The Clone Paradox (The Ark Project, Book I) by J.W. Elliot

Author:J.W. Elliot [Elliot, J.W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bent Bow Publishing, LLC
Published: 2021-02-05T22:00:00+00:00

“Ready?” Willow asked.

“Yep,” Kaiden said.

Willow studied him. He lay on his stomach with his shirt off. Black straps bound him securely to the operating table. His dark brown skin was taut and smooth. She had always liked the look of him. He was lean and well-muscled, with a few dark scars crossing his back. The blue wedged-shaped tattoos at the base of his neck showed where the nano-hairs reached out to encircle his spine and pierce his brain. The wires were attached to the tattoo in a way that meant they would have to cut the skin away to remove the wires.

A nervous flutter rippled through her stomach. If anything went wrong, Kaiden could die, and his death would be her fault. She had started him down this path. She was trusting Oakley and his surgical-bots with Kaiden’s life. She licked her lips with a dry tongue. She would never forgive herself if he died.

The medical equipment hovered over him with its blinking lights. They had to test the electromagnetic pulse before they could try to operate, but she was far from confident that it would work. She suppressed her doubts and touched the pad. The focused electromagnetic pulse discharged into Kaiden’s arm and neck. He jerked, cried out, and thrashed on the table for a moment with an expression of the utmost horror on his face. Then, he lay still—utterly still.

His heart rhythm ceased, and the monitor flat-lined with a steady tone. Willow and the other medical staff swooped down on him with drugs and monitors. They rolled him onto his back. No heartbeat. No brain activity. No breathing. He was dead.

“No,” Willow whispered.

“Oxygen!” the head doctor called. An assistant injected the oxygenated microparticle solution directly into the IV in Kaiden’s arm.

“Defibrillator,” the doctor called.

As the staff rushed to comply, Willow grabbed Kaiden’s hand.

“He’s been injected with INCR,” she said.

“That should help,” the doctor said. “Stand clear.”

Willow dropped Kaiden’s hand, and the doctor pressed the button. Kaiden jerked as the electricity entered his body from the defibrillator machine. He sucked in a deep breath and opened his eyes. He scowled and blinked at the pain in his head.

“Dang,” he said. “That hurt.”

Willow squeezed his hand, hoping he didn’t see the terror in her expression or the unshed tears that burned her eyes. She had almost lost him.

“Did it work?” he asked.

Willow pursed her lips. “We managed to disable the discipline temporarily, but when it shuts down, it kills you,” she said.

Kaiden blinked. “But you brought me back? How long was I out?”

“Only a few seconds.”

“Let’s get them out then,” Kaiden said.

“I don’t think we should risk it,” Willow said. “We have it disabled for now.”

Kaiden snorted. “Until TAP figures out we’re doing it and finds a way around it. No, I want this thing out of my head.”

“We might not be able to revive you again.” Willow’s face darkened, and she studied at him with an intensity that surprised him.

Kaiden gave her a wry smile. “I’m just a clone,” he said.

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