Milo Moon: It Never Happened (8 page)

There was a pause as they all considered their fate.

‘What do you want us to do?’

‘Nothing for the time being. We have no more time today. I’ll contact you again as soon as I can. Until then, decide together if you want to help or not.’

‘Are there others?’ Michael asked.

‘Yes. Two. One of you must succeed.’

Michael left and said goodbye to the nurses at reception. He tried with the guards, but they didn’t answer. He went straight to work, and tried to continue his day as normally as he could. He hoped he had succeeded, as he and Milo digested the information from their morning meeting with George. The main question to answer was whether they believed what they had been told.

‘Are you all right?’ Claire asked at dinner. ‘You seem to be preoccupied or worried.’

‘Oh sorry, Claire. I didn’t mean to….’

‘No, it’s all right. It’s just that you’ve been very quiet.’

‘Really, I’m fine Claire. Just a bit tired from a long day. That’s all.’

Michael and Milo exchanged thoughts during a night of tossing and turning. They tried to process the information George had given them. A world above them, humans, accidents and why George had even told them? Why did he choose them? For that matter, why did he go to all the trouble to have them share one body? Then there was the termination date. In a few short minutes, George Smithe had turned their existence completely upside down. His information raised more questions than answers.

Michael left for work the next morning. Tired from a bad night’s sleep.

A week after the meeting with George Smithe, there had been no further contact or news. Michael and Milo could only wait and see what happened next. What happened next was not what they had expected.

‘There’s been a collapse in G sector,’ Michael’s supervisor told him, on his arrival for his shift.

‘When did it happen?’ he asked.

‘Only twenty minutes ago. I just received the warning from the emergency sensors. I’ve closed off the junction and redirected the flows. I need you to get up there now and do a physical inspection. Okay?’

‘Yes. Right away, Ronald.’

‘And report to me as soon as you get back.’

‘Yes, will do.’

Michael left immediately, knowing G sector was on the outer limits of the system. It was an exhaust system that needed very little maintenance, and he could only recall having been there once before. He took a car to the nearest sub station, and started out from there for the site of the damage in G sector. As he was unfamiliar with the sector, he had a plan of the ducting so he could locate the site faster. It still took him nearly two hours of walking and crawling to find the damaged area.

The damage was not overly serious. A section of the top of the duct had collapsed. A pile of debris about half the height of the duct sat under the damaged ducting. He crawled up the pile to get a better view of the hole in the top of the duct. With his flashlight, he could see that there was just a small cavity above. A section of reinforced ducting could be easily installed to repair the damage. He crawled down from the debris to get his laser measuring tool. As he did, he felt something sharp in the soil. It made a tiny cut in the palm of his hand. He sucked his hand to stop the small amount of bleeding, and then looked for the item that had done the damage. He located it quickly. It was a piece of clear glass. It looked like a piece of the bottom of a large bottle or jug. Perhaps a bit bigger than that from its approximate diameter. He turned it over and found something moulded into the glass. It had been broken, but he could make out the remaining letters.

‘operty of CERN’

‘Any idea what it is, Milo?’

‘Nope. No idea at all. Let’s see if there’s anything else.’

‘Good idea. I’ll pop this one in my sack and keep looking.’

‘Do you think we’re being monitored?’

‘I hope not. If George was right about it being difficult out here, that is.’

‘I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough if we are.’

‘Fingers crossed. Let’s keep looking.’

They started looking for anything else that may be of interest in the debris. Digging away the fallen soil by hand. Most of the items were building materials. Nail, screws, small pieces of brick and parts from the duct housing. One piece though was interesting. A small metal label. Brushing off the dirt and polishing it with saliva, the stamping on the label was legible.

AC current. 230v 10ohms

Serial Number 767.989.32

Made in England 1949

‘That’s sixty years ago Milo!’

‘Seem so Michael. But one thing is for sure now. George was right. There’s something above Sootere.’

‘Milo?’

‘Yes?’

‘The piece of glass! That’s what George said was above us. CERN!’

Chapter 8 - We’re In Deep

Michael’s sack contained four pieces recovered from the debris of the duct collapse in G Sector. He and Milo both knew if they were discovered with them, it would mean trouble for sure. Michael wrapped them carefully in aluminium insulating tape, hoping it would at least protect them, and hopefully stop them from being detected as well.

‘Should we take them back with us?’

‘I think we should try and show George, Milo.’

‘Well, whatever we do now, it’s going to mean trouble.’

‘Anymore than being terminated in a few months?’

‘Everything was much easier when I was plain old Milo Moon. Ugly, brown and unnoticed. Have I told you that I don’t like Claire’s coffee? And your glasses are to thin? And that I hate wearing ironed clothes? And that I miss my cat?’

‘Oh come on Milo. We’re in this together now. We’re going to be erased or terminated or wiped or whatever anyway.’

‘We need to contact George. But how?’

‘I’ll call his office. Easy.’

‘But we don’t have his details, Michael.’

‘I have Hilda Harpinger’s card.’

‘But she’s not George.’

‘No, but I won’t call her. I’ll call reception and ask for George Smith.’

‘With an ‘E’ remember.’

‘Okay, with an ‘E’, Milo. Let’s get back before my supervisor thinks I’ve gone missing.

After submitting his damage report, Michael left the four discoveries in his work locker. He and Milo agreed they would be safer there than at home. The next step was to find George to show him what they had discovered.

*****

‘Good afternoon, Alpha Reality Control. How may I help you?’

‘Oh good afternoon, may I speak to Mr. George Smithe please.’

‘Just a moment,’ and Michael waited. ‘Are you there?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’m sorry but there is no one here by that name.’

‘It’s Smithe with an ‘E’.’

‘I’m very sorry, but there’s no one here by the name Smith. With an ‘E’ or not.’

‘Eh, well, would it be possible to speak with Miss Hilda Harpinger then?’

‘Just a moment.’

‘Why did you ask for Hilda?’ Milo asked.

‘Well, if George has been terminated, we need to find out for sure.’

‘Are you there, sir?’

‘Yes.’

‘Putting you through now.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Hilda Harpinger.’

‘Oh, hello Miss Harpinger, it’s Michael Fischer speaking.’

‘Who?’

‘Michael Fischer. You looked after me after my accident at work a couple of months back.’

‘I’m very sorry sir, but you must be mistaken. I only started in this job two weeks ago.’

‘Oh, I’m sorry. I must have been given the wrong information. Perhaps Mr. George Smithe would be familiar with my file. He also attended to my case.’

‘There’s no one in this office by that name sir. Look, can I ask you what you are calling about?’

‘Well, I am not sure if I need to have another check-up. I had one about a month and a half back, and was unsure if I needed another.’

‘Let me see. Your name is again?’

‘Fischer. F I S C H E R.’

‘No, I have no file here for Fischer. Just checking again sir,’ and she paused for a few seconds. ‘Perhaps you are being handled by another agent. I’ll just run a scan here. Won’t be a moment sir,’ as she paused again. ‘Sorry to keep you waiting. Would you like me to……,’ but Michael interrupted her before she could finish.

‘No, that’s all right. Thank you for your help.’

Michael hung up the phone, and he and Milo both had the same thought.

‘What the hell do we do now?’

‘Better put our heads together as George said, I think.’

‘What about a good night’s sleep and hope things are a bit clearer in the morning?’

‘All right Michael. It’s getting late, so let’s go home and you entertain Claire, while I do some serious thinking.’

‘Right, Milo. Good thinking!’

Michael left work, and made his way home. Looking forward to a relaxing evening. As he turned down Brown Street, Milo stopped him in his tracks.

‘Cindy! Cindy!’ Milo whispered, as his cat came towards him. Once he arrived, he rubbed himself affectionately against Michael’s leg.

‘He knows you’re in here I think, Milo.’

‘Of course he does. He’s a smart cat!’

‘What’s that on his collar?’

Michael bent down and found a small capsule stuck to Cindy’s collar. He pulled it off and opened it. Michael and Milo read, while Cindy rubbed.

‘
Under Milo’s old table,
’ was all that was written.

‘Do you have any idea what this means, Milo?’

‘Yes. What day is it?’

‘It’s Wednesday. Why do you ask?’

‘He’ll be on late shift. Maybe we’ll find a pizza!’

‘What are you thinking, Milo. You’ve lost me.’

‘There’s no lock on the door.’

‘What door?’

‘My old door.’

‘Milo?’

‘Yes.’

‘You have lost me completely.’

‘Come on, Michael, up those stairs. Second floor. Let’s go!’

Michael pushed the door open and called out. ‘Anyone home?’ and was greeted by silence. Cindy followed him up the stairs, and was clearly expecting to be fed, as he again started to rub Michael’s leg in a more determined fashion.

‘Look under the table, Michael.’

‘All right. Yes, there’s something here!’

Michael pulled away the adhesive tape and removed a file that had been stuck under the table. On the front was written, ‘
From ‘E’.
’

‘Right, I think we should get out of here, Milo.’

‘Agreed.’

‘What are you doing now?’

‘Feeding my cat.’

‘Now?’

‘Yes now. He’s hungry.’

‘For crying out loud, Milo!’

‘Oh settle down Michael. The chimeryon won’t be back from work for another hour or more.’

‘Oh it just has to be Wednesday!’

‘My feelings exactly.’

‘Are you finished with the cat, Milo?’

‘Nearly.’

‘Let me know when you’re finished.’

‘Okay. Finished!’

‘Good. Now can we think about this file?’

‘Oh yes. Forgot about that.’

Michael opened the file, and a short note from George was on top of a number of sheets of paper.

‘HH created some problems, so I may have been terminated by the time you read this, so you will need to act fast. This is what I know. Do what you can with it. ‘E’.’

‘I presume HH is Hilda.’

‘Probably, Milo. That makes sense. Let’s see what else is in here.’

‘Poor George.’

‘Yes,’ Michael agreed, as he turned the sheets of paper. ‘Look at this, Milo.’

They both looked at the sheet. A copy of a very old document dated 13th December 1951. It had a big stamp diagonally across the page,
‘Top Secret’
. They both started reading, although some parts were difficult to read, as it was a copy of a very faded document.

‘As agreed at our meeting of 8th October 1951, the Nazi human experimentation program will be continued in strict secrecy. Since the completion of The Doctors’ Trial (officially United States of America v. Karl Brandt, et al.), the program has been operated in secret in Germany, but will now be relocated to a new permanent facility. This facility has been built in a deep underground location near the French-Swiss border. At the fifth UNESCO General Conference, held in Florence in June 1950 new research laboratories were ratified and from this a new research centre will be built atop of this location in the coming few years. The first resolution concerning the establishment of a European Council for Nuclear Research (CERN) was adopted, and this organisation will take responsibility for the human experimentation program once the centre has been constructed. Responsibility will thus move officially from the United States of America, The United Kingdom and Russia to the eleven countries that signed the agreement establishing the provisional Council of CERN.