Progeny

Chapter 11

The next night, after Brooklyn broke free from his stone sleep, at least he didn't wake up with shackles on his arms and legs. He was still loose in the cell. Then the door began to unlock.

"Good evening, Brooklyn. Are you ready to begin your exercise program?" Vincent greeted him and declared.

"What sort of exercise program?" Brooklyn asked warily.

"You'll be walking on a treadmill, yoga exercises, swimming, lifting some light weights, just light aerobics and such. Those are safe for any pregnant person to handle. And of course, I do have a dome where you could glide around safely to exercise your wings. I know you'll want to exercise them as well." Vincent explained. "You'll exercise for a little bit, and then you'll be allowed to have your breakfast. It works up the appetite."

"But none of these exercises will be harmful to the baby, right?" Brooklyn demanded firmly, placing a hand on his swollen belly.

"No. They won't put pressure on your stomach. But if you feel something hurting, you have to tell us. If you feel you have to stop to rest, that's fine too."

"Can I be allowed to read too?" Brooklyn asked.

"Of course. I'm sure you want to read about pregnancy?"

"Yes."

"That can be arranged. I'll also work on getting a table in your room so you won't have to keep on getting your food and vitamins off the floor."

"Just what do you want my baby for?" Brooklyn demanded.

"To raise it, but to also see it raised by its parent; you. Who knows if you'll ever find a mate." Vincent said.

"Are you going to release me to go back to my clan?"

"No. You are here to stay. And you are going to be doing your kind a favor by being the first male gargoyle to give birth. You should consider this an honor, more than you know. You could also have plenty more where this one came from."

"I won't stay here and be your lab rat!" Brooklyn retorted angrily. He got up and punched Vincent, then tried to run for the door, but two guards from behind Vincent stepped in his way with guns right in his face. "Whoa!" He raised his hands in surrender.

"My bodyguards are serious about their jobs, Brooklyn. You are not going to be leaving anytime soon." Vincent said, getting up, rubbing his cheek where Brooklyn had gotten him down.

"Alright, you win." Brooklyn agreed. 'For now.' He said in his mind.

Just for safety precautions, and after what he had just done, Brooklyn was only allowed out of the room if his arms were cuffed behind his back. Vincent assured him that he wouldn't do anything to the baby while his hands were cuffed. He was 'honorable' in that way.

Brooklyn was escorted to an exercise room. The guards stayed in there with Vincent as he prepared Brooklyn for a walk on the treadmill. But the door was locked so the gargoyle couldn't get away.

Vincent had Brooklyn hooked up to a heart and respiration monitor. He took his resting heartbeat first before proceeding next.

Brooklyn felt weird being hooked up to these devices, but the man was insistent on him wearing these things. He wanted to know how they differed from human statistics.

After he was hooked up to the monitor devices, he was directed toward the treadmill first. "From the things I mentioned a bit ago, Brooklyn, we will be doing different activities every day, or come up with a mixture of everything." Vincent stated.

That would be good, to vary up the routine.

Brooklyn was started at a slower pace at first, but as time went on, Vincent kept on moving up his speed. Brooklyn was just walking real fast at that time. Soon, he had to stop because he was getting dizzy.