by Summer Lee
“Yes and it’s quite odd,” Solomon replied. “In fact, I have never seen a recorded incident of it ever happening like is going on now. Dere is no scientific explanation dat I know of and dere is also no biblical explanation.”
“Exactly!” she exclaimed. “So if it’s not scientific and it’s not Biblical, what would say that it is? Let’s rule out magic, if you don’t mind.”
He chuckled. “I don’t believe it’s magic. Te only rational explanation left would be man-made.”
“Bingo!” she returned enthusiastically, with a gleam in her eye.
“Dat’s impossible!” he replied. “You are now talking about some kind of science fiction! We don’t have dat technology dat I’m aware of! Please, tell me dat we don’t have dat kind of technology!”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t believe we have that technology either, Solomon. I work at NASA for a reason. My parents were members of the original formation of the group and trained me from childhood to be as knowledgeable as I could be about organizations that take control. I met Jeremy early on in my career because it was evident that his course was already predestined. I know for a fact that NASA doesn’t have anything that could be sent into space to give the illusion of a Harvest Moon. Illusion is the key word here. I’m sure you’re also a student of human nature to some degree. How gullible would you say that the human race is at this present time?”
Snickering, he thought about it for a moment and wondered if it was a trick question. He shrugged his shoulders. “They are extremely gullible. We are too quick to believe whatever those in power tell us because we feel dat dey are the most informed. For some reason, we would never tink dat they would lie to us. I’m no psychologist, but maybe it’s because we want to believe dat we wouldn’t be lied to. By those over us.”
She smiled, as her features softened. “Right again, Solomon. It doesn’t take a PhD to figure that out. All you have to be is perceptive to your surroundings and to people. Our organization is filled with people who are that perceptive. That’s why it’s important to add your knowledge. Jeremy has deceived people into believing that the Harvest Moon has appeared on back-to-back nights. For those who rely on science, what do you think are the odds that something like that would be?”
“That includes those who know the Bible as well.”
She agreed.
He thought about his answer. He was starting to see why the G.P.I. was so important, if it was everything she said it was. “Chaos,” he finally answered. “It would be utter chaos because there is not’ing dat I know of in the Bible about it and I’m sure dat dere is nothing to prove it in science. People will panic.”
“Do you remember the radio broadcast many years ago of the War of the Worlds, Solomon? Even though they ran a disclaimer every so often stating that it was just a radio show, more people than not panicked. They rioted. Do you remember everyone panicking in 1999, because they thought that all of our technology would crash once the year 2000 hit? Like they actually believed that the tech giants weren’t prepared for it. Bill Gates made another fortune selling Y2K kits to fix the problem. The kits were a placebo for a society with an overactive imagination. If there’s no record of back-to-back Harvest Moons happening, then Jeremy is creating his own little Y2K scare, amplified about a billion times.”
Solomon’s eyes widened. “He’s going to send everyone into a worldwide panic! People everywhere will tink it’s the end of te world!”
“I’m glad we’re on the same line of thinking, Solomon. We have to find some way to not only find out how he’s doing it but stop him without revealing our organization. The public has to believe that this went away on its own. If it came out that someone helped to prevent the end of days, then they will still be primed for another attempt at ending the world. Knowing what you now know, I have one more question for you. If people are starting to panic now, what will they do when the Harvest Moon is seen seven days in a row?”
Chapter Nine
Solomon was definitely on board with Sanderson, but without solid proof, he needed the mind of Christ. He prayed quite a bit about it. He also kept his eyes open, just in case Sanderson was lying to him.
He hated being paranoid, but he was now caught in the middle of his new employer and what he believed to be his ultimate objective. To stop the end of the world from coming, if it wasn’t time.
He needed wisdom, so he prayed intensely over the next several days before he did anything for either side. He knew that making decisions when he was confused was not the right thing to do.
Back in his office, he sat quietly with his elbows on his desk and his head in his hands. He enjoyed the quiet but still thought that he was forgetting something. Then that something came to him.
His phone rang. He had it set on vibrate while at work, but he could feel the vibration on his hip. It startled him back to reality and he grasped it quickly. His heart sank as he saw who was calling him—someone he hadn’t talked to in several days. His mother.
He quickly answered the phone. “Mama! First, let me apologize for not getting back with you. I…”
“I may be old, but I am far from stupid, Solomon,” she interrupted with a calm demeanor. “I know you’re an adult and don’t have te call your mama every day. Unless you love her, dat is.”
There it was. The guilt.
He closed his eyes and tried to breathe regularly. “You know I love you, Mama. It’s just dat I’m caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place right now and I’m having some trouble making a decision.”
The other end was quiet for a few seconds and then she spoke in her sweetest voice. “Now, baby. You know I could have helped you with whatever it is dat’s making you crazy. God can help you more, of course. By just a little bit. I don’t really need to know what the problem is. Let me help in another way.”
He listened intently and with some curiosity. It wasn’t like his mother to completely try to take over his problems.
“I could use your wisdom,” he managed, after trying to think of the perfect thing to say to satiate her.
“Of course you can,” she replied without missing a beat. “No matter what you’re going through, it always comes down to what’s right and what’s wrong. Sometimes, we want someting so much dat we try to convince ourselves dat’s te way we should go, when it really isn’t. Other times, we are caught like a fish in a net, between two friends or loved ones who are pulling on us like we are te rope in a tug o’ war. Still other times, we can’t tell which decision is the right one and which one will lead us down the path to evil and sin. I know you prayed about it. Dat’s te best ting you can do, baby. Let te Lord, our God, guide you to de right answer. You have to be careful, though, because Satan will do everyting in his power to show you te wrong tings.”
Solomon agreed as he hung on her every word and contemplated each of her examples. He didn’t want to remain quiet, but he had to weigh each option. He was about to speak when he got a cold chill up his spine. It captured his attention.
“Solomon,” his mother said, as his cold chill surrounded him completely. “There is another option, too. It’s one dat we very seldom consider, since we are too preoccupied with the choices given to us. If I’m cooking you supper and offer you either Red Stripe Beef Stew or Ackee and Saltfish, you’re going to choose between those two dishes. It will never cross your mind dat you have more than just those two choices. What if you don’t feel like either of them? Do you eat one or te other just to please your mama? Tink about it, my child.”
Her words sunk into him, as if God Himself had spoken to him through his mother. She was more than right. That was his answer. He wondered if he should take either side. There had to be another option.
“Mama,” he finally said with humility in his voice. “You are truly a godsend. You hit te nail on te head. Dat’s exactly what I needed to hear.”
“I know,” she replied without hesitation. “Dat’s what mamas are for. You got the best one around.”
He couldn’t help but smile. “Ha ha! You’re absolutely right, Mama. Tank you! Tank you for your words and tank you for being my mama! You are te best!”
“Are you going to call me more regular from now on?” she almost demanded.
“Yes, Mama,” Solomon replied humbly. “I will call you every day and sometimes twice in one day.”
“Good. Now you let God guide you as you take on this big decision of yours. I want to hear all about it when you finally get it resolved.”
“Okay! You got it, Mama.”
“I love you, baby.”
“I love you, too, Mama. I have some tings to tink about. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
***
Just as Sanderson had said, for the past seven days, the Harvest Moon made its appearance on a nightly basis. Solomon thought and prayed about what his next course of action would be. Then it hit him. Whenever the Harvest Moon appeared, he would make sure to be present in the Project Interstellar building. He could then check out the other floors and the basement to see if anything was being generated from the facility to create the illusion of the Harvest Moon.
He waited until Friday to stay late, because he knew that most of the younger employees would want to leave early to party, just like they always did.
Solomon knew that if he was in the building, it gave the older employees the security of knowing that someone responsible was there, so they could leave as well.
Ingram was the last one to leave and he made sure Solomon was alright before he left. “Do you need anything, Solomon? Can I leave a message with the guard?”
“Oh, no. I’m fine,” Solomon responded nervously. In fact, he had been somewhat nervous all week, which did not go unnoticed by his boss.
“Well, you have my private cell number, if you need to contact me for anything.” He then approached his newest employee and got right in his face. “You’ve been noticeably impatient,” he said. “I know something is bothering you, Solomon. I completely understand if it’s personal, but I still need to know that you will handle it and it won’t interrupt your progress here on your job. I do believe I’ve gone over the open door policy. Did I not?”
“No. I mean, yes,” Solomon responded while standing and facing Ingram. He didn’t want to lie, but he couldn’t tell the truth either. “It’s my mother. I am sorry, but I always worry about my mama. She’s not sick or anyting. She’s just getting to dat age. You know?”
Ingram’s features softened. “I understand, my friend. We have all kinds of programs and services to assist family members as well as employees. I’m not insinuating that your mother needs help, but it’s always good to weigh your options, if you know what I mean.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Solomon replied, trying to give the impression that he was breathing a sigh of relief.
Ingram glared while smiling. “Alright then. I’ll leave you to your tasks and we’ll talk again in the morning. The next time you talk to your mother, please give her my warmest regards. Won’t you?”
Solomon nodded. “I sure will, Jeremy. I sure will.”
***
Solomon sat in his office with the lights out, waiting for everyone on the bottom floor to leave for the day. There was no one left on his floor, so there would be no questions about why he turned out the lights.
He asked the ground floor guard to notify him when it was just the two of them in the building, without trying to sound cloak and dagger. The guard agreed.
Solomon looked out his window, just after he placed his phone on mute. He then waited about 30 minutes after the last employee left. He just wished that Sanderson would have given him more information about where to look for evidence that the project was a front for something far more sinister. She gave him no information.
He found out that Sanderson had better security clearance than he did, yet she needed him to do her dirty work. She had explained to him that she needed him for other reasons. When at work, she had to stay extremely close to Ingram, and that meant she couldn’t snoop around without him knowing. Also, Solomon was a hero and wouldn’t be questioned if he was someplace he shouldn’t be. He wondered just how far he could push that, without losing the trust of his new employer.
He put a couple of pairs of latex gloves in his jacket pocket, and made sure they didn’t look too bulky. He felt anxious as he exited his office with a small flashlight in his hand.
He glanced around the hallways and saw no one. Slowly, he made his way to the elevator, avoiding places where all of the cameras were placed. At least the ones he knew about. He was being as careful as he could.
He got into the elevator and pressed an unfamiliar button. The one for the third floor. He had never been on that floor before. He had actually never been on any floors other than the ground floor and the top one.
When he thought about it, he was never given a grand tour like most employers gave.
He braced himself for anything out of the ordinary on the third floor. When the elevator doors opened, all that was revealed to him was a floor filled with cubicles. In fact, he couldn’t see past the first several. There was a path to the left and one to the right, which passed a water fountain and the restrooms.
It would have been dark if it wasn’t for the security lights every ten feet. There was still an ominous feel to the floor. He felt that it was because he was looking for something that he probably shouldn’t find.
After a thorough walk-through, he realized that there wasn’t anything other than a lot of cubicles, a meeting room, and a couple of manager’s offices.
He walked casually so that he could tell Ingram he just wanted to see the rest of the building. That should cover him in case he ended up somewhere he was not supposed to be.
***
He had the same luck with the other floors. After reaching the ground floor, he knew that all of the heavy machinery must have been in the basement.
Carl, the guard, waved at him to go over to him. He had a smile on his face. Carl was in his mid to late 30s and it was evident he worked out. He had an impressive V-shape, even noticeable through his uniform, which was one size too big for him.
He had thick, black, curly hair and a thick mustache that placed him more in the 70s than current times.
Carl just finished a bite of his sandwich when Solomon walked up.
“Hey, Solomon. Whatcha up to?”
Solomon tried to use his being nervous to his advantage. “It’s still a little intimidating in dis huge complex at night. I was just taking a break from work to take a look around.”
“Especially after everything you’ve been through lately. Huh?” Carl wrapped up the rest of his sandwich so he could talk to Solomon. “Like I said before, if you need anything, just let me know. I know this building like the back of my hand.” He playfully looked at the front of his hand and put on a faux fearful expression. He turned his hand around and sighed. He then laughed at his own joke.
“Shoot,” Carl replied, as he unwrapped his sandwich and took a big bite. He chewed quickly so that he could answer Solomon’s query.
Solomon tried to ignore the slurping and munching sounds. “For a project having to do with observing space, I have yet to find one telescope. I would assume Jeremy would have some on te roof.”
Carl nodded and held up a finger so that he could finish his bite. “Yeah,” he said, after taking a big gulp of coffee to wash down the food. “I was wondering when you were going to ask about that. I just figured that you and Jeremy hashed out all of that stuff when he hired you. You’d be surprised how many people don’t like to ask questions when they get hired. Anyhow, we are linked somehow to the Theodore Jacobsen Observatory on the campus of the University of Washington. Don’t ask me how all of that technical stuff works, but it does. I think all of their data gets transmitted to us. Our scientists go there all the time. It’s pretty cool. I’ve been a couple of times now.”
Solomon smiled. “Dat makes sense. Jeremy was recruited from the Univ
ersity of Washington. Dat worked out really well for te project.”
“Oh, heck yeah!” Carl exclaimed. “It’s one of the things that makes working here that much cooler. I know there’s more to it than that, but anything else, Jeremy will have to tell you. I’m just a working stiff. Ha ha!”
Solomon nodded and tried to laugh, but didn’t want it to sound as fake as it would be. “I loved everyting I have seen so far, Carl, but I would like to see the basement now.”
Carl’s laughter halted as abruptly as it started. “Whoa, Solomon! The basement? Wow. Do you even know what you’re asking me, man? I mean, seriously?”
Suddenly, there was complete quiet, as Solomon had a blank expression on his face. Carl just glared at him.
A smile slowly crept over Carl’s face, as he started to chuckle. He then went into a full blown laugh. “Man! I’m just yanking your chain! Ha ha! You should have seen your face, Solomon! Of course, I can show you the basement! I mean, I do have the keys and everything! Ha ha! I have to do my rounds anyway, so you can come with me. Right?”
“Right,” Solomon replied, with a sigh of relief. “I would be happy to accompany you on your rounds, Carl. Can we start at the basement by any chance?”
***
Solomon was extremely disappointed when Carl told him that he usually started on the roof and worked his way down. He didn’t want to do anything to prevent the guard from showing him the secretive basement, so he agreed. He just wished that he would have talked with Carl first, before checking out the other levels.
Carl was very thorough with his walk-through. It was almost 2 A.M. when they made it back to the ground level.
Carl put his flashlight through his belt loop and rubbed his hands together furiously. “Are you ready for the basement? Bwahaha!”
Solomon smiled weakly because he knew that he had to play Carl’s game. “I don’t know, Carl. It sounds sinister. I’m glad you’re going to be there to guide me through it.”
Carl nodded slowly, as he walked toward one of the elevators. “I hope you’re ready for this.”