2156

by C M Dancha

Helmer chuckled a little. "Yeah, I spent a delightful hour with Milk-Bone, Milk Toast or whatever his name is. By the time we were done, I wanted to punch him in the nose."

  "Same here. He has a way of pissing off a person. But I have to admit that he has more between those ears than a pretty-boy face."

  Before Rollie got the meeting started, Helmer couldn't help himself and had to throw a barb at Claude. "Claude, you'll be hearing from Milk Toast. He asked me about you, and I recommended that he interview you as soon as possible."

  Helmer made his comment straight faced and with so much conviction that even Rollie thought he was telling the truth.

  "What? Why would he want to talk to me? I wasn't with you guys when you discovered Callie's body. I haven't been in that lab since..."

  Claude rambled on and on about having to meet with Milkweed. His face reddened and beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. He gradually lifted out of his chair as he denied, agonized and swore an oath of innocence in the Callie murder case. He was so upset that he started to stutter and went into one of his famous sinus-clearing, snorting fits. His last statement before Rollie interceded was, "No damn way am I going to talk to that guy."

  "Claude, calm down. Helmer was putting you on for God's sake."

  When Claude realized he was the butt of another Helmer prank, he swore, ranted and raved about the unprofessional staff at Phoenvartis, particularly Helmer and Rollie. The more he complained the more Helmer and Rollie laughed. The three ReLife team members created so much commotion that Ingrid came into the office to make sure everyone was okay.

  Finally, things calmed down enough so Rollie could get the meeting called to order. For the next two hours, the ReLife team went through an extensive checklist making sure everything was in order and ready for the human cloning. Rollie was very impressed with the amount of work Claude and Helmer had put into the preparation. Apart from a couple of minor details, it appeared that everything was ready.

  "Okay, guys. That's about it. You've done an excellent job getting ready for this. I'll talk to Raul and make sure a double sentry is put on the CR47 tonight. Get a good sleep tonight and I'll see you around 9 tomorrow morning."

  Rollie watched Claude and Helmer leave his office. He got a chuckle out of seeing Claude leave far ahead of Helmer. This was another grudge Claude would add to his Helmer shit list and carry around for years to come. Other than Claude getting steamed about a fictitious meeting with Milkweed, Rollie thought this was one of the best meetings he ever attended.

  As he got ready to call Raul and then switch the host samples, a thought crossed Rollie's mind. Out of the blue, he realized Claude did not ask any questions about the host samples. Where they came from. Did Rollie have them? He was such a perfectionist he couldn't have overlooked such an important detail in the cloning procedure. It was obvious Claude already knew the answer to those questions. Rollie wondered who filled Claude in on where the host samples came from.

  Rollie devoted about an hour and a half to review the primate lab recordings. He reviewed them at three-quarter speed. At a slower speed, Rollie felt he would have a better chance of seeing Maxine's elusive behavior which explained her odd behavior. By 6:15 p.m. he hadn't seen anything unusual, so he shut off the playback and left the building to meet Sophia.

  Rollie arrived at the tavern a few minutes early. He went in and was about to get a table for two when he spotted Sophia sitting at the back of the dining area. She was at the same table as the first night the two of them had played eye-tennis, flirting back and forth across the dining room. As he approached her table, he could see she was wearing the sleek black dress outfit he thought was so sexy.

  "Hi, how are you?" Rollie reached out and held Sophia's hand as he gave her a peck on the cheek.

  "I'm fine, Rollie. It's good to see you. It seems like years since we've been together."

  Rollie was surprised at how good Sophia's face looked. He could see that she was wearing heavy makeup, but it was only hiding the remaining black and blue marks and blood under the skin. The swelling had receded, and her face was back to its original shape.

  "Yes, it seems like a long time. So much has happened since I saw you last."

  "I understand that you lost a member of your team. I heard that it was the woman from the Congo who can talk to monkeys."

  Rollie looked into her eyes. "How do you know that?"

  "My dear, there is an underground rumor mill at Phoenvartis that you wouldn't believe. If you know the right people you can find out just about anything."

  "You're kidding. Who's in it?"

  "I'll only tell you that it starts right at the top." Rollie thought for a moment. The top was Klaus's office. There was no chance it was Klaus, so it had to be his assistant, Helga.

  "Helga? Are you kidding? She's the leader of a gossip group?"

  "Not a group, Rollie. It's a gang. They not only spread and filter information around the company, they also wield a lot of power. I know of two people in the last year they had fired for trumped-up reasons."

  Rollie didn't know what to say. He was befuddled. There was no question she was telling the truth. What surprised him was how efficient this gang was in keeping their activities hidden from the company's executives.

  "What other surprises do you have for me, Sophia?"

  "Well, let's see. An investigator is investigating the primate scientist's death. Tomorrow morning there is a human cloning scheduled. One of Raul's men is trying to figure out who was snooping around the CR47 and is seen as a reflection on the side of the incubator. By the way, that was me. I came into work a couple nights and got the urge to look at the CR47. I had never seen it before. There are some other things, but they can wait. I'd like to eat something first."

  Rollie was stunned. He kept staring at Sophia thinking he might be asleep, and this was a bad dream.

  His thoughts finally cleared, and he called the waitress over. Sophia ordered a meal but Rollie ordered a double shot of Irish whiskey, straight up with no chaser.

  "You have been a busy little girl. I'm going to be honest with you, Sophia. What you've told me is correct. What I don't understand is why you are telling me these things."

  "Time is running out, Rollie, and you're the only person I trust. I need to ask a favor of you."

  "Before you say anything more, I need to tell you a few things." Rollie paused for a couple of seconds to make sure Sophia was willing to listen to what he had to say.

  "Sophia, Raul and I know that you have been seeing Klaus and he is the one who beat you up." Rollie waited for Sophia to respond but all she did was lower her head in shame and then take a drink of water.

  "Here's the thing which we are very concerned about. We know you are working undercover for someone. We don't know who or what you're trying to do. But your position as Director of Archives is a cover for your real job which is collecting information for someone."

  Sophia began playing with her silverware, stalling for time to think about how to answer Rollie's accusations.

  "I guess this is as good a night to confess as any. Yes, I'm working for an ultra-right wing, anarchist group called the Black Cross. I believe their mission is to topple the World Council, but I don't know for certain. I'm doing it for the credits, Rollie. No other reason, just the credits. Enough credits to live the rest of my life in luxury, anywhere I want."

  Sophia paused and put her hands over Rollie's closest hand. "I want you to join me, Rollie. Come with me and let's see the world, have fun and forget about the World Council, all its lackeys and the problems it creates for decent folks. Rollie, life is too short to be constantly fighting against the bureaucracy. I'm sick and tired of wondering if you're next to be shut off from credits because you want a little freedom."

  The waitress delivered Sophia's meal and Rollie's drink. The meal looked and smelled wonderful, but Sophia's hunger had subsided with her confession.

  "Rollie, do you want this? I'm not hungry any longer. I need a drink."


  "Here, take this one and I'll get another." Rollie called the waitress over and ordered two more double shots of Irish whiskey. He was sure that either he or Sophia would drink the extra one.

  After they downed most of their drinks, Rollie said, "Sophia, I can't join you. It sounds very inviting, but I don't want to be on the run for the rest of my life. I have a large family and too many personal ties to walk away and disappear." Rollie finished his drink and sucked on an ice cube while he gave more thought to Sophia's proposition. Sophia considered saying something about Rollie's new girlfriend but decided it would sound vindictive no matter how she made the comment.

  "Sophia, this Black Cross group obviously wants more than the information you are providing. Will you tell me what they want?"

  "Rollie, it's best that I keep that to myself for now. If I tell you then you become an accomplice to what I'm doing for the Black Cross and I don't want to put you in that position. If you change your mind about leaving with me, I'll tell you what I have to do for them."

  Even though her response made sense, Rollie still wanted to know what her mission for the Black Cross entailed. "Sophia, answer one question for me. Will anyone get hurt because of what you're doing for the Black Cross?"

  "Rollie, no one you know will get hurt." Sophia knew this might not be entirely true. In the short term, no one at Phoenvartis would get hurt. But there was always the possibility that whoever they wanted cloned might cause trouble and end up hurting a lot of people. Sophia decided not to say anything more because it would be nothing more than a guess.

  "That's kind of an open-ended answer."

  "Rollie, I can't see the future. It's the best answer I can give you today."

  Rollie shrugged realizing he wasn't going to get any more information from Sophia. Each of them had another drink and talked about less serious subjects like the puppy, oddball characters at Phoenvartis and the good times they shared.

  "Rollie, will you walk me home?"

  "Sure. Let me get a thermal shell for your dinner and we'll get out of here."

  "Good idea, I'm sure I'll get hungry later."

  Five minutes later, Rollie and Sophia left the tavern. They strolled along the river walk enjoying the sights on an unusually warm night. About a block from the tavern, Sophia took Rollie's arm as though they were new lovers still in the infatuation stage of their relationship. Neither of them verbalized any of the thoughts racing through their heads.

  Rollie speculated that this might be his last intimate moment with Sophia. And, it might be the last time he ever saw her. He still wondered about her mission for the Black Cross. He hoped she was telling the truth about any evil it might produce.

  Sophia loved walking with Rollie, even if he was a former boyfriend. Just being seen in public with a handsome man made her feel important. Maybe there was a tinge of feeling loved also.

  Sophia anticipated Rollie's reluctance to run away with her. She put the odds of him agreeing at less than 20%. She was disappointed but not emotionally destroyed. Experience had taught her that there were other Rollies in the world and with some luck, she would find one. After receiving the 25% down payment from Krieger at the Black Cross she had enough credits to stay lost in luxury for quite a few years. Maybe not the rest of her life but at least fifteen years. To be safe, she transferred the credits several times between accounts. This would prevent anyone from ever finding and taking them. Using a complicated algorithm, the credits would transfer every month or so to keep anyone looking for them confused and off the scent.

  A half hour after leaving the tavern, they arrived at the Opulenz apartments. This was one of the premier apartment buildings in Zurich. In English, its name meant opulence. It was an appropriate name for the elegance. Rollie knew Sophia wasn't paying for this lifestyle. Someone else was footing the bill. It might be part of her deal with the Black Cross. It would be easy for Raul to find the name of her benefactor if he hadn't done so already.

  At the entrance to the building, Sophia turned Rollie and gave him an extended hug. Even though he wanted to see her expensive apartment, he didn't ask to be invited in. Likewise, Sophia thought it best to part on the street and not create a situation in her apartment which might be awkwardly seductive.

  "Sophia, please be careful and if you ever need anything, call me." He knew she was too dangerous to partner with, but the adventurous part of his personality would miss her.

  "Rollie, give the puppy a big kiss for me and good luck tomorrow." She gave him a kiss on the lips and then headed to the entrance. The doorman opened the door for her, and she was halfway inside when she turned back to Rollie. "Rollie, remember that things are not always as they appear." She then walked out of sight.

  Rollie stood there for a moment wishing she would return and explain her last comment. He turned and started the fifteen-minute walk to his apartment.

  In the darkness across the street, a well-dressed man smoked as he watched Rollie and Sophia part ways. When Rollie was out of sight, he walked over to the Opulenz, entered, and took the lift to Sophia's floor. It was time for the two of them to get together.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Off to A Good Start in A Bad Way

  The next morning, Rollie and Helmer arrived at Phoenvartis at the same time. As they walked through the courtyard, Helmer was talking nonstop as if he were on an adrenaline high. Rollie had seen the same emotions from football players who acted like they were possessed by the devil until they got on the field and hit an opponent.

  "Rollie, do we have clothes for the clone? How do we know what size clothes the clone wears? Where is the clone going to sleep? Have we planned meals for the clone? We forgot these things, didn't we? And, another thing, is there going to be a doctor...?"

  "Calm down. I have a robe for the clone to wear until we know what size he is, and I can send Ingrid to buy some clothes. If he is around my size, he can wear some of the extra clothes I have in my office. I've planned for the cafeteria to provide three well-balanced meals each day for our guest. And Raul had the primate lab updated last night with a bed, dresser, toiletries and a full complement of kitchen utensils if he needs them. There's already a shower and cooler unit in the lab. In fact, there's a vibration tub also, in case he wants to unwind and get a muscle massage."

  "Helmer, why don't you and I go to the cafeteria and get a Mellow Yellow. You definitely need to calm down and I could also use a sip or two."

  By 8 a.m., the anti-anxiety drink had done its job and brought Helmer back to Earth. The two men left the cafeteria and went to their offices to check communications and give instructions to their assistants.

  Rollie removed the thermal box containing the host samples from a locked cabinet in his office. The night before, he booby-trapped the opening of the thermal box with a hair from his head. The hair was still in its original position indicating the box had not been opened or tampered with since he put it in the cabinet.

  "Ingrid, I'll be in the CR47 lab for the next hour or so. Take messages and don't interrupt us unless atomic laser war breaks out."

  Ingrid got the message. She knew how serious the next four to five hours would be for everyone who worked at Phoenvartis. The rumor mill kept her well informed on the human cloning scheduled to begin within the next hour. She smiled at him and said, "Good luck, boss."

  Rollie didn't give a minute of thought to why Ingrid wished him well. After his discussion with Sophia the night before he figured Ingrid knew exactly what was about to happen in the CR47 lab. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if she knew more than the ReLife team.

  By the time Rollie arrived at the cloning lab, everyone was there except for Klaus.

  "Good morning everyone." Rollie waited for Raul, Claude and Helmer to acknowledge his welcome. "Okay, guys. I guess this is it. Let's get started. It's almost 9 a.m., so Klaus may or may not show up. Claude, if you and Helmer will start the authorization and initialization phases, I'll get the host samples out and load them in the sample tray. Raul
, do you have anything we should know about before starting?"

  "I've got some news for you, but it can wait. Let's move forward and..... break a leg, everyone."

  Claude turned back to Raul with a puzzled look on his face.

  "Claude, break a leg is what actors say to each other before opening night of a play."

  Claude furrowed his brow. He still didn't understand the meaning of the phrase. He turned back to the CR47 and started the initialization phase as he mumbled to himself.

  Rollie turned his back to everyone and opened the thermal box. He removed the host samples which consisted of a severed forefinger and clumps of human hair. He walked these items over to the sample tray and placed them in their designated spots. When the tray was closed, the samples were hidden from view.

  Five minutes later everyone had completed their assigned tasks and stood back from the CR47.

  "Claude, the honor is yours. If you would, please push the Start button."

  In a rare display of emotion, Claude smiled at being chosen to start the incubator. When he realized his emotions were on display for everyone to see, he tried to hide his smile with a short coughing fit.

  The CR47 came to life and codes started scrolling across the information panel. The team members stood there for a good ten to fifteen minutes making sure the green light didn't turn to a red trouble light.

  "Everything looks good, guys. Let's take observation shifts as we did with Maxine. Who wants to go first?"

  "I'll take the first shift, Rollie." After Claude, Rollie volunteered for the second shift followed by Raul and then Helmer.

  "Okay, it's 9:20 a.m. now, so everyone meets back here at around 1 p.m."

  Other than Claude, everyone left the lab. Rollie wanted to go back to his office and continue reviewing the lab recordings but was stopped in the hall by Raul.

  "Rollie, let's go to the cafeteria. I need to talk with you."

  After selecting something to drink, the men sat at a table by themselves, several tables away from any snooping ears.