Council of Peacocks

by M Joseph Murphy

  “There is no evil. Not any absolute evil, anyway. Killing babies could be seen as evil, the slaughter of innocents. Or it could be seen as ridding the world of a threat in the making. It all depends on the spin you place on it. Depends on who writes the story and who reads it.”

  Echo took several slow breaths. “But I digress. What has Wisdom told you about the Council of Peacocks?”

  David looked around the table. Everyone looked as confused as he felt.

  “It’s a pretty amazing bird, the peacock.” Echo leaned back in her chair. “Have you ever heard its cry? It sounds like a person screaming in pain. It was the sacred bird of Hera. Let me tell you a little story, the myth of the peacock.”

  “Oh, dear god, she’s going to give us a history lesson.” Jessica pushed her coffee away and turned to Amy. “Can we please leave?”

  “No,” Amy said. “I want to hear this.”

  “If I may,” Echo said. “Hera learned her husband, Zeus, was having an affair with a young nymph. So she hid the nymph in a cave and stationed a hundred-eyed giant as her jailer. The giant, Argus, was a hero. The stories say he slew Echidna, mother of monsters. They also say he was killed, in turn, by Hermes when Zeus decided he wanted his mistress back. But it’s just a myth. See, the myths about Argus actually refer to a religious cult, a group of worshippers. They worshipped Hera and a giant, all-seeing god. The Argusites were at war with the worshippers of a water goddess – Echidna. When the war was over, the followers of Echidna were either killed or banished. Another cult rose in their place, a group of magicians who worshipped Hermes. Unfortunately for the Argusites, they weren’t as lucky against the Hermetics. One religion fell to another. Symbolically, the god Hermes ‘killed’ Argus, just as Argus ‘killed’ Echidna.

  “When their temples were destroyed, the Argusites were forced to flee north to underground cities like the one we’re in now. The locals also worshipped a peacock god, Melek Taus. The two gods were very different but the Argusites adapted. They became the Council of Peacocks.

  “During the middle ages, the Council spread all over Europe. It wasn’t a popular time to be a pagan, so they kept very quiet. Then they gained a powerful ally, a very annoying man named Propates. He has access to dark powers. He’s capable of things even I can’t explain. Propates has led the Council for several hundred years now.”

  “Is everyone immortal?” David asked as he rubbed his temples. His migraine was returning. “I mean, seriously, how many of you people are there?”

  “I’m not immortal. Neither is he. We’ve just been alive for a very long time. All you need to know is that the Council of Peacocks sent the Edimmu after you. They’re the ones Wisdom has been training you to fight.”

  Amy looked up from her plate. “What exactly is an Edimmu?”

  “That’s a long story,” Echo covered her mouth as she yawned. “And I’m through with history lessons for today. Please excuse me.” She stood up from the table and walked briskly out of the dining room.

  Amy looked around the table. “Do any of you know what an Edimmu is?”

  Everyone shook their head.

  David thought back to his vision of the Edimmu city. “I think that’s one of the many questions Wisdom is going to have to answer when we see him again.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  August 4th

  Josh stared out the window at London. He couldn’t see any landmarks he recognized. Having never been here before, he wondered how far he was from Big Ben and London Bridge. Lights shone from vacant offices in concrete buildings all around him. They gave the city a sense of life, but it could just as easily have been New York, Toronto, Tokyo or Chicago. He’d seen so little of the world that it all looked the same.

  His living quarters were comfortably ordinary. Dark-stained wood and plush green furniture filled the carpeted room. The closets were filled with presents: dozens of Armani suits, well-tailored pants, high-quality shirts, belts and ties, all pre-packaged, creating an artificial sense of home. The building was quiet now that the workday was over. It would have been peaceful if not for his constant fear that the world was going to explode.

  He had arrived in London two days ago. The first day was filled with doctors. They drew blood and placed him in large magnetic chambers to take pictures of the blueprints of his body. He ran on treadmills and did three-hour-long I.Q. tests.

  Yesterday, he spent two hours with a staff psychologist who made him talk about his parents, his love life, and the blood-soaked trip to the Laurentians. Then alarms went off throughout the building. People ran in all directions, faces drawn and pale. While no one gave him any significant details, Josh determined something catastrophic had happened in a building Wisdom owned in Toronto.

  During the chaos, he caught his first sight of others like himself. Dozens of staff members – mostly research assistants and scientists – from Toronto were assigned rooms on the same floor as his. Amongst them was a beautiful woman with the most stunning eyes he’d ever seen. Her name was Garnet. They spoke briefly in the hallway before she disappeared.

  He pulled back the covers of the bed and slipped under the sheets. Hands folded behind his head, he stared at the white ceiling. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw creatures coming out of the shadows. Edimmu. He saw flashes of himself fighting them in the woods, setting their wings on fire for what they did to Tommy. What were they? Aliens? Demons? And why were they after Tommy?

  Why wasn’t Wisdom giving him any answers?

  There was a knock at the door.

  Josh threw the covers off, walked to the door, and glanced through the peephole. Garnet stood outside wearing a green summer dress. She held hands with a young boy wearing a blue t-shirt and white shorts.

  “Hi,” he said as he opened the door. “It’s a little late for visiting, isn’t it?”

  “It’s 9:30.”

  “Oh.” Josh saw in her eyes she wasn’t going anywhere. He stepped aside and let her in. “Who’s this?”

  “His name is Jared.”

  Jared walked straight to the couch and sat down hard. He folded his arms, grumbled something inaudible, and stared at the floor. He reminded Josh of his cousin Adrian. There was even a vague family resemblance he wished he could ignore.

  Jared looked up at Garnet. “I told you I won’t like him.”

  “Be nice, kiddo,” Garnet said to Jared. “He’s had a bad few days.”

  “Who hasn’t?” Jared’s face blanched. “I can still feel those people dying in my head.”

  Garnet knelt down by the couch and stroked the boy’s brown hair. “Me too. Lucky for me you got separated from the others and never made it to the roof. I need you to give Josh a break. Don’t pull any of the crap you did with Madeline when she first came to us, okay?”

  “I miss Madeline,” Jared said. “She used to play Super Mario with me. She didn’t deserve what they did to her.”

  “No, she didn’t.” Garnet frowned, tears forming in her eyes. “Well, enough of this maudlin crap. We came to ask you to join us in the common room. It’s far too early to sleep, and I’m sure we’ll all feel a little safer if we stick together. Maybe we can even scrounge up a Playstation from somewhere. Just don’t expect me to be much good, Jared.”

  Jared smiled and ran for the door. “More fun for me if you suck. Means I’ll win.”

  “Deal.” Garnet turned back to Josh and winked.

  Josh smiled and followed them out.

  ***

  Below the surface of Thessaloniki, in the caverns carved out by Edimmu, Paeder Ferris was being prepared for the third ceremony in the process of Eyeness. Two lower Council members in unadorned white robes anointed his naked body with fragrant ritual oil. He stood, legs spread, arms stretched out to the sides, allowing access to every surface of his flesh. The markings of previous initiations glimmered under the oil. Five intricate eyes were tattooed down the side of each leg, outlines of blue with green irises. Ten similar eyes were tattooed on his back, placed to form th
e kabalistic Tree of Life.

  “There will be considerably more pain this time,” Propates said. He watched the process from the edge of the room while Otto prepared the required chemical injections.

  “I can deal with the pain.” Paeder grimaced as one of the acolytes anointed his inner thighs. “That maggot destroyed my family.”

  The acolytes finished and withdrew to an adjoining room. Otto injected a syringe filled with a luminous green liquid into Paeder’s jugular vein. He injected a second needle filled with a clear solution into his left arm.

  Grabbing him by the arm, Propates led Paeder to the octagonal crystal chamber at the center of the room. It was exactly five feet in diameter and stood fifteen feet tall. Entrance was through a crystalline hatch that was raised or lowered from the outside. When closed, the hatch vacuum sealed the chamber.

  “This is not physical pain we’re talking about,” he said. “It’s a spiritual pain. All rebirths start with a death. Once you enter this chamber and the process begins, parts of your soul will be ripped apart and replaced with something else. I need you to comprehend what that means. We’re not talking about alterations at the genetic level. That happens, but it’s just an offshoot of the real magic. You are about to lose your mortality and ascend to a level of divinity.”

  Paeder took a last look at the chamber before stepping inside. “I don’t need to know how it works. Just as long as it gets the job done. I can’t stand by and let him get away with it.”

  Propates exerted his will and activated the nerve centers in Paeder’s body. Paeder dropped quickly to his knees. The pain came so quickly he was unable to stop the screams.

  “You are to take him alive, Paeder. If I even suspect that you’re trying to kill him, I will send you to the shadows the same why I did Lucius. The boy is too important. I won’t let an insignificant twit like you get in the way of our plans. Now, convince me I’m not making a mistake sending you.”

  Propates relaxed and Paeder, regaining control of his body, rose to his feet. Calmly, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Every ounce of his demeanor spoke of potency and resolve.

  “I will do as you command. Doesn’t mean I can’t make him hurt a little.”

  “No, you can hurt him. Just nothing permanent. Now, you said you don’t need to know how this process works. Unfortunately, ignorance is a luxury you can’t afford. We’ve learned from our mistakes. If you enter this blindly, it will kill you. Not might, will.” He handed two fist-sized emerald-colored crystals to Paeder. “The first thing you’ll notice is the gas. It’s a mixture of Earth chemicals and gases from the Axeinus, the Black Sea. Breathe it in deeply. Saturate your lungs. You’ll also have to chant the second invocation of the Black Peacock while channeling your pain into these crystals. No matter what happens, maintain focus on the crystals. They will keep your mind intact. As the gas fills the chamber, Otto and I will start what we need to do on our end. That’s when the pain will really kick in. Your mind will expand as your body disintegrates. Then it will reconstitute. It’s not pleasant but you need to work through it. The last thing that will happen is a gift from our friend from away.”

  Propates lowered a gold necklace over Paeder’s head. It was a simple design with a small lapis lazuli amulet engraved with magical sigils. “In the final stage, the necklace will be broken down and fused to your spirit. You’ll feel a different pain then, unlike anything you’ve ever felt. In that moment you will cease to be human. You’ll become, for lack of a better word, an angel of Argus.”

  “How long will this take?”

  Propates glanced over at Otto.

  “That depends on you,” Otto responded. “No matter how willing you are, your body is going to fight this. If it doesn’t fight very much, you’ll probably be done in an hour. If it fights a lot, we could be here for up to eight hours. Based on what I know about you, you’re an animal. Which means your animal nature is going to fight back. I hope you didn’t have plans for dinner.”

  “I’m ready.” Paeder sneered at Otto and tightened his grip on the emeralds.

  Propates closed the door to the chamber and motioned for Otto to start the flow of gases. Filmy green vapors twirled through the air, slowly sinking around Paeder.

  To his credit, he lasted an entire five minutes before the screams started.

  ***

  Six hours later, Propates stepped into his apartments and closed the door to the world. Personal time was something of a commodity in his life. With each passing day, as the Activation approached more and more quickly, preparations and politics stole more of his time.

  Even now, away from work, he was not alone. Three acolytes were assigned to his quarters: a cook, a masseuse, and a general assistant. It was humbling to admit he couldn’t do everything himself but he was simply too busy trying to save the world to eat properly.

  “I can’t wait for this nonsense to be over,” he mumbled to himself. He waved the acolytes away and bypassed the food laid on the dining room table. Brushing off their protests, he walked straight to the bathroom and locked the door. He leaned over the bathroom counter and studied his reflection in the mirror. He looked for signs of the young farmer he used to be. There was nothing left of that boy. The parts Wisdom left undamaged were destroyed by years living amongst the shadows of the Black Sea.

  Something tingled at the back of his consciousness. The faucets spun open, hot water flowing freely. Steam flew up, fogging over the mirror.

  “What do you want?”

  From behind the shroud of steam, a voice came. “We have much to discuss, Propates.” It was noticeably inhuman with a grating, chalk-like undertone.

  “If you have something to discuss, there are proper channels. I don’t care what you do with the rest of humanity but you will show me a proper respect if you wish to maintain our allegiance. Now, say what you will and get out of my sight.”

  The voice murmured something inaudible, as if it was conferring with someone else. Then, it spoke again. “We show you respect. We let you believe the lie that we never see you naked, that we don’t watch you as you sleep. We allow you your comfort because it benefits us. Perhaps it is you who need to show us some proper respect. Why are you sending an agent after my child?”

  “You’re being ridiculous.” Propates exerted his will and the mist covering the mirror dissipated. In its absence was not a reflection of the room, but a blackness that continued on with no apparent end, broken only by faintly luminous bodies. Though he’d only heard one voice, dozens of glowing red eyes stared back at him. “He is not your child, any more than he’s Richard Wilkinson’s. Josh isn’t a person. He’s a tool. An important cog in a complicated machine that has fallen out of place. We need to put it back in place before the machine falls apart. My agent is not going to kill him. He’s going to retrieve him. Now, if there’s nothing else…”

  The voice murmured something else. The luminous bodies shifted, huddled together, but most of the eyes remained on him. After a moment, the voice spoke again. “We are glad our need for each other is coming to an end. We have never forgiven you for stealing the Edimmu. There will come a time when you must make restitution for your betrayal.”

  “Your threats don’t frighten me, demon, no more than they ever have. As long as you’re imprisoned in the Axeinus, I have nothing to worry about. Now, our conversation is done. Do not contact me this way again.”

  With another exertion of will, Propates broke the connection to the Axeinus. Once again the mirror reflected on the bathroom. He closed his eyes, more exhausted than ever.

  Chapter Fourteen

  August 5th

  Two days after the attack in Toronto, Wisdom appeared in London. No one was exactly sure of the time of his arrival. One of his London secretaries, a middle-aged woman named Shirley, found him in the morning working in his office.

  “Dear God, sir,” she said. “You know everyone’s been looking for you.”

  Wisdom looked up from a folder filled with black and wh
ite photos. “The search for Wisdom continues, eh? The subtext is amusing. Be a doll and get Elaine on the phone for me, would you? She should be in Hong Kong.”

  Shirley nodded and left the room.

  Wisdom turned back to the photos. They’d been taken by Ms. Ryerson. She was tracking men with ties to the Council. One was Otto Siegmar, a bioengineer from Germany. The other was Lucius Vitalli. He was an Italian businessman now living in New York. Lately, Lucius had fallen off Ms. Ryerson’s radar, which made Wisdom nervous.

  He’d been busy himself spying on a third member of the Council. Paavo Rothschild was the liaison between the Council and the Bilderberg Group. Despite what the swarms of the paranoid believed, the Bilderberg group was not involved in a diabolic plot to overthrow the world. Having been a member of the group since its inception, he knew all too well what their real purpose was.

  Yesterday, Paavo and Otto had met in Munich. The first time through these events, Wisdom had learned about the meeting afterwards. This time he wanted to be there when it happened. Somehow, events had changed again. Security around the meeting was increased with extra surveillance-blocking technology installed. It appeared they knew their location was compromised.

  Several minutes later, the intercom beeped.

  “Yes?” Wisdom slipped the photos into his desk.

  “Elaine is on line four. I thought you should know, sir. There is a Mr. Icke in reception. He says he has an appointment with you.”

  Wisdom groaned.

  “Didn't I put a contract out on that wackjob? Oh, never mind. Just tell him I'm in the middle of something and I'll have to get back to him. Hmm, better yet, escort him to Meeting Room Six and have Sylvester and Kyle pay him a visit. Let's end that whole business once and for all.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Wisdom,” Elaine said once Wisdom put the phone on intercom, “thank God you’re alive.”