”
Geneva didn’t reply. She set her face in a
determined expression and was deadly still for a moment. Then she lunged
forward and snatched a syringe off the counter. She ran at full force --
straight toward Dr. Victor. She screamed out his name and plunged the
needle into his arm.
“What -- What have you done!” He screamed as
he yanked out the needle. “An experimental drug … done on rats.
Not humans! Not on ME!” He raised the gun at his wife and cocked
it. "I'll get you for this!"
Geneva screamed at the same time Allison lunged forward
and tackled Dr. Victor. He fell over, slamming into a small table, glass
shattering. Allison reached for the gun and wretched it from his grasp.
With a powerful snap, she twisted the gun into a metal pretzel, then tossed it
far across the room. Dr. Victor came at her, yanking her long braid. She
fended him off with a simple jerk of her hand, flipping him over like a human
pancake. He flew across the room and landed in a lump by Chase’s cage.
He lie still, breathing faintly, but not moving.
“Way to go, Al!” Eric shouted from his cage.
“Incredible,” Chase said. “When you flex
your super muscles, you don’t mess around.”
“Not bad.” Sandee gave Allison a thumbs-up.
“Glad you’re on our side.”
“So how did you guys get here?” Eric asked.
“Sandee gets the credit. She stopped by the
house, found our message to the Professor, and got a friend to drop her off by
the pier where we hooked up.” Allison grinned at Sandee. “Sandee
did the mermaid thing. And since I couldn’t swim-”
“I pushed her on an old surfboard we found.”
“Sandee whooshed us through the water like a dolphin!
It was better than any theme park ride. If I hadn’t been so worried
about you guys, it would have been fun.”
“How about getting us out of these cages?” Chase
reminded.
“And spoil all our fun?” Sandee teased.
“Don’t stress. We’ll get you out.”
“Check Dr. Victor’s pockets for keys.”
Chase pointed to the pathetic blob on the floor.
“Who needs keys?” Allison grinned, walking
around Dr. Victor and ripped off the door of Chase’s cage as if it were
cardboard. Then she turned to Eric’s cage and freed him, too.
“Thanks, Al. I’m glad you broke your promise
and used your strength to come through for us.” Eric stretched and rubbed his
sore muscles. “I know that must have been hard.”
“While I was waiting for you guys, I started thinking
about that promise. My strength is part of me. If I ignore it, I’m
disrespecting myself. So I called my mom and explained that I had to be
myself even if that means upsetting her. It took a while, but we
decided to compromise. I’ll keep my powers low-key and far from Dad’s
political campaign. And my parents won’t interfere with my life
anymore.” She crossed over to the gurney and ripped off Varina’s
bonds. “Chase, take care of her.”
Chase ignored his cramped muscles and hurried to help
Varina. “Put your arms around me,” he said gently as he eased her off
the gurney. Her eyes were more alert now, but she wobbled as she tried to
stand.
“Thanks,” Varina said in a shaky breath.
“I-I’m okay … My thoughts aren’t so fuzzy anymore.”
“You’re safe now,” Chase said, gently pushing
back her hair and feeling her warm body against him. Holding her was so
right, as if they were meant to be together. He didn’t want to let go.
“Varina may be fine, but I don’t know about him.”
Eric pointed to Dr. Victor.
“Ooh, gross!” Sandee exclaimed, coming over to
stare. “His skin is puke color and getting all bumpy. His bald
head is sprouting white hair and there are oozing sores all over his hands.
What kind of wacked drug did Geneva give him?”
“A dangerous experimental,” Chase said with a sick
pit in his stomach. “He wanted to use it on me.”
“Thank God he didn’t get the chance," Varina
said softly.
"Shouldn’t we do something to help him?” Eric
asked. “We can’t just leave him like that. He’s having fits like a
rabid snake.”
“An apt description.” Geneva came over to
them, seeming taller and more confident. Her hair and clothes were mussed,
but she moved with assurance of someone in control. “Vic was always a
bit obsessed, but his ambitions turned him vicious. Finally, it’s
over.”
Chase, Varina, Allison, Eric and Sandee stood together,
solemn as they stared at the shriveled mess that used to be their enemy.
“Now what?” Eric asked, turning to his friends.
“Should we call 911 or the coast guard?”
Chase frowned. If the authorities burst into the
lab and found fingered fish, floating eyeballs, and a former “respected”
scientist who was morphing into a mindless puss-covered mess, the media would go
nuts. The police would be suspicious of the teens. Their cloning
secrets would be revealed to the whole world. They would be hounded by the
press and probably hauled off for examination and probing questions by the
government.
Chase noticed the worried expressions on his friends
and knew they were thinking the same thing.
Sandee arched her pierced brow. “I’m not
sticking around for any cops or doctors. I don’t want to end up like
that.” She pointed to the fish swimming with their fingers flipping like
fins.
“But we can’t just run away,” Eric argued.
“Crimes have been committed.”
“Wait.” Geneva held up her hand. “I
may have a solution.”
Five sets of eyes turned toward her.
“What?” Chase would never trust Geneva. He
was grateful she’d helped them and tried not to judge her too harshly.
Still, it was hard to keep the skepticism out of his tone.
“All the mistakes I’ve made were because I didn’t
stand up to Victor,” she explained. “But I stood up to him today and
I’m glad I was able to stop him from hurting anyone. Because of my
actions you’re safe and my husband is dying.”
“He may survive,” Allison said hopefully.
“But he’ll be no more than a vegetable.
I know a little about that drug, and it’s like acid on his brain cells.”
“So what do you want us to do?” Chase asked warily.
“Forget the police and allow me to sail away. I’ll
take full responsibility for my husband. I’ll care for him and get rid
of all this.” She gestured toward the lab with all its cages and
containers. “No one will ever know about his cloning experiments.”
“We can’t just let him off with no justice!” Eric
argued. “He tried to kill us.”
“Look at him,” she said with a mix of anger and
sadness. Dr. Victor had curled into a ball, his face erupting in fish
scales. “If he lives, he’ll be a blubbering vegetable for the
rest of his life. Justice has been served.”
“She’s right,” Chase said after a moment.
What Geneva said made sense. Of course, he wasn’t suckered by her brave
words. She was more concerned with saving herself like always
than them. But for a brief moment she had put herself aside, and he had to
respect her for that. She deserved a chance … and so did they.
Sandee led the way to a unanimous agreement.
Varina leaned weakly against Chase and nodded. Allison and Eric were
reluctant, but gave in, too.
“Thank you,” Geneva called as they walked toward
the door. “You’ll have to worry about the Victors again. We’re
out of your lives forever.”
Chase hoped she was right.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
I slept in Chase’s arms through the long trip home.
Home. That word sounded so good. When I
opened my eyes and realized I was lying on my own bed, I nearly jumped for joy.
Only my body was stiff and sore from the vile drug Dr. Victor forced into me.
But that improved after a few days. By then Uncle Jim had returned.
To say my uncle was shocked by everything that happened
was an understatement. But once he was assured I was okay and the Victors
were history (we hoped!), he sat down in his favorite recliner and told us about
his trip. After lots of questioning and research, he’d found Jessica
living in a remote commune where she spent her days gardening. She was
resistant to even talk to him, insisting she had cut all ties with her past, but
he persisted until she finally gave in. He didn’t go into details about
their conversations, but I could tell it went well. He couldn’t stop
smiling when he spoke of her. “She loves you Varina and misses being
with all of us. Someday she may visit us,” he hinted. “When
she’s ready.”
Then he turned his attention to the saber-toothed
tigers. Kitty and Kitty-Two had grown in the short time we’d been with
us. Their playful growls were loud and they were too rambunctious to stay
in the backyard. So they were confined to their cages, which were too
small. The problem of what to do with grew large.
“They can’t stay here,” Uncle Jim told us
at a group meeting that included Chase, Eric, Allison and me.
Unfortunately Sandee had returned to stay with her music friends -- but she
promised to keep in touch.
“So what will we do with them?” Eric asked, tapping
his fingers against an end table.
“Find a safe haven to hide them,” Uncle Jim
replied.
“There is no safe place for two cloned prehistoric
tigers.” I sank into the loveseat, my hand curled in Chase’s.
“It’s hopeless.”
“Not so.” There was a twinkle in my uncle’s
eyes. “While I wasn’t able to bring Jessica home with me, I did find
out something important from her.”
“What?” we all asked.
“The name of the wealthy benefactor who funded the
first cloning project -- the one that resulted in you special kids.”
“Wow!” I murmured, knowing this was a mystery that
had nagged at Uncle Jim for a long time. Jessica alone knew that secret
and refused to tell anyone.
“Dr. Eugene W. Poole is an infamous recluse who he
lives on a vast estate in northern Oregon. It’s almost impossible to
contact him, but Jessica gave me his private number and I told him about our
unusual situation.”
“Isn’t that risky?” Chase asked. “How can
we trust a stranger?”
“He’s far from being a stranger.” There was
something secretive in the way Uncle Jim glanced away and idly stroked his salt
and pepper beard. “Dr. Poole kindly offered to give sanctuary to the
saber-tooth tigers for as long as they live. He’s only asking for one
thing in return.” Uncle Jim looked deep into each of our faces.
“He wants to meet you.”
* * *
It was amazing how quickly the trip to Northern Oregon
was arranged.
By the next day we were on a plane, flying over Mount
Shasta, leaving California for Oregon where low clouds and green trees gave way
to majestic views.
We landed in Portland, rented a comfortable van, and
then drove for what seemed like hours into vast mountains. We climbed
higher and higher, often going for miles without seeing any other cars.
The road changed from two lanes, to one, and after crossing a narrow bridge, we
entered a private driveway framed by twin rows of tall pines. A large sign
warned trespassers off. Further up the road, another sign announced:
Poole’s Paradise.
We didn’t say much as the van wove up the long
driveway. Fascinated, I stared out the window at the flowering bushes,
enormous trees, and glimpses of movement in shadows. Then we turned a
corner and the most incredible sight took my breath away. A house -- no
make than a mansion -- stretching four stories into the sky, with turrets,
massive glass windows, balconies, out buildings and lush green lawn that rolled
on forever.
But the most astonishing sight were the animals.
Wild deer, rabbits, raccoons, llamas, miniature horses, and even a large black
bear. They all roamed freely and in harmony with each other.
Eric muttered, “We’ll I’ll be!” and the others
exclaimed in delight, too. I turned to Chase. His face glowed with
excitement, and I could sense his awe.
The van stopped and was met two uniformed men who
greeted us warmly (although I thought I glimpsed a gun under one of their
jackets). We were invited up marble steps into a large room surrounded by
windows filled with blossoming plants. We were asked to wait a moment
while the tallest man left to announce us. The other man invited us to sit
in cushioned wicked chairs and remained nearby like a sentry on watch.
“Did you see that bear!” Chase murmured, standing
by the window and gazing outside. “I wonder if he’s as tame as he
looks. He’s so incredible!”
“It’s more incredible that he didn’t gulp up a
rabbit snack,” Eric said with a chuckle. “All those cute rabbits
hopping around like fast food. The bear must be a vegetarian.”
“Or well-trained,” Allison suggested.
“Those mini horses are SO cute. I thought they were ponies until I got
close. My father’s Golden Retriever was larger.”
“This is a fantastic place,” I agreed, coming up to
stand beside Chase. He reached for my hand and we shared a private smile.
“Dr. Poole must be one cool guy,” Eric said.
“He does everything big, just like folks in Texas. I can’t wait to see
more.”
Chase nudged me. “It won’t be a long wait.”
I followed his gaze and saw the tall uniformed man
returning. He spoke politely and asked us to follow him. “Dr.
Poole will see you now.”
We rose and followed through an echoing hall lined with
oil paintings of realistic animals. I sensed Chase wanted to study the
pictures, but we were moving too fast. We climbed up two flights of stairs
then wound around a long corridor. Double doors were pushed open and we
entered an enormous room with oriental rugs on two walls, large windows that
opened up to a balcony, bookshelves to the ceiling, and an entertainment system
the filled an entire wall.
But it was the man sat at a computer desk with his back
turned to us that caught my attention. He had dark skin, rich ebony hair,
and a firm, muscular shape. There was something familiar about the curve
of his shoulders and tilt of his head. And he sat in front of a computer
screen that had no picture, although there was plenty of mechanical sounds as he
touched the keyboard.
We stood there awkwardly until the man
swiveled in his chair. He stared at us through darkened glasses, and from
the way the blank way he stared I guessed why he wore dark glasses inside a
room. He was blind.
Then I realized why he looked so familiar.
The broad shoulders, dark skin, long face with a full mouth that easily smiled.
I’d seen them all before.
But not on this man.
This stranger was the matured image of one of my
dearest friends.
The final puzzle piece of the cloning experiment fell
into place. We knew that Allison had been cloned from a model, Sandee from
an Olympic swimmer, Chase from a dangerous killer, and I was the genetic
duplicate of Jessica Hart.
But we’d never known where Eric’s DNA came from.
Until now.
THE END.
************************************************************************
Linda Joy Singleton/ website: http://www.ljsingleton.com
Five teens discover they are cloned with unusual powers.
REGENERATION: THE IMPOSTER (#0-425-17635-5)
REGENERATION: THE KILLER - (#0-425-17864-1)
E-BOOKS at http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/youngadult.htm
MAIL-ORDER MONSTER (#1-58608-217-5) - Magic and a unicorn
MELISSA'S MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (#1-58608-215-5) A mystery
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