Project Genesis - Epilogue

: Epilogue :1

/Laboratory Log 158, Doctor Edmund Wyrie2

Year 2006, April 7th3

It’s been five years since our first and last successes in Project Genesis have gotten loose. Shortly after their second, and final escape, the one that resulted in the death of Sharen Kilburn, Project Genesis was shut down. Unfortunately, the faces of those poor teenagers have not yet left my mind. Their anger over the death of Benjamin Chambers gave them just enough incentive to get out of the building. Together, they killed nine more people on the way out.4

I should have done more for them, but with Sharen calling all the shots, it was nearly impossible to defend them. But I tried, really, I did. 5

Every one in a while, I still think that I’ve glimpsed them out and about in public, even now, years later, when they’re most likely in another country, free and attempting to live their own lives. 6

We were so stupid to believe that this could have turned out any other way than it did. But we’ve learned. All evidence of their having been here, save for the files that were stolen, were destroyed the moment Sharen’s body was cremated. 7

It’s difficult now, to think back on it; to think of all of the things we put those poor children through in the name of science. I still mourn the lives that they once had, the ones that they can now never re-enter. Everyone here knows… the police know what they did and what they’re capable of, and while there is not a hunt out for them, there never was, people are still keeping an eye out for them. Although I’m sure they’re relatively harmless now that they aren’t being chased, I still fear what may happen should they decide to return…/8

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(Kinley)10

“The body of Edmund Wyrie was found on the eighth day of April in 2005. The cause of death was proved to be one, self inflicted gunshot to the head. He was discovered in his office that morning by a fellow co-worker, who immediately called in for an ambulance. He was pronounced dead on arrival.11

Services will be held for those who wish to attend this Sunday at 3 PM, blah, blah, blah….”12

She glanced up from the newspapers over at Cody and raised her eyebrows, “I was wondering how long it would take him to blow his head off.”13

Cody snorted and leaned back, lacing his fingers together behind his neck. “I figured if he hadn’t done it yet then he never would.”14

“People are just full of surprises,” Murdock said, stretching as she plunked down at the table next to Kinley. She removed her sunglasses, revealing the slits in her eyes that were now permanent, just as the white streaks in Kinley’s hair, the stripes on Hadley’s skin and the slight elongation of Cody’s spine, where they assumed his stinger was supposed to have gone. “Word on the grapevine says the old man was routing for us from day one.”15

“Who told you that?” Cody asked, raising his eyebrows.16

Murdock, who had grown her hair out to its natural color just grinned, “Kinley. She kept tabs on his mind while we were in there, and… well, the fucking place is like, twelve miles away. That’s a pretty fair distance, right Kin?”17

“Yeah, I can hit that from here.” She sighed and glanced over at Murdock and Hadley, “How was tanning?”18

Murdock shrugged, “I got more of a burn than a tan… Hadley did okay though.”19

Hadley shrugged, “Went all right.” She snickered, “You know Kinley, this was actually a really good idea…”20

“What was?”21

“Phrogging the house like this, and keeping an eye on the building to make sure they shut down the program.”22

Kinley snorted, “It’s not considered phrogging if the people who lived here had a heart attack and died the second they caught sight of you guys.”23

Hadley rolled her eyes, “Besides… you’d think these people were building a bomb shelter or something with all the food they had stocked up.”24

“Hadley, we’re way the hell out in the hills, it’s a miracle we can even get a hold of the paper, let alone groceries!”25

“We’re gonna have to leave soon anyway.” Murdock sighed, leaning back in the chair. “Friends are starting to call, at any rate, Wyrie’s dead, he’s the last of the line and the cops are too afraid of us to make a move. We can pretty much go wherever we want now.”26

“Yeah, but where?”27

Murdock grinned, “You willing to crank out a few more long distance calls to home?”28

“What are you thinking?” Cody asked. Kinley could sense his suspicion.29

“I’m thinking of going home, duh.”30

“Yeah, but… that means we won’t be together anymore.” Kinley told her, an icy feeling growing in her chest.31

Murdock grinned slyly, “I don’t think my mom would mind all that much… I mean, she’d have no problem housing us long enough to get us off of our feet…”32

Kinley was silent for a moment before returning the grin and lifting her hand in the air, “All in favor, say aye.”33

There was a slight pause before Hadley and Cody put their hands into the air, all four now sharing the same broad grin.34

“Aye!”35