her father’s blood type, his cholesterol level, his standing heart rate, his bone density.
Then came another bar code. It was different from the first bar code at the top of the screen. Which was the bar code that had appeared on his wrist? And why were there two of them?
A series of coded letters and numbers appearedbeneath the second bar code. Slowly Kayla realized — based on graphs she’d seen in her science textbook — that the second code was a gene sequence; a series of genes appearing next to one another, represented as a bar code.
In science this fall they’d studied how geneticists used a bar code to show a sequence of genes. The number-alphabet codes beneath listed individual genes.
Kayla continued reading.
Advantages:
IQ 115
genes found for: heightened powers of logic; visual acuity; above-average spatial relations; color sensitivity; creativity; fit musculature; longevity.
Questionable/Possessing both positive and negative aspects:
genes found for: empathy; mental psychic tendency; low levels of extrasensory perception.
Liabilities:
genes found for: alcoholism; iconoclastic tendencies; delusional, hallucinatory schizophrenia.
Kayla looked at her mother. “Dad didn’t drink and he wasn’t schizophrenic,” she said.
A bitter smile spread across her mother’s face. “Knowing what I already know — it should have been plain.”
“What?” Kayla shouted. “What do you know?”
Mrs. Reed grabbed Kayla’s wrist. “Good. You haven’t gotten that damned tattoo. No matter what you do, don’t let them make you get it.”
“It’s the law, Mom. Haven’t you heard? I could be arrested now for not having a bar code!”
“I don’t care,” her mother replied passionately.
“Why? Mom, please tell me what you know,” Kayla pleaded.
Her mother got up from her desk chair and walked to the window. “No. I can’t. It’s better if you don’t know.”
Kayla grabbed her mother’s arm. “How can it be better?”
“I can’t talk about this!” Mrs. Reed said angrily. Hurrying to the front door, she went out, barefoot, into the rainy evening.
The computer screen blacked out. White letters appeared on the screen: ACCESS DENIED.
Kayla sprang to the door. “Mom!” she called. “Come back!” She ran down the front walkway after her, but her mother had gone out the front gate and was walking quickly down the street.
Tears came to Kayla’s eyes … but what was the use of crying? Her mother was no help to her anymore — she might as well just accept that. Ashley Reed was in a world all her own, haunted by private demons Kayla might never know about.
“Anything I can do?” A familiar voice made her turn. Zekeal was beside her. Obviously, he’d comefrom the other side of the street and had seen some of this humiliating scene.
“Hi. Why are you here?” she said, quickly wiping her eyes.
“I don’t have your number. I came to tell you we’re having an emergency meeting. You heard the news today, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Want to hang out at my place until the meeting at six?”
“Can’t. I have to work.”
“I’ll walk you there.”
“What about Nedra? Someone might see us together.”
“We’re just walking together,” he said with a shrug. “I’m getting sick of this.”
“Tell her about us, then.”
He looked past her, thinking. “It’s less than a month now. It will be easier to just let her fade away.”
“Easier for you,” Kayla said. “Not easier for me.”
“I’m sure she knows something’s up. You’re right. I’ll tell her tonight.”
“Really?”
“Yes. After the meeting.”
“Come inside with me,” she said. “I want you to see something.” Taking his hand, she led him into the house and brought him to the computer.
ACCESS DENIED still floated on the screen’s blackbackground. “Do you have any idea how to get back into that file?”
“What is it?” he asked.
“My father’s FBI file.”
He looked at her
Then came another bar code. It was different from the first bar code at the top of the screen. Which was the bar code that had appeared on his wrist? And why were there two of them?
A series of coded letters and numbers appearedbeneath the second bar code. Slowly Kayla realized — based on graphs she’d seen in her science textbook — that the second code was a gene sequence; a series of genes appearing next to one another, represented as a bar code.
In science this fall they’d studied how geneticists used a bar code to show a sequence of genes. The number-alphabet codes beneath listed individual genes.
Kayla continued reading.
Advantages:
IQ 115
genes found for: heightened powers of logic; visual acuity; above-average spatial relations; color sensitivity; creativity; fit musculature; longevity.
Questionable/Possessing both positive and negative aspects:
genes found for: empathy; mental psychic tendency; low levels of extrasensory perception.
Liabilities:
genes found for: alcoholism; iconoclastic tendencies; delusional, hallucinatory schizophrenia.
Kayla looked at her mother. “Dad didn’t drink and he wasn’t schizophrenic,” she said.
A bitter smile spread across her mother’s face. “Knowing what I already know — it should have been plain.”
“What?” Kayla shouted. “What do you know?”
Mrs. Reed grabbed Kayla’s wrist. “Good. You haven’t gotten that damned tattoo. No matter what you do, don’t let them make you get it.”
“It’s the law, Mom. Haven’t you heard? I could be arrested now for not having a bar code!”
“I don’t care,” her mother replied passionately.
“Why? Mom, please tell me what you know,” Kayla pleaded.
Her mother got up from her desk chair and walked to the window. “No. I can’t. It’s better if you don’t know.”
Kayla grabbed her mother’s arm. “How can it be better?”
“I can’t talk about this!” Mrs. Reed said angrily. Hurrying to the front door, she went out, barefoot, into the rainy evening.
The computer screen blacked out. White letters appeared on the screen: ACCESS DENIED.
Kayla sprang to the door. “Mom!” she called. “Come back!” She ran down the front walkway after her, but her mother had gone out the front gate and was walking quickly down the street.
Tears came to Kayla’s eyes … but what was the use of crying? Her mother was no help to her anymore — she might as well just accept that. Ashley Reed was in a world all her own, haunted by private demons Kayla might never know about.
“Anything I can do?” A familiar voice made her turn. Zekeal was beside her. Obviously, he’d comefrom the other side of the street and had seen some of this humiliating scene.
“Hi. Why are you here?” she said, quickly wiping her eyes.
“I don’t have your number. I came to tell you we’re having an emergency meeting. You heard the news today, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Want to hang out at my place until the meeting at six?”
“Can’t. I have to work.”
“I’ll walk you there.”
“What about Nedra? Someone might see us together.”
“We’re just walking together,” he said with a shrug. “I’m getting sick of this.”
“Tell her about us, then.”
He looked past her, thinking. “It’s less than a month now. It will be easier to just let her fade away.”
“Easier for you,” Kayla said. “Not easier for me.”
“I’m sure she knows something’s up. You’re right. I’ll tell her tonight.”
“Really?”
“Yes. After the meeting.”
“Come inside with me,” she said. “I want you to see something.” Taking his hand, she led him into the house and brought him to the computer.
ACCESS DENIED still floated on the screen’s blackbackground. “Do you have any idea how to get back into that file?”
“What is it?” he asked.
“My father’s FBI file.”
He looked at her
Similar Books
