Chapter 16: Connecting the Dots

Casey sought out her father when she arrived home; he was in his kitchen. Although their last encounter was disappointing, she wanted to be fair to him and let him know she was joining the Taskforce. Initially, their greeting wasn't cold, but it wasn't overly warm either. Casey said, "Hi Dad, I'm glad you're here."

Jonathon glanced up, his eyes shadowed with sadness. “Hi, Casey. How are you?” he asked quietly.

With a hint of excitement, Casey responded, “The President has asked me to join his Taskforce starting tomorrow. I’m hoping I can help solve the issue with the lysoid.”

For a moment, Jonathon didn’t say anything. Then, to her surprise, he stepped closer, his arms outstretched for a hug. Despite still feeling annoyed at him, Casey couldn’t help but feel a rush of gratitude for the fatherly gesture. She allowed herself to be caught in his embrace.

“Casey,” he whispered, his voice low. “I’ve tried to protect you. But now it’s out of my hands. Please—don’t rock the boat. Just do your job.”

“Dad…” she murmured, holding on a little tighter. “I want to do what I can to help.”

He pulled back only slightly, with an expression that was both resigned and weary. “I know. I knew this day would come. You’re just like your mother.”

The words hit her like a punch. She blinked, trying to keep her voice steady. “What do you mean?”

Jonathon hesitated, glancing over his shoulder as if ensuring no one was listening. Then, in a barely audible whisper, he said, “She… well, we both tried to change things. But it didn’t work. So I’ve been toeing the line, keeping you out of it. But now you're in it.”

She frowned, her confusion growing. “In it? What does that mean?”

He responded, “You’re working with Ruth and the Alliance now. They’ll help you understand. They’ll tell you everything.

“Wait, how do you know I’m working with the Alliance?”

Jonathon’s gaze flickered to her before he whispered, “Ruth told me.”

Casey’s eyes widened. “But why would Ruth tell you?”

His expression darkened, "I've always known Ruth was part of the Alliance. But when your mother died, I told her I wanted no part of it, and I didn't want you involved either."

"But why Dad?" she asked, keeping as calm as she could.

“Because it’s dangerous,” he replied, his voice tight with emotion. “The President and the Calberras won’t tolerate anything that threatens their way of life. Anyone who stands in their way is disposable—your mother, me, anyone. They’ll do whatever it takes to preserve the status quo.”

"Do you mean they killed Mum?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, but the words hung in the air like a terrible accusation.

Jonathon shook his head slowly. “No. But the President could’ve helped her. And he didn’t.”

The weight of his words settled over her, and Casey wrapped her arms around her father tightly, as though trying to shield him—or herself—from the enormity of what they were saying.

“Casey,” he murmured, his voice tight with urgency, “do what you need to do, but stay under the radar. Do not expose yourself to the President or the Calberras. Trust very carefully. Assume you're always being listened to. Always! I will help you however I can, but we must be careful.”

She held him for a long moment, trying to absorb everything he’d just said. The reality of her situation was starting to settle in, but before she could respond, she drew back, wiping away the unease from her face.

Casey felt this was an opening for her to question her father. However, now that she knew his position, she thought she would wait until she learned more before asking.

With this shocking insight, they slowly separated. As if they hadn't just had that conversation, “I’m going to bed,” she said softly, her voice more composed. “Goodnight.”

Jonathon nodded, his expression softening as he watched her retreat. “Goodnight, my love.”

Casey paused at the doorway, turning back toward him. “I love you, Dad.”

For a brief moment, she saw a flicker of something in his eyes—something fragile and unspoken. She didn’t press him further. Instead, she gave him a final nod and left him alone in the kitchen, the weight of his warning hanging heavily in the air.

When Casey opened the Chemical Manufacturing Plant files in her basement later that night, she felt a strange calm. The file contained many journals, which were fortunately categorised by date. This allowed Casey to seamlessly absorb the information, as it was sequential and easy to follow.

Percy’s National Institute for Aging unknowingly played a key role in the establishment of both the Calberras’ lab and Chemical Manufacturing Plant. In hindsight, she could see it was all part of the larger plan initiated by President Donald Trump Senior.

Trump Senior’s presidency, starting in 2016, was a pivotal turning point for Percy’s work and the National Institute for Aging. At first, Trump Senior sought Percy’s expertise for his own health, so Percy prescribed him the, by now, highly sophisticated Wellness Program.

Percy’s long-term vision had always been to make the Wellness Program available to everyone, but scaling up production of lysoid—a critical component of the program—had proven far more difficult than he anticipated. The crop, a creation of his mother’s, was still not easy to reproduce.

Despite years of research, Percy had only been able to recreate lysoid in small batches, limiting its availability.

Due to this scarcity and the cost of production, he had to sell it at a high price, which meant only the elite could afford it. The growing conditions for lysoid were highly specific. Percy had spent years perfecting the environment within his lab.

The growing conditions needed to be optimal, and Percy had spent time researching how to achieve this when Trump Senior invited him to the White House to discuss the future of the Wellness Program. This is when Percy learned of the President’s intention to make the Wellness Program available to all those loyal to him and his family.

At the time, Percy dismissed any concerns. But now, as Casey pieced the information together, she began to understand the bigger picture. The Wellness Program was becoming a tool of power—one that would separate the Calberras and their allies from the rest of the population.

The President had promised Percy a Taskforce to help create a climate-controlled town for mass production of lysoid. Percy had been thrilled, believing it would bring his dream of making the program widely accessible to fruition, and there appeared to be a side benefit: job stimulation; the economy wasn’t doing that great, so he could see the additional potential.

Casey felt a growing unease. She had never heard of a "climate-controlled town," and something about it didn’t sit right with her. She also realised she had never actually seen a lysoid crop, or come in contact with any of the farmers who produced it. 

Another finding from the journals was that the National Institute for Aging was now known as the Calberras lab. 

The night had grown late, and with so much information to process, she reluctantly decided to stop for the evening. She needed to be sharp for work tomorrow—but at least now, she could begin to connect the dots between Percy, the President, and lysoid production.