Stones (Data) by Jacob Whaler Read Free Book Online Page A

exactly what it was.”
    “What makes this stuff so nasty?” Matt’s eyes flit past his jax.
    “It attacks reproductive DNA when ingested in trace amounts. The damaged DNA is passed on to the first generation of offspring with no effect. It’s the second generation that gets hit hard. Ninety-nine percent of them suffer from a rare form of dementia. It begins when they reach adulthood and turns them into violent maniacs.”
    Matt starts to speak, but his dad holds up his hand.
    “Hold on. There’s more. The report detailed a method for masking the
Jadugodium
. When mixed with biphenyl, it becomes chemically undetectable, but the toxic effect remains. And it only appears to affect humans. No other animals or plants.”
    Kent pauses so that Matt can absorb the full impact of his words. He watches with pride as his son’s eyes dart back and forth, working it all out.
    Matt reaches for his jax.
    “No searches on the Mesh.” Kent shakes his head. “It could raise suspicions.”
    “Dad, why are you so paranoid?”
    “Just being cautious. You’ll understand when I’m done.”
    Matt smiles and drops the jax. “So, let me see if I’ve got this. Exhibit A. The Ganges supplies drinking water for over four billion people in India, Bangladesh and Burma.”
    Kent nods. “Right.”
    “Exhibit B. It’s being secretly polluted with a toxic chemical that’s impossible to detect.”
    “So far, so good.”
    “Exhibit C. Fifty years later, ninety-nine percent of the people that drink the water will go crazy and start killing each other. Did I miss anything?” Matt smiles with satisfaction.
    “You’ve got it. That’s why that young associate never made it home from India. They got his jax, traced his last message, and found out he sent the information to me.”
    “So, what did you do, Dad?”
    “When I showed up for work the next morning, the managing partner of the firm was waiting for me at the bottom of the elevator. I’d never even met the guy before, and here he was, white as a sheet and wanting to talk to me.” Kent breathes in slowly. “He told me that the partnership has just voted to throw me out of the firm and that my career was over. Six armed guards surrounded me and escorted me out the front door of the building. I never made it to my office.”
    A knot starts to form in the pit of Matt’s stomach. He has a feeling about what is coming next.
    “I was thunderstruck. All I could do was walk to my car. When I pulled out of the parking garage, a black Mercedes Benz was following me. They didn’t try to conceal themselves. They
wanted
me to know. I could tell they were mercenaries. Ex-military thugs hired by the corporation. I drove to Times Square, parked the car and melted into the crowd. Mom had already left the house to run errands. She didn’t answer her jax. I got scared.”
    Matt stares down at his hands. He wants to tell his dad to stop talking. He wants to turn and run out of the house without hearing the rest of the story.
    “I knew I had stumbled onto something big when I got the environmental report back from the kid I sent to India. I just didn’t realize how quickly it would all spin out of control.” Kent’s eyes are red and brimming with wetness. “And how ruthless they would be.”
    He stands up from the table and goes over to the kitchen sink where he takes a glass out of the cupboard and fills it with water. Drinking it carefully and methodically, he looks like he’s forcing himself to be calm. When he drains the glass, his eyes drift up to the mountains.
    Matt swallows hard. “What happened next?”
    “I was walking around in Times Square, trying to get through to your mother. To warn her.” His voice goes silent. Tears streak down his face.
    Trying to look away, Matt’s eyes are pulled back to his dad. “Did you ever hear back from Mom?” He hates himself for voicing the obvious question. He already knows the answer.
    “I got a hi-def video message on my jax from an