Read The Clone who Didn't Know (The Genehunter) for Free Online Page A

It’s what you do that’s important.’
    ‘So it doesn’t matter to you? Where I come from, I mean. It doesn’t matter to you that Eloise carries that DNA in her, too?’
    ‘No. A little. I mean, it troubles me, sure. But none of us can help where we come from, can we?’
    He looked down at the ground, then back up at her. The sunlight sparkled in her hair. He longed for her to put her arms around him.
    ‘Is she here? Eloise?’
    ‘She’s inside. Sleeping.’
    ‘Can I see her?’
    Kelly hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside, granting him access. Inside the cool, quiet room, Simms could make out the low bed in which Eloise lay asleep, lying on her back, utterly peaceful. The sight of her, oblivious of him, oblivious of everything, seemed to stop Simms’ heart.
    ‘I’d like to see her again,’ he whispered. ‘Get to know her.’
    ‘Perhaps you can,’ said Kelly, standing behind him. ‘But I’m not letting Simms the genehunter anywhere near her, understand? You don’t care about anyone. You don’t even care about yourself. I’ll tell her about you, sure, but you’re having no access to her unless you change. Unless you damn well grow up.’
    He didn’t reply. He could challenge her, sure, try and get legal access to Eloise. He knew it was futile. Everyone would side with her over a genehunter. And he wouldn’t blame them. His life was chaotic and dangerous and most days he could barely look after himself.
    ‘Can I have a picture of her at least?’
    Kelly considered, then nodded her head. A picture of Eloise, smiling a wide smile and dressed as a princess, arrived in Simms’ brain.
    ‘Thanks.’
    ‘What you do is up to you, Simms. I hope you will change but if it’s not what you want, don’t do it. If it is, this is where we’ll be.’
    Simms nodded, his eyes on their sleeping baby.

     
    Fifteen minutes later, the clONE death squad leader escorted him back to the jump node.
    ‘So will we see you again, Simms?’
    ‘One way or another.’
    ‘What does that mean?’
    Simms didn’t reply for long moments. ‘I need to know who I am,’ he said finally. ‘Who has done this to me. Who made me. If you count that as genehunting then we aren’t going to be friends.’
    ‘You know, I don’t think we’d worry about you doing that. We might even approve. We might even help. If you follow this trail, we both know where it will lead.’
    He did. A collector’s zoo. The sort of place clONE spent their time finding so they could liberate those held inside.
    ‘And what do I call you should I wish to get in touch?’
    ‘You can call me Nemesis.’
    ‘Such a pretty name. And if I do this, what happens after? I’d be welcome here?’
    ‘Is that what you want?’
    ‘Maybe.’
    ‘Well, we’ll see. It’s all up to you isn’t it?’

     
    He wouldn’t miss this climb up the stairs of his stacktower. The unrelenting grey concrete and the smell of stale piss. How come they could maintain a global jump network but not a couple of lifts? Still, it kept him fit.
    As he climbed, his mind teemed with plans. He had a decision to make. Except, he knew he’d already made it. Genehunting had been fun. Now it was time to move on, do something else. It wasn’t like it was his destiny or anything. For one thing, he could go somewhere the sun actually shone and wasn’t some distant folk-memory. He’d had enough of rain.
    He’d tell Ballard what little he knew about Forty Days and Boneyard. Then he’d be free to find out about his past. Find out who he was. And then, maybe, he could win Kelly’s trust. Or maybe do something else completely. He could do whatever he damn well wanted, couldn’t he?
    As he approached his stackroom, a little out of breath, he automatically checked ahead there had been no alerts, that all his security was still in place. He was good. His dirty, messed up old room was waiting for him, his only sanctuary in a world of dangers. He’d miss it. He unlocked everything and stepped