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.
Part II…
Former office of Rachel Duncan, just re-signed as "Office of the Chief Executive Officer, Aldous Leekie, Ph.D."
"Yes, thanks so much…It is good to be alive…" chuckle. "I look forward to it, see you soon."
Remarkable, Aldous thought, smiling, replacing the phone on its base…Some of these fervent good wishes and welcomes back almost sound sincere.
But after a few weeks of Rachel-in-sole-charge…And while Marion is personally very nice, she can be rather forbidding…
Still…For all that, as Jefferson Davis once wrote, Aldous thought… "Upon my weary heart was showered smiles, plaudits, and flowers, but beyond them I saw troubles innumerable."
Not enough that that ambitious idiot barbarian Ferdinand had to go get himself involved and nearly destroy the project to please his new and kinky girl, but Marion's left so much undone with Topside in saving Sarah and Kyra…The big boys still think we have them both, though thank God they're agreed Rachel went too far in imprisoning them at a major corporation/institute and plotting to mutilate one and then wipe the whole clone line in this area, probably everywhere if I know my insanely jealous little girl.
And now…This…He eyed the data on his laptop.
Not that I could openly agree with Chad even after he gave this latest data…And I still doubted the validity of his findings. We'd never seen the outcomes he was predicting and I couldn't believe he'd succeeded in finding a few of Duncan's sequences by random chance after long-term analysis.
And yet, this…He sighed. This is irrefutable.
Though in fact I already knew Chad's hypothesis had acquired some substantial proof. Marion's whole reason for speeding up the "easing-out" of Rachel and my return.
So much for my first long vacation in thirty years.
But this is where I belong…He looked round…At the center of LEDA, boldly going…With perhaps more ethical ambiguity than Jean-Luc Picard, but still. And after all, the future of Humanity hanging in the balance…And the defense of the good ole British Empire and the USA.
Still, this…This…Talk about shite hitting the fan, as my Sarah would say…After grimly insisting that she was not, nor ever had been…"my Sarah".
Well, facts are facts…Observations and data are observations and data…
And human tissue growing at a near-exponential rate due to various stimuli, some unknown as yet, but stress extremely likely a factor…
Really, Delphine…Thumb in the eye socket? I'm grateful our lassies were saved but…
Still, nice to know the Cormier can become the Cormiernator when duty calls. She can be relied on to make the hard choices, there's a comfort.
"Dr. Leekie?!" an intercom buzzed and the anxious voice issued, accompanied by various cries and loud ranting screams… "ALDOUS!? ALDOUS!? DADDY?! DADDY, I WANT YOU!"
"We've a serious situation down here, sir!" Screams of "She's getting loose, shoot!"
Sigh.
Idiots…
"Yeah, yeah…Be right there. Tell her I'm coming." Aldous shook head. "See that the…Hello?!"
"Help! Help!" cry. Sounds of shooting, screams… "ALDOUS?!" howl.
Faintly echoing through the floor of the building…
"Hey." He pressed button for his secretary. "Irene, isn't it? Yeah, could you page Drs. Norris and Nealon and have them meet me in the medical high-security containment area? Thanks. Yes, it's great to be alive."
Perhaps not so much just now, he thought, shaking head as he rose wearily from his new desk.
Must get this office repainted…And get some nice pictures and sculpture in here, brighten up the place…
….
"I don't see it…Why?" Sarah eyed Cal as they sat on a bench, in the park near S's house. "Why should you go now?, we…Kyra…Needs you."
"Sarah, the thing with my friend Tom's not resolved, the cops are looking for me. I have to go back and try to straighten out this mess. Delphine's promised to try to help me, see that Daniel Rosen is held accountable. But he's dead and I did run. I've gotta go back and try to settle this before they find me…Meaning you and Kyra."
"Marion said…" she began…
"Marion didn't even stop to speak to you when she flew in the other day. We can't count on her for help in much, I think. Sarah, I want to get this cleared away so we can try to start thinking about a future. You understand that?"
"What if they put you in jail? In the States, they might even…" she paused.
"They won't…Dyad and Topside have too much to lose letting this go too public. Daniel will be properly accused and they'll get me cleared. It's in their interests. Plus, I do have friends…Money. And a face that could charm any jury." He grinned.
"More likely get you hung, you smug-arse…" she frowned. "How long…" she said, resigned.
"As little time as I can manage. Then I'll be back and we can talk…About a future, together."
"Promises…" she shook head. "I don't want you to go. Stay and we'll get by. I'll make those bastards protect us."
"That's what I'm trying to do here, Sarah. And Delphine agrees with me." He noted. "If I go and voluntarily surrender and explain things it looks a lot better with those not on the Dyad then if I'm a crazed fugitive caught on the lam."
She glared but finally, hesitantly nodded. "It makes sense in some ways. You'll stay in touch…Sos we can break you out if Dyad screws with us again."
"Absolutely…" he nodded. "And Kyra's made me my own angel guardian…" he showed her a gold foil paper angel on string. "So I'm perfectly safe."
"God help anyone you use that on…" she nodded, grim smile. "Though Helena will have help on this one. Once we get her out…Cal?" hopeful look. "There's still Helena…You can't leave till we get Helena back…"
"Sarah…If I wait any longer…Delphine is trying to get Helena back, anything else would take a while to plan. We don't even know where she is."
"S does…Or can find out. I'll make her tell me or get Paul to." She eyed his look with amused grin.
"Not that way…" pout, then a wry smile… "Unless absolutely neces…" he grabbed at her and she giggled, kissing him.
"Please…" she breathed.
"I don't want to go. I have to. You know I do." He told her.
"…I know…" sigh. "Just please, please keep that angel with you."
"Always…" Cal nodded. "Well, Kyra did think you'd be upset but would understand in the end." Grin.
"I still can't believe you told her first…" she shook her head.
"Well, she knew before I told her…" he shrugged. Rising hesitantly…
"Right…Right then, off you go…"
"Marry me. When I get back. It'll be a great goal to shoot for." He smiled.
"Sure." She nodded.
"'Sure'?" he eyed her. "That's it?"
"You're rich, brilliant, hard-workin', cute as hell, the most decent guy I know besides Art Bell…And you're my daughter's father whom she adores. I'd be crazy not to." She shrugged. "And I love you. But be careful…All you got over Art is that you're rich and Kyra's dad…And that he's still in love with Beth, poor, poor guy. So behave yourself out there in Seattle." Stern look.
"We ought to find him a nice clone…" Cal nodded. "Pity Cos isn't interested…"
"We'll work somethin' out. But you mind yourself, as S would say." Sarah frowned. "And come back, soon. Kyra will be in a fit till you do."
"Then I've got to." He smiled.
"And when you do, you do that proposal right. Knees, flowers, ring…I may not be the fairest royal of the land but I damned well want this done right, for Kyra's sake."
"Absolutely…I'll even rent a tux." He grinned.
"Do that…Bye…" she rose and hugged him a long moment. "Fiancee…Won't my sestras be impressed?"
"Tell me I didn't just propose to Helena…?" he gave look of mock-horror.
"One never knows with us, yes?" she smiled benignly.
"I will be back…" he told her, steady look.
"Then go…And make it quick…" she noted, turning away.
He was around the corner before she looked back…
Sighing as she rose, she doubled over in pain suddenly…Shite, Christ! Gasping a moment, then settling down…
Lovely…What's that, super PMS? She frowned. Then, feeling the cramping fade, she moved to the corner and peered around.
Nope, gone…
She wiped at the tears running…Right, then…
Right…Things to do…Sestras to find.
He'll be back. Angel, protect him… But he'll be back.
He'll have to, I swiped one of his credit cards…She grinned to herself.
…
"Jesus, son-of-a-bitching Christ!" the middle-aged, white-haired, somewhat paunchy man cried, rising from the hotel room bed.
"Baby? What's…Ohhhh….Hey! Where are you…Going?" eyeing him as he hurried to grab clothes and made for the door.
"I already paid…And this is too freaky for me! Thanks for a great time, Crystal!" he pulled on pants and tossed coat over his shirtless form, clutching shirt and shoes.
"Wait! Hey, I don't…" door slam… "Feel very well…Asshole!" Crystal groaned.
Well, at least he did pay up front and he did thank me for a nice time. But he might've stayed and helped me. Heck, what if I caught something? He might get it too.
Of course could mean he'll be back.
Kinda liked him, he's very sweet in his messing around, has a nice laugh…Ohhh! She groaned. Holy? She looked at her hand, shaking her head.
Nearly twice its normal size…
"What the hell, maybe he gave me something…Or those crazy guys the other night…" she grabbed for a phone…
"What, yeah. This is Mrs. Will…whatever…In 202. What? He did? Uh, no, he's not back yet. Yeah, he's probably gone to the drug store. Ok, thanks…I'll be right here when they come. No, you better not come up." She noted lightly. "I'm not a fit sight. Please let me know when the ambulance is here, thanks."
He actually told them to call me an ambulance…She beamed.
Of course, he coulda come back and made sure I was ok.
But maybe he really did go to the drug…Ohhhh! Geesh…!
If those creeps or those other creeps…Who sure as hell were not the cops they claimed to be…Did anything to me…I will have my gypsy gran on them so fast…
Maybe it's an insect bite? They say that can swell ya up…Allergies and all?
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"You did apply the extra morphine as I ordered?"
"Yes, Dr. Leekie…I just managed to inject it as she came back to, after the darting before…" the stunned attendant shook. "What the hell is wrong with…?"
Stern look from Leekie…And the newly arrived Delphine. Reluctantly summoned by Leekie as there really was no way to avoid her hearing about this one…
"Wrong with what?" Aldous eyed him.
"Uh…Nothing, sir. I saw nothing."
"And that had better be your mantra, get going and send Dr. Nealon in as soon as he arrives." Delphine frowned at him. The attendant, still shaken, went out, leaving Aldous…Delphine…Several very nervous armed guards…And partly on the shattered bed, partly on the floor, chained up now, a snoring Rachel…A snoring, twenty foot tall Rachel.
Who began suddenly fussing…
"Delphine?" Aldous looked to her anxious stare… "I think you'd best be leaving…She's not likely to be in a good mood to start with when she comes to. And right now, you are not likely to be her favorite person."
"Agreed." Delphine nodded hurriedly. "But Aldous? What…?"
"I don't know yet but another blessing of Ethan Duncan's…See they bring in the strongest stuff we have…That new formula, 251A…Better get all we have in stock."
"But that's so powerful a microliter could put a elephant under for a day…" Delphine noted.
"Then it should be just about…" he paused as Rachel opened eye…Her other, now uncovered, eye, hideous. "And the dressing…Having them make up a gauze sheet as quickly as possible…Call Charlie Koch and have his Kimberly Clark people get on making a supply. Go."
Delphine wasting no time in leaving.
"Aldous…?" Rachel fixed eye on him, voice rather soft though well-amplified.
"Right here, dear."
"You did survive…Aldous…" she beamed. "Ohhhhhh." Groan… "My head…My…Joints…My…Eyyye…Aldous?!" looking around. "What's happening to me?"
"There've been a few slight complications of your father's synthetic sequences, dear." Aldous began…
"I think that bitch was here? WAS SHE? DELP… What's her name? Aldous, I don't feel so good. Uncle Aldous? Make it better?"
"It's all right, Rachel. I'll make it better." He noted smoothingly. "You just rest."
"Who'd I say was here? Aldous?" she noted, confused. "I think someone put something in my eye…It hurts…And my bed is broken."
"We're getting you another…" he eyed a guard who was only too pleased to flee the room in search of a twenty foot bed or mattress.
"Ok…You won't go, Aldous?" she cooed. "Stay?"
"I'm right here." He nodded. "I'll make it all better, Rachel. Don't worry."
"Everyone's mad at me, Aldous…And I think I dreamed…Daddy was."
"No, no…Ethan would never be mad at you, Rachel. Just try and rest. We'll get you settled."
He turned as a nurse entered, bearing a small container…"Sir…Formula 251A…All Dr. Cormier could get immediately."
"Good, do you have a syringe? Prepare it." He told her.
"Aldous…Cor…Mier…I know that name." Rachel breathed…Loudly…But gently.
"Yes, that's someone who works here in our institute, Rachel. How old are you, Rachel?'
"Huh?...I think I'm blue-grey at 52 Weston Tower." She noted, vaguely.
"Ok…And what's your name?"
"Rachy Duncan…Like Dunkin Donuts…I think Daddy makes the Donuts." Giggle…Hmmn…
"Aldous? Hurts?"
"I know." He patted her huge right forefinger gently, taking the syringe and waving the nurse and guards back. "I'm giving you something to help, it might sting just a sec. You ready?"
"We're doin' Science…" Rachel murmured. "Science is the most beautiful thing…Except for me…" giggle.
"Yes, it is and you are…" he administered the injection swiftly, nodding to the nurse. "Was that ok?"
"Didna hurta bit…" Rachel, giggling. "You look funny, Aldouuuusss…" she went to sleep.
Phew…He looked around at the shattered room, crushed bed. A groaning guard slammed against the wall earlier now being carried out.
"Well, just another day at the office…" he beamed to the nurse who darted a stunned look at him.