Benito looked away. ‘No.’
She had the sudden urge to hug him, but instead she nodded. Further along the walkway, she could see Nasira returning from her little recon. Beyond her, three silhouettes in the distance trekked the maintenance walkway without torches, accustomed to the night. The middle silhouette seemed significantly taller than the others. A tiny glowing ember moved with it: the tip of a cigarette.
‘Welcome to Williamsburg Bridge,’ the Akhana leader said as he approached.
He peered over Sophia’s shoulder, which was easy to do since he was about six foot eight, and nodded at Nasira and Benito. ‘My name is Owen Freeman,’ he said.
He looked about fifty-five. He had a long, gentle face with creases that ran deep into stubble, and a shock of gray hair that curled ever so slightly; the kind of style men half his age would spend an hour trying to achieve, and he got simply by climbing out of bed.
Freeman shook Sophia’s hand, his grip as strong as his Australian accent. ‘It’s an honor to meet you.’
‘I wish that were so,’ Sophia said. She eyed Freeman’s two companions. They wore concealed pistols and black sneakers. ‘I was hoping you’d have pharmacologists who could make an antidote for the Chimera vector.’
‘They’re having a closer look now.’ Freeman drew on his cigarette. ‘But my understanding is they should be able to develop a blocker that inhibits the effects of the anti-psychopath Chimera vector. I’ll keep you informed with an estimated completion time.’
‘Thank you,’ Sophia said.
‘We can utilize the Akhana bases around the world to manufacture the antidote,’ Freeman said. He drew on his cigarette again and paused to look down at the rush of cars below. ‘The best method of distribution would be directly to hospitals in every affected region. As we exhaust our own supply, we can hand over manufacturing to companies who can produce it on a larger scale for the entire planet.’
‘Good,’ Sophia said.
She checked their perimeter and noticed two more silhouettes.
Freeman’s wispy gray eyebrows pressed together. He looked like he was trying to evaluate her guilt, which annoyed her.
‘We stopped the majority of the Chimera vector releases,’ he said. ‘And we should be able to limit further fatalities with the inhibiter as soon as we can release it. Thanks to you.’
‘I started this mess; the least I can do is help patch it up,’ she said.
Freeman nodded to the new silhouettes. Sophia didn’t have to look; she already knew who they were.
‘What’s up?’ Jay said.
‘Damien, Jay, this is Owen Freeman. Leader of the Akhana.’
Freeman laughed. ‘Not really a leader. Just the founder.’
He turned to Sophia. ‘Destroying the Fifth Column is all I’ve cared about for so long. I spent thirty-five years waiting to destroy them with the Chimera vector. Waiting for this moment.’ He looked down at his half-smoked cigarette as though it might hold the answers. ‘But you see, it’s not my moment. It’s yours. And besides, I’m too old for this shit.’
Sophia didn’t know what to say. ‘It’s been a long day.’
Freeman nodded. He handed her two envelopes thick with tightly rolled US notes. ‘This is the payment you promised Damien and Jay. Bank details are enclosed, but there’s also 10,000 in cash each. Small notes for your convenience.’
And with that, he nodded to Sophia and disappeared back into the shadows.
Sophia held the envelopes out to Damien and Jay. ‘Good to see you made it.’
Jay took both envelopes and handed one to Damien. ‘Thanks for coming back for us, getting us out of that place.’
He checked his envelope and seemed satisfied by its contents.
‘There’s a place for you here, you know,’ Sophia said.
‘Thanks,’ Damien said. ‘But I think we need to find our own place.’
They exchanged a moonlit smile, however brief, before Damien and Jay turned and left the way they’d come.
Sophia slapped her arm. Something had bitten her. Looking down, she found a squashed mosquito. She brushed it away.
In its wake, a ribbon of blood.
In order to awaken, first of all one must realize that one is in a state of sleep. And in order to realize that one is indeed in a state of sleep, one must recognize and fully understand the nature of the forces which operate to keep one in the state of sleep, or hypnosis. It is absurd to think that this can be done by seeking information from the very source which induces the hypnosis.
… One thing alone is certain, that man’s slavery grows and increases. Man is becoming a willing slave. He no longer needs chains. He begins to grow fond of his slavery, to be proud of it. And this is the most terrible thing that can happen to a man.
— George Ivanovich Gurdjieff
About the Author
Nathan Farrugia served in the Australian Army in infantry and reconnaissance, and studied film, television and professional writing. He worked as a post-production video editor, colorist and copywriter, where he earned the nickname Fagoogoo because no one could pronounce Farrugia.
Nathan lives in Melbourne, Australia. In his spare time he discovers hidden places around the world with urban explorers, practices lock picking and escaping from plasticuffs and straitjackets (you never know when that will come in handy, right?) and studies Systema, a little-known Russian martial art and closely guarded secret of the Spetsnaz special forces. He also drinks tea.
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Document creation date: 21.7.2013
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The Chimera Vector tfc-1 Page 39