'C' had never been the same after that. The boy had become mute, blank with dull eyes, almost unable to maintain balance on his own. It was almost like he couldn't listen to anything and was now living in a separated world.
The children didn't know why, but MRI had shown what was wrong with him. And it was irreversible.
The day after the incident, a staff was held to make a point about what had happened.
With no surprise, Dr Malsinger was furious, punching the table with his fist.
"This is a scandal! Who was in charge of monitoring them? Why didn't they intervene earlier to avoid the damage?! I knew giving the experiments too much liberties would lead to this!"
Professor Nina Arkonlavesc, the current department chief of the 4th floor of the facility, ticked at the expression of angriness like if she was watching a kid's tantrum. The 70 year old buffed women with tomboy blond platinum hair and icy blue eyes that could pierce souls immediately interjected her colleague with a cold tone.
"Dr Malsinger, you would better watch your mouth before making irrelevant accusations! Number 5 was already defective from the very beginning if you need a reminder. What happened was a matter of time, and it is all the fault of YOUR incompetence at doing YOUR job!"
The tension started rising in the meeting room, but Dr Malsinger couldn't respond back to his superior, and she perfectly knew it. However, the former servicewoman and actual right-hand of the Head researcher of the facility wasn't one to mock the others, she was all about facts and getting to the point.
She turned to the Professor Eiling and continued on her tracks.
"The question now is about if Number 5 can be recovered, at most partially. He is, after all, the clone of a nation's personification and we know that they have high regenerative ability, so we might be able to enhance his regeneration! What do you think, Professor?"
The doctor of medicine questioned at that moment shook his head in negation.
"Unfortunately, there was too much damage done this time...As you know, I'm studying the memory held by the nation's cells to find the difference between them and normal cells. You know as well that I've discovered the nation's cells were connected to the land, its history, its people by a strange energy we can't fully comprehend yet. We never succeeded with any of our experiments to connect these cells to their respective country, even by studying their nation's history in order to 'reactivate' that cells' memory. Yet, it's this connection that permits these special cells to rebuild the individual according to the current state of its nation.
Our experiments, the animals included, have higher regenerative ability than normal individuals, but not enough to replace so much missing cells and regain a global structure, especially when their loss is due to a degenerative attack.."
After talking, Professor Thomas Eiling stood up and went to the computer, to broadcast imaging of a damaged brain.
"The degenerative disease is an affection caused by the instability of these cells, as you all know. Like if they were…. 'rejecting' the individual itself because they are 'forced' to form a mere copy of the original personification. The result is that, during an attack, the cells autodestruct from every part of the body, and specially the thin membranes first, like the small blood vessels...and of course all other cells, such as the muscles, bones, organs and brain's cells. Degenerative attacks are unpredictable in frequency and consequences but tend to be more aggressive over time, when the regeneration capacity is at its limit.
Currently, only Number 3 and Number 6 from our main Project are stable and exempt of it, thanks to Dr Kästner's prodigious work…
What happened to Number 5 was indeed unpredictable, causing this time huge cerebral haemorrhages. As you can see on his MRI, he now has several cavities filled with blood, corresponding to infarction of his brain's cells.
Rebuilding his neuronal network as it was, it is impossible with our current knowledge and technology."
"But what about Professor Bertelloni's 'Preservation serum'? It is pretty useful to accelerate recovery and stop an attack. If we put Number 5 in an incubator like we do sometimes for Number 2, it might help. And maybe Bertelloni can supervise the sessions!"
Again, a negative nod was given from the neurologist to the surly woman that always looked annoyed, especially when things weren't going her way.
"Indeed, the preservation's serum is a really impressive progress from my dear biologist colleague Professor Bertelloni, but it can only stop in time the process of apoptosis and cancel the destruction to allow these cells to start recovering. Thus, the current serum only works on cells that are still alive and have to take some time to propagate in the body..In Number 5's situation, he lost his brain cells massively in a short amount of time. I can't even try my memory's forced awakening experience in his state nor Growth acceleration, as it would just kill him and I would gain no data..."
The woman grunted, while Dr Malsinger was looking at the table in disbelief. The scientist knew what was coming, and Pr Arkonlavesc didn't take long before concluding.
"Then, he has become useless for his initial purpose. We can still use his body to create the next serum in order to preserve at least Number 2 for the second step of the project...But well, it is not mine since the clones are Professor Travasco's long lasting work after all, so we will have to wait for him to decide when he returns from congress. For now, Dr Malsinger, we need to separate Number 5 from the others and avoid Number 2 to suffer the same treatment. When Pr Travasco will be back, we will probably put him in an incubator to preserve his body for further use.
Now, we can dismiss."
Immediately, all the scientists at the table went off in a common silence, before some groups started to form and talk about the matter into whispers. A frowning and frustrated Dr Emilian Malsinger waited for Dr Lambert Kästern to leave the room as well to talk with him once they were alone. And I assure you, it wasn't with a friendly behaviour!
"Does that amuse you to see me fail Kästner? How coincidental it was for your 2 experiments to be here at that moment! Now, Travasco will look down at me again while you are praised for your "prodigious" luck! Or should I say, your grandfather's work since you are just parroting his research!"
" Whatever you're saying right now, Dr Malsinger, will not undo the past, and you know I've nothing to do with it. You should pay more attention to your research than on futile matters before you lose your only way to gain appreciation."
The two exchanged glares, before they both parted although they were going the same way, on the 2nd floor, where the clones were raised.
Emilian swore to himself he was going to make some drastic decisions about his remaining sane subject 'R-MXY04DPL002' .
But he couldn't even imagine what would happen next.
