As he neared the doors, he heard voices from inside. He entered the foyer and looked down the hallway to the elevator. The coast was clear. Then he realized he recognized the most prominent voice. It was the voice of David Thindrel.
“I want to know where Pierre is. I want to know what he did. And I want to know why. So you’re gonna give me a dream view, or I’m going to expose Audric as a corrupt unjust place, and then Genesis Smith is going to be replaced by a picture of Queen Victoria. We all know that’s how accurate that picture is anyhow.”
Pierre stopped and listened. David was talking about Pierre. He thought Pierre had murdered Kalpana.
He heard the voice of one of the women at a bracelet machine removal machine. “Mr.
Thindrel. The rules are very clear. You can only view your own dreams with a dream view.”
“Then tell me how it works. The acceptor receives information from Southwick. It’s sent to us from the control room. And the brain perceives it right? Then the information in our brains is transmitted back to Southwick. Do the dreams show up on the monitors?”
“We don’t know.”
“I want to know what you do know. Is Audric a group mind?”
“We don’t think so.”
“So how do we perceive the information?”
“At night there is a small shock instituted from the bracelet. You’re brain sets up a system of judgments in your brain based on the pain of the shocks. Southwick holds all the power over Audric. So when information is sent during REM sleep the brain perceives it and incorporates it into the dream. Genesis Smith figured out the language of dreams. It’s just words, words a computer can understand. The rule is that love is untouched. The only mandate of Audric is to eliminate depression.”
“And what is the reason for the annual bracelet removal?”
“All the data from the dreams is stored in the bracelet. Then every year we discard the data.”
Pierre walked towards the doors and looked in. David held a gun in his hand. Seven people were at the other stations and they were watching. A woman was standing five feet in front of him speaking.
“They say Pierre threatens the Zero Proposition because he knows about Stylic. I want to know what he knows.”
The woman sighed. She began disabling the bracelet removal machine as she spoke. “In the early days of Stylic they kept everyone happy. There was no foil. No one like the Gamblers. Smith thought that that that was the reason for the visions of self-torture. In Audric, Genesis Smith keeps people compliant and just happy enough by offering the philosophical extremes on either side. He calls it the Goldilocks Conspiracy. The extremes on either side create a distribution mainly in the middle. The origin of ten percent of the dreams we experience is unaccounted for.”
“I heard that. Smith thinks God practices a Goldilocks Conspiracy himself. Heaven and Hell. Creates a distribution mainly in the middle.” He looked around. “Who’s going to talk to me? Who’s going to make this right?”
Pierre opened the door. “I will.”
David turned to him. He lifted the gun, but didn’t point it.
“I didn’t kill Kalpana. It was Caleb Price.”
David stared at him. “You’re kidding. Why?”
“Caleb is from Stylic. He’s a psychopath. Runs in the family. That’s why I’m going to go kill his son.” Pierre withdrew his gun. He motioned to David’s gun. “That operable?”
David threw it aside. “No.” He looked at Pierre. “Is that?”
Pierre nodded. “Why’d you tell me I fell thirteen stories?”
“Devin called me in to administer the GSKT 2300 at the drug den. I put the device on you. After I left they told you about Stylic. They wanted to know what you thought. No one can know about Stylic and the visions. They don’t want you to remember.”
“That’s why they are going to kill me?”
David nodded.
“You know about Mindblown?”
“A little.”
“That’s who we’re after. She died fighting for what she believed was right. Mindblown is the only real enemy.”
David’s stared daggers. “It’s one o’clock. If I were you I’d get out of here.”
Pierre nodded. “All right.” He was about to leave, then paused, and turned. “I’m very sorry for your loss.” It was a Gamblers thing to say only comprehensible by a small percentage of the Audric Compliant. But David knew what it meant. Pierre walked out. Outside, the sound of motorcycles could be heard. Pierre picked up his pace, turning into the hallway, and stopping to look behind him. David walked through the door to the foyer, and then stepped outside.
The Gamblers came in. They were people Pierre didn’t know, dressed in motorcycle garb, carrying automatic weapons. Then Pierre saw Devin. He pressed the button for the elevator. He could hear Devin speaking as Devin walked into the facility.
“Ladies and Gentlemen of Audric. My name is Devin Snitch and this is a Gamblers raid. We do not plan on using our weapons. You may act at your own peril. We would appreciate it if you would come with us. We’re here to offer you a better life, free of the confinement of a government that demands control. We offer a life of belief and loyalty to God. This right has been sanctioned for us by Genesis Smith himself. Who’s comin’?”
Pierre got in the elevator, and descended, hoping there would be no more surprises.
Chester and Gordy had been forcefully seated and told that the other Karma subjects had been shipped back to Brighton on the train. The office was made almost entirely of white marble. And if Toll’s office was this lavish, Chester could only imagine what the control room looked like. Soon enough, they’d know why Toll wanted to speak with them. No doubt, Harbinger had been listening to them plan the infiltration of the control room and had told Toll.
They heard Toll’s voice on the intercom say, “Send them in.” He sounded like he was preventing an alien invasion and Chester and Gordy exchanged a glance, their hearts pumping rapidly. Toll wore a navy blue suit. He had a round face, bald head, and lights in his eyes. But his face was worn, like a man who’s seen everything and didn’t think any of it was especially important. He looked up at them and he leaned towards the table.
“I’ve always been the curious sort. Nothing wrong with a little initiative. Wish I saw it more often in Audric. Now. You think I’d be where I am today if I had that attitude.”
“We’re very sorry, Mr. Toll,” Gordy said. “But it has been said that when a government grows corrupt only the weak don’t fight for what’s right,” Gordy said.
Toll leaned back in his chair looking thoughtful. “You’re eyes are bigger than your stomach. Audric isn’t corrupt. Caleb Price? Yes. But not Audric. I suppose you know the big secret. Elijah Harbinger is Genesis Smith. But you don’t know who you are dealing with. Today comes after thirty years of hard work that you think you can just scoff at. Caleb is a Karate expert and he’s endorsed by me myself. He’s not easy to take down. But I agree Caleb needs to be eliminated.” He leaned back in his chair in thought. “We’re all taking this very seriously. You wanted to see the control room. Learn how Audric operates. I suppose that can be arranged. Let’s go see how your friend Pierre Morena is doing in the eye of the storm.”
They followed Toll out of his office, staring at the triangulation of blue light that shot into the sky. They walked a short block away into what looked like a basketball arena. It had a blue dome roof, and platforms that seemed to float in mid-air, along with thousands of computer screens that were suspended above them. People dressed in suits with headsets were chatting busily.
Against the far wall was a screen the size of twenty movie theater screens. Chester and Gordy looked around in wonderment. Slightly below where the dome began were tinted windows that they couldn’t see into. In the center of the room was a circle of desks, the floors and chairs housed in
white marble.
“This is how we control reality,” Toll said. “Genesis Smith wants people to choose ten of his or her dreams to take with him or her to Heaven. Those define your afterlife. In Stylic, Audric’s sister site, there was no control room. The control room induces bonding between people. One can send someone else dreams from the control room or from their mind. That is why people in Audric don’t have visions of self-torture like the people in Stylic. The visions are the result of loneliness.”
****
Pierre withdrew the gun from his jacket pocket and heard the beep as the elevator doors opened. He looked down the long tunnel that led to the Sanitarium. The path was unobstructed. He stepped out of the elevator about to break into a slow run and a sweeping leg took his feet out from under him. He fell on the hard blue and white mosaic tiles and felt pain course through his body.
It was Caleb Price.
Pierre sat up, realizing he had dropped his gun. Caleb picked up the gun and tossed it thirty feet into the offshoot of the tunnel, into the water, into the aqueduct. Pierre felt more pain in his heart as he saw the gun sinking to the bottom.
“I think there’s something you’ll be interested to see,” Caleb said.
Caleb took a small gun out of his own jacket pocket and ushered Pierre towards the aqueduct. The aqueduct was at least fifteen feet deep and it ran along the wall, eight feet in width. There, in the distance, Pierre could see a gate which would close and cover the aqueduct when a button on the wall was pressed. Caleb pushed him further into the room and then shoved him off his feet onto the ground. Pierre turned and saw Caleb grab a woman from beside the entrance. Her hair was covering her face, but it was obvious who it was.
Cloud was bound, both her hands and feet. She threw her hair back and tears were in her eyes. Her voice was a whisper. “Thank God, Pierre.”
Pierre was stunned to silence. “I thought you were dead,” he managed.
She forced her voice above a whisper, “The café had a portcullis. We were sheltered from the explosion.”
“Dad and Mammi Ama make it?”
Cloud nodded. “Dad did.”
Caleb said, “Tell him the truth.”
Cloud didn’t speak. Then she said, “I knew you didn’t have an acceptor. For your whole life.”
Pierre’s eyes filled with tears. He had trouble getting the words out, but knew there was only one thing to say under the circumstances. He stood up. “It’s okay.”
“The Audric Earnings Authority wanted us to make a deal. We told them you didn’t kill anyone and didn’t bomb the bookstore. They said we needed to talk to Hendrick. But Caleb has other plans.” Cloud paused and looked at the aqueduct. “I’ve lived a good life. It’s okay that this is the end. Don’t throw your life away for me. I’m fine.”
Pierre didn’t know what she was talking about. Caleb would probably kill Cloud in front of Pierre. “Where’s Dad?” He looked at Caleb. “Where’s Anna Lee?
“They’re both at our home,” Cloud said
“Is she safe?” Pierre asked.
“She’s in the walk-in closet. In our bedroom. Saad had an ER Marine Machine
delivered to our home, before the bookstore. Someone named Paul Little snuck into our home.”
“Probably hiding GPS tagged money.”
“He found her and told us. Edmond is making sure she doesn’t starve. Only Saad knows the code.”
“She needs to break both legs and give herself a concussion,” Caleb said. “You remember that when you see your mother die. Going after my son, huh, Pierre? I saw you in my visions when I was in Stylic. The computer in Southwick thinks you’re my son because to the computer you and Saad have become interchangeable. But Saad and I will fix our relationship after I get rid of you. After I kill your mother in front of you.”
****
Chester was walking among the rows of agents who were staring at computer screens and talking quickly. In the center of the room he focused on a man named Henry. He was sitting among a ring of desks made of white marble. He exuded importance. Henry said, “And the word of the day is ‘Heaven.’ Use it in a sentence please.” Then they’d hit a button on the keyboard.
“Those are the chiefs, as we call them,” Toll said. “That’s Henry. They’re running the Karma subjects. They’re trying to make them less depressed with environmental anti-depressants. The quote on the computer in the center is being transmitted to people’s acceptors in their vicinity. We have lots of quotes.”
Chester looked in wonder at the big quote on the monitor in the center. It read:
“When it comes time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home." Chief Aupumut, Mohican. 1725.
It seemed a fitting sentiment for the Karma subjects as many of them were suicidal.
“Can I go talk to him?” Chester asked Toll.
“Sure,” Toll nodded. “Let’s go. Most of Audric has bought Pierre Morena Orangina Bottles. And most of Audric is depressed,” he said as he walked towards Henry. “Harbinger is trying to combat it by using the influence of dreams. Love in dreams. That’s against the rules I suppose. But they are Harbinger’s rules.”
Chester sat down next to Henry. “Chester Higgs. I suppose you know me.”
“Chester?” Henry said. “Yeah. Thought you’d be dead by now.”
“Maybe thanks to you. Can we see Anna Lee’s ER Marine Machine?”
Henry nodded. “Yeah.”
Chester turned to Toll. “Mr. Toll. Will you approve the television watching requirement?”
****
Pierre looked around at the barren surroundings thinking all was lost. Caleb made a fist with the collar of Cloud’s shirt and dragged her to the aqueduct. “Hendrick broadcasted your little meeting to all the top officials. You found the code. I’d like you to know that the code kills everyone in Audric.” Pierre swallowed, wondering if it was a bluff. “You get to be as rich and powerful as Harbinger you need to find new ways of entertaining yourself. Harbinger wants Mindblown revealed. The code kills everyone just like they killed Will Sterling. Harbinger is going to blame it on Mindblown.”
Pierre took out his phone thinking it wouldn’t influence Caleb to kill him. He sent a text message to Chester.
Harbingers code kills everyone in Audric.
Then the phone rang. Pierre looked at the caller wondering if it was Chester. It wasn’t. He picked up.
“Hi, Pierre. This is Chase McDowell with The London Times. We heard you aced the GSKT. Is now a good time to talk?”
Caleb pushed Cloud into the water, then turned around, and walked away. Pierre knew that the next thing Caleb would do is push the button on the wall to close the covering of the aqueduct but Pierre wasn’t going to let Cloud die. He’d die himself trying to save her. He dropped the phone and belly flopped onto the water.
****
Chester looked up from the phone. He showed the phone to Gordy with the text message.
Gordy turned to Toll. “Pierre wants to make everyone in Audric use the Grease. Then they can watch the programming.”
Toll nodded. “I’ll have to run it by Harbinger as that’s not part of his plan.”
“I’m going to log onto Pierre’s phone and see who called him last,” Chester said.
“Where is he?” Toll asked.
****
Pierre was just b
arely submerged when he realized he had forgotten to take a breath. He swam to the top and gulped as much air as he possibly could. He saw the covering of the aqueduct coming towards him. There were three or four inches of space between the surface of the water and the covering. He began swimming down, kicking his feet as best he could, and keeping his eyes open looking for Cloud.
He was terrified.
He could see her seven feet or so away, lying on the bottom of the aqueduct. He reached her, fighting the urge to swim back to the top. Her eyes were wide, a still almost dead look to them. He put his arms around her. She was too heavy. He could hardly lift her. She was anchoring him to the bottom of the pool. He put his feet on the floor and pushed off as hard as he could. He was making progress now swimming with her to the top.
They reached the top, and Pierre saw the aqueduct was now completely covered. There were only a few inches of space where they could catch some air. Pierre realized he couldn’t hold Cloud there for an exorbitant amount of time. He needed to untie her. He held her so she could breath.
“Take a breath. I have to untie you. Take a breath.”
Cloud breathed in. She struggled to try to undo the rope around her arms and Pierre lost his grip on her. She began sinking again. Pierre took a breath and slammed his face into the water, grabbing Cloud and moving his hands until he came into contact with the rope around her wrists. He pulled on the knot feeling a strand give and after a few seconds he had untied her. She could swim now. And the two of them did.
They arrived back at the top, Cloud gasping for air from the four inches they had. They needed help.
****
“The last call was from The London Times,” Chester said to Gordy. “It lasted for two minutes. Pierre didn’t say anything.”