Feeding Fersia

by L. S. O'Dea

  Louis nodded and grabbed Charlie’s arm, leading him down the hallway.

  McBrid headed toward Conguise’s office. They needed to stop these experiments, at least the ones that had no purpose. Most of the projects tried to enhance the hosts—make them stronger, faster or give them additional abilities like camouflage techniques, or swimming like a fish—but the Aranea experiments and a few others were only to mutate and transform. They were cruel. They should’ve stopped these experiments as soon as they realized that the Araneas couldn’t create silk, but Conguise had a fascination with them and the experiments had continued. Before it’d been a job, but now, with her...It was wrong to do this just because they could. He burst into Conguise’s office.

  The professor looked up from the papers on his desk. There was a hint of fear until Conguise recognized who—or more accurately what—had invaded his office.

  “You shut off the water.” It wasn’t a question.

  “From your appearance it was a wise decision,” said Conguise.

  “You almost got...” He paused. The professor wouldn’t care that any of them had almost been eaten. “Aranea54 is dead because of you.”

  “What?” Conguise was paying attention now.

  He moved farther into the room, wiping at the venom on his shirt. “This is his. His insides from when Aranea19”—he hated calling her that but he had to in front of Conguise—“attacked and killed him after mating. I attempted to separate them several times.” He shook at the memory. “But she killed him.” He hesitated a moment. “And fed.” The sounds echoed through his head but it wasn’t the Aranea slurping up the juices of Jocko but Fersia.

  “At least she’s eating again.” The tension around Conguise’s mouth eased. “She’s the important one in this experiment.”

  “She and her mate. Her mate. They’d both been important.” They’d been kids probably only around sixteen. Neither of them had deserved this.

  “Create another mate for her.” Conguise looked back at his papers.

  He stormed across the room and slammed his hand on the desk. “I wouldn’t have to do that, if you hadn’t turned off the damn water.”

  Conguise’s blue eyes were like ice, cooling McBrid’s fury.

  “The water is what killed Aranea18.”

  “I wouldn’t have used full force.” He also wouldn’t have used it on her. “I would’ve sprayed hi...her until I could get the glass down.” That was a lie but it was a good one.

  Conguise pursed his lips for a moment. “Doesn’t matter. She would’ve killed him later.”

  “We don’t know that.” He truly didn’t. She’d only killed Jocko to help Charlie.

  “Of course we do. You’re upset. The violence of these creatures when they attack is both beautiful and frightening.” Conguise’s lips tipped upward. “It’s good that she’s fed. A full belly should make her hungry again soon.”

  “I doubt it.” He didn’t think Fersia would eat any more Servants and he didn’t want to offer them to her.

  “Then you need to get the males created and give her something to increase fertility. She should mate before eating them. If we’re lucky, she’ll conceive.” Conguise’s eyes lowered to McBrid’s hand, still on the desk.

  McBrid took the hint and straightened. “I think this program should be stopped. It’s unsuccessful.”

  “Nonsense.”

  “She won’t mate and if she does, she won’t conceive. Aranea18 didn’t, no matter how many times we tried.” The faces of the countless Servants they’d used to create monsters that were quickly dispatched marched through his head, their eyes sad and accusing. “And the females do not obey.” She was too angry to follow his commands. He’d taken everything from her—her trust, her love, her mother—and made her into a monster.

  “It’s your job to make them breed and obey.” Conguise’s words were soft and deadly. “Are you quitting?”

  “No, sir.” He struggled not to shake at the implied threat.

  “Perhaps you should get back to work.”

  “I-I don’t think the Aranea program is for me. I’m requesting a transfer.” He couldn’t face her again, not now that he knew Fersia, his friend, lurked inside that monstrosity.

  “Transfer?”

  “Scottsmoor was reassigned. I’d like to be reassigned too.”

  “Scottsmoor was reassigned because I needed him somewhere else, not because he couldn’t do the job.” Conguise’s fingers played on the desk, reminding McBrid of an Aranea’s claws as they tapped along the tile. “Are you saying you can’t do the job?”

  “I’m saying this project should be shut down.” He took a deep breath. He had no choice but to run along the knife’s edge but he had to be careful or he’d be sliced to ribbons. “I’m saying that I’ve tried everything. I’ve spent months going over and over the reports, both here and at home.” He paused to let Conguise understand exactly what he was threatening. “And there isn’t going to be a way to salvage this experiment.”

  “You’re not supposed to take reports out of the lab.”

  “I know but we all do. You expect results and there aren’t enough hours during the day to get the outcome you expect.”

  “You should’ve spoken with me. I could’ve hired more scientists to ease the burden.”

  “Perhaps we should’ve but...”

  “The reports are property of this lab.” Conguise’s voice was hard but there was fear oozing from his pores.

  “We all understand that and none of us—none of us—ever leave any unattended at home.” He emphasized the last word slightly. Let the professor dwell on that.

  “Hmm. All of you do this?’

  “Yes.” He didn’t know about everyone but most of them took work home and most of them made backups for personal safety reasons. “You didn’t think Ableson actually sent me to his house to inform his Servants of his accident, did you?” He gave himself a moment to look down his nose at the professor. “He had reports there. He wanted to make sure they were safe.” Safe from Conguise.

  Conguise’s breath hitched a fraction. “I see.”

  Good. The professor believed him.

  “I’ve heard you’ve pretty much...adopted those two Guards, the young ones.” Conguise’s blue eyes shimmered with victory.

  Someone had tattled on him. It could’ve been Scottsmoor or Parson, or any number of scientists. They were all clawing to get on Conguise’s good side because being on his bad meant disappearing. “They’re good workers and—”

  “Aren’t they the ones who were involved in Aranea18’s death?”

  “No.” At the professor’s narrowed eyes he added, “Only one of them. The other was working for Parson at the time.”

  “Hmm.” Conguise leaned back in his seat. “You seem to have a fondness for these Guards.”

  When he fled the lab, Charlie and Louis were coming with him. “Not really. I can trust them. That’s all.” He could smell the professor’s nervousness. He stepped forward. “That’s important in this environment.”

  “Yes, trust is key.” Conguise studied him for a long moment but McBrid knew better than to flinch. Never show a predator weakness. “How is your father these days?”

  His breath froze. Conguise never asked personal questions. This was a warning for the Guards and his family. “Good.”

  “Your uncle.” There was a hint of a sneer in the other man’s voice.

  “He’s also doing well.”

  “You mother, Araldo rest her, was very fond of Guards too.” Conguise leaned forward. “Especially in her younger years.” He shook his head. “Teenagers can be so unruly. Thinking they know what’s right. Letting their emotions guide them.”

  His heart thudded against his rib cage. The professor suspected. It wouldn’t be hard to prove. All it’d take was a blood test. His grandfather had used money to buy his other results. His father and uncle would do it again but only if they had a chance.

  “You don’t look much like your father.” Co
nguise’s eyes trailed over McBrid.

  He didn’t look at all like the Almighty who was supposedly his father and the professor wasn’t the first to notice this. He had to brave it out. Stick with the story that’d worked for years. “No. I look a lot like his great grandfather though.” He paused for a second. “I guess, I’m a throwback.”

  “I suppose.” Conguise leaned back in his seat again.

  The professor didn’t believe that story for a moment. He waited. This wasn’t over. There was too much gleam in the other man’s eyes – like a snake waiting to attack.

  “Your father and your uncle...It’s no secret what they are.”

  So that was where the professor was heading. The tension slipped from his shoulders. Conguise wouldn’t be the first to travel this path.

  “I don’t care about that.” The professor’s long fingers tapped along his desk. “Actually, I prefer it.”

  He couldn’t help it, he blinked.

  “Don’t look so surprised. They won’t poison the gene pool when they stay with their kind.” He looked McBrid up and down. “However, when they fight their true nature and marry, they can create more of their kind.”

  “I’ve heard the rumors that you whisper and they’re untrue. My father and uncle are only friends.” There were still laws, unenforced but on the books, that outlawed homosexuality. “But even if they were...more, I like females. If you doubted it, why did you invite me to the husband-hunting party you held for your daughter?”

  Congusie laughed. “Oh, you weren’t a candidate.” He leaned forward. “You were a warning of what she should avoid.” His lips turned up in a sneer. “I’d never let the likes of you soil my gene pool.”

  “My genes are as good as yours. Better even.” His fists clenched at his sides. “My family can be traced back to before the Great Death.” On his mother’s side and stepfather’s but not his real father.

  “Hmm.” The professor’s eyes gleamed. The man knew something.

  Sweat pooled under his arms. He’d thought Conguise had condemned him because of his father’s homosexuality, but what if the professor suspected he was a mephi? They’d worked closely together for years.

  “Shame that both those ancient lines”—Conguise stressed the word both—“shall die with you.”

  “Not if I sire children. I’m young yet. My parents were unfortunate to not have more children.” Time to bring this back home. Remind Conguise that he also had a family. “Like you. Your line dies with Viola. She needs to marry well and have many children.” Things that wouldn’t happen if a scandal surrounded the Conguise name. The upper echelon of society protected their own, until it was time to protect themselves. When that happened the ostracization was brutal and all encompassing.

  “And she will.” Conguise’s lips thinned. “Just as I’m sure your father and uncle will enjoy their lives as they’ve done for years.”

  They were at an impasse. If he released any reports about the lab, his uncle and father would pay the price along with Charlie and Louis.

  “You say that you take work home because you’re too busy.”

  He nodded, waiting.

  “You can have those two Guards you’re so fond of assigned directly to you to help with your work.”

  That was a joke. Charlie and Louis couldn’t help him with any work except cleaning and that wasn’t what he took home. However, it was a peace offering of sorts and he’d take it. “Thank you, sir.”

  “Now, go and create more male Araneas.” The professor’s eyes were ice blue and cold, just like McBrid felt to his bones.

  CHAPTER 46: McBrid

  MCBRID SAT ON THE floor, leaning against the door. Fersia was in the corner, watching him. He took another long drink from the bottle of whiskey. He’d gambled and lost. He should’ve never shown the professor his hand. Now, he had to try to keep Louis and Charlie safe, warn his father and uncle and make sure he didn’t end up dinner for one of these monsters. He took another drink.

  “You’re not the monster. None of you are.” He tapped his chest with the bottle. “I’m the monster. Me and all the other scientists.” The atrocities they’d created were numerous. He drank some more. This was the last place he should be with impaired senses and yet, this was where he needed to be.

  “I-I’m sorry.” He stood and staggered to his chair, pulling it to the line on the floor. “I know you can’t forgive me. I don’t expect you to, but I wanted to tell you that...I’m sorry I did this to you.”

  Fersia moved to the front of the cage.

  “I didn’t know you when I picked you. I needed two Servants who were in love.” His eyes dropped to the dried up shell of Jocko. “You loved him.”

  She slapped the carcass with her claw. A chunk of him broke into pieces almost as small as rice.

  “He was never worthy of your love.” He took another drink. “I should’ve gotten to know you first. If I had, I would’ve let you stay with your mother.” He blinked back tears. “She’s been looking for you. She’s transferred to the lab.”

  Fersia chittered and clicked, dancing across her cage.

  “No. No.” He stood. “Not like you transferred. It was done before I found out or I would’ve tried to stop her. I’ll do what I can to make sure she doesn’t...end up like you. I know the person who handles the Servants’ duties. I’ll make sure she keeps working as a maid. I owe you more than that, but it’s all I can do.”

  Fersia waved her leg about and then tapped a book that Charlie had given her.

  “I don’t understand.”

  Moisture dripped from her fangs and she hit the book again.

  “Do you want me to read to you?”

  She shoved the book across the cage.

  She obviously understood him. “I’m sorry but I don’t know what you want.”

  She chittered as she hopped up and down.

  He shook his booze fuddled head as she raced up the bars of the cage. The bars. That was it. “Fersia, listen closely. We can talk.”

  She stilled, her black eyes on him as she hung upside down from the ceiling.

  “Touch the first bar on the right side of the door for yes”—he had to stop himself from walking over there and showing her—“and the one on the left for no.” His breath was shaky. “Do you understand?”

  She chirped.

  “Touch the bar.”

  She dropped to the floor and hurried over to the door. She wrapped her leg around the bar to the right. His knees buckled. He wanted to shout his triumph. They were going to communicate.

  “Great. Do you want me to read or get you more books?”

  She tapped the left bar.

  Okay. He’d have to go back. Take it slow. “Do you want to know about your mother?”

  She tapped the right bar several times.

  “Good. Like I said. She’s safe.”

  Fersia tapped the left bar.

  He hadn’t asked a question but he understood. “I swear. She’s okay. She’s cleaning the labs.”

  Fersia scurried across the cage and pushed a book forward.

  “What about the book?” He stared at it and then her. “I don’t understand. It’s only a picture book that Charlie brou...”

  She tapped the right bar.

  “Charlie?”

  She tapped the bar again.

  “Okay.” He took a deep breath. “You want to know something about Charlie and your mother.”

  She tapped the right bar.

  “Good. We’re getting there.” He dropped onto his chair, watching her closely. “Charlie is a Guard and your mother is a Servant.”

  She didn’t move.

  “You were teaching Charlie to read that book.”

  She still didn’t move.

  “You got agitated when I said your mother was working here.”

  She remained still.

  “As a maid.”

  She tapped the right bar.

  “Your mother is cleaning the labs.”

  She tapped the
book.

  “Charlie...Oh! Some of the labs are cleaned by Servants. Some by Guards because they can’t read.”

  She stared at him.

  Damn. He’d thought he’d had it. He took another drink. “Your mother and Charlie. They both clean the labs.”

  A drop of moisture slid down her face, making her black hair sparkle under the light.

  He leaned forward. “Do you want to see your mom? Do you want her to clean in here?” He shouldn’t do that. Servants weren’t allowed to clean these rooms, but he’d do it for her.

  She slapped the left bar several times.

  “Oh. I get it.” His stomach clenched. He understood, completely. “You don’t want your mother to see you.” To see what she’d become. What he’d done to her.

  Fersia tapped the right bar.

  “I promise. Your mother will never clean this room. I swear.”

  She danced back and forth and then paused, staring at him.

  “I am sorry, Fersia.” It meant nothing. He shouldn’t have said it again because its only purpose was to make him feel better and he should never feel better. Never.

  She shoved a few books around as if looking for a particular one and then slid it toward him.

  “Do you want me to read to you?”

  She tapped the right bar.

  He picked up the book. It was the one on legends and myths. “I thought you didn’t like fiction.”

  She tapped the right and then the left bar.

  “So, you changed your mind.” He smiled at her. “This is good that we can communicate. No one has ever done this. Ever. I should tell them. If they understood that you’re still in there, maybe they’d stop doing this.”

  She hissed, wrapping her leg around the left bar.

  “You’re right. They wouldn’t care.” He took a deep draw from the bottle. “Not about you. Not about the Guards and Servants we use. They’d only care that we could talk to them. Use them.” This breakthrough would make Conguise double or triple his efforts and that meant more mutilations, transformations and death. “I know all this...and I don’t want to but”—he lowered his head to his hands and wept—“I’m going to have to do it again and again. I can’t leave. No one leaves this place.” He looked up and her long leg was in front of his face. His eyes dropped to the floor. He was behind the line, but he didn’t deserve to be safe. He leaned toward her, taking the chair with him.