An adult stories – Loneliest Man Who Ever Lived Ch. 20 by GaryLMMartin,GaryLMMartin [Note: This is a romance story with some erotic scenes. It is not a story with erotic scenes in every chapter. Some chapters have incredible sex scenes, but many others have none.]
Goldie’s Parents
Harry had never been to Dayton, Ohio. There was no reason he needed to be. It was a medium sized city in the midwest.
But Dayton, Ohio assumed outsized importance to Harry now, because it was the home of Goldie’s parents.
Goldie’s mother, Matilda, hugged Harry tightly like he was already a son-in-law, and her father, Edgar, pumped his hand vigorously. Goldie had already told them, of course.
“We are so happy to meet you, Harry,” said Matilda, pushing food on him the minute he stepped through the door. They sat down in the living room. “Goldie has told us a little about you, but we are eager to find out more. She says you are the smartest man on the planet! Is that really true, or is that just another of Goldilock’s little exaggerations?”
Goldilocks? That was the deprecating nickname that Goldie had given to Jerri.
“Ah, uh….”
“It’s true, Mother. The Foundation tested him. My Harry is the smartest man in the entire human race,” said Goldie.
“How wonderful!” said Matilda. “If only the two of you could-” she abruptly stopped herself. Goldie bowed her head.
“I apologize for Matilda,” said Edgar. “She often speaks before she thinks.”
“It’s all right, sir. We’ve accepted the fact that we can’t have kids,” said Harry.
“In fact, maybe we’ll adopt,” said Goldie.
Harry looked startled.
“He doesn’t know!” Matilda chuckled. “Goldie, you should always consult with your husband before bringing new children home.”
“Yes, Mama,” said Goldie.
“We’re so happy for both of you,” said Matilda. “Our Goldie, well, she’s always had a bit of trouble finding the right man. We actually thought she was going to make it with Greg-”
“Greg doesn’t hold a candle to Harry, Mother,” said Goldie.
“Yes, well, that’s what you said about all your boyfriends.”
“Not Harry,” said Goldie. “He’s like no other man I’ve ever met. He’s smart, and handsome, and funny, and… brilliant.”
Harry felt warm as Goldie smiled at him.
“Dear, brilliant and smart are the same things,” said Edgar.
“That’s something Harry would say,” said Goldie, grimacing at him.
“I predict these two are going to get along very well,” said Edgar.
“When were you thinking of having the ceremony, dear?” Matilda asked.
Harry and Goldie looked at each other. “We were thinking… maybe September.”
“September! That’s only a few months from now! We have all kinds of things to prepare-”
“Mother, I don’t want a big wedding-”
“You only have one wedding in your life, dear, and-”
“Am I going to be invited?”
Goldie turned around. Her older sister Claire stood behind her. Goldie’s jaw dropped. She got up and hugged her sister.
“Claire! How… how did you get here?”
“By air car, same as you,” said Claire, very calmly. She looked over her sister’s shoulder. “Harry. Good to see you.”
“Claire,” said Harry. He was as confused as Goldie as Claire came over and hugged him.
“I hear you’re going to be marrying my little sister. You’d better take good care of her.”
“I will,” said Harry, still feeling confused.
“Claire, we’ve been looking for you for the past few months,” said Goldie. “How long have you been here?”
“Just a few days.”
“Where have you been?” Goldie asked. “We thought The Foundation was holding you prisoner.”
“They were. Briefly. I escaped,” said Claire. “I’ve been on the run for the past few months.”
“Why didn’t you contact us?”
“I didn’t know where to reach you, little sister. You apparently canceled your comm code. I guessed you were on the run like me.”
“But… why didn’t you contact Mom, or Dad?”
“The Foundation was after me. This was an obvious place they would look for me,” said Claire.
“Why didn’t you go to the FBI?”
“They have infiltrated the FBI, Goldie.”
“They have?”
Claire nodded. “I decided I could trust no one. I’ve been laying low until I contacted Mom, a few days ago. She told me you were coming today, so I decided to drop by. But it’s not safe for either of us to stay here, not until The Foundation has been dealt with. I’ve been trying to find their headquarters, and have been following leads for the past few months.”
“We’ve been doing the same,” said Goldie. “It sounds like… if you’re willing… we should join forces….” she looked quickly at Harry, who nodded.
“I was thinking much the same thing,” said Claire, giving a small smile.
The Cloning Facility
“You don’t mind if Claire joins us, do you, Harry?” Goldie asked that night, as they got ready for bed in their hotel room.
“Mind? Why should I mind?” Harry asked.
“Well.. up to now it’s been you and me,” said Goldie. “This will sort of change the equation.”
“It’s not a problem for me,” said Harry. He looked at Goldie. “But will it be a problem for you?”
Goldie played with her hands nervously. “Claire and I have always had a bit of a rivalry. She’s always been a bit of a man-eater.”
Harry laughed. “Are you worried that she’s going to steal your fiancée away from you?”
“Never,” said Goldie, hugging him, and kissing him on the lips. She gave him a hard look. He returned it.
“Then we have nothing to be worried about.”
********
“I have reviewed the information which Harry has decoded from The Foundation database, and I think you’ve been going about this the wrong way,” said Claire.
“We have?” Goldie said.
“From what you’ve told me, this ‘People of Interest’ list is not getting you anywere,” said Claire. “I think it’s better to think in reverse.”
“Thinking in reverse?” said Goldie, looking confused.
Claire smiled. She knew her sister wasn’t a Fourther. She turned to Harry. “Harry, we know that The Foundation is performing cloning experiments on human beings, correct?”
Harry remembered the dead versions of himself that he and Goldie had found in The Archive. “Yes.”
“So instead of looking for their main cloning facility, why not locate the manufacturers of chemicals and equipment needed for cloning, and see who their customers are?”
Harry opened his mouth and closed it. “But… they could have hundreds of customers. Thousands.”
“Once we get a copy of their customer database, I’ll create an algorithm which should help us sort out probables, based on what’s being ordered in what amounts and other characteristics that we can flag.”
Harry looked at Claire. “It might work.”
“It will work,” said Claire. “With your help.”
Harry and Claire spent a day locating prospective companies. They made up a short list and whittled it down. They talked in rapidfire to each other, back and forth, as they debated different characteristics of different companies. They talked so fast and in such shorthand that Goldie had trouble following their conversation.
“Qualigen?” said Claire.
“Flagged for four characteristics, but zip code dispersion insufficient,” said Harry.
“What about Medicorp?” Claire asked. “Second level granular analysis suggests indices in the black zone.”
“Those are anomalies not qualified by sample size,” said Harry.
As Goldie watched them work, they seemed to function more and more a single unit. It made her feel a bit left out.
“Harry, I’m going to go out and buy some food for dinner,” said Goldie.
“Yeah, sounds good,” said Harry. “Geanosis has a skewed profile, but I think normative analysis-”
He kept talking, even as Goldie left. When she got back, she found Harry and Claire, sitting side by side, chuckling.
“What’s so funny?” Goldie asked.
“It’s nothing,” said Harry.
“Tell me,” said Goldie.
“Claire… Claire made me realized that the algorithm I was using to analyze these companies was all wrong. She fixed it in one stroke of a keypad.”
“Two strokes, actually,” said Claire, grinning at him. Harry smiled back.
“Nice,” said Goldie, dropping her bags on the floor.
*********
As they ate dinner, Goldie said, “Claire? What happened to Ben?”
“Ben?” said Claire.
“You know, Ben, your boyfriend?” Goldie asked.
Claire’s face clouded. “I lost him, Goldie.”
“What do you mean?”
“I… I haven’t told you the full story of how I got captured by The Foundation,” said Claire. “When The Foundation had to evacuate its Newton facility… in a bit of a hurry… the facade dropped entirely. We were told, rather than asked, to evacuate with them. I didn’t want to, but Ben persuaded me to go with them.”
“Once we got to the new location, I was put back to work,” said Claire. “Ben, however, quickly lost interest in me.”
“Lost interest?” said Harry.
“Ben, I learned, had been programmed to be interested in me, Harry. They used him to reel me in. Once I was trapped in one of their secure facilities, Ben was no longer required to serve that function,” said Claire. “He was reprogrammed, and sent out to recruit others.”
“Ben…?”
“Ben worked in recruiting, Harry. Just like Goldie,” said Claire.
Goldie’s fork dropped with a clatter. She got up and left the room.
“I’m sorry… did I touch on a sore subject?” Claire said.
“We found out, some time ago, that Goldie was programmed to love me,” said Harry. “But since then, with all the time we’ve spent together… we think it’s real, now.”
“Ah ha,” said Claire, nodding slowly. “You think. But what if it’s not?” She leaned towards Harry. “What if her love for you is all programmed, Harry? I’m told that the programming deteriorates over time, if it’s not reinforced. Have you seen any signs of the programming breaking down?”
“No,” said Harry.
“That’s good. Really good,” said Claire.
“You didn’t finish your story,” said Harry.
“Didn’t I?” Claire said, her fork twirling her food. “After I found out the truth about Ben, I resolved to escape. And so I did.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that,” Claire grinned. “There isn’t a computer organized security system in the world which can keep me imprisoned, Harry. My formal talents may be in biomathematics, but as you, a fellow Fourther can appreciate, I like to dabble.” She paused. “How is that working out, by the way? I mean you, being a Fourther and all, and Goldie… well, she’s certainly smarter than the average, of course, but she’s not in our league, is she?”
“My relations with Goldie are fine. Better than fine,” said Harry.
“If you say so,” said Claire. “I’m glad such… different people have found happiness together. I want the best for my sister.”
“I’m sure you do,” said Harry. “Excuse me, please.” He went into the bedroom.
“I’m all right, Harry,” said Goldie, even before he could say a word. She was sitting, facing away from him.
“Claire was just telling us-”
“I heard what she was just telling us, Harry,” she said. “And did you catch that dig at me?”
“I don’t think-”
“She’s trying to break us apart. She’s trying to tell you that I’m programmed, like Ben.”
“But… you were programmed,” said Harry. “We talked about this, at great length.”
“She’s trying to plant doubt in your mind about my commitment to you. Doubt I’ve worked so hard to erase,” said Goldie, suddenly turning to look at him.
Harry took her hand. “That will never happen.”
********
“Harry, why are you and Claire going to infiltrate the Geanosis plant, and not me?”
Claire walked up to her sister. “Goldie, do you know what Class IV substances are?”
“No.”
“Do you know about Hyadraphids? Or the rules governing Biotibids?”
“No,” said Goldie. “What does that have to do with-”
“Harry and I are impersonating Food and Drug Administration Agents, Goldie,” said Claire, as she put on her formal suit jacket. She brushed some wrinkles out of her business skirt. “Harry has a background in biochemistry, and I know biomathematics. If we get asked about these things, we’ll know what to say. Your specialty was… what, a bachelors in art history?”
Claire’s face was blank, not sneering, not hostile, not friendly. Everything she said was true. And yet, somehow, the way she said it made Goldie want to ball her fists.
“You’re better off here,” said Harry, as he adjusted his tie. “Safer.”
“I don’t want to be safe,” said Goldie.
“Well, I want you to,” said Harry. He kissed her. “See you soon.”
********
Their destination was Wilmington, Delaware. As they rode on a stratoliner, Claire turned to Harry. “Goldie seems upset.”
“She’s used to going with me,” said Harry.
“Listen, I don’t want to get between you two,” said Claire.
“I know,” said Harry.
“You’re such a good guy. I hope Goldie knows what she’s getting.” She smiled at him.
“She does,” said Harry. He paused a moment. “Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?”
“Sure.”
“When I started working at The Foundation, in the beginning you stopped by to chat with me, almost every day.”
“Yeah,” Claire said, giving him another grin. “I found you… interesting.”
“Interesting… in more than a friendly way?”
Claire shrugged. “Maybe.”
“But you were with Ben at the time.”
“Well… things with Ben were not so clear, let’s just say.”
Harry sat back in his seat for a long moment. Then he said, “But after my second week at The Foundation, after I had my medical exam, you stopped visiting me.”
“Let me think.” She stared up into space. “Was that the second or third week of November? Yeah. They buried me under a heavy workload. I was working twelve hour days.”
“Oh.”
“Was there something you wanted to know, Harry?” she asked.
“No,” said Harry.
********
“This is an unscheduled visit,” said the Director of the Geanosis plant on the outskirts of Philadelphia. His name was Victor Chebrikov.
“The exact term in the Federal Register is ‘unannounced visit’,” said Harry, putting his credentials back in his pocket. It had taken him and Claire the better part of a day to fabricate them. “If we always announced our visits, we might not see as much as we’d like.”
“Is there something in particular you have a special interest in?”
“No,” said Harry. “This is just a routine inspection.”
“A routine unannounced inspection.”
“That’s the one.”
“In my eight years managing the plant, we have never had one.”
“Well, then you’re long overdue then, aren’t you?” said Harry.
Claire held back a smile. She admired Harry’s confidence. In fact, there was a lot about Harry she liked. He was as smart as they said he was. Brilliant, even by Fourther standards. It was sad that her semi-defective Normal sister had her hooks so deeply into him. If things had been different, he might have been a good mate for her.
Personally, Claire didn’t understand the couple. Oh, she clearly knew what Goldie saw in Harry. She had been programmed. If Claire had been programmed to love a giraffe, she’d be living full time at the zoo.
But Harry’s attraction to Goldie was harder to parse. She had seen his file at The Foundation. He was a loner. He had practically zero experience with girls. Goldie had taken advantage of him, she had used sex to easily seduce him. She was basically his very first girlfriend, and Harry, being insecure about sex as he was, was afraid to let her go. It was sad that he clung to such a defective partner.
“Paul here can show you anything you need to see,” said Chebrikov. He indicated a dark haired man behind them.
The man named Paul took them on a tour of the labs. It didn’t matter where they went, because there was nothing they wanted to see.
Instead, they wanted to tap into the computer network. They had determined that there was no way to do that from the outside. One had to access a terminal on the inside.
They asked to see a chemical manifest. Paul paused, and then went to a terminal, and punched a number of buttons. “I have enabled limited access to the manifest directory. View whatever you need to.”
“Thanks,” said Harry, moving to the keyboard.
Claire smiled at Paul. “Tell me more about your work here, Paul.” She engaged Paul in conversation while Harry got to work.
While Harry was typing away, hacking into the system, Claire kept him occupied. Whenever Paul looked Harry’s way, Claire would smile at him, or touch his arm, or subtly thrust out her chest.
She was a gorgeous woman, with bright blonde hair, and large breasts, larger than Goldie’s. She was wearing a tight white blouse that left nothing to the imagination, and a short skirt which showed off her long legs. Every time she sensed that Paul was losing interest she would subtly pull open part of her jacket to show her breasts, or stretch her fine legs in front of him. She could tell that Paul found her attractive, because he would smile at her and begin to flirt back, in an amateurish sort of way. She saw a wedding ring on his finger but of course, for most men, that wouldn’t be a deterrent.
Paul was smiling at her and telling her about his greatest managerial achievements when Harry looked up and nodded. She smiled back as Harry walked over to them.
“Oh, are you done?” said Paul.
“Quite so, Paul. I think we’ve seen what we need here,” said Harry.
********
It was late in the evening when they got back to their hotel in Dayton. But Goldie was up, waiting for them.
“Success!” Harry cried, giving her a hug.
“You got the information?” Goldie asked.
“We still have to process it,” said Claire, smiling as she took off her work jacket. “I’ll start working up an algorithm in the morning.”
“How did it go?” Goldie asked.
“Just as we planned,” said Harry. “We had a minder with us, but Claire distracted him while I got the data. You worked him pretty good, Claire. I don’t think he took his eyes off of you for more than two seconds.”
That was the wrong thing to say. Goldie turned and went into the bedroom.
Harry sighed and followed her. “What’s wrong now?”
“You think she’s pretty, don’t you?” Goldie said.
“What does that matter?”
“Answer the question, Harry?”
Harry paused. “Yes. Claire is very pretty. But I only have eyes for you. Goldie, where is this insane jealousy coming from?”
“Nowhere, Harry. It’s coming from nowhere. Let’s go to bed.”
********
Claire devised the algorithm to analyze the data. Harry made sure not to praise her for it, at least not when Goldie was in the same room. He became increasingly aware that there was a very adversarial relationship between the two, which struck him as odd, as Goldie had gone through great lengths to try and rescue her sister. There was something that was making relations between them very worse, and the something was obviously him.
Harry tried to think back and recall whether it seemed to him that Claire was genuinely interested in him when they first met at The Foundation. She had flirted with him, certainly, but then had mysteriously disappeared after he took his medical exam. She had provided an explanation for it, but Harry didn’t know what to believe.
On the plane ride back, Harry had asked Claire if she had ever used the Relaxation Chair. She smiled at him and said “Once or twice.” Then she frowned. “You want to know if I was programmed, is that it? Like Goldie?”
Harry had simply nodded.
“To the best of my knowledge, the only regular staff who were programmed were the recruiters. Like Goldie. I worked in biomathematics. As long as I cooperated, there wasn’t any need to program me.”
“And even when they held you captive, after the Newton facility was shut down, they still didn’t program you?”
“No,” said Claire. “I continued to passively cooperate with them, until the day of my escape.”
Harry had just looked at her, and weighed her answer. Of course, if she had been programmed, she was unlikely to admit it. She was unlikely to be aware of it. But her answer had made sense.
Claire had touched her hand. “Harry, what will happen when Goldie slips her programming, and stops loving you?”
“That won’t happen,” said Harry. “She loves me of her own accord now.”
“She told you that?”
“Yes.”
Claire sighed. “She probably believes it, too.” She bit her lip. “I just don’t want you getting hurt.”
“I won’t be,” said Harry. “I trust Goldie.”
“All right,” said Claire.
********
Claire analyzed the clients of the Geanosis Biochem Corporation and located six prospects.
“But I like this one the best. Look at this. All the shipments are sent to an independent warehouse in Lexington, Kentucky. That’s a middleman if I ever saw one,” said Claire pointing to the screen.
Harry studied the data. “I think you’re right. We should go check it out.”
“We’ll all go,” said Goldie.
“All right,” said Harry.
********
They used a cutting torch to cut through the fence around the warehouse at night. There were only two sentries, both of whom were at the front gate. Like clockwork, one of the sentries went and patrolled the warehouse once per hour, on the hour. With luck, they should be in and out before anyone noticed.
They each had hand scanners. Claire told them what they were looking for; a consignment with a shipping tag marked XR-54.
“That’s a large warehouse,” said Goldie. “It could take a long time to find.”
“It’s a huge shipment,” said Claire. “There should be a dozen or more of such tags. Just be sure you don’t trip any of the alarms.”
Goldie gave Claire a disparaging look.
They cut through the fence and entered the warehouse quietly. They each went in separate directions. The place was huge, and filled with giant shipping containers.
Harry scanned one, then another, then another. The aisle he was on seemed dark and endless. After a few minutes, he whispered into his comm, “Any luck?”
“Not yet.”
“No, keep looking,” said Claire’s voice.
Harry kept walking. All he heard were the faint footsteps around him, of either Claire or Goldie. Then all of a sudden his scanner lit up XR-54. There was a company name, and an address.
“I got it,” said Harry. “I-”
Suddenly all the lights came on, and an alarm went off.
“Run!” Harry yelled.
They all raced to get out. Harry felt his heart hammering as he ran under bright lights to the fence. When he got there he saw Claire just behind him. “Where’s Goldie?”
“I don’t know. I think I saw her-”
Suddenly they saw Goldie running towards them. They heard sounds of people yelling. Goldie ran faster.
In moments, they were past the fence, in their air car, and out of there.
********
“You tripped the alarm,” said Goldie, on the long car ride back to Ohio.
“I did not,” said Claire. “You must have.”
“I certainly didn’t,” said Goldie.
“Well, the alarm didn’t just turn on by itself,” said Claire.
“Goldilocks, are you accusing me of lying?”
“I would never think of it, Shrimp,” said Claire.
“That’s a name I haven’t heard in a while,” said Goldie. “That’s what she calls me, Harry, when she wants to flaunt the bigger size of her tits at me.”
“It never was about breast size,” Claire snapped. “I’m three inches taller than you, you know that.”
“Ladies!” said Harry. “Can we all calm down? The important thing is, I got the address.”
They stopped at a diner in Cincinnati for a bathroom break. While Goldie was gone, Claire turned to Harry.
“She tripped the alarm, Harry. She must have.”
“It was dark. It could have happened to any of us.”
“No, Harry, that’s not what I mean,” said Claire. “It’s her programming. She’s still loyal to them.”
“No…” Harry shook his head.
“It must be, Harry.”
“We’ve been through so much together… it can’t be,” said Harry.
Goldie came back to the air car. She saw how they stopped talking the minute she arrived, and took in the situation at a glance, but said nothing.
********
It wasn’t until they had returned to Ohio, and went to bed for the night that Goldie whispered, “What did she say to you, Harry?”
“What do you mean?”
“She told you I did it, didn’t she, Harry?”
Harry shifted uncomfortable in bed.
“It was her, Harry. It’s all clear to me now.”
Harry turned to face Goldie. “What’s clear.”
“She’s been programmed, Harry. She didn’t just escape from The Foundation. They had her all along, working on her, conditioning her for months. Then they released her.”
“Why?”
“To get to us, Harry. Isn’t that obvious? Claire tripped the alarm, because she’s working for them.”
Harry thought about that. “I asked her, a few days ago. She said she hadn’t been programmed.”
Goldie gave a dry laugh. “What did you expect her to say?”
Harry paused. “You called her Goldilocks. The same name you used for Jerri, Goldie.”
“Yeah,” said Goldie. “I can see why that might be confusing. When we were born we both had bright blonde hair. Mine darkened a bit, and my parents actually thought about switching our names, though they didn’t. I call her that because of the way she flaunts her beauty and her tits all the time.”
“You have nothing to feel defensive about, Goldie. You’re the sexiest woman alive,” said Harry.
He saw a small smile on her face. “Thanks, Harry.” She paused. “But what are we going to do about her?”
Harry sighed. “Even if she did trip the alarm, we don’t know she did it intentionally. We never would have gotten this far without her. This entire approach was her idea, Goldie, if you recall.”
“I do.” Goldie paused. “Can we find The Foundation without her?”
Harry sighed again, much deeper this time. He thought for a long moment. “We spent months looking, and got nowhere. It’s certainly possible… but I’d feel better if we had Claire helping us.” He looked at her. “But if you want her to go, I’ll have her leave in the morning. It’s up to you, Goldie.”
Goldie said nothing. Eventually they drifted off to sleep.
********
Claire was already up and working at her terminal when they got out of bed. “The Wellnex Corporation. That’s who the packages are addressed to. Another front group.”
“You’re sure?” said Harry.
“Look at their profile,” said Claire, turning the screen to face him.
Harry studied it for a moment. “You’re right. What’s next? To crack into their database?”
“No,” said Claire. “This will require a different approach.”
********
Claire and Harry were sitting at a bar in Indianapolis. At a table, some distance away, Goldie was sitting with another man. His name was Howard Heinrich.
“Are you sure she can do this?” Harry asked, as he tried not to stare directly at the pair. “I mean, why would someone willingly give up secrets to an industrial spy?”
Goldie’s cover story was that she was a business journalist. That’s what she had used to lure Heinrich to the bar. But very quickly it would be evident that Goldie was after much more than information for a story.
“This is what Goldie is best at,” said Claire. “Getting men to do her bidding.”
Harry gave her a sharp glance. Her face seemed to be without malice.
He watched as Goldie flirted with Heinrich. He said something, and Goldie laughed, touching his hand. Harry winced.
“What’s wrong, Harry? Do you see something familiar?” said Claire.
Harry said nothing.
“I have to give credit where credit is due,” said Claire. “I was always called the prettier one, but Goldie had a way with men which I could never master. She could wrap them around her little finger. One time she stole my boyfriend away from me.”
“Why?”
“Just to prove she could,” said Claire, and Harry could see the displeasure on her face. “I was so angry that we went into the forest behind our house and battered each other real good.”
Harry gave her a sharp glance.
“That was a long time ago,” she said quietly.
Harry saw Goldie laugh again with Heinrich and touch his hand.
“Does that look familiar, Harry? Was that the technique she used on you?” said Claire. “She’s very good at getting men to believe what she wants them to.”
“Are you saying she doesn’t really love me?” Harry asked.
“She’s programmed, Harry. She’s admitted it. Can’t you divorce yourself from your emotions and face the truth?”
“And what is the truth?” said Harry.
Claire looked him in the eye. “That women aren’t repulsed by you. That you don’t have to settle for a woman who’s been brainwashed to love you.”
“I have yet to see evidence that anyone else is attracted to me,” said Harry.
“Then maybe you just haven’t been looking hard enough, Harry,” said Claire.
Harry’s eyebrows went up, and he stared at Claire, and saw just the faintest hint of a smile. In the faint light of the restaurant, her eyes seem to acquire just the faintest glint. They stared at each other for a long moment. Then Claire said, “Look, they’re breaking up.”
********
“How did it go?” Harry asked, as they drove back to their hotel in Indianapolis.
“Fine,” said Goldie curtly.
“Do you think he’s going to give us what we need?”
“Probably,” said Goldie. “I asked him for a list of all the names of his board of directors.”
“That’s of no use to us,” said Harry. “In fact, that’s publically available information.”
“I know, Harry,” said Goldie. “I’m giving him an easy first task, to get him used to giving me what I want.”
“It’s kind of like asking for something harmless, like solving a math problem, isn’t it, sis?” Claire asked.
“What is it you’re trying to say?” Goldie said.
“Just that you’re very good at what you do,” said Claire.
They rode the rest of the way in silence.
********
Goldie was to meet Heinrich again the next day at a restaurant. She asked Harry and Claire not to come.
“Why?” Harry asked.
“Harry, with you there, staring at me, I feel a little… self-conscious.” She took his hand. “Can you understand that, Harry?”
Harry nodded. “How many more meetings will you need?”
Goldie shrugged. “I’ll know better after tonight.”
Harry saw her putting on a long, black dress, and studying herself in the mirror as she applied makeup. He stood behind her.
“You look pretty,” he said softly.
“Thank… thank you, Harry,” said Goldie, feeling a bit flustered.
********
Harry waited impatiently for Goldie to return. “She’s been gone over nearly three hours.”
“You know what she’s doing, Harry,” said Claire.
“Do I?”
“Harry, can I speak freely?” Claire said.
“You seem to have no problem doing so,” said Harry.
“She’s seducing him, Harry. That’s why she doesn’t want you there. She’s touching him, and kissing him, and maybe, by now, she’s back at his hotel room, fucking him.”
“No…” said Harry.
“Face it, Harry. This is what you’re marrying. This is what you’re getting into,” said Claire.
“I refuse to believe it,” said Harry.
Just then the door opened. Goldie came in, and saw the anguished expression on Harry’s face, and looked at Claire. “I’m back,” she said cautiously, as if she were standing in a mine field.
“Welcome home, sis,” said Claire, giving a broad smile. “How did it go?”
“Fine,” said Goldie, staring at Harry’s face as she walked into the room. “How are you doing, Harry?”
“I’m fine,” said Harry quickly. “Did you get the information?”
“No, but I asked him for it,” said Goldie.
“You were certainly gone long enough,” said Harry.
Goldie smiled. “Harry, it wasn’t just like asking him for a stylus. I’m asking him to betray his company.” She stood up and studied her hair in the mirror.
“When is your last meeting?”
“Tomorrow,” said Goldie. She looked from Claire to Harry. “It should all be over then.”
********
“She told us not to come,” said Harry, as they followed Goldie in a second air car.
“I decided to go. No one forced you to come, Harry,” said Claire, who was doing the driving.
“I had to make sure that the two of you don’t ruin this operation,” said Harry.
“Is that what you’re telling yourself, Harry? You know, for the most brilliant man on the planet, you’re remarkably dense, when it comes to denying your own feelings.”
It was a harsh comment. Goldie had said harsh things to him before, but always as a tease, with a smile. This felt different, like he was being slapped across the face. He looked at Claire, whose face was totally impassive.
They followed Goldie to a fancy restaurant. Harry moved to go in, but Claire grabbed him. She waited for Goldie to join Heinrich at his table, and then took Harry to a window outside the restaurant which gave them a clear view of the two, some distance away.
When Goldie sat down at the table, Harry was surprised to see her lean forward, and kiss Heinrich on the lips. What was going on there?
He didn’t say a word, but Claire must have known what he was feeling.
“Are you surprised, Harry? I’m not,” said Claire.
Over the course of the dinner they saw Goldie flirting up a storm with Heinrich. She laughed, she touched his arm, she smiled at him, and more than once, she kissed him on the lips.
“What is she doing?” Harry whispered.
And then, at the end of the meal, they stood up. They watched Heinrich and Goldie walk hand in hand into the parking lot. He hugged her by his car, and seemed to pull on her. Goldie pulled back a bit. Then Heinrich kissed her, and it seemed that Goldie kissed him back. Then they talked some more, and Harry saw Goldie nod, and enter his car.
“Oh my God,” said Harry.
“Quick, let’s get to the air car,” said Claire.
They followed them to a seedy motel on the edge of town. Harry watched as Goldie and Heinrich went into the hotel, hand in hand.
Harry opened the car door abruptly. Claire grabbed his arm. “What are you doing, Harry?”
“I’ve got to stop them,” said Harry.
“No, Harry,” said Claire.
“Claire, I have to-”
“No, Harry!” she said again. She stared into his eyes with steely determination. Harry shuddered, wrestling with himself. Finally he slumped back in his seat.
“Have you seen enough, Harry?”
Harry nodded.
“Close the car door, Harry.”
As they started driving home, Claire said, “I’m sorry you had to see this, Harry, but also not sorry. You needed to know the truth.”
Harry sat there, in a daze.
“You know she was doing this with other men, Harry. Many other men, luring them into The Foundation, before she met you.”
“She said… she said she never slept with any of them.”
“She lied to you, Harry.”
“No.”
“She lied to you Harry, and we’ll prove it tonight,” said Claire.
********
Goldie came home around 11 o’clock. Harry and Claire were sitting there, waiting for them.
“I got it,” said Goldie, holding up a Pad. “I now know the location of The Foundation base! It could even be their main headquarters! We’ll have to check it out first but… Harry? Why aren’t you excited?”
“I am excited,” said Harry evenly. “How did it go with Heinrich?”
“How did it go?” said Goldie, a little puzzled. “He gave us the information. Here it is.” She held up the Pad.
“Where there any problems, or complications you want to tell us about?” Harry asked.
Goldie’s eyes narrowed as she looked from Harry to Claire. “No, Harry. No complications. Why?”
“We followed you,” said Harry, his voice cracking from raw emotion.
“You followed me?”
“We followed you, all the way to his hotel,” said Harry, his voice full of anguish.
Goldie’s jaw dropped. She reached out to him. “Harry, oh no-”
“Don’t touch me!” Harry snapped, pulling back from her.
Goldie looked up at Claire, who had a completely blank expression. “You! You did this! You’re responsible for this, you BITCH!”
“Don’t blame me for this, Shrimp!” Claire snapped. “I didn’t force you to go to a hooker hotel and spread your legs for Heinrich!”
Goldie gave a primal snarl, and launched herself at Claire. She grabbed for her throat. Claire smacked her in the chest, pushing her back, Goldie slashed at her with her hand, just as Harry reached her, pulling her back.
Claire felt scratch marks on her cheek. She lunged for Goldie, but Harry got in the way.
“Enough! ENOUGH!” he shouted. The two women froze.
“Claire, excuse us,” said Harry. He pulled Goldie by the arm into the bedroom, and slammed the door behind them.
Harry turned to Goldie, who had started to weep. “What happened?”
“What happened?” Goldie asked. “I got the information, that’s what happened!”
“Nobody asked you to sleep with him,” said Harry.
“I… I didn’t sleep with him, Harry,” said Goldie.
“Why did you go back to his hotel?” Harry said.
“He said… he had brought the information, but he wanted some quality time before he turned it over.”
“And did you? Did you give him quality time?”
“I hugged him, Harry,” she said. “And I kissed him. And I touched him through his clothes. That was it, Harry. He wanted more, and I promised to give him more, at our next meeting, but I knew there wouldn’t be any more meetings. I got the information and left.”
“You didn’t sleep with him?”
“No, Harry,” said Goldie.
Harry paused. “I saw you kissing him, several times.”
“I had to, Harry. I was asking him for classified company information. It wasn’t as harmless as having him solve a fucking math problem,” said Goldie, her eyes full of tears.
Harry thought about it. “You told me that you recruited a lot of men to The Foundation. But you told me you never slept with any of them. Was that the truth?”
“Yes, Harry,” said Goldie.
“You told me you never even kissed any of them. Was that true?”
“Yes, Harry,” said Goldie. “Everything I told you was true.” She saw him staring at her. “You… you don’t believe me.”
“I didn’t say that,” said Harry.
“She’s laid the poison in thick,” said Goldie. “She probably told you that I was a whore. She’s been saying that for years. Is that what she told you, Harry?”
Harry didn’t answer.
“I want her gone, Harry. I want her gone tonight. Right now.”
Harry paused. “We still need her.”
“Why Harry? I have the location of their headquarters. We’ll give it to the FBI.”
“We don’t know it’s their headquarters,” said Harry. “It could simply be a supply base. We have to check it out before we call the FBI. And in any event, I want to find out exactly what The Foundation is up to. If we give it to the FBI we’ll never find out. Remember the dead versions of you, and me, we found in the archive?”
“Yes,” she said, shivering slightly.
“What if there are more of… us… wandering around? That’s why I want to see the facility firsthand. Claire can help get us in. She’s good at forging passcodes and ID cards. Better than me.”
Goldie took a deep breath. “All right, Harry. One more mission, but then she goes.” She looked up at Harry’s face. “What is it, Harry?”
“Nothing.”
********
The Foundation’s base of operations was on the outskirts of Boulder, Colorado. They flew there in silence. Claire and Goldie were not talking to each other. Claire had small scratches on her cheek, but with makeup was able to hide them.
Claire had held onto her Foundation ID card, and was able to duplicate two of them for Harry and Goldie. When they got to the facility, they found it to be large, ten story building, surrounded by a fence. It was bustling with activity, people, guards, technicians, and trucks, loading and unloading.
“This looks like a headquarters to me,” said Goldie. “Maybe we should just go the police now?”
“No,” said Harry. “I want to see inside.” He tried to combat his feeling of dread. If they were caught… there was no telling what The Foundation would do to them.
They drove to the entrance. A guard examined their ID’s, and let them in without comment.
They parked near the main building and went inside. They looked at the directory. Goldie spoke softly. “Growing area… Components… Nursery….” Goldie looked at Harry. “Oh my god, Harry. A nursery?”
“Let’s go,” said Harry.
“I want to check out the components section,” said Claire. “We should find out what they’re building.”
Harry paused. He didn’t really want them to be separated. “All right. Meet us back here in 15 minutes, sharp.”
“Right.”
They followed the arrows to the nursery, but somehow they got lost, and ended up in the growing area.
What they found surprised them completely.
They were in a giant, three level room. There were large glass containers lining the walls, attached to humming machinery. And in the containers were…
“People,” said Goldie. “They’re growing people, Harry.”
“Clones,” Harry whispered.
There were clones in all stages of development. Some were small embryos, some were the size of children, and others were nearly fully adult sized. Technicians in white lab coats scurried about, performing different tasks.
They walked up to one test tube, which held a nearly completed clone.
“That’s Reginald Washington,” said Goldie.
“He came to my apartment a few months ago and tried to kidnap me, remember?”
“Did he?” said Goldie. They went to the next test tube. It also held someone who looked just like Washington. And the next one, and the next one after that. All in all they counted eight Washington clones being grown.
“But why Washington? He’s a basketball player,” said Goldie.
“Tall, athletic, and with a lot of dexterity. He has a lot of attributes one might choose in a hitman,” said Harry. “I’m starting to think that the man who came to my apartment was not the real Washington. It was one of these.”
They continued walking down the rows of test tubes. They both knew what they were looking for… other versions of themselves. But thankfully, they didn’t see any. They were mostly men, big, athletic types.
When they got to the other side of the chamber, there was a corridor which split into two directions, but no obvious sign for the nursery.
“We’re lost,” said Harry. He saw a terminal, and started typing into it.
“I’ll be right back,” said Goldie. She tiptoed down the right corridor.
Harry punched up a diagram of the building. He had just finished figuring out where the nursery was, and where they were, when Goldie returned. “Did you find anything?” he asked.
“No, just people working in cubicles. You?”
“I think I know where the nursery is,” said Harry.
********
It wasn’t exactly a nursery. It was more like a kindergarten. There were more than 20 children, playing with toys. They looked to be between the ages of 4 and 6 years old. But Harry and Goldie sensed these were no ordinary children.
They wore shirts with numbers and letters on them. One boy’s shirt read “Y-4.” A girl’s shirt said, “X-15.” These weren’t exactly the children of staff.
“Harry… what are we looking at,” Goldie asked.
“I’m not sure,” said Harry. “But I’m guessing these children were created… artificially.” Harry kept his eye on one boy. He looked… he looked somehow familiar.
And then Harry realized why. The little boy looked exactly like Harry did, in images he had seen of himself as a child.
“Goldie,” he whispered. He pointed to that boy. “I think… that may be me.”
Goldie looked at the little boy, who was playing with blocks. “Are you sure, Harry?”
“He looks like I did as a child.”
“But Harry, he must be at least four years old. How could that be?”
“We know they can rapidly accelerate the growth of clones.”
“But why would they accelerate them to the age of four? That makes no sense,” said Goldie. And then she saw the little boy, building a castle with blocks, and then a little girl came over, dumping more blocks next to him. “These can help,” said the little girl.
The little boy smiled up at her. The little girl smiled back at him.
Goldie’s eyes went wide. “Harry… that little girl… it’s me!”
Harry looked at the little girl. There was a resemblance. “Are you sure? She has bright blonde hair. She looks more like-”
“No, that’s how I looked when I was four,” said Goldie. She went up to the children. They crouched down.
“Don’t be scared, kids,” said Goldie, smiling at them. “Can you tell me your names?”
“I’m Y-14,” said the little boy.
“And I’m X-14,” said the little girl. She smiled. “We have the same number.”
“How nice… for you both,” said Goldie. “How long have you been here?”
The girl shrugged.
“Do you have a mother, or father?”
The girl frowned. “What’s that?”
“You ask a lot of silly questions,” said the little boy. The little girl laughed.
Harry pulled Goldie up. “Goldie, it’s been 15 minutes. We have to meet Claire at the entrance.”
“Harry, we can’t leave these kids here.”
“When the FBI comes, they’ll sort them out.”
“Harry, they’re our kids.”
“We don’t know what they are,” said Harry. “But I guarantee you, if we try to take two kids out the main entrance, none of us will be leaving this place.”
He stared hard into her eyes. Goldie bit her lip, and reluctantly nodded.
They walked back to the entrance, getting lost twice. When they got there, Claire was waiting for them. “Where were you?” she hissed.
“You won’t believe what we found,” said Goldie, momentarily forgetting her anger with her sister.
“Excuse me,” said a guard.
They turned to see him and two of his companions, all in blue jumpsuits, standing in front of them. “Would you come with us, please?”
“Why?”
“The director would like to see you,” said the guard.
“Of course,” said Harry. “Lead the way.”
As the guard turned, Harry hit him in the head. Claire gave a second guard a karate chop to the neck. Goldie punched the third guard, but he barely recoiled. Claire leapt forward and gave a flying kick which sent him into the air.
Everyone around them looked stunned.
“Run!” Harry cried.
They had just gotten to their car when the alarm sounded. The guards at front gate waved frantically for them to stop.
“Should we stop, Harry?” Goldie asked.
“I don’t think so,” said Harry.
The air car crashed through the slender wooden pole and headed off at full speed.
“Claire, where did you learn to fight like that?” Harry asked.
It was Goldie who answered for her. “I learned pistols, and Claire learned karate. A black belt, I believe?”
“Brown belt.”
“Good enough.”
**********
They called the FBI, and the police, and anyone who would listen to them. At first the police wouldn’t believe them, but after they got the FBI involved, the police agreed to cordon off the area until federal officials arrived.
When the FBI finally arrived, five hours later, they found the entire compound… empty.
“No,” said Harry.
They walked through the facility. The computers had been wiped clean. Even the clones were gone. But the cloning tubes, and all the equipment, were still there. The lead agent, Inspector Johansen, looked up at the large laboratory. “What is this place?”
They walked quickly to the nursery. It was empty as well.
“They’re gone,” Goldie cried. “We should have taken them with us, Harry, we should have!”
“We couldn’t have,” said Harry.
“They’re gone. They’re all gone. How, Harry? How did they know?”
“Someone alerted them,” said Harry grimly.
********
Agent Johansen interviewed each of them. He chided them for not calling him in earlier. “We’ve been looking for The Foundation for a long time. You should have alerted us the instant you found out about this place.”
Harry simply nodded. “May we go now?”
********
When they got back to their hotel room, they all collapsed in the living room. For a long time no one said anything. Then Harry opened his eyes. “What happened back there?”
No one answered.
“They were alerted,” said Harry.
“Maybe you raised their suspicions,” said Claire, looking at Goldie.
“Or maybe you did,” said Goldie.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Claire asked.
Goldie looked at Harry. “She separated from us, Harry. She went off on her own. What did she do during those fifteen minutes? Did she alert The Foundation?”
“Why would I do that?” Claire asked.
“Because you’ve been programmed to.”
“Ha!” said Claire. “Look who’s talking! Harry, who is it who led us to this facility?”
“You did,” said Harry.
“Why would I lead you here only to alert The Foundation?”
“So they could capture us again,” said Goldie.
Claire gave her a hard look. “It could have been me. Or it could have been one of you. Were you two together the entire time?”
“Yes,” said Goldie.
“No,” said Harry. He looked at Goldie. “You left me for a few minutes. When I was accessing the terminal for directions. Why?”
“I… I wanted to see what was down the other corridor. We had just seen a giant cloning room, Harry. My curiosity was piqued to see what else there was.”
“She left your side, Harry. And what happened, just a few minutes later?” Claire asked.
“The guards were alerted,” said Harry slowly.
“Harry… no,” said Goldie. “I wouldn’t.”
“If you were programmed to, you might not even realize what you were doing,” said Claire.
“Harry, I’m your fiancée,” said Goldie. She looked at him. “You don’t seriously think I’m working for them, after all this time? Do you?” She looked at his face. “You do.”
“I… I don’t know what to think,” said Harry. He paused, wetting his lips. “I think, Goldie, that it might be best to delay things….”
“What kind of things, Harry? What kind of things are you thinking of delaying?” Goldie asked.
“Our marriage,” said Harry. “Just until we find out what is what with The Foundation-”
“No, Harry!” said Goldie, jumping up. “You don’t want to find out about The Foundation. You want to find out about me. You don’t trust me anymore, do you?” She turned to Claire. “We came back from Hawaii practically in wedded bliss. And then we met you, Sister. You turned him against me! You did this!”
Claire jumped up. “You did this yourself!”
“I think it’s time for another walk in the forest, don’t you, dear sister?” said Goldie.
“They don’t have forests in Boulder,” said Claire.
“We’ll find a park, then,” said Goldie. “But we’re going to settle this, once and for all.”
“Goldie, what are you planning to do?”
“Stay out of this, Harry!” said Goldie. “Well, sis? What will it be?”
“I’ll come,” said Claire. She looked down at her skirt. “Let me change. I’ll meet you at the air car, in five minutes.”
“You’d better be there, sis, or I’ll come up and get you,” said Goldie.
“Goldie, no!” said Harry.
Goldie ignored him, leaving the hotel room, slamming the door behind her.
Harry turned to Claire. “You can’t be serious.”
“We’re just going to let off some steam. I think it’s inevitable, at this point.” Claire started to unclip her skirt. She changed into pants, and came out a moment later.
Harry grabbed her arm.
“Don’t you hurt my Goldie,” said Harry.
Claire gently touched him on the cheek. “I won’t hurt your precious Goldie. I promise.”
They stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment.
And then they heard the explosion.
They looked out of the window.
Their air car was burning in flames.