CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
The Village, a Quarry somewhere in Oaxaca State, Mexico.
"And then it has been decided." Alfred looked at the other adults. "We make sure none of our children can reproduce."
"Are you sure this is the correct thing to do?" asked Morgan Lynch, "It is our children and what about our grandchildren? They might revert to normal and can we wait until they are over thirteen before we put them under the knife?"
"I doubt if they will only be able to reproduce at that late date. Have you seen the little ones? My son started to walk before he was six months of age and so did my grandson. We have to wait until this batch reaches eight years of age as well. Some might be pregnant then, and we have to perform abortions. And with Doc," He looked at the tall stocky man sitting to his right, "being a surgeon, we can make sure that the best care is done. He specializes in male problems."
"Da," Doctor Nikita Petrov agreed. He and his wife had the necessary medical background. He used to work in a famous Moscow hospital while she did research. However, Stalin had put out a warrant on them because of their anti party activities and they fled for the West and eventually to London where after investigating their background, Southam put them in the Hercules Project.
Petrov was blond and had extremely slight Tatar ancestry. The Hercules Project had made sure that the mixture was what appeared in Europe in the majority population during a certain period of history. They supposed most married their own kind, but in Russia with all the Cossack and Tatar raids during the centuries, a lot of Russians had a bit of Tatar strain combined with the Nordic and Slavic. Petrov had green eyes, but his wife was from Byelorussia and blonde with blue eyes. Her English was much better than her husband's. Right now, she was perfecting a sleeping portion, the regular one that worked on ordinary humans having no effect on the children. Both the Petrovs had several items of great value in their possession, a Faberge egg, a painting of Peter the First of Russia that had been in their family for generations, and other items that would not appear in the Kremlin museum. The Petrovs had money and descended from the aristocracy, albeit illegitimately. He got along with the Valdez's who were descended from the very old Spanish royalty (before the Bourbons), but was wary of their son Rodrigo or Roderick. It would take no trouble to persuade him that sterilizing the children was best for all concerned.
"A simple drug that causes them to fall asleep, a deep sleep, long enough for the operation to be performed. It does not work on us," said Nikita's wife.
"Then tomorrow?" asked Carmichael.
"Tomorrow. We bring in your boys first. They will be unaware of what's happening." She went to close the door. "Wind. When they wake up, all their equipment will be still there, but it will not work and since the girls just gave birth, we don't; have to worry. Next we'll drug the girls who have just got pregnant. We will have to perform an abortion and cut their tubes. The girls will still menstruate, but they will no longer be mothers."
"I'll have to notify MI-5 later," said Alfred and thought of the children, the New Species as they referred to themselves. "I have to get home first. Act as if nothing will happen. Come on dear,"
Susan smiled and got up. "Tomorrow it will be all over," she said.
Yes tomorrow. He sat down in his chair and looked at his sons while the afternoon sun began to disappear
"Was that a good meeting father?" asked Lewis.
Alfred thought of the children, the future promise which had gone sour. .
The oldest children were twelve years old now, but they sure did not act like regular twelve years olds, but more like adults. He saw no sign of peer bonding among them, not what he had when he went to school, them against us type, the 'everyone has one, why don't I mentality?" No, these twelve year olds acted more like him, correcting the younger ones, having different opinions and being more mature than mature.
The five year olds acted like youths. The youths acted like adults and yet he could see no sign of aging. And Alfred did glimpse the gleam from metal in their pants.
He waited until nightfall, kissed his wife, padded his youngest children on their heads, and left the house.
The trees hid the moon as he climbed up the ladder and replaced the covering that hid the village from the outside world. Already he could smell the coffee beans as the workers got ready to lay them on the trays for drying. He walked along the path, using tree brushes and leaves to erase his tracks and then made his way to the place where he hid the radio.
The batteries were almost low. He would have to send to England for some or see if he could find some in the nearest city, but that would mean leaving the others to look after the 'children.'
Alfred cranked the radio. "Hello hello Roger. Agent Hercules speaking. Let me speak to Major Southam."
"Identify yourself."
"Agent Hercules. Alfred Carmichael."
"I am sorry Major Southam is presently engaged." With that, the connection failed.
Not to be perturbed, Carmichael cranked the radio again. "Agent Hercules again. This is a matter of utmost importance. Could you connect me with Major Southam?"
"I'm sorry sir, but Major Southam left strict orders not to be disturbed." There was that noticeable click as the party on the other end turned off the connection.
Now where would Major Southam be? Alfred Carmichael shone his flashlight on the notebook noting Major Southam's locations. He had a sister in Birminghan, a cousin in Lanchester, and a brother serving in the British Army, but Southam would not endanger his relatives by visiting them.
However, the Major was a Crickets Player and Carmichael knew he frequented a pub where quite a few cricket players went after a game. Alfred also knew that MI-5 used the pub as a recruitment centre, using one of the spare rooms downstairs and when Alfred went there once, he saw in the corner, a radio phone just like the one he had. Now what was the code number?
He checked the notebook again, spoke it quietly to remember it and started to crank the radio. It made a valiant effort to work and died. The batteries had just given out.
He had no time to get to the city and get some more. According to his old school book, one could use vinegar to make a battery, but that was impractical even with the excess fruit and besides he needed lots of wire and several connectors. The village had electricity in it, however the children got it, he never knew. He suspected that they cut into the nearest pipelines, and later found out how to manufacture it themselves, but it was still dark, but he could not go back down, and take one of the excess cords without they noticing him doing so.
Then he realized that, he had kept the generator for backup and it might be his only chance. He covered the radio and walked over to where he hid the generator. Largely unused, he had charged it not that long ago. He connected a rubber-coated wire to it, and the other end to the radio. It would take time for it to charge. Only when the radio was fully charged, could he connect Southam. He certainly did not want to talk to the fool corporal again.
The Village, a Quarry somewhere in Oaxaca State, Mexico.
"And then it has been decided." Alfred looked at the other adults. "We make sure none of our children can reproduce."
"Are you sure this is the correct thing to do?" asked Morgan Lynch, "It is our children and what about our grandchildren? They might revert to normal and can we wait until they are over thirteen before we put them under the knife?"
"I doubt if they will only be able to reproduce at that late date. Have you seen the little ones? My son started to walk before he was six months of age and so did my grandson. We have to wait until this batch reaches eight years of age as well. Some might be pregnant then, and we have to perform abortions. And with Doc," He looked at the tall stocky man sitting to his right, "being a surgeon, we can make sure that the best care is done. He specializes in male problems."
"Da," Doctor Nikita Petrov agreed. He and his wife had the necessary medical background. He used to work in a famous Moscow hospital while she did research. However, Stalin had put out a warrant on them because of their anti party activities and they fled for the West and eventually to London where after investigating their background, Southam put them in the Hercules Project.
Petrov was blond and had extremely slight Tatar ancestry. The Hercules Project had made sure that the mixture was what appeared in Europe in the majority population during a certain period of history. They supposed most married their own kind, but in Russia with all the Cossack and Tatar raids during the centuries, a lot of Russians had a bit of Tatar strain combined with the Nordic and Slavic. Petrov had green eyes, but his wife was from Byelorussia and blonde with blue eyes. Her English was much better than her husband's. Right now, she was perfecting a sleeping portion, the regular one that worked on ordinary humans having no effect on the children. Both the Petrovs had several items of great value in their possession, a Faberge egg, a painting of Peter the First of Russia that had been in their family for generations, and other items that would not appear in the Kremlin museum. The Petrovs had money and descended from the aristocracy, albeit illegitimately. He got along with the Valdez's who were descended from the very old Spanish royalty (before the Bourbons), but was wary of their son Rodrigo or Roderick. It would take no trouble to persuade him that sterilizing the children was best for all concerned.
"A simple drug that causes them to fall asleep, a deep sleep, long enough for the operation to be performed. It does not work on us," said Nikita's wife.
"Then tomorrow?" asked Carmichael.
"Tomorrow. We bring in your boys first. They will be unaware of what's happening." She went to close the door. "Wind. When they wake up, all their equipment will be still there, but it will not work and since the girls just gave birth, we don't; have to worry. Next we'll drug the girls who have just got pregnant. We will have to perform an abortion and cut their tubes. The girls will still menstruate, but they will no longer be mothers."
"I'll have to notify MI-5 later," said Alfred and thought of the children, the New Species as they referred to themselves. "I have to get home first. Act as if nothing will happen. Come on dear,"
Susan smiled and got up. "Tomorrow it will be all over," she said.
Yes tomorrow. He sat down in his chair and looked at his sons while the afternoon sun began to disappear
"Was that a good meeting father?" asked Lewis.
Alfred thought of the children, the future promise which had gone sour. .
The oldest children were twelve years old now, but they sure did not act like regular twelve years olds, but more like adults. He saw no sign of peer bonding among them, not what he had when he went to school, them against us type, the 'everyone has one, why don't I mentality?" No, these twelve year olds acted more like him, correcting the younger ones, having different opinions and being more mature than mature.
The five year olds acted like youths. The youths acted like adults and yet he could see no sign of aging. And Alfred did glimpse the gleam from metal in their pants.
He waited until nightfall, kissed his wife, padded his youngest children on their heads, and left the house.
The trees hid the moon as he climbed up the ladder and replaced the covering that hid the village from the outside world. Already he could smell the coffee beans as the workers got ready to lay them on the trays for drying. He walked along the path, using tree brushes and leaves to erase his tracks and then made his way to the place where he hid the radio.
The batteries were almost low. He would have to send to England for some or see if he could find some in the nearest city, but that would mean leaving the others to look after the 'children.'
Alfred cranked the radio. "Hello hello Roger. Agent Hercules speaking. Let me speak to Major Southam."
"Identify yourself."
"Agent Hercules. Alfred Carmichael."
"I am sorry Major Southam is presently engaged." With that, the connection failed.
Not to be perturbed, Carmichael cranked the radio again. "Agent Hercules again. This is a matter of utmost importance. Could you connect me with Major Southam?"
"I'm sorry sir, but Major Southam left strict orders not to be disturbed." There was that noticeable click as the party on the other end turned off the connection.
Now where would Major Southam be? Alfred Carmichael shone his flashlight on the notebook noting Major Southam's locations. He had a sister in Birminghan, a cousin in Lanchester, and a brother serving in the British Army, but Southam would not endanger his relatives by visiting them.
However, the Major was a Crickets Player and Carmichael knew he frequented a pub where quite a few cricket players went after a game. Alfred also knew that MI-5 used the pub as a recruitment centre, using one of the spare rooms downstairs and when Alfred went there once, he saw in the corner, a radio phone just like the one he had. Now what was the code number?
He checked the notebook again, spoke it quietly to remember it and started to crank the radio. It made a valiant effort to work and died. The batteries had just given out.
He had no time to get to the city and get some more. According to his old school book, one could use vinegar to make a battery, but that was impractical even with the excess fruit and besides he needed lots of wire and several connectors. The village had electricity in it, however the children got it, he never knew. He suspected that they cut into the nearest pipelines, and later found out how to manufacture it themselves, but it was still dark, but he could not go back down, and take one of the excess cords without they noticing him doing so.
Then he realized that, he had kept the generator for backup and it might be his only chance. He covered the radio and walked over to where he hid the generator. Largely unused, he had charged it not that long ago. He connected a rubber-coated wire to it, and the other end to the radio. It would take time for it to charge. Only when the radio was fully charged, could he connect Southam. He certainly did not want to talk to the fool corporal again.