"Just say it," I gritted out, looking at my friend Amelia Bejay as she held a sensor board up to my stomach.
"You're pregnant," she said, surprise evident in her voice.
It was what I've been expecting but I couldn't believe it. How can two different species procreate? Not to mention I had a chip installed to prevent unwanted pregnancies, it did not make any sense.
"Tell me there's been some kind of mistake," I said pushing the board aside and readjusting my gown. "How could it show I am pregnant, it's been just a little over a week."
"According to the reading, you are six to seven weeks pregnant," Dr, Bejay said slowly. She glanced down at the sensor board and brought up a holograph screen and my stomach turned.
"What am I staring at Doc," I was looking at the graph and frowned in confusion, "It's only been one week, how can I be seven weeks pregnant, by a nonhuman?"
"I don't know," Dr.Bejay admitted. "I would need to examine your medical records, but you never submitted yours during the hiring process, I am surprised you were let on here."
Her voice was filled with confusion. It was true, that the hiring process for TRACE required you to release all previous medical records before becoming employed, but I was able to bypass that rule due to law 2426, Section 12 which states, that all citizens, specifically those with disabilities, were not to be discriminated against due to their medical history and are allowed privacy. My parents always had me listed as a person with a disability under a private doctor. I never questioned them because they were my parents, but I was starting to have a suspicion that something was amiss.
"Yet, even I know two different species can't procreate," I said, slowly.
"Maybe there aren't any pre or postzygotic barriers," she said questioningly. Her voice was filled with excitement and she started looking at me as if I were an experiment.
"Amelia," I said, standing up, snatching up my clothes, "You promised to be discreet, I just need to know what to do now that I have this problem on my hand." I quickly put on my clothes and hat and stood in front of her, placing my hands over my belly, protectively.
"You don't know what this could mean," she protested, looking at me with regret.
"I know what it means," I said, "a life in these labs, is no life at all." I started feeling guilty at the many monsters that I caught in the past and subjected them to such a life.
I was getting ready to leave when she dropped the next bomb on me.
"Wait," she said, biting down on her lower lip, "I need to tell you something else."
"What is it now," I asked, feeling my world close in.
"Not only are you pregnant," she said, "you are pregnant with quads."
"What do you mean pregnant with quads," I asked in disbelief.
"Quadruplets."
________
Jennifer Lane's condition was getting worse and Trudy started putting the pressure on Michael to do something about it. Weighing all of his options he regretfully decided to have the beast eliminated.
It's a shame to let all of that research potential go to waste,
he thought, pushing his receiver, "Gigi called Rosendale, tell him to meet me in my office.
"Yes, sir," Gigi said.
Several hours later, Oliver arrived at Michael's office with a smirk on his face. He strutted in as if he knew what the meeting was about.
"So you decided to use my expertise after all," he said, cracking his knuckles, causing Michael to cringe inwardly.
"How soon can you get it done," asked Michael, ignoring Oliver's arrogance.
"First, I need to bring in my team," he said," it will take about three days for me to assemble my people and equipment."
"We have a team and equipment here," said Michael in protest.
"Lot good that did ya," said Oliver, still smirking. "Trust me, once my team arrives, we will be able to round up the beast instantly."
"I thought you were going to kill the thing," he asked.
"We will still need to extract something from the beast before putting it out of its misery," said Oliver cryptically.
"Why didn't you mention this at our last meeting," Michael asked suspiciously," don't think of screwing me over and capturing the beast for your research."
"I wouldn't dream of it," said Oliver.
________
I sat in my state-issued vehicle, just outside of my parent's home and I steeled myself for the confrontation that will soon take place. I was still reeling over my pregnancy and I didn't want to come off too emotional when I demanded answers that I knew has been hidden from me all of my life.
You can do this Jasmine,
I told myself while walking up to the front door. I knocked twice before using the fingerprint reader to enter into my family home.
Daughter is entering,
I heard the voice alarm say, while I stepped in the foyer.
"Oh my god Jazzy," my mother said, rushing into the room and gripping me in a hug. She didn't comment on my appearance, just held me for a long time. My father stood inches away, just looking at me silently with a look of confusion on his face.
"Where have you been," my mother said against my neck," we've been trying to contact you for days and you haven't been picking up."
"I lost my monitor," I said, breathing in my mother's fresh scent.
"Well let me look at you," she said, stepping back to examine me. "Oh my..." She shot a glance at my father who shook his head sharply.
"What's happened to you," asked my father, finally speaking," where have you been?"
"I can't talk about that now," I said looking up at my father, who was a foot taller than me.
"Something has happened...I came here for the truth." I tried to keep my voice neutral, but from the looks, on my parent's faces, I could tell that I sounded angry.
"Well come in," said my mother cautiously," have a seat in the front room."
I followed my parents in and took a seat on the cream-colored couch.
"Ned, follow me into the kitchen, we need to bring out some snacks and tea," my mother said.
"Do you need me for that," asked my father, keeping his eyes on me.
"Yes, Ned, I do," said my mother in a no-nonsense tone.
My father dutifully followed my mother into the kitchen while I sat and waited impatiently. Something else was bothering me. I looked around for Daisy our golden retriever but I couldn't find her.
"Daisy," I called out. She usually was the first to greet me at the door, and I thought it was odd that I did not see a hint of her anywhere. Standing up, I circled the front before I heard a whimper in the guest room. I walked in and there was Daisy, sitting in the corner, with her head bent down submissively.
As I walked near her, she stood straight up in an alert position with her tail pointed straight out.
"What's wrong Daisy, it's me," I told her, crouching down and holding out my hand for her to smell. Daisy cautiously approached me and sniffed at my hand before dashing out of the room.
Oh no,
