The Gravity of Anti-Gravity II

by Tim Blagge

  “I think I’m OK, but why did Bill just dive through that open window and run away? And why did Rolf just use the wave gun to stop him? Just when I’ve learned to appreciate my bizarre life, it just got even weirder.”

  I was quickly released by Agent Foster and sprinted to the house to see if Brenda was alright. I got there not long after Rolf and Stella. As I walked through the door, Brenda gave me the strangest look I’d ever seen.

  “Are you okay, Brenda?” I asked.

  “The question is; are you okay?” Brenda said, as she stood up, pointed at me and then the window waving her arms around in a wild frenzy. “Why did you dive through that window, Bill? You destroyed the screen. I know you hit the ground hard before you took off running. And now you’re back, and with Rolf and Stella too? You’ve got some explaining to do. And how, the hell are you still walking when you were just shot by a wave gun?”

  “I can explain,” Stella said. “The man that just dived through your window was not Bill. He was a double, created by Mindcon to replace Bill.”

  The look on Brenda’s face could only be described as perplexed on steroids.

  “Mindcon is aware of your return to Velador tonight.” Stella continued. “They realize that Bill is the only person who can convince our people that they are the true cause of the Cromwell conflict and most of the other difficulties we have been facing lately. Since we, at least up to this point, have been in Mindcon’s information loop, we found out about the plan to replace Bill. That’s why we are here; to stop that plan!”

  After Brenda took a minute to process what just occurred her anger boiled over.

  “I wish I could figure out whose side you’re on Stella. Our entire relationship has been nothing but lies. And you now telling us you’re switching sides to go against the Great Deceiver, your boss, Mindcon and save Bill and me against them? You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t get it or believe any of your bullshit any more, Stella!”

  “Bill, Brenda, I understand and I certainly don’t blame you but just hear us out. Then you can decide.” Stella pleaded.

  Before Stella began her explanation, Agent Vaughn, several local Police and some ambulances arrived.

  “Bill, you just can’t stay out of trouble for more than a day or two can you?” Vaughn commented as he came into the house. “We’ve got two dead bodies and a prisoner outside. What just happened?”

  “I know it seems that I’m always in the middle of one odd occurrence after another but your Agent Foster can fill you in. Those people were trying to kidnap Brenda and me and they almost succeeded.”

  I went up to Rolf and whispered, “Are these people yours, I mean from Velador?”

  “Yes they are Bill.” he answered.

  I pulled Agent Vaughn aside, told him about the attackers and asked if he could get a quick DNA test on them to determine their species. I told him they may be Veladorian.

  “It might help you believe my story if their DNA comes up unearthly and you can get the results before we leave tonight.” I said. “You are still coming aren’t you?”

  “That’s my plan Bill. I’ll put a rush on the DNA test but it will be close.”

  “There is one more man you need to process Agent Vaughn” I whispered. “He was hit by a wave gun and is lying unconscious on the hill behind the house and I understand the he looks a lot like me.”

  “We’ll take care of everything,” Vaughn said. “If we have questions after we process the crime scene, we’ll be back in.”

  After Vaughn left the house, Stella suggested we sit down.

  “No, I want to look my betrayers in the eye.” I said with growing anger. “So go ahead feed me some more of your lies. I’ll give you five minutes then I want you out of our lives forever.”

  “Bill, I’ll be as brief as possible.” Stella began as she sat down and I stood over her glaring. “Rolf and I agonized over the plan to implant new memories into you and Brenda. We knew it was wrong but we had grown up in schools where Mindcon controlled the curricula and message. Most of our people have been educated the same way. When a false doctrine is taught to you all your life, it’s hard to turn away from it; even if the obvious truth is right in front of you.”

  “Before and after our return trip to Earth, Rolf and I have been analyzing our role in your deception,” Stella continued. “We have determined that Mindcon is not only wrong, it is evil. Even though we are sure their motives in the early years included a desire to do good, as they got stronger, they got more arrogant.

  “They now believe that their wealth and power gives them the right to control all the people of Velador. With this deceitful elitist doctrine, they seem to be able to justify just about anything they do as benefiting our citizens. In reality, they are only helping themselves.”

  “The recent Cromwell threat was a wake-up call for Mindcon’s managers who now feel they must exterminate any potential threats to their own power. Their initial plan is to wipe out the Cromwells completely. Then they plan to continue infiltrating Earth and strip it of anything and everything of value. Like Cromwell they might eventually destroy intelligent life here too.”

  “Simultaneously, they are planning on taking total control of Velador, by eliminating all the independently elected CEO’s. They believe they can convince our people to change to strong central government control because of what just happened with the Cromwells. One of your politicians once said, ‘Never let a good crisis go to waste’ and that’s exactly what they are doing. Once they have enough CEO’s in place who are loyal to them, through clever advertising and fact manipulation, they will change our constitution and system of Guidelines. This new order will recognize a president, elected by a majority of their CEO puppets, as the new and ultimate power on our planet.”

  “Our citizens will go along with Mindcon’s deception because they have been brainwashed, is the best description, most of their lives. Our people have lost their ability to think for themselves so they will blindly follow any strong and charismatic leader.”

  “When the leaders of Mindcon discovered that Pops had made it into Earth’s space, they figured he would correct your memories and ask you to return to Velador. Knowing that, they created your double. It was a project they had started before you left Velador because they always felt you eventually might need to be replaced. The level of success they had with these kinds of experiments has exceeded even their own expectations. When your recent memories were removed and delivered back to them, they were implanted into the new Bill. Along with meticulous plastic surgery, he became a nearly identical copy of you.”

  “Bill, I want you to know that I was completely fooled,” Brenda added. “I even asked him to go upstairs and have sex and his response sounded exactly like one of yours. It really gives me the willies to consider what I almost did.”

  “This duplicate was supposed to go back with Pops, live among the few people who still hold to individual freedom and when the time was right, he would go on national television and tell people to put Mindcon’s stooges in total control; that it would be the best thing for our civilization. Our people would think it came from you, the savior of our planet from the Cromwell threat and an unbiased judge.”

  “The plan is genius except for one fact. Rolf and I have received all the Mindcon communiqués and we are changing sides!”

  That’s a great story Stella but why should we believe you.” Brenda jumped in and screamed. “Maybe every thing that’s just happened here is another charade, another lie intended to gain our trust.”

  “It’s not Brenda, but I don’t blame you for saying that.” Stella replied. “The Mindcon plan calls for us to accompany you to Velador. Would you consider that? If we are not on board, the Mindcon people will know that their scheme didn’t go as planned. If we go, Bill will have to be a double agent and play the part of his duplicate. Rolf and I would continue to act like we are still on the Mindcon payroll so we will continue to get information on their plans.”

  “Stella
, Brenda and I will need to discuss your proposal, but I’m not sure either one of us will ever be able to trust you again. Please go and I will call later and give you our decision.”

  As Rolf and Stella were walking out the door, Agent Vaughn came back in.

  “Did you say there was an unconscious man outside in the back,” Vaughn said. “We saw some matted down weeds, and a trail that looked like someone was carried off, but no one was there!”

  Thanks again for reading. We’ll meet again when the entire segment plays out and is written down!

  Tim Blagge, storyteller