campus. Something that was now necessary thanks to the
new female addition on campus. He hung up on Paulson and returned to his car to
head back home. A quick glance at his watch told him he’d make it back in time
for lunch. Good, he was hungry. He drove down the street back to the Program
compound and made his way to the cafeteria.
She was the spitting image of her mother. Keel nearly choked
on his food when she walked into the dining room accompanied by her brother. It
almost hurt to watch Loren, who was a perfect replica of the woman he’d loved.
Seeing her took him back more than thirty years ago when he’d first laid eyes
on Julia, Loren’s mother.
He remembered her shy smile and laughing eyes as she’d
interviewed for a secretary position on campus. One look and he’d been smitten.
And she’d reciprocated too. They dated for months until Robert Stanton sunk his
claws into her. Stanton had been out on a long-term assignment overseas and had
missed Julia’s initiation onto the campus. But upon his return, he’d been drawn
to Julia like a magnet, stealing her away.
He chewed his sandwich slowly, watching Loren laughing with
Chase, and remembered all the hurdles he’d jumped to make things go his way
with Julia. Too bad it hadn’t worked.
Keel had had no choice but to alter the genetic results
paperwork. A little Wite-Out and some typing and another woman, Marie, shot to
the top as a breeding candidate for Stanton and Julia had been sent packing.
Though Stanton wanted Julia, he’d done his duty like a good soldier, married
Marie and fathered Chase.
Unfortunately, Keel’s plan hadn’t gone completely to script.
Julia had refused to come back to him once she’d left Beltsville. Claimed to be
heartbroken over Stanton. He’d lost track of her until that bastard, Stanton,
divorced Marie, left the Program and married Julia. And now their daughter was
here. In Beltsville. On his campus.
Had Stanton and Julia told Loren anything of their history?
Had they suspected his role in their initial separation? He couldn’t risk
anyone learning the truth. He’d stayed for years pretending to be Stanton’s
friend and colleague until he’d left Marie and run back to Julia. He couldn’t
risk being accused of wrongdoing. He had a spotless record and was nearing
retirement. As an external recruit from the early beginnings of the Program, he
didn’t have the enhanced genes to stay as young and fit as most everyone else
on campus, and he was starting to feel his age.
Loren’s clear laugh chimed through the cafeteria.
Interesting that Adam Blacker wasn’t sitting with them. No, he sat opposite
Keel, frowning every time Loren’s laugh rang out. Keel pushed aside his tray.
He’d lost his appetite.
* * * * *
Loren lay in her unfamiliar bed that night wearing a
borrowed t-shirt from her brother. It figured he’d have one of those ridiculous
tourist shirts with the buxom, bikini-clad body painted on it. The body was
positioned so the wearer would look as if he or she had the Betty Boop figure.
If it was silly on her, it would be even more absurd on the tall, masculine
Chase. Her brother was a clown. She’d tried in vain to get a serious word from
him all day, but he’d insisted on telling jokes and yukking it up with his
posse. Any mention of their father brought darkness to his eyes and was quickly
hidden by a jest. He’d done everything but snort milk out of his nose just to
avoid a quiet moment with her.
Adam had not helped. He’d sat on the opposite side of the
dining room, quietly eating his fish. It had been delicious, no high-school
cafeteria for this campus. It was restaurant quality all the way. Every so
often, Loren had glanced in exasperation from her brother to Adam. She’d not
managed to catch his eye even once. It was as though the hours of sex had never
happened. She tried to tell herself it didn’t matter, because, let’s be honest,
if Adam had treated her better, it might mean a wedding and
new female addition on campus. He hung up on Paulson and returned to his car to
head back home. A quick glance at his watch told him he’d make it back in time
for lunch. Good, he was hungry. He drove down the street back to the Program
compound and made his way to the cafeteria.
She was the spitting image of her mother. Keel nearly choked
on his food when she walked into the dining room accompanied by her brother. It
almost hurt to watch Loren, who was a perfect replica of the woman he’d loved.
Seeing her took him back more than thirty years ago when he’d first laid eyes
on Julia, Loren’s mother.
He remembered her shy smile and laughing eyes as she’d
interviewed for a secretary position on campus. One look and he’d been smitten.
And she’d reciprocated too. They dated for months until Robert Stanton sunk his
claws into her. Stanton had been out on a long-term assignment overseas and had
missed Julia’s initiation onto the campus. But upon his return, he’d been drawn
to Julia like a magnet, stealing her away.
He chewed his sandwich slowly, watching Loren laughing with
Chase, and remembered all the hurdles he’d jumped to make things go his way
with Julia. Too bad it hadn’t worked.
Keel had had no choice but to alter the genetic results
paperwork. A little Wite-Out and some typing and another woman, Marie, shot to
the top as a breeding candidate for Stanton and Julia had been sent packing.
Though Stanton wanted Julia, he’d done his duty like a good soldier, married
Marie and fathered Chase.
Unfortunately, Keel’s plan hadn’t gone completely to script.
Julia had refused to come back to him once she’d left Beltsville. Claimed to be
heartbroken over Stanton. He’d lost track of her until that bastard, Stanton,
divorced Marie, left the Program and married Julia. And now their daughter was
here. In Beltsville. On his campus.
Had Stanton and Julia told Loren anything of their history?
Had they suspected his role in their initial separation? He couldn’t risk
anyone learning the truth. He’d stayed for years pretending to be Stanton’s
friend and colleague until he’d left Marie and run back to Julia. He couldn’t
risk being accused of wrongdoing. He had a spotless record and was nearing
retirement. As an external recruit from the early beginnings of the Program, he
didn’t have the enhanced genes to stay as young and fit as most everyone else
on campus, and he was starting to feel his age.
Loren’s clear laugh chimed through the cafeteria.
Interesting that Adam Blacker wasn’t sitting with them. No, he sat opposite
Keel, frowning every time Loren’s laugh rang out. Keel pushed aside his tray.
He’d lost his appetite.
* * * * *
Loren lay in her unfamiliar bed that night wearing a
borrowed t-shirt from her brother. It figured he’d have one of those ridiculous
tourist shirts with the buxom, bikini-clad body painted on it. The body was
positioned so the wearer would look as if he or she had the Betty Boop figure.
If it was silly on her, it would be even more absurd on the tall, masculine
Chase. Her brother was a clown. She’d tried in vain to get a serious word from
him all day, but he’d insisted on telling jokes and yukking it up with his
posse. Any mention of their father brought darkness to his eyes and was quickly
hidden by a jest. He’d done everything but snort milk out of his nose just to
avoid a quiet moment with her.
Adam had not helped. He’d sat on the opposite side of the
dining room, quietly eating his fish. It had been delicious, no high-school
cafeteria for this campus. It was restaurant quality all the way. Every so
often, Loren had glanced in exasperation from her brother to Adam. She’d not
managed to catch his eye even once. It was as though the hours of sex had never
happened. She tried to tell herself it didn’t matter, because, let’s be honest,
if Adam had treated her better, it might mean a wedding and
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