Machines of the Gods

by William B Lyons

  “This is what we’ve come to see,” Neil said, taking one of the spheres from the case and placing it in a slot on a specially made table. The slot slowly began to turn. “This sphere is worth about a million times its weight in gold.”

  “Really?” Steve moved closer to take a better look.

  Jennifer withdrew a powerful laser pen from her pocket, placed its point against the sphere, and turned it on. A few seconds later, a moving three-dimensional blueprint of some kind of complex device appeared behind the sphere. Step by step instructions that were written in a strange alien language were being laid out on how to construct some kind of alien machine. “This is their version of a computer disk storage system. If I shine my laser pen in a different spot on the sphere, different instructions on how to construct other things will appear. They are all displayed in moving graphics too as long as the sphere rotates. Although the crystal ball appears clear, the light from my laser pen is refracted off millions of microscopic mirrors inside the sphere to form a holographic optical illusion. The viewer is then given detailed visual instructions on how to assemble different things. This orb has no moving parts to break down, thus the information in it is forever stored. This one sphere showed us how to construct over five hundred different alien devices.”

  Neil turned around to face Steve. “We got the ideas on how to manufacture self-driving cars, flash drives, smart phones, GPS devices, fax machines, new- generation computers, electronic tablets, and tons of other stuff from this single orb.”

  “Wow,” Steve said. “How long have you had this orb?”

  “Since the Roswell crash, but the other two were found at different times,” Neil responded. “We found one orb inside a pyramid over a hundred years ago. It showed ancient man how to develop concrete and construct ancient buildings and many other things. Another one was found in a temple in England. That one gave an extended history of the alien’s travels. In fact, old fortune tellers used to believe that the orb found in England predicted the future. Little did they know that if a flickering candle’s light shined the right way, some of the holographic images inside the orb could briefly become visible to them. These people were looking at things they did not understand, not mystical magic. A gypsy family found the second one in a tomb almost a thousand years ago.”

  “So, these alien devices have been around for hundreds or even thousands of years,” Steve whispered. “Maybe that’s where the legions about old witches looking into crystal balls to predict the future came from. Just how far back does this story go?”

  Neil nodded his head in agreement. “We have evidence that these orbs were here during the Ice Age—possibly even before then. In fact, the second orb we have portrays the Illinois plains before the glaciers vanished. Long- extinct creatures could be seen grazing on the frozen tundra.”

  “And it does not stop here,” she added. “There are hundreds of other things from that orb that we are still trying to figure out. We’ve even seen alien landscapes and strange worlds beyond Earth. Animals and creatures that we’ve always thought to have been mythical were proven to have once existed somewhere. I’m talking about everything from unicorns to dragons. In addition, there are so many other inventions from the third orb that we have yet to introduce to the world, incredible and amazing things.”

  Steve shook his head and looked into space, still trying to make sense of what he was hearing. “So what’s the problem?”

  She walked over to Steve. “Six months ago, one of our co-workers went rogue. He electronically linked into a NASA satellite and beamed a message into space. The man somehow brought down an alien drone by remote control. This thing ejected an orb before returning to a giant crashed alien ship on the moon. Unfortunately, this orb contained information on how to build weapons—devices like none we’ve ever seen before.”

  “He plans to sell this information on the black market if we do not meet his demands,” Neil added. “This guy has even built a few of these alien weapons, and that has taken terrorism to a terrible new level.”

  Steve frowned. “That is a problem.” He turned back around to face Neil again. “What are the demands? What does he want?”

  Neil leaned back against the wall. “He wants to destroy our organization. He wants my public execution. Then, he wants the entire world to know all of our secrets. He will accept nothing less.”

  “Has he given a time limit on these demands?” Steve asked.

  Neil nodded. “Seven days. After that, he will let death rain down on the world like never before. Those were his exact words.”

  Steve frowned and walked a few steps before turning back around. “Well, that does not leave us much time. First of all, we know that he has manufactured some powerful things already. So, who could have built devices like this for him? Where could they have been built? We are looking for mechanical engineers and a highly specialized factory. Next, where could he have gotten the materials from to build these unusual weapons? Finally, who would he recruit for help? He certainly could not use an average street thug? Come on, Neil, get your people to compile a list of graphic designers, mechanical engineers, physical science specialists, technical experts, and anyone who has training in that line of work. Then, let’s get a list of specialized factories. Track all the people working there. Come on, man, use some of this fancy equipment for our use. Also, check on the employees here too. He may have help from the inside. Finally, we have to see who else would gain from your organization’s destruction. Regular bad guys, not even terrorists, would want to see the world destroyed by a madman. Someone is pulling this man’s strings. We just have to find out who that is. Then, they’ll lead us to this maniac. Remember, we’re looking for someone with major money.”

  Jennifer looked over at Neil and smiled. “Yep, we’ve got the right man working on this case.”

  “I told you so,” Neil said.

  “Come on,” Steve snapped, “time is wasting. I need this man’s name and a copy of his profile. Next, provide me with his psychological makeup and known associates. I’m including family members, friends, and even enemies too. You’ll also need to get on the computers and run down all of this fool’s credit cards and other electronic footprints. He may have unknowingly left behind a digital bread trail.”

  “Yes, sir,” Jennifer said and left the room.

  Neil turned and said, “His name is Jack P. Mason. He calls himself Diamond Jack.”

  “Okay, after I get a full report on this guy, I can start an adequate search. Now, I’m going to take a look at some of the other inventions on these orbs. Maybe, there is some kind of unique way of tracking these specialized objects that we don’t yet know about. After all, these aliens had to have had ways of communicating with each other from interstellar or maybe even intergalactic distances. At least, it’s worth a try.”

  “That’s great thinking. I’ll have the rest of the information in about thirty minutes. It’s great to have you on our team.”

  “I’m glad to be here.”

  Neil walked over to a table in the far corner of the room and picked up a velvet- covered book. “You’ll find a lot of information in here too.”

  Steve looked back at Neil. “The whole world is being threatened by a neo-tech maniac, and you want me to read a stupid book, really? Time is a major factor now.”

  “This is unlike any book you’ve ever seen before, my friend.” Neil opened the book to its first page and stepped back. “What’s in here will explain everything. Just trust me on this concept.”

  “Okay, if you say so.”

  Chapter Two

  Diamond Jack walked along Main Street in a city called Duncanville, Texas. The device he now wore on his head resembled a motorcycle helmet—complete with a visor. However, this alien head gear was the key to unlocking the minds of all people around him. And at the moment, the search was on for his next target—the one who could read the ancient langu
age on the orbs and translate it into a readable format. However, it appeared that at the present time, his target had problems of his own.

  For over an hour, Jack had been pacing up and down this area trying to lock in on his next target. Earlier that day, he’d gone out to Texas Instruments to zero in on the brainwave patterns of the man who could build the devices he’d need to enact his weird form of revenge. Now, he planned to contact with the engineer. But just ten minutes earlier, Jack had picked up this man’s mental distress signals—strong pulses of both pain and fear. In fact, the man’s spiking brainwaves indicated that he was in great danger.

  Jack looked around. The fact that the moon was high in the sky and the city would soon shut down only made matters less complicated. There would be fewer possible witnesses if others got involved. However, he could hear the distress cries of his next target echoing louder through the speakers inside the helmet. In fact, the man’s mental pulses were spiking out of control. Something was indeed happening, something very bad. Oh yes, he’d have to locate this man fast. He turned a small dial on the right side of the helmet, allowing the metal device to increase its volume and range. Now, the man’s mental cries were getting stronger.

  Dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a simple windbreaker, Jack could have easily passed for just about anyone. He was a phantom among men. However, he was much more than a simple man. He would soon make himself a god. Yes, he would really make that happen—that is if he could find the man he sought in time.

  For the last six months, he’d secretly had some of the weapons built from the blueprints that he’d downloaded from the orb. However, the most useful of these things was the metal helmet he presently wore around his head. Ironically, he’d not had to build this thing at all. The device had been on the alien spacecraft. The materials to make such a machine did not exist on Earth. Incredibly, this complex thing allowed him to read the minds of those around him. Yes, he could actually hear the thoughts of anyone he chose to just by making eye contact and focusing his mind on that person. It was just like listening to a radio. This device alone was worth billions, he decided.

  Diamond Jack turned the dial again, further increasing the volume on this thing. He now stood in the parking lot of a Pizza Inn, and the mental sounds were everywhere. Straight ahead, a young woman pushed her baby in a stroller. However, she was secretly thinking about meeting her married lover for a steamy encounter. This woman’s own husband was somewhere in Oklahoma driving a truck to make ends meet for both of them. In the car to the right, two thugs were remembering how they’d gotten away with robbing an old lady at an ATM. Jogging by the thug’s car, an honor student secretly laughed at how he’d been able to download the answer keys to all department exams at his high school for two years now. Making straight “A’s” was always just a click away. Walking across the street behind the student, a high-class lawyer worried about whether his drug habit would harm his legal career. After all, the very man he was now representing was also his own personal dealer.

  Jack smirked at the dishonesties of human beings. Everyone seemed to have had a hidden agenda or a dark secret. No one could be trusted. Unfortunately, he’d personally learned this the hard way a long time ago.

  His target’s mental pulses spiked yet again, snapping Diamond Jack’s mind back to the mission at hand.

  Jack was getting impatient. Where was this man?. The guy’s recent memories flashed across a small screen on the helmet’s visor. Jack could clearly see the man’s car was parked on his driveway, and the keys were still in the ignition. That was a bad sign. Hopefully, nothing fatal had happened to this man. That would be most unfortunate because this guy had the skills to set in motion the ultimate plan. But, the man’s life signs were still strong. Jack could read this guy’s physical body impulses. The man’s feeble cries for help became louder too. The guy’s heart rate was up, and his pain patterns were spiking even more.

  Jack hurried up Main Street. He looked across the road at Kidsville Park. Then, the victim’s brainwaves grew stronger. He was definitely getting closer. He dashed across the busy street and headed in the direction of Central Elementary School. The brainwave patterns were getting even stronger. He could now tell that his target was somewhere near Old Panther Stadium. Yes, the helmet was vibrating hard. The distress cries of his next victim were crystal clear now.

  Jack increased his pace, zeroing in on the man he sought. Straight ahead, in the middle of the football field at Old Panther Stadium, he could see his target on the ground. The man was being viciously beaten by three young thugs. Panic set in. “Oh no, they’ll mess up everything!” he whispered, quickly dashed down the sidewalk, and then leaped over the fence. Hopefully, the man had not already been injured too much to be of any use. Maybe now, he would have the opportunity to use one of the new weapons he’d just completed building. “Hey, punks,” he yelled out, stepping onto the field. “Three on one is not a fair fight!”

  The young thugs stopped beating the helpless man and turned toward their next intended victim. These teenagers were big, muscular, and cocky. One of them (the Mexican guy with the tattooed face) carried a small baseball bat in one of his hands. The black thug with the Mohawk haircut had brass knuckles and a chain. The white dude carried a switchblade in each hand.

  “Look, this fancy punk has a death wish,” the black guy said. “Yes, the new-wave fool wants to die!”

  “Let’s give him what he wants!” the white dude shouted. “I’m going to cut my name in his chest.

  The Mexican guy just lifted his bat and dashed forward. “It’s butt-kicking time!”

  Jack smiled. The challenge was on. He then unbuttoned his windbreaker and tossed a plate-sized disk on the ground in front of him. “Okay, let’s play!”

  The three thugs stopped suddenly, being well aware that some men carried hand-held bombs and pulse charges. They paused as the plate-sized disk vibrated on the ground, but did not explode. For about ten seconds everyone remained frozen, expecting something to happen.

  “It’s a freaking dud!” yelled the white teen. He then grinned and held up his fists. “Now, punk, we’re going to really kick your butt.”

  Jack quickly pulled back his left sleeve and touched a metal band surrounding his wrist. Sparks flew from the mysterious disk on the ground. Then, a forty foot glowing circle of sparks expanded from the disk and surrounded the gangbangers. Jack pressed a digital button on the band around his wrist.

  Instantly, the three hoodlums were pulled to the ground by an unseen force. Even though they struggled to rise, the young thugs were completely helpless—pinned to the ground by a crushing weight.

  “What the hell is happening!” the Negro boy yelled through clenched teeth. “I can’t move.”

  The two other guys struggled and kicked on the ground. Each one felt as if two hundred pound bricks had been placed on their bodies.

  “Don’t even try to get up.” Jack looked down at them and laughed. “The disk has increased the gravity around you three-fold. At the present time—if I wanted to—I could continue to increase the gravity until your hearts stop. I can even crush your ribs. Maybe, I should increase the gravity four times normal magnification. You see, a magnifying glass can focus the sun’s rays to a point that is hot enough to burn paper. This device does the same thing with gravity. I guess you’ve found that out the hard way.”

  “Go to hell!” the Mexican youth yelled, still kicking and now struggling to breathe.

  Jack touched the band again and increased the gravity some more. The men screamed out in agony as their bodies were pressed even harder to the ground. Ignoring their agonizing yells, Jack then casually walked past the helpless men and over to his target. “Rise, Eddie. We have important work to do.”

  While looking back at the struggling men on the ground, Eddie stood. The man’s nose was bloody and his face was badly bruised. However, his zest for life was still vibrant. “Thanks, mist
er. Those guys were trying to kill me. You saved my life. I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “They will never bother you again,” Jack replied. “My name is Diamond Jack, and I just saved you. Now do as I say if you wish to survive this night.”

  Eddie nodded. “I’ll do anything if you get me out of here.”

  “Go down to Harding Intermediate School over there and wait for me. I have a few more things left to discuss with these gentlemen.”

  “Okay,” Eddie said and limped down the sidewalk toward the school just down the street, glad only that he’d survived. “Thanks, mister,” he whispered, cautiously jogging along the walkway. “You saved my life.”

  Diamond Jack smiled at Eddie and then turned back around toward the men still struggling on the ground. “I guess you guys want to be let up, right?”

  “Yes!” the Negro boy yelled, his face and body still pressed tightly to the ground by this invisible force. “I give up!”

  “Please!” the Hispanic guy yelled. “Let us go. We didn’t mean any harm!”

  “I’ll be good, I promise!” the Anglo boy screamed.

  Jack touched the band on his wrist again, and the gravity disk turned off. “Batman has his utility belt, and I have my utility bands—one on each wrist. My stuff is better. If the Caped Crusader had possessed what I have, he would not have had to engage in all of those fights with the bad guys. What do you think?”

  The three hoodlums slowly stood and dusted themselves off. They looked around at each other and frowned in anger. This man had made fools of them, and he would have to pay. Slowly, they reached for their weapons again.

  Jack laughed, still reading their minds. “I know what you all are thinking. Dave Hernandez, you want to beat me to death with that club and take a picture of my dead body to impress the other members of your gang. Troy Brown, you just want to cut off my testicles because you enjoy inflicting pain on people. Finally, Doug Westgate, you are perhaps the most brutal of all. You want to cut out my eyes and leave me alive to stumble around in the dark for the rest of my life. That is so sad.”