Free Genocide of One: A Thriller by Kazuaki Takano Page B

immunity agreement,” James Ballard, the
     secretary of state, added. A former military officer, now a pacifist, he had quickly
     found himself out of favor in the present administration but still made sure to faithfully
     carry out his duties. “If we do that, other countries won’t be able to haul US citizens
     before the ICC.”
    “That’s not enough,” Burns said. “If a country won’t sign a bilateral immunity agreement
     with us, I say we cut off all aid to them.”
    “Then that’s the direction we’ll take,” Ballard said, keeping his own opinion to himself.
    “Good. Gentlemen, you can get back to work,” Burns said, closing the meeting.
    On both sides of the long, narrow conference table cabinet members and advisers prepared
     to leave. Burns waited until the nearest seats were vacated and called his chief of
     staff over. “Get me Dr. Gardner.”
    “Yes sir,” Acres replied, and picked up a secure phone line. “Have Dr. Gardner join
     us,” he said into the receiver.
    The aging scientist passed the exiting officials as he made his way into the Situation
     Room.
    “Ah, Dr. Gardner. Sorry to have kept you on hold like that.” Burns stood up and welcomed
     his science adviser. For the president, it was a relief to talk to someone he could
     let his guard down with. Sensing this affinity, perhaps, Gardner smiled gently as
     the president motioned him to take a seat.
    CIA director Holland, who remained behind, mentally put aside the unpleasant barbs
     that had been directed at him in the meeting and turned with genuine personal interest
     to what Gardner had to say. As a simple avocation, Holland liked to read science journals
     written for nonspecialists, and he was particularly anxious about the special access
     program they had under way. In his mind, the administration underestimated the threat.
     If the new life-form mentioned in the president’s daily briefing really did emerge,
     then not just the United States but all mankind would face a crisis that threatened
     its very survival. Even now, at this moment, this life-form was secretly growing deep
     in the jungles of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
    Before turning to the main topic, Burns brought up a different, more tractable subject.
     “What I asked you about the other day—what are they called again?”
    “Embryonic stem cells.”
    “Right. Embryonic stem cells. You were advocating that we restart research?”
    “Correct. If we don’t, the United States will lose its competitive edge.”
    Burns couldn’t get angry with Gardner, even when he voiced an opposing opinion right
     to his face. Burns’s opposition to stem cell research wasn’t based on scientific or
     moral grounds but on political considerations: a desire not to lose the support of
     conservative Christians. “This is a difficult issue,” he said. “I appreciate your
     viewpoint, but after considerable thought, I can’t change present policy.”
    “Naturally I’ll respect your decision,” Gardner said calmly. “But let’s focus, then,
     on a related field. The twenty-first century is the age of biology. And we can’t allow
     America to fall behind.”
    If only other officials would learn to respond like this, Burns mused. He directed
     his chief of staff to bring some coffee for Dr. Gardner. “So,” he said deliberately.
     “How is our plan progressing?”
    Gardner, the science adviser for the special access program, took a sip of his coffee.
     “We got off to a slow start, but we’re back on track. Through the kindness of Secretary
     Lattimer we have a very nice facility set up at the Pentagon.”
    Kindness permeated Gardner’s personality, but in the White House kindness wasn’t what
     made things run. Burns couldn’t help but smile at the thought, but when he saw that
     only Holland maintained a stern, serious expression, he wondered what was bothering
     the CIA director. “You’re talking about the Office of Special Plans?”
    “That’s