See No More

by W B Dineen

  What if our planet is nothing more than a cosmic ant hole? What if there is life out there whose intelligence is so great they view us with no more importance than we do ants? Would they think twice about carelessly stepping on us and exterminating us? It’s a concept so dire it makes my head hurt.

  I contact Trina and ask what she thinks. “Trina, I’ve been thinking about where humans fit into the whole landscape of creation. Where do we rank?”

  I sense her smile. “The problem with self-aware creatures is they often perceive others to be of lesser importance. Humans do this, and so do intelligent non-humans. But all of creation is important. There is no rank, as you say.”

  “So, your people don’t think they’re superior to any others?”

  “We do not. My planet, Aphresia, is extremely old in comparison to yours. We are twelve billion years since our inception, over twice the age of the earth, though we have evolved much like humans. We have warred and battled and fought for dominion. We destroyed our resources and caused the extinction of many wondrous beings, all in the name of progress and greed. But we are not that way anymore.”

  “Why? What caused you to change?”

  “Through our selfishness and insatiable need for power, we had a war that caused our population to shrink by two-thirds. When this war ended, technology almost became extinct. Our infrastructure, both physical and intellectual, nearly ceased to be.”

  “And that was the beginning of your change?”

  “It took four generations before we came back to some semblance of what we once were, in terms of being a cohesive society. The first generation was all about surviving and learning skills we did not have before the Great War. This was a time full of lawlessness and confusion. It was our dark ages.”

  “The second generation built on this and began to promote communities and growth. It wasn’t until the third generation that we formed a comprehensive governing body. We did not accomplish this through campaigning and elections, but through age and knowledge. The elders, who were closest to the great destruction, were called upon to steer us in new ways.”

  “The fourth generation finally saw things right in our world. Yet there were still those who refused to accept our new harmony. They were given two chances for misstep before being escorted off planet.”

  I’m completely entranced by her story. “Escorted off planet? Where were they taken?”

  Trina shows me an image that I’ve seen countless times on the news and in movies, and I gasp in response. It’s the image of earth from outer space.

  She continues, “That’s right, Kate. We found a planet far away from our own, with no known intelligent life and we left our outcasts behind, so they could learn to fend for themselves. It’s what our ancestors had to do after the Great War and most of them evolved in a positive way. It was our hope our exiles would do so, as well.”

  “We weren’t punishing these wrong-doers as much as we were giving them an opportunity to learn from the past and make better choices. We’ve continued to monitor the beings we seeded on your planet in hopes of guiding them and helping them avoid the mistakes that brought them here.”

  Okay, so my mind is going a million miles an hour and I have all kinds of questions, but I start with, “You said the beings you seeded here. Are there humans who aren’t descendants of the Aphresians? And if so, who are they?”

  “Of course, we were not the only ones to use Earth for our own needs. Many others have placed life in your world, but over time most of this life interbred with one another and the human species changed. Even though none of you are any longer pure to our race, we take responsibility for all and offer aid to all.”

  This gets me to thinking about the Bible and religious beliefs that God created the people on our planet. So, I ask her about that.

  “The creator is responsible for life in all worlds. Your bible and other ancient spiritual tomes were written in a time when man’s understanding of the world was only as great as what could be seen. Concepts as simple as outer space were beyond their ability to grasp. Therefore, other planets and galaxies were completely out of the realm of comprehension. You cannot write about what you cannot begin to fathom.”

  I surmise, “So you’re saying they dumbed things down?”

  “I’m saying they wrote in regard to their ability to understand. God is a concept bigger than the average human mind can conceptualize.”

  As much as I want to know more about this, my brain has been stretched enough in that direction. I ask, “Your planet is called Aphresia?”

  “Yes, but those of us who have chosen to help your planet are called the Pleyns. We are the blood ancestors of the Aphresians who were expelled from our planet.”

  “How long have you been trying to help us?”

  “Since the beginning. At first, we left Pleyns here to help guide you, but they were viewed as the enemy, so we went away for many generations, in order for you to find your own way.”

  This is like that fractal geometry program on crack. “But you’re here now. Why?”

  “Because, Kate, Earth is on the precipice of their own Great War, the final war that will end life as it is. We wish to help you not repeat our mistakes.”

  “Holy crap. Are you talking about World War Three?”

  CHAPTER 80

  My conversation with Trina ends abruptly when my dad comes outside to join me. I sit up on the hammock to make room for him.

  He plops down, and we remain silent for a long time. Finally, he turns toward me and confesses, “I’m scared to death.”

  A chill runs down my spine. “Me, too.”

  “Katydid, there are so many consequences in life. I’m about to come face-to-face with some of mine, and I pray to God I succeed in reversing the wrong I’ve done.”

  “You mean by creating the antimatter gun?”

  He nods, “I do. All I ever wanted was to figure out how the universe works. I never wanted to be part of doing any harm. I just yearned to have things make sense. No matter how many experiments I performed, and how much I learned, I never had enough knowledge to be satisfied. That zeal has taken so many lives and caused so much damage.”

  I think of a rock being thrown into a pond, and how that one action causes ripples which create more ripples which interfere with other ripples. There’s no doubt about it, Theo threw one hell of a rock by making that weapon. “What do you do for fun, Dad? Do you have hobbies or interests that don’t revolve around science and math?”

  “I like to carve wood. I helped carve some of the animals on the carousel in town. There’s huge satisfaction in taking a large block of wood, with no obvious beauty, and reshaping it into something intricate and unique. I like that. I like to reshape things.”

  I make a note to go see this carousel for myself if we get out of the meeting with Stefano in one piece. He should be arriving within eight hours. Every second that ticks by is like an eternity, and every hour seems like a second.

  I love anticipation as much as the next gal, but this is no Christmas morning kind of excitement. It’s more like the kind you have while sitting in the principal’s office waiting for her to hand down judgment for writing horrible things about Jamie Fenwick in red Sharpie all over the girls’ locker room. But that’s another story; just know he had it coming.

  “What are you going to do after you disable the gun?”

  Theo closes his eyes momentarily. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life paying penance for my mistakes. I’ll keep working with Tony to disband the Trēdecim, I’ll work in soup kitchens, or pick up trash in the park. I’ll do whatever I can, wherever I can.”

  “Where does Mom fit into this future of yours?”

  “I don’t know. I guess that’s up to her. Part of me thinks I don’t deserve her in my life and I don’t want to be responsible for any more pain, but I need her like I need oxygen. My life doesn’t make sense without her.”

  “What about me?”

  He takes my hand. “Oh, Kati
e, being reunited with you has been a gift I’d stopped hoping for. I pray we’ll never lose touch again and we’ll always be part of each other’s worlds. I’ve lost so much time with you. I don’t want to lose a minute more.”

  I feel the same way and ask, “What about Jen?”

  “I wish I knew. I want to have a relationship with Jenny, but she was so young when I went away. She doesn’t even have her own memories of me. How do I begin to fit into her world? Chuck has been her father, and I’m a complete stranger.”

  My heart breaks for my dad. I think of how he left his whole life behind to save his family. Then there’s Niko who left an entire country. And Tony, who’s willing to walk away from the only family he has. We’re a household of damaged goods trying to save the world. It’s a daunting thought.

  I ask, “Dad, remember how you used to say all those weird things to me?”

  His eyebrow raises in question. So, I remind him. “Things like, ‘Just because the sky is blue doesn’t mean its really blue’ and ‘Believe in what you can’t see?’ That kind of stuff.”

  He smiles, “When your life’s work opens your eyes to possibilities the rest of the world never even considers, it makes you realize our whole world is a precarious house of cards, ready to tumble at any moment. I wanted to prepare you for things I knew you’d see in your lifetime. Because Katie, right now, at this moment, the planet is on the precipice of devasting change that could lead to the extermination of our species.”

  Buck meanders through the woods and walks over to us. He stands next to Theo like he’s lending strength before lowering himself to his knees. It almost looks like he’s bowing in front of my dad before he lies down. I feel like I’ve witnessed something utterly profound. It’s a beautiful moment. I hope to live long enough to see more of those.

  CHAPTER 81

  My mom is making spaghetti Bolognese for dinner with homemade ciabatta bread. We don’t know if Stefano will be joining us in time to eat, but the house smells like an Italian restaurant, so even if he doesn’t dine with us, our goal is to subliminally force him into regarding us kindly.

  Smells have incredible power. Whenever I catch the scent of orange blossoms in the air, I’m immediately transported to my childhood to a memory of Jen and me running down the street after the ice cream truck, hoping for a mid-afternoon Dreamsicle.

  The fragrance of grapefruit makes me feel feminine and powerful at the same time. Oddly, the aroma of beef stew makes me feel sexy, and the briny scent of the ocean results in a need to dance. Our plan is to make dad’s little cabin, in the middle of the Willamette Valley, Oregon, seem like home to Stefano Angoli. One hit of my mom’s tomato sauce should do the trick.

  I set out the blue and yellow Maxim dishes from my childhood, along with matching cloth napkins. There isn’t enough space at the table for all of us, so we’re going to serve buffet-style and sit in the living room.

  At seven thirty Stefano calls to report his plane has landed at the Albany airport. He plans to be with us by eight. Tony gives him the address and mentions they’ll be joining both scientists, along with their family, for dinner. In other words, they won’t be discussing business until after the womenfolk go off to bed.

  I have butterflies in my stomach the size of Godzilla. Jake sneaks up behind me in the bedroom while I’m fixing my hair and kisses the back of my neck. “Relax, Kate. It’s all going to work out.”

  I shoot him the stink eye in the dressing table mirror. “Are you relaxed?”

  He laughs. “Not even a little. In fact, I could probably benefit from an adult diaper, right about now.”

  I giggle in response before replying, “We’re about to meet the man who’s trying to overthrow the current head of the Trēdecim. I think we could all use a diaper.”

  “Speaking of sobering, your mom drained a bottle of wine into her sauce and set the empty bottle out on the countertop as a prop. She’s also poured us some grape juice to make it look like we’ve been drinking. She’s really getting into setting the stage.”

  That’s my mom. Until recently, I thought the biggest thing she had going for her were her domestic goddess skills. I’ve since reevaluated and classified her as a domestic goddess with an edge, and possibly a whip.

  When I walk out of the bedroom, I see Mom has lit candles and has turned on a Sirius station playing Frank Sinatra. Everyone looks nice without looking like they’ve tried too hard. All in all, I think our charade has a very good chance of hitting the mark.

  Five minutes before eight there’s a knock on the door. We all tense as Tony gets up to answer it. An older man comes in by himself. He’s probably only five feet four inches tall and bears more than a passing resemblance to Al Pacino. He’s got those same intense eyes where you don’t know if he’s going to stick a knife in your back when he hugs you.

  Tony introduces us to his friend, Stefano, who is in town on business. In return, Stefano greets us by either shaking our hands, or kissing them, in the case of Mom and me. As he does this, he stares right into our eyes with a look that could kill someone with a heart condition.

  Stefano compliments my mom on the profumo inebriante in the air, and she blushes prettily. If television shows are to be believed, Italian men like women who know their place and don’t question the men. Cook, serve, look pretty, and stay out of the way. That’s Bethanie’s and my m.o. during his visit.

  I obligingly offer Stefano a glass of wine, but he prefers a Sambuca. I pour a hefty shot and drop in three coffee beans. Tony tutored me in this little ritual earlier today. The Italians consider the beans to be lucky. They represent health, happiness, and prosperity. I briefly wonder what you’d drop into a drink to symbolize world domination.

  Stefano accepts the proffered snifter with a nod of his head and click of his heels. He smiles at me and croons, “Grazi, bella regaza.” This guy has the charm and charisma of the devil. I can see how he’s grown to such a powerful position, in spite of his diminutive stature.

  I give him an odd combination of a curtsy and bow, and retreat to a safe distance across the room. Man, if I were drinking right now, I’d be swigging straight from the bottle.

  Mom offers to serve the men, and I obligingly deliver their plates. Stefano raises his fork and offers, “Salute.” There isn’t a great amount of conversation while we eat, but Tony manages to play host nicely, avoiding awkward pauses.

  Dessert is homemade cannoli, which Stefano declares better than his mama’s. After we serve the espresso, the men excuse themselves to the front porch, while we little ladies clean up. I have never been so excited about doing dishes in my life.

  CHAPTER 82

  After Stefano leaves, we reassemble in the living room to get the dirt. The Italian has brought fifteen body guards with him. Eight will accompany him to the Holiday Inn Express in Corvallis and seven will remain here on Dad’s property, for our “protection.” We’re obviously not gullible enough to buy this. We know he’s essentially leaving us here under house arrest, and even though we expected it, it’s still kind of terrifying.

  Theo turns on the TV, so we can see them for ourselves on the security cameras. The goons are wearing dark colors and seamlessly blend into the background. Every now and again we see a glint of light, as the moon reflects off their weapons. Yikes.

  I’m not sure how I’m going to fall asleep tonight. Jake has first watch again, which means I go off to bed alone. After checking my blinds somewhere between twenty and thirty times, to make sure they’re completely closed, I crawl into bed and turn off the light.

  I check in with Trina to let her know Stefano has arrived and our plan seems to be moving right along. She says, “One of the men left at your father’s home is his nephew, Angelo. He is the son of Stefano’s dead sister, Maria. The Italian has taken a great deal of interest in this boy since he was child.”

  “Okay. Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because, Kate, this Angelo is a weak spot for Stefano. I am not suggesting you harm him. Tha
t is not something Aphresians condone, but I think it is important for you to have as much helpful information as possible.”

  I swear, she’s winking and crossing her fingers while she says this. I have a feeling Trina understands more of what’s going on here on Earth than her fellow Aphresians, who are not currently even in the same solar system. I think she realizes all too well, that some violence is going to be necessary to wrench the planet out of the hands of the Trēdecim.

  I climb out of bed to share this news with Jake and Tony. I explain that Angelo is also quite short and bears a remarkable resemblance to his uncle. They’re grateful for the information and I promise to pass on anything else from Trina that might be helpful.

  Once I get back to my room, I close my eyes. This time, as soon as the numbers flash in my mind, I wake up and write them down immediately. I’m not sure what they mean, but I’m getting used to them being part of my nighttime drill.

  I wake up to the smell of coffee brewing and go out to the kitchen to find my mom setting out an array of breakfast pastries. From the looks of it, she’s been up for hours. There’s also a platter of fresh fruit and a jug of orange juice.

  I grab a jumbo-size mug and get to work caffeinating myself. My mom tells us to fill our plates and then takes the remaining food out front for Stefano’s soldiers. She claps her hands and calls out, “Breakfast is ready!” before coming back inside the house.

  I stare at her with my mouth hanging open. “You’re feeding our jailers?”

  She smiles brightly. “Damn right, I am. The more kindness we show those men, the less likely they’ll shoot us.”

  Smart lady! I hadn’t thought of it quite like that. Through the living room window, we see two men at a time come onto the porch to get food and coffee.