Chapter 39

GMN-5  was surprised when GMN-4  turned the car and headed back to the facility through another route. 

"I thought we are going after them? " GMN-5 asked by them she meant her, GMN-1.

"They are more than capable" GMN-4 replied in like manner and GMN-5 understood they as the they she had been referring to, her- GMN-1.

It was not that he didn't want to go. He wanted to know what they were up to especially with 2 around but he was exercising all his self control. He would let them do this but if 2 should over step the line... He cast a glance at GMN-5...

GMN-5 was on another thought rollercoaster. The fact they were not going made her more angry. He had a lot of confidence in her. She wished that GMN-1 wouldn't succeed. She wanted to go over there and make sure. Maybe she could, she was invisible after all. She just needed to make an appearance at the facility. She smiled. She missed the person who scoffed beside her. 

She was really pissed when GMN-4 didn't give her any chance to escape the facility. It was like he found a way to make sure she was occupied without having to do so himself. 

As time went on, Doc became more restless when they did not come back but she was still looking calm and unperturbed. 

"Maybe you should go check on them " Doc said. She was so restless. GMN 7 and 9 looked on from their position in the common room. Doc was obviously talking to GMN-4 who sat there backing her and looking like he didn't care. It was mid morning and they we're still not back, Doc was worried.  She needed to dispatch GMN-4 to find them but he looked so disinterested, she couldn't figure out why. She was about to say something when he stood up and left. 

Doc thought he had gone to prepare for the search when she heard footsteps. No wonder he was looking so disinterested, they were already back. The first thing Doc took notice of was her precious box which GMN 2 and 3 were carrying. Dirty but still the box she was looking for. GMN 2 and 3 who were coming in stilled at the door which made GMN-6 who was talking to  the dog bump into them. 

"My precious box! " Doc exclaimed with so much enthusiasm and ignored the bearers who had dropped the box and starred ahead. She dragged the box away from them with much difficulty to a safe distance and began gushing over it. 

The other GMNs who were seated before stood up to clearly observe what was going on. They hadn't seen Doc this excited or GMN 2 and 3 this pale. They were interrupted by GMN-6

"What's with all this standing around? " she asked squeezing in between the two in front of her to get into the room. Her face paled instantly. The other GMNs who had heard her talking to someone were surprised when a huge but cute dog squeezed in after her. The dog looked surprised too. 

"Why the hell are you here!? '' It was GMN-2 that spoke first. The other GMNs were surprised, they had never heard GMN-2 cuss. 

"Where's 1!?" GMN-4 replied with a question of his own. He looked very serious. 

"We should be asking you! " GMN-6 replied 

Now this got everyone's attention. When GMN-1 didn't show up at first they didn't think much about it especially when the dog showed up instead of her. They thought she had gone to park the car or maybe bath and get changed but from the look and sound of things, something happened. Although reluctantly, it got Doc's attention. She stood up and turned to face them. The first thing she noticed was the fearful looking creature that stuck terror into her heart. She managed to school her expression.

"What is going on? " Doc asked searching for GMN-1 with her eyes to make sure it wasn't some joke. 

"She left with him" GMN-3 said doubtfully looking at GMN-4.

"what? " GMN 7,9,5 and Doc echoed 

GMN-4 turned to grab a car key while GMN 2 and 3 turned back towards the direction they came from with the dog leading the way. GMN-4 was right behind them when he heard the dog bark. They stood still. 

"Let me guess, another mission? " GMN-1 said with a raised brow from the doorway. The other GMNs scrambled to get a look at her. She looked somewhat better than the others with a cut lip which seemed to be healing. GMN-6 pushed to the front and stared mouth agape. 

"Where is GMN-4?" GMN-3 asked

"Behind you" GMN-1 replied, nodding her head towards them. 

"The other GMN-4" GMN-6 said

"Oh, this? " GMN-1 said, throwing a severed head at their feet. "The rest of it is in the trunk downstairs" The three GMNs that went with her stared at her with surprise their mouth slightly open. They stared from the head then back to her. "What? I'm not that gullible " she said as she crossed them and headed to the other door. 

The GMNs and Doc watched her walk out from the other door with the dog in tow. 

"What just happened? " GMN-6 asked

GMN-4 just turned back and returned to his position on the sofa. 

"We need to freshen up " GMN-2 said ignoring the question and going out. GMN-3 and a reluctant GMN-6 followed behind him. 

When they left

"They're back so there's no cause for alarm. They actually look worse than I did" GMN-5 said 

"No one can look as bad as you do" GMN-9 stated

Doc turned looked at them and narrowed her eyes. 

"Still they wasted a lot of time to retrieve a single bronze box and came back looking worse than the ancient box" GMN-5 said

Everyone rolled their eyes. What was she trying to achieve bad mouthing them. No body wasted time replying. GMN 7 and 9 just stood up and helped Doc carry the box without her even asking, she just followed. 

GMN-4 was still remaining, seated on the sofa. He had been thinking about the events of the past days. Somethings are just not falling into place. He just needed them to rest so that he could find out what actually happened. Something was bogging him, he looked at the severed head that looked so much like him. Whatever form they took they always went after GMN-1. He muffled a sigh. He noticed the spot beside him dip down but he pretended not to notice. GMN-5 sat down beside him. For some reason she had been wanting to get his attention lately

"What are you thinking about? " GMN-5 asked

GMN-4 didn't even give her his attention. Even if she wasn't her, she was still an ally of Doc who right now was looking more and more suspicious. 

So far Williams was still alive for now. He didn't know why he was wanted or why GMN-7 suddenly looked uncomfortable. He hadn't had time to talk with GMN-9. He stood up. GMN-5 stood up too just as the rest of the GMNs were coming in with Doc and Deccan. 

"Where you about to leave? " GMN-3 asked with a sly smile that nearly went unnoticed. GMN-4 just sat down again. 

"Care to tell us what happened? " Doc asked looking at GMN-1

"We retrieved the box, it's just that there were some booby traps" GMN-3 answered instead

"Some? We were gassed, trapped, bait and you say some?" GMN-6 said

"You made it out alive and with the box that means could handle it"Doc replied 

"A fair warning isn't too much to ask" GMN-6 said

"I'll keep that in mind" Doc replied calmly, too calm. 

"Good job" Deccan who had been quiet said and GMN-3 nodded. GMN 2 and 6 just stood there not acknowledging the complement. GMN-1 sat on a chair beside a table facing them with one hand on the table. 

"What of the twins? " Doc asked

"Dead" GMN-1 replied still staring ahead

"You killed them? " Doc asked looking at all of them that went for the mission. There was an inflation in her voice

"No" GMN-1 replied plainly ignoring the inflation 

"You said they are dead!? " Doc said a little forcefully. The last thing she needed was people having a head start on who could be with the box. 

"I didn't say we killed them " GMN-1 said without even looking at her. This reaction didn't raise much of a red flag seeing it was coming from GMN-1.

"What did you mean? " Doc asked trying to even her voice

"There are a thousand and one ways to die" GMN-1 said, turning to fully focus on Doc. Deccan beside her choked

"We didn't kill them. Apparently they believed in some sort of curse so we decided to be on the safer side but they are dead" GMN-2 said

"I see" did Doc just sound disappointed. 

"They told you they were cursed and you believed them? " GMN-5 mocked. 

The dog growled at her. 

"Or maybe watching them die was more gratifying" GMN-2 stated with suppressed hostility 

"Concerning the other GMN-4...?" Doc began expecting GMN-1 to tell them what happened but GMN-1 just looked at her blankly without saying anything. 

"What happened? " Deccan asked

"Tried to kidnap me and then get the box" GMN-1 said with a plain face like it was water under the bridge. 

The short story was she had gotten into the car with that GMN-4 who seemed to be quite different from GMN-4 but made an extra special effort to behave like him. She didn't know what he or it was or where it came from. It seemed bent on getting information from her and tried to drug her by stabbing her with an injection. Apparently she was the mission and was in no mood to prolong the charade with an unknown opponent. She had attacked first making him loose control of the car and when the car crashed they got into a really hot fight. To say it was interesting was the least, in order to take him down she had to severe his head with her bare hands and it put up one hell of a fight. She searched the car and then searched the body for any type of sensor or transmitter before hijacking a car and making it back to the facility. That was what she was going to tell them if the insisted on a detailed explanation. 

"Why would someone try to kidnap you? " GMN-9 asked

"How did they know where you were? " GMN-4 asked

These questions among others have been on her mind since she came back. The annoying thing was no one could give answers to her questions and even if they did, could she trust them? 

She shrugged and they turned to look at Doc and Deccan

"A lot of things have been going on recently and we will get to the bottom of them" Doc answered

"What's in the box Doc? " GMN-6 asked and some people's ears perked up to hear the answer. Some did not bother. 

"Something useful I hope. We'll run some test on the head and body you retrieved and get back to you" Doc said and GMN-1 just nodded

"How did you know it wasn't GMN-4?" GMN-5 asked

"It was obvious" GMN-1 said standing up. Her answer piqued their curiosity. The other GMNs wanted to ask but didn't want to ask in front of Doc or Deccan. The GMNs that went with her really wanted to know because they were very surprised seeing GMN-4 back at the facility. 

GMN-5 really wanted to know how GMN-1 knew because it  may come in handy. She doubted it was based on physical recognition alone, so she pressed further. 

GMN-1 was already at the door. She knew Doc wasn't going to tell her what she thought was in the box and that the conversation was going to be steered towards her. She needed time to rest and think and see if she could sort through the things in her head and also put in some reading. As she was about walking out she heard GMN-5's words. 

"There must have been something that piqued you? Something that drew your attention to the fact that he was fake" GMN-5 said

She sounded curious and desperate to everyone. So she was trying to understand him and gain his attention. She turned to face GMN-5 looking at her right in the eye. Everyone waited. Anticipation and anxiety. The rest wanted to know what she noticed but also wanted to know what she would answer. They had subconsciously made up their mind that the two answers would be different 

"There was one thing though. He happened to like you" GMN-1 said then turned and walked out. 

Doc's mouth dropped open. She quickly comported herself and hurried out with Deccan behind her. Few seconds later GMN 6 and 9 burst out laughing. 

"Men I wasn't expecting that! " GMN-6 exclaimed 

"Ouch! " GMN-9 said

GMN-5 was red in the face while the other GMNs were resisting the urge to laugh. GMN-1 had definitely not gone easy. She must have noticed. 

GMN-5 scoffed bitterly. She had been carried away that she showed her desperation and GMN-1 didn't hesitate to use it against her. She folded her lips into a thin line and walked out. She was going to find Doc. 

GMN-7 just sat there lost in thoughts. 

"Are you okay? " GMN-6 asked and he jerked

"Yeah. I'm fine" GMN-7 said getting up and walking out. GMN-9 just watched him. Things were really going to get messy. 

******

GMN-1 dropped the content of her bag on the clothe she spread on the floor in the corner. She sorted all she brought. She kept the books one side, the blade one side, keys and other documents one side and finally the leather bound parcel. Where to start from? She rubbed her forehead. She needed to rest but unless she made some kind of progress that rest was going to seem elusive. 

She decided to start with the books. It was obvious they were dealing with some kind of cult and to how powerful they were she didn't know but Doc seemed awfully disappointed like she wanted them to get cursed. Things with Doc was getting more and more confusing. She licked her lips rapidly and prepared to read. 

Three hours later and five books, she was more confused. She had decided to keep an open mind but it was becoming hard. Why would Doc send them to bring a box that could literally end the human civilisation? She threw her head back and ran her fingers through her hair. The books were very detailed and the journal was signed with blood. The fact she was being a legend was alarming. The thought of Doc wanting to safeguard the box briefly crossed her mind but her enthusiasm seemed off. Why did she care if the box could destroy humans after all she wasn't human? The fact was she was believing more and more that she was. This was absurd! She looked at the keys and documents. Did she really want to get involved in this? She sighed and hid the books and documents in separate places. She then turned to the leather bound parcel. There was a seal on it but she didn't know how to open it. She examined it, hid it, then stood up and left the room. 

She made her way to the common room and headed straight for the refrigerator.she scanned it and took an apple and grabbed one of the small knives and headed for her room. GMN 4 and 9 were still in the common room when she left with the apple. GMN-4 looked at her then the apple but did not say anything. He knew she hated apples but why was she taking one. He walked to the refrigerator and opened in and looked at the contents, they were other fruits but they didn't require a knife. He decided to let things be. It was obvious she had something to do with the knife. 

GMN-4 went back to his seat to contemplate what had been going on. No matter how he thought about it. He could not fill in the blank spaces. He needed to find something. He was about to leave when GMN 2 and 3 walked in. 

"Where are the rest? " GMN-2 asked when he noticed the only other person in there was GMN-9 who was busy with his laptop. GMN-4 raised his brow at the question. 

"Doc's calling us" GMN-3 said. 

"I'll go look for GMN 1 and 6" GMN-2 said

"We are here" GMN-6 said from behind them. GMN-1 walked past them and walked to the refrigerator and picked two bottles of chilled water. She drank one and walked to GMN-6 and handed her the second. 

"Let me guess I wasn't called" GMN-5 said coming in with GMN-7

"He was coming to get you" GMN-9 said gesturing to GMN-2

GMN-5 looked from 9 to 2 to the empty can GMN-1 held to the water GMN-6 was drinking. What was going on? 

GMN-1 resisted the urge to shake her head. GMN-5 was very scheming that was why she thought everything in terms of schemes and plots even ordinary water. 

"Since we are all here can we go, I have a lot of things to get back to" GMN-9 said crossing them and walking ahead. GMN 2 and 3 turned and followed with 1 and 6 following suit disposing the water cans. GMN-4 was right behind them and lastly 7 and 5. GMN-7 hadn't said much since they came back. Nobody talked. They just walked in silence. 

They got to the room where Doc was waiting for them. It was a medical room. The body GMN-1 brought was on the table as medical staff buzzed around. 

"You're here" Doc said to no one in particular and no one replied.  She seem not to expect any because she nodded to one of the staff who came over. 

"Who was the one that brought the body back? " the man asked. GMN-1 kept quiet but 5 turned to look at her and the man took the hint. "Although we cannot classify it as human or classify it as totally non human, the specimen you brought has an uncanny resemblance to its human original" the man said looking at GMN-4

Wait, did he just say human? Doc frowned at the man but he didn't know the reason she was frowning. He already discussed it with her, if she didn't want him to tell them then why did she bring them here. He continued anyway seeing no reaction from Doc or the children except the one that looked impatient and confused. 

"We've verified some of its make up as a synthetic version of the real thing while some others are indeed the real thing. I would like to think that whoever made it is indeed a genius " the man said and Doc's frown deepened. 

The man didn't understand what was wrong with this woman. She was always secretive and tight lipped. He was an old man and seen a lot of suspicious cases in his time but this current situation he was witnessing was by far the most suspicious. 

"Dr. Peterson was moved here under short notice since our medical staff couldn't decipher what it was. He doesn't know much about the existing situation so try not to freak him out" Doc said politely. The man looked confused for some seconds before he donned his professional face. 

"You dealt with a rather strong clone and the fact that it's human original wasn't the first to discover it makes me wonder how she knew it was a fake. Honestly I couldn't tell the difference " the man said looking at GMN-1expectantly. This was becoming a question she couldn't avoid. The others remembered her reply to GMN-5 and stifled a laugh. 

"Easy. He was all chatty and smiley faced" GMN-1 stated seriously 

GMN 2 and 3 couldn't help the outburst of a laugh and tried to stifle it and maintain a straight face. There was no change in GMN 1 and 4's expression. The man nodded and asked again. 

"How long did it take you to know he wasn't real? " The doctor asked curious but GMN-1 just shrugged. Dear doctor was up to something and since this was the first time she was seeing him, she couldn't tell what exactly. She was done feeding him information. 

"So this is a clone of him" GMN-3 said pointing at GMN-4 "Does it still work? "

"That I can't tell for now. I don't know how it was powered and we are still trying to understand how it could have functioned" the doctor replied 

"How was someone able to make a clone of her and him but not the rest of us? " GMN-5 asked

"We didn't know about them until we saw them, there could be many more where this came from" Doc said

No matter how selfish GMN-5's question was there was still an intelligent question underneath. For someone to make a perfect clone as that then they would have to have much more information on them and recent ones at that. Doc looked geninuely surprised and confused, so she couldn't be the one behind it. Deccan? Well they had their suspicions about him. There was an unusual friction between him and Doc recently or maybe it had been building. 

GMN-1 turned to go when she heard. 

"It contains traces of his DNA" the doctor said. She turned but he didn't follow it up with any other information. She looked at GMN-4. Their eyes met but he didn't know how that could be possible. 

"Thank you. That would be all" Doc said to the doctor. "You can take the next few days off, no trainings. Good job everyone " Doc said to the GMNs. They all turned to go. 

"GMN-1 head to the room opposite for your physical " Doc said

She had been avoiding this but she couldn't come up with an excuse. She just walked to the said rooms and opened the door. She had an ominous feeling as soon as she stepped in and the door closed behind her. The room was the room they used for physical examination. They motioned her to the high bed. She hopped on and lay down. Maybe she was over thinking things. They carried on as usual checking what she recognised as her vitals. They proceeded to scan her body. She noticed two of the nurses with two syringes. 

"What are those? " GMN-1 asked

"Standard procedure" one of them replied. She wanted to shift her hands but it would raise the wrong alarm. She watched as they injected her from both sides. They continued to do what they were doing but she suddenly felt weird and sleepy. She tried to keep her eyes open. She knew it that something was up but she couldn't help it. She stood up from the bed. 

"Where are you going we are not finished! " one of the nurses shouted but she ignored them. Did they give her some form of anaesthetic. She had been afraid of deep sleep since that day. She stumbled out of the room pushing aside the nurses who were calling for her and calling for help. Where was she going? She didn't know. She could feel her panic. She  stumbled along the corridor. Her eyes were gradually closing, she didn't want to sleep. She held the wall with one hand as she moved on blindly. Some nurses came to take her back but she pushed them away. She touched the liquid dripping from her face and brought it up to her half opened eyes, she was bleeding. From where? 

She came upon a door and pushed it open. She was hearing voices from inside. She stumbled in and heard someone shout. It sounded vaguely familiar. She heard footsteps and someone was holding her. 

"What did you do to her!? " Someone was shouting. She heard Doc calling her as her voice drew closer. She tried to push the person who was holding her away. 

"I swear to God, if you've done anything to her Adriana, I'll kill you! " the person said again

Who's Adriana? 

"Let me help her" Doc was saying she sounded concerned 

GMN-1 pushed the both of them away and stumbled out. Where exactly was she going? 

She heard footsteps and familiar voices calling her name. Finally people on her side. She thought before she dropped to the ground