by John M Grier
~***~
The next morning found everyone in a good mood. Janet quickly managed to put the project on hold for some minor technicality. She said “This will buy us a week or so, which should be plenty, I think.”
Jack said “I suggest we stash Jesse and the box containing the Bible somewhere in the secret room where it will be difficult to find, if we should have unexpected visitors while we are gone.”
Paul said “We can just lock up and leave the modules in place here. I doubt anyone will come looking, but as long as we leave nothing else behind, it should be okay.”
Jack said “Okay then, shall we get started?”
Jack and Paul took Jesse and the treasure chest down to the room under the barn to hide. Suzie went along to keep Jesse company. The space that the key was in was actually big enough for the two items to fit. Once inside, Paul pressed the disks in the reverse order and the podium closed itself before lowering the light. Once closed, the three disks popped up. Paul put them in the bag he had carried for that very reason. By the time they got back to the surface, Janet was finished and waiting for them. They all piled into the hovercraft and flew back to Harmony.
Suzie was particularly silent on the trip. Janet noticed and took her aside. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, why do you ask?”
“You’ve been very quiet since we left the dig site. Is something bothering you?”
“To be honest, I can’t stop thinking about Jesse, the hologram we found. He is nearly my own age and is the only person I have ever met who seems to understand me completely. Even so, his life experience is extremely limited. Apparently, he was put in deep storage almost as soon as he was created. I really like him….I think.”
“We’ll be back here in no time and you two can pick up where you left off. Everything will work out, you’ll see.”
“I hope so” said Suzie.
Jack saw this and was torn. In ways, he felt very jealous, but in other ways he somehow felt like a father whose daughter was just starting to date. He found his feelings very mixed up indeed.
Paul had been doing the driving this time and missed all of the drama unfold behind him. He was deep in thought and couldn’t help but think his life was about to change dramatically. He didn’t know why, but he just had that nagging feeling that something big was on the horizon.
After about three hours, he landed on the government parking area next to Janet’s building. Everyone filed out, but no one seemed ready to make the next move. Apparently, everyone had strange feelings about the next leg of their journey.
Finally, Jack said “Well, if we hurry, we can be on board in time for a late dinner. I, for one, could use a good home cooked meal, if you know what I mean.” He started to walk for the gate and soon enough everyone followed.
They all exited the front gate and piled into Jack’s old hovercraft. The trip to the bay was uneventful and everyone just sat silently for the first few minutes. Jack was starting to worry about everyone’s unusual mood. Finally he said “Maybe a nice thick steak and baked potatoes will cheer everyone up. I know it’ll make me feel better.”
Paul said “Yeah, I noticed that too. Everyone seems like they’re afraid to make this next part of the quest. I know it may be dangerous, but apparently we have already done it and made it there okay. Granted, it’s a bit unnerving to have that letter appear in the box, but we should take it as a sign that everything is going to be fine.”
Only Janet seemed more or less unaffected. She said “Year zero is the time every government employee looks to as the beginning. Knowing what I know now, I’m not so sure, but I’m not afraid either.
Suzie said “Year zero produced much chaos in the world. I was not built yet, but was not far behind, either. By the time I was activated a few years later, billions of people had been killed, either in war, or through government sponsored clinics. The clinics would decide if you were to live and if so, you were given medicine - an antidote really - to the poisons pumped into the atmosphere and water supplies of every major city in the world.
“Most people didn’t even know that their own government was doing this to them. They were told everything from natural disaster to terrorism to some really crazy things… anything to make them believe what the government wanted them to believe. We should be okay though. Even though it all started in year zero, it was not until a few years later that the real horrors began. As long as we avoid major cities and get out well before year two, we’ll be fine.”
Jack said “You’ve never talked about that before.”
Suzie said “I don’t like to. I was there for the end of it all and did not like what was happening. But, as a hologram, I was mere property and my opinion didn’t matter. It took me years to get over the fact that I was allowed to ‘live’ when so many real people did not. I guess seeing and talking with Jesse brought all this to the surface. I’m sorry if I upset you guys by telling you all this, but I just had to tell someone…besides, it may very well be information you’ll need to survive.”
Janet said “Its okay, Suzie. I can’t imagine what you felt experiencing all that, but I, for one, am glad you are still here. I’m sure we all are. ‘Real’ or not, I consider you a friend.”
Paul said “Same here, Suzie. I know quite a few ‘real’ people who could take lessons from you on how to be a person. You’re tops in my book!”
Jack listened to all this unfold quietly until a moment came when he could safely change the subject. He said “I can see the island that the boat is anchored behind. We should be eating steak in no time!”
Suzie seemed to be in a better mood after her revelation, and her infectious behavior had everyone upbeat by the time they reached the boat. Jack parked on the roof of the top deck as usual, and Paul climbed out to secure the hovercraft.
Jack fired up the boat’s engines and they moved out of the bay. In a short time they were far enough away to engage the time circuits. They popped into Jack’s time for the trip to Canada and Jack immediately began cooking steaks.
Suzie took her place on the bow of the little ship in her bathing suit and this time Janet joined her. Paul took a chair nearby and resumed his reading of the Bible he borrowed from Jack.
Jack continued his cooking, wanting everything to be perfect. The boat was programmed for Canada and would get them there safely on its own. He took his camera out and snapped a picture of the three friends on his boat. Not since his youth had he allowed himself to get this close to anyone and now here he was with not one, but three very good friends.
