Mutated

Chapter 1: Anna

Anna Michaels - Dr. Anna Michaels - smoothed her new lab coat and took a steadying breath in. Perhaps the butterflies in her stomach were excitement, but in truth she was terrified. Her new job was just about as far from home as she could possibly get: on one of the rocky outer planets of the Selene System. If she made a mistake, she was on her own -  figuratively and literally. She hadn't seen another soul since arriving in the expansive lobby of the Hyperion Cloning Facility.

Apart from that, her new job was everything she had ever wanted: high-paying, exciting and filled with opportunities to produce something truly spectacular. She was going to be working as an assistant to Dr. Porporensky, the visionary Russian scientist who had founded the Hyperion Colony on Earth 6, as well as pioneering the unique science of cloning. He was considered a genius by colleagues and rivals alike, and Anna couldn't wait to meet him - that is, if he ever showed up.

Anna had been waiting for about half an hour, and was beginning to wonder if she had got the wrong lobby, when echoing footsteps from behind her made her turn around. 

"Dr. Michaels, you're late." the man - who could only be Dr. Porporensky -  grunted, thrusting forward a calloused hand for her to shake. His grip was like a vice.

"I'm sorry, but I was told to meet you here at ten o'clock. I've been waiting here for half an hour," replied Anna, though inwardly she was cursing her luck. Not even an hour into her new job, and she had already made a bad impression.

Dr. Porporensky grunted in acknowledgement and motioned for her to follow him down one of the brightly-lit corridors. Like a dog called to heel, Anna trotted after him, second thoughts swirling around in her mind. She studied the old doctor, taking in liver spots and scars. Despite a slight limp, and his thinning grey hair, the man exuded an aura of quiet command. She knew that to get on his wrong side was nothing short of suicidal.

The two scientists reached the end of the corridor and swung a sharp left. The tiled floor and smooth wallpaper seemed to have been whisked away, as had Anna's breath. The sight she beheld was incredible. A cavernous ravine had opened up below them, darker and deeper than the night sky. Suspended above it hung aluminium boardwalks, swaying as scientists hurried to and fro. She drank the sight in, apprehension giving way to awe and excitement. The clones themselves were all there, dangling in silver harnesses above the abyss. This was where she was going to be working - and hopefully where she would be making a difference.

"Today you will be assisting me at the waking of one of our clones," Dr. Porporensky barked. It seemed impossible for him to speak at any volume less than a yell. "Depending on how well you do we will proceed from there."

They stepped out onto one of the boardwalks, which swayed disconcertingly beneath their feet. Anna couldn't help but glance over the edge and shudder. It was a long way down. Still, she couldn't let petty fears cloud her judgement. She was already walking on eggshells, and that morning might be the only chance she had to redeem herself.

Eventually Dr. Porporensky stopped beside a long, silver rope that suspended clone number 201 above the darkness. Wordlessly, he handed Anna a harness of her own, as well as a pistol and a folder full of papers. Once the harness was on, and the pistol strapped firmly to her belt, hopefully never to be used, she opened the folder and began to read:

Specimen 201 (Caleb Carrow)

Sex: Male                                                                                                                                                                            Age: 20                                                                                                                                                                              Notes: Showing signs of possible mutation. If he mutates, Code 20 protocol is required.

So, this was the clone who could make or break her career. She peered down at the young man below her. He looked peaceful, just like all the other clones she had seen, but the unique thing about him was just that. He was unique - a living oxymoron. Unlike all the other male specimens he had a dark  olivine complexion, and unruly onyx-coloured curls. His shoulder blades seemed unusually large and deformed as well, but Anna guessed that could be down to poor lighting. His vital signs, displayed on a monitor attached to his harness, showed that he was about to wake up. The only thing left to do was abseil down into the void.

Dr. Porporensky went first, gliding down with all the grace of a swan. To put it mildly, Anna was rather less graceful. She tripped on the railing of the boardwalk, and tumbled head first after the older doctor. For a split second she thought she was about to carry on falling, but her harness caught her. Phew. Her boss was already circling Specimen 201, and she hurried to join him.

"When a clone wakes, we must be prepared to restrain them," explained Dr. Porporensky. "Most are scared, some will fight, and a few require tranquillising. You will use your pistol to do so only when I say so. Understand?" he bellowed the last word to make sure she had truly understood.

Anna was about to reply when a small blip emitting from Specimen 201's monitor indicated that the shouting must have woken him up. Contrary to Dr. Porporensky's warning, he did not fight, or move at all except for his golden eyes, which darted nervously around the facility. The only other thing that indicated that he was awake was his breathing rate, which had increased dramatically. It sounded like he was gasping in pain.

"Is he alright?" she asked. If anything went wrong she was certain she would be blamed.

"Yes he's fi--" Dr. Porporensky never got to finish his sentence.

Specimen 201 was screaming. Screaming and crying and thrashing in his harness, and for good reason. Two large strips of skin had peeled away from his back, revealing not muscles and tissue but something else dark, feathery and covered in bodily fluid. Anna felt bile rise in her throat at the sight. The things were rapidly extending upwards and outwards, bursting from his back - which judging from his screams must have been agony. Both scientists were splattered with blood and feathers, but it was then that Anna realised the things were wings. Wings - beautiful, perfectly formed wings, rippling with new energy. They left her breathless in the best kind of way.

As the wings grew so did the thunderous expression on Dr. Porporensky's face. He turned to Anna, and when he spoke his voice was dangerously low.

"Kill him. Shoot him, strangle him, let him fall into the abyss - i don't care, just make sure he dies."

"What? No! You can't just kill another human being!" she protested.

"Why not? He is defective - a mutant - and besides, he was never human in the first place, just a clone."

"He is human! Just because you grew him in a lab doesn't mean he is any less than you, and besides he is not defective! He isn't in pain any more, he can still move, he is self-aware, and if you don't want him at least let me look after him. I'm sure I can train him up," Anna retorted. In retrospect, she probably ruined her career right there, but at least she ruined it standing up for something she believed in.

Dr Porporensky paused for a moment. A vein was pulsing in his forehead, which like the rest of his face had turned an awful puce. Like a lion facing down potential prey he moved closer and closer to Anna, until she could smell his rancid breath.

"Alright then, here's the deal." his voice was barely above a sinister whisper. "You have a week to train this abomination and make him useful. If you fail to do that, you are fired, with immediate effect. I hope I have made myself clear!"

With that he rappelled away, leaving Anna with the clone who had succeeded in wrecking her dreams. There was something about the hopelessness of his situation that made her more than willing to forgo her ambitions to help him - Caleb. She turned to the terrified clone and she spoke.

"Hi Caleb. I'm Anna. If you want to live, you have to come with me."