Strange New Feet

by Shannon Esposito

  Safia looks at the others in the room. They are nodding.

  “Sue, you are amazing woman and an even more amazing mother,” Dr. Brennan beams at her. “That’s all we need you to do at the press conference. Just repeat exactly what you just told us. Do you think you can do that?”

  She looks up at the ceiling for an answer, “Yes. I can. When?”

  “Tonight.”

  “I want to speak to my daughter first.”

  Chapter 13

  Main Floor Conference Center, 7:30 p.m.

  Safia sits with Rita and Dr. Ackers behind the scenes, watching the activity in the Conference Center on a large screen monitor. Hordes of reporters and local law enforcement are mingling about with the tools of their trade—video and still cameras, notebooks, stun guns, submachine guns, and batons. The room is buzzing with voices, confusion and excitement.

  Her stomach tightens as she watches the panel file into the room and take their seats one by one at the table propped up on a black velvet platform. The room grows quiet as they all begin to clip on their mikes.

  Safia and Rita share a concerned look as the Chief of Staff stares out at the expectant faces, visibly trying to compose herself. Safia has never seen her look nervous before.

  “Ladies and Gentleman of the Press, first I want to thank you all for attending our press conference on such short notice. This attests to your great professionalism and I ask that you keep that level of professionalism throughout our time together. As I’m sure you all know I’m Dr. Karen Brennan, Chief of Staff. To my right is Sue Barnes and Leigh Ann Moore, a biologist. To my left is our hospital attorney, Caden West and Dr. William Greene, Associate Director of the CDC.” She holds up her hand sharply as someone shouts a question. “They are here to answer your questions and I assure you, you will all get your turn to ask them, but please, for the sake of order and courtesy, listen to what I have to say first.” This always happens when the CDC is involved. People begin to panic, fearing something contagious is in the air. She waits for silence then continues. “We at Pineville Medical Center have recently discovered an illegal and morally reprehensible act that has devastated one of our patients and her mother, Miss Barnes.” She reaches over and places a hand over Sue’s.

  “Here we go,” Safia whispers. Rita is holding a hand over her mouth and shaking her head.

  “Sue Barnes conceived her daughter through a routine IVF procedure. Or, so she thought. Our DNA tests revealed that what was actually placed in Miss Barnes’ womb was not a human embryo, but a chimera. An embryo that contained a combination of cells from her and her late husband, but also cells from the Pan paniscus.” She swallows hard and steadies her voice. “The Bonobo chimpanzee.”

  At first there is silence, like the oxygen has been sucked from the room. Lots of mouths hang open, or move like dying fish gasping for breath. Safia watches Sue glance nervously back and forth from Dr. Brennan to the stunned crowd.

  It begins in slow motion. A few whispers permeate the stillness, then a few flashes go off, then a sudden roar like the winds of a hurricane battering the room. Blinding flashes, people standing, pushing, shouting questions, police rushing in to form a barricade in front of the panel.

  Safia watches in horror, her hopes that civilization has advanced along with science crushed. It takes a full twenty minutes to impose enough order in the room to continue the press conference. Twelve people are forcibly removed from the building.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, I know what a shock this news is but I have to ask that you take a moment to find your humanity and empathy. As hard as this is for you, imagine what it is like for Miss Barnes. Please, a little bit of civility is in order.”

  This seems to calm them down.

  “Thank you. Now, Miss Barnes would like to share her story with you and then the rest of our panel will take questions.”

  “Come on, Sue…you can do it. Be brave,” Safia says quietly.

  It is a shaky beginning, but soon her love for Olivia is pouring out and visibly touching the room. Reporters take furious notes as she mentions Dr. Vogler, the clinic and A.R.N’s role in the incident.

  “Words will never be able to describe the love I have for this child. My life depends on her happiness, and I will do whatever’s necessary to keep her happy, as any mother would. I ask you to please respect our privacy. She is just a child and deserves to lead a normal life just like your children. I pray that you all remember this. Thank you.” Sue’s last words are like a signal for everyone to start shouting questions again.

  Dr. Brennan leans into Sue’s ear. “Great job, Sue. Why don’t you go ahead and go. We’ll take the questions.” She squeezes her hand. Sue nods and heads to the back room.

  “Oh, Sue,” Safia gets up and hugs her when she enters. “You did good…really, really good. I know how hard that was. Come on.” She leads her to a chair to watch the rest of the conference beside her.

  Dr. Brennan is standing, leaning on the table and glaring at the crowd. “Excuse me, Ladies and Gentlemen,” she holds up her hands. “I can end this conference right now and I will.” Her voice is breaking up the steady drum of noise in the room. She raises the volume. “I promise you I will end it.” She is getting their attention. “If you do not allow us to answer your questions in an orderly manner. One at a time.” The shuffling sound of people taking their seats begins to replace the shouting. “Thank you.” She also sits back down. “Now, the first question.” She looks at the front row and recognizes a reporter from the Pineville Journal. “Marissa, first question please.”

  “Thank you Dr. Brennan. This is very shocking news. Could you please explain exactly how it’s possible to have a human give birth to a hybrid animal? Don’t we have a different number of chromosomes than chimps? And also, how would a fertility clinic gain access to cells from a chimpanzee embryo?”

  “Leigh Anne, I’ll let you answer.”

  “Okay,” the normally shy biologist begins. “First of all, you are correct. Humans have twenty-three chromosome pairs and chimps have twenty-four. But, this would only matter if you were trying to breed a human and chimp directly…like say we’ve done with the horse, which has sixty-four chromosomes and the donkey, which has sixty-two. Their offspring is a hybrid mule which has sixty-three chromosomes. Now, Olivia is not a hybrid, she’s a chimera. Chimeras are different. They are usually created from four parent cells by either fusing two early stage embryos together or two fertilized eggs.” She pauses to let the gasps, moans and general discomfort of the crowd die down. “The end result in the consequential animal,” she stutters, “or human—is a mosaic of cell populations, each retaining their original genetic code in tact. So, in Olivia’s case there are human skin cells next to…next to bonobo skin cells. We don’t know the ratio of human to bonobo skin cells or of any other tissue.” She takes a breath. “As far as how a fertility clinic would have access to a bonobo embryo or fertilized eggs…I don’t know.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Mr. Kellogg…your question.”

  “What are the characteristics of the child and how could she go fourteen years without anyone noticing she was half chimpanzee?”

  “As I said, Mr. Kellogg…we don’t know the ratio of chimpanzee cells in her tissue, it may not be half.”

  Dr. Brennan steps in. “Olivia Barnes is a normal teenage girl with some learning disabilities. She has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder…”

  “But that’s not the case, is it? Her learning disabilities come from having half…” he corrects himself, “or some chimpanzee neurons or brain structure, correct?”

  “We have not determined if her brain tissue contains bonobo cells.”

  “Most likely it does, correct?”

  “We will not speculate at this time. Further testing will be done. Mr. Carver, next question, please.”

  “What is the girl under your care for?”

  “That’s confidential patient information.”

  “I’m only as
king because of the potential for new disease. Are you at all concerned about this? After all, humans got AIDS when HIV jumped from chimps to humans, couldn’t this human-chimp child cause some new devastating disease like this again?”

  “They think Olivia is going to give them a disease?” Sue’s face pales.

  “Fear is people’s first reaction, Sue,” Rita says.

  “They’ll get past that. You’ll see. Just give them some time,” Safia adds.

  “That is not a concern, no. I assure you, we are treating Olivia for a very human condition. You…red shirt in the back, your question, please.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Brennan. The mother, Miss Barnes, implicated Animal Rights Now in this matter. Can you tell us what the nature of their involvement is and what their reason would be to create a human-chimp chimera and then not tell anyone?”

  “Dr. Vogler is a founding member of Animal Rights Now and we have a reliable inside source that has confirmed their direct and purposeful involvement. I cannot speculate on why they have done this—or why they have not said anything about Olivia before now—but I do know they plan on releasing their own statement as early as tomorrow. Hopefully, we will all have some answers then. Martin,” she points to the right, back row. “Go ahead.”

  “We have watched medical science get closer and closer to this possibility, adding human neurons to various animals, for example. What are the legal boundaries here, or are there any?”

  “Mr. West, I’ll let you answer that.

  “Sure.” He folds his hands on the table. “In the United States it is not illegal to mix human and animal cells. The National Academies have always maintained the stand that this practice is necessary to test experimental drugs and procedures before actual human trials. It is, however, illegal to place them in either a human or animal womb to mature. The penalty is up to ten years imprisonment.”

  “Has there been an arrest warrant issued for Dr. Vogler?”

  “We have notified the F.B.I. and local authorities. I’m sure they are doing their job.”

  Chapter 14

  “Sue, are you sure this is such a good idea?” Safia keeps her voice low, but it still echoes off the bare white halls leading out of wing seven. Olivia sits quietly in the wheelchair; her slender, spotted hands folded in her lap.

  “This is her life,” Sue replies. “However hard it is, it’s the one she has.” She seems to be pushing the wheelchair faster as she talks. “I won’t hide this from her and make her feel ashamed for who she is. And I won’t let them talk about her behind her back. She has a right to know how she got here and what they’re saying.” She throws a quick glance up. “Lord knows she can’t hide out in this hospital forever. Face things head on. That’s the way they’ve got to be faced.”

  “She can go home tomorrow. That’s a good thing, Sue. Get out of this place.” Safia leans over as she walks and smiles at Olivia. “It’ll be nice to get out of here, won’t it Olivia?”

  Olivia glances up, but her face is still. Silence is her answer. Safia wishes she knew what the little girl is thinking. Sue explained a little bit about her condition, as much as she thought would make sense to her. Olivia hasn’t said much since then. Her demeanor has changed; she seems more thoughtful, maybe sad, maybe scared. Probably both.

  Safia shakes her wrist to get her watch to face her. “It’s almost noon.” Her stomach contracts.

  About a dozen people are standing around the TV when they wheel Olivia into the lounge. Most try not to stare at her. The short glances may be worse.

  “Hey,” Rita says, giving Safia and Sue’s arms a quick squeeze and then kneeling down to Olivia’s level. “You hanging in there, kiddo?”

  Olivia nods and Safia watches a measurable amount of fear dissipate.

  “Good. Now you remember, if you have any questions, just ask. Don’t be afraid, okay? Everyone in this room is your friend and is here to help.” Pushing herself up, she gives Olivia a hug. “Come on. I saved you a seat in the front row.”

  “How’s she doing?”

  Safia shrugs at Dr. Ackers. “Don’t know, really. Hopefully she’s as calm inside as she seems outside, but we just don’t know.”

  On the television, a lacquered brunette stands outside the courthouse.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, we are here at the Hills County Courthouse, where a press conference will begin in just a few moments.Earlier this morning our network received word that Dr. Vogler’s attorney will be giving his statement at noon today. We are here live and have been told that Mr. Gottenburg will be out in just moments to read his client’s statement. To repeat for anyone who hasn’t heard the news. Dr. Vogler is the doctor accused of implanting a half-human half-chimpanzee embryo into an IVF patient, which resulted in a female child that is now fourteen years old. This discovery was announced yesterday at a hospital press conference and the world now anxiously awaits an explanation.” She presses her ear. “Okay, we’re going to the podium now as local law enforcement has signaled they are ready.” They switch cameras. The screen is now full of a nearly balding, somber man in a brown suite, standing at a podium surrounded by uniformed officers. There are wrinkles and beads of sweat on his forehead.

  “Good afternoon. I’m detective Waters. I’d just like to give you an update on our investigation before Dr. Vogler’s statement is read. We are working closely with the FBI to try and locate Dr. Vogler who, as of yet, remains at large. We have reviewed the statement his lawyer is about to read and it gives no indication of his whereabouts, but it does seem to be a confession. So, we have obtained a warrant for his arrest. We also do not feel Mr. Gottenburg has any knowledge of his whereabouts, but we will be interviewing other members of the Animal Rights Now group and will make every effort to locate the doctor in a timely fashion. Thank you.” He nods and a smaller, dark skinned man steps forward and slips on glasses.

  “I am Mr. Gottenburg, Dr. Vogler’s attorney. I received this statement from my client via email late last night. I will read it, but I will not be taking questions afterwards as this is all the information I have about my client at this time.” Flashes go off and large fuzzy microphones seem to be battling from the sidelines to get closer to him. He clears his throat and begins.

  “My dear fellow human beings, I can imagine right now you are feeling outraged and betrayed by my actions and by science in general. I assure you, this was calculated. My purpose was to anger the world, to shake you out of your self-imposed ignorance and lethargy.” The lawyer pauses, glances up uncomfortably and then continues. “Seventeen years ago the mountain gorilla became extinct. Six years after that, the Western lowlands gorilla was gone forever. The Western chimpanzee is very near extinction and every single member of our biological family Homindae is on the endangered species list. Every single member, that is, except humans. What does this say about the condition of the human soul? What does it say that we will pamper our house pets—paint their nails, buy them expensive jewelry, monogrammed bowls and fur lined beds and then slaughter our closest genetic relatives—destroying their homes, eat them, torture them, and use them for experiments?

  “We humans like to separate ourselves from nature, from animals. We have embraced religions which tell us that we alone were created in God’s image. We have grown to feel powerful in this sense of uniqueness. We are human, we are special. I will give you this: We have evolved the ability to make the connection between our actions and the consequences of those actions. With that knowledge comes responsibility. I will take this opportunity to accept full responsibility for my actions and say no one else at A.R.N. had anything to do with this. They are my actions alone. As for the rest of your defining lines, the ones that you all use to separate yourselves from the other great apes, I have blurred those lines in one small act, in one small child. You now must decide what it means to be human. I have given you a partially human creature. What rights will you assign to her?I am interested to see if you will extend the boundaries of humanity…or in blind fear and ignoranc
e, build a higher wall. One final thing. To address the question of who this child’s parents are. You all, I can only presume, know her human parents. Her bonobo parents were Kagiso and Olumjumi from the last remaining Bonobo sanctuary in the Congo. There are only forty three of these creatures left. I can only pray that your hearts and minds will be opened by this new perspective and you will not let another lineage die.”

  Someone clicks off the TV. Someone coughs. The air conditioner rattles on. Feet stay stuck to the floor, arms stay folded protectively against bodies. Safia feels like the room has grown dark. She turns her head slowly and looks down at Olivia. Sue is standing above her, her head bowed, tears dripping on the floor behind the wheelchair. Olivia’s finger is tapping her knee, her bottom lip is pushed out, her brow is pushed down. Safia wonders if she understands any of this. Would she shed tears if she could? Someone has to say something, the silence is pressing in on them all.

  “Olivia?” Safia’s own voice sounds foreign, pulled from another version of herself, one that is calm and collected—not the version she is actually experiencing. “Do you have any questions?”

  They wait. She lifts her head and glances around the room. Safia follows her gaze and sees that everyone has used her question to allow themselves to stare. Were they staring at her arms? Her large lobed ears? Her brown and green eyes? Were they trying to pick apart the puzzle? Which parts of her were human and which were chimpanzee?

  She lets her wide-eyed gaze settle on Safia and nods.

  “Go ahead.”

  “Do I have another mommy?”