Origin in Death

17

It took time, and she chafed at it. Time to requisition, receive, and program a team of search droids that Feeney could oversee. Time to do the diplo­macy dance with the locals. Time to wait while Reo argued her way into a warrant.

«Questioning as possible witness to a crime,» Reo said. «That's the best you're going to get with Feeney's partial match. Particularly given that Avril Icove gave a live screen interview at the WBI Center at eleven this morning to Nadine Furst, as part of a three-part series of one-on-ones. Furst sure as hell ropes them in. You can pull Avril Icove in for questioning, but you're not going to get an arrest warrant.»

«I'll take what I can get.»

Peabody came up at a half-jog. «No progress on the suspect or the vehicle. No name match on any of the known names she's used on any transport, public or private. Had a number of privates, and was able to eliminate all but three. None to New York, city or state, but we've got privates to Buenos Aires, Argentina, Chicago, and Rome, Italy. Icove property or facilities in each location.»

«Argentina. Shit.» Eve yanked out her communicator, keyed in her notes, and contacted Whitney. «Sir, I need International Relations. I believe Rodriguez, Hector, and Cruz, Magdalene, listed as Diana Rodriguez's parents, may be in immediate danger. The probability is high that Deena is there, or en route. I need the locals to put them in protec­tive custody.»

«This widens to international, we won't be able to keep our grip on it for long.»

«I don't think I'll need long. I'm bringing Avril Icove in for ques­tioning.»

It was after eight P.M. when Eve approached the Icove residence. The house was dark but for the security lights.

«Maybe she's at the beach house. Or she's grabbed the kids and gone rabbit.»

«I don't think so.» Eve pressed the bell, produced her badge foe the security plate. The same do-not-disturb message relayed, and she countermanded.

The household droid answered. «Lieutenant Dallas, Detective Peabody. Mrs. Icove and the children are in seclusion and don't wish to be disturbed. I'm to ask if your business can wait until morning.»

«It can't. Tell Mrs. Icove to come down.»

«As you wish. Will you step into the living room?»

«Not this time. Just get her.»

The droid started up the stairs, and Avril started down. Household security cameras, Eve thought. She'd watched and heard.

«Lieutenant, Detective. You have some news on the investigation?»

«I have a legal writ requiring you to accompany me to Central for questioning.»

«I don't understand.»

«We have reason to believe you were a witness to a homicide morning at Brookhollow Academy.»

«I've been in New York all day. My father-in-law's memorial.»

«Yeah, interesting how that works. We've identified Deena Flavia. I spoke with Diana Rodriguez personally. Yeah, that gives you a little jolt,» Eve observed when Avril visibly jerked back. «I've got enough to start blowing the schools, the Center, and several other facilities wide open. And when I do, I'm going to find more, enough to arrest you and Flavia on multiple counts of conspiracy to murder. But for now, Mrs. Icove, you're a witness. We're going downtown to talk about it.»

«My children. They're resting. It's been a hideous day for them.»

«I bet it has. If you're not comfortable leaving them with their care droid, I can arrange for a representative from Child Protection—«

«No! No,» she said more calmly. «I'll leave instructions with the household. I'm entitled to contact someone, aren't I?»

«You're entitled to ask for and receive a lawyer or representative or to contact the representative of your choosing. That party can demand to verify the writ, and be present during interview.»

«I'll need a moment to contact someone, to see to my children's wel­fare.»

She went to the 'link first, ordered privacy mode, turned her back. Her voice remained at a murmur throughout. When she clicked off, turned, the fear on her face was gone.

She brought all three droids in, giving specific and detailed instruc­tions on what to do should either or both of the children wake, what they were to be told. The do-not-disturb was to go on and remain on until she countermanded.

«It's important that my representatives meet me here, and that we all go in together. Can you indulge me an hour?»

«Why is that?»

«I'll answer your questions. You have my word.» Avril linked her fingers together, seemed to dig for calm. «You think you know, but you don't. An hour isn't so long to wait, and it may be less than that. In any case, I'd very much like to change, then to look in on the children be­fore we go.»

«All right. Peabody.»

«I'll go with you, Mrs. Icove.»

Alone, Eve used the time to check in with Feeney.

«In a lab now, attached to a kind of clinic. They're billing it as an in-house treatment, evaluation, and teaching center. How they monitor the kids' health, well-being, nutritional index, and give instruction on medical shit. Treat minor injuries here, have sims for students. Got six medical staff, rotating, and two med-droids on, twenty-four/seven. Place is equipped with all the latest. So much latest I've never seen, some of it before. I'm working on the data centers and scanners. It's early yet, but it's looking like students are required to have weekly exams.»

«Extreme, but not illegal.»

«Give me time,» Feeney promised.

She moved from him to Roarke, who had made it home. «I'm going to be really late.»

«I suspected as much. With my absolute confidence in you, I'm wa­gering you'll close this by morning, then be entitled to—and willing to—take at least a few hours personal.»

«For what?»

«Mad sex would be nice, but as some of my relations will be here to­morrow afternoon—«

«Tomorrow. It's not Thanksgiving tomorrow.» Was it?

«No, but it's the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and they'll be staying a few days. As we discussed.»

«Yeah, but we didn't discuss Wednesday, specifically, right?»

«You didn't even know tomorrow was Wednesday.»

«Beside the point. I'll shake some time loose if I can. Right now, I've got a big, fat mess waiting to crap all over me.»

«You've had the shittiest imagery going lately. Still, it might perk you up to know I've got a line on more of the money.»

«Why didn't you say so in the first place? Where—«

«Darling, of course, you're welcome. Don't think a thing about the fact I've been wracking my brain over this little chore.»

«Jeez. Okay, thanks. Kiss, kiss. Gimme.»

«I adore you. There are times I don't comprehend why, but still, I adore you. There's what you could call a funnel leading out of Brookhollow, and—«

«Out of the school? They used the schools to disburse funds? Forget kiss, kiss. This plays out, I'll screw you blind and deaf, first op.»

«That sounds lovely, I'll check my schedule. Meanwhile, yes, they've used the school to wash the funds, then funnel it out to various ac­counts, under various nonprofit organizations—including Unilab— set up—«

«Nonprofit?» She did a little victory dance. «I'll wear costumes, your choice.»

«Well now, that is interesting. I've always had a little yen for—«

«We'll talk about it later. Document it, get me every little detail you can manage. If I can show they used the school for laundering unreported income, channeling it into nonprofits, I can use RICO, tax fraud, all manner of juicy stuff, and have those schools shut down whether or not we find anything wonky on premises.»

«You'll have to hand it to Federal.»

«I won't give a rat's ass. You know how long it would take to ferret out every facility where they might be doing this work, aspects of this work, moving girls out? But you cut off the funding, you cut off the work. I gotta go, somebody's coming to the door. Might be Avril's rep. I'll get back to you.»

She started toward the door with a little spring in her step. She could see how it could work, nearly all the way through.

Then she heard the security green light go on. She drew her weapon as the front door opened.

And held it steady even as her heart gave a little thud.

Two women stood just beyond the threshold. They were identical— face, hair, body. Even down to clothes and jewelry.

Both gave her a slow, sober smile. «Lieutenant Dallas, we're Avril Icove,» they said together.

«Hands behind your heads, turn and face the wall.»

«We're unarmed,» they said.

«Hands behind your heads,» Eve repeated levelly. «Turn and face the wall.»

They obeyed, their movements in synch. Eve took out her commu­nicator. «Peabody, secure the witness. Bring her down now.»

«On our way.»

Eve patted each of them down. Weird, she thought, to feel exactly the same shape, the same textures.

«We've come to answer your questions,» the one on the right told her.

«We'll waive the right to an attorney at this time.» Both glanced over their shoulders. «We'll give you full cooperation.»

«That'll be peachy.»

They glanced up, toward the stairs, and each smiled.

«Oh wow.» Peabody's voice had a kick that was both shock and ex­citement. «Surreal Town.»

Eve waited while the woman with Peabody took her place with the others. «Which one of you is Avril Icove of this address?»

«We are Avril Icove. We're the same.»

«Yeah.» Eve cocked her head. «This is going to be some party. In.» She gestured to the living area. «Sit. Quiet.»

They moved the same, she noted. She couldn't detect the slightest difference in rhythm or stride.

«What do we do now?» Peabody spoke in undertones, her eyes locked on the three women.

«Change of venue, for one. We can't take them into Central, not on Code Blue. We take them out quickly, discreetly, to my place. We'll set up there. Contact Whitney. He's going to want to be in on this.» She pulled out her 'link, called home.

«Moving to Plan B here,» she told Roarke.

«Which is?»

«Working on that. I'm going to need a contained interview area and a secondary area for observation. I'm bringing in… Better just show you.»

She turned her 'link, panned the three women who sat together on the sofa.

«Ah. That's interesting.»

«Yeah, I'm riveted. We're coming now.»

She pocketed her 'link, holstered her weapon. «Here's how it's going to work. The three of you are going out, getting directly into the rear of my vehicle. Any one of you tries to resist or run, you're all going to spend the night in a cage. You'll be taken to a secure location where the interview will be conducted. You're not under arrest at this point, but you are under obligation to attend this interview. You each have the right to remain silent.»

They did so as she recited the Revised Miranda.

«Do you understand your rights and obligations?»

«We do.» Their voices blended like one.

«Peabody, let's move it out.»

There was no resistance. Each slid gracefully into the waiting car, linked hands. And spoke not a word.

Did they communicate telepathically? Eve wondered as she got be­hind the wheel. Or did they have to communicate at all? Were their thoughts simply the same thoughts?

That didn't work for her, but it was a hell of a puzzle.

Clever of them, she decided, to have coordinated the outfits. Gave the observer a bigger jolt and merged them into a unit. It'd be wise to remember they were smart women.

Intelligence had been one of Icove's prerequisites in his work. Maybe if he hadn't insisted his creations be so smart, he'd still be alive.

She signaled Peabody to remain silent as well and began to outline her strategies.

«You have a remarkable home,» one of them said when Eve drove through the gates.

The next smiled. «We've always wanted to see the inside.»

«Even,» the third finished, «under such unusual circumstances.»

Rather than respond, Eve continued up the drive, then parked in front of the house. She and Peabody flanked the trio and escorted them to the door.

Roarke opened it himself. «Ladies,» he said, smooth as ever.

«Secured?»

He glanced at Eve. «Yes. If you'd come this way.»

He took them to the foyer elevator, a snug fit for six. «Level-three meeting room,» he ordered.

Eve wasn't sure she knew they had a level-three meeting room, but kept that information to herself as the elevator began to glide.

When the doors opened she recognized the area, vaguely, as one Roarke used on occasions when he had live or holo-meetings too large to suit his office space.

There was a glossy conference table in the center of the room, with. two seating areas on either end. A long, gleaming bar rode one wall, backed with sparkling mirrors. On its opposite was a data and com­munication center.

«Sit,» Eve ordered. «And wait. Peabody, stand for the moment.» She gestured to Roarke and walked out with him into the hall.

«Observation behind the mirrors?»

«There, yes. Also the room is under full video and audio. Your ob­servers can sit comfortably in the adjoining lounge. Why aren't you fascinated?»

«I am, but I have to think. They're tricky. They've been waiting for this, on some level, all their lives. They're prepared.»

«What they are is unified.»

«Yeah. Maybe they don't have a choice on the unification. I don't know. How can we know? They're not sweating this. She was—the first one. But as soon as she made the call, she smoothed out. Show me observation.»

She went with him into a spacious sitting room, all muted colors and relaxation. Glass doors opened onto one of the many terraces, and an entertainment screen spread out on the connecting wall.

«Screen on,» Roarke instructed. «Observation mode. Engage audio.»

It seemed as though the wall melted. She could see the whole of the meeting room. Peabody stood by the door, her face schooled in profes­sional blankness. The three women sat at one end of the table. Their hands remained linked.

Eve slid her hands into the pockets of the coat she'd forgotten she had on. «They don't say 'I,' they say 'we.' Is that smart or is it honest?»

«Maybe it's both. But smart's a factor. Dress, hairstyle identical. That's calculated.»

«Yeah.» She nodded. She took out her communicator, buzzed Peabody. «Privacy mode,» she ordered, waited. «Leave them there for now, come out, turn right, come in through the first door.»

«Yes, sir.»

«They'll know you're watching,» Roarke pointed out. «They're used to being watched.»

«Hey,» Peabody said as she came in, saw the observation window. «More frost in a series of frosty events and happenings. Is it just me, or does that have a very high creepy factor?»

«Imagine how it is for them,» Eve countered. «Whitney?»

«He's coming in, as is Chief Tibble. He's requested Dr. Mira attend.»

Eve felt her back tighten. «Why?»

«I don't make a habit of questioning the commander.» She said it piously. «I like being a detective.»

Eve paced the length of the glass. There wasn't so much as a mur­mur from inside. And the women sat, relaxed. «We ID them through prints first, request they voluntarily provide DNA samples, test those. We're going to make damn sure what we're dealing with. We can start that before the observation team arrives.»

Putting it into order in her head, Eve shrugged out of her coat. «Let's separate them while we're running the ID. They won't like that.»

As she expected, she saw the first crack in composure when she re­turned and ordered Peabody to escort one of the women from the room.

«We want to stay together.»

«Routine. You'll need to be identified and questioned separately at this time.» She tapped one of the two remaining on the shoulder. «If you'll come with me.»

«We're here to cooperate. But we want to stay together.»

«This won't take long.» She took her Avril out and into a small par­lor where she'd placed an ID kit. «I can't question you until I verify your identification. I'm going to ask you to submit to print scan, and to give me a DNA sample.»

«You know who we are. You know what we are.»

«For the record. Do you agree?»

«Yes.»

«Are you the Avril Icove I spoke with after Wilfred Icove Jr.'s murder?»

«We're the same. We're one.»

«Right. But one of you was there. One was at the beach. Where was the third?»

«We can't be together physically often. But we're always together.»

«That's starting to sound like Free-Ager pap. Prints verified is Icove, Avril. DNA. Hair or spit?» she asked.

«Wait.» Avril closed her eyes, drew a breath. When she opened her eyes again there were tears. She picked up a swab, coated it with her own tears, handed it to Eve.

«Neat trick.» Eve inserted the swab into her portable scanner. «Are all your emotions manufactured?»

«We feel. We love and hate, laugh and cry. But we're well trained.»

«I bet. We broke Icove's code on his personal logs. This is going to take a few minutes.» She let the scanner hum, studied Avril. «What about your children? Did he create them?»

«No. They're only children.» Everything about her softened. «Conceived in our body. They're innocent, and have to be protected. If you give us your word you'll protect our children, we'll believe you.»

«I'll do everything I can to protect the children.» She read the scanner. «Avril.»

All three were tested. According to scanners and readouts, all three were the same person.

Eve joined the observation team, which included Reo. Once again, she had Peabody remain in the room with the reunited women.

«DNA matches. No question to the ID. What we've got in there are all legally, biologically Avril Icove.»

«It should be unbelievable,» Tibble commented.

«What it is, is fraught with legal minefields,» Reo put in. «How do you question a witness and/or suspect when you have three who are the same?»

«By using the fact they're coming here as a single unit,» Eve said to Reo. «That's their stand, so we use it.»

«Physiologically that may be true. But emotionally…« Mira shook her head. «They haven't had the same experiences, they haven't lived the same lives. There will be differences between them.»

«DNA samples. One gave me a tear. Rolled it out on command. The other two went with saliva. Number one was showing off. But all three made identical requests that the children be protected.»

«The relationship between mother and child is one of the most pri­mal. While only one gave birth…«

«Two kids,» Eve interrupted. «We don't know, unless they agree to an exam, if two of the three gave birth.»

A fresh flicker of horror ran over Mira's face. «Yes, you're right. If… in any case, with the intimate connection between these women, their primal instinct toward the children could very well be just as intimate.»

«Could they communicate telepathically?»

«I can't say.» Mira lifted her hands. «Genetically, they're identical. It's likely their early environment was as well. But at some point they were separated. Identical siblings are known to have a unique bond, to sense each other's thoughts. Even those separated by years of time or miles of distance have proved to have this connection. It's also possible they might be sensitives. That this quality was either inherent in the cell used to create them or evolved due to their extraordinary circum­stance.»

«I need to get started.»

They looked up, as one, as Eve entered the room. For form she walked to a recorder, engaged.

«Interview with Avril Icove regarding the unlawful deaths of Wil­fred B. Icove, Sr., and Wilfred B. Icove, Jr. Mrs. Icove, have you been informed of your rights and obligations?»

«Yes.»

«Do you understand these rights and obligations?»

«Yes.»

«It would make it easier, for the purposes of this interview, if you would speak one at a time.»

They glanced at each other. «It's difficult to know what you expect from us.»

«Let's shoot for the truth. You.» She pointed to the woman at the corner of the table. «For now, you can answer. Which one of you lived at the location where Wilfred Icove, Jr., was murdered?»

«We've all lived there, at one time or another.»

«Through your choice or because you were directed into this situation by your husband or father-in-law?»

«It was the arrangement our father dictated. Always. Choice? It isn't always an option.»

«You call him your father.»

«He was the father. We're his children.»

«Biologically?»

«No. But he made us.»

«As he did Deena Flavia.»

«She's our sister. Not biologically,» Avril added. «But emotionally. She's like us. Not us, but like us.»

«He created you, and others like you, through illegal procedures.»

«He called it Quiet Birth. Should we explain?»

«Yeah.» Eve sat, kicked back in the chair. «Why don't you?»

«During the wars, the father became friends with Jonah Wilson, the noted geneticist, and his wife, Eva Samuels.»

«First, what's your relationship to Eva Samuels? You have the same maiden name.»

«There's no relation. We're not of her. The name was a convenience for them.»

«Were your biological parents those listed as such on your official data?»

«We don't know who our parents were. But it's doubtful.»

«Okay, go on. Icove, Wilson, and Samuels hooked up.»

«They were very interested in each other's work. Though the father was, initially, skeptical and wary of Dr. Wilson's more radical theories and experiments—«

«Even then, you see,» the second Avril continued, «there were ex­periments. Though he was skeptical, he couldn't deny his fascination. When his wife was killed, grief took him. She was carrying their daughter, and both were lost. He tried to reach them in time, to get to her body. But nothing was viable. He was too late.»

«Too late to attempt to preserve her DNA, and potentially re-create her.»

«Yes.» The third Avril smiled. «You understand. He couldn't save his wife and the baby she carried. For all of his skill and knowledge, he was helpless, as he'd been to save his own mother. But he began to see what could be done. How many loved ones might be saved.»

«By cloning.»

«Quiet Birth.» The first took over again. «There were so many dead, so many lost. So many in pain. So many children, orphaned, injured. He intended to save them. Was driven to.»

«By extraordinary means.»

«They, the father and Wilson, worked in secret. The children, after all, so many of the children would never have real lives. They'd give them better. They'd give them the future.»

«They used children they found in the wars?» Peabody demanded. «They took kids?»

«This appalls you.»

«Shouldn't it?»

«We were a child in the war. Dying. Our DNA was preserved, our cells taken. Should we have died then?»

«Yes.»

They looked back at Eve. And each nodded. «Yes. It's the natural order. We should have been allowed to die, to stop being. But we weren't. There were failures. And the failures were destroyed, or used for further study. Again and again, day after day, year after year, until there were five who were viable.»

«There are two more of you?» Eve asked.

«There were. We were born in April.»

«Back up a minute. Where did he get the women who were implanted?»

«There weren't any. We weren't developed in a human womb. We weren't given even that gift. The wombs are artificial, a great achieve­ment.» Now her voice hardened, and the anger simmering under it flashed into her eyes. «Every moment of development can be moni­tored. Every developing cell can be engineered, adjusted, manipulated. We have no mother.»

«Where? Where is it done?»

«We don't know. We don't remember the first years. It was eraser drugs, treatments, hypnosis.»

«Then how do you know what you're telling me?»

«Will. He shared some of this. He loved us, was proud of what we are. Was proud of his father and the achievements. Some we knew from Deena, and some we learned when we began to question.»

«Where are the other two?»

«One died at six months. We were not able to sustain the other.

They paused, linked hands. «We learned the other lived for five years. We lived five years. But we weren't strong enough, and our in­tellect wasn't developing according to the required levels. He killed us. He injected us as you might a terminally ill pet. We went to sleep, and never woke. And so, we're three.»

«There's documentation of this?»

«Yes. Deena obtained it. He made her very smart and resourceful. Maybe he miscalculated the range of her curiosity, her… humanity. She learned she'd been two, but one hadn't been allowed to develop past the age of three. When she told us, we couldn't believe it. Didn't want to believe it. She ran away, she wanted us to come, but…«

«We loved Will. We loved the father. We didn't know how to be without them.»

«She contacted you again.»

«We were always in contact. We loved her, too. We kept her secret. We married Will. It was so important to make him happy, and we did. When we got pregnant, we asked only one thing of him and the father. One thing. Our child—any children we would have together—would never be re-created. They'd never be used this way. They gave their word.»

«One of us had a son.»

«Another a daughter.»

«And a third carries a daughter.»

«You're pregnant?»

«The child was conceived three weeks ago. He didn't know. We didn't want him to know. He broke his word. The one sacred thing. Eleven months ago, he and the father took cells from the children. It has to be stopped. Our children must be protected. We've done—and will do—whatever it takes to stop it.»