by James Phelan
‘Hmm, so there’s no doubt …’ Dr Dark said, staring up at the ceiling as he sipped his whiskey.
Sam felt as though he were back in the doctor’s suite in Vancouver and thought of all those years they’d discussed his dreams. His Agent parents had sent him there.
Eva too …
‘Wait—tell me … what’s the connection between you, the Professor, and the Enterprise guy—their boss? Do you know each other? How come you ended up treating Enterprise-created kids? Did they put you up to it?’
‘Well, let me start at the beginning.’ Dr Dark sat upright in his chair and put his drink down. ‘I studied at the Sorbonne with Tom—the Professor—and Jack, but soon after our studies we went our separate ways to pursue our post-doctoral work.’
‘What?’ Sam said. ‘Hold on a minute. So all three of you knew each other at university?’
‘That’s where we met, in Paris, in a class given by a very learned Dreamer who has, sadly, since passed away,’ Dr Dark said. ‘Tom was convinced that all dreaming abilities could be taught—true dreams, applying dreams in the waking world, all of it.’
Dr Dark sat forward in his chair as he continued.
‘Jack and I—we both thought this extra dreaming ability had more to do with our genes—and that those of us with the right genetic make-up were able to tap into it.’
‘Nature versus nurture, right?’ Sam said.
‘Yes, that’s how our differences of opinion started, although Jack and I soon disagreed on how we thought the innate talent should be fostered—and to what extent it could be.’
‘Disagreed how?’ Sam said. ‘Because he wanted to control what we would become in a lab?’
‘That’s oversimplifying it,’ Dr Dark said, ‘but yes, you could say that.’
‘And you?’ Xavier said.
‘I wanted to give Mother Nature a helping hand by enhancing what was innately in you, in all of us, already—I thought we could find the middle ground between nature and nurture through cognitive science.’ Dr Dark poured himself a glass of water. ‘But Jack mapped a gene variation that helped people live into their nineties and beyond. It also aided memory and learning in the elderly. It altered the size of cholesterol particles, making them less likely to cause strokes. People aged ninety-five or older who had the gene variant were twice as likely to have good brain function. From there he worked with researchers to discover more about how they could manipulate brain function through genetics.’
‘What’s the connection to true dreams?’ Sam said.
Dark smiled. ‘They call it the Dreamer Gene.’
18
EVA
‘Should we wait for your new friend, the pop star?’ Jedi teased.
‘She’s not my friend, she’s a roommate who’s been forced upon me,’ Eva complained.
‘Aw, come on, she can’t be that bad? Where is she, anyway?’
‘Signing more autographs, probably.’ Eva pulled a face and Jedi raised his eyebrows at her. ‘OK, I think she’s still with Lora recording her “broadcast to her fans”, and talking to her family. And then I reckon she’s got a bit of last 13 history to catch up on. So it’s just us for now, and I like it like that,’ she finally smiled once more and Jedi looked happy.
They were back in Jedi’s lab, the sound of computers humming all around them as he brought them some drinks.
‘So, how can I be of service?’ Eva smiled.
‘I have something rather special to show you,’ Jedi proclaimed. ‘Come take a look at this and feast your eyes on history.’
‘O … kay …’ Eva followed him to a high white table in the corner of the room. She pulled up a stool alongside him and turned her attention to the book he placed in front of her.
‘This is the book Sam and Gabriella found in Rome, isn’t it?’ she asked.
‘Sure is … take a closer look,’ Jedi urged.
Eva examined the ancient book carefully. She fumbled to turn the pages, the cotton gloves Jedi made her put on hindering her progress. They were full of diagrams and notations in almost-illegible writing.
Her drink sat untouched on Jedi’s desk as she become more and more absorbed in the pages. There’s something special about this book …
‘What is it?’ she asked, looking up at him eagerly. ‘Do you know?’
‘I did some reading up earlier and the Professor and I believe it’s part of a sixteenth century journal,’ Jedi said, taking it from her in his own gloved hands.
‘What language is it written in?’
‘Italian,’ Jedi replied.
‘That doesn’t look like Italian,’ Eva said. ‘Are you sure?’
‘That’s because Leonardo da Vinci wrote most of his personal notes this way,’ Jedi said. ‘It’s written backwards, right to left.’
‘This journal was written by da Vinci?’ Wow, he wasn’t kidding about it being ‘history’.
Jedi nodded. ‘He wrote both the normal way and in this kind of “mirror writing”. In fact, he was famous for it. Nobody knows for sure why he did it, but it was probably because he was left-handed and it was easier.’ Jedi noticed Eva’s frown and added, ‘He wasn’t writing with a modern pen, remember, he’d have had ink all over the place, and it was easier to avoid smudging the other way.’
‘Huh, I thought you were going to say it was to write down secrets or something exciting like that,’ Eva laughed. ‘But no—smudges. OK, then. What journal is it from, do you know?’
‘You bet I know. It’s one of the most famous collections of writing in the world—the Codex Atlanticus,’ he said with a flourish.
‘Hold on, I think I’ve heard of that,’ Eva said. She could see the wonder on Jedi’s face, but she couldn’t recall enough about the Codex to share in his amazement just yet.
‘Written and illustrated by da Vinci—his greatest collection of work,’ Jedi prompted. ‘I can’t believe they found it in Rome. In the Vatican library of all places!’
‘I’m sorry, you’re going to have to remind me,’ Eva said with a sheepish grin. ‘What’s the Codex Atlanticus?’
‘The Codex Atlanticus is made up of twelve volumes of drawings and writings, all by da Vinci. It’s over a thousand pages of his notes on mathematics, musical instruments, war machines, powered flight, botany … anything and everything he was interested in. The original is in a library in Milan.’
‘And this is part of it?’ Eva asked.
‘I think we’re looking at the missing thirteenth volume,’ Jedi said. ‘Navigation and time instruments. Look here,’ Jedi said. ‘This diagram …’
They studied the page. It showed a diagram of a machine, the shape and size of a shoebox, with measurements and notations among the meticulous detail.
‘It can’t be a coincidence,’ Eva whispered, taking the book back from Jedi to look even closer.
‘What?’ Jedi peered over her shoulder, passing her a magnifying glass.
‘Check out this part here,’ she said, holding the glass over the enlarged diagram of the side view.
‘A star-shaped hole.’ Jedi looked at Eva. ‘I guess we know where that key goes, then?’
‘When was this volume lost?’ Eva asked.
‘It says here the Codex was taken from Milan by the French during the Napoleonic occupation,’ Jedi said, bringing up research from the internet, ‘and only partly returned after 1815.’
‘Are you thinking what I’m thinking?’ Eva said.
Jedi nodded. ‘Yup. If you’re thinking that the last 13 have to—’
An insistent and high-pitched beeping across the room grabbed their attention. Jedi slid over in his chair to take a closer look.
‘What’s up? Everything OK?’ Eva asked, coming over to join him. Several screens flashed and bleeped frantically.
‘These are alerts—they go off whenever specific trigger words or phrases come up on the internet.’ He flicked between several screens, scanning quicker than Eva could read. ‘I set up searches to monitor particular sites,
you know, international police sites, conspiracy blogs, that kind of thing. And it looks like our race isn’t going to be a secret for much longer.’
19
SAM
‘And of course, da Vinci is at the heart of it all,’ Dr Dark had a captive audience now—Sam and Xavier were rooted to the spot.
‘Da Vinci?’ Sam said. ‘I should have known.’
‘He was an astonishing artist and inventor, a genius in many ways,’ Dr Dark said. ‘But he was something even more special. He was one of the most powerful Dreamers who’s ever lived. And that was Jack’s final leap, his greatest step forward, and it’s why you’re special too.’
‘What’s this got to do with da Vinci?’ Sam asked.
‘You’ve seen Jurassic Park, correct?’ Dr Dark said. ‘I know Xavier has, many times.’
‘Totally, yeah,’ Xavier said.
‘Seen it and read it,’ Sam replied.
‘Good. So, you know that in the story they created dinosaurs using DNA sequencing? Well, Jack and his team of lab coats at the Enterprise managed to map the DNA of da Vinci, and found a certain uncommon gene, which he then applied to you.’
‘What?’ Sam stood and paced the room. ‘So I’m—I’m what? I’m related to da Vinci?’
‘Not really. One of your genes is cloned from his,’ Dr Dark said, ‘but it’s really a tiny part of your genetic make-up. That was always Jack’s plan, even at university,’ Dr Dark said. ‘To create a blueprint for genetic genius. So people would be able to dream beyond what anyone else could achieve.’
‘And what about now? I’m fifteen. Whatever Jack did to my DNA, that was a long time ago,’ Sam said.
‘That’s right. Imagine what the Enterprise scientists could have achieved by now,’ Dr Dark said, staring into the fire. ‘Just imagine …’
‘Could have achieved?’ Sam asked.
‘You were the last, Sam. The program was shut down by the United States government,’ Dr Dark explained. ‘Where do you think their funding was coming from?’ he added.
Sam didn’t know what to make of it all, and by the look on Xavier’s face, he didn’t either. Yet, he had to admit it was making sense.
But how does that help me now?
‘So that’s why we were made? To give someone, some government an advantage?’ Sam said. ‘Shame they couldn’t have made me without asthma.’
Both Xavier and his father chuckled.
‘It’s not so much that you were both “made”,’ Dr Dark said. ‘It’s more that—’
‘Wait,’ Xavier said, interrupting his father. ‘You said “both”. Do you mean … Dad?’
Dr Dark swallowed hard.
‘Dad—am I . .?’ Xavier stood. ‘Are you even my real—?’
‘Calm down,’ Dr Dark said. ‘I am your father, don’t ever think otherwise.’
‘But did you—I mean, am I some kind of experiment?’
Dr Dark took a moment to answer, settling himself to share a piece of information he’d waited a lifetime to pass on.
‘Yes, Xavier,’ he said, ‘you have the same enhanced DNA as Sam. But I am your father, and your mother was your mother. Don’t get carried away.’
Xavier walked around the room, trying to take this news in.
‘Son, it’s a gift—’ Dr Dark began.
‘I’m a freak!’ Xavier shouted. He glared at his father as he raged. ‘A mutant!’
‘No, son, you’re special, you truly have a gift, you just have to apply it,’ Dr Dark said, in his well-practised soothing doctor voice. ‘If humanity decides that we need to do more to exploit human talent, then we will all benefit. You possess genetic assets beyond the ordinary, while so many out there are suffering from an inability, so far, to tap into what they already have.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me about any of this sooner?’ Xavier asked. ‘Why do I find out now, like this?’
Sam sat back in his chair, uncomfortable to be in the presence of the family revelations rocking the room.
‘Dad—why didn’t you tell me before?’
‘You weren’t ready,’ Dr Dark sighed.
‘When would I be?’ Xavier shot back.
‘Now.’
‘Why?’ Xavier asked. ‘Why now?’
Dr Dark turned his attention to Sam. ‘Sam, am I right in assuming that Xavier is not here by accident?’
Sam felt his face redden as he slowly nodded and looked anxiously at Xavier.
‘And would I also be right in assuming that he’s part of the race?’ he continued.
Sam nodded again.
Dr Dark stood and went to his son and put a hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. ‘Xavier, I’ve been waiting for the right time, and that time is now. You and Sam are part of something that will shape the world in ways that we cannot even imagine yet. I believe you are also one of the last 13.’
20
SAM
Sam grabbed his bag and left the room to give Xavier and his dad privacy to talk. He was guiltily grateful that Dr Dark would be the one to explain the last 13 to Xavier and all that was going to mean for him.
I can’t believe Dr Dark is a Dreamer, on the Council of Dreamers! The whole time he was my doctor he knew all about this other world, and then it turns out his patient is one of the last 13. And his son!
Sam couldn’t quite work out if he should be angry with Dr Dark for hiding the Dreaming world from him. Then he remembered Tobias and his ‘parents’ had all known, or suspected, that he might become a Dreamer. And possibly one of the last 13. His head hurt thinking about it and he decided to just let it go for now.
He wandered through the expanse of the massive house in search of food. In the huge kitchen, Sam fixed himself a sandwich from the fridge.
‘So, let’s look at what we have here …’ Sam took out the rubbing of the Dream Stele from where he’d slotted it back into his pack and laid it out on the slab of white marble of the island bench. It certainly looked like an exact fit to the top half of the Stele. Looking at it, he couldn’t imagine what, if anything, it was revealing.
Why go to all the trouble of destroying every trace of it? Perhaps there’s a detail here, a clue to what the prophecy will reveal. Sam studied it closely. Try as he might, there was nothing he could learn from it without Jedi’s translation.
‘Sam, there you are,’ Dr Dark said, coming into the room. ‘The Professor is on the phone, he’d like to speak to you.’
Sam spoke to the Professor at length, while Xavier and his father watched and waited. Xavier’s eyes looked red and Dr Dark took the time to compose himself after what had obviously been a heated argument.
Sam focused on discussing what had happened since the events in Rome. The Academy staff were already busy trying to decipher digital images of the rubbing he’d sent to Jedi—the place was abuzz with the news that the inscription on the missing half of the Stele had been found after all.
Sam then said hello to Eva, Lora and Gabriella as they joined the conversation. The three of them were in high spirits to hear from him. Finally Jedi came on the line and Sam put Dr Dark’s phone on speaker so they could all share in the conversation.
‘Sam, good to hear that you’re in one piece,’ Jedi said. ‘Much better than two pieces. Or three, for that matter.’
‘Thanks, Jedi,’ Sam said. ‘Right back at you.’
‘Now, that Gear you found in the pulpit of the church in Rome?’
‘Gear?’ Sam said.
‘The brass disc with teeth all around—it’s a Gear,’ Jedi replied. ‘Part of a machine.’
‘Egyptian?’ Sam asked.
‘No, I don’t think so,’ Jedi said. ‘Eva and I have been examining the journal that Gabriella found in the Vatican library and we believe it holds the answer.’
‘Go on,’ Sam urged, noticing Dr Dark leaning forward and listening intently.
‘The journal was da Vinci’s, and in it there are several drawings and notes about a machine,’ Jedi said. Sam listened, stunned
at the news. More da Vinci?
‘It’s a bit of a leap of faith at this point, but I think the machine he refers to as the “Bakhu” is what will show us the way in this race.’
‘Bakhu?’ Sam asked.
‘It comes from an Egyptian myth,’ Jedi replied. ‘It was the name of the mountain from which the sun rose.’
‘Well, I guess it’s not surprising that da Vinci would have made an Egyptian connection,’ Sam said.
‘Exactly,’ Eva said. ‘And we think the Bakhu is the very thing the last 13 are racing to find.’
21
EVA
‘It’s true, Sam,’ Eva said, the phone on the table between her, Gabriella, Jedi, Lora and the Professor. ‘This is what the last 13 are destined to do. To build the machine.’
‘Like putting together a puzzle, do you mean?’ Xavier said over the phone.
‘Sort of—there’s a section in the journal that talks about the thirteen pieces that complete the Bakhu. We’re still translating right now but it seems like this is really it. Da Vinci even mentions specially made Gears.’
‘Like the Gear we found in Italy, Sam? It must be a part that goes inside the machine, yes?’ Gabriella said.
‘And Sam?’ Eva continued.
‘Yep, I’m here,’ he replied.
‘There’s a star-shaped hole on the outside of the machine.’
‘Whoa.’
‘Well said, Sam,’ the Professor chimed in. ‘I think we’re truly now beginning to see our purpose in this race.’
‘It all makes sense, doesn’t it?’ Sam replied. ‘The Star of Egypt was da Vinci’s and the key was inside. Then the Gear in Rome … so what does the machine do?’ Sam asked. ‘Do the Gears make it a clock or something?’
‘If I may address that question,’ Dr Dark said. ‘As most of you now know, there have long been rumours in the Dreamer world of the prophecy leading to some kind of ultimate power,’ Dr Dark said. ‘The prophecies that the Council have studied and safeguarded all these years point to writings through the ages, from Egyptian and Greek and Roman times, right through to the Renaissance, of a gateway to a world of impossible treasures. Just what the—’
