Gene of Isis

It didn’t matter either way; the point was that I loved him. I could finish Ashlee’s journal at some later date. It was time for me to turn all the knowledge I had gained in the past few days into a plan. ‘The first thing I need is a stone.’

I headed outside to begin my search, when the sound of helicopters approaching sent a chill through my body. There was enough time to have the grand opening of the gateway this afternoon and the team would be eager to test my theory as soon as possible.

I need more time to prepare! I panicked inside. I have no hope of succeeding without Albray. My eyes dropped to the ground to scour the rocky landscape for a stone in the form of a ring.

‘Mia! I have returned!’ Andre spied me searching around a pile of rocks near our campsite. He threw down his hand luggage and approached with arms wide. ‘A great day for making history, don’t you think?’ He indicated the cloudless sky and the hot sun pelting down, before he hugged me tight and kissed both my cheeks.

‘Yes, wonderful.’ I forced myself to sound enthusiastic, my eyes still scanning the ground.

‘Have you lost something?’ Andre noted my distraction.

‘You could say that.’

‘Not to worry.’ He embraced my shoulders with one arm and squeezed. ‘I feel sure it is nothing compared to what you are about to find.’ Andre spotted the huge addition to our campsite. ‘What is this?’

‘It’s Molier’s mobile home and office,’ I informed him.

‘Molier is here!’ Andre was so excited that he let me go and headed off toward the container. ‘This is fantastic! Come, I must introduce you.’ He turned and beckoned me forth.

‘We’ve met, actually.’ I declined, remaining where I was.

‘This is great.’ Andre was referring to Molier’s presence. ‘Now there will surely be no delays. Today is the day, Mia.’ He winked. ‘I make you famous!’ He strode off and knocked on Molier’s door, before I had the chance to suggest that tomorrow might be better.

Tusca Resi opened the door and invited Andre inside.

How much do Molier’s associates actually know about him? They all seemed blissfully unaware that he was a centuries-old, shape-shifting, blood-drinking demon.

As the secretary waved to me and I returned the gesture, I considered that perhaps I did wish to see Molier again.

There is no point in having psychic ability if you don’t use it! I recalled Albray’s words of wisdom.

I held up a finger to Tusca to implore her to hold the door as I ran to join the meeting. Time to confirm Molier’s identity one way or the other.

Molier met with us around the same table upon which we’d had dinner the night before, but today it had a boardroom function.

‘You have the shipment of powder I ordered?’ Molier questioned Andre, as I quietly focused my third eye upon Molier’s aura.

‘Oui,’ Andre confirmed, a little puzzled, ‘but if you were coming for the grand opening, then why did you not bring the crate with you?’

A very good question. My gaze did not waver from Molier, despite my mind wandering. I was finding it much harder to perceive Molier’s aura than I had Akbar’s this morning—perhaps my energies were too scattered.

‘My presence here was a spur-of-the-moment decision…’ Molier said ‘…that I made after arranging the shipment. Clearly, my modes of travel are far speedier than those of your average freighting company,’ he joked. ‘But the important thing is that the shipment is now here.’

Just what had suddenly inspired Molier to attend the opening? He would have already been aware of my presence on-site when he’d sent the shipment of ORME powder. Had he discovered Albray’s presence? That certainly might have inspired him to come to oversee the operation and ensure that his old rival didn’t get in the way.

I gave up on trying to scrutinise Molier’s aura, as I was far too interested in the conversation. ‘How did you manage to get your hands on the hidden cache of ORME that Petrie uncovered in 1904?’

‘My family managed to purchase a very small sample of that original cache—’ he began.

‘But the crate we took possession of is huge!’ emphasised Andre.

‘That is because ORME production is now a thriving operation among governments and corporate players who control the gold and PGM supplies.’ Molier grinned.

‘PGMs?’ Andre queried.

‘Platinum Group Metals…traces of which often exist as silvery deposits in gold and are usually extracted from gold to ensure its purity. When the atoms of these metals are set into a high-spin state you get ORME—an Orbitally Rearranged Monatomic Element that is highly superconductive,’ I explained without thinking. It would probably have been better for Molier to believe me ignorant on the subject.

‘You have been doing your homework, Dr Montrose,’ Molier granted. ‘The manufacture is all very hush-hush, of course. ORME was rediscovered in 1996 by a simple farmer, of all people. Once he discovered the superconductivity and other inexplicable, exotic properties of the substance, he planned to go into full-scale public production of the substance and sell it to whoever wanted it. But due to the great potential of this substance for all manner of research into fuel cells, anti-gravity, DNA and nanotechnology, the original rediscoverer of ORME was regulated out of existence by certain government departments. The farmer had been warned that if certain corporations weren’t a secret partner in selected ventures the project would never be allowed to go ahead.’

‘You wouldn’t happen to own one of those said corporations, would you, Mr Molier?’ I asked, but the man only smiled in response.

‘The small sample of the original substance found by Petrie has served to confirm that we have indeed