by G. P. Hudson
“None of your business.”
“Mom!” said Jess. “Her name’s Catherine.”
“Didn’t I tell you to play with your sister?”
“I’m happy to meet you, Catherine,” said Danny.
Catherine rolled her eyes. “Tell me again where the rest of your soldiers are.”
“I don’t know.”
“Are they going to come here looking for you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Mom, I’m hungry,” said Elie.
“We should eat,” said Jess. “Danny’s probably hungry too.”
“You should feed the children. Don’t worry about me,” said Danny.
“I am worried about you,” said Catherine. “That’s the problem. I’m also worried about who’s going to come here looking for you.”
“Are you afraid more men like me will come?”
“It crossed my mind.”
“Don’t worry. I may not remember them, but I’ll tell them you helped me.”
Jess walked over to Danny.
“Jess, you keep away from him,” said Catherine.
Jess took his hand and gently pulled. “Come on Danny. Come sit at the table and have some lunch with us.”
Danny looked to Catherine, waiting for her approval.
Catherine had already lowered her weapon, clearly not wanting to risk it going off while Jess was in the way. With a sigh, she set it down. “Fine. There’s enough for everyone.”
Danny let Jess lead him to the table. Catherine went to the kitchen counter and began ladling soup into bowls. Jess and Ellie brought the bowls to the table, giving Danny the first. It smelled delicious, and he could barely restrain himself. He didn’t remember, but he was still convinced he never smelled anything like this before. When Catherine and the girls finally sat down at the table, Danny began to devour his meal.
He paused, the girls were giggling, and he looked up from his bowl. All three were staring at him, and he felt the flush of self-consciousness.
“Hungry?” said Catherine, a trace of amusement in her expression.
“I guess so,” said Danny. “I’ve never tasted anything this good before.”
“It’s a local dish, made with vegetables we grow in our garden. Go ahead. You can have more if you like.”
“Thank you,” Danny said, as he resumed his slurping. The mother seemed more relaxed now, which put him more at ease.
Danny had a second bowl of soup, and a half loaf of soft brown bread. When they were done, Catherine looked over him carefully, assessing his injuries.
“You’ve definitely hit your head. There’s a nice sized goose egg there. I don’t think any of your ribs are broken, but they are bruised. They’ll hurt for a good week or so. Maybe less. I’ve heard you clones heal a lot faster than humans.”
“I’m human,” Danny said reflexively
“Barely,” Catherine scoffed. “You are a clone, Danny. Genetically engineered, and augmented with technology. You were built to serve Zeta Corp.”
Danny sat silently. Her words meant nothing to him.
“You really don’t remember?”
“No. I’ve already told you that.”
“Yes. I suppose you did. Does the name Zeta Corp mean anything to you?”
“No.”
“Look at your uniform. That Z insignia. That’s the Zeta symbol.”
Danny shrugged.
“You are quite the dilemma, Danny.”
“I’m sorry.”
“The question is, what do we do with you now that you’re here?”
“You’re not going to send him away, are you mom?” said Jess, who had been listening to the exchange.
“People will come looking for you, Danny,” said Catherine.
“I don’t want to cause you any trouble,” he said.
“No, I don’t think you do. But, like it or not, you already have.”
Chapter 20
Catherine was correct in her prediction, and Danny’s injuries were healing quickly. It was late afternoon the following day when Danny heard the vehicle approaching. A protective instinct surged through him and he moved into action without thought. He had been playing hide and seek with the girls out behind the house. He quickly rounded them up and went inside to warn Catherine.
“Someone’s coming,” he said.
Catherine looked out the window to the empty road. “How do you know? I don’t see anything.”
“I can hear the engine.”
Catherine nodded. “Right. The enhancements. I forgot. They’re probably looking for you. I told you they would come.”
A black military vehicle appeared on the road, and Catherine’s anxiety became visible.
“Are they the same as me?” Danny asked.
“Yes,” said Catherine, still at the window. “They’re here for you. You’ll need your weapon. I’ll get it for you.” She turned and headed into the other room. A moment later she returned, handing over Danny’s weapon to him.
Danny read the worry in her eyes. “I’ll tell them you helped me. Everything will be okay.”
Catherine nodded anxiously.
The vehicle pulled up in front of the house. Danny walked outside to greet it first, with Catherine following close behind. Four armed men exited the vehicle. Two were uniformed like Danny, while the other two wore a different style of uniform, with the initials UEDF emblazoned on their shoulders.
“That was easy,” said one of the UEDF soldiers. “Which one are you?” he said to Danny.
“I’m Danny.”
“What the hell are you talking about,” said the man. “What’s your designation?”
“He hurt his head when he landed. He doesn’t remember,” said Catherine.
“Uh huh. And I don’t remember asking you.”
Danny felt a spark of anger at the soldier’s disrespect, but managed to suppress it. “It’s true. I don’t remember my designation.”
“Goddamnit. Can either of you two figure out which one he is?”
“His designation is B732,” said one of the Zeta soldiers. “It is marked on his uniform.”
“So it is. Okay B732, is there anything you do remember? Like how you got here?”
“I was hurt, and this woman helped me. She is to be commended,” said Danny.
“Is that right?” said the soldier, leering at Catherine. “A little bit of Pallian hospitality, huh?”
Catherine flinched at the soldier’s comment, and Danny could see her grow more fearful.
“We need a little help too,” the soldier continued. “Don’t we?”
“That’s right,” said the second UEDF soldier, with a toothy grin.
“We’re going to need to inspect the house,” said the first soldier. “You three contractors wait out here. Make yourselves useful and figure out where the rest of his team is.” The soldier grabbed Catherine by the arm. “Come on, lady. Why don’t you show us around?”
“There’s nothing inside,” said Catherine. “You found what you came for. Why don’t you just leave us in peace?”
“Shut that Pallian mouth of yours,” snapped the soldier. “I’ll decide if we’ve gotten what we came for, and I don’t think we have just yet.”
“We don’t want any trouble.”
“No? Then I suggest you cooperate. Let’s go.” The man yanked her by the arm, and the three went inside.
“Did the rest of your team survive?” said one of the Zeta soldiers.
“I don’t know. I woke up alone,” Danny said, staring at the house. The girls were in there. “What are they going to do?”
“Those two? They’re UEDF. They’re all corrupt and undisciplined. What do you think they’re going to do?”
Monsters, he thought. A mix of horror and fury took hold of Danny, as he stood staring helplessly at the house. Only he wasn’t helpless. His hands tightened their grip on his weapon, and he set off toward the house.
“B732, what are you doing?” said one of the Zeta contractors.
Danny didn’t notice the question. His only focus on the sound of Catherine’s pleading voice.
“B732, stop!”
Danny stopped, knowing that the Zeta soldiers would not let him enter the house.
“We were ordered to wait out here. If you go inside you will cause problems for all three of us.”
Danny nodded, his back still facing the Zeta soldiers. “I understand.”
“Get back here and let’s figure out how we’re going to find the rest of your team.”
Danny understood completely. He understood that the Zeta men were complicit in this act of barbarism. They were just as guilty as the UEDF soldiers.
When he turned, his weapon was raised, and he squeezed off two rounds.
Alerted, the two men inside cursed, and scrambled. Already running, Danny knew their location, heard their footsteps, understood their confusion.
Entering through the back door, he saw the girls hiding under the kitchen table. He put a finger to his lips, and motioned for them to stay down.
In the adjacent room the soldiers were cursing again. They had reached the front window, and spotted the dead Zeta soldiers out front.
Weapon fire rang out from the other room. What are they shooting at? he thought. Catherine!
The thought spurred him into action. Without hesitation, Danny burst into the room, but was surprised by what he found.
On the floor lay the two UEDF soldiers, their backs blackened by plasma fire. Standing over them was Catherine, her weapon still pointed at the two men.
“The girls?” she said in a steady voice.
“They’re fine. Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she said, and spit at the two UEDF soldiers. “Filthy Empire scum. How’s that for Pallian hospitality?”
“I’m sorry this happened,” said Danny, relieved that she was not hurt.
She shook her head. “It’s not your fault. Not really. Either way, we can’t stay here now.”
“But this is your home.”
“It’s no longer safe. More soldiers will come. We have to leave.”
“Where will you go?”
“You mean where will ‘we’ go, don’t you?”
“I don’t know. Look at this mess. You and the children are not safe with me.”
“There are four dead soldiers on my property. I’d say we’re already in danger. And I may know someone who can help.”
Chapter 21
It was dark when they drove up the winding road to the remote property. Catherine’s house had been isolated, but this place made it seem congested in comparison.
Danny had found himself feeling on edge since the encounter with the soldiers. Catherine had given him civilian clothes to wear, mentioning only briefly that they had belonged to her husband. She didn’t share what had happened to him, however. He wondered if the soldiers would still identify him without his uniform.
“His name is Isaac. He’s an old friend,” said Catherine. “He can help us. And you.”
“I still don’t understand how can he help me?”
“You’ll see. Follow me.”
They approached the front door, just as it slid open. A gray-haired man stood there, smiling at them. “Catherine, Jess, Ellie. What a nice surprise.” The man’s gaze settled on Danny, and the smile disappeared. “Who is this?”
“My name is Danny.”
The old man stepped up close, holding his gaze uncomfortably for far too long before moving aside. “Really? How intriguing. Come inside.”
As they sat down in Isaac’s living room, Catherine began to recount the day’s events. But Isaac’s gaze kept returning to sweep over Danny while Catherine spoke.
“You don’t remember anything before the girls found you?” said Isaac.
“No. I don’t,” said Danny.
“What about the name Danny? How did you come up with that?”
“I don’t know. It just came to me.”
“Interesting. Zeta clones are not given names. This is done deliberately, as the clones are not encouraged to become independent. You were engineered to be the perfect soldier. To follow orders unquestioningly, even if it means your own death. Of course, intent and outcome often diverge. Something Zeta has yet to fully comprehend.”
Danny began to feel a little overwhelmed. “How do you know so much about all of this?”
“Ah, I see Catherine has not told you everything about me. I know all of this because I am partly responsible for your creation. I was one of the founders of Zeta Corp, and its chief scientist.”
Danny thought back to the incident at the house, and his anger returned. “You are responsible for all of this bloodshed?”
“No, my boy. This was not my doing. I have not been involved with Zeta Corp for a long time. No, I’m afraid this is all the work of my former partner, Ed Masterson. He forced me out of the company a long time ago, because I disagreed with his military vision.”
“But you said you’re responsible for my creation.”
“Partly. I did not specifically create you. Masterson used my research to create you, and the other Zeta soldiers. As I said, I disagreed with his ideas.”
“Then why do the research in the first place?”
“It is not the knowledge that is at fault. It is the intent with which it is wielded. My research could’ve just as easily been used for good.”
Danny got up, pacing quietly around the room, in an attempt to process all that he was hearing.
“I imagine this is a fair bit to take in. Especially if your data pack has been corrupted.”
“Data pack? What does that mean?” said Danny.
“It is how Zeta inserts knowledge into your brain. It is also how they maintain control. You see, every Zeta clone becomes conscious in adult form, but their mind is empty, no different than a new born baby. The Zeta clone, however, has been augmented in many ways. The most important being the implant in your brain. Zeta utilizes this implant to download knowledge into your mind. Knowledge comes in the form of Data packs.
“After the first download, the Zeta clone fully understands who he is, and what is his purpose. He is also ingrained with a sense of loyalty to Zeta Corp itself. The corporation essentially becomes his parent. Similar data packs are used to impart knowledge of weapons and tactics, as well as anything else that would be useful. For example, before being sent to the surface, you were probably given complete knowledge of Pallias, its customs, and its language. Did you not wonder how you were able to communicate with Catherine and the girls?”
“No. I understood them.”
Isaac smiled. “And you understood how to kill armed soldiers, who were augmented, like you.”
“I surprised them.”
“Indeed. You must have been some surprise.”
“You make it sound like I am a machine, but that is not how I feel. I have emotions, desires.”
“Of course you do. You are not a machine, my boy. You are a human, despite the method of your creation. You have all the natural emotions and impulses a typical human has. Zeta had wanted to completely control its clones, but discovered early on that this was impossible. It’s that human variable, you see. They overcame this issue through ingenious compromise. They allowed each clone some measure of independence. Clones were encouraged to develop personalities, and to bond with each other. Their purpose had not changed, but by giving them some measure of freedom, they mitigated the problems encountered early on. In fact, they found that to a certain extent, the more freedom was allowed, the better the clones’ performance.”
“What about Catherine? How do you know her?”
Isaac smiled at Catherine and the girls, who had been surprisingly silent during the conversation. “Yes, I can see how that might be perplexing. You see, I myself am a Pallian by birth. Catherine’s husband was a dear friend.”
“What happened to your husband?” Danny turned to Catherine.
“He was charged with sedition by the Empire, and executed,” Cat
herine’s voice was soft.
“Mathew’s only crime was he believed in a free and independent Pallias,” added Isaac.
“I’m sorry,” said Danny.
“This is why Pallias wants freedom. The Empire is corrupt and oppressive,” said Catherine, leaving no doubt where her contempt lay.
“Well then,” said Isaac. “Now that we’ve gotten acquainted, why don’t we discuss how I can help.”
Chapter 22
Isaac brought Danny into his laboratory motioning for him to sit in the center of the room. He gave Danny a slim, crescent shaped device, and asked him to wear it on his head.
“What does this do?” Danny said, the pliable instrument perfectly conforming to the contours of his skull.
“It will allow me to access your implant,” said Isaac, sitting across from Danny now. He pulled up a holographic computer display, and began to swipe through the information. “Interesting,” he said.
“What’s interesting?” said Danny, unsure of what was taking place. He didn’t feel any different, nor had the headband given him any indication that it was accessing his mind.
“Oh, nothing. Zeta has added some new code I hadn’t seen yet. Your implant seems to be undamaged, but as I thought, some of the code has been corrupted, which is preventing you from accessing a fair bit of your knowledge base.”
“Is that bad?”
“No. In fact, it’s probably a good thing. It is why you are having trouble remembering. But the Zeta Corp loyalty packs have been damaged. This is the reason you’ve not only forgotten Zeta, but feel no sense of loyalty to the corporation itself. Essentially, Zeta has lost its control over you.”
“You mean I am free.”
Isaac smiled. “Yes, my boy. You have been freed.”
“But what happens if you repair the problem. Won’t that put me back under Zeta’s control?”
“I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“How?”
“I’m going to hack your brain.”
“I don’t think I like the sound of that.”
“Don’t worry, my boy. It won’t hurt much. You possess enhanced pain tolerance. You’ll be fine.”