The Selfless Gene

Chapter 40

Paimona sits, looking down at her new Henry. Ryder had endured the fight of her life as Lohikaarme's blood was introduced to her body, immediately attacking her very essence. Like trench warfare, he took each organ as his blood moved steadily through her vessels, invading her cells and turning them to his will. His selfish genes fused with hers, unable to completely change her but mutating and developing sections in a vile assimile of the natural development of a newborn. His blood was his power.

Drugs were keeping the body calm and the coma controlled her brain, which was last to be taken. Soon Ryder would become a shell for the all-conquering beast. Lohikaarme's blood surrounded the brain, waiting. Now it attacks, flying through the tissue and saturating her memories. Ryder's body constricts tightly and then releases its tension. Paimona stands up, her hands lightly on the hospital bed, heart in her mouth. Her last experiment might have just worked - or it might have killed her Lord.

The equipment signals go crazy, all sorts of beeps and emergency flashing lights on Ryder's monitoring equipment going off at once. Doctors dash in as she snaps awake, contorting her body and gasping one giant breath. Her now distinctly foreign eyes stare wide open.

Ryder was gone. He was awake.

He shakes his new body and attempts to get up, but the arms and legs are tied down and he's still too weak to pull off the bonds. Doctors gather as he wriggles frantically. Seeing Paimona, his face grimaces in anger and he releases a low growl.

"Lohikaarme, my Lord. Will you please stay still while they take out the tube that's in your mouth?"

He keeps his eyes on her as the Doctors withdraw his tube and gently drip water down his throat. Paimona gestures for them to withdraw and leave them alone.

"Before you begin," Paimona raises her hand, gesturing to stop his interruption. "I know you think you know who I am. Of The Order of Ormr. And that we're doing some sick experiment. You've been in the dark for a little, you'll want to fight, not to go back. But let me first explain."

Lohikaarme growls again, still unsure of his next move.

"But I am both of his Order and yours." She leans over closer and changes her eyes. "Hello my boy."

"Paimona. How?" Ryder's voice is gravelly from the tube, Lohikaarme's blood only partly repairing it. Still, the higher pitch and tone startles him.

"Came through with you, been trying to stop you both from killing each other, properly." She frowns. "You've come close over the years. I thought you were gone this time."

"My army. I had the facility planned. To work at scale like my brother did naturally."

"That was the problem. All fight and desperation. Babies are best made in love. Sorry, but this is it."

He again feels his stomach spike and coughs up some blood. Paimona uses a medical vacuum to remove it from his mouth.

"Stop fighting the body. You'll burn through it and properly kill yourself."

"How many years has it been? Fifty? Five hundred? Did the light come for this person?"

"No. More like five to six. I transfused your last remaining blood - nice idea by the way - into the strongest vessel we can find. That's why you must learn to work with her not against her."

"Her?" Shock bellows in his voice and he struggles harder against his strapping.

"My boy, please. You're back. But yet to be stable, so please embrace the change. It's not a prison. Okay, it isn't the same but you had no other choice."

Lohikaarme laughs. "Paimona. Nan. You always were there for us." Always meddling and thinking you were more important than you were. Lower class.

"My boy!" Paimona smiles and hugs him. Lohikaarme smells her and inhales the stench of home and poverty.

"My brother?"

"Alive. Fully embraced his vessel. Still like you, act first think later."

The thought of him made him feel sick.

"Your business is secure but delicately balanced. The Intern? Nutcase. More obsessed with your brother than you. It's quite worrying. He sold a lot of shares for his own wealth. Luckily, I snapped them up. I own about a third now, and I believe your brother's business group owns another twenty percent. All in all, if you two came together with me, we could retake it in a new name."

"Just like I did everytime they expected me to retire."

"Exactly. I learnt from the best."

Lohikaarme eyed Paimona. She'd nursed him to life twice now but always overstepped the mark. He didn't trust her and what this world would do to her. She wasn't his mother and had too much money, power and influence. In her original form, although she'd never been able to kill him before, he and his brother were now inferior.

"Listen, it's a lot to take in. But now you're Henry's daughter," she taps identity documents. "Yes, a woman. Stronger and better. I've called you Ryder Whittington."

Paimona begins cutting his straps, untying him. "My Lady. No more he or Lord. This is our last chance so don't waste it. Your eggs will propagate your line in time too, and you can live forever. Then we can properly build. Take your time. Get stronger today."

Paimona goes to leave, but turns at the door as Ryder sits up, still carefully eyeing her resurrector.

"I'll bring your brother to you. One week today. Then..." she trails off, leaving Ryder Lohikaarme Whittington to embrace the new human beast.