Winter's Destiny

by Nancy Allan

  The storm was raging. She followed the concrete wall around a corner to a hidden set of stairs that descended two flights down the side of the building. She was met with a wall of wind and driving rain. She tried the door at the first landing. Locked. She hurried down to the next level. The door handle turned, but the door itself was jammed. She pulled and yanked until it came free and opened inward.

  She slipped inside, water streaming from her clothes. If anyone noticed the puddle she was leaving, they’d immediately suspect an intruder. More reason to hurry. She saw that she had entered on the guest level. The floor was quiet, so she tiptoed cautiously, passing open doors, and glancing inside unoccupied rooms. One of these rooms had to be Jamie’s or possibly Alesha’s. The owner’s suite was one floor down and staff accommodations were in the basement.

  Amy slipped past the open staircase and continued working her way toward the end of the hall, checking rooms she passed by. Each was being used, but was unoccupied. Sweat trickled down her back, and her hands felt cold and clammy. She couldn’t afford to be seen. If she were caught, all would be lost.

  She came to the last room. The door was closed. Putting her hand on the handle, she pushed it open. Unlike the others, it was dark inside. She stepped in for a better look. The second she did so, she felt a presence. The door closed and a cool hand flew over her mouth, yanking her head back. Amy whirled around. The voice stopped Amy cold.

  “Who are you?”

  The voice was identical to her own. Amy’s response was little more than a whisper. “Alesha?”

  A light snapped on, blinding Amy. Suddenly two arms flew around her and she felt an embrace like none she could remember. Her heart flew into her mouth as the warmth from a body identical to her own, held her. Amy dropped her cheek onto her sister’s shoulder and put her arms around her, pulling her close. Half a lifetime had separated them. They had lived in two different worlds, on two different continents, neither knowing the other, yet at this moment they were one. It was as though two halves had finally come together to create a complete whole. For the first time in her life, Amy understood why there had always been an empty spot in her heart that no person could ever fill. At this moment it was flooded with a pleasant warmth that pumped through her body, energizing her, and restoring her soul.

  Alesha pulled away first and Amy found herself staring in amazement at her twin. Her face was identical: prominent cheekbones, small nose, same full lips, broad forehead, and pale skin. She wore her fair hair long and tied back at the nape of her neck. Looking down, Amy was even more surprised to see that they were wearing almost the same clothes. Their eyes met and both women smiled. Amy was the first to speak. “We’re identical. It’s amazing.”

  “I’ve waited all my life to meet you,” Alesha whispered excitedly. “I found out about you accidently, when I was five years old. Doris let it slip. From the moment she told me about you, I wanted to meet you, to be with you, to grow up with you.” Alesha hugged Amy again, tears misting her eyes. “I used to drive Doris crazy for information. Helmut had to give me updates to keep me happy—”

  Amy was shocked, “What? How did he accomplish that?”

  Alesha shook her head. “He said you were the control. He watched your growth and milestones so he could compare them to mine. He said there’d never be another set of twins as beautiful or as intelligent. He reveres us. Holds us up as the optimum specimens of near perfection. Of course, being women, we would never be perfect. He has this sick dream that one day soon, he’ll have his way with me, resulting in me giving him a boy. The idea makes me physically ill. I’m afraid of what I’d do to him if he ever got close to me in that way. In his eyes, that second generation male child will be the crowning glory of his life’s work.”

  Amy was appalled by what she was hearing. “Alesha, he’s responsible for our parents’ murder. He needs to be put away.”

  Alesha was staring at Amy, horror etched into her expression. “He’s cruel beyond words. He strikes out when he’s angry. He’s beaten poor Doris so badly she couldn’t walk for months and sent me flying more than once. But I’ve never thought of him as a murderer.”

  Amy grew worried. “We can talk about this later. We need to find Jamie and get out of here.”

  “You’re right. Is Dan in the parking lot?”

  “Dan?”

  “Didn’t he bring you here?”

  Amy hesitated. “No. It may have been his intention, but we were attacked at our house. One of Eickher’s thugs shot Dan.” Amy remembered Dan’s words as he spoke of Alesha. I loved her.

  Alesha was so still Amy wondered if her sister had gone into shock. “Alesha?”

  “Is he going to be okay?”

  Amy shook her head. “He died from the gunshot wound.”

  Alesha wiped her eyes, and then she said shakily, “We have to get out of here. Dan and I had planned to leave tonight. I told him I wouldn’t go without you. He was supposed to talk you into coming with us. Dan unlocked my door before he left so I could come down the hall and get Jamie. We’re standing in Jamie’s room.” Alesha pointed to a bag of clothes. “I had warm clothes for each of us. Dan had planned for Jamie and I to leave by the emergency exit at the end of the hall. Meanwhile, Dan was supposed to have already picked you up and be waiting down the road from the parking area. Then we’d be off to the Portland airport. The whole thing was quite simple, but Eickher must have suspected something. Jamie has disappeared.”

  Amy lost her breath. “Oh no.” Amy felt her heart beating in panic. She had to find Jamie and get him out of there! She opened the door and stepped into the hall. At that moment a large woman appeared on the landing. Alesha pulled Amy back into the room so they wouldn’t be seen. When they checked a minute later, the woman had disappeared down the stairs.

  “That’s Maria, Johnstone’s nurse and assistant,” Alesha whispered. “There’s usually a security guard, Sven Werner—mean, ugly guy— but he’s been off the last few days."

  Amy’s eyes widened. “Did he happen to have a scar on his jaw and drive a BMW?”

  Surprised, Alesha said, “Yes, he does, but the BMW is Dr. Johnstone’s. How did you know?”

  Amy cleared her throat, “Long, nasty story. But he won’t be back.”

  “Good, but meanwhile, Francisco, Helmut’s bodyguard, is covering for him. We can’t just go down there. We need a new plan.”

  CHAPTER 42

  The Yukon fishtailed as Dallas rounded a sharp curve on the coast highway. He was southbound for the area around The Caves. Peering through the bucking wipers, he wondered how far he was behind the Mercedes. He was certain Amy was headed to what Nita had described as The Cliff House. Dallas had heard of it, but couldn’t place it. He felt in his shirt pocket for Nita’s directions and flipped on the interior light.

  The Yukon swung wide on a curve, the tires hydroplaning, the back end of the truck sliding off the highway. Slower would be safer, but he couldn’t stomach the thought of Amy walking into that house alone.

  Dallas plucked the radio from the console. “I’m about three minutes from the turnoff and my rear view mirror is still black. Where the hell are you guys?”

  “Mile Marker Fifty-five, Sheriff, and we’re sliding around like we’re on ice. Rain’s so bad we’re almost blind. Matson’s right behind us.”

  “He was supposed to stay at Cape Peril.”

  “He bores easy, Sheriff. The detectives are still there.”

  Dallas cursed under his breath. “I’m coming up to the turnoff now. It’s damned hard to see in all this rain, so make sure you don’t miss it. It’s a hundred yards past Mile Marker Ninety-two.” He flipped off the siren and lights. “It’s Code 2. Don’t go announcing your arrival.” Dallas worked the Yukon up the narrow, pot-holed track. “Road’s more like a wagon trail. It’s awash and as slippery as oil.”

  CHAPTER 43

  The security room was located on the lowest level of the six story Cliff House. Squeezed into the windowless room was a ba
nk of monitors, a large desk, and one swivel chair. Slouched on that chair was Francisco Mandez, staring at the monitor bank, his feet on the desk. He downed the last of his vodka, and then raised the empty glass to the single overhead light. The bottle on his desk was empty.

  His feet hit the floor with a thud. There was another bottle hidden under the passenger seat of the Bentley, but that meant another trip up to the parking area, something he didn’t look forward to on a night like this. Oh, how he missed Paraguay. Not just for the weather, he missed the facility, which had been his home since Doris had plucked him off the streets fifteen years earlier.

  He staggered around the desk and took another cursory look at the bank of monitors. He was Eickher’s bodyguard, but they had assigned Francisco to fill in for Sven Werner, the security guard who had been off the past few days. Francisco hit a toggle, causing the exterior camera to pan the upper lot, and seeing nothing but rain bubbles on the camera lens, he shrugged and proceeded up two flights of stairs to the atrium elevator. Pulling a thin key card from his shirt pocket, he slid it into the slot below the elevator button, and waited impatiently for the elevator doors to open.

  It was then he heard angry voices coming from the other side of the house. One unmistakably belonged to Señor Eickher. The other belonged to a woman. He could swear it was Señora Doris. But how could that be? She never traveled. For that matter, she seldom left the facility for more than a day or two.

  Deciding to investigate, he tiptoed across the living room, into the adjoining hallway, and stopped. In all the years he had served the Eickhers, he had never heard Señora Doris raise her voice to anyone, let alone to the boss. The fact that she was now tearing into the man, gave Francisco a huge sense of satisfaction. He backed around the corner and listened unabashed, as her wonderfully perfect English exploded through the room. If only he could speak like that!

  “So, you’ve locked Alesha in a room like a common prisoner. How could you! Where’s the key? Good. Put it on the table and step away.” Francisco heard nothing for a few minutes so he moved closer and peeked around the corner. Doris continued speaking. “You have a lot of nerve, Helmut Eickher. You’re like a runaway locomotive thundering down the wrong track. Your research is being done for the wrong reasons and your ideals have taken a wrong turn. To top it off, your sex life is with the wrong woman. You’ve insulted me. You’ve humiliated me. You have been—” she looked down at Jamie, “Cover your ears, Child.” She cast a searing look at Eickher. “You’ve been screwing Vera Johnstone for years. We are finished, Helmut! Now turn around and walk out that door. Yes, that’s right, down the hall, and keep your hands on top of your head where they won’t get into trouble!”

  Francisco backed out of sight, and then stuck his head around the corner for a look. A strange trio crossed the living room, lead by Eickher. Doris and the boy followed.

  Why was Señor Eickher—a man who gave orders, who never took them—why was he doing as he was told?

  Then, Francisco saw the gun. It was pointed at the Señor’s back. Worse, the Señora’s finger was on the trigger! What to do? Francisco was paid to protect the Eickhers, but not from each other.

  He watched dumbfounded. Doris ordered, “Open the door.” Reluctantly, Eickher opened the patio door. Wind, rain, and the roar of the ocean blasted into the room. Doris yelled above the din. “It’s time for you to drop out, so to speak, Helmut, before you do any more harm in this world.”

  Eickher looked behind him into the stormy void, then back at Doris. “Be reasonable, Doris,” he shouted, “I am a man, after all.”

  “Yes, I’m sure Vera Johnstone will vouch for you in that regard. But it’s not just your body that’s gone off the rails, Helmut. The brain that operates your body is faulty and corrupt. I used to believe in you and your plan for a better world. But it’s no longer betterment you are trying to achieve. It’s control. You dream of having the universe at your fingertips. And I won’t be a part of that. Nor will l allow you to continue.”

  Eickher stepped toward her, his jaw snapping. “Doris think!” he implored, spittle flying with his words. “Everything’s in place. We have twenty-five super-brains strategically positioned around the world. We have another twenty integrated into government. Twenty-two more are at our facility, devoted to research and the continuance of our project.” He rubbed his bony hands together and his beady eyes gleamed. “Our cellular research is bringing in a fortune and our shares on the NASDAQ are going steadily up. Our patent will bring in billions of dollars! Nothing can stop us now. The world is ours!”

  Doris smiled sadly. “Oh, Helmut, you have two eyes, but you don’t see what’s in front of them. You stole sixty-seven infants from their families and left behind tears and heartbreak. You’ve spent thirty-two years worrying about being caught by the FBI for that ongoing crime. Only you and God know what other horrific crimes you’ve committed over the years. And, as far as our young adults are concerned, you might remember that I was the one who worked with those gifted children every day. I knew which ones would promote goodness in the world and which ones would not. And you’ll remember that I was the one who controlled their test results.”

  A look of realization changed Eickher’s expression. His eyes turned ice cold, his jaw snapped wordlessly, and his hand opened and closed as rage set in.

  Doris continued, “Yes, Helmut. The lead group—those you had selected for strategic positions--showed dangerous inclinations. I adjusted their test results accordingly. I wanted to ensure they’d remain at the facility where I could watch over them. So you see, Helmut, the project’s finished. No more controlled births. And your big dream—for Alesha to have a child, the boy child you could sculpt into ultimate perfection? That will never happen. She would never have let you plant your twisted seed in her body, and I would have made certain of it. You’ve done enough damage. Now, let’s see if you can depart this world like the man you believe you are. Step back!” Doris waved the revolver. “And on your way down, you can recall all those lustful nights with Vera Johnstone.”

  Eickher backed out onto the balcony, the wind whipping his clothes. When he felt the rail against his back, he looked below to the crashing waves, then back at Doris.

  Suddenly, Maria’s deep throaty voice boomed across the other room.

  “Put the gun down!”

  Turning her head in surprise, Doris saw the large woman bearing down upon her. Out of self-preservation she swung the gun in the woman’s direction. Maria’s left hand locked around Doris’s wrist.

  Another voice yelled, “Take your hands off her!”

  Helmut, Doris, and Maria froze. Shock registered on all three faces. Francisco angled his head around the corner for a look. Standing not ten feet from him were two Alesha’s! He shook his head trying to clear the illusion. He had always known vodka could destroy a man. This was the proof. He closed his eyes, and then opened them slowly, praying his double vision would disappear. But no! There were two. Both had blonde hair tied into a knot at the napes of their long, pale necks. Hail Mary, one of them was enough to make any man weep, such was their beauty. But two!

  He longed to touch them, to be certain they were real, to reassure himself that it wasn’t the vodka eating into his brain.

  Eickher was the first to recover. He dove back inside and grabbed Jamie by the arm. “Come here, boy.” Then, he pointed a shaky finger at Alesha and Amy, and shouted to Francisco, “Don’t stand there man, grab them. Lock them up!”

  Francisco took a faltering step in their direction. He had never been permitted near Alesha at the facility. She was the Golden One, the privileged one. Everyone called her The Angel of Light. And—she was Doris’s child.

  As he stepped hesitantly toward the two women, they warned him away. The closest one held up her hand. There was a hypodermic needle between her fingers. Francisco’s eyes bugged. He hated needles.

  “Can you imagine what’s in this syringe, Helmut?” She tipped it toward him. “Humalog.” She put the
thin needle tip against her sister’s carotid artery. “Injected directly into the carotid artery means coma and death. Without Alesha there will be no ultimate conclusion to your project. And you can’t risk losing that, can you? We’re leaving, Helmut. With Jamie. Don’t try to stop us, not if you want Alesha, to live.”

  Eickher’s eyes darted between the two women. He pointed to the second woman and ordered Maria, “Shoot her.”

  Maria looked down at the gun, her fear of Eickher obvious. Shakily, she raised the barrel in the direction of the twins.

  Doris gasped and pushed her small body in front of the weapon. “No!” she cried, “you are not going to shoot our child, Helmut. And who knows which one she is.”

  The twins moved slowly toward Jamie, the far one speaking first. “The only hope you have to complete your project, Helmut, is to let the three of us leave.”

  “Enough!” Eickher’s black eyes burned like hot coals against his colorless skin. “How dare you threaten my project. I don’t need Alesha’s acquiescence for completion, just her body,” he spat, jaw snapping. “No one can stop me!”

  He grabbed the gun from Maria and lowered the barrel until it was aimed directly at Jamie. There was an intake of breath around the room. Alarm showed on the twins’ faces. “I won’t allow my project to be perverted by anyone. Decades of work and sacrifice are at stake.” He pulled Jamie in front of him and looked from one woman to the other, his beady eyes settling on the twin holding the needle. “But I do need Alesha. So, I think we can put an end to all of this silliness and determine which one she is.” He put one hand on Jamie’s shoulders and shoved him in front of the two women. Holding the gun at the child’s back, he said, “They say a child always knows his mother.” He gave Jamie a nudge with the barrel of the gun. “So, boy. Which one’s your mother?”