Toys

Chapter 102

I was escorted to the human army’s fleet of vehicles-armored cars and a few tanks, which were camouflaged in the brush. A cluster of jeeps and trucks had been pulled together to form a command post.

What a sight when I stepped inside! The station was crowded with the human leaders of the world-faces of those whom I’d last seen dying under ruthless Elite gunfire in France, not knowing that they were clones and all part of a master plan to fight back, to survive somehow.

And survive not just here-all over North America, Europe, Asia.

The leaders went silent for a second-then they burst into excited conversations as they realized who I was and what I was bringing to them: Lizbeth.

The real Chantal Dugare came hurrying toward me, looking even more stunning and imposing than her double had. “Hezz! How nice to really meet you!”

“How nice to see you alive,” I said.

“Yes, I much prefer it that way too. You are very handsome, Hezz.”

The crowd quieted and moved aside as she led me to the front of the compound, which had been set up like an operating-room theater. I suspected that I already knew why.

Lucy was waiting there, busily arranging surgical equipment on a table. She didn’t burst out with any thrilled “Oh, Hays, you did it”-just flashed me a quiet smile. She’d obviously never doubted that I would come, which was high praise coming from her.

“Set it over there. I mean-set her over there!”

She pointed at the operating table. Then Lucy started putting on a surgical gown.

“You’re going to do this operation yourself?” I said, astonished. I’d assumed that she was prepping for a physician who had yet to arrive.

“Of course I’m going to do the operation. Who else would do it?”

“Where’d you learn… to be a doctor?”

“From your parents-where do you think?” she said impatiently. “I didn’t spend all those years just fixing roofs and gutters on the cabin. I’ve worked with them in the lab since I was a little girl. They taught me everything they knew. I happen to be a great surgeon. Lucky for you, Lizbeth.”

Lizbeth was ready to kill, but, hoo boy, was this going to frost her.

I set the refrigeration unit down and opened the door so she could see exactly where she was, and maybe get an idea about what was going to happen next.

“Lizbeth Baker,” said Lucy with a modest bow. “Welcome to my operating table.”