“Reese, you mentioned that wisdom is a balance. In your opinion, a balance between intelligence and what? Compassion? Emotion?”
“Reality. Pure intelligence has a way of proceeding without regard for reality. That’s how scientists get so far afield, announcing they’ve proved the existence of something or other, but when you read the proof, you discover it requires the presence of nineteen dimensions. Never mind the fact that none of us can observe more than three dimensions, and none of them can explain what those other dimensions might be.”
“Isn’t that the beauty of abstract reasoning? Wouldn’t adhering too closely to reality result in the hampering of creativity?”
“You’re right, of course. The ability to see beyond the obvious, to perceive and understand the hidden, is a cornerstone of intelligence. However, there is a difference between not being a slave to reality and discarding it completely.”
“So, it is your wish for scientists to appoint themselves the arbiters of what the rest of mankind is capable of handling? Isn’t that the very hubristic mentality which you rail against?”
“What I rail against are the people who want to decide, for me, how I should live my life. In most cases they want to protect me from my own decisions. There is a huge difference between informing me that…I don’t know…trans fats are bad for me and the act of actually banning trans fats.”
“Perhaps,” said Elohim, with the slight smile returning, “you are actually underestimating their grasp of human nature? On one hand, you claim they are being irresponsible for creating trans fat in their laboratory and releasing it upon an unsuspecting public without being accountable for its impact. On the other hand, when scientists attempt to undo the damage they’ve done by working to remove their invention from the marketplace, you accuse them of being patriarchal and dictatorial. Reese, admit it, you simply resent being treated the same, lumped into the same group as the masses.”
Reese’s jaw clenched and unclenched repeatedly for a few moments. He had not realized how passionate he had become on this topic. “You’re saying I’m an intellectual snob?”
“Aren’t you?”
“No! Well, yes! It’s not that simple.”
“Explain it to me, Reese. I believe I am capable of understanding.”
Reese struggled to crystallize his thoughts, finally saying, “There is a difference. I mean, I said earlier that it’s bad for a parent to place a gun into the hands of a child. It isn’t bad to place one into the hands of an intelligent, mature adult. I guess a lot of the efforts to control our lives are a result of the mishandling and abuse of those technologies by the dopes.”
“The rules of society have always been constructed to manage and protect the lowest common denominator.”
“I guess You’re right. I do resent being protected from myself because of the idiocy of others.”
“And you’ve suffered from that your whole life.”
“I have.”
“If you were the ruler, what would you do? Would you remove the invasive protections which you find so repugnant, allowing the ‘dopes,’ to use your word, to maim and destroy themselves and others? And, if so, would you then not be equally guilty of a failure to acknowledge the reality of human nature? For the people who do not require their pill bottles to be equipped with child-proof caps because they would be conscientious enough to store the bottle away from the reach of children, there are others who would allow their children to use the pill bottles as toys. Even if your argument would be, and I know it is not, that natural selection should be allowed to proceed within your society, thereby eliminating the parents who would allow children to play with the pill bottle, it would not be the parents who die from the overdose, but the children. And you know, more than most, that one of those children could very easily possess the fruitful combination of genetics to rise above his or her parents one day.”
“As I said, it isn’t that simple,” Reese maintained, this time with less passion.
“Reese, more than any other time in your life, your defining moment was at the Awakening of the Spirit Camp. Ironically, it was there you discovered the true power of your mind. And you discovered how superior you were to most others. As you saw not only how easily they were swayed by Reverend Hawk, but also how easily you were able to turn them against him, your contempt for them was inevitable.”
“You know…well, of course You know, as I was reprogramming them, I realized I could have gotten them to kill him. I was a teenager, for Pete’s sake, and I could have manipulated them to commit murder.”
Reese’s eyes gazed into the distance. A deep, troubling expression clouded his face. In a soft, nearly inaudible voice, he said, “God, I hated them. I hated them for their softness. I hated them for their willingness to hand over control of their lives to him and then to me. I hated them for their stupidity.”
“I know.”
“There were several times when I nearly took Claire and just left, leaving them to their moronic leader and his moronic teachings. I almost left them behind, not caring about the abuse and exploitation. They were so willing and eager to be abused and exploited, I nearly convinced myself that they deserved it.”
“But you didn’t. You didn’t leave. You didn’t abandon them. I explained earlier, a thought is not an offense; it is not a sin. Do not blame yourself for your thoughts.”
“I did more than think it. I planned it, out loud, with Claire. I went through the conscious process of turning the thought into words.”
“You shared your thoughts only with Claire. Sharing thoughts with your true mate is not only an exception to the rule, it is a necessity if the relationship is to be ideal. The fact remains that you did not act upon the urge.”
Reese finally looked back at Elohim. “May I ask You a question?”
Elohim gazed intently back at Reese and said, “The answer to your unspoken question is ‘no.’ Not a single person whom you saved from the camp today bears my mark.”
Reese looked down at the table and said nothing.
“Do you feel vindicated?” Elohim asked.
“Actually, no,” replied Reese. “I always hoped at least one person from that group would have been….”
“Worth saving?”
“I suppose.”
“My child, they were all worth saving in their own way. If it is any comfort to you, some of them have done very good things. Two of them have each produced offspring who do bear the mark. One of those two was given the name Reese.”
Reese leaned far back in his chair, tilting it away from the table while rubbing his face vigorously.
Elohim continued, “The farmer does not know, when he spreads his seed, which eventually will produce the sweetest fruit. You saved them all because you had no way of knowing which would be the best. Furthermore, the enormous feat itself, saving them all, inspired the few to go farther than they may have gone without that inspiration.”
Leaning forward, dropping his chair back onto all four legs, Reese said, “We’ve come a long way this morning from our original discussion. I believe we digressed when You asked me to define the most important attribute of a deity. My question remains. Why not eradicate the evil from Earth, at least the group responsible for the killings? Why not level the playing field for the time after You leave?”
Elohim looked sad. Pausing briefly, he answered, “Would all of the drug safeguards now implemented have occurred if I had not allowed the gross disfiguring of infants from Thalidomide? I could have easily prevented the entire incident. If I had, there would have been others. It was the sheer horror that the drug caused which prompted vast changes in the system. Had the changes not been made, I would have been forced to intervene time and time again, protecting mankind from reckless advances. Repeated intervention does not produce maturity or wisdom; it only postpones them. Just as a spoiled child does not mature, neither does an entire species. To place it on a much more practical level, one that touches each of you on a daily basis, what do yo
u believe would happen if I were to intervene at the moment of impact of every automobile accident in the world, allowing the offending driver to become injured or killed, but saving the innocent victims? Would my actions result in the roadways experiencing more or less collisions?”
“I’m not sure,” Reese replied. “On one hand, the number of bad drivers would be diminished. On the other, people would feel less responsible for their actions. I guess, knowing people as well as I do, there would be an increase.”
“I, too, believe there would be an increase. People who operate a vehicle poorly rarely concern themselves with their own safety. The only measurable effect on drivers is the concern for others. I asked you earlier what the most important trait for a deity would be. Your answer was wisdom, and I certainly cannot find fault with your answer. However, I would suggest another. I believe constancy, certainty, and consistency are critical. There must be a dependability not only in which events I choose to alter but in all of the workings of your world. Without it, the uncertainty of life would be overwhelming. People must know, beyond any doubt, that when they drop an apple, it will fall to the ground. They must also know that when they face a threat, their survival depends upon their own courage, strength, and wits. No hand will come down from above and save them. Without that certainty, there would be no impetus to develop or possess the courage or the strength or the wits. To self-actualize, a person must become self-reliant. To become self-reliant, a person must grasp the absolute certainty, the inevitability of consequences for his or her actions.”
Shaking his head, Reese replied, “I believe I need to give up on changing Your mind in this area. I seem to be spinning my wheels.”
Elohim did not immediately respond. Curious as to why, Reese looked closely at him, seeing the distant flicker in his eyes, the same effect he had noticed before.
“Elohim?”
Elohim did not reply.
“Elohim, are You all right?”
Reese saw the blue eyes return to normal as they seemed to again focus on him.
“Elohim, what is that all about? Do You go somewhere for a moment?”
Elohim, seeming to be re-acclimating himself to his surroundings, answered, “As you know, I receive much input every moment.”
“I’ve always meant to ask You how that works. Is it like having a television on in the background?”
“To use your comparison, it would be like having a billion televisions on in the background.”
Reese whistled softly. “How can You stand it? How can You think?”
“As I told you in our first discussion, it is all written…all saved for me so that I may refer to it at my choosing. Consequently, that frees me to focus on my immediate surroundings, if I wish.”
“So You tune it out?”
“The answer to that is both ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ Perhaps the best way to describe what I do is ‘skim,’ as you would skim a book you are reading. Each thought, word, or deed from the world touches my mind, just as each word on the page is seen by your eyes. It is not until I give a specific source my complete attention that the full details are absorbed. Typically, when I am not interacting with you or the others, it all receives that attention.”
“But something just grabbed Your attention, didn’t it?”
“Yes. There are certain events, deeds, words, or thoughts which capture it regardless of my focus at the time.”
“And this particular one, if I may ask?”
Elohim appeared to be deciding something before he answered. “This particular one was most disquieting.”
“In what way?”
“It seems our enemies are not content with the damage they’ve done.”
“In all of our discussions, You have never once used the word our, only your, as in ‘your society,’ ‘ your problems,’ ‘ your situation.’ Why do You now say ‘our enemies’?”
“Because it is accurate. They are your enemies because they wish you harm. They are mine because they…or at least one of them has eternally been.”
The room suddenly felt colder for Reese. “Are you referring to…?”
“I am. And I am afraid what has transpired thus far is but a prelude.”
Reese felt anger rising within him. Shaking his head, he asked, “Please don’t tell me You can’t, at the very least, warn us, allow us to be prepared, to react.”
Elohim’s face mirrored the anger felt by Reese. “I cannot.”
Chapter Thirty
William Stavros fumed as he slammed the receiver back onto the cradle. “Bastards!” he shouted to himself, frustrated with the turn of events, as he now found himself sitting in a small office within his own headquarters. The room had been stripped of everything, including his computer, filing cabinets, desk, even his telephone. A basic chair, empty desk, and a different telephone had been brought in for his use as the army of FBI agents proceeded to ransack his offices. His first phone call had been to his lawyers, and they were on their way. After completing that call, Stavros had begun calling his contacts: senators, representatives, governors, party leaders, anyone he thought could be of help in calling off this search. He was greeted, at each office he called, by a polite yet firm FBI agent who informed him there was an ongoing investigation occurring at this time, and the senator, or whomever he was calling, should be free to return the call in a few hours.
No one was saying anything. No one would tell him even the reason for the search. But it was obviously a coordinated effort, centering on him and extending to all of his personal and professional contacts. His frustration was compounded by the fact that they took his cell phone which held all of the private and cell phone numbers of some of the most influential of his acquaintances. That left Stavros no option but to use directory assistance and call the public lines of their offices like some plebeian jerk. He continued reassuring himself that there would be hell to pay when he finally reconnected with his people.
The door to the small office opened, and Davis Bean and Jill Handleman hurriedly entered. “It’s about goddamned time you got here!” Stavros shouted at them.
Bean was a tall, slender black man, who had played basketball at Duke University while obtaining his law degree. He responded first, “We got here as quickly as possible, Mr. Stavros, and felt that determining the cause for this warrant took precedence over greeting you.”
Stavros calmed slightly. “You talked to them? Why is this happening?”
The FBI agents had only put one chair in the room, so Bean and Handleman both stood. It was Handleman who answered, “Apparently, they have evidence linking you to the Times Square attack.” She had deliberately phrased her statement bluntly, hoping for a revealing reaction. As a criminal litigation specialist, she had learned years earlier that many clients do not always share the truth with their attorneys. Her ploy had worked. Rather than the explosion of outrage expected from an innocent man accused of such an atrocity, Stavros fell momentarily quiet, his face reddening and his jaw visibly tightening. When he did speak, it was in a low, controlled tone.
“What do they have?”
If there was any doubt in either of their minds that their client was involved, that doubt was wiped away by his question. Jill answered, “We don’t know yet. Phil Butterrick, from our office, is here and waiting to speak with Assistant Director Jackson. She may be more forthcoming.”
Handleman glanced over to share a meaningful look with Davis, who asked Stavros, “Is there anything you’d like to tell us?”
Bean had dealt with Stavros often enough to expect an emotional response, an outburst, a tirade, a string of insulting comments. Instead, he watched as his client dropped his face into his cupped hands and muttered, “He set me up.”
א
Margo Jackson had ensconced herself within William Stavros’ massive chair, staring at the array of flat-panel screens. Two computer technicians from Fort Detrick were methodically working on Stavros’ personal PC as well as his networked unit. Placing herself in his locat
ion of power, she felt his intensity, his drive, his obsession with changing the world. Most people, she reflected, attempted to avoid bad news or, at the very least, minimize its impact upon their lives. Stavros seemed to want to immerse himself in every detail of it.
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