The video walls in the great hall showed larger than life images of a man, aged beyond belief, balding with wisps of scant hair, sunken eye sockets, yellowed teeth, and wrinkled paper thin skin. His posture was hunched, and his expression one of pain. The image spun in three dimensions on each of the giant walls, as the crowd below moaned with horror at the ghastly image. Then the image began to change as it continued to spin. Gradually the posture began to correct itself, the wrinkles began to smooth. The skin obtained a healthier color, and hair began to grow. In moments, the image was of a well proportioned young man in the peek of health. It smiled proudly down at the audience. A spot light hit the balcony, and illuminated the man in the image. Half of the walls switched to this live image, while the others continued to show the three dimensional image as it continued to spin.
“Presenting, Sir Roderick.” A voice boomed throughout the great room. The man bowed graciously. His white tunic caught the light and shimmered. As he straightened back to his now perfect posture, the voice continued.
“After over one hundred years, by the grace of his Lordship, our beloved Premier, Sir Roderick was granted complete rejuvenation.” The crowd cheered. “Look upon the amazing affects, and revel in his newfound youth. See how perfect his beautiful skin has become. How young and healthy he is.” The cheering continued. “And now, ladies and gentlemen.” The crowd went silent, with only a few hushed murmurs that still echoed. “Just watch this!” The voice boomed, as the video walls changed to multiple close-up live images of Roderick as he stood on balcony. Erotic music began to play, and he reached up, grabbed his tunic, and in one swift motion, ripped it completely from his body, and revealed himself to be only dressed in tightly fitted shorts. Just then, from overhead a cable dropped down in front of him, and he grabbed it, wrapped his wrist around the end, and then took two steps and leapt over the edge of the balcony. He flew out and fell towards the crowd. Some in the crowd screamed as he fell, and others cheered as he reached the bottom of his arc, and swooped across the top of the crowd’s heads merely feet above them. Lights began to flash as beams of light shot randomly through the crowd. The single spotlight still followed Roderick’s path as he now arced around the edge of the crowd. He gripped the cable with both hands, and thrust his feet out in front as he gained speed. As he approached the balcony area, he began to rise at high speed, and then released the cable, and spun into a backwards somersault, and rose higher and higher, until he came to the perigee of his arc. Suddenly he straightened, and landed firmly on his feet, on the balcony railing where he had started. The crowd as one, roared their approval, as he stood confidently on the railing. He took a short bow, and then back flipped and landed on the balcony. The spotlight went out, and the crowd went wild.
The next honoree walked out on the balcony as they prepared for their reveal, just as Jonah came back through the panel in the wall into the staging area.
“Jonah.” The man said as he approached him. “There you are. You’re up next.”
“I’m suddenly not feeling so well.” Jonah said, as he held his head, his gait suddenly unsteady.
“Come on, Jonah. It’s the Accession Ball. It’s not like you have a choice.” The man said.
“I do have a choice.” Jonah said defiantly. “And I said I am not feeling well.”
“Well what am I supposed to do? You’re up next?” The man said obviously upset.
“Skip me, and go to the next.” He said simply.
“Fine. Whatever. I am not taking responsibility for this.” The man turned back to the others in the staging area. “Arianna!” He called out. “Arianna! Where are you?” He said as he walked away. “Arianna, my dear. Quickly now, you are next up.”
Jonah walked briskly away from the staging area, and headed back to where he knew Vanessa waited. As he approached the rope line that separated the general crowd area from the staging area, he leapt over the rope. Seconds later he had found Vanessa.
“Nessa!” He called as he approached. She looked up from her conversation with Lily in surprise.
“What are you doing here, Jonah? Aren’t you up next?” She asked, her brow furrowed with concern.
“Come on.” He said, as he grabbed her hand. “We’re leaving.” He said and started to pull her towards the exit.
“Wait!” She exclaimed. “What’s going on?”
“Is everything okay?” Asked Alonzo. Even Lily, at his side seemed upset. Jonah paused. Took a breath, and then smiled slightly.
“Everything is okay.” He touched his stomach. “I’m just feeling a little ill, that’s all.” He said sheepishly, and relaxed his hold on his wife’s hand. Her expression did not relax.
“Are you okay?” She asked, with her voice full of concern.
“Just a little woozy is all. Will you see me home?” He asked her.
“Of course, Jonah. Of course.” She nodded back to Lily and Alonzo, and took his hand, as he led the way towards the exit. “What’s going on, Jonah.”
“Not here.” He whispered quietly to her, as he nodded at other attendees they passed. The lights in the great hall went dark again, as a hush fell over the crowd. Jonah and Vanessa reached the exit and left the building. Out on the street, from within the great hall, they could faintly hear the announcer’s voice say, “Ladies and gentlemen.” Jonah briskly began to walk away.
“Hey.” Vanessa stopped. “Now tell me what’s going on.” She said.
“Not here.” Answered Jonah, as he grabbed her hand and started to walk away.
“Jonah. I am not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on.” She pulled his hand from hers, and crossed her arms defiantly. He looked at her exasperated. Then took a deep breath, walked back to her, and placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Nessa. I need you to trust me.” He said calmly.
“And I need to know what is going on.” She said. She did not relax her stance. “This isn’t like you.” She said. “It’s the Accession Ball. The, Accession Ball. And you’re an honoree. You can’t just walk out without your reveal. It’s unheard of.”
“Nessa, my love. There is something going on.” He said.
“I know there is something going on, and I’m trying to find out what it is!” She exclaimed.
“Not with me. Something bigger.” He turned and started to walk. She stood her ground.
“What?” She called after him. He continued to walk. She glanced back at the great hall, looked back after him, then sighed, and ran to catch up with him. “Jonah!” She said as she fell into step beside him.
“Keeping walking.” He said in a low voice. “Nessa. I overheard Roger and Charles talking. Something about intruders.”
“Intruders?” She asked with disbelief. “Like intruders…here? Where?” She said, as she looked around. She moved closer to him as they continued to walk.
“They said something about intruders…and something they called guardians. They talked about a product warehouse with body parts.” He said solemnly.
“It must have something to do with the rejuvenation and enhancement procedures. That must be where they keep the parts after they’re created in the labs. You know, like for storage.” She explained. Suddenly he stopped, and grabbed her by the arm.
“Nessa. They were talking about fetuses.” He said as he looked into her eyes.
“Fetuses?” She asked blankly. “Fetuses.” She said, and looked away from him for a moment. “Human fetuses?” She asked, almost as if she was afraid to ask.
“I don’t know.” He said, and shook his head. “They said something about a fetal prep area. And having to reprogram the system to replace the damaged body parts…product they called it.”
“This doesn’t make any sense, Jonah.” She said, as she tried to catch his gaze.
“I know it doesn’t make any sense.”
“Did you ask Roger about it?” She asked.
“I couldn’t ask him about it, Nessa. I was
n’t supposed to hear their conversation.” He said, angrily. “Nessa. Roger threatened to kill Charles.”
“Kill?” She asked in disbelief. “Jonah. There has to be some mistake. This can’t be happening.” He started to walk again.
“There is no mistake about that.” He stopped and turned back to her. “And it’s worse than that, Nessa.” He stepped back to her. “He ordered Charles to find and kill the intruders…personally.” Said Jonah.
“Wait a minute.” She said, as she suddenly thought of a solution. “Maybe the intruders are from another city? Maybe they’re just trying to protect New Sebastian. To protect us?” She said.
“Another city? After two hundred years, suddenly someone shows up from another city?” He turned and started to walk again at a faster pace. She ran to catch up. “And even so. Let’s say it is someone from another city. The first thing we are going to do is kill them? That’s one hell of a welcome party, don’t you think!”
“Jonah. There has to be a reasonable answer for what you heard.”
“The only answer I’ve come up with so far, is that Roger and Charles know something. A secret. A big secret. Something we don’t know. Something no one knows. And whatever it is…they want to make sure it stays a secret.” He said.
“Jonah.” Vanessa said. He stopped again.
“Nessa. Whatever it is, it’s big enough that they will kill to protect it. Kill. Do you understand that? To kill someone? When people live two hundred or more years now? They are willing to kill someone to keep this secret.” He turned and started to walk.
“But where are we going?” Vanessa asked as she again followed him, and tried to keep pace. He stopped again.
“Underground.” He said.
“Underground?” She asked. He nodded.
“Sector two.”
Chapter 24
Immortal Page 23