The Dystopian Gene

by S. E. Meyer

  Anna cringed at the words, still trying to breathe through the pain and close to losing consciousness.

  The rest of my family?

  “It was you,” Anna whispered through a clenched jaw, gritting her teeth. “You killed my mother!”

  Richard stepped over her and came from behind. He knelt behind Anna, forcing his groin up against her. Reaching out he grabbed a hold of the scarf still dangling around her throat. Richard twisted the linen around Anna's neck and further pushed himself against her backside. “Yes, and I'll kill Sara next. Come on, this can all be over. We make up, shake hands, put this all behind us and you put on the wedding gown. It's that simple.”

  Anna clutched at the scarf to loosen Richard's hold. Between the lack of blood flow to her brain and the pain in her rib, she was on the verge of collapse. Heart pounding against her breast Anna's body gave up.

  Handshake, Anna thought, her will to stay conscious fading with the sunlight.

  The ring.

  “It was you,” Anna coughed. “The ring. You poisoned them all with a handshake.”

  The strength fading from her limbs Anna wobbled on her knees, her arms unable to hold her own weight.

  “Yes. I killed them all. Marry me!” Richard screamed, wrenching the scarf tighter. “Or Sara will die like the rest of them!”

  “Fine!” Anna choked.

  “What? I didn't hear that?” Richard loosened the scarf.

  “I will marry you. Just leave my family alone,” Anna gurgled through her swollen windpipe.

  “That's what I thought,” Richard replied. He gave her ass one more shove with his hips before standing up, scarf still clenched in his fist. The scarf unwrapped from Anna's neck, catching on the chain that hung there.

  “I told you so many times. I'm a Cromwell, and Cromwells always get what we want.”

  Anna fell prostate as the chain that held the locket broke. She watched through bloodshot eyes as the locket took one bounce on the top of the wall and split open.

  Anna gasped.

  For a brief second she glimpsed her mother staring back at her before the locket dropped to the other side below.

  Anna's eye color changed from dark ocean blue to an irascible pyric pewter.

  She forced one arm beneath her, feeling the warm sticky ooze. Clenching her jaw, Anna tucked one knee below her hip. With fresh oxygen to her brain and adrenaline in her veins, Anna lifted herself to her feet. She took one step towards Richard and then leaned onto one leg. Knowing the excruciating pain was forthcoming, Anna bit into her lip as she stared into Richard's smug face. She bent her knee and then launched herself into the air, performing a perfect roundhouse kick to Richard's face. Smugness turned to shock as Richard flailed his arms, attempting to catch his balance. His eyes widened as he tipped over the edge of the wall and followed Anna's locket to the other side below.

  Anna spat over the wall in the direction Richard disappeared and took a deep breath.

  “Cromwell's don't always get what they want!” She screamed over the sound of the wailing wall alarms. “Not anymore!”

  CHAPTER 26

  Turning from his computer screen, Jax leaned back in his chair, rubbing the stubble on his chin. He was grateful for the distraction of the flickering lights above his head, a sign the generators powered up the lights in the subway tunnel, but his thoughts turned to Atticus. Worry gnawed at his gut.

  We should have heard from him by now.

  Isabelle entered the room with a tablet under one arm and sat down next to Jax. Flipping her blond hair behind her neck she set the tablet up in front of them so they could both view the screen.

  “Look at this,” she said, shaking her head.

  “What?” Jax asked, raising an eyebrow and leaning in close.

  “Anna asked about Gentech. I found a hidden sub-folder on the smart drive under that name, but that's not what concerned me. Along with it was another folder with lab reports.” Isabelle pointed to the screen. “See here? I've seen these types of files and reports before from working on GMO products. These are genetic markers.”

  “So what does it mean?” Jax asked.

  “It means that-”

  The sound of the entry door slamming shut cut Isabelle off in mid-sentence.

  “Must be Anna,” Jax said.

  “Good. I need to show her this.”

  A long minute went by and no one appeared in the dining room from the hallway that led to the main exterior door. Jax and Isabelle both sat still, staring at each other with raised eyebrows.

  “Help,” came a whimper from the hallway.

  Jax shot out of his chair, followed by Isabelle. They bolted to the hallway to find Anna crawling towards them on all fours, a trail of blood smearing the floor behind her.

  “Oh my God, what happened?” asked Isabelle.

  “I'll grab the gurney,” Jax said, disappearing around the corner and returning a few seconds later. “Let's get her up on the bed,” he instructed.

  Jax and Isabelle each took a hold of one of Anna's arms and lifted her up. Anna cried out from the pain of stretching her side. They each slipped an arm under Anna's legs and laid her down on her back. Isabelle pulled open her shirt as Jax rolled the gurney into the dining room where there was more light.

  “The stitches ripped open,” Isabelle said, moving Anna's blood-soaked shirt to one side, exposing the wound. “She needs a hospital.”

  “No,” Anna said. “They're looking for me.”

  “Who?” asked Jax. “Who's looking for you, Anna.” He ran his hand over her forehead, brushing her hair aside.

  “Everyone,” Anna replied.

  “Why? What the hell happened?” Jax asked, pulling out a sterile gauze pad and holding it over Anna's rib.

  “Because I just kicked Richard over the wall. Do you have a suture kit?”

  “I think I saw something like that in the supply closet. There's a small case that says 'Surgical Instruments Kit', but I don't know how to stitch. Do you?” Jax asked turning to Isabelle.

  “Hell no. If we can't get her to a hospital, then she at least needs a doctor.”

  “Get me the kit, Jax. I'll do it myself.”

  “What? You know how to-”

  “Just get me the damn kit, Jax!” Anna demanded through clenched teeth. “And see what you have for antiseptic and lidocaine.”

  Jax left the room returning with the ordered supplies. Anna turned to Isabelle. “Get me some Vodka or Whiskey or something.”

  Anna turned back to Jax. “Okay, open the kit. I need some latex gloves. Did you see any lidocaine in there?”

  Jax shook his head.

  “Shit,” Anna whispered and took a deep breath. Her hands trembled as Jax stretched the latex gloves over them.

  Isabelle returned with a bottle of high proof whiskey. “Found a bottle,” she said. “What's the booze for?”

  “That's for me,” Anna said. “Open the cap and tip the bottle.”

  Isabelle did as instructed and Anna took a long drink. She swallowed hard with a grimace as the alcohol slid down her throat.

  “Okay, I'm ready,” Anna said, licking her lips. She clenched, popping out the muscles on each side of her jaw. “Pour the antiseptic over the wound.”

  Jax opened the bottle and poured the liquid.

  Anna jolted.

  Shit, that hurts.

  Anna winced through the pain as her entire body shook. She blinked through blurred vision before speaking again. “Okay, open the kit and hand me the four-oh.”

  “Where did you learn how to do this?” Jax asked.

  Through gritted teeth she pushed the needle through her own skin. “Survival training.”

  Sucking in short breaths like a woman in labor, Anna continued to work across the wound. As she finished the last stitch, her head dipped forward.

  “Are you okay Anna?” Jax asked. He turned to Isabelle. “I think she‘s passing out.”

  Anna looked at Jax through watery, bloodshot eyes. “I'm fin
ished. Put a gauze pad over it,” she said, resting her head on the pillow as she gave in to the darkness.

  ◆◆◆

  Two simultaneous feelings slapped Anna's senses as she regained consciousness. The pain in her side and the anger of Richard's words still burning in her heart.

  Anna opened her eyes to find Jax and Isabelle sitting next to her bed.

  “She's coming around.” Jax said, turning to face Anna. “Hey there. How are you holding up?”

  “Freaking fantastic,” Anna mumbled.

  “Really?” Jax asked with wrinkled brow.

  “No, not really.” Anna attempted a feeble smile. “Still not used to my sarcasm and sense of humor yet I see.”

  Anna adjusted herself through a wince, biting her lip. “I need some water.”

  Isabelle shot out of her seat and returned half a minute later with the request. After a long pull on the cup Anna let out a long breath. “Okay, talk to me. I need a distraction from the pain,” she said, attempting to rub the adrenaline headache from her temple. “Anything new on my mom's drive? Anything on Gentech?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact,” Isabelle said. “I was just about to tell Jax what I found when you got here. As you know, I worked in the GMO division at Manplanto. Do either of you know how they genetically change a plant?”

  “Not exactly,” Jax replied, shaking his head.

  Anna let out a quiet 'no'.

  “There are different methods, but a common one is to use a bacteria or weakened virus. They implant the desired genetic material into the virus, then introduce the virus to plant cells. They can only make the introduction to a few cells. It can't be done to a mature plant. The weakened virus carries the genetic material into the cells where the new genes are accepted. Once the new genetic material is combined, you have a genetically modified organism. Plant cells are similar to stem cells in a lot of ways. They have an amazing ability to change their cells and grow into a whole new plant. A plant with manipulated genes that will produce seeds and pass down those changes to all offspring of that modified organism, generation after generation, forever. With me so far?”

  Anna nodded. “So what does this have to do with what you found?”

  “It's important you understand how genetic modification is accomplished, because what I found on your mother's drive is hard to believe. We all go to treatments every week right? Well, what if I told you we are not only being treated for Fleishman's. There is a weakened virus in that cocktail they give us, a virus that contains genetic material.”

  Jax shook his head. “So they're trying to genetically modify us? But I thought you said they can only modify a few cells at a time.”

  Isabelle's eyes widened. “Exactly. They're not trying to modify our genes.”

  “Well then who's genes are they trying to change?” Anna asked.

  “Remember when I said plant cells are similar to stem cells?”

  Anna's jaw slacked. “No way, you're not saying...”

  “Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. The purpose of adding the virus to our treatments was to target all pregnant women, specifically their babies, to introduce that virus to a small amount of cells, stem cells to be exact, which will take on the new DNA before it grows to full term. It's the sole reason our treatments are done weekly, so every newly conceived child will receive a treatment of its own; genetic mutation.”

  Anna covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh my God.”

  “Yes. Oh my God is right. Playing God,” Isabelle replied.

  “For what purpose?” Jax asked.

  “Isn't it obvious Jax?” Isabelle asked. “To make us more docile, submissive, non-combative and suggestible.”

  “That would explain why no one is willing to stand up and do anything. Fight for change.”

  “Yes,” Isabelle replied. “We all now have a genetic predisposition not to. But the genetic mutation doesn't always take hold. A few slip through the cracks, and those are the people who are more likely to skip treatments or show other signs of civil disobedience. Those are the people who are more likely to become banished, which plays right in to what the government wants; an easy way to flesh out non-conformists and cull them from the herd.”

  “I'm guessing this all plays back to Gentech. They had to be involved,” Anna concluded.

  “Yes,” Isabelle replied. “We all know Gentech's main business is making designer kids. For a hefty price, parents can choose eye color, hair color, ensure their children are immune to a host of diseases, etc., but Gentech has a spin off company that handles Government contracts. That company is owned by a holding company named Blackwater, and they produce our treatments. They've been involved all along. I also found a hidden folder named Gentech Project Shield.”

  Anna's eyes widened. “Gina Thorp mentioned Project Shield, right before she died. She also mentioned Blackwater. That company is run by Cornelius Cromwell.”

  Find their monkeys.

  Anna touched her lip. “You haven't found anything about monkeys, have you?”

  Isabelle shook her head.

  Pointing toward Isabelle's tablet Anna cocked her head to one side. “Can you search the drive for the phrase 'Mind The Key To Sin'.”

  Isabelle raised an eyebrow while lifting her tablet from the table. “Sure, but what does that mean?”

  “It's an anagram. It decodes to 'Find Their Monkeys'. Something my mom told me, and Gina said it right before she died.

  Isabelle typed in the phrase. “Oh! What's this?” she said, leaning in closer to the screen. “There's a hidden encrypted file here. That phrase just unlocked it.”

  Anna held her side while leaning toward Isabelle.

  “It's a Chinese study from 2018,” Isabelle said.

  “What was it?” Anna asked. “Show me.”

  Isabelle moved to Anna's side. “Hmm, It was a study using messenger RNA in an injection. The Chinese lab was manipulating DNA genomes by introducing a DNA based cocktail into monkeys. If I'm reading this right, It looks like by using messenger RNA strands, they found they could change genes that produced aggressive behavior as well as genes that would result in more docility.”

  Anna shook her head. “Why was this so important to my mother?”

  Isabelle rubbed her chin. “I studied this kind of research at length. The growing potential for RNA treatment was huge nearing 2020. Companies were trying to come up with ways to cure a host of diseases and genetic mutations. For example, someone with a mutated gene causing blindness could be cured by manipulating that specific gene using RNA.” Isabelle's eyes widened. “But what's interesting, is it would have to be done often enough as the human body breaks down the RNA over time.”

  Anna ran her hand through her curls. “Like once a week?”

  “Oh my God,” Jax blurted. “Is that what's going on here with everyone's treatments? If so, then why do people go crazy when they don't take them?”

  “There's obviously more going on here than we know. Maybe it's a combination. The food makes us sick, the treatments make us better, but somehow they've added RNA to target our genes,” Anna said. “And look there. The Chinese lab funding was provided by Blackwater,” Anna added, pointing at the screen.

  Isabelle shook her head. “I'll have to go through the entire file. It's going to take some time, this file is huge. But it would seem, once again this all leads back to Cromwell.”

  Anna nodded. “I'm afraid so, Isabelle.” Her eyes widened.

  Shit. 'Isabelle is what she calls the cat.'

  Anna made eye contact with Isabelle. “Speaking of the trial. Does the name Victoria Olson mean anything to you?”

  Isabelle's jaw slacked as she gave Anna a slow nod. “I haven't heard that name in a long time. Victoria Olson was my mother. My dad had an affair with her around the time Richard was born, but he told me she died.”

  “She's still alive, Isabelle. I found her at a Psychiatric Hospital. How old are you? What month were you born?” Anna asked.

  “I'll
be twenty-one in July.”

  “Me too,” Anna replied. “What information was in the folder?”

  Isabelle shrugged. “What little information I found was vague. No names were listed, only that there were twelve subjects, and they were all genetically modified in some way.”

  “Listen, Isabelle. I was part of that trial. I think you were too. We both may have been genetically modified.” Anna said, a shudder ran through her body.

  “Sounds like we all are, Anna,” Jax replied.

  “Yes, but Project Shield was different,” Anna argued. “They did something else to the twelve of us in that group. Gina said they started Project Shield to protect something,”

  Anna recalled Richard's confession. “And the Cromwell's are trying to hide it.”

  “How do you know that?” Jax asked.

  “Because Richard has been killing us off one by one,” Anna replied. She gazed deep into Isabelle‘s eyes. “And there's only two of us left.”

  CHAPTER 27

  Richard hobbled through the doorway of Cornelius's office. The thump of his air cast boot beating the hardwood with every step. “Thanks for getting me out of there,” Richard said, slumping into the chair across from his grandfather.

  “Why didn't they give you crutches?” Cornelius barked.

  “Because of my shoulder,” Richard replied, wincing while adjusting his sling.

  “You're a mess boy,” Cornelius grunted. He raised an eyebrow. “Was it her?”

  Richard lowered his head. “Yes.”

  Cornelius pulled out a cigarette from the silver case in front of him and lit it with a match. “Give up on that girl, Richard.”

  Richard sat upright. “I thought you said we always get what we want.”

  “Only if you're strong enough to make it happen. You screwed that up for yourself. Listen, they caught you on the other side of the wall which means they will send you through it.”

  “But, Grandfather-”

  “Shut up. I'm not finished.” Cornelius took a long drag from the cigarette. “Video footage will show Anna throwing you over the wall which means she’ll be banished. I can't get a hold of that son of a bitch Damarion, but I pulled some strings and got you out of jail. I also had City Security send me over the footage. I'm uploading it now. Someone has to go through the gates, Richard, but it won’t be you.”