Free Cheating Time by T. R. Graves

was
not as accurate as had been claimed.
    While analyzing the numbers, I sorted them
in new and creative ways, identifying and pulling to the forefront
statistics that proved the ones published by Barone's cronies were
manipulated to minimize the big changes to our nation's population.
The numbers I'd pulled had been hidden deep within Barone's
statistics and had proven that the MicroPharm had impacted Aspect
Nation's population figures in significant ways, effectively
altering the genetic landscape of the population.
    Under everyone's nose and without the first
ounce of suspicion the nation's average age had decreased from 37.3
to 26.7. The nation's average body mass index, BMI, had been
reduced from twenty-nine to fourteen. The nation's average height
for men had grown from five feet and eight inches to six feet two
inches and for women had grown from five feet three inches to five
feet nine. Finally, the average American IQ had increased from
ninety-eight to one hundred and twenty-five.
    With my research, I'd had my first
scientific discovery, one that had proven that the citizens of
Aspect Nation were becoming younger, leaner, taller, and smarter.
My hypothesis had included a theory that President Barone had begun
using the MicroPharm, the ultimate evolutionary technology, to
create the ideal nation.
    I concluded my research with a very
subjective determination about how Darwin's Theory of Evolution
would have nothing on Barone's actual intervention with evolution.
I'd known when I wrote my opinion that Mom would not appreciate the
way I'd let my emotions show through in my paper. She'd drilled
into me the importance of remaining objective no matter what. That
didn't change the fact that my findings had been supported and
accurate. They'd been so obvious once compiled that I couldn't
pretend I didn't know what was happening within our nation's
borders.
    Unlike Hitler, Barone's version of the
perfect society had nothing to do with race or religion. He made
his decisions in the same pragmatic way a horse owner chooses mares
and stallions for breeding, in a way that increased the odds of
creating a colt worthy of winning the Triple Crown. Barone wanted
citizens that were young and healthy, ones who gave their nation
more than they took and required very little support from the
government.
    I saw in Mom's face that she was silently
screaming and begging for me not to say anything more about what I
knew to be true. She didn't need to tell me my findings were as
secret as they were dangerous.
    "If not us, Mom… who? If not now, Mom… when?
If we don't tell people what we know now, who will?" My voice was
quiet and pleading.
    In some ways, those words and my desperation
behind them tore Mom up more than anything I'd said or done in the
last few minutes. Her mouth opened. At that moment, I was sure she
had enough information to fill dozens of books and that she'd like
nothing more than to share her every secret with me.
    In the end, she shook her head and remained
quiet, deciding it was safest for us all if she kept what she knew
to herself. I could tell by looking at her that she knew more than
she'd ever told me… more than I'd heard through eavesdropping. I
could also tell that she didn't believe now was the time or the
place for her to share her information with me.
    Maybe one
day, I thought sadly before determination won out. No… not one day. Today. She needs to come
clean today.
    I was just about to open my mouth and insist
that her secrets—Barone's secrets—be aired here and now when Dad
stepped between Mom and me and leaned down into my face. Just like
the night he'd admitted he'd been forcing Jayden to spend time with
me, he'd decided I needed a healthy dose of reality, and he was
going to give it to me.
    " Carles Anise
Enoche , you and I need to speak outside," he said,
wrapping his hand around my arm and dragging me toward the door
where Jayden stood watch.
    Jayden stared at Dad's hand on my arm like
he wanted