8 Making a Strange Bedfellow

CHAPTER EIGHT MAKING A STRANGE BEDFELLOW Franny took DNA samples from Igor, the parrot, and the chameleon, and she tossed them into her new improved Atomic Combiner. These animals had the special abilities to sense feelings, mimic, and change appearance, and Franny wanted those abilities.

Her creation would have to be convincing, so she threw in a little sample from a cobra, for its ability to hypnotize its prey, and a specimen from a spider, for its ability to lure things into its web. She gave her creation nerves of steel, so it wouldn't get nervous when it spoke in front of people. She added a handful of spicy peppers, to give her creation a fire in its belly.

"A fire in the belly means that it will really want to win," she explained to Igor.

Franny added a dash of python and a scrap of a carpet. "The python should give it a strong grasp of the issues," she said with a grin, "and the carpet will make it an expert on where people stand."

Franny threw a few switches, and the electricity began to crackle. She pushed a big lever, and the iron rollers turned, uncoiling a strange, floppy piece of fabric onto the floor.

It looked like a big gray bed sheet, but it was warm and soft, like skin. When Franny touched it, it wiggled and twitched. "I think it likes to be tickled," Franny said, and she dragged the bed sheet over to her sewing machine. Igor held a pincushion for Franny and watched her cut and sew for hours.