Ophion grinned. “Your father is a smart man, judging by that piece of advice and everything else I’ve read about him.”
“He’s the smartest man I know,” Humphrey admitted.
Ophion’s obsidian gaze narrowed suddenly. “And what would he think about you dabbling into scientific phenomena?”
Humphrey inclined his head. “He also says one is never too old to learn new things.”
“And you’d like to learn more about genetics.”
“Ovaries,” Humphrey clarified slowly. “Their make-up, abilities.”
“Their power,” Ophion finished.
Humphrey wouldn’t say more. Ophion didn’t press.
“I heard about your meeting with Lucius Gage. I could’ve saved you the trouble of that visit,” Ophion motioned to a seat at the table he’d already nabbed in the bar. “Gage has barely scratched the surface of possibilities. Sadly, he’s content to remain there, the fool.”
Feeling more at ease then, Humphrey accepted the seat at the table. “He was quite upset when I mentioned eugenics.”
Ophion smiled. “That’s a dirty word in our business. A dirty word in our culture,” he inclined his head then. “Tesano. Italian, correcta?”
“Correct,” Humphrey smirked.
“Greek,” Ophion shoved a thumb against his sternum. “I assume you’ve read Osborn’s Development of A Eugenic Philosophy?”
Humphrey nodded.
Ophion parrotted the gesture. “I suppose you’re also aware that our ethnicities put us among what eugenics fundamentalists would deem disfavored minority groups.”
“I’m aware,” Humphrey’s expression tightened. “I’m not a fundamentalist though and I have no desire to be. I tried to tell that to Gage, but I guess any remote interest in that movement is cause for being shunned.”
“Preaching to the choir, Tesano.” Ophion chuckled. “Why do you think I now conduct my research in Chicago instead of Portland?”
Humphrey settled back against his chair. A waitress arrived to take their drink orders. “What you said about the power of ovaries,” he said once they were alone again, “I’d have thought Gage would approve.”
“Remember what I said about Gage only scratching the surface of the research?” Ophion leaned into the table. “Tesano, there are scientists right now who are considering the possible results of combining the DNA of different organisms.”
Humphrey frowned. “To what end?”
“To the creation of something new.”
Humphrey didn’t look comforted. “New things can be abominations.”
Ophion’s expression cooled. “You may be more of a fundamentalist than you realize.”
The waitress returned with drinks then. Humphrey studied his scotch neat and considered his words. “There are certain...groups I’d like to not see...mixed.”
Ophion shook his head. “Your vision is stilted, my friend. You need to see how endless the possibilities are. There are even rumors of improved processes to clone animals.”
Conversation silenced on Ophion’s revelation. The men considered such rumors while savoring sips of their respective drinks.
“May I ask what you’re working on, Ophion? Or are you just in the habit of touting the would be, could be successes of others?”
Something whimsical captured Ophion’s exotic and darkly attractive face. He smiled down into what remained of his gin tonic for a time. “I’m not overly comfortable sharing my research plans with anyone except my colleagues...or benefactors.”
Humphrey smiled. “And I’m not overly comfortable being a benefactor unless I know what I’m getting into.”
“Understood,” Ophion nodded shortly, his expression dimming. “You see, many of my ideas are still theoretical. I haven’t had the financial backing to see them through. I confess it’s difficult holding on to funding once certain aspects of my research is known. Genetic studies can make some people nervous, especially those who lack vision.”
“People call my father a great visionary.” Humphrey said. “I like to think I come from similar stock.”
Ophion regarded Humphrey for long moments and then reached into the wrinkled suit coat to withdraw a card and pen. He wrote on the back of the card. “Meet me here tomorrow at three.” He reached for something in one of the unoccupied chairs at the table.
“My plans aren’t for the faint hearted or outlandishly moral.” Ophion produced a bound portfolio. “This will do more to explain my experiments and intentions but I’ve seen to it that it can in no way be traced to me.”
Humphrey accepted the material. “I’ll return it when we meet tomorrow.”
“There’s no need for that. If you find what it contains too unsavory, destroy it or...pass it on for someone else to be inspired by.”
Humphrey thumbed through the contents and stopped when he arrived at a page of illustrations. He visibly braced when he saw the photo that followed.
“What’s to stop me from taking this to the police?”
“She was a prostitute, got paid to sell her body. Never bothered to ask what she was selling it for. I’d say helping to propel advancements in science is a pretty lofty achievement for someone of her background. Understand, Mr. Tesano, like you, science is not my first love. I’ve spent much time making myself invisible, untouchable.”
Humphrey observed his new associate with a measuring scan. “That kind of thing takes money.”
“Not really. Just knowing the right people. Playing the right game and helping those people play theirs.”
