“Thank you!” Deanna said tensely. “Richard saw them. Did you see them, Captain?”
“I saw them.”
“Then why do sound like you don't believe me?”
Elexa remained silent for a moment before saying, “I don't doubt you. I just feel like we're being played...by somebody...or something.”
“But not me.”
Elexa placed a hand on Deanna's forearm. “No, not by you, honey.”
Richard empathized with Elexa. He had the distinct impression that she was putting the issue aside for the time being. Perhaps for the same reason Richard had: she had seen the shadow men. That should have been enough to put any doubts about Deanna's disappearance and behavior to rest. But it wasn't, was it? He felt what he knew Elexa must have felt: a gnawing suspicion in the pit of his stomach. He knew it because she was asking the kinds of questions that he wanted to ask. Or maybe he was just projecting. When he saw the shadow men, that gnawing suspicion in the pit of his stomach had nearly vanished. Or he had projected it onto Elexa. Partially projected would be more accurate. Seeing the shadow men had alleviated most of his doubts, but not all. When it came to Deanna, he couldn't imagine why he would have any doubts about her, but he did. It was there, lingering, something he couldn't completely shake. The situation they had just found themselves in had been bizarre in and of itself, but what had made it even more bizarre was Deanna's demeanor. She had seemed defensive when asked about it.
Richard allowed the silence to settle in before asking the obvious: “What happened after they called to you?”
“I followed them...into that city. I was entranced by them. I wanted nothing more than to be with them. They moved ahead of me. They didn't communicate with me in any way. They just led me...down an alley, around a corner, the same corner where I ran into the two of you. Just around that corner, there was a building. I went inside. I was in a room filled with glass, sort of like windows, only I could see other places...far away...from long ago, places that don't exist anymore. When I looked through the windows, I saw places that were important to me, places where I'd grown up. But then I looked through another window, and I saw the two of you...running.”
She paused for a moment before continuing. “The shadow men spoke to me, told me that Emily was in danger.” Her voice began to crack. “They pointed me to another window, a window that showed the future. They showed me something...horrible.” She stopped, unable to continue.
Richard gave her a moment to pull herself together before asking softly and sympathetically, “What did you see?”
“The future, the near future. They said that if we didn't hurry, it would be too late. They showed me...” She trailed off, choking back tears.
Richard began to tremble. He had never seen Deanna like this before.
“What did they show you?” Deanna asked, her voice quavering.
Her voice flooding with unrestrained emotion, Deanna said, “They showed me Emily, only it wasn't Emily anymore. She was dead.”
Chapter 29
George couldn't believe his ears. "Overthrow The Designer!" he said incredulously. "You're going to overthrow an omnipotent being!"
The Designer is not the omnipotent being you believe it to be. The Designer is not the epitome of beauty and perfection you believe it to be.
George suppressed a sardonic laugh. “This is ridiculous. I don't even know if I believe in this...Designer of yours.”
You may have trouble believing in The Designer's existence now, but in time, all of your doubts will be put to rest. When that time comes, you will come to know The Designer as we know it.
“In time. Exactly how much time would that be? You want to overthrow The Designer? I'm all ears. What's the plan?”
One pointed to the image on the left. Richard, Elexa and Deanna were climbing into the shuttle. They have been manipulated by the darker elements of this world. Your friend, Deanna, was taken by a malevolent collective of creatures that have taken up residence on dry land. They have lied to her, manipulated her, twisted her mind.
“A collective of creatures. Like you?”
They are a collective, but they are not like us. They are the antithesis of our collective. We embrace the light. They embrace the darkness. They were once a part of our collective, but as we evolved, continually striving for beauty and enlightenment, we began to recognize the darker elements in our collective and the damage that was being done. They were slowing our progress, keeping us from realizing our potential. These darker elements attempted to seize control of the collective. They failed and were banished from the collective.
George watched the shuttle lift from the beach and head out over the ocean. "These...beings, what are they called?"
Like us, they don't have names. Like us, they communicate telepathically. However, your friends have been referring to them as “the shadow men.” It is an appropriate term, given their appearance.
“I want to see them. Show them to me.”
They aren't seen unless they want to be seen.
"Of course not," George said skeptically. "So you have a plan to overthrow this Designer of yours? Let's hear it."
Despite the turmoil that exists between our collectives, we have something very much in common. Both of our collectives agree that it will be mutually beneficial to overthrow The Designer. So our collectives put aside our differences and formed a plan to overthrow The Designer. We agreed to work together to bring Emily to this world and to facilitate her meeting with The Designer.
George was mystified. Shaking his head, he asked, “I don't understand. You said you had a plan to overthrow The Designer. Is this meeting between Emily and The Designer part of the plan?”
As we explained, The Designer believes that becoming one with Emily will give it access to the Great Community and give it the power to rob the Great Community and, by extension, all sentient life of its free will. However, unbeknownst to The Designer, we are going to infect Emily with a virus that will infect The Designer once the two are joined.
Horrified, George took a step back. Feeling light-headed and unsteady, he reached out for something to hold onto. Finding a wall, he leaned against it. He took a deep breath. “What the hell are you talking about?!” was the best he could muster at the moment.
We do apologize. It seems that the intent of our thoughts on this point has not been translated adequately. It just occurred to us that the words "virus" and "infect" have negative connotations in your vernacular.
Only slightly less horrified, George said, "Well, yes. Especially when used in the context of overthrowing The Designer."
The virus will come in the form of a suggestion, one that will surprise The Designer. Rather than giving The Designer the power to rob sentient life of its free will, the virus will rob The Designer of its remaining power, its very own free will. The virus will turn the tables on The Designer. We will do to The Designer what it intends to do to us.
George half-expected One to twiddle its fingers, throw its head back and laugh like a comic book super-villain. If The Designer actually existed, and the collectives were indeed planning on overthrowing it, George wondered if he was doing the right thing by assisting the collectives.
“This suggestion, what is it?”
It is a very intricate suggestion, but the essence of the suggestion is that free will is an illusion.
George shook his head. He didn't entirely understand, but he was pretty sure that he wasn't meant to understand.
“I'm still not entirely sure why you brought me here.”
We need your help. We told you that we had made an arrangement with the darker elements of our world. Unfortunately, it appears that the darker elements of our world are attempting to betray us. Along with their own desire to overthrow The Designer, they are seeking to overthrow our collective as well.
George shrugged. “With respect, I have absolutely no desire to step into the middle of your conflict.”
We understand your belief that the confli
ct between our collectives is not your concern. But we can assure you that it is very much your concern. If successful, their plan will not only lead to the downfall of our collective; it will lead Emily's downfall as well.
George's eyes widened.
With your help, we can stop them. But you have to do exactly what we tell you to do.
Chapter 30
"What is this?" David heard those words as he stood frozen, gaping at the luminous beings standing behind Emily. It took him a moment to realize the words came from his own mouth.
He looked past the luminous beings. “Where's your father?”
Emily seemed to feign excitement. “Oh, if you think things are complicated now, just wait 'til ya hear this! There's a powerful sentient force known as 'The Designer' that may or may not have created all life in our galaxy. The jury's still kinda out on that one. Anyway, this Designer wants to meet with me! Little 'ole me! Isn't that exciting?!”
David gawked at Emily. “I asked you where your father is.”
“Oh, he's off taking care of some odds and ends.”
David cocked an eyebrow. “Taking care of some odds and ends,” he echoed. "You're being sarcastic. I take it you're not buying into this nonsense."
Emily glanced over her shoulder at the luminous beings. "I don't know what to believe." She looked back at David. "But I do. I've known about The Designer for quite some time, since before we left Earth." She looked past David and sighed. "That's not entirely accurate. I did know about The Designer. But...”
“The transition.”
“The transition,” Emily echoed. “My head is a mess.” Her voice was beginning to crack. “My memory is like a slice of Swiss cheese. There are holes everywhere.” She looked at him pleadingly. “Remind me, because I've forgotten; is this what it's like to be a corporeal being? Our brains are like filters. There's some information we're just not meant to have...or aren't ready for. Does that make sense?”
David didn't answer. He didn't know how to.
Emily threw her head back and laughed. “Laugh to keep from crying. Isn't that what they say?” A tear spilled down her cheek.
David pulled her into his chest. “Too late.”
Emily continued, “Ya know, the funny thing is, you and I have been through so much together, we've seen and experienced so much―”
“Understatement of the millennium.”
Emily giggled into his chest. “Right.” She pulled her head back from his chest and looked incredulously into his eyes. “I was a non-corporeal being for crying out loud! I helped phase the Earth's infrastructure and return the planet back to its natural state!”
“Mmm. I'm still trying to figure out how you pulled that one off.”
She returned her head to his chest. “With all we've been through, with all we've experienced, is any of this really so hard to believe?”
David shook his head. “No, I stopped questioning the unbelievable a long time ago.”
“Exactly.”
“But as out there as all of that was, it was still within the realm of science, or at least it was akin to it. It had some kind of scientific explanation. This is something else. We're going into paranormal territory here.”
She pulled back from his chest. “Are we? Are we really? Can't just about anything be labeled 'paranormal' until science comes up with some kind of explanation for it?”
David was so absorbed in the conversation, he had almost become oblivious to the presence of the luminous beings in the room. “It's a fair point.” He hesitated a moment. “So why exactly does this―” He sighed. “―Designer want to meet with you?”
“To show me the way.”
“Yeah, I need a little more info.”
“We've talked about this. We've talked about what I'm going through. I'm lost, David. You know that. I could use a little guidance.”
“And you believe this Designer can give it to you.”
Emily shrugged. “I want to believe.”
David shook his head and looked past Emily at the luminous beings. “Wanting to believe in something can be dangerous.”
“It can also be beneficial. Sometimes you have to take chances.”
David gazed into her eyes. “If you need help with what you're going through, I can help you,” he said urgently. “Richard can help you; we can all help you. We're your family. We're here for you.”
Emily shook her head slowly. “You can't, not with this. This is beyond your understanding.”
Emily, it's time.
David was astounded. He took a step back, keeping his hands on Emily's shoulders. “What, now?!”
Emily nodded. “It's time.”
“Wait!” he pleaded. “Don't you think you're rushing into this? You need a little time...to think it through.”
“David, I was brought here for a reason.”
“We were all brought here for a reason,” he countered.
“Right, and that reason was a ruse. They lured me here with the rock. They lured me here with the rock...to meet with The Designer. And like my father said, you're all free to go back to Earth with the rock. The DNA is legitimate. You'll be given the missing strand in the sequence, and you can go home with it.”
“Not without you. I'm not going home without you.” David suspected that he would live to regret his next words, but he was desperate. He felt like an out of control bullet train. He couldn't stop himself. “Besides, I don't believe that man is your father.”
Emily's soft expression turned hard.
David instantly wished he could have that moment back.
She took a step back from him. “I have to go now.” Her tone was cold. She turned from him and walked toward the luminous beings. She stopped and looked askance at him over her shoulder. “Take the rock, and go back to Earth.”
She followed the luminous beings out of the room. He felt as if everything left to love about his world had just died right before his eyes, the sliding door closing like the lid of a casket.
It had happened so fast. Worse, he wasn't even sure what had just happened, but he was devastated by it, both emotionally and physically. He felt as if he had just taken a sledgehammer to the stomach.
Chapter 31
Emily followed the luminous beings through the corridors without much of a clue as to what she was truly getting herself into. Sure, she was going to meet The Designer. The Designer was going to guide her, help her choose her path. Would she choose to return to the Great Community? She was struggling with this decision, and if The Designer could offer her assistance, she was all for it.
But the fact of the matter was, she didn't know anything about The Designer, didn't even know if it existed. The Great Community had informed her of The Designer's existence, but she hadn't had firsthand knowledge of The Designer while immersed in the Great Community. Knowledge of The Designer's existence along with foreknowledge of the entire Kepler-438b expedition had not been available to her. Foreknowledge of what would transpire during the Kepler-438b expedition had not been available to every member of the Great Community, or so she had been led to believe. She wasn't so sure anymore. She didn't trust the Great Community. They had not given her first-hand access to knowledge of The Designer's existence. Perhaps the entire Kepler-438b expedition was a deception orchestrated by the Great Community. She was beginning to suspect that the wool was being pulled over her eyes. Perhaps she was walking into some kind of trap. Then she thought of her father, and any doubts she had harbored about her situation vanished.
Despite the anger she felt when David had raised doubts about her father's identity, it would only be prudent to ask herself the same question: Was that man actually her father? The answer to that question was a quick and easy one: Yes, he was. She had had trouble believing it at first, or perhaps she had had trouble believing that she believed it. But she was done denying it. She still had that basic sense of intuition that went along with being a corporeal being, and she could feel it; that man was her father. However, it remain
ed to be seen whether or not her father was still on her side.
Sebastian was waiting for her at the elevator, his arms open, ready to embrace her as if it had been years since he'd seen her rather than the twenty minutes she'd spent with David. This man was her father all right.
She walked right into his embrace and sank into his chest as she had done so often in the 21st Century.
“Ready?” he asked softly over her head.
“No,” she muttered into his chest. “Not really. But I'm gonna do it anyway.”
“Are you sure you don't wanna take David along?”
She had considered it; the question had been on her lips moments earlier as they had held one another, but she couldn't bring herself to ask it. It wouldn't have been a question, regardless of how she asked it; it would have been a decision on her part. Asking David to go along with her on this foolhardy mission would have resulted in an automatic Yes. She didn't want him to say Yes; she didn't want him coming along for the ride on this one. She wasn't entirely sure what she was getting herself into; she didn't know how dangerous it would be. She could risk her own life, but she couldn't risk his.
“I'm sure. This mission is mine and mine alone.” She hesitated before adding, “He doesn't believe in you.”
“Can you blame him? I wouldn't believe in me either if I were him. I'm not even sure I believe in me.” He paused a moment before adding, “Do you believe in me?”
She pulled back from his chest. "That's a silly question. Of course I believe in you."
Sebastian smiled broadly. “I'm just playing, honey.”
Relieved, Emily returned the smile and sank back into his chest.
“Don't be angry with him.”
“Why would I be angry with him?” she mumbled into his chest. She didn't know why she would bother denying it. In the 21st Century or the 23rd Century, on Earth or Kepler-438b, her father was able to read her like a book.
“You said he doesn't believe in me. I heard it in your tone. I saw it in your eyes. He's only looking out for you. He loves you.”
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