Orphans of Apollo - S2 E7
February 2038
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Previously: Sara Jensen ran in to Everett Winter in the hotel bar. He was in a more reflective mood than he had been when she first made contact with him. They chatted about what would happen to his team now.
The George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium was abuzz with energy. True Genesis was holding an outreach event. An opportunity for the public to hear from the group's founder, William Ashworth.
As the auditorium filled, the crowd was a mix of dedicated True Genesis supporters, curious onlookers, and even a few sceptical journalists. As the attendees arrived, they removed winter coats and brushed off the snowflakes which had yet to melt. By modern standards, this February had been cold for Washington, D.C. Ashworth, standing backstage, peered out at the gathering crowd. He didn't make as many public appearances as he once did, but this event was important. The fight to end genetic engineering in humans was not over. Legislation passed a few years ago was an important step forward, but the job wasn’t finished by any stretch.
The lights dimmed and a hush fell over the auditorium as Ashworth walked out onto the stage. The crowd applauded and Ashworth raised a hand in acknowledgment as he made his way to the podium.
“Good evening,” he began, his voice carrying to the back of the room. “And thank you all for braving the weather to come out tonight. It's heartening to see so many people who share our concerns about the dangers of unchecked genetic manipulation.”
Ashworth was an accomplished public speaker, and his gaze shifted around the audience, engaging them all. As he spoke, outlining the recent victories and future challenges of True Genesis, his gaze was drawn to a young man seated near the front. He seemed to hang on every word, leaning forward in his seat with an intensity that set him apart from the rest of the crowd. The young man’s eyes were fixed on Ashworth, his brow furrowed in concentration. Every so often, he would nod his head slightly, as if in agreement with a particularly salient point. Ashworth found himself focusing on this individual, his passion and engagement a stark contrast to the more passive listeners in the audience.
As he continued his speech, Ashworth couldn't help but wonder about the young man’s story. What had brought him here tonight? What experiences had ignited such a fierce interest in the cause? There was something about his intensity, the way he seemed to drink in every word and crave more.
As the speech drew to a close and the applause faded, Ashworth made a mental note to seek out the young man during the post-event socialising. There was a story there, he was sure of it.
After the speech, as Ashworth mingled with attendees in the auditorium lobby, he kept an eye out for the young man. There was something about him, a sense of purpose and determination, that intrigued Ashworth.
It took some time, but finally he spotted him, standing alone by the refreshments table. He was short and thin, dressed in casual clothes. Barely more than a boy.
Ashworth approached, hand outstretched. “Hello,” he said warmly. “William Ashworth. I couldn't help but notice you during my speech. You seemed particularly engaged. What's your name?”
The young man took his hand, his grip firm. “Kevin Valenti,” he said. “It's an honour to meet you, Mr Ashworth. I've been following your organisation for a while now.”
“I see. And what draws you to us?”
Kevin looked at the floor for a moment before he spoke. “My father.”
“Is he here tonight?” asked Ashworth.
“I never really knew my father,” replied Kevin softly. “He committed suicide when I was just five years old.”
“Oh,” managed Ashworth blindsided. “I’m incredibly sorry to hear that. I’m…uh…I can’t imagine.”
“It’s ok. You weren’t to know. It’s a long time ago now, getting on for thirteen years. But it still hurts.”
Kevin looked up and fixed Ashworth with his unwavering stare. “The worst thing about it is I never got to know him. Like really know him. I just got a glimpse of what he was like and then he was gone. I saw enough to know he was a good man, a really good man. And then he was snatched away.”
Ashworth placed his drink down on the table beside them. “It must have been very hard for you.”
“I really shouldn’t complain. Many people have had it worse than me. My mother did her very best to raise me well and my uncle helped out where he could. I guess he became somewhat of a father figure to me.”
“That’s good to hear,” said Ashworth warmly. It was obvious from Kevin’s accent, but he felt the need to ask. “Where did you grow up?”
“Brooklyn. My father had an Italian restaurant. He built it up from nothing. That was the thing, they would always go on about what a great man he was. Took my uncle in when he began to get mixed up with the wrong sort of people, you know? Kept him on the straight and narrow. I guess he felt he owed my father a debt for that. So when he died, he did what he could to help me out.”
Ashworth took a sip of his drink and waited. Rather than further prompting, he felt it better to let Kevin tell his story at his own pace.
“I didn’t have a bad upbringing. It’s just my father. You can’t replace that, can you? The genetic line going back to his father and the father before him. I never really got to know my biological father. The one whose genes made me.”
“I can only imagine how hard that was, and still is for you,” said Ashworth.
Kevin dabbed the corner of his eye with the back of his hand. “You’re probably wondering what this has to do with your organisation. Why is this kid here telling you about how his father killed himself when he was five?”
Ashworth took another sip of his drink and nodded for Kevin to go on.
“It was after that virus. The one that escaped from the Chinese laboratory in Wuhan and caused the COVID-19 pandemic.” Kevin fixed him with his stare. “It was genetically engineered.”
Ashworth cleared his throat. “Well Kevin, it has never been proven, but there are many who believe it was a manmade virus which was released either accidentally or maliciously from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.”
“Exactly!” said Kevin. By now, a few people who had been in earshot of the conversation and had obviously taken an interest positioned themselves near William Ashworth. They stood back, not wanting to intrude, but also wanting to hear the young man’s story.
“It shows what can happen when experimentation with genetics goes wrong. This is exactly what we have to prevent with humans.”
“You said your father committed suicide? Did he suffer with long COVID? Is that what drove him to take his own life?”
Kevin looked around at the small group which had gathered around them for the first time. “Oh no. My father actually never got COVID, as far as I know.”
A few of the group exchanged glances.
“No, it was the lockdowns that killed my father. As I said, he owned an Italian restaurant. The city was never the same after the lockdowns. It wasn’t just my father’s business. A lot of the restaurants and bars in the area closed down. He was a proud man and going from a successful entrepreneur to struggling to put food on the table broke him. I guess he couldn’t see another way out.”
Ashworth looked over his shoulder and saw Damian Osbourne had joined the group. “Thank you for sharing your story with us Kevin. I can’t pretend to understand what you have been through. But I think I understand your motivations for wanting to be involved.”
“The human genome, as it was, forever,” said Kevin proudly.
Ashworth smiled. “You seem to have internalised our catchphrase, Kevin.” He paused, considering. “Tell me, what are you doing currently? Are you studying or working?”
Kevin shook his head. “No, sir. I've been...adrift, I guess you could say. Trying to find my purpose.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know. But I sure as hell want to make a difference and protect the humanity we have. That is why I came here tonight to listen to you speak.”
“Well,” Ashworth said, “perhaps we can help with that.” He looked across at Damian. “We're always looking for dedicated individuals to join our cause. Would you be interested in working for us? I’m afraid I can only offer you something part time. We need a little more help around the office. It would give you a chance to learn more about what we do, and perhaps even support yourself while you go back to school.”
Kevin's eyes widened. “I… yes, absolutely. That would be amazing. That is so incredibly kind of you Mr Ashworth.”
Ashworth smiled. “Please, call me William.” He shook Kevin’s hand. As he did so Kevin’s eyes locked on his with his unwavering focus. There was something deeply unsettling about it.
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I hope you enjoyed this episode of Orphans of Apollo. We have had family visiting this week, which is nice but not very productive writing wise.
Thanks for reading,
Alex