©GeraldineBanksJanuary2025
The next day after a busy day and a flight delay , Sandy arrived back home from the Airport and as she closed the front door behind her, she felt a great sense of relief, she felt she was locking out what she now knew to be a dreadful dystopian world. Martin was out with the twins , he’d left her something to eat on the kitchen table with a note to say he’d be back soon. It was so good to be home and have a brief moment to gather her thoughts.
As she sat eating ,Martin arrived. The twins were excited to see her and Sandy was delighted to see them. For a few hours she enjoyed being a mum, knowing that her family were safe, that their lives were not in danger. Sandy would discuss later with Martin her thoughts on what she had discovered and her plans on what she needed to do next.
Meanwhile Gerry had gone straight to his office. Millie had been given another foreign assignment and would not be at home to greet him. He had everything he needed at his office, he could shower and catch up with his correspondence and e mails and then settle down on his sofa bed which was in a small room beside his office.
The talk with Professor Allenby in the bar the previous night had been very interesting and shocking at the same time. Gerry had learned how much Gene Theory had progressed. Gerry had always known himself to be a carrier, his mother had sat him down when he reached puberty. It was not the normal bird and bees talk. She warned him for his own safety not to tell anyone about his condition and also that in his case it would be best not to father any children. For a teenage boy, this was very strange to hear and assimilate.
Gerry, however, had other plans and had been very successful in his work at an early age and was too busy building his career to think about marriage or fatherhood. His mother’s warning was always at the back of his mind and though he liked women, he had been careful. He had let his guard down with Sandy. Gerry was struck by the bond he felt for Alex his son. Alex was important to him and he wanted to protect him as best he could from the likes of Allenby. It was not going to be easy.
Allenby, Gerry had ascertained was looking to wipe out any irregularities in the Human DNA Code entirely from the planet. Allenby was an articulate and persuasive talker whom Gerry quickly recognised as a someone who liked the sound of his own voice. The Media Business was full of them. Gerry found himself getting angrier and angrier as he listened to the droll voice of the good looking and well groomed Allenby. He took control of that anger and all Allenby had seen was what Gerry had wanted him to see. Gerry was an expert at appeasing the big egos of the day and Allenby, he knew, would think him a useful man to know. They exchanged business cards.
Now, in the peace and quiet of his office as he sat sipping his coffee he was secure and could think rationally. His Media World was like a giant sieve, leaks were par for the course, so when it came to keeping data safe Gerry used the latest technology. He was full proof. He used his encrypted computer to search for the names of the Institutions that Allenby had mentioned, he began building up a picture and followed up on the clues to Allenby’s targets that he had intimated were not far off being raided.
He also dug into what Allenby had described as the “messier” side of the process, eradication or denaturing. There was never any right word for what was in fact killing or annihilation, even Allenby acknowledged that. It wasn’t all rumour, it was indeed fact and unpalatable , but what could they do? Resources were not infinite and it took brave people to make the final decision , but they had to, there was no other cost – effective option.
Gerry had listened to Allenby describe some events and processes, it was almost as if the Professor felt compelled to explain himself. Gerry had stroked the Professor’s ego by suggesting that a documentary about his work and how it was benefitting the World might help. Allenby said he would be in touch if he felt it would help. Gerry had dangled the bait and he knew he would hear from the professor sooner or later.
When Gerry was happy that he had completed his research and recorded all the threads of what would form his investigation, his thoughts turned to Sandy. He knew, he hadn’t been the only one who had noticed when she went into the lift with the young Researcher Gregor. Allenby had noticed too and had made a very unpleasant remark which even Gerry balked at the severity. Allenby was jealous of Gregor’s conquest. As for Sandy herself, Gerry thought, well she used to be a top athlete, perhaps she just enjoyed the physicality and maybe that guy could help her with information. What did it matter? Whatever floated her boat. He knew she didn’t trust him, but one day she was going to have to if they were going to stop Allenby and his like and save Alex and other children like him. He closed his laptop and began to prepare for bed. Gerry had made progress, which he would share with Sandy at the appropriate time.
After a few hours sleep , he woke and realised that the Canteen would be open for the night shift and he decided it would be nice to get some food and find someone to chew the cud with over an early breakfast. He liked to know what was going on in the office, there was always someone on the make. He was bullet proof now, money talks and thanks to Millie he had plenty of that, but nevertheless old habits died hard and it was fun to see what was going on. He got up , washed and dressed and went downstairs to the Canteen.
thenotsomightyom 