NEXUS POINTS : Chapter 21-22

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Chapter 21

The weather had changed drastically overnight. The storm clouds had cleared, leaving the air dry and the temperature at a steady twenty degrees Celsius by early morning. Virgoans had gotten used to the unpredictable weather by now, at least as much as they had the ever-diminishing personal water quota and fresh produce.

Kora decided to get an early start in the morning, well aware of the 40-degree heat awaiting her in the desert belt outside The Circle, where Bartlett’s private estate was.

Kora had never liked the heat in the arid middle of the state, although that was where she’d grown up. One of the things she loved about the inner rings of The Circle was its cooler microclimate. Here weather control balloons regulated the temperature and humidity with a moderate degree of success.

It took over two hours at close to top speed of 300 kilometers per hour for Kora’s transport to clear the State Center limit. Soon after she was surrounded by sandy land covered with shrubs and blooming desert plants, no doubt the result of recent rainfall.

Kora stopped to admire the explosion of blooming yucca plants, tumbleweeds, orange-red flame honeysuckles and purple alfalfa, an extremely rare sight in recent years. The extreme and erratic weather pattern had made it hard for plant life to survive in the wild on Virgo in the past few decades, let alone bloom. 

She took in the nearly miraculous sights and smells before her. Flowering plants had always seemed to lift her spirit, her favorite being the desert sunflower. About six centimeters wide, with oblong golden-yellow petals surrounding a golden disk in the middle, its cheerful color reminded Kora of the summers she’d spent helping Anita at their hydroponic farm as a child.

Kora’s bliss was interrupted by Oscar’s voice in her ears.

“Kora, it is time to resume your course if you wish to arrive at your destination by 11:00 a.m.”

After retiring from therapeutic genetics, Rene Bartlett had begun doing research on marine algae. Her property was located at the edge of the desert belt to the east of the State Center, bordering the perimeter of the middle state. 

Kora’s transport turned off the super crossway into a basin, flanked on both sides by open sand dotted sparsely with shrubs. In the distance, a ridge of red rocks rose against the cloudless sky. Under the ridge, a two-story rectangular building covered with dark climate-control panels was fenced in by grey stucco walls. Desert willow and sweet acacia trees peeked over the top of the walls. 

Kora was excited but apprehensive. Bartlett hadn’t returned any of her calls despite her leaving multiple messages. She parked her transport alongside the perimeter wall, then stood in front of the ID camera pad next to the metal gates.

“How may I assist you?” the AI asked.

“My name is Kora Amelli. I’m here to see Dr. Rene Bartlett.”

“I do not see your name on the appointment list. Please wait.”

A woman’s voice rasped through the comm speaker, but there was no video image. “Who is this?”

“Dr. Bartlett?”

“Who’s asking?”

“My name is Kora Amelli. I called yesterday. I work... I used to work with Dr. Yong Liu at NID Biotech. May I speak with you?” 

The comm link went silent.

“Dr. Bartlett? I... I need help with a research project I was working on with Dr. Liu.” 

Moments passed. Kora heard a loud click. The air-lock of the front gate dislodged and the gate slowly rolled open. 

Kora was mesmerized by the oasis that lay beyond the gate. On both sides of the red sandstone path that led to the main house, the grounds were covered with a wide variety of desert plants including aloe vera, agave and many other succulents of different shapes and sizes. The flowering bushes were covered with red, orange, yellow, purple and white blooms.

Although these were common plants in this part of the state, what was unusual about them was their size and the amount of blooms. They were at least twice the size of any Kora had ever seen before. When she looked closer, she saw small, almost invisible tentacle-like structures on the leaves of the plants. 

Then a small group of potted plants caught Kora’s attention. This can’t be! Phalaenopsis orchids! Blooming under the 40-degree desert heat. Bartlett had to have modified these plants genetically. 

Kora noticed the cone-shape condensation traps at the base of the plants. Tiny spikes protruded from the surface of the cones, exponentially increasing the surface area where moisture could gather. They appeared to feed the collected water back to the roots. A network of thin black plastic tubing connected the traps and funneled any unused water underground. This was by far the best water reclamation system she had ever seen.

“You seem to like my moisture traps.”

Kora turned her head to see Rene Bartlett standing to her right. She looked exactly like the pictures in the scientific journals except older. A short and stocky woman in her late sixties, Bartlett had intense green eyes. Her light blond hair was streaked with grey and tied into a small knot behind her head.

“I do. They’re remarkably simple but highly efficient. I assume you have a water storage system underground?”

“Indeed.” Bartlett walked towards Kora. “Every living thing on this property is sustained by reclaimed water, myself included,” she declared, pride in her voice. “Did you say you worked with Yong?”

Kora felt somewhat embarrassed. She pulled on the hem of her tee shirt. “Yes. I... I used to be part of his team at NID.”

Bartlett studied Kora closely. “Let’s get out of the heat.”

They turned to the right of the red sandstone path onto gravel ground dotted with round stepping stones that led to a single-story house. It turned out to be Bartlett’s lab.

Bartlett’s lab might be in the middle of nowhere, but her equipment was state of the art, her robotic assay chamber almost rivaling those at NID. 

Kora was greeted by a smell she hadn’t encountered since she was a small child, the smell of the ocean. There were large salt water tanks containing different species of colorful algae as well as glass containers filled with what Kora thought were volcanic rocks. She was especially drawn to the tank full of what she gathered was red algae.

“Rhodophyta, from the ancient Greek that means Rose Plant, one of the oldest groups of eukaryotic algae,” Bartlett said.

“Beautiful... May I ask what kind of research you’re working on?” Kora asked carefully.

“Yes, you may. I’m studying the photosynthetic processes in algae and plankton.” Bartlett gave a small smile. “I’m trying to isolate the genes that allow marine algae and plankton to use salt water in their photosynthesis.”

“You want to insert the genes into terrestrial plants so they can do the same.”

“Clever girl.” She looked at Kora for a moment, seemingly impressed. “Now, what can I help you with?”

Kora had been thinking about what to say to Bartlett all night. Now that she’d met her in person, she wasn’t sure a rehearsed speech would get her the information she needed.

“Well?” Bartlett raised her eyebrows. 

“Just be honest,” the small voice inside her said. 

Kora bit her lower lip. “Dr. Bartlett, I’m here because I need information on the FS Project.”

Bartlett’s eyes widened. “I’m sure you’re aware those files were sealed.”

“Yes, I’m aware.”

“Do you know that I’d be breaking the law if I tell you anything?”

“Yes, I know that as well.”

Bartlett crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Then why are you here?”

Kora took a deep breath. Just be honest. 

“I’m asking because Yong made a connection between the FS experiments and a research project he and I were working on. Before he could finish our work he was framed and arrested for crimes he didn’t commit, and I was fired from NID. The people who framed him also stole all his files. I want to find out why.”

Disbelief and shock appeared on Barlett's face. She sank down into a chair next to her lab bench.

Kora felt a glimmer of hope. “I’m also asking because the FS experiments might help me find a cure for the degenerative condition in my brain. My aunt recently died of the same condition.”

Bartlett turned to look at Kora. She stood up, then opened the door behind her. “I think you should leave now.”

Startled and dismayed, Kora opened her mouth to argue. “Dr. Bartlett, but I...”

Bartlett cut her off before she could finish. Her voice was cold and detached. “If Yong is innocent, I’m sure he’ll be exonerated at trial. I can’t help you with your illness. You should go see a physician for that. Please don’t show up like this at my house again. Now show yourself out.”

Chapter 22

It was amazing what one could do with unlimited resources. Derin was pleased with how the custom computing console turned out. 

Surrounding the console, ten reclining chairs fanned out in a circular pattern, each with a subject strapped down in it. They were of different ages and races, half male, half female. Each had a small earbud in their left ear. The subjects appeared to be in some type of trance, their eyelids fluttering involuntarily, their faces showing varying degrees of contorted agony. 

Their heads were shaved clean. Electrodes and scanning nodules were attached to various points on their skulls. The nodules remotely transmitted each subject’s brain activities to the computer in the console. The data was then analyzed and UfScan images generated.

Derin checked the readouts on the control panel. The door behind him opened. He turned to see Andre Oslo walking in.

“Andre! What brings you here?”

Oslo looked at him with that signature blank stare of his. “I found another aberration.”

Annoyed, Derin’s brows knitted together. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. We checked her genetic panel. The subject carries the OXTR rs67726 allele.”

Derin shook his head. “This is most unusual. Where’s the subject now?”

“She should be here soon,” Oslo said. “We also have the UfScan images for Kora Amelli’s brain and her recent genetic panel results.”

Surprised, Derin looked up at Oslo. “Do you?”

Oslo opened his hand in front of Derin, a thumb-size data chip in his palm. “It was an accident. We came across her test results when we were looking for the subject’s most recent medical records.”

Derin took the data chip, then waved it in front of the data scanner. 

“What’s this?” Oslo asked, gesturing towards the ten subjects with his chin.

“A final round of experiments before the… live field test.” Derin was distracted by the UfScan images in front of him. “Amelli’s brain scans are most intriguing. Look at the size of her pineal gland!”

“Her OXTR gene is a different allele from the rs67726. Could she be a different kind of aberration?”

“Perhaps. Most interesting,” Derin murmured, studying the genetic panel results. He rubbed his chin. “Any chance you can get ahold of some of her brain tissue?”

“I’ll see what I can do. Do you have what I need?”

“Ah yes.” Derin pulled a small silver medical case out from underneath the console. He flipped open the latches. 

Inside were seven syringes filled with a clear liquid. He closed the case then handed it to Oslo. “The dosing instructions are in the case. The trigger must be administered within the next five days. The compound is set to break down after that.”

“That won’t be an issue.”

“How are you going to get to the target?”

Oslo lifted the corner of his mouth. “I’ve got someone in the infirmary who…” 

He was interrupted by a deep groan from one of the male subjects. There was another groan, coupled with snapping sounds. Then came the sound of metal buckling under pressure. 

Derin tried to pinpoint where the noise was coming from. He turned just in time to see the subject to his left jump out of his chair, his hand restraints still attached to his wrists, along with the metal rings that used to be connected to the sides of his chair. The man’s eyes were bloodshot. He looked around, confused. 

Oslo reached inside his jacket, apparently to retrieve a weapon, but he came up empty-handed. He cursed under his breath. 

The male subject turned towards them, a menacing look in his eyes. He had to be at least 1.90 meters tall. A look of recognition appeared in his eyes when he saw Derin. He growled, charging towards him. 

Stunned, Derin began backing away, stumbling into the back of the swivel chair behind him. He fumbled, trying to remember where the panic button was.

Oslo moved quickly behind the man, grabbing him around his chest with one arm, the other arm choking his neck. 

As if possessing superhuman strength, the subject bent forward, lifting Oslo off the floor with him. 

That angered Oslo. He swung forward, using the subject’s strength as leverage and landed in front of him. He turned around, took hold of the man’s head, then planted his right knee into the man’s abdomen with devastating force. 

Oslo dragged the man forward, banging his head onto the edge of the computing console, again and again. The sickening sound of bones hitting metal reverberated throughout the room. He pulled the man up, then wrapped his palms around his bloody face, twisting the man’s head in one swift movement of his hands. 

Derin heard a cracking sound coming from the man’s neck. His body went limp and fell forward, landing in front of Derin’s feet with a dull thud.

Derin’s jaw dropped. He stared at Oslo, speechless. 

Oslo raised his head, a strange, satisfied glint in his eyes. “You might want to have the restraints checked. I’ll get the field trial started.” 

Then, as if nothing had just happened, he took the medical case and walked out the door.

- End of Chapter 22 -