MONAD 12.21.12

by T. Anderson

  After the paperwork came the sanitation. Each subject went through a rigorous hygiene routine. It was one of Erling’s personal stipulations. He wasn’t about to be working over a filthy, stinking specimen. They were sent through the same automated system that would be used in the event of a biological outbreak—several consecutive chambers spraying different gases and fumigants.

  Next came the surgical preparation for the procedure. The man’s head and face were shaved and the girl’s abdomen inspected for signs of disease or lesions. Both had samples of blood run through a thorough checklist that took only minutes. Steinar had the most sophisticated medical equipment available at his disposal.

  When the team was finished with the preliminary routine, Erling finally entered the picture. Presenting himself to the subjects as their savior, their salvation, they were in awe of him. He gave them the well-rehearsed sermon in which he promised to free them of all of their burdens and deliver them into a new life. Tactically, however, he spared them the gruesome details of the actual procedure. It wasn’t necessary, as far as he was concerned. No need to bring fear into the equation. Having no idea what their individual roles would be in this, the subjects saw dollar signs and that was enough. Even if they didn’t survive the procedure, they felt secure with the hope to alleviate the harsh reality of life for a loved one. To them, they had nothing to lose.

  Listening through the opaque glass door to the surgery room, Myra assessed the status. She entered the room to find the subjects were already deposited in their appropriate positions. Side by side, three feet apart on surgical tables, they’d been given a mild relaxant and were feeling no pain. The drug addict required a few extra milligrams, but was now comfortable and stabilized. Myra spotted Erling writing some notes at the counter, waiting for her to arrange the sterilized surgical tools. He was calculating the dimensions for the needle depth of both subjects. He’d already finished the ultrasound on the girl and had set up the video camera. The red light was flashing. Good, he’d already been recording. Usually that was her job.

  Myra lifted her mask onto her face as she approached. “Doctor Steinar?” It was more an acknowledgement than a question. She was waiting to see if he needed her for anything else in particular before she took her place.

  “Oh good. You’re here. Just in time.” His voice in the surgery room was uncharacteristically soothing—an act for the subjects to keep them calm. There had been instances in the past where he allowed his temper to flare and their reactions caused their premature extermination.

  “I wasn’t aware you were working this evening, Doctor,” Myra answered in an echoed composed voice. Although she had no objections to it, she was genuinely surprised. It was the second attempt this month. The frequency of the midnight calls was increasing. It used to be roughly every six months, but the last several attempts were scheduled much tighter—almost seeming spontaneous. Dr. Steinar had even gone to the trouble of installing an incinerator in the adjoining room to dispose of the evidence.

  Myra’s thoughts were not focused on the regularity of the subjects being lost, but instead on the suspicion of being noticed by night security and the like. There was a risk of being compromised if their late-night patterns of lab work were brought into question. This would need to be addressed at a later time. Right now, she would do her job. Stay focused. Collect data. Assess the behavior of the subjects.

  After preparing the tools, Dr. Hadrian introduced herself to the subjects and performed a few basic checks. Temperature, pulse, pupil dilation. Aside from the drugs, both seemed coherent. Nothing out of the ordinary. “Vitals stable, Doctor,” she stated.

  “Right then. We’re ready to proceed.” Erling signaled and Myra took her position near the video camera, pen and paper in hand to jot down any remarkable notes.

  Erling first stopped at the girl’s side, placing his hand on her arm. “We’ll start with him first. I will strongly advise you to look away during this part. Can you do that, dear?”

  The young, pregnant girl was clearly anxious, but was still willing to proceed. She looked down at her exposed abdomen where the tiny, young fetus was still well-hidden and then directed her eyes to the white ceiling tile above her. She could only respond with a weak, “uh-huh.”

  Erling situated himself on the rolling stool at the other table. He shuffled himself to the head of the man and looked down over him. The man met him with glassy eyes. Erling inspected the black dot on the man’s forehead that had been drawn there during the preparations. With a gloved hand, he reached for the IV drip. “You’re doing great. Just relax. This will all be over very soon and you’ll be as good as new.” This was of course, a complete fabrication. This man had no idea what was about to happen and was scared out of his mind. If it weren’t for the extra drugs coursing through his blood, he would certainly have changed his mind and run for his life.

  At the last minute, the man made one last plea, “Please—tell my wife I’m sorry.” His last request would never be granted. They had no idea who his wife was, or who he was for that matter. Or rather, they didn’t care. He meant nothing to them. He was just another sacrifice in the name of science.

  “You’ll be able to tell her yourself,” Erling answered with a smile as the man’s eyes closed. Now completely sedated, the anesthetic had taken effect. Erling looked into the camera. “Aeon Project. Case 16. Sedated Male Donor/Active Portal.” The date and time would appear on the recording.

  Myra nodded to Erling. All appropriate mental boxes had been checked. They were ready to proceed.

  ************

  After another failed attempt, the recording of Case 16 would be placed in a package along with all of the paperwork and case notes. Erling felt no remorse for the lives he took this evening. They were merely another set of variables to check off the list.

  The road out to the lake was deserted and coated with a fine layer of frost. He took his time driving and arrived home around two a.m. Petra had thoughtfully left a light on. He took the package inside with him. After hanging his tailored coat, he quietly crept down the long hall and down to the basement. In the wine cellar, he lifted the far edge of the Persian rug to reveal the hidden safe recessed in the concrete floor, to which only he knew the combination. With barely enough room left, he struggled briefly to re-arrange the growing number of packages already stored safely inside. He was going to need a bigger vault.

  9

  The Fifth Circle

  On Friday afternoon, the twins packed their bags for the weekend. Dane helped them carry their stuff out to Dr. Hanson’s car, along with the spare helmet that the Ericksons left with Aron. The twins insisted on taking Aron’s scooter and he wasn’t about to argue with them. They straddled the Vespa and took off toward the California sunset. Dane rode shotgun with Vern and they followed close behind the twins. Stella was thrilled and couldn’t wait for Aron to teach her how to drive the scooter on her own. She felt completely free and alive with the warm wind whipping over her skin. All of her senses were fully awakened, appreciating every minute of the ride. Maybe she would get a scooter of her own…

  Somehow, Stella was beginning to forget the looming problems back in Minnesota with her pseudo-family and MONAD. She was flying high above all of those meaningless obstacles. The seemingly normal week they’d had gave her confidence to live in the moment. The past seemed so long ago and the future so far away. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, her heart beating heavily with adrenaline. It was exhilarating.

  The twins drove west over the bridge, into San Francisco, and up the last hill to the Erickson’s home. Gram bounded from the front door in excitement. After licking Aron up and down, he studied and sniffed Stella with curiosity. She stooped to his height and he sat in front of her and offered his paw. It looked like Gram had made another best friend. Cybele and Gunnar warmly greeted them with tight hugs and big smiles. Their demeanor quickly changed as Vern’s car pulled up minutes later. They stood behind their daughters, hands on their shoulders
, waiting to confront Dane. The firing squad was aimed and ready. Vern followed as Dane gingerly approached the family. Ashamed, it was difficult for him to make eye contact with any of them.

  Gunnar spoke first. “Your coming here shows much courage, Dane. Let’s go inside so we can get this settled.” The Ericksons were known for their generous and forgiving nature, but Dane didn’t know that. They wanted to make him sweat a little without persecuting him with humiliation.

  After Dane had his time to explain, the Ericksons dramatized the verdict by leaving the room for deliberation. The situation was truly a serious one—they weren’t taking this lightly. They already knew they would accept Dane, but they wanted him to realize the significance of this meeting. He did. He was obviously remorseful and fully committed. They returned to a quiet, solemn room where he and the rest of the group waited. Cybele delivered the news, “Dane. After much consideration, we’ve come to a decision. It was not an easy one for us. You’ve betrayed our trust. This world we live in is not a safe one. We must choose our allies wisely.” She paused. Dane was assuming the worst, envisioning his trip back to campus with Dr. Hanson. He was ready for rejection. He deserved it.

  Cybele continued. “We value the safety of our daughters above all else. Above the Fifth Circle itself. That’s why we’ve decided…that we would only allow one person to assist so closely in their personal protection right now. And that person is you.” Did he hear that right? Was he hallucinating?

  Gunnar congratulated him with, “The Fifth Circle welcomes you, Dane. And we…welcome you.” He offered his hand to Dane who shot up from his seat to gratefully accept the invitation. He’d been redeemed. He was honored. Truly honored. They shook hands.

  “Thank you, sir. And Mrs. Erickson. I know I have a lot to learn, but…thank you. I won’t let you down again. You have my word.” And they believed him. This was a pact. They knew he had feelings for Aron and they knew he would not jeopardize Stella’s safety now. He had his chance to betray them and he chose not to. Aron and Stella exchanged radiant smiles. Aron was relieved. Very relieved. It would have been a complicated romance.

  Gunnar’s easy-going voice returned. “Well, I think it’s time to celebrate! A drink, Vern?”

  In a second, Vern produced from his bag a bottle. “I brought it from my private reserve. Your favorite year, Gunnar.” Gunnar’s smile doubled and the two headed to the kitchen for glasses and an opener.

  Cybele took over the motherly role and offered Dane and the twins some snacks. “You must be hungry! The food on campus is just not like a home-cooked meal. You kids munch on this and dinner will be ready soon,” she chimed.

  Stella offered in a slightly apprehensive voice, “I would love to help you in the kitchen.” Cybele was touched. It was an act of acceptance and an opportunity to bond.

  “Of course. I could use an extra set of hands.” The two disappeared to leave Aron and Dane alone.

  Dane mimed wiping the sweat from his brow and let out a sigh of relief. Aron moved close to him and took his hand in hers. “Thank you,” she said, looking into his eyes.

  He shook his head, bemused. “For what?”

  “For being you. You’re a good man, Dane Marten.” And she tenderly kissed his hand and pulled it to cup her face. He caressed her cheek and gave her a reassuring hug.

  “I could never abandon you. No matter what,” he said. It felt like they’d been together forever.

  After dinner, things turned serious again. A discussion began within the group regarding the Fifth Circle. Dane wanted to know more about it.

  “It’s a complex topic to dissect in one evening, Dane. Where do you want to begin?” asked Gunnar, who was clearly the leader.

  “Okay. Well, how about…how did you get your name? What does it mean—the Fifth Circle?”

  “Hmmm…where to begin? The Fifth Circle is laced with symbolism, and can have many meanings to the spiritually advanced.” Gunnar cleared his throat and took a moment to prepare his explanation. “Let’s start with a basic lesson. Let’s call the ‘circles’ separate ages throughout history. We’ll say the first age was the age of mineral. The second was the age of plant. The third, the age of animal.” He smiled at Gram lying at his feet and reached down to pat his head. “Yes, that’s you, buddy. The fourth age is the age of human.” He nodded slightly at Dane, checking that he was following this train of thought. Dane nodded in understanding, so Gunnar continued. “The fifth age is the age of the soul. We are evolving from the fourth to the fifth age right now. It is a critical and exciting time for humanity.” He waited for Dane to acknowledge. He could tell Dane had a number of questions pouring through his mind already, so he quickly finished the simple explanation. “And the circle is an ancient, universal symbol. It has powerful meanings of unity, perfection, wholeness. It also symbolizes, for us, an infinite gathering of consciousness. Is this making sense to you?”

  Dane was not the only one hungry for more information. Cybele and Vern never tired of hearing Gunnar speak. He had such passion in his voice, such charisma. He truly believed in what he was saying and loved telling the message to anyone interested enough to listen. Aron had heard much of this over the years. It was part of her basic set of beliefs. She was raised knowing about the heirarchy of beingness. She had always been immersed in a circle of love and light. It wasn’t thrust upon her in cultist fashion, not at all. She was educated widely on all religions of the world. Even so, she too loved hearing her father speak. She never grew tired of it. He wasn’t a preacher. He was a teacher. He never pushed his knowledge on anyone. He patiently waited until his students were ready and curious to learn more. Dane was ready. And so was Stella. She was silent. Her mind had quieted to absorb the teachings. So much of it sounded vaguely familiar to her. She sat cross-legged on the floor and drank in every word. She would let the others speak.

  “Yes, Mr. Erickson,” Dane politely answered. He was on his best behavior and grateful for the grace he’d been given. “I know we’re eventually gonna get to how this all relates to Stella and the Aeon Project, but can you tell me a little more about the Circle first?” He was beginning to really believe they weren’t just a bunch of radical religious freaks.

  “Of course.” Gunnar continued with what he thought would be a good place to start—enough to grasp the concept and purpose of the group. “During the fourth age, human kind has brought such destruction upon the earth. We’ve brutally killed our fellow man, abused our planet—almost to a state of no turning back. It has taken these extreme measures—the fear of losing our beautiful world—to force us into a sort of repentance. We’re looking around us and realizing that at some point, this madness must stop. Some of us have been searching for a better way to live. Searching for a world where we can live in peace with each other and all the living beings that inhabit this awesome existence. The few who long for this world salvation have been slowly growing in numbers. We believe that the human race is moving toward a higher, collective state of consciousness. But at this snail’s pace, it could take a very long time—maybe not soon enough. Sometimes it seems like a lost cause. Like why bother? Sometimes it seems like we’ve let things get so out of control, that there’s no time to fix all of the mistakes that have been made.

  “There’ve been many teachers along the way. We like to call them World Servers. Religions around the world have regarded these people as prophets, even gods. Great examples from history include Krishna, Christ, Buddha, Moses…from all walks of faith, from all ends of the earth. These Servers have made many sacrifices to spread the word of love, compassion, enlightenment. Yet people still continue to wage war, destroying the environment and each other.” He paused for a moment with a long, heartbreaking sigh. “We try to stay positive. We meditate for our brothers and sisters who have not yet realized their destiny. We still have hope for our planet that is spinning out of control—we will never relinquish our efforts to save this world. The Fifth Circle is still a reality for us, no matter how difficult it may
seem to reach.”

  They all sat in silent reflection, digesting this concept that was bigger than any of them could quite grasp. Dane quietly spoke. “This might be a dumb question, Gunnar, but…do you believe in God?”

  Gunnar was prepared with his answer, “Dane, I’ve been asked that question many times in my life. And I’ve also asked myself that same question. I have come to realize that God is not a singular being or entity that we must pray to or fear. God resides in all of us. You are God. I am God. We are all God. When we pray, we should pray to ourselves. Some Servers have led us astray or maybe we have misunderstood their teachings. It could be that we were not ready to accept this explanation of God and could only see God as something outside of ourselves, so we created our own versions of their teachings. If we want to know God, we must look inside and know ourselves. God resides in every cell of our bodies. We are literally the miracle of God.“

  “Wow,” Dane mouthed in awe. He was moved and captivated by this idea. Everything suddenly made sense to him. Gunnar was at the vanguard of a new era in spiritualism.

  Stella was processing quietly while her inner voice was speaking to her. “You’ve known this all along. You weren’t ready to listen. Now listen. Listen to me.” The voice that once seemed to invade her thoughts, the intruder that showed her visions against her will, it was her own voice. She knew that now. There was no “other Stella.” She was always Stella—the Stella, the only Stella. While the conversation continued around her, she was making an incredible internal transformation. There was a reason this had all happened to her. She was on a path. She was chosen. She surrendered herself to her destiny. She had an important responsibility to fulfill. No, she may not be a Server. She wasn’t experienced enough to teach. Fate brought her to this point for something even bigger. She would soon realize what it was.