Gina: A Story of Love, Loss, and Science
A Novel by Ridzwan
Synopsis
When brilliant scientist Dr. Ferrel creates a clone to replace his deceased wife, he believes he's found a way to conquer grief. But when his real wife returns alive, suffering from memory loss after a helicopter crash, four people find themselves trapped in an impossible love triangle. In a world where science can recreate the body but not the soul, who deserves happiness? Who must sacrifice? And what does it truly mean to be human?
Part One: The Beginning
Chapter 1: Failure
The eighteenth attempt.
Dr. Ferrel's fingers trembled as he pressed the Enter key, watching the green chemical drip through the tube into the cylinder casing. The programming code rattled across his computer screen, each line a promise of breakthrough, each command a prayer answered or denied.
White fog dispersed inside the chamber, obscuring everything. Dr. Ferrel held his breath.
"Come on. Hold on... hold on," he whispered.
For a moment, as the fog cleared, he saw it—a perfect male body suspended in the casing. Complete. Whole. Human.
Then it began to melt.
The face went first, features dissolving like wax, then the torso, the limbs, everything flowing downward into a grotesque puddle. On the screen, cold letters appeared: SUBJECT FIN-018 FAILED TO INTEGRATE.
Dr. Ferrel's fist slammed against the table.
"Damn it!"
Dr. Raymond, his research partner, stepped forward, his expression sympathetic but weary. "That's the eighteenth test."
"Yeah." Ferrel ran his hands through his hair. "What's the problem? We've checked everything, right? The DNA ratio, the formula configuration... what are we missing?"
Before Raymond could answer, Ferrel's phone rang. The screen showed a photo of his wife, smiling in the sunlight.
"Yes, honey."
"Lunch?" Dr. Gina's voice was warm, familiar, grounding him in a reality beyond failed experiments and corporate pressure.
"Yeah."
"At one. Same place."
"Okay."
As Ferrel ended the call, he didn't know that this simple conversation would be one of the last normal moments of his life.
Chapter 2: Good News, Bad News
The Venice Restaurant sat on a tree-lined street where professionals escaped their office towers for overpriced salads and the illusion of work-life balance. Dr. Gina was already seated at their usual outdoor table when Ferrel arrived, her face radiant with excitement.
They kissed, and he immediately sensed her energy.
"I want to tell you something." She pulled out a letter, handling it like treasure. "I got it. They approved the research."
Ferrel read the official letterhead, the congratulatory language, the dates and terms. His stomach tightened.
"Finally. Congratulations."
But his face betrayed him.
"Darling, it's only a one-year research project," Gina said, reaching for his hand.
"It's not the period. It's the place you're going to. A war zone area."
"It's a secured area. An ancient site, far away from the militia."
Ferrel shook his head. "I just don't know, honey. I've got a bad feeling about this."
"Don't worry. I'll be protected by Chilean soldiers."
"Sorry, dear." He squeezed her hand. "I'm too emotional about this. I'm selfish enough not to let you go. But it's your work. It's your life."
"I'll be fine," she said, and in that moment, she believed it.
"So when will you be going?"
"Next Monday."
The food arrived, but neither of them had much appetite anymore.
Chapter 3: Departure
The airport hummed with the controlled chaos of international travel—announcements in multiple languages, the rumble of luggage wheels, the anxiety and excitement of people going somewhere else.
The departure board blinked: JFK to SCL 213 - Boarding.
Dr. Ferrel held his wife close, breathing in her perfume, memorizing the feeling of her in his arms.
"So this is it. I'm going to miss you," he said.
"Me too."
They kissed, long and deep, ignoring the crowds around them. Finally, Gina pulled away, shouldering her carry-on bag.
"I'll call you when I reach there," she said, walking backward, not ready to turn away from him yet.
She waved, and then the crowd swallowed her, leaving Ferrel staring at the empty space where she'd been.
He stood there long after she'd disappeared, a hollow feeling in his chest that felt uncomfortably like goodbye.
Chapter 4: The Warning
Anderson's office occupied a corner of the Clonatech building with windows overlooking the city—a view reserved for those who made decisions rather than discoveries.
"Dr. Ferrel, do you know why I want to see you?"
"No, sir."
Anderson leaned back in his leather chair, his fingers steepled. "Well, it's been nearly three years since we gave you the clone project, but I haven't seen any progress. Millions have been spent, and you've already passed the deadline. It's not good for our company."
"I know. I need more time and funds."
"We've already given you time and lots of funds, which you agreed to based on the contract." Anderson's voice hardened. "I'm really disappointed that you're asking for more."
"If you can't give the money, then give me some time."
"Doctor, this isn't some school project we can tolerate. We're talking about shareholders' money and the future of the company."
"I know. I'm close to it now. Just give me some more time."
Anderson studied him for a long moment. "Okay. Due to your previous record and recognition, I'll give you one more month. If there's still no result, then that's it. You're out."
"Thank you," Ferrel said, but the gratitude felt hollow.
One month. Thirty days to achieve what he hadn't managed in three years.
Chapter 5: The Encouragement
That night, Ferrel sat alone in his office, surrounded by equations that refused to solve themselves. He wrote formulas, scratched them out, threw the paper away. His chair flew across the room when he kicked it in frustration.
Dr. Raymond appeared in the doorway. "I heard some noise. Are you okay?"
"They gave me one more month."
"We're close. You can do it."
Ferrel laughed bitterly. "I just don't know. Everything is mixed up. Not only this research. My life too. Gina is away. We're childless, and Gina really wants a child. And now me, losing my job."
Raymond sat down across from him. "Come on, give it a try. If you're gone, I'm gone too."
The statement hung in the air—a reminder that Ferrel's failure wouldn't only be his own.
Chapter 6: The Crash
The jungle canopy stretched endlessly below, a green ocean broken only by the silver thread of a river. Dr. Gina looked down from the helicopter window, her phone pressed to her ear despite the roar of the blades.
"Ferrel, hello!"
"Yeah, where are you? What's that sound?"
"I'm about to board the helicopter. I'm going to the site now. It'll take one hour to reach there. I'll call you later."
"Okay. Take care. Love you, honey."
"Love you too."
Those would be the last words they spoke.
From the ground below, unseen by the helicopter crew, a militia fighter hoisted an RPG onto his shoulder. The missile streaked upward, a finger of death pointing at the sky.
The explosion tore through the rear blades. The helicopter spun, tilted, plummeted. Trees rushed up to meet them. Metal screamed. Fire bloomed.
And then silence.
In his laboratory, Dr. Ferrel's phone rang. He answered absently, his mind still on formulas.
"Yes, I'm Dr. Ferrel."
The voice on the other end spoke for less than a minute.
When Ferrel put the phone down, he was crying.
Chapter 7: No Body to Bury
The Chilean military base squatted on cleared land, functional and grim. Captain Perez led Dr. Ferrel into his office, where a computer waited with video queued up.
"We covered the accident site," the captain said without preamble. "Everyone died. No bodies recovered."
He pressed play. The video showed scorched earth, twisted metal, and jungle already reclaiming the crash site.
"The helicopter crashed deep inside the jungle, close to the river," Perez continued.
"You mean not a single body?" Ferrel's voice cracked.
"We believe even if there were survivors, alligators and wild animals would have killed them and taken them away. By the time we reached there, these animals were already roaming the area. I'm sorry."
"I just can't be satisfied watching this video. I need to go there."
"Negative. The militia already covers that area after they learned our helicopter crashed there. Nobody is allowed to go in, not even us."
"But Captain, she's my wife. She's the only one I have in this world."
Perez's expression softened slightly. "I understand. But you're not the only one who lost loved ones. Same goes for the soldiers' relatives who died. You think it's easy for me to explain to them, telling them the whole body vanished just like that?"
Ferrel shook his head, defeated.
"I have something that may cheer you a little bit." Perez opened a drawer and produced a small bottle. "We found a woman's finger. We identified it as a woman's finger because it has color on its nail."
Inside the bottle, suspended in preservative fluid, was a severed forefinger with pale pink nail polish.
"Since Dr. Gina was the only woman in the helicopter, I believe this is your wife's remains."
Ferrel took the bottle with trembling hands. The finger looked so small, so impossibly small to be all that remained of the woman he loved.
A tear rolled down his cheek.
"At least you're lucky to have some flesh to keep," Captain Perez said. "The others have nothing."
The words would echo in Ferrel's mind for months to come, though not in the way the captain intended.
Part Two: Guilt and Grief
Chapter 8: The Blame Game
Dinner at Gina's parents' house felt like a funeral service where the body kept being discussed but never appeared. Gray, Gina's father, suggested a prayer. Her brother Larry volunteered Ferrel to say it.
"I... I don't know what to say," Ferrel stammered.
"Yeah, because you're the one responsible for my sister's death," Larry said.
"Larry..." their mother Annie protested.
"Well, he's the one who allowed Gina to go to a dangerous area."
"She went there of her own will," Gray said.
"Dad, she went there to achieve something greater compared to him, who achieves nothing. At least she was trying to make her family respectable."
Ferrel felt each word like a physical blow. "I know I'm to blame for her death. I couldn't stop her from achieving her dreams even though I knew it was dangerous. Now I regret not stopping her in the first place."
Annie reached across the table. "Stop blaming yourself. You didn't know what was going to happen. She knew the risk."
"Mom, you're defending this guy? She's your daughter!" Larry pushed his chair back violently. "I'm done here."
He stormed out, leaving the others in uncomfortable silence, pushing food around their plates and avoiding each other's eyes.
Chapter 9: The Nightmare
Two days later, Dr. Raymond knocked on Ferrel's door, growing increasingly worried when there was no answer. Finally, Ferrel opened it, looking like he hadn't slept in days.
"I brought you some breakfast," Raymond said, stepping inside. "It's been two days since you showed up for work. I've been calling. I was starting to worry about you."
"I'm fine. Just need some time to clear my mind."
"Your mind and your face. You look horrible."
Ferrel sank onto his couch. "I just don't know how to handle it anymore. My job is on the line, my wife died, and the whole world is blaming me for her death."
"I'm not a psychologist, but you need to settle this fast. First is the research—that's your priority. Your wife died; you can't do anything about it. As for the people who blame you, just ignore them. Let them suck their own tongues."
Raymond moved toward the door. "At least now I know you're okay. Don't do anything crazy. Just take some time, but not too long, okay? You need anything, just call me."
After Raymond left, Ferrel sat alone in his living room, staring at the bottle on his coffee table. Inside it, Gina's finger floated in solution, a piece of her that outlasted everything else.
That night, exhausted, he finally slept. And dreamed.
Images cascaded through his unconscious mind: Gina waving at the airport. Anderson delivering his ultimatum. The helicopter exploding. Larry's accusing face. Captain Perez's words: "At least you're lucky to have some flesh to keep."
And then, in the dream logic that makes perfect sense while sleeping, Gina emerged from the helicopter fire, walking through flames untouched, holding out the bottle with her finger inside. Behind her, complex formulas appeared in the air, glowing like revelation.
Ferrel jolted awake, his heart pounding.
He stared at the bottle on his nightstand.
"This is it," he whispered. "Her DNA!"
He was dressed and out the door in minutes, driving through empty streets at 3 AM, finally knowing exactly what he had to do.
Chapter 10: The Creation
The Clonatech building stood silent except for the hum of ventilation and the footsteps of the night security guard.
"Working late, Dr. Ferrel?"
"Yeah, there's something urgent to do."
The guard waved him through, returning to his monitors and coffee.
In the research lab, Ferrel worked with feverish intensity. He corrected the formulas according to his dream, trusting in his subconscious mind to have solved what his waking brain could not. With steady hands, he extracted blood from Gina's severed finger and injected it into the tube.
His fingers flew across the keyboard, entering commands, adjusting parameters. He hit Enter.
White fog filled the chamber. Ferrel held his breath, every muscle tense.
The fog cleared.
A woman's body lay in the casing, perfect and complete. It was Gina—younger perhaps, unmarked by time, but unmistakably his wife.
The computer screen displayed: SUBJECT FIN-25 - INTEGRATION COMPLETED.
Ferrel opened the casing with trembling hands. He touched her face—warm, real, alive. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he picked up his phone.
"Hello, Ray..."
"Yeah, what's up, Ferrel? It's four o'clock in the morning."
"I've done it."
"Done what?"
"I've made the clone. But I need to take it out from the lab now. I need your help to pick up the clone, and ask your hacker friend to hack the building CCTV."
"But why take it out?"
"I'll explain later. We need to be fast. The clone will wake up in three hours. Meet me at the back entrance."
Raymond was silent for a moment. Then: "Okay."
Fifteen minutes later, with the CCTV cameras temporarily blind, Ferrel wheeled the clone to the back entrance. Raymond's car waited in the darkness. Together they lifted her into the back seat, handling her as gently as if she were made of glass.
"I need to go back and exit in front to avoid suspicion from the guards," Ferrel said. "Take the clone to my house."
Raymond drove away into the night, carrying Ferrel's secret, while Ferrel walked calmly through the lobby, nodded to the security guard, and went home to wait for his wife to wake up.
Chapter 11: The Awakening
Dr. Ferrel and Dr. Raymond stood on either side of the bed, watching the clone sleep. In the morning light, she looked even more like Gina—every detail perfect, from the shape of her ears to the small scar on her knee from a childhood bicycle accident.
"You finally made it," Raymond said. "You brought Gina back."
"No. We finally made it."
"No, you're the one who cracked the code."
Ferrel turned to his friend. "Ray, I want you to do me a favor. Keep this as our secret. Don't reveal it to anyone. Go back to the lab, create another clone, and declare it to the management. I'll be here to monitor this one."
He paused. "Remember, use only DNA from a deceased subject."
"Yeah. I'll call you when it's ready."
After Raymond left, Ferrel sat beside the bed and waited. Minutes passed. Then an hour.
The clone's eyes opened.
They moved left, then right, adjusting to light. She turned her head toward Ferrel. Her vision sharpened, bringing the world into focus.
"Who are you and where am I?" she asked.
Her voice was Gina's voice.
"My name is Ferrel, and this is your house."
"I'm hungry."
Ferrel smiled despite himself. "Let's go to the kitchen."
She sat up, looking down at her naked body with curiosity rather than shame. She touched her breast, examining herself like a puzzle to be solved.
"Wait, wait. I'll get you something to wear."
He dressed her in one of Gina's nightgowns, and they went downstairs. She ate cake and drank milk, her eyes constantly moving, cataloging everything.
"I feel like I've been sleeping for such a long time," she said. "What happened to me? It seems I can't remember anything."
"You were involved in a crash. You've been unconscious for a long time. Now you're awake."
"But I don't see any damage on my body. There's no scratch."
"We managed to cure it."
"Are you a doctor?"
"Yes."
"What's my name?"
"Gina."
She repeated it softly, testing the sound. "Gina... Why are you here?"
"This is my house, and I'm your husband. I can show you some photos."
He led her to the living room where wedding photos and vacation snapshots hung on the walls—a visual history of a marriage, proof of a love that had existed before this moment.
She studied each photograph carefully. "How long have we been married?"
"Twenty-five years."
"If you're a doctor, what am I?"
"You're also a doctor, but in archaeology."
She sat down suddenly, overwhelmed. "I need to sit. It's all confusing to me."
"Yes. I think you should rest on the bed again."
As he helped her back upstairs, Ferrel pushed away the voice in his head asking what he'd done. She was Gina. She was alive. That was all that mattered.
He would tell himself that lie for months.
Part Three: Two Lives, One Woman
Chapter 12: New Hope
At the lab the next day, Dr. Raymond had prepared everything for the official demonstration. When Ferrel arrived and pressed the final key, a new clone materialized in the chamber—a man this time, created from the DNA of a traffic accident victim.
Ferrel immediately called Anderson.
"Sir, I have good news."
Anderson arrived within minutes, his eyes widening as he saw the clone. He grabbed Ferrel in a bear hug.
"I knew you could do it! Congratulations! Both of you. When can he wake up, talk, walk, and do things humans do?"
"In twelve hours from now."
"Good. In that case, bring him to the boardroom early tomorrow. I want to show all of the board members. And bring his originator to show the comparison."
"But sir, give me a couple of days. We're not sure he's stable yet."
"What do you mean he's not stable yet? Look at him. He's real and alive. We can't waste any more time like you've been doing. Tomorrow, 10 o'clock."
"Yes, sir. As you insist."
After Anderson left, Raymond turned to Ferrel. "Let me monitor him. You need to monitor the other one at home. Just go."
"Thanks, Ray. I'll be here early tomorrow morning."
Ferrel gathered some lab equipment and headed home, where his other creation waited to learn what it meant to be human.
Chapter 13: The Remembrance Process
Gina—the clone, though neither of them used that word—spent her days exploring the house like an archaeologist excavating her own past. In the library, she discovered shelves of books on ancient civilizations, artifacts, and lost cultures.
She pulled one down: "Ancient Artifacts of the Aztec."
As she opened it, something clicked in her mind. "I can remember now. I know this..."
Ferrel entered the room. "Yes, because you've read it before."
"I need to read all the books to remember. I like it. This archaeologist thing..."
"That's why you are an archaeologist."
She looked at him hopefully. "Ferrel, can I go out? To the lawn. I just want to see things outside."
"At the moment you can't."
"Why?"
He'd prepared this lie carefully. "Your body isn't stable yet to face the outside environment, especially the sun. You see, you were involved in a terrible accident. Your skin isn't strong enough yet to be exposed. So it's better you stay inside for the moment until I find the cure."
"This accident—what kind of accident?"
"It was from a helicopter crash. A terrible crash. You survived, but others didn't. Can you remember anything?"
"No. I can't. I can only remember what I see and touch. Like the books and the television."
"For the meantime, just don't think and remember too much. I don't want you to suffer from the trauma."
The lie came easily now, smooth as rehearsed lines.
Chapter 14: The Growing Complications
Days passed. The clone learned quickly, absorbing information like a sponge. But Dr. Raymond worried.
"I was thinking," Ferrel said one afternoon at the lab, "what if one day she finds out who she really is? I've hidden everything—Gina's belongings, family photos, videos, anything that might make her want to discover herself. I even cut out the internet in the house."
"She'll find out one day," Raymond said. "Her memory will pick up soon, and you have to be prepared for that."
"It's not only that. The neighbors might see her."
"That'll make things worse. If they see her, they'll be shocked and make noise. I suggest you send her to a remote place away from people."
"But where?"
"Fraser Hill. You know the place we went last summer? My brother's cabin. No one stays there. She can stay there for a while."
"But what do I say to her about why she has to stay there?"
"Just tell her something. It's better than your house with all the risks."
Ferrel nodded slowly, already constructing the lie he would tell.
Chapter 15: Sex
That night, lying in bed beside the woman who wore his wife's face, Ferrel felt the weight of what he'd done.
"Ferrel," she said in the darkness, "I was wondering why we must sleep together in the same bed."
"Married people do that."
"Just when sleeping only?"
"They need to be together."
"Oh. Okay. Good night."
They turned away from each other. Minutes passed. Then Ferrel moved closer, reaching out to touch her hair.
She pulled away. "What are you doing?"
"I'm touching you."
"I don't like it."
"I'm sorry."
He retreated to his side of the bed, ashamed and confused. What was he doing? This wasn't Gina, not really. But then why did it hurt to be rejected?
The next day at the lab, Raymond noticed his mood.
"Trying to make a move, huh? I don't blame you. How long has it been? Two months?"
"Maybe she doesn't know what sex is all about," Ferrel said.
"True. Sex isn't like a normal habit or routine, like eating or drinking. It's something that once you do it, you need to do it again. But the first touch is important. You should focus on that. Try to discuss it with her like an adult."
"Yeah."
"Don't rush, man. Do it at the right place, at the right time, when she's ready."
That evening, Gina found a book in the library titled "Sex and Relationship." She read it cover to cover. When Ferrel came to bed that night, she was waiting for him.
"I know now why you tried to touch me," she said.
She stood, opened her gown, and let it fall to the floor. She lay on the bed, looking at him with curiosity and something else—trust, perhaps. Or duty.
Ferrel moved into her arms, and for a few hours, he could pretend everything was real.
Part Four: The Impossible Truth
Chapter 16: Still Alive
Deep in the Guacarra Valley jungle, a dozen Delta Force troops moved silently through the undergrowth. Sergeant Grunt raised his fist—the signal to stop. Near a creek, a native boy was fishing.
Two soldiers approached him carefully. The boy didn't run.
"Hi, where is your village?" Corporal Garcia asked in Chilean.
"Down the ravine."
"Is there anyone staying there besides your own people?"
"No. Except there's a woman not from our tribe, and her hair looks like that." The boy touched Corporal Hutch's blonde hair.
Garcia's eyes widened. "Sarge, the boy says there's a blonde woman not from his tribe in his village."
"Ask him if he can bring us there."
The boy led them through a cave and out to a ravine where the village stood. Through binoculars, Sergeant Grunt spotted the blonde woman sitting with tribal women.
"The blonde woman seems more like a missionary than a mercenary or rebel. All move in, but safety on."
They approached the tribal leader, negotiating permission to speak with the woman. Finally, they were led to her.
The blonde woman looked up at them. Sergeant Grunt's training kept his expression neutral, but his mind reeled.
It was Dr. Gina.
"Ma'am, I'm Sergeant Grunt from the United States Delta Force. May I know your name and what you're doing here?"
"I really don't know my name, but they call me Caca. But I know why I'm here—to study these native people."
"Do you know that you're an American?"
"What's an American?"
Grunt took her photo and sent it to command. Minutes later, the reply came through his earpiece.
"Her name is Dr. Gina Jenkins, a scientist from Johns Hopkins University. She was reported dead in a helicopter crash at Ciwana two months ago on her way to Guacarra. That's thirty miles from where you are now."
That night, sitting by a campfire, Grunt told her what he'd learned. As he spoke, something in Gina's mind shifted, like tectonic plates grinding together.
Images flooded her consciousness: the helicopter jerking violently. The missile impact. Her finger being severed by torn metal. Being thrown from the wreckage, falling through a hole in the jungle floor, hitting water. Native hands pulling her to safety.
"I remember now," she gasped. "The helicopter was hit by a missile. There was an impact, and one of my left fingers was cut off. I was thrown to the ground and fell through a hole into a stream. I saw men carrying me away. When I woke up, I was in this village. I was terribly wounded, and they cured me. I don't remember anything after that."
"But you seem to know what you're doing here, studying these people."
Gina showed him tree bark papers covered in charcoal writing—research notes, observations, drawings. "It was already set in my mind. Maybe my subconscious mind was already set to do this research, and I'm continuing the task even though I don't know who I really am."
"Since you remember who you are, I have to send you home. This place is dangerous and full of militia."
"Okay. But I need to ask you for something before you take me home. I need to borrow your camera to make some shots of the village and these people. As evidence of my findings."
Grunt agreed, and the next day, Gina photographed everything, hugging each villager goodbye, thanking them for saving her life even though they would never fully understand her words.
Chapter 17: The Phone Call That Changed Everything
At the lab, Dr. Raymond watched Ferrel pace, happier than he'd seen him in months.
"You're really happy now."
"Yeah. What about you and Leslie—that's her name, right?"
"Oh, her. I just see her once in a while. We're not really that serious."
Ferrel stopped pacing. "You know, even though I'm happy now, I still miss the real Gina. She just vanished like that. I didn't really see her remains. Sometimes I feel she's still alive. What I have now is not as real as her."
Raymond's expression hardened. "Really? I don't believe you're saying that after what happened. You should be thankful. If the new Gina knew you said this, she'd be sad. It seems like you're using her!"
"I'm not!" Ferrel protested. "I'm sorry I said that. But it's true. Just keep it to yourself, okay?"
His phone rang.
"Yes, this is Dr. Ferrel."
The color drained from his face as he listened. When he lowered the phone, his hand was shaking.
"What's wrong?" Raymond asked.
"Gina. Gina is still alive. They found her. She's now in St. Louis Hospital."
"What?"
Ferrel was already running for the door.
Chapter 18: Collision
At St. Louis Hospital, Dr. Raj blocked Ferrel from entering Gina's room.
"Hold on. Before you go in, let me explain something. She has a minor blood clot in her brain. That clot has left her in a state of insomnia—memory loss. You can't force her to remember. It might break the clot, and things will get worse."
"Let me in!"
Ferrel pushed past him into the room.
"Gina, it's me. Ferrel."
Dr. Gina looked at him blankly. "I'm sorry. I don't know you."
"I'm your husband!"
"Please go! I don't know you!" She began to cry.
Dr. Raj pulled Ferrel from the room. In his office, he showed Ferrel the X-rays, explaining the surgery they needed to perform.
"What's the success rate?" Ferrel asked.
"We can't tell. We have to try. If we don't do it immediately, the blood clot will grow and disperse throughout her brain, resulting in death."
"If it's successful, will she remember?"
"What's important now is to save her life. Remembering is secondary."
Ferrel signed the consent form with a shaking hand, then stepped outside to make a call.
"Ray, go to my house now."
"How's Gina?"
"I'll explain everything later. Just be there."
Chapter 19: The Lying Continues
On Ferrel's porch, Raymond listened to the whole impossible story. Inside, the clone—the woman they'd been calling Gina—waited, unaware that her entire existence was about to be upended.
"I want you to move her to your brother's cabin tomorrow," Ferrel said. "It's not safe for her to stay here anymore."
The front door opened. Gina stood there, smiling. "Hey, guys, come in. Why do the talking outside?"
Over dinner, Ferrel delivered the news.
"Gina, I have to ask you to do something, and you may not like it."
"What's going on?"
"We need to move you away to another place."
"To where and why?"
"It's a scientific matter. You need to go to a healthier environment. This house isn't good for you."
"But I'm okay. I don't feel sick at all."
"The readings show differently. When you were asleep, I... I ran some tests. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."
Her eyes widened. "Am I a subject of your experiment?"
"After the accident, your body isn't stable. We're still monitoring you from time to time."
Raymond jumped in. "Gina, it's for your own good. Please..."
"Okay," she said quietly. "If it's for the good of everyone."
Later, as she packed in her bedroom, Raymond confronted Ferrel in the hallway.
"You're sick and a great liar."
"I have to do this for her own good."
"...and let me be part of this insane plan. You're using me and her."
"Gina doesn't need to know these things. Including her parents and everyone. If Gina knows, she'll get hurt, and her health might deteriorate."
"Gina's feelings? But what about her feelings? You're really one hell of a selfish guy."
"I'll find ways to settle this. Imagine if everybody finds out—the firm will know too. They'll take her away, and we'll both be charged."
"Yeah, now you're talking about the consequences and how I'm involved too. Did you ever think of it before this? I was a fool to follow all your stupid instructions."
"Come on, Ray. Just help me on this one."
"I'm not doing this for you or Gina. I'm doing this for her."
Footsteps on the stairs made them both turn. The clone stood there, suitcase in hand, looking between them with confusion.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing," Ferrel said quickly. "Let me take your bags."
He kissed her goodbye at the car, watching as Raymond drove away. From across the street, the neighbor Sherry watched the sedan leave, frowning at the woman who looked exactly like the friend she'd mourned.
Part Five: Love and Betrayal
Part Five: Love and Betrayal
Chapter 20: Fraser Hill
The cabin sat in mountain stillness, surrounded by pine trees and the songs of birds. Gina stood at the window of her room, breathing in the view.
"It's beautiful. The trees, the mountain, and the sounds of birds."
She went outside, touching bark and leaves, discovering nature like a child.
Dr. Raymond emerged from the cabin. "Well, everything is complete except groceries. I need to go to town. You want to follow?"
"No. You can go ahead."
"Okay. I'll be back in an hour. Don't go too far from the cabin. You might get lost."
As Raymond's car disappeared down the road, Gina explored her temporary prison, unaware that at that very moment, in St. Louis Hospital, the real Gina was waking up.
Chapter 21: Awakening
Dr. Gina's eyes fluttered open. The first face she saw was her mother's.
"Mom, is that you?"
"Yes, it's me, my dear." Annie's tears fell freely now.
"Dad, Larry..." Gina reached for them, and they crowded around her bed, a family reunited against impossible odds.
Then her eyes found the doorway. "Ferrel... where is Ferrel?"
"I'm here."
He rushed to her, pulling her into his arms. "I thought I'd never see you again."
They cried together, holding each other as if they could make up for all the lost time in a single embrace.
But even as Ferrel held his wife, his mind was racing. What would he do about the other Gina? How could he explain what he'd done?
Chapter 22: Fishing Lessons
At Fraser Hill, Gina and Dr. Raymond sat at the kitchen table eating breakfast.
"What do people do here?" she asked.
"Relaxing. Fishing."
"Fishing?"
"Using a rod, string, and hook to catch fish."
"What do we do with the fish then?"
"We cook and eat them. You want to go fishing?"
"Sure. It must be fun."
At the jetty, Raymond stood behind her, his hands guiding hers as they cast the line into the lake. The bait sailed through the air and plopped into the water.
"Yes, you did it! That's the way."
"I did it. Thanks... but then what do we do after that?"
"We just wait for a couple of minutes or an hour... until the bait is swallowed by the fish."
"Is it cruel to use the worm for the fish?"
Raymond stared at the water. "Yeah. It's the way it is. Somebody has to sacrifice..."
He wasn't talking about worms anymore.
Chapter 23: Homecoming
Dr. Ferrel brought his wife home from the hospital, watching as she walked through their house rediscovering everything.
"Home, sweet home," Gina said, touching familiar objects, breathing familiar air. "I missed all this."
That night, lying beside her, Ferrel felt the weight of his secret like a physical thing pressing on his chest.
"Morning, darling," Gina said the next day, kissing him.
"Morning. Honey, did you need to go somewhere today?"
"No, no. I need to stay in the house. Do some housework. It's been some time since I did that."
"In that case, can I go to work? There's a lot of things to do. I'll try to be back early."
"It's okay. You go ahead. I'm okay at home."
As Ferrel drove away, he had no idea his wife was about to discover everything.
Chapter 24: Discovery
Dr. Gina found clothes missing from her closet. At first, she dismissed it. But then the neighbor Sherry appeared in the garden.
"Gina, is that you?"
They hugged, and Sherry said something that changed everything: "I saw you just last week. I think... I saw you. Maybe it's a déjà vu."
"What?"
"I saw a woman who really looked like you in a blue sedan car driven by a man, coming out from your garage."
"The man—was it Ferrel?"
"No, it wasn't Ferrel. It was the man who used to come to your house, who worked with Ferrel. Dr... something..."
"Dr. Raymond."
"Yes, Dr. Raymond. He wanted to be called Ray. I remember him because he was handsome."
That night, while Ferrel slept, Dr. Gina opened his laptop. She found everything—research files on cloning, notes about "Subject Gina," protocols and procedures.
Her hands shook as she read. Her husband had created a copy of her. And from what she was reading, that copy was still alive.
The next day, she called her friend Laurel, an FBI agent, and had her trace Dr. Raymond's phone.
Within minutes, she had an address.
Chapter 25: Confrontation
When Dr. Ferrel arrived at Fraser Hill for a surprise visit, Gina ran to him, throwing her arms around him. They kissed like newlyweds.
Dr. Raymond watched from a distance, his expression unreadable.
After lunch, while Gina was inside, Ferrel told Raymond the truth.
"Gina is at my house. She's okay now."
"So what's the next plan? I can't stay here with her forever. I need to go back to work."
"I don't know any plan yet, but I need you to be patient. Maybe a couple more days."
"What about my job?"
"I'm your superior. I can authorize your leave. All I want you to do is take care of her."
"She's your problem, not mine!"
"Just give me some time. I will find the right time to tell Gina."
"The real Gina or this Gina?"
That evening, when Ferrel left, the clone Gina ran to her bedroom and cried. Raymond found her there, her shoulders shaking with sobs.
Chapter 26: Love Confession
Days passed without a call from Ferrel. The clone Gina sat on the jetty, her feet in the water, trying to understand the pain in her chest.
Raymond found her there. "Did Ferrel call you?"
"No."
"Can you tell me what's going on? Every time you both meet, there's an argument. Is it about me?"
"No, it's about work."
"If so, why doesn't he call me or you? It's been three days. It seems like he's avoiding me." She turned to face him. "Ray, can you tell me something? When someone likes you and you like him back, you want him to be with you always, right? That kind of feeling I cannot describe because it's so nice, peaceful, and beautiful, but I can feel it. The book I read said that is love. But now someone you love is not here, and you start getting this feeling of sadness, insecurity, worry, and you miss him. Now this thing called love became something that is painful, and I really feel uncomfortable. Why is this happening? Why do we feel this way?"
"That's natural as a human being. It's called emotion. Sometimes we can control it, and sometimes we don't."
"If Ferrel understands this, why is he doing this to me? Does he want me to feel miserable?"
She started to cry.
"Gina, don't cry."
"Then tell me what's going on."
Raymond took a deep breath. He'd promised Ferrel he would never tell. But watching her suffer, he couldn't maintain the lie anymore.
"Okay. I will explain everything to you. I can't see you suffering like this and being lied to. I promised Ferrel not to tell you, but now I just can't."
He told her everything. About the helicopter crash. About Dr. Gina's finger. About the cloning process. About how they'd thought the original Gina was dead.
"You're actually created from Ferrel's wife's DNA. But at that time, we thought his wife had died. Now they found that she's still alive, and she's in Ferrel's house now."
The clone stared at him, her world crumbling.
"So I was taken here because his wife came back, and not because of my health?"
"Everything is a lie, Gina, and I'm very sorry I became part of it."
"Then all the love he gave to me isn't real, but just to replace the love he had before from his wife? I'm just a substitute then."
"You're just a victim of the situation. I don't think Ferrel had the intention to hurt your feelings."
But Raymond knew that wasn't entirely true. Ferrel had known exactly what he was doing, and he'd chosen his own comfort over honesty.
Chapter 27: Raymond's Truth
"Let me tell you my side of the story," Raymond said. "I once had a crush on Dr. Gina. In our university days, me, Ferrel, and Dr. Gina were good friends. We did things together—eating, studying, having fun, doing crazy things. She said she loved me, but after graduation, she said she loved Ferrel instead. She rejected me and lied to me. Ferrel never knew I loved her."
He looked out at the lake. "Even after this happened, I still accepted Ferrel as a friend and decided to be his research partner. I even was his best man at their wedding. We're good friends until now. Maybe when I'm with Ferrel, I always know how and what Dr. Gina is doing, her whereabouts, and I feel close to her. That's what I call love. I couldn't be with her, but at least I remember her every day."
He turned back to Gina. "That's why I was really pissed off when Ferrel said to me he still remembered his presumed-dead wife and had lesser love for you. That's why I don't think you should love Ferrel anymore. Forget about him. Let him be with his wife. Love me instead, because I really care about you now. Let me fill your heart. Let me make you happy. Throw away your sadness."
"You think it's easy for me? I'm still thinking about Ferrel. I still love him."
"He doesn't love you anymore. He's going back to his wife."
"No, that's not true. You're doing this because you want to replace me with Dr. Gina."
"Please believe me."
Raymond put both hands on her shoulders. The emotion, the stress, the lack of food—it was all too much. Gina fainted and collapsed into his arms.
Chapter 28: The Secret
At Fraser Hill Medical Centre, Dr. James delivered news that changed everything.
"She's alright. She just fainted due to an empty stomach and dehydration. But you really have to take care of her and watch her very closely."
"Why?"
"She's pregnant. One month. Congratulations."
Dr. James extended his hand. "You're going to be a father soon."
Raymond stood frozen, his mind racing. The baby wasn't his. It was Ferrel's. And according to everything he knew about cloning, this pregnancy could be dangerous.
Back at the cabin, Gina placed her hand on her stomach.
"What happens when my tummy becomes bigger?"
"Just let it be. But you really have to take care of yourself for the sake of the baby."
"I will soon become a mother. I don't know how I should feel."
"It will be a good experience. I promise I'll take care of you until you deliver the baby."
"Do you think Ferrel should know about this? It's his child."
"I think, at the moment, no."
A car pulled up outside. Through the window, Raymond saw Dr. Gina emerge.
"Gina, you stay here."
He went outside to intercept her, but the clone had already come out of the cabin. The two women stood face to face—original and copy, looking at each other across an impossible divide.
"Well, Ferrel made you look younger," Dr. Gina said coldly. "To taste better."
She circled the clone like a predator. "He made you perfect, and you look so nice with my clothes on. How dare you come to my house, use my clothes, my books, my kitchen, and sleep in my bed with my husband. Who do you think you are, taking my life away?"
"I'm sorry," the clone whispered.
"You better be. From now on, I want you to leave my husband alone. You don't see him, speak to him, or even think of him anymore. If you do, you'll face the consequences. You and Ray here. You're just a duplicate, a product!"
Dr. Gina drove away, leaving the clone bent over, crying. Raymond held her as she sobbed.
Chapter 29: The Warning at Home
That night, Dr. Gina confronted Ferrel about the books that had been moved, the clothes that were missing.
"I met the other Gina and Ray too," she finally said.
Ferrel's face went pale. "Did Ray tell you where they are?"
"No. I found them myself, not through Ray. Ray has been loyal to you since day one. But you're not. I guess you managed to make a replacement for me."
"Gina, it happened so fast. I was under deep pressure to give results for the company. One night, I dreamt to take your DNA to make the clone, and it worked, and I got my job back. I had no intention to hurt you or anybody."
"But why did you keep the clone and bring her to our home?"
"Gina, I thought you were dead at that time. The Chilean military confirmed it."
"You could have just kept the clone at the lab."
"Gina, I'd lost you at that time. I didn't know if I could live without you. I wanted you to be with me always. Having the clone gave me a chance. A second chance. I did it because I love you."
"Then how will you differentiate between your love for her and me now?"
"I only love you. You're the only one."
"So prove it. By not seeing her anymore."
Dr. Gina walked away, leaving Ferrel alone with his guilt.
Part Six: Sacrifice
Chapter 30: The Escape
"Gina, we need to pack our things," Raymond said the next morning. "We need to get out of this place."
"Why?"
"Our hiding place has been discovered. Dr. Gina might report it to the firm."
They drove to Southall City, to his Aunt Mary's house. The elderly woman welcomed them with open arms, delighted to have company in her big, empty house.
That night, in her bedroom, Gina called to Raymond. "Why don't you accompany me? Sleep with me. I need you."
Raymond got into bed beside her. They made love, and for a moment, both of them could pretend they were normal people leading normal lives.
Chapter 31: Nine Months Later
The baby boy was perfect—ten fingers, ten toes, a healthy cry. Gina held him and felt a love she hadn't known was possible.
But that love made her decision easier, not harder.
"Ferrel needs to know this," she told Raymond. "This is his son."
"If he knows, he'll take this baby away. Remember, he once disowned you."
"Please, Ray. I don't feel right. Furthermore, the baby needs a father, a real father."
"What about me then? I can be the father. I've been taking care of you for months to make sure you and the baby are okay. Am I not eligible? After all I've done for you, you still want Ferrel?"
Raymond stormed out.
Later, Gina found him on the porch. She hugged him from behind.
"I'm only going to give the baby back to Ferrel, and I promise I'll be with you. We can start again, building a family. Just you and me. The important thing is that Ferrel and Dr. Gina will be happy having a child of their own. This is the love I'm giving them back."
Raymond finally understood. She was choosing to sacrifice her own happiness for others. It was perhaps the most human thing she'd ever done.
He called Ferrel.
Chapter 32: Protocol 6B
"Hello."
"Hi, Ferrel."
"Ray, where have you been? Where is Gina?"
"Gina is okay. I want to tell you something. Gina gave birth to a baby. She and the baby are with me now. It's your baby. You're a father now. Gina wants to give the baby to you and Gina, your wife."
"Oh God, no. It can't be."
"What's wrong?"
"Have you read Protocol 6B in the research manual? I sent it to you."
"No, I only have up to 6A. What does the protocol say?"
"The protocol says if a subject conceives a baby, the subject's body will deteriorate later."
"The baby?"
"The baby will be fine."
"Then why did you have sex with her?"
"At that time, Protocol 6B wasn't discovered yet, and I assumed she couldn't conceive like Gina."
"But the clone is so perfect with no defects."
"We need to put her back in the lab capsule. If not, she'll die."
"Are you crazy? If the firm knows, we'll both get caught."
"I don't care, Ray. I don't care about my work anymore. I've been feeling this guilt for such a long time. I need to mend the mistakes I made to her. Just tell me where you are."
Raymond hung up.
Dr. Gina, who had been listening, touched Ferrel's arm. "I can locate him. We'll go there together."
Chapter 33: The Final Choice
At Aunt Mary's house, Gina read the research files on Raymond's computer. She found Protocol 6B. And she found Protocol 6C—the one that said she could be rejuvenated after giving birth if they took her back to the lab.
She also found Protocol 8.
She wrote a letter, her handwriting shaky:
"Dear Raymond, first of all, I'd like to thank you for being such a good man to me, really taking care of me until I gave birth. Give my thanks and love also to Mary. She's such a good woman, caring and like a mother to me. As for the baby, please give it to Ferrel and Dr. Gina. I think they'll raise him very well. I don't really deserve to have the baby because I'm not really a real human. I'm just a copycat. Same as being with you. I'm not real. I'm sorry I can't be your partner. I don't want to live a lie. I am somebody else. I am not me. I just don't know how to explain this, but I hope you understand, and please don't be too sad for not having me.
I'm sorry I erased Protocol 6B from your computer. I know what's going to happen to me, and I hid it from you. I also know about Protocol 6C, that I can be rejuvenated back after giving birth. But I know if you take me back to the lab, you'll both be caught by the firm. I don't want that to happen. I want you both to have a good life. I don't want to ruin it.
I have decided to end all this by applying Protocol 8.
Just promise me to take care of yourself and ask Ferrel to take good care of my baby.
Bye, and I love you. Gina"
She left the letter on the bed and walked out into the morning.
Chapter 34: Dissolution
Southall Beach stretched empty in the early light. Gina walked across the sand, feeling it between her toes for the first time. She'd never been to a beach before. She'd never done so many things.
She walked into the water.
It was cold, but she kept walking. The water reached her knees, her waist, her chest. She thought about the baby—safe now, with Raymond, soon to be with parents who could give him a real life. She thought about Raymond, who deserved someone real, not a copy. She thought about Ferrel, who'd created her out of grief and love and desperation.
She thought about Dr. Gina, the woman whose life she'd borrowed.
The water reached her neck. She took a deep breath and kept walking.
According to Protocol 8, salt seawater would cause a clone's cellular structure to break down, to dissolve. It would be painless, they said. Quick.
The water closed over her head.
Her feet began to dissolve first, the sensation strange and distant. The dissolution moved upward—legs, torso, arms. She felt herself coming apart, molecule by molecule, returning to the elements from which she'd been created.
Her last thought was that she was glad she'd existed, even if only for a little while. She'd learned what it meant to love, to hurt, to hope, to sacrifice. Wasn't that what being human was all about?
The water churned with bubbles where she'd been. Then even those faded, leaving only her clothes floating on the surface.
Raymond reached the beach just in time to see the last bubbles disappear. He ran into the water, grabbing her clothes, pressing them to his face, sobbing.
Dr. Ferrel and Dr. Gina arrived moments later. They stood on the sand, watching Raymond grieve, saying nothing.
There was nothing to say.
Epilogue: One Year Later
Dr. Ferrel pushed the stroller through the park, his son sleeping peacefully inside. Dr. Gina walked beside him, her hand in his.
They'd named the boy Ryan, after Raymond, who'd disappeared shortly after that day at the beach. He'd left Clonatech, left the city, left everything behind. Ferrel had tried to find him, but Raymond didn't want to be found.
Sometimes, at night, Ferrel dreamed about her—the woman who'd worn his wife's face but had been entirely her own person. He dreamed about her last walk to the beach, about what she must have been thinking, about the courage it took to choose dissolution over a lifetime of being someone else's copy.
Dr. Gina had forgiven him, eventually. Or perhaps she'd simply decided that holding onto anger would destroy them both. They never talked about the clone, never mentioned those strange months when there had been two of her in the world.
But they both knew the truth: the woman who'd walked into the ocean had been more human than either of them. She'd understood love, sacrifice, and dignity in ways they were still learning.
The baby stirred, opening his eyes. He had his mother's eyes—both of his mothers' eyes.
Ferrel picked him up, holding him close.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, though he wasn't sure who he was apologizing to anymore. The woman who'd died in a helicopter crash? The woman who'd dissolved in the ocean? Or the son who would grow up never knowing the full truth of his origin?
Dr. Gina touched his arm. "He's beautiful."
"Yes," Ferrel agreed. "He is."
They walked on through the park, a family built on secrets and science, love and loss. Behind them, the sun set over the city, painting the sky in shades of gold and red.
Somewhere, in those colors, Ferrel liked to imagine that both Ginas were at peace.
THE END