by Jacob Whaler
“Are you kidding?” Eva looks up, incredulous. “I haven’t had tuna for ages. Since I was a little girl.”
Jessica nods. “I know. Wild tuna is pretty much extinct now. Matt loves it, too. Raw. Super expensive. Only comes from large captive tuna ranches in the middle of the ocean.”
“I can’t even remember what it tastes like. My people used to live off the bounty of the seas. Whales. Seals. But that way of life was mostly destroyed a generation ago when the northern sea ice disappeared.” She bends the top of the can back, sticks in the knife and pulls out something long and grey, holding it up for Jessica to see.
The smell is overpowering.
“What is it?”
“Sardines,” Eva says. “At least we still have a few of these left. Not something rich folks have much need for.” After the words come out of her mouth, she pauses and looks at Jessica. “Sorry about that. A little harsh, I suppose.”
“No need to apologize. You’re right.”
Eva’s eyes go to Jessica’s hands. “You’re a pretty tough girl, but I could tell. It’s not your fault you were born into a rich family. The world has changed a lot in my lifetime. The middle class is all but gone. Only rich and poor are left. And, as you can see, we aren’t rich. It must be hard on you, being with people like us. Hopefully, you’ll get used to it.” She plunges the same knife into the other can and opens the top, folding it back.
The smell of peanut butter floods the room.
“I tried my best to hide the fact that my family was rich, but that’s another story. Tell me about your world.” Jessica opens the box of crackers and takes one out. “And the freedom camps and Little John and how Matt fits into all of this.”
“Little John.” Eva speaks the words slowly, shaking her head and chuckling to herself. “A strange man.” She wipes the hunting knife on her sleeve, drops it into the peanut butter and stirs vigorously. “To be honest, I’ve no idea why he found a Stone. He was a worthless drunk before and after finding it. For a long time, he used it to support his bad habits. Mostly gambling and drinking. But none of that really matters. It was Little John who found the Stone and Little John who started having the visions.” She picks up a cracker, spreads peanut butter over it and hands it to Jessica.
“Visions?” Jessica slips it in her mouth, tasting a hint of sardines. “What kind of visions?”
Eva lays a sardine across another cracker. “He began to see people, holy people. If you’re Christian, you might call them angels. A Buddhist monk might call them Dharmakaya. Islam calls them malak. In my tribe, they’re the anernerk. Many words in many cultures.”
“The Allehonen,” Jessica says.
Eva nods as the cracker slides into her mouth. “Little John used that name. Not often, and only in the presence of his most trusted followers. Has Matt spoken of them to you?”
“He’s seen them. Been to their world, walked its streets, talked with them. He knows what they do.” Jessica picks up another cracker and hands it to Eva.
“Peanut butter?” Eva says.
“Yes, please.”
Eva fixes the cracker and holds it out. “And what do the Allehonen do?” She stares forward intently.
“Create.” Jessica takes it and stuffs it in her mouth. “This Earth and many others. Worlds without end. Galaxies. With the power of the Stones.”
“Why do they do it?”
“According to Matt, their motive is joy. Pure and simple. Joy for themselves. Joy for their creations. He said he felt a little of it, but no words can describe it.”
Eva listens intently. “Interesting. Little John never spoke of it. Perhaps he didn’t know.”
As she speaks, the ship tilts sharply downward. The two cans slide to the edge of the table. Eva’s hand jumps out and catches the sardines before they fall to the floor. Jessica grabs the peanut butter. The ship shudders, and a low, deep groan passes through it, almost as though it’s alive.
“We’re diving. Don’t worry.” Eva puts her hand on the wall with a look of affection. “She’s built to go deep. Silent and fast.”
“I’ve talked enough,” Jessica says. “Your turn. Tell me what Little John saw in his visions.”
“Only if you try one of these.” Eva hands her a cracker with a greasy sardine draped diagonally across it.
Jessica pushes it into her mouth and chews thoughtfully. “Not bad. Not good, but not bad.”
“That’s a start. In time you’ll learn to love them as much as I do.” She hoists two dripping brown strips out of the can and drops her head back. They fall neatly off the tip of the knife into her mouth.
Jessica folds her arms on the table and waits.
Eva finishes chewing. “I don’t believe in fate and neither did Little John. But he saw the future. He said it wasn’t guaranteed, but probable given the trajectory the world is on. That’s how he learned of the Abomination.” She plops a tiny fish on another cracker and hands it to Jessica.
“Abomination.” Jessica looks at the sardine and takes it without protest. “You and the others say the word, but what exactly does it mean?”
“I can’t tell you exactly because I’ve never seen it. But Little John said that Abomination will come in the form of a new technology offered to the masses as a free gift. It will appear harmless and incredibly useful. Elegant and captivating. At first, all people will want it. They’ll crave it. It will cover the Earth like a plague.” Eva pauses, dropping her head as if in prayer.
“And then what?”
“There will come a dark day when it rises up and steals their souls, their freedom, their individuality. It will make them slaves.”
Jessica scoops out peanut butter with a cracker. “And how will we know what it is and when it’s coming?”
“By the time we know that, it’ll be too late.” Eva nibbles on a cracker. “Little John never saw that part. He only knew that it would come from technology and destroy the world as we know it.”
Jessica nods. “That’s why you have the freedom camps. To get away from technology. To avoid contact with anything that might become Abomination.”
“Right,” Eva says. “The world runs on technology. The Mesh is embedded in everything from toothbrushes to toilets. In most of the world, people talk to each other through jaxes, bluescreens and holos. Little John didn’t know what form Abomination would take, so he taught us to apply the label to all technology. It’s not easy to get away from it. You have to live completely apart from modern society. In camps. It’s the only way to be prepared for the day when Abomination comes.”
“So it almost became like a religion? Avoiding technology.”
“Yes, you could say that.” Eva licks peanut butter off the hunting knife. “We’ve taught our children so well that most of them get sick at the sight of anything made of plastic or metal that glows.”
“Was it necessary to go to that extreme?”
“Only those who are wholly clean of Abomination will be able to fight back.”
“Fight back?” Jessica’s hand instinctively reaches for her pulse rifle. “That’s exactly what Matt is trying to do. But he’s not sure where to start. What is the best way to fight back?”
Eva drops another fish into her mouth. “Little John never said anything about that. He always said he wouldn’t be here for the fight. He said a new leader would come and take his place. Someone greater than him. Little John prepared the way, nothing more.”
“Tell me about the new leader.”
“Little John saw him in one of his dreams and gave us three hints. A young man. Dark hair. Asian eyes.”
“Matt?” Jessica laughs. “He’s only half Asian.”
“He must have looked Asian to Little John. He promised the new leader would carry a sign, proof of his calling. He gave us strict instructions not to trust anyone that didn’t carry the sign.”
“What is the sign?”
“We asked Little John the same thing. He said he would tell us when the time was right. A few days after he disap
peared, this image was sent to every freedom camp leader.” Eva reaches into her pocket and takes out an archaic jax with an embedded screen. She looks at Jessica with apologetic eyes.
“A few of us have these. By necessity.”
“Of course,” Jessica says. “What did Little John send to you?”
Eva raises the jax up for Jessica to see the image on its screen.
“The little monkey statue?” Jessica almost falls back out of her chair.
“The same one Matt pulled from his backpack and showed to us.” Eva smiles and sticks her knife to the bottom of the can to get the last sardine. As she speaks, the lights dim. “Time for sleep. We should be there by morning.”
“Where?”
Eva stands. “The meeting place. The time of freedom camps may be drawing to a close.”
“I don’t understand.”
Eva takes Jessica’s arm and helps her stand up. “Have you had enough to eat?”
“Plenty.”
“Good,” Eva says. “Then let’s go.”
They both walk out of the mess room into the corridor. Eva talks as they walk to the other end and drop through a hatch.
“Little John started the freedom camps a generation ago. He always said they’re only temporary, though some have tried to make them a permanent way of life. The sole purpose of the camps is to start a movement that takes root and lives on until Abomination appears. He said the time will come when the camps will be disbanded and we will move on to the next phase.”
“What happens then?”
Eva ducks through a door to the right. “The new leader will decide that.”
“Matt?”
“He’s not here.” Eva has an apologetic look on her face. “But we have to have a leader until he returns. If he returns.”
“He will.” A lump forms in Jessica’s throat. “I saw him in my dream. I know he’s alive.”
“Until he comes back, we need a leader here, on the ground. Making decisions. Someone the Children will trust.”
“Then who?”
“I think that’s obvious, don’t you?”
“Agreed.” Jessica gets a look of relief on her face. “You’ve got all the skills and experience. The Children of the camps know you. Until Matt comes back, I’ll be happy to follow—”
“No, Jessica.” Eva’s smile completely disappears.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s you.”
CHAPTER 54
Kalani and Jing-wei walk into Ryzaard’s office, and the door slides shut behind them.
“Come in.” Ryzaard stands at the window, his back to the door, staring out at the Manhattan night. “Thank you for coming.” Far below, the empty streets of the city run in bright vertical lines, lit up by neon cells in the pavement and fast moving ground transports. Seamless images play on the sides of buildings like a hundred movies. Some promise unique versions of pleasure in exchange for the viewer’s time and money. Others bear images of recent events. Rioting in the Netherlands. Cities burning in Sweden.
Jing-wei and Kalani stand still in front of the desk, waiting for Ryzaard to speak.
He shakes his head as he peers down. “A world of waste and contradictions. Chaos is building. The old ways don’t work anymore. The planet is reaching a breaking point. People live desolate lives devoid of meaning, exchanging what they have for empty amusements, short-lived diversions that cannot satisfy.” He turns and smiles at Kalani and Jing-wei. “But we will soon end their suffering. Please sit.” He motions to the red sofa on his left.
Kalani walks to the sofa, sits in the middle, stretches out with his hands behind his head and closes his eyes, leaving only a small section for Jing-wei. She ignores him and studies the Chinese painting on the wall.
“It’s a Kao K’o-kung print, isn’t it?”
Ryzaard nods. “It’s a Kao K’o-kung, but not a print.”
Jing-wei’s eyebrows crawl higher. “An original?”
“Of course.” Ryzaard walks to her side and looks up. “Why do you ask?”
“I thought all of these had been collected decades ago by the Chinese Ministry of Culture. I wonder if they know about this one.” She looks at Ryzaard with one eyebrow raised.
“You’re quite right.” Ryzaard walks back to the edge of his desk. “The Chinese have almost all of them. They are still searching for this one.” Reaching for the statue of Zeus and grasping it in his right hand, he turns back to the window. “But that’s a different story. I’ll tell you about it after we find time to rest.”
Kalani starts to snore.
Jing-wei kicks the bare soles of his feet with the points of her shoes, startling him awake and causing him to sit upright.
“You want to know about the nuke codes, right?” Kalani shoots a glance at Jing-wei.
Ryzaard fingers the statue. “Perceptive, as usual. I told you that the time might come when we will need to exercise the power that has fallen into your hands.”
“But you wouldn’t seriously consider using the codes and sparking a world-wide nuclear conflagration. Not to mention catastrophic loss of life.” Jing-wei speaks the words as a statement of truth, a mere recitation of fact. Then her eyes narrow. “Would you?” She takes a step back. “Kalani and I have done a lot of thinking about it. We’ve decided that we can’t—”
“I can see that both of you seriously misunderstand the nature of our work.”
Kalani’s eyes open wide. “But you can’t just—”
“I can, if that’s what’s required,” Ryzaard says. “And if I do, the world will be better for it. Now tell me. We have the launch codes for China and its client states, but what have you done to find the same for the United States and its allies? I’d like to have everything wrapped up in a nice, neat package.”
Jing-wei and Kalani exchange quick glances.
“With all due respect, Dr. Ryzaard.” Jing-wei swallows hard. “This whole situation is quickly spinning out of control. Far beyond anything I’m comfortable with.”
“Same here.” Kalani avoids Ryzaard’s eyes. “There has to be another way. I have family back in Tonga. I don’t want them dead.”
“I see.” Ryzaard nods to himself. “Your fears have overtaken your good sense.”
“We’ve been waiting to tell you.” Jing-wei’s glance meets Kalani’s. “We can’t move forward with the—”
“Stop!” Ryzaard raises one hand and places the statue of Zeus back on the desk. He drops into his chair. “I appreciate the hard work you’ve both put in. Countless hours. Lack of sleep. Untold stress. All of this has taken its toll. I can forgive you for not thinking clearly.”
“But Dr. Ryzaard—”
“Let me finish before you say something you will surely regret.” Ryzaard’s feet go up on the desk. He motions for Jing-wei to join Kalani on the sofa. “We have had a long road together. And we’ve come too far for any member of the team to quit. Now is when I need you most.”
Kalani sits up straight, voice low. “We’ll just slip away quietly. You can find replacements. People that are more qualified.”
“When I hired you, both of you, I knew I was getting the best.” Ryzaard brings his hands together. “You’ve never disappointed me. As for leaving me and the project, you are free to go at any time. The door is open. You will be sorely missed.”
Jing-wei and Kalani look at each other and at Ryzaard.
“Thank you for understanding.” Jing-wei slowly rises to her feet. “I’ve truly enjoyed the opportunity to work with you.”
She begins to walk past Ryzaard’s desk.
“But there will be a cost. I have dossiers on both of you. Exhaustive names and locations of family, relatives and friends. Everyone you’ve ever known.”
Jing-wei stops.
“If you choose to leave the project, I cannot vouch for their safety, or yours.” Ryzaard knits his hands together and brings them up behind his head. “On the other hand, should you decide to remain with the project, I can personally gu
arantee that all your acquaintances will be watched over and protected by a vast organization of MX Global security personnel.”
Jing-wei’s eyes go up to meet Kalani’s once more. “Just as I told you.”
“It was worth a try,” Kalani says.
They both turn and face Ryzaard.
“We have no choice, do we?” Jing-wei exhales, giving her body a deflated look.
“Your momentary lapse in judgment is forgiven, my young friends. See that you get more rest.” Ryzaard sits up in his chair and leans forward. “Now let’s get back to work. Tell me what you’ve found out. All of it.”
Jing-wei reaches into a side pocket and pulls out her jax, inhaling deeply. “With the computing power we have at our disposal, twelve full cluster systems, our discovery of the quantum encryption algorithm, the database information I’ve assembled—”
“And, most importantly, my natural talents in navigating the Mesh.” Kalani looks past Jing-wei to Ryzaard, clearly trying to lighten the mood. “We’ve found everything we were looking for, and more.”
“Is that right?” Ryzaard sticks both hands in his pockets. “I like the way the conversation is going. I may actually be impressed when I see what you’ve got.”
Jing-wei casts a bitter glance in the direction of Kalani.
“Why do you look at me like that?” Kalani says. “You heard what he said. We have to tell him everything.” He stands up and pulls the jax from his pocket. Walking past Jing-wei, he stops and turns back, dropping a hand on her shoulder. “Come on Jing-wei, let’s spill the beans. We’re just doing our job.” He points the jax at the window that runs from floor to ceiling behind Ryzaard’s desk.
The dark city below disappears, replaced by an opaque blue screen with a detailed image of Earth slowly turning on its axis.
Kalani’s home island of Tonga should have been no larger than a dot, but for inexplicable reasons it’s the size of Japan.
Jing-wei pushes herself away from Kalani. “I’m not trying to hide anything.” She turns and faces Ryzaard. “It’s too early to tell exactly what we have. We need more time to analyze and understand it, to work out the best way to use it. It’s too dangerous to try to use any of this now. Everything could spin out of control.”