The Zen Gene Read Online Free PDF

his opening statement age for a moment.
    Mann did not say anything in response he simply continued to look out the single window at the harbour. He saw two parked warships and a BC ferry in dry dock. It was a nicer view than the one they gave him and this room was used to interrogate prisoners. He wondered what they were trying to tell him. I should ask for a room upgrade, maybe cash in some Air Miles, he thought smiling. He had decided, while gazing at the lovely Patricia over dinner last night, that he had no choice but to grin and bear it. Lyle Greef made it clear, though he never said it directly, that if he wanted to keep his research grant he needed to cooperate with Western. He may as well enjoy his time in Victoria. The nonsense they told him about helping them with a genetics problem could not last much longer. He knew they would eventually get around to the real reason they wanted him there.
    “We need to understand what has happened to him,” the Colonel paused again and waited for a response but he remained silent.
    “The soldier in question was hand-picked for an assignment overseas,” he continued as he put on his glasses to refer to a document on the desk, no longer waiting for him to respond.
    “Pre-mission training took place on this base and he was in good mental and physical health. He was in top shape when he shipped out on an overseas mission. He is thirty-seven years old, married, a graduate of UBC. He has one child, a daughter who is thirteen, and a dog. He lives with his family in a good suburb of Victoria.
    He is a career soldier, in for more than fifteen years, and he has seen active duty in several hot zones and performed well. He has not suffered an injury, beyond the usual bumps and bruises, and he has never suffered head trauma. He does not have any psychiatric disorders, does not use drugs, is not secretly gay, and he doesn’t have any aberrant sexual behaviours or desires, or money problems,” he said.
    He sat silently impassively listening as the Colonel described to him, in some detail, an ordinary man.
    “While he was on his last assignment we discovered he has developed a serious problem, one which he did not have on previous assignments. To put it in blunt terms Dr. Mann this highly skilled and experienced combat soldier has lost the ability to carry out the duties for which he was trained. That is to say, he tells us he was willing to carry out the assignment, but when he tried to do so he became physically incapacitated. This occurred while he was on a mission where he was expected to use deadly force,” he said.
    He found the Colonel’s hushed and reverent tone comical and he laughed. The Colonel’s lowered voice and whispered words seemed as though he were hesitantly outing a comrade, telling his worst secret, much worse and more shameful than impotence or homosexuality.
    “Do you find this situation funny Dr. Mann?” he said.
    He looked at the Colonel and could see by the splotchy colour on his face he found nothing humorous about it.
    “So find the guy a desk job,” he said, exasperated.
    “I don’t think you understand the importance of what I’m telling you, Doctor. This is a highly trained elite soldier who can no longer perform his duties,” he said.
    He scratched his head confused.
    “Colonel, let me see if I understand the situation correctly. Twenty years ago I did some very preliminary research into aggression in great apes and because of this you believe I can tell you why your soldier can’t kill people. Have I got that right?”
    “Yes, essentially,” Western said.
    Western’s answer was unbelievable and he shook his head looking at him. What is wrong with this guy, he thought? None of this makes sense there has to be more to it. He decided to force the issue.
    “Well, Colonel, it turns out you picked the right guy for the job because I’m a quick study. I have the answer for you,” he said.
    Western glared at him but said nothing. It was clear he