Page 72 of Peacock Me Like a Hurricane

SUMMARY OF PROJECT REALITY (AKA CODENAME: THE RIFT)

The Rift is a pocket dimension set up to house the Headquarters of the Company.

When our first clones found mates in humans, they populated our test space. Oversight saw the benefits of tailoring clones from alternate ribbons of reality to the needs of the human women that were being recruited. It was an additional line of business that might prove more lucrative than mercenary pursuits. It should be affirmed that agent work has made us more than enough money; however, if this is a success, it opens more lines of business for the future.

The experiment is simple: run a large-scale test to ensure that the pocket dimension will have no long-term ill-effects on humans. We can create more dimensions and use them as exclusive playgrounds, exiles, hiding spots, etc. Therefore, we allowed the humans who mated with clones we released to continue to recruit more individuals. This was considered successful until one human (Donatella, X098) began creating androids to allow all the population to have a companion.

After a few years, the Cabal (our human governing body) lost control of the group and we had to facilitate ‘the conflict’. This war between droids, clones, and their companions ended with the triumph of our clones in the ‘Battle of Blood and Steel’.

The remaining members of the Resistance—our name for the group of rebels—continued to recruit members through the portal access point in Bytes ‘N Chips. Soon they foundDelilah (x1501). She forged her own community out of the Resistance and since the Cabal had moved on, we allowed this to happen. Her community has hidden for two years and we can only gather intel through digital means and common area surveillance.

X1501 and the rest of her rebels continued to recruit, create droids, and expand their community. Former Cabal members have joined their town and despite the closure of the Dirty Deeds location, their growth has not slowed. “Project Reality did not truly accelerate until x1501 approached one of the three brothers — the original clones who were the template for most of the clones prior to 100.

Taurus (002) is the only one of the original three that continues to work for us and is mated to Talia (x001) who continues to work in operations. Taurus and Talia are known for strictly following all mating guidelines and rules as they were the first to follow the ritual as the book stated. They were intimate with no others.

However, in the years between the conflict and when X1501’s contacted Taurus, the Resistance has become a den of inequity that would shock even the most flexible of our employees. X1501 and her acolytes have become polygamous to an extent that we thought would send 002 and x001 running for their exile once again.

The panel was shocked to find many things were not as expected: x1501 has a mutation and had been hiding major magickal powers, several other subjects had developed mutations, the polyamorous couples who were most popular in the Resistance were hiding physical and emotional abuse. Inshort, the subjects in the Resistance have more secrets than “we knew”.

It was similarly shocking when x1501 and 002 began a physical relationship, but not as shocking as their subsequent mating. Their relationship has been unplanned and unprepared for. We have continued to monitor the development of it.

Our new analysts and agents will be split between the dedicated team working solely on x1501 and the general team working the activities of all other families.

We must keep track of these subjects. The appearance of mutations means that we must track the variables and define causes or all of our work to develop the rift will be for naught.

Questions should be directed to Mikhail, Tiberius, or myself. Absolutely no communication regarding Project Reality or any of our work can be discussed with anyone who does not have Alpha Level Clearance.

RECRUITS CAUGHT DOING SO WILL BE PUNISHED TO THE MOST SEVERE CONSEQUENCES ALLOWED.

The Cat and Her Crew Take Stoc

DELILAH

“Are you kidding? How could you be part of her ritual? You haven’t been out of the stinking house in three weeks and when you go out, you run to a ritual mating with someone who actively tortures us?”

I know he’s not happy about this, but I also don’t know what to do about it.

He sighs and looks frustrated. “Number one, I didn’t have a choice. The sodding magick took my body and ran with it. Number two, I couldn’t sodding ask you because you’ve been too busy agreeing to get impregnated withdemon spawn. Number three…hell, why do I need a three?”

I blink. He’s got me there. I have been pretty unreachable since Taurus and I decided to risk a miracle. Regret fills me and I bite my lip, wishing I’d done things differently. I should have kicked Sari’s ass out of the damn thing the minute this bullshit started.

Philomena grins. “He put you in your place, glamor cat. You haven’t got a tail to stand on.”

I roll my eyes. “No one stands on tails—except for kangaroos. Also, no one asked you.”

Her brow arches. “No one asked me to lead this clan of lunkheads while you spent weeks cozying up to a designer-clad bad boy, either. Regardless, here we are.” Sipping her martini, she gives me a satisfied look. She got in her sly, old-money-style burn with precision delivery and didn’t have to lift a manicured finger.

“True. I’m amazed that the house is still standing. We didn’t get declared a distillery, and there were no illegal substance raids. You’ve behaved.” It shocks me to say it, but it looks like Duchess P really took my absence seriously.

“Exactly. Leave me out of your bickering. I simply pointed out that he isn’t wrong about not having an occasion to talk with you about it.”

Okay, fine.

Rafe snorts and I tilt my head, studying him. “Being in a mating ceremony with Sari was not what you wanted; I feel your discomfort and anger. Something big happened, and you are not on board with it, but now you’re stuck.”

He shakes his head and grumbles under his breath.

“If he’s not gonna spill, can we talk about the fact that we need to throw a monster bacchanal for his birthday next month?” Hex grins, rubbing his hands together. “I’ve been waiting for months for one of us to have a go.”

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