Freak of Nature - By Julia Crane Page 0,42

the lights flashed back on.

Everyone stared at Kaitlyn with renewed interest. Even the stoic older gentleman in the middle sat up in his seat and seemed impressed.

“How do we know this is not doctored?” a stern-faced brunette woman asked. Her hair was pulled up so tightly in a bun her eyes were slanted back. Kaitlyn wondered if it gave her a headache. She wasn’t in uniform so Kaitlyn had no idea who she was representing.

“You’re welcome to watch her in the field. I just wanted to give you a quick glimpse into her potential. Ladies and gentlemen, what we have seen here only scratches the surface. She can sense targets before they even become a threat. Her body temperature controls itself in any environment. The list goes on and on. I don’t want to give away all her secrets until we know for sure there is interest.”

A woman from the end of the table spoke up. “Oh, there’s interest all right. What’s the downside?” Kaitlyn blinked at the questions and waited for his reaction. She had never thought of the downsides herself. Surely, there must be some.

Harrington paced before them for a moment. “Really, the only downside is perception. Society is not ready for something of this magnitude. She would have to be kept top secret.”

“Well, that’s easy enough,” the woman replied. “Who would want to risk such a gold mine in the public eye anyway? We would keep her locked away until needed.”

Kaitlyn tensed up. So she had her answer: yet again she would be locked away. Only this time, there would be no Lucas or Quess.

“So.” Harrington clapped his hands together, rubbing them. “Where should we start the bidding?”

“Not so fast.” Said the surly man in the middle of the table. Kaitlyn’s scan calculated him to be the most dangerous of the crew despite his age. A person doesn’t get to his level with out being a threat. “A video might be good enough to catch our attention, but we need to see her in a real environment before we talk money.”

“Very well. You can use my compound to set up any scenarios you wish. I assure you that she will pass with flying colors.”

A tall, slim man in his mid-forties stood up. He was wearing an Air Force uniform, and the name on his tag said Fenderson. “I would like to speak to the subject.”

Harrington nodded to Kaitlyn, and she stepped forward.

The man directed his question to her. “What can you tell us about yourself?”

“My name is Kaitlyn. I am programmed to be efficient and deadly. I follow orders without hesitation.” She stood with her hands to her sides, motionless, and spoke in a monotone voice.

Nods of approval went around the room. Like Harrington they also wanted a mindless robot. The thought caused her to clench her hands into fist.

Another woman, with short grey hair, spoke. “I think she would have a hard time blending in. She sounds like a robot. With her looks she will draw a lot of attention. Some missions might require she interact in public, even if on a limited basis.”

“We’ve been working on that. We have installed a slang chip and facial recognition program so she can mimic emotions when needed. Which brings up another issue. If you are interested, we would like our main programmer to stay involved.” He nodded towards Lucas.

“He’s not much more than a boy. We have our own people,” one of the men said curtly.

The old man nodded. “I’m afraid the only way we could agree to this project is if we have complete control. Once she left this compound, everything would be in the black. Top secret, even to you. If you and your team were involved there would be an increased risk.”

“Not acceptable,” Harrington said firmly. “My team is to remain with Kaitlyn or there will be no negotiations.”

“Do you really want to be the ones to take responsibility if something went wrong?” another man asked. “If the subject is handed over to the government, you will not be responsible for any of the backlash. What you’ve done in creating your cyborg is illegal. By handing her over to us, you would be free and clear of any legal recriminations were knowledge of her existence to hit the media.”

“I don’t give a shit about backlash,” Harrington said. “She was my vision. And pardon me for not quite taking your word. The government has been known to throw people under the bus when it suits their