There were nods of agreement around the room. Tactically John could maybe understand, but he was still a little pissed off that he had been knocked out without warning. It was pretty unsettling to have been so utterly vulnerable when he was usually pretty careful about the kind of situations he was stepping into, and at the very least tried to calculate in advance his options when it came to risks and dangers. Drugging him and all the other passengers while sitting on a bus was a play from a whole different kind of rule book.
“Saying that,” Klementina continued, “I truly want to welcome you all to a very special place. Tonight you’ll not only learn things that will forever change the way you look at the world, but also enjoy the first embrace from your new family, a family that is filled with some of the greatest and kindest people you will ever meet whom, you’ll discover, are ready to walk through the fiercest of fires and willing to give their lives for you and the human race.” She reached up to gingerly adjust the bandage on her chest. “I’m sure you’ve all got a lot of questions, but there’s a long night ahead and when it comes to an end you’ll have all the answers you need.”
John could feel a sense of excitement growing around the room as he scanned the faces of those who, unlike himself, had chosen to immerse themselves into a strange and secret club that seemed happy to take money from those who could afford it. Give or take he counted just over thirty people, and at a hundred thousand a head the amount of cash collected wasn’t exactly trivial. The youngest of them looked to be in their early twenties, a handful seemed as though they might have been better spending their money on a long cruise to enjoy their twilight years, and the rest seemed to settle somewhere in between. There were a few guys dressed in suits and some of the ladies were draped in obviously expensive dresses, but otherwise most of the guests were dressed casually enough. All of them, however, were hanging on Klementina’s every word as she again held court.
“It was once asked how different the human race might be if for only one night the stars graced us with their light from such vast distances and time, and I’ve often wondered if the answer would reveal a new and fundamental truth. Well, not only is the answer to that question just about upon us, but it fuels the beating heart of the Hallucigenia Project. We have chosen to look up when so many choose to look down. We have found meaning in the stars where others have found a cold emptiness. We have inherited a true purpose while the world consumes, breeds and dies with little to no thought for tomorrow.” She enjoyed a slow, deep breath while allowing her words to echo around the room, then slapped her hands together with a startling crack. “Enough of the navel gazing though. It’s time have some fun and explore what we’re all about. Our ever lovely head of orientation Veronica is going to take you on a tour of our facility and then, depending on your skill sets and challenges that take your fancy, you’ll be assigned to one of our many vital departments and given the opportunity to leave your signature in history. As of now, your first true night of star shine begins.”
A slow rumble of enthusiastic applause bounced along the curved wall as Veronica appeared in the beaded doorway. She had a look on her face as though she had the best news in the world and could barely contain it any longer.
“Okay everybody,” she said with eyes wide to match her beaming grin, “grab those coffee cups and follow me. You’re in for a real treat!”
“You sure you don’t mean just me?” Joey couldn’t resist.
“The night’s still young Joey,” Veronica laughed, “be careful not to waste all that energy on the impossible.”
“Impossible? Hell,” Joey announced while rising to his feet, “that’s just another word for challenge. So in the words of a man I ain’t never met and not sure actually existed, mission impossible accepted.”
The shot at humour was a touch of welcome relief to a room that was bristling with nervous energy. Still sitting on the floor Klementina shook her head with mock condemnation as the guests followed Joey’s lead and got to their feet, then one by one shuffled their way forward and through the beaded doorway. John stalled for a moment but eventually lifted himself from the chair and joined the rear of the line, coffee mug in hand.
“Actually John,” Klementina said while adjusting her bandage, “do you mind holding back for a second?”
“Sure,” he replied.
She winced for the second time and somewhat unsteadily rose to her feet before John could offer any assistance. “I don’t think I’ll be running any marathons in a hurry.”
“To be honest I’m surprised you’re even walking around. The bullet itself might burn for a little while, but it’s the next day that your body feels like a truck slammed into it.”
“Not only is that a pretty fair summary,” Klementina agreed, “but you’ve got me thinking maybe I’m not the only one in this room that’s been shot.”
“Let’s just say the bullet they took out of my stomach wasn’t from a food related incident.”
“Jesus I don’t even want to imagine.”
The chatter from the other side of the doorway had vanished and his curiosity as to way lay beyond the beads was growing by the second, as was the question of why she had asked him to stay back. He was tempted to simply ask her, but figured he’d find out soon enough.
“The others should be on their way by now,” Klementina declared, “so let’s head on through.”
For the first time since he’d arrived he noticed the cool bite of the air. The background music came to a sudden end though the screens along the wall continued with their glimpses of pulsating natural landscapes. Anticipation swelled as he stepped up to the wooden beads and then, following Klementina, stepped on through.
If he was disorientated just moments before then now he was officially overwhelmed. Soft blue light revealed a long and wide arched concrete tunnel running off into the distance, so far that from where he was standing he couldn’t see where it might end. Black metal doors could be found built into the walls at differing distances and there was a strong mixed aroma of sweet incense smoke and ground coffee beans. The first thing that came to John’s mind was an underground bunker of some kind, though the vision looming before him dwarfed any mental image he might have been harbouring.
They moved forward as snippets of muffled laughter escaped from somewhere in the distance and the blue overhead lights tried hard to create the illusion that they were underwater. Soon they reached an open door on their left and John paused to look inside, discovering a large room filled with stack after stack of cardboard boxes and an enormous coffee machine against the near wall.
“There’s not much to see in there,” Klementina said over his shoulder. “Besides our much loved coffee maker the room is only used for initial storage before goods are sent off to the relevant departments.”
They headed deeper into the tunnel. The faint laughter was gone now, leaving only the sound of their footsteps to keep back the silence. Looking ahead, John was struggling to imagine what the other doors might lead to.
“How many rooms are in this place?” he asked.
“Enough to house our equipment and give people the space they need to take care of business.”
“It sure does make an impression.”
“Not exactly a resort by any standards,” Klementina admitted, “but it’s got a few more tricks up the sleeve than a fancy hotel.”
“I’d hate to guess how much a place like this must cost,” John murmured.
“Don’t get me wrong, those coffee mugs are pretty damn good but it’s not the only place your money went.”
When they reached the next door, on their right this time, Klementina paused to scan her hand on the small screen embedded into the wall. An audible click followed, and she pushed against the hard metal and walked inside. John followed closely behind and stopped when there was nothing but darkness. For a fleeting second following the sound of the door closing behind him he wondered if something nasty was about to happen, and instinctively clenched his fists and
widened his stance on the floor.
Suddenly Klementina clapped her hands together and thin green light tubes flickered to life along the roof, revealing another large circular room with a solid wooden desk close to the rear of the curved wall that was lined with plastic ferns and palms, creating the feeling of stepping into a surreal tropical garden. Furniture wise there wasn’t much else except for a couple of office styled chairs and a long rug with abstract designs running up to the desk, which Klementina quietly made her way to before taking a seat and looking back across to John.
“Make yourself comfortable,” she offered while switching on the laptop that was resting on the desk.
John took a seat as his eyes adjusted to the strange green hue of the room. Now it’s official, he thought to himself, I’m very fucking far from home. As a silence hung in the air he thought of Bobbie and wondered if maybe Vanessa had decided to spend time with him again, then sharpened his attention to the surroundings as his bullet bruised host concentrated on the computer screen.
Suddenly a knock on the door broke through the silence followed by the clicking of the lock disengaging. Next came the sound of high heels on concrete moving closer and closer, and when he turned to look over his shoulder a jolt of recognition narrowed his eyes. Dressed in a short black skirt with matching jacket and a diamond necklace that seemed glistening wet beneath the lights, Rebecca strolled past him with a serious expression on her face and gracefully lifted her slim frame onto the desk, crossed her legs, and softly tapped a finger against the edge of the polished wood.
Instantly John sensed something was off, that something was definitely wrong, and yet at the same time there was a quick rush that came with stumbling across his mark. Maybe they were just going to try to squeeze him for some more money? Or it could be that they wanted to find out what he knew about the shooting at the casino, which was next to nothing. But the way Rebecca was looking down at him he suspected there was something else going on, and it probably wasn’t good. All said and done though, it shouldn’t matter. Now he finally had the chance to deliver the desperate love message that was the reason he was in this damn situation, and then he could wash his hands of the philosophical puzzles and cult like activities.
Klementina lifted her eyes from the laptop and placed a hand on Rebecca’s back. She drew a deep breath and rolled her chair closer to the desk.
“John, I’d like you to meet Rebecca, a very special member of the Project family.”
“Actually,” John replied while shaking her hand, “we met the other night at the casino but it was hardly the time for introductions.”
“So here we are,” Klementina continued as a sly smile curled her mouth, “deep below the earth and ready to seize the night, while on the edges of space the universe is expanding at more than a billion miles an hour. I don’t know about you, but I’ve lost many a night’s sleep wondering just what space must be expanding into, considering beyond the edge of the universe there shouldn’t be any space or time.”
“I too used to lose sleep thinking about it,” Rebecca joined with the only Australian accent he’d heard since arriving in the country. “Then one night it occurred to me that maybe it’s not expanding at all, and that maybe the womb of the universe is dissolving and allowing the stars to breathe.” For the first time since entering the room she managed to flash a slight grin. “Then again, I once believed the government was made up of smart people with the well being of humanity at heart, so what do I know?”
“Politics sure has a way of showing the ugly side of greed,” John replied while trying to gauge her state of mind.
“Maybe so,” Rebecca agreed with a final tap of her finger. “That’s why I tend to agree with the sentiment of fuck the government.”
“If people only knew the sickness festering behind the political curtain,” Klementina added. “Still, the slippery suits and grinning sociopaths will have their time in the spotlight soon enough, you can be assured of that. For the moment though, with consideration to the fact that the hands of the clock are drawing our day closer every minute, let’s bring an end to this game of poker and throw our cards down onto the table. What do you think John?”
“To be honest,” he said leaning forward in his chair, “I’m not sure if I follow.”
Rebecca sighed with disappointment and picked up a silver pen from the desk, twirling it through her fingers as though preparing for a magic trick to make it disappear. Then with a flick of the wrist the pen was pointed directly at John’s face.
“Here’s the thing,” Rebecca said softly. “You, John Richter, were sent over here by a very rich man called Sebastian who, as you know, is my husband. While I can’t know what kind of lies he’s told you I’m sure he wasn’t overly concerned with giving you the truth, and no doubt he’s sent you on some sort of crusade to drag me kicking and screaming back to Australia, away from the evil cult. Am I on the right track so far?”
John swallowed what was left of the moisture in his mouth and stared into Rebecca’s eyes as the shock of her declaration rattled the inside of his brain, driving home that somehow the cat had just jumped out of the bag. How she knew he had no idea, and what they planned to do with the knowledge was anyone’s guess, but cold street smarts told him to keep any signs of surprise locked down tight. A poker face was important even when the cards had been revealed, perhaps even more so. Now that he was in a comprised position the best he could was hold firm and keep his composure.
“I wondered why you didn’t look too happy to see me,” he offered with a smirk.
“On the contrary, I’m honoured to meet you, and not just because you’re a face from home.”
“Well as much as I’d like to say I’m flattered I can’t help but feel things just got a little awkward real quick.” Slowly but purposefully he reached up and took the pen from Rebecca’s hand before rolling it between his own fingers to inspect the craftsmanship. “As for any lies your husband might have told me, I guess that’s gonna depend on whether you believe it when he says he loves you or not. Nice pen by the way.”
“I don’t doubt that he loves me,” Rebecca sighed with a dip of her shoulders. “In fact I know he does, and for a time I was deeply in love with him, maybe more than I’ve loved anyone before. But that sort of love quickly turns sour when uncomfortable things rise to the surface, and now here you are thanks a jealous man with deep pockets who doesn’t like losing his possessions. Now stand up.”
“What?”
“Stand up, please.”
Very much on guard and as slowly as he could, he arose from the chair as Rebecca slid from the desk, adjusted her skirt, then stepped close enough that their noses were almost touching. At this distance the diamonds around her neck seemed to be lit from the inside. For several beating moments she looked deep into his eyes, before reaching out with her arms and embracing him in a firm hug that flushed his body with warmth that was more than welcome after the processed air had begun to chill down into his bones. To say it was the last thing he’d expected was a true understatement.
She held him tight with her embrace before finally releasing him and, taking a step back, placed a hand on her hip as John struggled to hide his obvious confusion.
“I just wanted to thank you,” Rebecca revealed. “I know you’re probably going to say you’re only here because of the money but the real truth is, deep down you cared about someone else’s broken heart enough to travel half way across the world. Unfortunately life isn’t any kind of fairytale so I suspect things aren’t going to pan out the way you expected, but there’s higher forces at work and I reckon there’s a much bigger reason for you being here.” The cheeky grin that had been hinted at earlier lifted her classically beautiful features. “So thank you for being the guy you are, even if you did think you could pull the wool over our eyes.”
She returned to her position on the desk and John fell back into the chair with his head reeling in all directions. Klementina had watched the exchange with curiosity,
much like a teacher might observe students meeting for the first time, but was now once again looking at something on the computer.
As far as John figured there wasn’t much point in playing the game anymore. The way he saw it, the best thing to do was let Rebecca know how much Sebastian wanted her to return home and then find out how the hell he was going to get back to hotel. Calling a cab wasn’t exactly an option considering he had no idea where he was, but his opportunity to bring it up was cut short when Klementina closed the laptop and leaned back into her chair.
“We’ve known who you were and why you here the moment you stepped off the plane. Normally we would have made sure you ran around in circles chasing your tail but the truth is you belong here in this family where you realize it or not.”
“Look,” John began, “it’s obvious you’ve got an idea of who I am.” He looked up to Rebecca. “The bottom line is your husband loves you enough to hire me to travel half away across the world and ask you to come home. Whether you want to admit it or not the fact is he’s worried about you and what you might be caught up in. If you’re looking for anything more sinister than that then you’re probably going to be disappointed, and I’m sure as hell not going to put a gun to your head and force you on a plane. He’s your husband and he wants you back, and that’s all there is to it. That’s the only reason I’m here.”
Rebecca’s fingers began tapping on the wood once again as concern radiated from her eyes. “I know that’s what he told you,” she said slowly as though choosing her words wisely, “and I have no doubt it’s what you want to believe. Only… things aren’t quite what they seem. Is he concerned? Probably, I’ll give you that, but the fact is the real reason he wants me back is because of the money I left with. Not that he’s been left penniless, far from it, but he doesn’t like losing things and he sure as hell doesn’t like having no control.” She leaned forward and lifted her voice with a surety. “He’s not going to rest until he gets his money back, and unfortunately that’s not going happen. Besides, we needed the money here at the Project and he would have just kept it tucked away and looked at the numbers every day as though it gave him some sort of purpose. He was my husband that’s true, and I did love him, but he didn’t want to be a part of the family and forced me to choose. So, I chose.”
The Hallucigenia Project Page 30