"How much of my life force do you need?" I asked.
Dr. Preston smiled. "Each clone only requires a modest amount."
"Don't bullshit me! How much, damn it?"
Dr. Preston's smile vanished. "About a few days' worth of life force per clone. A modest sacrifice, don't you think?"
A few days per clone. A couple years of my life could fuel a new army of Beastmasters?
Assuming it works perfectly each time. I could sense Zoe's unease. Ask about the current clones.
"Does it work?" I did the math in my head. "Staccato went berserk two years ago. So you've been creating clones for a few years? What do you have, a bunch of baby Beastmasters?"
Dr. Preston chuckled. "Some would say that about the lot of you."
"Another good question," Dr. Hill said. "Generating an adult clone only takes several months. We use a growth accelerator. Physically, the process seems to work. However, there are still concerns—"
Dr. Preston tapped his fingers impatiently on his lap. "You've seen their potential. Cody is a clone."
"Cody?" My mouth fell open. He was some kind of science project? That didn't excuse his murderous, asshole behavior, but it did cast things in a different light.
Zoe made a hacking noise as if she was going to puke a hairball. I knew his damn dog smelled funny. I knew it.
"You want to create more people like Cody?" I shook my head. "No fucking way. He's an idiot. Not to mention a traitor, although no one seems to care." I snorted. It made sense. Protecting their pet project. "Yeah, lots of potential."
"As I was saying," Dr. Hill said, "there are still concerns about programming a clone. Programming an adult Beastmaster in a few months isn't an easy task."
"I admit my work with Cody has shortcomings, but it's nothing that can't be overcome." Dr. Preston nodded to Dr. Hill. "We can always try your methods. Look how well it's working with—"
Dr. Hill coughed loudly. "It's true the clones may work out. But I think an alternative plan is more viable."
"What plan?" I asked.
"A breeding program," Dr. Hill said.
Hm. Now that sounds promising.
Zoe!
"Breeding?" I furrowed my brows. I didn't quite share Zoe's enthusiasm.
"Before Staccato lost his Avatar, he managed to impregnate several other Beastmasters. I don't know if Zoe's told you about Chimeric physiology, but apparently only higher Chimerics can reproduce."
That's true. Like how your bees have workers and queens. But a bonded Beastmaster and Avatar, higher or not, shouldn't be able to breed. My genetic material mixes with yours as we evolve together. The scrambled genetics wreak havoc on sexual reproduction, to put it bluntly.
"But bonded Chimerics shouldn't be able to reproduce," I said.
Dr. Hill nodded. "None of the earliest trials made it past the second month. All miscarriages. That's where we come in. We extract the embryo after several weeks, dissect the pluripotent tissue, mutagenize, and screen for surviving stem cells. From there, we follow the cloning protocol. It's complicated, but it works without the need for an external life force. A mix of modern cloning and old-fashioned sex."
"Well, he would be passing on his life force in a different way, I suppose, if you want to quibble about it," Dr. Preston said.
Holy shit. It was too much all at once. My mind raced and settled on a particularly absurd idea.
"Staccato has kids?" I asked. An even more disturbing thought crossed my mind. "How old are they?"
"Staccato doesn't know that he has any children," Dr. Hill said. "The same growth acceleration process can bring these embryo-derived subjects to maturity in three months."
Zoe stirred. This is amazing, Dustin. I can't believe it.
"Who?" I asked. "Have I met them?"
"That's classified," Dr. Hill said, looking at Dr. Preston with a stern glare.
"If Cody's a clone, who was he cloned from?" What the hell? He clearly shared a resemblance to his father, but that would mean…
Dr. Preston smiled. "That's also classified."
I didn't care about keeping quiet around Dr. Preston anymore. This was too much.
So we might have clones and Staccato's kids running around in our own squad? Fucking hell. This is insane. And I thought I was the odd one out.
Zoe didn't reply immediately.
Zoe?
We can talk about this later. In private.
"So," I said. "Your breeding program." The words hung in the air, awkward and heavy.
"Yes," Dr. Hill. "I'm sure you'll agree that we have a number of suitable candidates." She tried to force a smile.
I stood up. "I'm sorry, Dr. Hill. I need time to think about all of this."
"Of course." She got up to usher me to the door. She whispered into my ear as she brushed past me. "We'll talk when he's gone." Her eyes flicked to Dr. Preston.
I nodded. "Dr. Preston. Dr. Hill. Come on, Zoe."
I left the office in a daze.
CHAPTER 5
I rushed down the hallways back towards my room.
Can you believe what they're asking? Ridiculous.
Zoe sent the mental equivalent of a shrug. It's not that unusual.
I stopped in the middle of the hallway. A group of soldiers glanced furtively at me while walking past in the other direction.
Wait. You think it's normal?
Bioengineering and breeding programs aren't that unusual to a Chimeric. We shapeshift. We evolve. Not just as individual organisms. As a society. As a collective. It's part of our identity.
Like the Second Strain?
Zoe bared her fangs. Not all change is good.
You're okay with their requests? With letting Dr. Frankenstein drain our life force? Not to mention what they might have done to Cody and Staccato. Shit!
I'm partial to Dr. Hill's breeding program. I thought you would be, too. I know this is exactly what you fantasize—
"I can't hear you," I said out loud, putting my hands over my ears and humming. I started down the hall again.
Hearing me doesn't require your ears.
"I can't hear you," I repeated loudly. "La la la."
Dustin. Dustin.
"Dustin!"
Stella stood in front of me. I stopped in surprise and lowered my hands from my ears.
"Are you okay?" Stella asked.
She would make an excellent breeding partner. Imagine yourself nestled between her slim thighs…
My eyes slipped down below Stella's waist before I caught myself. Stop that!
I pretended to bend over and sneeze. "Whew. It's been a long day, hasn't it? First, those crazy journalists. Then, Drake."
Stella lips grew right. "I heard they could be tried for treason."
"Treason?"
"Breaching military quarantine. Attempting to record a classified operation." Stella shook her head. "I tried to find you, but you were talking with Dr. Hill. Anything happen?"
She can't possibly know?
There's only one way to find out.
Zoe walked up to Stella and snaked between her legs, pushing them apart. My eyes drifted again towards the gap between her thighs. Zoe's tail trailed sensuously against Stella's inner thigh as she walked past it, flicking once to graze her mound. Oh fuck.
Stella raised an eyebrow. "What's gotten into her?" Miney, Stella's ferret, squeaked once from her perch on Stella's shoulders.
"Zoe, stop that! Bad cat. Bad cat. Get back here!" Zoe!
Zoe nonchalantly walked back to me before settling around my feet. I glared at her.
Just trying to push things along.
"A lot's going on for both of us," I muttered.