Infinite Testament

by Greg Ness

  “Yes!”

  Stephen and Vince high-fived each other. They did it. Stephen pointed to the mirror and pumped his fist. “Yes!”

  Stephen turned to Vince. “Now we wait to see if it worked.”

  The entrance of the laboratory opened and Natalie walked in. “Nice job guys!” Behind Natalie was their other partner. Wearing a blue backpack, he had short, black hair and was cleanly shaven. His sharp blue eyes locked onto Stephen’s.

  Stephen asked him, “What’d you think?”

  “Very impressive,” said their other partner, Moros.

  17

  At the University of Michigan, Campbell observed a rat on a counter that slept peacefully in a cage.

  Stephen and Moros stood with him, overlooking the sleeping rat.

  “Now look at this screen,” Moros said.

  Next to the rat’s cage sat a video monitor. Campbell looked at the screen. It was black.

  “Are you watching?” Stephen asked.

  “Yes, sir,” Campbell said, staring at the blank screen.

  “No Campbell. Just say yes. You don’t have to say ‘sir’. We’re peers, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Without warning, Moros slapped the cage, creating an earthquake in the rat’s world. It furiously awoke and darted its head around. At the instant it woke up, images filled the screen. Campbell looked carefully. The images looked like the research lab but were moving so fast he couldn’t decipher them.

  Stephen tapped on the cage and bent down to eye level with the rat. “Hey guy,” he said to the rat, “How are ya?” The rat settled down and looked at him. On the screen was Stephen’s face looking out at Campbell.

  Stephen waved.

  “Pretty cool, huh?” Moros asked.

  Campbell was baffled. “So… there’s a camera in the mouse?”

  Stephen stood up straight and faced Campbell. “Not really. We’ve created a microchip that dissolves on contact with flesh and becomes a part of the organism. The microchip ceases to be a computing device. It instead adapts and fuses to whatever we put it in contact with. When placed on a precise spot in the brain, this microchip enables us to transmit exactly what is being seen. Then, we can see it on a monitor.”

  Campbell looked at Stephen admiringly. He had no idea his professor was such a genius. Moros interjected, “You might be wondering about the moral implications of this, but don’t worry. This technology will only be used on animals. And only for research purposes. Privacy concerns are nonexistent.”

  Campbell looked back at the screen, watching in awe at the precise images the rat was broadcasting.

  Several Months later, during the heart of the summer, Stephen and the research team of Vince, Natalie, and Moros were in the Congo, extending their experiment to bonobos, a type of primate. With them was Jay Campbell, the student Stephen recruited to help assist. The five of them were housed in a research facility deep in the jungle.

  “I have a good feeling about today,” Moros said. Standing with Campbell, he looked through a giant glass wall. Beyond the glass was a view of the jungle. They watched as the simple but intricate life played out in front of them. Colorful, exotic birds flew by. Strange insects scrambled around. The entire view was crawling with life. The green of the diverse jungle was a refreshing sight from the concrete jungle of the city.

  Campbell, digging through his thoughts, quipped, “You know, monkeys were never my thing.”

  Moros laughed. “Me neither. But you know the ‘Thrilling Threesome’ is all about it.”

  “Why are you here then?” Campbell asked.

  Moros quizzically looked at him and smirked.

  Campbell added, “If you don’t mind me asking.”

  “It’s okay, Jay. The three of them were friends before this whole project began. The University assigned me for my expertise. More or less, I’m just overseeing everything. Making sure it all goes to plan.” Moros was only partially truthful. Nonetheless, Campbell was appeased.

  Meanwhile, in another room, Stephen, Vince, and Natalie watched two big screens. On each screen was a different first-person perspective of the jungle. They had planted two of their microchips in two different bonobos. Stephen and Natalie diligently took notes as they sat in bulky recliners. Vince stood behind them, watching with his arms folded. It was like they were in a family room watching educational TV, but were instead conducting groundbreaking research.

  Other than chimpanzees, there wasn’t a better primate to study than bonobos. Most fascinating about them was their close relationship to Homo Sapiens. A bonobo’s DNA was almost 98% identical to a human’s. Bonobos were most famously known for their propensity to have sex with each other-constantly. A simple greeting was often in the form of a quick sexual encounter. They were a predominantly peaceful species with a near-nonexistent history of violence. Although they branched away from chimps and humans roughly three million years ago, they were most likely to resemble a common ancestor. Bonobos weren’t even discovered until 1929, so research on them was relatively scarce. Stephen’s team looked to change that.

  Stephen observed the face of another bonobo on the screen. It was looking out toward them so this particular one was obviously gazing into the eyes of the chipped bonobo. The bonobo’s face grew larger and engulfed the entire screen.

  “What are they doing?” Natalie wondered out loud, “Are they kissing?”

  It sure seemed like it.

  Lisa held Stephen’s hand and guided him through the cave. At the outset was a wide-open space filled with trees, ropes, and most notably, monkeys. Stephen and Lisa walked along the trail, joining the multitudes of people already leaning against the rails observing the monkeys in action.

  It was only a few weeks after the fateful party where Lisa chose Stephen over Matt. The choice had paid off. He was far from perfect, but perfection wasn’t what she was looking for. Stephen made a lot of effort to please her, and on this day, he accompanied her on a trip to the zoo.

  They leaned against the rails to get a better look at the monkeys. “Aren’t they cute?” Lisa asked.

  Stephen joked, “What an outstanding observation!”

  Lisa laughed and elbowed him in the side. The whole exhibit was modeled to emulate a jungle, creating a natural habitat for the monkeys. Most impressive about the exhibit was the lack of glass, cage, or anything separating the monkeys from the people. Any spectator could have easily leapt over the rail if they so desired. The monkeys were kept at a far enough distance with a considerably high wall to prevent any human/monkey interaction. The monkeys seemed to ignore the people who constantly laid eyes on them, choosing instead to, well, monkey around.

  Lisa pointed to a monkey sitting high on the tree nibbling on a banana. “Stephen! That one looks just like you!” Lisa laughed at her own joke.

  Stephen shook his head at her lame attempt at humor. Then, he pointed at another monkey: one more overweight than the others. “There’s you, Lisa!”

  She glared at Stephen. “So I’m fat?”

  “I was talking about the eyes. Green, just like yours.” A smile crawled across Stephen’s face. Lisa squeezed his hand affectionately. “Do you think monkeys love each other?”

  “How else would they make babies?” Stephen joked.

  “That’s not what I mean…”

  “I know.” Stephen replied sarcastically, “We haven’t learned about that yet.”

  “I think they do.”

  “I guess if they kissed… that would prove it. But I don’t think so.”

  “Why not?” Lisa asked.

  “That’s a good point. But I’m not buying it. They’re an incredible species. But they’re not as advanced as we are.”

  “I bet you five dollars monkeys kiss… and therefore love,” Lisa challenged.

  “Alright. Deal.” Stephen and Lisa formally shook hands, ensuring their bet.

  Later, outside the monkey arena, Stephen and Lisa were sitting in the daylight next to a grand fountain. The water shot
into the air and trickled down several layers that funneled into a pool. As the sun baked them, the mist of water grazing against their skin offered a cooling reprieve. Even more refreshing were the ice cream cones they munched on. Stephen ate chocolate and Lisa ate vanilla. Lisa looked deep into Stephen’s illuminated eyes. And smiled.

  “Stephen. I want you to promise me something.”

  “What’s that?” Stephen asked with ice cream smeared on his lips.

  “Don’t give up on me. Don’t walk away.” Lisa was nearly pleading. “Sometimes I get scared. But don’t give up on me.”

  Stephen reassured her with a simple gaze into her eyes. He would never give up on her. She knew it. But she had to be sure.

  “I promise,” Stephen said, gracing her with a comforting smile.

  She leaned forward and gently placed her hand on his.

  Lisa whispered, “I love you.”

  And for the first time in her life, she knew she meant it.

  Moros stood with a captivated Campbell watching the world outside. The wall of glass provided them with a spectacular view of the jungle. The two killed time waiting for the others, who had been watching the bonobos’ perspectives on television screens in another room of the base.

  Moros spoke up, “I believe they will be needing me.”

  “For what?” Campbell asked. He couldn’t fathom what they could possibly need.

  So as to not give anything away, Moros stoically said, “I just have a hunch.”

  In the other room, Stephen and Natalie continued to take notes while Vince watched. Their faces dropped in horror at what appeared on the left screen: a human figure dressed in all black. “Who is that?” Stephen gasped.

  The human figure appeared to be female but a black-cloaked mask shielded her face. The image on the screen fixated on the figure; the bonobo was watching her attentively. She slowly raised something in her hands.

  Stephen leapt out of his chair in disbelief.

  “Oh my God!” Natalie yelped. “It’s a gun!”

  The figure held up a long rifle and took aim at the screen. BAM! In an instant, the screen was blank. The bonobo was dead.

  Stephen, Vince, and Natalie stared at the screen. Months of work were awash.

  Locals were constantly hunting bonobos for their meat. That was the only explanation Stephen could offer himself, even though the woman appeared dressed in modern clothing. Regardless, he grew infuriated.

  “Let’s go get ‘em,” he mumbled.

  Vince replied, “You want to go after the hunters? Absolutely not.”

  The door behind them opened. Stephen, Vince, and Natalie turned to see Moros walking in. He noticed their gloomy expressions and asked, “What’s wrong?”

  Natalie replied, “One of our bonobos was just killed.”

  “That’s terrible…” Moros noticed the monitors still blaring away. “Then why are both of the feeds still going?”

  Everyone looked at the screen. What was just an empty feed was back on. Stephen declared, “But that’s impossible. That bonobo was dead… and it’s a different season on that screen.”

  The screen showed a new first-person perspective. The colors were different. The surroundings were different. And it was surrounded by other bonobos, who were viewed towering over it.

  “It’s a baby bonobo,” Natalie observed, “But how?”

  Finally. That was the question Moros was waiting for. “This is fascinating. We should try to figure this out.” Moros smirked, knowing more than he let on.

  The screen went black again. The feed was gone. Little did they know, this was just the beginning of the research that would lead them to the ILD.

  18

  Stephen Pandora stood in his new mansion amidst the mess sprawled around him. There was an endless barrage of boxes and bubble-wrapped furniture piled into his living room. It had been just over a year since the world was introduced to the ILD. In that span of time, Stephen had published books, given countless speeches, and amassed a significant excess of money. He recently bought his own personal plane to help with his travels. And now, he purchased a monstrous home to call his own. The only person still a part of his life was Campbell, who stuck around to help him teach the world about the ILD. Stephen was rich, famous, and one of the most respected scientific minds on the planet.

  And he was miserable. Alone.

  Abandoned.

  Where did he go wrong?

  Stephen got out of his car. It had only been a few months since he left the jungle. He was meeting Bruce in a parking lot. Why a parking lot? Probably to segue to a nicer place, maybe a restaurant. Whatever the reason, Stephen had no qualms about meeting up with Bruce. The last time he saw him was years ago at the fair, minutes before he proposed to Lisa. He was ecstatic to finally see his best friend again.

  Stephen, who was off of work for the day and wearing a black T-shirt, walked toward Bruce, who was leaning against his car. The sunlight reflected off Bruce’s unbuttoned white-collared shirt and tie. Oddly, he didn’t look entirely happy to see him. Regardless, Stephen smiled brightly. “How have you been?” he asked with enthusiasm.

  Bruce half-smiled. He pulled himself off the car and offered his hand. What was going on with him? Stephen reached for his hand and shook it. Pretty formal for an old friend.

  Stephen again asked, “How’ve you been?”

  “Same old,” Bruce dully replied.

  “And Kristen? How’s she doing?”

  “Good. She’s real good.”

  So far not the kind of reunion Stephen had imagined. What a dry conversation.

  Bruce said, “I heard you made a discovery out there in the jungle.”

  So that’s what this was about. Bruce didn’t care to see him. He only came to stop him. Well, too bad. It wasn’t going to happen.

  Stephen asked, “Did Vince tell you to do this?”

  Bruce showed no sign of amusement. “It doesn’t matter. I know what you’re about to do.”

  Stephen’s defenses rose. “And what is it I’m about to do?”

  “Do you know what will happen if the world finds about your discovery?”

  A fire erupted inside Stephen. “What does it matter to you? You run off. You don’t call, not even to see how I’m doing. Then you have the nerve to try and stop me from revealing a life-changing scientific discovery? Well, you know what Bruce? I don’t care what you have to say. You’ve only ever cared about yourself. So kiss my ass.”

  Stephen turned his back on Bruce and trudged toward his car. He had enough of this reunion. It was pointless.

  Bruce wasn’t going to let Stephen’s emotions get to him. Maintaining his composure, Bruce yelled, “What about Free Will?”

  Stephen stopped. He was growing dizzy with fury. But he wasn’t done yet. The gratification of putting Bruce in his place had not yet come. He turned around, faced him, and asked, “What about it?”

  “Has your discovery disproved it? Because it sure seems like it to me.”

  Stephen laughed in disgust under his breath. “So what if it did? Guess your attempt to come over here and stop me is pretty pointless, isn’t it? Whatever I’m going to do is what I’ve already done millions of times before. So screw Free Will. Guess you were wrong about it all along, huh?”

  Bruce paced toward him, trying to calm him down, like a hostage negotiator trying to convince a crazed criminal to lower his gun. “Even if we don’t have it, you can’t take away the illusion that we do. Everything will fall apart. You will kill God. You will kill hope. If people can’t believe in their ability to help themselves, what can they believe in?”

  “They have a right to know, Bruce.”

  “Do they?” Bruce asked. “You have a choice to make, Stephen. This isn’t a philosophical or theological choice. If you tell the world about this, they won’t believe all of it. They’ll believe what they want. They’ll get desperate. And then, they’ll start looking for ways to fix their sad lives. What they’ll think of is starting all over. And
that will be on your hands.”

  Bruce pleaded with Stephen. He knew the consequences would be dire. “I’m sorry for what happened between us. I shouldn’t have disappeared like I did. I was stupid. If I could change it, I would. But we can’t change the past, Stephen. Don’t give people a reason to think they can.”

  Stephen was torn. He was going to have to make a choice. Bruce made valid points. Vince and Natalie had brought up these concerns several times. Maybe keeping everything a secret was the right thing to do. Stephen and Bruce stared at each other. “Where have you been all these years?” Stephen asked. “I don’t understand.”

  Bruce looked toward the ground, shame reflecting in his eyes. They were supposed to be best friends. He knew that. But he had failed and truly, the blame was his alone. “I made a mistake. I got caught up in… everything. I didn’t know what I was doing. And I’m sorrier than you’ll ever know. You’re my best friend.”

  Stephen smiled. Those words meant a lot. He approached Bruce with an outstretched hand. Bruce exuberantly took it and shook it. He went one step further, yanking Stephen toward him and giving him a hug. It was nonchalant. Like how Bruce always did things.

  They backed away from their hug. “Maybe you’re right,” Stephen pondered, “No one needs to know about what we learned.”

  Bruce’s face lit up. “Oh! I almost forgot!” He turned and ran back to his car. After opening the front door, he reached in and grabbed something. “This is for you!” As he emerged from the car, Bruce pulled out the ELPIS box.

  “Finally!” Stephen exuberated.

  Bruce walked to Stephen and handed him the ELPIS box.

  Sitting on the wrapped couch in his new living room, Stephen held the ELPIS box in his hands. He rubbed his hand over the carved letters atop the lid.

  Bruce was right. He was right about everything. Half a billion people had already killed themselves looking for a new beginning. Stephen made his choice. Or did he? If he was to believe he had no Free Will, then it wasn’t a choice at all, but a predetermined destination.