2041 Sanctuary (Genesis) (57 page)

‘So?’ Brett said, turning round.

‘They were reluctant to talk,’ Jessica said, ‘I think they were protecting someone.’

‘Figures,’ Brett said. ‘Perhaps I should have spoken to them.’

Eric made a face. ‘You’d just make it worse.’

‘You could try,’ Jessica said, ‘but I think Eric’s right; if they were reluctant to talk to us you’d stand no chance.’

Brett’s expression showed doubt about that statement, but she refrained from relinquishing her seat, perhaps because she knew Jessica’s journalistic past made her a credible interrogator, or more likely, she wanted to ensure she retained control of the vehicle.

‘So, what now, then?’ Jessica said.

Steiner looked at her. ‘We keep heading north, as before, nothing’s changed. Whoever was here has gone and we need to get back to the States.’

Eric nodded. ‘
Ja
, we have a world to save.’ He tapped Brett’s shoulder. ‘Let’s go,
fräulein
.’

Brett scowled and turned the key in the ignition. The vehicle’s engine rumbled to life and the headlights blazed bright.

Steiner took one last look out of the window. Eric was right; they had a world to save, billions of lives were in their –
his
– hands. He was used to power, but this was the first time he’d ever had so much riding on the decisions he made. One wrong move and the entire planet would burn.
I just hope I can make a difference
, he thought, as more shooting stars skimmed across the celestial sphere,
because our time is nearly up
.

♦

The four-by-four drove away into the night, its red taillights disappearing down the road. But back inside the cabin, the darkness lingered and the TV switched back on as its system searched for broadcasts. One by one, the aerial picked up a new channel which displayed on-screen as it saved the frequency in its memory bank. After some moments it entered a new category and the first international news channel appeared.

‘—have been made of this strange phenomenon in the Chinese city of Xi'an,’ a reporter said. ‘Some are claiming it’s a UFO, but as yet, all sightings of the mysterious, gliding light have been – not in the air – but on the ground, causing some sceptics to call it an MOB, or what’s more commonly known as,
man on bike
.’

The TV fuzzed into black and white pixels before the next channel displayed.

‘—celebrations continue into the night throughout the world’s major cities as leading experts declare the impact winter is in full retreat. And as weather patterns return to normal, crop yields continue to rise—’

The TV searched for the next signal.

‘And good evening from Los Angeles, I’m Hunter Davies. This is a Fox News special report. As the GMRC announces a timeline for talks on water rationing, we ask viewers and panellists what they think this will mean for them and why some citizens appear to be more equal than others.’

The picture vanished and the previous graphic displayed:

Searching ...

The message changed:

Signal acquired ...

‘President elect, John Harrison Henry, has offered an olive branch to the Chinese amidst escalating tensions with the West. But with the Japanese still calling for the U.S. and its allies to launch a full scale attack, it’s unclear whether meaningful relations can be maintained …’

Searching ... Signal acquired

Channel 107

CNN

{Cable News Network}

‘— first pictures from inside the impact zone have been released today as news crews were allowed back in as South Africans attempt to rebuild their shattered country. No one knows how long it will take before people can return to the African nation, but if the footage is anything to go by, one thing is certain, it’s not going to be anytime soon.’

Searching ...

Channel 108

Chinese Central Television

CCTV News

{Subtitled}

‘The Pope has once again called for calm as Italy’s capital saw pitched battles erupt late last night between various religious and political factions. This comes after a recent spate of suicide bombings that has rocked the Eternal City. Some are blaming Catholic fundamentalists, although it has been cited elsewhere that at least some of the violence was—’

Searching ...

Channel 109

NDTV India

 ‘—tensions continue to rise in the Chinese province and questions remain as to what is causing this rash of disappearances. So far only two bodies have been recovered, but city officials are reluctant to release the circumstances surrounding the deaths. Some believe a serial killer in on the loose, or that a terrorist organisation is to blame. However, a member of the Xi'an city police administration, said, categorically, ‘
there is no connection between these occurrences and the strange light captured on camera by local residents and UFO hunters.
’ A light, which you can see in this footage, appears to float across the ground and has the ability to pass through solid walls—’

Channel 110

BBC World News Service

{Channel Search Complete}

‘—but before we go, did you want to make a closing statement to our viewers around the world?’

‘I would, thank you, Keira.’ The man faced the camera. ‘I don’t pretend to have all the answers; God knows I’ve made my fair share of mistakes in life—’

‘Haven’t we all,’ Keira said with a smile.

‘—and who knows what the future holds. But, for me, there is one thing that is crystal clear. We must find a way to protect this planet and the precious life that clings to its surface. The next asteroid strike might be the one that wipes us out and everything humanity has striven to achieve will be gone in an instant. And not just humanity’s achievements, but all life on this planet, all the billions of years its taken us to get this far will vanish and when that day looms large and we look back and realise we had the chance to do something before it was too late, how will we feel knowing everything is going to end, that everyone and everything we’ve ever loved, or ever will love, will cease to be?

‘In 2015, Russell Schweickart, an Apollo astronaut who travelled the world to encourage a coordinated global response to the asteroid threat, conducted a Newsweek interview with author, Nina Burleigh. In that interview he said the following,
‘I fear there’s not enough of a collective survival instinct to really overcome the centrifugal political forces. That is, in a nutshell, the reason we’ll get hit. Not because technically we don’t know it’s coming, or we can’t do something about it.’

‘When I first heard that I realised, as a species, how stupendously dumb we really are. Can we really let this happen? This is not fiction; this is real life, a real threat. Can we continue to sleepwalk through life now that we know what’s out there? Is it really that difficult for humanity to unite in a single cause? Are we so chained by money and blinded by material desire and personal gratification that we will rush headlong into oblivion?’

The man glanced at Keira before looking back at camera. ‘What do you think? Yes, you, listening to me now, watching or reading my words on your computer or latest device, shall we just wait for our lives and every other human life to be extinguished? Because if we do nothing, that’s what’s going to happen; maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but at some point in the future another asteroid will hit. So perhaps the question should be … what are you going to do about it? All life on this planet rests in Homo sapiens’ hands and
there’s an asteroid out there with our name on it
^*
, and whether we like it or not … the clock is ticking …’

To be continued in …

2042 Apocalypse

 (Book Three of
Ancient Origins
)

COMING SOON IN 2017!

—————

Author Note

Thank you choosing
Ancient Origins
, I hope you enjoyed the read. If you have the time to leave a review on Amazon that would be really appreciated. Also, please read on for a comprehensive set of appendices with some author notes.

Sincerely yours

Robert Storey

—————

Sign up to the
Ancient Origins
triannual newsletter at
www.sancturian.com
or click this
link
.

—————

^{*    ‘
There’s an asteroid out there with our name on it
.’}

Please refer to
Appendix K
for credit details on this phrase.

APPENDIX A

GMRC CIVILIAN PERSONNEL

Professor George Steiner

Director General of GMRC Subterranean Programme

Nationality: American

GMRC Clearance – Level 10 Alpha

Designation – Civilian

Deployment: GMRC Directorate (Oversight) / Transient

GMRC Division: Subterranean Programme

Skill set:

Subterranean structural engineering

Management and leadership

Planning, design and development

Mathematical modelling and forecasting

Computer programming and software development

Malcolm Joiner

Director of U.S. and GMRC Intelligence

Nationality: American

GMRC Clearance – Level 10 Alpha

Designation – Civilian

Deployment: GMRC Directorate / Transient

GMRC Division: Intelligence Division

Skill set:

Espionage and covert intervention

Intelligence gathering, restriction and dissemination

Information pathways / Management and leadership

Psychological warfare

Richard Goodwin

GMRC Subterranean Base Director

Nationality: American

GMRC Clearance – Level 9 Alpha

Designation – Civilian

Deployment: U.S.S.B. Steadfast [U.S.S.B. Sanctuary – unofficial]

GMRC Division: Subterranean Programme

Skill set:

Management and leadership / Planning, design and development

Dr. Kara Vandervoort

Ecosystem Director

Nationality: South African

GMRC Clearance – Level 8 Alpha

Designation – Civilian

Deployment: U.S.S.B. Steadfast

GMRC Division: Subterranean Programme

Skill set:

Biomechanical engineering / Management / Data analysis

Special Agent Myers

CIA Agent and GMRC Intelligence Operative

CIA Special Operations Group (SOG)

Nationality: American

GMRC Clearance – Level 9 Delta

Designation – Civilian

Deployment: Transient

GMRC Division: Intelligence Division

Skill set:

Covert military intervention / Leadership / Strategic planning

Close quarters and unarmed combat

Dagmar Sørensen

Director of GMRC Research & Development

Nationality: Norwegian

GMRC Clearance – Level 10 Alpha

Designation – Civilian

Deployment: GMRC Directorate / Transient

GMRC Division: Research and Development

Skill set:

Scientific exploration and advance

Black project development and integration

(Special access programmes: acknowledged and unacknowledged)

Information pathways / Management and leadership

Grant Debden

Primary Aide to Malcolm Joiner

Nationality: American

GMRC Clearance – Level 8 Delta

Designation – Civilian

Deployment: Transient

GMRC Division: Intelligence Division

Ms. Sylvia Lindegaard

GMRC Delegate

Nationality: Danish

GMRC Clearance – Level 10 Alpha

Designation – Civilian

Deployment: U.S.S.S. Archimedes

GMRC Division: Space Programme / Oversight

Skill set:

GMRC integration specialist

Management and leadership / Planning and development

Information pathways

Dr. Vladan Marković

Senior Research Scientist

Nationality: Ukrainian

GMRC Clearance – Level 10 Delta

Designation – Civilian

Deployment: E.U.S.B. Sentinel (reassigned to E.U.S.B. Superior)

GMRC Division: Research and Development

Skill set:

Bio-technology, research, design and development

Quantum mechanics, application and research

Anakim technology specialist

Dr. Laurent

Doctor of Medicine (Surgeon)

Nationality: Belgian

GMRC Clearance – Level 9 Delta

Designation – Civilian

Deployment: U.S.S.B. Sanctuary

GMRC Division: Research and Development

Skill set:

Bio-technology, application and development

Neurology and neurosurgery

Neural-implants specialist

APPENDIX B

S.E.D. PERSONNEL

Deployment: U.S.S.B. Sanctuary

Designation: GMRC Civilian