Project J

by Sean Brandywine

  “You put a tap on a Congressman’s phone?” Crane asked, his face registering both surprise and more than a small trace of fear.

  “Didn’t have to, it was already there. But that’s another story.

  “You shouldn’t look so surprised. No use pretending. I found this in your house.” He put the cell phone on the table between them. Crane just stared at it, a most depressed look coming over his face. After a few moments of silence, he looked up.

  “I only wanted what was best for the project. What we’re doing here is too important to keep from the world. There are thousands of scientists who could benefit from our work. Can’t you see that?”

  Stryker sighed. “Marshal, I knew you were for public disclosure once we proved the Machine would work. But I didn’t think that you would leak secret information.”

  “It was to a United States Representative! I’m sure he has security clearance.”

  “But not a need-to-know. Come on, Marshal, you’ve worked on other secret projects before. You know the rules.”

  Crane was beginning to look desperate. “This project goes beyond just being secret. It is too important to keep a secret.”

  “And it will be released,” Stryker told him. “When the time is right.”

  Crane could only shake his head.

  “Come with me,” Manhusen told him. “There are some criminal proceedings to initiate.”

  When the two had left his office, Stryker sat down and sighed deeply. He had thought Crane was his friend, and trustworthy.

  He was turning his chair towards the window when Miss Swanson came in with some papers in her hand.

  “You know, Rachael,” Stryker said slowly without looking away from the view out across the pines to the mountains, “maybe Marshal was right. It’s getting too hard to keep all this a secret.” He swiveled and looked at the shapely blonde. “You know, I had to let Brown grab that damned dinosaur he wanted, just to scare Stockman. Now we have to figure some way to get it to San Diego.”

  He glanced at the papers in her hand but did not reach for them.

  “My friend blabs secrets. Another of my scientists tries to kill Jesus!

  “I’m getting too old for this.”

  Chapter 56: Pure and Beautiful and Blessed

  Four days after the disappearance of Dr. Crane from the project, and two days after the appointment of Dr. Fielding as the new Assistant Director, one of the technicians delivered a package to Dr. Myers’ office. Tamara happened to be there when it came in.

  “This will please you,” he told her. “Again.” He opened the box and removed four devices much like the translator that had saved Jesus’ life. “This is the second generation of translators. Does the same thing but you don’t have to press the buttons. Just switch it on and it will listen to whatever is spoken. It will digitize the sounds and send them to the server. The server will determine what language it is, English or Aramaic, and translate it into the other.”

  He switched on one of the units and laid it on the desk next to his coffee cup. “Let us test this,” he said. A moment later the device’s monotone spoke some words Tamara did not understand but assumed was a translation. Myers smile and repeated a sentence Tamara recognized: “Eli Eli lema sabachthani?” A moment later the speaker obediently said, “God God why you have forsaken me.”

  He pushed the device across the desk to her. “This is yours. Keep it. The others are for Fielding and Juliette. And one for Jesus to keep.”

  “Thank you. There are still questions I would like to ask Jesus.”

  “Let me ask you one. What about your job? You said that you’re taking vacation time to stay here. And you are most certainly welcome. If it hadn’t been for you, Jesus might have been killed – twice, in fact. I, for one, am glad to have you with us. But won’t the DOD want you back?”

  “I have gotten an inquiry from my boss asking just how much vacation I intend to take. But I have plenty of time coming. It seemed I was always too busy to take my vacation time.” She put the translator into her pocket. “Besides, if it came to it, I would quit just to stay here. This is simply too incredible to miss!”

  “Maybe I can get Stryker to hire you on as an assistant,” Myers told her. “Chronodyne has more money than it knows what to do with. You’d be surprised how much they’re paying me.”

  He chuckled, and so did Tamara. Fact was, she knew exactly what his salary was. She had been wandering around in the project’s financial records, after all.

  “If you don’t mind, would you give this to Jesus?” He handed her another of the units. “It will make it easier if he can talk with anyone when he needs to.”

  “Of course. In fact, I’ll go over and give it to him now.”

  Jesus had been released from the infirmary, so Tamara found him in his apartment. When she knocked on the open door to let him know she was there, he was trying to put on a shirt over the wrapping around his chest. Obviously it was a painful process for him with the broken rib, so she offered to help. The shirt was obviously someone’s idea of a joke. It was a Tee, black in color with the only decoration being a single sentence written across the front in white letters and fancy script. Tamara had to laugh when she saw what had been a popular saying a few years back. It said: “What would Jesus do?”

  She helped him with the shirt, wincing when she saw the horrible scars across his back. With the shirt on, and him sitting on his bed, she handed him the translator and showed him how to turn it on. “This is for you. A translator,” she told him. “You do not have to do anything. Just talk into it.” Then she waited for it to finished relating that information to him.

  “Thank you,” he said. “Again I thank you for saving me. That man wanted to kill me. Did he not?”

  “He was sick,” she told him. “Very sick.” When Jesus did not seem to understand that fully, she added, “In his mind.”

  “There was a demon within him,” Jesus said simply. Tamara remembered Myers telling her that mental illness was not very well understood in Jesus’ time. Possession by demons was the common explanation for those who did not act properly. She felt the urge to ask him if he would have tried to cast the demon out, as he had been said to have done so often in the Gospels. “Did you kill him?” he asked.

  “No. I did not. But he is in more pain than you,” she told him, hoping that would be of some small consolation. “And he will be in prison for a long time.”

  Jesus looked at her strangely. From what she remembered of her studies, simply putting someone away in a prison for a fixed period of time was not a common practice back then. Prisons back then were simply places to hold someone until you decided his punishment. Capital punishment was much more common back then – almost casual, especially the way the Romans applied it to those they did not like. She decided not to try to explain the whole concept of penal institutions and correctional facilities.

  “He will not be put to death?”

  “Probably not.”

  Jesus shook his head. Tamara was momentarily taken back by his reaction. Was this not the man who had advocated turning the other cheek? And loving your enemies? She expected him to forgive Buerer. Then she remembered that the turning the other cheek had been advice to his disciples not to antagonize the Romans. Jesus himself had explained that to her once. And as for loving your enemies, this was a man who expected that with the coming of the Kingdom of God, they would drive out the hated Romans at the point of a sword – with the help of God, of course.

  To change the subject, she asked him if he would like to have lunch at the company cafeteria with her rather than in his apartment or courtyard. He said that would be nice and slowly got to his feet. They walked slowly along the sidewalk, enjoying the warmth of the day before it grew too hot. Fortunately, they were at enough of an altitude that it did not become blazing hot as it did farther down in the desert areas.

  Tamara held her translator in her hand so they could chat while walking.

  “Rabbi, is there som
ething that you would like to see?” she asked.

  “I would like to see the Temple again.”

  “That may be difficult. But maybe someday.” She did not want to try to explain what else had happened to Jerusalem since he last saw it. The ancient city was much more than just the Temple now. There was the division of the old city into four quarters, the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and a lot more that he would have trouble relating to. It would be most interesting to see his reaction to the Church currently sitting on the site claimed to be the former Golgotha where he was crucified and buried.

  “Then I would like to see more of your land. It is very big.”

  “Much bigger than you imagine. I would love to take you around our country and show you everything.”

  She began telling him of the wonders of Yosemite and the warm, clear waters of Florida.

  Lunch was eaten at one of the outdoor tables. Jesus found the array of food interesting and chose a chicken salad, while Tamara picked a crab and shrimp quesadilla. They shared a glass of Chardonnay each. Jesus never seemed to tire of trying new wines.

  As they were finishing the wine, Jesus reached over to put his hand over hers. “Tamara, you and Seymour have promised that you will use your magic to let me see what happened to Mariam and my children. This I wish for.”

  She was touched by his devotion to a woman who had been described by some as a prostitute. “I will speak to Dr. Myers. I’m sure that we can do something for you.” She finished her wine and settled back in the chair. “Jesus, there is something I have wanted to ask you. The Bible says that you cast seven demons out of Mary Magdalene. Is that true?”

  When the translation was finished, Jesus was frowning. “I am not sure what you speak of.”

  “When we get back, I’ll show you.”

  The walk back to his apartment was leisurely with little talking. Once there, she asked for the Bible that Juliette had given him. Opening it to Luke, she read 8-1: “After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out – and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.”

  “And there is Mark 16-9. He says: “Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.”

  She closed the book and looked at him. “Did you cast demons out of her? There are many other places where it says that you did.”

  Jesus frowned. “It is true that I have cast out demons. But there were none in Mariam. She was pure and beautiful and blessed of God from the first moment I saw her. This Mark does not tell true that of which he speaks.”

  It was Tamara’s turn to frown. Myers was not kidding, she told herself, when he said that the Gospel writers had added a lot to history.

  “And I suppose that she did not help you during your ministry?”

  “That part is truth. I, and those who followed me, depended upon the help of others. We had no fields to tend, no trees to pick fruit of, no herd of sheep. Those who listened would share their food and sometimes give money.”

  “Was Mary Magdalene one of those?”

  “Yes. She listened to my words and understood of the coming Kingdom. When we left that village, she came with us.” He paused and a far-away look came into his eyes. “She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.” Then he shook his head and smiled. “Except for you, Tamara.”

  She could not be sure but she suspected that she was blushing. “Thank you,” she managed.

  Jesus picked up the Bible and opened the book. For a few seconds he stared at the words he could not possibly understand, then closed it slowly. “I wish to learn to read these words.”

  Tamara wondered where she could find a Bible written in Aramaic. Then she remembered Myers telling her that Jesus, like most of the Galilee peasants, was illiterate. Very few people in those days could read and write. Most knowledge was passed down via oral traditions.

  Well, she thought, he’s still young. He can learn to read and write, either Aramaic or English. Hell, he’s intelligent, probably both.

  He put down the Bible. “Please,” he asked, “would you talk with Seymour about Mariam?”

  “I will.”

  Chapter 57: Mary Magdalene

  “Okay, now we follow her.”

  In the Machine room, Jesus, Myers, Tamara and Fielding were watching as the operator, Jacques, had set in once again the coordinates for that fateful afternoon two thousands year prior, and was now displaying the spectators at the crucifixion.

  The Machine operator was resting his wrists on the console while his fingers delicately adjusted two dials. Then his hand went to the screen and touched the nose of Mary Magdalene gently. A red glow spread out from that point, covering the selected figure of the dark haired woman in the group of mourners. When it reached the edges of her robe all the red condensed into an outline of her. That flashed twice and then faded to a dim outline.

  “That is Mariam,” confirmed Jesus. He was leaning forward in the chair, eyes fixed upon the main screen of the Machine’s console. The operator keyed in a command and the figures on the screen came to life again. One older woman was weeping and had to be supported by a man standing beside her. Mary Magdalene appeared to be trying to comfort her. Another woman stood a couple feet from that group, crying to herself.

  Words were exchanged, and the man led Jesus’ mother away from the scene on Golgotha. Mary Magdalene stayed, moved over to the other woman and put her arm around her. The two of them looked straight ahead, almost looking directly at the viewers in the future.

  “That new tracking software seems to be working. I’m going to increase the time passage speed now,” Jacques said. On the screen the two women seemed to be moving in tiny, rapid jerks. Eventually they turned and left. The Machine’s point of view followed them down the hill side, along a well-traveled path, past many people hurrying about, and eventually to a house that looked like all the other ones but was one they had seen before; one belonging to Mary, the mother of James.

  The Virgin Mary, to use the name most knew her as in the Twenty-First Century, was already there, sitting silently on a stool in a corner. The Beloved Disciple, John, was also there, talking to three other men.

  “Please slow it down,” Jesus asked. The operator complied. “That is Peter and Andrew. When the third man’s face became visible, he added, “And that is Simon! It is not surprising that they would come to her house. I wonder where the others are?”

  For a while, little happened. Everyone looked sad. The disciples who had gathered there also looked fearful. Simon kept glancing towards the door as if he expected to see Roman soldiers charging in at any second. Perhaps he did.

  When the door did open, it was not a soldier but a young man, a teen, who Jesus said he did not know. The boy said something to John then left. John talked to the two Marys and they left the house. The Machine continued to track Mary Magdalene.

  Not unexpectedly, the two women made their way to the tomb where Jesus’ body lay. They brought with them linens and bottles of lotion and a large jug of water, items they would need to cleanse Jesus’ body and prepare it for burial.

  “Let’s cut to a day or so later,” Myers suggested. “Jesus has already seen enough of his own body.”

  Several keyed commands later the scene switched totally to black then to the inside of that house again. Mary Magdalene was there, along with others. She was just carrying a cloth bag out of a side room and setting it down next to the door. The disciples were not present.

  “She is leaving,” Jesus said. “Going back to Galilee and the children.” He turned to the others. “Judas and Deborah were left with Mariam’s parents when we came to Jerusalem. They were too young to know of what I had to do.”

  “Who will go with her?” Myers asked. Women did not travel alone in
those times.

  “John probably. Maybe others. My mother will go with her. I asked John to take care of her after I was gone.”

  “Then you weren’t absolutely sure that you would arise from the dead?” asked Tamara.

  Jesus glared at her and did not answer. Finally, his features softened and he said, “Whatever is God’s will.”

  Not much was happening on the screen. People moved about, packed for a journey and looked gloomy.

  “We won’t see much for now,” Myers said. “Jacques, would you please run the scan forward until they are in Nazareth. Then lock in that setting. We’ll pick it up from there another time.” He turned to Jesus to ask, “This where her parents are, Nazareth, right?”

  “Yes.” He looked at the screen and the figures currently frozen in position. “I wish I could hear,” he said softly.