©geraldinebanksJanuary2025
Sandy arrived at the office that morning with a more determination than she had ever felt. First of all she had heard from Alex and she was as sure as she could be that he was safe. Secondly, she was in a position to help Dr King and the others and once seated at her desk she began rereading her notes and looking at them with a fresh prospective. Sandy initially had regarded the Press Releases on new genetic policy that she had been bombarded with when she started her research with a high degree of scepticism, and occasional anger; knowing the reality of what they were doing. Children were being taken away from their parents and killed. Now, however, she read them clinically and objectively. Reading between the lines, they seemed very keen to promote their cause and Sandy felt that that this may indeed be the chink in their armour. They wanted justification for their actions and they wanted it publicised. Sandy had to play them at their own game, win their confidence. There were people to meet and places to see. What she could find out would help blow the lid off of the whole sordid mess and stop it in it’s tracks. Sandy decided she was going to be a key player in achieving that.
The Invitation to a ” Genetics , the Next 100 Years” seminar in Barcelona appeared on the face of it an extremely dry agenda, admittedly in a nice location. It was a good place to start ; so she picked up the phone and booked the flights and the hotel room and confirmed by e-mail her registration documents for the Conference. Sandy had just finished making the arrangements when there was a knock on the door and Gerry entered . He was smiling and was obviously ready to sit down and have a long chat. Sandy, for her part was now very willing to listen.
” The little madam is away on location for the next three weeks and dad in-law is going to be away on business, I’ve got a time-slot free. I wanted to set up a visit to see my son, is that possible?”
” Good Morning Gerry, nice to see you , hope you are keeping well? Thank you Gerry I’m fine, I had a great weekend. You never were one for the finer points of conversation were you Gerry?”
Gerry laughed at Sandy’s deadpan delivery.
” Waste of time all that yakking. I’m sorry , I apologise , getting ahead of myself again. How are you? How are things going?”
Sandy ignored his question. ” I’d give you advice to relax , Gerry, but you’d only misinterpret my meaning. Live in the moment, you’re always miles ahead of yourself and others. Time does not exist to be consumed or consummated for that matter.”
” My memories of relaxing with you are perfect, I’ve no regrets. My life has changed , I have a son. I’m a father to a wonderful little boy and you are his mother. Have you any idea how that makes me feel?” Gerry looked at Sandy directly.
Sandy refrained from squirming, though part of her felt like doing so. In her mind she thought , bloody Media Mogul. Egomaniac! She, immediately regretted it. Gerry was just a man like any other. The bond between father and son could and should be unbreakable, perhaps that was the way Gerry felt, there was no telling.
She continued.” I know how a mother feels and Martin and I are very protective of all our children. There was a raid where Alex was living , the location was compromised. Thankfully Alex was one of the children that they managed to help escape and he was not captured. It would have meant certain death. I had a letter from him , he described everything that happened to, him. It’s too much for a six year old to take, but he is having to take it.”
” How do you mean? Is Alex in danger?.”
” Daily danger, Gerry, Alex will always be in danger, he’s regarded by our Society as defective goods.”
” But the money, that’s going to protect him isn’t it? I mean that’s its purpose. The people we’re sending money to , they can stop him being harmed.”
” I hope so” Sandy gazed at the slightly flabby short man slouched in the seat in front of her and realised she was walking on a tightrope. How much could she let Gerry know? She was going to have to make a very serious judgement call, they needed more money and they needed it fast.
Sandy took the letter that Alex had wrote to her and Martin about his escape from one of the drawers in her desk.
“Here read this, it’s from your son. It’s pretty harrowing.” She stood up .” Do you want a coffee?”
“Please.” Gerry took the letter from her hand and began to read it.
When Sandy had made the coffee, she turned and looked at Gerry. He had finished reading the letter and he had tears coming down his eyes.
“Here’s your coffee.” She said bluntly.
“My poor child, this is horrendous, madness.”
” Tell me about it, is this what we do to six year old children? What kind of World are we living in Gerry? Alex was lucky, but he knows his friends and the other people he knew at Building 1 did not survive . They were his family. You can see how much work goes into keeping all of their work secret and that was a pretty sophisticated escape mechanism to save maybe twenty children. It all costs and what they need is money , your money. It’s more necessary than ever. Can you supply it?”
” Yes, I think I can.” Gerry looked up at Sandy.
” Give as much as you can and make sure it’s untraceable.”
” OK ” Gerry nodded and began to sip his coffee. He was unable to speak, so Sandy thought it would be a good idea to pitch him her plans.”
” I’ve done the research Gerry, but I need to move onto the next phase if we are help counteract these killers. I need to know the main protagonists. Attend some Government and Scientific Conferences . I’ve been ignoring the invites and the calls, because I’ve had my head stuck in books, but perhaps I can find out how these people work, how they find out the locations. Apparently, so I’m told it’s getting harder, and harder to keep them secret. The raids happen out of the blue. If I could find out how they locate them perhaps I could pre-warn them.”
“They have underground trains? That’s a pretty amazing bit of organisation.” Gerry was still digesting Alex’s letter.
Sandy flinched, had she let Gerry have information that she shouldn’t have. Were Gerry’s tears crocodile ones? She didn’t know and now she felt a bit foolish. Was Gerry really an A1 and actually supported what was going on? These thoughts buzzed through her head , but she regained her poise and took a sip of coffee from her cup. It was Gerry who recovered himself first and spoke.
” Have you anything planned at the moment?” He quizzed her.
Sandy gathered herself , she had chosen her course and she had to follow it.
” I’ve booked myself onto a Global Government Gene Conference in Barcelona next week.”
” Good, give me the details I’ll come too.”
” I don’t think that’s a good idea , Gerry?” Sandy frowned.
” Sandy , you need some gravitas behind you, I’ll watch your back…. and anyway I’m pulling rank on you. Don’t worry , I’ll book my own tickets, you can trust me , if you want the money , you have no option.”
” Fine Gerry, if that’s what you want. I understand.”
Gerry smiled ” See you in Barcelona!” and left her office.
When Gerry went out the door, Sandy put her head in her hands.
” Oh Crap!”
She immediately picked up her phone and rang Martin on his mobile, she just wanted to tell him what had happened and what was going to happen, but there was no answer. It was one time she really needed to speak to him. The phone went on to answering machine. It was good to hear his voice. She left a message.
“Hi Martin, Sandy, ring me when you get a chance.”
She went to put Alex’s letter back in the drawer, and she realised Gerry had taken it away with him.
” Damn!” She snarled!
thenotsomightyom 