Free The Man Who Sold His Son (Lanarkshire Strays) by Mark Wilson Page A

understand the facts she’d presented to him.
    Hale’s Holo-Image flickered, as if in response to the man’s annoyance.
    “I’ve got targets to meet, Professor. The Japanese division is by far the largest outlet for Synthi-sperm, year in, year out. I can’t have a complete cessation of product flow.” Hale jabbed his index finger at the ground to punctuate.
    Gayle’s patience had finally run dry.
    “You’ll get whatever I say you get, Hale. You’re not the only regional manager affected by this. We’ve a serious concern and I simply won’t allow production to continue at this time.”
    Hale’s Holo-self came angrily to his feet. “We’ll see what Mr Ennis has to say about this.”
    “He thinks that you should listen to Professor Robertson and do as you’re told.” Gavin Ennis swept into the lab-office and into the Holo-Cam’s field of view. “Stop wasting her time, Hale.”
    With a gesture, Ennis flicked off the communication and turned his eyes to Gayle, throwing her a warm smile.
    Gayle made a little gesture with her head, indicating the space Hale’s Holo-Image had stood moments ago.
    “Bit of a dick, isn’t he?” she asked.
    Gavin gave a gentle laugh. “He is, but he’s a good administrator.”
    Gavin sat on the edge of the desk and gestured to Gayle that she should take a seat.
    “I didn’t expect to see you in China, Mr Ennis. Eventful journey?” she asked, taking in the fresh bruises on his face.
    Ennis touched the marks. “Oh, these? I had a little fall yesterday whilst interviewing your new colleague.”
    Gayle smiled at the news. “Oh, that’s wonderful. Not the fall, of course, but that you’ve a fresh brain coming in.” She indicated the data she’d been working on at her workstation. “Anyone I know?”
    Ennis stood. “I wouldn’t have thought so. He’s a reproductive geneticist working at the Bellshill Headquarters. Very experienced. Very bright. He should be with you in a day or two.”
    Gayle looked puzzled. “Another geneticist? You think that… sorry, what’s his name?”
    “Alex Kinsella,” Ennis replied.
    “You think that Dr Kinsella has some new insight to offer my team?”
    Ennis raised an eyebrow and allowed a smile to form.
    “Dr Kinsella is your team from now on. The other geneticists will be leaving tomorrow morning, as well as the lab technicians.”
    “You can’t be serious, Mr Ennis. I need these people, especially now with the problems we’re having with the line.”
    Ennis sat back against the desk again. “Dr Kinsella has a solution to our problem. We have our wild type.”
    Shock registered on Gayle’s face for a second, before she wiped it away again. Ennis nodded.
    “Yes. He’s a fertile man who has fathered a child and happens to be a reproductive geneticist.”
    Gayle’s face broke into a huge smile and her eyes danced with calculations and with joy. “And Dr Kinsella is happy to come work here, long term? To donate his DNA to the project?”
    Ennis gave her a single curt nod. “What man in his position wouldn’t be happy to do so? Besides, I made certain that he’s fully committed to assisting before recruiting him.”
     
    Gayle turned away from Ennis, her mind racing with the possibilities Dr Kinsella’s employment offered her. She could isolate maybe a dozen key genes from a blood sample. Within hours she could have the genes inserted into the main product progenitor line. In less than a week, this whole mess could be fixed, and with Dr Kinsella’s on-going input, they could continuously improve the Synthi-sperm. They could enhance and expand the gene pool available for the product. Finding this man was simply a miracle. Finally, she would be able to ensure that humans could continue to reproduce. Together they could keep their species alive and thriving.
     
    “How old is he, Mr Ennis?”
    Gavin grinned broadly again. “Twenty-nine years old.”
    Gayle positively beamed at how perfect it all was. “How did you find him, Mr