The Shox Gene Variant Read online

  Gretchen started to pull away but gave in to the conflicting emotions running through her. She missed the love of a parent’s touch, and she basked in the warmth of her mother’s arms. Then her body trembled and she began sobbing.

  “It’s okay, my daughter. Let it all out.”

  Gretchen sat down with Sandra beside her, her arms still wrapped around Gretchen’s shoulders. They both cried, each one comforting the other. Finally, Gretchen pulled away. “I will ask for the release of the children.”

  “I’ll get you a com link to call him,” Aidan said.

  “No, I need mine.”

  Aidan asked a guard to get Gretchen’s com link. He wasn’t gone long. Handing it to Aidan, he said; “Captain Tom is on his way here.”

  Aidan nodded and gave the com link to Gretchen. She moved into a corner of the cell and ran diagnostics to make sure it wasn’t compromised. Once satisfied, she made the call.

  “My daughter, are you all right?”

  “Father, they have me in custody. I’m sorry for allowing myself to be caught. They are proposing an exchange, me for the children.”

  There was silence before Gretchen spoke. “Father?”

  “I’m sorry, but that is not possible. I know you will understand. The Glory of the Fourth Reich is at stake. I will make sure you are remembered for your sacrifice.”

  ***

  The two guards stood close by Carina while the lab technician attended to the dozen or so monitors in front of him. She looked over at the shiny metallic table with hand and feet restraints. This can’t be good. The lab tech nodded to the guard, and he shoved Carina towards the table.

  “No! Leave me alone!” she screamed, resisting every inch of the way.

  Jonathan broke free and charged the guard only to be met with an elbow to the jaw. He fell and huddled in the corner. Carina kicked the guard as he lifted her on to the table. The lab tech came over to help.

  “Let me go!” The lab tech slapped her hard, and her resistance waned. They strapped her down while the lab tech positioned the robotic arm over her head. Carina struggled, feeling the arm attach itself to the front of her skull.

  “Move away. This might get messy. After the removal of their brains you can discard the bodies,” the lab tech said to the guards.

  “Jonathan! Please help me! Jonathan!”

  Jonathan was seething at the sight of Carina on the table, and his lungs felt they would burst from his chest. The guards watched him stand up. Visions of his aunt and uncle played in his head. Something snapped, and he lurched towards the guards.

  “Nooooo!”

  He hit the first guard in the midsection knocking him across the room. The second guard pulled out his blaster, but Jonathan spun around so fast it stunned the guard. He then grabbed his arm, breaking it while yanking the blaster away. The guard screamed as he fell to the ground. The lab tech slowly moved to the controls.

  “Put it down, or I’ll activate the robot,” he said.

  Jonathan aimed the blaster at the robotic arm and pulled the trigger. Bits and pieces of metal scattered all over the lab. The lab tech panicked and ran for the door. Jonathan leveled the blaster at his legs, pulled the trigger and sent him bouncing off the wall. Carina lay there stunned at what happened. She watched as Jonathan released her from the restraints. After tying and gagging the guards and the lab tech, they moved towards the exit. Carina stopped him.

  “That was awesome. How did you do that?”

  “I haven’t the faintest idea,” Jonathan said. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Wait.” She threw her arms around him and kissed him. “Thank you.”

  ***

  Dirk pored over the documents Sue had sent him. New Moon City had many medical facilities, but most were small outpatient clinics catering to miners, cargo haulers, and space riff-raff but the two that Sue identified manufactured drugs, both legal and illegal, and had large labs for conducting experimentation. Of the two, Dirk focused in on GenLab Inc.

  The licenses showed the board of trustees included so many other companies, it was impossible to peel back the layers of corporate complexities to find the names of actual people. It was located close by, but according to the early mining survey maps of the moon furnished by Acey’s mining company, the facility was entrenched another mile under New Moon City. That seemed highly suspicious to him. He located the probable entrance, a retail pharmaceutical company about a half of a mile on the outskirts of the city. Picking up his com link, he called Aidan. No answer. He thought of leaving a message but decided against it. Aidan was still upset that he had sneaked on board, ignoring him. He thought of contacting Annie but decided against that, too. No, he felt responsible for Carina being taken, and it was up to him to do something about it.

  ***

  It wouldn’t be long before someone found the guards and the lab tech tied up, so they had to move fast. But the place was crawling with scientists and Fourth Reich creeps.

  “Something major is going on,” Carina said. “Let’s stay here until things calm down.”

  The maintenance closet was the last room before the corridor opened into the great hall.

  “We can’t stay. They’ll find us. We have to locate a way up and out of here,” Jonathan said.

  Suddenly, they heard a roar like they had never heard before, followed by cheers.

  “What’s going on?” Carina asked.

  Jonathan opened the door slightly. No one was in the hallway. He looked up. The catwalk above was filled with technicians aiming spotlights in the great hall. Guards were keeping a close eye on the ceremony. “Stay here,” he said, before she could protest. He eased his way against the wall to the edge of the railing so he could watch the proceedings below.

  “It is time for the next phase of our mission,” Gretchen’s father yelled into the mic. “It is with honor and glory for the Fourth Reich that you will be part of it.

  The Replicants were dressed in battle regalia and gave the Nazi salute. They let out a deafening roar of appreciation.

  “Each of you has your instructions. Vehicles are waiting, along with any armament you will need. Soon, New Moon City will become the capitol of the Aryan Nation. It is a glorious day for the Fourth Reich!” he screamed.

  “It is a glorious day indeed,” came the thunderous response.

  Jonathan slithered back to the maintenance closet. “They plan to take over New Moon City! We need to do something,” he said.

  “Over here. There’s some kind of a maintenance elevator,” Carina said, moving boxes of supplies from the back wall. “But I can’t find the controls that operate it.”

  Jonathan looked around and couldn’t find any either. They heard movement down the hallway. “We have to get out of here now!” Carina said.

  Jonathan grabbed the seam of the elevator doors and tried to open them to no avail. They heard someone opening the door to the room. “Shit! They’re coming,” he said. His fingers dug in and the elevator doors began to pull apart slowly. “Get in! The controls are in here!”

  Carina jumped in, but not before two maintenance personnel saw them. Jonathan pushed buttons hoping they were the right ones to take them out of there. The doors closed with a slow metal-grating sound, and they were thrown to the ground as the elevator shot upwards. Carina watched lights quickly flash by as they stayed pinned to the floor. The elevator came to a slow stop. Jonathan looked at Carina as the door screeched open slowly. She held her breath. Jonathan peeked out.

  “Where are we?” she asked.

  “In another maintenance closet. This one’s a lot bigger. We have to get out of here. Follow me.”

  Jonathan ran across the room to the main door with Carina in tow. Opening it, he saw the main lobby to the pharmaceutical company doing business as if nothing was happening below them. “Come on,” he said, taking her hand.

  They walked out into the main hallway and headed for the main entrance. Luckily, no one paid any attention to them. Carina looked around a
t the workers oblivious to what was happening below. The doors opened to the street outside. Jonathan looked for any signs of trouble. “Let’s go.”

  No sooner had they stepped into freedom when a squad of ten Nazi Replicants came around the corner straight for them, each one a perfect copy of the other. “Watch out! Carina screamed as the squad leader pointed a blaster towards them. “Halt, or I will shoot!” he yelled.

  She pulled Jonathan in the other direction as another squad approached. He put his arm around her waiting for the inevitable. A cruiser came to a screeching halt. Foster and Dirk got out with blasters blazing away, sending the squads running for cover. The door flew open.

  “Get in,” Annie said.

  26

  Carina nestled into Dirk’s arms, sobbing as Annie careened through the subterranean streets to Guard HQ. Jonathan was staring out of the window when Foster turned to him.

  “Hi, Jonathan. I’m Private Foster Evans. We’ve been looking for you for a long time. Driving is Annie Carter, and that’s Dirk Saunders.”

  Jonathan gave them a nervous smile. “Thanks for rescuing us. But there is a bigger problem. They plan to take over New Moon City.”

  That got everyone’s attention. Annie pulled the cruiser over.

  “The Nazis are planning an attack?” she asked.

  “Yes. They have the technology to replicate humans from a single embryo. Thousands of them. They want to establish the Fourth Reich here on New Moon City and are releasing these Replicants right now,” Carina chimed in.

  Foster contacted Aidan and Captain Tom, telling them they had the kids and they were safe. He informed them of the attack. Aidan’s elation lasted only a few minutes before he realized what a stupid and dangerous move they had pulled with the rescue.

  Captain Tom helped to mobilize what little Citizen Guard forces were stationed on New Moon City while Aidan decided to interrogate Gretchen one more time. Before he went to the holding facility, he contacted Hillary and Billy. Hillary answered.

  “Good news, Hillary. We have them safe and sound.”

  He heard her crying. Billy picked up the com link. “Aidan, thank you so much.”

  “No problem. I’ll fill you in on the details when I see you.”

  “Can we talk to her?”

  “She’s being checked out at the hospital. I’ll have her call you when she’s finished.”

  “Thanks. When are you coming back?”

  Aidan thought about how to answer that without alarming him. No doubt, whatever was going to happen would hit the news media back on Earth big time. No sooner did that thought run through Aidan’s head when Dirk came running in.

  He turned on the monitor. “They’re attacking the government buildings and have taken control of the spaceport,” he said.

  “Aidan, what’s happening?” Billy asked.

  “Billy, we have a situation here. I have to go.”

  “Situation?”

  “Turn on your monitor. I promise you Carina will be safe with us. Please call Acey and tell her I love her.”

  He hung up watching the assault begin on the government buildings.

  ***

  It was dark when Raina got the call. Glancing at the clock, it showed 5:30 AM.

  “Who was that?” Sue asked woozily.

  “That was Dirk. She said Aidan and the Guard freed the kids.”

  “Thank god that’s over. How are they?”

  “They’re fine, but there is an uprising going on up there.”

  “Uprising? What’s that all about?”

  Raina turned on the monitor. After fifteen minutes, there was mention of a small riot by drunken miners that was quickly quelled.

  “Hmmm. That’s not the way Dirk described it.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He said it was a large-scale attack on the government buildings and there was chaos in the streets.”

  “That’s not what the media is showing.”

  “Yeah, I know. Seems strange.”

  Raina got out of bed and threw her robe on.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Something is going on up there and we’re not being told about it.”

  Sue followed her into the kitchen and watched as she contacted Acey. It was earlier back in Arizona, but she needed to talk to her.

  “Is everything all right? What’s wrong?” Acey asked.

  “Everything’s fine with the kids but there is a conflict going on in New Moon City, and the media is treating it like it’s no big deal.”

  “And how do you know it isn’t?”

  “Because Dirk told me they were attacking the government buildings and there was fighting in the streets of New Moon City.”

  There was silence from Acey who was still seething about Dirk stowing away on the trip there. She finally spoke.

  “My mining company does quite a bit of business there. I’ll contact my people to find out what’s going on.”

  “Okay. That would help. Lunar politics is not my forte, but I do know that when the citizens of New Moon City won their independence from Earth, there was little interest from the politicians here to have anything to do with them.”

  “Does this involve that cult, The Fourth Reich?” Acey asked.

  “Probably, but Dirk didn’t say anything about it. See what you can find out and let me know.”

  ***

  Gretchen refused to speak to anyone. She refused any food and water and resigned herself to a slow and lonely death. No words from anyone were able to snap her out of the despair she felt.

  Annie found Aidan with Captain Tom trying to coordinate what little Citizen Guard forces they had at their disposal to stop the upheaval going on in the City. They were outnumbered, and unless they got some help, New Moon City would fall to the Fourth Reich. Carina told them about the Replicants and how easy it was to replicate more of them.

  “How’s it coming?”

  “Not good. I’ve arranged for you, Dirk and Sandra to go back to Earth,” Aidan said.

  “No way. I’m staying here with you and Foster.”

  “Annie, listen to me. I can’t let that happen.”

  “You have no choice, Dad. I’m a big girl now. I choose to stay and help.”

  Aidan cursed under his breath.

  “I have an idea,” she said.

  “What?”

  “I think you should talk to Gretchen and …”

  “Everybody tried. She refuses to talk and is getting weaker by the minute.”

  “I didn’t mean talk. I mean …” She paused unsure how to say the words. “She had feelings for you. If you could rekindle them, she might open up to you.”

  “Jesus, Annie! I can’t use her like that. The woman has been lied to and betrayed all her life.”

  “Then convince her that you’re sincere and want to help her. If we don’t stop this here on New Moon City, you know they will send those zombies to Earth.”

  Aidan thought hard about what Annie said. He looked at Captain Tom.

  “If we don’t do something quick, it’s all over here.”

  “Shit! Have Sandra ready to accompany me. I’m going to need her help.”

  ***

  Aidan watched Gretchen sleeping through the force-field. Her body already looked sickly. The force-field dissipated and Aidan stepped in. Sandra waited outside. Gretchen opened her eyes but then closed them as if she lacked the strength to keep them open. He sat next to her on the cot and looked at Sandra, not sure what to do next. The worried look on her face offered no help.

  He reached over and brushed the hair off her forehead. She recoiled into a fetal position, uttering a feeble whimper.

  “I don’t want you to die. I know that the feelings you had for me were real. I believe you cared for me. You’re a beautiful woman and have a lot going for you. You’ve been lied to and betrayed your entire life, and I want to help.”

  Before Aidan could say another word, Gretchen mustered all the strength she had left and shot
up like a cobra ready to strike.

  “You’re a liar! Just like everyone else! You don’t give a damn about me!”

  “That’s not true. I find you very attractive. You’re beautiful and intelligent and …”

  “Cut the bullshit! You’d just as soon see me dead.”

  “Gretchen, if I weren’t married, I could see us together.”

  She started crying. Aidan signaled for Sandra to come in. Aidan moved over while Sandra cradled her. “You have people who love you. The betrayal ends here.”

  She curled into Sandra, sobbing heavily. “My father doesn’t care about me. He never did. It was always about the Fourth Reich.”

  Sandra didn’t answer, but continued to hold her while she cried.

  “We need your help. We need to know what his plans are. What’s he doing in the labs?”

  She continued sobbing, not responding to Aidan.

  “Gretchen. Please help us, or a lot of innocent people are going to die. There’s no doubt in my mind that with the right help, you can become the loving little girl I once knew,” Sandra said.

  Aidan held up a bottle of water. Gretchen took it and downed the entire bottle. “I’ll get you some food,” he said.

  “I’m so sorry for all I did. I don’t want to see anyone hurt.”

  ***

  Aidan left Sandra with Gretchen. The diabolical plan she told made Aidan angry and frightened. Captain Tom was watching the monitor with Dirk, Foster, and Annie when Aidan walked in.

  “Any luck?”

  Aidan told them about the Fourth Reich’s plans for domination.

  “They plan to seize control of New Moon City and declare it their headquarters. From here they plan to make more Replicants and send them to Earth. This is way bigger than anyone suspected,” Aidan said.

  “Sir, the government buildings are officially in the hands of the Fourth Reich,” Foster said, pointing to the monitor.

  Everyone turned their attention and watched as the government employees were led out and taken away in vehicles.