Dawn Of Affinity

by V. J. Deanes

  Stone let go of Devon then backed off. He could not see the two men who had methodically targeted him from the camouflaged vantage point on the hill. “I’m not going to call your bluff,” Stone replied. “You can choose not to know what I know, if you wish.”

  “Make it short,” said Devon.

  “Small towns scattered across some of the Blue Zones

  have housed human clones for years. These places have allowed replicas to integrate themselves into their general populations,” Stone stated. “I think that your friend comes from one of those towns.”

  Devon paused. His family had moved to Hadley’s Crossing to welcome a sister into the fold. “You’re saying that my friend is some kind of freak?”

  “No, not at all,” Stone replied. “Quite the opposite. I suspect that your friend is enhanced in many respects. He is certainly not a freak. He is likely stronger. Smarter. More capable in many ways than the rest of us.”

  “Why would you be concerned about someone who is enhanced, as you call it?”

  “The real danger is that over time they will become the masters of humanity. They will command all of the resources, all of the opportunities. Others will be pushed to the margins of society.”

  “You think that is grounds to kill someone?”

  Stone did not answer Devon’s question. “That fear drives some people to do such a thing.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” Devon replied.

  “People would be irate if their true identity was proven to differ from the identity they grew up with,” Stone remarked. “Humans cannot be their own creator.”

  “People would have to care first,” said Devon.

  “That is easy to say now,” Stone remarked. “No one has any reason to consider that clones walk freely in society. Visceral fear of the unknown will spread rampantly once the news gets out. Forget about rational thinking. Paranoia will sink in. Chaos will prevail.”

  “Sounds pretty dramatic. What’s in it for you if chaos is averted?” Devon asked.

  “Nothing. I want this to end peacefully,” said Stone. “Those who are enhanced must be identified. The practice must be stopped. We will find a way for those who are enhanced to live out their lives without jeopardizing the human race.”

  “What do you want from me?”

  “I want to help you,” Stone remarked. “You are in danger. Once your friend chooses to exercise his strengths you will not be able to stop him. He trusts you, which gives you the advantage. Contain the situation while you can. Before more violence breaks out.”

  “You said something about what you know.”

  “Clones were a great experiment, thirty years ago,” said Stone. “The science was reasonably strong, based on experience with other mammals. Breakthroughs in artificial organ technology were made regularly. You could dream up practically any genetic sequence, e-mail it to the right 3D printer and create a new organism in a few hours. The temptation to enhance humans appealed to a minority of scientists who felt that laws and regulations inhibited scientific progress.”

  “You were there?”

  “Yes. Long enough to see the early failures. Infants who were deformed. Young children afflicted with the illnesses common to clones of other mammals. Much more effort went into computer simulations of the biological and physiological outcomes. The results provided a path forward so that human clones could live into adulthood. There was a catch. The simulations predicted that severe mental disorders would become a possibility once the clones reached their mid-twenties.”

  “What kind of disorders?”

  “Violent dementia,” Stone replied.

  “Only a possibility you say,” Devon said. “You want me to hand him over to you. The Inspector wants to go public with the shooting, but you will hold him off as long as I do what you want.”

  “I could think in those primitive transactional terms,” Stone said. “But I don’t need to. Your friend will need help. When that time comes you will need someone to call.” Stone held out his mobile phone. “I will be available to help when the time comes.”

  Devon transferred Stone’s contact information to his phone. “I don’t need your number, in case you’re wondering,” Stone remarked. “It’s better this way. You need to know who I am. That’s all that matters between us.”

  “Not what I expected,” Devon said.

  “Your friend has likely found refuge in one of the Blue Zones,” Stone surmised. “Tolerance and support for his condition will be abundant, if he finds the right people. I don’t like the divisions that we live with. Red Zones, where society is more controlled. order. Blue Zones, where society is less ordered. Rational thinking will be overpowered by irrational violence, unless tact and intelligence are applied. Just because I reside in a place as extreme as this Red Zone does not mean I would be any less predisposed to help you.”

  “The way I see it Red Zones are where people’s rights are diminished at the hands of demagogues. People can’t speak freely for fear of attack. Blue Zones are where freedom is still practiced, for now,” Devon replied. He looked over to where the Inspector was standing. “If you really want to help, walk with me slowly over to those trees. I’m going to take off. Kindly maintain the appearance that we are still having a conversation.”

  A couple of minutes later the Inspector strolled down the path towards Stone. “Where did he go?”

  “He’s gone,” Stone remarked. “I was speaking to him one moment, the next minute he was gone.”

  XXXX

  “Crossing out of this Red Zone won’t be easy tonight,” the first spotter remarked. “Make sure that your mobile devices are turned off.”

  “Can’t this thing go any faster?” Devon whined as the robot car drove along the solitary country road.

  “You can get out and push if you like. What did the Inspector want?” the second spotter asked.

  “To set us up,” Devon said.

  “You don’t buy it?” the first spotter said as he handed Devon the piece of paper from the Inspector.

  “It doesn’t add up.

  “What do we do now?” the first spotter asked. “There is the old covered bridge.”

  “Approaching Blue Zone,” said the computerized voice in the car.

  “Stop here,” said Devon.

  The car came to rest in front of a clearing in the trees.

  “Full moon tonight,” Devon noted.

  “We’re at least thirty miles from Hadley’s Crossing,” said the second spotter.

  “We’re not going to Hadley’s Crossing,” Devon said. “Once we cross that bridge we’ll pick up another car just down the road. We won’t have far to travel after that.”

  “I reckon that bridge is only about a hundred feet long,” the first spotter remarked.

  “One hundred feet. That’s all that separates repression and freedom,” said Devon. “Rotating border closures are in effect. Mandatory detentions of people at border crossings are enforced here. Looks like we are in for some fun.”

  “There is nothing around here for miles except open country,” the first spotter remarked. “Why would someone build a covered bridge here?”

  “To keep you dry as you cross the river,” the second spotter replied, in jest.

  The first spotter positioned the car to within a few yards of the bridge. It rolled slowly down the road as the men bolted away from the bridge and down the embankment in search of a place to cross the shallow river. Once the car disappeared into the bridge the sound of a metal gate closing with a mighty clang broke the silence. Drones that shone lights on the entrance soon appeared over the Red Zone side of the bridge. A border patrol officer drove up moments later. He drew his weapon, then proceeded to see what was in the trap.

  Devon and the two spotters crossed over a pathway of rocks in the river. Once they were on the other side they ran through the fields to the car that was waiting for them.

  “Destination reached,” the voice in the car said, twenty minutes later.
<
br />   The first spotter knocked on the door of the deserted cabin. Kalan recognized the code.

  “You look well,” Kalan said to Devon and the spotters.

  “You look worn out,” Devon replied as he embraced his friend. The spotters followed suit. “It’s good to see you.”

  “Quite a place you have here,” the first spotter remarked, sarcastically.

  “Could be worse,” Kalan replied.

  “What is going on?” Devon asked.

  “Some say I am a human replica. The guy who tried to shoot me believes it. Medical records infer it. Hadley’s Crossing is a place where clones are raised in secret.” Kalan sounded as frenzied as he appeared. “They killed my father. Why would they do that?”

  “I don’t know,” Devon answered. “I’m sorry to hear that.” He paused for a moment. “Have you heard of a man called Stone? He says that clones of your age lose it. Go berserk. Snap. Says that he was involved with cloning humans. Says the science isn’t right.”

  “You believe him? You think I am a clone?”

  “I don’t know what to believe.”

  “People are becoming paranoid and will brand you as suspicious, even an enemy, just because they think you are different.”

  “We’re all tired,” Devon said. “Let’s get some rest.”

  “Can you contact this man Stone?”

  “Yeah,” Devon replied. “He might be able to help you.”

  Kalan looked tired, but showed resolve. “We will settle this in the morning.”

  Chapter 13

  Paula Slate cased the space. She walked slowly through the hatchery early that morning. She stopped in front of the pod with the embryo that was destined to grow into the first human with an affinity organ. Her decision was final. She knew precisely how to terminate the embryo in a way that would imply failed cell division.

  “Isn’t this supposed to be Doctor Carson’s shift?”

  Paula was startled. She turned to find Doctor Wood standing right behind her. “We switched shifts,” she replied nervously.

  Shannon eyed Paula closely. She could sense deception, even through the assistant’s sealed body suit.

  “I didn’t know that you had permission to enter the hatchery,” Paula, as she composed herself.

  “Perhaps you would like to check with Duncan,” Doctor Wood said, to distract her. “To put your mind at ease,” she added reassuringly.

  Paula exited the computer menu that controlled the pod, frustrated that completing her task would need to wait.

  “Let’s get a coffee,” Doctor Wood proposed as they walked through the main hallway after leaving the hatchery. “Duncan won’t be here for at least another half hour.”

  “Alright,” Paula replied cautiously. “I need to stop by my office for a moment. I’ll join you soon.”

  Doctor Wood touched Paula’s wrist gently. It was a friendly gesture. “I’ll find us a place by the window.”

  XXXX

  Devon woke to find Kalan sitting on a chair staring out of the front window of the one room cabin. “You look stressed out,” he remarked warily.

  “See that?” Kalan asked.

  “See what?”

  “Another drone flew past. That’s the fourth one in the last hour. What did you guys do to set them off?”

  “What makes you think they are looking for us?”

  “You think they are looking for me?” Kalan asked. “Because I am some freak that must be captured before I wreak havoc on society.”

  “We were set up,” Devon replied. “Me and the lads got out just in the nick of time.”

  “We need to get out of here.”

  “To go where?”

  “To a place where I can find out who I really am,” Kalan said.

  “That sounds ambitious, under the circumstances. Let’s get you some help. How long has it been since you ate something?”

  “Where do you propose that I go? I can’t show my face anywhere. My picture will be posted all over the Internet. If I turn my phone on someone will pin point my location and come for me. That’s the world I live in,” he said as he kicked an old floor lamp.

  Devon could sense that Kalan’s anger had peaked. “I get it. You are in a tough place, but you’re losing it. I want to call this guy Stone. You seem to think someone else can settle this. Which one of us makes the call?”

  Kalan walked over to his jacket, uneasy that Devon was suspicious of his every move. He pulled out his mobile, turned it on and dialed.

  XXXX

  It was odd for Nisha to find the lights on in her laboratory. She was usually the first one to arrive each morning. “Paula?” she inquired. As she turned, she noticed someone lying face down, motionless on the floor. She rushed to the woman. No breathing. No pulse. Nisha gently rolled her assistant onto her side. Her eyes looked blankly at Nisha. A blue hue of death was spreading across her face.

  Medics from the Central Care Unit arrived moments later. Resuscitation proved futile. The first responders somberly wheeled the stretcher away, after exhausting all possibilities for revival.

  “Do we need to lock down?” the medic team leader asked with urgency.

  Nisha was stunned, distracted with gloom.

  “Doctor Lin,” the Medic said assertively. “Do we need to lock down?”

  “I can’t imagine...,” Nisha mumbled slowly to herself. “Have you responded to any other incidents in the complex this morning?” she asked the medic.

  “No. We need to report this to local police.” the medic insisted.

  “Work that out with Duncan,” Nisha said. “Find out what killed her. I want updates every fifteen minutes,” she told the medic. “We can’t have outsiders investigating this place looking for answers.”

  “What was going on in here?” the medic asked.

  “Nothing that should have killed anyone,” Nisha replied. “I’ll have the security video checked for the entire complex. Meet me here in an hour and a half.”

  Nisha locked her laboratory. She cautiously made her way to the main security office, looking for clues as she walked through the complex. “What have you found?” she asked, without checking to see who made the call.

  “Dagger Lady, there isn’t much time.”

  “Kalan?”

  “I figure that you know who Stone is. You want me alive. He wants me dead. He is probably already on his way to kill me. You need to move fast.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Where I will be is what concerns you. Check the co-ordinates after this call.” The line went dead.

  Nisha picked up her pace.

  “Good Morning Doctor Lin” the man managing the main security desk said.

  “Normally I would ask to speak with Vaktol. It seems to be too early.”

  “Yes it is,” the security guard replied.

  “What time did Paula Slate arrive this morning?”

  “We don’t just give out information randomly,” the man replied. “You need to file a request.”

  “I understand,” Nisha replied. “She reports to me. I am entitled to ask a few questions confidentially, if I understand the procedures correctly.”

  “Is there a problem?”

  Nisha hid her knowledge of the circumstances. “You’re the one who will have the problem,” she said glaring at him. “Vaktol won’t want to find out that you interfered when I tried to address an attendance matter with someone on my staff.”

  The security guard relented. “Paula Slate. Building pass accepted at 5:56 AM. Door to your laboratory opened at 6:09 AM. Entry to the hatchery at 6:14 AM. Exit from the hatchery 6:21 AM. Satisfied?”

  “What happened after 6:21 AM?” Nisha asked.

  “I don’t know,” the security guard replied.

  “Check the video. It’s only eight minutes after seven 7:00 AM,” she added.

  The security manager isolated the video feeds. “Not much to see here. Paula suits up. Goes into the hatchery. Comes out of the hatchery. Doctor Wood comes out a f
ew seconds later. Then Paula scanned into your lab.”

  Nisha looked confused. She did not have the luxury of time to think through all of the details. “Put Doctor Wood in supervised patient isolation. On my orders. Tell her it’s for her own protection. Make sure that your men don’t let her touch them. She may be infectious.”

  “Doesn’t the medic team make that decision?”

  “Just do it,” Nisha insisted. “I need to attend to something urgent. Tell Vaktol that I will call him as soon as I can.”

  Nisha called the medic as she raced towards the garage under the complex. “What killed her?”

  “It’s only been fourteen minutes...”

  “I need answers sooner.”

  “We don’t know for sure,” the medic replied. “A stroke, a brain aneurysm...”

  “Have you completed a physical examination?” Nisha questioned.

  “Not yet.”

  “Call me as soon as you have answers.”

  “Destination in twenty one minutes thirty seconds,” the robot voice in the car said. Nisha sat pensively as the vehicle took her her to the location that Kalan’s phone had provided. When would she make the call? “Destination in twelve minutes,” said the voice. Still too soon. “Destination in three minutes.”

  “Vaktol,” Nisha said. “Have your men tracked her down yet?”

  “Calm down,” a deep voice replied. “What is going on?”

  “I don’t know,” Nisha replied. “My assistant died shortly after she arrived this morning.”

  “Who knows about this?”

  “You, your guard and the medics from the Critical Care Unit. I requested that Doctor Wood be isolated for her own protection. Until we know the cause of death.”

  “Where are you now?” Vaktol asked.

  “On the way to meet a patient,” Nisha replied.

  “Tell me why I shouldn’t have you tracked down,” Vaktol said firmly.

  “What?”

  “Your assistant dies in your lab. You instruct us to put another doctor in isolation. Then you leave the building. You don’t find that odd?”

  “I’m a suspect?”

  “Until we can rule you out.”

  “This is bigger than you can imagine,” Nisha replied. “You must believe that. I need you to buy me some time.”