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〃It was easy enough。 I waited for the right time of the month。 Then I harvested one of my own eggs。〃
〃Miranda；〃 he said。 〃Why not a mouse egg？ Or frog？〃 He treated it as a personal violation； as if she'd crawled into his bed or raped herself。 It made her feel indecent。
Chin first； she stated； 〃It was mine。〃
The truth was that a frog's egg would have been much easier to manipulate； because they were vastly larger than human eggs。 But she'd taken one of her own eggs as a statement； to pronounce her utter belief in what she was doing。 It was a mitment。 Whatever happened； this was intrinsically her at the heart of it。 Strangely； even as she had searched through her menstrual flow and found the egg and siphoned the nucleus from it to make room for the frog nucleus； Miranda had felt as if she were leaving herself and entering a vast beautiful design。 It had been an epiphany of sorts。 She was part of this world； not just an observing eye。
〃That still doesn't explain your DNA material in the samples；〃 he said。 〃If you properly enucleated your egg； it would be an empty vessel。 The clone would be all frog。〃
She shrugged； but felt a lifetime of guilt laid into her by her tutors。 They had done their job well； shaping their charge into an overachieving； neurotic thoroughbred。 〃I didn't get the whole nucleus；〃 she confessed。
He groaned。
〃I botched it； okay。 Some of me was left inside。〃
〃Some？〃
〃More than I realized。〃
Miranda carried out her own punishment。 She summarized her errors； which were multiple。 First； she'd failed to siphon out her entire nucleus； leaving her egg rich with human DNA。 Then she had taken a nucleus from the lining of a tadpole's intestine。 Too late； she learned that in frogs the sperm and egg cells first form in the stomach； then travel to the gonads for storage。 Inadvertently she'd taken the nucleus from a sperm cell。 In short； she'd fertilized her own egg。 Technically； Winston was not a true clone； but a monstrous child teased together with micropipettes and glass bell jars and a customized mix of amino acids。
〃A chimera；〃 he said。 〃You've crossed the species barrier。 With human genes！〃 The Old Testament reproach； she'd expected。 But there was something else in his voice。 Fear。 She'd never heard that in him。 He was shaken。
〃He's harmless；〃 she said。
〃Miranda；〃 he declared； 〃this thing is an abomination。〃
She wanted to mock his term。 What came next； a burning at the stake？ But she restrained herself。 〃You haven't even seen him；〃 she said。 〃He's so extraordinary。 You won't believe what I've discovered。 Something wonderful。〃
His anger melted。 Miranda could see he was curious。 But； she cautioned herself； Paul Abbot was never fatally curious the way so many scientists are。 That was his nature。 He had the self…control to shut down his intellectual attachment before it ever chain reacted。 So far as she knew； he had no vulnerabilities。 She'd e to realize the pity of that。 Every daughter should have some power over her father； and she had none。
〃e up；〃 he repeated； 〃please。 Away from the water。〃
What was with the water？〃Will you listen？〃 She bargained。 〃No prejudgements。 With an open mind。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃just e here。〃
She climbed up the ledges with the packages of fish and joined him at the rim。
For a moment； they were both disconcerted by how much she had grown。 He had always seemed so tall。 Now she could look him straight in the eye。 He made a motion that could have been the overture to a hug or； alternately； the means to balance himself。 With him； love and dignity were essentially the same。 Miranda let the arm hover for a moment； then leaned in。 She gave him a quick embrace； though sideways； so that he wouldn't notice her new breasts as well。 Her womanhood was none of his business。
〃You changed your hair again；〃 he remarked。 It had been eight months。
Snakes for hair。 Very Einstein。 〃You noticed；〃 she said。Don't you remember me？ she wanted to say to him。I'm your baby。 But he was immune； and she knew it。
He neatly shot his sleeve to check the time。 〃Ten minutes；〃 he announced to her； then held up his hand and flashed five fingers twice。 Ten。 It was a signal。 She looked around at the forest； and whoever he'd e in with…his driver or assistants； or maybe the director of the labs…was keeping out of sight while he had this little one…on…one with his prodigal daughter。 Then she saw movement on the far side of the quarry。 Dressed in camouflage； they could have been soldiers or poachers。 Or field biologists。
She ripped open the newspaper wrapping a bloody piece of cod。 〃Catch；〃 she said； and lobbed it at her father。 He snagged it inches from his creased slacks。
He held the raw flesh。 〃Okay；〃 he said。 〃Now what？〃
They were more fortable this way； him on slow burn and short of time； her glib and exercising maximum self…defense。 〃It's called breakfast；〃 she said。 〃Give it a toss。〃
He pitched the fish underhanded and it slapped flat on the thin ice。 They waited。 No Winston。 〃He's probably frightened；〃 she said。 〃He's never seen a man before。〃
〃He's watching us？ Through the ice？〃 Her father took a half step back from the edge。
〃Don't worry； he doesn't eat people。〃
〃Yet；〃 her father stated。
〃Don't be silly。 We gave grasshoppers a try；〃 she brightly explained。 〃Winston's strictly a fish man； though。〃
〃You haven't seen the pieces of animal； then？〃
He wasn't asking a question。 He was springing a trap。
〃What are you talking about？〃
〃The bones。 The carcasses。 The egg shells and feathers。 Scattered all over the forest floor。 Winston's quite a hunter。 The list of species is impressive。 prehensive。 He's essentially sterilized the forest in a half…mile radius。 Everything from mice； squirrels； and raccoons to owls and jays。 Even a deer； though it's uncertain if it was wounded during the hunting season or he actually brought it down himself。〃
Miranda turned to the water； trying to hide her shock。 Winston had been leaving the pond？ Moving up the food chain？ He could climb trees？ Cross land？ Kill？ What made her nervous was that he had a secret life she knew nothing about。 〃He barely weighs forty pounds；〃 she said。
〃There's more field work to do；〃 her father went on； 〃but it's clear your creation is getting bolder。 He's widening his feeding range in concentric circles。 At first he was tentative and stuck close to home。 But the freshest kill was found almost a mile away。 If you must know； that's what prompted our discovery of the quarry。 A homeowner called the sheriff's department。 This was yesterday morning。 The lady didn't see the killing； only what was left。 Her golden retriever had just whelped。 Winston tore the mother to pieces and ate most of the litter。〃
〃I don't believe you。〃 She was automatic。 〃There are other wild animals on the island。 All kinds of predators。 Foxes。 Coyotes。〃
〃Miranda； he brought one of the puppies back to play with。〃 Her father pointed to a tree leaning over the quarry。 Miranda flinched at the awful sight； the puppy； a rag doll in the birch。 〃He broke its legs and left it in the crook。 We can only speculate why he went to all the extra trouble。 Was it a trophy？ A midnight snack？〃
Still warm from her body