Day of the Predator - Alex Scarrow [21]
> Affirmative. Increase the nutrient mix of the feed solution. Introduce a small electrical charge to the suspension fluid to stimulate cell activity.
‘How quickly can we have a body ready for you?’
> Growth cycle can be increased by 100% with acceptable risk to the biological life form.
‘Half the time,’ said Maddy. ‘That’s still … what? Thirty-eight hours?’
> Correct.
‘Could we not birth the clone any earlier?’ added Liam. He looked at Maddy and shrugged. ‘I mean, does it need to be a fully grown man?’
> Optimal age for organic support unit is approximately 25 years old. Muscle tissue and internal healing systems are at their most functional.
‘But, as Liam says, could we eject the clone from the tube at a younger age? Or would that … I dunno, kill it?’
> Negative. A growth candidate can be functional from approximate age of 14 onwards. However, the support unit’s effectiveness would be compromised.
‘What does that mean?’ asked Liam.
‘It means Bob won’t be quite as big a brute as he was last time,’ said Sal.
‘So … what if we birth the clone at say … about eighteen years of age,’ asked Maddy. ‘How useful would he be?’
> An eighteen-year-old clone would offer approximately 50% of normal operational capacity.
‘He’d be half as strong?’ said Liam.
Maddy nodded. ‘And how much time would that save us off the growth cycle?’
> 14 hours.
She looked round at the others. ‘What do you reckon?’
‘We speed up the growing process and then empty him out on to the floor twenty-four hours from now?’ said Liam. ‘And we’ll have an eighteen-year-old Bob, with half the muscles?’
‘That’s about it.’
‘But he’ll still be dangerous to other people, right? I mean … doesn’t make any sense me having him by my side if he’s just –’
> Affirmative, Liam. I will be capable of causing death with or without weapons.
Liam managed a weak smile. ‘Then I guess it’d be good to have you back, Bob.’
> Thank you. I look forward to being fully operational again.
Maddy slapped her hand on the desk. ‘Right, then. I guess we have a plan of action. Since we’ve got no time to waste, Sal, could you go see to the growth candidate? Let’s get that process sped up.’
‘OK.’
‘And I guess I better start gathering all the data I can on this Edward Chan guy,’ she said, pecking at the computer’s keyboard.
‘What about me?’ asked Liam.
Maddy tapped her fingers absentmindedly on the desk. ‘Er … hell, I don’t know.’
‘I suppose I’m coffee-maker?’
She smiled. ‘If you’re doing a run to Starbucks, can you grab me a chocolate-chip muffin as well?’
‘Yeah, me too,’ called Sal from the back room’s doorway.
CHAPTER 12
2001, New York
‘So, this is what I’ve got,’ said Maddy, producing several sheets of computer printout.
This evening the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant’s eating area was deserted apart from them. Brooklyn’s streets were quiet, everyone back home now that the last light of the evening had gone. All home, watching the news on their TV sets. Today’s sky had been divided all day by the thick column of black smoke from the collapsed Twin Towers, and New Yorkers were emerging from the fog of shock and dismay at the day’s events to a mood of contemplation and mourning.
They were lucky to find even this place open. Only a couple of staff seemed to be on, and they were busy half the time watching the news updates on a small TV set up right on the counter.
‘Edward Chan, as you guys will remember Foster telling us, is this bright young maths kid who went to the University of Texas. He graduated there, then went on to do some post-grad work.’
‘What is that … what’s post-grad?’
‘It’s just more studying, Liam. The kind of studying where you tell your teachers what specific area you intend researching, and they just check in with your work every now and then, and help out if they can.
‘So anyway,’ she continued, looking down at the printouts and reading, ‘at the university he sets out to do a research paper on zero-point energy.’
‘And what’s that?’
‘Jeez, Liam … are you