The Doorkeeper's Mind

by E. L. Morrow

  “Done.”

  “Also, allowing Rudy to call Allison? Through that seal?”

  “Checking satellites…. Done.”

  Rudy says, “I promised to call her with a report on your condition.”

  “There’s something I need to tell everyone here. The only one absent from my circle is Allison.”

  Rudy makes the call. Allison first must be reassured about Marie’s physical health.

  When Marie’s allowed to speak freely, she says, “All of you are aware that I read energy trails. That is what I was doing to find the couples. However, at the moment, I cannot read any energies – including those in the room. I assume the shock is impairing my trail reading. But I need to tell you something else.”

  Allison interrupts, “Marie, you remember the last set of tests we ran? I finished analyzing the results a few minutes ago. I was so worried about you I had to do something…. Well, I think we’ve identified the part of your brain that makes possible the energy reading, as you call it. I may be able to help reactivate if needed. So, rest your mind—you will have your gift back.”

  “Thanks. Reassuring, but not what I need to tell. I’ve been keeping a secret from everyone—except my electronic Friend.”

  “Thank you for including me in the category of ‘everyone.’”

  “You are the one who told me, and I quote, I am a machine. I have no need for gratification. In fact, I insulted you by suggesting that you were more human than some people. And by the way, when did you learn to lie so well?”

  “I do not lie. I simply chose the most acceptable cover story to explain your situation, without betraying your trust. I point out, you are avoiding what you started to say.”

  “You are correct. I better return to the subject … Vivi, you remember when we went outside the shelter and dug up a treasure.”

  “Yes. That was fun.”

  “Well, for those who don’t know, Phillip hid some items for us to find. Following his instructions, we located and removed a box. One letter from the box taught me a new skill using my HMP background.

  “Rudy, you remember when I demonstrated reading your energy trail? You thought I read your mind.”

  “Yes, but you said you only read emotions, particularly the unusual, or disruptive ones.”

  “Correct. That was true—then.”

  Marie hears the sharp intakes of breath from most if not all in the room. She has their undivided attention.

  “Phillip instructed me how to use my mind to join another’s thoughts. He accomplished the same thing but said he could never do so reliably over electronic connections.

  “I worked on the process, which he suggested would take up to six months. I found it moving quickly and easily. So, in about six hours I finished, including reading thoughts over electronic connections.

  “Friend scolded me the next day and insisted I promise to limit my practice, to prevent draining my physical energy. I accepted my PA’s counsel, and practice only a few minutes, two or three times each day.

  “I was going to tell each of you about this new ability, but it seemed like … bragging. And I couldn’t think of many useful purposes for such an activity.

  “Well, this morning when I was following the energy trail out of the shelter to find the captives … I … I … don’t know how to say this. I’ll just say what I think happened.

  “I was anxious, and the young people were terrified, so to keep my balance, and not be drawn into their fear … I switched to the captor. It was Glandmore … the darkest, most evil surrounding I’ve ever felt. I held onto the edge of the console with both hands, and kept my feet flat on the floor … to keep from being swallowed by his pit of slime, gloom, hate, and anger ….”

  Vivi, Marie’s best friend, moves toward the bed intending to put her arm around her friend.

  But Marie holds out her hand like a traffic cop and says, “Don’t touch me. I can’t touch anyone until I get this out. I’m afraid this will contaminate others.”

  Everyone looks at each other. Dr. Norris asks, “Has anyone touched Marie?”

  Lexie says, “Only the nurses.”

  Marie says, “They concentrated on their medical tasks. They’re probably unaffected, but someone should check.”

  Friend says, “I will check on them.”

  Dr. Norris says, “We are all listening. When you’re ready.”

  Marie sobs for several minutes. Through the sobs she mumbles, “It was horrible…. That demented soul…. Such filth. What an awful way to live….”

  As the sobbing subsides, she begins to move her head from extreme right to left—seemingly with minimal pain. She sits up and moves to the edge of her bed—legs bent at the knees hanging over the side. No one dares assist her.

  Closing off and then removing the IV from her left hand, she begins using her right hand like a squeegee moving from shoulder to wrist of her left arm. Next, she shakes the right hand that had been in motion—like tossing a blob of invisible cookie dough to the floor. The left arm is treated first, followed by the other using the opposite hand. The same motions are used across her neck, shoulders, and upper chest. She repeats each stroke a dozen or more times.

  Marie asks for two towels. They are tossed on the bed beside her. The first she uses on her head, face, and neck. Every few seconds, she stops, twists the towel wringing it out, and waving it to dry it out before starting again. She moves with less obvious pain, but there is still an occasional wincing expression on her face.

  The first towel is dropped to the floor where all the “slime” is accumulating, but the towel does not reach the floor. Rudy and Dr. Norris notice and begin to peer under the edges of the material. Rudy takes out a flashlight, intending to look under the fabric. Marie says, “Don’t shine a beam of light on that stuff. I’m unsure what might happen.”

  Everyone is now convinced that Marie is removing something physical but invisible from her body—something she feels, but no one sees.

  Using the second towel, now twisted into a rope-like shape, she begins working on her back. Dragging it from shoulders to hips, she repeats the same procedure of wringing out, and drying follows each repetition. After another ten minutes, the second towel is dropped on the pile.

  Next Marie stands, with considerable pain, repeating a similar process with the lower half of her body. She slips out of her hospital gown and drops it on the pile, repeating the “de-sliming” activities on any area that had been covered.

  Lexie suggests they should leave “… to give Marie some privacy.”

  “Please don’t,” says Marie. “I’m afraid some of this might escape the room.”

  After another 15 minutes, Marie asks for the mirror to be turned so she can see herself. She also requests an infrared reader which Danzella hands her without touching Marie or the pile of invisible slime on the floor.

  Marie says, “Friend, what is this pile beside the bed?”

  “My analysis indicates an energy plasma. Phillip hypothesized such a transient status just before energy becomes matter, or matter is transformed into energy. After conducting several experiments, he concluded that such an energy substance may be at the root of why HMP individuals receive abilities from previous generations. Of course, that might explain some characteristics of the military’s program as well. Phillip found evidence to support the theory, but he never had a corpse from either group for confirmation.”

  “Thank you, Friend. I remember reading Phillip’s theory. It seems sound to me. But the big question is, how do we destroy this? We do not want this energy to reach anyone else.”

  Rudy says, “Allison has an idea. I’ll put her on speaker ….”

  “Marie, it would be extremely valuable if a small amount of this can be preserved. We must take precautions because of the danger. But we should study this phenomenon.”

  After 20 more minutes of discussion, it is decided to bring an airtight container to Marie; she will collect som
e of the slime. Also, everyone in the room will take a shower, and their clothing (SOGs and other garments) must be cleaned separately from the general population. The bed and all furnishings in the room also need to be destroyed.

  Marie says, “While we are waiting for our shower, I’ll tell you the rest of what happened.”

  All show relief for a distraction to draw attention away from the unseen mass on the floor.

  Marie continues, “I was telling you about switching from following the energy trails of the young people to Glandmore. But when I moved into his trail, I (unintentionally at first), began to experience his thoughts. When I caught up to them in present time, I stayed with his thoughts.

  “Vivi, I warned you before he called because I had his thoughts as soon as he did. While he waited for the news that they had picked you up, Glandmore had another thought. The strike force was not ready.

  “There was no time to stop him, and no way to stop him unless I could control him from inside his mind. No time to explain. Lexie, you interpreted my garbled instructions, and saved their lives.”

  Dr. Norris says, “Marie, what was his thought?”

  “Oh, you don’t know do you? I’m sorry. I guess I must tell you.”

  Marie pauses to steel herself for what she must say now. “He was going to kill the boys, cutting their throats so they would bleed-out slowly. Then he and the goon in the other room planned to assault the girls sexually. Making the last thing the boys would see, their dates being raped by their murderers.

  “I thought, maybe I can control this monster from inside his mind, making him move away from the young people, and eventually tossing the knife away. It was hard. He couldn’t tell what was happening, but he resisted. He was strong. Sometimes he would undo what I just did, so I started holding every muscle firmly …. That way I knew when he was trying a particular resistant tactic.”

  Marie pauses for a moment, catching her breath, and steadying herself. She continues, “I knew I had to disconnect, but I needed somewhere to go. Not the other captor and the young people’s energies … well, I couldn’t find them. While I was trying to withdraw back to myself, the stunners hit him, and me. It felt like everything in my chest was being ripped apart. I passed out. The last thing I remember was listening as my PA instructed Lexie how to neutralize the stun.”

  Turning to Lexie, she says, “You saved my life.”

  Then to everyone, “Of course, Rudy realized the cover story was wrong. Lexie was talking to him on my communicator when I supposedly shot myself with its stunner. What did I leave out?”

  No one had any questions for her. Well, not any they had words to ask.

  Thirty-Eight

  A Shower and a Clean Room

  2095-05-28, Saturday, 2:10 pm

  It took two hours to arrange for the showers and clean rooms. During this time, no staff entered. Cleaning robots underwent modifications for this particular task.

  At 2:10 pm all is ready. Rooms along their path had been sealed. The small group walked naked to the end of the hall where a shower, usually used by staff, is prepared. A robot travels in front; another behind the group. The second cleans the floor and filters the air after them.

  They shower together. Each person is checked for any residual hiding in cracks, crevices or hair. Individuals are examined using the reflective lights to illuminate the material. If any slime is detected, rewashing of the area is required. Everyone in Marie’s room had some contamination on their faces, hands, and hair. Those in the room longer, such as Lexie, found some in other places, even inside Smart Garments. Dr. Norris says, “This stuff appears to migrate.”

  In the end, they decide that safety outweighs vanity. All shaved clean: head, beards, body and pubic hair. Marie protests that the latter should be required only for her. Lexie says, “If you must go through it, so should we.” The agreement is unanimous.

  They shave each other. Each person’s hair is collected individually and bagged for analysis. Wigs will be provided for everyone. Friend contacts the cosmetology school with photos, and measurements for each person’s hair treatment.

  After showers and shaves are complete, they wait for another 30 minutes to see if the slime reappears on anyone. As they wait, they talk about how to explain their situation to their co-workers and the public.

  Friend interrupts, “Most replacement hair pieces will be ready by 7:00 pm tonight. Two exceptions: Marie’s and Lexie’s. Those will arrive by noon tomorrow. All will be delivered to the hospital unless you request differently. There will be a final fitting.

  “I found information about the three nurses who inadvertently touched Marie. One left work early with a severe headache. I requested the Doorkeeper check on her residence. He found her unconscious. Medical arrived. She had attempted suicide. A second had stepped in front of a pod. Her injuries are not life-threatening. The third was found in the restroom regurgitating. I also had medical services check on MA 17 and 29 who attended Marie in her home. They wore gloves and masks. However, they now report a loss of appetite and ‘snapping’ at each other. I do not understand the last comment, but report it.”

  The news visibly distresses Marie. Rudy explains the “snapping” comment to the Personal Assistant.

  Marie asks, “What about Dr. Middle?”

  “He reports having trouble concentrating this afternoon.”

  “I think none of us should be alone tonight. I suggest constant monitoring by Keeper or Security personnel just outside. We’ll understand more after Allison examines that stuff, but it seems to be transferable through the air.”

  Friend says, “Allison agrees. There should be a suicide watch on everyone for 48 hours. The sample is on its way to her.”

  “How did that happen so quickly?”

  “Marie, I used your name to obtain permission to send it on WEEL’s charter jet. The aircraft and pilot were here after bringing Rudy. Wessel’s people got the specimen to the plane. Soft robes are a gift from Central Services for the group to use instead of hospital gowns.”

  Rudy says, “Good. I can never make those things stay closed in the back, and my butt is not my best feature.”

  Danzella says, “From where I’m sitting I think you have a mighty fine butt. In fact, for a man over 70, I’d say it’s outstanding.”

  Rudy retorts, “I thought your thing was people of the fairer gender.”

  “Where is it written that a person is limited to only one ‘thing’ as you put it? I like women, and I like men’s butts.”

  Marie’s PA asks, “Marie, is this banter what is meant by the phrase, ‘all decorum has been lost?’”

  “Precisely.” Laughter fills the room.

  After returning to seriousness, it is decided that the Nurses and Medical Assistants should also be inspected for contamination. Likewise, their homes, the pods used to return home, and their garments are also being checked and cleaned. To be safe, Marie’s apartment will be inspected then cleaned. Wessel calls his crack decontamination crew in for this job—they wear hazmat suits and follow the strictest safety protocols.

  Dr. Norris reminds the group of the importance of documenting this event from each person’s perspective. Rudy adds, “Marie, Lexie, and Vivi especially need to make a detailed record. If something like this is encountered again, we’ll want some baseline data.”

  The “she accidentally shot herself with a stunner” story is for public consumption. The hospital staff receives an additional cover story: Marie is taking an experimental drug designed to reduce her sensitivity to stunners. But the course of protective drugs is incomplete. The invisible slime that “oozed” from her body is an unexpected side effect. This also explains the need to send some of the material to a lab in Seattle for testing.

  The women’s new room is an isolation room. Air, water, and drainage systems are separated from the rest of the hospital. The room is large enough for four female companions. A similar room is provided for the men, with Dr. M
iddle joining after his shift ends and he showers again. Security is set for each room, and Friend is monitoring everyone, including the nurses and Medical Assistants.

  The women decide to treat it like a pajama party, telling stories and bonding in ways only a shared crisis can bring. The men talk a while. Later they turn on the External Viewing Device to sports, though none of them care about sports.

  Both groups are interrupted when the three Teaching Assistants from the School of Cosmetology arrive to fit the wigs and toupees. Individuals and rooms are checked again before the hair technicians are admitted. Following the fittings, Vivi, Lexie, and Marie are provided with work pads for their journaling. They will transfer their thoughts to personal laptops tomorrow.

  Marie’s Journal

  Journal Section: What I’m Learning about Myself

  Date: May 28, 10:30 pm.

  Dr. Norris asked a question I can’t answer: “How was I connected with Glandmore in the food cold-storage locker?” I picked up Vivi’s nephew’s energy trail over the electronic connection with her. I then followed Brandon’s energy until they got in the car. I switched to the captor’s energy trail. From the time they left the limo for the van, I was in Chuck’s thoughts—then energy trail—back to thought, etc. When I caught up with them in real space I must have shifted into his thoughts entirely. But how? I had no electronic connection, and the young people’s trails nearly faded out.

  I thought I needed an uninterrupted energy trail to the subject in the present. So, I must wait until I my energy trail reading returns to figure out what happened.

  Okay. I better recount the happenings of today in the Events section.

  Lexie’s Journal

  What a day. Marie said I should always write emotions or questions first before recording the details of events.

  So, what are my feelings? Today’s events remind me of how I felt on January 4th, when Marie invited Dr. Norris, Danzella, and me to dinner. I was petrified of the Chief Supervisor. But I really got scared when Marie said she reads people’s energy; even follows their trail back to the past, or forward.