The Genesis Illusion

Chapter 30

No, I'd better not. If I reveal my identity, it would make them suspicious about my motives. I need their help to stop the Genesis mission. Paul spoke slowly, carefully choosing his words, "I think we all agree you can't create a benevolent society by gathering followers by drugging them. Regardless of your superior intelligence you can't presume you know what's best for everyone. That's for them to decide."

"I thought I agreed with my mother, but now?" Ann shook her head, gazing at Sam for support. "She convinced me she knew what was best. I'm so gullible. I believed no one would die."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Sam rested his hand on Ann's shoulder. "Your mother is very cunning. She and everyone around you conspired to immerse you in her propaganda. You wanted to believe them, so it wasn't very difficult. After all, she is your mother."

Ann broke down sobbing into Sam's chest as he held her close. "She's determined to be Queen of the World and damn anyone that gets in her way. I even helped her by inventing the EMP generator."

"It's her not you."

Ann straightened up, separating from Sam, and said, "What do you do when you learn your mother is a remorseless killer who will do anything to reach her destiny of becoming the ruler of the world. She considers herself a demigod, with superior intelligence we should all worship. I don't want to be part of her fiendish plan. I want to improve the lives of people and we can't achieve that goal on their dead bodies."

Sam couldn't stay silent any longer so he added, "Mike's suggestion is for you to offer your innovations to the world on the condition that countries lay down their arms and agree to coexist peacefully. We could hold the obedience persuasion substance in reserve and use it on anyone breaking the pledge."

"Yes, exactly, the need to conquer lands is unnecessary," Paul pleaded. "You can accomplish your goals without risking people's lives."

"I now know, from the Genesis mission battle plan report, our takeover of Cheik was not without casualties, like we thought," Ann admitted lowering her head reverently. "Almost eight thousand died. This is not acceptable."

Sam winced at Ann's statement, "Yes and the estimates of losses for the Genesis mission are far greater. A hundred thousand or more."

Paul couldn't talk for a moment while he absorbed Ann's confession. He surmised the mission would cause serious causalities, but this was staggering. "We've got to stop Genesis," Paul cried, knowing they now shared this aim.

"But how?" Sam asked. "Bright Sun already proclaimed the mission start, and she is the only one with the abort codes."

"The mission will succeed, at least initially," Ann said, resigned to the inevitable. "If the government tries to retake this area, Arcadia will respond with the obedience persuasion substance. Our attackers will become our allies. My mother and our general's estimate that the governments involved will need as much as a year to develop and distribute an antidote. During that time we will re-educate the population so they will become our citizens and when the governments try to reclaim their former land, the citizens will repel them."

"That's the plan and we can't stop it," Sam said. "The best we can do is to minimize the causalities."

"It's a horrible tragedy that anyone will die, but I agree," Ann cried her response making it difficult to understand. "During the year it will take to develop the antidote we can try to reach a peaceful solution with the governments we defeated."

A year, I don't think so. What should I tell them? If I tell them about the antidote, they'll know about my past. I can't do that. But they may need... What should I do?

"I already have the antidote," Paul murmured. Did I say that out loud?

Sam and Ann stopped what they were saying in mid-thought jolted by Paul's statement. "What did you say?" Ann inquired speaking slowly as if she hadn't understood what he said