LOST AND FORGOTTEN: BOOK THREE - ENIGMA
Page 13
I had a question for M1. “When you went in there, I heard nothing in my ear buds. Did you say anything?”
“I don’t think I did,” he answered, “I suppose I was speechless.
“When I went in,” I said, “I turned off my radio for that particular test. I’ll just go in there for a few seconds with it turned on and we’ll see what happens. Okay by you, Joe?”
“All right,” he said, “but make it snappy.”
“Why don’t I take Jesus with me? I said. “He may have a different reaction.”
I reached for him, but he growled at me.
“Ow! That hurts,” Alice flinched. “Your cat just dug his claws into my shoulder. I think maybe he doesn’t want to join you in there.”
“Joe,” I asked, “what’s up with him?”
“He somehow communicates with me when he feels like it, but this time he had no message for me. I can’t figure him out.”
“Here’s an idea,” Alice said. “Since sight is a problem in there, why not have Bebe step in there for a second. Maybe her eyes won’t be affected.”
She did and they were, but it was worth a shot.
“Well then,” I said, “here we go.”
Once again, in the void, I was blind and deaf. I vocalized, “Testing, testing, one, two, three, four,” then retreated swiftly.
Everyone reported they heard nothing. Obviously, this was a much, much bigger challenge.
“You still okay, Joe,” I asked out loud.
“I am all right,” he replied. “While we were in there, I used the time to monitor your brain functions and I did notice some modest activity in some seldom used areas.”
“Anything else?”
“That is all, I am afraid.”
Bebe stood next to Alice. “This is where we all stand quietly,” she said, “and let James do his daydreaming, I’ll wager.”
“Right you are,” Alice said. “James, what say you?”
I thought about it for a minute. “I think I should step back in there while I mull it over. Is that okay, Joe?”
“I may well be a hindrance, rather than an asset. I would prefer to remain here.”
“You’re probably right,” I said. I unhooked him the chain from around my neck. “I’ll let Bebe hold you while I’m gone.”
“Could I stay with Alice?” he asked.
On hearing this, a great silence descended upon the entire Dance Band. Harry did his best, cheek bulging, chipmunk imitation. I was rendered speechless. Amy clamped her hand over her mouth and Alice plastered me with a new and improved bug-eyed look. I was the first to recover.
“First, my cat abandoned me for you,” I said, in a wounded voice, “and now Joe jumps ship.”
Bebe, the unsympathetic, added her two centavos. “When we find a body for Joe, we can have him look like Ricardo Montalban. That would be nice. Can we do that?”
“SILENCIO!” Alice shouted. She took the chain and using both hands, she put it around her neck and closed the clasp. “Joe, you won’t wiggle into my brain like you do with James will you?”
“I do not have the ability to do that,” he replied. “My link to James is a process set up and initiated by YDRII.”
I knew she wanted to say, “Why me?” but all she did say was, “Okay, we’re good to go.”
Jesus, all the while, lay relaxed over her shoulder, completely oblivious or totally unconcerned. I don’t know which, but at any rate it was time to act.
“I’ll step back in there,” I said, “and just stand quietly for a while. M2, if you will kindly hold my belt, we can commence.”
“That damn cat,” Harry muttered, “will be the death of us yet.”
Bebe gave me a solid arm punch. “Do not go too far. Do you hear me?”
Her last question was followed by another arm punch. I told her my fondest wish was that both she and Alice could find a less violent method of adding emphasis to what they were telling me. Instantly, I took delivery of a flurry of arm punches from both girls. My only escape, after glancing at my cheap Ralex knock off for a time check, was to return to the place of darkness and silence.
My single comfort was the feel of M2’s knuckles as his fist held my belt and me. I took a few deep breaths and told myself to calm down. At first I tried to visualize the damping field— nothing. I then tried to locate a part of my brain possibly aroused by the mysterious phenomenon. Again nothing, so I told myself to relax and to quit thinking about it. That was the hard part. When one attempts to think about nothing, one’s brain rebels and begins to chase random ideas like a border collie herding a bunch of sheep. After a minute of trying, I told my mind to stand aside. Things quieted down and, like someone turning down the volume on a loud radio, the background sounds can then be heard. In my case it was the background sensations. There they were, like a faded memory, trying to resurface. I tried to concentrate, but like that fragment of memory, the whole thing became fuzzier. I retreated to my passive observer position and saw new things grow like an unfolding flower.
Part way through the process, I felt M2 nudging me slightly. My gang needed to know that things were all right. All I did was raise my left hand and made the okay sign with my thumb and index finger. The nudging ceased.
I was remembering things in a normal fashion except that they were things that I know I never experienced. The damping field neutralized specific synapses having to do with sight and sound. I now knew how to override that control. I could only assume that this was a part of the package of information given to me by YDRII as we stood by the pasture in Shenandoah. More memories surfaced and it seemed like only seconds until it was in full bloom. It was incredible—magical—things I thought were impossible in the world I knew.
As I began to make the proper connections, my vision returned in fits and starts, like delicately turning a radio dial to bring in a distant signal. I stopped the process when what I was seeing looked like I was watching an analog television set, slightly pixilated, but adequate. I turned partway around to give the gang a V for victory sign. Their smiling faces told me they had received my message, loud and clear.
My next signal was a raised index finger that told them I wasn’t finished. I then turned my attention to the matter of hearing. The process was essentially the same and a couple of minutes later, by using my Omaha portal clicker, I knew I had marginal quality audio.
That was enough. I quickly stepped back into the courtyard.
To lighten the mood, I said to my comrades, “Is my lunch ready?”
Alice raised her arm-punching fist and growled at me. I quickly moved behind Bebe for protection, but she was no help.
“Your silliness,” she said, “deserves no help from the likes of me. Talk to us.”
I addressed both women. “Very well, my dears, we have a partial solution in that I now have sufficient sight and hearing.” To M1, I said, “Remember when you were first calling up the trolley back on Nexus? You said that, thanks to Moses, you knew what to do and how to do it, but it wasn’t something you had to learn. The instructions were just there for you. That’s how it was for me. Somehow the knowledge slowly bloomed in my head. I now know what to do and how to do it, but the why is still out of sight around the corner. It’s not a permanent fix. If I relax, the ability fades away. And it just did, but I can call it back at will. It takes a slight effort to hold it. Think of carrying a briefcase around all day.”
Shan, with an anxious look, said, “You are all set, but what about the rest of us? We should stay together.”
“Shan speaks for all of us,” Bob said, “My hope is you can do the same for the entire Band.”
“You know I’ll try to do just that, “I told him. “But first I have to retrieve Joe and compare notes.”
I extended my hand to Alice, but before she could unhook the clamp, Joe made another startling statement: “James, it should be apparent to you that you no longer need me. All you need do is place your finger on my case to establish our connection.”
“James,” Joe said aloud, “I see by the look on your face that you do not entirely agree with my decision. I would rather not reveal my reason, but your reaction makes it necessary.” He had our total attention. “I know only that you have a mission. Time and circumstance will reveal the specifics. Some of it just happened and from this point forward our combination would be a hindrance. I have regrets, but this must be so.”
Joe had indeed jumped ship. The others watched as this little drama played out. I looked at Alice with questioning eyes. She raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders in acquiescence. The contract was sealed and we all understood that from now on it would be Alice, Joe and Jesus. Oddly enough I was genuinely okay with the entire situation. Here again was something to consider while relaxing with a can of my beer and a Shenandoah cigar, but as usual, that exercise would have to wait.
I touched Joe’s case with one finger. “I’ll just be quiet while you do a diagnostic on my brain.”
Joe replied audibly and instantly: “James, you keep forgetting the speed of my thought processes. The analysis is complete and I will now report. It is not all that lengthy. The damping field, which is more the state of a defined area rather than a projected phenomenon, does something incredibly simple, but at the same time incredibly complex. Its function, in short, is to block certain synaptic functions in the brain. The main complexity, as I see it, is that the field is able to choose only those synapses that allow transmission of sight and sound and it does this without damage to those synapses. Of course, if the field were not selective and shut down all synapses in your brain, you would die.”
“How come,” M2 asked, “it affected you the same? You don’t have synapses, or do you?”
“Not exactly,” he replied, “but my visual recognition program is based on human sight, which means I have virtual synapses. Fortunately, I am confident I can overcome the problem the same as James has done, but I don't know if I can help the rest of you.
“We’ll do some testing,” I said, “but before that I’d like to go back in with M2’s camera, walk a few yards to the left. I’ll go to the edge of the wall and take some pictures. The view from here tells us very little.”
“Okay,” M1 said, “but do not linger. Click, click and hurry back.”
Once again through the archway, the sight and sound transition was smooth and almost automatic. When I reached the path, I looked and saw that it was the same length on both sides. Twenty steps later I reached the end, smiled at what I saw, took three quick pictures and then hustled back to the courtyard.
As I returned M2’s camera, I said to all, “I was in Pinocchio, the Golden City and these shots will tell you why the buildings here are not golden.”
“Ahh-haa!” Alice said, as she viewed the picture, “we are now on the shore line of Pinocchio and all colors here are normal, but the cliff faces of the big crater now look like solid gold. It has to be caused by light passing through the huge, invisible bubble surrounding us.”
M1 added, “Whatever the cause we know where we are—good show and now for the big test. James, choose a victim and proceed.”
Faster than Blue devouring a slice of Spam, Shan materialized six inches from my nose with a huge grin on her face.
“Me, me,” she squeaked.
“I wanted to be the volunteer,” Bob said, “but I defer to Shan. I, more than most, appreciate the value of anticipation.”
This time, as we entered Pinocchio proper, the sight and sound transition for me was virtually instantaneous. I had told Shan to relax and to keep her mind blank. It wasn’t long before I received a knuckle-crunching squeeze from my subject. Things were much faster now and in less than a minute we had eye-to-eye and ear-to-ear communications without holding hands. Still, I had to maintain the internal connections for both of us, which added to my load, but it was tolerable and I knew that in the future I could renew her sight and hearing with just a handshake or maybe just a look.
“It worked, James!” she said excitedly. “It is a little fuzzy, but it is still just peachy keen.”
I stayed where I was and motioned the rest of the gang to join me one at a time. Bebe was last. I now had the knack and was able to give her the treatment in less than a minute.
She kept holding my hands. “James, it would seem that you and I have been given powers far beyond the abilities of mortal men.” She pulled my head down and gave me a quick kiss.
That said, she shifted gears and asked me what I would do about Jesus and Blue.
“Wait a minute,” I said. “Now that I know how to do that little trick in here, I should be able to do it out there before someone enters and hopefully I can also do it to our entire menagerie.”
I felt a bit silly as I knelt down to take Blue’s paw. He looked back at me with mild curiosity and muttered, “Spam,” when I leaned too close. Much to my surprise and relief, the process was the same for both Blue and Jesus, except that it was much faster. It was as if both animals anticipated and helped me. The entire group was ready to go.
CHAPTER 17
“Look, kids,” I said, “I wish you could maintain this on your own, but you can’t. My mental briefcase has turned into a small suitcase. I’m confident I can maintain the load for several hours, but I will get tired.”
M1 asked me if I thought we could manage a quick trip around the shoreline of the island.
“Easy,” I replied. “It shouldn’t take us more than two, maybe three hours. M2 should bring along a coil of rope in case I do get tired and have to lead everyone out.”
“Okay,” M1 said, “but first Bebe will take us back to Manheim for a quick report to Fran. Then we’ll be off to see the Puppet Master.”
We waited while Bebe and M1 walked to the Manheim exit. As soon as she did the shift, M1 called Fran and updated her on our progress.
He also asked her to do a drone fly-over to see if she could spot us on our trek around the island. Bebe then brought us back to Pinocchio and the Band went for a stroll.
And what a stroll—it was a fantastic journey for us all. The one big difficulty we experienced was the need to keep moving. Structures new and highly interesting, demanding close examination, were constantly coming into view, but like passengers on a slow moving train, all we could do was watch intently as each scene drifted past, only to be replaced with something new and incredible.
Our radios were useless, but we could talk freely, and we did, with constant exclamations of surprise and wonder. M2 was busier than the rest of us with a video camera in one hand and a still camera in the other. I voiced a concern to him about exhausting the storage capacity of his little machines.
“I got memory up the wazoo, James,” he replied. “I’m creating a stupendous, epic adventure. Once this is released to the public, it will pack every cinema in the world. There will be standing room only.”
“Billions and billions,” Harry muttered.
“Are you getting sound?” Alice asked.
“I am, according to the level indicator,” he replied, “so don’t none of you use any swear words.”
“Great,” she said. “Here we are on the hike of a lifetime and all I can say is gee-whiz.”
The path we were following hugged the island’s shoreline. Low stone walls, set about ten feet apart, defined and confined the tan colored walking surface. Although it looked like sand, there was no loose material. To me it felt like walking on canvas-covered rubber padding. Blue and Jesus took little interest in our surroundings. I think it was their reaction to the flat, odorless air. Here and there along the way our path sprouted curious little branch lines on our left that wound their way up the tree-covered hillside, over beautiful delicate bridges and through intricate fairy arches.
Bob could hardly contain himself. “My days with the Dance Band have been filled with wonder, but this equals my experience in the Yellow Mountains of Paradise
. One day I hope to take you all there.”
“I’m in, Bob,” Amy called out.
“Totally, man,” Shan said.
“As we all are,” Alice added.
At each of the peninsula-like protrusions, we saw a wide path at the right side leading to those monumental structures. We resisted the temptation to detour to them until we reached the path that lead out to the Colossus of Rhodes. Like those mysterious side caverns in the Hollow Mountain, the urge to explore was overwhelming and we decided to take a closer look. Our trail lead directly to the monument where it looped around the silent giant, but before we reached the base of that imposing figure we came upon a place in the path where it widened to accommodate a large circle made from white tile, put down in a mosaic pattern. In the center, depicted in dark green was the Black Sun symbol, a haunting reminder of Nazis and all that had come before.
“Do you think this might be what Nora meant by museum?” Harry said.
“It’s a good candidate,” I said.
M1, who was a few paces ahead, was the first to step onto the tile. As soon as he did, he raised his hand to signal us to stop. He turned to look at us with a look of wonder on his face.
“This is incredible,” he said. “I now know the complete history of the Colossus of Rhodes. I know everything… Amazing… No question, this is a museum. I think it’s okay for you all to join me.”
We did and the experience was truly unique. As soon as I entered the circle, the knowledge was there. It was not at all like having read a book or seen a film. It was as though I had been there and had lived it. I was recalling events from memory, events I had witnessed. I checked with Joe and he was remembering things like the rest of us. All too soon, M1 pushed us back onto the path and we resumed our walk around the island. The great slumping tower was another temptation we would have succumbed to, but Bob had something to say. “I will wait here if you decide to step into the circle. When I do go there, I feel as though it cannot be for just a few moments. I sense a great history and I would need time to absorb and come to terms with the things that I learn.”