Chapter 22

The situation with Hailey had yet to resolve itself. After several days of carefully avoiding one another, Claire discovered her eldest daughter playing with Timmy within the confines of the surrounding woods. She watched the girl repeatedly throw a gnarled stick and the dog obediently rush to retrieve it.

Hayley sensed her presence and turned to stare at her position of partial concealment. The youngster sat down on the stump of a fallen sapling and waited whilst Claire approached and settled down beside her.

"You've been avoiding me," Claire stated dolefully.

Hailey looked down at the ground as if trying to deny her existence.

"Say something, anything," Claire beseeched. "I can't stand this infernal silence any longer."

"You should have told us. We deserved to know."

"Your dad felt it best that..."

"He thinks I'm still a child," Hailey snapped. "He never listens to what I have to say or what I think."

"I'm sure he does. He's been under a lot of stress lately."

"And I haven't?"

"I know it can't have been easy."

"Dad was too busy with that Kathy thing to pay close attention. Ruth had her first period last month and there was nobody to tell her what was happening to her or what she should do."

"I'm so sorry. I never realised. I should have been there for her."

"Don't worry," Hailey retorted, "I sorted her out."

"Thanks sweetie. I knew I could rely on you."

"At least I had you there when I first started. You explained things so well and told me where to find everything I needed."

"I remember," Claire replied nostalgically as a glut of memories resurfaced.

"Then there was that day that I brought that boy home."

"The one with the ring through his nose," Claire laughed.

"And the slightly lax hygiene habits," Hailey added, beginning to smirk.

"Whatever did you see in him?"

"I don't know. He made me laugh."

The pair continued to reminisce and Claire detected the first thaw in their relationship

"Do you remember my mum?" Hailey asked, the change in direction catching Claire by surprise.

"I knew her for just a short time," Claire revealed. "She was really nice.

"I think it fazed her at first, seeing her double staring back at her, but she had a quiet determination that was impossible to ignore. You and Ruth were her life."

"I remember her more than Ruth," Hailey confessed, "but my memories are all mixed up with those of you. It's so confusing."

"I know I'm not her Hailey but if I can't be your mum, I'd really like to be your friend."

"You are my mum," Hailey finally admitted. "It's taken me a while to realize it but you are. I'd like you to be my friend too."

Claire slipped her arm around the girl's waist. "Always," she replied happily.

Dozing in bed, Helen had replayed the events from the shopping centre many times over the past few days, feeling the same strange sensations deep within her body. She reached down to relieve a persistent ache between her legs and discovered her sex dripping with excitement.

I'm aroused, she realized. She looked across to the adjacent bed where Vanessa slept and a latent desire possessed her.

"Vanessa," she whispered. "Are you asleep?"

"Huh," the woman mumbled sleepily, "what is it?"

"I witnessed this strange scene the other day."

"What sort of scene?"

"Let me show you," Helen asked, climbing out of bed and kneeling beside her best friend. Her eyes glowed as she transferred the memories to Vanessa's Quantum and waited for the girl to assimilate the information.

"I don't understand," Vanessa told her. "Why do they feel this way towards one another?"

"They're like Howard. They obviously really like one other."

"It's puzzling."

"I thought that too but now it's clear to me."

"What is?"

Helen's hand touched Vanessa's face, stroking aside a stray lock of hair.

"Helen?" Vanessa whispered, somewhat confused.

"Shhh, let me."

"I'm not sure about this."

Without leaving any opportunity for refusal, Helen leaned over and placed a delicate kiss on her friend's lips. Vanessa gasped but didn't attempt to pull away. The next time their lips touched, she was ready and returned the affection.

Vanessa slid back the covers and accepted Helen into her bed. Wrapped tightly together, they kissed more and more passionately until they finally fell asleep in each other's arms.

The two Hybrids awoke the following morning and discovered exactly how they'd spent the night. Vanessa stared back at Helen, hardly able to accept how things had suddenly changed between them. No longer just best friends, she realized that the powerful bond between them was just awaiting the catalyst to bring them even closer. She wanted Helen to kiss her and her heart exploded when her friend obliged, touching her lips to her own and sliding her tongue deep into her open mouth.

"Hmm, that's nice," she sighed, acknowledging that subconsciously she'd been waiting a long time for this to happen. She'd worshipped Helen from afar, doing anything within her power to spend more and more time with her without appreciating the underlying reason.

"I think we need to get ready for our patrols," Helen advised, reluctantly climbing out of bed.

"I suppose so."

"I thought we could make a small change to the duty roster."

"What sort of change?"

Helen told her and together they walked to a data terminal and made the necessary adjustments.

The car was prepped by the time they'd showered and consumed their medication. Two Hunter Killers awaited instructions beside the vehicle but Helen placed them into a standby mode before climbing into the vehicle beside Vanessa, leaving the HKs standing silently on the concrete, frozen like statues.

"I think I'm going to look forward to patrol duty from now on," Vanessa admitted.

Helen giggled and drove out of the Facility. The dashboard mounted printer spat out their first assignment and they drove sedately towards the city centre. In no rush to perform their assignment, they held hands for the entire journey, needing no words to express the deep feelings that they now shared.

The shopping centre that they'd been tasked to investigate provided nothing unexpected so they sat down on the terrace of a small café, enjoying a leisurely drink as they watched the frenetic comings and goings of those around them. Communicating without words, they exchanged their innermost thoughts without reservation.

"I think I love you," Vanessa signalled. "I didn't know what it was that I felt for you this last few months but now I do."

Helen clasped Vanessa's hand, looking deep into her eyes and seeing the passion staring back at her. "What do you want to do?"

"Can we go somewhere where we can be together?"

"Now?"

"Yes."

Across the road from the shopping centre was a small motel and Helen had no problem securing a room and charging it to her Syntel credit card. The room was basically furnished but the only thing that mattered was the single bed positioned against the window. Stripping off their clothes, they slipped under the covers and enjoyed the quiet, undisturbed intimacy.

Helen's mouth settled over Vanessa's breast, chewing tenderly on the engorged nub and listening to the sighs of delight issuing from her companion. As she crept further down the bed, Vanessa spread her legs in anticipation.

The agile tongue caressed her sex and Vanessa gasped in pleasure, wanting nothing more than the fulfilment of her desires. Shortly afterwards, her shrill cry rang out as she climaxed for the first time. Up until this moment, her world had seemed empty and pointless but now life suddenly took on new meaning.

Helen returned to face her and they kissed, allowing Vanessa to sample the flavour of her own secretions. She lapped Helen's face clean then bathed the whole of her lover's body from top to toe, revelling in the soft contours of her flesh. Like her own, Helen's sex was overflowing with her arousal and she feasted like a starving infant, lapping up every trace of the delectable nectar. They made love repeatedly for the whole of the morning before finally resting contentedly in each other's arms.

They ate a quiet meal in the motel restaurant before solemnly returning to their duties.

The next problem to overcome was that of how to deal with their fellow Hybrids. No matter how careful they were, the truth would eventually be uncovered. The Hybrids were exceptionally talented at spotting the smallest traces of deception.

On returning to the Facility, Elisabeth and Natalie were arguing vociferously and it was clear that something had happened between them that had caused so much internal discord. Elisabeth dominated them all with her strength of personality and Helen suspected that Natalie had finally taken exception to it.

Helen sat beside Vanessa, ignoring the vocal bickering, and recollected everything that had transpired between them. She turned to Vanessa and gazed longingly into her eyes, unable to resist the temptation to take her in her arms and caress her lovingly. Vanessa returned her affection, probing her mouth with her tongue and seeking entrance to her warmth. They emerged from their passionate caress to discover Elisabeth and Natalie staring at them open-mouthed.

"We're going to bed," Helen announced, standing up and leading her lover by the hand towards their sleeping quarters.

"What the smoke?" Elisabeth gasped.

"Bet you didn't see that coming?" Natalie teased.

Valerie responded to an urgent summons from Henderson and immediately drove over to the Facility. Her handler was tied up in a meeting when she arrived so she made her way to the Hybrid's recreation room to wait. This was the first time that she'd ever found the room empty, evidence of the active status of her sisters.

"They're not here," a voice behind her intoned.

"Natalie," she exclaimed, spinning around and hugging her fellow Hybrid.

"Hi Val. It's been a while."

"I thought you'd be on the road with the others."

"I'm their pet hacker. They've got to keep me around for all the shitty little jobs that need doing. Cover up this mess Natalie. Repair the Grid Natalie, blah-blah-blah."

"I've never seen you like this," Valerie replied sadly.

"You're not here. You don't see what's going on."

"I have a fair idea."

"Simmonds has made Emily into Public Enemy Number One."

"Just because Henderson tried to kill her and she offed an Infiltrator in self-defence?"

"She took down the Grid. She installed this clever little virus on the Nexus server that's taken until now for the anal-retentive human techs to get a handle on."

"Are you sure it was her?"

"How many hackers do you know that leave verses of poetry embedded in the code."

"Shit."

"I did my best to cover up her little prank but I can't do any more now that she's really pinned her colours to the mast. She and her new friends attacked one of our patrols the other day, killed two Infiltrators and two HKs. They've formed this paramilitary outfit that call themselves the Oceania Defence Force. It looks like she's one of the prime movers."

"Why?" Valerie gasped.

"Good question. One of the techs discovered a contamination on one of the lithography masks used to create her Quantum. Howard says that it might explain everything but I think that's just wishful thinking on his part."

"What's your take on it?"

"I don't know. I'm keeping a low profile from now on Valerie and you should do the same. We're all under the microscope and if we do anything that doesn't smell right, Henderson's going to shoot first and ask questions later."

"Like assaulting a luxury yacht and killing people indiscriminately."

"They had it coming. They were trying very hard to kill me at the time."

"What was Syntel's interest?"

"They don't know anything about it. It was a private matter."

"A private matter," Valerie exclaimed. "What does that mean?"

"Something I'd sooner not discuss. Elisabeth extracted me from a rather nasty predicament and I'll be in her debt for quite some time."

"Elisabeth is a control freak."

"I agree. She's really into all this combat stuff but her heart's in the right place. You can certainly count on her if you're ever in a tight spot, unlike Helen and Vanessa. All they seem to care about is getting back to the Facility and screwing one another silly."

Valerie opened her mouth in shock.

"Helen was patrolling this shopping centre the other day and came across these two women making out. I guess it put ideas into her head because she came straight back here and seduced Vanessa."

"You should find a way to get out more Natalie."

"I tried that once and it brought me nothing but grief. I do whatever they say like a good little Hybrid but it's starting to wear me down. The humans are just so petty. I spent days reprogramming the voting machines just so this current crop of arrogant bastards can cling to their ill-gotten power."

"They're rigging the election?"

"They have no scruples whatsoever. Rig the vote, falsify the ex VP's financial records, it's all just one big hoot to them."

"What else are they planning?" Valerie sighed in exasperation.

"I get the feeling that the current President will be ousted once the elections are over. Payne's hands are so deep in Syntel's pocket it's not true. You don't need to be a genius to see exactly the way things are headed."

"I ... I have to tell Greg," Valerie gasped, her heart pounding.

"Are you crazy?" Natalie snapped. "Anybody poking their fingers into this pie will get them bitten clean off. Syntel's like a rabid dog. Why on earth do you think this policeman can help?"

"He's a good man," Valerie praised.

"I think you've lost your objectivity."

"I love him Natalie."

"What? You sound just like Vanessa."

"I should have told you. I met the Prototype. I met Claire."

"When?"

"Just before I re-incarnated. She had a husband, kids, everything, before we took it all away from her. She was happy. She'd built this ordinary life for herself in the suburbs and..."

"Sounds like a complete waste of her talents."

"You don't think being able to love is a praiseworthy ability?"

"I don't know what to think any more."

Henderson grilled her for over an hour, anxious to know about Emily's state of mind prior to her betrayal.

"Emily helped destroy the Nexus," Henderson ranted, "probably even suggested it to them in the first place. She knew how critical it was to our defences. Janus and his cronies would probably have selected some lesser target otherwise."

"I was as surprised as you were," Valerie told him.

"I want you to convince Bennett that Janus and Emily are vicious criminals and murderers. The police are experts at tracking down these sorts of people."

"They haven't murdered anyone, other than a few Infiltrators," Valerie contradicted.

You're forgetting the Nexus security guard. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before they add to their tally. I'm relying on you Valerie. Don't let me down."

Valerie nodded and was dismissed. She drove straight home and spent an hour stroking Felix to calm her nerves. Greg appeared at her door in time for dinner.

"I missed you today," he told her.

"I got summoned to the lion's den."

"And... ?"

"I've got a lot to tell you and you're not going to like any of it."

The media was awash with speculation on the morning of the elections. A day of national holiday was declared in order to encourage people to vote but everyone felt compelled as the authorities knew exactly who voted and who didn't.

Emily watched the enfolding drama on a tank screen installed at one end of the warehouse, sharing Janus's hope that the people would deliver the right verdict.

The screen shifted abruptly to scenes of utter devastation. Dead bodies littered the street outside a polling station in an obviously low-rent neighbourhood.

"We bring you live footage of the aftermath of the latest attack. People whose only crime was to exercise their democratic right were callously gunned down as they queued up to vote," the commentator stated emotionally.

"A group calling itself the Oceania Defence Force has already claimed responsibility for the atrocity, citing excess power in the hands of the corporations and the government's flawed foreign policy as justification."

"No," Emily screamed. "They can't do this."

"They're scared Emily," Janus told her calmly. "I'm not really that surprised."

"They've murdered innocent people," she gasped. "This is obscene."

"Mankind at its very best you might say."

"We have to strike at them," Emily spat.

"We will. Let the people grieve and then we'll show them the face of their true enemy."

"We have to find these bastards and take them out," Greg ranted as he watched the tank with mounting horror.

"This isn't Emily's doing," Valerie told him. "This has the smell of something much closer to home."

"You think Syntel did this?"

"This is premeditated murder Greg. It takes a lot of anger to shoot down innocent families in cold blood. Alternatively, you ask an Infiltrator and a few HKs and they'll do it without a qualm."

"What purpose does it serve? Are Emily's group that much of a threat?"

"This is more about destroying the ideology that they represent. People will associate their liberal ideals with this atrocity, playing right into the hands of the corporations and the government."

"What can we do?"

"Go through the motions of hunting them down but search for ways to expose the conspiracy. Emily won't take this lying down either. I suspect that she'll hit back at them with everything at her disposal after this."

"What about the other Hybrids."

"Natalie's wavering, I could sense it. Maybe the others will too."

"You really think so?"

"Natalie helped Emily by not repairing the Grid. Something like this may just push her over the edge."

"And the others? What can they realistically achieve?"

"I don't know Greg. I really wish that I did."

The bad news continued as region after region reported a tightly run race but a surprisingly late swing to the incumbent regime.

"This is what I feared," Valerie admitted. "They've rigged the polls."

"How?" Greg replied in disbelief. "The Quantums..."

"Can be subverted," Valerie finished for him.

"We've got to do something. Let the media know."

"They wouldn't believe you."

"We can't just let them get away with it."

"This lot, the other lot. What difference does it make? They're all as bad as one another."

"That's not the way democracy works."

"Whoever said this was a democracy?"

Stationed at point, Emily waited for the Infiltrator team to arrive and repair the communication relay. It had worked three times in the last two weeks and each time, the patrol had been destroyed without casualties. Memories of the disastrous initial sortie remained prevalent in their minds and the increased vigilance had reaped its rewards. Four HKs and eight Infiltrators had been terminated with extreme prejudice. Four more would soon follow.

"Inbound," a crackly voice in her earpiece informed her. "We've got two knock-offs and two HKs headed to your twenty."

"Copy that Talbot," Emily snapped back. "Hold your position and await further instructions."

She cocked the Weston and pumped the first armour-piercing round into the chamber. The four-wheel drive pulled up twenty metres from her position and four occupants climbed out. The lead Infiltrator looked unusually nervous, scanning the terrain carefully for signs of an imminent ambush.

"Clever girl," Emily whispered. "Come to Mummy."

A second Infiltrator flipped the access panel on the relay box and assessed the damage whilst two HKs took up defensive positions behind a rocky formation.

"Give us a sec and we'll have them all in our sights," Talbot's confident voice stated.

The first Infiltrator marched towards a dusty clearing just five metres from Emily's position and her heart twisted in knots. It was Elisabeth.

"We've got them all Lieutenant," Talbot boasted. "Just give the word and they're toast."

"Weapons hold," she replied. "Await my further instructions."

"We've got them cold Lieutenant."

"You heard me Sergeant. Do not engage. Repeat. Do not engage."

"Emily, it's headed right down your throat."

Elisabeth stood in the centre of the clearing and looked around.

"You're here aren't you? I can sense it," Elisabeth said quietly.

Emily closed her eyes, unable to issue the kill order.

"Are you going to give me a fighting chance or just shoot me dead where I stand?"

The voices in her earpiece were going crazy. Emily knew it wouldn't be long before somebody started firing, regardless of her orders.

"Get out of here Elisabeth. Walk slowly back to your car and drive away."

"Why are you doing this?"

"It's who I am now. Leave before I change my mind."

"You can't kill me, can you?"

"There are a dozen heavily armed men surrounding you that are just itching to kill another knock-off."

"Is that what I am? A knock-off, a fake, a phony? What does that make you?" Elisabeth replied icily. "I bet they don't know, do they? You've not told your new friends that their buddy is a machine that's turned on its own creators."

"Go Elisabeth. Go now."

"Thanks," she said as she turned to leave. "By the way Emily, they've finally conquered your little virus and the Grid will be back up in three days. My advice would be to leave the city while you still can."