by Kelly Brewer
This was the time of day Moore began self-medicating, when the adrenaline began pumping.
Kyle asked Tamer, “Where is he?”
Tamer checked his locater. “Right where he should be, in his room.”
Kyle did not knock. He asked his and Moore’s bodyguards to wait outside. The all-access key Dock had given him slid the metal door back. He stepped in and sniffed the air. Clear. That was a good sign. Gemini was on the couch signing Moore’s autograph perfectly on photos and T-shirts. She half-smiled and started to make small.bot.talk when Kyle shushed her. She stopped, freezing like they did when commanded to momentarily go against programming.
Kyle was not sneaking, but he was being very, very quiet. Moore was in the bathroom tinkering with something as Kyle eased down the hall. Still no smell of drugs. Kyle wanted to be relieved. He spoke up when he saw Moore standing hunched over the bathroom sink.
“Hey!”
“What the hell?!” Mark turned, startled, slinging something into the room. He had been trying to loosen up his damaged hand with the in-room rejuvenator. It had a loose grip on him and went flying when he instinctively defended himself.
Dock’s million-credit gadget crashed to the floor in bits. The two friends looked at each other, realized the very expensive mistake, and laughed out loud. It warmed Kyle’s heart to be laughing with his sober friend again.
“Ahhh, man! I’ll split that one with you! I should have knocked. I was checking on you to make sure you were straight. I need my friend out there, not… the Creature.” Kyle pointed a craggy finger at him, eyes widening. “You become somebody I don’t recognize when you jump and jack. Why don’t we go down to wardrobe together?”
Now that Kyle had him clear, he wanted to keep him that way.
“Damn, dude, you scared the crap out of me! All this high-alert alien drama got things weirded out. OK, let me gather my stuff.”
Without looking at Kyle, he confessed, “I’m glad you came. I was worried you were disappointed in me. I know you were disappointed in me. I was disappointed in me. I want to do better. Angel helped a lot and I feel good. I’m with you. Let’s go.”
He walked passed Kyle and out the door. Gemini stood mechanically and followed him.
Kyle dared to believe in hope.
CHAPTER 79
Transcendence
At this point the show was flawless. Each person knew what the other was going to do before they did it.
Lighting was spectacular. Not too gaudy, yet absolutely brilliant. Sound was phenomenal. Not too loud, but absolutely thumping. Mynas, Lulu, Bonbon, and Derringer filled the operations gap that Peco had left.
Professionals made it happen no matter what happened.
When it was good, it was great.
Moore back in place made it sublime. This was such a rare thing, finding the combination, getting together with the right bunch of fellows. The styles, personalities, strengths, and weaknesses combined to make sounds loud and mellow.
When it is perfect, one can finally relax enough to… transcend.
Kyle transcended that night.
Forgetting the chaos, embracing the spirit,
he reached another level of consciousness,
of ecstasy,
natural,
uninhibited,
above,
calm.
It was the feeling he had worked so hard for. He’d heard it existed.
Now he knew he existed.
Others had told him. You can could see for miles and miles and miles…
Inwardly.
Outwardly.
The guitar vibrated magnetic biology.
He was vibration and light.
A focal point of the entire room,
Ox counted off one of his favorites.
“Take You” was the perfect song to go along with the perfect feeling.
He sang,
“Well I’m livin, breathin’,
Takin’ what anybody’s giving to me.
What you’re giving to me.
Well, I win some… hell I sin some,
Steady runnin’ and I’m comin’ trying to get back to my place,
Trying to get back to you…
I’m a fist full of desire! I’m a hot iron in the fire! yeah,
You were the truth that lay in my heart
When my heart was telling lies
And you were the face of my One Desire….
I Wanna Take You! (BOOM!)
To the place that you belong in Space,
Honey wanna take you Higher than Ever Before…
Shake You! In a place not far from the Human Race
Only wanna get you high as, as Heaven’s Door!”
It was true!
The old rock stars, like Yttep Mot, had told him, had tried to describe it to him.
“Not possible. I can’t describe it. Call me when it happens…”
Kyle rode the sonic calliope up and down, letting the pulse drive, trying to remove mental filters and ignore the physical weaknesses that clogged and disrupted the purest release he’d ever known.
There was no fear here.
Only love.
Second verse, the guys set it up perfectly…
“Well I been thinking, dreaming
About a life that would come more naturally,
Go from slave to free.
I got your picture. I got your letter.
But together it is infinitely more better
It’s soon to see!”
The girls in the audience always sang this next bit.
The female voices rose…
“Lalalala lalalala,
Lalalala lalalala
All for you, yes I do, ewwewweww.
And I’m a fist full of desire
I’m a hot! iron in the fire, yeah
You were the truth….”
And so it went perfectly to the end. The fullest experience he had ever known. There had to be a God. From his dry, dusty childhood to full manhood, He had always been there with him. And He was there with them now. Kyle had always known it, since he was a kid, like a lion in his heart.
He knew then and there, standing in front of 400,000+ souls that only a spirit could bring such unity of experience. Kyle tried to share it with each one, to return the glorious gift he finally felt was real.
Kyle’s fearless face looked out on a normal audience. There was no dissolution in them, no melee, only joy. His prayer had been answered, the enemy was restrained somehow. Everyone went home safe that night.
The Hawk hovered outside Uranus Airfield in the vacuum of space, his plan frustrated.
It thought out loud into the ether, “The Accursed One is too powerful. The current of unity vibrated too strongly among them. If I had entered … we would be revealed! Falling back to Eighth-home. The water-demon will be distracted there. On Neptun-ia, my weapon will prevent the Discordance.”
A Ziz prayer crackled across quadrants of the solar system, infusing the assassin with the waning strength of all his scattered kin, “Prayerzz and energiezz unto the Hawk, let Szzzerenity return upon uzz all.”
Back on Earth, SETI recorded the singular massive pulse, but attributed it to the death throes of a dying star.
CHAPTER 80
Brownies and wine
There were no incidents. There were no bodies lying on the floor. Only a large, positive vibe felt by everyone in the venue who was open to it. Dock was a little disappointed, but at his age, patience put you in the money.
Moore had refrained from the Flying Leap upon Mooney’s recommendation. Mark regretted being cautious because his fans wanted him in them. He teased the group that clustered in front of him, hands outstretched, when the band finished. Peco’s shredded remains were still fresh in
his mind.
Ox walked up behind him as he debated and put a paw on his shoulder. Moore looked at him and decided he wanted to be with his true friends tonight. It had been an awesome show and he felt clear and happy. In fact, he felt joyful, a word rarely used to describe him recently. He was happy and he wanted the feeling to last.
Later, winding down backstage, Kyle and Mercy left the posh post-party to find his crew mates. Commendations were in order tonight! They were having a little celebration of their own behind a guard shack backstage. A few fans had brought brownies and wine and “they was having a good ol’ time down around the corner.”
When Kyle and Mercy stepped into the dim light behind the small building, everyone froze. The fans did not want to move, afraid they might scare them away. Crew did not move because they thought they were busted. They alone knew Kyle did not drink or do drugs, and frowned on employees doing it. But it was a little wine, it was fine.
Kyle took a little in two plastic cups and handed one to Mercy. He ate a brownie, sipping between bites. Mercy passed on the brownie, citing dietary discipline.
Trying to be normal again after a deep spiritual experience was exasperating. Lulu sensed Kyle was acting and wanted to talk to them so she began to wrap up the little impromptu party.
“Hey, y’all. We still got a lotta work to do! One more show and we can go home. Thanks for the food and thanks for the memories. We gotta get going.”
Kyle and Mercy’s bodyguards stepped into the light and the reluctant fans got the message. They hugged and thanked them for a wonderful evening then scurried away, whispering excitedly.
When they left, Kyle sat down with the crew and breathed a deep sigh of relief. Mercy stood behind him, combing back his matted hair with both hands. God, he loved her hands on him.
“God made those hands,” he breathed.
“I so want to thank you guys for tonight. It was perfect. I’ve never had such a meaningful experience and couldn’t have achieved it if I didn’t have total confidence in y’all. I love the chemistry we have, all of us together, and I’m proud to call you my friends.”
They all had a little more wine, making toasts to friendship and truth and kicking ass. Kyle asked them to pray with him once again. They reached hands around in a circle.
It was a private matter so the bodyguards moved away, keeping eyes, ears, and noses open. Security was told to expect a fight tonight, but as yet, it had not materialized. They were strangely fortunate.
Dock was a little ways off, making out with that amazing robot of his.
After the prayer, there were tears and hugs and back-pounding affirmations. Kyle and Mercy left their friends, tears welling up. He had never been so moved in his life. Kyle felt these people were his family. All people were family. His love for them beat proudly in his heart. Mercy felt it booming in his chest and snuggled in deeper under his arm as they walked away. He held her tightly.
His desire to finish strong with everyone intact was overwhelming. Strength was needed now.
Walking back to Dock’s ship, he asked Mercy, “What was different about tonight… with everyone, with the crew?”
“It felt more… open,” she mused, wrapping both arms around his waist.
“Ohhh man… that wine made me woozy, baby,” Kyle said. “Thick,” he said thirstily. “That’s the only way I can describe it.”
But he felt great. A great joy welled up inside him.
To be perfectly honest, he thought, he lacked only one little thing.
“Mercy, baby?” He choked back a lump in his throat.
“Baby?” she responded, “are you ok? What’s wrong?”
“I’m fine. Never felt better. There’s just one more little thing I need to be perfect…” He paused and looked at her with a goofy grin.
They both said, “You!” and laughed, relieved they were on the same wavelength after all.
They stopped and kissed like it was the first time.
CHAPTER 81
Ritual blood
Dock was moved by the Cosmics’ Uranus performance. Kyle had had a moment, he knew it, he’d seen it.
A sudden confidence and peace had fallen on him during one of the songs.
It looked like manhood had settled upon him, for lack of a better word. Dock was jealous again. Someone had once told him his being part-Greek, part-Italian made him very perceptive about human nature.
He believed it.
Studying human psychology was his central pastime. It was obvious when the band went through “Take You” that something fresh happened, staying with them the remainder of the performance. Uranians were also moved, judging by their full-throated praise of the Cosmic Mechanix.
After the show, Dock looked for Kyle, then wandered up indifferently with Gina.baby during the crew’s little wine and brownie mixer. Kyle smiled at him, then turned in deep conversation with his friends. Dock and Gina hung back, not wanting to physically intrude, but wanting to casually listen in to every word they said through Gina’s directional ear mic.
They pretended to be making out while eavesdropping on the group’s therapy session. Dock learned that, in Kyle’s mind, the stakes were raised after each execution of their body of work. Destiny was rapidly approaching.
“Actually, he’s demonstrating excellent situational awareness,” Dock admitted to Gina.
Kyle described a general state of transcendence. Love is all there is. Life was precious to him. Kyle’s prayer with his friends helped Dock understand where he was coming from and where he was going.
That made him an easier target, tsked Dock.
Praying aloud is telling your strategy to anyone who hears. Better to play it close to the vest.
“How naive,” Gina heard her master comment as they slipped away from the huddled group.
“Very,” she agreed.
To Dock, experience was everything. The 200-ish-year-old tech titan had never experienced what the 27-year-old had just shared with his audience and devoted friends. Dock wanted to feel it too. He wanted to sample it.
He had an idea. A new concept. He would experience something Kyle would never in his life experience. A little quid pro quo karma he would carry out with his friends. Who would be more fulfilled tonight, him or Kyle? His Gina would help him.
Unbalanced narcissism gave birth to a seed that had been germinating in his mind since the babies had arrived. A student of classic Greek and Roman mythology, the old stories gave him ideas for any number of strange experiences to relive. He twisted one up in his mind and lit it.
“It’s that time of day,” he growled.
He always felt aroused after a good show. She adjusted her eye color to a smokey look. Taking two long strides and getting ahead of him, she swelled her buttocks slightly, tightening her skirt, and walked a little more dramatically.
Gina.bot was always ready to deliver the best experience her algorithms could muster. She alerted the others via wet-net and had the seven sisters standing by. His wish was their command. The promotor caught up to her, then gave instructions to his android assistant without looking at her, using descriptive body language. She jipped audio so the sisters could synchronize.
(tonight, we too shall transcend)
One arm swept an arc over his head.
(I want you to symbolically castrate me)
Grabbing himself, wincing.
(have a blood bag with hot blood filled and ready)
Both hands full, in front of his groin, (I will hold the bag between my legs. when I cue you, cut the bag, underneath, CAREFULLY! and the Virgin-nauts will take a baptizing shower in it. if it was good enough for the great Uranus, Father Sky…)
Both arms swept arcs overhead, (… then… I will christen my wives, my children… in the gore of yore!)
Running hands down his face and neck.
Gina acknowl
edged, understanding with that evil look. He was so happy to not have to explain it twice! She left to make arrangements for her designer’s bizarre requests.
He continued alone, wandering the dwindling backstage post-show, thanking everyone, and sizing up any opportunities he may have missed. A Ro-man passed along word to him of the Public Senator’s sudden, tragic death and the arrest of twenty-three family members. Perfect. It was all nearly perfect. The stubborn senator’s dynasty had fallen as easy as dominoes. Falling over themselves to fill the vacuum the old politician left would distract remaining rival dynasties from Dock’s endgame checkmate. It was so close now he felt he would burst from anticipation. Succulent information flowed like honey through a honeycomb of spies Dock monetized to monitor everyone, everywhere.
Calm down!
Don’t get too cocky before it’s over, he reminded himself from past experience.
He was finna’ git crazy cock-y in a minute. A little pre-celebration to celebrate his genius. Trying not to run back to his private ship, he checked on the rest of the band apparatus.
“Need anything?” he shouted up to Tamer, who was supervising load out.
The manager said no.
Angel helped the others board Dock’s cruise ship. Angel informed Dock quietly they would be jumping in his vehicle, even though the crew was loading Angel’s gyro with their personal gear.
“Keeps them guessing,” Angel assured.
“Vewy, vewy clever my friend,” Dock mocked, sauntering by.
Security and Inspector Corp stood guard nearby, waiting until everything was loaded and gone. Bitros and Mooney were watching him and admiring his brand-new transference gyro, which stood erect and gleaming nearby.
“The ‘D’ around the tip of the ship makes its own statement, don’t you think?” Dock entertained.
Bitros laughed too loud, too honkey.
Mooney did not laugh at all. “All quiet this show. Perhaps capturing our suspect has brought an end to our problem, sir,” Mooney stated.
Dock replied, “Perhaps. The delegations don’t want or need any more trouble, so 1,000 troops along with 1,500 security droids have been ordered to Neptune Park anyways. They threw you a pretty big bone, detective.”