Viable Babies (Viability Series Book 3)

Viable Babies

(Viability Series Book 3)

By V.G. Harrison

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Copyright © 2016 by V.G. Harrison

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database retrieval system, without permission from the author.

Find V.G Harrison at http://www.vgharrison.com/

Discover other titles by V.G. Harrison:

Viable Eggs

Viable Fetuses

Viable Babies

Section 51

Department 51

Unit 51

Space 51

For those who are or have been in the dreaded two-week wait (TWW).

Chapter 1

I stormed down the hall at thirty-one weeks into my pregnancy ready to tear off Dr. Lindstrom’s head and use it as a teething ring. It didn’t matter that I looked like one of the mothers-to-be, or M2Bs, that was about to drop my twins any day now. The Mortality Agency officials—also known as our overlords—decided it was in mine and my sister's best interests to confine us to Township C for the last three months. The only time I was allowed to go out was for the occasional interview or brief endorsement, since we were considered the saviors of mankind from human extinction. I had almost ten billion in the bank, which made me more profitable than any other M2B in the program. Still, that allotted me nothing, except posh imprisonment, passed off as protection from the evils beyond our township walls. My poor sister wasn’t allowed to go out at all.

The sliding glass doors to Dr. Lindstrom’s office opened so fast that it was as though they wanted to tell me to watch it. Her secretary looked up, but I held up a hand to stop her. I knew where the woman was and didn’t need any help in finding her. I headed for another set of glass doors where her actual office awaited.

Where the hell do you get off keeping us here? My rage tore me up inside, but the only thing I clamped was my mouth because she had visitors. They were her saving grace and the only reason I didn't go across that room and plant her face into the nearest wall.

Two gentlemen sat in front of her enormous desk, befitting of her title as the Director of Township C. The men seemed to be important; as important as her, if not more with their shiny suits and ties, which was still the rage in 2062. One guy was African American and smiled as though he knew me from somewhere, which wasn't a shock, considering I was the first woman to give birth to twins in more than twenty-five years and the most famous M2B in history. The other guy didn't have a smile. He just looked as business-like as ever as he lifted his chin and looked down on me as though I was here by his whim alone. Good luck keeping that dream alive.

Their presence could only keep me at bay for so long. Dr. Lindstrom needed to answer my question. The only other family member I had been able to see was my sister Ronnie. Unbeknownst to her, she was implanted with my third daughter and forced to become a surrogate. We only found out because of a secret organization called the Artemis League, who have spies among the Township C staff. As far as the rest of the world knew, my sister was going through a rough patch in her monthly fertility treatments.

Dr. Lindstrom’s mouth remained opened, her face confused by what to say or how to react to my rudeness. Rather than make something up, she sighed and stood. Ten years seemed to be added onto her tired, aged look with every encounter we shared. I guess it was a good thing she—like everyone else throughout the world—had been subjected to precliv, which not only slowed aging, but increased rejuvenation. Otherwise, she might look every bit of her actual age of seventy-two.

Gentlemen, she said, perhaps can we continue this discussion at another time?

Of course, one of them said.

Both continued to stare, one stoic and the other beaming as they rose from their seats. Even though I wanted that smile on the African American guy to be because I was about to unleash hell all over Lindstrom, I had my doubts. He was probably gushing over the fact that I was one of the less than a tenth of a percent who was able to conceive throughout the world.

I followed the African American guy's gaze he has continued to study me from head to toe on his way out the sliding door. His delightful expression ever present on his face. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him anywhere at the moment. Perhaps he was a member of the staff I seen around town somewhere. I wanted to ask if he was waiting to see if the kids jumped out of my belly, but my fight wasn't with him. It was with Lindstrom.

Now, Lilia… She raised her hands as though that would calm me down. Your hormones are raging and—

Shove the hormone shit. I planted a hand on my hip. You want to keep me docile, then you’ll let Ronnie and I join our family on spring break.

I don’t think that’s wise. She walked around her desk with her fingers steepled together. You’re carrying twins that you most likely won’t carry to full term. Your sister is considered high risk and it has more to do with her becoming a surrogate at twelve weeks more than anything else. The procedure we tried on her has never been done before.

"A surrogate for my baby that you thought you’d be able to keep me from finding out about."

Every time I thought about how they had lied to me about having twins when I really had triplets, it burned through to my core. Their cover-up of my third baby, instead of sharing the information with the world, meant the Mortality Agency as well as the entire government could be in some serious trouble by the World Health Organization. What they did went against the treaty signed by every country on the planet to share the news of any pregnancies along with groundbreaking research that might stop mankind’s self-imposed Armageddon. But, the Agency thought it was easier to secretly take my baby from me and impregnate my sister with her as the best way to ensure the fetus’ survival. My miracle pregnancy alone should be enough to entice a world that was on the verge of human extinction, so they thought.

I had every reason to be angry, but even more to be livid because now we had a secret that couldn’t get out. That was the only reason why they confined us here. To keep us quiet. Using our delicate condition as their excuse was only a convenience.

Dr. Lindstrom crossed her arms and leaned on the edge of her desk. "You’ve gone out twice on tour and both times you were kidnapped. I’m not making the third time a charm. Not when you’re this close to your delivery date. And might I remind you once again that you're carrying twins that probably won't go to full term."

Then send us with a fleet of armed guards and mobile birthing units. Hell, buy out the whole damn beach, if you want. But you can’t blame that crap on me when I was supposedly under the Mortality Agency’s guard both times, and both times they failed to do their job.

All the more reason to not let you leave. Now, if your family wants to come here, then we’ll be more than happy to accommodate them.

In case you haven’t been outdoors lately, Township C isn’t exactly a vacation spot. I wanted to dig into her so bad. Remind her about all the things she did wrong and the lies she told to keep the cover-up going. At the same time, I didn’t have the energy. I wanted out of this place for a while. Look, Ronnie can stay in the hotel room. She can wear the pregnancy hiding coat, if she leaves. I don't understand why we can't figure this thing out.

We can’t take the risk. It's as simple as that.

Why does she has to suffer for a mistake that you people made in the first place? You should’ve just told the whole damn world that I was pregnant with triplets and been done with it. If you had told them from the beginning, none of us would be in this mess right now.

It’s as I've told you and your family. We weren’t going to take the chance of the baby dying, let alone get everyone’s hopes up. It was best for everyone, including the world, that all you knew about were the twins.

Everyone, except for Ronnie. What happens after she gives birth? You think either one of us is okay with putting our children in the care of the government when they don’t even have a clue about how to fix this problem to begin with?

Sighing, she leaned forward and held her hands out like she wanted to hug me or wanted something from me. I held up my hands to ward her off. Her consolation was nowhere near what I wanted when my anger and frustration served me better.

Lilia, you’re not saying anything we haven’t heard before. In the last trimester, parents get nervous about their children entering the program, but it’s the law. We have to put a tight rein on the future of mankind who might actually hold the keys to solving this problem.

I’m not arguing with you on that. But destroying families by taking away their children and throwing them into what amounts to a government military camp isn’t the answer either. They need their parents. You're not going to be there to wipe the tears away when they fall or hug them when they're looking for comfort and approval.

Lilia, I’m not the one you need to preach this to. I’m just— A face materialized on the view screen on her wall, cutting her off. What is it, Soraya?

Sorry, Dr. Lindstrom, the woman’s talking head said. Veronica Bristol has been brought to Emergency Birthing.

I bolted out of the room faster than thirty-one-weeks-pregnancy possible. One hand under my belly for support, I hustled down the hall to the nearest elevator. Ronnie hadn’t had any obvious problems with the pregnancy until now. Other than being more tired than me, which was unusual in itself since I was carrying twins, there wasn’t anything that should’ve led up to this. Thankfully, Dr. Lindstrom’s office was in the same building as the Emergency Birthing Department.

Panic tore through me as all sorts of wild thoughts swam through my head. Forty years ago, it would’ve been better to have the babies at thirty-two weeks. Thankfully, technology has made it possible for that not to be an issue. Unfortunately, it didn’t mean that carrying to full term wasn’t optimal.

By the time I got downstairs, I had no idea that Dr. Lindstrom had caught up to me. Knowing her, she had probably been saying something to me all this time, but I hadn’t heard a word. The only thing that mattered was Ronnie.

I arrived at the nurse’s station and demanded that they tell me where my sister was being held. The nurse pointed to her right and said room three. I tore off in that direction. It wasn’t hard to tell which room was hers because there were people dressed in white and light blue constantly going in and out.

I raced to the room and stopped at the door.

A doctor stood there dishing out orders to the nurses. I couldn’t see around them to see my sister, but I saw Nigel holding her hand and worry filling his eyes. When I walked around the end of her bed, I noticed the monitors stuck to her pregnant belly, which was out for the world to see. There were images on the screens above the head of the bed. The baby’s ultrasound was on the first screen and both hers and her baby’s vitals were on the second one. The third screen remained blank as if it was waiting for something.

What’s going on? I asked, making my way toward Nigel. I wanted to hold her, but was afraid. Ronnie was unconscious.

Ms. Grayson, the doctor said as he handed a tablet over to the nurse, there’s no reason for you to be here. We have everything under control.

What did you say to me? Before I could think, I leaped forward and snatched the doctor by his collar.

"What the hell do you mean I don’t need to be here? That’s my sister you’ve got on that bed. Not a horse, you stupid horse breeder!"

It’s okay, Lilia, Nigel said, placing his hands on my shoulders and leaning close to my ear. Let him go.

He’s right, Dr. Lindstrom added.

It wasn’t her that made me have second thoughts about choking him. It was Nigel. He was the voice of reason. I released the jerk. Achiness eased off my knuckles. I had no idea I was holding him that hard.

Heaven help me, I wanted to strangle everyone in that room who wasn’t family, starting with the OBGYN. It was like they were biting at the chance to take our babies, and didn’t want any witnesses. We were nothing more than breeding material to these monsters.

Perhaps we should all go outside and give the doctors some room to work? Dr. Lindstrom slipped her arm around my shoulder.

I violently shrugged it off. I’m not going anywhere until I know what’s happening with my sister and the baby. And I swear to god, if you don’t tell me something, she won’t be the only crisis you have on your hands.

Until now, we had been careful about the things we said around anyone who worked at Township C. I didn’t care anymore because I didn’t see the point in pretending. Anyone in the right mind would be plotting to get the hell out of this place. At least these people knew where I stood, which made me less harmful compared to someone putting on a front.

The doctor sighed. First, the baby is fine. But, your sister is in preterm labor. I’ve given her something to relax her uterus.

What about the baby’s development? That had always been at the forefront of my mind, other than my sister’s health.

We’ve been giving the baby drugs to speed up her development, since your sister was impregnated with her. I don’t want to give her anymore.

Lilia. Ronnie’s voice barely came above a whisper. She reached her hand out toward me as she slowly woke.

I ran to her side and grabbed her hand. I fought back the tears that my overly emotional state had been playing around with lately. I smoothed my hand along her slightly feverish forehead. I’m here, sweetie. Your big sister is here. So is Nigel.

I didn’t have to wave him over. He had sat on the edge of the bed where he could see her better and smiled, his hand rubbing her thigh. If he opened his trembling mouth, he’d crack. I think we both knew that, so I kept talking.

You’re okay. I glanced at the baby’s vital signs, only knowing that the green meant the baby was in a good state. My little munchkin is okay, too. She couldn’t be in a better tummy.

She cracked a grin. Yeah, right. She should be in yours.

I didn’t even bother looking at Lindstrom when she said that. Instead, I focused on my sister.

I know what we should name the babies, Ronnie said. We should name them after us, if you’re okay with that. Me, Isabelle, and you. That’s assuming you don’t think it’s too self-serving.

I think it’s absolutely perfect, Nigel said. Three strong sisters passing on the torch to three more? It can’t get any better than that.

I thought it was a little self-centered, but who cared at this point? I’d name them after The Three Stooges, if I knew it would help my sister focus on something else. Besides, I hadn’t come up with anything on my own, yet. Then how about Belle, Lilianna, and… I sighed. I always hated your name Veronica. You need to come up with another V name.

She laughed. A smile pressed into my cheeks at the sound of her voice. I kissed her and snuggled my nose against her clammy skin.

This might sound weird, but how about Icelyn for Isabelle, Lark for Lilia, and Reine for Ronnie?

Okay, I said, carefully. You’ve named the kids after a country, a bird, and royalty. I guess that’s okay. But, I’m letting Isabelle pick the middle names.

Again, she laughed so hard that it sent her heartbeat up and made her wince with