Connexion : The Atlantis Project, Book.1

by LEMPEREUR

  This thought comforted him and he felt himself beginning to regain control of his emotions. As he had already experienced in the connection, the effects of convergence were generally massive and uncontrollable when they first came over him. However, afterwards, it was usually possible to consider the facts in a more rational way and he could then manage to gain control of himself, and get back a part of his own identity again. But there was already another question in his mind. Why was Victor the only one to have survived the contamination?

  “So Victor is the only survivor?”

  “Yes, Charlie. Opening his dome took a lot longer. It seemed to have been protected from the inside from any risk of break-in. It was only after two years that we finally managed to open it, but not until we had taken all the necessary precautions. The entire air supply is continuously exposed to ultra-violet radiation and as you have noticed, it is impossible to enter the hibernation room without first undergoing a thorough decontamination procedure. Soon after that we put extra protection in place. That is the reason why Victor’s head is completely covered by the white helmet. It serves two purposes. It ensures that air that he breathes both in and out is completely filtered, and it facilitates the neuronal connections which made it possible for you to make contact with him. Without those precautions, Victor would be dead by now, just like his companions who were not so lucky.”

  “In that case, why didn’t you tell us the truth straight away? Why did you tell us that Victor was the only one of his kind found in this cave? It really doesn’t seem necessary.”

  “On the contrary! I didn’t want you to make contact with Victor, having the tragic events that had happened here at the forefront of your mind. That could have influenced your choices and your interpretation of your experiences in the connection. What’s more, we didn’t know what information Victor had been able to access. We didn’t know at the time that direct communication between your minds was possible. However, I did tell you that during previous attempts we had observed the transfer of information through the neural probe that we could not control. We were not certain, but we already suspected the possibility that Victor could also delve into his guest’s memories. Today I do not regret my decision. Evidently, his influence on his guests’ minds is a lot more powerful than we could have imagined. I realize that we are actually in control of very little. Even the way you left the connection was completely independent of our volition and without any intervention on our part. We could not consider sending you in there with such information in your memory. God only knows what would have happened to you if Victor had known about the death of forty-nine of his companions because of us.”

  “Do you know someone by the name of Elias Conti?”

  Giuseppe hesitated for a second. The question seemed to make him rather uncomfortable.

  “I suppose Victor told you about him, unless it was Mario?”

  “No, Mario didn’t tell us anything!” Jacques said quickly.

  “Yes, Victor told me about him. What happened to him?” Charlie asked.

  “Elias Conti was one of the technicians who worked on building the containment wall. He was one of the first to volunteer for the connection. Unfortunately, he was not as lucky as you. We had to disconnect him without his consent, which profoundly deranged his psyche. But I suppose that if Victor told you about him you must know as much as I do. Perhaps you could tell us more? I think I have put my cards on the table with you so far. I would invite you to do the same. What happened to Elias Conti?”

  “I’ll give you that, Giuseppe. I appreciate your honesty, so I don’t see any reason not to tell you what I know about him. Victor told me about someone called Elias Conti; an unfortunate candidate who didn’t cope with the effects of the connection. According to Victor he was already prone to anxiety which was out of control even before he entered the connection. Unlike his approach with me, Victor left Elias to wander in his own dreams. He never gave him access to anything other than his own mental constructs. However, Victor didn’t tell me about a number of the N.H.I.’s dying from viral or bacterial contamination. I suppose he didn’t know about that or I’m sure he would have told me. I think perhaps you have the explanation for that, don’t you, Giuseppe?”

  “Well, yes, of course. Elias Conti had been involved in building the wall but he didn’t know the reasons for isolating the no-go zone. Only a very few members of the research team and security personnel were authorized to know that information. I suppose that is why Victor did not find out and I think it’s much better that way.”

  Charlie thought Giuseppe was probably right. Whatever information Victor was privy to, he could do nothing about it. Perhaps it was better for him if he didn’t know anything more just yet. If Charlie was to help him, the best he could do now was to look for his wife, Rosaline, and he was determined to begin straight away, with the precious help Giuseppe would give him.

  32 CLEMENTINE

  Before leaving the interview room to rejoin the recovery room, Charlie asked Giuseppe one final question.

  “What is this thing?” he asked, pointing to the graphic tablet.

  Giuseppe gave him a careful look, as if he knew this was no innocent question then he replied, with a friendly smile.

  “That object is not of our making. We found it in this dome. I was intending to mention it to you because you might be able to help us understand how it works, but I think our conversation has been fruitful enough for today. If you agree, I think it would be better if we talk about it at another time, as it is quite a complex matter. That said, perhaps you could simply tell me if it looks familiar to you? Perhaps you have already seen others like it in Victor’s memory?”

  Charlie hesitated then, returning Giuseppe’s smile, he told him he had heard something about them when he was in the connection. He preferred not to say anything more for the time being, but he knew that the presence of that tablet, if it was still in working order, bode well for the days ahead. He knew that a tablet like that could hold crucial information which he alone could decipher; at least he hoped so. He hoped that his ability to read and comprehend the N.H.I.’s writing system was still there, even outside of the connection. Before leaving, seized by doubt, he turned back again, casting a careful eye over the tablet. He was relieved to find that despite the distance between the object and himself, he could read the initials written on its edge quite easily. His brain instantaneously interpreted the initials, where others would only have seen obscure, utterly meaningless symbols. He did not understand their exact meaning, but they were familiar to him and were probably the initials of the owner or designer.

  During the time it took the twins to make it out the door, Giuseppe stood alone in the middle of the room, lost in thought. The brothers’ uneven walk and their extremely unusual figure plunged him into some confusion. For a split second he had the impression he was dealing with a monstrous being that was human in name only. The fleeting impression soon gave way to a deep feeling of sympathy and compassion for these two rather unusual people, to whom life had not been kind. It was a sentiment that the twins had always evoked in those who crossed their path and took the time to get to know them. When the door had closed behind them, Giuseppe remained motionless for a few moments, his eyes focused on nothing, an affectionate smile on his face.

  Through the door, Mario and Clementine were waiting together. Clementine’s radiant smile gave away the romantic nature of their conversation. Charlie noticed this detail and could not help feeling a slight pang of heartache. On turning to greet the twins, her face fell as soon she saw the grave, concerned looks on their faces. Very soon anxiety crept across the fine, graceful lines of Clementine’s face. She took Charlie’s arm to help them down the stairs as she usually did. It was well-intentioned and they knew it, but neither Jacques nor Charlie appreciated the gesture, which only served to remind them of their infirmity. They did however find a certain satisfaction in not letting on immediately that it had all gone well in the end. They would have
plenty of time to talk about it in the car, they thought. The opportunity to conspire together in teasing their friends was too good to pass up.

  Mario drove, as he had done on the way there, but this time Clementine sat beside him. It might have seemed like a trivial detail, except that it was the first time she had done such a thing in the twins’ presence. Evidently, something had changed in her relationship with Mario, something significant enough for her not to bother sitting with the twins anymore. She obviously preferred the company of the handsome Italian whom she had had plenty of time to become acquainted with during their absence. Five, long weeks spent in Mario’s company, while Charlie and his brother had been stuck in bed, under strict observation. Jacques had noticed it already, but had preferred not to say anything to his brother, probably to protect him, but also because he thought it was better for Charlie to see for himself.

  “You didn’t tell me about this!” he said in a low voice.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Oh come on! You know very well – they’re together.”

  “Ah, yes. They could well be.”

  “Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.”

  “Maybe, but – and don’t take this the wrong way – I don’t think your being here would have made much difference. Unfortunately, I guess it’s not only those who are out of sight that are out of mind. Handsome young men who like to laugh and are great company tend to fill the minds of pretty young women more readily than grumpy invalids like us. But we’ve already discussed that, haven’t we?”

  “Okay, okay, I get it! You don’t need to go on about it.”

  “You asked. I was just answering your question. If you don’t like the answer, I’m sorry.”

  In the back seat, Charlie tried his best to swallow his bitterness, while Jacques smiled in satisfaction. It was the satisfied smile of someone who has just proved his point beyond all doubt.

  The sight of the shiny domes, lined up along the road, dripping with humidity, reminded Charlie, although it was not really needed, that all this was scarcely important. These structures of non-human origin had lost their power to fascinate him for now, just as his recent fascination for the lovely Clementine had lost its allure. These empty domes, some of them converted into human dwellings, only evoked in him a feeling of confusion, tinged with darkness and tragedy. Who were these beings who had died by the dozen through human negligence? Had there been children among them? Had they even realized something was wrong or had they simply slipped into an even deeper sleep before passing away forever? Perhaps no one would ever know the answer to that question but Charlie could not help thinking about it. Maybe he felt a duty to keep alive the memory of that horde of unknown people doomed to die. Perhaps no one would ever come to mourn for them, unless they had family members or friends among the hypothetical survivors who were still in the awakening phase in the no-go zone.

  Jacques also saw the place in a different light, now that he knew, but his thoughts were mainly focused on their unknown future. He did not share the same empathy for the beings he had never had the opportunity to meet, except during the few weeks he had lain next to Victor. For now Victor was nothing more than a huge, motionless body to him, which he knew nothing about apart from what his brother had decided to tell him.

  “You seem exhausted!” exclaimed Clementine. “Giuseppe was rather hard on you, I guess?”

  “No, not really. He was quite polite, actually. I don’t think he was trying to make things difficult for us; at least, not too difficult. Wouldn’t you say, Charlie? Is that right?”

  “Yes, Clementine, don’t worry about us. In fact, I don’t think the old man is as awful as you thought. He didn’t seem to be hiding any dark secrets from us. In any case, that’s the impression he made on me.”

  “Giuseppe is quite a private person,” added Mario. “It’s sometimes difficult – even for us – to know what he’s thinking. The whole team trusts him. Behind his amiable façade lies a real driver who can sometimes be very strict when the interests of the program he is pursuing are at risk. He knows how to unite his men around a project that they only have a general understanding of. Even those of us who know him and have worked with him for many years don’t know anything of his deeper motives or of the orders he receives from his superiors. All the same, I think that he’s an extremely compassionate man. Personally, I’m convinced that he behaves the same way with his superiors as he does with us. To him, we are all integral parts in a system of which he is the hub. Each one of us only knows what Giuseppe deems necessary for us to be able to fulfill our part of the collective work. That way, nobody but him really knows where we are going, but without him we would certainly not have come this far.”

  “But Mario, when I was in the connection Jacques told me about your doubts concerning Giuseppe’s true objectives. You seemed to think that he and Francisco would not hesitate to sideline my safety and physical wellbeing to serve their interests.”

  “That’s true, Charlie. He would sacrifice you, just as he would sacrifice any one of us if he thought he was making the right decision to guarantee the program’s success.”

  “But doesn’t that shock you, Mario? How can you accept the idea of being a mere pawn in a game of chess that only he can anticipate and comprehend?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe it’s better that way. I don’t find his mentality surprising at all. All scientists make research their top priority. This profession demands a great deal of abnegation. How many passionate scientists find they are unsuited to social life and forego material comfort and relationships to carry out their work? Many of them have willingly perished in the pursuit of their dream. Just think of the first discoveries of radioactivity. Some did not realize the danger they were exposing themselves to, but then many of them accepted the risk. They died prematurely because they prioritized the advancement of their work over and above their own safety. Add to that the fact that we are on a military base here, and you will see Charlie, that there is nothing astonishing about the fact that we all (or nearly) agree to submit to his authority.”

  “What happens to those who don’t agree?” asked Jacques.

  “I don’t remember that ever happening. At least, those who tended to disagree all ended up seeing reason. Group and hierarchical pressure is much too strong and the candidates for work here are not selected by chance.”

  “You know I don’t like it when you talk that way, Mario!” Clementine suddenly interjected. “Nobody can blindly follow a cause, no matter how noble. How can you agree to keep working in the dark? Charlie’s right. No one can put up with being moved around like a pawn on a checkerboard indefinitely; not someone like you, anyway! Not someone who enjoys life’s pleasures and allow himself certain liberties despite the regulations. I can’t believe you sincerely mean what you just said, Mario!”

  Mario was quiet, keeping his eyes on the road in front of him. Clementine’s attitude had greatly surprised Charlie. He had not expected such a violent reaction. He immediately began to wonder what could be behind such an outburst, from a woman who was ordinarily so discreet. Mario finally glanced at her and then responded in a tone he hoped was reassuring.

  “Don’t worry. I’m not a mere robot, any more than my colleagues are. We all have something to contribute and more often than not, Giuseppe takes our comments and observations into account. In that sense, we are not exactly what you would call pawns. Each of us maintains a certain measure of free-will, but we are all working toward a common goal; a goal that is much greater than us, just as it is greater than Giuseppe. The same goes for the government and the top officials who define the general extent of our mandate. I simply want you to realize that you three are now part of a program with firmly fixed rules. In that sense, you are subject to discipline you are not used to and you probably just need to accept that some things will not be revealed to you immediately.”

  Charlie was just about to react, but the vehicle was already slowing down to pull up in the dr
iveway in front of Pavilion 28.

  “Here we are!” said Mario enthusiastically. “You must be pleased to be back at our pavilion, even if you ended up spending scarcely more than a few days here since your arrival.”

  “Weren’t you supposed to take us back to the recovery room?” asked Jacques in surprise.

  But it was Clementine who answered with obvious pleasure.

  “Well, yes, but here we are! I wanted it to be a surprise. I insisted that Giuseppe allow you to join us a little earlier than planned. He agreed quite quickly but you’ll have to be as discreet as possible about what you learned in the connection. Alvaro is looking forward to seeing you. I thought you would be anxious to have some sort of social life again. Am I right?”

  “Yes, you’re right. Nothing would make us happier than going home and curiously, I think that we were quite comfortable in this pavilion, weren’t we Jacques? You’ll be able to smoke a nice cigar and I don’t think I’ll have any trouble joining you!”

  “As long as someone agrees to authorize this slight deviation from the rules! A friend, for example, a connoisseur who might like to share in this forbidden pleasure with us…” Jacques said, looking at Mario, who had just silenced the purring motor.

  He turned around, not seeking to hide his pleasure at being reunited with the twins again.

  “With a little glass of Cognac, I suppose. I’ll see what I can do, my friends! I can’t pass up an opportunity to reveal to my dear Clementine that behind my apparent submission to authority there is a rebellious soul hiding. He then burst into laughter which soon infected them all, except at first for Clementine, who seemed annoyed that her concerns were being taken a little too lightly for her liking. But the moment was much too pleasant for her not to join in too, with all the spirit required by the circumstances.