The Journey of Rick Heiden - Chapters 25 and 26
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This novel contains 50 CHAPTERS, and every post will have 2 chapters each.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
The OD green helicopter appeared quite old, but undoubtedly post-Vietnam war era, and it made too much noise for conversation. The pilot handed me a headset so we could speak to one another. I turned in the seat to witness my companions donning hearing protection. I had the only other headset. David waved at me and smiled.
"I'm Sarah Turner," our pilot said, "and I know you're the people from the other planet. You're Rick, right?"
Even over the yell-speak necessary to hear one another, I knew our pilot, and her unmistakable accent hailed from Australia. This woman in her late thirties had golden blonde hair and tanned skin. By the age of her green flight suit, both she and her helicopter had long passed any active military duties.
"It's good to meet you," I said. "And yes, I'm Rick. How well known are we?"
"That's hard to say," she said, "I know the internet has people buzzing about you all. It started with that American senator quitting and mentioning Mr. Levitt back there. There's a new website that just went up in the last few days dedicated to information about all of you with photos from amateur paparazzi."
"Really? That's the first we've heard of it. So, how did you end up our ride?"
"I live local in Manila. At first, they roped me into it, but once they told me your names, I jumped at the chance. It's not every day you get to meet people from another planet."
I laughed. "We're still human, you know."
"I gathered that," she said and laughed. "So, did you really bring us the cure to virtually everything?"
"In a roundabout way," I said.
"How can I get it?" she asked.
"Contact KGSC in Tokyo. They'll begin producing it in gelcap form soon, or so we heard. It only takes one pill."
"That's amazing," she said. "I will also fly you to Japan. So, perhaps, I should drop by Tokyo on the way back."
"Do you have a piece of paper and a pen?" I asked.
She pointed to the clipboard between the seats. I wrote a note to Yukiko telling her that our pilot, Sarah Turner, helped us to Japan, and if she could please send a pill of the enhancement to her, I would appreciate it, and I signed my name.
"I know the CEO of KGSC," I said. "Her name is Yukiko Takeshita. I've printed her name here too. She's returning to Tokyo. It will take a few days, but if you take this note to her assistant and give them your address, I'm sure they could arrange something."
She seemed pleased, but who wouldn't be?
"You know," I said, "I would have thought that a helicopter couldn't fly this far."
"It normally couldn't, but you can get refueled in the Spratly Archipelago if you know where to go."
It took a couple of hours for us to get to Manila. The helicopter landed with little more than fumes in the tank.
I hadn't expected much from an airport in Manila, but well-known commercial airlines were flying into the port. We had only thirty yards distance from where we landed at the helipads to our jet, but we wouldn't risk breaking the rules by walking down the taxiway to reach it. That forced us to scale an old chain-link fence. It felt a bit awkward, like jumping into a neighbor's backyard to swim in their pool. I wouldn't do that, so it left me with the impression that we were doing something we shouldn't. I knew that the old terrestrian programming was working on me again. One shouldn't cross fences, yet there we were.
Aiden paused with one leg over the fence. "Will we steal this jet?"
"Oh, so it's not just me then," I said. "That's a comfort."
Sarah laughed. "No, it's mine."
The big, sleek, white jet had a curvy red stripe and seemed only a few years old by the look of it. It had seating for twelve passengers, and the setting looked more like half lounge half aircraft. It had cushy, white leather seats, a built-in sofa, a dining table banquette, a bar, television, a full galley, and a spacious lavatory with a shower.
"What sort of plane is this?" asked Cadmar.
Sarah turned around, and there he stood with his height and handsome features. For a moment, she stopped, staring speechlessly into his synthetic eyes. I knew the feeling well; it was mesmerizing. "I fly corporate bigwigs around," she said, distracted by his eyes. "You are something."
Cadmar smiled. "I'm just a man."
Her eyes darted down his body. "Aren't you, though," she said and went back to performing all her preflight checks.
It took about an hour to get the plane ready to leave, and we settled in while we waited. David sat with his arm around me on the built-in sofa as we faced the others seated in the banquette.
I put up a hand. "Does anyone else worry about this besides me?" Everyone else put up a hand, except David. "David, do you mean to tell me that you're not worried? Would you tell us why? Perhaps, we'll feel better about it."
"Oh, I'm worried, but not about this," he said. "I have no doubt we will get to Japan. My worry lies with the Americans. They know our destination. If we're lucky, they think they have a few more days before our arrival on the Torekka Maru. They will have become emboldened by their apparent success at taking over Painshill Park. That could make them more dangerous than before, but we may have the element of surprise on our side, so we'll have to see."
"Oh, David. That didn't help at all," I said.
David hugged me and smiled. "I'm sorry, just being honest. So, Aiden, Cadmar, what's the plan for the drone? Have you checked it over?"
"It may sound obsessive," said Cadmar, "but I've checked it daily, and it's fine."
"We have a simple plan," said Aiden. "As we land, we initiate the program. The drone will cloak itself and escape the instant the door opens. From that point, it gets its bearings and begins scanning. Japan has a larger landmass than the British Isles, so without a lot of luck, it could take a long time to find it."
David turned to me. "Didn't you tell me that the original inhabitants of Jiyu lived near Mount Fuji?"
"I forgot all about that," I said. "Their cryptic abandonment of the sun had me preoccupied. Try searching around Mount Fuji first.
Aiden nodded. "Will do."
"What will we tell the rest of our people who made it to Japan?" I asked David.
"I could make an encoded post about where to meet," Aiden suggested.
"Yes, of course, but where?" asked David.
"You visited Japan, Rick," said Maggie.
"I'm not sure, though," I said. "Have you ever been to Japan, Rocke? You did work for KGSC."
He shook his head. "Sorry, I worked for a branch of KGSC in Paris."
"I see. Well, I think my trip to Lake Motosu brought me closest to Mount Fuji. If I remember, it had a parking lot near the dock where my friend had a boat on the eastern side. We could go there."
"Then Lake Motosu, it is," said David.
Sarah indicated we should take a seat and buckle up, so we did. "I have finished the flight checks," said Sarah. "We can depart. Would anyone care to play co-pilot?" Most of us shook our heads. "How about you?" she spoke to Cadmar, smiling.
"I best not," said Cadmar, then laid his hand on Rocke's back, "but Captain Rocke Dupre here, apart from being a ship's captain, is also a qualified and licensed pilot."
"Oui, I am willing and able," said Rocke.
Sarah smiled. "You'll do, come on. Oh, and if anyone gets hungry, there's a fully stocked kitchen in the back. Just give us a few minutes to get in the air. I'll let you know when it's safe to move about the cabin." Sarah and Rocke left for the cockpit, where the door remained fully open.
"Well," David said, his head tipping into the aisle to watch them, "Rocke's truly a man of many talents. What else does he do?"
"Really," said Aiden, doing the same, staring into the cockpit.
"Who knows?" I asked rhetorically. "Hey Cadmar, has he been an astronaut too?"
"He considered seeking a position as a spationaut for France, but he became ill and didn't bother," said Cadmar. "Maybe Rocke can help rekindle Jiyu's space program."
"Sounds like a challenge he would enjoy," Aiden said.
David sat there, shaking his head slightly in astonishment. "I am so pleased he's coming with us," he said, watching Rocke settle into the co-pilot seat.
"I admire Rocke," Cadmar said. "He's pretty fearless."
"Does Jiyu not have a space program?" Maggie asked Aiden.
"Not one where people go into space, and not for hundreds of years."
With the cabin door closed and latched, the jet engines with their high-pitched whine sounded quieter than most commercial jets I'd flown. Apparently, most airlines hadn't made aural comfort a significant priority.
In half an hour we could unbuckle our seatbelts and move about the cabin. After a quick trip to the lavatory, Maggie and I checked our food options. We had full meals in the freezer and complete instructions by the ovens in Filipino --another language I didn't know. Fortunately, the writing came with drawings of what to do, and I had the smarts to figure it out. Every white-boxed dinner had words we couldn't read inscribed upon them, so we had no idea what meals they contained. Everyone decided to take it as it came, whatever the result. I brought two boxes to the cockpit to see which one our flight captain, Sarah, and Rocke, our co-pilot wanted, but they didn't care.
"So, how's Rocke doing as co-pilot?" I asked Sarah.
She shrugged. "I don't know, but he's a first-class pilot. He's flown the jet the entire time. I spoke to the tower, of course, but he's done all the work. If he weren't going with you, I'd hire him."
"Rocke, vous etes une merveille (Rocke, you are a wonder)," I said to him, patting his shoulder.
"Merci (Thank you)," he replied. "What time is dinner?"
"I'm uncertain," I said. "Dinner will be done eventually."
According to Sarah's estimates, we would reach Toyama in three and a half hours, at 7:30 p.m.
After dinner, which turned into an utter travesty, with the unidentifiable brownish-gray meat of questionable texture, most of us dozed while Rocke flew the plane. Sarah monitored for safety purposes.
Cadmar sat sideways in the banquette next to the window, looking out at the brilliant sun, slowly sinking beyond the horizon in the distance. Everyone else was sleeping except him and me, so I figured we would have a whispered chat. I stood next to him. When he turned to noticed me, I saw his eyes change. I suspected he was using a filter to watch the sunset. The light made me squint to look at it. Smiling, he tapped the seat next to him. I didn't want our conversation to awaken anyone, so we spoke into one another's ear.
"I bet that looks gorgeous with those eyes of yours," I said.
"It is! I've never flown this high before," he said. "It's beautiful. I see why Rocke likes this so much."
"You like Rocke, don't you?" I asked.
He looked at me with a smirk. "David told me you might ask."
"Oh, he did, did he?" I asked, glancing over at David, sleeping on the sofa. "You're quick to catch on."
"He told me he couldn't explain, so I'm willing to help you understand relationships on Jiyu, or at least how my relationship works."
"I would appreciate that if it's not too personal." I felt strange, having such an intimate conversation with Cadmar. In several years, I had only allowed myself such closeness with David. I tried to keep a more friendly distance, but there's something about the olfactory senses. When I detect certain scents, I find it almost impossible to stop myself from inhaling more.
"No, you're fine," he said with his mouth mere inches from my ear. "Unlike marriage on Earth, committing with a mate on Jiyu doesn't include ownership of the other person in any sense. The question is, to what do you commit? Well, that would depend. You and David --either spoken or unspoken-- have committed solely to one another. But like many people on Jiyu, Tamika and I have pledged to procreate with no one else. She will seek no other man to be her mate, and I will seek no other woman to be mine. We chose to make that commitment because we love one another, and we want to commit to no one else. This way, all the children she bears will be full siblings, and we can raise a family together. So, until that time comes, we do what couples do, we build a life together."
He paused a moment, and he began whispering at a slow and casual pace. "From... From everything I know about it, humans on Earth have a backward and unhealthy obsession with sex. Many Earth cultures turn something useful and beautiful into something dirty, divisive, exploitative, and forbidden outside of specific marital contexts. On Jiyu, we recognize that sex serves more than one purpose. Besides its procreative qualities, it can bring people together, and most people there don't view sex as inextricably linked to a commitment. If it happens for good reasons, and with the right person, you can become closer to them --like a physical form of the Sharing as a member of the Trust. Sharing with someone, in any manner, is an intimate thing, and most of us don't take such things lightly. Whether you're sharing a meal, a memory, a problem, or an emotion, these are all far more intimate things than most humans perceive on Earth. When it comes to relationships, we get to decide how much of ourselves we share with someone else, regardless of the kind of relationship it is, but that's a new concept for you." --he took a deep breath-- "You're understandably curious to know if Rocke and I have had sex, and the answer is yes, but it's a separate thing from my commitment to Tamika."
"Isn't that just taking advantage of Rocke's pheromonal connection to you?" I asked.
"It could be, but not after Rocke and I discussed it. He's okay with how things are. The connection hasn't made him love me; it expresses itself in attraction and infatuation, but not to the point he would do something he didn't want to do."
"Will he always be infatuated with you?" I asked.
"To a certain extent, and I to him, now," he said, "but it's pheromonally induced, so the more we stay away from one another, the more it will become dormant. However, while it's happening, we can create some great memories that will endear us to one another in a way that will last a lifetime."
"So, what sort of relationship will you have with him later? It seems too close for just friends."
"No, Rocke and I are friends now," he said, "and that won't change, but best friends, as opposed to the sort of friend I am with Aiden. I like Aiden; I think he's great. But despite how much I like him, I don't have the same kind of commonality with him that I do with Rocke."
"And Tamika is okay with this?"
"Yes, you should meet a few of her best friends."
"So, what makes your relationship with her special?" I asked.
He turned his head toward me and pulled back a little. "I love Tamika," he said, "and my commitment to her makes it special."
"Interesting," I said, "So, has Magnar ever had any best friends?"
He shrugged and spoke more rapidly. "I don't know. I never felt it was my business."
"That sounds familiar," I said. "Thank you for the explanation. I appreciate it. It's given me an intriguing perspective on parts of Jiyu culture that I didn't know existed."
"You're welcome," he said, "any other questions don't hesitate to come straight out and ask. I don't mind. On Jiyu, we encourage greater understanding, and I would enjoy helping you with that."
Not long afterward, we made our descent. In the darkness, we could see the runway lights from our seats through the front window. Rocke made a perfect landing, and the tower gave instructions to Sarah on where to park. As we slowed to taxi, Sarah took over, and Rocke exited the cockpit to sit beside Cadmar. Aiden had prepared the drone via the remote. He motioned for Cadmar to get ready with the case. The instant the jet stopped, Cadmar opened the case, and I saw the drone cloak itself. When Sarah opened the door, Aiden spoke up. "It's out."
Cadmar snapped the case shut and winked at Rocke. "We'll be home before you know it."
"Aiden, can you connect to the internet here?" asked David.
"Only on Julien's mobile --mine's not connecting," he said, "and the post to the blog we crafted just uploaded."
"They'll know we're here if you use Julien's," said David.
"We can't help that at this point," said Aiden, "we need it."
I didn't think we would ever get that far. Japan seemed like an impossibly distant location from England, and without commercial airlines, travel to East Asia felt like a similar journey to that of Marco Polo. It would have been awful if we had come all that way, lost our friend Julien but never found the portal, or we found it broken. I didn't want to entertain such notions at the time. It hurt too much to think of the consequences, but we would find a flight back to England little comfort with our tail tucked between our legs. A portal in Japan had to exist; Yukiko's story supported it.
On the way out, we hugged Sarah with a heartfelt thank you.
"Yukiko's personal assistant, don't forget," I said.
"Oh, I won't forget, thank you for that," she said. "Good luck." For the sake of discretion, Sarah remained on the jet.
We had descended the steps the airport crew placed outside the hatchway, and two well-dressed Japanese men waited for us near the bottom. David and I came forward, and our group met Councillor Hisato Fujikawa and Councillor Kata Tamura, both part of the legislative branch of the government known as the House of Councillors or Sangiin. We all made a series of long low bows, and much like my attempt with formality to Amare, they appreciated that we honored their tradition.
The Japanese were justly proud of their amazing country, and over the years, they had made their way of life more thoughtful and introspective. So, while everyone had room for improvement in any endeavor, they had come a long way. With the greeting over, we could get to business. They spoke fluent English, so David would have no difficulty communicating with them.
They led us to two vehicles, a suburban utility vehicle and a sedan. As we climbed into the SUV, with Rocke driving, they said they made plans to have access to the local government office for the prefecture so we could talk. Following them, we breezed through the airport gates, and once we had, we had bypassed security. We had finally made it into Japan. It was amazing how simple things were when the government hadn't strived to make them complicated.
I found Toyama, a good-sized, modern, well-lit city, with a flat landscape from what I could see at night. I hadn't included it as part of my previous visit to Japan. Its atmosphere seemed indicative of many of Japan's more semi-industrialized urban areas, and it looked like a lovely place to live.
The building we entered had looked old and dull, like many of the government offices I grew accustomed to in America. This one certainly couldn't compare to the town hall tower across the street. We settled into a meeting room on the fourth floor.
"We thank you again for your assistance," said David. "We have had a long, difficult journey in which one of our companions has died."
"We heard," said Councillor Fujikawa. "A most unfortunate circumstance, and a reliable employee of one of our largest companies, too, I understand."
"He will be honored and remembered for the help he gave us, as will you," said David.
"We look forward to a productive relationship with your people in the future," said Councillor Tamura. "Ironically, the Americans say that Jiyu's existence threatens their national security. We do not believe this. And if you find a portal on Japanese soil, please know that our relationship with you means far more to us than the portal itself. Unlike the one near London, which sits amid a power struggle, this one will remain safe, if you can keep it secret. We do not want to know its location. It would only cause trouble with the Americans, and that is the last thing we would want."
"Councillor Tamura and I are part of a growing number within our government that have begun to see that the Americans have changed drastically over the years. They have powerful weapons to help protect us --as they agreed to do after the war-- with the stipulation that we had no standing army. We knew they used this to keep us servile, and until recent years when conditions changed, we had complied, yet they are not the same Americans we grew to know. They have become a detriment to peace in the world because they do not seek peace. Their war industry seeks money, and for them, they make no profit in peace. We believe the time for the Americans to leave Japan has come. It is unfortunate, but their recent actions are a growing embarrassment to their allies. Until such a time they come to their senses and realize that the rest of the world doesn't exist to serve them, we feel we must pull back, but because of their volatile nature, we must do so delicately."
"You will take advantage of the coming economic meltdown, won't you?" I asked.
They looked at one another. "The Americans have virtually lorded over this world through the economic interdependence they established. Many countries have profited from that excellent idea, but excessive consumerism is destroying this planet. Once the economy is crippled, and nothing will stop that now, we --along with much of the rest of the world-- will be able to free ourselves of them. It served its purpose at the time, but it grew unsustainable. It seems the time for it to end has come. The Americans take their power for granted, and they justify what they do as their god's will, but the U.S. can fall, and if it does, it will have greed and the hubris of its leaders to blame."
David raised his eyebrows. "You are exceptionally candid with us."
"We want to demonstrate our seriousness in having a relationship with the people of Jiyu," said Councillor Fujikawa, "and may I say, you have an appropriate name for the lives you have created for yourselves. We wish to have Jiyu here, but in a way that we view Jiyu best for us. What do you think of that, Mr. Levitt?"
"I think my opinion of your plan would be unwelcome," said David, "but I also think that in a world where real Jiyu has a short supply, you will create a great many enemies of countries who have sold their people a mere shadow of what you might make for yourselves. How will you go about this?"
"You are right, it could lead to danger," said Councillor Tamura, "but we believe that when the world's economy collapses, they will be too busy with damage control to worry about what we might do. We have an ongoing debate as to 'how', but you do yourself an injustice, Mr. Levitt, we have great interest in your opinion."
David looked at me, and I could do nothing but shrug.
"Very well," he said, "but first, you say you wish to have freedom here, but in a way that you view freedom best for your people. Can you clarify what you mean by that?"
"Currently, no," said Councillor Fujikawa, "that topic remains at the heart of the debate. We have various views. Some people do not understand what it means to have freedom. Freedom with limitations is not freedom."
"If I may, Councillor Fujikawa," I said, "this reminds me of something that David said to me on the Torekka Maru. We were talking about this very issue. I asked him if the people of Jiyu had the freedom to murder, rape, and steal, and surprisingly he said, yes, of course. They all do all those things as much as they want." Both councillor's eyebrows rose in shock. "Then I pointed out to him that no one on Jiyu does those things, and he said, exactly."
Councillor Tamura gestured to me but spoke to David. "Yes, that is it. We wish to know how our culture can reach there."
"That's the problem," said David. "The foundational structure of your culture would have to change. Have you the will to go that far? It's a fine goal, but the process to get there, in of itself, could make meeting your goal a virtual improbability."
"I'm not certain I understand," said Councillor Fujikawa.
"Are either of you familiar with Greek mythology?" I asked. "Have you heard the story of Pandora's Box?" --they both nodded that they had, leaning forward, listening intently-- "To do that, you would have to put all the evils of the world back into the box with the people who appreciate those things trying to stop you."
They leaned back into their seats and looked at one another with a curious expression.
"That may sound rather cryptic," said David as he glanced at me, smiling, "but it's not far off in scope of the task you've set yourself. Freedom is the easy part. Getting everyone ready for it would likely prove impossible. To do it, you would have to become tyrants. On Jiyu, it happened organically. You have suggested making a planned culture. You will not reach freedom that way. Cultures must find their way organically, or you'll have opposition crawling out of the woodwork. I suggest that you hold onto this. Wait to see what happens when the population takes on the enhancement. Whatever you decide, it will have to account for that major alteration in the dynamic of this world, as well as its subsequent economic fallout. It will affect which direction you take. In the meantime --and I don't make this suggestion lightly-- ensure that you have enough food for everyone. You will need it. Otherwise, shortages will occur, and people will die."
David then told them what he said to Yukiko about food; naturally, they hadn't known of it. Once they knew, however, disappointingly, they seemed undeterred. They believed they could make it work, and they seemed less concerned about the food issue. In the effort to get what they wanted, they seemed ready to sacrifice those in a lesser position to help themselves. When the conversation ended, we could do nothing but shake our heads in disbelief and want nothing more for them but to learn better as the enhancement spread.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Despite our conversation with them, the councillors seemed pleased to have had the opportunity to meet and help us. We were grateful they did, however much it may prove self-serving on their part. They left us the vehicle to expedite our egress from the planet. For the sake of prudence, Aiden scanned it for bugs and global positioning devices. As a government-owned vehicle, they would equip it with GPS. That presented a problem, so Aiden and Cadmar tracked it down, removing it from under the dash.
We checked into a nearby hotel where my ability to speak Japanese came in handy. We rented three rooms and dropped off our bags. David, Aiden, and I could arm ourselves again since the temperature outside dropped low enough for us to wear our jackets.
We pleasantly ended the day at the restaurant next door, which helped to take our minds off the atrocious Filipino airline food of which we ate little. The full menu restaurant had an attractive space that appealed to me in its black, midnight blue, and merlot colors. It also had the benefit of having few customers that evening and privacy walls between the tables. We sat in one of the large circular booths that comfortably seated six. I had the end seat, and to my right sat David, Cadmar, Rocke, Maggie, and Aiden in that order. Our food arrived, and while we ate, we discussed the situation.
"Will you support these people, David?" asked Aiden, referring to the councillors.
"They can't have my support unless they do right by the people," he said. "They need guidance, and that I'm willing to give them if they ask me."
"And if they don't ask," I said.
"I don't pretend to exist to press my will upon others. If I did, it would make me no different from them, if they proceed with their plan."
"I doubt their plan will go anywhere," said Cadmar.
"Why do you think that?" asked Rocke.
"Because they're dreaming. The fact they must debate it demonstrates they have significant opposition. If they intend to proceed with a plan at all, it will have to include a great deal of compromise, and once you've compromised on freedom, you don't have freedom. Other countries will insist on using money so Japan will have to keep its money. In doing so, people will remain economically enslaved. Enslaved people remain disempowered. Disempowered people are desperate people who do dumb things, so the authorities will maintain their justice system to keep them in line. They will keep their government, so someone other than the people themselves has control, especially when dealing with other governments. These things can't happen piecemeal, either everyone does it, or it doesn't work. So, don't worry, I think nothing will come of it."
David considered that for a moment. "Cadmar's right," he said. "And they will either care about their starving poor, or they won't."
Maggie tapped her fork on the table, a habit she picked up in discussions with me. "Has anyone else noticed that nearly everyone we've come across, keeps telling us we should leave and that we don't belong here? Even the councillors said it just as we left. I haven't even been to Jiyu yet, and I think after talking to them, I've begun to agree. We do not belong here."
We all had, and the coincidence seemed odd.
"Let's just get our people and go home," said David. "Now that this world knows about us, our presence seems to do nothing but more damage, and I fear the longer we stay, the worse it will become."
"I'm sorry," said Cadmar, shaking his head. "I know we had that discussion, Rick, but I can't stop feeling this is all my fault."
"Cadmar," I said, "did you intentionally walk out in front of the car knowing it would begin a chain reaction that would result in all this?"
"No," he said.
"Then you're not at fault," said David, putting his arm around Cadmar. "Things work out as they do. Shakespeare was wrong; all the world isn't just a stage of actors. It's a series of causal chains bound to physical laws. You're no more to blame than the person who struck you with the car, or Amare who sent you here. Our circumstance constrains us, which includes the human condition. Give yourself a break, Cadmar. The only one blaming you is you."
He just sat there staring at his empty plate. He took a deep breath and nodded.
"Oh no," whispered Aiden. He held Julien's mobile, reading it.
"What's wrong now?" I asked.
"David, how many people might we expect to show up tomorrow at the lake?" he asked.
"I did an exact tally yesterday in my head," said David. "There are twenty-three other people here from Jiyu, besides us. Why?"
"Alright, one moment." Aiden counted something on the mobile's screen. "Twenty-two people have had an open conversation on the blog, several of whom are currently active --I must refresh the page to see their posts. It seems that because changes are happening, they feel their presence is more necessary now than before. They're choosing to stay."
I had not expected that, but I should have guessed they would have that response.
"Only twenty-two," said Maggie, "so one person may still show up tomorrow."
"I believe you'll find that number twenty-three is Pearce," said David.
We had silence for several seconds, and mourning passed over our faces at the mention of his name, even Cadmar's. We had all forgiven Pearce and recognized, as David would point out, that blame happened readily after removing circumstance and the human condition from the equation.
"Would you like to post to the blog, David?" Aiden asked.
"Yes, and don't bother to encode it, like their conversation, it would prove too difficult. Tell them, `Currently, London is compromised, but that may change. We have no home base for now. Japan has too much uncertainty. I must leave but will return --when will depend on the locals. Check back periodically. Good luck' and you know how I sign my coded name."
"Sent," said Aiden.
"Thank you," said David.
"What's the plan now?" asked Rocke.
"It depends on you, Rick, the drone, and a few other variables," said David.
"The drone is out of range," said Aiden.
"Exactly, Aiden," said David. "We don't know how the drone is faring. We're well out of its range. So, we need to get within range as soon as possible. However, we know you've been piloting all day. No one will expect you to drive us anywhere tonight. I dislike putting this on you, but only you have an international driver's license. We want no problems with the police if they stop us. Tomorrow morning, we eat, top off the van, and we head toward Mount Fuji."
"I will be ready," said Rocke.
We paid the bill and went to our respective rooms in the hotel. A Japanese hotel can look a bit odd to Western eyes. No matter how luxurious and varied the suite, the bathrooms often seemed remarkably similar. They tended to use prefabricated bathrooms with a sink, bathtub, and toilet manufactured like an airline bathroom. They made them more substantial than an airline bathroom, but smaller than a Westerner would expect, especially the tub; not even Maggie could have stretched out inside one.
After preparations for the evening, David and I had too much on our minds for amorous activities. We lay atop the bed, relaxing, and he held my hand.
"Do you think our element of surprise is still enough to protect us from American interference?" I asked.
"I wish I knew. In many ways, we're blind here compared to London, and I have several concerns."
"If that's one, what are the others?" I asked.
"Does the portal exist? If so, does it remain functional? If it does function, what part of Jiyu is the exit? Knowing that terrain changes, is it in a safe location that has food? How far west must we travel to get home? If it's far, can we reach it? Jiyu is a larger planet than the Earth. Our journey here has been difficult with transportation. If One City lies on the other side of the planet, we will have no transportation to help us."
"Those are not small concerns, David," I said.
"Indeed, they're not."
The morning began as well as any of us could have wanted. We rose, ate, and fueled the vehicle with relative ease. Toyama and Yamanashi, our interim destination, had only about a hundred and fifty miles between one another, which takes four and one-quarter hours to drive, with mountains and several toll roads along the way. That gave us ample time to discuss David's concerns. We realized we could control only our ability to get to One City, or at the very least, contact our people. Bringing transportation would prove an impossibility, and we had no time to acquire it. Aiden said we should give him time, and he would think of something.
We had an uneventful trip to Yamanashi, as we expected. However, things changed when we came within the range of the drone. It found the portal, and the quick find was exhilarating.
"Whatever you do, don't check an internet map to see exactly where that is," said David, "they probably monitor the I.P. address of Julien's mobile."
"I knew better than that, thank you," said Aiden. "I would just download a VPN, but all the good services require a credit card."
They handed the drone remote to me, so I could guesstimate where we should go. The drone created a rudimentary map, but I knew the location just by looking at the origin of the signal.
I gasped. "It's in Aokigahara."
"What's that?" asked David.
"It's known as the suicide forest."
"Yukiko's story said one brother went into a forest to hide and find his brother," said Cadmar. "It's where he killed himself."
"Yes," I said, "and I happen to know there have been reports of people going into Aokigahara to kill themselves since Japan's feudal era."
"Might that have something to do with the story?" asked Maggie.
"I think it may have everything to do with it," I said, "and perhaps not just that one incident. Jiyu's ancients found the portal during Japan's feudal era. From the local people's point of view, many people have gone into the forest but never came back out. It wouldn't surprise me to discover that the locals assumed they killed themselves. One thing leads to another, and you have a location known as a place one goes to commit suicide, so people do."
"That's terrible," said Rocke.
"It is terrible," said David, "and whether that part is true or not, it's certainly ironic."
"Turn left, Rocke," I said, pointing to the intersection. "I see a parking lot on the remote where we can abandon the vehicle."
"David," said Cadmar, "before we leave the parking lot, I should look at what we bring with us for surveillance."
"That's excellent," said Aiden. "I'll turn off Julien's mobile. I should probably also scan everything for good measure."
"Good," said David and took a deep breath. "Everyone ready for this?"
We parked at a tourist attraction known as the ice cave. It brought us close without being too close. We began to unload our packs from the back of the vehicle when a sedan pulled beside us, straddling two parking spaces. The mouthy American, Major Palmer from the dock in Venice, exited the passenger side wearing his uniform. His presence startled us all, causing our fight or flight sense to kick in. Several of us almost grabbed our bag to make a run for it. David just stood there. I knew he had been waiting for something.
"How did you find us?" David asked.
"We've had our eye on you from satellite since the ship," he said.
"And...," I said.
"Did you think you would get in bed with the Japanese government?" he asked. "It's a little crowded with our military taking up most of the bed space, and we won't be a cuckold."
We all stood in silence, waiting, but David remained unmoved. "State your business," he said.
"Isn't it obvious? We want the portal in Japan," he said.
"Ah...," said David, "so the British have succeeded in kicking you out of England then. Good."
"For now," he said, "but they've begged for our help before, it'll happen again, and when it does..."
David shook his head. "They won't beg you," said David. "You're not the Americans they once knew. They don't recognize you anymore."
The man looked at his watch.
"If you're in a hurry, don't let us keep you," said Aiden.
It only took a moment before David realized, "Everyone return to the vehicle, we're leaving!"
We saw that David was closing his bag in a rush. We began tossing our bags into the back before climbing in.
"It won't do any good," Major Palmer said. "There's nowhere you can go that we can't find you, and eventually you'll come to us."
We backed out and left the parking lot.
"Aiden, hand me Julien's mobile," said David.
"Who are you calling?" I asked.
"Someone," said David, "I would like to believe, who remembers I'm her friend."
David booted up Julien's phone, while Rocke extricated us from the cul de sac and back onto the main road. We turned left to exit, just as an American military vehicle full of troops entered.
"Did you see that, David?" I asked.
"Yes. Keep going, Rocke, and with haste. They will turn around."
"To where shall I drive?" asked Rocke.
"For the moment, just drive," said David, pressing the "call" button on the mobile. He had it on speaker.
"Hello?" said the voice.
"Hi, Amanda. It's David."
"David! Where are you?" Amanda asked.
"That depends. I don't want any bullshit, Amanda. Are you or are you not, my friend, and someone I can count on?"
"I know I've been complicit in the recent events," she said, "the Prime Minister ordered me to, but I've seen a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turnabout here. Yes, you can count on me. I owe you an apology, David, for many things. If you need help, tell me."
"We found a portal in Japan, but the Americans have tracked us by satellite, and they are following us with a vehicle of soldiers. We can take care of them, but we may need assistance later. I want to know if we can count on you." David gestured to Cadmar.
"Yes, you can count on me," said Amanda.
Cadmar climbed over the seat to the back so he and Maggie could trade places.
"As for the soldiers," said Amanda. "Japan isn't the United States; they have no authority to detain you."
"Maybe so," said David, "but that won't stop them given the opportunity."
I guessed Cadmar's intention when I saw him take Aiden's pistol from his jacket.
"Slow down," I said to Rocke.
"Quelle? Pourquoi? (What? Why?)," he asked.
"Do it! Slow down, let them get just a few meters from our bumper," I said. "Are you ready back there, Cadmar?"
"Let them get closer," said Cadmar.
"David, what's happening?" asked Amanda.
"Nothing to worry about just taking care of our trivial problem. Hold on a minute," said David, looking out the back window.
"Cadmar, your ring!" I licked my knuckle, removed the ring, and tossed it to Cadmar, who skillfully caught it. I watched him put it on and use the diamond on it to cut around the edges of the glass in the back window as deeply as he could. Once they were in position, he yelled, "Everyone, get down!"
I didn't see what he did, but a loud crash and a high pitch chirp sounded. I yelled to Rocke, who had slumped down into the driver's seat. "Let's go, Rocke. Go! Go! Go!"
He rapidly sped up, and we left them behind. I got up to see Cadmar waving bye to the vehicle receding behind us through the newly broken-out window. He had electromagnetically pulsed their engine.
"Rick, here's the ring back," Cadmar yelled, trying to remove it.
"No, Cadmar, it's yours," I said. "It's where it belongs."
David continued his conversation with Amanda, and they had a three-way call with the Prime Minister. David wanted to ensure that the portal at the One City remained usable and to establish some rules about the exit near London. The Prime Minister suggested that the British Government could hold the immediate area around the portal at Painshill for Jiyu in perpetuity, and then we could have an embassy built. David felt unsure about that and would have to consider the proposal. When the call ended, he had the assurance he wanted that we could return to London and hammer out the details of Jiyu's relationship to the United Kingdom.
"I have a radical idea," said Aiden. "Why don't we go back to London?"
"We don't know that we can trust them yet," said Cadmar.
"How will we know if we can trust them if we don't trust them?" I asked.
"Sorry," David said, shaking his head, "that only applies to the first time. At this point, it's `fool me once shame on you,' etcetera. If they want our trust after what they did, they will have to earn it somehow."
"How do we know they will bother?" asked Maggie.
"Because they believe Jiyu to be the golden-egg-laying goose," said David, "so they'll bother alright. Rocke, park in that lot. We've driven around the perimeter of the forest, and we're probably farther away than we'd prefer, but we can't help that."
Visitors used the lot to access the hiking trail for a section of the wood. We carried water in our packs and some snacks, but not enough for more than a day. Fortunately, we had a destination and knew we had six miles to go. When the trail ended, it forced us to trek over half the distance through the treacherous forest, which turned dense with little air movement. We had slow-going over the vines, rocks, and roots that covered the ground beneath a nearly leafless canopy.
It became dark as we got to our destination, and that would mean we couldn't go home until the next day if we didn't want to draw attention to the portal. Unfortunately, none of that mattered since the U.S. military, who lit the area with portable lighting, had beaten us there. It sat in an unusual, round clearing inside the forest, making me wonder if the portal's field deterred plant growth somehow. We were just out of eyesight, and the soldiers in the circle hadn't seen us. They held weapons, though, and that made us not draw ours. Major Palmer had arrived, which explained his indifference to our leaving the parking lot.
"Don't move," said a voice behind us. "Put your hands where I can see them and step slowly into the clearing."
It had drawn the attention of the others. The major had everyone step to the edges of the clearing and away from the center.
"Hello, Mr. Levitt, why don't you join us?" asked Major Palmer.
When David stepped into the clearing, the portal gradually appeared.
"Sir!"
"And there it is," said the major with an air of great satisfaction. "I don't know how you do that, but I soon will. Bring them closer."
More soldiers prodded us closer to the portal with the muzzle of a rifle.
The major acted quite pleased with himself. He walked around the portal, which looked identical to the others. He climbed the steps and gazed into the crevice to get a better view of the light source.
"Fascinating," he said and stepped off the portal toward David. "How do you activate it?"
David said nothing.
"Maybe you just stand on it, sir," said one of the men. "It could be that simple."
"Perhaps, Lieutenant Lopez," said the major. "Let's test that; your men are ready, aren't they?"
"More than ready. Aren't we, men?"
"Yes, sir," they said.
"How did you find this place?" Aiden asked.
"The signal from your drone," said the major. "It's a good thing we failed to destroy it."
"What signal?" David asked Aiden.
"I'm not sure," Aiden said. "Oh wait, Iris sends out a signal."
"Oh, bloody hell," said David.
"Pearce must have told them," said Cadmar
"Maybe," said David.
The major told the men to assemble upon the portal. There were five of them, and with them, they brought six large containers they stacked up on the disk. One of the soldiers carried a spiked pole with an American flag upon it.
"You'll proclaim Jiyu as your own?" asked David.
"The planet, yes," said the major. "I'm sure we'll change that foreign name to something more American."
"What about the people who already live there?" I asked.
"Your people are even less aggressive than the Indians," said the major. "You're reluctant to draw your weapons, and you're always looking for a peaceful solution. And you know what we did to the Indians. We won't make the same mistake this time. We'll wipe you, godless bastards, off the face of our planet."
The men stood upon the disk, and the energy below was building. "If this works, we'll send more tomorrow with more equipment," Major Palmer told them. "You know what to do, men, and may God go with you."
The energy swirled, the field was surrounding them, and I noticed an odd, intense hum that I hadn't remembered hearing with the other portals. It grew bright, and we had to squint. I heard David cough. Our pistols were still in our jackets. The portal distracted them, so they didn't think to take our weapons. The field grew so bright that we had to close our eyes, and that meant everyone else did too. David, Aiden, and I pulled our pistols, turned, and stunned our captors. There were eight of them left, and it took only a couple of seconds before they were on the ground. We turned our backs to the portal and shut our eyes just as it completed the sphere and grew brightest. Then suddenly, the light dimmed, and a thunderous rumbling came from behind us. We turned to see that tons of stones and boulders had covered the portal.
"Bloody hell! What happened?" asked Aiden.
"The portal on Jiyu must have gotten buried somehow," said Cadmar, "That's interesting."
"Interesting?" asked Maggie.
"Yes, this is the first new data about the portal we've obtained in centuries," said Cadmar. "What do you think, David?"
"I think we are exceptionally fortunate," he said, staring at the pile atop the portal.
"Is it under some sort of avalanche, maybe?" I asked.
"Those men on Jiyu are probably dead, and all you can think about is a pile of rubble?" asked Maggie.
"They are right to be unconcerned, Maggie," said Rocke. "This world is half-filled with horrible people. They may be a product of their circumstance and their flawed humanity, but that makes them no less horrible. Their intentions were not honorable. They do not deserve our pity. Save that for the likes of Monsieur Julien Le Gal. He was a good human being."
"Might these men have had families?" she asked.
"They may have," said David. "If they had thought of them more, perhaps they wouldn't have been here in the first place. Life is fraught with mistakes that one cannot rectify."
"So, has this journey been a waste of time, David?" I asked. "Did Julien die for nothing?"
"No," said David. "We did what we had to do; circumstance had constrained our options. Julien had a senseless death, but it happened for a reason. He wanted to help us get home, and because of what he started, we will."
"What do we do now?" asked Aiden, kicking a stone that had rolled to where he stood.
"The only thing we can do, Aiden," said David. "We move on. We trust. We act upon the world the best way we know-how. We try to befriend those worthy of our time, and at the end of the day, we go home."
And we did just that. While Aiden recalled the drone, David contacted Amanda and told her everything. As part of an apology to us, she paid for our first-class plane tickets back to London. She assured us we would have no security issues and told us she would meet us at the airport with the Prime Minister. We appreciated the kind gesture. We walked out of the forest in a more direct route, which meant we lost our transportation. I called a cab to pick us up. We went straight to the airport, bypassing security with the help of the Japanese government. After wandering around the terminal all night, we caught our flight early the next morning.
It seemed almost dreamlike at that point; we slept the whole way back to London. For reasons I couldn't explain well, we stayed virtually silent with one another, like we had said everything, and the finality of our situation met us with a level of disappointment beyond words. The Americans had retreated for the moment, and we survived, for as dissatisfying a victory as we had.
After we left the circle in the forest, the pile of rubble collapsed to the ground when the portal phased out. No doubt Major Palmer had much explaining to do about the men buried beneath stone on Jiyu.
When we arrived in London at 1:00 p.m., the city seemed the same, but the atmosphere felt different. The Prime Minister greeted us with a heartfelt apology and an invitation for a meal.
We all acted like nothing from before had happened; I suppose we tried to put it behind us. Still, we remembered those who had been kind to us and the sacrifice of our friend Julien. He did what he had to do in the task he had set for himself. We would not forget him.
That afternoon we went to Painshill Park, along with the Prime Minister and his entourage, including Amanda. They had the park protected, but demilitarized, and that pleased us. They returned Cadmar's sword to him with a personal apology for what he endured. We shook hands all around, and we mounted the portal to leave, the sight of which we could tell dazzled all those in attendance.
As we stood there, I remembered what Amare said to me, and he was right. We seek a greater connection because there were people on Earth worthy of our time, like Julien, Yukiko, Sarah, the Rabbi, and all those people who helped us, including those who realized their mistake and did their best to correct it. Throughout my life, I had never felt more connected to my larger family than I did just then. Some things really were good to remember.