The Clean Slate Accord Read Online Free Page B

and database throughout the world. I don’t think you need to test his DNA, Director.”
    Alexa took a step forward to within a few inches of the glass. “You have a better suggestion? You think you can solve this puzzle better than me?”
    â€œYes, I believe I can. As hard as it might be for you to admit, he’s just a boy. You’ve engineered his brain, but you never did anything to his hormones. He’s a twelve-year-old boy. He’s in puberty.”
    Alexa looked at the syringe. How could she have missed the signs? How could she not see the obvious? “All right, it’s a viable possibility, but how did you figure it out?”
    â€œI researched data about the human body. Such a fallible structure it is. Jonas’ behavior matches that of any other adolescents his age.”
    â€œHe mentioned equality and keeps on about why he doesn’t have any friends. What do you make of that?”
    â€œI have no idea, Director, unless he’s lonely. But I’m only an artificial intelligence, not a ‘people person’.”
    â€œVery funny. Test his DNA anyway.”
    â€œAnything you say, Director. Just remember, as intelligent as he is, he’s still a child. A very intelligent child who’s growing up.”
    â€œI know.” Alexa pressed a button on a panel to the right of the mirror. A small door slid open. She discharged the contents of the syringe into a Petri dish and closed the door. “Run the tests right away. And make sure nobody finds out. If they knew about Jonas’ artificial DNA, they might lose confidence in his work with Serum A.”
    â€œLike you have, Director?”
    â€œWhy do you say that?”
    â€œYou’re getting worry lines, Director.”
    â€œJust run the tests.” She walked to her bed and called out, “Mirror lights off, but maintain activation.”
    She sat down on her bed and tried to think what would happen if the constructed part of Jonas’ DNA began to conflict with the natural part. It would be like a battle, a full-scale war waging inside him. She lay down and stared up at the ceiling. He was her son, in a manner of speaking, yet half of his genetic make-up came from the lab. He’d been an experiment twelve years ago when she found she couldn’t have children.
    All it took was one of her ova, a vial of chemically altered virus nucleotide and a nano-microscope. Everything went perfectly. The treated nucleotide no longer exhibited any viral characteristics and was spliced with enhanced genes to promote intellect. It bonded as it should to her contributed DNA. Jonas developed as any fetus would, only outside the womb in an incubating chamber. He was talking and performing simple equations at a little over a year and more complex mathematics at two. He had been a stellar example of what science could accomplish.
    She closed her eyes. Had she made a terrible mistake? Was her quest for the perfect child arrogance or an over-active maternal instinct? No matter what it was, she had to make sure Jonas wasn’t a danger to himself, or others. Even if it meant tearing down his genetic matrix and rebuilding it.

Chapter 4
    With the raising MB activity occurring globally, Alexa paced around the control room, unable to sit or concentrate for any length of time. Her mind was consumed with the failing Accord, and with Jonas. Hopefully the test results would show that he was healthy and that the mirror was right about the hormones in his system. Hormones could be adjusted easily enough.
    She went over to David’s console. There’d been only a scattering of removals so far, mostly from the larger countries like Contiguous Eurasia and the United Lands of Africa. David hadn’t reported any complaints about the removals, which meant they must have occurred so fast that nobody noticed. At least that’s what she hoped.
    David suddenly announced, “Director, President Chandler is calling.