The Selfless Gene

Chapter 47

Thame spends the day before Paimona's final date sorting out life admin. He packs away keepsakes and clothes, taking them to a storage facility. Inside he also places letters to people in case his brother's mission succeeds. One for each parent and one for Andrea. Thame looks down at them, lamenting that his life now amounted to three people, a couple of boxes and a few suitcases.

He signs his flat off and leaves his furniture. It'll be a clean break. He'd lived there and paid rent for over a year without anyone noticing, they might as well keep the couch and wardrobes. Now he truly was free of any ties. He takes the keys, pops them into an envelope and posts them to Andrea. He picks up a Zipcar using an app and then, with a small duffle bag of clothes and supplies, heads to the meeting place.

Thame parks up close to a working warehouse and heads off to do recon. If there's movement the day before, he can scout routes in and out, check if Paimona was all she cracked up to be. He may not want the same things as her, but she could have killed him and didn't.

He reaches the set of buildings and one in the middle stands out. It's old; it couldn't have been in use for fifty years. Fencing warns intruders to enter at their own risk, their peril being security and dogs, probably worse. The building is dominated by four white pillars, formerly polluting the air with smoke at each corner of the building. They're supported by red brick walls that connect them. Some glass still stands, most is smashed. The ruin is a derelict giant, sitting sad and broken.

Thame can't see any security, not even cameras. Only one obvious way in and out. He looks around for a vantage point and concedes that climbing the building opposite is his best bet. First he jumps a side fence to get side on, and then, with more privacy, scales the building by jumping ledge to ledge. With Ormr's powerful legs driving him up he makes short work of it. He looks around the back of the building and sees some old rusty fire escape stairs. You prat.

Looking over the road and factory opposite all afternoon, Thame sees no movement. Not one single car takes the road, even for a shortcut. Perhaps they've already set things up? Maybe it's truly just a meeting. He goes down the rickety stairs and back to his car, driving to a nearby shopping centre for the evening. Food, drink and the car's back seat was his evening ahead.

The next morning, it didn't take long for something to finally start happening. Thame retook his position at eight in the morning and by nine, Paimona and another woman were walking down the street. Thame hankers down in case they look up. He feels an itch and then a massive sting in his arm from his amulet. Light is emitting from the stone, warming and then burning his arm so that he's knocked back away from the edge as Paimona and Ryder walk into the building.

His internal organs lurch, sensing his brother is close. Thame grabs his knife and looks around the top of the building but sees nothing. He turns again to the woman with Paimona, walking up glazed stairs. He gets a glimpse but they're now just shadows against industrial glass.

It couldn't be.

It wasn't just a woman, it was Him.

*

Ryder looks around at the ancient history she's walking through. The city's industrial past, disrespected, forgotten but vulnerable to very profitable redevelopment.

"We own all of this now." says Paimona. "It'll make us millions once we turn it into luxury flats. They're iconic and people love loft living."

"How much further?"

"To the top."

They keep going up all the flights until they reach a huge flat space at the summit. Scattered with old equipment, strewn wiring and dust, it seems as safe a space as any for her brother to meet them.

"What's the plan?"

" Simple. We come back and wait for him here."

"I mean, when he gets here." Ryder snaps, still a little impatient with Paimona.

"You have to talk things through and listen to my plan. You both have your weaknesses now, so it's time to realign your interests."

Ryder hated her tone. Since she'd been able, she had looked into the way the companies were structured and who owned what. She'd got her personal wealth hidden in various international banks accessed by retina scan only. They'd be easy to access with her unique signature but it was the businesses she yearned for. She'd built her empire from early Victorian times switching from barbarian to boardroom and wanted it back. In some ways, it was her greatest achievement. Now she could rule as a woman and see how they all liked it. Problem was Paimona. Her tone was wrong, disrespectful. She'd played both sides for too long, always wanting to be above it all. Foolish underling.

"Talk to me about yours and my business again. Ormr is volatile and so emotional. What if he takes exception to you again and does something about it?"

"Look at this." Paimona smiles. From under a table she takes out a long sword with a curved blade that glistens when held to the light.

"That's mine." Like everything else she'd stolen.

"Yes, on your passing I took all of the artifacts for myself. I placed this here just in case."

"So what are you asking from him?"

"For him to take control of his business, you yours, and me mine. Between us we have three of the biggest corporations in the world. As we work in different areas, we merge and become the ultimate ruler of trade, economics and thus governments in the world. We will be Gods of this world."

With you on top and your boys as mere tools to your gain.

"I'm new, how do I own anything?"

Paimona grabbed a piece of paper from her pocket. On it was typed the company ownerships. Paimona had ensured that Thame and Ryder were equal partners. The thought of equality boiled Ryder's blood. Paimona can sense Lohikaarme's thoughts.

"My girl, I swore to protect you as children. Now I have fulfilled my promise and saved you countless times, it's time for me to enjoy my life as well. I'm genetically superior to you both; just think about that."

Paimona's play. She'd lived long enough to know her power, and she'd been waiting for them both to burn each other out. She and her kind were now in the ascendancy.

"What if he kills me again?" asks Ryder.

"I'll be very sad. But if one of you goes, it reverts to the other. It would be fifty-fifty. Split with me."

"Hmm." She ponders the outcome. "And that's all in wills and official? My brother is quite impestrous after all."

"I'm doing this so we all live. Will you broker peace?"

"I'm game." She wasn't.

"So, we'll come up here early and then wait. No support or security - that might scare him off."

"He'll be watching anyway. Currently he's up there, on the building opposite."

"What?" Paimona is shocked and goes to look.

"Yes, I felt him and his rock as soon as we were there." Ryder feels Sir Henry's now invisible wound. "Don't worry. He's scouting the location and waiting for tomorrow."

"Right." Paimona is still unsure. "Let me do the talking."

"As you wish." For the last time.