Evolve

Evolve

  Prologue: The Beginning

  The scientist threw the cup of coffee across the room. He swore, and thought “She never has been able to get a cup of coffee right through all the years I’ve known her.”

  He was waiting in a small, white room with hospital-like couches and chairs, with a couple of magazines lying around. He decided that coffee wouldn’t be that bad an idea when he was asked if he wanted some, but now he regretted tasting the awful stuff. This screening process thing was getting on his nerves. Luckily, this was the last batch of children that he had to look at, and even more luckily, the woman who ran the orphanage was an old friend.

  The scientist, named John MacLeere, had been screening children for their participation in the DARWIN Program. This was all he could really say on the matter, since the program was classified. The only thing that he could say to the various directors of the orphanages that he visited was that the children would be kept quite safe, that it was a government funded program, and that they had nothing to worry about.

  MacLeere was restless. He had been waiting for a solid hour to be able to talk to the director, and patience was not one of his strong points. He took his glasses off, and rubbed his eyes a little. He hadn’t slept in over two days, and hadn’t showered in three. His white lab coat was wrinkled and a little dirty, and his brown hair looked a little greasy and unbrushed. His five ‘o clock shadow had now turned into the beginnings of a beard, and his eyes were red from exhaustion.

  He strolled over to a window, and watched the children play outside on the hot pavement. It was august, so they were outside all the time. They were all so young, most of them under the age of six. Why did he have to do this...?

  The door at the end of the hall opened abruptly, and a nurse (at least, from her clothing she looked like one) stepped out. She motioned towards MacLeere.

  “The Director is ready for you, Mr. MacLeere. Please come this way”, she said with a smile.

  MacLeere just noticed for the first time how pretty she was, and fumbled around for words.

  “I... Uh... Yes, yes... Thank you...”

  He always had that problem around attractive women that he didn’t know. Maybe that’s why I never got married, he mused. He stowed away his awkwardness and followed the nurse into a long, white hallway. Their journey down it ended at the second door to the right, which was about three quarters of the way down. He let the nurse open the door, and was escorted inside a small office, which was also white. MacLeere was starting to get annoyed.

  He turned back to the nurse.

  “Th... Thank you, Miss...”, he managed to stammer.

  “No problem, sir!”, she smiled as she left. The door closed behind her, and he was left in the room alone with Madeline.

  Madeline Jones was the director of the orphanage, and had been for the past ten years, ever since graduating from University. She had, in fact, gone to the same school as MacLeere, though in a different program. John had considered asking the girl out many a time, but always found it easier to go back to the lab instead. It was always the fact that she was so pretty... John really had a problem, and boy did he know it.

  “Well, well, hello there, John. Haven’t seen you in something like ten years, have I?”

  She was sitting behind a desk with a green felt cover, with papers littered everywhere. She wore glasses which complimented her red hair and green eyes. She’s as pretty as ever, thought MacLeere, but just a little older.

  “Nope,” replied John. “It’s been ten years alright. I was here when you first got the job, remember, Madeline?”

  “Yeah, I do. Nice to see you again.”

  An awkward silence ensued for what seemed like ages, which was only broken by a phone call coming in for Madeline, which she quickly and quietly dismissed.

  “So,” she said afterwards, “Let’s get down to business, shall we? Please, sit. You look like you need to.”

  “You have no idea.”

  “You’re right, I don’t. Now, what did you come here for?”

  MacLeere squirmed in his seat. This wasn’t going to be easy.

  “Why do you assume that I’m only here on business?” he asked. “Can’t a guy come and visit an old friend?”

  Madeline took off her glasses, and stared straight into John’s eyes. He tried to tough it out, but had to turn away at the last moment.

  “You and I both know, John, that you’re anything but sociable. Now, why don’t you quit the BS and get on with it?”

  John gulped. She had seen right through him!

  “Well..” he stammered, “I’m part of a government-funded project called the DARWIN project. Have you ever heard of it?”

  She leaned back in her chair.

  “No, I’m afraid I haven’t.”

  “I’ll try to explain it, then. Most of it is classified, so all I can really tell you is that it’s an enrichment program for... ‘special’ children. Gifted, if you will. You follow?”

  Madeline nodded in response, showing next to no emotion.

  “What I would like, Madeline, is a chance to observe some of the orphans to see if any meet the criteria. And if they do, I’d like to take them with me. Now, rest assured that they won’t be harmed, and that they will be taken care of very well for the duration of the project.”

  “And how long is this project going to take?”

  “Sorry, that’s classified.”

  “I see...”

  She pondered for a moment, and then finally asked the question that everyone before her had asked:

  “What does this have to do with me?”

  John leaned forward.

  “I need your permission to do this, Madeline. It’s one of the requirements of the program.”

  She laughed.

  “John, you know perfectly well that all you had to do is ask! I trust you enough to take care of some children, especially since the CPA passed in 2038! It’s no problem at all, really. Go have a look, and any children you need are yours!”

  MacLeere was speechless. All the others he had had to fight with, and now she was letting him do what he wanted! His jaw dropped, despite himself. Suddenly, the laughter stopped, and Madeline’s smile faded. It turned into a frown.

  “Do you seriously think”, she said, “that I would, for even one minute, consider giving you some of my children? I don’t even have any idea what you would do to them! The Child Protection Act is a sorry joke when it comes to the government, and you know it! Unless you tell me exactly what you’d be doing to them, then I’m afraid our conversation is over.”

  John still sat there with his mouth open, and couldn’t utter a sound. She gave him about thirty seconds, and then got up and opened the door.

  “It was nice seeing you, John. Please visit again under better circumstances.”

  He stayed put for a second or two then got up and started to exit. Just as the door was about to close behind him, he stopped.

  “Wait...”

  Jones opened up the door a little more as MacLeere turned around.

  “Look, you know that I’d never do anything to harm anyone! I’m not that kind of scientist. I have ethics. And believe me, I would tell you exactly what they’re doing with the children, but I’d be killed if I did! For all I know, the feds are watching me right now! So please, can’t we just talk about it?”

  The woman’s will seemed to falter for a single second, which is all MacLeere needed to make his pitch.

  “Madeline, please... Can’t I just take one child? Just one? And, I’ll tell you what; I’ll legally adopt it, so that way you’ll know that I’m serious.”

  “Well...”

  “Please?”

  She looked in his eyes for a second and saw that he was indeed telling the truth, that he was serious. She conceded
.

  “Alright... Go have a look, and you can take just one. No more. Come back when you’re ready to do the paperwork.”

  “Thanks, Madeline.” He reached over and shook her hand. And with that, he was off to the pseudo-playground, smiling as he walked.