"Fringey…"
Summary: Sarah and her sisters see there's an even darker side to Dyad's little cloning-fest…
(Not sure about this one but while I await more details for "Nessun Dorma" I'll play round with this darker one and see how it goes.)
Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.
Part IV…
Dyad Institute…
Holiest of holies…The Inner Sanctum…
Offices of the Directors…
"Well?" cool tone…
"I'm still waiting, sweetheart…" Leekie, engaging tone.
"Aldous…This is putting a great deal on the line and while I do appreciate the potential of such a demonstration…"
"Darling, if we truly want to secure our girls' future we have to engage our prime supporters' imagination with more than just miracle cures and talk of an actual road to immortality. They've not only heard all this many times before but…It's just not quite what they got in this for…"
"They're morons." Bitter tone. "We offer them the millenium and they run to the trough for a bucket of slops…"
"We do not choose the tools with which we must work, sweetheart. The cri de court of every scientist since Archimedes…" smiling, he rose. "Dear heart…Olive should have her chance to go out with an Academy Award winning performance…"
"I'm not worried about Olive's place in the history of this project, Aldous. I'm worried about the girls. If we succeed the hue-and-cry could engulf them."
"Olive will have her moment, the good guys will have their dastardly maniac…Crisis averted, yet a proper demonstration of what is possible…"
"And she does this all on her lonesome? What backstory, two twin college students who got sucked into radicalism and the survivor manages to outwit the police forces of three states, plus defeat security at a major installation with a manhunt on her tail…"
"The voice says no, but I see your eyes saying, damnit, lets go for it." Grin… "Love, the poor thing will be found, dead…And we will prep enough of a backstory…And I do like the fanatical college girl bit…To satisfy…With our supporters' help, naturally…"
"Aldous, if this ever went South…What if our girls get involved, proactively?…And offer evidence that suggests a link to us?"
"Our supporters would dissolve such a link…But I would hope the girls will not be so foolish, and that we can keep them relatively distracted…Olive…And poor ole Helena…Playing a part there. You know we need a big, splashy demo, sweet. This has been a major investment of resources and the boys in the front office are getting antsy."
"Just how could you get around the defects…The time lag alone is still a problem, even for simple operations…"
"But our girl has grown, dear heart. Simple interaction has expanded the database of responses, as with even the simplest chatbot…You saw how the girls did at that last b&b…No one could have doubted they were two charming, normal girls. And that was with minimal direction. We've improved the interphase since, based on the results of our last tests."
Sigh… "And who will be the operator?"
"Well, ideally…" smile to her frown. "Though in a pinch, I'd be happy to…" broad grin… "Not as good a connection of course but I did 'enjoy being a girl' as the song goes last time I got to boot up…"
"There's an image that will haunt my dreams…" shake of head.
"Do you still have dreams, sweetheart?" smile…
University of Minnesota Medical Center…
"Here we are, glorious Minneapolis-St. Paul, M dot N dot…Center of western civilization." Felix, spinning round on the knoll outside the Medical Arts building.
"Tell me is this St. Paul or Minneapolis, I can never get them right?"
"And here I thought you'd be miserable…" Sarah, sardonically.
"How could I be miserable in the land that spawned Ted Baxter and Mary Richards…Where all those witty and urbane Lake Wobegoner Lutherans came from? Just tell me where the arts scene is to be found in this Mecca? I can't wait to see all the Thomas Kinkaid knock-offs and the kitchy knitted crafts…And of course the cheese…"
"That's Wisconsin…" Allison corrected.
"And who would know better than you, dear? My God this must be a Nirvana for you…" he beamed.
"I get the sarcasm and I'm not entirely without taste, Felix." She frowned. "Though…" she shrugged… "If you'd ever bother to give this place a chance, it is not without rustic charm and…"
"Rustic…Yes…Charm…Eh…" Felix shrugged.
"Well, in any case we're not here for the rustic or the charm." Sarah cut in.
"We should have some time for shopping though…Donnie and I made a list of places and we have a rental." Allison noted. "After we find out if I'm half-computer or not, of course."
"Ally…" Donnie sighed.
"Just preparing for the worst, hoping for the best." She noted…Tense smile.
"Hey, guys!" Cosima's voice from up the steps to the main entrance. "Here you are…" she came scurrying down…
Allison, guarded look to Sarah…She looks…
Yeah…Sarah's return glance.
"Cosima, yes!…Here we are! What a lovely place!…The campus is so pretty. And you look so great!" Allison, cheerily, hugging Cosima.
Felix, a slight smile to Sarah…
Trooper sis you've got there…
"So, Paul?" Cosima had pulled from Allison's hearty hug.
"Stayed to keep an eye on Kyra and things…Namely one out for Helena…" Sarah smiled. "How's the girl?"
"Me? Fine…No more trouble…" Cosima smiled, a bit wanly…Her pale face belying her own cheeriness… "But if you mean Delphine, not a peep yet…Hopefully a good sign in its way."
"Regardless of her and her 'help', we'll find a way, Cosima." Allison, firmly. "There are other genetic scientists besides our Dr. Mengele and his Nazis and one of them will be able to help. No stone will go unturned."
"Not one, sis." Donnie agreed to Cosima's smile.
"Well, I'm ok now, so lets see about this latest development and start putting your minds at ease. I've had the scans myself and nothing as yet."
"Terrific…" Donnie beamed. "Ally? You heard that…"
"Very good news." She nodded.
"But of course it's a good idea for us all to have them…And we might learn something more in the process." Cosima, thoughtfully.
"Especially if our magnetized brains stick to the MRI magnets…" Allison, forced laugh…Donnie patting.
"That would be an interesting sign…" Cosima grinned. Turning as she heard footsteps on the stairs to the plaza…
A rather Elijah Wood type in lab coat and glasses pausing before the group…Uh…
"Hey, Leroy…" Cosima waved. "Guys, meet Leroy Neyland who is carrying out this study…Leroy, the guys. Sarah, Allison, my sisters."
"Hey…" he nodded, nervously. "Twins, huh…I mean triplets, huh? This is great."
"We bring such joy to scientist types whenever they can get their hands on us…" Sarah noted to Felix.
"Yeah…My God, he's the spitting image of Frodo…Please be gay, please be gay…" Felix whispered.
"Your new mantra?" Sarah grinned.
He eyed her with sniff…"When has it not been, girl?"
"True enough but what about what's his name? Back…Home…"
Catching herself with surprise at the word.
"We've nothing in stone…Though I'm not a heartless flirt…I'm just keepin' the eyes open…For God's sakes, girl…" he regarded Sarah's steady stare… "He's practically a hobbit with ring…Don't be cruel, cat."
"Sorry…Hardly one to judge, love. You go to your Precious."
"It's so hard to get twins or triplets, identicals I mean, who'll do this…When Cosima suggested her sisters, I was like…Whoa…" Leroy, eagerly to Allison, who nodded benignly…Then eyed Donnie beside her.
Don't let me be brain-scanned by a crazy person…Her look unmistakable.
"Ally's very glad to do this…" Donnie smiled. "It's great of you to let her into your study…And Sarah as well…"
"Well, Cosima told me of your concerns…" Leroy noted.
"She did?" Allison, abruptly. Eyeing Cosima who cut in hastily.
"As to our slightly elevated risk for stroke and miniscule degree for brain cancer…Family history." Cosima noted.
That doesn't relieve even me, sis…Sarah, hearing, stared back…
"Very, very slightly elevated. Probably not even statistically significant." Cosima, warm smile.
"Never hurts to be sure, though." Donnie, quickly.
"That's what we want…Certainty and surety." Allison nodded, trying to affect a calm air. "Leroy?" tight smile. "If there were anything unusual going on, say electrically or…"
"My sis has watched too much You Tube." Sarah smiled. "She's afraid someone might have put microchips in everyone."
"Paranoia is learned awareness…" Leroy shook his head, nodding to Allison who gave a grim glare to Sarah. "I agree with you, Allison, God knows what the Man is doing to us these days."
"Or we would want Him to do to us…" Felix, affecting casual air…Off-hand wave…
"Thank you, Leroy." Allison nodded. "You're open-minded and very kind."
"No prob…Well, shall we get to it? Everyone ready for a mind-blowing experience?"
Uh…Allison blinked.
"Leroy's very proud of his MRI system…" Cosima explained. "It's a little 'souped-up' over the standard."
"Really…" Allison, brightly…Nod.
"I'll go first…" Sarah, patting her slightly…
"No…I prefer to go first. If that's ok, Leroy?" Allison, tense again.
"Did you give her her meds?" Sarah hissed to Donnie.
"She wanted a clear head…" he hissed back. "But she'll be ok…Honey?" he stepped to take Allison's hand which she clamped firmly about his.
"Right up here and we'll get you set and if there are any chips floating round that skull, Allison…We'll find them and blast 'em." Leroy beamed.
"He's just kidding…" Cosima, hastily.
MRI facility… Leroy's "souped-up" unit. Leroy's obvious ability and Cosima's earnest recommendation having convinced Donnie at least that he was not a crazy person…Within limits.
"Now, you have the life insurance policy and you know where to find the copy of our joint will?" Allison, carefully.
"Yes…But Ally…" Donnie sighed.
"My letter on how to deal with my cremation is with the will…The main problem is my mother but just remind her how much less a cremation will cost. Don't bother with the ecological argument, it won't mean a thing to her. There are letters and a video for each of the kids…And one of both for you, in my desk. Donnie? Are you listening?"
"Yes…"
"Don't overdraw the bank account for a wake or any memorial thing…I've got everything you'd need itemized and listed, you shouldn't have to go over budget. And Sarah has my parents' 70000 in insurance if you need it but please try and keep it for the kids, honey."
"Ally, please…This is just an MRI…"
"If I go into a coma…Or short out…"
"Ally! For God's sake!" he whacked the metal tube.
"Donnie, we have to be practical about this…If I turn out to be half computer or something…After all, if Leekie and his minions can control me somehow…I think I'd rather 'short out'…"
"No one can control you, Allison." He sighed. "I'm the living proof of that…"
"But you promise…" she eyed him, firm grip. "Donnie, don't let my life…Our lives… Be a lie…If I'm not a real woman, you can't throw…"
"What and give up bragging rights at work? 'My wife's an android, fellas'…And if she is, Lord knows she's the best android a guy could ever want…"
She stared at his smile…Then grinned.
"I won't let you suffer…Ever…I swear…" he patted her hand… "Believe me, I will never let them hurt you or ever make you do anything you don't want to do."
"If it ends here…Don't let my recent behavior trouble you…I really was so happy with you…" she smiled.
"It won't end here…" he shook his head, gripping her hand.
"Excuse me…" Felix, choking sound…
"Yes, I know we're the saccharine brigade and making your teeth rot, but please don't barf in here…" Allison called after him…He, hurrying out the lab door.
"He's a sweetie, Sarah." She eyed Sarah.
"Yeah. Hang in there, kid." Sarah smiled.
"Well, at least I'm not sticking to the walls of this thing…Yet…" Allison noted. "Bye…We'll see you in a few…Hey, Cosima!" she waved at Cosima, now with Leroy in the control and imaging room. Cosima waving back…
"Bye…" Sarah nodded…Fighting tears.
"I'm so…" she paused… "Stay with her, you…" she nodded to Donnie, hurrying out…
"She's a nice girl, isn't she, really?" Allison smiled at Donnie who nodded…
"Well…Here we go…" he whispered. As the machine began pulsing…
"Wheee…" she blew a kiss as she was pulled into the main section.