2084 The End of Days

by Derek Beaugarde

  “Ma name is Lex. Ah am an alcoholic…”

  It had been traumatic for Lex. He had a murder rap hanging over him and he had been barred from attending Marna’s funeral. Lex desperately wanted a drink. But he had not touched a drop since waking up that Friday morning after the bender in Avondale. His third problem was his job at Houston Control. Lex had phoned to advise Irene DuPré about the ongoing joint police investigation by the Houston and Dallas PDs. The police had already been in touch with her for background reports on Lex. He admitted his other problem to Irene.

  “Irene, ah guess ya know ah’ve got a pretty bad drink problem?”

  His boss sounded pretty sympathetic on the telephone.

  “Ah had ma concerns, Lex. Ah was gonna discuss it with you –“

  “Well, ah’ve joined AA, Irene. Ah am dealing with it now.”

  Irene advised him gently that she had no option but to suspend him from work, albeit on full pay, because he was still the subject of the police investigation and a recovering alcoholic. His job at Houston Control required his full attention because of the detailed and complex safety aspects of his role. Irene told him that the cloud of suspicion did not allow Lex to give his job that full attention. She also advised him to use the time off wisely and get on top of his alcoholism. Irene finished the call almost pleadingly.

  “Lex! Ah just hope you didn’t kill Marna? She was such a great gal.”

  As Lex sat in the lounge of his now tidied up Robindale Drive house that evening he was hoping over and over again that he had not shot his wife Marna in that park in Dallas. He tried to convince himself that he just did not have it in him to do such a terrible thing. He had wanted Marna back. He did not want her dead. Suddenly, Lex was startled as his doorbell rang shrilly. Lex looked at the wall clock. A quarter to nine. It must be Magruder and Madsen again at this time of night. Maybe they are going to charge me this time, thought Kosloff. Lex opened his front door and it took him a moment to recognise the man that was standing there.

  “Lennart?”

  It was Marna’s uncle. Lennart Nilstrom was the brother of Marna’s father Lars. He stood there in the cool evening in a black overcoat, black leather gloves and carrying a small overnight bag. Lennart spoke quite brusquely.

  “Well, Lex, ain’t ya gonna let me in. Ah’m freezin’ ma nuts off out here!”

  Lex stood back in surprise and Lennart brushed past him and settled himself into the lounge area. As Lennart took off his overcoat and laid down his bag Lex quizzed him.

  “Lennart, what are ya doin’ here – ah wasn’t expectin’ you?”

  Lennart sat on Lex’s favourite recliner and swivelled around to face him. Lennart appeared calm and relaxed. Lex tried to assess if Lennart was masking his anger towards him over Marna’s death.

  “My brother Lars asked me to fly down and pick up some of Marna’s things, Lex. I believe that there are some jewellery pieces which Marna’s mother – Freda - had given her. Freda would like them back. Lars has also asked me to get a copy of Marna’s Will –“

  Lex stared at Lennart with a perplexed look on his face.

  “Why didn’t Lars try to call me about this, Lennart?”

  Lennart shook his head slowly, but still calmly.

  “Look, Lex, Lars is real sore with ya at the moment. He can’t rightly talk to ya. We know ya ain’t been charged by the cops so far – and, hey, Lex, maybe ya didn’t do it. Ah ain’t sayin’ that ya did. But the way Lars and Freda are lookin’ at it, if Marna hadn’t left ya and come up ta Dallas, then she would still be alive.”

  Lex was irritated by Lennart’s response.

  “So, basically, the way Lars and Freda are lookin’ at it, ah’m damned if ah did do it and ah’m also damned if ah didn’t!”

  Lennart shrugged his shoulders.

  “Looks that way, Lex, you’ll have ta give them some space – give them a bit a time. Ah do hate ta ask ya – but did ya do it, Lex, ya know - kill Marna?”

  Lex bowed his head and shook it slowly.

  “To tell ya the truth, Lennart, ah don’t rightly know – but ah feel in ma heart that ah just couldn’t kill Marna. God, Lennart, ah loved Marna – ah still do. It damn near broke ma heart that ah couldn’t be at her funeral.”

  Lennart stood up and faced Lex.

  “Ah don’t think it right that ah stay here tonight, Lex. Ah’ve booked into the Robindale Ramada for the night. So if you’re happy to give me the jewellery and a copy of the Will for Lars and Freda, ah can get out a’ your hair – or if ya wanna think about it ah could come back in the mornin’?”

  “No – no problem, Lennart. Ah’m happy for Freda to get back her jewellery. Ah can also give them a copy of the Will. Ah know it probably don’t look good. Ah believe ah am the main beneficiary, although ah think she has left some money to her parents and her sister Ida. The stuff’s in the bedroom. If you stick that copier on by my computer, ah’ll go an’ get it.”

  Before Lex turned to head for the bedroom he just watched to make sure that Lennart knew how to put on the printer / copier. He could see that Lennart knew what he was doing and he walked towards the bedroom. Absentmindedly, it struck Kosloff that Lennart had not taken off his gloves. In the bedroom he began taking out the various pieces of jewellery to give to Lennart, which had belonged to Marna’s mother and grandmother from his wife’s jewel box on the antique dresser. He also found Marna’s Will in the top drawer of the dresser lying beside his own Will. Lennart had popped his head in the open door.

  “That’s the copier ready, Lex – have ya got everythin’?”

  Lex looked at the open jewel box double-checking for anything that he had missed.

  “Ah think so, Lennart.”

  “Freda specially asked for that antique Victorian diamond necklace, which was a favourite family piece. Have ya got that, Lex?”

  Lex scratched his head.

  “Jeez, ah forgot that – where the hell did we keep that?”

  Lennart still with his head stuck in around the door pointed to the other side of the king-sized bed.

  “Try the top drawer of your bedside locker, Lex.”

  “Oh, yeah, that’s right Lennart – wait an’ ah’ll just get it –“

  Lex started walking towards the locker and his mind started swirling. He was troubled about what Lennart just said. Lex frowned and as he spoke he started swivelling his head towards Marna’s uncle.

  “Lennart, how could ya possibly know that -?”

  Lex stared at Lennart, now standing inside the bedroom. Lennart had his gloved right hand raised and he was holding a small modern steel automatic handgun. Paradoxically, Lex was thinking more about his old Walther, which he had kept in that same drawer beside the diamond necklace. A slow dawning was beginning to creep into Lex’s mind. He quickly glanced sideways towards the drawer and a dawning came over him.

  “Jesus Christ, Lennart, it was you! You killed Marna – but why?”

  Lennart waved the gun threateningly at Lex indicating for him to come back into the lounge area. Lex sat down stunned as Lennart continued, still talking quite calmly.

  “It’s a long sad story, Lex, which we probably don’t have time for. You see ah thought that ah had done everythin’ right, so that the cops would have ya in the frame for killin’ Marna. The note ya left under the sofa there was a gift. Your gun too – ya see Marna had blindly threatened ta kill me. Ah don’t really think she meant it but she inadvertently let it slip where your Walther was kept. Ah got in here ta get it – by the way, your security is shit, Lex – and that’s when ah seen the family necklace. The black hooker in Avondale – that was possibly not my best idea –“

  Lex stuttered manically, trying desperately to keep up with what he was hearing.

  “The h-h-hooker – that was y-you -?”

  “Ah’m afraid so, Lex. Ah paid her two thousand bucks to
get ya so drunk an’ drugged so that ya wouldn’t remember where, when or what ya had been up ta. But ah’m guessin’ she got greedy and took your bank cards – ah’m ah right?”

  “The cops think so – they’re still investigatin’ that, Lennart. Was her name C-Cupie or somethin’…?”

  Lennart shook his head, still holding his gun at Lex, but no longer just as calm as before.

  “Cupola Dome – what kinda dumb name is that! And as for the cops – well if they keep lookin’ for that thievin’ bitch then she could lead them back to me – and we don’t want that, Lex, do we?”

  “But if ya k-kill me, Lennart, then it could still lead back ta you.”

  “Oh, ah ain’t gonna kill you, Lex. You are gonna do that yourself – well sorta. Read that -!”

  Lennart had pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to the stunned Kosloff.

  “READ IT!”

  Lex read the typed words on the sheet.

  Dear Marna,

  Reading your Will and thinking about all your money for which I killed you has brought all that terrible day in Fair Park back to me. I find that I just cannot go on living with the crushing guilt. I ask Lars and Freda to forgive me for taking you away and I have decided that I want to be beside you my love.

  Lex looked up with moistened eyes at Lennart, who waved the gun at the sheet.

  “Ah want you ta sign that confession, Lex. Don’t worry about havin’ ta shoot yourself – ah can manage that for ya. So sign the damn note an’ throw it on the floor with the Will and the jewels, Lex, an’ ah’ll be outta here an’ get back down ta Dallas.”

  A steely resolve welled up inside Lex.

  “Ah ain’t gonna sign that thing – you murdered ma lovely wife you bastard an’ ain’t gonna take the fall for it!”

  Lennart was now becoming agitated and angry, pointing and stabbing the gun at the seated Kosloff.

  “LEX – you sign that fuckin’ suicide note or God help me ah’ll blow your fuckin’ head clean off!”

  Lex tossed the unsigned note, the Will and the jewels onto the floor.

  “Kill me if ya like you bastard. Ah don’t give a shit – ah’ve been a dead man walkin’ for weeks now anyway. Ya might even be doin’ me a favour!”

  Just as Lex finished speaking the large frightening wail of a siren startled both men. A distorted voice emanated from a megaphone.

  “HOUSTON POLICE – EVERYONE INSIDE COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!!”

  Blaring sirens and flashing lights outside the window distracted the fearful looking Nilstrom. Lex jumped out of his seat and lunged at Lennart, grabbing for the gun. A flash and blast came out the gun and Lex collapsed in pain. The last thing that he heard was a crash of metal on wood. A SWAT team had used a battering ram to smash in the door and armed police in body armour flooded into the lounge. Someone in uniform screamed.

  “LENNART NILSTROM – PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPON!”

  Nilstrom swivelled round and aimed the smoking gun at the SWAT team surrounding him. He was brought down with a bullet to his right shoulder and another in his left thigh.

  *

  Earthdate: 04:02 Tuesday February 18, 2081 GMT

  Prime Minister John Ralston had barely heard Big Ben chime four times as he sat alone and still half-asleep in his private office in 10 Downing Street. He poured himself another cup of strong thick black coffee as he awaited the secure conference call to come through. He had been briefed that it would only be himself, President Josh Trueman, UN Secretary-General Ravinder Gupta-Chaudry and Israeli Prime Minister Moshi Shalomon in conference. His Personal Private Secretary, Julian Farnham-Browne, did not know what the subject matter was about. Only that it was of the utmost importance to national – and global - security. As Ralston sipped the lukewarm coffee he thought the call was most likely to be an update on the Windsor bombing. Maybe the Israelis have discovered a link to Suleiman and the LOIN, he thought, absentmindedly. The monitor in front of him started flashing and he activated the conference call by using the key on the touch screen. The faces of the four men appeared simultaneously on the screen via their webcams. Ralston covered his mouth as he yawned widely.

  “Apologies, gentlemen, I was dragged out of my bed at three thirty and I am still trying to waken up. Am I right in guessing that this has something to do with the recent act of terrorism on British soil?”

  The US President spoke first.

  “Yore way off beam, John - ah only wish it was as mundane as that –“

  Ralston shook himself wide awake at President Trueman’s statement and interjected with some surprise.

  “For God’s sake, Josh, British royalty and our subjects being blown to bits on the streets of England is hardly mundane!”

  Gupta-Chaudry intervened in mediatory tones.

  “John, you must listen to what President Trueman is about to tell you. He is not trying to minimise the Windsor massacre. It was truly terrible, but what you are about to hear is much more terrifying –“

  Moshi Shalomon also pitched in.

  “Prime Minister, I would advise you that we must all remain quiet and just let Josh speak.”

  John Ralston had a terrible thought.

  “Oh, God, we are not talking about all-out war with the LOIN states here are we?”

  Trueman was beginning to get irritated at not being able to make his pitch.

  “Fuckin’ hell, John, it’s nothin’ like that – are you gonna let me tell ya or do ya just wanna play Charades?”

  “Apologies, Josh, please carry on.”

  Ralston watched on his webcam as Trueman looked down, probably at his briefing notes, mentally preparing himself for what he was about to say.

  “Gentlemen, ah have to discuss with you tonight the gravest matter ever to face mankind. Let me tell you what ah know, which is still sketchy, and then ah can take any questions after ah have spoken. It appears from information gathered by my NASA team and Moshi’s guys at INSACC in Tel Aviv that a new comet – apparently they have named it, um, Schenkler HMM2 – has entered the solar system and it is heading our way. Now, as I have said, the info ah’m gettin’ is still sketchy – but, ah, it appears from the options being developed on computer models by the astro-guys that there are two key scenarios. Option A is a near miss with the tail of the comet causing widespread destruction across the face of the Earth. Option B – which, gentlemen, is being given a 75% probability rating at present – is a head-on collision with Earth in 2084 and ah am bein’ told that it means the total destruction of our planet – completely vaporised apparently. Do you have any questions, gentlemen?“

  There was a stunned silence, with each of the leaders experiencing a nauseous knot tighten in their stomachs. Ralston’s immediate thoughts were not for mankind at all but for his wife and two children sleeping soundly and safely – or maybe not so safely – upstairs in 10 Downing Street. Finally, he broke the silence.

  “My God, Josh, can this be true? I mean to say – what can we do about it?”

  “Well, look here, John, as ah’ve said – things are still very sketchy. Ah was only given this info a short time ago. Obviously, we need to look at the two key scenarios in detail and come up with plans as to how we are gonna tackle them. Jeez, gentlemen - the whole goddam future of mankind has just been bestowed upon us here! But really, our first problem is how to communicate this to our peoples in an orderly manner. Christ, there could be mass panic out there, the whole fuckin’ system could break down – mankind could topple like a house of cards – anarchy, war, famine, economic and infrastructural collapse –“

  Gupta-Chaudry spoke trying to remain calm although his stomach was churning. All he could think of was how he could get home to India to see his family.

  “Josh, when did you say this comet would arrive and when would we be certain whether we would be looking at option A or option B?”

 
“Um, eh, yeah good question Ravinder – ah believe that – um, ah don’t have the exact date in front of me – but ah think some time towards the end of May 2084 is when this Schenkler thing gets here. As far as the A / B scenario goes, um, my guys tell me they will be 100% certain when this thing passes Jupiter, ah believe sometime late next year. Somethin’ to do with the gravitational pull of Jupiter apparently –“

  John Ralston fired in a question.

  “Josh, to what extent is this information known in the wider community?”

  “Well, John, from what we can see there is no ongoing internet traffic on this info and no garble on the wires about it that we have detected. So, apart from our very tight circle and the NASA and Israeli Nimrod teams the world is yet to fully discover all about Schenkler HMM2.”

  Ralston thought for a moment and then replied.

  “If this sensitive information is not out there as yet, then I would suggest a drip feed approach to this in order to do a damage limitation exercise, Josh.”

  “Exactly – that is what ah had in mind, John. What ah would propose, gentlemen, is that we prepare a joint statement basically on the basis of option A only at this point in time – the near Earth miss option – and that we are preparing contingency plans, etcetera. We also put in motion behind the scenes – planning for the worst-case scenario option B. We keep a close eye on Intel traffic to determine whether the world is waking up to that Armageddon scenario and prepare to put it out world-wide at that time. Ah would also suggest an emergency in-camera session of the Security Council, Ravinder? All agreed -?”