by iluvaqt@hotmail.com
iluvaqt's Notes: I think my last post for this story got lost in the rush of updates. :( the next part will be up soon.
Part 7
Renfro smiled, down at the recovering X5. Not long after the 24 hours had passed, she'd given X5-453, the treatment. "When you do you think she'll be able to commence active duty?" she asked the Major standing behind her.
"A couple of days maybe," Croan answered. He smiled thoughtfully, and looked over at the recovering young woman. "The tech said that she might not remember what happen, initially, because of the fever."
"Call me as soon as she's ready." Renfro left the observation room.
Croan stood, still looking through the glass. She was one of his best. He'd lost a lot of them over the years, some to Werner's syndrome, some to the seizures that took years and great number of fatalities to figure out. Even after they realized how to correct the flaw, some of the X5s deficiencies were too far gone to fix. The damage to the brain was irreversible. Others he lost in assignments gone wrong, which weren't many, but in 90% of those cases, he was sure they were set up to fail from the beginning. It was those times that reaffirmed his suspicions that there were some members of the Committee that wanted out of the Project. Some that would never accept that an X5 series was capable of the impossible but they were also human beings.
Sam opened her eyes and saw the Major standing in the viewing window. She immediately wanted to stand to attention, or at least salute him. But she was too weak to move, her arms lay at her sides, immobile.
Major Croan noticed her effort anyway and saw the momentary distress in her eyes. They are human but perfect soldiers. That's the difference. That's why this project will never fail.
"Renfro."
"Ma'am, you're not going to like this. We managed to clean up the latest audio feed from Subject 34's implant. From all sides, it looks like he's Eyes Only."
"This information is to remain strictly classified. Bring me all the material on Subject 34 and report immediately with the audio data."
"Yes, ma'am."
Renfro disconnected the line with a push of a button and folded her hands thoughtfully. Typing a few commands into her computer, she brought up a video file. Playing it, she froze the screen on a man in a wheelchair. Tracing his face on the screen, she whispered, "Well, Mr. Cale, it looks like you didn't keep your end of the deal…your loss. What a shame for X5-452."
Reaching for the telephone key pad, she pushed speaker and dialed.
"Joseph Croan," Croan spoke into the receiver.
"I'd like X5-453 sent to my office. I have an assignment for her."
"I'll send her to you, ma'am. I must tell you though, that it's too soon to tell what she's status she's at," Croan advised.
Renfro paused, thoughtful. She'd thought that by sending X5-453 at least she'd have the element of surprise. Perhaps even the upper hand, considering this man's obvious weakness for X5-452. But what if it was too soon to put the game into play? If the girl hadn't fully recovered, and she met unexpected opposition, it would destroy any chance they had of eliminating Mr. Cale. If he was in fact Eyes Only, he could just be the middle man. Maybe it would be an idea to bring him back to Manticore. Grill him for information on the Informant Net or his boss. "Send her to me. I'll assess her myself."
Logan just finished on the phone with Lydecker, when he heard the softest footfall behind him. His heart pounded in his chest and he whirled around, a hauntingly familiar name just spilling from his mouth. "Max." Before he even saw her face, he was ready to pull her into his arms and kiss her furiously.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, honey, but I ain't her."
From behind him a man spoke, "You've been broadcasting unwelcome news, my friend."
Major Joseph Croan put the receiver down with a heavy sigh. All that work was going down the tubes. Project Manticore couldn't afford the kind of publicity that this clown, Eyes Only, was giving them.
He'd just been on the phone with the Committee members for a full hour. The conference call had included Director Renfro, who had just finished briefing X5-453. The previous hour's conversation played over in his head.
…It's bad enough that we had press inquiries over a tip that got out over the '09 escape. Worse still, that majority of the escapees are still at large, a disaster that Colonel Lydecker was some how involved in sabotaging the project from the inside. The last straw will be Eyes Only exposing our project to the whole of America. If he broadcasts our location, Project Manticore is finished…Dr Renfro, if given the order, you're to pack up the database, lock down the facility and destroy all the evidence…
Holding his head in his hands, he rubbed his temples. He'd worked on this for a good six years now. Six long years, 5 in Texas, 8 months in San Diego and 4 months at this base. Time getting to know his unit, learning each of the X5 series under his command, their strengths, their weaknesses, reviewing and placing them on assignment, all that would be lost. A complete waste, all because of this one man, Eyes Only.
"I'm counting on you, Sam."
