2036 The Proof: A Thrilling Science Fiction Novel

by Speiser, Zvi

  “Do you remember how both of us were laughing yesterday at the possibility that God wasn’t allowing those stars to explode so as not to destroy life on Earth?”

  “Of course I remember. Please don’t tell me you think the best explanation science can find for this phenomenon is that God is preventing the stars from exploding,” she retorted with a distant, condescending smile.

  “I’ve been dealing with physics, and mainly with astrophysics, for decades now,” Benny began to reply, his speech unusually drawn out. “Collapsing and exploding stars are actually the research lab for us astrophysicists, because naturally, we can’t carry out similar experiments in a lab. I’ve explored the Chandrasekhar equations from multiple angles, one of which I introduced at the conference yesterday, and it was received with massive applause.”

  “I know. I was there. I heard and saw the enthusiasm, but I’m not fluent in the math involved.”

  “Yes, I know you’re not a mathematician or a physicist. All I’m trying to say is that the Chandrasekhar equations have been examined and verified by many physicists, including me, and they’re correct and accurate. That’s why I’m so perturbed, and I keep going back to some factor outside the realm of known physics that is preventing these stars from exploding. Doesn’t it seem strange to you that not only are the masses of the four stars we’ve discovered significantly larger than the mass that should trigger their explosion according to Chandrasekhar, but that their masses are also identical, within the boundaries of our ability to accurately measure them?”

  The gaping of Lia’s mouth and the widening of her eyes were her only discernible responses.

  Chapter 31

  Gerry’s Research

  Chicago, Thursday, July 24, 2036

  A warm, familiar feeling enveloped Will that morning as he woke up in his bed and remembered that Melissa was sleeping in the guest room. Since they had broken up two years ago, he hadn’t been in a serious relationship. In fact, their relationship had been the most significant and longest one he had ever been in. He had suggested that she sleep with him, but she politely declined, saying she would bother him, that she might aggravate his injuries, that he needed a bed where he could stretch out, and that in general, it had been so long since they’d split up that she didn’t feel comfortable sleeping in his bed, although it had been clear that he meant the word ‘sleep’ literally.

  Getting out of bed was easier and nearly painless. Melissa was already engrossed in the morning news, with a cup of coffee next to her. He wondered what she was feeling. Last night, he’d had time to talk to Dan from NASA, who had promised to inquire about the astronomer who had been injured in the accident, and to update him later.

  “Good morning,” she said brightly. “You look almost like a new man. I think that after a shower and with normal clothes, you’ll only look like someone who cut himself slightly while shaving. Should I make you breakfast? I still remember what you like in the morning,” she concluded, heading toward him.

  Her hug was gentle and maternal, definitely not a lover’s embrace. Had he misread the way she had hugged him at Dempsey’s Bar? That seemed like it had happened a month ago, although in fact it had only been two days. Perhaps she was afraid of hurting him by hugging him too tightly, he tried to console himself.

  “That would be great,” he replied. “I’d love my usual breakfast. You’ll find everything in its usual place in the kitchen. I haven’t changed a thing.”

  The buzz of the assistant caused his eyes to focus on the photo of Dan from NASA. He was momentarily surprised, thinking it was too early in the morning, but a quick glance at the large analog clock on the kitchen wall revealed that it was almost nine a.m., still early for many office workers, although he recalled that many of the NASA employees started their day at an early hour. That was what tended to happen when people loved their jobs, especially when that job entailed investigating the mysteries of the universe.

  “Good morning. I hope I didn’t wake you up. How are you feeling? How are your injuries?” Dan asked.

  “Good morning to you, too. I’m feeling a lot better, almost like new, and of course you didn’t wake me. What’s going on?”

  “I sent your assistant Dr. Ethan Almog’s address. He’ll be happy to talk to you, and I think a conversation with him will prove beneficial. If you need any more help, don’t hesitate. I’m always at your service,” he said in conclusion.

  Will didn’t wait for the look of inquiry he was used to getting from Melissa, and told her about Dan, his friend from NASA, whom he had contacted to find out some details about Dr. Gerald Apexton.

  “Who’s Dr. Apexton? Yesterday you were still laid out in the hospital, and today you’re already working again?” she asked.

  “I think Dr. Apexton is connected to this whole thing. My gut tells me it’ll be interesting to meet him.”

  “Ah, the doctor recommended resting at home, but you’re already rushing off to a work meeting. I know I sound like your mother, but I promised your parents—and actually, myself as well—that I’d keep an eye on you.”

  “It’s okay. We won’t rush. We’ll walk slowly, and I’ll take it easy, I promise,” he said with a smile. “And as for Dr. Apexton, I think we might learn some things that go beyond the scope of my work. Anyway, I have to talk to his supervisor at NASA, and then we’ll decide.”

  Dr. Almog was happy to speak to him. He described the serious accident Gerry had been through, his cognitive state, and his surprising resignation from NASA, which had not been anticipated, but was understandable. In response to Will’s question, he told him that Gerry’s specialization had been the study of asteroids, and that he was considered a prominent researcher in his field.

  Will thanked Dr. Almog and was about to end the conversation when the doctor continued.

  “I remembered another interesting detail about Gerry. On the morning of the day when the accident happened, he was scheduled to present a research project he’d been working on recently and was being quite secretive about. If I remember correctly, he said it would have global impact, or something along those lines. I was really looking forward to his presentation, both because he’d aroused my interest and because I hadn’t been involved in the research. Gerry took full advantage of his bi-annual privilege to conduct research that was not monitored by the system. I’d be glad to know what he was working on, if you find out.”

  Will thanked him and turned to Melissa. He instructed his assistant to relay the conversation to her, thus sparing himself the need to repeat everything that had been said.

  Hearing the conversation played back did not eliminate her querying expression, but actually intensified it. “What’s the connection between an astronomer studying asteroids and our case?” she asked.

  “Like I said, it’s more of a gut feeling. I don’t have a rational explanation. You’re welcome to join me. We might actually be able to meet him this morning.”

  ***

  It was closer to noon when he and Melissa walked to Dr. Apexton’s modest, utilitarian house. The paved path leading to the entrance cut through a small lawn surrounded by a little patch of flowers, without the garish lawn ornaments common in many gardens. A pragmatic décor of the kind expected from a scientist floating somewhere between the stars and the asteroids.

  When Will had called in the morning, Ramona, the astronomer’s wife, had summarily rejected the prospect of a meeting with her husband. She said his condition still didn’t allow him to meet people, that he had been through a major accident and was still having trouble speaking, and that his ability to listen was significantly impaired. All of Will’s attempts at persuasion did no good; she would not budge.

  In his distress, he had contacted Rick, who had to meet her in person in order to convince her to allow the meeting to take place. His winning argument was that the meeting might advance the inquiry into the accident, as the astronom
er’s accident shared certain characteristics with Will’s own. She was truly eager to see the driver who had hit her husband locked up.

  Ramona and Rick greeted them at the entrance to the house. Rick was surprised by Will’s condition and appearance, and stopped himself at the very last moment from clapping him on the back.

  “You look great! How did you manage it? Just two days ago, you looked as if you weren’t going to survive the accident, and now you’re back on your feet and hard at work again. Maybe Ms. Colette had something to do with it,” he said, with a grin directed at Melissa.

  “Come to Gerry’s room. He gets tired quickly and he’s waiting for you,” Ramona said after introducing herself.

  Dr. Apexton also didn’t look like someone who, just a week ago, had been through a major accident, which might well have ended badly. He had three Band-Aids on his face that seemed more like the result of a shaving mishap than a serious traffic accident. Sitting in a regular chair seemed to demand an effort from him. He was seated in a large armchair lined with extra pillows, and did not get up when they arrived.

  In a voice that was cracked and slow but clear, he asked Will to describe anything he could remember from the accident, requesting him to specify any detail he could remember, no matter how trivial. He delved into the small, minor details to an extent that bothered Will, whose curiosity regarding the research had propelled him to leave his home and come all the way here. Dr. Apexton spent some time inquiring into Jack’s appearance, and once he understood that Melissa had met him face-to-face, asked her to describe Jack as well. The astronomer nodded with satisfaction in response to her detailed description; apparently, the details matched his own mental impression.

  Will’s patience was about to run out as Dr. Apexton, who seemed to be wrapped up in his own thoughts, showed no indication of intending to talk about his research. Perhaps he had changed his mind and would now ask them to leave. Will bit his lip until he had almost caused it to bleed. However, his patience and restraint paid off.

  Dr. Apexton straightened somewhat in his armchair, cleared his throat and said, “We have to wait a few minutes. With your permission, I’ve also invited Dr. Ethan Almog, who until recently was my supervisor at NASA, where I carried out my latest research. Although I don’t have any obligation to them, it would be appropriate to receive the institution’s authorization for any publication. This also applies to anything you publish regarding what you’re about to hear today.”

  “That’s fine with me,” Will replied. “Any publication citing your research will be coordinated with you and with NASA.”

  ***

  Dr. Almog looked familiar to Will. Apparently, he had met him while visiting Dan at NASA. After the customary handshakes and introductions, Gerry asked all of them to assemble around him. Ethan looked extremely surprised, as Gerry expected. After all, when they’d met just the day before, Gerry had stammered and been unable to utter even a single fluent sentence.

  I wonder if he realizes that yesterday’s meeting was a masquerade, he thought. If so, I’m sure he’s very eager to know why.

  Everyone sat down around him, their gazes focused upon him. Gerry’s eyes surveyed their faces. All of them looked tense, awaiting his every word.

  He began by saying, “Dr. Almog, I asked you to join us for the first time I present the research I’ve been working on over the last year. Although I’ve resigned from NASA, I’m willing to seek the institution’s authorization for any publication of my research. Mr. Thorne, who’s a journalist, has also given his consent to this condition.” Both Ethan and Will nodded their assent.

  “My second point also concerns my supervisor, Dr. Almog, who yesterday, saw me as a broken, damaged man who couldn’t utter even one clear sentence, which was the reason for my resignation from NASA, while today he sees a person in full possession of all of his faculties.

  “Ethan, my friend, when I woke up in the hospital after the accident feeling entirely lucid, I mentally reconstructed it, to the best of my recollection.” Oh, how he wanted to tell them exactly what the best of his recollection currently was. How, not only had his brain not been damaged in the accident, but on the contrary, his cognitive abilities had been upgraded to a level he had never experience before, and which might even exceed anything than any human had ever experienced. However, of course, he had no intention of doing so. He would make sure to phrase things in the conventional manner, always taking care to add expressions of uncertainly in regard to his memory, as any scientist would do.

  A sip of water also helped cool his desire to expose his new abilities. He continued, “I came to the conclusion that the accident in which I was injured was no random accident, but a premeditated assault.”

  Ethan’s face conveyed surprise and anger. A brief smile flickered across the journalist’s face, directed at the woman who had come with him, and who also looked startled. Apparently, the journalist had already guessed what happened, Gerry thought. Clever guy. The detective didn’t seem particularly surprised, either.

  “Today, when Mr. Thorne described to me the details of the accident in which he was involved, it turned out that its characteristics were similar to the one in which I was injured. Apparently, both assaults were carried out by the same man, whose motives I don’t know.”

  Rick produced an envelope from his bag, from which he extracted a photo and handed it to the astronomer. Gerry nodded, and then resumed speaking.

  “Detective Heller has just showed me the photo of the man who injured me and Mr. Thorne. He also talked me and my wife into having this meeting. I haven’t mentioned this so far, but about a week before the accident, which I should probably now call an assault or a murder attempt, I received an assistant call that implied I should abandon my research and avoid publishing it. Of course, I ignored the call and continued my work, even informing Dr. Almog that I intended to present it at the department’s weekly meeting. Ladies and gentlemen, someone knows the topic of my research and has tried twice now to prevent its publication. Perhaps the recent accident—or more precisely, the assault—on Mr. Thorne, the investigative journalist, was also intended to prevent some publication by him.

  “I decided to present myself as a brain-damaged man who could no longer cause any trouble, in order to hopefully prevent another conclusive and fatal assault by this man. Even my family members, other than my wife, didn’t know the truth.

  “You must be asking yourself what caused me to end the charade. Well, yesterday after the visit at NASA, in which I pretended to be brain damaged and also announced my resignation, in order to signal to the assailant that I posed no danger to him, he peered into the restaurant in which I was sitting with my wife. I’m absolutely certain of that. I understood that my life was in danger, and that this time the assailant wouldn’t stop at a warning or an unsuccessful attempt at murder. Therefore, I decided that I needed to publish my research as soon as possible, as my days on Earth were numbered, anyway.”

  “Not if we have anything to do with it,” the detective said. “We’ll do whatever it takes to protect you.”

  The assembled guests shifted nervously in their seats. Ramona looked frightened and upset.

  “Dr. Almog, can I assume I have your permission to describe my research to the select group assembled here? I’m sure Dr. Colette and, of course, my wife, Ramona, will do whatever they can to preserve the utter secrecy of what’s about to be revealed here.”

  Ethan’s gaze bounced between Ms. Colette, Ramona, and Will several times before nodding his consent in Gerry’s direction.

  “Well, then,” Gerry continued. “I won’t go into complex scientific details here. The summary of my research, including all the scientific details, was sent to Dr. Almog several minutes before you got here. This research was made possible thanks to the STA observations, which are of a quality that was previously impossible.

  “This research uncovered a surprisin
g, improbable phenomenon that contradicts the known laws of physics, which impelled me to reconfirm the observations and the results multiple times. But the results recurred precisely.

  “I need to preface this with one more statement: I assume everyone here knows that asteroids have hit the Earth before, multiple times, resulting in destructive impact upon the planet. Perhaps the most famous strike is the one that occurred about sixty-five million years ago, which caused the extinction of the dinosaurs who had ruled the Earth for about two hundred million years. This opened the door for mammals, which started out as puny creatures forced to hide from the wrath of the dinosaurs, to evolve into a variety of species, including the human race.”

  A brief nod from the entire group confirmed that they were indeed familiar with the topic.

  “You’re probably also aware of the existence of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, which contains thousands of asteroids of various sizes, some of them massive enough to destroy life on Earth, or at least fatally impact it. The human race, after such a strike, would in no way resemble humanity in its current form.

  “For the benefit of those of you who aren’t astronomers, I’ll mention that at the outskirts of our solar system is the Kuiper belt, and beyond it is the Oort Cloud, which stretches out to an immense distance. Both of them are teeming with countless asteroids, which are the remainder of the material from which all planets were formed, thus ‘cleaning out’ the system, except for the known celestial bodies of which the belt is comprised. For various reasons, asteroids occasionally diverge from their stable, distant orbit and penetrate deep into the solar system, where they might occasionally hit the inner planets, including Earth.