“Okay, Jack. Thanks for talking to me. And, I’ll talk to you when I get back.”
“I’ll be waiting for your call.”
Chapter Sixty
I gently turned the pages of the codex, gloves on. But my mind wasn’t on the words inside. All I could think of was how my life was just going in circles.
I was sitting on the side of my bed. I was supposed to be packing. Going to see Senator Cook. Take him everything I had. Even the Codex from Panama. He would be sending a car to take me and Mase to a private plane.
He wanted to be sure everything was protected.
I’m the one that needed that protection.
I had found those original manuscripts in Jerusalem. I didn’t do the right thing them. Present them. Write a scholarly article. Have them verified. Tell the world. And because of it, my life had been threatened. Heck, I was nearly killed.
And now, I’m sitting here again with ancient artifacts thinking about doing the same thing. They had already been a threat to my life, and my daughter’s. . . .
So why would I think about doing anything other than giving them up?
Jack. He’d put that bug in my ear. That giving the information to someone that powerful wouldn’t be a good thing. I might end up getting hurt in the end anyway he had said.
When did archaeology get to be so dangerous?
And how in the world did this stuff always just land in my lap.
God. What are the chances?
“It must mean something, Justin. That you are the one responsible for this.” I said out loud.
Divine Intervention?
Or maybe just plain ole’ dumb luck . . .
Bad luck.
ϫ ϫ ϫ ϫ ϫ ϫ ϫ ϫ ϫ ϫ
“Couldn’t change her mind. But I think I gave her something to think about,” Jack spoke into his cell phone.
“You know, the people I associate with have kept the secret of the manuscripts for thousands of years. We knew about the Voynich Manuscript and the language that it was that filled its pages. We swore oaths. It’s a something that I take very seriously.”
“I really can’t relate to what you’re saying, Nikhil, but I do want Justin to be safe and get the outcome that she wants to have.”
“Oh, Jack, I think that you can relate to what I’m saying. It’s the same thing as when you signed up to serve the U.S. You took an oath to serve your country. Just look at it like the Mars migration story is my county.”
“Yeah, I see where you coming from.”
“But Bruce Cook is not a person to have this information. I’m beginning to think that Justin’s been right to hide it all these years.”
“Like I told you,” Jack said. “I’ve talked to a guy over at NASA. It looks like it’s going to come out eventually. And this scientist didn’t bring it to the Pentagon. He took it to Cook directly. It’s going to be pretty hard to keep it secret.”
“One step at a time,” Nikhil said. “But, I looked into this Senator, Jack and he’s got his eyes set on grandeur.”
“What do you wanna do?”
“We’ll let Justin make the decision. For some reason God has saw fit for her to have all this information. Her getting all the pieces to the puzzle over the span of twenty years.”
“Yeah. That is kind of remarkable.”
“So, if she gives it to him at her meeting in Washington, then we let it go. It was meant to be. But if she changes her mind. For any reason. Then we’ll take care of it. Take care of him. My mission is to keep Justin safe.”
“Okay, Nikhil. Sounds good. I’ll follow your lead.”
Chapter Sixty-One
Washington, D.C.
“Do you think that man’s mind is at his full potential?” Senator Bruce Cook seemed to want to have a scientific debate with me. “I don’t,” he said emphatically, without giving me time to answer. “And I don’t believe that will come about without some concentrated effort that has that as its main focus. I believe that at one time man was much smarter and capable than he is today. Your research is proof of that.”
I agreed with that but I kept quiet. I had dragged myself in to go through with my meeting with the Senator. I was sitting in his office on Capitol Hill to turn my “research,” as it were, over to him. But with Jack in one ear and this Senator’s lofty aspirations in my other ear, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do anymore.
He’d been talking for twenty minutes and he sounded like he was some kind of god. Out to save mankind. He was planning on running for President, and he said, that plan included me. I was going to help him save the world.
I don’t think so, Senator. I want no part in your craziness. You’ll be lucky if I sit here and listened to you for another five minutes.
“There is a study by a Stanford geneticist that argues man is dumber today than he was 100 years ago and certainly more so than a man 1,000 year ago,” the Senator was still talking. “As the human brain evolves, this guy explains in his paper, mutations occur in the brain and those mutations have caused a decline in overall human intellect. Evolution, he postulates, should constantly improve mankind’s abilities, but with the naturally occurring mutations it won’t, not without applying selection.”
“Survival of the fitness?” I asked just to be polite. I already knew about that study.
“Yes. But the “fit” in terms of where the world we live in is at today would be the most intelligent. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“What do you think about it?”
“There is a school of thought,” he continued, “that believes intelligence can be neither taught nor earned, only inherited. If you apply that to what this Stanford geneticists believes then Natural selection can be achieved through reproductive selection. I’d tend to agree with that.”
“That sounds like eugenics,” I said.
“Just like in your book.” He nodded his head as if we were in perfect agreement.
We weren’t.
“And just like the Indians you wrote about in your book, Justin.”
“My book was fiction.”
He looked at me and smiled. “Now we both know that’s not true.” He paused. “You told me that the first time you came to see me and I understand why. But you don’t have to be afraid of it ruining you. Or your family. You have my backing. My full support. I want you on my team. I’m sorry about the mess with Simon.” He leaned forward in his desk chair. “But from here on out, I’ll be the face of it. I will take on the responsibility of it. That’ll be easier for everyone concerned, don’t you think?”
A knock at the door interrupted me from telling this man just what I thought.
“Come in,” he said.
“Ah, here is my other secret weapon.” Senator Cook stood up and walked over to the door to greet his visitor.
“I’m glad you’re here Victoria. Perfect timing.” He put his hand in the palm of her back and ushered her into the room.
“Dr. Victoria Russell meet Dr. Justin Dickerson.” She stuck out her hand. “Justin, Victoria.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” I said.
“Likewise, I’m sure.”
Senator Cook’s eyes were beaming as we were introduced. “I like the idea that both my secret weapons are women.” He waved his hand toward the chair next to where I was seated. “Have a seat, Victoria. I was just bringing Justin up to speed on your part of my platform.”
Oh so she was the eugenicist. I glanced at her. She didn’t look like a female Hitler. She was pretty, with soft red curls framing her face. Petite and feminine. But I know you can’t always judge a book by its cover . . .
“Justin, you were here first, why don’t you start.”
“Start?”
“Yes. Your historical find.” I raised an eyebrow. “Your book. Your research,” he said. “But first, Victoria would you like a cup of tea? It’s about that time isn’t it?” He looked at his watch and then smiled at Victoria. “Justin would you like a cup?”
“Sure,” I said. Anythi
ng to help wash down this knot that was forming in the back of my throat.
“Hang-on and I’ll rustle some up.” He walked toward the office door. “Meanwhile, Justin,” he said over his shoulder, “start telling Victoria about the government up there and about their experiments.”
“Up there?” she asked and gave me a polite look.
I took in a breath. I didn’t like telling perfect strangers about my theory. “By up there, he means Mars,” I said.
“A government on Mars? Sounds preposterous.” She laughed. Unabashedly.
Senator Cook walked back into the room.
“What’s funny?” he asked.
“I’m not quite sure,” I said.
“Okay, so tea will be here soon” he said, he clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “How far did you get?” He looked at both of us. This Victoria Russell sat there with a silly look on her face. I shook my head. “No matter,” he said. “We can start from the beginning. One world government.” He nodded at me. “Justin.”
My cue to start again, I guessed. So I started again. “Mars is about a billion years older than Earth in its development. And during that billions years, before this planet fully formed, there was life on Mars.” I looked directly at Victoria. “Human life.”
“Are you serious?” she asked.
“Listen, Victoria,” Senator Cook snapped. “This is important.” He scowled. “And don’t make that face,” he pointed at her. “You’re a scientist. Be open-minded while she tells you what happened.”
“My theory on what happened.”
“Don’t be modest, Justin. NASA can - and will - back you up. Continue,” he ordered.
I did as ordered. “Man’s origin was on Mars. He lived and thrived there before any life here. He was created there. The planet is a billion years ahead of us,” I said. “They had a billion years to spawn man and develop their minds, their technology.” She listened, but it seemed only out of courtesy. “And develop it they did.”
“Tell her about the government,” he said just as the door crept open. “Oh good, here’s the tea. Go ahead, Justin tell her.”
“They had a one world government. A board called The Elect,” I said as he handed us cups of hot tea. “One world language.”
“A one world government, Victoria,” he repeated. “Can you imagine?” He seemed delighted with such an idea.
“No, Bruce. Actually I can’t imagine.” She blew on her tea and took a sip.
When she said “can’t,” it was the first that I caught an accent. British.
“Go ahead, Justin,” he urged me.
“Uhm . . . so . . . Our ancestors on Mars - ”
“Our ancestors?” Now she had started interrupting me.
“Yes. As I said they were human.”
“She’ll tell you what she means,” Senator Cook interjected. “Let her talk.”
“What I mean is that they were human.” I gave a smug smile. “The humans on Mars were more technologically advanced than what we have been able to achieve even today. They cured all the diseases. Traveled through space. Man was superior and practically immortal. So much so they thought themselves gods.” I could see the Senator frown out the corner of my eye. “The planet we call Earth was at that time void and without life,” I continued, “so they used it as their laboratory. Here they created a “man -”
“The Neanderthal,” Senator Cook interjected and waved at me to continue.
“They created dinosaurs - ”
“Dinosaurs?” she interjected. “They created the Neanderthal and the dinosaurs?” She seemed quite put out with me. I kept expecting her to leap out of her chair and storm out of the room at any minute.
I kept talking. “The creation of new plants, diseases, environment due to forced climate change on Earth - they did it all. What they referred to as the third planet was nothing more than a big experimental playground for them. And they are responsible for Earth’s ancient mysteries. Their presence. Their know-how.”
“Oh. You mean like Stonehenge, the pyramids, or the cave drawings like the ones in India and Australia?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said with a nod.
“Aliens really did do it then, eh? Oh. Okay.” Her accent became more prominent with each sentiment expressed. “And you’ve got bloody proof of this, have you?” She looked at the Senator.
“NASA.” He gave the one word answer and looked at me. “Tell her about the Indians, Justin.”
“Let me be clear,” I said and looked directly at her. “There were no aliens. They were human. Just like you and me.” She may not believe what I was telling her and that was her prerogative. But she certainly had no right to think me stupid, which basically I felt she was doing.” I coughed into my hand to clear my throat and continued. “Mars could no longer sustain life - ”
“Nuclear holocaust.” Senator Cook said with a nod and then did his now usual hand wave for me to continue.”
.“They had to live underground,” I said. “The air, the planet couldn’t sustain life any longer so the elect chose one race of people to come and live on Earth - ”
“The Indians,” he cut in. “That’s why whenever explorers found “undiscovered” land, quote unquote, it was always already occupied by Indians. Right, Justin?”
Maybe I should just let him tell the story.
“That’s my theory,” I said.
“Not theory. Truth,” he said. “Think about it, Victoria. There is nowhere that Europeans went and didn’t discover natives and those natives were always Indians.”
She seemed to be thinking that over. I couldn’t care less whether she believed me or not.
“But tell her what they did to the Indians before they put them here on Earth, Justin. Tell Victoria.”
“They regressed them.” I said.
She sat up and took notice to that. Not surprising.
“Why did they regress them?” She asked.
“They didn’t want them to bring all the knowledge they possessed to the new world. They felt that it was the cause of their demise.”
I surely wasn’t going to tell her that it was one of the many ways they controlled the population. As a eugenicist, if she was one, I didn’t want her to think I was on board with anything like that. I wasn’t even planning on telling the good Senator what I had recently learned.
“Interesting, huh, Victoria?” Senator Cook was beaming and nodding his head.
“What proof do you have of this?” She turned slightly in her chair toward me. I had really piqued her interest.
“I found manuscripts that had been hidden in the caves at Qumran. They told the whole story. I also deciphered the Voynich Manuscript.”
“You? Deciphered the Voynich Manuscript?” She sat back in her chair and took a sip of her tea. I saw her eyes darting around, she was giving this serious thought.
“Dr. Dickerson is an authority in her own right,” he said. “She is a biblical archaeologist. She’s can speak several languages including Arabic, ancient Sanskrit and can decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics and Sumerian cuneiform. Reading the Voynich was nothing for her.”
How nice of him to say. Not that I cared about what he thought of me. I picked up my tea and took a sip.
“Okay. The purpose of this meeting was twofold, Senator Cook took over the conversation. “Justin is our proof of the need to push forward on space travel, colonization, and as you see, is a tie in to you. Now, Victoria. Tell Justin your expertise.
She returned the same smug smile I’d given her earlier and said, “Overpopulation.”
I choked on the tea, and coughed so hard that I had to excuse myself from the room.
Chapter Sixty-Two
That was it for me.
I knew right then and there I wasn’t giving Bruce Cook any of the information I had.
I felt like he was trying to reincarnate the world that had been Mars, thousands – millions of years ago.
The world that the Maya had feared.
The world the Saboteurs had rebelled against.
A society that hadn’t worked for them. For us. Back then. And I knew it wasn’t going to work now. And I knew I wasn’t going to have any part in trying to recreate it.
I felt tears stinging my eyes as they brimmed forth and starting sliding down my cheek. I brushed them away with the back of my hand. I am not going to cry. I am going to do something about this.
But what?
And how? How would I do it?
I couldn’t fight the United States government. And if Senator Bruce Cook got what he wanted, he’d be the next President of the United States. There would be no denying him then.
How did I get myself into this predicament?
I sat in one of the stalls in the restroom where I had hid myself. I pulled out my cell phone and stared at it. I needed to call someone – someone who could fix this. Someone who could help me.
Instead of pulling up the dialer I Googled Victoria Russell. My eyes scurried over the phone’s screen as I read what was written about her.
Proposes genocide . . . Espouses government intervention . . . Believes overpopulation is a cancer on humanity . . . Endorses instant action to reduce . . .
This was who I was on a team with? Cook’s duo secret weapons. Me and Miss-Let’s-Kill-Off-The-World’s-Population-She-Demon?
Oh my God.
I slumped on the seat and leaned over on the wall of the stall to support my weight - I couldn’t do it myself - and I cried.
Man I hate when I get so emotional.
I swiped at the tears on my cheeks, stood up, fixed my clothes and took in a deep breath.
I’ve got to get out of here.
I pulled the restroom door open slowly and peeked my head through it. Turning my neck back and forth to check both directions, I found the coast was clear. I ran out and punched the button to the elevator. The red light on the down button lit up. I looked up at the numbers over the elevator doors. I punched the button again. The elevator car wasn’t moving toward me any faster. I punched the button again. Then again, and again. And again.
Incarnate: Mars Origin I Series Book III Page 21
