“Don't worry, dear. We are still fine and this is what counts. I will build again the machine and this time I won't beg anyone.” He took her face gently in his hands and looked her in the eyes. “This time, they will come and beg us. Come here, buddy.” He opened his arms to invite Yves so that he could hug and reassure both that nothing like this would happen again.
It was time for the world to benefit from Dr Courant's device, but not in a pleasant way.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
So, what do we want now exactly?
“Why are you telling us all this?” Fiona asked.
“Are you bored? Should I stop?” Dr Courant's words were giving away some sort of hidden threat, which made all three of them to try and buy some time, even if they didn't know what to do with it.
“No, no, go ahead. So, what did you do after these men destroyed the machine?” Bruno asked in a hurry.
“I'm glad to hear your voice too, Bruno. For a moment I thought that you were mad at us. Well, I still had the detailed plans with me. Since these pieces of human waste made the mistake to not kill me, but instead they preferred to kill the hopes of millions of people, I decided to not let them have it their way. I would build it again, only a few times more powerful.”
“A few times?” Steve asked, raising one eyebrow in doubt after the modesty Dr Courant showed on the power of the new machine.
“About 200 times more powerful. Enough to reach a radius of 15 kilometers. I worked hard to make it. I had spent a lot of our money for my meaningless trips and it was difficult to find the materials to build it. Also, we moved to another house and kept this apartment here only as a lab. After about 30 months of working and studying and experimenting, the machine was ready, with one slight difference in relation to my initial intentions. I made it strong enough to cover a radius of at least 60 kilometers, just to make sure that the results would be impressive enough for everyone to see what they can have and their governments tried to keep away.” Dr Courant's eyes started shining in repressed anger that was building up for years. Even his wife looked a bit scared, even if she could understand him perfectly.
“So, you decided to use the machine in Paris, where some millions of people live and some more millions are dead. Didn't you think of the chaos you would create?” Fiona got strict and she didn't seem to be afraid to speak her mind. She knew that Dr Courant had begun with good intentions and they had something in common, so she could talk to him this way, without crossing any lines that could bring herself, as well as Bruno and Steve, in danger.
“You know, Fiona, at the beginning I had expected to see happy people being healthy again and reuniting with their loved ones. Instead, I saw even more death and suffering. Only few were those who helped their relatives out of their graves, who fed them and who took them safely at home. The rest were slaughtering each other like they were fighting some monsters. And what were they? Harmless, clumsy, hungry fellow humans, in need of protection. Is this what we are? Some animals, ready to kill everyone who's a bit different and goes out of our own narrow standards?” Dr Courant asked rhetorically.
“If you knew all along that the zombies were essentially harmless, you could have informed the people before setting them loose. Did you expect everyone to salute you as a god after all this destruction you caused?” Steve moved to stop Bruno from his sudden outbreak but Bruno kept talking with his fists held against his thighs, to avoid making any obscene gesture. “When you see a group of people coming right at you, you do your best to defend yourself. You don't offer them dinner, especially when they want to have you as dinner. How did could you not think about this? And how could you not think that the dinosaurs could level most of the city?”
“You think I didn't? But when I saw what was happening with the humans, I decided that a city which kills so brutally the people who had a second chance, doesn't deserve a second chance itself. I wanted to destroy Paris completely in order to make everyone else accept what I have to offer,” Dr Courant said. He still sounded paternal, but in a way that brings in mind a father who believes that his children don't need to receive explanations but only instructions since he knows already what's good for them and he beats them every time they ask a question, with his belt in one hand while balancing carefully to avoid spilling the beer from the bottle he's holding in the other hand. And in the end of the day he considers his child-raising methods effective and anyway he also got beaten some times in his childhood and did anything bad happen to him after all?
“An offer?” Steve asked.
“Are you sure that you want to do this? Maybe we should think about it more. You saw what happened at the museum. We don't know if we are ready.” Dr Renedo said, while looking pretty worried, spreading her anxiety to Bruno, Steve and Fiona, who looked at Dr Courant waiting with lots of interest for his answer.
“I am sure, yes. I have given it a lot of thought. Maybe some people will be sacrificed, but the rest will be safe and healthy. You have trusted me so far and I managed to bring our son back. Trust me again and we will make the whole planet a better place.” Dr Courant couldn't hide from the tone of his voice his concern that he maybe was mistaken.
“What are you talking about?” Fiona asked. Bruno and Steve were ready to ask the same thing and they all were anticipating the answer of Dr Courant.
“Listen. When I saw the massacre that was happening in the center of Paris, I came back to the lab and focused the power of the machine towards the museum, diminishing the radius at no more than 2 kilometers. This way I made the rays much stronger and strong enough to initiate the regeneration procedure to huge skulls like those of the dinosaurs. I didn't know if I would be successful, since I hadn't tried the machine this way before, but it worked.”
Dr Courant walked a bit towards Bruno, Steve and Fiona, who instinctively took a few tiny steps backwards. He stopped in front of them and smiled. “Now I will give humanity a huge chance to progress. Now everyone knows what I can do. So, I can wake the dinosaurs up again and we can see what chains can hold the triceratops. The dead animals are not very tightly chained, you know.” He took a deep breath.
“This is not a good offer!” Bruno shouted and everyone looked at him bewildered by the absurdity of his thoughts.
“I'm not done, clever boy. You thought that I wouldn't have a second option?”
“I don't know... You paused and...” Bruno paused as well. Everyone's attention went back to Dr Courant.
“It doesn't matter. Now, isten to my offer and stop interrupting me. So, we all know that money is the root of all evil and destruction, right? Don't answer. It is so. I will demand from all the governments of the world to give me all the money that is available everywhere. Otherwise I will turn on all the machines I have installed in various well hidden places on the whole planet and see every person and every animal that ever lived, coming back and being very very hungry and aggressive. How long do you think you can fight something that only gets bigger as you fight it? How many heads can you throw in the river before yours ends up in there?” Dr Courant asked, happy with the dead end he had created which would bring him closer to his goal.
“What are you trying to prove? For the assholes who broke into your lab, you will punish the whole Earth? Do you think you are god or something?” Steve said. There was some expected tension in the air.
“God? Don't make me laugh! When did any kind of god give an amputee back their limbs? Gods are supposed to be there only to punish and try the endurance of people, no matter how good they are! What I'm offering is real and we can have it right now. Second and third chances for everyone. We can work towards our progress as humans, without health issues wasting our time and resources. And also, since there won't be any money left, there will be no pharmaceutical companies stopping us so that they can make fortunes out of people's health problems. I'm giving humanity a great chance or they will be destroyed as they will deserve if they don't accept my offer. Which god has ever done this for its creations? Hey
, don't tell me that you believe in any kind of supernatural creatures? I would be terribly disappointed if young students with bright potential like you, had such small minds.” Dr Courant was unstoppable and even if this matter was strictly personal, he demanded answers.
“No, of course not,” Fiona said steadily.
“Well, not exactly,” Bruno said, causing Steve and Fiona to look at him surprised. “Yes, I know, Brazil, football players, they score and they thank god. Well, I don't. Sorry for ruining your stereotype. You, Steve?”
Steve hesitated. “What I believe or not, is none of your business. You haven't experienced what I have, OK? Leave me alone now.” Steve was feeling oppressed and embarrassed by Dr Courant's way of speaking.
“Yes, Steve. We will stop bothering you and we will start occupying ourselves with secondary issues. So, Dr Courant, you are about to destroy the world by turning everyone into zombies,” said Fiona. She was surprised to hear herself sound so comfortable in such a crucial time, but she knew that panic wouldn't make things any better. “You do know that this way you are putting your family and yourself into grave danger, right?”
“You think that I haven't taken my safety measures first? After all these years? You underestimate me,” Dr Courant responded, seeming a bit bored by Fiona's buildup of her question.
“But why are you telling us these things? Why are you trusting us with your secrets?” Bruno said. He looked at Steve, asking silently for approval, but Steve was still mad at them for what they had said earlier and he was looking elsewhere.
“This is because after the decision of the world leaders is taken, no matter what it will be, I will need your help. You were the only ones who handled the first crisis in calmness, as far as I know, even if you did it in a pretty violent way. I'm sure that under our guidance, we can form a team that will restore civilization where it should be. Without money to decide who will be rich and who will be homeless, and without sickness to keep them from creating, everyone will be able to start over and create something new and beautiful. Even some zombies, as you call them, will be able to be parts of the new societies, because we will teach them to be so. And everyone will be able to do what they want, be it sciences or arts or reading or even playing video games all day. Anyway, for how long can you keep playing games until you feel the need to go out in the sun and have a nice walk or read a book or do something creative?”
Dr Courant let them think for a bit. He could see their troubled faces as they were processing his last sentences and they looked astonished at the vast amount of possibilities that was appearing in front of humanity. He was sure that he had them in his hands, that they were ready to agree with him.
“It won't work,” Steve said.
“Excuse me?” Dr Courant asked. Apparently this was the last thing he expected to hear.
“You don't know people. If there is no money, there will be something else to fight over. Food. Water. Resources. There's no way for the world to stop fighting, we are condemned as a species,” Steve said. His face expression had become darker and he really looked like he had no faith in humanity.
“Wow. So, you believe in god because you don't believe in people?” Bruno asked.
“But when we are over those two burdens, we will be able to focus in improving our quality of life. We will have food, water, shelter for everyone. We will work together towards the new era of humanity. You will see.” Dr Courant rushed out of the lab. Dr Renedo followed him. Steve tried to follow him, but five of the big men that had brought them there in the first place, stood in front of him, blocking the door and the view to the rest of the apartment.
“Hey! Where are you going? Don't do anything stupid! Doctor! Come back!” Steve shouted but Dr Courant didn't respond. “I suppose that he doesn't have the machine in here, right?”
“Would you recognize it if he did?” Fiona asked.
“Good point. What do we do now?” Steve asked back.
Bruno looked around in the room. “Well, we have a table here.”
Steve helped Bruno lift the table by grabbing it from the long sides. “On three,” Steve said.
“Excuse me. What about me?” Fiona protested.
“You are a girl.” Steve answered without thinking and without looking at her.
“Look at that. If you can tell the difference, it seems that you are indeed a biologist after all. I want to help, you idiots.”
“Hold this side and push as we move towards the zombies,” Bruno said.
“I thought that we weren't supposed to call them zombies,” Steve mocked Dr Courant.
“I'm not calling them humans, anyway. Do you think that they will be offended? Come on, there's no time,” Bruno answered in a hurry. “One, two, three!”
They ran towards the door with the table as a battering ram. They managed to push two of the men, but the three others grabbed them and threw them back in the lab. Zero outcome and now they had no table either.
“OK, look around. Can we find anything else?” Steve asked.
“Well, those glass boxes and tubes and these metallic machines can be a bit useful,” Bruno said.
“Yeah. We haven't gored anyone today and I'm starting to feel like I miss something,” Steve answered while stretching his arms.
They grabbed anything that could be used as a knife. They broke some glass tubes like drunkards preparing for a bar fight. The zombies at the door were getting nervous and started making noise like they wanted to call someone. Bruno, Steve and Fiona looked at each other, nodded and attacked. They were aiming for the chests and heads. The big clumsy men were trying to grab them or push them as those were the only two things they could do, but all they actually managed was push the glass and metal deeper in them. In the end, all five of them were on the floor, bleeding to death or dead already.
“Check yourselves. Are you all right?” Bruno asked, focusing on Fiona.
“I'm all right, thank you,” said Steve, who had noticed where Bruno was looking at.
“I know you are. Fiona? Are you hurt?” Bruno responded without looking at Steve.
Fiona was trying to verify if any of those stains of blood on her was hers. None was. Then she looked at Bruno and Steve. “That was too brutal.”
“Yes, but we needed to...”
“I liked it. I only had the dead bodies so far. It was time for me to get some action!” Fiona said interrupting Bruno's attempt to make her feel better about the human lives she took.
“Good, I'm glad that you had fun, but there's something urgent we need to take care of right now. We need to find them. Where should we search?” Bruno asked.
“I believe that if he went to turn on the machine again, he must be on the roof. Let's try there,” Fiona said and she moved towards the stairs with Bruno.
Steve didn't follow. They turned around and looked at him. “What are you waiting for?” Bruno asked.
“I don't know, you guys. What if he's right? What if the world will actually be better this way?”
“And what if they don't do what he says and he fills the planet with zombies of every species ever? Would you like this too?” Fiona asked.
“I wouldn't mind. Do we deserve better anyway?” Steve said.
“You wouldn't mind to be in an post-apocalyptic landscape and fight for your life until you get killed and eaten by dinosaurs or zombies? Are you self-destructive or something? What got into you suddenly?” Bruno asked, who was feeling his knees tremble and he wouldn't know why. This was the first time he felt so scared these days.
“We can be with Dr Courant. We will be safe with him and we will learn many things. Why fight him? He is way too powerful for us to try and stop him. We are three lame students and he has all the machines and the knowledge. And besides, he has a point. He tried to help people and all he got was rejection and his house was broken in and he almost got murdered. I don't know if I would give such a world a second chance if I was him,” Steve said.
“But he only talked to their gove
rnments and not all of the people. If he speaks straight to the people, don't you think that they will be more willing to follow him? The governments will never accept his terms and I think that he's crazy enough to do what he threatens to do. Come with us, we need to talk to him,” Fiona said.
Steve still hesitated.
“Do you want to work with him in progress or in... ummm... the opposite of progress?” Bruno wanted to give an impressive line to break Steve's defense, but now he was feeling awkward.
“That's the best chosen moment to forget your English. Well done,” Fiona scolded Bruno.
“Oh, shut up both of you. Come on, let's go to the roof,” Steve said to the relieve of Fiona and Bruno. Without any further comments, they strode up the stairs.
The door to the roof was open. They went out and saw in the darkness the shadows of Dr Courant and Dr Renedo standing and talking. Dr Courant was surprised to see them. “How did you escape? Are the children okay?” He then saw the blood on their clothes and he brought his hand on his forehead, rubbing his temples with his thumb and middle finger. “When will you learn? When?”
“You don't have the machine here?” Fiona asked.
“Of course not! Exposed up here, for the rain to destroy it and for anyone to come and steal it! This is the first place anyone would search! Are you serious?”
“Listen, Dr Courant. We have to talk to you,” Bruno said. All three of them looked Dr Courant straight in the eyes, not leaving him any choice but to hear them. Dr Renedo put her hand in a pocket, but Dr Courant made a gesture for her to stop.
“Tell me then. You want to be my assistants? Do you have good news for me?” Dr Courant was more serious than any other time in the few hours they knew each other.
Halfway back - Bruno, Steve and Fiona's adventure against zombies that may not be zombies and the secret behind them Page 13