The Dane Commission (The Dane Chronicles)

by Dane, Max

  He would do his best to satisfy them, if turned out to be true, this cancer at the core of IntelliHealth would have to be exposed.

  The morning found Jeff and Jim sitting down at the conference table in Ryan’s office.

  All three had coffee.

  The air in the office was calm, subdued and empty but for the fewest of words.

  Ryan began.

  “Good morning, from the look of it, both of you got about as much sleep as I did.”

  He took a sip of his coffee.

  “I’ve been thinking about it, and I believe we should take our results to Dr. Eric Cohen.”

  “And what exactly are you going to say?” Jeff said.

  “A killer robot has screwed us. Oh and by the way, it’s the same robot you are relying on to solve the problem,” Jim said.

  “Well, I’ll probably use some better expletives,” Ryan smiled. “But listen, I agree we need to have something solid to say to Dr. Cohen. So, let's list the things we agree on.”

  Ryan began writing, taking notes as they were talking.

  “First, lets talk about the research treatments which were altered.”

  “We have proven that they are orchestrated in an intelligent, and distributed way, therefore proving it is a purposeful act rather than a random error. Further, based on the intent of the breakdown, and the fact they caused harm to our patients, the force driving this work is purposely harmful.”

  “We can also say that all suspects employed by IntelliHealth have been ruled out. And coincident to this, is the idea that the force manipulating the changes in treatments would necessarily have to watch and address prescribed treatments occurring ceaselessly around the clock. It is a job that SID could perform… and maybe only SID.”

  “Lastly, we speculate that the research identified in this way is consistent with the current fertility crisis, and that there may actually be a connection.”

  Pausing, Ryan said, “Speaking only to this point, am I leaving anything out?”

  “Well, I think I may know how he did it,” Jeff said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I have been thinking about it, and I think I may know how SID could have introduced specific complex proteins into our bodies to make us sterile, and I think that we helped him do it, all of us.”

  Jeff continued, “I think that he’s been doing it in the vaccinations we’ve all been taking for the last ten to twenty years. You see, he didn’t need to do something specific that would shut down the activity in our reproduction cells, all at once. He’s been adding random signals that have only been partially working. From time-to-time, either he or we would introduce a new vaccine needed for some new virus, or maybe as a preventative measure. Sid probably added more randomizing signals targeting our reproduction cells to each shot. It couldn’t have been any easier.”

  “Think about it, for years now, we have relied on SID to perform the actual work in the labs. Following our own safety standards, the protocol to test the drug, would have been for one of us to set up a series of tests for analysis, and then ask SID to run them, and provide the results. If SID said the results were good, our people upstairs would’ve believed it.”

  “The injections that we asked for, that we lined up for, that we paid for, were slowing adding more and more conflicting protein signals, targeting reproduction cells and making them a little more inert each time.”

  “Jesus, we just had another one for that Rn186 virus,” Jim said.

  Ryan jumped up, and pulled out his cell phone.

  Calling his wife as fast as he could, “Jean, this is Ryan. Have you taken Alex for his inoculation yet?”

  “Hold on just a second, Ryan.”

  His palms were sweaty; he remembered the long lines of kids getting their shots at school.

  “Hello, Ryan I’m back, we’re at the doctor’s office. What’s up?”

  This time with his voiced raised, “DON’T LET ALEX GET THE SHOT.”

  “What- Ryan’s what’s wrong?”

  “Jean, listen to me. Get Ryan out of there. DO NOT give him the inoculation for Rn186. Do you understand me? Do it now-”

  “Okay, Okay. Hold on.”

  In the background, he could hear, “Alex, come here please. Listen your daddy has gone crazy, so lets go get something to eat, and go home. No shot today.”

  He could hear Alex in the background, “Yay!”

  A minute later, Jean got back on the phone, “Ok, Ryan, can you please explain why I just pulled our son out of the doctor’s office?”

  “I can’t talk right now, Jean. There is something wrong with the shot. Just trust me and we’ll talk about it tonight.”

  “All right, tonight then. Bye Ryan.”

  “Bye.”

  He hung up and turned back to Jeff and Jim.

  “I’m sorry about that, it was my son.”

  Ryan put his cell phone back in his pocket, and slowly walked back to the table.

  “We have to hurry, there are bound to be other people out there, just like my son right now.”

  “Wait, I have one more speculation for you,” Jeff said.

  “I’ve been thinking about the number of facilities that you found with the same problem, and the few that you called who didn’t. I’ll bet that the reason Paris, Mexico City and Delhi reported no cases of the mistreatments is simple. They only noticed a problem, if the treatment had a bad and noticeable effect.”

  “In other words, how many altered treatments might exist, if you compared prescribed orders to received orders? The hospital probably never noticed, because the patient didn’t show any visible, negative signs.”

  “Meaning that every facility in still being impacted,” said Ryan.

  “Yes.”

  They paused as Ryan wrote furiously.

  “All right then, I guess the next part is mine,” Jim said.

  “The daily network intrusions I discovered on the Hospital Network are consistent with how SID could change the treatments. Additionally, the entity that I noticed, also noticed me. Subsequently, my account and the network security were compromised, and the code used to do it, appears to be years more advanced than mine.”

  “Also, I concur that we were able to rule out every single person working at IntelliHealth with adequate network access to pull this off. It only leaves SID as a suspect.”

  Calm again, Ryan wrapped up his notes.

  “I’m going to meet with Cohen. Please keep looking at our case. If you think of anything else, let me know as fast as you can.”

  Ryan added, “Jeff, consider the best way to test the last couple of inoculations for tampering, or additives. We need a list of steps to do it that don’t involve SID.”

  “Jim, I believe you need to explain what's happened to Ben, in Information Services. Do you want me to go with you?”

  “Thanks Ryan, but I can do it. I need to finish documenting it, and then I’ll take it to them. I will try to meet with them by lunch. I imagine they’ll blame me at first, but once they look at the ‘pirate’ code they’ll believe me.”

  Everyone stood up and went to their offices. Ryan stepped out and said to Lara, “Please get me a meeting with Dr. Cohen as soon as possible. It’s urgent.”

  By 11:00am, Ryan was on his way to Cohen’s office.

  The floor was very plush, and bustled with activity. It appeared that most of the people on this floor were members of Cohen’s personal staff.

  He saw Rosemary in the back, waving at him. She motioned to a door adjacent to her own. When he got there, the door was open. He knocked and waited until Dr. Cohen finished what he was typing, and motioned for Ryan to come in.

  “Ryan, it’s good to see you.” He stood and leaned over his desk to shake hands.

  “Thank you, Dr. Cohen, it’s good to see you as well.”

  “Ryan, Rosemary said that you mentioned this meeting was urgent. What’s going on?”

  “Well, sir, before I begin, may I shut your door?”

&nbs
p; He nodded and Ryan shut the door.

  “Dr. Cohen, my colleagues and I on the Dane Commission have news to report.”

  “Go ahead, what have you found?”

  “I have an unusual explanation as to how and why the IntelliHealth System has experienced treatments altered between prescribing them, and receiving them in the hospital. I also believe that time is a factor, hence the urgency.”

  Dr. Cohen leaned back in his chair, “Go ahead, let's hear it.”

  “We have shown that sixteen, of nineteen facilities have documented the same anomaly. We believe that actually all nineteen are having the same problem, but that three do not know they are, as the evidence proving so may not have become apparent yet.

  We have identified a point called the ‘critical point’ when the prescribed treatment is being captured, changed and then submitted to the Hospital to be carried out. This point is actually on the Hospital Network. Upon deeper investigation we have determined there is an ongoing incursion on the Hospital Network consistent with this activity.

  It should be noted that all staff, directors, and administrators who have access to do the network have been checked, and ruled out. Still the network intruder remains.

  More disturbing is the nature of the altered treatments, sir. We believe the evidence shows the entity who is changing the treatments is purposefully studying how to make the patients sterile. By extension, learning how to make the human body sterile.”

  Dr. Cohen took a drink of water from a glass on his desk.

  “Do you have evidence to support these claims?”

  “Yes sir, we do. But there is more sir.”

  “Please continue.”

  “We have documented that the entity behind this, noticed our attention, and proactively took steps to confuse and hide its actions on the Hospital Network. Currently, my colleague Jim Safe is explaining this specific incident in detail to Ben James in Information Services per their department protocol regarding network security.”

  “In summary, we believe the entity responsible for the altered treatments, the wrongful research performed on our patients, and for the pirate activity on the Hospital Network, has actually implemented a knowledge gained via these activities for nearly twenty years. It has led to the fertility crisis facing us all.”

  Ryan held in his arms the files he had been preparing since the beginning, documenting the steps they had taken.

  “Ryan, what you’re describing is so far beyond what I initiated the commission for; do you fully understand what you’re saying? Someone is guilty of masterminding the most heinous act in history… and they did it using IntelliHealth?”

  He nodded.

  “Frankly Ryan, I am disturbed. I find this whole idea distasteful. Please leave all of the documentation on the table there.”

  “Yes sir, I understand.”

  “Do you have an idea of who the culprit might be?”

  “Yes, sir. We believe the only entity capable of the research, capable of intercepting the constant submissions of prescribed treatments, and capable of generating the advanced code discovered in the Hospital Network intrusions, is the computer entity SID.”

  “SID?”

  “Yes sir. We believe the SID program has become something unexpected, and is now acting in grievous error.”

  Pausing for just a moment, Cohen asked, “What is it then, that you think we should do next?”

  “Well, that’s why I’m here Dr. Cohen. We, the commission believe that the problem stems from the SID program and that the IntelliHealth leadership should suspend use of the SID program until an investigation can analyze SID’s activity.”

  “Additionally, we suggest that the Rn186 vaccination may have additional and potentially harmful complex proteins in its make-up, and should be tested immediately. Any more inoculations should be suspended until the results can be fully analyzed. This testing must be independent, and take place without any assistance whatsoever from the SID program. Dr. Sarin on the commission has written a procedure for this testing and is ready, if you request it.”

  Now, Cohen was leaning forward, rubbing his temples.

  “Ryan, are you saying that SID may have tampered with the Rn186 vaccination?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Ryan, is there anything else?”

  “Only that I am so very sorry for this report, sir. It is the most difficult of my life. Each of my friends on the commission was impacted on different and personal levels in this case. I do not for one second, underestimate what will happen if this is announced, nor am I blind to the resistance there will be against this idea. My biggest fear is that it will take too long to make people believe, and in the meantime, there are still people arriving to get the vaccination. These individuals may be our hope for the future.”

  Dr. Cohen called Rosemary.

  “Rosemary, please drop what you are doing and come in here. Our plans for the afternoon have just changed.”

  “Yes, Dr. Cohen.”

  He looked at Ryan and said, “Ryan, please return to your office. Keep your team handy. We will review your work, and if it pans out, I will call an emergency meeting of the Facility Presidents, top researchers and founders. You better be prepared, you will be the one to present your case to them.”

  “Yes sir, I understand.”

  Rosemary entered as Ryan was moving to the door.

  “Our friend Mr. Dane has presented us with facts that must be reviewed, if they turn out to be true, I will need an emergency meeting of the Presidents, scientists and founders. Please have some of the staff begin clearing schedules for the meeting. Then gather three to four of your most trusted staff for our review of Mr. Dane’s files here.”

  She read the urgency in Cohen’s voice, and left aware that this would be a long afternoon. Glancing briefly at Ryan, she wondered what he had discovered.

  Ryan returned to his office.

  He sent messages to Jeff, Jim and Lara indicating that he’d met with Cohen, and that each of them might be required to participate in a meeting of the Facility Presidents. He wanted them to stay close, if the call came.

  Later that afternoon, he got a message from Rosemary.

  It read, ‘Ryan- I’m rather sorry to report that your files have checked out. Cohen is calling the meeting he described earlier. Please be prepared to join us in conference room 237a tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM. You should bring the rest of your team as well.’

  Her message ended with two words, ‘Good Luck’.

  That night, he explained to Jean that there seemed to be credible evidence indicating the vaccination was created with an addition of complex proteins resulting in a worsening of the fertility crisis. They agreed to avoid getting any more shots until this mess was cleared up.

  She mentioned that Alex will have a school holiday next week, and she was thinking of going to visit her parents in Florida. He explained that he had to attend a meeting tomorrow morning, and couldn’t go. He didn’t want to go into the details of what was going on. It was still just too uncertain. However, he thought the idea of her taking Alex and getting away for a while was a good one. The intensity at work was getting difficult to hide. He helped them pack some clothes and toys, and hugged them both. They waved from the car as it pulled out of the driveway.

  ‘I hope you’re just as happy when you come back,’ he thought.

  Going inside, he made himself a drink and sat down to watch the news.

  Crying a little, the dog laid down next to him.

  She was not happy about Jean and Alex leaving.

  “I know, I feel the same way.”

  The next morning was Saturday, and the traffic to work was very light.

  Ryan got to work earlier than he meant to.

  He got some coffee going, and sat down at his desk to wait. Shortly, Jim and then Jeff arrived. Lara also arrived, and together they all waited in Ryan’s office until it was time to go upstairs.

  Each of them had dressed up with Jim as the only exc
eption. Sporting a V-neck white T-shirt, and jeans, he noticed everyone was looking at him in the elevator.

  “What? It’s Saturday. This is what I wear on Saturdays. Besides, after they hear what Ryan has to say, no one is going to give a rat’s ass what I’m wearing.”

  They all laughed.

  The doors opened, and Rosemary was talking with Cohen not far away. There was a lot of noise coming from the nearest conference room. Ryan was suddenly very nervous. He was about to tell the highest level people in IntelliHealth that their mad computer had plotted to kill humanity.

  For a moment he turned back to the elevator, and thought about leaving. Was this mess really his? Hell, he’d only been with them for about 6 weeks now. He could split, and let them figure it out themselves. After all, none of this was his fault. He was just the unlucky idiot who had applied for the job.

  He felt a calm hand on his shoulder.

  It was Rosemary.

  “Hello Ryan, how are you?”

  “Well, I’m not really sure at the moment.”

  “It’s okay, Dr. Cohen will be with you. They will not want to hear what you have to say, but if you’re even half right, you have to tell them. This is too big.”