Exposed (4 page)

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.

     Around 7a.m., Alyson rubbed her eyes, leaned forward in the chair and planned the day’s events. She knew she had to leave soon or risk running into her father. Having no safe place to go, she headed over to the park to find a shady tree to sit beneath. She always thought better in the quietness of the park. Being in the midst of singing birds and swaying trees, Alyson was reminded of the beauty of nature. What she was wasn’t natural. Her existence went against nature. She felt guilty, although logically she knew she had no need to. Being a clone certainly wasn’t her fault or her choice.

     After breathing in the fresh spring air and watching a bluejay add twigs to an already overflowing nest, she settled her mind and turned her phone on again. She needed to deal with what lie ahead. Knowing Jake would be in class, she dialed his number.

     “Jake, this is Alyson. I need to talk to you. There’s something I need to tell you, but not on the phone. Meet me at the front entrance of Marshall High at 3:00 and I’ll explain everything. Don’t call me back. My phone won’t be on.”

     Alyson ended the call and turned her phone off again. She knew Jake would try calling back and she wasn’t ready to answer any questions, especially over the phone. Telling him in person would be hard enough.

     The hours passed and she headed over to Marshall High to meet Jake and Cassie. She arrived a little before three and waited near the front entrance, careful to avoid security. When she saw one of the officers walking in her direction, she quickly ducked behind a tree. A few more minutes and the final bell would ring. A few more minutes and she would have to face Jake.

     Her hands trembled. Her stomach tightened and twisted. A wave of nausea rushed over her and she tasted the fear as it grew inside her. Tick tock. Tick tock. The time drew closer. A lean figure with dark wavy hair and worn out jeans approached her.

     “Jake, you’re a little early,” Alyson said, her voice cracking.

     “I’m happy to see you, too,” Jake said as he leaned in to kiss her.

     “I am happy to see you. I’m just nervous.”

     “Nervous? Why in the world would you be nervous? With me? I’m your boyfriend. We can tell each other anything. You should know that by now. We’ve been together for two years.”

     “Actually, it’s more like I have something to show you.”

     “I’m all eyes,” Jake said, widening his stare in Alyson’s direction.

     “Come with me. There’s someone I want you to meet. She goes to school here. She’ll be meeting us at the front steps in a few minutes. Her name is Cassie.”

     “I don’t understand all the mystery, but I’m sure you have your reasons. I trust you.”

     “Let’s head over.”

     Jake and Alyson walked, hand-in-hand, until they reached the front steps. The final bell was just about to sound when Jake sat down on the top step.

     “I wouldn’t sit there if I were you. You’re going to get trampled.”

     Jake stood up just as the bell rang.

     “Perfect timing,” Alyson said, relaxing slightly.

     The front doors swung open and masses of students came running out.

     “I would look for her, but you haven’t told me anything about her. What does she look like?”

     “Trust me. You’ll know her when you see her.”

     “I don’t see how. We’ve never met. Have we?”

     “No, I’m sure you haven’t. Everything will become a lot clearer once I introduce you to her. Here she comes now.”

     Spotting Alyson, Cassie walked straight over to where she and Jake were standing.

     “Jake, this is Cassie. Cassie, this is...”

     “Whoa! Talk about double vision. I didn’t know you had a sister. Is this what you had to tell me? You have a twin sister? It’s not that big of a deal. You could have told me over the phone. I was so worried about you.”

     “Cassie’s not my sister.”

     “What do you mean? You could be twins. She looks exactly like you.”

     “Exact being the key word. We’re exact copies of each other.”

     “What are you talking about? What do you mean you’re exact copies? I think your imagination’s gone a little wild from all the movies we watch.”

     “Cassie, would you mind? I have to talk to Jake -- privately.”

     “I understand. It’s okay. Go ahead. I’ll wait over here.”

     “Thanks.”

     Alyson and Jake walked over to the school statue and spoke in hushed tones.

     “What the heck is going on, Alyson? You’re starting to scare me. First, you don’t take my calls. Then, you introduce me to a girl who looks like your twin and you say she isn’t even your sister. What gives?”

     “I’m not trying to freak you out. This is all new for me. I’m still trying to sort through everything. That’s why I haven’t been home or in school. I just can’t face anyone. And I’m so angry with my dad. I shouldn’t even call him that. You see, I just found out my dad isn’t my dad.”

     “So, he adopted you. That’s not such a big deal. I know it feels like a big shock right now, but...”

     “That’s not it! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. It’s just...I’m going...”

     “I can see that you’re going through something. Let me help you. It’s going to be okay. A lot of kids are adopted. It doesn’t change anything.”

     “He didn’t adopt me. He..created me...us. Me and Cassie. We weren’t born like everyone else. He created us...in a lab. Him and some other scientists. Her dad is one of the other scientists on the project.”

     “What are you saying, Alyson? Are you telling me you’re a ... a clone? That’s not possible. Not with humans.”

     “Apparently it is. I’m here. Cassie is here. There was another one of us, but she didn’t make it past the first few years. They have her in some sort of suspended animation machine. She’s just floating in fluid. It’s so creepy.”

     “Real great joke, Alyson. You got me good. You almost had me believing you were a...”