The Soul of the Matter (27 page)

“My mind is racing too much, trying to think about things I may have missed with Stephen, to do that now.”

“Do you want music while you drive? I won't mind.”

“I'll put an earbud in one ear and put something on.”

“Wake me anytime you need me to take over,” Trish said.

“Thanks, I will,” Dan said, then put on Donovans's “Catch the Wind.”

Feeling a bit forlorn over memories, and faintly longing for what he was coming to believe was an extraordinary person next to him; he thought the song was the perfect choice.

He wondered what she thought, if she was awake and could hear it.

•  •  •

Eight hours later, Trish was driving on a pitch-black road. Dan's eyes were closed, but he was awake. Every little twitch the car made caused him to sit up and open his eyes.

Eventually, he said, “I don't think I can sleep. How about we switch back?”

“You slept better than you thought.”

“Good, then I'll drive.”

“If you must,” Trish said with a touch of criticism.

“I like feeling fully in control whenever I can. No offense, you drove well.”

“All you need to dispel the notion that you can completely control your own life is struggling for your last breath.”

“Now, that's a nice thought.”

“You're the one hung up on reality. What's more real than that?”

Chapter 54

T
he singularity project must continue uninterrupted,” Sarastro said over the secure video conference line to the rest of The Commission's governing council.

“The fusion event calls for different priorities. It upsets critical, international power balances and relationships. And there may be bigger things to come,” said a titan of the tech industry.

“If we do not direct this to the proper outcomes, nothing else will matter,” added a prominent European political figure.

Sarastro knew what they said was true, yet he was compelled by his own condition and interests to ensure that the project that had been The Commission's primary focus for two years continued unimpeded. He also knew that while he would ensure that The Commission carried out his wishes, he needed to let the council have its say, let them think they had reached his conclusion on their own.

“And we have to consider what minimizes human suffering,” said a well-known spiritual figure.

“While maximizing the flourishing of the species,” added a leading evolutionary philosopher.

Sarastro considered most of these people fools who spouted phrases and views they did not understand except in relation to their own interests. Yet the power and wealth they collectively wielded was important to the few real commission leaders, among whom he was first among equals, who sat quietly in the background shepherding the important decisions.

“Yes, this is all true,” Sarastro said. “We have already reported to you the steps that are being taken and what they should achieve.
Unless something we haven't anticipated occurs, all efforts should proceed as planned. It is even possible that the efforts will converge.”

A US senator on the Senate's Intelligence Committee asked, “Is that likely? Have you found out what caused the explosion at the MIT fusion reactor and how Viktor Weisman obtained the technology?”

“We're closing in on those who will answer these questions, and many more, for us,” Sarastro answered.

“There are those that think the US has developed powerful new weapons that they are about to deploy as a step to US global dominance. We won't allow this,” said the powerful Chinese politician.

Sarastro replied, “As the Senator can attest, the US government has no such programs or capabilities.”

“Then what else can explain these striking discoveries? We won't wait for the answers to arrive via missiles on our soil,” the Chinese politician proclaimed.

“We believe that Alex Robertson was the source of physics discoveries that John Welch and Viktor Weisman further developed and tested, using mostly existing technology,” Sarastro answered.

“And that would mean that Stephen Bishop was the initial conduit between them, and probably shared all of his research with Dan Lawson. Why not grab Lawson, and extract everything he knows, right now, before the US government puts him outside our reach?”

“If he had the information we want, he'd have either already told his old colleague, Agent Evans, or tried to find others to help him with the technology—and he has done neither. Right now, he is searching for a treatment to save Ava Bishop's life. His search may lead us to a person who can provide us more information about Bishop's work,” Sarastro said, pleased that his idea to cause a reoccurrence of Ava's cancer, while she was getting her checkup in the hospital, was turning out so well. It was with a strain that he possessed a treatment for; he could keep it under control. By substituting it for other treatments, he could control the disease's progression, at least for a while, to his advantage. If somehow the leukemia was eradicated unexpectedly, he could always introduce another strain to the girl's bloodstream. If at some point the treatment was no longer effective and she died, it would be an unfortunate necessity. For now,
he had a fantastic tool for manipulating people, and its usefulness had survived Bishop's death. He wouldn't waste it by letting her die, at least not too quickly.

“And the fusion information?” the tech titan asked.

“We're working on that,” Sarastro said.

“What do we do in the interim?” said the senator.

“Absolutely nothing,” Sarastro directed. “The world is on a knife's edge, which is where we need to keep it until we are ready to direct what should be cut.”

“Likewise, you need to consult with us once the people and information are in your possession,” said the tech titan.

“I do not need to be reminded of that. I can accomplish nothing on my own. My interests are the same as The Commission's,” Sarastro replied, though some of his interests went beyond theirs.

“We have had a disappointing run of events. Future outcomes must be better,” said the Chinese leader.

“Appropriate steps have been taken, though better information from our US people would be helpful,” Sarastro replied, a not so veiled criticism aimed at the US senator.

All understood that there was no more room for errors.

•  •  •

Sarastro was finding The Commission more and more tiresome. Once he alone possessed Stephen Bishop's work and Viktor Weisman's physics technology, he would finally bend the governing council completely to his will on his path to ultimate power and knowledge.

The singularity program was an important part of his, and the world's, future. Once the secrets of biology were revealed, he would be among the first humans to evolve to the new superspecies, a hybrid of man and machine. It was too late to reverse his physical condition, but not too late to become the first of a new species.

Then he would choose which Commission members would make the transition with him, though with important differences that would ensure their loyalty.

They would rule those they had left behind, for their benefit.

The unforeseen physics discoveries were a threat to his plans.
Things could disintegrate around him, and the knowledge he sought lost, before he was able to reach his goals. The clock was running out on him, too.

It was time to be more aggressive.

•  •  •

Sitting in a car by the airport with Elena, Sergei answered Sarastro's call. “We followed your instructions.” Sergei thought that it had been a mistake for Sarastro to order them to let Lawson see them, even though the pace of things was forcing their hands, but knew better than to say so.

“Good. Continue following him,” Sarastro replied.

“There's a problem. He's disappeared. Maybe he sought help from Evans.”

“I don't think so. We'd already know if he had, and Lawson is a lone wolf foolishly trying to do things on his own. Perhaps he has made contact with the target. He knows we're onto him. Maybe he will act hastily, make a mistake, and lead us right to what we're after. All we need to do is stay on his tail,” Sarastro said.

“We've been searching for hours without finding a trace. They've found a way to go dark,” Sergei replied. It had gone against his judgment and nature to just frighten the quarry. They were paying the price for it. Alerted to their presence, Lawson had vanished like a ghost.

After several moments, Sarastro said, “Let's use this to our advantage. Forget Lawson for now. Go on to the next step in the plan. Others will look into Lawson's whereabouts.”

“We'll leave immediately,” Sergei replied, disappointed that, for now, there'd be no further contact with Lawson. He'd had enough of his meddling and had plans to put a permanent end to that. And while he had no prior history with the lady doctor traveling with Lawson, Sergei was disgusted by her innocence and would enjoy altering that radically.

Chapter 55

D
AY 13

W
EDNESDAY
M
ORNING

T
hree eggs over easy, a side of corn beef hash, two slices of buttered toast, a black-and-white milkshake, and two cups of strong coffee later, Dan was ready to go, feeling surprisingly optimistic. Trish was finishing her bowl of raisin oatmeal accompanied by fruit and a single cup of black tea.

Having forgone all but a few small snacks as they had driven through the night, Dan had developed a big hunger that he satisfied without restraint. They had stopped on the edge of Seattle at a place called the Brooklyn Diner. Pictures and memorabilia from that borough, from days gone by, hung on the walls. Dan, like most who had Brooklyn roots, felt strong ties to his old home. Yet as they had entered the restaurant, the Seattle skyline to the north, with its impressive Space Needle in the foreground of a blue, cloud-dotted sky, and Mount Rainier in the distance to the south, Dan understood what drew many people to the Pacific Northwest. Even now, looking west, the Olympic Mountains grabbed his attention.

“It's beautiful, isn't it?” Trish asked, noticing the direction of Dan's gaze.

“Yes,” Dan replied, “even though it's often rainy and drab. There's a good reason depression is higher in the Northwest.”

“Maybe you need to be your own sunshine, appreciate every day. You should think of days like today as gifts and enjoy this view now,”
Trish said, as if she was giving him advice for life, not just talking about the local weather.

Looking to avoid a serious discussion about states of minds, especially his, Dan said, “You're right.” Then he glanced at his watch. “Well, we'll have to appreciate this one some other time. We have to get going.” Waving to the server, he said, “Check please.”

“I got it,” Trish said, reaching for the check as it was placed on the table in front of Dan.

“Not a chance. I have an expense account for this,” Dan said. He tried to grab the check before Trish did and instead wound up placing his hand on top of hers. After a long pause that he wanted to let continue, Dan released her hand and withdrew his.

“I'm here to contribute, too,” Trish said, showing no acknowledgment of anything other than the check.

“If you insist, but—” Dan started to say, but stopped when he received a text. He glanced at the screen. “We have a meeting in ninety minutes at the Discovery Institute.”

“That should be enough time to check into the motel, shower, and change into fresh clothes.”

“You're fine the way you are,” Dan said.

“I meant you, not me. You're tough to be around most times, especially after a night in a stuffy car.”

“Thanks for appreciating for all the driving I did,” Dan said with feigned exasperation.

“Just trying to help you be the best you can be, ” Trish said, with a pleasant smile. “It isn't easy.”

•  •  •

Dan had chosen a small motel just south of Seattle's downtown, near entrances to two main highways, in case they needed a quick getaway. It was next to the sports stadiums and railroad tracks, between small business and industrial zone. Buildings were low and spread out, providing good visibility. The motel was walking distance to the Discovery Institute.

Their room was small, just big enough for separate beds.

Finished dressing after a quick shower, Trish said, “You know,
being with you is exhausting. No rest. Dangerous situations. Always being in motion from one adrenaline rush to another. Nothing grounding you. Bad eating habits. It's impossible to tell if you are running toward or away from something. No wonder you've had all the troubles that you've had.”

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” Dan replied, refusing to acknowledge the truth of her words.

“That is exactly my point. You have no clue,” Trish replied, exasperation in her voice.

“And you've got everything nailed down so well that you got stuck traveling with me?”

“I thought it would help Ava, though you continue to give me reasons to doubt that.”

Before Dan could answer, his cell phone vibrated. He had set it up to receive messages posted to Stephen's blog in response to a message he had posted about Stephen's death. Quickly, Dan read,
Life is a journey with few guides. We are left to tour the past beneath the present while Discovering the future by ourselves. Without a good lens, everything is distant and fuzzy.

It was signed
Bill S-30
.

With a rush of excitement, Dan reached for his tablet.

“What's going on?” Trish asked.

Dan handed her the phone, saying, “I not sure about the whole message, but I hope a heretical astronomer is trying to find me.”

“Ah. I see. Because Galileo invented the telescope to see distant things. The telescope is the lens.” Trish said after reading it. She lowered herself down and sat on the edge of a bed, looking down at the screen.

“That makes sense. Now we just have to figure out what the rest of it means.”

“Maybe he knows we're in Seattle.”

“The only way the could know that is through someone at the Discovery Institute.” Dan thought about the implications of that for a moment. “That's probably why they typed ‘Discovering' with a capital
D
, ” Dan said. “To let us know.”

Trish looked up from the screen. “But then wouldn't
they
just meet us there?”

“Maybe they thought it was too dangerous. ”

“Then the rest of the message would be telling us when and where to meet,” Trish said.

He thought for a moment about that before he answered, “Obviously, if we're right about the rest of the message, it has to be somewhere in Seattle.” Now they just had to figure that out.

“But why post this message in such a public place? Couldn't someone else read the message and intercept us?” Trish said. “Wasn't there a more private way to contact you?”

“Not in a way that couldn't be traced. And anyone seeing this would have to know where we are to be able to figure the message out, and then they would have to be able to get to wherever we're going very quickly to do anything about it. Now, presuming Galileo is in Seattle, where could he be telling us to meet?”

“It's a city,” Trish said. “There are hundreds of places to meet.”

Dan moved over to the window and pushed aside the curtain. “He used the words
guide
and
tour,
right?”

Trish looked down at the screen and nodded. “ ‘Life is a journey with few guides. We are left to tour the past beneath the present while Discovering the future by ourselves.' ”

”Search on
Seattle, tour, guide, past, present,
and
Bill,
” Dan suggested. He turned back around and let the curtain fall closed.

She entered the terms on the tablet and searched. “That's fast and definite. There's a bunch of hits on Bill Speidel's Underground Tour of Seattle. It's only a few blocks from the Discovery Institute.”

“Which means Bill S-30 is probably a half hour before our meeting time at the Discovery Institute.”

“Isn't this all too obvious to anyone after us, or Galileo?”

“Only if someone is nearby, knows the message was just posted, and knows when we are meeting at the Discovery Institute. All together, highly unlikely. And given we didn't prearrange any form of communication, it would have to be a message we could decipher quickly enough to get there in time.”

“What if it's a trap?”

“Unless someone else knows Stephen told me about Galileo, that's also highly unlikely. But we'll be careful anyway.”

“If we're right, our rendezvous with Galileo is less than twenty minutes from now. Let's go,” Trish commanded.

Dan shook his head. “Stay here for a half hour, then meet me at the Discovery Institute.”

“You keep trying to go things alone. Forget it. I'm coming with you,” Trish said. She started toward the door.

“You're not trained for this. Things get messy in the field,” Dan said matter-of-factly, shuddering, thinking of the Sarasovs.

“Messy? Is that what you call what you did behind an analyst's desk?”

“I was in field operations before I became an intelligence analyst.”

“And that turned out so well that you became an analyst?”

“Whatever deficiencies I might have had, that you really don't know anything about, don't translate into capabilities for
you
. You're not coming.”

Trish faced off against Dan, took both his hands in hers, looked into his eyes, and said, “This isn't about you or me. We'll both do whatever enhances Ava's chances and us together does that. Now let's go. We'll have to walk fast.”

Trish grabbed Dan's right elbow and pulled him outside.

He liked the sound of “us together” and wanted it to mean something to her, too.