Exposed

by Maller, Andrea

“She needs time to process everything she’s just learned. For crying out loud, she just found out she was created in a laboratory, not the daughter of a woman who died during childbirth. She wasn’t even born. She was incubated in an artificial womb.”

  “I know you love her, Charles.”

  “I do love her. I’ve grown to love her as if she were my natural born daughter.”

  “Alyson needs to know that.”

  “After she’s calmed down, I’ll tell her everything. Right now she’s too angry and confused to listen to anything I have to say. I’m not proud of what we’ve done to her, but look what we’ve accomplished. We’re contributing so much to the scientific community. We’ve succeeded where so many others have failed.”

  “Does she know about Cassie?”

  “No, I didn’t tell her there was another surviving clone. She believes she’s the only one.”

  “Good. If she ever found out about...”

  “She won’t, Alex.”

  “We must keep it that way. We need Cassie as a backup for the transplant. If anyone knew it could mean trouble for all of us. Especially Samantha. We need to protect the project, Charles.”

  “We need to protect Samantha. It’s her only chance at survival.”

  “Are you going to the office today?”

  “I can’t. I need to stay here. In case Alyson comes home.”

  “You mean when she comes home, Charles. She’s a teenager. She just learned the truth about herself. Give her some time to cool down and come to her senses. She’ll be fine. She’s a scientist’s daughter. Hell, she’s the clone of a scientist.”

  “I know you’re right, Alex, but I’ve never seen her like that before. So angry. So very, very angry. She wouldn’t even listen to me. I know she feels as if I’ve betrayed her. And in a way, she’s right. But I never meant to. I’m so afraid of what she might do.”

  “She’ll cry it out. Maybe scream a little. Then, she’ll get over it. We can’t change the past. Once she realizes that, she’ll come home.”

  “I’ll meet you at the office later.”

  “Good man, Charles. We can’t let anything distract us from the project. Especially not now when we’re so close to completion. One more month and we’ll have Samantha back.”

  “I hope you’re right, Alex.”

  “I’ll see you later.”

  Charles hung up the phone and continued looking out the window.

  What if I lose both of them? What if Alyson doesn’t forgive me? I don’t know what I would do without her. She has to come home. She just has to.

  Several hours passed while Charles remained glued to his seat by the window. He couldn’t bring himself to look away. He was ever hopeful that at any moment Alyson would be coming up the walk and life would return to normal. But that was never going to happen. Life was never going to be normal for Alyson or Charles again.

  Chapter Six

  “Hey, Jake. We gotta go. The late bell just rang.”

  “You go ahead. I’m waiting for Alyson.”

  “We’ll catch you inside.”

  “Where is she? This isn’t like her,” Jake muttered under his breath as he paced back and forth in front of the school statue.

  He pulled out his cell phone to call her when security tapped him on the shoulder.

  “You need to get to class, son. Late bell already rang.”

  Jake walked toward the entrance, cell phone in hand. When the guard turned his head, Jake completed the call. Voicemail. Straight to voicemail.

  “Alyson, it’s Jake. I’m at school. Where are you? Call me.”

  Jake disconnected and entered the building. He stopped at the front desk for a late pass, then went to history class. All through first period he kept staring at his phone, waiting for Alyson’s name to pop up. It never did.

  After what felt like an eternity, the bell rang. Jake grabbed his books and headed to his locker to call Alyson again. Straight to voicemail. Jake tried several more times, but each time the outcome was the same -- voicemail. With his throat tightening up, he left one final message.

  “Alyson, please. When you get this message, please call me. I’m going crazy not knowing where you are or if you’re okay. This isn’t like you. Whatever it is, I’m here for you. Please! Call me!”

  Before he could get any kind of response, the next bell rang and he was off to English class. Jake spent the entire period checking his phone. No response.

  Where can she be? This isn’t like her. She’s not even picking up her cell.

  By the end of class, Jake couldn’t take the not knowing. The silence of his phone was slowly driving him insane. He found a quiet corner and called Alyson’s house. Her father answered on the first ring, speaking before Jake could get a word out.

  “Hello? Alyson? I’m so relieved you called. We have so much to talk about. I’ve been going out of my mind with worry since...”

  “Mr Pierce, it’s not Alyson,” Jake interrupted.

  “Hello, Jake. Please tell me she’s with you.”

  “I didn’t see her in school. That’s why I’m calling. What happened? Is she...okay?”

  “She received some disturbing news this morning. Just give her some time.”

  “I left her several messages, but she hasn’t called me back. I think her phone might be turned off.”

  “It wouldn’t surprise me,” Charles half muttered under his breath. “If she comes home, I’ll tell her you called.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Pierce.”

  On his way back to class, Jake repeated the words in his head.

  If she comes home. Why would her father say that? If, not when.

  Jake was more worried than ever. He couldn’t stand the idea of sitting through one more class not knowing where Alyson was.

  He left the school grounds and headed over to their secret place. Whenever one of them was stressed, they would go there and block out the world. When he got there, the only thing he found was an empty park bench covered in bread crumbs. There was no sign of Alyson anywhere.

  Jake sat for a moment, knocking the crumbs to the ground with his books. He quickly stood, then sat again. Feeling restless and helpless, he pulled out his phone to call Alyson one last time. Just as he flipped his phone open, her name appeared on the screen.

  “Allie baby, what’s wrong? What’s going on? Where are you? Talk to me.”

  “I’m fine,” Alyson said, holding back the tears, her voice cracking.

  “No, you’re not. I know you and you’re anything but. Talk to me. Please.”

  “I can’t. I can’t talk about it. Not over the phone. Not yet.”

  “I need to see you.”

  “Not now. I can’t see anybody.”

  “I’m not anybody. I love you. You can trust me.”

  “I know, Jake. I love you, too. I do. But you don’t understand. You couldn’t understand. I need some time to think. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “You know I’m here for you.”

  “I know. Bye, Jake.”

  Alyson shut her phone and headed over to Marshall High to find Cassandra. When she arrived, classes hadn’t let out yet, so she waited outside, impatiently leaning against the building. She avoided being seen by security until the final bell rang. As the bell echoed through the hallways, a burly man in blues walked toward Alyson, tapping the silver name tag on his shirt. Right before he reached her, a herd of students charged through the doors and she was lost in the confusion. The officer walked off and Alyson resumed her position near the school entrance.

  Several minutes later, Cassandra walked by, books in hand. She wasn’t alone. Alyson could see she was deep in conversation and didn’t want to interrupt. She followed closely behind, trying to get up the nerve to speak.

  “Cassandra?” Alyson meekly called out.

  The auburn haired girl with Alyson’s face turned around. Seeing Alyson, she dropped her books and froze -- speechless. Cassandra’s friend picked up the books and stared at Alyson.
/>   “Oh..my... There’s two of you.”

  “I’m Alyson. I’m sure you must have a million questions, but I really need to talk to Cassandra. Privately.”

  “It’s Cassie. My friends call me Cassie. If we share the same face, I guess that makes us friends. But I don’t understand how...”

  “I’ll explain as much as I can, but not here. It’s not safe.”

  “Cassie, I’m not leaving you alone with some stranger we just met. Even if she does have your face.”

  “I understand you want to protect your friend, but it could be dangerous. Not just for you, but for Cassie and me. This is very sensitive information.”

  “You can trust Rachel. We’ve been friends since preschool. We don’t have any secrets.”

  “That’s what you think,” Alyson whispered under her breath.

  “Your last name is Stephens, isn’t it?” Alyson stated to Cassie.

  “Yes, but how do you know...”

  “And your father is Alexander, a research scientist at New View Biotech?”

  “Yes, but how do you know all this information about me and my family?”

  “Because my dad is Charles Pierce and they’re working together on a project at New View Biotech.”

  “So they work together. What does that have to do with me? With us?”

  “Because we’re the project.”

  “What? I know we share the same face, but are you nuts? What do you mean we’re the project? I’m not some high tech tinker toy that my father put together.”

  “You’re not that far off. We weren’t built with spare body parts, but we were created in a laboratory.”

  “I don’t believe you. You’re sick! You need professional help.”

  “I’m not crazy. I can prove it. There are files on all of us in my dad’s office.”

  “What do you mean ‘all of us’? Are you trying to say there’s more than just you and me with this face? What, like an army of teens that all look the same. I think you’ve seen one too many science fiction movies.”

  “I know it sounds completely crazy, but it’s true. It’s complicated. It would be easier if I just show you. Have you ever been to New View Biotech?”

  “I’ve been going there for years. My dad does my asthma treatments there.”

  “Great! Meet me at the Northeast exit tonight at exactly 11:00 sharp. I’ll open the door for you. We don’t want the security guards seeing us together. That would arouse too much suspicion. I have all the pass codes so we won’t have any trouble getting into any of the rooms. Until then, don’t say anything to anybody.”

  “This sounds dangerous, Cassie. I don’t like it. Maybe I should come with you. My dad won’t be home tonight anyway. He’s flying a shipment out to France. I’m sure my mom wouldn’t mind. She loves having the house to herself. I’ll say I’m staying at your place.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but you don’t have to do that.”

  “I would feel better if I went with you,” Rachel said, concerned for her friend’s safety.

  “I’ll be okay. Don’t worry.”

  “Call me the second you’re out of there.”

  “Yes, Mom,” Cassie said with a smile.

  “I’m serious. This isn’t a joke.”

  “Okay, I’ll call you when I get home.”

  “Thank you,” Rachel said as she gave Cassie a reassuring hug.

  “Tonight at 11,” Alyson said, then turned to leave.

  Chapter Seven

  Alyson unlatched the grey steel door and slowly pushed it open a crack to peer through. When she saw her own eyes looking back at her, she opened the door wider to let Cassie inside.

  “You’re right on time. Follow me.”

  “I’m still not so sure about this, but I am curious. Let’s go.”

  “If we go down this hallway, security won’t see us. They don’t check this wing until 2:00. We’ll have plenty of time.”

  Alyson and Cassie walked quietly through the maze of hallways, trying to be silent as possible. The large empty corridors echoed even the slightest sound. In case someone was in that wing, they didn’t want to be caught there together. They couldn’t let anyone know they knew about each other or the project.

  Once in her father’s office, Alyson pulled out the files and showed them, one by one, to Cassie. Cassie read through them with disbelief and amazement.

  “How could they do this? My own father isn’t even my father. I’m just a...”

  “Science experiment. We both are. We’re nothing more than well-sequenced DNA put together in a specific order for their bizarre purposes.”

  “According to these files, we weren’t the only ones created,” Cassie said.

  “No, we’re just the only ones who survived. There are others.”

  “Where are they?”

  “They’re being kept in a state of suspended animation in a lab down the hall. We’ll go there next.”

  “This is all too incredible. I think I need a minute,” Cassie wheezed, pulling out her inhaler.

  After a few puffs, she began breathing easier.

  “Are you okay?” Alyson asked, very concerned for her new friend.

  “I am now. It’s all just a little too much.”

  “We don’t have much time. Put those files back and we’ll go to the suspended animation lab. If you still have any doubts, you won’t after you see the bodies. It’s unreal. Like something straight out of a science fiction movie. If I didn’t see it with my own two eyes, I never would have believed it myself.”

  Cassie carefully put away the files and followed Alyson to the S wing. When they got to the lab, the door was locked. Alyson entered the pass code and pushed the door open. They entered the room and Cassie just froze.

  “Until now, I half thought this was some kind of sick joke, but there’s no way you could have faked this.”

  “I wish it was a joke and we were just long lost twins separated at birth. That would be a lot easier to deal with.”

  “I know what you mean. It’s hard to think of yourself as a...science experiment.”

  “Not just a science experiment. An illegal science experiment.”

  “How could I not...? I didn’t even think of that. We’re not legal. Cloning isn’t legal,” Cassie said, starting to face the harsh realization of what she was.

  “At least not with humans. If we were sheep, we would be fine.”

  Cassie and Alyson walked around, looking into the different glass tanks. They stopped when they reached Samantha’s tank.

  “Just look at her, floating around like a well preserved fish on display. That must be our mother,” Alyson said.

  “It certainly sounds nicer than donor.”

  “Nicer, but not accurate. It’s creepy to think we never had an actual mother. It was hard enough thinking my mom died because I was born, but the truth is even worse.”

  “My dad told me my mom died giving birth to me. What did your dad tell you?” Cassie asked.

  “Same thing. He said she bled to death because of complications during labor.”

  “Mine said that exactly. They clone everything, don’t they? Even stories,” Cassie said.

  “They couldn’t even give us our own individual lie. I guess they didn’t feel we were worth the effort to come up with a different story.”

  “I’m glad you found me, Alyson. At least I’m not alone in this situation. Although, I didn’t know there was a situation until you found me.”

  “It’s still better to know the truth. Speaking of, you don’t know everything yet.”

  “There’s more? What else could there possibly be?”

  “The reason they created us. I read it in our donor’s file.”

  “I read through that file. I didn’t see anything.”

  “You read it too quickly. They’re bringing Samantha out of suspended animation in about a month.”

  “So?”

  “So, that’s when we turn eighteen.”

  “I don’t see
the connection.”

  “The treatments. The injections we’ve been getting every month. They’ve been priming us for the past eighteen years.”

  “For what?”

  “A bone marrow transplant. Samantha has an extremely rare blood type. Her donor has to be a perfect match -- an identical match. Do you see where I’m going with this?”

  “They plan to use us as a donor for her now.”

  “It’s more than just that. We were created to be donors for her. That’s the reason we’re here.”

  “Well, nobody is using me for body parts.”

  “Me either.”

  “So where do we go from here?”

  “We’re in the perfect position right now. Nobody knows we know the truth and we know what they’re planning to do.”

  “Yes, but how do we stop it?”

  “I wish I knew. Right now your dad doesn’t know that you know anything. He doesn’t know we met and he doesn’t know that you know you’re a clone. Until we figure it out, act natural. Don’t say anything to him. Go home, then go to school. I’ll meet you on the front steps of your school at 3:15. We’ll figure it out then.”

  “What are you going to do? Are you going home?”

  “No, not yet. My dad knows that I know I’m a clone, but he doesn’t know I found out about the transplant. I plan to keep that a secret. There’s so much information to sort through. I don’t know what our next step should be.”

  “Whatever it is, there’ll be no turning back.”

  “That’s what scares me.”

  Alyson and Cassie silently navigated their way through the hallways, preoccupied with their next step. Neither one uttered a word until they reached the door where Cassie entered. Alyson unlatched the bolt allowing Cassie to sneak out undetected, then secured the door and headed back to her father’s office. She slumped back into his chair and propped her feet up on the desk. Disjointed thoughts spun through her head. Her eyes slowly closed. Her lids flickered. She fought sleep, but her mind drifted.

  Images of floating clones plagued her, startling her awake. She hadn’t slept since first discovering the suspended animation lab and another headache was waiting to attack. Hands trembling, she twisted her hair in knots. Her stomach churned as she tasted yesterday’s lunch in the back of her throat. She squinted to shield her eyes from the light, not closing them for fear of the images returning. Periodically, exhaustion would take over and the nightmares would return her to reality.