Revolution World Read Online Free Page A

project.
    Harmony began pacing. "Gene research is so secretive now, it's hard to know where the other splicers are. The private labs don't publish their results for fear of a competitor using their own research to get an edge. The government has snatched anyone worth anything at university labs for their never-ending war projects and everything those guys even think about is classified. And that's assuming any of them have the funding or the brains to do anything really interesting in the first place. Maybe someone really did want the p-mod technique and thought this was an easy way to get it," Harmony concluded, turning to her daughters.
    "But why would they get all in a lather about a primate splice? There are so few primates left and none of them are really commercially viable. I mean, there's not much you can do with primates that results in a profit," said Clio.
    "Flinging poo and scratching fleas never did make anyone rich," laughed Kalliope.
    "Humans are primates. Maybe they want to use the splice on humans," said Terpsi.
    "Don't be silly. Human gene modification is so illegal it isn't even funny," Clio scoffed.
    "If the war project labs had a useful p-mod technique like that, they'd use it to make zombie soldiers and human bombs and god knows what else. Do you think anyone in the military really cares about what the UN thinks is legal or illegal?" Terpsi asked. She had a point.
    "Heck, it sounds like they could cause gene mutations in people through food with that technique thingy of yours. They could modify people who weren't even aware of what was going on. There are a lot of people in our government who would find some mighty nasty uses for that kind of tool," Kalliope exclaimed.
    Clio scowled. Everything she did could be used for cruel purposes. She hated it, but it was something she'd come to terms with long ago. "Even with my notes, it would be difficult to take a technique that worked with monkeys and apply it to people. And that's assuming they could understand my notes," Clio replied.
    "Back to the original issue," said Harmony. "Anyone with the power or money to get access to our lab like this could just have broken into our network to get the technique. So why didn't they?" She looked around the room as if the answer might be written on the walls.
    Clio blushed and stammered. "I didn't upload my notes. It was laziness." The other women smiled, but didn't laugh. They knew Clio was monomaniacal about her work, but didn't care about much else.
    "So let's say they wanted the p-mod. They must have gotten someone with access to help them. Even with all the money in the world to break the locks, they couldn't know exactly where Clio kept those notes unless they'd been here before. That's the scariest part." Harmony tried to maintain a brisk, business-like attitude. "Ruling out everyone still hanging around in the parking lot right now, we only have a handful of likely suspects for betrayal. I'll get working on that."
    "It was lucky I was here tonight," remarked Clio.
    Harmony gave an unladylike snort. "It was lucky you weren't shot."
    At this point, Terpsi finally stopped scanning Clio with her palm-sized diagnoser. "So they came to steal a technique. Why take the monkeys and the notes? Why not just scan the notes into a handheld? It would take like five minutes and then no one would ever know they'd been here."
    "I think that was the plan," Clio replied. "Only I was here and caught them. Oh, and the Lepus bunnies attacked them." She did not explain that her horrible handwriting had kept the intruders from figuring out exactly what they needed to steal. She could only hope that, however embarrassing, it might also keep the thieves from using the notes they had taken with them.
    "So they panicked and grabbed everything they thought they might need. Then the rabbits freaked them out so they shot up the place. And that's fair. Those rabbits freak everybody out, Clio," Terpsi looked at her sister severely. She was, of