Cara gasped, "I lost her. She was there, talking to Darcia and then... gone," panicking; she looked at David. "She was telling Darcia to decide for herself regarding their parent's bodies, and then everything went black."

"Did you see anything before the blackout?" David asked.

"She was looking at two people on exam tables from an observation window. Then … it's just a blur," Cara shook her head, "there was a sudden pain, alarm as though Breanna couldn't breathe, and then nothing."

"Damn," David ran his hand through his hair, "I told her the Darcia of now is not the Darcia she knew when she left here."

"Can you track her?" Clio asked.

Cara frowned as she concentrated, "No, but I can just sense Darcia, I cannot get into her mind," Cara blew out a breath, "she is powerful. I think she is taking Breanna to a laboratory. It seems she's going to do something to her, and it's happening now."

"We can't let that happen," Tula said, "if she succeeds in killing Breanna and goes on her way ..." she shook her head, speechless at the implications of the outcome.

"We'll have to go back in there," David said, "who knows everyone's skills?"

"Breanna," came the reply in unison.

"Great," David sighed, "so we have to trust each other with our talents and hope that we protect each other's back."

"Yep," Clio smiled tightly, "to succeed, that is what we'll have to do."

Meeting the eyes of each of the team, David nodded, "Let's get to it in a hurry before we lose Breanna."

"We'll need only the necessary to go back inside," Cara said, "I promised Breanna to make sure everyone made it out."

"That is not your call to make," David said, "that is our call to make."

"I disagree," Cara said, "Breanna gave me that order for a reason. Look around you and tell me who can take on Darcia single-handed, and how are we going to protect the Tina's?"

David looked around, "Fine," he sighed, "let's find out what everyone does, and then we decide, as a group, who will go in to get Breanna."

"We'd better make it fast," Cara said distantly, "she doesn't have much time."

"What we need is someone who knows lab equipment, someone who can protect at any given time, someone who can fight and someone who can get Darcia's attention," Reilly said.

"I can shield," David said, "and get Darcia's attention."

"I can fight," said Tania, "and I will be able to get you to the lab quickly," she glanced around, "eidetic memory."

"I know computers and lab equipment, plus I know how to arm and disarm them," Kyle said.

Quickly they went through the abilities of the others in the group. David felt humbled that these spectacular people felt as they did toward Breanna. She was not just their leader. She was their friend.

"Okay," Clio said, "Kyle, David, Tania, Cara and myself. That's who is going in? No arguments."

"Let's move out," David said, "we don't come back without Breanna. Cara, you know what to do if we don't make it."

"Yes," Cara nodded, "but we will make it."

Smiling, David nodded and motioned for everyone to follow him.

Their re-entry of the facility happened without opposition. The hallways were empty and quiet.

"It's too quiet," Clio whispered.

"I agree," David whispered, "be prepared for anything."

"This way," Tania said, moving to the left. The group followed.

"Hold up," Cara said, "there are people ahead. But not normal humans. I think they have been enhanced."

"They could belong to Darcia?" Tania whispered.

"Possible," David sighed, "use caution."

Easing around the corner, they came to a stop. Five black-clad muscle-bound men stood across the passageway. Feet braced. Arms to the side. Necklaces around each neck. Armbands on their sleeves. One took off his gloves, flexing his fingers.

"Breanna is behind the door on the other side of them?" Cara said quietly, "Darcia seems to be with her and some other people, if you can call them that."

"Call them?" Clio asked.

"Difficult to explain," Cara said.

"I can try and kill them mentally, but it may not work," Clio said, "I used most of my energy getting us in here the first time."

"Can you get that past my shield," David asked, "if they do react, we can only hope it will protect us, and we have more of a chance of getting to Bre?"

"I can do that," Clio nodded.

"Once we're past these guys, I can get us into the room," Kyle said, "so let's level the playing field and get Breanna the hell out of here."

Breanna shook her head, feeling dazed and disorientated. She couldn't move. Flexing her hands and feet, cold metal bit into her skin, her eyes snapped open to find a white ceiling. Her head was strapped into a metal headband attached to the chair. Sterile white walls, stainless steel surfaces, and white-clad people milling around reminded Breanna of a hospital, a dentist's chair, or an asylum. She didn't like any of those choices. How did Darcia get all these medical technicians to do her bidding? Didn't they have ethics? Were they all as nuts as Darcia?

"Ah, you're awake," Darcia spoke from across the room, "I was beginning to think I may have hit you a little hard. The ability is fairly new. An enhancement I'm still trying to learn to control."

"I'm sure you'll get used to it," Breanna's voice croaked; clearing her throat, she tried again, "are these the people who finish your procedures?"

"You mean the ones I do on myself? Yes," Darcia grinned, looking around, "isn't it simply wonderful?"

"How do you get them to work for you?"

"Simple," Darcia chuckled, "they are all clones."

"All of them? Clones?"

"Yes," Darcia's eyes glittered evilly, "every single one is a clone. You see, when the real medical technician or agent is … well … dead, the clone dies as well. So I know when I have someone missing in my ranks."

"That's why you need so many. What about those that do not wear a necklace?" Breanna asked.

"Ahhhhh, yes, those clones die as well," Darcia nodded sadly, "I really have them to thank for finding the key to our problem."

"Really?" Breanna watched the activity around her, "how did your insane plot become our problem?"

"All of this is not an insane plot," Darcia snarled demonically before becoming peaceful again, "I'm really doing an extraordinary thing here."

"Has anyone told you that you're mad? Nuts. Insane," Breanna said, frowning slightly.

Darcia's grin faded instantly, her voice becoming hard, "Yes, there have been those who made those comments, but they are all dead. Including our parents."

"What about all the babies you bred from them? Are they dead?"

"Oh no," Darcia clapped her hands happily, her mood changing instantly, "they are very much alive. The fascinating thing was that every single time I bred on our parents, the product was twins," Darcia snarled. "TWINS!!" she bellowed, "as if our parents were mocking me."

"But isn't that what you wanted?" Breanna asked, doing her best to stall Darcia.

"Not at all," Darcia said, "I wanted to make one complete human being."

"Maybe you chose the wrong specimens," Breanna said, feeling like they spoke about the type of cake they were eating.

"You may have a point, my dear sister," Darcia said thoughtfully.

"Where are the babies, Darcia?" Breanna asked, "here in your facility or somewhere you won't be reminded of the one thing that you cannot defeat."

"Oh, they are safe. Where I can train and mentor the little critters, you know … make sure they don't become us. I defeat everything," Darcia nodded, "anything I put my mind to, I defeat."

"Disagree there, Darcia," Breanna sighed, "you don't defeat everything."

"What are you talking about?" Darcia tensed next to the metal seat Breanna was clamped into, "what have I not defeated?"

"A few things," Breanna said. "Individualism, non-selective genes …. yourself," Breanna said. "You've never been happy with yourself and need to defeat everything about yourself."

"That isn't true," Darcia said, shaking her head, "I am perfect now."

"Really? Is that why I'm sitting in this chair?" Breanna asked, "Is that why you need to take something from me to make you perfect? Darcia, you're still fighting yourself, and you still haven't defeated yourself."

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Darcia shuddered, "Not true," she hissed, "that is not true?"

"What were you hoping for from breeding our dead parents? Were you hoping for a second chance to prove that your enhancement of them had undone the ability to have twins?"

"Shut up," Darcia snarled, "it is possible to undo that kind of gene?"

"Really?" Breanna said, "from where I'm sitting and what you've told me, you didn't defeat that either."

"SHUT UP," Darcia roared, picking up a menacing-looking blade from a nearby tray moving toward Breanna, "if you don't shut up, I'll make you."

"Then you won't get what you need, Darcia," Breanna said, "if I'm dead, then so is my DNA. Remember that is how you enhanced me to be."

Darcia stopped frowning, "No," she whispered, "that isn't true."

Breanna watched Darcia's eyes fluttered from one side of her sockets to the other as if she were reading an unseen page. Gunfire sounded outside, bodies thudding against the door, more shooting, then an ominous silence.

"Quickly," Darcia jerked at the sudden intrusion, turning to the cloned medical technicians, "this has to be done now."

"We cannot," one clone droned, turning toward her, "we are not ready. You instructed us to start preparing when the specimen arrives."

"Hurry up," Darcia's growl spurred the clones into action.

Climbing into a nearby chair, Darcia smiled across at Breanna, "Very soon, I will have defeated us both."

The small group looked around at the bodies lying on the floor in the passageway. Turning in a circle, gun still raised and ready, David looked around him. Clio sagged against the wall. Cara standing next to her, feet braced, checking between the two ends of the passageway.

The fighting had been quick, fierce and thankfully successful. Clio's energy levels for her ability were nearly spent. Kyle was working on the door to get into the lab. Tania was guarding him as he worked. They seemed very connected on some level. David wondered if there was more to this teamwork than met the eye. Something to consider another time.

"How are we doing, Kyle?" Clio asked, pushing away from the wall.

"Almost there," he muttered, "give me a minute."

"We'd better hurry up," Cara gasped, holding the side of her head, "oh my … Darcia just opened her mind. They are preparing to do the process."

"When?" David asked, snapping his head around, locking eyes with Cara.

"Now," Cara said, breathing deeply, trying to drain the sudden tension while exhaling.

"Kyle, you have two seconds to get that door open," David said, "then I'm shooting that control."

"It's open," Kyle said, typing in a code.

"Let's get her out," Clio said.

Cara gasped, "I lost her. She was there, talking to Darcia and then... gone," panicking; she looked at David. "She was telling Darcia to decide for herself regarding their parent's bodies, and then everything went black."

"Did you see anything before the blackout?" David asked.

"She was looking at two people on exam tables from an observation window. Then … it's just a blur," Cara shook her head, "there was a sudden pain, alarm as though Breanna couldn't breathe, and then nothing."

"Damn," David ran his hand through his hair, "I told her the Darcia of now is not the Darcia she knew when she left here."

"Can you track her?" Clio asked.

Cara frowned as she concentrated, "No, but I can just sense Darcia, I cannot get into her mind," Cara blew out a breath, "she is powerful. I think she is taking Breanna to a laboratory. It seems she's going to do something to her, and it's happening now."

"We can't let that happen," Tula said, "if she succeeds in killing Breanna and goes on her way ..." she shook her head, speechless at the implications of the outcome.

"We'll have to go back in there," David said, "who knows everyone's skills?"

"Breanna," came the reply in unison.

"Great," David sighed, "so we have to trust each other with our talents and hope that we protect each other's back."

"Yep," Clio smiled tightly, "to succeed, that is what we'll have to do."

Meeting the eyes of each of the team, David nodded, "Let's get to it in a hurry before we lose Breanna."

"We'll need only the necessary to go back inside," Cara said, "I promised Breanna to make sure everyone made it out."

"That is not your call to make," David said, "that is our call to make."

"I disagree," Cara said, "Breanna gave me that order for a reason. Look around you and tell me who can take on Darcia single-handed, and how are we going to protect the Tina's?"

David looked around, "Fine," he sighed, "let's find out what everyone does, and then we decide, as a group, who will go in to get Breanna."

"We'd better make it fast," Cara said distantly, "she doesn't have much time."

"What we need is someone who knows lab equipment, someone who can protect at any given time, someone who can fight and someone who can get Darcia's attention," Reilly said.

"I can shield," David said, "and get Darcia's attention."

"I can fight," said Tania, "and I will be able to get you to the lab quickly," she glanced around, "eidetic memory."

"I know computers and lab equipment, plus I know how to arm and disarm them," Kyle said.

Quickly they went through the abilities of the others in the group. David felt humbled that these spectacular people felt as they did toward Breanna. She was not just their leader. She was their friend.

"Okay," Clio said, "Kyle, David, Tania, Cara and myself. That's who is going in? No arguments."

"Let's move out," David said, "we don't come back without Breanna. Cara, you know what to do if we don't make it."

"Yes," Cara nodded, "but we will make it."

Smiling, David nodded and motioned for everyone to follow him.

Their re-entry of the facility happened without opposition. The hallways were empty and quiet.

"It's too quiet," Clio whispered.

"I agree," David whispered, "be prepared for anything."

"This way," Tania said, moving to the left. The group followed.

"Hold up," Cara said, "there are people ahead. But not normal humans. I think they have been enhanced."

"They could belong to Darcia?" Tania whispered.

"Possible," David sighed, "use caution."

Easing around the corner, they came to a stop. Five black-clad muscle-bound men stood across the passageway. Feet braced. Arms to the side. Necklaces around each neck. Armbands on their sleeves. One took off his gloves, flexing his fingers.

"Breanna is behind the door on the other side of them?" Cara said quietly, "Darcia seems to be with her and some other people, if you can call them that."

"Call them?" Clio asked.

"Difficult to explain," Cara said.

"I can try and kill them mentally, but it may not work," Clio said, "I used most of my energy getting us in here the first time."

"Can you get that past my shield," David asked, "if they do react, we can only hope it will protect us, and we have more of a chance of getting to Bre?"

"I can do that," Clio nodded.

"Once we're past these guys, I can get us into the room," Kyle said, "so let's level the playing field and get Breanna the hell out of here."

Breanna shook her head, feeling dazed and disorientated. She couldn't move. Flexing her hands and feet, cold metal bit into her skin, her eyes snapped open to find a white ceiling. Her head was strapped into a metal headband attached to the chair. Sterile white walls, stainless steel surfaces, and white-clad people milling around reminded Breanna of a hospital, a dentist's chair, or an asylum. She didn't like any of those choices. How did Darcia get all these medical technicians to do her bidding? Didn't they have ethics? Were they all as nuts as Darcia?

"Ah, you're awake," Darcia spoke from across the room, "I was beginning to think I may have hit you a little hard. The ability is fairly new. An enhancement I'm still trying to learn to control."

"I'm sure you'll get used to it," Breanna's voice croaked; clearing her throat, she tried again, "are these the people who finish your procedures?"

"You mean the ones I do on myself? Yes," Darcia grinned, looking around, "isn't it simply wonderful?"

"How do you get them to work for you?"

"Simple," Darcia chuckled, "they are all clones."

"All of them? Clones?"

"Yes," Darcia's eyes glittered evilly, "every single one is a clone. You see, when the real medical technician or agent is … well … dead, the clone dies as well. So I know when I have someone missing in my ranks."

"That's why you need so many. What about those that do not wear a necklace?" Breanna asked.

"Ahhhhh, yes, those clones die as well," Darcia nodded sadly, "I really have them to thank for finding the key to our problem."

"Really?" Breanna watched the activity around her, "how did your insane plot become our problem?"

"All of this is not an insane plot," Darcia snarled demonically before becoming peaceful again, "I'm really doing an extraordinary thing here."

"Has anyone told you that you're mad? Nuts. Insane," Breanna said, frowning slightly.

Darcia's grin faded instantly, her voice becoming hard, "Yes, there have been those who made those comments, but they are all dead. Including our parents."

"What about all the babies you bred from them? Are they dead?"

"Oh no," Darcia clapped her hands happily, her mood changing instantly, "they are very much alive. The fascinating thing was that every single time I bred on our parents, the product was twins," Darcia snarled. "TWINS!!" she bellowed, "as if our parents were mocking me."

"But isn't that what you wanted?" Breanna asked, doing her best to stall Darcia.

"Not at all," Darcia said, "I wanted to make one complete human being."

"Maybe you chose the wrong specimens," Breanna said, feeling like they spoke about the type of cake they were eating.

"You may have a point, my dear sister," Darcia said thoughtfully.

"Where are the babies, Darcia?" Breanna asked, "here in your facility or somewhere you won't be reminded of the one thing that you cannot defeat."

"Oh, they are safe. Where I can train and mentor the little critters, you know … make sure they don't become us. I defeat everything," Darcia nodded, "anything I put my mind to, I defeat."

"Disagree there, Darcia," Breanna sighed, "you don't defeat everything."

"What are you talking about?" Darcia tensed next to the metal seat Breanna was clamped into, "what have I not defeated?"

"A few things," Breanna said. "Individualism, non-selective genes …. yourself," Breanna said. "You've never been happy with yourself and need to defeat everything about yourself."

"That isn't true," Darcia said, shaking her head, "I am perfect now."

"Really? Is that why I'm sitting in this chair?" Breanna asked, "Is that why you need to take something from me to make you perfect? Darcia, you're still fighting yourself, and you still haven't defeated yourself."

Darcia shuddered, "Not true," she hissed, "that is not true?"

"What were you hoping for from breeding our dead parents? Were you hoping for a second chance to prove that your enhancement of them had undone the ability to have twins?"

"Shut up," Darcia snarled, "it is possible to undo that kind of gene?"

"Really?" Breanna said, "from where I'm sitting and what you've told me, you didn't defeat that either."

"SHUT UP," Darcia roared, picking up a menacing-looking blade from a nearby tray moving toward Breanna, "if you don't shut up, I'll make you."

"Then you won't get what you need, Darcia," Breanna said, "if I'm dead, then so is my DNA. Remember that is how you enhanced me to be."

Darcia stopped frowning, "No," she whispered, "that isn't true."

Breanna watched Darcia's eyes fluttered from one side of her sockets to the other as if she were reading an unseen page. Gunfire sounded outside, bodies thudding against the door, more shooting, then an ominous silence.

"Quickly," Darcia jerked at the sudden intrusion, turning to the cloned medical technicians, "this has to be done now."

"We cannot," one clone droned, turning toward her, "we are not ready. You instructed us to start preparing when the specimen arrives."

"Hurry up," Darcia's growl spurred the clones into action.

Climbing into a nearby chair, Darcia smiled across at Breanna, "Very soon, I will have defeated us both."

The small group looked around at the bodies lying on the floor in the passageway. Turning in a circle, gun still raised and ready, David looked around him. Clio sagged against the wall. Cara standing next to her, feet braced, checking between the two ends of the passageway.

The fighting had been quick, fierce and thankfully successful. Clio's energy levels for her ability were nearly spent. Kyle was working on the door to get into the lab. Tania was guarding him as he worked. They seemed very connected on some level. David wondered if there was more to this teamwork than met the eye. Something to consider another time.

"How are we doing, Kyle?" Clio asked, pushing away from the wall.

"Almost there," he muttered, "give me a minute."

"We'd better hurry up," Cara gasped, holding the side of her head, "oh my … Darcia just opened her mind. They are preparing to do the process."

"When?" David asked, snapping his head around, locking eyes with Cara.

"Now," Cara said, breathing deeply, trying to drain the sudden tension while exhaling.

"Kyle, you have two seconds to get that door open," David said, "then I'm shooting that control."

"It's open," Kyle said, typing in a code.

"Let's get her out," Clio said.