Every Last Mother's Child

by William J. Carty, Jr

  Chapter 7: A Discrete Entry, an Exciting Exit

  “Good Morning,” Kellogg called to security team as he entered the pedestrian gate nearest the residences. “I have a package for Lady Wilson. She’s expecting it.”

  “We’ll need to verify that with her.” One of the guards returned as he stepped into an alcove to call the Marshals residence on the grounds. He found that the package was indeed expected by Lady Wilson. He had the computer give the package the once over as he checked Kellogg out. The guard checked the list and found that Kellogg’s alias Henry Carson was on the list of authorized couriers allowed on the grounds. But it had been a long time since he had been on the grounds. That raised some concerns with the security AI; but after it researched the Henry Carson; the AI became happy that Henry Carson was real and no threat to the royal family. He was permitted into the palace; but had to wait for an escort to take him to the residence.

  Francine had been doing nothing of real importance in her small office near the old Queen Mum’s Residence. She was waiting for Kellogg to show up. She knew that Kellogg would show up when he showed up. Although Francine had inserted the bogus ID for Kellogg years ago in case the closer needed to get to Larry Mercer in hurry about something, she wasn’t certain it would work. Larry, although publicly declaring the closer and his association persona non grata, had wanted a cut out so he could talk to Kellogg on the palace grounds. He knew of the work that Kellogg did and tried to help when he could. Because Kellogg was still on the Mounties watch list, he would have to come to the palace in his own time. The guard called saying there was a courier with a package for Healer at the pedestrian gate could she come down and escort him to Lady Wilson. Francine said she would be right down. She checked where Lisa was and then went to collect the courier and his package.

  Kellogg was waiting for her in the security lobby just inside the pedestrian gate of the palace’s north wall. To look at him you wouldn’t think that he lead the life he did. He was short, only about five six, and stocky. He was rather plain, balding, with no scars, or distinguishing marks. He could fade into the walls if he needed to.

  “Hi Henry,” Francine called seeing the notorious closer. She signed the security log as he was handed a visitor pass.

  “Hi Francine,” Kellogg replied, “I have a message for Lady Wilson. It’s personal and confidential.”

  “Okay Louis,” Francine said nodded to the security guard and then escorted the former closer to the large study where she found Lisa tutoring Abby.

  “One second Francine,” Lisa said seeing her secretary with the notorious closer. “Okay little girl,” She turned to her daughter, “That’s all for today. Sally.”

  “Yes Mistress,” the young principle protective agent said from where she sat on the sofa paging through a magazine. “Find Jill and take them to the pool. I want them to swim laps for a while. I’ll be down shortly. And Sally...No one and I mean no one from the security detail is to enter this suite for an hour.”

  “Yes ma’am,” Sally knew what was going on. Lisa wanted to have a very confidential meeting with someone. Someone that the security unit may not be happy to know she was talking with. Sally, who was a little uncomfortable about what was going to happen next, obeyed Lisa. She had an idea what was going on, and personally felt the meeting was probably for the good. “Come on Little Bear, let’s go find Runaway and get you into your suits.”

  She picked up the five year old and carried her out of the study as Kellogg came in. Sally nodded to Francine and keyed her implant, “Francine you don’t let anything happen to her.”

  Francine glared at Sally; but understood. The security staff had become fiercely protective of the Wilson family in the short time they had been with them. For that matter so was she.

  “Page,” Lisa barked, “Audio and Video sensors off for one hour in the study. Secure the phone, and disable the passive sensors in the wall.”

  “Yes Ma’am,” The AI replied, and then shut down most of the sensors in the study, but not all of them. As the AI shut down its passive sensors it was out at the mountain talking to the defense computers. As she talked to the deep space defense AI Junior the backup AI for deep space got curious as to what was going on in the Marshal’s Residence had turned the sensors back on in the study. He saw what was going on and started to take the appropriate action. He knew who the man being lead into the study was. As much as he wanted to fire off the intruder alert tones he decided not to. He wanted to see what was going on in the Queen Mum’s residence. If he activated the sensor now he wouldn’t get information he could sell.

  “Kellogg,” Lisa stood up and greeted the notorious closer, “I am so glad we could meet. The Queen’s Attorney will be meeting with us in a few minutes.”

  “Lady Wilson that may not be a good idea,” Kellogg replied, “Me and Lord Mercer...”

  “Don’t worry about it Kellogg,” The Queen’s Attorney entered the study, “It is in the past. Besides you were right.”

  “What did you do Kellogg,” Lisa asked.

  “I assassinated a company goon as he left the court house. Lord Mercer got rather pissed off when I took justice in my own hands. But we both knew that Perkins was not going to be convicted of anything worse than disturbing the peace after brutally killing a Gama Biowoman.” Kellogg replied. Mercer just nodded. It was after that incident, years before that parliament wrote new laws concerning the capture and recovery of biopeople on Trena.

  “I see,” Lisa replied, “Okay let’s get down to it. I want you to do a favor for me and I want the blessing of the crown’s bench as you do it.” Both men waited in silence for Lisa to continue. “We have a closer team on world, and I want you to find them and take the appropriate action. I cannot and will not issue a hunting license.” Mercer gave her an astonished look. He had known the younger woman only a few weeks and had no idea she knew of such things as the hunting license her husband had issued. “That is for Michael and his staff. But I want you to find where these closers are and make sure the appropriate law enforcement personnel know where and who they are. Larry I want you to find a mechanism that makes Kellogg part of your staff. Make him a special investigator or whatever. This will be the last meeting you and I will have. I can’t have scandal in this building right now. If my husband and the news hounds knew we were meeting there would be one hell of a mess.”

  “My Lady,” Francine injected, “Why don’t I be the contact with the Freedom Association. I already know the cut outs, and how to get a hold of Kellogg.”

  “Larry?” Lisa asked.

  “I would prefer that.” Larry said, he didn’t have the heart to tell Lisa, he and Kellogg had always been able to get messages to each other, even if they were sometimes at the opposite ends of the legal spectrum.

  “Make it happen,” Lisa said softly, “Now for the other piece of business. We have to get word to the bio community that we are going to ensure their safety as much as possible. We can’t prevent the suicides, and we may have our hands full stopping the assassinations; but we can try. I want your group and the ones you associate with to do your best to prevent another incident like yesterday.”

  “The associations are already on top of it Lady Wilson,” Kellogg replied, “We’ve included a step up patrol of the areas our people live in and they are” he looked at Lord Mercer, “armed. All of them are well trained in the use of fire arms and know their business.”

  “Okay Kellogg,” Mercer said, “This is my private number,” he handed the closer a plain business card, “if one of your people come to grief with Lord Wilson’s security and police forces call that number. Someone from the Queen’s Attorney’s Office will represent your people before the Queen’s Bench.”

  Junior the back up to DefConnie had been momentarily distracted when DefConnie had dropped out of the system for a second. Now that he had overridden the security system. he had to personally oversee the system he was blocking. When he was distracted, he lost control and couldn’t regai
n it before the system responded.

  “Security alert! Security alert,” The AI screamed suddenly, “in Marshal Wilson’s Residence! Wanted felon in Marshal Wilson’s Residence,”

  “Francine, I’m sorry” Kellogg reached out to grab Francine; but Lisa pushed Francine out of the way, “Take me. They won’t dare harm me and I can talk my way out of this with Michael. Francine can’t!” As she said it she thought, “I hope.”

  Kellogg shrugged grabbed Lisa about her shoulders and took out a plastic knife and held it to her throat. “Let’s go!”

  The security team burst through the door of the study weapons drawn and ready to kill. They saw that Lisa was being held hostage and backed off immediately as the retired closer holding Lisa began walking towards them. “You try anything and she’s gone! I mean it!”

  “Sally!” Lisa snapped, “let’s us go! No tricks!”

  “Aye ma’am” Sally’s gun was out and pointed directly at Kellogg’s head. “Kellogg you harm her and you will die! Now put down your weapon and let me take you in.”

  “Fuck you!” Kellogg replied throwing a knife in Sally’s direction. As the knife whistle past the young woman’s ear causing her to duck a second knife materialized in the notorious ex closer’s hand as he moved towards the entrance. He held on tightly to Lisa who fought a little to make good his escape. They walked out of the residence, then walked across the grounds to the nearest exit, there he pushed Lisa to the ground and escaped not before removing a gun from a guard’s hand and firing a couple of rounds at the guards. All the rounds missed and did what Kellogg wanted them to do; get the guards down and thinking about their lives and not on taking him out of the game. He disappeared into the neighborhood surrounding the palace and was not captured. Even after several hundred police and security officers tore the neighborhood up.

  Wilson, when he was made aware of the situation, was furious. He didn’t know who to be more furious with Lisa, or the security team. By the time he had found out, Kellogg had disappeared into the wood work, and Lisa was in the palace’s infirmary. Now more concerned about his spouse than the failure of his team, he went to the infirmary.

  “Are you okay?” He his furry barely contain as he addressed his wife in the infirmary.

  “I’m okay,” Lisa said softly, she had only seen her husband this mad one other time. When they had first come to Trena and she had decided it was too dangerous for them to be together and she had tried to leave him.

  “Good!” He snarled, “All of you clear the room while I have a conversation with my spouse.”

  “Yes My Lord,” the physician nodded to his staff, which quietly left the infirmary with the palace physician.

  “Lisa did you know who that was!” Michael asked, “And do you know who he was associated with? Do you know we are still not certain if he isn’t a closer?” To all of these she timidly nodded. “Do you know how much danger you could have been in? That bastard may have killed you!” She nodded again waiting for him to vent. He had a right to be very angry with her. She knew she had done something if not dangerous, at least highly questionable. “Now why in the hell did you risk your life by meeting with that man?”

  “Michael,” She said taking his hand, “I had to make sure that those closers were stopped in their tracks, and Kellogg for whatever ill he has done in the past, has never let a closer pick up a bio if he knew they were on planet. I know and you know deep down that every man or woman he has killed has been trying to kill a bioperson or someone the company didn’t want to live for some reason. He has made damn sure that the biopeople on this world were safe. I asked him to find the closers and bring them in. I didn’t and wouldn’t issue a hunting license for him. Ah yes I know about the license you issued. I also know how stretched your troops are, so stretched that they are not working the problem. Also the Mounties look the other way sometimes when a bio is killed by a closer.”

  “I see,” Wilson said not certain where to go from there. His wife did have a point. Although the Mounties worked hard to prevent closers from doing their business on Trena, many of the Mounties did look the other way sometimes when a clone was harmed, or killed.

  “I know you do,” Lisa replied, and in truth she did, “So I wanted to make sure the bios were looked after. More so when your team might be more interested in other things rather than protecting a minority. I wanted to make sure the three million or so clones on this world continue to enjoy the freedom they have sought here.”

  “I am going to have a discussion with the security team and heads are going to roll.” Wilson said.

  “No!” Lisa said, “They all did their jobs. Think of it this way. Kellogg helped you find some weakness in your system. I don’t want anyone of the team fired, transferred or discipline in any way. Their actions showed how good they have been trained. I was not harmed, nor anyone else around me and Kellogg. If Kellogg wanted to he could have left a bloody trail to the gate. And you know it.” She buried a finger in her husband’s chest. “Sally in particular was working under my orders.”

  There was a knock at the infirmary’s door. After Wilson said enter the Queen walked in. “Good morning Lady Wilson, Sir Mike. Are you okay Lisa?”

  “I am,” Lisa replied.

  “Thank god! I don’t know what we would have done if we had lost you. Lord Wilson,” The Queen looked to her marshal, “I am glad to hear that none of the security staff or Lady Wilson was harmed. I am also pleased to hear that none of the security unit will be transferred or terminated.”

  “Yes Ma’am,” Wilson replied knowing when he was beaten. “The next time you pull something like this let me know will you? We could have arranged a meet that wouldn’t have caused so much drama!”

  “Yes Sir,” Lisa contritely replied.

  “Mike we’re late for our visit to Boeing Space Works.” The Queen said. And with that they left. As he did he locked eyes with Sally McBride and nodded for her to follow him.

  “Sally,” Wilson said, “Mac is going to want to tear you a new ass hole for your little stunt in there. But you are blessed that Lady Wilson and Queen Aggie are your protectors. You know better, and I expect better from you. There won’t be a next time will there?”

  She had been sweating this session knowing she deserved a butt chewing, one that could end with her termination from the unit. She was surprised that Lady Wilson and the Queen had protected her, more so when she considered how she had disobeyed Lady Wilson.

  “Marshal....” Sally started then said, “Sir, there won’t be a second incident. I’ll be dead first.”

  “Aye,” The Marshal said as Mac caught up with them he gave Sally a stern look and was about to say something when Wilson said, “Mac, It has been taken care of. Sally has been made aware of how stupid her actions were and how blessed she is when both the Queen and my bride pardoned her actions.”

  “Aye sir,” Mac said, “Sally we’ll talk later.”

  “Yes Sir,” Sally said.

  “Mac,” The Queen said to the protective detail head, “We will talk before you have your talk with Sally.”

  “Yes Ma’am,” Mac said nodding to Sally. His conversation with Sally would come and it would be purely professional. He liked Sally and knew that she was well liked by the palace staff. She had been professional and had to date had not been a disciplinary problem. He just needed to debrief her, and find out what they had done wrong. Not what Sally had done wrong, but how had Kellogg, a most notorious closer had gotten so far through security. That bothered him more than the young woman’s error. The entire system had failed. This failure had been frightening, and while a failure, it had also been a success. The AI had caught the problem and done its job.

  In the infirmary the palace doctor had come back in and was finishing his examination of Lisa. Once again he was amazed at how healthy most bioengineered human beings were. Their bodies usually threw off every bug known to man. But this time he was a little surprised. The Delta Clone before him was indeed a
healthy young woman. Though he was immensely puzzled now. Lisa was one month pregnant. Clones were by Terran Imperial Law irreversibly sterile. The other star nations had followed suit. The secret of cloning had been ruthlessly protected by Ebio. No one knew how they created clones. The patents were sealed under imperial law on Earth, and the crown wouldn’t allow their manufacture on Trena or allow their trade either. It was one of the reasons all clones ran to Trena when they escaped.

  “Uh Lady Wilson,” the physician started, “Did you know you were pregnant.”

  “I suspected,” Lisa said. Before she had been sold she had been designated as a breeding clone. Most biowomen were sterilized shortly after they were brought into the world. Selected clones we designated breeding clones. They were not sterilized at birth as the company wanted their genetic materials. Some biowomen like Lisa were never sterilized as the company impregnated them to carry clones to full term, having discovered that a woman’s womb was the best way to get a quality product. In Lisa’s case someone had made a mistake in the computer. They had sold her to a medical personnel company. They hadn’t discovered until too late she had been sold. As part of her design she had been gifted with the ability to suppress her menstrual cycle. She didn’t quite understand it. It was mostly a desire not to be pregnant, and something about those thoughts keyed something in her body to turn on the hormone that prevented her from becoming pregnant. Sometimes if she did get pregnant there was something she did that aborted the child. Lisa had suspected she might be pregnant when she felt sick at her stomach over the last few mornings. The classic signs of morning sickness, something that even clones were subject to.

  “I wouldn’t suspect that you would have morning sickness this soon,” The physician replied as if reading her mind, “But you are a clone, and no one really quite understands your metabolism. A lot of times we just bind your wounds and stand back. You folks do most of the work. I know you have a daughter, was that an artificial conception?”

  “Uh yes,” Lisa said that was the story they told the world about Abby. Abby was the first child she had carried that hadn’t been by artificial means. Clones were sometime used as surrogates for rich women who didn’t want to carry their own children to term. The company only removed a clone’s ovaries, leaving her uterus intact so they could carry children to full term. “Abby was the product of an abandon egg, her biological mother was killed in a Marine Corps action. Like most young women in the Marine Corps, she allowed her eggs to be harvested. She wasn’t married or intended to be married with any one, so her eggs were up for adoption. Michael and I adopted the Marine’s egg. Once the egg was sure to be an embryo it was implanted in me.”

  “I see,” the doctor replied, he had heard of clones doing this. Many clone in fact on Trena made a good living as surrogate mothers. His own wife had a terrible accident as a child that had destroy her uterus and ovaries. The medical community had tried to rebuild her ovaries and make her fertile; but they just couldn’t make it happen. She couldn’t carry a child to term. They had adopted a baby the same way Lord and Lady Wilson had. “Is that why you’re pregnant now?”

  “No,” Lisa said, “this is mine and Michael’s. This sometimes happens to female clones especially those of my type who were designated as production clones. Although our ovaries are suppressed, and mostly dysfunctional, sometimes when a clone has been away from the cloning labs for several years, they become a fully functional woman. The company keeps us knocked up with in vitro babies so our bodies always think we’re pregnant and you know how that affects a woman. They also feed us with chemicals to suppress our menstrual cycles. So after a few years of no babies, and no suppressed menstrual cycles we sometimes get pregnant.”

  ”I see,” the physician said, he was not sure how much of Lady Wilson’s story to believe.

  “Doctor,” Lisa said, “To my knowledge I am the only production clone to ever escape a production complex. For the palace records my spouse and I have adopted another egg. I really don’t want the headaches associated with the Empire finding out the truth. I don’t want to become evidence to bring the company down. Not at this time.”

  “Lisa,” the doctor replied, “the palace medical staff understands. It’ll be our secret as to the how the deed was done. I think we can come up with a sufficiently convincing DNA profile to match yours, they have done that before. It won’t be a problem.”

  “Thank you doctor,” Lisa said smiling.

  “I’ll want to see you any time you feel uncomfortable. I know, I know, what I mean is from the sounds of things you've been pregnant before, and you know how you are supposed to feel during pregnancies, so I’ll let you be the guide as to what you feel is uncomfortable. In the meantime I’ll want to see you in a month. Or do you know someone ...”

  “I’ll be seeing my family doctor,” Lisa said, he was a delta bioman who knew the whole sorted detail of Abby’s birth and had been looking after her family for five years. She also thought she might wander by Doctor Klond’s office. If there was one person she trusted without question when it came to her health, it was Michelle Klond.

  “Okay,” The doctor said, “get out of here. You are obviously too healthy to be taking up my time.”

  “Thank you doctor,” Lisa replied leaving. As Lisa left she had her implant interrogate the infirmary’s expert system and removed all record of her having seen the doctor. She knew she was pregnant, and knew she had to see a doctor, but one of her own choosing, and one who knew about biowomen. The doctor would remember the conversation but unless he made hand written notes that were not entered into the computer there would be nothing to back up that he had discovered that she was pregnant. Now the only problem was how to tell Michael. That was going to be fun.

  Over the last few years Lisa had been suppressing her menstrual cycle so as not to become pregnant. Michael had reluctantly agreed to this. He understood what would happen if Lisa kept getting pregnant, and having children, his children. It would cause a storm that they were not ready to deal with. If it was ever discovered she was pregnant by Wilson, and not by in vitro, the company would definitely want her back in their clutches. So would the Imperial Department of Justice. They would want her back on Earth as evidence to put the last nail in the company’s coffin.