Perfection

daughter was. His mighty creation, born from his genius. No other had accomplished such feats. He would lead humanity to perfection.

He was just beginning to test the limits of her powers. Of all of their powers.

She needed more of a challenge.

George picked up the handset and punched in a number.

“Engineering,” a soft female voice said.

“This is Dr. Hirch. I need seven more rifles set up in room seventeen.”

“Yes, Dr. Hirch. Right away.”

He hung up and pressed the intercom. “Aalexis, I want to conduct another test. Please wait patiently.”

For the first time since they’d entered the room, Aalexis acknowledged the doctor with more than words. She faced him. Fury flashed within the depths of her eyes, before the same glazed, monotonous guise returned.

“Yes, der Vater,” she replied. Her attention returned to the front of the room. She placed her hands behind her back in an at-ease stance.

George watched her warily, but nothing in her demeanor changed. Still as a statue, even when he buzzed the workers in with his requested items. Three men, wearing Center orange jumpers, wheeled in a cart weighed down with rifle cases and mounts. Without a word, they began assembling the tripods.

“Be sure to sight them off the target,” he said into the intercom.

One of the men waved his arm in acknowledgement.

As the final rifle was positioned, Leland strolled into the control booth. He glanced at Aalexis. “How’d she do?”

“As expected,” George answered without looking up. “Is Micah prepared to go?”

“Yes, but once again I would like to voice my protest.”

“Duly noted,” said the doctor without even glancing up.

“Sending him to Detective Petersen could be dangerous. We’re already missing one subject.”

Dr. Hirch’s spine stiffened. Leland was grating on his nerves. “We will bring her home.”

“We haven’t even finished the extraction of the genes. Not to mention the testing.”

George faced Leland. His assistant peered at him indignantly, his arms crossed over his chest. “Once again, Leland, you overstep your bounds,” he said, his tone sharp and unyielding.

The young man’s arms fell to his sides as he glanced away. “You’ve been taking unnecessary risks lately.”

“Micah is not in any danger. I am sending him to be a…special set of eyes. If there is a traitor, he can help. Now.” George turned toward the window and pointed. “Watch this.”

The red light flashed, reflecting off the young girl’s porcelain skin. The room reverberated with gunfire and clouded with smoke.

When the air cleared, the target dangled from one clip, folding over as though waving. Dr. Hirch brought it inside. Heavy scents of gunpowder and burnt paper filled his nostrils. His nose wrinkled as he smoothed the shredded creases. Tattered and ripped, the target’s head was unrecognizable.

George couldn’t help himself. A grin spread across his face as he looked at his assistant. “Not even fourteen could stop her.”

Leland’s face held a perfect example of surprised shock, his eyes and mouth round disks.

21

Ellyssa set the borrowed copy of Frankenstein across her chest when Mathew, Rein, and Jordan stepped through the door. She’d heard them coming, and the whispers as Rein dismissed her current babysitter, but didn’t think much of it until she saw their faces. She needn’t read their minds to see their visit had to do with her confrontation with Candy a few days ago.

She crossed her legs and waited while Mathew grabbed the desk chair for Jordan. The older man took the offered seat. His smile didn’t mask the worry in his eyes, and the greyish cast to his skin foretold trouble.

His illness concerned her. Over the last few days, she’d grown used to the dark man and come to cherish the stories he’d shared. The war tales his parents had passed down varied greatly from the history books and had given her a different side to ponder.

“What is going on?” she asked, as Rein and Mathew sat on the cot closest to hers. The question was meant for all of them, but she was looking at Rein. He ran nervous fingers through his messy locks while his eyes darted to Jordan. Hesitantly, she followed his gaze.

The old man patted her hand. “Ellyssa, tell us who you really are.” His drawl was slower than usual, tired.

“I have told you.”

“But there is more. Right?”

His unsettled gaze pierced her, and she felt…guilty, like Subject 20. So much to explain and no idea where to begin.

She inhaled deeply. “Everyone is going to die,” she stated, matter-of-factly. Starting with Jordan, she looked from one male to the next, stopping at Rein. No glint of understanding surfaced. Rein, like the others, watched her, waiting for more.

“You do not understand. There will be complete genocide. Not like before, when only those of races lacking the required characteristics were murdered.” She paused. Murder—it was the first time she’d described the extermination for what it truly was. The visionaries of her society had murdered millions of innocents. She swallowed the lump of realization. “But one where every human will be killed and replaced.”

Jordan chuckled. “How can they possibly kill everyone? There will be survivors. Just like my folks survived.”

She shook her head. “Not this time. They are perfecting the ultimate soldier.”

The laugh died on the leader’s full lips. “What does that mean?”

She glanced at Rein and Mathew. Both males looked skeptical.

“Yes, some of your ancestors survived because of their ability to hide; others did because of their genetic codes. But the type of soldier that is coming will be far beyond human understanding. Superior above all.”

As usual, Rein responded by crossing his arms. She watched as his shirt stretched over his taut muscles, and a small flame ignited in her midsection. She felt the warmth reach her cheeks.

“I told you,” she said directly to Rein, “I was created. Specific genes were joined together. Superior genes. I am not the only one. I have brothers and a sister.”

She picked up the book the doctor had loaned her and showed it to Mathew. “It is funny that you chose this to be one of the fictional books you wanted me to read. It hits so close to home.” Fingering the leather binding, she said, “Only, it is my siblings and I who are the monsters. It is not fiction at all.”

A strong hand squeezed her shoulders. She looked up and met Rein’s eyes. His expression was soft and empathetic. “You’re not a monster.”

A single tear squeezed from the corner of her eye, followed by another. She tried to command them to stop, but her body finally had a will of its own.

A wet trail coasted over the contour of her cheek, before disappearing with a swipe of Rein’s thumb. Surprised, she blinked as Rein’s palm cupped the side of her face. Never had anyone touched her face with gentleness and warmth. No impulse to pull away surged through her body. No urge to fight. Amazed by her own reaction, her desire, she reached up and grasped his hand. The tenderness of the gesture felt alien…and wonderful.

“That is true,” she said as Rein leaned back. Instantly, she missed the heat of his skin. “What you need to know is that we were bred as prototypes. I have one sister and three brothers. Each of us was bred to be a perfect soldier. We are stronger, more intelligent, faster, emotionless, and have studied combat and weapons since we were toddlers.”