The Clean Slate Accord (4 page)

Chapter 6

After another of David's announcements telling her that over a million more people had been removed from the population, Alexa stopped peering through the microscope and wiped her eyes. She tried to hold back the tears, but she couldn't. She felt so helpless, so lost. Jonas had a way of calming her down, but he still hadn't returned to the Bunker.

She picked up the two remaining slides and held them to the light. The first several she'd examined were human blood smears. Nothing unusual. The next few were wafer thin sections of tissue. The last two, however, were troubling. They contained cross sections of brain cells. There was no telling why Jonas had been studying the slides, but he'd disappeared soon after. What had he found?

“Jonas, where are you? I need you,” she whispered. For most of her life she'd depended solely on herself, but now it was like an integral piece of her was missing.

She left the lab and went to the garden. It was a shambles. The wind had stripped the rose bushes of their flowers and the lotuses were lying forlornly on the water surface. The wind had gone, but the after effects remained. How like her life it was. The beauty of the Accord, like the garden, had been swept away, dismantled and destroyed in the blink of an eye.

“Director,” came David's voice over the communicator.

“Yes, David.”

“I've picked up a news bulletin report that I think you should hear.”

“Can you put it through?”

“Done.”

Alexa looked at her wrist monitor. It was Jonas, sitting beside a news announcer. Jonas looked afraid, timid and small, next to the man, yet there was a sense of serenity about him. Or maybe she was just so overjoyed to see he was unhurt that she felt instant relief.

Jonas spoke, addressing the camera, “I consider myself to be a friend of the world, Mr. Malike.”

The announcer shrugged. “Then why haven't you, or the Global Director, spoken openly about the Clean Slate Accord? People are vanishing and yet no one has come forth to explain why? I was having breakfast with my wife when she just wasn't there anymore. Her teacup fell to the floor right where she'd been standing. Can you tell me where my wife is?”

Alexa saw Jonas draw in a deep breath, after which he shook his head slightly. “You see, Mr. Malike, the explanation is very complicated and on such an advanced level that you could never understand it, so as your friend, I'll try to simplify it. A person is never really gone. Their energy, their soul or essence, lives forever. You can't destroy energy, Mr. Malike.”

“I've heard that, but how does that explain the disappearance of so many people?”

“When a human body dies, it's not like losing the person. Not really anyway. So, when the implants misfire and kill the human host, their energy is still there, transferred into another form of energy, such as heat or light. Do you understand?”

Alexa slumped to the ground. Jonas had just told the world that the implants were indeed killing people. She couldn't fathom why he'd disclosed the truth. If he was trying to gain friends, then his genetics had to be breaking down. What would make him think the people would befriend him after he told them his project was responsible for the deaths of their loved ones?

Jonas continued, “As a friend to all humanity, I swear I will stop the implants and save the world!” He made a wide gesture with his hands, and had the biggest smile Alexa had ever seen.

She'd seen enough. She disconnected the broadcast and called David. “Where did the broadcast originate from? Where's Jonas?”

“Jonas is defective, Director,” David said in a flat tone.

“I don't need your evaluation of him, David, just tell me where he is.”

“The Bering Land Bridge.”

Alexa groaned. Jonas had always wanted to visit the technologically advanced Land Bridge state. When the oceans receded and the land mass was revealed, scientists flocked to the newly exposed area so they would have room to develop a new, highly progressive city, and that fascinated Jonas. But why did he have to choose this particular moment to take a trip? He really was behaving like a willful child.

Alexa quickly calculated the time it would take to fly to the Land Bridge. In one of the slower vehicles, it would take almost two hours. “David, what are your predictions for future loss of lives over the next two hours.”

“It's steady, Director. A loss of approximately 2% each hour.”

That was four percent in two hours. There was no way she could use up two vital hours tracking down Jonas. “Can you get Jonas on his wrist communicator?”

“I've tried, Director. He disconnected his communicator link.”

“I'll be in my room. Call me only if you hear from Jonas.”

“What if any of the other world leaders wish to speak to you?”

“Keep them in the dark, David. Tell them I'm busy or something.”

Alexa ran to her room. “Mirror, activate.” She paced around in front of the mirror.

“Why, Director, you look even more stressed, if that's possible.”

“It's possible. Do a quick analysis on the technology at the Bering Land Bridge.”

“What are you looking for, Director?”

“An answer.”

“That's not very helpful. All right, here's what I have. Over the past ten years, the Land Bridge scientists have developed a groundwater nano-tube for locating fresh water aquifers more than a thousand feet beneath the sea…”

“No.”

“Well, then, how about a wind generator a mile into the atmosphere that is powered by the jet stream?”

“No. What else? There has to be a reason Jonas would go to the Land Bridge.”

“Maybe it's just because you never take him anywhere. I've been staring at the same walls since you made me, so I can understand how he'd want a change of scenery.”

“Keep the commentary to yourself. I'm looking for technological advances that would appeal to Jonas' mindset. He made an announcement where he said he will befriend the world and stop the removals. How can he do that without Serum D?”

The mirror was quiet for a moment, then the lights around its perimeter blinked several times. “Perhaps you should look at the reason he stole his own DNA analysis.”

“What do you mean?” Alexa had a cold feeling down deep in her gut. Could Jonas have found an error in his genes? And if he did, did the Land Bridge scientists have something he needed to repair his genetics? Jonas had been looking at blood and brain cells in the lab.

“Director, I did manage to begin a report on the DNA analysis before it was stolen, and there didn't appear to be anything wrong. I think the answer you're looking for lies within Jonas' being.”

Alexa massaged her temples. “His being? You don't think he found out he's only half human, do you?”

“Precisely, Director. How would you feel if you found out you were only half the person you thought you were?”

“Mirror, deactivate.” Alexa dashed from her room to the control room. “David, can you get the head scientist at the Bering Land Bridge for me? I think his name is Dr. Samir Kota.”

“It is. What if he's been removed, Director?”

She didn't want to consider the possibility. There was enough to worry about already. “Just get him on the communicator.”

She wished more than anything that Jonas was right beside her, pushing his oversized frames up his nose and whining about one thing or another. With him gone, there was a space inside her, an empty hole. She had to wonder if it was the feeling mothers had when their children were gone.

“Director, Dr. Kota is on line one.”

“Thank goodness.” She stepped away from David and pressed her communicator button. “Dr. Kota? This is Global Director Alexa Lange.”

“Yes, Director, what can I do for you?”

“I believe you have a visitor there by the name of Jonas. It's imperative that I speak to him right away.”

There was a brief moment of silence. “Oh, well, he has requested that he not be disturbed. We are all very concerned about the removal rate and have given him full access to our interstitial genome synthesizing equipment. Jonas believes he can prevent further removals, you see.”

“How? How does he think he can do that? I need him back here with me. I am issuing you a direct order to put him on the communicator line. Now!” Alexa drew in a deep breath, but it didn't calm her down in the least.

“That's not possible, Director. We all trust Jonas and he trusts us. He said he is our friend.”

Could it really be that Jonas convinced the people, scientists as well as lay-people, that he could solve the removal issue so that they would be his friends? Surely he wouldn't be that self-serving. She had to remain in control and gain Kota's trust. “Dr. Kota, I am also Jonas' friend and I need him. Please get him for me.”

He paused and said, “Let me see what I can do,” then disconnected the call.

The next few minutes dragged on and felt like hours to Alexa. She paced, thoughts scrambling around in her mind. Time was valuable and she was wasting it. Humanity would vilify her for creating the Accord, and the implants. New Earth now seemed like a distant dream, a fantasy. Alexa wiped away a trace of sweat before David or the rest of the crew could see.

Finally, her wrist communicator flashed. She looked at the monitor and saw Jonas. He looked pale and his brow was furrowed. Softly, he spoke, “Director, I'm sorry I left without telling you.”

“Don't worry about that now. What's going on, Jonas? Come back to the Bunker and we'll work on the implants together. Neither of us can do it on our own.”

“You're wrong, Director.” He rubbed at his eyes with his small fist. “I'm so tired. I still don't feel well, but it won't matter soon anyway.”

“Then come back. You can rest. We won't mention any of this again, if you'll only fly back immediately.” She lowered her voice, “Jonas, people are dying every minute we delay.”

“But I can fix it. I really can.” He turned away from the monitor and shook his head, speaking without turning back, “You have to trust me. I'll be the world's friend. Everyone will love me and talk about me for years.”

“Jonas, I'm your friend. Isn't that enough?”

He looked into the monitor. There was something about his expression, a sadness or disillusionment. “You're not my friend, Director. You're my mother.”

Chapter 7

Alexa stared at her wrist communicator. Her heart thumped hard. Jonas knew. Of course he knew. He'd downloaded his DNA analysis from the mirror. Why hadn't she ever told him that she'd used her own DNA? Because it had been an unethical experiment, that's why. She never wanted him to know the truth.

“Jonas…”

“Don't try to explain anything, Director. I know what I am. You didn't create me to be a son. You wanted a biological computer. I'm nothing more than a brain to you.” He blinked several times and started to push up imaginary eyeglass frames. “I lost my glasses, Director.”

“They're in the lab, Jonas. Come home to the Bunker and you can have them.” She wanted to say something more, but couldn't think of anything that would explain her motives for making Jonas who he was. He wasn't just a machine, like David, he was real, a part of her. “I miss you, Jonas. I need you.”

“You do?” Jonas glanced around and then peered close to the monitor. “Why didn't you ever tell me that? And why didn't you tell me I had your DNA?”

“I don't know why. I should have. I admit it. I made a mistake, Jonas. But we don't have time to discuss it now. We need to put our heads together, as a team, and come up with a solution.”

“It's too late, Director. I analyzed every possible scenario and there's only one solution.”

“What are you talking about, Jonas? What's the solution?”

“You'll see.” He disconnected the call.

“Damn!” Alexa stared at the blank screen. “David, get Jonas back.”

“All transmission lines to and from the Land Bridge are down, Director. You shouldn't rely on Jonas anyway. He's faulty.”

“I told you before that I don't need your input when it comes to Jonas. He's not a computer like you. Just keep monitoring the removals.”

Alexa sat down at her desk and logged into her private files. Where had she gone wrong with Jonas' development? He was designed to have an enhanced intelligence, which he had, but what if the viral DNA had somehow begun to attack the human DNA?

She opened the journal files she'd kept during the first few years of Jonas' life. There was nothing out of the ordinary. She was missing something, she could feel it. Dr. Kota said Jonas was using their interstitial genome synthesizing equipment. What would he do with that?

David interrupted, “Another two thousand removals in the last ten minutes, Director, mostly from the United Lands of Africa.”

Alexa felt like screaming. “Keep monitoring, David.”

She searched her data files for information on the Land Bridge genome synthesizing equipment. What a boon to humankind it had been when they'd completed the project. The Land Bridge scientists were able to synthesize any set of genetic codons, the sequence of genes, for recombination treatment. How many diseases had they cured? There were the cancers, arthritis, macular degeneration…too many to count. So what would Jonas be doing with genomes? It wasn't like the implants caused any disease.

Alexa got up and went to her room to consult the mirror. “Mirror, activate.”

“Well, hello again, Director. Things have not improved, have they?”

“No. I've spent most of my life around computers, biological and mechanical, but not enough around humans. Why can't I figure out what Jonas is up to?”

“You said it yourself, Director. You made Jonas in your image so to speak. You wanted a being with intelligence to rival your own, but you neglected to consider the emotional side. You experience emotions, so why did you think Jonas wouldn't?”

“Because he's only half human. Besides, his emotional state isn't pertinent right now. He said he knows how to stop the removals, yet I can't see how.”

“Are you worried that the human population will see that you're no longer the smartest person on the planet, or that Jonas is no longer dependent on you?”

Staring into the mirror, Alexa saw her image, a tired woman looking back at her. A middle-aged woman with gray-flecked hair. A woman with no progeny of her own. But that wasn't quite true. She had Jonas. She
used
to have Jonas. “He's my son, Mirror. My son.”

“True. Would you do anything for him?”

“Of course.”

“Do you think he'd do the same? Would he do anything for you?”

“Certainly. I'm the Global Director and he's dedicated to me.”

“No, no, no, Director. What would a son sacrifice for his mother?”

Alexa took a step closer. Her eyes were bloodshot and glassy. She missed Jonas and it was eating her up inside. “What do you mean by sacrifice?”

She didn't really need an answer. It was clear now. Her feelings for Jonas had clouded her thoughts, making it hard to see what Jonas' solution was. But now it seemed so obvious. He was about to make the most unthinkably altruistic action he could. Alexa sat down on the floor.

Jonas had found his DNA analysis in the mirror's database and discovered only half was human, donated from his mother. Once he found the other half was viral, he must have compared his own tissue samples to human tissue samples in the lab. That had to be the moment when he realized how to use his genetics to undo the Accord. But there was one part missing.

“Mirror, Jonas is going to sacrifice himself, isn't he?”

“That would be my guess.”

“He'll use the interstitial genome synthesizing equipment to unzip his DNA and remove the human element and synthesize his viral DNA. He'll become a virus.”

“Is that possible, Director?”

“It's possible, but how will that fix the implants?” A flash of clarity struck her. “Oh, no. No!”

“Director?” The mirror's lights flashed off and on. “What are you thinking?”

“The Serum D. If he didn't dispose of all the Serum D, then he can spread it via viral infection, and he'll be the virus.” She felt lightheaded, dizzy. “That has to be what he meant when he said he'd be the world's friend. He wants to stop the removals to help humanity, and to help me.”

She pressed her communicator button. “David! I don't care how you do it, but get me Jonas. I have to stop him.”

“I'll see if I can restore the communications, Director.”

The mirror said quietly, “Do you think it's wise to try to stop Jonas, Director? If you do, the global population will continue to vanish.”

Alexa looked across the room at the framed picture of Jonas' DNA. As many times as he'd been in her room, he'd never once asked about the picture. It was obvious to a trained eye that one strand of the double helix was foreign, not human, yet he apparently didn't notice. Or did he? She wandered closer and saw a thin black line drawn around the altered viral part of the helix. He must have studied the picture once he'd stolen the analysis from the mirror.

She reached out and touched the picture. He must hate her for creating him and making him an outcast because he was so different. She couldn't let him destroy himself. It wasn't his fault.

“Director,” David said over the communicator, “I have Jonas on the line.”

Sitting on the bed, Alexa pressed the communicator. “Jonas? Are you all right?”

“Director, listen carefully. I don't have much time. You've probably already figured out what I'm doing, but I want to tell you anyway so you can see how smart your creation is.”

Alexa brought her wrist communicator close to her face so she could see Jonas clearly through her teary eyes. “Jonas, did you save some of the Serum D?”

“I did. Just a small amount. I knew it was wrong to get rid of all of it. I've incorporated the neuro-cellular component from the Serum D into the viral nucleotide of my DNA. Using the interstitial genome synthesizer, I'll collect all of my viral cellular DNA, which will be replicated and then dispersed in a jet stream atomizer attached to a Land Bridge wind generator. It'll spread over the major countries. It'll be especially potent, Director. The people will breathe it in and it will immediately dispense the Serum D. An infected host will shed the virus when they exhale, infecting more and more people. The only down side, Director, is that it will still take several hours before most of the population is infected, and cured.”

“Clean Slate will be reversed. And you'll be dead, Jonas. What have I done?”

“You had a dream, Director. It was a good dream.”

“A good dream that turned into a nightmare, Jonas. There must be another way. Why don't you come back to the Bunker and we'll work on it together?”

Jonas shook his head. “It's too late.” He panned his camera around to a contraption that was attached to his arm. “My DNA is already being extracted. I estimate I have only a few minutes left.”

“Jonas,” Alexa's voice cracked, “Please, Jonas. I don't know what I'll do without you.”

He looked into the camera and smiled. “It's your job to protect the remaining population, Director. You have to make sure they understand that it's up to them to prevent wars. Humans, Director, are the ones who have to decide not to fight.”

“You see how well that's worked in the past.” Alexa wiped her eyes.

“This isn't the past, Director, it's now. Humanity needs peace. If the people didn't want peace, they wouldn't have agreed to the Accord, would they? They just didn't think they could accomplish it on their own.”

“And you think we can?”

“I do.” Jonas closed his eyes. He was pale, more pale than usual. “Director, I'm very weak. I don't have much time left.”

“Wait, maybe we can…maybe I can undo the extraction. We can extract the Serum D and…”

“It's too late, Director.”

“No. No it's not. I can do something.” She tried to think, to come up with another solution. “Let me…”

“Director. Mother. I'm going away now. I'm proud to be your son.” His communication ended.

Alexa stared at her blank monitor. “No! Jonas!” She pressed all of the communications lines, but the monitor remained blank. “Jonas?”

The lights on the mirror flashed off and on. “Director, it was his decision. He grew up.”

She unstrapped her wrist communicator and dropped it on the floor, burying her face in her hands. “But I wasn't ready.”

“He was.”

From the wrist communicator on the floor, David's voice came through, “Director, there's been some atmospheric disturbance originating over the Land Bridge, spreading quickly over the United Continents. On its present course, it will reach Contiguous Eurasia and the remaining continents within an hour. Do you want me to continue monitoring it?”

Alexa drew in a deep breath. It was Jonas. He truly was the world's friend, embracing the planet as only he could. “Yes. And let me know as soon as the removal rate slows.”

“You're expecting it to, Director?”

“I am. Very soon.”

She got up and went to the garden. There were new lotus blossoms emerging, their stalks reaching up toward the sun. Alexa saw a blush of red-orange across the sky, in the jet stream. She reached up, trying to touch it. “I've always loved you, Jonas. And I always will.”

Time passed slowly as the sun descended and fell below the horizon. David reported that the removal rate slowed and then eventually stopped. Alexa knew that the implants were rendered dormant by the Serum D. Clean Slate was now a note in the history of the world. She strolled back to the Bunker and passed by the lab. Peeking inside, she saw Jonas' black eyeglass frames lying on the counter. How silly he looked in them.

She picked them up and slipped them on. She felt empty inside. If only she'd used all human DNA, then perhaps Jonas wouldn't have been so alienated. He didn't fit in because he wasn't completely human. Human DNA could be manipulated, perhaps not as easily as viral DNA, but it was possible. It was also possible that there might be a way to undo the effects of Serum D and reinstate the Accord.

Alexa took off Jonas' frames and tossed them into a garbage receptacle. She couldn't throw away twenty years of research. The planet now needed nurturing more than ever. And who better to nurture the world than a mother? This time, however, perhaps a daughter would make a better companion and assistant. A daughter would be easier to relate to.