by R. J. Henry
Of course, they are Fledges. Why else would they bring me here?
She threw her head back, expecting to hit a hard surface. To her surprise, her head became cushioned. She followed a soft blue glare to the wall. Looking from the side, all she saw were bulbous balloons protruding from the wall. It glowed with an iridescent blue, drawing her in like a moth to a flame. Scooting up, to change the angle in which she could see, she instantly felt as if she were the cat that was killed by its curiosity.
Emily gasped at what they contained. Species of all kinds remained in their fetal positions inside them. She inched closer, examining an infant. She tapped on it, flinching at the movement of the infant. “What is this?”
The woman giggled. “Our latest experiment. One I, personally, am proud of. Except, that is the only one that survived so far. But, you would know some about this, wouldn’t you?”
“It’s a Fledge? How?” Emily said. A mechanical umbilical cord connected the baby to what appeared to be a matching placenta. “This was clearly a child not yet born.”
“You’re right. We grew him. Here.”
“Why?”
“Same reason as your friend, Doctor Johnston. We were told to.”
“By who?”
“Honestly? We don’t know. What we do know, is that we have to.”
Emily found an empty one. The fluidfilled sac was softer than the occupied ones. She poked it, testing how much softer. Pressing down with her nail ruptured the sac. It spewed, covering the floor she was sitting on. A man yelled at her. “Hey, stop being nosey!”
She wanted to apologize, but couldn’t find the words to move her lips. The man held up her purse, tossing it in her direction. “Here. We got what we needed.”
“What? Did you rob me?”
“Sort of,” the woman said with a chuckle.
“Of what? Better yet, why was I kept cool?”
“After we took what we needed, you spiked a temperature. In case you were found to be valuable to our plan, we didn’t want you to die,” she cleared her throat, and continued, “Now, it is probably best if you pretend this meeting never happened.”
“What do you mean?” Emily shivered.
“Nothing,” Rachel said, “but we placed all of your belongings back into your purse. Yet, one thing doesn’t make sense.”
“What?”
“How are you employed at the University without any type of degree?”
“My late husband was able to pull some strings.”
“Late? Is he dead?”
“To me, he is.”
The third person approached her with a needle. He yanked her arm into his chest. Her eyes widened as she shook with fearful anticipation. After jabbing the needle into her arm, sight was eluded. The essence of her fight, weakened. The stronger response that was triggered was her flight.
Chapter 8
Maddie clicked her nails Emily’s granite countertops. The click echoed through the silent kitchen. The silence, however, made Emily twist her face in irritation. “What?” she asked, facing Maddie’s petrified stare.
“You need to tell me what happened,” Maddie demanded. Letting this type of situation go, was not an option. After Emily disappeared the day before, Maddie feared the worse. Leaning in, and dropping to a hushed tone, she patted Emily’s hand. “Sis, where did you go?”
Emily raised her hands. “I can’t talk about it.”
Maddie sighed, holding back a tight grunt. “That was the same thing you said after your divorce with Hank. You used to be so open about everything with me. At least, that was when you were with Nick.”
“Stop, right there. Nick is nothing special. Besides, I would love to tell you. Trust me. Believe me. But, I can’t.”
“How did you get back? You can tell me that, can’t you?”
“Yes, but I’m not sure. I remember everything, just not that. I just woke up in my bed, and you were here.”
Realizing the time, she watched the glow of the rising sun slowly clouding over. Emily frowned, letting out a small sigh. The missing warm glow left her feeling sad. “Hmmm. I was really hoping for a sunny morning.”
Maddie rolled her eyes. “Okay? Well can you tell me anything else besides your failed hopes for this morning? Please?”
“Well, maybe,” she said, shrugging. She poured another cup of coffee. “Three other people are also conducting experiments with Project Fledge. Close to, what Marcel was working on? But, different.”
“Different, how?”
“Not sure.”
“Who are they?”
“Again, same answer.”
“Man, now I want to know what they are working on,” Maddie said, leaning in. She twirled her thumbs, hoping her sister would realize how much she wanted to know.
Emily caught on to the slight noise Maddie made with her obvious sigh. “Nothing that looks sane, that’s for sure.” She wasn’t sure how to explain it in a way to not startle her fragile little sister.
Her eyes lit up, empowering her strength to form a smile. “You saw what they were doing? Now you have to tell me. Please!”
“I-I don’t really think I should. It’s top secret. Honestly, you’re not even supposed to know about the seeds. Our lives are at stake,” she said, shaking at the thought of losing her baby sister.
“You weren’t supposed to know either. Why do they think you’re in on it?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe they heard us talking about the fruit, and knew about it. But, I don’t think that is it. Or else Marcel would have known about them.”
“What is there saying that he doesn’t?”
“You make a good point. I need to go.”
“I’m coming with.”
“No.”
“Please. Stop treating me like a baby.”
Emily half-grinned, remembering the day their Mother brought her home a baby sister. Eighteen years later, she still sees that same baby. The joy she felt having someone look up to her is still apparent. Yet, she knew her baby sister is now a woman. A woman she doesn’t want to hold back. “Okay. But, please, if anything happens—”
“I know. Be careful,” she said with a sarcastic tone, ending with an upward inflection.
A muffled chime released its melodic tune from Emily’s purse. She stared at the leather handbag reluctant to find what was making that noise. It rang three more times, before she placed her hand upon the body of the purse.
Maddie eyed it. “Are you going to get that?”
“No. It’s not my ringtone. I don’t know what it could be.”
Maddie heard the repetitive chime once more. She dug around her sisters’ failed attempt at purse organization. She handed Emily a purple device.
“That’s not my phone,” she said. She took it, thumbing the black screen. On the upper left hand, side was a long black button. Next to it was the unlock button. She placed her index finger on it, hesitating to press down on it.
“Well, find out who it belongs to. Maybe somebody lost it.”
The phone chimed again. This time the screen illuminated, showing an unknown number calling it. “Okay, fine,” Emily breathed.
She clicked the green phone icon to answer it. Slowly drawing it up to her ear, she could hear a crackle on the other end. “Hello?”
A man’s voice answered. “We told you to forget what you saw.” It beeped, ending the call. She trembled in silence.
Maddie, puzzled by her sisters’ expression, felt a twinge in her stomach. “Who was that?” When it came to reading Emily’s face, she always knew what was wrong.
“We need to leave. Bring the phone.”
She was already at the door. “Already a head of you, sis.”
Marcel gave another bag of type O to Calista. The only kind that didn’t make her vomit. Humph, he thought, still a picky eater. He chuckled under his breath.
It was her third bag within twenty-four hours. She inhaled the contents, soon before succumbing to its taste. Metallic to any human, but somehow satisfyi
ngly sweet to his Daughter. The sight made his stomach squeamish.
Her face relaxed, allowing her mind to halt its spiraling rage. The headaches stopped, as her sight fuzzed to a clearing. She gazed up to her Father with her normal green eyes. His eyes were scared; she knew that for sure. “Dad? I’m so sorry. Please let me out.”
He shook his head. It pains him to see her this way. He knew his time drew near, with age, but he didn’t need it to come today. “You will kill me.” Even the words sounded bizarre to him, but he knew it as a truth no thanks to him.
She gripped the bars tight, as the warmth of tears heated her cheeks. “Dad, please. I won’t. I promise.”
“I-I don’t know.” He stared into her eyes, knowing when she was most honest. He took a deep breath in, approaching the cage with caution.
Nick walked in, staggering at the sight of his old friend locked up in a cage like an animal. “She’s telling the truth.”
“How do you know?”
“Well, I haven’t killed you. At least, I won’t so long as I am kept fed. You don’t even spark an appetite with me, anyhow.”
“Dad, it’s true. No offense, but you don’t make me want to eat you.”
He turned his attention to Nick. “Is that a threat? Or are you just putting me down?”
“Neither,” Nick said with a shrug. “But, I have noticed that when I am hungry, I get swelled up with uncontrollable rage. When satisfied, I am calm.”
“Calista,” Marcel said, meeting her stare once more, “how are you feeling?”
“I’m fine. I feel okay now. I promise!”
He nodded, reaching to unlock her.
Nick’s phone began buzzing from his pocket. He pulled out the phone, looking down at it with a tight frown. “Emily just messaged me. She says she had something important to tell us.”
Marcel opened the door, allowing Calista free. “What could it possibly be?”
She hugged her Father tight. It surprised him, but he hugged back not wanting to let go. She pulled away, prying his arms off her and faded her smile thin. “Why is she involved with this, and I wasn’t?”
“I know. I’m sorry. I should have let you in on it, instead of become it. I had no idea.”
“It’s okay,” she said with a half-grin.
Nick coughed, gaining their uninvited attention. “Okay you made up. Now she said she would be here in five minutes. Nothing else.”
The clicking of heels appeared in the doorway. A bright, redheaded, woman poked her way in. A man followed behind. “Who will be here in five minutes?” Brinks welcomed herself in. “Now, Marcel, you didn’t spill the beans I hope.”
“No ma’am. I am sorry for the mess. Things been hectic lately. I wasn’t expecting you though.”
“Don’t worry. No one ever expects me,” she said, waving her hand in the air as if she were swatting away a fly.
Nick’s chuckle was soon met with a piercing gaze. “So you are like a missed period?”
She smirked at him. “And, who are you?”
Calista joined his side. “He is my, uh, date. We were about to meet up with a friend to go to coffee. I thought I would ask my dad if he wanted to join.”
Nick tried to argue with the lie, but was stopped by her pinching grip in his bicep. “Yeah, that’s right,” he said with a nervous grin.
“Hmmm.” Brinks turned to her colleague, and said, “We should get some after we are done here.”
Carlson nodded, as she moved her way to Marcel’s chair. She took a seat, swiveling side-to-side. She turned her head to Marcel, and asked, “How is the experiment going?”
Having her near him, made him jittery. “G-Good.”
He remembers their first encounter. Somewhat pleasant, as it was supposed to be a meeting about a possible pay raise. But, the meeting quickly turned sour when she told him what it was really about. It has been three years, since he began the experiment, and still no increase in income. In the pit of his gut, he knew he should have said no. But, in his mind, he thought Project Fledge would be a bust.
He didn’t expect it to go as far as it had. Besides that, he knew saying no wasn’t an option. Unless he wanted his Daughter to hate him. Which, that was the only family he had left. Risking it would have killed him. Now, he thinks risking it would have saved his Daughter.
“Marcel!” Emily said, bellowing out down the hall as she made her way into his lab. Breathless, after sliding into the room, she stopped. She didn’t know who the two agents were, and based on their unwelcoming stare, she didn’t want to know.
Calista quickly made it to her side. “Oh, Emily! You’re here. Ready for coffee?”
Maddie stooped between them. “I thought you and Nick hated each other, sis?”
Calista whispered into Emily’s ear, “Go along with me.”
“Sure am. I didn’t forget this time!” Emily could hear the nervousness in her voice, but hoped it wasn’t caught onto.
Brinks rose from the chair. “Agent Carlson. Let’s go.” Before leaving, she stopped and said, “Oh, by the way Doctor Johnston, you should probably change your shirt. It’s unprofessional.”
He looked down, realizing he hasn’t changed it in the last few days. He blushed, crossing his arms over his chest. But, before he could say, “Yes, ma’am,” she was already gone.
“Okay, am I missing something? Who was that?” Emily eyed both Calista and Marcel.
Calista shrugged, in response.
Marcel cleared his throat as he shut the door. “A nightmare not to be reckoned with. She was the one who put me on Project Fledge.”
“She was hot!” Nick smirked, laughing as Emily punched him in the arm.
“Probably,” Marcel said. He asked Emily, “Did you finish growing the Red Fates?”
“Yes, and you’re not going to believe what they do. But, first, you need to know we are not alone in this CBH experiment. I have proof.” She handed him the purple phone.
“You think they can help stop this, before it spreads anymore?” Calista’s heart twinges with hope. That hope was soon crushed by Emily’s response.
“No. They seem way too happy to be a part of it. Like mad scientist happy. Or, loony bin happy. They are sadistic in every way.”
“Damn,” Marcel mumbled under his breath.
“But, they did say something else,” she said, keeping her eyes met with Marcel’s.
“What?”
“They said they are only doing it for the same reason as you. Because they were told do so.”
Then, Marcel knew he wasn’t alone in this twisted game of blackmail. He did, however, feel alone in being able to fight back. To stop the madness. Eventually he knew he would need to tell the truth. But, right now, was a time to build alliances. He was going to find a cure or vaccine, even if it killed him.
Chapter 9
Jack Carlson stood by his daughters’ bedside. Her hair was gone, and her complexion
faded to a dull white. He knew she didn’t have
long, which made every second with her even
more precious. At only ten years of age, she
knew her own demise as well.
She opened her eyes halfway. “Daddy,
why were you gone so long?” she said, with a
crack in her voice.
He brushed back her hair, choking back
tears. “I’m sorry sweetie. Daddy had to work.” She started having a coughing fit, so
forceful that her bed moved an inch away from
the wall. The scraping noise on the wood floor
didn’t bother him as much as the bloody tissue
she handed him did. “Did you have enough for
my medicine this month?”
She’s too young to worry about money,
but when growing up poor, she grew up faster than needed. Mentally, she feared not ever having enough money for her medicine. He never wanted her to worry about such things. In fact, he tried everything to not let it be known by her. Until one da
y when she overheard her parents
arguing about it.
The coughing fit started again. He
feared it would never end. But, in his mind, it
was a relief that she is at least showing signs of
life.
He reached into his coat pocket,
thumbing for his latest item swiped from Marcel’s lab. “I have something of the sorts. I got it
from a lab in Connecticut.” Despite Marcel’s
messy lab, he knew it would be noticed if missing.
“What is it?”
He rubbed his knee, and then brought
his hand to his mouth, trying to find the right
words. “Eh, well, it’s an experimental drug. It is
new, and I believe it may help.”
Her eyes lit up, giving her enough
strength to sit up with excitement. “Is it a cure?” He wanted to tell her that it probably
will not cure her, but the light in her eyes made
him hopeful that it could possibly be the answers to their prayers. So, he nodded, hoping it
wasn’t a complete lie. “Yeah, maybe.”
Christine came up behind him, placing
her hand on his shoulder. “Jack, are you sure
about this?”
He turned, giving his wife a stern look
as if she were doubting his efforts. He lowered
his voice, matching his icy stare. “Have faith.
Because, I do.”
She knelt down beside him, reaching
for his shaking hand. She smiled, knowing the
number of times they have had their hopes
crash to the ground after numerous doctors
promised them something that, simply, did not
happen. “I know how badly you want this to
work… Sweetie, just please do not get mad if it
doesn’t. I mean, what do we know about this
drug? Has it even been tested?”
“My partner was vague about what it
does. She just said that it enhances the body, or
something.”
She watched as he rolled the syringe between his fingers. “Jack.”
