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  Ginny drew back sharply, tears springing to her eyes. She flung the teddy to the floor and ran upstairs.

  The two young people looked at each other in alarm.

  ‘How much did she hear?’ Angus said.

  His girlfriend groaned. ‘I’ll go and see!’

  She picked up the teddy and ran upstairs. Ginny was lying in bed staring at the ceiling.

  ‘Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean …’

  ‘I’m not a baby!’ Ginny retorted. ‘I don’t need a babysitter!’

  ‘I know. What I meant …’

  ‘And I thought you enjoyed today, too!’ She began to cry.

  ‘Please, Ginny! I did. I just meant, well, sometimes I’d like to be with people my own age. I’m sure you want to spend time with kids sometimes, too?’

  Ginny stared at the ceiling.

  ‘Anyway, as far as young kids go, you’re OK, you know. There are not many young kids I could spend the whole day with without going nuts!’

  She sat down on the edge of the bed holding the teddy.

  ‘Did your father like Ted?’

  ‘He’s too busy at the moment.’

  ‘Hmmm, like Angus, too busy!’ Zig remarked. Ginny sat up. ‘You can’t blame them! They’re doing really important research. It’s the future of the Labs we’re talking about.’

  ‘Well, we’re not going to have their company this evening. Angus is heading back to the laboratory to continue their important research.’

  ‘Is he sick?’ Ginny asked her, fingering the tablets in her pocket.

  Zig shook her head, ‘No, just a headache. He’s fine.’ She smiled at Ginny. ‘Fancy watching a film? There’s a good one on TV tonight. Hey, we could make popcorn too!’

  ‘Popcorn? I’ve never made popcorn before!’ Ginny sprang from the bed.

  Zig gave Angus a wink as she brought a plate of sandwiches down to the two men.

  ‘Thought you boys might need some sustenance.’ Adam absently took a sandwich from the plate. ‘Which file did you say you stored Sanjit’s details in, Angus?’

  ‘Thank you, Zig. I don’t know what we’d do without you, Zig!’ she said loudly.

  ‘Thanks, love. Is everything all right?’ Angus said.

  ‘Sorted,’ she replied.

  ‘I can’t open this folder. Give me a hand here, Angus. I want to check up on his data,’ Adam said.

  ‘See you later,’ Angus gave his girlfriend a quick smile before he turned back to the screen and keyed in a password. ‘Each file has a separate code, for security.’

  Zig sighed and went back upstairs.

  ‘Ah, that’s it!’ Adam said as Angus opened the file. ‘Why do you bother with her?’

  ‘What?’ Angus said.

  ‘She’s not only inferior in intelligence, but she’s actually physically flawed. Look at her face! I assume Independent Labs can interbreed in the same way as us, but for goodness’ sake select a Non-Lab higher in intelligence and physical appearance before you consider having young!’

  ‘I’m not thinking about having … young, not at the moment anyway. Zig’ll do for now,’ Angus replied. ‘She’s been useful keeping Ginny occupied, hasn’t she?’

  ‘She came in handy today,’ Adam conceded. ‘But now that we’ve started serious research into future Labs we’ve no space for her anymore. It’s time to think of getting rid of her.’

  ‘Yeah, I’ll speak to her soon,’ Angus muttered. He turned back to the computer screen. ‘Here’s the format for Sanjit – it’s a straight clone of Takir himself.’

  The older man shook his head. ‘Our researchers explained why they were against the cloning of a clone. I didn’t look into all the details, something to do with increasing the risk of any flaws in the first clone being magnified. This could be a greater problem with the accelerated development your donors followed.’

  ‘If we download the data we have on to the system you have at your house we should be able to make a more detailed analysis.’

  ‘We could move there at the weekend. Without the girl,’ Adam said. ‘I’ll take Ginny out for the day tomorrow, that’ll give you time to get rid of her, OK?’

  The younger man looked as if he wanted to say something, but he gave a brief nod.

  ‘That was a great film!’ Ginny said after watching Pirates of the Caribbean. ‘I’d love to be a pirate! It would be so exciting!’

  ‘Not in real life,’ Zig told her. ‘Don’t forget, this is just a film.’

  ‘I used to think you were a pirate!’ Ginny said.

  Zig fingered her eye patch. ‘No, this just hides a horrible mess. Want to see it?’

  Ginny nodded and sat motionless as Zig raised the eye patch to reveal a closed eye with a jagged scar running from top to bottom.

  Ginny drew a breath. ‘What happened?’

  ‘A fight with a knife. I didn’t expect her to fight so dirty! I lost my sight in this eye.’

  The younger girl sat up straight. ‘We could find her, get her back!’

  Zig put the eye patch back in place, ‘Nah! It’s not worth it now. I’ve left those days behind for good. Don’t want to end up like my old man.’ She noticed Ginny’s puzzled frown. ‘My dad.’

  ‘Where is he?’

  ‘Prison, on the street … don’t know and don’t care!’

  ‘Where’s your mum?’ Ginny asked softly. ‘Is she nice?’

  Zig bit her lip hard.

  ‘She was nice, the best mum ever! Went to hospital for a small operation, caught one of those superbugs, dead within a month.’ She pointed to her eye. ‘They patched me up straight after the fight and said that they could do another operation to make it look almost back to normal, though they couldn’t guarantee getting my sight back. But after what happened to my mum I wasn’t going to let them mess around with me!’

  Ginny put her arms around Zig’s neck. ‘Well you’ve got us for friends now! We’ll look after you. And your eye patch isn’t too scary … when you get used to it!’

  ‘You may be one of those clever Hybrids, but you’re just a kid underneath. A good kid, though!’ Zig smiled.

  ‘Well, I thought today could be our day together, Ginny,’ said Adam at breakfast the next morning. ‘And we’ll leave Angus and Zig to spend some time together. They must have lots to talk about, eh, Angus? I’ll take McBride’s manual car, OK?’

  As she closed the door behind them Zig gave an exaggerated sigh. She put her arms around Angus’s neck. ‘I know what I plan to do first!’

  ‘Come on!’ He laughed and pulled himself free, ‘We haven’t been in Edinburgh for nearly a month. Let’s go and see Ian and Craig. See what’s been happening around here.’

  ‘Can’t we go to them tomorrow?’ Zig cajoled. ‘Adam said he’s taking Ginny back to her mum tomorrow. We’ll have all the time we want then.’

  ‘Zig, this work I’m doing with Adam – it’s serious, you know.’

  ‘Oh, I know that. But can’t we have a bit of time for us?’ she asked. ‘Even Adam stops now and then to spend time with Ginny.’

  ‘Yes, but she’s a …’ Angus stopped and started rubbing his chest. He pulled out the bottle of tablets he always kept in his pocket and swallowed two of them. ‘These are nearly gone. Did you order any on the internet?’

  Zig pulled a bottle out of her bag and handed them to him. ‘The last site has disappeared. I had to find a new one. More expensive, too. Why don’t you ask Adam for help? I’m sure …’

  ‘I will, but not just yet!’ he pocketed the new bottle and pulled his jacket on. ‘Come on, I need some fresh air. Let’s go round to see Craig.’

  ‘Do I have to go home tomorrow, Daddy?’ Ginny pouted, her arms folded across her chest as they drove back to Angus’s house that afternoon.

  ‘I thought you’d be missing your mother by now, Ginny.’

  ‘I do, sort of; but I’ve had such fun with Zig. She said …’

  ‘I really don’t want to hear anything else that Zig said. She’s just a Non-La
b. And not very well-educated, either.’ Adam sighed. ‘Anyway, my love, I think she’ll be getting back to her own friends and family soon. Maybe even today.’

  ‘But … we’re her friends! She said …’ Ginny began.

  ‘It’s for the best. She needs her Non-Lab people and we have very special work to do.’ Her father patted her hand. ‘I’m looking forward to the future, with you working beside me in the laboratory. Isn’t that what you want, too?’

  ‘Yes, of course …’

  ‘How are you getting on with your book about the brain?’

  Ginny blushed, she’d hardly opened it in the last week. ‘Fine.’

  ‘That’s my girl, my Hybrid girl!’ Adam turned and smiled at her.

  They drove the rest of the way home in silence. When they drew up in front of the house Ginny sprang out and ran up to the front door. She was relieved to see Zig open it.

  ‘Adam, thank God you’re back!’ Zig cried, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the house.

  ‘What the …?’ he began.

  ‘It’s Angus!’ Zig sobbed, ‘It’s the latest tablets! They don’t work! We’ve been ripped off with duds! And he won’t let me call for an ambulance!’

  They were now all in the lounge where an ashen Angus lay on the sofa.

  ‘Has he got a headache?’ Ginny asked.

  ‘He’s having a heart attack!’ Zig cried. ‘Help us, Adam!’

  A look of disgust passed across the man’s face. Ginny ran from the room and returned a few minutes later with the handful of tablets she had picked up from the floor. Zig snatched them from her hand and forced two into Angus’s mouth.

  ‘Where did you get these?’ Zig asked her.

  ‘You dropped them on the floor when Angus had a headache,’ she replied. ‘Is he OK now?’

  ‘For the moment, but he really needs help, Adam. He didn’t want to ask you, but …’ Zig said.

  ‘Well, now you know why the other Independents left me behind; I’m flawed.’ Angus said softly.

  ‘So you’re just a flawed Lab? No wonder you stuck with her!’ Adam tossed a look at the girl, then turned and made for the door. ‘Come on, Ginny, time to pack our bags.’

  ‘Are we going to take Angus and Zig to the Compound? Abel will find someone to make Angus better,’ she said as she followed him.

  ‘Please Adam, we need to hurry,’ Zig’s voice trembled. ‘Angus has about another seven hours of these tablets left.’

  Adam turned on his heels and went up to his room.

  ‘Wait here!’ Zig said to the other two and ran after Adam, stepping into his room and shutting the door behind her.

  ‘You’re wasting your time.’ Adam snapped, throwing things into a holdall.

  ‘No!’ she retorted. ‘We’ve no time to waste. Angus is running out of time; so this is what we’re going to do!’

  She stood in front of him with her arms folded.

  ‘You’ve had some run-in with your Compound Lab friends – that’s obvious because Ginny says you never go there nor mix with any of them. Me and Angus are going there today to get their help -’

  ‘They won’t help you!’ Adam interrupted.

  ‘They’ll recognise Angus as a Lab, just as you and Ginny did.’ she replied, ‘And when we show them the stuff Angus has on his memory stick they’ll be interested.’

  ‘That’s my research!’ Adam looked furious.

  ‘That’s right, I’ll tell them where to find you if they want to ask you questions about anything. It might look better if you faced them yourself first, don’t you think?’ She turned to leave then stopped and looked back at him. ‘Oh, and I don’t think you’ll find Ginny will take it too well if I point out how her loving father is abandoning us, do you?’

  A smile spread across Adam’s face. ‘It might be better if I just got rid of the pair of you.’

  ‘OK, you could get rid of me easily enough. But you get rid of Angus and you’ve lost any chance to get in touch with the other Independents. You’ll still be working alone.’

  Zig looked defiant. Adam closed his eyes and took a deep breath. What the girl said was true. He had often thought there would come a time when he would have to face the Compound Labs as his daughter grew up. He’d make out that he persuaded a reluctant Angus to meet the Compound Labs, so they could learn more about Independent Labs. He’d present himself in a stronger position this way. This might be the best time to face them.

  He looked up and nodded. ‘OK, we’ll leave in ten minutes. I’ll do the talking with Abel.’

  Zig gave a sigh of relief as she raced back down the stairs. ‘Angus, Ginny! We’re leaving in ten minutes!’ Ginny bounded up the stairs and beamed at her father. ‘Daddy! I knew you would help!’

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  ‘That’s the last of the tablets, Angus.’ Zig sounded anxious as she handed them to him in the back seat of the car. ‘How much further to go, Adam?’

  ‘About two hours,’ he replied.

  The rest of the journey passed in silence. Ginny nodded off in the front seat, while Zig kept an anxious eye on Angus.

  Ginny was jolted awake as the car turned into the main gates of the Compound and a voice asked them to identify themselves. She noticed her father hesitate and leaned over.

  ‘It’s me, Ginny, and my dad. Our Lab friend is sick!’

  The gate was opened and they drove in, pulling up in front of the reception.

  Abel appeared with Amanda behind him as Ginny and Adam got out of the car.

  ‘Url …’ Abel began, looking at Ginny’s father in amazement.

  ‘Ginny!’ Amanda rushed forward and grabbed her daughter. ‘What’s happened, Adam?’

  ‘It’s a long story,’ Adam held Abel’s gaze, ‘we’ve a sick Independent Lab here. He needs help quickly!’

  ‘Independent Lab?’ Abel nodded. ‘OK, Adam. You had better bring him in. But we’ll need to talk later.’

  Ten minutes later Angus was in the medical room while Zig waited with Ginny in the reception building.

  ‘I think it’s time I got you home, young lady! What on earth has your father been getting up to, and what was he thinking of getting you involved with these people?’ Amanda said, giving Zig a disparaging look. ‘I think we need to have a serious discussion, your father and I!’

  ‘I want to stay here and see how Angus is,’ Ginny insisted. ‘And I can’t leave Zig here on her own.’

  At that moment Ruby arrived. ‘Let’s all go across to our house while we wait for news about Zig’s friend.’

  Ginny sat with her mother in the lounge, giving her an edited version of the previous two weeks, while Ruby kept Zig busy in the kitchen.

  ‘How did you get to meet Url … Adam?’ she asked.

  Zig told her how they had met in the supermarket. ‘Labs seem to have an extra sense when they are near each other, don’t they? I must admit Adam has never been really keen on me, being a Non-Lab and flawed,’ she pointed to her eye. ‘But Ginny’s a great kid.’

  Ruby picked up the tray of drinks and sandwiches. ‘Come and have a drink. You must be ready for something after that long drive. Abel will phone us and tell us what is happening as soon as he can.’

  Twenty minutes later she picked up the phone on its first ring. She nodded and made a few comments then turned to the others.

  ‘They’re going to have to operate straight away. It’ll take a few hours. Would you like to go and say a few words before he goes in, Zig?’

  Zig nodded silently.

  Ruby squeezed her arm. ‘He’s in good hands, you know.’

  ‘Of course he is. They’re Lab doctors, Zig!’ Ginny stood up. ‘Can I go too?’

  Amanda stood up. ‘No, Ginny. I’m taking you home now.’

  ‘But …’ she protested.

  ‘Go home with your mother now, Ginny. Zig can stay here with us. We’ll call you tomorrow,’ Ruby said.

  Amanda frowned as she watched Zig hug her daughter.

  ‘See you, Gin.’
>
  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  ‘So, Url,’ Abel sat opposite Ginny’s father. ‘We didn’t expect to see you around here again.’

  ‘No. I’m not surprised,’ Adam nodded. ‘I hadn’t planned on it happening like this myself; but maybe what happened is for the best. We might even be able to work together.’

  ‘I can name a few Labs who would not be too keen on working with you!’ Abel replied coldly. ‘First of all there are the four Labs that you were willing to sacrifice in your last “research project”.’

  Adam looked down. ‘I know, I know! I was arrogant. I thought I was better than many Labs. But I assure you, things are different now. Why else do you think I have been trying to persuade Angus to come here and tell you what he knows about the Independent Labs, even though I didn’t know what reception I myself would get?’

  Abel looked sceptical. ‘I have arranged for some of the others to come here tomorrow. We will decide together what to do next. They will want to know more about Angus and the Independent Labs. We had no previous knowledge of any other Labs but ourselves.’

  ‘I have a lot to offer the Compound Labs. Angus and I have started a research programme already. Research that will affect Compound Labs and Independent Labs.’

  ‘Whether you will be accepted by the other Compound Labs is not up to me alone,’ Abel said, standing up to leave.

  They sat opposite each other again the next morning. A knock sounded on the door and several people entered. Adam recognised the Labs Celia, Fiona, and the two sets of twins he had kidnapped as part of his previous research. Isaac, their Non-Lab friend, was also present.

  Adam shuffled in his chair and stood up as Milly approached him with Lily behind her.

  ‘You have the nerve to come here and suggest working with us?’ she shouted.

  Adam spread his hands,’ I know you have every reason to mistrust me –’

  ‘You’re right! We don’t want to see you at all!’ she interrupted. ‘You tampered with our minds – you risked our lives!’

  Adam gave a wry grin. ‘A fair point – but you wouldn’t have been able to stand up to me like this if I hadn’t made that slight modification …’