“When we have unlocked the rest of The Genesis Code,” remarked Boren, “perhaps we’ll discover knowledge that will enable us to step back from the brink.”
Ambergris paused as he finished injecting Shooter with an amino acid cocktail. His eyes were distant, as if viewing a panorama many miles — or years — away.
“Penny for your thoughts?” said Boren.
Ambergris turned to face her as she gave Tank his third injection.
“I was just thinking,” he said, “how important mankind’s survival must be. Encoding DNA with vast quantities of information must have been an enormous undertaking for the Ancients. Consider the difficulty we’ve had in decoding their messages, and then compare that to the task of actually engineering billions of bits of code into every living human before the catastrophe that wiped them out. They had no idea who, if anyone, would survive the approaching cataclysm. The time, energy, and technology it must have taken — it truly staggers the imagination.”
The five team members and Madison had all received the amino acid sequences that would hopefully reverse their lethal radiation sickness.
The only thing left to do was wait.
ODESSA SAFE HOUSE, THE UKRAINE
Vasily Orokov sat in his well-appointed study, drinking his morning tea. Leather-bound books lined the shelves of two walls, and fine art adorned the surfaces of the other two. An expensive brown globe depicting the world as it was drawn in the fifteenth century rested in a brown latticework cradle sitting on an expensive Oriental carpet.
There had been a power struggle within the Order. Kai Tanaka, Malaysian billionaire and leader of the Order’s Supreme Council, had wanted the Order’s own geneticists to finish cracking The Genesis Code. The Order and Joshua Ambergris had both discovered the rudimentary message pertaining to past and future cataclysms. But Tanaka believed that the Code could only be entrusted to the scientists and members of the Order. Accordingly, Tanaka had tried to kill Joshua Ambergris and destroy Manhattan’s Millenium Tower, where Triad Genomics had been located. Tanaka had failed.
Vasily knew that The Genesis Code would ultimately be deciphered. It was only a matter of time, a point on which he and Tanaka ironically had both agreed. They had disagreed on one crucial point, however: Vasily and others were certain that various political superpowers would crack the entire Code before the Order’s scientists, working with limited funding and resources, could achieve the same goal. The disagreement had cost Tanaka his life.
Vasiliy’s fellow Council member, Li Soo Yang, was much more in tune with Vasily’s own thinking. The Genesis Code could be used for mankind’s betterment as well as providing the ultimate means — nay, power — to enforce order out of the current global chaos assaulting civilization. Financial, environmental, and nuclear catastrophes loomed everywhere. One government must emerge as the leader of a New Millenium, subjugating all others.
The United States? The idea was laughable. Laissez faire and a free market economy would find ancient secrets on the auction block. No — democracy, Wall Street, and boardrooms would not be the proper custodians for sacred wisdom.
But what of Russia?
Orokov took a sip of tea.
In the days of the Soviet Union, the motherland might have been capable of conquering the earth by using the knowledge contained within the Code. There had been discipline; there had been the might and power of the Bear’s military forces; and there had been scientists equal in intelligence to those of the West.
But since the fall of communism and the Berlin Wall, Russia was a house divided against itself. Vladimir Putin might have designs on resurrecting Russia’s former glory, but he would fail. The country was now fragmented and filled with drugs, crime, and corruption. Russian youth ate at American fast food chains and listened to rock and roll. Everything had changed.
The task would fall to China. It was a country of billions, all highly disciplined by a strong central government. It owned much of the world’s financial assets, and its citizens were, with some exceptions, still loyal to the principles of the communist state. Their work ethic was unparalleled in the world. Once healed of disease and hunger, they alone had the sheer numbers and resolve to take the information within the Code a step farther.
It was survival of the fittest — social Darwinism. Who better than the Chinese people, considering that DNA manipulations would affect biological and cultural evolution forever, to carry out the genetic destiny seen by great thinkers for more than a hundred years?
Dominique was unaware of the deeper ramifications of what the Chinese government intended to do with the Code, of course, but Yang would deal with her when the time was right. She would either agree and go the last mile by appreciating their logic — or be killed.
REMOTE PRESIDENTIAL HOSPITAL, SAVAGE BAY
Hawkeye opened his eyes, but closed them quickly because of the blinding glare of the overhead florescent lights. He took a deep breath and tried to raise his head, but his neck was stiff, his muscles weak.
“Where am I?” he asked. “What happened?”
“You’re still at Savage Bay,” Dr. Ambergris answered. “You’re going to feel a little woozy for a while, but you’re going to be okay.”
Tank and Shooter awakened next.
“I haven’t felt this bad since the hangover I had in Hong Kong,” Shooter said.
“The Chinese,” Tank said, raising himself on one elbow. “Did we stop them?”
Boren shook her head. “No, we didn’t. But we did save the Genesis data.” She paused. “And the Genesis data saved you.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Tank.
“All in due time,” said Boren. “It’s a long story.”
Moans and groans could be heard coming from Gator and Pyro.
“Guys are all the same,” proclaimed Shooter, her eyes closed. “The tougher they are, the more they complain when they’re sick.”
“Everybody just stay still and keep quiet for now,” Ambergris instructed. “Your bodies are in the process of recovering from a rather nasty case of radiation sickness.”
“That’s impossible,” stated Tank weakly. “We were toast.”
“If there’s one thing we’ve all learned today,” said Ambergris, “it’s that limitations are all in the mind. Apparently the idea has been around for many thousands of years.”
OPS CENTER, ABOARD THE ALAMIRANTA.
“What we’re seeing is miraculous,” said Dr. Nguyen. “Titan Six may feel like hell, but their vital signs are returning to normal at an accelerated rate. The amino acid cocktails described by the Code go far beyond what we can do with nanobot technology, as impressive as it is.”
“We’re talking about a full recovery?” said Caine.
“A complete restoration of all bodily functions,” Nguyen said. “All thanks to knowledge that was once practiced by our human ancestors over two hundred thousand years ago. The civilization of the Ancients must have been advanced to a degree that we can’t at present comprehend. I would estimate that they were at least one to five thousand years ahead of us technologically.”
“Which means that they passed through our present crises,” Caine said, “such as annihilating ourselves with atomic weapons.”
“Precisely,” said Nguyen. “My guess is that the one thing they couldn’t conquer was the biorhythms of the earth, solar system, and the galaxy itself — not that they weren’t working on it.”
Caine seemed absorbed in thought.
“Mrs. Caine?” said Touchdown.
Caine continued to stare into space. The strong, confident leader of the past few hours was nowhere in evidence.
“Mrs. Caine?” Touchdown repeated.
Caine turned towards Touchdown, her eyes refocusing on the surroundings in the Ops Center. “Sorry. What have you got, Touchdown?”
“The Triad employees from Savage Bay are all on board the Alamiranta now. Quarantined and being treated for radiation sickness. No casualties. But when Titan Six i
s back aboard, we’re going to have to begin a massive clean-up operation unless . . . ”
Caine shook her head. “No. I’m not going to destroy Es Vedra. The Chinese are gone, and such a drastic step at this stage would trigger too much curiosity around the world. Plus we need to pull out all the computer equipment from every level. Those hard drives may have been wiped clean, but as I implied to Joshua, data recovery is always possible. We can’t have foreign interests making the attempt.”
“A clean-up might take years,” Quiz noted.
“True,” said Caine, “but I’m going to make sure Titan’s board of directors finds the resources to do it. Sometimes it takes a long time to make things right again.”
Caine crossed her arms, once again lost deep in thought.
A very long time. Or maybe never.
TITAN SIX, SAVAGE BAY
Hawkeye walked around the RPH, stretching his arms and yawning. “So what you’re telling me, Doctor Ambergris, is that everything this mission was about — cleansing the base of the Chinese and securing The Genesis Code — has actually led to a virtual resuscitation of me and my team.”
“Essentially, yes,” said Ambergris. “You and Titan Six could not have been saved by conventional medical measures.”
“In other words, I was saved by well-intentioned people who lived two hundred thousand years ago.”
“Correct.”
“Is everyone on the team okay?”
Ambergris extended his hand in a sweeping gesture, inviting Hawkeye to survey the underground hospital.
Shooter was in the corner of the lab, doing yoga. She had removed her battle gear and was taking her very supple body through a variety of poses. She inhaled deeply, her hands above her head, palm to palm.
Gator and Pyro were in a common area, doing calisthenics. Both men appeared to be as agile and strong as before the mission began.
“Well, big brother,” said Tank, “it looks like we beat the odds.”
“It’s not the first time on missions like this,” said Hawkeye. “We obviously have nine lives — and then some. We should have been dead years ago.”
Tank laughed. “I’m not sure we ever came up against odds like this, but from the larger perspective, I guess you’re right.”
“Are you staying with Titan?” asked Tank.
Hawkeye tilted his head and frowned. “Do I look like a guy in middle management who wears a suit and works from nine to five for a company that manufactures food additives?”
Tank shook his head. “Nah. You’re more of a kick-ass honcho. You wouldn’t last a second in the real world.”
“After a mission like this,” Hawkeye declared, “I’d like to know what’s real anymore.”
Tank made no response.
Chapter 35
TITAN SIX, SAVAGE BAY
Christian Madison stood in a corner of the RPH with Doctors Ambergris and Boren.
“We obviously can’t continue the research here,” Madison commented. “Too much radiation, but this is where Dominique assembled everything necessary to find and interpret the Code.”
“Catherine is relocating as much equipment as possible before she closes the base down for decontamination procedures,” Boren said. “Especially Gencore, which will be moved, along with other computer systems, to the Greek islands. The CompCenter has impressive lead shielding that minimized radiation exposure in the room. Ultimately, Gencore will be duplicated for research in coming months and years.”
“It’s going to be a race with the Chinese,” Ambergris noted. “The world doesn’t know it yet, but it’s about to be changed forever. How it will be changed will depend on how quickly and accurately we can unlock the rest of the Code — and how new information is used.”
“Ancient prophecy says that the end of the world is upon us,” said Madison.
“Or the beginning,” said Boren. “Maybe it’s only going to be the end of the world as we know it. That may not be such a bad thing.”
The three scientists exchanged sober glances but said nothing.
Chapter 36
ONE MONTH LATER
84th FLOOR, JIN MAO TOWER, SHANGHAI, CHINA
Dominique Caine rolled over onto her side of the luxurious bed, breathing hard and fast. Beads of perspiration rolled down her forehead and cheeks.
“You’re the best lover I’ve ever had,” she told Yang, kissing him lightly on the forehead.
“And you’ve had many,” Yang said wryly.
Dominique looked indignant for a moment, then smiled. “I forgot,” she said, “that you keep very detailed files of every one of your . . . associates.”
Yang raised his eyebrows. “That is true, my love. Both in business and pleasure. Speaking of business, how far along are you in creating a new set of Crystal-Linear chips?”
“I’ll need another two months, maybe three.”
“You realize that time is of the essence,” Yang said, leaning over and burying his head between Dominique’s breasts.
“I was planning on going to the Tower’s sub-basement right now,” she said.
She grabbed a sheer silk robe at the foot of the bed, but Yang grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back.
“I think your work can wait another hour,” he said.
He pulled her down on the bed and kissed her lips hard.
Yang had decided to keep Dominique satisfied until she completed transferring all Genesis data to the new CL chips. And perhaps beyond that. When her team had assimilated everything they needed to know, Dominique would be given new knowledge — and an ultimatum.
Yang was a betting man. He didn’t think she would take it.
SICK BAY, ABOARD THE ALAMIRANTA
“I’ve already told you,” Touchdown said to Hawkeye. “I know it was an accident.”
Touchdown stared up at Hawkeye from his modern hospital bed. There was no ill will in his countenance.
Hawkeye debated what to say next. “I get paid to make sure accidents don’t happen. I’m responsible, directly or indirectly, for what happened to you and Inch Deep when we came up against the Somali pirates.”
“Accidents surely happened on Es Vedra,” Touchdown pointed out. “But did you cause the radiation leak? Are you responsible for Pyro getting hit twice in the leg? And what about Nigel Battenford? Are you responsible for his death?”
“Maybe, maybe not,” Hawkeye said. “I sleep better, however, when I live by the philosophy that ‘The buck stops here.’”
Touchdown tossed the sheet from his body and sat up in bed. “You know what your problem is, Mike? You’ve got a God complex. That’s why you took to cage fighting. God forbid that you should admit you’re human.”
Touchdown stood up and walked into a nearby dressing room. He emerged wearing military fatigues.
“Dr. Nguyen says I can leave today,” Touchdown said. “I’ll be working in Ops again.”
“Good to hear it,” Hawkeye said.
“But!” Touchdown said. “I also have clearance from Mrs. Caine to begin training. I intend to be reassigned to a Titan team again within six months.”
Hawkeye remained silent.
“Listen, Hawkeye,” said Touchdown. “I wouldn’t be walking again if you hadn’t risked your ass at Savage Bay. Can we call it even?”
Hawkeye walked up to the strong and vigorous Touchdown and extended his hand. “Yeah. We’re even.”
TITAN SIX, HONG KONG
Hawkeye motioned for his team to fan out. Urban combat was the most dangerous kind of all. U.S. Forces had found this out the hard way in Iraq.
Shooter kneeled behind a dumpster while Tank slid into an alley between two warehouses. Only three streetlamps were lit, the rest having been shot out long ago. It was a little past midnight, and the Chinese commandos were hiding somewhere in the block ahead. The street was littered with trash and broken glass.
Hawkeye crouched behind a junked automobile, a 1987 Ford Taurus. He spoke into his COM set. “Shooter and Tank, you take out anyone
visible after I throw the phosphorous flare. Gator, Pyro, and I will open up if we can flush out the Dragons.
Hawkeye lobbed the flare fifty yards down the street. A sickly yellowish-green color permeated the damp air on the seemingly deserted street. A foghorn sounded in the distance.
Shooter fired and hit a Dragon concealed behind one of the darkened lampposts. Tank downed another who had been frightened from his position inside the open door of a warehouse with dozens of rows of broken windows.
Hawkeye, Gator, and Pyro brazenly charged down the street.
Five Dragons emerged from hiding. Had they been invisible? Shielded perhaps by some thermal garment?
Gator opened up his SAW. Hawkeye and Pyro fired their machine guns. The noise of battle reverberated between the warehouse walls.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me that you guys were going to start a shit storm?” asked Inch Deep.
“Lights on!” called Hawkeye, lowering his weapon and exhaling in frustration.
Titan Six sauntered to the middle of the street, which was located in Shotgun Alley aboard the Alamiranta. The holographic images of the back streets of Hong Kong disappeared.
“You’re supposed to be recuperating from your daring climb up the steel mast,” Hawkeye said. “Has Nguyen released you for active duty?”
Inch scratched his head. “Well . . . um . . . not exactly, but I thought I could handle some simulations. I’ve been laid up long enough.”
Tank threw his arm over Inch’s shoulders.
“I think you’ll get your chance before too long,” Tank said. “Hey, we’re in the Indian Ocean. That could mean only one thing. Teams are going to be deployed to Pakistan soon.”
“Then why the Chinese simulation?” asked Inch.
Hawkeye glanced at Tank.
“I figure we’ll be battling Dragons again sooner or later,” Hawkeye said. “I’ve been told there’s going to be a briefing in a few hours. I expect that Mrs. Caine will have a bit to say about our mission at Savage Bay. She’s been suspiciously quiet on what went down at Es Vedra.”
Savage Bay Page 22
