Reset: A Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Fantasy (Contaminant Series Book 1) Read Free Page A

Rosenthird piped up.
    Peter gave an approving nod, “Yes, sir.”
    Rosenthird let that sink in, “Eight months ago, people had been picketing GMO’s.  Now, it could save them.” He chuckled.
    Neither Peter nor Anna laughed.
    Anna spoke this time, “We’ve made significant advances in cloning animals; but plants are a more difficult because they have a wall around their cells, for one.  And for two, plants aren’t born.  But we can do meat.  We have experimented with the manufacture of animals that produce other foods such as milk and cheese.  We don’t know what effect ingesting Crop-Dust contaminants could have.  Upon closer examination, these synthetic foods are found to be just as nourishing if not more so.  It’s not a permanent fix.  But, it’s what we’ve got.”
    “It is what we’ve got.” Rosenthird half-muttered under his breath, “What about the plants we already had underground?  I haven’t heard any reports of those.”
    “Well, they are still growing.  It’s been all we can do to study the dirt and isolate the element that is deactivating the soil and the plants.” Beyond that, Anna offered nothing more in the way of an explanation or an excuse.
    Peter reached for the report from Anna and flipped a few pages near the center, “Mr. President, I’ve also outlined here some of our efforts and obstacles.  We’ve taken several of uninfected plants and created clones that were growing vegetation.  Whenever we have introduced a clone plant into soil from the Earth, it stops growing.  Not only that, but the plant is contaminated with the same inhibitor found in the soil.  To make matters worse, when the clone plant was returned to its original potter, the soil that was previously pure was found to be contaminated.”  Peter set the report on the table and pushed it towards Rosenthird who picked it up.
    “Our saving grace in all of this is compost piles.  Every lab has been keeping one of paper and food scraps, although there’s not much of that.  It provides us with fresh dirt.  We’ve collaborated on a project to start composts all over the country and collect the dirt periodically.  Perhaps we can build something akin to a sandbox and start re-growing food.” Peter ended his sentence with his hands clasped.  Both he and Anna waited on President Rosenthird.
    “How soon can the ABC have food packaged and ready for delivery?” Rosenthird spoke slow and decidedly.  His eyes were fixed on the report on the table.
    Peter took a breath and quickly glanced at Anna, “We have prepackaged and deep frozen several thousand pounds of synthetic food, nationwide.  We started as soon as we realized what was happening.”
    Rosenthird stood up, and thanked them both for their report as he walked them to door, “I’ll sign the Order before lunch.  It’s in about thirty minutes and you’re welcome to stay for it.  Vern will see you to the guest lounge.”
    With that, Anna and Peter of the Agriculture and Biology Coalition exited the Oval Office.
    Rosenthird was already at his desk by the time the door shut, “Jameson, send Vern to see our guests from the ABC to the guest area.  They will join us for lunch before they head back.  Notify the kitchen, too, please.”
    “Will do, Mr. President” the intercom clicked off.
    The next thirty minutes was sat in silence save for the scratching of President Rosenthird’s pen.  Michael looked at Chris who had happened to look at him.  He pretended to fall asleep and wake up suddenly.  She smiled just enough and looked away.  Time seemed to pass just a bit faster after that.  At last, the familiar dramatic scribbling signified the signing of the documents.  Rosenthird handed the Executive Orders to Michael who immediately took them to the far corner of the room where the fax machine was.  He scanned the documents to his tablet and emailed them to everyone on his roster for in-house correspondence.  Soon after, Rosenthird, Michael,