Unpredicted Growth

“Ferula Blau, the only clean water you need.” The commercial concluded, and the screen transitioned to a news anchor, a man in his mid-30s, sporting a pastel-green suit.

“In other news, the PTTO corporation has announced yet another failure in their crop-preservation research. This scene was recorded during the press conference.” The video feed then switched to a man in a white suit standing at the podium.

“We at the PowerTec Organization have spent billions in a desperate attempt to create crops resistant to the VER-21 virus, however, the efforts, regrettably, have been unsuccessful. Our latest project has concluded in failure once again, but we assure you, citizens, that we will persevere!”

The screen switched back to the news anchor, who nodded his head. “We firmly believe that the PTTO will succeed, but for now, we can do nothing but wait and hope. Yet another field in the Arabian oasis had to be set ablaze due to crops being infected with VER-21. This could endanger millions of lives as food scarcity continues to rise. Moreover, world hunger rates are surpassing all previous records, reaching almost 40%.”

Nova sighed at the news and shook her head. “Those fools have their heads so far up their behinds they couldn’t even deal with a basic moth infestation if they tried, let alone create resilient crops.” Her gaze wandered around the room, which more closely resembled a greenhouse than a work office. She smiled, “come on, babies, you can do it.” At the center table, illuminated by various growth lights, sat a laptop, microscope, and assorted lab equipment pieces. She removed her glasses and cleaned them with her shirt.

“Hah, damned Po-tatos are at it again huh? Free publicity for them. What ever, IPA? Assistant!? TV off, start log,” she commanded. A mechanical voice responded through the speakers, “Log is recording.”

The TV clicked off, and she started her log.

“Day 17 of batches 243 through 263,” she began. She approached a shelf of withered saplings. “Dead, not VER-21 resistant. Batch 244.” She shifted her attention to the next set of saplings.

“Also dead.” For the following hour, she assessed over 20 batches of her own genetically modified saplings, all displaying the same withered state. “End log, none of the batches showed resistance to the disease.” She expelled a long sigh – it had been eight years since she embarked on her research, and increasingly it all seemed futile.

Several more months passed, yet the news remained largely unchanged. Another failure, another promise – the same sequence repeating like a continuous loop for the past couple of decades. Another day, another log, another disappointment. Nova, close to despair, walked towards the tucked-away shelf. It bore a label: ‘Batches 287 through 290, slow growth root-plants, GMO V 27.83 adjusted B.’ She removed the cover sheet and surveyed batches 287 and 288, both were lifeless.

As her gaze wandered downwards, she gasped. There they stood, five saplings, perfectly healthy. She reached for one of the planters with a shaking hand and examined it. The plant was in good health and stable, showing no signs of infection. She examined the other four, finding them much the same. They were perfect little plants. She smiled, covering her mouth with her other hand. Her eyes began to well up.

A label on the planters read GMO V27.83 adjusted C. “This is it… Log… Batch 289, 5 samples, adjusted C, no signs of infection. The plants are…they’re healthy! Immune to VER-21. End log. Dial Katherine,” Nova spoke in a trembling voice. The assistant AI acknowledged her request, and the gentle sound of a phone ringing echoed via the speakers throughout the office.

“Yo, what’s up, babe? Why are you calling so suddenly?” Katherine answered with her usual bravado.

“Katherine… I’ve done it!” exclaimed Nova, as she examined the plant in her hands.

“Done what, babe?” Nova pressed a button on her glasses and the video feed turned on.

“Look!” Katherine examined the video transmitted to her and gasped.

“No way! Holy cow! It survived?”

Nova’s voice cracked as she exclaimed, “Yes! It’s immune!”

“Wow, girl! You’ve done what multi trillion-dollar corporations couldn’t do for years!” Katherine responded enthusiastically.

Nova’s voice trembled. “In all fairness, it took me almost a decade too…”

Katherine chuckled, “Atta girl! Alright, babe, I ought to run! But, pack up that genetic material or whatever, I’ll hook up with the World Guardians tonight, okay? Oh and… don’t tell anyone!! You know… This kind of thing… Everyone will want a piece of that pie. Corporations, mafioso, and the damned governments alike.”

Nova nodded, still sobbing from joy. “Y…yes! I’ll uhh, I’ll prep everything.”

Katherine hung up. “You wouldn’t fucking believe it, Kamil…”

“Mmh? What’s up? Heard you speaking of some juicy pie everyone’s gonna want a piece of.”

Katherine grinned as she leaned against his back, holding him firmly as they sped down the empty freeway. “Nova babes discovered a fucking cure for VER-21.”

“No shit…? For real?” Replied the man behind the wheel of the motorbike.

Kamil remained silent for a few minutes. “So… What do we do?” Katherine chuckled, leaning against him.

“What do you think we do? We sell that stuff. World Guardians aren’t going to pay much, but the government… well, they’d elevate us to the status of nobles, even though there are no nobles in our country, if we sell them the cure for crops! Consider it… They would meet any price we demand for this.”

Kamil grinned. “Wait, hol’ up. You planning to betray your friend for some quick cash? Damn, you’re insane!”

Katherine shrugged. “She’s a damned nerd who only ever demands stuff from me. Like, what the hell am I gonna do with a bunch of well-intentioned people growing food for everyone if they don’t pay me?”

Kamil nodded. “I mean, fair… Food is great and all but money’s where it’s at. So, the mayor’s office?”

“Mayor? Absolutely not! We’re going straight to the senators. I don’t trust that scumbag Fries!” Kamil let out a hearty laugh. “The man is bought by the potato industry!” “Well, suits his name, doesn’t it?” Katherine chuckled, and off they went. The negotiations took place with the video evidence Katherine recorded of Nova showcasing her plants and touting their resilience. But the government officials wanted more, they demanded a sample, a sapling.

But it would be foolish to entrust it to some anonymous thugs off the streets – they weren’t fools. Surveillance was established over the couple. Meanwhile, an entire team of tech analysts spent the night uncovering all the information they could on Nova. With a PhD in bio-chemistry and another in genetic engineering and manipulation, she was highly qualified. She had published research on plant and animal genetic modifications for disease resistance. How had such a gem gone unnoticed by the government and corporations?

The answer was right in front of them yet she refused to keep quiet when SynthTec offered her several million to conceal the inhumane human trials being conducted behind closed doors. However, her publicity about the issue changed little; after a few weeks of news commotion, everything returned to the way it had been. Except now, she was blacklisted and despised. She went into hiding nearly 12 years ago, and only a few years after, VER-21 emerged.

However well-hidden she was, it did not take them long to discover her hiding cave. A few hours passed, just before sunset, her Intelligent Personal Assistant announced over the speakers.

“Call incoming, identity: anonymous.” Nova glanced up at the ceiling towards the nearest speaker.

“Check again,” she instructed. She was occupied with packing two plants, several leaves, and a small glass vial, accompanied by a stack of freshly printed documents, into a metal suitcase. This suitcase was set to become the world’s most valuable object soon.

“Identity: anonymous,” announced the IPA.

“Location?” Nova inquired, clicking the suitcase shut.

“Unknown, masked,” was the response. Nova squinted in suspicion, her heart beginning to race.

“Uh… answer and record the call,” she instructed. The line clicked on.

“Miss Brimmings, your research has been leaked. We advise you to evacuate the premises and head for the bridge immediately,” a voice – clearly distorted by a voice changer – informed her.

“Umm.. Who is this?” she inquired cautiously.

“We don’t have time for that. Red Arm is en route to your location,” the stranger responded.

“Who?” Nova asked, obviously confused by the mysterious caller.

“Mercenaries… I don’t know their intentions, but it is unlikely they were hired to deliver you a pizza, miss. Now hurry and vacate the premises before it’s too late.” The caller hung up, but the urgency in his voice left Nova feeling uneasy.

She contemplated calling the authorities, but she knew full well that the corrupt government would be rather keen on seizing her research before actually desiring to help her. Her options were limited. Remain and wait to see if the Red Arm or another party would actually show up, or depart in haste, and something told her that whoever rang her bore no ill intentions. She seized her suitcase.

“IPA, red protocol.” Her command was followed by several extended moments of silence.

“Request acknowledged and timers started, data pending deletion. T-minus 5 minutes. The fire ladder has been dropped, please proceed to evacuate the premises. Safe journey, Miss Brimmings.”

She nodded anxiously, climbed out the window, descended the fire-escape ladder, and then entered the back alleys, where she quickly disappeared from the view of the city’s camera network.

Nightfall brought another call with it. It was Katherine. Nova decided to answer but, unsure of the line’s security, chose to speak cryptically and reveal no information to her friend for the time being.

“Hey babes! Where are you?” she asked.

Nova replied calmly, “Uh, I stepped out to grab something from the nearby pharmacy. Why? What’s up?”

“Oh, I was thinking about dropping by yours for a bit. The World Guardians got back to me, they want to meet up with you soon. How about tonight?”

“Uh, I’m not sure I can prep all that’s needed by tonight. Uhm, give me a call tomorrow, Kath,” Nova replied and hung up without giving her friend a chance to respond. The red protocol implied that her flat would now be enflamed or rather, have burned up entirely, destroying all the research by now.

If Kath spoke so calmly, she either knew something or wasn’t aware of the fire at the flat. Nova had no desire to reveal anything to anyone at the moment. She spent the night in a lounge at The Owl’s Hollow, an anonymous tavern where no names were ever exchanged. The owner, Mr B, was a reliable supplier of hers. He frequently fulfilled her requests for materials, resources, and seeds that were somewhat difficult to obtain in a world experiencing crop scarcity. Yet, his connections reached far and wide.

He already knew about the fire, and seeing her with a suitcase enabled him to draw the connection. Finding a safe shelter for the night was no more difficult than having a cup of chilled ale. He took pleasure in serving his regulars. The night after giving her an old-school flip-phone, he said, “There’s a single contact in there and the number’s unregistered. It’ll last for three calls, so make them count.”

She wandered the city’s empty back alleys, hidden from the authorities but not the gangs and thugs. As long as she didn’t encroach upon their turf and no public search for her was underway, they wouldn’t touch her, indeed, no one interfered with her roaming about. At noon, she mustered the courage to dial the number on her phone, labeled “Guardian.”

“Miss Brimmings, how lovely of you to return my call so quickly,” spoke the same voice she had heard the day before.

“It’s you?” She exclaimed in a voice that was half shock and half excitement.

“Indeed, it is I. I have good news and bad news. The good – your IPA protocol caught the Red Arm mercenaries off guard when they intruded on your lab. Two of their members were caught in the ignition and sustained injuries. Now, the bad news, a search warrant has been issued for you by the STF. Stay off the cameras at all costs.”

“Are you with the World Guardians?”

The voice fell silent for a while. “What do you think?”

She squinted. “I presume Katherine contacted the WG and that’s why you contacted me, so my answer is yes,” she replied.

“Hmm, not exactly. Our intel network merely caught a whiff of something intriguing. Mercenaries and the Government expressing interest in a single individual is always noteworthy to us, that’s how I discovered you.”

“I thought you guys were a small rebel organization,” she replied hesitantly, lost in thoughts.

“We’re larger than many assume and spread far wider than any other network,” the voice responded. “As for Katherine Lamena, your friend, she’s an agent of our organization. We’re still investigating how the information about your research leaked. We suspect a line breach, or…I have to leave now. Head for the old bridge by the quarry, a man in the shadows will greet you at sunset.” The man on the other end hung up before Nova had a chance to pose any other questions.

Dusk arrived, and with it long shadows cast by the towering skyscrapers of the city. She was stationed under the aged bridge, with a view of the quarry.

“Nova Brimmings?” Her head turned towards a man donned in a lengthy coat and a top hat. ‘How stereotypical,’ she pondered, delivering a glare to the enigmatic individual.

“What? Who? Uhm, I’m Samantha… Waiting for a friend.”

The man laughed, his voice initially distorted before turning strangely familiar. “Hey babes.”

Nova jumped up. “Kath?” Her friend chuckled again.

“Yes! You’ve been avoiding my calls, you sneaky rat. I found you through J… I mean, Guardian’s contact. He sent me.” She removed her hat and smiled. “Come on, babes, they’re waiting for you.” Nova relaxed momentarily before tensing up again.

“Uhm… give me just a minute,” she requested, pulling out her flip phone.

“Oh, that’s why you weren’t answering? A burner phone? Smart! But why didn’t you call me?”

Nova pressed the call button and brought the phone to her ear.

“Limited number of calls, couldn’t afford them,” she responded. Kath smiled.

“Fair,”

The voice responded on the phone. “Speak.”

Nova lowered her tone. “I’m by the bridge. Who’s meeting me?”

The man on the other end replied calmly, “A man, unnamed, will guide you to me.”

Nova swallowed audibly. “Before me stands a woman, Katherine,” she replied, trying not to betray any concern to Katherine, who was waiting patiently.

“Not right, buy us some time,” the voice instructed before hanging up.

She smiled and put away the phone. “Uhm, where are we going now?”

Kath sneered at her. “To the hideout, obviously. What did he say?” Her friend inquired with curiosity.

“He advised me to meet the representative who would be concealing their identity,” Nova replied cautiously, glancing around the orange-hued bridge gorgeously painted by the setting sun.

“Well, you already know me, no reason for hiding, eh, babes? Come on, let’s leave before the sun sets,” Kath urged her, turning to depart.

Nova scarcely had any other option. Confronting her ‘friend’ would endanger everything, including her safety and that of her research. She chose to follow, but at a safe distance, attempting to stall for time. She engaged in discussions about the scenery, asked organizational questions, but all her attempts appeared fruitless. The more she tried, the more insistent Kath became. Eventually, Nova reached a car. The backdoor opened and Kath prompted Nova to get inside.

The moment she peeked inside, her fears were confirmed. In the blacked-out vehicle, behind tinted privacy windows, sat a senator. His sly grin sent shivers down Nova’s spine. Kath’s gun prodded her in the back. “Get in. Now!” Feeling helpless, Nova complied with the order. Kath entered on the passenger side, and an unseen driver set the car in motion. For several silent minutes, they journeyed over the uneven gravel path.

“Phenomenal job with the research, by the way. Jarel, you may dispose of her now.” The car came to a halt. Nova shut her eyes and gritted her teeth. A muffled gunshot echoed through the car’s interior. The door opened, a body fell out, it closed again, and the car drove off. It wasn’t her they had disposed of, it was Kath. Of course, it’s the scumbag government, they wouldn’t ever pay anyone for anything.

In a brief conversation, the senator tried to reassure Nova of her safety and their desire to ‘improve and save’ the world – a sentiment voiced with a smile. But he didn’t lie about one thing: they needed her. Despite possessing all the research and samples, it would take the genetic engineers months, if not years, to replicate the results. She knew all about it and could set up GMO production effortlessly.

They arrived at an abandoned warehouse and exited the car. The driver, a bulky middle-aged man, did not threaten Nova. It wasn’t necessary; she was shaken up without needing any intimidation or threats. She obediently followed the Senator and Jarel, who had ordered her to move. Approaching a door, the Senator scanned his palm, and it opened to reveal a long, empty hall.

“Jarel… Where’s the security personnel?”

The driver’s gun followed by a muffled ‘puff’ and a sound of splatter was pointed at the Senator’s head.

“I’m afraid, sir, the PTTO spec-force team disbanded the security personnel. Oh, he can no longer hear me.”

He then turned to glance at Nova. “Miss Brimmings, the PTTO appreciates your dedication and hard work on this research.” He pointed his gun at her and extended his other hand. “Now, I’ll be taking that.”

As Nova was about to hand over the suitcase, her hand trembling, another bang reverberated through the empty warehouse. Seven men descended from the ceiling. Jarel collapsed onto the floor and Nova stepped back, she had seen more death in one day than in her entire life.

“Defend the perimeter, two minutes until departure, move, move, move!” a man ordered confidently, as he strode in Nova’s direction.

Nova pressed herself against the wall, clutching the suitcase with trembling hands. “P..Please just leave me alone…Take it…I don’t want it!” The man raised his hand and gently guided the suitcase downward, yet remained in her grasp.

“Miss Brimmings, we’re from the World Guardians, you’ve done well in buying us some time. Apologies for the delay.”

They took her with them, escaping through the underground canals. At the base, she met the ‘Guardian’, the man she had spoken with on the phone, the man who ended up rescuing her not just once, but twice. There, she also encountered Mr B, the one who had assisted her with the phone and had contacted the Guardian. She discovered that her friend Kath had betrayed her, selling her information to the government. Now, not only did the government desire her research, but the PowerTec Organization did as well. However, the World Guardians promised her safety. This marked the beginning of a new era where famine and corporate supremacy coexisted on a worldwide scale.

Audience prompts for this tale

• cybernetically enhanced criminals

• Our protag is on the run from the crime cyber-enhanced syndicate because of her specific genetic markers that they are after.

• a potato god