Kericon Facilities
Somewhere in Arizona, 2001
"What's the status of groups alpha and beta?"
"They should be fully developed within a week."
"Really? That soon? The simulations I'd done showed results at a much later stage... this is fantastic!"
"You're tellin' me; at this rate we'll have them trained and ready for dispatch by next month."
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Two weeks later
"What do you mean I'm being shut down?!"
"Sorry, but I didn't make the call."
"I don't give a good fuck who made the call, they can't do this!"
"Can and will, Congress just passed the MRA and well, the financial backings gotta come from somewhere."
"They can't take away my funding, what about national security?!
"This is national security!... Look, I know you were Hell bent on growin' the perfect army, but the war's over; has been for years. The MRA is now."
"My work, my subjects... what will happen to them?
"Well, word is they're suppose to be scrapped, but some guys up North got an eye to buy em' off your hands."
"Buy?"
"Yeah, 'buy', you know; the exchange of currency for goods and services?"
"Don't fuckin' patronize me!"
"Hey, don't get your feathers ruffled, I'm just letting you in on what I heard."
"This project is not for sale!"
"Really? I'd sell me wife for the two billion they wanna give you. Hell, I'd give er' away, but two billion? That's enough money to make a whole new planet of freaks!"
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Wyler Genetics
Undisclosed location of Ontario, Canada
One month later
"So how're we doin'?"
"So far, so good; we've had thirteen matings this week alone and four successful breedings that I can affirm."
"That's a start, what about the rest?"
"Well, it's mostly the females holding up progress; they'll take some coaxing but-"
"You said 'mostly females', which males aren't cooperating?"
"I guess that was a bit ambiguous of me... it's just this one."
"Really? I thought he'd be the main source of our advancement... but (sighs), I suppose I shouldn't have assumed. How many subjects have you sent in?"
"Six... seven, if you count the one male... I had to know if that was the problem."
"And...?"
"It wasn't."
"Have you tried sending him females in heat?"
"Yes, twice."
"With no result?"
"Well, he went as far as penetration with one, but he never, um... finished the job. (mumbles) At least not the right way. (normal voice) It was as if he knew what we were doing."
"Nonsense, they're not capable of such mental range."
"Actually-"
"Try once more and if the problem doesn't correct itself, we'll just have to use forceful means."
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The next day
"Have the drugs taken affect yet?"
"Yeah, he's not going anywhere."
"Good."
"Do we have to do it this way? Can't we impregnate the female artificially?"
"It'll take longer and I haven't any time to waste, I need results as soon as possible."
"But this method isn't exactly guaranteed, especially when neither subject wants-"
"Dammit! Why the Hell must you question my authority at every turn?! We are doing it this way and that's that!"
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Three weeks later
"What's this week's count?"
"Sixteen matings and eleven affirmed breedings."
"Now those are the kind of numbers that I like to hear. Did our 'special' subject contribute to that eleven?"
"No, I told-"
"Silence! (sighs) It's just as well, perhaps we can break even by selling him."
"To who?"
"The highest bidder, the slave market has got quite a following these days."
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Two days later
Ontario Place, Canada
"The market"
"I'll give you C$300."
"Are you kidding me? If you're gonna waste my time I might as well take him off the block."
The auctioneer turned around, "You can't do that, once bidding has started; the best offer takes all, no matter what the price."
"Yeah? well, who's going to stop me?"
"I will!", said a large man with ruffled gray hair and a mischievous smile, "C$400,000!"
The auctioneer blinked a few times before closing the deal, "Goin' once, twice… sold!"
After the exchange had been made, the auctioneer tapped the night's highest bidder-and probably the year's highest bidder-to ask his
name.
The response he got dripped with unsettling southern charm, "The name's Stryker."
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Yeah, I have rage issues... this is my way of taking them out. Hugs to Wolf for suggesting the title 'Highest Bidder'.