by Harry Marku
exposure of the government's evolutionary development housing project.
“Tell him exactly what, Natalia?”
“How you knew so much?”
“I don't think I can.”
“It hasn't been classified. I spoke with a DC this morning. It probably won't be classified.”
“And it shouldn't.” Robb was emphatic.
“Then why can't you tell him?”
“It's not just a matter of 'why,” it's a matter of when and what. I didn't know anything until just recently. But I could never convince Ryan of that truth. And besides—” he pointed at the article “—that's all been written to protect him and CI.” He smiled, a tight-lipped, wistful smile. “They do good work. The country... the world needs people like him... companies like his.” He sighed.
“What do you mean, 'protect him,' Robb? CI was not involved.”
“Not quite true, Natalia. There is a link—not Ryan nor Jankowiak for that matter—but it's in Ryan's best interest to not know at this time.”
“You mean the dismissed scientist from CI?” Natalia assessed.
Robb's silence was confirming but his words were spoken with less discretion. “It's ironic. There was a child in the program here—and I only learned this yesterday—who is the scientist's daughter.”
Natalia shrugged; hindsight and all that.
“She has the ability to breathe underwater, something that saved the girl at six months when she nearly drowned after crawling into a pool.”
“She breathes air from water through her lungs?” Natalia immediately exposed the disconnect.
“So I understand.”
“She wasn't born with an obvious physical anomaly?”
“No, not at first sight. And the girl's first experience was overlooked. You know, young children have a built in response to prevent drowning. They stop breathing, their throats constrict and their brain redirects blood flow...”
“Robb.” Natalia interrupted.
“Sorry. A second near-drowning when the girl was six, an age when the physiological response has usually disappeared, was hardly more telling. At an outdoor wedding she disappeared for an hour and was found floating underneath a lakeside dock. She was unconscious, her lungs filled with water. The story goes that when a wedding guest began performing CPR, the girl purged her lungs entirely, stood up and tried to walk away.”
“Incredible.”
“Too incredible. The girl was taken to hospital but she had revived, no issues, no brain damage. I saw the medical file. She had been practicing holding her breath underwater. The ER doctor concluded that she must have been unconscious for only a few minutes, even though she was missing for much longer.“
“But her recovery?”
“There were no medical personnel to back up the story. It was a wedding. People were eating and drinking, not paying attention... At the time, it seemed a lucky second—no, third chance—but the scientist became suspicious. Being a biochemist working with mutagens and teratogens he feared that his own reproductive system had been compromised.”
“Where did he work?” Natalia started to work the puzzle.
“GenCorp.”
“GenCorp employed him? Wouldn't that be a breach of a non-compete?”
“Perhaps, but only if prosecuted. The man was fired from CI during his probationary period and went to work for a pharmaceutical start-up. The work was unrelated. GenCorp became an IP investor in that start-up and some time later bought the company to bring the scientist into their fold.”
“Why would they do that?”
“As Ryan recently suspected, the biochemist had pilfered product samples.”
“How did GenCorp learn that unless—”
“He peddled the product to Shapner? He did. I wonder if you investigated deeply enough you'd find that GenCorp was behind the man at every step...”
“So what happened? Change of heart once he find's his daughter...”
“Exactly that.”
“The price?”
“A plea bargain. Something that kept GenCorp from establishing itself in China. Protection for our program. Too little evidence to prosecute.”
“No charges?”
“No need to self-implicate.”
“Robb, this is dirty.”
“The times are corrupt, Natalia.”
“That doesn't make it right!” She snapped. “Wait, what about Pawluk? Did he leave because of his involvement?”
“No, he retired.” Robb shrugged. “He wanted a criminal investigation. But GenCorp was too connected, too influential—too necessary to our economy. Pawluk resigned in protest because he disagreed.”
“And Ryan?”
“He's married, you know.” Robb smiled as Natalia shifted uncomfortably. “CI has a future, if not as a business, then at least in its progeny.”
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