Page 37 of Saint

“Yes, but she could still be out there,” said Stephanie.

“Listen, let’s get through this, and we’ll see if we can find this other individual who may be your clone,” said Ryan. “But you are unique, Stephanie. Uniquely Stephanie. We love you just like you are.”

“I appreciate that,” she nodded. “It just scares me a little thinking about someone being out there with my face doing horrible things to other people.”

“There isn’t another like you,” said Regan. She turned to stare at him, wondering how he knew what they were talking about. “You forget that we can hear one another’s thoughts because of our connection. I heard you from across the grove.”

“What do you mean there isn’t another like her?” asked Ryan.

“Her, I hesitate to say original because I feel that you are an original.”

“Thank you, Regan, but I know what you mean,” she smiled.

“The person they took your genetic sampling from didn’t survive,” said Regan. “Remember that I had the details of everyone who had ever been through the system. Genetic material was extracted from more than a dozen people. Once that was done, they were eliminated. Misha wasn’t eliminated because of her parents.”

“Did you know that Michelle Fryar had a clone?” asked Ryan.

“No. I’m guessing she was the first, and they didn’t bother to document that at the time,” said Regan.

“Why would they kill them once they took the genetic material?” asked Stephanie. Regan looked at the young woman, then at Ryan and Paige.

“They all had something that couldn’t be changed.”

“What was that?” asked Stephanie.

“Morality. No amount of chemicals, money, torture, or mind games can change the goodness of someone’s soul.”

“That’s why they thought I was a mistake,” she whispered. “They thought I was a mistake because I wouldn’t do everything they asked of me.”

“That’s right,” nodded Regan. “I don’t think your donor is out there, Stephanie, but I will help look if that’s what the team decides to do.”

“You’ve given me a great gift today, Regan,” said Stephanie, hugging the older man. “You have no idea. I’m going to start working on this new spec. I’ll see you guys later.”

They watched as she ran toward the boats to head out to G.R.I.P. Ryan looked at Regan and cocked his head.

“You have no clue if the original is out there, do you?”

“I don’t,” said Regan, “but I suspect that she is not. Like the others, they would have killed her. I was honest about that. But she deserved some peace for now. It must be horrible to not know the truth of where you came from, who you came from.”

“Do you know? Do you have record of who her family could have been?” asked Paige.

“No. The records I had were from The Depot. I didn’t have anything for the schools and farms that the kids were in. If we can find them, I’m happy to absorb all of it and share it.”

“Thank you, Regan,” said Ryan.

“Any time. We can’t thank you guys enough for everything you’re doing for us,” he said, nodding toward his girl Ivy, who was working with Irene and Claudette in the gardens. “This is like her own personal Eden. I’ve never seen her happier. Of course, I’m not crazy about her caring more for the wisteria more than me, but I’ll get over it.”

Ryan and Paige laughed as he walked away and then looked at one another.

“We’ll have to figure out a way to know which Ivy we’re talking about. Maybe Ivy the photographer and Ivy the gardener or something like that. I guess we need to get to work,” said Ryan. Paige kissed her husband and nodded.

“Let’s go, stud-muffin.”

“Stud-muffin?” he laughed.

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you’re working out harder than usual. You look amazing, Ryan, and I appreciate those workouts.”

“Well, then,” he said, kissing her again. “What do you say we be late for work?” She opened her mouth in a pretend gasp.

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