As we sped away from the mansion, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. "THUD-THUD-THUD!" my heart beat rapidly. I glanced at my mother, who was pale and shaken.

  "Jason, what's going on?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Who are these people?"

  "I don't know, Mother," I replied, trying to reassure her. "But we'll be safe soon. We're heading to one of our properties in the mountains."

  As we wound our way up the mountain roads, the scenery outside changed from city skyscrapers to dense forests and finally, to a stunning vista of snow-capped peaks.

  "Wow," Matilda breathed, gazing out the window. "This is beautiful."

  I smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. We were safe, for now.

  As we arrived at the house, I could see that it was a beautiful, rustic chalet-style mansion, surrounded by towering trees and a babbling brook.

  "Welcome to our mountain retreat," I said, smiling at my mother.

  We spent the rest of the day settling in, with the Jeam searching the premises for any signs of danger. I took a moment to bathe, feeling the warm water wash away the stress of the day.

  As I dressed, I could hear the sound of the Jeam moving around the house, searching for any hidden dangers. "CREAK! CREAK!" the floorboards groaned beneath their feet.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  My mother cornered me in the kitchen, her eyes narrowed. "Jason, I want to know more about these...Jeam of yours," she said, her voice firm. "Where did you find them? How did you train them?"

  I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "I...I found them through a recruiter," I said finally. "They're highly trained, Mother. You don't have to worry."

  But my mother's eyes lingered on mine, searching for any sign of deception. I knew I had to be careful.

  Meanwhile, Matilda hovered around the edges of our conversation, her eyes darting nervously between my mother and me. I could sense her insecurity, her fear that I was suspicious of her.

  As the day drew to a close, I gathered the Jeam in the living room. "We need to come up with a plan," I said, my voice firm. "We can't stay hidden forever."

  J1 nodded, his eyes locked on mine. "We should clone more of us, Jason," he said. "We can't take on whoever is behind this attack alone."

  I nodded, my mind racing. "Agreed. Let's send J4, J5, and J6 to the city. They can clone 10 more of us and bring them back."

  The Jeam nodded, and the three designated clones set off towards the city.

  As they traveled, they encountered two would-be robbers, Viktor and Leon. "HANDS UP!" Viktor yelled, brandishing a gun.

  But the Jeam were too quick. They disarmed the robbers and subdued them. "THWACK! THWACK!" the sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed through the air.

  The robbers were dragged back to the Burns' main home, where they were thrown into a dungeon. "CLANG!" the dungeon door slammed shut behind them.

  J4 posed as me, using my biometrics to access the house. "BEEP! BEEP!" the security system beeped as he entered.

  They reached the lab, where they began the cloning process. "WHIRR! WHIRR!" the machines hummed as they worked.

  Ten new Jasons were cloned, and the Jeam bought clothes and gear for them. "CHA-CHING!" the cash register rang up the purchases.

  They also bought masks to hide their identities. "ZIP! ZIP!" the masks were zipped into place.

  As the Jeam returned to the mountain house, I had been adjusting to life in our temporary hideout. I spent my days bird-watching with Matilda, reading books, and watching the stars twinkle overhead.