Asterion (9 page)

“First of May is good.”

“That’s good. I’ll let them know,” Devin excitedly continues. “Make it happen by 1 p.m.”

Taylor hesitates, but acquiesces to the demand. “We’ll make it happen.”

Devin stands up. “Great, let me know if there is anything that you need.”

The three part ways and Taylor returns to the lab. He lets his partners know about the date and impending visit by Burnsom. “I know we don’t like hard dates because they can be problematic, but it is within a day or so of moving Asterion to the maturation area. We’ll just set up a portable environmental system to keep him warm and provide a sterile atmosphere. In fact, it is a good idea to have a portable unit in case we need one.”

Christine replies, “We’ll just add some heat strips to the bottom of the bubble transporter, portable oxygen, a filtering system and we’re in business.”

Trent adds, “I can add some telemetry so we can monitor his vitals and environment from the spare parts we have in inventory.”

Taylor responds, “That’s great. It should not affect our workload very much. However, don’t delay, as we should do some testing with the final product. This is going to happen in front of Burnsom and the press. We don’t want a failure.”

Trent laughs, “That would be a real career move, right out the door.”

Christine laughs and nods in agreement. Taylor cautions, “Let’s hope we can keep on laughing.”

The team splits up and starts to modify the transport chamber meant to move the full term fetus to the maturation chamber into a portable incubator so that Burnsom can have his picture taken with baby.

Taylor returns to his office to continue going over his team’s reports. He is still curious as to how the anomalies occurred. As the sun starts to cast a red glow in his office, Taylor realizes he has a date and he needs to start on his way home.

Taylor hurriedly gets ready to go to Christine’s apartment. Stopping briefly in front of a mirror, he makes sure that nothing is askew and races out the door. Arriving at Christine’s place, he asks if she needs any help with anything.

“Everything is ready. Just have a seat at the table.”

Taylor smells the enticing odors and the flickering glow of candles is inviting. He enjoys good food and the company of someone he is growing to love. Smiling at her he says, “Now, you said you had something special planned.”

“You are the curious one. I heard that there is a sequel to the documentary we watched.”

Taylor perks up. “There is! How can we get it?”

Christine, instinctively lowering her voice says to Taylor, “I have an aunt who has obtained it. I need a few days to visit her and get it. She is in poor health, so I don’t think anyone will question it.”

Taylor, smiling at her lowered voice, “Great, uh, not about your aunt, but about the documentary. I’ll authorize the leave and take your workload so we don’t fall behind.”

“I hate to put that load on you.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get by. You should visit her. It may be too late if you delay and her health does not improve.”

Christine smiles, “Okay.”

Conversation gives way to the tinkling of silverware against dinner plates. Near the end of the meal, Taylor stops, looks at Christine and says, “It would be great to raise a family, but with everything happening, I don’t know”

“My mother told me one time that you just have to live it.”

“Just have to live it?”

“Yes, you know, go for it.”

“Is that irresponsible?”

“She said that everyone is scared to take the leap, but when you do, it’s not like anything else. No one who takes the chance ever regrets it.”

“Sounds exciting.”

“Some would say so.”

They finish eating, settle on the couch, and talk about their desires for the future. Their future is unfolding in their minds. Would it remain a dream or come to reality?

At the White House, Burnsom is in the Yellow Oval Office. With sporadic unrest and threats by enemies of the country, he no longer worked from the familiar Oval Office. Only used for photo ops and other formal occasions it would make a nice target for dissidents. Protected by armored glass, he peers out, enjoying the view of manicured lawns and gardens. It is a serene reminder of a less troublesome past when things seemed better for him. Life is a struggle to maintain even the austere lifestyle that most of the populace lived with today. He worried about maintaining control. He is always able to concoct some scheme that stopped the deficits and shortages for a time, but they are not permanent solutions. Only the problems are permanent. Like throwing meat at a tiger to satisfy its hunger, you hope it will leave you alone for a little while longer.

A knock at the door arouses him from his thoughts. He turns away from the window and looks at the door. “Enter” The door opens and his Chief of Staff, Thomas Jackson walks in with a somber look on his face. Tom is the quintessential greying office manager type. Overworked and overweight he slowly makes his way into the office. “Have a seat Tom,” Burnsom motions with his hand towards the empty chairs on the other side of his desk.

Sitting face to face, Tom speaks first. “Ira, everything is set for May First. You arrive at Twelve Thirty and behind the podium at One O’clock. You will be introduced to the director of the lab.”

Burnsom interrupts, “What is his name?”

Tom replies, “Devin Chambers.”

Burnsom mumbles, “Uh, okay. I know of him.”

“Good sir. You will make your speech outlining your plans for the beast. Then you will gesture to your right and the lead scientist, Taylor Scott will wheel the incubator with the creature in its protective bubble in front of you. He will stand, facing left on the side of the apparatus.”

“Then I will be able to hold the creature?”

“I’ve been informed that it is dangerous for you and the creature if you hold it for a photo.”

Burnsom angrily responds, “Why not? That’s the money shot!”

Tom, trying to calm him cautions. “You could give the creature some pathogen and it would get sick and maybe die, or it could attack you. Either scenario would not be perceived as wise on your part.”

“Okay, you’re right. That is probably for the best.”

Tom continues, “Press releases will go out in advance of the trip on our various websites and social media. The news outlets have been selected to travel with you and I know that many others will make their way to the location due to the importance of this announcement.”

“Good work Tom. You have never let me down.”

“Thank you sir, now we have to deal with the unrest in the two sectors.”

“Here is what we will do. I want you to create a news program to air in these two sectors only. Say that shortages are occurring in all sectors, but the other sectors have rallied its resources to weather the shortages. If we shame them, they will quiet down. Is there any way we can move some resources to those locations so that they see we are trying to react to the situation?”

Tom thinks for a bit. “We can get some basic food items and reroute the electrical grid to make up for the lack of sun and wind. We will have to do some rolling blackouts in areas where you are popular so that unrest is minimal. The food can come from forcing overseas operations to purchase on the local markets by bartering with our massive fuel reserves.”

Burnsom quips, “Great, great Tom, do it fast!”

Tom leaves Burnsom to carry out the massive shell game that keeps the government afloat. Burnsom’s excitement returns to pensive contemplation. Will he be able to keep the game going? Will he be able to keep the populace fooled and for how long?

CHAPTER 10 - WAITING

Taylor guzzles coffee in the break room. Trying to stay awake and deal with the workload, he is exhausted. He can’t wait for Christine to return. He misses her and longs to be with her. He also misses her contribution to the project and he wants to see this new documentary.

Devin walks in, “Bad judgment giving someone a few days off in the middle of a project.”

“Maybe, but her aunt may not last long if her health does not improve.”

Devin laughs, “You’re too soft. Career, project and you come first. Quit thinking about others. Their problems only cause you problems when you care. I learned that a long time ago.”

“You cared at one time.”

“Well, not really.”

“What goes around comes around. Loyalty is the reward of caring for others.”

Devin walks out with a full coffee cup waving his hand in the air and quips, “Loyalty is not worth a hill of beans.”

Taylor shakes his head. You have to feel sorry for that type of person. Chasing after something they think will solve all their problems and if they ever catch it, they find out it is just an illusion. Snapping out of his daze, he realizes there is a lot of work to do with only a few days before Burnsom’s birthday visit. Scans show that Asterion now is full term and the physical characteristics of the creature are close to specifications. The source and delivery of the rogue coding is still a mystery. However, it is not one without suspicion, but one without hard proof to lay blame. Asterion is healthy and sound. His brain size is large, but nominal and he displays high-level activity. He has to take the information at face value for now, as only testing will reveal the source. Taylor decides that there is no valid reason to destroy it. The project will continue.

Trent interrupts Taylor’s observation of Asterion. “I’ve determined that the genetic coding for intelligence is not from primates.”

Taylor looks up, “Not from primates. Then from what?”

“Human.”

Taylor laments, “How can there be so many mistakes?”

“We used human DNA to test the system so we had the material around.”

“We need to try a DNA match.”

“I’m working on it and should have the results soon. There were only a few that donated specimens including us.”

“I guess he’s family to somebody here at the lab.”

Taylor leaves the lab for a much-needed break and retires to his office. Resting his eyes for a while, he hears a knock on the door. “Come in.”

Trent enters and without any subtlety reveals, “The DNA is yours.”

“Great, that’s all I need to hear. All the planning, preparation, checks and balances and we still had multiple errors. I don’t believe it was all just random accidents,” He stops short of saying any more as he knows that he can’t reveal too much to Trent. Trent could be in on any sabotage and he has to hide his suspicions. “Well, I guess accidents happen. I take any blame if this goes wrong.”

“Don’t worry. Asterion seems to be healthy and has the desired features you are looking for, but just a little smarter.”

“Thanks, you’re probably right. Perfection is elusive. He will work out for the project.”

Trent leaves to continue monitoring the project. Taylor wants to rest, but this new revelation has him troubled.

Taylor returns to the lab and looks over the checklist for the log review and last on the list is the intelligence coding. They had focused on the obvious and missed the most important anomaly. Researching the system’s procedural log, he discovers the substitution of his DNA for the material intended for Asterion. In fact, when the system flagged the change, a user called Noman manually overrode it. There is no one authorized with that username. Now he knew for sure someone intentionally changed the material and it is not any sort of contamination or error. Taylor kept this information to himself and left the lab for the weekend. He would monitor everything remotely. The planned meeting with Burnsom is on Monday and Christine is returning on Sunday.

CHAPTER 11 - NEAR MISS

Burnsom is sitting at his desk reading over reports when he hears the shattering of glass and the whistle of a round as it passes less than an inch from his head and scatters the papers he is holding across the office. The loud crack of the wall reports the final resting place of the round. Ducking, he peers from around his desk at the gaping hole in the bulletproof glass and stares in stunned silence.

His security detail bursts through the door, hustles him out of the room and down to the main security office in the basement. He looks at the head of security with a scowl on his face. “How could you let this happen?”

Swallowing hard the commander stutters, “Sir, I don’t know what to say.”

“Well you better start saying something.” His scowl intensifies as he leans forward.

“Sir, we have triple strength glass out there, strong enough to stop a grenade.”

“Not strong enough to stop whatever almost hit me. And how could anyone outside of the inner staff know what office I used?”

“We are trying to ascertain what happened here. When my people report back, I can answer your questions in detail.”

“It better be fast and it better be good for your sake.” Burnsom spins around and leaves the security office.

The security chief gulps “Get the federal investigators in here. I need to know how they are investigating this and what they know about it at this time.” His assistants scramble out of the office to comply with his orders. Sitting down he takes a deep breath.