2142 - The Revealing Science: Green Deal Quartet, #3

By Jim Lowe

Brady knew two things.

He was the richest Trad in the world, and it had all been a little too easy.

 

Brady had everything he wanted, but it didn't feel quite right. He was the richest Trad in the world, and his wealth came from exploiting his criminal skills to the fullest extent. It was the fifty-eighth year of the one-hundred-year plan to save the planet, and Sattva Systems™ was leading the charge with their revolutionary nanotechnology and fusion power. Meanwhile the Trads, like Brady, were dying out in their millions.

Brady was a threat to the Green Revolution. Bodhi Sattva, however, had other plans for Brady, plans that would shake the foundation of the new Green World. As the stakes grew higher, and the consequences of their actions became more severe, no one could have imagined how it would all end. This science fiction series is both captivating and chilling in equal measure, a cautionary tale of what could happen if we don't take action to save our planet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jim Lowe
• Release date: Sep 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201540395

Jim Lowe

Jim Lowe was a bookseller for a UK retail chain for forty years but has now taken early retirement. He loves books and the creative arts. He is married to Cath and has two grown-up daughters, Beck and Katie. Jim is an active - some might say, an over-enthusiastic - member of his local community in the Worcester area and runs Facebook groups for musicians and writers of all backgrounds and levels of experience. He has also worked closely as a volunteer for BBC Introducing as a filmmaker, and his niche YouTube channel for local artists has had over 300,000 views. He has lived and worked in many locations in England including, Ashbourne, Braintree, Burton-Upon-Trent, Bury St Edmunds, Chelmsford, Derby - where he was born and remains a lifelong Rams fan - Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Tewkesbury and Worcester, where he has lived for more than twenty years.

Book preview

1.TWENTY-SECOND-CENTURY MAN

Brady Mahone stared out over the Pacific Ocean from a balcony of his luxurious Malibu home, which had been his pride and joy for the last forty-two years. The sun sparkled off the water on this chilly and bright January morning. He had a fleet of FusionCars™, FusionCoaches™, and FusionPlanes™ ready for use in his extensive grounds.

He wished he’d known his exact birth date.

It didn’t usually bother him - the not knowing - but this would have been a good year to celebrate. He thought he’d been born and then abandoned in the early part of 2042. As it was now early January in 2142, he would have had a party to commemorate his hundred years on the planet.

He had hardly aged in the past sixty years. He was a Trad, and he should barely be able to walk. However, apart from a trace of grey streaking his black hair, he was a picture of health and physical power.

He had explored many parts of the world in his FusionPlane™. Occasionally, he had taken large groups of friends overseas with him, in his FusionPassengerJet™, he didn’t mind his guests partying in their dull - to Brady - Green ways. He liked the thrill of flying his private jets. He sometimes thought back to the dividing days, pre-and post-Revolution and wondered whether the human race had progressed at all. When there used to be the Internet, people were obsessed with their appearance and looks to their friends in photographs. Now, the same vanity existed, but it was in the form of changing their appearance instantly. Ever since they developed the YellowSuits™ at the dawn of the Twenty-Second Century, and then with the advent of the BlueSuits™ a dozen or so years ago, they could now even change sex, or be no sex at all. Admittedly, it took an hour or two, but it caused Brady much consternation. He was a Trad and lived by his Trad values.

He moved away from his balcony and went for his morning shower. Hunter prepared his warm bath towels and robe for when he finished. He’d never really known how to describe Hunter’s role. He was still generously paid by Sattva Systems™; therefore, he wasn’t Brady’s servant, and he behaved like an old-fashioned butler. He was probably quite the fashion accessory back in the days of his pre-Revolution role, as he attended to Libby Skye, the Hollywood starlet’s every whim.

If he was good enough for her, why shouldn’t he be good enough for Brady Mahone? After all, I am probably the richest man in the world after Bodhi, of course.

Brady’s staff had his breakfast prepared for him as soon as he was ready. They kept watch to make sure the timing of their delivery was seamless and immaculate.

Who’d have thought I would have gone from being an ex-con on the run from Ridgecrest Supermax to this. I earned it, though. I worked hard and played the system.

Anytime he thought back to his prison days, he thought about his old friend, Lucky. He always regretted not returning to the Lopez Ranch to see them again after Lucian had betrayed him by staying with Mary-Lou. He was informed too late to have them buried and arrange a funeral for them. The Greens sprayed their decomposing Green goo over their dead bodies until they seeped back into the Earth - just like billions of other dead Trads. Later, he felt the pangs of guilt that the old Hodgson Ranch, had unmarked graves for the undeserving Hodgsons - the graves that Lucian had dug for them.

He had arranged for other Greens from West McFarland to look after his home. He couldn’t bring himself to let his Foster Daddy’s house fall into disrepair. It had been fifty-eight years since Archie Mahone had taken his own life, and yet to Brady, it felt like only a fraction of that time elapsed. Such was the glacial rate of ageing among the Green population. It gave the impression of time standing still.

He had witnessed some Greens die of natural causes. With their indestructible RedSuits™, coupled with the upgrade that followed - the NanoHealing™ of the OrangeSuits™, he thought they had the potential to live forever. Libby died at one-hundred and fourteen. Cain felt the need to explain to Brady that the promise, except for unforeseen circumstances and accidents, to the Green Communities, when the OrangeSuits™ were launched, was that anybody born before the Green Revolution of 2084 should live to at least one-hundred-years of age. He also forecasted that many could live well beyond that age. The most significant advantage from a Green living to one-hundred and a Trad would be the quality of life - and death. They would be healthy, active and feel decades younger than they would in the equivalent Trad years, but then, when they died, their bodies would give up at a time they were sleeping - there would be no fear and minor pain.

That wasn’t the case for Judge Audre Jefferson of East McFarland. On the last day, he had left the message for them, behind the timetable at the abandoned bus shelter on the outskirts of town. He was informed of her death. Officer Norbert had said that she died peacefully in her sleep, but Brady knew a liar when he saw one. She had been racked in pain with her crippling rheumatoid arthritis, and he could all too easily imagine the agony of her last moments on Earth.

I’m a Trad, but my body acts like a Green, even though I’ve never been tempted to have their NanoSuits™. He remembered his Pops’ words that he used to say to him when he discussed his crazy alien invasion conspiracy theories. They’ll come with out of this world gifts, and you’ll want them, but it’s all about mind control, boy. The moment you give in to temptation - that’s how they get ya, son.

After Judge Jefferson had died and before East McFarland was laid to waste in Brady’s words or re-wilded in the Green’s version of events - he had the Los Banos files relocated back to his old home at the Mahone Ranch.

He guessed that Cain, Lizzie, Siddha, and who knows, maybe even Genesis Garcia and Bodhi himself, might have gone through them. He didn’t care. He had destroyed the Tiberius Files, as per his agreement, with which he had attempted? Succeeded? In blackmailing Bodhi Sattva. If they had found evidence within them that would cause them discomfort, then so be it. By letting them have the opportunity to view it, then this made Brady Mahone appear transparent and honest. They would be cautious about removing evidence if it made it clear which part of the history of conspiracy and fraud they were worried about. And in any case, if they should destroy it all, accidentally on purpose with a spillage of Green goo - then he still had the two hundred plus pages of the summary of their crimes in the binder that Judge Audre Jefferson had made especially for Brady. She had written it in as simple terms as possible to suit his truncated educational development, and he had this in his possession at his Malibu home.

He had an extensive wardrobe to choose from, but he still liked to dress simply in his white T-shirt, blue jeans and black sneakers. One of the most important he had Hunter do for him every few months was to keep his antique trench-length Poacher’s coat maintained. Hunter somehow managed to get hold of some textile repairing NanoFixant™ to make it like new when it was almost worn out. He wondered if he had reached out to Bodhi and his team. Bodhi will do almost anything to keep me happy - I love that guy!

After breakfast, Brady flicked through the pages of an antique coffee-table book called the Times Atlas of the World. It was a book from the late twentieth century, and it had maps of the world from how it used to be. He had become bored with the old city breaks. It was fun for a while to go and see things like the Eiffel Tower toppled over and rusted, and then on a further visit a decade later, seeing it covered in vegetation, but now you needed a GreenGuide with local knowledge to find where these structures used to be. It was nice to see the local species of wildlife that had returned to their old habitats. Brady liked animals and even plant-life, but now he hankered after the big species.

Brady perused his books on African animals and botany. He slowly made a list of animals and birds he’d like to draw. He considered who he’d like to take with him on safari. He had friends all over the world. Whenever Brady visited, he was greeted like a VIP, as he was the owner of BMEE, Brady Mahone Entertainment Enterprises. He would ostensibly be there to check up on the business, but it was primarily for leisure and pleasure with Brady. He usually travelled with free samples of the latest discoveries of ancient TV, movies and Trad music. He liked the professionalism of the look of the Black Files, which were manufactured by Sattva Systems™. Not that his customers knew that. As far as they were concerned, Brady Mahone was an entrepreneur whose net worth was over five-hundred-million Green Credits - this in a Green world where the hardest workers, and therefore the wealthiest of a Green Community might only have ten to twenty thousand Green Credits to their name.

He decided that he would take the four sales competition winners for this year with him. Last year, the prize was a month in China, and all four winners were women. Brady smiled as he reflected on the fun, he had with them. He hadn’t been supplied with the data for the best performing BMEE Reps from the Western States of America in 2141 yet.

He made a few calls on his Satt™ to confirm the results and inform the lucky winners. He told them to get them in place for the coming Saturday, and he would personally pick them up in his FusionCoach™ from their homes. He wanted to make a big show in their respective Green Districts - and then jet them over to Africa for a month-long safari.

2.FREQUENT FLYER

He landed his FusionPlane™ in open ground in Green Cape Town. His USA Rep, Steve Dorsey had called ahead on his Satt™ to ensure a greeting party would welcome him. Brady was one of the few people in the world who would be considered like the celebrities and Hollywood stars from the old days. He was undoubtedly one of the few who would be allowed to be treated this way in the New Green World.

The proverbial red-carpet treatment would only be given to Continental Disciples, but they would usually eschew it on the grounds of equality of all its Green Citizens. Brady had no such qualms. He enjoyed the attention and believed he had earned their respect. In a world of the equally rich - and similarly poor, he was a super-rich entertainment mogul. His only concession to his magisterial status was that he liked to do the flying.

He alighted the plane to be welcomed by the Northern South African Regional Disciple, Lubanzi Khumalo. He was black, but he surrounded by people of a variety of races. Lubanzi opened his arms wide and embraced Brady warmly. ‘Our people have wondered when you would visit our great Green Communities. It is so good to finally meet you. Come, I will introduce you to some of our most dedicated Green workers.’

Brady shook hands and shared pleasantries with a few dozen Green South Africans. He also introduced them to his four Reps - one of them gave Brady his free samples suitcase. Brady noted that there was a FusionCar™ and a couple of FusionCoaches™ waiting. Lubanzi said, ‘You can travel with me in the FusionCar™ and work on a potential itinerary - if that’s ok with you?’

‘Yeah, sure.’

‘I’m sure you would like to do a bit of sight-seeing while you are here. We have a rich history to discover.’

Brady approved of the way Lubanzi drove - he was quick and didn’t wait for the FusionCoaches™ to keep up. He hated going anywhere at a crawl. ‘I’m not big into history, and haven’t your old buildings fully decayed, yet?’

‘Not completely, my friend. There are still remnants of Cape Town City Hall, a new hill has formed around it, or maybe you’d care to see the Union Buildings in Pretoria, they both have historical links with Nelson Mandela.’

‘Who’s that?’

Lubanzi tried to hide his dismay, ‘He was the greatest man in South African history.’

‘When?’ Brady always seemed to have to go through this with foreign dignitaries.

‘From the mid to late twentieth century.’

‘I’m supposed to know about a guy who lived nearly two-hundred years ago. Anyway, aren’t we supposed to be looking to the future, y’know, the planet, in your case, and business opportunities in mine?’

Lubanzi didn’t have an immediate answer, so he continued to focus on the road ahead of him. Brady looked out of the window. He had expected to see a desert landscape and not the verdant greens of vibrant grassland and tall trees in the distance. Lubanzi tried another approach - he was talking to a businessman. Therefore, he had to sell his idea. He didn’t want his District Disciples to see that he wasn’t getting along with one of the most important visitors in post-Revolution history. He said, ‘How about the Palace of the Lost City. It’s in Sun City.’ He neglected to mention that it was only a grandly named hotel.

Brady nodded to signify his interest had been piqued. He liked the idea of lost cities - it sounded adventurous. Lubanzi continued now he felt a sense of encouragement, ‘It used to be a palatial property fit for a queen...’

Used to be. My home is like that - it was built for the Queen of Sattva.

‘...Most of the grounds and property has, of course, been re-wilded. However, it overlooks the stunning Pilanesburg Green Game Reserve. You could go on safari there with our Sun City District Disciple - she’s an expert on the wildlife and fauna of the area.’

Brady said, ‘Like what, precisely.’

‘Lions and leopards...’

‘That’s more like it. What else have you got?’

‘My friend, you have to see the Cape buffalo, elephants and rhinoceros.’

Brady laughed, ‘Yes! I’d love to see all of those.’

Lubanzi may have been dismayed by Brady’s lack of history knowledge, but his enthusiasm for nature enhanced his Green credentials. ‘Since the Green Revolution, these species have thrived and can be seen in an abundance. You are going to see the giant herds. They are among the most spectacular sights you could see anywhere in the world.’

Brady said, ‘I would be truly grateful if you could organise that for my competition winners and me. I can meet the people over the next couple of days, y’know, to do my duty and all that, and then we could do the Safari.’

‘Leave it to me. Sattva Systems™ wants you to enjoy your stay.’

As they pulled up into Green Cape Town, the streets were lined with Greens of all ages. Brady said, ‘We’ll get out here. I’ll work the crowd.’

Brady got out of the car, and the crowd cheered him. His Polynesian skin shimmered like bronze in the sparkling sunlight. He put on his designer sunglasses which had once belonged to Xavier Kane, and he had his NanoRepaired™ white T-shirt, jeans and sneakers. All Brady’s garments had to be renewed by Sattva Systems™ for him, as there hadn’t been a textile industry since the turn of the century. He knew it was always good PR for Brady Mahone’s Entertainment Enterprises for him, personally, to concentrate on giving out his free samples of Kid’s TV shows from history to the children - it also worked like a charm on the females in the crowd. He didn’t have to get lucky. By now, luck didn’t have anything to do with his well-rehearsed pickup routines.

He gave out his free samples to the children and his middle-of-the-road wares to the adults - anything too stimulating would attract the Security Protocols™ machines, which would effectively cling-film anybody who became over-excited. It didn’t matter to Brady what the content was, as long as they sold and kept his fortune accumulating.

Brady hardly noticed the Security Protocols™ machines anymore, even though his friends would report that they could usually spot them around Brady if they caught a glimpse of them out of the corners of their eyes. They theorised that now the Green communities had lived with them for the best part of sixty years they were hardly required anymore. On the other hand, Brady believed they were instructed to follow him, as they had got him out of several tricky situations over the years. He had the feeling that his welfare was a high priority to Bodhi Sattva and the rest of his Sattva Systems™ Disciples. He never fully trusted Bodhi Sattva, even though Bodhi could not have been more honest and caring with him over their frequent and regular meetings. He dwelt on his relationship as he went into autopilot with the crowd. In every place he visited outside his native Californian home, this was a routine job. Apart from the profits, the only thing that made this worthwhile, was the hunt for an accommodating woman.

He worked the crowd, and he felt the silky caress of a young and beautiful black woman. She had casually touched his hand as she selected her free sample. He handed her a Hollywood movie from the 2040s. He gave her the Black File with the movie title in tiny writing on one side, and on the reverse the BMEE logo with the Diamondback rattlesnake threading through the yellow blocked letters. He looked up into her brown eyes with his own. She said, ‘Your skin is so soft for a hundred-year-old Trad.’

‘What did you expect? A doddering old man?’ He staggered around mockingly, she laughed - as did the crowd around her. ‘Maybe later, you might allow me the pleasure of checking if your skin is as soft as mine. I would like to explore what lies behind that NanoSuit™ of yours.’

She smiled as Lubanzi whispered to Brady and then nodded to her. Brady’s work here was done. He had arranged his evening’s entertainment.

The only thing that put a dampener on his ardour was never knowing exactly which sex his conquests were, originally. It didn’t matter to the selected Green, but it still irked Brady. Most of his sleeping partners were savvy enough to lie to him and profess they were born female, as Brady was a Trad who gave off primitive alpha-male signals. He had wondered whether the Disciples had been briefed ahead of his visits because the potentially confusing relationship issues had become more infrequent in recent years.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING, another woman knocked at his host’s door and, informed him that she was the Sun City Regional Disciple, and she was going to be his guide for his time in Sun City. Brady was in his underwear. ‘Ok. Give us a moment.’

She smiled, ‘Don’t worry. I’ll wait while you make yourself ready. It’s going to be a busy schedule.’

He stepped back inside his temporary partner’s home. He showered, dressed, grabbed a coffee and kissed his sleepy partner goodbye. She was exhausted. He then ventured out into another bright sunshiny day. His host was waiting for Brady in her FusionCar™. He had long since lost the disappointment that every FusionCar™, in every country, looked precisely the same - they were all cream-coloured ceramic vehicles adorned with the same moss-green Sattva Systems™ logos. These Greens have no imagination.

Brady jumped into the car like an excitable child waiting to go to the seaside. He looked at her and thought she looked more Asian than South African. But what do I know? He introduced himself unnecessarily, ‘Hi. I’m Brady. Brady Mahone.’

‘Hello, Brady. I’m Precious.’

‘I’m sure you are.’

She laughed politely at the joke she had heard about a thousand times. She lied, ‘I’m the Regional Disciple of Green Sun City. This is going to be a very long journey.’ She added, ‘You can pop your case of entertainment samples in the back.’

‘How long is the ride?’

‘It’s about fifteen hours by FusionCar™, and that’s with no stops. So, we’ll split the trip over two days. I’ve got plenty of supplies. I do hope we get along as we will only have each other for company, and these FusionCars™ are at best, cosy, shall we say.’

He wasn’t sure if she was flirting with him, even though he knew Disciples weren’t allowed or chose to abstain from the pleasures of Brady Mahone. He always suspected the Disciples as playing him as a fool, even though he had made countless Green friends across the globe. The Disciples still had an air of superiority toward him. They didn’t do this overtly, as their Security Protocols™ regarding others’ humiliation wouldn’t allow it. However, he suspected them of disrespecting him and his business achievements. He believed they were just subtle about how they did it. He said, ‘Couldn’t we take a FusionPlane™? We could get there in no time.’

‘Normally, we would. However, we are staying at the Pilanesburg Green Game Reserve, and the sub-sonic booms of the FusionPlanes™ disturb them. That’s why we have a no-fly zone over it.’

‘What would have happened if I had flown over it?’

‘Are you aware of the reflection shield around your FusionPlanes™, which pushes birds and insects away from your path?’

‘Yes. Some clever shit. And it keeps my windshield clean.’

‘Well, it’s a similar system from the grounds of the Protected Species Reserves. They push out a repelling signal which would have gently forced your FusionPlane™ around the no-fly zone.’

Brady accepted her explanation. ‘Couldn’t we have all travelled by FusionCoach™ with my colleagues?’ It might have been more fun.

‘I have to make a detour over to Prieska. I’m having a few problems with the District Disciple there.’

‘What does that matter to me?’

‘Bodhi wants to test him, and you seem to be the source of Disciple Pastor Jacob’s ire.’ She laughed. ‘You are not in any danger Mr Mahone, and this is a business