by Joonas Huhta
“The Veterans.”
“The Veterans?”
“The aftermath of war sends a human mind back to childhood—uprooted, orphaned, and spiritually injured. The nightmares of the veterans persist because of the fear that the war never ends.”
“You just talked them over to comply?”
Her eyes were charged with outlaw energy and lit up with intense emotion. Konrad still tried to avert meeting her tantalizing gaze.
“Even you would have taken the cure if you were tormented by mental scars, hyper-vigilance, and nightmares in your everyday life. The Veterans,” Julia nodded at the clock, “continued their war in their homes. Death followed them across their doorsteps. As if recovering isn’t challenging enough, the insurance battles are even tougher. Nothing ever feels the same after the war, because the war brings the feelings of aliveness far above ordinary civilian life. Nothing brings them satisfaction after the comradeship and companionship tested in the extreme situations.”
Konrad remained quiet.
She continued. “Imagine death tapping your shoulder, whispering, ‘It’s right to set your self free. Do it. Let it be your final mission.’ Why is it that so many soldiers reach the point of completely withdrawing from their wife and children, away from the ones they loved and wanted to protect? Patrick and I came to their rescue. We offered them a solution. Something that would put an end to their blind search for something. War has been long who we are at our most primal level, as you’ve said. War has fused souls together throughout history and offered a perspective beyond any other human experience. But its momentum, unfortunately, was unstoppable.”
Konrad experienced a breathtaking hormonal tsunami. He leaned over the metal rail. “Your work has blinded the sorrows of your heart. You think some things go too deep for healing, but that’s not true. Nicholas died on a peacekeeping mission, doing what he wanted. We can’t predict or prevent all accidents.”
“Don’t lecture me!” Julia snapped. “You put all the pressure on his shoulders! It was you who told him ‘My father would have wanted you to go into the army.’ Fuck you. I hate you.”
“I hate myself for that,” Konrad replied. “But we both failed in our mourning process. I turned against God; you tangled with His creation. But erasing negative experiences is not the way to build one’s moral character.”
“That’s the way the world is hurting itself. Look at the city around you. It has risen from ashes. Risen from the seed of one architect’s imagination and vision. Humans need a new moral author to prosper. Human potential shifted into higher gear. A broader sense of existence.”
“People won’t accept this.”
“Of course they will. Three decades back in vitro fertilization was a total abomination, now its mainstream. Sexuality branches off into all areas of life, like how we educate our children and the moral structure they inherit and form. We need structures to keep this human story on course. Without morality, we can never grow rich people farsighted enough to support a system that demands sacrifices. It’s not only material sacrifices and redesigning the distribution of wealth, but the elite would have to suppress unwelcome desires, turn off erotic sensibilities, and turn their heads to the world’s hunger.”
“But isn’t sexuality our guiding spirit, its burning core? Everybody should have a right to control their own brain and body. Women should have the right to their womb. If you shut down the erotic sensibilities, what if we focus on something so hard that it leads human race to an entirely unintended environment?” Konrad spread his hands. “You can’t possibly know or claim that this is fundamentally the best way forward.”
“But the corruption of intimacy has already happened! We are already in the unintended environment. You don’t give a shit about women’s rights.”
“Did you tweak my erotic sensibilities?”
“I did. Don’t deny that it didn’t help you to focus on your work. You were good in making people care, promoting science and reason. But then Nicholas died. You became anti-everything and got married to your new reputation. I couldn’t take it. I assured your downfall.”
“My affair with Oona was also part of your tests?”
“Yes. I needed access to greater power. Weapon industry had that power, and I needed to prove my competence. Oona’s understanding about human potential was out of this world. She warned us about you. I tried to get rid of you. I was the one who put the bomb in your briefcase. I got help from Ruut who fixed your Parabellum. You were supposed to die.”
“So, you kicked me out of bed, and used Patrick as well?”
“He fell in love with me before I did that to him.”
“But why? I loved you, Julia.”
“No. You depended on me. Acknowledge it. The brain is way too badly wired; you didn’t really love me. You may think that the hijacking of the brain is not right, but that’s the reality we have been living in for decades. People are misled all the time to desire whatever.”
A sting of disappointment poked Konrad in the gut. He propped his hands on his hips and hung his head back.
“You are a good man, Konrad,” Julia said. “But I don’t feel sorry what you had to go through. I wish you’d died.”
“I’ll speak. I’ll tell everybody.”
“Why do you resist the inevitable? You are free to speak to anyone. But you’ll achieve nothing. You’ll be just another conspiracy theorist. Sex issues will still be taboos and kept private.”
“The truth will come out sooner or later,” Konrad said. He paused to follow the parade-long line of ambulances and fire engines rushing to the north. Emptiness, worry, and fear drew a chasm in his stomach. “I’ll devote myself to destroy your plan.”
“Good. The world needs a strong voice. Dissatisfaction is what fuels everyone to try harder.”
“Listen to yourself!” Konrad screamed, his vocal cords sore. “We are not hardwired for evil and malevolent intent! There are good people in the army and weapons’ industry on whose conscience the deaths of innocents weigh heavily. Ruut Stark was an example.”
Julia shook her head. “But the circuits in the brain are just like a path in the forest; wider and more defined the more you use them. And the more inclined you are to use that shortcut. It takes too much time and patience to regrow the paths shut, especially our biggest and longest trotted missteps.”
“You are neurologically enslaving people to purity.”
“Deconstruction of the valorized notion of humanity wouldn’t happen by any other means or within a reasonable timeline. Now we can build structures that keep warmongers and gun maniacs in check.”
“Julia,” Konrad begged. “Those who control war have no power on the other side. Beyond our material world there is another dimension... spiritual... our limited vocabulary can’t describe it. War maniacs will have no power at all if we just have…”
“Faith?”
THREE HUNDRED METERS away a man pulled a driver out of a car and hit his face forcefully against the frozen asphalt.
Quickly, the car’s headlights turned toward the bridge and Konrad and Julia.
The car jerked aggressively.
The driver cut the lights.
74
“YOU LOSE, KONRAD,” Julia said. “But it’s not the end of the world. Go to the hospital. Heal your wounds. Come back stronger. Enjoy the new world.”
“I won’t let you steal your life.”
“It’s not for you to decide. I’m a girl who no one can fix.”
“That’s bullshit. I don’t accept your methods, but you showed bedrock bravery in defying a whole system of moderators. It’s a miracle you didn’t get caught.” Mental fatigue started taking its toll on Konrad. “What if God drew a line in the sands of time for this particular plan to never be crossed? Maybe the perimeters were set up so that we would evolve and be able to move on the next level.”
“I’m sorry.” Julia reached for Konrad, but pulled her hand away. “Cast away the watch and go away. Just surrender y
ourself to the reality.”
Placing his forehead against the rail, Konrad gazed down at the waters.
“No.”
Julia gritted her teeth. “Don’t you ever know when to stop?”
“The watch proves your insidious crime,” Konrad said. “I can still make things right.”
“The cycle of revenge,” Julia stated and made it sound like ancient history. She bit her lip, then edged forward and kissed Konrad.
A volcano erupted in Konrad’s head, but he dropped to his knees before Julia managed to snatch the watch.
A sudden beam of lights blinded Konrad behind Julia, as a metallic beast rushed toward them.
Konrad bolted upright, grabbed Julia by her jacket, and managed to jump on the rail.
The car whipped Julia’s legs out from under her; she slammed into the windshield, breaking it into a spider web.
The car stopped, Konrad ran after. But the car reversed, knocked him to the ground.
Konrad got stuck under the wheel, feeling his shinbone snapping in half. Electric fireworks on a black background. Intolerable pain.
The driver got out of the car.
Patrick Praytor’s face was a bloody pulp from teeth and claw, down to the bone. He strolled to Julia.
“Patrick?” Julia moaned. “What are you doing?”
Patrick took Julia into his arms, lifted her over the rail.
“No! Let. Me. Go!”
Julia fell, screaming, her voice chopped by a splash.
The current swallowed her under the ice sheet.
Patrick kicked Konrad’s leg out of the squeeze. The pain shut down his consciousness. Then, when his first cohesive thought registered, he was in the back seat of the car.
Patrick spun the car around, tires squeaking, the stench of rubber wafting. He aimed south against the broken rail and slammed the gas pedal.
The acceleration glued Konrad to the seat.
Metal twisted, exploding.
A few seconds of weightlessness.
The car smashed through the slush like a spoon through cream.
Water dashed in through broken windows. Patrick Praytor sat still, letting water shroud him. Konrad tried the backseat door. He got it open and tried to escape, but Patrick grabbed his leg and kicked.
The cold surrounding them was pure death, but it helped Konrad’s body to function better. Like a shark, Patrick wouldn’t let go of his prey until the resistance ceased. Every muscle pulled taut to bone, Konrad twisted his broken leg, hoped it to come off.
Pain seared through his body and skull—no use. After a dazed beat, Konrad surrendered to intuition and made his final effort. Using Patrick’s strong pull to lower himself down, he planted a kiss on his ugly face while managing to wire the free loop of the handcuffs to the car’s broken metal frame.
Patrick bit back, but Konrad had placed his feet on the passenger seat and pushed exactly when the car yanked Patrick at the opposite direction.
The car sank.
Konrad’s sinking stopped.
Patrick stared at him, flabbergasted, cold water surging into his lungs.
The car sank into depths as Konrad swam up and struggled against the current. His body and brains begged for oxygen. He screamed his lungs out above the water and grabbed the ice, resisting the suction.
An emergency team had ladders over the rail. A man threw him a rope.
“Reach it!”
Konrad grabbed it and yelled. “A woman’s under the ice… She might stand a chance. Cold reduces damage in the brain!”
The man barked orders above to the team operating on the bridge.
“If you find her,” Konrad yelled, “get the cyanide capsule out of her mouth!”
“What?”
“Just do it!”
“Roger that. Come on. We’ll take you to the hospital.”
“The hell you will. You’ll take me to Santa Claus.”
“Sir, you’ll die of bleeding.”
“My call.”
“No, sir.” The rescuer overruled him. “We’ll use force if you don’t comply.”
“No! I have to warn them all! Before hell breaks loose.”
“What?”
“Do you want to three hundred people dead on your conscience? At least send a message. Tell Gideon to surrender. The Antler Plan has gone global!”
“That I can do. Let’s go fix you up.”
Konrad turned his gaze on the ice at the rescue team rushing with a snowmobile.
75
GIDEON LEAPED UPRIGHT. Death and gore and blood dominated the room. Tinnitus yelled in his ear canals; blood was everywhere.
I’m still alive?
Did Aslan want to create panic and make the police attack so that as many as possible could be saved to spread the madness? But why hadn’t the police attacked?
“Are you okay, Gideon?” Rebecca asked, her face a blur.
“What the hell happened?”
“You have to see it yourself.”
To his surprise, Gideon found his body functioning flawlessly. He was so surprised that only the detonator had died. Everybody else was okay, despite the bleeding from their ears. “We still have everybody inside?”
“Yes.”
Did Ruut once again surprise everybody from beyond the grave? Had she managed to make a non-lethal explosive vest that only stunned people, but killed its carrier?
“They’ve voluntarily positioned themselves against the windows,” Rebecca said, “so that no sharpshooters can take us.”
“Yes,” Ville confirmed. “They understood that we are on their side.”
“How can they control themselves?” Gideon asked, taking the hint in somewhere from their faces. “The snow?”
“And they’re fighting for the future.” Rebecca beamed with pride. “I told them about the whole plot against humanity. Nobody is charging us if we let them all go.”
Gideon let out a long breath.
A switch of relief went off in his chest.
76
KONRAD WOKE UP in the hospital bed. His vision was waving like a fun house mirror over the span of ten seconds before coming into focus.
He sighed and smiled at a beautiful nurse who had come into the room with a pair of crutches. She left them on the bed.
“May I be of service?”
Discarding his bruised ego, Konrad looked at her beauty without making it erotic.
“Can I take a cold shower?”
77
KONRAD AND GIDEON stood at Ruut’s grave.
Ruut Stark
23 October 1988 - 21 December 2017
A mother and a champion of light.
“Faith is God’s plan lovingly accepted.”
Konrad held Gideon close. His tear-swollen eyes were full of grief and disbelief, but carried no trace of hatred. The only thing that compounded Konrad’s worry and anxiety to unsustainable levels was Ruut’s harrowing promise which he couldn’t share with Gideon if it were false hope:
Wait for my resurrection…
Julia was alive at the hospital. Bedbound. The oxygen deprivation had been devastating to her brain functions and made her vegetative state permanent. No way to discuss and dissect the plan or learn about her and Ruut’s connection.
“Your mother always knew the best way forward,” Konrad told Gideon. “She didn’t want bullet-ridden corpses on her or anyone’s conscience. She deserved a medal of honor.”
Gideon tucked his hands behind his elbows. “She wasn’t perfect.”
A wandering reindeer stopped by, followed by a man who looked like he knew what to do. The reindeer stood next to Ruut’s grave, its head hanging low.
“Is the Santa’s reindeer he or she?” Konrad asked. “Reindeer cast their antlers after the fights of mating seasons, don’t they?”
The man seemed like he had always known the answer to the question, but was now uncertain. Then light shone in his eyes. “He. Definitely he. Female reindeer are too small to pull a weighty sleigh. And it’s l
ikely that the early winter breeding season has made them pregnant.”
“Still doesn’t explain the antlers.”
The man made a playful grin. “They simply don’t fall off because castration stops the process of casting the antlers in the winter time. Once castrated, strong and peaceful they’ll become. Lots of energy in store when having skipped the fights for love.”
“So, they kind of focus on the essential,” Konrad said.
“Wouldn’t we all want to focus on that?” the man asked and prepared to leave with the reindeer. “Come on, Peter.” Gideon studied the gravestone as though he was staring off at a nowhere point a million miles from here. Wind blew on snow, spawning snow devils on the frozen ground.
“I hope she has been uprooted somewhere else, somewhere better. A better garden. But I fear her end is only an end, nothing more.”
Konrad fought off uncomfortable feelings of pessimism. “We don’t have to argue about what we believe in or not. Part of her spirit and ability to summon fresh energy has come to pass in me. And as she would have done, I’m not going to give in to cynical thinking anymore. The best example of her was that she didn’t stop being good until her last breath became air.”
Gideon inhaled, stared somewhere, deep inside of himself. He held his tears back and watched steam rising. “You think we can save the world?”
Konrad put a hand on Gideon’s shoulder. “I can imagine quite a bit, and while at it, everything is possible. We have to understand your potential better. I’m not sure what the future holds, but I trust there will be people who want to take advantage of you.”
Gideon gave an uncertain nod.
They were silent for a few minutes, sending the sweet memory of Ruut deep into their hearts. Konrad owned probably a fraction of her courage, which would never cease to remind him that unity was possible. It was the only thing worth fighting for. But in the grand scheme of global destiny, they would not only have to navigate through the unseen dangers of the future but help everybody in the process. The new generation of children—if Gideon were right—would stumble into the crosshairs of a new shadow war because those in power would fear and take them as threats. But could they break the pattern of persecution?
