sHe: THE RISE OF THE NEW BREEDS [Book 1]

Chapter 11

THE RECREATION LOUNGE was there for a purpose. The behavioural psychologists' department headed by Dr Ira Kirby, studied the random behaviour patterns of those present in there. The lounge was opened for rec-time, after their class hours in the evening. It was normally occupied by about fifty regular faces every night — mainly by those who ditched their school homework to indulge in the mediocre activities over there as means of escapism.

But there were also those who were taking a refreshing break from their dorm, by coming over in between their studies — some boys like Reeves, sometimes used to do that...

Tonight, he was there on a different purpose — he did not do his Marie Curie assignment, and most importantly, he needed an alibi when the hall closed up for the day at ten pm. After when the lights were out, he had decided to break into the IIRC director Tina Martin's office to search for his information background records, before he escaped into civilization.

Some boys were playing table-soccer. Others were hooked on video-games, while most of them lazed, chatting in the lounge around the television set. Reeves was sitting on a small table nearby, playing a board-game of chess by himself — mentally ruminating strategies when he moved the game pieces on the board — but, his ears were closely listening to the nine o'clock news to keep track of the time...

'It will be an hour before the rec-room closes.'

He occasionally looked up to see the TV screen with the local newscaster that night, who was reporting on a surviving policewoman who gunned down the four Intersexual gang members dead — and the woman cop was now recovering at the St. Andrews Hospital for serious injuries sustained in the gun battle...

"Officer Roberta Jensen, aged 22, was rushed to the emergency room 5 days ago after the incident where the four street gang-related criminals had earlier ambushed another policewoman, Mandy Thompson. Thompson, aged 64, lost her life when she was shot at point-blank range."

The group of Intersexuals was glued to the news. "Today our reporter, Kim Robinson interviewed the heroic police officer Roberta Jensen from her hospital bed at St. Andrews." The newsroom image then super-imposed into Roberta's bedside interview...

Reeves stopped moving the chess pieces, and he watched the butch in the hospital garb speaking from her bed. He noticed that her eyes avoided looking at the TV camera lens — she seemed nervous, and her voice shook when she communicated...

"I am really gonna miss my partner Manny — Mandy Thompson. I was out of the Academy four years ago, she had been my partner ever since — and was a good cop and friend. She taught me a lot on the meaning of duty, integrity — and standing up to the truth, while we are in the uniform.

"Today, she is just — gone — killed in the line of duty — if only I had been there, two minutes earlier — Manny would not have faced those street punks alone, all by herself and — we both would have brought those gangbangers down together — and, Manny would be alive today..."

Roberta was too distressed to continue and she sobbed...

"Please, I can't do this — I can't — please go..." Roberta shielded her face from the camera.

One of the Intersexuals in the rec-room lounge who was watching the news was touched by Roberta's act of valour. Reeves continued back to playing his board-game, but his ears eavesdropped on the boys' conversation...

"What a hero, I wanna be a damn, good cop like her someday," said Kirk — who was known to his circle as Kiki-boy. His sarcastic, buddy Hank then asked...