CHAPTER 238: DECLAN’S VERY BAD DAY

By the time the boys arrived at Constantine’s, everyone was in place. Zach and Tim, Madison, members of the GBI residents of the Township and the Z1 were all packed into the malt shop. Patrick was at the door, Wolfie was lingering around watching everything, and big Jim was perched on a barstool at the soda bar. Lonnie, Danny and Jason took their seats at the table centered in the room.

It didn’t take long for the trap to be sprung. Declan, the number two in charge along with Rick and a very young genman—probably an apprentice—walked to the front door and made a beeline to the table.

"So here we find you, the three missing ones. Did you think that you could hideout forever?" Declan boasted. "We’ve been staking this place out for months waiting for you to show, and now you’re ours."

Lonnie started to chuckle. "Oh, my poor overconfident ex-coworker, you have always been such an overachiever. You didn’t even know that you had walked into the spider’s den. The entire time that you’ve been reporting since you called in about your arrival, you haven’t been talking to home base." He paused, his smile widening. "We have signal jammers here in this community, surrounding this community and the ranches so that we are protected from the corporation. And it was very stupid of the corporation to use independent shuttle systems to bring your dumbasses here."

Declan started to bristle up. "You’re coming with us and we’re going to leave. You’re going back into the system so that you can be reprogrammed."

Lonnie went to stand up and Declan was shocked at what he saw. All he could do was point at Lonnie’s stomach. "What the hell is wrong with you? Why have you put on so much weight?"

Lonnie rubbed his stomach then patted it. "This is what I’ve been up to. You know how they always told us we couldn’t ever have children? That was a fucking lie, and these babies that I carry are all the proof that I need."

"As far as us going anywhere, that’s not going to happen," he continued. "The only ones that will be going somewhere are the three of you, and you’re going to the breeding pods so that you can be taught the truth about yourselves."

Declan turned and realized that there was no exit—there was nothing but a wall of bodies blocking everything.

"I would like for you to meet the father of my babies," Lonnie smiled. "His name is Stanton Wolf. Everyone calls him Wolfie for short, and these two are his Wolf Cubs. The big guy at the door is Patrick—he’s Danny’s mate now. They didn’t produce but one child and Danny is carrying quite well as you can tell. But young Stanton here, he got the prize bull of the crowd. This is big Jim Jamison, the father to the child that he carries within him. And yes, they are all humans because on the Z1 we’re all family. We live together, we raise families together, and we are bringing in the new era of the genman and human races."

He gestured broadly around the room. "There’s a lot that you don’t know and a lot that you are going to learn, you poor uneducated fool. And without further ado, I would like to introduce you to the owners of the local ranches. This is Zachariah Spinelli, but we call him Mr. Zack, and the other one sitting next to him—that’s Ed Hawthorne. Together they own half this countryside around here and more, so it’s not going to do you any good to resist. Your future has been decided for you, and by morning you’re going to have a new outlook on your life."

Declan, Rick and Tristan were restrained. Tim and Madison walked them out to the waiting speeder so they could be transported to the center where their new partners awaited their arrival.

Lonnie took a deep breath and almost collapsed after they were gone. "Mr. Zack, that’s the hardest thing I’ve ever... I can’t believe I stood up to Declan. He was the only thing I knew that I could call a friend other than Danny, my brother. Tomorrow after everything takes place, do you think I could come by and visit him at the center?"

"Well Lonnie, it’s like this—I wouldn’t expect nothing less of you," Zack replied. "You’re a very gentle, caring individual, and as the babies grow and mature inside of you, you even show more of your paternal side of genman traits. But let’s enjoy a malt and a burger and maybe some fries tonight. We are one step closer to putting a permanent kink into the Corporation’s operations."

Zack ordered everyone around for food—Z1 residents and community residents. This was one more chance for the local community and the ranches to work together and become one in the same.

Young Dallas approached Zach and asked if he could speak to him—it was urgent. Zack was very pleased with young Dallas and his recent transition; he was a very good-looking young man now.

"Sure, young man. What is exactly on your mind?" Zack asked.

"Mr. Zack, I don’t want to carry. I know my time will be soon up, but I want to experience what it’s like to be a father," Dallas said earnestly. "I can’t explain it, but the young one—he looked at me and I saw myself."

Zack realized exactly what Dallas felt and picked up his communicator, calling for Tim to return to the diner—he had another pickup. Zach made another call and spoke to Lex, telling him the situation that had presented itself.

Lex understood exactly what his grandfather was talking about. When some genman see others, they know exactly what is meant for them.

Zack and Dallas walked outside and waited for the speeder to return. When Tim pulled up, Zack removed Tristan from the vehicle and the three of them walked away for a talk.

"Tristan, I know you’re young, just like young Dallas here is, but he has spoken up and he’s requesting the honor of being paired with you," Zack began. "I know this is new to you as this will be your first and his first time. He is the product of a mixed relationship, which means he is hybrid—his father is human and his dad is pure blood genman. You are just about the same age as he is, recently transitioned like you. If you agree to a joining with him, the two of you will be set up together and you will explore life together. If you refuse his request, you will be sent on to the breeding quarters where you’ll be set up with a full blood human and you will conceive by him a hybrid. The choice is yours. I’m going to step back a minute and let the two of you speak, but one way or the other, by morning time you will be carrying. The choice is between the two of you."

Dallas placed his hand up on Tristan’s, and the chemistry was there. Tristan didn’t know what was going on, but his vent was suddenly damp. Even with all of the chemicals that were pumped into his body, when he met his intended, he reacted.

Dallas smelled the air and smiled. "We were meant for each other, or you wouldn’t be going into cycle against all odds. It’s your choice—either it’s me and you together raising a family, which I think is fantastic, or I will step all the way back and you will be accompanied by another who will give you his child and you will have many children with him."

Tristan began to speak. "If we can take it slow and you explain everything... because I’m not stupid, but I cannot deny the feelings that my body is sending. I can’t explain what’s going on. I’m embarrassed that I’m wetting myself, and what’s even more strange, it feels like my nectar’s coming in. I’m not supposed to be able to do this. I’ve been told that my body can’t produce children and my glands would never swell like others."

"It’s amazing what the genman body can do when combined with pheromones that two can produce with their intended," Dallas smiled and gently laughed. "No amount of chemicals that any corporation can give you can block that aspect of genman nature."

The two walked toward Mr. Zack. "It’s okay," Tristan told him. "I consent to the joining with young Dallas."