A Chosen Destiny (The Samantha Project Series #3) Page 8

  Drew turned to Owens. “Yes, well, I hate to get right to this, but I need to ask you for a favor, Preston. I know how persuasive you are with the board, and I wondered if you could convince them that I had nothing to do with Samantha and Erik escaping.”

  Owens shook his head. “No. I can’t do that, Drew. You know how they are. Their decision is made. It’s final.”

  Drew looked devastated. “But I’ve known you for all these years, Preston. You’ve been like a father to me.”

  “Don’t be so dramatic, Drew. You were an up-and-coming scientist back in the day. And when you wanted to move over to the business side at GlobalLife, I simply acted as your mentor. I’ve never pretended to be more than that. You’re just panicking now. You’re grasping for a lifeline. I wish I could do something for you, but I can’t.”

  Drew banged his fist on the table. “But they’ll kill me, Preston! You know they will! You have to explain to them that I wasn’t involved. They’ll listen to you!”

  “I don’t know anything about your involvement in this. For all I know, you really did let those two escape. Or maybe you’re keeping them somewhere so you can have the technology for yourself.”

  “No! Absolutely not! I don’t have them. And I don’t know where they are. But I’m sure I can get them back. They can’t hide forever.”

  “And what happened with the sister? Samantha’s sister? Is she gone, too?”

  Drew looked surprised. “That trailer girl? No. She’s still at GlobalLife. Second floor. She can’t escape. We have guards watching her 24/7 along with the latest security technology.”

  “That security technology didn’t work too well for Samantha and Erik.”

  “Yes. But the sister—she has no special abilities. She’s never getting out.” Drew laughed, then took a drink from what appeared to be a glass of bourbon. “That stupid trailer girl. The world will be so much better without people like her taking up space and wasting precious resources. I’m sure you’ve heard that they’re getting rid of her kind.”

  Owens nodded. “Yes. I’ve heard mention of a plan to get rid of the inferior, but I have yet to hear specifics.”

  Drew swished the bourbon around in his glass. “Because it’s unpleasant to talk about, Preston. But once GlobalLife gets the technology up and running in the select few who can afford, and who deserve, the enhanced genes, they’ll eventually discontinue the inferior.”

  “We truly are changing the course of evolution, aren’t we? Very exciting! But tell me, Drew, what are their plans? How can we really discontinue these people? It’s such an enormous endeavor given the world’s population.”

  “I shouldn’t be divulging this, Preston, but since GlobalLife will probably kill me anyway, why not, right?” He finished his bourbon and got up to refill his glass. “GlobalLife has worked with some very powerful and influential people to build a database containing the genetic makeup of almost everyone on the planet. From that, they’ve started classifying who is worth keeping and who is not. And between you and me, there aren’t many worth keeping.”

  He drank another glass of bourbon without even sitting down, then refilled it again. “But they will keep some. Brilliant scientists. Math geniuses. Exceptional artists. I mean, someone has to continue to do the work that’s needed, right?”

  “Honey, maybe you should slow down with the drinks there,” Rachel said as Drew finished yet another glass of bourbon.

  “I’ll be dead soon, sweetheart. And I sure as hell don’t plan to die sober.” Drew filled his glass again.

  “So they’ve already decided whom to eliminate?” Owens asked.

  “For the most part, yes. Of course, anyone who has the required minimum net worth is excluded from the list. But when we’re done, or rather, when GlobalLife and the people involved in this are done, the planet might have, say, 1 billion people instead of the 7 or 8 billion that it has now.” He sat down with his bourbon still in hand. “And as for discontinuing the unfortunate masses, well, it’s really rather easy.”

  “I heard rumors that GlobalLife Agriculture is involved.”

  “Correct. The ag division is already testing crops that make people sterile. Crops that go into foods people eat every day. Over time, it will stop almost all reproduction among the masses. And the best part? GlobalLife Pharmaceuticals will make a fortune on fertility drugs, as people attempt to remedy the problem.”

  “If it’s in a common food, won’t it affect everyone?” Owens cut his steak while keeping his eye on Drew.

  “No. The fortunate few allowed to continue on will receive a one-time treatment to counteract the sterility effects. At least that’s the plan. I told you. This is still in the testing phase.”

  “You can stop reproduction, but what about the people already here?”

  The alcohol was starting to affect Drew. He got up close to Preston’s face. “This isn’t happening tomorrow, Preston! You don’t cut the population like that in a year or two!” Drew sat back again. “You do it gradually over time. It’s a long process. You’ll see the timeline when they share the plan with everyone a few years from now. Anyway, in regards to your question, the remaining people will simply die out. Lifespans are already shortening around the world. You can thank GlobalLife Pharmaceuticals for that. It’s funny, really. They create drugs that claim to prolong life and people spend their last dime trying to pay for them. They have no idea that the drugs are only making them die faster.”

  “It seems like a bad business plan,” Rachel said. “Killing all your customers. Don’t we want their money?”

  “Trust me, darling. The people who remain will have more than enough money when this is done.” He smiled at Owens. “As if you need more money, Preston.”

  “I think you’re exaggerating, Drew. I’ve seen the projections for what we’ll make on the enhanced genes. While it’s a large sum, it’s certainly not—”

  “I’m not referring to the money from the enhanced genes. I’m talking about the money from the process of discontinuing the inferior. Who do you think is getting the money of all the people who are no longer around to spend it?”

  Owens smiled. “I see.”

  “And as a Founder, Preston, you’re already taking the longevity treatments, so you’ll be around for at least a couple hundred more years to enjoy all that money.”

  “Getting back to the project at hand, what happens if we don’t find Samantha and Erik?” Owens asked.

  “We, or I guess I should say my former employer, still has their DNA samples in storage. The problem is that the material is incomplete with that section of their genes still missing the alien DNA.” Drew gave out a drunken laugh. “And now that’s gone, too!”

  “Sweetheart, that’s not appropriate,” Rachel said.

  Drew sighed. “Yes. Forgive me, darling. I’m sorry, Preston. I know you have a lot riding on this project. I shouldn’t be so flippant about the whole thing. I need another drink.” He got up and brought the entire bottle of bourbon back to the table. “I guess it doesn’t matter if the alien genes were stolen. They didn’t work anyway. They killed everyone we put them in, well, except for Samantha and Erik.”

  “But we have more of the alien DNA,” Owens said. “It’s in New York, right?”

  “Yes, the facility that my sweet Rachel will soon be working at.” He blew her a kiss across the table. He continued to swig more glasses of bourbon, getting drunker by the minute.

  “Then they can use that to fix the DNA samples. The Founders never need to know about Samantha and Erik disappearing. For all they know, Samantha and Erik are still living safely within GlobalLife.”

  Drew slammed his glass down hard on the table, spilling part of his drink. “Don’t be a fool, Preston! Samantha and Erik are a living brochure! The golden couple! You saw how people reacted to them at the gala. They sell the technology. GlobalLife has to have them!” He suddenly got weepy. “And I let them escape! Oh, my God! They really are going to kill me!”

  Rachel went
over to him, taking his glass and the bottle of bourbon. “I think you’ve had enough of this. Just take some deep breaths and I’ll get you some water.”

  Drew put his head down on the table. “You’ve got to help me, Preston. I’m not ready to die! I’m in my prime earning years!”

  Owens ignored him. “We have to get the remaining alien DNA and try repairing that section of DNA in the samples you took from Samantha and Erik. We need to at least see if it works before telling anyone that those two have disappeared.”

  Drew lifted his head up. “I already sent DNA samples from Samantha to the New York office. They’re filling in that broken fragment as we speak.”

  “So now they just need to try it in someone. That shouldn’t take long.”

  “Yes, but—and again, I shouldn’t be telling you this—but the research team believes Samantha’s enhanced DNA will be rejected. They don’t think it will work in people.”

  Owens stood up and raised his voice. “What are you saying, Drew? You assured me that the hybrid genes that formed in Samantha were stable. You said that the software would take care of any remaining problems. But are you telling me that the technology can’t be applied to others? The entire future of the project relies on this!”

  “I know, I know. The scientists just need more time. They need to test Samantha’s DNA in some people and then make some adjustments to the software. I’m sure they’ll get it to work eventually.”

  “We don’t have time! We have people waiting for this! They’ve already made the payments!” Owens leaned down and got in Drew’s face. “Who else at GlobalLife knows this?”

  “The men at the top. I don’t even know who they are. I don’t have names. I’ve never even met them.”

  “Of course you have, you drunken idiot! You know all the executives at GlobalLife Genetics.”

  “No, I’m not talking about the genetics division! I’m talking about the men at the head of GlobalLife—the entire corporation! They know! They know everything!” He went to get the bourbon that Rachel had set on the table behind him. “I don’t know how they find out these things, Preston. It’s like they have cameras built into my brain sending them constant updates of what’s going on.” Drew got a worried look on his face. “What if they do? What if it’s in there right now recording this? Oh, I’m so dead!”

  Owens grabbed Drew’s shirt, shaking him. “Drew, get a hold of yourself! Now listen! Is there any other way to make this technology work? Have your people found any way to make those enhanced genes from Samantha and Erik work in the rest of us?”

  Drew pulled away from Owens and slumped into his chair. “They need the DNA from that baby of theirs. The combination of two people with enhanced genes. They think that might work. It seems to work in their models. Now they need to test it.” Drew’s speech slowed and his eyes became droopy. “But the material we took from Samantha and Erik isn’t enough. We need the baby.”

  His head collapsed on the table as he passed out. The video feed went to static and the sound cut off.

  I punched Erik in the arm.

  “What did you do that for?”

  “I had to make sure you were real. I thought this might have been one of my dreams. Or nightmares.”

  “It’s real. I heard the whole thing.”

  “Erik, you were supposed to be listening to Drew’s thoughts.”

  “He hardly had any thoughts. He was too drunk to think. Although I did catch something at the end there.”

  “What was it?”

  “That material he said he took from us? He was talking about our reproductive material. They could make a baby, Sam. Our baby.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Brittany

  “Are you sure you heard him right, Erik? Drew was really drunk.”

  “I heard his thoughts loud and clear. He said reproductive material, as in your eggs, my sperm—”

  “Yes, stop! I know what reproductive material is. But how did they get that?”

  “They had us for weeks, Sam. They knocked us out when we first got there. For a whole day, remember? They could have done anything to us.”

  “I think I might throw up. This just keeps getting worse. And did you hear their plan to get rid of people?”

  “Leaving only a billion people on the planet? Yeah. That’ll never work. That’s just stupid.”

  “Why wouldn’t it work? They sterilize almost the entire population by feeding them something they eat every day? Nobody will even suspect anything. GlobalLife and whoever else is involved will just use their power to get the media to blame the whole thing on air pollution or obesity or some other made-up reason.” I shivered just considering the possibility.

  “I’m going to get Dave and my dad. We need to tell them what we heard.”

  Erik left, then came back a few minutes later with Jack and Dave.

  “According to Drew, the project isn’t going so well,” I said.

  Erik and I told Jack and Dave what we’d overheard at Drew’s dinner.

  “Sounds like they’re finally starting to realize that those genes will never work in people,” Jack said. “The software is simply a bandage. It tries to fix all the problems caused by the alien DNA so the body will accept it, but the software can only do so much.”

  “But, Dad, those same genes are in Sam and me. Are you saying that our bodies will eventually reject them, too?”

  “No. Your bodies were able to adapt to the enhanced genes as you were growing. But you two are very rare. Think of all those kids who died before you were born. Their bodies immediately rejected the genes, even with the software. And if we put those genes in a million more people, I bet only a handful would survive.”

  “If the technology is that fragile, why is GlobalLife going forward with it?” I asked.

  Jack shook his head in disgust. “They’ve made promises. They have investors. They’re taking risks and hoping it will work. And now it sounds like they’ve given up trying to insert the original alien DNA into people and are focusing on using the type of hybrid DNA that’s formed in the two of you.”

  “So did Drew say if they’ve done anything with your DNA, Sam?” Dave asked. “Have they tried it in anyone yet?”

  “No, but Drew said the researchers don’t think my enhanced genes will work in people.”

  “But they think our combined DNA will work,” Erik added, “which is why they want us to have a baby. But apparently, they don’t need us to do that. They already got what they needed when we were at GlobalLife.”

  Dave looked at Jack. “I don’t know why I didn’t consider this before, Jack. Of course they would take reproductive material from them. In case there wasn’t a pregnancy.”

  “Yes, but they’d need to wait to see if a baby could even survive with those genes before putting that version of the DNA in other people. And they can’t put an embryo with enhanced genes in just any woman. It won’t survive. It has to be in Sam.”

  I shuddered. “Well, that’s never going to happen.”

  “Jack, you know that GlobalLife will still test the combined DNA,” Dave said. “They won’t wait. They can’t. Their investors are demanding results. GlobalLife has to make those enhanced genes work.”

  “The enhanced genes are just part of the plan,” Erik said. “GlobalLife has other plans we haven’t told you about.”

  Erik and I described what Drew said about limiting the population, leaving only a select group of people on the planet.

  “When Drew talked about it, Owens didn’t seem that surprised,” I said. “He acted like he was on board with the whole thing.”

  “He was playing along, Sam,” Dave said. “If he was in on that plan, he wouldn’t have allowed you and Erik to listen in.”

  “But Owens didn’t even react when Drew explained it. Doesn’t that seem a little strange? You would think he’d have some kind of reaction.”

  Jack motioned for us to get closer so he could lower his voice. “Dave and I were talking earlier and we’re s
tarting to think that we can’t trust Owens. We don’t believe that story he told us about his intent for the genes. And we don’t like the way he’s already made plans for you two to live in his house in Switzerland. And I’m still troubled by the fact that he went to so much work to find Erik. Making that online code game. Getting Luke and Dan involved. Even if Owens didn’t intend to, he got Paul killed. And Dan. And possibly Luke. All in his attempt to get Erik.”

  “And Owens lied to me in Minnesota,” Dave added. “He assured me he would have the alien genes by the time you two arrived here in Iceland. He never mentioned your involvement in getting the genes. That makes me wonder what else he’s not telling us.”

  “We don’t want to wait around to find out what that is,” Jack said. “We have to get out of Iceland and back to the U.S. But the only way we can do that is with Owens’ help. We need his private plane. GlobalLife is monitoring all commercial flights in and out of here.”

  “To make sure we get out of here, Jack and I told Owens that we would help him open those files when we get to New York,” Dave said.

  I glanced around to make sure none of Owens’ employees were around. “But we don’t want Owens to get the remaining gene samples. You just said you didn’t trust his plans for them.”

  “He won’t get the genes, Sam. Once we locate them, we’ll tell Rachel where they are and she’ll have members of that rebel group she works with retrieve them from GlobalLife. They have people working on the inside. Owens will never get his hands on the genes.”

  “But if you agree to this, we’ll have to live in his house with his security people watching everything we do.”

  “Rachel is working on getting us a different place to stay. We’ll stay at Owens’ house until she lines that up. If Owens gets upset about us moving, then we’ll refuse to help him with the files.”

  “How do we know if we can trust Rachel?” Erik asked. “I mean, she does work for GlobalLife.”

  “I trust her more than I trust Owens right now,” Jack said. “Sam. Erik. I want you both to start listening to Owens’ thoughts. Same for Rachel.”