Fleur Echory Residence
District 14, Hatermoor
23rd of January, 2157
8:15 NPM
The metal doors of a three-story mansion slowly opened as the scanner identified the arrival of a car that night. It was Lars. The neurosurgeon then drove his car back into the parking lot. Lars stepped in a bit after closing the car door, worried that something might happen to Philip, his important, exclusive, and surely expensive patient.
But what Lars saw as soon as the main door of the mansion opened made him heave a sigh of relief. Philip sat on the sofa in the living room, reading something on his gadget while sipping a cup of hot tea.
"Lars, come in, have a seat," he ordered. Lars nodded, then sat opposite the middle-aged man. "Why did you call me, sir?"
Philip took a sip of his cinnamon brew for a moment, then said, "I hear you will dissect Rachel Richmann and insert the gene and the microchip tomorrow. Is that true?"
Lars nodded, "Yeah, that's right. What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, but I just wanted to confirm its success. What do you think? That girl is very arrogant, and I will laugh at her if this experiment fails in the final stages, but on the other hand, I won't let her get hurt, maimed, or even die, because of her snobbery in that research," Philip explained matter-of-factly.
Lars gasped, taking a moment to digest Philip's intention. "I have a question for you: if you don't like Rachel, why do you care so much about her?"
"Because she is today's most influential scientist, Lars."
"What exactly is the purpose of your concern? Rachel won't even accept your offer to serve in parliament, or simply to become a cadre of the political party you lead." Lars was a little mad.
Philip sighed, "Rachel is not an ordinary scientist, Lars. She is a businesswoman as well as a national hero in many circles. What comes out of her mouth will drive the opinions of thousands, or even millions, of people at once..."
Philip continued, "She has to be controlled because, otherwise, her power can manifest excessively and ultimately be destructive."
"Control? What are you going to do?" Lars became a little curious. His heart was already irritated by Philip's choice of words, which Lars felt were overpowering. Rachel Richmann under your control? Oh my God, that's rude.
"Set the experiment's success rate lower, Lars," Philip finally answered. "You can control it."
Lars frowned again, "You want me to thwart the experiment? You're out of your mind, Mr. Prime Minister!" He screamed quietly. This man in front of him is so light-mouthed that he doesn't even feel guilty at all, judging by his expression.
"You'd be no less insane to think that I wanted that precious Rachel Richmann dead just like that. I just wanted you to... delay the success of the research without hurting her."
"Yes, but why is that?"
"Because I need to put some pressure on her. If she succeeds, you can imagine how many synthetic oxygen and food companies would be paralyzed by her invention." Philip shook his head somewhat dramatically, "I can't afford to lose the support of those entrepreneurs, although I do support what Cyclops Intelligence has been doing all this time."
Lars smiled crookedly, "It's really you, Prime Minister. Placing yourself as if you care about both of these counteractive things, but all you do is think about which one is most beneficial to yourself. I don't think we're so close that you could order me to trick Rachel Richmann." he said sarcastically.
"You need to know that she is my only friend, and I wouldn't let someone like you touch even a single strand of her hair." Lars finally got up from his seat, bowed respectfully, and said, "Next time, please just call me to take care of your central nervous system disease, nothing else. This conversation is so ridiculous…"
"I don't think it's completely ridiculous."
Someone was coming, distracting Lars and Philip, who were on the verge of a cold tussle in the large room.
"Rachel Richmann does need to be stopped a bit, but that's not the right way to go, Mr. Prime Minister..."
"What are you doing here, Niels?" Lars asked the man, Niels Geyer, whom he had known for a long time on some academic forums.
"Sit down, Niels, Lars. It's very rude of you to stand in front of me like that." Philip changed the topic. The small talk was priceless. But Niels and Lars finally complied, at least out of respect for the man much more senior than them.
"What do you want to tell me?" Philip asked Niels this time, the one who was still carrying a laboratory suit in his hand. He sighed a little, "I want you to bring Rachel Richmann to the scientists' forum. She is very stubborn and didn't respond to all the criticism I made at length to her."
"Surely, she won't respond to your criticism, Niels."
"She read it, without replying. It's so annoying. If only I had met her, we might have had a big argument. Too bad I don't have time for that."
"I'm not sure I can hold a meeting like that, also for Rachel to attend such an agenda. Moreover, the experiment is planned for tomorrow," Philip said, glancing at Lars who was glaring at him. "So, I say there's no other way to keep the scientist from going crazy than to give her a bit of a drag on success."
"Don't choose a dirty way, Prime Minister," objected Niels. "All of this matter can be discussed amicably. How hard is it to hold a scientific forum? You are the most powerful person in the federation right now."
"Yes, indeed, with my orders, anything can happen. But opening this research further to scientists also opens up opportunities for greater horrors. Don't forget that Rachel Richmann is an experienced lobbyist and instigator. What if the forum turns into her side?"
"At least I won't side with her."
"Then meet her personally."
Niels was barely silent.
"Why? You don't even dare?"
"No, I was just reluctant and never met her at all. I don't even know her face."
"It doesn't matter. Do you want to see her? I can help you," Lars offered. But Niels frowned, "Why are you trying to lower the success rate of the experiment?"
Lars sighed, "To be honest, I still think this experiment is too extreme. In the early stages, the success might be high, but I'm still undecided about predicting what the future holds for someone living with those microchip genes in their brains. For now, I will just try to be fully professional as her worker."
"That's what I meant," continued Niels. "Rachel Richmann could have caused far more damage if she persisted with her ideas and thoughts. As a fellow human, I'm also worried that something bad will happen to her as a short-term side effect after the gene and microchip insertion."
"Look, we all care about her." Philip took another sip of his drink and said, "If you don't want to do it, that's fine, Lars. I'll ask someone else who is braver than you."
Niels and Lars furrowed their brows in unison, "Who?"
"Lore Hasenclever."