by Joonas Huhta
She snapped her fingers in front of her face and reiterated to herself why man needed behavioral discipline.
“Love can’t grow in the foundation of violence.”
Konrad had a point with his claim that man was unfit for love. That was, now in retrospect, the primary catalyst that had helped her through the worst self-doubts of the process. She had buried their marriage fiasco with a senseless streak of work.
But it was all worth it.
51
KONRAD SAW JULIA with another man. In a flash, he recalled seeing the man at the university and on the shore at Lennart’s house. Despite his disguise, Julia could nail his ass in a blink of an eye should she cast a glance at him. Konrad pulled back his shoulders, stood more erect and pulled his stomach in, steeling his nerves.
“I think I ate something bad,” Konrad said. “I’ll go to the toilet.”
Theo nodded and walked toward Patrick, saying, “Come back quickly.”
Eric spoke words to Konrad’s ear: “There’s a corridor on your left. Take it.”
Not knowing where to look to avoid exposure to Julia or Patrick, Konrad tried to break his unconscious habits of walking. He focused on his in-toeing so that his toes pointed away from the mid-line during gait, which became naturally slower. But what the hell was Julia doing here?
“Now, open the door to the restroom,” Eric said in a stream of white noise. “Close it. Proceed undetected to the end of the corridor.”
Konrad did as told. He looked back at the gathering—nobody watched him.
“Behind…” More distortion on the line, “…the room where Gideon might be…”
The signal broke down completely.
Heart jumping in his chest, Konrad stopped. He continued, angry for freezing up, mentally ordering himself to calm down. It would have been Eric’s advice as well.
Konrad peeked through a window and saw him.
Gideon was in military uniform with his head tucked between his knees. Was he brainwashed?
“You did it, son,” Theo boasted. “I knew I could trust placing the operation in your hands.”
Patrick cracked a half smile.
“I have a surprise for you,” Theo said. “Someone who might be a great asset in the building of the future.”
“As a matter of fact,” Patrick said, “I have a surprise for you, too.”
Theo quickly rubbed his hands together and turned to Julia.
“Everything ready, darling?”
“We are green,” Julia assured.
“Superb. I feel like a child at Christmas again.” Theo kept glancing at Julia and Patrick. “Not only have two lovebirds found each other, together we’ll give the world the greatest gift it has ever received.”
“The children deserve it,” Julia said.
“How’s our boy? Any word from grandmother?” Patrick asked.
“Fine. Such a lovely child. They’ll visit Disneyland tomorrow.”
Patrick took Julia under his arm and pulled her closer.
“We should celebrate!” Theo said.
“Let me,” Julia said. “I’ll get the champagne.”
“Bring the kid with you,” Patrick added.
52
“GIDEON,” KONRAD WHISPERED.
Gideon reacted by drawing a weapon. “Go away, or I pull the trigger.”
Konrad was too shocked to lift his hands up. “I’m here to save you.”
“You’re wrong. I’ve made up my mind. I want to change the world, not to turn my back on it.”
Konrad took a step closer. “We don’t have time—”
Gideon removed the safety. “I’ll fire.”
“No, you won’t. Your mother is dead. They killed her.”
Gideon’s eyebrows squished together. “You’re lying.”
“She wanted to say she loves you.”
That single word cracked Gideon’s defiance.
“Have you seen any explosives or anything that would cause destruction?”
“No.”
“This is important. Anything sticking out of the ordinary?”
“Patrick said that we’re going to Israel. He wants to show me the sky over there. Something about a Second Coming of the Son. He has got a big telescope here. But other than that, nothing unusual.”
“Damn. Put down the gun and let’s get away from here.”
Forearms camouflaged with snake patterns folded themselves across Gideon’s chest.
“No.”
Konrad attacked, switched on the safety, spun behind Gideon and took him in a chokehold. “Don’t resist, or I’ll add pressure, and you will lose consciousness. I’ll carry you out if you don’t comply.”
“Let. Me. Go.”
Behind the window, something moved. Julia dashed in the room.
“Konrad? You fucking dick! Attacking a teen again?”
“Julia. You’re in danger. You don’t know what these guys are up to.”
“I know better than them. I did all the research. All the development.”
“Julia?” Konrad asked.
“You wouldn’t understand. You don’t have what it takes to make a difference. You love your self-image and fame far too much. Don’t see the suffering of the children. Let Gideon go, and I’ll let you both leave. There’s a secret exit.”
Konrad eased his grip only a bit, and Gideon fought a way out. Julia grabbed the handgun from Gideon’s grasp.
“It’s mine. Give it back!”
“You don’t need this anymore.”
“Patrick said it’s mine.”
Julia took aim at Konrad’s head and pulled the trigger.
Click.
“What the hell?” Konrad said, shielding his eye with his hand.
“Patrick takes no risks.” Julia produced another weapon from behind her back. She switched the weapons in her hands swiftly a dozen times so that neither male knew which was functioning. “Patrick disabled your gun because he wanted to make sure you didn’t blow your head off.”
“He doesn’t trust me?” Gideon said.
“He sees more in you than you know.” Julia turned to Konrad. “Let’s go meet the Judge.”
“The one who plays executioner as well?” Konrad asked.
Julia pressed the cold metal to Konrad’s forehead. “Among other roles.”
53
THEO SHARED GLANCES with Patrick as Julia approached them with Konrad and Gideon.
Every soldier stopped in their tracks and drew their weapons, holding them low. Patrick signaled his men to stand down.
“They were trying to escape,” Julia said.
Patrick ignored Julia. “This is my young soldier, Gideon. The agent of change who executed the first moral enhancement in history with style. And I could introduce you to the soldier as well: Konrad Loki.”
“Back from the dead?” Theo said, eyeing Konrad up and down. “I don’t know how it’s still possible you’re here with us, but you almost got me. I had my suspicions the minute you walked into my office.”
“You had better use your intuition,” Konrad said. “Might not see what’s precisely right before your eyes.”
Theo shook his finger. “You were lost. A good soldier would take any room in his control the second he steps in. But I saw potential in you. Your articulation and imagination were impressive.”
“I barely see a compliment in that.” Two seconds after Konrad opened his mouth, one of the agents smashed the back of his rifle against his face. His vision danced red on black. He gathered himself up from the ground, blood seeping from his lips. He blew an air kiss at the agent and braced himself for a second blow.
“Stop!” Theo said. “Surely he likes his head in place. Don’t you now, Konrad? Are you listening?”
“Wrapping my brain around every word.” Konrad revealed his bloodstained teeth.
“You should kill him,” Julia declared and nudged the weapon at Konrad’s neck. “Both.”
“We are not monsters, Julia,” said Patrick. “Th
ey’re alive simply because of their potential.”
“We don’t need to study them anymore. You’ve already made sure their potential isn’t fulfilled.”
Theo face split into an enormous smile. “Julia. None of us would be standing here today if it weren’t for you. I begin to believe there’s a higher reason we have gathered here at this very moment. Looking at what’s coming next for our world, we have replaced fear of the unknown with curiosity. That’s why we are here. Curiosity. We are like new world alchemists.”
Konrad applauded. “Bravo.”
“You don’t understand the power of unity,” Patrick said. “We’re going to reunite under one banner and universal language: morality.”
“You waste your breath with him,” Julia said. “He values only his own success.”
Patrick was an inch away from Konrad’s face. “I feel uniquely qualified to tell you that I’ll leave this planet in better shape for the future generations than I found it. Can you say the same thing about yourself?”
Konrad paused, digesting the question.
Patrick continued. “Fear cloaks our children like a persistent fog. Adults have weakened them with ignorance and cowardice. Don’t you want to reap vengeance on those who stood by and let innocent children die? Is there any more noble path than seeking revenge to bring harmony instead of misery and harm?”
“Am I talking to a wall?” Julia said. “He hates children and teens.”
Patrick continued. “Nobody will steal the future of our children anymore. Nobody.”
Konrad nodded involuntarily.
Patrick grew gentle. “By the way, I’m a big admirer of your work. During my missions, I listened to you and your views about humankind. You made me ponder the insanity of war and what else could be imagined instead. You were my inspiration.”
“This is not quite what I was going for,” Konrad commented.
Patrick glared at Konrad and Gideon in turn.
“We are the way forward. You know what needs to be done and how it’ll end if you hesitate. Mankind—divided or redefined? Which is it going to be?”
At the same second two shadowy figures entered the main hall. Patrick and Theo seemed paralyzed as their gazes met. Konrad and Gideon spun around.
Nobody could believe their eyes.
54
VIKTOR VODYANOY STOOD just a few meters away with Iris, and still Konrad couldn’t believe it.
“You all look like you’re watching a movie,” Viktor said. “I should have brought you popcorn.”
“What is this?” Theo said. “You were on the plane to Moscow.”
“A body double?” Patrick asked. “You were Ded Moroz?”
Viktor smiled. “It makes me wonder that with all your cutting-edge technology and intelligence agencies, you still can’t see our counter-intelligence following your every move.”
“Where’s Eric?” Konrad asked. “Iris. What are you doing with him?”
“There isn’t always gold at the end of a rainbow,” Iris said and looked at Theo. “Sometimes there is a gay husband.”
Everybody turned to Theo, who managed to keep his face deadpan. He drawled, “Did you kill Eric?”
Iris shrugged. “Hurts like hell, doesn’t it?”
Konrad noted Theo’s knuckles turn white in his fists.
“So! What a day of unlocked potential!” Viktor said. “I must thank you all for your creativity and pioneering spirit in interfering with global affairs. But time has come to a stop playing games and change the player. Since I happen to know all the players in the field better than anyone in this room, it is my pleasure to announce a new dawn of Russia.” Viktor produced a ventriloquist doll from his pack bag, and everybody drew their weapons. “Tension. Tension. I like it. But gentle now. You may want to hear what I have to say.”
Theo side-glanced at Patrick who was smiling.
“Son?” Theo asked. “Did you feed Intel to them?”
Patrick avoided eye contact.
“When your cyber spies hack into our systems,” Viktor said, “they think they have gone through backdoors, but the holes have been deliberately created so that we can follow who searches and for what. Mostly you were in fake files. Only my personal timetables were real. Patrick has helped us a lot. A fine hacker, extremely gifted.”
“Patrick. Tell me that’s not true.”
Patrick remained quiet.
“Tell me!” Theo demanded. “I know you better than you do. He’s bluffing, isn’t he?”
Patrick stood beside to Viktor and drew his weapon, taking steady aim at Theo’s chest.
“Charming,” Viktor said with a clumsy attempt to play ventriloquist with the doll. “It’s not the General’s luckiest day after all. Nothing hurts like losing one of the family, knowing you can blame only yourself.”
“What are you up to?” Theo asked Patrick. “Why are you abandoning your own son, when we tried to build sustainable future for him?”
Then Julia changed sides and found her place by Patrick’s side.
“You too? I provided you with unlimited resources!” Theo said. “Do you want to cause a new clash of civilizations? What’s the point?”
“Dad,” Patrick said. “It doesn’t matter which side we enhance morally.”
“On whose authority? You think you’re attacking your home country? We had clear objectives! You give up complete control for what?”
A few seconds of silence passed and Patrick said to his men, “Keep your guns trained on him. If he moves, make sure his blood coats these corridors. “
Konrad signaled Gideon to move with him to the neutral zone next to a wall. Theo was all alone.
Viktor said to Theo, “You are cornered and helpless because I know your move before you do. I know how you think. You think you’re well connected and powerful, but you’re merely a puppet. You tried to take justice into own hands. In Russia, we don’t like people like that. They end up in early graves.”
“Being so charmingly human isn’t going to save you,” Theo said. “The world knows your true face. You are no savior.”
“I know how to shape public image better than anyone. Besides, anyone joining me voluntarily can avoid the global vortex of violence in the next crowded theater of war.”
“The war doesn’t end with you, Viktor.”
“Don’t take me for naive,” Viktor said, “We both know there will always be skirmishes no matter what. It’s a part of who we are. I will only end hegemony wars, the power struggles. Together with Julia and Patrick, we will wipe this world clean. First, we wipe out the poison called America. Your president will kneel to me. Then I make sure all of my fellow Russians living along our borders will be attacked. I’ll make my neighbors Russiaphobic. With prejudices amplified, I can take justice into my own hands. Russia will rule. Every act is done in pursuance of that end and no other.”
“Like many great men, you make up the rules as you go along,” Theo accused. “But great men fall. Your pathetic human games will end with global sickness, minds twisted, brains mutated beyond anything medical record.”
“Save your breath, old man,” Viktor responded.
“Patrick,” Theo said. “I trusted you. You are more of a thief and criminal than a soldier.”
Patrick tilted his head. “You’re right.”
Patrick’s stare made Konrad’s blood run cold. Patrick locked his shoulder and aimed higher. Konrad thought he would witness Theo collapse on the floor—but abruptly, without moving his lips, Patrick’s voice called out and filled the entire cave.
“I AM WHO I AM.”
Yet Patrick pointed to his left at Viktor and pressed the trigger.
A spray of blood fountained in Viktor’s hand, where the doll had smiled. Viktor fell to his knees, horrified, face whitened.
Julia shot Iris in the head in cold blood.
Konrad pulled Gideon behind him, and as they hit the floor every agent turned their weapons on Patrick and Julia. Nobody hesitated to shoot. The Cave echo
ed in explosions.
Then disbelief set in. Patrick and Julia stood unharmed.
“I-Impossible,” Viktor said.
Patrick placed his gun to Viktor’s forehead. “Smart bullets. Let’s see what else they can do.”
An altered, booming voice spoke again, the echo shooting off the walls. “ATTENTION!”
Theo and Konrad watched the agents snap to their erect position with heels clicking together. Then, “AT EASE!” In perfect accord, each agent stepped his left foot out shoulder’s width and placed his hands behind his back.
Viktor snapped, “I’m your commanding officer! Stop it. Now.” Nothing happened. Viktor glared at Patrick from under the gun pressed to his forehead.
“I am the author of all pain,” Patrick said. “I’ll make the final call.”
Viktor grit his teeth together and was about to growl, but something happened again.
“ATTENTION!” Heels clicked together. “ACTIVATE 101,” the voice spoke again.
Every agent placed his weapon to his temple and pressed the trigger in perfect harmony of a ballet. And each fell to the ground like a domino of folding chairs.
“Who the hell are you?” Viktor demanded.
Konrad’s ears rang as he guided Gideon toward a door leading to the last room of the Cave. The armory.
“I am the Veteran.”
Patrick’s eyes flashed fire as the president of Russia fell at his feet.
55
AMONG THE DEAD, Patrick and Julia kissed.
“Bravo, son,” Theo said, his voice shaking. “I don’t know what the hell just happened, but I knew our hearts belonged on the same side of history.”
“It’s our destiny to become the gods we once worshiped and feared,” Patrick said. “But even the old gods have one above them.”
“I guess I know what you’re trying to say.”
“No, Dad. You’re stuck in the past. NATO and the US government take away hope and turn people into demons. You only have to look at the map of the world’s military bases and see who is the most aggressive empire in the entire world history. You fear to take the last step of choosing the spiritual path that leads to unity. Our souls endure beyond earthly existence only if we fulfill our potential to the upmost. You couldn’t put that purity to the ultimate test. You jeopardize the future by acting exactly the same as Viktor. Humans don’t have any future left with leaders who want only control and more power.”
