Known Afterlife (The Provider Trilogy: Volume I)

by Trey Copeland

  Chapter 2

  Is it truly the solution, the missing and final piece? Will humanity finally advance to a new plane of consciousness?

  These were the questions Stalling pondered the moment they first discovered the arboreal planet. Placing all trust into his proven intuition, he had bet everything—his empire, his existence, his very soul—that the answer to all of them was a resounding YES!

  So why now, in the final moments before all was revealed, did he question his judgment? A lifetime of blind faith to this sixth sense, a consistent ability to listen to and act on his inner voice, had led Stalling to this very moment. The abrupt appearance of what others call doubt, a foreign state of mind for Stalling, was all the evidence he required to know something was not right. But what remained a mystery.

  Stalling went back to studying the three-dimensional images projected on his link visor. He knew the answers to questions about the strange planet resided somewhere within the data accumulated over the years. Encapsulated in a sphere of blue skies and white clouds, the planet's surface was a diverse canopy comprised of colossal limbs, branches, stems, leaves and vegetation. The only perceptible land mass observed from outer space formed around the equator, a greenish-brown continent that divided the planet into two distinct hemispheres.

  Like a clairvoyant compass, his sixth sense pointed to the ring of earth as the solution to his quandary. Stalling magnified his view and pulled up the latest readings on the mysterious energy that emanated from the area. He held his breath, pensive as he read and reread the report.

  Down 1.8 percent? That is not possible! Unless…

  "Your two o'clock is prepared to sync. Are you ready?" his assistant's purposeful voice said over the audio feed of his link visor.

  Damn it, not now!

  If it were any other meeting, Stalling would have blown it off and stayed with his inquiry until a solution emerged.

  But such are the times we are in; this is all part of the plan, no turning back now.

  "Stalling? Are you prepared to speak with Archbishop Clortison?" Margaret probed again, turning on video communications this time to appear in the left quadrant of his screen.

  He half met the attractive women's concerned eyes, refusing to move away from the planet’s image rotating in the center. "When have I ever not been?" He finally replied, beaming a confident smile.

  "Wonderful," she said, a genuine look of relief washing over her face. "I'll make the connection. Good luck!"

  Stalling sighed and closed the planet visual. He then opened 'conference room 302': a drab, window-less, medium sized room with a long rectangular table. Within seconds, seven individuals materialized in seats on the opposite end of the table. The person seated at the head of the table, across from Stalling, was the one receiving his attention. The other six sitting to the right or left of the man had no purpose at the meeting beyond the conveyance of power; a gesture utterly wasted on Stalling.

  In reality, the sight of the Archbishop's devoted followers by his side produced the opposite of its intended purpose. Instead, their presence provided a welcome boost of confidence. A constant reminder of what he had become: the most adept, and longest-living adversary the Church of Salvation had run across in its entire ancient history.

  "Gentlemen," Stalling said by way of greeting to the room, his eyes never leaving the Archbishop. "Before we address the list of topics on our agenda, please take a moment to sync the contract located in the corner of your right screen quadrant, ensuring this address is untraceable and will be deleted upon our completion."

  Each synced the document without reading, knowing full well that Stalling controlled the means to both trace and delete every address on the Auranet. Unlike their failed attempt to exude power, Stalling's gesture hit the mark.

  Like any meeting hosted on the Auranet, false avatars were forbidden. Attendees saw in one another no more and no less than the creased hands, stained nails and mole speckled brows of their worn mortal vessels. Stalling reserved for himself the technological talent of seeing beyond each man's grey husk and into his emotional aura. This tool laid bare a current of anxiety pervading the Archbishop and his parade of sycophants, though an attentive child could see as much in the shifting eyes, timid gestures and hunched shoulders on display around the table.

  Stalling reflected on all the anguish the Church of Salvation attempted to inflict on him over the years, hardening his heart for the events about to unfold. He vowed to show them mercy when victory was his, regardless of how little they showed him and those he cared for over the past twenty-five years.

  "Seeing as you requested this meeting and set the agenda of topics to discuss, I welcome your opening comments and suggestion as to how we best proceed."

  Despite the cavalier deliverance of the opening statement, the significance of Stalling's unexpected capitulation to lead the proceedings was lost on no one. Stalling took great satisfaction in seeing the strategic move throw his adversaries off their game so early in the proceedings. He was confident the men before him, or at least their legions of lackeys, had spent every waking hour over the past month preparing to react, to defend, to justify. Not lead.

  Clortison was quick to compose himself, indifferent and calm as he replied. "Very well. Let us start by mapping out Stage 1 of the complete and legal transfer of Alterian Enterprises to your beloved Church and province."

  Though everyone in the room knew nothing discussed today would be that simple to approach, Stalling could not suppress the impulsive rush of anger triggered by the entitled statement.

  "Well, that is the root of it, isn't gentlemen? I publicly announced I would do no such thing. What do you have to inform me of today that will change my decision?"

  "Mr. Alterian," Clortison said with a snide tone that could only be made by one used to getting his way, "need we remind you of the law that was passed by the electoral senate and ratified by the entire judicial panel over year ago today. The law, created to ensure our thriving economy remains stable for generations to come, states: all privately held corporations, and their subsidiaries, providing any form of service and/or products related to or within the telecommunications industry must relinquish entire control of said services and/or products to the Church of Salvation."

  "I am very aware of the law that was created solely to usurp Alterian Enterprises as the most powerful organization in the world. What is not clear, assuming we continue to not comply with your silly law, is how you intend to make us?"

  "We'll jerk every last one of you liberal bastards from your cozy island if we have to!" Cardinal Thortizan blurted, seated to Clortison's immediate left. Stalling's defiant statement had contorted the angled features of the chiseled man into ugly curves.

  Clortison gave his underling a glare of disapproval but was quick to turn back to Stalling and see how he would respond.

  "Military force is out the question, we both know it would result in an immediate and complete worldwide revolt." Stalling baited, aware the Church, if push came to shove, would rather take on a full-blown social uprising over allow Stalling to stay in his current seat of power.

  "We do not share that assessment of the situation. While never pleasant for anybody, we have dealt with revolts in the past," Clortison countered.

  No, seizing control of Alterian Enterprises by brute force was no easy feat, but no one in the room dismissed it as viable option.

  Despite his intentions to provide them perceived control over the meeting, Stalling had grown weary of the game and wanted to get back to solving problems that really mattered. He reminded himself, the purpose of this meeting was to buy them just a few more precious days, long enough to complete the project. Stalling put his impatience in check and readdressed the group with feigned enthusiasm.

  "Look, let’s put our emotions aside for a moment and identify what matters. The impact A.E. has made on Antium is irreversible. The world has discovered a new way to communicate, learn and play and does not have the appeti
te or desire to turn back. Our intimate connection to and extensive database on the majority of the world's population places us in an unprecedented seat of control."

  "Get to the point," Clortison said impatiently.

  "We don't want things to get bloody any more than you do. And trust me, our issues with the law in question have nothing to do with any grandiose desires to take over the world," Stalling partially lied, selling it with a smile. "However, it does have everything to do with money. Come on guys, I know you appointed church officials aren't supposed to get caught up in all the materialistic stuff our capitalistic society promotes, but we are talking about billions here. You have got to sweeten the deal a little bit!"

  "Why? Regardless of whether we believe you have a desire to challenge our divine authority, your proven hunger for material wealth is justification in itself to remove your pervasive influence from the world."

  Admittedly, the ‘it’s all about greed’ bit was stretch, even for these dolts, considering all he had done to the counter. Growing tired of the game, Stalling decided to cut to the point and pull out the trump card.

  "Fair enough. But that brings us back to square one. Without the cooperation of our senior staff or me, Alterian Enterprises is worthless to you. If you still have any desire to gain control over what we have started, you have got to find some way to compromise."

  The Archbishop sat up in his chair, squared his shoulders and puffed out his round chest, looking all too eager, as if Stalling had triggered a trap long in the making. For the first time since entering the virtual room, the Archbishop exuded the self-assurance one would expect from a man of his status.

  "We have recently been contacted by a member of your senior staff, a Mr. Janison Satiago. His intel was very...provocative," Clortison said, staring long and hard at Stalling as the others seated in the room tried to read Stalling's reaction.

  Showing none, the Archbishop elaborated, "Mr. Satiago is your CTO, yes? His detailed report on every piece of technology ever produced by A.E. was very revealing to say the least. Tell me Mr. Alterian, how do you think this unique tithe from one of our faithful followers will influence our mood to compromise?"

  Stalling had anticipated Janison's eventual betrayal. At first, the revelation repulsed to the core but once accepted as inevitability, Stalling used its momentum to advance the ultimate objective. No, it was not the action causing his head to swim in a swift current of doubt. It was the timing.

  Why now? Why not wait until the project was completed. While Janison had his own motivations, he had as much at stake in the project as the rest of us. Why risk losing it all now?

  Clortison cleared his throat several times in attempt to engage Stalling back into the conversation. After the third failed attempt, he finally said, "Our willingness to make exceptions to the law has come to an end. We no longer possess the energy to go forward under the current conditions—"

  "That's it!" Stalling shouted to the room, causing the group before him to flinch. Stalling frantically pieced together all the signs his instincts had been screaming at him for the past two weeks.

  Not enough energy! How could I have miscalculated?

  He had little time to relish enlightenment due to the complete absence of a solution. He needed to get his team on it now; there was no time to waste.

  "I am sorry gentlemen but this meeting needs to be cut short, I have more important matters to attend to. Please contact my assistant with dates and times to reschedule in the coming weeks and I will prioritize the time accordingly. Best wishes."

  The link disconnected.

  *****

  Archbishop Clortison removed his link visor and glanced about the unadorned, windowless conference room. His eyes flit from face to face, registering surprise, hope, and cautious optimism. Today they saw something no one had ever seen, something he had never imagined he would see. The infallible Stalling had stumbled.