Code 47 to BREV Force Cracko

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 11

"Put your hands down, Dr. Kane, this is not a robbery and I have no desire to harm you, just do pot turn around!"

"What is this all about?" Martin asked, almost pleading. "What do you want from me?" Martin's voice was quivering but his thoughts were clear. He listened closely to the voice and tried to analyze the words and tone to get a feel for who this might be. "Do we know each other?" he asked. "Is that why you won't talk face to face?"

"I know you. Let us just leave it at that."

The muffled voice seemed purposely disguised so no identity might be revealed. Martin tried to assess his captor. Male, female, young, old, nationality? There were no concrete clues.

He got his nerve up and started to turn around when an arm extended hard into his back. "Not knowing my identity is for your sake, as well as mine, so stay the way you are and just listen!"

Martin stood very still.

"As my letter stated, I witnessed a scientific experiment that went awry. The scientist involved was trying to create the perfect cloning process," the voice became agitated, "and yes, before you ask, the scientist was well aware of the legal and moral ramifications but... it was a lifetime worth of work started long before the laws prohibiting cloning came to be. The scientist had worked for years and felt he was entitled to see his efforts through to fruition. Then, one day the prohibition laws were approved. Time was running out so the scientist actively sought the answers he needed to complete the project. I am sure you can understand how after many, many years of experimenting and then getting so close... you must keep going."

Martin could almost sympathize with the predicament as it was being explained and the obvious remorse in the way it was being described.

"That was when things got out of hand. There was so much at stake but because of the deadline for the new cloning laws taking effect, pressure and stress took hold and mistakes were made. I am sure I do not need to go into what happens when you proceed with an experiment without all the answers...and are desperate to achieve the solutions."

Martin knew the dangers of cloning experiments, first hand, "What got out of hand?" He demanded!

"Genetic markers were not properly identified but were used, anyway. Not just for cell identification but to alter cell composition and duplication. You see, the scientist was working from different sources of notes and did not correlate them correctly."

There was a desperate cry in the voice, "Do you understand what I am saying Dr. Kane?" The voice didn't wait for an answer, "The scientist ignored all the signs and went to the next step anyway and then continued on to the ultimate final step, to create a super human..."

Martin interrupted, "If I'm understanding you correctly, this scientist believed he could clone a human: not just plants and animals or dying body parts but a functional human being with specific DNA signatures, is that correct?

"That's essentially correct!"

Martin couldn't believe his ears. Remy and I once hoped to create cloned replacement parts for dying organs and eventually but now.... All of a sudden Martin had a million questions. He didn't think of the implications, just the scientific breakthrough. What about age factors, physical features?"

"Specific ages were believed to be possible through accelerated growth. The rest was like programming, just punch it in. Male, age 25, blonde, blue eyes, 6' 1" anything became possible. Then it happened. A genetic matrix started to form."