Lost and Found (18 page)

“What are you talking about?” Lance snarled, his sixth sense buzzing. He touched Noelle’s shoulder, comforting her agitation.

“She’s genetically designed to develop the characteristics required by her creator. Since she imprinted with you, rather than me, she will evolve into your perfect mate- physically, mentally and emotionally. Even this, the child persona, came from your need to nurture, protect and guide. You’re probably a bit of a control freak, aren’t you, Doctor?”

“Some people think so,” Lance grumbled. His perfect mate? That was too much to hope for.

“Noelle, do you know how to fix things when you touch them?” Dr. Hoffner asked.

“I’m not allowed to hurt you right now. Daddy said so.”

“Can you disobey him?”

“Not unless I want a spanking,” Noelle answered seriously. “I don’t like spankings.”

“You spanked her? And she didn’t harm you?” Dr. Hoffner asked incredulously.

“She was disciplined in love, and knows it,” Lance said, trying to control his fury, “What do you want with her? She’s not going back to you. Not ever.”

“Dr. Callahan… gentlemen… please, believe me. I can’t have her back, even if I wanted to. She requires you to continue her growth, plus, the government will harm her if they knew she was still alive. I promise, after today, you won’t see or hear from me again,” Dr. Hoffner said with a touch of sadness, reaching for Noelle’s hands. “Access me, Noelle. You can do it. Touch my mind.”

“What are you doing?” Lance asked. Todd grabbed him as he rushed towards the two to break up whatever Dr. Hoffner had started. “Let go of her!” Noelle’s eyes were locked with the old man’s, unblinking as she obeyed silently. His knowledge of her existence poured into her consciousness, giving her the information she needed to answer questions about herself. Her large, violet eyes grew sad and a tear fell from one.

Dr. Hoffner released her and stood up slowly. “Don’t worry, she can perform a neurological synaptic transfer once. It simply gives her an understanding of her past, which will help settle any questions that might arise as she matures. Please, do whatever you can to keep her safe.”

Everyone was silent as he touched the girl’s cheek and picked up his coat. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about the government now. She no longer meets the description of the clone that turned up missing. With her new name and the fingerprints that she should fully develop soon, I’m hoping she can use this to create a new life.” Dr. Hoffner handed Alan a manila envelope. In it was his deceased daughter’s hospital records, birth certificate and social security card. Her date of birth was Christmas morning at 12:01 AM, twenty-two years earlier.

“I don’t understand.” Lance said, looking at the papers.

“This is all that’s left of my daughter’s existence. I’ve erased all computer files referring to her and created this birth certificate to match the age listed on your court records. She can be legally identified now as Noelle Careen Hoffner.”

“AKA Noelle Simone Callahan,” Alan said softly. “This neutralizing effect. What should we expect?”

“I think as long as she is able to use her mechanism, she’ll be ok. You’ve already discovered the best way to do that. Noelle? I know you’re happy with this family. Treat them well, ok?”

“Yes, Grandfather. I’m sorry. I know how much it hurts you to leave me. You loved your own Noelle very much. Now you have to lose her twice,” the girl said tenderly, clinging to Lance’s hand as he stood silently.

The man’s eyes welled up with tears as he touched her face one last time. “Life is too precious to waste. Please take care of her. She’s all I have left.” He turned to leave, his sorrow evident.

“Wait. Would you care to join us for dinner this evening? I’m sure my sister won’t mind cooking for one more person tonight,” Lance choked out, gripping Noelle’s hand tightly.

“I’m confused. I mean…”

“Lance is right. We would love to have you. Please consider it,” Alan said, wrapping his arm around his brother’s shoulders. “The three of us know what it feels like to face losing someone we love. Despite the, uh, unusual circumstance of her birth, you are still related to her.

Join us. I insist.”

“Plus, I think it would be good to have you available to identify any potential problems that we might experience as she, how did you express it? Evolves,” Todd said seriously.

“Noelle? I know you don’t completely understand what happened when you were with me. Do I frighten you?”

“No, Grandfather,” Noelle answered firmly, snuggling into Lance’s side.

Dr. Hoffner looked up at the three tall men as they waited for his response. A grateful smile swept over his face, “I am forever in your debt for this. Thank you so much.”

“You’re family now, Dr. Hoffner. Noelle? You know what that means, don’t you?”

“He can spank me?” Noelle answered fearfully, looking up at Lance with her big violet eyes.

He laughed. “One track mind nowadays. No honey, it means you cannot hurt him.”

“I won’t, Daddy. I promise.”

“She won’t. And please, call me William.”

William sat quietly, watching the family interact with one another. They had been warm and gracious towards him, immediately taking him in as one of their own. Even Alan’s twin girls started to call him ‘grandpa’ after their first introduction three weeks earlier. Mostly, he observed Noelle. She was shy and fairly quiet, completely immersed in her child state.

“Noelle? Have you eaten solid food yet?” he asked, watching her drink out of her Sippy cup.

“No, Grandpa. It’s too hard to swallow.”

“Would you like to? I think Lance would enjoy taking you out to a big girl dinner one day, but he can’t until you can eat.”

“Would that make Daddy happy?” Noelle looked at Lance.

“Yes, I think it would. Maybe we can even get you eating before Christmas. Come sit on my lap and let’s try this. Lance? Could you hand me some bread, please?”

“Do you think this will work?” he asked, sitting next to them on the couch. William nodded and placed the girl’s hand on his throat as he took a bite. Noelle watched him carefully, feeling his muscles move as he chewed and swallowed. He then placed her hand on her own throat and put a small piece of bread into her mouth.

Slowly, Noelle felt herself copy his actions, concentrating on the movement and muscles in her mouth and throat. She swallowed and broke into a smile. William handed her a second piece, watching her carefully take a bite, chew and swallow.

“This is good!” she exclaimed, going for a third bite of the roll.

Lance grinned, “Tactile learning? Like how the deaf are taught to speak. Amazing. I never would have thought of it. Now, if I can get her to like hot and spicy food, I’ll finally have someone who won’t wimp out on me when I go for Szechuan or Thai.”

“We’re nor wimps, Lance. We just don’t get masochistic thrills about having our mouths, or anything else, set on fire,” Alan commented, hugging Maggie.

“Give her time, she’ll develop the taste for whatever you need. I have noticed something, though. She’s a little defiant. What’s with that?” William asked, watching the girl grab another roll from the kitchen and return to the living room to enjoy it.

“Beats me. She’s completely obedient regarding her ability, but definitely seems to have a mind of her own with everything else,” Lance said, pointing at Noelle’s feet on the furniture.

She quickly removed them. “Is that part of the programming?”

“Not at all. The clones were supposed to be blindly obedient. Even when faced with negative consequences, you can tell she makes her own choices.”

“Not always good ones, either.” Todd said, tugging Noelle’s ponytail, “She got herself spanked the other day for sassing back at me.”

“Interesting. What did she say?” William asked, watching the girl blush.

“She informed me that I was not the boss of her and to go screw myself. This was after I told her to clean her room.”

“She did not! Why didn’t you tell me? Noelle!” Lance frowned, watching the girl shirk.

Todd touched his arm. “It was taken care of. She was put across my knee, had those little panties yanked down and got a good thrashing on her bare bottom by yours truly. It was followed by corner time.”

“You’ve become such a meanie,” Kathy tsked. “You threatened to paddle me the other day, too.”

“I’m sure you deserved it, little sister,” Alan grunted. “Is this unexpected? Her being able to make choices and think for herself?”

“It is. She’s become her own person. There seems to be a distinct line between where the imprint works and where it has no control. Sorry, Lance. She might not be as perfect as we had hoped.”

“She’s perfect to me. I don’t mind the occasional naughtiness. It keeps me on my toes,” Lance admitted, beckoning to the girl. She quickly climbed into his arms and softly kissed his lips. “So, William, you are planning on joining us for Christmas, right?”

“Absolutely. What’s wrong, Noelle?”

She was looking at the door with a frown. “Someone’s coming, Grandpa. Someone bad.

They want to hurt us.”

“Who, honey? Maggie, take the girls upstairs with Kathy, please. Call the cops and tell them to send Detective Collins,” Todd said quickly, “Stay up there until we call for you. I’m getting my gun,” he said quietly to the men.

“Can you tell us who’s coming, Noelle?” Alan asked, peering out the window.

Noelle stood up, her eyes a brilliant purple as she looked at the door. “They can’t hurt you. You’re family. Daddy? Let me protect you.”

“Sweetie, I…”

A loud noise sounded as the front door was kicked in and two men carrying guns bounded into the room. “Freeze!” one demanded, aiming his gun at Todd, “Drop your weapon.”

“Who are you and how dare you come into my home!” Lance roared, pushing Noelle behind him. A third man walked through the door, scanning the room.

“There’s the clone. Kill it.”

“You will not touch her! She is mine.” Lance growled, standing angrily with his brother, Todd and William beside him.

“No, we won’t touch it. It can kill us. But not if it’s exterminated first. Move aside, Dr.

Callahan. You don’t want to accidentally get caught in gun fire,” the man said threateningly.

Lance snarled and suddenly felt his sixth sense tingling. He had to trust his instincts. “I am not allowing you to harm her. Leave now and you’ll be safe.”

“We’ll leave after that monster is dead and packed in a body bag.”

“Daddy? May I have your permission?” Noelle asked behind him.

“Yes, my love, you certainly may.” Lance answered, not removing his eyes from the guns aimed at them. The sense of something ‘off’ increased. He watched, dumbfounded, as the unarmed man’s eyes began to bulge as he lifted his hand to his throat. He slowly fell to the ground, gasping for breath.

“Let him go, Noelle. Now!” Alan barked, staring as the man’s face turn from red to blue as his air was cut off. Noelle obeyed and the man lunged forward, hands on the floor, panting.

Lights from outside indicated the police had arrived, and six officers barged inside, confiscating the weapons from the two frozen assailants. The two had blank expressions as they were cuffed and pushed outside, as their leader babbled about the ‘monster’ and how the girl almost killed him.

Lance stepped forward, introducing himself as a physician and director of Psychiatry for CMH. “It’s my professional opinion that this individual has succumbed to some sort of mental breakdown. I wish to place him on 72 hour hold at County Mental for evaluation. He is not to be released until I clear him,” Lance demanded, feeling his sixth sense continue to tingle and wondering what it was about. He reached around to pull Noelle tightly against his side, feeling her shake as she clung to him.

“I also wish to file charges against these individuals for breaking and entering, destruction of private property, and assault with a deadly weapon.” Todd added, “This is our attorney. He will ensure that none of these men are released or files dropped. The house is under video surveillance and all actions were recorded the second they broke through the door. The media will be notified if any of these individuals disappear.”

“No worries, Mr. Makin, we will take good care of these goons,” one of the men promised, winking at his old friend. “I’m also assuming you have your cameras set to duplicate files?”

“Absolutely. Get that jerk out of this child’s sight. He terrified her,” Todd requested, shaking the man’s hand. After the police hauled the man out of the house, he turned to his brothers-in-law. “Detective Collins will make sure they go nowhere. I trust him. Are you ok?”

“Pissed, but fine. Noelle? Are you alright, baby?” Lance asked, squatting down to face her as she trembled wildly under his hand.

She broke into tears. “I’m sorry, Daddy. I’m sorry!”

“About what, sugar plum? You didn’t do anything.”

“I broke them. I broke all of them. I’m sorry!!!” she began to cry hysterically, slumping into a quaking ball at his feet.

“I don’t understand. Shhh, it’s ok. William? What’s happening?” Lance asked, seeing the sadness on the old man’s face.

“Noelle, my finger’s bleeding. Will you fix it?” William asked after slicing his finger on a sliver of glass.

“I can’t, Grandpa. I broke them,” she continued to cried.

“No, honey. You didn’t break them. You broke yourself. It’s ok. Everything will be fine.” William cooed, stroking her hair. He looked up at the three worried men that were joined by the rest of the family, “She burned herself out saving us. It’s gone. Her ability is gone.” Lance said nothing as he lifted Noelle’s face to his. His lips pressed gently against hers and he kissed her slowly and passionately, not caring that he had an audience. She joined him, wrapping her little arms around his neck. Everyone started to clap.