He walked down another hall that had weapons ports on either side. Laurence knew he was being scanned and observed as he passed down this walkway. He had a part in the design of that security system and no effort was spared to render this base practically impregnable not only to local threats but non-terrestrial threats too. The scans in the walkway were so thorough he may as well walk through naked and be made of glass. The TSA would drool at this system. Even the data on his electronics devices was searched remotely, ensuring no surreptitious recording or digital pathogens. By the time he arrived at the far door, security knew everything about him that day from what he ate that morning to when he last had a cold to what pictures he had on his flashdrive.
Laurence's handler met him in the waiting room. As a second set of heavy blast doors closed behind him, he greeted his friend and handler with a broad smile. "It's good to see you, Jacob." There were few people in the world that Laurence trusted. Jacob Bradly was one of them.
"Likewise. But it's about to get even better." Jacob handed Laurence a tablet computer and Laurence's eyes got big when he scanned the text and looked at the images.
"You got one?" Laurence asked, incredulous.
"That's affirmative." Jacob grinned as they started walking down the hall toward the laboratory wing. As they walked deeper into the complex, the abundance of guards gave way to an abundance of agents and scientists, all busy and obsessed with their missions.
"What kind of shape is it in?" He looked at the tablet again, enlarging the images to get a better look.
"Rough. Whatever hit it had power far beyond anything we remotely have. But there's still a lot of useful information." Jacob smiled. This day had been long in coming and they thought they'd never get their hands on an actual specimen.
They entered a decontamination room one at a time for the air and UV shower, then entered into the dressing room to put on environmental suits that completely sealed them in. By the time they were suited up, they may as well be about to walk out on the moon. Jacob adjusted Laurence's breathing tube and they walked into another air and UV shower to catch any microbes or dust that made it through the first decontamination session. The clean-room they were about to enter was cleaner even than the most modern chip fabrication rooms and great effort was taken to remove any contaminants.
Laurence eagerly looked through the view port as the room was depressurized and the massive pressure-door finally opened. The sound changed radically when the air was removed, and suddenly every breath he took seemed too loud. Jacob came across his radio and ushered him into the examination room. Laurence didn't need a second invitation. He walked quickly up to a large case with thick glass and peered in, looking at what appeared to be a heavily scorched body. "Rough? You're not kidding." Laurence watched as mechanical arms performed a dissection. The tools required were extremely robust and more suited to machining high grade alloys, and yet they still wore out rapidly as they attempted to cut through the burnt flesh. The cutting tools used ranged from powerful lasers to plasma torches. Physical cutting tools were unable to penetrate the material that made up the flesh.
"It's been slow going, but we do have some samples we're examining now." Jacob led him over to a large automated scanning electron microscope. "Look at this."
Laurence peered at the view screen. "Those little globs?"
"They used to be nanites," Jacob grinned. "The signature is irrefutable." He shifted the scanner and zoomed in.
Laurence couldn't make heads or tails of what he was seeing but could tell that whatever scorched the body did so in a way that altered the complete molecular structure of the flesh, rendering it nearly impossible to identify specific cells or organs. There were hints of them nonetheless. "This fella was engineered from the ground up?"
Jacob smiled. He knew he liked Laurence for a reason. "Yep. You're looking at a non-biological life form of immense power. And whatever took it out is still out there."
"How did it get in this damaged state?" Laurence pointed back at the body in the case.
Jacob stared at the carcass for a second, a quizzical look on his face. "We're still trying to figure that one out. Our first inclination is a massive arc blast. But it would take a phenomenal amount of electricity to do that kind of damage to what this thing is made of and we haven't seen any spike on any grid that could even remotely have done this." He thought for a second. "I don't think anything in our grid even has the power to do this, come to think of it. These materials are not on the table of elements, Laurence. All are completely artificial from the protons up."
Laurence stared at him, speechless. It took supernovae to form the elements that were all around them, and these materials were beyond that? "Okay, we're facing creatures made of matter that we've never encountered before and there's a weapon out there that is still able to destroy it?"
Jacob nodded.
"My mission parameters just expanded, didn't they?" Laurence looked at Jacob.
Jacob grinned. "If anything, these folks are job security for you." He walked over to the case and looked at the body inside. "We need to know how this was done and how we can do it too." He looked at Laurence. "Someone has an awfully powerful weapon that is self powered and obviously portable. I want it. We need it if we are to have any hope against these aliens, Laurence. Without it, we may as well put paper sacks on our heads and lay down for all the good we'd be defending against them."
"Consider the technology yours. What about my other mission?"
"Keep your cover. They're examining the dummy body we planted and we need to make sure they remain unaware of the switch." Jacob looked at Laurence. "This could change everything. This is the edge we need."
"Oh, you have so got to start taking care of your clothes, Steven," Sally muttered to herself as she started in on Steven's collection of dirty clothes draped over virtually every piece of furniture in his room.
Jonah walked by and peeked back in. "You need any help?"
"A bulldozer would be nice." Sally looked at her husband wryly. "For a prodigy, Steven is a slob." Jonah stood in the doorway, trying not to get underfoot as Sally went back and forth grabbing and piling up clothes. "Well? Grab one." Sally pointed.
"Yes, ma'am." Jonah bundled up a pile in his arms and traipsed off to the laundry room.
Sally shook her head as she started finding clothes sequestered in some of the strangest locations. She grabbed a sock that appeared to be doubling as a bookmark and as she pulled it, one of Steven's sketch pads fell to the floor. "Great," she grumbled as she reached over and picked it up. Something caught her eye as she was about to put it back on the dresser and she flipped through the pages. Her eyes got big when she came across sketches of Asherah. "Jonah!" Sally put her hand on her chest to try to control her racing heart.
Jonah came rushing back into the room, ready for another load of clothes. He stopped when he saw the terrified look on Sally's face. "What?"
Sally held up the sketch. "We have a problem."
The trip back from the meadow seemed to take no time at all. Steven was deep in a haze as he thought about the afternoon he had, and he tried in futility to digest everything. His head still throbbed a little but it wasn't an active pain. He could feel that Asherah was still there. As he entered the home he rubbed the back of his neck, thoroughly exhausted. Dr. Dougherty was sitting in the living room chatting with Sally and Jonah, and they stopped when he walked in.
"Hey, Dr. Dougherty! I wasn't expecting you. How're the bees?" Steven was surprised at the late visit, though his friend does visit the homestead from time to time. He tried hard to focus on what was happening now. But it got easier suddenly as Asherah's presence became vastly more subtle. It was like going from a full out sprint to a moderate jog all of a sudden and Steven fought the vertigo that threatened to topple him. Where did she go? But she wasn't gone altogether and Steven looked around the living room, able to focus again.
"Hey there, Steven. Bees are tucked in and holding strong this winter, thank
s to you." James stood up, and Steven's godparents followed suit, acting a little uncomfortable.
"Can we talk to you for a minute?" Sally asked, wringing her hands. Steven could tell she was upset but couldn't imagine whatever for. It was practically impossible that they could have discovered his surreptitious computing endeavors.
Steven raised an eyebrow. "Okay?" He suddenly felt like a deer in the headlights. James was there, so his computing habits probably had not been busted. What else was there that they could possibly be upset for? His mind raced but came up empty.
"I was picking up your clothes and found this." She pointed to his sketchpad on the coffee table that was open.
Steven was appalled. "Sally, that's like..." he searched for the word, "...like my diary!"
"I know. I'm really sorry and it was an accident, but we still need to talk." Sally was on the verge of tears, clearly upset that she invaded his personal space but at the same time most definitely afraid of something far more than just his sketches. Steven looked at her and she looked so small all of a sudden. His heart ached for her, and he took her hand.
Steven sat on the sofa with her and closed his sketchbook. Part of him was feeling a little violated. But even so, there was nothing in his sketchbooks that could possibly be so upsetting and he was concerned for Sally. He looked up at them. "Talk about what? I feel like you caught me smoking or something." He looked at Sally. "Sally, please don't be so upset."
Sally smiled at him, tearing up. She wiped her cheeks as she looked over at Jonah. Steven felt he was very obviously missing part of the picture.
"You are not in trouble, Steven," Jonah assured him.
Sally nodded at Jonah and looked quickly back at Steven. "Yes, you not in trouble at all, dear. We are just very concerned and want to talk with you," she expounded on Jonah's simple declaration.
"Who is that drawing of, Steven?" James asked calmly. He had stood so quietly that Steven almost forgot he was there.
"Asherah," Steven answered quickly. He hesitated, wondering if he should have answered. None of them know about Asherah yet and he wasn't sure how to break it to them. He had never had any relationship before and this was breaking new ground for him.
"Is she your friend?" The psychologist sat down next to Steven and leaned back on the couch, taking a relaxed posture.
"Well, yes, she is." Steven stopped and looked down. She was so much more than that now but above everything she was still his friend too. However, something else was dawning on him. James let him work it out and handed him a steaming cup of herbal tea. Steven held the warm cup as he thought, taking a long sip reflexively.
"I... she..." Steven had trouble trying to find the words. Something occurred to him that he had not considered for years. His legs grew numb and he tried desperately to push the thought out of his mind. He could feel her. She was so real. But the thought wouldn't go away and Steven shivered suddenly. She was effectively his imaginary friend. But it was all so real. How could it not be? This afternoon was so phenomenal. The past five years. He would be lost without Asherah.
He remembered the meadow. The real meadow, which he had not seen in five years. With the grass and the dead snag sticking out of the center. Every time he went there it was the tropical paradise he had grown accustomed to. He accepted that as real. It no longer even registered how odd it was, even when the meadow was surrounded by snow and the chill of winter. James looked at him, following his facial cues as Steven thought this out. Steven absentmindedly finished off the cup and put it down on the heavy, rustic coffee table. His numbness had traveled up from his legs to his arms and head and suddenly he had such a strong case of vertigo that he had to sit back. Sally enveloped him in her arms, but he didn't notice her.
"For most, imaginary friends are not generally a problem and usually are a method of coping that kids grow out of as they mature. It's perfectly natural." James leaned forward and put his hand on Steven's shoulder. "But for some, whatever they are trying to work out is so hard that this coping method becomes real to them, even though part of them knows it's not."
"But it hasn't been a problem." Steven was still shivering as he looked at his godparents. "I've done my schooling, I do my chores, I'm not antisocial or anything. Right?" He was reaching desperately. He knew, but didn't want to know and felt nauseous. Faced with reality, how could he argue? But he desperately wanted to argue, wanted the facts to go away. Asherah was his love, his soul mate. How could she be anything but real?
"Oh honey, you're a delight!" Sally held him tighter and he could feel her tears on his cheek. Jonah sat down in his favorite chair by the fireplace and stoked the fire with the iron poker. Sally looked at Jonah, completely at a loss. Steven could tell she was worried, but couldn't figure out why. What was there to be so afraid of?
"When was the last time you thought about your parents, Steven?" James asked calmly. Steven suddenly remembered the videos and a shock went up his spine, instantly driving his shivering away. His parents, he found them, or rather he found evidence that they existed.
"Uhm..." He wasn't sure how to answer. Except for a couple of trusted confidants, no one knew about the search, that he was sure of. But that he was obsessed with his biological parents wasn't exactly a secret. "Today?" He looked sheepishly at Sally. He had been engrossed with finding his parents for many years now, on a daily basis. Nearly everything he did had something to do with the search. Even keeping bees and selling honey was a way to finance the search. It has been the singular major motivation in his life.
Was it possible that he invented Asherah and the meadow all as a coping mechanism for his obsession? He was no stranger to the science of psychology thanks to some of his more advanced classes, but had completely failed to look at himself as a potential subject of that science. Had he fallen in love with a fantasy? His heart was racing and his ears ringing as he started wringing his hands. Asherah was so real to him. He could still feel her but she was quiet now. Was it even her that he felt? She has been a part of his life for half a decade, almost daily. He remembered her embrace and her infectious smile. Her kiss. But logic screamed otherwise. The facts were irrefutable. His heart broke, regret reigned, and a feeling of foolishness welled up in him like a flood all at the same time and Steven fought tears with all his might. This could not be happening. Not now.
James smiled, watching his face. "It's okay, Steven. We all have our ways of coping with the challenges of life." Sally grabbed Steven’s hands as the counselor patted his shoulder."But it's possible that those ways of coping can themselves become an even greater challenge. In this case, this is called maladaptive daydreaming disorder and it is extremely hard for people to escape from once it is allowed to take hold." He looked at Steven's downcast face. "It is a very disruptive disorder, Steven."
"But, do I need to? How has it been disruptive? I've completed school early, I'm starting college. How has it harmed me?" The thought of losing his favorite place and most importantly, Asherah, was terrifying to him, even if it was all a daydream. Suddenly he was reaching for ways to go back to blissful ignorance, to go back to the way things were before he was conscious of the fantasy as a fantasy. Asherah was so perfect. The meadow was perfect. He had never been so happy and content apart from Asherah or apart from the meadow. Part of him considered that fact and realized that James had a point. If he was so happy with a fantasy, how could real life ever satisfy him? And if real life couldn't satisfy him, to what sort of life was he doomed? He wiped his eyes, silently cursing his sense of logic.
Dr. Dougherty rooted around in his bag and pulled out a small cotton bag. "The longer it goes on, the more of a disruption it will be to your life. It will affect your ability to form relationships, how you function in society, and could bring about more destructive tendencies as time goes." He looked over his spectacles at Steven. "Please understand, Steven. This is extremely serious and can ruin lives."
Steven was crestfallen and tears flowed freely. He understood, and surrounded by h
is family he felt enormously foolish. But more so that he should have known in himself that things weren't quite right. The signs were all there. Fantastical, tropical environment and a furry but gorgeous Elf. And this spectacular afternoon, was it all in his head? Yet how could such perfection be anything but a fantasy? The details were exquisite and beyond anything he could have just dreamed up. And yet he couldn't deny it. The field and its dead snag were glaring proof. All that time, right in front of him and still he ignored it. Laying in a tropical field while it was snowing outside should have been clue enough to the fact that things were wrong and he chose to ignore it, so infatuated was he in his own made up world.
"We'll help you sort this out, Steven. You're not alone." James handed him the bag. "This will take the edge off and make it easier for you to manage your imaginary reality while we take things a step at a time and bring you back to the real world."
"What is it?" Steven opened the bag and looked in, seeing a sight that was actually familiar to him. Finely shredded dried mushrooms and herbs. The smell wafted up and most of the contents were like old friends. But he did smell a few items that he had never sampled before.
"An herbal concoction I've put together. With the help of Jonah, of course. Some you'll recognize, and there are a few special mushrooms in there, too." James pulled out a paper from his bag. "Here's the list. Your father should be able to put most of this together for you and I've got a source for the rest."
"What does it do?" Steven was used to herbal remedies from his life with his naturalist godparents. They were stringently anti-pharmaceutical and life with herbs and holistic medicines was all he really knew. Amazingly, it was a very healthy life.
"For people who are not having a problem, this will make them a bit loopy. But for you, it will help the part of your brain that is being overstimulated to calm down." James grinned. "You've already had a cup of it."
"That?" Steven pointed to the cup. "That was pretty good." James looked proud at such high praise coming from Steven, who was one of the most experienced wild mushroom experts in the area.
Crow - The Awakening Page 12
