by Liam Fialkov
When he finished his work, he was pleased as he watched the fruits of his labor. The films he created were a precise copy of the scenes he saw in his vision: they looked like video clips that were shot from above, from a great distance.
Jonathan called Walter. Both of them wanted to break the severance that existed between them, and each one of them was afraid to make the first move. Jonathan sat by the creek, in the forest, and from there he called Walter. Jonathan was relieved to hear that Walter answered him warmly, like he was genuinely glad to hear from him, and as if he’d waited for the call for a long time.
Jonathan proceeded to candidly talk to his brother about his life. He told him about his wife, about the land they purchased together, and about his work. He spoke about the site, about the vision of the accident in which he heard his mother screaming, “Robert, watch out!” before the vehicle that deviated from its lane, crashed into them in a head-on collision. He revealed his ability to see events from the past, and how he can document those events with advanced computer programs.
Walter sounded sympathetic, but also restrained and doubtful. To himself, Walter even worried that his brother had gone mad, and that he became delusional.
“Tell me,” Walter asked, “could you send me a film that documents the murder of Melisa Robinson Gonzales?” Because like many in the American public, and especially in the media, Walter was curious and riveted to the screen when that famous trial took place, twenty-five years earlier.
“OK,” Jonathan accepted the challenge. “I need the exact time and location of the murder.”
Walter had no difficulty in handing over the information, which he remembered very well despite the long time that had passed.
Jonathan climbed up the hill with the laptop computer, sat on the rock in the middle of the site, concentrated, and focused his attention on the place and time that Walter had given him. The earth shook lightly and sounded its familiar rumble, and Jonathan felt how his whole being became attuned, like a channel was opening, getting ready to receive the information.
Within a short time, the pictures showed up in his head, and for about an hour he rapidly and skillfully documented what he saw in his mind’s eye to the computer. It was like the images materialized on the screen by their own accord and had a life of their own.
Right from the site, he had sent the clip to his brother, and he only asked that Walter would promise not to tell anybody about him and his unique spot. The last thing that Jonathan wanted was strangers roaming around the forest and desecrating his site. Walter agreed, and promised.
When Walter received and watched the clip, he was amazed and impressed when he saw that his brother had sent him a highly professional work. As an experienced TV professional, he realized that he couldn’t tell whether he was watching a 3-D animated film or a video clip that was shot from a long distance. He then had to find out whether the details were, in fact, true and accurate. He had shown the film to a few of his colleagues who were familiar with the particulars of the case. The response was that of astonishment from the fact that he obtained an exclusive video, which documented the occurrence that had haunted the American public for years.
For Walter, it wasn’t enough. He then transferred the clip to selected police officers, and said he had received a film that documented the murder of Pedro Gonzales’s wife, and he wanted to know if the footage was reliable. The clip was thoroughly examined by police detectives who were familiar with the famous investigation and knew its minute details. Their answer had been unequivocal: the film is authentic.
Lindsey contemplated. He wasn’t sure that the film could indeed, be classified as genuine, but when he further examined the issue, he couldn’t completely disqualify the authenticity of the footage. Walter was convinced that his brother did not have such detailed information about the event, with all its many minutiae, that only police officers who worked on the case knew. If he succeeded in producing footage in such a short time, which didn’t allow the study of the facts, then he must have stumbled upon a fantastic source of information.
Walter never told anyone what the source of the film was, and he remained faithful to the promise he gave his brother. Factors within the network, including the CEO who watched the film and saw its potential, had pressured Lindsey to air the remarkable sensation.
Before Walter agreed to air the film, he felt obligated to go to California and meet his brother. He flew to San Francisco, where Jonathan waited for him. The two brothers were apprehensive in anticipation of the reunion, after many years in which they were cut off from one another. Both of them felt that they should leave the past behind them and start a new chapter in their relationship. Jonathan understood that he should forgive his brother for not defending him during the years when he was kicked around between foster homes, and Walter knew that he must let go of the unjustified resentment that had settled in him following the horrible accident.
They met at the terminal. Flooded with emotions, they hugged each other and observed the many changes and the traces of time in one another. From the airport they drove to the property, where Jonathan introduced his brother to his wife. The two brothers had then spent three days together, having long conversations in which they became reacquainted with each other, and tried to fill in the gaps from the years when they were distant from one another.
They went on hikes together, and Jonathan took Walter to the site because he wanted to be open and honest with his brother, and not conceal where he got his visions.
Walter was amazed by the unique spot. “This place reminds me of Stonehenge in England,” He said.
“I’ve been to Stonehenge,” Jonathan responded, “and I think that my site is much more powerful. I can’t explain it, but you may notice that it sits right on the San Andreas Fault line.” And as Jonathan spoke, the earth shook and sounded its frightening sound.
Walter became scared, but he saw that his brother was completely relaxed.
“That’s how it is in this place,” Jonathan calmly said. “In my opinion,” he added, “this site was built by ancient tribes, who identified that it was located on some kind of a rift, connecting different worlds. I believe that it served them as a place where they communicated with their ancestral spirits of with their gods.”
Walter nodded, “Do you come here often?” he asked.
“Every once in a while,” Jonathan replied. “And in addition to the visions that I’m exposed to, it just so happens that in this unstable place, geologically and seismically, here I feel the most centered and balanced. For me, it’s like taking a tranquilizer.”
Walter looked around and saw the enormous amount of work that his brother had invested in excavating the site.
“If you wish,” Jonathan said, “you could experience a vision of your own. All you have to do is sit on the rock at the center of the circle, concentrate, and focus on an event from your past that you are particularly interested in.”
But Walter was apprehensive. He didn’t see himself as someone who follows extraordinary practices. “Maybe next time,” Walter responded.
“That’s fine,” Jonathan accepted his brother’s decision. “I’ll be here, and so will the site.”
***
Now, Jonathan stood in front of the huge pillar of fire, which seemed like it was emanating all by itself and not needing any kindling. He felt that his work had been completed. He slowly walked over to his laptop computer and pressed the send button, thus transferring the last films into the hands of the people at Uncensored News. He returned and stood in front of the giant flames and looked forward into the fire.
Chapter 56
The Broadcast
Irene helped Sarah with cleaning up after dinner, and Sarah assisted her in getting organized in the guest room.
“I don’t think that he holds resentment against you,” Irene said. “There is something on his mind, an issue of great significance for him.”
“In such situations,” Sarah responded, “I just gi
ve him time until it passes. Sometimes he goes to the site, where he renews his energies and finds his balance. But now it’s dark outside, so it seems we’ll have to be patient, and hopefully by tomorrow he’ll be in a better mood.”
They went to the living room and sat in front of the television. On the Uncensored News site there were only commercials, but exactly at 9:00 p.m., there was a signal that heralded the beginning of the special broadcast. A television studio was seen where a woman and a man sat, smiling at their viewers. “Good evening,” said the blond female host. “I’m Stacy Gilbert.”
“And I am Victor Ortiz,” said the man who had a Latin appearance. “This evening we are presenting a special broadcast.”
“We are glad,” said the female host, “that we were chosen to broadcast the last films that are ending the exciting season of the program The Broadcast.
After that, the two hosts conducted an overview of The Broadcast, throughout the seasons in which it was aired, presenting selected pieces. They started with the first broadcast, which documented the murder of Melisa Robinson Gonzales, continued with clips in which the program helped in solving police crime cases, and moved to the historical footage of the last season.
“Do you think that TXB consented to the showing of these materials?” Irene asked.
“I doubt it,” Sarah responded. “But I don’t think that the site is in the United States, so they can probably do whatever they want.”
“Do you know where they are located?” Irene was curious.
“Jonathan mentioned that they are in the Caribbean Islands,” Sarah answered and glanced at her watch. It was after 9:30 p.m. and Jonathan had not returned from his computer room. Sarah looked toward the front door that had just opened, but the man who entered her house wasn’t her husband. He had a terrifying appearance. Sarah was startled, and Irene got scared. “Who are you?” Sarah tried to sound confident and assertive.
“Where is Jonathan?” the man demanded to know in a quiet voice, which sounded commanding and threatening.
“Do you know him?” Sarah asked.
“In a way,” he said.
“He is in the computer room,” Sarah hesitantly said. “He should be here shortly.” She still hoped that there was a rational explanation for the scary stranger entering her house without knocking on the door.
“He’s not in the computer room, I already checked,” said the stranger in an unfriendly manner.
“You checked in the computer room?” Sarah was apprehensive.
“Yes,” he said, “I demand that he stop the broadcast immediately.”
“What? What broadcast?” Sarah was perplexed.
“The lousy films,” he commanded. “Don’t pretend you don’t know that your husband is behind all the films of The Broadcast.
“Jonathan?” She was puzzled; and all of a sudden she understood that the horrible-looking man was right. She suddenly realized why her husband treated The Broadcast as if it was his show—because it really was his. That’s the reason why shortly after she expressed her wish that The Broadcast would stop airing crime shows and move to history-oriented programs, it had happened within a short time. He did it for her; he made the whole country watch programs that dealt with previous centuries because she had asked.
“Jonathan is not here, as you can see.” She tried to regain her composure and rapidly collect her thoughts. “And if he’s not in the computer room, then I have no idea where he is.”
“Then call him!” This time he raised his voice in an intimidating tone.
Sarah managed to maintain a certain level of equanimity, but Irene was overcome by fear.
“I need to find my phone,” Sarah said. “I might have left it by the kitchen sink.”
“Bring her the damn phone, Willie!” The stranger ordered, and only then did Sarah notice her tenant Willie Fowler, who was also in the house, apparently following the scary stranger.
“Here’s the phone, boss,” Fowler said.
“Boss,” Sarah scowled at Fowler. “So you are just a pathetic little liar.”
“Now you’ll only do what I tell you,” the stranger told Sarah, “otherwise, you’ll regret it.” He handed her the phone.
“And what will you do if I don’t call him?” Sarah mustered her courage and decided she wouldn’t obey orders from strangers, not in her house.
“Call him,” the man said in a quiet voice, and pulled a gun. “Or both of you are going to die.”
Irene was petrified and near panic. The aggressive man with the ugly scar on the left side of his face had managed to frighten her. But Sarah found that an unexpected state of tranquility descended on her.
She recalled the day when she walked on the Golden Gate Bridge, intending to throw herself down. She’d already dealt with death, and now she was not scared. It would be a pity if her life would end today, in the hands of the stranger, now, when she was on the verge of fulfilling her dreams. And still, she could face her death directly and without fear.
Irene did not feel like a hero. “Please don’t kill me; I have two children,” she pleaded.
“That depends on her,” Hensley said, and pointed his gun at Irene.
Chapter 57
Michael
Michael said goodbye to his parents. His mother felt that ever since she had handed him the information about his biological mother, he was stirred and restless, and anxious to go and search for her. For a moment, she wondered whether she should have concealed the information from him, and then she knew she did the right thing. All his life his parents loved him, cared for him and supported him, and they were confident that even if he would find his biological mother, he was not going to leave them. In fact, his parents, who truly loved him, had actually hoped for his sake that he would succeed in his effort to find her and that the meeting would go well.
Michael went from San Diego to Los Angeles by bus. The ride was an opportunity for him to be by himself, to calm his mind and collect his thoughts. He looked out through the window at the constantly changing scenery. Unfamiliar towns passed him by; houses, villages, the ocean, fields, and mountains; green, blue, yellow, and brown; people laboring in their daily routine. He wondered where his destiny was taking him.
Positive excitement filled his heart when he realized he’d finally taken the big step that would hopefully lead him to finding his mother and better understand himself. Along with that, he also felt apprehension; what if his mother didn’t want him? Perhaps he would not like her?
He boarded a flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco, and arrived at his destination at an early evening hour. At the airport he rented a car, and on the GPS he typed in the address given to him by McPherson: 2408 Oak Road. Shortly after embarking on his fateful drive, he received a phone call from Walter.
“How are you?” Walter was interested.
“I’m fine,” Michael answered, “thank you for asking.
“Melanie told us that you’re going to meet your mother and it’s really exciting,” Walter said. “Monica and I wish you the best of luck.”
“Thank you,” Michael responded. “I’ve waited a long time for this.”
“Do you remember that today, the Internet site Uncensored News is going to transmit the last films of the season?” Walter asked.
“The truth is,” Michael replied, “I forgot.” From Walter’s tone of voice, Michael heard the producer’s disappointment about the films being transferred from him to a previously unknown Internet site.
“I’m worried about Jonathan,” Walter shared his concern. “It’s been a few days that he has not answered my calls.”
“I suppose I will see him,” Michael said.
“You mean after you find and meet your mother?” Walter asked. “You don’t have to, I’m sure you will be occupied, and you will want to concentrate on the reunion with your mom, after so many years.”
“You’ll be surprised,” Michael said, “but it appears that my mother and your brother are a married couple.
“It turns out that you are my uncle,” Michael said.
“So when you get to your destination, please see that my brother is alright.”
“Of course,” Michael responded.
After the conversation, Michael silently focused on driving. He headed south on a winding highway in a sparsely populated area, where dark forests grew on both sides of the road.
A few minutes later he received a text message from his sister. “Good luck,” Lily wrote. “Love you, take care of yourself.”
In the meantime it got dark. Michael turned on the car’s headlights and continued driving in the foreign area, relying on the GPS. The confident female voice of the navigation system was like a companion to him, and it gave him the feeling that he was not alone, as well as the assurance that he was on the right track.
After he passed the road sign pointing to the town of Corralitos, the GPS guided him to take a right turn. He then drove on a partially graveled, unpaved road, wondering why the system was guiding him through such tough terrain. He continued to drive between dark mountains and hills, in a forested area that became thicker as he progressed in his drive. He concentrated on maneuvering the vehicle while his eyes followed the lights of the car as they penetrated the darkness. The road became narrow and winding and suited for off-road vehicles. He had to carefully watch his way so as to not to get stuck in the wide holes that opened in the dirt road. The GPS continued to sound directions. Michael considered stopping the car and turning around when the system suddenly announced: “You have reached your destination.”
