by Robin Cook
“I’ve gotten that impression,” Donald said.
“Take advantage of it while you can,” Harvey advised. “Once you become acclimated here, you won’t be considered so entertaining anymore. Trust me.”
“You must have had a horrible experience,” Donald said.
“No, I’ve been pretty happy here,” Harvey said defensively. “It’s got its ups and downs.”
“I meant the night of the Titanic sinking.”
“Oh, yeah! It’s true. That night was awful. Awful!”
“Do you miss New York?”
“In a way,” Harvey said. He got a faraway look in his eye. “Actually, it’s funny what I really miss, and that’s the stock exchange. I know it sounds strange, but I was a self-made man . . . a broker actually, and I loved trading. I worked hard, but how I thrived in the excitement.” Harvey took a deep breath and then let it out all at once with a sigh. He refocused on Donald. “Well, so much for my story. What about you? Were you people really abducted to Interterra? If you were, you’re the first in my experience. I was under the impression you’d been saved from the undersea volcano CNN reported.”
“There was some sort of an eruption at the time,” Donald said. “But I think it was a cover for our being sucked into one of the Interterran exit ports. One way or the other, our arrival in Interterra wasn’t an act of nature. We were hijacked here for a purpose, which we’ve not yet been told.”
Harvey looked from Donald to Michael and then back to Donald. “You sound less than enchanted with Interterra.”
“I’m impressed,” Donald said. “It would be hard not to be, but I’m not enchanted.”
“Hmmm,” Harvey said. “That puts you in a unique category. Everybody else who’s been brought here becomes an overnight advocate. What about your friend here?”
“Michael feels the way I do,” Donald said. Michael nodded. “You see,” Donald continued, “we don’t like to be forced into anything, no matter how good it may seem. But what about you, Harv?”
Harvey studied Donald’s face and even took another quick glance at Michael, who at the moment was laughing in sync with the sitcom laughter. “You’re serious, you’re not enthralled with this place even with all the beautiful people and their parties?”
“I’m telling you, we don’t appreciate being coerced.”
“And you’re actually interested in my opinion?”
Donald nodded.
“Okay,” Harvey said. He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Let me put it to you this way: if I could leave for New York City tonight it wouldn’t be soon enough. It’s so damn peaceful and perfect here it’s enough to drive a normal person crazy.”
Donald couldn’t help but smile. The old codger was a man after his own heart.
“I’m telling you, nothing ever happens down here,” Harvey continued. “Everything’s the same day in and day out. Nothing goes wrong. I can’t tell you what I’d do for one day on the New York exchange. I mean, I need a little stress to make me feel alive, or at the very least, some bad news or trouble once in a blue moon to make me appreciate how good life is.”
Michael flashed Donald a thumbs-up. But Donald ignored him. Instead he asked Harvey if anyone had ever left Interterra.
“Are you kidding? We’re under the goddamn ocean! I mean, really. What do you think, you can just walk out of here? If that were the case you wouldn’t see Harvey Goldfarb sitting in here trying to catch a glimpse of the Big Apple. I’d be there, kicking up my heels.”
“But the Interterrans go out,” Donald said.
“Sure they go out. But the exits and entrances are all controlled by Central Information. And when the Interterrans go out, they’re sealed in their spacecraft. Besides, they usually just send their worker clones. You see, the Interterrans are very careful about any connection between this world and ours. Remember, one wayward streptococcus would cause havoc down here.”
“It sounds like you’ve given this some thought.”
“Absolutely,” Harvey said. “But only in my dreams.”
Donald directed his attention to the bank of TV monitors. “At least you can feel connected to the surface world in this room.”
“That’s why I’m here,” Harvey said proprietarily. “It’s a fantastic setup. I hang out here all the time. I can watch just about every major TV channel from the surface world.”
“Can you transmit as well as receive?” Donald asked.
“No, it’s a passive system,” Harvey said. “I mean, there’s unlimited power and antennae in just about every mountain range on the surface of the globe, but there’s no camera. Interterra’s own telecommunication is totally different and a lot more sophisticated, as I’m sure you’ve gathered.”
“If we gave you a standard TV analog camcorder, do you think you could connect it with the equipment you’ve got here without anybody knowing about it and be able to transmit?”
Harvey stroked his chin as he pondered Donald’s question. “Maybe if I got one of the electronic worker clones to help, it could be done,” he said. “But where are you going to get a TV camera?”
“I know what you’re thinking,” Michael said as a conspiratorial smile spread across his face. “You’re thinking about the cameras on the submersible.” When the group had gathered out in front of the museum after their visit, Perry and Suzanne told them about spotting the Oceanus in the museum’s courtyard.
Donald treated Michael to another glare. Michael took the hint and closed his mouth.
“But I don’t understand,” Harvey said. “Why would you want to do that?”
“Look, Harv,” Donald said, regaining his composure. “My colleagues and I are not enthused about being compelled to stay here to serve as entertainment for these Interterrans. We’d like to go home.”
“Wait a minute,” Harvey said. “I must be missing something. You think setting up a TV camera can get you out of Interterra?”
“It’s possible,” Donald said. “At this stage it’s just an idea: one piece of a puzzle I haven’t figured out yet, but whatever it might be, we won’t be able to do it alone. We’d need your help since you’ve been here long enough to know the ropes. The question is: Would you be willing?”
“Sorry,” Harvey said with a shake of his head. “You have to understand that the Interterrans would not take kindly to this at all. If I were to help, I’d be one of the most unpopular guys in town. They’d turn me over to the worker clones. The Interterrans don’t like to do anything nasty, but the clones don’t mind. They just do what they’re told.”
“But why would you care what the Interterrans thought?” Donald asked. “You’d be with us. In return for your help, we’d give you New York.”
“Really?” Harvey asked. His eyes lit up. “Are you serious? You’d get me to New York?”
“It would be the least we could do,” Donald said.
• • •
The fluorescent Frisbee sailed across the lawn. Richard had made an excellent toss, and the Frisbee slowed and began to settle just within the grasp of the worker clone that Richard had ordered to play with him. But instead of grabbing the Frisbee, the worker clone allowed it to float past his outstretched hand. It hit him in the forehead with a resounding thud. Richard slapped a hand to his own forehead in total frustration. He swore like the sailor he’d been.
“Nice toss, Richard,” Perry called out, suppressing a giggle. Perry was sitting by the dining room pool with Luna, Meeta, Palenque, and Karena. Sufa had ferried the two men back to the visitors’ palace after their stopover at the air taxi works before any of the others had returned from their respective excursions. Initially Richard had been cheered by the near simultaneous arrival of his three girlfriends and Luna, but that euphoria had worn off when none of them could master the Frisbee.
“This is freakin’ ridiculous,” Richard complained as he walked over to retrieve the Frisbee from the worker clone’s feet. “Nobody down here can catch a goddamned Frisbee, much less throw one.”<
br />
“Richard seems so high-strung again today,” Luna said.
Perry agreed. “He’s been this way all day as near as I can tell.”
“He was strange last night, too,” Meeta said. “He sent us away early.”
“Now that, I’d have to guess, is really out of character,” Perry said.
“Can’t you do anything?” Luna asked.
“I doubt it,” Perry said. “Unless I go out there and toss that stupid piece of plastic around some more.”
“I wish he’d calm down,” Luna said.
Perry cupped his hands around his mouth. “Richard!” he called. “Why don’t you just come over here and relax. You’re working yourself up for no reason.”
Richard flipped Perry the finger.
Perry shrugged at Luna. “Obviously he’s not in a very amenable mood.”
“Why don’t you at least walk out there and talk to him?” Luna suggested.
With a groan Perry heaved himself to his feet.
“We have a surprise for him when we get him back to his cottage,” Meeta said. “Try to convince him to go.”
“Did you ask him yourselves?” Perry questioned.
“We did, but he said he wanted to play Frisbee.”
“Cripes!” Perry said, shaking his head. “Well, I’ll give it a whirl.”
“Don’t mention the surprise,” Meeta said. “Otherwise it won’t be as much fun. We don’t want him guessing what it might be.”
“Yeah, sure,” Perry grumbled. Irritated to be pulled away from Luna, he strode out to Richard, who was impatiently instructing the worker clone.
“You’re wasting your time,” Perry said. “They don’t play our games here, Richard. They don’t have the mind-set. Physical prowess is not something they’re interested in.”
Richard straightened up. “That’s pretty damn obvious.” He sighed and cursed anew. “It’s frustrating because they’ve got great bodies. The trouble is, they have zero sense of competition, and I need it. Hell, even the girls are too easy. There’s no chase or hot pursuit. The whole freakin’ place seems dead to me. What I’d give for a good hard game of hoops or in-line hockey.”
“I tell you what,” Perry said. “I’ll race you across the big pool over at the pavilion. What do you say?”
Richard eyed Perry for a moment before giving the Frisbee a good toss off into the distance. Then he told the worker clone to go and get it. Dutifully the worker clone took off at a jog. Richard watched him for a moment before turning back to Perry.
“Thanks but no thanks,” Richard said. “Beating you at swimming is not going to make my day. In fact, what would make my day is getting the hell out of here. I’m a nervous wreck.”
“I think we are all concerned about the leaving issue,” Perry said, lowering his voice. “So we’re all a little nervous.”
“Well, I’m more than a little nervous,” Richard said. “What do you think they do down here to people who commit a major crime?”
“I haven’t the faintest idea,” Perry said. “I don’t think they have major crime. Arak said they have no prisons. Why do you ask?”
Richard fidgeted with his toe against the grass and then looked off into the distance. He started to speak and then stopped.
“Are you worried what they’ll do if we try to leave and they catch us?”
“Yeah, that’s it,” Richard said, jumping on the suggestion.
“Well, that’s something we’ll have to consider,” Perry said. “But until then, worrying about it isn’t going to accomplish anything.”
“I guess you’re right,” Richard said.
“Why don’t you just enjoy yourself with those three gorgeous ladies?” Perry said. He indicated Meeta, Palenque, and Karena with a nod of his head. “Why not channel some of that wild energy of yours by taking them back to your cottage. I can’t quite understand it, but they seem crazy about you.”
“I’m not sure I ought to take them back to my room,” Richard said.
“And why not?” Perry asked. “Isn’t it a dream come true? I mean, look at those three girls. They’re like lingerie models.”
“It’s too complicated to explain,” Richard said.
“Whatever it is, I can’t imagine it being more important than satisfying three eager sirens.”
“Yeah, well, maybe you’re right,” Richard said without much enthusiasm. He snatched the Frisbee away from the worker clone, who had dutifully retrieved it. He returned to the dining room with Perry. Meeta, Palenque, and Karena got to their feet and greeted him with outstretched palms. Richard reacted perfunctorily.
“Are you ready to retire to your cottage?” Meeta asked.
“Let’s go,” Richard said. “But there’s one condition. There’s going to be no eating or drinking the stuff from my refrigerator. Agreed?”
“Sure,” Meeta said. “We won’t even be tempted. We’ve got something in mind other than food.” She and the other girls giggled conspiratorially as they draped themselves over Richard’s shoulders.
The group started off across the lawn. “I’m serious,” Richard said.
“So are we,” Meeta answered.
Perry watched them for a beat before turning back to Luna.
“Is Richard so aggressive because of his young age?” she inquired.
Perry sat down next to her. “No. That’s just the way he is. He’ll be the same in ten years, even twenty years.”
“And that’s because of the dysfunctional family that you surmise he had,” Luna said.
“I suppose,” Perry said vaguely. He didn’t want to encourage another sociological discussion. He felt ill equipped in such an arena as evidenced by their last discussion.
“It’s hard for me to understand since we don’t have families,” Luna said. “But what about his friends, acquaintances, and the schooling secondary human’s attend? Can’t they overcome negative familial influence?”
Perry stared off into the distance and tried to organize his thoughts. “Schooling and friends can help,” he said, “but friends can be a negative influence as well. Within some communities social pressure keeps kids from taking much advantage of the education that is afforded them, and often it’s the lack of education that breeds bigoted narrow-mindedness.”
“So, for someone as young as Richard there is a chance he’ll improve.”
“I already told you, Richard’s not going to change!” Perry said with a tone that bordered on irritation. “Look, I’m no sociologist so maybe we should talk about something else. Besides, he’s not that young. He’s almost thirty.”
“Well, that’s young,” Luna contended.
“You should talk,” Perry snapped.
Luna laughed and battered her pale blue eyes. “Perry, my dear, how old do you think I am?”
“You said you were over twenty,” Perry said nervously. “What are you? Twenty-one?”
Luna smiled and shook her head. “No, I’m ninety-four and that’s just this body.”
Perry’s mouth slowly fell open as he made one of his characteristic high-pitched squeaks.
• • •
After issuing several more admonitions against going in his refrigerator, Richard allowed the three women to lie him out on his bed with his arms outstretched. As soon as they had positioned him, they began massaging him with an oil that made his skin tingle and his tense muscles relax.
“Wow!” Richard closed his eyes and purred with delight. “You girls are good! I feel like a piece of wet spaghetti.”
“And this is just the beginning,” Meeta cooed. The three women looked at each other over Richard’s reclining body and tried to suppress their laughter. If Richard had been more aware he would have known they were up to something.
After a quarter hour of intense massaging, Palenque detached herself from the group, unbeknownst to Richard, and silently made her way around the pool to the edge of the lawn. There she waved silently for others to join them.
Within minutes two men appeare
d and, suppressing their own laughter, they tiptoed over to the bed. Smoothly they took over massaging Richard from Karena, so that it was now Meeta and the two men who were providing the ministrations to Richard’s body. Palenque and Karena directed their attention to the bodies of the two men. The goal was an orgy on an ancient Roman scale.
“You know,” Richard mumbled, his voice muffled from the coverlet, “if it weren’t for you girls this place would drive me certifiably crazy. And to think, I’ve never even had a massage before. I never knew what I was missing!”
The men and women exchanged fervid glances. They were building each other up to a fever pitch.
“I just can’t help being an active person,” Richard continued, totally unaware of what was happening around him. “I need competition. It’s that simple.”
One of the men allowed his bulky, masculine hands to run down Richard’s forearms to massage the diver’s palms. Sensing a discrepancy in the sensation versus what he expected, Richard’s eyes blinked open. To his consternation the hands massaging his were as large as his own.
“What the hell?” Richard snapped. With a suddenness that took everyone by surprise, Richard flipped over and found himself looking up into five flushed faces instead of three, and worst of all, two of them were male.
“What the hell is this?” Richard bellowed. He leaped from the bed, inadvertently knocking Palenque to the floor. The others quickly stood up from their kneeling positions.
“It’s all right, Richard,” Meeta said urgently, seeing the sudden rage reflected in Richard’s face. “It is a surprise orgy for your pleasure.”
“Pleasure?” Richard shouted. “Who the hell are these men? How’d they get here?”
“They are our friends,” Meeta said. “Cuseh and Uruh. We invited them.”
“What the hell do you think I am?” Richard bellowed.
“We’ve come to make you happy,” the man closest to Richard said. He stepped forward and extended his palm.
Richard reacted with a vicious blow to the man’s jaw, sending him hurling back against the wall. Everyone gasped at the unexpected violence.
