Orphans Beloved: "Attack of the Fifty-foot Clones…"
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved and Sheldon Swifties bits in my Buffyverse and Sheldonverse, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.
Disclaimer: No copy write infringement intended…
Note-There are always these minor consequences to any great advances in Science.
Dyad Institute…
Where Tomorrow Was Yesterday Three Weeks Ago…
Office of Rachel Duncan, temporarily occupied by Marion Bowles.
Where at this moment the just-arrived Delphine Cormier, seeking to get details from Bowles on the future of relations with Sarah Manning and the other LEDA subjects was experiencing the most stunning moment of her life…
Saying something given her work at Dyad, and on Project LEDA, and her discovery of a passionate lesbian relationship…
"Aldous…" kiss to cheek, kiss to other cheek…
"Marion…" A beaming Aldous in suit standing by her desk…
"Dr. Cormier…Tres bien." Aldous, grinning…Clearly pleased at her utter discomfiture. "Congratulations on your promotion. I always saw great things in you…Nice to see Rachel did too. How is Cosima doing these days? I was quite concerned."
"Sorry to spring this upon you so suddenly, Dr. Cormier." Marion sighed. "I obviously had to restrict the knowledge of Dr. Leekie's survival and promotion to Rachel's position to a few top level personel."
"You're alive…?" Delphine had finally found the words. "How…" She looked from one to the other…
"How can this be?" she gasped. "Aldous?...It's not true. How…?"
"I'd love to say…Magic." Aldous smiled. "Or that I was my own personal little cloning experiment but I'm afraid the answer is a bit more prosaic. It's always been Topside policy to have high-profile personnel, constantly in the public eye as I've been, impersonated by actors from time to time. Marion felt that during our little playlet with Rachel, I should have my double stand-in for me, just in case she decided to take more decisive action in having me removed."
"An actor…? An actor playing you died on that jet?"
"Lord knows, unfortunately…I owe the poor guy a decent burial…" Aldous sighed. "I'd hope to get Rachel to tell us what happened but obviously she's indisposed right now."
Delphine staring… "An actor? How could an actor have fooled Rachel? She knew you so intimately…" slight sudden blush…
"Not as intimately as you, dear…And yet he fooled you on a number of occasions. Sorry…" he put up a hand. "That was a bit much. And I do appreciate that you seem truly pleased to find me among the living."
"I am. But…Rachel." Nervous look to both…
"Is sadly in part due to physical injury and in part due to her instability, no longer in a senior position at Dyad or Topside." Marion, calmly. "She'll be cared for, as long as she lives, as one of our subjects and for her past valued services. But she will not be allowed, should she make a full recovery, any responsible position in the organization. She's allowed herself to become too emotionally invested with her fellow subjects and her own past."
"Don't think this means you're out of your spanking new position, Delphine." Aldous, beaming. "No one thinks you more the person to take charge of LEDA and Dyad's many other projects than me. I'll of course be in a senior position with the organization but I promise you that unlike Rachel I will trust your judgment and be as 'hands off' as possible. Though I do want to continue to make my own small contributions to our scientific goals…"
"Some people just can't be taken out of the workshop…" Marion smiled. "Well, this is your office now, Aldous. I'll leave you two to settle your affairs and break the glad tidings to the staff and press. Aldous? I'll see you at the next board meeting on Thursday."
"Wouldn't miss it…Can't…" he grimaced to Delphine. "Such is the life of the one kicked upstairs…"
"Dr. Cormier." Marion nodded, turning and heading out as Delphine watched, trying to get hold of herself.
"I really am sorry to have done it like this." Aldous sighed as she turned to face him. "But it was unavoidable, you being so determined to get the low-down today from Marion on Sarah. How is she, by the way? And Kira?"
"Both well as expected given what we've done to them…" she suddenly trembled and moved to and sat in a chair. Leekie coming over as she stared up at him.
"I understand…And sympathize. It wasn't ever my desire to torment Sarah this way." Leekie patted her shoulder. "I would have been more than happy to follow the new relationship rules…And still am, now that Rachel's been eased out."
"Marion…Arranged all this? To 'ease' Rachel out…?"
"No one approved Sarah's mistreatment or the kidnapping but Rachel…I want you to know that." Aldous, earnestly. "And no one mourns the loss of a great scientific mind like Ethan Duncan more than I do…Waste, sheer waste. I know you won't believe me, Delphine but I never wanted Susan harmed either, that was an unfortunate incident that escalated out of control. I don't expect Sarah or the others to believe that but it is the truth. Now, we must do what we can to repair the breech and try to help Cosima. Have you made any progress?" he eyed her. "I know Rachel destroyed Kyra's bone marrow samples but what about the first stages of Duncan's sequences? He was certain he could cure her, how far did he get?"
'Not very…Cosima's very ill. Aldous…I still can't quite wrap my mind around this…"
He nodded, stepping back.
"I know…But I want you to know that this. My priority is our girls, Delphine. Even if Rachel 'had me killed'…She's included in that. I want to help Cosima and I want to see none of the others develop her illness."
"Ok. I'll try to believe that. I do think you're a better Rachel for the girls than Rachel." Wan smile.
"Thanks."
She rose… "And Rachel? She won't be allowed to threaten the girls again?"
"Delphine. You are the Director now. And while she is on the payroll…Call it sentimental…Her position is absolutely whatever you choose to make it. Apart from her remaining a subject of LEDA, of course."
"I rather she had no place here…Except as a subject."
"Then…Your call, Madam Director. If you'll excuse me, I have to break the news of my unlikely resurrection to several people. I can assume you'll inform the ladies?"
"Yes…I'll do that. They'll be relieved at least to know Rachel is out of the picture."
"And the devil they knew is back in." he nodded. "Lets meet tomorrow and discuss Cosima's treatment." He put up a hand. "She's very welcome to come, in fact I'd like her to be there at least by net if she doesn't feel well enough."
"All right, Aldous." Nervous nod, faint smile.
He watched her leave and took seat at his desk, buzzing…
"All current data on the treatment of Cosima Niehaus, please. Yes…" he gave a faint smile…Better expect a lot of this, Aldous… "…It is Dr. Leekie. And have Dr. Norris come to my new office, quickly as possible, please…Rachel Duncan's old office. Oh, and have her name removed from the door and mine put on…And reassign her parking space to me, please. Thanks."
He eyed the composite photo on Rachel's former desk…All the locals in one shot…How had she managed to make it look so real?
Hmmn…Pity about the work with Cosima, if Delphine were telling the truth and little progress had been made via Duncan's unlocked sequences. Which did seem the case from progress reports made available by Marion…
A rap at his new door caused him to look up…At the door a beaming Chad Norris in lab coat.
"Aldous? This is incredible." Grin to lips… "'I thought you died.'" He quoted in Southern drawl.
"Never trust Internet reports…" return grin. "My acting double was, unfortunately, not in as good shape as he looked…I was on a secret retreat, trying not to be disturbed…Things got confused, I imagine."
"Right, I can see how that would happen…" Norris, nodding.
Hmmn…I can see how years in suburbia have slightly paralyzed that once keen mind, Aldous thought.
Still…He was brilliant, hopefully he'll quickly recover his game. Though I hope he's not come intending to rant on to Marion about his pet obsession with LEDA.
"So, I understand you wanted to see Marion, our temp Rachel…Afraid I'm the permanent one."
"So I see…Is Rachel really…?" Chad, a bit apprehensive.
The bitch never had forgiven him for that last pass at her…Five years sentence to the Inferno of Scarsborough and Bailey Downs as a result. "It's a promotion, Chad…" she'd tauntingly sneered. " A chance to prove yourself in the field as senior coordinator."
Still…Five years of rather hot sex with his chief field agent, former actress Aynsley "Norris"…Though they had been legally married for the job…And with any willing lady in that fishbowl of Hades, to provide proof of his cover story of house-husband/gymboy gigolo…Had taken a bit of the whammy off it.
"Yes, Chad. She's out. Still with us, but not in any senior position. An official line will be put out soon enough when Topside approves…We might even acknowledge she went overboard in protecting some critical experiments and violated ethical standards. You've nothing more to worry about from her end, the proof being that I had Marion immediately call you off field duty. In which, though, I must say, you acquitted yourself very well. We were all impressed. I continue to see great things, Chad." Leekie leaned back in his chair, waving him to a seat.
"Thanks, Aldous." Chad took seat. "Shame about Aynsley. I know it was an accident but I really was fond of her. Not that I blame the subject…" he put up a hand.
"Of course…" Aldous beamed. "So, to get to it, what's on your mind, Chad?"
"Well…Aldous…I've been going over the latest samples since I got back and something strange is going on with the Duncan synthetic sequences...Rather like I warned you about a few years ago?"
Sigh by Leekie…Sitting up.
"Chad. We've discussed this before and I've reviewed your results. We know about the side effects of the sequences controlling infertility…"
"Yes, but I don't think anyone else has fully grasped…" Chad began.
"Chad. I appreciate your persistence and enthusiasm…But I did not have you brought out of the field to peddle nonsense about accelerated growth rates at all levels...I think your time in suburban hell watching bad sci-fi while playing 'dad' has affected your scientific judgment. We know the consequences of Duncan's meddling with the genome, we're working to deal with it. I want you to make that effort to effect a cure for our girls your focus. And in return I'll promise that if I ever see or hear of anything remotely as bizarre as your hypothetical results, I'll let you know…"
"But Dr. Leekie…The current problems all fit into…"
"Chad?" Leekie put up a hand. "You wanted to go over my head…Or now, Dr. Cormier's. You have. Don't press it, son. If anything comes of your theories, I'll be the first to give you credit but I'm sorry to say there's no evidence to date that your hypotheses will hold up. Bring me real proof and we can talk…"
'But sir…" Chad, urgently. "That's why I was willing to speak to Ms. Bowles…I have real proof…"
Though if it had still been Rachel, God knows I would've kept my mouth shut and let the chips fall where they may, he thought.
…
Home of the family Hendrix…
Currently a political rally center…Home phone and several buzzing cells being tended by Campaign Manager/Errand Boy Hendrix while he worked at his resume.
"How goes it?" an entering Ally bearing a box of campaign stickers and signs addressed him.
"Fifteen calls in the last hour, four pledging support if you can stop the school redistricting, eight calling you the slut who drove Aynsley to fail to notice she was wearing a scarf in the kitchen, three guys asking if you were 'available'."
"Donnie?!"
"I gave them a stern talking-to…And one was stupid enough to give me his number. Phil Bradley on Westboro St.?"
"That fat, bald guy with the ever-moist jogging pants?" she frowned.
"No, the good-looking one…"
Oh…Right. Slight smile.
That one…She pictured.
"Ally." Grim look.
God, he does know me so well…She beamed at him. "So we did threaten to tell his wife and/or the police?"
"We did…And he is on board." Donnie nodded.
"That's my campaign manager…"
"I still may want to bury him in the garage…" he eyed her. "But only after the election…" he put up a hand.
"Good…Oh…" she groaned. Clutching her stomach.
"Ally?" he rose.
"It's all right…Something I ate, no doubt at that 'urban' restaurant. I don't know why we had to meet there to discuss community affairs but as a candid…Oh…" she clutched again.
"Should I get something? Do I call an ambulance? Dyad?" he hurried to her.
"No…No…And God, no…" she gasped… "It'll be ok…This isn't Cosima's thing."
"We don't know that. Ally…" he eyed her anxiously. "Lets get you to the ER, even if it's just a little food poisoning, I'll feel better….Please."
"Oh…Donnie…" she beamed at him. "How wonderful you are…Though I'd prefer you keep on looking for a new job. Rather than watch sports all afternoon at the ER." She noted.
"I can bring the laptop…" he pointed out. "And we might not be stuck there too long."
She eyed him. "Ok, we will be stuck there. I can call your mom and explain we won't be picking up the kids till later."
She sighed.
Still, Judas Priest, that had been one humdinger of a cramp…
"Ok…Just to ease your mind."
"Good…" he nodded, shutting down laptop.
"Don't forget to bring my overnight bag in case I have to stay…I will not sleep in one of those Johnny things…" Ally noted.
Of course, it could be the stress of knowing I and my family were nearly murdered last night by a Topside assassin and no chance to relieve the tension by killing said assassin or his boss this "Ferdinand" pervert. Though I've no intention just yet of worrying Donnie with this till we know more…He might get all "lets go to the police, lets tell the media…Lets hunt these guys down while they not expecting it…" and all of those might well be options but lets not go off half-…I really need to get my guns back from Ramon and a first-class security system put in…cocked.