Chapter 28: The New Green Eyed Wonders
Three days later, Lucy was operated on, and her baby was born. The baby was healthy but slightly underweight from being a few weeks premature. He was a boy, and he had unique emerald green eyes.
‘This baby is so different,’ said the surgeon as he handed him to Demadrian.
‘Is he healthy?’ asked Demadrian.
‘Yeah, he’s very well,’ said the surgeon, smiling.
‘I want full bloodwork done on him,’ said Demadrian firmly. ‘I need to be 100% sure.’
‘No problem,’ said the surgeon. ‘You don’t have to worry; I see zero signs of problems.’
They ran as many tests as they could. They all confirmed he was perfectly healthy.
Over the next six weeks, the other seven mothers gave birth. All of their babies were also perfectly healthy; the mothers were also perfectly healthy. The first part of the experiment had been a great success. They just needed to assess the extent of the boost in intelligence. It did not take long before the first signs began to show.
Demadrian was in the small office. He had just received a call from his technicians in Carrington. They had taken several of the prototype flying vehicles out to fly over parts of the eastern mountain range. They informed him that they had found three places where glow rocks could be observed. Demadrian was excited. He believed there was a good chance they would find hidden cities beneath them. He told them to inform Jenna of this information.
Lucy walked into the office holding her baby.
‘What are you doing?’ said Demadrian as he quickly got to his feet. ‘You should be resting in the lounge.’
‘He spoke to me,’ said Lucy enthusiastically.
‘Really, surely not,’ said Demadrian as he looked down at the baby who was smiling at him. ‘What did he say?’
‘He said “Duffo”,’ announced Lucy proudly. ‘That’s his name.’
The baby began to gently pound his chest. Demadrian watched in curiosity. Then he said, ‘Duffo.’
‘That’s incredible,’ said Demadrian as he looked at Lucy. ‘He’s going to be a genius.’
‘He’s so responsive too,’ said Lucy as she dangled a toy above him. ‘He doesn’t take his eyes off it.’
‘You must stop it,’ joked Demadrian. ‘You’re doing my work for me. Now off you go into the lounge with the other mothers.’
Demadrian sat back down at his desk. The Hat Lady appeared by his side. Demadrian was startled.
‘Damn, why do you always have to do that?’ asked Demadrian as he patted his chest.
‘Amazing progress,’ said the Hat Lady. ‘It looks like you have made your breakthrough, and nobody had to die for it.’
‘I might be a little obsessed with progress, and I’m a little impatient, but I also want everyone to benefit, Noilemac,’ said Demadrian, grinning.
‘I see you are already planning your next project, something about glow rocks?’ asked the Hat Lady.
‘Oh, that’s just a favour for my little cousin,’ said Demadrian. ‘You shouldn’t be listening in on my private calls.’
‘You should lock your door,’ replied the Hat Lady.
‘As if that would stop you,’ teased Demadrian.
The Hat Lady chuckled. Demadrian noticed her hands were shaking.
‘All this shapeshifting is taking its toll on you,’ said Demadrian. ‘Ever thought about relaxing in your natural state?’
‘It is a problem,’ said the Hat Lady. ‘I was moving some vials of blue juice when I had an accident. I dropped them. I’m so sorry about that.’
‘Don’t feel bad,’ said Demadrian as he reached out and touched her hand. ‘We can make more.’
‘It’s an inexcusable waste of resources,’ said the Hat Lady. ‘I hold myself to higher standards.’
Demadrian began drumming his fingers on his desk. The Hat Lady looked at him in curiosity.
‘I shouldn’t tell you this,’ said Demadrian.
‘Then don’t,’ replied the Hat Lady.
‘You blackmailed me over all this,’ said Demadrian as he gestured towards the main room. ‘I don’t want to expose myself again.’
‘It isn’t hard to not talk,’ said the Hat Lady as she rolled her eyes.
‘I have found a way to rapidly replicate the serums,’ blurted out Demadrian. ‘The contents of a vial can be doubled in a day. This enables me to increase the amount of any of the serums exponentially. In just a week, one vial becomes one hundred and twelve.’
‘That’s progress,’ said the Hat Lady. ‘That’s what you’re all about. You should be proud.’
‘Yeah, I guess so,’ said Demadrian, sounding relieved.
‘Then again, why would you need such a method and presumably such an invention to make this possible?’ asked the Hat Lady, rubbing her chin. ‘You don’t have thousands of members in your family. I’m surprised you didn’t dedicate this time and energy to something else that could be of more significant benefit, more profitable.’
Demadrian went quiet while turning slightly pale.
‘You want to mass-produce the blue juice,’ said the Hat Lady as she shapeshifted into a sales representative. ‘Then, sell it to everyone. They would become hooked on their new intelligence. They would become lifelong customers, while the next generation of Alsets would be permanently upgraded with the new improved serum. Your family becomes richer and more powerful, and you will remain the most intelligent.’
‘Your words, not mine,’ said Demadrian angrily. ‘Besides, your theory is deeply flawed. My grandfather would never allow it.’
‘Your grandfather is on his deathbed,’ said the Hat Lady as she shapeshifted into a medical expert. ‘Your father will be much easier to contend with. He has no gripe with exploiting others for monetary gain.’
‘I just like to invent,’ said Demadrian as he bowed his head. ‘If there is a better way to do something, I look for it. I don’t have desires beyond that.’
‘Next season, when you watch Pound Ball, remember... the Yensid family will be the new number one family in Sapey,’ said the Hat Lady as she smiled before becoming invisible.
Demadrian put his face into his hands and sighed.
The next day, the Hat Lady was with the mothers and babies in the lounge. Lucy was showing her how Duffo was able to shake a rattle to a rhythm.
‘That’s great,’ said the Hat Lady. ‘He’s showing signs of brilliance.’
‘That stuff is amazing,’ said Lucy. ‘He’ll be the pride of the family.’
‘It’s not all the serum,’ said the Hat Lady. ‘You’re a great mother.’
‘The other mothers are great too,’ said Lucy. ‘We all help each other out.’
The other mothers nodded and smiled.
Demadrian walked in.
‘Hello, wonderful volunteers and test subjects,’ said Demadrian as he gestured towards the mothers.
The Hat Lady rolled her eyes and shook her head.
‘I want a quick update on our babies,’ said Demadrian as he approached Lucy. ‘Volunteer one, is he doing anything different today?’
‘Mama,’ said Duffo.
‘Second word,’ said Demadrian. ‘Not bad, what else? Can he play the mini keyboard yet?’
‘He doesn’t sit up,’ said Lucy. ‘He’s a bit floppy.’
‘I’ve already spoken to the mothers today,’ said the Hat Lady. ‘I’ve made all the necessary notes.’
‘That’s great. Thank you, Noilemac,’ said Demardian.
‘It appears that Mr. Alset has a problem remembering names,’ said the Hat Lady in a raised voice. ‘I think it would be helpful to him if all of you introduced yourselves and your babies to him each time he entered the room.’
‘No, no need,’ said Demadrian, sounding a little stressed as he tugged the Hat Lady into the corridor outside the room.
‘It’s unprofessional to attempt to embarrass me,’ said Demadrian firmly.
‘Would you rather I did this?’ said the Hat Lady as she touched Demadrian’s arm. In touching him, she caused him to shapeshift into a small boy wearing Sape pyjamas. She reached out and touched a wall, turning it into a mirror so he could see himself.
‘Stop that. Stop that now,’ demanded Demadrian as he tried to pull away from her.
‘I thought I would change your body to suit your mind,’ said the Hat Lady as she held his arm tight. ‘You’re not so weak, but clearly your mind thinks you are.’
‘Please!’ said Demadrian in a desperate tone.
The Hat Lady released her grip on his arm. He shifted back to his normal form.
‘I’d like to see that “brilliant” invention of yours,’ said the Hat Lady as she smiled at Demadrian.
‘Yeah, okay,’ replied Demadrian, still sounding slightly shaken. ‘Just... just follow me.’
‘Have you thought about a father’s visiting day?’ asked the Hat Lady as she put her arm around Demadrian as they began walking down the corridor. ‘I’m sure they would love to see their sons and daughters.’
‘I paid them off so they wouldn’t get in the way,’ replied Demadrian sheepishly.
‘Such a shame,’ said the Hat Lady. ‘I feel you might not be giving these wonder babies the most balanced upbringing.’
Demadrian did not respond.
They arrived at the room where the machine was stored.
The machine did not look special. It was a medium-sized box.
‘Would you like a demonstration?’ asked Demadrian.
‘Of course,’ said the Hat Lady enthusiastically. ‘I want to see your genius in action.’
‘Right on,’ said Demadrian as he cracked his knuckles. ‘Step one: pull out the drawer. Step two: place the vial into the drawer. Step three: close the drawer.’
‘Okay, I get it,’ said the Hat Lady. ‘Maybe just highlight the important bits.’
Demadrian pressed a button.
‘Now we wait until it buzzes,’ said Demadrian proudly.
‘Okay, what’s happening now?’ asked the Hat Lady.
‘It is separating the organic from the inorganic,’ said Demadrian as his face visibly lit up.
They waited for around ten minutes until the machine buzzed.
Demadrian opened the drawer. There was a tiny bit of greenish-blue gunk at the bottom of the vial.
‘This is the true essence of the blue juice,’ said Demadrian as he gazed at the vial. ‘Now we grow it.’
Demadrian picked up a bottle containing a brown substance. He popped off the lid and inserted a dropper. He sucked up a little bit of it. He then put two drops into the vial containing the greenish-blue gunk. He pulled open another drawer in the machine. He placed the vial in the drawer. Then he closed it. He pressed another button. The machine began to make a noise.
‘The machine will gently shake the vial while increasing the temperature of the organic material to 46.7 degrees Celsius,’ said Demadrian. ‘This will stimulate a reaction that will cause the organic material to grow. It will approximately double in size every day. All we need to do is add two drops of the brown LGH every twenty-four hours. At the end of the week, the vial will be full. We place the vial at the end of a row of one hundred and eleven empty vials. The machine will equally redistribute the organic material while adding the required inorganic material. We will have one hundred and twelve perfect vials of blue juice.’
‘Wow, brilliant!’ exclaimed the Hat Lady. ‘Just one question.’
‘Yes,’ said Demadrian.
‘What about the inorganic part of the blue juice?’ asked the Hat Lady.
‘Oh, that’s simple, silly,’ said Demadrian, shaking his head. ‘I have the exact formula for it. We could make a million batches of that in an instant. The organic part has always been the problem. Yours truly has now solved that.’
The Hat Lady clapped.
‘Amazingly, the exact same process works for the super baby serum,’ chuckled Demadrian.
‘You’re so amazing,’ said the Hat Lady as she gently rubbed Demadrian’s chest. ‘I’m so lucky to be with you.’
‘You’ll be even luckier when I marry you,’ said Demadrian as he raised his eyebrows up and down.
The Hat Lady stood back and became invisible.
Demadrian sighed heavily in relief.
The next day, Demadrian entered the lounge, where the mothers were with their babies. One after the other, the mothers called out their own names as well as the names of their babies. Demadrian quickly scurried into the office. Shortly afterwards, the Hat Lady entered the office.
‘So, every time I enter, they are going to rattle off their names,’ said Demadrian angrily.
‘Absolutely,’ said the Hat Lady as she thumped her hands down hard on his desk. ‘I want their names and their faces etched into your mind forever.’
‘Noilemac, do you love me, or do you hate me?’ asked Demadrian as he looked her in the eyes.
‘I’m flying back to the Capital City tomorrow,’ said the Hat Lady. ‘I plan on shopping for beautiful dresses and rings with massive diamonds.’
She shapeshifted her clothes into a beautiful evening gown and made a diamond ring appear on her finger.
‘If you can make them appear, why do you need to buy them?’ asked Demadrian as he held his arms out in front of him with his palms facing up.
‘You’ll never understand the fairer sex,’ said the Hat Lady as she raised her chin and walked out of the office.
Demadrian scurried after her. The moment he entered the next room, the mothers began rattling off their names and the names of their babies. Demadrian immediately retreated into his office. The Hat Lady left the room. She had a big smile on her face.
Sapien Loop: End of an Era
Sapien Loop: Frozen in Time is the sequel to the book Sapien Loop: End of an Era. Sapien Loop: End of an Era is available on Amazon, in collection series on my @spectrumecons account, and in individual chapters in my @captainhive account.
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