The Association, page 15
She seemed reassured. "Just checking," she smiled, "me too."
"Me too?"
"The best two weeks of my life."
I laughed. "You've just made my day."
"Good," she said. "Why don't we settle back in London, play it by ear and see what develops?"
"Yes, good idea," I said. "And in the meantime, why don't we take our clothes off?"
"Again!" she grinned.
"To swim, silly, it's hot."
She feigned disappointment. "Oh," she said. "I thought you meant..."
Thought, or hoped?" I interrupted.
"Thought, of course!"
I laughed and slapped her backside then we slithered down the steep cliff face to the beach and sea below, giggling like school children.
CHAPTER TWENTY
5th September 2024
We’d left Inverness early, and during a coffee stop I’d called Jack to ask if he'd mind us popping in during the evening.
Jennie embraced him and I shook his hand. Then we sat down to drink tea.
Having extolled the virtues of Melvich, probably boring him to death in the process, I asked how he'd got on with the discs.
"Well," he said, "the membership list is fascinating...as you know, over seventy thousand of the world's wealthiest and most influential people. But the real fascination is the information on the other discs. I'm not an expert on medical matters or genetic engineering but I've run some of the information past people who are." He saw my look of concern and smiled reassurance. "Don't worry," he said, "I've done it piecemeal, bits of information to different people so that no one person has anything like a full picture. I've put their comments together and the consensus convinces me that it's not pie in the sky. I believe that the need for medical care could be eliminated within twelve months or so, and as regards immortality, the evidence is compelling. In particular, you only have to look at Tom Godfrey when his disguise is off."
This was exciting. It was also frightening. "D'you think we should release this information?" I asked.
"That's the sixty-four thousand dollar question, isn't it," Jack replied.
"Yes," I confirmed, "and probably a question we're not equipped to answer."
"Who the hell is?" Jack asked.
"Quite. Fundamentally, Tom Godfrey was right from the start. Current levels of population growth can't be sustained. Everyone thought that the problem was solved when the new, simple and safe one hundred percent effective methods of birth control were introduced just after the turn of the century, but they took no account of the basic instinct to procreate. If we release this information we'll be exacerbating the problem. But if we don't we'll be denying everyone their dream...catch-22."
We sat in silence for a while then Jennie spoke. "I don't see how we can release it," she said. "If we do it'll be priced out of the average person's reach, the majority of people won't benefit and..."
"You're right, Jennie," Jack interrupted. "Maybe one day, maybe piecemeal, but right now the time isn't right." He looked at me.
I answered his silent question. "I agree."
"So, what about the membership list?" asked Jack.
"Nothing to do there," I suggested. "They'll hear no more from Tom, and hopefully the whole thing will die a quiet, natural death."
Jack smiled. "My thoughts exactly," he said. "So let's leave things be for now and perhaps review the position from time to time." The decision made, he relaxed. "Now, have you been in touch with Tom?"
I wondered why he was asking. "Should we have been?"
"I went to Lucy’s funeral," he explained. "He wants to see us all together. He said he'd contact you.”
"As far as I'm aware,” I said. “he didn't know where we were. What does he want to see us about, d'you know?"
"No," Jack replied. "I asked him the same question but he said it would be best if he told us when we're all together.”
It was getting late and Jennie looked tired. We made for home.
***
Home. We entered the office and it seemed an alien place. Jennie caught my expression. "It's been a long time," she smiled.
"It's not really that,” I said. “It's just that coming back has reminded me that I really don't want to be here."
She held the smile. "Then we'll just have to work hard on deciding what else to do, won’t we?" She yawned. "I'm tired." She started to move towards her apartment door then she stopped and turned. "Do I still live there?"
I laughed. "The hell you do!"
Jennie struggled, giggling. "What are you doing?"
"Picking you up. There's a threshold to negotiate!"
My personal phone message light was flashing. It never had before because hardly anyone knew the number. I pressed the button. "Hello Ben,” it said. “I understand you're away. I'd like us to meet...you, me, Jack and Jennie. I have a proposition for you. Perhaps you'll get in touch on your return."
Jennie seemed concerned. "Should we have come back for the funeral?" she asked.
"I don't know," I admitted. "Maybe, but we didn't know her well. To be honest thoughts of recent events just evaporated over the last couple of weeks and it didn't really occur to me."
As we undressed I noticed Jennie's puzzled look. She was mulling something over. "A problem?" I asked.
She slipped out of her dress. "Sorry?"
"A problem?" I repeated. "You look puzzled."
She smiled. "Oh I was just wondering what Tom meant by a proposition."
I laughed. "I hope it's a damn sight better than his last one!"
Jennie frowned. "Surely..."
"Good God, I hope not," I laughed. "I couldn't stand it! I'll call him in the morning."
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
9th September 2024
Tom had been evasive on the phone, insisting that it was best to discuss his proposition face to face, and a meeting was arranged for this morning, at my office.
My enthusiasm for the Market was now completely nonexistent, and since returning from Melvich, I hadn't switched the screens on once.
Jack was early and Tom arrived at exactly the agreed time of ten o’clock. He was smiling brightly and looking well. Jennie embraced him. "How are you, Tom?" she asked.
Just for a second the smile fell from his face to reveal the deep sadness that he clearly felt, but the sadness quickly faded and the smile returned. "I'm fine, Jennie,” he said, “and thank you for asking," He grinned. "I could certainly manage a strong coffee though."
Drinking coffee, we chatted about nothing for several minutes then Tom cleared his throat and opened the discussion. "Right, what's the purpose of this meeting?" he said, "I hope you're all intrigued."
I smiled. "And perhaps a little nervous,” I said. “I seem to remember hearing that opening gambit once before."
Tom laughed. "No need to be nervous, Ben, I promise,” he said. “Right, to business...am I correct in assuming that you've studied the discs?"
"Jack did all the work while we were away gallivanting in Scotland," Jennie smiled.
Tom took a cigar from his pocket and spoke to Jennie. "Not a good habit," he said, "but d'you mind...old dogs, new tricks and all that? Jennie nodded. He lit the cigar, inhaled deeply then turned to Jack. "And would I be correct in thinking that you found the discs interesting?" he asked.
"Yes, very," Jack confirmed.
"Any conclusions?"
Jack caught my eye. I nodded. "We feel that the information should be withheld," he said, "at least for now...maybe released a little at a time, when appropriate. I think..."
Tom Interrupted. "Good, I agree," he said. "You might be pleased to know that I stopped taking my various," he paused, "medications when...when Lucy died. Special treatment seems wrong, and now's not the time to make it generally available." He scanned the room. Jennie found an ashtray and placed it in front of him. He tapped the cigar on the ashtray’s edge and continued. "What about the lists?"
"Fascinating," I acknowledged.
"Some very interesting people," Jack added.
"Yes," said Tom, "and the lists are why I'm here. Tell me, what do you think of those people?"
"Wealthy, influential, powerful..."
"As people," Tom interrupted.
"I'm not sure what you're getting..."
"Good people?" he prompted.
Still not clear where this was leading, I considered the question. "No, not good, far from it," I said at last. "After all, they're prepared to sacrifice eighty percent of the world's population to better their own ends."
Tom smiled. "Quite," he said. "Well, I have an idea. How d'you feel about retribution?"
Alarm bells began to ring. "Retribution for what they intended to do?"
"Yes."
I considered the question and the alarm bells grew louder. "Well, if you mean..."
Tom laughed out loud. "No," he said. "I certainly didn't think you'd go for that, nor would I want you to." The laugh faded and he paused, becoming more serious. "Let me explain. My basic beliefs haven't changed. We're building a huge problem for the future." He stopped and looked us each in the eye, one at a time. "And it’s a problem that's possibly, no, probably, no, almost certainly a terminal one. Unless we stop the current rate of population growth, we'll pollute ourselves to death, and that's assuming that the rat scenario isn't valid for us. If it is, we'll kill each other before pollution does it for us. Either way, the situation is dire."
Jennie's brow creased. "The rat scenario?" she queried.
"If a rat population expands to the point of seriously threatening its environment," Tom explained, "the rats become progressively more aggressive until they eventually kill each other."
"Yes," said Jack. "I know of the experiments, they're extremely convincing."
Tom smiled his appreciation of Jack's input. "Can I assume that we're broadly agreed that there is a problem and that it's an extremely serious one?" he asked. We all nodded. It didn't need thinking about. It was true. "Good," said Tom. "And of course we're also agreed that the Association's solution isn't an appropriate or right one.
"Yes."
"Of course."
"It goes without saying."
Tom placed his exhausted cigar in the ashtray and lit another. "My own contribution to the pollution problem, I'm afraid," he smiled. Then he spoke, whimsically. "I've tried so many times to give them up...still, it's a bit late now, isn't it. Right, where were we? Yes, we have a problem, a very serious problem, and no solution. So do you have any ideas?"
Jack spoke. "Well," he said, "I suppose most of us know there's a problem, but not knowing what the answer is, we tend to bury our heads in the sand and hope that it’ll go away. It won’t of course, but governments continue to make reassuring noises and we accept them because it's comfortable to do so."
"You've hit a nail on the head, Jack," said Tom. "Governments do no more than make reassuring noises. Why? They've certainly seen the evidence. Are they stupid?" He answered his own question. "I don't think so. After all, I know many of the people involved personally and I can assure you that they're not."
"Vested interests," I suggested.
Tom smiled. "Exactly, Ben," he said. "Members of Parliament sit on the boards of large companies. Why is that?" Again, he answered his own question. "Not because of their valuable contribution to those companies in the conventional way, that's for sure." He paused to smile. "Let me be blunt," he continued. "Though I'm sure I'm telling you what you already know, they're paid large director's fees, and human nature being what it is, this tends to make them look kindly on the wishes and objectives of those companies. Yes, Ben, vested interests are what it's all about."
I'd been thinking while he spoke. "At the moment," I said, "the actual number of people in the world isn't the main problem, though it will be in time. On a person per acre basis, things don't look too bad, yet. The real problem as of now is the pollution we create as we consume more and more."
"Quite," Tom smiled. "Now we're getting to the crux. Why do we still use internal combustion engines in most of our cars? Why do we still use gas and oil to create the electricity to heat our homes and light our streets?"
"Because adequate resources aren't being put into the research of less harmful methods...electric cars, wind power, wave power, solar power..."
"Yes, and why is that?" Tom interrupted. "It’s because the oil, gas and electricity companies have established a cartel. They have vested interests and they look after each other. The same applies to car companies, general manufacturers and so on. They want bigger populations, the more consumers the better. They're happy to ignore the problems that bigger populations will create because they’re good for the bottom line!"
"Fair enough," I said. "I wouldn't argue with anything you've said so far, but how the hell do you alter that?"
"The lists," said Tom, simply.
We waited for him to expand but he sat in silence. "The lists?" I prompted.
"Yes,” he said. “What strikes you about the lists?"
Jack seemed deep in thought for several seconds. "Well apart from the fact that it's made up of the very people you're talking about," he said, "I don't know."
"You don't need to look beyond what you've just said," smiled Tom. "The people on that list are the people responsible for the problem. The people who don't want the rest, the masses, if you like, to worry about the future, the people who've created great wealth for themselves and will continue to add to that wealth while ever the rest continue to consume their products, killing the environment in the process."
"So," I mused, "The idea is to make ‘the lists’ act more responsibly, to consider the whole picture, not just their own vested interests?"
"Yes," said Tom, "in a nutshell, that's it. The problem of over population is a long term one that can't be solved overnight," he paused. "Lucy thought that it could, but she was wrong. There's a need for education, understanding, inducement, the creation of a willingness to limit family size, to gradually reduce the world's population, or at the very least to prevent its continual expansion. That can be done, I'm sure, but it will take time...a generation, perhaps two or even three. But in the meantime, the immediate problem, that of pollution, can be solved within a few short years at most.
“When I had urgent personal needs,” he continued, “I was amazed by how quickly results were achieved once sufficient funding and commitment were in place. As you know, the outcome exceeded my most optimistic expectations. But to achieve this aim requires the full co-operation of those with vested interests, most of whom are on those lists."
This was all very well, but... "But aren't we agreed that getting that co-operation isn't going to happen?" I asked.
"By consensus agreement, yes, we are," Tom confirmed. "So we must find another way." He smiled at us each in turn. "And that's why I'm here, to suggest the formation of an Association that will do just that."
"Oh dear," said Jack.
I saw Jennie smile to herself as I laughed out loud. "Well we've certainly been here before!" I said.
Tom saw the humour and produced an ironic smile.. "Yes, we have indeed. But I promise you that what I have in mind doesn't involve mass murder, or indeed, murder at all."
"Okay," I said, "tell us what you do have in mind."
"Of course," said Tom. "Do you remember sending me a cheque for ten billion US dollars, Ben?"
"To buy me some time," I smiled.
"Yes, I know that now, and incidentally, you can have it back if you'd like."
"Thank you. But that would depend."
"On?"
"On what we're discussing now."
Tom smiled. "Fair enough," he said. "All the people on the lists contributed the same amount. You can do the sums yourself, but for now, suffice to say that’s a great deal of money."
Jack smiled. "There's an understatement if ever I heard one."
"Quite," said Tom. He continued. "What they paid for isn't going to happen, so theoretically, refunds are in order. But that money could be used to solve our problem. If we also had their support, their commitment, their power and influence, things would happen that much quicker. What we need is to convince these people that they should leave their money with us and use their power and influence to achieve our purpose. And remember that, to them, ten billion dollars isn't a vast amount of money...they have much more, so ongoing funding might not be a problem."
To me, he seemed to be talking about a cloud-cuckoo land scenario. "So, we're back to how the hell do we get them to do that...to forget their vested interests, to willingly donate their ten billion dollar contributions, to add more when it's needed, to give their support and commitment, I'd say that it's not possible. Leopards and spots come to mind."
Tom sucked on his cigar and looked me in the eye. "What are they expecting to receive for their ten billion dollars, Ben?"
"To get even richer than they are, to live in a much less crowded environment, to have the rest of the remaining population willingly and cheaply at their beck and call."
"Yes, but what about before all that?"
"They're expecting to receive a call in a few months time," I replied, "a call that’s an instruction to deposit a rather unpleasant parcel at some strategic location and then to receive an inoculation."
"Right," he smiled. "So what if they were told that things had moved quicker than anticipated, that the plan had been brought forward...they'd willingly accept that, yes?"
"Well, yes. I’m sure they would."
"And if they were each told that they were one of the lucky ones who wouldn't be required to deposit a rather unpleasant parcel as you put it, they'd willingly accept that, too?"
"I should think they'd be delighted," said Jennie. "Although they're willing for the deed to be done, I'd guess that most of them would prefer not to be the one who actually does it."
"Good point," Tom smiled. "And if they received a prefilled syringe with instructions on how and when to inject to protect themselves and their families, they'd willingly go along with that, right?"
