With These Eyes

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With These Eyes Page 10

by Horst Steiner


  "Have the Pterodactyl readied for liftoff." Inside the command post, Tasha was preparing for an aerial pursuit. "Company travels to the Lancaster facility. Looks like our little package thinks she can just run away from her problems." The view-screen showed Fuji's car driving across the airfield.

  Isabelle pulled up in front of his enormous hangar. Fuji pushed the remote clipped under his visor and the gigantic set of doors before them opened. As she drove in, Isabelle could see Fuji's spaceplane parked inside. It looked like a cross between the space shuttle and a jet fighter and was about the size of a business-plane.

  "What's this?" Isabelle had never seen a craft this advanced.

  "It's a leftover from my working days. You could call it part of the severance package," Fuji replied.

  Isabelle stopped the car next to the unusual-looking ship. She walked around to the back of the car and let Tonati out. Fuji grabbed their two suitcases off the back seat and walked towards the hatch on the plane's side. The futuristic craft had sparked Isabelle's interest. She had to see what sort of engine propelled it. She walked towards the plane's aft when Fuji stepped in and extended his right arm, suitcase in hand, and motioned towards the hatch.

  Isabelle reluctantly altered her direction while commenting, "It looks like a spaceship."

  "It's an experimental plane. Normal airports don't allow it, so I keep it where no one cares."

  Stairs extended from the open hatch. Isabelle climbed to the top step and reached down for the luggage Fuji was handing to her. Followed by Fuji, Tonati jumped in, curious to look around. The interior was more utilitarian than elegant. The cabin housed a cargo bay and a hydraulic arm with a cable winch. Fuji stowed the suitcases in a compartment between hatch and cockpit. It took Isabelle a little bit of convincing until Tonati was comfortable with getting strapped in for the flight. A customized body harness with tie-down webbing provided a secure hold for the large cat. Isabelle kissed the top of his nose and a friendly growl let her know that her furry friend was okay. Isabelle was ready to go to the cockpit with Fuji.

  "I'm driving this time," said Fuji with a grin. He took the pilot's seat on the left. Isabelle sat down in the remaining seat to his right. The cockpit featured a large thrust-control lever in the center console, a screen in front of each pilot and flight controls similar to those of a single engine jet-plane. Fuji powered up the system and shortly thereafter the craft began to taxi in virtual silence towards the beginning of the runway. Isabelle was surprised she didn’t hear the usual rumble and roar common to air travel.

  "No engine noise?"

  Fuji just smiled and continued to busy himself with lift-off preparations. No one was in the control tower this time of night and since the airstrip was closed, Fuji had little to worry about other air traffic. When the plane reached the take-off position at the beginning of the runway, Fuji turned on a bank of blindingly bright landing lights that ran across the width of the spaceplane. The entire length of the runway was illuminated before them. Fuji reached for the throttle between the two seats. He gave the silver lever a gentle push forward and the craft accelerated along the runway. The thrust pushed Isabelle firmly into her seat. About halfway down the long concrete surface, the plane lifted off the ground. Fuji pulled a lever to retract the carriage. The shaking and rumbling from the runway was gone and almost silent as a glider, the craft gained altitude at an enormous rate. The climb soon took them to the outer edge of the atmosphere. The craft had continuously accelerated to this point. Fuji pulled back on the throttle to level off at the current speed, fast enough for an orbiter.

  "Engage auto guidance, Spitsbergen home." Fuji's voice-command showed up on the paired screens in front of them.

  A map of the world with Los Angeles and the Arctic destination plotted their course through earth's ionosphere. A timer showed:

  Travel Time Remaining: 25:00 minutes

  Fuji unfastened his seat belt. "You'll love this," he said, and floated virtually weightless towards the cockpit door.

  Isabelle followed suit and together, they pushed themselves into the main cabin. Tonati was amazingly calm for a wildcat in restraints. Isabelle had taken him on trips before, but never to space. He looked puzzled at Fuji and Isabelle floating about.

  "Tonati, you wanna try?"

  Isabelle's question was returned with a disagreeing snarl. She gave him a kiss and Tonati was fine. Portholes on ceiling and walls of the cabin afforded this unique group of travelers a spectacular view. Below, clusters of light marked the world's cities. Above them was the endlessness of space. The huge moon looked like it was almost close enough to reach. The ship traveled so fast through the ionized part of the atmosphere that a bright yellow glow surrounded it.

  "This is so beautiful" said Isabelle and for a moment all her problems seemed minute as she marveled in the beauty of the universe.

  Back on the ground, Tasha and her Troopers had arrived at the Apophis Aerospace Works compound in Lancaster, the next desert community north of Palmdale. There, Tasha's employer operated a large weapons facility with its own airstrip. The compound also housed one of Tasha's favorite weapons: a stealth bomber cargo-conversion that had been customized for surveillance to her specifications. The supersonic jet served as a transport for her troops and until this day, no suspect had ever outrun her. The craft was undetectable by civilian and military radar and afforded Tasha the luxury of crossing international borders without having to answer to authorities. Governments and their agendas didn't matter much to Tasha. In her eyes, it was the company who truly was in charge in most countries, and she did whatever it took to uphold that power structure.

  Tasha's clandestine convoy of darkness populated the hangar. The covert cars lined up next to the command post. Across from them was Tasha's troop carrier. Rows of water bottles swung open, leaving quick access to the truck's secret interior. Tasha's Troopers were loading gear from their cars and the water truck into an open hatch in the aft of the single-engine jet. The black aircraft looked very unusual with its pyramid-shaped cockpit and irregular edges. A purple stripe stretched from cockpit to tail fin, Tasha's personal touch. The pilot had taken his seat in the cockpit and started the enormous jet engine. Its roar echoed throughout. A familiar surveillance setup filled the lion-share of the cabin. Two Troopers took their seat behind the multimedia console and powered up the craft's computer system. The main screen came to life and soon showed a simulated model of the earth. A global network of satellites was shown tracking Fuji's spaceplane. The Trooper turned his head towards Tasha, who was boarding the plane.

  "Ma'am, package has gone suborbital."

  Tasha was grinding her teeth. She was not used to being left in the dust like this.

  Part 2 - Quest for the Truth

  16 ARRIVAL IN SPITSBERGEN

  Fuji and Isabelle were back in their seats in the cockpit. The courageous journalist took a look at the screen before her.

  Travel Time Remaining: 01min 29s

  Isabelle was worried about her father and wondered if the Arctic would provide the privacy she sought to solve her problems. The young journalist had to devise a plan. She knew she couldn't run away from her pursuers for the rest of her life. The tranquility of space had yielded to the concerns that prompted her to embark on this journey. Below laid the frozen landscape of the island Spitsbergen, part of a Scandinavian archipelago far beyond the Arctic circle. Researchers and the descendants of an old mining community had made it their frosty home away from the busy parts of the world. On the far end of the island, a single point of light marked the Apophis Corporation’s seed-bank.

  Fuji disengaged the auto pilot and took the yoke. He commented, "I prefer to land on solid ground like this."

  "What else would you chose?"

  "I set down on water."

  Fuji extended the plane's undercarriage for ice. A set of skids appeared where the wheels had carried the fuselage during take-off.

  As the craft descended, Isabelle saw its powerful landing li
ghts illuminate a plateau in the center of the island, high above the town. A runway that looked like it had been melted and refrozen many times stretched along the length of the icy flats. Overlooking the town were a hangar and an unusual-looking house. The timer in front of Isabelle reached zero and the plane's skids touched down on the frozen airstrip.

  "Welcome to my home away from it all. Sometimes I just come here for the day." Fuji taxied the craft into the hangar. A long hallway lead the trio to the entryway of Fuji's retreat, where they were greeted by his manservant Kato. Fuji introduced them. "Hello Kato, this is Isabelle, she's going to stay here for a while."

  Kato shook Isabelle’s hand in greeting. His handshake felt uncomfortably moist and limp. "Hello Isabelle, what a beautiful cat." Tonati snarled at him, he sensed something wasn't right about Kato, who took a step backwards. "Looks like he doesn't like everyone."

  Over the years, Isabelle had learned that an animal's instinct was very reliable and that Tonati was a good judge of character. This was what Fuji had taught Isabelle about herself. She had learned how to listen to her instinct when making decisions. He had taught her that everyone is born with instinct and intuition, nature's way of ensuring the survival of each species. Isabelle saw how the logic that was dictated by schools and society stopped people from following their gut-feelings in most of life's situations. Tonati's reaction to Kato was enough reason to use caution in her interactions with the man who had so much access to Fuji's personal life.

  "No, he's usually really nice with people." Isabelle looked Kato in the eyes as she delivered her response.

  He couldn't hold eye contact with her and turned to Fuji. "Let me take your luggage." Kato scurried off.

  Fuji and Isabelle were standing in the retreat's central area. Several doorways lead to rooms from there. Isabelle looked around the room. Northern Lights were dancing in the night sky outside the large panoramic windows that defined one of the walls.

  "There's a jar with money on the bookcase, help yourself."

  Isabelle's mind was thinking about something else. She looked at all the photos that hung framed on the walls. Fuji knew what subject was burning on her mind. Isabelle continued to take in the pictures when he heard her ask.

  "So this is where you met my mother?"

  Although Isabelle's wasn't looking at him, Fuji nodded. It was time to explain what he could. "I had sought refuge in the peace of the Arctic to focus on my studies. This was before I had the spaceplane and the journey was long. Your mother and I spoke one day. We found out both of us were about to uncover the mysteries of the universe."

  "And did you?" Isabelle's eyes paused on one of the pictures. The photo showed Gemma coming out of one of the doors along that same wall. Her mother's expression was one of triumph and jubilation. Behind her, a bright glow emanated from the partially open door. The light inside the other room was so bright that it had washed out any detail inside.

  "Each of us was lacking a crucial facet of understanding that kept us from solving this great puzzle. I was able to open your mother's eyes to look at what laid beyond the boundaries of conventional science."

  Isabelle turned to look out the window. It had been a few years since she'd seen the aurorae borealis, but never had they been as abundant and bright as they were this morning. The Northern Lights glowed in green and yellow, their colors cycled magnificently in rhythm with their elegant dance across the pristine Arctic sky. In the distance the abstract light sculpture atop Gene’s bank projected the same colors from the surface of the frosty island. Fuji noticed that it caught Isabelle's attention. "You, too, must look at everything before you can understand the cause of your problems." Fuji had made an art out of saying what he needed at the right moment without saying too much. He had a hunch his words would inspire actions in his disciple that would lead her to succeed.

  Kato entered the room carrying a tray with jams, crisp bread and tea. He noticed Isabelle still looking at the seed bank across the snow. "It put our little island on the world map. Apophis built it after they caught too much wind for the gene-splicing of food. Promised all the world's nations they could store their seed stock there for free. Pretty generous, if you ask me." Kato's speech sounded very much like it was regurgitated from the propaganda Apophis had been drumming over the media.

  Isabelle replied, "Sounds a bit like letting the wolf watch the sheep."

  Stumped, Kato poured tea for everyone. Isabelle added milk and sugar and stirred her cup. Seeing the beauty of the clear skies with their colorful aurorae and the frozen landscape made the young woman reminiscent of the years she spent in Alaska, working for her father. "What an accomplishment," thought Isabelle. Lionel had built a television network that brought news and information to the three major towns in that state, long before anyone else and even longer before the Internet. Just like her years in the jungle, life in Anchorage had kept her in close contact with nature. Fuji's voice pulled Isabelle out of her daydream.

  "I know how much you like to drive. After we eat, you're welcome to explore the island in my car."

  Isabelle smiled in anticipation as she rose her tea cup.

  17 TASHA AND HER CAT

  A snowy road stretched along the island's coastline. Isabelle was behind the wheel of Fuji's 4x4. The car ran on a water engine, a principle which utilized the energy of the subatomic forces binding a water molecule together. The heated tank was filled with a gallon of water, more than enough electricity to explore the island. The chains on all four wheels dug into the snow as Isabelle barreled along the road. She didn't drive slow in snowy weather when there was room. The constant thrust from all four wheels kept the vehicle stable and controlled.

  Northern Lights had been more pronounced than Isabelle had ever seen before. It was a year where sunspot activity had reached its highest in modern recorded history. Isabelle had come across that fact in her energy research and she knew sunspots released strong solar wind. The particles contained in these coronal ejections would eventually reach earth's magnetic field and the upper atmosphere, where they caused the glow of the Aurorae Borealis. Isabelle turned off her headlights. The entire landscape was illuminated by the moon and the aurorae's bands of lights. The black of space, freckled with countless stars, peeked through where the glowing green and yellow ribbons made room.

  The same colors of light were shining into the sky from the unusual-looking light sculpture atop the seed vault's entrance. It was a strange place for art that no one besides the polar bears would see. The cost of energy generation on the secluded isle was at a premium. Fuel for the power-generating station had to be brought in by tanker during the summer months. There was absolutely no motivation to illuminate the Arctic sky. Isabelle felt slight suspicion, but had no idea, as of yet, what devious design truly lurked behind the ice-desert art.

  Isabelle arrived at the seed bank. She exited the car and took in the beauty and serenity of her surroundings when a rumble from behind the mountains rolled through the silence. Isabelle turned towards the mountains that rose in the distance. The searchlight of a helicopter cut across the sky like a saber. Moments later, the noise from the triple-blade rotor had reached her. The boisterous sound announced an armada of headlights rising over the crest of the range. It wasn't hard to guess for Isabelle that her pursuers had caught up with her. Something was wrong with the seed bank and Isabelle was determined to find out its secret. She grabbed the bag with her camera. It was time to collect some evidence. If she only knew what to look for. Isabelle walked up to the facility's only entrance. To the right of a blast-door was a biometrics reader that resembled the devices she encountered at the media complex in Los Angeles. Next to the Apophis sun-logo, it prominently displayed a stylized leaf-glyph. Isabelle thought it would be worth the try and placed her face in front of the reader. The device's blinking beam of light scanned her right eye.

  Descending from the crest of the mountain was a pack of snow cats, one of which was towing a habitat trailer that housed the surveill
ance room. The helicopter had its sliding door open and a Trooper sat with his feet on the skids. He was aiming a tranquilizer rifle at a family of sleeping polar bears below. The bears awoke from the helicopter's noise just in time to be gunned down by the Trooper’s darts. This was Tasha's way of blending in. She saw nature as something that solely existed to serve man. Disguising her Troopers as ruthless wildlife researchers was the closest she would get to being in touch with nature.

  The blue doors of the snow cats all bore the Apophis Wildlife Federation logo. Inside the first vehicle, Tasha was leading her troops across the mountains. Projections on the windshield of her cat kept Tasha abreast of Isabelle's progress. The right half of her windshield showed a night-vision image of Isabelle at the entrance of the seed bank. It was the feed from the helicopter's gyro-mounted spy-camera. In front of Tasha was a read-out from the biometrics reader Isabelle was facing. Her image and name appeared next to a message that showed she was attempting entry.

  Access Denied

  The lockout-message flashed across the screen by the entrance. Isabelle wasn't surprised since she didn't work at the seed bank. Even without her new-found difficulties, it would have been unusual for her to be granted access. She remembered Ryan's gift to her. Isabelle reached into her pocket and pulled out the holographic key he had given to her at the office. Isabelle turned the device on and its projection appeared in the perfect image of an eyeball. Isabelle held the eye made of light up to the biometrics reader. The word override appeared on the reader and, unseen by Isabelle, across Tasha's windshield.

 

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