The Zul Enigma

by J M Leitch

  Meanwhile the men were talking in the garden.

  ‘How’s the job?’ Carlos asked, opening another beer. ‘You’ve been there what – a couple of months now, sí?’

  ‘Yeah. It’s good. So different from NASA, but that’s okay. And Joe leaves me pretty much to myself now I know the ropes. In fact, I’ve hardly seen him the past few weeks. He’s always in Tel Aviv or DC these days.’

  ‘And Erika works for RUAG right? Your JV partner? That’s a coincidence.’

  ‘Nah! Not really. Joseph got her the job. The office is near the boys’ school and she lucked out finding this place.’

  ‘Not very convenient for you.’

  ‘Tell me about it! Both my flat and my office are on the other side of town – between your place and UNO City. Joe had his reasons for setting up over there: when he started JV negotiations. It was convenient for meetings at the different government offices and for the airport, seeing he was flying in and out all the time. But now everything’s signed, sealed and delivered, I need to be nearer RUAG. I plan to start looking for office space over this way soon.’

  Carlos took a sip of his beer. ‘That makes sense.’

  ‘And I plan to give up the flat. As soon as I get my hands on that money from my aunt, Erika and I want to buy a house.’

  ‘I don’t believe it.’

  ‘Believe it mate. She’s a good bird. I couldn’t do any better. And we’ve known each other long enough. Whoah… thanks Ash. Look at those steaks,’ Drew said to Carlos. ‘Think there’s enough!’

  He forked them onto the hot plate and they began to sizzle.

  ‘How about you? How was the holiday?’

  ‘Fantastic. Taking Rebecca to Bali was the best thing I’ve ever done.’

  ‘After all the shit you’ve been through, you deserve it Carlos.’

  ‘We’ve got some news too. She’s pregnant.’

  ‘That was quick.’

  Carlos smiled. ‘It’s okay. A shock at first, especially for Beccy. But she’s getting used to the idea.’

  ‘Well you’re not getting any younger. But what about E-Day?’

  ‘Of course, we talked about that… and there’s nothing we can do but live each day as it comes.’

  CHAPTER 16

  Carlos picked up the phone. ‘Greg. Hey,’ he said.

  ‘Good morning, Carlos. How are you?’

  ‘I’m good. You?’

  ‘I’m well, but we need to talk. I’ve been flooded with calls over the weekend. The popular view has made an abrupt turn around. In spite of reports about findings supporting Zul’s theory of evolution, the closer we’re getting to E-Day, the more people are doubting the evolutionary leap is going to happen.’

  ‘I’m seeing that too.’

  ‘In some ways it’s a relief not so many people are worrying about it. But all the same, we need a contingency plan. I’m sorry to ask you at the last minute like this, and I understand if you feel you can’t oblige – after all, you’re one of the biggest believers and I know you’ll want to be with your family – but I’m looking for volunteers to man the desks E-Day weekend. Just in case we end up with a major panic on our hands if things do pan out like Zul predicts.’

  Carlos ran a hand through his hair.

  ‘Carlos?’

  ‘Sí… I’m still here. Okay, Greg. I’ll do it. But I want you to get me and Beccy to Madrid and London first. I want to see my family at least for one day and I know Beccy will want to see hers.’

  ‘Carlos… you must know all the flights are booked out.’

  ‘You’re head of the UN. Arrange something.’

  ***

  ‘Darling, you’re late.’ Rebecca walked into the hall when she heard the front door opening and gave Carlos a kiss.

  He took off his gloves, scarf and overcoat. It was minus two degrees outside, although there had been no snow.

  ‘How’s our little girl?’ he asked, circling his hand around her bulging tummy. ‘You’re so big… five months already.’

  ‘She’s doing aerobics. Feel,’ Rebecca said putting her hand on top of Carlos’s.

  ‘How was your day?’

  ‘Crazy, busy. People are getting anxious now E-Day’s so close. My phone didn’t stop ringing. I had to turn it off to get a break.’

  ‘You look exhausted. Shall I get you a drink? Whisky?’

  Rebecca took a tumbler from the drinks cupboard and poured out a large measure of Black Label. She dropped in some ice and handed the glass to Carlos who had slumped on the sofa. She sat down next to him, tucking her legs underneath herself.

  ‘Greg called this morning.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘He wants me in the office on E-Day. Just in case there’s a global meltdown.’

  ‘But Carlos… what about your parents?’

  ‘I know,’ he shook his head, ‘but I have to do it. I can’t say no. And if I’m here in Vienna, then I want you with me. I used our families to bargain a deal. I told him I’d do it if he gets us both to Madrid and London by a week Wednesday.’

  ‘You’ll come to the UK with me?’

  He smiled.

  ‘Oh darling! That’s great. But how about your parents on the 21st?’

  ‘They’ll have my sister and her family.’

  ‘But your mum? It’s important to her to have us all there.’

  ‘I can’t say no to Greg.’

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ Rebecca pushed her hair off her face. ‘So – it will be just us – here in Vienna. But…’

  ‘But what?’

  She shook her head. ‘I don’t want to be on my own that day.’

  Carlos laughed and put his arm round her.

  ‘You don’t think I’d leave you on your own, do you? You can come to work with me.’ She snuggled into him and he gave her a squeeze. ‘What do you want to do E-Day eve, now we’ll be here?’

  ‘I don’t know. Spend it with friends I suppose.’

  ‘I thought the same. How about I book a table at La Lucciola. It may be the last chance to go there. Hey… Beccy? What is it?’

  Beccy had covered her face with her hands and was crying. Carlos pulled her onto his lap, put his arms round her and rocked her.

  ‘Querida. Don’t cry.’

  ‘I’m sorry. But I’m scared Carlos. I’m so scared. I try to do what we said. To live each day as it comes. But it’s so hard – especially having our baby inside me – I don’t even know if either of us will ever get to see her.’ She buried her face in his shoulder. ‘I can’t imagine never holding her in my arms after going through all this.’

  ‘Shush, shush,’ he whispered into her ear. ‘Come on. Be brave.’

  ‘But what if you evolve and leave me behind?’

  ‘Me evolve? But Zul said I’ll stay in third density.’

  ‘But what if you don’t? What will I do on my own? I mean… Carlos… I’m so frightened.’

  ‘Come on querida, try and keep positive.’

  ‘I do try. But when it happens, everyone will go demented. Carlos, every time I close my eyes I see bodies heaped up on the streets. It’s driving me mad… and I’m not the only one. And what’ll happen after? I mean electricity… fuel… food? It’s winter, for God’s sake. There’ll be riots. People will go crazy. How will I be able to protect our baby all on my own?’

  ‘Beccy, you know that’s what Greg’s working on. Making sure the core global industries needed for survival will keep going. That’s why he insisted they put together Industry Operations Packages.’

  ‘Come off it, Carlos. Do you think any plan will be good enough for what we’re about to experience? The closer it gets, the more desperate I feel. And if it does happen, fear and panic will take over and all the meditation in the world won’t stop it. There’ll be looting and riots – the cities will turn into ghettos,’ she began to sob. ‘It’ll be survival of the fittest and I’ll be in the middle of it all on my own with a newborn baby.’

  Carlos was calm. He was ready. He believed peop
le would come through all right. But he could find no words to make Rebecca believe. All he could do was keep rocking her in his arms like a child.

  ***

  Carlos read the last page of the manuscript. So much had happened since the day Zul first appeared. It was incredible. His life had completely turned around. On that day back in March he would never have believed he could ever feel happy again. But now he was centred, confident and calm. He had willed himself to change his grief to acceptance, his anger to understanding and his vengeance to forgiveness.

  Zul had been right. It felt good to do good.

  And then there was Rebecca. His sweet, pretty Beccy. He loved her so much. It was different from the way he’d felt about Elena. More grown up, somehow. More complete. More stable. And his daughter to be – what a gift she was. When he’d held that hologram all those months ago, he would never have believed he could fall in love and make another baby.

  And that was the only thing disturbing him now – that he may lose them both. Although he knew it was wrong to want to keep Rebecca back from fulfilling her potential by evolving to the fourth density, a large part of his material self prayed she would stay with him in the third.

  ‘Finished?’ Rebecca asked.

  ‘Sí.’

  ‘You don’t look very happy.’

  ‘It’s not what I expected.’

  ‘Don’t you like it?’

  He stood up and put his hands on her shoulders. ‘I like it. But I feel horribly exposed.’

  She slid her arms around him.

  ‘And some of the bits about Elena…’

  ‘I wanted to make it real, so I took what you told me and improvised the rest.’

  ‘Scary,’ he said. ‘It was like you’d been in the room. And Drew? He told you all that?’

  ‘No! Well. I just took what he did say and…’

  ‘Improvised the rest.’

  She stood on tiptoes and kissed him beneath the ear.

  ‘But why do it like this?’

  ‘After Bali, I couldn’t write an objective account. I’d fallen madly in love with the hero. Also I realised that to make it real I had to drive home the heart of the story so the reader would be in no doubt why Zul singled you out from every other human on the planet.’

  ‘Because I was Director of OOSA?’

  ‘No. That was never it. Not the underlying reason. Think a minute, would he have chosen – say – Drew if he’d had your job?’

  Carlos shrugged. ‘Why not?’

  ‘Come on! Zul told you himself. He chose you because he knew you had the passion to get the job done. And to make that clear I had to write about you in a personal way: your highs and lows; your frustrations and successes; your relationships with Elena, your friends, your colleagues and me. I wrote it as a gift, Carlos. A gift of love.’

  ‘And if Zul isn’t real.’

  ‘Now I’ve finished the book, I know the answer. He is real. And I’m ready.’

  ***

  When Carlos booked the table, he asked Luigi to put a case of champagne on ice. He was sure everyone would be in the mood to get a little drunk on the eve of E-Day, everyone except Rebecca, of course.

  Drew and Erika had arrived first and were standing at the bar halfway through their first cocktail by the time Carlos and Rebecca walked in. Rebecca gave Erika a peck on the cheek.

  ‘You look lovely Erika. Those colours are amazing on you.’

  Erika shook her shaggy white blonde hair. ‘What?’ she said looking down… ‘this old rag?’ and Rebecca laughed knowing for a fact the dress had been hanging on a rail in Ringstrassen Galerien only six hours before.

  Drew bent down and kissed Rebecca. ‘You look blooming,’ he said.

  ‘Thank you,’ she replied and then made a point of linking her arm through Carlos’s. Although each time he saw Drew it got a little easier, she knew he hadn’t completely forgotten the past.

  ‘Looks like we’re in for another cold spell,’ Drew said. ‘I nearly froze me balls off walking from the underground.’

  ‘Drew!’ Erika said.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Language!’

  ‘You don’t think you can retrain him, do you?’ Carlos grinned, ‘not at this late stage.’ Then he raised his arms. ‘Now… what are we all having to drink?’

  A few minutes later Joseph arrived. He said his “hellos” and walked straight to the bar.

  ‘Don’t panic Joe,’ Drew shouted, ‘it’s safe… you can order a round. Tonight’s on Carlos.’

  Joseph raised his eyes to the ceiling. ‘It never gets old, does it?’ he muttered and walked back to the group holding a Martini. ‘So what kept you here?’ he asked Carlos. ‘I thought you were going to Madrid?’

  ‘Greg wants me in the office tomorrow.’

  ‘And I want to be there with him,’ Rebecca said, kissing Carlos’s cheek.

  ‘And you Drew?’ Joseph asked.

  ‘Apart from the boys, Erika and I have no family. We’ve got nowhere else to go. What’s your story?’

  ‘I want to be with you guys.’

  ‘Aah!’ Erika said.

  ‘It’s a crazy feeling – the whole world being on hold like this,’ Carlos said.

  ‘It’s ludicrous,’ Drew laughed, ‘imagine! Every train, boat and plane round the planet has stopped operating. Even the world’s militaries are grounded. Everyone’s just sitting around waiting for something to happen. So let’s party.’

  Carlos signalled to Luigi. ‘It’s time to start opening the champagne.’

  They watched Luigi as he peeled off the foil, unscrewed the wire and eased out the first cork with a misty “pop” that had everyone cheering. He poured the foaming liquid into five flutes and handed one each to Carlos’s guests.

  As Luigi went to give him the fifth glass, Carlos said, ‘You have that Luigi,’ and went to the bar to get himself another.

  They stood in a close circle.

  ‘I want to make a toast,’ Carlos said. ‘First, I want to drink to the planet and everyone on it. It’s been fantastic over the last months seeing people take up the call to meditate and pray and put their differences away and try, really try to get along. I’m proud how the Global Consciousness initiative was such a success.’

  ‘Here, here,’ they all murmured.

  ‘Second, I want to drink to tomorrow – whatever it brings. Let’s embrace it selflessly and see it through to our full potential.’

  ‘Well said, mate,’ and Drew raised his glass.

  ‘And last,’ Carlos turned his gaze from one face to the next in the circle round him, ‘I want to drink to my dear, dear friends and especially to this wonderful woman standing next to me, who is carrying our baby.’

  Rebecca looked up at Carlos with shining eyes. She looked so beautiful, he thought, with her swollen belly and her honey coloured hair swept up off her face. ‘We all know very well this may be the last time we’ll be together like this, so I want to tell all of you…’ the flickering candlelight reflected in the tears brimming in Carlos’s eyes and his voice faltered forcing him to swallow, ‘… to tell all of you that I love you.’

  PART III

  APRIL 2068

  ‘Dr Maiz was your father?’ The body sculpting chair adjusted to Scott’s position as he sat bolt upright.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I didn’t know he had a daughter.’

  ‘Obviously it was a very well-kept secret. I only just found out myself.’

  ‘When did your aunt and uncle adopt you?’

  ‘They didn’t. Their names are on my birth certificate. That’s why I never…’

  ‘Clever,’ Scott said nodding, ‘but terrible for you. To find out like this. After all these years.’

  Rachael pressed her lips together and closed her eyes.

  ‘Who was your mother? Dr Maiz’s girlfriend? Rebecca Marshall?’

  ‘Yes. A writer like me. She wrote the manuscript and the entries are from her diary.’

  ‘What’s the manusc
ript about?’

  ‘It’s called “The Zul Enigma.”’

  ‘I see,’ Scott said, gripping the armrests of his chair.

  ‘She interviewed everyone involved and wrote the story of Zul up to the 20th December 2012.’

  ‘And the diary entries?’

  ‘They’re from the 21st December till June the following year… the year…’ Rachael shivered.

  ‘Are you cold?’ Scott asked and she shook her head. ‘It’s the diary, isn’t it?’ he whispered. ‘It must have been shocking reading for you.’

  Rachael closed her eyes again, forcing back the tears.

  ‘It was terrible.’

  FRIDAY 21st DECEMBER 2012 – TUESDAY 25th JUNE 2013

  Friday 21st December

  We had a late one at La Lucciola and didn’t get back till two this morning. Drew and Carlos were both pretty drunk and even Joseph loosened up after they all got on the brandies. He told a couple of Jewish jokes, much to Drew’s delight. Erika was very wobbly by the time we said goodbye and wouldn’t stop hugging me.

  Our plan was to stay up all night making love and talking – could be our last one as physical beings right. But the champagne and brandies put the mockers on that for Carlos… and I was just plain exhausted. Within seconds of hitting the sheets we were asleep.

  The moment the alarm went off we put on the TV news with pumping hearts but nothing unusual was being reported. Poor Carlos had a bad head, what with the drinking and not having enough sleep, so I made us a spot of breakfast and we left for the office just after nine. Only the snow ploughs were out and the streets were deserted. It was eerie. Since only people with Emergency Permits – Carlos arranged mine, of course – are allowed out from six this morning until further notice, there wasn’t a soul to be seen.

  Dependable Corrinne was already there and she popped up to see us after we arrived, which was very sweet. I do like her. She’s a real mother hen and she adores Carlos. She even showed me how to make his coffee the way he likes it, in spite of the fact she knows we’ve been living together for five months.