Hybrid Zone Recognition (26 page)

The shift pushed against me. It was almost as if I could feel the leopard pacing inside me. I was already weak from hunger. I couldn’t risk the energy expenditure of another shift, and I was not going to refuel by eating any food they supplied.

Still trying to project harmlessness, Pike stuffed both hands in his pockets. “So, Millsap told me you knew we were going to be parents.”

My breath caught in my throat. “We?” I barked. “You’re the male DNA supplier?”

The revulsion in my voice caused him to drop the act. “You don’t have to make it sound so clinical. We could have fun with it,” he said vehemently.

A come on veiled in threat. I couldn’t help myself. My laughter bubbled up from deep inside. “You think, that you,” I paused, bending over and letting the laughter have full reign. “Will ever touch me!”

My laughter increased his agitation, and he began shifting from foot to foot, creating a sort of ridiculous looking shuffling movement.

When the laughter was spent, all that was left was fury. “I’m going to rip your throat out,” I spat at him. “Then I’m going to hunt down Millsap and do the same. Then I’m going to destroy everyone and everything associated with the Consortium.”

He involuntarily took a step back. Realizing he’d given ground to me, he regained control and regarded me with a sneer. “You won’t be so brave after you’ve been here for a while or when your friends pay for your rejection.”

“They were your friends, too,” I said through gritted teeth. “How could you betray them like this? How could you betray your grandparents?”

He began to slowly walk backwards. “Who says I’m not acting with their full knowledge and consent?”

“You’re lying,” I said automatically. But I knew that he wasn’t telling the whole truth. I could smell it.

“Am I?” he laughed, starting out of the tent. “Oh,” he said, pausing and turning back around, “I wouldn’t count on being rescued this time, Beautiful. No one’s coming for you.”

Again, something about his statement was off, besides the fact that I knew he was wrong. He was still standing there, waiting for a response. He was fishing. He wasn’t sure if Adam and I were in contact.

“I don’t need rescuing,” I said with a smile. “Super brain, remember?” I tapped my temple with my fingertip. “I’ll be free, and you’ll be dead.”

He tried to hide it, but I caught the doubt that briefly flared in his eyes. “Time will tell,” he said, backing slowly out of the tent.

Yes, it would.

I stood there unable to move for fear I would take off after him. I wanted so much to wrap my hands around his throat. But instead, I willed myself to calm down, and the need to shift eased somewhat. I shook my hands that I hadn’t realized I’d fisted.

You’re one tough Kitty Cat,
Adam’s voice whispered across my mind.

You heard that?
I asked, suddenly embarrassed. I’d forgotten I wasn’t alone. I guess I never truly would be again.

I even somehow managed to hear Pike.

That was probably because I’d mentally repeated everything he’d said, just trying to wrap my brain around it. I felt bare, exposed. This was what Miranda had tried to explain to me.

With head bowed, I waited for the condemnation I was certain was coming from Adam. But his reply surprised me.

When it comes time for the tearing out of throats, I’ll help.

Relief flooded through me, my own this time. I sank down onto the cot again. My whole body was shaking with unspent adrenaline and anger. My stomach rumbled loudly. I was so hungry. Somehow, I kept forgetting that fact in the midst of all this drama. Never thought that would ever happen.

I’ll bring more cardboard,
Adam offered.

I uttered a sound that was half laugh, half sob.
Don’t forget the water,
I reminded him.

Chapter 17

A
s I sat there with
my head in my shaking hands, I replayed the conversation with Pike. His statement alluding to the founder’s involvement with the Consortium needed to be addressed right away.

Adam, did you catch the part about the grandparents being involved with the Consortium?

I was not surprised by the long delay that prefaced Adam’s answer. I imagined it was pretty difficult to acknowledge the fact that someone you had known and worked with for years had suddenly flipped sides and consequently, become your enemy. If what Pike said was true, then there would be huge ramifications. All of which would probably fall squarely on Adam’s shoulders.

I did.

I knew Adam well enough now to know that short, clipped answers meant anger and reluctance to talk. But that hadn’t stopped me yet.

And?
I asked.

And, I don’t know. It is possible, I guess.

Since when did Adam guess? He must be reeling from this latest bit of information. Welcome to my recent life.

But, there’s nothing I can do about it right now,
he grumbled.
Other than make sure this operation receives as little attention as possible.

Would they know you called for reinforcements?

Only if they were watching for it. They maintain more of an oversight role in operations. I handle the actual doing. It is worrisome, though. I’m going to do some checking. You okay for now?

Just peachy,
I assured him.

Peaches. One of nature’s greatest smelling and tasting fruits. I cut my eyes to the table with the food. The platter had a big silver dome over the top, concealing its contents.

“Not gonna do it,” I ordered myself. Rolling over onto my side, I put my back to the food. “Probably laced with something anyway.”

While lying there fighting the temptation to eat, my thoughts turned to Kenny. Was this how Kenny and the others had felt? Captive? To them was I Millsap? Looking back, I couldn’t believe how I was able to be so clinical about it all.

It was true that I had acted in the pursuit of science. But I’d played with their lives just like the HCF bureaucrats. I thought I was different. I meant to be different.

Originally, I had thought the hybrids were better off in the Colony. That they were protected there. It wasn’t until recently that I acknowledged the boogie man was the one running the compound.

I didn’t know how much it was going to mean, but I was really going to have to apologize the next time I saw them. Or maybe more than that, considering my pledge to help with whatever Kenny was cooking up. But I’d do it. I owed them too.

Macy, we got trouble.

What a surprise.
Yeah? So my lure is still in place?

No kidding. I know what t-shirt I’m giving you when this is over.

Now that was just plain unfair.

What does trouble look like this time?
I sighed.

I asked Renard and Julia’s assistant if either of them had requested any operational updates. Only one of them had. Julia.

So Julia was in on it or at least aware of it.
Does she know about what’s going on here?

Not from this end. I managed to catch Lydia before she handed over the update. Instead, she gave a carefully worded report that will not incriminate her or us. And, she’s going to keep me in the loop. I don’t know if Pike or anyone else from this end is updating her. I’ve confirmed reinforcements are still on their way. It’s possible she doesn’t know yet. In any case, I’ll move quickly when they arrive.

Lydia?
Why would this Lydia trust you more than her superiors?

Because we have a history,
he stated very calmly. He couldn’t quite cover his reluctance to answer the question. That piqued my curiosity.

A history?

I brought her into the Organization.

I knew he was telling the truth. But he wasn’t telling all of it, and he wasn’t volunteering any more information either. History. Aah, he meant they used to be together as in a couple.

I suddenly felt very awkward, which didn’t make sense. We’d only shared one brief kiss. It shouldn’t bother me that he had been with someone else. And anyway, he was the one that always got possessive, not me.

Macy.

I could feel Adam squirming as I continued to mull over his “history.” I was fully cognoscente of the fact that I was being ridiculous. I wasn’t normally such an emotional person. I mean, I wasn’t a robot before, but the strength of my emotions since I’d hybridized was overwhelming. And jealously was completely new to me.

Macy, it was a very long time ago. There is nothing more than friendship now, camaraderie between colleagues.

I accepted what he said. I wasn’t trying to defend my reaction that I fully acknowledged I didn’t have a right to. But that didn’t make it go away.

Is this really necessary?
He said in frustration.
Do you not have more important things to concern yourself with currently?

Probably, but my mind seized on the long time ago remark.
How long ago?

It was more than twenty years ago, Macy!
Adam shouted at me.

Twenty years!
He didn’t look to be older than thirty-five.
Adam, how old are you?

Adam’s sigh reverberated down the length of my spine. I shivered in response. How the heck did he do that?

Macy, you know age is just a number. Especially, when you consider our nanobot engineering.

Yeah, yeah, you’re only as old as you feel. How old?

You’re not going to let this go, are you?

Do you know me?
I smiled in anticipation of his response. This ought to be fodder for a good long while.

I am currently seventy eight years old,
he said defiantly.

I blew a long slow whistle. Wow. Reverence. That was what this moment demanded. I bowed my head in respect.

“Moment’s over,” I announced loudly. Leaping off the cot, I danced around the tent, singing,
Grandpa’s in the house.

Adam’s uniquely sour disposition sang back to me across our bond. I was sure I’d pay for this later, but for now, I was taking the joy where I could find it. I wasn’t sure how long it lasted, but it felt good to be moving. Adam had given up and checked out long ago.

Once I started moving, I found I couldn’t sit still. The need to run, to escape, to just do something was writhing inside me. I felt like I was trapped in a cage.

That brought an abrupt halt to the pacing that had replaced my dancing. Visions of big cats in zoos, walking back and forth in front of glass cages paraded through my mind. Did they feel like this? Great. Another thing to feel guilty about.

I needed to calm down, and I needed to think. Dropping cross legged onto the floor of the tent, I began to evaluate my situation.

What did I know? I was a prisoner, but a soon to be rescued one, so I wasn’t too concerned about that. I trusted Adam would let me know what I needed to do when it was time.

I also knew that the Consortium was planning on mining my DNA to make more somethings like me. That was curious. Millsap did not say he was harvesting my eggs, only my DNA. Why did he only want a part of my DNA? Why not the whole egg? And what particular part of my DNA was he after?

If Pike was telling the truth, his DNA was supplying the Y chromosome. With his “have fun with it” comment, he’d hinted at a union of egg and sperm the old fashioned way, but I suspected that was not part of Millsap’s plan.

I stood and shuddered as I pushed thoughts of me and Pike out of my mind. I settled back on the cot again while I tried to make sense of the Consortium’s plans.

Had they advanced the science enough to mix and match individual segments of DNA from any number of contributors and end up with a viable living being? If so, then this was another huge leap forward in genetic engineering. And the question of how an army of babies would bring any kind of success for the Consortium’s mission still remained. I needed more information.

Adam, will it interfere with any of the rescue plans if I take a stroll through camp?

Can you stay out of trouble?
He asked flatly.

I frowned at his impossible question. I formulated several responses but knew they wouldn’t satisfy him. I was attempting to answer again when he said,
Just don’t die, okay?

Okay?
I agreed weakly. Not like I was trying to. No matter what my recent history said.

I rolled off the cot and approached the tent flap. Reaching for the flap, I pulled it aside and surveyed the scene outside. There were a few guards moving here and there, but it was mainly quiet. I crossed the threshold and headed back in the direction I’d travelled to get to the tent.

I hadn’t noticed when I’d first arrived, because the smell of the paper mills was so overpowering, but there was another strong smell covering the camp. Passing closer than needed to a pair of guards, I inhaled sharply. I thought the smell was coming from them.

Adam, the guards smell funny.

They are Furries.

Can they all completely shape shift?

Yes.

Incredible. Now for the million dollar question I hadn’t been brave enough to ask before.
Can you?

I find that the longer I am what I am, the more of my body I am able to shift.

You mean the ability to shift is a progression of ever increasing shifts?

In my experience and most everyone else’s on the team,
Adam confirmed.

That would suggest that the nanobots are learning as they go. You think the nanobots will one day enable a full shift?

It seems probable.

That is so wild! I could be a were leopard one day.

It’s something to shoot for,
Adam laughed.

This was so amazing. To become an animal, a different species? I longed to study the nanobots and find out how they made this possible. Several guards regarded me warily as I passed them. I had better calm down. I wouldn’t be able to study anything if I got killed. Not to mention, I had told Adam that I wouldn’t die.

Now might be a good time to practice my stealth capabilities. It might allow me to avoid any more suspicious looks by the guards. What did Adam say? Be the leopard. Right.

I paused and closed my eyes, trying to remember the feeling without having to shift. There. I reached for it and opened my eyes. My vision was a little sharper, but not as if I was in full she cat mode. I guess there were degrees of shift even in the beginning.

Edging forward, I could hear voices on my left, behind the row of tents. Stepping between the tents, I stopped as I heard Pike and some unknown person with a whiney voice discussing the impending operation. It was coming from the tent on my right.

Leaning closer, I sniffed at the strange smell attached to the fabric. It was a smoky, funky smell which instantly made me need to sneeze. I hurriedly pinched my nose to stifle the feeling.

“What is your hurry? You still have to wait a year before training of the new hybrids can begin. It would be better to continue to
study
her during that time. She may have yet many secrets to reveal.”

Sneering laughs followed the speaker, clearly indicating the sleaziness of the last statement. I assumed they were talking about me. But what was with the year time frame?

“It’s too risky,” Pike argued. “We are already risking too much. The DNA should have been collected already, and the body disposed of. She could be in contact with Adam right now.”

There was a brief silence followed by Pike again. “Yes, the great and powerful Adam. Alpha of the pack. And a disgrace to all of mankind.”

I frowned at his mocking of Adam.

“Macy must be saved. Macy must not be harmed. Macy blah, blah. Have you ever seen a man so whipped?” Pike shouted.

I didn’t call that whipped. I was all for not harming Macy.

A new voice, deep and masculine responded in a monotonous tone. “We are doing sweeps of the surrounding area. There is no one out there.”

As soon as he finished speaking, another round of laughing ensued. How was that funny?

“Besides, you know how the old man is. You’ll never get a shot at her. He wants everything prim and proper for the process,” said the previous whiney male speaker. His voice took on a mocking tone when he said, “Protocols are established for a reason. They must be followed.”

Laughter filled the next few seconds. Then Pike spoke again. This time his words were filled with anger. “And you’re sure the new process matures the fetuses in only a year?”

Matures to what? He couldn’t mean full grown? I leaned in closer, trying to catch every word.

“We’ve done two trials already with the newest batch of nanobots. Each one was successful in the production of fully functioning hybrid adults within the time frame set by Dr. Millsap. You know this already.”

They had nanobots capable of taking an engineered zygote from conception to fully matured adult in one year? This was science fiction even to my ears. And why did they keep laughing?

A scraping noise drew my attention to the top of the tent. Something was moving, but I couldn’t quite make it out. I backed away from the tent. Standing on my toes, I could see a canister at the very top of the tent. It had a small hose attached that disappeared into the canvas. They were being gassed?

Focusing on the canister, I could, with great effort, make out a hand holding it. Flowing from there, I made out the body attached to the hand. It was extended from the tree above the tent. Even though I’d seen the hybrid, I still jumped when the eyes blinked, momentarily flashing white.

Adam, do you currently have a hybrid with the ability to camouflage in the camp?

Yes. He’s performing a task for us.

I can see that. But only if I look really hard. Okay, just checking. Please go back to planning my great escape.

He didn’t answer. I took that to mean he was doing exactly that.

Not wanting to chance blowing our operative’s cover or being discovered myself, I resumed my trek between the tents and spotted the original reason for my side trip. Two guards chowing down on chili dogs.

They were seated on empty crates and had a large paper bag situated on the ground between them. It had the word “Frank’s” written across it in red. They were too involved in their eating to notice me creeping forward.

“This is so much better than the crap Millsap tries to feed us,” said the guard on the right.