by M. C. Miller
As they listened, the lab door opened and in walked Colin Insworth.
Janis turned and noticed him with visible irritation then turned back. She stopped the video as Faye stood to intercede. She met Colin halfway.
“What is it?” asked Faye
Colin was somber. “Something’s come up. Eugene Mass is dead.”
Janis overheard and stood to join the discussion. “Mass?”
Colin held a newspaper folded in his hands. “Yes. He collapsed at the opera in Brussels. The police say he was poisoned but most of the media are talking about GenLET.”
Janis stepped closer. “What about GenLET?”
“There’s speculation that Mass died after trying GenLET on himself.”
Faye laughed. “Last week they were all saying he was selling it underground. If he was passing it around, why haven’t other people died?”
Colin looked from Faye to Janis to read reactions. “Maybe they have.”
Janis paced. “That’s ridiculous. GenLET is safe.”
“Safe for many but not for all? Have there been any human trials?”
Janis grew defensive. “The primates we tested carry 98% of the same DNA as humans. Computer models mapped the differences every which way…”
Faye interrupted, “The police should know from the toxicology report. If they find a known poison in his system, then GenLET is cleared.”
“It won’t matter,” added Janis. “They’ll put the doubt out there anyway. It’s probably what they want.”
“What do you mean?” asked Colin.
“What’s the best way to get the common people to not want GenLET?”
“Make them fear it; make them think it’s unsafe,” answered Faye.
“Exactly.”
Colin asked, “Wouldn’t that make the rich fear it too?”
Janis leaned back on a desk. “The rich probably already have it.”
“One thing we know for sure. What happens to it next is up to Leah, his wife. She inherits NovoSenectus.”
Faye asked, “How much do we know about her?”
“Not much other than she’s the typical socialite,” answered Colin.
Janis asked, “I wonder how she feels about 3rd Protocol.”
Faye folded her arms in thought. “I remember seeing her at Oxford when Mass gave his lecture. I can’t imagine the two of them so close without also being like-minded.”
Colin frowned. “You have to wonder how much she knows. I wouldn’t put it past Mass to keep her in the dark.”
Janis saw his concern. “Why do you say that?”
He unfolded the newspaper. “Intelligence services picked up some unusual behavior. It started around the time the news of Mass’ death hit the newswires.”
“What kind of behavior?”
“Financial transactions from numbered accounts, securities passed between shell corporations, all tied to a rather peculiar name – Goodwin Godspeed Diye III.”
“Any record of this person?” asked Faye.
“Only that he appears to be owner of an enterprise incorporated as GGD3. We assume it’s no coincidence – there’s a rash of advertisements appearing all over the world – in newspapers, on billboards, in fifteen-second spot commercials, on the web.”
“What do they say?” asked Janis.
“They all say the same thing.” Colin opened the newspaper to show them a full page display ad. The lettering was black; the symbol was green.
Goodwin Godspeed Diye III
Janis pushed off from the desk and grabbed the paper out of Colin’s hand. She had to hold it for a closer look.
“Green, green, green….wait for my signal.”
The reference to the posted memo flared in Faye’s awareness.
“GGD3 – could that somehow mean 3rd Protocol?”
Colin was grave and still. “You tell me. It looks like Eugene Mass prepared a surprise for anyone who wanted him out of the way. Nothing was going to stop his plan for a New World Harmony – even his death.”
Janis’ thoughts raced. “Has anything else happened? Have there been any outbreaks of disease?”
“Nothing major – there’s a few new cases of flu in Asia we’re watching.”
“Why are they on the radar?”
“The buzz from local doctors in Asia claims the sickness has something to do with chickens. They have no proof but people are killing chickens anyway.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” noted Faye.
“Of course it does – they heard the stories about Oliver Ross and what he tried to do at the Agro-Defense Facility in Kansas.”
“The poultry virus…,” gasped Janis.
Colin explained. “In Asia some don’t believe we stopped Ross in time.”
“How can they say that?” asked Faye. “There’s no poultry-related influenza in the U.S. If Ross had succeeded in releasing the virus, it would have hit here first.”
Janis added, “I thought his virus only affected poultry…”
“That’s right,” confirmed Colin. “We checked it out. It was non-reactive around humans.”
“Unless…,” started Janis. She held the newspaper up again. Below the triple-green recycling symbol was the only text on the page – Goodwin Godspeed Diye III.
“GGD3 – if the 3 refers to 3rd Protocol, then what is GGD?”
Colin snapped, “It has to be a bogus name for some dummy corporation that controls Mass’ post-death trigger.”
“Yes, but is that all? What if Mass used a zoonotic agent, one that transfers genes from poultry. What if he used it as a base for the 3rd Protocol payload? It would make sense if Ross had done what he was supposed to do.”
Faye followed Janis’ line of thought. “Ross releases his virus and poultry start to die. As the virus spreads, Mass releases 3rd Protocol. When researches look at it, what do they suspect? Horizontal gene transfer between poultry and humans.”
“Causal chain of evidence. Blame gets transferred…for as long as it matters.”
Colin shoved hands in pockets. “But GGD3 was triggered on Mass’ death. That doesn’t make sense if he took GenLET. He had extended life. Why set it up so 3rd Protocol is released on his death?”
Janis threw the newspaper aside. “As backup, in case someone got to him.”
Faye took a breath. “I imagine the CDC and World Health Organization are all over the Asian outbreak or they’re about to be?” Colin nodded.
Hit by a realization, Janis closed her eyes. The deception was complete.
“He’s laughing at us…it’s all right here. It’s so obvious; he wanted us to know. GGD – Gallus Gallus Domesticus. It’s the subspecies name for chicken.”
Chapter 42
Lugano-Agno Airport
Switzerland
Knockout Mouse paused for security inspection with coat collar up and the brim of his driving cap low over his eyes. The guard’s OK-to-pass was efficient and polite yet Mouse said nothing in return. Papers in order, he pushed out the door and made brisk strides across the snow covered asphalt.
At his side swung a metal briefcase secured to a wrist. In front of him waited a private jet whose door swung open upon his approach. He squinted at the bright blue sky before scurrying up the steps. Once aboard, the crew secured the door behind him. A few steps down the aisle, Hasuru Tamasu waited for him.
“Where’s Heinrich?” Hasuru checked behind him.
Mouse unlocked the suitcase from his wrist.
“Still in Milan; he got delayed. He sent me along with this.”
Hasuru reached for the case. “How long is he going to make us wait?”
Mouse dug hands in coat pockets and sat in a leather chair across the aisle. “Last I heard he’s on the road.”
“I knew his little side trip would wind up in a delay.” Hasuru turned and gazed out a porthole window. “I envy you. The weather’s finally cleared; it’s gotten quite beautiful and you get to stay here a couple more days.”
Mouse snorted. “I�
�ve had enough of winter. I’d rather come back in spring.”
“Ah, yes, when the camellias and magnolias are in bloom and all the tourists are trying their hand at dolce far niente. The world is coming apart and everyone’s aspiring to be carefree and idle.”
“It’s better than spending all day in a clinic being worked over.”
“A minor annoyance considering all the lifetime you’re gaining.”
“As if it matters.”
Hasuru turned back from the window. “Of course it matters.”
“What good is extended life when 3rd Protocol is loose? Face it – Mass won.”
“The battle but not the war.” Hasuru eased back and patted the metal case with a gentle hand. “Have any idea what’s in here?”
Mouse sat expressionless. “That’s not my job.”
“Correct, but it should be your curiosity.”
Mouse resented Hasuru’s coyness. “What I’m supposed to know, I know.”
“You know that Eugene Mass is dead. What you don’t know is how much Leah Mass wanted to find his assassin. The same night he died she put the word out – she’d do whatever it took to get to the bottom of it.”
“And the briefcase?”
“Leah was willing to make a trade.”
“Of what?”
“We had proof that Curtis Labon was behind the assassination. She had the immunity vaccine.”
Mouse eyed the case. “A vaccine for 3rd Protocol? Is that what I’ve been carrying around?”
Hasuru nodded. “Remarkable, isn’t it? So as you see, the battle may be over but the world is ours to win.”
“I can’t believe you contacted her – and she listened.”
“Actually, Heinrich made the arrangements through an intermediary. I doubt she even knew it was us she was dealing with. It’s amazing how grief and anger can motivate some people to bargain with their devil.”
“We’ve never spoken to her…”
“But we always knew Mass must be developing a vaccine in parallel. We never could get close to it. It was his most guarded prize. Why not do business with Leah.”
“Why?” Mouse snapped. “They triggered Triple-Green. Why would she give it to you?”
“Apparently, with Eugene gone, Leah had no intention of releasing 3rd Protocol. If there’s no plague – then there’s no need for an immunity agent. She thought she was trading something she had rendered worthless.”
“This must have gone down before all the advertisements came out. Before Goodwin Godspeed Diye III.”
Hasuru smiled. “Fortunately for us.”
“And what does she think about the trade now?”
“Who knows; who cares? She can’t be happy but that’s business.”
“So Mass did it on his own – without her.”
“Mass had an insurance policy; something he hid in reserve, even from her. You’ve got to hand it to him; he was determined to help the planet no matter what. Even assassination wouldn’t stop it.”
“What about Labon?” asked Mouse.
Hasuru dismissed the topic with a wave of the hand. “He’s on his own. Mass left The Group as a rogue and now The Group is leaving Labon to his fate for similar behavior. None of us are to have any contact with him whatsoever.”
“You’ll let Leah take care of him so everyone keeps their hands clean.”
“Actions have consequences. He’s a big boy; he should have known that.”
Mouse stared at the case. The weight of what was possible rooted him in place.
“It’s hard to believe. Immunity is right there; the key to six billion lives.”
Hasuru looked away. “Why yes, it’ll save many lives.”
Mouse detected a hedge. With rising concern, he struggled to keep casual.
“You’re going to hand this over…make it available to the world?”
The pause was expectant. “We’re considering all factors…several options.”
“What’s to decide? Doesn’t it need to be mass-produced as soon as possible?”
“That’s right but it’s more complicated than that. Something like this is too important to turn over to governments or some other collection of bureaucrats. For twenty years we’ve had to deal with their incompetence and corruption. You know that; you’ve seen what we’ve had to go through. Over and over again the people in charge have proven incapable of coming to grips with long-range problems.”
Mouse moderated his tone; he wanted information not an argument. “The Group is going to distribute it?”
“Don’t worry. We’ll do the right thing.”
“What is the right thing?” Mouse meant the question literally even as Hasuru considered the matter with philosophical detachment.
“Precisely, it’s the age-old question. Differing vantage points yield different conclusions. Any answer may need adjustment given a change in circumstance.”
“But the facts won’t change. Billions of people will die…”
“Yes, yes,” interrupted Hasuru. “It’s a crisis, to be sure. It’s nothing that The Group would have sanctioned. We rejected Mass years ago when he first suggested it; that’s why he left us. But now that it’s begun, now that the unthinkable is happening, we have no choice but to take into consideration what it means. We can’t deny that circumstances have changed.”
“What are you saying? Never let a good crisis go to waste…”
Hasuru squinted and shook his head. “It’s not as crude as that but it’s true – the reality of things can’t be denied. We can go forward, we will go forward, but we can’t pretend it didn’t happen. Even if we raced to get the vaccine out to people today, the toll would still be enormous. As with anything, we need to step back and look at the positive side of things.”
“Having the vaccine available is the only thing positive,” asserted Mouse.
“Of course, but we have to think beyond that. What possible good can come out of this? If there is something of value, we should help it along.”
Mouse felt Hasuru’s growing distrust of the line of questioning and eased back. “So what now?”
Hasuru checked his wristwatch. “Well, if Heinrich ever gets here, we’ll take this case to his lab in Basel.”
“That’s not the 2nd Protocol lab…”
“No, but the city of Basel is German-speaking and it’s still in Switzerland. The Swiss penchant for privacy will come in handy and being so near to the borders of France and Germany will be convenient.”
“You’re keeping it at that one location?”
“For a while. The first order of business is getting key people immunized.”
Mouse wavered. “Does that include me?”
“Certainly.”
“This is the first I’ve heard of it.”
“Arrangements were made for your stopover in Basel on the way back, after you finish up here in a couple of days. When you got here with the case I planned on telling you.”
For Mouse, a game plan took shape. “I’d rather go with you now and be immunized.”
“But that’s so unnecessary. You have GenLET therapy to complete.”
“I can still do that afterwards can’t I?”
“I suppose so but it’s a lot of back-and-forth extra travel.”
Mouse pressed. “GenLET won’t do me any good if I catch the plague.”
“But a couple of days shouldn’t matter – the reports of sickness are in Asia.”
“And Africa. I just heard the news today of another outbreak.”
“Really? Well, if you want, I don’t care. Ride with us to Basel. If it’ll ease your mind, so be it. Just let the GenLET people know what you’re doing.”
“Oh, yeah,” remarked Mouse. “I’ll give them a call.” He lifted his phone from a coat pocket and held it in hand for a moment while deep in thought.
Hasuru pressed a call button intercom and ordered some food from the galley.
Mouse stood. “I’m going to the restroom. I’ll be right back.”
The lavatory door shut behind Mouse and he locked it in place. Turning in the cramped space, he faced the washbasin mirror. For a full minute he stood and stared into the glass, at his face, into his eyes. He gripped the basin and leaned forward, on edge and with racing thoughts.
It took all the effort he had to keep under control and not shout his anger and frustration. The obscenity of Hasuru’s cool calculation, given the magnitude of human suffering underway, was alarming. Never had he heard The Group cater so callously to what was expedient over what was just.
The interchange with Hasuru was disturbing in so many ways.
For Mouse, it seemed certain now – the group would sit on what they had and let the plague ravish Asia and India, the most populace regions of the world. Then they’d stand by while Africa, the poorest continent with a soaring birth rate, got decimated. Only then would they make their discovery public.
They had chosen the middle ground. They wouldn’t stop 3rd Protocol as soon as possible yet neither would they allow the population collapse to continue unabated.
They would work the crisis for all it’s worth.
Afterwards their conscience would be clear, just the same as if Leah killed Curtis Labon. For both, they weren’t to blame. After all, it was Curtis who had gone rogue. It was Mass who had triggered wholesale death. They shared no guilt if 3rd Protocol should happen to run its course for awhile. Instead of six billion dead, a more acceptable compromise of three billion might do the planet some good.
In the end, the world would be better off and they would have no reason for self-reproach. If anything, they’d be left standing to reap the benefits of a humanity no longer stressed to the point of no return, but they’d be free of all responsibility for doing the unthinkable to get there.
