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Back The Last Christian
Chapters (58)
  1. Cover
  2. Other Books by This Author
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Prologue
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. Author’s Note

Cleary nodded. “Specifically, a rapid brain degeneration disease, like the mad cow disease of the 1990s. Only highly contagious. With a sufficient mortality risk, the demand for transplants would be almost universal. The transition to transhumanity would, in the grand scheme, be almost instantaneous.”

Nichols’s brow creased. “Damien, you are quite mad. I will not be party to creating a worldwide pandemic just to promote my own technology.”

“Not to promote your own technology. To advance the ultimate cause of humanity.”

“And who would develop this disease?”

“There are already artificial pathogens available. You know that.”

“None of which have been tested on real populations.”

“Yes. Well, that wouldn’t be difficult to arrange, would it?”

“No, it wouldn’t. And we will not proceed down this road any further. Humanity will become transhumanity soon enough. I’m content to let the transition come at its own pace.” He stared at his associate. “I trust you are as well?”

Cleary laughed. “Nichols, you’re too serious sometimes. I’m just testing you.”

“Testing what? My commitment to the transition? I think my commitment is beyond question. Or do we need to have me remove my skullcap?”

“Your commitment is beyond question, Nichols. I can’t fault you on that.”

15

Sabin, I’m going back to Papua New Guinea.”

Sabin finished pouring a glass of orange juice and walked to the kitchen table with a plate of English muffins and eggs. He sat and looked at Abby. “I guess you don’t have much choice, given what the federal agents said.”

Abby shook her head. “Prosecution or not, I’d stay if I were sure God wanted me to. I know my grandparents believed what they were telling me. And I’ve prayed about it. Maybe God does have a task for me here. I felt that way before I came. But…what have I accomplished? I’m out of place here, I don’t know how to function in this culture, I’m lonely—that’s not a comment on you, by the way—”

“No, I understand. We just met.”

Her mouth turned down, and she continued. “Lauren is too busy for me. I know I’m a sore spot between you and her—”

“Whatever issues Lauren and I have existed long before you arrived.”

“Well, I don’t want to make things worse. I just can’t see how God can use me here. I feel like a failure.” Abby pressed her hands to her eyes. “And the truth is, I miss Papua New Guinea terribly. I just want to go home.”

Sabin handed her a tissue. She dabbed her eyes and pushed the muffins and eggs toward him. “Here, eat some of this before it gets cold.”

He served his plate and pushed the food back to Abby. “If you go back, where would you go?”