The Quantum Objective (18 page)

A birthmark?
Decker walked the baby closer, struggling to get the cloth around her. That’s when she saw it; knew they were in big trouble. A wave pattern of stripes rippled down the left side of the baby like she’d been tattooed.
‘She is Chimera,’ Beth whispered.
‘She’s what?’ Decker looked warily at the quiet infant.
‘A chimera forms when two separate ova are fertilised by two sperm, and they then fuse. That’s the source of the discolouration; those stripes are called Blaschko's lines.’
Decker shook his head.
‘You people really are freaks.’
‘You don’t understand,’ Beth grabbed Galen’s arm.
‘Non-identical twins. She is a twin in one body.’
Galen stopped to stare again at the baby. He nodded and smiled. ‘She does have a strange DNA signal. But first I have to finish this.’
Beth helped to awkwardly wrap the cloth around the baby in Decker’s arms. She glanced at her belly where Galen was working and did a double take. There was no sign of a wound. Her skin was once more smooth and whole though still sticky with blackened blood.
Decker pulled up a chair and put the baby onto his lap. He stared at the odd markings and closed eyes.
‘She’s so quiet. Are you sure she’s ok, kid?’ He pulled her chin down to check her airway. ‘Well she’s breathing ok.’
He yelped and jerked his hand back.
The baby was watching him with one black and one violet eye. Beth squeaked at the sight of her daughter’s clear gaze. She reached for her baby for the first time, and snatched her from Decker’s arms. He relinquished the child with fumbling haste, but peered again into her steady gaze before withdrawing to the next table, arms tightly crossed.
‘Heterochromia - it can happen with chimera.’ Beth was fascinated by the duality so evident in her baby. The initial shock at her markings was fading.
‘Hello, little one. Are you my Yin and Yang?’ She cooed into the multi-coloured eyes, smiling at the contemplative regard. No wonder Decker was disconcerted. It was like being watched by a hawk.
‘I thought new-borns had blurry vision? You have twenty-twenty.’ Beth chuckled. Her thoughts flashed to Khoen and the grief she kept under lock, key, bolts and chains broke loose. Misery washed away her joy.
‘Mum, it’s ok. Here, sit up.’ Galen helped Beth turn so that her crimson-stained feet dangled off the side of the table. ‘You’ll need to rest for a few days. Your body is almost healed, but I don’t think you should do much. It’s going to take some getting used to…having her out.’ He squeezed his mother’s shoulders in an awkward hug and rubbed a gentle finger across the baby’s forehead. ‘She has the same as me.’ He planted a soft kiss on her patterned forehead and Beth caught sight of the honeycomb birthmark on the back of his neck.
Why didn’t that come to mind when I saw her? Her thoughts were clouded by melancholy. Perhaps the size difference threw me off. Galen’s is tiny.
Decker coughed and uncrossed his arms.
‘You good here?’
At Galen’s nod he rose and gave them a quick salute. He spun on his heel and hurried towards the door.
He’s probably running off to double the guards and secure the exits.
‘Phone Mimi,’ she yelled at his departing back. He waved a hand without a backward glance.
‘Wrap her up more. She’s still too cold.’ Galen brought a fresh tablecloth over. ‘We should go down to the medical bay. The doctors will arrive soon.’
As Beth tucked another layer of cloth around the baby’s feet, she gasped. Her soles were patterned with a red honeycomb lattice.
‘Look at her feet.’
Galen rubbed a finger over the small sole. The pattern repeated on her palms. He looked at Beth’s desolate expression and grinned.
‘Well, I guess I have an interesting little sister. You’ll feel better soon mum. I think you’re going to be too busy to feel sad.’
They both looked down at the mismatched eyes that watched them with knowing. Then with a wide yawn, the baby turned her head and closed her lids.
Galen chuckled. ‘I think she decided to take a nap.’
Beth rubbed her face, trying to wipe away the heavy despondency. This should be the happiest day, even though she could hardly imagine a more traumatic arrival for the little one. Why did I have to think of Khoen? So what if he’s missing this? There’s nothing to be done now so forget it. How often would she wish she could forget? She blew out a sigh.
‘What do you think of the Chimera thing? Twins, Galen. It’s not a coincidence is it?’
Galen shrugged, then slowly shook his head.
‘I wish your father were here. Maybe he’d know something more.’ Beth wondered for the hundredth time how they would contact Perun.
Galen stared at the sleeping baby.
‘What are you going to call her?’
She gazed down at her new daughter. Wild torrents of love, worry and fear poured over her for the silent baby, marked from head to toe as different. She took a long breath and closed her eyes. As she watched the darkness behind her lids pop with sparks and swirls, she wondered what the future held for them all. It took her a moment to notice the lights were forming a pattern.
Beth’s lids sprang open.
‘She is Rana.’
Galen nodded.
‘Welcome Rana. Welcome to our world.’

A low groan greeted Decker as he entered Observation Lab Two trailed by his visitor from MI6. Chris Pike was repeatedly bumping his head on the control desk.
‘Just give them five more minutes Dr. Pike. If no joy, we can try to think up a way to incorporate it into a game.’ His assistant twisted a piece of elastic between her fingers. Decker stepped further into the small room. Through the mirrored glass he saw Beth, Galen and Rana huddled in tight dispute.
It looked like Beth was the only one actually arguing. Her hands flapped, jabbing at Rana. Galen sat next to his sister, the corners of his mouth weighted down. Poor bastard, stuck between those two, thought Decker; can’t believe he’s thirteen already. Where the hell does the time go?
His gaze moved back to Beth’s flailing arms. The mutant is going to drive us all crazy but Beth is definitely getting there first.
‘This is Mr. Edeson’s final day,’ he said. ‘He’d like to clarify a few things for his report. What was the feedback from yesterday’s psych assessment?’
‘Same old. The assessor doesn’t think it’s a game though; thinks it may just be boredom. She recommended a complete change of scenery, a transfer to another facility perhaps.’
‘Well, that’s not going to happen. We only just completed the new security installations last night. Is there nothing else she wants, some reward we can dangle?’
They narrowed eyes at him.
‘Ok, just saying.’
He turned back to the group. Rana was sprawled on an outsized beanbag, making her small form look even tinier. She ignored her mother’s rant, seemingly captivated by the ceiling lights.
She is such a brat I can’t stand it.
He marvelled that such a character could be contained in that small body.
At first they’d thought she had a mental problem, damage from the birth. She never made a sound, ate and slept at odd intervals. She didn’t interact, just watched with her weird-ass eyes. The techs started calling her Sauron.
A year in, she became less withdrawn and increasingly forceful. She could walk like a five year old and began to talk. No conversation, just orders.
‘Stop, go away, stupid.’
Her voice had a strange energy. It made his heart trip as though she’d shouted, though she never raised her voice. She refused to engage with testing. Any deductions had to come from games, which would have worked fine, except few games were acceptable to her. The researchers spent hours every day coming up with new offerings. When she got bored she’d just walk away.
An intricate climbing frame had been built in Lab Three. She clambered around it like a little monkey, allowing them to assess her phenomenal strength and agility. By the age of two she’d perfected disparaging glances and developed a taste for driving everyone nuts.
The only person she had time for was Galen. The kid, inexplicably, doted on her. He described her with affection as a giant. What did that even mean? She was small for her age, normal for premature babies, though her DNA was apparently truly scrambled, spliced in wild ways. They tried in vain to use Galen as a positive influence, but she saw through all forms of manipulation; she always knew what was coming.
It was Galen who finally figured out she wasn’t watching them with those vivid eyes; she was watching their thoughts. She could see the pictures in their heads, like Galen could feel their feelings. It had shocked the team into an endless stalemate.
Only last week did they finally have another breakthrough when Galen accidentally knocked a cup of juice from a table. Video footage showed the cup stop halfway to the floor, the spilled juice jumped back into it and the entirety return to the table without a noise. Rana hadn’t looked up from her reading book. Galen hadn’t even been aware of the incident. Only the vigilant monitoring of the tapes caught it. Confronted with the footage, Rana scowled and refused to discuss it.
Not even Galen could explain her obstinate refusal to communicate. He said she was frustrated and disconnected, he sensed a deep confusion underlying her behaviour but didn’t know why. No one could figure out what she wanted.
‘I want to go out.’
Decker whipped his head round as his heart jumped. She was watching him through the one-way mirror.
‘I want to go off the base and into town. I have been here too long.’ Her tone was crystal.
Beth was frozen mid-gesture. Even Galen raised his brows at this long speech.
Decker pushed the mike button on the table, ‘What do you want from the town? We can get you whatever you want.’
She sighed, ‘I am going now.’ She rose and walked to the door, which unlocked with a beep and opened for her to pass through. Beth and Galen followed, mouths open.
Decker squeezed his eyes tight shut.
Shit, the day has actually arrived. He reached under his collar and yanked out a chain. A small device was clipped to it. He pressed in a code and lifted his gaze to Chris.
‘Did she use the door code?’
Chris flicked his eyes over the panel in front of him.
‘Yes. She must have them all and she clearly doesn’t need to reach the pads to use them.’ He swung excited eyes back to Decker who struggled to keep his temper. These nerds are actually happy she’s doing this, doing something they can measure. Idiots.
‘Delete all the codes and lock the doors. I want the whole place shut down.’ He turned on his heel and stepped into the corridor. The trio was already through the doors at the end. Groups of techs were edging into the walkway.
‘Stay in your rooms.’
Decker broke into a jog as he looped towards the lifts.
‘Shit!’ He stared at the light ascending rapidly to ground level. He grabbed a phone off the wall and jabbed in a number.
‘What the hell happened to the elevators? What do you mean you shut them down? I’m standing here and they are moving, corporal. Where is Sergeant Malone? Good. They better be ready ‘cos she’s coming at you, right about now.’
*
Beth balled her shaking hands into tight fists. Her stomach lurched, the thought of getting off the base made her sick with joy. Maybe Perun would be waiting. Maybe he’d know what to do with her. Maybe change was coming. I can’t go on in this unbearable place, with this unbearable child.
‘Don’t hurt anyone,’ she said. ‘Galen, tell her.’
‘Calm down, mum. This is not the moment for heat.’ He touched Beth’s arm and the cool brush of his compassion sponged down her temper.
She gnawed her nails. Why is he so much better at this than me? He looks so calm. There hadn’t been a day since the delivery that she didn’t feel fear. At first fear for Rana, the testing, the horrific unending silence. Later, fear for her sanity as Rana rejected her every attempt to mother. She’d soon longed for the sense of inadequacy she’d suffered throughout Galen’s infancy. This time, she wasn’t even given the chance to under-perform. She’d been handed an epic fail from day one and there was nothing she could do fix it.
The lift doors opened into a vast shelter. They faced a giant steel door crisscrossed with bolts the size of tree trunks.
‘Jesus. Looks like it could withstand a nuclear blast,’ Beth said. Rana knotted her silky white hair into a twisted bun as she moved towards the door.
‘What now?’ Beth whispered.
Galen lifted a finger to his lips.
She chewed some more on her cuticles as she watched her daughter size up the door. A subtle crackling swelled to loud sizzles and pops. Beth stepped forward, wanting to pull Rana back, but then quiet returned as the stench of scorched dust and metal clouded the air. Rana stepped to the door and raised her hand. With a deep moan it crashed back, bolts ripped through the thick walls. The concrete jumped and cracked for many meters into the compound.
Rana took two steps forward, then paused; she tentatively moved from the shade into the sun, testing it with her fingers before taking a wide stride. Her hair lit up as it caught the rays and held them. Her halo shone and she lifted her palms and face to the sun.
Beth couldn’t move. Awe held her still as she took in her daughter’s yearning. Rana slowly sank to her knees as though worshipping the light. Galen moved forward, breaking Beth out of her trance.
‘Don’t make any sudden moves. There are lots of frightened people watching and they have guns,’ he said. ‘Ah, here comes Decker.’
Beth forced her gaze away from Rana and examined the complex of buildings nearby. Decker loped through the hole in the wall. He slowed to a walk, and then stopped as he took in the flattened door. Hands on hips he watched Rana’s prone form before making his way to Beth and Galen.
‘Nice work,’ he said. ‘Game time is over. We need to get her inside.’
‘I don’t think that’s likely,’ Galen said. ‘You need to pull back your men. There’s too much tension, someone could get hurt.’
‘Look, I don’t know where you think this is going kid, but it’s going nowhere.’
Rana stood and the click of safety catches crackled around the compound.
‘Don’t!’ Beth stepped forward.
Galen raised his palms and turned slowly. The wave of calm that came from him rippled through Beth, reducing her heart rate to a mere sprint.
Then they all froze. Beth gaped at the sound of soft laughter. She turned to check that it really was coming from the soundless, humourless child she’d birthed nearly five years ago.
The smile on Rana’s face ripped a torrent of emotion from her soul. It was her father’s charming, dangerous smile; the smile of someone tasting power and freedom for the first time. The sound reverberated through Beth raising her panic to new, untested heights.
‘Galen…’ she called.
‘Rana, please listen for just a moment,’ Galen spoke quietly. ‘These people are afraid. Fear makes bad decisions. You are not afraid. I am not afraid. Together we can make good decisions for everyone.’ Rana turned slowly, palms and face still to the sun. Then Beth saw it. The light on her skin - her honeycomb markings glowed red.
Beth scrunched her eyes and pushed the wail back down inside her. She whipped round to Decker; her eyes bulged.
‘I’ll be responsible for the excursion. She’s not going to go back in and we don’t know anything about her powers. We must allow her some space. Galen and I will bring her back, just pull back your men.’
‘If you think for one second this kid is getting off the base you’re dreaming.’ Decker’s gaze was glued to Rana’s glowing patterns. ‘She is an unacceptable security risk and we’re all going to get blown to shit if she doesn’t get back inside. Now!’
‘Joshua. Come close.’ Rana said.
Beth and Galen shared a look of bewilderment. Then Galen turned to Decker with a frown. Beth’s gaze moved to Decker’s frozen profile. Was that his name?
She held her breath as Decker hesitated, then took three firm strides to tower over Rana. She waved him closer so that he was bent double, their heads nearly touching. The tension in the air spiked so high, Beth thought she might vomit. The guy has balls, I’ll give him that much. Rana reached up her palms to his ear and whispered.
In that moment she looked like an innocent; just a fragile little alien girl. Sadness squeezed Beth’s heart. She knew her daughter never stood a chance at innocence.
Decker straightened. He closed his eyes and then looked to the sky. Beth couldn’t tell if he was thinking or praying. His jaw was clenched tight as he nodded at no one in particular. Rana grinned, shocking Beth with her strange beauty. With a clap of her small hands she strode to a nearby Land Rover and swung through the open window. Decker stared after her and slowly lifted a transceiver from his belt.
‘Move out. The target is rolling.’ He lowered his arm and with a deep breath strode towards the vehicle. Beth and Galen scrambled after him.