SYNOPSIS:

A young civil engineering graduate of African descent, Amos Jere, seeks employment in London following completion of his studies at the University of Zambia. James Reynolds, a founding executive and consultant at successful company Reynolds, Wright & Partners (RWP) is impressed by the graduate’s academic record and invites him to an exploratory assessment with a view to taking him on if his personal attributes are a good fit. Amos turns out to be the son of influential businessman cum politician, Peter Jere, in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka. James takes notes and decides to offer the young man a job, with the undisclosed aim being to set up an office in Lusaka. Unbeknown to him, Amos is the target of an experiment involving the use of a prototype mind-reading implement incorporating technology developed by a leading western company utilising scientific knowledge garnered over the preceding couple of decades. The company encounters upheaval when Amos becomes suspicious and contacts private detective, William Smith, who promptly disappears mysteriously, thus further heightening the graduate’s suspicions. His own efforts lead him to a dead end, with colleagues expressing concern about his mental wellbeing, or lack thereof. Amos panics and contacts his father, which sets off the proverbial alarm bells within the upper echelons of RWP. Amos disappears before his father can even dismiss his allegations as hyperbole. The scientists emerge from their top secret cell to try and quell the rumours about, and interest in, the experiment. Questions arise as to the whereabouts of both William Smith and Amos. Are they in hiding of their own accord? Was Smith paid off by RWP and ordered to go away and stay away? Was Amos abducted and detained to protect the privacy of the mind reading experiment? James Reynolds tells police investigating the disappearance of both men that Amos disappeared of his own volition and apparently did not alert anyone of his intentions. Reynolds contacts Amos’ father to express his concern and reveal that Amos’ mental wellbeing had been called into question by several of his colleagues. He invites Mr Jere to travel to London if he so wishes and promises to reimburse him for all associated expenses. In London, the disappearance of Amos is featured on BBC television’s Crimewatch programme, with Metropolitan Police detective Harry Greaves being interviewed on progress so far and providing further details of the investigation. He goes on to announce that James Reynolds is offering a reward of £10,000 to anyone providing information that directly leads authorities to Amos. No mention is made of the Mind Reader experiment, thereby showing the secret remains safe. But is Amos safe? Is he even still alive? Detective Harry Greaves has a challenging task on his hands. On his arrival in London, the first thing Peter Jere wants to know is if Amos is indeed showing signs of mental illness, why hasn’t he been referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist for a formal assessment and diagnosis? And knowing his son as he does, he would not go to the extent of hiring a private detective at great expense if he wasn’t convinced that something sinister was indeed going on. Furthermore, why has said detective disappeared without a trace? Was he onto something? Has he been abducted or perhaps even been murdered? That would render RWP somewhat culpable, wouldn’t it? James Reynolds takes great exception to that final point and cautions Peter not to make spurious assertions in the absence of verifiable evidence. He offers to introduce Peter to the police officers dealing with the case and assures him RWP would have no reason to detain Amos or murder William Smith as the firm has nothing to hide. All Peter can do is speak to the police officers and hope that his son is alive and will find some way of communicating that to him. He notes Reynolds made no mention of the mind reading instruments at the centre of this fine mess. That, he reasons, is manifestly indicative of a cover up on Reynolds’ part.