Growth (GAIA Trilogy Book 2) Read online

  First, the question, "What Is Gaia?" emerged from a background of billowing clouds and then the answer shown against a rapidly changing background of illustrative images.

  "Gaia is Everyone" was written on a rolling montage of people, crowds, individuals, couples, groups, people from all around the world.

  "All the people,

  All the animals (against quickly changing photos of every sort of species)

  All the fish

  All the bugs

  All the microbes

  All the air

  All the water

  Gaia is Everyone."

  The final montage grew smaller as the camera's eye retreated until the full Earth was revealed. At the last shot, the Earth hanging in space filled the screen, "GAIA" emerged from and overlay the image.

  Maeve was a little stunned and looked at Robbie quizzically, "Did you do this by yourself?" she asked.

  "Well, I wrote the words - at least I told them to Leah and I told her what pictures I wanted. She did the pictures and the music but I did the words."

  Maeve beamed at him, "And the ideas," she said.

  Robbie looked pleased. "So can I send it?"

  "Of course. Very good work, Robbie. I'm proud of you. Send me a copy, okay?"

  "Okay Mama. I'll do it right away."

  Maeve forwarded the piece to Lucas with a "proud of my boy" note attached and asked an assistant to keep an eye on the correspondence. "I want to know how it's received and if any answers come back. And see that it's posted on the main site."

  She went back to her own correspondence feeling that she was being successful if her half grown son could articulate that thought so clearly.

  "The children will save us," she thought.

  Chapter 21

  Helene felt triumphant. In an earlier career she had been forced into conflict with Global Industrial Services and its CEO and hadn't liked the outcome. At the time she had been forced to drop her opposition after a visit from a government agent invoking National Security as a reason to allow the corporation to continue to operate illegally.

  She hadn't liked it to the extent that she and her colleagues compiled a dossier on Axel Radnich that left her disgusted and almost willing to blow the whistle despite the threatened costs to the country. In the end she kept her silence but kept all the files on him as well.

  There were crimes aplenty in his record, bribery, contracted assassinations, employment of slave labor in several countries and worst of all to Helene, a predilection for young boys as sexual slaves. With Sam and Lucas on a secure line she outlined the information she had and what she intended to do with it and charged Lucas with obtaining a private address for Radnich.

  "I want to be able to communicate with him directly, on a line he knows is secure from other's eyes. Can you do that?"

  Lucas nodded, "Probably. Might take some work but probably."

  "Good. While you're getting that I'll prepare my message."

  Lucas, strongly motivated to remove a threat from his wife, went to work immediately. For a well trained spy and hacker as he was he thought it would be a task he could complete in a day but it proved to be a much more complex problem than usual.

  "This guy is well protected - layer after layer to go through in order to get to someone who can get to someone who can get to him," he said to Sam.

  Sam was unperturbed. "You'll get him," he said. "Who does he have to talk to himself?"

  Lucas thought about that, smiled and went back to his machines. In slightly less than an hour he was back in Sam's office grinning.

  "Okay, your suggestion worked. I've got him."

  "Who'd you go through?"

  "The ruler of the country he lives in, the Sultan."

  Sam laughed, "Birds of a feather."

  "Indeed."

  They got Helene on the communicator and gave her Radnich's private communications address and she showed them the cover image of her message which was a picture of Radnich over the title "Portrait of a Monster".

  "Will that be enough to shame him into doing what you want?" asked Lucas. "He seems totally shameless to me, ego-maniacal."

  "That's true, but I have the personal addresses of his family members which include two daughters and two sons, and all the Boards of Directors of all the companies he contracts with, the Heads of State of all the countries he does business in and every major bank in the Global network. It would ruin his business and his personal life. I think he'll do what we ask."

  "What will you ask?" said Sam.

  "Turn off all the money to A4A. Put them out of action right now and stop all opposition to Gaia."

  "Or else," said Lucas.

  "Or else," agreed Helene.

  She lost no time in composing her message including the addresses to which she proposed sending the video, enclosed the video, sent if off and sat back. The ultimatum included a demand that A4A's bank accounts be closed immediately and that she receive notification from the banks that it was done. She gave him two hours from the time the message was read.

  Harrison came to sit with her through the wait and in just under an hour they received the message from the bank that it had taken place. Lucas and Sam were informed but Sam refused to relax security until everyone had been exhaustively vetted.

  "This is good," he said, "but the minions won't get the word for a good while. No one lets their guard down."

  "Let's pass the news to the prisoners," said Lucas.

  He and Sam went to the cell block and into David Truman's cell. Lucas held a communicator out to him and said, "Call for help."

  The prisoner backed away from the proffered device and said, "So you can get the number? No thanks."

  "No," said Lucas, "so you can get the news directly. Here," he continued, "I'll dial it for you so you know we already have the number."

  He punched keys until the number was illuminated on the screen and said, "Hit CALL."

  Warily Truman looked at the phone, shrugged and hit the button. After a few rings had sounded a mechanical voice intoned, "This number no longer operates."

  Truman shrugged again and handed back the communicator. "Tricks," he said.

  "No," said Lucas calmly, "just trying to bring you up to date. A4A is closed down. The money behind it has gone away. There is no one to help you or save you."

  Truman looked bored. "God will help me and save me or use me as He wishes."

  "There were three of you on this mission," said Sam, "and we want to know if there are any more."

  Truman's reactions confirmed that Sam's stab in the dark about three operatives hit a target and both he and Lucas turned away immediately leaving a bewildered prisoner in their wake.

  "I thought there had to be another one," said Sam.

  "Good thought. I'll get back to the records. Make sure the ones we haven't cleared yet are locked down.

  For the next several hours all of Lucas' attention was fixed on the six unvetted volunteers. He studied every entry in their applications and the scant back up information they had provided. They all seemed honestly presented, college students, three male, three female or so they said, a mix of ethnicities and a variety of schools. He was using a technique he had learned in spy school where he imagined himself as the person presented looking for anomalies.

  After the second time through he had narrowed the search to two people from Oklahoma and Texas. As he read through their resumes he finally found a clue. The young woman from Oklahoma listed as a reference a restaurant in Tulsa where she supposedly had been employed as a waitress during the summer breaks.

  "Wrong dates," he realized. Her purported dates of school attendance and work history took place after the restaurant had gone out of business. He quickly told Sam who gathered a squad and went to confront the suspect. The six people were in the staff lounge off the kitchen guarded by two security personnel. Sam said, "Anyone here familiar with Tulsa? We need some information on the city."

  After a few seconds a hesitant hand w
ent up and a young woman said, "I am."

  "Oh good," said Sam pleasantly. "Please come and look at some photos we have and see if you can place them."

  She stood hesitantly, slight, blonde and very pale, and left with Sam. Outside the door she was placed in handcuffs and taken to the Security Section. Inside the room Lucas told the others, "You can all go back to work now."

  When Lucas joined Sam in Security Sam said, "She never said a word. We cuffed her and marched her down here and put her in Interrogation and she never said a word."

  "Been expecting it," offered Lucas.

  "Yeah. I do think that's all of them. More would be overkill."

  "I agree. But I won't be able to sleep if we relax security."

  Sam snorted. "Relax? I want to beef up."

  "Good. Do what you think best. Maeve wants to get back into her routine. Make sure it's safe."

  Sam nodded. "What about the girl?"

  "Let's show her to the others and then lock her up. Their reactions might be informative."

  The young woman was taken to the cells and shown to the young men in turn. Both showed signs of resignation when they saw her.

  "I think that's all of them," said Sam afterward.

  "I agree. But no letting our guard down."

  Chapter 22

  Harrison felt drained. The disaster relief had passed from his hands to the people on the ground and though he had slept for nearly twelve hours he woke feeling totally spent. Sitting with a coffee cup in his hand he scrolled through his mail and through the news reports.

  The habits of a scholarly lifetime in History shaped his thinking and he read with interest items that fit his idea of what was important. News of the ever-present small wars with their litany of atrocities were mentally filed under "ongoing aggravations" while news of scientific breakthroughs or the introduction of new methods caught and held his attention. Helene routinely bemoaned his eschewing of "human interest" stories in favor of "interests of humanity" tales but the structures of mind are not easily shifted. We like what we like.

  When he came across the announcement of an upcoming event by the Director to be held on a floating city his interest increased.

  "I should attend that," he thought and forwarded it to Helene with the note, "I should go, don't you think?"

  She did think so. "It says by invitation only. Will you write him?"

  He did so immediately and was both pleased and a little repelled by what he saw as expressions of amity from the Director.

  "With pleasure," the reply said, and added, "a good chance to continue our friendship."

  Instructions for where to meet the plane that would be the transport for invited guests and accredited media was attached.

  "I've always wanted to visit the Southern Ocean," he said to Helene.

  "But you thought it would be on an island, didn't you," she answered, "not a floating construction riding the gyre."

  "Well, whatever, it will be interesting."

  "And restful, I hope," she said. "You need a break, rejuvenated or not."

  The plane was a luxurious version of the combined "fly or hover" machines developed in the 21st Century which could fly regularly but land vertically, the only way to reach the floating cities other than by boat.

  The flight was long and began with several stops to board guests and then a trip of over two thousand miles to the Southern Gyre's location of the city. From the air two miles up the city sprawled in a large, irregularly shaped carpet covering nearly ten square miles. Through the water's surface structures that went far below the waves could be seen.

  Harrison watched with interest as the plane lowered itself to the landing pad. When they were settled on the pad the door opened and an attractive woman with Micronesian skin tone and features came aboard. "Welcome to Ocean City One," she said liltingly. "I'll be your guide and general concierge," she said. "Call me Lucy."

  They were led onto the tarmac and loaded into a robo-bus with their luggage and taken several blocks to the Ocean City One Hotel. When it was Harrison's turn to check in he was asked "Above or below?"

  "Above or below what?"

  "The waves. Would you like a view of the waves from your room or the undersea world?"

  "Below," he said. "That's something I haven't seen."

  He had heard stories about these undersea observation rooms and the wondrous sights they opened for the observer and was excited at the prospect. A robocar carried his bags and led him to his room where it left the bags and a card of instructions on how to operate the room's controls.

  Grateful to be resting for a while he lay back on the bed and opened the screens on the viewing portal, a glass pane four feet by six feet. When the window was uncovered the interior lights dimmed and suddenly Harrison was in another world.

  Beneath the floating city swam thousands of fish that had turned its underside into a flourishing habitat. From his bed he watched shoals swim by, solitary giants appear and balls of tiny fish scatter at the approach of predators. For a long while he lay transfixed, soothed by the rhythmic ebb and flow of water and life.

  A soft chime brought him up from his reverie and a soft voice announced "Visitors buffet and guided tour begins in fifteen minutes." As he rose from the bed and brushed his hair back into shape he thought "Where? Where's the buffet? Where's the tour begin, this is a large area."

  When he stepped outside the room the blank wall before him had a sign in illuminated letters saying "Buffet" with an arrow pointing the way and as he walked along the corridor other signs appeared, all seemingly cued just to him and appearing on surfaces that were apparently blank walls.

  The corridor ended in a large room enclosed in glass which had a stunning view of the sea life that filled the area beneath the city and expanded the apparent size of the room to an infinity lost in the blackness of the ocean beyond the circle of light that surrounded the structure.

  The room was alive with people, many already lined up at the buffet and some seated at tables. As Harrison looked around to gain his bearings a familiar voice called, "Professor Barnes, so good to see you again," and the natty figure of the Director bore down upon him with hand outstretched and a large smile on his face.

  Harrison stifled his more negative responses and held out his own hand and formed his own version of a welcoming smile which he hoped imitated sincerity enough to pass.

  "Director," he said "A rare pleasure."

  The Director pumped his hand and indicated a table at the front of the room. "Please, get some food and join us at the Captain's table."

  Harrison did as he was asked and collected some food from an array that held very little he recognized. He carried the plate of small tastes of many dishes to the table and stood while the Director made introductions.

  "The Captain, M. Albana, the Mayor, Ms Catalan, the Chief Engineer, Mr. Howell, Mrs. Howell and Mme. Albana. Professor Harrison Barnes of the Gaian Institute."

  Harrison was making an effort to remember everyone's name while wondering what made him rate a seat at the head table. The Director made that clear almost immediately. "Do you know that the Gaian movement has gained more supporters in the past decade than any religion ever in history? That it is the fastest growing movement in the world today? And all thanks to Professor Barnes."

  In the murmur of appreciation that came Harrison tried to denigrate his importance. "Surely, little thanks to me, Director. I am only the chief observer. And I wasn't aware of those statistics."

  "You are too modest, Professor. And statistics like that are part of my business. You can be very proud of your organization."

  Feeling like something of an imposter he sat to join the group which was engaged in the universal chit chat of strangers at table.

  "Professor, I'm very interested in Gaia," said Mme. Albana, a lilt of French accent coloring her words. "Can we establish a group here on the City? I know there's a great deal of interest."

  "I'm sure that's possible," said Harrison, "and I'll b
e happy to help you when we have a little time."

  Mme. Albana gave him a coquettish smile, slightly out of place on her otherwise prim features, and said, "We'll be sure to make some time for that."

  Conversations buzzed around the room until the Captain nodded at an aide and the Purser stood at the front of the room and announced, "Honored guests, please turn your attention to the screen for our virtual tour of Ocean City One."

  The wall of glass looking out on the undersea world darkened, music swelled up in the room and the glass wall was filled with light. The opening shot was from far above and the City was a tiny speck in the vast ocean. As the view enlarged it gradually grew to fill the screen. A male voice narrated a trip around the city showing its structures, the Grow Towers where fresh fruits and vegetables were grown, the undersea fish gardens which existed without boundaries as the habitat provided by the city kept the fish in place and harvesting was sustainable, the several power producing machines - wave motion converters, temperature cline users, photovoltaic arrays and methane collectors.

  The view shifted around the city and showed industrial work areas, retirement hotels, tourist facilities and housing neighborhoods. The video faded to black and the undersea world re-appeared.

  "Impressive," said Harrison to the Captain and the Mayor.

  "Tomorrow you'll have the run of the City and the day after the Director will show us all what he's been building. It promises to be revolutionary."

  As Harrison rose to leave with the others Mme. Albana took his arm. "Can we meet tomorrow about Gaia?" she asked.

  "Certainly."

  To himself he thought, "You bet. We definitely want an outpost where we can watch the Director and his work more closely."