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       #Post#: 406736--------------------------------------------------
       Project LEDA
       By: Scout Date: May 19, 2016, 6:34 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [center]{This is like my own little idea, so don't judge. ;-;}
       Project LEDA
       Illegal human cloning experiments spearheaded by husband and
       wife team of Devlin and Elizabeth Sullivan.
       The first attempts were held in secret.  It was unethical,
       preposterous, to want to do something not naturally intended.
       Devlin and Elizabeth just wanted a child.  That was their only
       goal with the project, coupled with scientific curiosity.  It
       took years of studying and hypothesizing before finally
       experimenting, and the first cloning attempts were a complete
       failure.  It was only a year before word got out.  The military
       immediately took control of the project – think of an unlimited
       supply of soldiers, all of which trained from birth to kick ass
       and follow orders, it was a dream and all but unattainable until
       then.
       The first success was a surprise.  Twins were conceived; CASTOR
       and POLLUX.  The twins were birthed normally, everything went as
       expected, and they were completely healthy.  Days after birth,
       CASTOR died.  All later attempts at cloning yielded only a
       single child.  After it became clear that an unlimited army of
       clones would be attainable, limits were pushed.
       It began with a serum that would be injected into the babes to
       make them the spectacular soldiers the military wanted.  Each
       child injected died.  More experimentation later and a special
       strand of DNA was created that would give the Pollux clone
       enhanced abilities.  None took to it.  Except for one, an
       anomaly – a joke.
       Women wouldn’t make good soldiers; they were too soft, weak,
       kind, and the thought of a clone – a piece of engineered DNA –
       giving birth was all but blasphemous.  So when it was suggested
       to make a female clone, everyone laughed, but ultimately agreed.
       They didn’t expect it to work; the only attempt at cloning to
       accept the altered strain of DNA and survive was a female.  The
       officials in charge were unsure what to do with it.  It wasn’t
       what they wanted, and despite that particular case being a
       success, no more attempts at cloning another female were made –
       it was almost taboo, to artificially create something that would
       then produce offspring of its own.
       
       Devlin and Elizabeth were getting the jitters; finding that
       their project had gone so wayward of their original intentions,
       they were beginning to want out.  In an attempt to keep the
       leading scientists in the project, Devlin and Elizabeth were
       given the female child.  And it worked.
       Five more years passed.  There were successes and failures;
       however, none had accepted the enhanced DNA like the female.
       Devlin and Elizabeth began to plan an escape with their family
       of four.  Under their initial conditions given when the military
       took over the project, they were allowed to take case of the
       first clone as their own child, as it would be best to keep the
       original under a close watch.  The two children – clones –
       varied in age.  Kieran, the original Pollux, was a year older
       than Siobhan, the surviving female.  The six and five year old
       were raised completely unaware of their creation – another
       experiment in its own.
       Like their other secrets, Devlin and Elizabeth’s plan for
       escape was soon found out, but this time they were prepared.
       Before being exterminated, Devlin and Elizabeth burned the
       laboratory down, getting rid of as much research as possible.
       They fled Germany and went to London to hide, where they were
       eventually found out and cornered.  With nowhere else to go,
       Devlin and Elizabeth managed to find a family to smuggle Kieran
       out of London and to the United States.  Siobhan, on the other
       hand, was captured along with her parents.  While her parents
       were killed, young Siobhan was spared, being one of the few
       things that were saved from the fire that could help them
       continue with the project.
       Siobhan grew up in the military.  Initially after birth there
       weren’t any signs of her enhanced abilities, but as she grew
       older they became apparent.  She trained with men, fought better
       than most, and became a tool to the government.  Years passed,
       Siobhan grew stronger and stronger, became a better fighter – a
       better killer.  And it was fun, she enjoyed it.  Naïve Siobhan
       enjoyed it, thought she was doing the world a favor by killing
       those she was told to.
       At 24, Siobhan discovered the truth.  She wanted out.
       At 25, she made it out.
       Now at 27, Siobhan is hiding.
       [/center]
       #Post#: 406739--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Project LEDA
       By: Genevieve Date: May 19, 2016, 8:14 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [center]
       One, two, three.
       Left, right, left.
       Punch after punch collided with the punching bag, rattling the
       cage it was hanging from.  The rhythm of her punches and the
       timing of her breaths was all Siobhan could think about, finding
       that her wandering mind was dangerous.  Her memories were not
       something she wanted to relive.
       
       She was unsure how long she’d been going at it, her stamina was
       incredible.  It had to be hours, and she was just beginning to
       sweat.  Being so late in the night, or rather so early in the
       morning, the gym was all but empty.  People were normally
       sleeping at 4:30 in the morning, but sleep was another thing
       Siobhan found herself avoiding as much as possible – that, and
       the constant reminder that they were looking for her made it
       difficult for her to want to actually close her eyes for more
       than a second.  Who knows where they were, how close to her they
       were.  She couldn’t go back.  Choosing to run took away any and
       all freedom she had with them, if they caught her she’d become
       nothing more than an animal in a cage.  Constantly tested on
       like the others.  It was worse than death.
       
       “You know, it’d be easier on your pocket if you bought a
       membership rather than paying a day at a time.  You’re in here
       every night anyways, it would be worth it.”  The voice that
       broke Siobhan out of her thoughts was low, an obvious southern
       twang to it.
       
       Her swings began to slow down, keeping a crawling rhythm as her
       brown eyes settled on the man who stood behind the punching bag,
       his head peeking out to the right.  All she could do was bob her
       head to the side in a lazy shrug as she kept on punching.
       Siobhan didn’t know much about Paul other than the fact he
       worked at the 24 hour gym.  He’s been there since the first
       sleepless night, giving her pointers here and there.  That’s as
       far as she would allow their relationship to go.
       
       Catching that she wasn’t going to keep up conversation, Paul
       continued, for what ungodly reason Siobhan didn’t know.  “You’re
       one of the most dedicated people I’ve seen.  You’re here every
       night, 2:00 on the dot – keep your elbows in, there, good.  I
       don’t know where you get your energy either.  Hell, I’m
       strugglin’ to stay on my feet.”  While his eyes were focused on
       hers, Siobhan kept hers on the punching bag.  The speed of her
       punches increased, getting faster and faster, stronger and
       stronger.  The sudden change in his demeanor told her that Paul
       was having trouble keeping the bag steady for her.
       
       It was too late, Siobhan got trapped in her thoughts.  The
       blood, the way the light left their eyes when she killed them,
       the white coats, sterile smell, the needles.  With one final
       punch the bag was sent flying at Paul.  Luckily he had enough
       sense to step out of the way before it landed on him.
       
       Siobhan immediately stopped, taking a step back with an
       expression of faux-shock.  With her strength, it was only a
       matter of time before the bag was knocked off.  She’d been
       hoping Paul wouldn’t be around to see it.  “I’m sorry.  The
       chain must’ve been old and just broke.  I’ll pay for it,” She
       spoke the lie quickly, hoping to ease his suspicions.
       
       Scratching the back of his neck, Paul shook his head, brows
       furrowed in confusion as he looked to Siobhan.  “You pack a mean
       punch, Jess.”  The name Jessica didn’t suit her at all, she
       definitely didn’t look like a Jessica.  The identity was easy
       enough to secure though, beggars can’t be choosers.  “Don’t
       worry about it, the gym will cover it… Huh, the chain was pretty
       old…”  Paul’s sneaker-clad foot kicked the fallen punching bag
       gently as if he were kicking a body to make sure it was dead…
       
       Immediately Siobhan withdrew into her thoughts.  The action was
       all too familiar with her, and the longer she looked at the
       punching bag the more it began to look like a dead body.  Head
       twisted unnaturally to the side – her doing.  Her body went
       tense, padded hands clenched into tight fists.  Siobhan’s whole
       demeanor darkened, and Paul took notice of that.
       “-ess.  Jessica, hey, are you with me?”  Brown doe-eyes focused
       on Paul’s chiseled face, heart racing.  He put a hand on her
       shoulder hesitantly, ignoring the sheen of sweat covering her
       body.  “Is something wrong?”
       Siobhan shook her head, quickly sliding the gloves off and
       unwrapping her hands.  The sincerity and concern in his eyes
       eased some of the tension in her shoulders – and that worried
       her even more. “I’ve got to go.”  The overwhelming feeling of
       being trapped was weighing down on her, making it difficult to
       breathe.  She waited just enough time to catch him nod his head
       suspiciously before she bolted to the women’s locker room.  Not
       bothering with a shower, Siobhan pulled on a zip-up, slung her
       bag on her shoulders, and left the gym.  Sadly, she didn’t have
       a car, so she walked the fifteen miles to the gym every night.
       Siobhan began her trek home; the second she reached the edge of
       town she ran.
       Twelve miles to go.
       [/center]
       #Post#: 406780--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Project LEDA
       By: Genevieve Date: May 20, 2016, 7:57 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [center]The rental was a small, two bedroom, one and a half bath
       tucked away in the edge of the woods right on the local lake.
       Honestly, the spot was prime for rental cabins – if they weren’t
       so rickety and old.  There were so many problems; doors falling
       off at the hinges, leaks in the roof, and a broken window from
       some risqué teens, which were only a few of the problems Siobhan
       has encountered so far.  And on top of everything else, the
       whole house could use a makeover.  The décor was stuck twenty
       years in the past, but Siobhan didn’t mind it that much.
       At 5:00 am, a new day was beginning.  After setting her backpack
       in the master bedroom, Siobhan went to the bath to get cleaned
       up.  Just as she was about to get into the shower, something in
       the mirror caught her eye.
       A foreign woman stared back at her.  Obvious brown roots
       beginning to show beneath the decent blonde dye job she did for
       herself.  The healthy hair settled on strong shoulders that were
       maybe just a little too broad.  Her chest wasn’t impressive,
       stomach defined, waist slim enough to give the impression of
       curves without there really being any.  Every so often along the
       healthily tanned skin were scars; slices from a blade, holes
       from a bullet, it made no difference – it was all ugly.  The
       thighs were just as strong as her shoulders, which led up to the
       most impressive part of her body – her butt.  It was pretty
       great.  At least she had that going for her.
       Siobhan scoffed at herself, doe eyes narrowed into a fierce
       glare as she resisted all urge to break the mirror.  Without a
       second glance at her reflection she turned on the shower and
       stepped in.
       An hour later she found herself sitting at the table, eyes
       staring at the chair opposite from her as she ate breakfast.
       Oatmeal, delicious.  Without any added milk or sugar, it was
       actually really gross, but it brought about a feeling of
       belonging to her.  She once belonged somewhere, a lethal unit of
       killers dispatched to assassinate powerful men.  In her defense,
       she was programmed to kill since her childhood, it was all she’d
       ever known, that and follow the orders she was given.  Because
       the awful deeds were authorized by someone superior to her own
       standing, it was easy to comply without thinking; and when put
       in the situation, it was even easier to kill because it was how
       she was trained – it was routine.  When the scene was set she
       sunk into the role without thinking; victims were no longer
       people, they no longer had an identity, they became targets
       hanging on a wall or dummies with twisted necks.
       The amount of time that passed while Siobhan was in her thoughts
       was unknown.  It was the high-pitched ring of the landline that
       brought her to, bowl of oatmeal – if it could even be called
       that – cold and half eaten in front of her.  Quick reflexes
       brought her to her feet and to the phone hanging on the wall.
       “Hello?”
       “Ah, Jessica.  Did I wake you?”
       “No, Mr. Escott, I was awake,” She was cut off by a mirthful
       chuckle.
       “What did I tell you about callin’ me Mr. Escott.  Mr. Escott is
       my father, darlin’.  My name is Rick and that is all I’ll allow
       you to call me,” Another chuckle.  The older man’s southern
       drawl was precious.  “Anyways, I just called to remind you that
       I’ve got the handyman coming over to fix away all your problems.
       The door and roof should be fixed today, but the window will be
       in tomorrow, so they’ll be over then as well.  And if you sweet
       talk me good enough I’ll have them paint everythin’ for you too,
       I know the place is a bit ol’ fashion…”
       Now it was Siobhan’s turn to chuckle.  Mr. Escott—Rick—was very
       kind.  He was years older than her, around 50.  Grey hair, tall
       with a round belly that was always covered in some ridiculous
       Hawaiian print shirt.  “You know, if you would just give me the
       supplies and tools, I’d do it all myself without pay.”
       “Oh, I know that.  You’re a strong woman, Jess, but I couldn’t
       think of myself a man if I let you do all that hard work.  It’s
       a man’s job and I’ll have a man do it.”
       The finality of his tone ended any argument that was about to
       begin.  Siobhan’s mouth snapped shut and she nodded her head
       despite him not being able to see it.
       “Ah, shoot.  You did it, sweetheart.  I’ll have them paint
       whatever you want.”
       “Okay, okay.  So when should I expect him?”
       “Eleven o’clock.”
       “Thank you.  I’ll talk to you later, Rick.”
       “Okay, sweetheart.  Take care.”
       “Thank you again, bye.”
       With a hand brushing through her hair, Siobhan leaned against
       the wall, arms crossed at the chest as she decided what to do
       until the guy came.  Glancing at the clock, she realized it was
       10:30, only half an hour until he was there.  Well, she better
       see if she’s presentable enough for company.
       In her room, Siobhan dressed herself in a plain white t shirt
       and a pair of shorts that were long enough to cover up any
       questionable scars save for a few she could easily spew a lie
       about.   After pulling a brush through her hair, she pulled it
       into a ponytail, threading the tail through the hole of a
       baseball cap supporting some team she had no clue about.  Just
       as she was tying on a pair of dirty white sneakers there was a
       knock at the door.
       Instincts immediately took over.  Her steps were completely
       silent even against the hardwood floors.  She passed the kitchen
       on the way to the door, grabbing a knife from the drawer without
       making a sound.  With the knife poised for attack, Siobhan
       raised herself up and looked through the old peephole.  She
       immediately deflated and hid the knife in the closet by the
       door, wasting no time to open the door.
       “I wasn’t expecting two,” She stated as she opened the door,
       eyes leveled on Paul.
       A hand sheepishly scratched at the back of his neck.  “Yeah,
       sorry ‘bout that.  I didn’t think it would be any harm for him
       to tag along.  I just talked it over with Rick to, he didn’t
       tell you?”
       Siobhan shook her head.
       “I didn’t know you lived here, Jess.  Got yourself a good spot.
       Rick’s got the best spots on the lake too.  If the cabins
       weren’t so old he’d have many more renters.”  There was a pause.
       Siobhan looked from Paul to his companion from under the brim
       of her hat – which she hoped was hiding the dark circles under
       her eyes.  “Oh, where are my manners.  This is Jess.  She moved
       here a few months ago.”  Paul’s southern voice halted, allowing
       his friend the chance to introduce himself.
       [/center]
       #Post#: 406783--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Project LEDA
       By: Terran Date: May 22, 2016, 11:18 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Terran had two Targets; Paul and Siobhan. It wasn't his regular
       M.O, but he wasn't to engage either. His mission was simply to
       keep an eye on them both. The former U.S Intelligence offer was
       gathering information on the German experiment, and Terran was
       to ensure he didn't do that without tipping him off that he was
       being watched. Meanwhile, he was to keep tabs on Siobhan at all
       times, always knowing her location, should the time to apprehend
       her come.
       But everything was thrown into disarray when Paul made contact!
       Posing as a gym attendant, he put himself into a position where
       he could regularly interact with Siobhan, gathering information
       directly from the source! He was becoming more dangerous.
       With the assistance of German Intelligence, Paul's next move was
       uncovered; a "second job" as a handyman, giving him direct
       access to the clone's home! This couldn't be allowed. Terran
       filled the position first. He was a licensed and skilled
       mechanic and electrician, after all. There was no way he'd be
       turned down. But despite the position being filled, Paul found
       his way in anyway. Now Terran found himself working with Paul
       quite frequently. One could even say they had become "friends."
       On the surface, at least.
       When they were finally assigned to do repairs on Siobhan's home,
       he knew that things were about to take a drastic change. Paul
       would be put in a more beneficial position, and should he make
       his move Terran would have to find a way to take him out;
       Discretely.
       Paul was a nice guy. At least his character was. It was a shame
       they were enemies. When he introduced Jess, Terran smiled and
       introduced himself. "I'm Terry." He said. "I'm the one with the
       skills around here. That guy's just here to look pretty." He
       said, gesturing to Paul playfully.
       Paul  laughed heartily, and punched Terran in the arm. "Kid
       rewires one house and thinks he's the master!"
       Terran leaned forward, holding one hand up to his mouth as if he
       were whispering in "Jessica's" ear, though he maintained a
       respectable distance and whispered loudly enough for everyone to
       hear. "I AM the master." He joked.
       "Well how about you go up and handle the roof then, 'master?'
       and Jess and I will stay down here and have some tea?"
       "No way sir! Everyone wants to stay and hang out with the pretty
       girl, but you can't learn anything that way!"
       Paul chuckled, but turned to Jess instead of responding. "Do you
       have a way up to the roof or are we using the ole' ladder?"
       #Post#: 406784--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Project LEDA
       By: Genevieve Date: May 22, 2016, 8:07 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [center]Siobhan watched the exchange between the two with a
       small smile on her face, forever playing the part.  Some part of
       her wondered if she’d ever have that kind of companionship –
       ever have a friend with inside jokes who she could count on when
       things got tough.  Even more so, a companion to spend the rest
       of her life with, have a family with.  Could she even have kids?
       That’s the downside of the life she was given.  With the hand
       she was dealt, it was impossible for her to have friends, let
       alone children.
       She remained silent, huffing in quiet laughter when appropriate.
       There was something about Paul’s friend, Terry, that was almost
       unsettling; a look deep in his eyes that made her skin crawl.
       He was either playing his part a little too well or he was
       genuinely Paul’s friend – that was Siobhan for you, forever
       suspicious of everyone, but she had every right to be.
       “To be honest, I thought you’d come a little more prepared
       considering you are the handymen.”  A brow rose challengingly,
       voice almost playful.  “The ladder’s around back.  I set it up
       to look around when I first noticed the leaks.”  The woman
       slipped around the two, keeping her back to the house so as to
       not present to them a weak spot – old habits die hard.  “I’ll
       show you.”
       Siobhan walked quickly, constantly making sure there was more
       than three steps between them, and even then her head was always
       craned to the side so she could see them out of the corner of
       her eyes.   She took them to the back of the house, the side
       facing a lake.  A decent sized wooden ladder was leant against
       the single story house.  “There’s a few leaks over to the left,”
       she pointed in the direction, “that are right above the
       bathroom, and others up at the front above the kitchen.  And
       there’s a few doors that need a look at too, if one of you wants
       to tackle this and other that?”
       Paul’s eyes immediately traveled to Terry, silently asking which
       he’d prefer.  They weren’t difficult tasks, each had the same
       amount of glory, it was more of a matter of who wanted easy
       conversation and who didn’t.
       “Of course, it’s up to you guys.  Just give me the stuff and
       I’ll get the doors up while you two patch up the roof.  It would
       go faster that way.”  Siobhan would prefer none of them inside
       the house, there were too many secrets, none of which she was
       willing to share; but if she had to choose one to be inside,
       she’d pick Paul just because she knew him longer and was more
       comfortable with him.  Still, there was something about the
       southern man that told her he had plenty secrets of his own.
       Terry, on the other hand, just gave her a bad feeling – but
       didn’t everyone.  Maybe her gut instinct was right, maybe there
       was something about him.  But maybe he was completely harmless
       and maybe she was being too protective of herself.  What’s the
       point of running away to get freedom if she’s going to push
       everyone who tries to get in away?
       Even on her own, Siobhan was still a slave to them.  She would
       be until they’re all gone.
       [/center]
       #Post#: 406789--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Project LEDA
       By: Terran Date: May 22, 2016, 10:34 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Siobhan seemed more... human, than Terran had expected. The way
       she smiled and laughed along with the two men reminded him of a
       real woman. She was pretty, and even somewhat engaging!  He
       didn't know what he was expecting, but he had to remind himself
       that the creature before him was nothing more than a laboratory
       experiment.
       The way she moved gave Terran a bit of insight though. Not for a
       single moment, did she let her guard down. She was always
       prepared for an oncoming attack. It would make sense then, for
       her to be as good of an actor as the two men who had infiltrated
       her home. She was weary, even of the man she had spent hours
       with on a nightly basis for the past couple months. She was
       truly built to survive- No, to conquer. That was why she needed
       to be watched!
       "You mean we don't even have to pull the ladder off the truck?
       This is my favorite job all week!" Terran said with a laugh as
       they followed Siobhan around to the back. Terran watched her
       movements closely, as he knew Paul was doing as well. Not a
       single motion was wasted. She always had both men in her
       peripheral, and she would never be caught off guard.
       When they arrived, Paul gestured to the ladder. "Ladies first."
       He insisted. But he was talking to his partner, not the only
       lady in their presence. It was assumed that she wouldn't be
       joining them on the roof.
       "You're such a gentleman." Terran said in response. His German
       accent was a sharp contrast from the American Paul. Without
       hesitation, he began his way up the ladder. Any agent would know
       that he was putting himself in a vulnerable position. But there
       was something to be said of someone trusting their friends
       enough to be vulnerable around them.
       Once they were both on the roof, they examined the leaks as the
       clone explained what she needed. on the inside, Terran was still
       perplexed at how normal she seemed. A woman trying to maintain
       her household like any other. Outwardly though, he showed no
       signs of this struggle.
       Once they had a full idea of what they needed to do, they
       exchanged glances. "Sure, I can cover this if you want to handle
       the doors." He didn't need to be in the house to cover his
       purposes. Besides, it would be bad if he seemed too eager to get
       the clone alone in the house. Naturally, Paul agreed, and headed
       down the ladder after Siobhan. His purpose was to observe, as
       long as she didn't prove to be a threat to the American
       Government. There was no reason to assume he would be a threat
       to Germany's investment.
       Paul had the advantage due to having more face to face time with
       Siobhan. But when he went down the ladder and into the house, he
       presented Terran with an opportunity. Patching the roof was an
       easy fix. But before that, there was one thing he had to do.
       From his pouch, he retrieved a small capsule, which he inserted
       in the tiling of the roof. He then pressed a button on the
       capsule before performing a perfect job fixing the roof.
       The capsule held half a dozen surveillance drones, which were
       one of Russia's greatest technological achievements.  The size
       of mosquitos at largest, they could be remotely controlled, or
       programmed to maintain a certain distance from any target. when
       power got low, they would automatically return to their capsule,
       which would charge on solar power. This would give Terran the
       ability to keep an eye on the clone from a distance. It was a
       necessity, now that she had seen his face. He finished patching
       up the roof and looked up at the sky. It looked like rain was
       coming soon. They had showed up right on time...
       #Post#: 406790--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Project LEDA
       By: Genevieve Date: May 23, 2016, 8:24 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [center]“Out of all the places to choose, why this one?”  As
       soon as they were alone inside the house, the southern voice was
       quick to fill up the silence.  He always had something to say or
       ask, Siobhan hadn’t decided if she liked that or not.
       “The view is great,” was the only answer she supplied.  And it
       was, the view of the lake was beautiful, better than the view
       the other cabins had, but this house was also the most isolated
       from the rest.  Covered on the sides by trees and the back by
       lake while the front was modestly decorated with the end of a
       dead end drive.  Siobhan felt safe there, as safe as she could
       get.
       Paul nodded, smooth chuckle slipping from his lips.  “I guess
       so.  Anyways, show me which doors need the fix.”
       “The main one,” Siobhan retreated to the kitchen, grabbed a
       package, and returned back to Paul.  “The door doesn’t lock.
       I’ve already picked up another handle, I just didn’t have the
       tools to install it – couldn’t convince Rick to lend them to
       me.”
       “Ah, that sounds like Rick.  It makes sense, after the accident
       his wife had and all.”
       Siobhan rained an eyebrow, head tilted to the side in query.
       “What happened?”
       “Back then they were the fix-it-themselves family.  Marcy, his
       wife, was climbin’ down the ladder.  Rick wasn’t payin’ too much
       attention, so when the ladder slipped he didn’t grab it.  She
       fell, smacked her head hard enough to cause brain damage.  They
       took her off life support just last year.  Rick blames himself
       for what happened, if he was paying attention the ladder
       wouldn’t have fallen.  Now he’s overly careful with that kind of
       stuff – I even heard he threw out all of his tools and now he
       won’t even touch a hammer.  There, this one’s done.”  Paul
       twisted the door knob several times, locking and unlocking the
       deadbolt to test it, then stood up to his full six feet of
       height, towering over Siobhan by only three inches.
       She couldn’t help but to frown at the story, nodding in
       sympathy.  Rick was one person she trusted.  There was so much
       innocence and love in him she couldn’t imagine him playing a
       part to gain her trust.  “The other one is my bedroom door.  It
       fell off the hinges a few days in.”  Paul nodded his head and
       the two split off; Paul back to the truck to get the necessary
       supplies, and Siobhan to her bedroom, quickly checking to make
       sure nothing incriminating was left out.
       Paul returned moments later, setting the new materials on the
       floor beside the doorway.  After examining the fallen door, he
       stood up with furrowed brows.  “The holes are stripped, it
       wouldn’t hold up anyway.  And even then, the handle is broken
       and there’s so many cracks and holes in the wood too.  Rick
       didn’t tell me to bring a door, so we’ll pick one up for you
       tonight and install it tomorrow along with the window.”
       Brown eyes met bright blue ones.  They had the same questioning
       look in them when she knocked the punching bag off its chains.
       Maybe he thought she was taking steroids; he’d never seen anyone
       hit the punching bag that hard, and the one to do it was a
       woman.  And maybe he saw the torment in her eyes when she was
       captured by her thoughts; everyone had their own demons.  His
       lips parted to say something but Siobhan cut him off before he
       could speak.  “Alright.  Since we’re done in here we can go out
       and help Terry.”  Paul could only nod, making his way to the
       newly fixed door.  Siobhan made a stop in the kitchen,
       retrieving three bottles of water for them all before following
       behind Paul.
       When they made it around back Terry was still up on the roof,
       but from the sound of the steps they heard when they were
       inside, he had finished the job.  It wasn’t that big of a job,
       so his quick time finishing was reasonable.  After throwing the
       bottles up to Paul, Siobhan followed up, sitting herself on
       Paul’s side.  Moments trickled by in silence before he leaned
       over, shoulder brushing hers.  During the time they spent apart
       since the gym, Siobhan had come to the conclusion that she liked
       the contact between them; when he put his hand on her shoulder
       to calm her down and now, when he pushed his broad shoulder to
       her own to talk to her.  Both were actions done without
       thinking, he was looking for no gain, just to be a nice person.
       “I get why you picked this one.  This… is beautiful.”
       Her eyes looked up to find him already looking at her.  Siobhan
       broke eye contact quickly, glancing over to Terry before
       settling her eyes back onto the lake.  “If you think this is
       beautiful, you should see the sunset.”  A quick drink of water
       and she hauled herself to her feet.  “I don’t know about you
       guys, but it looks like it’s going to rain any second, and I
       didn’t have breakfast.  I can order pizza, if you want.”
       As much as she wanted them to go away, she didn’t want to be
       left alone.  That, and she was really hungry.  Having guests was
       an excuse to get the pizza, and she’s only had pizza one other
       time during her life.
       [/center]
       #Post#: 406800--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Project LEDA
       By: Terran Date: May 23, 2016, 12:42 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       The first drop of water landed on Terran's left ear, but it
       wasn't followed immediately by another. A gentle breeze instead
       swept the air, bringing in that fresh "Rain's coming" smell,
       foreshadowing the events that would be carried in by the
       oncoming rainclouds.
       Terran watched them for a moment, before making his way down the
       ladder. He hadn't even made it around the house yet before
       Siobhan and Paul made their way back around. "Done already?"
       Terran asked, as he caught the water bottle in his left hand,
       and opened it up. "Maybe you know a little something after all!"
       He saw the way the two sat in close proximity. The way Paul
       leaned over and their shoulders touched. It resembled the
       chemistry between a man and a woman! Damn Paul was good! But
       what would a normal guy do in this situation? What would Terran
       do if it was really his friend getting close to a girl at a time
       like this?
       He would make himself scarce...
       "I'm gonna go fill out the report." He said with a smile. "Be
       right back."
       Terran then disappeared around the corner and filled out the
       report, which was little more than two checkmarks and a
       signature. He came back and handed Siohan the paper and pen just
       as she suggested ordering a pizza. Both men exchanged
       disappointed glances, before Paul spoke up.
       "Sorry Jess. We have one more house job to do and then I have to
       get some sleep before heading to the gym." He seemed genuinely
       upset to have to decline her request.
       "How about tomorrow?" Terran suggested. "Between the window and
       the paint job, we'll have plenty of time for a pizza party."
       Both men looked to Siobhan for her answer, but whether she
       accepted or declined, they would have to go. Terran made sure to
       separate their copy of the report from hers before they made
       their way to the truck.
       Their next job was easy. Twenty minutes and they were out, going
       their separate ways. Terran made his way home. He showered and
       changed, coming out of the bathroom just as the rain started
       coming down, but he didn't go to his bedroom. His home was
       fitted with an underground bunker, which was where all of his
       surveillance equipment was. Once he was seated, he made his way
       to the mainframe and took a seat. but before he pressed the
       button that would activate the capsule and release the drones,
       an image of the clone flashed in his mind.
       She seemed so human... Like another 20-something woman just
       making it day to day... the way she laughed, and smiled, and
       even shied away when Paul touched her. Those were human
       interactions! Could they have been targeting the wrong girl?
       Terran shook his head and pressed the button, instantly turning
       on the six monitors that were linked to each of the drones. He
       began programing each of them to stay in a separate room, except
       one, the  only one with audio, to watch the target while keeping
       a safe distance at all times. At their size, they should have
       been nearly undetectable, but he didn't want to take any
       chances. People do see mosquitoes from time to time, after all.
       Terran then leaned back and watched the monitors, tweaking each
       drone's program from time to time. It would take some time to
       ensure they were programmed perfectly
       #Post#: 406807--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Project LEDA
       By: Genevieve Date: May 23, 2016, 7:17 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [center]A feeling of disappointment churned her stomach,
       something she was very much unused to.  Keeping a neutral face,
       Siobhan nodded her head and took the pen and paper from Terry,
       quickly scribbling the name ‘Jessica Dawkins'; on the
       prompted line.  “Alright.  Tomorrow, then.”  Her
       lips quirked into a small smile, eyes watching Paul’s face
       light up before he caught himself and did a better job at hiding
       his excitement.  The three disbanded soon after, as the two did
       have another job for the day.  Siobhan returned to the house
       with her copy of the report, which found a home on the kitchen
       counter for the time being.
       Deciding it would be best not to have pizza two nights in a row,
       the woman settled for another bowl of the oatmeal mush for
       dinner.  While she ate, she planned out the rest of her night.
       Her body remained stiff in the chair, back completely straight
       and feet planted firmly on the ground.  They’d be painting
       tomorrow, which mean she’d have to clean up the rooms
       they’d be in – the living and dining room, both of
       which were sparsely decorated. An easy fix.
       It was raining most of the night, which meant no gym because
       Siobhan didn’t have a car – the first night
       she’d miss.  Hopefully Paul wouldn’t bring it up.
       Without the gym, Siobhan had hours of time to fill with
       something she planned to do since she got away.
       Kieran’s files were neatly placed in the corner of the
       dining room table.  In front of her sat a laptop, completely
       untraceable.  Next to that was a burner cellphone that she kept
       her most important contacts in, one of which being
       Kieran’s ‘adoptive’ mother that took him to
       the United States.  Siobhan brought up that particular contact,
       starting a call.
       “Rachel, it’s Siobhan.”
       “Hello, dear.”  The woman had been very understand
       when Siobhan first contacted her.  She had just managed to get
       away and Rachel was very helpful in finding safe places for
       Siobhan to stay; however she refused to be the line between the
       ‘siblings’ and break the news to Kieran.  Siobhan
       had to contact Kieran herself and tell him the truth.
       “How is he, Rachel?  How’s Charlotte and
       Daniel?”
       The older woman chuckled, causing Siobhan to smile.
       “They’re great.  It was Daniel’s birthday a
       few days ago, he’s six now.  He looks so much like Kieran
       did at that age.  I’ll send you a picture.”
       Siobhan’s heart twisted at the news.  That was the exact
       reason why she hadn’t reached out to Kieran yet.  He had a
       family, he couldn’t remove himself from them and help
       Siobhan, she wouldn’t let him.
       The clone nodded her head, opening the picture that she just
       received.  Kieran and Charlotte holding hands with the young
       Daniel standing in the front, a party hat on his head and a huge
       smile on his face.  Rachel was right, he looked just like
       Kieran.  “Oh, that’s so great.  Thank you so much,
       Rachel.”  Despite the small smile on her face, Siobhan had
       to wipe the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand.
       “It’s not a problem, dear.  Have you reached out to
       him yet?”
       “No, you know I can’t do that to him.  I don’t
       want to drag him into this mess, he doesn’t deserve it.
       It’s easier this way.”
       “For him, maybe.  But it’s hurting you, Siobhan, I
       can tell.”
       Knowing a lecture was about to come on, Siobhan just laughed.
       “Yeah, okay.  I’ve got to go, Rachel.  Thank you.
       Give them all an extra hug for me.”
       A sigh from the other end.  “Okay, dear.  Goodbye, stay
       safe.”
       She set her phone to the side, the picture of Kieran and his
       family still lighting up the screen.  Siobhan was jealous of
       him.  He lived a normal life, unaware about the dangers of their
       creation, and had a family.  He was happy, something Siobhan
       found herself unable to attain.  Sighing, her hands pulled the
       file in front of her.  The Germans had very little information
       on Kieran.  The file contained nothing more than a picture of
       him when he was five, his blood type, and other generic
       information.  They had no recent information on him, and Siobhan
       was hoping it would stay that way.
       A buzzing sound caught her attention, but when she looked
       nothing was there.
       The rest of her night went similarly.  Stationed at the table,
       it seemed her eyes were glued to the picture, and every so often
       she’d catch that buzzing sound again.
       When morning came the laptop, cellphone, and files were placed
       back in their hiding spots – the laptop in a shoebox
       underneath her bed, the cellphone in her nightstand for easy
       accessibility in case of emergencies, and the file underneath
       her mattress.  After grabbing a towel, Siobhan went to the
       shower.  An hour was wasted under the water before she had the
       will to get out.  Another pair of shorts and a grey t shirt
       later, Siobhan was pulling on a pair of sneakers just as Paul
       and Terry were pulling up.  Her hair was left on her shoulders,
       the thick strands still damp.  She waited in the doorway for
       them, hip leant against the doorframe and arms crossed over her
       chest.  “Ready to get to work?”
       [/center]
       #Post#: 406833--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Project LEDA
       By: Terran Date: May 29, 2016, 12:05 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Terran spent his afternoon unmoving, simply watching the clone
       from his seat. it was an odd assignment. As an escaped, and
       potentially dangerous clone, he had to watch her... No, it...
       every move. But as an investment of the German Government, it
       was also, in essence, his job to protect her. So far it seemed
       that the biggest threat to it was Paul, but he wouldn't make a
       move just yet...
       It was an uneventful day. Siobhan spent most of it simply
       cleaning in preparation for their painting the next day. Terran
       wasn't sure what he was expecting from the clone, but this
       certainly wasn't it! Perhaps he had seen one too many Sci-Fi
       movies and now he could only imagine a clone sleeping in a pod
       and planning some sort of uprising! Well, that was a bit
       dramatic, but still!
       Terran was just preparing to get up from his seat and go locate
       some food when Siobhan suddenly sat down and made a phone call!
       Finally, some action! He wasn't equipped to tap her call and
       hear what was coming from the other side, but hearing what she
       had to say would be enough.
       Terran knew of Daniel. He had read the reports on the other
       surviving clone. He was out of captivity, and living among the
       public. But the image that Siobhan recieved confirmed so much
       more! He had gotten married, had given birth to a son! The
       clones were breeding! It was a scary thought... His first
       instinct was to send a report of what he had seen, but for some
       reason, he decided to wait. the one known as Kieron wasn't his
       target after all...
       So Siobhan was checking on her nephew? It could have been for
       malefic purposes, but it really seemed like she was just
       concerned for his well being. This was all too confusing!
       Nothing was the way it was supposed to be! Such emotional
       expression, concern for family, these weren't traits Terran was
       expecting to observe! A puzzled look on his face, Terran watched
       and listened to the entire call, but then, Siobhan turned and
       looked dead into the camera! She then turned back around. Terran
       would have considered this a coincidence, but it seemed so
       deliberate! Terran was certain; She could sense the camera
       somehow. Perhaps hear it! He quickly programed the drone to keep
       a further distance from the target. He couldn't let her know she
       was being watched. Especially not now...
       The German operative eventually got up and went to get something
       to eat, before going to bed. The drones could keep watch for
       almost 24 hours before their energy got low and they retreated
       to their capsules. Recharging would take only three hours on a
       sunny day.
       When he and Paul arrived the next day, Terran had even more
       trouble seeing her as German property instead of a person. She
       stood casually, in comfortable clothing, with wet hair. She had
       the appearance of a girl any man would be glad to come home
       to...
       Shaking the thought, he smiled and nodded his head. "Starting
       with the window, right?" He pulled a hammer out of his pocket
       with a grin. "Alright just point me to it!"
       "Dude, that joke will never be funny!" Paul said, shaking his
       head. "Excuse my humor challenged friend here." He said
       casually. "Where's the window we need to work on?"  He smiled at
       Siobhan, but his mind didn't appear to be on the present;
       Perhaps moreso on their interactions the day before...
       *****************************************************
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