“The things they learned from creating you, they were able to use to perfect some of the CO469s, protecting at least a part of their investment. But those who’d become completely unstable were beyond repairing and those who were not able to learn true emotional response were also defective in such a way that they could not recoup their losses, so those are the rogues that were first targeted for destruction.
“Phase two was to round up the remaining rogues and reprogram them.”
Dalia frowned thoughtfully as she finished her meal and returned the tray to the desk. “I wasn’t told--Weweren’t told because they were afraid it would reverse the benefits of the additional programming?”
He shrugged. “I cannot say for certain, but very likely. It had the added benefit, though, of making the VT570 despise the CO469, which in turn made them very aggressive in tracking and killing the CO469. If they had informed the VT570 at any time, they ran the risk of having even more rogues on their hands.”
“But you decided it was worth the risk in telling me?”
“We had little to lose.”
Her lips tightened. “I, on the other hand, had a great deal to lose.”
“Your ignorance?”
“My sanity,” she said tartly.
He looked her over. “I did not consider that a risk. You are ... far stronger than a human; physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
“There was no reason why you should. As you pointed out, you had nothing to lose,” Dalia retorted sharply.
“I said we had little.”
It sounded like splitting hairs to her, but she let it drop. “Why did you impregnate me?”
Something flickered in his eyes. “I did not. I would gladly give up all the years that remain to me if I could. The gift of life is the one thing I would value above all else, but it is also the one thing I was not given.”
Dalia frowned, but her inboard computer had told her as much. Still, the fetus contained his DNA. “You infiltrated the company. You did something to me--without my knowledge or consent. Cloning?”
“I did have the company infiltrated, and I did have you watched and studied. Six months ago we discovered that you had begun to produce live ovum... The company discovered it only a few months after we did. That is why you were ordered to come in for more tests, monthly. I had someone placed, at first, only to make certain the company did not decide you were too dangerous to them to live.
“We had not found this to be the case in any of the CO469, and had to assume it was only the VT570 who were, possibly, capable of reproducing. You were the only one we had the chance to study, however, and we decided to see what would happen if male DNA was introduced at the time you produced a viable ovum. The CO469 was to introduce it, and inform me if you reproduced. The first two attempts failed. The third did not. Beyond supplying you with my DNA, however, I did nothing more.”
“If it wasn’t cloning, then what was it?”
“Abiogenesis.”
Dalia frowned. “I’m not familiar with this term.”
“Life will find a way--theoretically, spontaneous generation from non-living matter. Strictly speaking, perhaps not, but basically, abiogenesis. The cells I supplied could not be kept alive indefinitely, and we could not chance sending more without risking exposure. In your case, your body extracted the DNA from my cells and combined them with your own to complete the cycle.”
It was a lot to absorb at one time.Shehad made herself pregnant? Maybe her own body had instigated the chemical process, maybe it would have anyway--they would certainly never know now--but, just as certainly, she hadn’t done it completely by herself. “So--when the company discovered this--thing--growing inside of me, they panicked, ordered me destroyed? Where the hell was your inside man when I was running for my life?”
His eyes glittered, his face contorting with anger. “Itis not a ‘thing’. It is a child--mine and yours--or mine if you have no taste, or instinct, for mothering. It is hope--a future--purpose for our kind.”
She was a little surprised at his ferocity in defending something that was, when all was said and done, none of his damned business. It was in her body. It was living and growing because of her and it would not survive without her to provide it with the sustenance it needed to continue to grow and develop.
For that matter, he had a hell of a nerve implying that she might not have motherly instincts. She had conceived the child, hadn’t she? And, from what he’d said, with damned little help from him. She was just as intelligent as he was. If he could figure it out, she certainly could. “I suppose you think you have fatherly instincts?” she snapped.
“I will learn,” he said tightly.
Her eyes narrowed, but she realized it was pointless to argue the matter now, when neither of them even knew if it would mature, particularly since she was not currently in a situation where she could prevent him from doing just as he pleased. “You damned near missed your chance,” she retorted. “If I hadn’t awakened when I did, we’d both be dead now--me and the--child.”
“The one who infiltrated was discovered a week before your last examination and destroyed. We came when we learned of it but discovered the company had already attempted to destroy you, as well. I did not know, for certain, that you had been impregnated until you told me when you--arrived.”
There was at least some satisfaction in that, but it irritated the hell out of her to realize that she’d not only been used and chased after like a dangerous animal, she’d also been herded and trapped like one.
She extended her wrists. Reuel stared at them for several moments and finally looked up at her face. “You refuse to accept ... us?”
