Dawn of Hope- Exodus

by Dobrin Kostadinov

  ‘But think of the poor; with so many resources you can actually help them, if not with a ticket to the New Land, at least with better living conditions here, in our homeland.’

  ‘The poor hold no interest for me!’ the gluttonous German barked in a high-pitched tone. ‘These are the laws nature–only the fittest survive! In present days capital is what defines who is fit and who isn’t. I’m not religious, but someone still needs to suffer the punishment meted out on humanity. If there is God, he ought to be merciful and save at least a handful of people. So don’t dwell on it–you and I will survive, that’s what matters! Let’s drink to our future collaboration! We’ll figure out the rest in due course.’ On hearing these words, General Müller left the office, thoughtful, but before that the two men made an arrangement to contact each other in a few days’ time.

  While he was strolling towards the elevator, Müller was considering the possibility of handing Radeberg over to the authorities for financial fraud, but pondered over the fact that if it weren’t for him the entire project might not even take place and then many more people would lose as well. Then he just bowed his head down and let fate take its course and sift through what was right and what not. Left alone, Radeberg got down to work. He made dozens of phone calls and shortly after the prices of the materials he sold started going up. Then came the most important conversation.

  ‘Hello, who’s that?’

  ‘It’s Radeberg, I wish to speak to Harry Rogers.

  ‘Hello, Mr. Redeberg, how can I be of assistance?

  ‘You can be of tremendous assistance to me, our guy accepted the offer. But let’s skip the formalities. I’ll ask you frankly: are you ready?’

  ‘Of course I’m ready, I’m waiting for instructions,’ Rogers laughed, seized by enviable contentment at the thought of all he could gain out of the entire affair.

  ‘All right, get ready for me to call you with the instructions,’ were the German’s last words before he hung up.

  Harry Rogers was a typical Englishman, fair, with freckles on his face and his body, a contemporary young genius who knew how to use his mind. He was the youngest man on the World Bank’s pay-roll, be that even for a brief while. A few months after he was employed he quit on vague grounds. The truth was that the 26-year-old decided to commit to piracy and Internet money laundering. Apart from the benefits he received out of the job, he also managed to get the adrenaline he needed by doing something so dangerous and so unlike his old job. He was a man of risk. He loved the feeling of knowing that he could get caught and arrested just for pressing a few keyboard buttons. Merely a mania of his or not, he was the best at the job.

  On December 15 the Internet genius had a secret meeting with his benefactor in a hotel, the largest in the capital city. “Berghaus” or “Mountain in the city”, as most people called it, rose about a thousand feet up into the sky, offering unimaginable luxury that overshadowed even what the Emirats had to show. The two men had to clarify the details around the transaction. At ten to one Rogers went up to one of the apartments owned by Konrad. He opened the door and saw the German sitting and waiting on a grand sofa situated behind a fountain. The water piece was a genuine work of art. Water sprang from a few skillfully crafted shapes that looked like intertwined female bodies expressing their love for one another. All that, gilded from top to bottom, gave a more accomplished air to the overall picture of the expensive home. The Englishman was truly astounded at the place he found himself in. He noticed the handmade furniture bearing the signature of its designer, the old piano in the corner by the window, made out of Brazilian chestnut, and the expensive crystal chandeliers.

  ‘Hello, Harry. Come sit down by me. I can see you like my apartment,’ the rich man prompted.

  ‘All that is yours?’ Rogers said, surprise clear in his voice.

  ‘Yes, something like that. I purchased it recently. Don’t ask about the price. They didn’t want to sell it, but I’m a persistent man and when I want something I get it. It’s exquisite, don’t you think? I couldn’t let it fall into the hands of people who would use it for just one night. Such beauty needs a connoisseur,‘ spoke up the multi-billioner.

  ‘I couldn’t agree more. There are people for everything,’ the hacker said, trying to crack a joke, although that was not the right time for such things.

  ‘Let’s change the subject and cut to the chase. The money transfer will happen in two days. On a sheet of paper on the table I’ve written the numbers of the seven bank accounts to which you should transfer 10% of the appropriated money each. The one I’ve underlined is of my personal bank account, I want the rest of the money for myself. Here’s where you come in. Now get down to work, time is flying.’

  ‘I’ll set about it right away, I’ll have my hands full.’

  ‘Don’t forget to send yourself what you’ve earned,’ Redeberg prompted.

  ‘Thank you for reminding me although such a thing could hardly be forgotten,’ he said, then smiled and left the room like a ghost, never to be seen in Germany again.

  A few days later the job was done. The backdoor machinations of the ones high in power were realized and despite the larceny things went well . . .

  Shortly after the program was initiated, everything started from scratch, the building of a shuttle for six astronauts and their training. But first those people had to be selected from among the physically and psychologically fittest men and women. They had to satisfy many requirements and their mental health was essential because of the exodus and the things they were supposed to encounter, but mostly because of the fact that no one could guarantee them they would go back to their families alive.

  The base had received the financing; it quickly auditioned 600 finalists who were shortlisted from a dozen million candidates for the mission. Soldiers, mercenaries, as well as the ones who had finished top of their schools for astronautics and aeronautics from all the UN member states flocked to the place, striving and aiming to come out as winners and to glorify their countries. Grueling and ruthless tests were run by three experts: the psychologist Hans Schmidt, the English Admiral Henry Bale and the engineer and mechanic Christopher Glaub. These were people who had not only proven their qualities in their respective fields but who had also acted as heads of missions. Their task was to filter out six people as well as to select the most perfect of the perfect.

  It was a difficult choice to make considering the fact that all candidates were skillful enough and each and every one of them was fit for the task. The IQ and physical endurance tests were not what mattered the most, yet the most desirable quality they experts were after was creativity. The ability to improvise in times of crisis was among the most essential skills. To examine what the correlation between men and women should be the numerous candidates were divided by gender. One hundred women and five hundred men were competing against each other for the six positions. It all became clear in the end. Only one woman was going to get the opportunity to be chosen so the competition there was fierce. The atmosphere was much calmer with the opposite gender: the results of the performance tests of the candidates were soon to be ready and respectively the choice of the commission to be out. The picture with the fair sex was different, though. The commission’s interest was focused on the development in the female camp.

  When would a woman give her best to win and, in case she does not, at least make sure that the others do not win either? The answer was simple. If too many women get together the competition skyrockets and a battle of life and death rages, hence everyone’s eyes were on them. It was hard to make a decision under such circumstances, but the final choice was between Lieutenant Mila Nikolaevna and Captain Alice Springer–the two favorites for the position. Both were young women, soon to be thirty. Russia and England came up against each other in the faces of two unbreakable souls. The two beauties, as they called them, were the two opposites of the spectrum. One was fair and blond like the day, the other one was slightly swarthy with dark hair and eyes like the night.
If the commission could choose both, indeed something magnificent would have come out, something like a full-blooded Yin and Yang symbol–two mutually completing parameters that merged into one another and that could not be stopped, but alas. It would be easiest to give each one a knife and see which one survives in the end as nothing could stop either of them from seeing their name on the list next to those of the men, yet there were rules and those rules had to be observed. If there were not any, animal instincts would have taken the upper hand over what was happening. After all, the choice had to be reduced to one person only. But the commission found itself in serious difficulty so they took a unanimous decision to turn for advice to the man in charge of the mission.

  The next day Roman visited the place where the examinations were administered. He took all of his duties seriously and his first wish was to get acquainted with the entire paperwork regarding the two women.

  ‘Good afternoon, dear Commissioners. I see you stumbled upon a difficulty this time,’ he said in a humorous tone to his subordinates who he had chosen personally.

  ‘Good afternoon, Professor,’ Admiral Henry Bale greeted back and went on, ’We’ve fallen on a bit of a hard time with the two ladies. We’ve prepared materials on both of them that contain their performance results, their personal life, what they eat, what they like to listen, absolutely everything. They’re on your desk. Once you’re ready we’ll invite them in so you can take a close look at them.’

  Roman nodded, went over to his desk and sat down. He took a look at the papers scattered over his desk.

  ‘I’ll need some time, yes, but there’s no point in keeping you waiting here,’ he said. ‘I want to take my time in examining the information, I’ll take care of everything myself. Dismissed. But before you go, I want you to inform the two candidates to come here in three hours to see what conclusion I’ve reached.’ After clarifying this detail with his assistants, Roman moved on to reading the facts and immersed into a careful study of Mila and Alice.

  No one dared object him as everyone respected him too much to do that. They filed out of the room and the Russian was left alone. For three hours he did not move from his seat until he had read every sheet down to the last detail. It was hard for him, too. In such moments it became apparent how important and fateful a choice could be. Sometimes we should rely not only on the facts and the information but also on our better judgment. But only the future could tell whether that decision was to prove right in that particular case. Eventually Zanev came out with a verdict. The time passed by too fast and in the end the two beauties entered, each one more exquisite than the other, each one more obstinate and ambitious than the other. The saddest part was that one of them was inevitably going to be disappointed, but that is life.

  ‘Good afternoon, ladies, I have no intention to keep you long, I’m sorry you had to wait, I just needed some time.’ They greeted him back and waited for him to rule on which one was staying and which one was going, but Roman went on immediately. ‘I’ll now announce the news, but don’t get disheartened even if you aren’t my choice. There’re other programs, almost as important as this one, for which you can apply, what’s more I insist that you do. Talents like yours should be put to good use,’ the professor advanced his arguments. ‘So, here’s my choice–Mila, I chose you, Alice, please leave the room without asking any questions and without turning back,’ he said his final word in a somewhat offensive fashion although he felt anxious and guilty on the inside. After the decision was made, Mila rejoiced, and Miss Springer left, misty-eyed. At that moment the two were left face to face.

  ‘Congratulations, Mis Nikolaevna, you’re the person I need,’ the Russian said and stood up to approach her for a handshake. He looked her in the eyes, as though he wanted to see through her soul.

  ‘I wish to ask you one single question and if you answer me correctly, I’ll know I wasn’t wrong in my judgment.’

  ‘Ask me, I’m all ears,’ she replied, smiling, he’s chosen one was ready to listen to him.

  ‘Why do you think I was so blunt with Alice after I chose you and since I know you’re both equally good? Tell me the first thing that comes to your mind, don’t think.’

  The Russian woman looked at the floor for a while. She knew she had no time to think, so she blurted out the first logical thought that crossed her mind.

  ‘I believe your attitude was supposed to stir up hatred against you because she’s really good at what she’s doing. You didn’t want her to pity herself so it’s better for her to hate you rather than to think she’s good for nothing. Am I right?’

  Roman was stunned. He gave her a broad smile.

  ‘You’re reading my mind. I’m pleased with my choice. Dismissed,’ he said. His uneasiness and doubts disappeared and things seemed to be falling into their right places.

  Soon after was formed the team that was to perform maybe one of the greatest missions, if not the greatest one, in the history of human kind. Two Americans, one Chinese, one Japanese and two Russians, one of whom was female. Those were our heroes. The Americans, Scott and Alan Graham, 33 and 31, were first cousins, but that did not mean their relationship was not stronger than that of two brothers. Young and tough as old boots, having graduated in military aeronautics and astronautics, they were a symbol of close-knittedness. Having chosen the private sector instead of the military one, they had succeeded to significantly increase their opportunities for self-expression after graduation. The other two were a Chinese named Liu Yan and a Japanese named Hiroshi Tagawa. They had been friends ever since highschool and later on destiny brought them together at university where they studied mechanics, they were always competing with each other in the best sense of the word, vying for success in every possible area, yet they were still the best. The two Asians had graduated first, with honors, and were accepted immediately after they took their diplomas. They were also the only two civilians chosen for the mission. Then come the last two, though not last in importance, of the members. The Russians, Colonel Thomas Ivanov and Lieutenant Mila Nikolaevna. Let us begin with the fair sex. Young, tender and beautiful looking woman, a typical Russian, about to go thirty, with fair hair and green eyes. But there was more to her than the tenderness and the daintiness that met the eye, for she had competed with men all her life, she was more of a man than many representatives of the sterner sex trained for that mission. That was why Lieutenant Nikolaevna was among the Commissiontom’s favorites . . .

  Tom, as most people called him, was probably the most outstanding person of them all. A year earlier he was promoted to the rank of a Colonel and he became one of the youngest one in the Russian army to have ever reached it. At 34, tall and sturdy as an oak, part of the Spetsnaz[2] team for a rapid reaction force in Moscow, he was the best possible candidate for that mission. The people from his future immediate circle were going to have to face a seemingly uninteresting personality that nevertheless kept hidden something very special in its essence. Disciplined, with a mind as sharp as a needle, with the best physical preparation from the selected ones, the Navy SEAL was in charge of the team of astronauts and was to take command of the mission once it started.

  Chapter Two

  When Knowledge Beats Fear

  In the middle of January 2121 the training of the six heroes began: each of them had to follow a personal regimen and a practice schedule that included physical exercise as well as special training. The Eisenhower Air Force Base was located in West Germany and it was going to be the home of the newly selected team for the next few months. Over the years that place had played an important part in maintaining the peace in all Europe, thus becoming one of the greatest air bases that had ever existed. With its little over a thousand square miles and equipment that could withstand a mini world war it impressed even the greatest of pessimists.

  On January 17 Roman summoned the six members to announce something important; this is how their meeting went on.

  ‘Hello, fine young people! You’re all familiar with the a
ctivities you have to perform in the four moths you have at your disposal. The launch of the space shuttle Iris 1 is scheduled for May 17. You have the honor to be the research team that would first set foot on the foreign land. That’s why you should give your best so that we don’t disappoint the people who believe in us. Know that they are many. I want to show you this military edict,’ he said and took out a folder that everyone present had to read. ‘You’ll find safety instructions written personally by the commander-in-chief of this base, general Klaus Müller. Get acquainted with the papers, sign the edict and you’re ready.’

  After that introduction he gave his subordinates another report regarding the mission so that they could familiarize themselves with all the details and have time to understand them. There was no turning back. After everything around grew quiet, they retreated to the rooms they were lodged into. Scott and Alan were together in one room, Liu and Hiroshi in another, and the Russians in two separate ones. The places were not especially luxurious, but were fitted with everything they needed to stay there for at least a few months. Small and compact those rooms were at their disposal. The long halls and the dull, grey environment were the first things that met the eye and that could well affect the civilians in a bad way. Yet, that was not a recreational site, but one for work and training. Everything started the usual way. Zanev had drawn up the study schedule and everything was going smooth, without a hitch. They had five subjects per day, each taking two hours, six days a week. The training looked more like school classes, but that was the way the professor himself and his colleagues had planned it to be. Every Sunday the six members had to undergo medical tests and do physical ability tests. Their week was filled with duties and they did not have the chance to go out, as those in charge of the mission did not want to run any risks of compromising or spreading information regarding their activity. The absence of any sort of leisure time was indicative in itself, as it was rather hard, especially when one is far from family and loved ones. It was a good thing their schedule was too tight for them to have any time left for sorrow and despair. They had some wretched two or three hours of free time left every evening before going to bed and getting some rest before the next important day came. The rest was nothing but studying and preparation for the events planned from May 17 onward.