Strange New Feet

by Shannon Esposito

  Safia feels Dr. Mills sizing her up. She dares not look at the others, she can feel their glares and she especially dares not look at the man against the wall.

  “Are you a reporter?”

  “No,” Safia answers quietly, not sure how much to say. “I work at the hospital where his attempted murder victim is being treated.” Safia watches her expression tense into a form of panic. The tone of her voice changes to a forced calm. “Interesting. Well, I’d like to hear about this conversation after the meeting, if you’d be so kind.”

  “Sure.” She nods. Why the abrupt change? She obviously knows something she doesn’t want everyone else to know.

  “Ladies and gentleman, I want to warn you that in the next few weeks, your loyalty to A.R.N. will be tested greatly. We will be attacked, condemned and some of you may even decide to leave our family.” Safia glances around at the confused faces. “I want you to think long and hard about why you joined us in the first place. Why protecting animal rights is so important to you. You will need to hold on to this vision. You will need to have it clear in your mind and hold it in the forefront of your thoughts as we are thrust into a new war. Some of you will even choose to change sides, to stand against us.” Her eyes are burning with determination and something that looks an awful lot like fear to Safia.She nods to the room in dismissal. “We will have another meeting next Friday and I will have new information for you. We will have a lot to discuss, but until then, please…define for yourselves what animal rights…and human rights, for that matter, mean to you. See you all next week.”

  Jesus, Kat…thanks a lot,” Safia says, turning to her sister.

  “What? I thought it was important that someone’s talked to him. You don’t want to help?”

  Safia’s eyes narrow as her sister smiles and pats her on the knee. “Let’s go have a talk with Dr. Mills.”

  The man against the wall has now moved to stand beside the doctor, his arms still crossed. They seem to be having an intimate conversation, interrupted by a few of the men walking over to shake his hand. She notices a group of people talking and glancing his way.Their conversation stops as Safia and Kat approach. Anders’ eyes once again lock on Safia. She can see now they are a light blue, the color of a frozen glacier and just as cold. Why did they bring so much heat to her face? He is maybe two inches taller than her, wide shoulders under a black turtleneck; blonde, almost colorless hair with a natural curl, but cropped too short to be unruly. He is a ghost, a ghost that can see right through her like she is the one that is transparent.

  “Dr. Mills, this is my sister Safia.”

  “Always nice to meet a member of the Raine family,” she says. “Your mother is quite the talent.”

  “Yes, she is.”

  Reuben is shaking Anders’ hand. Kat is staring up into his face with poorly concealed admiration.

  “Anders Grey,” he says finally, holding out his hand. Safia takes it and the feeling of falling engulfs her. His grip is like a hot vice.

  “Safia Raine.” She knows Kat is watching her, judging her reaction so she tries to keep her mind as still as possible, turning her attention immediately back to the doctor. “I’m not sure I have much to tell you, unfortunately, Dr. Mills. Bill Crowley didn’t have much to say.” As she talks, she can still feel his eyes on her. Self-consciousness threatens to overtake her. She reaches up and smoothes a stray bang, tucking it behind her ear. Dr. Mills is still staring at her expectantly. Even though she is supposed to be a long time friend or co-conspirator, whatever, Safia just doesn’t feel comfortable revealing the details of their conversation. Is she being paranoid? “I don’t know what to tell, you, Dr. Mills. I’m sorry. He just clammed up. Wouldn’t speak to me. I think he pegged me for a reporter, also.”

  “Hm, I see,” Dr. Mills answers, folding her arms, her shoulders visibly relaxing. She seems to buy her story. “Just out of curiosity, why did you visit him?”

  “Oh, well…just that—curiosity.” She tries to match her casualness, pretend that there isn’t some hidden game, some hide and seek of information. “As I said, I’m involved in Olivia’s treatment.”

  “Are you a nurse?”

  “No, not a nurse.” She chooses not to explain further. “And I simply could not understand why someone would want to kill this child.” She shrugs. “I couldn’t fathom. I guess I thought maybe he could help me…us…understand what would make someone do something like this.”

  “Well, unfortunately, Miss Raine, I think this just proves our case, that humans are not so far removed from animals as we like to think.”

  “That’s kind of shirking humanity’s responsibility a bit, isn’t it? Blaming our ancestors for our behavior?” She isn’t sure why she said this, why her statement was like a tiny prick in her gut. Her mind is beginning to feel cluttered.

  “Safia,” Kat hisses, elbowing her.

  “That’s quite all right, Kat. Your sister is right. Our higher intelligence does make us accountable for our behavior.” She lets her pale mouth move into a smile, her eyes narrow and then she touches Safia’s elbow lightly. “May I have a word with you in private, Miss Raine?”

  For some reason she glances at Anders and then catching herself, nods and walks away from the tight knot of people.

  The doctor follows her onto the porch. The air is warm and wet, muggy. She is quiet for a moment, just staring out at the cars pulling slowly out of the circle drive. She waits.

  “Have you spent a lot of time with Olivia?”

  “Not a lot, no.”

  “Why did you come here today, Miss Raine?”

  Safia stills herself. She can feel Dr. Mills leading her; she’s just not sure where they are going. “Curiosity.”

  “About?”

  She turns to the doctor. In the sunlight she notices the yellow tinge to the whites of her eyes and the deep set lines around her mouth. “Bill Crowley. My sister mentioned when we saw him on the news that he had left for some assignment over a year ago and no one had seen him since. But, instead of going on that assignment, he was shacking up with a single mother and her young daughter?” She watches sadness bloom and pull at Dr. Mills’ eyelids and the corners of her mouth. She blinks. Her own body feels suddenly heavy. “Or was that his assignment? Did it have something to do with Sue and Olivia Barnes?” Her heart flutters, her voice drops. “Did A.R.N. send him there to kill Olivia?”

  “No.” Her tone is emphatic.

  Safia believes her. “Did you send him there at all?”

  She clasps her hands tightly in front of her and drops her head. “Miss Raine, we are an organization that fights to protect the rights of all life. We don’t believe man holds a special place above any other animal. We are all part of the evolution of nature. We would never advocate murder of an animal, not even of the homo sapiens variety. Unfortunately most homo sapiens cannot say the same thing.” She sighs and looks up at the Carolina blue sky, the clouds now replaced by sunshine. “I assure you that we do not want Olivia dead. The fact that Bill did tells me that he has become more loyal to his emotions than to the bigger issue at hand.” She turns and meets Safia’s gaze. Her expression is both serious and open. “She is our future and maybe our remaining relatives’ last hope.”

  “You know something about Olivia, don’t you?”

  She smiles kindly at her, almost a motherly look, and places a stiff, dry hand on her shoulder. “You do, too…no?”

  “No,” her voice cracks, barely makes it past her lips.

  “Well, you should. It is time. Do you have a cell phone with you?” She cautiously fishes it out of her pocket and hands it to the doctor. The doctor adds her number and hands it back. “If your hospital doesn’t figure it out by next Friday…contact me.” She pats her shoulder, their eyes lock. Safia knows she’s waiting for a reply, but she can only nod. “Good,” she disappears back into the house.

  Safia stands, unsure what to do next. Should she go back in and demand she tell her what’s going on? Should she call t
he police? Why? What would she even say? What war? Did Dr. Vogler have something to do with it?

  “Sis, you ready?”

  She stares at Kat without really seeing her. The possibilities rush at her like a speeding freight train, a blur of ideas blowing in and out of her mind. Nothing makes sense. She follows them to the waiting cab and slides in beside her sister.

  “Sis, seriously…you’re white as a sheet. What the hell did Dr. Mills say to you?”

  Safia stares at the house as they pull away, seeing the tall, slim figure of Dr. Mills emerge with Anders Grey just as the trees block her view.

  When Safia doesn’t give her an answer she turns to Reuben. “And what was all that about a war? Do you know what’s going on?”

  “I know as much as you do, Kat.” He leans up, the seat squeaks under his movement. “Safia, did Dr. Mills give you any clue as to what the hell she was talking about?”

  “It has something to do with Olivia,” she whispers and closes her eyes.

  “What is so special about her?” Kat asks.

  She shrugs. “I don’t know, Kat. But, I have a feeling we’re about to find out.” At least, she can be glad now she has ordered the extra DNA tests. “So, what’s with that Anders Grey guy anyway?”

  “Yeah, what was he doing there?”

  “I don’t know, but I do know one thing, Grey doesn’t come around unless there’s trouble,” Reuben says.

  “Or trouble to be made,” Kat adds.

  “Really?” Safia opens her eyes and stares at the cab ceiling. “Bad guy then?”

  “Depends on which side of the issue you’re on. I’m sure the Japanese government would love to get their hands on him.”

  “Yeah, remember the almost total destruction of their six research whaling ships a few years back?”

  “Research my ass, hunting ships was more like it. Government sponsored illegal slaughtering.”

  “Well,” Kat patted his knee. “We don’t have to worry about that for a while now do we?”

  “You’re telling me Anders Grey had something to do with that?”

  “Maybe.” Kat shrugs and turns to stare out the window, but

  Safia can hear the smile in her voice as she adds, “Maybe everything to do with it.”

  Chapter 10

  Safia’s heart is pumping as she takes the elevator to the third floor. “Breathe,” she tells herself over and over. Rita’s voice on her message this morning was more than urgent, it was panicked.

  “Go to Meeting Room 314 as soon as you get this. Please hurry, Safia.”

  By the time she forces her legs to move her down the hall to room 314, they are like jelly. She opens the door.Eight sets of grim eyes greet her. She nods and takes a seat beside Rita at the long oak table.

  “Everyone, this is my staff member, Safia Raine. She is the one who suggested the DNA tests be done on the different skin cells.”

  Safia nods at the room. What the hell happened? She glances at Rita. Her face is waxy, making her usually light freckles stand out. Her hands are trembling.

  “Dr. Ackers, what’s going on?” Safia manages. Blood is pounding at her temples. He is sitting with his hands cupped over his mouth. He places them carefully on the table, moving in slow motion as if afraid to disturb some intricate balance that will send them all careening over some unknown edge.

  “Safia, you know Dr. Karen Brennan, Chief of Staff?” Safia nods. He moves his attention to the frail blonde gentleman to her right that looks like he has the stomach flu. “Dr. Greene, associate director of the CDC.” He recites names, motioning around the table. She can’t keep track. Tension is building up to unbearable levels in her chest. “Caden West, Hospital Attorney; Dr. Candice Meeks, Professor of Psychology; Mark and Leigh Ann are our Genetic counselor and biologist. This is our team.”

  “We need a team?”

  Dr. Ackers lets his eyes come to rest on Safia. What she sees is a man with his confidence shaken at the core. She feels Rita looking at her now, but she can’t take her eyes from Dr. Ackers. He is about to tell her what’s going on. She can feel it. The hum of the air conditioner grows louder in the silence. Finally, he shakes his head.

  “Safia, as you can gather, the DNA results were not what we expected. We’re going to run them again to be sure, but we have gathered this team to deal with the possibility that the results are accurate.”

  “What are the results?” Her voice feels small, lost in the panic of whatever terrible thing she is about to be told. She feels Rita place a hand over hers. It is clammy and not very comforting.

  “The skin cells from the pink patches match the DNA of her blood cells.” He shutters. “But, the skin cells from the brown patches do not.”

  Safia nods, encouraging him to go on. This is shocking, but she did expect it, didn’t she?

  “The DNA from those cells matches the DNA of Pan paniscus.”

  “Pan what?” Safia chokes. “What does that mean?”

  “It’s the Bonobo Chimpanzee, Safia.” Rita says slowly. “Olivia has human DNA, but also DNA from the Bonobo Chimp.”

  Safia blinks. She’s staring at everyone in the room, but not seeing them. What are they talking about?“But, that’s impossible.” Her face feels hot.

  “It’s not really,” Dr. Ackers offers. “She is a chimera.”

  The room lurches. Her mouth is bone dry. “H..how did this happen?”

  “That, we don’t know. It had to be deliberate.”

  Suddenly, Dr. Mill’s words came back to Safia and she knows how it happened. A cold chill spreads over her scalp and the back of her neck. She is going to pass out. “Excuse me,” she says, pushing her chair back. It topples over. Her head is spinning as she fumbles her way out of the room and finds a bathroom. The tile floor presses hard against her knees as she dry heaves over the toilet.

  Oh god, Olivia. What have they done? Olivia, her head shaved, her brain fixed would now be faced with something that couldn’t be fixed. Something that would make her feel like a monster. And what about Sue? She heaves again. Her precious baby girl is not a baby girl after all. Or is she?

  “Safia, you okay?”

  Rita’s soft knocking on the stall door seems miles away. She can’t answer. She flushes and leans back on her heels. After a moment, she reaches up and unlocks the door. Rita swings it slowly open.

  “Safia?” She kneels down and slides her arms around Safia. “I know, shocking. I wish I could have warned you ahead of time.” She is supporting her, lifting her carefully off the ground. “Come on, there’s a couch over here.” She leads her to the flower patterned couch that smells like vanilla air freshener. Safia catches a glimpse of herself in the ornate gold mirror above the couch. It’s a disconnected image, one she doesn’t recognize as herself. When did she put on her grey suit and brush her hair?

  “I haven’t met Olivia yet, but I know you’ve spent a lot of time with her. You’ve really gotten attached to her, huh?” She is running a wad of folded brown paper under the faucet. “Poor thing.” Safia’s mind catches the word ‘thing’ and becomes defensive.

  “Girl,” she whispers. “Poor girl.”

  Rita is patting Safia’s forehead with the wad of damp paper. She doesn’t seem to catch the correction. “God, this is going to be hard on the mother, I imagine.”

  Tears suddenly spill onto Safia’s cheeks as she thinks of Sue, how proud she is of her “miracle child”.

  “You have no idea.” The thought of Sue gives her a jolt of anger that clears the shock. “I have to make a phone call.” She reaches into her suit pocket, flips through the contacts, finds what she’s looking for and hits enter. Rita sits back and watches her. It only rings twice. “What have you done?”

  “Ah, Miss Raine,” a weary voice answers. “Since it is only Monday and you are calling me, I presume you know exactly what we have done.”

  So it is true. It was them and it was purposeful. But for what purpose?

  “In your arrogance did you ever stop to
ask yourselves what right you had to do this?”

  “What right?” Dr. Mills sounds confused. “Rights are exactly what this is about, Miss Raine. Human rights, animal rights…the right for all to live in harmony without one murdering and torturing the other. Now the line has been blurred. It’s time for the world to pay attention, to focus on this issue.”

  “The world? Are you crazy? Do you know what it will do to Olivia and her mother if this gets out? She will never be able to have a normal life!”

  “She was not created to have a normal life, Miss Raine.” She pauses and then speaks her last sentence slowly to let the gravity sink in. “When—not if—this get out, we will help you protect her. Get whoever you need to get to call a press conference and let the world know about Olivia, Miss Raine. If you don’t, we will. You have three days before we issue our formal statement.”

  The line goes dead.

  “You know who did this?” Rita is leaning forward, peering up into Safia’s face.

  “Yes.” She answers, seeing an explosion of light at the corner of her eye. Not now. Not now. She ignores it.

  “Come on, let’s get you back in there.”

  The floor moves under Safia. Everything has changed. Even the pale cream paint in the hallway is different. She is squeezing the cell phone in her pocket. By the time they enter the meeting room, her vision is impaired. She is looking through a tunnel, squinting, trying to make out the shimmering faces that are watching her.

  Rita leans in to her hair, her voice is close. “An attack?”

  She nods, grateful that Rita is helping her find her chair. She must not be doing a very good job hiding the dysfunction she is thrust into. Dr. Ackers is explaining her behavior to the others.

  “Miss Raine suffers from severe migraines. We’ll have to continue this meeting without her today.” He is at her side now as she steadies herself in the chair. “Safia, I’ll call you a cab. We’ll get you home.”

  “Wait,” she clears her throat. There is no pain yet, but she can feel herself coiled up inside, waiting for the hammering to begin. “I have to tell you something.” She rubs her fingers into her right eye, trying to get the zig zagging light to settle down. It’s making her nauseous. “I know who did this.”