by Karl Morgan
“I imagine it is a bit of a surprise for you after the last time we met, Mr. Finch.”
Finch ignored the comment and began, “Gentlemen, it is my pleasure to help facilitate this meeting today. I am certain that billions of people around the world are hopeful these discussions can end the war, where too many lives have already been lost.”
“That is our hope as well,” the caliph replied.
“Of course!” Han interjected.
“First of all, I think we all need to agree to an immediate cease fire,” Finch said. “That will help add weight to the negotiations and show the world we are very serious about this effort.”
“There is the matter of reclaiming captured territories to consider first,” Han said.
“And the issue of the nuclear attack on my capital city!” Hossain exclaimed.
“If I may, I think Hammond Finch is correct,” Josh asserted. “Stop shooting first. That gives us all time to work out the rest of the details without sacrificing more lives.”
“Thank you Joshua,” Finch smiled.
“Coffee, sir,” a woman’s voice whispered into Josh’s ear. He turned to see Constance Judah pouring coffee into his cup. She winked at him and continued down the table serving the others.
“I think we can agree to this,” Caliph Hossain said. “We are certainly serious about ending this conflict. President Han?”
“Agreed,” Han said, but his eyes showed otherwise.
“Well, this has started on a very positive note and I congratulate both of you on this big step,” Finch agreed. A side door opened and a waiter came in with a tray of pastries. Josh blinked when he realized it was Chris Judah.
“In this mode of understanding, I would like to suggest that both sides retain the territories they now control,” Han noted. An audible gasp crossed the room.
“I don’t think I understand,” Finch squeaked.
A short, heavy man with bright red hair entered with a cart carrying pitchers of ice water and moved over toward Chris Judah. Josh began to feel a sense of dread welling up in his stomach. “This is just a suggestion,” Han noted, “but please let me elaborate, and you must know there are many in the Asian Republic who would consider my idea misguided as well. Any lasting peace must be predicated on mutual respect for everyone’s borders. Acts of terrorism must stop. That being said, I understand the desire of the caliphates to encompass the predominantly Muslim peoples of the Earth. My nation and its predecessors have been dealing with those factions in the western regions for hundreds of years. Frankly, it’s time to stop. My spies have seen how the locals have embraced the invaders.”
“I don’t know about this,” Finch grumbled. “What do you have to say, Caliph?”
“I believe you have a similar situation in the Indonesian islands as well, President Han.”
“Agreed,” Han replied.
“Then I can embrace the President’s idea as well,” Hossain said. “I admit we have had that issue on the Indian subcontinent as well. If we can obtain sustainable peace while fulfilling the desires of our people, what better option could there be? Josh, I am interested in your thoughts.”
“Something is very wrong here,” Josh gasped as he watched the redhead waiter’s eyes glowing red. Connie and Chris both had their eyes closed and looked upward.
“What?” Finch said.
The main doors flew open and Caliph Ibrahim and Henri Sattu sauntered in. “My dear brothers, I am here to help!” Ibrahim shouted. Sattu hurried over and stood next to the redheaded waiter.
“I’m sorry, Caliph, but you are not part of this meeting,” Finch said as he stood up. Sattu glowered at him and he sat down again.
“Nonsense, as the caliph of the Global Caliphate, I am certainly involved here.”
“There is no Global Caliphate, brother,” Hossain hissed. “You tried to kill me but you failed, remember.”
“Not this time,” Ibrahim said as he pulled a pistol, pointed it at the caliph and fired. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Josh watched the plume of smoke and bullet leave the barrel and move across the room. He leaned over and covered Hossain with his own body. Josh could feel the bullet piercing his shirt and skin, but somehow it ricocheted off his rib and flew back, striking Ibrahim in the forehead. The top of his head exploded into a cascade of sparks and metallic debris and he fell backward to the floor. The force of the bullet impact pushed Josh into Hossain and the caliph’s chair collapsed, sending them crashing down.
Hands were pulling Josh and the caliph to their feet, and then slapping Josh on the back for saving the leader. “What the hell is that?” President Han asked as he looked down on Ibrahim’s body.
“He’s a robot!” one of his assistants said.
“What’s going on here, Josh?” Hossain screamed.
“Stay with me, Caliph, it’s about to get worse,” Josh said, pushing the caliph behind him.
The windows exploded as ten giant winged monsters burst into the room. Josh maneuvered Hossain around the table and had Han stand behind him as well. They watched in horror as Sattu and his brother Claude morphed into monsters and joined with their brothers. “So, we finally meet again, Joshua. How have you been?” Barsat laughed.
“You’re the bomber on the airplane, I remember you, beast,” Josh growled. All the remaining people in the room had gathered behind Josh for protection, except Finch, Connie and Chris Judah who stood quietly in corners of the room, so far unnoticed by the beasts.
Barsat grinned, “It’s so nice to be remembered.” The other beasts laughed. “Are you prepared to die now, Joshua Carpenter? I’m sure those cowards behind you are hoping you can save them, but you know you cannot.”
“Go screw yourself, Barsat!” Josh shouted.
“Wrong answer,” the beast growled and then a blast of fire shot from him toward the people. A white glow emanated from Josh’s skin, forming a spherical shield around the people, blocking the blast, but the table and walls were now ablaze.
“Nice trick, but now try to keep them alive,” Barsat said as he and his brothers moved toward them, smashing the burning furniture out of their way.
“What about me, my lord?” Finch whined in the corner. Barsat waved his arm toward him and Finch disappeared.
Josh heard Connie’s voice in his ear saying, “You know what to do, Joshua.” He waved his arm and the people behind him faded away and were gone. Suddenly, the room was filled with intense white light and the beasts cringed and covered their eyes. When it subsided, Connie and Chris were standing on either side of Josh. Each was now ten feet tall, and filled with brilliant light. They wore dazzling white uniforms with silver breast plates and were wielding long silver swords.
“Ah, finally it has come to this,” Barsat said. “You cannot imagine how long I have been waiting to kill you bastards.” The beasts were instantly wielding large battle axes and charged them, swinging wildly. The swords and axes flew through the air, sending sparks across the room as they met. One beast struck Connie in the chest with the side of his weapon and she flew into a wall and collapsed onto the floor. Before the beast could approach, she jumped to her feet and drove her blade through his chest. The beast faded away and another attacked her.
The demons managed to separate Josh from the others, and Barsat and Nisfat cornered him, holding their weapons ready to strike. “So, your friends can’t help you now, Joshua,” Barsat spat. “Now, Shirley Cambridge will never see you again, what a shame. Perhaps she will consent to be mine now.” He raised his axe overhead to strike.
Josh began to laugh. He could see Connie was fighting four demons, but winked at him when she caught his eye. Barsat started to swing downward when Josh clapped his hands together. All the beasts flew backward and into each other, knocking them down to the floor. They looked about startled, uncertain of what was happening. Connie and Chris stood quietly by, watching him. Josh walked over to the demons and pointed his left index finger downward, and then began to move it about in circle. A small f
unnel cloud appeared and he pushed it toward the monsters. The funnel grew and the beasts were caught up in it, spinning around in the room helplessly. Josh made a grabbing motion toward the funnel and then thrust his arm toward the window and faint image of the moon in the sky. The beasts shot through the window and disappeared out of sight.
Chris and Connie began to applaud. After a moment, Chris said, “There’s still the fire and the guests to consider, Joshua.”
Josh smiled and waved his hand to stop the fires. Then he said, “Everyone is at Saint Stephen’s Cathedral. I figured that was the last place Barsat would look for them. Thank you for your help.”
“You’re quite welcome, Josh,” Connie smiled. “You showed some real courage there. I think you might be ready.”
“What happened to the monsters?” Josh asked.
“Unfortunately, they can’t be killed so easily. It is the anger and evil inside people that keeps them strong, but I think they have more respect for you now,” Chris answered.
“Barsat said I’d never see Shirley again. Do you know where she is?”
“No, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he has her. She is a weapon against you, you know,” Chris added.
“She dumped me. How does she have any power over me?”
Connie put her hands on his shoulders and said, “If you have to choose between saving her and us, who would you pick?”
“Or if you could save her, just by not standing in Barsat’s way, would you?” Chris asked.
“I guess I don’t know yet,” Josh sighed.
§
Louise Dixon was watching television in her son’s apartment. Ted was at work and Stella was busily cleaning the apartment. Thankfully, Louise had not heard from her husband since he stormed out of the house two days ago. A news alert sounded on the TV, and the image changed to a female correspondent standing outside City Hall. “This is Ashley Jones, Channel 10 News, reporting from the city square where a group of people have gathered to protest the approval of the Second Chance transference procedure before it had been adequately tested. According to the mayor’s office, twenty transference procedures were performed in the area, and in each case, the patient’s mental state has been radically changed. This group is demanding that the FDA and Second Chance be investigated thoroughly on this tragic mistake.”
The crowd of several hundred was chanting and waving placards claiming Second Chance was spawn of the Devil and out for money alone. Several dozen police watched the group for any sign of trouble. Suddenly, another group of people emerged from a tunnel shouting at the crowd and running toward them. “Something is happening out here now,” Ashley noted. Some of the police formed a line to block the new protesters, but they did not slow down. The new group attacked the police, striking them and tossing them around like toys. The large crowd noticed the commotion and began to hurry in the opposite direction. More police rushed to the aid of their fellows, but the attackers seemed to have incredible strength. Ashley and her camera man were hurrying away from the fight. The police line collapsed and the new group lunged at the protestors, slugging them, knocking them to the ground and kicking them wildly. The camera man turned to get video on the carnage. Louise gasped when the image of her husband beating a young woman appeared on screen.
“Oh my God,” Stella said, standing behind the couch, inches from Louise. “What’s happening there?” Louise was crying and could not respond. The police opened fire on the attacking group, but the bullets did not seem to faze them. The attackers relented on the crowd and turned back on the police. Those protestors who were not bloody and lying on the grass hurried to get away. The police fired again and again, but the attackers continued toward them. Suddenly the police line broke and they retreated. The attackers cheered and waved their arms in victory. Bill Dixon turned and walked toward Ashley and her camera man. His clothes were stained with the blood of those he had attacked.
When he was within two feet of the reporter, he smiled and extended his hand, gesturing toward her microphone, which she handed him meekly. He smiled again, raised the microphone to his mouth and said, “Your time is at an end. We are the evolution. We are the future. If you wish to live, join us through transference.” He dropped the microphone to the ground and walked away.
Ashley was trembling when she picked up the microphone, ran a hand through her long, blonde hair and said, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what else to say. This is Ashley Jones, Channel 10 News.” Louise turned off the television.
Stella was now sitting next to Louise with her arm around her shoulders. “Are you okay, Louise?”
“No. That man is my husband, Bill,” she sniffled. “He has always been a loving and peaceful man. How did he become such a monster?”
The front door flew open and Ted rushed over to his mother and hugged her. “Did you see that, Mom?” She nodded. “What happened to him?”
“I don’t know; it must have been the transference. He’s like a different man, a horrible monster of some kind. What do we do now, Teddy?”
“I think we should leave the city,” Stella said.
“What?” Ted exclaimed. “You want us to run?”
“Clearly, your father is delusional, Ted. We saw what he and the others were doing to those poor people. That’s inhuman.”
“Stella, please be rational. Why would my dad want to hurt us? He said we stink and were disgusting. That’s not like saying ‘I want to kill you.’ Besides, I have a job. I can’t run away.”
“Ted, you know I am programmed to protect you, your family and guests. I can hopefully handle one intruder, but a group would overwhelm me and you both would likely die.”
There was a gentle knock at the front door, causing all of them to flinch involuntarily. “I’ll see who it is,” Stella said.
“Just a second,” Ted replied. He hurried to his bedroom and returned quickly with a hand gun. “Okay.” Stella disappeared down the hallway.
She hurried back to the living room and said, “It’s your father at the door, Ted. What do you want me to do?”
“Give me a minute to think,” Ted groaned. Suddenly, the front door was ripped off its hinges and flew toward Stella, striking her in the back and knocking her across the room. She lay quietly under it. Ted pulled Louise up and pushed her behind him, extended the pistol and waited. His heart was pounding in his chest and he could not catch his breath.
“Daddy’s home!” Bill shouted as he walked into the room. He frowned at his son, saying, “Pointing a weapon at dear old dad? What’s the meaning of this, Toddy?”
“It’s Ted, you bastard. At least get your lines right, whatever you are.”
Bill began to laugh out loud. Stella jumped to her feet and rushed to stand in his way. “Back off, intruder! The Stella 5000 series is programmed to respond to aggression with lethal force if necessary.”
“Poor, brave little robot, your assembly team must be very proud of you,” Bill replied. He took a quick step forward, grabbed and wrenched off her right arm, and in the same motion swung it at her head, which flew off and crashed into the wall. The rest of her robot form crumpled to the floor, with sparks flying and hydraulic oil leaking onto the carpet.
Ted fired his pistol at his father until the clip was spent. Bill just stood there wagging his finger at them. “Nice try, son. But nothing can save you now.”
“Why are you doing this, Bill?” Louise screamed.
“Ted is a friend of Joshua Carpenter right? That’s reason enough for me.” He moved quickly forward, tossing the couch through the plate glass window, where it fell twenty stories to the pavement below.
He was a foot away from them when a voice shouted, “Stop Zinta!”
Bill spun around to see Josh standing five feet away. “Speak of the devil. Thanks for stopping by to see your friends die, Josh. Then I’ll take care of you.”
“Not today, beast,” Josh growled. He clasped his hands together in front of him, and then threw his arms outward and upward, opening his hands
. Bill gasped and then floated up into the air with his arms and legs extended as though he was being drawn and quartered. Instantly, all the parts of the robotic body disassembled into their smallest components and rained down to the floor. Louise and Ted looked on in disbelief.
“You killed my father?” Ted gasped.
“That thing was never your father, Ted.”
“I knew it!” Louise exclaimed.
“I don’t understand,” Ted noted while scratching his head.
Josh rummaged through the bits of machine until he found the bright red ball. He picked it up and showed it to the others. “This is the bionic brain that was supposed to carry your father’s memories. It’s a fraud. Watch this.” He began to squeeze on the ball and it started to crack.
“Josh, if there is any way that could contain my dad’s memories, please don’t destroy it.”
“Trust me.” There was an audible cracking sound, and a thin line of black smoke arose slowly from the opening. He put the ball on the ground and used his hands to gather the smoke into a sphere. He moved his hands apart so Louise and Ted could see the smoke coalescing into a tiny black winged beast with glowing red eyes. “Does he look familiar, Ted?”
“From the diner?”
“What kind of monster is that?” Louise asked.
“Zinta, you’ve been a very bad boy. Tell your master that I know what he’s doing now and he cannot win.”
The little monster growled and said, “There is only one of you, Joshua, and there are legions of us. You cannot succeed. Release me and you may yet be spared.”
Josh smiled and then slammed his palms together. There was a tiny squeak from the beast and then quiet. “Are you both okay?”
“Did you kill it?” Louise asked.
“I hope so, but probably not. Those bastards are pretty resilient.”
Ted had hurried over and was sitting on the floor holding Stella’s mechanical head. “She tried to save us, and now look at her.”
Josh put his hand on Ted’s shoulder and said, “Please let me have that, Ted.” He reluctantly handed it over. Josh laid out her shattered body and put the arm and head where they had been before the attack. Then he got on his knees next to her and closed his eyes. “What are you doing, Josh?” Ted asked, but he did not respond. Josh extended his arms over the broken robot with his palms faced downward. White light shot from his hands into the robotic form. The room filled with intense white light. Ted and Louise turned their backs and closed their eyes. Josh opened his eyes and thought he could see Chris Judah kneeling on the other side of the robot. They smiled at each other and closed their eyes. Both Josh and Stella were filled with intense light and the temperature in the room soared.