The Selfless Gene

Chapter 36

Paimona looks down at her patient, the heart monitor beeping hypnotically. In front of her was the biggest risk but also the only opportunity to bring Lohikaarme quickly back. No waiting for decades for Thame to age and the light to return. She was nervous. For the first time in her long life, she wasn't in control of her path.

In front of her was their selected vessel, originally named Sarah Ryder. Strong, feminine, with potential to be an athletic superstar, she has everything needed to control humanity. Instead, she'll become a God. Doctors come and go with equipment, checking vital signs and brain function. When they'd taken her, they first sent her to sleep but later put her into a medical coma. They needed her to let him in when the time came.

"Do you think this will work?" Paimona gives voice to her worries.

"Yes ma'am. The blood transfusion is relatively simple. Then we'll check on her for the first fifteen minutes to see if her own blood fights against the invader." Paimona scowls at the term. "If it's accepted then it should simply be a part of her."

"And for him to awaken in her?"

"We don't know. This isn't exactly in the textbook."

"Very well. Proceed." Paimona sits and stares at the body as if it's her own daughter.

The medical team fix a small needle to Sarah's arm and insert an IV line into one of her blood vessels. They connect the other end to the three pints of Lohikaarme's blood. Confirming everything is ready, they begin the transfusion.

After four hours the early sunlight begins creeping into the room. Paimona hasn't moved, keeping her gaze on the body. Already where the needle was, great bruising had grown.

The last of the blood enters her system and the medical team wait to see the reaction. To find out whether her own antibodies were stronger than Lohikaarme's genetic will.

*

Thame takes position lying down in the meadow. He can see the wedding suite andthe main hall and, if he arcs back to the road and down through some cows, he can see the reception drinks in the Japanese garden. He gets out a.blanket and binoculars, both bought in the service station, and lies down to hide himself from wider security sweeps.

He adjusts the binoculars and scans the venue. Down by the cottages, the only vehicle route in, stand a fair few security guards. Now that the guests had gone to the barn, they begin popping out to ensure it's secured. He slowly scans the site and sees Andrea and her Auntie waiting at the bottom of the mill on the concrete pathway that leads to the barn. They share a joke and laugh as they turn to Isabella and the rest of her bridesmaids, a photographer lurking in the background.

Isabella wears her a modified version of her mother's dress. Vintage, lace on top but with a low v-shaped back going down to the mid of her back and a loose floating silk skirt. She beams with happiness, unable to contain her excitement at having all the people she loves around her enjoying a great party.

Her Auntie cries when she sees her and they have a long hug. Isabella adjusts her Auntie's make up and all seemingly take a collective breath. Thame follows her with his eye line as the two ushers greet her at the door. The ushers, like most of the other guests from his side, looked like hired security or ex-Army friends. They wedge the door open and head inside first. There they all seem to pause, allowing all the nerves and excitement to ebb away before entering in traditional order. It's happening. She's getting married. And not to me. Thame steadies his nerve; he'd expected and prepared himself for it, but no one could have told him quite how much it hurt.

He slowly and quietly gets up and moves around to the cows to see the garden and await husband and wife. Studying the catering team, Thame realises that they too are part of the security detail. There was no way they were out-of-work actors or students with those muscular builds. They had tiny ear implants and each looked like Vin Diesel and The Rock had combusted and spat out mini male and female versions of themselves.

After half an hour or so, a muffled cheer goes out inside the mill. The revellers come out and create a human walkway, with each wedding guest clutching confetti tightly in one hand. Finally the wedded couple come out to the gardens and are met with cheers and flying recycled coloured confetti. Both The Intern and Isabella beam out smiles taking up half of their heads. Thame looks on and watches them as they survive the confetti blast and take the first glass of fizz. As the couple laugh and begin to party, they circulate around all of the guests. In the small in-between moments, they gently pass each other and delicately touch, smiling as if sharing a joke only they know.

It's torture. She is genuinely happy. And so is he. They call on everyone to join them in fizz and the guests come up and greet them as a string quartet begins to play. Thame feels himself dying a little more at every minute of it. Their love can't be true, it's too coincidental. What do I do?

A drone noise snaps Thame out of his wallowing. The wedding guests clap and begin to be hypnotised by the photographer's new toy. Thame quickly scans the grounds and sees it being controlled by someone hidden in the back of the catering area. Surveillance. Thame slowly backs out and retreats. Time to rethink his plan, or perhaps have a drink.