offense, but I am too.” He laughed.
“No. It was more than that. He looked at Natalie like she was some kind of alien.”
Daniel put a hand on Chris’s shoulder. “Everything’s going to be okay, Chris. He kept his word and came alone just like he said he would. I think he’s been alone for a long time, as long as we’ve been cooped up in this hospital. Solitude will do that to a person. It can affect people in a lot of ways. He’s been through as much, if not more, than we have. He was just happy to see breathing people again, I’m sure.”
Chris shook his head. Cradling Natalie in his arms he walked off, leaving Daniel to frown after him.
Martin met Laura’s eyes across the table. “I brought only what you asked,” he said, then changed the subject. “You have children here. This place is not safe.”
“Beggars can’t be choosers.” Vince’s joke hung in the air like the stink of sour meat. No one laughed.
“It’s been safe enough so far,” Jack informed Martin coldly. “We’re all supposed to be friends here. Why don’t you put your weapons on the table, Mr. Kier.”
Laura blinked at the gall of Jack’s request. To her surprise, Martin unsnapped his belt, placed the weapons on the tabletop and slid them toward Jack, who took them eagerly.
“Mr. Jack, isn’t it?” Martin asked. “If I wanted to harm you, you’d be dead by now. Having me relinquish my weapons does nothing to change that fact, though I am willing to do so if it will put you more at ease.”
“Were there children in the base you’re from, Mr. Kier?” Laura asked before Jack had a chance to defend his manly pride.
“No. I had never seen a child before until just a few moments ago. Today is a day of new experiences for me.”
“What about your family?” Laura asked. “Were they killed by the virus?”
“Yes. My fathers all perished from the disease.”
“Fathers?” Vince asked.
“The men who gave me life,” Martin said, a quizzical look on his face, as if he had said nothing peculiar.
The room fell silent. Jack wondered if Martin was insane, but both Vince and Laura caught what Martin meant, or were able to guess at it.
“They were doctors?” Laura proceeded cautiously, hoping she was wrong.
“Scientists.” Martin’s face was impossible to read..
“Do you mind if I ask how old you are, Martin?” Laura was on the edge of her seat with nervous energy.
“I am slightly over thirteen months old.” Martin attempted a friendly smile to assure her that he was not offended by such an odd question.
“Jeez.” Vince shook his head.
Jack stood up. “Thank you very much, Mr. Kier. I think that’ll be all for now. If you’ll just wait outside, we need to discuss some things privately before we continue.”
Laura said, “Sit down, Jack. Now.”
He hesitated, considered disobeying her order. Finally he took his seat.
“Martin,” Laura said, “you were one of the projects at the base, weren’t you? It’s how you survived whatever happened there, isn’t it?”
Martin felt both relieved and worried that his attempt to pass for a normal person had failed. “Yes, Ma’am. My first name was X2114, but I named myself Martin Kier after two of my fathers who died. I was created as an experiment in human genetics. It was an attempt both military and scientific in nature. Though I may be different from you and immune to the dead virus, please understand that I am human. My fathers told me so.”
“Martin,” Laura began, but this time Jack put her in her place.
“Oh for God’s sake!” He slapped the table. “This is insane! And you’re full of shit! Who in the hell are you? I want to know: were you really living in that base, or did you just break in after everyone was dead and set yourself up as a king? Were there some people left? Did you kill them off yourself so that everything would be yours? Is that how it went down?”
“I have told you the truth.” Martin’s face was stone. Laura and Vince could see him struggling against what must have been an implanted urge to defend himself from Jack. At that moment, Laura knew Martin meant what he claimed: he was human—or he wanted to be. If he was just a weapon the military had created, Jack would have been long dead..
Laura tried to warn Jack, but he whirled on her and Vince. He couldn’t believe they were buying this horseshit. Without another word, he stormed out of the conference room.
“I’m sorry,” Laura said, shrugging her shoulders. “Jack isn’t always like that, I swear. Some things are hard for him to accept.”
“His response was what I had expected from all of you. I must confess, I didn’t think you would find me out so soon.”
“Martin,” Vince said, “what were you created for?”
“I was created as a weapon. The military took over the project not long after it began. I was originally supposed to be the first cloned human being, but the military made sure I was much more.”
“Then why didn’t you react like a weapon when Jack threatened you?” Laura wondered. “Surely you were designed to defend yourself with lethal force. I can’t see the military settling for anything less.”
“The project may have been taken over by the military, but it was originally civilian in nature. My fathers taught me about humanity even as the military tested and honed my offensive capabilities. I believe my fathers hoped what they were teaching me would make me useless to the army and allow them to continue with the project without the army’s interference.”
“Okay,” Vince said, dragging out the word. “I don’t suppose it matters much now. You’re here and you’re not like the flesh-eating monsters outside, so I guess that makes us allies.”
“Where do we go from here?” Laura asked them both.
“Daniel expressed to me your desire to leave this hospital, but it may not be wise for you to travel to my base. It was infected with a mutated strain of the dead virus, and despite the base’s automated safety measures and my personal efforts, I cannot promise that you wouldn’t be exposed to the new airborne pathogen.”
“We have to try something, Martin,” Laura argued. “We can’t stay here forever, even if you continued to bring us supplies. The people here are coming apart at the seams. It’s not just about surviving anymore. It’s about starting over. And I don’t think the virus has mutated in the way you believe it has. If it had, you would’ve carried it here with you, I’m sure. Its gestation period is usually only a matter of minutes, not hours.”
“How can you be sure?”
“I can’t be, but none of us have changed since you came and that’s a good sign. I just believe it’s unlikely. If everyone here remains uninfected by the time we’re ready to send the first few members back with you, then we at least know the virus wasn’t altered enough for you to carry it here. The first group that goes can check out the base and make sure it’s safe before we transport the others.”
“What about Jack?” Martin asked.
“Jack will come around in time,” Vince assured him.
Laura shook her head. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Not until he sees proof that you are what you say you are, Martin. Just try to stay out of his way until then.”
“And the others here?” Martin asked.
Vince laughed. “I’ll introduce you around while Laura and I decide who your first passengers will be. Don’t worry. Jack’s Jack, and most people aren’t like him.”
“Thank you,” Martin Kier said, nodding. He hoped Vince was right. He’d come to help this group of fellow survivors, not kill them in self-defense. Perhaps what disturbed Martin the most was that, after seeing the child, he was not sure he could bring himself to execute them, even if they chose to eliminate him first.
Mitchell headed down the corridor to Alyson’s quarters, tired from unloading the supplies and pissed that he always got stuck with the grunt work. As much as he needed Alyson at the moment to take away the stress, he nearly went back the way he had come when he saw Jack marching toward him. He could feel Jack’s anger like it was a physical force. He stopped dead in his tracks, clutching his fists just in case.
Jack walked right up into his face and looked him dead in the eyes. “Get the guns. It’s time.”
Mitchell’s mouth dropped open. He’d always known Jack walked a thin line with the other members on the
