Rise of the Elgen by Richard Paul Evans Read Free Book Online

Chairman,
    In regard to your inquiry about ER reproduction outside of captivity, the ER20/ER21 do, in fact, propagate the genetic mutation that is developmentally favorable for the rapid production and operation of Starxource plants. However, scientists at our Kaohsiung, Taiwan, plant have developed an ingenious solution. We have genetically altered the next phase, ER22, with a 92% iodine deficiency, far less than is available in any natural environment. The ER will die within 72 hours without the supplements we provide. Our beta test of ER22 in the Aruba, Puerto Maldonado, and Taiwanese plants has proven successful, and we will be neutralizing all ER21 as soon as we can replace them with the ER22, as not to disrupt our current power production and potentially damage our grids in those regions.
    MEMO
    Dr. Hatch,
    Due to the short gestation period of the specimen, is it possible that some ER could survive longer than 72 hours and reproduce?
    MEMO
    Mr. Chairman,
    In response to your recent inquiry, the answer is no. It is not possible.
    “Any idea what that’s all about?” I asked.
    Ostin shrugged. “I need to do a little detective work. The memo said this ER escape made the news. We’ve got a date here and a general location.” He looked at me. “This might take a little while.”
    “Then I’m going to take a nap,” I said. “Wake me if you find something.”
    “Will do,” Ostin said.
    I walked out of the front room to find a bedroom.
    Taylor followed me out. “Michael. Can we talk?”
    “Sure. Let’s go in here.”
    We walked into a bedroom. I sat at the foot of the bed and Taylor sat cross-legged on the floor.
    “You okay?” I asked.
    “Yeah.” She looked down at her hands. “How long are we going to stay here?”
    “I don’t know. The man didn’t say.”
    “Can you call him?”
    “I don’t know.” I lifted the phone from my pocket, and it immediately lit up. For the first time I noticed that it didn’t even have a keypad. “It’s not designed to dial out—only to receive.” I looked over at her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
    “No,” she said. She lowered her head into her hands, her coffee-brown hair falling in front of her like a veil. “All of this is my fault. And now Ostin’s parents are gone, and Jack’s house is burned down. If I hadn’t looked for the Elgen online . . .”
    I sat down next to her on the floor. “Taylor, you can’t keep doing this to yourself. You’ve seen how high-tech the Elgen are. It was just a matter of time before they found us.”
    “What if they take my family?”
    “Then we’ll rescue them,” I said. “Just like we’re going to rescue my mother.”
    She looked at me, forcing a smile. “Thank you. I’m glad . . .”
    I waited for her to finish but she didn’t. “You’re glad . . . what?”
    “Can’t you read my mind?” she asked sadly. “You could before.”
    “There’s got to be a lot of electricity between us,” I said.
    She looked into my eyes. “And there’s not?”
    I smiled, restraining my impulse to tic. “That’s a different kind.”
    She put her arms around my neck and laid her head on my shoulder. “What I was going to say was, I’m glad I have you for my boyfriend.”
    “Me too,” I said. “Sometimes I have to pinch myself.”
    She pinched my arm and smiled. “You’re so cute.”
    We sat there for several minutes, and my thoughts drifted to something I’d been hiding since my first meeting with Hatch. I forgot Taylor could read my mind.
    She jerked back, her eyes wide. “Why are you thinking that?”
    “Thinking what?”
    “You know what . About dying.”
    “It’s nothing,” I said.
    “Dying isn’t nothing . It’s a very big something .”
    “Why were you listening to my thoughts?”
    “It just happens. Sometimes I don’t even know I’m doing it.” She squeezed my hand. “Why were you thinking that?”
    “It’s just something Hatch said. I don’t know if it’s even true. . . .”
    “What