Page 28 of F Clones

“One I’m happy to share. I can laugh about it now, but it wasn’t funny at the time. We’re going to be great friends.”

Anna liked hearing that. She glanced back. Fig, Big, Blade, and Rod weren’t following. They were huddled together, talking. The women and the older human couple were with them as a group, though, as they left the docking area to enter a wide, tall corridor.

“They’ll catch up.” Gemma kept her walking, their arms still linked. “Are you really adjusting well to being a clone? We’re family now, and you can talk to me about anything. Consider me a judgment-free zone. I raised two sons who I was very close to.” She lowered her voice. “Sam and Klista are treating us like we’re all their kids, but…” Gemma glanced at the human couple walking about ten feet ahead, lowering her voice. “I’m older than them. Inside, I mean.”

“I’m older than you are in awake years,” Anna whispered back.

Gemma chuckled again. “We’re going to get along famously. I like you already.”

The rest of Anna’s nervousness faded away. She believed things would be fine.

Chapter Eight

“I want you to start from the beginning,” Big ordered, stepping closer to Fig once the women and the married human couple started to leave the docking area.

Fig hated being away from Anna. He worried about her, but as he watched her walk away, Gemma stuck close to her side.

“Fig,” Rod growled.

He tore his gaze from Anna. “The female I spoke to on the other shuttle used the financial transaction that paid for us to leave Clone World as a code. She said she was one of three. Only Free, Marisol Florigo, and I knew of that transaction.”

“Someone else could have found it. What about the human who flew us off Clone World? It’s possible that he told the authorities how he was paid since we shoved him in the escape pod and let him live.”

Fig met Blade’s gaze. “No. We routed the pilot’s money through six untraceable accounts to pay him. The funds we used for our escape were siphoned from Clone World maintenance accounts. The female asked if he was alive. Her concern was for Free. I feel confident that it is Marisol. The uncertainty is her motive for seeking us out after all this time.”

“I’m most alarmed about how you were found in the first place,” Big admitted.

“I’ve thought about that. I used our secret Clone World account to pay for Anna’s transition. Marisol helped create that account. It’s possible she was closely monitoring it and saw the transaction I made. All she’d have to do was track the shipment from DJD Clone Corp and follow it from Earth toward Clone World. She had to have known I’d intercept the transport before it arrived.”

The three other clones all glared at Fig.

“I didn’t have the funds myself to bribe the company to accept Anna’s body and have her cloned with her memories intact. I said she was Rico’s sister, so they’d be inclined to fulfill the special order of an unblanked clone.”

“Damn it, Figures.” Rod looked furious.

“Anna was worth the risk.”

“Not if Ms. Florigo is setting a trap to recapture us. What did you tell her?” Big crossed his arms over his chest.

Big, Blade, and Rod hadn’t worked in the finance department, so they weren’t familiar with the human. Fig hadn’t known her all that well either, but they had worked together. “I ordered Marisol to wait at that location in her shuttle until we contact her. She agreed.” Fig really wanted to check on Anna. “Free is the one who knew her best. Anna suggested that Marisol might have regretted not joining us when she was supposed to. Perhaps she realized how much Free meant to her after she’d decided not to leave the life she had on Clone World.”

“Or it’s a trap,” Rod snapped.

“Or that.” Fig kept eye contact with Big. “Free would want to know. We all witnessed how devastated he was after losing Marisol. He’d never forgive us if we didn’t tell him what is going on. It could be his chance to reunite with her.”

“Or it could be an opportunity for us to be captured and executed. I do agree with you, though. Free would want to know about this situation.” Blade reached up and rubbed his jawline. “I could fly the Morgan to provide backup for Free when he goes to investigate in case it is a trap. My vessel has impressive weapons onboard if we find ourselves in a fight.”

“I won’t be able to visit Mandora Station to figure out what DJD Clone Corp is up to now. I’ll be flying my shuttle to provide backup instead.” Rod appeared torn. “This is the worst timing. What if Jorgonson Industries is producing and testing the survivability of unblanked clones again? The humans are heartless, and the clones will suffer the same fate as the original dozen. They’ll go insane, commit murder, or end their own lives.”

Big lowered his arms, addressing Rod. “Where is Ram? You two stay in contact most often. Can he fly to Mandora to see what Jorgonson Industries is up to?”

“Ram was taking a job to earn credits on a human freight transport last we spoke. His shuttle needed repairs. I haven’t heard from him in over a month. He promised to contact me once he returned to his shuttle with the parts. Ram did warn me that he might be working for up to two months.”

Fig gaped at Rod. “Has he lost his mind to work that closely with humans? It sounds exceedingly dangerous.”

“We both have learned to blend in well with humans. Especially if we wear hair extensions and artificial facial hair.” Rod scowled back. “I offered to buy his replacement parts, but Ram likes to do things his own way. I got the impression he’s working for humans that tend to avoid authorities as much as possible.”

“Ram can’t help us.” Big glanced between them but stayed his focus on Rod. “We’re stretched thin. I agree that it’s important to discover what Jorgonson Industries is up to. We have room to house any rescued clones if they are being produced away from Earth’s surface to circumvent the laws. We’ve dreamed of adding to our numbers here. I know we all feel the same guilt over the many we had to leave behind. That station has to be easier to attack and flee from than trying to go after our brethren on Clone World. Security there is too tight.”

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