Breeders (Breeders #1) (5 page)

Reality
hit me and, for the first time in almost a week, I uttered a single word, “What?”

He
collapsed in a heap onto the chair next to me. “That’s why you need to read the
manual. It’s important that you know all of this. What I told you about the two
options for conception is true; it’s just that we don’t decide which it will
be. The Board will meet with us on a weekly basis and assess our current compatibility.
If they determine it is forced, and we have not progressed beyond our first
meet, they will lock you up and force you to have
in vitro
fertilization, a process which could harm you.”

“What
do we need to do?” I queried hesitantly.

“We
need to represent a united front. Stay after the medicals and converse with the
Carers. They will also give feedback on the status, or rather their interpretation
of the status, of our pairing to the Board. We eventually need to act like we
are lovers. But, for the start, we need to act amicable, friends even. You need
to hide your hatred of me, which is written on your face every time you look at
me. I need you to know one thing: I didn’t do this to you. This is not the path
I had chosen for myself. I am being forced every bit as you are.”

“I
don’t believe you!” I yelled.

“Excuse
me?” he asked.

“You
have mentioned this twice to me, and I don’t know if I believe you. Or if you
are just trying to get me to submit to being a Breeder.”

“I
was in love with someone,” he whispered, looking away. “Still am, maybe, I
don’t know. We were forced to end it when I found out I was a carrier for the
gene. The same gene as you. I was selected and chosen for this arranged pairing
just as you were. The only difference is, as a Creator, I was given two months
to prepare. I had to choose a dwelling, prepare for you…”

“Prepare
for me?” I interrupted.

“Yes,
captivation of another human is mentally harmful to their well-being, not to mention
being assigned Breeder status and all that goes with it.”

“And
what else, medical knowledge, in case I try to hurt myself?” I asked
sarcastically.

“No,”
he looked at me strangely. “All Creators have some medical knowledge that is
passed on from generation to generation. I was given additional nutritional
training to maintain your health and that of the fetus if, indeed, Option Two
was selected for us.”

“And
this girl, who was she?”

“Her
name was…is, Hanneth. She was a Carer at the Research Facility. She has now
been moved to another research division, taken away from me to a place where I
have no access. This is my life now, as it is yours. You need to accept this,
no matter the hurt you feel, and move on from here. Things can either get
better or get worse. The decision is yours.”

For
the first time since my arrival at Centre Town, I sat down and ate a meal with
my mate. Night after night he had laid two table settings, but I had eaten in solitary,
alone with my own sadness. Every evening he had prepared dinner and bought it
to me, laying it down on my bed. Always with the added information that he was
eating at the table, and I had the option to dine with him, should I wish to do
so. Tonight’s meal was a selection of green vegetables, freshly baked bread
with butter and a meat I had never tasted before, covered in a cherry glaze.

“What
is this?” I asked, gingerly stabbing it with my fork. It had a wonderful woody,
grainy texture. “It’s smoked turkey breast. The Creators genetically engineered
them about thirty years ago, and it’s taken twenty years to determine their
safety in us eating them. It’s good, huh?” I nodded in response, my mouth full.
“It’s one of the projects in our Biotechnology department. When the Great Illness
devastated much of the worldwide human population, it jumped species and wiped
out many of our animal food sources. When the Creators got together and formed
the New World, they made a list of all the natural food sources we previously
had access to. Samples were taken, where possible, and frozen until we had the
technology to recreate them. Every few years, you get a new trade at the
market, or in your supplies, such as beets, rice and cheese.”

I
nodded in understanding. Strawberries were a new addition during my twenty
years in Quadrant Four that I had particularly taken a fancy to. My mouth
watered thinking about the juiciness of them, reminding me of the small
strawberry patch my mother had made for me in our vegetable garden. The thought
of home immediately clouded my thoughts. My mother singing in the kitchen, my
jolly father poking fun at my twin. Oh Alec, I missed him so. He was part of my
soul, my other half. I wonder if he sensed I was alive, if he knew.
Could I
get word to him? What if he could still feel my presence and had decided to set
out and find me? What harm would come to him?

As
if reading my thoughts, Mason offered me some water. “They’ll be okay, Ariet.”

“How,
how can you be so sure? Can you be sure? Because I can’t? What if they don’t
believe this story of me being diseased? What if they come looking for me? It
breaks my heart to think that…” Panic took over and I choked back my tears.
Mason leaned across the table and gently took my hand. Turning my palm over in
his, he drew circles around and around my palm, shushing me softly. Alarmed by
his touch I immediately moved to yank my arm away, but the circular motion felt
oddly soothing.

After
a few moments, when my breathing had slowed, he whispered, “Let’s get through
tomorrow, and we can talk further, about them even, if you’d like.”

“I
have just one question?” I asked. “How could your own family tear you apart,
from the one you had chosen to love, from Hanneth. Your own Grandmother even?
How do you still love her and bear to be next to her and do her bidding no
less?”

“You
will come to understand, Ariet. This is the way of the New World. The more you
live in the Creators world, the more you will see how much our well-being is at
stake. How our population is not expanding at the rate we had hoped. How we are
not adapting and diversifying accordingly. The Creators primary duty is to
ensure the genetic diversity of the human race and make sure that, as a
species, we survive.” The humming of the buzzer signaled the end to the
evening. ‘Lights out in thirty minutes. Please prepare for the resting stage.’
commanded the automated voice.

Chapter
7

The
next morning we made our way back to the Great Tower, using the underground train
tunnels. I found them quite amazing as the distance they traveled in such short
time was incredible. Within a few minutes, our train slowed and stopped at Zone
Three.

“This
is new, why are we stopping here?” I asked Mason.

“This
is the entrance that will take us directly through to the medical centre, it is
the most rapid route.”

“How
many zones are there?” I was curious.

“Six,”
he answered. “One for each discipline required to keep us alive.” We scanned
our way into a similar tunnel that I had seen two weeks before. Long corridors
with many metal doors spanned before us.

“What
are through all these doors?”

“Offices,
storage. The main activities happen below, in each of the reception areas you
saw the other day. The Carers have their own floor; the medical floors are
eight levels below that.”

“How
many floors down does the Great Tower descend?”

“That
I cannot answer.” he said. I looked quizzically at him. We had decided last
night, that no matter what, from this point on, I had to trust in what he said
and he would be truthful with me. “I honestly don’t know. I’ve never been
further than the fourth level of the medical wards.” He walked me up to a
holding area, where a scanner extended out of the floor barring the entrance to
a doorway. “We both have to scan.”

“Please
don’t leave me,” I whispered.

“I
won’t. I have to be present with you at all times. Only during your physical
exams will I be asked to leave your side, but I will remain just outside the
door. You are a Breeder, not a Creator. The Law states that you cannot be left
to run around here on your own. Again, it’s all in the manual,” he chastised. I
stuck my hand out sulkily. The scanner moved across to the side allowing both
of us entry. ‘Hello, Mr. Black. Please proceed to room four with Breeder 107.’
I tensed immediately at the reminder that I was a captive, my freedom no longer
my own.

Mason’s
eyes silently begged me to proceed forward and not cause a scene. About to say
something to him, he tersely shook his head and motioned his eyes upwards. I
hadn’t realized we were under surveillance in this medical wing. It looked as
though our every move and sound was monitored. I felt even more strangled and
stifled. As if I couldn’t breathe. He gestured for me to follow him. I realized
now how important appearances were and wished I had taken note of the other
pointers he gave me last night. I switched the manual to the underneath of my
right arm. I had insisted on bringing it with me, wanting to make sure I was
not roped into any other projects or any such thing I was not aware of.

Room
four was half way down the brightly lit, but cold, sterile corridor. Entering
the room, I noticed it appeared exactly as the other exam rooms had so far. A Carer
stepped out from behind an examination table. “Hi. I’m Paige,” She smiled sweetly
at me, extending her hand. “I’ve been assigned as your Carer for the gestation
period.” I couldn’t help but smile back. It was the tiny elfish girl, who had
pulled us aside on my first trip to the medical centre. “Please could you put
this on and lie on the table.”

“I’ll
be right outside,” Mason whispered to me.

Paige
chatted incessantly. “Your Healer is lovely. Quite advanced in the medical
sector. He comes from a long line of Healers. Aah, here he is, Dr. Weler.”

“Hello,
Ariet,” he peered down at me. Finally my name, I thought.

“Hello,”
I replied. Aware that I was being observed at every moment, I looked around
slowly, as if taking in my surroundings, all the while looking for a camera. I
spotted one in each corner of the room.

“Okay.
So the weekly medicals won’t differ much from what you have previously
experienced. You are to please tell me if you experience any signs of ill
health during the gestational period once you have conceived,” Dr. Weler
instructed.

“Fine,”
I muttered. The exam continued without a hitch and was the same as I had undergone
in Phase Four of my final medical in Centre Town. Paige fluttered around me, “Ariet,
you can get dressed now. Mason will escort you to the next stage of the
examination.”

Mason
was sitting on a white square plank jutting out of the wall just outside the
examination room. “How did it go?” he asked. I shrugged my shoulders walking
towards him, refusing to give him any indication that I was even remotely okay
with this. Ignoring my defiance, he took me gently by the shoulder. “Right, the
next stage is the briefing. Please try to behave yourself and be respectful during
this meeting. Our future depends on it.” The anxiousness in his voice made me
turn towards him. I was about to question it when a Guardian interrupted my
thoughts.

“Hello,
Mr. Black.” He nodded curtly at me. I guess everyone isn’t as friendly as what
I thought. “The Elders are waiting for you. Please follow me.” He turned and
led us down a circular corridor, with a slight incline. It felt as if we were
spiraling downwards.

“Is
this? Are we…?”

“We
are,” replied Mason. “This is the first level and the start of the underground
tower. It is a superficial level, the only one you can get to by walking.” We
stopped at a huge metal door.

“Scan
please,” the Guardian spat out in my direction. Automatically I held out my
hand. As the doors slid open, Mason clasped my left hand gently, taking me by
surprise.

“Ready?”
he whispered. He looked more nervous then I, which worried me.

“Sit
there,” commanded the Guardian gruffly, before I had a chance to answer.

“What’s
his problem?” I asked Mason, as we walked towards two chairs in the centre of
the room. Before he could respond, the room was suddenly flooded in a soft pallor
of lights, illuminating a raised desk spanning the length of the room, which I
noticed was also circular. At the first half of the desk were seated twelve of
the most beautiful and perfectly groomed people I had ever seen, beaming down
warmly at us. They were all dressed in pastel shades of the same suited
one-piece.

“Welcome,
Mason, Breeder 107.” It was an elderly gentleman who spoke first. I nodded
courteously, taking my lead from Mason. I searched the twelve faces looking for
those icy blue eyes that I had the unfortunate pleasure of seeing yesterday. Having
made sure Mother Creator was not in attendance, I settled back into my chair a
little.

“Ariet,
how has your transition been?” Elder Number Two addressed me, his long slender
hands adjusting the microphone to his level.

“Um,
okay, I guess,” I replied simply.

“I’m
sure it’s been a shock to you, and we know that this period of adjustment is
extremely difficult. Please try to understand that you have been selected to
help ensure the survival of our species. There is no other matter to us which
is more important than that. Dr. Maple will address you now on the procedure
for this next month.”

“Hello,
Ariet,” Dr. Maple peered down at me; creases lined his warm eyes giving his age
away. I wondered if his last name was due to the color of his eyes, a wonderful
syrupy brown. “Ariet, you are now referred to as Breeder 107, which I am sure
you already know. You have been selected to join our Breeding program, whereby
we are trying to genetically diversify or select if you will, for a specific
set of genes, as is in your case. I see by your file, you have recently passed
your twenty-first birthday, at which point your partnership with Mr. Black,” he
gestured towards Mason inconsequentially, become official. Reproduction is to
be started from the first of the new month. Have you been made aware of the two
options available for conception?” I nodded in response.

“Great.
The point of these meetings will be to ascertain, on a weekly basis, the status
of your partnership with Mr. Black and whether or not you meet the criteria
under which we believe that you could have a successful, natural partnership
and conceive using the coitus method.” He paused for a moment, as if allowing
this to sink in. “If we deem that the natural method of conception is not
possible, you will be removed from your dwelling and will reside permanently in
the medical residence, whereby fertilization
in vitro
will occur.” He
removed his glasses and looked solemnly at me. “I urge you very strongly,
Ariet, to please do your utmost to convince us that we should select Option
One. Do you have any questions?”

Mason
shook his head, and rose to stand. Quickly pulling him down, I eagerly squeaked
out “Yes, I do. What, exactly, have I been selected for?” Eyebrows raised at
me, I pressed on. “I mean, I know I have this gene, and Mason has this gene,
but what is it for? Why is it so important?”

“Hello,
Ariet,” Elder Number Nine spoke. “I am the Head Geneticist here, and I run the
Human Genetic Engineering department which leads the Breeding program. We
cannot divulge the full details of the gene of interest, but what I can tell
you is that the gene both you and Mason carry is essential to our survival.
Over the last century, we have investigated genes which may be selected to
enhance popularly desired traits such as athletic ability, intelligence,
appearance and personality. The Creators have been using these genetic markers
to select for the perfect human. The gene you both carry, we hope when expressed,
will result in disease resistance.” I stared blankly at him. “Your offspring
and others of the same genetic code will be paired with other set of breeders to
ensure that the new generation of humans will have exceptional memory and will
be able to retain all knowledge we have gained since the Great Illness. They
will be able to carry on our work, in the event that another illness occurs due
to disease resistance.”

“So,
in effect you are creating a superhuman?” I asked disagreeably.

He
looked down stiffly at me, “You could call it that. We prefer to rather look at
it as genetic selection.
The result of germline
engineering is that since the gene is inheritable, offspring and all succeeding
generations would carry the modified trait.”

“But this type of engineering could lead to irreversible
alteration of the entire human species. What if it doesn’t work?” I argued. “What
if you create an undesirable trait?”

“Then you, your offspring and fellow breeders carrying the
same gene, will be terminated at our discretion…”

“We need to talk,” Mason sat down next to me on the chair. I
had not moved or said a word since our meeting with the Elders. “Ariet, please,”
his voice hinted of sadness and concern. “We need to decide what approach we
will be using for conception. I need to know what you want to do. We have to
report back next week.”

A long sigh escaped my lips, as I surrendered to my fate. “What
if neither method works for us, what if we don’t produce offspring, never mind
with the trait they are looking for?” Turning sideways to look at him, my knees
bunched up beneath me, I searched his face for the answers.

“They will make sure we keep trying until something happens.
They know we are both healthy, fertility-wise anyway.”

“As if there even is such a thing,” I scoffed.

His impatience grew. “Look, I know you don’t want to do
this, but I’m letting you decide, to be a part of this decision, when…” his
voice trailed off.

“When what?” I startled.

“When,” he took a deep breath, “when the decision isn’t
actually yours to make. It is mine.”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, it’s the male’s decision.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s how things are run here in Centre Town,
Ariet, and in all of the Quadrants actually. Males produce the genetic seed for
fertilization. Women are just carriers, housing vessels, if you will.”

“So why are you even asking me then?” I screeched defiantly.

“Because I am not a monster. I don’t want this anymore than
you do, but I am in this predicament as much as you are and I am trying to be sensitive
to this situation, our situation.”

That seemed to soften me up just a little bit. “Option one
is definitely better than the other. At least I get to have some semblance of
freedom,” I gestured with my hand towards the beautiful view in front of me.

“So what are you saying?” he asked patiently. I turned away
from him, “I choose natural conception,” the defeat in my voice so obvious he
winced with pain.

“Ok. If this is your choice, I will alert the others. We
begin next week”.