Washington, D. C., Monday…

"Shit, Pierce, am I going to have to shake it out of you? Tell me what happened, damn it!"

Pierce began a long monologue, explaining quickly and succinctly all the facts as he knew them. Some of them he hadn't even had the time to fully digest, although he thought the story was more or less complete. Multani had been a tremendous help there, plus the information coming in from Jake Hanlon and the FBI and a joint FBI and Secret Service raid on the DHS' Center.

"So, you see, sir, when we raided their Center, we found thirty-one different clone types, sir, including multiples. Fifty-one in total, just kids."

Pierce looked at his President with expectation. Fulton looked astonished.

"Counting the three that were killed, that makes fifty-four. Shit, what an operation! There weren't any of me, were there?"

"No, sir. They were all in good health, too, but terrified. They were under strict lockdown as they had actually managed to pull off a massive escape but were rounded up by the DHS guards. We believe there are a few still loose maybe. Anyway, as far as I know, there are no casualties."

"Thank heavens, on both counts." He studied Pierce's face. "That isn't all, is it?"

"No, sir. In storage tanks there were many, and I mean many, more genotypes, brainless hominoids, clones of some of the most wealthy and powerful people, from here and abroad. Apparently, when they reached maturity, they could be also harvested for body parts. The Center had perfected their techniques over time, under the direction of Richter's student, Andrew Tyler. The kids probably would have been eliminated at the time the ones in the tank reached maturity, in which case, we probably never would have found out, because no one would have escaped."