Chapter Twenty Three
Friends, Family and Enemies?
Examining his surroundings, Raoul waited impatiently for the others to arrive. After being thrown into a cell, he had seen no one but an aged doctor by the name of Blondelle.
After bathing and donning clean clothes provided by a woman named Sorelli, he dined on a four star breakfast. The room he now occupied held a mahogany executive table and chairs. Three walls were made of window covered in designer blinds.
Raoul heard a scuffle outside. The door opened to allow Hawke entry. The doctor's sore eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Hawke's muscled thighs and calves were literally poured into a pair of buckskin britches. Knee high black boots encased his feet, and the top buttons of his white shirt were open.
Jerking his arm out of the guard's hand, the brave stepped into the room. Examining the older man, Hawke sighed. Of course, Dr. Chaney was dressed in normal clothes.
Raoul hid a grin, "How have you been treated?"
"If you mean, have I ate and been allowed to bathe, then yes, I have been treated well. If you mean, does it feel good morphing into a living Ken doll, then my pride has taken a beating." Hawke grimaced.
"Where are the girls?"
Raoul shrugged, "I haven't seen them. We haven't been treated… badly, I hope they fared the same."
Sorelli chose that moment to come in, followed by Connie and Meghan. A guard closed the door behind them.
Raoul blinked. The women wore exact replicas of Sorelli's uniform sans scarves. Connie took one glance at Hawke and blushed. Meghan noticed Hawkes clothing, then shot a questioning look at Raoul.
Motioning for the girls to sit down, Sorelli stood in front of the door. "I'll make this short and to the point. Dr. Chaney our security took your suggestion into consideration, and we have a squad dispatched to South America to search for Ms. Daae."
"Who are 'our'," questioned Raoul.
Sorelli pursed her lips, placing her arms behind her back. "Before I answer that question, I need to inform you that your various DNA profiles are downstairs in one of our labs as we speak."
"No garbage cans, but toothbrushes and combs were left in our cell," Connie groaned. "I thought it was funny not to have a way to dispose of the cups."
"Acting wastes your intellect, Miss Daae."
"I guess it won't affect things one way or the other if I mention that those samples are there without our collective permission?" Raoul stared into Sorelli's eyes.
Sorelli held his gaze until he gave up and looked away. "I don't think anyone here cares, Dr. Chaney.
The tall blonde continued, "The plane you arrived here on is one of a kind. Untraceable, and unaffected by sudden electrical charges, as well as other natural and manmade phenomena.
"We flew over the Pacific, are you saying we are on Devil's Triangle," Hawke interrupted.
Sorelli ran her hand across his shoulders, to caress his ponytail. "Hmm your DNA profile needs upgrading to possible mental as well as physical capabilities."
Hawke ground his teeth.
"Close but no cigar, Mr. Hawke. Twelve such triangles divide the oceans. You are on the larger side of Easter Island, Minervian Inlet, to be exact."
"I've been to Easter Island for photo shoots, there is no such thing as Minervian Inlet," Meghan argued.
Glancing at the women, Sorelli sighed, "Don't get your hopes up regarding rescue. The Machaon group has been here nearly ninety years avoiding discovery. We aced it through two World Wars and the cold War, complete with constant air patrol from every developed country imaginable.
"We harnessed the ability to stay invisible, and have nearly unlimited resources at our finger tips. If there is something we need we either fly or use one of our prototype boats to procure it.
" Our fingers are in several scientific pots. The labs manufacture fuel from garbage and waste materials. We have no need to involve ourselves in political posturing over oil.
"Agricultural specialists found a way to renew ground soil thus ensuring that we have enough growing acreage to supply the inlet.
"Gold is easy to reproduce, thus enabling us to buy whatever we need. Our very lives are extended and then extended again.
"Your poor little sheep, Dolly wasn't the first clone, by far. We were quite advanced in that technology at the time of her conception. Our population has zero use for the act of reproduction except for pleasure's sake, now."
She turned a chalkboard around drawing a DNA sequence, "But there is a snag. Once someone goes through the cloning process three times the original DNA starts to break down.
"Dr. Chaney, what was the name of the good doctor that was kind enough to see you?"
"Dr. Blondelle."
"You father is a diabetic, isn't he doctor?"
Blood rushed into Raoul's face as he sprang from his seat, hands clenched.
Sorelli held up a hand. "Careful, doctor you don't want another session with Agent Polen's fists."
Raoul slowly sat down, glancing at the others. "Tell me you haven't crossed that line."
Sorelli's laugh resembled a tinkling bell. "Let's let everyone else in on this little history lesson too, doctor. Raoul here, realised that it was Dr. Blondelle who helped develop insulin."
"But insulin has been around forever," Meghan added. "How could the…"
"Ahh, so you see the light. Dr. Blondelle is ready to start his second cloning. We need a healer to ensure that every tiny allele is one-hundred percent healthy."
"So you are grave robbers, too," Hawke spoke.
"Oh, Mr. Hawke you wound me to the quick. Exhumation is a living business here."
"Who else is on this Island," Connie whispered.
"Ah, Ah, Ah, a woman has to have some secrets," Sorelli smiled.
"Let me understand, you want my mother in order to keep cadavers alive? What happens when she passes away?"
"Do you need to ask, little girl," Sorelli yawned. "We are going to ensure that doesn't happen."
"Heal the healer?" Hawke blew through his lips.
Sorelli nodded. "I assume that the four of you are interesting in knowing what we want with you. The obvious reason is to draw Ms. Daae. But you know, it has come to our attention that she has good taste in friends and family.
"Miss Daae, you carry DNA in common with your mother. That's the foremost reason for your detainment.
"Dr. Chaney, you are a well-respected doctor and humanitarian, but what most people don't know about is your IQ of 165.
"Miss Giry, Miss Universe is no small achievement for a savvy business woman.
"Mr. Hawke, your obvious physical attributes, coupled with your small tribal genome is highly desirable." Sorelli reached behind her and knocked on the door.
Zane Dugan stepped in, carrying a laptop. Connie glared then dropped her gaze to her lap. Dugan lifted his lip in a cruel parody of a smile. He stopped and shot a cocky wink at an uncomfortable Meghan.
"Not only does our illustrious Ms Daae have good taste in friends and family, she attracts a special type of enemy." Pulling down a screen he set the laptop up.
A dark picture focused on the screen. "This is Nadir Kahn. He is the right hand man of a double Core-Machaeon agent that goes by the call name of 'Phantom.'