Ever-Life the Two Book Set: The C.P.T Incident and Time Trust

by Andrew Sarkady

  “Watch it! They have silencers…”

  “Silencers?” Jack yelled in a whisper. “I can’t see a fucking thing.”

  Come on; no time to chat; good job, Jack. Our men should be in position by now.”

  They began to run fast, crouching, weaving in and out, to and fro; listening to the pings hit the walls beside them. After 50 yards, or so, the gunfire had them bogged down at the edge of an alley.

  “Christ! This is insane,” Jack said.

  Then, they heard three, four airbursts; fired from the right and left rooftops above. All went quiet.

  “That’s our men.”

  Swanson stepped quietly to see around the alley’s corner.

  “Over there; there is the church…And there is Mike, at the Façade entrance.

  Mike was waiving, and also yelled in a loud whisper, “Sir! Come on! This way!”

  The three ran down the alley to the Façade and huddled together, with Mike.

  “Well, that was exciting, eh,” Swanson said, out of breath. “Are we ready, Mike?”

  “There are three of Brock’s men inside the church, two on the way to the Edicule, and one, at its entrance.”

  “Where are our men?”

  “In position; and ready, Sir.”

  Just then, the unexpected happened. They all saw a man and woman walking quickly, directly toward Swanson. The man had a long dirty brown shawl with a tan straw fedora pulled over his ears. The woman was wearing a babushka, pulled low over her face, and dirty white pants. They had their heads down. Behind them, there was a loud commotion, and then gunfire. The couple started to run toward Swanson, as Mike listened to his Knofer.

  “Command-1, command-1; Brock man down at the Edicule…Do you see the couple?”

  “Yes; we see them. Take all Brock men out now! Repeat; take all Brock men out now!”

  With another three airbursts, it was over. The other Brock special-ops, in the church, fell silent, without public notice.

  Mike stepped between Swanson and the couple. Jack’s and Bellos’s eyes fixed on the couple, as the man reached into his pocket.

  “Sir, my Lord, it’s me, Ahmed. I saw you in the tunnel. Please do not shoot. Here, here is the vial.”

  Swanson extended his hand and received the small tube. Behind Ahmed, the hostage stepped forward and lifted her head.

  Bellos was stunned.

  “Angie, Angie?”

  She leaped into his arms.

  “Get to the cars, Mike.” Swanson said.

  “Yes Sir; this way.”

  They all turned and walked, quickly, out the doors, across the courtyard, to two waiting cars. Swanson stopped in front of one and spoke to the couple.

  “Ahmed, you and your family are safe now. We have arranged for safe passage to the destination your wife gave us. You go with this man, and all will be right?”

  “Thank you my lord,” Ahmed said gratefully. He bowed and kissed Swanson’s right hand. Mike led the man to a small, inconspicuous car, a few yards away. Ahmed got in the back seat and looked one more time at Swanson. As he rolled the window up, the car drove away.

  Angie, on the other hand, was shaking and held tightly onto Bellos. Once in the limo, she broke down, crying again, “Oh my God, oh my God.”

  Bellos tried to console her, “Angie, it’s all right, now; believe me, it’s okay. Can you tell us; what is the last thing you remember?”

  “I was in a van. Then I woke up with tape over my eyes and mouth…Oh my God, oh my God!”

  Swanson took out two hand held medical extractors, from the glove compartment. He stuck one into the vial that Ahmed gave him, extracting the liquid; and then, he turned to Bellos.

  “Mathew, please; hold her steady; for just a second.”

  “No, please; she’s been through enough.”

  “Doctor, come to your senses. Look at her. If she is Angie, who is at Ever-life? We have to know now; then we pick up Brian, and go back. Mathew, she’s not the one who knows everything.”

  Angie looked up at Dr. B. terrified.

  “Do we have to do this right now?” Bellos pleaded.

  “Yes; we do.”

  “Angie,” Dr. B. said, “trust me, this one last time. I will explain everything. Believe me; you are safe now child. I promise.”

  Angie nodded, shaking, with tears in her eyes. Bellos held her head to his chest firmly. Swanson pressed the round edge of the other small tool to her neck, and he touched the button. There was no pain; just a short slurping sound. The syringe swelled and filled with liquid. Swanson leaned forward and handed the tool to Mike.

  “Transmit all data. Let me know immediately.”

  The car drove through the narrow streets to the Carrier station. The four men and Angie got out quickly, and went down to the GGM tunnel site. They entered back into the same Carrier, where Marion Brock still sat, waiting.

  “Mike, where is young Mr. Sheldon?”

  “They are bringing him down now, Sir. There he is, over there; very interesting; one implant removed; lots of information; and we told him what it was. He is quite the sport.”

  “Everyone is here, then. Let’s move.”

  Swanson stepped into the Carrier and walked to the round sidewall, across from the others. He seemed to disappear, as the wall extended out and wrapped around him. Once alone, he turned on his Knofer and called Ever-Life. Dr. LuAnne appeared; and she spoke quickly, “We tested bath samples from both females; one that you just sent and one obtained here. I am sending analysis now. I estimate her age at two weeks. She could start breaking down, within two to three months; sooner is my guess, given the butchery of those lunatics. Bottom line is, we have only one dose.”

  Swanson took a deep breath and replied, “Thank you, as always Doctor. I hate these people. Please process what you have and inject Dr. Richard.”

  As Bellos held Angie, they watched Swanson reappear again from containment.

  “May I have your attention? Jack; we have the catalyst bath, needed for you; and we will proceed you’re your C.P.T.; as soon as we get back. But; we also have a big challenge. Brian, I hope you have clarified your loyalties.”

  “I’ve always been loyal to my family first. I had no idea what Mr. Brock was doing.”

  “I believe you, son. Will you help us now?”

  Brian looked at his dad.

  “Yes, of course; but, what can I do?”

  Swanson whispered to Mike, “Please escort Jack to Dr. LuAnne upon arrival.”

  He then turned to the group.

  “Mathew, Angie, Brian, please come with us. Unfortunately, we still have work to do, here.”

  Bellos hugged Angie and then released her.

  “Come on; it will be all right.”

  The four stepped to the opposite side of the room. Swanson studied his Knofer, for a few seconds; and then, he faced the wall and spoke in the strange Ever-Life language, “Swanson GGM-001…Open.”

  The wall became a thin and a transparent door slid to one side. Marion Brock looked up and smiled, as they entered one by one.

  “Well, Dr. Bellos; I knew you would be back. I didn’t expect you would have such esteemed company, though. Hello, Gordon; Brian…”

  Swanson had a slight smirk.

  “Hello Marion. Please everyone; sit.”

  Immediately, four comfort high back Victorian chairs appeared.

  “Impressive;” Brock said, a bit surprised, “glad you know how to do something, Gordon. You should take your magic show on the road.”

  “Yes; well, we are on the road, Marion. It is time to finish this long stupid farce.”

  “I agree,” Brock said, yanking; trying to free himself. “Let me go!”

  “Marion, I can’t believe you thought you could do this; and walk away with everything.”

  “I will; you idiots! You don’t have a clue!”

  “It’s over, Marion. I wonder why people like you think money is God. You really thought all you had to do was sit in that luxury condominium;
with bank accounts all over the world; think up silly schemes to make more money, and dictate to your gofers. You thought your silly plan was too complex, for us to figure out. Even now, you really think C.P.T. is yours; and you will live forever…My God, Marion.”

  “You are the one, who is mistaken; you pompous ass!”

  “I’m afraid he’s not; not at all.”

  For the first time, Brock heard the Carrier’s voice. And, with those words, the walls began to thin, and the cabin separated, splitting into two parts, like a bubble. The one section containing Jack and Mike continued on, back to the Complex, without any sense of change in speed or direction. The new section stopped, and everyone felt it. Part of the wall became a viewing monitor.

  “You silly pointless man,” Swanson said. “My real concern has been the children. You don’t have any, do you Marion?”

  “This has gone far enough, you control freak!” Brock yanked at his cuffs. “Release me; or you will never see the vials.”

  “Your mistake was stealing them yourself.”

  Swanson spoke like he was a prosecutor, giving closing remarks to a jury.

  “You thought a kidnap within a kidnap would fool us all. Ahmed was in the van, and he is safe now, as is Angie. You see, Marion; somehow your people did get the right bath from Angie; and, poor Ahmed did as instructed. He put Angie at Mrs. Sheldon’s front door. Your henchman had everything in place with the theology’s three fathers. All you had to do was get the vials.”

  At that moment, a video appeared on the wall of Brock opening security station box 1120, after his meeting on focus ward with Barb Sawyer. Swanson walked over and touched the screen. The image became a frozen life-size hologram of Brock with his hand holding the vials. Everyone watched, as the image slowly rotated.

  “That was your big mistake, Marion. It wasn’t enough to have billions and play with adults. You had to spite these children, for your own profit.”

  “Look,” Bellos said. “There; on the table; next to the box; that note; enlarge that.”

  The screen zoomed in on the note.

  “I’m sorry, Mathew,” Swanson said.

  The note clearly read: “Dr. B.’s email says the vials are in box#1120. The combination is 2fy947t.”

  “The error here was Angie not erasing your email, Mathew. We knew Brock was planning something. We have been monitoring him, ever since he started the effort with Jack. After Angie left the ward in terror, her clone sitting here, walked up to the guard, and he let her right in. He has been dealt with. But Marion; you did not trust her to take the vials, because she is a clone. She just got the combination for you…Pride and arrogance…You had to do it yourself.”

  “Clone?” said Bellos. He turned to Angie.

  “Unfortunately, Mathew, she has a very fundamental mindset; the one Brock gave her to take his simple directions; and, that is all. I am so sorry. You see; Brock had no idea his van dropped the real Angie off at the Sheldon’s house, because; one, he was in focus ward; and two, he is here with us now.” Swanson chuckled cynically.

  “Ahmed took the clone hostage.”

  Angie sat in a chair, whimpering, while Brock wailed, “I’ll destroy the vials. Let me go! You Bastards!”

  Swanson smiled, took his Knofer out and said, “GGM-001 authorization: I release this man to Carrier 2211. This is the operative, who authorized the shooting of Carrier 2210, in the morgue.”

  Swanson put his Knofer away and spoke kindly to Brock, “You, Marion, have always had the vials, safely in your pocket; and, you thought you would be able to negotiate, even now, at the last of it.”

  The wall hologram disappeared and a green glow appeared around Marion Brock. He could not move.

  “Brian, please reach into Mr. Brock’s right coat pocket.”

  Brian walked over, reached in, pulled out two blue vials and gave them to Swanson. At the same time, Bellos withdrew the single vial, which he retrieved from the Carrier, when it spoke, during the first part of the trip.

  “Sir, I completely forgot about this one.”

  Then, the Carrier’s voice spoke again for all to hear.

  “You have done well; and we thank you GGM-001. That vial is our gift to you…So many years together; this is the first time we clash. Take the vials; and go. I take these two with me.”

  The cabin went silent; and the room began to split once again. Bellos, Swanson and Brian watched Brock, in excruciating pain, through the transparent membrane. Brock became completely rigid. As the green glow intensified, his face and eyes swelled. He began to scream wildly. Clone Angie fell unconscious in the chair. Then, the membrane wall solidified, and the section containing Brock and Angie detached. They were gone. Bellos covered his tearful face and cried.

  “I am sorry, Mathew.”

  Swanson gently squeezed his shoulder.

  “Gather yourself, now. This is hard; I know; but, it is your job. We have a lot to do; and, you have a daughter waiting at Ever-Life.”

  Chapter 29

  InVoy’s Office

  Pappas Kristos Alieri had been sitting in the reception area, outside Rash InVoy’s Jerusalem office, for over an hour, waiting for word on the trade.

  “May I get you anything, Father?” the secretary asked, “a coffee, bread of some kind?”

  “Yes, thank you; perhaps a Turkish coffee, if you have that here.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  …Meanwhile; inside InVoy’s office…

  “What do you mean; they are all down? The trade isn’t scheduled for another forty-five minutes. What the hell are you saying…? That is bullshit! You know what; you’re fired!”

  Kristos could hear the yelling.

  “Archur, Archur; get your ass in here.”

  Before Archer could appear, three GGM swat-guards swung into the second floor open window, in front of InVoy. They pointed their weapons; and the commander took off his dark hood, revealing an eye patch.

  “Hello, Mr. InVoy,” he said quietly, but quickly. “Please; do not move! Now, step away from the computer.”

  InVoy reached for the keyboard; so, they shot him; two airbursts, barely audible. InVoy fell backward behind the desk. Archur came in a private entrance, across the room.

  “Shut the door Mr. Archur. Sit down; right there! I’m going to make this easy for you or easy for us. You can contact the banks; correct?”

  “I have no account privileges.”

  “Too bad…Good bye…”

  All three pointed weapons at Archur.

  “No; wait.”

  “Mr. Archur; what I’m looking for here is cooperation, not money. You decide; but do it, now.”

  “Fine; cooperation.”

  “Smart thinking…”

  The commander smiled; and they lowered their weapons.

  “I need you to do three things. First, log out of the computer. Next, in one half hour; I want you to call Father Kristos, and tell him that the trade failed. It went sour, and Brock is gone.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  “Yes, you can; and it’s true. InVoy will anyway, when he wakes up; but, if you don’t do it, he’ll wonder why, since he won’t be conscious, for an hour or so. Now listen, the final thing is the most important. If you don’t do exactly as I say, we will be back for you. If you do this, you will never see or hear from us again, understand?”

  “What is it?”

  “Give this, to Father Kristos. Don’t let anyone see it.”

  The commander handed Archer a sealed envelope.

  Archur took it; and raised his eyebrows.

  “Yes; okay; all right; I will.”

  The commander went to the computer and typed something on the keyboard. The computer screen blinked; and then, it went blank; and he stood up.

  “We’re done here.”

  He looked Archur, in the eye, for just a second; and then, the three leaped, onto ropes, out the window and disappeared up.

  As Archur walked out of the office, the secretary walked
back in, from the hallway.

  “Father, here is your coffee.”

  “Thank you, my dear.”

  “Mr. Kristos,” Archur said, “may I see you, just a minute, please.”

  Archur gestured to follow him, out into the hallway.

  “I have this for you.”

  Archur handed the envelope to Kristos.

  “I’m afraid Mr. InVoy is tied up with everything, at the moment; you understand. He asked if you might be patient, just a bit longer and wait at your Parish. He will contact you. It shouldn’t be long.”

  Kristos rolled his eyes, looking disgusted. He turned around to walk back down the stairs; and, as he did so, he opened and read the note:

  “My dearest friend, things are not what they seem for you, at this moment. Please trust me. Join me for supper, tomorrow at three. I request this because my health is failing; and, I would like to give you something before my passing.”

  It was signed simply “S”.

  Chapter 30

  The Mole

  Even considering the time difference, between Arden and Jerusalem, the Carrier holding Jack Sheldon and Mr. Mike arrived at the Andrews underground platform at 1:05 p.m., U.S.A. Mountain Time. Jake Burns was still in the throes of investigating on floor three.

  “I appreciate that, Sergeant; but that doesn’t tell us what happened to the girl. If they traced it to Sheldon’s house, have the team keep doing the tire treads; and follow the van. That’s it! I have too much to do here, right now.”

  Burns slapped his cell phone shut, and turned to Dave Marshall.

  “I’m sorry about that, Chief…Long conversation. I just can’t figure out why they’d want a young nurse, from this place. You know her, right?”

  “Where, in heaven, did you get that old phone?”

  “I collect them. It’s a hobby.”

  “Angela Esposito; yes, I know her quite well, actually. She is a great nurse. We all like her.”

  “Hmm, well we should get to it; enough time wasted, eh. You are taking me to meet Mr. Swanson and Dr. Bellos, right.”

  “This way; Detective, follow me.”

  Marshall led Jake Burns down the stairs, to the main floor of the hospital, through the back hallway, to a narrow, private elevator.