Alpha: a futuristic dystopian thriller (EGALIA Book 2) Read online

  Orion had taken away everything she had worked for all those years. Her position, her power, and even her son.

  Thank god she had Billy at her side to pull her through those tough years at the facility. Certainly she had enough willpower for hate, but Billy gave her hope, and that was what truly stopped her from plunging into depression at the facility.

  Less than 12 hours to finally clearing her name, Kate thought.

  Kate’s heart soared.

  She couldn’t wait.

  Chapter 6: Curveball

  A gunshot rang out and while some people started to run away, others started to crowd around the motionless body that lay on the pavement.

  Billy quickly packed up his sniper gun and made a quick call, “Kate, it’s done.”

  Kate and Max hopped out of their PODs and strode into the Molten family’s mansion purposefully. Bursting into the meeting room, a collective gasp was heard as members of the Alpha5 recognized Kate Molten.

  Max had managed to convince his father to gather the members of the Alpha5 with a lie. He claimed that he wanted to talk to them about the fate of Etak Inc. It was clear that it had the potential to be a viable business and it was unfair that Orion had taken over without even consulting him. The business was profitable and the technology was his. He should at least have some say as to what he wanted to do with it. His father had agreed that it was wise to seek the counsel of the other members of the Alpha5 and he had arranged this meeting without Orion’s knowledge.

  But now that Kate’s presence was made known, it was clear that an altogether different agenda was proposed.

  “Hello everyone,” Kate said.

  “Don’t make any rash moves,” she said, noting that several persons were already reaching for their phones, possibly to inform Orion that Kate had been found.

  “I just need 5 minutes. I need to show you guys something. If you still want to give me up to Orion after this, I’ll come willingly,” Kate said.

  There was a pregnant pause in the room. Finally, Paul Aculle said, “Alright, we’ll hear what you have to say. But if you don’t convince us, you must keep your word.”

  Kate nodded and Max started to connect his computer to the room’s projector equipment. The large screen in front of the room lit up.

  Max silently prayed that the live streaming video would work. Billy had managed to follow the ambulance which transported Ren and thus located the exact hospital he was being taken to. Once he secured the location, Billy synced his equipment to begin the recording and he had alerted Max that the video connection was now live.

  Addressing the room once more, Kate said, “Ren has been shot. I’ll explain later but first, please watch this. This is a live video of the hospital where he is being treated. Watch carefully.”

  Max toggled the keys and found the feed for the emergency ward. Then, he proceeded to zoom in to the bed where Ren lay.

  Nurses crowded around him trying to stop the bleeding from what looked to be a serious stomach wound.

  Just then, a smartly dressed man burst into the emergency ward with two burly guards at his side. The man pointed at Ren and the two guards rushed forward, restrained the nurses and forcefully removed them from the room.

  The nurses struggled until two doctors entered the room and reassured them that everything was under control.

  The man in the suit began a heated conversation with the two doctors until they too, exited the room with their heads bowed.

  It was clear that someone with superior authority was calling the shots.

  Just then, a familiar face strode into the room.

  It was Orion.

  Right behind him was Jean who made a beeline to Ren’s side.

  As Jean leaned in to check on her son, Ren suddenly sat up, clutching his stomach with one hand as he grimaced in noticeable pain.

  Orion quickly motioned for the man in the suit and the bodyguards to leave the room.

  Once they left, Orion strode to his son’s side. They spoke for a moment but the video was unable to accurately pick up what they said as their voices were hushed.

  Jean handed Ren a glass of water which he sipped slowly.

  After 5 minutes of Orion pacing the room while Jean checked on Ren’s wounds, handing him gauze to clean away the blood, something miraculous happened.

  Ren who had been propped up on the bed, suddenly sat up, swung his legs over the side of the bed and got down. His hands still clutched his stomach but his expression looked much better. His eyes looked bright and his cheeks had regained colour.

  Jean handed Ren a set of clothes, while Orion continued pacing the room with his arms crossed and his expression severe.

  The Alpha5 CEOs leaned forward as they watched the screen intently, their expressions mixed as they struggled to make sense of the bizarre scene unfolding before their eyes.

  Max too was riveted at what he was seeing. He was about to find out with his very own eyes if what his mother had told him was indeed true.

  Only Kate wasn’t paying attention. Instead of the screen, she was focused on the Alpha5 CEOs, paying attention to every shift in their expression. She hoped that they would believe her story after this. No, she needed them to believe her. This was her one and only shot of convincing them.

  She was pleased to note that their eyes were all rooted to the screen. At least they were paying attention.

  They continued to watch silently as Ren took the clothes handed to him, walked to a corner of the room and began changing.

  Just then, Patty Aculle let out a gasp. Her husband, Paul, turned to look at her as she gestured at the screen. Both of them were seated nearest to the screen where the live video was being streamed. It looked as if she had spotted something important.

  Max quickly turned to the screen, wondering if he had missed something.

  Just then, as Ren turned again to face the camera, slipping the new shirt over his head, Max saw it too.

  At the place where Ren’s hands were clutching just a moment ago, near his stomach, a long jagged scar was in place. But the strange thing was that it looked almost healed. The scar was brown, probably the result of dried caked blood.

  His mother was right! Ren really possessed unnatural healing abilities. Immortality? Was this really a possibility? Max didn’t know if he dared take his imagination that far. One thing was for sure, this was not normal.

  Kate looked sombre. While she couldn’t be happier that the Alpha5 were finally privy to the secret she had been forced to keep for over 20 years, the fact that what she suspected was now confirmed, was terrifying.

  Immortality.

  Kate’s heart skipped a beat at the thought. It was clear that Orion was in on it. He probably engineered this entire thing. What else was he planning? Was he going to use it on himself? Kate’s face turned pale at the thought.

  If this was what they were up against, she really needed all the help she could get. Kate sincerely hoped that the members of the Alpha5 would be able to band together to put a stop to Orion’s insanity.

  Lost in her thoughts, Kate didn’t look up until someone coughed. She realized that everyone in the room was staring at her expectantly.

  Kate glanced at the screen. Orion, Jean and Ren had exited the hospital room. It looked like what they needed to see was over. Now, everyone was waiting for her to speak.

  Kate took a deep breath and stood up. She began to tell her account of events. What actually happened twenty years ago and the real reason why Orion had been hell bent on locking her away.

  When she finished, the room erupted in a frenzy. The members of the Alpha5 exchanged looks of disbelief. What a tale! How could Orion have managed to keep such an secret from all of them all these years? What was he planning to do with Ren?

  Before they even had time to digest the news properly, Kate let loose another ticking time bomb.

  “Everyone,” she said, gesturing wildly to get everyone’s attention. “Ren is one thing but I just had a thought….” Kate
said. “If Ren is really…” Kate couldn’t bring herself to say the word immortal, “If Ren really has special abilities, we have to think about what Orion has in store for the future... for himself….”

  Kate let the thought sink in.

  The horror on their faces was testament to the fact that what she guessed at wasn’t far from everyone’s minds. No one put it past Orion to want immortality for himself, he was the most power hungry, most ruthless man they knew, that was what they admired him for.

  They could always count on him to squeeze out business rivals. But now that they were on the receiving end of Orion’s insatiable appetite for power, they began to squirm. No one could safely put their bets on Orion sharing this resource. They had always co-existed because they allowed Orion to lead and he in turn, allowed them to exist and reap significant reward as he needed them to maintain their iron grip on Egalia’s economy. But, with this new power, would they still be of any use?

  Beyond commercial reasons, there was a strong ethical dilemma here as well. Genetically selecting their kids’ DNA was one thing but this, this had to be crossing the line.

  But even as their hearts protested, their minds reciprocated with no answers. Who would they turn to for help? Who would police this? Who would stand against the most powerful man in Egalia?

  As the members of the Alpha5 started to comprehend the direness of their situation, they looked around the room nervously. Could they count on each other? Were they enough to take him down?

  At the same time, a silent understanding began to take root in their minds. As much as they feared Orion, at this juncture, they had to do something. Knowing Orion as well as they did, they knew that once Orion deemed them to outlive usefulness, they too would be eliminated.

  If Orion really gained immortality, there really was no use for them. He could conquer the world by himself! And ultimately, that intimate knowledge of what Orion was truly capable of, as long term business partners and friends, was what propelled the Alpha5 into action. To ensure their own survival, they had no other choice.

  The hours past as the crème de la crème of Egalian society huddled together, losing all track of time as they brainstormed to take down their most dangerous friend/foe. Kate looked around her and felt encouraged. Everyone seemed to be on the same page. Putting all their brains and resources together, and given that they still had the element of surprise, Kate felt that they had a fighting chance. They could do this!

  Chapter 7: The Immortal Jellyfish

  “Dad, what’s going on?” Ren asked his father. “Why… How is this happening?” Ren said, gesturing to the now almost invisible scar on his abdomen.

  Orion sighed. This really was not the best of days.

  He was furious that Ren had gotten shot. Who even dared to do such a thing? To the Wan family! HIS family. Didn’t they know who he was?

  Orion slammed his fist on his desk, startling both his son and his wife. All of them were in his study, just having reached home from the hospital.

  “Alright. I think it’s time you knew anyway,” Orion said.

  Orion got up and went to his prized bookshelf. Printed books were an ancient rarity and Orion treasured those 100 odd books he had on his shelf. They were comforting, a tangible representation of knowledge, a reminder to himself of how much he treasured his intelligence.

  After he unlocked the bookshelf with his genetic key, he pried a glossy, leather bound book out from his collection. He flipped the pages quickly with a seasoned thumb as he strode back to his desk. He stopped at one page and dropped the book onto his desk, and it landed open with soft thud.

  “Read this,” Orion said.

  Ren quickly picked up the book and scanned the page. He luxuriated in the feel of paper, this was the first time he had handled a real life book. Did this book hold all the answers to his questions? He scanned the page eagerly.

  “An immortal jellyfish?” Ren said, completely bewildered at the words on the page he had just read.

  “Yes,” Orion said, “An ancient creature. The major non-polyp form of individuals of the phylum Cnidaria. It’s not just any jellyfish, it’s immortal.”

  Ren stared blankly at his father. He looked at the page again, this time reading it more closely.

  Turritopsis dohrnii, the immortal jellyfish, is a species of small jellyfish which is found in the Mediterranean Sea and in the waters of Japan. It is unique in that it exhibits a certain form of "immortality": it is the only known case of an animal capable of reverting completely to a sexually immature, colonial stage after having reached sexual maturity as a solitary stage. The rejuvenation of Turritopsis dohrnii is caused by environmental stress or physical assault. During rejuvenation, it undergoes cellular transdifferentiation, an unusual process by which one type of cell is converted into another, much like human stem cells...

  Orion cleared his throat. He pointed at the book and said, “Your cells have been fused with this wondrous creature!”

  “I made it possible. The team that worked on your genetic selection perfected the cell mutation,” Orion said with pride.

  Ren was stunned. The cavalier attitude that his father was treating this matter was shocking to say the least. He looked at his mother. She refused to meet his gaze. She must have known too then! Why didn’t they tell him?

  “But wait, dad, what are you even saying? How is this possible?” Ren said.

  “You can thank me later,” Orion said, as he dismissed Ren’s concerns with a shrug. “First, we need to know who shot you,” Orion said.

  “Wait, isn’t this something we should discuss? Why haven’t you told me all these years? When were you going to tell me?” Ren said, his voice rising in volume.

  “What don’t you understand son,” Orion said, “It’s all very simple. Didn’t you read about the jellyfish? It’s genetic manipulation at its finest!” Orion said, his fingers tapped the surface of the table irritably.

  “Superior human genes was just the first step,” Orion continued. “Your other friends can’t even compare,” Orion said, desiring to move away from this topic. Why was it so difficult for his son to understand the gift he had been bestowed?

  Ren was stunned. He struggled to recall his childhood, moments where he had been hurt. The search through his memories returned almost nothing. He realized now that he hardly had any memories of being hurt. He did always have an exceptionally good immune system. He had always attributed it to genetic selection and good genes but was it actually this?

  Finally recognizing that his son might actually need a moment to absorb this new game-changing fact about his identity, Orion decided to give Ren a break.

  “You’ve had a hard day,” he said. “I’ll look into your shooting on my own. We’ll pick it up tomorrow. Go rest,” he said, dismissing his son and wife.

  Ren wanted to protest. He still had so many questions! But he saw the look on his father’s face. Reluctantly, he exited the study, his mind still unable to grasp what he had just learnt about himself.

  Orion watched his son’s back as he left the room.

  He knows the truth now, Orion thought.

  Unlocking a hidden wall safe, Orion smiled as he viewed the glass container within. The glass container was marked with a single symbol Å. In it contained 10 glass syringes, each glimmered an iridescent green. Orion removed one syringe. Rolling up his sleeve, he injected the contents into his arm.

  Ren better be grateful. He’d better not betray him, Orion thought.

  Letting out a blissful sigh as he felt a tingling sensation wash over him as the injection took effect, the green liquid he called Ålpha coursed through his bloodstream and Orion promptly forgot his worries about Ren being a potential threat.

  After all, he was immortal too.

  Chapter 8: This is an Intervention

  Max yawned. He was in his home office looking over Molten Industries’ accounts. It was only a matter of time before he had to take over but there was so much to do seeing as his father hadn�
��t really been the best CEO in the past few years. Also, there was the matter of logistics since Maximillion Molten was supposed to be dead.

  Now that Kate had finally revealed the truth about Ren to the Alpha5, Max hoped that his mother would be able to clear her name and return as part of the Alpha5. Max looked wistful as he thought about reuniting as a family again.

  Apart from Molten Industries, there was still another pressing matter. Max had been trying his hardest to regain control of Etak Inc. and the Infinity Clinics. While the entire operation was started to rescue his mother, the business clout he had built up was no illusion. Etak Inc. was his baby, the fruits of three years of labour. He couldn’t just give it up, especially to Orion! However, he knew he had to tread carefully.

  Since the Alpha5 had the support of the government in the rehabilitation project with the Infinity Chip patients, Etak Inc. was currently under their jurisdiction. However, it was OrionWan-Nutrienas that was bankrolling the rehabilitation process. OrionWan-Nutrienas was pretty much left to its own devices as to what exactly they planned to do with Etak Inc. and the technology. As such, it was proving far more difficult than he had imagined to regain control, especially without revealing himself as his alter ego, Alex Etak, who was now a criminal in the eyes of most Egalians.

  Thankfully, Max still had some loyal employees he could contact using his identity as Alex Etak, and through them he managed to get information on what was going on. Perusing the correspondence with his ex-employees, Max frowned. It seemed that Orion was overseeing this rehabilitation project personally. Orion seemed to have shut everyone out, taking it upon himself to oversee the project. There was a lot of mystery as to what exactly he was doing to help these customers.

  What exactly was he planning to do with this? Max thought. He felt extremely wary about Orion’s personal interest in the project. It was not like him to do anything without profit and to be overseeing this project himself, there had to be more at stake than meets the eye.