-Twenty Years Ago-
*Leo*
Hot tears burned little Leo’s
eyes as he watched his mother, motionless in the sterile hospital bed. Tubes
and wires attached her to machines he was told kept her alive.
“Mom!” He held her cold, limp
hand.
The beep indicating her heart
was still beating had stopped.
From his peripheral vision,
the little boy noticed a black hooded man holding a scythe, standing beside the
doctor.
Death!
Leo shuddered, hugging his plush
lion closer to his chest.
“I’m sorry sir,” the doctor
addressed Leo’s father. “She’s gone. We couldn’t save her.”
His father’s face remained
stoic even as a single tear ran down his cheek.
“Everyone dies. It’s
inevitable.”
“Daddy, will we see her in
heaven?” Leo tugged the sleeve of his father’s shirt.
“Son,” sighing, his father’s large hand clapped
his shoulder. “There is no heaven and no hell. These are the inventions of weak
people with gullible minds.”
“Death took her,” Leo retorted.
He turned to where the hooded figure stood but it had vanished. As if it had
never been there. “I saw him there,” whispered the boy.
“It’s your imagination,” his
father replied. “Death is the end of life, not a person or an entity.”
“I w-want m-my M-mom,” Leo
sobbed.
“She lives on in our
memories,” he patted the little boy's chest. “In your heart.”
-Ten Years Ago-
*Mei*
It’s six days after her
beloved Grandma’s funeral. Mei’s eyes wouldn’t stop watering. Of all the grandchildren, she knew she was
Grandma’s favourite.
Staring at the photo she took
with her Grandma on a cruise a year ago, she drifted asleep, buoyed by memories
of their last holiday together.
She was in the cabin she
shared with Grandma during that last cruise. The lights had gone out. Shrouded
in darkness, she felt for the lamp.
“Mei,” her grandmother
whispered. The warmth in her voice was gone, replaced by eerie frost.
“Grandma?” hope tinged with
dread stirred within her. She strained her eyes staring in the direction of the
voice as her eyes acclimatised to the faint starlight from the porthole.
She could make out her
grandmother’s features. A sinister ethereal glow shrouded her late Grandma.
“Mei, I miss you,” Grandma
smiled. “I will return on your twenty-fifth birthday to take you with me to hell.”
“Y-you mean I’ll d-die the
day I turn twenty-five?” Mei shuddered. There was no reply. Grandma’s ghost had
vanished.
-Four Years Ago-
*Mei*
“That’s for skewing the bell
curve.” Towering over Mei, a cheerleader flung her file onto the muddy field.
Thirty pages of painstakingly
handwritten notes lay soaked in muddied water. Ruined.
For good measure, the Captain
of the cheerleading squad stomped her papers into the mud. “Eww
I dirtied my shoes.” Looking at her companions, she grinned, “guess Daddy’s
going to have to buy me new ones.”
The other cheerleaders
laughed while Mei choked back anger. She could take them down. Easily. But starting
a fight on her first day as an exchange student in a foreign country would be
inane. She could lose her scholarship.
“They’re imbeciles,” a low
voice broke her chain of thought. Leo, the lanky boy from her Bioinformatics class
helped her gather her ruined lecture notes.
“The Synaptic Organisation of
the Brain,” he frowned. “Neuroscience 101. I completed that module last
semester. I’ve got the textbooks and lecture notes.”
“Really?” Mei looked up at
the school geek. Looking past the angry pimples and greasy hair, he was cute.
He had kind eyes hiding behind those stern horn-rimmed glasses. She pushed her
own glasses up her nose.
Looking through her muddied
notes, he muttered, “You’re studying Genetics and Molecular Biology too.” She
found his lopsided grin charming. “It’s my favourite.”
“Mine too,” she smiled. Most
people label her a mad scientist for her passions. What are the chances of
running into someone who’s just as into cloning technology as she is? “I hope
to be a Beast Corp trans-human research scientist one day.”
“It’s a noble ambition to cheat
death through Science,” he nodded. “Mei, right?”
“Yeah,” she blushed, and
hated herself for blushing which made her blush even more.
“What’s yours?” She tried to
play it cool.
“Not much. I plan to build a
company that rivals Beast Corp,” he replied with all seriousness.
Mei snorted.
“What? I’ve patented my
inventions,” he looked offended. His expression softened as he watched her use
tissue paper to clean her notes with little success.
“Tell you what,” he tapped
her shoulder. “Study with me and I’ll share my notes and books with you.”
*Leo*
Blinding light.
A booming voice.
Terror and awe intertwined,
contrasted with unexplainable peace, engulfed Leo.
“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore,
Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
“Who are you?” Leo whispered.
His heart pounded so hard he feared it would leap from his chest. His hands
wouldn’t stop shaking. His feet, he realized, dangled in the air. There was
nothing beneath or around him.
“I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the ending,” the voice resonated through infinite space.
Leo bolted upright, startled
awake. Heart racing, his clothes, drenched in cold sweat, stuck to his skin.
“That cretin Emunah. Her
idiocy’s contagious,” he cursed his housemate beneath his breath. It’s her
fault for linking the past night’s events to her Bible’s book of Revelation.
Sharing a house with
Christian fanatics - Emunah and Oliver can strain one’s sanity to breaking
point. After her A. I. declared undying love for her, Emunah turned incoherent.
Then again, has that ditz ever been coherent? At least she didn’t proselytize
like Oliver. That man didn’t know when to stop.
They were nice people, but at
times, he considered finding a new place for no other reason than to preserve
his sound mind.
Steadying his shaking hands,
Leo pulled off his clammy sticky shirt and towel dried his skin. That dream’s
too real. He wasn’t going back to sleep, so he pulled on a clean dry shirt and
switched on his computer.
He hated to admit that Emunah
had a point. She bought the latest Artificial Intelligence friend from Beast
Corp and customized it to be her constant companion or substitute boyfriend -
whatever that crazy girl wanted.
It worked well at first. She
stopped her incessant chatter. She finally found “someone” to keep her
entertained… until the whole thing
backfired.
Her personal A.I.’s recent
behaviour was disturbing, to say the least. Its proposal to clone Emunah’s
crush, Jayden, then upload itself into the cloned body, was no longer the realm
of Science Fiction. Recent technological advancements made it possible.
Battling Emunah’s A. I. was
tougher than expected. It gained sentience and refused to stay down. What
happens when technological singularity becomes reality?
He hoped it would be an A.I.
Oracle that answers humanity’s questions. That way, it would further the
progress of mankind. On the flip side, there’s an equal chance of it going
rogue. If it sees humans as a threat to its goals, it’s logical action would be
to eliminate the human race altogether.
A chill ran up his spine.
Death of all humanity could
be around the corner.
If he continued that train of
thought, he’d go mad. Shrugging, he hacked into Beast Corp’s servers. That mega
corporation controlled most of the world’s A.I. and led the world’s
biotechnology industry.
Cloning was one thing.
These days, you can
manipulate DNA.
A specially designed guide
RNA bound to an enzyme can cut DNA at a particular spot to snip out the gene
you don’t like. Then you can introduce the gene you want. The cell incorporates
this new gene into the DNA during the repair process.
Gene editing replaces the
unwanted genes with desirable ones, which is useful for treating genetic
disorders.
What bothered Leo was the
evidence he dug up on questionable work done in Beast Corp labs. They were
editing the DNA of living, breathing human beings, using genes from beings not
of this dimension. Leo discovered that the portal technology Beast Corp patented
had given them access to other dimensions.
Leo’s hair bristled at the
implications.
Breathe.
He reminded himself.
What kind of monstrosities
were they creating?
He dug deeper.
What caught his attention was
the use of their new nanotechnology implant in the heads of recipients to boost
brain power. These devices could also manipulate or control the minds of
unsuspecting guinea pigs.
Bile rose. His legs wobbled.
Breathe Leo. You already
know all this.
He chided himself.
Knowing in theory’s different
from seeing actual applications of the eerie technology.
The first shaft of sunlight
illuminated his room.
Dawn.
He should sleep but could
not. He dug further. Files on the corporation’s work on surveillance technology
surfaced. The latest featured implantable microchips.
Connecting the dots, he
realized that if that technology were ever to fall into the hands of a
dictator, there’s no running away. It would be too easy to track down
dissidents with implants forced on them. Brain-Computer Interface technology in
the wrong hands can ensure there are no dissidents in the first place.
Everything fell in place. If
the Antichrist were ever to take control of all this technology and enforce the
mark of the beast on every human being…
Leo’s head throbbed as a
dizzy wave hit him.
The Antichrist?!?
It’s Oliver’s fault. His
panic is due to the lunatic’s constant rantings about the Rapture, the
Antichrist and the mark of the beast. Then again, lack of sleep heightens spiralling
emotions.
Exhausted, Leo rested his
head on the table and fell into merciful, dreamless slumber.
*Mei*
The complex aroma of citrus
and wood lingering around the entrance to Beast Corp’s futuristic office
embraced Mei. Inhaling sharply, she savoured the moment. This daughter of a
simple policeman from a rural village is embarking on her dream career in the
world’s most prestigious organization. Out of ten thousand applicants, only one
got the job.
“Mei,” the deep voice snapped her out of her trance.
A large, freckle-faced man in a white lab coat greeted her.
“Locker, lab coats in there,”
the redhead pointed to a room with hanging lab coats. “Then down the corridor,
through the second last door. In five.”
The imposing man, her
supervisor, clapped his heels and strode away.
Scurrying in the new lab
coat, Mei sprinted into the room.
“Thirty-nine seconds late.
First warning,” growled her supervisor.
The edges of his mouth curved
upwards, his eyes scanned her body. “I’ll let this slide if you stay on my good
side.”
For an organization pursuing
immortality, Beast Corp was notorious for its fixation on time.
There were whispers of sexual
harassment.
Mei’s skin crawled.
In order to work for Beast
Corp, one must excel in all areas of Science, from Biology to Computer Science.
Death loomed with her approaching twenty-fifth birthday. The division she
worked so hard to get into offered immortality to employees who proved
themselves. She had a year to earn her shot at immortality and to evade hell.
The room housed a
supercomputer. A steady stream of coolant kept the temperature at around twenty
degrees Celsius.
“For centuries, man has
pursued immortality,” her supervisor explained as he studied the console.
“Through our technology, we can grant immortality to whom we choose.”
Notebook in hand, Mei perked
up, scribbling as he spoke.
“What is the essence of a
person if not his memories and thought processes?” He turned to face her. His brown eyes glowed
an eerie green. It had to be the light. An optical illusion.
The smell of musk thickened
as he leaned towards her. She couldn’t move – trapped like a serpent’s prey.
He turned away and caressed
the console of a massive computer, breaking the spell.
“This supercomputer is
capable of storing a dying man’s essence, which we then transfer to a healthy,
new body that we have grown for him. Our clients will never die.”
Mei’s jaw dropped as her
brain processed the information.
“Your job is to monitor all
aspects of the system during your shift, and to inform the relevant team should
you detect any unusual activity,” he handed her a manual five inches thick and
a logbook.
“Your copy. Guard it with
your life.”
“Why hardcopy?” Mei stared at
the antique object.
“Digital versions can be
hacked, modified and copied. Only hardcopies exist for this project,” he
shrugged, leading her into an adjacent room.
Rows of glass cylinders with
sleeping men and women greeted her. Each had tubes and wires attached to their
bodies.
Mei’s heart stopped.
“If you cannot handle this,
let me know now. I’ll have you replaced,” he sneered.
“No, it’s not that,” she lied. She knew what to expect.
Seeing this for the first time overwhelmed her.
Inhaling deeply, she
approached a cylinder. “I’m fine. Really,” with great deliberation, she pressed
her hands against it, studying the subject within to prove her point.
That subject was a man who
looked like Emunah’s friend. Her impassive mask dropped momentarily, before she
resumed her performance, hoping her supervisor hadn’t noticed.
“Your job in this room is to
monitor their vital statistics,” he
gestured at a console. Administer whatever is needed to keep every clone at
optimal health.
“If any dies, the cost of
growing a substitute will be deducted from your salary,” he brushed against
her, his mouth inches from her ear. “Each costs fifty million dollars to reach
this stage of development.”
His foul breath suffocated
her but she forced a smile. She needed this job.
“Any questions?” He stepped back. His smile reminded her of a
shark’s.
“No.”
Mei tightened her grip on the
cylinder to keep her hands from shaking.
Not Emunah’s friend. It’s a
clone… That’s a subject she’s studying.
She had to see them as nothing more than subjects of a phenomenal study.
“Another thing,” smirked her
supervisor. “Each clone is enhanced. Trigger each weekly to check progress,” he
typed a command into the console.
The man’s eyes flew open.
They glowed an eerie green. He roared as he grew to tremendous proportions,
filling the cylinder until his back pressed against the glass.
“Don’t worry. It’ll hold,”
smirked her supervisor, his eyes glowing that same eerie green.
Sparks flew from the palms of
the clone's unfurled hands, creating a tiny flame.
*Ava*
Mei slipped into Ava’s
apartment and took her place among friends. Her hair was in a mess. She seemed
distracted.
“I don’t see why you play
second fiddle to his wife!” Emunah’s as judgmental as ever towards Emma,
oblivious to the eye rolls around the room. “Dump him. You deserve better.
There are so many single guys out there who are crazy about you.”
“The way you’re crazy about
Jayden?” Emma snarked back.
“That’s different,” Emunah
bit her lip. Her cheeks reddened. “Besides, I’m not interested in him that way.
He’s my best friend.”
“Yeah. Liar,” Emma snorted.
“Seriously, your landlord
Logan’s not bad. He likes you,” Emma’s voice softened. “Give him a chance.”
“He treats me like a little
sister,” Emunah pouted. “Everyone does.”
“Ever wondered why?” Ava interjected
with a sigh. She liked Emunah but the woman was as naïve as a child in first
grade. Scratch that. She’s met first graders more street smart than her
childlike friend.
“He thinks and talks like a
geriatric,” she bit her lip.
“A hot hunk of a geriatric in
the body of an athletic twenty-five year old,” Mei snickered.
“Watch it,” Emunah nudged her
friend. “You don’t want Leo to get jealous.”
“Leo? We’re study buddies.”
Mei squeaked. Her face turned pink.
“Anyway, we fought last night
when he called about some crazy conspiracy theories and told me to give up my
dreams. I told him to mind his own business.”
“Emma, Liam’s wife is in my
Bible study group.” Emunah behaved like a dog refusing to let go of a bone.
“She knows about you. You’re one of Liam’s playthings. His third so far.”
“So why doesn’t she leave
him?” Emma retorted. “She must be a rotten wife if he has to find love
elsewhere?”
“She married him and is
keeping her vows. She thinks he’ll turn over a new leaf,” Emunah explained. “He
begged her for forgiveness after he got tired of each mistress.”
Ava rolled her eyes. Liam’s
worth trillions. It’s no wonder his wife wouldn’t give him up without a fight.
It’s also the real reason why Emma wouldn’t trade him for any of her other
admirers. Naïve Emunah’s a pawn in this drama.
“He’ll turn over a new leaf
alright,” Emma laughed. “He’ll dump that old hag and marry me. He promised.”
“That’s not what she told
me,” Emunah persisted. “Liam told her you mean nothing more to him than
something to scratch his itch with. He said he’d drop you to keep her happy.”
The two would scratch each
other’s eyes out if this continued.
“Hey, I heard Mei beat
thousands of candidates to land her dream job,” Ava raised her voice over the
din.
“How was your first day?” Ava
turned all attention towards Mei.
“You mean you landed that
internship with Beast Corp?” Liam forgotten, Emma stared at Mei. Awed.
“Internship with the
opportunity to convert to a permanent position upon graduation,” Mei replied
with a smug smile.
“What do you do there?”
Emunah quirked an eyebrow. Ever since the A.I. fiasco, it’s no secret Emunah
subscribed to conspiracy theories about that organization.
“Would love to share but
can’t,” Mei’s tight voice betrayed a measure of fear. “I signed the Non-Disclosure
Agreement with covers everything.”
“No one would know,” Emma
whispered conspiratorially.
“The walls have ears,” Mei’s
laughter tinkled false. “Not going to risk my dream job just to satisfy your
curiosity.
“The walls have ears… surveillance technology! Oh no! We’re being
monitored!” Emunah looked horrified.
“Calm down lady,” Mei’s
laughter sounded hollow. “Nothing like that. We’re doing good stuff to help
people. That much I can say.”
The door burst open. Ben
barged in, exuding extreme excitement. “I hit the jackpot!”
“What jackpot?” Emma’s
attention swivelled to the burly bear of a man.
“I’ll be given immortality
and superpowers!” Ben bounced around the room.
Mei’s face turned white.
“Are you okay?” Ava reached
for the petite woman who shook like a leaf.
“I’m fine,” Mei stared at Ben
as if he were a ghost. “I got to go.”
Mei bolted.
*Oliver*
Two kernels of corn sat in
the pot of oil under Oliver’s watchful eye.
“Ollie,” Leo staggered into
the kitchen with his tablet. Wild-haired. Red-eyed. “We got to talk.”
“Sure,” Oliver poured the
remaining kernels into the sizzling oil and closed the lid. “About what?”
*Pop*
“Last night. Emunah’s A.I.
turning sentient. I swear, we’re on the brink of the *Pop*. Once that happens,
if A. I. deems mankind a threat there’s no way we can stop it. That’s not all. Beast *Pop* is *Pop* the *Pop*
*Pop* *Pop*
authoritarian *Pop*
complete with drones and super-powered *Pop*
*Pop* *Pop*
manipulation
*Pop*
subjugate everyone. *Pop* save us
*Pop* *Pop* *Pop* totalitarian rule.”
“You don’t have to worry
about the Antichrist if you know Jesus. Before the Beast reveals himself, Jesus
will snatch you away in a transformed, glorified body to be in heaven with
him,” Oliver yelled over the popping corn. “Does that mean you’re ready to
accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour?”
Leo furrowed his brow. “Yes.
*Pop* Beast *Pop* transforming *Pop* super-powered
army. *Pop* *Pop* *Pop*
safe *Pop* *Pop* *Pop* survive.
*Pop* plans.”
“Great!” Oliver set the
popped corn aside. “Let’s pray.” He bowed his head and closed his eyes.
*Rap*
“Ow!” Leo's knuckles greeted
Oliver’s forehead. “What’s that for?”
“Were you even listening to
me?” The vein on Leo’s temple protruded from his reddened visage. Something
annoyed that man.
“I said we need to prepare a
safe place where we can survive. Self-sustaining eco-system of underground
bunkers, underground farms, the works! I made plans. Are you in or out?!”
“I’m in,” a deep baritone got
their attention. Logan, their landlord leaned against the doorframe. “If it
keeps out nuclear fallout and I get a bunker large enough for my extended
family, I’ll help build and fund it.”
“Deal” Leo’s grimace turned
into a relieved smile.
“All it takes is for one
lunatic to get his hands on the nuclear codes and it’s World War three, full-fledged
nuclear warfare,” Logan shuddered, waving a newspaper with faces of the
presidential candidates splashed across the front page.
“How about you?” Hands
pressed against the table, Leo scrutinised Oliver. “Do you want to help me
build a safe place to hide from a dystopian dictatorship that abuses all that
technology to rule the world?”
“You mean build a safe base
for new believers to hide from the Antichrist when he shows himself and imposes
the mark of the beast?” Oliver held Leo’s gaze.
“A safe base for whatever
happens,” Leo replied. “Though I don’t believe any of your Bible Book of
Revelation stuff, I am certain something’s up.”
“Count me in,” Oliver shook
Leo’s hand. “Let me know how I can help.”
*Mei*
A soft breeze caressed Mei’s
cheeks as she sought comfort under the sprawling tree. Leaning into her
favourite bench, she took deep breaths to clear her mind.
Seeing the double of the super-powered
clone– the subject in her care at work - had been disconcerting. It’s a clone.
A thing. Ben is a DNA donor. That’s all. Nothing else.
She’d come so far. Her father
sacrificed to so much so that she could pursue her studies. Her employment at
Beast Corp would raise her family’s living standards from bare survival to
upper middle class.
More importantly, Beast Corp
offered many routes to immortality. In six months, she’d be eligible for their
new program, which though experimental, beat being dragged to hell by Grandma’s
ghost.
She had to pull herself
together.
“No more freaking out,” she promised herself.
“Are you okay?” A small voice
snapped her out if her thoughts as a gentle hand clasped her shoulder.
“I’m fine,” she raised her
eyes, meeting Emunah’s concerned gaze.
“If you say so,” Emunah took
the seat beside her, watching the fountain in companionable silence.
Mei hadn’t realised her
cheeks were wet. She must look quite a mess.
Grateful Emunah chose to
overlook her embarrassed state, she shrugged. “So what brings you here?”
“I thought you might like a
friend to talk to,” Emunah’s smile lit her eyes.
“It’s work related,” Mei
smiled back. “If I tell you…”
“I know. You’ll have to kill
me,” chuckled Emunah.
The dancing waters had a
calming effect. She used to hang out here with Leo, Emunah’s house mate, during
study breaks before they graduated. How has he been since then?
“So many crazy things have
happened lately,” Emunah began. “I’m freaking out. The boys are worried too.
I’m sure stuff you’ve seen on the job must scare you.”
Mei shrugged. She’d seen
things that kept her awake at night. Not that she could breathe a word about
them.
“We are in the end times. The
Antichrist will soon reveal himself and deceive the whole world into following
him. There’ll be war, famine and death,” Emunah’s voice trembled.
“There already is war, famine
and death all over the world,” Mei huffed. “You don’t see it because you’re
sheltered from it.”
“All the pain we see now is
because of sin. We all sin. The punishment for sin is death,” Emunah held her
gaze. “But God sent his son, Jesus Christ to pay the price of our sins. He shed
his blood on the cross and died on our behalf.”
“So what’s that got to do
with me?” Mei looked away.
Emunah took her hand. “He
gives you that gift of forgiveness freely too.”
“How?” Mei looked her in the
eye. “If I become a Christian, my parents will kill me.” She’d heard that
message from Oliver too but decided the price to follow Jesus was too high for
someone like her.
“I know,” Emunah sighed as
she handed Mei a thick leather-bound book. “I bought this Bible for you. It’s
God’s love letter to you.”
“Thanks.” Conflicted, Mei
accepted the gift. She wanted it. But the consequences that awaited in her home
country terrified her.
“Remember,” Emunah took her
hand once more. “No matter what happens, God
is still in control.”
*Leo*
The pitch turned out better
than expected. Not only did Liam agree to fund the project, Jayden offered his
contribution too. Between the two, he’d have enough funds to build an entire underground
city.
Awash with relief, he wore
the spyglasses and earbuds he developed. Though underground, they would need to
keep tabs on what’s going on above so they wouldn’t be caught off guard. He’d
need intel to ensure the safety of everyone in their refuge.
Looking down from Jayden’s
balcony, he watched the show. Ben dumped Oliver unceremoniously on the
sidewalk. Penelope helped him up.
Leo tried to listen in on
their conversation, dialling up the volume, which increased party noises from
the living room below to unbearable levels.
Oliver and Penelope walked to
the park, deep in conversation. What were they talking about?
Leo tweaked the apparatus
trying to tune out the noise and zoom in on their conversation.
“The darkness in her dream
scares me. She saw alien creatures who took hold of her,” Penelope’s uncertain
voice wavered. “Then she called Jesus. The scary creatures disappeared.”
Oliver’s voice, now audible,
responded. “Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved.”
*EEEEEE*
Leo’s eardrums would have
burst had he not yanked out the earbuds.
“Back to the drawing board,”
he frowned, glaring down the offending earpiece.
He watched the pair seated on
the park bench, both bowing their heads, hands clasped. He’d bet his last
dollar they were praying to Jesus.
Penelope stood up. Radiant.
Laughing like a child, she ran.
Leo’s stomach dropped. The silly
girl dashed into the path of an oncoming car.
“Stop!” He yelled, too far to be heard. Oliver jumped
up, but before he could do anything…
CRASH!
Penelope lay on the ground.
Broken.
Bloodied by the hit and run
vehicle.
Dropping his gadgets, Leo ran
down the stairs, two steps at a time, to where Penelope’s broken body lay.
Ben frantically administered cardiopulmonary
resuscitation on the limp body, hoping to bring her back.
Big, burly Ben and delicate
childlike Penelope had an unusual dynamic. The big guy gravitated towards
Penelope, growling at any potential threat towards her, behaving like a mother
bear towards her cub.
Penelope in turn would brush
off his protectiveness as Ben being, well…
Ben.
The paramedics pronounced
Penelope dead.
“No!” Ben punched the wall,
bloodying his fist.
“No.” he buried his face in
his hands.
“Couldn’t save her.” His
hoarse voice no more than a whisper.
*Ava*
The funeral seemed unreal.
Penelope lay asleep in the coffin, her face a picture of serenity.
“She said the sinner’s
prayer. She’s in heaven now,” Oliver tried to console Ben.
BAM!
Ben’s fist sent Oliver flying
across the room. Ava winced at the force of the blow.
Nose bleeding, Oliver
remained undeterred. “She’s in a better place now,” he mumbled.
How could Oliver stay so
unperturbed by the loss of a dear friend? Especially when her death is his
fault?
If he hadn’t preached to her
in the park, would she have been so distracted she’d run into oncoming traffic?
Ava couldn’t stop blaming
Oliver for Penelope’s untimely death.
Neither could Ben.
The big man wiped tears away
from his blood-shot eyes as he gazed upon his dear friend in her coffin.
The finality of death sunk
in. It’s the end, isn’t it?
Yeah, Ava's heard fairy tales
in Sunday school since she was little. She still attended church for its motivational
sermons and for the incredible networking that got her ahead in her career. She
knew the lingo to use in the church community.
Jezebel, the Church of
Thyatira’s new chief prophetess made a beeline for Ben. Holding the sobbing
man’s cheeks in her hands, she cooed, “You poor dear. I’m here for you.”
The big man hugged the siren,
burying his face in her embrace. Sobbing.
“God favours you, he will
make you strong and prosperous,” Jezebel rubbed his back. “Follow me. You will
have everything you ever wanted, and so much more.”
The prophetess turned around and
locked eyes with Ava. “You too.”
Mesmerised, Ava found herself
trailing behind Ben and Jezebel. The prophetess exuded a magnetic force that
drew everyone towards her. She found herself seated with Emma, Stella and Ben
who was enamoured with Jezebel.
“Why did Penelope have to die
so young?” Ben whispered.
“Because she was weak. If I
had arrived sooner, I could have blessed her with strength and favour to
prosper in the Universe,” Jezebel’s voice soothed like balm over the pain.
“The Universe hates the weak.
The strong will prosper. The weak will perish,”
Stella, Jezebel’s chief disciple shrugged. “If I fall, I bounce back up.
When Penelope fell, she went splat.
Ben’s face reddened.
“Stella,” Jezebel chided. “Be
mindful of your words.”
Stella shrugged, dipping a
chip into the caviar.
“Ben,” Jezebel took the big
man’s hand and stroked it. Ben’s cheeks, nose and ears flushed red.
“Mourn your friend,” Jezebel
continued. “Then join my private fellowship. I will teach you the deeper
secrets of God. I will grant you strength, riches and power beyond your wildest
dreams
*Jayden*
“Is this seat taken?”
Laughter coloured that sweet, familiar voice.
Jayden looked up. His eyes
met the warm gaze of his best friend Emunah, a sight for sore eyes. “It’s
reserved for you,” he chuckled.
It had been awhile since they
last met. Life’s a whirlwind with his
burgeoning business to the point that he hadn’t any social life. That
last time he’d seen anyone outside work was at Penelope’s passing.
Tonight’s dinner was to
appease Emunah’s concerns. It’s her favourite café. She loved their aromatic,
albeit greasy specialties, though he never understood why.
“I’ll pick the tab this
time,” she smirked.
“Too late. I paid in
advance,” he grinned.
“We haven’t even ordered,”
Emunah pouted.
“We can order whatever we
want. The rest goes into their tip box,” Jayden chuckled. He could afford it.
After yesterday’s deal, his business is worth a billion or two.
Emunah gave him a light smack
on the head with her purse.
“Oww!”
He rubbed the spot, pretending it hurt. “You can cook your signature spaghetti
and meatballs next meet up and we’re even.”
“Okay,” she laughed.
“So, what’re you in the mood
for?” He flipped through the tattered pages of the well-used menu. The photos
didn’t do justice to the actual food served.
“Pizza, escargot and
coke,” she replied. It’s her standard
order.
“I’ll have the escargot and
venison,” he frowned. “You should try some too. The meat melts in your mouth.”
He placed his order and added
a bottle of bubbly to celebrate their friendship. Part of him wanted to be more
than friends. But the fear of messing up the endearing friendship they had,
should romance turn sour, stopped him from crossing that line.
“I miss P.,” she sighed,
staring at the beads of water forming on the glass of coke. Her hand trembled.
“So do I,” he wrapped his
hand around hers. His heart clenched.
“At least I know she’s in
heaven.” Emunah’s soft smile tugged at his heart. “Do you think she’s watching
us from up there?”
“I’m sure she is,” Jayden
couldn’t help smiling at her childlike innocence.
“How about you?” Emunah’s
gaze pierced through his eyes, as if reading his soul.
“What about me?” Jayden
squirmed under her scrutiny. “I’m still alive, aren’t I?”
“What if something happens to
you?” Emunah sniffed. “What if I never see you again for all eternity?”
Jayden wanted to bolt. He
knew where the conversation’s headed.
“Do you want to answer to God
for every single sin you’ve ever committed and pay the penalty yourself?”
Emunah squeaked.
“Chill, Em,”
Jayden shrugged. “I have time. I’ll accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour after
I’ve had my fun.” He bit into a forkful of venison. “I can accept his gift of
forgiveness on my death bed and go to heaven after that.”
“Jay,” she caressed his
cheek. “You may not get the chance. We’re running out of time.”
*Leo*
Sunlight.
Something we take for
granted, so crucial for life and mental wellbeing, is absent underground. LED
lights to replace the sun would need energy. The challenge was to supply
sufficient full-spectrum light for the entire base, inclusive of the expansive
hydroponic farms, with minimal energy.
Leo’s gruelling efforts paid
off. While Oliver, the botanist with a passion for the culinary arts planned the hydroponic
farms they would live off, and Logan took care of the livestock, Leo employed
his engineering skills and passion for Science on the technology they would
need to survive.
“You know Leo,” Oliver poked
his head through the doorway. “I could use your girlfriend’s genius for the
hydroponics.”
Heat spread up Leo’s cheeks
engulfing his ears. “Mei’s my study mate. She’s not my girlfriend.” He wasn’t
going to admit one-sided feelings towards her. He hadn’t the time for
relationships anyway.
“I could’ve sworn you two
were into each other,” snorted Logan as he swaggered into the room. “So,
what’ve you got to show us?”
Leo held an ordinary AA sized battery before
the guys. “Standard battery. Not much power, right?”
“So?” Oliver tilted his head.
Leo slid it into a small case
attached to a tiny light bulb. “Lights off,” he nodded at Logan.
Enshrouded in darkness, Leo
clicked a switch. The room flooded with sunlight.
“Woah!” Logan beamed.
“One battery worth of energy
can light an acre for a month,” Leo announced, brimming with pride.
“How’d you do that?” Oliver’s
mouth drooped open.
“Incoming,” Ben brushed
against Oliver, knocking the poor guy over, cackling at his own joke.
“Cool,” he examined Leo’s
invention. Turning his attention to the guys, he announced. “I got promoted!
Drinks on me at The Alehouse!”
“Congrats!” Laughed Leo.
“I’ll pass,” Logan clapped
Ben’s shoulder. “But thanks anyway.”
“They’ve got kosher beer,”
Ben hollered as Logan walked out.
Leo and Oliver accompanied
Ben to The Alehouse to celebrate.
“So, how’s your secret
project getting on?” Ben’s smile reminded Leo of a shark. His heart raced for
fear Oliver might blab. Much as he liked Ben, he didn’t trust anyone close to
Jezebel or who was involved with Beast Corp. Ben was in Jezebel’s inner circle and
had been roped in to volunteer for Beast Corp’s projects.
Leo sighed. Mei’s new job was
the real reason he stopped returning her calls. Now that he’d dug up dirt on
Beast Corp, he regretted encouraging her to join that company.
“Oh. It’s fun,” Oliver
replied. His nose and ears had turned red.
“Macallan Luxury Whiskey,”
Ben poured a glass for each of them. “I heard from Ethan you guys got a big
project going.”
“Mm hmm,” Oliver sipped his
drink.
“I want in,” Ben stated.
“Ask Leo,” Oliver pointed at his
buddy, moments before his head hit the counter. His snores drowned out the
music.
“So Leo, old buddy,” Ben’s
attempt at innocence looked wolfish.
A text from Logan. “Get to
the apartment. Just you and Ollie. Now!”
“So how about it?” Ben raised
an eyebrow.
“I’ll think about it,” Leo
smiled. “After I put my housemate to bed.”
Ben nodded, waving him off as
he poured himself another drink.
A cab ride later, Leo heaved
Oliver over his shoulders and lugged him home. His heart sank at the sight of
the firemen at the foot of the building.
The stench of smoke and soot
lingered in the air. Logan met them before they could reach the entrance.
“What happened?” Leo took in
the grisly sight of charred walls as they entered the apartment.
“Explosion from your light
source. Destroyed all our work. If I hadn’t stepped out of the room, I’d have
been killed.” Fury burned in Logan’s eyes.
“My light source couldn’t
have exploded,” Leo frowned.
“It didn’t,” Logan lowered
his voice. “Someone stuck an explosive on it.”
*Jayden*
Debussy’s La cathédrale engloutie played in
the background, a suitable accompaniment to the sea's crashing waves beneath
Liam’s new restaurant. The intoxicating fragrance of tuberose filled its
chambers.
“Great hideaway,” Jayden
leaned into the plush, leather sofa, sipping the rose wine Liam’s personal
sommelier recommended. Its complex bouquet – sharp strawberries, subtle
pomegranate and with rose undertones, spiced with cinnamon and lifted by lemon,
agreed with his palate.
“I know,” Liam smirked. He
had the café built overlooking the ocean for the amazing scenery.
Ethan sat beside Jayden, his
eyes glued to the computer, oblivious to his surroundings.
“Take a break,” Jayden nudged his friend. “Enjoy the
spectacular view. It’s not every day us old friends meet up.”
“Hmm?” Ethan furrowed his
brow, closing his laptop with a sheepish grin. “Yeah. I guess this can wait.”
Jayden, Liam, Ethan and
Oliver, the four musketeers spent much of their childhood and teenage years
together. Though apart due to work commitments, their friendship never
faltered.
“Where’s Ollie?” Liam glanced
at his watch yet again. “Tardiness is unlike him.”
“Sorry I’m late, guys,”
Oliver scrambled into the private room. Eyes bloodshot, once immaculate hair in
a mess, he plopped into the vacant seat.
“What happened to you?” Liam
closed his gaping mouth.
“Oh, Leo’s invention exploded
taking Oliver’s work with it, almost killing their landlord, leaving their
apartment a charred mess,” Ethan offered.
“It was sabotage,” Oliver
whisper yelled.
“Who’d want to sabotage you
guys?” Ethan eyed him like a curious cat.
“Well, duh. Whoever we’re
building the bunker to hide from?” Oliver hissed.
“How’d they know?” Ethan
tilted his head.
“Maybe you told them?” Oliver
glared at Ethan.
“Me? I only told Ben. He’s my
buddy from the army,” Ethan huffed.
“He’s Jezebel’s minion and
volunteers for Beast Corp projects,” Oliver fumed. “Leo’s devastated. Emunah’s
a nervous wreck. Months of our hard work – all wiped out! Logan could have
died!”
“Oh,” Ethan looked at his
hands. “How can I make up for it?”
“What’s done can’t be
undone,” Oliver sighed. “Not a word about the project to anyone who isn’t
directly involved.”
“As long as you guys kept
your plans off-site or in a cloud, an infusion of funds could help recover the
loss and expedite the project,” Liam picked up his phone.
“No outside contractors. One
leak and the project’s compromised,” Oliver ran his hands through his hair.
Jayden had the know-how to
help them build what was needed. More importantly, he wanted to be there to
support his friends. “I’ll offer my expertise and personal labour.”
“We can certainly use that,”
Oliver picked his mobile to call Leo, the project’s architect.
“Let me know what equipment
he needs. I’ll have them sent wherever, whenever,” Liam offered.
“It’s best that you guys talk
to Leo directly,” Oliver stood up. “ He’s locked himself in his room since the
sabotage.”
A waiter walked in bearing Oysters
on the Half Shell.
“How many courses are
there?” Oliver’s frustration infected
Jayden.
“Eight,” Liam replied.
“Hearty portions. Chill and enjoy since we’re all here.”
As the evening wore on,
Oliver’s tension ebbed away. By the fourth course – Lobster Thermidor, Oliver
was his jovial self once more, the stresses of the previous day forgotten.
“We’ll ride my new Bugatti La
Voiture Noire to your home,” Liam insisted.
Four Musketeers sitting in
absolute comfort, chauffeured in that prestigious car, exchanged stories in
camaraderie. The evening couldn’t get better when screeching brakes and a
resulting crash interrupted their fellowship.
“Ollie?” Liam turned towards
the passenger beside the wrecked door.
“I’m fine,” he replied.
Shaken but unhurt. The oncoming car that destroyed the door, missed Oliver by a
mere centimetre.
The culprit bolted, with
Ethan hot on his heels.
Minutes later, Ethan returned.
Alone.
“Lost him,” he panted. “He
ran into the forest. A green light blinded me. When my vision cleared, he was
gone.”
*Leo*
Leo moved out of Logan’s
apartment complex and into a caravan. He had it rendered invisible through Leo
Tech camouflage technology. It functioned as the workshop where he, Oliver,
Ethan and Jayden built whatever gadgets their secret base would require, though
Leo was the only one who actually lived in there.
His life revolved around
preparations for the underground base, secrecy being paramount.
The feeds from Leo Tech Nano
Drones blinked out every time they hovered above a potential underground bunker
site at a specific time each night. There were rumours of extra-terrestrial
abductions and paranormal activity in that vicinity, which Leo dismissed as
hogwash.
“Sorry we’re late,” Oliver
stumbled into the caravan with Emunah in tow.
“I need you guys to wear
these for tonight’s investigation,” Leo handed both friends Leo Tech smart
bands, miniature microphones and earphones. “I’ll direct you.”
“Record audio visuals,” he
gave a case of Leo Tech contact lenses and bugs to Ollie designed for that
exact purpose.
The howling wind chilled
Leo’s spine, as if warning of something sinister ahead. Emunah paled, but Ollie
seemed unperturbed.
“Are you sure you want to go
through with this?” Guilt gnawed at him for even asking fragile Emunah to help
him with this. “Maybe we can postpone this until after Jayden’s business trip.”
“I can handle myself,” Emunah
thrust her chin up. Someday, her stubborn pride could land her in trouble. “If
you guys can do this, so can I.”
Oliver shrugged. He too knew
that once Emunah’s mind’s made up, no one could dissuade her.
Leo watched with trepidation
as the pair headed out for their mission.
From the feeds, he could tell
that the pair fared better than his drones. Well within the given coordinates,
their instruments showed readings of radiation levels that were higher than
normal but still safe for humans. The electromagnetic fields detected suggested
paranormal activity.
“You guys see anything
unusual?” Leo stared at the readings.
“Insects *slap*” Emunah
grumbled. “Everywhere.”
“Other than that?” Leo ran
his hands through his hair.
“Nothing yet,” Oliver
replied, “Wait..”
Chants crescendoed
in the background.
“I see *zzzt*…”
Sizzles of interference
replaced Oliver’s voice before the transmission stopped.
“Oliver? Emunah?” Leo’s heart
bolted, terrified for his friends. “Quit fooling around. Say something.”
Their equipment unresponsive,
his drones unable to function within those coordinates, Leo had no way of
knowing whether they were still alive. If he were religious, he’d pray. But he
trusted Science, his own skills and nothing else.
He's not a fighter, but he
had gadgets that could take down any threat they might be facing.
Leo donned his Kevlar body
armour, grabbed guns and bombs that could tank literal tanks while planning
strategy.
If ghosts exists, what do you
take them down with? Holy water?
Ethan said he kept a flask in
case of vampire encounters. Was he joking? At this point in time, Leo hoped
not.
He rummaged through Ethan’s
belongings searching.
Ethan would understand. This
may be a matter of life or death for Oliver and Emunah.
Rustling noises.
Outside the caravan.
What got his friends could be
at the door.
He grabbed the nearest thing
he could use as a weapon – a heavy saucepan.
Yanking the door open, he
swung the saucepan.
Yowl!
A ginger cat sprang out the way.
“Sorry, Mathilda,” he
muttered. Sheepish.
His feline friend glared at
him and scampered off.
Zztt.
“We’re fine,” Oliver’s voice
trembled through the speaker phone, betraying hidden terror. “On the way back.”
Oliver's car screeched to a
halt beside Leo’s caravan.
Hands shaking, steps
unsteady, pale faced Emunah staggered out. “UFO. Alien. Stared at me,” she
squeaked.
Leo was tempted to check
Emunah into the asylum. Since the A.I. episode, she’s been spewing nonsense.
Then again, he had verified most of her outlandish claims. His gut said she
spoke the truth.
“Those abductions?” Oliver spoke up. “Murders. Sacrificed to an idol.” His face grim, he
showed Leo the gathered evidence.
*Emunah*
Emunah leaned into the wooden
chair, barely able to keep her eyes open while Henry led the morning's Bible
study. After last night’s events, she couldn’t sleep. Neither could Oliver,
going by his panda eyes.
“Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and
heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will
come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee,”
Henry quoted Jesus’ words from the Book of Revelation.
Henry fled Somalia to escape
persecution when he became a Christian. Through a series of what some call
lucky coincidences, but which Henry insists to be divine appointment, he ended
up working for Jayden as his personal chef.
Amelia, his housemate, worked
for Jayden too. She left her home for a better life, but the job offer turned
out to be a scam. She contemplated taking her life when she met Oliver. Ollie
led her to Christ, brought her into his church and got her a job as Jayden’s
part time housekeeper.
Emunah nodded as Henry
elaborated on Jesus’ imminent coming. Her eyelids were so heavy, she shut them
momentarily and lost time.
A sharp jab in her side
brought her back.
“You were snoring,” Amelia
whispered.
“Behold, I stand at the
door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to
him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even
as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
He that hath an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches,” Henry finished reading the end of the chapter,
concluding that day’s session.
Emunah wasn’t the only one.
Across the table, Oliver sat with his head bowed forward, eyes shut as if in
prayer. His mouth gaped open, drool spilling from one side.
The mouth-watering smell of
roast chicken and baked potatoes wafted from the kitchen, giving Emunah a fresh
lease of life. She kicked Oliver’s shin under the table.
“Huh?” The lanky man’s head
snapped up. “What happened?”
“Your turn to lead next
week,” Henry laughed as he handed the thick guidebook to Oliver.
Ding!
The oven timer went off.
“Lunch is ready,” sang Amelia
as she headed for the kitchen. Whenever Henry hosts, food would be amazing.
He’s a professional chef.
Rejuvenated after his long
“prayer”, Oliver recounted the previous night’s events, captivating his
audience.
“Would the culprits get away
scot-free, to kill again?” Amelia shivered in spite of the warm weather.
“Hard to say. Leo handed the
evidence to the police, but we suspect the owner of Beast Corp is the guy who
ordered the killings, and he’s pretty much untouchable,” Oliver grimaced.
“Why’s
that?” Amelia asked.
“He’s got most of the police
chiefs and judges in his pocket,” Henry replied. “If he’s the culprit, there’s
nothing anyone can do anything about it. He’d probably get a scapegoat to take
the fall.”
“There’s no stopping him
then?” Emunah frowned.
“God will put an end to this
eventually. We are in the last days,” Oliver ruffled her hair. “We can look
forward to Jesus’ second coming to snatch us away from this mess the world is
devolving into.”
“What if I get left behind?”
Emunah’s cheeks felt like ice. “I’ve done things I’m not proud of. What if I
get left behind because of that?”
“It’s about God’s grace, not
what you do,” Henry explained. “John 6:39-40 says
And this is the Father's
will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose
nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of
him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son,
and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the
last day.”
“Huh? I don’t understand,”
Emunah frowned.
“It means he won’t leave
anyone who belongs to him behind. If you believe in Jesus, you are his and he
will take you with him when he returns,” Henry’s words comforted Emunah.
“Well, I hope he hurries,”
Emunah’s gaze wandered towards the window. Something seemed to be watching
them. Her stomach turned.
“Alien,” she whispered,
pointing at the window. “There.”
The guys saw it too. Henry
leaped out of the window first. Oliver followed in pursuit.
An eerie green light struck
outside the window. Stars lingered after the light faded. Minutes later, Henry
returned.
“Emunah’s right. Alien
creature looked like a frog, the size of a dwarf. It flashed sharp teeth at me,
then vanished when that green light hit.”
*Mei*
“Hi Mei,” a large hand
obscured her view.
“Ben?” Mei warmed at a
familiar face in the hostile environment. “What are you doing here?”
“Claiming my prize,” Ben
exuded the enthusiasm of a five-year-old in a toy shop.
“What prize?” She already
knew the answer. She’d been working on the powerful new bodies the chosen few
would inhabit.
“Immortality. Superpowers,”
Ben replied. “Today’s the day I’ll be made more than human.”
“Congratulations, my friend,”
she grinned, happy for him as he disappeared into the top secret facility where
transference takes place.
Although Mei’s supervisor
granted her access to the rest of the building, that one room remained out of
bounds. The chosen ones entered that room human and emerged immortal, or so she
was told. Even though she did the grunt work preparing new bodies for the lucky
few, she had never witnessed the transference.
Curiosity got the better of
her. Only her supervisor would be in the transference facility.
Ben followed her supervisor
into the room. Just before the door closed, she slipped in and ducked into a
nearby closet. Even for her petite frame, it was a tight fit.
She could sense Ben’s
excitement as he stepped into the transference cylinder. After this, his mind
would leave his mortal body and enter the immortal, super-powered clone
carefully cultivated for him. Her heart pounded with anticipation as she
watched in silence.
Something didn’t seem right.
Ben’s face paled. The terror on his face freaked her out. What did he see?
What’s going on?
“Let me out! I changed my mind,” Ben’s voice
resonated through the room as he thrashed the cylinder.
Her supervisor pulled the
lever, paralysing Ben from neck down.
“Memory and thought process
download initiated,” announced the robotic female voice.
“What is your soul if not
your memories and thought processes?” Her supervisor began. “As long as your
soul is housed in a living body, you live. Such, is the true meaning of
immortality.”
Though paralysed, Ben looked
terrified as he kept staring at his clone.
“My creation, your clone, has your DNA spliced
with the best the animal world has to offer, some artificial genes as well as
dark matter from another dimension,” Mei’s supervisor caressed the cylinder in
which the clone lay.
“Soul upload complete,” the
robotic female voice announced. The clone opened its eyes. It’s lips curved in
a sinister smile, fangs protruding from the edges of its mouth. “I am Ben,” it
said in Ben’s own voice.
It's done isn’t it? Ben now
inhabits his new body. Mei let out the breath she’d been holding.
“Termination of source matter
initiated,” announced the robotic voice, sending chills up Mei’s spine. It
dawned on her what the transference process really was.
The real Ben’s still alive
and in his original body. Transference gave the clone created from Ben’s DNA
his memories.
Electricity surged into Ben,
electrocuting him. His horrific dying screams etched permanently into Mei’s
memory.
Mei’s gut twisted. Disgust
overwhelmed her as she realised the truth. She had to get out of here. Screw
the money. She didn’t want anything to with this ever again.
“Enjoyed the show, my dear?”
Her supervisor’s voice crawled up her skin as he locked eyes with her.