Price of a Bounty

-Guy-

Ending It



We had to bring this place down, and we had to work quickly. I started giving orders.

“No names,” I said to the others. I was certain the doctors already knew who Scott and Keira were, and they may have been familiar with Alexis, but there was no reason to compromise the rest of the team.

I nodded to Murphy and gave Keira a little shove in the right direction. “Secure the doctors. Don’t hurt them.”

I looked at Alexis. “Get a few more close up shots of the embryos and fetuses. Then pack it up.”

Next was Dr. Maes. “Take whatever you need to help her back up her report.”

Then for Raquelle. “Get to work on the data processor, and make sure you’ve got everything. Then infect the server and bring it down from the inside.”

Finally, I turned my attention to Eberhardt. “Bring him along,” I indicated Dr. Ross. Keira finished securing one of the doctors. She saw where we were headed, grabbed the little boy’s hand and joined us.

Scott had been secured to the bed. Wires and tubes connected him to a variety of medical techno devices. From what I could tell, they were monitoring his heart rate and temperature, feeding him through an IV and removing waste with a catheter.

Scott turned his head toward Keira. The pain in his eyes, so intense…but he smiled at her. Keira and I reached out at the same time to release the straps that bound his wrists and ankles. It had been done to his left hand, so she saw it first. I heard her gasp, but when she looked at Scott, he shook his head and looked pointedly at the little boy. The child climbed up the side of the bed and looked directly into Scott’s eyes.

“Hi, little buddy,” Scott whispered.

“Hi!” the boy responded. “Do you hurt today?”

“Oh, just a little,” Scott lied. “How are you feeling? Better?”

“Yep!” he said, then jumped down and ran over to watch Raquelle.

As soon as the boy was gone, Keira’s face contorted with rage. She turned to Dr. Ross. “What have you done to him?” She lifted up her brother’s left hand so we would understand exactly what she was asking. Scott was missing two fingers.

I leaned forward and gently helped Scott into a sitting position. The sheets dropped down to reveal a large gash in his abdomen. When I looked up, I saw that Alexis had ignored my instructions and was filming us: Scott’s condition, our reactions and Dr. Ross’s explanations.

The doctor backed away, but Eberhardt moved with him. “Calm down. It’s not what it looks like.”

“It looks like you’re cutting him to pieces!” Keira hissed.

“We were ordered to test his limits. He easily regenerated one finger in just over 24 hours. Now we’re seeing if he can regenerate two at a time. And just look! He’ll be fine.” Dr. Ross had the audacity to smile.

“Did you give them permission to do this?” I asked Scott.

“There was no choice.”

“What did they take from inside?” Keira asked.

“My kidney, for a transplant.” He nodded toward the little boy. “I’m glad they did that. I just wish anesthesia worked.”

“An unfortunate side effect,” Dr. Ross mumbled.

The blood drained from Keira’s face. She pulled out her knife and moved toward Dr. Ross and Eberhardt. I could see by the look in Eberhardt’s eyes that he was not about to stop her. The doctor tried to take another step backward, but Eberhardt restrained him. This is barbaric. They’re monsters! But she can’t…

“Keira wait!” She hesitated. “We need to know more.”

Dr. Ross tried to explain. “For some reason we have yet to determine, some of the organs in the clones start to shut down around age four. We tried transplants, but their bodies rejected them. Due to so many failures, we even shut down the cloning part of the program four years ago. That little fellow was the last. But your brother and you,” he nodded at Keira and smiled. “Your DNA holds the key. You’re the only ones who have been able to regenerate. You’ve made it possible for us to pick up where we left off.” Dr. Ross gestured toward the unborn babies in the containers. “Their bodies won’t reject the transplants because genetically, you’re the same.”

“They’re all us?” she asked. She looked at the babies again. “Me and Scott?”

“Yes! The smallest one is even an April.”

Keira looked at Scott. “Did you know about this? I mean, before?”

“No, not until…how long have I been here?” He looked again at the little boy, “None of this is his fault, you know.”

I held up my hand toward Alexis and her camera. “Turn that off!”

She did. Finally, she did.





-Scott-

No Other Way



April once asked me, “Do you think what Keira does is important?” Without a doubt, I do. Like April, I often wish there were another way, but the soldier in me knows that often what we wish for and what is necessary are two entirely different things.

The day of my rescue, Keira stayed behind with Eberhardt. While he set the explosives to take out the lab, she turned off the clone wombs one by one. We couldn’t take them with us, they never would have survived, and we couldn’t leave them behind. The inhumane treatment and testing of human subjects had to stop. So Keira stayed, and one at a time, she turned off the machines. Eberhardt told me later how she’d wept for each one in turn. In some twisted way, they were our children, our nieces and nephews. When they left the lab, Eberhardt secured the metal door to seal in the blast.

Prior to that, Guy suggested that we move the doctors into one of the examination rooms closest to the entrance, as far from the main lab as possible. Keira asked why he was sparing them and argued that they would just pick up their research in another lab somewhere else funded by some other corporation. Plus, she insisted that Dr. Ross knew too much and could not be trusted.

While the rest of the team returned to the main entrance, taking my four year-old clone with them, Keira and Guy continued to argue in front of the doctors. Keira could have just kept quiet and later, on her way out, finished them off without Guy’s knowledge. I think she would have too, in the past. But she wanted this all out in the open. She would keep no secrets from Guy. In the end, they reached a compromise, and Keira demonstrated exactly what she would do should the doctors choose to continue their research. Dr. Renaldt and Dr. Grere were then moved down the hall.

The soldiers at the main entrance had been cooperative. Everyone agreed that no one must discover their ties to the Resistance. One of the soldiers suggested that we disable them and restrain them with cable ties. I knew what he meant, but I was in no condition to help. And anyway, my main priority was to protect the boy, so Guy led us to the cars while Raquelle and Murphy took up position, raised their weapons and fired. It would hurt like hell, but we all knew they would heal quicker than most.

As we drove away, the young soldier at the gate finally sounded the alarm. A few minutes later, we heard the blast.

We returned to safe house four, but only briefly. Before we went our separate ways, Guy had words with Alexis. He wanted all footage of Keira blocked from her show. But Keira once again, disagreed. She insisted that Alexis be allowed to use the footage, thereby keeping the truth intact. If the truth would bring down Ramsey Corps, then that was what she wanted and to hell with any risk to her personal safety.

In the days that followed, I had time to recuperate. I also had plenty of time to think. Guy and Keira are both headstrong. He tempers her anger, and she makes sure he understands when stricter measures are in order. They’re a good match. I knew Guy would always let my sister be herself. He’d let her have her say and let her make her own decisions. He’d ask her the right questions. He’d continue to be her guide.





-Keira-

Alliance



It was a Tuesday evening, about 6:00. The atmosphere was relaxed at the Dry Martini. My jade green cocktail dress set off my eyes and contrasted nicely with my short, curly, red hair.

“Good evening, Kendra. I almost didn’t recognize you,” Brody said as he sat down across from me. “You look beautiful tonight, as always.”

He emanated confidence now and was turning out just as we’d hoped.

“Why thank you!” I smiled.

He took a sip from his drink and then asked, “Have you been paying attention to the news?”

I nodded. “To some of it.”

“Have you heard about Ramsey Corps?”

I shrugged. “Didn’t she disappear? And I think I heard somewhere that her company’s ties with the military have been severed, but I’m not sure why. Can you explain it to me?”

Alexis Palamara’s report had not aired in Terene, but it had aired in many of the other realms. According to April, it was big news in Mediterra, and Terenian Elite with family in other realms had begun talking. Their servants listened and shared the news with their friends and family. It caused a domino effect, so even though most Terenians had not seen the show, everyone knew about Ramsey Corps. Palamara’s report had the effect we wanted. It was enough to bring serious pressure against our Gov. People wanted to make sure stricter regulations regarding human genetic modifications and cloning were put in place and strongly enforced.

Brody explained what he knew. “Apparently, Ramsey Corps went too far with their genetic studies. There’ve been reports that they were cloning people. Her disappearance has only added to the controversy, and the Gov is leading an investigation headed by their top agents.”

“But isn’t cloning illegal?” I feigned surprise.

Brody studied me carefully. Then he nodded. “That’s why Ramsey Corps is in so much trouble, and now Cybonautics is being scrutinized as well. Ramsey Corps uses many of their products, plus the two corporations have always been open about supporting each others’ ideals. They even help fund many of the same Gov programs, but…”

“But what?” I pressed.

“You already knew all of that.”

I smiled brightly. “So what if I did? I’m glad to hear you know all about it. And, it’s been good for you and CalTech, right?”

“Yes, problems for one have resulted in problems for the other, and CalTech has reaped the benefits.”

“That’s great! Didn’t I say you’d make an excellent CEO? By the way, I’m sorry to hear about what happened to your boss. Heart attack, wasn’t it?”

Again, Brody regarded me carefully and nodded slowly.

It had taken a little extra effort to make that happen, and Guy hadn’t exactly been thrilled. But we were a team now, and I had convinced him that having Brody in the right position was exactly what the Resistance needed. Sometimes, when bad things happen to bad people, good things can happen for good people, and that is the way it should be.

“How are you enjoying your new position?” I asked.

“Oh, I’m getting used to it.” He took a sip of his martini.

“Congratulations on your acquisition of the airlines. I’m sure CalTech will keep us flying safe.”

“That’s our goal.” He smiled.

“So, we’re in good standing, you and me, right Brody?”

“That’s right. After all, I wouldn’t be in this position if it weren’t for you, would I?”

I didn’t contradict him. “So, hypothetically speaking…if I wanted to fly someone to Mediterra discreetly, that could be arranged?”

“What happens if I say no?”

“Then I’ll have to find another way to keep good people safe. Brody…” I took his hand. “That’s not a threat. You can always say no.”

His curiosity won out. “Who do you have in mind?”

“Just a man and his son.”

“So you’ll need two round trip tickets and no questions asked?”

“Two one-way tickets, actually, and one round trip. They won’t be returning.”

He thought about it for a minute before he came to a decision. “Yes, I can arrange that. I’ll need their names.”

I dug in my purse and pulled out a list with our fake names. I reached across the table and handed it to him. “Henri and Giana Moreau and our son, Marcel. How much will it cost?”

“Your son?” He shot me a quizzical look. “But you’ll be returning.”

I nodded.

“Drinks and dancing every Tuesday.”

I set down my martini and sat back in my chair. “Brody, I’m not available.”

“I’m thinking like a businessman, Kendra. You will be returning as Kendra?”

I nodded again.

“Obviously you’ve been keeping a close eye on me. I’d like a chance to do the same. Think of it as a weekly board meeting.”

“A weekly board meeting?”

“It’s good to have friends in certain fields, don’t you agree? You help me, and I return the favor. It’s a business arrangement that I’d like to keep alive and well with no more money exchanging hands.”

I smiled. It was fair, and dealing in goods and services rather than money was exactly what we’d been hoping for.

“When would you like to leave?”

“As soon as possible. That is, if you want me back before next Tuesday.”

“How about Thursday, an 8 AM flight?”

“That’s perfect. Thank you, Brody.” I stood and held out my hand. “So…you wanted to dance?”

When I left the Dry Martini, Guy fell into place beside me. He laced his fingers through mine as we walked to the car together.





Canvas Skies



S. L. Wallace





-April-

Cauchemars



I sit up, startled into sudden awareness as my blankets tumble to my waist. I reach out, feeling for the chain. A soft light sets the pink lampshade aglow, illuminating my room. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I wait and listen.

“April!”

What could he possibly want at this time of night? Footsteps pound on the stairs above me. No! I glance toward the door and catch my reflection in the full length mirror. My uniform? When did I get dressed?

Bang! The bedroom door slams against the wall, and there he is. Lance Beckett’s silhouette fills my doorway, black leather belt in hand. As he turns to close and lock the door, I see it – the handle of a steak knife sticking out of his back.

His focus returns to me, and he strides forward. A red, flower petal formation blossoms on his white business shirt. I push back, skimming across the sheets. Metal bars from the headboard press painfully against my spine. I can retreat no further.

My breath is knocked from me suddenly as I feel a sharp kick in my stomach. What? I look down at my bulging belly in shock and realize that it’s true. I’m carrying his child.

I raise my head and peer into his cold grey eyes.



***



A scream in the distance pierced the night. From nearby I heard a familiar voice calling.

“April! April, wake up!”

Who’s screaming? Fingers dug painfully into my shoulders, pulling me upward, away from the past. My eyelids fluttered open, and I was comforted to see my brother’s emerald green eyes staring into mine. Rumpled black hair framed his face. “Scott!” I looked around in confusion, and then let out a rush of air. Mr. Beckett was nowhere in sight. I took a deep breath and held it, trying to still the tremors that continued to course through my muscles. He’s dead. He can’t hurt you anymore. Yet I knew that wasn’t true. He continued to hurt me every single night. I shuddered one final time, my breaths returning to normal.

Convinced that I was fully awake, Scott let go and sank to the foot of my bed as I reached for my belly. Through my thin pink cotton pajamas, I could tell that it was still flat and firm, but I also knew it wouldn’t be long before…I pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my face in my arms, long blond hair tumbling over my shoulders. Scott waited patiently until I was ready.

Finally, I looked up and reminded him, “You shouldn’t use that name. What time is it?”

“Just after two. Do you want to talk about it?”

I shook my head as Danielle and Noah appeared in the doorway, Noah holding his mother’s hand. Danielle looked refined, as always. Her deep blue satin nightgown could almost pass for a dress. Long black hair flowed down her back, and her deep brown eyes mirrored Scott’s concern.

Noah was wearing his favorite green pajamas printed with giraffes, elephants and lions. Proceeds from purchasing those pajamas, as well as the stuffed animals that now lived in Noah’s bedroom, went to support a large animal sanctuary in Afrik. Their natural habitat had been devastated by human actions long ago. Now that sanctuary was the only place in the world those animals still lived. Afrik, like Terene, was in rough shape, a truth I had only learned about when I’d moved to Mediterra. Back home, citizens were taught that we’d won the last war and that Terene was faring far better than all of the other realms, especially better than Mediterra. I wished there was a way to show people that just wasn’t true.

I looked at Danielle and Noah. “I woke you too? I’m so sorry.”

Danielle shook her head. “You have nothing to apologize for. We’re here to help you.”

Noah looked up at her briefly before dropping her hand and walking over to place his small warm hand in mine. He looked at me with such a somber expression, although nothing could diminish his brilliant green eyes. “Let’s go get chocolat chaud, Aunt Aimee.”

“What? Do you mean hot chocolate?”

“Mama says hot chocolate can help.” Noah emphasized the ending of Mama, giving it a Mediterran flair. He smiled at Danielle. “And it tastes tres bon!” Although they’d only known each other a short time, Noah had come to adore Danielle and she him. As for Scott, well the two of them shared a bond all the way down to their genes. They were lucky to have each other, all three of them, and I realized I was lucky to have them too.

I leaned down and hugged Noah. “Merci. Thank you. I think that sounds like a wonderful idea!” As we followed Danielle and Noah downstairs to the kitchen, I leaned toward Scott and spoke quietly. “How are you coping? You have even more reason than me for nightmares.” It had been less than three months since the Ramsey Corps doctors had cut him up for their own experiments. Granted, one of the cuts had been to remove his kidney for Noah, the only clone to have survived the transplant.

“Yes, I have them too.” Scott placed his hands lightly on my shoulders and directed me to one of the kitchen chairs. “We all do.”

“Mama calls them cauchemars,” Noah said, before joining Danielle at the stove where she was getting out a small pot. She pointed toward the refrigerator, and he retrieved the milk for her. Scott and I sat at the dark mahogany table. While we waited for the milk to simmer, I looked down and began to pick at the tabletop.

I could feel Scott’s gaze, but I refused to meet his eyes.

“You should talk about it. It can help.”

“Maybe later.” I looked at Noah, now seated across the table. He didn’t need to hear about my demons. “What about you, kiddo? What are your cauchemars about?”

“The doctors wake me up. I just want to play with my toys, but they say I’ll have time for that later. They take me into a really big room with machines and boxes of babies, and I can see Daddy lying on a bed. And…” his voice was low, barely above a whisper, “they’re hurting Daddy.” Noah hopped off his chair and hurried over to Scott where he buried his face in his father’s lap.

With his index finger, Scott began tracing circles on Noah’s back. “And then you wake up, and you’re safe and so am I.”

Noah nodded as Scott gathered him up in his arms.

Danielle walked over and gently kissed the top of Noah’s head before returning to the stove to add chocolate to the warm milk. We remained quiet, lost in our own thoughts about Ramsey Corps. A few minutes later, Danielle placed the first cup of hot chocolate in front of Noah. As she set the second mug in front of me, I studied her face. “You too?”

She nodded. “My dreams start out peaceful. I’m in a familiar place with Scott.” She glanced at him, and he held her gaze. “But then he’s gone. I look all around, searching, but I can’t find him anywhere. It’s the feeling of loss that turns my dreams into cauchemars.”

Noah looked at her and repeated Scott’s words. “And then you wake up, and Daddy is there, and you’re safe.”

Danielle ruffled his hair and smiled down at him. “Yes, I wake up and you’re both here, and we’re all safe.” She returned to the stove for the last two mugs of hot chocolate.

“What about you?” I turned my attention to Scott.

“Oh, I’ve had a great many nightmares. They’re all different, but I talk about each of them with Dani when I wake, and they’ve begun to fade.”

“What do you mean, fade?”

“They’re either not coming as frequently, or they’re not waking me up. Either way, I’ve been sleeping through the night more often than not.”

He looked me right in the eye, and I knew. I didn’t know how he was keeping it from Danielle, but I could tell. Scott was lying, probably to protect her. Does she prefer lies to the truth?

While we were talking, Danielle had placed a steaming mug in front of Scott and then began to sip her own hot chocolate. She didn’t sit, but remained quiet, leaning against the counter.

Noah finished his mug of hot chocolate and started to doze in his father’s arms. Scott looked from Noah to me. “Your turn,” he whispered.

“In a minute.” I caught Danielle’s eye and nodded at Noah. She set down her mug, walked over and leaned down. Noah’s small arms wound around her neck. After watching his family leave, Scott turned to me.

I shook my head. “I’ll share when Danielle returns. What have your nightmares been about?”

He sighed. “Sometimes people in white lab coats are hacking off my fingers and toes without anesthesia. Other times, they’re removing my internal organs in order to keep hundreds of clones alive.”

“Hundreds?” My hot chocolate was no longer keeping me warm.

He nodded. “And sometimes, there’s no one in the lab but me. I search in the adjoining rooms but can’t find who I’m looking for.”

“And that would be?”

“Noah.”

Scott and Danielle had taken the task of naming Noah to heart. He couldn’t remain Clone #24 forever. They had decided on Noah because of its meaning, peaceful and long-lived, traits they hoped for in the boy. He was the first of his kind to survive past the age of four, so there was no way to know for sure whether or not he would make it to adulthood. Would his other organs fail as his kidneys had? Thanks to Scott, his body had accepted the transplant, so there was a chance.

“I thought you said talking about them would help,” I said, referring to Scott’s nightmares, “so why have you stopped talking to Danielle?”

His eyes clouded over. “Talking about them was helping, but it was hurting Dani. She won’t admit it, but I noticed an increase in her nightmares when I began telling her about mine.”

I reached over and squeezed his hand. “You can talk to me then. Any time.”

“Alright, but you need to return the favor.”

I nodded and began to describe my most recent nightmare just as Danielle returned to the kitchen. They both listened intently as I related Lance Beckett’s most recent attack on me while I slept.

Toward the end of the telling, I’d closed my eyes. When I was done, the room was eerily silent. I opened my eyes and looked at Scott. He looked really mad, just as a brother should. I believed what he’d said after my rescue, if Keira hadn’t killed Mr. Beckett, he would have.

Danielle spoke first. “I don’t think talking about it will be enough for you, April. Have you made a decision yet?”

I hung my head, avoiding her eyes. It was the obvious next question. And she had used my real name. Danielle hardly ever did that. She knew how important it was for me to get used to my new name. After weeks of feeling trapped, I finally wept for myself. And I wept even more for the baby.

“I don’t know what to do,” I sobbed. “Every night I relive what he did to me in one way or another or what we did to him, sometimes both. I just don’t think that’s going to stop once the baby is born. Seeing him or her every day. What if it looks like him? This child deserves a clean start and lots of love, but what if I just can’t provide that?” I finally raised my eyes to meet theirs.

“You could leave the child in Mediterra when you return home,” Scott suggested. “Do you think the distance might help you move on?”

“Maybe. But I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because of what they did to me! Dr. Ross gave me the injection too. This baby will be able to heal and regenerate, just like you…just like me.”

“April.”

“Aimee,” I insisted.

He nodded as he continued, “Aimee, you don’t know that for sure.”

“Yes, I do.” I watched as realization of what I’d done spread across his face.

“You didn’t. Not to the baby!”

Okay, maybe he hadn’t understood exactly. “No,” I shook my head, “not that. But I have checked. I can regenerate the same as you, and this baby is sharing my blood right now. Chances are good that he or she is like me, aren’t they? I can’t just give the baby up for adoption to some unsuspecting couple. What will happen to their child when they realize? The tests, the studies. I can’t let that happen.”

“There is another option.”

I looked at Danielle. There it was, hanging in the air between us. My hand went to my belly. “No, I could never.”

“Not that,” Scott interrupted.

I shook my head. What were they talking about?

Scott reached for Danielle’s hand. “We’ve already discussed it. We’d be happy to welcome your baby into our strange little family.”

“Really?”

They both nodded. Tears streamed down my face, only this time they weren’t tears of fear or sadness. I reached across the table. They each took one of my hands in theirs so that we formed a circle, a circle of protection, a circle of love. It was exactly what I wanted for my baby and what I feared I couldn’t provide.

“When would you need to know?”

Danielle responded first, “Whenever. You can even wait until after the birth if you’d prefer.”

I nodded. She was absolutely right. There was no reason to rush.





About the Author

S. L. Wallace is a full time teacher in an upper elementary Montessori classroom; a full time parent of a creative, story-telling daughter; and when she’s not hanging out with friends and family, she squeezes in some time to write.

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