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  “I’m doing well with my new meds and this cane. I can finally get around. Thanks for your checks, but I’ve been working from home. Matt told me about your trip to Eden and how tired you’ve been. He says he’s been taking care of you. But don’t you want something more nourishing like your favorite: turkey on rye with some soup?” her mom asked.

  “Jaz has to stick to a diet. She’s worked very hard to look beautiful. We wouldn’t want her to gain even a pound,” said Matt as he handed Jaz some lunch.

  Jaz smiled and nodded. She took one bit of the cottage cheese and drank her water.

  “That’s it for me and tell Steven I’ll call him later. I want to show Mommy around. So please call Enrico to drive us,” said Jaz.

  Her mother frowned.

  “You’re much too thin; I don’t care what they say. But it so good to see you. I need to fill you in about what’s been going on in the neighborhood. People have been asking about you, and can’t believe you’re such a big star after seeing you on Eden!” her mother said, giving her another squeeze.

  “You should take a little time on the stair-stepper before you go; don’t want to lose any muscle tone. Your mom won’t mind,” Matt added.

  Jaz stood up, walked toward Matt and pressed her luscious lips upon his.

  “I love that you care so much, but I need some time with my mom. Be back later,” she said. Matt shuddered and squeezed her hand.

  “Don’t be too long. I’ve missed you,” he said, buzzing Enrico.

  Enrico pulled up, stepped out, and opened the door for the two women. He guided her mother carefully in the immaculate vehicle with its tinted windows and soft leather seats. Jaz smelled his earthy cologne and took in his tailored suit and polished shoes. He offered her some sparkling water and the usual chocolate chip cookie.

  “Enrico, this is my mom. Thanks for the refreshments. Can you take us to the city? I want to show her around, but still be invisible,” Jaz said.

  “Of course, Miss Jaz. Anywhere you want to go. And nice to meet your mom. Would you like a glass of wine?” Enrico asked, handing her mom a glass of Chardonnay.

  Jaz waved goodbye to Matt, who was standing by the front door, and then cut off the window separating Jaz and her mom from Enrico.

  “Just for a little privacy, so we can talk. It’s a relief to get out of there and have a little time with you. Don’t you think Enrico is sweet?”

  “I’m so proud of you. Yes, he’s wonderful, so masculine and considerate. Much better than Matt. Is Matt your boyfriend or your assistant? I think he has a crush on you,” said her mom.

  Jaz blushed.

  “Well, I met Matt before all this fame and fortune. We are a couple, although I think I have feelings for Enrico. What should I do? I’m so busy and stressed that I’m not sure I have time for anyone,” she said.

  They traveled on the highway toward downtown and Jaz’s mom sipped her wine and Jaz nibbled on her cookie.

  “I think Matt has good intentions, but seems like he wants to control you— tell you what to eat or when to exercise and monitors your calls. And Enrico is genuinely concerned about you,” her mom said.

  Upon arriving in LA, they passed Jaz’s favorite bar.

  “I used to go there all the time. Enrico, can you drop us off at The Forty? But stay close by,” Jaz said.

  She put on her black glasses and draped a long white coat over herself.

  They found a table in the back corner. Since it was still early afternoon, there was no one to bug them. A waiter came by to serve them and nearly fainted.

  “Are you Jaz? I saw you on Eden. How was it?” he asked.

  “Yes, it was very interesting. Now please just get us two white wines and two turkey sandwiches with lots of mayo,” said Jaz.

  The waiter ran and returned the drinks and hurried back with a pen and small napkin. “Can I have your autograph and I promise I won’t bother you?” the skinny waiter asked.

  “The lady asked for a little privacy, so please give her some space,” said Enrico; his tall figure towered over the waiter.

  The waiter nodded and quickly backed away to get her order. Enrico guarded their table as the waiter brought them their sandwiches, some delectable French fries, and another carafe of wine. Jaz hadn’t felt this free in months. They laughed over her old high school geek boyfriend, grandma’s twenty-year-old cat, Sneakers, and the annual Frog Jump. Just as Jaz and her mom toasted the good old days, she received a call from Steven.

  “Hey Jaz, sorry to interrupt your visit with your mom, but Todd is anxious to start filming Galaxy Tours. He’s talking about doing a scene on Eden and Mark has agreed. We need you to come to Space Ventures tomorrow for some photo ops with celebs to spread all over social media. You’re a superstar and we’re getting offers from all over the world. Aren’t you excited?” he asked.

  Jaz felt queasy; her stomach started to cramp, her face became pale and eyes started to glaze over. She just needed a break from all the excitement and had this strong urge to go home with her mother now.

  “What’s the matter, honey? You don’t look so good. Too much wine? You only ate two bites from your sandwich and a half of a fry,” her mom said.

  As she started to answer, her black band vibrated and the green light was flashing. She looked at the green light on her black band and pressed it. Evaluation is due. Need to schedule a meeting immediately, a message said.

  “Sure, Steven, but right now I need to go catch up with my mom. Talk to you tomorrow,” said Jaz, ending the call.

  “Mom, I just want to go home. They want me to make another trip to Eden, and to be perfectly honest, I’m scared. I know I should be excited, but what I really want to do is go back home and take care of you,” said Jaz, who started to cry.

  Her mom offered a tissue and signaled for Enrico to bring the car around. She paid the bill and pulled her daughter close to her.

  “I have an idea. Why don’t I travel to Eden with you?” she said.

  PART III

  Vindication

  Six months later

  Optimal headquarters

  Charlie

  Charlie looked at his watch. His head throbbed, his back ached, and he longed to see Sydney again. He needed to make it up to her, having had their first official fight.

  Dr. Arno barked orders at everyone, setting up a command center that surveyed the outside world 24 hours a day. She sent out a mandate that everyone was on-call or worked extra hours until Randall was captured. Charlie couldn’t even think about escaping.

  The once-pristine place was littered with empty cans, chip bags, and discarded fruit peels. I should be cleaning up this place, but I don’t have any energy, Charlie thought. Instead he watched the monitors show past and present scenarios of all the recruits.

  They stood together in their lab coats, examining a dozen large monitor screens, some in the present, others previewing the day before. Scenes of Maggie as she transformed into MJ Moore and her meeting with EI, the street scene with Lena and the bum and her transition into a successful stockbroker, and Jaz modeling on the planet Eden. The last screens showed Sydney with her last winnings at the Star Casino. The explicit monitors transmitted their activities from the black bands, twenty-four hours a day/seven days a week, moment-by-moment, close-up and personal.

  Charlie was there from Optimal’s early days and he took pride in its smooth operations. They scooped up the homeless, jobless, and runaway teens off the street, first offering them food and refreshments. Charlie drove the white van that served as a taco truck through Sun City’s ghettos, while Dr. Arno recruited them. Food and the shimmering green liquid drink tempted and drugged them.

  “Hey, come with us; we provide lodging and food if you participate in our clinical trials,” Dr. Arno said. The unsuspecting crowds joined them happily. Then Dr. Neilson took over.

  The View Room was officially Dr. Neilson’s lab where he spent most of his waking hours developing his serum and iris theories, combing through data, s
tudying the clients’ activities and updating information on the computer. He had been a small cog in a large wheel, having worked as a scientist at Linden Laboratories in the Meridian until Charlie recommended him while he was a professor at the university where Charlie attended. His work in iridology and biogenetics earned him many awards, and he was lured away by Dr. Arno to start the company.

  If it weren’t for his aunt, Dr. Arno, he wouldn’t be working here. Dr. Arno hired Charlie because of his medical training and psychology degree and promised him a lifetime position and inheritance. In the three years that Optimal had been in business, Charlie worked specifically with clients, persuading them to join, attending to their physical and psychological needs, and dealing with any problems clients encountered. He analyzed and talked to them when they came in for visits and was the voice when they first called to sign up. He was instrumental in choosing each client according to fit and appropriate personality. Charlie was adept at profiling the perfect Optimal client. But he grew tired of the long hours, pouring over data and facts, and listening to his nagging aunt.

  But Charlie admired her, for Dr. Arno knew the intricacies of social media, making her money as a founder of the largest social media empires, SocialMediaToday.com— now part of G Net, having sold the rights to the government. A technology genius and perfectionist, she knew how to keep information secure, confidential, and safe. Having exercised her stock options, Dr. Arno decided to branch out on her own to form a new company— thus Optimal was created. She demanded a lot from her employees, which included security guards and housekeepers who paid a high price for loyalty and dedication.

  Can’t leave now, but this woman is killing me! But I’m so indebted with mom and dad gone forever because of the Drought of 2020. And what about Sydney? Charlie thought.

  “I still don’t understand how could you let Randall escape. What happened? What are you going to do?” Dr. Arno grilled Charlie; her violet eyes ripped through him.

  Charlie realized he was being questioned by his aunt. He hated being humiliated by her accusations, but stood his ground. Plus Dr. Neilson just sat there, not saying a word, always the political one. He should have more respect for me, after all I introduced him to my aunt, he thought.

  “Look, Aunt Alexia, I took the liberty of activating all our new recruits’ bracelets with an urgent message for them to check in-- we need everyone to come back to review their vitals and activities. Remember we told them they would need to come back for an evaluation to see if they are having any problems. And I have a feeling that Randall will get in touch with me,” Charlie said.

  Little did she know that Charlie had Randall and Samantha locked up in his apartment. He found them along the trail, naked and dirty, covered them with a blanket and ushered them to his nearby van. After starting the van and making sure they were out of sight, he made his way down the trail, almost hitting some hikers who waved him down. He remembered that day vividly.

  His conversation started when he rolled down his window and looked nonchalantly at the two frazzled hikers.

  “Hey, did you see a lion and a snake around here? The lion bit our dog and we’ve called the authorities!” screamed the woman as she peered into his window.

  Charlie took a deep breath, hoping the two wouldn’t make any noise.

  “Haven’t seen anything like that and I live around here. Better get your dog to a vet, doesn’t look like he can walk,” he remembered telling them.

  “Hey, are you here? Looks like you’re somewhere else today and I need you to be alert. We’ve got a lot to do.” Dr. Arno looked at him, her brow furrowed and her hands on her hips. “What’s your plan?”

  “Uhh, sorry, been up all night working on it after I buzzed them to come in. First, we offer them money and a bonus—more pills and possibly another injection. It’s been six months and most will be out of pills,” Charlie added.

  Dr. Arno reviewed the monitors from the past months.

  “It looks like Jaz has shown some physical abnormalities and may need a stronger serum. And Maggie is becoming a world-renowned author. If Sydney keeps winning at the casino, she’ll have to get a financial advisor. They have all been successful so far, except that Lena has anger issues. What do you think Dr. Neilson? Are you ready for Phase II with these recruits?”

  “More than ready— our new recruits have proven themselves. But hey, got a call from a reporter, said she met Randall in a shelter. Now, you know I had my doubts about Randall, but Charlie wanted to give him a chance. I can’t seem to track him, must have lost his bracelet. Need to get security on his tail, no pun intended,” said Dr. Neilson with a smirk on his face.

  “That Randall will expose us and ruin us. Got to stay under the radar, if the press finds out about our operation here, it will be the end. Now, I’ve interviewed more recruits, some marines, and if bad news gets around, our program will be canceled. Our venture capital money has dwindled. I’m about to present Project Identity to the CIA for more funding. Get Johnson and his security team on this right away!” said Dr. Arno as she marched to her office.

  Dr. Neilson rolled his eyes.

  “Better get on it kid, pronto! Got to stop that Randall dude before he hurts anyone else. Can’t wait to see Maggie and Jaz— they’re hot babes now, thanks to my serum. It’s my serum that is the key to our success. But what about you and Sydney?” he said.

  Charlie dismissed his comments.

  “Yeah, got some work to do. You screwed up with that reporter—how did she get your name? Better watch your back—she’ll trace you here and that’s bad for all of us,” as he took off in the direction of the basement.

  Charlie brushed off Dr. Neilson’s comments. Dr. Neilson was just jealous of his relationship with Sydney. It wasn’t his fault that Dr. Neilson never took time away from his job. If he could finish up his work tonight, then he could spend the weekend with Sydney.

  More importantly, he needed to check the hybrids. He ran swiftly downstairs to the basement and could hear the alarm going off, its piercing sounds echoing throughout the complex. Charlie put on his hazmat suit and took his gun and flashlight. He unlocked the basement door and crept inside. Urine, blood, and pungent animal scents overwhelmed him. He could hear the animals breathing and one cried out in pain. Charlie shined the light and saw the pig-faced farmer, laying on its side, clutching its right hoof.

  “Help me— I’ve been bitten,” it whined.

  “Take it easy, I’m coming. Did you get attacked?” asked Charlie. He checked the panel of buttons on the wall. The laser shield had been activated. He turned on the overhead lights to reveal a giant tarantula scaling the walls and dozens of its babies crawling on the ground. The trough had been dumped with liquid splashed all over the floors and the hybrids huddled in their cages.

  Mr. Piggy groaned and then screamed at the sight of the monster crawling above him.

  “Ugh, holy crap!” Charlie said.

  He pointed his gun and fired a shot at the tarantula. It turned its human head, its blue turquoise eyes blinked as it shrieked as it was hit, then it scrambled at top speed to the other side of the basement, where it had spun a huge web. Many hybrids were entangled in it, some dead; a few struggled to escape. He backed up, running into Johnson, who pushed him aside.

  “What the hell! What’s going on here? Get back now,” said Johnson at the entrance of the basement with three of his guards, as they started their rapid firing. Blood spurted from the walls as the hybrids were hit as the tarantula dodged the bullets. The hybrids, stuck in the web, screamed and writhed in desperation. Some collapsed as they were hit in the crossfire. Others tried to escape and fell to the floor.

  Charlie ducked down, spraying the floor with insecticides and killing the babies as they scattered. Then he herded Mr. Piggy and the other live hybrids to safety as they ran to the opposite end of the basement. He locked them in the large cage. He entered it, attending to Mr. Piggy’s wounds, and then provided the hybrids with food and water. The hybrids
clambered around him, squealing and crying. Charlie looked up to see Johnson approaching, his burly arms sprinkled with blood and insect remains. The walls were stained with blood and guts; the floor was filled with urine and excrement.

  “Freaking mess-- Dr. A will be livid when she hears about this. Did you expect this to happen? I thought Dr. N changed the doses for the hybrids,” he said as he cleaned up the entrails and blood. The huge tarantula lay on its back under a large steel net, its legs still shaking.

  “Normally these half-beast, half-human creatures are docile, but some drink too much of that liquid serum. Dr. Neilson needs to make some adjustments or they’ll destroy this place. We’re getting to a turning point in these experiments— if we don’t, the hybrids…” Charlie began as Dr. Neilson stepped into the room with Dr. Arno close behind, the clip-clop of her heels announced her arrival.

  “Or the hybrids will what? I knew we should have killed these things right away, but someone took the moral ground and look what that did!” said Dr. Neilson. He surveyed the room and then examined the tarantula, kicking its legs.

  Then Dr. Arno made her entrance, her immaculate appearance contrasted with the bloody, dirty basement. Charlie observed her hair pulled back into a neat bun, her starched white lab coat over a sleek white suit and perfect white gel nails.

  “Johnson, heads are going to roll, unless you explain what happened immediately!”

  “I apologize, Dr. A, but we did capture the monster before any real damage was done. Got to get it into the incinerator. And you can see my guys have cleaned up the worst of it. We were looking for Charlie so we could find Randall and discover this,” Johnson said, advancing toward Dr. Arno.

  Dr. Arno stepped back and put up her hands.

  “Please, not too close. If it wasn’t for Charlie, who knows what might have happened? But Charlie, we have to find Randall and that stupid snake before he wreaks havoc on the city.”

  “Aunt Alexia, we have a real problem on our hands here. The what-ifs are outnumbering the what-nexts. Our hybrids need attention and care so we don’t make the same mistakes in the future. I worry about our four new recruits and what they might encounter. Can’t we figure out this problem before they arrive?”