Turning Point by Barbara Spencer Read Free Book Online

established. Funded by the US Government, it was set up in a research centre in California, and started out as an investigation into computer viruses. For a while, it seemed that every schoolboy’s dream was to devise a virus that would cause mayhem.’
    Bill paused to allow an appreciative laugh to break out among the English-speaking audience, waiting politely for the second wave as translators did their work.
    â€˜Unfortunately, before we could complete the project two tragedies took place. The first, as you know, was the nuclear disaster in Iran; the second, the earthquake in California followed by the tsunami.’
    Scott listened to his father unravelling the tale. He came over as unemotional but Scott knew how painful the subject was. Thousands and thousands of words had been written about the Californian earthquake and its resulting tsunami, in which countries had been devastated and maps re-drawn. A decade and a half later, only media moguls still ferreted about in the ruins, plucking stories from the air and making fortunes from disaster movies that sanitised the true horror of losing your family to fire or water.
    It was a sombre scene, rows of dark-clad figures broken up by a flash of colour from someone in native costume. Most were listening intently, their headphones in place, rifling through their notes to find the text. Only the odd one or two still conversed in muted whispers with their neighbour.
    Scott still felt nervous and edgy, finding it difficult to listen. Crackling broke into his earpiece and he flinched, somehow expecting the voice of the anonymous caller to blast through again. He knew by heart the scenario of the gunmen bursting into the auditorium and mowing down their prey with machine guns; unsuspecting scientists, men and women gathered for a conference. He knew too that his father was the only one brave enough to speak out, while others remaining in hiding. Alarmed, his glance raked the auditorium from wall to wall, every muscle now on full alert.
    A movement on the floor almost brought him to his feet, laughing shakily as an usher hurried across the space, his arms full of bottled water
    Bill began again, his tone deepening under the gravity of his words, Scott murmuring the words of the speech under his breath. He’d heard it rehearsed often enough. For his dad the speech represented the key that would at long last open the gates of his prison cell. With the information in the public domain, all harm would vanish leaving them to live as they wished.
    â€˜In trying to recapture a normal life, I have passed the information to the United Nations. Even as I stand here…’ Bill paused, his gaze flicking round the vast auditorium, scrutinising the rows of faces, making sure that every single person in the building – from the car-park attendant to the secretary drinking a glass of water – knew that he no longer held the secret alone. He had passed it on and was free. ‘A dozen scientists are pouring over the programme. Too many people have died because of the power that Styrus wields. It would be wrong to let it continue. Thank you, gentlemen, for your patience and interest.’
    It was over! From the speakers came a muttering of sound as translators completed their work. Emotion, like a blast of hot air, swept over Scott. He waited for the furore but none came. For nights, he had dreamed of delegates jumping up in their seats to applaud his dad’s speech. ‘I thought they’d be pleased.’ He got to his feet, swallowing down tears of relief and disappointment pressing against his eyelids.
    Tulsa grimaced ‘I bet you thought the President of the USA would be hotfooting it to Cornwall to shake your dad’s hand.’
    Scott shrugged. He had. At the very least his dad should get a signed photo,
in gratitude for
his role in maintaining justice and democracy
.
    A voice broke the silence. ‘Mr Anderson, this current global instability?