~Something~

A flash of light temporarily blinds me. Just when my eyes refocus the flash blinds me again. It is a repetitive ordeal that I now endure. I am conscious that something is happening to me. Something happens but I don't know what that something is. I am somewhere and something is happening to me.

I am clutching at my thoughts but they have become like straws. I need to comprehend the reality I am in. The flash erases the previous thought I had a moment before and I have to start over again. It feels as though my mind is reset.

I stop wasting time trying to focus and begin counting in my mind, to try to measure the frequencies of the flashes of light. I have no idea of how long ago I was previously reset but I must start somewhere.

"One more genome", the genetical engineer stated flatly.

The room hushed as steady hands implanted the last genome in the human egg.

"It's a wrap", Dr. Argonowitten announced as he put the cover on the petri dish and slid it into the cryogenic mini-fridge.

The room erupted in applause and fast-paced chitter-chatter.

Even though Sione applauded when everyone else did, she felt a pang of guilt. Sione kept hold of her smile to ask Vladimir, "Do you think sample A knows what is happening?"

Vladimir shook his head and bent in so that his shoulder was touching her chest and moved his lips to her ear and whispered aggressively "Not now!" as he kissed her on the cheek.

Dr. Argonowitten glanced over at the egg-donor and her wicked-looking companion. "Nothing is going to spoil this project", he assured himself. He motioned to Professor Blaner to join him. A meeting with his silent partner was in order.

Professor Blaner sidled over to the Doctor's side nonchalantly.

"Room 347", Dr. Argonowitten whispered to his protege.

Vladimir distanced himself from Sione. It was a matter of having to. Vladimir found an empty corner where he could observe all who were involved. It was a distraction and he knew it, but it gave him some time to think.

The Doctors' abrupt exit made him feel uneasy...Vladimir glanced over at Sione who was biting her nails. Even though he had spent a fortune on her appearance; she still looked like the prostitute he had summoned to him off the street.

Maybe he had missed a vital step with the ritual?

Room 347 was iconically unremarkable. A desk, a swivel-chair, and a pair of motionless armchairs in front of it. The light was good. There were no windows. A cheap lithographic print of a Fibonnaci Spiral graced the wall behind the desk. The two men sat next to each other in the tan armchairs.

"I think ~Something~ might have been tampered with. Did you notice how cozy that strange visitor was with Sione?"

"Yes I did" replied the quieter of the two men. Mr. Blaner was a very old and distinguished man. He had won the respect of his peers in the bio-genetic, interspecies engineering reviews. "While I'm anxious to see the results, it's patience that esteems the scientific endeavors."

"I need to go out to the Escondido and assure our prize leopard is safe and secure. Keep an eye on the lab for me please. Tomorrow we'll begin work on the artifical womb." Dr. Argonowitten said as he got up and left the room and subsequently the building.

I am struggling. I don't think I can go keep count. I have to count leopards instead of sheep. While I am counting leopards I can hear other words in the background. I am interrupted at 347 leopards when I hear that my name is Sam something A.

My name is Sam something A. I have to remember this.

The flash hits my eyes and it stings sharply. I close my eyes and while the bright light is fading, I desperately repeat over and over again in my mind the number 347 leopards and my name is Sam Paul A.

Science has come a long way from simple interspecies breeding and hybridization. The divergence to creating the first viable human chimera was Mr. Blaner's bucket-list dream.

The prize leopard "Tarzan" was named after the old television series of the same name. Tarzan's mate was named "Jane" without any objections from the other breeders.

The leopards, Tarzan and Jane were F2 hybrid clones carrying human counterpart genetics.

The ~Something~ held the genetic DNA of it's egg-donor; Sione, supplemented with leopard genomes from Tarzan.

Today, ~Something~ would be merged with the fertilized egg chosen from Jane. The merging of the two gametes would complete the chimeric union.

Vladimir knew that timing was crucial. He walked over to Sione and touched her arm tenderly, "We have to go now." Sione smiled in agreement.

"We will have to leave via the stairwell. The front entrance is blocked due to the Church Protestors."
Sione nodded and walked quickly down the corridoor. She wanted to get out as quickly and quietly as possible without being seen by anyone. Vladimir held her hand to usher her along.

Vladimir entered the stairwell first and pulled Sione in closing the door behind them. Vladimir swung Sione around and pushed her up against the wall. Pushing his body up against hers , "I am sorry Sione" kissing her forehead.

The stairwell was empty and they were alone.
"No Vladimir, I am sorry for upsetting you in the laboratory, I should not have said what I said."
"I am not sorry about that" looking deeply into her eyes.

Sione sensed something was wrong and tried to read his eyes.
While he kept his eyes upon her, he reached into his jacket and pulled out the silencer. Pressing his body against hers, he placed his hand over her mouth and pushed the silencer into her temple.

Sione did not struggle. Her eyes widened as her adrenalin kicked in.
"I am sorry for this Sione" and pulled the trigger. Sione fell to the ground and Vladimir taking one last look at her sighed. He did not have time for regret or emotions and hastily ran down the stairs to exit the building.

Once out of the stairwell he casually walked around to the front of the building to where the Church Protestors were congregated. Vladimir located who he needed to and stood beside him. The two men blended into the crowd "It is done. The Abomination is no more."

The Escondido was only 30 miles from the laboratory in town. The Escondido was surrounded by two runs of heavy-duty, eighteen foot tall wire mesh fencing and landscaped with jungle plants, rocks, concrete streams and waterfalls whose water flowed with the aide of hydraulic pumps and rams. The breeder's building was out of site underground, accessed by a concrete stairwell inside the mouth of one of the landscaping caves.

The Doctor's rendezvous with the leopards in Escondido was uneventful. He returned home to his unnaturally clean flat located a few blocks from the laboratory. Doctor Argonowitten was awoken in the middle of his sleep with a 4 A.M. phone call from Professor Blaner. "Sione has been murdered. Can you come in early today?"

Orlen jumped out of bed, threw on his clothing, grabbed his laptop and raced out the door without breakfast. When he arrived at the laboratory entrance, he saw a crowd of people, a yellow and black police cordon ribbon declaring a crime scene's perimeter, and a half dozen police vehicles with lights flashing.

He pulled back from the crowd, opened his cell phone and called the Professor. "Put the cryongenic materials in the emergency room near the tunnel. Call me when the coast is clear and we'll move ~Something~ to the University lab. The union must be made today. I'll be waiting at the U."

Father Migniot quickened his pace. He kept his head down and did not look up at anyone who may have walked by. He was most pleased with the turn of events and yet anxiety gripped at him.

Father Migniot was not wearing his usual attire and not one person recognised him as he made his way though the Cathedral and up to his room. Upon entering his private space, he shut the door and lent back on it and let out his breath.

He felt relieved that Vladimir was no longer needed. How he would miss his 'double life' though. As a Priest he had never touched a woman. If it were not for Professor Blaner's weekly Confession, Father Migniot would not have known what Dr Argonowitten was planning to do.

Fortunately, he did not have to speak with Professor Blaner at the laboratory; that would have surely blown his cover. He had managed to decieve them...but for how long? Will someone recognise him? Perhaps, he conceded; and yet he was a Priest. Who would believe Father Migniot could do such a thing?

He fell upon his knees and began to pray,
"Forgive me Father, I have murdered an innocent."

Orlen got the all clear from the Professor. The half mile tunnel connected the research laboratory to the main campus labs. A team of white-clad, surgical-masked workers with a portable generator transferred all the equipment and fragile specimans to the University basement laboratory.

"Bad turn of events." Orlen squinted as he greeted his protege. "Switching to contingency plan B now. There's no time for the artificial womb. I phoned Panthera and they should be prepping her now."

"I'm still shaking." Herbert the professor said as he put out his hands to show his shakes. "Lucky for us, your steady hands will complete ~Something~ ."

After a couple hours of preparation, double-checking, inspecting and sterilizing, the pair were ready to complete the task at hand. The zygotes were merged seamlessly and the fertilized embryo was transferred to the uterus of the anaesthetized woman on the table. Panthera was a beautiful woman, bright and charming in her own quiet way. She was an orphaned aborgine from the Outback of Australia who had been adopted into an Iroquois Shaman's family in America.

In less than an hour, Panthera was coming around. "Is it done?" she asked.

Orlen and Herbert smiled at her, one on each bedside. "Yes, it is done." Orlen announced. Herbert concluded with, "Congratulations!" Orlen reminded Panthera that it would still be awhile before they were positive the egg attached to the uterus properly; but, that he was very confident that it would all go well.

Several hours later, Panthera was on her feet and the Doctor and Professor were escorting her to the University garage for transfer to the Escondido facility where a luscious room was prepared for her next nine months.

Father Mignoit was born in 1962 and reared in Evreux, Normandy. Mignoit's Mother, Shoshannah, descendant of a tosafist gave birth to Mosat Mignoit; and his birth was subject to the law, he belonged to God and so it was.

When Mosat learnt to take his first step, it was taken in the former hub of Jewish learning, Evreux Diocese. When Mosat learnt to speak, his first word was God and his first word was spoken at Evreux.

In the Middle Ages, Christians feared that the Jews had caused the Black Death due to their disobedience. The plague that spread throughout Europe had to be 'God's wrath' because the Jews refused to renounce their belief and turn to Christianity.

The Jewish People were arrested and put to death. Although this was condemned at the time; the Jews were offered Evreux as a safe haven and for 800 years the Talmud and many of the ancient writings remained underground waiting for Mosat Migniot.

Asceti voluntarily left her life and dedicated what was left of it to God. After gaining the trust of the tosafists over a period of 35 years, she became one of Mosat's confidents.

Mosat was quiet and withdrawn...Asceti tried to reassure him,
"The police investigation is taken care of...so, stop worrying my dearest Mosat!"

Panthera was one of the most pampered expectant mothers in America. Her room decor was eclectically feline. Photos of leopards dominated the walls; but, most of the wild felines were incorporated into the decor. Here panthers, there jaguars, here leopards and lions, there cougars and bobcats. The rugs, curtains, bedding and other fabrics were made of synthetic plush furs with natural-looking spots and stripes.

A sunroof bathed her sauna in a gentle golden glow, while tinkling chimes near air vents added their own sort of glistening to the fragrant waters.

A large window behind an artificial waterfall allowed her view of the cats in the wildlife area and a veil of privacy for the felines.

Pathera practiced her dreamwork with her totem felines, loved cooking and needlepoint, and listening to environmental music.

The breeders went about their daily business of tending the wild animals, while Bon and Yuri Sato tended to Panthera's needs. The good Doctor and Professor from the University checked in daily by phone or in person, while her new OB/GYN Doctor Jamison assisted by Nurse Betty assured the pregnancy went smoothly.

Spring, Summer and half of Autumn had come and gone. November 11th was the due date. Panthera was becoming anxious, as a child waiting for the seasonal holidays. The pregnancy had gone well and the only unusual events were splashes of light burping from Panthera's tummy at night while she did her dreamworking.

"We have a rat in the Escondido. As soon as the Beast is conceived, we will make our move then.
Wait for the 'eleventh of the eleventh of the eleventh' my friend..."

Rabi Ibar patted Mosat on the shoulder to reassure him and sighed, "you need to have faith Mosat...and patience..."

Mosat was still questioning the outcome of the Police Investigation. His own People had the matter so well in hand, that Sione's cause of death was suicide. It was not what he had expected. He expected the dead body of a woman, the egg donor in the stairwell of the laboratory to be a major hindrance for the Scientists and yet, it amounted to nothing. Not even a seven day wonder.

He had paced the floors of the Evreux incessantly since that day.

"Yes Rabi Ibar, of course, faith is what I need. Thankyou..." and the two men hugged and nodded.

Panthera had an ominous dreamworking session with her spirit guide. The Iroqois method was flawless.

The next morning, she phoned the good Doctor Argonowitten and used the codeword "rat" to relay her message to him. He would come alone at midnight and remove her to a better location.

When Orlen arrived, he skurried Panthera and her luggage to the waiting helipad. He knew it must be urgent; but, awaited the explanation, that is IF one was coming. He wouldn't pressure. He trusted her judgement.

During the flight to the airport, Panthera told Orlen her dream.

"A panther brought an owl to me and the owl was carring a rat. The rat was wearing a hat, the same type of derby the Professor often wore."

"The rat in the hat is none other than our good friend the professor." she concluded.

"I don't see how that could be, this baby has always been Herbert's dream." Orlen said quizzically. "But, I trust the dreamworking of your tribe and your ability as well. We'll get you safely to the Offshore Safe Harbour. We transfer in half an hour; then, you can sleep on the plane. It will be a good six hour flight and you need your rest."

A half hour later, they arrived at a small private airport and transferred to a small airplane. Panthera wasn't sleepy. No matter how hard she tried, she was still too full of energy.

She watched the clouds and cities move beneathe, like a map that scrolls without effort. The site of the farm field designs were more intriguing than the passes over small cities and towns. Then crystal clear water, ocean waves met coastline. Eventually the coastline disappeared and there was water as far as one can see. Only two more hours.

I am tired. I feel exhausted from the flashes of lights. I feel like I want to die and yet, I am not sure if I am alive.

I have given up counting leopards. I have given up trying to understand or control where I am. I hear voices, but I am not sure if they are mine. Maybe I am blind and I am surrounded by people who torture me? Maybe I am in held in a room against my will?

I am not scared anymore. I tell myself that I am not scared. I reassure myself that I, Sam Paul A is brave and accepts this reality.

What else can I do?

I feel like there is a Panther purring within me. The purring is loud, it is a constant vibration and while I can feel that, I also feel a continuous beat, like a drum that also vibrates through me.

I don't want to be here anymore. I am ready. I am brave. Even if I am blind, I will not be scared.

Small islands dotted the waters below. Many too small and isolated to be claimed by any nation. An erupting volcano spewed ash high into the air, maybe two miles or so. Orlen altered his flightpath to avoid the ash.

"Beautiful! I've never seen a volcano erupting." Panthera exclaimed.

Orlen smiled to his passenger, checked his guages and flew around the ash cloud until he was a safe distance to reconvene his path. "Almost home." he remarked.

"There it is." Orlen pointed to a medium sized island in the distance. The plane began to sputter.

"What's happening!?" Panthera was clearly concerned and frightened.

"Petro, our detour around the ash cloud used extra fuel." Orlen frowned. He reached behind the seat and tossed a parachute into Panthera's lap. "Here, put this on just in case."

Asceti ran down the hall and up the stairs, "Mosat! Mosat!...quick, come quick!"
"What...what Asceti? What is wrong?"
"You have to see this, come quickly!"

Mosat followed Asceti down the stairs and up the hall to the sitting room. Mosat waited by the couch while Asceti pointed to the television, motioning him to watch.

"Sit Mosat...sit down!" she ordered.
Mosat sat down and focused on the screen. Asceti paused so that he could hear the news broadcast.

"What does...a plane crashing into the ocean have to do with us, Asceti?"
"Dr Argonowitten is DEAD!" she exclaimed.

Mosat's eyes widened with disbelief.