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Salem
Sheba remained silent for the three blocks they walked to the cemetery. An old, rusted spear-tipped fence enclosed the aged tombstones. Dead brittle briars roped through the needlepoint holly hedges along the fence, which added even more deterrents to discourage vandalism.
Mitch followed her in silence.
With her hands in her jacket pockets and her chin pressed against her chest as she walked, she held the posture of a devout monk. He worried how she’d fare after returning to the cemetery where her friends had died and disappeared. Should her boldness succumb to her buried inner fears, she might never recover from the shock. He’d have a hard time getting her home.
A half block later, Sheba stopped and turned. The front gate was partway open. Her face showed no emotion as she pushed the gate inward. The hinges wailed mournfully.
Mitch trailed behind her on the gravel path. A sharp wind swirled around them. Large cedar trees swayed back and forth like giant entities protecting the dead. Another gust of wind thinned the curtain of fog. The overhead clouds parted, allowing the full moon to illuminate the old manor. The windows reflected black and empty. Worn shutters rapped with hollow thuds against the aged boards.
She whispered, “Everything’s just like the night Gloria died. Nothing’s different.”
Mitch stepped beside her. “You don’t need to go any further. I can investigate the manor without you.”
Her eyes widened as she studied the dark overgrown fence near the gate. She grabbed his arm. “I should go with you.”
“But I thought you didn’t want to go.”
“I don’t, but I like the idea of being left alone even less.”
Mitch looped his arm around hers. “I wish we had a flashlight.”
Sheba dug in her jacket pocket and pulled out a small penlight. “This is all I have,” she said, handing it to him.
He shrugged and took it. “Beats nothing at all. If the clouds stay parted, the moon would give us enough light to see our way.”
***
Lucian jogged about a block and stopped. His head throbbed and everything spun, forcing him to close his eyes. He bent over to catch his breath. The dizzying sensation overwhelmed him and he vomited on the curb. He leaned against a parked car and looked to the sky. The full moon glowed strangely yellow.
After he recovered enough stability to run farther, he took a side street and ran another block. He walked to the steps of an apartment building and scanned the column of occupants until he found Dr. Brockton’s name. He pushed a button to page the scientist.
Several minutes passed before Brockton answered. “Who is it?”
“Lucian.”
“One second.”
A buzzer sounded and the apartment complex door unlocked. Lucian pulled open the door and walked to the elevator. On the third floor, he propped against the wall to keep from falling. The hall spun and grew dark.
Brockton tied his bathrobe, hurried down the hall, and grabbed Lucian’s arm. He glanced around. “Where’s Kat?”
“She doesn’t know I’m here. She thinks I’m jogging.”
“What’s wrong, Lucian?”
“Get me inside, quick.”
Brockton seated Lucian on the couch. Sweat beaded Lucian’s brow. His face was pale.
“You look horrible,” Brockton said.
“I feel worse than that.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Not sure. I have a fever. The enhancers aren’t working. I think I’ve lived as long as the drugs will let me.”
Brockton put his hand against Lucian’s brow. He couldn’t hide the worry on his face. “You’re burning up. Let me fill the bathtub with cold water.”
Lucian’s head dropped against the back of the sofa. His heartbeat rang in his ears. Brockton returned a few minutes later and helped Lucian to his feet. In the bathroom Lucian undressed down to his boxers. Brockton coaxed him to slide into the tub.
“Give me a minute,” Brockton said. “I have a few bags of ice in the deep freezer. That should slow down your metabolism until we can try something I’ve been working on.”
Lucian gave a weak nod. The chilly water made his jaw quiver.
Brockton brought two twelve-pound bags of ice to the bathroom and ripped them open. He emptied the ice into the cold water at Lucian’s feet. Lucian shivered and hugged himself.
“Have you told Kat about this?”
Lucian shook his head. His teeth chattered. “No. Don’t say anything to her, either.”
“Lucian, she’s the closest friend you have. She loves you. You need to tell her.”
Lucian shook his head. “She’s already lost too much without having to deal with this, too.”
“You cannot hide it. You die and she has to deal with the loss anyway.”
Lucian nodded. “Yes, but at least she won’t have to spend my last days worrying about when I’m going to die.”
Brockton shook his head. “You’re as stubborn as any man.”
“What do you expect? Do you think Dr. Helmsby might know why the enhancers are no longer working?”
Brockton shrugged. “Maybe, but I have no idea how to contact him. No one has seen him since he left Grayson Enterprises.”
“He went into hiding?”
“I don’t know. I have the impression that Grayson’s not a man you work for and simply walk away with your life.”
“Did Helmsby indicate that Grayson was vengeful?”
“Helmsby and I have seldom talked, although our conversations would be scientifically stimulating. But Grayson is like Idris. He’d kill to keep his secrets secret. He certainly wanted to kill Matthews for betraying him.”
“I remember. Grayson didn’t hide his hatred for Matthews. You might contact Daniel and see if he’s heard anything from Helmsby.”
Brockton nodded. “I’ll see if I can find him, but until I do, I have a new injection I want to try. I’ve put it off for a month because I thought the enhancers might still work.”
“At this point, I’m willing to try anything.”
“You don’t have many choices.”
Lucian sank into the tub. The icy water washed over his face. He held his breath as the water numbed him. For a few moments, he thought how easy it would be to slip away, to allow death to claim him, but Kat’s smiling face entered his mind. He jolted up and took in a deep breath.
“Are you okay?” Brockton asked.
Lucian nodded and wiped water from his eyes.
Brockton took the syringe and pushed out the final air bubbles. He plunged the needle into the thickness of Lucian’s left arm.
“Stay in the water another ten minutes. Then I’ll help you to the living room.”
“Where’s Kyle?”
“Asleep. I’ll get some blankets and be back in a few minutes.”
Lucian closed his eyes. As a genetically enhanced human, he loved the unique abilities Idris had incorporated into his genome, but he hated that the side effect was an approximate three-year lifespan. The enhancer drugs had given him an additional four years beyond his expiration date, but the drugs were no longer capable of extending his life. Worse than the thought of dying was the thought of losing Kat, the only true love he had known during his short life. Love was something he had never expected to experience. Something Idris had never programmed him to seek out.
Tears etched down his face.
Lucian realized there wasn’t anything left in the world he wanted to live for if Kat wasn’t in it.
Brockton stood at the side of the tub with a towel. “Can you stand without my assistance?”
“I’ll try.” Lucian grasped the sides of the tub and pushed himself to his feet. He lifted one leg over the side. Brockton wrapped a warm towel around him. Lucian held Brockton’s shoulder for added support.
“Sit on the edge of the tub. Don’t move around too much yet. The medicine should take effect in about an hour, provided your body chemistry reacts to it, and if it does, it could take several more hours for you to overcome your fatigue.”
“And if it doesn’t work?”
“We’ll figure out something. There has to be a solution. But if this doesn’t work, you really need to have a heart-to-heart talk with Kat.”
Lucian sighed. “I know I should, but if I do she’ll be devastated.”
“I understand. I’ve lost people I love, too.”
“She’ll grieve over me, but not just that. She really wants to adopt the twins.”
“Paul and Paula?”
Lucian nodded.
“I thought the state was denying that.”
“Carpenter said that he’d bend a few rules if they continue to block the adoption.”
Brockton shook his head. “Why are they preventing you from adopting them?”
“It’s not just us, but anyone interested in them are being denied.”
“Because of their abilities?”
“I think so. It’s horrendous to imagine that the government might be conducting similar tests on these children like Typhis was doing.”
“Because of their genetic engineering enhancements?”
Lucian nodded. “They fear they’ll be treated like freaks in society.”
“Nonsense.”
“I know.”
“The next time you talk to Carpenter tell him I’m willing to stand in as a research scientist overseeing their progress. That way, you and Kat can give them the parental attention they need. You know me well enough that I won’t harm them in any way.”
“I know. I’ll tell Kat.”
“Yes, and tell her about your condition before it’s too late.”
“I will.”
***
Lucian fell asleep a few minutes after Brockton helped him to the couch. Lucian had never been in such poor health before. Of course, when Idris had blackmailed Lucian by withholding the enhancers, Lucian plummeted near death. Had Brockton not intervened, Lucian would have died. As a future precaution, Brockton had stolen enough enhancers to last well over a year, and Lucian never skipped a dose.
Brockton found it extremely hard to understand how Lucian healed from injuries so easily, only to be a victim to his own genetic flaws. He might heal from bodily injury, but his unstable genetics could never repair his DNA blemishes.
As soon as morning came, Brockton would attempt to locate Dr. Helmsby and see if he had any ideas on how to correct the flaws in Lucian’s genome. As a scientist he had never opposed cloning because so many benefits came with the knowledge, but now, with Lucian’s condition deteriorating, he couldn’t ethically support cloning techniques after witnessing the painful side effects firsthand. Science imprisoned clones to short-termed lives. The anguish they suffered was never taken into account. But Idris had only wanted short-lived clones to use for assassins, nothing more. No amount of programming brainwashed them into not wanting more out of life, which wasn’t even a factor Idris had considered. Certainly, it wasn’t something he favored.
Brockton feared what would happen once mind control devices were created and scientists worse than Idris obtained them. What would future clones be commanded to carry out?