The Shox Gene Variant Read online

  The SHOX Gene Variant

  Book 3 – The Antares Codex Series

  Bob Cooper

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. Published in the United States by PingMe Publishing, Tucson Arizona.

  Copyright © 2019 by Bob Cooper

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thanks to my editor, Alexis Powers, for all the technical expertise she provided and to my wife, Viola, for her many hours of proofreading and encouragement.

  1

  The shuttle was late leaving Washington D.C., but that was par for the course. The flurry of activity in and out of the nation’s capitol made getting anywhere an exercise in futility. Raina hailed the flight attendant and ordered another glass of wine. Sipping slowly, she watched the mountains appear from the window as they entered Arizona airspace. She sat back and glanced at her watch. Only an hour and a half late. Hopefully, Dirk got the message.

  “Prepare for landing.” The announcement came over the speakers. Raina finished her wine and straightened up as the harness automatically came from behind and crisscrossed her chest. The shuttle hovered over the landing pad for a second before dropping straight down, bringing it to a perfectly smooth landing. She wasn’t staying long, just a few days, so a carry-on suitcase was all she needed. The shuttle port wasn’t crowded by D.C. standards, but there was the usual stampede to disembark. The warm November air hit her which was a relief from the damp D.C. climate this time of year. She saw Dirk waving to her.

  “It’s great to see you again. We’ve missed you,” he said, hugging her.

  Her grandfather’s hair was thinner than she remembered, and his beard was grey, but that smile hadn’t changed.

  “Thanks for picking me up. How’s everybody doing?”

  “Great,” he said, without elaborating. “Let’s get out of here.”

  He led Raina to his old cruiser in the back of the parking lot. It was a half a mile walk, and Raina noticed that Dirk was winded when they got into the vehicle.

  Pulling into Dirk’s driveway, Norma was waiting to greet them.

  “Raina. It’s so good to see you,” she said, hugging her. “Come on in and get settled and we’ll have some drinks on the patio.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Dirk took her carry-on to the spare bedroom. “Freshen up. I’ll be outside.”

  Raina looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. Dirk had bought the small Pueblo-style home because it was close to the lab facility where Norma worked. They had moved in together years ago.

  A quick shower and a change of clothes and Raina was soon outside on the patio feeling the warmth of the afternoon sun. Sipping on the strong Margaritas that Norma made, a pleasant, warm buzz developed.

  “I hear you are now a member of the Senate Ethics Committee on Biological Engineering,” Norma said. “I’m glad the politicians see the need to create oversight around this highly-controversial process.”

  Norma worked on many projects, most notably, the Progenitor Project which disclosed how alien technology aided in the creation of the human race, as well as life throughout the universe. This undid the most-cherished tenets of religions and caused chaos beyond belief. It took quite a while for a new sense of where we came from to be accepted and to a point where the scientific community was able to study the human genetic makeup rationally.

  “Yes, I was lucky to be picked for such an important committee. What’s Acey been up to?” Raina asked, changing the subject.

  “I’m not sure. I haven’t seen her in a while now that she is the CEO of the JPG Interstellar Mining Company. The last I heard from Aidan, she was off to one of Jupiter’s moons negotiating a mining treaty with several other mining cartels,” Dirk answered. “She told me you would be in town to see her.”

  Acey, her half-sister, was now married to Aidan. She missed Acey. They were extremely close before life took them in different directions. “I’ll catch up with her before I leave. Speaking of Aidan, how’s he doing?”

  “He’s doing well. The Private Investigation business is booming. Actually, he could use more help. Annie works with him full-time, but they still need more assistants to keep up with the caseload.”

  “Geez, Annie is all grown up. I remember when Aidan and Acey adopted her after her father died. She was just a little girl.”

  Raina sat back, peaceful and content as Norma refilled her Margarita glass. She didn’t miss the hub-bub of the Capitol.

  “I have dinner ready. I’ll bring it out in a minute,” Norma said.

  “Do you need any help?” Raina asked.

  “No. Relax and enjoy yourself.”

  “What have you been doing now that you’re retired?” Raina asked Dirk.

  “Oh, I’ve been keeping busy. I pick up consulting work now and then.”

  Norma brought out salads and a fresh pitcher of Margaritas. “Start eating. I’ll be right back.

  “How long are you staying?” Dirk asked.

  “I’m not sure. The congressional schedule has us off until next week, but my colleagues have asked me to begin work on the ethics guidelines so the President has something to discuss with the other world leaders.”

  Dirk continued eating and said nothing. Raina knew he wished she visited more often.

  “How’s Carina doing,” Raina said, changing the subject again.

  “She’s doing just fine. Are you going to see her while you’re here? She idolizes everything about you,” Dirk said.

  “Of course. I’ll stop over to the gallery tomorrow.”

  Norma came out with a plate of fajitas with all the fixings, and they ate until everything was gone. Much more food than Raina was accustomed to consuming. Dirk tried to entice her with some carrot cake for dessert, but before he left to get it, Norma stopped him.

  “I’m saving that for tomorrow. Why don’t you and Raina go for a walk? You could use the exercise.”

  “I don’t need any exercise. I get enough during the day,” Dirk said, annoyed.

  Norma gave him a dirty look.

  “Come on. I need some exercise after that delicious meal. Tomorrow, dinner is on me. We’re going out,” Raina said.

  “Sounds good. Now go for your walk before the sun sets.”

  Dirk grabbed his mesquite walking stick and threw on a light jacket. They headed out on the desert trail behind the house. It meandered up to the top of a small hill and down the backside, about a two-mile round trip. They walked about a mile before Dirk’s breathing became labored and he slowed down.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I need to rest a bit.” He sat on a rock leaning on his stick. A worried look came across Raina’s face.

  “Do you want to turn back?”

  “No, I’m okay. Let’s hang out here for a while.”

  Raina sat next to him on the rock until his breathing became normal. He saw her concerned look. He reached for her hand and squeezed it.

  “You know I missed you. I wish you would come back more often.”

  “I will. I promise.” She leaned into him and put her arm around him. They stayed there chatting about his exploits at the Academy, watching the sunset until Norma buzzed him on his com link.

  “Where are you? It’s getting dark. Come home.”

  “Yeah, we’ll be back soon.”

  Raina noticed Dirk was showing his age. Not because of the extra furrows on his forehead or being out of shape, but his constant reflection on the past wi
th no plans for the future.

  Norma had also noticed. It was as if he’d accomplished all there was and wanted to do nothing but relive the glory days. No one, but Carina, had time for him anymore. She was enthralled with his stories and never tired of them. Norma hoped this visit with Raina would change his attitude.

  Nothing much was said on the way back to the house. He held her hand all the way. Norma turned on the light as they approached. Kissing them both goodnight, Raina went to her room and pulled out the four hundred page document, Draft 1A: Articles of Inclusion. Proposed Ethical Standards. Ethics Committee on Biological Engineering and began reading.

  ***

  The com link buzzed incessantly until Raina woke and answered it.

  “Hello.”

  “Aunt Raina. When are you coming over?”

  Raina looked at the alarm clock. It was 9:30 AM.

  “I’ll be at the Gallery at eleven.”

  “Well, hurry up. The day will be almost gone. I have so many things to show you.”

  “Okay, let me go, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  After a quick shower, Raina poured a cup of coffee and looked for Dirk. He was in the study watching the news.

  “Good morning,” she said.

  “Morning? It’s almost noon. Are you going to see Carina?”

  “Yes, are you coming?”

  His eyes lit up. “Sure you want me tagging along?”

  “Absolutely,” Raina said.

  “I’ll let Norma know where we're going. She gets all upset if I don’t tell her every move I make,” Dirk said, while messaging her on his com link.

  It was a short trip to the Gallery. Carina was waiting for them on the street when they pulled up. Running to Raina, she practically knocked her over hugging her so tightly.

  “Aunt Raina. It’s wonderful to see you again.”

  Before Raina could respond, Carina threw her arms around Dirk.

  “Where have you been, Gramps? You don’t come by anymore.”

  Carina was the fifteen-year-old daughter of Hillary, Acey’s best friend, and called Dirk “Gramps” even though Dirk was no blood relation. He never liked being called anything other than Dirk by Acey and Raina because it made him feel old. But he tolerated the name from Carina. Billy, Carina’s father, came out to greet them.

  “How are you guys doing? Come on in, and I’ll show you around.”

  “Later, Dad. We have things to do today.”

  Billy looked at them and shrugged his shoulders.

  “Okay, I guess.”

  “Are you free tonight? I want to take you all out to dinner,” Raina said.

  “I believe so. I’ll ask Hillary.”

  “Well, then let’s go,” Carina said, rushing out of the gallery.

  Raina and Dirk followed her for several blocks down to a dilapidated area of the city currently being renovated. She stopped them as they were about to turn in to a street where there was a mix of residential and commercial buildings.

  “The city council had a contest to paint a mural at the entrance to this neighborhood. Guess who won? I won,” she said, before giving Raina or Dirk a chance to answer. “Okay, now you can see it.”

  They walked around the corner and on a brick wall about two stories high was a collage-type painting spanning the entire wall. Woven around the windows and doors were depicted scenes from the area’s early Spanish roots to today’s mag-lev commuter train that cut through the heart of the city. The striking pastel colors caught your attention immediately.

  “This is unbelievable. You’re very talented. I’m so proud of you,” Dirk said.

  “Thanks, Gramps.”

  “I see you inherited your mother’s artistic genes,” Raina said.

  That’s not all Carina had inherited. Hillary’s mother, Hillary, and now Carina were shown to have ‘Alien DNA’ and were considered ‘special.’ Star Children was the common name for people with this genetic mutation.

  Before Carina was born, Hillary was kidnapped by a radical religious group in a futile attempt to keep these secrets from the public. If it wasn’t for Billy, Raina, Acey, and Aidan who rescued her from the kidnappers, neither Hillary or Carina would be here.

  “I told Annie we would stop over and pick her up. Is that okay?” Carina asked.

  “Sounds good. Is she working today?” Dirk asked.

  “Yes, we can walk there. It’s only a couple of miles from here.”

  Raina knew Dirk would have trouble walking that distance.

  “Why don’t you stay here with Dirk and I’ll get the car,” Raina said.

  Dirk led Carina across the street and bought coffee. Carina loaded hers up with three spoonfuls of sugar and gulped half of it down.

  “When are you going to take me off this rock and show me the solar system?” she asked.

  “I’ll have to rent a ship, but we will go soon. I promise.”

  Dirk had already tried to rent a B-Class Starship but was rejected because of his age and health. But he wasn’t going to disappoint her.

  Raina pulled up in Dirk’s cruiser. “Hop in.”

  2

  Aidan sat in his office sipping coffee while reviewing his caseload. Business was booming in his Investigation and Security Consultation Agency thanks to the budget cuts at the Citizen Guard. He had colleagues there who trusted him and contracted with his company to handle their overload. Most of the work was background checks for security clearances which were not labor intensive, but some cases involved surveillance and protection services, both off-world and on Earth. There were the usual spouse cheating cases and missing person cases, which were boring, but paid well.

  The business was turning a nice profit. His daughter, Annie, and an admin person, Joey, worked full time with him. Not that he needed the money. Acey, his wife, was a CEO and brought in a substantial paycheck.

  Annie walked into his office and threw another five cases on his desk.

  “Got these from Sgt. Miller. He wants them done by the end of the month,” she said, exasperated.

  Aidan pushed them off to the side and put his feet up on the desk. “I think it’s time we hire someone to help out.”

  “Can we afford it?”

  “Yes, and eventually we can open another office across town. Will you put together a job description and look for candidates to interview?”

  “No problem. I’ll work on it tonight. Aunt Raina is in town, and she is on her way over here with Dirk and Carina. I promised to go out with them. Are we meeting for dinner tonight?”

  “I was planning on it, but I don’t think your mother will be back in time.”

  “Excuse me. You have people here to see you,” Joey said through the intercom.

  “We’ll be right out,” Aidan answered.

  Everyone hugged and greeted one another. They were once a close-knit family, but now everyone was so busy they hardly saw one another.

  “Dad packed us a picnic lunch. Let’s head out for the park,” Carina said.

  Annie looked at Aidan, a question in her eyes.

  “Go ahead. I’ll take care of things here. I’ll see you tonight for dinner,” Aidan said.

  He watched out the window as they drove away. Returning to his desk, he stared at the pile of cases. The photograph of Acey distracted him. He called her. She didn’t answer. He was going to leave a message but decided against it. She was gone more often than she was home. When she was home, there were financial reports and other paperwork that needed completion. He sighed heavily and shuffled through the folders on the desk. One particular folder caught his eye. Mr. Aidan Carter – For Your Eyes Only it said.

  ***

  Later that day, Aidan arrived at the restaurant earlier than the others. He sat at the bar and ordered a Margarita. He was upset from reading the notes that his close friend, Captain Tom Gardner from the Citizen Guard, sent him. He gulped the drink down and ordered another. Not wanting to dampen the gathering tonight, he would deal with it in the morning.
>
  Annie had reserved the back room of the restaurant for dinner. When everyone arrived, they wasted no time settling down. Raina stood up.

  “It’s so great to see all of you,” she said, choking back tears. “I’ve missed you terribly.” She looked around the table. “I wish Acey could be here.” Aidan gave a half-hearted grin. Annie noticed the pain on her father’s face.

  Raina continued. “It wasn’t that long ago when we were together to celebrate my election to the Senate. It seems I underestimated how much that job would keep me away from the people I love. I want you to know that wherever I am, I’m thinking of you.”

  Everyone clapped. Carina moved over to Raina.

  “When are you leaving?”

  “In three days.”

  “You think I could come and visit you? I’ve never been to the Capitol.”

  “Sure, if it’s okay with your parents.”

  Carina smiled and hugged her.

  At the end of dinner, Hillary gave Raina a painting of Raina reciting the oath when she officially became a Senator. Aidan’s com link buzzed. It was Acey.

  “Hey. Where are you?” he asked.

  “Sorry. I got delayed in Mexico City at our board meeting. I’ll be in tomorrow.”

  “There are some people here that would like to say hello,” he said, handing the link to Raina.

  “Acey. How are you?”

  “I’m fine. Sorry I couldn’t make dinner. Will I see you tomorrow?”

  “Yes, but I’m only home for a couple of days.”

  Acey talked to everyone at the dinner. When it was Dirk’s turn, he took the com link and moved away from the table.

  “It’s good to hear from you. You should be here,” he said, using a tone Acey hadn’t heard in a long time.”

  “I’m sorry but …”

  “They miss you. I miss you.”

  “I know. I’m sorry.”

  “I love you, Acey.”

  “I love you, too.”

  ***