The Way of the Ram by Kevin Hensley

Author:Kevin Hensley [Hensley, Kevin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-12-02T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 50

“Hogdogger,” Dreamer gasped.

Floating in the thick fluid was a broad-shouldered figure similar in proportions to Mauler but much larger. Its brown, hairless body was covered with electrodes and intravenous tubes. Its eyes resembled those of the cloned dogs, warthogs, and ospreys—thick, cloudy spheres utterly devoid of life.

“This creature is the reason Chugg Cybernetics exists,” Swill said. “Kept in stasis while it awaits activation.”

“We should destroy it while it’s incomplete,” Healer growled.

Swill shrugged. “It is complete, actually. Grown exactly to the specifications required of me. I’m hiding the fact that it is finished because I am no longer essential to this project now that my employers have what they want. I have no idea how they plan to use it though. It’s missing a vital component.”

“A brain,” Healer said.

“That’s right,” Swill answered, surprised.

“Durdge said that he was promised a perfect body to make up for everything he’s been put through. His brain was supposed to go into the Hogdogger body, wasn’t it?”

“That was the plan, to my understanding. I assume Durdge told you that after he cut the wireless feed. I also assume that he has been destroyed.”

“Right on both counts. But he said he didn’t know what Chugg was planning to do with him once they’d put him in that body. Scurvert didn’t know either… at least, he was in no condition to say.”

Swill frowned. “Is Scurvert dead?”

“Yes.”

After a pause, Swill nodded. “Alright. The Hogdogger clone, with Durdge’s brain implanted in it, was intended to do what Chugg originally had planned for Mauler when Pincher first captured him.”

“Which is?”

“Please, have a seat.”

“Thanks,” Healer said, “but no thanks.”

Swill shrugged and mopped his brow with his sleeve. “In the last fifty years since the Canine-Avian War, Chugg has devoted himself to building up his company’s capital so he could move our level of technology forward at a relentless pace. He’s done this because of Durdge, his younger son, who was killed right at the end of the War. Chugg was determined to find some way to resurrect Durdge. As you have seen, Chugg Cybernetics was established to complete that goal. Durdge was saved, for a time, and Chugg was satisfied.”

“What changed?”

“Toxid changed. Several years ago, probably around the time you were born, he began demanding blood sacrifices. Chugg came up with an idea that would supply Toxid with all the blood he would ever need, while eliminating our need for dogs and birds to help us retain control.” Swill rotated his chair and typed on his computer.

The monitor changed to a picture of a blueprint. Healer leaned in close to look at it. “What’s this?”

“This is the schematic of the bunker you probably saw outside. All the uptown pigs are hiding there now during this emergency, but its true purpose is much grander.” Swill pointed at a tiny block of text at the bottom of the image.

Healer felt a chill. “Sheep farm. Scurvert mentioned that. What does it mean?”

“Our plan was to take all this cloning technology that we developed—”

“Stole,” Dreamer interjected.

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