2041 Sanctuary (Dark Descent) (6 page)

Joiner’s primary aide and his assistant collected up the party’s overcoats and deposited them at the counter. Further clerical security checks were actioned and passes handed out, with the appropriate clearance levels assigned to the embedded digital architecture. They were then ushered through a gate built into the desk itself and accompanied by an administrator down another escalator, two more lift shafts, two more security check points and, at last, into the joint largest council chamber in the world, the twin of which was located in the GMRC’s near identical sister HQ building in Shanghai.

The huge, domed room’s functional design consisted of circular rows of polished mahogany desks and comfortable blue and grey upholstered seating. The simplicity of the décor was not to be misconstrued for cost saving, however, as the area bristled with conferencing technology on a mind-boggling scale. Hundreds of active holographic computer displays and a multitude of interface devices adorned each table. Large OLED screens hung from the ceiling at regular intervals, while even bigger displays encircled the central hub of the summit chamber, this focal point acting as the main stage of interaction between council members and their guests.

Proceedings adhered to a strict schedule and a specially produced handbook and guide to the summit was duly handed out to every person of every delegation that attended. Joiner had been to such summits on many occasions over the years, but since the arrival of AG5 in 2040 the world was now a very different place. The buzz in the air from the ever-growing number of people congregating in the chamber was noticeable to Joiner as he made his way through the throng. He shook hands and spoke to world leaders and other influential dignitaries, whilst all the while extracting and storing information for future use. He was always on the job, a master of manipulation and deception; it was what he did, what he excelled at, amongst other considerable talents.

Finally Joiner made his way to a segregated area raised above all other seating except that of the Council’s Chief Chair, who sat at a similar level in the central hub. Joiner enjoyed sitting in his elevated position amongst the elite GMRC Directorate. It was a public display of his global power and influence for the benefit of those that were not previously aware. Joiner settled into his seat, his retinue close behind although at a lower level. He picked up a crystal glass and poured some iced spring water into it from a plain glass jug that had sat off to one side. As he sipped his drink the screens above spooled up information on the schedule of the soon-to-commence summit.

Joiner used the brief lapse before the endless talk began to take in his immediate surroundings and the people populating it. The Global Meteor Response Council consisted of many departments, some vastly more powerful and influential than others, but all operating, to varying degrees, under the following criteria:

PUBLIC:
Activities disclosed to society

COVERT:
Activities not disclosed to society

CLASSIFIED:
Existence not disclosed to society

The departmental powerhouses, the main players that drove the GMRC’s policies and actions the world over, were as follows:

• Subterranean Programme:
Covert & Classified

• Space Programme:
Public & Covert

• R&D Division:
Covert & Classified

• Intelligence Division:
Covert

• Population Education:
Public & Covert

• Population Control:
Covert & Classified

• Economic Control:
Public & Covert

• Conservation:
Public & Covert

• Resource Control:
Public & Covert

• Operations & Military:
Public & Covert

• U.N. Integration:
Public

• GMRC Oversight:
Public & Covert

At the head of each one of these departments was an elected director, each of whom took their rightful place on the most powerful body of them all, the pre-eminent GMRC Directorate. People not in the know wrongly assumed that the highly classified Subterranean Programme wielded the most clout within the GMRC. This had been the case for the last two decades, but since the underground bases around the world were all but completed the balance had shifted slightly, and Joiner had been quick to exert his authority over the power vacuum that had resulted during this transitionary time. Through his dark lenses he looked over at the chair which held the Subterranean Programme’s Acting Director General, Shen Zh
ǔ
Rèn, the now controversial Chinese replacement for Professor Steiner, who had been taken ill while on assignment at USSB Steadfast.

Professor Steiner’s illness was, of course, a fabrication of Joiner’s own making and a deception he had sold to the rest of the GMRC Directorate in a perfectly choreographed display of misinformation, and video and audio manipulation. It was amazing what one could do with video editing software and the political power to push it through. There were mutterings about Steiner’s sudden disappearance in certain circles, but that was inevitable and one imperfection of his plan to get rid of the insufferable professor he could live with. The fact the Subterranean Director General’s stress-induced illness just happened to coincide with USSB Steadfast going into lockdown procedure for the impact of the asteroid AG5 and an inopportune breakdown in the underground base’s communication system was perhaps more difficult to explain away; and yet as the intelligence director he could manoeuvre and subvert those who complained the loudest regardless of their position in the GMRC or otherwise. Joiner not only had an extensive reach, he had allies around the world whose cunning, power and resolve all but matched his own.

Now that Steiner was out of the picture and the Chinese had caused political and military headaches for the West by attacking Japan and South Korea, Joiner was able to better pursue his more secretive agendas, agendas outside of his GMRC remit and in some cases directly opposed to what the GMRC was trying to achieve. Flicking up his sunshades to reveal the clear lenses beneath, he caught the eye of the R&D director and gave him an almost imperceptible nod of acknowledgment. The R&D director, Dagmar Sørenson, a sallow, grim-faced individual always seemingly on the edge of a life threatening illness, lifted his hand in reply. Dagmar had proved a key ally to Joiner over the years and represented an asset he could ill afford to lose at this point in time.
If the evil bastard were to drop dead now
, he thought,
it could prove a significant annoyance
.

As the summit got underway, Joiner took another sip of his water and tuned in to proceedings. When each person spoke they utilised a sophisticated translation algorithm to ensure everyone present received the most accurate information in real-time; each team had back-up translators in order to make sure no errors were made, but it enabled a flowing interaction between all speakers, regardless of their mother tongue; a true technical marvel of the modern age.

‘As you can see,’ a climate and ecosystem expert from France was saying, ‘ice sheets have advanced significantly in the last six months, making most of Scandinavia and Canada virtually uninhabitable. North American States and northern European countries are now experiencing extreme weather conditions ranging from tumultuous rainfall one week to sustained hail and snow the next. Temperature drops and zero sunlight across the world are wreaking havoc with our ecosystems and the extinction of plant and animal life on land has begun. Tipping points will be reached in the next six months, ensuring the inevitable irreversible decline. Earth’s aquatic life is also experiencing mass upheaval; however, full extinction of life in our oceans will only be reached in 2045 when the last two asteroids strike.’

The speakers came and went, each outlining various unfolding scenarios that for many years everyone in the room had been well prepared for, resigned in their expectations of the inevitable. These events consisted of chaotic and sudden breakdowns in law and order in a quarter of the world’s nations, with civil unrest in the remaining seventy-five per cent. It was all the GMRC and leading governments of the world could do to keep up the appearance that things would get better, when in fact they were fighting a losing battle that would ultimately result in the death of ninety-nine point nine per cent of the world’s population. The remaining lucky few would be evacuated to the forty-five massive underground bases constructed around the globe in order to continue humanity’s way of life and very existence on Earth.

A scheduled break brought with it light relief for the assembled masses. Joiner stood up and surreptitiously stretched out his back and arms, which had begun to ache after the long hours of inactivity. His aide informed him that the rest of the day’s presentations regarded administration and government integration concerns, something he had decided weeks before he did not need to attend. Taking his leave, he retired to his allocated suite in the accommodation wing of the building.

Later that evening, Joiner reclined on a soft leather chair with matching footstool as he read through the week’s upcoming summit schedule. The final two days would prove to be the most interesting as they were open only to the highest clearance holders, which naturally included him. In particular a slot led by Dagmar Sørensen regarding something called Project Ares caught his eye. As intelligence director, Joiner had prior knowledge of the array of black projects conducted by the GMRC’s R&D Division; however, this one did not ring any bells. He was impressed; not much got past Joiner these days, but when something did he was quick to sit up and take note. He would make sure to get a team of his top intelligence agents on it and work up a profile by the end of the week. He didn’t like surprises. In fact, he employed others to make sure they didn’t arise. His mood darkened and he pressed the intercom button to summon his aide.

Moments later the man Joiner referred to as Debden appeared. ‘Yes, sir?’

Joiner continued reading the schedule. ‘What is your job title?’

Debden squared his shoulders. ‘Primary Aide to the GMRC Intelligence Director.’

‘And as primary aide it is your duty to inform me about important developments within the GMRC, those that may have escaped my attention.’

‘Yes, sir,’ Debden said, an edge of uncertainty creeping into his voice.

‘Then why is it,’ Joiner continued as he swung his chair round twenty degrees so he could fix Debden with his steely gaze, ‘that the R&D Division is presenting to the Directorate a project I know nothing about?’

‘Specific schedule details were only released and disseminated upon commencement of the summit, sir. We would—’

‘We work in the damn Intelligence Division!’ Joiner’s eyes flashed fierce. ‘We should’ve had a copy of the schedule a day before it was written and a dossier on the project should have been on my desk the day it was conceived!’

Debden looked shaken by his director’s anger at this apparent oversight and stood locked in Joiner’s unrelenting stare, unable to formulate an appropriate response – most likely because there wasn’t one.

Joiner watched and waited, maintaining silence in order to intensify Debden’s discomfort and to instil in him the knowledge that failing in his duties was not an option. More agonising seconds ticked by … then he swivelled his chair back round.

‘Project Ares,’ Joiner said, as he once more perused the schedule, his glasses perched at the end of his pointed nose. ‘Get a team on it, full work up. I want to know everything there is to know.’

‘Very good, sir.’ Debden departed, leaving Joiner to ponder on what Project Ares might be. As his irritation mounted due to his lack of information on the subject his phone, which rested on a glass table to his left, emitted a small beep which progressed into a drawn out repeating singular note.

Joiner drew the phone to his ear. ‘Yes?’

‘Director Joiner, my apologies for this intrusion at such a late hour. My name is Duncan Sanderfield. I’m a senior on-site Population Control manager. Earlier today a major public relations situation transpired and my superiors suggested you may want some input into how we go about clearing up the mess.’

‘How major?’

‘A Code Two media breach, national and international exposure by a prominent and credible source.’

‘Duration?’

‘A few minutes.’

‘Has it got legs?’

‘We’ve prevented further broadcasting of the coverage and hunted down and destroyed any copies stored on public and private mobile and static devices. There will be some files we were unable to access straight away, but our computer coders ensure us it will only be a matter of time before we have them all.’

Joiner considered the implications of such a Code Two event. ‘How prominent is prominent?’

‘Does the name Jessica Klein ring any bells?’

Joiner swore.

‘Quite,’ Sanderfield said. ‘They don’t come much bigger, do they?’

‘Where is she being held?’

‘Here, in this very building.’