The Quantum Cypher

by Aaron Maximus

  CHAPTER 39

  Andy quickly tucked the envelope into the suit pocket and rushed out of his office to his car, as he did not want anyone noticing the letter. Once in the car, he pulled out the letter from his pocket to study it more peacefully. He looked at the stamp. It was sent on the day they left Hong Kong. Clearly, this was not a threat. It was sent to let him know that they were aware that he had the artefact. They also wanted him to realise, that they knew where he worked.

  Andy flashed the paper against the light. There was nothing but a watermark of the seal. Andy pondered if the group took pains to create watermarked stationery. They must be keen to brand their communication or could this be a corporate letterhead? Was this just the logo of a company and not of any secret group?

  Should I tell Cara? He contemplated. She could overreact and things would only get worse. Picking up his phone, Andy called Ted and quickly explained about the contents of the letter. Ted said he will call back in ten minutes. Andy cut the phone and waited. Twenty minutes later, he got impatient and rang Ted. He picked up immediately and apologised, “Sorry, I was online looking for that Logo you sent me earlier. I cannot find the logo on the internet but I recognise the collection of triangles that make the flower. The triangles form a three-dimensional image but because of the boxes, it’s not clearly visible. Have you heard of Sri Chakra?"

  “No, never heard of it.” replied Andy.

  CHAPTER 40

  “Sri Chakra is a design that is formed by nine interlocking triangles that surround and radiate out from the central point. The two-dimensional Sri Chakra, when it is projected into three dimensions, is called a Maha Meru. Mount Meru derives its name from this Meru like shape. These nine triangles are of various sizes and intersect with one another. In the middle is the power centre, visualising the highest, the invisible, elusive centre from which the entire cosmos expands. The triangles are enclosed by two rows representing the lotus of creation and reproductive force. The broken lines of the outer frame denote the four openings to the regions of the universe." explained Ted.

  He continued, “But what I can’t fathom is the use of Pentagon as a top layer of the outer circle. This is a mix of a Pentagon and Hindu symbols. Whoever crafted this, is a genius.”

  “Why do you say that?" asked Andy.

  “Well, Sri Chakra channels energy from four directions-North West, East, and South. But the Pentagon channels energy from eight directions, North, South, East, West and the secondary directions; North West, South West, South East and North East. They have super-imposed the secondary directions on to the primary. It’s such a simple way to improve the existing system. Whoever did this, has a lot of knowledge of the occult. To combine the two symbols of different cultures and yet enhance the existing system requires prior training. The Sri Chakra can only be created by trained artisans and the art is passed on through generations. There are no books on how to create one.” informed Ted.

  Andy listened intently as Ted continued to share his knowledge of the topic.

  “The design has to be precise. Any deviations of the triangles will render the drawing ineffective. To create a seal for the letterhead they must have the real object with them.”

  Andy was getting impatient and just wanted to know the next step. He interrupted his dad “What should I do now?”. Although he was 32 years old, he sounded like a child before his father."

  “Just don't do anything. These people are making the move, so let them do it. Do not open the artefact, just in case they come looking for it. Keep the channel of communication open.” Advised Ted.

  CHAPTER 41

  Walking back into the office, Andy bumps into Omar.

  “Hello! Welcome back,” he exclaimed with a big smile.

  Omar, despite being the owner of the company, preferred to be addressed by his first name and did not maintain power distance.

  “How are you doing?” enquired Andy. He picked up a box of Fortune Cookies and a metal statue of Buddha from his desk. He handed over to Omar. “Something for you from Hong Kong.”

  “Thanks. Come into my office and tell me about your vacation.”

  30 minutes later, Omar was still talking about his adventures in Hong Kong.

  He was well travelled and had been to most of the famous tourist destinations around the world. It was his dream to retire and pursue his wanderlust and meet new people and experience various cultures.

  The phone rang at Omar’s desk. Andy used this opportunity to excuse himself.

  As Andy stood up to leave, Omar instructed to meet him later in the day, along with Tony.

  Stepping out of Omar’s office, Andy was pushed and tripped. Bracing himself against the wall, he saw Mary, his co-worker giggling.

  Mary was a 23-year-old management graduate and this was her first full-time job. She was a quick learner and had a perfect balance of motivation and reliability. She was keen to climb up the corporate ladder but was also willing to wait for her time to come. She has graduated from a top university in Wales and interned for a couple of months in London before she was lured by her friend who was living it up in Dubai. The sun, sand and beaches were too difficult to resist for someone of her age. Soon she packed her bags and landed in Dubai. But with no prior experience, she was struggling to find work.

  At a time, when she was almost ready to give up and return to London, she received a call for an interview with Andy. During the selection process, Andy noticed that she was very sharp, highly motived and self-driven. He hired her right away and asked her to start the next day. She felt greatly indebted to him for having given her the opportunity and believing in her.

  During onboarding, Andy was open about his memory problem. From that moment on, she made sure that Andy never forgot anything. Mary would call him before important meetings and SMS the day before. It was not part of her job but, she did it as a friend.

  “Lucky, I didn't have coffee in my hand,” quipped Andy.

  “How was your trip?" asked Mary.

  “What happened?” she demanded. “No calls or messages? I know you were on vacation but weren’t you supposed to be back in town last week?”

  “Sorry, I was busy with some domestic stuff,” replied Andy.

  “I don't believe a word. You're up to something and I'll find out soon.” chided Mary.

  Andy casually enquired her about his mails, calls and posts to check if she knew about the artefact. He breathed easy, as he noticed nothing was amiss.

  Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder. It was Antony Williams, Tony to his friends and colleagues. He is a 56-year-old chubby and jovial guy. For the past 6 months, he has been trying to lose his belly fat but was equally working on the beer. He was advised to take up yoga but found it hard getting into the various poses. He then hit the gym with a personal trainer. After three months, the trainer quit saying, “If you are going to sneak out for a burger and beer every day, I can't help you.”

  “Hello Andy, how are you doing? No emails or calls. Look like you had a good holiday?” Jibed Tony.

  After Andy ran through his trip details and informed him that Omar wanted to meet them in his office.

  “Oh, it must be about the event in London next week,” said Anthony.

  “Next week!” shouted Andy in disbelief.

  “It’s the Annual Technology week in London, and we are participating in the Expo and conference. Don't fret my friend. A media company is taking care of the preparations. So, pack your bags as we are both flying to London next week!” enlightened Tony.

  CHAPTER 42

  “What a day?” Andy thought while driving back home. As he was parking, he spotted Cara driving into the garage.

  “Where have you been? I took the kids to the supermarket to get the grocery for the week. Looks like you had a busy day. I didn't get a call from you the whole day, what's up?”

  “It was hectic. I had lots to catch up,” said Andy. “I have to go to London next week for an Expo.”

  “Oh, I love Lond
on. Can I come too?” interrupted Eric.

  “Sorry pal, it's an official trip. Apart from that, your school starts in one week,” replied Andy.

  “Take us along, dad. We will stay at grans and won’t bother you.” pleaded Ava.

  “Tickets are expensive at this time of year. Secondly, you guys just got back from a holiday, and I will be gone all day. So it’s not worth it.” said Andy trying to make sense to the kids.

  “Whatever!” said Eric walking towards the lift.

  Cara smiled, “How did it go? Looks like they were waiting for you.”

  “Yes. It was a surprise. We did not have any plans of participating till last month. But now, suddenly they decided to enrol in both Expo and Conference. Anyways, it's a chance for me to meet up with my mum, dad and of course my cousins. It’s been long.” said Andy, as he picked up the grocery bags and walked towards the lift.

  “So, it's going to be a bachelor party in London, is it?” taunted Cara.

  “Come on we're just the bunch of responsible and well-behaved adults.” Andy teased.

  Cara knew better. Andy’s cousins were responsible men, as far as they were on their own. But when together, they were a wild bunch feeding off each other’s energy. The last time she visited London, Andy and his cousins walked over to the neighbourhood bar and returned after two days. She received a message on her phone at 1 A.M., stating that there are off to visit the Stonehenge in Scotland. The next incident was even stranger. As a newly married couple, they went to visit his cousin Timothy in the Midlands. After travelling for nearly 2 hours by train, they got off at a small village much before their destination. Timothy was waiting outside the train station with the minivan he had rented for the day. They set off to a local restaurant where the beer was supposed to be excellent. They had got off the train just for a glass of a beer! Cara was livid and didn’t speak a word till she reached Timothy’s house.

  Cara always wondered what dark secrets they shared with each other. But she stayed clear of wanting to know hearing stories of their ex-girlfriends and crazy party life that may upset her. Jerry and Ryan had enjoyed their bachelor status and were in no hurry to get hitched. However, Jerry had recently announced that he will be tying the knot next year. He was dating Debbie for the past few months and everyone in the family was surprised and happy that he has finally decided to get married. The wedding was to be held in London and the family had already started preparing for it.

  CHAPTER 43

  Andy got himself a cup of coffee and went into his study. His mind was pre-occupied about his trip to London. He had almost forgotten about the artefact. His cell phone rang by his desk. He answered it.

  “Good evening”, said an excited voice. “It’s Julius from Tenor Jewellers."

  “Good evening Julius, hope you are well?” answered Andy.

  “I will be inserting the script on Saturday. So, you can pick up the Taweez anytime on Sunday,” informed Julius.

  “Why Saturday?” asked Andy.

  “Well, it is based on the planetary movements. Every script has a particular day and time of inception. The energy present during the time helps the script,” replied Julius.

  “Thank you, I will collect it on Sunday,” said Andy and hung up. Andy had a busy week ahead of him. He had to arrange for his passport to be renewed, meet clients, pay the school fees for the next term, renew his domestic help’s visa, the list was endless. “Dad!” Ava's voice interrupted his train of thought.

  “You have a call.”

  Andy was so pre-occupied with the task at hand that he had not heard the phone ring.

  “I think it’s the same man who called you from Hong Kong,” whispered Ava.

  Before answering the phone, he looked at the log. It said "private." They must be using a calling card or a computer with the VPN he thought.

  “Hello, Andrew. It’s Tsang, how are you?” he asked politely.

  “I am doing well,” replied Andy.

  “Hope you received the letter?”

  “What is the meaning of all this?” enquired Andy.

  “Everything will be revealed soon. There is danger all around and you must be careful,” warned Tsang.

  Andy wanted to ask Tsang about the contents of the canister. Before he could ask, Tsang said, “I will be in touch. Use a UV light pen on the letter you received."

  The phone went dead before he could react.

  CHAPTER 44

  Andy took out the letter and placed it on the table. There was nothing on the page except the words-“We know, you know”.

  He switched on his computer and googled-“UV Light Pen”. These were used by security companies to mark objects. When written using these pens, the writings are not visible to the naked eye. But when exposed to the UV light they seem to appear. Now that's a nice way to send the secret message, thought Andy.

  But where do I get a UV light pen?

  He got out of the house before anyone noticed and drove down to the local store. Scanning through the stationary section, he found a yellow pen with the UV light on top. Excited, he returned home. Cara spotted him heading towards the bedroom “Where were you? I called you on your mobile, but you had left your phone at the desk.” Before Andy could answer, Ava jumped in “Dad was it the same guy who called you last time from Hong Kong."

  Cara's face turned red with anger.

  “Thanks for that Ava. Your timing is perfect.”

  “What did he say?” she continued ignoring Andy’s comments.

  Andy was contemplating if he should share more information with the kids.

  They cannot be trusted to keep this a secret. Their school opens in a weeks and Eric was sure to discuss it with his friends. He had a weeks to make them forget the whole episode.

  “I just went to fill petrol,” said Andy trying to deviate from the topic.

  “What did the guy on the phone want?” asked Cara.

  Andy pulling Cara over to the bedroom told her what had transpired and pulled the letter from his pocket. She was visibly shaken.

  “When were you planning to tell me this?”

  “Look. I understand the whole episode is exciting, but you have a family to take care. I will throw that object out. I don't care what happens.”

  Andy was not listening. He was shining the UV light on the letter but nothing appeared. He tried it again, but there were no signs of a message. Maybe I am missing something. He slowly ran the beam of light through the entire paper with no luck. He repeated the same on the other side of the paper.

  “What am I missing?” he uttered in frustration.

  “I guess you got the wrong light,” added Cara.

  “No this is it. I researched,” confirmed Andy.

  “What did he tell you exactly?” asked Cara.

  “Tsang asked me to use the UV light on the letter. Wait a second. Andy bolted to the bathroom and was about to dip the letter in water when Cara asked him to stop.

  “What are you doing? Let's take a copy of the letter first. Just in case, you destroy it.”

  Cara carefully took a photo of the letter and then made a copy. Andy opened the tap and soaked the letter in water. He went to study table and beamed the UV light on it. At the first there was nothing but then a drawing started to appear Cara stepped back and quivered as the picture started to unfold.

  “It’s a map!” she yelled.

  CHAPTER 45

  “Unbelievable!” murmured Cara.

  “Evidently, there is an acid layer on the paper. When the water falls on it, the picture becomes visible under the UV light and once it dries the picture disappears. They have gone to a large extent to hide this map. Let me take a photo.” said Cara.

  “It’s a map alright. But, I can't recognise any of the writings on the map. I think it’s the same language on the artefact,” added Andy looking keenly at the map.

  “You are right,” said Cara looking at the writing on the map.

  “Get the artefact, and we can verify it.” said And
y.

  Cara went over to the store room and bought the canister.

  “That’s weird,” she quipped. “It wasn’t glowing when I found it but now, I can see it lighting up."

  “Maybe it works with touch or friction or just movement,” Andy offered his analysis.

  “Like glow sticks that glow in the dark when you shake them?” clarified Cara.

  “Yes, but Julius had told me that he had heard of a metal that glows and I believe it came from space.”

  Cara looked at him in amazement. “Just what else have you discussed with him?”

  “General stuff. Nothing specific about the artefact. The old man likes to share his knowledge,” replied Andy.

  Looking at the alphabets, they could see the similarity between the two.

  “Ok, it’s the same script, but how to find out its name? Do you know any language expert?” asked Cara.

  “We have hit a roadblock again. I hope this is not a place we have to go. That will be crazy. I can’t figure out the country but I can tell you this is not a general reference map. It’s a topography map. Look at the mountainous regions, the curve here looks like a river and I guess this cut is some kind of a pass,” explained Andy.