No Time for Second Thoughts: A thriller based on Human Genetic Cloning

By Megan Egglestone

A geneticist working at the forefront of genetic cloning is confronted by the desperation of a woman to have her husband’s child before his premature death. After failing every available fertility treatment, Droshky and Janson initiate the cloning of Rex to implant a genetically cloned foetus in Alexis’ uterus. Zev, and Malcolm, friends of Janson, together hatch an idea to create a colony where women can incubate cloned babies. Alexis’ baby is born, and many join the colony at Woomera under the trio’s control, their fates inextricably linked to the cloning of genetically superior people.

The words of Nostradamus and others act as a fated guide. A fast-paced story designed to make the reader think about human development and the inevitable nature of life. By weaving ancient morality with modern day technological themes together form a story that questions the boundaries of science. A psychological narrative based on potentially devastating ramifications of human genetic cloning.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Jun 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9781035814756

Megan Egglestone

This is Megan Egglestone’s second novel in a trilogy that imagines what it would be like to be a clone growing up in a small colony founded in Woomera, Australia. In this novel, the author probes the boundaries of science, ego, and id through a narrative of hero quests grounded by facts in the time of climate change. As a fine art artist and dog lover, she exhibits her artwork in competitions and shows and breeds her Wire-Haired Dachshunds. She resides in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, where she shares her life with her four Wire-Haired Dachshunds.

Book preview

About the Author

On retirement, Megan Egglestone decided to try her hand at writing. This is her first novel and the first in a trilogy. Imagining what it would be like to be cloned, set the tone for this novel which questions the boundaries of science. After much debating, she decided to jump off the deep end, to seek out a publishing company. As a fine art artist and dog lover she shows her art in competitions and, attends and participates in showing and breeding her Wire-Haired Dachshunds. She lives in the Northern Rivers region of NSW, Australia, with her four Wire Haired Dachshunds.

Dedication

To all my grandchildren, Samantha, Allison, Shalyn, Shannon, Chantelle and Kai

Copyright Information ©

Megan Egglestone 2023

The right of Megan Egglestone 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 9781035814701 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781035814756 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2023

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgement

To the reader, thanks for picking up this book, a first novel. I hope you will find enjoyment in its pages. To the editors who have done a brilliant job and to Austin Macauley Publishers for believing in my writing. A huge thanks to Jann O’Connor for your patience and logic. You have saved me and set me on the right track. To Dagmar Titherington who initially convinced me I could tackle the task ahead, and to Ellen Leo for helpful advice along the way.

Preface

Dago dragged himself up the steps. His heart! As he settled on the top step, he felt for his heart. It was pounding as the dust settled around him like an unexpected snowstorm in summer.

A raging bull, he felt driven. It came from within his unconscious, his DNA that was encoded within him, propelling him forward towards his dream to rule years from now—or was it days, even seconds?

‘Dago, what have you done?’ Jake came from behind and sat beside him. He was so thankful that Dago wasn’t hurting. That in fact he burst out laughing with relief. There they were outside in full view of the horror that had taken place in Saint Peter’s Square in Rome.

‘It’s apparent that the bomb didn’t have the effect you thought it would,’ Jake laughed and laughed!

‘Why? What didn’t I do?’ Dago sneered. ‘I have in my power the vision, the mortality and the incarnation, to become anything or anyone I want to be. Did you not know that Sion, my heritage, had a grievance against the Catholic Church, which betrayed the dynasty by crowning its destroyers? It’s a breakdown of relationships and seems to be always lurking.’

‘By God! Are you serious? It’s not the bloody Middle Ages! Many have been betrayed. It’s like a dark catalyst from the beginning, from Genesis to Revelation.’

‘No! I’m deadly serious and now thankfully at last I’ve avenged part of my birthright. You are right about the matter that has bothered mankind for ages. I am merely righting some wrongs to bring in the dawn of a new age—an age of plenty and perfection.’

‘But—’

‘What difference is it going to make? Tell me what is fundamentally different about my way of thinking and yours? Is it my thoughts or my actions that worry you?’

Jake did understand. He was there when the bomb had gone off. Dago had planned this mission to destroy the Vatican and the Pope. Why then did Jake feel as if Dago had run berserk destroying everyone in sight. Jake laughed and cried at the same time; adrenaline washed his face.

‘You have gone totally against the grain. You are hell-bent on destroying something I and the rest of the world hold dear—our faith. There’s no doubting in my mind that technologies Droshky used on you and those from the Colony have transformed your personalities.’

‘Yeah! I suppose you are correct,’ acknowledged Dago sheepishly. It was Janson’s brilliant idea to collect DNA from ancient bones, which after all carried the exact same genes as they do today. Janson reckoned they could trace an unbroken genetic link into the remote past, back to the ice age. Droshky found it so fundamentally simple that at first, it was hard to believe.

‘Um! The discoveries of DNA together with Droshky’s experimental genetic engineering have changed not only your personality but your life as well,’ mumbled Jake.

‘I’m not blaming Droshky, but the past is definitely the key to the present,’ said Dago.

‘What are you going to do now? Own up?’ asked Jake.

Chapter 1

Droshky—January 2003—The Bronx, USA

Droshky was sitting contemplating her future. Language might be used to expose, but also to initiate change. Change was certainly needed, which by exposing human flaws could be considered an absurdity or a satire. But that was not the case with a strand of DNA that gives a twist and turn. There were no mistakes in the DNA code.

She was deep in thought. Inside her was a small voice. It sounded far away, presaging danger but an adventure, nevertheless.

Droshky believed that DNA was the ladder of life. The structure of DNA looked much like a ladder, with the base pairs forming the ladder’s rungs and the sugar and phosphate molecules forming the vertical sides. Ladders not only carried the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms: but they also helped you reach the roof, the ceiling of her ambitions. That of cloning humans. An electronic signature which carried genetic instructions.

As she thought about it, she found that she could remove some sections of the double helix of DNA. DNA was an amazing structure of polynucleotide chains that wound about each other, forming what was called a double helix. By doing this she could duplicate the original, which would be an exact copy and not at all like forging a signature.

As humans could never be free of their genetic makeup, she decided to study the relationship between genes and human characteristics, which involved everything from ageing to predisposition to diseases. She felt she was bound to follow the adventurous prompting of her mind—the possibility of cloning humans.

Everything was interconnected so that even the environment played a role. Was it not, rather a question of how to dominate the world with the power of an inventive mind? Would nature thank her? She thought it would make a difference if she held a positive belief in a meaningful way of life, this included God and immortality. She thought of the danger of empathy and becoming emotionally involved especially when it came to making moral choices.

She thought if there were no mistakes in the DNA code and if cloning was the way of the future, then she needed to extend her quest and study the role of genes more thoroughly. Cloning was frequently employed to amplify DNA fragments containing genes. She was busy at work in her clinic in the Bronx. Living in America had its perks as she considered the advances that were happening to shape the world and the future. The advances in technology were advancing rapidly, ever since Watson and Crick had discovered the double helix in the 1950s.

It was late in 2002 that she had become interested in cloning and she realised the situation no longer looked hopeless. Cloning was the way forward. Reproductive cloning is done to duplicate a human offspring, exactly duplicating his or her parent. By cloning, she meant to extract a gene from one organism and insert it into a second organism. Could she clone herself? Would a clone of herself have the same active imagination as she did?

It was possible and the clone would look exactly like her and could be her genetic brother or sister and have the same predisposition as she did. She considered the added fact that although clones shared the same genetic material, the environment contributed an important factor. Wouldn’t a woman who was desperate to have a child rather go for IVF treatment instead? That would be the more conventional and acceptable route.

Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to be at the cutting edge of technology and be the first one to clone a human.

It was in January 2003 when she met Janson, a young vibrant character, from the ethics committee who told her that she should stick to cloning plants and animals but never humans. But she was living the possibility, not him. As she experimented, she found a way that would cut across the red tape. From the very beginning, these technologies had fuelled dreams of manipulating DNA not only to improve human health but to create disease free individuals with longevity. Noble sentiments. Indeed!

It was a complicated sequence of events that led her to believe human cloning was not only possible but also desirable and would; become a fact of life, not too far in the future. After all, most individuals began as a single cell and were the results of clonal division in vitro. Every individual was unique. The science of it was oh so new!

She felt bad about the cross-currents and agitations of Janson and others like him, who declared that people’s relationships went beyond the grave and they agreed to disagree. Droshky felt strongly that the living should be protected from the past.

What good had come of history? The past was over. She wanted to start afresh, to create a new world. After so many years of ethical hand-wringing, scientific insight into the work she was doing was the future. It had started with a few microscopic embryos. They enthralled her. They had life and their own inherited DNA. She had a raging desire to attempt to create something the world has never seen before.

Chapter 2

Droshky—April 2003—The Bronx, USA

Droshky had always loved to watch animal kingdom. The carnage and brutality and the maternal instinct is the supreme quality of evolution. This was evolution according to Darwin’s Origin of the Species. She thought often about all the species that were now extinct. Would it in any way be possible to bring a species back from extinction by using reproductive cloning?

She likened herself to a metallurgist, someone who dealt with procedures used in extracting metals. Soldering, brazing and welding pieces of metal together, to form a strong bond.

She had a second visit from Janson.

Janson said, ‘I have had a change of heart and now think cloning humans is the way forward. For this reason, I have resigned from the Ethics Committee. I need your help.’

It was early in the month and Droshky was astonished at the change in him. He had matured beyond his years and besides being a handsome young fella, he wasn’t all good looks and no brain—long and lanky, he had the stride of a determined man.

Janson said, ‘any change must start somewhere! Why not with you? You have the aptitude and the means to carry it through. Cloning is the way forward!’

Droshky agreed to attempt to obtain a clone of Rex Mundi; it was a beginning of a new way of life. Rex and his lovely wife Alexis had been trying for years to have a child. He worked in the oil business and was again for long periods of time. Only recently after Alexis insisted, he be tested did he find out that he had testicular cancer and had a depleted sperm count, so cloning was the only option in his case.

When she came to take samples of Rex’s DNA, she felt extremely pleased that she had found his correctly braided DNA, as the DNA had not been damaged in any way. If the DNA strands had frayed it might have allowed the single strands under tension to wind around each other in a tight right—or left-handed double helical structure, reducing her chances of success.

She thought how nature had supplied the tentacles of a passionfruit vine or the tentacles of an octopus. Having watched strands under tension she was surprised at their springiness.

However, this was not the case with Rex’s DNA, as the braiding was how she would have expected to find it. She could only conclude that when DNA repeatedly crosses over itself—what she was trying to say was that she, in a very feminine way, had created something that radiated life.

An advance in this method of reproductive cloning was a watershed for future womanhood, a moving apart from male chauvinism. In fact, women could have children without the need for men in their lives. In her opinion, women should be given halos.

As she delved deeper into the study of DNA, she began to think of Rex Mundi’s wife Alexis, as being brave. She couldn’t help but think of a woman’s place in the struggle: the struggle to stop the attack on abortion rights and other issues that affected only women. Suddenly, Droshky’s life had a meaning, a form of wholeness that seemed to transcend consciousness. This meant she could fulfil her dream and create potential wholeness, to create, putting something together.

Chapter 3

Rex and Alexis Mundi—May

2003—Texas, USA

‘Why, you look so pale. What’s the matter, darling?’ Rex Mundi loved the way his wife, Alexis’s unruly curls framed her melancholic face. He wished he could control the nostalgia he felt. The last few days had been a waking nightmare, full of pain and Alexis’s anguish over cloning. He knew cloning was the answer, the only avenue open to them. How could he inflict that trauma on her?

The wretchedness wouldn’t leave him. That he would use all the immoral means at his disposal frightened even him. The hero in him had laid dormant until now which was the right time, he felt he was egging on not only Alexis but himself.

Rex’s thoughts returned to year 1978 when the first ‘test tube baby’ was born Louise Brown, was her name and the technique that had been used was all so new. It was called ‘in vitro fertilisation’ and had astounded the world. Eggs and sperm had been collected and placed in a laboratory dish.

Several days later a fertilised and dividing egg had been successfully transferred into her mother’s uterus to continue growing. It meant the beginning of a revolution where many infertile women could carry a fetus full term and give birth. Now cloning gave the prospective father, although infertile, a chance as well.

Rex had embraced the idea fervently, but there was one difficulty still to overcome; persuading Alexis that cloning was the way to go. He realised that he couldn’t afford to look around. Now was the time to take matters in hand. Cloning was a powerful idea considering his present condition—a last chance at putting things right between himself and Alexis.

‘You don’t look so good either,’ replied Alexis, watching his expression with interest. She was trying to take her mind off the inevitable. There was something almost comforting about the notion that her fate was written in her genes. Would her child have the same fate? Although she had already made up her mind to receive Rex’s cloned DNA, she remained uncertain.

Now, as they discussed the matter further, they broached the reason for her hesitancy and she still stubbornly balked at the idea.

‘Rex dear, can’t you understand it’s no fairy-tale for me.’ Rex consoled her, ‘Much of our differences have nothing to do with genes, whatever our differences are, can’t you understand, they are rooted in unique experiences. Like cloning.’

‘Rex, I might be shy and don’t make friends easily, would you believe me when I say I’m always depressed and lonely. Besides that, I find cloning deeply troubling.’

‘Alexis, you need to embrace life and live it to the full like I do. You need to overcome your shyness.’

To Alexis, this was at the very threshold of her anxiety.

‘Rex darling, you have never had to deal with anxiety.’

It worried him that she should feel so down. He thought about it and concluded that her fear was of being judged or scrutinised by others.

‘I know that my fears are irrational or unreasonable because you have told me so. I, however, feel powerless to overcome them,’ said Alexis.

Realisation hit Rex, that yes, Alexis was correct, social anxiety was different from shyness. Shyness was usually short-term and didn’t disrupt one’s life. Social anxiety however was persistent and debilitating.

‘How is cloning going to help me in the future? A future I see as dismal and bleak. From this point forward is unknown territory.’

Rex insisted she not think of the unpleasant connotations. If something went wrong, they would simply start again.

‘You need to embrace my idea and look to the future with hope.’

Alexis felt she was a victim of circumstance.

‘I know I’m not alone for most Americans find the idea of human cloning deeply troubling. Here look at this article in the Time Life Magazine.’

The realisation had hit her as she flicked through the magazine lying on the bedside table on Rex’s side of the bed.

Rex humoured her by perusing the article she wanted him to read. He read it out aloud, ‘Forty-six per cent of Americans were in favour of a law making it a crime to clone a human being. Scepticism alone would spell condemnation. Cloning people would be a crime against humanity!’

Alexis said, ‘My mind is stuck in a conundrum. My own morality is at stake. Do I have to make a decision?’

‘Yes! Dear please do.’

Alexis was thinking that what started as insignificant and highly improbable now seemed to change into the miraculous. What would it be like to be the receptacle of a future life?

Chapter 4

Janson—May 2003—New York, USA

In 1998, Janson Xavier had started his new job at the American Journal of Human Genetics. After studying the laws of eugenics, socialism and pluralism at university he now had his degree and qualified to work on the Ethics Committee Advisory Board. He had also studied genetics but was not yet qualified as a geneticist.

Already in 1998, the scientists with whom he had come into daily contact were working towards the first human gene transfer. The ethics review was the first thing they sought, as there were several other issues involved, such as cultural pluralism, eugenics, human experimentation risks and benefits, to name a few.

As a university student, he had developed his talent as a toastmaster and spoke on a variety of subjects designed to shock his peers. There was nothing shifty or insecure about his attitude to life; he enjoyed reading novels and autobiographies and was most affected by the early twentieth century writer, Clemens. Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in Florida, Missouri, on 30 November 1835, but it was what he did during the final years of his life that fascinated Janson.

Clemens apparently ran an informal organisation of young school-aged girls whom he called Angelfish. He kept in correspondence with them and invited them to stay with him. What’s more, he declared himself the Admiral of the club. He also set rules for admission; the girls were to be erudite and of a good disposition.

Stormfield became the group’s headquarters. Clemens’ also set the rule that any Angelfish who went three months without writing to him would be suspended. Clemens’ relationship with the girls appears to have been fully platonic; there were no hints of any sort of sexual activity. And this idea that it was run strictly on a basis of platonic love appealed to Janson.

He also liked the idea of an alternative lifestyle; it was not that he was shy around women, but he preferred the company of his two male friends, Malcolm and Zev. They had been friends since kindergarten and their free and easy company was both refreshing and relaxing. Although Clemens’ setup may have appeared inappropriate compared to what Janson had in mind, it was nevertheless a starting point.

Janson’s fascination about Clemens’ life, caused an idea to form. He decided that it was no coincidence that he had become interested in the field of genetics and had to deal with issues like pluralism and eugenics.

Eugenics was a false and immoral theory that claimed that it was possible to perfect people through genetics by getting rid of some inherited traits. Pluralism on the other hand was the belief that people from different backgrounds could merge or coexist.

In his mind flicked pictures of intuitive suggestions for future developments. He lingered over them for some time, but they became fragmented and didn’t reach a stage where he recognised what they would mean socially. His thoughts had something to do with science and technology but what?

He became distracted. He mouthed the words he was going to use to introduce himself later that evening but questioned whether they were appropriate. He liked to be interpersonally strategic to earn the audience’s trust and then defect later to win the debate.

If he were hell-bent on attaining greatness in a society, what would his priorities be? Socialisms of the day seemed to be a conceivable ideal but one who wielded science in his mind should be capable of responsibility.

In his circles, there was already a more contemporary view of family, as they often referred to the close friends of their parents as aunt and uncle. This was fictitious kinship. He had found it true in the community living around the Bronx where everyone said, ‘hi sister’ or ‘hi bro’ when spoken to. It was slightly different from the kind of contemporary family Clemens had proposed, although he was also a family of ‘fictional kinship’.

Fictive was a phrase that had only recently been coined by Encyclopedia.com to describe forms of kinship or social ties that were based on neither ‘blood ties’, nor ‘by marriage’ ties. Janson believed it was necessary to protect ideals in a society where values were on the decline.

Janson dreamed of a society of ‘fictive kinship’, one where women were respected and where children were raised in an atmosphere that reinforced a strong sense of kinship. His ideal family was one that was a haven from the world, a utopian ideal and provided absolute fulfilment.

Within a family, intimacy, love and trust were absolute necessities. Competition and pressures in a society, where often used as a psychological tools to improve mental intellectual development. Family structures of the past were superior to those of today, as ancient families, he reckoned, were happier and more stable, living in a time when they didn’t have to contend with high divorce rates.

His dream was a community partnership, a haven providing love and protection with himself at the helm. He thought of himself as being someone in love with an idealised society, a world of his making.

Thinking in terms of eugenics, he realised that if such a society were to become a reality, there should be a way of screening out undesirable characteristics. With the production of fine offspring, characteristics could be altered during the formation of the gamete, being the union of the sperm and the ovum during fertilisation or better still a society of cloned children. In this ideal society, the persons in charge would have the opportunity to screen the fertilised ovum, enabling them to choose only healthy ones. Eugenics at its best.

Then there was pluralism to think about. By bringing girls from different countries and backgrounds together to form a new society would be the way to go. He would have then ticked all the boxes. His delusion of grandeur took a lot of work—and that’s where the dysfunctional attitude came to the fore. Would a community of fictive relationships be considered dysfunctional?

All dreams were relevant in some way and were part of the process of individuation. Dreams most times followed a pattern. This pattern becomes the process of individuation whereby one can analyse the dreams. Many people dream the same dream meandering slowly over and over creating the process of growth of individuation.

He realised that attitudes were often the result of experience or upbringing and they could have a profound influence over behaviour. Many of his thoughts seemed to turn up repetitively, they emerged and then disappeared again, somewhat elusive. He was very aware that the big question was: would or wouldn’t it be seen as a human rights issue? What moral principles would be needed in his dream society? By moral principles, he meant following the Ten Commandments to the tee.

Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly when he realised what it would mean. Human rights should be enjoyed by everyone and potentially, children born with genetic diseases would be a thing of the past. If only he could get a couple of young girls together like the Angelfish Club that Clemens had instigated—could his team genetically manipulate the children the chosen women