Page 30 - Unlikely Stories 1

DeathCon

telomeres end up shortened beyond being able to protect their DNA
against transcription errors, leading to cell death and the
abnormalities of cancer. You are probably aware of the longevity
research focusing on telomere preservation.”
“Uh, no, not really. So how does this Atropos 500 work?”
“Without getting into the biochemistry, Buell, I can tell you my
discovery of anti-telomerase, would, under other circumstances, be
worthy of a Nobel Prize—he was a major armament manufacturer as
well as a chemist who invented dynamite, you know, but I’m not
bitter. It is a simple compound patented under the name of Atropos,
the license owned by Genomonix. It can be sprayed as an aerosol or
introduced to the food chain completely undetected. Once in the
bloodstream it is taken into the cells of the body with little or no
resistance. There it begins dissolving the linkages holding telomeres
together. Months will pass before the enemy realizes it is facing an
epidemic of disease and premature death, none of it apparently the
direct result of an attack by a hostile power. The ‘500’ refers to the
number of days it remains stable; after that it decomposes into water
and CO2, leaving not a trace.”
“Ooh, that sounds wicked, Jessie. But now that you’ve gone public
with this, how can you be certain that the enemy won’t realize right
away that their people have been sabotaged by your diabolical
molecules?”
“Oh, Buell, that’s really cute. I don’t know if your naiveté is for
real—is it? Oh, don’t answer and spoil it for me—but you really must
know that Genomonix is also working on a test for the presence of
Atropos and an antidote to counter its effects. You see, we’ve learned
from agribusiness biotech: create the problem and its solution, the
pesticide and the resistant seed, and sell them both.”
“Ah! Like intercontinental ballistic missiles and anti-ballistic missile
systems, both tributes to American ingenuity. I must say you are one
sharp lady, Jessie. Good luck in your battle with Nemesys for sales
supremacy: may the best company win!”
“Thanks, Buell, and again: don’t worry. Neither of us will be the
loser.”

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