***
Friday morning had rolled around, and Vera had invited the lads into their apartment for breakfast. She was very excited about the evening, and wanted to ask a million questions about propriety, as Raoul called it. Of course, this was on top of the million questions she had pestered both James and Raoul with already.
“First, we have to know how everyone dresses.” Vera was concerned about fitting in, and they were going to an old English family Pub, not a disco. Raoul had already told them to be prepared; they would be outsiders and American, a fact that would circulate widely and quickly.
“Just be yourselves and have fun. Laugh at stupid jokes, even if you don’t get them. We’ll explain later. If anyone gets untoward, say so right away. Some of the young bucks may fancy a go at you. We’ll make sure they behave themselves. No worries there.”
Raoul said, “Besides, our mum and dad, our sisters will be there. All the family, all the ladies. No worries, they know how to handle a frisky male.”
“As for dress, as casual as you can make it. You’re not going to see high heels and Italian leather. The Pub is strictly working class, so it’s pretty low key. We’ll attract the odd professor who grew up in the neighborhood but not the London High Street types. No Barristers or Solicitors; no physicians.”
Vera asked, “Barristers and Solicitors? Who they?”
Raoul said, “I believe you Yanks combined the two and shortened it to ‘lawyers’.”
Vera said, “As in ‘kill the lawyers’; didn’t Billy Bob Shakespeare say that?”
Raoul almost bit but James stopped him. “That’s right. But we call him Willie da Shakes here in Jolly Old England. Pip, pip.”
Vera howled. She never minded being mocked when she herself was mocking. A clever turn of a phrase, or a skilled double entendre was always amusing to Vera. Though essentially sans career all her life, Vera was nevertheless highly intelligent, well read and cultured. She was raised to gentility; her social skills were what had been expected in her social class and she didn’t disappoint. Her education had gone well beyond standard secondary and post-secondary education. She was well traveled and refined; Vera was extremely confidant and knew her own mind.
Few men or women could keep up with Vera’s lively wit and occasional rapier sense of humor. She could cut, or slice as required, but it wasn’t her first instinct. Vera, more than anything, wanted to belong. She wanted to be liked, and accepted for who she was inside, not the façade on the outside or the wealth and social standing she otherwise represented.
When she met Hannah, her equal in almost everything that mattered to her, she had found a soulmate. Hannah cared nothing for money and privilege, and knew almost nothing about it. Hannah was smart and athletic; just as at ease camping in the wild as residing at the Manor. She often gave Vera a good-natured hard time about her pampered and soft existence. But Vera ignored that Hannah and looked for the small thoughtful ways to please her mate. It was her gentle soul and kind heart, not her bank account, that made Hannah fall deeply in love with Vera.
When Vera later met Alana McCarthy, she found a kindred spirit. Alana, like Vera, was more than adept at nimble conversation and scandalous and sometimes ribald repartee required in polite and sometimes snooty circles. Though not from wealth, Alana was raised in the sometimes backbiting, shark tank of academia. They had both had their fill of social pretense and often found solitude preferable to the dull boorish behavior of the elite, privileged or moneyed classes.
Vera considered Hannah the epitome of feminine strength. That strength, and unerring self-confidence, was sometimes all that Vera needed to feel safe and loved. Vera wasn’t kept, nor did she keep. Theirs was a partnership of equals, composed of different formulas. Vera was proud of Hannah; she adored being her partner in life.
Hannah, for her part, felt exactly the same. Hannah was a tomboy in her youth and had scuffled and beaten up boys her own age before puberty attacked. Afterward, her best outlet for aggression was sports, at which she excelled. She had just entered her sophomore year at U Dub, undecided about life and career when Adam St. James burst onto her scene. And, the tornado that Adam was, passed through her life, leaving in its wake both destruction and the promise of renewal.
Hannah was free of guile, and when she loved, she loved deeply and without reservation. Vera had never before experienced such intensity in a relationship; she now felt it was as a narcotic she couldn’t long endure without. Both women occasionally gave thought to a life without the other; it was in passing and always in the context of how bitter life would be without the other.
They cared not to contemplate that possibility for long. It often led one or the other to quiet moments of desperation and tears, made whole again by a simple touch or the tiniest of gestures. But the fear of loss and separation was always present.
***
James said, “All right then ladies, you have been forewarned and Raoul and I hereby certify you as genuine apprentice Brits. In nautical parlance, you are ordinary seamen.”
Vera laughed and said, “Not to be confused with ordinary ‘semen’. You know, s-e-m-e-n? I guess that’s a bit different.”
James laughed aloud, while Raoul stood by, confused. Vera leaned over to her favorite Bentley and whispered the meaning of her little joke.
Raoul then laughed and said, “I didn’t realize I needed a translator for my own native language. But, we’re done here. I’m off to clean my weapon now; it’s still a bit messy from shooting it off yesterday.”
Vera looked at Raoul, then James. “Is he doing this on purpose? He’s the greatest straight man I know.”
“Nope. He really is just exactly as he appears.”
“That’s why I adore him.”
Chapter 3
Cindy and Rod welcomed Adam and Misti to their home for an orientation and training session. Their girls were over touring the UK and Continental Europe with their grandparents and having a lesson in living abroad. Rod and Cindy thought if the girls had a lengthy tour now, moving to the UK would be less stressful. It might also improve the chances that Mark, and Julia would come along too.
They would begin their tour with a visit to London, then travel by train throughout Britain, ferry over to Ireland and then head over to France and beyond for a month or more. Rod and Cindy would try to connect at various points on the tour with the grand tour culminating in their permanent arrival at the Manor.
There would be no interruption in the girls’ education; a tutor had been arranged by the Institute who would travel to the UK and live in a nearby village. The initial plan was for the girls to be ferried to a small cottage on the outskirts of the nearby village for daily lessons. A few of the local children would be offered a free education with the tutor, so the girls would’ve classmates and develop normal friendships. They were expected to be in residence for the indefinite future but, certainly no less than several years.
Adam thought the plan was unrealistic; if it were up to him, the girls would never be permitted to leave the grounds of the Manor. It was a pipe dream to think otherwise. A tutor with a complete background and security check would be hired, thought Adam, and would live at the Manor. Mark and Julia were kidding themselves thinking that they would remain at the Institute in Barrows Bay. They would not; Adam would see to that.
Rod began, “So you already know that the recent work Hannah and her team have been doing pouring through the translations of various known languages and dialects contained in the Library has yielded some important new intelligence. We still have a lot of basic translation to pour over, and we still need to translate, and decrypt the Gens common tongue, but we have made progress with what we already have.”
Misti asked, “Where have you made progress? Any actionable intelligence yet?
“Some. We think we have enough to finally send out a team and you along with them. It’s not as definitive as we’d like but, we’re going to have to take some chances just to see
what exactly pops up. And it’s possible that it’s nothing.”
Misti continued, “I know that this next question isn’t your area but, whatever became of the scientific data you got from Princeton after you tapped in?”
Rod and Cindy looked at each other. “I think you should discuss that with Dad. He asked us not to say anything.”
Adam was puzzled. “To us?”
“No,” said Rod. “To anyone. Let me just say it isn’t good, if it’s real, and there’s a lot to consider. I don’t think I would be able to explain it properly and Dad insists on precision rather than proximity.”
“These aren’t more secrets, right?”
“No, nothing like that. Just some pretty fucked up stuff though. Disturbing even.”
“OK. What do we have on the bits and pieces we do know about? What’s our assignment?”
“Your assignment, if you decide to go, involves some intelligence we have gathered based on the translations to date, some information in the Book of Gensarii, and some additional materials from the Library.”
“What?”
“We think we finally have finally discovered the locations of all their ‘Great Libraries’ along with all of their ‘Preserves’ and a large number of their favorite wilderness retreats. If it’s accurate, we can finally know where they are and how many they are. Dad thinks this is the only way we can gauge the risk along with a clearer understanding the nature of their little lab projects.”
“That’s the bit you can’t talk about?”
“That’s the bit you need to hear from Dad. It isn’t a matter of not being able to say anything, more that it’s best explained by him. And I think it’s only fair to say that Cindy and I agree with Dad on his conclusions.”
Adam’s interest was now on high alert. That last comment was Rod-speak for “ask me what I meant’.
“What does that mean? That last bit?”
“This is off the record, one brother to another,” said Rod.
“And one sister to another,” added Cindy.
“Alright”, said Misti, eyeing her husband and he her. “What gives?”
“You’re never going to repeat this, at least there will never be any attribution to me. Or Cindy. We good on that?”
“Of course.”
“OK, then. We have your assignment and you are both capable of carrying it out. In fact, either of you alone could do it. But Edward and, well, I guess just about everyone else here in Barrows and London, cannot for the life of us understand why you want to do this. You must understand that the only reason Dad – and I repeat – all the rest of us too, would agree to this assignment for you is because Dad promised you, Misti, that some field work would be allowed.”
Misti said, “Not following you, Rod.”
“Well, then it’s like this. What the fuck are you two thinking? Seriously. Field work? You both must be out of your freakin’ minds!”
Both Adam and Misti were taken aback by Rod’s comment, and its directness.
“You don’t think we can do the job?”
“No. You can do the job, but why would you? Why would you want to? Albert Einstein or Edwin Hubbell could probably do the job too. Maybe our girls, for that matter. But no one would seriously consider sending geniuses like that out to do what amounts to police surveillance. Dangerous police surveillance. Maybe you need to both think through the wisdom of you two getting into this much danger.”
Adam said, “I’m touched by your concern. But how much danger is involved?”
“We don’t know. How can we? Which is precisely the point. Either can you. Look, we can’t afford to lose either one of you. You are both too valuable and you, in particular, Adam, are irreplaceable. You Misti are the only one who knows all the moving parts as well as Edward. He wouldn’t go. He thinks this is idiotic for you two to put yourselves in unnecessary danger. I’m sorry to say this, but I have to agree.”
Cindy said, “And so do I. Look, I know why you want to go but seriously, you’re both adrenaline junkies and you need a fix. I get that part. And, Misti, you seem to actually crave this for some unknown reason. There will be jobs in the future; everyone, even Edward will have to put himself out there before this is all over. But for this? No, I cannot comprehend why you need to do this. I’m sorry if that upsets you but, you’re both simply too important to do something fifty other folks can just as easily do and just as well.”
Misti and Adam looked at each other. Neither had recovered from the initial shock of their siblings dressing them down. Both realized this was genuine concern, not some irrational fear or Edward speaking through Adam’s brother and sister.
Adam spoke first. “Look, intellectually, I think both Misti and I would probably agree with you, assuming we even knew what the assignment was. But no matter what it is, we’re going to do it anyway. My wife needs the assignment for a lot of reasons and so do I. Not with someone else but with her. Second, let’s be realistic, it’s tic-toc time for Misti. She’s pregnant and in a couple of months she won’t be doing any field work, period. We have a window of opportunity and it’s closing fast. For both of us. If you’re that worried, why not just come along with us.”
“We would,” said Cindy. “But the old man has already said no to that. Losing the two of you would be a disaster, losing four would be – in his words – unbearable. He’ll never say yes and, once again, I agree. It simply isn’t worth the unknown risks. We will probably be better prepared in four to six months but then Misti will be a ‘no go’ by then. We get it.”
Misti had been listening quietly. In the old days, she would’ve exploded, missing the whole point entirely. Now, she was better prepared to understand what was at stake. This had nothing to do with Misti the finely tuned killing machine and everything to do with Misti the Project Assistant Director. Her physical skills were never in question; her importance to the success of the overall Project was.
“Let me say something. I do agree with you Rod. And with Cindy and Edward too. And probably Alana and Noki and Hannah and Vera. I don’t doubt that you’re all 100% correct in everything you said. In fact, I’m certain you’re correct.”
Adam said, “You are? I didn’t…”
“Let me finish. I know you’re right; you’ve done your best and said your piece. We have received your message loud and clear. But my husband and I are going. End of discussion.” She turned to Adam, “Except with you, sweetie. You and I need to chat on the way home.”
“Thank God. I thought I lost you for a second there.”
“No chance. Now, Rod, what’s the assignment and where are we going?”
“This is a mistake. But all right. We think we found the Great Library of the Gens Collective.”
“Where?”
“In Arizona, at the Grand Canyon.”
Chapter 4
“Seriously?” Adam said. “The Park Rangers have a secret library under the Visitor Center? Yogi the Bear and Boo-Boo are Gens librarians?”
Rod laughed, “Look I know it sounds odd, but it actually makes sense. And we do have some supporting evidence. Oddly enough, you found it for us Adam.”
“Even I didn’t think I was that good. Good, but…”
Misti said to Rod, cutting off her husband, “Explain please.”
“Well, Edmund had an idea for how to identify the Gens from any other animal on the planet, including we the people, homo sapiens. He discussed the engineering with Mom and they came up with a programmable helmet based on the concept of night vision technology. These new doohickies were based on the helmets that you, Adam, and Mom developed for the US Military.”
“Go on.”
“When Cindy and I left London prematurely, we were asked to go to Princeton, kidnap some employees from the Princeton facility, get DNA and other biological data. This we did. Took a few days and some help from some veterans of the Eight Families.”
“Really?” asked Adam. “Who?”
“Octavio. Octavio Moreno and others. He’d like to have a chat with you two, by the way. Sometime.”
“Sure. Octavio? Little Octavio?”
“Not so little any more. We analyzed the data, and bingo. We found something small but, unexpected. Cross referenced that with something Hannah found, based on something Misti translated from German. The long and short of it was the average core temperature of homo sapiens is about 98.2 to 98.6 degrees or slightly higher, adjusted for ambient temperatures and other environmental factors. The average core temperature of a transformed Gens is closer to 101.6 degrees, +/- half a degree. In fact, it’s pretty consistently three degrees higher, plus or minus.”
“I think I see where this is going but do continue.”
“Edmund thought we could program thermal sensors into the night vision helmet. The programming would be the average core temperatures of Gens, humans and various animals known to be in the immediate vicinity of, say, the Grand Canyon. It would be adjusted for environmental conditions. That way we could spot the Gens, assuming their average core temperature in natural state is the same as their average core temperature transformed state. We have reason to believe it is. But even if it isn’t and it’s either higher or lower, it would at least register as a non-human, non-transformed Gens and we would be able to differentiate species. If it registers as ‘unknown’, that might be all you need to know in the field. Or if by some accident, a natural state Gens recorded as a deer, having twenty ‘deer’ in the vicinity would also be a red flag.”
“It only provides data; we’d have to interpret that data in the field.”
“Exactly. We did some limited testing, got you to adjust the programming and Mom the engineering and, like I said, bingo. But we can modify it and track Gens on the street. Pretty handy. Edmund did us a solid.”
Probe Page 36
