by C M Dancha
"God, that's exactly what we don't need. Do you have any theories about what's going on?"
"At first, I didn't, but after thinking about the problem something occurred to me. Do you remember Callie and her ape, Maxine?" Claude nodded. "Even though Maxine was cloned only once, Callie thought there was something wrong with the replicant ape. She didn't know exactly what it was but knew something was slightly off-kilter. As you might remember, Callie wanted Phoenvartis to put the ReLife program on hold until she could figure it out. Well, the World Council, Klaus and the Board of Directors didn't give a damn about Callie's concern and demanded that the project move forward. From what I recall, Rollie got her an extra week at Phoenvartis to find the problem. And, she might have figured it out, but then someone killed her."
"I thought the ape killed her? Isn't that what the Medical Examiner's office determined?"
"I'm not sure, Claude. I know that Rollie and Raul had doubts about how Callie met her demise. Especially Rollie. He had a tough time believing the ape who loved Callie would kill her. I think he was right because I can remember entering the primate lab and seeing Maxine weeping near Callie's corpse."
Beads of sweat started to appear on Claude's forehead. Was Helmer leading up to naming Callie's killer? Did Raul tell Milkweed, Rollie or anyone else that Claude was the killer? "Helmer, please get to the point."
"Claude, the point is this. Rollie believes that Callie was closing in on finding the reason for Maxine's odd behavior. Before she could release her findings, someone killed her and deleted her test notes. Callie didn't have time to do a comprehensive battery of tests. But she did have enough time to form an initial hypothesis based on the preliminary test results."
"So, do you have a theory?"
"Yes. Rollie and I talked at length about this. Here's what we came up with. Using cloned chromosomes over and over leads to a deviation each time. It's like making a copy from a copy. The first copy might look great and be near perfect. But each successive copy is less accurate. By the fourth, fifth or sixth copy the replicant is simply a bad copy and incapable of functioning like a real person."
"Okay, explain why Maxine acted oddly even though first- and second-generation human clones act fine."
"Rollie and I asked the same question. What we think is that every generation of clone has a slightly irregular chromosome pattern. In some cases, the irregularity shows up in behavior and in others, it might be a physical trait. For example, Rollie's clone might have smaller hands but his brain was perfectly reproduced. In other clones, like Maxine, the defect appeared first in the brain. That's why she acted somewhat strange. The bottom line is that repeated cloning will eventually show a defect in the brain. When that happens, you end up with a replicant who acts irrationally like the colonel I told you about."
Claude was relieved that Helmer didn't know he was sitting across the desk from a murderer. "What do we do, Helmer?"
"I don't have a clue. We're in the middle of a war. We can't stop production and we don't have the resources to figure out if there is a way to change the CR47 so this problem can be solved. Give me a day or two, Claude. I might be able to come up with something."
"Okay, I'll give it some thought too. You know, I hate to admit this, but I wish Rollie was still here running things. My life was a hell of a lot simpler back then."
As Helmer left the office, Claude started thinking about Claudette. Helmer and Rollie's theory of excessive cloning might explain an oddity in Claudette's clone. She still stood close but not uncomfortably close when talking to another person. He missed this quirky behavior – it was the one unique thing that made her Claudette.
30
COURTING THE ENEMY
"Alex, I don't like the way things are going I have a bad feeling about what's happening."
"What do you mean, K?"
Krieger rolled over to face his new lover. "I don't know, there's something about this Gott guy which makes me very uncomfortable. On our trip from Zurich, he seemed like a reasonable, highly intelligent man. He talked the entire trip about how to organize and motivate people to achieve a common goal. By the time we reached Berlin, I was convinced he was the right person to lead the Black Cross against the World Council socialists. Now, I don't know what to think. At times, I admire his leadership qualities and at other times he scares the crap out of me."
Alex, also known as Catherine and Sophia, stared into Krieger's eyes and wondered why she hadn't killed him yet. She was lying next to the man who had made her life miserable as Mr. Sun. The man she’d promised herself to kill as she had taken care of her former boyfriend in Moldova.
She’d allowed herself to become intimate with him but didn't know why. He was ruggedly handsome, but she doubted that had anything to do with her decision. There were thousands of attractive men to sleep with, whenever she felt the need. Was it possible that using her sexuality to obtain information was so ingrained into her behavior that she couldn't help herself? It might be that. But it could also be that she needed a safe haven until the war in Europe either ended, or the major battles moved to another area of the world.
Krieger hadn't recognized her as his paid informant from Phoenvartis who stole his money and a piece of his reputation. Her cover story for the alias Alex, short for Alexis, stood up to his background check. Like many of her foes, he’d overlooked the unimaginable. She went on the offensive rather than run and hide. He’d made a serious error in judgment. He was so convinced that he understood Catherine from Phoenvartis, his ego wouldn't allow him to entertain the thought that she would walk head-on into his life.
"I'm not as smart as you are K, but you must have seen or heard something which makes you leery of him."
She could tell that he enjoyed being called the pet name of K rather than his full name of Krieger. It was one of the main reasons he’d pursued her after the cocktail party the two of them attended to celebrate the military taking of Budapest. He’d fallen head-over-heels for her disguise as an innocent, doting admirer of high-ranking officials in Gott's inner circle. After years as a rebel, he enjoyed having an attractive woman on his arm who didn't want to constantly discuss politics and war. It was a refreshing change from the hardened, deceitful female revolutionaries he’d bedded in the past.
Sophia didn't know if there was a God, but she prayed that Krieger never found out who he was sharing his most intimate thoughts with.
"For one thing, his personality changes instantly. One minute he’s laughing and joking and then he's ordering the execution of an adviser who he claims is plotting against him. I don't know what sets him off. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. I fear that he'll order my execution one day, based on trumped-up charges or his psychosis."
"I don't know what to tell you. Can you stay in the background and do your job without dealing directly with him?"
"That's what I've been trying to do, but it seems as if he knows everything that’s going on within his staff and army. It's almost like he has a window to each of our souls and minds. There are times when I'm around him that I feel like he’s scanning my brain and examining my thoughts." Krieger paused to think over what he was trying to describe to Alex.
"What really spooks me, Alex, are his eyes. They're translucent. They are so colorless that at times I swear they’re like a pane of glass. And, there's nothing on the other side of that glass; absolutely nothing."
"Wow, that gives me a shiver just hearing you describe this guy. Have you noticed anything else?"
Krieger wondered if he should continue criticizing Gott. With each negative comment made about Gott, the likelihood of getting in trouble increased. There was no such thing as constructive criticism in the Gott camp. Anything other than complete obedience was considered subversive or treasonous. But tonight, he felt like baring his soul and didn't give a rat's ass about getting himself or Alex in trouble.
"He’s surrounding himself with some of the weirdest people I've ever met. One guy is a sexual predator who enjoys
the company of young boys. Another is a heavy drug user and the guy responsible for Gott's safety is a sadist. Gott's personal physician is a witch doctor, in my opinion. It's one pervert, derelict, or sicko after another. I don't know where he found these malcontents, but it had to be at the bottom of a barrel. The only thing they have in common is that they’re very loyal to Gott. When he speaks, they act as if they’re hearing God speak. They act more like robots than humans."
"From the way you describe his inner circle, you should be the shining star, K."
"That's what I thought at first, but now I believe that being somewhat sane and normal is a liability. The wackier you are, the higher you rise in Gott's organization. I must admit though, that Gott's military commander seems to be levelheaded. His name is Rommus and he’s a no-nonsense leader who is brilliant on the battlefield. Together, Gott and Rommus have been able to put together an unbeatable military. They have yet to lose a battle or skirmish."
"That’s at least encouraging, don't you think?"
"I don't know. Sometimes I wonder whether it's better for our side to win or lose. To be really honest about it, I wish both sides could lose. The World Council government has been overbearing for a long time, but I can see that Gott's regime would be just as bad. He's already starting to identify groups of people he wants eliminated, whatever the hell that means."
Sophia was surprised by Krieger's admission that he thought both sides going down in defeat would be the best thing. She was starting to gain some respect for the revolutionary. Was it possible he’d gotten dragged into the cloning of Gott, not knowing what type of creature would come out of the CR47? "I don't understand, K."
"Gott has targeted groups he considers expendable and of little value to the State. The old, unstable and handicapped are in his sights for elimination. Another group I've heard him talk about are the religious. He thinks they are weak and would undermine his grip on society. I could also imagine him starting ethnic cleansing of certain groups who have the same background or ancestry. So, while he speaks in public about more freedom for citizens of the world, in private he's planning less freedom. It's all a big lie to get people to join his revolution against the World Council."
"That isn't good, K. I don't know about you, but I want more control over my life, not less."
"I agree. I didn't spend much of my adult life fighting against a repressive regime, so another group of tyrants could take over."
Krieger and Alex lapsed into silence for a few minutes.
"I shouldn't tell you this, but Gott isn't even real; he's a clone."
Sophia knew exactly what he was talking about but acted baffled by his last comment. "What the heck does that mean?"
"There's a company in Zurich, Switzerland, which developed a machine which clones human beings. You put some body parts from a dead person into the machine and a couple of hours later, an exact replicate is produced."
"What's that got to do with you and Gott?"
"Alex, I was given the task of getting Gott's replicant made for the Black Cross. I had no idea who he was but found out a couple of weeks ago that his body parts were preserved from over two hundred years ago. Rumor has it, a loyal follower of the original Gott in the mid-twentieth century kept some of his body parts. He stored them in a cryogenics lab freezer with detailed instructions on what to do with them when cloning was perfected. I don't know if it was planned, luck, or coincidence, but someone got the samples to the Black Cross for cloning. And, a high member of the Black Cross knew who this Gott character was, from two hundred years before. The higher-up thought it would be promising to bring him back to lead our organization."
Sophia shook her head, behaving as if she was hearing for the first time a complicated science fiction plot. "Are you joking?"
"No, I'm not joking. I was at the company in Zurich when Gott was made. I watched as he was put together in the cloning machine. No one was supposed to use the machine other than authorized company personnel, so I paid off one of their executives to get access to the machine. Gott's clone was finished before the Lavender troops showed up. The company man I paid helped me get Gott out of the building with only seconds to spare, before I had to smuggle him back to Berlin. We played cat and mouse all the way back to Berlin. I'm sure that Gott realizes the risks I took getting him out of Zurich and he’s repaid me by making me his personal aide."
"Let's hope he continues to remember what you've done for him."
"Actually, the only responsibilities of my job which I hate are keeping his hair-brain girlfriend out of trouble and making sure his dog gets the best of everything. Otherwise, he leaves me alone. But I know that one day he'll forget the debt he owes me. I have to make sure I stay one step ahead of him and get out before he decides to eliminate me."
There were a couple of men at Phoenvartis who could have helped Krieger access the CR47 and smuggle Gott out of the building. Sophia was betting that it had been Raul. He was the only one who was crafty enough to pull off both tasks.
It was interesting that Krieger hadn't mentioned his first female accomplice. He wasn't the type of person to sweep disloyalty aside and not seek revenge. Did he know anything about who was trying to kill her? She wanted to ask him more questions about how he’d gained access to the CR47, but couldn't think of a good reason without casting suspicion on herself. With luck, the topic would come up again and give her the opportunity to ask pointed questions. "Do you have any idea who this Gott use to be?"
"I'm not sure yet, but I have a couple of ideas. He makes a lot of references to the Second World War. He must have held a prominent role in that conflict, because he knows almost everything that happened. He talks constantly about the military, political and propaganda tactics used before and during that war. Whenever possible, he takes those tactics and applies them to the war being fought now. I'm using his comments about the past to narrow down the possibilities of who this guy might have been."
"Does he know that he's a clone?"
"I told him, but he didn't seem to care. He acted as though it was natural for him to be once again leading a movement for global change. In fact, he's even made a couple of comments about his prior lives when he led great armies and revived societies from economic ruin. He reminds me of the phoenix, the mythical bird which comes back to life from its own ashes. The way he can get people to do his bidding is beyond belief. I swear, there are times when I believe his minions would kill themselves if he asked. The man is hypnotic. He exerts complete control over everyone who hears him speak."
The picture painted of Gott was so alarming, Sophia was adjusting her timetable for leaving Europe as Krieger spoke. Even if his assessment of Gott was only half true, it justified fleeing the continent before a major disaster took place. There was no question that she needed to put as many miles as possible between this tyrant and herself.
She was turning over how to get out of Europe in her mind when Krieger asked, "Alex if I can get us out of Europe, will you come with me?"
Sophia stared at him. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
“If I can get us out of Europe, will you come with me?”
She nodded. "Of course, I'll leave with you. When and how?"
"Let me worry about that. Make sure you're packed and ready to go at any time. Okay?"
With a smirk on her face, Sophia said, "Yes sir, Commander. Come here and give your servant a big hug."
The two revolutionaries ate, drank and frolicked the evening away. Long after Krieger fell asleep, Sophia lay in bed wondering if she’d made a good decision. Once again, she was going to rely on a man to provide for her safety. Her history with such alliances had been disastrous, each time she had either been physically abused, imprisoned or sold as a slave. This time, she promised herself to be more aware of what her male partner was doing and at the first sign of trouble, cut and run. She also decided to contact Helga – she might have information which could alter her action plan.
That night, an old woman came to Sophia
in her dreams. She was as white as the first snowfall of winter. Even her eyes and lips lacked color. "Darling, you're dreaming now but you need to remember what I say when you wake up. Do you understand?"
Sophia had never dreamed with such vivid realism before. For a dream character, the old woman was as real as any human from her daily life. "Yes, but who are you?"
"I'm Rollie's great-grandmother. I've been watching you for quite some time and hoping that His grace would enter and guide your heart. Sweetie, those who believe in Him need your help to defeat the forces of evil who are consuming the Earth. If evil wins this conflict, Man will be enslaved for a thousand years until the Holy One returns. My fellow spirits and I do not want Man to suffer for a millennium at the hand of the godless."
LeeLee's spirit turned and motioned with her hand into the distance. Sophia looked beyond LeeLee to see millions of white spirits on the distant horizon. All were gazing toward Sophia, saying nothing, but pleading with their eyes for her help.
"My dear, you have been chosen to help the Man-From-The-East who is preparing to battle the evil ones. Without your help, it is unlikely that he can win."
"Why me, grandmother?"
"Because we trust you. You know the difference between good and evil and have learned this lesson the hard way. You are battle-hardened and have locked horns with the evil one's minions many times."
"Who is the Man-From-The-East; how will I know who he is and what will he want me to do?"
"When the time comes, my child, he'll contact you. But, be aware that he will ask you to make a monumental sacrifice for the cause of good. You may or may not survive. Either way, your spirit will reside in His house."
Sophia opened her mouth to ask grandmother more questions, but no sound came out. She seemed to have been stifled with some type of invisible gag.
