The Chrysalid Conspiracy (27 page)

“Calm down, Rayn. That’s exactly how I feel about mine. So I know what you mean, and how much you mean it.” Amelia tried to console her friend, her eyes pricking with tears. Ryan took a long drag on her cigar. No mean feat with a Cuban extra.

“Sorry, got a little heavy there. What I’ve been trying to say is, if my mother has got me, or you, or Lucy into something, then it can’t possibly be for anything bad or horrific. I believe that too, so wherever this is going, I trust her implicitly. You understand, don’t you?” For the first time, she had lost herself assurance and was almost pleading for Amelia to understand.

“Yes,” cried Amelia quickly. “I understand completely. When you feel you’re being pushed, the first reaction is to push back. We’ve no need to. They’d never do anything to put us in any danger. We have to trust them and see this from a different perspective. I mean, they haven’t done a bad job so far, have they? Look at us. Without being pretentious, we’re intelligent way beyond our years, super-fit Olympic standard Ninja type athletes with ‘Magazine Cover’ bodies and we’re pretty good-looking, and when was the last time you were ill?”

“I don’t remember ever being ill, if that’s what you mean. Sick yes, but mostly my own fault,” answered Rayn.

“Me neither,” confirmed Amelia. “Could it be that it has all been contrived for some reason?”

Maybe,” said Rayn. “But by different routes. You and me, we’re two sides of the same coin.”

“I’m so glad you pointed all this out, Rayn. We’ve been seeing ourselves as victims and them the villains. It’s not like that after all. I’m not afraid of it anymore.” Amelia felt as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

“I think the word is ‘terrified’ more than afraid,” said Rayn. “So, we can go ahead and find out what the devil is going on with a more positive attitude, can’t we?” relieved at Amelia’s response. She’d been worried about it since reaching these conclusions some days before. “Because I really need to know exactly what’s happening, and what we’re in for. And yes, I think your mum is involved as well.”

“How do you know?” Amelia asked after a long silence.

Rayn was getting into her stride. Amelia’s acceptance of her explanation had given her confidence a boost. “Well, when you saw that I was half asleep with the drink, I was actually wide awake. I didn’t drink all evening.”

“But why would you do that?”

“Ah, I’ve had some experience in this,” Rayn continued. “When you get a bunch of grown-ups sitting around, relaxed, guard down, a few drinks, they say more than they intend. The main qualification for being a good thief is to listen.”

“Well, I’m damned. You crafty bitch. You noticed that George didn’t get drunk then?” she said.

“That’s what decided me. I noticed he was a master at manipulating his glass so that it always looked half empty and I wondered why.”

“So what did you hear, then?” asked Amelia, no longer afraid of the answers.

Rayn was quick to respond. “Well something’s definitely going on, as if we hadn’t already worked that one out.”

“We’re not looking for confirmation Rayn, just information.” Amelia reminded her friend.

“I know Amelia, it’s just that I heard your mum say to him, ‘We’re ahead of schedule then’, and he replied. ‘Yes, that’s good for you, but we’re still running out of time, those two are way ahead of us’. And your mum said, ‘I did warn them it was a possibility’. That was it, really. Your mum pulled your trick and changed the subject.” They both smiled at the observation. “So now we know. Both our mothers are in this up to their necks,” Rayn added.

“But who’s in charge? Who are
they
? And more importantly, what are they in charge of?” moaned Amelia.

For both of them, sleep and tiredness had given way to a new-found enthusiasm, and more coffee.

“Anyway,” said Rayn. “What did you get from the evening?”

“As I said, two words,” replied Amelia. “The first is Chimera.”

“I heard that,” burst in Rayn. “What was it George said? ‘It’s not your chimera but at least you don’t have to work with it’.”

“And Mum said she always wanted one of her own. It could mean she’s been working with another one. But where? There’s not one in the shop. And again, why?” said Amelia.

“Er, what’s a Chimera by the way? It’s not the name of the tree, is it?” asked Rayn.

“No. It’s the subtitle of the Professor’s book. It’s also in the text several times. I looked it up. According to ancient mythology, it’s a monster. A she-goat. A woman with a lion’s head, a goat’s body and a serpent’s tail.”

“Oh yeah,” said a sceptical Rayn. “How would you get close enough to tell it was a woman, then?”

“Difficult.” answered Amelia. “And why would you bother? But modern interpretation is an organism which consists of more than one species.”

“Oh, fascinating, I bet she’d make a great sandwich, at least.” said Rayn with a mock yawn.

“Actually you may have something there.” Amelia remarked, “In mythology they often create a being or a thing that represents a group or collection of things. Like Cornucopia means all of nature’s omnivorous bounty. Perhaps our goat headed friend represents a carnivorous one stop shopping list. What do you think?”

“Sounds crazy enough for the world of legends and magic, I’ll go for it.” Agreed Rayn and Amelia went to the heavily laden bookcase and came back with a large dictionary.

“When I put your mum to bed, she took my hand and thanked me and you, and the world and its sister for a fantastic day. Then she said something pretty weird. She said ‘I hope it’s not the last one, perhaps we can have more after Rubicon’, like it was a date or an event.”

“What’s it mean?”

“Hang on, I’ll look it up. Ah, here we are,” said Amelia, finding the appropriate page. “A boundary, which once crossed, betokens an irrevocable commitment. A point of no return.” There was a long silence. Both girls looked at each other, waiting for the other one to speak. Rayn was the first.

“So, we have a plot at last.”

“What’s that?” said Amelia.

“Our mothers belong to an organisation which is going to turn us into serpent-tailed, lion-headed, goat women. How’s that?” They burst out laughing, both pleased with the diversion.

“Is that the best you can come up with?” laughed Amelia. “I certainly wouldn’t want one in my back garden.”

“Well it sounds big,” laughed Rayn. “Where would it live?

“Anywhere it damned well pleases I should imagine. I don’t think it would take kindly to an eviction notice. Do you?” Mental images pushed them into hysterics.

“It’s this Chimera-more-than-one-species thing that bothers me,” said Rayn when she could breathe again.

“In what way?” asked Amelia?

“In this instance, it seems to apply to that tree. What’s the significance? I mean, how can you improve on a tree that’s been around for umpteen million years and can live for ten lifetimes?”

“It doesn’t have to be that particular tree. It could be… Oh my God! Rayn, I’ve just remembered.” Rayn jumped at Amelia’s outburst. “Some years ago, before I was born, my mum had a paper published. It made her quite famous for a while – in her field, that is. She managed to grow apples and pears on the same tree. Is that a Chimera, I wonder?”

“What happened to her invention?” asked Rayn.

“I don’t know. It was hailed as a breakthrough in Genetic Modification at the time. But the anti-GM people got going and Mum’s work just fizzled out. I think she gave up that branch of science altogether after that.”

“Amelia! I can’t breathe!” gasped Rayn. “Help me, please.”

Her friend exploded into action. She grabbed an open bottle of brandy, picked up a glass and threw its contents out on the table. She poured a shot and gave it to her friend. Rayn held the glass in both hands.

“Drink it,” commanded Amelia. “Go on. Down in one go. Do it!”

Rayn did as she was told. Amelia was surprised that her friend didn’t choke. Rayn sat for a moment and then started breathing normally. Amelia passed her an almost clean paper napkin to help her control her watering eyes and running nose.

“Wow,” said Rayn. She cleared her throat and, with a hoarse voice, said, “Thanks Amelia. That was scary.”

“I’m going to make some more coffee and then I want to know exactly what brought that on,” she said as she left for the kitchen.

***

They sat on opposite sides of the table, staring at each other as they sipped their hot, strong, black, sugarless coffee. Neither girl was tired. Amelia was trying to ignore the debris of the Christmas dinner aftermath. In the end she picked up a fork, jabbed a piece of strawberry gateau left on a plate and popped it in her mouth. Rayn went for a bowl of mixed crisps that the twins hadn’t destroyed and started munching.

“So, what got to you just now? Give it to me.”

“Just a minute,” said Rayn. “I’ve got to get this right or it won’t make sense.”

“You’ve had several weeks. What’s stopping you now?” replied Amelia.

“We need Claire here really. She’s got a much more logical mind,” said Rayn.

“Well, she’s not. We’ve only got you and me, so stop procrastinating and get on with it.” Amelia was getting angry.

“All right, calm down,” Rayn replied. “The last time we talked about this, I don’t think we really believed it, did we?”

“Not really, that’s why we called it far-fetched. Go on.” Amelia’s sarcasm was evident.

“It was something you said that got me thinking. You said if we are being manipulated, then why? So I thought I’d run with it, see what turns up. All good detective stories talk about opportunity and motive. The opportunity has always been there because of our ignorance. But what’s the motive? I started to see this as a two-part drama. The Professors book and everyone’s strange behaviour, and tried to connect it, and suddenly it hit me.”

“As I will if you don’t get to the point soon.” threatened Amelia.

“No. Think about it. The Professor was writing about, what was it?
Surviving the holocaust and the hope that there would be generations to enjoy the future of the future.
The other part is that there seems to be a great effort going on around us in food sustainability research. Your mum’s profession, genetic modification, and my mum’s wild food expertise. And what was it Nigel saw in Tetherington Hall greenhouse? A Rain forest and hydroponic gardens.”

“But what’s the link up, how does it come together?” Amelia felt her mind closing in on something tangible.

“Us.” Rayn announced. “That’s what hit me, it’s the way we’ve been brought up, as if to survive a cataclysmic event, a Rubicon, a point of no return if you like. To be successful you’d need a super fit highly intelligent group of people to survive, with a sustainable food source. Is that what all this is about do you think?’

Both girls were stunned. It was the first time Rayn had put it all together and the first time Amelia had heard it. To them it seemed so obvious it was frightening.

“It’s been drifting around in my head for a while, then you said something that made everything, and I mean everything, drop into place. That’s what got to me just now, just like the brandy you gave me. Thanks for that, by the way.”

“More coffee?” Amelia asked her.

“Yes please. But why now?”

“Because it’s your turn to make it. And I want to know what I said that was the catalyst.”

Once Rayn had returned, Amelia sipped her drink and waited for her to continue. “About your mum. I don’t think genetic modification could have just vanished. It doesn’t fit the human profile. I think it just went underground, with research being done in places like little village flower shops all over the world?” Rayn left the suggestion hanging.

“You know this odd extra sense I seem to be developing?” Amelia asked.

“Yes, go on. I’m listening,” Rayn replied.

“I’ve become much more confident with it now. I trust it and I’m not afraid of it, either.”

“I understand,” said Rayn, gently encouraging her friend to talk it through.

“The feeling I have right now is that, no matter how stupid, ridiculous or completely impossible it may sound, you’ve nailed it. It’s the right answer. What do you think of that?”

“Well,” answered Rayn. “Apart from being pleased with myself, I have to remind you that it’s not an answer we’re looking for right now, it’s a reason. Remember, we’re looking for the motive that fits the opportunity.”

“Yes, but it’s a hell of a leap forward,” replied Amelia.

“When you said this Chimera had something to do with trees, and then you said that your mum was a tree specialist, I think that’s when I knew. It all seemed so obvious it scared the hell out of me.”

“Knew what?” said Amelia.

“Well, it may be stretching things a bit much, but with all the people in our lives at the moment, we have between us the capability to live in an open forest, independent of the outside world.”

“Apart from the fact that I don’t see the point, you’re going to have to be a bit more specific. Come on, you’re the jungle girl, explain. How does it work?” Amelia was struggling with the concept.

“You just look for the skills needed to survive. We’d need hunters – you, me Nigel. Gatherers – me, Mum, Molly. My mum can butcher any animal, cook it a dozen different ways and turn the hide into leather. Molly can make clothes. Your mum knows about medicines and can extract potions and stuff. I know what plants can and can’t be eaten. Nigel and I know about horses. It’s all there, Amelia. Even childcare, domestic science – there’s Molly again. The teacher could be Miss Collins (maybe). George can do almost everything and there may even be others who we don’t even know about yet.”

Rayn’s eyes were shining with emotion as she looked at Amelia, searching for approval.

“I’m sorry, Rayn. It may seem like paradise to you, but it’s the stuff my nightmares are made of, remember? Anyway, what about Caz and Claire? And Sambo, come to that. Where do they fit in?” Amelia was trying to let her friend down easily but Rayn wasn’t to be put off and was quick to her own defence.

“The Romans taught us that the two main ingredients for a stable society are bread and circus. Survival and diversion.” She said. “It comes down to food, shelter and leisure pursuits. Music, art, dancing. Then there’s fighting. I mean athletic competitions, and my mum knows how to make a still.”