Chapter 11: Hunt for the Organism

A vision of creating a long-lasting legacy brought our founder, Adam Slade, to Sunset Valley many years ago.  Now it his only son, Brandon Slade who is continuing this vision, building not only a fine new home overlooking the bay, but also a reputation for service to the community.

In this chapter Brandon is on the trail of a mysterious organism in the desert town of Al Simhara ...

It was late evening when Brandon arrived in Al Simhara, as he sat to enjoy a tasty local vegetable broth, he mulled over the few details he had been given by Dr Livsey:

• That local fish stocks had dropped dramatically
• There was likely to be just the one organism, they cannot reproduce and the technology is very difficult to replicate 
• A list of a handful of people in the town who should have useful information 
• The people behind the release of the organism could be dangerous

Thankfully, for that last concern, Brandon had been provided with papers that identified him as a consultant for the National Fisheries Agency so, hopefully, the locals would not link him to the Landgraab Institute – well, not until he had completed his mission at least!

The following morning, Brandon set out to interview some of the key people in the local fish business.

His first contact was Farid Kamel, head of the Al Simhara Merchants Association. Having introduced himself, Brandon wanted to get an idea of the scale of the drop in fish numbers and when it had started.

"Well, Mr Slade, I first heard reports of fish with strange wounds about four months ago, and today I would say that our local fishermen are bringing nearly 20% fewer fish to market than I would expect to see at this time of year.

"This is very worrying Mr Slade, up until now, this year had been very good, in fact I would say that we were a little above the average so, this decline could actually be more than 20% of the actual fish stock ...

"I am very concerned," Farid continued, "that not only are our fisherman earning less because of the smaller catch, but the merchants are having to bring in fish from other suppliers which is driving up prices in the markets."

Brandon thanked Farid for this useful background information and promised that he would do all he could to find out what had happened and that the NFA would offer all possible help to restore the fish population.

Farid’s comment about the strange wounds was interesting, Dr Livsey had not mentioned this. It was not conceivable that he would not have given Brandon this information so was it possible that the Institute was itself not being fully informed? Were the local agents somehow involved in a cover-up?

Shortly after meeting Farid Kamel, Brandon had arranged a meeting with Mena Lufti, the spokesman for the local fishermen’s organisation.

"Ms Lufti, the NFA have asked me to investigate what might be causing the recent drop in the fish catch around Al Simhara. I have spoken with Mr Kamel and he told me of unusual wounds that have been seen recently ..."

"Yes, indeed, Mr Slade, some months ago, a few fishermen who were work on Wadi Simabbad, reported strange cuts on the belly of a number of large fish. Since then similar injuries have been seen on many different species in the Wadi and also in the main tributary."

"So," Brandon asked, "you had not seen these sort of wounds before, there is nothing here that could cause these?"

"No, Mr Slade, the cuts are unlike anything we have seen before. They are most strange, there is a, I do not quite know how to explain it, but there is often something 'metallic' about the injuries – as if they had been cut by a very soft knife that had left fragments behind in the wound."

"Metallic? Could there be any metallic toxins in the water."

"No, we have commissioned a water quality study and they have so far found nothing but, even if there were, I cannot imagine how much the fish would need to consume for it to show up like this.

"In fact," Mena continued, "there is another very unusual feature of this situation. Our trawl fishermen have reported large numbers of dead fish on the bottom of the river ..."

"And they all show the same type of injury?" Brandon interjected

"Yes, many do. But the point is that there is such a large number of dead fish and also, there have been no reports of any floating on the surface. We would expect to see some with this amount of loss, but even the most recently dead are sinking to the bottom."

Brandon was left even more confounded by the unusual nature of this situation. It certainly wasn’t looking like anything 'natural' was causing this problem.

Brandon’s next contact was Youssef Nagi, the local manager of the Farmed Fish Supplies corporation, however, as he approached their office he was intercepted by Helmi Hosni, who introduced himself as the Chief Financial Officer for FFS North Africa.

"I am terribly sorry Mr Slade, but Mr Nagi is currently out of town working on a major expansion project, but I am fully aware of the local situation and am here to assist you in any way I can."

Brandon related what he had learnt so far, the dramatic drop in the fish catch, the sudden appearance of these bizarre, and strangely metallic, injuries.

Helmi Hosni considered Brandon's observations, pausing for thought before replying.

"That is most fascinating, we have seen a small rise in the demand for our products recently, most likely as a result of the smaller local catch. Our stock is sourced from our own fisheries, one of which is only a few miles away from here. And we have seen no evidence of these wounds, or the increased death rates that you describe.

"I can only assume that there is some toxin or other element that exists in the local river system. Even so, the filtration system at our nearby facility has not picked up anything unusual."

"Now, Mr Slade, if there is nothing else you need from me, I have other business to attend to."

Brandon thanked Helmi for his time, and went to a nearby café to collect his thoughts and decide on his next move.

It was time to gather some evidence. Equipping himself with the relevant baits and tools as recommended by Mena Lufti, Brandon set about catching some specimens from the tributary that flowed through the centre of Al Simhara.

Thankfully, in this heat, the bait soon lured some fish onto his hook. The first couple he caught looked fine nothing to indicate that they were in any way ill or damaged. The third fish, however, was a different matter.

As he pulled it from the water it hardly made any attempt to escape, and there it was, on the flanks of the fish. A deep red wound!

As he inspected his catch more closely Brandon could see the strange metallic edges to the damaged flesh.

It wasn't like a coating, like it had been painted or brushed onto the flesh. As Mena had described it, this looked like very small flakes of metal. A lot of flakes.

Trying not to cause the fish any more discomfort that absolutely necessary, he gingerly examined the area of the wound only to almost drop the fish when he noticed some of the 'flakes' move. Not as part of the natural movement of the fish but quite independently!

It looks as if Dr Livsey was right; there was some sort of "cyber" organism involved here.

This might be the proof he needed, it was time to speak to the local Landgraab Institute contact  Dr Livsey had said would handle communications with the head office.

With an address some way outside of the town, and not wishing to compromise his cover story, it was late in the evening when Brandon arrived at Dalida Barakat's home.

Showing her the injured fish he had caught, he gave her a detailed analysis of his meetings and what he had seen in the river.

"You have done well Brandon.  We have tried to get our hands on a recently attacked fish but the locals have been suspicious of our motives so we have been unable to make much progress.

"I have collected together much information on local fish populations, together with some additional details on LIS cybergenetic projects that  might survive in this environment.  Please review this material.  And I believe it would be useful for you to explore the Wadi that Ms Lufti referred to."

Thanking her for the research notes, Brandon left Dalida to return to the camp site only to have a very uneasy night as the questions raised during the day kept circling through his mind.

Early the following morning, Brandon studied the notes Mrs Barakat had given to him, comparing them with his own findings.  Finally, feeling prepared, he set off for Wadi Simabbad.

Being late in the season, the Wadi was starting to dry up, and Brandon was not sure if he would be able to find any specimens in the remaining water.  But luck, and the right arrangement of bait, quickly rewarded him.

Even the most cursory examination of the fish was enough to reveal the very same indications he had seen in the river.  Whatever was at the root of this problem was capable of travelling the local watercourses.

Being unused to the heat of the exposed desert, Brandon decided, having found this evidence, to take a break for lunch at the camp site.

On his way back to the camp he passed by the Barakat household and as he did Dalida Barakat rushed out and called him over.

"Ahh, Brandon, I'm glad to catch you.  I was in town earlier today, and overheard a conversation between a couple of desert rangers.  They had found some unusual 'debris' just outside the old ruins alongside the Wadi."

"And you think this may be related?"

"I cannot be certain Brandon, but from what the rangers were saying it does not sound like anything normally found around Al Simhara."

Brandon agreed that anything out of the ordinary, especially near the local watercourse, was definitely worth investigating.  But, first, lunch.

Today, rather then rely on the prepared meals available in the camp kitchen, Brandon went to the market to get some fresh local produce.

Making this meal gave him time to reflect on what he had seen in the last couple of days, how  important local markets are to communities like Al Simhara, and what this 'debris' could possibly be.

Refreshed, and ready to continue, Brandon headed back out into the desert.  Even with the few details Dalida had, it didn't take too long to find the site the desert rangers had been talking about.

It was clear from what was visible on the surface that this was no historical deposit, nor discarded waste from the nearby town.

It was mostly an odd collection of synthetic materials, some of which appeared to be breaking down and leaching into the sand.

As Brandon, cautiously exposed more of these remains, he revealed what looked like a transportation crate lined with a material he didn't recognise but felt cold to the touch.  It looked like some sort of a metal insulation but somehow still felt relatively cool, even here in the desert sun.

There was a large section of this 'crate' still intact and built into it were what appeared to be six small restraints.  It seemed unlikely that a single weapon would require that many holding points, two weapons perhaps?

But, mentally checking off what he had seen and heard, he realised that this was no simple weapon container.  This had held an animal of some description!

Having taken detailed measurements of the crate fragments, Brandon had a good idea of the size of the creature he was looking for. Finally he took photographs of all the pieces he had uncovered and as he turned one piece over he noticed what looked like part of a consignment label.

A partial logo and the letters "med fi" were all that he could make out. But it was enough; he was convinced that he now knew who was behind this!

All that was left now was to find the cause of the fish deaths and take it out of operation.


The Wadi was practically dry now, so Brandon returned to the river where there were still plenty of fish and where he had seen recently inflicted injuries.

Once again he set his baits and traps as recommended by Dr Livsey and it wasn't long before he made his first catch. Unfortunately this was another victim fish and, as distressing as it was to see such a wonderful creature so badly injured, Brandon was heartened by how recent the wound looked – he was on the right track

 As he examined the fish, he received a phone call from Dalida Barakat.

"Mr Slade, I have been in contact with the LIS and we have reviewed the samples you found yesterday.  As a result Dr Livsey has suggested some adjustments to the baiting recommendations that he originally gave you.  However, he was was very concerned by what you have uncovered and will be travelling to Al Simhara today to discuss the situation with you directly."

So, with the new instructions, Brandon settling into trapping whatever it was that was destroying these fish.

Time passed, it was over an hour and there was no sign of anything being attracted to the new bait, Brandon was wondering if Dr Livsey's analysis had been accurate after all.

And then, there was a sudden movement of the line, it was pulled sharply down towards the water.

Quickly taking control, Brandon drew the line back in to the bank, relaxed it briefly and felt it being pulled from him again, so he brought it back under control.  Whatever it was, he had it!  It was firmly caught on the traps.

With the assurance of an expert angler, Brandon slowly and firmly brought his catch in, and out of the water.

There it was, glinting in the sunlight, a creature like a small crocodile but with a skin that glinted like a dull metal in the sunlight.. 

With just a cursory examination, Brandon knew that this creature would have fitted perfectly into the crate that he had examined earlier.  This was, undoubtedly, the creature he was seeking but why was it attacking the fish, and what were those odd 'flakes' that were left in the attack wounds?

Securing the 'cyber crocodile', Brandon returned to deliver his catch to Dalida Barakat, who would hopefully explain why this creature was behaving as it was.

However, when he arrived at the Barakat residence he was greeted by a distinguished gentleman who smiled warmly at him as he held out his hand in greeting.

"Mr Slade, Brandon, I am Jackson Livsey and I am here to personally thank you for the remarkable and outstanding job you have done here so far."

"Dr Livsey, I am honoured to meet you, and I am very pleased to have been able to help your work."

"Thank you and, please, call me Jackson.  It is we, I, who am indented to you."

They went inside, where Jackson explained to Brandon what he had caught.

"What you have caught is a prototype cybergenetic device that we have created to help us understand and find ways of surviving in extreme hostile environments.  This particular example was designed to live close to the ground to avoid large land-based predators and use aquatic environments to find food sources.

"Which as we have seen, it was very adept at doing!"

"And what," Brandon asked, "were those 'living' metallic flakes found in the fish it attacked?"

"Ahh, yes," Dr Livsey continued, "that is the most interesting part of this whole episode.  Each of our cybergentic organisms is equipped with 'nanobots' - self-replicating assemblies of microscopic 'nanites' - that are programmed to repair any damage to the organism.

"Unfortunately this is one area of the technology that we have been having difficulty with.  At the slightest damage to the organism, even just the abrasions of tearing into the flesh of it's prey, the nanobots will activate.  In this prototype they were being transferred into the wounds in the fish but because they did not have the relevant program, their attempts to repair the fish actually caused more damage and, eventually, death."

The picture was becoming clear for Brandon "So, a self-repairing, immortal, aquatic predator would be an excellent way of reducing the local fish supply for someone who wanted to make money from replacing the local source with their own supply." he ventured, as he showed Jackson the photographs he had taken of the crate debris.  "And I think we can show who that was."

"Indeed it would appear so." Jackson agreed.  "I think you and I should bring these people to justice."

Leaving the cybercroc with Dalida, Jackson and Brandon set off into town to confront the people responsible for letting it loose in Al Simhara.

"Mr Slade, what is the meaning of this intrusion?  I do not recall setting up any appointment, and I am a very busy man!"

"Mr Hosni, may I introduce Dr Jackson Livsey, director of the Landgraab Institute, we believe that you have stolen something from his laboratory ..."

"That is outrageous!  I know nothing of this institute ... "

Brandon continued "So, the unprecedented increase in the demand for your products, the laboratory crate addressed to 'Farmed Fish Supplies', and ..." Brandon produced his photographs of the cybercroc, "this ..."

As much as he tried to hide it, Hosni's expression told Brandon that they had got the right man.

Dr Livsey added "We know there has been considerable commercial interest in our work at LIS and our internal audits have linked several people in your company with at least one of the intermediaries that have approached us."

As if on cue, three police officers entered the office, "Helmi Hosni, we have reason to suspect you of involvement in the criminal destruction of a natural resource and attempting to pervert the proper operation of the market.  Please accompany us to the station to answer some questions." 

As Hosni was led away, Jackson turned to Brandon, "That was a job well done, the LIS, and the people of Al Simhara owe you a considerable debt of gratitude.  Please feel free to stay on here, at our expense, for the rest of this week, and come to see me when you return to  Sunset Valley."


Meanwhile.  Back in the Valley, Brandon's daughter was having some success with her manhunt ...

Chapter 12: Cleo on Fire