Embryo

"How long do you think we can keep this a secret?"

"I'm not sure; we just need more time."

"Sir, how long is more time, exactly?"

"A couple of months should do; perhaps three."

"Three months?! With all due respect, sir, I'm not sure we'll last that long!"

Dr. Reginald paced about.  The race for unlocking the secrets of genetic engineeringhad taken and interesting turn, no doubt, but it was obvious that he and his team had possibly gone too far, but that didn't matter.  He and his team had taken a bold step forward that could usher in a new era of scientific achievement.  The law, Dr. Reginald had said when he was first adviced to think twice about the project, could take a backseat.

Despite this statement, the doctor truly believed that he was breaking no laws.  All, to his knowledge, that the law required was that any experiments involving genetic engineering and enhancement refrain from the use of cloning or stem-cell research. In Dr. Reginald's eyes, all that he had done was take what nature gave forth and gave it a little "human touch."

Considering these things, Dr. Reginald peered tenderly through a small bullet-proofed glass window.  Beyond it a small metallic chamber lay undisturbed.  In the center, in full vision of the doctor, a pseudo-organic protective shield housed his creation.  Dr. Reginald smiled slightly stroked the glass lovingly as if awaiting the day to be able to possibly hold what was developing in the artificial womb just beyond his reach.

"Sir, some of our staff has reported spotting men and women wondering onto facility grounds again."  Dr. Reginald snapped back to reality, stood, and turned his attention to his colleague, Dr. Harold.  He sighed in response to this report and leaned against a wall.

"There's no evidence of our workings on display outside on the grounds, correct, Harry?" the head of the operation mused.

"Correct, Sir," his colleague pause as if to second guess himself.

"Then perhaps these suspicious pedestrians of yours are simply looking in awe at a few of our town's displays of publicly art that are conveniently placed around our facility.  Wouldn't you say that that's plausible?"  Dr. Harold stood silently in thought for a moment.

"I suppose so.  Still, with competing research teams and government agents out about, can you blame me for being suspicious?  After all, we are ahead in the 'Great Genetics Race' and we have had to fight for legal rights before, Sir."  Dr. Harold took a deep breath and chose his diction carefully.  "Perhaps we should shut down our little scheme until we have a clear, legal 'go ahead'."

"No," Dr. Reginald practically yelled.  He caught himself before his voice could reach an inappropriate level.  "No.  If we shut down now, there's no way I would be able to revive it if we to restart, and such a process would be too tedious as to simply restart."  He shuddered slightly at the thought of killing off his most prized possession for the sake of legal clarification.  "WE need to continue.  Just tell the public that we're playing 'trial and error' with the genetic code of a healthy feline and that in doing so we'll discover remedies for deadly diseases and disorders and so on," Dr. Reginald muttered, "and that should keep them calm and our competition in self-satisfaction."  His colleague nodded and left.

Dr. Reginald slumped back into his chair and gazed fatherly into the chamber.  "Just a little more time," he told himself, "and you'll be ready.  You'll be so beautiful; perhaps even flawless."  He smirked at the thought of being the creator of a perfect organism; a perfect species, even.  He couldn't help but feel pride swill up inside him and ooze out when he repeated the word, "Flawless."