“The concept of God, in its many iterations around the human world, has been replaced by science, technology and engineering. In this world view, permission is always given to those who wish to make money by reshaping, polluting or destroying the environment. Creating jobs and creating wealth are the prime drivers. The idea that the planet is self-healing and not capable of permanent damage has prevented humanity from exploring the true extent of the damage modern man has wreaked on our home planet.
“Global warming, deforestation and rampant, unchecked pollution have invaded every part of the planet, irrespective of location. Chief among the issues that have affected the planet is the issue of overpopulation which has dozens of deadly hydra heads.
“Poverty, access to resources and marginalization of large swaths of humanity has led to the extreme degradation of all life for all species around the world. And it affects us as a species along with mankind. It radically affects the carefully balanced global ecosystem to the point that thousands of species will become extinct each and every year because of unchecked human intervention. The rate of species extinction at the hands of mankind, in recent decades, has rapidly accelerated.
“Given the scientific evidence of human responsibility, which is overwhelming, one might ask why humanity has failed to act to stem the obvious tide of environmental destruction? The answer lies in human politics and greed, the drift toward global commerce and away from guiding first principles and connection to our planet. The problems of the global environment can be directly traced to the central problem of human overpopulation and the many issues which derive from that single fact.
“The world population is at present over seven billion humans and growing. If the trend continues, the world population will double in fifty years, stressing the planet even more than it already is. At what point will humans gather together and decide to stop the madness? It is unclear either from either a religious or scientific perspective that the trend will abate any time soon. Is there any will, any desire amongst humankind to address the problem, other than among a few educated minds that see the vast implications of overpopulation to humanity?
“I suggest that there is no will, neither do humans feel any urgency for addressing the challenges confronting this planet, our home. Until mankind wakes up to the immediacy of the problem there can be no serious discussion of remedial action. The planet will continue in its death spiral until habitability becomes an impossibility. Then, at some point, it will simply be too late.
“Is there a tipping point beyond which the planet can no longer survive? Is there a point of no return? Can we reliably estimate when the death of planet Earth will come to pass or count off the number of days to final mass extinction for all species?
“That’s a matter for debate, of course. So today I want you all here to break up into teams of five or so and formulate your questions for discussion and your assessment of what to do. That should be followed by a vote on how to proceed with humanity going forward. What shall be the Gens response to the human infestation? What role or responsibility does the Gens Collective have in addressing a problem that affects us and our future so profoundly?”
The assembled youth broke up into small groups and the Elders in attendance that day flitted from group to group, asking questions and making comments to guide the discussion. The final vote was the only one that really mattered.
The virtual unanimous opinion of all participants that day was that for the survival of the Gens as a species, the human infestation needed to be seriously culled and humanity displaced at the top of the food chain. Humanity could no longer be trusted with management of the planet and its resources.
The conclusion: the likelihood and inevitability of war was affirmed, and that war would have to begin soon. Glaringly absent was a precise definition of the word “soon”. Truth be told, very few of the assembled wanted war. What they really wanted was for the problem to just go away.
What the Gens needed to avoid war was a massive natural disaster that would kill humans by the millions. Absent that, all tools, including genetic manipulation of the transformation process and biological weapons of mass destruction, were on the table. This war could not be waged on the battlefield; that would certainly result in the extermination of the Gens Collective, and quickly. If these modern humans were adept at anything, it was killing. And on a grand scale.
This war would be waged on many fronts using all available tools and strategies.
His people had spoken, and the message was clear. Time was fast running out and the drive to action unavoidable. Paulo calculated the time remaining in the patience of the Collective toward humans in mere years.
Enzo calculated the time remaining as a much shorter time span. What Enzo feared could happen was an unknown and unpredictable series of events that would spur a complacent Gens Collective into action. It was a huge gamble but one with a huge upside.
Just not for the current Gens leadership.
Chapter 48
Adam thought he’d surprise Misti by coming home a few hours early and taking her to dinner at her favorite place in the old neighborhood. He laughed to himself thinking you can take the chica out of the neighborhood, but you can’t take the neighborhood out of the chica. Misti was all grown up, a woman in every respect, smart, talented and beautiful. A dream girl inside and out and Adam was beginning to understand the true depth of his great fortune. Misti was in love. And with the probable choice of any man in Seattle or probably in the entire western world, she had somehow chosen him. He was beginning to get used to the idea of thinking of at least one other person ahead of himself; he was pleased with his own progress in doing the little thoughtful things he knew gave her so much pleasure.
A few of the primos and primas she had grown up with would be at Café Antonio for dinner with husbands or wives, boyfriends or girlfriends in tow. Alicia, Misti’s bestie from Sacred Heart Catholic Prep School was in town from Chicago, where she was finishing up her Masters. This was Adam’s gift to Misti and a thoughtful, well-deserved surprise for her. They would occupy the entire back room at the smallish restaurant and would likely have to take a fleet of cabs home at evenings end.
Adam was pleased with himself in a way he had never imagined feeling in his life. That this must be love was the last thing he remembered thinking as he pulled into the driveway at Misti’s place. A black sedan was parked in front and a man in a dark suit wearing sunglasses was standing just outside the front door. Had Adam been a betting man, he would have guessed he was a cop of some sort, something he confirmed to himself as he got out of the car. The telltale bulge under the man’s left armpit, and a slight protrusion around his right ankle gave away his likely occupation. FBI? DEA? Must be someone wanting to talk to Carlos, probably unaware that he was now living in Blaine.
Adam walked up to the door, not thinking it necessary to say anything to the man who now stepped into his path, blocking Adam’s way.
“Excuse me sir but you need to stay right where you are. This is a criminal investigation and we’re conducting a formal interview. I’ll let you know when you can go in.” The man didn’t identify himself, seemed supremely confident that he controlled the situation and remained implacable, arms folded in front of his chest. Had it not been Adam and this house his home, the man might have seemed more intimidating.
Adam said, “No, excuse me, sir, but you’re blocking my way. I’m asking you to move; this is my home.” Adam was polite and quickly started for the door.
The man reached out and touched Adam’s chest and reiterated that Adam would be best advised not to impede an official investigation.
“Official investigation? Of who?” Adam asked, knowing it couldn’t be Misti.
“We’ll get this wrapped up in a minute, sir. Just wait where you are. I won’t ask you again.”
“Or what?”
“Sir, I don’t want to restrain you, but I will if you don’t settle down. I’m warning you one l
ast time.”
“Who are you with? Adam asked. By law an FBI agent was required to identify himself and show ID when asked. Adam was aware of the guidelines. “Let’s see some ID. You know you’re preventing me from entering my own home. I think you would be best served by stepping aside right now before this escalates into something you won’t like.”
The man looked unfazed by Adam, as if he had heard this kind of hollow threat a thousand times before.
The tallish well-dressed man then continued, “Listen to me, sir, I’m with the FBI and you’re interfering with an official FBI investigation. I could arrest you right now and charge you with obstruction. So, sit still, shut up and do as you are told.”
Adam stepped away from the man which caused a smirk to cross the man’s face. He loved the way he could make other men back down and dealing with this twerp wasn’t even a real challenge.
Adam pulled out his cellphone and hit speed dial. He put the cell on conference, so the FBI guy could hear the conversation.
A woman’s voice answered the phone. “Peter Berg’s office.”
“Yes … Tanya, it’s Adam St. James. Is Peter in? It’s an emergency.” The FBI man began to shift uncomfortably, just then beginning to realize just who was about to be on the other end of that call.
The woman’s voice continued, “He’s in a meeting right this moment but nothing I can’t interrupt for you, Adam if it’s an emergency. Just a sec. I’ll get him.”
The FBI man was in full fidget now, deeply uncomfortable and spoke in Adam’s direction. “Sir, I’m sorry but this is just a little mistake. I mean on my part. If you wouldn’t mind hanging up, I’m sure we can sort this out properly.”
“We’ll sort this out all right. Right now. I see you’re familiar with who Regional Director Berg is, so I guess you really are FBI. But you refused to identify yourself and show me ID. That’s very unprofessional and illegal, isn’t it, Mr. …?”
“Benson. Special Agent Phil Benson. This is just a little mix up. Please sir, please hang up.”
“Too late Phil. You’re up to something my friend and I think my other friend Peter can sort this out faster than you can lie and cover your tracks.”
“Adam, you little shit what’s up. Tanya stressed that you’re having some sort of emergency. How can I help?”
“Peter, I’m over at my girlfriend’s house right now and I’m here with one of your men, a Special Agent Phil Benson. He says another one of your people is in my house talking to my girlfriend as we speak. Says it’s a criminal investigation. He won’t let me in, won’t say what this is about and refused to show me ID. Plus, he threatened me.”
“Are you at Hannah’s place?”
“No, new girlfriend. I’ll give you the 4-1-1 later.”
Peter continued, “You say he threatened you? How?”
“Said he was going to restrain me and then arrest me for … what did you say for Agent Benson, ‘obstruction’?”
“Benson said rather quietly, “Yes, sir, that would be obstruction.”
“Adam,” Peter said, “please give him the phone.” Adam handed the phone to Agent Benson.
“What the fuck, Benson. What are you doing and who are you doing it with?”
“I’m with Special Agent Jacoby, sir. We had no idea …”
“You had no fucking idea what, Benson? I asked what you were doing there. Speak up, god dammit!”
“Sir, I think I should let Jacoby …”
“You’re about a dozen words away from a suspension so open your fucking mouth and talk. Now! I won’t ask again.”
“Jacoby’s inside trying to get a date with … a girl.”
“He’s what? Get him out here and on this phone right now!”
“He’s inside sir. I think he locked the door. I can’t get in.”
***
Special Agent Parker Jacoby had met Misti Alarcon once briefly at a get together sponsored by the FBI Field Office in Seattle teaching the basics of FBI crime scene investigation. Edward St. James had asked college senior Misti to attend the lectures, which would be attended by other police departments and other interested professionals. In a sea of suits, Misti Alarcon stood out and attracted the attention of more than her fair share of young law enforcement professionals. Most were men looking to meet and impress the hot young linguist and none were more eager than Special Agent Parker Jacoby. His specialty with women was not taking ‘no’ for an answer; in Jacoby’s world, ‘no’ definitely did not mean ‘no’. He decided to introduce himself and bide his time. He would find a way to get her alone some other time, then he would see just how much fun she could be. Her cooperation would be encouraged but wouldn’t be required.
Parker introduced himself, gave her his card, then departed seemingly only slightly interested and only professionally at that.
Misti was largely immune to the myriad of clever ploys of the men she had met in her twenty-two years on the planet. His gambit was well known to her and his main utility to her might lie in the sport she most enjoyed playing with men. If he showed up unexpectedly in her life, her suspicions would be confirmed, and he would likely learn a lesson he didn’t want to have.
She would have a special little surprise for Special Agent Parker Jacoby.
***
When Adam heard that Benson couldn’t get in the house because Jacoby had locked the door, his face flushed red with anger and he hurriedly pushed past Benson, fumbling with his keys. The door was unlocked quickly, and he was inside immediately scanning the living room. Adam saw Misti on the couch with Agent Jacoby uncomfortably close to his girlfriend, legs crossed, leaning into her with his arm brazenly resting on the back of the couch.
“Who the hell are you? Jacoby demanded as if this were his home. “Get the fuck out of here before I ...”
“Before you what? I’ll say this once and only once. Get off my fucking couch and away from my girlfriend and get the hell out of my home. Now!”
Misti could see clearly where this was heading, and this guy Jacoby had no idea what kind of fury Adam could let loose on him and just what kind of danger he, Jacoby, was in.
Misti said, “Adam, leave him be. Agent, it’s time for you to leave. Right now. Leave!”
The agent reclined on the couch smirked that bully smile Adam had seen a thousand times before in his life.
“I’ll leave when I’m damn well ready to leave. And not before.” He turned back to Misti and said, “So this little fuck is the Poindexter you’ve been talking about? God, he doesn’t look like much.”
Adam said calmly, “You heard the lady. Now get out of my house.”
Misti looked over at Adam, sensing the rising tide of his anger. She had seen it once before as a little girl and had seen it many times in her quiet reflections on the pathology that was Adam St. James. She knew from Edward that it was frightening once fully engaged when Adam would become his Other. And as she quickly reflected on the immediate situation, she somehow knew the outcome could not be a happy one for any presently involved.
So, she said, “Leave him be, Adam. This is my house, not yours. I say who comes and goes, not you.”
She turned to Jacoby and told him firmly again to leave.
“Not yet,” was all Jacoby said. While staring Adam down, Jacoby said to Misti, “I think your little ‘girlfriend’ here has something she wants to say. Don’t you, faggot? Got something you want to say, you little pussy?”
Jacoby’s voice was cruel and taunting, a combination Adam had heard many times before in his life. It did something to him, did something to his mind; something he could not explain, didn’t defend and didn’t ever seek to control. Edward had seen and occasionally experienced the Other Adam when Adam was growing up. He did not know how this “Adam” came about, nor how to control “him” when it did.
***
Controlled testing, Edward called it. What was the sum total of Adam’s unique skill sets, and could Adam ever lear
n to control them in stressful circumstances? Edward didn’t know and had to tread lightly on the subject, especially with Maria.
Maria, always there keeping an eye on Edward and their boy. She had told Edward that it wasn’t natural for a father to experiment on his own son, to test the limits of his mental and physical abilities in that way. Edward was to cease his testing, probing and experiments forever and leave his son alone. She begged Edward to let him grow up normally, as every kid should.
“He’s not every kid, Maria. He’s our kid and we will need him and his abilities one day. If we let this go, and do not manage him, he will do something someday to someone that will be very bad. Very bad indeed. It doesn’t have to be that way and you know it. When he gets older, you know what’s going to happen. It’s genetic and there’s nothing we can do to change that.”
Edward continued, “If you love him, you’ll not stand in my way. Better we start him on the path now than later. Later he’ll have skills and abilities and go crazy trying to control them. His mind will be shot by the time he’s forty, and he’ll likely be incarcerated somewhere.”
“Then do me just one favor.” Maria asked, “Please don’t get him killed. Train him but don’t get him killed. I am begging you Edward. Keep our boy safe.”
“Anything else?”
“Yes. Do something with the Alarcon girl. She’s another one you’re training, I suppose. Keep them apart for as long as you can. Things will not go well if they get together and begin to understand the things they have in common. It will not end well. As soon as you can, send her away.”
What Edward had discovered both awed and unsettled him. There was nothing supernatural in any of Adam’s gifts but the combination of those gifts, coupled with an indifference to pain and an inherited stoic attitude toward discipline and training, meant that Adam was special. And could be carefully molded into someone quite unique. For later.
As Adam grew older, Edward began to understand that a certain level of intense emotion, mostly anger, seemed to focus Adam’s mind and physical body in ways Edward didn’t yet fully understand. Rather than lose control of his emotions and sense, he became calm, almost serene, and feral. He was Adam, of course, his son, but he was also something else that was both frightening and dangerous. In this rare state, Adam most reminded Edward of the velociraptors of the late Cretaceous Period.
Discovery Page 29
