Genesis Code, (Book 1, Genesis Series)

Chapter 20

Daphne Gilchrist paced at the top of the large meeting room which adjoined her ESC office on Level Seven. A huge oval-shaped walnut table sat on a circular cream-and-black rug. Twelve hand-carved chairs hugged the table's edge. A painting with a concentric pattern of rings in black and charcoal grey hung on one wall, representing the force fields that protected levels five through to seven.

Suzanne Brett, overseer for Level Five, and nine representatives for the ITF security branches ranging from London to Bangladesh sat around the table. They had power in their respective roles, but were subordinates in Daphne's presence.

'So, people, what are we going to do?' said Daphne, checking her grey trouser suit for lint. She touched her red hair, curled under at the nape of her neck that made her look younger than her eighty-eight years.

The reps stayed silent.

She locked eyes with Simon Shaw, the rep for the London ITF office, where Bill Taggart was stationed. He looked away from her penetrating stare. Daphne knew she wasn't an easy person to deal with but she despised shows of weakness.

Her father had been a strong, domineering character, who ruled her weak-willed mother with an iron fist. Daphne had learned how to use the same tactics in the boardroom. All her mother had taught her was that she would never become a doormat.

She sat down at the head of the table and tapped her nail on the table's lacquered surface. Her male personal assistant sat to her right.

'It appears from Bill Taggart's preliminary report that we face a serious problem with these Indigenes. They have the advantage and Deighton isn't happy. What I need are solutions. Raise your hand if you want to speak.'

She liked formality, structure. She had spent a large part of her working life in Osaka, Japan.

Simon Shaw, head of the London ITF office, raised his hand. He cleared his throat.

'Bill Taggart is the best investigator to come out of my office. His performance on other missions has been exemplary and I am confide—'

'I know exactly where he came from, Shaw,' said Daphne. 'I placed him there myself, if you recall. I don't need you to recite his credentials.​ If that's all you have to say—'

'No. What I'm trying to say is that we should wait until Taggart gets here for the debriefing. I'm suggesting we hear him out. I'm confident he'll have come up with another solution to track down the Indigenes.'

She locked her eyes on Shaw's thin face and grey eyes. He wasn't much older than Taggart. 'We can't lose all progress made so far on the faint hope that Mr Taggart will know what to do. It's our job to determine the best course of this investigation, not him. What happened this morning was no mistake. His team executed his plan as instructed and it failed. Plain and simple. Bill Taggart is not ready to lead the investigation.'

'I'm not saying he's perfect, but—'

'Someone else who is not part of the London office, please.'

Shaw sat back in his chair, eyes blazing.

Touchy-feely emotions had no place in Daphne's office. She had dealt with some of the toughest personalities during her twenty years as CEO of the Earth Security Centre. She knew how to play the game the way the men did.

The representative from the Bangladesh office raised his hand. Daphne nodded at him to proceed. 'Was there an issue with the military personnel Taggart had been assigned?' he said. 'I heard there was insubordination among the ranks.'

'Nothing more than usual with those flatheads,' said Daphne. 'I'm looking for real suggestions, people.'

The rep from the Tokyo office stood up and bowed to his host. 'Please, Ms Gilchrist-san. How much does Taggart know about our situation?'