The Fair & Foul (Project Gene Assist Book 1)

by Potts, Allie

  "Of course," mimicked Sarah.

  Excuse me for asking, thought Juliane. As much as she wanted to hear more about Alan and Stevie, it was clear that Sarah would not be a forthcoming source of information. “Alan was never much for clutter, hard copies or electronic. Betty was always the less organized one. I am sure she has a few scattered about.” How do you like that?

  “I heard you were with her when she died. Is that true?”

  “I visited her at the hospital.”

  “Did she ever share photos with you? I only ask because I am worried about how Alan is holding up in this situation.”

  “She was unresponsive when I got there." If Juliane told Sarah about the private network, she had little doubt that Sarah would try to establish one just to prove she could. No one deserves that, thought Juliane. Not even Sarah.

  “You're late.” Camille met them at the door of her facility and escorted them back to her office.

  “I thought you would appreciate it if I didn’t damage your car,” Sarah retorted with a warm-hearted laugh.

  “What have you told her?”

  “Very little. You know me. I just do the filing."

  Camille's eyes twinkled at what had to be an inside joke and turned toward Juliane. “Are you at all aware of the works of Jonathan Hutchinson or a condition known as progeria syndrome?”

  “I can’t say that either has come up in my field of study.”

  Camille closed her eyes and took a breath. “It is an extreme genetic condition which manifests as premature aging in afflicted individuals. Those with the condition typically age at a rate eight to ten times faster than normal, all because of a mutation in a simple protein.”

  “That sounds terrible. I assume you have been working on a cure?”

  Camille tilted her head, stretching the muscles in her neck before answering. “A cure would only help a small portion of the population. No, Juliane, we are thinking bigger. Once we were able to isolate the cause of the mutation, it took little imagination to see the benefit in applying the same technique to normal human cells.”

  “Are you telling me that you are working on creating a technique that could potentially cause people to appear to age only one year when, in fact, ten years have passed?”

  Camille turned her nose up, allowing the hallway light to shine fully upon her face. “We aren’t working on a technique. We’ve perfected it.”

  Only then did Juliane see that neither Camille nor Sarah possessed the fine lines around their eyes that would have normally given away their ages. “You’ve undergone the procedure.”

  “Of course. So has everyone else on the board. I imagine your visit here today will cause at least one person to lose their wager. Most of us thought that after spending so much time with avatars, you might never notice un-aging people in real life long enough to question why we always looked so young."

  “We’re effectively immortal now,” interjected Sarah.

  “No, Sarah," corrected Camille. "We are still very much mortal. The process only slows down aging and even appears to reverse its effects to a point, but the process doesn’t stop aging altogether.”

  “I’m surprised this technique of yours hasn’t already been blasted on the news," Juliane said.

  Camille smiled and shook her head. “The fountain of youth doesn’t exactly need help with advertising.”

  “I suppose you're right. But don’t you want to share this accomplishment with the world?”

  “The idea of being a public figure has never appealed to me.”

  Julianne sputtered before regaining control of her voice. “But you could have the world eating out of your hand.”

  “Why do you think I can’t have that while remaining private?”

  “But if you don’t release what you have done, how would anyone realize your service is any different from the dozens of other cosmetic procedures?”

  “The difference would be that my clients could potentially reach their seven-hundredth birthday. However, I would imagine that the word would have gotten out long before then.”

  “But you could have it all tomorrow. Don’t you want that?”

  “Juliane, I’ve already undergone the procedure. Time is no longer my enemy. I can afford to be patient. Until then, rest assured that those who have the means and the motivation will find me. Now that you understand the full implication of what we have achieved here, would you be interested in joining us?”

  If what Camille said was true, she would have several lifetimes to continue her work. Juliane caught her reflection on a mirror hung in Camille’s office. By accepting, she would not only remain mentally in her prime, but physically as well.

  “Absolutely.”

  Sarah and Camille exchanged a glance, and Sarah exited the room, returning later with a small rod.

  “In order for this procedure to work, a candidate must have first gone through the original upgrade. So not just anyone will be eligible. Next, this rod will upload a command sequence to the code already running in your DNA. Once that is done, the specific protein in your DNA will be isolated and modified by your own natural chemistry.”

  “So, in theory, I might have been able to modify the protein without its assistance?”

  Camille shrugged. “And enough monkeys typing at random could replicate Shakespeare. You might have stumbled upon it one day if you tried hard enough. This just speeds the process along like a cheat code in a game.”

  Juliane felt a pinching along the length of her body as if she had been bitten by hundreds of mosquitoes. She hissed.

  “That uncomfortable feeling is your cells responding to the treatment as your skin begins to firm and tighten. Don’t worry; it’s only a temporary effect. You won’t even notice the sensation an hour from now.”

  Juliane glanced back at the mirror. She did not realize how many lines had begun to etch her face around the corners of her eyes until they blurred away. She still held herself with the confidence of someone experienced with the world but had the smooth skin of a twenty-year-old.

  “I'll admit, I am impressed.”

  “I'm so glad my work meets your approval,” Camille said, putting the rod down on a nearby table. She looked at Sarah. “I believe I have done what I said I would. Now may I return to my real work?”

  Sarah nodded. Camille turned and exited the room without saying good-bye.

  As the sound of her footsteps faded, Juliane asked Sarah, “I take it that giving me the procedure wasn't her idea.”

  “Damien made it clear that he wanted all board members to have the opportunity to improve themselves.”

  Juliane laughed. “And you do everything that Damien asks?”

  Sarah’s lips tightened as she appeared to chew on her response. “Not all of us are treated like the prodigal daughter. Some of us have to earn our place.”

  Juliane continued to gaze into the mirror, patting her hair smooth. “I earned my place, just the same as you. I may have just done so a little differently than the others.”

  Sarah slammed her fists down upon the table with such force that Juliane had to return her attention to the enraged woman. “You cannot begin to comprehend what I have done, what I have sacrificed, to have a place by Damien’s side.”

  Sarah picked up the rod from where Camille had left it and examined it for obvious damage before pocketing the device away. “Why don’t I take you home?”

  Juliane, stunned by the venom in Sarah's voice, took a step back. “That's probably a good idea.”

  Juliane and Sarah did not speak again until they were both secured in Camille’s vehicle and the medical complex was a mere speck in the rearview mirror. “I take it that Camille wasn’t the only one who would have rather I not been upgraded today.”

  “You want to hear the truth? No, acting as your personal chauffeur wasn’t high on the list of things I wanted to do today either. You have no idea how easy you’ve had it being Damien’s favorite,
how much freedom he has allowed you over the years. Even now, when he is bringing you back into the fold after your epic failure, he is doing so with gifts.”

  Juliane sat in silence for a few moments. “What epic failure are you referring to?” The sound of the woman suffering in the factory audio played in her mind. It was an accident. A terrible, terrible accident.

  Sarah groaned. “Juliane, you are not nearly as sly as you think you are. How can you possibly think that I don’t know about the disaster at your manufacturing facility? I bet you never once wondered why the press let it go so quickly. I should remind you that two of their own, two Americans,” Sarah emphasized the word, “are considered among the victims. Mountains had to be moved.”

  Juliane swiped her hand across her forehead. She couldn't show weakness in front of this woman. “Everyone knows that there is always a risk of corners being cut when dealing with low-cost manufacturing regions.”

  “So that’s it? You admit that corners were cut.”

  “I am not admitting anything to you or anyone else. I am only saying that I recognize that there was a risk. Funds for a formal investigation went up in flames with the factory, and the local government isn’t talking. If they don’t want to pursue justice for the victims, then I have to respect their sovereignty.”

  Sarah snorted. “That’s rather convenient for you.”

  Juliane shrugged.

  “So instead of doing the right thing and funding an inquiry, you are playing gardener and building statues.”

  Sarah doesn't know the real purpose for the statues, realized Juliane. That meant that Damien didn’t trust his own assistant with the information. Juliane replayed her conversations with Sarah in her head. What if Sarah hadn't been making simple conversation when she asked about Alan’s missing photos? Was paranoia a side effect of Camille's procedure?

  But what if she wasn't being paranoid? What would Sarah or Alan stand to gain from the files now, that they weren’t eventually going to have access to in a few months when the project was completed?

  It just didn't make sense. The statues would provide billions with clean, renewable energy. Why hide that from the board? Juliane felt her temples begin to throb. Was this how Betty felt during her final days?

  Thirty Four

  The car pulled to an abrupt stop, startling Juliane out of her thoughts. Traffic was stopped in all directions. Rubble lay in the center of the street. Several people stood on the sidewalk, their faces concealed behind red and white masks that looked like lizard heads. One of the individuals stood out ahead of the others. The figure lifted his or her fist into the air and let a scrap of cloth fall. This must have been some cue for the others as they seemed to melt into the cityscape.

  Within seconds, all that remained was the red and white cloth as it came to rest upon the broken glass remains of a burnt-out storefront’s windows.

  “What just happened?” Juliane demanded.

  Sarah’s knuckles were white where they gripped the steering wheel.

  Juliane was out of the car before she even realized what she was doing. The gaping holes where a pair of destroyed shops' front windows once stood called to her like a siren's sound.

  From the car, Sarah said something, but Juliane couldn't make out her words. Juliane shook her head in confusion. Sarah shifted the car into gear and sped off.

  A large chunk of a shop's sign lay among the rubble. Based on the few words that remained legible, as well as the pieces of inventory scattered about that were not completely destroyed, the store had provided basic, run-of-the-mill electronics. Nothing fancy. Certainly nothing that might have triggered an explosion of this magnitude. She ran a mental search query. The neighboring shop had been a high-end pet boutique. The masked figures had definitely targeted one of the two shops, if not both, but why?

  Juliane accessed the newsfeeds. Traffic cameras clocked the event within seconds of Sarah and Juliane’s arrival. Had they arrived a moment sooner, they too might have been hit by flying debris.

  The masked figures appeared on the newsfeed and looked even more serpentine on the traffic cameras as they had when Juliane spotted them outside the car. As a crowd, they even moved with the undulating motions of a reptile. The red cloth floating on the breeze appeared on the feed like a tongue tasting the air.

  The lizard people melted into the alleyways as quickly on the feed as it had appeared live. The reporters weren’t able to provide any concrete evidence as to who the group was or what their purpose might be.

  Juliane became aware of the street's silence and how very much alone she was. Sarah ditched me. The people responsible for the attack could be anywhere. She needed to get out of sight and quickly.

  Without thinking, she darted through the closest shop's doorway. Genius, Juliane, she thought. There was just a major explosion, there are crazy people out there, and what do you do? You jump into a building that has just been destabilized. Juliane spun. She needed to get out of the building before more of it came down.

  Blue-white lights flashed near the entranceway. Juliane could see exposed wires arc overhead. She heard a pop as a sprinkler head was engaged. A little late, she thought. A black liquid began to pool near the entranceway.

  Juliane glanced toward the shop's back. Perhaps there was an alternate exit.

  Racks of twisted metal blocked her path. The air was thick with smoke and melted silicon. "I can't see a thing in here," Juliane said to herself.

  Juliane looked down at her hands. She imagined making them glow as Louis had done during the football game. At first, there was light only at the center of her palm where the skin was thinnest, but it gradually spread out to her fingertips. Much better than a party trick. She curled her digits, encasing and consolidating the light until it was transformed into a directionless orb. It would have to be enough, thought Juliane. At least I might not break my ankle getting out of here.

  Two doors stood at the shop's back. The remains of an exit sign hung from a broken ceiling tile near the larger of the two. Juliane began to reach for the larger door's handle, then paused. There was something odd about the smaller door. Probably just a storage closet, she told herself and took another step toward the larger door.

  A pink-blue light arched from the door's handle to Juliane's outstretched hand. A shock of pain broke her concentration, causing what light she was able to generate to go out. Juliane reached toward the wall with her other hand. She was blind in the darkness. She inched her way toward the smaller door. Maybe there was something in the closet she could use to ground the exit door so that she could open it safely.

  It took a few tries to jostle open the second door, but finally it gave way. Juliane concentrated. Once again, she was able to create a soft glowing light from her palm. This was no storage closet. The space had been spared from much of the damage that ruined the rest of the store. Empty animal crates lay open, scattered across the room. The floor was heavily scarred as large equipment had been moved without regard for surface damage.

  The back room must be a shared space with the pet shop, thought Juliane. If the wiring next door is a little safer, I might just be able to get out of here.

  "Where is everyone?" whispered Juliane. She wasn't exactly looking forward to seeing a dead body, but based on the level of damage, Juliane was a little surprised she hadn't yet seen any evidence of human casualty.

  As she gingerly made her way across the room, Juliane thought she could hear voices coming from the other side of the wall. Juliane released a relieved breath. It had to be the first responders. She swiped her hand along the wall, hopeful that its light would soon illuminate the second doorway she knew had to be there.

  The voices grew louder. Juliane could just make out their words. Where was that door? she wondered. Oh, forget about the door. I'll just make a new one. Juliane raised a fist. She would break through the wall herself or at least get her would-be rescuer's attention.

  "The news is making the attac
k out to be the work of an animal rights group," laughed a male voice.

  "Animal rights? Why would they think that?" asked another.

  "It seems the owner of the pet shop was engaged in some illegal side business. Trading exotic animals or something like that."

  The voices grew louder. Juliane pounded on the wall.

  "We're looking for a lady, right?" asked the second voice.

  Juliane shouted, "Hello? Hello? I'm back here!" She hit the wall again.

  "What does she look like again?" continued the second voice.

  "Tall, brunette, mid-thirties," answered the first.

  Juliane's blood ran cold. They weren't looking for just some lady. They were looking for her. What if the men on the other side of the wall were with the group responsible for the explosion? What if they had seen her duck into the building? She jumped back from the wall, scanning the room for a place to hide. As she did, the light from her hand reflected her image off a sheet of metal near the pile of crates. She lifted a hand to her face.

  Camille had stated that a person might learn how to take command of their cellular structure without the need for her program. If that was true, what else might a person be able to do?

  "I'll get an ax out of the truck," she heard the second voice say.

  Juliane bit back a scream. This has to work, she thought as she knelt closer to the metal sheet making her reflection almost as clear as if she was looking in a mirror. Her dark eyes stared back unblinking. She fired off mental commands as if she were changing the parameters of a computer program. Did the rim of her irises lighten?

  "Stay put, ma'am. Help is on the way," shouted the first voice. More softly he said, "Call the boss."

  Yes. Her irises lightened. Juliane let out a sigh of relief. Within moments, the eyes in the reflection were a silver hazel. The overall effect looked alien on her face, and she blinked, breaking her concentration. When she looked back, her eyes had resumed their natural color.

  The wall shook from the impact of the ax on the wall.

  "Focus, Juliane." She starred at her reflection again. Her usually flawless skin was broken up by three large freckles over top of a natural blush. The ax struck again, and her visage was once again pure alabaster.