then continued.
“DNA is like a master pattern from which living things can be replicated again and again. Inside each human cell are two complete copies of the human genome. Each set contains around seventy thousand genes on twenty-three sets of chromosomes.”
Ebersole’s hand remained on Flavia’s knee. Her skin crawled at his touch, but she didn’t flinch, encouraging Ebersole with a smile to continue his lecture. Ebersole removed his hand and pulled a book from a shelf above his desk. He opened it at random to a page near the middle and set it on Flavia’s lap.
“How shall we visualize it? Like this. You can think of the human genome like a book,” he said, pointing to the open page in the book. “It has twenty-three chapters called chromosomes. Each chapter contains thousands of paragraphs called genes. Each paragraph is made up of sentences called exons. Each sentence is composed of words called codons . And each word is written in letters called bases .”
“Okay, I’m with you.”
“But instead of being written on pages of paper, like this book, the human genome is written on long chains of sugar and phosphate called DNA molecules.”
“And how long is this book?” asked Flavia, warming to the analogy.
“There are over a billion words in the human genomic book. It’s as long as eight hundred King James Bibles. Incredible, no? If you were to read the human genome aloud at a rate of one second per word for eight hours a day, seven days a week, it would take over a hundred years to read it all.”
“Wow.”
It seemed to Flavia that Ebersole was dredging up every bit of information on DNA from his memory.
“You can think of human DNA as a message written in a code of chemicals, one chemical for each letter. The language of DNA is an alphabet with only four letters—A, C, G, and T—adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine. The DNA message carries the chemical instructions for assembling a new person.”
“A recipe for making humans?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes. DNA is the code for life, and that code has been replicated in every person who has ever lived. Some might call it the secret language of God.”
Seventeen
63rd Floor, Petronas Towers
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
“Here is what I propose,” said Tanaka to the group. “Decisive action.”
Tanaka’s demeanor radiated confidence and power. He looked into the eyes of each member of the Council in turn.
“The day after tomorrow begins the Ninth Annual International Biogenetics Conference at the Millennium Tower, only ten floors below the offices of Triad Genomics. Assembled at that conference will be most of the world’s leading geneticists. We have the opportunity, with one decisive action, to eliminate both the unascertained threat at Triad Genomics and to impede the progress of biogenetics research for decades. Research that threatens to uncover the secrets of the Genesis Code.”
“You propose that we destroy the Millennium Tower during the middle of the Biogenetics Conference?” asked a senior member of the Order. “That this Council should sanction the murder of hundreds of scientists? And the killing of thousands of innocent men and women who work in the Millennium Tower?”
Tanaka picked up a Japanese sword from its display stand and slid the blade from its scabbard.
“Some must be sacrificed for a higher purpose. It has always been so.”
Surveying the faces of the Council members, Tanaka knew that his will would prevail. There would be dissenters. But ultimately, he would strike them all down.
Tanaka swung the katana in an overhead arc, executing an offensive attack from the aikido school of martial arts.
“How long to set this course of action in motion?” asked a member of the Council.
“We can begin moving assets into place immediately. Zero-hour will be nine-fifteen A.M. on the first day of the Biogenetics Conference.”
Eighteen
Dante Giovanni’s Office
Executive Suite, Triad Genomics
Manhattan,
“DNA is like a master pattern from which living things can be replicated again and again. Inside each human cell are two complete copies of the human genome. Each set contains around seventy thousand genes on twenty-three sets of chromosomes.”
Ebersole’s hand remained on Flavia’s knee. Her skin crawled at his touch, but she didn’t flinch, encouraging Ebersole with a smile to continue his lecture. Ebersole removed his hand and pulled a book from a shelf above his desk. He opened it at random to a page near the middle and set it on Flavia’s lap.
“How shall we visualize it? Like this. You can think of the human genome like a book,” he said, pointing to the open page in the book. “It has twenty-three chapters called chromosomes. Each chapter contains thousands of paragraphs called genes. Each paragraph is made up of sentences called exons. Each sentence is composed of words called codons . And each word is written in letters called bases .”
“Okay, I’m with you.”
“But instead of being written on pages of paper, like this book, the human genome is written on long chains of sugar and phosphate called DNA molecules.”
“And how long is this book?” asked Flavia, warming to the analogy.
“There are over a billion words in the human genomic book. It’s as long as eight hundred King James Bibles. Incredible, no? If you were to read the human genome aloud at a rate of one second per word for eight hours a day, seven days a week, it would take over a hundred years to read it all.”
“Wow.”
It seemed to Flavia that Ebersole was dredging up every bit of information on DNA from his memory.
“You can think of human DNA as a message written in a code of chemicals, one chemical for each letter. The language of DNA is an alphabet with only four letters—A, C, G, and T—adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine. The DNA message carries the chemical instructions for assembling a new person.”
“A recipe for making humans?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes. DNA is the code for life, and that code has been replicated in every person who has ever lived. Some might call it the secret language of God.”
Seventeen
63rd Floor, Petronas Towers
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
“Here is what I propose,” said Tanaka to the group. “Decisive action.”
Tanaka’s demeanor radiated confidence and power. He looked into the eyes of each member of the Council in turn.
“The day after tomorrow begins the Ninth Annual International Biogenetics Conference at the Millennium Tower, only ten floors below the offices of Triad Genomics. Assembled at that conference will be most of the world’s leading geneticists. We have the opportunity, with one decisive action, to eliminate both the unascertained threat at Triad Genomics and to impede the progress of biogenetics research for decades. Research that threatens to uncover the secrets of the Genesis Code.”
“You propose that we destroy the Millennium Tower during the middle of the Biogenetics Conference?” asked a senior member of the Order. “That this Council should sanction the murder of hundreds of scientists? And the killing of thousands of innocent men and women who work in the Millennium Tower?”
Tanaka picked up a Japanese sword from its display stand and slid the blade from its scabbard.
“Some must be sacrificed for a higher purpose. It has always been so.”
Surveying the faces of the Council members, Tanaka knew that his will would prevail. There would be dissenters. But ultimately, he would strike them all down.
Tanaka swung the katana in an overhead arc, executing an offensive attack from the aikido school of martial arts.
“How long to set this course of action in motion?” asked a member of the Council.
“We can begin moving assets into place immediately. Zero-hour will be nine-fifteen A.M. on the first day of the Biogenetics Conference.”
Eighteen
Dante Giovanni’s Office
Executive Suite, Triad Genomics
Manhattan,
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