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The Gnome Genome Project
by
Michael W. Clark, Ph.D.
A Techno-Sci-Fi-detective thriller of 70,700 words. Copyright 2006
With their mission to bring extinct species back to life, death was as complex and confusing as life was in the Institute of Molecular Evolution and Species Resuscitation. One of the Institute scientists, Dr. Peacock has been killed in an apparent lab accident. A routine investigation by Detective Harold Hancock reveals that it was more than a simple accident. Another Institute staff member, Steven Erckmeyer disappeared approximately at the same time as Peacock’s death.
The Institute has had many successes in resuscitating extinct species of large Ice Age Mammals by molecular cloning. One of their most renowned successes was the resuscitation of a giant extinct Ice Age raccoon. It turned out to have human-like intelligence. They nicknamed the intelligent raccoons Gnomes. These creatures may have been the origin of the Gnome myth. The first successfully cloned Gnome was named Frederick Wonderfeat. He is intelligent, talkative, charming and short in stature. More than twenty Gnomes have been cloned so far.
Although wondrous, the Gnome’s existence contributed to Peacock’s demise. Peacock’s diary reveals that he thought resuscitating the Gnomes a waste of time. Peacock wants to resuscitate the extinct Indonesian hominid species, a cousin of humans, called Homo floresiensis. Dr. Peacock plots to do it without the Institute’s or the scientific world’s knowledge. Cloning humans of any species is banned. Peacock makes questionable legal contacts through the Institute’s stock boy, Steven Erckmeyer. His foreign contact is an ex-African mercenary named Freemore Bender who refers to himself as an Extreme Finder. Whatever you want he can get. Peacock starts moving in a world he doesn't know or understand. It gets him killed.
Detective Hancock discovers that Peacock has cloned unregistered Gnomes in order to pay for Homo floresiensis fossils obtained through Bender’s services. Harold links Bender to a mystery man they call Hat who was in Peacock’s lab during the late night accident. Harold asks Fred Wonderfeat for assistance in tracking Bender, Hat and the unregistered Gnomes.
Harold and Fred end up in Seattle, WA. Erckmeyer is found dead back home. Hat has gotten to Seattle before them. He too was looking for Bender. Harold and Fred rescue the unregistered Gnomes. They all get trapped by Hat. Everyone has to wait until Bender arrives. Hat admits to killing Erckmeyer after Erckmeyer contacted Hat’s employer, the Director of the Museum, the museum from where Bender stole the fossil. Erckmeyer told the Director about Peacock efforts to resuscitate Homo floresiensis and then tried to extort money from the Director. Peacock’s death was actually an accident though. Hat had brought a noxious gas to kill the Homo floresiensis cell lines. Peacock was not supposed to die. Peacock turned out to be allergic to the gas and died from anaphylactic shock. Harold takes on Hat, who is obviously a professional killer, is wounded multiple times and is only saved from Hat’s murderous blade by a last minute effort by Bender, who finally shows up.
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