Paging Dr. Geek, You Have a Call...

It was 8:45 before I called the number. I didn’t want to risk not getting through, but I wanted to make his ass wait a little bit, too...a little gamesmanship.

The phone rang three times before it was answered.

He spoke first. “Hello, who’s calling please?” He was trying to sound nonchalant, but there was strain in his voice...he was a little too eager and it showed.

“You know who this is.”

His voice perked up a little bit. I could hear noises in the background, traffic noises. “Rusty, I’m so glad you’ve called. I was beginning to worry that you hadn’t gotten my message.”

“What do you want, Bernstein? I thought I was done with you when we left you in Canada to start a new life.”

“Yes, well, I am still in Canada, but there are some things I need to discuss with you. Such as your new baby daughter. And how you can save her life, of course there is a price to the information I have.”

“Before this goes any further Bernstein, you’ve got some convincing to do before I can believe that I have any newborn child out there. In case you haven’t noticed, asshole, I’m not exactly equipped for THAT job anymore.”

He hesitated for just a moment, like he was trying to gather his thoughts before he spoke again. He stuttered a bit as he began. “Well...um..Let me begin by saying that not all of our experiments with you and other test subjects...”

“You mean my fellow officers, don’t you Doctor?”

“Yes...of course. Like I was saying, not all of our experiments on you and the other officers were recorded in our notes. Director Kampmann had me conduct some off-record tests and to take samples of each officer’s...DNA...through blood and semen samples taken during the preparation of your bodies for your...uh...current assignments.”

“How did you get any semen from me, Dr. Geek, I had been fixed for over ten years before I died?”

“Well...you know that a vasectomy only prevents semen from escaping the body during intercourse, your body still produced plenty of fertile sperm, it just didn’t have an avenue of escape...until I....uh...”

“Until you cut me up like a prime hog in a butcher shop, asshole.”

“Yes. I could certainly see how you think of it in those terms.”

“OK, so say you did recover some fertile sperm from my carcass, how the Hell does that translate into my having a child now?”

He hesitated again. Cleared his throat, and spoke again, “Yes, well, those samples of semen and blood were used in some off-site experiments in cloning, gene therapy research, and in genetic modification. Eventually, some of those sperm samples were implanted via in vitro fertilization. One such sample of yours was implanted shortly before we located you in Las Vegas. That sample took and has been carried to full term, resulting in a baby girl who is your genetic offspring. You are her biological father.”

“You sick, sick bastard. Why should I give a fuck about this child, whoever the Hell she really is?”

“Well, first of all, because I know you are not the heartless monster you like to portray yourself as. Now that you know you have a child, I know that you will do the right thing. She is in grave danger right now, and you are probably the only one who can truly save her.”

“Alright asshole, I’ll play along for the moment, what danger is she in?”

“She is in danger in a number of ways. Physically, she is in a very precarious position that could very easily prove fatal if you don’t act quickly and decisively. If she survives the immediate danger though, she’s in peril from the Director. He will stop at nothing at locating her and using her against you.”

“How is it that you know where this baby is and Drake doesn’t?”

“Well, as I mentioned, the mother was impregnated shortly before I encountered you in Las Vegas, and after that, I was, shall we say, indisposed for a period of time. Before I had a chance to get in contact with the Director again, the organization was significantly degraded. I have been granted asylum and a new identity here in Canada, but just yesterday the Director made contact with me. He has set up a meeting for me with one of his representatives in three hours here. He expects me to provide him with the details of certain...projects...that may remain open, including your daughter.”

“Shit. So why did you contact me? Why not just give him the child and the goods on your other cursed projects?”

“Because I don’t particularly want to resume my former employment and I think you can help me avoid that. So, is saving an innocent young girls life, your daughters life, worth helping me, an old adversary?”