Philanthropist

By Lyall De’Viana

A brother and a sister embark on a terrifying journey of not only studying the most notorious mass murderers in history, but meeting those murderers face to face with the use of advanced technology.

It was a chance to meet some of the people who made history, albeit in a bad way. What made them tick? For Kate, it was a chance to help further study the human race, a part of her earthly mission.

Kate has a few secrets up her sleeve, and Blake is none the wiser. The most sinister secret is that Kate is not of this world.

With this in mind, Kate and Blake recruit experts in their respective fields. Having built a high-tech lab with simulation and time travel technology, they begin to collect subjects (Kate, using her powers, does the actual collection. Everybody else thinks it is the technology that is in use). Some of the most notorious serial killers, dictators, facilitators and perpetrators of mass murders/genocides are assembled in the lab.

Kate finds herself having to keep her true identity and her powers a secret, even from Blake.

 

Blake finds himself getting sucked into the dark world of serial killing. He begins to imitate none other than Jack the Ripper, but doesn’t tell anyone, including his sister. One of the experiments on the subjects goes wrong as a mystery woman breaks into the lab and brutally murders two of the subjects.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Apr 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9781398420106

Lyall De’Viana

My name is Lyall De’Viana and as you will know from my home page, I am a first-time author and a big believer in everyone there is a story. I was born in Kenya in the ’60s and as a family, we moved here to the UK for a better life. I am single and have never been married. I have lived most of my life in London and think this is one of the most wonderful cities in the world. I often spend nights out in London. Anything to do with music is a passion. I love it and need it for inspiration. I have spent most of my life involved in sports until a very unfortunate event that changed my life completely. I have been trying to turn that event into a positive and found that it evoked dreams and nightmares. Well, that’s what I thought at the time. There were scenes playing out in my mind that I had no idea about at the time. My first fiction novel Philanthropist, was a huge surprise if only I knew. It took a few years of writing down on scrap bits of paper the scenes that ran into the hundreds, some of which I ended up losing. LOL, I received some help for my trauma and began to realise that my mind was being held back by someone. After recognising this, I managed to overcome the difficulties and embarked on what my scraps of paper were. Lo and behold, the beginning of a novel. I would one day love to share not just my story but my early drafts of what Philanthropist looked like. I was laughable but kept on growing. I can say that I am a very sociable person. A responsible human being that has developed a great sense of humour to life’s little cheats and looked forward enthusiastically ‘As a student of life’ to the challenging times ahead. My friends say that I am a very funny interesting man with a good sense of humour. I love to meet new people who are happy to meet me. Friendship is such an important human value; we often discover new things about each other and my skills continue to develop in so many ways. The current goal I’m striving for is to complete my next novel Life Trader. Sure I’ve had many bad experiences, like most people. I have just found a way and am grateful to be able to grow and become the person that my beautiful girlfriend Caroline wanted me to be R.I.P. Love to hear from any of my readers that would like to know more and discuss my journey. Hopefully, I can help a few other people along my way.

Book preview

About the Author

My name is Lyall De’Viana and as you will know from my home page, I am a first-time author and a big believer in everyone there is a story. I was born in Kenya in the ’60s and as a family, we moved here to the UK for a better life. I am single and have never been married. I have lived most of my life in London and think this is one of the most wonderful cities in the world.

I often spend nights out in London. Anything to do with music is a passion. I love it and need it for inspiration.

I have spent most of my life involved in sports until a very unfortunate event that changed my life completely. I have been trying to turn that event into a positive and found that it evoked dreams and nightmares. Well, that’s what I thought at the time. There were scenes playing out in my mind that I had no idea about at the time. My first fiction novel Philanthropist, was a huge surprise if only I knew.

It took a few years of writing down on scrap bits of paper the scenes that ran into the hundreds, some of which I ended up losing. LOL, I received some help for my trauma and began to realise that my mind was being held back by someone. After recognising this, I managed to overcome the difficulties and embarked on what my scraps of paper were.

Lo and behold, the beginning of a novel. I would one day love to share not just my story but my early drafts of what Philanthropist looked like. I was laughable but kept on growing. I can say that I am a very sociable person. A responsible human being that has developed a great sense of humour to life’s little cheats and looked forward enthusiastically ‘As a student of life’ to the challenging times ahead.

My friends say that I am a very funny interesting man with a good sense of humour. I love to meet new people who are happy to meet me. Friendship is such an important human value; we often discover new things about each other and my skills continue to develop in so many ways.

The current goal I’m striving for is to complete my next novel Life Trader. Sure I’ve had many bad experiences, like most people. I have just found a way and am grateful to be able to grow and become the person that my beautiful girlfriend Caroline wanted me to be R.I.P.

Love to hear from any of my readers that would like to know more and discuss my journey. Hopefully, I can help a few other people along my way.

Dedication

This book is for two people;

My daughter Miia, who I would like to wish lots of love and encouragement to carry on her journey through life.

Daddy always loves you xx

My Cheeky Monk

and to the one true love I lost, Caroline. April 1st 1956–December 12th,

2012 – R.I.P.

I love you, rest in peace, Caroline, until we meet again.

Copyright Information ©

Lyall De’Viana 2023

The right of Lyall De’Viana to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398420090 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398420106 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2023

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgement

I’m hugely indebted to my brother, Max, for the love and devotion in helping me make this happen.

To my fellow martial artists and friends Geoff Thompson and Janice Argyle Thompson for continuing to give hope and opportunity to young people of disaffection and disadvantage throughout the world through the work of the Youth Charter – www.youthcharter.co.uk.

Thank you to all my test guinea pigs that I had to rely on over the years.

This last thank you may sound a bit strange but I’d like to say thank you to all – for obvious reasons I cannot mention them by name – the Unloyal, Narcissistic, Vindictive, Jealous people that have walked into my life. Without you, I could not have written this novel. Thank you for helping me make this so much better.

Chapter One

The Beginning

Having worked relentlessly hard for many years, one day Blake was sitting in a board meeting and for some reason, he was unable to concentrate on business and began to feel somewhat disturbed within himself. As the meeting went on, he began to feel more and more unsettled and asked for the meeting to be adjourned for ten minutes. During this time, he left the board room and went back to his office to try to get some peace and quiet so as to understand why he felt this way. He solemnly sat in silence and began to realise he wanted something more than success in business. He craved to take time to follow some of his passions in life. A few minutes later, he regained his composure and returned to the board meeting where he sat unable to fully listen to the next acquisition for his company. Still unable to concentrate on business, the trouble within his mind began to grow. He decided to leave the meeting and retire to his office.

Back in his office, he sat there deep in thought, consumed with mixed emotions and feelings towards his biggest desire, followed by a recurring dream of what could be his biggest passion! To complete a collection not of people’s works but of people themselves. He sat there thinking how exciting it would be, to be in the presence of some of the most symbolic, notorious people in history. He longed to understand how some of these individuals could commit such atrocities coupled with moments of genius. The excitement of trying to understand them and their way of thinking was overwhelming. Both Blake and his sister Kate had spent many hours debating these individuals in mankind’s history.

After some time had passed in his office, Blake came to the conclusion that he had reached a point in his life where he needed a change in direction. He promptly got up and re-assembled the board members. He stood there firmly and asked the members for their attention.

I would like to announce to you all that I have decided to step down from my position as CEO and take a back seat to pursue other interests. I am hoping to tie up my loose ends by the end of the month, Blake explained.

There was a somewhat mixed reaction to this decision from the bemused board members. Nevertheless, Blake declared his intentions. A month later, he had tied up all the company’s loose ends and left the headquarters. On his way home that evening, he had decided it was time to explain to Kate why he wanted to change direction in his life.

At 6:30 pm that evening in the family home, Blake sat down to dinner with Kate and he began to explain what had happened to him during the board meeting, that day, a month ago.

I feel as though I have collected everything that I can possibly get my hands on that is of any interest to add to my collection. However, the emptiness will not dissipate and I need to know more. I feel as if I want to know what is going through the minds of the people I’m collecting from. I’ve got this burning desire to try to understand them, I feel as though it’s just not enough for me to have their items. Why did they decide to be either good or bad, and how do they deal with their feelings of good and evil within them? Is it possible to be good and evil at the same time? How do they feel when they kill, and take a life? I’ve tried to comprehend that feeling and my moral compass will never let me, Blake explained.

He further explained to Kate that he had been thinking about something on the cutting edge of science that he believed would support his desire to understand,

I not only want to exercise drive and determination in my next project but I’m also hoping to break new boundaries of science.

Kate sat there at the dinner table in silence without uttering a word, which was very unusual for her. Finally, she spoke. She asked Blake to clarify exactly what he had in mind. The reason she asked him was to be clear that Blake and she were on the same page. This was something that Kate felt strongly about as well and she could not help but feel emotionally responsible for Blake feeling this way. She had spent many years discussing this and the endless possibilities of what it would be like to meet the emblematic historical figures from the past. Kate was more interested in the evil ones, to be honest.

Are you doing this because you know this is what I’ve always wanted as well? Kate asked.

"No, I can assure you it all started when we were both young, and you opened my eyes in so many ways. However, in the last few months, I have increasingly been asking questions about certain possibilities and the journey that this would entail. I couldn’t be happier to have you by my side and share all my experiences and findings with you.

Money is no object to pursuing this passion and dream. I’m considering putting together a team of the best scientific brains to work on a project. Now hold on to your socks! The project I want to embark on is the development of time travel. I not only want mankind to take a huge jump forward and explore the universe as a force but also to furnish my craving to obtain a number of human subjects, that have committed unthinkable crimes as part of a collection that I can study. I have a yearning to go beyond the basic collection of art. I want to assemble something more challenging. While I admit, I seem to have inherited the passion from you, we have the means to take it a lot further than our years of debates," Blake explained.

Kate sat there in continued silence. However, you could clearly see by the excitement in her eyes that she approved. Blake was looking for this approval from her. She duly obliged and explained how important it was to collate the right information on the scientists who would be chosen to work on the project.

Kate then displayed further enthusiasm and asked Blake if she could join him on this special journey. She knew full well that she was instrumental in planting the thought and watching it grow in the many debates they had had over the years, which Kate carefully groomed. She left Blake with all kinds of desires. Nonetheless, it has to be said, grooming often leaves all kinds of issues in the victim’s minds.

If Kate was honest with herself, she was feeling quite satisfied and relieved at the same time. Knowing how smart Blake was, she was hoping that her face did not display any signs of a hidden agenda. Blake also knew that Kate had first-hand experience and was a leading scientist in Quantum Mechanics and Nuclear Physics. In fact, even though she didn’t blow her own trumpet, she was the perfect person to partner with on this project. Kate was already aware that Blake understood the potential of her input into this project.

Blake has spent the last 15 years building up the family business empire from a worth of one billion to a staggering 125 billion. He had obviously been a very methodical man who took business and research extremely seriously and now he was able to fund a project of this magnitude.

Blake and Kate discussed and agreed on the basics of the project. It was something they both really wanted to pursue. Both of them sat up eagerly and with excitement, as though they were young again. The hours flew by.

What’s the matter, Kate, Blake asked as he noticed Kate had left the moment.

Kate was considering opening up to Blake for the first time. Given his achievements, she thought he might be able to handle the truth. Kate thought she owed it to him from a moral point of view. She wondered how he would take it, needless to say keeping up appearances is a struggle she could do without. She had a good understanding of Blake’s fears, insecurities and dreams. A small, maybe not so small, secret like hers could add a layer of complexity to their relationship. Kate couldn’t help thinking she should continue to harbour her secret despite knowing the price she will pay later. The thought of emotionally wounding Blake would definitely have an impact on her decisions in the future.

Nothing, just reflecting on how far we have come since Mom and Dad passed. The emotions unexpectedly caught me for a minute, Kate explained.

Finally, they realised it was 8:00 am and thankfully, they had agreed on a clear direction. Running on empty, they flew off to breakfast followed another review at 9:30 am of their plan.

Chapter Two

The Idea and Team

Blake had given Kate a brief on finding an appropriate location where they could run and base the project. He volunteered to do some research on the scientists.

I could put together a suitable team, Blake suggested.

Well, Kate was having none of that!

I believe I am better suited in finding the team as this is my area of expertise, and yours is business and acquisition. What makes more sense here? she asked.

Once Kate finished pointing out her strengths, Blake smiled and told her,

This is why I need you. I don’t know anyone that could stand up to me as you do. I love you and I want you to always remember you can tell me anything.

Smiling away with pride, Blake reminded Kate,

"Do you remember back in 1987, you were seven and the whole family got together in celebrating your birthday? You were jumping around with so much excitement, the way you always did when we were young. After a while, you jumped on that large blue trampoline. With all the excitement in the air, you lost your balance and fell rather awkwardly, knocking yourself unconscious. Mom, Dad and I rushed you to the hospital. We had to endure several hours of you in intensive care; the doctors finally came around to give us a full diagnosis.

They explained that the fall was quite serious, and you were currently in a coma."

I’m afraid she may lose the use of her legs for the rest of her life, one of the doctors said, staring into space. It was as if he didn’t want to look at us as he spoke.

What do you mean lose the use of her legs? Dad demanded.

Mom and Dad exchanged a dismayed look. One I never saw before, I didn’t know whether to cry or run out and scream.

You mean she will never walk again? Mom stared at the doctor with pain in her eyes.

I’m afraid, that there is a high chance that she will need a wheelchair to get around, Doctor Ward explained.

Mom and Dad hugged silently, with another strange look on their faces, I now know to be, an emptiness and a feeling of lost in sorrow.

Mom whispered, Just the other day the poor girl asked me if she could change her name. She explained how she was fed up with all the strange name-calling you can imagine, growing up with a weirdly spelt name. I told her, on your 14th birthday, I will let you change your name, if you still want to, from Keight to Kate. I can remember the look on her face, my beautiful baby. She wanted to run, as she always did to you and Blake, to break the news. She continued to try and convince me that Kate is a lot easier than Keight and that how she was looking forward to life without all the strange looks and thoughts people’s faces seem to project. That’s a really big deal for a young girl. I was so proud of her.

The doctors had little to no idea when she would wake up. Furthermore, they told us she had broken a bone in her back and neck. Thus, would indefinitely result in becoming wheelchair-bound.

We’ve carried out some tests and noticed that only one of you is biologically related to Keight, the doctor explained.

"Yes, that is true! She was born in the Northern Territory of Australia, a city called Darwin. Before she was born, we had been trying for a child for many years. Unfortunately, all our efforts were fruitless. After a few years of frustration, we heard of a new treatment in Australia called IVF, which we are all too familiar with today. However, her father had a low and unhealthy sperm count.

We always wondered if that’s because of all the LSD usage. We would never want her to find out. We wouldn’t want to imagine the crazy things she would think went on in her father’s head. Although she could not be sure, we would never want her to assume this led to her father being unable to conceive her. It is inevitable that we will have to tell her in the future, one day.

Coming from a wealthy background, we began to use our wealth and resources to embark on IVF treatment and sought permission to use a healthy donor’s sperm. The laboratory in Australia had an unknown donor who wished only to donate to specific couples that met their criteria. We seemed to have met that criteria and the donor’s sperm application was accepted, so the laboratory in Australia carried out the insemination. A few months later, I became pregnant with a baby girl.

That is why you will find a biological difference in her father’s DNA and her. I must stress, that this is not to be mentioned to her or Blake. Mom explained to the doctors."

When I have difficult times and face any type of challenge, I always think about you and how you have exceeded everyone’s expectations. Blake sighed.

OK, OK, enough, Kate grinned.

A week later, Blake and Kate sat down and had another meeting, running through Blake’s thoughts.

Wherever we go, we will attract attention. That is the last thing we need. We don’t want any attention drawn to a project with so much sensitive and important information, Blake said.

Yes, I agree. You are right, Kate replied.

After giving the location a great deal of thought, Blake suggested that they build a facility at their family home. Both Blake and Kate were aware that they owned all the land, as far as the eye could see, their part of the country, Cambridgeshire, was usually teeming with farmers heading back and forth between their shifts in the early hours. Generation after generation of farmers, with hunched shoulders, cracked thick skin and dirty fingernails, most of who had just given up on trying to scrub themselves clean. The dark lines on their faces stood out even more from the brown country soil.

In every direction, there were small clusters of houses in the distance; dismal grey-looking things. In sharp contrast, Blake and Kate’s house was very colourful; an imposing building set in the middle of a farm.

It was never actually farmed land; instead, they planted large trees around the house to protect their privacy. The land eventually changed from finely groomed farmland to woodland, which surrounded the whole estate. Their father made sure that they were very safe in their home and on the land. The boundary of the farm had a 6 foot high chain-linked fence, topped with barbed wire and spikes, which was electrified, not enough to kill but to shock and incapacitate someone. It was more of a deterrent for the tabloids, who acted like a pack of wild dogs threatening the family’s privacy.

As children, they were constantly told, that at no time should they go near the fence. Their father regularly ensured that there were never any weak spots in the fencing.

Their servants were always immaculate; the men were clean-shaven, the ladies with their hair in a tight bun, and always dressed in dark blue. They never chatted much but were always busy looking after all of the family’s needs with dusters, feathered brushes, and a broom always at hand. They treated everyone with respect and kindness, apart from shouting warnings at both Kate and Blake about the fence. They could always tell if the children got too close, as there was a humming sound resonating from the wires. Furthermore, no one would ever think it unusual for all the builders’ vehicles, materials and building works that would take place.

I feel we should keep the project discreet and as I suggested, we would gain more, Blake proposed.

They were both in agreement.

Blake burst in several days later, whilst Kate was having lunch. He seemed to be beaming with a huge smile of satisfaction.

Blake explained to Kate that he had found a company in Germany that had a very good reputation and experience in building large underground complex developments, especially under existing properties.

I have contracted the company to start the work as soon as possible, with a 12-month completion date, he explained with a huge smile.

Kate suggested to Blake that during the building period she would use the time to do research on the scientists that she felt would meet the criteria to become part of their team.

Without wasting any time, work started shortly after their discussion. Workmen were like busy bees around ‘Queen Bee Blake’. Lots of noise from early morning till late at night. The contractors were driven quite hard by Blake.

In all the speed to achieve, there was only one accident, where a German worker lost a finger during one of the installation periods.

As the project progressed, Kate explained to Blake that she had worked on design plans for the laboratory and its facilities, further suggesting that everyone employed on the project should live and work on-site.

This would limit outside exposure and the many risks involved in trying to keep this project a secret. Therefore, they would also need living quarters along with rest and a recreational area, with all the usual facilities required to house a full team of up to 12 people. This added a little more pressure on the German builders, as the changes needed to be implemented immediately. The Germans did respond very well to the changes. There was little time lost.

Kate suggested keeping their distance from the team to maintain a professional relationship throughout, with the team always respecting both Kate and Blake. This, Kate hoped, allowed them to maintain authoritative control over them and a distance, in case of any decisions that might have to be made that the team would not agree with.

After many hours of discussion, as the building progressed, Blake and Kate had both agreed on the prime directive to be Time Travel. It was also agreed that now was the right time to assemble the team. The team members would not be told of the true nature and direction of the research that would take place unless it was necessary.

Kate had this ability to jump back and forth with her ideas and suggestions, all of which Blake attributed to the excitement of the project. This was something Blake had become accustomed to over the years and was the only one that could keep up with Kate.

Kate suggested, that they build a very large octagonal-shaped room with one entry and exit point in the centre via a lift. This would be the best observation and security option for what the project required. It would also offer the finest strategic point to view and study all eight subjects.

Kate proposed that behind all the cells they build a large room. This room, in Kate’s opinion, should be where the subjects are placed, within an environment created by the supercomputers running a holographic program to support the subject’s natural environment. The computer would have complete environmental controls, and the subjects would never know they have left their own time period.

Their whole life could be simulated at any given moment, so they would believe they are still in control over their destiny. A superhuman trait. This would ensure the most accurate results, giving the chance to always understand the subject’s behaviour and intentions, especially when all elements of their life are under our control.

There would be complete control over the exposure to evoke their evilness. There would be no fear of the subject ever hurting themselves or anyone else. The computer would control any dangerous scenarios and set all the protocols. Any breaches would cause the computer to create an alternative, less dangerous scene, which would be completely plausible to the subject.

Kate and Blake sat in discussion. Kate could see by Blake’s face that he was very pleased with her suggestions so far.

I will need a favour. I still have a great deal of work left to do on the team. I would appreciate you looking at a company I had read about, based in Silicon Valley USA, and discuss holographic technology with their video gaming department. They are boasting real-time holographic technology that has scrolling capabilities. Perhaps you can investigate their ability to re-create and test the holographic development to see how real and fast they have created the ability to scroll, Kate asked.

Before she had the chance to finish her next sentence, Blake informed her,

I know how good the company’s ability in holographic technology is because I bought the company in a merger acquisition two years ago.

She started to laugh and asked,

Is there anything you don’t own, Blake?

I will make enquiries into the logistics and any further development of the holographic technology, Blake confirmed.

It was inevitable that they would use the American company they owned.

Both Kate and Blake seemed to be getting on well, and so far, they had managed not to have an argument over anything. That’s not surprising, Blake has never been the argumentative type. If anything, it would be Kate who would start the first argument. Blake and Kate did agree that as she found possible team members, they would be invited to the family home, which would be the best place to meet and make them comfortable.

During the research process into the team members, Kate managed to ruffle a few feathers and news spread throughout the scientific world about a billionaire wanting to fund an experimental project. Every scientist had their ears to the ground, hoping to hear of it, just like a Chinese whisper.

No one knew what the truth was about the project. As you can imagine, only the very few individuals who did receive an invite would finally find out who the billionaire was.

It took many months of hard work and research into the job roles but they finally managed to put together what felt like a reasonably good team.

Each selected member had been sent an invitation or had been approached personally by Blake or Kate, with the opportunity to attend a meeting on September 3, 2014; a few months away. Blake had put a security team in place to look after the facility and all the scientific team attending on that day at their home. The scientific world is a very small place and when a rumour surfaces about a subject, it spreads like a virus around the planet. Most of the world-renowned