“Not right now.” Jim stood and tactfully broke the gentle grip. “I have one more problem to work out.”
“Fine, I could see you here again tomorrow then? My name is Cathy and I’m in dorm thirty four.”
Jim paused for a moment. Dorm thirty four was occupied by women whom he regarded as part of the intelligentsia of the camp. He had seen male/female couples walking together and they were usually both members of the same division. “Yes, yes, tomorrow. My name is Ji... ah... Frank.”
If he had been alone he would have slapped his forehead. It would be a catastrophe to blow the whole operation over a pretty face. He kept repeating the word ‘no’ over and over in his mind, but kept glancing over his shoulder as he walked anyway. He thought the sudden desire to break security was due to loneliness.
Jim walked back in the direction of the huts. He decided to keep his mouth shut while thinking from now on. The problem now was what to do about the situation. The logical approach was to find out the prophecies and do the opposite. Perhaps that would convince the leadership they don’t apply. But, if they had it firmly planted in their heads that he should die, he didn’t see any way of changing things.
* * *
After dinner he picked up his toiletry bag and headed for the shower hut. Washing, just like everything else here, was primitive in comparison to what was normal in this time, plain warm water and soap. Most had their showers in the morning. An old habit developed while in an army Special Forces unit had him take one in the evening. He only did this while he was in the outdoors. Removing protective oils through washing exposed the skin to damage from the sun. It was best done when the sun was about to go down.
The line of showers in the open room were unused as he disrobed and set his clothes on a bench. Another reminder of the past were the old style taps he turned to operate the system.
From years in the army he was used to mass bathing. In this culture they weren’t. It amused him to watch the embarrassment of some he ran across in the showers. They usually hid themselves in a corner and washed as quickly as possible.
After a long shower he dressed and slowly wandered back to his dormitory.
“Hello there,” said a man standing near Jim’s dormitory door. “My name’s Peter, I understand yours is Frank. Uh… Oh yes, I’m sorry I must say Brother Frank. I only got here yesterday and it takes a bit of getting used to.”
The effeminate inflections in the man’s voice made Jim slightly perplexed. He usually had no problems dealing with gay men. He always thought that things would be boring if everyone was the same. The main problem was that he didn’t know the prevailing attitudes. If society was intolerant and he was casual about the matter it would cause suspicion. The opposite was also true.
Peter took a couple of paces closer. “How long are you going to be here?”
“Ah... I don’t know.”
“I’d like to see more of you while we’re here,” Peter said.
Jim decided to play it casual and tolerant. “Hey, I could do with a friend. I don’t seem to have anything in common with anyone in this place.”
“Good, you’re quite handsome too, a real dork.”
“Ah…, thank you, but I’d prefer that coming from a woman.”
“Oh, I’m terribly sorry.” Peter took a step back and appeared quite flustered. “I thought you were family. I didn’t mean to be offensive, please forgive me.”
“Family?” Jim inquired. Peter shrugged and his expression gave Jim the impression that it was normal to know what that meant. “Oh..., ah..., what gave you that idea?”
“Brother Tung. He said that you weren’t interested in women so he assumed.....”
“How long ago did he tell you that?” Jim interrupted.
“About ten minutes ago. He pointed you out when you came out of your hut. I told him that I wished that I had a friend here that was family.”
“Why did...?” Jim thought for a moment then said slowly, “K.G.B.”
“Is this Kay guy family? Is he good looking?”
“No, sorry, I was thinking to myself.”
The church officials seemed to be playing matchmaker as well. The old K.G.B. sleeper agents were usually in pairs, married couples that had met while at their training centers. The nightly indoctrination had probably caused his excitement over Cathy. When that didn’t work, Tung thought Peter would be more his type.
“Peter, if I find anyone that’s family, you’ll be the first one I’ll tell.”
“Pity about you though, you have that look I like, you know, the Jim Young look, rugged with muscles that were earned and not paid for. A lot of the guys are trying to get it, but I don’t like fakes.”
An uncontrollable smirk overcame Jim. Being a devout, but tolerant, heterosexual he was amused at the fact that he felt strangely complimented. “So you like the look of Jim Young do you?” He said, fishing for further compliments. Due to the pressure he had been under the last few weeks, he needed a little boost to the ego.
“Oh yes, he’s a dork and a half. I understand he was married to a woman, so I guess there’s no hope for a guy like me.”
“I heard he was a genuine lecher that chased anything and everything,” Jim said, trying to conceal his amusement.
“Oh, don’t say that. It’ll ruin my image of the man,” Peter said. “By the way, I’m in dorm six. Come over and talk if you feel like it. All most of the others here can say is beautiful day and praise the lord. You seem to be able to talk about other things.”
Jim laughed. “I’m in the same position.”
“Come with me,” Peter said and started to walk. “I’d buy you a drink but all they have here is water so that’ll have to do.”
“And not even ice to go with it,” Jim said as he followed.
Peter looked back at Jim. “Are you sure you’re not family?”
“Yes, I’m positive,” Jim laughed. He wanted to know how far this matching business went. Was it just random couples with intelligence as the only basis or were other criteria taken into account? “What work do you do?”
“Electronics,” Peter swelled with pride. “In fact I’m known as one of the best electronics engineers on Brougham’s Folly. I have a number of patents and mostly do contract work.”
Jim made the connection. This man was pushed in his direction due to his own cover identity as the owner of a foundering electronics company.
He wondered if Cathy was also in the same profession. Either that or some sort of finance or business wizard that could turn his enterprise into another money producing asset for the church.
Were these chance meetings arranged here or already planned before he left La Raza? They possibly intended a reorganization of his company, Jim as owner, Peter as his chief engineer, and Cathy as his wife running another part of the operation. A fourth man, probably gay, was possibly on the way to be matched with Peter, adding his own expertise to the venture.
Jim smiled as he thought of the confusion and re-planning he must have caused when he failed to instantly fall in love with Cathy and propose marriage while sitting on his thinking log. He felt sorry for her; she was probably being programmed to fall in love with him.
During the next few days Jim walked and talked with Peter on a number of occasions. The man had the makings of a good friend. It bothered Jim to know that Peter was unknowingly being indoctrinated into the brotherhood. He wanted to tell him but couldn’t. There was no way he could be kept from his bed at night without a compromising explanation or an impossible change in Jim’s orientation.
* * *
Three days of classes and discussions uncovered a few more non-biblical quotes. Other members of his class were beginning to question. When they came too close to downright challenging they disappeared. He saw them around the area, but not in the class. ‘They’ve graduated to the next level,’ he thought to himself.
He was in the middle of making the decision to graduate himself when another non-quote struck him like the jolt
from a laser pistol. “The laws of man must be tempered by the laws of God.”
It brought to mind the image of his old television set back on Earth and himself sitting in his favorite armchair. He had an old habit of getting dressed early and spending ten minutes before leaving for work watching the news. He used to tell his wife that it was to check whether they were at war or not so he knew what to expect when he reported into his unit.
He tried to imagine the President saying the words, but they didn’t match. Mentally composing a list of news reporters he discarded them one by one. The name Lloyd Bridges kept cropping up and bugging him.
He looked around the room and cleared his thoughts. Slowly the outside of a court room came to mind. A hand-cuffed figure flanked by guards. All at once everything fell into place.
“That’s it,” Jim said under his breath. He stood and headed toward the meeting room door. “The prophet Elijah.”
Jim walked toward the huts. A hand grasped him by the shoulder.
“Feeling ill brother?” It was Sorgen.
“No, no. I haven’t felt so good in a long time. Brother I’m ready to go home.”
“Are you sure? You have had another revelation?”
They continued to walk toward the dormitory. Sorgen, for the first time since they met, had an aura of enthusiasm about him.
“Have I ever. Where’s Tung this time of day?”
“Brother Tung is usually in the main hall.”
Jim changed direction leaving Sorgen behind. He walked straight to the main hall and asked for Brother Tung. In a small office the brother offered him a seat. He told Tung of his sudden recovery and that he was now at peace with the cosmos, ready to dive back into his life again.
Tung looked up from his desk. “Brother, we have seen these sudden recoveries before, they’re usually only temporary.”
“I don’t think so brother. I feel confident that I can cope with life now.”
“Here.” Tung handed Jim a small viewer. “There’re other places on this planet you may prefer.”
Jim looked into the viewer and saw a 3D image of a beach scene with happy bathers jumping waves. He returned the viewer. “No, I’ve made up my mind. I’d like to go back.”
“The shuttle leaves tomorrow morning. That’ll give you a little time to do some more thinking. I’ll arrange a seat. I wish you well.”
Jim left the main hall. His plan was to sit tight until morning. Ahead, Cathy blocked his way.
“Brother Frank, Brother Sorgen told me you were leaving.”
A number of others gathered around.
“Yes, I feel fine now, my questions have been answered.”
“But, we’ll be sad to see you go so soon.” She put her arm around his shoulders.
“Yes we will,” another agreed. Jim felt a second hand on his back and then a third. They gathered close around him. Jim shuffled forward, slowed by the small crowd.
“You know that this place is built on love and we all love you Brother Frank.” She embraced him, gently clinging to his neck. A general murmur of agreement came from the group.
The people pressed close around him making him feel trapped, enclosed. He felt mild panic and fought down the urge to fight his way out. He gently pulled Cathy’s arms from around his neck and firmly pushed his way though the group.
Cathy grabbed him by the arm. “No Frank, I want you to stay, I want to get to know you better.”
“We’ll meet again. I’ll get your address and V phone number before I go.”
“I love you Frank.”
Jim broke free and continued to walk while saying to himself. “I love me too. That’s why I’m getting the hell out of here.”
He felt sorry for the girl. The motivation behind her actions was probably a result of the nightly mind conditioning.
When out of sight, he changed direction and headed for the woods. The new plan was to hide out until midnight, get some sleep and be ready for the shuttle in the morning. Not wanting repeats of the incident he had just escaped from, it was better this way.
Avoiding all contact with others, he made his way to a large rock that was familiar from his wanderings. There he sat and waited. The sun went down. At around midnight, he made his way back to the huts.
Three shadowy figures stood as he entered the building. The voice of Tung greeted him. “Brother Frank. The shuttle has arrived early. We came to help you prepare for your departure.”
Jim paused then went to his bunk and picked up his bag of toiletries. He had to consciously stop his hand from shaking as he felt for the bed in the dark. Something in the brother’s voice told him that things weren’t going well. “Thanks. I have to turn in my bedding first.”
“Do not trouble yourself brother. Another will take care of that. Come with us.”
The four men left the dormitory and walked down the path between the buildings. When they reached a small roadway, Jim’s escort turned right. Jim stopped.
“Isn’t the spaceport that way?” He indicated the left direction with his thumb.
Tung took Jim’s arm. “There’s someone we’d like you to meet first.”
“Ah..., I thought you said that people could do what they wanted here. I want to go straight to the spaceport.”
“No, this is one time you can not.”
Jim stood firm and pulled away from Tung. The second man roughly grabbed his other arm. Jim struggled. The man was stronger than he could manage.
“We do not want to use force. Just come peacefully. You’re over exciting yourself. That’s bad for your mental balance.”
“To hell with balance.” Jim reached back in his memory to marshal arts classes he’d attended in his youth. A sloppy leg sweep brought down the man to his right. Looking up, he found himself staring at the action end of a laser pistol. “Not in keeping with the love angle of this place brother Tung.”
“No, but if it helps to calm you down, it’s necessary. Come this way please.”
Chapter 20
In a small bare room just off the main hall Jim was roughly seated on a plain chair. He looked around at the aged walls; his three captors were out of sight behind him. The joking scenario told by Santiago came to mind. ‘Sat in a chair, slapped around then thrown screaming into a spaceship airlock.’ The only thing that seemed to be missing was the airlock. He mentally ordered himself not to indulge in conjecture. ‘Clear your mind and just be ready,’ he kept telling himself.
After a few minutes, a door opened and a late middle aged man entered. Looking at Jim, he smiled pleasantly. The atmosphere shift that occurred when he entered told Jim that this was either a ranking member of the organization or the head man himself.
Jim was taken aback by the general appearance of the person now standing before him. He had formed a subconscious image of a lean, sneering, hateful individual who occasionally slapped a desk with a riding crop. The pudgy face and stubby, fat fingers he saw were better suited to a friendly grocery clerk or an accountant. The man stood there and continued his ‘you can trust me’ expression for a few moments before speaking.
“Mr. Young, I congratulate you on getting this far,” he said in a tone similar to an understanding parent consoling a son who had scored last place in a race. “Quite an achievement for one so new to the environment.”
“Up yours,” was Jim’s only reply. He then remembered the, if captured by the enemy, lectures from his military training. They told him not to be a smart ass, just keep his mouth shut. A combination of fear and outrage was overriding everything he’d learned.
“Oh, now, now, don’t be that way, you did well. We thought you were dead. It wasn’t until this afternoon that we knew who you were.” His congenial smile continued while taking a long look at Jim. “Ah... You’re not going to ask how?”
“Ok, how?” Jim snapped.
“You looked at a picture of a beach scene this afternoon. The viewer was a retinal scanner. When you wanted to leave so suddenly, Brother Tung thought you may have b
een a Commonwealth Secret Service agent. We get them sniffing around from time to time. We like to have a record of them, just in case. They never find anything, but then they don’t know what to look for. But you do. Am I correct?”
Jim remained silent.
“So you found our little secret, the identity of the prophet.”
“Your prophet’s name is Elijah, from the Bible.”
“Oh, come, come, the other Elijah.”
Jim exhaled heavily. “The Reverent Elijah Parnell; a TV evangelist that couldn’t keep his zip shut around little girls and swindled old ladies out of their life savings. Is that your scam?”
“Ah, you picked it out by recognizing sayings from his book ‘Follow the Way’”
“Nope, I saw him on the news. His last words before they hauled him off to jail: ‘The laws of man must be tempered by the laws of God’. The asshole was trying to bluff his way out to the end.”
“But you did read the book.”
“No,” Jim said in surprise. “I didn’t know he wrote one.”
“Liar!” the man yelled. “You had a copy of both of his books. The man that shot you, Carson, found them in your truck. Fortunately for us he smuggled them out.”
“If I did have them, I never read them.”
“What?” the man said. “You went to all the trouble and expense of buying books and never read them? I find that hard to believe.”
“I think you have a wrong perception of how we treated books back then. I had boxes of them I never read, most were given to me. I was going to throw them out. Used books were practically worthless to me, especially ones I had no interest in.”
“Really?”
“The voice stress analyzer reads he’s telling the truth,” Tung said.
The man before him started to laugh. “Well, well, well,” he said. “It looks like we went to a lot of unnecessary trouble trying to kill you. You didn’t know what he wrote.”
“So, what’s with that book ‘Follow the Whatever’?” Jim said.
“The Way,” the man said. “It’s the book we use to teach the faithful, full of wise sayings and inspirational quotes.”
The Time Stone (The Time Stone Trilogy Book 1) Page 36