Paradise Hacked (First Circle Club Book 2)

by Siegel, Alex

  "I'm confused," Lisa said. "We don't have digestive systems. Do they?"

  "Not really," Barachiel said. "The food squirts out the other end looking the same as when it entered, but these souls don't care. They can eat anything they want for as long as they want without gaining any weight, and it all tastes great."

  Virgil frowned. "Gluttony is a sin."

  "It is on Earth, but not necessarily here. Besides, this is just the First Level of Heaven. Ethics are not always rigorously enforced. Let's pop up to one of my favorite spots on the Third Level."

  The group was transported to the biggest library Virgil had ever seen. Bookcases stuffed with books stretched to the horizon in all directions. The bookcases were so tall, ladders were needed to reach the upper shelves. Some souls were browsing the books while others sat at tables and read. All the furniture was made of fine lacquered wood. Padded chairs looked very comfortable. Even though the place was crowded, Virgil didn't hear any voices.

  "They're just reading?" Lisa said.

  "This library contains the sum of all human knowledge," Barachiel said. "As soon as a fact is known on Earth, it is written up here. These souls can become experts on everything."

  "We already have something like that on Earth. It's called the internet."

  "This experience is more... refined."

  "Sounds like Heaven for science geeks," Virgil said, "but what do the souls do with the knowledge?"

  "Err, nothing," Barachiel said.

  "What's the point of becoming an expert if you never put the expertise to work? Bragging rights?"

  "For some, the act of acquiring knowledge is pleasurable. They don't need anything else."

  Virgil looked at the souls sitting at the tables. They were stuffing their dead brains with endless quantities of useless facts. They were just a more civilized version of the souls at the food court.

  "You don't seem impressed," Barachiel said. "Let's try something different."

  It snapped its wings.

  Virgil now saw thousands of angels sitting in front of old-fashioned telephone switchboards. The angels were busy plugging thick wires into holes and making connections. Occasionally, they spoke into headsets in low, sincere voices.

  "What's this?" Lisa said.

  "Our prayer answering service," Barachiel said. "All prayers come here first."

  "You actually answer prayers?"

  "A few, subject to budgetary constraints and other considerations. We try to give all deserving souls a little solace though, even if it's just a feeling of being heard."

  "Who decides which prayers are answered?" Virgil said.

  "There is a committee that evaluates cases based on the rules laid out in the Celestial Contract," Barachiel said. "The process involves quite a bit of analysis and argument."

  "But the people of Earth don't know those rules and don't hear the arguments."

  "Which is necessary, or they would look for loopholes."

  Virgil made a face. "But from their point of view, wishes are granted according to no obvious scheme. It seems arbitrary. And prayers can be serious business. We could be talking about kids with cancer."

  "People should have faith that the process is fair."

  "That's hard when everything is secret and only a few win the prize because of some ridiculous budget."

  Barachiel frowned. "You don't understand. Let's just move on."

  Virgil was in a vast cathedral now, one bigger than any stadium on Earth. Hundreds of thousands of people in white robes stood on tiered platforms in neat rows. Colored light streamed through enormous stained-glass windows. Saints had a high tier to themselves. The pure majesty of it all impressed Virgil.

  The people were singing in perfect harmony with angels as conductors. Not a single soul missed a note or a beat. He recognized the words as Latin, but he didn't know what they meant.

  "What are they singing?" Lisa said.

  "The praises of God," Barachiel said.

  "Why?"

  "Because they want to."

  "Does God care if He gets praised?" Lisa said.

  "I presume so. He appreciates love."

  "You don't know?"

  "We don't have many opportunities to talk these days," Barachiel said. "The Lord is very busy."

  "Doing what?"

  "Lord-ish things. Regardless, it's never a waste of time to tell God how great He is."

  Lisa furrowed her brow. "I would think God already knows. He is the Creator of the universe after all. Lord and master of all things. The Prime Mover." She looked at the heavenly choir. "I think these people are just sucking up to Him."

  "That's an offensive sentiment," Barachiel said.

  "Do they ever stop singing?"

  "No. They will praise the Almighty forever."

  "Sounds even worse than my job in Limbo," Lisa said. "I had to count spare change forever, but at least I didn't have to turn it into a musical tribute."

  "Maybe we should move on," Virgil said.

  Barachiel gave both of them dirty looks. "Very well. You can't possibly complain about our next stop." It snapped its wings.

  The noise hit Virgil first. He heard dogs barking, cats meowing, birds tweeting, and guinea pigs chirping. The sounds blended together to create a constant roar.

  He was in a grassy park with green trees and bushes. People playing with animals covered the flat landscape as far as he could see. There had to be millions of critters.

  "We call this Pet Land," Barachiel said. "Those who loved their pets in life can love them in the afterlife."

  Virgil nodded. He noticed a greater proportion of children here than in other parts of Heaven. Even though all types of pets were in close proximity, there was no fighting.

  "I thought animals had no souls," he said.

  "That's correct."

  "Then how can they be in Heaven?"

  Barachiel paused and glanced away as if embarrassed. "These are simulated animals."

  "Fakes?" Virgil said.

  "That's a harsh word."

  "I've always wondered about that," Lisa said. "How come only humans have souls? Why not apes and dolphins? They're pretty smart."

  "When God wrote the Celestial Contract," Barachiel said, "He elevated humans above all other creatures on Earth. I can't say why."

  "It doesn't seem fair. What about robots?"

  "Machines?"

  "Yes," Lisa said. "They're getting smarter all the time. Pretty soon, they'll talk and think like humans."

  "A machine can't have a soul," Barachiel said dismissively.

  "What if I took a human brain and stuck it in a robot body?"

  "Now you're just being disgusting."

  "What about aliens?" Virgil said. "Do they have souls? There are trillions of planets out in space. Some must have intelligent life."

  Barachiel faced him. "I've never given that question much thought. The Celestial Contract only applies to Earth and nearby astronomical bodies such as the Moon."

  "So other planets could have other contracts."

  "I suppose, but I don't care. What do you think of Pet Land? Can you feel the love?"

  Virgil watched a little girl play with a kitten. She was using a rubber mouse to tease the animal.

  "Dead kids messing with make-believe animals?" Virgil said. "Seems creepy to me, like something you might find in a weird horror movie. And I still don't get the point. What does all this accomplish?"

  Barachiel sighed. "This tour is done. I don't know why I expected monsters from Hell to appreciate Heaven."

  The angel snapped its wings.

  * * *

  Sara heard movement outside the water pumping station which had become her prison. A moment later, a half-dozen men came through the door. They were wearing green uniforms labeled "Global Shipping and Moving Company."

  They were pushing a steel safe on wheels. The walls of the safe were a couple of inches thick, and it had a sophisticated electronic lock. The men rolled the safe up to Sara and opene
d the door.

  "You're putting me in that thing?" she said in disbelief.

  The soldiers in the room helped the movers transfer her into the safe. They first cut off her bindings before cramming her inside. With so many strong men holding onto her, she had no chance of escape. The door closed and locked.

  She had enough room to wiggle around, but she couldn't stretch her legs. Air holes were a considerate touch even though she didn't need to breathe. She at least appreciated the bit of light which leaked in. A thin layer of foam padding muffled external sounds.

  The safe started to move. Allowing herself to be captured was starting to seem like a really bad idea. She should've fought for her freedom when she had had the chance.

  * * *

  Dr. Harlow arrived at the Riverside Cavalry Church of Christ for the second time. Several hours of sleep had refreshed him. He was still tired, but he could think now.

  The evening weather was pleasant but chilly enough to turn his breath into fog. He walked quickly to the church.

  There was no sign of special security on the outside, but when he opened the door, he met armed guards. They checked his badge and his face carefully before permitting him to proceed.

  The spacious nave had become Harlow's research laboratory. His assistants were already arranging and testing the equipment. He nodded and smiled at them.

  Harlow's special electron microscope stood in the corner. Some of the attachments were lying on a table, but the microscope appeared usable. He needed to use it.

  Where is my silver coin? he wondered.

  "Dr. Harlow!" Colonel Knox called out. "I need a moment with you!"

  Harlow looked towards the source of the voice. The colonel had turned the apse of the church into his office. His desk, chair, and shelves stood in the middle of the space surrounded by stained glass windows. Harlow walked briskly over to his commander.

  "Sir?"

  "We had some trouble at the old headquarters earlier," Knox said. "Four men are dead."

  "Captain Kyle must've talked to the aliens."

  "Unfortunately, that is the only possible conclusion. It is extremely disappointing. I had thought he was one of my finer officers, but now he must be treated like a traitor."

  Harlow frowned at the wooden floor. When he had started this project, he had believed success would come quickly and neatly. The finish line still seemed far away, and the body count was growing.

  "There is another item I need to discuss with you," Knox said. "Ms. Penn's airplane never landed in Washington."

  "What do you mean?" Harlow said. "Was it diverted?"

  "No. It seems to have vanished in mid-air. The transponder signal cut off abruptly."

  "Oh."

  "You may have been the last person to see her alive," Knox said.

  "Why do you assume she is dead? It could've been an electrical malfunction. Maybe her plane was forced to land somewhere else."

  "She would've made contact with somebody by now. The State Department called me. They are deeply concerned."

  Knox was glaring at Harlow with open suspicion, but Harlow maintained a neutral expression.

  "I have no explanation, sir. The jet seemed to be in good working condition when I saw it, but of course, I'm not an expert."

  "Don't sell yourself short, doctor," Knox said. "You have a remarkably diverse set of skills. It goes without saying Ms. Penn never made her report to the President. This project has received a temporary stay of execution."

  "A glimmer of light in a very dark moment," Harlow said. "I truly hope she is alright."

  The colonel continued to glare at him, but he didn't crack.

  "Is there anything else, sir? I should get back to work."

  "What is your plan now?" Knox said.

  "Build an even tougher spacesuit, I suppose. What else can we do? Without help from the aliens, we're back to the original plan. Let me think about it. Right now, I want to finish setting up my lab."

  "Dismissed."

  Harlow went straight over to his electron microscope. He inspected the brass tubes and fittings to make sure they weren't damaged. He gently tightened some nuts with a wrench. He turned on the vacuum pump and listened for leaks, but the microscope just produced its normal hum.

  "Where is my velvet box?" he asked his assistants. "It had my lucky coin inside."

  It took quite a bit of searching before the box was found in a pile of stuff that nobody knew what to do with. Harlow opened the box and took out his silver coin. The engravings on the tarnished surfaces reminded him of eagles.

  He put the coin into the microscope and turned the dials to a special setting. He looked into the eyepiece. He usually performed this procedure alone, but asking everybody to leave the church would've aroused suspicion. He would just keep his voice down.

  A face quickly appeared on the green phosphor screen inside the microscope. It was just eyes, a nose, and a mouth drawn in simple lines.

  "Hello, Dr. Harlow," the face said.

  Harlow looked around to see if anybody else noticed the voice. His assistants were going about their duties normally. He looked into the eyepiece again.

  "Don't worry," the face said. "Only you can hear me, but if it makes you feel better, I will provide some privacy. Behold."

  Harlow looked up from the microscope again. Everybody else in the church was frozen in place. It seemed time had stopped for all but him. He gulped fearfully. He hadn't known the face could do such a thing.

  "Our adversaries killed four soldiers earlier today," he said.

  "I'm aware. It saddens me."

  "They're getting closer. I'm running out of time."

  "Indeed," the face said.

  "I talked to the one called Sara. She wasn't helpful."

  "She is a noble creature, unlike you. She will never succumb to fear or selfishness."

  "What am I supposed to do?" Harlow said. "Everybody I send through the passage comes back dead or not at all. The only thing I can do is try to build a stronger suit, but what if that doesn't work? This is so frustrating!"

  "Your problem is lack of commitment."

  "I killed Penn, didn't I?"

  "In a cowardly manner," the face said. "You were sleeping when she died. But I'm referring more specifically to the experiments. Using test subjects is too easy. It makes you lazy."

  "I don't understand."

  "Use yourself next time. Put your own life on the line. Have some skin in the game, as they say."

  Harlow grimaced. "But I could die!"

  "That will give you focus, perhaps enough to finally succeed."

  "What if I run instead? I could leave the country."

  "Then you will lose the benefit of my protection," the face said. "Death would be merely the first bad thing that happens to you, and then it will get worse. There is only one path forward for you, and it goes through the passage."

  "This is so unfair. I bet you have all the answers, and you're just not telling me. You know how I can use the passage safely."

  "That's true."

  "Then why are you playing these stupid games?" Harlow said. "You have me jumping through hoops like a pet dog when there is no real point! Just tell me how to survive in Heaven, and we'll be done."

  "I do not want you to be done. Not yet. There are larger goals to be accomplished, goals you are unaware of, goals vastly more important than the fate of your miserable soul. Proceed as I have instructed."

  "But..."

  "I should also mention I closed the passage you were using," the face said. "It was compromised. You'll receive instructions for how to use a different passage when you're ready. Good bye, doctor."

  The face faded away.

  Harlow heard the sounds of people in the church again. Time had resumed its normal flow.

  He closed his eyes and considered what the face had told him. He had several terrible fates to choose from.

  I have no choice, he thought.

  Harlow walked back to Knox's office. The colo
nel was sitting at his desk filling out paperwork.

  He looked up. "Yes?"

  "I've made a decision, sir," Harlow said. "We're going to build the toughest suit possible, one strong enough to withstand a bomb. Then I'm going to take it through the gateway. I'll be the next test subject."

  Knox put down his pen. "That's stunningly courageous of you."

  "I want to prove how much I believe in this project. The next experiment will work. I'll be the first to see an alien world and survive."

  "I'd argue with you, but I like the idea. If you're right, we'll both be heroes. If not, I won't have to deal with your slimy ass anymore."

  "That's nice," Harlow said.

  "Just being honest. You should get to work. Building that super-suit sounds like a real challenge. Let me know if you need more resources."

  Chapter Sixteen

  Virgil had to admit Heaven had finally impressed him. He and Lisa were floating above the rings of Saturn. At least the planet looked like Saturn, but he couldn't be sure about anything in Heaven.

  Still, the view was incredible. The sun was much smaller than normal, and he could see millions of stars. Saturn was an enormous white sphere with dark bands across the face. The rings had an incredible amount of fine structure. Most of the particles were too small to see, but some visible chunks of ice were floating around. Impurities gave the rings a rainbow of subtle tints.

  Virgil and Lisa were orbiting Saturn like tiny new moons, helpless victims of gravity and momentum. They couldn't do anything but wait. Barachiel had gone off to fetch a few things.

  Virgil tried to talk to Lisa, but his voice didn't work in the hard vacuum of space. He settled for giving her the thumbs-up sign. She did the same.

  Barachiel finally reappeared and flew up to them. Somehow, the angel's fabulous wings worked even without air. Barachiel gave white cloth sacks to Lisa and Virgil. He rubbed the fabric between his fingers, and it felt like the finest silk, but it was also stretchy.

  Barachiel grabbed Lisa and Virgil by their waists. The angel flapped its wings, launching everybody towards the rings. Virgil got the idea and held open the sack.

  They skimmed the rings at incredible speed. The ice particles were just a white blur beneath Virgil. He held the sack tightly and felt material gathering inside.