Free Last Days (Last Days Trilogy #1) by Jacqueline Druga

plaintively. “I’ll understand if you’re too tired. But, I really missed hanging out with you. I was kind of hoping you’d stay for a while. Maybe, like old times, we could just hang out on the couch and talk.”
    “Only if you’ve got popcorn.” Marcus said, already taking off his coat.
    “I’ll take that as a ‘Yes.’” Reggie smiled. “I’ll get on it”
    “And coffee, too, if you don’t mind.”
    It was going to be all-nighter. Excitedly, Reggie went into the kitchen to start popping. She was so happy to have Marcus, for a brief moment she contemplated on letting him have one of her special brew coffee pods. That thought was fleeting; she started a pot of regular coffee after she put the popcorn in the microwave.
     

CHAPTER SIX
     

Westing Biogenetic Institute
Chicago, IL
     
     
     
    In Marcus’ office, on a small blackboard, sixty-three slashes marked his failed attempts to generate life in the egg that was to eventually become the clone.
    Marcus felt Rose behind him as he stared at his ‘slash board,’ a stare that was lengthening with each day’s failure.
    “It will work soon,” she whispered.
    “I know.” Marcus nodded. “Wasn’t time yet. Today is the day.”
    Rose raised her eyebrows. “That’s the first time you said that .”
    “It’s simple,” he said. “Today is the first day we move to the batch four ovum.” Marcus grabbed his lab jacket and moved to the door.
    “What’s so special about batch four?” Rose asked.
    “A perfect history… batch four has never let me down.”
    Rose followed Marcus without further questions, content to let her boss focus on the task at hand. They stopped mid-lab when Dr. Genevieve overtook them.
    Marcus turned and held up a finger. “You feel it too, don’t you? Today is the day.”
    “Today is the day.” Dr. Genevieve stepped closer. “The day to suspend the experiment.”
    Marcus froze. “Suspend the experiment?”
    “Yes. The violence has become too much.”
    “Not really; we’ve become immune to it,” Marcus said jokingly. “Haven’t we, Rose?”
    “Yes,” Rose answered. “Marcus was shot at the other day by some homeless religious fanatic.”
    “Let’s not forget yesterday’s evacuation of the building,” Marcus added. “Not so bad, kind of a mid-evening pick-me-up… if not for the hard snow,” he shrugged. “So you see, no suspension.”
    “Marcus,” Dr. Genevieve said soberly. “What do you plan to do with the egg once the generation is complete?”
    “It will be the same as the in-vitro process. We’ll implant it in the surrogate mother four days after the cells multiply.”
    “Hence the reason for suspension. We no longer have Jillian.”
    “Okay,” Marcus continued gathering his things. “Who’s Jillian?”
    “The surrogate mother we hired,” Dr. Genevieve told him.
    “Did she quit?” Marcus asked.
    “No, she’s dead.”
    Marcus gaped, wide eyed.
    “She committed suicide this morning; she said her soul was damned.”
    “That’s terrible,” Marcus commented.
    Dr. Genevieve nodded. “She had a husband and a son.”
    “No, that’s not what I meant.” Marcus ran his hand over his head. “It’s terrible we don’t have a surrogate. Today’s the day. That only leaves four days.”
    Rose closed her eyes and placed her hand on Marcus’ shoulder. “Sorry, Marcus. But,” she turned to Dr Genevieve, “we’ll continue when we find a replacement, right, doctor?”
    “Absolutely,” He turned to Marcus. “So, Marcus...”
    Marcus interrupted him with a raised hand.
    “What’s wrong?”
    Marcus ignored him and walked straight into his office. The door shut.
    Dr. Genevieve looked at Rose. “What is he...?”
    “Temper tantrum.”
    “Come now. Dr. Leon is not having a...” He cringed at the loud crash from Marcus’ office, followed by four bangs and an even louder thump.
    The office door flew open and Marcus slid to an abrupt halt in front of them. He smiled and moved to Dr.