Chapter 27

Chapter 26  (13+) The assassin attacks. #2039856 by Hyperiongate

Chapter 27

“Where did you come from?” The interviewer, Thomas, asked.

“I don’t know.”

“What were you doing in the desert the day you were found?”

“I was dying.”

“What is your name?”

“JD11.”

“No, what is your real name. The name you had before you were found in the desert and brought to the hospital.”

“I had no name before that event.”

“Don’t you mean that you don’t remember your name? Certainly you were called something other than JD11 at some time in your life.”

“I had no name before because, for me, there was no “before.” I didn’t exist before I was found.”

“You realized that what you are saying is not possible. At some point in time, you were born. You had a life of, I’d say, about twenty-five years or so before you were found. Can’t you remember any of that?”

“It’s not a case of me not remembering. It’s more of a case of there being nothing to remember,” JD11 said as he looked around the room. He knew they wouldn’t understand. They’d asked the same questions every day for the last two weeks. The only thing that changed was the day of the week. Eventually, they would understand; soon everyone would understand…but not just yet. Even he didn’t fully understand himself.

“Let’s see if there is anything you do remember,” said Thomas, trying to find a more productive line of questioning.

“Recite the value of Pi,” said Thomas as he opened a rather large book containing page after page of numbers.
“3.141592653589793238462643…” JD11 began without hesitation.

Five minutes and three pages later, Thomas said, “Okay…that looks to be about right.”

JD11 knew it had been exactly right.

“How is it that you claim to have no past and can still recite the value of Pi, apparently with whatever degree of accuracy you wish?” asked Thomas.

“I have no idea. The answer just came to me.”

“Did you have to think about it; you know, reason it out. Is there some sort of trick? Or did it just magically appear in your mind?” asked Thomas, pushing for a reaction; hoping to catch the younger man in a conundrum.

“As you asked the question,” said JD11 after a moment’s thought, “I let the universe give me the answer.”

“So, you have access to unlimited information; courtesy of the universe?”

“I’m not certain about “unlimited” but I see no horizon as to what is knowable.”

Thomas thought for a moment and then shot out, “If you know so much; correction – If you do have access to everything knowable then, tell me what happens when you die.”

“There is no such thing as death,” said JD11, “at least not in the way you mean it.”

JD11 took a deep breath and closed his eyes; immediately becoming aware of the fact that Colonel Lanier was watching and listening. There was no one-way mirror or anything that even remotely spoke of an interrogation room. The setting was that of a professional office. There was carpet on the floor and books lined the walnut shelving. His “host/interrogator”, Thomas, wore a sweater over an open-collared shirt. He was always seated behind the giant desk when JD11 arrived and then made a big point out of coming around to sit next to JD11 during their “friendly conversations.”

It had a “nice and cozy” feel to it - just the two of them; discounting, of course the numerous bio-sensors, cameras and microphones that dwelt anonymously amongst the various trappings of the office.

JD11 knew they were there. Without knowing how or why, he knew they were there simply because they were. The “knowing” part was what he couldn’t explain or understand. He mentally Goggled Lanier and became instantly aware of where the colonel was and what he was doing. How that happened was a mystery.

Thomas looked out of the corner of his eye at the picture hanging on the wall to his left. He knew Lanier would be looking back at him through the lens embedded there. He shrugged slightly; sending the message, “We need to try something else.”

JD11 being of the same school of thought, stood and walked over to the picture; raising his hand as if to touch the smooth surface, only to stop just short. He closed his eyes and stood perfectly still be several seconds. Finally, he allowed his hand to fall to his side. Turning back to his host/interrogator, he asked, “You can tell Colonel Lanier that it’s time for him to talk with me directly?”

Thomas struggled to maintain his best “I have no idea what you are talking about” face as his mind raced for a rebuttal. Interrogation 101 handbook lesson #1 - “Never let the subject get the upper hand.” Somehow, JD11 had done just that.

His cell buzzed and Thomas reluctantly pick up, “Yes, Sir?”

“Tell JD11our guest that I’ll be there shortly,” the colonel said; hanging up without waiting for a response.

Lanier stared at screen image of the young man staring back at him; trying to get inside his head. The colonel had made a career out of being one step ahead of everyone else. Now, a young man of seemingly perfect innocence and zero training, was a step ahead of him. Why did the assassin try to kill him? What was his relationship to the Artifact? How had he managed to heal so miraculously? How was it that the young woman, Annie, seemed to be able to connect to him even while he was in the tank?

And most importantly, “Are you a threat?”

The colonel would have been perfectly at home with a “yes” to that last question. He’d made a career out of Threat Elimination. If this turned out to be the case with JD11, Lanier would become ruthlessly efficient.

However, he suspected the answer was “no”.

Too many questions with too few answers…

That was just as it should be. If cases like this were easy, the colonel would be out of a job. As it turned out, this was a situation right in the colonel’s wheelhouse…and he intended to get to the bottom of; of all of it.

A few moments later, Colonel Lanier walked into the interview room and said, “Thank you, Thomas. I’ll take it from here,” Dismissing the “conversationalist.”

JD11 and the colonel stood for a moment, just staring at each other. Finally, the colonel gestured to the chairs. Both men sat down, still completely silent.

Can you hear me? Thought the colonel.

“It doesn’t work like that,” said JD11

“If it doesn’t work like that, then how did you know what I was thinking?”
“I’m not sure. Somehow it seemed obvious. But I can assure you, I am not reading your mind. I don’t hear your silent voice in my head.”

“I don’t believe you. I think you know a lot more than what I’m thinking. I assure you that I will eventually find out everything that you know. This can be an easy experience for you or an uncomfortable one. That choice is yours to make; I’m indifferent about whichever you choose. But it’s important that you understand – in the end, I will know that truth about you.”

“Are you certain that you are ready for the truth, colonel? That is something that I have been asking myself. You see, the truth comes with a cost. I don’t know how I know that or what that cost may be…but there is a toll to pay.”

“What do you suspect that “toll” may be?” asked Lanier.

“To know is to change. Things will change. You, Colonel, will change,” was JD11’s simple answer.

“In what way? Will there be danger?”

“I’m not certain. I suppose that depends on your perspective. If you are reading a book at night and the power goes out, then you will stop reading…a change. If you are on life-support and the power goes out, you die…another change. Neither is bad or dangerous, really unless one decides to view it as such. Having said that, my sense is that you are no stranger to danger in any event.”

It was quiet for the next couple of very long minutes as both men contemplated what has just been said.

“I want to know the truth,” said Lanier finally.

“I want you to know the truth as well,” said JD11 reaching over and taking the colonel’s wrist in his hand.

Lanier found himself in a forest. The young man was next to him, holding his wrist.

“Where are we,” Lanier asked.

“Do you see that small cabin over there?” asked JD11 pointing to a fairytale-like structure on the far side of a nearby clearing. “The truth is inside. I don’t know how I know, but I do. The truth is inside and I’m afraid to go in and get it,” said JD11

In that moment, the colonel understood that the young man standing next to him wasn’t some international spy or evil alien or demon from the “dark side.” He was just a boy in a man’s body; a victim of circumstance – in much the same way King Arthur was a victim of his. JD11 was special alright; Yes, he was chosen…but it was not of his choosing.

Lanier stood next to JD11 and knew it was no coincidence that they were there together right at that moment. There was a grander scheme afoot and this was the scene that had been scripted for them both a long, long time ago. The colonel knew he needed to help JD11 find the courage to go into the cabin and find the truth. He knew it was the young man, not himself, that needed to know.”

“You don’t need to be afraid,” he told JD11. “I’ll go in with you.”

JD11 understood that the Colonel had just changed; albeit, just a bit. He nodded to the older man and then, together, they walked down the path towards whatever waited for them in the little cottage.

Chapter 28  (13+) Jack wakes from his coma #2040716 by Hyperiongate